i'm better for it friday....a story

i am certain we all have more than one 

“i’m better for it” story....

as a matter of fact, i imagine we have many.  

i am also certain that not all of those stories 

are something bad that happened in 

order for us to learn a lesson, 

rise from the ashes and eventually come to a place 

of gratitude for this "bad thing" that happened 

to make us better.

today, as i sit here in this little coffee shop typing....

i am better for one of the most blessED gifts 

i have ever received in my life.

today, my daughter Sophia is 11.  

she is a beauty, inside and out.  

she is compassion.  

she is kindness. 

she is “i love you mom” many, many times a day.  

she is a treasure.  

she is love. 

she is silliness.
she is laughter.
she is smiles.

she is thoughtfulness.
she is shine.

she is a wish come true,
every single day.
she is a gift.

she is happiness and magic and kisses and hugs.

she is my daughter....my heart.

i know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, 

that i am BETTER for being her mom.  

she teaches me daily and there are so many things 

about her that i strive to be more like.  

she is my blessing and i knew the day she was born 

she was a wise old soul who i was given to mother.  

i am better for this and 

beyond grateful for this.

happy weekend my friends. 

thank you for visiting me.

ox

kolleen


and to my daughter
happiness magic and love to you today
and always.
i love you as wide as the sky
 - mom

say whaaaaaaaat wednesday???

wednesday, wednesday!

happy day!

todays question is for all the 

mama's out there...

i am learning lessons in this whole 

"being a mom"  thing...daily!

and truthfully....i have realized being a

mom to 4 crazy kiddlies that 

 it comes down to 

one very simple (but not always the easiest) thing to do...

LOVE THEM.

JUST.  LOVE.  THEM.

they need to know they are loved 

NO MATTER WHAT.

they need to know that even when

you are mad or dissappointed or having a "freak out"...

you still love them.

they need to know YOU aren't perfect...

YOU make mistakes.  YOU are learning

and growing and trying to become better every day... 

 just like you hope they are.

they need to know you are "in it" with them...

and that you are not going anywhere!

so, please share...

WHAT LESSON(S) HAVE YOU LEARNED

IN "BEING A MOM"??

ox

kolleen

monday music inspiration

(photo via)

"Get over your hill and see what you find there,

With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair."

                                                     -mumford & sons "after the storm"

im better for it....kelly's story

Growing up girl some days just hurts

Until I hit the teens…..

my grandpa jim called me his “little irish”,  

he loved to tease me and I would gobble up his bait

Everytime.

I grew up on the football field, with my dad 

watching  him coach his boys,  and mom almost

always had a hot meal ready for us when we got home. 

My parents had a knack of making others

very welcome in our home. 

I was surrounded by my three siblings, melba and rebebecca  - my grandmothers, 

and many aunts , uncles and cousins. 

My parents would invite single teachers

to our house for Sunday dinners. 

There was always a huge summer garden, big family gatherings and family camp every summer.

 If you have ever seen the movie “hoosiers",

my house is in the opening scene. 

 Yeah…I am famous!

My parents expected us to be respectful,  finish a job and to be kind and welcoming to others. 

No  matter what.  I had a great childhood. 

growing up for me was somewhat painful. 

Like many others I am sure...it is uncomfortable.

I would say I was considered a pretty outgoing girl. 

I was involved in sports, student council, and

my senior year I was captain of my swim team. 

And I had quite a wit and sass about me. 

But deep inside I fought so much turmoil.

 I kinda hated myself.

growing up adult = pains…….

my lack of self confidence helped in the loser magnet status.  Sorry boys – it’s the truth.

I knew better, but it was almost as if I couldn’t help  myself.  I have been blessed with

three babies.  They are good athletes, smart, funnier than anything and very creative.

….i am better for it. 

this is also when I began to find my voice. After a bad divorce, I had it with allowing men to 

walk all over me. I went back for a degree in graphic design and met my husband (who by the

way is a jewel)  some like to refer to us as dharma and greg.  He is an athletic director and I am

a true creative.  it seems to work.  Of course we each do a lot of eye rolling to get us through.

when I was 40... (I can’t even BELIEVE that was 6 years ago.),  I found myself spinning my wheels.

I was over exhausted, my head hurt and I seemed to be sitting in the center of a pond – the water

at my chin.  I had been reading about adult A.D.D. so I talked to my dr. and he sent me off to a 

psycho-neurology center  for  testing.  It was such an interestingly  long-tiring process.  Deep down

I basically knew what they were going to tell me.   

In the end, I sat in front of the doctor as he told me

that I was basically dyslexic.  My reading comprehension is terribly low, I transpose letters and numbers,

bottom line is….it makes life miserable most days.  It is hard to follow conversation.  Sometimes, it just

makes my brain sleepy.   

So I left there with some tears. I am not sad that I had this learning disability,

the tears were for the little girl who needed more help, a little more understanding.  The girl hitting  her

teens who wanted to puke before every test, who felt inferior most of her life...but most of the tears were 

for the relief I felt in that instance when 

someone finally looked at me and said –

 its okay to be tired Kelly. 

Go home and rest now.  And I did.

“emancipate yourselves from mental slavery.  None but ourselves can free our minds”   -bob marley

growing up girl the artist……

2008 was a pivotal year for me.  I allowed myself to dream bigger than I ever had. I  gifted myself an

art retreat on a little lake in new Hampshire. …SQUAM. 

I hopped on a plane all by myself.  Met up 

with two chicks I didn’t  know and we drove to the woods. Where there were many smiles,  plenty 

of creative art classes with amazing teachers.  

I WAS IN HEAVEN.  

I also met my two girls sarah and tracey.

 We lived in the Hamilton cabin for 5 days. 

We drank a few beers, shared our dinner table and laughed until we were sick.  They are two of my dearest friends…bonus!  

I would have to say that SQUAM ART WORKSHOPS opened the creative world doors for me.  

So many that I met there the first year 

 have become part of my daily grind.

…….I am better for it

I also finally got to meet a chick I had talked to via emails and her blog – liz elayne. 

And through this

connection I was blessed in 2009 to work for her at the  UNEARTH retreat on the Oregon coast.  There

I had another 23 sisters thrown into my lap. 

……I am better for it.

since I hung out at both these retreats, each year I have found myself growing as an artist.  I see my

art moving  closer to where I want to be.  At unearth I also met up with Danielle.  I have to say it could

be trouble with the two of us.  She has fierce ideas and of course I am the little puppy lapping it up

as we go.  We are currently running an art challenge – artFOOlishness.  

here is where it is good...  

ahold of any one of my tribe

 and they will give me a quick cartoon slap and i can move forward.  

My art has moved forward because of 

the love and support I receive.   

This past fall, I attended squam by the sea.

I sat on different nights, with different friends who whipped me into shape… 

thank you Melissa and Tricia.

 Sometimes that little scared girl creeps up behind you.  I only wish I could name every single one

of you. I hate leaving anyone out. 

Because here is the thing…..

 It is the chicks that I have met along the way and I mean every single one of you – 

who I carry with me, as I paint.

 Every one of you I carry, each day – 

who make me want to do better.   

It is you – that makes me better for it.

there is room for each of us to shine. 

Never accept anything less than this.   

Our words, and our thoughts matter.

 This creative world can be so scary and overwhelming….but it is so worth it.   

My family has the biggest part of my heart.

But there is a little door in there that when you open it – you will find each of you who i have met along the way.

 I kinda dig that.....better for it.

p.s…..i met Kolleen at the unearth retreat. 

I was the official picker  upper.  So I pulled the van up 

to the beach cottage that she called home for a few days and immediately she said something very funny and very sassy.

I fell in love. …and I am better for it.

Thank you beautiful Kelly for sharing YOUR story.

  Kelly is an amazing artist and she is

full of love and sass...

go visit her here to see what her latest antics are!

  You can also hit up her etsy shop here.

I totally dig her and am so grateful to call her

my friend, my sistah!! 

if you would like to share your

"im better for it story"...please email me: 

kolleenharrison@mail.com

ox

kolleen

say whaaaaaaaat wednesday???

happy hump day my friends!!!

i hope you are all having a FABULOUS 

week thus far!

lately i have been thinking

a lot about happiness and what that 

represents in my life and the little

things i can draw into my life

that bring a smile to my face....

then this came to mind...

showing gratitude to those 

i appreciate in my life...

well, 

THAT brings me happiness

so...

WHO DO YOU APPRECIATE

AND DO YOU FEEL THEY KNOW

THEY ARE APPRECIATED??

if not...go do something

right now to let that someone

know how grateful you

are to have them in your life...

call them, write them a letter, send them a card.

ready, set, go!!!!

ox

kolleen

monday music inspiration & love

i took this photo a week ago saturday night with

my phone....i didn't want to post it until

this special day of love we are all

celebrating.

i don't know if you can see it the way i do...

but i see arms out stretched 

before us from above...

showing us love and waiting to

give us all a hug.

i hope you are giving and receiving 

LOVE LOVE LOVE today...

because really.... 

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE!

ooxx

kolleen

self-love

"to love oneself is the beginning of a 

life-long romance."              

                                              -Oscar Wilde

please come visit me here today.

i am so honored to be a part of the fabulous 

Vivienne's  blog posts regarding "self-love".

ox

kolleen

Publish Post

say whaaaaaaaat wednesday???

another wednesday has come upon us.

as i have been watching wonderful videos 

for my soul restoration class....

(trying desperately to catch up....)

this question came to mind based on some

of the things we are learning...

continuing on with my “happiness theme”.

WHAT ARE A COUPLE OF SIMPLE THINGS 

YOU CAN DO ...THAT YOU KNOW WILL 

BRING YOU HAPPINESS....

THAT YOU KNOW CAN HELP 

GET YOU OUT OF THAT FUNK 

YOU MIGHT BE IN??

i realized that some of mine are 

really quite simple and very tangible....

hitting play on any one of the (many many) playlists i have created, 

a hot shower, painting, 

sitting across the table from a good friend...

breaking bread...connecting, 

snuggling with my kiddlies....

these are just a few, 

but if we stop and take note...

and realize how many of these things 

are right at our fingertips....

and that happiness is right around the corner...

well...
 it may make life seem a little bit sweeter 

during those sour times.

thank you for visiting me...

THAT makes me happy!

can’t wait to hear some of your “happy things”.

ox

kolleen