Who Am I?

Upon entering the blog world, first things first. You should know who I am and what Keeping It Kelly is all about.

Here's the quick "Sunday School answer." I'm proud of my family, both immediate and distant. For a little over five years, I have been a wife to a wonderful man ("Mr. M"), who adores me, and mother to his two children ("Mini M" and "Miss K"), who I love and raise as my own. In January 2013, "Baby E" entered our lives and added an abundance of joy and love to our home. Since the birth of Baby E, I've been fortunate to stay at home and am forever indebted to my hubby for his hard work and sacrifice that allows me to be home soaking up every single page of motherhood.

Like many mothers, my life seems to revolve around my family, and that's how it should be. But I find it hard to believe I'm the only one who has let some passions slip through my fingertips. Writing has always been my outlet. I'm not sure when I let my love for words fall from the back burner to totally off the stovetop, but now it's time to scoop up my passion and turn on the burner! (See! Even my analogies have become domesticated!)

Every woman needs a release. Social media has tried to fill the void for me, but there is nothing like expressing myself through writing.

On my blog, I'll be keeping it Kelly, and that is beyond keeping it real. Keeping it Kelly reminds me to say what I believe and enjoy what I love. In this world of information overload, I can get wrapped up in reading other people's opinions, recreating other people's style, enjoying photos of other people's families, and longing for other people's dreams. Having an interest in the people and things around me is a good thing. However, it becomes damaging when I'm so absorbed by it that it suppresses my own dreams, style, and opinions.

Have you ever seen someone trying to get the perfect picture to post on Facebook or Instagram? Sure, the family quality time was diminished by the constant picture taking and newsfeed checking. But the picture reflecting that "quality time" was adorable, and it has 57 likes after being posted a mere 5 minutes ago. Trust me; I'm not anti-social media. Social media is awesome (and includes what I'm doing now--blogging), but not when it becomes a welcomed ball and chain.

My challenge to anyone reading this is to stop scrolling through your newsfeed, checking your Instagram, and re-pinning someone else's ideas, and live your life. Be the person who inspires others to create, to write, to dream. 

Ashley Linam from www.ashleylinam.blogspot.com is that person who has inspired me to be who I am, love what I love, and do what I do. Enjoying life is contagious, and you can feel her enjoyment radiating from the entries of her blog. Thanks, Ashley, for being an inspiration to so many women. I hope my blog can touch someone as yours has touched me over the years.

Thanks for reading, and check back often for my twist on many topics. 

~Kelly