Hello! I'm so glad you found your way to my blog!! I am writing to share my story. I guess you could say that I am starting the sequel of my life. The second chapter, the next act.
For those of you who follow my facebook page (Susan Kelly ArT GrL Designs) you will have read something similar from me, but I am sharing things again here just to get started.
I turned 50 about a year ago. I have been married to a wonderfully dedicated husband for 30 years. We have two fabulous children. A daughter who is 26 and is employed as an online banking specialist. A son who is 19 and is in his second year of college. We have one beautiful, smart, fun, love of my life granddaughter who is 5. Wow! I can't believe she is 5 already. Time goes by so fast now. We live in the country in a small town is Washington state. We are so blessed by the beauty that surrounds us that we are able to see each and every day!! God is good!
My life really changed dramatically about 14 years ago. It started small. One very painful life altering illness found it's way into my body. Apparently that was the gateway and little by little illness after illness just kept finding me. I have struggled with chronic illness and the pain, stigma, depression that comes with it ever since.
I have been fortunate enough to have the loving support of family and friends. A very strong faith and a loving God who will never let me down. I have also been blessed to have good medical care. It always takes awhile for the doctors to figure out what you have and how to help you. I have done so much research on my own. You've got to help yourself right? I am a middle child. So I have always been a "fixer". I will search and search to find a way to help myself or someone else like a bloodhound! I always think there has to be a way!!
The next life altering event was when my mom passed away 3 years ago. You need to know that my mom was my everything. She was my mom, my confidant, my best friend, my buddy, my prayer partner, she was "my google". If I needed to know something she just knew it. I was blessed to have always lived in the same area as my mom. We talked on the phone daily and saw each other almost just as much. The one thing, the only thing that allowed me to get through this was that I knew she was so at peace to be going home. She knew her savior was waiting with open arms and she was ready. I read from proverbs to her. You know the one. She WAS the proverbs 31 woman. What an example she set for me. How blessed I am.
So that catches you up to now. I was having those "what do i do now" thoughts that people have when they become empty nesters and turn 50.
I also needed to find a way to deal with my grief. A profound sadness had taken over my life. I have always been a "crafty" gal. Whatever came up I could make it or do it. It was fun! But I started to really feel a pull in my heart to be more creative. I stumbled onto art journaling by way of a site on the internet. Sarah Whitmire's soul journaling is what got me started.
Through art journaling I found art therapy which led me to all kinds of art forms. What a happiness my heart found!!! I was able to express my emotions in my art!! It was a creative outlet for grief, pain, sorrow, depression....but through this outlet and being able to get these feeling actually OUT, I have found peace. I have peace. My heart is at peace.
So now I am on this fabulous ART JOURNEY!! I have been following all kinds of art groups on fb. I absolutly love Happy Mail. If you haven't found that yet you must!! I presently am working on some jewelry, mixed media canvas', some painting (that I am learning!) doodles and zentangles. I still have not so good days. Even bad days with my illness' and pain. But they are so much easier to get through. Even my grief is lighter to bear. I thank my God for saving me and I thank my mom for teaching me there was a God to believe in.
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