Welcome!
I’m thrilled that you’ve found my “little corner” of the Internet.
If you’re new here, that’s okay, I am too. This blog is still in its beginning stages; I’d love for you to stick around as we learn and grow together.
My name is Elise, but most days I’m simply “Mama” to my three beautiful boys, aged 5 and under, or “Babe” to my wonderful husband of ten years. I’m also a “mom” to two small dogs, who are the other ladies of the house.
I’m a certified elementary school teacher and have always had a heart for working with children. However, it’s been awhile since I was last in the classroom as my own young family has kept me preoccupied.
For as long as I can remember, I have loved reading and writing. When I was a young girl, I would spend hours on the couch, immersed in a good book (usually Nancy Drew), and I’m still an avid reader.
I am fond of all things musical. (Okay, maybe not all things–I don’t particularly care for death metal.) As a child I studied piano and, although I didn’t get far enough to teach music, I still enjoy playing any chance I get.
Above all else, I love the Lord with all my heart. My faith is deeply part of who I am, which I hope will be evident throughout my blog. I don’t have it all together and I’m still learning and growing, but I do my best to follow Him.
Truthfully, blogging has never been something that I aspired to do; the thought never even crossed my mind. And yet, the circumstances surrounding the birth of my youngest son changed all of that. “Little Roo,” as we call him, was a micro-preemie, born just 25 weeks into my pregnancy. He came into this world weighing a whopping 880g (less than 2lbs) and he was 13 inches long. Adding a baby to the family is already a huge change in and of itself, but for us this was so much bigger than that; it was an incredibly life-altering experience.
We had an extremely complicated NICU stay and, as I looked around at all of the families in there, it was as though a veil had been lifted and I was seeing the world for the first time. Since then I’ve really felt that God’s placed it on my heart to share our story with others and to offer encouragement to those who need it.
It may be what I feel God is calling me to do, but starting this blog is completely out of my “comfort zone.” When you meet someone for the first time you don’t usually share your life story. Rather, if you’re like me, you choose to talk about “safe” things: the weather, a recent or upcoming vacation, the kids, home renovations, etc. With a blog, there’s no small talk–we just dive right into the deeper topics. So here I am, feeling somewhat exposed as I lay my thoughts and my heart out for all of the world to see. But that’s what a personal blog is about, isn’t it? It’s about being real and authentic in a world where we can use social media to project an image of ourselves that we want others to see; it’s about realizing that while we all have our own story, others are also experiencing the ups and downs of life’s rollercoaster alongside us.
In writing this blog I have one prayer: that my words would be written just for you, no matter where you are in your life’s journey, and that today you will read something that speaks to your heart.
Blessings,
Elise
Photo Credit: Leah Rae Photography