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May 10, 2014

welcome

Hi, I’m Karen: a freelance writer, immigrant, wife, and mother exploring life and work abroad.

Hi, I’m Karen: a freelance writer, immigrant, wife, and mother exploring life and work abroad.

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recent posts

Featured

Random things I want to tell you

Random things I want to tell you

Friday Favourites: Summer in the USA

Friday Favourites: Summer in the USA

Will I Pay Attention?

Will I Pay Attention?

Friday Favourites: Family Movies

Friday Favourites: Family Movies

Saturation Relapse and a Selfish Cure

Saturation Relapse and a Selfish Cure

Best buds. (More in stories ☝🏼)

Today we awoke to a sleepy 16 year old. He is proud and gentle and wise and very tall. He’s as skinny now as he was fat as a baby. He doesn’t like having his photo taken, but he loves his mother so he acquiesced to this selfie. He looks just like his dad did when we met. And he’s ours. Happy birthday to my first, best sidekick. 💙 I’m sorry you can’t drive yet. #sweetandspicy16
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#myson #takingroute #thisgloballife #alifeoverseas #bedeeplyrooted #littlestoriesofmylife #thehappynow #mytinytribe #familyfirst #raisingtcks #thetravelingacademy #momlifestyle #candidchildhood #ipreview via @preview.app

When we first moved overseas, Jackson was a quiet but game-for-anything 5yo. We told his stories easily and without a second thought. But now that plucky kindergartener is a tall, wise teenager and I’m realising those stories are his to tell. So here’s his first go. Link in bio // @velvet_ashes // www.velvetashes.com

Ah, the grand stretch in the evening... at 4:30pm-ish. Days are getting longer, y’all! 🙌🏼

✍🏼 New year, new projects. So many Januarys I’ve wondered what the year will be like, what I’ll find myself up to, where ministry and work and kids will take us. This January I am filled to the brim with new work projects, grad school (any tips for 4500-word essays on the theory of #perfectibility in literature?), and keeping the kids fed and caught up on homework. Shalom needed, stat. .
👉🏼 if you’re a woman serving, working or living overseas in need of the same, save the date for @velvet_ashes’ online retreat, coming soon (April) to a computer screen near you. 🌿 #velvetashesretreat

10 years in, and I’m sure it won’t surprise anyone that our Irish journeys don’t always take us exactly where we need to go, at least not very efficiently. Streets don’t always run straight here, and roundabouts slingshot us every which way if we aren’t paying attention.
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But there are no dead ends here.
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#linkinbio #velvetashesjourney

Bright days ahead. #2019

The year of family. And travel. And adventure. (And all the things that don’t photograph as well). #top9

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