And so it begins. Happy to have you join me. I am Stacey, a 46 year old woman who writes to get herself out of the dark. I have used writing as a tool for catharsis as long as I can remember; with memories of diaries that locked with a little key and the euphoric joy I’d feel in holding the most perfect, leather-bound journal. Keyboards, apps and blogging may have taken the place of my earlier days of diary-writing, but that feeling I get in releasing through writing has been a part of me all along. I am aware that I might be that grandma in 2020 who just discovered Facebook, by blogging and not podcasting. But writing forces my brain to slow down a little and be more thoughtful and the result is a more honest account and less verbal vomit. You’ll thank me. 

If you know me already, or if we have never met, I’m sure you’ll get to know the real me bit by bit in the posts to come. What is important to know is that I’m not slick and shiny. You aren’t going to find a beautifully photographed site, whose design will evoke envy and lust for a lifestyle I am pretending to live. 

I am a real person, with real challenges, who shares her stories of triumph and struggle in the hopes of creating community. Typos might just be the single-most greatest pet peeve of my life, but you’re going to find them here. I love simple beauty and take great pleasure in the sound of birds singing, the shape of a perfect leaf, and the blue of a clear sky can truly make me want to weep. I am inspired by the people who have lived through challenges before me; by out-of-the-box dreamers; by community leaders; and healers and survivors of all kinds. I am always learning and I believe that my three sons are my greatest teachers. 

I have invited a group of kick-ass friends to participate in this project with me. We are all on our own journeys to be better, to be well, to get unstuck. We come from different upbringings, environments and lives but we all share a common link. It’s the thread of wanting ourselves and our community to be better. I am really looking forward to you getting to know all of us and to open up some discussions that might help in your own journey.

Stacey aka WillowjakMama

I’m trying my best to pay it forward by dealing hope and sharing stories & tips on caregiving and how to survive hard things. I blog a lot about single parenting my adult twin sons who both have autism, and the challenges we face in surviving the everyday challenges and planning for a future full of unknowns.

willowjak.com