Hello! I’m Colleen!

In 1993, I married my high school sweetheart. We had the normal struggles as we raised our two kids in Upstate New York. As our daughter prepared to leave our comfortable nest, we moved to a little bungalow in South Carolina. Soon our son enlisted in the Army and our nest was empty.I always thought the empty nest was just about children not being home. Boy was I wrong. I quickly discovered this season would be a pivotal point in my life. I looked around and realized that the last 20 years were about children and family. Where was my personal growth? Who was I “now”? What was my reason to wake up in the morning?I was broken. I struggled to understand what pieces of me still belonged. With grace, the love of my husband, and the help of others, I put those pieces together making my life whole. It is a life that shifts me away from “being mom”. I am happy to be me.

Finding my voice

As much as my husband has always been at my side, I often felt alone. Through the amazing world of the internet, I was able to read about other women’s journeys to find out who they were once the kids left. After reading a few posts I would realize “this person isn’t like me”. I’m not special. I don’t come from money. We don’t have money now. I’m not hip, educated, or even what some think of as smart. I struggle with technology, I don’t like doing the dishes, and I don’t understand why so many young women can’t do basic household chores. I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten grey, I’ve gotten softer and my body is starting to fail me. Where are the people “like me”?That was when I realized that I had something to say. Remnants of Grace is my chance to tell you what I’ve learned. I’m not here to tell you how to be a better mother, a better wife, or even a better person. I don’t know that I am any of those things. I am here to share my journey away from a place of fear, worry, and loneliness. I’m not sure exactly where this journey ends. I am sure that I’m not afraid of it anymore.