Carolyn Ellis — Women On Fire

Happy day to you celebrating Easter and Passover — and births and birthdays!

Easter with my great-niece Kinsley!

There is a lot of joy in our Women on Fire community so today we’re going to celebrate a sampling of it.

At a tea in Naples earlier this year, Woman on Fire Julie Shepardson of Oviedo, Florida inspired us all with her theme “Year of the Joyride!” Love that, Julie, and hope you don’t mind me borrowing for today;-)

Happy birthday, Woman on Fire Mandy Pratt of Boise, Idaho with the double blessing of your special day falling on Easter.

Happy birthday on your big day this weekend to wonderful Carolyn Ellis of Toronto, Canada. To dear Nancy Neal of Greenville, South Carolina. And, love to my own mother (Women on Fire member #00001!) Mary Lue Phillips, of Huntsville, Alabama who celebrates being eternally young on Monday!

Big congratulations to Amy Laine and her husband James of Columbus, Ohio on the birth of their daughter Ava Louise this past week.

Amy attended a Women on Fire tea in Columbus last fall and learned a few days later she was having a baby girl. She sent me an email I will always cherish, rejoicing that her growing baby was coming into the world surrounded by “women who will make her feel powerful!”

And, it was a year ago, that many of you commented on “Hello, Baby Girl,” the SPARK! I wrote when my first great-niece Kinsley, was born prematurely to Ryan and Sarah Ausley of Nashville. Even though Kinsley had great care, it was a harrowing time for all of us.

What a joyous difference a year makes!

Here is Kinsley at Christmas. She’s healthy, strong and growing beautifully. And, she has already developed a taste for pearls.

And, here is Kinsley today as she celebrates her first birthday on Easter with all of our family.

Kinsley with mom and dad Sarah and Ryan Ausley.

Kinsley waiting for cake on her first birthday.

I know many of you are celebrating all kinds of wonderful events and milestones. Please share the joy in your life in the comments section belowso we can all take a joyride together!

Wishing you a delightful week ahead ~

P.S. The cake finally came. It was the first time Kinsley ever ate chocolate, and from the looks of it probably not the last!!

Kinsley reflecting on the joy of chocolate!

Summer joy on Martha’s Vineyard

Summer is vibrantly under way here on Martha’s Vineyard.
Normally, the population on our island is about 15,000 but in the summer the crowds swell with the heat (along with everything else!) to more than 100,000.

I love it.
Planes and ferries bring visitors to the Vineyard I may not have normally seen or known.

This morning I met Kim DeYoung, a dynamic coach and the brilliant founder of an organization called MetroMom at Black Dog for breakfast. We have travelled in the same information marketing circles and knew many of the same phenomenal women – Rochelle Togo-Figa, Carolyn Ellis, Jane Button, Ali Brown, Lisa Crisalle, Alexis Martin Neely — but we had never met. She was vacationing for the 10th year in a row on Martha’s Vineyard and I was honored she called and we could meet.

Many of you know how strongly I feel that “a rising tide lifts all boats.” Kim and I chatted about the powerful force of “mompreneurs” — women who start businesses from their homes to earn additional income and provide a better quality of life and balance for their families.

And, how exciting it is that so many groups and organizations are sprouting to serve and inspire this dynamic population of women.

Part of the joy for me in meeting women like Kim DeYoung is that she embodies Women on Fire Aspiration #20: “I believe there is plenty in this world for me.”

Rather than fearing others who are doing similar work, she has embraced other groups serving “mompreneurs” and is growing her organization with joint ventures and collaborations.

I couldn’t find statistics on “mompreneurs” but there are more than 83 million mothers in the United States alone. What a force! And, joining forces with others strengthens what is possible. So, congratulations to the Kim DeYoungs of this world and the many others I know supporting “mompreneurs” including Shannon Davis of BeyondMotherhood who matches stay-at-home Moms with part-time work.

You are true Women on Fire in the way you embrace and empower women. I am proud to know and refer you!

Let’s take a joyride!

Summer joy on Martha’s Vineyard

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