Hello. I'm Kaitlyn. Reader, writer, marketer and aspiring novelist. This site hosts my professional portfolio, published work and personal pieces. Feel free to poke around, I'm glad you're here.
I remember the morning my world s h a t t e r e d. It came, bursting and bright, barreling through our bedroom window like a meteor. I didn’t stir. After the explosion you slipped from the safety of our bed, quiet and calm, and placed your feet upon the shards of me I had yet to discover had been br ok en. Tell me, did your feet bleed? I heard you, sweeping up the jagged pieces of confidence that I would forget I lost and listened to you count the days, you knew, I would struggle to breathe….
Dear husband, I’m not the same women you met back in 2009, not even c l o s e. There are some deep-seeded ideologies that have dredged my soul; thoughts and resolutions that have shaken my perspective and challenged my worldview. But before we get started, you should know – it’s not me, it’s you. Singularity ain’t so scary Individualism should be celebrated “What if I’m destined to be alone?” A question I asked my mom – repeatedly – at the tender age of twelve. Someone, somewhere, convinced me that some souls are built for singularity and I was choking on…
Someone recently asked me what I would tell my younger self if I could go back in time. The following is a complex answer to an incredibly loaded question… Dear me, You’re 10 and grieving for the first time. You loved that cat more than anything and no one told you that death wasn’t something made up in Sunday School. Cry. Cry because in this moment you are learning that life is fragile and beautiful and existential. Cry because right now we are realizing that being vulnerable is not the same as being weak and being transparent is constructive. Cry. Cry because today you construct the first fibers of the…
I’m not entirely sure how we ended up at the Ambush Crossfit studio or who brainwashed my husband into thinking it was the ultimate get-fit fix, but when Jon said he wanted to give Crossfit a try, I wasn’t only shocked and apprehensive, I was curious. I’ve never been a gym rat and I mean that with the utmost respect for those who are. I find the traditional work-out pad overwhelming and under-productive and I’ve wasted my fair share of cash flow on memberships un-used. Not only am I inexperienced on the machines, I get distracted, bored and, frankly, lonely when surrounded by other gym-goers who seem to…
It’s redundant to say that we l o v e our animals. Jackson and Duncan are not just pets, they’re members of our family. Unique personalities with middle names and Instagram accounts. Members who have changed our home for the better. Yesterday we were a family of four; a healthy, active unit of dog-inspired pastimes. Today, we are grappling with the thought of being a family of three. Today, we are grappling with the thought of being a family of three It was a perfect sunny day when I got the call that Duncan, our youngest and most vibrant fur babe, was terminal. Kidney disease is…
I really like clocks. I find the steady metronome of a traditional analog soothing; it’s faint tick-tock a whisper of stability and certainty. But not always. Sometimes, the sound drives me to rip its round face from my wall in a desperate, and selfish, desire for silence. At times, the tick-tock is not a whisper but a nagging generation of insecurity. Some nights, the ticking is communicative. It archives my existence with each numbered heartbeat. I’m not sure, specifically, what sets me off but I’m confident that it’s both the conscious acknowledgment of my mortality and the realization that I am absolutely p o…
Dear homeowner, It’s been one week since the closing and I wonder… Have you decorated? Re-painted? Have you filled your garbage with junk mail addressed to the Mode’s and disposed of the old camping gear in the basement? Are your vehicles tucked safely in the garage or is that where the boxes are currently living? Its hard to imagine you nesting It’s hard to imagine you nesting; filling the cabinets and closets with things that are foreign. You see, we never wanted to leave Ludlow, it was just starting to become a home. Regardless, I digress. Here are some things you should know about life at Ludlow: You’re Welcome. When we bought Ludlow there wasn’t…
Chicken and pickles on bread, or sans-bread, either way you cook it I’m a Chick-Fil-A addict and I’ve ceased seeking treatment. There is nothing I like better than a sweet-tea served up with an original Chick-Fil-A sandwich and a side of salty, mouth-watering waffle fries. This isn’t a foodie write-up though, it’s a rant. There are a few things that I need to get off my chest… Social Identity. I’m not ashamed of brand-association but I totally should be. Back home, where the famous chicken sandwich is (a lot) less popular, people know I love it. Wait, know isn’t the right…
On December 26 the Mode clan set out on a journey that promised new beginnings. A challenging journey that would lead to financial freedom, new opportunities and grand a d v e n t u r e s. We were ready. The truck was packed [literally] and the pups were set comfortably between meticulously arranged boxes and suitcases in the back of our Toyota Prius. It was 61 degrees, the sun was shining, and we had a hearty Chick-fil-A breakfast settling in our stomaches. We were prepared for what we thought was ahead. In our preparation for our cross country trek what we failed to ponder was the reality of our…
The summer of 2014 was a busy one. The planning and prepping that surrounded our four family weddings lead me to anxiously desire one thing; calm. I knew I would get it, I was sure of it. As the year drew to an end I could taste normalcy. I saw lazy Saturday’s, casual family dinners, and peaceful Sunday mornings on the horizon. I was ready to focus on my infant marriage and excited to navigate new family dynamics. Then, everything changed. I was completely unprepared for the challenges of 2015 I was completely unprepaired for the challenges of 2015; my fathers death, the purchase, remodel and…
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