Making New Memories and Preserving Past Memories with Joanne and Legacy Republic

A few months ago I signed up to be a Legacy Maker with Legacy Republic.  I was aware of the company, but after a quick presentation from a representative It became a no brainer for me that it was destiny that I become involved.  My passion for family photos, my eighteen years as a Creative Memories Consultant, even the historian position I held for my college band...all of these passions for documenting life in photos and words.  My destiny.

But 100% honesty, it was the pending empty nest future that became the deciding factor for me.  It's not that I don't have enough things going on already, it's that I wanted to do something different, something new with the pending changes coming to my life.

I hadn't ever really given much thought to the words empty nester before.  I knew it meant an empty house, less people to pick up after, less food to buy and cook, more time for hobbies, more quiet times ahead.  Just maybe I would get to watch something I wanted to watch on tv and sit in my oversized stuffed chair at the same time.

What I hadn't thought much about was the circle of people that I associated with as a Mom was about to come to an end, completely.  I don't have any neices or nephews, or siblings, or cousins in my town.  The daily connections I have are with my kids parents.  Whether it's a soccer game or a swim meet, a basketball game or a tennis match, the people I have connected with for the past 16 years have mostly been through my children and the school system.

As graduation approached so did a little jolt of panic.  I was going to go from not having a single week night available to possibly having all of them available?  I had been telling my husband for months that we needed to find something we enjoy doing together so we can reconnect too...but still, there was this greater need I had to find something new for myself.  Something that I could be passionate about that would take my mind off of the pending "quietness" of my future life.

I might add that my life is anything but quiet right now.  After 61 years of living in the same house, my mother is finally ready to sell her home and move into a condo, where daily living should get a whole lot easier for her.  I've been spending a bundle of time with her purging.  Not my strong suit for certain.  But the two huge duffle bags of reel to reel family movies only pushed me further to join Legacy Republic and it's awesome mission.

Much more to come here on my blog about Legacy Republic.  In the meantime, if you have old media, and you want to bring it back to life in the digital age, be it VHS tapes, slides, negatives, reel to reel, even scrapbooks...please contact me now and we together will make a plan for you.  You don't need to wait for me to contact you...which I eventual will :) just let me know you are interested and we'll make a plan together...the first step...and it's super easy...honestly, all you need to do is give it to me and I'll make it happen, three weeks later you will be enjoying and reliving!!  Call me!!
207-756-5337

Here is a "snippet" from some of the reel to reels I pulled from my mother's house.  This is 60 seconds of random footage put together for me by Legacy Republic.  Full disclosure, I haven't yet shared this with my Mother yet, I believe it will be very emotional for her, as my father died 11 years ago, and my sister died 6 years ago, I want to sit with my Mom and watch it together.
If you don't see the photo below, you may view it at this link.
http://family.legacyrepublic.com/s/ZIqpy05sCr2P6TPZ



Yes, my Mom still lives in this house, next to SMMC in Biddeford.

So I have one more thing to share here about my empty nest situation...or call it a bit of a mid life crisis.  When presented with the opportunity to go out to California to attend Legacy Republic's first ever "reunion" for additional training and knowledge, the old Mom, the pre-empty nester Mom, would have definitely closed the door on the offer as something I just "couldn't" do.  I am so happy I have worked my way through this old way of thinking and am embracing a new future with some fun and excitement and adventure!

So, saving the best for last, my little picture story of my adventure out to California.  This was a very big deal for me.  I traveled alone, there were some unexpected delays, I learned how to use my phone camera and "take a selfie" (I'm a work in progress).  Also, our day trip over the Golden Gate Bridge, sooooo cold....even for this Maine girl...one more thing, I flew out of Portland, so you natives check out the footage at the beginning of my recap on a clear and gorgeous day, you can see everything!!  I am so very lucky to be a part of this company at this very special time in my life.

I have found a new passion and I can't wait to share it with you all!!  If you can't wait either, please please call me, text me, facebook message me!! 207-756-5337

I've also put a link up to my Legacy Maker site on my blog page...somewhere over to your right :)
Now, below, my photo recap of my California adventure.  California is so BEAUTIFUL!!
use this link if you do not see a photo link below. http://video214.com/play/JSpIYrN0WTc5CM197yAITg/s/dark