Lovebomb – five year anniversary

Aug 7, 2012 | Life in Progress

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I arrived home recently from our annual Lovebomb retreat – a gathering of women that started five years ago. We toasted to our togetherness anniversary, danced (a ton), laughed more than ever before, and explored beautiful Martha’s Vineyard – a place most of us had never been before. Loved it.

Hello Martha's vineyard. With @aliedwards @brenebrown
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A lot happens in five years. Not just to the group as a collective, but in each of our lives. Because lovebomb is the only consistent thing/travel/gathering/event I’ve done five years in a row, I look at it as a sort of marker in my life – an indication on what I’m doing, how I’m doing, and what’s ahead.

@jenlemen and @traceyclark at beautiful sunset

I remember what my life looked like at every lovebomb – from our first gathering in 2008 before my book launched and when I still had a day job to 2009 when I first started licensing and growing my biz to 2010 when I was pregnant and renovating a house to 2011 when I was very new at figuring out motherhood and business to 2012. This was the first year in all of the five years since we’ve been gathering that I arrived to lovebomb without feeling utterly frazzled by my life and work. I will remember that, always, as a testament to the ways in which I’m learning, growing.
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This group has helped teach me some crucial lessons in how to live a life of dreams while also staying grounded. We need the sky but we need the ground. I think I’m getting that for the first time since taking flight with my dreams and passions.

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For all of us, our yearly gathering has marked years of great business leaps, great personal leaps, pregnancies, motherhood, tragedy, moves, marriages, break-ups, new beginnings, old stories, struggles, and so much joy.

Life feels so much richer when you have people who bear witness – over years and years – to where you’ve been and where you’re going. History forms, relationships deepen, and friends become family. Love this.

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A few things I loved and will remember always about this years gathering:

– Myriam’s amazing food, including the simple yet delicious chickpea salad
– Four of us getting stuck (and lost) deep on a dirt road where we had to unload all the heavy luggage and get relayed back to the main road, one by one (hilarious)

Sweaty and super fun dance party. @matirose @myriamjoseph @aliedwards @alexsegal_nyc @jen_gray @jenlemen @traceyclark

– Dancing for hours and hours to the most amazing blues band I’ve heard live, maybe ever. So good.
– A hilarious inside, naughty joke that had me almost peeing in my pants with laughter and delight.
– The countless bowls of yummy chowder, lobster rolls

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– Singing countless songs out loud on the beach while we ate our lobster bake while watching the beautiful sun set over the ocean
– The general themes of discussion that surrounded the idea of being fully alive, adventurous

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– Being in the car with the girls, windows open, listening to one another’s play lists while singing or being quiet and taking in the moment.

– Staying up until 1:30 am most nights and waking up at 11am. BLISS.

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– Watching Jen Lemen ride her bike down the gorgeous rural road in nothing but a bikini and rain boots.
– Toasting to our five years of love bombing
– Having one of Myriam’s dear guy friends tell us all the secrets that women need to know about men for hours and hours of juicy late night discussion.

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– Lounging, lounging, more lounging. BLISS x 2.
– Watching Myriam and Brene dance in the living room to country tunes
– The landscape and weather at MV made me incredibly nostalgic for my rural Florida hometown as a child. The trees, the smell, the air, the mosquitos, the dirt roads, the humidity – all similar and had me loving my roots.

On a tiny plane heading to Boston from Martha's vineyard. I am literally in the seat next to pilot who looks to be about 13 yrs old. ADVENTURE.
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On the plane back to Boston, I was literally in the seat next to the pilot of tiny 8 seater plane. I loved it. The overarching theme of our gathering this year was the idea of being alive, really LIVING and embracing the senses, the adventure, the realness of everyday moments. Sitting in the co-pilot seat of this tiny plane brought the entire trip home for me: alive, and on an adventure.

Here’s to being alive.
Thank you MV.
Thank you, Lovebomb.

ps: Every year when I write about lovebomb, I’m reminded of the idea that we really must create the experiences we most need. That’s how this group was formed a few years ago, and the same is totally possible for you. Please head over to this post that Jen and I wrote on how you can create your own gathering. If your heart is calling, listen. I can’t encourage you enough to really lean into those whispers….

Sending much love,

Show/Hide Comments (6 comments)
6 Comments
  1. Indiana Limestone

    It would be a great feeling of being alive when you are seating on a co-pilot seat. I love all these photos.

    – Herman Swan

    Reply
  2. Ronnie

    What a joyous post! Gotta love all that women bring to our lives…though I'd love to know the the secrets we need to know about men! Spill it, sister!

    Reply
  3. Indigo

    This is so delicious! You all inspired me to create this in my own life. This fall I'll start planning our third gathering. I can't tell you how grateful I am for your inspiration, and how grateful I am to have a group of sisters in my life. It truly lifts me up like nothing else. Love you all!!

    Reply
  4. Monica Lee

    omigosh! Planning one even as I type! That looks fabulous!

    Reply
  5. Hannah

    In the midst of Planning and so inspired!! Love the marking of time.

    Reply
  6. Sherri A. Ohler

    Lovely, lovely post 🙂

    Made me smile. A lot.
    Blessings to you,
    Sherri Ohler

    Reply

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I’m Kelly Rae Roberts

Before I picked up my first paintbrush at the age of 30, I was a medical social worker. I followed my creative whispers, and today I’m an artist & Possibilitarian. I’m passionate about creating meaningful art and experiences that awaken and inspire our spirits.

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