avatarJulia A. Keirns

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y husband. 02/14/2017</figcaption></figure><p id="cd46">I had to go way back in the pictures to find one of me dressed up. I live in an RV full-time people. Dressing up is not something I do much anymore. I seriously think someone would have to die to get me dressed up right now.</p><p id="8f76">But, the picture I found was from Valentine’s 2017. Rich and I were obsessed with bald eagles and he took me to The Nature Inn at Bald Eagle State Park in Howard, Pennsylvania. We didn’t see a single bald eagle that trip, but we sure had a nice romantic time.</p><p id="987f">I am not one to dress up on a regular basis. We were always outdoors hiking or camping and still are today. Casual it is.</p><h2 id="d997">Back to the beginning</h2><figure id="7ca0"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*B_y_7oGrccS2Ogru74KSyw.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo of author taken by her mother — August 1965</figcaption></figure><p id="9a92">I was born in Ohio in 1964. I am the youngest of four. My sister is the oldest and she is thirteen years older than me. She will always, always, always, tell you that she changed my diapers. Then I have two older brothers. They were not mean to me, but you know how brothers can be. I never got to be the good guy…</p><figure id="566d"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*P2GDb9uEYzQ_NcR1is-mMw.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo of the author taken by her mother in 1969. Target practice.</figcaption></figure><p id="55cb">What kind of mother makes you stand there being the target while playing cowboys and Indians so she can take a photo!? I would do that to my own kids too.</p><h2 id="93f0">At grandma’s house</h2><figure id="37a9"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*eaueop1MYn3qZ-6o1F-UFQ.jpeg"><figcaption>The author’s grandma in 1968 at the age of 80. Photo taken by author’s mother.</figcaption></figure><p id="0910">I pretty much grew up without grandparents. By the time I was born only my dad’s mother was still alive and she died when I was five. I have a few memories of her. One is sitting on her lap while she stuck a lightbulb in a sock and sewed up the hole in the sock, and one day at her house up town sitting on the couch on the front porch; and my third and final memory is from the day of her funeral.</p><p id="749a">My grandkids are so fortunate, they have six grandparents because my mom is still alive and so is my husband’s mother.</p><h2 id="a8e7">All grown up</h2><figure id="5aed"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*WYiewGrJ6f90r-hpuAmsVw.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo of the author taken by her husband. Summer 2000.</figcaption></figure><p id="4016">This is the skinniest I ever was

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after the three kids were born. We were on a weekend away at a cabin in Indiana. A lot can change in 23 years.</p><h2 id="967b">Most proud of</h2><figure id="3812"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*rAu793E6Ms0SJc7uCkPUSQ.jpeg"><figcaption>Author pregnant with first child in 1987. Photo taken by husband.</figcaption></figure><p id="bc89">My three children. I am not allowed to post their photos. I have children in the military and privacy is important. All three of them were great kids who turned into great adults and they have great families. I love them more than they know and am so proud of each one of them.</p><h2 id="e833">Me and my hubby</h2><figure id="08a5"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*uQrwaocmQffGf5Dxb6V9_w.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo of Rich and Julie in 1986. Photo taken by a friend.</figcaption></figure><p id="a624">We met in 1985 and got married in May 1986. Most of the years have been great ones. I remember one or two tough ones. We have now been married for 36 and a half years, going on 37. I can’t imagine life without him. We have had so many great adventures and are absolutely loving our current adventure of living in an RV full-time and traveling around the country.</p><h2 id="c14e">Random silly photos</h2><figure id="8215"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*wfiQZYg8w_59gllW4guysQ.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo of author taken by husband.</figcaption></figure><p id="1030">I have always liked to dress up for Halloween and be silly. Yes, I am wearing a chicken hat.</p><figure id="6c54"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*8aWxV20_topBEQC1ONqjtw.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><p id="1c4e">And I love to be outdoors and hike and climb. I just need to get that ability back now. I am almost terrified of slipping and falling now. I walk very carefully and always have to hold on.</p><p id="daa7">So there you have it. This is me — Julia A. Keirns. If you want to know more you can read my About Me article here…that picture is actually a selfie I took of myself.</p><div id="ad36" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/about-me-julia-a-keirns-dcfa034f2bf"> <div> <div> <h2>About Me — Julia A. Keirns</h2> <div><h3>Freelance Writer, Blogger, and Author of Children’s Books</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*Uq9OxrffP1tIRd6-gKTk7w.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

This Is Me In 2023

Selfie Challenge

Photo of author taken by husband on 01/14/23

JoAnn Ryan wrote an article titled, “Introduce Yourself With the “Selfie” Challenge on In Living Color” on January 12, and I am just now getting around to doing it.

Accepting a selfie challenge is a big step for me. Number one, I don’t take pictures of myself so I am going to have to find photos that are okay to post. I am always the one behind the camera.

Number two, I don’t like the way I look right now. Not just because I am wearing a nightgown and my hair is a mess at this moment. I mean the whole me.

I have gained a lot of weight in the past five years. I will blame it on breaking bones and being unable to be mobile for so long. After the third time of falling and seriously breaking something the doctor finally ordered a bone density scan and found out that I have osteopenia and a severe Vitamin D deficiency.

Osteopenia is a loss of bone density that weakens the bones. It is a precursor to osteoporosis. I stopped hiking and walking for years — being laid up most of it. My right leg is the worst. I have no feeling from the knee down. But that’s a story for another time.

I am now getting active again and building myself back up. I walked two miles yesterday for the first time in years. I might lose a couple tenths of a pound every other day, but any progress is good progress. I will go ahead and expose myself as I am and hopefully be accepted without looking like a model.

All dressed up

Photo of author taken by husband. 02/14/2017

I had to go way back in the pictures to find one of me dressed up. I live in an RV full-time people. Dressing up is not something I do much anymore. I seriously think someone would have to die to get me dressed up right now.

But, the picture I found was from Valentine’s 2017. Rich and I were obsessed with bald eagles and he took me to The Nature Inn at Bald Eagle State Park in Howard, Pennsylvania. We didn’t see a single bald eagle that trip, but we sure had a nice romantic time.

I am not one to dress up on a regular basis. We were always outdoors hiking or camping and still are today. Casual it is.

Back to the beginning

Photo of author taken by her mother — August 1965

I was born in Ohio in 1964. I am the youngest of four. My sister is the oldest and she is thirteen years older than me. She will always, always, always, tell you that she changed my diapers. Then I have two older brothers. They were not mean to me, but you know how brothers can be. I never got to be the good guy…

Photo of the author taken by her mother in 1969. Target practice.

What kind of mother makes you stand there being the target while playing cowboys and Indians so she can take a photo!? I would do that to my own kids too.

At grandma’s house

The author’s grandma in 1968 at the age of 80. Photo taken by author’s mother.

I pretty much grew up without grandparents. By the time I was born only my dad’s mother was still alive and she died when I was five. I have a few memories of her. One is sitting on her lap while she stuck a lightbulb in a sock and sewed up the hole in the sock, and one day at her house up town sitting on the couch on the front porch; and my third and final memory is from the day of her funeral.

My grandkids are so fortunate, they have six grandparents because my mom is still alive and so is my husband’s mother.

All grown up

Photo of the author taken by her husband. Summer 2000.

This is the skinniest I ever was after the three kids were born. We were on a weekend away at a cabin in Indiana. A lot can change in 23 years.

Most proud of

Author pregnant with first child in 1987. Photo taken by husband.

My three children. I am not allowed to post their photos. I have children in the military and privacy is important. All three of them were great kids who turned into great adults and they have great families. I love them more than they know and am so proud of each one of them.

Me and my hubby

Photo of Rich and Julie in 1986. Photo taken by a friend.

We met in 1985 and got married in May 1986. Most of the years have been great ones. I remember one or two tough ones. We have now been married for 36 and a half years, going on 37. I can’t imagine life without him. We have had so many great adventures and are absolutely loving our current adventure of living in an RV full-time and traveling around the country.

Random silly photos

Photo of author taken by husband.

I have always liked to dress up for Halloween and be silly. Yes, I am wearing a chicken hat.

And I love to be outdoors and hike and climb. I just need to get that ability back now. I am almost terrified of slipping and falling now. I walk very carefully and always have to hold on.

So there you have it. This is me — Julia A. Keirns. If you want to know more you can read my About Me article here…that picture is actually a selfie I took of myself.

Selfie
Challenge
Photography
In Living Color
Writing
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