A High School Graduate

A few weeks ago, I graduated from high school! I guess that means that I’m a big kid now. 

Mom&I - Graduation

Em,Allie&I - Graduation

Colin&I - Graduation

To me, graduating high school was bittersweet. The bitter part being the goodbyes I have said to my dearest friends, knowing I am not going to be able to meet my mom every day at Starbucks after school, and bits of southern comfort. The sweet part being able to celebrate all of my hard work, my acceptance into the perfect college for me and knowing that I get to create a whole new world making new friends and experiencing things I never have before!

All the way from Georgia, I am heading out to Malibu, California to attend Pepperdine University. I could not be more excited! I must admit that it is slightly intimidating because it doesn’t seem like I am just beginning a new chapter, but instead, I’m beginning a whole new book! However, despite the new book I have to write, I have remained very calm and mostly excited to fill up the pages.

Nantucket

Ever since I was a one year old, my family and I have spent our summers on an island about 30 miles out to sea called Nantucket, Massachusetts.

The first few years we spent about two weeks there in the summer. But for the past seven years, we have been fortunate enough to spend the entire summer and Christmases to here in a house of our own.

No matter where my family and I have lived, we always come back to Nantucket for the summers and Christmases. It is the constant. It’s where our whole family gathers together. It’s where I had my first job. It’s where my sister got married.

As we come over on the ferry from the mainland, my mind becomes clear and all my worries go away. It’s so serene and comforting.

Despite living in Georgia for the past ten years of my life, Georgia doesn’t feel like home to me. There is something magical about Nantucket. That sense of magic I assume everyone feels when they think about their home.

To me, Nantucket is my home.

Nantucket Boat

Nantucket Town

Brant Point

Main Street

Painter

{Photo 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

My Family

Family has always been the most important aspect of my life. So, I’d like to introduce you to the most important people in my life and tell the story of how we came to be.

My parents met back in 1979 at Bank of America in downtown San Jose, California. My mom was a receptionist. My dad was temporarily filling in as a training officer. When they first met, my dad always tells the story as “it was love at first sight”. And that’s when the flirting began.

My dad was only supposed to be there for a month. However, a month turned into five months. Unbeknownst to my mom, who was wondering why my dad wouldn’t just ask her out already, my dad was not comfortable asking my mom out while they both worked at the same office. So, on the very day that he found out his job there was complete and he would be leaving to go to his new job, he asked my mom out on a date. And the rest is history.

Thirteen months later, on June 21, 1980 my parents got married. 

Three and a half years later, they had my oldest sister, Emily.

Emily - 2 Years Old

Three and a half years after that, they had my other sister, Allison.

Allie

For seven years, it was just the four of them. My sisters jokingly still refer to my parents and themselves as the “original Ott family”.

But then, SURPISE! I came along. And it has just been the five of us for the past 17 years.

Caroline's Born

However, just recently, we added a boy to our family of many girls. My sister, Emily, got married last October! Now, my sister, Allie, and I are lucky enough to have the brother we had always wished we had, and my parents have the son they never had.

Ott/Hollister Wedding

So, we are a happy family of six! (Well, that is until Allie or I get married or Emily and Steve have children.)

I love each of them with every ounce of my heart.