So I've been following Ashley's blog and Instagram stories for. a. minute.
(15 years and counting now).
Saturday, I had the privilege of meeting her in person for the first time! ❤
She had a book signing event at Book and Bloom in Broken Arrow... an adorable bookstore & flower shop that she said reminded her of You've Got Mail. For real, Main Street in Broken Arrow is the best, and they chose the perfect location for this event! Oooh, and I stopped by the Laurannae Bakery Ashley had recommended afterward and had the very best cupcake ever, but let's not get sidetracked. lol
The entire Campbell family was there... they're all kind and down-to-earth people who probably found the book-signing dynamic a bit awkward, but they're basically celebrities from my vantage point!!
Fun fact: My favorite photo wall at 522 was inspired by Ashley Ann!!
Campbell fam exactly ten years ago on Saturday. ❤
I felt very happy and proud for Ashley that there was a steady crowd of people from 10am to 1pm for this book launch event - amazing!!
Love the whole Campbell fam more than you might think possible - their childhood stories and photos, and the way Ashley celebrates what makes each of her kids unique - gracious, it's been subtle and gradual, but her writing style, eye for detail, love of adventure and color, exceptional photography skills (#snapshops2011), and her genuine love of humanity have shaped my life and taught me so much!! ❤
For a while, Chris and Ashley had three boys and one girl, and that dynamic reminded me of my preshface niece and nephews.
After a long road in the adoption process, in 2012, they traveled internationally to adopt Evann, who completes the awesome Campbell fam party of 7! ❤
In 2022, they took a highly-anticipated year-long trip around the world, visiting 20 different countries and learning from all the people and places along the way. Ashley wrote and published her first book detailing their memories and stories from that trip, and it is phenomenal! Genuinely. Highly recommend it!!
I loved seeing their whole family there in BA supporting her and signing books with her!! Blogging creates such a fascinating dynamic... I understand that I'm a kind and supportive stranger to them, but I feel like I've known them well for years, and I am so cheering for them right now!!
Each of her kids wrote a personal essay that is included in the book, so I marked their pages for them to sign! =)
Chris was greeting people in the line, so he was the first to sign my book... then I reached Corbett, Hudson, and Everett... the awesome men of the Campbell fam! I loved following their Instagram posts and stories during their world-traveling adventure, and it made me happy to see them in person!!
I was also really happy to see Breese... fun fact: she has loved baking since she was little (left pic)... she now has her own side business called Sunshine Baked Goods. And this summer, she baked and decorated the cake for her oldest brother, Corbett's wedding - so cool!
Finally, I was delighted to meet the youngest member of the Campbell fam... following Chris and Ashley's adoption journey was inspiring for me - I was among the hundreds who donated to the Incubator Project for the orphanage, and I cried when Ashley cried the day she met her daughter almost 13 years ago. I so LOVED reading Evann's essay about conquering her fears and food aversions and embracing new things throughout this trip!!
Ashley Ann was the last person I connected with at the signing table. The friendly woman next to me in line knew their family well and announced that I had traveled from OKC to be there. Ashley thanked me for that, and I told her I've followed the blog for years and congratulated her on this massive accomplishment!! We talked about the cute bookstore and the book launch team and got a photo together, then I stepped forward to keep the line moving. All in all, my time in the bookstore was relatively short, and there was no way to adequately convey my deeper thoughts or level of gratitude there... but it was a fun Saturday in the Tulsa area, and I'm really glad I came out to support them!
This ended up being more of a tribute to their family than an official book review... but the book is exceptional! How could it not be!? I'll write a shorter review for Amazon later this week. Ashley is a gifted writer and photographer, and her debut book is brimming over with high-quality photos from their trip - (mostly taken by her, but some courtesy of Corbett's impressive drone photography). Anyway, following their family's trip in real-time was great fun, and it's awesome and expansive to get the behind-the-scenes stories in the book, vicariously experiencing the new people, places, foods, and great memories they shared!
As a long-time blogger who aspires to be a book author someday, I can appreciate what opening this box meant to Ashley! Well-deserved joy!! I really love that Chris and each of the kids wrote their own essays that are included in it - what a gift and keepsake this book will be for their family, and what a gift for everyone who takes the time to read it! Even the way Ashley formatted the book has inspired me creatively - it's unique, and it's exactly what it should be. I am deeply thankful for Ashley's wisdom, warmth, and personal strength - over the past 15+ years, her subtle influence on my life has been positive and profound. The Campbell family is such a light in the world, and I'm happy this book will carry that light a little further!!
❤ ❤ ❤
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