Check out our March newsletter!
MARCH 2026
From Cluttered Rooms to a Clearer Mind
How Less Stuff Led to More Peace
This is the time of year when many people will tackle their closets, junk drawers, basements, and attics in an effort to clean their homes as part of their spring-
“Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff” opened my eyes to the power of decluttering, but it wasn’t enough for me to start the practice on my own. Someone recommended that I look into a professional organizer, and I just happened to have met one at a networking event. I called up Jennifer Barber, and we got to work. We went room to room, and it was incredible to see the benefits of decluttering in real time. When the kitchen was clean, we were more likely to cook. When my office was tidy, I was much more productive. We even developed a three-year plan to get the house in ideal condition. Throughout this year, we are going to continue downsizing, decluttering, and organizing the house. Next year, we will tackle the basement and finally go through everything that has ended up down there. In 2028, we hope to remodel the decluttered basement. It will be a lot of work but well worth it. One of the greatest joys from this process has been finding new uses for the things we don’t need anymore. I brought in a big bag of clothes I no longer wear into the office for the team to take before they were donated. I offered hair products and perfume to my daughters, mom, and nieces. We donated old bedding to women’s shelters, and we even have a plan to donate old books to the church so they can place them in the little free libraries. If we have too many towels or washcloths, we’ll donate them to animal shelters. There is almost always a new use for the things you no longer want or need. If your home is in dire need of organization, I highly recommend the expertise and help of Jennifer Barber. You can find out more about her and her business by visiting CutTheChaos.com. Working with her was one of the best decisions I have made in years.
cleaning tradition. It’s a great way to clear out your home and remove some of that physical and mental clutter that has been taking up way too much space. I’ve never really been one for the spring-cleaning practice. I’m very clean, but I’ve never been too tidy. Like many of you, it’s easy for me to let things pile up on every available counter or surface in the house, but I’ve recently committed myself to a big change. In recent years, I’ve started to feel like my house was getting overly cluttered. In 2021, we moved my in-laws into assisted living, but we weren’t necessarily in a position or headspace to go through all of their stuff. Dave wasn’t really sure what should be kept at that point, so we decided to pack it all into huge pods that sat on the property for six months until we decided to move everything into the basement, adding even more clutter to the mix.
It reached a point where every other Thursday, I was scrambling to clean the house before our cleaner arrived. I was desperately looking for a solution, and it came in two forms: an incredible book and an amazing person. If you’re struggling to part with things you no longer need, I highly recommend reading Matt Paxton’s “Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff.” This book tells Matt’s personal story while giving actionable advice to anyone facing a similar situation. When his dad passed away, he had to move across the country to clean out his house. His brother and mom came to help, and as they went through everything, they reflected on specific memories that were attached to the items. They made good use of the stuff, upcycling it to ensure it would go to a good home. It was a freeing practice that allowed them to truly focus on their lives and experiences without getting too attached to anything.
Good luck to all who are preparing to spring-clean!
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Dresses From the Sky Parachutes Turned Into Wedding Gowns
Most wedding dresses come from boutiques or family closets. But in the 1940s, some came from the sky. During and after World War II, brides across the U.S. and parts of Europe walked down the aisle in gowns made from parachutes. Equal parts scarcity and sentiment contributed to the development of this tradition. At the time, budgets were tight. Brides-to-be faced fabric rationing, and the military got most of the nylon. A parachute offered yards of strong, clean material, making it valuable. But for some couples, the biggest draw wasn’t the fabric. It was the story tied to it. One of the most famous examples is that of Major Claude Hensinger, who was forced to parachute out of a burning bomber. The chute delivered him safely to the ground and served as his bedding while he waited for rescue. He proposed to his girlfriend, Ruth, after returning home and suggested she use that same parachute for her gown. She hired a seamstress to construct the bodice and gathered the skirt herself using parachute cords. The finished dress, inspired by one from “Gone With the Wind,” now sits in the Smithsonian. Another bride, Carolyn Martin, made her own parachute dress after her fiancé, Chuck, survived a training flight crash. Carolyn transformed his parachute into a wedding dress using the sewing skills she had picked up in eighth grade. It is now part of the San Diego Air and Space Museum’s collection. A far
more elaborate dress is stored at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. It originally belonged to an Air Force family and was pieced together from nine parachutes used in combat. One of the most meaningful parachute dresses, though, came from a displaced persons camp in Germany. Two Holocaust survivors, Ludwig Friedman and Lilly Lax, married at the camp in 1946. To make the wedding dress, Ludwig bought a parachute from Allied troops, and Lilly
hired a seamstress using cigarette rations. Two more brides at other camps borrowed their dress before it was preserved at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Parachute nylon was never meant to be heirloom fabric. But during a time of shortages and uncertainty, that’s what it became.
INTRODUCING ATTORNEY SCARLETTE KELTY New Space, New Faces
2025 brought a lot of newness to Emery Law Office. Not only did we move to a new space, but we also added many new team members. Over the next few newsletters, I’ll be using this space
was born and raised in Louisville, even attending college and law school at the University of Louisville. She didn’t grow up in a family that was heavily involved in the legal profession. Instead,
in Kentucky. She handled cases involving everything from car wrecks and slips and falls to nursing home abuse. Scarlette has continued to grow her skills and cement herself as a leader in the legal community through her efforts with the Kentucky Justice Association. She has traveled across the state, helping countless Kentuckians with their legal problems. Outside of work, Scarlette loves spending time with her husband and daughter, who recently joined the Girl Scouts. She also has two cats, Sundae and Sophie, whom she rescued. Most nights, you can find Scarlette reading or making crafts. We’re so glad to have Scarlette on our team and look forward to seeing how she continues to go above and beyond for her clients. When you work with Scarlette, you can rest assured knowing you’re in the best hands!
to introduce you to our newest faces. If you’ve
she was a first-generation college student who got most of her exposure to the legal world through the Harlan Scholar Program, an undergraduate honor society that helped those interested in a law career explore the field. She started working as a runner at a law firm when she was 19, and the rest is history.
been in our office sometime during the last few months, you may have already met some of them! One individual who has already greatly impressed us with her expertise, knowledge, and determination to help our community is Scarlette Kelty, one of our attorneys. Scarlette joined our team this past September, but she came to us with a wealth of experience. She
Upon graduating from law school, Scarlette
immediately began working as a personal injury lawyer
2 | call or text (502) 771-1LAW (1529)
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Have a Laugh!
There’s this misconception about optimists that we don’t live in reality. People tend to claim that optimists look at a situation and don’t see any negatives, when in reality, we simply focus on the positives. When I shift my attention to everything going wrong in the world, I can lose my motivation and start to feel like a victim of my circumstances. It doesn’t matter if I’m watching the news or reading up on politics; I walk away feeling overwhelmed, frozen, and at worst, feeling hopeless that nothing can be done. Since March is Optimism Month, there’s no better time to focus on the positives. Optimists don’t ignore the negatives. Instead, we acknowledge the reality of what’s going on while focusing on what’s going right. Over time, you start to think about everything that can be done, and with enough practice and optimism, you can accomplish things that were seemingly impossible before. Remaining optimistic can help you achieve your goals, push through difficult scenarios, and open doors to a promising and prosperous future. As an optimist, I can look at things other people have done and know I can do it, too. I can also look at my past for inspiration. If I was able to have four kids and go to law school, I can easily handle a crazy week at the office. By maintaining an optimistic perspective, you can see the good in any situation, allowing you to take action and bring good things into reality. Most optimists believe that things happen for them, and if something isn’t going right, it’s up to them to make changes to create a new outcome. It might not be the ideal outcome, but an optimist realizes how much control they have over any given situation. When you keep optimism through difficult situations, it can make you stronger and even fortify your health. When you experience an auto wreck, and everything is falling apart, it can feel overwhelming. But if you remain optimistic about the future, you will heal faster. If you feel like you can’t muster up the encouragement and optimism on your own, call our office. We’ve helped countless people in similar situations and can give you real examples to help you carry on and overcome whatever challenge is knocking on your door. OPTIMISM IS A TOOL FOR RESILIENCE AND RECOVERY The Mindset That Helps You Heal, Push Forward, and Persist
Ingredients • 8 oz fettuccine • 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, chopped • 1 lb asparagus, chopped • Dash of salt and black pepper Lemon Cream Sauce • 1 tsp olive oil • 3–4 cloves garlic, chopped • 1/3 cup chopped onion • 7 oz tofu
• 1/4 tsp
onion powder • 1/4 tsp ground mustard • 1–2 tbsp nutritional yeast • 1/2 tsp salt • 1 tsp flour • 2 tsp Italian seasoning • 3–4 lemon slices • Pepper flakes, black pepper, basil, vegan Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
• 1 cup nondairy milk • 2 tbsp lemon juice • 2 halves lemon zest
Directions 1. Cook fettuccine; set aside. 2. In skillet for 30 seconds, heat oil and garlic. Add asparagus, salt, and pepper. 3. Cover, cook 3 minutes; transfer to bowl. 4. For sauce, in skillet over medium heat, add oil, garlic, and cook 8–10 seconds. 5. Add onion, cook 2 minutes. 6. Blend ingredients from tofu to flour until smooth. 7. Add blended sauce, herbs, to skillet; mix, simmer. 8. Fold in remaining lemon slices. Add pasta and 2/3 of the asparagus. 9. Cover, remove from heat for 2 minutes. 10. Garnish with peppers, basil, Parmesan cheese, and remaining asparagus.
Inspired by VeganRicha.com
call or text (502) 771-1LAW (1529)
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INSIDE
SPRING-CLEANING WITH A PURPOSE 1
BRIDES WHO WORE PARACHUTES
ATTORNEY BRINGS EXPERIENCE AND HEART TO EMERY LAW 2 WHY OPTIMISTS SEE POSSIBILITY WHERE OTHERS SEE DEFEAT
LEMON ASPARAGUS PASTA 3
RESCUE DOG SERVES AS A LIFELINE TO TRAUMATIZED CHILDREN 4
FROM HOMELESS MUTT TO HERO A Former Stray Helping Others Heal
Just three years ago, law enforcement officers in Brevard County, Florida, picked up a scruffy stray dog with bad skin allergies who was wandering the streets. Seeing potential in the mutt, they enrolled him in a training program for therapy and comfort dogs. In a remarkable transformation, the former stray was recently named a national “hero dog” for comforting dozens of elementary school students after a mass shooting at Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. Guided by his handler, Faye Okert, Sgt. Bo offered snuggles, warmth, and emotional support to children traumatized by the tragedy. “When he walks into a room, he knows who needs his help,” Okert says. “They instantly feel safe and comforted.” Sgt. Bo seemed destined for a shelter for homeless pets in 2022 when the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office enrolled him in their Paws and Stripes College, a program that trains carefully selected homeless dogs to be therapy and comfort companions. After learning about the program,
Okert, an officer at the time with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, contacted the College to adopt a graduate of the program. After seeing Sgt. Bo’s photo, however, Okert almost passed him up. He was battling skin allergies at the time and looked so scruffy that Okert was afraid people would make fun of him. She traveled to Florida, planning to ask for a different dog. But after watching Sgt. Bo in training and meeting him face- to-face, she realized she had found the right one. She describes Sgt. Bo as “an old soul in a young dog’s body” who enjoys helping humans in distress. One of Sgt. Bo’s early assignments was to comfort Covenant School’s surviving students as they were reunited with their parents after the 2023 shooting, which claimed the lives of three children, three adults, and the shooter, a former student. Sgt. Bo was selected by the American Humane Society as America’s 2025 Hero Dog for his service to the kids of Nashville, beating out four impressive canine runners-up. Hundreds of dogs
are nominated every year for the award, and the public then votes on five semifinalists. Calling Sgt. Bo’s story “inspiring,” Humane Society President Dr. Robin Ganzert said, “This scruffy superstar embodies everything the American Humane Society looks for in a dog: service, resiliency, and love.” His work, she added, “is a beautiful testament to the healing power of the human-animal bond.”
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