Moving My Cheese

I've recently read a book recommended by a dear friend. It was short, sweet, and definitely a good read. I will not say it was life changing, but I will say it was life affirming and life confirming, as it was another layer of confirmation that I am headed in the right direction. The book is called Who Moved My Cheese? and I highly recommend it. In short it is a parable about dealing with changes in your life, whether it be work, education, or personal. The ideas could be applied to anything. I will not spoil any part of the book, but it is a quick read (I read it in a day). It is a book I know I will read again.

It was quite timely, as my life has been full of changes in the past year or so. Changes in jobs, relationships, children, locations. Changes in how and why I craft. This book helped me to see I was already on the right path, and was already making good choices. My perspective on dealing with change and how I view it was what was affected the most. It made me stop and consider how I view change, whether it is good, bad, ugly, planned, or unexpected. 

I am and have always been a big picture kind of person, having the practice and ability to put my current situation into a bigger picture and gaining a perspective in context of other things that are occurring. A bigger picture has always helped me see that things in my life are nearly always temporary and things that happen are nearly always things that are transitory and can be overcome or lived through. Who Moved My Cheese? helped me see that yes, things are temporary, but that changes will always come and my attitude in how I deal with any change can help me grow or it can help me wither and stagnate. 

Some big changes that were quite challenging and hard and I haven't like to talk about include the total disintegration of my marriage and the loss of my home. More changes in recent years came in the form of transitioning from a well-educated happy stay-at-home mom to a well-educated struggling working mom. I was fortunate to find decent work, but the process was a challenge. All is good and will continue to be so. My family is good and we have a lot to be thankful for. In the process of all that change, my crafting life went into a hibernation of sorts, a kind of unplanned sabbatical. A necessary trimming of everything that was not necessary to bring calm and stability to my family occurred. 

Now, just now, in 2020 (and don't they say hindsight is 20/20?), I am finding a measure of calm that comes with new dreams and new directions. In the middle of this pandemic. In the middle of this quarantine. In the middle of all these life altering historical events. All things cancelled. Travel restrictions in my state, country, and globally. Mask wearing in public places. Most shopping places either closed, or highly altered. Everyone is zooming and facetiming and staying connected in the most innovative ways.....but all this is a rabbit trail. 

In the fall I will start yet another new journey, as I will begin another level in my education as a graduate student finally. I consider this an investment in myself, and no one can comprehend my level of excitement. 

I hope above all things that my children know they are loved and that I would do anything to be the best example to them. I hope to show them strength and vulnerability. I hope they see determination and contentment in me, and also the ability to adapt and change as needed. I hope they learn love and grace in dealing with each other and the world. 

Music and crafting and good friends and family have been paramount to my healing and growing process. Music and crochet are still my main escapes and coping mechanisms, and I am totally fine with that. One change since last year is that I have added music to my crafting adventures, odd as that sounds. It is often imperfect and spontaneous, but it is real and it is me. 

So much of my current life feels like coming out of a fog and finding all sorts of things that I have somehow missed along the way. These are not regrets or disappointments. They are small joys. New music. New books. New friends. All joys. I do not live a lifestyle of regret or think back to the past and wish things had been or could have been different. I am glad of all that has happened so far, good and bad, the joys and the heartbreaks. All good. All me. 

Don't laugh, but here is a song that is fairly new to me, but I love it. 

Carnival

Natalie Merchant

Well, I've walked these streets
A virtual stage, it seemed to me
Makeup on their faces
Actors took their places next to me

Well, I've walked these streets
In a carnival, of sights to see
All the cheap thrill seekers vendors and the dealers
They crowded around me

Have I been blind have I been lost
Inside myself and my own mind
Hypnotized, mesmerized by what my eyes have seen?

Well, I've walked these streets
In a spectacle of wealth and poverty
In the diamond markets the scarlet welcome carpet
That they just rolled out for me

And I've walked these streets
In the madhouse asylum they can be
Where a wild-eyed misfit prophet
On a traffic island stopped and he raved of saving me

Have I been blind, have I been lost
Inside myself and my own mind
Hypnotized, mesmerized…

Source: LyricFind

I will close with this, me singing to you. And I do ask myself:

Have I been blind?
Have I been lost?
Inside myself and my own mind?
Hypnotized, mesmerized
By what my eyes have seen
Have I been wrong?
Have I been wise?
To shut my eyes and play along?

Have I been wrong? (lots of times)
Have I been wise? (not always)
Have I been strong (yes)

These are songs from my KittenYarn page on facebook,  You can get to my main KittenYarn facebook page here. 

sending you blessings and peace and much love

Just No

I am just thinking about lots of things these days. I am thinking about how naive and trusting I've always been. How I tend to believe people when they talk to me and choose to see the best in people.

  I tend to get my heart broken and crushed and find out too late that people don't always mean what they say. It has always been a shock to me.

And yet....

I have come to a conclusion, one among many. I will not regret being gentle. I will not regret being kind. I will not regret trusting and believing and will continue to do so. I will always choose to forgive and overlook things, and I will always choose to see the best in people.

And I will not regret it. It is who I am. I may give my whole heart and have people still hurt me and walk away, but that is their choice. I can still care. I can still love. And I will.

I will still sing. I will still be thankful. I will still be glad when people are happy and doing well, and I will be sad when things are not going well. You cannot stop me from caring and loving.

You cannot stop me. Just no.

Long Time, No See

Hey, guys!! It's past time for an update. I'm just going to post some pics for now and one of my current favorite songs. This one is by a friend who used to be in orchestra with me, way back. I think it's pretty cool what he's doing with music now. Check it out. That's my friend Jonas Scott Cowan, and that is his song Testify.

 Other news. My baby girl graduated from high school. I'm so proud of her.

I started practicing again. Good news.

Still crocheting. Still have several cat supervisors. That's about it for now. More craft pics and updates later.

Much love and peace to you all.

Songs in My Head--Style and True Colors

Woke up with 2 songs running through my head simultaneously....never had that happen before. Style and True Colors....maybe I've been listening to too much Anthem Lights with my daughters? They are really good at putting several songs together and making one song out of it. Too sleepy to remember what that's called haha

Got up to look up the songs and got sidetracked pretty bad.....ended up here watching this super cool Tiger Cake recipe. Love it! Guessing I'll be attempting this sometime this year.

on to the songs...Here's the first one

Style, by Taylor Swift

Midnight,
You come and pick me up, no headlights
A long drive,
Could end in burning flames or paradise
Fade into view, oh, it's been a while since I have even heard from you (heard from you)

I should just tell you to leave 'cause I
Know exactly where it leads but I
Watch us go 'round and 'round each time

You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye
And I got that red lip classic thing that you like
And when we go crashing down, we come back every time
'Cause we never go out of style
We never go out of style

You got that long hair, slicked back, white t-shirt
And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt
And when we go crashing down, we come back every time
'Cause we never go out of style
We never go out of style.

So it goes
He can't keep his wild eyes on the road
Takes me home
Lights are off, he's taking off his coat, hmm, yeah.
I say, "I heard, oh, that you've been out and about with some other girl, some other girl."

He says, "What you've heard is true but I
Can't stop thinking about you, " and I...
I said, "I've been there, too, a few times."

'Cause you got that James Dean daydream look in your eye
And I got that red lip classic thing that you like
And when we go crashing down, we come back every time
'Cause we never go out of style
We never go out of style

You got that long hair, slicked back, white t-shirt
And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt (tight little skirt)
And when we go crashing down, we come back every time
'Cause we never go out of style
We never go out of style

Take me home
Just take me home, yeah.
Just take me home
(out of style)

You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye
And I got that red lip classic thing that you like
And when we go crashing down, we come back every time
'Cause we never go out of style
We never go out of style

I even like the video for this song.

The other song, True Colors, is one I've posted before. It probably popped in my head because I was listening to songs I posted on my blog last night....here it is again.

The Songs in My Head-- Count on Me, Bruno Mars

Woke up with this song running through my head :). Count on Me, by Bruno Mars

[Verse 1:]
Oh uh-huh
If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea
I'll sail the world to find you
If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see
I'll be the light to guide you

We find out what we're made of
When we are called to help our friends in need

[Chorus:]
You can count on me like 1, 2, 3
I'll be there
And I know when I need it
I can count on you like 4, 3, 2
And you'll be there
'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah
Ooooooh, oooohhh yeah, yeah

[Verse 2:]
If you're tossin' and you're turnin'
And you just can't fall asleep
I'll sing a song beside you
And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me
Every day I will remind you

Oooh
We find out what we're made of
When we are called to help our friends in need

[Chorus:]
You can count on me like 1, 2, 3
I'll be there
And I know when I need it
I can count on you like 4, 3, 2
And you'll be there
'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah
Ooooooh, oooohhh yeah, yeah

You'll always have my shoulder when you cry
I'll never let go, never say goodbye
You know...

[Chorus:]
You can count on me like 1, 2, 3
I'll be there
And I know when I need it
I can count on you like 4, 3, 2
And you'll be there
'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah
Ooooooh, oooohhh

You can count on me 'cause I can count on you

A Nice Dream- Harry Connick, Jr. at the Schermerhorn

I rarely dream where I remember it, and if I do, I usually just have unusual or odd dreams, nothing scary, just weird. This morning I had a really nice dream right before I woke up and I wanted to write it down. At the very end of the dream me, my mom, and a bunch of kids we were accidentally chaperoning were getting a private tour of the Schermerhorn Symphony Hall in Nashville and got to sit wherever we wanted in the wings and really close to the stage to hear Harry Connick, Jr casually sing us a private concert. Only after I woke up did I realize that the stage was completely different than the stage at the Schermerhorn. I just love that symphony hall, and think it is so beautiful.

The dream started when mom and I were driving, headed back to her house. We had to take a detour because the road  to her house  was undergoing some construction (which it is right now). We stopped at an old looking gas station on a little hill to get gas, and mom was passing out $100 dollar bills to random helper people at the gas station. The lady said the bathroom was probably not working, but I really had to go, so we started walking around the gas station building to find the bathroom for ourselves. We ended up looking out a window and then going out a doorway to a quaint little town where people were having a celebration of some sort where they were dressed in old fashioned costumes and dresses. We ended up in a building with a group of kids who were going to a camp of some sort. We helped them do some volunteer work, and then at the end of the dream we got to tour the Schermerhorn Symphony Hall with Harry Connick, Jr. I don't remember the song he was singing, but he was so close and we were so near the stage. At the end I was sitting criss cross applesauce on a carpeted area near the edge of the side of the stage and was turning the flash off my camera so I could take some pics while he was singing. Good dream. The end

Here's a random Harry Connick, Jr. song I like, even though it wasn't in the dream

"We Are In Love"

I know you so well
I can tell by the sound of your voice
If you're really in love with me
And you are
You are

You know I can't lie
If I say to you 'baby, I love you'
Then baby, I love you
And I do
I do

I do... could it be that's the
Phrase you thought never would phase you
Well baby, you better hold on tight
'Cause I'm the one who's supposed to
Kneel down and propose, well alright
I might, I might

So, when I kiss you good-night
Just sleep tight with the thought that you'll
Always be caught up in love with me
And you'll dream that the stars up above
Have the answer of whether we'll be
Or whether we won't be
In love...
Well, we are,
We are

Untangling

Last couple of days I was happy because I found a cute project to use up some vintage yellow yarn I had been given. One thing led to another and I needed to find a ball of grey yarn that I *knew* I had just seen in my basket a couple of days ago. The result is that this morning I am using the quiet time before all the kids get up to completely empty my yarn basket and see what's in the bottom. I am ending up spending some time rewinding small balls of yarn and untangling others. Some day I'll realize that this is a process I need to do more regularly, haha. Nearly to the bottom of the basket now and still haven't found the grey. The good news is that I'll get to go through my yarn shelves and project bags to see if that's where it ended up :).

I've always found untangling things and unknotting things and oddly calming activity. Going to have to credit my dad for that. When he was in the navy he learned all kinds of knots. Combine that with lots of patience and determination and you have someone who is good at teaching not only knots, but unknotting and detangling.

edit-- actually, now that I'm at the bottom of the basket, I'm realizing that the next step is the couch, which always ends up being a resting place for yarn, yarn project bags, finished objects, etc. I do *try* to clean up the couch at least once a week, and sometimes twics (don't fail over from fainting), but it always ends up with more yarn stuff by the end of the next week.

untangled (yes, untangled!!) yarn basket...hint of couch (you're next!) behind that

basket find-- crocheted heart, ready to be sewn onto *something*--proud I put it back in the basket and am continuing on my original quest, to find the grey yarn, instead of stopping this untangling to make something cute to sew the heart on to (hopefully, I'll find the grey soon, will finish current project and will get to make something for the little heart) haha

(and yes...I always stop the yarning to feed the children, wash the dishes, take out the trash, hug the children, etc etc. I even get outdoors in the sunshine every day, even if it's just to go to the mailbox, water the kitties/flowers, and feed the cats---all that counts as going outside)

The Songs in My Head-- Lead Me to the Cross

woke up this morning with this song running through my head
It is one we sing at church. It is that sweet season in the summer where the kids are going to vacation bible school, and are singing all the songs and having lots of fun. It won't be long until school starts, so we're trying to make summer stretch out. We've had a mild summer so far. No extreme storms or temperatures. This week, however, we're finally feeling hot, and the heat index is rising to 109 on some days. That's pretty hot for around here. The actual temperature was hovering around 99 yesterday. Next week my oldest daughter will begin her high school journey by going to her first band camp. She is in for a treat and a shock, making lots of friends and memories. I am totally looking forward to school supply shopping, though :). One in 9th grade, one in 6th, and one in 3rd grade. It's going to be a fun year.

Lead Me to the Cross

Savior I come
Quiet my soul remember
Redemption's hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as loss

[Chorus:]
Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross

You were as I
Tempted and trialed
Human
The word became flesh
Bore my sin and death
Now you're risen

Everything I once held dear
I count it all as loss

[Chorus]

To your heart
To your heart
Lead me to your heart
Lead me to your heart

[Chorus]

Tapestry

Tapestry

My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue
An everlasting vision of the ever-changing view
A wondrous, woven magic in bits of blue and gold
A tapestry to feel and see, impossible to hold

Once amid the soft silver sadness in the sky
There came a man of fortune, a drifter passing by
He wore a torn and tattered cloth around his leathered hide
And a coat of many colors, yellow-green on either side

He moved with some uncertainty, as if he didn't know
Just what he was there for, or where he ought to go
Once he reached for something golden hanging from a tree
And his hand came down empty

Soon within my tapestry along the rutted road
He sat down on a river rock and turned into a toad
It seemed that he had fallen into someone's wicked spell
And I wept to see him suffer, though I didn't know him well

As I watched in sorrow, there suddenly appeared
A figure gray and ghostly beneath a flowing beard
In times of deepest darkness, I've seen him dressed in black
Now my tapestry's unraveling - he's come to take me back
He's come to take me back

I've always felt a special connection to this album, since it was released in the year of my birth. There are so many good songs on this album, and Carole King is such a good song-writer and musician. I love the idea of our lives being like a tapestry, woven with the stories of our lives. 

Songs in My Head-- True Colrs

It's true.....I haven't posted every song I wake up thinking about or singing
Here's a good one for today, though
True Colors, the orignal version by Cyndi Lauper

growing up is one of those things
one of those things that takes time and years
you see people grow and change
some for the good and some not so much
for all my friends and family
I see you
I love you
as you grow
as you change
no matter what
you're still there
it's okay to be yourself

"True Colors"

You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small

But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow

Show me a smile then,
Don't be unhappy, can't remember
When I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there

And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow

The Songs in My Head-- Careless Whisper

Pretty sure I woke up with this song in my head because I'd heard it on the radio this week. Blast from my past, from middle school, haha. Here's the song running through my head when I woke up this morning.....

"Careless Whisper"

I Feel So Unsure
As I take your hand
And lead you to the dance floor
As the music dies
Something in your eyes
Calls to mind a silver screen
And all it's sad goodbyes

[Chorus:]
I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I've been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you

Time can never mend
The careless whisper of a good friend
To the heart and mind
Ignorance is kind
There's no comfort in the truth
Pain is all you'll find

[Chorus]

Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose this crowd
Maybe it's better this way
We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say
We could have been so good together
We could have lived this dance forever
But now who's gonna dance with me
Please stay

[Chorus]

Now that you've gone
Now that you've gone
Now that you've gone
Was what I did so wrong
So wrong that you had to leave me alone

a song about honesty, cheating, lying, making mistakes, careless words....

it's a kind of a lament, a song of regret

It just reminds me that we all screw up sometimes and mess up big things and small things. In the song a potential true love is messed up. All that to say, it's worth it to think twice before saying and doing careless things or doing things just because they feel good. 

Sometimes it feels good to just say that thing you shouldn't say or eat that thing you shouldn't eat. Sometimes it's a pretty serious mistake and you risk a relationship, your career, or your life. It's worth it to slow down and not just do things because you know it would make you feel better to say or do that thing in the moment.

Lots of times it's better to hold your tongue, choose to be nice, and let it go. Just choose to forgive and not let it bother you. Just let the temptation slide. Turn around and walk away if you have to. In the song, a man lost his love. It is fiction.

In our lives, we know that careless words can hurt others and careless actions can affect our lives in countless ways. All I'm saying is slow down and go ahead and enjoy the song, but keep picking yourself up each day and make some choices to stay on the high ground. 

I'm kind of talking to myself here, too.....

Be nice

Listen and not talk

Get up and do the things you need to do

Make a habit of doing the good things

Stop when you're full

Call your mom

Send that card

Turn off the the TV

Hug that child

Take a deep breath

Enjoy the sunshine

Find good things to say to people

Be patient with others

Take 5 minutes to do some things you want to do

Admit that you made a mistake

Forgive yourself

Don't say every word that pops in your head

James 1:19New American Standard Bible (NASB)

19 [a]This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear,slow to speak and slow to anger;

Ephesians 4:29-32New International Version (NIV)

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

What Makes You Beautiful

I had no plans to blog today. No thoughts, no pictures to share
but then I woke up with a song running through my head, and I had to share it.
This song is a newer song, as in....it's not from my middle school or high school days. I'm familiar with it because I hear it on the radio. I wanted to post it to prove that fallacy to be false, you know the one. The one that says the current generation of popular music is all junk, and all the older music (i.e. "from when I grew up") is the only good music, and "they don't make good music anymore," or "all today's music is junk." Well, you know some of it is good, and some of it's not. Just like when I was growing up. Just like when you were growing up. It wasn't all good. None of us ever want to admit it, though. Just like not all of today's music is bad.

Another thing is that I'm kind of a silly romantic, and daydream about my sweetheart singing me songs or taking me dancing, or surprising me with flowers. You know, just silly girl stuff. I don't really expect all that from my husband. He has his own sweet ways of showing me love and affection. You may think this is silly, but I kind of consider the songs in my head when I wake up in the morning a kind of message from God, and a kind of encouragement. He knows how much I like songs and can relate to them. He knows all the silly parts of me, like wanting songs sung to me (well, I guess all 5 of my readers know, too, now, haha ). Soooo, in a silly girl, logical kind of way.....I consider this a song message from Him to me this morning. Take it however you want, but read the lyrics and listen to it.

You're insecure,
Don't know what for,
You're turning your head when you walk through the do-o-or,
no make up
To cover up,
Being the way that you are is eno-o-ough,

Everyone else in the room can see it,
Everyone else but you

Baby you light up my world like nobody else,
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed,
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell,
You don't know oh-oh!
You don't know you're beautiful!
If only you saw what I can see
You'll understand why I want you so desperately
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe
You don't know oh-oh!
You don't know you're beautiful
But that's what makes you beautiful!

So ccc-come on
You got it wronggg
To prove I'm right I put it in a so-ong
I don't know why
You're being shy
And turn away when I look into your ey-ey-eyes

Everyone else in the room can see it
Everyone else but you yeah

Baby you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell
You don't know oh-oh!
You don't know you're beautiful!
If only you saw what I can see
You'll understand why I want you so desperately
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe
You don't know oh-oh!
You don't know you're beautiful
But that's what makes you beautiful!

Read more: One Direction - You Dont Know You're Beautiful Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

and also....

did you know this??

Zephaniah 3:17New King James Version (NKJV)

17 The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”

When my babies were small, you know what I did? I did what all moms do. I nursed and rocked my babies. I quieted them with my love and sang them lullabies and songs. I rejoiced over them with singing. I nurtured them, just as God does with us. Yeah, I think He has some feminine qualities like love and nurturing. Just think of Jesus never rejecting the children and always welcoming them and blessing them. Can't you picture Him singing them songs? 

Anyway, thanks God for the nice songs in my head when I wake up. I'm listening......

Good Morning to the World

Just thought I'd say good morning to the world today. I thought I'd give us all a pep talk. Things seem overwhelming for all of us at times. For some it is major events---fire, death in the family, earthquake. For others, it can be as simple as a sink full of dirty dishes and 3 baskets of unfolded laundry. No matter what your current place is, it is a season. It is not forever. I know I sound like a broken record. I'm always thinking about seasons and transitions. For the most part, though, the things we go through will change with time. Most of us have no long term trauma to deal with. Most of us are not starving or slaves or in any kind of holocaust of sorts. It's a matter of perspective, I think, because there are still those on the planet who have chronic suffering. And most of us in the soft comfortable world of first world problems have a tendency to ignore and put out of our minds those who chronically suffer today. We cannot forget those who suffer. We must remember them and try to help if we can.

That said, we cannot let things out of our control totally overwhelm and depress us. Only certain things we can control. We can control our thoughts and prayers. We can control our words and actions. We can control our choices.

I just want to throw out there that I think we can choose kindness and gentleness more, not only to the world around us, but to ourselves and our close families. Be kind to yourself. Be gentle with yourself. You don't have to compare your pain and suffering with another person's life. You don't have to say that your pain is not worthy of love and compassion, grace and gentleness. It is. Even if you compare it, and in the big scheme of things, you think think your pain is minimal. It might be. It might not be. It is still ok to be kind and gentle to yourself.

Most of us only show others a mere surface view of our lives. We crop it and photoshop it, and put pretty borders and filters on it til it looks just so. I showed you pictures of crocuses, but I didn't show all the mud and dead grass all around. I didn't show the carport filled with kid clutter--old broken bikes, cardboard boxes, rakes, stuff, etc. I didn't show the grass growing through the broken asphalt around our broken down van in our driveway.

And yet......the crocuses are enough. They are beautiful by themselves. It's ok to search and find those small things of beauty to be thankful for. I just want you to know.....hey guess what??? All the people you compare yourself to.......they crop and photoshop their world, too. They compartmentalize and crop out the ugly, and don't share it with anyone. They share the pretty parts. We all do. Let's be gentle with them, too, and try not to judge or compare. It's possible they're trying to hide their pain, too, and put on a calm front.

So I say good morning and I love you. Find some encouraging words to say to yourself today and also those around you. It sounds like a cliche but it's true. Your kind words or hug today may be the only kindness they hear.

Thought I was done with this post, but I remembered a story from when my girls were younger. When my 2 girls were like 8 and 5 (hard to remember), they had a habit of hugging people in the grocery and telling girls and ladies that they were beautiful. Well, one day they were doing their little girl thing, passing out hugs and kind words, and they made a check out girl cry. She said that it was the first time in her life that anyone had ever told her she was beautiful. This young check out girl made it all the way to college age without anyone telling her she's beautiful. Such a simple thing my girls did that day.

I'm pretty sure that check out girl will remember that hug and those words for a long time. So if no one has told you anything encouraging, I'll get you started. You have been created for a specific purpose. You are worth spending time with, and you have special talents and strengths that no one else has. Don't let the photoshopped world get you down.

Waiting for Spring, Enjoying the Winter

I like to try to enjoy and be present in the time I am in right now, no matter what season it is. Whether it's summer or spring, winter or fall, happiness or hard times, today and right now are things that I focus on. It always baffles me how much energy I see people use on complaining and worrying and wishing something were different. Always saying "if only"....You hear it all the time. "If only it were spring," "If only I didn't have these problems," "If only I were richer," "If only these people acted differently," ad nauseum.....

I like to enjoy the season I am in. It is winter now, and wow, we've had a memorable winter with 2 huge snows. My kids will be talking about these snows with 10+ inches for years and years after they're all grown and finished with school.

I love looking for signs of spring, too. I have seen my first crocus this year, in between the two big snows. It didn't bother me that they got snowed over. They did their beautiful job. Crocuses love to bloom when it's almost spring, even through snow.

Parenting is the same. My husband and I have always been given generous amounts of advice at each stage of our children's growth. The main theme was always something like, Just wait, it gets better.....or Just wait, it gets worse. Why not just accept the fact that each stage is wonderful and each stage will come with joys and challenges? No need to rush through each season. It is enough to know that each season has a time limit. Each season has joy and grief. Some seasons bring more death than life, like fall and winter. But even in the winter, the crocuses and other flowers and perennials are preparing to bloom again. Shoot, some flowers, like tulips, actually need a super cold time or they won't bloom at all in the spring.

So it is with life, too. Kids grow into young people, and then adults. Adults grow into adulthood and middle age, and then into older years. Watching friends and family mature and grow into older years is definitely a hard season. It has been hard for me to watch my grandparents and great grandparents pass on from this life. It has been hard for me to watch my parents grow older and watch them have more physical challenges, ones that come with everyone as they get older.

That is a comfort, too. Just knowing that growing and aging is something that everyone goes through. It is common to the human race. Moms survive the sleepless nights and round the clock baby feedings. Moms and dads survive toddlerhood and potty training. We all eventually succeed in reaching different milestones of growth and maturity. I find myself saying to myself encouraging words......if other people have experienced this and survived and even thrived, then I can, too.

When you get to different stages, I find that there are new levels of ways you can relate to other people, and that's good, too. Some things you just can't relate to until you go through it.

So again with the seasons.....it is winter now here where I live. I choose to enjoy the winter and enjoy the slow pace of snow days. Busyness and the urgency of spring will come soon enough. I just have to remind myself to not get too grumpy at times and look for the joys of today.

A New Year 2015

Happy January, 2015! May it be a year of peace and calm and love for you and your friends and family. I am still amazed at the nice life God has given me, even with all the normal ups and downs. Married almost 19 years, 3 beautiful children. My oldest is a teenager now!! 13 is a beautiful age. I love watching her grow and mature, and yet still be my little girl at the same time. We like to read and play games together, and enjoy music together. My 2nd daughter is 10 now. She is strong, beautiful, and spunky. She is quite athletic and funny. We enjoy laughing and being silly and singing together. I can always count on her to do goofy things with me. My little young man is 7 now, and he is still such a snuggler, and I don't mind it one bit. He loves his kitties and Star Wars and his friends. He likes school and legos. I couldn't ask for better children for me. I love how they all love to pile up on the couch with me, fighting over my lap, or snuggle up in bed with me. I'll never be in a rush for them to grown up.

Still crafting quite a bit, and really I am about as caught up as I ever get. I still have a couple of things I'm making for friends, and then I'll be totally caught up. I have some personal projects I'd like to finish this year. I'm still selling my things online and in the brick and mortar store Raggle Taggle. I'm enjoying working part time there. I'm also immensely enjoying all my volunteer time at the schools. I love it that my kids beg me to chaperone their school trips with them. So much fun!!

I guess I will throw in a few pics to go with the new year.

Ana and I had lots of fun trying on Christmas decorations at the little shop around the corner

future legislator??

somebody loves his kitties

Giving Thanks

I like to make giving thanks a lifestyle and not something I do just 8% of the year (that's 1/12).
Some days and months it's harder than other times. Got to spend some good time at my parents house for Thanksgiving. Family is at the top of my most important list, and is at the top of my list of things I'm thankful for. I'm also thankful for some really good friends along the way.