thursday thought...

columbus creativity...

i've been fortunate

to have an

extra corner...

.

 

...for creativity

in columbus

it was decked

in scarlet and gray

a homage to the home team

i used to come down

often

then we opened

 the quilt shop

and my time became

less free

yet so much more

 rewarding

there were signs

gentle nudges

perhaps

followed by thunder claps

 to the ears

that told us the time

 had come

to let someone else

enjoy the surroundings

i believe we were

listening

to a higher calling

for today we entered

into a contract

less then twenty four hours

on the market

divinely lead

no doubt

i'm sure

as i gather

 my sewing machine

stamps and crafts

it will be hard to say

goodbye

they're never easy

but i shall be ready

to prepare for our

next chapter

serenity, courage, wisdom

 

this side of the aquarium...

one of our

favorite easter

memories...

.

 

...is the year

our precious sarah

discovered

the easter bunny

travels in a big white limo

we've never had

the courage to tell her

that only happens

when he is visiting

sick kiddos

she was a patient that year

another respiratory crisis

followed by pnuemonia

i just happened to

be pushing her

in a wheelchair

down by the lobby when

the charming scene

unfolded

i've never forgotten

 all those times

we spent on the floor

of the cleveland clinic children's hospital

i was always so touched

by the various gifts

delivered by volunteers

that's why our delivery

of more than one hundred pillowcases

feels so extra special good

i know there are parents

who are hurting right now

because

 it is a terrible

feeling to watch

 your child suffer

in a hospital bed

those thoughts were confirmed

as we walked about yesterday

words do not need

 to be exchanged

just eye contact

is enough

followed by the slight smile

when they realize

our girl has done something

special for them

in loving memory of her

friend kristen kirton

i am so very grateful that

we have been given the

 privelege

to return to the peds floor

and be on this side

of the aquarium

our quilt healer...

this photo

is making

it's way...

.

 

...around the world

 on facebook
as part of the
"i am" campaign
by the idsc

as of this moment

it has been shared

 more than 290 times

it has over 2,300 likes

and more than

175 comments

in several languages

it's impact is far reaching

yet

the irony

of this photo
of that green dress
of that day
is this...
the last time it was posted
in cyberspace
it created a firestorm
of anger
of resentment
of a venomously hateful tirade
and it shut me down for
days, weeks even
and then
slowly
 i started
over
a new beginning
with wobbly legs
  yet just like a newborn foal
i started to stand up
for myself
for my family
for sarah
and slowly yet
very deliberately
i found new footing
on more solid ground
and soon
life took an amazing turn
one that was so
divinely lead
there were days it felt
greater than award winning fiction
i realized a path
had been created
for us
our purpose
 was taking shape
and i started to see the fruits
of our hard work
our belief in something
greater
a higher power
was confirmed
i am humbled
that our story
is making such a
difference for others
there is no irony that the
message is this
all life is precious
indeed it is

thursday thought...

it's all coming together...

just a few

 weeks ago

i wrote about...

.

 

 my fifty third birthday

and mentioned that

twenty thirteen

was going to be the year

i was so looking forward to

for the first time in

my life

i feel like i am

beginning to see

how life all

comes together

how cleansing your heart

 makes room

for so much more

and that

 believing in myself

believing in others

believing in miracles

just believing

was allowing a

 beautiful synergy

and creating an atmosphere

for humbled greatness

the first of which

 is now in print

to read more

click here

uggs 4 U mom...

for some reason

my mother

is obsessed...

.

with my uggs

she just

 can't

stop

talking

about

my

uggs

so i thought

she might like

a picture of

the trio

that i wear

every

single

day

with no socks

even when it's ten degrees

 outside

then once i get to the store

i take my feet out

of my uggs

and put my wolky kukana's on

with no socks

even when it is

ten degrees
 outside

my feet are

gloriously happy

and pain free

the end

posy love

the instant i viewed

posy

i fell in love...

.

 

aneela hoey has created

the perfect springtime

collection

bunnies, chicks and

little girls playing in the field

the lavendar is what

got my though

such the perfect shade

makes for a lovely display

right next to my

favorite machine

chocolate + socks + paper

there's snow

everywhere

this weekend...

.

 

...even in places

 it's usually not

seems like a perfect time

to share my snowman

a chocolate bar

a pair of purple socks

some white paper

a few markers

and

a bit of whimsical talent

creates the cutest snowman

my youngest son's girlfriend

found the idea on pinterest

and

created it just for me

thank you jessica

politically purple

history

in the making

today...

.

 

president barack obama

is being publicly sworn in

during an inauguration assembly

in washington dc

and much to my pleasure

his beautiful daughters

malia and sasha

chose to wear

these magnificent coats

to the festivities

bless them both

as they continue to navigate

the difficult teenage years

in the whitehouse

and bless us all

as we enter an era of change

for we must

get back to working together

for the betterment

 of our country

fresh flowers...

and ric rack

brighten up

the quilt shop...

. 

 

on my special day

thank you matt & jessica

you are two

of the sweetest teenagers

i know

i am grateful to share

my life with

 you

and you with

 me

fifty three...

it's going

to be the

best one yet...

. 

 

...so much excitement the

past few days

i am giddy and

speechless

and i can't share one

darn bit of it

other than this

sweet

melt your heart message

from the teenager

love that boy so much

it feels really good

to be fifty three

liberated

cleansed

happy

and free

thursday thought

one quarter of a century...

that's how long

i have had the

privilege of...

.

 

...mothering this sweet child

he was my first born

it was a new experience

i rocked the job

in the beginning

maybe even

 thru the toddler years

once he reached school

i simply repeated

 behaviors

i had observed

behaviors

i had been taught

and that's when my skills

started not being

so great

i look back now

with tears flowing down

 my cheeks

i should have

wrapped my arms

around him more

and simply held him

i should have

just allowed him to be

to share what he wanted

to share

and shut up

i should have worried less

about what others thought

i should have learned that

as a mother

you put your own needs

behind his

i should have accepted

his choices

without criticism

and when i failed at that

i should have learned

to apologize

i should have told him

i love him

every single day

i know this

because

 that's what

i'm yearning for

for me

the child within me

it's not too late

i'm still alive

and thankfully he's still

 beside me

a new beginning...

 

committed

 to making it

 the best one yet