Wordless Wednesday 4-18-12 - Spring

Story of a Girl - Chapter 9

Chapter Nine – Dear Stranger

Unfolding and reading the letter, sent to me by this stranger who had given me life, not once, but twice, was one of the most surreal experiences I have ever had in my life. It seems like a dream, looking back now. A dream that I only have bits and pieces of. The details are gone, and the parts I remember seem clouded. But, I remember the feelings.

The paper seems so loud as I unfolded it. The sound seemed to echo through the house, echoing the vast feeling of …. nothing... I was feeling. How does one, in such an emotionally charged situation, feel nothing. It was more than nothing. It like standing knee deep in a black pool of eternal nothingness. That is the best way I can describe it.

I had shut myself off from feeling anything, because I didn't know what I should be feeling. My life was in utter turmoil, and now I was now about to time travel to what felt like some other person's life.

Standards

source: http://www.technologyrocksseriously.com/

source unknown - If you know who created this, please let me know.

Thankful

source: http://craftykat-mycraftyplayground.blogspot.com

source: http://bitsofwool.blogspot.com

That is all.

Friendship Friday 4-13-12 - Surprise!

It's Friendship Friday, hosted by Create With Joy.  It's a blog hop that allows you to meet fellow bloggers and maybe even make some new friends.  

Question Of The Week
When is the last time someone surprised you?
Share your story and make us smile!

This is not the last time someone surprised me, but it is one of my favorites!

Having my birthday on New Years Day often means that people are tired and your birthday gets over looked.  My mom of course, never over looked my birthday when I was a child.  But, the I grew up and got married.  (Actually it's more like I got married and then grew up, but that is a whole other story.)  

My ex-husband was really bad at the birthday thing.  He tried to remember, it's just that he had never really been into birthdays.   So one year, we were at a friends for a New Years Eve Party.  When midnight rolled around, everyone cheered, hugged and celebrated the New Year.  Then, to my surprise came my friends, holding a birthday cake and everyone started singing Happy Birthday.  That was my very midnight surprise birthday party.  

Over the years, other friends have surprised me this way as well, and it is always a surprise!  I have several good memories of midnight birthday cakes with good friends now.  

I am also happy to say that Darin is quite good at the birthday thing.  He always tries to do something to make me feel special on my birthday, whether it be the midnight surprise cake, or cooking me a nice dinner.  One year he attempted to make tiramisu for my birthday.  We still laugh about how awful it was.

Now, for the most recent surprise...  my eldest daughter likes to drop in for surprise visits every now and then and that ALWAYS make my heart happy.

How Pinteresting!

Here is a fun Linky Party being hosted by Cherished Handmade Treasures. 

The theme is outdoor spaces and it seems to fit perfectly with my own inspiration today.  So here are a couple favorites!

The colors, the perspective.  Makes me want to be there!

Spring Be Thy Companion

Spring has finally arrived in our little corner of the world.  

It brings me joy to see the renewal of God's creation.  

The hope of new buds.  

The promise of delicate blossoms.   

The joy of new life in all forms.

a dragonfly freshly emerged from its pupae skin

Wordless Wednesday 4-11-12 - Flashback!

Flashing back to my youth.  

It was the 80's.  

We had big hair, big t-shirts and wished we all had big boobs!

Wordless Wednesday is lots of fun!
Click on the button below to play!!

Learned Something New About Myself

This weekend I learned that I cannot tolerate and function through the headaches like I used to.  

When I was in my twenties, I would bounce back from a migraine quite quickly, usually only losing one day.  I could function through a persistent headache.  Not so much anymore.   

Apparently, now that I am in my forties, I have complete emotional breakdowns after four days of persistent throbbing headaches.  

Let me tell you how grateful I am for a husband who jumps in to the mess that was my kitchen on Easter morning, to take over making brunch.  

Then again stepping in and making dinner.   

Without being asked.  

He rocks.  

Just sayin'.

Wish I could say that I feel better today, but I don't, so I can't.  

Here's hoping for a better day tomorrow.

Happy Easter

 

 

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Matthew 28:6

 

Alphabet Soup - AKA - Brain Mush

I have so much happening in my mind right now, that I don't know how or where to start to make a purposeful, meaningful post.  I'd be happy with just a light-hearted, humorous post. 

Instead, what you are getting is some randomness.  Maybe these random thoughts will inspire some later posts, but for now, this will have to do.

~ Driving home last week after a long day of setting up a hafla, dancing, celebrating, saying good-bye, taking down and packing up a hafla and playing with friends, Victoria was starting to fall asleep.  One of her last thoughts before drifting off...  "Mom, if I could be anyone else in the world, I would want to be you!"    Talk about a heart melting moment.

~ After posting a photo on Facebook of the yummy Chicken Fricassee I made a couple weeks back someone commented that I need to get out of the house more.  I was not really sure how to take that.  Did it mean that this person just didn't get it, the way I love to cook and share my kitchen successes? OR did it mean that my photo was really unappealing!?!?  Either way, I had a good laugh at myself that it got to me and moved on.  I must make this again sometime very soon!

Chicken Fricassee adapted from Julia Child's recipe.

~  Since I started belly dancing four years ago, I have learned to accept and love my body just as it is, while at the same time embracing the desire to healthy.   So, it's okay that no matter how many crunches, and twists and shimmies I do, I will never have a tiny waist and perfectly flat stomach.  And, I'm okay with that! (PS...  I hate cardio exercise for the sake of cardio exercise.  It has to be fun.  Running?  NOT fun!   Dancing?  Fun!!)

~  A couple nights ago, I was sleeping on the couch, as My Life was sleeping very heavy and snoring very loudly.  No matter which way he laid, he still snored.  So my pillow and I made our way to the couch, and curled up under my super soft blanket.  Then it happened.  I couldn't sleep.  My mind wandered to this and that, then the over-tiredness took it's toll.  I wondered what I would do if a zombie apocalypse where to happen.  How would I get to all the doors and make sure they are locked, blocked and secure.  How would block off the french doors going out onto the deck?  I made a plan and listed off the materials I needed to be prepared.  Yes, this is how my insomnia plagued mind works.  I finally fell asleep and dreamt of hiking in the mountains with my cat.  My mind is a weird and whacky place!

~  It's spring cleaning time!   I am targeting two areas in my home this week.  My desk and the playroom.  Time to overhaul these problem spots and get a grip on them so I no longer feel the need to apologize for them, or try to hide them.

~ If it ever stops raining, I will be cutting back my raspberries.  Having never done this before, I hope I still have berry producing plants when I am done!  We love raspberries in our house and are anxious to start picking them! 

My raspberries, blueberries and strawberries when they were just babies.

I am going to take my cat and go hiking in the mountains now.  Go bless and be blessed!

Wordless Wednesday 4-4-12 - Pure Gold

The lovely and talented Annyse dancing with her sword (well actually it was my sword because is out of balance) at the Spring Equinox Hafla.  Annyse featured her students as well as the Zahara Belly Dancers and the Visha Dancers!  It was both a hafla (a belly dance party) and a good-bye party for Annyse as she relocated to Edmonton with her honey.   

I wish you the best in your new hometown, Annyse.  

You are more than just my belly dance teacher, you are an inspiration and my friend.

Yaleileileileilei!!!