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!!!

Girl's Night In

I love to be a hostess.  There is nothing better than planning a party, then lovingly preparing an assortment of foods then welcoming friends into your home to share it with you.  I love that.  I did that this weekend.  It was Girl's Night In at my house.  

As I planned the evening, I wanted to have 'girly' food.  Or, to put it another way, as it was the eve of Super Bowl, 'anti-Super-bowl-party-food'.  The menu was vegetarian. Everything, except the crackers and chips, were homemade.

Story of a Girl, Chapter 2

Chapter Two - Repetitive Conversations

It's funny how people always have endless opinions and advise about something that they have no experience with. I have had so many people tell me how I should feel about my birth mother, or my parents. Not one of those people was adopted. Not one of them lived my life or had the experiences I had. Yet, somehow they knew what was best for me. It used to make me really mad when people would ask me about my birth mother, and even after I said that I have no interest in finding her, would still ask if I was going to look for her. I had more than a few conversations that went exactly like this:

Friend: so you're adopted?

Me: Yes.

Friend: Do you know anything about your birth mother?

Me: Not very much, but I'm okay with that. I don't really have an interest in her.

Friend: Why?

Me: Because I have my Mom. I have my Dad. I don't want or need her to feel secure or know who I am.

Friend: Are you ever going to look for her?

Me: No, I don't think so.

Friend: Why?

Me: (insert head explosion here)

I am not exaggerating. Well, maybe about the head exploding part. That loop played out in conversation many times in my life. I had similar conversations with people who had known me for years and knew how I felt. Even they somehow felt that I must be wrong when I said I didn't want to find her.



Here's the thing; my feelings about my parents, being adopted and my birth mother are very personal. Just as those feelings are for any other person who is adopted. I'm totally okay with it. I have known other adoptees who feel like I do. And others who long for answers and feel incomplete without them. Even within one family with multiple adopted children, each child can have very different perspective and feelings. One should never automatically assume that just because someone is adopted, that they have a big hole in their life and long for a reunion with their birth mother. They could be totally at peace with it. I was. I have known many others who were.





Read the whole story

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Wordless Wednesday 3-2-11

Oat Girl and I "helping" her mom with her dress fitting at the bridal shop.
 






























 Every bride should have some awesome helpers like us.

I actually really liked that dress.

Tuesday Time Travel

I wanted to do a thoughtful post in honor of the pending Thanksgiving celebration.  But, my brain is mush this morning.  *yawn* 

So here is a nugget from my old blog, Legacy, originally posted 11-20-06, called, Counting My Blessings. 

With soooo much to be thankful for, I will just take a couple posts to list some of the things that come to mind, in no particular order.

Grace: sufficient to save a wretch like me.

Love: My husband. You rock baby!! You reminded me what it is like to feel, to love and to live again. You are still and always will be my favorite person to spend time with.
and my kids: J-man, Lex, Sam-sam and the V. Loving you all is a gift of immense blessing!

Friendship: Sharley, Kristi, Charity, Mandy, Liz, Jen-jen - you all are the glue that holds me together. Too many others to list. I wouldnt be who I am today if not for the friends who come in and out of my life, day to day, week to week, month to month, and year to year.

Family: In-laws, out-laws, near, far, young and old... wouldn't want to be stuck in this world without you all.

Church: To worship. To commune. To serve. To love. Not to be contrainst by walls or labels.

Laughter: a day without it, is a sad day indeed.

Creation: the reflection of God in it all inspires and calms me.

Life: each and every day is a gift. To see God's hand in my every day existence leaves me in awe.

I Dream of Karie

One of the reoccurring dreams that I have is of my friend Karie.  Karie passed away May 15, 2006 and these reoccurring dreams started very shortly afterwards.  I am always looking for her and sometimes I find her, and sometimes I don't.  Usually when I find her, she needs me to help her get away from something.  The dreams always leave me with mixed feelings.  A little unsettled, a little sad, and sometimes even a little happy to have seen her, even if it wasn't real.

The other night I dreamt of Karie.  But, this dream wasn't like the others.  I was with her in what was supposedly her apartment and we had no food.  I don't remember how it came about, but she got very upset with me and told me to leave.   My sleeping mind had me wandering the streets around her apartment, bumping into this person or that, and I just kept telling them that I didn't understand why Karie was so mad, and they all seemed to know what I was talking about.

I awoke from this dream feeling quite upset.  Why would my subconscious mind bring me these images.  Images of Karie mad and yelling at me? 

I understand the reoccurring theme of looking for her, as I miss her greatly and her life ended way too soon.  But, why an argument? 

It was disturbing.  I felt annoyed at myself, and hurt.  Like it was real and Karie really was mad.  I hate those lingering emotions from dreams. 

Except the good emotions. 

So I share some pictures of the beautiful Karie with you and say a prayer for her beautiful daughters. 

I miss you Karie.

That's Right!

hehe

Muck n Muck celebrating Canada Day!

Happy Canada Day!

yes, I am Canadian. I'm proud to be Canadian. I live in the US. I quite like it.

So Vicki and I are heading up to Canada to spend the afternoon/evening with Muck and Oat Girl. Hopefully the rain lets off so we can go see some fireworks tonight. =)

Muck and I have been friends since grade 1! Yes, you read that correct. We have been friends for nearly 35 years. Thatsa long time! We grew up together. Went to school together. Raised our kids together. Lived together. Laughed together (a lot!) Cried Together. Celebrated together. Made mistakes together.

We are sisters, not by blood, but by bond.


We used to love to go to those photo booth thingies.

Christmas '87

New Year's 2001 at OUR house.

Muck n Muck