"Life" Books
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Heart to See
“It is not enough to photograph the obviously picturesque.” Dorothea Lange Pictures. I can never take too many. Although I am overwhelmed by the magnitude of how many we have at the moment in our downsize/move, I am incredibly grateful to have many. The picture today I visit many days. The love between cousins, the comfort of loving arms, security… peace… so much in one picture. One of my ventures after high school was acquiring a career certificate in photography. Remember this was 2006. The program I decided to go with required that you use only 35mm camera, nothing digital, nothing automatic. I had been playing around with photography for…
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80 Hours
I didn’t forget about ya! Last week got wild and I just couldn’t get a post written and posted, I am sorry. A little snapshot of last week… I was in the midst of one of my not so kind summer migraine multi-day battles, overwhelmed and completely at my “it’s never going away” moments. There were repairs being done at our house, so my normal “comforts” were in a room I couldn’t get too. My Mom was literally the only comfort I had. I ended up sitting in the corner of her bathroom on the cold floor (cold calms my nerves) and just crying. Frustrated with my lack of progress…
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What makes a house a Home?
Last week I left you with this: “It’s a peculiar thing that began to manifest itself inside my soul when Lucy ran ahead. Home. It can’t be defined by things. My home is with my people – it will always be somewhat here and a whole bunch ran ahead. And there is a peace there- Jesus gives me peace.” I admit I slip up and find myself holding onto things too tightly. But as the years have been added to my life, the physical things I tend to hold onto have changed with the seasons of life. Change. I used to fear this word. Trembled at the sound of it…
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Home2 Sweet Home
FYI: I am going to review some companies that were absolutely amazing in this post, of which I am getting no incentives from. That’s how fabulous they were! In February-ish, my parents and I started talking about how it would be nice to move closer to my brother and his family, and also our many doctors. Our first move was for this same reason, but since the highway has gotten whack- always under construction, and traffic is always backing up. We had talked about this about a year ago, when we found out there was going to be a neighborhood built, like the one we were currently in, within five-ish…
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Moving… Not My Finest
As I sit and type this, I am surrounded by packed and unpacked boxes. Many items to be put up. Last night I went to bed at midnight, and if you know me, this was WAY past my bedtime! My body is screaming, “Are we done yet?” “Can’t we just give it all away?!?” Yes, and I would definitely do so, if it was acceptable to wear pjs everywhere I went and lived in a children’s book library 😊 But that’s not the case. So in the spirit of trying to find the thread of humor in everything, here are a few things that I have found humorous so far:…
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Choosing Rest
It’s that time of year when things tend to become frantic and busy. Important life events pile on top of one another. So today, I have a short message, an encouragement for everyone… take moments to breathe deep, step away, choose a comfy space, rest. Whatever rest looks like for you: writing, drawing, napping, tv show, music, podcast, reading…. the list is endless, but give yourself permission to get lost in your rest. And when you re-enter the life events, soak them in, document them with the gifts given to you! Pictures, written memories, collecting programs, gather memories the way you love to do- not the way the world tells…
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Willing to Be Wrong
Being Wrong or Being Right. Right or Left. For or Against. One side or the other. “You must pick” is the posture of most Americans at the moment. But if we truly searched our mind, heart, and soul, would they actually agree with what the world is telling us we must do? I’ll admit there are some things I can be optimistic about, but most things I am skeptical about at first, before I can get my hands on some good facts, or at least some credible information. Arguing and bickering are one of my biggest pet peeves. Along with yelling or raising your voice. I believe in a good…
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Russian Roulette Healthcare
Jumping right in today… If you are not aware, RFK jr. has been in a bunch of hearings this week for the HHS budget. And as the quote above states, I am always looking for even the slightest bit of change. An apology, even a “oops, I didn’t mean to phrase that comment that way,” something! I have watched half of today’s hearing and I am sad to report, nothing of the likes have occurred yet. Although, as an information and facts junkie, I was curious to find out how the administration was defining two phrases that they use repeatedly, and seemingly to deflect giving real answers. Allow me to…
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Tiny, but Mighty Voices
If you’re feeling blue – try painting yourself a different color. – Hannah Cheatem, Age 8 Recently, I was at the dentist, and I heard this little tiny voice coming down the hallway. The hygienist that was cleaning my teeth, obviously, couldn’t ignore my giggle, and said, “I just love little voices.” In that instant we were connected at the heart. I asked her if she had any little ones, to which she pointed at a picture of a little girl, and said, “yes, she is still very little and just babbles for now, but I can’t wait to hear what her voice will really sound like.” I love it…
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The Gift of Release
Release: verb: to set free from restraint, confinement, or servitude. Noun: relief or deliverance from sorrow, suffering, or trouble. Synonyms: set free, let go, turn loose, dismiss… If you have ever battled chronic pain or illness, or a pain or illness that has lasted for an extended period of time, then you will understand what I am going to describe today. If you have not, then I will do my best to give you a picture as close as I can. It’s no secret that I have migraines, and that I always will. They are triggered by things that I can control, and more of things I cannot. I am…
