Happy Birthday to ME!

(me making my birthday wish)

It was my birthday... 2 days ago. I had intended to to write on my birthday but the birthday festivities stole time. A robbery I didn't mind.

As I sat and pondered my birthday over a nice cup of coffee I couldn't help but smile. Thankfully, I'm not one of those people that dread their birthday or that another year has come and gone. In fact, I love celebrating my birthday. I love celebrating birthdays period. How could you not celebrate life?


I had decided over the weekend that I would make my birthday breakfast on Monday for myself and share it with my kids since they were home from school. I love french toast and fruit. So I headed out to the store and purchased all of the ingredients I would need. I prepared my favorites... french toast with specialty cinnamon bread topped with sweetened condensed milk, minute maid blueberry pomegranate juice, fresh fruit, and a cup of coffee. I was in heaven.

So, here it is my birthday (Tuesday the 21st) and I'm sitting at the table enjoying day 2 of my heavenly birthday breakfast. I made extra to be enjoyed on my actual birthday. Heaven two days in a row = pure joy. I'm looking out the window at the sunny skies and listening to the birds sing their morning song. I sit wondering what I'm going to do to celebrate myself. You know...something ONLY for me. My mind then wonders to Nina Simone. Why did I think of Nina Simone? She and I share the same birthday and in my opinion, she is one of the greatest singers of all time.

As I'm sitting thinking of her I am feeling a flood of emotion sweep over me. I am so happy to be alive and feel my life has been blessed a thousand times over. I decide to type in her name into the google search engine and I stumble on her website. I read a beautiful tribute her granddaughter has written about Nina and what she means to her. I feel so honored to be born on the same day as her. I start looking on you tube for various videos/songs that would not only celebrate her memory and birthday but would also celebrate me today as I celebrate my life. A song that would express my feelings for today. Freedom. Love. I needed a song that would express all of this. So as I listened to her music I danced. I smiled. I laughed. I celebrated. Then I chose my song...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhQ6HTJCB44&context=C3b919feADOEgsToPDskJa3gqOnHWnIQE1hKXocDt4

Then a true wave comes over me. Tears streaming down my face... tears of joy, tears of love and most importantly tears of gratitude. Gratitude for a life that has been blessed beyond measure and gets sweeter as each day passes. Then it hits me. I need to draw. Draw something for just me. A birthday message that celebrates me and Nina. A drawing that would incorporate her beautiful words in the song above and how I feel about today. So I bring you my birthday illustration... celebrating us both.

(Birthday drawing: ink pen, water colors, birds drawn on card stock)

Peace and joy filled my soul as I sat drawing and painting with watercolors. Then it hit me. I need to do this more frequently. Draw, paint, art... just for me. Not worrying about whether it is going to sell or if someone else will like it. I realized how much pressure is behind each creation. I loved this birthday activity and the joy it brought to me was liberating.

So, happy birthday to me and if it's your birthday... Happy birthday to you. Take the time to celebrate yourself. Celebrate others around you. Lift your glass because you are alive and the love that is in this world is a gift and will always astound you.

Some of my greatest life blessings...

(my mom, me and my daughter)

Time and Happenings

I haven't forgotten my blog.... I've just been busy.

Rest assured I haven't neglected these pages or those of you that take the time to read the uninteresting words I fill the space with. Life has taken hold of me and I have been a little bogged down with the events that have taken place.

So...hmm. What has happened to me since June 20th? Anything interesting? Here's what I have been up to and maybe some of it hits the interesting category and some of it doesn't but here it is just the same.

My son took an enrichment program through his school for approximately a month. He loved it and I loved seeing all of the things he made and learned about. He met some more friends. He's so outgoing and social. It's amazing to me that he has these characteristics because neither Shayne or I carry them that strongly. He's gotten so big I continue to be amazed at how fast time flies.

My daughter participated in summer camp for 2 weeks at her preschool...she loved it. Since the program has ended she asks almost daily if she has school the next day. I might add that she tends to have some separation anxiety and if I walk her in she latches onto me like another appendage. Her little arms wrap tightly around my leg and every attempt to shake her loose is unsuccessful. It's the sweetest thing and a little trying when I'm in a rush. But deep down I love it....her little way of saying she loves being with me so much she doesn't want me to go. So, I drive up to the gate one morning and she says, "Mommy, I want to walk in by myself." I smile with pride and say sure. I walk her to the gate and tell her I'll stand there until she is safely inside. She firmly states again that she doesn't want me to accompany her and I assure her I am letting her do it on her own. Wow! She did it. Wow, I did it. Again I have to say they grow up so FAST!

I participated in a stained glass class which I loved!! So be on the look out for some new creations. (I unfortunately haven't had a moment to breathe much less create)

I started a new job and so far I love it.

We are preparing to move...packing and moving slowly into our new place.

Savannah had her first hair cut. I just wanted her to get it trimmed but before we left she said, "No Mommy, I don't want snarls anymore. I want it all off."

(picture taken before haircut)



Our son turned 7!!!! Where does time go?


My mom was in the hospital again. She's okay, thank God.

I started taking Yoga again. Restorative. Peace. Grounded. Centering. Me.

Football started. I hate the rigorous schedule but my two favorite boys love it. Gavin absolutely loves that Shayne is his coach and vice verse.

Monday Shayne and I will celebrate 14 years together (8 married). I feel so blessed to have been able to share so much time with an amazing person who I love dearly. Although we are both Pisces and at times can be out of balance with one another some how we eventually find balance. We counteract one another and the bond we share is remarkable.

I don't know if it was interesting to you but it is my life and I think it is. It's not dull that's for sure.

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In Celebration and Loving Memory

In celebration of a woman I knew named Karen

I received the email listed below today and thought it was quite appropriate to share on my blog with all of you. I was intending to write today about a birthday celebration I can no longer participate in and here I am doing what I intended to do and sharing this email as well.

Today would have been my step-sister, Karen's birthday. I thought about her a lot today and in my mind thought about what her life would have been like for her and her son. I thought about what my life was like the many years ago that I knew her and how much I didn't know about her. So I'll share the little I did know and what I appreciated about her.

I was young and didn't understand the dynamics of the various relationships that encompass our every day lives nor did I understand the complexity that comes along with them. Karen's father married my mother and as it does in many families it brought about sadness and bitterness in the children that were left behind as they saw their father start a new life with children that were not his. As a child I completely understood this to the degree that a man entered my home that I did not know and I was faced with the realization that my dream and prayer of my father returning was to be unanswered and final. For many years due to the complexity of the relationship and feelings that were generated as a result I unfortunately did not get to know her.

Something happened in her life and for whatever reason she started to set her feelings aside and began spending time with us. During this time I was able to spend time with her and experience what it was like to have a sister. Even with our age difference we had things in common and I revelled in it and her vibrant spirit. We both loved and collected unicorns maybe because we fantasized as children that our lives would turn out differently, who knows. Each time I see a unicorn I think of her and it makes me smile. I went to her apartment to spend time with her and appreciated the talks we had. I appreciated being able to share my feelings and ideas with her and hearing her point of view. I loved the smile she had, it lit up the room. My time with her was short and her life here was short but the impact she left on me and on others was HUGE.

So, Happy Birthday Karen. Those of us that loved you deeply continue to celebrate your life that you left behind.

Here's the email that I was sent today and ironic that it should arrive today of all days....

Karen's life was unfortunately taken prematurely by cancer's devilish hand.

In Memory

All you are asked to do is keep this circulating. Even if it's to one more person. In memory of anyone you know that has been struck down by cancer, and in support of anyone battling it now. A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This Candle Going!
This one I do ask that you send on.