a day of grace and gratitude ♥

I've been carried aloft by the wishes and prayers of so many this past week. To say "thank you" seems insufficient. But that is what I offer: a heartfelt thank you for hearing and understanding. My mother is much better and is out of the hospital and in rehab to build up her strength. In many ways, this little crisis was a blessing for it prepared me for what may lie ahead. Questions were raised, issues confronted that one is never ready to face but now I know how to proceed and what answers need to be determined.

It's a strange role reversal: checking my mother into the rehab facility was like setting her up for summer camp but with some very dark twists. By the third time of hearing "in the event ..." you are primed to expect that there will be some kind of event occurring. If not now, soon enough. How many of us know what funeral home we would like to use "in the event"? CPR or no CPR? And then there was me filling out my mother's "life story" to better help the staff care for her. Her religious beliefs? Thorny at best. How would I rate her marriage? Her relationship with her children? I can tell you her about her appetite, favorite foods and general habits but her marriage? (Do I even want to know?)

our neighborhood Labor Day bike parade

The long weekend has given me the space and time to be with my family and to tend to myself. I even had a pocket of time today to start a few sewing projects! It sounds trite, but I am learning to take it one day at a time. Learning to be soft with myself and my expectations, knowing that all that I want to get to will still be there later on and perhaps I don't need to do all of that anyway. It is a day of rest from labor and a day to reflect upon how it is I labor unnecessarily in my life. Today was that suspended moment between the inhale and the exhale - a rest, a break, a lingering pause ...












It is with immense gratitude that Cowgirl and I thank you for the support of our August Art Bash. Officially we raised $1275 for Half the Sky foundation although the final tally is to be determined as we await a few checks in the mail. Not only did we blow past our goal, but we got to play artful elves and experience the joy of sharing the wealth of creativity that has enriched our lives and shared some amazing artwork with all you amazing people. And with that - here is our final winners: Owl Magic: Kathleen D; Painted Pages: Kelly W; Strawberries & Pansies Print: Emily. Congratulations everyone!









And so Cowgirl and I say goodbye to summer and hello new school year (first grade!) New adventures await and I for one am looking forward to the journey. I know there will be some unexpected dark alleys (hello? is there some major developmental phase occurring between 6 and 7 that I unaware of? Symptom: excessive sass and attitude coupled with exaggerated eye rolling? Please enlightenment me ... or send info for appropriate support group) - I welcome it all because, well, I have no choice. Resistance is futile!