~FingerPrint Friday~

There's a song by Stephen Curtis Chapman that goes:

I can see the fingerprints of God

When I look at you.

I can see the fingerprints of God

And I know it's true.

You're a masterpiece

That all creation quietly applauds

And you're covered with the fingerprints of God.

I see God’s Fingerprints whenever I look at my Mom. All over her. He’s with her on this horrific journey through alzheimer’s. It’s comforting to know she’s not alone.

Today, for my birthday, I’m taking her roses, with this letter:

It’s my birthday, Mom. Thank you for giving birth to me. Thank you for being such a good mother. You taught me so well. I am proud of the kind of mother I am to my boys. And it’s all because of you.

Thank you for all the sacrifices you made. For all the late nights you stayed up sewing ‘special’ outfits for me to wear to school the next day. Thank you for doing people’s alterations late into the night to pay for Girl Scout fees, skating lessons, piano lessons. Your ‘sewing lessons’ helped me create and sell my Ragamuffin dolls. They helped put two boys through college. Thank you for that, Mom. Thank you for teaching me that all things are possible with hard work and determination.

Thank you for teaching me the importance of family.

I pray that you know how much it all means to me.

I love you, Mom.

Carol

xoxoxoxox

Pop on over to Beki's blog to read more Fingerprint Fridays~

~Monday Blessings~

Mom started eating again after refusing food for 3 days last week.

Aunt Fran came through her 1st week of chemo (lymphoma of the brain) with flying colors.

Jim's LOVING his new job. It's the blessing of his career!!!

Tom and Amy's wedding plans are coming together beautifully. They're happily redecorating their new home.

All the kids will be in town this coming weekend to celebrate my birthday.

Fawnie has adjusted to being the only puppy, and is LOVING all the attention.

36 inches of Snow!!

A brand new month~

I'm well and back in the studio again.

Life is good.

What are YOUR Monday Blessings?

~Under the Weather.....~

Thank you all for the notes wondering where I've been. I caught the flu and have not been able to bounce back. I was sad to have to cancel a beautiful show for this week. See you soon~

~Getting Grounded~

As many of my blog readers know, I was looking forward to 'sleeping' my way through January. After a heavy show schedule and Christmas with our family....I was exhausted. Isn't it funny that sometimes the things you WANT, really aren't the things you need! As soon as January began, it gained a frenzied momentum that my life usually takes on: the pace I've come to realize is my 'normal'. I thrive on it. I may complain about it, but it's my life....and I love it~

I began rereading Julia Cameron's Walking in this World. She's the author of The Artist's Way, The Vein of Gold, and The Right to Write. I highly recommend them all. One of the questions she asks the reader is: What makes you grounded? You're to write down 10 things that do. Hmmmmmmm. I thought this would be difficult. It wasn't!! Right there at the top of my list was: an organized house and studio. I was in trouble. So I set off to organize everything....kitchen cupboards, drawers, closets....and finally: my two studios. Not a job for the faint-hearted. But oh....the results are SO worth the pain!! I am now the proud owner of beautifully organized spaces to live and work.

Next on the list: redecorating and updating parts of the home we built 25 years ago! Pictures to follow~

Have a glorious week....even if it's as cold and snowy as it is here in Ohio~

~Just Fawnie and Me~

It was quite an adjustment when Jim went back to work on Monday. It was no longer, "Me and the Puppies"....but "Just Fawnie and Me". sigh.

He spent several days looking EVERYWHERE for Coconut: behind file cabinets, under the sofa, and in all Coconut's favorite hiding places. It broke my heart. If it's possible for a pup to be depressed...Fawnie is. He has sad-looking eyes and lays in his bed with his moosh over the side like he's mourning. I guess that's exactly what he's doing.

I took him with me to see my mom at the nursing home on Monday....but Tuesday when I ran to the grocery store....he let out long, high-pitched wails when he saw that I wasn't taking him with me. He's never been 'left' without Coconut, and was used to snuggling with him until we returned.

Finally, today....it looks like he's stopped looking for his brother. He follows me everywhere. In the past, that was Coconut's self-designated 'job'. Fawnie was content to stay put in his little bed in the family room, while Coconut never left me out of his sight!

We are snowed-in here in Ohio. We've had 37" of snow here in the SnowBelt, and are expecting more tonite and tomorrow. It's been a wonderful week of re-organizing and designing new creations in between making pots of soup, chili and home-made desserts. Jim's been enjoying the delicious aromas that greet him each nite after traveling through the 'tundra' from work.

On tonite's agenda: a roaring fire, chili, salad, corn muffins, freshly-baked apple pie....and of course, cuddling with Fawnie on the sofa watching movies. So....wherever you are in the world.....Cuddle-up and stay warm~