my town

a city rich in history and contrasts....these are a few that i saw today.

baby bro

he really doesn't like it much when i say baby bro - he is taller than me
and he's always protects me
and watches out for me...no matter what.

and he never wanted us to worry - even when we watched televisions shows
like cops or when he would tell us stories of him charging into dangerous situations.
he knew what he was doing.

and later when he became an instructor at the academy, we breathed a little sigh of relief...
and now...baby bro retired from the force.
and we're so proud.
proud of his service and making us safe
from the bad guys.
proud of his teaching of the next generation of people keeping us safe.
and when they presented him with the badge, weapon, gold watch and all the certificates.
i know others were proud of him too. even when they were not here to say it.

and now he's on to his next 20 at some place new...
doing what he really loves...
teaching others how to keep the world safe.

xoxoxo - love you
(but you will always be my baby bro)

the simple things

in light of the last two weeks and in recognition of the abundance i have, i remember that i'm so blessed by the simple things (won't you join christina today?) For every blogger who signed up to take part Christina and her family are donating $1 to Doctors Without Borders to help in the aid of Haiti. What a beautiful way to help and a reminder what we have...

• a warm bed
• a soft blanket, used by my mother, that sometimes feels like her embrace
• buttered toast
• a good cup of coffee to get my day going
• the hugs of children
• good tires on my jeep
• co-workers that are a joy to work with
• blue canning jars filled with purple mums and yellow lilies
• the fingers of pink clouds that line my sunrise
• a bowl full of red: macintoshes, honeycrisps and yams
• houseslippers on my cold feet
• lime scented soap
• paints in my craft box
• pages in my journal
• silly laughs over a family quirk
• a clean kitchen
• pizza together on monday nights
• my spring countdown
• the feeling deep in my bones when something feels right
• the mockingbird singing in the tree
• the tiny curls on a fern
  

• and when i feel sorry for myself - i will remember there is always someone to help
• and when i feel grumpy - there is always someone that i can make smile
• and when i'm angry - there is opportunity to make right
• to remember, change begins with me.

fly away

tomorrow i will write along with christina about simple things. i'll do the linky thing tomorrow, but most of you know by now that i think she's the bee's knees. a girl crush if you will - or do they call them bloggy crushes? *shrugs*

i feel the ocean calling my name. i was convinced that i was driving there this weekend...but it is scheduled to rain. boo. boo. boo. i feel the need to get out of town and just stretch my wings. point the car somewhere and just go....it still can happen. i wonder how i would feel about the beach in the rain. i think i would have it to myself.

we are experiencing the 'january thaw' - that singularity that happens sometimes when there is a little burst of spring in the midst of winter. i think it's mother nature reminding us (and helping us) remember that spring is coming. she is. and she will be wearing a halo of daffodils and tulips. how can 53 days seem so long?

*trying wings on for size* why is john denver echoing in my head? (fly away) they seem to fit well. we will see what happens.

in review

for those that wanted an update on the art journal....(i didn't draw the bird - it's part of a collage)


it goes by fits and spurts - mostly because i can only get to it late at night. this is a combination of four or five days. the weekends have been clogged with responsibilities. hopefully this weekend i can focus on being creative.

for those that wanted an update on the 365....so far so good. though there have been a couple of days i wouldn't show anyone and just did the functionary shot.

365:022


365:023


365:024


the weekend went by much too quickly. as did the week. i kept the girls while mommy and daddy were out of town. the light was bad as it stormed most of the weekend. the shot was from naptime today when ga finally got some sleep. last night she insisted on waiting on me to go to bed and then woke me up at 2:00 a.m. to let me know that i was snoring. *blush* (actually her words were 'you sound like a monster') ahhh, yes, the charm of a five year old.

they both have perfected the art of crocodile tears. i try to stand firm but there are some days i just pick my battles.

so....tonight i think i will get to bed early. i need it.