It was a first. OK two.

Guess what?
I did something tonight that I have never done before.
I. cooked. fresh. fish.
Fresh fish = fish purchased today at the fish counter and wrapped in paper. Not frozen. Fish that didn't come out of a box or a can.

Just so we are clear.
Yes, me.
Fresh fish. Be impressed.
I did it. I overcame my fear of cooking fish.
With a little help from Bobby Flay and this episode of Boy Meets Grill.

On the menu was:
Seared Tilapia fillets with Lemon Butter and Shallot Sauce
Served over Warm Buttered Orzo
Grilled Asparagus, lightly salted
Fresh strawberries, cantaloupe and grapes
Toasted French Bread

We ate "like a real family", as Grey says...and it was very nice. No one spilled anything nor were there any crazy outbursts. Overall, it was very nice. Which is an accomplishment in our family.

For what it's worth, Tilapia is not very expensive and it's a very mild fish. These were my two largest fears--1) that I would "mess up" an expensive amount of fresh fish 2) and that it would be too fishy. I'm picky about fishyness. :) I can't wait to do it again.

Even Grey asked for seconds...which is truly sayin' something.

(photo from Google.)

And for the second first...last Thursday, Joal and I had the pleasure of a different kind of first for us...attending a dinner and show at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theater. Chaffin's is "just down the road" and is one of those old Nashville traditions that we've been saying we should experience since about 1999. This place is legendary in these parts and now we know why--it was wonderful. Johnny Peppers, (one of Joal's clients) is one of the stars of the current show--"Seeing Stars in Dixie" and he generously offered us tickets to the show. It was fantastic and I can't wait until we can do it again...and take some others with us.

Dinner preceeds the show--a long country-style buffet offers up the usual and the unusual in southern faire, including corn bread muffins that made me blush. During dessert, a local songwriter, Jaclyn Brown, played a few tunes, including a funky little diddy heard here that made me smile. Then the show begins. The stage is in the round (although it's actually a square)...and it was delightful from start to finish.

So, two firsts in one week. Now you know.

Daniel's Note about the past year

Below is the Note Daniel posted on Facebook:

A year ago today at roughly 9:15 my brother was shot in the neck by an insurgent in Afghanistan. I have tried to write this update a half dozen times and not been able to get it done. I don’t know how to sum up this last year. My heart is heavy. It is not out of desperation or hopelessness I think it is more out of a since of enormity of what has been survived. I think that is really the key. It’s what has been survived.

In a few hours I’ll get in my truck and drive to the spot on 155 where I got the call. I will pull that truck over and just sit there. As I look out over that expanse of road, at the loop to my left and the fire station on up a little further my mind will wonder back to the things that I’ve felt, seen and to the people I have had the good fortune to meet. My mind will wonder back to that call, hearing Andy’s voice but not really comprehending what he was saying. Listening to Doc Renolds as he explained how bad Andy was injured. Sitting at the table in the Noonday Fire House trying desperately to make my hands stop shaking long enough to pick up my phone and call our parents and tell them that there youngest son had been critically wounded in combat. Then realizing that I couldn’t actually do it.

Listening to that Firefighter tell me that my brother was a fighter and he was going to be ok, and actually believing him. Picking up the phone, calling Mark then Sherri to pray like they have never prayed before. Actually calling mom and dad who took it well, I thought. Calling my brothers in law, so my sisters would not be alone when they found out. Regretting having to burden those men with that responsibility.

Sherri bringing me a turkey sandwich and then sitting across from me and watch me eat it to make sure I did. Actually feeling a change in my heart from fear, uncertainty, hatred and deep sorrow to peace. Having a tear-filled conversation with Melissa that encouraged her and was a great hope to me.

Thanking the nurse at Walter Reed that handed me a bottle of water when I broke down in the hallway after seeing Andy for the first time. Or Xavier who is maybe one of the best ICU nurses ever. Or Brenda Kelly the first physical therapist Andy had. She gave me a crash course in P.T. and just about adopted him. Or Cpt. Dora Quilty for letting me help make some mods to the PCA pump. Maybe she knew how helpless I felt and how solving one small problem would make all the others seem a little bit more bearable.

I will think about the unwavering loyalty of the men of Chosen (Wanat survivors) as they would literally limp or roll down to check on Doc. Burnett. I’ll be thinking of friends and family that drove or flew ridiculous distances just to check on him. Daniel G., Jon, Mel, Uncle Ron and Aunt Judy--none of you had to come but I am extremely grateful that you did.

I’ll be thinking of the staff and other patients in Tampa. Delgado, Richardson, Ben, Lara, Jennie, Lindsay, Karen, the night nurse trifecta and those mad honey bun cravings, Jessie Lee, Sophia, Ruddy, Picaro, Goodman, and so many other people. Thank you for doing your jobs and being who you are. You helped my brother get his life back on track. Thank you will never be able to sufficiently communicate my appreciation and gratitude. I’m glad I picked the Tampa Polytrauma Unit for Andy you have made a world of difference in his life.

My mind will drift over to Pastor Paul the Robertsons and a little Nazarene church in Wesley Chapel that ministered to my soul through Bucks games, pot luck and a Bush Gardens trip.

Sherri and Ann, I‘ll be thinking about that welcome home celebration. I think only Heaven will top that. Cory, Casey--you have both been great friends to Andy. Thanks!

Leslie, I love you and I wouldn’t have made it this far without you.There are so many people that did so much from concerts and trail rides to driving lessons and food drop offs. The people that God put around us made it possible to survive. Apart from His grace, apart from his plan we as a family would have been swallowed up by all of this--Andy especially. God has seen fit to spare my brother's life for a purpose. What that is, I do not know, but the fact is he has a bright future. Thank you for sharing in that with all of us.

God bless you all,
Daniel

How's Andy?

On the occasion of the "one year mark" of Andy's wounding, I thought I'd answer the oft-asked question of "How is he doing?"

I never know quite how to answer that question. I know people want to hear "he's doing good" so we can all move on but I don't say that. Maybe it's still too early for the new definition of "doing good" to be clear yet. Every day presents new challenges and life is at a different pace than before. Andy's relatively healthy, he's home in Texas, living with Daniel. Being confined to a wheelchair has altered his methods, but not him. He's still fiercly independent. He's drives his outfitted truck off-road and on, and there's hardly ever a quiet moment at his house--he has friends and family around all the time. He's acquired a new tatoo. Last week he took a little neighbor boy to VBS at the church. I'm pretty sure the little boy thinks "Mr Andy" sits at the right hand of the Father. Life goes on and he does with it what he wants.

Andy's always been the kind of person who moved mountains by the sheer force of his will. That hasn't changed. He's still stubborn as heck and that will carry him--it always has. He's still in the Army, so he still reports to a duty station at the Armory on a limited basis. He misses the brothers of Chosen and he misses actively being "Doc". He's supremely frustrated by the currrent administration and he gets pissy when people assume he was wounded in Iraq. I don't know...how is he? He's home. Nobody's shooting at him in real life. He suffers the bit of publicity that his past has earned him with modesty, embarrasment and a tiny bit of contempt. He says there are certainly other, more important heroes to honor. He was amused at the notion of "Andy Burnett Day". He's has taken day trips to Dallas and an overnighter to Oklahoma to see our sister. Driving is his freedom. He doesn't like to talk about the serious things--or more precisely, not with the girls (mom, Deb, me). He whines like a girl when someone does things for him like fold the laundry.

All I really know is he's working hard and we would expect no less. And that on this, just like every other one, I love him deeply and miss him.

(Thanks Cory for the photos.)

Scrapbooking, no? Surely you jest?

I do still scrapbook, believe it or not. :) Summertime and the usual post-vacation let down is kickin' my ya know...I just can't seem to get out of the funk lately. I'm thinking I might retitle my blog "I need a brownie."

LOL!

I had 2 items ready to post here--2 layouts that utilized some of the ever growing (exponentially) stamp collection at my house. I posted them at 2peas and within a day was contacted by the editor of www.scrapbooking.com about having them used in their next edition. www.scrapbooking.com is one of the oldest scrap websites around and I have been a reader since it's inception--way back when Jennia Hart was the owner. It's an online only publication...an online magazine, if you will. It's a cool project and I look forward to seeing what they do with my projects.

Anyway, because of that, I had to take the two items down from 2peas and delay posting them here until after the web mag issue comes out.

I know...you're just heart-broken. :)

In other news, I am working dilligently on the NWYC Cruise scrapbook and it is progressing. When it't done, I'll link it up here.

You all know how much I love www.scrapbookpictures.com right. Doug and the crew there are fantastic. I ordered enlargements for the cruise scrapbook from them and they are seriously fabulous...and the prices are not outrageous either. It was a sizable order but I paid for the regular shipping--$2 and they upgraded it to Priority at no charge. I appreciate that more than you know. Scrapbook Pictures wins in customer service in my book!

I am working on the cruise book but I am totally thinking about the Maine scrapbook in my head. I'm thinking seriously about printing all the photos for our Maine book in the 8x8 size. Just let the whole photo take up the whole page...journal on the back.

Speaking of Maine, one of the members at 2peas posted a super cool layout today that reminded me of our Maine adventure. Isn't the crab fantastic?

And finally, based on the ability to create embossed suns, as seen here at Bonnie Sharp's blog from back in May, I ordered this--the Spellbinders Nestabilities Inverted Scalloped Circles (Large). Look at this card...isn't that some hot summery embossing?

Happy Tuesday!

The Best Little Sandwich on Mount Desert Island!

The first day of our time in Bar Harbor we lunched at this sweet little local sandwich place--Michelle's Brown Bag Cafe. It was quite the busy spot, even for the off-season, so we took that as a good sign. While we waited in line Joal decided to try the Maine Handcrafter Root Beer. He later said it was stout and stuck with him for a long time.



We ordered the gourmet Tuna Salad and it was a total hit! It was tuna with mayo, served on toasted sourdough (large slices), with thinly sliced tomato, a layer of spinach, red onion, sprouts, and a piece of cheese. It was fantastic. Each sandwich came with a homemade pickle and Cap Cod chips. I stole Joal's pickle--they were really good.

Sometimes the simplest things, done well, can be really surprisingly amazing. :)

Joal and I have never been on a non-work, non-family-centric vacation alone together before. And yes, seventeen years is a long time to wait. I can tell you for sure that it was a mistake to wait that long. It was so beyond words to settle into a different place with just him, to be together alone, to be ...to just be. Quietly. Calmly. Without distraction and without anything or anyone else pressing in. It was nice. It was healing.

There's no one else on this planet that I'd rather be with. I knew that before...but now I remember why.

One of the great things about Bar Harbor is that everything is centrally-located and walking is the best way to get anywhere. Getting extra excercise was an unexpected benefit--because we surely did eat well. :)

Right smack in the middle of BH is a little ice cream/frozen yogurt shop. I'm pretty sure that we became their star customers for the three days we were there. Joal enjoyed each flavor of frozen yogurt (he's allergic to dairy) and I stuck with my first love--Cappacino with chocolate chips. It was lovely.

Got Stickles?

Would it be ok if I just schmere this stuff all over everything? It's called Waterfall Stickles. And I am so hooked. I've decided life just looks better when covered in Waterfall glitter! I think it would make good eye shadow too. My fingers are already covered in it. I could just swoosh a little across my eyelids. It dries fast.

It's the perfect accent for my cruise project...in conjunction with the Chipboard Thickers that I found at Big Lots. Painting and glittering...what more could a girl ask for in the wee hours of a Saturday morning?

Yes?

Lobster Roll--a first

So, as a southern girl, I had never had a tried and true Lobster Roll. As the little sign at the corner cafe said "it's alot of lobster, on a roll, with just enough mayo to keep it all together. And yes, it's good."

It was served with a pickle and Cape Cod chips.

It was good. I'm glad I tried it. Probably won't do it again as it was a little pricey and for that kind of money, well, I'd rather have shrimp. But it was something Maine-ish that I wanted to say I had experienced.

As you might imagine, Lob-stah is everywhere and in pretty much everything in Bah Hahbah...foodishly and decoratively.



This guy sits on the sidewalk outside the famous Ben & Bill's Chocolate Emporium...and yes, it's a heavely place full to the brim of heavenly temptations. And a mighty fine collection of antique lunch boxes. Even Lobster ice cream. No, we didn't indulge.

Ahh, Maine. Forget San Francisco. I think I may have left my heart in Maine.

What We Didn't Do On Our Vacation

The Chicken Barn

My father-in-law told me about this place...I think it probably deserves it's own weekend. Unfortunately this is exactly not the kind of place that is condusive to spending time with my husband. This is pretty much his idea of t-o-r-t-u-r-e.

Next trip.

Found Fabulousness on Friday

This card is just so detailed and delightful...can't help but smile. It's created by *forevercatchingup* and can be found here at twopeas.




This layout inspired my this week...I am all about the waves. See it and other views here at twopeas.

As if Fridays weren't fabulous enough already. :)

Take a look...

I love this man.

That's all.

Another shopping adventure in Bar Harbor...windowpanes

I wrote the title to this post and then realized you are probably thinking that all I did on my vacation was shop. Ha! Not true. We did nature things, and we ate at fantastic seafood, and we enjoyed our trip alone immensely...but yes, I did do some seriously fun shopping.

One of the things about Bar Harbor that I find incredibly appealing is that there are no major chain stores...no major chain eateries...not many major chain hotels. It's very much "small town America" at it's finest. Well, except that Pepsi has a stranglehold on the area...but I digress.

So, eventually I will tell you about the other, non-shopping things we did but for now you are stuck with the fabulousness of a little store called *Windowpanes*.

Oh my. The love bloomed the moment I saw the window. Sorry about the reflection of the cars and such, but if you look closely you can see the hanging fabrics, which I later realized were snappy napkins and placemats.





The white cabinet was filled with all these napkins--heavy duty, quality napkins in the finest of fantastic colors...as you can see.

Windowpanes sells the yearly lighthouse calendar of artist Alan Claude seen here. These large prints are stunning and I came home with plans to order one from the artist immediately.

Gerbera

The boys and I take many trips to Lowes during the summer...and I reward myself by taking the camera along. I got this picture on our first trip of this summer--can't wait to print it.

Daisies are my favorite flowers...big ones like this, and small simple white ones...I love them all. To me, there is just no comparison.

Enjoy.

Sand Beach

Who says a Quilt Store isn't dangerous for a scrapbooker?

While Joal and I were in Bar Harbor, he discovered a store called Fabricate while on his first morning walk around town. We ate breakfast at the Cottage Street Bakery & Deli--our first indulgence into the world of blueberry pancakes and blueberry-topped french toast that is so very popular in Maine. It was a calm and perfectly delightful meal, not only because we were the only patrons present at the little cafe, but also because they are actually one of the far-too-few eateries in Bar Harbor to offer actual Diet Coke. For what it's worth, "no Diet Pepsi does not suffice."

I digress.

So we enjoyed a fabulous breakfast on the patio at the bakery and then I decided to check out the fabric/scrapbooking store--Fabricate. It's a small place on Cottage Street that features mainly quiting fabrics and supplies...with a small room of limited scrapbooking goods off to the side. Many of the scrapbooking items I picked up there were *Maine* specific things--like a fabulous piece of lobster ribbon and an embroidered lobster "patch". I enjoyed the beautiful quilt pieces that were on display and photographed a few (with permission).

I was attracted to the fat quarters of beautiful watercolor-ish fabrics. I selected a few (seen above) and am still kicking myself for not finding out the manufacturer of them, especially the multi-color one below. Isn't it so lovely? It shouts summer to me!

This one (above) says "ocean fantasy" to me. Below...this one is just a lovely wash of blues and purples...so "gentle waves".

Are we seeing a theme developing here?

Meet Sophia

Popa and Gramma have a cat named Sophia.

Whom Julian fell in love with.

Seriously.

He was so gentle and sweet with her.

He spent so much time quietly petting her.

Watching her.

Calling out her name when she wasn't around.

He bugged her a bit.

She swatted him.

He laughed.

And learned where not to touch her.

She was so forgiving.

He needed alot of forgiveness.

She brought him such tranquility.

I bet you see what's coming.

Miss "I am not a pet person" is considering the acquisition of both a cat and a fish.

The things I get roped into.

The boy loves fish.

Ever since our trip to Uncle Andy's G has been lobbying for a fish tank and some fish. He can be somewhat convincing so it appears that we will be enlarging our family in the midst of June.

Tonight he and I visited the local pet store and I admit, I fell in love with a couple of little slimies called Kissing Gourami, aka "kissing fish". We'll have to have a few of these... :)

I hope they get along with Nemo and Dori.

Food Memories

I have ordered a book--Kitchen Memories by Anne Snape Parsons and Alexandra Greeley. I can not wait for it to arrive. When I read the commentary, I knew I would love it.

Memories of grandmother's cooking are warm, inviting, sustaining and comforting, but most people have not taken the time to preserve their family's favorite recipes. As a result, many treasured recipes are lost to the fast-food generation 'overtaken by pizza delivery, eating out and convenience foods. Kitchen Memories aims to slow that trend down with a lovingly compiled collection of 120 family recipes from 25 countries' handed down from one generation to the next and gathered from families and cooks. The authors, leaders in the Slow Food movement, have interviewed hundreds of people who have shared their most precious recipes, the ones they want to pass on to their children and grandchildren. The process of talking about family recipes triggered many happy memories for the book's contributors, and as such, each recipe includes detailed homespun cooking tips and sidebars rich with personal stories of family and food. Twenty-five countries are featured including the U.S. and some of its distinctive regional and ethnic cuisines.

Pages at the end of the book are provided for cooks to preserve their own favorite recipes, thoughts, tips, photos, and memories. The authors have tested all 120 recipes. A helpful glossary and appendix offering a brief sketch of each culture are included. Insatiably curious about traditions and cultures, food and travel writer Anne Parsons is a native of Scotland and has traveled extensively around the globe. During her trips, she spends most of her time with local people, eats regional foods and visits their places of worship. She is currently writing a medieval mystery novel with the spice trade as its focus. Ms. Parsons lives in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina where she is a leader of the Slow Food Convivium of East North Carolina.

What a way to make a living, huh. :)

I have many food memories...my Nannie's biscuits cook in an iron skillet, my grandmother's coconut pie, the reason everyone calls my mom, "Pud", the legendary birthday cake that my dad made for my grandmother, my diatribes on Sweet Tea in Mississippi, Pistachio Salad, and so on...

What food memories will my children have? Oh dear. I hesitate to think about that too much. I have to do better on those.

What food memories do you carry with you?

Honor

Wood County Texas, specifically Holly Lake and Hawkins, honored our boy with a very nice Texas Bar B Que dinner on Saturday evening.

More shortly.

Andy (May)

Cory took this picture of Andy at church...I thought I would share it...flashy fashionista sunglasses aside. :)

I have the pleasure of leaving on Friday to go to Tyler for a dinner on Saturday night honoring Andy in his former hometown of Hawkins, TX. Andy's first gig as a volunteer fireman was at the Holly Lake Fire Department, near Hawkins. Those folks seem to think quite highly of him..LOL!

It'll be a family affair--Mom and Dad, Daniel and I, possibly others. It will be a fast trip but I'm excited. I'm going alone this time and that's not something I get to do very often.

--Sarah

Most Popular Questions #1

I get asked about scrapbooking by a variety of people and one of the most popular questions is "how do you ever catch up?" (and variations of such.)

The answer is very, very simple--I don't.

Not to be snarky, but getting "caught up" is not even a goal. I would surely be sunk if it were. This is my hobby--something I do because I enjoy the process. If there was a bunch of pressure to make some kind of quota, I wouldn't enjoy it. At all.

I scrap the photos that I like and the stories that I wanna tell. I ignore chronology. I have fully embraced the concept of "scrap the best and store the rest." I take thousands of pictures every year...there's no way it could ever be practical to scrapbook every single photo. (I'd have to build a wing onto my house to store all those books!)

So what to do with all those photos that I don't scrapbook?

Well, I'll let you in on the secret. I edit them heavily--meaning I don't print them all--just the best ones. Then I pull the super dooper ones for scrapbooking and put the remaining photos into these lovely subdivided page protectors. Each page protector holds six 4x6 photos on each side. The beauty of these page protectors is that they fit perfectly into a 12x12 album...just like my layouts.

So, I can store the layouts and the unscrapped photos right together. How's that for a little touch of organization?



Each album holds about 50 pages = 600 photos (at least). The albums are photo-safe and not too expensive. The photos are organized and can be easily enjoyed by my children/family, just as a regular scrapbook. (They are stored on the same shelf as my finished scrapbooks.) If a mood to scrap something in the album strikes, I can pull out the photos I want and scrap them, but there is no pressure and this prevents me from being completely overwhelmed by feelings of "I'm so behind I'll never get it all done". It also prevents me from loosing out on all those back up pictures--the good ones that I can't bear to throw pictures away. This keeps them safe and accessible--and well-organized.

The sub-divided photo protectors are Ultra Pro item #57020 is available at Hobby Lobby and at www.ultrapro.com

More Paper Tearing Goodness

Check out this lovely piece of work!

And PS...

So if you've known me for any length of time, you probably know that I love to tear paper. Paper tearing is, hands down, my favorite scrapbooking technique. It's easy, the tools are handy, and you really can't mess it up.

So, when I find a great piece of work that features paper tearing...I get a little too giddy. With that in mnd, you have to go see this layout--------->>>> SNUGGLE by *Paula*

Baby

Will the booties be pink or blue? :)

(Made with the QK REV Stocking die...slightly modified.)

Remember Me?

I did a little bit of shopping on our trip to Texas and found this rockin' stamp set by Inkadinkado! My life is filled with rockers so it was an absolute necessity. :)

I had never used the Inkadinkado polymer stamps before...but I am very impressed. They are super high quality, easy to remove from the liner and make a very crisp impression. I can't wait to use them again.

Happy Tuesday.
--Sarah

Andy (April)

As promised, the monthly update on Andy--he's making a way. As Daddy says "there's a new normal in town" and it seems Andy is finding his way to the new normal. He's been getting his apartment set up to his liking and was very happy to have finally acquired the Mossy Oak camo bedding set for his room. I spoke to him on Monday night as he was driving home from a day trip to Dallas with an Army buddy who was in for a visit. (Thank goodness for speaker phones.) They had stimulated the economy at Bass Pro and Cabella's and such. He sounded like he was in good spirits.

We are going to see the whole family at Easter...so I'll write more then. It feels weird to write about him when I know he's gonna read it. :)

A Great Day for the Zoo -- No Joke.

G had a holiday from school today (teacher conference day) so we decided to go to the Zoo. It was awesome! And the best part--thy came home very tired. LOL!

Sunshine is so glorious. We all just drank it in.

Hey Hey Mr. Policeman

I suppose that when you drive 58,000 miles a year for work, you are bound to have more than your fair share of run-ins with the highway patrol, right. :) Yesterday was Joal's day for a ticket in podunkville TN.

So here's to you, babe.

Easter Cards

Cute-sy stuff really isn't my thing, except around Easter. I bought the lamb stamp at Michaels for a dollar (Studio G) because it reminded me of the logo of the children's ministry at our church. I thought perhaps I would use it in G's school scrapbook for the year he attended pre-k at our church.

I had visions of lambs for baby cards, lambs for Easter and spring cards, lambs with flockng, lambs with Stickles...you get the picture...the lamb seemed like he would get alot of use. He, she...I don't know.

Anyway.

Lambs for Easter and Spring cards...here the are. :)

So the little lamb stamp started me down a path...here are some other lamb-ie things:

Unity Stamp Co's "Love Ewe" set..gotta get this!

This kid's lamb craft...who doesn't love the 9 million things you can do with paper towel tubes and cotton balls?

This felt lamb pin on Etsy.

Happy Friday all.

pages

Hey, guess what?

I actually do still scrapbook.

Really.

A few weeks ago Melly from 2peas emailed me and asked if I was interested in making a couple of layouts using some free goodies--how could I say no to that? One of the items she sent along for me to work with was the Travel Mat Stack from Die Cuts with a View. I've never used Mat Stacks before but was impressed with the cardstock weight of each sheet and the texture too. I don't really mat photos...so I had to find other ways to use the sheets.

There's a variety of options in this particular stack--a pleasant surprised.

Thanks for looking.

--Sarah

Just a picture of me and the sea

I don't end up on this side of the camera very often--but I like this shot. It reminds me of the wind in my hair (obviously), the endless sound of gentle waves, the hum of the ship, and the occasional spray of sea water across my face. It reminds me of the warmth of the sun and the smell of the sea. It reminds me of laughter and love.

Dean Brody

Brothers
by Dean Brody
Have you heard this song?
If not, beware.
It'll getcha.


"Sometimes freedom makes it hard to live,
It takes things from you that you don't wanna give."

Have I said thank you lately?

So something happened to me not too long ago that made me realize I should be more grateful for those of you who take the time to read my little blog. I haven't said it lately--but I am grateful. Thankful--very very thankful for people who read what I write. If you weren't reading, what would be the point?

So thank you, for sharing a bit of your day with me, whether I know it or not.

Those are beautiful words to a writer's heart--to hear someone say "I read your blog." It's a compliment. And I am totally grateful.

What made me think of this?
There's this blog that I read.
It's written by a creative woman whom I have long-admired but never met in person. From her blog, I have become a more faithful person, a better scrapbooker and a more caring and observant mother. Her words speak to my soul quite often. After reading her writings for more than a year, I am fairly convinced that we could be friends in real life, not that I would presume, but sometimes you just know these things.

And yet, when I had the chance to meet her in person through a mutual friend, I said those words that (I thought) every blogger would surely appreciate--"I am so inspired by your blog."
And boom. The lights went out and her smile left.
"It's nice to meet you." she said.
And turned and walked away.

It was an "ouch" moment.
For sure.
And I was stunned. I know that a whole person can not be judged by her reaction to one little phrase, in one unplanned, unexpected moment, and because I still want to like her, I try to give her the benefit of the doubt.

But it stung.
Does she not understand the gift she has?
Does she resent that she gives so much of herself and that people willingly accept her as brilliantly funny, qwerky and creative? Is that a burden?
Was there a rock in her shoe or grounds in her coffee?

I don't have any answers...but it did make me want to say "thank you" to my friends who read. You bring me great joy. You give me perspective. You challenge me. You correct my spelling. You make me laugh.

And for those things, I am deeply grateful.

Eric Carle

Happy First Day of Spring.

Did you see the Google omage to celebrate?

It's fantastic.

I wish I could have Eric Carle come decorate my house!

Cupcake Stamps

Found some cute Cupcake stamps at Michaels today...

Daffodil Love

What a Week!

We'll we had a quiet week for the most part at the Dev...Ranch. Jet-lag or perhaps, more correctly, cruise-lag hit me with both barrels on Monday. I was totally wiped out. Joal left before the sun came up for week in Atlanta. I climbed out of bed begrudgingly and got G to school and came home. Sat Julian up with a video and decided to catch a nap on the sofa. Nice peaceful nap. Dreaming of Grand Cayman that we didn't get to see. (Another post for another day.)

Only to have my little dreams interupted by the words "Mommy I need the key to the shed so I can get the tool to turn off the water to the house."

Come again. Is there sand in my ears. Who are you?

My 13 year old son--the one who was supposed to still be watching a video in the chair in the same room was standing over me--his voice was shaking and I could see immediately that he was drenched from his fuzzy hair to his boots. His whole body was shaking. He was clearly disturbed.

"What's wrong?" I ask with the usual amount of motherly trepidation.

"I need to turn off the water to the house down at the main. I need your key to the shed to get the tool out."

"Why?" What I was thinking was more along the lines of "What on earth are you talking about and exactly how do you know how to turn off the water to the house at the main?"

He was frustrated and still shivering. I could tell he was really worried about the impending consequences of whatever it was that he had done. "I didn't mean to." was all the information he could muster.

My brain was clearing and I could hear the ominous sound of water gushing from one of the outdoor spigots on the front of our house. I told him to sit tight, got him a towel and traipsed off to invesigate.

Thinking all the while...Joal's not coming home until Friday...I have to handle this. Alone. Whatever this is. Visions of our water/sewer guy having to make a housecall danced in my head. I saw myself writing a check...ugh. And feeling completely inept.

Sure enough, the spigot at the front of the house--naturally the one that was hidden by an overgrowth of ivy and bush, was gushing water because the controlling piece had been removed. There were various pieces of pipeage in the muddy pool of yuck that was fast becoming a flood in the bed of my front bushes.

If it hadn't been 40 degrees outside, this might have been fun.

I made a few attempts to re-attach some of the pieces that looked like they might belong on there...but did you know that if you try to cap a flowing spigot, all you get is very wet and very cold? I learned that in a hurry.

So, indeed, he was right. He needed to get the tool out of the shed that turns off the water at the street.

Wonder what said tool looks like?

I come back in and fetch him from the chair. I grab the keys and we go to the shed. He retrieves the tool and we traipse down the driveway to the box that contains the water main valve. Julian is almost 13 and I confess he has taken on quite a bit of muscle mass lately--a fact for which I was thanking the Lord, when I could not budge the valve. He was still freezing and scared, but he worked that valve with the tool like a pro.

The flow of water quickly subsided. We traipsed back up the driveway and he put all the pieces of the thingamajigs and whatchamacallits back into place. He used the vice grips to tighten it all up and wasn't beyond getting down into the muck to get the job done. I couldn't help but be proud. He loves plumbing and all things related to plumbing and he reads manuals like most boys read comic books.

When he said he was done, I whispered a prayer for it to all hold tightly under the returning pressure of the water(for his sake and mine) and walked slowly back down the drive with him, to turn the water on. He used the tool and reinstated the water.

It held and there was no more gushng of water.
The day is saved.

How do I scold or discipline him for all the rules he broke--going outside without permission, going to the front yard without telling me first, turning on the water, dismantling part of the house...all these things he knew he should not have done...and yet, he came to me when the situation became serious, he owned up immediately, and he worked hard to fix the problem. In the end, it was his skill that made it right.

We had a long talk about all this. He knew that he had done wrong. He knew that he could have caused a larger problem for our house. He gave me the most heart-felt apology I have ever heard from him. Yes, it was a serious situation but I couldn't rain down any further punishment on him. Dang it. I was too proud of his ability. He really did save the day.

So, after he was clean and dry again, and after I had some time to mull and pray, I told him that when Daddy got home he would have to tell Joal what he had done and that they would have to look at the spigot situation together. If Daddy thought that any pieces needed to be replaced, Julian would have to use his Home Depot money to pay for the replacements and he would not be allowed to participate in the replacement process. Dad would do it without him.

I told him I was dissappointed that he had done things he knew he wasn't supposed to do, but that I was glad he came to me in the crisis and that he was able to fix the problem.

He understood. All in all, I'm pretty sure that Richard Trethewey would be proud. And is probably to blame for him knowing how to turn off the main water supply anyway.

The rest of the week was fairly uneventful. And drier. Mostly.

One little memory...

Ocho Rios, Jamaica
That big boat behind me is the Navigator of the Seas.

It was really windy, so my hair was blowing into my face (and had already been wet because we swam with Pepe', the dolphin first thing in the morning.) This small little beachy area is located at the end of the Village--a string of shopping spots and entertainment venues right near the pier, that's very popular with tourists. It's also the home of the Ocho Rios Margaritaville.

So I thought it would be cool to have a Cheeseburger in Paradise. Actually, I thought it would be a cool scrapbook page...but don't tell anyone that. We tried. We went to Margaritaville and the gal at the door said it would be about 20 minutes. We said OK and stood around, took some pictures and watched the people at the bar. The music was loud and enjoyable. Twenty five minutes come and go...Joal checks with her and she says "do you wanna eat at the upstairs bar?"

Well, not really, but OK. I hate eating at a bar because a) it makes bartenders irritated when people who don't drink take up space at the bar and b) the service always stinks because of a). :)

SO we go upstairs, which turns out to be really cool, because we can see everything going on downstairs but as I suspected, the service did not happen. The waitress apparently didn't get the memo so we sat for a while. No menu, no service, annoying the bartenders. Finally, Joal catches a waiter and asks if we can move to an open table. Jamaicans never have a problem with anything so of course he says move. We do. But then we wait for a while more for our waitress to take our order.

My apparent inability to say the requisite "No problem, mon" at this point prompted us to give up and go eat on the boat.

So no cheeseburgers in paradise this trip.
But it was better than last year's horse adventure...so no problem, mon.

The music at Margaritaville was lively (live DJ) and a little taste of home--that felt good. There's something iconic about hearing Alan Jackson's "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" played super-loud at a Margaritaville in the Caribbean. A cheeseburger would have made it perfect.

No problem, mon.

This hobby of mine...

So after 13+ years, this hobby of mine is changing drastically for me and as a whole...and I'm not sure entirely that I like it.

I love scrapbooking.
That's not changing.
Much.

But when the last store in my area closed, my heart just kinda broke. That was the fourth inde scrapbook store that I had taught at that closed. (Some would wonder about the common denominator...including myself.) Whatever the various reason for the closings, (stated or not) I just can't do the store cheerleader routine again. I love small buisnesses and at one time felt very passionately about inde scrapbook stores. I have a heart and a gift for marketing in this industry that made me equal parts hopeful and heartbroken about the possibilities and the challenges.

But I can't do it anymore. I can't invest my heart into a store--yes, I know how silly that sounds--a creative "home" and be divorced again.

And so while I am changing as a shopper/consumer to embrace the craft chains and the online stores, I am also dismayed at the changes in the industry. Will scrapbooking survive? Of course. But will it ever be that way again? I don't think so. I think it's going to look very different in the coming years and that is encouraging and also a little disappointing.

Digital media is the wave of the future, no matter how much we fight it. Or ignore it. I will always adore the feel of paper in my hands...but digital is booming. Stores really can't compete with that.

Discretionary spending in many spots has slowed considerably and scrappers are embracing the notion that simple is good, use-what-you-have, and consequently spending less. Or not at all. Stores are dropping like flies. I hate that.

It feels like the whole market grew with such great abandon for years and years and now suddenly, all at one time, feels a great need for a deep breath. There's a rapid inhale taking place and it's not pretty.

Prehaps necessary.
But not pretty and not without consequence.

But now I'm just rambling.

I'm leaving you with a picture today--proof that I do still actually scrapbook and make cards. I bought a new pink pair of CutterBee scissors this week (because the scissor snatchers in my house used my old pair for cutting something non-paper and expected I wouldn't notice) and they made me want to cut something detailed out. :)

This was the second rendition of a similar card that I made for a birthday party G went to this week. Love Scenic Route.

I'm sortof out of the habit of blogging right now...so hopefully there will be more tomorrow.

Stamping Blog

Want to enjoy beautiful stamp projects and learn some things about stamping along the way?
Check out Heather Nichol's blog. She's a gifted artist and teacher...and her blog is awesome.

Who am I? Anyway.

I'm frustrated.
My big dude will turn 13 in a few days and apparently I've been over-thinking on that topic. Thirteen years.
Holy.
I remember when Joal held his entire premature 4 pound body in one hand.
I remember when we joked that he weighed less than a bag of sugar.
I remember buying his first pair of shoes in the doll aisle of a craft store...because baby shoes were all too big for his tiny little tootsies.
And now he's wearing shoes larger than his father's and his jeans are longer than mine.
If I were really brave, I would admit that he's a hair taller than me.
Trust me. I'm not ready to acknowledge that fact.
((picture me stuffing my fingers in my ears and singing lalalalalalalala...)

Being the mother of a thirteen year old son has brought me slap smack into the middle of some kind of nightmarish "what am I going to do when I grow up?" phase.

Don't get me wrong.
I do alot.
I'm the homeschooling parent of a special needs child (teen). I scrapbook. I write a blog. I cook. I take care of a family.
I am the mother of a private school kindergartener...who thinks he's about to turn 13 too.
I do alot.
I am a person with diabetes.
I have been a florist, a flower buyer, a craft class teacher, a professional scrapbooker, a crop organizer, a marketing assistant, a really bad secretary, a pharmacy clerk, a circulation clerk in a library, a cashier at Kroger, a web designer, a writer, and a contributing artist.

I have done all these things...and I don't know what I am good at.

With the exception of the secretarial position which was pure torture for everyone involved and probably the worst choice I have ever made...I feel like I did well at each of the positions I have held. It's that oldest child thing...if I do something, I want it done well. I have done all these things but I'm missing something. I feel like there's something I am missing out on...some undefined thing that I would be really good at, that would be good for me and good for others, and beneficial to my family.

What am I missing?
What's the next step?
I'm not sure.
I am looking.
Exploring.
Praying.
Thinking.
Waiting.

I heard someone say "look for the thing you would pay for the joy of doing and get someone to pay you to do it with joy".

If I only knew what that thing was...

Gotta keep those home fires burning...that's gonna cost how much??

So happy Valentines day, my friends.
I hope yours is filled with love and romance and plenty of warmth.
Don't underestimate the value of warmth.

If I told you we were spending tonight at a hotel, you'd think "aww, how romantic".
And then I'd say "It's a Microtel."
And you would definately start to wonder about our definition of romance.
And then I would say:
And the boys are with us.
And the big dude is a few days shy of 13 and passes gas like a freight train and snores like a ship horn.
(He should come equipped with a personal ventilation system.)
And tomorrow we are going to spend slightly less than $800 to have our HVAC unit repaired.
Joy! Joy! That's surely not what I wanted for Valentines Day...but apparently our house had other intentions.
Because it's been blowing cold air for 3 days.
And this is not the week to be without heat in Tennessee.
Although it could have been worse if it had been about two weeks ago...when it was 9 degrees.

Such is life.
I can assure you that I'd rather be at the Microtel with my snoozing honey than at the fanciest hotel anywhere with anyone else.

Which brings me to my other point for the night...do you eat Chex Mix--the bagged kind that you get at the grocery? I love the stuff way too much and I don't buy it very often...because I love it way too much. :)

The thing is...I only love the little square Chex in the mix. I sort those out for myself and leave the rest of the goodies for the boys.

So, how do you eat the Chex Mix?

Stay warm my friends.
Even if it's at a Microtel. :)

I Have to Believe

I fell in love with this song last Sunday.

I have to believe, he sees my darkness
I have to believe, he knows my pain
I have to lift up, my hands to Worship
Worship his name

I have to declare, that he is my refuge
I have to deny, that i am alone
I have to lift up, my eyes to the mountains,
thats where my help, it comes from

He said that he's forever faithful
He said that he's forever true
He said that he can move mountains
If he can move mountains
He can move my mountain,
He can move your mountain too

I have to stand tall, when the wind blows me over
I have to stand strong, when i'm weak and afraid
I have to grab hold, a hold of the garments,
the garments of praise oh i know

He said that he's forever faithful
He said that he's forever true
He said that he can move mountains
If he can move mountains
He can move my mountain,
He can move your mountain too

I have to sing praise, when the hour is midnight
He unlocks these chains,
that bind up my soul my sin and my shame he has forgiven,
and made me whole oh yeahhhh
He said that he's forever faithful
He said that he's forever true
He said that he can move mountains
If he can move mountains
He can move my mountain,
he can move your mountain too

I have to believe
He's got everything under control
I have to believe
Lord I believe, help my unbelief
I have to believe in you
I have to believe

Sky High

I like this little movie.
It's cute.
But the best part--Linda Carter plays Principal Powers!!

Isn't that cool!!

Happy Birthday Joal

My honey is celebrating his birthday today--away from home. He's working in West TN this week.

Miss you.
Love you.
Happy Birthday, my love.

Photos from Saturday

The Rest of the Story

Christmas came a little late this year but it was certainly worth the wait. Saturday morning the extended Burnett family and various additions, assembled for lunch at Andy’s new apartment in Tyler. Sixteen people shared lunch and exchanged presents. My Aunt Judy and Uncle Ron drove in all the way from Maryland, my grandmother hitched a ride with them from Texarkana for the day, Joal and I came from Nashville, Deb and Matt from Oklahoma…it was a little chaotic but still so wonderful.

Speaking of Andy’s apartment, can I just say “Wow.”? Daniel chose well--the complex is new (still being completed, in fact) and the layout of the unit is open and designed to be very functional for Andy’s needs. It’s big and spacious and I have a feeling that he will be very comfortable there. Even with so many people, it was still very comfortable. There are two bedrooms and two baths--intentionally selected so that Andy can comfortably host the long list of guests who want to spend time with him, now that he’s home (including his sisters).

The apartment is coming together--before lunch on Saturday, the boys (Andy, Daddy, Ron and Joal) went shopping for Andy’s sofa. Andy discovered that he likes furniture shopping and I have a feeling that the Ashley Home Furnishing Center has not seen the last of him. Joal is taking credit for preventing the purchase of “a girly couch”. They came home with a super long extra-firm sofa that has a suede look to it. It’s a very nice, manly addition to the living area. I’m pretty sure everyone has now tried it out and approved.

The Welcome Home Celebration was held at the boys home church--First Church of the Nazarene in Tyler, and was assembled by the very gracious and generous Sherry Crain. I know that “Miss Sherry” spent many many hours preparing for every detail of this day and her tireless efforts showed. The people attending were well-organized, the church decorated beautifully with red, white and blue banners, streamers and balloons and the food was plenteous and delicious. The team of people in Sherry’s army really pulled out all the stops for this day. We are all filled with gratitude and appreciation to all of the Tyler First people who worked so dilligently to pull this off.

At a few minutes past 2 on a brilliantly sunny Saturday afternoon, Andy and Daniel pulled into the parking lot at the church--Andy behind the wheel of the new truck. They got out and as Andy rounded the corner of the parking lot, the deep booming voice of one of the guard riders called out “Atten…tion”. The crowd of people lining the sidewalk on both sides came to a silent, respectful stop. All was quiet. The sound of flags--lots of flags--whipped in the wind. “pre--sent arms” the same guard rider snapped. Members of the crowd saluted. Andy, Daniel, Mom and Dad and Uncle Ron and Aunt Judy began to move forward thru the path. People began to clap and cheer.

And then a man approached Andy and held out his hand. Andy stopped and looked up. We couldn’t hear when was being said but I had a feeling this was the special surprise I had been warned about. SFC Rodney Eubanks (also from Tyler) served with Andy in Afghanistan and just happened to be home on leave when he heard about Andy’s homecoming. It was an honor to have one of his Army brothers walk beside him into the sea of so many.

In the crowd were family members, people we call family from several states and all across Texas, friends from churches current and past, fellow firefighters, at least two Marines and other fellow servicemen and women, veterans, community leaders, pastors, adults and children, motorcycle riders, many many members of East Texas Military Families, the Patriot Guard and the American Legion.

East Texas Military Families members participate in “Welcome Home Soldier” events in the Longview/Tyler area whenever a soldier comes home. Anna DeLaet is their team leader and she is an invaluable asset. ETMF WHS presented Andy with a hand-crafted quilted wall-hanging signed by many of their members and people attending the event. They also presented him with a number of gifts and goodies. Anna was also responsible for notifying various media outlets of this soldier’s homecoming. Because of her work, a camera crew and reporter from Channel 7 (KLTV) and a newspaper journalist were present to speak with Andy and record this momentous occasion.

Andy and company passed through the long lines outside the church and made their way into the church. Inside, the church was decorated beautifully with red, white and blue ballonns reaching towards the exceptionally tall ceiling in long colorful lines. Two massive, beautifully-decorated cakes said “Welcome Home Andy” and plates of cookies and snacks were there for everyone to enjoy. A selection of patriotic songs played in the background and a collection of Andy’s photos edited and arranged by his good friend Cory played on the overhead projector screen.

For two solid hours people came thru the line to greet Andy, shake his hand, thank him for his service and his sacrifice, wish him well, hug him, pray with him and present him with gifts, cards and mementoes of the day. It was a gracious outpouring of kindness, gratitude and support. It was beautiful to watch and capture on film.

I wish I could have spoken to every person there. I wish I could tell every person how deeply appreciated they are for participating in this day--especially those who were there not because they know Andy personally, but because they felt the need to welcome home a soldier as a good American. Thank you for sharing your day with us.

As the afternoon’s events came to a close, Andy was exhausted (we all were really). I don’t think he has yet realized what he has come to mean to so many--especially the people whom he had never met before.

There were some guests that came from other parts of Texas--the Myers are very good friends to Mom and Dad. Also driving in for the day was my Uncle Frank and Aunt Beverly (Frank is my father’s cousin) from Irving, TX. Dad and Frank grew up together and many many of the adventures my dad likes to recount of his youth start out with the phrase “One time Frankie and I…“ and usually ends in some kind of crazy trouble or legendary escapade.

Later in the evening, we watched Andy on the 6pm news and again on the 10pm news. Sunday morning brought Andy’s image on the front page of the The Tyler newspaper with a good story.
All in all, it was an excellent day…one that we will all remember for a very long time with great pride and appreciation. It was a glowing tribute to what it means to be an American, to the power of community and the grace of God’s family.

I think I can speak for the family once more and say that we are deeply grateful for the prayers that have led us to this day and for the outpouring of friendship, admiration and love that has been shown to Andy and by extension, to us throughout this journey.

It’s far from over--in fact, a new phase is just beginning. It will be different--not what anyone planned but I am convinced that it will be better than anyone could have imagined. As Andy says, “smile and move forward”.

Please continue to pray for Andy and Daniel as they re-adjust to their altered lives. I am walking a fine line with continuing the updates on the blog and I confess I am not quite sure how to balance Andy’s (and Daniel’s) need for some discretion and my loyalty to those of you who have let me know how faithfully you read the blog and pray for my family. In an effort to satisfy both, I will be posting updates from Andy and Daniel on or right around the first of each month.

Other than the monthly updates, my blog will go back to being mostly scrapbooking and a little bit of here and there in the adventure that is my life with 2 boys.

The Tyler Paper’s front page article can be found here.

The Channel 7 piece can be seen here.

Andy’s new address is available upon request. Email me at devendorf@bellsouth.net