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“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” ~Nora Ephron, When Harry Met Sally
Today is our Bride’s wedding day and I thought it appropriate to share the quote they chose for their invitations. I haven’t been keeping my faithful followers updated very much, but I’ve been just a tiny bit busy. However, I’ve been storing up some good things to share in the coming weeks.
We enjoyed a great time last night with friends, old and new family, first at the rehearsal and then at a lovely dinner hosted by the Groom’s parents afterward. The appetizer to the main event, as his Dad told everyone. Lots of laughter and “awww” moments during the slide show of memories from baby photos to foolish college days and on to their courtship and engagement. Wonderful toasts, speeches, little games and skits from their friends. It was so special to see how many people love and care for these two people. Our Bride ended the evening with an unscripted tribute to his parents and then to us that brought tears to all of our eyes. Stay tuned for more and photos, I promise.
“The flower that follows the sun does so even in cloudy days.” ~Robert Leighton
I love sunflowers. They remind me of happy, smiling faces surrounded by sunshine. After I got married and had my first child, I thought it would be fun for us to grow sunflowers. Having never seen sunflowers outside of photos or from the florist, I was not prepared for what sprouted. The things just grew and grew and grew with nary a bud to be seen anywhere. They grew like weeds and looked like them too. Soon it became apparent I would need stakes for these giants. This was about the time my 2-year-old daughter lost interest in the project. She was looking for flowers and my tall, gangly stems were not very promising, nor very pretty. In the end, I finally got a few puny blooms that bore little resemblance to those happy faces I love so much. Maybe it was the variety, but most likely it was my famously abysmal gardening skills. Now I stick to the ones you buy – instant gratification and a splash of sunshine to brighten even the darkest corner of the house.
The Diva Challenge for this week was to incorporate the logo from The Sunflower Fund. This organization was founded in 1999 to support the Bone Marrow Registry in South Africa for leukemia patients. Such an appropriate choice of name and logo for this cause. By the time a leukemia patient requires a bone marrow transplant, they truly need the sunshine and happiness the sunflower represents to brighten their days. I had fun with these tiles. More than once, I thought maybe my representation should be more abstract. But the lure of the sunflower was much too strong. So here they are, fully recognizable as those cheerful blooms – my sunflowers.
Hope Strength and Beauty
“During chemo, you’re more tired than you’ve ever been. It’s like a cloud passing over the sun, and suddenly you’re out. You don’t know how you’ll answer the door when your groceries are delivered. But you also find that you’re stronger than you’ve ever been. You’re clear. Your mortality is at optimal distance, not up so close that it obscures everything else, but close enough to give you depth perception. Previously, it has taken you weeks, months, or years to discover the meaning of an experience. Now it’s instantaneous.” ~Melissa Bank
Earlier this week, my daughter and I decided to have lunch before I chauffeured her home after her visit to the doctor. The hostess commented as she seated us, “You must be wearing pink for breast cancer.” Not purposely, we both just happened to wear pink blouses that day. I realized it was October and Breast Cancer Awareness Month – Laura Harms, the Diva, challenged us to tangle Hope as a tribute to those amazing women touched by breast cancer.
As I gave this more consideration, several specific friends came to mind. The quote I selected for this week captures what all three of them have told me at one time or another over the years. I am always humbled by the quiet dignity of their words and the hope they give others so generously. While my string is not so original, the tangles were selected with these wonderful women in mind. Zander represents the strands of hope that when gathered create a strength that inspires and endures. Purk and Onomato – so very feminine and beautiful. Breast cancer tries to steal those qualities from a woman, but their very strength and spirit hold tight and it shines from within and all around them. Finally, the pearls represent the patina they carry from challenges faced and incredible courage to move forward. It shines from every breast cancer warrior’s face. I count myself blessed that they are still in my life and I am able to call these ladies my friends. Cheers Sarah, Gerri, and Donna!
“In order to change the world, you have to get your head together first.” Jimi Hendrix
Change has been a big part of my life for the past few weeks professionally and personally. It’s been buzzing around my head like a cloud of pesky gnats. I need some time and space to get my head together and move forward. Unfortunately, life and obligation don’t recognize I have some thinking to do.
My company has been working through a massive reorganization on many levels with everyone being assigned new titles with new responsibilities – in some cases it’s a whole new world. That would be me. We took several hours discussing the things we needed to “stop doing” and the things we needed to “start doing” during our week-long training for the new process. As I contemplated these lists, my prevailing thought was: “If I stop doing all that, WHAT will my day look like? I need to THINK about this for at least a week.” Out came the stone tiles I had brought along with me. (FYI: TSA doesn’t much like stone in your carry on) They were to be gifts for my daughter’s bridal shower. Each with a different Zentangle design, sealed and cork-backed. In other words, coaster sets. Throughout the week, I tangled, listened and internalized it all. I have to say, this is the first time I have used Zentangle in this way, and it helped me focus. I was getting distracted by all the commitments that I would have to honor, yet were not part of my new duties, and the need to flip the switch right away. Tangling helped me put those concerns away and focus on what I needed to hear. I work for a wonderful company and my boss (luckily I get to keep him) is completely fascinated by Zentangle and understands how I use it. Plus I gave a few mini-lessons to co-workers – spreading the love around.
Once I got home, personal commitments took over. I had one day to prep for the bridal shower, but I did it. It was a wonderful success and we had a great time. That night, my oldest daughter fainted at work (ER nurse) and knocked herself out for about 15 minutes and dislocated her jaw in the process. She did scare the wits out of a drunk driver she was giving a lecture about drinking and driving. Tests are ongoing, but it appears that she is now susceptible to concussion after her injuries from the accident last year. Add lack of sleep, extreme stress from work that night and dehydration – and there you have it. Since she isn’t allowed to drive till the last tests are done, I am now driving Miss Daisy. That’s what she told me earlier this year when I was having trouble with my eyes and not allowed to drive – so turnabout is fair play. I’ve started working with Linda Allred to stop my procrastination habits – perfect timing. I need all the focus I can get through the rest of this year. Wedding plans are taking over and we are in the home stretch.
So here I am. It’s Friday and my calendar is wonderfully blank. I have been waiting for this day – a big block of time to think, assimilate and get my head together. And you can be sure I’ll be tangling away while I do it.
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- Bridal Shower
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- The chocolate tasting bar at the bridal shower. I wish you could smell – it was divine!
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- My granddaughter at her second football game as a Dancing Mustang. She continues to amaze!
Tangled Tranquility 