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Thursday, April 24, 2014

Friday Ramblings: So Full Of Happy.



The last two weeks have been a serious whirl wind.
But it's a wind FULL of happy.
So much happy that my husband and I look at each other and wonder when the shoe is going to drop.
Sometimes, as crazy as it sounds, it's an act of trust to accept so much happy.


So, let me run a re-cap for you.

April 8.
My eldest daughter said yes and we joyfully make room for a SON into our family!


We are so. stinking. happy. 
HAPPY.
He is kind, funny, has a heart for God and adores my daughter. He makes her laugh and he has fit right into our family like he was always meant to be here.
I'm pretty sure he knows what he's getting himself into...



Two days later, we flew into Denver, Colorado to celebrate a family friend's wedding.


More happy, more love, more....fun, joy and celebration.

We got snowed in for a day...


...and when we landed back home, I was so HAPPY to smell Southern California air. 
I was even happy to see palm trees.
Don't get me wrong, the snow was fun-for about four hours.

The next two days, we went into full blown wedding planning and my daughter and her fiance found their wedding venue.


Did I mention they are getting married in six months?

Let's see, I think that was Wednesday. Yep. Wednesday, cause on Good Friday, I was privileged to participate in the worship service.
By painting.


I thought for sure I would pass out right before we began, so I had to hide behind the (large) canvas and breathe.


When the music started, I thought to myself, "Oh! Wow, this is just like being at home-listening to music while I paint, getting lost in color and thought.."
And the HAPPY came flooding in.



The privilege came in when I was to be able to contemplate the work Jesus did on the cross and what is laid there:
all the worst of the worst, depicted in paint while music is played.
 The second part was to be able to portray how it is wiped clean with the blood that was shed using white gesso and molding paste.




I wish I could convey what an amazing experience it was. I was totally lost in it. I had no idea people had taken photos, though now I'm glad. 
The ability to express emotion through paint is such a huge part of my life and to do so in such a large way fired every go button I have. 
When I was finished, I found myself sitting in the church realizing I had to completely let this go.
 I only had about 20 minutes to finish the painting and didn't have a chance to step back and take a look and decide what needed to be done!


But wait!
The happy isn't finished.
The next morning, on Saturday, Doug and I woke up Brenna at 6:00 a.m. to surprise her and drive down to her sister's house to join in on a breakfast with "the girls" and was asked to be a maid of honor.
To top it off?
Wedding dress shopping.


So.
Here I am, on the couch recounting the past couple of weeks.
Fairly tired.
Like a really great morning of Christmas tired.
And full.
Full of family, exquisite memories, joy.
Happy.


Linking to Paint Party Friday



Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Travel Journal Completed!


Done!
A project completed!

At times this is monumental. 
Sometimes it's just good.
Because I start many projects....and somehow they all seem to be in various stages of completion.
Little by little, I get them completed.
When I do...
CELEBRATE!
(lots of celebrating this week....)

I posted not too long ago on the making of the travel journal.
The items that completed the journal are the tiny photos I have ordered from Social Print Studio.
Each one a small remembrance of a wonderful trip.


Trip to Colorado.



Remembering beautiful sunrises,


Lots of playing and fun as well.


A quick trip up north to visit my sister-
I love that I have these little photos to look back on as well as the scraps and fun items I put in.




A trip to Redding, complete with Uno cards that saved the day while our flight was delayed.





Fun in the car, fun on Lake Shasta.
The lake is incredibly low this year...



Just little bits to make me smile..




Well, little bits to bring big smiles to my face.



All tucked away for safe keeping.








Have you completed anything this week that brought a big smile to your face?


linking to:




Thursday, April 3, 2014

Friday Ramblings: Celebrating


This week begins several celebrations.
Miss B goes to our church's Prom for the adult disabled group.
(Now there's a celebration!!!)
Later we will travel to be with some life-long family friends to celebrate their daughter's wedding.
The Anthro-Inspired Book Garland and Paper Flowers have been packed up and are heading their way to the wedding.

The other celebration is that I have been able to get some amazing painting time in.


I got lost in this one and fell in love with the quote by E.E. Cummings.




"I love you much most beautiful darling
more than anyone on the earth...


and I like you better than everything in the sky."
Perfect for good for weddings, celebrations and declarations of love.



The next painting was a little different.
It began with a quick sketch and took on a life of it's own.


Hoping your week is full of celebrations, big and small!

Linking to Paint Party Friday