Heartbreaking week

On March 22, 2011 we lost one of the most important person in our lives.

I was woken up by my sister in law frantic on the phone that our worst nightmare came through. Bo's Mom passed away. She has been sick with breast cancer then it went into remission and came back as bone cancer. Slowly we watched the painful disease take over her life. We visited this summer so that Bo could see her since he had a weird feeling that he was going to deploy, which he did. She became more sick a month or so ago but we thought despite that she was hanging on and we all really thought she would be around for Bo's return. But that didn't happen and I had to break the news to my husband in Afghanistan that his Mom has left this earth. That is probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life and to hear his sobs miles away tore me apart.

I did the Red Cross message and his unit was really great with already getting the paperwork started to get him home. But his travels has been a nightmare. He left Wednesday night and is still in route and with troubles of the route they need to get him home and also them losing his luggage. If things work out right he will be home late tomorrow night or Sunday morning. Then we have an 11 hour drive to his home on the coast of MS.

I have my moments of breakdown. I don't even know how we will all react, mostly the kids when we see her. It is so surreal right now that its hard to digest. I am excited to see my husband but I didn't want to see him in these conditions. But all I have to think of is we all have to be there for each other through this difficult time.

I am not sure what else to say...I was going to keep this off here but I need to write it out. I already miss her and yet it hasn't sunk in deep yet that she is gone. I have my moments and hopefully can get it out of my system so that I can be strong for my husband who just lost his Mother. Please pray for all our family that we can all get through this.

I have to share this is a photo of Bo and his Mom on our wedding day in Alaska. She was so beautiful in the color green. It always brought out her eyes. This picture sits at his night stand besides the picture of him and I. We are the two most important women in his life. I thank her so much for raising such a wonderful man that I chose to spend the rest of my life with.

Bo and his Mom September 11, 1993

Dad and Mom with me on my graduation day from college in MS.

Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Charlie with the boys

Grandma and Grandpa with the boys Summer 2010

Bo and his parents Summer 2010

I miss you so much Mom, but I hope you are now with no pain and suffering and being pampered by angels.

A Celebration of Life....

Our news, and our emails nowadays seem to be just inundated with mental images of how life can be devastated in minutes by a natural disaster or how a person you were communicating with can be gone forever. Japan's disaster dominates the pages of our news and reminds us of how powerful and uncontrollable our world can really be. At the same time receiving news of the passing of a cousin and a friend who happened to also be family sunk deep in my heart. The shock came in such a way that I couldn't even outwardly cry, its was a painful weeping inside.

All this came in such close proximity to my birthday and at first of course it was hard to even think of celebrating anything. But I had to. Despite all of what can be sorrowful I have to still appreciate that I am not just breathing another day but was blessed with being able to have lived another year. We have to celebrate the life we are given, what else is there to look forward to if nothing is worth living for? I have a million things worth living for and the the top of that list are my boys and my husband. So when I celebrated my birthday it was not just my day, it was a day of being surrounded by those dear to me and enveloped with love from all my family and friends.

That day started with a wonderful dinner out with my two handsome boys. Then coming home to a handmade card from them both created by Jared and Red Velvet Cupcakes baked by Nick and decorated by both for me. :) The thoughtfulness and the togetherness was the best gift I could have ever asked for and so I know in my heart this is not just another day. It is a day to celebrate life and everyday after should be constant celebrations of "living" the life given to me.

Nick Baking

Red Velvet Cupcakes

My special cupcake, LOL!

Then my week took an even better turn when I received a phone call from a dear online friend being in town. We have known each other now for years and first met in Bowling Green, KY when her and her husband came up after this deployment to Afghanistan to visit his family in Kentucky in 2006. This time where I live is closer to his hometown and they were coming with the two additions to their family and so I was so excited to plan a meet up at our historic Glendale, KY restaurant called the Whistle Stop. Just that moment of being with them elevated my spirits and made me realize how precious friends really are.

2006 Meeting with Brent and Becca

2011 Meet Up with the H. Family

Baby Ellie

Brent, Becca and the Girls

Me, Becca and the her precious girls. :)

Brent and Belle

Princess Belle

Abby and Becca

I had such a wonderful visit with a great family and I already miss them.

In my hectic schedule I try to harness any time I can at all to create and have been happily busy in my creative bliss. It is nice to be able to finally take the time to experiment and just play. Here are some snippets of progressive works.

Experimenting with texture-coarse modeling paste

I finished my third "Get Your Paint On" assignment and will hopefully be sharing that soon. I realized in this class that I do have a bright color palette and that everything inspires me. :) Art Journaling during down times has also kept the creative mode moving. I am now at a point where I need to create everyday, it eases my soul.

I hope that everyone is doing well and that you are also celebrating life in your own ways. :)

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child - our own two eyes. All is a miracle.
~Thich Nhat Hanh~

Another year older

Once again I have been absent. I am trying as much as I can to be busy with the things I love which is my art along with the boys stuff. Nick went straight into track season from wrestling and Jared has been working out with friends. My belly dance classes has ceased for now as my instructor is getting her new studio ready so I will be taking yoga classes starting the 15th which I am very excited to start.

Also have been busy in the house:
I cleared out the area by my patio doors downstairs for another art space. My art room is pretty but only big enough for it to be my beading station and office area. So I moved all my painting supplies downstairs where I can take full advantage of the natural sunlight. For now it looks bare since I just started down there.


Before picture when cleared-the other side is our entertainment area and the doorway leads to the stairs.


Looking a little more like a working space.




I cannot wait to create more and mostly when the sun will shine through the doors. The weather here has been so dreary that today is the first day I have seen sun and its not raining!

My early birthday presents from Bo came in and I couldn't wait and opened them up last night.:) I love it! Its more art books and 2 of them I have been waiting to have and a Vera Bradley tote bag to carry my sketchbook and art supplies in when I journal on the go. :)






I love how he really thinks of what I need and want and even if it may be simple gifts to most people its from the heart and he knows its the little things I get all excited about. :)

So not sure what the plan is for my birthday yet. Its hard to celebrate it without him here. I know the boys and I will go out to dinner but maybe I will have the day of my birthday a chill out do nothing day.
It is also hard to celebrate with all the tragic world events going on which I wanted to assure everyone our families and friends in Japan and Hawaii are okay, but I am grateful for another year given to me to live my life.

Well just wanted to let everyone know I am still around. About to spend tonight with my favorite group of people. :)

Inspiration through colors

Only in quiet waters do things mirror themselves undistorted. Only in a quiet mind is adequate perception of the world.
~Hans Margolius~

Days are passing and at times you just have to stop and take it all in. I had one of those moments the other day. In the midst of running errands I took the time to see my surroundings in a different light. There is a realization that comes with solitude that despite how busy, chaotic, or fast life can become, you can still stop and choose that moment to slow it down for at least second and take it all in. These moments keep me grounded and gives me the opportunity to weed out the negative and be thankful for the beauty around me.

My walk through Glendale, KY 2011.









Valentines came and went. Usually we do not celebrate it since we try to do that every day. :) But this year it meant something more and I was not only surprised but my heart melted when I received flowers from Bo. They were a beautiful mix of Lillis and Roses.





The fragrance it put in my home and the visual impact keeps my heart soaring and patiently waiting for his return.

In other happenings, I have been diligently working on my painting assignments. I a a bit behind right now because I week has just not been enough time for me to "finish" a piece. But the great thing about this online class is we can work in our own pace and then choose to share it or not but actively still be a part of discussions and support for each other.



Our second painting assignment was to take an artist that inspires us and create a painting that incorporates some of their techniques but in our own voice and subject. The artist that inspires me so much right now is Flora Bowley. Her vibrant abstract paintings takes on an emotion of its own and I hope to one day be able to use color to convey how I feel on canvas. For now I am a beginner and shy actually to share my work but you know I guess at one point I will have to put it out there and keep my inner critic quiet so that I can continue to learn and explore.

My second painting started off in a disaster, I put that canvas to the side and started fresh and so far this is my progression. It is not finished yet but soon to be. :)











Here are other paintings I am working on that will end up being a triptych in out living room.







Throughout the class and exploration, I am learning that I do love color more than I realized and I love vibrant and bright colors. I already saw that when we painted the rooms of our house but now it comes out more in my artwork. It has become a nice bright spot in my day to paint as the Kentucky weather still is grim and dreary. I know though spring will come soon and our environment will once again be bright and cheery and full of color. :)

The whole world, as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color.
~Hans Hofmann~

State Bound!

Once again I am running after the days! This is what happens when you have two teenage boys! LOL! So I will break it up in a couple entries so it is not too much to take in. LOL! :)

Last weekend was Regions for high school wrestling and our high school was the host this year. I was busy making sure I had food for the hospitality room, my gifts for the seniors and also making sure I take pictures of our wrestlers. We were up bright and early and was at the high school all day. So I boarded Kaiah so she can play with her friends at Sam Russell's. :)

Nick competed in his weight class of 112 while Jared was one of the helpers at the tables(he did not wrestle in Regions because the Varsity in his weight class was a senior). I ran from mat to mat taking pictures and when it came time to honor our seniors and their parents I stood up with the coach to hand over my presents to them. I made collages for all 6 of our seniors as a memory to take with them. They were just simple but they loved having pictures of their hard work. :)

Jared working the clock and score.

Nick on one of his matches.

Helping Coach hand out Senior Gifts and honoring their parents.

Collage gifts to the Seniors

A few pictures of Nick wrestling.

Its a pin

Another pin.

Nick fought his way through a hard weight class and placed 4th which made him eligible to go to State. And our team took 2nd in the Region! :) I was so proud of our wrestlers that competed and also all the parents and kids that spent their whole Saturday volunteering their time to make sure our Regional Competition went well.

112 Weight Class

CHHS Bruins taking 2nd in our Region.

This week before the guys left for their road trip to state I went to the school to get some snapshots of our State team. :)

Our State bound wrestlers.

I know this road trip will be an experience to some of the wrestlers like Nick and the last for our seniors. I know they did the best they could and no matter what I am very proud of their hard work and all their accomplishments. :)

In other news, I have been busy still working on my painting for the 2nd Assignment and working on my 3rd. I am hoping to have progression pictures up soon.

Until the next time...have a great weekend!