winter whispers

"Physical bravery is an animal instinct; moral bravery is much higher and truer courage." -Wendell Phillips

I was certainly tested, from the very break of dawn, on how much strength and courage that I would be able to call upon today. As I reflect on the day's events, I am surprised at the amount of bravery I possessed today. From the very beginning, facing my fears about driving in bad conditions, to the afternoon when Kari & I faced an unbelievable situation that shook us to the core... I kept repeating, in my head, "I am brave. I am brave. I am brave."  Life is often filled with lessons, tests, trials. We must be open to learn from them so we can grow into the people we are meant to be. No matter how scary the test is, with faith, we can do all things.

This image struck me as I was coming down the hill, by the farm, after I picked up Kari from school. I just quickly held up my camera and snapped hoping for the camera to capture what I saw before me. This brave lone tree is right before my mom's house. I pass it every day. Never could I have guessed what was about to happen soon after we passed it. Today was, without doubt, a day of bravery.

27:365

walk in faith with grace

Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. - Psalm 37:3-5
  

I am not overly religious by any means but I walk in faith with grace. I struggle with what is and what isn't so I just pray most of the time to MY God, whomever He may be. As I grow older, I'd much prefer to strip labels and stereotypes and just be who I am, believing what I believe, regardless of what the rest of the world says I should or shouldn't believe.

But this scripture is much more profound to me lately. So much so that I am breathing in the possibilities and waking up to a whole new world. My life IS changing. Because I am ready now. It is time. It. is. time.

22:365

my sweet boy-boy

I love cats because I love my home and after a while they become its visible soul.  ~Jean Cocteau

My sweet baby Milo relaxing on Jenna's chair. Milo will be 7 years old in April. We adopted him & Shelby from the Humane Society when they were both 12 weeks old. They are both wonderful cats but Milo, he is a total sweetheart. He loves to cuddle and will give hugs, seriously. He will put his paws on either side of my neck and butts his head against me. He warms up to just about everyone that comes into the house, a true lover-boy.  His nickname is boy-boy or mideo (my dee oh). Milo's voice box is broken (not really, well, maybe). I don't know why but he can't/doesn't meow out loud unless he is very scared. Any other time, you can see his mouth move to a meow but the actual sound is very faint. It is so cute, truly. I love him. Lots.

21:365

{message to myself}

this is my prayer box. i fill it every day with prayers for friends, loved ones, strangers, and sometimes, maybe, a message to myself.

today was an emotional roller-coaster. there was good. there was bad. moments of laughter and moments of tears. i am a work in progress. incessant changes within. a perpetual wish for balance, peace, love, abundance, kindness, strength, giving, compassion, laughter, friendship, inspiration and acceptance. my angels were with me today. they brought me through it. i kept hearing a faint whisper telling me "You are brave. You ARE brave. YOU are brave." So I shall be. Brave. Going through the ugly. Feeling the pain. Learn. Let Go. Grow. Be. Along comes bravery.

19:365

you're still the one i love...

Such a beautiful Sunday to celebrate our first date anniversary. I was just 15 & you were 16 when we started our lives together on January 16, 1988. Who knew that we would still be together 23 years later? I did. We have had many trials as a couple but our love was always bigger and stronger than anything we had to face along the way.... I feel so very lucky to have you for a husband and father to our girls. Thanks for loving me. 

I left this love note on my computer monitor for him to see this morning. He gave me flowers.

16:365

winter's song

Snow. We got it.  Tree across the street & our town square. Diptych.

I have an inside shot of my daughter and my niece playing Mario Kart due to the 2 hour delay that the snow caused. I will be using both in my project.

12a:365

for the love of books

The ability to read awoke inside me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive. - Malcolm X

10:365

Brent took the girls to the library after work today while I stayed home to cook supper. I love involving the entire family in this project so I asked Emily to take her camera and just snap away while at the library.

Photo by Emily. Editing by me.

MCP Project 52 - Week 2 - Illustrate a Song

"How Can I Help You Say Goodbye" by Patty Loveless
Time will ease your pain
Life's about change and nothing ever stays the same
How can I help you to say goodbye
It's ok hurt and it's ok to cry
Come let me hold you
And I will try
How can I help you to say goodbye

Picture is of my husband & our youngest daughter, Kari Ashlyn. They are standing at my husband's father's grave. Today marks 2 years since he passed away from cancer at the young age of 55. Kari has struggled with this loss. She was only 8 when he died. She was the only one of our daughters who saw him lifeless, hooked up to machines in the hospital the day before he passed. Rest in Peace, Dad. We love and miss you. ♥

365:A Daily Photo Journal (Project Life)

Oh dear...I have embarked on this journey since 2008. I never completed a year in photos. I have high hopes for myself this year as I would love to have a complete album for once! I started a Flickr Group called 365:A Daily Photo Journal and I fully intend to order Project Life by Becky Higgins when they are restocked.  I hold myself accountable by creating an album on my Facebook as well as doing a Shuttercal. Yes, redundant maybe. But I quite like it.

The really nice thing about these projects is that it is MY project and I can do it MY way. No real rules,. Just one simple thing to do: Capture Life. Fabulous. Let's do this!

Here are my first 8 photos! Happy! Happy!

1. save the date, 2. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection. ~ Buddha, 3. Paint the sky with colors of love, 4. chinese takeout, 5. field of dreams, 6. surfin' in the  USA, 7. be still., 8. spin cycle happiness

MCP Project 52 - Week 1 - Around the House

You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.~Buddha