WHAT IS ON MY DESK

It's 3:14 p.m. and the work day is almost over.

:)

There has been very little drama these past few days
and I am extremely grateful

(several of the drama creators are traveling)

Looking over at this pretty morsel that I brought in
to bring me a smile or two


I see it does the trick.

The sweet coffee cup was a little Christmas surprise from a co-worker

the inserted faerie nosegay is from a faerie swap I did several years ago.

Sadly, the label telling me who created her fell off long ago
so I cannot give proper kudos here

I just love it, but she was lost in a nest full of faeries back home.

So, following an impulse a few days ago
I brought her in and placed her in this sweet cup.

She is perfectly suited, don't you think?

you will notice, also, that sharing the same cup
is a round magnifying glass.

Yes........this is something I need every day that I am here
and I will show you why.

Because the creator of 90% of the drama
faxes notes like these...

with circles and arrows

and writing up the side of the paper

that does not convey well over the fax......not to mention

the overall 'style' (?) of writing.

(this is actually a pretty GOOD example
and did not take much time at all)

So I use a magnifying glass.......

and sometimes will pdf the notes to myself

so that I can SUPER-SIZE them

to like 200%

and then that sometimes helps.........

or we (because I am not the only one who gets these)

ask each other "can YOU read this?"

Would it surprise you to know

that what would typically take me a few minutes
can often take an hour?

Would it surprise you to also know that I am getting very good at translating?

and

Finally,

would it come as a surprise to anyone

that I often want to poke a pencil in my eye??!!

Chapter One

A few bizarre days and an equal amount of interesting nights went by

after

the mysterious package arrived to Ms. zUzU.

The little sprites and faes that were usually underfoot
or snatching bits and baubles out from under me.....
were hardly seen!

It was all so perplexing!!

If I crept about to look for them,

one or the other would pop her little head out
with a strangely indignant look as if to say

"WHAT??!!"

You know...the way guilty little children do
when you give them

'THE LOOK'
(with squinty eyes and slightly cocked head...you know the one I mean)

that tells them YOU know they are up to something...

and they give you this little not innocent look
accompanied by the "what?" query that I was getting from the rascally faes.???


AND THEN THE MYSTERY WAS REVEALED...............

i will do my best to explain but I fear I am still trying to wrap my head around the comedy of errors.

The story....as whispered to me in bits and pieces....
by the red headed little pistol, Rayna

(tiny hands covering story- telling lips)


is this:

Arriving in THAT box on THAT day

were three blue eggs.

Eggs which were told be special raven eggs
from the same clan as zUzu

New ones that would be tutored by Ms. Z

taken under her wing, if you will,

to learn all there is to know about keeping and caring of sprites and faeries.

Then, once tutored and ready to be on their own,

One would be chosen to stay on at Faerieluna to help

the other two would each have a special assignment of their own.

however.......

things are not always as they seem.........

Within two days the faint sound of an unfamiliar language

came from within the pretty blue eggs..

then the cracking began.......

and one by one.......

out popped the most unexpected of all!!

Instead of the baby down of blue-black raven fledglings

the palest of yellow fluff!!!!


THREE LITTLE CHICKS

NOT RAVENS!!!

Each shaking themselves off and looking quite startled

to see not only Ms. zUzU hovering

but many little faces of a different sort of winged creature.

And Ms. Z is in such shock that she cannot even speak
(and that rarely happens around here)

But as lolli hopped up on her back
and gustov and polli tried to cuddle in close

I could see that zUzU was a bit frightened
that these rascally little chicks were
going to be more trouble than she counted on..............

I'm thinking that would be trouble
with a capital T............

so for now I will have to sign off as one of the balls of fluff has disappeared

and I hear a bit of high-pitched shrieking

that only comes from the wee winged ones

I expect there is another chapter about to evolve


xox rEllA

Lolli, Polli, & Gustov

I know you have been wondering for a while now

what the deal was with some new arrivals at the Nest.

Well, here is what I shall call the

Prologue.

At the start of the new year, Ms. zuZu began to weary of the antics of the ever increasing population here at the Nest. She is, after all, getting on in years.


Since Ms. Z keeps all the faes in line
(that is HER story, anyhow)

it was becoming increasingly clear that she was going to need some help.

For a short while, Olivia was her constant companion with a compassionate ear.

Faeriekeeper (that would be me) gave the 'go ahead'
to begin recruiting,
trusting (bad move) that Ms. Z. knew exactly where to go
and who to talk to in order to accomplish this task.

Silly me.

I did not give it much thought, but heard whisperings of
the possible arrival in the Spring of an 'apprentice'.

At least that is what I thought I heard.

Shortly before Easter, Ms. Z. received a package marked fragile
and quick as a wink

or a blink,

off she scurried with the box...

...........giving me pause........

as she is always the first one to share
with me the glee of opening parcels.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

and with that, the whispering began again.

This time all the faes flew off with her
and the whispering grew so large
it reminded me of wind in the trees back home
just before rain
(or trouble)
arrived.

Someone else noticed the activity............

...but she kept her tongue.

next installment........soon.

FATHERS DAY 1986

We learn so many things from our Fathers.

They are the co-builders of our foundations.

I remember what I learned from my own Father.

Respect.
The value of money
Responsibility
How to stand on my own two feet

This photo is one of my own children learning from their Father.

We were young parents with a very limited amount of money to raise three children, own a home and a car on one basic income...his.

I took various jobs here and there to help fill in some of the gaps,

but our intent was that we would not leave the children's care to anyone
else.
This meant HE would have the job during regular hours
and I would take whatever I could during the hours he was home
to be with them.

This often meant we would meet at the driveway
and kiss hello and good-bye
as I quickly brought him up to speed on the goings on of the day.

He took his suit off, put his briefcase away and began his second job. Dinner, baths, etc.

I would call from whatever job and check in on everyone.

It worked very well.

But the little birds would need things or want some things that all children do.

So THIS dad signed up for a daily paper route.

We will call this job number three.

Every morning, way before the sun even thought of coming up
the daily newspaper would arrive at the corner.

I would hear them, but it was HE that got up and went out to start
the process of counting and rolling and putting in the car.

He would come back in and get the 'not so happy' children up to come along as he drove them to the designated spots
and they would run the papers to the doors.
So did he.

All this took place usually in the dark, cold, rain, snow, whatever.
More dependable than the postman
was this crew in the Chevy Cavalier Wagon

This was not the end of it, however.
They had to go back later that day or after dinner to collect the money from all of the folks who did not leave the money out each week.

That was not fun, either, but the bill had to be paid.

The small profit then would be portioned out to each child and they had to put some in savings and some they were able to use for the items that we could not really afford on our income.

Special sneakers, certain additions to collections, etc.

This Father showed these little birds that there is always a way if you want something.
They didn't understand then the hardship and sacrifice it was for their Father to teach them this lesson....

......but they know now for certain, as adults.
They had/have a wonderful Father who still, to this day, would do whatever he could to help them, help themselves.


I know they will wish him a Happy Father's Day from their hearts.

And far, far away,
with vivid memories such as these,
I send similar Father's Day wishes to the father of my little birds......
our little birds.

SOMEONE HAD TO SIT IN THE CORNER BECAUSE OF BAD BEHAVIOR


But she managed to snatch someone's teddy to keep her company
during 'time out'

~

We didn't use 'time out' when raising our little birds.

That became more popular a few years after we started the family, I think.

We disciplined immediately and they seemed to catch on really quick.

We were lucky that way.

One little bird in particular, was fearless

and that made for creative parenting, for sure.

We were such young parents taking on a huge and important job...

but we knew the importance of discipline

.....softened with love.

HELLO FROM DOLLYWORLD
Silly, but true.


Little Macy
(nicknamed 'Kitten' by her dolly friends because of her crazy infatuation with ALL
'Hello Kitty' paraphernalia)

and resident feline, Pia, pulled up a chair close to the T.V. last night

to watch...........

our favorite summer show:

So You Think You Can Dance.
(BIG CAT DEELY FAN...DO YOU THINK IT'S THE NAME??)

Macy, wishes she could dance, but sadly, is just *almost*as clumsy
as I am.

I convince her to move back from the T.V.

but only AFTER she insisted
(and got her way)
that she puts on her new outfit

And showing her furry friend....
who gives her approval...

and little kiss for good luck

Once the two hours of music and dance are over

the little miss is certain she can snag my vitamin water..

hmmmmmmmmmmm...this ought to be amusing!!!
(AND messy)

******
^..^

COMPARING SHOPPING NOTES

Lexi: "Tell me you DIDN'T bring home another pet!!"

Daria: "ummmmm, well, yes and no."

Lexi: "this ought to be good.......because I know I see another pet hanging by an arm there"


~(insert laughter)~

MINE......

because I am seriously troubled coming home and arranging dolls.



............pan in to alleged new pet.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...........looks like a sock monkey to me.

But apparantly he's not talking.

Daria: "o.k. so here's what happened. I was minding my own business....


Lexi and me in stereo "riiiiiiiiigggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhtttttttttttt."


Daria:..."and I heard this little voice calling my name."

Me: "There's medication for that you know."

Them: "psspsssspssss...and WHO is having a conversation with dolls?"


Daria: "No, seriously, he's only visiting with us for a few weeks before heading on to his new home.

Lexi: "LOLOLOL if you say so.......gracious.....he IS precious!!!"

Daria: "HEY!!! are those new shoes??!!!" YOU ARE A SHOE FREAK, I SWEAR!!"

Lexi: "How could I resist the sparkle...seriously?"

SERIOUSLY???
(we left 'seriously' a while ago.)

................................................................................
(find more monkey faces here)
(Sparkle shoes at Jemgirl Creations)

coming soon.......


the tales (antics) of Lolli, Polli, & Gustov

o.k........now we are all off to watch So You Think You Can Dance
We luvzzzzzzzzzzzzzz that show
especially anything that Mia Michaels choreographs

WHAT IN THE WORLD HAS BEEN GOING ON AT FAERIELUNA??

Well, certianly NOT blogging.

I have been busy, however, with some fun things.

Number one, I have been happily taking photos

now that the cord was found!

Shhheeesh,
it was like losing friend. O.K. not THAT dramatic, certainly.

So, here is the scoop on my doings.

One - still at the joy sucking desk job. While that sounds equally dramatic,
I suspect that is all too close to the truth.

After an over-the-top negative day this week - I walked out of the building to my car
and took a deep breath

and instantly felt cleansed of the bad energy.

Have you ever just stayed at a job because you felt the proximity to home and the somewhat decent pay and benefits were

enough

when not too far down inside you you knew that
it really was toxic?

o.k.........on to the fun.

As much as I resisted over the past few years,

I have been smitten by Blythe.

Yes, I have fallen and have no intention of getting up.

I now have two ADG Blythes.

The first was Pleasant Pheasant and the second to follow was Kozy Kape.

Right off the bat I wanted to alter them.

Eventually I will take the plunge and customize their heads,

But for now, I satisfied myself with braiding the PP and totally cutting the KK.

I laughed as I took out my scissors and propped her up. I never so much as trimmed my dolls' hair when I was a kid.

But as an adult I had no fear taking inches off.

Here the two girls talk about the upcoming makeover.

Is this not the cutest??

These big headed, big eyed girls would give my daughter the willies for sure when she was little.
Many dolls creeped her out.

When I am done I am hoping at least one of them is just creepy-cute enough to jazz me totally.
and even my little bird might like them.

Little missy on the left is going to get the hair cut.

She arrived here with her own pet, a felted, long haired hamster.

This is the 'AFTER' shot

posing with her new coat, boots, and haircut.

Ohhhhh, and she finally was named.

Daria Bijoux

Now that Daria has her new look,
someone is wondering when she will sit in the stylist's chair.

Perhaps once her personality and name are revealed, I will know in what direction we are going with her.

One thing has been clear since PP arrived.

She is gentle, loves little children, and writes wonderful stories.

I captured her one morning showing a wee one around

reassuring her tiny charge that the hissy, pissy,

four legged creature (Pia)

in the other room was not as scary as she appeared.

But perhaps when you are a little mouse-girl.............

it's natural to be SCAREEEEDDDDD!!!

eeeeeekkkkk.

Eventually, Ms. PP had to pick her up and cuddle her a bit.

Sometimes you just need a hug

and a little reassurance

that everything will be o.k.

Any Blythe addicts out there.......drop me a line.
Ms. Lynnie already jumped in with me.

I will no doubt post more with them on my faerie doll blog The FaerieKeeper
(Link on the side blogroll)

Ohhhhhh, and I have some new dolly Moo cards coming
if anyone has Blythe Moo Cards and would like to exchange, let me know.

That's it for now.

xox Rella

I HEART MY USB CORD!!!!!

Oh dear bloggies, what a happy day.........
the lost has been found.

You have suffered with me as I mourned the missing cable

sigh

I was pathetic without her.

No photos (cell phone aside), very little blogging.

Sad, I tell you.

All silliness aside, I was more than delighted to reach into my glove compartment for the power cord for my phone

that plugs into the lighter in the car.



How wonderful that my phone was screaming for power on my way home from work.

I knew the handy, dandy, lighter cord was stashed in the compartment.........

AND THERE.......TANGLED UP IN THE CURLY CORD WAS MY BELOVED USB CORD.

I had searched and searched for weeks and had given up hope......

and now here she was.

OMG how in the world did it get in there???????????

Silly me.

now I need to go and apologize to Pia.

I was sure she had chewed it and hid the evidence.

She has a history, you know.

I FEEL LOST WITHOUT THE USE OF MY CAMERA

IN DESPERATION I AM USING MY PHONE

AN LG DARE

It takes decent enough photos in a pinch

like when I am at Pier One during lunch hour

and spot a little cream colored, cottage type hutch

marked down to $99
and I have a $20 dividend coupon I can use....

and I think it might work in a small nook

in the living room back at the nest

and also work for display during our CHRISTMAS IN JULY

event down at the cafe.

A real "TWO-FER" (Two for the price of one.....one item two uses)

So I take out the phone and shoot a pic to send off to Mr. J.

to show him the super find and

and send one to my e-mail address

then

take out my measuring tape which I always have in my purse.

63" tall by 20" deep by 23" wide.

EEeeeeekkkkkkkkk............will it fit in my CRV???

I buy it anyhow

and Mr. J. heads back this morning to pick it up.

It JUST fits in the Honda

and now it's here at the nest until July
when it will do it's double duty down at the cafe.

But, you never know,

if someone makes an offer on it at that point,

it may never come back.

Sooooooooooo,

I am debating what to do about the missing usb camera cord

and wondering if my phone will work for now to at least

have some photos for blogging.

I JUST CANNOT BLOG WITHOUT SHOW AND TELL

:)

XO rE l l A

I AM NOT LEAVING BLOGLANDIA

(a postcard I did quite a while ago)

A BLOGGING POST ABOUT NOT BLOGGING


Sharon and I were e-mailing a bit this past week
and I told her I was thinking I should blog about the obvious issue of my

NOT BLOGGING

That sounds so odd and yet here I am posting about that very thing.

This is my list of possible explanations:

• I spend all my time at the desk Monday through Friday

at a computer and turning on the home computer seems to be the last thing I want to do
or take the time for.

Granted, there are only a few hours left in the day once
I DO get home

and there are 'home' things that need to be done,
but that has always
been the case.

• I am focusing on things here at the nest. Long over-due 'things' like clearing out closets

and hanging things on the wall.

Making this place I've lived for four years
More comfortable and less 'dorm-like'

• I feel I am in the midst of some sort of change,

but have a hard time putting it to words.

My creative processing seems to be heading in new
or different directions.

I want to sew again.

There was a time in my life that I sewed every day.

Clothing for myself, for my daughter, and even clients.

I had a large sewing room filled with every gadget, fabric, thread, etc.

Having worked at JoAnn's Fabrics for a few years, I even aquired a discarded McCalls pattern drawer!!

and it was totally FILLED!!

I toy with teaching sewing.

And if my little bird were here, I would be teaching HER!

I left all that behind (except for one sewing machine and a small sewing basket) in Connecticut and I thought I would not be sewing much in this next chapter.

Well, here I am again. Another full circle.

• Work has been draining. I will leave it at that except to add that the negativity I am surrounded by take it's toll (including another bout with shingles last week)
  

• I seem to have lost my usb cord for my camera and I miss sharing photos.

O.K. that's enough, but you get the picture (without a picture)

Thank you for all your e-mails wondering if I am adrift at sea.
sigh -

that sounds lovely, now that I think on it.

I want to bring you posts of substance
of teaching and sharing......

Love and grace to all of you my dear friends and family.
I will be back before you even miss me.

xo Rella

HERE THEY ARE..........

The visit was so short

but we had such a wonderful time together

talking about the upcoming wedding

and just catching up

They truly enjoyed the beautiful sunshine
(with lots of slathering of sunblock)
after such a harsh winter back East.

breakfasts on the patio


a wonderful dinner at a fabulous local eatery

The Spotted Donkey

How cute are these faces??

The night was stunning.

as we left the cantina
we spotted these sentinels
gathering to watch the sunset

.........and then
off they flew

xoxo

I AM JUST ON A LITTLE HIATUS..........

FIRSTBORN - SON -
AND HIS BELOVED AND BRIDE TO BE

ARRIVED VERY LATE LAST NIGHT AND WILL BE WITH ME
FOR ONLY A FEW DAYS.

I AM SAVORING EVERY MOMENT

AND WILL BE BACK WITH
ALL OF YOU DEAR FRIENDS,
NEXT WEEK.

UNTIL THEN........I WISH YOU BLUE SKIES AND SUNSHINE DAYS!!

XO rEllA

BEAUTIFUL SKY WINGS

I never tire of the beautiful vistas I am able to enjoy

on the way to work

on the way home

looking up over the house

Tonight was certainly not an exception to that.

I was so loving the sky as I came home I had to remind myself to
keep my eyes on the road.

In the driveway.....over to the mailbox....talking to my little bird on the phone
I had to say goodbye so I could hurry into the house and grab my camera
to capture the delicate sky wings.

They were everywhere!

Angels flying to and from all four corners.

This was the most magnificent one.

Absolutely HUGE

~

NOTES FROM THE empty NEST

My little bird.

She came

She worked

She flew away.

For the fifth year in a row my daughter flew in to help at the cafe

during the Balloon Festival.

Three insane days of mostly out of town customers

crazy blocked off streets making navigation through town interesting

looooooooooong hours

hard work and very little play.

We never could have done it without her.

People often ask us what is the hardest thing in running a cafe?

All five years our answer is the same.

"STAFF!!"

Finding and keeping.

So we really need all the help we can get for the two art fairs each year.


She flew in one day before the insanity began

which gave us a wonderful

Mother/Daughter day

We started at a fun and funky,
rather bohemian eatery in Phoenix called

Palatte
We arrived as the huge iron gates were being unlocked at 10 a.m.

and two stone angels greeted us as we walked up the steps






delicious banana coconut muffins
fresh out of the oven...so we had to take two home

ART POINTS THE WAY TO THE LAV

Yes, I brought the camera into the bathroom
How cool is this??

I think I'd like to do one wall like this at the cafe
Then off to the Botanical Gardens

to the Dale Chihuly exhibit

of amazing blown glass



carefully,

these were my favorites
they seemed like ethereal beings

artistically set

are you thinking 'body snatchers?'

amidst the flora, and cactus

under the brilliant blue sky

so stunning

me and my little bird

and now she is gone
This beauty was flitting about and leading
us to the butterfly garden

leaving memories

captured

on film

on paper

deeply in my heart

CELEBRATE LOVE

This Tiny Bear Couple has been with me a long time

Both made by hand with vintage fur

Both purchased at the same time one year during one

of several long weekends in Kennebunkport
staying here.

They sat posed together, for many years

in the home where the children were raised

so long ago,

just yesterday......

I chose so carefully what I would pack up and bring with me

on this portion of my life journey...

bits of my life...

pieces of my heart.

~~
HAPPY HEART DAY MY FRIENDS!!!

It also seemed a very appropriate day to jump in
on another adventure.

A fellow blogger in Australia, Keron, has started

LOVE it FORWARD.

Head on over HERE to catch a tiny glimpse

of the possibility

of sharing

from the heart.

NOTES FROM THE NEST
~


I hosted a bookmark swap to celebrate January's New Moon
Two of you jumped on board and played along.

Lynnie and Andrea.

So I made a bookmark for each of you
to accompany the swapped bookmark you will receive
from the other.

Here are the simple steps I used to create these.

As the base for my bookmark,
I used the same mixed media paper
that I used the last time I
created a bookmark.

You can see it HERE.

Dark blues and shimmery gold with black Golden paints

rolled onto thick Arches Paper

The next step was to choose a face image

to represent Mistress Moon.

Ethereal and gentle.

Then came text carefully torn from my stash of book pages.

They were lovely at that point,

BUT

I wanted something special.

Taking ecru colored felt for a backing

and ecru organza,

I sandwiched the bookmark in between

then did some free form sewing,

allowing extra organza for the bottom to fringe.

Now I feel they are special and ready to be mailed out.

So I guess I HAVE done a little bit of art.

Thank you, Andrea and Lynnie for playing along.

I won't show your creations
so that you can have at least one surprise.

COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE...
THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING

Step outside my nest and look up
~ sigh ~
beautiful sky....
cotton candy white against the blue

Heading West..
the Monday through Friday trek

a few minutes and I am looking at the Saddle Back Mountains
appropriately named, don't you think?

When I first moved here ten years ago
I would drive a little further and further out each day
to learn my way around
But I would only do this during daylight hours
and it was the mountains that would get me home
each group so unique and easy to memorize

A teeny but further down and you can see the McDowells to the South
and the still undeveloped land in the forefront.

There was very little on this stretch when I first visited in 96.
and driving East on this very road, in the dark, with my girlfriend who had moved here
I asked her "Where in the world did you move to???? there is NOTHING here!!"

I quickly learned how I would love to see the 'nothing'

Turning into the drive of this lovely (in a desert way) property, I am not really thinking
about the work day ahead.

Just the gorgeousness.

Even as I approach the first of the buildings,
the very one I worked in for a few years
when I first got here.

The very building I would drive by on my outings to explore

The very place I would look over at
and proclaim to the universe

'I AM GOING TO BE WORKING THERE.'

Everyone said "oh, it's hard to get in there"

I truly just shrugged my shoulders

and honestly believed
I would be an exception to THAT rule.

I had determined after moving out here that I needed to have a job by November

I did.

It was here.

But now I take a left
and head to a building that looks similar
to a job that is NOT similiar

And this is what I have been doing since I visited here with you last.
Throw in a little bit of this and that

but mostly sleep,

get up

and drive this drive
to this place

then reverse after 9 - 10 hours.

No art,
very little writing,
a bit of conversation with loved ones,
not much blogging or e-mail.

But I am so truly grateful that as mundane as this all sounds
for all that I have.

Every day that goes by lately,
when newscasts are quick to tell us the horrific numbers

losing jobs

losing homes

I think about how fortunate I am.

AND HOW ABOUT THAT STUNNING,

EIGHT AND A HALF MILE RIDE?
and this wasn't even the most beautiful
half of the drive.

For Joel on your 30th Birthday

In the stillness, in the quiet moments
when the noise and madness of the world
cease to exist...
or even matter...
I close my eyes and head on back.

Without packing a bag
or saying goodbye ...
back I travel
through the years,
the smiles,
the tears.

Back to the immeasurable joy
of newborn fingers...tightly curled..

...around my heart.

Back...back to happily ever after
and childhood laughter
with brown-crayon scribbled art.

A REMINDER

THE NEW MOON BOOKMARK SWAP

IF YOU HAVE DECIDED TO JOIN THE BOOKMARK SWAP

11 DAYS FROM TODAY

IS THE MAILING DATE

A RECAP OF THE 'RULES'

The next New Moon is January 26^th.

Make a bookmark, any shape, any size.

Include in your composition two things.

The moon, and text you feel is powerful or moving to you.

Sign the back and include your e-mail address and or blog.

This is a one- for- one swap

so you will mail your creation to me on the 26^th of January

and include a self addressed envelope.……..

I will

carefully choose

a bookmark for you from the wonderful collection

and mail it back to you……..with a little something from me.

Moon-themed, of course.

*you will need to contact me by e-mail
to get the address
as I will not leave it here or in the comment section

(Andrea - please email me)

and, who knows,

we may do this again.

so far I have received one BEAUTIFUL bookmark

and I have made mine...

THERE IS STILL TIME TO JOIN IN

that's the lovely thing about a bookmark
it's a simple project
and yet every time you open that book you are
reading.......you smile
a beautiful piece of art to hold your place.

GRATEFUL

That is the post.

That is my word for 2009.

I know there are blogs out there that have put the question out to us or the challenge to use ONE word.

...and I have thought on it for these past 15 days.

REALLY, truly, contemplated.

I will state it here quite simply,

Grateful

the second most powerful word to my spirit....

the sister word to love.

When I hang up the phone
(gosh that is an OLD term now, isn't it?)

I am grateful
that such an instrument gives me the connection to my children

or my Dad or siblings..

or my dear friend across the country..

when I can text a simple

"love you" or "goodnight"

just before going to sleep

it feels like
these precious ones are not so far away..

I am grateful.

that I have a job,

a roof over my head,

a car to get me where I need to go.......

three amazing children...

beautiful sunrises and sunsets...

The list is huge,

isn't it?

When I 'visit' grateful in the midst of any storm,

it is like a healing balm.

It's magic.