Friday, September 26, 2008

~All Ready....

I can't even begin to say how looking forward I am to school tonight. It's been a long week, and the thought of hours of yoga, and meditation where I'm not being interrupted by a dog sniffing my butt...or licking my face...or a child looking for some critical misplaced item...hearing that there's nothing to do...or he/she is bugging me...well, for reason just feels like bliss...

(click for larger)


So I'm heading off with my books...and my mat tucked into my 'new' yoga bag...I made it out of Jon's old jeans, and stuff I had lying around my sewing room. It was totally not my idea (you can find lots of them on etsy.) but I love it...from it's braided strap to the 'Om' symbol embroidered on the pocket. We love repurposing around here...:)


Anyway...I hope this weekend finds you blissfully doing something you love...

xo

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

~Fairytales Can Come True....

It can happen to you
If you're young at heart
For its hard, you will find, to be narrow of mind
If you're young at heart...
(Old Frank Sinatra song. :)

A sprinkling of a recent conversation with my daughter...

Rhianna: Mom, I think I'm magic or something?
Me: Really, magic?
Rhianna: Ya,'cause every time I really want something to happen...it just happens...I don't know why, but it does.
Me: Huh, that is totally magic...

I think most of us have experienced this sense of wonder...I sure hope so anyway. My whole life has been filled with this kind of 'magic'. Now don't get me wrong, I have had some pretty horrible experiences...it's just they pale in comparison to all the beauty that has flowed through me... around me. The more I stay open to possibilities...the more things seem to be happening...

(Click image for larger)


Here's a most recent example...

A few posts ago I wrote about how I used to design children's clothing, and was kind of missing it. Well, inside of a week, seemingly out of the blue, I received an etsy convo from one of my old customers. About three years ago, she had found me on ebay, and asked me to design several outfits for her daughters. Over time she had lost my contact info...and I'd stopped designing. She just happened to stumble upon my art on etsy, and recognized my name...and asked me if I would consider making some more clothes for her girls. The outfit pictured above is one I just finished for her 4 year old daughter yesterday.

And I have to tell you...it just totally felt right. From the initial design sketch, to the painting, to the sewing and embroidery...I was just totally blissed out.

Maybe I am traipsing around viewing the world through Rose Coloured Glasses...(this just happens to be one of my favorite Blue Rodeo songs. :) But as I was discussing with a certain gorgeous blossom this weekend...we can chose joy...

xo

Sunday, September 21, 2008

~Thank you....

First,I recieved this lovely award from Solticedreamer Thank you so much! :) Here are seven blogs I would like to send this award off to as well...

*Daisies...she always has something wonderful to say, with...or without words.

*Rhayne...guaranteed to make you smile.

*Megg...and her wide open heart.

*Periwinkle...beautiful dreamweaver.

*Joan...heartouching and honest.

*Debi...and her lovely perspective on things.

*Delly...my sweet mother-in-law who's just struggling for survival out in the woods...:)


Happy Peace Day!
xo

Thursday, September 18, 2008

~Feeling Quiet....

(Oregon sunset)

There are many wonderful things going on right now...right at this moment...I'm just finding the words a little hard. This is probably because my almost forty-year old brain is trying to digest mountains of Sanskrit...:) I'm feeling very much nestled in a soft quiet...but thinking of you all, and hoping all is well with you....

(Garden Friends)


Love and Light...

Friday, September 12, 2008

~ Sweet 16 ??

(My lean, mean 'Dillybean' :)


In January of 1992 I found out I was pregnant for the very first time. Elated...ecstatic...I don't know...nothing would seem to cover it, despite having to get up close, and personal with the inside of the toilet for those first few weeks. No, nothing was going to dampen my enthusiasm. This was what I had wanted since I was a little girl...to be a mommy.

Things were clicking along just as they should, until we got to about eleven weeks. One afternoon came the unmistakable signs that something was terribly wrong. I left work, and raced to the doctor. After examining me, he coldly told me in all likelihood I would lose this baby. He prescribed bed rest, and to get to the hospital if the pain got to much, and they would 'take care of things'. I remember leaving his office bewildered by this man's attitude, and very, very scared. It would be twelve years before I would see this person again.

Anyway...I went home, climbed into bed...and bawled my eyes out for I don't know how long. Rubbing my tummy...wishing and hoping with all my might that this little life would somehow hold on...

It was lonely...it was me and the television most days, as Jon had to continue going to work...so I sat and ate...and ate...and ate...and rubbed my tummy...and wished. I dreamt of this little baby...pictured it growing inside me...knit booties and blankets for it...and ate lots more.

Our situation stayed the same for about two weeks...then slowly eased up. I remember waking one morning and the painful cramps were gone...I felt a new inner strength. I stayed in bed for a few more days,and hunted down a new doctor for us on the phone. He immediately sent us for an ultrasound where we learned that you were okay! No parent can ever forget that first sound of hearing their baby's heartbeat...that first sight of that little blip on the screen. I was overwhelmed, but deep down, not the least bit surprised.

After that...everything went just as it should. I took care of myself sleeping...walking...and eating...eating...and eating...I had always been a bit underweight in my life up until this point, and had worried that I wouldn't gain enough to have a healthy baby. All this worrying went to the waist side as I rapidly packed sixty pounds onto my frame...and to make a long story short, on the evening of September.13th, and two minutes to midnight(which is also the title of Jon's favorite Iron Maiden song...:) a beautiful 8 pound 14 ounce baby boy made his safe arrival into this world...

I'm not entirely sure why we beat the odds. I will tell you that when Dylan was twelve I bumped into that doctor that sent me home with all but a promise of miscarrying...He recognized me instantly, and then his eyes went to my son. 'I remember...Is this the baby?' he asked. When I told him, that yes, this was the baby, he looked totally stunned. He went on to tell me that he was so, so sure that my baby wouldn't make it...

Well, we are going to be celebrating 16 happy years with this wonderful boy this weekend. I often wonder how time has moved so quickly. Life with him now is filled with sports equipment, and guitars everywhere...loud, obnoxious music...stinky socks...and a towering boy that won't stop eating...eating...and eating...A little while ago he came to me, and thanked us for being such great parents. Ahhhh.....

So proud are we to call you our son...

Happy Birthday Dylan James...we love you.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
xo

Monday, September 8, 2008

~Rising Lotus~

('Rising Lotus' 2008 Acrylic on Canvas)



One evening, a couple of years ago, I was laying on my yoga mat in my bedroom, after concluding my practise. I'm trying to think of how to accurately describe my feelings...I guess it was a moment of other-worldly calm...I felt totally open, and surrendered to whatever happened to flow through me. In that moment I had a little epiphany...in that moment I knew that I wanted to spread this feeling to others. I went downstairs where Jon was watching hockey with our kids and told him that I wanted to learn to teach yoga. He was his usual supportive self. I researched programs...we tried to figure out when, and how on earth we could afford it. At that time it seemed a little out of reach...but if there is one thing I have learned in my life, it's just to trust that things will unfold as they are meant too.

And so now here I am...this Friday I start my teacher program...finally! I am smiling ear to ear as I type this...just because it feels so very right. Jon asked me if I was nervous...and truth be told, I wasn't, until he asked me. ;) Honestly though, I know it's going to be great...and it pretty much has to be, because I have a full class of people right now waiting for me to finish...My head is aswim with ideas for classes that combine yoga with art...and journaling...for big kids...for little kids...I can't wait, and yet I must. I think there is a Buddhist saying...Each step of the journey is a journey, or something like that? Well, my toes are wiggling bravely forward...itching to take yet another step.

Namaste....:)

Thursday, September 4, 2008

(The last of my Sweet Peas...)



Today it is surprising how tenacious I am...
In spite of my obvious fragile nature.
I scoffed at last night's frost...
And today show off for the sun.
See me? Can you really see me?
All alight in my fuchsia blaze...
Look quick.
For soon I will be taken...
As the summer flickers...and fades.