Amazing

Yes, these are priceless and I am so very lucky to have them.  Yes, she is priceless and I am so very lucky to know her!

 

Our Best Friends

In December of 1980, Grandmother and Grandfather Hanson gave Aaron some Christmas money for books. He and I went to the book store together and any book that caught his eye came home with us. One of our very most favorite books was called "Our Best Friends" by Gyo Fujikawa. This delightful little board book has simple art work and tells the story of a little girl Mary, her doll (Doll), her cat Smudge, and her little mouse (Mouse), as they look for new friends. I remember us reading this book again and again to Aaron, and both of us never getting tired of the story. We took the book on picnics and to Grandmother's house; we read it in the car and at the park. My little blond boy sat in my lap and pointed at all the characters in the book as I said their names. I remember the sun shining down on us while we read outside, and listening to the wind chimes on the porch when we read again. I don't have any pictures of those days. But I do know that in the end, Mary, Doll, Smudge, and Mouse become fast friends with Harry, Larry, Spots, Mops, and Peeps. :)

I read the book to Amanda when she was little, and then again to both grandchildren. The book and the pictures and all the little creatures make me smile to this day. As my house fills up with sweet little souls, I watch them becoming the "dearest and the best of friends." The reality makes me smile and the memories of all those wonderful moments with my son, daughter, and grands wash over me. I am glad we have the memories that books bring, and thank Mr. Fujikawa for his gift to my children, and to me.

Opposites

Rosie went to Munich. She taught me - the german’s say: Anfangen ist leicht, beharren eine Kunst.

Or: To begin is easy. To persist is art.

So despite the long work hours in February, the challenging weekends and puppies, the cleaning and routining of home life, I persist.

My February Sketchbook Pages in the Opposite Theme --- >


Two different watercolor techniques, opposite in execution. Interesting results, no?


Pale acrylic neutrals with a touch of acrylic bright....soft/bright opposites.

Little busy sweet mischievous colorful Gracie Girl and big, laid back, soft, great hearted silver blue and white Max. Opposites of another sort. And attempt at real sketching - something that I am not confident with at all. Interesting. Persisting.

Open Hands, Open Heart, Fearless

Family dinner, one day last December

What do you need to open your clenched fist and release to God? Now is the time to let go. Embrace God's truth. Hebrews 4:7b says, "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts."

It takes unimaginable fearlessness to keep an open hand and open heart. It takes incredible faith.

I am proud of the fearlessness of my children. They are fierce in their determination to stay in the moment and live through any challenge. They are both gifted, sensitive, brilliant and wise, and they bring a shining to the world that will not be diminished. They have been surrounded by many caring and loving adults all their lives, mother & father, step-mother & father, aunts and uncles, neighbors and friends. Both of them have leveraged these adults in different ways, but they have often considered their insight, advice, perspectives, views, and beliefs before coming to their own conclusions. They are the sum of many amazing people now as adults - and completely and totally themselves as strong individuals.

They are supported by loved ones from every direction, and drawing on that support, they are standing firm with their hands open in spite of their numbing and breathtaking pain, to honor their father's memory. I know he is proud of them as well.

Wordless Wednesday 10-13-2010 - Ama's Pup

Memory sweeping over me....

I went up to the attic to grab a box of pictures, and saw the cage in the corner. It looked very empty over there by itself, dusty and dreary. And suddenly the memories came over me and I was laughing and crying all at the same time.


When Rosie was away at school, probably her senior year of high school, her roommate took a little hamster from from the pet store. She hid him in her pocket and brought him to the dorm room on a fluke. She didn’t really care about the hamster - this was just a thrill for her - and she didn't take very good care of him once she had him in the room. She did play with him a lot though - taking him out, putting him in precarious situations, laughing at him, making him swim. Rosie tried not to engage too much because the hamster wasn't hers, but she loved the little creature and it hurt her that he was neglected. She would get food for him and try to be sweet to him when she could.

One week Rose got super sick and spent nearly the entire week in her bed. As a “get well” gift the roommate gave her the hammy. As soon as she was well enough to go out, Rosie bought a cage, a hamster wheel, food and toys for the little guy. She turned that hammy's life upside down, making sure he was well cared for in that crazy dorm environment. She named him Edgar.

Edgar and Rosie still had some wild outrageous times there at school - he had his fur dyed red, had the chance to share a box with a turtle, got to run wild in the hall, and generally had "hair-raising" adventures.

And then, one day, she brought him home. She said that Edgar was ready for a break. He needed a little less excitement. A quite spot to chill. But I was absolutely not ready for him. I don’t want a RODENT, I said. No. Eww.

But Rose prevailed, and put the cage in the office and went back to school. And then, to my amazement, the little tiny creature won me over with his sweetness. He took an honored place in my office and even became a bit spoiled, I think. Fresh fruits and vegetables twice a day on little tiny butter pat plates. Wonderful snacks and a rolling ball to check out the house. New well oiled wheels to exercise on.

Rosie said – Momma, I know you. I knew you couldn’t help but love him.

Jaya and I had come up to visit with him on a Saturday morning when I looked in the cage and realized he was gone. I was quite surprised at how very sad I was and my tears overwhelmed me straight from the heart. I had no idea how large a place this little tiny creature had taken for him own in my life.

Asa, Jaya, Aaron and I had a ceremony and spoke about how very much we loved Edgar before we laid him to rest.

Love surprises us in this life with such unexpected joy. I try hard to remember to delight in it when it comes and never ever take it for granted.


Thank you for enriching our lives, dearest Hammy. We loved you - and you loved us back, very well.

A Charleston Quick Trip

Two very VERY beautiful people.

I got to take a trip to Charleston with some of the most beautiful people I know.

It all started with Rosie's birthday, and wanting to do something grand. Before the discussions went very far, we had set up a quick weekend trip to Charleston and off we went - me, Steph, Ama, and the kids. We zipped down on Friday and back on Sunday and filled up every single moment we had with nothing but fun!

We stayed right in the historic district and though we all agree that we need to take a longer weekend for our next visit, staying at the corner of Market and Church streets was an excellent place to be.

Charleston is one of our favorite places and is even more wonderful when there is time to leisurely walk through the galleries, tour the old homes, examine the museums, and learn more about this place and its colorful history.

Our first day we walked down streets and looked at sites on our own. This is my beautiful family outside of the Circular Church on Meeting Street. [Later on this trip we were in this graveyard at night (yes, it WAS spooky), and we learned that the graveyard was established in 1681, making it one of the oldest cemeteries in Charleston.]

We strolled down the cobblestone streets and walked through a memorial park where the mother of Andrew Jackson was honored.


We came out on Broad Street and walked past famous shops, homes, and restaurants, and eventually turned up East Bay street, passing by the old Farmer's and Exchange Bank.



Love the interesting building designs and details!

We had lunch at Sermet's Corner on King's Street where we have eaten many times before, and were not disappointed. We did some shopping for dress-up clothes and shoes and found Steph a wonderful dress at White House Black Market. Asa was not happy with the book store, though, and so we vowed to find another one over the weekend.


The next day after a fantastic breakfast at Toast, we walked through some of this historic areas of the city on our way to The Griffen for a Butterbeer. We strolled out on the River Walk, past toddlers playing in the fountain.



We could see Fort Sumter to the right down the Cooper River, and the amazing Cooper River Bridge to the left.


While almost right across from us was Patriots' Point, where the USS Yorktown rests.


We took a break from all our walking with our scheduled Carriage Tour.


Of course, we had to agree to abide by the rules before the tour began....

Our guide was great, giving us a new perspective on Charleston with his stories and a more intimate history about the homes, people, and events of historic Charleston. We all admired unique architecture of the houses, administrative buildings, churches - and even the layout of the city.

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

As we came down Legare Street we approached the Cathedral of St. John - and in all my trips to Charleston I had never passed it, nor had I ever heard the story about the Cathedral's fire and reconstruction. I had; however, been by Two Meeting Street and heard the history of this lovely home that has now been transformed into an incredible Bed & Breakfast.

Two Meeting Street - a Very Fine Bed & Breakfast destination

Other architecture and sites that we saw on the Carriage Tour below....

Mills House

Just like the houses in Charleston, the porch of our house is painted Haint Blue.

***

After the tour we walked back to the hotel and changed into our dress up clothes to make it to our dinner reservations at FIG. We all recommend you go there. It is fabulous!

After dinner we zipped back to the hotel AGAIN and changed clothes (again!) for our Ghosts and Graveyard Tour. Excellent and busy busy day!

Some exhausted kiddos!

We got up early Sunday and had a fabulous Happy Birthday Amanda Gift Exchange and Breakfast at Joseph's. We has to wait in line a bit for breakfast, but they gave us coffee and juice and that made everything a-ok.




After filling up and celebrating, we walked through the market and then headed to the Exchange and Provost Dungeon, taking the tour there.

Waving goodbye to Charleston from the balcony of the Old Exchange

Once done, we stopped back by the hotel for final check out and packed in the car for home - but not before stopping at Blue Bicycle Books for Asa to find something special to read on the way. :)

Huevos Rancheros!

Mr. Bryant couldn't be at Ama's birthday celebration, as he was traveling. So he called and invited her to Sunday Breakfast.

In an unrelated event, Mr. Bryant and I watched "Bobby Flay's Ultimate Throwdown," and the episode was "Huevos Rancheros!" We always enjoy it when we catch one of these shows, even though Bobby's recipes are typically more complicated than we want to try. But throughout the show we had a great discussion on this classic Mexican dish, and by the time it was over Mr. Bryant had made a decision - "That's what I will make for Sunday Breakfast!" And he did.

Rosie and Ryan come over very early and we were all ready for the coffee that Mr. Bryant had ready (thank heavens!).

Good morning, Rose!

We sat down to Huevos Rancheros with all the trimmings and some fresh fruit on the side. Absolutely perfect.



Yum, what a great birthday breakfast, with a Barry the G-Gnome card for Rosie and more presents as well! Nice!