my friday happy...

joey makes my day just about every day. he has such an awesome personality. he loves his toys and he loves to cuddle. and as I write this he apparently also has an affection for toilet paper. JOEEEEEEEYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!

my thursday happy...

I took a trip back to the past and made some paper. I used to love to make handmade paper and even sold it in stores and at craft sales. I forgot how relaxing it could be to dip the deckle in the water and feel the slurry between your hands. moments later you have a beautiful piece of handmade paper. fun!

my wednesday happy...

can I have two? first I braved the elements along with a couple of my crazy peeps and one beautiful dog. it truly was beautiful running in the cold. not the cold, but the company and the view. gotta love our river valley!

the other happy was our running group after christmas luncheon. this time we ended up at skinny legs and cowgirls. beautiful company and yummy eats! I love seeing us all together. we have been meeting every wednesday morning for years and their gift of friendship and support is such a treasure.

my tuesday happy...

a friend of mine who I hadn't talked to in quite a while called up asking if I wanted some broken marble to play around with. maybe make some magnificent art piece out of. and so began our chat and we both ended up in tears as she listened to me tell the story of my mom and her tell me that her mom had the same disorder. the calm that came over me after our conversation was unbelievable. I FINALLY had a real person who has lived through it to talk to about so many of my fears and ask questions to and get some real answers. what a blessing! I truly think that the marble bookend falling and breaking into pieces was no accident.

my monday happy...

dan had us over for supper. salmon steaks and rice pilaf with homemade beer. it was delicious! he has had some hurdles to jump lately, but he has done it with grace and maturity beyond his years and man can he cook! so proud of him.

and there ya have it. not just one moment of happy, but several this week. good week. very good week! so thankful for all the happy moments and the people who contributed to my happy.

wanna share your happy with us? head over to the happy book.

IT'S HERE!!!!!!!!!!!

a big bucket of happy landed in my mailbox! so excited to open it up and get started! thank you jamie!

I wanted to start off by sharing my "happy moment" from last week:

I was fortunate enough to attend a retreat this past october and one of our assignments was to write a letter to ourselves and in turn write a little note for all the group members and tuck it into their envelopes. the catch was that we were then to leave our letters with the organizer and she would mail them back to us in about three months. what a treat to receive my letter that I had written to myself and had forgot what I had written! then in turn to receive six more beautiful letters filled with love and hope, promise and support. and our amazing host angela wrote the above words on my envelope. such a unique group of women with whom I each shared special moments. this was truly "my happy" for last week.

hey YOU!

spread the love!

have ya heard?

I am part of the first ever "the next chapter mail-around"! yay ME! this time around we will be using the happy book by rachel kempster and meg leder.

jamie is someone I met while doing the "wreck this journal" as part of "the next chapter". SHE is responsible for having me take my journal in the shower! gasp!

what is she wanting me to do this time? fill a journal style book with happiness. things that make me happy, positive thoughts and fun things to do to so that I can put that negativity aside and then let it go on to the next happy contributor. perfect! just what I need.

I am not alone on this assignment. I am a member of the glee group. hee hee! go check it out! you can participate too by sharing your happy with all of us each friday.

looking forward to receiving the book and sharing my progress with you.

brave

my word for 2010

the battle had ended,

and from the ashes she rose,

with tattered wings.

eager to fly again...

love after love -derek walcott

the time will come

when, with elation

you will greet yourself arriving

at your own door, in your own mirror

and each will smile at the other's welcome

and say, sit here. eat.

you will love again the stranger who was yourself.

give wine. give bread. give back your heart

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.

take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.

sit. feast on your life.

thank you prairie sisters! sabrina, thank you for the gift!

love to all of you! ciao!

merry women's little christmas!

who knew?

that today was OUR day?

gonna put my feet up and let the little man run around today...