Heavy Heart

I'm guessing some of you have been wondering if I've left the face of the earth for a week.
I'm guessing others of you are wondering if you're always going to have to listen to Woody singing We Shall Overcome.

Well, no and yes (at least until I get over my heavy heart, which won't be till after I adjust to not having Wyanne around).

Mostly I'm heavy hearted at having Janet and Lisa leave after such a full week of friendship. When I get more pictures from my camera I'll write more about the week, but right now, I'm feeling the grief of saying goodbye to my beautiful, awesome Wyanne.
Here's the email I just sent:


You're all invited to come and give Wyanne a goodbye hug this Sat., February 7th at Mission San Luis Rey at 12:00.
If you've never been to a graduation before, I'm suggesting you might want to bring kleenex. You're in for a very moving day.
I'm hoping you'll get there a bit early, first of all it's pretty crowded and second of all, we're expected to take the long walk to turn her in immediately (boo hoo:-( following the ceremony. I'd love to have pictures with her well-wishers before hand.
Depending on the speakers, it's usually about an hour and a half ceremony.
Rod and I will then walk her over to CCI, and give her a last hug.
We then plan to drown our sorrows at Killer Pizza from Mars, just a hop skip and a jump down the road from the Mission. We'd love to have whoever can join us.
No need to RSVP to this evite-just come if you can. I know it's impossible for many/most of you to come, but I know you'll be with us in spirit just as you've been on the journey with us from the beginning.
This is an open invitation so if you think of anyone I've forgotten who you think would like to come, please invite them.
Her future is in the Lord's hands,
ann

Next stop on Wyanne's day...

The local Seniors home, where she made many friends, including this handsome service dog, named Handsome of course!

The ever perfect Wyanne

Once again she wows the crowd.
Wyanne doin' her stuff at a local elementary school

A goosebumpy day!

Have some fun making your own poster here:
Your Poster

Collective Purpose

Inspiring Performers at the All People's Breakfast

All People's Breakfast

honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thank you so much, Willie, for inviting Wyanne and I!

speaking of eating

here's our little beauty enjoying real food.

Rod and I had dinner last night at our (at least my) favorite restaurant 

IRIS in Carmel Valley. I've been there a total of 4 times, 2 dinners, 2 lunches, and the food is innovative and consistently good!
Rod and I split the feekin chowdah and the house salad, both way above average!
He had the duck and scallops, a rare treat for him to have duck, and I had the fish and chips...not.
Both excellent!
There were so many things on the menu I would've been happy trying, hope we go back soon. But, oh, then there's the dilemma - get what you've already loved or take the chance and try something new...

It's launch day

rather fitting on the birthday of Benjamin Franklin, a man of enormous creativity and courage!

Check out my new blog:

HeartsDelight

which in turn will take you to my Etsy shop:

HeartsDelightonEtsy

here's a win win

I know this is my 2nd request for books and some of you did a fabulous job of donating.

Well for those of you who missed your first chance, here's another.  I'll be happy to come by and relieve you of any books you'd like to donate.  Soon these may be a thing of the past as kindles become more and more in use.  Best take advantage.

Then, once you've made room on your shelves for more books, you can come to the sale.

How can you lose????

maybe seeing this will make your day orange

My Birthday Rose
Originally uploaded by brendamb

for me it's been an up and down day and it's only 10:25.
back up with this gorgeous photo.

My days with Wyanne are numbered.

We had our next to last class on Saturday and she was stellar, except for missing the table on a few jumps. 
Turn in is on February 7th at Mission San Luis Rey at noon. For those of you who have never been, please consider coming.
It's a tiny amount of time, but a huge glimpse of the life changing process that is CCI.
One of the highlights of the day is seeing the slide show of all the puppies that are matriculating (starting their journey of advanced training). Puppy raisers submit their favorite photos of their pups.  I just sent mine in.  It's a good way of looking back on the last 14 months with your pup.  It helps me remember what good work Wyanne has already done!

Has it really been a whole week..

since I've been here????
Well here's my start to this week -

as much as I've been trying to cut down my spending, really discriminating between needs and wants, this falls in the must have category!

The latest pics of the most beautiful baby in the world

Many thanks to my great kids for letting me see how much more beautiful Lila gets every day.

A humble apology

to Davi, my friend, my blog friend, my comment friend, my paper friend, my faith friend, my heart friend, my CCI friend, my wordscraper friend, my clutter friend

I've now added her creative blog,princessmagpie, to blogs I love.
It was mere oversight. I do love this blog, look for new entries daily.
And if you comment on her blog and not mine, I'll be deeply offended!

Resolution

Davi,
You asked people to share their New Years' Resolutions. I ignored your question until this morning, when I was looking at Jane's blog, finding reference to an interview with Danny Gregory.
Here's the link to the interview: DannyGregory

and a partial quote from the interview:
"I am interested in the neurological benefits of drawing and how it connects to meditation, and what effect it has on the preservation of visual memory as one ages. I am also interested in using journaling to help people deal with tragedy and disease. And finally I am thinking of how drawing helps you to appreciate the mundane and everyday in a way that could help be an antidote to the rampant materialism that is at the heart of the current economic crisis."

So now I do have a resolution: DRAW!

Join me????

Waiting for the other shoe

to drop?
How many days have I been procrastinating about taking down the Christmas tree? I've whined, blogged for days, but when I actually got started - look what I found.


I simply had to share with you the glorious Nikes Laurie bought for Lila.
The other one is well on it's way to TX. I thought this one had gone before, but lo and behold, I opened that tiny little Nike box and there it was.
I feel sure it will arrive to its proper home long before it's needed.

The loneliest job in the world...

undecorating the Christmas tree; 

seems like Erma Bombeck must have words on this.

Before I begin this task I want to remind myself of all the love and the stories that each ornament represents and tells.
As I dismantle I plan to say a prayer for each person that added to my merry Christmas.
The three ornaments above are from three special students from three special years past. They are only a small sampling of the countless ornaments I've received from students in years past, many of whom I still have the pleasure of being in contact with. Then there are the ornaments from close friends, so many from Ann and Neil, handmade ones from Janet, ornaments with names for each of the kids from Joanne, the stamped ones for each of the kids from Sherry, thimbles from Mary Ann, a fashionista from Gayle. So many friends, so many memories. I promise to pray for each and every one of you.

The Somenity of Mary

Drawing by Helen Hull Hitchcock

From today's first reading:
The Lord bless you and keep you!
The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!

The New Year

"Whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God who has reconciled us to himself through Christ." 2 Cor 5:17-18

Looking back, the blessings of 2008 have been extraordinary, the challenges for many have been  nearly insurmountable, but through it all, God is with us and for us.

Thank you, God, for the love you've shown me by putting so many precious people in my life.  I ask particularly that I may be a blessing to them.

 

New Year's Blessing Prayer

Lord, You who live outside of time,
and reside in the imperishable moment,
we ask Your blessing this New Year's Day
upon Your gift to us of time.

Bless our clocks and watches,
You who kindly direct us
to observe the passing of minutes and hours.
May they make us aware of the miracle
of each second of life we experience.
May these our ticking servants
help us not to miss that which is important,
while You keep us from machine-like routine.
May we ever be free from being clock watchers
and instead become time lovers.

Bless our calendars,
these ordered lists of days, weeks, and months,
of holidays, holydays, fasts and feasts --
all our special days of remembering.
May these servants, our calendars,
once reserved for the royal few,
for magi and pyramid priests,
now grace our homes and our lives.
May they remind us of birthdays and other gift-days,
as they teach us the secret
that all life
is meant for celebration
and contemplation.

Bless, Lord, this new year,
each of its 365 days and nights.
Bless us with new moons and full moons.
Bless us with happy seasons and a long life.
Grant to us, Lord,
the new year's gift
of a year of love.

Amen.

(From Prayers for the Domestic Church: A Handbook for Worship in the Home)
Comments

Knitting Obsession

I can't help wondering when I became so obsessed with knitting.
There was never a time when, if I had only a limited amount of time, I would do anything other than have my nose in a book.
Now, it's knit, knit, knit, horrified that if I finish a project I won't have something to replace it.
Finished the fingerless gloves for Laurie, Lila's baby hat. Now I'm onto more fingerless gloves. What fun.
And, as if that wasn't wonderful enough, I've discovered there are thousands like me who post projects, patterns, chat and anything else about knitting/crocheting, online at ravelry. I'm in heaven!