Life is Short

I think sometimes, we humans think too much about what we don't have. What we're missing or needing or wanting.
The images you are seeing should be seen as an amazing stroke of salvation. Not a loss or a devastating accident.

This caved in area is a place where a little girl should have been...but wasn't due to a sudden on set of a cold.

This wreckage is the holding place of 2 saved children.

Realize that miracles happen every day. People are saved by flat tires, missed taxi's and late busses.

Why focus on the tragedy?

Yes, there was damage. Money lost, items broken beyond repair.

But what was gained was a few more years of life on a beautiful little 5 year old and 6 year old.

Isn't that more important?

After every storm there is a silence that allows you to recognize the beauty of what could have been...take that moment to be thankful.

Hiatus

After being away, it's interesting getting all caught up on what's been going on "online"...lol.
Mum is well on her way to feeling better, but I have to admit I much enjoyed being there, getting to know the kids again.

David, my eldest boy. Into Karate and DS. Though he loves reading, specially "Bone" a comic series (which he got the entire set for Christmas)
Josiah, the youngest boy. A yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do. Active, lively and outspoken. He was quite exhausted when this picture was taken (he'd been out looking for a Christmas tree with Grandpa) His passion is anything with wheels and being right.
Devon, my second boy. Thoughtful and sensitive. He has mood swings that put us ladies to shame. But he's a giver and exremely introspective. He loves photography as well and makes videos and fascinating photos. He loves cats and cars, though I've discovered he doesn't handle second-best very well...he wants to excell at everything, and loses interest if he is not the very best.
Little Alizandra. She wants to be a princess. She is an amazing artist already (look out all you artists, she's only getting better!) She likes anything pink and pretty.
So, my kids. They are growing up fast and furious. I feel so blessed to be able to see some of it before it is gone!!

Happy holidays all.

Gram

Today, I miss my Gram a lot.
Some days more than others...but today, I was reading my morning passage...and it reminded me of something she would say so often.

Gram was one of those people...the kind that even though you don't always get along...you always love them.
She would tell you what you NEEDED to hear...as apposed to what you wanted to hear.

She loved crib and laughter. She loved little Josiah the most...her Joey, she called him. He's alive because she loved him, and cared for him when no one else knew what to do or what was wrong with him.

Gram loved flowers and birds. She gardened...even in her dreams those last couple years when she couldn't get out of bed.
She was more worried about mum, and scaring the kids, then her own pain.
She wanted to go peacefully at home...so she did.

Gram didn't always know what she wanted...but she ALWAYS wanted what she had. She didn't believe in waste or needless pain.
She had the recipes and remedies for everything.
Gram lived over 30 years with cancer...and never gave up hope.

I miss my Gram mostly for the important stuff she taught me...
But she is in a better place now. A place without pain or waste.
I hope she will be gardening wherever she is...she loved that the most.

Luv you Gram.

One Hurt

Today,
I was hurt.
It hurt so bad my insides bled out on the floor.
With no one to see but me,
And your back behind the door.

I sat down to write,
Write to you all the hurt.

Like vomit on the table,
I spilled it all out.
Pen on paper,
I spewed it about.

How horrible you were to do this to me...
How could you?

Then I set back and stared.

Tears formed in my eyes as I read.
All those terrible,
Hateful,
Nasty and cruel,
Distateful things I said.

And I read.
I read as if I were you.

Up on my feet,
I crumpled it up.

I wrote down,
"I'm sorry."
"I wish this hadn't happened at all"

I folded this new sheet.
I wrote on your address.
I walked to the shelf and placed on a stamp.
I mailed this to you.

All that vicious hurt still rests on a paper.
In the trash.
Where it belongs.

Today,
I was hurt.
Tomorrow...
It won't be you that hurts like I did.

1 hurt turns into 2 way too often.

Cribbage

Eric, Charley & Mum play cribbage to pass the time...

Mum draws between hands

Charley takes his time creating the "perfect cribbage hand"

...And Eric would really like a hand!

Snow Man

Yesterday, I went out while Dad and the kids were building their snowman from the first heavy snow of the year. They were having so much fun! It was truly infectious.


Dad and Alizandra making his head


David packing snow balls.


Dad and Alizandra building up the body.


Devon


Josiah and his shovel.


Dad and David having shovel snow-fight-wars.

First Edit

So here is my first Edit on the TaeKwonDo test images.

I'm pretty sure I'm happy with it so far.
I did 3 step layering, then a bit of blur and cloning.
I have an idea of another thing I can try, but I'll post it when I'm finished working on it :)