This Little Girl - Laurinda

This little girl turned 30 yesterday! You'll see her wedding picture to the right. She is awaiting the birth of her own baby right now! Incredibly, you can also see the picture of that miracle baby to the right as well!

I am so proud of this young woman for, among other things, her perseverance and strength of character. In many ways I wish I were more like her. She has a strong personality, and yet knows how to be vulnerable. I admire the way she allows herself to lean on her husband.

She is so smart, and I think sometimes she doesn't really know how much she has to contribute to this world. She is beautiful, inside and out.

I love her with all my heart. She is my daughter. Happy birthday, Daughter!!

Readers

I have them everywhere. Those glasses that I have heard referred to as "readers". I call them lifelines.

I have a pair in almost ever room of my house to prevent what became the mad dash to find a pair of glasses every time I wanted to read something or see something smaller than my 49-and-counting year old eyes could focus on. I have a pair in my purse. On my desk at work I have two pair because the ones I need to see my computer screen don't work for reading paperwork.

I have prescription and non-prescription ones. I have sedate and stylish ones, and also crazy animal print ones. I have a pair on my dresser because I can no longer see the jewelery in my drawer and trying to do up the clasp on a bracelet - forget it!

I wonder sometimes, how people in the past managed to cope with this loss of vision in their maturing years. I wonder if part of that might have resulted in them sitting back on the sidelines more, and observing (only those things happening in the distance!) rather than doing.

Me, I'm going to keep collecting "readers" because I've got a lot of things left to do before I'm ready to sit on the sidelines.

Nothing to wear

It's taking me twice as long to get dressed in the morning these days. The changing season, the unpredictable weather, and my ever-changing body are conspiring against me these days.

Around Labor Day I started the gradual rotation from closet to closet of summer clothes and fall and winter clothes. It amazes me how I look at some things that I felt so comfortable in last season and wonder what I was thinking at the time. Has my taste (or vision!) really changed so much in the past six months?

Then there are those items that I really like, but that have somehow changed shape or size over the summer and no longer fit the way I remember them fitting. Those are tough to take.

And what about the dilemma of what's really appropriate to wear in October. I bought this really cute pair of white strappy sandals in late August. Can I still wear white? If the sun is shining and it's over 70 degrees is it okay?

Really, I think the only solution is for me to go shopping.

Just Do It!

Years ago I heard the the following quotation:

"Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it.” (James Arthur Baldwin)

It didn't mean much at the time but lately I am reminded of it time and time again. When there is something that keeps coming to mind there must be a reason and a truth that we need to learn.

I have come to the conclusion that if there is something that we are passionate about, we must summon the courage to step up and take action. We owe it to ourselves to move out of our comfortable places and take risk. It is in those situations where we take a leap of faith just because we are compelled by something larger than our selves that we will find fulfillment, contentment and purpose.

Lord, help me to find the courage to step out when You direct me, and to find the balance between recklessness and wisdom.

A New Desk

I'm on the hunt for a new desk. My current setup isn't working for me and my body is starting to protest when I spent too much time sitting at my computer, so I'm looking for something a little more ergonomically correct. Right now I'm just using my laptop on one of the tables in my sewing room. This table works great for laying out fabric and cutting pieces for quilts, but no so good for paper work or computer work.

In addition to being the right size and fit, it has to look nice and fit in with my decor. That is where it get's complicated. I'm really not sure exactly what I'm looking for, but I know I'll know the right one when I see it. (this shopping philosophy drives my husband crazy, but it's always worked for me!)

I found one at Office Depot that I really liked. It seemed to be the right size and it was kind of a cottage/beach style which I love. The only down-side was that it had a hutch. I want my desk to sit right in front of my window like my table currently does. Here in the Pacific Northwest I've learned to take advantage of filling myself with all the natural light that I can and this is an absolute necessity. A hutch won't work.

So, the search continues. The ache in my shoulder reminds me that the search can't continue for too long though.