Showing posts with label dreams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dreams. Show all posts

Monday, June 7, 2010

Drew is Drawing Angels

He told me this was an angel... do you see the wings? Then he told me, "See the circle on the angel's head?" Smart kid - he even knows they have halos! Don't tell me the Lord doesn't speak to children in more ways than we know.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Bonita Springs National Art Festival

Drew and I visited the Art Show in Bonita today. My words will in no way come close to doing it justice, but it was a stunning show.

Some of my favorites include:

  • Lynn Ferris Watercolors (everything on display at her booth that I liked so much is not on her website- she featured portraits of the older generation doing things like sitting outside the barber shop, tending to a horse and sitting in a chair thinking)
  • Bob Copeland Photography (my favorite photo was a view of a cabin with a shed in the foreground and the Grand Tetons in the background, all covered in snow; I did not find this on the website either, but I might have missed it)
  • Laurie Snow Hein (my favorites of hers were paintings of native Florida vegetation, and some beach scenes; again, my favorites from today are not on her website. Another interesting fact is that she has illustrated a few books, one of them authored by Elisa Morgan of MOPS International)
  • Karin Connolly Photography (the one that took my breath away is located in the Digital Gallery, fourth over from the right, on the top row, labeled Maestro D711m. Unbelievable in person. If I had the money, I would have grabbed that one right away!).
I miss the art community; I used to be such a culture vulture. Dave was working, and even though I knew it would be a stretch for Andrew to go to this with me, it was something I was starving for and 'needed' for me. The thing that this festival impressed upon me the most (among Other Things, see below) was that I let some of my dreams die. Not because of being a mom or a wife. I let my artistic dreams die long before motherhood came along. I regret it. I want to allow myself to dream that way again.

Other Things (see reference above)
1. People aren't that considerate to someone with a stroller who wants to get close enough to view artwork.
2. WAY too many retired folk push their dogs in strollers.
3. Why did I dress us this way? I planned on it being a little cooler out, given the morning temperature at our house (52 degrees).
4. Most artists are happy to talk to you at length, even when they can tell you can't or won't buy anything.
5. The Promenade at Bonita Bay has very little parking.
6. The Promenade at Bonita Bay is a lovely place to sit by a waterfall and have coffee, water, tea, soda (insert your favorite beverage here). I had never previously even walked into the place. To me, it looks like Waterside used to, before it went all Naples on us. Beautiful vegetation, lots of water, shade and sunlight, beautiful walkways.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Reflections on My Twenties

It's late, and I'm sure I will probably edit this over the next few days...but I want to put a few things out there so I don't forget my thoughts.

As I look back over the last decade of my life, I can easily say that, thus far, it has been the most life-altering decade of my young life.

Let's start with my 20th year: I moved back to Fort Myers after spending 2.5 years at school in West Palm Beach. I finished my degree at FGCU, and found my new independence at school to be invigorating. I had outgrown the dorm lifestyle, and enjoyed being in a more 'commuter-friendly' campus. I made many new friends in West Palm, and ended up making some very unlikely but great friends at FGCU. I spent a lot of time working, studying, paying bills, and fishing (yes, you read that correctly).

Somewhere around my 21st year: I was 'God-smacked' and with His direction, made some very important decisions that changed the course of my life for the better, and I believe, more in line with the life He desired for me. I also graduated with my degree, thus reaching one of my many personal goals.

22nd year: The man of my dreams proposed and we started planning for marriage.

23rd year: My parents gave us the wedding of our dreams, and we took the vacation of a lifetime!

24th to 26th year: Worked hard together to learn what it meant to be married, and worked hard together to support each other in our respective roles at the time: Dave was a full-time student and worked multiple part-time jobs, and I worked full-time. We learned a lot about ourselves, and with David's help and encouragement, I learned more about my position as a child of the King. My sweet husband graduated with his degree, and we settled into being two-full-time working spouses with 'normal' jobs and 'normal' hours.

27th year: The Lord blessed us with the most exciting news ever- I was pregnant! We were so scared of being let down by the results from our store-bought test, we didn't dwell on it or talk about it, even between the two of us, until the doctor confirmed the results at her office. We will never forget telling our loved ones the news of expecting our first child. Andrew was born on July 31st!

Okay, so I'm going to skip over all the glazed-over eye stories, the feeling like a heifer stories, the I've had no sleep don't talk to me stories, the I'm sorry honey stories and all the other crazy things that happen when you bring your first child home. Everything that made sense before no longer makes sense, and in a very good way, your life as you knew it is turned on its head. Suffice it to say that yes, our world changed dramatically, and not without it's periods of adjustment for all of us, but the result is out of this world, by God's ever-present grace!

28th-29th years: Well, I am still learning about being a mom, a wife and a child of God... but I have been granted much wisdom, imparted by God himself, through the experiences He has blessed me to have. I would not have made it to the eve of my 30th year without the Lord (His patience, His forgiveness, His love, His plan, His redemption), my kind and loving hsuband, my sweet baby boy, my supportive family (of origin and in-loves), and best friends (you know who you are).

I believe in God's divine hand, and His intervention, and His still, small voice that guides me: for without it, my life would have taken a different road, and it would look nothing like it is today. Thank you, Jesus, for helping me every step of the way... I pray that my next 30 years will point straight to you!