Over the past 72 hours, via text messages, emails, phone calls, and voice messages, Sarah has been detailing her exciting adventures as Education Coordinator for the Foothills Art Center (FAC) in Golden, Colorado. As it so happens, her first day in her brand-spanking new position coincided with the Center's opening of a new exhibit, called 'Colorado Art Open'. This exhibit features various, sundry, and juried works by local artists..........a collection of over 100 pieces ranging from Sculpture to Photography to Intaglio.
Sarah is learning a whole new language, she tells me, and entering a world that she is unfamiliar with......but that pulls her in .....like Alice and her rabbit hole. As she talks, my own mother's spirit stands beside me, taking it all in....my mother, an artist in her own right. My mother, former president of the Farmington Art Club (FAC), who spent decades perfecting her own skills with oils, acrylics, watercolor, who participated in juried shows, sold her pieces, knew the language of Art......my mother's spirit is awash with joy as she feels Sarah's enthusiasm and hunger.....
And amazingly, as a newcomer to creating my own art via watercolor, I too am pulled into this new world that Sarah is entering....I too feel the giddiness and wonder of creativity, of putting one's soul into something tangible......something that others might look at, and see you there...
There is a circle here.......Sarah, me, my mom.....and there is something so profound about watching that circle and being a part of it, all at the same time.......
How did I get so blessed in this life?
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Cinderella Magic
Clara turned 3 on Saturday, March 28. Anyone reading this will no doubt believe that everything I say about Clara is totally skewed by the fact that I am her grandmother. But, believe me when I tell you that this little girl is as special as special can be, in every way; her adorableness, her quick-wit, her intelligence, her sweetness, her sense of humor, her enthusiasm for life, her 'with-it-ness', her sense of herself, her curiosity, her expressiveness....okay, I'll stop. (Wait, did I mention how cute she is?)
But, anyway, at her birthday party her Grampa and I gave her a real, bonafide Cinderella dress, complete with an 'authentic' crown and blue-glowing wand. When Clara was handed the bag to open (a Cinderella bag of course), she took one peak inside and knew immediately what this powder blue, sparkling treasure was, pulled it out lickety-split, and smiled one of her signature broad, open-mouthed smiles, with her eyes as wide as they could be. Within a fraction of a second, she had pulled off her cute little fiesta party dress that she was wearing and yelled at her mom, "I want to wear it, I want to wear it!"
JoAnna began madly tearing off the tags and plastic ties in an effort to get her mostly-naked daughter re-dressed as quickly as possible. Fortunately, the Cinderella dress floated over Clara's little body with no effort, and she was instantly transformed into the beautiful little princess that she already is----her mom set the crown on her head, Clara was handed her new wand (to which she exclaimed, "A new wand!"), and she happily turned to everyone gathered around to display her new finery. It was a priceless moment to see this little darling of a girl standing there in her beautiful hooped dress, holding her head so still so as not to knock the crown off........with the happiest look in her eyes-----a magical moment indeed.
But, anyway, at her birthday party her Grampa and I gave her a real, bonafide Cinderella dress, complete with an 'authentic' crown and blue-glowing wand. When Clara was handed the bag to open (a Cinderella bag of course), she took one peak inside and knew immediately what this powder blue, sparkling treasure was, pulled it out lickety-split, and smiled one of her signature broad, open-mouthed smiles, with her eyes as wide as they could be. Within a fraction of a second, she had pulled off her cute little fiesta party dress that she was wearing and yelled at her mom, "I want to wear it, I want to wear it!"
JoAnna began madly tearing off the tags and plastic ties in an effort to get her mostly-naked daughter re-dressed as quickly as possible. Fortunately, the Cinderella dress floated over Clara's little body with no effort, and she was instantly transformed into the beautiful little princess that she already is----her mom set the crown on her head, Clara was handed her new wand (to which she exclaimed, "A new wand!"), and she happily turned to everyone gathered around to display her new finery. It was a priceless moment to see this little darling of a girl standing there in her beautiful hooped dress, holding her head so still so as not to knock the crown off........with the happiest look in her eyes-----a magical moment indeed.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
BLOOD
Yesterday I got back to my routine of donating a pint of blood to the Red Cross. I have been doing this for awhile, was surprised when I got my 'gallon' pin........but then we disconnected our landline and our local branch didn't have my cell phone number, and no one has called to remind me, so it's been over a year....and I've missed it.
I've been feeling sorry for myself lately, so I put "Donate blood" on my To-Do List last week-----yesterday the urge overcame me----"just go over to the donation center and sit and wait, forget about calling ahead and making an appointment....but give your blood today." My blood type is AB positive----a few years ago I noticed that my 'bag' of blood consisted of several small bags..and found out that it was because my blood was used for babies......I was thrilled. As a once-upon-a-time nursing mom, then in her 50s, it had amazed me that my body was still producing a substance that babies could use...no, that babies NEEDED in order to thrive.....WOW, it was thrilling to think that I could still physically nurture babies in some way.
So I drove over to the Red Cross Donation Center and walked right in; there were no people waiting in line. After finding out that my iron was really good, and that my blood pressure was really, really good, they laid me down and poked my arm.....and I noticed that my 'blood bag' consisted of the normal single bag, just like everyone else's......so I asked about the babies and was told that now only the Detroit donation center fills the baby bags for the babies......."because the blood lab is in Ohio and it's a lot closer for the Detroit blood to be driven there"......blah blah blah....
Admittedly, I was initially disappointed, even thought about going to Detroit and giving them my blood.....But I didn't-----I laid down on the comfy table, feeling totally relaxed, relinquished my body to the blood-draw......jotted down the date that I would be eligible for my next donation.....(what is it, 54 days from now?)
And then today, it suddenly occurred to me that maybe someone's life was saved with my blood today----someone, somewhere, someone in need (who cares who it is or how old they are)......someone needed my blood----my blood, made by my body----no sacrifice to me really besides taking the time to drive over there, go through the proper procedures, accept the pokings, believe that I won't get nauseated when I raise my head......someone out there in the world has my blood coursing through their veins, someone who was in some sort of medical emergency or health-threatening circumstance, this person benefitted by my little pint of AB positive blood.........this is a miraculous thing.
I will be back April 24.
I've been feeling sorry for myself lately, so I put "Donate blood" on my To-Do List last week-----yesterday the urge overcame me----"just go over to the donation center and sit and wait, forget about calling ahead and making an appointment....but give your blood today." My blood type is AB positive----a few years ago I noticed that my 'bag' of blood consisted of several small bags..and found out that it was because my blood was used for babies......I was thrilled. As a once-upon-a-time nursing mom, then in her 50s, it had amazed me that my body was still producing a substance that babies could use...no, that babies NEEDED in order to thrive.....WOW, it was thrilling to think that I could still physically nurture babies in some way.
So I drove over to the Red Cross Donation Center and walked right in; there were no people waiting in line. After finding out that my iron was really good, and that my blood pressure was really, really good, they laid me down and poked my arm.....and I noticed that my 'blood bag' consisted of the normal single bag, just like everyone else's......so I asked about the babies and was told that now only the Detroit donation center fills the baby bags for the babies......."because the blood lab is in Ohio and it's a lot closer for the Detroit blood to be driven there"......blah blah blah....
Admittedly, I was initially disappointed, even thought about going to Detroit and giving them my blood.....But I didn't-----I laid down on the comfy table, feeling totally relaxed, relinquished my body to the blood-draw......jotted down the date that I would be eligible for my next donation.....(what is it, 54 days from now?)
And then today, it suddenly occurred to me that maybe someone's life was saved with my blood today----someone, somewhere, someone in need (who cares who it is or how old they are)......someone needed my blood----my blood, made by my body----no sacrifice to me really besides taking the time to drive over there, go through the proper procedures, accept the pokings, believe that I won't get nauseated when I raise my head......someone out there in the world has my blood coursing through their veins, someone who was in some sort of medical emergency or health-threatening circumstance, this person benefitted by my little pint of AB positive blood.........this is a miraculous thing.
I will be back April 24.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
"Sarah Goes Traveling Alone"
As a little girl, two of my favorite stories were Louise Eppenstein's "Sally Goes Shopping Alone" and "Sally Goes Traveling Alone". Little did I know at the time, one of these tales would turn out to be a prophecy in my own life.....or rather, my daughter's life. In these stories, Sally learns both the inherent joys and unanticipated fears of attaining true independence as she accomplishes a rather involved, complicated task all by herself. Much goes wrong for Sally as she shops and travels, but amazingly, she ends up where she is supposed to, and all ends well. When Sarah called me from the Denver airport to inform me that she had left her passport at home, and consequently would be taking a later flight to Mexico, and that she had also forgotten her Spanish phrase book (a rather important item for a non-Spanish speaker).......oh, and she was having trouble contacting the guy who would be able to contact Sra Ana, the person who was to meet Sarah at her new apartment at a specified time, a time which now needed to be re-specified.......and then she was informed by a Customs Clerk that a return flight receipt would be necessary in order for her to get through the customs process (she had no return flight), and her phone was broken "even more than before", and, and, and.............all I could picture in my mind was Louise's Sally, reincarnated as my Sarah........
Hearing her voice over the phone, I knew instinctively that all Sarah really needed from me was reassurance that all these little fiascos would not turn into disaster.....that she WOULD make it to Cuernavaca, and that all would end well. This morning I was ecstatic to see her appear in my little video screen on my laptop via Skype (an absolutely FANTASTIC internet tool!)---she carried her netbook around, showing us her new Mexican bedroom with its "own" bathroom, numerous windows overlooking multiple green growing things (somewhere hidden among them the roosters that so rudely woke her up this morning)......and also happily displaying her fresh bakery items that she had so bravely acquired "all by herself"!
Sarah made it to Cuernavaca and is quickly figuring things out......tomorrow it's off to Language School, then to buy a disposable Mexican phone, and to find out where she can get a Latte with low-fat milk.
Feliciatones, mi hija bonita! Usted lo hizo!
Hearing her voice over the phone, I knew instinctively that all Sarah really needed from me was reassurance that all these little fiascos would not turn into disaster.....that she WOULD make it to Cuernavaca, and that all would end well. This morning I was ecstatic to see her appear in my little video screen on my laptop via Skype (an absolutely FANTASTIC internet tool!)---she carried her netbook around, showing us her new Mexican bedroom with its "own" bathroom, numerous windows overlooking multiple green growing things (somewhere hidden among them the roosters that so rudely woke her up this morning)......and also happily displaying her fresh bakery items that she had so bravely acquired "all by herself"!
Sarah made it to Cuernavaca and is quickly figuring things out......tomorrow it's off to Language School, then to buy a disposable Mexican phone, and to find out where she can get a Latte with low-fat milk.
Feliciatones, mi hija bonita! Usted lo hizo!
Friday, December 26, 2008
Cleaning the House Before the Kids Come Home
It is the Christmas season and (some of) the kids are coming home for various amounts of time, some for a few hours, some for a few days. I find myself wondering why it's so important to me that the house is relatively clean, the beds have fresh sheets on them, and the refrigerators are well-stocked with their favorite drinks and foodstuffs. These are my children, after all, not long-lost family members who I want to impress, not old friends that may scrutinize my skills as a homemaker. These are my children, the ones who used to make all the messes, the ones who are now full-grown with their own homes and apartments. They've seen their childhood home in a state of disarray many, many times---it's not as if they would find it disturbing or unusual. Why do I care so much? For some reason, this is a question that I feel I need to analyze.
Is it because I want them to see that, while I HAVE aged in their absence, I haven't lost my standards, and that I'm still ABLE to take care of our place and that I still WANT to take care of our place? (They don't have to worry about their mama.......yet). Or is it my way of ensuring to them that, as they deal with the daily grinds of the real world, there is a certain constancy that they can depend on, that they can derive security from, that this house is still a 'safe haven', that nothing much has really changed, that they can still find comfort in 'home sweet home'? Or maybe I want them to FEEL like guests, sending them the subliminal message that they are here very temporarily, and 'don't you forget it!" (their father and I do not believe in the boomerang concept---boomer children coming back home to live----what a ghastly thought!). Or maybe the subconscious message to them is, "You walked in this door and things were neat and tidy, so make sure it still looks like this on your way out!"
As I bustle around, mulling it all over in my mind, I find that all of the above is probably true......but that, really, I vacuum the rugs, carefully put up the Christmas decorations, wash the sheets, shop for groceries at three different places, fluff the pillows, wipe down the bathroom counters, peek into each room for a final inspection----I do all that because this is an EVENT, a CELEBRATION----the family is coming together, and for at least a few hours or a few days, I can revel in the joy that I feel as I watch them and interact with them (and their own children),......this is an event, no this is THE EVENT....The Kids are Coming Home.
Is it because I want them to see that, while I HAVE aged in their absence, I haven't lost my standards, and that I'm still ABLE to take care of our place and that I still WANT to take care of our place? (They don't have to worry about their mama.......yet). Or is it my way of ensuring to them that, as they deal with the daily grinds of the real world, there is a certain constancy that they can depend on, that they can derive security from, that this house is still a 'safe haven', that nothing much has really changed, that they can still find comfort in 'home sweet home'? Or maybe I want them to FEEL like guests, sending them the subliminal message that they are here very temporarily, and 'don't you forget it!" (their father and I do not believe in the boomerang concept---boomer children coming back home to live----what a ghastly thought!). Or maybe the subconscious message to them is, "You walked in this door and things were neat and tidy, so make sure it still looks like this on your way out!"
As I bustle around, mulling it all over in my mind, I find that all of the above is probably true......but that, really, I vacuum the rugs, carefully put up the Christmas decorations, wash the sheets, shop for groceries at three different places, fluff the pillows, wipe down the bathroom counters, peek into each room for a final inspection----I do all that because this is an EVENT, a CELEBRATION----the family is coming together, and for at least a few hours or a few days, I can revel in the joy that I feel as I watch them and interact with them (and their own children),......this is an event, no this is THE EVENT....The Kids are Coming Home.
Friday, December 19, 2008
The End of the Year
2008
I can't really remember how this year began, except that we knew it was the year that our second grandchild would be born. Carson Salvatore is now 6 months old and his personality and presence in the family, and in my heart, is strong and solid. One of each---Clara and Carson---I couldn't feel more blessed or happier. This kind of love is different from any I have ever known....a wondrous thing, and that's about all the words I can find to describe it.
We also added some acreage to 'The Farm' up north.....some of which we have yet to traverse due to its wild and primitive nature. This place has truly become our sanctuary, our place to dream, work, rest, reflect, explore, and wonder at. We have learned to respect its unexpectedness-----the sudden presence of a bald eagle, or little black bear cubs.....or the drumming and thrumming of a protective grouse.....the Lady's Slipper peeking out underneath the fern fronds.....the beehive that comes alive as I rake and clear five years' worth of oak leaves under a spruce tree......the young doe who prances along beside me as I quietly and slowly steer the ATV along the two-track. It never ends, the startling and happy surprises up there, and we have come to thrive on them......
I took a Watercolor class this year and simultaneously began learning to sketch. I LOVE this and sometimes my hands actually feel like they're itching to pull out my #6B sketch pencil or my tackle box full of watercolor tools and put something down on paper. I can get giddy just thinking about it. I hope to take another class in Spring 2009.
Speaking of which, what do I hope and pray for this coming year, 2009? On a 'global' scale, I am looking forward to our new President, Barack Obama, and for the positive energy that I feel he can inject into this scared, sad country. Personally, I hope to continue my own spiritual journey that has come to bring me more peace of mind, less fear and anxiety, as I watch my children grow into and struggle with adulthood. I have spent some difficult years feeling my way into new territory as a mom---as someone told me, being the parent of adult children is probably the most difficult job there is as a parent. For me, it's been a perilous journey of learning to let them go.........Letting Them Go......while still being a part of each other's lives----that is hard.
They are on their journeys, and I am on mine.........
I can't really remember how this year began, except that we knew it was the year that our second grandchild would be born. Carson Salvatore is now 6 months old and his personality and presence in the family, and in my heart, is strong and solid. One of each---Clara and Carson---I couldn't feel more blessed or happier. This kind of love is different from any I have ever known....a wondrous thing, and that's about all the words I can find to describe it.
We also added some acreage to 'The Farm' up north.....some of which we have yet to traverse due to its wild and primitive nature. This place has truly become our sanctuary, our place to dream, work, rest, reflect, explore, and wonder at. We have learned to respect its unexpectedness-----the sudden presence of a bald eagle, or little black bear cubs.....or the drumming and thrumming of a protective grouse.....the Lady's Slipper peeking out underneath the fern fronds.....the beehive that comes alive as I rake and clear five years' worth of oak leaves under a spruce tree......the young doe who prances along beside me as I quietly and slowly steer the ATV along the two-track. It never ends, the startling and happy surprises up there, and we have come to thrive on them......
I took a Watercolor class this year and simultaneously began learning to sketch. I LOVE this and sometimes my hands actually feel like they're itching to pull out my #6B sketch pencil or my tackle box full of watercolor tools and put something down on paper. I can get giddy just thinking about it. I hope to take another class in Spring 2009.
Speaking of which, what do I hope and pray for this coming year, 2009? On a 'global' scale, I am looking forward to our new President, Barack Obama, and for the positive energy that I feel he can inject into this scared, sad country. Personally, I hope to continue my own spiritual journey that has come to bring me more peace of mind, less fear and anxiety, as I watch my children grow into and struggle with adulthood. I have spent some difficult years feeling my way into new territory as a mom---as someone told me, being the parent of adult children is probably the most difficult job there is as a parent. For me, it's been a perilous journey of learning to let them go.........Letting Them Go......while still being a part of each other's lives----that is hard.
They are on their journeys, and I am on mine.........
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