whats going on in my "studio"

I painted this finally last week......

so I could make these note cards.

This week I worked on wedding pins.......

My" pinspiration" a combination of this and this

remember I made this garland.......

there is a method to my mad ness!!!

I have a vision.

All of this is for the rustic rehearsal dinner.

Add mercury glass, canning jars and wildflowers.

for their front door

my "pinspiration"

For the cake table

my "pinspiration"

For our birdcage

my "pinspiration"-

is at the knot.com and I cant link to it

Im not gonna join. frown.

And for those of you wanting to check in with little G.

I know this is blurry,

but I took 4 photos of this and

this one is the best I could get.

I caught her in her bed.

tucking her baby in and mumbling- praying?

then kissing her baby on the forehead

"ni ni"

Gosh she is really growing up.......

(yes she is wearing her rainbow scarf- with the A/C on)

Under His wings,

Anna

A long weekend

filled with butterflies

playing in the water and sand.......

nice walks

( the dogwood petals made it look like there had been a wedding.)

It was so beautiful

(a heart on a tree)

This reminded me of my dear friend Olivia-

we lost her to a brain Aneurysm in 2007

the grist mill

it was perfect.........

Note cards and paintings

Busy today.

Remember the notecards I sold for our adoption?

I bought envelopes and will be printing more today.

I have another painting that I am praying I will be able to use as well-

for notecards.

Yesterday my two daughters and I ran errands.

One of them was to stop by Hospice and pick up a painting I did for a friend in 2008.

I am going to display it this weekend with another that I am borrowing,

plus two I have framed in my home.

This friend mentioned the comments and ways she is able to share her testimony

THROUGH.A. PAINTING. HANGING. ON. HER. OFFICE.WALL.

I was so moved that a painting I did

is used in Hospice care giving.

It opens up an avenue for conversation.

This friend shared something that I cant even speak.

much less type here.

But its the same exact vision I shared with my husband over the weekend.

less than 48 hrs earlier.

Something that I could barely whisper to him.

that was heavy on my heart.

It seems/ feels impossible.

But to hear it come out of her mouth.

again.

I didnt prompt the conversation.

She had no idea.

This morning I read a comment my dear SIL posted this am

not knowing

"Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or imagine." Ephesians 3:20

I keep giving it back to God,

this weekend is a thanksgiving offering.

I dont have anything to sell.

(except notecards)

But I know that people need to see God glorified

in.it.all.

changing diapers, wiping runny noses, rocking little ones,

cooking dinner, making lunches, folding laundry......

even painting......

all.for.His.glory.

My head is spinning.

I am praying for wisdom and discernment.

I feel like a baby bird,

Ive been resting Under His wings for so long.

It feels like I am fluttering my wings on a branch and ready to take a leap.

I am ready to fly-

From the heart,

Anna

Mission iPossible

(pretending to be a Doctor)

I will be calling hers tomorrow to start the verification process,

what for you ask?????

read below to find out........

Ive been busy.

Getting ready for an art show.

Being mommy, wife, chauffeur and chef.

Wedding planner.

You get the gist.

Burning the candle at both ends.

I returned home late this afternoon

and opened my e-mail-

there was one from

My friend Heather,

wondering if I had been to Mission iPossible today.

Nope.

I clicked on over to find

that our sweet Lil G had been chosen!

Mission 4 recipient!!!!!!

It was such a surprise because they had just announced Mission 3 recipients.

Go take a peek over there and see whats going on in the neighborhood.

I already knew that since my friend Heather was part of this,

it was something good.

An organization started because of something hard,

people that were hurt turned something bad

into something good.

Putting iPads into the hands of little ones with disabilities.

I love getting good news!

I almost tremble at the thought of what this will do for Lil G.

sayingThank you seems so small.

Our hearts are very thankful tonight.

Under His wings,

Anna

An old painting "made new "

I mentioned last week

that I pulled out a box and portfolio of old paintings

looking for treasures.

This painting.......

now looks like this.

I just need to decide on a Bible verse

to write in calligraphy around the perimeter.

Ive asked a few friends

to share their favorite verses

hoping one would resonate.....

I need to add a little more deep blue on the cross

for added contrast.

Hope to share the end product soon!

Under His wings,

Anna

An Irish blessing

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

The rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

May God be with you and bless you;

May you see your children's children.

May you be poor in misfortune,

Rich in blessings,

May you know nothing but happiness

From this day forward.

May the road rise to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home

And may the hand of a friend always be near.

May green be the grass you walk on,

May blue be the skies above you,

May pure be the joys that surround you,

May true be the hearts that love you.

-An Irish blessing

(as you can see Grace is too busy to be troubled)

Top o' the mornin'!

This is the day for the wearin' of the green and the celebration of the shamrock.

St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the mystery of the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost;

three persons Who are one God.

The three leaves also symbolize three great virtues of I Corinthians 13:13, faith, hope, and love,

and when there's a fourth leaf, the blessing of luck!

- Fay Angus

Ive been busy re working another 8 year old painting.

I cant wait to show you a before and after.

Transformation not restoration

I review books as one of my hobbies,

the most recent book to arrive in the mailbox has been

a treat.

What grabbed my heart last night,

pg 30 of "My own worst Enemy"

how to stop holding yourself back by Janet Davis.

"In his book Becoming Human, Brian Taylor describes

how often we want restoration rather than transformation.

We want God to simply tweak our lives, make us into a new and improved

version of the woman we already know,nothing too dramatic.

Yet we serve a God who is all about transformation:

turning caterpillars into butterflies,

making the new pretty unrecognizable to the old.

God tells us not to stop in the plains,

but go all the way to the mountains,

the land of the unknown."

Remember the Story of Lots wife?

that is what she references here......

"we are not called to settle for simply living a good life, we are called to shine.

The real irony for us as Christians is that this kind of leap into the unknown

is the very nature of the life of faith we are called to live as our NORM.

Faith moves us to that which we cannot see.

She mistook her past for her Life.

"Remember Lots wife! WHoever ties to keep their life will lose it,

and whoever loses their life will preserve it. (Luke 17:32-33)

I found this reading to be so applicable to where I am right now.

You can read that I was rummaging through boxes of artwork yesterday.

If we care called to shine.

How can this gift,

this talent,

this blessing be used

if its in a box? Portfolio??

remember as little kids singing,

"This little light of mine,

Im gonna let it shine......

Hide it under a bush?

Oh NO!!!

Im gonna let it shine."

I found a painting that I really really disliked,

and thought,I surely cant ruin it.

Im gonna put some different color in it and see if its fixable.

So I started playing in paint.

By the time I sat back and took a new look.

it took my breath away.

I had mentioned to my daughter

that parts made me think of some images Id seen of outer space

then you add the butterfly

in brilliant white contrast

with an image- barely visible

of a realisitic butterfly.

The word transformation came to mind,

how wed lost a dear friend this week to ALS,

how hospice uses a butterfly to convey their message,

and how we believe when we die

we are instantly swept up to heaven

our souls are gone.

Leaving behind the shell of the earthly body we no longer need.

This painting will be called,

"Going home."

(mixed media- ink pouring, acrylic, watercolor)

I remain,

Under His wings,

Anna

Linking up today : Studio JRU

Paint party Friday

A little Spring cleaning????

A productive day.......

it all started with this......

How can anything be created here?!

I banished the wedding crafts to the top of the filing cabinet

a stamp collection in this.........

and now in this antique canning jar.

a beautiful collection of leaves.

all red and yellow heart-shapes.

raining down.....

lets just save a few.....

I freed up a drafting table so I could sketch

and paint a little....

with some pan watercolors and

a new travel waterbrush that

I LOVE!!!!

then I opened my Art potfolio

and found a beautiful mess.....

spread everything out and sorted through

years and years

of watercolor creations.

sorting through what can be shown at our churchs

Art Gala next weekend.

I am hoping that all I do is honoring to God

that it will be a beautiful offering.

An offering of Thanksgiving.

Im trying to keep perspective-

Under His wings,

Anna

Versatile blogger????

So I, like Becca, just dont know what to think about this award?

It seems to me like a nice way of saying ADD blogger,

I read somewhere out in Blog-land-

that we are supposed to ask the question:

"who am I speaking to out there?"

taps microphone, clears throat,

"Is there anyone out there?"

"Is anyone listening?"

WHO IS MY AUDIENCE?

If you read my title,

yeah up there with Lil Gs adorable pic

there arent many people out there

that would find my blog posts applicable

each, and every day.

Some of you may see the title of my post for the day,

your eyes glaze over and click,

you move on in your blog reader.

I try not to get my feelings hurt.

Cuz really,

how many people

love to read about

knitting, purling, slip slip knit, casting on, frogging, stockinette stitch

or

I-800, Hague convention , home studies, orphans, bonding/ attachment, PAD

or

Art journaling, HB lead, 140lb cold pressed, .5mm rapidograph, sketching

or

faith, grace, scripture, The Message, United Methodist Church, communion

or

DS, the "R" word, low muscle tone, opthamologist appointments, pincer skills

see I told you, there was something in that list that made you think," HUH?"

So is versatile a good thing?

I dont know.

I see how many followers other blogs have

I see all the comments

I long for that.

BUT

that is not why I started blogging,

or continue to blog.

There are just so many thoughts,

So many communities that have reached out,

"See what Im reading, see what Im knitting right now." ( I think, "hey, knitting IS cool!)

Imagine

a

photo here

Ill share on

Friday

"Look at whats on my drawing table right now."(I think, "how inspiring! ")

"Lets celebrate creating!!!" (I think "I really am an artist!" )

"You know, I struggled during the wait of our adoption, it changed me."

(I think,"whew, Im not the only one.")

I have a voice,

and I hope that what I have to say helps someone out there.

No matter how many things I ramble on about, each one is important.

Cuz theres no reason for someone to think/ feel like they are the only one.

We all need community.

To now get to the big juicy details of the award,

well awards......

I was also tagged in a MEME by Dawn on Feb 18th.

(yeah a whole month!!! eeek)

Im just gonna do a 2 fer 1 deal.

Dawns Meme:

1. what is your greatest food weakness? Food.

2.what is your favorite activity? depends on the day. No favorites here: knitting, painting

3. if I gave you $1,000 what would you donate it to? THIS adoption.

4. What is one dream you had that has changed since childhood?

5. what is your favorite book of the Bible?

6. what is something you like to do by yourself? restroom. really. dont walk in. even in a public restroom.

7. What would be your dream vacation? Okay, there are two: visit my sister in Germany and Id love to see Italy for myself. You know, the water and colors and historical sights.

8. what would you do with a whole day to yourself? Id want to paint all day given the mood Im in right now. Realistically Id prolly just stare into space afraid of really grabbing the bull by the horns and "just doing it".( hey, were being real here.)

9.what is the worst chore you have to do? (or as my grandma would say you get to do ;) Ummm howabout clean the kitchen. yeah, I hate that one the most.

10. Who is the person that has most influenced you life?

11. Why do you blog? (um, if you skimmed over all those words up top, or have forgotten re-read above.)

I find it interesting that Becca was given the Versatile blogger award on Feb 18th too?!

Here are the rules:

1.) Add the Versatile Award graphic on your blog post. (Check)

2.) Thank the Blogger who nominated you. (Check)

3.) Share seven random things about yourself.(check- I just listed eleven)

4.) Nominate fifteen fellow bloggers. (uh nope- if you want to play go for it!!! Consider yourself chosen! Cuz you know if you are versatile or not!)

5.) Inform bloggers of their nomination.

Im moving on.

I have so many things on my "to do list"

that my head is spinning.

(hope you enjoyed my Spring photos from my Lent commitment)

Under His wings,

Anna

where the rubber meets the road

I know Im not the only one.

to sit and wonder what this is all about......

this thing called faith.

such a heated topic

like politics

dont bring it up

unless you are ready.

I guess what gets me the most

is how people use faith

to beat others to a pulp,

the kind of faith that is law- shoulds and shouldnts.....

convictions driving them - horrible acts of crime.

what I am looking for

is someone

male or female

that says," I am a christian."

not just with their mouth

If we claim this title.

Should we even have to say it???

Shouldnt it be evident?

not driving to the local church

to sit, sing, up and down- repeat.

Get back in the car and nothing that happened between those 4 walls

really change how they live

the Day in and day out.

drop some money in the plate as it passes by and it will ease my conscious.

read about the orphans, widows, homeless.... my neighbor.

but not really do anything about it.

(you cant possibly be talking about MOI can you?!)

Wear that cross around your neck

but what about the stuff on the inside.

Dont get me wrong,

I am not speaking of perfection.

(did you know-There is no such thing.)

I am not speaking of doing good things

or being a good person- because that will get you into heaven.

( I'll give you firsthand info -it wont work)

nope. None of that.

Im speaking of someone CLAIMING to be a Christian

ant not studying Gods word,

not getting to know the reality of faith.

Cuz the real Christ I know,

will rock your world,

it will cause 40- somethings like my husband and I

to adopt a child with Down Syndrome

at the time our youngest was 16.....

crazy isnt it?!

and if you know me you KNOW I am not saying this to "toot my own horn."

honey I dont even own a horn!!!! (just the mouthpiece)

We didnt really care what anyone else said about the matter

even the ones that said they "knew Him."

because its not between you and I.

When you know that person called Christ,

really know Him

it changes you.

It changes the way you see things

the way you love others.

You cannot sit still and NOT do something,

anything

about what we see day to day going on all around us.

(dont get me wrong either- I am not someone that believes everyone should home school, or adopt, or.......)

But if you are the "real deal"

you better quit sitting on your hands

thinking its someone elses job......

Here, let me give you an illustration.

You see,

I heard a story,

goes something like this,

"He was a lawyer, and sold everything.

Moved his family to a far off land, called Ecuador, to start an orphanage......."

When I speak of an orphanage

I am not speaking of places you hear about on other websites.

Orphanages where the children are mistreated, hungry,

dont get proper medical attention and services.

No, what God used this man to do was set an example.

This is how children that have lost the most basic need we all have.......

a family

should be treated.

With the best care and attention that can be provided.

A place where the children are raised with love

and dignity

and respect

A place where they are taught about love

and prepared to meet their new family.

a place where both physical needs

and emotional needs are met.

I met this man for the first time back in Feb 2010.

At a local Pann*era.

He didnt seem like what I would have imagined

I dont know what I imagined.

But I fell in love.

how could I not????

His eyes radiated that love for Christ

that made me know he was genuine,

and that smile.

Yup, the real deal.

We sat in Pann*era discussing our adoption,

the hard hard place we found ourselves in.

Between a rock and a hard place.

It was gonna take a miracle......

I could tell they felt our anguish.

Not just husband and I,

but they knew our daughter,

they knew a year had passed since she was shown photos of her Mammi and Papi.

They hurt for our Lil G.

They picked up their cell right there and called Ecuador.

Called their office and talked with them about documents

And asked for action by the end of the week.

They had that kind of faith.

They had built that kind of reputation for themselves.

Not long after our return from Ecuador with our little one we learned of his health concerns,

they came back to the States to have tests run. We were all shocked to learn of his diagnosis- ALS- Lou Gehrigs disease.

Its been a year and a half.

I was shocked to learn that he went home,

his real home

on Sunday morning.

I find myself so so sad to know this.

Its all selfish,

I think if I had been with him,

and really knew him like his wife and children

the pain and anguish of knowing he is gone

would be diminished by the fact that it was all grace......

the fact that he didnt have to walk further down that ALS path

really was grace......

so, I will be selfish and cry some more today

and possibly tomorrow,

and well, tears come easy for me.

But I know, that he did it well,

not perfect,

but he took those words on a page and allowed them to really sink in

and make him the man that really did something about it.

I remain,

Under His wings,

Anna