Count your many blessings!

From 2002-2006, my mother-in-law, Peggy and I operated a 1400 s.f. retail rubberstamping, scrapbooking and paper arts store in Mansfield, OH. In 2006, Michael and I moved to the Atlanta, GA area due to his job relocation. While I really miss being close to family, this has been an interesting transition for me, full of changes. In 2005 our twin daughters graduated from high school, followed by our son in 2006. When talking about being a mother of twins, for instance when a young mothers asks "how did you do it?", I have to shake my head. I don't know. "...they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint..." (Isaiah). And looking back at the middle and high school years, I didn't know then. Now, the stage is the one called empty-nesting; the college years; the rediscovering-your-Self years...and the falling-in-love-with-my-husband-all-over-again years (I know, I'm blessed to be in love with my husband as I am, and he with me)!

I ramble. Not that that's a bad thing. I even looked it up and found a definition to be a positive thing, a happy-go-lucky wanderer. I will indulge you...

When HAS there been a slow time in my life, a time when things become relatively routine, most things are in order, and I feel in control of my present and optimistic about the future? I haven't had a lot of 'slow' times. But I tell you this: When we left OH for GA in the summer of 2006, time was slow but events were a blur. I'd just left the retail store, giving over my half of the ownership back to Peggy. I had medical issues, primarily: depression. My youngest was graduating. One of the girls was attending Ohio State University (Go Buckeye's!!!), and the other had left for adventure in the Rockies, with unbelievable artistic aptitude and a love for snowboarding and skateboarding. Michael and I sold the house, lived in corporate housing for a bit, then found our wonderful home and moved in early August, 2006.

Finding the house is a story in itself. We had a wonderful Realtor, a relocation specialist who went to great lengths to help us find a place that met our needs. Though to this day, I'm not really sure what she was thinking when we told her one of the criteria was that we could run around naked in the back yard. That was a given. The kids were on their own, and if we needed to go outside and change the sprinklers or fill a bird feeder or get a sunburn on unmentionable places, that was our god-given right! So GET THIS! Not only did our house have a backyard to do just that, it had a wooded area with a creek, perfect for my love of nature, albeit I've never lived this far south. The deciding factor however, was the studio. Okay, others called it a Workshop. And part of it is still a workshop. But it's MY studio, my creative place where I can do just about anything. ( started with 1/3 of the space, thinking a 12x20 area would be more than enough. We had space for garden supplies, camping and outdoor stuff, and even our fitness equipment with corner weights, a treadmill and punching bag, set out on one of those puzzle-mats. On top of that, Michael had his corner for the workshop, with garage access for auto, motorcycle, remote control planes, paint ball gear, winemaking supplies...he had his blissful workshop, and I, well I was ecstatic - I insisted on 1/3 of the space, but Michael finally convinced me I needed 1/2...so my dear friends, I have - thank you, Jesus, Praise God!, over 400 s.f. to dabble around in. It gets really messy. Then I go ballistic and get everything all organized, only to get it messy again. I am so excited...It's been a rough fall and winter with (as always) many changes and challenges, so I feel like I am 'coming back' to the person I want to be, the me that I know is my truest me, quirky as I am.

I have so much to be thankful for. My friends, count your blessings.