Merry Christmas Eve, blogger friends! May yours be full of family, warmth and love. 

Blessings,

Sara

Warm fuzzies.

I am blessed. Through family, through friends. Many reminders of a beautiful life. This season always gives me the warm fuzzies. This year is no different. The warmth of the tree glowing, the smell of goodies in the kitchen, the sounds of laughter from family gathering together, greetings from far and near. Warm fuzzies abound.

Pushing aside all the materialism and consumerism that Christmas has turned to, the true beauty of the season is revealed in the warm fuzzies. Blessings that brighten the day and the season, reminding us of our Creators love.

A season of Hope.

We attended the burial of our friends first and tiny child yesterday. A little girl named Sofia Hope that only lived in this world for 30 minutes. A little girl who blessed her parents and a hand full of others in the short short time they had with her. It was a day riddled with sorrow, pain and tears.. But as the service began, the worship songs were sung, words of Hope were spoken, and the crystal clear day shone bright the tears were not Hopeless.

This is the season of Hope. Even in our sorrow and pain, there is Hope.

Works in progress..

Perfection

I try, my designs require a certain amount of it. However I never am able to attain it. So I reconcile myself to the fact that my designs aren't always perfect, in fact they often have a somewhat unfinished look. Sometimes I'm the only one who sees the imperfection, sometimes someone else sees it. I've given into the flaws and let them give my work a character all their own. Or so I say.


I guess that's how we operate as human beings too. Seeking perfection but not attaining, gaining character with our flaws. Hmmm...

In the shelter of EACH OTHER

we will LIVE.

I love this song by Jars of Clay. It speaks to my heart in so many ways. My family, my friends, all believers, all people. We live together, in the shelter of EACH OTHER.

Something we all need to remember. A truth this country could stand to listen to.

We DO live in the shelter of each other. A beautiful example of this happened this weekend on The Mall. A huge number of people coexisting peacefully, rallying around the same purpose. We live together, we need to live in unity. No matter our politics, religion, world view, etc..

"If there is any peace, if there is any hope. We must all believe, our lives are not our own. We all belong. God has given us each other. And we will never walk alone." ~Jars of Clay, Shelter

Tis the season...

Or almost anyway.

My recent project is to come up with a good design for Christmas cards. I have a few ideas, and a few sketched out with my Bamboo pad. The idea is to keep them pretty simple. I've never enjoyed the gaudy Christmas stuff, so I'll put my own spin on it.

Yes, I'm already getting excited for Christmas. I know, I know Thanksgiving hasn't even gotten here yet. I think it's because last year I was a little distracted during the holiday season by a little bundle of boy and this year he will actually be able to enjoy it. I'm ready for the warm fuzzy lights to spring up around the neighborhood, the pine smell that fills the house, the carols,  family filling the house. Yup, I'm ready for all of that.

A momentous occasion.

Because I can barely contain myself I must blog about it!!!!

Isaac, the boy who is up usually no less then 4 or 5 times a night (usually more) slept for NINE STRAIGHT HOURS last night. NINE. Did you hear me? I said NINE HOURS!

I am allowed to be yelling excitedly about this. He has never slept more then 6 hours at a time and that only happened once when he was 4 months old. This is a big deal. A BIG DEAL.

That is all.

Leap of Faith

Oh to have the faith of a child. Today as I was playing outside with Isaac he helped me to see something so clearly. We were down at the big chair playing one of his favorite games. Basically he takes a running leap off of the big chair into my arms knowing he will be caught. No idea of what would happen if I didn't catch him. He loves it and wants to jump over and over, sometimes he gets too excited and forgets to run to the edge before he starts his free fall. It's so easy for him to have the faith to hurl himself off the chair. These days times are tough for our little family, I am in a constant battle for control of life. While all the while I know that God has us in his hands and I need to take that leap of faith my son so innocently portrays time and again. Our life right now seems to be a leap of faith, but I've fought it every step of the way. I think it's time for me to step back and allow for God to speak to us whatever it is he is trying to tell us during this season. 

It's time for a leap of faith.

I've tried this before.. time for another go.

Actually, this blog is going to be about something more then just life. Don't worry life there will be room enough for you too. But I think I might try to focus a little more on my artwork and the process of trying to make it marketable. The artwork that I speak of are my little designs that I've been doodling for years and hope that if I'm creative enough can become some passable greeting cards and prints. This has been a dream for a long time and something that my family has been pushing for. But for me to do something I tend to have to make it my own idea before I can get it out there. Therefore we will forget the part about my family wanting me to do this and pretend that I came up with the idea by myself. Good job, Sara!

The reason that it has taken so long to even get to this point of fruition is simply an artists fear of rejection. Also, there are the technicalities of figuring out computers and software and trying to wrap my brain around how to get things printed. So here we are. I have the software I need thanks to my parents and brother for an amazing birthday gift. My days when not in the middle of playing/chasing/reprimanding/cuddling my son are spent trying to figure out my newest toys. I am beginning to build a stash of new art. Using my computer as my sketch pad has cut out the middleman. Making everything in one place and accessible. The ball has begun to roll but wait.. we're at another road block. This time it's the expense of starting up. That will take awhile to remedy, but there is plenty to do in the meantime.

Here's to keeping the dream alive.

(who am I kidding? this blog will be about anything i want it to be at the time that i want it to be about anything.)