September: A Month to "Return"

My writing prompt for the month of September is: Return. Join me this month as I turn the hands of time back to the distant and not-so-distant past and remember....

Today's post is going to be called 37 years of memories, and I'm going to try to recall a highlight from each of my 37 years. These will either be memories that I recall directly or from photos or from stories recounted to me by my family. If you don't have the patience to read all of it, go to 1984, because it's a cool story.

1974 - the year of my birth

1975 - we moved to San Antonio where I would live for the next 12 years

1976 - the year my sister was born

1977 - my earliest memory is of posing for a picture with my sister, and then seeing the picture after it was developed and remembering posing.

1978 - attending St. Thomas preschool and painting "Texas Longhorns" - my first artwork that was intentionally done--not just child's "scribble".

1979 - I remember feeling shocked that my mother signed me up for soccer instead of ballet, like most other girls, and then I was shocked that I was really good at soccer!

1980 - My first grade teacher was Mrs. Bibb, and I really liked her.

1981 - I remember my second grade teachers name, but I won't write it here because of what I'm about to say about her: I really didn't like her.

1982 - My third grade teacher was Mrs. May. She had a baby near the end of the year, and we had a substitute teacher for the rest of the year, and I really liked the sub.

1983 - My fourth grade teacher was Mrs. Denning. She loved sarcasm, and she used it with fourth graders, which I found somewhat inappropriate, but also kind of cool.

1984 - My fifth grade teacher was Mrs. Hiester. I remember being placed in the lowest level reading class that year and being B.O.R.E.D. because it was not challenging enough. At my mother's prompting (THANK YOU, MOM!), I asked for a meeting with my reading teacher and the teacher of the reading class I wanted to be in, and I made my case for being promoted to the next level up. They told me that they didn't think I should be moved up to the next level, and then they at the end of the meeting they asked me if I was satisfied with our meeting. I said "no". The next day, my Mom wrote a note and requested that they move me up to the next level, which they did, and I made really good grades in the higher level class. It was a great lesson in believing in myself, and a great lesson to my future self to listen to my children! I'm so glad my Mom listened to me and was on my team! I love you, Mom! (Anecdotally, by the end of the year, Mrs. Hiester must have believed in my, too, because after the reading class deal got resolved, she told my mom that she thought I would one day be President!)

1985 - Sixth grade. At the prompting of a school administrator, I decided to run for student council, and I was elected! It was such a good experience that helped me to develop leadership skills.

1986 - Seventh grade. Probably my worst year of school ever, for reasons I can only attribute to the fact that it was jr. high school, and really...did any of us just LOVE junior high?

1987 - We moved from San Antonio to the Houston area. I had no idea at the time that Houston would be the city I'd end up considering my "hometown".

1988 - My freshman year of high school, I joined the tennis team. There were a group of guys who started off being really nice, but then they singled me out to be the girl on the team that they were mean to. It just started all of a sudden one day, and I never really know why. Jerks. Also? My tennis coach was a jerk.

1989 - I did a theatre performance at school, and I really enjoyed it!

1990 - We had an exchange student live with us from the Canary Islands. (Hi, Monica!) I still call her my Spanish sister!

1991 - I got my drivers' license, and passed on the first try. I remember looking at my score sheet and adding up my score and realizing that the officer passed me even though my score wasn't passing.

1992 - The year my parents separated. I remember the day I came home from school and my Dad had moved out. He didn't even tell us he'd be moving out that day. I also remember feeling relieved that he had moved out. All of that tension that was in our house was finally gone. I graduated from high school a month later.

1993 - My freshman year in college. I was so petrified that I'd gain the proverbial freshman 15, that I made sure to rollerblade a lot, and I actually ended up losing weight! HA!

1994 - I declared my major as Theatre Arts!

1995 - I was cast in a workshop scene of Two Gentlemen of Verona. It was my first experience with Shakespeare, and I LOVED it!

1996 - I graduated from college, waited tables for the summer, and then I moved to New York City to start acting classes!

1997 - I had an amazing experience at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre.

1998 - I had my first real boyfriend and my first devastating heartbreak when we broke up.

1999 - I booked my first professional acting job! "How the West was Won" at the Tuacahn Center for the Arts in St. George, Utah! What an awesome 9 weeks!

2000 - I interned with a wonderful group of artists at the A.D. Players in Houston, TX.

2001 - My Mom married John!

2002 - I moved to Spain and found myself in a job, country, culture, and a group of friends that I so enjoyed!

2003 - John passed away.

2004 - I worked as a peer counselor at a crisis pregnancy center. Work I really enjoyed.

2005 - I moved to Los Angeles, had an awful roommate, moved out five months later and into my own place!

2006 - I got on eHarmony and met Brian!

2007 - Brian asked me to marry him on New Year's Day, and we married six months later!

2008 - My father passed away at 68 years old.

2009 - Brian and I moved to Houston and started the adoption process.

2010 - We adopted our two beautiful boys from Ethiopia!

2011 - August 30 marked one year together as a family of four. :)

Looking back, I'm grateful for the life I've been given! It hasn't been without it's share of hard times, but it has definitely been full of joy and so richly blessed! Thank you, God, for 37 wonderful years!

The Power of a Name - Crazy Sexy Diet, Day 6

One of the side effects the author of Crazy Sexy Diet wrote that I might experience while doing the 21 Day Cleanse is feeling emotional. That has certainly been the case today. I fought back tears a couple of times before lunchtime.

This morning, I was teary thinking about my late step-dad, John. I really was missing him. He's the person who gave me the nickname Starshine, which is my favorite nickname ever.

I believe very strongly in the power of naming your child well. When we were considering names for the boys, we took into consideration both if we liked the sound of the name, as well as if we liked the meaning of the name. Somehow, it seems that the names we are given have the power to impact us, for better or for worse--not only our literal names, but also the names people call us (good and bad), and nicknames!

This morning, I was just feeling so touched by the meaning of my beloved nickname. John was such an encourager to me when it came to following my acting dreams. I'm sure that he chose the name Starshine for me, because it conjured up images of a big-time actress. He believed in the beauty of my dreams and supported me in my quest to go after them, and that has always meant so much to me. This morning, though, as I was thinking about John, I wondered what he might think about my life being on this side of my Hollywood journey. I left Hollywood never having won a big break, and certainly not having found stardom. (Although I'll be forever grateful for the myriad gifts God gave me while I was there: a husband!, an incredible acting teacher, a technique for acting on-camera, a renewed love for theatre acting, and some wonderful friends to name only a few.)

Without a doubt, John would still be proud of me. Without a doubt, I would still be his Starshine. And this morning, as I stood in this private moment, fighting back the tears, I realized that he didn't name me Starshine because he believed I would one day be a big star. He named me Starshine because he saw the light within my spirit, and he believed that I already was one.

That is the sweetest gift a father could give his daughter. My heart is filled with gratitude, and the floodgates have now let loose. Perhaps this diet isn't just cleansing my body, but also my soul.

Remembering Lynn Redgrave

Yesterday actress Lynn Redgrave passed away. The stage and the silver screen have lost a shining star.

In the mid-90s, my mother took me to see Lynn Redgrave perform her one-woman show, Shakespeare for my Father at the Alley Theatre in Houston. We waited to meet her after the show, and she was gracious and kind to us strangers.

I remember how brilliantly she used Shakespeare's plays to revisit her relationship with her father (Sir Robert Redgrave, a giant of the English stage). I admired her vulnerability, as she laid bare her soul's deep desire to know her deceased father better, and I respected how she could be honest about her own emotions (a deep longing for a closeness with him that he wasn't really able to give) while still honoring her father and his legacy.

You might remember her turn as the wife of prodigy pianist David Helfgott in the film Shine. Sheer genius! She brought such joy to her eccentric character, and I remember it vividly, even though I haven't seen the film for over a decade.

Thank you, Lynn, for YOUR legacy that lives on in your writings and film performances. And thank you most of all for your performance in Shakespeare for my Father that lives on in my memory. Your vulnerability on stage touched something in my soul, and I'm grateful.

I like to think of you reunited with your father in Heaven, finally getting to know each other the way you'd always hoped.

Lay her i' th' earth,

And from her fair and unpolluted flesh

May violets spring!

~Hamlet

Sit a Spell...

Last weekend, Brian and I drove to Brenham, TX, home of Blue Bell Ice Cream and Texas' oldest furniture store! We decided to browse around the latter (I love getting ideas for home decorating!), and we found this distressed looking bench, which I thought might be just right for a wall in our kitchen. It also had this lovely feature--hooray for under-seat storage!

Once we got it in our kitchen we both started to have our doubts. We loved the shape of the bench and the little cut-outs along the back, but we thought it looked too driftwood-like, and a little gray for our kitchen. BUT, after 24 hours, it started to grow on me. I laid a blanket on the seat and threw a couple pillows on it, thinking that if I made a seat cushion and pillows, it might tone down the driftwood-ness of it and tie it in with the rest of the house.

I knew it was time to call in reinforcements. I sent my mom and sister an e-mail putting in a plea for them to come over to my house the next day to help me make a decision. No sooner had I put out the request, they BOTH responded. The next morning they were at my house (Sam, too!), and it took them two seconds to agree that we should keep it and make a cushion and pillows. So, we hopped in the car and went to Hobby Lobby, where we bought the needed supplies, and voila!

I'm so pleased with the results! Many thanks to my sister and Mom for their help! This was a day-long project, and I really couldn't have done it without them. Jill found the pattern we used for the seat cushion here.

It's days like these that make me so grateful for the life God has given us back here in Texas. To be able to get together on such short notice and crank out a project like this was awesome. It was like a sororital barn-raising! But I'm most grateful to have family that loves me so much that they were willing to devote a day just to helping me. A big THANK YOU to Mom, Jilly and Sam! xoxoxo!

Lovely Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving in Virginia. We got to spend a week with Brian's mom and family. It was chilly and fall-ish outside, and we spent part of an afternoon hiking around this campground.

I have a great mother-in-law, so visits to Virginia are always great because she's such wonderful company. On top of that, I'm so taken with the natural beauty (4 seasons!) and the architecture (so Rockwellian!) of the east coast. Add it all together, and it's the perfect place to spend Thanksgiving!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

This year, I have so much to be thankful for:

~Our move to Houston and our home here.

~Starting our adoption process.

~Getting to know my nephew Sam and spend time with him.

~Living close to my Mom and sister again.

~The start of Starshine Photography.

~A loving marriage and an awesome husband.

~My Loving God.

Grande Soy Chai Latte, Please!

That would be this morning's order from Starbucks!

Nothing tastes so perfectly like autumn and Thanksgiving to me as a soy chai latte. And the grande part? Well, that's just because it's so good, I wanted a little more this mornin'!

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Thirty-Five!

I turned 35 last week!  I had a wonderful birthday, too.  On my actual birthday day, my mom came over and we spent the day together. She took me out for lunch at an Indian restaurant, and she told me the story of the day I was born. My favorite part is always hearing her tell me that my Dad was so excited he ran up and down the hall at the hospital telling everyone that he had a baby girl!  I love that!

We also talked about what a blessing it is to have a good mother-daughter relationship. I'm so thankful for that and for her.  I love you, Mom!

On Saturday evening, Brian cooked a delicious lasagna dinner for my family and a few friends. I felt very loved and very celebrated!  When Sam came over to my house for the party he was wearing a t-shirt my sister made that said, "I love Tia".  How's that for an awesome nephew!

After dinner, we went outside for a little while to play bocce ball. It was a lot of fun--even Sam thought so!

Finally, we had Baskin-Robbins ice cream cake, and I blew out all my candles!  I feel very blessed with my first 35 years, and I hope this year will be a good one, too--I hope it is the year I'll become a mother.  Every day is a gift from God, and I'm thankful for the gift of life!

An Answered Prayer

As Hubs was going through the interview process last month for the job in Texas, one of our major concerns was that the salary simply would not be enough for us to live on, especially considering that we are hoping to add children to our family in not too long. Still, we felt like God was opening a door for us, and we decided to stay in the process.

The church flew us to Texas and we both really liked the church. That in itself says a lot. One of my issues with the evangelical church in general is that many of them interpret the scriptures to mean that women are not to be permitted to have certain key leadership positions in the church. And because I'm a special brand of Christian (the feminist variety), that interpretation of scripture does not sit well with me. So the fact that this church believes that women can serve in any capacity in the church puts a big smile on my face. I really want to raise my kids in a church environment where they are not just hearing, but also seeing women in leadership. Besides that, the pastor is a wonderful teacher, and the music/worship in the church was awesome!

Hubs' interview went well when we were in Texas, we really enjoyed the people we met, and we flew home thinking that it would be a wonderful church community to be a part of. Still, there was the issue of salary, and the church had made it clear to Hubs that they wouldn't be able to offer more. 

When we got back to California, we knew that we would hear one way or another about the job in about a week. During that week, we prayed two specific things:

1.) That God would "do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine".

2.) That the church would make Hubs an offer that we couldn't refuse.

Well, one week passed, and the phone rang. It was the senior pastor of the church. He told Hubs that everyone involved in the interview process really loved him. He said, "We want to offer you a job, but we want to offer you a different job than the one you applied for." During the week that we were waiting and praying, some circumstances changed and the person who would have been Hubs' boss decided to move into a different area of ministry, and they decided to offer Hubs that job instead! The best part is that it is a job that he is much better suited for than the one he originally applied for, and it comes with a higher salary--one that we feel good about for starting a family!

Needless to say, we were just blown away with God's awesome answer to our prayer. My jaw dropped in amazement and Hubs' hands were shaking when he heard the news. God had worked on our behalf, and we were just sitting there taking it all in. Seeing God work in this way really gave us the confidence we need to move forward with this huge change in our lives.

I decided to share this experience here on my blog for no other reason than that I love to see God work when you know it is Him. Such amazing and specific answers to prayer are so encouraging to me, and I want you to be encouraged, as well.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine...to him be the glory...throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

Transition

You may or may not know that over the past ten months, Hubs has been looking for a new job. He has worked for the past 19 years for a wonderful college ministry, and about a year and a half ago, he graduated with a masters degree from seminary. His desire has been to find a new job in a church in some kind of a pastoral role.

Our preference has been to find something in the Los Angeles area because we both love it here, and for me, it is the professional market that I moved here to work in.  From the beginning of Hubs' search, we have prayed that God would direct us to the right job for him by opening and closing doors. Boy did He ever answer--He closed 16 doors here in the Southern California area!  :)  We knew that if God was faithful to close that many doors that He must have had something pretty special in mind for the door that He would eventually open for us. We decided to expand our search criteria to include New York and Houston, since those are good markets for acting, and my family is in Houston.

In early October, Hubs submitted his resume to a church in Houston that began to show serious interest in him. A month ago, they flew us both out to see the church, meet the people, and for Hubs to interview. To make a long (and very awesome) story short, we loved the church, and they offered Hubs the job! 

We are feeling a mixed bag of emotions here. While we are sad to leave LA, our friends and the life we have so enjoyed here; we are very excited about the future. Hubs is thrilled about his new job opportunity, and I can't wait to live close to my mom, sister & bro-in-law, and of course, little Sam! Hubs is starting his new job March 1.

Meanwhile, we still have some time to live it up here in So Cal, so I decided to really go for it, acting-wise and audition away until it's time to move. I wrote a post yesterday about a dream I had the night before. Many of you said you were bummed that it was just a dream. Well, I think the reason I had that dream is because I found out on Monday afternoon that I have been cast in a play at The Neighborhood Playhouse Palos Verdes!  It is called Our Leading Lady, and this will be the first major production of the show since it opened in New York. I will be playing the washed up ingenue, Clementine Smith, who never arrives places on time and enjoys her whisky a little too much.  Fun, huh? ;)

My play will run February 19 - March 8, so Hubs will move to Texas before me, and then I'll join him as soon as my play closes. As stressful as I'm sure that will be, I'm grateful for his supportiveness and I'm thrilled to be able to leave LA on such a splendid note!

I need to write another post about the amazing ways that God answered our prayers by opening this door for us in Texas, but for now, let me just say that we are so thankful for the opportunities He has opened up for us. To God be the glory!

Just Beneath the Surface

One of the great blessings of our life here in So Cal is a small group that we are part of through our church. Every Sunday a group of 8 of us (four couples) meet together to study the Bible, pray together, and just enjoy a sense of community with one another.  For the past month, we have decided to use our time together to share our stories. Each week, two people have 45 minutes to share the major events of their life stories, and it's been absolutely amazing to hear. 

Our group has been meeting for over a year now, so there is enough trust in place for us to be able to share some of the deeper issues of our hearts with one another. It has truly been a privilege to hear what how the past has shaped each one of us. Every week after small group is over, Hubs and I comment to each other how hearing someone's story gives such a broader context to understanding who they have become. 

Tonight, we heard the last two of the eight of us share. And the thing that has struck me the most is how each one of us has so much going on just below the surface. I'm talking about major, life-shaping things that have taken place over the course of our lives that have had a deep emotional impact on who we are. Both joyful and painful things that have formed us into the people that we are. And if that is true of the eight of us, it is true of each of us walking around on God's green earth.

So much bubbling around just beneath the surface that we rarely let others see.

I feel so privileged to have been allowed to see what's lurking underneath the wrapping paper of these dear souls in our small group, and I'm grateful to have seven people in my life that are trustworthy enough to peer into the inner-workings of my heart, and continue to love, encourage, support and pray for me.

I'm Thankful...

~that even though I'm not going home for Thanksgiving, I still get to spend it with family. One of the miracles of marriage is that your husband becomes your family the moment you say "I do!".

~that even though I miss him, I have peace because my Dad is in Heaven.

~that my Dad lived to be at my wedding and to meet his first grandson.

~for my Mom. She loves me so much, and I'm so glad we get along so well. 

~for my sister, who is also my best friend.

~for Annie, who is my other bestie.

~for harmony in my life.

~for the chance to have visited my dear friends in Spain this year.

~for Hubs' new job (more on that soon).

~for the birth of my nephew Sam this year! I never knew auntiehood could be so wonderful. I'll never be the same again!

~for the past three years in Southern California. I always wanted to live where it's springtime all year round, and I have to say, it's pretty great!

~for having been in a play this year and for the film/tv opportunities I've had.

~for my relationship with Jesus, whose love and forgiveness makes life beautiful.

~for the cool air outside.

~for a new President-Elect, who seems to be humble and approaching his new role with wisdom.

~for friends, with whom I'll get to spend my Thanksgiving.

Father in Heaven,

Thank you for the blessings you have given us this year. You are good.

Amen.

Remembering Maya's Granny

One of my friends, Julie, has been grieving the loss of her dear mother, Joycelyn (known in the blogosphere as Maya's Granny). Julie became one of my first blog buddies when I started The Starshine Report. About a year later, we met face-to-face in San Francisco, and she is just as lovely in person as she is on her blog. Sadly, her mom passed away four days after my dad did, so we have both been blogging about our grief, as we are going through similar seasons of life.

Maya's Granny was a prolific blogger. In addition to writing about her life and the causes she believed in, she also recorded many stories of her youth and of her family history, so that her granddaughter, Maya, would have a written record of them...what a precious gift! Maya's Granny stopped by and occasionally commented here on my blog, always leaving me the most encouraging and uplifting comments. Thank you, Joycelyn! Your kindness meant so much to me, and I will miss you.

"P" is for Parenting a Precious Baby

My sister and bro-in-law are enjoying being parents to their precious one week old, Sam. 

Look how tiny he is with his Dad's hand on his back!

Baby's first bath.

Look who's a precious nugget!

"N" is for Nice

Wow.  I have some awesome friends in the blogosphere (and in real life, too!)

If I was bummed when I wrote yesterday's post, I am certainly feeling affirmed writing this one. I am continually amazed at the support and sense of community I have found through blogging, and this is a perfect example. It is such a joy to have you all out there on the other side of your computer screen reading about my life and sending your support and love right back to me. If I ever am having a bad day in the future, I will come back and read the wonderful comments you all left me on yesterday's post.

Thank you so much, each and every one of you. You really brightened my day with your outpouring of kindness.

I was really struck by how many of you identified so much with how I was feeling. It made me feel better to know that I wasn't the only one, so since so many of us are feeling the same way, I thought you might like to read a compilation of some of the things you said:

• I totally identify with what you're saying. I feel that way a lot too. Maybe it's just the artist in you. Let's not fit in together!
  
• I understand it all too well. I hope you feel better soon...and I would also like to "not fit in together" 
  
• i've felt a lot like you--oYYyyy that horrible awkward jr high feeling! it sometimes makes me want to just hide away and feel sorry for my different-silly-dorky self, ya know? it frustrates me because i feel like others arent looking for friends to make a commitment to--only people who join their cliques on an as-need basis, if you know what i mean. even sometimes with the blogosphere i feel that way, too--like i'm just a huge goofball that still cant even fit in there!
  
• I think most people feel similar, they just fake it most of the time.We Americans like to stay busy and avoid real community most of the time.
  
• I agree with those who say that I think most people feel that way. I know I feel like a huge dork most of the time. And remember, those who are totally 'cool' work very hard at it, and it's a lot of effort that could be better spent being who they are.
  
• I feel like I don't fit in ALL the time. It used to bother me, but now I like it because it means that I am truly unique.
  
• Of course, that's coming from me, a person who hasn't fit in since the day I was born.
  
• I think we all have days like these. God made you just the way you are and you fit right in with HIM. That's all that matters.
  
• I totally understand where you're coming from :)
  
• I learned alot about myself in NYC and much of that has to do with my dorky, weird, misunderstood self.
  
• We all feel disconnected from time to time.
  
• i TOTALLY understand where you're coming from.
  

All I can say is thank you for your empathy. I treasure the uniqueness that each one of you brings to my life. "Cookie cutter cool" isn't nearly as delicious as a beautiful mosaic of uniqueness and quirks!

Have a beautiful day!

"E" is for Exultant!

My Exultant Moment

I'm so excited because I've been rehearsing for a film I'm doing, and shooting starts today. As I was running out to my car during rehearsal yesterday to feed the meter (Doesn't that sound so urban?), I was overcome with joy and thanks and praise to God. Thank You, God! Today is a day that I'm not just chasing my dream, I'm living it! Today I get to be an actress. Today, I am fulfilling my calling. And how full-filling it is!

Jilly's Exultant Moment

My sister is expecting a baby in less than three weeks. She has had a pretty ideal pregnancy, but lately, because the baby is getting so much bigger, she has been very uncomfortable--especially at night. A couple nights ago, she couldn't sleep at all. Finally, she woke her husband up at 5:45 am just so she didn't have to be alone in her misery.  Poor Jilly! At her doctor visit Thursday, he prescribed something to help her sleep. Jilly called my mom this morning absolutely gleeful that she finally got a good night's rest!

I guess my point in all this is that it's the little things--life's sweet moments (like walking to feed the meter)--that are filled with wonder and reason for thanks and praise.

"D" is for Daisies

On Sunday, Hubs came home from the grocery story with these little beauties--just a little love gift. That made me feel as happy and bright as the color of these gerbera! Aren't they the cheeriest?

"B" is for Bride

I absolutely LOVED being a bride, so I was thrilled when someone told me that according to the rules of ettiquette, I would be considered a bride for an entire year after my wedding.  Of course, it was even better news when Hubs told me that he would consider me his bride for the rest of our lives--woo hoo! Does that mean I can take out my dress and wear it around the house whenever I want to?

Anyway, I'm totally milking my one year of "brideness" for all it's worth. So when my dear friend Jen Disney had the BRILLIANT idea that my winter wedding dress should be photographed in the SNOW, I said, "Hubs, call the Men's Warehouse! You're going to be a groom again!" Jen took some awesome photos of us in the mountains of California, as well as some lovely photos in picturesque Claremont.  It was so much fun for me to wear my dress again!  

Here are some of my favorites. See her favorites on her awesome photography blog.

Remembering Pete

I received sad news today that one of my former co-workers, Peter Robert Bunning, passed away earlier this month. He was only 30 years old.

Pete and I worked together for about a year. He was an electrical engineer and very good at his job. Although we only worked together for a short time, he definitely made an impression. I will remember Pete for his warmth, his smile and his wonderful sense of humor. He was passionate about salsa dancing, and I would sometimes catch him in the break room practicing his footwork, which was totally endearing. The man could dance! Because of him, several of us from work would go out dancing together, which made for a fun camaraderie among coworkers. 

Pete won me over immediately with his kindness. My nickname for him was "Sweet Pete".

I'll miss you, Pete. Your kindness, your smile, your sense of humor, and your love of life and dancing endeared you to me and to many. Your life touched me and made a difference in me for the better, and I am honored and glad that I knew you.

Leapin' for Love

Happy Leap Day, y'all!

I didn't even have to look outside to know that the weather had turned from sunny to overcast because as soon as I opened my eyes, my sinuses told me so...headache!  It seems like the only thing that can knock those headaches gone is a good meal and some serious caffeine.  So to celebrate Leap Day, I took myself out for a wonderful breakfast at IHOP.  Ain't nothin' like Harvest Grain 'n' Nut Pancakes, eggs and BACON(!!!) with steaming hot coffee!

That being said, my day has only gotten better and better.

Since I was dining alone, I took a wonderful journal with me called "Conversations" to breakfast. Hubs had recommended an article in it called The Arts as a Means of Grace. Wow! It really hit home.  It was an interview with poet Luci Shaw, and nearly every syllable she uttered was loaded with meaning for me.  I only discovered her poetry recently, and so far every poem I've read has moved me!  One of them in particular called "The Omnipresence" left my heart flowing over with love for God:

The Omnipresence

Reminders flicker at us from

odd angles, nor will he be ignored;

we sight him in unlikely places,

oaths and dates and empty tombs.

God. His print is everywhere,

stamped on the macro- and the microcosm.

Feathers, shells, stars, cells speak 

his diversity.  The multiplicity of

leaf and light says God. Wind,

sensed but unseen, breathes the old

metaphor again. Seasons are his

signature. The double helix

spells his spiral name.

Faith summons him, and doubt 

blows only the sheerest skein

of mist across his face.

Luci Shaw, 1990

As love is what this poem evoked in me, I have been lingering on love since then.  It occured to me that Leap Day is one more day this year to tell those I love, "I love you".

God, I love You! Thank You that I cannot and will never escape Your Omnipresence.

Hubs, I love you. You reflect God's love to me everyday. Thank you for being a tangible reflection of His love and grace to me. I'm learning so much about Him because of you.

Mom, Dad, and Jilly, I love you so much.  I'm looking forward to being with you during the next week.  

Ad, I love you!  Thaggs for beig by bes frenny!  (I hab a cold.)  :)

Friends and blog buddies, I love you.  You are a warm and cozy community, and I'm so grateful for the friendship and support I find with you.  Jelly Jules, if you are reading this, please know that I am especially grateful that today is one more day you get to spend with your dear mom, Maya's Granny!  I'm so glad she's doing better.