Balance

Me working on an embroidery project

Last night I finished a big project I have been working on. When it gets to where it is going, I will show you pictures and tell you more about it. But last night I finished.

I thought it would take me longer to finish and was worried it wouldn't be finished on time. Surprisingly to me, I finished with time to spare.

There's a huge amount of relief and pride in finishing a project. It's not perfect, people will know it was handmade for sure. Despite that, I can step back and be proud of it and feel pretty accomplished for making it.

It's also a bit sad that it's done. That was a lot of time and a lot of work. I suppose it's a bit like the post-Christmas blues. This project has consumed me, I've stayed up later than I should on more than one occasion. And yet, it has to end at some point, because if it trailed on forever, it would make me crazy. I'd get frustrated and walk away and maybe pick it back up in a couple of years.

I know. Because I might have more than one project laying around that has been laying around for more time than they should be.

So I finished the project, but quickly moved on. I've already started different projects - crafty and organizational. I'm half-way through a crochet blanket. I began organizing (tagging, deleting the bad ones, captioning, etc) my digital pictures. And at the start of this year, I decided this was the year to tackle all those half-finished, laying around, feeling forgotten about projects. Well, okay, I probably won't finish all of them, but I do plan to finish some of them.

I'm trying to limit the number of new projects I start to help me get to the end of the other projects. But there are always new projects to start, new tasks to tackle, new ideas that excite me - that grab hold of me and make me want to start right this very minute!

It's all about the balance - balancing the new with the old, balancing the time spent on these projects with the time spent with my family, cleaning, being at base/softball games, and the other million things that I should be doing daily (even though I don't always), so many thing to balance. I'm not good at all that balancing. I'm both literally and figuratively bad at balance. But I plod along, doing the best that I know how to do. Because at the end of the day, that's all I can do.

Courage

Miss M at her recital

Two weekends ago, Miss M (10 year old) had her first ever voice recital.

To say she was nervous might be just a big of a understatement. The girl was terrified. So she let out some tears, we talked, we hugged. I even told her she didn't have to go if she didn't want to but warned her she might regret it if she didn't try it. After all of that, she decided to go.

And she did it! She did a great job. I was quite the proud mama! I know it took a lot of courage for her to get up in that room and sing - in front of people she both knew and didn't know.

My brave girl is even talking about what she will sing in the next recital. I'm so glad she did it and she survived and wants to do it again.

I know exactly how she was feeling because about a year ago, I took the stage for the Chicago Listen To Your Mother show. Before the show, I was COMPLETELY terrified. But I took to the stage and I did it. It made me feel empowered and it made me proud of myself.

I hope my daughter felt the same way after her recital. I mean she told me she was happy and glad she did it. She said she was proud of herself. But I hope she felt empowered and really proud, like deep down proud. Because getting up in front of people and sharing a part of yourself - a song, a story, a piece of artwork - it takes courage.

This past weekend, the husband and I headed into Chicago again for the 2013 Listen To Your Mother Show. It's quite a difference experience to be sitting in the audience as the women in the show take the stage and open up their hearts to share their story with us. I sat there and listened to them sharing - sometimes laughing, sometimes nodding along because I got it, sometimes with a tear or two that needed to be wiped - and thought about how much courage they had to get up and share.

I'm glad so many people are courageous in this world and share a part of themselves. I know it's not always easy and can be hard, but it is such an amazing gift to give others. And I'm even more proud my daughter is one of those courageous people!

Expanding

Our (not so) little family expanded this week. By quite a bit.

I'd like to introduce you to

 

Sprinkles, Orangina, Alex, Lauren, and Alberta. Our chickens.

I know, I know. I live in a small neighborhood and have slightly larger than a postage stamp of a yard. But yes, these are our chickens! They won't be living with us for very long though. Just a few weeks and then they will go to my parents' farm to live permanently {where they will be happier and my neighbors will be happier ;)} 

The chickens are technically for my 10 year old. But really, she claimed two the rest of (minus husband) all claimed one of them for ourselves! 

She will be showing at least one of them at the county fair this summer. We thought she might also be able to auction off some eggs as part of the fair, but our chickens will probably not be laying by that time - so hopefully next year! {This is just some of the stuff we are all learning now}

But our little chicks are so cute. They have completely taken our hearts! I checked on them several times last night - it's like having a little newborn back in the house, except they don't cry and wake you up! 

A few of the neighborhood kids came over to see them today. Naturally, because they are so cute and it's not everyday (at least in these parts) that your neighbor has baby chicks in their garage!

I can't wait to see how the chicks grow and change and turn into grown-up chickens! I can't wait to eat eggs that will come from our chickens! I can't wait to see all that we can learn, which judging how things are going already, is going to be a lot!

If everything goes well this summer, next year we will probably add more to the flock, but for now we are going to enjoy these cute, fluffy, little ones =) 

2 Years

Two years ago I wrote this post.

Two years.

I can't lie. It feels both much, much longer. And every so often, it seems like it hasn't been that long. {Though that feeling is rare and often fleeting}.

Two years.

Alright, alright. What I'm really thinking is two effing years.

Two effing years.

****

On another, related note. Since today is my two year canciversary (?) it seems fitting to share this here today. My children helped me make this video. It's for a contest Avon is holding for walkers this year. I'd like to point out, I didn't give my kids scripts. I told them generally what I wanted and let them go.

I thought we had everything we needed when my oldest told me she had something more to add, and that's how the ending came about! I teared up then. I tear up every time I watch. I'm told, I'm not alone in it.

So here you go, why I'm walking in the Avon 2 Day walk this year



Happy Friday everyone!

xoxo,
Brandie

P.S. The song in the video is by the very talented Monica Allison.

Storms

sky before the storm - taken last summer

Storm clouds - dark, swirling 
Pouring down sadness and pain 
Sunshine, please come back

 I wrote that last week, late at night, and sent it out on Twitter. I don't often (as in almost never) write poetry, but it just seemed so fitting.

Last week was such a heavy week. It seemed like every time I turned the news on another story was breaking or changing or updating. It was all so overwhelming. Boston, West - in my thoughts.

And here? Here it literally stormed a lot last week. Many areas around us flooded - some areas still flooding. We personally were okay. Some roads in our town were shut down for a bit which made for an interesting commute for the husband.

This was all mixed with still feeling pretty overjoyed that the spot biopsied was not cancer. Last week I had one of the best appointments with my oncologist. My body is healing (again). Iron levels are still low, but so much more improved than where they were at their low. And my body promptly celebrated all of this by getting some sort of virus.

Last week was full of so many ups and downs, such an intense week.

And here we are, another week. A busy week for us - baseball and softball have started and there are a lot of practices to be juggled with the first game taking place over the weekend! Because that's how it works. Life keeps going. The sun keeps rising. Even during the hard times.