Children...

I remember a picture that I once embroidered... I used to do that you know... embroider... I think I began when I was around eleven. My mother was always crocheting or embroidering and I wanted to learn too so I could be considered more than a child. I was very good at it by the time I married at 18. I creweled a very large, gawdy, orange, sunset of a ship sailing into the sunset. Was that prophetic? I thought it romantic at the time as I embroided the tiny woman and child waving to her sailor. I learned to knit, crochet, embroider, cross-stitch, craft, and sew. My biggest claim to fame was when I sewed a baby-blue polyester suit coat for the love of my life! Although I didn't quite get the bias right on the lapel, and fashion tape wasn't invented back in 1974, my love wore it. Perhaps he only wore it when I was looking... but he wore it.
When my sons were small an annual effort was to sew matching outfits. They were ADORABLE if I do say so myself. Over the years I continued to collect fabrics, thinking I would begin to quilt... well... times and people change. My life became full of raising three very active boys. They consumed all my energy, trying to keep up with working full-time and shuttling them to skating rinks, baseball fields, and such. .. then I went to college. My first class in ernest was 10-years ago this January - Psychology 101 at Grand Valley State University... the same week my oldest son showed at my doorstep with a very pregnant girlfriend... do I drop my class? It's not too late... no, now more than ever I realized I was going to need tools to put in my psychological toolbox...my boxes of crafts were closed, I would get back to them. A couple years later, we downsized... moving away from the country and became full-time parents again... this time to a bright-eyed blonde grandhild. Sometimes I think he takes more energy than the three of my own put-together... but then I remember I'm not a young parent anymore.. The boxes and all of my cross-stiched pictures were sold. A symbolic closing of a chapter of my life. The territory ahead was uncharted... together my husband and I would make it through the unknown waters... we've been there before.. we'd make it through. We're still plugging through... there are no crafts to go back to. I now have books and classes and more of the unknown to wade through... I've learned that what is important is that wonderful man who would do anything to try to make me happy, who would wear anything...not to hurt my feelings... I'm still crafting... perhaps not with material items, but with developmental building blocks. My (our) latest project is showcased in the John Ball Park Zoo slideshow. It takes a lot of effort to raise another family, but the results are definitely worth it!

Uncle Devon taking Josh for his first canoe ride!

Josh w/ imaginery friend at Trick Dogs in Frankfurt

Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok... I'm on a roll now! Sooo... truth be told, this is not an original thought! (thank you Marlene!) You will LOVE this tribute to mom... you don't have to be a mom to appreciate it either! Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfIieEVQDpY

Don't Worry... Be Happy...

I received this from my son Ryan today! It is just too good not to share!!! For those days when what you do doesn't seem appreciated, just know, it could always be worse!!! Someone could be capturing your pain with Kodak film!!! Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nDClh9NpZw

Words from the Journey

Well I know, I know, it's been a while and I fear your skeptic glance at my post. Perhaps you are thinking I have something profound to share... quite honestly... I'm inspired to write by my friends who are tired of reading their usual blogs and have encouraged me to well, write SOMETHING... so here I sit, babysitting my 85 lb. fur-grandbaby... while my husband is quietly but intently is working with his graph paper, designing a fabulous deck. The inspiration is that we will be able to sit on it this fall and contemplate the changing seasons in Michigan whilst we sip our hot mulled cider. Well, here we sit, no television because the young Moore family doesn't have cable and it is just nice to pretend we are at a cabin on the lake where the whitenoise of everyday life can't reach us... we're on a day's vacation... just enjoying having a dog without the daily responsibility it take to own one. Sheeba is a joy.

Perhaps I will be more inspired to write ... I'm looking for something good to do for myself, an outlet from the tedious reading that accompanies grad work. I think I have become to vigilant in my educational pursuit to stop to enjoy the simple things in life... like dogs. Well, you asked for it... perhaps I'll write again before a year passes by! I will have a month off school in August. Blessings...