so, i have this t-shirt that, having been through the dryer one too many times, just did not fit anymore; but i did not want to throw it out. the wording upon this shirt is golden. i thought, hey i will use it within a wall hanging in our office.
my mother-in-law is an amazing quilter; and so she created this:
dispersed throughout are the words upon the t-shirt,
Advice from a Tree:
*stand tall & proud *sink your roots into the earth *be content with your natural beauty *go out on a limb *drink plenty of water *remember your roots *enjoy the view .
This weekend has been a crafty one; assembling bags, melting wax, adding chip dye and then the secret ingredient-Extra essential oils, in preparation of completing our very first batch of orders. Our home smells as if you stepped into an apple orchard & went from smelling of Harvest, to Apple and onto Pumpkin tomorrow, all within a matter of three days. Fall is officially here y'all! See sidebar for photo in color; all Ethiopian colors. Enjoy bringing Fall inside? if so, please check out our link . In the months of Nov.-Dec. wick candles will be available as well.
a NEW template! our other two blogs never had a glitch within the comment section within their layout. why this one did, i guess we will never know. regardless, it was figured out and we now have a better flowing blog to boot; upon recalling (duh) that to actually have a normal comment 'link' (without asking readers go thru click'n the post titles to do so) involved installing a new template. blah. i knew that; but preparing to conquer it took alot of patience & time (ironically, something needed as all AP's know). so, went all out & gave this blog a complete layout lift! < sigh > good grief. now, am off to Zzz.
within video 2, there are what some would consider disturbing 'images' upon its start (i have a hard time referring to people as images). viewing is up to the viewer however we hope one does carry on to watch. & honestly, please pardon me but, suck it up cause it is real and it exists. yes, it reveals one childs desperation being sought thru a farm animal. obviously the result of extreme dehydration, malnourishment, starvation; pick one, each goes hand in hand; surviving upon any means to replenish his little body. along side Bonos' artistical music, led into the heart of the video evolves a level of humanity worth witnessing (by the way, love this song!).
campaign, 'One'
most recent campaign, '(Red)'
I almost had the privilege of meeting Bono. Years ago while working within the missions department of a church, the staff was informed that this man was arriving to speak upon issues such as Human Rights,Global poverty and Africa within our very walls. We soon however learned that he had to cancel this engagement as he had unexpectedly been called & needed elsewhere. This was many moons ago, but knew who he was from the band U2, then becoming aware of his efforts in Africa & his global Human Rights campaigns which now are world known. Aren't they? Well, its getting there. Do I personally respect this man? Well, I do not personally know him so I cannot answer. Now, ask me, do I respect his Efforts and Causes? Well, HECK YES!; which tends to lead into actually respecting the individual from a standpoint of common ground. Whether or not one likes Bono as an artist or an individual is ones personal decision. Some view him for what good work he is doing, others scrutinise him. It seems vividly logical to respect one fully for the good effort they put forth. Whatever the case (Red) has raised funds & awareness; and of the two isn't awareness the point. As I have seen the t-shirts around, it shows he has gotten the message out; even if only a hand full of people understand what this campaign means & represents thru interpreting the Cause as awareness, than Bono has succeeded. His fame, nor his money nor his name should matter; those things have only paved the way to help aid the crusade by offering time & support in a way many 'celebrities' have not. He's a person who seems to continue on while welcoming the understanding & support regardless of any wasted speculation. Well done! I would like to some day attend one of his concerts. It appears he is touring overseas 2010; if anyone knows otherwise, of an upcoming united states tour please let me know.
footnote: the 'videos' themselves are humbly validated through many adoptive families who have, after returning from Africa, shared that they cannot forget what they saw; that they are forever changed.
" You know a dream is like a river Ever changin' as it flows And a dreamer's just a vessel That must follow where it goes Trying to learn from what's behind you And never knowing what's in store Makes each day a constant battle Just to stay between the shores; Too many times we stand aside And let the waters slip away 'Til what we put off 'til tomorrow Has now become today So don't you sit upon the shoreline And say you're satisfied Choose to chance the rapids And dare to dance the tide ; There's bound to be rough waters And I know I'll take some falls But with the good Lord as my captain I can make it through them all "
part II of Mondays post, natural: we biked to KY's Natural Bridge. a bridge which sits in its' natural state created by years upon years of water beating beneath it. as mentioned, check out our post from Monday to view the actual photos of the bridge. (the first photo you will see was taken from beneath the actual bridge; while the third photo is taken standing on the bridge itself looking down). this photo here is at the top; just before getting to the bridge. everyone had to walk through this narrow walkway (about 1.5 feet in width). very cool! me at the top. it was approximately a 2 mile hike straight up. turns & twists. and the higher you got, the steeper it took you. the end result was awesome. i sit by this shaded tree for a photo while taking in all the breath-taking beauty this view top offered. my hubby & bro.-n-law enjoying the day. a moment of awe. this was on our way out. this drive-thru tunnel was amazing. it was what i would title a cave tunnel. all natural. completely pitch dark. and air conditioned by nature herself. a blast on a motorcycle might i add.
we had a wonderfully great time. if you are ever in KY, i recommend visiting the Natural Bridge & all of its' magnificent surroundings.
here's one hint:& another:okay, three: any guesses? if you are familiar with Kentucky territory you just might know. the post title is part of the answer. more photos to come of our relaxing, fun & beautiful outing, Labor Day, 2010.
& i have to comment on something that occurred today while walking down the trail; my husband softly gestures to me 'honey, look' . as i look up above me, to my sides , at the rocks and sites, he adds, ' honey, open your eyes' . what? huh? i'm thinking what is it i'm not seeing while my head seems to be in the clouds of bliss surrounding me. then, i look ahead, forward. coming up the trail towards us is a little girl, maybe 5 years old, with stunning Ethiopian features. behind her walks her daddy and further behind, out of breath, walks her mommy. both Caucasian. i look to my husband. i say 'thank you' under my breath, as i am smiling inside at this wonderful sign. a glimpse into our future. what are the chances of, while in the midst of a hike, passing this couple who had obviously adopted from Ethiopia. in our hearts we both knew. my husband and i smiled at each other; the kind of smile where only a couple shares those unspoken words of 'it's all good' focused from the heart, bypassing the mouth. our outing was beautiful and this one moment was important and softly reminds me of how we are on the right path. natural & literally.
i was texting with my dear friend Michelle today, mentioning an experience that lasted about 2 minutes yesterday. she said ' i think it is a sign' , and i already agreed as that is what i felt Sunday for those brief moments in my car...
it occurred yesterday as i was driving home. on our country road. just my car on the road. a beautiful day. when what seemed like 500 yellow butterflies appeared within the parameters of the outside of my vehicle. they stayed, fluttering around, and traveling with me. on the radio i noticed what song was playing. my body, my mind, my instinct intertwined at that moment. i knew.
my mother passed away 6 years ago. yellow was her favorite color of flower. the artist who was singing on the radio was one of her all time favorite singers. we grew up listening to his voice blaring on the record player, the 8 track, you name it.
i listened to the words. i watched the butterflies. it was beautiful.
the song sang words that were not of coincidence at that very moment. it sang of reaching out, hands touching hands, spring becoming summer;
we decided to adopt this past spring & we apply to adopt in Oct.
it sang of affirmation, of pride in someone you love. for myself, it was interpretation of my mothers love. of her comfort & validation in knowing her daughter is happy. her peace knowing we are adopting a child, a daughter, her grandchild. it sang of a message of love and comfort. of life's grand full circle. and that she was okay and loving us all from above.
as the village of yellow butterflies danced around my vehicle & the song played on, the two paralleled into one occurring at the same moment creating its' glory.
this experience was my mom. some things you just know.
