And another week starts ....

So much happening around me lately ~ and not all so great so I haven't felt like posting much lately ~ want to try and keep the stressing to a minimum ha ~ so for now I will just post up two Halloween layouts I did last weekend, first ones I have ever done. I have for some reason felt like scrapbooking Halloween of late, whether it's the cool weather starting ~ or the awesome Halloween colors out there that are drawing me I don't know but for now I will just post these two layouts ~

Time to be Thankful .....

I trully think that one of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving ~ The weather is beautiful (usually no snow quite yet), lots of sunshine ~ fall colors still to be seen, schedules usually even out from the bluster of summer ~ activities get going ~ sports and social related, life seems to settle a bit. It's easy to sit and be thoughtful about what in life makes you so thankful everyday ~ decided time my blog needed a bit of a list of what I am trully thankful for in life:

I am thankful for:
~ for my son ~ he trully is my inspiration in life. We have been a family of two for a long time, people come and go in our lives but I always know where he stands in mine ~ and it is a rock that I have held on to a few times.
~ for Sarah ~ I am thankful that Alex has found someone in his life that is good to his soul and that it is visa versa. I know many will say that they are young and have a whole life to live ahead of him, but I say it is great that he can have this amazing growing experience ~ and build the foundations of a strong and lasting relationship.
~ for my family ~ I am trully thankful for my relationships with my sisters, though we have all had our periods where one or more of us wasn't seeing eye to eye or were estranged, I trully have unique and special relationships with them all. Love them much. And the support my mom and hubby show for my son especially has meant the world to me, my family loves him and lets him know this, very important to me. My cousin Bonny, we finally saw each other again this summer after years of only communicating by letter and email ~ she has become one of my closest friends, and I am thankful that she is part of my life and that we are able to share openly with each other, she is good for my heart. My work family ~ especially my employers ~ Dave and Dale, have been a part of our lives for over 10 years now, and we all have lived through together ~ trials in our lives, triumphs in our days, and just simple day to day living, I am so thankful that I have been blessed by being drawn far away from my then home ~ to come and work for this husband and wife duo, I have grown so much.
~ for my friends ~ friends come and go, some stay ~ some get stronger, some change and become more of aquaintances ~ but it is an amazing experience to have them all in my life. From cyber to close tell all my secrets to friends ~ these men and women have all touched my heart in different ways, and continue to add to my ever weaving tapestry of life.
~ for the art of scrapbooking ~ it is one hobby/craft/art that next to photography has added so much to my life. Through expression and lovingly creating art out of special memories ~ I have been able to get through dark periods, celebrate more the good times, reflect on things I might have just brushed by, and meet amazing and talented souls ~ who if anything we connect by our love of pictures, memories, family, friends, pets, special moments, and love of art. It has kept the creative side of me alive, which has been instrumental in my growth and curiousity of life ~ and keeps me grounded and moving forward.

These are a few things I am very thankful for yesterday, today and tomorrow ~

What are you thankful for?

Hugs from me to you ~ I wish you all a Lovely Thanksgiving ~ however you spend it!

It's a thoughtful time .......

As we near the Thanksgiving holidays ~ it magnifies the thoughtful aspect of the day ~ usually this time of year is a time of reflection for me ~ summer coming to a close, fall is my favorite time ~ where I find myself being more aware of the outdoors and my surroundings more than any other time of the year ~ kids back in school, events, activities ~ starting up or ending ~ etc etc etc. At this time my thoughts are constantly pulled back to my amazing bossman Dave and his family ~ for those that are close to me they know how close I am with my employers and their family ~ basically we have grown together. When I came to work for them my son was just a young boy and now he is a young man, I have been here for over 10 years and really my employers and their family is my work family. I have openly discussed how 2 years ago when Dave was first diagnosed with cancer and started his fight, how it affects everything ~ from the inspiration that he gives me for all that he has gone through, his amazing mind set for what he is still going through, and his facing reality of what is to come ~ he is an amazing man. Since his cancer has come back earlier this year ~ and he had to go back into chemo treatments ~ it's been a long go, the treatments this go around have taken alot more from him, strength, health, his hair ~ we have come to dread his chemo weeks knowing the days to follow take such a toll on him, completely drag out everything he has and beats him up ~ it's a hard time. This week is his last chemo treatment for this go around, which in itself brings all sorts of stress ~ next week scans to see if the last go around has done enough damage to the lesions so they can operate ~ or if his care from this point forward will only be pallative ~ I feel like my heart is twice it's size lately, with the ache I feel for them all. Last year I lost my dear Uncle Harry to cancer, he also had a long and difficult battle ~ and I struggle to understand how to come to terms with this very cruel disease that robs people of their lives and affects everyone around them.

I have friends that are also dealing with a loved one being ill with cancer ~ and my heart goes out to all ~ and my thoughts and prayers are with them.