You Feeling It?

I like the way it feels when I'm inspired. 

Inspiration can for me take on many forms -  

like for instance the BLUE MOON occasion when I feel inspired to clean my house.  

Savoring the way hot water suds feel, the smell of clorox wipes and the magic eraser's power. 

(which I'm convinced is really magic)  

Because, at that moment, the world will not go on unless my kitchen is spotless.  

Or on occasion when I actually WANT to cook...

 I feel like an artist - it may not taste good, 

but I will have been inspired, and it will look pretty!

You can't always wait to feel it though--

at least that's the antithesis that must be stated to add validity. 

There are things we have to robotically do whether we feel it or not. 

Pay bills, work, wake up with crying teething babies, pack diaper bags,

take kindergarteners to school, buy new tires un-expectantly... argg.

But to feel it? To act on a flame that ignites and propels us 

to think, smile, move, dance, sing, love, write, run, breathe deeply--it's so different. 

A short burst of inspiration, feeling, passion - 

it can accomplish more than hours of robotic output.

 And when you feel it--deeply--the product is undoubtedly more glorious.

I find myself feeling that Come Alive-ness more often now. 

I don't know if it's age or experience or perhaps conditioning...

seeking out a hit of inspiration wherever and whenever I can find it.
Because I know what it feels like to have it...
and I want more of it. 

It's why I have late night impromptu dance parties with Ailey, 

drive around the block AGAIN to see the Christmas lights, 

blister myself on a hot glue gun to create something special,  

go crazy over trying to make our space cozy, 

or close my eyes and almost cry when I see someone perform on stage....

 I feel inspired by it.

Out of that sense of inspiration came this session... 
 and I must say - I was feeling it.  

Until the end - when all three of us were NOT FEELING it. 
(you know, the part where Ailey gently dropped Etta on her face
 and she screamed bloody murder and had dirt all over her face.   
Looking back I wish I had take a picture - 
but as all good moms do, I put down the camera and picked up the kid ... 
who if you're wondering is just fine!)

But we will gloss over that part - and besides all you need to know 

is that these littles help me feel it deeply, from a place I never knew existed until they arrived into my life.


So this season...  you feelin' it yet?
I truly hope so...

And really - this is how we do snow here in Orlando :)

Happy Holidays from cowgirl Jessie!

Tonight at church  - our kids put on a production called "All I Want for Christmas..."  

Ailey played her part and got to dress up as Jessie from Toy Story - which was totally cute.

She did a great job with all of her lines - and I was one proud mama.

A special thanks to Aunt Bethany for helping Ailey with all of her lines 

and even making her a special cd to listen to so she could practice.  

Ailey and her friend Tyler... who just happened to be Woody :)

So Merry Christmas from Jessie!

Christmas Time is Here...

A friend asked me yesterday what my December looked like and, instinctively, 

I began to reply "busy." "Busy" is how I always respond, and it's become second nature 

to have it ready to fire off in response to any question.

"Hey, haven't seen you in a while, how's it going?"
Great, but busy.

"We missed you last week, where were you?"
Sorry, I've been busy.

"Hey, how's your family?"
So freaking busy, how's yours?

And Busy becomes this black hole that mysteriously abducts us away from the humble

 land of availability. I've lately been reminded though thatevery one's busy. 

They're just not all shouting it from the rooftop.

I think we often make the mistake of assuming that our worth somehow corresponds 

with how busy we are. I've done it myself--advised dating friends that if a guy calls, 

tell him you're busy. You're in demand. 

You're just sooooo tied up with fabulous things that make you busy, busy, busy.

When I worked in the nursing home in high school, I remember laughing listening to the residents as they gathered in the lounge...  While most of them had spent their days sleeping, knitting, wandering the halls, at night those banal routines transformed into embellished stories of just how very busy they were. And whether or not their tales were altered by dementia, it was obvious they understood the idea that they were admired, 

even just within the small community of wheelchairs, if they spent their 

days tied up with very important things.

"What did you do today, Florence?"
"Well, funny you should ask, Lloyd. I was so busy."

I'm tired of the word busy. Try saying it over and over--it's annoying. I've been busy all year (I swear I'm going to stop saying busy), and it's time to take a tip from those old people and take some time to slowly shuffle along and enjoy the season.   

I'm convinced that makes us significant just as much as crazy schedules, if not more.

So if you need me, I will be doing lots of what you see below.  

Not so much the decorating... but the loving, living and shuffling slowly along with my littles, my hubby and my sister - enjoying the season.  

I pray you can too.

melting snowman cookies Bethany and Ailey made together...  so yummy!

And look who's *almost crawling.  She is so stinking close.  I imagine any day now we'll be seeing her actually crawl.  But for now her rolling routine pretty much takes sister anywhere she wants to go.  

So Random...

These are all sort of random... 

but all taken within the last few weeks.

Lovin' the leg warmers... and Etta's funny expressions.  

She has some hilarious ones these days...