Beck, Jer, and Ethan

This week was Button Week on CJane. Today she highlighted her in-laws, Beck and Jer who have a biological son Ethan and are in the process of trying to adopt.

After reading their story on CJane and visiting their blog, I could not help falling in love with them. Their button is now in my sidebar.

If you are considering adoption
or know someone considering adoption
or know someone who knows someone who is considering adoption,
please consider sharing Beck and Jer's story, blog, and agency profile with them.

I don't know them personally, but if I, God forbid, was ever in the midst of making a decision about my unborn child who I knew I was not in a position to properly care for I believe I would be so glad to find Beck and Jer.

Fresh as a Baby Pinecone Bud

When I was undecorating Kendrick the Christmas Tree this weekend I noticed all these little greenish yellow bits on his branches. At first I thought they might be mantis or mantis larvae or some such, maybe because I am always thinking of NieNie the amazing lady I do not know (she is home now, but please keep sending positivity her way), but they weren't. Upon closer inspection of their intricacies, I realized they were baby pinecones or baby pinecone bud thingies! I have undecorated fresh trees in my childhood and never noticed these amazing ittie bitties.

Awestruck, I insisted my husband come have a look. He humored me, but was decidedly less impressed. So, I grabbed my camera and, as grateful as I am to have a camera at all, snapped away wishing I had a more professional camera with a crazy lens that could capture all the little details up close, no blurring.

Blurry Baby Pinecone Buds




Then I held them in my hand...

and marveled at how after being
chopped down,
brought to a store,
set outside in the cold without water waiting to be bought,
wrapped in plastic netting,
tied to the roof of a car,
driven to my house,
shoved into a tree stand,
decorated,
and put on display for two weeks
(though I did talk to him & we watered him several times a day)
Kendrick the Christmas Tree was still fresh and fragrant, and producing new life.

Talk about resilience and miracles of nature.

I would like to be like Kendrick the Christmas Tree when I grow up.

CJane Inspire

NieNie's sister reflects on 2008 and looks forward to 2009 here.

Never Underestimate the Power of the Nie

I am always talking about NieNie and her family and spreading their story to anyone who will listen. This complete stranger and her amazing family have totally changed and captivated me and many others. I am so thankful to them for their honesty and willingness to be so open with so many strangers about so many very personal things.

Latest update?

It looks like Nie's latest skin graft is taking. Thanks for any prayers and positivity you may have sent the Nielson's way. Keep it coming <3

Your Personal Year In Review

Usually I reflect and make resolutions on my birthday instead of at the end of the calendar year, BUT this is an amazing year-end list! Melissa at birds.eye.view posted this listy quiz of sorts By Ariane de Bonvoisin and found on HuffPo. As Melissa says, it’s one you do yourself!

* What was the best thing that happened to me this year?

My husband and I moved into a two-family turned two condos with all the original 1920's charms and we have made it a home.

* What did I do this year that I’m really proud of?

I have always wanted to volunteer. Finally, instead of just searching for opportunities, I took action. Volunteering is more challenging and also more rewarding than I ever imagined.

I began blogging regularly and putting myself and my writing out there in just a small way. Facing that fear is something I am proud of.

Started focusing on my mental health and am taking steps to improve it.

* Who did I really help?

I like to think I have helped my fellow volunteers and the families I have begun to know at Perkins School for the Blind.

Volunteering/Interning at Teen Voices Magazine, I hope I have helped the young women I have been working with to grow and change for the better.

By sending words of encouragement, contributing to Threads of Love, and spreading their story to everyone I can, I have tried to help the Nielson Family in my own small way.

I have tried to help my friends and family by always being here to listen, emote, and love.

I have tried to help my husband by getting up every morning to make his lunch and send him off to work with a hug and words of encouragement, by thanking him every night for working so hard to take care of our little family and for all of the support he gives to me no matter what, by participating in events that his employer puts on (volunteering at charity run, making apple pie, going to the Holiday Party), by fully understanding and encouraging all of the work travel he needs to do, by keeping the house running so he can leave his stress at work and fully relax when he is at home, and by just loving him.

* Who do I need to thank and acknowledge for having been there for me?

All of the people who I have helped have in turn helped me.

The other volunteers at Perkins have been friendly and encouraging. The families at Perkins have shown me what true courage and love really are. The child I worked one-on-one with at Perkins helped me to be patient, adapt, see the world in new ways, and pay attention to and acknowledge even the smallest accomplishments.

The young women at Teen Voices have helped to recognize that "normal" varies from person to person. They have helped me to be a better leader and listener. They have helped me to see my own possibilities by exhibiting theirs.

The Nielson and Clark families have helped me to grow in faith, to cherish every moment, to be grateful every day, to find the positive in every situation, to begin to figure out what I want my family to be like should my husband and I be blessed with children, to show my love to my husband every day in every way... Just so many lessons from NieNie, CJane, AliceKind, Lizzy Writes, and Christian.

My friends and family have helped me by being there to listen, emote, and love.

My husband has helped me by supporting our family, giving me the freedom to pursue all of my pursuits to the fullest, letting me be me, loving me just the way I am... Just being the incredible man he is... The yin to my yang.

* What are the top three lessons I learned?

It is more than o.k. to seek help when you need it.

We are all the same, even in our differences.

Our strength lies in our weaknesses.

* What increased my happiness and joy this year?

Making friends with complete strangers through blogging and volunteering.

Finding time for writing in one way or another nearly every day.

An "at home" vacation with my husband during which we went to Nascar in New Hampshire, the Science Museum, wandered around Boston, and went to the Brockton Fair, among other adventures.

Spending time in Maine with my oldest sister and her family.

* What’s something I got through that was really tough?

It has been an overall easy year aside from the following two somewhat difficult happenings:

The family dog dying unexpectedly was difficult.

My grandfather passed away.

* What did I avoid that I must pay more attention to in 2009?

Conflict. I need to work on speaking my mind especially when I have anxiety built up around doing so due to fear of rejection, fear of being the recipient of anger, and fear of disappointment and/or disappointing.

* What character trait did I develop most this year?

Open-mindedness. I feel I have been more receptive to the views of others and to recognizing things in and about myself that I never have before. My mind just feels much more open to possibility and alternatives.

* What new people did I meet that are now in my life?

I met Lyle and Angela who live in the condo above us. They are friendly, interesting, and very giving people. Couldn't ask for better neighbors! We definitely lucked out :-)

I met my fellow volunteers and the families at Perkins and the young women and staff at Teen Voices magazine.

I met my postcard buddy, Melissa, who I am so happy to be getting to know. Maybe a visit to San Francisco is in the cards for me in 2009 <3

There are still memories to be made in 2008, but I am looking forward to 2009 and whatever is coming my way as I, a self proclaimed work in progress, evolve.

Lovely & Talented Micha

I stumbled upon Micha's blog, Dandelion Daydreams: Micha's Musings, through one of her comments on CJane. I was immediately hooked.

Last week she published her 200th post and decided to give away a gorgeous bowl that she made. I made a comment.

Yesterday Micha announced the winner here. It seems this beauty...



is coming to live with me!

Thank you, Micha!

Newest Nie News

Thanksgiving is coming up in a few days. I am so Thankful that Nie is recovering near her family in Utah and the Nielson children have been reunited with their father, Christian.

Read the most recent article here.

Find family members' blogs at cjane, Alice Kind, and Lizzy Writes.

See how the quilts I mentioned contributing to are coming along at Threads of Love.

Remarkable recovering. Remarkable people. Remarkable family and friends. Remarkable blog community.

Remarkably Grateful. Remarkably Thankful.

Please continue to keep the Nielson's and their family and friends in your thoughts and prayers as Stephanie and Christian soldier on through the recovery process.

Thank you!

More Dreaminess

Wendy Whitaker of Blue Lily is wonderful at capturing the essence of things and the little moments that make life worth living.

Check out the pictures she took of the Nielson kids and their Clark aunts and the husbands of their Clark aunts here. Simply dreamy!

A sneak peek...

Nie News

CJane has posted links to new news articles about Stephanie and Christian's progress and the Mindy Gledhill concert, the entire proceeds of which went directly to the Nielson's.

I have mentioned Threads of Love, an effort for the Nielson Family to which I donated. I am happy to report that more than enough fabric has been collected to complete quilts for the children and possibly Stephanie and Christian as well.

If you would like to contribute to the fundraising efforts and other efforts put forth on the Nielson's behalf, see the sidebar on CJane's blog and/or visit the Nie Recovery website.

Please continue to keep CJane, AliceKind, Lizzy Writes, Christian, Stephanie, the children, the Clark's, the Nielson's and all of their friends in your thoughts and prayers. So far, it seems to be working <3

WedNieNie'sDay - #3

This week I am grateful for:

1940's Furniture. With Grampy's passing this summer it came time for my father and his five siblings to clean out their parents' home. When asked to make up a list of items I might like to have it varied from animal shaped cups and cereal bowls with straws built in to the 1940's dining room set. I told my father I thought it important that he and his siblings have "first dibs" if you will and stressed that I was happy with my memories. I ended up with the dining room set. It is gorgeous in my 1920's house where it is bathed in the light of the stained glass window. The table is an oak "extension table" meaning that the extra leaf is stored under the table top. The legs of the chairs and the table are curved and the chairs have designed backs. The buffet has all kinds of drawers one of which is lined with velvet for silverware storage and it too has all kinds of curves and contours. The set also came with a corner cabinet which is with my parents for now because there is not one corner in our dining room that isn't a doorway or window. It makes me happy to look at the set and remember the past while dreaming of the future memories to be made sitting around it.


One view of the dining room (furniture is staging furniture, not ours)


Another view of the dining room (again, staging furniture, not ours)

Photography. My digital camera broke in January and I miss it terribly. It was under warranty and I sent it back, but have not received a check yet. This week I broke down and bought two throwaway 35mm cameras to photograph all the beauty of Autumn. What fun I had taking pictures of heart-shaped chrysanthemums, apple orchards, and the Topsfield Fair! How I wish I could share them with all of you... (sigh) I've really missed having photography as a creative outlet. Grateful for the reminder, for the act, and for the renewed motivation to bug the warranty people for a check so I can get back to doing something that brings me such joy.

Fall Fun. On Saturday afternoon my newly-arrived-home-from-Cali husband and I met our friends Tanya and Greg at Honey Pot Hill Orchards in Stow, MA for an afternoon of apple picking. We wandered the orchards admiring the cloud-free blue sky, breathing in the fresh air, and picking apples. We picked up cider and cider donuts and candy apples at the store. My favorite part of the orchard experience? Climbing the wooden ladders that looked like they were straight out of Anne of Green Gables. Remember when Anne brought the head of the school she was teaching at home for the summer and they picked apples? Just like that, but I wasn't wearing an apron over my dress.

On Monday Mr. B&B took me to the Topsfield Fair. We visited the animals, saw the fruit and vegetable exhibits and the flower exhibit, and walked around the carnival rides part of it. We ate sweet potato fries and drank fresh squeezed lemonade. Just glorious! It was nice to walk around holding hands and laughing and talking after so many days of him being away on business. Fairs are also always a great opportunity to get back in touch with the inner child. Yippee!

Patient Husband. Our Fall Fun was not without frustration. Frustration = Traffic. Going apple picking meant waiting in a one mile long line of traffic for one hour. Going to the fair meant waiting in a forty-five minute line of traffic once we got off the highway. Mr. B&B was driving, both times. He did not make a peep, not one complaint slipped from his lips. He just rolled down the windows, opened the sunroof, and talked baseball, basketball, politics, and recollected Fall memories of yore. Watching him and his chosen reactions is such a lesson for me and deepens my appreciation and love for him. Mr. B&B, as Carly Simon sings "Baby, baby, darlin', You're the Best" <3

Nobody Does It Better by Carly Simon on YouTube

Long Weekend. This long weekend was especially sweet because it coincided with my husband returning from his business trip. Having three days to acclimate to each other and sleep in and be spontaneous was luxurious. Grateful for that quality time for that length of time anytime but especially upon Mr. B&B's return.

Ingenuity. Since I am a student and am only nannying a few times a month, it is important to me to help save money where we can. One of the things I do is try to find creative uses for items we already have around the house OR identify a want one or both of us has and see how I can meet and satisfy that want using things we already have. My latest want is Fall and Halloween decorations for the house and front porch. I have old spice jars, cloth, felt, thread and construction paper. I am thinking black and orange paper chains with paper ghosts and/or paper spiders and/or paper pumpkins hanging from them by thread, a cloth and felt leaf wreath for the door, and perhaps paper flowers in spice jars on the three steps leading up to our front porch. Ingenuity, what a gift!

Gift of Giving. My internship at Teen Voices begins next week and I can not wait to give my time and attention to the young women I'll be working with. I sent fabric to Threads of Love for the Nielson's. I also interviewed at Perkins School for the Blind yesterday and will begin working with them once my Cori form passes. Every day I am able to give my time and attention and thoughts and prayers to people I love. In giving whatever I have to give I feel I also get so much back. I feel better physically and mentally, my outlook is brighter, my satisfaction in using my gifts is so great... I just think that giving is one of the greatest gifts, it is free, and we all have something to give.

Friendly Neighbors. When we moved in to our condo this past spring, Mr. B&B and I were not sure who would end up living in the condo above us. We imagined all kinds of scenarios, but we always wished and hoped for good, friendly, reasonable people who, at the very least, we could work with to care for the house, and, at the very best, would become dear friends. Angela and Lyle are certainly a wish come true. At least once a month we meet for a movie and/or a "condo association meeting" and we always have fun. We even swap yummy baked goods frequently. When it comes to the house, we hear each other out, take every opinion into consideration and come to a decision or compromise together. If you are reading #10 Residents, so glad you are our neighbors and are quickly becoming our friends!


Mr. Rogers "Won't You Be My Neighbor" on YouTube

Prayers and positivity to Nie and Christian & family.

Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite <3

WedNieNie'sDay - #2

This week I am grateful for:

A Good Cry. I had one on Monday night. Crying so hard I was shaking. Crying so loud the cat hid under the bed. Crying so long I gave myself a headache. When it was over, the headache subsided and I felt so good. I am a woman of words, but sometimes a good cry can be even more expressive.

Billy Elliot. I watched this movie from beginning to end for the first time this week. It is about a boy who is taking boxing lessons at his father's request, but he really loves to dance. It is a story about family, staying true to yourself, listening to your heart, and following your dreams and seeing them to fruition no matter what. Positive and inspirational without being hokey. Also, wonderful to watch a movie about a boy's coming of age because they seem so few and far between.

Internship Training. I can not say enough about this. Training was 5-9 on Friday and 9-5 on Saturday. I met the women of Teen Voices Magazine, the other Editorial Mentors, and heard the stories of teen girls who have participated in the program. It was uplifting and educational and has me all fired up for the experience. I want to do all I can to live up to this enormous responsibility and to open myself up to whatever the experience brings. It was a long evening and Saturday of training, but I loved and am grateful for every minute.

Volunteer Opportunity. Over the summer I applied to volunteer at Perkins School for the Blind. Today I heard from them and next week I go in for an interview. The minimum commitment is two hours a week for six months. I hope to be offered the opportunity to give of myself and to use the gifts I have been given. At the very least, I am grateful for the opportunity to interview.

Kid-isms. I put on my "nanny hat" twice this week and the kids are just so insightful and honest and funny. The oldest will be five in November (Didn't you just love being five!?!?) and his awareness of things is really beginning to broaden which means one never knows what he is going to say. He is the ring bearer in a wedding this coming weekend and told me all about how he is going to carry the pillow with the rings on it down the aisle and then he is going to eat chicken and shake his bum all night long in his shiny dancing shoes. Cracks me up! The youngest is 17 months and her personality is really emerging. She giggles at everything and, because her vocabulary is still limited, her body does a lot of the talking. When she is impatient she screws up her face and stomps her feet. When she wants to be upside down or see something that is behind her she arches her back and hangs her head behind her. She knows how to say "all done", but sometimes she will just put her hand in front of her face or wave her hands in front of the object and shake her head no. So ingenious and so funny.

Frozen Berries. Three words: yummy, yummy, yummy. Some how berries manage to taste better frozen. Maybe it is because we have to slow down and bite carefully or suck on it for a long time and that heightens our sense of taste. Anyway, I can't get enough.

Chrysanthemums. Fall is here! Mums produce so many flowers and they come in so many colors. Luscious! Up close there are so many tiny petals making up each blossom. Miraculous! At my local farm they also come in hanging baskets. Opulent! Mr. BrainyandBeautiful (Mr.B&B) is on a business trip, but when he returns I think a trip to the farm for mums and other fall fun is in order.

Business Trips. I am always sad to see Mr.B&B head off to intriguing destinations all over the country, but I am grateful for these trips as well. I am grateful that his employer trusts him and values him highly enough to send him off to get more training and to represent them and to return to teach others what he has learned. I am all for him taking every opportunity he is afforded. He is so supportive of me and when I have to opportunity to give that support back I do.

Why else am I grateful for business trips? On the selfish side, I must admit, every once in awhile it is nice to clean as I wish and keep it that way, have full control of the t.v. remote, and put toasted bread with peanut butter and sliced apples on a plate and call it dinner.

This week Mr. B&B is somewhere in California. So, Californian readers, if you see a tall guy with startling green eyes wearing a Boston Celtics hat wandering your city, say hello and give him a hug from Mrs. B&B and let him know he is missed.

North End, Boston. I love all of Boston, but I find this part of the city particularly magical. On Saturday Mr. B&B and I treated ourselves to a stroll through this Italian neighborhood. There is always great people watching and Mr. B&B is always thrilled when the occasional Ferrari or Porsche passes by. Open air dining, amazing aromas, gardens on terraces, musicians walking the streets playing accordions, watching cobblers fix shoes through the windows, Italian groceries, are just some of what contributes to the magic. My favorite restaurant is La Famiglia Giorgios. Saturday we ate at Bella Vista on Hanover Street which came in a close second. It was a wonderful break in our very busy schedules during which we enjoyed great conversation and uninterrupted hand holding in an always magical place.

As far as NieNie and Christian, CJane reports that they continue to improve. Slow and steady wins the race. Please continue to think of and pray for them.

Prayers and positivity to Nie and Christian & family.

Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite <3

WedNieNie'sDay - #1

When I was writing a Grateful post in the spirit of Nie every night it was easy to make a quick list. Now that my NieNie post comes once a week, the list would be far too long. So, the format needs to change. I am giving it a try this week (bolding the general followed by enumerations), but if you have any ideas as to how I might best format my WedNieNie'sDay posts, please make a comment and I'll take your ideas into consideration.

This week I am Grateful for:

Being Busy. This week has been a whirlwind of classes, homework, housework, nannying, and visiting with friends and family. Some view being busy as a burden, just an endless parade of places to be and things to do so one can cross those items off the "To Do" List. In one word, drudgery, I guess. I am learning to view being busy as something to be grateful for. In the past I have become crazed when busy because I was saying yes to just about everything and everyone, somehow finding a way to fit everyone in, meet the needs of everyone. Recently I have realized that in meeting the needs of others I was neglecting myself and that by taking on so much I was not able to fully enjoy, or give my all, to any of the activities or people I was spending time with. My "New Busy" is a good busy because it is more balanced and everything I am doing and everyone I am spending time with brings me joy and contributes to my personal growth, makes me a better person so that I can go out and further spread that joy and have more of myself to give.

Classes. Going to class is like an instant recharge for me. No matter how my day has gone or what is on my mind, when I get to class my energy is high and my brain is fully engaged. I get excited and I voice my ideas and talk with my hands (I am Italian) and I am continually pleasantly surprised by my capacity to learn and to expand. I am also fascinated by my professors and classmates and what they have to say. So, to be in a space where I can learn and grow with and thanks to fascinating people is a gift.

Homework. If my high school self could hear me now she would think I was a freak. "Grateful for homework?" I can almost hear her say as she wrinkles her nose in disbelief. Yes, high school self, I am grateful for homework. I love looking up math terms and realizing how much a part of EVERYTHING math really is. I love reading packets of poetry and then, of my own accord, looking up the poet's biographical information just because. I love staring at a blank page, emptying my mind, and watching my hand move rapidly across the paper as the words flow and a poem is born. Yes, high school self, I really am grateful for homework.

Housework. "HOUSEWORK?" I can hear the collective blogger world exclaim. Well, yes. Why? Well, because in a time of economic uncertainty I have a house to care for. As foreclosures abound and banks collapse and the governmental bodies struggle to agree on a solution, I have a house to care for.

Visiting Pre-School. There has been a change in my nannying schedule which means I will be taking one of my charges to and picking him up from pre-school starting this coming Monday. So, this past Friday I got to go visit pre-school to meet the teachers and learn the dropoff-pickup routine. Visiting pre-school brought back such wonderful memories of my days with Ms. Lois and ... I want to say Ms. Jan(?).

A Girls Night. On Friday I went out for dinner and a movie with my friends Tanya and Nicole. It was nice to slow down, have intelligent conversation mixed with a little teasing and goofing around, see a movie that the men in our lives would never agree to go see, and then go home to find the man I love waiting to greet me affectionately.

Grammy's 87th Birthday Party. Grammy has Alzheimer's disease, but she is still alive and aware and sometimes willing and able to speak. We have a very large family and everyone wanted a chance to sit with and talk to Grammy. I spent my few minutes holding her hand, telling her how beautiful she looked, letting her know how happy I was to be celebrating her on her birthday, and kissing her cheek which is still so soft and smooth. My father, her son, was sitting on her other side and she gazed lovingly at him the whole time we were sitting with her. I talked to her anyway believing that though she was not looking at me the words were sinking in somehow. I'm grateful for the moments I was able to share with her and hope that I will be blessed with a long life like her and surrounded by family no matter the state of my health as I age.

Sangria at the Sports Bar. I am a teetotaler when it comes to alcohol, but every once in awhile, once or twice a year, I have been known to allow myself one glass of Sangria. Sangria is citrus'y', fruit juice'y', and refreshing. I first had it at a Girl's Night my friend Jennie hosted. We squeezed the lemons and limes, sliced the fruit, poured in the wine and chilled it. She has since moved away and, sadly, we have lost touch, but when I sip Sangria once or twice a year I think of her. The sports bar my husband and his buddies go to is owned by a Portuguese man named Tony. I found this out on Sunday while we were sitting around the bar watching football. Portuguese Tony makes a mean Sangria. So good that maybe I will make it a point to visit again a year from now.


Catalogs arriving in the mail. When my husband and I bought our condo (bottom floor of a two-family turned condo) this past spring the catalogs came rolling in. I have spent the past few months calling the numbers on the backs of the catalogs to take us off the mailing lists. The environmentalist in me is soothed by the knowledge that she is doing her small part to save trees. I have a confession to make Environmentalist-Part-of-Me, the Dreamer-who-loves-the-little-things-in-life part of me can't seem to cancel the Anthropologie catalog or the Crate and Barrel catalog. The pictures are so pretty and the things in the pictures are so pretty and it is so nice to get mail that does not remind me that I am an adult with responsibilities and bills to pay. I love sitting down with my two catalogs and cutting out my favorite things, the things that make me most happy, that inspire me so I can put them in my Things That Make Me Happy binder or tack them to my inspiration board. Simple Pleasures.

CJane, Lizzy Writes, and AliceKind. NieNie's sister and Christian's sisters' blogs never fail to inspire me. Their courage, strength, faith, love, sense of family, and way they live their lives in general never fail to amaze me. Thank you, Ladies, for the example you set and for being so open with the blogging community about such personal events going on in your life and your feelings surrounding those events. I, a complete stranger, am more grateful to you than you will ever know.

Threads of Love. Candice found me through CJane and commented on my blog to let me know about this project she is doing for NieNie, Christian, and their children. A beautiful act of love. I am heading to my favorite fabric store when I go into Boston on Friday and sending a package to Candice over the weekend. Candice, thank you for further confirmation that there is so much good in people.

Fall. Foliage, cool air, warm sun, enormous moon, pumpkins, gourds, beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes, hayrides, apple picking, cozy sweaters, knee-high boots, scarves, apple cider are all part of Fall in New England. When seasons change I feel closer to, more in tune with the earth, more aware of and grateful for its bounty.

I could go on and on. I have so much to be grateful for.

Prayers and positivity to Nie and Christian & family.

Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite <3