This is the season of preparing for those of the Christian faith. For me part of the preparing also includes reflection. Especially this year when we have been hit hard economically I still have much to be thankful for and more wonderful things keep happening everyday.
My goals for this season of preparing are to stop by and share one or more layouts each day and share some thoughts. Some days I might get more than one post and well knowing my life I might miss a day or two.
So blessings in the last few weeks that I want to be mindful of include both in real life friends and my cyber friends who have been as special to me as those IRL. So some recent blessing came in the form of a long call from a friend both IRL and online. It was wonderful to just have a great chat. An online friend has offered to send to barely used CD players for my youngest two one blue and one pink which is just perfect. My oldest called to say he was sending down a box of stocking stuffers since he won't be home for Christmas. A friend at church had some "extra" stocking stuffers that she didn't need for her grandkids and passed them on to me. My church is allowing me to work in the nursery 2 days a week for $50 and they even paid me for the day I was gone on a retreat. A wonderful retreat experience where I received the blessing of service to others. My #2 son agree to go on the teen retreat. Him having a good time and expressing that he was glad he went. Our church surpising us by paying his retreat fees. Friends who wrote him wonderful letters of encouragement. Another friend who gave us $100 in grocery store certificates when I know this represent a sacrifice on their part. The blessing of being on some really great CT teams who make very nice comments on my work. It really brightens my day. A great designer who decide to bless me with her newest kits for free because we have become online friends this year. My husband's paycheck that was just enough to make November's mortgage. A side job that he did that was almost enough to take #2 out to celebrate birthday #18. And for his brother who chipped in the $10 he earned this week taking care of the neighbors dogs plus his $10 Christmas bonus. Just when you think they are totally self absorbed the surpise you.
And the list continues. I pray that I keep my eyes open for the blessings that God is providing daily in my life.
Today's layout is Cousins. It was taken in 2003. Its funny to see how little they look back then. This was one of the last times we had all of them together. Now the oldest has his MA the youngest is 7. There as been a new cousin added and he is 2 already. The kit is Lisa Minor - Quilted. It is a beautiful kit with great papers and wonderful rich colors. I love everyone of her kits and find them to be great to use for a variety of layouts. Click on the side bar link for her blog and there you will find a link to her store Scrapdebris where you won't believe the great prices. To make hit easy click
here for Scrapdebris. The template is Racketty Scrappity #56 and the font is Calligraphy.
And speaking of Racketty she has recently given birth to premature twins. One of the baby did not survive and the other is going through the roller coaster of NICU. She has a blog about her son Crew
here. Plain Digital Wrapper is offering a Charity Kit where all proceeds go to the family. It's a great deal at $10. It can be found
here.
