The Universe Knows Best.

So, Wow ... long time, no post.

The other day, a very good friend of mine came in to the shop I am now working at ... Metropolitan Soul (love it!) ... and was near furious with me. He moved to Portland, ME a while ago, and had been relying on this blog in order to see the latest goings-on of our lives (bad idea). He came to Bangor for a visit to my shop and saw that it had been completely emptied out. Wanting to know what the heck was going on, he asked around and found me at Met Soul. But after talking with me for only a few minutes, he learned that the closing of my brick and mortar shop was not the only major change in our lives ... there is oh-so-much-more ... and I have no idea where to begin. So, maybe I won't. Or maybe I will. Or maybe I will just give you all the major details ... and then simply move on from here ... ??? Let's see how this goes, shall we :)

So, yes, I needed to close the shop that I was once so very excited about. And I needed to sell the Studio to a friend of mine. And I got a new job. And I started school. And Meaghan moved out.

Yes, Meaghan moved out. If you know anything about us, you know that the pain of this was nearly unbearable. I will say only a few words about this here ... in "public" ... but will be glad to answer any questions in person. You may remember how she came to us over a year ago, and if you don't ... here is a bit about it. Well, the sum total of this tale is this ... after a year and a half of living with us, she ran away to move back to her biological family and there is little, short of making her our prisoner, that we can do about it. We tried desperately to "save" her from herself ... and from all the destructive, dysfunctional people around her. But in the end, (and lets hope this isn't the end) ... she chose to run to the people who: threw beer bottles in her face, told her she was no good, stole from her, lied to her, rejected her, enabled her, etc. etc. No amount of love and guidance we gave her over the years would ever pull her sights away from the people who gave her so much less. So here we are. Heartbroken, BUT ready to move on. I am sure this topic will come up in future posts ... but we are still trying to wrap our minds around it ... and don't want to say too much out of continued love and respect for Meg. We simply hope she knows that we are always here for her. Always have been. Always will.

The shop? Well, as fun, exciting and as well-received as it was ... I just couldn't get it to pay the bills. The economy and the location worked against it ... big-time. I tried so very hard to hold on to the business, believe me. That is precisely why you have rarely seen blog posts from me here. So much of my energy was spent in keeping that business going ... and there were times I was holding on by my fingernails ... nearly drowning in debt and in chaos. But WOW, the people we met!!! Because of that shop, and the classes we held within, we made some amazing friends! I have no regrets. And because of the way in which I needed to legally close the shop, I also needed to sell Studio 36 to a friend. The Studio has been successful for nearly 2 years, and will only continue to improve under the vision of Ao Arts. I am sure more will be said about this in future posts as well, but I can say with absolute certainty that this move was one of the best I have made in a long time. Ao loves the vision of the Studio and can bring more to it than I think I ever could ... and I still get to be a part of it! Exciting things are happening there!

School? Yes, please. I have been accepted into the Graphic Arts program at EMCC and will start in January. Very exciting stuff!

So, yes, there are plenty of changes in our lives ... and let me say a few words about the hows and whys of some of these changes ...

I truly believe that the Universe/God/Creator is always at work in our lives. And though we may try desperately to hang on to control over things ... the Universe always knows best. In the past year I have desperately held on to creating successful businesses and to "saving" Meaghan. All my energies were expended in those directions. Friends told me to let up a bit. Halis begged me to let go sometimes. Isaac, as resilient as he is, often suffered when my attentions were everywhere but on him. Our finances suffered. Our marriage suffered. My parents worried. And I lost myself. I mean, nearly completely lost myself (here come the tears). So, the Universe stepped in ... big time. The Universe took everything out of my control ... and brought me back to basics. At first, I didn't even notice, I just went through the motions. But friends ... (and oh do I have the BEST friends in the world!) held up mirrors to my life ... and showed me that if I was not going to save myself, and my family, and my marriage, then the Universe was going to do it for me. And it did. And all is as it should be.

I never would have "let go" of the businesses had I not been forced to ... and my life would continue to spiral out of control. And I surely never would have "let go" of Meaghan ... and am beginning to see that perhaps her running is the best for all of us. She needs to live out her own life journey ... she needs some "tough love" ... and perhaps the best way to love her is to let her (no matter how big a lump I have in my throat when I type this) ... go. We can no longer be her "jailers" and that is exactly how she saw us and treated us. Though our hearts are heavy, there is a peace in this household that has not been here since she came to live with us. See, she never wanted to be here. She hoped to one day want to be ... but it never happened. She had too many people in her ear, enticing her back to her previous lifestyle, and working against all our efforts. Halis, Isaac and I love Meaghan dearly ... and always will. But it is clear that we can no longer lose sight of ourselves and the health and well-being of our family of three in order to "save" someone who wants no part of it. Toward the end of her time here, Isaac asked me, "Mama, why does Meaghan hate me so much when I love her so much?". I answered his question as best as I could ... telling him how she has a hard time with love ... how she resorts to anger ... etc. But no matter what I said, the truth was, I was allowing my son to live in a toxic environment because I wanted desperately to improve Meg's life ... while all the while she was resisting and hating me for it ... and showing Isaac manipulative, destructive behaviors that we have always sought to protect him from. And I would have kept doing it! But the Universe decided otherwise. And I am beginning to "get it". I am hoping that her decision to leave offers her the best. I am worried and doubtful, of course. But I need to trust the Universe. She is a resilient person ... and we believe in her ability to eventually do what is best for her. We just pray she doesn't hurt too much in the process.

Anyway, this post turned out much longer than I had hoped ... but this is some heavy stuff ... and I have only offered the most brief details. Thank you for coming this far in your reading of it ;)

So, the posts will continue. There is more time in my life to come back to blogging ... sharing ... learning ... etc. And now, although my Portland friend should certainly CALL ME more to find out what is going on in my life ... I will be sure to update him through this medium as well.

Thank you ALL for your friendships, your support, your love, your guidance ... and for just being there! This past year has been a tough one ... BUT I would not trade it for anything! The lessons learned, the people we met, the experiences we have had have all been so worth it. And we feel good about knowing that for the time we had her, Meaghan was safe & well-loved ... not just by us, but by all of you. Thank you.

MUCH LOVE,

Jodi

P.S. Please continue to send Meg your love and well-wishes.

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My Creative Space: Far, far away in dreamland...

After six months of delays when I went back to work full time, Miss Four and I finally finished her bedroom makeover recently. With school looming, she has moved on to being interested in proper old fairy tales like Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty, rather than simple toddler stories.

I originally started to blog about the beginning of this project here then never completed it. But as I noted then, it was inspired by fabric designer Heather Ross' "Far, Far Away" fabric collections... no's I and II. I adore her whimsical drawing style, like book illustrations -and the quality of the fabric is so gorgeous and tactile. Miss four loves Rapunzel in particular, so that is the main print.

She also loves tiny princess dolls and castles, so her Dad built her a dolls house shaped like a castle, and for Christmas we got her a second hand miniature castle and painted it, and popped it on a blue and green table that she proudly calls 'the lake around the castle' (the moat).

I've also since found an old original "Grimm's Fairytales" hardback book in a wonderful rummage sale (along with some mint original Dr Suess hardbacks) and am thinking about starting the concept of reading a 'chapter' each night.

Nearly five! I can't believe it.

That's my creative space this week - see what's in the creative space of other NZ and Australian crafters here.

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Grateful on Saturdays...

One of our very first followers of this blog, who leaves lovely comments, is Maxabella. Her blog is divine with lovely posts about family, sewing, crafting and baking, and blog design is definitely her forte too. Check out today's gingerbread men 'friends' image.

Anyway, Maxabella is spreading some 'sunshine' around the bloggy mum community by asking people to once a week write a post on something they are grateful for. Today's my first time I've really, really had a lot to be grateful for, after a hard last year personally. But that all pales in comparison.

Today I'm grateful that three incredibly special, treasured people in my life are still here, and battling on, and I just wanted to let them all know how grateful I am for them. To have them in my life. And how much I will do anything for you, and your families, anyplace, whenever. You are all my thoughts this week.

Sending so much positive thoughts and power your way I can see the air sparkling! xoxo

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Dear Brian,

Dear Brian,

This picture is how I will always remember you ... always staring into the eyes of your children ... always holding one of your babes in your arms ... always a Daddy.

I, however, am really pissed that this is how I have to"remember" you. You were way, way too young to leave this earth ... and your kids are way, way too young to live out their days without their Daddy here. I watched them bury you today. Literally. You went down into the earth as your children looked on. It was one of the worst days of my life. And theirs.

I watched your wife become a widow today. I watched your parents bury their eldest son. I watched your brother fall apart at the loss of you. I watched your Dad nearly throw himself into the ground with you. I watched my husband cry and shake .... and heard him curse God. In fact, I witnessed my husband lose all faith completely ... as this was just so, so wrong.

Your wife had witnessed this entire scene before ... as you well know. She was there when her own mother buried her father at such a young age. She watched her mother become a widow way too young. And like you, her own father left behind 5 children. It was a horrible deja vous of her own mother's life. And now she must raise her children without their Daddy ... just as she was raised without hers.

So wrong, Brian. So wrong.

We miss you already. I wanted you to hug me today ... and everyone else. I wanted you to smile your amazingly huge smile ... and pass around your incredible bear hugs. I wanted you to wake up and make everyone feel better ... as you were so good at that. Your presence was always so much larger than life. You were always so calm, easy-going and fun. We needed that today. We needed you today. But instead - we buried you. And it sucked. And we are sad. And we are angry. And this is all so f-in stupid.

You were healthy, Brian. We still don't know how on earth you died. Apparently we won't know for weeks. It seems your last hours were likely painless. But that is little consolation. Your kids' lives - your parents' lives - your wife's life --- will be far from painless now.

We are not angry at you. We love you. We are angry at something we cannot understand. We are angry at SO much. But not at you. Ok - maybe a little bit at you. Did you feel it coming and not get help? Did you screw up some meds or something? What the hell happened, Brian!? We will eventually find out, and we will forgive it. But right now, we don't know. And we are going to remain angry till we do - and maybe longer.

Brian - this sucks. I am sure you would agree. But here's the thing --- we will pick up where you left off --- as best we can. We will watch over your wife and kids. We will do whatever we can to help them. We will talk to them about how much you love them. We will make sure they take those bi-annual trips to Disney World. We will make sure Suzan does not try to take everything on by herself. We will love them as best we can for you. All of us. It won't be enough - but we hope it is something.

Till we see you again, Brian ... we love you. You were a good, solid man. You worked so hard to provide for your family. You were totally unassuming. Just a good soul who appreciated a good life spent with family. Always smiling. Always generous.

I cannot express to you - or anyone else - how much it sucks that you are gone. I hate this. We hate this. And I hope we can figure it out soon before we all lose faith.

Forever yours truly,

Jodi

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My Brother's Wedding.

My "little" brother did it --- something he swore forever that he would never do --- he married. He committed himself to Amy Taylor --- forever more ---- on Sept 18, 2010. It was a lovely ceremony at Stonewall Farm in Keene, NH.

The facility was gorgeous, simple and elegant. The ceremony itself was emotional and tender. The food was to die for (well, nothing actually died, as it was all vegan and too delicious for words). The music acts (there were 3) throughout the event were wonderful. The homemade beer and wine flowed. The reunion of family and friends was incredible! And to top it all off ... the Grateful Dead cover band ... The Zen Tricksters ... rocked the evening.

Good Times.

Jamie & Amy --- may you grow together in your love in ways that amaze and inspire. May you always have each other's backs in every way. May you both encourage one another to be your greatest selves. May you walk beaches together hand-in-hand at ripe old ages. Know that everything is temporary --- so savor every wonderful moment --- and know that the not-so-great stuff never lasts long. Enjoy.

Love,
Jodi

TO SEE PHOTOS FROM THE WEDDING, check here periodically, as I am uploading them a handful at a time.

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First GeoCaching Experience. Totally Awesome.

So, I was chillin' on Facebook Monday morning (Memorial Day), when I saw that a local friend of mine posted that she and her family were going GeoCaching for the first time that day. I SO wanted to try it too --- after having learned a bit about it while reading up on Letterboxing over a year ago. The weather was perfect for it ... and we had no plans of any other kind for the day ... so I just downloaded a GPS app for my iPhone, plugged in some coordinates, and headed out to discover hidden treasures throughout Bangor.

I was so surprised by how easy it was to get started. I just searched for local caches on geocaching.com ... downloaded a $2.99 iPhone application ... grabbed some bottled water and my family ... and travelled 3 miles to our first cache site.

We spent an hour searching at our first site ... and though we were glad to have discovered a new park that we had never even known about in our 12+ years of living in the Bangor area ... we never did find the cache! Since then, we have learned a few hints about its locale, and will return to find it before any "muggles" discover the booty!

Our second geocache search (and ultimately our last for the day) was a success! Our GPS brought us to within a 100 foot radius of the stash (located in one of our favorite Bangor parks) and within about 20 min, Halis discovered the stash tucked away in a log. It was super exiting for all of us!

We each took something from the stash, and replaced it with loads of cool goodies for the next person to find. (If you want to GeoCache in Cascade Park, you will find some fun toys, Charlie Brown pinback buttons, bookmarks, etc!).

I SO look forward to finding every stash in our city ... and discovering so many little nooks that we never knew about prior to GeoCaching (which seems to be one of the greatest benefits to this "sport"). What a great way to enjoy the outdoors, do some exploring, role play the whole pirate/Indiana Jones thing a bit, and get some fun booty ... not to mention spend some quality time with your family.

Geocaching is simply awesome. Try it! Maybe we will see you "on the trail"!

Love,

Jodi

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They Are Alive & Well.

I have gotten word from 2 generous souls who have been serving Petit Goave, Haiti --- that Isaac's biological family is alive and well. I received this news earlier in the week, but could not bring myself to fully believe it until Thursday eve --- when Dr. Steve Edmondson sent me photographs he had taken of our family (post earthquake). These pictures had me overjoyed, as our loved ones look so very healthy ... and actually managed some smiles. It was absolutely wonderful to see ... BUT it is also very bittersweet. As Dr. Steve wrote in his e-mail, "Your family is very fortunate, Jodi. Petit Goave was pretty messed up by the earthquake. Many people died there." I am incredibly thankful that our family is well, but also incredibly sad for Haiti and for the millions of lives that have been upended by this disaster.

Another amazing man, and his lovely wife, helped us to locate our Haitian family as well. They live right here in Winterport, Maine. This man, Sheldon, spoke to Isaac's biofamily, and told us that their home is in ruins. He came home from Haiti yesterday and wishes to speak to us after he settles in. I am very much looking forward to what he has to say. We are hoping to learn of their needs, and any other needs we can help to meet in their village ... as Halis is still planning his trip there for February.

Now that we have 100% confirmation that the Metellus family is alive and well, we have removed their information and pictures from this site in an effort to try to keep Isaac's adoption story as private as possible. Thank goodness we took a chance and put their info out into the world as that is how we were able to locate them.

Thank you all ... for your love, prayers, thoughts ... and for your continued support of Haiti.

xoxo
Jodi

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A Surprise Birthday Treat.

Among my top ten favorite joys in the world is a visit with my Brother. And for my Birthday this year (which isn't until Wednesday the 14th), my Brother surprised me with a visit this past weekend. It was very nice, low-key, with perfect weather and a lovely meal at the Sea Dog. But as much as I enjoyed my Brother, I think that my son enjoyed him even more. In fact, I would venture to say that hanging with Uncle Jamie is among Isaac's top five favorite joys in the world. And I am so glad.

This week, I will be so bold as to celebrate the conclusion of my 36th year with a week long blog party. Please leave a comment on each post, all week long, and you may receive a "Happy Jodi's Birthday" gift! Each comment (one per day) will be collected and entered into the drawing. Winner will be announced on Sunday, October 18th. Thanks for helping me celebrate & good luck!

Love,

Jodi

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My Brother.

Lately, my Brother has been going through something that has really broken his spirits. And it has been killing me. I love that man as though we were attached at the hip - and sometimes feel as though we are twins on opposite sides of every human attribute. There are only the two of us, and though we leaned on each other throughout our childhoods, it seems that we have responded to our tumultuous upbringing in opposite ways. He took a different path than me long ago - in order to heal from some serious wounds. And now he finds himself alone in something that is bigger than he can handle. I want desperately to help him. Desperately. What is interesting and wonderful though - is that finally, after many years of living geographically and somewhat emotionally apart - he is letting me in - he is sharing his pain - he is seeking help - and he is expressing love. Most of which is surely an answer to prayer.

It is sad to see someone you love not know how wonderful they are. My brother has always been an inspiration to me... which seems to come as a total shock to him. Yes, he has made some bad decisions in his life - as we all have - but this man is FULL of integrity, inspiration, passion, and tenacity. He loves BIG. He is honest, generous, forgiving, and so many other wonderful qualities. He just doesn't see them. He assumes the worst of himself. And I look forward to the day when he can forgive his past - recognize the beauty he holds in this world - and move on to grant himself all the best in life - settling for nothing less than what he deserves: to fullfill his dreams, to allow himself to be truly loved, and to free himself of all that seeks to weigh him down.

I have shared this picture of Isaac and my Brother within this post because it seems that Isaac - through his incredibly ability to see into people's souls - has done much to heal my brother lately. The way my son shows love for his Uncle ... the way he seeks him out when he knows that his Uncle is in pain ... the way that he loves his Uncle without reservation or expectation ... the way he soothes his Uncle's pain with kind words and lovely physical gestures ... Well, I believe that Isaac is showing his Uncle that he is worthy of unconditional love. And my Brother feels it. In fact, it brings him to tears.

My brother has said that he has never met a child like Isaac before. He says that Isaac just has this "knowing". And I too am sure of that. Isaac is a gift to this world. He has already healed many hearts ... and will continue to do so, I have no doubt. But my brother shares some of these gifts as well ... and I long for the day that he sees the power and beauty within himself. It will come in time. And I will sing praises on that day.

If you - reader - are struggling with your own insecurities - perhaps you should look at yourself through the eyes of a child. Or better yet, look at yourself as you would look at a child. Would you tell a child that he/she was unworthy of anything??? Then why do that to yourself??? Would you ridicule them for all the shortcomings that you ridicule yourself for??? Surely not. So, why do that to yourself. And if a child looks up at you with absolute adoration - it is because you DESERVE it. Believe them. Allow their love to seep in and grow.

(Well, I suppose that is my "sermon" for today).

Be well, be loved ...

I love you Brother.

Jodi

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Family.

Today is the end of Day 3 of sitting by my Dad's bed in ICU/CCU. I wash his face, I help him walk, I move him into more comfortable positions, I make sure the nurses are giving him the the best care, etc. Mom also does all of this and more. Tonight, I am alone in caring for him, as my Mom finally went home to bathe and sleep. And I am filled with varied emotions.

I feel slightly scared ... as I sometimes feel helpless in meeting his needs. I feel joy ... that Dad is alive and making progress. I feel fortunate that I am not crying over the loss of my Daddy ... like the girl in the waiting room. I also feel terribly sad for that girl in the waiting room. I feel closer to my Mom and Brother ... as we are all in this together. I feel a bit overwhelmed at what the future of Dad's care will be ... and whether I am up to the task.

But mostly, I feel like family ... no matter its dysfunctions ... is so incredibly important. I have done things for Dad this week that I never would have believed I could stomach. But he is my Daddy ... and that makes all the difference. And sometimes we need to forgive one another for all our trespasses (both past & present) because the love that we share as family is so much more than our petty differences. And when the "sh*t hits the the fan" ,,, more often than not, they are the ones who come to our rescue.

Anyway - I am so exhausted right now, so I have no idea if I am making any sense. Just speaking from the heart I guess.

Sorry for all the delayed posts. I will begin posting regularly again soon. I have a bunch of great ideas coming up ... just need to get Daddy home first.

Love to you all.
~ Jodi

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Nothing Left to Give : Temporarily

I am feeling totally tapped out right now (thus the above photo). Sure, lots of wonderful things are going on our our lives, in my photography, in my parenting, in my marriage, and in my creativity ... BUT all that is taking a backseat (like, a backseat on the back of a very long bus) because my family has been experiencing some highly emotional "stuff" right now. Though I know in my heart that it is all temporary, it doesn't stop me from feeling the pain of it all in the here and now.

For starters, my Daddy goes in for open heart surgery tomorrow at 5am. And though I know in my brain that all will go well ... my heart is aching at the mere thought of losing my Daddy ... no matter how slim the possibility may be. Secondly, my brother - whom I love so dearly that it hurts - is going through some pain right now that I would do anything to take away from him. He is private about this, so I will not explain here. But I think of him every minute of the day and wonder what wisdom I can impart that would miraculously take his pain away ... to no avail. Then, my sister - the woman who means more to me than she will ever know - is also experiencing some turmoil in her life that - although I know the outcome of it will be far more wonderful than she can see right now - her tears are breaking my heart. And I again, seek wisdom to help her through this (though she has always been far wiser than me). Next, (as if this weren't enough) my husband is on the brink of losing his job at a time when the economy is at its worst. Not a good feeling. We know we will get by ... and in fact, we welcome some change, but change takes getting used to ... and the "man of the house" feels much pressure and anxiety over how to take care of his family under these circumstances. Oh and then there is my best friend who is has been given a medical diagnosis that is freaking her out ... and is awaiting more tests to fully diagnosis her condition. I wait with her and pray for the best.

So, there is alot going on around here. And though I know that we - as a family - will all get through this together - I feel "tapped out" right now. I want to change everyone's pain, calm their fears, save them from themselves (in some cases), and wave a magical wand to release all suffering. BUT, I totally recognize that walking through suffering and pain, brings us closer to our greatest selves, our greatest joys ... and closer to our soul's purpose. So, it must be what it must be. And the doors that will open at the end of my loved ones' journeys through their pains will be more miraculous than I could ever dream. I know - I have been there. And I have witnessed the beauty of the transformations of others as well. So, I trust. Or, I try to ... except when I want to kick the asses of those who have recently wronged both my brother and my sister ... but hey, I am no Thich Nhat Han.

I hope you recognize that this post is not a pity party for me - or anyone else. Just a telling of the TEMPORARY dark areas that we have found ourselves in .... so that I can later tell you of the beauty and light that comes of it all in the near future. And I suppose this post also serves as an explanation of why my posts have been so erratic these days and will likely continue to be for a little while.

I thank you all for your prayers, your friendships, and your inspirations. You are amazing gifts to me, and I hope I have given you some beauty in return.

In hope and love,

Jodi

P.S. Shameless promotion: the above photo is available in my shop: http://www.jlrphotography.etsy.com.

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Family Matters.

I am sorry that I haven't been posting lately. My Dad has been experiencing some trouble with his health ... and our family has been rallying around him. It has been a tumultuous time for all of us. As I am certain that many of you already know ... it is so scary when we are faced with the mortality of those we love. We all firmly believe that Dad is going to be well soon ... but we are all going to be making many life changes in order to help Dad with his recovery. I will continue posting regularly both here and on my photography site. And for those who are concerned with Dad's progress, I will be sure to keep you updated.

Thanks for being here :)

Love,
Jodi

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Entering the Kingdom : Disney World Part 2.

Our family entered the kingdom ... smiling from ear to ear ... with instructions from Mommy that we were about to embark on a magical adventure just beyond the gate.

You can imagine Meaghan & Isaac's surprise when they entered the Magic Kingdom to find this magnificent castle awaiting them ... with even more surprises to come ...

... the thrill of a brass band boisterously welcoming us ...

... the warmth and familiarity of a barbershop quartet on good ol' Main Street ...

... ahhhh .... and the endless colorful balloons ... that seem to be magic in and of themselves ...

and oh so much more ...

(to be continued tomorrow).

Love,

Jodi

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My Memere's 85th Birthday Party.

This weekend Halis and I travelled to our hometown to celebrate my Grandmother's 85th Birthday. All of her children were there ... along with most of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren (those of you who were not there were VERY missed). It was a wonderful time, filled with laughter and love. And as I enjoyed my aunts, uncles, cousins, and other extended family, I recognized that I was so blessed to be a part of it. We are all so unique and beautiful. And we are all so loved by one another. What a great feeling.

Isaac felt it to. He THOROUGHLY enjoyed himself, as can be seen in this photo:

I pretty much think he held this expression for most of the day :)

May you all enjoy your families as well.

Love,

Jodi

P.S. For family members who would like to see more photos, I have gathered them here.

P.S.S. Please forgive the crazy hair in my photo - I just came out of the pool. Please refrain judgement :)

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The Completed "Great-Grandma" Quilt.

~ Great Grandmother ~

For the happiness you've brought
and lessons you have taught,
For the way you've cared
and the wisdom you've shared,
We are thankful and truly honored
to have a great grandmother like you.

With Love,
Mackenzie, Hunter, Emy, Nic
Adina,Isaac
Ana, Lauren, Sophia
& Rylie

Made With Love,

Jodi

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A Quilt for Great Grandma.

In the works :)

This photo shows me matching up fabric photos with corresponding reproduction 1930-40's fabrics. This quilt will be for my Memere to celebrate her 80-something birthday next week. I know she is going to love it. All of her precious great-grandchildren will be featured on it - along with a photo of her - and a dedication of thanks for all that she is to us.

I find it remarkable that so many years ago, my Memere fell in love with an amazing man (my Pepere) and from their love they created a beautiful, nurturing family together. Then their children fell in love and created their own loving families ... and so on again. From one loving couple, so many other lives have sprung ... so many more families have been created and so much more love has been shared. It is wonderful to reflect upon ... especially while I am creating this gift.

And even more wonderful is the fact that 3 out of 10 of my Memere's great grandchildren were adopted into our family. One boy from Haiti (my Isaac), one boy from Russia, and one girl from Kazahkstan. Who would have thought? Amazing.

Hopefully this quilt will be ready by her birthday (fingers crossed) ... and I will be sure to post a photo when it is complete.

Enjoy the day,
Love,
Jodi

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Finishing What She Started ...

My Mother-in-Law taught me most of what I know about quilting and sewing. She gave me such a gift - one that I am forever grateful for. And when she passed away, I inherited many of her gorgeous quilts, her sewing machine, some of her fabrics, and several of her unfinished projects.

I am currently working on completing some of those projects. It is a bitter-sweet task. Many nights I find myself sitting and hand-sewing in the very same chair that she sat and hand-sewn in as well (we inherited the chair too). And though she and I had a complicated relationship, I feel at peace with her when I settle into working on some of her handiwork. And I wonder if she can see me ... and whether she has now come to a better understanding of who I really am ... in the same way that I have come to a better understanding of her. I wonder if she is happy to see that her work is being completed and enjoyed. I sincerely hope so.

Love,
Jodi

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Thank you, Martin Luther King, Jr. ...

... that our family can look like this - is a testament to all that you worked to achieve. We are Haitian, Turkish, Native American and French/English. And we are family.

Amen.

Love,

Jodi

P.S. this picture was taken in 2006.

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Introducing ...

... my godson, Mr. Brady Borromeo:

What a special Christmas present I received! I get to be his godmother and to assist with his relationship to the Creator throughout his life. How wonderful.

Brady ~ we are so happy that you have joined our family. We love you.

~ Aunt Jodi

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Tree Hunt at Piper Mountain : 2007

I LOVE rituals. And heading to Piper Mountain with my friends and family in order to pick out our Christmas trees has become a recent, but favorite ritual. It has been a long time ritual of our dearest friends, and we are so thankful to be a part of it.

You can see some fun photos from our outing by clicking on our Flickr account to the right ... But here are some of the highlights:

Our best friends.

Devon shakes the trees in order to make some really cool photos!

Meaghan experiences several "white washes".

Isaac learns how to throw snowballs (thanks Grampy!).

Daddy and his boy.

My favorite photo of the day.

Meaghan and her Grampy.

Ahh... and the evening fire. Gotta love it :)

And speaking of rituals and traditions, Halis and I plan to incorporate some new ones into our lives thanks to some great suggestions I have received from some new books. I hope to share them with you soon and to hear of yours as well!

Lots of love,
Jodi

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