a promise to myself....

she shyly said

"my birthday is actually tomorrow, but i'm celebrating it today"

when i told her how much i loved her red tu-tu

she was tentative when i asked her if i could take her photograph

but

then when i asked her to spin around

she lit up

and

her young and very fresh teenage wings

helped her fly

i gave her one of my postcards with "happy birthday" written on it and told her if she sent me her email, i'd send her the photos.

~

last night. there she was.

~you've got mail~

it said "i'm the one that was in the red tu-tu. remember me?"

~

how could i ever forget

~

so later this year. when i turn 47. i am going to wear a red tu-tu. too

and

i'm going to spin.

around and around. as many times as i can.

and

maybe later i'll say

"remember me"

~

years ago, when my grandmother died, my mom, while cleaning out grandma's apartment, found an antique tea cup of sorts, sitting in the back corner of her refrigerator holding some kind of a liquidy leftover.

on the cup

were the etched words

'remember me'

~

and

there's not a day we have ever forgotten her

so really. when you think about it.

isn't that the only message we all want to leave behind someday.

*

and then there were five....

::painting pottery at fired-up::

this is laurie

~she's deb's friend, not a blogger...gasp... and i said....sure, bring her along~

this is deb

this is the queen. the rock fairy.

i call her sweet kim.

and

this is debi

~

we were all strangers. blogging friends. with big curious hearts. i asked if they wanted to visit. they said yes.

{i warned them that i swear and can't stand smelly perfumes. i should have warned them that i'm not the greatest hostess. oh well. now they know}

~

three of them drove over ten hours from texas to get here. kim flew from new hampshire.

and

when we were all together

we shared and laughed. we cried and created. we listened and learned.

~

we walked and photographed everything. we didn't spend enough time on the beach. we ate amazing food created by deb and laurie. we tried to learn some arty things from kim.

{i'm an awful student}

~

seashells were found. beautiful gifts were given. sleeping hours were short. warmth from the sun was minimal. hearts were opened wide. ideas and techniques were shared. candles were lit. wine was drunk. stories were told. a canvas with overlapping hand prints was made thanks to debi. the smell of coffee filled every morning's air. bravery was tangible. new foods were eaten. {yep. i actually ate jicama} sophie was loved on. massages were given {actually only to me. thank you laurie for being an amazing massage therapist}

and

in the rare moments of down time

loved ones were called

letting them know how much they were missed and how much fun we were having

~

was it always easy. no.

five women. enough said.

{it takes real women to admit, know and understand that}

but

was it worth it.

more than i'll ever be able to tell you. and were our big curious hearts filled. to the brim.

*

thank you

thank you thank you

kim and deb and laurie and debi

for being brave enough

to take a chance on

me

~

thank you kim

for staying {and putting up} with me the longest. you really got to see seaside at its best.

lucky you.

{i think you got to see me at my best, too}

i am so blessed to have had you all to myself.

~

and

thank you hubby

for allowing me to have yet another amazing life experience

that never would have happened without

your love

~

you are more amazing

than you'll ever know

*

fourteen my ass.....

it's my birthday

and

if you think for one second i'm going to act my age

you're wrong

i mean really

look at me

~

i can practically leap tall buildings in a single bound

okay fine

i might also come home and sleep all day after i do all that building leaping

but

for an old lady

i think i've still got it

~

well

at least at the beach

i do

*

momma is still busy with friends and trying to figure out how she'll ever share the last week with all of you, but she's working on it. and now that it's warmer outside, between you and me, she's a whole lot happier. she likes her sun, a lot.

*

and the wind blows....

the girls are here

~

heart shaped laughter has been loud. stories have been shared. tears have been shed.

amazing food has been cooked. hundreds of photos have been taken.

hugs have magically floated in the air and comforted all of us.

~

friendships have been made

*

i have so many things to share. big things. little things. all dancing in my heart and my head.

and

where to begin is a mystery. how to share it all. impossible

~

so for today

know that we are all here. all learning. all breathing. all dancing.

*

today i wait....

i wait for my hubby to make it back home safely

while flying through the storms in the south

~

i wait for son on so many levels and in so many ways

but

mostly

to also make it back home without any issues

and

now

i wait for new friends to arrive

~

friends i have only known through blogging and whose eyes i have yet to look into. friends who will warm my heart and make me laugh. friends who will feed my soul.

~

friends

who love life as much as i do

~

friends

who are willing to take chances

~

terribly lucky i am

as

i wait

*

the kind of bubble i like living in....

when we asked them where they were playing

they said they had just finished

i said

"i can't believe we missed you"

so they stopped right where they were

and

played two songs just for us

i didn't know the songs

but

hey

they were playing just for us

and

i thought

their kindness

is a beauty you just don't find everyday

they told us they are

~the funky groovy cowboys~

and

i think

just maybe

someday they'll go someplace

big

and

then

i'll be able to say

"i knew them when"

*

savoring....

i am "savoring" everything so far this year

~

after all

it is my word. and i really want to do it proud.

~

so i savor

the alone time i have now with my hubby. the sand. the sun. oh the sun. the strangers i meet. sophie and her new found playfulness. the yummy chicken salad sandwich i had for lunch yesterday. the extra sleep we've been getting. pine cones and squirrels. cottages that look like a box full of crayons. the anticipation for new found friends visiting me next week. the live~love~laugh vases i found in the dollar bin at target the other day. forcing myself to journal everyday so far this year in hopes that it becomes a habit and the fact that so many of you came to my blog and shared your word for 2011 with me. i loved starting the new year that way.

~

i could go on and on

~

i guess

what i've realized so far

is that when i consciously try to savor everything

it's really hard to be in a bad mood

or

have a bad day

~

who knew

~

granted. i have to be honest with myself since we're only on day 7 of the new year.

but so far so good. keep bringing it on 2011. so far i really like you.

*

artwork above can be found here