It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

It is appropriately chilly and Christmas preparations are well underway.

My shows are done and now it is time to finish up my shopping.

My Sailor son will home in two weeks! 

I'm so excited to know that soon all my children

will be together. 

That is the best gift I can imagine.

~♥~

https://www.facebook.com/events/228068070595826/

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

My Christmas decorating is done!

Now I need some shopping elves.

My Sailor son will be home for 10 days! 

I am so excited to see his sweet face.

Life is good.

~♥~

some days you need some magic...

 My son is a Sailor. Graduation was amazing. We had a few hours

 with him over 2 days and then he flew to Charleston, S.C. 

He will be there for 2 years attending Nuclear Power School.

I miss him more than ever now...

Love others like your dog loves you...

just sayin'...

just sayin'...

I ♥ the mail carrier

What a wonderful thing is the mail,

 capable of conveying across continents 

a warm human hand-clasp.  

~Author Unknown

The Navy teaches you things, lots of things~ 

like an appreciation for the U.S. Postal Service. 

In these days of instant communication, the thought of waiting

for a letter seems rather quaint, but when a loved-one

is in boot camp, letters becomes golden.

So far I've gotten two~ the form letter

and a nice 3 page letter last Friday.

It was so good to "hear" my son's "voice",

to see his new "military handwriting".

He is doing well and says parts of boot camp

are FUN!! And some parts suck. He has made some friends and is learning to deal with sleep deprivation. He misses us.

Today he started his 4th week and graduation

on 9/30 doesn't seem so far away anymore! 

I am so proud of him. He is working hard

to become a Sailor, but...

he is still my boy, my sweet son who remembers

that his mom likes to know where her babies sleep.

So, this made my day. 

~♥~

signed, sealed and delivered...

No, I was not as sad as I look in this photo, I promise!!

Yesterday was the big day. My son did his final swearing-in

and boarded the plane to Great Lakes. 

He was able to text me and even called from the airport.

And then at 12:32 I got "the 3 second" call.

He sounded strong, wide-awake (I'll bet!) 

and the teeniest bit nervous. I said a few encouraging words

and told him we love him and that was that.

Mostly I am relieved that he is there safe and sound.

I know he can handle boot camp. 

Yes, I miss him terribly, but I am refusing to give over

to sorrow when there is so much to be grateful for! 

This is what he wants to do! Qualifying for Nuke School

is an accomplishment in itself. I am so happy for him 

and I have confidence in the US Navy. 

This is what they do~ they take boys and girls

and make them men and women and United States Sailors.

It is an honor and privilege to serve.

Today begins the wait for "the box" containing

his clothes, the form letter where we can write him

and the next call (in 3 weeks hopefully) and the first letter.

If he can do boot camp, I can do Navy mom!

Having the support of  loving family and friends,

the amazing US Navy family and a strong faith

comforts me and reminds me to focus on the good.

So~ I give the Navy my precious son with confidence

and gratitude and a fervent prayer that these 

8 weeks go swiftly and without complications. 

HOOYAH! Go Navy! 

~♥~

The Navy is breathing down my neck...

So, now we are down to 11 days until our son ships out... 

which is actually 10 days because he has to be at the recruiting

office at 3:00 the day before, then on to a hotel for the night.

We can take him out for dinner that night as long as we stay 

very close by (preferably in the hotel) and have him in 

his room by 10:00pm.We will go to MEPS  the next

day to see him do the final swearing-in 

(the "no turning back, you're in the Navy now" one) 

and  then say good-bye. Some parents go to the airport and

 hang out, but unless our son requests this, I think I'll pass. 

I can only take so many farewells.

Things seem surreal. It is hard for me to imagine him gone,

despite the 10 months we have known this date.

I am very excited, proud and grateful for this opportunity

for my son, but it is bittersweet. 

I don't even know what to do these last days.

He seems quiet and a bit withdrawn. I know this 

is not unusual and is part of the separation process.

I have the business of organizing an "Anchors Aweigh"

 party to distract me. Then come the good-byes 

and the long wait for communication from boot camp.

What a ride this has been...

and it has barely begun! 

birdies...

I love trying new things so I pulled out my paintbrushes and acrylic paints today

 and attempted some birds on fabric. I am not much  of a painter, 

but is was really fun. I am going to keep at it and also try some

nests, seashells and flowers. My head is full of ideas! 

I hope to incorporate painted elements in my jewelry creations.

I am so grateful for the gift of creativity.

~♥~

Come shop!!! ♥

♥ Please drop by my Summer Shopping Open House this Sunday, July 10th 

between 1:30 and 4:30. I have created lots of new one-of-a-kind jewelry designs, 

including sea-inspired pendants, bird-nest rings and vintage luxe bracelets. 

Treat yourself or pick up a gift for someone special. ♥

♥It is a great privilege to live in this amazing, FREE country. 

I am grateful for all who have created,

 nurtured and defended our freedom and to those that continue 

to devote their lives to service to our country.

 My hope is that God will continue to bless

 not only the United States,

 but this beautiful world that we share 

with our brothers and sisters. ♥

♥ Happy Independence Day!♥

remember...

"Sing your song. Dance your dance. Tell your tale." 

Frank McCourt 

summer...

Ah, June~ and today is the first official day of summer.

I love, love, love this time of year.

I love the Texas heat, the long days, the beautiful mornings

and the slower pace of summertime.

My son leaves for Navy boot camp in 48 days and this

has lent a sense of urgency to these days, though.

I am trying prepare myself to say good-bye. 

You can read about this journey here!

http://sonandsea.blogspot.com/

I am finding some time for creating, using lots of seashells,

and working in summery hues. 

Mostly I am savoring these fleeting days.

"Summer afternoon... to me those have always been

 the two most beautiful words in the English language."
— Henry James

hellloooo!!!

No, I have not been abducted! 

I'm here, enjoying SPRING and getting ready

for my son's high school graduation and departure

for U.S.Navy boot camp. 

I am finding time to do a bit of digital designing. 

Graduation is a week and a half away!! 

Party preparations are underway.

And spring is here! Oh, how I love May!

It is my birth month and my second favorite

after June.

I hope you are enjoying this lovely time of year, too.

May is a beautiful gift.

~♥~

I remember...

I've been working on a scrapbook for my graduating senior. While I do digital design

almost daily it has been way too long since I worked on any traditional scrapbooking.

Lo and behold~ I REMEMBER how! I am loving working with paper and scissors and 

real photographs! I am making this book on a 4" x 6" format and it will be

 a hybrid creation~ a mix of traditional and digital pages.

Now that I have rediscovered paper scrapbooking 

I think I will embark on more projects including books in this

 smaller format for all of my kids. 

Of course, scrapbooking skills are not the only things I'm remembering.

My worktable is covered in sweet memories. My children's sweet faces 

are smiling up at me across the years. How time has flown! 

I am filled with gratitude and wonder for the life we have had.

These visible markers remind me to cherish EACH day. 

~♥~

awakened

Does spring awaken your spirit?

It certainly does mine. 

In my studio, I find myself

drawn to the colors of the April landscape~

tender greens, soft pinks and sea-tinged aquas.

The sun falls on my work table 

in gilded streams. Things SPARKLE!

And I am filled with gratitude

for this time of year, this day, 

this very moment!

~May your day be lush

with spring's wondrous gifts.♥