Tuesday's Week in the Life

As I continue into this project, I am determined to do better than I did last year.  I am determined to get the photos of my reality NOW.  Of the daily things that make up my life as it is this year, this month, this moment. 

Unfortunately, that includes this rain/snow/hail stuff we had going on this morning.  YUCK!

The drive to my parents house is short, about 5 minutes.  As I passed through this intersection, I was hit with the thought that I have been going through this 'crazy corner' my whole life.  Now I go in a different direction, from a different street, but here I am again.  At this light, on this intersection. 

This is the rear view mirror of my parents car.  I have to adjust it up (a lot!), every time I move the car.  It is a bit scary to me how small my parents have gotten with age.  They really move this mirror down, while I keep it up.  Another sign of the process of time affecting us all.  Sometimes I find things comforting, and sometimes things are a bit frightening. 

This, I am rather proud of.  I have developed a new skill and I am good, if I do say so myself!  I can back up the car like a pro!  I am faster and faster and I am judging the back up distance better and better.  I might not get much use from this skill, but it is one I have (for now!)

I keep working on getting that great hand shot.  I have seen many that I admire and hope to duplicate, but this really isn't the one.  Still, today, these are my dads hands. Drinking coffee, which I always associate with him.  When I look at this picture I notice his wedding ring first. His knuckles are swollen, and has hands are almost always in motion.  A thing I am sure he isn't even aware of, but a thing I notice, as it is reflective of his state of mind some days. 

The running challenge these days is to get the SMALL wheelchair when we get to dialysis.  Dad swims in some of them, and he can hardly reach the foot pedals.  I always look for a small one. He feels more comfortable for his long afternoon. 

When I knew I was going to do the WITL challenge, this is the shot that immediately came to me.  It is not fancy. It is not taken with my DSLR camera.  But, I am guessing, this will be my favorite picture of the whole week. This is what I see, 3 days a week, as I wheel my dad into the medical center.  I am so blessed to be able to be here, to help them, to spend time with them, and to tell him, 3 times a week, how much I love him.  I am SO grateful for this time. 

And there is a bit of my second day of WITL.  

I didn't want to bore you with it all, but a glimpse maybe.  

See you tomorrow, 

Connie 

WEEK IN THE LIFE

So, I have basically survived the winter here (I wasn't sure it was ever going to end).  I am now on to Spring and all its adventures and possibilities.

 Do you get this way?  Now I am ready to start .....  I think to myself "oh, I was gonna focus on that this year!"  or  " Wow, I really wanted to practice that more this year."  Or  " I really want to do more of that this summer."  Like I am going to have more time in my days.  But, I do kind of get a renewed sense of wonder and self awareness at this time of year.

I think part of it is me getting through the 'crazy' part of my year.  With my Close to my Heart business I host a retreat in October and February, I have a NATIONAL SCRAPBOOKING DAY crop (which kind of wipes me out), I have a new catalog reveal party, I celebrate a birthday and prepare for Mothers Day, I get a big Spring Cleaning rush (who knows where that comes from!?) and I survive the worst part of the year with my primary job.  So suddenly, I feel like I can 'begin'.

The other thing that happens at this time of year that makes me more aware of my goals and sense of self is that I participate in the WEEK IN THE LIFE project developed by Ali Edwards.  I LOVE this project.  It forces - OK, encourages - me to get out my big DSLR camera for a whole week.

All of the sudden, I remember that I LOVE to take photographs.  I love thinking things through, thinking ahead, planning my photographs and being more creative.  This alone gets my juices flowing so I am pulling out books on photography, I re-learn settings on my camera, I get excited about the opportunities I have here in the hills to take AMAZING photos.  I just need to plan the time into my life to do it more.

Sometimes it is something as simple as changing my perspective!  

I also love the way Ali Edwards shares her WITL on her blog.  I would like to be as consistent and sharing as she is.  That too, is one of the goals I will be working on.  Share more.  

Take more pictures, share more pictures, tell more stories.  

For today, I think I would like to share one story from Monday's WITL that will be in my album.  

I am starting with the photos this year, and I have taken a TON of them!!  

135 on my cell phone and about 100 on my DSLR. Today is Saturday for reference, and I started on Monday. (the best pictures are the ones you actually take, and the best camera is the one you have with you!  current philosophies!) 

My Monday story ...

This is the state of my living room currently.  I had those shelves set up and sorted very prettily once. Then, I went looking for an album, and realized I had the boys' albums scattered all over the house.  I didn't know where any one's was.  There were loose pages everywhere too.  So, being me, I made piles.  Looking at this every day kinda stresses me out, but I haven't taken the time to put books together and finish albums.  I am mentally making a plan, where and when to start.  How to finish them and get them to the appropriate boy.  It all just takes time.  In the interim, I look at them every day.  They need to be dealt with. 

So, there you go. One of the pictures, and one of the stories for Monday.  

Let's see if I can share one tomorrow too.  

See you soon, connie

Good morning my friends.  I really wanted to write about this while it was fresh, but don't think it needs to be way out there, so you all get to listen to me ramble. 

Every time Ali Edwards (one of my favorite scrapbook gurus) has a DAY IN THE LIFE challenge, I really do try to do it.  And to get all the stories like she does. But, alas, it was a pretty much fail again this time. Although, I am proud of myself for remembering it fairly early in the day and getting a few shots right away of the big event.  

November 27th was the day. 

Mine did not start the way it usually does.  But this project isn't about normal, it's about THIS day.

I got a call from my mom at 6:00 AM.  My dad had fallen and could I come give them a hand.  Before coffee, almost before clothes, I was headed to mom and dad's house.  Shortly after I got there, the EMTs arrived and had put together a plan to get dad in the ambulance without too much pain.  

Gratitude (the lense we are seeing through for this DITL) :  I am so grateful for the emergency team we had.  The kindness and concern they had for my dad's comfort.  The respect they had for my mom and her home. 

I have no idea what time this was.  But, I remembered that it was DITL and I needed to document.  We got dad to the ER, I made sure everyone was settled in, and I left when they were taking dad to Xray.  I knew I wouldn't be much help there and I needed to get my apartment picked up so it could be shown today.   Anyway, my day doesn't start without coffee.  It was about 9AM, and this is my first cup.  I frequently microwave my coffee every other day.  I'm good with that. 

OK - maybe it was closer to 10AM.  How did we ever live without microwaves?  I am grateful for technology, I am grateful for coffee.  I am grateful that I take a moment to slow down and have a 'cuppa' to start my day and plan the day. 

Apartment cleaned, and I'm ready for work.  I'm grateful that I have learned to accept "good enough" and let go of some of the stress I used to create in my life. 

 Back to the hospital to check on mom and dad.  Dad definitely broke his hip.  Now we wait for them to get him into surgery.  Again, I remembered that it was DITL and had my sister take a picture of my reality. 

I am grateful for pain medication.  It is so hard to watch dad try to be comfortable while he waits for a surgeon.  I am grateful that the nursing staff is so accommodating in listening to dad when he feels like he needs more medication.

                                      

Another family waiting room.  I am grateful that there is somewhere to wait when dad needs some privacy or when he is having a procedure. We girls can have a discussion about life without filtering too much.  I am so grateful to have my mom and sister in my life to listen to me bitch and also share my joys!  

Dad ended up having dialysis - a 4 hour procedure before he goes into surgery. I took mom home to rest and pick up a few things and I went home for a couple hours.  

I am grateful that mom is getting a chance to rest.  I know she is exhausted.  

As long as I'm on a roll tonight, I am going to continue to clean up my apartment. The move is going to be stressful enough without having to go through stuff I don't need.  

I am grateful for all I have, but I am also grateful for my 'anti-hoarder' moods.  I threw away a bunch of things that I don't need and that are no longer relevant.  I didn't even look at a lot of them.  I am sure I won't miss them. 

All the Thanksgiving dishes are done.  I finally emptied the last of the leftover dishes and got them washed up.  I am getting them back to their own homes today!! 

I am grateful that my family has enough food.  That we have leftovers and the the means to save them.  There are so many families that don't, we are so blessed. 

AS I was cleaning, I tore the stove apart and cleaned it.  One less thing I will have to worry about when I move.  I am grateful that I have the time to take care of this today before I go meet mom at the hospital. 

I took the time to contact the last of my CTMH customers and get the orders together for this month.   I am way behind on this front, but it is the time of year that I function in behind mode.  I'd love to not do this, but atlas I don't let it stress me out like it used to. 

I am grateful for CTMH.  I love this company, their support of their consultants, and the friendships it has allowed me to make over the years. 

About 10:30 and I am driving home from the hospital.  Dad didn't have surgery, but he has had dinner (of a sort) and is comfortable for the night.  They are planning on surgery in the morning.  I am going home knowing that he is comfortable, that mom is headed home to get a good nights sleep without worrying (too much) and that things will progress as they should in the morning.  

I am grateful that the weather is good.  I am not having to struggle through snow and ice as I travel these late night roads. I am also grateful for the Christmas lights.  It is such a cheerful thing to see after such a consuming day. 

And, after getting home, I watched a little TV, drank a couple glasses of water, and headed to bed.  Not the DITL, hour by hour, that I was hoping to do. 

 But, today, I am grateful to Ali Edwards for encouraging me to make an effort to record this day.  Some of these shots and memories wouldn't have been saved without this project. 

I hope you consider looking through the lens of gratitude at your day.  Take a moment to open your eyes to the little things in your life.  And, if you can, record them. 

happy scrapping      Connie