World Changers

Two of my three world changers on the road to Dartmouth!!!!

A Facebook Memory I’d Like to Share

He’s grown SO much since I took this picture. We had just moved from New Smyrna Beach to Naples. Starting a new school, knowing nobody, he was so homesick for the friends he’d left behind—Colton, Jackson, Mickey and Marcus.

He was the kid that was too shy to talk to anyone. He sat alone at lunch for a month or two, and was unsure he could make it here.

But slowly, he started joining clubs—Model UN, math club—and teachers started noticing him. He grew about six inches, lost about thirty pounds, and my little boy became a man.

Not only did he ROCK Palmetto Ridge High School, he OWNED everything he was a part of—Getting the highest scholarship from Model UN ($10,000), winning a place in the Student Diplomacy Corps and spending a summer with them in New Zealand, and finally, earning a place as one of the top three graduates.

At the senior awards ceremony and taking numerous awards with much more humility than I have writing about them, a mob of kids surrounded Joe, asking for selfies with “the Legend of Palmetto Ridge.”

He’s come so far, conquered SO many obstacles, and I am SO proud of him.

And when the school principal announced to the school that Joe got a full ride $269k scholarship to Dartmouth, I was the loudest mom ever, cheering for my boy.

He worked SO hard for so long, not only for grades and academic success, but to conquer the parts of an unpleasant, nearly tragic past that threatened to drag him down.

I’m taking this kid—this amazing kid—to Dartmouth in a little over a week, and I know he will change the world for the better!

Have you ever....

...had so much in your mind that you didn't really know where to start when you wanted to share?

I guess that's what happens when you don't blog for a while!

So, I guess I'll start with my new hobby of acrylic pour painting. I love it, even if it does get pretty messy. I had a dream last night that I received a windfall from an anonymous source, and I didn't tell a soul. In my dream, I found a cottage on a hillside in Vermont, and it had a painting room with an efficient system to minimize mess. I remember being so happy thinking I was going to be a hermit just painting away. Lol.

Here is my most recent painting, which I donated to Beverly's gofundme. You can find the link to the gofundme HERE. Stephanie bought it, and Beverly has also offered her paintings for sale. Two of them have already been sold, which has raised Beverly's confidence in her talent, so she said she will offer more for sale.

Here's the painting Beverly sold. She has some amazing talent!

Here's her painting that's still available on the gofundme:

I'm glad people are helping Beverly. She is truly a kind and good soul who didn't deserve the fickle frown of Fortune. But God is mightier than Fortune, and He is raising her up. As a side benefit, her talent is being recognized. 

Let's see...what else...

I'm taking the week of Sept 9th (also my birthday), to see Joe off to Dartmouth. Dartmouth is holding a lot of parent activities that week, so I'm excited. Vermont and New Hampshire are incredibly beautiful in a serene, easy way that brings a strange yet welcome solace to my soul.

One thing I'm learning is to cultivate more peace in my heart. I'm still a fighter against the unjust, and still a helper of the unfortunate, and my passions for certain causes are just as strong, but I'm learning to divert the intensity from a raging river to more peaceful rivulets. Pour painting helps, especially when I can paint by myself with some good music in the background. 

Callie is doing well in CA. She's a passionate environmentalist, volunteering to clean up the beaches and doing all kinds of environment-friendly activities. She is so beautiful, inside and out.

Aidan is doing well, too. She just registered at a local college to study business management. She would like to ow her own restaurant one day. She's also lost about 40 pounds by eating vegan and working out every day.

Aidan's dog, Kodak (I call him Kodins) is now a dear member of the family. He's so gentle and loving, and has a ton of personality. 

He is very protective of his family, and his passion is destroying any wild animals that come into the house within ten minutes, no matter how indestructible they claim to be. In this morning's case, a beaver  claiming to be "ultra-durable" was the victim. The crime scene:

Oh man...I've run out of time already! Got to get ready for work, but I'm going to try hard and make this a daily thing again!!!

Republica

One of my favorite songs from a long time ago! And I’m feelin’ it today....

Hey Forrest!

Hey Forrest Fenn,

So do you still feel like President Asshole has done nothing wrong?
29 DEAD TODAY BECAUSE OF THE HATE AGAINST OUR FELLOW AMERICANS PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS INCITED!

People need to WAKE UP!

Trying to Come Back

Have you ever had so much you wanted to say that you didn’t know exactly where to start? Well, that’s sorta why I haven’t been blogging lately.

I have some new hobbies that occupy a lot of my free time. I think I’ve mentioned that Aidan and I have started painting, and I’ve actually sold one of my paintings so far. And it makes me pretty happy, too, to just turn on Enya Radio and paint myself into a serene place of inner solitude and contentment.

Quick summary for now: Job’s going well, played in a softball league although my back is so messed up now that I can’t put off treatment any longer, kids all doing well- Joe leaves for Dartmouth next month, Callie has decided to pursue journalism, and Aidan is writing some amazing, powerful things, and painting as well.
Summer vacation will be to New Hampshire and Vermont to see Joe off. I’m looking forward to exploring more of that beautiful region.

So, anyway, I’ll try to catch up in more detail as I get more time! Here are a couple of my recent paintings:

Recent Art

So, Aidan and I are painting up a storm, and we’ve each already sold one painting! To complete strangers who saw the art on instagram and facebook.

So here are mine from today:

Dragon’s Eye

Reflection of Girl in Water

Aidan painted these, and she’s a natural. She’s WAY better than me!