Circus Act........

So where have I been the last 5 weeks you ask? .

Picture me in the center ring. I am dressed in a silly clown costume, wearing a smiley face painted from ear to ear. The crowd goes wild and I begin my performance.  I start juggling 20 balls at once and then proceed to wear 10 different hats. I take each hat on and off all awhile continuing to keep the juggling balls in the air. I think to myself how grateful I am to have had prior training, but honestly nothing could have prepared me for this! People told me how hard it was going to be, but there was no way to experience it until my time came.  Now is my time.  I start strong and begin my crowd pleasing performance.  Focus...  deep breath... excitement.... dropped a ball...  re-focus...... determined.... doing great....  lost a hat....  re- focus..... confidence..... done...... Whew! I finished my act. My eyes gaze into the audience and I see the majority of the crowd in applause. I am feeling great.  I exit the stage, take a deep breath, grab a snack, get a makeup touch-up, and prepare to get right back on stage for Act 2.

I know many of you can relate with this feeling. Maybe it happens slowly over time, this feeling of life being such a juggling act.  For some reason I feel as if it happened to me overnight.  All of the sudden I woke up one morning and felt the challenge of raising 2 young children, working, staying healthy, having time with God, making time for my husband, finding rest, growing in mind and spirit, keeping up with our social schedule....  the list goes on.  Even when I try my very best I certainly don't keep all the juggling balls in the air at once, or have the right hat on at the right time.  But I will tell you what. It feels so good to work so hard, and I am excited to see the fruits of my labor {which very well may be years down the road, I like to believe it is worth waiting for}.

In an attempt to take my kids on a fun field trip, and do something for myself to foster positive energy, I decided to take the kids on a trip to the local flower grower. {I admit, I was first inspired by my need to do something for myself and the fact that I could also turn it into a field trip was a bonus.}  I have a few exciting projects in the works and one of them required me to spend time researching a book called "Summers in France."  It inspired me to take a walk, purchase fresh flowers from a local, and come home to make an arrangement. The great thing is along the way I noticed a selection of plants on the side of the road to add to the stems we were about to purchase.  The entire walk home we stopped and picked and pulled to add to our arrangements.  I had fun, the kids had fun, and life is feeling good. :)

Here is a little quote I was inspired by last week.......
"We don't sing because we are happy.  We are happy because we sing."


Love to all,
Netti T

Loaded up and on our way!

Too cute!  They dressed to match and decided they would choose "pink" flowers.

Getting ready to enter the "flower fridge".

Pink Gerber Daisies were the girls first choice

We were a sight to see on the side of the road!  Picking from the bushes.

The girls final product.  We had enough plants for each of them to make an arrangement in a jar.

My selections.  I guess I was feeling white and green.

Some of our "roadside picks."

My finished products.  One to keep and one to give away.  The kids were having naps, Greg was doing homework, and I had an hour of quiet time to myself to have a cup of tea and play with flowers.  A perfectly spent afternoon!