I Sit. I Smile. I Draw.

Olivia sat at the kitchen table.  Her six-year-old hand held a pink Crayola marker.  The marker moved across the paper.  Its strokes brought her imagination to life.  I spied a smile as it curled on her cheek.  

“What are you doing?” I asked her from the living room.
“Nothing mommy,” she teased.
I walked over to her with my own smile.  My index finger poked her just under her ribs, sure to get a giggle.
“Nothing Mommy, nothing Mommy, nothing Mommy,” I mocked. “Seriously, what are you doing?”
“I’m making a Draw Some for you Mommy!” she giggled with a glow of pride.
“Aren’t you a clever girl!”? I replied with giddy surprise.
“You clever, clever girl!!  I know what we can do!” I said with excitement.  “How about I draw a Draw Some everyday and leave it for you.  Then in the morning you can solve it with Grandpa?!” I said with raised eyebrows and a smile looking for agreement. 
“Yes…Yes Mommy!!!!” Olivia answered with joy.
“Me too Mommy!  Me too!!” Francine shouted, sure to not be forgotten. 
“Of course you too silly!  It will be fun.  We will do it until the end of the school year.  It will help us not miss each other too much!” I reply.
So as the days leading up to the end of the school year bring out our annual count down calendar, excited anticipation and potent reminders of how much we miss each other while I am at work…
Each morning
I sit.
I smile.
I draw….

One for each of them to guess.   

One for each for them to think of me while I am at work.  

…and when I get home from work I find drawings left for me.  

One from each of them.  

Each of them drawn as they think of me.

Our very own version of Draw Some.

Stasha and Her Perspective

I first met Stasha (www.northwestmommy.com) through Listicles.  You see Stasha is the mother of Listicles.  Every Monday bloggers flock to her blog.  They laugh, they have fun, they joke, they share their lists that applies to that weeks theme and it is an absolute blast!  There is something about writing a list, something about joining Stasha and her Listiclers at that space that makes writing fun!


Even with all that fun, it wasn’t until I joined Instagram that I really got to know her…. I had just started out on Instagram.  I followed Stasha’s photos and was amazed by their beauty and Stasha’s ability to capture it with her camera.  Instagram was my first step toward sharing more of the real me.  I wanted to share the real me with more of my twitter and blogging friends but quite frankly I was terrified (long story, irrational, ask Shirley about it, she’ll roll her eyes, shrug her shoulders and sigh… its a long story.  I’m working at it).  I hit the green approved button allowing Stasha to follow me on Instagram.  I was actually giddy with excitement that Stasha the photography goddess (oh, is that only in my mind?!)wanted to follow my pictures.  Still I was terrified.

I rushed to twitter to DM her. I spewed to her my typical ramble,  these pictures are the real me but I am fiercely protective of my anonymity on Twitter and with blogging.  I hope you understand.  Then Stasha did what she does best…. she graciously listened, she was infinitely kind, she shared and she gave me perspective…

Perspective that bridged fear and lead to trust


Perspective that brought whimsy to the ordinary


Perspective that brought me depth


Perspective that gave me strength


Perspective that allowed me to share the real me


Perspective that had more layers then she knew…
My stomach continued to churn and I took several deep breaths. Sharing with this new friend was a huge deal to me.  After several DM’s continuing to explain my concern she simply responded, “I would hope that you would show me, my family and my pictures the same respect I show you.” That moment I learned lesson 1,256 about people I have met through social media… They have so much to teach me.

Stasha taught me. 

 

 

Stashataught me an unexpected and deeply meaningful lesson in perspective.  I am more thankful then she will know for the perspective and trust in others she has shared with me!







I just simply could not talk about Stasha with out sharing with all of you my slight huge crush infatuation for her handsome Newfie Max… 

Ok I swoon for him! 

All photos were used with Stasha’s permission.  
To see more of her work visit her at…

Whenever…If Ever

Our two-person table was right next to the window.  Exactly the same table we sat at last time we were here.  A purple t-shirt hung framed on the wall above us.  Printed on us was “Help Clare Fight Prostate Cancer 2012”.  A waitress walked by us wearing purple tie-dyed, knee high, athletic socks and the same purple t-shirt.  The Cubs game played on televisions as gray haired regulars around us ordered their weekly fried fish. 
I waited all month day to see her.  Finally we were sitting down at our favorite dive restaurant for our sister’s night.  Drinks were ordered.  We just needed to decide on what to eat. 
I needed to decide if I was going to ask her.
“What do you have a taste for?” she asked.
“I have to have the Southwest Egg rolls. I’ve had a taste for them all week!” I smiled.
“Ok,” she replies. “I think I’ll have the nachos then.”
“OOOOOO that sounds great!  That means we can share.”
We talked and talked.  We had so much to catch up on.  We talked about her job, my kids, my job, friends and life in general.  No matter how long it has been we never seem to miss a beat. 
I had waited so long to ask.
Throughout my sisters 7 year marriage I had never asked her.  The miscarriages I had before we had children left me fully aware of the pain that comes with wanting children and not being able to have them.  The scar it left on my heart and the emotional memories it engrained in me were reminders of what not to ask or say. 
I waited for the right moment. 
Seven years of memories and moments, time spent together, carefully listening for hints of what I wanted to hear and I was still left me needing to know.  I wanted to be respectful of her journey.  I needed to know if she was suffering or if her heart was in pain. 
It was now or never. 
I took a deep breath and hoped my words came out the right way.
“I have never asked because I am sure that you get asked a lot.  I just want to see how you are doing.  So, Are you and Brad thinking of having kids?” I hoped that my words were sensitive and not too direct.
She smiled at me and looked down. 
She took a breath and looked at me with a forced smile, “We are trying but it hasn’t been long enough to be worried or get help.” 
“Oh,” I replied. 
“I hope you don’t mind that I asked.” 
She politely smiled and said, “No its ok.”
I sat and listened as she shared with me.  My eyes focused on just her.  I didn’t want to miss any of her words and needed to connect with how she was feeling.  My heart became heavy and suddenly I was overwhelmed with sadness.  I felt the tears start to well in my eyes.  I kept listening.
In between the Southwest Egg Rolls I savored, laughing until I cried, drinks, long talks and hours of fun spent with my sister I had asked the question.  I asked a question I was afraid to ask and in return I realized something.  I didn’t really want to know the answer to my question (ok, I wanted to know a little bit).  I desperately wanted her to know, to remind her, that I was here for her for anything, whenever and if ever she needed me.

Let’s Talk Cupcakes

I first wrote about Kirsten from TheKir Corner during one of my very first Talking to Strangers posts.  Kirsten had written about and her cupcakes back in November.  I was moved by her post comparing her comments to cupcakes.   She wrote words like:


“…they are an instant celebration in a small paper cup.”

“I believe our stories are our cakes, our attempts at baking from scratch and setting it on the table so everyone can look at and admire it. We want our guests to enjoy the dessert we offer, to smack their lips and lick their forks, satisfied with our effort.

“A dainty yet delectable slice of my heart that I give you in exchange for the stories and secrets you have made and shared with me.”

She even went on to share, “I may not be good at a lot of things, but I can promise you that if I read your words, I will never leave your space without leaving a whole lot of sweetness behind.”

She moved me.  She inspired me.  She inspired me to also want to share kindness, positive words, meaningful words that would bring a smile or even happiness to someones’ day.

A twitter account @inapaperwrapper, a whole 632 tweets, a Pinterest board and six weeks after it started my mission to spread cupcakes was smooshed and I was pooped!  I LOVED what the cupcakes did for others… If I was on Twitter and I saw that  a mom or twitter friend was having a bad day, grumping about mom stuff or just down I would sent out a tweet with a link to something (usually a cupcake) that would cheer them up.  It was so much fun to do and it made me feel good.  Unfortunately it was just too much and after about six weeks I stopped doing it.  I was disappointed to say the least.

. . . . . . . . .


Fast forward to a week ago…I was checking my email and I saw that Kirsten has left me a comment on one of my posts. I excitedly read it and there it is again….

Her words, her….


How did she put it?

Oh yes, “A dainty yet delectable slice of my heart that I give you in exchange for the stories and secrets you have made and shared with me.”

With tears of happiness welling in my eyes and a full blown #HeyGirl Ryan Gosling addition I was inspired all over again…








A note from Laverne:  I have been dying to get this piece written for the last week.  Now that it is written and my inspiration has been shared you can expect a cupcake every Wednesday and on a really good week some #HeyGirl Ryan Gosling too (I swoon for him… what can I say!).

I can only hope that these cupcakes do for others half of what

Kirsten’s “cupcakes” do!!



and just because…


Brandi and Her Colors

They were strangers the first time I “met” them. Today I find my adventures enriched, inspired and filled with laughter because of them…  

It started with Amy and Her #Sixthings.

Then it was Kir and Her Cupcakes.

Minky {Moo}’s took her turn with her Instagram

Rubber Chicken Madness’s  has shared with her nuggets 

Leila from Don’t Speak Whinese had a complaint letter filed against her

Kelly from Mom Got Blog’s was told her what she didn’t know

Elena’s from CiaoMom was shown just how far her amazingness extends

Today it is Brandi from Brandi Girl Blog turn and I am sharing with you her beauty that extends far beyond the colors she uses! 

I’ve been talking to strangers and what do you know I’ve made some friends!  

…….

Shirley and I sat at her kitchen table.  We had both finished lunch (delicious chicken salad that she had made).  After lunch we were both excited to get on line and explore and share with each other sites we had discovered. 


“I found this one site last night.  I can’t remember the name but I loved its colors and simplicity,” I rambled happily.

“I found one too, by some artist I think.  It’s so clean and she’s great at using color.  I can’t remember her name!” She giggled. 

That day we both came upon her sight separately.  We were both instantly taken.  Her site was simple, clean and had a perfect use of color.  In short we were in awww.

It was one of the first blogs I subscribed to.  Her pictures matched with beautiful color palates began to arrive at my inbox.  I wanted to learn.  I wanted to see if I could catch, bottle or learn just a smidge of skill she had by watching her.  I loved seeing what she was going to capture next and I admired her ability to find beautiful colors in everything.   

As time passed I began to notice that this artist’s blog was far more then color palettes.  She wove stories and memories in with her pictures. I continued admirer her as she shared the lessons she was learning.  Her hunger for learning and self-discovery oozed off the screen.  She was a seeker of knowledge and so passionate about it.  It inspired me. 

The holidays came along and I got to travel with her as she shared her visits with family. I giggled and smiled as she shared stories of visits with her sister, niece and nephew. It didn’t take long for us to connect on twitter.  We began to tweet more and more. I felt like I had a new sister…forever kind, passionately supportive, thoughtful, understanding, warm and a truly wonderful person.  

I subscribed to her blog so I could learn from this stranger…instead I found a friend who taught me about the colors all around me and all the beauty there is to be found in unexpected places!