Finding Strength

This is a painting of an oak tree I just finished for my brother who just got home from the hospital recovering from septic pneumonia. Like I have said before, I love trees. They have always intrigued me with their natural beauty and the way that, to me, they have always had special meaning and felt like a sense of strength. The oak tree is actually considered the symbol of strength. My favorite thing about the fall and winter months is that I get to observe God's beautiful trees, and their amazing branches are there for the world to see without their leaves covering them up. These are just some of the many reasons that I love painting trees so much.

My Plan

I have been thinking about doing something for the past several months, and because of my health issues and just life being it's normal, busy self, I haven't done it. I am planning on getting my Etsy shop up and running. I figured if I documented it in writing, then I would be much more likely to get it done, so I have made a promise to myself to have it ready by the end of January. Since things seem to be getting better, I don't have any excuses. Believe it or not, it looks like I may actually have it ready much sooner.

There...I said it, now I have to do it! Here is a peak at some of the things I have finished over the last few days. Seems like I have been on a roll of creativity lately!

I created this second Santa for a very special person as a Christmas present as well as a thank you. I post the story behind this probably tomorrow. It is somewhat of a long story, and I have my hands full with Ashlyn being home sick today with tonsillitis.

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! It has been a whirlwind for us traveling to see family and just the normal hustle and bustle of the season. I always hate it when New Year's is over because that means it's time to take down the Christmas decorations for another year.

There has been a lot happening around hear over the last few days, so I have been on a creating frenzy I guess from nervous energy. I will have a lot more to post over the next few days once I get all of the pictures taken.

These are what I made for my girls' teachers for Christmas presents. The pictures turned out a little blurry so it's hard to see that these ornaments are actually 3D on the inside. I cut out different parts of the pictures and raised them as well as added other embellishments too.

This is a mixed media assemblage that I finished yesterday. I have not created many assemblage pieces, but this is very addicting! I'm sure I will be making more. I have all kinds of ideas for more running through my head...maybe I should sketch them out in my sketch book before I forget!

I do ask for as many prayers for my brother as possible right now. He is in ICU fighting for his life with severe pneumonia and sepsis. He was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday with what they thought was just severe pneumonia, but shortly after they got there he began having seizures and they quickly determined that he was in septic shock. He put off going to the doctor because he didn't realize how sick he was. It is really hard for me because of my health and immune system the way that it is I can't go to the hospital or even in the house at my parents' where he has been. I just sit an wait between their visiting hours every 2 hours for updates and word for the slightest improvement. Anyways, he (as well as my parents) can use all of the prayers they can get right now.

My Favorite Time of the Year

I love this time of year. There is something about the Christmas season that tends to bring out the best in people. You see more people smiling and sharing during this time more than any other time of the year. The Christmas music is another one of my favorite things. I LOVE listening to Christmas music while I do things around the house and in my art studio. The best part of all, though is watching the excitement in my girls. Just seeing how what may be simple things to us are just amazing to them. It is easy to remember the special parts of Christmas and the Reason why we have Christmas by watching them. They truly are inspiring, and they make everyone enjoy this time even more.

I do dread the day that they no longer believe in Santa. There are several reasons for this as well. The first is something that I used to never understand why my parents said this, but now being a parent myself I totally understand: I enjoy "being" Santa as much, if not more than how I loved it when I was a little girl that believed in Santa. The other reason, well let's just say I might be put on Santa's naughty list for this one: I use it as my weapon on the girls (shame on me). I have them believing that Santa is always watching and that he has special ways of watching them when they are at home through the Christmas trees in the house and their advent calendar, and that we have a conference call with Santa every night to talk about how good they have been each day. Believe me, they are on their very best of behavior for the month of December, and all I have to say is that he is watching and they quickly straighten up. I am sure one of these days that will come back to bite me when they realize that all of that is not true, but as for now, it helps! This is also the first year that I have pictures of them with Santa when at least one of them is not either terrified and crying, or trying to escape as quicly as possible, or both!



I have been able to spend more time in my art studio lately, and have several things to show pictures of, but for now, these are my two latest creations.



Several people have asked about what is going on with my possible leukemia, and to make it as short as possible, the doctors have determined that I do not have leukemia "....yet." What this means is that the tests and biopsies all came back showing that it is currently negative, but could turn to leukemia at any time. I have all of the things in my blood that apparently shows all of the signs of it, but aren't quite high enough to be considered leukemia just yet. We just have to hope and pray that it never turns into that, but as for now they have determined that I have advanced Lupus and Vasculitis. I go back this week to get the final results on all of that and to begin a treatment plan that will hopefullly, start getting me back on track to feel at least a little better.

Seeking Answers

You would think as much waiting for answers as we have had to do lately that I would be getting better at this waiting game, but I am starting to run out of patience. I know it takes a while to determine a serious diagnosis, but my gosh! this is ridiculous! Every time I turn around I am having to do another blood test, ct scan, and x-ray then waiting in between for answers and just news of more tests. I did have a bone marrow biopsy yesterday (ouch!), and we are hoping that this will finally give us some answers. They are telling me it should be some time Monday or Tuesday before we have any kind of preliminary results. I am anxious and scared, but also just ready for some sort of answer and treatment. I am at the point where all I want is to just figure this out so that I can get some form of treatment and to get on with my life. Anyways, as soon as I know something I will try to post it.

I am still on "house rest" so I am not really supposed to leave the house and get into public places besides going to the doctor, but sometimes I get cabin fever and have to get out a little. I am very weak however, and do have to rest a lot. I try to spend time in my studio when I feel like it, but it is getting to where I feel like it less and less now. I do have a couple pictures of some paintings that I have made that are in this post, and I have several other projects that I have ready to take pictures to upload, but have not had a chance yet.



On a much lighter note - aren't my two little trick-or-treaters adorable!? Ashlyn is a car hop, Megan is a soda pop girl, and Memphis was an angel for about 2 minutes until we just had to put on her light up t shirt!






Hugs!
Stacy