Thanksgiving

I love the holidays! I get excited about family & friends... & yes, even the psychotic ones... what can I say, it adds a little spice. I am ready for a break. Everyone needs a little change once in a while.I just think that with all the current changes in my life, a change of pace is a good thing.

Breaking the News

As I've said so many times before, I love my life! I've had such an incredible amount of love & friendships & support that I often wonder what made me so special & so deserving of the amazing people in my life. I thank God every day for what He has blessed me with. Such a fantastic support system & such a level head in so many situations... yes, I know I can also be stubborn & even a hot head at times, but I suppose some things, you just cant' change, right? =)

Oftentimes we find that there is no easy way to let someone down & that in most cases, the right thing is sometimes the hard thing to do. The truth may hurt, but I find it much more cruel to live a lie or be caught in one... Not that every situation is a lie, or that people can't genuinely change, merely that their truth had been replaced. To those less fortunate than myself, I can see where a situation like the above mentioned could have devastating results.

So, after a few year of confusion & mixed emotions, I am finally able to discern between raw emotion & reason/ logic. Love truly can cloud judgement & although love is important, in order for any relationship to succeed, there has to be a foundation built on love, mutual respect, values, and I could go on and on with this list. Long story short, if you don't share the same values, the foundation is faulty & will eventually crumble. There MUST be a common ground and it must be based on more than just love.

On a separate subject, in a total Ryan Star mood today!
... ♪♫♪
i need you to hear me say 
breathe, just breathe 
take the world off your shoulders 
and put it on me 
breathe, just breathe 
let the life that you lead 
be all that you need 
let go of the fear 
let go of the time 
let go of the one 
to try to put you down 
you're gonna be fine 
don't hold it inside 
go ahead right now 
and let it all come round... ♫♪♫

Another One Down...

This one is by far my favorite!

Changes Ahead

So, new things are ahead! Clean slate with so many options in front of me. I am ready & excited at all the possibilities. The new leaf to which I referred earlier has been turned & has opened the door for such an amazing life. I am at peace.

On a completely different subject, I am stoked about the new venture I am involved in for the AFSP. I have begun making head scarves to sell. The proceeds will be donated to the cause. For those of you not familiar with the AFSP, it is the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.The cause entails raising awareness & money to aid in helping to raise awareness for the alarming rate of suicides in the country. The money helps to train people to know how to pay attention &, in a sense, profile those who may need help or be in trouble. Prime example would be for teachers or doctors. In addition, it also offers comfort to those who have lost loved ones to suicide & those who may be at risk themselves.

I have a few orders placed already & here is the first official order completed:

 Anyone interested in donating to a good cause, please let me know!

A New Leaf

When at a crossroads or turning a new leaf, it is most often implied that it is the end of something old or that there is some sort of change that needs to be made or a death, of sorts. I find it so curious that I am such a blunt, no bull shit person yet, on occasion, I can't seem to find the words. Life deals you a hand and, mid course, that hand gets changed. What is left to do when this happens? You adapt and move forward, learning what you can from the initial circumstances. One thing I will say is live, learn, laugh, love, smile, cry, and no matter what you do, do it with a passion & vigor for life. NO REGRETS! You were exactly where you should have been in your life, at some point. If I follow the process of thought that I maintain, it follows as such. Nothing in life happens by accident. There is always a purpose to the things that happen to us. Also, God is so awesome that He will never give anyone more than they can handle. So, if you think you can't, always remember, somewhere in there, you can. It gives me comfort & putting this down brings me peace knowing that I will have the inner strength to make the decisions that are right & best for everyone involved. Move forward & focus on good stuff!

The most recent project... courtesy of Calorimetry on Knitty.com This particular one is a birthday gift for the lovely Shalie. The button was a last measure as I had a different one & lost it. I didn't realize it until too late, so had to make due with what I had on hand.

The black & white backgrounds hopefully provide a contrast to give you a better view of the piece.

In addition to Shalie's headscarf, I also made her a dessert of her choosing.... it just so happened to be plain old Cheesecake. Despite the fact that I lost my old recipe that I'd been using for at least 10 years, I think it turned out alright. Tomorrow will be the test run.

Family History

Alright, how many of us know about our family history? What does the name mean? Where did it originate? How far back can we trace our family? What kind of stories did our ancestors share? How far back can we trace through our history and to what places? Well, I am on a mission to answer some of these lingering questions. The Hewko family has an incredible amount of branches on the family tree & the Lee side is pretty interesting as well. I want to go back as far as I can to find the answers I need. I am simply jumping out of my skin with excitement over the prospect of learning about my grandparents & the rest of my ancestors.






On a side note, my beautiful friend Cheyla has branched out to another area yet again. In addition to her photography talent & hobby, she is now spreading her wings into another area: baby clothing. Anyone interested can look her up on Facebook: Breedlove Photography or Cheyla Breedlove-Miller. A small sample of the line, inspired by her dogs.