this was today. hard.

You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you


I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

In Christ, there are no goodbyes
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again

And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow

I've never been more homesick than now

bill cunningham .is watching.

i wish i could meet Bill. 

this documentary about him is a 'must see' for me. 

"if you don't take money, they can't tell you what to do.. .

that's the key to the whole thing" 

"if we all went out looking like a slob like me, 

it'd be a pretty dreary world." 

loving the work of Inslee.

don't recall how i linked to it.. but so very happy i did. 

i MUST order some of these prints. 

it's the maracas that got me

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

a new season of firsts

there are moments that are hard.
really hard.
where it feels as if a ton weight sits upon my heart.
and try as i may to tear it off, it sits motionless.
there are whole days that are beyond tough. and then sometimes weeks.

i find now as we enter a whole new season, i'm feeling a larger sense of loss once more.
everything is bright and new again.
everyone is coming out of the dark, cold winter.
but my life. is missing the biggest piece i've ever known.

i don't have that special someone to deliver those daffodils to
.. . whose face will light up when she sees the bunch wrapped around in twine.
or someone to sit on the back porch with beside the overgrown forsythia bushes.

all of the annual events seem somewhat .. . tainted with sadness.
and the "firsts without my mom" are painful.
i know she wouldn't want it that way. ever. if even for a single moment.
and i try my hardest to avoid this grey overcast look upon life.

i'm blessed to have my family and within each of them, i believe, she still resides.
when we're all together. it's strange, but her presence is so much stronger.
my sister explained it best. we all have a piece of her and when we're together, the pieces feel so much more like a whole.

it's better that way. and it makes these "firsts" and the ones to come a bit easier.

The question is.. .

Would you fall for this?

for more visit Jack Vale @ his YouTube site

. some of my favorites . 

Nonsense 2

Confused Shopper

Paranoid 4

House Prank

ok. i'll admit it.

this Totally, with a capital T, turns me on.
i wish i was cool enough to do something like this.
be a part of this ... . and i just don't mean donating money.
or going to my local farmer for organic produce.
i mean my occupation. 
what i turn the alarm clock off for in the morning.
it's a dream.
a hard.working. labor intensive. mind blowing. ... dream..
a dream that gets my insides all in a tizzy.
[sigh]




Head on over to Perennial Plate to donate money
by clicking HERE  .. . all other fun details can be found there as well.



The Perennial Plate Episode 52: Real Food Road Trip from Daniel Klein on Vimeo.

21 windows open, waiting to be shared.

i have been waiting for my computer to show Error messages, with all the windows I've kept open the past couple of days.

All of them patiently perched at the bottom of my screen for their release date. 

.today.

Albert Einstein was one smart man.

Mossiere

.Book Exchange idea from Reid Girls. 

All the details HERE

wool and silk Marni coat 

Gilt Groupe

:BB Dakota:
Halsey Party Dress

Blowfish Shoes for the Spring

Java: Rust Roughout Canvas

Brunch at Saks

I could spend all day here.  .. daydreaming and wishlisting my life away.

Iced Honey Mascarpone and Almond cake with fig salad

{via Gourmet Recipes}

Wiley Valentine Blog
Delicious Food inspired
 take a look @ 3.10.11 post

{click WV to find all the links to these lovely recipes above}

.wildflower bouquets. 

{via frolic!}
every different color. 
.matched by nature.
wrapped simply with plain ribbon. 
i'd take these any day over a dozen roses. 

these humorous and attractive cards by Sapling Press

This idea from @stickyJesus
"Three Words"
YOU WILL WANT TO SHARE THIS ON YOUR
FACEBOOK STATUS AND TWEETS.

to READ the full article click HERE @stickyJesus.com
1. He. Turns. Tides.
2. God. Fills. Gaps.
3. His. Hands. Hold.
4. God. Is. Love.
5. Be. Still. Know.
6. God. Is. Bigger.
7. Therefore. Be. Holy.
8. He. Is. Able.
9. God. My. Portion
10. God. Whispers. Grace.
11. Fixed. On. Heaven.
12. Ransomed. By. Love.
13. God. Hears. You.
14. God. Patiently. Waits.




:Geocaching: 

This is all my sister's doing. 
I don't know a thing about this.. .yet. 
But when I watched the video, i was intrigued. 
.a current day treasure hunt.


i'm headed to the getting started page for more details. 

We're Proud of You.

the first time i saw this commercial i was getting up off the couch.
and i stopped in the middle of the living room. It actually stopped me IN MY TRACKS.
Grabbed me. It's a yogurt commerical, people?!?!
There's always something in my being that wants to hunt down the men and women who work to create "out of the box" ideas. .. 
and just congratulate them.
Give them a big ole hug.
Hang a "We're Proud of you" poster in their office.
I think the Fage people deserve that for this one, don't you?

have Your way

I'm beyond happy this has become part of the regular rotation during worship at my church. 

I don't need to tell you why, just listen. 

what we all expect.. .

i'm sure this will resonate with many of you. even as a 32 year old single gal, 

i can appreciate this. .. i've heard Pete's "expectations" echoed by several men 

in relationships. they seem to be common marriage expectation threads.

there is nothing that i appreciate more than when people are real. and don't put on a facade about who they truly are.. .

'what you see is what you get'. love how this video captures their honest emotions about their relationship.

5 Things_Expectations from Cross Point Church on Vimeo.

You can find more at Cross Point Church or Pete Wilson's blog Without Wax.

5Things//Week1Mashup from Cross Point Church on Vimeo.

the birds bring her back

i've always been fascinated by flocks of birds. how they fly in sync: never colliding.
each one knowing the other's next move, without any audible communication.
it has amazed me for years.

every couple of months, the migrating black birds swarm about,
landing in my parents' front and backyard,
covering every last inch of flat ground in the nearest block.
you can't help but stop what you're doing and just watch.

the day my mom passed away these birds came to visit. they landed in the backyard several hours after she died.

since then my fascination with these creatures has become so much more meaningful.
beyond wonder now.
they bring my mom back, in a way i can't explain.

down from the heavens.

i can't stop!?!? ?

More links for your enjoyment. 

Please pass along to your friends, neighbors. 

Heck, strangers. Why not? 

Make their day! 

.OdoSketch. 

An online drawing program. 

Entirely free. 
It saves your work and provides you with all the tools on the bottom of the snapshot below.  
Join! .. . NOW! 

butterfly necklace by jewelera

these giraffe taper candle holders. you must get all three. 

one would be.. oh.. so lonely.

from Anthropologie

WindyLaneStudio

.this painting in particular.

Bodega bay horizon 

Letter pillows from shopdirtsa

a Big shout out to my pastor .. and friend. for shooting this one my way. 

this sketched wall 

{via Song of Style} 

and...  . one of my favorite Portlandia skits. 

love the wall 

love birds

.love Portlandia. 

don't take yourself too seriously, right?

i can laugh pretty hard @ myself and practice doing so regularly. 

Rue

an .online. magazine

bursting with inspiration

and things belonging in my "pretty pretty gumdrop" folder 

you love that bookmark name, don't you! 

did i catch you giggling?

good.

look what i stumbled upon

i don't even know how i find these sites. one click to another. and i'm bookmarked.

Acoustic Kid

Yozo Craft

A Whole Lotta Love

A Whole Lotta Good Ideas

i should be sleeping, but ... trees

i've always had a fascination with trees. just ask my college roommate. 
she'll tell you some good stories about how i made her look for circles in the rainy trees. 


it's a neat trick, but i don't think she ever saw one. 
they're there. 
you just need to look carefully. 

i'll readily admit it.. . 
i'm a tree nerd. 
i love recognizing the endless types and how every leaf is so very different.
i often stare out as the branches seem to sketch pictures right before my eyes. 
and Yes.. heavenly circles DO form when lit from behind during rainy night.
i dare you to try looking for them.

this painting by Amelia Bauer was just added to my tree collection.

detail