My BRAVE girl!

Our weekend was full of excitement!  After visiting the War Memorial and eating at one of our favorite restaurants, Santorini Greek Kitchen, we headed to the mall.  We were planning on getting Chad some new running shoes and then heading home to enjoy the lovely weather outside.  Funny the way things work out...

Caylee ended up deciding she wanted to get her ears pierced! There were a few seconds of fear and crying, but once it was over, she was so proud of herself for doing it, for being brave...and she couldn't wait to share that with our family and friends.

So proud of my brave girl for feeling the fear...and doing it anyway! :-)

"Freedom isn't free"

On November 5th, 1972 my uncle, Sergeant Steven L. Taylor of the United States Army was fatally wounded while serving in South Vietnam.  He was 23. See his full profile here or here.

I never had the opportunity to meet this courageous man, my dad's brother. But this past weekend did visit the Indiana War Memorial downtown where there is a display of his bravery in the Vietnam Museum.

To the right, are pictures of his display, including the flag given to his mother, a picture of him in uniform, letters from the President, and the numerous awards and medals he received for his bravery.

Saturday was such a beautiful day.  We walked around the city a bit, being silly, and then met family to tour the Memorial.

Each time I enter, my stomach feels a little sick, I get a little nervous, and deep sadness/intense fear starts to creep over me.

It's the place where you are reminded that "freedom isn't free", something easily forgotten by many as we go about our daily lives; but something that is never forgotten for those who continue to live it daily.

After making our way through the entire Museum, I found myself on the steps outside with my beautiful family...the sun shining, the sky a brilliant blue, the clouds white and fluffy, the air fresh and cool. I was so thankful...for all of it. And for the many men and women who made it possible for me to be standing there in that moment. <3

***I wrote the following poem for a high school creative writing class prompt~my found object was Steve's flag***

Flag of Courage

Written by:  Nicole McCauley Osborne

A flag of courage lies,

upon his eternal bed,

as the twenty-one gun salute

rings above their heads.

The unforeseen explosion,

took his life away.

Fighting for his country;

his life he did pay.

The war was almost over.

His term was almost done.

He would soon return home

for his country had won.

But in the darkened silence,

one calm and peaceful night,

a dreadful knock at the door

said he had died in flight.

Another purple heart,
received twice before,

symbolized his bravery

and dedication to the war.

It’s time to say good-bye;

in his bed he must stay.

They fold the flag of courage

and take him away.

Shout out to my teacher friends!!!

Wow!  It's hard to believe school will start next week for most of my friends.  And the fact that I will not be joining them has started to sink in...
I've started to reflect a lot on the last several years of my teaching career.  I love working with children; teaching them about community, caring for others, reaching out to others, coming together as a team.
It really doesn't seem possible that SIX years have passed since I found myself in a room full of fifth graders, rapping our new RESPECT lyrics to the tune of Vanilla Ice!
So many things have changed in education since then.  The daily demands and expectations of teachers continues to rise. We look for ways to "teach our children all about life" in a world where standards and testing has taken over.  We hope to inspire our children to love, to hope, to dream, to believe in themselves, to enjoy life and the beauty around them...yet we let tests determine their worth, their passing on to the next grade level, and ask them to rigorously work at home after school.
But as I continue to look back on my years, one thing I know has stayed the same, and that is this: "children continue to teach us what life is all about"; they work hard, they spend each day with sometimes 30 or more peers, and they get along!, they have hopes and dreams, and they find ways to enjoy what they love, even when there isn't a lot of time.  They trust us...with their secrets, to be there for them, to support them, to teach them, to lead them, and they look up to us.  THAT is what I will miss.
To my many teacher friends out there, I wish you a happy new year!  I hope it is filled with joy and laughter, a-ha moments, friendships, and more.  Thank you for all you do to "teach our children about life"!

Much love to you all~

Enjoying this lovely weather!

Spent a lovely day yesterday with my girl, my hubby, my parents, my grandpa, and cousins we rarely get to see!

I'm thankful that Caylee loves to run around with me.  We spent the day hopping from shop to shop, enjoying each place, the lovely weather, and our time together before stopping by to see Chad and "Big Ben", the office tarantula...dun, dun, dun!!!! 

It got a little crazy towards the end of the visit, but all was well and it was nice to see the hubby (especially since he's been working A LOT lately)!

Then it was time for dinner with my parents, grandpa, and cousins we don't get to see that often.

It's always a pleasure to visit with grandpa and to share with him the exciting adventures I am taking on with Flowers on Footprints!  His continued support has made so many things possible and I am very thankful for that.

Hoping you get outside to enjoy this beautiful weather we're having!  :-)

Is this REALLY happening?!?

A few months ago, while participating in the Indy's Child Family Fair, I had the opportunity to learn about Bongo Boy Music School and Recreational Center.  

Since then, I have participated in their community drum circle, which I highly recommend!  And last night, spent some time in their recording studio working to create an audio recording of my book!!!  

I am extremely impressed with the staff of Bongo Boy, their willingness to work with me, and their patience as I work to step outside of my comfort zone.

Seriously can't believe I'm REALLY doing this!  And can't wait to share more in the coming weeks!!! :-)

Feeling OVERJOYED!!!

Yesterday, I was so excited to open a letter in the mail from the Indiana State Museum accepting  me as a vendor into "Handmade Indiana"!!!  The event is being held at the Indiana State Museum, Saturday, November 2nd from 10-5 and will feature handcrafted items from artisans all over Indiana.
There's a short blurb about it here. I will share more as the event date gets closer and I get more information!


As each day passes, I just can't believe the unbelievable opportunities God is laying on my path.  I am so thankful and today, feel overjoyed!  It's hard to believe, still, that just a few short years ago I was dreaming of such great things and with a little strength, a lot of grace, and after facing several fears, I am here...living a life that I love and sharing that love with others!

The same is waiting for you...find the courage, take a chance, live your dreams <3

I'll be sharing another dream come true tomorrow ;-)

Peace and love to you all~

I just love the lake!

We had a great time at the lake on Saturday!  Spent some time playing in the water, relaxing with friends, and enjoying the time away.  I love going to the lake, it's like a mini-vacation!

It was so hot, we ended up blowing a tire on the way home :-/  But Chad managed to change it quickly and we were back on our way in no time!

Looking forward to more days like this in the coming weeks :-)

 

 

I'm in the ocean...WHAT?!?

We got to spend the first morning at the beach together, just the three of us, while waiting for the rest of the fam to get in.  After such a long drive in the car, it was really nice to get a good sleep, to wake up feeling well rested, and to spend a quiet morning together by the water.  

 

I think I've made it pretty clear up to this point that I LOVE the beach; the sights, the sounds, the smells, the cool breeze...however, I RARELY (and by rarely, I mean once or twice in my lifetime...maybe) get in the water.  I like to walk along with my feet in or sit in a chair where the waves will roll up, but I have ALWAYS been afraid of getting all the way in.  

Caylee usually does her swimming in open water with Chad, and that first morning was no different.  They were out there swimming and playing, smiling and laughing, and I (as usual) stood on the sidelines wishing I could join them. It was at that point, I made a decision...I had recently set out to "add more color" to my life, to conquer some things on my "fear-less" list.  THIS was NOT one of them, but I thought to myself, how cool will it be to overcome a fear I didn't even add to the list?

So...I took some deep breaths, put a smile on my face, pushed my fears to the back of my mind, and walked right in.  It felt good to be in a moment I had NEVER shared with my family.  To, rather than worrying about what might happen, be enjoying what was happening right then.  And even though it may sound silly to some, I was so proud of myself for taking the plunge, for facing that fear, and for the enjoyment taking that risk gave me. :-)

I'd love to hear your stories of overcoming a fear...share them below!

Missing the sights and sounds of the ocean...

Today, I just wanted to share some of my favorite pictures of Caylee.  She enjoys vacationing in Florida so much!  She's already talking about our next trip to Panama City :-)

I love watching her play...walk on the beach...explore new things.  But I especially love that she feels at peace there.  We often talk about how we love the sound of the ocean, the sand between our toes, and the way the air smells at the beach.  And I love that she tells me it's so relaxing.  In fact, she says she'd live there if she could ;-)  Maybe one day we will, but until then...we'll take in all that we can while we visit.  Looking forward to October! :-)

Live for TODAY!

Looking at these pictures make me so happy!  I feel blessed to have an amazing husband who is supportive of my new adventure, of taking risks, of trying new things, and who loves the person I am becoming!  I am also thankful that God blessed me with such a beautiful child, one who makes me smile daily, who is excited to try and learn new things, and who loves spending her time with Chad and I.

Not sure many of you know, but a few years ago, I was diagnosed with an ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm.  If you are interested in learning more, click the link:  http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/disorders/aorta_marfan/aorticaneurysm.aspx

It took many hours of processing through the range of emotions that this diagnosis had brought me.  The one word that could describe nearly all of it: FEAR.

Fear of death, fear of surgery, fear of Caylee growing up without a mom, fear of leaving my family behind, many what-if's, a lot of crying, a lot of worrying.

Lucky for me, God led me to a wonderful therapist: Ruth Hostetler,  http://www.sspastoralcounseling.com/aboutus.html

who, with time, helped me appreciate life as it is now, with less fear of the future.  I began to stop worrying about what might happen and started living in each moment, enjoying the now, taking baby steps outside my comfort zone, and learning who I was and what I wanted out of life.

That is where my journey began, where Flowers on Footprints originally started.  It was a journal of my journey; my feelings, my thoughts, my fears, my hopes, my dreams.  

And once I started to enjoy more, worry less; hope more, fear less; accomplish more, be the victim less...life took on a whole new meaning.  I began to see the purpose of my journey and the lessons I had learned on it. That is where I am today.

I hope that my book and jewelry inspire others to put one foot in front of the other, and continue on the journey.  Sometimes, it won't be easy; the path may get rough, a storm may blow through, a road block may appear.  Through it all, just remember...this is YOUR story.  YOU get to decide what happens next, whether you stay down or get back up, whether you will enjoy THIS moment or worry about the one's that haven't happened yet.

I encourage you to find yourself; your hopes, your dreams, your passions...and start living them TODAY!

Animal Encounters...eeeeeeek!

We saw so many critters in and around the beach while we were there!  Most of you already know how I feel about them, but for those of you who don't...let me apologize up front <3 
Really, I don't know why I'm so afraid them, but for some reason, I prefer to keep my distance from most (for now anyway).

Here are just a few of the many we saw:

I was really proud of myself for having lunch next to the silly frog!  I'm not going to lie, I was afraid of him at first :-/ He watched everything we did, would eyeball us all the way around the table, then fold his hands and sit and stare!  I thought for sure he was going to leap right into my lap, but he didn't :-)  And was definitely a sight to see.

There were also lizards EVERYWHERE we turned!  Honestly, this time I really wasn't afraid them!  I mean, it's not like they can kill you like those scary lizards in the movie HOLES!  These were just tiny little things.  Chad ended up catching a few, but they are quick and run when you get close!

Chad also found several shells with crabs living in them.  Because of the storms, the water was pretty cloudy, so he would feel them with his foot and grab them...eeeeek!  One of the reasons I didn't put my feet down while swimming in the ocean...yep, I did it!!! But I'll leave that exciting news for another post! ;-)

There were so many cool birds to watch while there.  Too many to get pictures of all, but so many interesting ways they fish for and eat their dinner.

Two I didn't get a picture of: 1. the dolphins and 2. a really scary looking reddish/orange snake that I may have stepped on (just after removing my socks and shoes from a long walk!) if Chad hadn't pointed it out...

And last, but definitely not least...an ARMADILLO!  We caught this little guy making his way across the sand from one area of brush to another right before a storm.  We COULD NOT BELIEVE IT!  I have read about armadillo's...you know the one from Amarillo?!?  I didn't know they were in Florida!

Definitely had our share of animal encounters AND LIVED to tell about it! :-D  

Maybe they're not so bad after all...

        

Fireworks over the ocean!

This was one of my favorite nights at the beach.  It was truly joyful to spend the evening with my family~ sitting in the sand, listening to the sound of the waves, and watching the fireworks light up the sky over the water.  It makes me smile just thinking about it.

These are the moments I want to hold on to and take note of; the feelings, the smells, the sounds...all make me so happy. :-)

How do you "take note" of moments in your everyday life?

Life is like a painting...the more color you add, the more it comes alive! ~Me!

I've got so much to share: exciting discoveries, animal encounters, items checked off the "fear-less" list, items to add to the list, items to add AND check off the list! It really was an amazing getaway full of love, laughter, meditation, peace, picture taking, journaling, and enjoying.

Today, I'm sharing this heart, seen each day on our walk to the beach.  A small reminder in the sidewalk to take it all in...

or as one of my favorite artists, Kelly Rae Roberts, posted in a recent blog the "practice of pausing to notice, to capture, to exhale inside a moment of simply being present."
You can read more here: http://kellyraeroberts.blogspot.com/2013/06/hearts-everywhere.html

As each day passes, I become more aware of moments...moments I want to pause and notice, to capture on camera, to be present in.  That is how we "LOVE LIFE".
The red paint splatter, in the picture above, symbolizes the first splash of color (take notice) on my mission to "add more color to my life".  I hope to add many more as I travel this new path!

What colors have you added?  Leave me a comment below :-)

Spotting a rainbow...

Spotted a rainbow in the first few hours of our trip and I've been thinking about it ever since.  Rainbows give us hope that there is purpose for this life. They remind me of God's promise and make me thankful for His love.

I'm adding one more thing to my "fear-less" list, and that is: to add more color to my life!

First Attempt: It's been raining since we got here, so I'm headed out to play in it! :-)

Take me to the ocean...

Last week I finalized a HUGE decision, one that took a lot of time and consideration to make.  I resigned my teaching position and I'm pursuing my dream to become a traveling author!

I definitely have my work cut out for me, but I'm so excited to begin something new and can't wait to share my book with others!

I need some time to clear my head, so I'm spending the next few days by the ocean...breathing in the fresh air, listening to the waves crash, soaking up the warm sun, and watching the beauty of each sunset.

I also hope to take on at least one new adventure from my "fear-less" list :-)

I plan to journal quite a bit and will be sharing my thoughts, observations, ideas, stories, etc. here on my blog throughout the week.

Before I go today, I just want to say thank you:  to my family and friends for loving me for me and for standing behind me 100%; to my co-workers for your daily support, personally and professionally; to the business owners, who have given me these amazing opportunities; to fellow vendors who have offered advice and expertise; and to my wonderful customers who have inspired me in ways they may never know.

Can't wait to get back and see what the future has in store!