Reflections of 2012

As 2012 draws to a close and 2013 draws ever nearer, I reflect on the past year of our lives. There were triumphs, there were struggles, there was happiness and also sadness. Mistakes were made and lessons were learned, bridges were built and bridges were burned, new friendships were started and maybe a few were bid au revoir; but all in all, it was a good year. I've come to the age that every year we are here is a good year!! <3

I am so blessed, as we all are! I have been married to the man of my dreams for 23 years and we are both so blessed to still be in love! I have two wonderful children who I am so very proud of! I am blessed to have the God given talent of being able to do what I so enjoy doing, giving of myself to others. I simply have so much LOVE that I cannot contain it all and it leaks out everywhere <3.

I could do a lot of self reflection here, but I believe we all probably do the same thing every year (maybe not?). I am starting this coming year on a positive note and WILL continue trying to spread positivity wherever I go! I am a firm believer that positive out means positive in, and the same goes with negativity. It just attracts more of the same.

So I have a few personal resolutions that I have made, but I am choosing to keep those personal right now. I tend to do better at making them successful if I don't tell anyone about them :). My public resolution is this: I will continue with the work that I am doing for cancer patients until I am unable to crochet or knit one more stitch. It may not seem much to some people, but to them it means the world.

I challenge each of you to look inward and become a better person than you think you are, it is possible, I've done it in the past year and will continue to better myself as time goes on. I wish you peace, joy and happiness in 2013 and may God continue to bless you through all the hardships life may throw at you.

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read my blog and until my next posting may the light of God's love help you to Glow from Within....<3

First Hat for 2013 completed!

I am feeling very accomplished this morning as I have finished my first hat for 2013! Yes, I know it is still 2012 yet, but I really have been missing working on my project and thought it best to get an early start on it!!

A little girl's hat, and I simply love the flower with the smiley face button as the center. :)

Now I guess I must get busy taking Christmas decorations down, making noodles for Chicken Noodle soup, and then finishing up a late Christmas present. :) Yep, I'm still finishing up little projects here and there, and I have a baby gift to make before January 20th and a wedding gift to make before the the 22nd, oh and let's not forget I have two birthday's on January 15th also!! OMGness, I better get busy as time waits for NO ONE, especially me!! Hee hee!

Until my next post, may the light of God's love help you to Glow from Within... <3

Starting the New Year early...

Good evening all! I thought I would try to get an early start on the New Year and pick out a pattern for my first hat of 2013! Now I have the hat pattern all picked out and ready to start, then I realized....oh dear, I still haven't uploaded my Christmas pictures to facebook and I really still do have all kinds of little projects to finish up.

Christmas kind of snuck up on me, and I barely finished up my presents for my immediate family on Christmas morning! LOL I still have numerous other gifts to finish for a few close friends and family also. I am always behind in my projects, and if I finished something on time for someone for their birthday or any other holiday, I would probably shock myself into a stupor!!;)

I also reflect on the past year, all of it's challenges and triumphs! All of the lesson's learned from mistakes made or just lesson's in patience. I'm still learning that one, but it is a slow process! Learning how to "let go" of the little things and above all staying POSITIVE!! While I was at work today, sitting at my desk, jamming out with my iPod...what song should come on, but Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson. As I was singing along with it (whisper singing, because I don't want to distract others with my wonderful singing voice ;) lol), I was thinking, I believe I will make this part of my positive mental thinking! A particular line reverberates in my head "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change".  I feel I have made a small dent in changing myself for the better in 2012, and I am determined that 2013 will see even bigger and better changes!

I encourage and CHALLENGE each one of you, to "take a look at yourself and make a change" in order to make the world a better place! I am now off to start my first hat of 2013, pictures will follow as soon as I am done! Until my next post, my the light of God's love help you to Glow from Within.....

Thoughts important to me today...

As I read my baby sister's blog (Realm of Nevermoore), it brought tears to my eyes, because as adults we do lose sight of the "magic and wonderment" of Christmas. But not only should we ponder where our inner child has gone, but we should ponder where, as adults, we are going.

The commercialism of Christmas in general greatly saddens me, because it is forgotten that Christ is the Reason for the Season. I do not care how politically incorrect it is, I will ALWAYS say Merry Christmas and not Happy Holidays. I will always remember WHY we celebrate Christmas, it is not for the exchange of gifts, contrary to what many adults and children believe. If we would all give freely from our hearts the love that is there, what a better place this world would be. I may not have a ton of gifts under my tree, and haven't for a few years, but I have had some of the most wonderful Christmases in those past few years. I've simply enjoyed having my family together and happy and healthy.

May you all have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and may the New Year find you happy and healthy. Hold your loved ones close and tell them how very much you love them every day because we are not guaranteed tomorrow. Heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with those families of Sandy Hook Elementary School, may they find comfort knowing their children are singing with the angels of Heaven. Until next time, may the light of God's love help you to Glow from Within....

Had to share!

Good Morning all! I had to share this AWESOME video that was shared with me by a wonderful friend in New York!! Thank you Rhonda, you are wonderful!!

This inspires me to be the best I can be and ALWAYS keep a positive outlook on life, what an AMAZING and INSPIRING young woman! <3

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I hope this works, as I still do not know what I'm doing LOL! I also encourage you to take a look and follow another inspiring story of Eric Majusiak below. My battles are so tiny compared to the HUGE battles these two warriors are battling! My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with each of them as they continue on!

Until my next post...May the light of God's love help you to Glow from Within...Rita

Tweaked enough for now

Well, I think I might have this blog tweaked enough for the time being LOL! I have uploaded pictures and created pages, so I hope you enjoy browsing around. I am sure I will add things here and there, so keep coming back for more updates and changes!

I had many challenges this morning getting it completed, and found that I couldn't multitask today at all. I was working on a birthday project and uploading pictures to created pages, when I inadvertently copied my Supplies page onto my Hats page, and boy was that frustrating! I had to totally delete my Hats page and start all over again LOL! I also had to take out half of what I had crocheted on the birthday project when I was almost done with it. :) Yes, I am laughing at myself too, so feel free to have some humor at my expense heehee! :)

And now that I have updated my blog, I must sign off and get busy on some chores around the house that are begging for my attention, and my projects are needing my attention also. The months of November and December are always such a busy time for me! Projects to complete, house to decorate (this was finished yesterday), goodies to bake, social engagements to attend, and let's not forget I do work 5 days a week, 8 hours a day! Thank goodness I have a loving and super supportive hubby who helps me with everything!!! <3  Until my next update, may the light of God's love help you to Glow from Within....

Creating a blog is hard work!

Still working on creating this blog, and sometimes it can be quite frustrating simply because I haven't a clue what I'm doing LOL!! :)

I have created a page for Hats which is basically photo's of the hats created in 2012. I will be creating a page for Journals also, but it is a slow process. :) I will also try to create a page that will probably be just a listing of supplies that are always needed for this project for anyone who would like to donate (NO money is accepted). For those wishing to do so, they may contact me at zookeeperswife@yahoo.com Please use Hats from the Heart as your subject, that way I don't delete it by accident thinking it is spam.

While trying to create and maintain a blog, I am busily trying to complete a birthday present and Christmas presents and numerous other tiny little projects that I have going on. And all of this must be done quickly, because I am anxious to get back to creating hats and journals for 2013's donations!

I wish to thank all of those involved with this project that is very close to my heart. This includes EVERYONE who has helped bring it to life, supported, inspired, encouraged, created, donated, shared this blog or pictures on facebook and helped with contact information of who I could donate to locally. It is deeply appreciated and let me express my gratitude from the whole of my heart and the depths of my soul to all involved! Cancer affects us all, not just those suffering through it, but family and friends and friend's of friends, the ripples are ever reaching and everlasting.

I can't promise to write on my blog everyday, but will keep it updated as frequently as time allows! Until my next post (will update everyone on progress of blog) May the light of God's love help you to Glow from Within....

New to this blog thing!

Well, I am new to this whole blog thing, but want to be able to reach more people with my Hats from the Heart/My Journey Journaling project and journey. So bear with me and be patient with me and we will hopefull enjoy this journey together!

In February of 2012, I was inspired to create and start a not for profit group called Hats from the Heart/My Journey Journaling. A friend's daughter asked how much I would charge to crochet a little beanie for her friend's daughter who was in the hospital and going through chemo. I had been making little tiny beanies for friend's who were having babies just as gifts from my heart. I explained to her that I would accept NO money and would get started right away. I was so EXCITED to be finally making a difference in someone's life, not just thinking about it, but truly making a difference. I got started on it that night! I came to work the next day and my friend explained that it would not be needed because the little angel had been called home to heaven the very night I had started on the little hat. I was crushed, but because of who I am, I insisted that I would still make it and give it to her parent's to hopefully help in their grieving.

This inspired me to create the group Hats from the Heart. After a few phone calls to my sister who helped encourage me to go for it, I sent an email to friend's and relatives asking for help with making hats for cancer patients, or help with supplies to make them. I was then inspired to add My Journey Journals to this group. Handmade journals for cancer patients to jot down notes to themselves, or jot their feelings down that they may not wish to share or burden their loved ones with. What an outpouring of love and generousity and positive energy! All year we (me, my niece, her friend, my Mom, my oldest sister and my baby sister, not to mention the numerous donations of supplies by friends) worked our little fingers off and I am ecstatic to announce that we made a total of 140 hats and 56 journals!! Truly AWESOME for a first time endeavor!!

Today, I and my wonderful hubby dropped off our donation to the MD Anderson Cancer Center and I was literally GLOWING FROM WITHIN!!! I can never express my gratitude to all those that have helped me with supplies, inspiration, encouragement and making the hats and journals. 2012 was a HUGE success, and I want to make 2013 even better! I will be posting pictures of hats and journals we make, as well as, the pictures of our donation drop off. Let me state now that I have not intentionally set out to infringe on anyone's copyright licensing or anything of that nature. I DO NOT SELL anything that I make, it is DONATED only! I have downloaded patterns available for free through the internet, so if you wish to be linked back to a picture I may have uploaded using your pattern please email me and I will do so (keeping in mind I am NEW to this, so just learning).

My nephew and little sister inspired me to create this blog and I wish to personally thank them both, and if they can give me some guidance it is much appreciated! May the light of God's love help you to Glow from Within......