We’ve had a crazy week. Good on so many levels. But crazy too.
We got home from camping late Sunday night. I did a speaking engagement Monday night. We were out Tuesday night. Our house was full of 63 people for the Pictage gathering on Wednesday night. Family from out of town arrived yesterday and today is Friday. phew.
This week and next week are two consecutive weeks that we’re home, and I had all these goals. Organize my office, once and for all! Every wedding season the same thing happens, by the end, it’s chaos as we’ve been going hard all summer. How about organizing the craziness under our bathroom sinks? That’s another thing I want to tackle. Or, transplant some flowers in my garden. Bills? That is one for sure. Ugh, bills. Order Pascaline and Blaze’s homeschool materials. Start gearing up for 3rd grade. The list goes on and on. It’s like we have two weeks at home, and I think I’m Wonder Woman and want to catch up on everything. When all my body really needs is some serious down time and rest. So is that part of the game–to travel this much means your bathroom cupboards may never be organized?
I must admit…I feel pretty wiped today. And then I stumbled upon a gift last night. While I was working on a new Amazing Mom Feature, which I’m so excited to share, I came across this slideshow at Garrett Burdick’s blog. I don’t know how I missed this back in May! But I did! It’s a slideshow that Garrett did from our 3 day, intensive Discovery Workshop. I watched it and tears ran down my face. The slideshow brought back all the wonderful memories from that weekend; focusing on nurturing the artist within, digging deep, stretching the creative spirit, and not being afraid of the results.
If you haven’t seen the Discovery Workshop slideshow, check it out. The song that Garrett chose is perfect. (Awesome job Garrett. Man, we miss you guys!)
I love the Fall, and I can feel it approaching. The early morning air is just a little colder than it’s been. But change is also never easy for me. Anyone relate? It’s as if I need to be a little more intentional about nurturing myself as the upcoming changes pass through our family and my heart. And of course, I need to let the bathroom cupboards go!
Are you feeling change in the air? How do you deal with change? Are you feeling the pressure to organize your life before the new school year starts? What is one thing, like bathroom cupboards, that you can let go of?
much warmth,
Me Ra
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The Minneapolis CONFIDENCE Workshop deadline for the Early Bird Registration price is NOT OVER today! I thought today was the 31st for some reason. I totally apologize!! In fact, let’s make it 1 week longer! HOORAY!!! You now have until next Friday to get in on the deal! FYI, I don’t think we’ll be able to make it to the East until next Fall, so if you are near Minneapolis or on the East Coast :), come join us! To find out more details and get yourself a spot, CLICK HERE!
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Change… easy? “Bra-ha-ha-ha-ha”, she says with her eville laugh!
We are expecting baby #5 in the next few weeks, our home is under going remodeling, we start homeschool in a week and my curriculum has not arrived yet, I am four weddings behind in editing but I am feeling ok. I keep thinking back to our relaxing vacation only a week ago. Down time is so important! If I hadn’t taken the time to recharge I would be a worthless heap right now!! Mera I love your blog! As a mother, home schooler, photography business owner you give me lots of inspiration and hope!
tears … i so needed to see the slideshow again … perfect for me this morning to remember all that i learned and all that i felt during that workshop. thank you …
i pray you are able to rest. to rest your soul. fill it up.
Thank you for the link to the slideshow. It was beautiful and each time I see the images from that weekend it makes me ache to be able to participate in something like that.
Can I just say, though, the one image that made my heart leap is one where it looks like you are speaking, MeRa, and Brian is looking over at you. The love in his eyes for you just jumps off of the screen. You and your family are blessed.
The tears (OMG, the TEARS!!) are rolling so fast down my cheeks and all I can do is smile and think about how much we learned together during our time together there…and how so many things have changed since then.
The constant blessings in our lives of love, family and our passion as artists are the fuel to keep pushing forward, even though change can be difficult and uncomfortable. I’ve found that taking the time to recharge myself and focus on those blessings makes the tasks at hand so much more attainable.
Rest up, recharge, and keep moving forward…smile and know that there are worse things than having a messy cabinet under the bathroom sink! ๐
ahhh- tears!!!! This is just what i needed right now! I miss everyone… and the memories. Oh my. Love and miss everyone!!! =)
Great timing on this…I thought getting school clothes and supplies EARLY would make this time of the year less chaotic…it is not as easy to fill myself up right now, but that doesn’t make it less important…heck that makes it MORE important. Just talking about the change in the air with you all here on the blog makes me start to focus my intention on relaxing and riding the wave of change…
WOW! I watched that with a smile the whole time. This may be TMI, but hey we are all family..lol I just realized that it was right after that workshop that I got pregant. We had been trying for over a year with no sucess and were all set up to see specialists. That work shop I guess was all I needed. ๐
I miss everyone. I am due – Jan 30th 2010 YAY!!!
first off….i love change. always have. when i was a kid, i used to rearrange my room every six months because i loved the feeling of waking up in the morning and everything was different. i can barely get through a whole song on my ipod when i have it on shuffle….because i want something NEW!
crazy. i know. seriously thought….matt and garrett are amazing. so inspiring. so giving. such great guys. ๐
i’m really rambling here. get some rest. take it easy. we miss you guys….see you soon!
J
how wonderful to watch it again and think of each one of you. every person was fully engaged in every shot – such inspiring moments to relive. thank you for discovering it now – I almost didn’t watch it thinking ‘oh, I saw it before’. but I have to say it’s even more special now. Love you all! and beautiful job Garrett! How’s that mind?
I just recently started following your blog, and even I had tears in my eyes while watching the slideshow. That was awesome! It brought me joy to know that somehow, someway, somewhere, I will be attending one of your workshops in my lifetime … I will make it happen. Thank you for being so supportive of women photographers. You are such an inspiration, and I am so thankful to have found your blog!
Hate change, I am a self admitted control freak so change absolutely scares me. I have a very hard time dealing with it and with 4 little ones at home it is something that happens often. I get so overwhelmed and feel like it is all spiriling out of control then I remember…PRAY!! So I deal with change by the power of prayer.
I have such a long “let go” of list but I think what I need to let go of the most (just a little) is my house, trying to keep up and keep it spotless with 4 kids running a muck is enough to drive a woman crazy!! So everyday I try to let go a little more until I eventually feel like I have reached a hppy medium!
Awesome slide show…JEALOUS!!!
Love the slide show even though I wasn’t an attendee! It makes me want to go to a workshop even more than before!
ah change?? This post finds me facing one of the biggest changes of my life. We are taking Zach (our baby) who is 19 now, to Las Vegas to a school of ministry. It is such a bittersweet. We are so proud of him and excited for him but it is so hard to let your kids go. We have friends that are so excited to be empty nesters! NOT US! We LOVE having our kids around! I am having a hard time adjusting to this season of life. So in this last week with him at home when I think of all the things that need to be done, I think I will treasure those moments with him that sometimes slip by and get missed because of my business and needing to get this or that done.
Thanks MeRa for this post! Taking the time for the things that are really important to me and letting the things go that really can just wait.
I am feeling big changes in the air…just take it one day at a time….
Wow! Every single woman in attendance is so lucky to have been able to go to this workshop! It looked like so much fun! And full of discovery!!! Splendid workshop! Wish I get to go one day.
Hi,
Thanks Me Ra!! Wow I just watched it again….great times with all and miss you!! I would like to credit to, Matt Reoch (Slideshow KING), Jason Pachura most of the images and Rick Chapman (the man). And Genie, regarding my mind: I think I am in the eye of the storm…..but I see good things in the future….Yeah!