I'll do that tomorrow

Do you get caught up in that phrase? Boy, I do. I can be a world-class procrastinator. You would think at 31 I would be mature enough not to, but old habits die hard, I suppose.

This week I shipped off this month's issue of the magazine I edit. The July issue. It was supposed to have gone two weeks ago, and I worked hard to meet that deadline (no procrastinating there), but sales needed more time and apparently no one felt comfortable shipping without me while I was on vacation.

My sister visited while her daughter was up the road at a cross country camp. It was a wonderful week. But coming back was hard. Between shipping, trying get some interviews done for some writing assignments I've taken on as a freelancer, and lastly, still trying to get a new job, things are falling off my plate left and right. And procrastination is setting in. 

Do you ever meet those people who tackle every assignment and project with purpose? I wish I was that kind of person. Instead I spend a lot of times spinning my wheels sitting around (OK, sometimes I procrastinate for the sake of a nap, which I never regret) thinking of all the things I want to do and could be doing, but I get so overwhelmed that stress sets in and I go sit on the couch or porch instead. It's a disheartening process that I realize a lot of people go through. It takes a lot courage to follow up on inspiration. How do you head of procrastination and stay accomplished?

Do you know Gavin?

Gavin Owens, that is. His story, although short, is amazing, inspiring, and heart wrenching. Read it! What's more is the amazing family from which he came. I sat for hours this week reading his and his family's story, sobbing into a whole box of tissues and just wishing I could tell this family how profound I think their presence in this world is. It gave me some much needed perspective and a reality check on just what a precious, wonderful, and blessed life I lead. Vincent will be turning two next month, and to think, in their shoes, I would be counting down the days of the next year and half—a race I would run backwards to never want to finish. Yet, they did and they moved on in ways I only wish I had the strength to possess: adoption of two special children. It breaks my heart that they will never see Gavin grow and become the wonderful young man he would have been—and he would have because his parents are true beckons of light in this dark world. But in his place they wouldn't have meet and become parents to these wonderful children, along with their other daughter. It's not the perfect happy ending, but it's amazing and uplifting. Thanks Owens family for being brave enough to share your story with us. May we always keep our own lights shining like you have for Gavin!

She saw the art her world needed and hung it

One of my most favorite gifts this Christmas was from my sister. These wonderfully inspiring sayings for women. It's a fitting gift not only because 2013 is said to be the era of the feminine, but I'm a work in progress. Isn't that all women? I don't think men continually take stock of their lives the way we do. But back to the art work. My sister gave me five framed prints. I'll have to ask where she got them in case they inspire you too.
To hang the wall collage of prints, I took newspaper from my recycle pile and setting the frame on top, I cut fairly rough shapes of the frame. Then I flipped the frame over, lined the paper up with it, and then using a pen, punched a small hole through the paper where the nail hanger was at. That way I could just use that hole to hammer my nail into the wall once I got my newspaper templates right where I wanted them. I used frog tape on the back so I could adjust the arrangement without to much fuss. It's the best but less exact method to hanging picture collages. I'm in love with the end product.
I still need to paint the walls a deep gray and hang my gallery wire above the collage.