Seeking to Create

Watercolor via HERE (from an artist I bought a painting from at the fair)

I had the opportunity to attend the fair again last weekend. One of my favorite parts was the artists' corner. I enjoyed looking at the various handiwork that ranged from pottery and watercolors to rock painting and soap making. There were so many interesting things to see there and all of it was so inspiring to me!

The older I get, the more I appreciate the talents of others. Often, I get ideas for my own artistic abilities. However, more likely than not, I see in others talents that I lack and I admire them for that talent. I respect the countless hours of effort it took for them to be talented at their craft. Seeing another's beautiful creation encourages me to find my own creative outlet and to search for ways to make something unique in this world.

As I sauntered through the artists' hall, I had a thought: We all long to create. It starts as children, really. We create stories, we build castles with blocks, we make forts and play pretend. As a child, my creativity had no bounds! I longed to dig underground tunnels in the forest to build a hideaway for my sister and I from strange creatures that would fly in from faraway lands. I climbed tries hoping to jump from the top and soar away on the wind. I sought to create stories in life that I had read in books. I worked on writing my own stories. I lived creativity. I breathed imagination. And I loved every minute of that creative childhood.

Sometimes we live such realistic lives that our imaginative power lies dormant in our brains. However, I truly believe that creative spirit never leaves us and that as adults, we too long to create. The full realization of this started at the fair. I saw that all of those childhood finger paintings and sketches led one amazing painter to watercolor (see picture above). Another worked with fabric as a child and now uses sewing as her creative outlet. Another began playing with dirt as a child and now uses clay as his medium to craft something functional, yet aesthetically-pleasing.

Create. Some create with words, some create with hooks, needles, and thread. Some create with paintbrushes while others create with stones and tools. Some create with wood and some create with websites. There is no limit to the raw creative power that is within each human being. God created this amazing world in all of its creative glory. We are like Him. Within each one of us lies that creative spirit, that raw energy waiting to be turned into something moving, something beautiful, something that longs to change the world, even if it just OUR world and the way we see it.

Writing Begets Writing

I notice that when I actually take the time to sit down and write, the thoughts flow. And one thought leads to another thought which leads to a grander idea and before I know it, I have so many different writing topics floating around in my head and on my paper. In fact, I find that when I take the time to write that I don't stop writing. I pen poems in my head as I do the dishes. I write essays as I softly sing my baby to sleep. I compose short stories as I take the dog for a walk.

This is why the physical act of writing, for me, is so important: It leads my thoughts the remainder of the day. It is so easy to get caught up in what must be done and still feel that there isn't enough time to do it all. Because, there isn't. But, one must find a balance between the have-tos and the want-tos. In order to be happy in this life, we need a balance of work and play. We also need to encourage our minds. To do so, one must find an outlet, a way to grow. The dishes will always be there. The floor will always need to be swept. Work will always need to be done. However, if time isn't taken to improve one's intellect, that intellect will slowly fade.

For that reason, I sat down this morning to write while the baby sleeps, while the dishes wait, while the million and one to-dos sit longing for me to check them off. Because, sometimes you need something for you too. Sometimes, you need to feel a little more connected with your thoughts, a little more connected with the world.

I hope that whatever it is you long to do to improve yourself just for you, that you take some time to do it too and that the positive thoughts associated with the act help to guide you the remainder of the day.

We're Writing Your Story

As I sat at the writer's group this morning, my thoughts wandered for a moment to my baby and his childhood. And I realized, we are writing his story right now. I don't know why it has taken 14 months for this realization to fully impact me the way it did this morning; to realize that every day of his life is a new page in this chapter of his life. Am I using the time well that I have been given? Am I making the most of this time with my child? Will he grow up with fond memories of his kooky, spontaneous mom? Or, will he wish that it had somehow been different?

What a big responsibility writing this story truly is! The way we weave this story, piece by piece, will provide the form for the rest of the story of his life. This is only the introduction, the preface, the prelude. Where will it lead? How will the next chapter start? That is up to us to decide: a boy and his mom.

I hope that the story we are writing together will be one that will help him be a well-rounded individual, a teen willing to love and help those around him. I hope that the story we are crafting leads to a headstrong character, stubborn in his beliefs about who he is and where he came from. I hope that this story, no matter what side roads it takes, always ends back home with the love of a mother always willing to help rewrite parts if necessary and fine-tune those parts that just don't quite fit right. I hope my child always knows that this story we are writing together is without judgment and without wrath.

Eventually, I want my child to be able to craft his own story as I coach him along as he discovers who he is through trial and error. Is that not the role of a parent? Is that not the way life is supposed to be? Sometimes we are the writers, sometimes the editors, but always the loving support named in the dedication. The loving support who helped pen the introduction that would lead to a breath-taking novel about a beautiful life started in the same way all other lives start. But, different. Because, kid, this story is yours and it is mine. We didn't get to choose the beginning, but we get to choose the next adventure of where your life will go. I can't wait.

Love is a Rainbow of Beautiful Feelings

Image via HERE

I went to my first writer's group today as a part of the Plateau Area Writer's Association. I was only one of three in attendance. When I returned, I told Evan that. He said that it was a good thing that I went because otherwise it wouldn't have been a group.

We first ate breakfast and then took time to write on three different topics in ten minute increments. There was no set structure for the writing, nor were the topics pre-chosen. It ended up that we each chose one topic. We wrote for ten minutes and then each shared what we had written. The topics were: babies (not chosen my me), travel (ME!), and love is a rainbow of beautiful feelings.

The travel story I began writing, I am definitely not finished with. In fact, I left the last sentence hanging as the time was up. When I read it aloud, one of the participants gasped and said "NO fair!" because she wanted the story to continue. I need to finish it properly and would love to turn it into a short story at some point. Because of that, I won't share it today.

I will, however, share the other two short pieces I wrote. After reading the first to the other two participants, one of them told me that I have a natural talent as a writer. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded of something you believe about yourself. I love writing and I have the ability to be good at it. I'm grateful for that. However, I do know that I need to spend more time WRITING than I do. Admittedly, I spend a lot of time on instagram when I'm nursing my baby or even sometimes when he is asleep and I'm not cleaning. (I make it a goal to NOT be using technology while Harrison is awake. I figure, why did I choose to be a stay-at-home mother to my child if I'm not actually utilizing the time I have with him?) While instagram can be a fun, useful tool to keep up with friends, there are other things in life that are also important, such as reading and writing. I am going to work on increasing those talents in my life!

Here are the two posts I wrote, which you can find on my writing blog:

• Babies
• Love is a Rainbow of Beautiful Feelings

Century Gothic Changed My Life

Does anyone have a font that they work well in? 

For me, it's Century Gothic. Arial? No way. Courier New? Did we just default back to the dawn of computers? Sans serif? No serif typeface is going to get the creative juices flowing. Lucida? I can't concentrate with that script in my face. Comic Sans? Shoot me in the foot. It would be less painful.

But, Century Gothic? HELL YES. It has my heart. Or, rather, it has my hands. Any time I open a new Word document, the first order of business is to make everything I type just a little bit better with Century Gothic. Its clean lines and crisp arch make it incredibly legible. The fact that it is so basic makes it just a class font to me. Century Gothic. I can breathe. I can CREATE. I can dream in Century Gothic. So, that is what I shall write in.

Why is all of this relevant? I went to our area’s writing association meeting last week. I have decided to join as a creative outlet for me to push myself to get back into writing. I’m not yet sure where this venture will take me. Eventually, I have a few books I’d LOVE to write. I have so many words and thoughts rolling around in my head just waiting to burst free. I used to write daily and was actually a decent poet and writer. But, then life happened and that dream of writing was swallowed up in my dream of teaching.

Now I am a mother who gets to be at home with my child. While I don’t have much time because I just switched teaching 150 students to teaching ONE, I do have nap times where I can skive off laundry and dishes to do something for me once in a while. Just the thought of writing and improving is making me really happy right now. I hope you are interested in joining on the ride!

I have another blog that I titled “Sarah Russell Writes” long ago when I was actually writing. In fact, this blog started out as more of essays, poems, and thoughts on life before it became a digital photobook of our lives. I’d like to get back to my roots and to where this blog once was. I’m not yet sure what that entails. New family blog? Family and writing mixed together? Any thoughts from my loyal readers? :)

Distractions & A Few Favorite Things

Sometimes, in order to get anything done around here, I have to do what I can to keep Harrison's mind (and hands!) occupied! This is something I am definitely working on. It's hard to do with the stage he is at because he isn't quite ready for clean activities so to speak. I am constantly searching for something to keep him happy while I cook or clean. Well, today, I remembered about these macaroni noodles my friend had her daughter play with at our house last year when they came to meet Harrison for the first time. I busted out the container of the noodles and let Harrison have at it. It made him so happy to play with them, even though it meant clean up for me later. Thankfully, Evan cleaned up the first go-around and I cleaned up after Harrison played around in the yard, another thing that makes him happy! Such a balance trying to find things to engage and interest Harrison that will allow me to do what I need to do around the house. The balance truly comes in when I am working on taking time to spend with Harrison amidst all the cleaning and organizing to be done around here. Never a dull moment!

 I had to throw this one in there because Max grabbed that huge "stick" from me as I was moving it in our yard. The guy is obsessed with sticks!

Love his little pointing finger!

Spider web seen clearly with dew

Our dog is obsessed with squirrels and could just sit there for hours waiting to try and catch one

 

This cupboard sometimes saves my life when I'm trying to get things done in the kitchen! Friday, Harrison decided to climb all the way in. And then he tried to get my attention because he thought it was funny!

Project Toddler: 14 Months

It is so hard to believe my little sweetie pie is 14 months old today! Every month just keeps going by so quickly! As I cuddled next to my sweet boy tonight when he was nursing before bed, I just held him close and thought that this time of my life is so short. Before I know it, I won't have any more babies to cuddle and Harrison will be all grown up and not letting me kiss him 100 times a day! :) So, I am really loving every minute I can because it is going by too quickly!

One funny story that happened yesterday is that Harrison had "his" tooth brush (he's been obsessed with our old, electric toothbrush... he loves turning it on and off and carrying it around) while I was hanging up laundry in the bathroom. He dropped it down onto the stairs and he was starting to get a little fussy. In an effort to keep him happy, I asked him, "Where is your toothbrush?" He looked at me, looked at his toothbrush and then pointed at his toothbrush to show me where it was. Smarty pants!

Here are some thoughts I've been saving in my phone the past few weeks. I'm sure there is more he is doing and I'm sure that some of this has already been mentioned in other posts, but I just didn't want to forget anything!

• Harrison points at everything. I love when babies start to do that. His little finger is so adorable!
• Says "huh" in answer to a question about something he wants, not all of the time, but sometimes
• As of this week, he has refused to take a Schnuli. Not sure is it's because of teething, but it has been frustrating because it is now taking him longer to go to sleep. I know that in the long run, it will be better for me if he gives up his Schnuli now. He never really was super attached to it except to calm him down for sleep.
• He has started saying lots of little words and talks all of the time! I love his little voice. A few of the words he has started saying are :oh, wow, buh-ba (bye bye... been saying this for a while, but is getting better at it), what? (hadn't said it since we were in Germany, but after two months started saying what again this week), what is it?, what's that?, and tries to say I love you when we say it. It's so cute! He also says a few animal sounds too. He says snake, dog, and cow. In fact, today he woke up early from his nap because our dog was barking and amidst his tired crying he told me, "Roo Roo!" because that is what woke him up. So adorable... and once again, what a little smarty pants!
• He gets really hot when he sleeps. Not even on hot nights! He sometimes has a hard time settling down or else if he wakes up in the night, I'll have to take off his blanket or turn on his A/C unit to cool him off. It could be because of teething and maybe he is having a mild fever, but he doesn't feel feverish. It's just that his hands and feet feel hot. That's when I know that he is too hot to fall back asleep.I love that he now helps take on and off his clothes or put on his shoes. It's so cute when he offers his foot to me when I tell him we are going to put on his shoes before I even ask him to. 
• One of my favorite things right now that he does is rub his tummy when I take off his shirt. It's so cute!
• Sings all the time, sings along to songs or just sings on his own
• He is a little climber extraordinaire, finding all sorts of things to use to get to something else! Love my crazy climber boy! He even tips over the garbage can in our room JUST to be able to use it to climb up to turn the door knob to our bathroom or to get stuff off our dresser. He is a smart guy!
• Harrison pretty much thinks he is a big boy now and wants to feed himself with silverware! His favorite thing for a while now has been a fork. I'm not sure why he loves forks, but he does and he wants to use them to feed himself off of our plates. 
• Got his seventh tooth in the past few weeks and his eighth just popped through in the past few days
• Pinches or squeezes the back of people's arms when he is on your hip... it's like his way of saying he loves you! He really likes people's skin and to feel connected to them through touching their skin, which I think is why he lightly squeezes people's arms when they hold him.
• Harrison reads books to himself now, which makes me happier than you can imagine. If there is any mess I actually ENJOY cleaning up in this house it is the pile of books that Harrison has perused on the chair in his room. He will just walk in there, climb up onto the chair and start pulling out books to look through! It makes me so happy. I hope he enjoys reading someday as much as I do!
• Harrison falls asleep better in his bed than in our arms, but still needs us to rock him to help him get calmed down. Tonight, I nursed him and then rocked him for a while and he wasn't falling asleep. Because my back couldn't take it anymore, I had to put him in his bed to cry himself to sleep. I gave myself a time limit of 15 minutes before I could go back in there to help him, if need be. A couple minutes later, there was silence because he had put himself to sleep. YES! He is better at doing that at night time than during the day. Lately, for night time, he has had to put himself to sleep by crying because he has been so wound up that he couldn't fall asleep either nursing or with me trying to rock him to sleep. Poor guy! I think some "late" nights (8-9pm) were contributing to that.
• The past month or so, Harrison has been reaching up for us when he wants to be held; which, recently, has been often.
• Loves playing the piano
• Loves to play Chase and hide and seek with me
• Tries to screw on and off caps/lids to things and is successful sometimes. I'm amazed by his nimble fingers and what he is able to do!
• Has started to play with and stack his blocks... I have tried to interest him in blocks before and he is just now getting interested in stacking and playing with them. Not long, granted, but he is still interested! I hope he will love legos like I did! Heck, I STILL love building castles and playing with legos. :)
• Something that is really interesting about Harrison is that he scrutinizes objects to figure out how they work... Future engineer? I love watching him approach a new object or a familiar object in a new way to see how he can manipulate it differently. He is such a smart boy! I know every parent says that and feels that way, but, about Harrison, it really is true!
• Harrison REALLY loves our dog and loves to love on him. We're still working with Harrison to get him to be gentler with the dog, because sometimes when he's frustrated with life he will try to pull the dog's ears or pinch him. Our dog mostly tolerates it, but will sometimes do a low growl at Harrison if he is annoyed by it.
• Speaking of frustrated or mad... Harrison will bite or pinch me when he is mad or frustrated. He started the biting thing back a few months ago. He usually ONLY does this when he is at the end of his rope and no amount of crying or screaming has conveyed the message that he is angry!
• Harrison sometimes laughs when he is naughty and does something he knows he shouldn't. We are going to be in for it with this boy! He is too smart for his own (and my!) good! :)

1 Wedding & 2 Ferry Rides

                         

A Toyota Stout!