Exciting News (and catching up ~ once again)!

Posts have been few and far between lately.  In part due to being busy with the new house and with all the remodeling/moving/unpacking and settling in that went with it.  Another part has been due to job hunting ~ which has been nearly a full time job for the past few months.  There were many applications and many interviews, often with very positive feedback, but either I didn't have quite the "right" experience, or lacked the "correct" degree, which some other candidate had.  It was discouraging and disheartening to say the least.   For a while I feared that I was going to need to go back to school for another 2-3 years, the idea of which had me in tears for days.  So, I expanded my search to include the large Denver hospitals ~ something I had originally hoped not to do.

On a whim (or more likely a nudge from God) I put in an application for a position that "required" the degree that I do not have... and within a day had a positive response and a request for an interview.  To make a long story short, by the grace of God, my experience and education were deemed to be exactly what they were looking for and I have been offered a position in my chosen field (Mom/Baby), in a unit very similar to the one I left in Flagstaff!  I am relieved to be among the employed again and looking forward to starting orientation in mid-March!  I will have a long commute of nearly 60 miles one way that takes just over an hour in good weather, but with God's grace I know that even that hurdle will become a blessing.  


As with much of the country, we have had a fair amount of snow lately.  I love looking out the frosty window panes early in the morning to catch the first of rays of sun shining across a pristine blanket of new fallen snow!


The kitties are my constant companions no matter where I am in the house.  Sir Thomas is usually to be found within about six feet of me, if not closer, even when I am moving about the house.  Here he is hopeful that I might be headed for the kitchen and that a little food will come his way, even though it is hours until feeding time!  At 21 pounds of healthy strong cat, he isn't in need of any extra food, despite his highest hopes!


Miss Mollie has a new favored perch on the top of the sofa.  At 13 years old, she is still spry and delightful.  She only weighs in around 6 pounds ~ quite a difference from Thomas, but she still rules the roost most of the time!



Our other kitty, Kitzy (who was my Mom's kitty) is usually tucked away in my daughter's room.  Unfortunately, she and Miss Mollie have terrible fights if they encounter one another in the same room.  Which has led to a few more vet visits than we would like.  As a result, we keep them separated most of the time.  Sadly that means I rarely am able to capture a nice photo of her.  This one was taken a while back.  She's a sweetheart on her own, but so obstinate and nasty with the other cats!


As the blooms dried and dropped from the crocus, paperwhites and orchids that bloomed throughout January, I saved them into a bowl.  Little bits of loveliness even in this delicate state!  It won't be long until the pots of hyacinths and daffodils that I potted and tucked away in the garage last fall will be ready to bring indoors from some early bits of spring!


While I was in Massachusetts with my Posie friends, I did a couple of watercolor sketches.  Di's lovely home sits on the Bumps River, a tidal river on Cape Cod.  This was done before storm Nemo moved in.


After storm Nemo had left it's blanket of snow and moved on, I did this small sketch of Di's garden shed.


Here are the group of us that were able to make it.  Two of our friends were not able to make it in due to the storm, but the six of us that were able to get there had a fabulous time, despite the storm and a couple of days without power!  In truth, this group of women is one of life's biggest blessings!  We came together about 13-14 years ago through the old "Victoria" magazine website.  Our group name had it's origination in the saying, "Friends are the flowers in the garden of life".  When we first got together as a large group in 2001, most of us had never actually met one another other than online.  We try to gather for a long weekend every couple of years and there are smaller gatherings in between.

Today, there are ten of us who converse almost daily (and a couple of others who participate occasionally) sharing the ups and downs of life, supporting and encouraging one another through thick and thin.   I don't know what I would do without them!  So here is to Gail, Judi, Heidi, June, Shaun, Judy, Di, Val, Peggy, Maya and Amy ~ the best friends a gal could ever have!   You are a blessing!