Do you ever engage in paper therapy?  You know, time spent with paper, glue and scissors?  Where you can be relaxing and creating and doing something you love while your mind is free to sort out some problems?

This was me this past weekend.  And boy did I need some paper therapy! :)

I haven't mentioned it here on my blog but life has thrown up on me.  Not a very nice picture I know but I can't pretty it up.  First, let me mention that my family (and extended family) is fine.  But in the last week everything else in our lives is different and not so great right now.  Now, I am not quite ready to share all the details but to say I have been distracted is an understatement. 

I am not posting this 'cause I want to engage in a pity party.  Actually, I am pretty positive.  As you can see in the above page I made a layout reciting my mantra - life CANNOT get me down!  This is the page I started my paper therapy with.  Though I am not quite ready to record the events that have changed our lives so drastically I was ready for a paper pep talk. And you know what?  It worked.  Just getting some of my feelings onto paper made me feel better.  Scrapbooking is my comfort and it made sense to me to turn to the familiar.

One of the most important things I have taken from scrapbooking is an appreciation of the small things.  Scrapbooking has caused me to look at my life with new eyes to capture all the details of us.  And with that new sense of observation came a new sense of appreciation.  Appreciation of what makes us unique and what makes me happy.  I love that I can look through my pages right now when times are tough for us and smile at everything that makes up our life.  I cannot tell you how much I appreciate all the little details that I have recorded.  If my pages do not last to reach another generation (and that has never been my intention) all the time and effort I have put into my pages will not have been wasted 'cause I am not sure I could appreciate them more than I do now.

So.  I know that it is sometimes hard to read a tone of voice when reading but know that it is all written with a smile on my face.  There are a lot of you who read this blog who I consider friends and I do not want you to worry.  I can take anything life decides to throw at me and I am ready for the next thing.  I know it is bound to be good!! :)  I am looking forward to discovering what it will be.

Back to regular posting tomorrow.  I just wanted to take time out today to share how much I appreciate this hobby and everyone out there who reads this blog. :)

OH and I am almost caught up with emails from Grand Rapids.  I promise to get to you all in the next day or so. :)