Much love to you Mia, and your family.

I got home today....and the word had gone around...that we lost a sweet person here on earth!
Lovely Mia Weiss.

Spent many years on the message board with her....along with many cards exchanged...emails sent...creativity and fun for her, also in Blue Man land.  She passed away last nite I found out...and in her memory for today...I wanted to write a quick blog.

I think ....

I KNOW....life is short.

The key to what we loved about this lady...is that she had her own life circumstances that tried to take her down, but she was a positive inspiration to all.  Her light and creativity inspired us....I would always have a smile on my face when I saw her pics/art/more.  I loved how she was able to still have tons of fun....rock out to blue man....explore and see things of the world.

I was SO excited to finally get to meet her in Vegas in October.  Now I don't get to.  I think I am a tad sad I'll be missing out a chance to shake her hand, give her a hug - or look into her eyes....

But i think, when i go to heaven - i will jam and hang out with her...where she will be singing...and full of laughter and smiles.  That day, I'll look forward to it. :)  Meanwhile, I'm going to keep doing what I know she was doing....being as much of a creative inspiration and SMILE-MAKER to the world.

Thank you Mia.  Thank you.  You are missed already. :)
and thanks for designing our name tags for vegas....i can't wait to wear them. :)

Love Jen (Chaddie)

This is my art piece dedicated to her...and her "flight"................flight of light.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunwards I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds – and done a thousand things

You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hovering there,

I’ve chased the shouting wind along and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air,

Up, up the long delirious burning blue

I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace,

Where never lark, or even eagle, flew;

And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of god.

FAN MEET MASHUP - Chicago 2012

If you didn't see this already...here some mashups of what I did over in Chicago.....

Adventures on Saturday.

We attended a great little marriage conference saturday...and wore ourselves out by running around the DART rail...and some spots in dallas....i hadn't been to the museum in years....and stopped in the west end for food at Dick's last resort...good times.

I feel MOST ALIVE when.....................

can you answer this??? :):):)

Beginning TEASERS for Kevin and Crystal!!!!

I just sat down for a few moments...to grab a few photos that I enjoyed from the night. :):):):)

Great times...great folks!!!!

Twins!

So i was able to go capture a former bride/groom couple of mine...and their TWINS!!!!
I still can't believe this couple really did it - all the way!!!
She carried them full term, they are healthy, gorgeous...and 2 weeks old! AWWWW!!!!

ENJOY

This one CRACKS ME UP!!!!! :)

Next up, CHICAGO.

I know maybe itz been hard to keep up right? :)
Well, I'm a person who tends to LIVE....around and around...as much as possible....

I just had a crazee few days in chicago....having a blast, seeing friends...getting inspired.

I will hope to write more...for now...herez a few photos.

DAY FIVE: An afternoon at Skid Row....LA Dream Center

I think this was the day I was MOST nervous about.  Mostly because I'm the type of person that really has a hard hard time starting conversations.  Even the simplest "how are you" becomes difficult for me when I'm out of my comfort zone.  I'm thrown into an unknown neighborhood with unknown people with unknown outcomes. 

Our morning started off pretty simple...get breakfast eaten...and get ready to go. 

They briefed us on what we would be doing and what our mission was that morning.  Basically we were going to walk around the streets and invite as many as we could to lunch being served at the VOA at 1:30pm.  We stayed in rather large teams and some of us wore our dream center shirts.  They asked us to really use wisdom when speaking or talking to folks.  They told us to be careful in shaking hands even, in case someone had needles or other things in their hands.  They also told us to keep conversations to a minimum as to really get the word out to as many as possible. 

I quickly realized that I'm still out of my element...and yet still smiling and not saying a word.  I would wave to a few people...and talk to a few...but never really held conversations.  I tried to remain focused within as to the purpose at hand...and help the team invite people to be sure they KNEW that there was some food available to them later in the afternoon.  Basically right down the street.

One man in particular flat out said..."I don't go to that side of the street"....I honestly couldn't tell if he was joking or serious. 

One person said "Some of the homeless around here feel they are so invisible that they can walk in the middle of the street and a car would not hit them"....

One person said in response to giving cold water "I don't need your help!".....

One person said "Our apartment burned in a fire, that is why we are here"....

Apparently we also met a "celebrity" homeless woman that was in the movie The Soloist.  She was pointed out to us by one of the staff.  Apparently she had also been hired for another movie recently....and chooses to stay on the street, even though she has an apartment.  I had the feeling she was a "momma" type...as I saw her grabbing meals for others...and then wheeling them back out to go deliver them.

They also handed out flyers for services should anyone choose to want to go to a church service or something right near them. 

We also met the *regulars* outside the VOA who had their own prayer circle going on.  I was thankful to hear that...and see that...you could tell there really was a family unit going on with some of these folks.  I left thinking to myself...while there are many BAD things going on - there are some good things too. 

Neecie also told us a story of a young girl on the street that day...and how she met up with her later in the evening...and had gotten a connection for her to get off the street and into a great opportunity.  The last word I heard...they were getting her plugged in!!!  I thought that was a great story of how Godly connections can be made and prayers can be answered. 

In the end, I felt part of my part...was to just be me...and no one else.  I did push myself out of the comfort zone...and tried to think of things I could do or say just to share my love.  I took people waters, threw away trash...smiled and had some small conversations.  I did enjoy briefly talking with Miss Patty who had the lovely red streaks in her hair so that when I saw her walk into the VOA...I could say "look who's here!".  That was really fun there. :)  I know that small acts of kindness do go a long way.  I know that I was CHALLENGED to find even more kind things I could do at anytime every day back home. 

I was thankful for this experience...to see the hurting...to see those with HOPE....to see those without hope...to see those desiring to share hope....and give a good hearty meal to those in need.  It was a great setup and a blessing to see. :) 

I opted to not go back for the 3rd time to Skid Row.  My heart, mind, emotions were fully spent after the long afternoons there.  A good group of people did go back though for the evening.

LATER IN THE DAY

Later on in the day....we decided to eat out at the Brite Spot again....to have Lisa enjoy what she didn't get to enjoy when we went out after church!!! :)
We were able to talk and share about thoughts, ideas, inspirations....

I think we spent the rest of the day packing....prepping for our early early early trip back home....and then I made ONE LAST pit stop at the Out of the Closet store....(did a lot of walking)....and found another great little shop too...where a lady had some pieces from West Virginia that I bought.  I had lived there briefly as a child...and had a fondness to find that out.  :) lol!!!!  I definitely ended the trip on a high note with a lot learned...and a lot shared. 

DAY FOUR: Rainbows, the whole story. LA Dream Center (7/5/12)

So it seems that day 4 was the time I got to actually walk into the store and find out for myself if there was a rainbow to find me in L.A.  But, let me back up a little bit! 

When I was shopping in dallas near the former location of the Wit Gallery...I stumbled upon a sidewalk sale.  And in that rack of clothing on the street, I found a rainbow.  Actually, I like to think now....the rainbow found me.  I actually had that kind of shock and awe moment because I thought to myself....wow, SOMEONE out there made this dress????? 

 This dress is pretty comfy, I put the shape into it...because itz pretty boxy and I sometimes call it "the coat of many colors" type of dress. ;)  It is definitely home-made.  I am still not sure where this came from...but someone out there knows. :)  The guy that sold it to me said even HE walked around in it one day....
So, that being said.....this all seemed to really start in dallas.

A little while later....when visiting family in San Angelo....I love swinging into thrift/vintage stores.  Well, just so happens there is one near my Grandma's house...so we all went.  I thought to myself..."God, is there a rainbow here? if so, let me find it!"....and then I looked....and looked....I found a cute dress...and then bam, there it was in the back....a rainbow racerback shirt. :)  Perfect for summertime. :)  Perfect fit too.  You have probably seen me wear this!!!!

Yes, so this was found in San Angelo.  We found each other.

AND last summer... I was in New York City....and stopped at Screaming Mimi's for myself for about 30 minutes....right before they closed.  I scoured the entire store as fast as possible and found nothing that jumped out on the bottom floor....but they do have a secret 2nd floor area...so I ran up there...and shopped.  And guess what I found?  Yes...that is right.  A DRESS.  I found that when I put it on...it like fit almost PERFECTLY.  That does not happen often...being that I'm a curvier size 10 most days in today's current sizing! LOL :)  I have to say....it was a match made in heaven.

Are you seeing a trend here??????

I've had a couple of other finds before LA...but these pictures are the most accessible...and this is the first time I've shared all this publicly in my blog.  But because I feel that this is special to me....you can see a bit more of who I am...and how I find things and communicate with God.  Yes, I know materials things are just that....and I LOVE that he communicates with me through them.  It is like a treasure hunt...and in the end, I know that "I" am the true treasure.  Finding myself was the best thing I've ever found. :) 

So moving forward to LA......

On Sunday, my new friend Rae had said they drove past this store called "Out of the Closet"....and I was like  NO WAY, there are BOUND to be rainbows there!!!!!  I mean, really - I almost am fully expecting rainbows to show up now.  So I had heard about it on Sunday...but didn't get to go to it yet. 

Then one of our free moments before Thursday...we had actually STOPPED in front of the store...and I thought the driver had heard me say I wanted to stop for a few minutes AT the store...but he didn't hear me...and we prayed and kept on driving.  I didn't speak up to say anything...and just let us go on about our business.  I looked out the window and said OH MY GOSH! We are here! It does exists!!!!  But then we pulled off...and in the back of my mind I was thinking, gee I need to make this happen.  It is going to bother me til I get in there and shop and find that rainbow! LOL :)

So when Thursday arrived....when our down time started...I asked for a few minutes stop at Out of the Closet so I could find the rainbow.  By this time, I've shared this with my van-mates...and how God works and talks to me like that.  We stopped, and I put like a quarter in the meter and went in.

I walked in thinking....YOU KNOW WHAT let me try something different....I asked the clerk if he had any rainbows stuff...and he said "I don't think so, but feel free to look around"....I thought it might be quicker if I just asked...but I still had to go and do the work, even in asking. 

I looked throughout the WHOLE store....and every rack....(except for the back for household items)....I came up with nothing.  I was thinking to myself...there HAS to be a rainbow here.  I went back towards the front again where there were hats....I looked through the hats and accessories and found a yarn knitted hat in RAINBOW...but after staring at it...I thought to myself, realistically - I live in dallas...I would not use it.  :)  So after finding it piled underneath, I put it on top...and kept looking.

I made my way over again to the sale rack up front still hoping to find a piece of clothing.  But then, I glanced over at the small wall of purses....and noticed that inside this big open black purse...there was a little crocheted purse!

Yea can you say SUCCESS???? I blurted out ....I FOUND IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I run up to the cashier after one of the FASTEST spreed I've had in a long time....and said I found it, I found the rainbow. :)  He casually asked "Can i ask what it is about the rainbows? Whatz the deal?"....I told him, it is how God and me communicate.  Everywhere I keep going...I'm finding rainbows. :)  This purse was only $1....but I gave him $5 for it....and said THANK YOU SO MUCH. 

It just made my day so that I could share how much I love...just being alive and sharing love with others. 

I learned something very interesting too....

First I "heard" about the store.
Then I "saw" the store.
Then I "walked in" to it. 

The process was important for me to see.  Sometimes we don't get to do things RIGHT AWAY in our lives....sometimes we really have to hear about it first....and be still for a while, think about it...and then when we SEE IT, then we get REALLY excited because we know it is real....and then when we actually get to partake and go ENJOY it....we see the fullness of the PURPOSE of the whole process.  I tell you, I did almost give up....because it was a challenge to sometimes *ask*.

How many times have we missed something important, because we simply didn't ask? :)

I hope you were inspired to have your OWN adventure....

write about it, then share. :)