Good Morning!

I hope all of you are having a great morning.  I have been thinking about expanding my blog to include my artwork, my business, my team, and my family.  I have found that I have not enjoyed updating my blog as much as I should and I think it is because I have used it just for my artwork and business and I would like to interact more with my readers.  I have a lot of experience that I would love to share and I bet you have experience and hope that you could offer me as well.  I will still be posting my artwork since creating art, teaching, and sharing feeds me.

I love the words above.  What a wonderful promise.  I especially like the idea of smiling as you start again.  Sets the stage and the positive feelings and energy.

Let me reintroduce myself and actually give you more information about myself.  Please introduce yourself in the comments.  I find that connection between each other is so important.  Isolation is tough and feeling like you don't belong is even worse.

So, a few facts.  I was born in Los Angeles, California a long time ago.  We moved to Pacific Palisades when I was in 3rd grade and my heart is still there.  I grew up in the '60's and '70's and still have the heart of the hippie that I was at that time.  Such an exciting time to be growing up!

I left California 32 years ago when I married a man in the Air Force.  We moved to Turkey, Germany and then Columbus, Mississippi.  I now live in a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee.

I have five kids who are all adult (aged) and after my divorce from my Air Force husband and 7 years of being a single mother, I married a man with five adult children.  We have been married for 16 years and are currently raising two more kids (his youngest daughter's two oldest kids) and I am working at helping my son, who has autism, make an independent life.

I am a daughter of an alcoholic and the mother of an addict.  Life has been exciting, to say the least, and not how it was supposed to be.  At least not in "my script." But I am thoroughly living my life and am grateful.

We are "owned" by six furbabies.  They are a big part of our family and make me laugh so much.  We have three cats and three dogs.  I didn't intend to have six animals.  It just happened.  The last four were rescues.  My brother told me that I rescued stray animals and stray people.  I think he was correct.  It is a sickness and I my house is full right now.

Now, you ask, why do I post art on my blog?  Art has saved my sanity.  With so many people in my life, it can get pretty stressful.  Art is my meditation.  It is for me.  It is where I express my thoughts, revel in gorgeous colors, and find my personal challenges.  Many mornings art has given me the reason to get up in the morning and has surrounded me with wonderful people who support me and cheer me on.  Art has changed me for the better (and makes me more than a little OCD).

So that is a bit about me.  Tell me about you.