The Life of Mrs. Miles

Olivia Dorazio's Junkyard Garden No.2 Quickpage
full 12 x 12 inches!
Assembled by Bunny Cates

download

I hope you'll all stop by Bunny's to say a big thanks for creating this awesome QP from my Junkyard Garden No. 2 Kit - which is available for purchase today at the Sophia Sarducci shop. Todays THE DAY to purchase because we all go a little Mad on Mondays and offer our NEW products at a 20% discount! Crazy - innit? Join our madness, for Mondays can be mundane, morbid, melancoly... but we can fight back, right? Just click HERE to be transported to the shop.

Layout by Bunny Cates
Credits: Junkyard Garden No.2 QP
assembled by none other than Bunny herself!

I've always admired Bunny's eclectic and wonderful sense of style - she's got a quirky way of putting things together that make a nice and interesting GOOD mess! She's a close friend to KIMB - (who is one of the most talented designers I know) and I've always dreamed one day Bunny MIGHT even want to work with one of my designs. KIMB - thanks for letting me 'borrow' your Bunny!

Poor KimB - don't worry, ur handsome will be home in only TWO MORE sleeps gurl, you can make it!

I feel SO BLESSED to have even more wonderful layouts designed for me - my one and only 'official' CT Victoria, who's created two LOVELY layouts and has posted around the web for me. Victoria has saved my bacon once again by spotting a sizing error in one of the vines files in time for me to fix and re-upload to the shop. THANKS SWEETIE! Full credits on all layouts are available on Victoria's Blog!

For those of you who recieved my kit ahead of time you can resize the file yourself, if you know how... o - if you need instructions for this, let me know.

I've also got a beautiful layout by Valinda - thoughtful, faithful, encouraging Valinda. Do you know, she's also created two QP's I'm going to give away over the next few days. LUCKY YOU! Thanks V! You can visit Valinda by clicking HERE.

And, then there's also a sweet layout in the following slideshow which was created by my wonderful Sister in Law, Judy, of her granddaugther Melissa and the bike she's hoping to earn. I hope you get it too, Melissa - work hard - or twist Papa around your finger so he works for you! haha! Judy's got a fun slideshow of everyone visiting a funpark in Vancouver on her blog - to visit Judy's blog click HERE.

Here's a small slideshow of my latest kit and the layouts!




Olivia Dorazio’s Junkyard Garden 2!



And, I'd like to give kudos to my friend Amy, for her stunning new Fancy-Fancy kit which is also launching today at the Sophia Sarducci shop. Wow - what a treat! I've seen this kit close up, and its a knock out! You'll want to stop by the Sophia Sarducci BLOG as well for Adriana aka Amy has posted a NICE, FANCY giveaway there! And of course Amy always has a good freebie links list on her blog.

Adriana Lunette's Fancy Fancy kit
visit AMY'S BLOG to read the story behind the kit!

Recently I've been reading blogs of friends who are looking after aging parents and its really moved my heart to desire to share about this issue. Its not all that long ago (just a few years, but it feels like yesterday) that my own dear Grandma passed on - and the time just before she left us was very strange. I so clearly remember us taking us taking her out for coffee and over a period of time watching as her health, and mind at times, failed. I clearly recall that she often resented the care of my aunt, who I know had a burden to look after her full time. In reading my friends blog, I realize how hard this must have been on my aunt at times - for the aged ones we look after often resent our very caring efforts - and almost always misinterpret the caring as 'controlling' Its so hard for the aging to let go of their independence, and the one who looks after them often becomes the target of their anger. How hard it must be for both parties.

What has touched me, is the CARING of these people who are are doing the PARENTING to their parents, in their last years. I totally admire you. I've been so inspired and touched by your pushing past all the frustration to continue to stand in there. I want you to know that I'm going to be praying for each of you this week.

One friend (who I won't reveal here pending permission) said this which had me laughing and crying all at the same time:

She is getting angry with me a lot... but I know she doesn't me it at me... the Hospice nurse says it is because I am the one that is doing everything for her. She thinks I am trying to keep her so she cant walk. so the nurse said just let her try and get up and do it herself... and she will fall but she is not going to hurt herself... hmmmm... 4am this Saturday morning she fell... we have no idea how she ended up in the hallway.. and then she fell this morning and smacked her nose and got a cut on her toe and her hand.. It took everything inside me not to get upset... of course I could not pick her up .. .so I looked at her and laughed and said mom I bet you are feeling like a turtle on your back right now aren't you? she started laughing... so I wanted to cry but we laughed instead... sooooo I decided to strip her bed and remake it... then I stripped her and washed her up and put new PJ's on her and then walked to the next door neighbors house... (a very sweet man) and said hey (name withheld) what are you doing LOL... he said nothing why? I said could you please come and pick my mom up off the floor... he is so sweet he came over and picked her up and put her in the wheel chair... that was the start of our day. I just pray that I make it through each day being calm and not getting upset.

So, you can see why this email moved me. I'm asking each of you to lift this friend (and others who are in the same situation) in prayer - for strength, stamina and for her to keep this amazing sense of humour in a situation that any one of us would find taxing.

The bible calls us to honor our parents - and this includes when they are failing and do not know what they are saying and doing. This friend is living her faith, and to me, thats when it counts most, when the sailing is rough. Its the test of the strength an depth of our faith.

I'm so proud that my friend is turning to God to help her in her time of need, and it sounds like she's receiving the rewards in this.

A keen sense of humor helps us to overlook the unbecoming,
understand the unconventional,
tolerate the unpleasant and
outlast the unbearable.

"A joyful heart is good medicine."

Proverbs 17:22 (NASB)

In closing, I must point your way to the following website I (by accident or?) stumbled upon just the other day. I KNOW that my friends, and all of you who are caregivers to the elderly, will appreciate - you will TOTALLY be delighted and identify. AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHY!

You are NOT alone - I'll be praying for you! I'd love to hear if you have a story about your aging parent, friend, etc and how you coped.

DAYS OF LIFE WITH MY FATHER
by Phillip Toledano - click HERE to be transported.

(I found if you right click your mouse you can zoom the view with the +)
(click at the BOTTOM of each page to see next photo)