Who Me?

I have been working on "being me" for 41 years. Recently you told me that "in me" is a singer/songwriter.  Who me?  You know how shocked I am to hear this as my life so far has been full of thoughts about my musical abilities.  How many times have I said "I don't have a musical bone in my body"?  I am sure you have counted them and been sad every time.  I ask you to show me my youth in terms of music and singing.  The emotion that comes forth is new to me as I have done well at pressing it down.  I remember playing records over and over and singing out loud and with so much heart.  What has happened to me along the way?  Sorrow? Fear? Disappointment? Doubt?  It is so sad that your artwork would never be encouraged to be what it was intended.  I can't imagine how many pieces of artwork lay waiting in other spirits.

Today I am still doubting - was it a dream I heard about singer/songwriter?  I don't even really know what my singing voice sounds like.  I will step out though, just a small step.  I will see about voice lessons - I need another spirit besides you to encourage me - one that can physically kick my butt.  And I will view the piano lessons with Goldie and Jude differently (it is interesting how I have wanted them so badly to learn about music).

I ask for your love to strengthen me and make me brave in this endeavour.  Otherwise I will probably turn to my comfortable fearing place.  Thank-you for loving me into discovering more about "being me".

I love you too (as much as I possibly can)

T

Ballad #1

Blossom

My adult daughter has questions about whether or not she will meet a man who will make her happy. She shared she wants someone who thinks she is the most beautiful thing in the world and can't wait to be with her. I told her that is every woman's wish, mine included and I have been married for 12 years. She questions her own beauty and value. These questions hurt my heart, as her mother. I can only imagine how you hurt when I question my beauty or worth. I went to the flower shop today and bought three of the most beautiful pink flowers I could see, a rose and two gerber daisys. I delivered them to her at work with a card which read something along the lines of "When you look at nature, do you see how creative and beautiful and detailed all creation is? If God takes the time to create a flower so detailed and so beautiful, would He not take even more time to create you so detailed and so beautiful. The flower does not question its details or beauty, it continues to grow and blossom. Stop questioning your worth and your beauty. Each day that you believe that God loves you and he created you to be beautiful, then each day you will continue to grow and blossom too." She told me she put the card in her daytimer to read again and again. Thank-you for your Grace.

Soul Sister

Besides my husband and children, I know you placed LLJ in my life for a specific purpose. It is a beautiful thing you have done, this friendship. We lived a life together awhile ago - not a healthy life. One which involved alot of questionable partying which seemed like alot of fun at the time. I won't dwell on those things, it keeps me from moving forward. And here we are again, living a life together after being somewhat separated for 15 years. A completely different life - a journey towards you, as soul sisters. Who would have thought? We had such an amazing chat tonight where our spirits were so alive and joyful and united. We talked of seeing with the eyes of our hearts and not the eyes of our world. Thank-you for filling our hearts with your perfect love. So that we would have insight into someone else's shortcomings and someone else's pain and forgive them for the injustices we feel, and just love them. Not with our love but with your supernatural love. Thank-you that you care about me so much that you would put people, friends, in my life to teach me about me and teach me about you. You are glorious. And I love you.

Ambato and Banos

Leah, Host Auntie - Vicki, Host Sister - Zara and Host Mom - Anita

Teena, Host Mom - Anita, Host Sister - Zara, Leah and Host Auntie - Sylvia

We rode in a little iron bucket across a river canyon to the base of another mountain. It was really fun.

Host Auntie Vicki, Teena, Host Sister - Zara, Leah, Host Mom - Anita, Host Dad - Roberto and Wade

The locals making sugar cane toffee

Leah and her host sister, Zara, standing in front of sugar cane

Local traffic

A neighboring tourist attraction, the City of Banos

Complete with a smoldering volcano

Ambato, the city where Leah lives

Leah's Room

Leah's House is very cute and cozy.

Visiting Quito and surrounding area

A really cool outdoor market

A beautiful old mansion where we had lunch. Ecuador exports roses. 1 dozen roses cost $1.00 - This bouquet would have cost approximately, $5.00. We could not believe it.

The Equator

Some history in Quito, the capital city of Ecuador

Indeginous peoples

3 days in the Galapagos Islands

Some of the fun characters we met along the way.

Some fantastic landscapes of the islands.

Our boat for the 3 day trip.

See the little penguins? They were snorkling with us - they were so cute. It was just like Happy Feet.

There were sea lions everywhere, and I mean everywhere. These two little ones were really cute.

This bird is called the Frigate bird and they have a pouch that inflates like an enormous balloon to woo a mate. Later in the trip, we called them the "Friggin" bird because they followed the boat, flying above the upper deck, the tanning deck, and crapped on me while we were tanning.

Wade getting a photo with Patrice

This Iguana always comes out for Guide Stephan to have his photo taken whenever a tour comes through the island. The Iguana's name is Patrice and he is very old.

Some of the Iguanas are big, really big

These birds are called the Blue Footed Boobies and they are all over one of the Islands - these 2 are doing the mating dance. They could go through all this trouble and then the female has a choice to make whether she thinks he "is the lucky one or not".

These land tortoises are living in the middle of land - no body of water is near, only a small mud puddle for cooling off.