...Must Be Nice...

So today's post is a little different than some of my other ones.  More about the "life of" rather than pottery/ceramics.  We meet new people, or even those that have been in our life for a while...and this one comment is almost always muttered, "It must be nice to not have to work and be able to stay home all day."  Or at least something to that extent.  Most people utter it as a result of ignorance - they really have NO idea what my/our day to day life is truly like.  So for those that don't know what it's like, I thought I'd give you an idea.  :)

Dreams, Goals, Ambitions

Hubby and I just got done having a conversation that is rather thought provoking. He asked me what my goals were with my business. Well to make money of course was the first joking remark. But in all actuality...I want to completely move over to sculpting. Still make some of the small odds and ends when I need a break..and they make GREAT kiln fillers so there's no wasted space...but I want to sculpt. I want my sculptures to have meaning and for those messages to be embraced by the world. I want the message that my sculptures emote to be known throughout the world. Quite a lofty goal, no? But that's me...dream big! I know it won't happen over night. And it may not happen in the next 10 years. But by golly...It WILL happen. :)

NOT disabled....DIFFERENTLY-abled!

When I first got sick, in 2010...I was bumming.  I was heart broken, and continue to be blindsided as my health continues to decline.  It all started with seizures in April 2010...followed by cognitive decline... memory and concentration issues... tremors/ticks... weakness and numbness in my left arm/hand... severe leg pain and weakness ... and last but not least... urinary incontinence.  I think that's it... haha  OH!  Yea...forgot the PTSD...All of this has occurred in the last 3 years...For a while, I let myself feel sorry for myself.  I can't run around with my munchkin-boy anymore.  I can't go for a hike through the woods with my husband.  I have been unable to complete a college degree/further education.  There's a LOT of things I CAN'T do...It's been in the last year with the support of my hubby and the innocent wisdom of my son, that my mind set has changed.  I used to send a thank you note with my Etsy orders, as well as have it printed on my business cards; "Thank you for supporting a disabled veteran's business".  Yes... all of these physical, psychological, and physiological issues have created boundaries and limitations...  But they've also showcased my strengths and other abilities I never knew I had.  

2014 Goals - 1 Down, 13 to Go!

At the beginning of the year, I created a page for my 2014 Business Goals, to not only help me keep track of the goals I set for myself; but also so ya'll can help keep me accountable.  One way to almost always achieve your goals, regardless of what they are, is to share it with loved ones, friends, and/or the public.  Once you've put anything out there for the public to see...there is an innate pressure to uphold your end of the bargain.

Finding the Light

 I know a lot of people have been struggling with personal issues.  Be it health, financial, occupational, or all of the above; it can be difficult to believe there is light at the end of the tunnel.  A colleague shared this saying with a group of us, and I found it quite fitting.  I hope it offers you the ability to look inside yourself and embrace the simplicity of it.

A Woman in a Man's World - Part 1

I got a lot of feedback on yesterday's post about my time in Iraq.  After I re-read it, I felt like I rambled... but I'm glad it touched so many people!  One of the common comments left for me on my Facebook page, was that it gave non-military folks some insight on what it was like for a woman in the military.  I feel that I just barely scratched the surface on that topic... so I thought I'd write a few posts about it.  Some of the things I will be talking about are pretty touchy....so please bare with me.
(NOTE - I don't have many pictures from bootcamp/AIT... a lot of my military pictures come from my time in Iraq.  Just FYI)

Reflections

When I tell people that I was in the army, the first question is always, "Did you go to Iraq?  Afghanistan?".  When I inform them that I did deploy to Iraq for OIF VII, the question that always follows next is, "What was it like?".  People  may think that it is an easy question to answer, but quite the contrary, it is not.  What part of Iraq do you want to know about?  There are many.  Do you want to do what the social and family ties and the stresses it caused was like?  Do you want to know what war is like?  Or what about the countryside?  The people and the children?  Being a medic?  What part do you want to know about?  The part where I admit it broke me all to hell and I will never be the same again?    Which part?

2014 - New Year's Goals and Resolutions

Home Sweet Home..for now.  Wallagrass, ME  Dec 2013

Today is the beginning of a new year.  A time to reflect on the previous 365 days, and ponder on what the next 365 days have to come.  This year will be a GREAT year, because that's my mind set.  My health WILL get better.  My business WILL become more regular with sales and such.  My family and I WILL find a home closer to family and be moved by the summer.  Life WILL be good.  Positive affirmations and having a positive mental attitude is what it's all about this year.  

Friday Fun - ABC Get to Know ME!

So going along with the theme, I figured Friday would be a free for all.  Gives me leeway to write about my life, family, and miscellaneous items that might not otherwise fit.  Today's Friday Fun tidbit is an "ABC Get To Know Me Quiz" that I found on The Little Owl Shop Blog (THANKS! :) )  So here goes!  Hope you learn something about me and perhaps are inspired to do the same.

A. Age: 29

B. Bed Size:  Queen...and it's not big enough!  With myself, my fiance, my son, and my service dog Kane all trying to pile into one bed sometimes...it can get crowded!  haha

C. Chore that you hate:  scraping/grinding kiln shelves and putting kiln wash back on.  Time consuming and has to be done outside.  Non pottery related... I hate doing the dishes!  Always have... but now, standing that long to wash the dishes is physically painful... but on the good days I still try to help my honey out.  He takes such good care of me. <3

D. Dogs:   2; my service dog Kane, and my fiance's dog Charlotte.  Charlotte stayed down with his parents when we moved up north though.  She has a lot of health issues and needed to be closer to the vet...AND... his mom and gram just didn't want her to go.

E. Essential start to your day:  Coffee!

Kane and I at a restaurant in Virginia.

F. Favorite Color:  Blue and a dark amethyst purple.

G. Gold or Silver: Silver/white gold

H. Height:  5'7"

I. Instruments you play:  In middle school I played the french horn...and taught myself some basic piano back in HS...but that was 10 years ago..

J. Job Title: Retired Disabled Veteran.  AKA Differently-abled Veteran Ceramic Artist in Training.  Only been doing this 1.5 years, but it has fast become my passion.

K. Kids:  I have an 11 year old son from a previous marriage.  Hope to add to that sometime in the future.

Hummingbird perched on our patio chair. May 2013.

L. Live:  Northern Maine, about 10 miles from the border of Canada.

M. Mother's Name: Kathy.  

N. Nicknames: Na-Na.  One of my younger sisters couldn't say "Shawna" when she was younger...so she called me "na-na" and it stuck.  Everyone in my family (mom and sisters, dad not so much) calls me by it.  My fiance's pet/nickname for me is "love monkey".  There's a story behind that one as well... Maybe I'll get into that one in a later post.

O. Overnight hospital stays:  Several.  First one was when my son was born, another one about 8 years ago, and 2 in a 1 month time span while deployed to Iraq.  Again, maybe I'll elaborate more on those on a later date.

P. Pet peeve:  Ignorance.  Racism.  People being judgmental in general.  Live and let live.

Q. Quote from a movie:  "Hakuna Matata" = No worries!  Yes, from The Lion King. :)  But it's a great quote/phrase to live by.  Live life for today.  No sense stressing about yesterday or tomorrow.  Yesterday is in the past and you can't do sh*t about it, and you don't know what tomorrow will bring...so again, why stress about the unknown??

R. Right or left handed: Right handed!

S. Siblings: 5 by birth, 1 by marriage.  :)  I have 5 younger sisters ranging in age from 27 to 15.  And as of August 10, 2013, I will have an older sister. :)  Sister-in-law by technicality, but she's great and I love her just the same. :)

T. Time you wake up: It really depends on the kind of night I've had.  If it's been a bad night and I'm up with leg pain, it will be closer to noon.  Most of the time I go to bed when I'm tired and wake up on my own.  Recently though, I've been trying to get on a somewhat normal schedule so I can wake up with my son when he starts school in the fall.

U. Underwear:  The comfy kind! :) 

V. Vegetable you hate:  Not a big fan of kale...I like most veggies... thankfully I'm not a picky eater.

W. What makes you run late:  My memory.  Another "side effect" of Iraq.  My short term memory is HORRIBLE.  We have to stop half down the drive way after we leave to go someplace at LEAST once because I forgot something in the house that I need.  

X. X-Rays you've had:  Oh good lord... WAY too many!  Ankle, knee, foot, entire spine/neck... MRI's and CT scans of head and body...

Y. Yummy food that you make:  I can't cook anymore. :(  My left hand has weakness in it, and I have a tendency to forget stuff.  Add on top of that the inability to stand for long periods of time... And my culinary days are limited.  BUT on my good days... I make a mean stuffed porkchops that my fiance LOVES.

Z. Zoo Animal:  I love the beautiful colors on all the exotic fish... and the peacocks.  The peacocks remind me of the mythical phoenix...of which I have a large tattoo of on my arm.

Well there!  Those are some pretty random questions!  I hope you've learned something you didn't know about me and had a good chuckle...or at least smiled!

TTFN!

Working on some fine detail work.  :)

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Tuesday Tips

In an effort to better streamline my blogging and make it easier for me to keep up with, as well as my followers, I have decided to add various "themed" days.  I already have Mudita Mondays...I thought Tuesday Tips was appropriate.  I'm not sure if I will have something for every single day, but I figured this was a good start!  What do you guys think?  Do you have any other suggestions or things you would like to see on here??

For my first "Tuesday Tips", I'd like to offer something that EVERYONE can relate to.  Regardless of what your profession, hobby, passion, or calling is; there will be times when nothing goes right and you will feel like giving up.  It is during these times when you MUST NOT GIVE UP.  The most rewarding events nearly always come after the most difficult of journeys.  Did you know that Thomas Edison was NOT the first person to invent the lightbulb?  He was the first person to make one commercially practical.  After trying more than 3,000 "theories" of how an incandescent bulb might work, he and his associates finally found the one that DID.  If he had given up at attempt 3,001; he never would have known that theory/attempt 3,002 was the one that would prove successful.  (source: http://www.ehow.com/facts_4963988_history-thomas-edisons-light-bulb.html)

In more recent times, look at the Soldiers that are coming home with various ailments; physical, emotional, and psychological.  As an example, look at active duty Col. Gregory Gadson.  Have you seen the movie Battleship?  Ya know the double leg amputee that acts in that movie??  YEA...  That's him...  What would have happened if he had given up when he was injured?  He very well could have gotten received medical retirement due to his injuries.  But he did not.  He has continued to train; continued to lead by example; and continued to thrive.  He has continued to be an inspiration to all who see him and know his story.  I encourage you to do your research and find out all about him in addition to watching the movie.  It was pretty good.  Do a search on "Col. Gregory Gadson" and see what comes up.  It's pretty amazing.

A couple hundred years separates these two men, but there is one thing that unites them.  They never gave up.  Regardless of what you're going through; what hurdles you face; stand tall in the face of adversity.  Continue to climb the mountain in front of you one foot in front of the other.  Most of "Tuesday Tips" will be geared towards pottery/ceramics, but I can't help it if a few of these motivational ones slip in there too. :)

What hurdle have you overcome?  How did you do it?  Let me know how you succeeded despite the odds!  I love to hear how others refuse to let hurdles get in their way!!

TTFN!

Mudita Monday - 20 May 2013

It's time for Mudita Monday again!  "Happy Happy Happy"!  hehe  Any Duck Dynasty fans out there?  You will know what that's from.. :)

Today, I want to show my appreciation to one of the most amazing women I have ever had the

OLD SCHOOL!  hehe  Mom, Dad, myself, and my sisters Brooklyn and Brittny...26 years ago.  <3

privilege of knowing.  Today just so happens to be her birthday!!  She birthed six "nerd children", never gave up on her dreams, served our country as a Soldier in the US Army, and demonstrated to her children what true love looks like.  Who am I talking about?  My MOMMY of course!! :-D  No matter what our individual situations are/were, she was always there with the required tough love to help us get back on our feet and learn the lessons life has to offer.  She has always supported our dreams and encouraged us to be the best we can be in whatever profession/occupation we chose.  I would not be the woman I am today without her love, devotion, and encouragement.  She is strong, stubborn, emotional, loving, selfless, dedicated, hard working, studious, and an inspiration.  I could go on...but there just aren't enough adjectives that can describe how amazing of a woman she truly is.  If you have met my mother and been her presence, you can understand all that I've said. 

I don't know what else to say... My mommy is awesome.  She provided my sisters and I with an amazing childhood where many life lessons were learned that have made us all strong adults and productive members of society.  There is nothing I would take back about my childhood.  There aren't enough words in any dictionary for any language to truly explain what an inspiration my mom is.  So thank you mommy for helping to make me the woman I am today.  <3

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!