HOPE.....

 I have been hoping to write a possitive blog post on HOPE and where I personally have been headed recently and then something so sad happened to my sweet friend Danielle who bought my store - The Paper Rabbit. But here goes... because I still have hope. 

We were on advisory evacuation for the past week from my home due to fire. We were, at worst, a mile and a half from the fire and although that is not super close... it's close enough to make you think. And, I had to leave for Salt Lake City for a show for work so the fire got worse while I was gone. 

A strange thing happened to my when I was taking what I could from the house and loading it into the car. I first freaked out, which is totally me. Crying and running in every direction in the house mumbling to myself that I had no idea what to grab first. And with the first few trips to the car with my arms full of photos, a million scrapbooks, videos of kids when they were little... and just a couple of personal things.... A calm came over me.

 

You have such little control over these wild fires especially where we live. You have to just put your faith in the firefighters and just let go. And that's what I did. We are hoarders, both my husband and I. We love our collections and we have alot of stuff. I have my art, my kids art, my bowl collection, my rabbit collection, my journals, years of vinyl records and books.... so so much. I got what as important to me and then...the calm took over. I grabbed one more thing and was done. My big teddy. My dad gave him to me when I was born / adopted and he is so important to me. 

I think my kids thought I had gone over the deep end with how calm I was. I think in a way, I did too. But it felt freeing and gave me hope. We are no longer in danger - 75% containment and I know that the firefighters will get it mopped up this weekend, so everything is coming back in the house. But not before I take a good look at what I didn't take. Now, my hubs on the other hand reacted in a way I would have never expected. He filled up two cars and a trailer with stuff... tons of stuff. He loves his stuff... hahaha. In his defense, he had three extra days at the house looking stuff over and having an opportunity to make those last minute decisions. But he is in a world of trouble now with my new way of looking at stuff.... we have got to simplify.

   

   I challenge you all to take a look at your "stuff" and think about what's really important to you. It will really give you a freeing sense of HOPE.

    In the midst of all my new found HOPE, this happened. My sweet friend Danielle bought my old store in So Cal - The Paper Rabbit about 10 years ago. And then... she "pinked" it up. She is a huge lover of pink. A very girly girl. So cute. Well, she got a pink Bug and put the store's logo and name on the side. Kids saw it and loved it. You knew danielle was doing a birthday party somewhere whenever you saw that sweet little VW. Everyone loved it....

   Fast forward to just a few days ago when she was having dinner at a friends and came out to find that someone poured clear lacquer all over it. Totally ruined it. The lacquer got into the engine. Ruined the paint, windshield.... everything. Totalled. HORRIBLE. Who does this stuff? And my HOPE is gone again. Until I started thinking ( and I messaged her but have not heard back yet.... ) if it still runs, let's doodle it up. She needs to just get out the sharpies and the paint pens and fix that baby right up. Show those thugs that all HOPE is not lost .... that with creativity and friends, you can make it even better. It just made me so so sad. She brings happiness to so many. Hang in there Danielle...

   

And lastly, my newest challenges.... the first of my Doodle A Day challenge with ElloLovey on Facebook - YELLOW was the word for the day. How can you not have hope with the color yellow.