Harder Times

I've always believed that difficulties create strength and build character. I still do, but as the saying goes, "You can't see the forest for the trees". I might be at that point where I just can't tell how this time in my life will make me stronger, but I know it will. My progress with my Fibromyalgia treatment has come to the point where I was informed that it 'would get worse before it gets better'. I'm in the worse and have been pretty much bound to the couch/bed. What I have been doing to ease the pain is rediscovering my love of reading. Not my usual non-fiction (I always had a saying during the time I was working that if I spent the time to read a book, I must learn from it) hence the beginning of my obsession with non-fiction. But I've recently been turned onto some of the most beautiful fiction that I've ever read. I'm a True Blood fanatic, so the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris was consumed within two weeks. It was intriguing, pulse-quickening and easy reads. I love her work and have read other books by Ms. Harris since. But, my future sister-in-law, Goldie turned me onto a new author, Laurell K. Hamilton, who I have to admit has taken writing to a whole new level to me. I started reading two series: The Anita Blake Series and Merry Gentry Series. Anita Blake is an Animator/Vampire Slayer, while on a different level, Merry Gentry is a part-human, sidhe Unseelie Fairy Princess. I've been captivated by the latter series, reading a book a day at times. She writes with an incredibly vivid, sensual, time and reality-changing fervor that I haven't come across nothing that touches it. To make a long story short (no pun intended), I've rediscovered a hobby I've had since my days of reading the Nancy Drew Series - reading. It takes you out of your current reality and transports you to another time and place. No non-fiction title has ever done the same. Check out her website here. My hats off to her and thanks for numbing my pain that I'm dealing with right now. I am dreading the wait before next summer's season of True Blood, but Merry Gentry has filled the gap and raised the bar at the same time. 

I have continued to create layouts here and there, but have lost weeks to my treatment. Having no energy and lost of pain isn't conducive to creativity, I've realized. But, I must say I am thankful for so many that I feel blessed. John is my angel, I've just spent two full weeks with my daughter and celebrated her 16th birthday. My family has been supportive and my friends have kept in contact and understand my lack of communication at times. I'm not going through this struggle alone, by any means. The more I accept where I am at, the more others seem to as well.  Funny how that works. I'll leave you with these most recent layouts - straight from my heart...

Template: Life Stages Template - Author unknown, Internet
Papers: Background: White Paper - Kit: Winter Wonderland Grandmastertemplates@blogspot.com
Other papers and elements from Harvest Blessings Kit by Raspberry Road Designs, raspberryroaddesigns.blogspot.com
Other Elements: Red/yellow flowers by Design by Dani, www.designbydani.com
Red heart (paper) by Victoria Feemster Designs, victoriafeemsterdesigns.blogspot.com
Quotes/Brushes: ScrapSimple, Grad Quotes by Doris Castle,  www.scrapgirls.com
 

Template: Template 121, Yin Designs, yindgs@yahoo.com
Papers: Tallula Moon, Cheerful-Skinnymini 026; Delectable-Skinnymini 028, Dream A Little Dream 010
Elements: TallulaMoon, Dream A Little Dream 020, 032, 033, 035, 044, 047, 051; Close To Spring 035
All Tallula Moon products are by Kelli Vander Veen - Tallula Moon Designs, kelli@tallulamoon.com
Fonts: Title: MTF Cupcake, 60pt.; Subtitle: Milk & Cereal, 60 pt., Internet

All the best!
Nikki