Lately

I haven't been checking your blogs! Oops!
But I did check a bunch of them today, and might I say, I am surrounded by greatness.
Seriously! My friends and family astound me sometimes with the amazing things they do. Things that fill me (who is not easily frightened except by Will Smith's "I am Legend" and maybe Mike Meyers in "Halloween"--oh, yeah, and Freddy Kruger, too) with trepidation and make my knees knock. I might need therapy.
My father and his beautiful bride (who just turned 62 yesterday--Happy Birthday Mom!) are clearing and chopping forest land and have capped out after cutting down 92 trees (please don't email me about if they are going to plant ones to replace them) on an island in Alaska, for goodness sakes!
My "niece" Makaena has been dabbling with acrylics (she's 11, people) and is doing the most beautiful paintings.
JoAnna (#2 daughter in my father's family) lets her kids do this. Luckily they were dead.
April and Bela (#1 daughter in afore-mentioned family) live in Romania and every other day the things they encounter make my heart break. Don't know how they do it.
Jamie is going to be leading a MOMS group--that would just about drive me to an early grave.

I'm so thankful that there are more than one kind of person in the world. I've been thinking all morning: It takes every kind. Including all the Portland Wackos (yes, that is the official terminology).

Anyhoo--I didn't really set out to write this post about that. I was just going to let you all know what the kids have been doing. And I guess the pictures say it all! Happy Saturday everyone!