Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice occurred at 5:30 AM universal time this morning.  Today is the first day of winter and the day when there will be more darkness than on any other day.  After today, each day will usher in more light until we reach the summer solstice which will be the day on which there will be more light than on any other day of the year.  If you'd like to read more about the solstice, click here and here for more information.

Science aside, where are we?  We are three days away from Christmas.  The pre-Christmas  season has flown.  I realized today, that I hadn't even lit my Advent Wreath as we make ready the way of the Lord.  I didn't realize how much I missed that tradition. Tonight,  I will light the wreath and continue for the rest of Advent so that I can focus on the true reason for the season. 

Most of the shopping is done, except for the grocery shopping.  I have to go grocery shopping today so that I can feed my children when they come home.  I am looking forward to us being together for Christmas!   I really don't like grocery shopping, but the kids need food to eat after they get home. 

I enjoy interacting with my adult children.  They roll their eyes when I get silly, but it's fun--for me!  When we visit with other people, they tell them not to encourage me!  It's just so much fun to be silly!  We eat.  We open presents.  We play.  We go to church.  This year, the service we attend will be Midnight Mass.  In my eyes, there is nothing more beautiful than that.  In Minnesota, the air is cold.  If there's snow on the ground, the ground sparkles in the moonlight.  The candles in church are bright and lit against the darkness.  Then, the lights are turned on and Mass begins.  It is beautiful.

Back home, we snack again, talk, watch TV, share our thoughts, laugh at the memories.

So, now, in the darkness of this very long night, I am looking forward to the upcoming days.  I am dreaming short dreams like the short day we had today.   That's fine.  Not all dreams need to be big dreams or dreams that happen over a long period of time.  Some dreams are meant to be small.  Yet, in their tiny stature, they are big dreams.  Not everyone has a family with whom they can celebrate the season or the change of seasons.  I am blessed that I do!  Not everyone has a family that does not fight and that makes the time together a time to be dreaded rather a time to which we can look forward.  I am blessed.  We all do look forward to being together and catching up. 

In the darkness, I see light.  It's a tiny speck of light, but it will glow brighter and brighter with each day.  It's like the change of seasons.  Even though it's winter now, the light grows brighter and stronger until it's summer.  Then the seasonal shift begins again!  I actually look forward to the beginning of winter.  It's good.  The night is long and the day is short today.  I'm okay. 

About This Time of Year

In June of 2010,

I took a lampworking class from 

Sara Sally LaGrand

at the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee.

I learned how to make her glass corsage and glass necklace!

I think,

more than any other glass class I have taken,

this class has impacted me the most.

About this time of year,

I feel the need to make more pods, leaves, craters, headpins

to put together a small sculpture or necklace.

Last year,

these are the corsages I made.

 

This year, the urge to make struck earlier.

I'm still working with all those shorts I showed you earlier.

I am amazed at how many beads I am getting from them!

Included are the beads you'll see next.

I'm making a lot of pods, leaves, flowers and craters.

No matter how many I make,

I have found I need many, many more.

So,

here we go.

I'm making some wire pieces, like this wire nest and wire pod to add to the sculpture this year.

I'm still not sure if I'll work with dark annealed wire or copper.

Maybe, both?

I'm not sure.

I have a lot more craters made, but I took these pictures a few days ago, so

I haven't gotten them photographed yet.

These leaves will be fun to use!

Here are some headpins!  I think I'll make more of these!

Here are some pods and a flower.

More pods!

A flower and a pod.

Some leftovers from another project.

When I'm finished, these all might or might not go into my project.

About the only thing I know right now is that I am going to add more wire to whatever I made.

What do you think,

copper or dark annealed wire?

Weekly Photo Challenge - Self Portrait - Just a little early this week!

Self Portrait

I didn't do anything to the eyes.  Weird!

Self Portrait

s-e-l-f p-o-r-t-r-a-i-t

Self Portrait

The Hoffman Family Christmas Newsletter - 2011

I'd be a big, fat liar if I said 2011 was a wonderful or awesome year!

It wasn't.

2011 will go down in our family's history as one of the most difficult years we have endured.

As you know, Jenny was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in July of 2010.

Her treatment plan was proceeding well,

but her numbers reached a point in 2011 where her oncologist felt that it was time to begin her 

stem cell transplant.

Jenny chose the University of Minnesota as the transplant center she would use.

This definitely made it easier for us regarding housing and taking care of pets.

I moved in with Jenny in late May.

Yes, I said, I moved in with her!  :0)

After all the pre-transplant tests were completed, the stem cell transplant began.

Jenny was admitted to the University of Minnesota Hospital.

Nick moved in with us for 3 weeks.

He was our rock through this difficult time!

 

 The stem cell transplant went exceptionally well.

Jenny had no complications.

Jenny did loose her beautiful hair, but it is growing back.

Of course, during the transplant, Nick would leave notes for the doctors and nurses saying,

"Proceed with enemas daily."

"Full rectal check."

This helped to lend levity in a most difficult time.

The rest of the summer was spent with Jenny recovering at home.

She did recover, and she is now back at work.

We were disappointed to find out that she didn't go into full remission as hoped,

but she is doing well.

Her oncologist, Dr. J,  has a good treatment plan for her.

Jenny has a lot of trust in him.

In spite of the side effects from her medication, Jenny is working full time and feeling better now.

While we were at Jenny's,

Walter, one of Jenny's cats, fell in love with Pixie.

Pixie liked him, but it just wasn't working for her.

Walter couldn't get enough of Pixie when they were together.

He was her constant companion on the bed, on the couch, well, you get the picture.

Walter was, and still is, smitten with Pixie.

Marvin, Jenny's other cat, prefered to ignore Pixie and give her an occasional hiss.

Nick is back in Chicago working hard and enjoying his life there.

I don't know what I would have done without him during the transplant!

He is an amazing man!  

He still gets to the gym, but, now, he says that he would rather the gym came to hiim!

That's what age will do to you.  :0)

I moved back home at the end of July after Jenny no longer needed a driver for her appointments.

It was so good to be home again.

It took me a while to recover from the transplant, but after about a month I was on the go again.

I reopened my Etsy store and began to make beads.

That felt good!

My children are the best things that ever happened to me!

I am so proud of both of them!

They proved their characters and strength in this difficult year.

I burst with pride and thankfulness when I realized the wonderful gift with which  God blessed me by giving me

Jenny and Nick

as my chidlren!

Thank you, Lord!

2011,

we will never forget you.

You were intense, and

I hope we never have to live through another year like you.

2012,

we welcome you with 

open and hopeful arms.

Merry Christmas!

Jenny, Nick, and I hope your 2011 was better than ours was.

Please continue your prayers for us.

We still need them.

They help!

They really do!

 

May you be abundantly blessed in 2012!

That's our prayer for you!

I Heart Macro - Xmas is coming!

I Heart Macro!

Xmas is coming

and

Pixie is ready!

She's Ready!

I Heart Macro!