do you like how I say come back tomorrow and then I disappear for more than a week? that’s dumb.

I am not feeling well.
As you likely know, I’m navigating my way through a midlife energy drain and it just got worse.
But, I’m here and I’m doing my best to do the most critical things.

Students in my Twelve class get 24 emails every month. These emails are designed to invite curiosity or trigger memories that will help you become more inspired story tellers. I thought I could share today’s email with you …

Did you know that the difference in performance between very elite tennis players is not in how they play, but in how they rest? World Class tennis players learn how to rest and recover in the seconds between points, so that their breathing rate and pulse plummet.

How could you improve your engagement by being more deliberate about your disengagement?
For all the doctor’s I’ve seen and the books I’ve read, this question is at the core of my current struggles. I love life and I have attempted to live it perhaps a bit too fully. Or, let’s just say I’m still learning the necessity of intentional disengagement.

Please learn from me and practice the art of RESTING.
The book The Power of Full Engagement can help.

p.s. I LOVE the giveaway that is happening on Becky’s blog today. Go Angela!

I want to publicly thank all those who made the effort to come to Doodlebug yesterday. I woke up very tired this morning, boarded a plane home and arrived just in time to teach Sunday school. I’m hanging out with my family now and I’m overcome with a wonderful feeling of gratitude to be alive and to celebrate 47 years on this planet. I’m blessed with wonderful, faithful parents who are in good health and I have fantastic siblings (most of whom I was able to see last night) who are working hard and raising happy families. I know without a doubt that peace and contentment come from striving to live as the Savior Jesus Christ taught. I (like you) frequently wonder if I’m doing the right things and making all the right choices. I often feel overwhelmed and I struggle to feel balanced, but when I’m still and prayerful I feel peace. Yesterday confirmed for me that even in the midst of my imperfection and struggles I have the ability to lift and encourage other women. I can assure them (and you) that what we do matters (in a big way.) For some reason, it is my opportunity to help others let go of guilt and obligation and embrace the potential we have to be and feel joyful. I have a gift that I recognize as God-given and I freely acknowledge that it is my Father in Heaven that sustains me in my work and in my life.

Much of the satisfaction that I draw from everyday life comes because I scrapbook. Not because I make or complete actual scrapbooks, but because I have learned to recognize happy memories in the very moment that they are being made. I happily wield a camera, which allows me to freeze time, so that I can more vividly remember the people, places and things that have blessed and shaped me.  Please remember that what we do and how we do it are not as important as why we do it. Please believe that any effort you make to honor a memory with a photo and words counts as scrapbooking, memory keeping, story telling—whatever you want to call it. It all counts!

Please do me a favor on my birthday … Today (or sometime this week) sit down with scrapbooks you have created and read and laugh and cry and remember. Instead of thinking about all you have to do, think about all you have done.

Life is amazingly grand and good.
Come back tomorrow to learn what I want to do in the next year of my life.

It will make you happy.

Every now and then I think to yourself, “I’m just NOT doing enough volunteering.” I had one of those moments a week or so ago, as I skimmed and deleted emails from my kids’ schools, each brimming with opportunities to help out.

Well. I am now on flocking duty this week (what was I thinking?)
Each morning before 7:00am, I round up willing and unwilling children and we go “flock” someone’s  lawn. We return each evening to collect the required flamingo removal fee. Our family was flocked back in September and I’m happy to report that you have several removal options. We chose the payment that would put us on the “no flock” list and allow us to target the next family.

I probably didn’t need ONE MORE thing to do this week, but I have to admit that it has actually been FUN to be a part of the fundraiser. In my mind, it beats the heck out of buying a cookie dough!

I have to show-off a layout that one of my Twelve students, Veronica Norris created.

This page is inspired by the Twelve journal that students received as part of the Twelve kit (HUGE thanks to Paper Coterie for their amazing generosity!)

Veronica’s page is a 12×12 with a 6×12 companion page and it documents our journey in Twelve and our friendship.
When I saw it and read it, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for ALL of the amazing women that have come into my life because of scrapbooking.

HUGE side benefit of what we do!

And finally … I’m having a blast preparing for The Day at Doodlebug this weekend. After my lecture, we are all going to make two cards from the Create-a-Card product line (Adorable!) I am also going to announce a very FUN (ongoing) Happy Mail campaign.

More on that coming soon!