i should know by now not to be surprised...

so many times 'random' things have happened over the course of my lifetime.  sometimes they are little things.  sometimes they are big things.  but RANDOM is the thread that holds my unstitched life together.

in order to share my most recent 'random blessing' i have to back track a little.  i'll keep the background short and sweet.

fall of 2009 -- bobby was laid off from his job at a large church in texas

winter of 2009 -- we begin holding 'house church' in our home every week with church project...we explore what it is that each of us can bring to the table to change the world around us

january 2010 -- haiti earthquake shakes the world

************

the images were devastating.  hard to comprehend.  sure, life was challenging as we tried to regroup after a job loss.  but in the grand scheme of things WE HAD EVERYTHING AND MORE THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY NEED.

i wanted desperately to DO SOMETHING.  i needed desperately to DO SOMETHING.  i had no finances to DO ANYTHING.

but one night while i tried to sleep, i heard the whisper...not audible...i'm not THAT crazy LOL.  but i heard the whisper in my heart.  YOUR COACH PURSE.  SELL IT.

and that's exactly what i did.  NOW, if you know me at ALL then you know that my coach purse was purchased at a ridiculously clearanced price...and you also would suspect that my coach purse was not your run of the mill conservative classic coach purse.  NO WAY.  mine was leopard print.  because that's how i roll.

check out the cheetah chairs in this photo of one of our house church meetings.  I LOVE ANIMAL PRINT. it makes me happy.

anyhow, my crazy leopard print, bargain priced (hmmmm...do you think the print had anything to do with the mark downs?  lol)...went for MORE than i paid for it on ebay.  and i was able to make a donation to haiti...

creative giving, right?  

and you know what?  NO REGRETS.  not a single one.  i haven't missed that bag.  i enjoyed it while i had it.  but i knew that it made a difference.

FAST FORWARD to friday.  

my last day at hallmark before i start my new job tomorrow morning.  (gasp.  I.START.MY.NEW.JOB.TOMORROW.MORNING!!!!!).

i had the pleasure of working with THEEEEE sweetest british girl at hallmark.  i adored her.  one of the most genuine and caring people i have ever met (and you know me...i'll talk to ANYONE and have met a gazillion people in the last week alone LOL).

anyhow, she loves animal print.  and hello kitty.  they are both her signature.

i came into work on friday morning and she had the day off.  but i noticed that on the employee table she had left her bag.  i called her at home...dreading having to wake her...but knowing she might be looking for it.

she left it there for me.  she purchased a new purse and thought i might like to have it.

not only was it the bag...but it was the wristlet...and the wallet...

all...

you guessed it...

coach animal print.

SERIOUSLY????????  

i love this crazy random life.  i love the surprise sunshine blessings during a really cloudy dismal season.

my new bag (and accessories) made their debut this morning at church.  as always, i shall hold them loosely.

but i hold them with a smile...

give and it shall be given back to you...

sometimes in ways that are far different from how you originally gave.  but sometimes so very similar.

i.am.blessed.

xoxo.

the fabulous baker boys...well, one of them anyhow...

one of the coolest things about being a mom is watching your children change...

try new things...like sushi...and roasted veggies...oh wait a minute...my kids don't try that kind of stuff...

let me start again...

try new things...like sports, hobbies, foreign languages (carson has signed up for japanese for next year...heaven help us all).

and then watching as some of those things turn into loves...and some of them turn into 'why did we do this?  no you can't quit.  finish out the season and you'll never have to do it again' (yes, austin i'm referring to the longest t-ball season EVER) lol.

jordan's interest in photography has been influenced greatly by stacey, the creative genius behind rowan & lucky photography.  first, cheesing it up on the model side...then getting more curious about the OTHER side...she's worked with stacey on photo shoots, helping her with lights & equipment.  and i think it was sometime in fifth grade when she declared she'd like to be a photo-GRAPH-er when she grew up.

she STILL doesn't know what she wants to be...but she CAN pronounce photographer correctly now.  so that's a start.

she's been experimenting with friends lately...and yesterday she did a super cool shoot with a super cool senior, a super cool vintage jeep and a super cool backdrop...even though the beach was crazy foggy for most of it.

here are some of my fave pics she took:

i love this girl.  i love how she attacks life.  now...if only i could get her to attack her room with the same energy level :)

another day, another random moment...

if random becomes my normal, does that mean that random isn't random anymore?

because seriously...the random stuff just keeps coming.

one of my favorite memories of texas is the time spent at interfaith of the woodlands...where i served as an event coordinator for senior citizens...partying, crafting, chatting with women who have lived their lives & oh, do they have stories to tell...and if you sit and listen long enough, they WILL tell you.

my FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE sweet lady was/is janet.  from the moment i first met her i just bonded with her.  she had laughter in her eyes...she loved life...and i felt such a connection with her.

i moved.  i told her i'd keep in touch.  and i didn't.  life just got busy...and before i realized it, so much time had passed.  last year i ended up not sending out christmas cards...but THIS year, i sent a few.  and one of those was addressed to janet.

meanwhile, january 2 i logged on to the computer and searched classifieds...i've been working full time in my current retail position...and i DO love it.  but the reality is that if i'm going to work full time, i really need my paycheck to reflect the time spent away from my children...and it doesn't.  it's a GREAT job.  a GREAT company.  and i love it.  but i need more.

a job had JUST been posted...and it caught my eye.  EVENTS COORDINATOR for a community...planning things for seniors...and youth...with a touch of admin on the side...and experience working for nonprofits would be a plus.   it was like the job description was written just for me.

TURNS OUT IT WAS.  i just got home from my 'interview' which included paperwork for drug testing, an official job offer, etc. etc.

i'm excited to be heading back into my element...and hoping that it's a good fit...a little nervous about a new beginning...new people...new surroundings...which is normal...at least it is for me...

and i came home carrying dinner in my hands and those nervous thoughts on my mind...

laying on the table was a letter.

from janet.

sharing how she was thankful for our friendship and missed me.   she told me to keep smiling...to stay healthy...

the nervous thoughts fall off...the smile returns...

and i'm ready as i can be to step into this new season.

wish me luck.

xoxo.