My Life: A Circus & Parade

So mulling through my under the weather mind today and actually has been since the holidays is my PARADE/CIRCUS of a life and what that entails. My 2012 theme song is about trying, even imperfectly, and not letting anyone bring down the thrill of the life I am living.

"Don't tell me not to live, Just sit and putter,
Life's candy and the sun's a ball of butter.
Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade.
Don't tell me not to fly--I've simply got to.
If someone takes a spill, it's me and not you.
Who told you you're allowed to rain on my parade!
.......But whether I'm the rose of sheer perfection,
Or freckle on the nose of life's complexion,
The cinder or the shiny apple of its eye.
I gotta fly once,
I gotta try once,
Only can die once, right, sir?
Ooh, life is juicy,
Juicy, and you'll see,
I'm gonna have my bite, sir!"

Listen to Barbra Streisand sing "Don't Rain On My Parade" from Funny Girl

My husband asked me today about my business, and was very clear that he was not trying to dictate anything, but was just wondering if I am going to keep adding to my collection of things to sell or wait a while to see if I can sell (because to date the only sales I have made has been to my sweet husband). This is something that I have been battling in my head too. My husband isn't worried about the money, I am very frugal, but the space is limited on what I can store. I, however, am concerned about the money. I feel that since I don't have a job that pays yet, I need to make money for our family by saving money. I found the most wonderful little daily planner from the mid 80's. In the far left is leftover reminders to tear out and hang on frig. to help save food from having to be thrown away. In the main left area are 3 "What To Do" weekly sections: 1) for family, 2) for myself, 3) for outside interest. In the first right area are 7 "When To Do" daily sections marked Sunday through Saturday. In the second right area are 7 "Menu" sections for each day. In the far right area is the Market List with sections for: Produce, Dairy, Meats, Frozen, Bakery and Other. I love the efficiency and simplicity of this planner style (and that it is vintage ;)).

This has left me with an answer to the direction of my business and to money saving:

1) limit my crafting to searching for vintage children's books to upcycle in vintage frames (need scrapbook paper and tape rolls for this), on canvas (need paint and mod podge for this and sometimes scrapbook paper) and wooden plaques (need paint and mod podge for this and sometimes scrapbook paper), adding handwritten or printed lyrics, quotes or sayings to these will require various colors of resume paper

2) network my home bakery locally and bake for sharing with others

3) plan 4 dinners (enough to have leftovers) each week and have 2 pre-made meals a week: a) chicken nuggets, b) pizza rolls, c) egg rolls, d) taquitos e) rotisserie chicken each served with sliced, fresh fruit or at least fruit/veggie juice on very hectic days

So considering my 3 ring circus, I have made a bold statement of who I am and in this order: wife, mommy and artist all while being caught up in the fluffy, pink cloud of loving and serving my Savior and Lord Jesus......"living encounters with ancient saints and sinners and with a God who was, and is and ever shall be...the Bible: clever plots, compelling stories, historical insights and literary beauty...as a big castle with too many banquet halls and bedrooms to count and secret corridors, underground passages and trapdoors to occupy the most inquisitive visitors for a lifetime....a Story revealing God's glory and His unabashed love for humanity...and noticing not only the words but also the more subtle inflections enlivened by the Spirit: the tone of a raspy voice, eyes dancing wildly with expectation, a long pause before a painful reply." (taken from Scouting the Divine by Margaret Feinberg). Only when I am abiding in His exciting adventure does that cloud stay pink and fluffy instead of dark and frightening.

Another song that I feel like I am living is Dolly Levi's "Just Leave Everything to Me" from the musical Hello Dolly:

"I have always been a woman who arranges things, for the pleasure--and the profit--it derives. I have always been a woman who arranges things, like furniture and daffodils and lives.

If you want your sister courted, brother wed, or cheese imported:
Just leave everything to me.
If you want your roof inspected, eyebrows tweezed, or bills collected:
Just leave everything to me.
If you want your daughter dated, or some marriage consummated,
for a rather modest fee.
If you want a husband spotted, boyfriend traced, or chicken potted:
I'll arrange for making all arrangements
Just leave everything to me.

If you want your ego bolstered, muscles toned, or chair upholstered:
Just leave everything to me.
Charming social introductions, expert mandolin instructions:
Just leave everything to me.
If you want your culture rounded, French improved, or torso pounded:
With a ten year guarantee.
If you want a birth recorded, collies bred, or kittens boarded:
I'll proceed to plan the whole procedure
Just leave everything to me.

If you want a law abolished, jury swayed, or toenails polished:
Just leave everything to me.
If you want your liver tested, glasses made, cash invested:
Just leave everything to me.
If you want your children coddled, corsets pulled, or furs remodeled,
or some nice, fresh fricassee.
If you want your bustle shifted, wedding planned, or bosom lifted--
Don't be ashamed girls,
Life is full of secrets, and I keep 'em!

I'll discretely use my own discretion
I'll arrange for making all arrangements
I'll proceed to plan the whole procedure
Just leave everything to me!

Listen to Barbra Streisand sing "Just Leave Everything to Me" from Hello Dolly!

In the musical while she sings this, she is passing out a variety of business cards, each with the own special job she has chosen to share with the recipient. It can be very, very overwhelming to juggle all the things I feel called to do...but having my labels of wife, mommy and artist helps me to know which hat should be worn when. God specifically made me for my husband...I am part of him. So I hope I can always remember and cherish the gift of being joined to him. I remember that when all the children have their own lives, my husband and I will be the ones who are together for a lifetime. So my first thought should be: How does this show love to my husband? Next, the gift of my sweet children...I have been the second mommy to my sister since her birth when I was eighteen, I became a mommy of four when I married my husband, I long to foster care adopt and we have two darling kitty cats who have saved my life many times. So my second question should be: How does this show my children that they are our treasures? Thirdly, being an artist is crucial to my happiness: cooking, researching & writing, singing, crafting and in turn sharing them with others...so my third response should be: How does this help me release and offer others my inner imagination?

Ok, so I didn't plan on writing this much, but it sure did help me sort through what's been floating around in my brain for a while...