Friday, April 27, 2007

Love In Two Portraits


Love In Two Portraits
Originally uploaded by wenjomatic.

My dad. My parent's wedding portrait.

In May of 2006, 7 months before my mom succumbed to ovarian cancer, mom and dad renewed their wedding vows.... 42 years they were together. Mom had always dreamed of a 50 year vow renewal. When it became evident that she would not make it those next 8 years they decided it was the right time to renew on their anniversary.

Dad was sitting beside my mom (out of frame) and watching every move she made. This was after the service, after lunch. Mom was exhausted, with her oxgen tube on for breathing, trying to stay "pretty as a bride" for the day. But whew, she was tired. So was dad... you can see it in his face.

I didn't know how strong my dad was until my mom got sick. He was always a very strong man, physically, and always there as a husband and father. But the kind of strength I'm talking about doesn't come out until super-human abilities are required. And man, does he have it.

He is my own hero. I love you dad.

For those who have lost... but most importantly, loved first.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Where My Heart Lives


Where My Heart Lives
Originally uploaded by wenjomatic.

Ahhhh, spring break! Its rainy, its cold. But my Mary Grace so the house is warm. This is where my heart lives... right here in the middle of these three people. Ahhhh.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Happy Birthday to me!


Birthday Cupcake - knitted
Originally uploaded by wenjomatic.

I'm 37 today. ACK! I'm 37 today?!?! Just kidding, I'm totally ok with that. I've marked my the day by knitting up this fun little cupcake just to make me happy. It makes me smile. :) The kids have had a great time playing with it in the toy kitchen.



Yarn:
KnitPicks Shite Worsted in Sunflower (bottom)
Lion Chenille in White (icing)
KnitPicks Sparkles in Sunset (sprinkles)

Pattern by: ax174, Pattern Here

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

365 on flickr

Warm Up
Originally uploaded by wenjomatic.

I jumped into a stream of people doing a self portrait for each day of the year. It encourages you to explore photography as well as yourself. I've only just begun, today being entry number six. Already I can see its a challenge... and the biggest thing I've learned... its not alway so flattering. I immediately, with day one, discovered my eyebrows were LONG over due for plucking.

Sad it takes a photograph to show me that. I do own mirrors, for crying out loud.

View my .:365:. on flickr.

Monday, April 02, 2007

Mom's Comb


Mom's Comb
Originally uploaded by wenjomatic.

When my mom died on Christmas day, just 3 months ago, after an 18 month battle with ovarian cancer it was hard to make the thousand mile drive with the family down to Alabama, knowing what I'd be facing. The loss of my mother.

As we drove for almost 17 hours, my mind flashed over the years of my childhood and my adult days of going "back home." And oddly enough, the one thing that was part of all of that was this pink comb that belonged to my mom.

We are not sure of its origin. Mom thought she got it from my dad's mom (her MIL)... Dad thinks they may have bought it when they first got married. No one is quite sure. But what I do know is that its older than I am. Its combed my hair thousands of times. I have vivid memories of sitting in the floor on Sunday nights after a bath, eating grilled cheese sandwiches in the living room floor (picnic!!!!). I would nibble, we'd watch Wild Kingdom and the Wide World of Disney (70s!!) as a family and my mother would comb out my long blond hair.

I asked Dad for the comb just a couple hours after we got down the day after Christmas... the day after mom died. And it came back to Pennsylvania with me. It now combs the hair of my family. Its had long service and shows signs of miscoloring and a couple broken and bent teeth. But its my treasure. Its my mom.