Tuesday, March 31, 2009

the fairest blossom

Thank you so much for praying for my sweet father in law. When we got to the hospital yesterday he looked much better than i had expected....his color was great and he talked up a blue streak! Today they are running several tests to determine exactly what is going on. There is talk that they may have caught the renal situation early, but we are far from out of the woods. he is still very sick and fragile....i do continue to covet your prayers for him.


I woke up early this morning & just laid in bed thanking the Lord for His blessings. for friends and family that i treasure dearly. for gestures that touch my soul and warm my heart~especially those that present during tender times.

i want to share a glimpse of a couple of those gestures that touch my soul.

my sweet katie has been a mentor to me for years. she has cried with me, prayed with me, brought me scrumptious dinners, and taught me what it looks like to love my girls unconditionally. she surprised me last spring by taking two images i had shot of caroline at the tulip house and made them into amazing oil paintings!!


my dear friend fran has been another mentor to me....coming along side me especially during my time as a young widow. she called one day a couple years ago and told me she needed to swing by....she walks in with an enormous framed oil of caroline~ she had spent the better part of a year working on. i don't think i've ever been as speechless as i was that moment. incidentally this photo was taken at a different tulip shot, but what is so special to me is the dress she's wearing. my mother in law and i took a quickie smocking course years ago. we each made a bishop for caroline....the dress she's wearing is the one made by her....priceless gift , both of them.

my friend kristin is uber talented artistically! the image below was taken days after we found out that gregg would need to start chemo. my lifelong photographer took these images for us which proved to be our final family pictures with him. he & savannah had such a precious relationship....
one sunday night at church kristin hands me the gift she's been working on for months....a breathtaking pastel of gregg and savannah.
i've never seen a more lifelike perfect image
a labor of love that will be an heirloom for savannah and her generations to come.



(the images i've shared don't begin to do justice for these paintings
the later two are each 30x36 and are spectacular
just a little tip....i emailed copies of katies paintings -the top two oils --to kinkos
they printed them on canvas & honestly its hard to tell those two aren't the real thing)
priceless gifts for which i could never begin to repay these precious friends
i see generosity like this as a form of God's love for us being displayed through human hands
a gift i never wish to take for granted
thank you my dear friends katie, fran & kristin
my love for you is endless
& my words of gratitude not enough



Gratitude is the fairest blossom
which springs from the soul.
~Henry Ward Beecher

18 comments:

Janelle said...

I'm just a mess right now. These paintings brought tears to my eyes. I didn't know you lost your husband. I am so sorry. Honestly, these paintings are pricesless and beautiful. Thank you for sharing your heart.

the wild raspberry said...

what a blessing to have such wonderful friends. glad to hear that pop pop is doing some better.
{love the quote you used today}
chasity

Kasey said...

Paige, what an absolutely fabulous friend!
She's a keeper for sure.
lovely post my friend.
xo

Maria Hanson said...

Priceless! Good friends are food for the soul. And I'll keep praying for that sweet father-in-law of yours. xoxo

Anonymous said...

WOW! That is sooooo neat! So special!

I have to tell you thanks for stopping by my blog. I found yours in a round about way and have been keeping up wiyh your crew for about a year now. I can't remember exactly how I found you except that it was through Anna Maria Horner's blog somehow. (Anna was my bff in elementry school.)
ANYWAY- with all that being said, I saw you had signed my blog and I screamed! I picked up the phone and called a fellow blog stalker. I said, " you aren't going to BELIEVE who just signed my blog! PAIGE!!!". Then she yelled, " YOU ARE KIDDING ME!!!". It was like a celebrity had commented! It meant the world to me and I just wanted you to know! You are super special and super inspirational and I thank you for sharing you life on this blog! I love it!

Love,
Jill

Wendy said...

Those are simply amazing. What wonderful, wonderful friends!

Rebecca said...

Such a beautiful post. So lucky to have the extended family of gracious friends. Hope to read some good news about your father in law soon. My thoughts are with you. ( I love the spirit of blogging):)

3 Peanuts said...

PAIGE,

I admire your grateful heart:)

Half Gaelic, Half Garlic! said...

There is nothing in this world like a great friends, and it sounds like you have some very special ones. In fact, I know they are special......I loved Kristin the minute I met her...there is just something so special about her. I am in awe of her talent as well as all of your other friends!!

Beautiful post Paige. I will continue to pray for your Father In Law.

Lisa

June said...

Such beautiful pictures and paintings. They are very precious to you I'm sure. Your father-in-law will be in my prayers.

Unknown said...

Paige!
What heart warming gifts from the heart I am blurry eyed but good tears...good tears friend! I am praying hard for Dan's father. Sending Haas's wishes and prayers down the line! Hugs friend!
Robyn

Kristin said...

You and your family are worth adoring like that my friend. The pleasure was all mine and God's good sweet use of the talents he placed in me for good for my kindred friends soul.

BTW: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU TODAY!!!!!!!!!!
You are my blessing and a great blessing to so very many lives around you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, today, and always I am thankful to God for the gift of your funny, sweet, precious lifelong friendship and well, just you!

Jboo said...

Glad to hear that your father-in-law is doing better, and will continue to keep him and your family in my prayers!

What a lovely post to your friends! They are so talented and I can imagine how very special those gifts are as they are so incredibly beautiful. Take care.
Janet

Rhonda said...

Hello! What pretty pictures - you are so lucky to have them.

Could you tell me where the tulip house is that you took the pictures out? I live in east Georgia and would love to take some pictures there this spring.

Thanks! Have a great day!

LuLu said...

I have goose bumps those paintings are magical! You are surrounded by wonderful friends! True blessing.
Thanks you for sharing such special gifts,
LuLu

Rebecca said...

Happy Birthday Paige...we are celebrating a birthday in our home as well. Hope it is a wonderful day of spoiling and love...and cake, of course!

Lori said...

These are all beautiful! You have some amazing people in your life!
Happy Birthday! (I stole that from another commenter) :)

Shawn Seay said...

I read all of your post, and I almost always have a touched heart afterwards. You are so blessed in the way that you use your words. I envy you for that:) You make me want to be a more loving mother and wife and friend. I will remember your Father in law in my prayers.