Happy New Year and Pray for Peace!!!

Pray for Peace Pray to whomever you kneel down to: Jesus nailed to his wooden or plastic cross, his suffering face bent to kiss you, Buddha still under the bo tree in scorching heat, Adonai, Allah. Raise your arms to Mary that she may lay her palm on our brows, to Shekhina, Queen of Heaven and Earth, to Inanna in her stripped descent. Then pray to the bus driver who takes you to work. On the bus, pray for everyone riding that bus, for everyone riding buses all over the world. Drop some silver and pray. Waiting in line for the movies, for the ATM, for your latte and croissant, offer your plea. Make your eating and drinking a supplication. Make your slicing of carrots a holy act, each translucent layer of the onion, a deeper prayer. To Hawk or Wolf, or the Great Whale, pray. Bow down to terriers and shepherds and Siamese cats. Fields of artichokes and elegant strawberries. Make the brushing of your hair a prayer, every strand its own voice, singing in the choir on your head. As you wash your face, the water slipping through your fingers, a prayer: Water, softest thing on earth, gentleness that wears away rock. Making love, of course, is already prayer. Skin, and open mouths worshipping that skin, the fragile cases we are poured into. If you're hungry, pray. If you're tired.Pray to Gandhi and Dorothy Day. Shakespeare. Sappho. Sojourner Truth. When you walk to your car, to the mailbox, to the video store, let each step be a prayer that we all keep our legs, that we do not blow off anyone else's legs. Or crush their skulls. And if you are riding on a bicycle or a skateboard, in a wheelchair, each revolution of the wheels a prayer as the earth revolves: less harm, less harm, less harm. And as you work, typing with a new manicure, a tiny palm tree painted on one pearlescent nail or delivering soda or drawing good blood into rubber-capped vials, writing on a blackboard with yellow chalk, twirling pizzas-- With each breath in, take in the faith of those who have believed when belief seemed foolish, who persevered. With each breath out, cherish. Pull weeds for peace, turn over in your sleep for peace, feed the birds, each shiny seed that spills onto the earth, another second of peace. Wash your dishes, call your mother, drink wine. Shovel leaves or snow or trash from your sidewalk. Make a path. Fold a photo of a dead child around your VISA card. Scoop your holy water from the gutter. Gnaw your crust. Mumble along like a crazy person, stumbling your prayer through the streets. –Ellen Bass

Merry Christmas!!!!

Last minute scroogetta finally installed this antique storm door yesterday after waiting several months for the door fairies to spontaneously install it. Also got a couple of outrageous estimates. So yesterday I got out my electric saw, tape measure, and electric drill and just did it myself. The final inspiration? The window "wreath" that From The Heart was selling at The Pink Cottage. I'd been eyeballing it for a while and decided it had to be mine. I can "dress" it for different seasons but look how fab it is now. I wanted it to be on the storm door so that was that. An hour later it was all together and we were finally, at the last minute, ready for Christmas. I did wear myself out so yesterday between carpentry and wrapping that I couldn't wake from my nap at 7:00 in time for church. Matt and Paul went like good boys but we watched The Nativity Story on Demand when they returned and I felt better. I hope all is well, glittery, and filled with love for you and your families. From our home to yours with love.

It's a girl!!!!!

Last weekend my sister finalized the paperwork for she and I to "adopt" little Lobsang Dolma through Tibetan Living Communities . Isn't she precious? Look at that sweet face and those sweet, innocent hands folded. She's five years old. I just want to go and give her big hugs. Actually, I wanted to go get her and bring her home but my sister explained to me that Lobsang lives in one of the very last truly peaceful Buddhist communities left in the world. I was trying to justify bringing her here thinking it shouldn't take that long for her to adjust to living in the Baltimore Washington area 'cause the pace is so Zen-like. Then I looked at her face again and couldn't even begin to consider doing that to here. But if we ever move to Nebraska...

Here is the story of our adopting Lobsang as written by my sister:

I recently read the book Kundun, the biography of the Dalai Lama and his four brothers and two sisters, all of whom have been engaged in the movement for Tibetan independence since the Chinese occupation of Tibet began in 1959. The hope I saw for the Tibetans—a people whose culture is on the verge of extinction--is in the children, living in exile but being raised in the traditional Tibetan way. How, I wondered, could I support that in happening? Then, quite miraculously, the Corvallis Gazette-Times ran a story ("Tibetan Store Opens for the Holidays") about a store in downtown Corvallis whose purpose is to raise money for a non-profit called Tibetan Living Communities (TLC). Among other things, TLC funds projects at the Manjushree Vidyapith Orphanage in Northeast India.

TLC is one of those wonderful examples of what a small group of dedicated and passionate people can do. Nancy Fireman of Napa, CA, is the founder along with two Tibetan monks. Her sister, Sylvia Fireman of Sweet Home, and Sylvia’s daughters Shauna Gray and Lisa Rennie of Eugene volunteered their time to staff the store for the month it was open. They had a beautiful inventory of handmade paper and journals, jewelry and scarves, prayer flags, CD's of Tibetan chants and music.

On one wall of the store they had photos of and information about children at the orphanage who needed sponsors to pay for their food, clothing, and schooling. The first time I looked at the photos there was a sweet little 7-year-old boy who caught my eye, but then I spotted Lobsang Dolma, and BAM!, I fell in love. Five of us in the family decided to go in together on the sponsorship, which makes it quite affordable, $72 a year from each of us. I love the personal connection, i.e. I'm emailing with the founder of TLC and she answers all my questions plus more. We are encouraged to write to the child we sponsor and send photos of our family, and twice a year we'll get their report cards and responses from them, translated into English by Lama Thupten, the founder and director of the orphanage.

The more I learn about the orphanage the more hope I have for the cultural and spiritual survival of the Tibetan people, through the support and education of the younger generation. And seeing what the Fireman family has created gives me hope for us humans! On the roof of the dormitory are solar panels, installation funded by TLC. Before the solar hot water system was installed, none of the children had ever had the luxury of a hot shower! Lama Thupten Phuntsok, after receiving a Ph.D. in Buddhist Philosophy from Gyumed Monastic University, taught at an Indian government school before founding the orphanage in 1998. All the children who live there are Tibetan Buddhists. They are provided a modern education, but paramount importance is given to the growth of compassion and a kind heart.Presently there are 108 orphans, including 10 physically disabled children, taught by a staff of eight. Part of the orphanage's mission is to provide for children with disabilities who would otherwise not receive an education in their remote region of India. Lama Thupten hopes to expand the facilities and staff over the next few years so as to accommodate at least 200 children. If you are interested, they have two wonderful websites with sooooo many photos: TibetanLivingCommunities.org and ManjushreeOrphanage.org.

As my sister and I were talking this morning about Lobsang Dolma, I realized that adding her to our lives has already brought us joy. There was already so much for us to be grateful for, and now there's more. Happy holidays, and a poem below, titled Pray For Peace, by Ellen Bass, is my holiday gift to you. Thanks for reading this, and for being part of our lives, Valori

It's beginning to look a lot like Scroogetta has left...

I was completely uninterested in decorating for Christmas this year. Last year the guys "let" me decorate the tree any way I wanted to in exchange for them getting to do it this year. They did not forget. I work hard all year getting my house to look just like I like it so I don't look forward to mixing it up.THEN I went to work for Deb at Bayberry Cove. Well I got over not decorating fast. I realized after starting to buy and be surrounded by all the wonderful decorations that I have loved for so long and collected little by little over the years that one of the reasons I don't look forward to Christmas decorating was that the majority of our decorations were ones that my mom had tossed off to me about 15 years ago. The same crap I never did like. I don't know why I'd never noticed it before, I guess it's because I wasn't that into it in the first place.

Above is the big, soft, fab snowman that Deb gave each of Beth and I for Christmas. Hanging around Snowman's neck is the wonderful bear ornament that Amy gave me. Below them is an antique wooden snowman vignette from Paul's family heirlooms.

This is one of my acquisitions from work. I had seen it in a magazine somewhere but didn't realize how big it is, it's about 5 X 7 and soooooooooooooooo great and fun.

Matt but not Chloe had fun putting on reindeer ears.

I finally finished my project from Pam Garrison's class from Silver Bella and it got it's own home too.

Little vignette starting with the sugary church and antique angels.

The piece from Charlotte Lyons' class I also finally finished.

I've heard enough about the big red balls hanging from the over the sink light fixture but, come on, big red balls with dots?

Still haven't been able to get a good picture of this sweetie guy under the glass cloche but you get the idea, right?

Mini Baby Shower for Ma Powers and Company Christmas Party!!!

She's like Mary Poppins. When Amy Powers comes around you just know something special is going to happen. Well, knowing that Ma Powers was coming to "the office" on Thursday, on my way home Wednesday night I decided that we'd turn the visit into a mini-baby shower for her. I already had what I wanted to give her, all I had to do was whip up some cup cakes at midnight. I had Martha cup cake papers and oatmeal/chocolate chip cookie dough, so voila, I made cookie cup cakes. I was so ready EXCEPT I didn't check my emails and so didn't know that Deb had decided we'd use the occasion to have a "company Christmas party". We were all over the place with fun! Amy shows in her famous pink coat with one of Beth's (bethsbagz.com) corsages.

The kick-off of the mini-shower (when I think of that term, it makes me think of that pic of her in the bubble bath in Carmel-that was a maxi-shower!!!!).

Beth and Amy petting and studying the little assemblage I made for the nursery.

Have you ever seen anyone so photogenic? Deb's nine-year-old son, Matt, chose this gift for Amy himself...Huck Finn...how perfect?!

Then we step into the company Christmas party mode (where I was completely unprepared in the giving department). Amy starts it off with a fab apron from Deb.

Here's the pincushion Beth made for me...OMG, right? Wow.

Deb and the pincushion that Beth made for her. That's Sassy on top, just like Deb's own furry cat.

Giant, soft, sweet, wonderful snowman that Deb gave to me and Beth and the little bear ornament and ultra-fab packaging from Amy. Coming soon...see the two together in my home decor.

Deb's gift vignette, the pincushion and one of Amy's amazing glittery houses and scenes.

Following a great lunch at Chevy's it was back to reality but with full bellies and hearts so warm we could heat all of Falls Church from there.