Grateful, Thankful, Blessed

Happy Thanksgiving, Stampin' Peace Friends. I wish you all a day of peace, love, and happiness with family and friends.

This week, I've been reflecting on all that I am thankful for. There are so many things, both big and small. Things that I am grateful for this year in particular include the support of family, friends, and Stampin' Up! teammates and customers as I moved and transitioned to my new home in Columbus. I'm grateful that I took the opportunity to move closer to my beautiful daughters, Andrea and Emily, and my sister Joan and her family. I know this is where I am meant to be right now.

I'm also especially grateful for the opportunity to serve elderly people, some with dimentia, working as a Visiting Angel. I am making a positive difference in the lives of these people and their families and am thankful for all I am learning about them and their life stories. I'm proud of myself for the patience, compassion, and friendship I am able provide my clients while helping them with their basic living skills and giving their family members a sense of peace and much needed breaks.

I thank God everyday that I am able to continue on my Stampin' Up! journey doing what I love and sharing it with others. I know that this job, which I love so much, allows me to make a positive difference and spread kindness in our world simply by sharing creativity through stamps, ink, and paper. Yes, these three little things, stamp, ink, and paper, really are some of the big things in my life. They've helped me grow and learn about myself, providing me with the confidence and skills to be a successful business woman. In addition to earning an income, I have earned trips that I have been able to enjoy with my daughters, and have made countless friends around the world. I've been able to use my Stampin' Up! business to raise thousands of dollars for various charities and causes, something that fills my heart with joy and gives me a greater purpose. I've been able to bring groups of people together to enjoy fun and fellowship as they share their love of paper crafting. I've brought strangers together who in time have become friends through my classes and events. 

Below are photos I took of my client Sharon, also known as my Paper Pumpkin Assistant, as she was punching out and sorting craft pieces. I've been taking my monthly Paper Pumpkin Kit to Sharon's for us to work on together. While Sharon has shaky hands that don't stamp well, she is happy to be given a job to do. My goal doing these Paper Pumpkin Kits with Sharon isn't about the finished product. My goal is to bring my experience as a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator to Sharon is to give her a sense of purpose, show her she is valued and appreciated, and most of all to share laughter, smiles, and fun bringing us both happiness. I know Sharon will forget these shared experiences before I even leave her home, but I know I have been able to bring her happiness in the moments.
  

 
This last photo shows Sharon actually writing to her daughters. I don't know what she wrote to each of them or what their reaction was, but I do know that Sharon put so much effort and heart into this activity. I was so happy for her. It doesn't matter that it was forgotten just a short time later. She was happy in the moment as we shared stamps, ink, and paper.

Here are the finished cards we made with the October Paper Pumpkin Kit and a 2-page scrapbook layout I made with leftover pieces for preserving the memories of this day.

 May you all enjoy a Happy Thanksgiving with family and friends.