Our Year started off a bit rocky but better now

Fathers hold their children's hands for
just a little while...
And their hearts forever.

I am so sorry that I have not posted in some time. Life seems to get int the way sometimes and this time it seemed to take the wind out of my sails. Right after Christmas, my father in law suddenly passed away from pneumonia. He was such a strong man and healthy as a horse, he was also caring for my MIL who has Alzheimer's. It forced all of us to rally together to figure out what we needed to do for her and to fulfill my FIL wishes. He was so blessed to have lived the life he wanted, he never cared what anyone else thought of him or how he did things. He was a big personality in our family and will be greatly missed.
I seemed to have lost my way a bit, not only with his passing but with other things that are happening with my family and friends.  It seems there is so much illness and just sadness right now and it is very close. It causes me to reflect and it made me retreat a bit, I think so I could regroup and just concentrate on those closest to me.

I am convinced that this is going to be the year of change for us, maybe a bit of bad but I am praying a whole bunch of good. I am starting to really get excited again. Looking forward to what tomorrow holds and now I need to start painting again, something I haven't done since Al died. This month I have so much planned with my sketch classes and a prayer flag class. Then there is the 9 day paint out with the Plein air group! I should get some painting done then, if I can remember how!
I have been tinkering with some artquilt designs as the deadlines are looming. I am also doing a show in May and need all new quilt patterns so I have been busy trying to design those. I submitted a small ornament for a Fons and Porter Ornament issue in the fall issue but havent painted anything. I need to just jump in again.
The girls remain a constant in my life right now, a nice diversion. We took them to the Pacific Aquarium recently and the Wild Animal Park, their excitement and curiosity is so wonderful. They are just little sponges soaking up information. I think they were more excited when the scuba diver was inside the tank cleaning the glass than they were about the fish. Some pictures of things that happened this month. Life is good.