Thank you

Thank you for the kind comments on my last post, for the condolences and sympathy. The funeral for my friend Karen was this afternoon (Saturday), and it was sad and beautiful all at once.

I want to share with all of you some of the outpouring of cards I received for my birthday and for Thanksgiving. Many were store-bought and ever so wonderful, but since this is a stamping blog, I'll only share close-ups of the hand-made ones.

Not all of the cards I received, but most.

Janet E. sent this one, and included a lovely written
message inside that was kind and comforting.
"Keep care," her son used to say. I love that. I also
love the delicate white die cut over kraft. So very
lovely!

Patti M. wished me "mucho blessings" with happy
pop of pink to draw the eye!

Sue C. included a fabulous picture of her family,
some of whom I've prayed for over the years.The card's
watercolor wash effect is simply gorgeous in those colors! 

Sue also sent a birthday card using some of my favorite
colors and glorious white space in a balanced CAS design.

Vicki sent me inspirational birthday wishes! Stunning
color and white embossing combine perfectly.

This butterfly beauty is from JoAnn F. Don't you love
the vellum butterfly as an accent?

This bold-on-black stunner is from Joan B, who can
successfully use sequins while I cannot. 

My friend Karen sent so many cards people cracked jokes about Hallmark stock going down now that she was gone. In the weeks before her death, I received two thank-you cards for various things (she wrote at least one of them them while getting chemo). I received my birthday card from her the day she died. (It's the yellow one with the pink flower, center row, far right in the top picture).

Isn't it wonderful how bits of paper hold so much love?

That's why I want to let you all know how much you mean to me. This has been hard, and grief isn't the only struggle in my life right now. But your kindness, your thoughts and prayers, your comments and emails, and your cards mean so much to me.

I have a wonderful real-life support group of family and friends helping me through with physical presence and hugs daily. Most of you reading this don't really know me from Adam's cat, nor I you. But your kindness has tipped the scale for me more than you could know and has kept me filled with hope and the certain knowledge that all these troubles will be gotten through, that I am not alone. I'm a person of faith, so I believe that you are each willing agents of a loving God.

So thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.