Wow! Has it been that long!?!

I've been creative, honest I have...it's just that I haven't made my way back to my blog since...July 2009!?! That could indicate one of two things: 1) that I've been lazy and haven't accomplished anything for almost a year or 2) that I've been so busy that I've just not had time to record my activities. I'll go with 2!

So what happened? Well, as my July post tells you, our 28 year old daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer at 20 weeks pregnant. During the past few months there have been many blessings. Erika gave birth to Rachel Eleonore on November 26 (Thanksgiving Day) and both are doing very well! I spent a good amount of time helping out Erika and family while still trying to let Rick know I'm there for him during our small business struggles during this economic downturn.

Fast forward to Spring 2010 and I find that we have undergone many changes. Our son, Rowan, and his family moved in next door to us. Erika and her family live on the other side. This, in itself, constitutes a BIG change for us. There are 5 grandchildren all age 4 and younger...I now find myself with all or some of them on a daily basis as the parents work. They are a joy but also quite the handful: think infant twins + 2-year-old twins + a precocious 4 year-old and you get the picture.

Now on to my creative side. These days I find that my creative side takes one of two directions. I either garden or take photos of the garden (and of course the babies). In my attempt to catch up I will try to post photos most every day as my garden of flowers and grand-babies grows and flourishes.

Web Page Update

A friend of mine emailed me today to ask about a broken link on my personal website. As I searched for the offending link, I became aware that it had indeed been a LONG time since I had updated my site. An hour (or two) later finds me with a bit of a better design than my original. The thing about design - and life in general - is that there is always room for improvement. All one really has to do is look with an open mind...

Check out the new http://www.designsbybirgit.com/ website :)

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A new beginning...

The title of my blog may be confusing to some. While I claim it to be a design blog intended to document my creative ventures, I find that this point in time leads me in a quite diffferent direction...creativity will nonetheless find its way here from time to time and hopefully will one day be my only topic. For the time being, bear with me while I plod along...

Although this is not my first foray into the bloggosphere, it is my first personal attempt. I have been Rick's ghost writer for a while now on his work-related blog with the alter-ego AltHeatGuy. My usual outlet comes in the form of private journaling - something I picked up when I was undergoing treatment for breast cancer some 4 years ago. It was a means to 'let it all out' without anyone else being the wiser.

Now I find myself in the precarious postition of being the mother of a 28 year old daughter who is 20 weeks pregnant AND newly diagnosed with breast cancer. The questions from well-meaning family and friends have inevitabley already begun and we appreciate the out-pouring of concern, but when you are immersed in the undertow of a cancer diagnosis you have neither the time nor the fortitude to repeat answers to repeated questioning. This, then, will be one way for me to give updates from my perspective.