Day 6- The Project

A while back Jim and I went to a kick off event for my coming Arthritis Walk Louisville.  One of the fundraisers there was the ability to buy "panels" that the buyer was to decorate which would then be displayed at the walk.  We bought one, we put it in the truck and promptly forgot about it. 

Now- I have to admit that I am NOT artistic in the slightest.  My mom and middle sister are scrapbook queens.  They do beautiful work.  Mom does toll painting and all sorts of crafts.  I think that gene got lost somewhere with me-lol.  So the thought of decorating this thing didn't even enter my mind.  Until yesterday. 

I wondered what I had to give yesterday and then my hubby cleaned out his truck so we could take it to a specific 4-wheel necessary geocache that dad wanted to get and he came strolling in with the panel.  Looking at it I knew that I not only wanted to decorate it- but I wanted to share my philosophy about my RA on this panel.  I asked Mom for help and we got down to work. 

We selected some of her scrapping papers that I wanted to use, and I chose stickers and stuff that I thought were appropriate.  Then I got down to the business of finding the perfect quotes to both reflect my philosophy and hopefully inspire someone who is newly diagnosed to think differently about this devastating news. 

Here is our final product:

The quote in the center: 

                                                            

Yes- I am a terrible photographer-lol.  I wanted to highlight the quote that reads "Pain is inevitable, Suffering is optional. "  So we put that in the center with "my" footprints leading from that to our other quotes.  Notice that puppy prints are walking through the "picture" as well since Harley and Auggie are not only my training buddies but already completed one walk with me this year and will be doing this one too. 

The other two quotes read: 

"Sometimes the cards we are dealt are not always fair.  However you must keep smiling & moving on."  Tom Jackson

"You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you." Walt Disney

The most important part of this is that Mom and I did it together and that the quote in the center truely reflects everything I am trying to say with this blog, with the 29 gifts project, with the way I live my life.  If only one person takes notice of it,  reads it and has an "Ah-Ha" moment- this gift from my heart will have served its purpose.