Flashback Friday Funk

Boy, this has been hard. 

I'm in a "funk" with feeling overwhelmed with moving, and with Christian and Mikelle finishing the school year officially yesterday, the hardcore emotions are really setting in. They have finished their final academic year in this wonderful school district. 

I'm especially having a hard time with Christian leaving the wonderful accommodations our district has done for him with his social skills, speech therapy, the gifted program, and all the other wonderful things I failed to mention. Without such top notch assistance, I can see how he could have struggled in so many areas. However, we were in the perfect place for him.

I also made the mistake of attempting to organize photos again, and that's just a bad idea even though it has to be done. I found a snapshot of my family at Slide Rock (in Oak Creek Canyon) in the mid-80s, and then again in 1993. The "Slide Fire" is burning up there right now (it started near Slide Rock), and between worry about the containment and the safety of the firefighters (thinking of the Yarnell Hill tragedy last June), along with all these overwhelming feelings about moving, my emotions are all over the place.  

Some of the actual tears even began today.

My sister Rebecca, who was 12 at the time, was there too. I remember! For some reason, these were the particular snapshots that I found. Maybe she took the pictures - I don't know. Therefore, to make sure it is clear she's not being left out intentionally, I made sure to add her.

Moi - Age 18

Jill, Kariann (9), and Becca (12)

Kariann (9)

Chad (16), Kariann and Becca

Then I find snapshots of when Chris graduated from high school, more snapshots of myself in high school, and just random pictures here and there.  I do not like posting pictures from high school because my hair was a disaster pretty much until my senior year. Sure, senior year I was still doing the perm thing (that would still last about 2 more unfortunate years), but my tresses were certainly not the disaster they were the years prior. 

Oh, to move out of the awkward stages....always a nice thing.

Mom and Jill - April 7, 1993

The one on the left is April of senior year, just before I turned 18. We were celebrating my Mom's birthday. The picture on the right is from senior prom. I wouldn't have a problem showing my friend Jared in the photo (whom I went with) if he didn't choose such a crazy weird vest. I loved that dress. I loved it so much I used that style for my bridesmaids later.

The peak of Good Hair Days in those awkward teen years - Senior Prom - May 1993

Yeah, all this progress towards moving is certainly not going to be had going through pictures. But they have to be organized. I'm certainly not going to throw them in a box and move them that way.  

Art Update

It's been slow on the art front. This is the most recent tribute art I completed. I am also finishing one as a graduation gift for a cousin. 

I also have some projects and ideas I would love to tackle since I have no custom orders at the moment, but that's not happening due to the "funk" I'm in with moving and how overwhelmed I feel. 

I'm crossing my fingers for more custom orders because that's the one thing that'll help me not think of all these other things. I can lose myself in the artwork for someone else.

Until next time...