Pure Gratitude

Good Day Ladies & Gents!
I realize all the buzz on FB right now is doing a month of Gratitude which is a wonderful idea, unfortunately I hardly ever get on FB and haven't been real good about posting here either as of late, but....
 I did take the time to do a mini Gratitude album that finished up beautifully and I thought that I would share that with all of you today, along with something or rather someone else I am most definitely grateful for.

As for the pages of my mini I did them mostly the same, on the left side there is a ATC sized card that slips up and into the flap, it can be removed so that anyone can read the journaling on the backside of it.  For the right of the page (excluding the middle page) I put a pocket there that holds several smaller pieces of ephemera, some quotes and a couple extra journaling spots.  The middle page doesn't have the pocket, instead for that page, I added a mini according booklet so that I could get some more photo mats, as it turns out....I like it!

Now another unique feature of this mini is that I used these as the base of my pages, so inside where the CD would go I put my photos that I wanted to remember instead.  I have done this mini before but wasn't sure I really liked the tough cardboard envelops but I think that over time as this mini gets looked at I will be more than happy that they are quite durable, plus having the photos hidden it allows the mini to capture a certain warmth without all the contrasting colors of the photos.

So the idea was to keep the first page to my immediate family, the second to our extended family and friends, and then last but not least all the extra little helpings in life; places & things, thoughts & ideas, hopes & dreams.  But as I have been living with this little gem for awhile now, I'm not sure yet how I will fill in the pages, but that is beside the point.........
the point is 
I do have lots of people and places and thoughts and ideas and hopes and dreams and family and friends and  just a 'wishing well' full of blessings to be Thankful for!

So as I prepare to close I do have to share with you one of my greatest blessings of all, aside from my ornery husband and both of my crazy girls...that is my best friend Tami, also the inspiration behind this post (this post is dedicated to you my friend, you are my touchstone - always have been always will be).
That girl - take it from me...she is awesome!
We met in the 6th grade, the year was 1985 Autumn had just come into full bloom and I was the new kid... from a low rate school district and not a hope in sight for a very bright future.  I wish I could say for certain when exactly I knew that Tami & I actually became best friends because back in our day that wasn't something to take lightly but it also wasn't ever discussed or written on a little piece of paper that had you check a box if you agreed or not, it was just always there on a very deep level that we understood each other, that we spoke the same language that no one else knew and I find it ironic now looking back that the first time we met was in Spanish class...hum isn't that interesting.  Oh God how we had our 'fights' though, don't think for a minute that we got off scot-free, we have had to fight hard in an entirely different sense of the word to keep our ties bound tightly and it wasn't always easy; life has a fucking habit of getting in the way and causing confusion and chaos. I recall one moment in particular that we both almost threw it all away over pride and hurt feelings, I will never forgive myself for acting the way I did but because of it- learning a very real and hard lesson- it opened a whole new level of vulnerability between us that I don't think I share even with my husband today and probably never will.  I can honestly say she knows me better than I do and yet still - I am enough. (awestruck)
Tami thank you, thank you for your heart and your love, thank you for 25+ years of your undeniable friendship, it means my life to me and I hope I can attest to it for the next 25+ years.
I love you!

just B...