What to Try (or Try Again).

• Wearing liquid eyeliner
• Wearing an anklet, if I can find one
• Tackling the Bronte and Austen books I've not read yet
• Using my fountain pen in my journals, trusting the paper to handle it
• Swimming. The manic joy it gave me last summer has drained away, but maybe I can still enjoy it
• Writing letters. I could just send encouragement postcards. I haven't written a letter in a long time.
• Making another collage. I used to love making collages. Watercolors, magazine images, charms, glitter...
• Wearing more of my work clothes--no saving for someday!

Gift Stories.

Gifts are my primary love language. Objects hold much meaning for me. I remember how I got them or who gave them to me. Just about every object in my home has a story. This two gifts have been on my mind:

Many years ago, my aunt Brietta sent me a round, silver box with concentric circles of round stones in all colors. Though it has held ordinary objects (push pins, swirly paperclips, a coin), it seems like a place where a gypsy girl would keep something magical.

A couple of Christmases ago, Mom gave me an 8-inch Madame Alexander Jo doll. Mom and I both love Little Women (my son calls her Marmee) and Madame Alexander. This gift was full of meaning. For a long time, I saw myself as Beth--sweet but weak and sick and so very shy. My mom suggested that I was more like Jo--a writer, fiery and independent though out of place. I began to see myself differently after that. So the doll is a symbol and reminder of that for me.

What I Want to Teach Oliver.

My son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at the beginning of the year. So I'm having to shift expectations, do a lot of paperwork, and learn how to be a good mama to him right where he is.

Here are a few things I hope to teach him or help him learn:

• I would love to teach Oliver to read. I can think of few greater gifts I could give him. I don't know how to do it, but I'll try.
• I want to teach him to love reading. He often sees Josh and me with books. Oliver already seems to cherish some of his books. Life probably will not be easy for him, but reading strengthens and soothes.
• I'd like to teach him to cook and sew. Unfortunately, I do neither. Maybe his grandmothers will teach him.
• I want to teach him ways to manage his disorder. My experience won't be the same as his, but I'm determined to help in small, practical ways. I occasionally have instincts about what will help him in a bad moment. I need to learn more about ASD.
• I'd love to teach him to love musical theatre. Those memories turn on a light inside.

Life Enchantments (Not "Hacks!").

• Buy a baby bottle brush to wash cups and glasses easily.
• Keep your favorite necklaces on display (key hooks or even push pins will work). Put the rest of your necklaces in individual Zip Locks (no tangling!) in a pretty box.
• Use a bead organizer from a craft store to organize earrings. Buy a smaller version of the box for travel.
• Use what Josh calls a house purse (any tote bag will do) to contain your current reading and projects, so you can move them room to room easily.
• Arrange books by color for a beautiful display.
• If you have a lot of tank tops like I do (I have a rainbow of colors; I often wear tank tops under my shirts to show a little less skin), roll them up and place them upright in a decorative box. You won't have to dig for the color you need!

Whimsy and Wonder.

The Pottery Barn Teen catalog (which I love) put these two pretty words together on a spread. Both words sound just like their meanings. Whimsy has that light wh sound like a fairy's breath before a giggle. The sy is a bit grounding, giving the word some authority. It's compelling. And wonder has that magical w. But the ond has those grounding consonants that tie the word to an object...probably something that shines. Whimsy flits. Wonder stops to gaze in awe.

I can see the two words like fraternal twin sisters. Wonder collected glittering rocks and smooth branches as she wants to climb every tree she sees. Whimsy collects coins (which she gives to Wonder), feathers, bits of foil wrappers, and flowers too pretty to be called weeds. Wonder is too slow for Whimsy, and Whimsy is too flighty for Wonder, but they adore each other.

My Favorite Verbs (Sound or Meaning).

• Scribble
• Write
• Read
• Impress
• Discover
• Express
• Peruse
• Kiss
• Cradle
• Purchase
• Shine
• Gild
• Rest
• Snuggle
• Explore
• Gather
• Collect
• Sip
• Stack
• Swim
• Trust
• Believe
• Enjoy
• Dance
• Spin
• Twirl
• Shuffle
• Consume
• Surprise
• Fulfill
• Embroider
• Fashion
• Study
• Desire
• Sleep
• Chime
• Color
• Sparkle
• Glimmer
• Caress
• Curate
• Cultivate

What are your favorite verbs?

What Enchants Me.

• My (very) old copy of YM Beauty. All that talk of fancy makeup soothes me even when I remember but don't take out the magazine.
• The massive music box at the Biltmore's Christmas shop.
• Oliver's little pajama pants with tigers on them.
• The book stacks by my bed, promising great reading adventures coming soon.
• The mermaid drawing my mother made for me.
• The moment as the theatre when the lights fade and the orchestra gives the first notes of the overture.
• A well-stocked Gelly Roll display.
• Oliver's sneaking into our bed at night--we usually don't know until morning.
• A little sparkle on random objects like hair ties.
• Bic For Her pink and purple pens. They're beautiful; I don't even care about the faulty branding and advertising. 
• Rock candy reminds me of going to the candy store with my best girl friends during Winterfest in Gatlinburg. I remember being so happy then.
• Instant messaging and texting--they still don't seem real. I remember Dad showing me that I could IM with my friend Tracy.
• Sephora. The feeling of darkness surrounding well-lit displays of bottles, palettes, and compacts with wild colors and plenty of glitter.