celebrating my women!

okay,
so it's international women's day.
and i thought hey! i know! i'll do a blog and list all kindsa awesome women i know
and just try to honor them!'

'oh noooo don't do it, ter' i told myself.
when i do stuff like that i ALWAYS leave out really important women and
feel terrible afterwards.

okay. not goin' there.

now, how crazy is that?!  i'm gonna leave out a lot of you. it's guaranteed.
cause my brain is addled. it's just part of life. but you've GOT to know i love
and honor you even if i didn't put you in the list here. truly. please know that.
cause you women who surround me are just so incredible. and inspire me
every day.

so figurin' i'll miss a ton of you, and knowing you'll forgive me, i thought i
would do a shout out. in no particular order at all!

in honor and celebration -

there's sus who comes to mind right away as i just saw the most beautiful picture
of her. she's just got that natrual shining beauty that i think is lovely. she's beautiful
inside and out, and to me, she's such a symbol of the feminine beauty.

there's kristen who's taking her pain from the past and using it for fuel to open
a women's center! the combination of who she is mixes so well with the project,
that i'm sure it's gonna be one of the finest facilities ever. how cool is that?!

there's monika who has to hold the loss of her son to war. she's now exploring
ways she can offer back to the world  taking that pain and working with it.
her heart and courage astound me.

there's deb, one of the most generous, beautiful women i know. she gives her
art away so freely and just wants it to go where it is needed. her art has
literally brought me to tears. it totally captures the beauty of her soul.

there's patty, our tough angels leader. her work for the women and children
of africa completely takes my breath away. and when i met her i totally fell
in love with her. a beautiful woman indeed.

there's dani who doesn't just operate a shop, she creates a space for women
to come and honor themselves.

the shops make me think of kate and laura who also do the same. they don't
just think of their businesses as shops, they think of them as sacred places.
what they offer the world is priceless.

there's po who's wisdom is forever surrounding me and holding me when i
most need it. she is definitely 'the wise woman.'

there's mary, who offers such love and caring. she tended her aging parents
and is dealing with the grief of losing her dad. a woman of heart and feeling.

there's akasa who saved her grandson and helped him find meaning in
staying alive and growing up. i can't type that without tears coming to
my eyes.

there's karen who creates the only home her granddaughter knows and
does it thru such difficult circumstances.

there's melissa who lost a sister and yet keeps writing and offering and
reminds me of what it is to be a beautiful young woman.

there's her mom, peggi, who lost a daughter and keeps on going and trying
to make it all work, because that's what you have to do. she jokes with
me about chocolate and makes me laugh.

there's lynn, one of my best friends. she cries at the drop of a hat. and i love
her for that. her music comes from her depths and when she sings i get to
hear her soul. i cry every single time i listen to her.

there's carol, poet, writer, healer, explorer. someone who 'gets' what i have
to say and always holds my hands thru the confusing times.

there's bets who's come so far in her healing and working hard on learning how
to love both herself and her guy.

there's susie who works thru her illness like no one i've ever seen. she looks,
she sees, she listens, and she grows. and she offers love with every fiber she has.

there's jenna, a sister i've never met. she offers to the world over and over and over
again, even thru the disappointments and hurts.

there's sue who tries so hard to keep going and seeing the good as she fights
a terminal illness. even when she's way way sick, she finds energy to reach out to others.

there's heidi, a single mom who's worked her tail off to raise her kids. i've never known
a woman to work harder and try more.

there's denise, another single mom working her tail off for her boys. her art stuns me
and i believe she'll be the famous artist that i can say i knew her when!

there's my other denise, who's held me thru the darkness and reminded me of my
own beauty. she's made it thru almost dying and she's still here and i celebrate that
over and over again.

there's marissa who offers her experience with cutting to the world. opening up and
sharing her soul to help others with the same struggle.

there's beth ann who's just now opening up and trying to reach out to other women
who've experienced rape.

there's lisa who shares her soul and offers her encouragement to help other women
believe in themselves.

and there's laurel who put her scariest stuff out there and went public with it to
reach other women.

there are stories of rape, incest, sexual abuse, physicl abuse, emotional abuse,
and these women keep offering and extending their hands....we're here, we'll
circle you  and hold you up.

there's christie who offers encouragement and hope while she struggles with
such hard things. she's touched my life so deeply with some of the stuff she's
offered me.

there's sooz who leaped a hurdle this year! and is feeling better than ever because
of it!

there's mar who found her heart and now can't seem to shut it off. it's running
loose and making smile every single day!

there's meribeth, another single mom, celebrating her son's scholarship after
a particularly rough year.

there's donna, forever reaching out and being there as she struggles with
the pain and fear of bone cancer.

there's sue who's recovering from cancer and dealing with an early menopause
and still reaching out and spreading love.

there's mag who understands the beauty of nature and revels in it and shares it
everywhere she goes.

there's jymi, raising her girls, learning about herself, and growing by leaps and bounds.

there's sherry, another young woman finding her way on the journey and inspiring
me as i watch her.

there's gina. struggling with all she has to stay alive. fighting with great intensity
to not call it quits.

there's kylie who called it quits who i will carry forever in my heart.

there's cath who lost a best friend, is still grieving it, yet still reaching out with love
everywhere she goes.

there's the other cath, struggling with some inner stuff big time but not letting
that slow her down in offering her work to the world and caring for others.

there's brigitte who's heart glows so bright i can see it all the way in another
country.

there's jenny who came thru today after a nightmare about her son who she lost.
hanging on to the light and reaching out still.

do you SEE this list?! every single one of these women has had their share of
big struggles....and every single one of them chooses to offer love in spite of that.

and there's all you other women out there that i haven't listed.
over and over again i watch what you do, i watch how you struggle, how the darkness
comes and overwhelms you, and how you get up over and over again and step
into the light.

i tell ya, today is one heck of a day cause it makes me stop and think about this
being a woman stuff. i truly am so happy i was born female. women are amazing
human beings.

i toast every single one of you today!
you inspire me.
you make me want to be more.

thanks for being in my life and teaching me all that you do!