are not just “please” and “thank you”.

Around our house I know magic is about to happen when Jan says,

“The light is really beautiful. I’m going to grab the camera.”

When the light was right last week he took these…

Crazy to think that one of the very first posts I did for this blog was last year at this time.

Coming full circle, a year later, and another lovely Easter Sunday was had…

But in order to make it all possible there was VERY MUCH:

For the first time ever, in the history of the Dawson family, we decorated eggs –

The whole DYE situation made me **really** nervous so I had Millie strip down to her skivvies AND wear an apron. A wee bit over the top perhaps, but I never claimed that I was anything less than nuts in the “care of children’s clothing” department.

We were able to keep Clara out of our hair for a short time whilst she chowed down on a vanilla yogurt.

I love how she turned her bib around, she looks like a baby super hero!

We took these lovely pastel eggs and then decoupaged these flowers (that I cut out of a paper napkin) onto them.

It turns out this is actually a great way to do eggs with kids, because they can REALLY help out.

Would you agree that when they are placed on a pale blue feather, lit perfectly and a captured with a fancy camera lens that they are pretty good looking?!

I feel kind of proud of our little eggs.

But decorating eggs was just the beginning!

We also filled the house with spring flowers, and may I just say that God always knows what he is doing, but without fail his gorgeous spring FLOWERS just get me! I look at them and think, “Truly, we are loved by the Being that created these for us!”

SO PERFECT!

LOVE STREAMS OFF OF THEM!!

As ever, the meal always dominates our Easter preparations and proceedings!

On the menu was – Chicken Tarragon, which I had to start at 6:30 AM to make sure the chicken would be ready, two beautiful salads and fresh asparagus provided by the sisters-in-law, and the best dessert that I currently know how to make:

CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE

hummana, hummana, hummana! This is only the second time I have blogged about this very fine dessert. I tell you what, sometimes at night I lie in bed thinking about this and my mouth starts to water. (Come over I’ll make one for you and one for me! Always looking for an excuse to make these puppies!!)

There were no “bonnets” but I must say, I thought everyone looked beautiful!

(The boots were Millie’s choice!)

Cam “rocking it” in Dan Dan’s “kelly green” jacket (complete with Palm Springs lapel pin)

I “suggested” Cam take one or two photos without the jacket…

For the last session of conference we crammed ourselves into the smallest room in our house, and believe it or not it was quite cozy and rather enjoyable.

I feel that I must re-visit this final session, because we got a little stir-crazy and rather talkative there in those few waning moments of General Conference.

All in all it was a WONDERFUL* day.

* Although currently I am feeling rather miffed because my computer has been an absolute TURD while I have been putting this post together and if it had a bottom I would SPANK IT, HARD!

I have a bunch more photos I could share (of the girls at 6:00 AM searching for Easter goodies for example) and tender feelings of love and appreciation for my Savior, who is the whole reason for our gathering to celebrate, that I would like to share…

But I am done for tonight.

To borrow a quote,

“I know it is not right to say, but I dislike Belnap Jackson and my ruddy computer very much.”

Today is my bro-in-law Allan’s birthday. I started writing this post about him last week and have been continually checking my birthday calendar to make sure I got his b-day right…Meanwhile, I didn’t realize that today was the 31st – ALLAN’S BIRTHDAY- the very day in which he had I had exchanged multiple emails AND talked on the phone and I never once said, “happy birthday” because I didn’t know what day of the month it was. Just in case you’re wondering, sometimes it stinks to have a brain like mine.

It’s okay I guess, because the last time we talked on the phone I started crying when I told him that I loved him. I think he’d prefer I forget his birthday rather than blubbering at him on the phone. Would you say that was true, Al?

Right!

Now, the time has officially come for me to GUSH about Allan. You ready for this? Here were go!!

For starters he is a man with a great deal of energy, determination, enthusiasm, smarts, kindness and overall goodness. He is VERY intelligent and he is loads of fun.

I would like to tell you one of my all time favorite Allan memories.  Several years ago when we were all going on a long drive as a family (Kevin & Khaliel, all their children and their spouses). Somehow I had the good fortune of driving in the car with Allan. I think we were trying to come up with ways to pass the time – and all of the sudden Allan suggested we sing songs from Les Miserables….and then before we knew it, Allan, in his full beautiful tenor voice sung out,

“LOOK DOWN! LOOK DOWN!”

and an hour or more later he was wrapping it up with,

“CAN YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING”

WHAT A PERFORMANCE!! He knew it all! Every last word. He could have sung all the parts but let the rest of us join in. When I wasn’t crying with laughter I was singing my heart out.

Me: Don’t you fret Monsieur Marius, I don’t feel any pain. A little fall of rain. Can hardly hurt me now.

Allan: I’m here!

Me: That’s all I need to know!

(We were inspiring, were we not, dear brother-in-law?)

If I could snag your birthday wish and make it my own I would wish to be on a long car journey with you right now, singing! Those were some good times!

Allan is not only fun. He is funny! And he has a great laugh which I always love to hear.

He is also very bright. I think he got mostly A’s his first trimester of law school and never had to pick up a book to study. He doesn’t have to study for hours on end because when he reads it, he remembers it. (I bet he remembers dates pretty well too!) And this man knows his way around a book store and library! He knows just about everything, because he has read so darn much. But don’t let this lead you to believe he is some sort of book-ish nerd. Oh, no! He may have decided opinions on world politics but he also has equally strong feelings about the latest Coldplay album.

While we are on the topic of Allan’s reading habits, I would like to mention that Allan loves Charles Dickens. I could be wrong but I think he has read his all of his novels. Our family enjoys watching all the Dickens film adaptations, and while we watch Allan will say, “I think they departed from the book too much here – I prefer…” HUH? You mean this cool movie started out as a book?!

Allan is beloved by his wife and children. He is a family man through and through – and a very successful one at that.  One thing I love about Allan, and a trait we share in common is our love for a tidy house. When he comes home from school/ work he puts his kids to work tidying and cleaning. I think this is totally awesome! One, I love his love for tidiness. Two, I love that he doesn’t make his wife keep it tidy. Three, I love that he makes his kids do it. Wouldn’t you love if your man came home from work and made the kids clean up?? Completely without a doubt wonderful!

Allan is one of the smartest people I know. Before law school he went to work for a little start up company, and while there he grew the company by leaps and bounds. He was telling me some of his strategies and what he advised them to do. And I was in awe. I think he was an English major in college so when I asked him where he learned all this stuff he said, “I just kind of had a sense of what to do.” For reals, the man has many, many talents.

He is married to a fine looking woman and they have three (very soon to be four) beautiful children. Allan loves babies and he loves kids. I think he’d love to have a family that reaches the double digits, if his wife will go along with him.  One day out of the blue he started singing a song about his love for children, Summer wrote it down and put it on our family network, and whenever I think of it, I SMILE.

Here is is: (to the tune of Little mermaid)

“Look at my kids, are they so cute…I’ve got crawlers and walkers to boot…You want children that fetch and carry? I’ve got plenty…But who cares…No big deal…I want MOOOORE

They are pretty awesome, as far as kids go. No wonder he’d like a few more, says I!

Allan is a man of God. He is deeply devoted to his God and is a person of integrity. He works hard at whatever he does, but he works with particular love and dedication when he is serving the Lord, in whatever capacity he has been asked to serve.

Allan is also a man who inspires confidence. Just today when I spoke to him on the phone I thought, “This guy knows what is going on and how to get the job done!” I love him for many reasons, but most of all I love him for the good and honest man that he is, for the way he loves and cares for my sister and their children…and that he puts up with a forgetful and blubbering sister-in-law!

I sure love you, Al!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I have this crazy church job.

It is called,

P R I M A R Y   P R E S I D E N T.

Every Sunday I am responsible for 70 plus kids.

How would you like to try to teach the gospel while attempting to keep 70 kids (ages 3-11)  in their seats for two hours after they have previously been sitting for an hour?

Just wanted to give you a little feel for my Sabbath day experience.

Here’s the thing people,

I CARE.

I really, really care.

And yet I fall

SO SHORT!

(dang it!)

But I am learning

SO MUCH.

This past week, my “take away” lesson is this: You can never express too much love.

I felt prompted to write each of the members of our Sr. Primary a note thanking them for the contribution they make to our primary. I pointed out specific things they have done that I appreciate and admire. There are around 20 kids and there is a fair amount of writing involved in such an endeavor. It only took me all week long – because I am limited, you see.

Outcome?

The love came right back to me!

Several of the kids & their parents said thank you.  One parent said that after their son read the note he said, “I am going to keep this.” Another mother came up to me and told me how much it meant to her daughter who’d had a really difficult week at school, and that specific things that I had mentioned in the note really buoyed her up. But even more than the feedback I received I noticed that…

…It is hard to explain but there was a shift. I usually face a fair amount of resistance from the kids. But much of that had melted away. They listened better, gave wonderful answers during the lesson, we felt more connected.

LOVE!

It works!

I need so much more of it.

I also need to learn how to spell.

(which is never going to happen in this life)

If you are a regular reader, no doubt, you have noticed a fair few typos, among the other TREATS this blog has to offer.

Take away lesson number two: DON’T DO A WORD SCRAMBLE IF YOUR NAME IS ELIZA DAWSON

Okay, so check this out: I wanted to put the word PROPHET on the board all scrambled up and have the kids try to unscramble it, so I put this up on the board:

SEOFRP

WHAT THE HECK!!

Yup, this kept ’em guessing. Nothing like leaving out the letter “t” adding the letter “s” and putting an “f” in place of the “ph”.

F!? I mean I can’t spell a lot of words but I do know how to spell the word prophet, for crying out loud!!!!!!!

Ugh!

I felt SO AWESOME!

And I won some serious points with the Stake Primary President who happened to show up and “OBSERVE” my fabulous efforts.

I am taking it one Sabbath day at a time, my friends.

Victories. Defeats. Humiliations and ALL.

P.S.

Bonus question :

What does this woman

share in common with this guy* ?

NOT VERY MUCH.

* Scott Remer, two time winner of the The Plain Dealer Cuyahoga County Spelling Bee.

Is Jan Dawson.

Right now he and I are sitting at the dining room table, each working on our lap top computers. Only moments ago, he casually glanced over and noticed that I didn’t have a power cable, then he checked my battery and said, “You’re almost out of power.” He then took the cable from his own computer and plugged it into mine.

Shucks! That is who I am married to.

Yesterday he watched ALL of the BBC’s series, “Wives & Daughters” with me. We were up until 11:00, snuggled in our bed with the his lap top & the very same computer cable he just lent to me, balanced on my lap.

Life is good.

&

I am a lucky, lucky girl.

&

did I mention he smells good?

okay, now I’ll stop.

On Friday Jan and I went out together

on

a

date.

(This post is going to be an awesome post, can you feel it?)

I may not dole out a lot of advice her on Dawesome, but let me tell you, when I have a brilliant idea, you better believe I will blog about it!

Get ready for it, peeps, cuz I am about to give some advice for a FUN DATE (hence the clever title).

Last week for our date Jan and I went to went to fancy, fancy Saks Fifth Ave and picked out a new perfume for me and a new cologne for him. Not only romantic but darn right practical!

Here’s what I think: A husband should never buy perfume for his wife unless he is SURE she will like it. And vice versa. At the end of the day, who are we trying to smell good for? EACH OTHER. Hence, I feel that this is a decision that you should make as a couple, no?

A wife could love the smell of a perfume, but if her husband thinks it is “too fruity” well then, she might as well chuck that fruity regectamente in the trash can, says I. And if a husband wears cologne that he think smells positively manly and sophisticated but she thinks smells like a teenage boy that is trying too hard — that there cologne ain’t fulfilling the measure of its creation!

So, on Friday Jan and I went out and made the decision together, and in the process stumbled upon something WONDERFUL!

Ever heard of Jo Malone?

Perhaps you have, the company is about 20 years old.

For years I have eyed the Jo Malone displays in the snooty department stores and been intrigued, but terribly intimidated.

I still remember walking past stores like this one in Sloane Square – and wanting to go in, but felt I wasn’t fancy enough.

Anyway, as Jan and I were in the market for something new – and I was feeling courageous, we went up to the Jo Malone counter and learned all about it.

Here is what makes the Jo Malone fragrances different from other stand alone perfumes.  Dear old Jo came up with 22 different scents and the cool thing is this: they can stand alone but can also be combined or layered. Some are more masculine and some more feminine, but the whole idea is that you can layer them together and create all kinds of beautiful scents. The lady who worked at Saks and explained it all to us told us that you could have one scent for the daytime and then layer another one on top of that and voila! you all of the sudden have an evening fragrance.

You know my lifestyle here – and I totally need a morning scent and an evening scent. I like to start of the day with a light and airy smell and then I like to smell more exotic and mysterious when I am serving my family taco soup for dinner, wouldn’t you?

Now, I may not be fancy – but by golly, if I want to smell like a gardenia in the morning and a citrus lime cocktail in the evening – that is my prerogative!

And Jo Malone is making that possible! (Thanks, Jo!)

We took these two home with us and also were given a bunch of samples to try different combinations.

Since that day I wake up every morning and think to myself, “Hmmm! What shall I smell like today!”

There is no danger of a “fruity rumba” around here.

No, sir.

I smell good.

Real good!

Just ask my man.

He smells good too!

Yesterday was my sister-in-law’s birthday. When I texted her on her special day she informed me that she was in the middle of  making chocolate babka. How awesome is that?! You love her already, right?

Nikki is a woman of many talents. If you have a moment to spare, I would love to rave about her to you!

There are many reasons I love Nikki. But the first thing that springs to mind is that Nikki doesn’t take NO C***.  Recently we had a family meeting and were all talking over goals and so forth and she said, “Now let’s do something about it, people!” Later Jan confided in me that he found Nikki’s enthusiasm and straightforward-ness, “Rather refreshing”.  Nikks is a person who doesn’t do things half way; equally, she also doesn’t feel things half-way either. And when her feelings run strong and deep, LOOK OUT, suckaz! Just read this post of hers about her feelings re: New Yorkers who treat dogs as though they were children, and you will get a taste of what I am talking about.

Nikki is very athletic. VERY. She likes to do an iron man every now and again and run in multiple marathons and so forth. After giving birth to her son, and only staying one night in the hospital, she got out of bed and then walked right out the door. People kept offering her a wheelchair and she looked at them like they were nuts. I was about 8 months pregnant when John was born and as I watched Nikki leaving the hospital I thought, “Yeah! Me too! I am soooo walking out of the hospital – I won’t need a wheelchair either!” Squeeeeak, squeak went the wheels on my wheelchair a month later as I was (cough, cough) wheeled out of the hospital and didn’t walk for about three days after I got home. Who was I kidding! I am not Nikki. After all this was the woman who was running through Central Park at 9 months pregnant!

Nikki knows her way around the kitchen. I am so lucky that all the women that my brothers have married know what they are doing when it comes to food. It makes our Thanksgivings soooo very delightful! Speaking of Thanksgiving, Nikki and I share a common love for stuffing. Last year was a bit nuts and some of the things that we were hoping would be on our T-day table didn’t materialize. Like me, all Nikki really cared about was, “Will there still be stuffing?!”  There was a gleam in my eye, that special gleam of understanding when I assured her that, yes, there would be stuffing. And we sighed a collective sigh of relief.

While we are on the topic of food I must mention that Nikki’s favorite food is chocolate chip cookies. She LOVES em! Which is nice, right – she may have abs of steel, but she still can chow down on a cookie like the rest of us! The cookies and the stuffing she does in moderation. Most of the time she is carefully preparing a gorgeous meal of locally grown produce and feeding her young son raw milk.  She also makes a mean loaf of wheat bread, just in case you were wondering. And she is very well hydrated as she always carries a water bottle with her.

But don’t hate her because she is perfect, people! Seriously, I wish I could twinkle myself and be more like Nikki when it comes to fitness and general well being. She runs, rides her bike, does yoga. She’s awesome!

She is also a wonderful wife and mother. She is so true to Cameron and John. She just loves her boys. I wouldn’t categorize Nikks as  “touchy-feely”  person. But I tell you what, when John was born I loved watching him completely disarm and melt his mother. He made her go all gooey and cooey (in a good way!) And boy, is he one lucky guy because his mommy is awesome!!  She loves John with true devotion, but that doesn’t mean that she will take any C*** from him! (Has anyone noticed how much I love and respect this type of mom? Loving but firm, and consistent. Nikki is up there with the best of them!) She does a tremendous job of teaching him how to be a delightful human. How to take naps, eat well and live life fully. He has got buckets of energy and luckily God sent him to a mother who also has buckets of energy. They are a great match!

Nikki is so good. She wants to do what is right. She has a testimony and she is devoted to God.

Nikki is a hot mama(as you may have noticed)- long blond hair, blue eyes and abs of steel (which I think I already mentioned once before – but come on, how many women do you know PERSONALLY who have borne children and can boast abs of steel – these abs must be celebrated!!)

Nikki is also a team player. The Kelly family, as in *my* family, is a pretty swell bunch of people – but we are also nuts, and downright frustrating to the in-laws at times. Nikki rolls with the tide – she goes with the flow and is a very, very good sport. I still remember two Christmases ago when we were all together she said to us, after she’d done the dishes for the umpteenth time, “I love you guys, but you sure are slobs!” Even now thinking of this makes me smile. It is just so Nikki – honest and as Jan put it, “refreshingly so”!

I love my sister-in-law – she is a winner! I have felt even closer to her lately and that has been a very big blessing to me. I feel that she has so much to teach me and there are so many things about her that I admire and would like to emulate. But of all the things she is and does I am most grateful that she loves my brother and my nephew…and even little old me.

Happy birthday my beautiful, kick-butt sis-in-law Nikki!

P.S. Ladies, quick question: would you go along with your husband if he tried to talk you into traveling across the country at Xmas time dressed like a Christmas elf? Nikki did and check out the results!  When I was searching for pictures of Nikki and found this one I just HAD to include it. I still remember watching them walk through my parents’ front door at Christmas. Just makes me wanna sing a Christmas carol right here, right now! Isn’t this crazy and aren’t they DARLING?!

P.P.S Nikki, Jan is out of town and he usually edits my posts for me, feel free to edit this if you feel so inclined — thanks, friend! BTW, how did the babka turn out? If it is good, lets make that for our Babs (aka Betta K Kelly) some time, don’t you think that would be fun?

Today is my cousin-in-law’s birthday. She is a wonder and I love her. You know what that means don’t ya!? – it mean’s a birthday toast here on old Dawesome!

To begin, Lindsey is very, very smart – I don’t know how she knows ALL that she knows  but it seems like if I have a question about just about anything she knows the answer. She has a great brain. It holds lots of information, information that she can retain. To me this is miraculous because 15 minutes after reading something I pretty much forget it. Added to her very fine brain she is a deeply passionate person. If she is passionate about a given subject she immerses herself in it – lives it, drinks it, breathes it. From there, she masters it and then moves on to the next thing. I often think that if she decided to she could do just about ANYTHING. Her general pattern is to  figure it out, conquer it and basically own it!

She is also very talented. Her talents range far and wide – but the one I often feel most grateful for is her remarkable ability to cook. She is a chef-ess if ever I met one. She can do it all – from foie gras to souffle. But even though she can do fancy, she will still feed her kids mac and cheese. Once my sister Brynn and I were talking about Linds and her cooking skillz. We were generally marveling about her great gift then Brynn said something profound, “I don’t even want to ask Lindsey for her recipe, because I know if I make it, it won’t turn out as well as it would if she made it.” Brynn is right. Lindsey doesn’t just have a sense for food – she’ll often take a recipe and improve it, she’s got magic hands. If she touches it, it turns to gold! It is that special something that is just, God given.

Just look at the work and love she put into the cake she made for Chas and Sam’s wedding. She’d never made a wedding cake EVER, yet she was able to whip up this four tiered wonder!  When true genius and true love comes together it is  the most beautiful combination.

(Plus she made the other two cakes you see pictured!)

Whenever I have a cooking question or am in the middle of experiencing a cooking disaster I call Lindsey. Once I was making pistachio ice cream for a friend and it WAS A TOTAL NIGHTMARE, until I called the “Ice Cream Whisperer” aka Lindsey and she not only talked me off the cliff, she took my sorry excuse for ice cream and turned it into a masterpiece! (Every time I call her and ask for her help I feel kind of cool – like I have a direct line to a cooking genius – I don’t need to watch Rachael Ray cuz I’ve got my Lindsey J, suckaz!!)

Now, I also know that Linds has had moments where things haven’t turned out PERFECTLY – but in general I have to put her right up there with Julia Child. For several years she wrote a very popular blog called Cafe Johnsonia, which had a considerable following. A few months ago she decided to give it up because she felt like it was taking over her life and that she wasn’t able to spend proper time with her kids. Many times I hear this type of conundrum referred to as a “work/life balance” issue. For many successful women bloggers, blogging  is a way to get out of being a mom. But not Linds, when she felt like it was taking too much focus away from her most important priority she cast it right off. Over and done. The end.

This is something else that I really admire and respect about Lindsay. I think at her core she is a deeply spiritual person. I watched her be semi-tortured over her blog and her relationship to it. She was always very prayerful about it and how to proceed. I was amazed when she was able to just give it up and walk away when she realized that it wasn’t the right thing for her to do anymore.

That takes guts.

Lindsay is not only very bright and interesting, she’s also got great taste. Not just in food either! She gets art, and music and home decor etc.

Lindsay is a devoted mother and wife. She is truly devoted to her family.

Not a bad looking crew, if I do say so myself. And speaking of good looking, I think that Lindsey is totally BEAUTIFUL. She has the most beautiful skin – it is milky, flawless and glowing. She has crystal blue eyes a perfect nose (that I actually covet) and rosebud lips.

My mom and I think that she looks like this model.

No doubt if Linds had some of that Le Verns jonx slathered over her eyes and some of that mauve lipstick she could put this chick to shame!

She is also a very talented photographer (see above photos of her progeny as evidence).

She is also very modest. Sometimes I fear maybe too modest – to the point where she has no idea just how wonderful she is and how much she has to offer.

Lindsay is very kind. She is funny and honest. I still remember when she and I went out to lunch when I was in UT last year and she had been reading a book that she felt like she was learning a lot from. I was amazed at her ability to analyze and evaluate her personal efforts to grow and change. It was such a wonderful discussion. She was so honest that it struck me how much of the pain we suffer in relationships comes when we are unable to be honest in love.  I have had many talks like this with her. When we are finished she always inspires me to try harder and be better.  I really appreciate her willingness to be candid and open.

She is also very considerate. When my mom came here to take care of me after Clara was born, Lindsey took care of my dad and siblings who were in UT missing my mom. She took over Sunday dinners, dropped off treats and was all around wonderful. That meant so much to me. Thank you for doing that, Linds!

She also has a little bit of a irreverent streak! She doesn’t bring that one out around me that often, but I know it is there.

She has been through many, many hard things in her young life – but she has held on to the good and consequently she has been and continues to be blessed. Both she and her husband, my cousin Fred, have been through some very challenging experiences. I admire both of them for their commitment to each other, to their kids and to the gospel.

I for one feel very, very blessed not only to know her but to call her a cousin!

Happy Birthday, Linds!

P.S. What cake did you make for your birthday & please tell me it had butter cream frosting!!! Seriously, I hope your day was wonderful because you deserve WONDERFUL!!

Check this out!

Today, at church, as I was talking to my friend Amanda, she and I & realized that we coordinated. Between herself,  her baby and myself – we were all wearing white, gray and black with red accents. CRAZY, no?!

(I have mentioned our tendency to come to church in the same outfit, but this was a new twist with Lucy getting in on “the vibe”!)

Then Jan came over and HE MATCHED TOO. Gray suit, white shirt  & a red tie with tiny white polka dots.

Then when we realized that our other children were also dressed in some combination of gray, red and white!! Not to mention that Lucy’s shoes, Jan’s tie and Millie’s coat were all red with white polka dots.

WHAT THE?!?!

This was so nuts we just had to have it documented.

And blog about it.

*

*

The end.

P.S. Craig, Amanda’s husband, was out of town, just in case you were wondering why he didn’t feature. I wonder what he was wearing on the plane ride home. Hmmm? Perhaps I should call him and see if he was wearing gray, white and red.  🙂

…BECAUSE

Sam & Chas’ wedding pictures have just been released to the general public

& I am a member of said group

As such,

I have viewed the photos multiple times

(all the while SMILING)

& now

have the great pleasure of bringing them to YOU!

You can go here to see them

OR

you can watch this little slide show that I have spent all day working on (no guilt, but please watch it if you love me and care about my feelings)

By way of explanation:

Sam loves the song “Blackbird” from The White Album, as I have mentioned once before. On the very same album is one of my favorite songs of all times, “I Will”. I think that this song could have been written just for Chas and Sam as it seems to encapsulate their story beautifully.

So I was thinking, perhaps when the blackbird finally makes her way to the light, she meets her love, builds their nest and sings a new song? Eh? Eh?

(or perhaps I should just get dressed already and not take myself and this little project so seriously?)

At any rate, I would like dedicate this song to them along with one of my all time favorite love poems by dear old Rumi. Gotta see the slide show if you wanna read the poem.

Check it out, suckaz — you are in for a treat, cuz I WENT TO TOWN with the iMovie special effects!!