Meaghan: Through the Years & Forever More.

YESTERDAY:

TODAY:

Meaghan, we love you more than you can fathom. And we are here for you - always. Even when you don't necessarily want us to be ... because you are SO worth it.

Forever your family ...

Jodi, Halis & Isaac

xoxoxo

How I Know Spring is HERE: Tell Tale Sign #2.

MUD!

Enjoy ...
Jodi

How I Know Spring is HERE: Tell Tale Sign #1.

... lots of eggs ... of every color ... Yum.

Happy Spring!

xo,
Jodi

Please Join Us in Downtown Bangor! Celebrate the Arts.

"Shake off the winter doldrums and celebrate the coming of spring at the next Downtown Bangor Artwalk from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 19.

Come see what Bangor's photographers, painters, musicians, fiber artists, installation artists, potters and more have created during the long winter.The Downtown Bangor Artwalk is FREE and open to the public!

Among 16 venues presenting well over 40 artisans, Artwalk organizers are pleased to introduce several new participants. Epic Sports will be showing the work of artist Lyndsey Marston, and the Art in the Heart exhibit featuring works by local art educators will have an opening reception for the evening at the Bangor Public Library Lecture Hall. Also be sure to stop by Studio 36 on Hammond Street to see the photography of Jodi Renshaw.The University of Maine Museum of Art will feature Resonant Places: Paintings by Megan Chase; Simple Complexity: Installation and Works by Gerry Stecca; Bio-Permutation: Sculptures by David Isenhour; and Burnt Cove: Watercolors of the Maine Landscape by Gerald Matthew Immonen. And by Design Gallery will feature the ongoing Bangor, Brush with History: honoring Bangor Maine's 175th, showing new works by artists throughout Maine.

Top off your evening by stopping in at one of downtown Bangor’s many restaurants, or mingle with a portion of Bangor’s artistic community during an after-party at The Charles Inn at West Market Square. The party starts at 10 p.m. Your $12 ticket entitles you to a glass of beer or wine and a full assortment of complimentary hors d’oeuvres. There's a limited number of tickets available and they must be bought in advance. Get yours at Metropolitan Soul or The Charles Inn starting March 1, 2010. Call 207-992-2820 for information.

You'll find Artwalk maps listing the participating venues and featured artists at these locations:> University of Maine Museum of Art> Metropolitan Soul> Bangor Wine and Cheese> Bangor Public Library> One Lupine Fiber Arts

Questions? Comments? Contact JoAnne Houlsen at 207-947-0937, or contact@downtownartscollaborative.org." (quoted from Facebook page)

Hope to see you!

Isaac's 5th Birthday Photo Shoot.

Every year --- on Isaac's Birthday --- he dons his Daddy's shirt for a mini-photo shoot to show how much he has grown. And boy has he grown since he last wore that shirt! (Click here to see his previous birthday photos.)

So, here he is ... the most beautiful person I have ever met ---

Little Man ... we love you more and more with every breathe we take ... and we are EVER so proud of who you are and who you are becoming.

xoxoxoxoxo,

Mommy

StarFysh Project.

This amazing guy helped us find our family in Haiti. Please consider helping him to continue his inspirational work there. Please visit his blog at www.cultureandsensitivity.blogspot.com.

Love,
Jodi

The Incredible Hulk : Isaac.

* Photo taken by Heidi Turner.

I think my son truly believes that he has the ability to transform into the Hulk. We love it.

Love,

Jodi

The 'Incredible' Hulk.

I swore that SO many things would or would not happen when I was to be a Mom. I swore that my children would be vegetarian, would be ignorant of all things Disney, would barely watch television, would only play with handmade toys, etc...etc... And I have failed on all of the aforementioned. I also swore that my children would not watch violence of any kind ... especially of the comic book variety. But alas, the Incredible Hulk has entered our lives, our home, our play, and our consciousness. I am not quite sure how this has happened. I try to look back on where it all started ... and I think it had something to do with a box lot of toys that I bought at Goodwill (I kept my promise that my children would not shop at WalMart - and would instead but all their toys at thrift shops). I believe there was a hulk toy in the lot ... and I remember Isaac asking me who he was .... and that he became totally intrigued with my answer. Now - we are a Marvel comic family ... Iron Man being my person fave.

So - how do I sleep at night knowing that I have allowed punching, kicking and smashing into our household? Well, it is simple really. For one, my son is a very good boy. He knows right from wrong ... loves his fellow human beings ... and has a generous and gentle nature. Secondly, the Marvel characters are "heroes / heroines". They fight for "good". And although I absolutely believe that "good" and "bad" are totally subjective (in fact my favorite quote is: "There is neither good nor bad, only thinking makes it so." by William Shakespeare) ... I recognize that children his age do not have the brain capacity to think subjectively. They understand the concrete. So, for them, there are good people and bad people. And there are victims of bad people. It is those victims that need a "hero" ... and that is what my son appreciates about watching the Hulk, Batman, Spiderman, Wonder Woman, Iron Man, etc. He sees them as heroes who fight evil for the benefit of us all. I can live with that. In fact, for now, it makes my job as a parent a bit easier. How? Well, he wants to be like those heroes. During private play, he punches, kicks and smashes the air ... at those bad guys ... and saves the universe. He is the victor ... always. He believes in himself. He believes that good always triumphs.

He will learn later that power and heroism do not need to come from brute strength. He will learn later that people like Martin Luther King, Ghandi, Mother Theresa, etc. were superheroes of their time --- without the need for punching. He will learn later that "good" and "evil" are not so clear cut. But for now, this is okay. My little man is exerting his testosterone by saving his imaginative world of all evil-doers.

.... And I am continuing to learn to change the rules of our house to suit the people in it. I am learning that everything that I thought about being a Mom before I became a Mom is all up for review and transformation.

Welcome, Mr. Incredible Hulk. You were an unexpected guest ... but we are glad to have you on board.

Love,

Jodi