Ok. Now that life is getting back to normal here - I am bound and determined to get my next unfinished gazebo layout completed to list on Monday. I kinda mixed up my "series" and am doing a gazebo + song series layout... do you want to know which song? :) Can't tell ya. It's a surprise...
Back to work I go - HI Ho HI Ho.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Out of bad comes a little good?
Well, these past couple weeks have been a struggle. Trying desperately to compile everything I can for memorial scrapbooks for the two families of Gale and John. This has been SO MUCH harder than I would have thought! I've created well over 150 albums for people all over the world, some with pictures- some with only themes for me to work by. This time, it's so much different. I've never lost a family member... or someone close to me yet. Working with pictures, and stories relating to these two lives cut SO SHORT has been heart breaking. The thing that is helping me the most is knowing that the children will have these to look through as they grow up. One is only 5 years old. Do you have memories of your life at 5? I sure don't. Will she remember her father, and all the wonderful things he did for her, for his family, for his community? Well, hopefully with this album- it will help her to remember, and to know what a great man and great friend he was to our family and to the Fire Department and that is a "good thing". So I'm blessed in a way to get to create these. It's stressful, I want them to be perfect... so wish me luck.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
The WORST week of our lives...
Well, I have to say that the past week of my life has been more stressful than anything I've ever been through before. On Thursday of last week, two of our Medford Firefighters went missing. My husband was on duty that night, I received an email Friday morning that the all night search effort that involved our off duty firefighters and those who volunteered to help from all over Southern Oregon, as well as Search and Rescue had not solved the mystery of the 2 missing men.
Gale and John were best friends, and often went to a place outside of Medford called John's Peak with the rest of the guys to ride ATV's, motorcycles- and this time, John's new Polaris Razor Side by Side. They left Thursday afternoon, were supposed to be home by 5 - and never returned. With the help of 5 helicopters scanning the area Friday morning, the vehicle was found and the search for the 2 men became a recovery mission. They were found, still strapped in to the vehicle, down a 2000 ft. embankment. Evidently after making the climb up the embankment in the ATV and trying to pass the ridge at the top, the vehicle got hung up and flipped over- which resulted in the two men rolling end to end all the way back down to their death.
They were recovered by men and friends from their department, one of them my neighbor and close friend to my husband Battalion Chief Rohrbough. The recovery took the rest of the day while hundreds of off duty firefighters from around Southern Oregon stood by at the command post on John's Peak.
Gale was an engineer and was hired at the same time as my husband. He has a wife, also named Melissa and two little girls- aged 5 and 7. Melissa and I had our 7 year olds one month apart and often saw each other at our well baby checks. John Wells worked with my husband for 2 years at station 6 before Dan was promoted to engineer - and he was one of the most friendly helpful men I've ever known. My two boys loved him, every time we visited daddy at the station- John was there to show them the engines. It didn't matter if we were there the day before, he went through the motions with my boys, lights on, sirens on- lets flip all the switches. You know, spending time showing little boys what it means to be a real life hero.
I have never in my life seen men grieve this way. It has truly broken my heart to see them this way. It sounds cliche- the "brotherhood" of firefighters- however they eat, sleep and breathe together day in and day out. We are family. We watch each other's kids, we go on vacations together, we support each other through difficult times, we help build each others homes, we grow old together...
In a few short days, we had to prepare for the largest Firefighter Memorial Service the state of Oregon has ever seen. Never has the city of Medford Fire. Dept lost 2 men in one day and we are one of the larger departments in Oregon. The family and firefighters pulled together, we worked day and night to accommodate the families and their requests.
The Memorial Service took place Wednesday- proceeded by a procession through town to the reception, which consisted of 80 engines from all over the state of Oregon. This was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. My husband is responsible for the Arial Ladder Truck at Medford's Station 4. He was responsible for hanging the American Flag from his engine, and another from Central Point for the procession to pass through on it's way to the reception. Again, one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. The progression began as the families got into their escorted vehicles, while the bagpipers played Amazing Grace.
Below are photographs of our day... the service was spectacular, and honored greatly the 2 men that served their community, saved lives, and risked their own on a daily basis. I am so proud to be a part of this department as a wife. I'm so proud of my husband and the other men who pulled this whole thing together. You are all heroes. You are all role models for our children to look up too and deserve our respect, our gratitude and our honor.
Here are the pictures:
walking to the service for family and dept. members
view from the back of the church
Picture Gale
Folding of the flags
Hanging of the flag
beneath the flag
Dan's engine is on the left
As the procession began, we had 8 SAS helicopters fly over in man rescue formation, with one flying with a flag
People waiting to get in, to no avail
Gale and John were best friends, and often went to a place outside of Medford called John's Peak with the rest of the guys to ride ATV's, motorcycles- and this time, John's new Polaris Razor Side by Side. They left Thursday afternoon, were supposed to be home by 5 - and never returned. With the help of 5 helicopters scanning the area Friday morning, the vehicle was found and the search for the 2 men became a recovery mission. They were found, still strapped in to the vehicle, down a 2000 ft. embankment. Evidently after making the climb up the embankment in the ATV and trying to pass the ridge at the top, the vehicle got hung up and flipped over- which resulted in the two men rolling end to end all the way back down to their death.
They were recovered by men and friends from their department, one of them my neighbor and close friend to my husband Battalion Chief Rohrbough. The recovery took the rest of the day while hundreds of off duty firefighters from around Southern Oregon stood by at the command post on John's Peak.
Gale was an engineer and was hired at the same time as my husband. He has a wife, also named Melissa and two little girls- aged 5 and 7. Melissa and I had our 7 year olds one month apart and often saw each other at our well baby checks. John Wells worked with my husband for 2 years at station 6 before Dan was promoted to engineer - and he was one of the most friendly helpful men I've ever known. My two boys loved him, every time we visited daddy at the station- John was there to show them the engines. It didn't matter if we were there the day before, he went through the motions with my boys, lights on, sirens on- lets flip all the switches. You know, spending time showing little boys what it means to be a real life hero.
I have never in my life seen men grieve this way. It has truly broken my heart to see them this way. It sounds cliche- the "brotherhood" of firefighters- however they eat, sleep and breathe together day in and day out. We are family. We watch each other's kids, we go on vacations together, we support each other through difficult times, we help build each others homes, we grow old together...
In a few short days, we had to prepare for the largest Firefighter Memorial Service the state of Oregon has ever seen. Never has the city of Medford Fire. Dept lost 2 men in one day and we are one of the larger departments in Oregon. The family and firefighters pulled together, we worked day and night to accommodate the families and their requests.
The Memorial Service took place Wednesday- proceeded by a procession through town to the reception, which consisted of 80 engines from all over the state of Oregon. This was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. My husband is responsible for the Arial Ladder Truck at Medford's Station 4. He was responsible for hanging the American Flag from his engine, and another from Central Point for the procession to pass through on it's way to the reception. Again, one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. The progression began as the families got into their escorted vehicles, while the bagpipers played Amazing Grace.
Below are photographs of our day... the service was spectacular, and honored greatly the 2 men that served their community, saved lives, and risked their own on a daily basis. I am so proud to be a part of this department as a wife. I'm so proud of my husband and the other men who pulled this whole thing together. You are all heroes. You are all role models for our children to look up too and deserve our respect, our gratitude and our honor.
Here are the pictures:
walking to the service for family and dept. members
view from the back of the church
Picture Gale
Folding of the flags
Hanging of the flag
beneath the flag
Dan's engine is on the left
As the procession began, we had 8 SAS helicopters fly over in man rescue formation, with one flying with a flag
People waiting to get in, to no avail
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Introducing... BTDL's Masterpiece Monday!
The artists of BTDL (Better Than Doing Laundry) are constantly supporting and challenging each other to creating art that will be treasured and cherished for ages to come. While each and every piece we make is a work of "heart", we thought it would be fun to challenge each other to create a piece that pulls out all the stops! Goes beyond the distance, raises the bar so high a giant could limbo under it, detailed to the last drop-dead-gorgeous... and as a result, "Masterpiece Mondays" were born. This is the night where BTDL artists list a piece they have dreamed of for months,sweated over all week, and held nothing back in the attempt to knock you off your seat!
Here is my First Masterpiece for our Monday Promotions- 5th in my Gazebo Collection!
Monday, April 14, 2008
GRAND OPENING OF BTDL BOUTIQUE!
GRAND OPENING OF BTDL DESIGNS WEBSITE!
April 15th - 30th
http://www.shoppalstores.com/BTDLDesigns/
Please register for an account and sign up for our newsletter! Anyone who signs up during our GRAND OPENING (April 15th-30th 2008) or who makes a purchase during this time will be entered into a drawing for a fabulous prize.
2 prizes will be given. Combined value greater than 150.00. Winners will be posted on the home page!
Friday, April 11, 2008
BTDL Featured Artist of the Week... JAX0127
This week I am featuring a SUPER cute layout created by BTDL's very own JAX0127. I chose this layout because it is truly original, in my favorite pastel brights. Check out these amazing details!
Hand pieced bugs wearing stylish sneakers, wading around in creamy, yummy PINK frosting on top of a birthday cake. This layout is perfect for those girly girl birthday photos. I love Jackie's originality and attention to detail!
Jackie's Ebay Auctions:
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
#4 in my Gazebo Collection Series
Okay, I decided to switch my Gazebo Collection launch dates to Mondays... Sundays are typically family days for me so this will make it easier for me to get these out on time! Here it is - a new twist on a gazebo... Park Play Style!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130212947415&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130212947415&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT
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