This Handmade Life

Fall Street Ball.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Sat, 19 Oct 2019 01:49:00 +0000

Daddy and I love your drive and passion for the game ... and for life. You are a constant inspiration, Isaac.

Love,
Mama

Photos (and Video) From a Rainy Afternoon in Belfast, Maine.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 03:44:00 +0000

There are two subjects I love to photograph more than any other ... the coast and my handsome son.

We recently spent a rainy afternoon in one of our favorite coastal cities, Belfast. I love the colors of a cloudy, rainy day ... especially as the sun goes down.

Here is what I came up with. They are more personal than artistic. But I hope Isaac looks back on this blog in the future to see how much I loved to photograph his growth and his life.

ALSO - I created my very first creative video this day. It is novice to be sure, but I do love it so. See end of post for video.

THE VIDEO:

Thank you for looking ... and sharing my joys with me.

Love,
Jodi

Isaac's 12th Birthday: Daddy's Shirt Fits Now.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 23:13:00 +0000

Yesterday was Isaac's 12th birthday. We spent it just the way he wanted to ... dinner at Governor's then the movie Logan at Hollywood Cinemas. He likes small celebrations (proof that he is not from my DNA).

When Isaac turned two years old, Halis and I started a tradition of taking a yearly birthday photo of him in his Dad's green button-down shirt. We would have started this tradition on his first birthday, but he was still residing in Haiti. I am embarrassed to say that I missed two years of doing this ... but we have nine years of photos in this shirt ... and that is pretty great.

I have blogged many times about my little man in his Dad's shirt. And because I can't seem to find those older photos right now ... you can look here, here and here for previous posts.

Someday, I will gather all the photos together and post them on here in chronological order. But until then ... here is our young man, Isaac Watson, fitting perfectly into his Dad's shirt at the age of 12. I expect that next year it might be a little tight.

Happiest Everything to You, dear Isaac. We love you SO freaking much. And are so proud of you. Thanks for choosing us to be your parents.

Love,

Jodi aka Mama

None of My Business, but ... well, Feminism ...

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 18:05:00 +0000

Recently, I was sitting in a hotel lobby ... falling in and out of sleep while trying to maintain an upright position on one of their couches. I was waiting for Halis and Isaac to finish up some meetings in a Northeast Shoe Conference thingy they were attending.

(Check out how handsome my boy looked for these meetings ... )

Sitting across from me was a small group of people conducting an interview. Two men were interviewing a woman about a position within their shoe company. It seemed to be a marketing position, but I can't be sure. I really wasn't trying to eavesdrop. In fact, I was mostly reading the subtitles of the latest Spicer press conference ... and shaking my head in bewilderment of how we got here as a country. However, I picked up on a few key pieces of the interview conversation. And then I stuck my nose in it. Because, well ... feminism.

(I purposely kept the compositions dark so that these people's identities were kept private).

As I was inadvertently listening to the interview ... I heard one of the men ask the woman about her husband's job ... his salary ... and then about her kids. His tactic in doing so was that he said their company was very family-orientated and that they were all basically "one big family". (cough ... gag). When asked about her husband, she simply replied that they were "a dual income family" and then she looked right over at me. And we locked eyes. I will never know what she was thinking in that moment but I took it as an invitation to write her an encouraging note.

I believe it went something like this ...

"Dear Lovely Lady,

A man would never be asked about his wife's job, her salary, or about his children in a job interview. You know this. Fight the patriarchy! I heard what they offered you. It is not enough. You are worth more. Stay strong and keep up the good fight.

~ Jodi"

I passed it to her as she left the interview. I hope she understands the spirit with which it was given.

Maybe it was watching Spicer spew his alternative facts ... maybe it was the way she locked eyes with me as though she were looking for back up ... or maybe I am just so sick and tired of the double standards ... but minding my own business was not an option. I don't think it ever has been. And most certainly not in this political and cultural climate.

So, rock on "Lovely Lady" ... whoever you are ... and may you get whatever job you wish for in this world.

Love,

Jodi

The Many Faces of Sweet Presley.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 20:17:00 +0000

My niece. She kills me. Not only is she one of the most adorable people on this earth ... but she has a wonderful sense of self that some might call "attitude". I LOVE attitude. She's as sweet as can be ... but she knows what she wants. And she is not going to do anything that she doesn't want to do. I respect and encourage that in kiddos (unless of course it puts them in danger, I think you know what I mean).

She also makes THE BEST faces. And she doesn't even try. They are just her natural looks. And they slay me to no end.

When I ask her to take a photo ... this is usually what I get ...

And if I wait patiently enough ... I might end up with something like this ...

Good Lord, I love her. And her parents.

That face. Those cheeks. Those eyes. That hair. She makes my heart sing ... even if she is not all that interested in me :)

Love,
Jodi

104 Things to Photograph: Unmade Bed & Afternoon Sun

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 00:02:00 +0000

Still plugging away at this book. I even carry a list of prompts with me wherever I go in case I spot something that is on the list of 104 Things to Photograph.

Yesterday, I shot two of the photo prompts:

I give you "unmade bed":

That lovely lady lounging on Halis's side of the bed, is none other than Miss Lyra Jones. She is the Queen of this house. Over 6 years ago, I blogged about finding my way to her. If you are interested, that post is right here.

For my second photo prompt of the day, I give you "afternoon sun":

This vintage pencil sharpener is screwed in to the desk I use to edit my photos and to type these posts. The sweet little desk cost me $15 at a Kiwanis barn sale ... and sits in my bedroom, right by my front window. From the side window to my left, the afternoon sun was ablaze ... casting major shadows on the wall ... and highlighting my super-cool-Sears-crank-handled-pencil-sharpener. So, I took the shot. Not high art, but the point is to photograph things you might not notice otherwise.

Now, Miss Lyra ... SHE is high art. (Look at the way she models so effortlessly ... she's both a natural ... and a Diva).

Love,

Jodi

104 Things to Photograph: A Graveyard & What's in Your Pocket

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 02:41:00 +0000

Since writing yesterday's blog post, I feel quite determined to complete the book: 104 Things to Photograph (see this post).

Today, I asked Isaac to pick a photo prompt from the book that he would be willing to model for. I should have guessed he would pick: "a graveyard". But he didn't want to do anything scary or macabre. He just wanted to look handsome. And yeah ... he's pretty good at that.

This is what we came up with ...

He looks pretty aloof here ... it's not his favorite expression ... but I like it. It's him. And I can still see some "baby face" in his cheeks that I am certain will be gone all too soon.

This is our favorite graveyard (if one can be so odd as to have a favorite graveyard), Mount Hope Cemetery in Bangor, Maine. The interesting history here is endless and the grounds are so beautiful. We catch frogs here in the various ponds during the summer. Much of my toy photography work is done here, as well. So yeah, it is a favorite spot for us. We picnic here, go for walks, and even bring company along to enjoy the space.

Now, I can check off "a graveyard" from the list of 104 things I need to photograph.

But I wasn't content with this being the only photo of the day ... so I chose a prompt as well ... "what's in your pocket". Since we went beachcombing on Monday, I knew my coat pocket was filled with all sorts of seaside goodness. Here is what I came up with ...

I started pulling things out of my coat on to the table ... no rhyme or reason ... and without knowing exactly what was going to appear. I can't tell you how often my coat pockets contain similar items ... because it is so often. I can't and don't go to the ocean without grabbing at least one rock, one shell, and one piece of sea glass. I get giddy when I find bottle necks, so this was an especially good loot day. And yeah, that moss ... awesome.

These treasures have now been bottled, awaiting more flotsam and jetsam to join them. I especially love their colors against the red. And now I can check off "what's in your pocket" on my list.

Just 101 more photos to go.

Love,

Jodi

104 Things to Photograph: Book Covers.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 05:44:00 +0000

It might be over a year now since I purchased the book: 104 Things to Photograph by Chronicle Books. It has sat on my bookshelf waiting for me to gather the motivation and time it takes to complete such a project. Once upon a time, I thought that I would complete this book within a year by photographing two of the assigned photo prompts per week. But now I realize that if I do not put time constraints on such an endeavor, I am far more likely to complete it.

This book is very basic, and also quite charming. It contains thick pages of paper that have little slots cut in throughout, so that you may place your completed photos above the assigned photo prompts. 104 prompts, 104 photo areas, 2 photos per page.

And tonight I was ready to begin!

I asked my best girl, Bronwyn, to help me with the prompt: "book covers" .... and we headed to Books-A-Million to complete the task. I knew that I wanted to find a book cover with a face on it, and have her put it in front of her own ... but I had no idea what we might find. I think we hit absolute jackpot with this one ...

Here is my first entry into this fine scrapbook-of-sorts. I look forward to 103 more prompts. And maybe I will finish this by 2018.

Love,
Jodi

Dear Isaac: Mosman Park in Winter.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 05:44:00 +0000

Dear Isaac,

Today, the temperature was about 46 degrees. And you know what that means. If the temp is anywhere near the 50 degree mark ... in the middle of winter ... we head to the coast. It is simply a rule in this house. Sure, we just had a record snowfall about three days ago ... but we are Mainers. And we are ocean loving creatures who absolutely need a whiff of salty air to get our juices flowing. So we headed out to one of our favorite spots ... Mosman Park in Searsport, ME.

It wasn't THE most beautiful day. But it was sunny, and Daddy was willing. He just bought a metal detector ... and that is how we were able to convince him to join us.

You and I started out by walking out as far as we could on the sand bar that juts far out into the sea. The tide was coming in, so we knew we didn't have much time. I found some gorgeous sea glass, as I always do here. And then I snapped this photo of you ...

We weren't the only ones who took the trek out to the sea today. There were a few groups of people there. We were certain that no one else would want to brave the staircase down to the sea, as it was full of about 3 feet of snow on each step ... and plenty of ice to break a body part on. But those folks must have been sea creatures, too.

Several young kiddos saw Daddy out with his detector and wanted to learn more about it. He had a crowd going around him for awhile. But you and I took off to look at one of our favorite spots there ... where a stream flows into the sea. During the summer it is so full of beautiful, bright green algae ... and long ago you named it: Green Land. However, it is quite barren and lacking in any color this time of year.

We did find a gorgeous spot of rust colored rocks and ledge ... and I knew it would be a great backdrop for a photo ... so I also snapped this one of you ...

You love this picture. You helped me post process it in Photoshop. You wanted a darker look to it then I was giving it. You have opinions on photography now. This makes me so glad. You recently bought this leather jacket at a KMart going out of business sale ... and you feel so good in it. It ages you a bit (which you love) and I am having a bit of a hard time watching my baby grow up so fast.

I have long heard of parents lamenting how fast time goes by when you have kids ... and how they become so grown so quickly. I now know this to be absolutely true. You are almost 12 now. And I have no idea how we got here. I have spent every single day with you since you were 13 months old. Yet, somehow I feel like I missed entire months or years ... because this can't have happened this quickly ... you becoming so adult looking.

After some time spent looking for sea glass and other flotsam and jetsam, we trekked back to Daddy, who was busy finding all manner of useless metals under the sand. He was having a great time with his hunt. It mattered little that he was pulling out nails, soda can tabs, and chunks of steel from the ground ... rather than gold coins. The thrill of the scavenging was keeping him well entertained. His only wish was that you join him in this new hobby ... so you did.

It turned out to be pretty fun and exciting. Daddy looks forward to taking you out to search for more treasure. We are headed to Florida in less than 2 weeks, and Daddy says he is going to spend some time with you and the metal detector. I am hoping you both find something that we can retire on!

You and I did get bored with it much quicker than Daddy did (he would have kept going till well past dark if he had his way - and hey - that means he will join us at the coast more!), so we decided to make a game of jumping from rock to rock. The sand was hot lava. And you were the first to fall in ... so I dubbed you Anakin Skywalker ...

Today was a good day. Tomorrow I am going to make a jar to collect Daddy's first metal detector loot. I'll post a photo later. You and I also found some super cool glass bottle necks. I'll start a jar for those as well. Anyway ... I so look forward to spring so that we can build our collections, go boating again, and finish up our lighthouse visits. Till then, we shall look forward to more 40-50 degree winter weather!

Love you always.

Mama

Dear Diary: Installment #6.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 19:07:00 +0000

April 10, 1987
10:30 pm

"Dear Diary -

Well, the dance is over. the last 10 min.'s were the worst of my life.

O.K. I'll start from the beginning:

I got there and every one was outside. They looked great, but after looking around, I realized that I looked pretty good too! I went in with Danielle and Jen. I put my coat & stuff down and started to talk to people. Then Kris (Whitmore) walked in & then all my friends started piling in. Well ... we started dancing and I felt awkward (cause I hadn't danced in a while). So ... I saw Craig & the guys on the bleachers (acting crazy).

Well, after a while I was really starting to dance good. After missing the first slow song, I asked Craig to dance w/me (on the next).

Well, after a couple dances with him I went to get a drink. Well, as I was drinking, a slow song came on and when I went back in Craig was mad 'cause I was gone. So of course I turned to Chris Riendeau for advice. He said, "Jodi, I really think you should dump him now." And I said, "No Chris, I love him!"

Well Chadd (Edman) came along, sat next to me and started talking to me about Craig. He told me to break up with him too. He even asked me if I would let him punch Craig (cause he hates him). of course, I said Noooo!

Why do I love him?

Anyways, I went and talked to him at the top of the bleachers and as the guys were screaming "Ya, go for it!" (ands lots of other things), I talked to him and asked him why he was mad at me cause someone told me he was. Well, of course he asked me who told me. He gave me that look that said, "If you don't tell me it's over." So, I had to tell him Chris & Chadd said that. So Chris came to the top of the bleachers to see what was going on and Craig pulled him by the shirt and started yelling at him. I felt terrible even though I knew he was 1/2 kidding.

Well, (I'm skipping a lot of things) later on " I Miss You" came on & Jen started crying so I went and hugged her. Well, that really chipped Craig off!!! He wouldn't talk to me, so I stormed off. Well, I don't know exactly what happened after but I went up to Craig and Danny and started asking them what was wrong. Well he told me he hates all my friends. Well, I explained that I love my friends! (That didn't help). Kris and Craig were giving eachother the finger all night.

At the end of the dance (almost) Craig & them walked off and I went after them (expecting a good night kiss). Well after asking him if he could just stay for the last dance (No) he walked off without even saying goodbye. I started to ball my eyes out and Kris W. saw me so she started crying. Walking and crying we went to get our jackets. When I was all set to leave, all the girls came up to me and kept telling me he was a loser and I'm too good for him. Well, if he's so bad, why do I love him?Well Kris cried harder than ever while telling me that Chris told her before the dance that he was gonna break up with me at the dance. She cried and told me she was sorry.

Maybe he likes me now, now that he had time to get to know me. But then, why did he leave without saying goodbye? I love Chris, Chadd and Kris. They are so good to me!

Well, here are some other things that happened:

Jen and Tim are going out, cause Tim asked her.

Darlene was nice to me! (and later she started crying).

Christian finally got to know me.

My hair stayed half way decent.

Well, I'll talk to you more about the dance tomorrow!

Love ya,
Me"

Wisdom of this entry: Oh where do I begin? Here we see the typical drama of a preteen school dance. Girl loves boy. Boy plays hard to get. Girl's friends beg her to stop chasing boy. Girl doesn't listen. Classic. But one thing I didn't know then, that I would later learn in a very hard way ... is that the boys that are your "friends" who tell you to break up with another boy ... well, they aren't really interested in your well-being ... but rather, they want to become the next boyfriend. Every. Time. Without fail. Unless they are gay. Listen to the gays. They actually do have your back (I'm looking at you, Danny).

Oh - and crying. These dances were clearly put together by adult staff in an effort to create an atmosphere of emotional torture that would thus elicit sloppy tears. Teachers and chaperones must have considered this payback for all the crap we put them through (I'm looking at you Mr. Grady).

Of further note, Craig is not a loser. He's one of the kindest men I know. And I miss his face. And his candor. And clearly, he still owes me a goodnight kiss. ;)

Dear Diary: Installment #5.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 22:40:00 +0000

April 10, 1987

"Diary -

Its before the dance - (around 4pm). I truly don't feel like going !! Craig wrote me a nice note but he still doesn't talk to me. You know that embarrassing question he was gonna ask me ... well he did. He asked me if I ever made out with a boy. I didn't tell him (yet).

Well, Tim is keeping a big secret from me. I'm real upset about that! See ... after the dance, everyone is going to Ho-Jo's (except me) and something "big" is gonna happen w/ Craig and no one will tell me!

Chris Riendeau was arguing with Tim 'cause he wanted Tim to tell me but he still didn't!

I'll have to write more after the dance.

Love ya,
Jodi"

Wisdom of this entry: Friends shouldn't keep secrets. Not about what is going down after a dance. That's just rude. And if you are reading this Craig (and I love that I know you are reading every entry) .... the answer is Yes. I made out with Patrick Deware in 7th grade. And I got in SO much trouble for it with Brother Phil. SO much detention. Honestly, I think Brother Phil was jealous. I'm pretty sure he wanted to make out with Patrick.

Dear Diary: Installment #4.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 03:51:00 +0000

April 9th, 1987

"Dear Diary,

I can go to the dance 2-morrow! Yippee Skipee!! My clothes look great and I just got my hair cut. At first I didn't like it, but then I moussed it and its great! I'm so excited except that Craig hasn't talked to me. But with him you never know!

So ... I'll just wait it out! And if he doesn't love me anymore I'll be sad but I won't let it get to me. Like a lot of my friends have been telling me, I can find someone else. I don't want to sound cruel though. He is a good friend. Maybe that's all he can be!

Love,
Me

P.S. Thank you Lord for blessing me."

Wisdom of this entry: If you don't love me anymore, I won't let it get to me. So, move along.

(Who was this strong girl? I need to find her within myself again.)

Dear Diary. Installment #3.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 02:38:00 +0000

April 8, 1987
6:15 pm

"Diary,

My mom is packing, my father's working on odd jobs, and my brother's in love.

Today has not been a very good day.

Craig did not write me a note all day. (But if its one thing I've learned - its that you can never know when to expect a note from him).

Also, during gym (which I hate) someone asked me if I had a black eye, because I had huge bags under my eyes (since I was up till 11:00 last night).

Also, I've needed a pair of sneakers for a week (cause the dog ate mine) and know one will give me a ride to the store. That really bugs me, seeing I do a lot of work around the house.

Well, now for the best part of the day (I mean that sarcastically). When I came home, I got a letter from the mail, written by Kris W. Its very emotional. Reading it made me cry. And it made me think. I really need her! I love her D/N/Q.

I'll quote something she wrote me:
"Never in my life have I met a person who I would do anything for ... you are that person. You are a very special part of me and when you go, that special part of me will go, too. You are like a dream (come true), never going to stay 4-ever and I should have prepared myself for the time when this awesome dream would end."

That is just a small part of this rather long letter.

I don't know if I am really all she claims I am but I know that we have a special relationship. I have never had a friend that I've loved so much. Lord, she is the greatest, most miraculous thing (person) I've ever been blessed with. I have never had such an emotional problem in my life. I've never had to deal with such a thing.

My friends at Fairgrounds are so great. I've learned to see the good in every one. And to love the people for who they are.

Mindy, Kristin W., Crystal, Chris R., etc ... have been such great influences on me. I love them! Please Lord, you can't do this to me.

Well... I've enclosed the note Kris wrote me (and the one Craig wrote yesterday).

All I have to say is, the last day of school is going to be the worst day of my life (and I'm not just saying that! - it's worst then dieing!)

Love,
Me"

Wisdom from that entry: I survived leaving Fairgrounds, but returned after a year because my parents couldn't take my sadness for one more second. As I read this ... I am reminded of how WILD I still am about my friends and how deeply I appreciate them. So grateful to still be friends with most of the people mentioned in my diary :)

Also, I still hate gym & the dogs still eat my sneakers.

Dear Diary. Installment #2:

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 02:35:00 +0000

April 4, 1987:

"Dear Diary,

Today, Craig wrote me a note (included in box). I was so excited. Hugging is the first step ... I guess!

Anyway, after loads of persuasion by Kristin Whitmore, I got up the guts to call him (my parents weren't home - they went to a funeral for Judy's Mom).

At first he sounded like he didn't care about me but I think as we talked we both realized we could "open" up to eachother. Of course, Jamie didn't help much (he kept screaming so I couldn't hear Craig). Somehow ... we started talking about ourselves, telling eachother who we think we are and describing ourselves. Well - he told me (seriously) that he is real perverted. I guess I believe him ... He was being serious too! Well then he asked me who I am (actually in a round about way). So - after much thought I confessed that I am a dreamer. He didn't know exactly what I meant, but it felt good to tell it. I shouldn't tell him too much but sometimes it feels good to say certain things. (He also told me he has big feet - whether he was being sarcastic or not, I don't know). I've also learned that it is hard to tell if he's just trying to be funny of if he's serious. Maybe it'll take time to figure that out. Hopefully, if he's not too perverted, I'll have all the time in the world with him to figure out if he's serious or not!

Love,
Jodi"

Wisdom from the entry: Being less perverted may get you to first base.

Grammer comments: I still forget that eachother is two separate words. I apparently used "air quotes" twenty something years ago too. And I love these little dots ... and these little dashes -. Still.

I Found my 8th Grade Diary & Secret Notes. Dear Diary Installment #1:

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 23:59:00 +0000

The year is 1987. It is my first year in public school. I no longer have to wear uniforms. I am 13 years old ... 5'11" and wear a 36C bra. I am gorgeous but don't know it. I am incredibly awkward (still am). Public school kids are a totally new concept. Every day I am trying to figure out how to fit in. And then there is this boy I am totally crushing on. It's not my now husband. He's in my classes too ... but he's the guy I can't stand. This never-finished book is mostly about Craig ... and it starts over half way through the school year ...

April 2nd, 1987:

"Dear Diary,

I don't know exactly where to start. See, I wrote a letter to Craig Reynolds asking him if he would like to go out with me. It was a courageous thing to do! Well anyway, he said "Yes". But he didn't say it to my face. I had the guts enough to come out and ask him, why couldn't he at least tell me "Yes" in a letter. I'm not mad. I just wanna know if he really cares about me. I guess I love him. It's hard to say. People say that I made a real bad mistake. How will I know? It's only been a day. Maybe tomorrow he'll open up. I'll tell you tomorrow.

I want to write more but I don't think I should. This is enough for one day.

Love,
Jodi"

Wisdom of this entry: It's hard to know if it's true love, when it's only been a day.

Happy 41st Birthday, Halis!

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 03:25:00 +0000

About a week ago, I had lunch with my dear friend and fellow photographer, Jim Counihan. This sweet man described a gift he had created for his best friend's birthday. This best friend loves Maine but does not live here. So, Jim created a photo album full of pictures of some of his friend's favorite Maine spots ... and in each frame, Jim incorporated a Happy Birthday message to his friend. I loved this idea ... and immediately began to imagine how I could create something similar for Halis.

Halis is not a huge fan of birthdays ... and even less a fan of parties. He is a loving and loyal friend to many but prefers hanging with people one-on-one and not very frequently. (Do I need to mention that this is the opposite of me, who can't go a day without enjoying a friend?) With this in mind, I thought it might me a great idea to bring the party to Halis in the form of a photo album full of pictures of his family and friends sporting handmade Happy Birthday signs. Turns out this was a fantastic idea!

I put the call out via Facebook, text messaging, and e-mails ... requesting that loved ones take pictures of themselves ... with birthday wishes for Halis ... for inclusion in this project. And they did it in the most wonderful, creative ways! For those who preferred for me to take the photo, I invited them to meet me downtown to snap their smiles.

Pictures came in from Turkey, Haiti, & Canada ... from his workplace ... from his family ... from old high school friends ... from the local movie theater ... from people who he hasn't met yet.

Here are a few of the 70+ photos that were included in his birthday book:

Most made him smile ...

Some made him laugh ...

And these two ... well, these two made him cry ...

Why did the above photos make him cry? He misses these people so much ... and was shocked to see their faces in his birthday album, as it has been so long since he last communicated with any of them. The lack of communication was not for lack of want or love ... but rather, due to distance.

The two gentleman in the above photo set are in Haiti. They are the directors of the St. Joseph's Home for Boys ... the place where we stayed whenever we went to Haiti ... the place where Halis spent a month trying to bring Isaac home ... a place where miracles happen on a regular basis. These are Halis's heroes.

The two women in the above photo set are in Turkey. They are Halis's paternal Aunts. They love him with wild abandon. They long for him to visit. And Halis wants nothing more than for them to finally meet his son, Isaac. These women have been through much in their lives. They are strong, they are resilient, they are a connection to Halis's father ... whom he lost at such a young age. These are Halis's heroines.

Halis is not one to cry easily. In fact, in our 25 years together, I have rarely seen him do so. Clearly, this gift touched him greatly. He laughed out loud, he smiled big smiles, he "ooh"ed and "aw"ed, he cried. And he was so very thankful. To everyone involved. And so am I.

Thank you dear friends (and strangers!) for taking part in this. And perhaps each of you can borrow this idea as well and put your own twist on it. The memory of gifts, trinkets, and cards may fade ... but positive experiences and gestures of love do not. This gift will be treasured throughout his lifetime.

With Love,

Jodi

P.S. To see the entire album, minus a picture or two ... click HERE.

Remembering Our Journey to Isaac - As We Take the Journey to Our Next Miracle.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 05:01:00 +0000

Today, a dear friend of mine posted this as her facebook status: Tell me a story.

And so I did:

On August 21, 2005 - I made a trip to Haiti to meet my son for the first time. He was 5 months old and living in an orphanage in Port-au-Prince. I had seen photos of him and already loved him with all my heart but had never held him or heard his voice.

After a long and scary drive to the orphanage - in a small van filled with at least 6 other couples hoping to meet their children - we arrived at a gated and guarded building full of children.

As soon as we all got out of the van, every couple rushed into the building to meet their kids. I asked Halis to hold back and wait with me. I didn't want to rush in and meet my son in chaos. I wanted it to be calm. Halis was impatient, but he waited outdoors with me until we felt it was time.

After several minutes, I heard a baby wail. I immediately began to cry. I turned to Halis, grabbing his hand tightly and said: "That is my son! He needs me!" He replied: "Babe, you can't know that. The orphanage is filled with babies." I ignored him and began to make my way to the entrance saying: "I know it is him! What is wrong with him?"

Just then the orphanage director came out into the porch. She was holding my son. She said: "I am so sorry. Watson (my son's birth name) is sick. We just had to give him a shot to reduce his fever." Isaac was wailing. It was him all along.

She then placed Isaac in my arms and he immediately stopped crying. He just stared into my eyes for what seemed like hours. That was the moment that bonded us for life.

My husband turned to me and said: "I will never doubt you again. You are his mother."

And then the orphanage director snapped this photo:

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This is one of my favorite stories to tell. It is the story of how we became a family. My high-school sweetheart, my husband, and now the father of my son ... he and I ... and this magical baby boy ... we became a family in that moment. Like so many birth stories told about hospital rooms or birthing tubs, labor pains, umbilical cords, new Daddies and new Mommies ... this is our birth story. It is a different story ... and one filled with both heartache and joy. I have reduced it to a small tale here ... but it was a story that was two years in the making. And sadly, after meeting Isaac ... it would be another 9 months before he would finally come home to us on May 10, 2006.

We visited him a couple of times during that wait ... and here are a few pictures from those visits:

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And now ... eight years later ... we are taking this journey again. A journey to our next child through adoption. My heart could explode at the possibility of sharing our family with another wonderful soul. We have already been so blessed to become parents to Isaac. And this time, this journey to find our child is made all the more special by being shared with an enthusiastic 9-year old who is so excited to become a big brother. Absolutely nothing in the world means more to him than this. As some of you may remember, Isaac has already worked hard to fund raise toward this effort. And he continues to do so. Last night, he and I set up a Facebook page in order to let folks know about upcoming fundraising efforts ... including fundraisers at local restaurants, yard sales, lemonade stands, and even a GoFundMe effort.

Halis and I have had to discuss with Isaac the hard facts of financing an adoption. As you likely know, it is quite expensive. Our adoption of Isaac was approximately $27,000 from start to finish. (And worth every penny!). Isaac believes we can do this again. We paid for Isaac's adoption without any outside help. But this time, we are simply not in a position to do so. Halis and I know that we will have to appeal to our beloved community of friends, colleagues, and neighbors in order to finance this addition to our family. This is not very comfortable for us. And we feel strongly that any donations to our effort should be reciprocated with a good or service. Therefore, we are choosing fundraisers that reward our donors ... with yummy food, goods, photography services, artwork, etc.

We have decided to begin our adoption journey with the services of Saint Andre's Home in Biddeford, Maine. Our giant application package is half way completed. And Isaac has set up an account at TD Bank in Bangor to keep and accept adoption donations. He is so very ready to do this! And so are his Mom and Dad.

Thank you all for reading and sharing in our journey.

With butterflies in my stomach,

Jodi

xoxo

One Year Ago Today.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 04:24:00 +0000

I have spent nearly a year trying to figure out how in the world I can convey to readers of this blog the magnitude of what my family endured on January 13, 2013. Not just the tragic stuff, but the amazing and unexpected good that came from an event that was so devastating. I have been tongue-tied on this. And I think it has been prevented me from writing anything at all.

So, for those who are interested ... and for myself ... I will give this a shot.

On Sunday, January 13, 2013, I woke up early to go to work. I never do this. I went to the window to yawn, stretch and enjoy the view. I also never do this. What I saw and heard that morning is something I try to forget ...

(Up until recently, I was living behind my parents in a 4-bay garage that we converted to a home. We sold our home in Corinna to take up residence behind Mom & Dad after they had a house fire that burned their place to the ground. While watching his home burn, my Dad had a massive heart attack and later needed a quadruple bypass. So, making the decision to live behind them was an easy one. And apparently this decision would later save my Father's life.)

... I saw my Dad in the game room over his garage ... black smoke pouring out of every crevice of every window. He was screaming my name. Begging for help. It was a pathetic, desperate cry that still occasionally haunts me. I then screamed for my husband to go to my Dad so I could call 911. In seconds, Halis was running toward my Dad and I was on the phone with the dispatcher.

I remember distinctly telling the dispatcher that my Dad would not survive this. I pleaded, "Please send an ambulance with a cardiac unit ... my Dad's heart is weak and he has been through this before and nearly died!" She assured me that the fire department and the EMTs were on their way. We hung up.

I then ran over to my Dad's house. Apparently, Halis had gotten my Dad out of the smoke-filled garage apartment and had put out the worst of the fire that had begun in the truck he parked in the lower half of the garage. I remember being a bit shocked by this. How could that fire already be out? Where was my Dad? I then saw my Dad walking around the garage. "Dad, what are you doing? Are you okay?" He mumbled that he was searching for eggs in the garage fridge. He told me he was planning to make some breakfast sandwiches. "Dad, the fire department is on the way. I think you should get out of the garage and go sit down." He then grabbed a few food items and began to make his way toward the house. I could see my Mother was just waking up and looking out the window to understand what was going on. Meanwhile, my dog was loose and I knew he would attack anyone coming to help, so I walked him back to my place to put him in the house.

Less than a minute later, I returned to the garage and saw my husband standing there. "Halis, where is my Dad?" In the house. "Wait, why are you out here??? Someone needs to be watching him!!! His heart is going to give out!!!" I was screaming. Halis responded that my Dad told him to stay there to watch for any embers that might reignite the fire. "Jesus, Halis. Don't do what he says! He doesn't know what he is saying ... Go in the house and ....." It was then that I heard my Mom scream. A blood-curdling scream that (wow this is so hard to write about) ... well, a blood-curdling scream that meant only one thing. My Dad was dying. This would be the second time in less than 6 minutes that I would hear someone shout my name in desperation.

We ran into the house. My Dad was on the floor of his kitchen. Tongue hanging out of his mouth. Convulsing. Green/blue skin. My Mom was on the floor holding his head up so he wouldn't choke. Every one is screaming. The world was spinning. Dogs barking. My Mom begs us to do something. I don't know what to do. I can only think to keep talking to my Dad. I shout to him to hold on, people are coming to help. "I love you, Daddy. Don't go toward the light! Don't go toward the light Daddy. Jesus, please! please!" At some point it is clear that he has completely stopped breathing. Halis checks for a pulse. Nothing. I am sobbing, looking into my husband's eyes. A look he will never forget. "Do something Halis. Do something!!! God damn it, don't let my Dad die!!!" Halis then shouts for my Mom to get a pillow. At some point we know that Dad has hit his head hard on the stove. The details then become fuzzy. I remember Halis performing CPR. He is thrusting so hard on my Dad's chest that bones are cracking. He later reported that Dad took in a few breaths during CPR. I never saw them. I was throwing up all over the living room. I was useless. At some point, my Mom screams "Where is the ambulance!?". I say I'll call 911 again. I can't find a phone. No one has a phone. I yell at my mother to get away from Dad and find me a phone. Somehow she does.

I call the dispatcher again and beg for the ambulance. She asks me what is going on. I can barely tell her. "I think my Dad is dead. My husband is doing CPR right now but he has never done it before." She then quickly tells me to count with her and to have my husband count with her so that he is compressing rapidly enough. On each count he is to compress downward. I quickly explain this to my husband. (He would later tell me this helped him greatly). I count with her loudly. I lose count. I cry. I scream. I beg Daddy not to go toward the light. She brings me back to task. We count again. She stays on the phone with me till the EMTs arrive.

When they arrive, I feel like everything is in slow motion. They don't get out of the ambulance fast enough for me, although I know they were quick as could be. A woman pushes through and goes right to Halis. She tells him he is doing it perfectly and to keep going. Don't stop. He begs to stop. He -who has kept it together this whole time - who has shouted, "Not in front of your wife and daughter, Bob. You are not dying today!" in a calm and direct-order manner - He is now scared out of his mind. But he pumps on. The next thing I know, there are at least four people working on my Dad. And one of them is drilling a whole right through his leg. There are paddles zapping his chest. My Mom is losing it. Firefighters are in the garage. Dogs are still barking. And I am standing in the snow on the porch in bare feet. I am keeping my distance. Vomiting. And praying. A firefighter comes over to me and asks me to please get some shoes on. Concentrate on that he says. I can't. I rock back and forth. I call Cara.

Poor Cara. I call her with my cell phone that for some strange reason is now in my hand. I call to tell her I can't go into work today. I tell her why. I am mumbling. I am barely coherent. She gets it. She tells me she loves me. She tells me not to fear. She is crying too.

Time passes. I don't know how long. Thoughts are swirling around. My relationship to my Dad has not been easy. I go over everything we last said to each other. I don't want it to end like this. I don't know how to breathe if it ends like this.

The EMTs get a pulse. One of them tells me to go get my clothes on (I am in pajamas). I then realize I must also wake my son. My Mom is getting her clothes together and at this point I see my husband helping her. We all must get ready quickly in order to follow the ambulance. If my Dad is going to die, we are NOT letting him do it alone.

I wake my son. I am sobbing. His face stares at mine in disbelief and questioning. I don't know what to say to him. He is 7. We have dealt with the possibility of his Poppy dying before. I only know to say "Angel, we gotta go. Poppy may be going to see Jesus." He begins to cry instantly but stops short. I help him get his shoes on. I talk to Jesus again. We fly out the door and toward the truck that is waiting for us. Halis is driving. My Mom is next to him. I stop at who I now know to be the Fire Chief. I am inches away from his face. "Don't lie to me. Tell me like it is. What are my Dad's chances?" He says, "About 3%." (I would later learn that there are new rules that prevent him from telling me what he believed to be true, that my Dad had no chance at all). "I'll take it." I said as I buckled my kid into the truck.

The whole way to the hospital, I am trying to call my brother. My fingers aren't working. I am calling all the wrong numbers. I am a mess. I finally get his voicemail and I tell him to come to Bangor. Dad may not make it. I then call my Aunt to have her find my brother. She is on it.

We get into the Emergency area after going through airport-style security screening. We are ushered to a special room for families to wait. This is not a room you want to be in. This is the room that is surrounded by security because they know you will want to try to get to your loved one, but that you can't and shouldn't. This is the room for people who are grieving. I would love to know how long we were in there, because it felt like forever. Clergy came to see us. Nurses in and out. Finally, I am about to lose it and I tell the nurse we HAVE TO see my Dad. He cannot die alone. I stare into her eyes. I am trying to figure out if he is already dead. After some time, she tells us that she will let us in to see him but that he is very sick and many hands are working on him. He is being transferred to CCU (Critical Care Unit) and we can follow.

I will never forget the chaos of that room. My Dad is on a gurney tied up to all manner of machines. At least 6 or more people are surrounding him, all working feverishly. They get silent as we enter but they don't stop working. I am told we have only seconds to see him. I know I am with my Mom but I don't know what she is saying or doing. I get right up to my Father's ear and tell him not to go toward the light. "Don't do it, Dad. It looks pretty but it isn't time. Don't go toward the light Dad. We can do this. We can do this. Ok, Daddy?"

The next part of this journey is another blur. Lots of waiting in the CCU waiting room. A visit from my dear friend Kathy so she can hear what the doctors are telling us. Mom and I don't understand much of what is being said. And Kathy is a nurse. The more the doctor talks, the more sad Kathy looks. I am sure my Dad is leaving us. Kathy won't say the words. But she is sure too.

More waiting. Every conversation between Halis, Mom and I is us going over the timeline of what happened ... in a desperate attempt to make sure Dad took in oxygen at some point during the CPR. All of us trying to establish a time line so we can hope that he was not down 'too long'. Then we are told he will be put into a hypothermic coma. I am sure all of this was explained to us, but again, it is a blur. We know this is a treatment that saves lives. We know it will take days to know if it worked. We know we are not leaving that hospital. We will stay by Dad through this whole process.

My brother arrives as do other family members. Phone calls get made to my Dad's brothers and sisters. Prayers are said. Tears flow. My Mom, Halis and I - in the midst of all the visitors - continue to look into one another's eyes. Good Lord we have all just been through something traumatic together and we have no idea how to move forward. People talk to us but we keep coming back to each other.

I visit my Dad every second they will allow within those first 24 hours - which isn't much. (And I did much sneaking in). They have a nurse in with him round the clock. They need to reduce his core temperature slowly, leave it there for 24 hours then increase it slowly. All of this takes about 3 days. This should help his organs heal and then we can assess the damage. The wait is pure torture. And though I come in every now and again to tell my Dad what a good job he is doing, it is awkward to do anything else as there is always a stranger in there, working hard to keep my Dad alive. But I sing Beatles tunes to him when I can. And I ask the staff to please allow me to keep my Ipad in there, on the Beatles station ... to keep my Dad comfortable. They allow it.

Every time a nurse comes out to speak to us, I feel relieved to know he is alive. That is all I have at this point. Thoughts keep racing. I bargain with God. I continue to beg Dad to stay away from lights and tunnels. At this point, I cannot even imagine how long this whole journey toward recovery will take because it is hard to imagine that there will BE a journey to take. I continue to go over all the details of my life spent with Dad. And wonder, hope and pray that I can speak to him again. That I can fix anything yucky between us. Somehow, I eventually find sleep on the waiting room floor.

THAT was how I spent January 13, 2013. As for the rest of story ...

The wait. Wow. There is so much to tell. So much happened within our family in those three days of waiting. Burned bridges were rebuilt by some. And new bridges were burned by others. Family drama is a huge part of these sorts of events. And this is something I will likely expound upon in later blog posts.

It would take more time than is usual for my Dad to come out of his coma. And that journey of trying to pull him out of it is a topic I will be sure to come back to later as well. One of my favorite life stories comes from this time. The way my Dad returned to us was nothing short of amazing. In truth, his entire recovery blew minds. Nurses and doctors are still talking about his miraculous recovery. It took much time, don't get me wrong. And it was hell ... peppered with glorious moments of the beauty and tenacity of the human condition and the human spirit. I concentrated on those beautiful moments as best I could.

Friends visited often. My community rallied around to help with my son. My husband was the glue that held us all together ... including my Mother. The staff at EMMC was stellar in every way and with very little exception. We are eternally grateful to them! (I'm looking at you, Jayme). We were well supported.

It would take over 3 months to get Dad out of the hospital and another 2 months to get him on his feet. At some point after coming out of the coma, Dad told me his death story. (He also told me he was pissed I didn't take pictures of him in the coma and during his recovery. He wanted to see what we all saw. "You're a photographer! Why didn't you take pictures!?") Dad did see the light and the tunnel. He saw his deceased brother. They played poker. He felt the most love he has ever felt in that light. Pure peace he said. There were times during his recovery that he wished he went all the way down that loving tunnel. I asked him if he saw Jesus. He said No. I laughed. "When am I ever going to get proof of that guy!?" (I am an Agnostic who is always searching for faith). Dad laughed. I asked him why he didn't stay in the light, why he didn't let go and just stay there. "You kept telling me not to." My jaw dropped and tears formed. "Dad, you heard me!?" Yeah he said. He heard me. "Wait - you heard me while you were dead? While you were in the light?" Yeah, you kept telling me not to stay there. I heard you. Like a loudspeaker. "Wait, then what did Mom tell you? She was screaming too." He reponded perfectly. He said Mom kept shouting at his Mother (deceased) not to keep him - that he was hers now. "Ok, so what did Halis say!?" Dad responded that Halis told him not to die in front of his wife and daughter. Right again. I was astounded. I remembered my friend Kathy told me that hearing is the last sense to go. Dad heard us. Even without a pulse.

And that is where I shall end this part of the adventure that began a year ago today. An adventure that I don't regret and wouldn't change any part of, as it has all lead us to today ... and today is very, very good. Dad is doing well and planning trips he has always meant to take. He saw my brother become a Daddy this past November. Dear baby Presley is a whole new joy in his life. He has mended fences with his siblings. He is enjoying retirement.

And me? I have learned much about my strength during this process. (I was a complete mess when I was watching Dad die ... but I was a warrior for him from that day forward.) I have learned forgiveness. I have learned when to hold tight to people and who to let go of. I have witnessed incredible sadness during my hospital stay (I stayed with Dad every single night for 3 months) and jaw dropping miracles. I fell in love with my husband all over again (I do this often) and I hold tighter to my son. I understand my Mom a bit better and like her more. And my Dad? I have a whole new relationship with him that I never thought possible.

Thanks January 13, 2013. You sucked the life right out of me, and then returned it --- rearranged for the best.

Written in love and peace,
Jodi

Post Script: It occurs to me that one may want to understand medically what happened to my Dad that day. It turns out that he went into respiratory arrest due to major smoke inhalation which then lead to cardiac arrest. He has very few long term side effects from this event, but does have some minor brain damage that one would only notice if one was very close to him. The chances of CPR working in a case like this are 2%. Halis rocked that 2%!

Here We Go Again ...

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 02:26:00 +0000

First Day of 3rd Grade. Homeschool style.

This means we made it through 2nd Grade (so says the lovely lady who approved our 2nd Grade portfolio and passed us on to Grade 3). Which means, apparently, that I know how to teach up to 2nd Grade. This makes me feel semi-proud. Yeah, I taught my kid how to read, write and perform mathematic calculations. But now comes American History, memorization of the states, Presidential biographies, long division, essay writing, scientific experiments, and other more serious business. Am I up to the task? Will another chaotic event take me away from my teaching so that Isaac and I are finishing up "school" well into August? Good Lord, let's hope not. But even through the chaos of the last year, we did it. Isaac and I rock as a team, and here is to another year of working it through together ...

And Karate ... yes, Karate ... the one class my son looks forward to above all else.

We got this buddy. 3rd Grade will rock. One day down. 179 to go.

xo,

Jodi

It's Been a Bumpy Ride ...

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 02:12:00 +0000

... but with the help of these two amazing guys ... all is well now.

I stopped posting to this blog quite some time ago because chaos took over our lives. Some of it was bad ... real bad. But some of it was good ... real good. Things seem to have come to us in extremes this year. But as I said, all is well now.

I would like to get back to writing on this blog. I am ready. I am ready to tell the stories of our past year as well as our current endeavors. I am stronger now. So much stronger. And it is time to record my life ... our lives ... again.

Thank you for sticking around.

Love,
Jodi

Yesterday: In Pictures.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 16:55:00 +0000

Well, say "Hello" to Sherman ...

and his crazy brother, Zack ...

These are the newest members of our family. And if you have ever heard me talk about cats before, you are in shock right now. Yes, I have gone to the dark side ... ever since Miss Lyra came into our lives ... I must confess ... I love cats. (Blech ... I can't even believe I said that publicly! So sappy.)

Yesterday, these two took to watching the seagulls gather on top of my parents' garage.

And they got plenty of sleep ....

Isaac played and played and played with them for hours upon hours. Truly. Thus their need for sleep. He loves them so. After 5 days of cuddling cats at the Bangor Humane Society, Isaac chose these two brothers. And I am certain it was the absolute best choice.

Even Miss Lyra has come to like at least one of them (Sherman). We think he is her boyfriend (K-I-S-S-I-N-G). She watches everything he does and even puts on shows for him ... shamelessly rolling all over the floor to get his attention. Oh yeah, she's got it bad for him.

And though Isaac suffered from a head cold and fever yesterday ... he played some music for his kitties ... and even managed to get some school work done.

Me? I decorated a bit for Christmas ... with the Charlie Brown Christmas tree Daddy gets every year from his land up north. Notice the Gingerbread Man "star". I am decorating the tree with all silver cookie cutters this year ... and occasional mittens ... as these cannot be broken by the crazy 10 month old cats that now reside in our home.

So, that was how some of our yesterday was spent ... playing with kittens ... decorating for Christmas ... sleeping, etc. (Though what you don't see pictured here are the hours I spent post-processing much over due pictures for clients ... cleaning the house ... dyeing my hair, etc.)

How did you spend your yesterday?

University of Maine Museum of Art Field Trip.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 17:43:00 +0000

Last month, Eva Wagner and I coordinated a field trip to the University of Maine Museum of Art for the Penobscot County Homeschoolers. Eva is the Education Coordinator for the museum. She is amazing, gentle, and brilliant. And I am sort-of the "creator" of the homeschool group ... which I think I created mostly to take advantage of getting together for fun field trips. This trip was one of my favorites so far. It was such a lovely, well designed, engaging and informative visit for all ages ... thanks to Eva.

Kids who attended ranged in age from 6-17 years old ... and at one count, I believe there were at least 16 kiddos. It was a great turn out ... and several new relationships formed.

Eva designed a couple of interactive activities that took the kids through the museum exhibits ... helping them to engage with the art displays. During the first activity, she had the entire group try to figure out the media used in the artwork of Richard Haden. This was particularly trying, as each piece literally looked liked discarded junk. But each piece was intricately cut wood sculptures formed to look similar to items that we toss away ... or "junk". This was a hit with the kids ... who tried hard to figure out the artist could possibly cut wood to look like a deflated basketball.

The next activity had the group try to figure out the theme of one of the installations. This particular installation was curated by the Young Curators group that meets at the museum on a regular basis. These kids aged 9 and up come together to create exhibits from works that are owned by the museum ... each time coming up with a different theme. Our group was pretty good at guessing what the theme was ... their observations were quite impressive.

The third activity was likely the most popular, Eva passed out adjectives to individuals and groups of kids ... encouraging them to find a piece of art that they thought exemplified the word they were given. Once all the kids found their art piece, and placed their given word underneath it, we went around the museum, listening to the kids tell us why they had chosen that particular piece to go with their word. It was wonderful and enlightening to see what they chose and to listen to their reasoning.

I was beaming when I listened to Isaac explain his choice. There is so much to be learned about your child by discussing art with them ...

All of the kids had such great insights into the art that spoke to them. It was an absolute pleasure to watch children so engaged with the art around them. The enthusiasm was more than I expected. And much appreciated.

Lastly, it was time to gather in the classroom for making some art of their own. For this exercise, the group was introduced to the three-dimensional works of Chris Natrop and then given the tools to create their own three-dimensional piece. At the beginning of this exercise (and long beforehand) Isaac had decided that he does not make art and will therefore not participate. This has always been an issue between us as he knows I am dying for him to create with me. But I found the secret to getting his creative juices flowing ... have him join his friends to create art! He now proudly displays the work he created this day on a wall in his room. Progress!

What a perfect field trip. Truly. I can't say enough about Eva Wagner, The University of Maine Museum of Art, the donors that make it possible for the entire community to attend for free, etc. Do yourself a favor and take a stroll through Bangor's own Art Museum. And bring the kids!

Love,
Jodi

Our Summer in Review: Maine State Aquarium

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 04:51:00 +0000

What a great summer. So great, in fact, that I was never able to sit long enough to write a blog post ... all summer long. So it got me thinking about how much fun material I can use to write about now ... throughout the slower paced fall days. Wait ... who am I kidding??? Fall is just as crazy ... days filled with homeschooling ... and all of the scrambling to get ready for the winter and the holidays. Well, there are some wonderful highlights to our summer that I want to be sure to log here ... so here is to giving this a shot.

As many of you know, I am wild for sharks. Absolutely mad for them. I even see them swimming through my mind in daydreams ... daydreams that happen at least twice a day ... and sometimes occur when you think I am paying close attention to what you are saying. (Whoops.) And although we have travelled to the Boston Aquarium to pet the sharks and rays in their latest exhibit ... I have always wanted to visit our state's Maine State Aquarium in West Boothbay Harbor. And after watching this commercial, I knew I couldn't wait to bring the family to this ocean side jewel on one of our summer excursions. So I did ...

First, might I say that Boothbay Harbor, is hands down ... the most beautiful harbor I have ever seen. And after 15+ years of living in Maine, this trip was the first time I had ever laid eyes on it. I was shocked. I know my New England coastal areas ... from Cape Cod to Lubec. And somehow Boothbay escaped me --- likely because it is not on Route 1 ... and takes some purposeful planning to get to ... apparently more planning than I was willing to take till this point. But wow ... I was missing out. I might have gotten married here instead of Bar Harbor had I known about this place (sorry Bar Harbor).

Anywhere, there are other sights to show you about this beautiful, working harbor. But for now, I want to show you the aquarium. It was a bit off the beaten path ... and took some finding ... but when you find it, it is surrounded by a lovely picnic area that overlooks the west side of the harbor. Absolutely gorgeous.

We ate our Subway sandwiches by the sea ... then headed in to pet sharks! As soon as we walked in the door, we all headed straight to the shark and ray touch tank. And oh the cuteness! I'll let the pictures tell part of the story:

So much fun to just watch these guys - let alone get an opportunity to "pat" them. Apparently, we came too late to see/hear their daily shark talk. But because the staff was incredibly helpful ... and appreciative of a fellow shark enthusiast, they gave another talk just for us. This "talk" ended up being more of conversation and a sort of gush fest over all sharks in general. It was fun ... and I immediately fell in love with both Aimee Roderiques (the director - whom I felt like I have known my whole life) and fellow employee and shark lover, Patrick Burnham. I cannot imagine that place with more enthusiastic people at the helm. In fact, although I did not get every one's names ... the entire staff was enthusiastic and helpful ... and obviously in love with our Maine coastal animals.

My favorite picture of the day??? This sweet little shark ... I just want to give it a kissy ... don't you?

And ya know, there are other exhibits too. Halis reminded me of this, as I was spending much too much time for his taste with my friends the sharks. It turns out the other exhibits were pretty amazing too. For a nice tourist video of most of the exhibits, check out this video.

The touch tank here is one of the best I have seen ... with much variety of the animals you can find all along the Maine coast. I love to touch everything in the sea ... obsessively really ... so this was another great exhibit for me. And Isaac very much enjoyed it as well. We learned much from the young man overseeing the tank ... here are a few science nuggets for you all ...

This is a scallop that wants to escape from me ... so it open and closes its shell ... trying to force water out of itself in order to propel it backwards. It sometimes uses this method to detract predators. Both of these actions can be seen in the following videos here and here. Also ... see those little black spots all along the shells ... both upper and lower? Wait for it --- those are eyes! Yes. How cool is that. Sure, they aren't traditional eyes like those of a mammal ... but eyes none the less.

Horse shoe crabs are not crabs at all ... but are more closely related to spiders. Can you see how/why? Interesting. Spiders of the sea ...

Sea Anemones are just plain cool looking. But have you seen their mouths? They look much like the beaks of an octopus ...

Crabs, are well, just plain crabby. And I love this about them. I love to try to catch them without getting snapped at. It challenges me ... and probably just ticks them off ... but I swear, I do it in love. This little guy rocked my world ...

We also learned that sand dollars have a skeleton and "arms" that help to move them around. I wish I had thrown my macro lens on for a better look. The details of a live sand dollar are amazing ...

Then there was the hermit crab. The little bugger would not cooperate ... even though I loved him so (and told him too).

For a small aquarium, they have some really interesting specimens. Most of which I did not photograph ... as it is not easy to photograph through glass in low light situations ... but I did get a few fun pics ...

Halis made fun of this Lump fish ... which wasn't really nice ... but I enjoyed his well, his, "uniqueness" ...

There was this really interesting exhibit, which I have never seen before, even at the bigger aquariums ... where you can see through the egg sacks (mermaid purses) of sharks and rays and watch as the embryos grow inside them. It was fascinating.

Many lobster fishermen bring their unusual catches to the aquarium ... to share with the community. Some of them are absolutely amazing. Bi-colored, multi-colored, blue, and this white/blue one was most interesting to me. How it avoided predators to this point is beyond me ...

I am not at all sure what kind of fish this next guy is, but he/she made for a pretty good picture ... so I took it ...

And then there was this guy ... We made a love connection. It's true. See the way he stares into my eyes? He wanted to join my aquarium at home, I know it. But there are rules that kept us apart. I told him to live long and prosper ... and that we will always have this memory ...

So, that was our visit in a nutshell ... awesome exhibits, shark touching, crab holding, learning new things ... etc. But wait! Was that it? Nope ... it got more awesome!!!

Aimee, the director of the Aquarium, and I had such a great time talking. She is so interesting and fun ... and as I mentioned before, full of enthusiasm. Much to my surprise, she invited Isaac and I into the "underground lair" that is the inner workings of the aquarium! She showed us things that most people don't get to see ... and it blew my mind and made me so very happy!

I have always, always, always wanted to become a Marine Biologist. It was my life's dream as a little girl ... and still calls to me today. I took a different path, as we often do in life ... and am glad for it. But boy does that ocean call to me - daily. Well, people like Aimee, who see their passion through, really inspire me ... and I was thrilled to have a tour of the inner workings of the aquarium as well as to spend some of that time getting to know her better. It was a wonderful gift! And probably more than she will ever realize. (Thanks again, Aimee.)

I took a quick picture of her and Isaac (who has decided not to smile for pics anymore).

She was so lovely. The aquarium was wonderful. Boothbay was stunning. Enjoying the day with my family was/is always priceless. I am so grateful for our day spent there ... and am sure we will return next season.

If you plan a trip to coastal Maine, be sure to include Boothbay ... and the Maine State Aquarium. And when you do ... please send my love to the sharks.

Love,
Jodi

Isaac's Italian Stallion Lemonade Stand.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:20:00 +0000

photo by Krysten Noyes

Isaac is amazing. If you know him, you already know this. If you don't, please allow me to illuminate his awesomeness (as well as the awesomeness of the community we live in). On Sunday, June 3rd, Isaac set up his Italian Stallion Lemonade Stand in West Market Square in Downtown Bangor as part of National Lemonade Day. It was a HUGE success. He raised over $800 in 4 hours and has raised an additional $400+ in the days after. And this is how it all came together ...

Months ago, I received an e-mail from Bangor Parks and Recreation about National Lemonade Day. I asked Isaac if he wanted to participate, and as is his usual, casual style, he simply said, "Sure". We went to the parks & rec to sign up and receive our lemonade stand starter kit. We read through the materials together ... which provided tips on setting your goals, creating your business plan, seeking investors, marketing your biz and everything else that one needs to start a new business venture. The materials were very comprehensive, easy to understand, and really got Isaac thinking about how to proceed. But first ... what was his goal? The materials provided stories about some fictitious kiddos who wanted skateboards, bikes and other goods ... and how they put together lemonade stands in order to achieve their goals. I read these stories to Isaac and asked him what he would like to shoot for ... a skateboard? A swing set? Legos? He said, (and I am pretty sure this is a direct quote): "I don't really want anything more than I want a little brother." And there it was - his goal.

Isaac wants a little brother. He has for a while. He even asked Santa. But Santa was not able to deliver such a treasure this past year. So, Isaac began to take matters into his own hands. He is adopted. He knows his adoption story very well and is fully aware that adoption is the means by which our family grows. He also knows that the adoption process can be quite expensive. And he wants this little brother so badly, that he is willing to put in the work needed to raise as much money as possible. And he is very serious about this.

Where to start? Well, Isaac learned that it often takes money to make money. We read about seeking out possible investors to help with his starting costs (stand, lemons, sugar, marketing materials, etc) ... and then compiled a list of people to ask to invest in his project. I felt it was very important that Isaac go and talk to these investors on his own. He needed to look them in the eye, shake their hands, tell them about his project, ask them to help, and then ask them what he could do for them in return. Because he is 7 - and I was not sure whether he could pull this off on his own - I wrote to each potential investor ahead of time to summarize what Isaac was hoping to speak to them about. This turned out to be somewhat unnecessary. Isaac was a pro. His first meeting was a bit rocky (he was somewhat tongue tied) but the rest were smooth sailing. He set up meetings with area business folk ... and each and every one of them negotiated terms with him and invested in his project. Some invested money, others invested supplies, while others invested marketing tools, etc. And all simply wanted some lemonade in return.

((( This is where I give a big shout out to those investors! Metropolitan Soul, Nocturnem Draft Haus, Giacomo's, Monahan Design, Hannaford's, Pigeon, Paddy Murphy's, and Winterport Boot Shop. These businesses know what it means to be part of their larger community - please reward them for their generosity! )))

Once the funds were secured, we researched lemonade stand plans via Google ... then Halis (aka Daddy) came up with his own design. Isaac and his Dad built and painted it together ... and the results are pretty cool ...

with storage!

A very important part of this business venture was pulling together the theme for the stand. This also proved to be the most fun (for me at least). Isaac knew early on that he wanted a "Rocky" theme for his biz. We decided on the name: Isaac's Italian Stallion Lemonade as well as the slogan: This Lemonade Really Packs a Punch! Isaac is a huge fan of the Rocky series ... and thinks of Rocky Balboa as a true hero. His Dad and I agree. Rocky was a self-made man ... with a heart of gold ... and determination to see his dreams realized. What better theme for this venture?!

With the help of Brett Settle at Giacomo's, we came up with our own recipe for a fruit punch style lemonade (it was delicious ... and contained raspberry Torani syrup!). We gathered boxing motif goods and a print of the Italian Stallion himself and created what we think was a gorgeous stand. (Isaac's grandparents stopped by during business hours to drop off a punching bag they picked up that day at a yard sale - thus completing the motif). We even had Rocky music (from all 6 films) playing from speakers inside the stand!

Because Isaac was determined to raise as much money as possible, we also set up with baked goods (made by me), houseplants (grown by Isaac and I), and farm fresh eggs (laid by our hens). These were all very well received by his customers. He sold out of baked goods and eggs in very short order.

The day of the event (his grand opening, if you will) was a seriously rainy day. The kind of rainy day that keeps you home cuddled in bed. But thanks to a good friend, Donna Allen, we were prepared with a tent ... and ready for business.

And the rain did not deter anyone! We spent quite a bit of time marketing his opening day (as well as spreading the word about National Lemonade Day) ... and it truly paid off. Monahan Design created our fliers (see above) that we shared throughout the community. We also posted the event on Facebook ... and invited over 1,000 community members. From there, the word quickly spread throughout Bangor. And friends at the Bangor Daily News spread the word as well.

The day of the event was nothing short of amazing! Droves of people came out to support Isaac. There were lines of people waiting for lemonade - in the rain! There were hugs, laughs, dancing ... and generosity beyond my wildest hopes. Some friends drove right up to West Market Square simply to run out of their cars to hand Isaac some cash for his efforts. Strangers came by with their families to support the young man who wants a little brother. Area business folks came over to give Isaac kuddos for his enterprise. It was four hours of pure joy and enthusiasm. And Isaac worked it! I mean, he was quite the business man --- with excellent customer service (we spent the night before watching videos on the subject).

photo by Matt Chabe

Isaac was so very focused on doing this well. He met every customer with a smile and a "Hi. What can I get for you today?" or a "Would you like some lemonade?" followed by "Can I get you a garnish with that (a lemon slice)?" and "Please help yourself to some pastries." And he always ended transactions with a shy but sweet "Thank you." He would break from his work only to hug his friends or pose for pictures ... otherwise, he was fully engaged in making the lemonade, cutting the lemons, pouring, organizing, cleaning, etc. His Dad and I were so impressed. We figured we might have to occasionally get him re-focused throughout the day, but we were wrong. At just 7 years old, he had more discipline and determination than I could have expected.

Toward the end of his shift, a local Bangor Daily News reporter as well as a local WABI camera man dropped by to interview Isaac about his fundraising campaign. Again, he impressed the heck out of us. So mature, so kind, so focused. His television piece can be seen by clicking HERE. His news article can be read HERE. (Thank you to both venues for giving this some attention).

In the end - wow - what a day! I spent most of it near tears at the generosity of our community. Bangor is truly the best place to live on earth. Or at least we think so. And the Lemonade Day program is genius. Such a great way to show kids how to live the American Dream ... how to set goals and how to see them through to their fruition. We were so glad to participate in this event in the community that we love. (A hearty thank you to all!)

Isaac worked hard to raise $868 on Lemonade Day. His goal was $1500 - the cost of an adoption application/home study at the Good Samaritan Agency in Bangor. And though he was very happy to raise over half of his goal that day, he was over the moon to discover that our mailbox was full of envelopes from around the country throughout the following week. Folks who read the article online sent him funds from as far away as Alaska. Friends who couldn't make this opening day sent funds as well, by mail and through Paypal. By the end of the week, he had another $400 toward his goal. Imagine that! Over $1200 toward his goal. Amazing.

these girls are continuing to raise money for Isaac - such lovely ladies

I have no doubt that Isaac will find a way to bring another child into our family. And in short order. We have plans to set up his lemonade stand at various venues this summer, throughout Bangor. He also has some other fundraising ideas in mind. And though his parents have other thoughts about this, he is determined that his little brother's name will be Gabriel. I have no doubt that Isaac will be the best big brother to sweet little Gabriel. We can't wait to meet him.

Again, thank you to all involved. We will keep you posted on this progress via this blog.

For those who would like to contribute to Isaac's efforts, we will post his address/paypal in the comments section of this article.

Love and Peace ...
Jodi
(aka proud Mama)

postscript: Isaac has since earned nearly $3,000 in adoption fundraising events as of 2/10/14. :)

Mole #4.

noreply@blogger.com (Jodi Renshaw) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 02:23:00 +0000

My boy loves theatre. And Next Generation Theatre in Brewer, ME is such a great place for him to explore all aspects of being part of a theatre production. It is a theatre that is FOR kids and run BY kids. The older teens (directors) teach the younger kiddos. And though adults help with costuming, the set, and other aspects of production, it is primarily a kid led show. Isaac loves that about this theatre ... as do I.

For weeks, Isaac had been attending his Frog and Toad rehearsals ... singing, dancing and learning his lines. He was cast as Mole #4 ... and though he aspired to be Toad ... he did Mole #4 the justice it deserved. Toad may be in his future. But you've got to start somewhere.

As the day of the first show came near, he was so excited. But then he got a stomach flu. The poor angel had a horrible temp and sickly stomach. He missed the first night of the show and was so sad about it. I was sure he would not make it to any of the shows actually ... but he was determined not to miss the rest. So, we armed him with lots of meds, some ginger ale, and extra attention ... and helped him through his next 3 shows. He rocked it. Of course. And what an incredible lesson in teamwork, and perserverance (he slept for the following two days though - but it was the sleep of the satisfied).

Thanks to all those involved in this production ... and with childrens' theatre EVERYWHERE.

Love,
Jodi