Bearing Witness Art show!!!

I am sooo excited!  My piece from "Message from Swaziland" called "Do Not Turn Away" has been selected to show in Chicago's ARC Gallery show Bearing Witness:  Art As Social Action

What an honor...and really it is a dream come true to show in a gallery like this.  It just goes to show anything is possible if you open yourself up to the possibility!  I am over the mooooon!! There are 18 artists total and I am so excited to see their works and the issues that they are bearing witness to. 

I am so happy this piece was selected.  It is one of the most powerful pieces in the series and very meaningful to me.  She was the first mother I encountered in Swaziland and her eyes said to me "Do you see me, do you see this child?  Do you see what is happening here? Do not turn away from what you see here".  I do see and won't turn away.  And now more people will see!

One year and waiting...

One year and waiting for our sweet girl.  It has actually been longer, but it is "officially" one year since we were added to the "list" at the adoption agency.  So many feelings and thoughts are going through my mind..."I know she is out there",  "She must be born",  "What is her first family going through?",  "Is she being cared for and loved?", "Is someone giving her everything she needs?"...and the list goes on.  Many unanswered questions.  My heart always feels heavy in knowing that our daughter and her birth family will have to go through a great loss in order for us to be united with our sweet girl.  It goes without saying...but I feel it should be said and acknowledged.  Our specialist at the agency has given us a heads up that we could get the call anytime between now and the next month and a half.  With that whenever the phone rings I think it could be CHSFS calling with our referral.  I am trying to stay busy and distract myself, but that is also in conflict with my desire to be connected to this process...the good and bad.  So, I am in the middle of that, some days I do better with distracting and other days I do better with connecting.  The phone just rang...Margo...not CHSFS.  See?!  It stops me in my tracks.  ;)  

I took this photo of my beloved orchids that Andy brought home as a surprise for me...likely to bring me joy while we continue to wait for our sweet girl.