An Ode to Forests, Infinite Joy, Marriage, & Paint

Wednesday!

Wedding!!!

“Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.” ~Barbara Kingsolver

Updates, Cards, Art!

amyoes.com

My art is now in greeting cards, prints, posters, and even some fun little coasters!  I've been wrestling with which art I want to turn into cards next - and I would love some input!  I'm terrible and picking through my own work.  Browse through my Mixed Media Gallery (some new images were just uploaded and a few more get added every day!) and comment here - tell me what you think!

Losing My Stomach...yep.

My essay "How Losing My Stomach Made Me Hungry For Life" was featured in Sammie and Psych Meds - you can check it out HERE!

And how...

A lot of people are asking for more information on how this happened - I guess it's a pretty complicated story - but at amyoes.com there's an "about me" section, where you can watch fun little documentaries from News 12, the Today Show, and a nice interview for the Great Comebacks Award.

Wedding Countdown...Studio Time!!!

I just can't believe my wedding is about two weeks away.  I've been wanting to get my little trees married already and have been wanting to paint a "walking down the aisle" scene for quite some time.

I painted these three 16 x 20's thinking this would be the wedding scene for my trees:

However, it turned into this:

Which is pretty cool too!

But I had this background here for a while...

then it turned into:

And then I thought this would be my wedding scene:

But it turned into:

Ironically, I painted this one NOT thinking about weddings.  

I was actually going to flip it upside down and have trees swimming under water or something...

Then I got a little light bulb moment...

dun dun duh dun...

I've got my groom...

My blushing bark-esque bride:

Eh, what the heck, we'll marry the happy flowers too.

And...here comes the bride!

So there it is - I finally painted it with time to spare!

When You Wish Upon A Star....

Brandon has truly been my wish upon a star.  This has been such an amazing time in my life, learning how to give love, receive love, and give back.  I'm also getting ready to sing a concert for the kids at Columbia Presybterian Hospital - which is amazing considering not too long ago I was being rolled into the lobby in my wheelchair to see the performers there.  Here's a little bit of me rehearsing "When You Wish Upon A Star."  Just ignore I forget the words at the beginning :)

And, in honor of the joy that Brandon has brought into my life, here's me singing "Infinite Joy" - the composer wrote this song for his mother.  The lyrics are incredibly beautiful.

Infinite Joy

Listen to me singing it HERE.

By William Finn

Goodness is rewarded
Hope is guaranteed
Laughter builds strong bones
Right will intercede
Things you've said I often find I need
Indeed

I see the world through your eyes
What's black and white is colorized
The knowledge you most dearly prized
I'm eager to employ
You said that life has infinite joy

Your heart
Your glee
Haunt me
Your words strike suddenly
They're obvious but wise

I see the world through your eyes
And possibilities expand
The one thing I don't understand
Is how you kept your poise
When life has infinite joys
Life has infinite joys
Infinite joys

Your face
Your voice
Rejoice
To have you back with me
Is such a fine surprise

I see the world through your eyes
I taste lemon on my lips
I marvel at the sailing ships
Of well-dressed girls and boys
And life--
Life has infinite joys
Has infinite joys
Life has infinite, infinite joys

 Before I go...

“We’re fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance” ~Unknown