Happy New Year 2009!

Although it's been a tough year for us all, I've much to be thankful for. The Japanese crane symbolizes, luck, longevity, and fidelity. Photo in my header was taken at a close family friend's wedding. They are also half Japanese in nationality.

I thought the cake idea was so beautiful, and is a very popular tradition in Japanese wedding ceremonies. The bride and groom make 1000 paper origami birds to exercise patience and endurance in Japanese married life. They are sometimes hung and strung as decoration. The crane is believed to live 1000 years.

My own Japanese mother told me a story of long ago. My mother and her sisters made 1000 origami birds for her dying mother in hopes of her recovery. Her mother died when she was only 8 years old. I've often taken a paper origami to place on the hospital stand, of ill close friends and family. I have a gold origami my mother made me sitting right here at my desk!

This will be my last post of the year! My best friend is up from Tampa, her Pitbull mix puppy is still missing! I'm hoping to spend some girl time with her tomorrow. I caught another horrible cold and I'm trying to pamper myself. Not sure of our plans for New Year's eve, depends on how I feel!

Here's to a better, brighter New Year for us all!