November 29th, 2009

Roger Dickerson

Happy Birthday, Dad.

I love you.

I love you enough to post this unflattering video of me.

xoxo

November 28th, 2009

Good Luck Charms from Valerie McQueen on Vimeo.

Valerie McQueen

Another video by Valerie McQueen

November 27th, 2009

Thelma

"I'm here to volunteer."
"Well, praise the Lord, honey. I'm Thelma."

And then started a flurry of activity as

Thanksgiving dinner for the guests of

Hospital Hospitality House

was prepared.

"Katie typed up some instructions/directions

for us to find everything. Do you have

a copy of that?"

"Child, I've been doing this for 14 years.

We just find the stuff wherever it is.

You can round up 140 dinner plates if you will."

Thelma took charge of me and 15 or so

other volunteers who were spending

their day serving dinner to families who

were unable to be home because

they had loved ones staying at local hospitals.

In Thelma's presence, we were

all rookies in our roles as

human helpers.

November 26th, 2009

Alyssa!

I love Alyssa Doane.

She's smart, funny, and brave.

She also has cystic fibrosis.

She HATES long hospital stays.

But she knew last week that she was not feeling well.

She was admitted with 32% lung function.

She also HATES having to do her PFTs--(Pulmonary Function Test).

It makes her nervous.

So nervous.

So-nervous-I-can't walk-down-the-hall kind of nervous.

But Alyssa conquered some wicked fear and blew 43% a day later!

In case you don't know,

that's pretty much putting CF in its place--

telling it to take a hike.

Alyssa has a Make-A-Wish trip to Disney coming up!

And a family who wants her home from the hospital.

Happy Thanksgiving, Alyssa and all of the

folks on 7 today. Nurses, patients, moms and dads.

I'm thankful for everyone who continues

the fight against CF. Alyssa is on the

front lines today.

Love. Love. Love.

November 25th, 2009

Shelley

No matter how many times I just send a text

instead of calling.

No matter how many times I am cryptic

and vague.

No matter how many times I say,

"At work. Will call you later."

No matter how many times I say

"I meant to call last night, but I

fell asleep."

No matter.

Shelley always checks on me and says,

"Love you. Talk to you soon."

I am her step-daughter. She doesn't even

really HAVE to afford me all of that

gracious love.

November 24th, 2009

Virginia (Ginny)

I knew the moment I saw her that I would have to summon

the courage to walk up to her and say, "I'm Amy,

and I am documenting one thing, every day that

makes me happy--and that red jacket of yours has made

me smile from ear to ear. Can I take your picture?"

She was as gracious and vibrant as you might expect

a woman wearing this coat to be. Her husband said affectionately,

"I told her when she got it that it was too shiny."

Virginia herself admitted, "I can't wear it when I

substitute teach because they told me that it

looks like that Jackson guy's--you know, Michael."

I told her to shine on. And that I loved it.

She told me where she got it--and even took it off

to show me the label.

Virginia and her husband are traveling to North Carolina

to spend Thanksgiving with family. If they provide

at least a little of the cheer they created for

me this morning, their hosts will be very lucky

indeed. Happy Thanksgiving, Ginny.

November 21, 2009

Wendy and Emmy

Mill Street Grill in Staunton, VA,
was a very random coice to have a beer
before riding the highway home to Richmond.
But the kindness of Wendy and Emmy was anything
but haphazard.

The sincere hospitality of these two hilarious women
extended well beyond the borders of the jobs and friendship
they so obviously enjoy.
Emmy ("like the awards," she said)
and Wendy ("like the hamburger," she said)
helped two strangers feel as if they'd made it home
without getting in the car.

November 20th, 2009

Nathan McCracken

Note left on kitchen table, November 1997:

Mother,

Please sign this OOPS! I Forgot My Homework slip.

I have to take it back to school.

I think Mrs. Davidson is not telling the truth on that P.S. that says

"This makes the 83rd time this month"

Love,

Buddy

Text message received November 20, 2009:

Mother,

I got a 94% and an "Excellent Paper, Nate" on

the Rousseau/Montessori paper that I wrote on while we

were on vacation in New Orleans.

Love,

Buddy

Sometimes things really do figure themselves out.

Keep the faith.

November 19th, 2009

Katie

I have THE coolest friends.
Here is Katie Demaio as she is giving me a tour of Hospital Hospitality House where she is the Director of Volunteers.
HHH's work is made possible by thousands of hours put in by dedicated volunteers (and a very small staff). It's Katie job to make sure all of those volunteers are trained, scheduled, and happy. In other words, Katie is a very important cog in this wheel:

HHH provides lodging and non-medical services to families and individuals in medical crisis. Guests are referred from physicians, staff and social workers from area hospitals.
Since we opened our doors in 1984, we have served over 100,000 guests from across Virginia, the United States and beyond.
Our mission is to provide lodging and non-medical services that promote the healing process in a caring, emotionally supportive, home-like environment. Referred families are served with dignity, integrity and without regard to financial resources.

I'll be spending Thanksgiving serving turkey
and stuffing and cranberry cheesecake
(oh god, please let there be cranberry cheesecake)
to all of the guests at HHH.

It's the least I can do to show my appreciation for my friendship with Katie.

November 17th, 2009

This Girl

I was lucky enough to be walking around Belle Isle in the sunshine.
If you live near Richmond and the James River,
you know that it doesn't get much better than Belle Isle in the fall.
It was so pretty that I swore I could hear music.
Sweet acoustic guitar music.
And then girl singing music.

I looked up and there she was.

And this made me very happy indeed.

Click on the picture to make her bigger.

November 16th, 2009

Patti. Patti. Patti Digh

The LAST thing I want to do is to keep a blog about things that make me happy because they are all ABOUT ME, ME, ME.

In other words, this page is not meant to be merely a list of people who
might have complemented my haircut
or told me that they liked my jacket
or shoes. (But don't think for one minute that I don't
appreciate comments such as this--especially
since I don't have great hair or lots of
awesome jackets and shoes.)

What I really hope to do is
show my appreciation and gratitude for
kindness big and small--whether it has anything to do with me directly or not.

But, you have to pardon me today. Please.

I am so, so, so giddy proud to be featured a "guest writer" here:
http://www.37days.com/2009/11/mindful-monday-offer-them-a-peppermunt-from-holland.html

November 14th, 2009

Dr. and Mrs. Joel Schmidt

Here are Dr. Joel Schmidt and his wife, Daphne at the

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's 16th Annual

Starry Night Gala that

took place tonight at the Jefferson Hotel.

When Dr. Schmidt is not wearing a tuxedo

and beaded necklaces,

he is treating CF patients at the VCU

CF Care Center.

Dr. Schmidt's and Daphne's intelligence, compassion,

and wit make them CF Heroes.

I'm not the only one who knows this is true.

November 13th, 2009

Susan Keitges Kelly

In this very photograph Susan KK is saying, through her

clenched teeth,

"Amy! I don't have time for your games!"'

Susan is the mastermind behind the Richmond Animal League's amazing fundraising events. And, she is my very dear friend.

Thank you, Susan, for making this world a better place for everyone--including our four-legged friends.

xoxo

November 12th, 2009

Sarah Branigan

(Left)

Once upon a time, Sarah and a group of her friends took some photos of
themselves jumping around a campfire.They could not help but notice,"It made us all laugh and it was something we wanted to keep doing
in different places and document..."

It was the start of something wonderful.

I first heard about JumpBecause on NPR last spring.
Imagine my delight when I realized these inspiring people
live right here in my neighborhood (Richmond, VA).

Sarah and her friends are world famous for making people happy.

You can learn about them here
http://www.jumpbecause.com/jumpbecause.html.

The concept is simple:

It's hard to be unhappy

while your feet are off the ground.

The effect has been profound:

People from all over the world have

sent photos and stories of their own jumps.

You can jump for a cause

(as Sarah and her friends did for cystic fibrosis research),

or you can jump just because.

Jump because. I love this. I'd love to see YOU submit a jump and a story.

November 10th, 2009

David

Good thing this is not a photography blog.

My picture didn't turn out, but I still wanted to

feature David as my One Person today.

David gave us a tour of the city of New Orleans and

compassionately told the story of Katrina and its aftermath.

There are 300,000 people in this city and each person

has 100 stories to tell.

I could have stayed with David all day today.

November 9th, 2009

This Guy

I really hoped that documenting these things

that make me happy would also inspire me to

write about WHY they made me feel

that way.

But, so far, these things speak

for themselves.

And nothing I could say would add to them.

I Love This Self Portrait.

I love it.

I

love

it.

November 8th, 2009

Stephanie

A friend for more than twenty years knows

all about you

and loves you anyway.

That this girl exists makes me happy.

AND we are in New Orleans.

November 7th, 2009

Pacquito

This man dropped me off at a beautiful hotel this morning

in NEW ORLEANS!

Pacquito Rocks!

November 6th, 2009

Kristin Andreassen

Crayola Doesn't Make a Color For Your Eyes




No explanation necessary.

November 5th, 2009

Gina!

Gina took my order, asked for my name,

and then yelled out "AMY!" after she made me the best cheeseburger

ever.

(Dawn, it's okay, I ordered the mini)

November 4th, 2009

Judy!

I love Judy.
Teacher of second-graders, tell it like it is Judy.

Judy HATES the gift exchange at First Wednesdays. You have to MAKE your gift and she is never enthusiastic about the prospect of coming up with, on her own, some unique handmade somethingorother to give to a stranger. It puts a damper on First Wednesdays for her (and by that I mean that she sometimes stays home rather than make a gift).

But this month the food theme was soup and we were exchanging bowls instead of handmade gifts. Judy was so happy.

And Judy opened bowl after beautiful bowl. But our "exchange" can be heartbreaking because the person who gets to pick a present after you do has the option of stealing yours. We stole bowls from Judy all night.

I moved closer to her to steal this "First Wednesdays" soup bowl. Here she is smiling through the pain and disappointment of the evening.

I hope she comes back in December.

November 3, 2009

Someone who had no reason to be kind to me

was kind to me today. Once again.

But I don't have a photo.

And, I got carded at Whole Foods while purchasing a fancy beer.

But the cashier would not let me take her picture.

xoxo

November 2, 2009

Mr. Moon

Look up.

This makes up for it getting dark at 5:30 tonight.

November 1, 2009

Cara!

Not just another pretty face (even though it is a REALLY pretty face).

Cara is already working on her 2010 GREAT STRIDES team (and video) to raise funds to make CF stand for Cure Found!

Cara makes me happy on this cold and rainy day.