For I am of worth, Of infinite worth

There is so much to update the blog on that it would be impossible to do in one night. Our cruise (oh our glorious cruise, sigh, it almost hurts a little to think about it), my pregnancy, completing our baby bucket list, our last summer, baby prep, doing the nursery, HAVING A BABY, our struggles and triumphs, her sweet firsts. I have kept haphazard notes on each with hopes of fleshing it out in the blog so I hope I will get to. I need to write this first.

I have been feeling the need bubbling up in me for weeks. I keep pushing it down with excuses but when it resurfaces it becomes stronger. I need to do something creative. Anything. I need to be creative like some people need to go outside, or cook, I need it to be me. It's been just recently that I've recognized how important it is.  I have been devaluing my gifts and talents because I have telling myself they aren't useful. Poppy cock. I wouldn't be blessed with these if they weren't. Although even as I type this I can't help but think of all the talents and gifts that are useful and start to compare. Comparison truly is the thief of joy. I must remind myself, imagine if Mozart, Leonardo Da Vinci, Jane Austen, felt that their talents weren't useful enough so they hid them. Our world would have a little less beauty in it. What a sad thought.

Growing up creativity and crafts were a regular occurrence and encouraged. There is something so uplifting when you see something you've created either to beautify the home, add beauty and a story to otherwise plain pictures, brighten someones day, or to be useful. The arts are truly something to be valued.

When I moved out my mom was no longer there to give me a steady stream of praise for my crafty ways but I didn't let that stop me. No, what was discouraging was realizing that my homemade cards that I spent hours on received the same amount of appreciation as a card I spent a dollar on, my scrapbooks sat on the shelf, my homemade gifts were either unappreciated or not used and so I began to devalue my talents because it seemed that everyone else did.

I need to do this for me and stop doing it in hopes of praise and appreciation. So my goal this week is to do something creative (or I'm going to burst!!!) and I have a long list to choose from:

• writing (I have so many ideas started that I would love to take shape)
• journal (blog included)
• make a collage (I have notebooks of collages that I used to do)
• knit
• crochet
• paint
• draw 
• scrapbook 
• sew
• work on a photobook
• a craft

I need to put this at high priority because I feel myself slipping away, so here I am clawing to keep from be buried. Be creative or bust!!!