A Year of Memories/2

Sorry, I didn't mean for this to post right away and then couldn't change it. I try to spread them out a little. Anyway, the first post for today is below this one, so you'll have to scroll down. I wish I could figure out how to get rid of that large white space between posts. Oh well, here ya' go.

I met with my AYM/2 group today. The assignment this month was to scrapbook your successes and accomplishments. They all said that this was the hardest subject yet. They all procrastinated because they felt like the topic was too braggy and self-serving. I told them that, that was exactly the point! Why is it that we can scrapbook and brag about the accomplishments of everyone around us, but when it comes to ourselves, we have a problem with it?

I want my grandkids and future generations to know that I won a twist contest in the 1960's. What does that tell them? Their ancestor had rhythm and recalls the 60's as an era that now they can relate to. That's the whole point. Something little, but something to connect them with me and my past. PS, I just mentioned one little thing. I didn't have any problem "bragging" about my accomplishments!

Be proud of yourself. If you won the spelling bee for your community, that needs to be documented. Or maybe you accomplished something against all odds---an education amidst some hardship---get the story told. You deserve to celebrate yourself too! Just do it

Sorry about the shadow, it was from overhead, so I couldn't get away from it. This is Sally's layout. She grew up in Gainseville, GA---a little town north of Atlanta. She had all these really cool newspaper articles to include on her layout, but right away, she tried to minimize her accomplishments by saying, "Well, when you grow up in a small town, they put everything in the paper. So what? Does that make it less of an accomplishment because it's a small town?

She did mention her Master Gardening Certification. We did that together back in 1995 and it's on my layout too. The reason that was such a good accomplishment is because it was a 3 month program and you could only miss one time. It was a commitment. I do well with that. There were many community service hours involved too. We put gardens in for our friends as well as for some local charities.

I even went to St. Louis and put Jeanne's first flower garden in. So now, I'm also taking credit for HER love of gardening. Gosh, now I've made it about me. Sorry to go off on that tangent, but see what I mean---we all do important things that sometimes have far reaching consequences. I say we need to celebrate and document those things. Okay, off the soap box now.

Kim's layout focused on her teen years and her high school accomplishments. She got the ribbon for her 7th grade science fair project titled "an experiment with meat." We got a pretty good laugh about that. She was popular in high school and was prom queen, on the local teen board, etc. I think it's important that our own teens see that at one time we were just like them---a typical teen with hopes and dreams of our own.

Suzanne seemed to have the toughest time of all "bragging" on herself. She is so talented and accomplished in many areas. She mentioned a few things in her journaling, but decided to focus on what she is accomplishing right now. That's totally fine. Each month, the topics are supposed to be a "jumping point" to interpret any way you want. She is involved with the renew program through the YWCA domestic abuse program providing shelter for women and families. They fix up old houses and furnish them.

The girls are having a good time with this and plan to continue on through 2012. I'll keep posting each month so you can see what we've been up to.

Our layouts for the weekend are up next.