Creating a full and beautiful life

Dear Friends,

It has been a wild and full 5 days.  I've been missing blogging and was trying to decide what to write about today (now that I have a moment) and decided I should just tell you what I've been up to (fasten your seat belt):

So it all started early (4:30 am early) last Friday morning when I got up to go meet the regional director of Atlanta Interplay +Jennifer Denning so we could trek up to Alto, GA and facilitate our weekly Interplay session with 16+ prisoners at the Lee Arrendale State Prison (the largest women's prison in GA).

If you haven't gotten to see the recent piece by John Oliver on the US prison system it's well worth your time:

Next we raced back to ATL and the Mask center to meet Phil Porter (one of the founders of Interplay).  My friend +Hallelujah Truth Ruth wrote a great blog on our adventure that tells you all about it here:

Atlanta Interplay Blog - Give Performance a Hug 

That evening (after a much needed nap) we were back at the mask center for the start of "The Secrets of Interplay - Leader Training."  This was a weekend full of delightful Interplayers playing and learning on our journey to become Interplay
leaders.  

My dear friend, Ruth, hosted me in town for the weekend so I was able to have a lovely retreat and not worry about traffic.

One of the many joys of the weekend were additional people joining us for "Second Saturday" (our regular time 10am for Interplay once a month at the Mask Center).

Second Saturday Playmates

After a full and meaningful weekend I made it home around 5pm Sunday to be greeted with a homemade German meal that Alex (16) and her new friend, Hannah, spent 7 hours cooking.  Our good friends, Shelly and Eric (Hannah's host parents) came over to celebrate the meal with us.

Monday started with my Manifesting Monday Meeting that I facilitate and the day continued to expand!

The plans were to have a few friends over for dinner before the  Monday night Interplay Workshop Following and Leading being led by Phil Porter out here in the burbs :)

Well somehow 4 mushroomed into 14 (people really like to avoid traffic) and we had a mini party with delicious Mexican food before a terrific workshop at the Lionheart Performing Arts Center!

"Following and Leading" Picture taken by +Hallelujah Truth 

After the workshop there was much cleanup to be had, procrastinated homework to facilitate and birthday cupcakes to make before falling exhausted yet utterly satisfied into bed.

My view at the Chattahoochee during my "Leisure Break" tday

Ducks at Leisure at the river

So that leads me to today which included taking Phil to the Marta so he could head to the airport and his journey home, an exercise walk with a good friend, a Skype Interplay session with Ruth, 
Kid chauffeuring (x3), a 10 min leisure break by the Chattahoochee river,  finding a delightful piece of art outside of my new part time job space, working/playing for 3 hours, making art, and closing the shop to the sound of a 5 piece bluegrass band playing next door.  

I took a moment to take a deep breath of the beautiful "almost" Fall air and give gratitude(s) for the amazing, full, beautiful life I lead.  Thank you for being a part of it.

I'd love to hear what you've been up to?  What makes your life full and beautiful?


Wrapping you around with infinite love and kindness,

Christine 

P.S.  There is so much more to write, stories to share and adventures to tell - I know the "list" just peeked at the surface - Hopefully you'll join me sometime soon on the porch for a cup of tea and conversation about some of the lessons I learned this past weekend.