I would like to express
                                    my gratitude to all of
                                    you!  If it weren't for
                                    you and your support I
                                    would not have been able
                                      to create "Roots of
                                    Passage".  My roots with
                                    some of you run deep and
                                      rich with sustenance
                                      without which I would
                                    not have discovered this
                                    path in life. For others
                                    the journey with you has
                                    just begun and I am sure
                                    our connection will feed
                                        my imagination and
                                    creativity for decades
                                              to come.  
                                                      
                                    Thank you for joining me
                                    yesterday in celebrating
                                    a lot of hard work.  I
                                    want to point out a few
                                      individuals for their
                                    support and hard work:
                                      Tom Helm for spending
                                    about three weeks of his
                                      free time to help me
                                            construct and
                                      deconstruct "Roots of
                                      Passage"; My mom for
                                    allowing me to destroy
                                    month's maybe years of
                                      crochet and knit work
                                    she has created over the
                                    years and for her gentle
                                    criticism for which the
                                        final installation
                                    wouldn't be what it is
                                    today; to Bill Joachim
                                        for lending me his
                                      loping shears to cut
                                    down all of the bamboo;
                                        to Dr. Thomas for
                                        letting me cut his
                                    bamboo; to Vicki Moyel
                                      for helping with the
                                    crocheted pieces; and to
                                          My Mom, Deborah
                                        Murphy-Ahles, Bev
                                    Heimer, Betsy Davison,
                                          Anna Kerstetter,
                                          Stephanie Grigg,
                                    Michelle Sladinski; Kim
                                      Banister, Mary Perry,
                                      Monica Smith-Talbott,
                                    Carol Murray, Netta from
                                      Watercolor class; to
                                    Linda Arvey for helping
                                      me clean house before
                                    the reception; and most
                                    of all to Mollie Lauer
                                          for being such a
                                    supportive and helpful
                                      little girl over the
                                      last month or so.  I
                                          really hope she
                                    remembers this and how
                                    important she is to me.
                                      I love you Mollie.  
                                                      
                                      Everyone has been so
                                    wonderful.  Thank you.
                                                      
                                    Now...Let's see if the
                                      "trees" lasted over
                                    night and are accepted
                                        by my final review
                                            committee.   

As time clicks by my deadline to have my installation in place is quickly approaching.  I am getting nervous and wondering at less than 20 days away, why in the hell did I set the date for Mach 23rd?  It has been a crappy winter of rain and cold with a few good working days scattered in there.  A few good working days isn't enough to get the job done.  I don't have classes to teach this week since the college is on a mid-semester break, and the weather seems like it might cooperate so I am hopeful that the bulk of it will be completed by the end of this week.  I still have so much to do it seems.  Plus, I have paintings that need to be created on top of everything else.  Life can be very distracting from all of the things I love to do.