IMPACT

"A life is not important except in the impact it has on others."
-Jackie Robinson


"When you love people and have 
the desire to make a profound, positive impact on the world, then you will have 
accomplished the meaning to live."
-Sasha Azerado

This poster caught my attention a while back
so I photographed it ...
It is truly LOVE that is the root to any thing
that has had a positive IMPACT on my life!
It is a BIG WORD for sure!!!!

My Mom and Dad
(here in a photo from Christmas in the 80's)
They have had the most valuable IMPACT
on my life on so many levels...
by instilling their sense of LOVE in me and my life,
and by displaying their strong sense of love for each other,
which set such a wonderful example of how to live.
(I sure miss them!)
Christmases always had a huge IMPACT for me as well.
In this photo they were thrilled with a little piano
for one of their many collections.
Their LOVE of MUSIC is where that began for me, too.
 

Me with my hubby, Brian,
here at a summer wedding a couple summers ago.
He, too, has a huge IMPACT on my life...as do weddings!
(you can't see my dress here... but it is polka dot, like his tie!)
Everyone knows what an IMPACT
polka dots have on me as well!!!

This is still one of my all time favorite pics of my two children
Jana and Colin.
This photo was taken in Montreal about 3 years ago.
Not only are these 2 a huge IMPACT  on my life,
but I hope I have been one on theirs' as well.
They couldn't be more opposite
personality and interest -wise...
but they love each other.
Being a MOM
has had an amazing IMPACT on my life.

Anyone who knows me and or follows my blog
knows what a PROFOUND IMPACT
my grandkids have had on me.
This is a favorite pic of Beau and Mariah taken last fall
out for breakfast at Fuddrucker's
( our favorite spot to go Sunday mornings!)
I can't even begin to explain what an IMPACT being
GRAMMIE D to these two
 has done for this chapter of my life.

Jana and Nels make perfect parents to my grandkids.
They have a wonderful IMPACT
to the next generation ...
both being hard workers and very career oriented.
This photo was taken last summer
at a fund raiser charity Jana
and her work partner, Melissa organized.
They made an amazing IMPACT
raising thousands of dollars for the
Childrens' Hospital Foundation
 for the sick children in Saskatchewan.

My PUG- BOSTON TERRIER cross doggie,
SHUFFLE... has made a fun little addition to our family,
since she came into our life 3 and a half years ago.
It is amazing how much IMPACT our pets have on us,
by offering unconditional love.
This dog loves clothes like no other I have ever seen,
here she is modeling
her TuTu Cute PIG Halloween costume, 2010.
Halloweens along with many of the seasonal
occasions through out the year also hold an IMPACT...
and give me a reason to celebrate a theme!
( I love to celebrate and I love themes, too!)

This little verse written for me in my
Autograph book in 1965 by my dad,
has had ENORMOUS IMPACT
 on my over all attitude for life in general.
His writing, too,
had an IMPACT on me. 

My Father- In- Law, GREG and
Mother- In- Law, BLANCHE...
have been a very positive IMPACT on
not only my life, but also
on the lives of their loved ones near and far.
This book Greg holds is one he and I created
together on the computer of his beautiful photos of barns.
His passion and pride of his work
 has a very big IMPACT on me.
They are genuinely wonderful role models
 in every sense.

A 3 generation pic of me with my girlies here with STICKERS!
My girls and stickers both a fun IMPACT!!!!
This pic was taken when Mariah was 2...
hard to believe that she will be 6 next month already...
(and my sticker collection as well as her continue to grow!)
Mariah has made a heartwarming IMPACT on me,
Jana will always make me proud!

Beau on the day he turned one years old...
August 8th, 2011.
I'm grateful of all reasons to celebrate...
but I think a FIRST BIRTHDAY
has a big IMPACT on everyone's life...
(as does every birthday there after!)
I cannot believe how much he
has changed in just 8 months!
The IMPACT Beau has made on my life
is a cherished one! 

A card to represent many things of IMPACT in my life...
TAP shoes, crafting, cards, polka dots, Starbucks,
a lovely summer's day in our back yard,
and many SWEET MEMORIES!
This only touches on some of the many little things
that IMPACT my life!

A photo of the programs from last Summer's
25th annual JAZZ FESTIVAL, here with a Starbucks cup!
I love music... especially JAZZ
 and the IMPACT that has had on my life is
a melodic one for sure.
Sitting in Saskatoon's sunny Bessbourough park
during the festivals of the season have made lasting
and memorable IMPACTS!

Another one of the very many crafted cards I have made.
This one includes a memory filled with IMPACT!
The photo was taken on my grandaughter's
very first day of dancing, with her mommy.
The card was given to Mariah then at her very first dance recital
where she did a tot ballet number called HUGGABLE!
DANCING has had an astounding IMPACT
on my life since I was Mariah's age in this photo.
I hope the IMPACT I have made  through all STAGES
from tot to teacher and mentor help others through
their stages in life along the way.

IMPACT is a very BIG SUBJECT!
I had a hard time selecting
the right pictures of the many things
that have IMPACTED my life,
because there are so many people
and things that have.

My parents set the tone with their
unconditional love and guidance
of how to be the best me I could be.
To them I am ever grateful on every level possible. Their voices speak to me
in my heart daily even though sadly,
they are no longer here on earth.
They influenced many of my loves
in life from my dancing, to music,
to many little things in between.
I believe I am a strong mix of
both of them.

My dad has been gone now
 for just over 12 years and
my mom passed in October of 2010.
It was shortly after that time,
I decided to write a blog.
The blog was a way of recapping
things that mean a lot to me...
and keep track of important milestones
and memories along my way.
I try to record the most POSITIVE
things too!

I had no idea what an IMPACT
this blog would have on me.
I actually love to do it because
it involves lots of what is important to me,
from my family and friends, to photos,
writing, creating, putting a theme together
and sharing  them with who
ever cares to tune in!

Since my very first blog written
on December 31, 2010 to this one,
I have written a total of 220 blog posts.
Any post can be re visited at any
given time by looking on the
right hand side of the site under archives.
I can see what kind of an IMPACT
my blogs are making by comments made
both on the site and on facebook
as well by messages on email.
I can also check my stats
of number of views per post.
I must say a big thank you for all
who tune in and in
particular the previous blog post entitled
"A WiN-WiN WEEKEND"
has the very most views so far.
... It must have made some kind of
IMPACT to become
the WiN-WiN WiNNER!

As my photos show above
my family are all ones who have made
such valuable IMPACTS on my life.

In addition to FAMILY...
I have a long list of FRIENDS who have IMPACTED my life.
I chose not to single any of them out
for fear of missing important ones.
I feel so lucky to have
many circles of friends.

TEACHERS in both school
along with any lessons I took in my life,
have all IMPACTED me in many ways.
Lots made the difference between
"ORDINARY" and "EXTRAORDINARY"
by adding the little EXTRA!

I tried to take the many things that
IMPACTED me along the way
and incorporate them into my
TEACHING later when I began my
DANCE CAREER.

The very many dancers I had
the fortune of teaching had
a very remarkable IMPACT
on my life as well as my career.
I only hope I have IMPACTED
 their paths in some way as well.

Music has been a big influence in my life.
I grew up listening to and loving
THE BEATLES in the 60's.
Yesterday I looked up the
 most recorded music
of all time of any genre ...
and coincidentally
FOUR out of the TOP TEN
were BEATLES' songs and
ONE was a JOHN LENNON song
and he was a BEATLE!
So not only did their music IMPACT me,
it IMPACTED the world.

I could go on and on about
what has had a big IMPACT
on me for one reason or another,
but I feel this covers the base.
LOVE is at the root
of all that IMPACTS my life.

One never knows who they have
touched along the way,
so for those I have IMPACTED
with any positive input,
I am happy.
And I thank any one who has
IMPACTED me along the way, too.

Life is a big circle...
(kind of a big polka dot!!!)
and whatever goes around
comes around...
...and that is IMPACT!

And on that note...

So many people and things
have a huge IMPACT...
I have so very many,
there's lots to be exact.
But for today I will begin
by thanking mom and dad,
They made the biggest IMPACTS,
that I have ever had.
They also introduced me to
so many things, too...
That helped to be an IMPACT
each day through and through.
My parents are no longer here,
so I hope I can share,
The kinds of things that add
IMPACT ...to any here and there.
I could write a book on things
that had IMPACT on me.
From music, to fun people
and "spotting" creativity!
Today I share a little...
and it's only one small glance,
TAPPING the many things I love,
and that will include DANCE!
My family, friends and teachers,
I just have to toast,
Because they've added to my life,
by IMPACTING me most!