TERESA COLLINS: Why I teach scrapbook workshops....

I am in Washington right now. I am in my hotel room. I am often asked how I travel, design and manage to be a busy mom & wife to my family. I think it is because no matter what I always put my family first. I am so fortunate in that my husband and I work as a team. He has limited his time seeing patients so that when I am away he is off to be there. I normally leave for only 2 to 2.5 days at a time. I am truly grateful that my family knows how much I love sharing my passion and my thoughts on documenting life.?

I got this email from a girl in my classes last weekend. I was so touched. I asked her if I could post them and she said yes and you can even use my name and photos.?

"Hi Teresa,
Well my 25th was yesterday, so appropriate for my "Then & Now" book I made over the weekend. Thank you so much for sharing your time and inspiration with me, I had an amazing time with you, Camielle and the other ladies this past weekend. (and I was thrilled to see my pic and name on your Blog!! woo-hoo!!)

Seriously, though I want to tell you how you have made an impact on my life. When you told the story of the boy who passed and his sister who made the ABC album really made me think. I got teary eyed and tried with all my might not to cry like a baby. Why? Because we have had a horrible year.?

The 2010-2011 my son Joey begged me to take him out of 8th grade to home school him so he could get the grades he needed to be accepted into Servite High School, which is a very prestigious catholic school in our area that is geared to making young men into faith filled leaders. Well, I did home school him and he did exceptionally well. Infact the admissions director told us that he has never had a kid who had such bad grades work so hard to be accepted and to boot have glowing letter's of recommendation from his teacher's (that were failing him)!!

He was thrilled to be accepted and started the year so happy. As a freshman he broke the schools record for the most soccer goals scored in a season, and that was before the season was half over. Then in Jan my son Joey(14 at the time) got sick w/viral meningitis, the MD told us it would last 10-14 days, well 3 weeks later he was still just as sick. 1 month, 6 weeks, still sick. After much tests and hospital visits he was also diagnosed w/Mono. We had to take him out of school, because he was so ill. Not only was this illness devistating but he worked so hard to get into that school.

I tried to home school him again but he was so sick that it never happened. Just as he started to get better, sometime around May, we all got sick with chest yuck, bronchitis, laryingitis, I had it for about 10 days. He kept telling me, "Mom I lost 3 pounds, Mom I lost another 6 pounds", etc. I was so sick I just told him to stop weighing himself. A few day later he was laying next to me in my bed, I got up and left him there so I could go get antibiotics so I could go back to work.

When I came home I went to his room, he wasn't there he was still in my bed but what I saw shocked me. I saw a mountain of empty water bottles all over his room. As a nurse the pieces were suddenly right in front of me. I knew why he was sick. I went to my room, took a really good look at him, he was gray, skinny and listless. I immediately took his blood sugar, it was so high it didn't register a number. We took him to the childrens hospital, he was diagnosed w/type 1 diabetes on June 4th, 2012. The next day I called my doc to tell him I needed a note to take time off from work to take care of my son, he asked me to come in right away. He had the lab work from my recent check up and told me I was a diabetic and needed insulin also. How freaky, both my son and I were now in this together. Ugh! Believe me this story goes on and on.

I am telling you this because I have been "scrapbooking" since high school, but really became more involved scrapbooking when Danielle was born 16 yrs ago. I have never really been an avid journaler, but after this weekend listening to you it really hit home what I need to do. I am so thankful for going this weekend. I truly believe it was something God sent me to do. I would have ordinarily never of even thought of traveling by myself to another county let alone stay by myself overnight in a hotel room. I have always done this with my girlfriends only. After this past weekend I now have the confidence to write our story.

I am sorry to ramble on and on, I know how busy you are, but I had to tell you Thank You so much for what you do for it has made a huge difference in my life and one day my kids will look back and hopefully thank me for taking the time to document our ordeal not only in pictures but in writing.
Many hugs to you!!

I will see you at "Oh Scrap" in January 2013!!!
A Blessed Holiday Season to you and your family,
Rosie Leos-Doscher

(Isn't my Ronnie a cutie!!- just sayin'?;)"

I felt so strongly to share her story. I am so thankful to have met her and to then get this email. I have no doubt that we are truly the "storytellers" and "historians" for our families. Scrapbooking is more than just a pretty paper or project. It is a way to share heart to heart our feelings and love for others. I am so grateful for EVERY single opportunity that I have to share what I love so much.?

So looking forward to amazing times with these beautiful ladies here in Washington. I teach two workshops today and my heart is feeling an overabundance of LOVE and gratitude. I spent late last night and this morning talking to my girls back home. I love that we talk everyday and they share their life with me. I love that we have that kind of relationship. I love that my husband adores me and tells me this every day.

Happy Friday... hope you are doing something fun this weekend.

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Source: http://teresacollins.typepad.com/teresa_collins/2012/11/why-i-teach-scrapbook-workshops.html

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