Thursday, January 6, 2011

New Beginnings


Happy New Year!
What a thrill it was to welcome 2011 seeing Aruba lighting up the sky in fireworks. Being just as I remembered it as a child, and it was now so much more as I witnessed my kids' faces light up in disbelief and wonder... "Mama, I like the exploding fireworks e-very-where!!!"

It was an unforgettable night and a wonderful way to bring in the New Year with family, friends, food and song.

I can honestly say that the daze of jet-lag is finally lifting and I able to really start to BE with my loved ones. The boys just cannot get enough from playing with their cousins, outside in the dirt! :)
It has been raining quite a bit of late, so the island is covered in luscious greens, and any chance we get we try to sit outside and enjoy the breezes.




 This morning was especially wonderful as the sun came out from behind the clouds, and I rushed out with my camera to spend some time with the hummingbirds and the butterflies. I still cannot find the words to describe the utter joy of just being allowed to share in their goings-on.








As you can imagine, I have not been able to do much stitching as yet, although the itch to stitch is nearly making me crazy! :) ...just as the mosquitos are, actually!

So, receive my best wishes for a Creative New Year, surrounded by all the love and peace your heart can hold!

Valentina
:)

29 comments:

  1. Happy New Year to you and yours Valentina. So glad you are enjoying your time with family at home. Sorry I was away and didn't get your email until we returned which was too late. Thanks for thinking of me - Enjoy the rest of your holidays my dear - Love Nat

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  2. And a great new year to you too! I hope you have a wonderful time with your family. Enjoy!, and find a needle and thread so you can get ride of the itch...

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  3. Beautiful photographs. It looks like you are having such a good time!! Get lots of inspiration!

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  4. Your hummingbird photos are amazing! Thanks for sharing them with us!
    Have a great day!

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  5. Happy New Year Valentina! What beautiful photos, the hummingbirds are gorgeous. I went away without stitching once and in desperation bought a little cross stitch to do.

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  6. Your photos are just stunning!!! Happy New Year.

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  7. Oh, those are gorgeous photos and it sounds wonderful there. Thanks for sharing!!

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  8. Happy New Year too! Great that you get to enjoy time with your family. The photos of the birds and butterfly are stunning. All this nature around you is very inspirational, isn't it? Thanks for sharing. Lots of Love Vreni x

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  9. Fantastic photos, thanks so much for sharing them with us. Keep an eye on those "itchy" fingers, I have the feeling they will soon find what they are looking for :) Hugs, Sharm
    PS. The Mossies have been pretty bad here as well due to all the rain Australia has been having.

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  10. Hello dear friend and Happy new year to you and your dear family.
    I loved to hear all about Aruba and your boys, playing in the dirt :)
    Your photos of the birds, butterflies etc are so beautiful and very inspiring.
    Wishing you a wonderful year ahead, full of Joy and Stitching and Friendship xx
    hugs
    Robyn :-)

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  11. happy new year!!
    i so much enjoy the pictures, especially the one with the boys watching the firework. they look so cute...even from the back.
    hummingbirds.....just great.

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  12. Hi Valentina,
    What a joy to see such beautiful photo's. Hope you get to do some stitching soon. Enjoy the rest of your break with your family
    Love Shirley.xx

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  13. Happy New Year to you as well. My 2011 bring you good health, happiness, and creativity.

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  14. Wow! it's beautiful and your photos are lovely!! Happy New Year to you too!!

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  15. Heee, Valentina, en voor jou ook een heel goed en inspirerend nieuwjaar! Kom je dit jaar nog naar Nederland ?

    Hartelijke groetjes, Jeannet

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  16. Happy New Year to you and your family Valentina . I so enjoyed the photos , the hummingbirds are spectacular , thanks so much for sharing .
    hugs Sheila

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  17. So glad you enjoyed it. Your hummingbird pictures are incredible. Happy New Year my friend.

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  18. All that wonderful sun! our days are grey here in England.
    I know that feeling, itching to stitch, I have my machine out, but only for 3 days, as the builders are coming back on Monday.
    happy New Year to you and your lovely family.

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  19. Voor jouw en je dierbaren wens ik ook dat het een fantastisch, geweldig en creatief 2011 wordt.

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  20. Glad all is well with you and yours.
    A suprise arrived in the post yesterday. !!!!

    thank you. Just spent the day fishing and fallinf in the river with DS I'm sure the boys are having a great time.

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  21. Happy New Year to you and your family, Valentina, and welcome back.
    I'm thoroughly enjoying the warmth and beauty shown in your photos, as it's -8 degrees here in our part of the world tonight. It's much easier to ignore the winter weather when I can marvel at those hummingbird pictures and almost feel the gentle breezes you must have felt in the beautiful locales you're sharing with us.
    Here's to a wonderful 2011 for all of us!

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  22. Ook voor jou en iedereen waar je van houdt: een fantastisch 2011. Prachtige foto's. Daar geniet ik steeds van.

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  23. Dear Valentina, Thank you for my education in geography class! Shame upon me because I did not know of Aruba!! I do now, I have looked up your beautiful childhood island and it is such a wonderful place, you must have been so happy to spend New year there again with your family :0)
    Actually I must have been very close to Aruba without knowing. On my second trip to Peru I flew KLM and we landed in Bonaire, but only at the airport. It seemed a long journey from UK to Holland to Bonaire to Peru!! But it was worth it to be with the believers there. :0)
    I have just finished my first quilt top for Kristine .... you can see it on my blog.
    It would be a wonderful day if yourself, Theordora, Kristine and myself could all meet for a visit :0) but we shall have to be content with our blogland for now.
    love and best wishes for a creative New Year!
    Val xx Oxfordshire UK

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  24. Your photo of the hill and house roof tops reminds me of our honeymoon trip to Aruba over 33 yrs. ago. We and other guests of the hotel were invited to the owner's home and we sat on their patio by the pool and looked out to a view similar to yours. Thanks for the memories.

    Enjoy your visit and soak up that sun and breezes.

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  25. oh valentina, i know you are having so much fun over there with your family;)i miss you!! the new year came in with a bang over here too. i broke my left arm ice skating with my precious little grandson on new years eve:( -- 6-8 weeks in a sling. no quilting for me. boo hoo. oh well, i have other hands that stretch around the world!! valerie already has our first quilt of the new year done!!

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  26. Prachtige foto's Valentina. Ik kan me voorstellen, dat je helemaal gelukkig bent om weer even 'thuis' te zijn. Een heerlijke tijd om veel energie en inspiratie op te doen.

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  27. Happy New Year to you too. Your pics looks devine. Enjoy your holiday. My fingers are also itching, but will have to wait, its family-time now. Love, Zelda

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  28. Happy New Year to you too Valentina! I love those Hummingbirds. We don't get them here but I have been fascinated by them since I was a little girl, seeing them in the Melbourne Museum, all the different pretty colours. Thanks for sharing photos of them.

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  29. Happy New Year to you, too, Valentina!
    Enjoy your stay with your family and I look forward to reading your blog in 2011!!
    Hugs, Mary Ann

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Thanks for your comment! Please, feel free to write in Español, Nederlands or Papiamento if that is easier for you . And I will try to answer any questions as soon as possible, as long as I have access to your e-mail.

My Patchwork Family Through Adoption

A Bit of Africa and China
Came knocking on our door
And in a home where there was longing
Now empty rooms no more

Like a Quilt of Many Colours
Our Family stitched together into One
God's Love and Grace for us Abundant
In the Miracle of our Sons

Written by Valentina
2006