The Purpose Project

The Purpose Project

Our families have experienced some pretty life changing events in the past two years. Two seperate battles with cancer, both of which I am thankful to say were battles won and are behind us now. Seeing the emotional and physical toll on everyone involved, building and strengthening relationships that we have all taken for granted for many years have made me see things in a way I never did before.

This picture was taken by my sister in law, it made me realize how important capturing the moment is.
This is Shaun and his mom when he went to visit her in Utah during her chemotherapy treatments. What most people see is a mother and son. What I see is the mental and physical exhaustion that goes with the chemotherapy. The worry on Shaun's face not only for his mom but for his sisters who were there every minute of every day making sure things were taken care of. Of course, the teal wrist band that we all wore to show support and honor all cancer patients. That's what I see, that's what touch's my heart.

This is my brother Kirby, his girls and wife Stacey shortly after her diagnosis and before her cancer treatment. To so many people this looks like an ordinary family picture in a beautiful setting. Looking at it now I see the worry on my brothers face, the disbelief and fear on Staceys face, most importantly I see a FAMILY, a family ready to tackle the fight ahead of them. Which they did very well!

Our family photographs are just that.... OURS! WE know what was going at that moment, good or bad. OUR memories, no one elses.
I have had people act shocked by the fact that I feel the need to capture moments like this. "Who would want to remember such a scary and terrible time in life?" We may not want to remember these times in life but we NEED to remember them, to be reminded of how quickly life can change, to treasure every moment.
After having the "C" word in our life for a while, every time I drove past The American Cancer Society Building I felt the overwhelming urge to stop, to offer to help and give back for what they had done for our family members. What kept me from stopping? Well, honestly how does one approach the subject of offering the service of taking cancer patients and their families pictures without sounding kinda creepy? I called my SIL Colleen and ran it past her, she suggested I volunteer in general, not from a photo standpoint, and then see if there is a need. AWESOME idea! (she has always been the pay it forward girl, one of the many things I love about her)
SO the next day I stopped, I volunteered, and I was very promptly told they weren't accepting volunteers but they would add me to a list. Really? I have worked with several volunteer organizations and never once did we ever turn down volunteers. Don't get me wrong they are an amazing organization who have helped so many people including my family and I am thrilled that they have an over abundance of volunteers..... BUT
I do have to admit I felt a little dejected over the whole thing. That night when I couldn't sleep, I was surfing some photo websites when this popped up on my screen, twice I might add....... OK GOD I get it, thanks for the nudge though

I had been so caught up trying to decide what to do with my life and give back at the same time I hadn't seen the obvious!
SO that's how the Purpose Project came to be. It is not just about cancer patients, that was just the catalyst. It is about the senior who can't afford senior portraits because of situations at home. It's about the elderly person who can't leave the care center to greet that new baby or see the new bride. The tender moment shared with a loved one dealing with Alzhiemers. That is why I chose photography, that is my Purpose.....to capture the truly important moment's in daily life.

Thanks for letting me share this with you
Jeanne

If you know of, or are a part of an organization in East Texas that works with people who would benefit from and treasure some captured memories, please send me a private note jeanne@brickroadphoto.com There is NEVER a charge

"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that you cannot sincerely try to help another without helping yourself" Ralph Waldo Emerson

Laundry Soap

Hi all!

I have been taking a break from the blogging world for a while.  We have some exciting changes going on and I have been kind of "consumed" with those.  I have to tell you that I have bloggers jamb!  SO SO SO been blog ideas in my head, I just  have to sit down and get them out.  So be prepared.  Ha!   My blog is like my "out there journal". I truly think it is what keeps me from going insane with all of the ideas and thoughts I want or need to share.

A couple months ago I saw a recipe on Pinterest on how to make your own laundry soap.  A friend of mine over at Everyday Atchley's tried it and loved it so I thought I would give it a spin (a little laundry humor)   I   L. O. V. E.  IT!  It smells wonderful and is very gentle on my clothes and skin, rinses clean and works in my HE front load washer with little or no sudsing.  We have some sensitive skin in this house and this has been a great change for us. 

   

Here is the recipe.  It makes quite a bit, smells awesome and costs about  1/3 less than the laundry detergent you get at the store. 

3 bars Fels Naptha Bar Soap

4 lbs. Borax

4 lbs. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

4 lbs. Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

All of these items can be found in the laundry section of the store, usually on the bottom shelf since they are what our grandmothers used and aren't highly advertised anymore. Instead of Fels Naptha you can also use Ivory or Zote soap. It will cost you about $20 for all of the ingredients.  NOTE ~ you shouldn't use this on cloth diapers.  It has baking soda in it and will cause an issue with the absorbing properties of the diaper.  Wouldn't want that now would we?

First thing is to start with a box lined with a trash sack or a clean 5 gallon bucket to mix this in, it makes A LOT. First, grate the Fels Naptha bar.  You can either use a cheese grater (tons of work), food processor, or I used my Kitchenaid mixer's grating attachment.  MUCH faster, and a lot easier on the elbows. (Grate finer for HE machines)  This step makes your house and your hands smell amazing!

Mix all of the ingredients well and store in an airtight
container.  I found a really cute jar at Hobby Lobby that seals nice and tight, then slapped a few vinyl letters on it to cutsie it up. Hey, if your going to be domestic you might as well go all the way right?   However, if you aren't into cutsie, any container will do as long as it is airtight. At Walmart they had a very neat 2 Tbsp measuring spoon, drop it in the jar and Viola! Ready to use.

If you try it, let me know what you think.  I don't plan on ever buying the other stuff again. 

If you have slivers of the Fels Naptha bar that are to small and painful to grate, save them. They make great preteater.  Just wet & rub the soap piece on the greasy stain.  It's what our Grandmothers did.

From the Fels-naptha website
"Fels-Naptha® is a time-tested stain remover and pre-treater working especially well on oil-based stains. Just rub the stain with a wet bar of Fels-Naptha® soap. Let it sit for a few minutes and wash as usual. Fels-Naptha® especially works great on stains made by: Make up, chocolate, perspiration and baby formula stains"  
If you would have told me 3 years ago while I was running the lumber yard that I would be making my own laundry soap, I would have looked at you like you were crazy and probably laughed out loud!   SO happy my life has changed.......and that it smells better to! NOW if I can just find someone to do the ironing.

Love and miss all of you
Jeanne

Route 66

My photo of the day was taken some time in the early 1940's. It is one of my favorite photos of my Grandfather, (my dads dad). I found this photo about 5 years ago when we were moving. I'm not sure where I got it or how it ended up in that box I was unpacking, but it was there. Maybe a little "gift" from my Grandmother. *wink*

The caption under the photo, in my Grandmothers handwriting, said "Our Filling Station" Stroud, Okla Marshall E Johnson (my grandfathers name). What a treasure.

This is their "filling station" in Stroud Oklahoma


That is my Grandfather dressed in white, complete with bow tie and cap, ready to fill'er up with Ethyl for .15. Ethyl...I love that. I remember my dad pulling into a station saying "fill'er up with Ethyl" I also remember him grumbling because it was up to .49 a gallon, that was in the early 70's What would he think now?

The large sign says "You Can Pay More but You Can't Buy Better". In the lower left of the picture is a triangle sign that says "spuds .29 a pack". At first I thought this was advertising potatoes, but potatoes were a lot less than .29 in the 1940's. After a little research I discovered it was advertising cigarettes. I found the label and this advertising page on line.


Fastidious People....My how times have changed


It wasn't until I started researching Stroud and the cigarette label that I found out this filling station was on Historic Route 66! I LOVE the nostalgia that goes with Route 66. Imagine my excitement to find out that my family was actually a part of that!!!

Shaun and I took a trip down Route 66 to Stroud, Oklahoma. The building is not there anymore. However, one of the older townsmen recognized it, and treated us to some wonderful reminiscing. We left a copy of this picture with the Stroud Historical Society. I am happy to say it hangs in the Chamber of Commerce office in Stroud.
I urge you to take a trip down memory lane soon, and remember to never forget where you came from....ever.

AND If you ever get a chance, be sure to....
Get your kicks on Route 66
Jeanne

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