Sponsor Giveaway | Scrapbooking From The Inside Out

Resilience should have been my middle name. My friends say that I remind them of those blow-up punching-bag toys that keep bouncing back after they've been hit. After a life of many challenges (divorce, single motherhood, failed businesses, loss of jobs, grave illness of a spouse, etc) I still wake up excited about my next art project, scrapbook page or writing assignment. My motto through life has been: "Just Rise to the Occasion." -Something I try to do every day even if the day before had its disappointments... I never lose hope.

Finding a way to get through whatever obstacles you have to face. When I look at my life I believe it has been a charmed life after all. Yes, there are struggles but overall it has been fantastic!
Aloha, Kate

I found out last February that I had MS- then I lost my mother and my grandfather in the next 2 months...resilence to me was being able to get up to keep moving to be thankful for what each day brings and to not get paralyzed by the sadness and the scariness of what may be to come.

Hmmm... resilience. The biggest example I know of in our lives is when we decided to buy a house. We found 2 that we thought we perfect and for one reason or another, they fell through. The realtor was so surprised when I said, "Well, everything happens for a reason, and this just means something better is yet to come." And it did. I can't imagine anything more perfect for us than our home now is (except if it maybe had a 2nd bathroom!) Thanks for the chance!!!

I myself had a rough childhood , being taken from my parents at a young age because of sexual abuse was put in fostercare and was then being basically returned and put into another foster home, and eventually I got out of the system because my grandmother got custody of me. Some people out there have a bad childhood and then later in life become alcoholics or drug addicts or even have a bad attitude about life in general but you can all overcome our past and become something much much better just to prove it to ourselves ....that is resilience to me.

We all face things in life (often daily) that require resilience and focus to keep your eye on the big picture instead of giving in to the easy path. My biggest challenge NOW is all the hours I have to give to work life since we are shorthanded and too busy to hire/train the new people. I try to remember that the light at the end of the tunnel is not a train and that we just have to get past these next few weeks/months and it will all have been worth it. Then there will be other challenges to face.

Not giving up when other people told me I was too old for the job I desperately wanted. And, I got it!

Wow! There are strong, amazing women on this board. I went through breast cancer surgery, chemo, and radiation and managed keep working at my job. Then I lost my job due to the economy, and I'm trying to find my way from here.

Resilience for me was surviving the deaths of my 8 year old son, mom, and dad and a divorce within a 4 year period. My son was born with multiple physical birth defects, endured 12 major operations and more than I can remember smaller operations & procedures. He had been doing very well for a year. He was a cub scout and had just finished 2nd grade when he became ill and died 12 hours later. My parents both died of cancer. I had 2 other children and life needed to go on.

My resilience is battling with depression every day of my life. I have come to deal with it much better recently with the help of good friends and lots of crafting and can now cope without drugs. It is a long and hard road but one I have to walk and will do so with courage.

Resilience - getting up each day, regardless of whether I want to or not. Having the courage to work oh my soul and dig deeper, even when it is hard.

My daughter has been working on her bike riding skills lately -- just took the training wheels off and she's been showing much more resilience than I expected!

I have a resilient heart and love that has been tested many times in the last five years. I have learned to rely on my innate strength and faith to carry me through life's toughest trials.

Thank you Ali for offering this giveaway.

I was a single mom in university, living 10 hours away from my nearest family. I learned what it means to give of yourself for another - needless to say, I grew up really fast.

Now I'm a teacher, a wife, and a mother to three children! Wouldn't have it any other way.

My example of resilience would be in my marriage. Tomorrow we are celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary! I married my high school sweetheart, was a military wife, we have raised 3 exceptional kids together, we both went back to college and obtained degrees, we have changed careers and we are STILL together. It has never been easy. We faced many obstacles along the way and we evolved into who we are today. As we tell all of our friends-- it is easy to get a divorce, it takes hard work to keep a relationship healthy. He is my best friend and I love us.

My first year of college, I was the victim of a drunk driving accident. I almost lost my life, and suffered numerous broken bones and internal injuries. After re-learning to walk again and recovering, I know I am resilient!

Does a 12 weeks and counting quest to find and make the perfect whole wheat hm breadrecipe count as resilience? I am determine to make a delicious hm bread for my family,let's just say it hasn't always turned out quite like I envisioned...but I will succeed...

We recently moved our family from the west coast to the east coast in a hope to make a better life for ourselfs and our daughter. It has been a huge change and our family is all still on the west coast so we don't have a lot of hands on support. It is hard, but so far we find it well worth it!

Resilience Is relative and any experienced parent of young children that can work full time and still be a spouse have friends , keep house and everything in between is RESILIENT!

Resilience defined for my life: Preparing to go into surgery again. Facing the prospect that the news from this surgery may be the same as twice before in my life-cancer. Yet knowing that throwing a pity party will get me nowhere and that my kids, my honey, my sibs all know that I'm one tough cookie!!

The comments so far have tugged at my heart. I have never known a tougher bunch of women in my life, and am honored to be a witness to so many strong, resilient women!!

RESILIENCE, what an amazing word, to have strength and hope and to step through the far end with a positive outlook! My family faced three major hardships in a 7 month period, but we faced them together and resilience is the word that truly describes all of our responses. First, my 10 yr old son's best friend since pre-school was struck by a falling tree. My son was a devoted friend as he spent days reading and talking with his friend through his coma, and is still by his side encouraging his continued progress though wheel chair bound. Three months later, my dearest and closest friend lost his battle against MRSA. Less than 4 months later my 16 yr old daughter lost her best friend in a freak swimming accident. All of us are healing and are grateful for the moments we all have been lucky enough to have shared with all three of these cherished dear ones. I feel we have all passed the test of resilience beautifully. It is heart warming to see the many touching stories of resilience shared here.
Amazing women all.

When I see the things these other amazing women are going through, I think I'm not so sure I have needed to demonstrate much resilience! I guess my biggest challenge is raising 4 children, all of whom (like their mother and father) have ADD or ADHD. I am blessed beyond measure by our wonderful Lord, but there are days that I don't know if I can make it! But by His grace, I smile and keep going every day.
Thanks for the awesome giveaway.

My Dad died when I was 16 and my Mum was in hospital for 6 months at the time. This was my final year at high school. I was the only child left at home and had a lot to contend with for a good few years after that. While all my friends were out clubbing and partying and moving into flats. Made me who I am today though!

Survived ovarian cancer! Even though cancer free....I still live with the fear of it returning....

Each day each one of deals with many changes. Resilience is dealing with those changes and becoming a better person. As I have aged I have become a stronger person due to those challenges. Thank the Lord for guidance during the changes.