What does a pregnant graduate do?

Since graduating and having more time on my hands lately I have found that I need to more than just play with Brook, clean the house and find a job.  I have decided to act on all creative thoughts that I have and start, well, creating!  I am working on painting a dresser for baby girl #2 (pictures to follow when done); I have started to make cards for people in the ward that help us out (the first bunch was for the nursery ladies because they make it possible for Josh and I to actually sit through RS, EQ and SS); and the one I am sharing now is my sketchbook.

"Inspiration"shares the same root word as the Spanish word "inspirar".  Inspiration means "a divine influence directly and immediately exerted upon the mind or soul".  Inspirar means "to inspire" or, my personal favorite, "to breathe in or inhale".  Combine the two: "a divine influence directly and immediately breathed in and exerted upon the mind or soul."  How often to we let ideas in just as we let breath in?  How often to we let those ideas express themselves through the inspiration we've been given?  In other words, how often to we ACT on our inspiration?  This is me acting on mine.  Louise Hay said that creativity, inspiration, "if you will allow it, you are divinely guided by spirit at all times.  Know that Spirit makes no mistakes.  When there is a strong desire within you to express or create something, know that feeling is divine discontent.  Our longing is our calling."  I have felt great satisfaction in allowing my "inspiration" to guide me, acting on my impulses and expressing what comes to mind.  I am not looking for perfection, but rather I allow what ever I draw to be and it is beautiful.

I have always loved to draw and paint.  Drawing in graphite and charcoal has been my favorite.  I love how I can blend and create texture in various shades of the same color.  I have named the sketchbook "Beauty in the World Around Me."  As a sign says that my sister has in her home "Life if Beauty Full." Each image is something that surrounds me that brings me joy because of its beauty.  Here are the first four drawings with brief explanations.

"View From Balcony" I know a rundown old blue van usually is not
a cause for a reflection on beauty but I love this van.  It is retro, blue
and cool.  It inspired me.

"Lily Asiatic Lily" Yes this is an image of a dead
flower.  Truthfully, I did not water it or put it in
the sun so in essence I was the cause of its fallen
state.  However, it continued to be beautiful.  Its
colors of hues of orange remained vibrant, it
created amazing shapes with its dried petals and
leaves and it showed me that beauty can be
found anywhere.

"Brooklyn Sleeps" Of course this is the first of probably many
images of Brooklyn.  She.  Is.  So.  Beautiful.

"Patos" While in my last area on my mission I lived
with an awesome family (Robles Mattus).  Mother's
Day had recently happened and the papito (father)
bought the mamita (mother) a family of ducks
representing their family, 5 ducks total.  They
eventually bought ducks that represented the
missionaries that lived with them and gave them
their duck when they left.  The original duck family
have their heads down.  But, when they bought my
duck, in the middle, they said I was too unique and
quirky, so mine has its head up.  When I went back
to visit the Christmas after I returned home from
my mission, they gave me a papito and a mamita
duck for me to have.  They are such special people
to me.  I had to represent them in my images.