T's Washington D.C. Trip Fundraiser

I want to thank all of you for the kind words and great encouragement you've given me through this wonderful journey of creating our Mississippi ornaments for the National Christmas Tree Display this year.  I can't imagine a greater honor than being given the opportunity to make a difference on a national stage through my artwork, and representing all of us has truly been a dream come true.  I've decided to continue this journey all the way to Washington, and keep the wave of excitement alive.  Many of you know this has been a difficult year for me.  I lost my mom at about the same time as I was asked to create our ornaments.  Unfortunately, I never got to tell her about this wonderful honor.   She would have been over the moon with excitement and right by my side throughout the entire process.  I know she would have been bubbling with creative juices just like I was.   But then, it all changed in an instant.  I was faced with so many emotions, from the darkest levels of grief over her loss, to the difficult decisions and planning that had to happen right after her death, to the stresses of upcoming business affairs that had to be handled.  I was a wreck, but knew I had to get through this for her.  And then a box from the National Park Service arrived on my front porch.  It was our globes that would serve as the base for our ornaments.  They represented a clean slate, a blank canvas.  I decided right then I was going to throw all common sense and reasoning out the window and dedicate my entire soul to creating these ornaments.  At the same time, I was going to shake off the despair and get through this difficult time, no matter what.   It's amazing what creativity can do for us.  Slowly but surely, one step at a time, I started noticing those huge emotional hurdles in the rear view mirror.  I spent my days at mom's house cleaning, sorting, and moving.  I ran errands handling estate business and tackling finances for both her household and my own.  But my nights were dedicated to creation, one tiny piece of glass at a time.  I'm proud to find myself in the place I am today, having come so far since August.  I'm so proud and honored that the designs produced through this journey can not only represent our beautiful state and all of its citizens, but also my mom.  It's for this reason that I feel so compelled to continue this journey to Washington.  If I can make any difference at all, I want to go for it, and that's exactly what she would've wanted me to do.   I know it doesn't make sense to spend much-needed funds on a trip at a time like this, but I don't think we're working off a normal set of rules on this one.  So with the encouragement and nudge from my friends, I've decided to go for it.  I'm looking forward to taking Washington by storm and shining a light on the arts in our great state.  They always seem to tell us we're last in so many regards, but when it comes to our artistic legacy, we are #1 and always will be!  If any of you feel that you can contribute a small amount to my cause, I promise I won't let you down.  I've already contacted the offices of our Legislators and scheduled appointments to visit them while I'm there, and of course I'm looking forward to seeing the ornaments in person on our Mississippi tree in President's Park.  Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and for your continued encouragement and support.  Please know this has been the honor of a lifetime.  Much love, Teresa