Pacific Pride Heart & Sole AIDS Walk 2012 Raised...

...more than $96,000! A big thank you to Jon Gathercole & Claude Raffin for their generous $25,000 matching gift challenge donation, and Peter Ralston for his $5,000 matching gift challenge. 

Thank you to my wonderful TEAM: California Hearts for walking with me!!! Love You All!! 

100% of what was raised will support Pacific Pride Foundation’s life saving HIV/AIDS services including: Free Anonymous HIV Testing, Food Pantries that assist low-income clients and their families, Education and Prevention outreach, and Support Groups and Counseling for those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.  PPF is the largest HIV/AIDS service provider between Los Angeles and San Francisco, serving thousands of people each year.

My fundraising page will be active until October 31^st - can you help us reach the critical $129,000 goal by the end of October?!

SAVE THE DATE! Next year’s 23^rd Annual Heart + Sole AIDS Walk will be Saturday, October 5, 2013. 

 

Every Dollar Raised By The End Of The Month Will Be Doubled!!!

   This year’s AIDS Walk goal for PPF is to raise $129,000.00 and they are currently at $7,250.  They need your help to keep their core HIV programs and services open to the community. Thanks to a very generous offer by Jon Gathercole and Claude Raffin, every dollar raised by the end of the month will be doubled up to $25,000! 

PPF is having a Fundraising 101 Information session tomorrow evening from 6-7pm at PPF-Santa Barbara.  They are giving away AIDS Walk t-shirts on the day of the event for individuals that  come to the information session. 

As an added incentive, individual walkers who raise $500 or more will receive a special AIDS Walk Gift bag filled with great goodies!  Please let me know if you want to join Team California Hearts.

 http://pacificpridefn.donorpages.com/AIDSWalk2012/shannonatkinson

 

Heart & Sole AIDS Walk 2012

www.pacificpridefoundation.org

October is AIDS Awareness Month. I have registered to walk in the 22nd Annual Santa Barbara Heart & Sole AIDS Walk to support the fight against AIDS. As most of you already know I lost my brother to AIDS about nine years ago. This will be my 2nd year walking in the Heart & Sole Walk. I will be walking in memory of my brother Judge and I will also be walking to support all of the brave fighters who are living with AIDS.

  I hope you all will take the time to click on the links below to make a difference. If you are interested in doing more than donating then please join us along with hundreds of other dedicated men, women and children who will walk, run, wheelchair and stroll along Santa Barbara’s waterfront on Saturday, October 6. My team name is California Hearts.

  For the past 22 years, our community has helped raise vital funds for the men, women, and children living with, affected by, or at risk for HIV/AIDS in Santa Barbara County. AIDS Walk is Pacific Pride's largest annual fundraising event, and the largest of its kind in the region.

~Stays local, and serves the men, women, and children affected by or at risk for HIV/AIDS in Santa Barbara County.~
~Prevents the spread of HIV in our towns through free education and testing events.Feeds families and individuals affected by AIDS with food pantries in Santa Maria and Santa Barbara.
~Cares for our HIV-positive clients seeking medical help, mental wellness, housing assistance, and healthy living habits.
~Helps Santa Barbara County respond to AIDS locally.

All dollars raised stay local and support Pacific Pride's HIV/AIDS services. The funds and awareness raised by the AIDS Walk are essential to educating our community and preventing transmission of HIV/AIDS.

Please Click on the links below to make a difference:

To Make a Donation 
To Join Team California Hearts 
 

September 11th

~September 11th~

Uncertainty hits us with a bang.
Our nations heart sang.
A song of sadness and of disbelief.
All the families filled with grief.
History falls with the touch of a hand.
Will we ever understand?
Anger rages through and through.
Our flag will always wave Red, White and Blue.

Families broken while they rejoice.
Lives are lost without a choice.
Darkness fills from east to west.
Putting us to the test.
Numbness is what we feel.
Could this all possibly be real?
From our hearts we pray out loud.
As we watch that evil cloud.

For what have they won?
In this evilness that has been done.
Unknown to us is the face we seek.
To answer all but is too weak.
Threatening our land and what we believe.
Stealing our security are those who thieve.
Evil lives in the heart of hate.
What will now become their fate?

And then there are those who risk it all.
Looking for victims when the odds are small.
Finding hope when the risks are high.
Praying that they will not die.
Continuing on while barely sleeping.
Picking up shattered lives while weeping.
Courage runs through all their veins.
Persevering through all their pains.

Our freedom was won with blood and tears.
The land we conquered despite our fears.
Pulling together in faith and love.
Showing the enemy what we are made of.
This is where our unity and love will start.
We will not be broken or torn apart.
Through it all we continue to strive.
Love and hope will always be alive.

Shannon Atkinson
                                                                     

A Poem for My Brother Judge...

My brother Judge lost his battle with AIDS when I was pregnant with my second child. Finding refuge in my writing I sat down and wrote this poem...


~A Special Soul~

He loved me the moment we met.
Just one touch and our lives were set.
Set in stone was our love.
Chosen to meet as the stars above.
When together we had us a time.
The song of love was our rhyme.
One day our lives would change.
I was within hearing range.
I heard him cry in fear that day.
That’s when I began to pray.
Pray for him despite the cost.
One mistake and all was lost.
He showed me how to love without regret.
To live your life and not to fret.
Hold onto faith when all else fails.
Listen with your heart and tell your tales.
Live a book and let it be read.
Remember every word you ever said.
Take the time to meet a friend.
Keep your faith until the end.
Sing a song and make it true.
Say the words I love you.
For a brief moment in time he belonged to me.
But now his heart and soul are finally free.

Blossoming of the Lotus...Book Intro

"Blossoming of the Lotus"

Out from the darkness she will rise.
Struggling to reach sunlight and blue skies.
Yearning for the freedom that is meant for the strong.
Knowing that it was meant for her all along.
Believing in herself, trudging forward.
Stretching while always reaching upward.
Just as she hits the surface of the other side.
Never looking back just remembering the ride.
Freedom belongs to those who are not afraid of the tears.
For those who are more afraid of the wasted years.
The lotus blossom never gives up and she never gives in
until she reaches the beauty above and the beauty within.

I hope...

... everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!!!

  As for my family and I we had a blast! We went down to Santa Barbara to BBQ with friends and then headed over to the beach to watch fireworks. The whole family had a great time.

  Unfortunately, on our way home we came across an accident. As I was driving I saw a car who was coming towards me spin around while going about 70 mph. He did what looked like a huge U turn, coming into my lane and then crashing into the mountain. The babies had all fallen asleep by then and didn't witness any of it. Thank goodness!!

  I pulled over and put on my hazards. My husband called 911 and headed towards the, too still car. I was so relieved when I saw the man step out of the car unharmed.

  The man had hit a deer and lost control of his car. I thanked God that I hadn't been driving any faster otherwise we might have been hit as well.

  The accident left my husband and I a little shell shocked but also thankful for all of our blessings in life.  As we drove away from the accident I said a silent prayer for the man and all of the other drivers who were still on the road.

  I hope you all had a wonderful and safe holiday!!!

Finally...

 

  I can proudly say that my book has officially been published!! I got a text from my publisher yesterday, while I was headed to a Dodgers game with my family. I looked up the website and sure enough there it was.

  After all this time waiting, I can't believe that it's finally done!


http://vosestreetmedia.com/blog/?products=blossoming-of-the-lotus

OK...

  So... getting my book published is taking longer than I had initially expected. I had a meeting with my publisher today to go over some last minute details. Everything looks great and is ready to go. It should be published and available to purchase by tomorrow...if all goes well!!!

Hello Everyone...

  I'm sorry it's been a while since my last posting. It's been pretty crazy at my house lately. With spring break and baseball practices/games. We have had a lot of birthdays too!

  Can't say that too much is going on with my book of late. With my crazy schedule and my publisher having back surgery, it has been going slow. We have signed contracts and have given the book and cover one more look over before it is published.

  My book should be hitting the internet shortly (fingers crossed).  Will write more soon:)

Book Cover...

has been chosen!!! I received an email yesterday with three options for my book cover. I am super excited to say that I have chosen my book cover! The artist did a fantastic job on it. She incorporated everything that I wanted and more.

  I asked the publishing company when would the book be available for purchase. To my surprise I was told that it should be no longer than two weeks!

  As soon as I can, I will post the finished book cover for everyone to see!!! Stay tuned!!!

Good News/Bad News...

  So, I have some good news and some bad news. Good news is that the artist has finished the two sample covers for the book...bad news is she is sick and is unable to get them to me right now. As soon as she is feeling better she will be emailing them to me. I am SO ready to see them. The anticipation is killing me:)

 

The waiting game...

is killing me but has given me time to work on other projects. Such as my house renovation. My husband and I have planned out all of our tasks that need to get done before summer. All new windows and sliding glass doors. Paint for the living room, dining room and kitchen.

  Looking forward to the finished product but not quite enthusiastic about painting. I'm good at it and I like doing it for the most part. About one coat in and I'm ready to do something else though. I don't quite have the patience for the follow through. It will get done, and I will most likely be the one doing it since my husband says "I'm so good at it". He has no idea that I am on to him about buttering me up so he doesn't have to do it. However, he is really good at the prep work and cleaning up after, or so I tell him :)

J & J

I got my DVD of Julie & Julia in the mail a couple of days ago. My friend was right, I totally loved it! It's a funny, romantic movie. I highly suggest you check it out!

Julie & Julia

I recently had a friend suggest that I watch the movie "Julie & Julia". It is about a woman who starts a blog. Being that I don't know too much about blogging yet, I ordered it off of amazon.com. It should be here tomorrow. I am super excited about watching it. I will let you all know what I think!

Just got some great news...

from my publisher. The artist has started working on my cover and is  finalizing it!!! Pretty soon I will be able to see the two covers and will be choosing the final one. Can't wait!!!

What a beautiful day...

it is outside! I think I am going to take the kids to the park or maybe the beach. Get them out of the house so that they can run around.

   Nothing left to do for my book. We are just waiting on the artist. My publisher text me a couple of days ago to let me know that all the paperwork is ready to go. I can't wait to see the final product!

An Amazing Photographer!

I just had a friend show me some pictures taken by Clark Little. I love his photography so much I thought I would share it with everyone else. I hope you love his photos as much as I do!

Here is his web site. http://www.clarklittlephotography.com/

It was an early morning today.

  My daughter decided that it was time to wake up at 4am this morning! Way too early for me considering that she didn't go to bed until 10pm. Pretty sure she will be taking a nap sometime today. A perfect time for me to do some household chores. That is if I don't take a nap with her.

Girl Time

  I had a fantastic time hanging out with my best friend today. We didn't do much. Just chilled out at her house watching T.V. and chatting. It feels good to hang out and talk about nothing sometimes. I think it's sad that woman sometimes forget about their girlfriends when their lives get crazy. I know that I'm guilty of doing this from time to time. Fortunately, I have good friends that smack me out of my tunnel vision. Girl time is so important because they seem to be the only ones brave enough and smart enough to tell you the way life really is. I can't tell you how many times I have had a friend give me simple advice that has made a huge difference in the way I perceive something. They somehow have the ability to shine a little light on dark times. I always feel better after I have had a sit down with my girlfriends. Thank God for them!

I should be doing something productive but...

all I want to do is sit on my butt and watch T.V. I just got the kids in bed and now I am sitting down with my cup of tea and my laptop.

  It is time to relax a bit now that I have done all that I can for my book. I have done everything that my publisher has asked me to do. Now I get to sit back and wait for him and the artist to do their part in the publishing process.

  I have been sitting on pins and needles waiting for my publisher to tell me that my book is ready. I can't wait to see the demo of it. I'm ready to share it with everyone.

  

Getting closer to my goal.

  Had a great meeting with my publisher today. We are starting to put on the finishing touches to my book. We narrowed down the artwork for the cover, decided on a title and completed the layout of it. Everyday it feels like we are taking the appropriate steps to getting my book out there. I can't wait!!! Stay tuned...

Rain + Children = Craziness!!!

  What is it with the rain that brings out the craziness in my children? My kids are above average when it comes to being hyper but for some reason the rain makes them unbearable. Finally, around 7:30pm they start to calm down. I'm hoping they will be ready for bed soon.

  As for me, I am ready to start up the next chapter in my book.I am excited to see what the future holds for my main character. She is in a tight spot right now. What will her fate hold? I have no idea, yet. Only time will tell.





  

Working hard, hardly working.

 I have been hard at work on my second book. Tired but feeling very satisfied with myself. It has been a long time since I have pulled an all day writing session. It feels good to get back in the rhythm of writing. Where the words roll off my tongue and miraculously end up on the paper.  I am exhausted and my bed is calling.
Night!

Rain, rain...

go away. Took my son to a little league baseball camp only to be poured on. It was foggy and sprinkling when we arrived but as soon as the kids got on the field the rain came down. It rained so hard I was soaked instantly. The poor kids were hiding in the dugouts while us parents sat in the bleachers. After 10 minutes the coach came off the field to inform us that the camp will be postponed til next weekend. I can't tell you how happy I was. My son and I ran to the car in the pouring rain only to have the rain stop as soon as we were in it. It was a fun experience that neither him or I will ever forget.
 
  I am thankful for the little things in life that don't always go as planned. When I sit back in my rocking chair after years have gone by these are the days that will make me smile.

Not much to...

say about my writing so I think I will share a little about my family. I am married to a wonderful, understanding man, two handsome sons and four beautiful daughters. Our children range from fifteen all the way down to two years of age. Our house is full of crazy on most days with the occasional quiet times. Busy, busy, busy is how I would describe our schedule.

  You probably are wondering how I fit writing into my schedule. I love writing. I fit it in every chance I get. Sitting in the car waiting for a child to get out of school, during nap time or while relaxing in the bath. My favorite time to write is when everyone else in the house is asleep. I can get my laptop out and start typing away. My mind is free to drift in and out of reality while my fingers try hard to keep up with my imagination. It's a wonderful feeling that I will never get enough of. I guess you could say I'm hooked.

Proud of my dad.

  My dad has finished two more books that are in the editing process right now! Soon to be published within the next month. He has been writing non stop the last six months and it has definitely paid off. Guess it goes to show, hard work really does pay off. Proud of him and can't wait to celebrate another book being published. Congrats dad!

Just got a Text...

...from my publisher. Great news! Getting ready to work on the cover for my book! I have been looking on the internet for ideas. Found some great little gems that I hope will help the artist get an idea of what I would like the cover to look like. After seeing artwork that she has done in the past I am positive she will.

  I am getting super excited. I can't wait until my book is complete and I can see the finished product. Until then I will try to be patient and enjoy the ride. What a great ride it has been.

Another Crazy Day...

  Today like most days was a VERY full day. I have been working hard on finishing all of the small details that go into finishing up my book before it gets published. I am finally starting to get excited!!! It has all felt like a dream until today when I was reading through the pages trying to come up with the final title. Still up in the air with that whole thing. I came up with a few that I like but can't officially decide.

  Would love to write more but children are calling. All bathed and ready for bed needing to be tucked in with goodnight kisses. Night...

Starting up a blog with a two and three year old in my lap.

  Blogging is something totally new for me. I am learning as I go. I am about to get my first book published and was told that blogging is the way to go. Once my book is officially published I will be posting the title but until then I don't want to jinx it.

  I will probably be talking a lot about balancing motherhood and writing. I am the full time mother of 6 beautiful/crazy kids. It is a wonderful job but can make writing a little difficult.

  Today my writing has been broken up by breakfast, driving children to school, lunch and diapers. Background noise for my writing has been a little bit of Dora, Barney and Sesame Street. 

  Hopefully I can figure out how blogging works. Stay tuned...