The family is one of nature's masterpieces. (George Santayana)

Today is a propitious day.

It is not because my daily horoscope contends that, "this is a day of great mental activity and heightened communication with others."

It is certainly not because my Chinese fortune reads, "your career luck and money luck are unstable in 2009, and you are better to keep your profile low." 

Today is a propitious day because I've decided to let the Santayana quote inspire me to document the "masterpiece" that is my family.  On second thought, perhaps "masterpiece" is a bit misleading, because that suggests we are complete and finished, when we are simply a "work in progress." 

Before my son was born in 2008, a co-worker gave me a beautiful scrapbook to document the baby's first year.  It has sat, unused, in a box somewhere in my house.  When I announced my pregnancy to our family, my sister-in-law gave me a baby book that allowed me to fill in things like "first bath" or "favorite toy," and accompany them with a photograph of the event.  This book has notations on random pages, and even a few pictures, but it is sadly incomplete. 

If you examine my history, I have seldom completed projects that could have become "masterpieces."  I tried to latch-hook rugs as a young girl, and though I started many, I don't think that I ever completed a single project.  Later on, I attempted to learn the art of quilting from my grandma, who is unbelievably gifted in this form.  I managed to select a pattern and fabrics, and even cut a few squares, but this project was soon abandoned.  Even in the routine of my daily life, I begin masterpieces that often require someone else's assistance to complete.  I begin to put away groceries, or clean the kitchen after dinner, and my husband ultimately finishes the work.  I might sort my laundry, and even put a load into the washing machine, but my mother stops by to complete the task. 

Today is a propitious day because I've found a creative outlet that I do not have to worry about completing.  Just as my family is a work in progress that will never be finished, a blog from my perspective documenting our experiences is a project that does not have a finish line.  And so begins the project...