Image

from my home to yours…

 

Christmas-window
May the Light and Love of this season grow in our hearts and expand out to embrace all that exists. May we walk in Beauty, all of us, as we celebrate the holidays and step into this new year.

Comments

  1. Thank you Amy for this moving story about Kay and Jeff…how is it that my heart can break and expand at the same time?

    love,
    palen

  2. Ah, Palen! How wonderful to hear from you!! You would have loved this wedding and it would have been so good to see you. We’d all love to hear from you…

  3. Dear Amy –

    Forgive me for not keeping up with your postings – I just saw this. Wow! Please send my love to Kay – I’m not sure how to reach her.

    And I love the poem and graphics for you and Steve, and the one for you. I agree with leaving out the last four words of the former, but all in all, Silvi is quite a poet!

    Love,

    Barbara

  4. A hug, just sitting with you next to the beautiful picture and the flower – that is what I would do if I would live nearby.

  5. says:

    let me know when a walk in beauty might be welcome. holding you in my heart.
    Laura

  6. you always have been the writer of the family, bringing a mental picture of that which you write. It was a very nice memorial and I was very happy we could all be there. Karen would be happy to see your love for her, written, what she already knew in her heart.
    Love you sister,
    Nancy

  7. When Karen was working at SAIC. Every time I pass through her lobby, she always greeted with a “Hi Davey” and a big smile. Once I was having a terrible day and not in the best of moods, as I came into her lobby, Karen was at her desk, head down buried in paper work. So I thought I’d just quietly pass through. I was all the way across the lobby heading up the stairs. When I heard this taunting song like “Oh Daaveeeee”. Then with her head still down, and in a some what disciplinary tone, she said “You know you can’t pass by without saying hi” She then looked up, face fully a glow. a devilish little sparkle in her eyes, she flashed that big beautiful smile of hers. In that instant all my problems vanished. That’s who Karen was to me, someone so full of love for everything and everyone.

    Karen had a big heart so full of love. You couldn’t help feeling better, by just being around her. It was a shock for me, to hear of her death. Having that much love in her I always thought she would find a way to live forever, Sitting here picturing her smiling face, I can still feel that love she had inside her and still feel her presence. So maybe she did find a way to live forever.

    I am extremely blessed to have known a person as beautiful as Karen I will miss her dearly.

  8. Dear Dave –

    Thank you so much for this story. It is so reminiscent of Karen’s energy and I can just see here there in your words. Would you please post it on her website? I know that others who love her but don’t know me or beauty dialogues would love to hear it.

    Here is the site we built for her and just these kinds of memories:

    http://www.karenannstout.com

    Thanks so much for writing.

    Amy

  9. yes Dave, thanks for that…I worked for Karen at SAIC…we kept it professional and most people never knew that I was her sister… mostly what gave it away was on the phone we can sound alike. I still cannot believe that I can no longer call her…I miss her beyond words. She was so full of life that I thought she would live forever. When my mom and I told her son Jake that his mother had passed he paused a moment and then said to us “As long as we keep her alive in our heart, she will always be with us.” She will live forever in our hearts and your words captured her essence. Thanks for sharing that with us.
    Nancy

  10. Hi Amy Hi Nancy,

    I don’t know if you remember me. It’s been over 20 years since I have seen you two. But your whole family has always been very special and near to my heart , I don’t know if Joli remebers but I babysat him several times. Karen gave me credit for Joli eating his first MacDonalds hamberger compleatly, From the first time I met her she was always like my sister, I was closer to her then my real sisters. Now that I think about it, I met all three of you on the same day it was Christmas at Kathies apt, on Clairmont Mesa, I had been dating Kathie for about a month. but that was my first plunge into the family Stout. and I’ve never been the same since ….. lol

    Your whole family is very special. And there will always be a place in my heart everyone on you,

    Love

    Dave

  11. Hi Amy,
    I love this picture – but it seems alittle odd to receive this in late May (Is this one of those hints to start my Christmas shopping early?) Oh well, keep sending these beautiful pictures of yours – I’m always happy to see anything from Beauty Dialogues in my inbox.

  12. Thanks, Shelley! I don’t know why you got this in late May (it was written and posted back in December!), but I’m glad you liked the image and appreciate your kind words for the Beauty Dialogues.