Hello, my name is Irma, well my name is actually Sarah, but here is a little bit of how I became Irma.
I will never forget the day I met my husband, Don. He is a big personality, full of jokes and laughter, love and so, so much more, I could never do him justice with mere words. He boomed into my life with his humor and fun-loving personality. From that first moment I always felt comfortable around him, he became my friend instantly. Little did I know he, in his words, started "pining for me" from the get-go. I had no idea that he had any romantic interest in me, why would anyone, I always thought myself unlovable in that aspect (I have suffered from PTSD and anxiety from a very young age, and it has created an "I'm not worthy" feeling and made it hard for me to connect with people). Anyway, my Don drove an emergency roadside flatbed wrecker and one day the weather was really bad, and I was just thinking "Yikes, Don is out in this fall blizzardy mess, I hope he is safe", so I text him to be careful and safe on the roads. Well, that did it, our relationship bloomed.....

But where did Irma come from? I will never forget the second time I saw Don either. He clamored up the porch steps and peeked in the window I was sitting by and said, "Hi Irma!" I gushed inside, I had never had a nickname, and Irma was so different, and I loved it! Maybe because of how he said it, but the name stuck. It was sometime later that hurricane Irma developed and later when Don and I talked we thought how ironic, he would then joke that I did hit him like a hurricane, like the song by Luke Combs, which Don loves. What makes the story even more ironic is that we would text while he was hunting, he loves hunting and now so do I, and his bow was a Parker Hurricane (my maiden name is Parker).

Our story is filled with so many coincidences and amazing connections. I could spend endless infinities writing about my Don . But anyway, that is how I was so blessed and honored to earn the nickname Irma, and it stuck forever!

My time with my Don is.....I cannot describe it; he brought a happiness to my life I never could have imagined I could ever have. When Don went to Heaven on January 21, 2022, my world crashed, he took a huge piece of my heart with him. My faith tells me I will be with him again and that is what I cling to every moment. Our song "Forever" by Luke Combs, Don said was all true, Forever, only parted earthly but we will have eternity together with our Lord and Savior. Don loves my artwork, and, in my grieving, I try to find ways to honor him, and one way is by continuing to create. Don always encourages me to create through art or out in the garden with the posies, as he calls all flowers, and cheers me on, he is my biggest champion and cheering squad.  Art is part of my therapy, a way to cope with my extreme grieving and anxiety. I'm trying and most days seem impossible but when I draw something I immediately want to show him. I know he is with me always and by doing the best I can I am making him proud.

This shop may not be perfect, I'm learning, but everything I create comes from my heart. Finding ways to share my drawings and grow as an artist is my goal to make Don and myself proud.
I thank you for reading what is just a tiny bit about me and my Don. And I thank you for stopping by my shop. I hope to continue to learn and grow, and share my art. Please know that at times this might all overwhelm me and I may need to take a break, but I will always push myself to keep going and keep creating. 

-Irma