"One-Hit Wonder"

You know how they refer to bands on VH-1 (not that I watch VH-1 all that often) when they have a song that goes straight to the top and then that's all you ever hear from them? Well, that's a good description of me in the scrap world right now. =)
I recently had my first published layout in Creating Keepsakes Top Ten Issue Magazine as part of the SOY article they featured. I have not seen my layout in print, and it differs from the one here, because it just so happened that this layout got misplaced by one of the mag editors and so I had to rescrap this one for the actual magazine article. But anyway, I've been told it's on page 50, and it has had some scrappers in tears.
I had it in my head to turn these pictures and journaling into a mini-album for my kids to read as they grow up. But, when that contest came around and I had a deadline to make 20 layouts, well, I just grouped all the photos together and made one layout out of them. This is different in style then a lot of my other pages. Just goes to show you that I was (and still am) learning about scrapping and trying to figure out how to do it. It's still amazing to me that I won a spot in the top 10 in the SOY contest, considering I never scrapped before then!
I know it has more to do with my 'scrap philosophy', if there is such a thing. I truly believe that the 'story' or memory or fact expressed on the page is the most important element. If a page evokes emotion, or holds a lot of meaning, well then I think it's a great layout. I have layouts that are just for fun. Or simple and wouldn't mean a thing to hardly another soul in the world. But for me, they speak volumes. That's why I scrap. For me. So, you can imagine how much I have gotten a kick out of seeing my pages make it to the top. Even if I only end up as a one-hit wonder, it's been a fun ride. =)
Oh yeah. In case you can't read the little journaling boxes on the page, this is what they say:
"I Should Have Known"
I should have known that I would miss you every minute of my day. Simply being you...the way you would tilt your head, the twinkle in your eyes and the gleam of your smile lit up every minute of everyday that I had you in my life. I should have known that I could miss your smile.
I should have known that making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or doing laundry could make my heart ache for you. Folding the whites without your days-of-the-week underware has brought me to my knees in tears. I should have known I could miss you even in my daily routine.
I should have known when seasons change my thoughts turn to you. You loved spring flowers; you lived for the warmth and fun of summer. The crisp fall air brings memories of you laughing & jumping into piles of crunchy leaves. Each year my eyes fill with tears at the first snowfall. I should have known.
I should have known the pain of losing you would be so great. Teagan, you touched the deepest parts of me- my heart and my soul. I am grateful for the time I had you in my life. You filled my days with joy and delight. I only wish I would have soaked these memories in a tiny bit more.