Welcome to the House of Sha

NOT to be confused with the House of Style as you will soon see.

Pre-tour words: I'd like to ask that you keep arms and feet in at all times. You will find smoke detectors placed strategically throughout the house. This is no smoking on this tour. Anyone found smoking will be taken out and shot. If at anytime during the tour you feel the need to clean, rags and cleaners will be provided. And if you find my earring that has been lost for a while know, you will win a fabulous door prize. (No, it will not be a door.)

Any questions? Okay, let's begin.

Enter into this fun house through a fabulous sage green front door, surrounded by half-dead, half-thriving hanging flowers.




















I'm supposed to show you where I pet the muse next, eeking out these delightful little one liners and boring tidbits of me and all that surrounds me, but that would be at work. (They have a T1 line. We have dialup (snore). You see why it is necessary for me to do all that I can at the office. I blog when I can catch minutes here or there. No picture of that though.

On the right you will see my newly painted dining room. One day when we can save up for it, we will change out the chandelier to match the rest of the room. And that is a tall table - our counter table that we purchased for $100, the matching buffet was only $150. We spent more on the chairs than we did on those two items combined. Bargain shopper are us.
















After passing the dining room, you will find yourself in the most inviting living room. This room is one of the reasons we bought the house. The colors and the brick fireplace held real warmth for us. We love the wood floors too. And there's Tenni... Hello cat. You've been in the radioactive vat again, haven't you? You're glowing.
















Just off to the right of the you will see the very used kitchen. It is here where my daughter and I are doing the cooking thing together. (Mr. Right loves to cook too, but I want you to think that I take care of my family completely, okay?) Can you smell the coffee? Mmmmmmmm.. (For the record, you know I cleaned up by the sheer fact that the table is not covered in stuff! That is one of my catch all places that I can't keep clean.)

















Off of the kitchen is our back deck, the other reason we bought this house. We love being outside and having friends over for fun, relaxation and talks. (What you can't see is the big trampoline just to the right of this view. That keeps the kids occupied while we adults chat away.)

















Every other morning at 5:30 AM, Mr. Right and I head down to the basement to workout. It's a blessing to do it together. Lord knows that if he didn't get my behind out of bed, I would not be doing it. Every other other morning, we run the trails in the neighborhood.





















Around the corner is our basement we have the tv, which is really dusty because we hardly ever use it. It's nice to have in case of an emergency though... or if we ever have a movie worth watching. Do you have any suggestions?

















Lastly we're supposed to show the room that gets used the most. I'd have to say this room is it. Feel to use it if you need to... everyone else does. And I did check to make sure there were extra rolls in there... just in case.




















So that's our house, the house that God gave to us after 10 long years of being apartment dwellers. Needless to say, we love having a house, but no matter where God put us, we always made it a home.

I hope you enjoyed the tour. If you like what you've seen, feel free to come by to see the real thing. I can almost guarantee it will not look like this when you come, though. The kids are at Grandma's all summer, so it was easy to make it look like I can keep a house. Sigh.

Sha, You've Just Won An Award! Now What Are You Going To Do?

What any other vain person would do - Tell the whole world!

Thank you, Jeana! I'm so excited! I may just have to make you some good biscuits and gravy when I come down. Or better yet, an apple pie!

Thank you for giving me a wonderful award for my lonely sidebar.

Ahhh, it's good to find a kindred spirit.

And someone who helps you to snort coffee up your nose.

Seriously. Jeana (NOT Gee-ahna Addie) is that funny.

Sometimes First Impressions Don't Fully Fall On What YOU Do

Why Do I Leave My Bed Some Mornings?

My Reason to Smile

14 years ago, I rolled over in my twin bed, appreciating the warm Southern sun. As consciousness took hold, my eyes popped open and I smiled with the realization that I was truly, madly, deeply in love. That was a great way to start a day.

I hopped out of bed (Yes, I am a morning person, so that is actually a correct illustration for me in the AM.) and I jaunted into the kitchen to kiss my mom, who most likely had been up for hours, slugging back cup after cup of joe. I, however, refused to touch the stuff because I thought it was just wrong to be addicted to something that you would need two pots of it before you left in the morning, and grabbed some o. j. and toast instead. (Of course, I have grown up since then and seen the errors of my ways - well that way anyway.)

Mom, who was dressed and busy already: Hey, Sha. Are you ready for today? Do you need anything? Let me know. Gotta go get some stuff done. Is Mr. Right coming by later? When are you leaving? Have you talked to Gina (sister in law) yet? Oh, wait… she won’t be up yet. I gotta go find your dad and have him do something… (See why I avoided coffee? Actually, that’s my mom’s way of getting everything out before it escapes her mind. Unforunately, I inherited it too, but it didn’t show up until later.)

Me: I’m good mom. It’s going to be a great day.

Mom: It might rain today. I hope it doesn't. What are you going to do this morning? Are any of the girls coming over later? I still have to go find your father…

Me: Take a breath, woman. Everything is going to be just fine. I’m going to take a shower, okay?

Mom: Okay, honey. If I’m not here when you get out, I’ve gone on okay? Call Gina later. I bet those boys were up way too late last night. Love ya. (walks away) Don? Where are you? I need you to carry this stuff out to the car…

My friends showed up a little later and we hung out for a while. We all talked and laughed and basically did girl things.

Around noon, Mr. Right and the guys stopped by the house. We had lunch and talked to each other about he previous evening. After everyone had gathered for some great Memphis barbeque, we all separated. The girls and I hung out for a little while, but I was in bed and asleep by 10ish, after a great talk with Gina. Mr. Right, on the other hand, was playing Balderdash, playing Nintendo and laughing up a storm with his friends. All the guys kept talking about how hilarious their answers were and about who beat who in what. Mr. Right looked a bit tired, but he still had the same goofy smile as I had on my face.

Yep, it must have been love. We didn’t even make fun of each other about it.

Around 3 PM, we all hopped into the cars and headed out. Now me being the way I am, I started putting my makeup on in the car – I may be vain, but not in the area of looks. I usually slap stuff on and go. Rarely do I look at myself later in the day to make sure everything is still there. I know it’s not, so why bother. Anyway, we all arrived in time to go change into our good clothes and to get ready for the night.

We arrived at the building, changed and took lots and lots of pictures. I even managed to not make a bunch of faces in most of them. This showed much restraint on my part. My parents were happy about that.

Around 7 PM, I walked down the aisle of the church, looking at everyone but Mr. Right. I did, however, manage to greet several people who where standing and looking at me as I walked by. In case this fact is evident to you, I am not a normal woman.

When I did finally behold this man and clasp hands with Mr. Right, I was struck with this sense of awe that this man beside me loved me enough to take a vow and to seal it with a kiss. I was also filled with peace, mixed in with excitement and adventure for the future to come. I was also moved to tears at my unbelievable God who loved me enough to give me even this.

He is a very good God. And He knows His stuff.

My first words caught on tape were, “I can’t believe he married me!” The smile on my face is a mile wide and my Irish eyes were smiling.

The cake was cut, food was eaten, toasts were made. And we drove away to discover the wonders of coupledom, a wonderful place to reside. Our marriage has been (and continues to be) a great adventure, one that I would not trade for all the gold in the world.

Today, when I rolled over in my king size bed, appreciating the warm Midwestern sun and as consciousness took hold, my eyes popped open and I smiled with the realization that I am still truly, madly, deeply in love. That is a great way to start a day.

Happy Anniversary, my sweet Mr. Right. You are most definitely the man who holds my heart.

And I am so happy that God knew what He was doing when He blessed me with you.

For Gibee and Others In The Same Boat

"How do women that have full time jobs and children (oh, and lives, too) keep their house so orderly and clean? HOW, I ask???!!!"

These words are being uttered from Gibee, our lovely young working mom who seems to be having a little bit of a meltdown. Go read her post first, and then my response here will make more sense.

You’re back? Okay.

Since I know that some of you are in the same boat, I thought I would post my comment to her here, maybe helping some other people out too.

Finally I can contribute something worthwhile to your life!

Here's how I keep the house orderly and clean (with a story to preface the points):

When my daughter was very young and I was working full-time, taking care of the house and all the bills and still being an active church member, Mr. Right came in and said something about something or other that needed to be done. I looked at him and just started crying. And crying. And crying. Then I told him that I just couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't be the one-woman-show, live and wowing my family, juggling everything that was being thrown at me. Mr. Right stared at me and then said the most comforting thing: “You're right and I'm sorry that I've been unfair. I just didn’t think.” We talked about all the tasks I was handling and he immediately began helping around the house much more and took over some of the duties that I had shouldered.

So my first item is to solicit help from your spouse. My Mr. Right would have helped sooner if I had just talked with him and not made it look as if I could handle it all on my own. I remember him saying, "Why didn't you tell me?" I just didn't know that I could. I thought being the perfect wife/mom meant being able to do it all. But that is a lie in this world. It really includes knowing when to ask for help.

Secondly, lower your standards. You are not perfect and your house will not make or break your reputation. Sometimes you just need to say "I will get to that - but not right now."

Thirdly, give up doing some things. If you have no time for magazines, discontinue them for a while until you can manage to read them. You can always buy them in a store if you get the hankering to read them. If unfinished projects mock you, put them away. If people are calling you for help on things that you don’t want to do, say no. Otherwise, they are there, toying with your time and making you feel that you should be able to everything at once.

Fourth, prioritize. Make a list of what is important to you. Live that list. Sounds too simple, doesn't it? If spending time with your family comes before watching TV, then you should ixnay the evetay. If tidying up your home makes you feel better inside, then ask your husband to get some one-on-one time with the children while you stay and take care of some things that are driving you nuts. If clutter is driving you insane, then start tossing and don’t look back. You control how you want to live your life. Don’t let the little things control you.

Point number five: quit comparing yourself to any other people. They struggle with things too, but those hardships may not be as visible as an unkempt house. Their Achilles’ heel may be more emotional or spiritual in nature, and they compensate with their house to keep it at bay. Or they may just be a better housekeeper. And that is okay.

Lastly, which really should be first but I didn’t get to it until now, pray about it. God WILL help you manage your time so that you can be the best servant for Him. He knows your heart already. He is just waiting for you to ask Him to help.

I suffered too long thinking that I should be Martha Stewart. I know now that all God wants me to be is the Shalee that He created.

We all know that God doesn't make mistakes. So feel free to be the you that He made, too.

Another Goody

I saw this at Antique Mommy's place today. I thought I would post it here in case you don't read her stuff, which you should because she makes me look like a one-hit wonder on the slow, unacknowledged road to despair compared to her Beatleness. (You'll appreciate that analogy once you go to that site. I hope.)

And I fully agree with her warning: Set your coffee down and swallow before going to the sight. Your monitor will thank you or maybe the kid closest to you.

Free Eye Exam

Have a cup of coffee and then take this eye exam.

If you cannot decipher anything, then try squinting or pulling the corner of your eyes down. Of course that means you might need to measures to correct your vision...

Happy Friday!

Funny How Things Work

Mr. Right and I usually try to end the night with scripture reading in bed. (Some nights it is a hit or miss thing. Our bad.) We're not reading the same thing at the same time, mind you (because I read much faster than him and it drives me nuts having to wait all of 30 seconds for him to turn the page), but we are in the same book - Acts.

Usually when we read, we throw questions out, mostly hypothetical "I wonder why..." questions. You know, the ones you want to ask God when you get to heaven because there is no answer to them here. Such as: What was it like on the Ark with all those animals and all that time? Where did they store the food? Why didn't the lions eat the deer? Why did God make mosquitoes? How on earth did Sarah have that baby at 90 years old and how did she keep up with a toddler? (And you think you've got it bad, Antique Mommy!) What was it like for Lazarus after he was raised from the dead? What happened to the centurion who said out loud right after Jesus died, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" Things like that. Basically questions that we have, but we don't need an answer. We just want them.

But every now and then, one of us will ask a question that does have an answer and God will reveal it to us pretty quickly. Last night I threw out, "So what was the difference between the baptism of John the Baptist and the baptism after the death of Christ? And did those who were baptized with John's baptism feel that they should be rebaptized if there was a differnce?" (For the record, I do believe that baptism is important and relevant. There are just too many examples of it them and scripture references to the churches for me to not believe that it is just something that Christians should do. NOT trying to pick any fights, just stating my opinion from my studies.)

Anyway, I ask the question and, not even a chapter later, God springs the answer on me - Acts 19, by the way. (Oh how nice it would be for all my questions of him to be answered like that!!!) That is just such an amazing thing. It reminds me time and time again that God does speak to me in different forms. I just have to be willing to hear His answers. And I find that as I'm reading through His Word again, God always reveals things to me that I've never comprehended before, even though I've read the same passage a number of times in my past. He is always refining, always teaching and always sculpting me. Of that, I have no doubt.

Someone sent this link to me and I think it is marvelous, not to mention, down right brilliant.

God's Yellow Pages

It just goes to show: we need to let our fingers do the walkin' and let God do the talkin'.

So tell me, how has God answered your questions lately?

WFMW - Cleaning with Free Stuff

So I was so excited about doing this WFMW about this little cleaner, Clorox Anywhere, when I pop over to Antique Mommy's place and see that she has stolen my idea! Well, since she doesn't do the WFMW, I'm just going to continue on as if she just stepped out of the room to get yet another cup of coffee and act as if she knows nothing of this product. But if you want to read a really good review from a germ-blasting momma, go check her out.

Now for my opinion...

I received an email a little over a month ago from Clorox, asking if I would try out a new product... for free. Well, they had me at free, so of course I said yes. But I did give the warning that I would give my true opinion about the product. They seemed pretty confident about my liking it and took me up on my offer.

They sent me a large, in-the-store size of this Clorox Anywhere Hard Surface Daily Sanitizing Spray. After reading through everything I thought, "So what is it for? Does it clean? Is it a sanitizer? Will it really be something I want in my cleaning arsenal?"

After deliberating on it for a while, by a while I mean a week and then trying to scour the internet for some help, I ventured into the area of use. It's not a cleaning agent, like when you want to scrub out the sink. The "Clorox" was throwing me off and I had to think of it differently. But what I did find is that I really like using it in a "finisher" capacity. But you do have to get it in your head that this is not a cleaning solution! This is the daily touchup after your cleaning. It is made solely to KILL BACTERIA!

Not a bad thought when you consider it.

Here's some of what the documentation said about the Clorox Anywhere:

• It is gentle as Water
• It is SAFE to use around Kids & Pets & Food
• It kills 99.9% of bacteria on hard, non-porous surfaces
• It needs NO RINSING
• It can be used on ANY hard, non-porous surface
• It is stable for up to a year

The one that catches my eye the most? NO RINSING! I love that I can just spray and walk away. That's right, no rinsing and no wiping - just spray and go. This is going to make my cleaning time so much easier...

And where can you use it? Well, since it is not harmful to kids, pets, husbands (so I cannot be used in this capacity), here are some places that it can be used:

• Countertops
• Dish Racks
• High Chairs
• High Chair
• Trays
• Garbage Cans
• Light Switches
• Lunch Boxes
• Pet Bowls
• Plastic Cutting Boards
• Silverware
• Tables
• Banisters / Finished Wood
• Bars
• Barbecue Grills
• Blinds
• Bathtubs
• Cars
• Doorknobs
• Faucets
• Toilet exteriors
• Toothbrush Holders
• Countertops
• Cups
• Dining Room Tables
• Doorknobs
• Doors
• Floors
• Grocery Carts
• Hampers
• Handrails
• Keyboards
• Kiddie Pools
• Light Switches
• Litter Boxes
• Medicine Droppers
• Microwave Ovens
• Range Tops and Hoods
• Rattles
• Recycling Bins
• Refrigerators
• Plastic Furniture
• Playpens
• Potty Chairs
• Showers
• Shower Curtains
• Shower Doors
• Shower Walls
• Sinks
• Soap Dispensers
• Stovetops
• Thermoses
• Toasters
• Trays
• Walls
• Washing Machines
• Windowsills
• Baby Toys
• Breast Pumps
• Changing Tables
• Diaper Pails
• Strollers

Mindnumbing, isn't it? Basically, I should have said anywhere, on any hard surface, you could possibly think might have germs and all the ones you can't think of, too. There are so many more places that you could use this handy dandy little spray. Plus, it is portable, so you can just throw a bottle into your car/babybag and have it with you for when you need it - which is anytime (hence the name Clorox Anywhere - brilliant, huh?)

I forsee using this very often come colds season. Oh yes, my kids had better not sit still for too long. They may get spritz, along with everything they may touch...

So I give this product a big two thumbs up, and I think you will too. But if you leave them up long enough, I may spray them... just in case.

So finding a new way to keep my family from getting sick really works for me. (Plus not having to pay so many doctor bills due to germs. That's like the extra bonus.)

For some truly "wow" ideas, head on over to Shannon's and find some other things that may just Work For You.

Locks of Love

This is the girl

who cut her hair (10 inches)

to give to locks of love.

She had it shaped and layered

to a style she loves

by a woman who knows her stuff.

This is a boy whose hair was long (but not long enough to donate to anything except a trashcan)

who wanted a mohawk. He's six. That should explain it. (No, it's not a real mohawk... but don't tell him that. He thinks it's really COOL.)

Seriously, if you don't know about Locks of Love, it is a wonderful program that provides hair prosthetics for financially disadvantaged children with long-term medical hair loss. Here's how it works: someone with long hair who is going to cut it short (cutting off at least 9 inches) specifies that they want it donated to Locks of Love. (You will need to find a salon that participates in this program.) There is no cost involved to donate it, and often the hair stylist will throw in a free styling cut as a way of thanks. If you think you would be interested, or have a child who would be interested, go to Locks of Love and find out more about it. It is an easy way to extend a hand of caring for those who really need it.

Just So You Know...

Kate is way nerdier than me.



My brother, however, will probably score in the 90's...

Addicted to Love

What a fabulous weekend! Mr. Right and I finally got to see the kids (after about a month of missing them), and it was worth every hardship we endured to get there. Despite a speeding ticket, standstill traffic due to an accident, really bad food to be eaten in the car, and the late arrival (10:30 PM), we were overjoyed to see our little lovebugs again. And I believe they were happy to see us.

The kids were supposed to be asleep when we got there, but I think they were too keyed up for that. They immediately jumped up when the door opened and were grinning from ear to ear. And they talked at least a mile a minute! “Look at this!” “Did you know…” “I love you!” and on and on. I loved every second of it.

After visiting a while and seeing so many things, we finally settled down to sleep (or lack of sleep on my part). We got up and made the requested Saturday morning fare: chocolate chip pancakes. And if it wasn't just my luck... All that Grandma had for chocolate chips were the Special DARK chocolate chips... Oh no, the horror of having to eat really great chocolate... It's a sacrifice that I was willing to make... For the kids, of course.

After that we played inside and then out, totally blasting each other with buckets or hoses. The kids were in complete heaven! My son couldn’t quit giggling from all the fun.

Mr. Right and I really wanted the time together to be family time, so we went to the new pool in Grandma and Grandpa’s town. The kids already had a season pass to it, but we were ready to go have fun with them there. This huge pool had tons of things to do. There was a water park area with the waterfall mushrooms, a huge dragon sprinkler, water buckets that filled and splashed water everywhere, 3 different slides, a lap area, a diving board with 12 feet depth and a sidewalk water area for the kids during break time. All of that only cost us $10 for both Mr. Right and me. What a treat! In KC, we would have to pay at least $10 per person! Small town do have SOME things going for them… Plus the pool was not crowded. We had to wait no more than a minute to go down a slide.

We played there for about 2 ½ hours. Boy was that fun. My son got the nerve to go down the big slide. He will never do the kiddy slide again! That boy is a natural torpedo! Also, with his newly acquired “magic goggles”, he was swimming under water for long times. I think he really likes being able to see under the water. That was a big stopper for him to put his head under.

My daughter who is about to be 10, out of the blue, asked to see Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Now you have to understand something about her. She gets scared watching the A&E Agatha Christie shows. The music just freaks her out. So I was really skeptical about her seeing it. Plus, it’s PG-13. Usually it’s a stretch for us to do the PG. But Mr. Right and I watched it just a couple of months ago and we couldn’t see any reason why we couldn’t try to watch it with her. We gave her the warning about what to expect and that if she wants to turn it off, we would be more than willing to watch something else with her.

She LOVED it. She laughed at all the right parts, loved the story and was still talking about it the next day. My girl is growing up before my eyes… Sniff, sniff.

It was hard to leave them again, but they are getting to have something I never had - a fun vacation at Grandma's. They will come back completely spoilt, but they will also have memories that they will carry with them in the years to come. Mr. Right and I are so blessed to have parents (on both sides) who 1) are alive and in good health, 2) want to know our children and 3) are able to keep our kids. Don't think for a second that these special things have fallen from our view. I am thrilled that our children are able to enjoy their elders and are being taught a thing or two.

We came back yesterday, but we left them with the promise that, Lord willing, we will be back in 10 days, which just happens to be my daughter’s 10th birthday. We will have much to celebrate when we get to see them again. And I can’t wait for these days to pass by. This is one summer that I am glad is slip sliding away…

For the record, I'm really upset with Blogger. It will upload NO Pictures. Humph! I think it needs some prayers of intervention myself...

Dream Carnival

Hey, I, as well as a bunch of other girls, are blogging today at the Blogging Chicks Carnival.

Go read and see if all your "Dreams" come true...

Open House at Shalee's

I just love going and seeing other people's places. I like seeing where they make their meals, which closet they shove all the junk, who makes their beds and whether or not they have lots of extra toilet paper available in case it runs out.

So imagine my delight when I see that there will be a tour of homes on July 28th... I am simply thrilled to have a chance to see you in your place, where you are you and where your family calls home.

I suggest that you head on over to Boomama's to see what I'm talking about. She's the brains/bronze behind this idea. I bet y'all are gonna love it too. And let your cameras do the blogging...

Thanking My Lucky Stars and Stripes and the Heros Who Gave Them To Us

It is the soldier, not the reporter, Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the organizer, Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, Who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the protestor to burn the flag.

- Charles M. Province

The only reason I can sit here right now and enjoy the idea of living in America is because I stand on the memory of men and women who saw a reason to fight for freedom. Without their heroic efforts and determined will, none of us in America or even in some other countries would be enjoying the lives that we live today.

And because of that patriotism, there are those today who still believe in that freedom, whether it is being fought for on this land or on foreign soil. These soldiers ready themselves in different fashions, in different garbs, in different ways. Some serve in the Navy, some in the Airforce, some in the Army and some in the Marines. All of them serve for freedom. Some of them to the death.

On June 6, 2006, Private 1st Class Brian J. Bradbury, 22, Lowville, New York, formerly of St. Joseph, Missouri, was fatally injured June 21, 2006, when he encountered enemy forces using small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades during combat operations in Naray, Afghanistan.

Pfc. Bradbury was a fire support specialist, assigned to the 71st Calvary Regiment 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. He deployed with his unit to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in February.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

He leave behind a wife Stephanie, his two daughters - Jasmine and Jailynn, two brothers and his mother, Rhonda, who says Brian was a good-hearted, thoughtful, christian father who loved his family.

Unfortunately this story does not end here.

As a combat medic, Staff Sgt. Heathe N. Craig understood that, sometimes, saving people means risking his own life.

Craig, 28 of Severn, MD, died on June 21, 2006, while trying to lend a helping hand. He was killed when his UH-60 helicopter hoist malfunctioned while attempting to evacuate Pfc. Bradbury during combat operations.

Heathe was assigned to the 159th Air Ambulance Medical Company, Wiesbaden, Germany.

He is survived by his wife Judith and their two children, Jonas, 5, and Leona, 1 in Germany, his father and stepmother, Jeffery and Sheila Craig of PA, and his mother, Donna Sloan of PA.

When remembered by friends, they said "He as a great wrestler, great guy, a good friend, and a good teammate" who was "always there to support anybody who needed it."

Sgt. Krendra Jackson, one of Craig’s close friends, couldn’t keep herself from crying as she talked about her fallen comrade during the memorial service at Wiesbaden Army Airfield’s chapel. She told how Craig, even after back surgery, would work tirelessly, laboring beyond his body’s limits, afraid that he might come off as a slacker. Jackson remembers telling him to take it easy. “He would look at me with those blue eyes and say, ‘My name’s not worthless.’” Few in attendance could hold back their tears as Jackson recounted her friendship with Craig. “Judy, you once told us we acted like brother and sister. He was my brother,” she said. “He was our brother.”

To these brave soldiers, I say thank you for your commitment, your vision and your gift of freedom. Your works will not go unnoticed nor your sacrifices unappreciated.

I pray God's blessings and comfort to each of these men's families. May they remember with pride the service these soldiers performed for them and for our country.

Never, never, take freedom for granted. Never, never, forget who died for your freedom.

TT 10

Thirteen things I will do when I see my kids tomorrow and the next day and the next day

(In case you are not aware of our situation, our kids are at Grandma's all summer long. Now before you say "LUCKY!", let me remind you that it has been about a month since we have seen them and we really are going through withdraw. I just plain miss them and it really has opened my eyes to appreciating their presence so much more. We are blessed to have this opportunity for the kids to get to be with the grandparents, but it does come at a cost.)

1. Kiss them
2. Hug them
3. Cry
4. Check out my daughter's new hair
5. Let them talk until they are blue in the face
6. Hold them close
7. Talk until I am blue in the face
8. Smile... A LOT
9. Tickle them
10. Cuddle
11. Sing good night songs together
12. Pray with them
13. Go to bed and not sleep because I will be thinking of all the wonderful things I will do with them the next day - like repeating 1-13 again.
    

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
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How the Lord Humbles

I have a confession that I want to make to you. It's a confession of sin so go easy on me. I'm sure it will not surprise you very much, but one of the wiles of the devil that I struggle is vanity. I really want to stand out in a crowd, to be noticed, to be appreciated.

I'm sure I could blame it on my parents somehow, but I think that would be a mistake. (I can hear my mom's sigh of relief from 8 states away.) I think it is a struggle that satan thinks he can win, while God knows that with Him I can conquer it... or at least keep contained for long periods of time.

For the past month this really has been pressing on my heart. So I am praying for it constantly to be diminished, that I would seek recognition from the Lord and be happy in His sights alone.

Then this morning, Susanne emails me to say that I should go to A Gracious Home to pick up my "Best Meet for a Mocha" nomination award.

Huh? What is that about?

So imagine my surprise to see that some wonderful bloggers nominated me not only for the mocha, but also for the Best Design - Traditional.

Whoa.

So my question is this: How is that supposed to fit into my not wanting to have to buy new hats due to the excessive growth of my noggin? Sheesh. God can really allow me to be tested some times...

First of all the Best Design... You all know that I can take none of the credit for that, right? Every bit of the look comes from Everyday Mommy, that wonderful, kind Jules who took pity on my plain self, financed a renovation and worked wonders with the little I had. So really, in nominating me you honored her, which she really deserves.

As for the Mocha thing, I hereby invite you all to coffee (or Coke/Diet Coke for those who do not partake of the caffine in the hot method) anytime - my home is open to you all (it may not be clean, but it will be open), and if you can, you should meet me and other lovely bloggers in September. I would love to meet for coffee with you too.

So from the bottom of my heart, I thank you for nominating me and my blog. I really am stunned and pleasantly surprised to find out that others actually want to spend time with me face to face. It is humbling indeed.

Maybe God is getting through to me after all. At least I didn't make finalist. That would have really blown my head to gigantic proportions...

WFMW - Bread Check

When you go to buy bread in the grocery store, have you ever wondered which is the freshest, so you "squeeze" for freshness or softness?

Did you know that bread is delivered fresh to the stores five days a week? Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Each day has a different color twist tie.

Monday = Blue
Tuesday = Green
Thursday = Orange/Red
Friday = White
Saturday = Yellow

So if today was Thursday, you would want red twist tie; not white which is Fridays (almost a week old). The colors go alphabetically by color Blue - Green - Orange/Red - White - Yellow, Monday through Saturday.

Very easy to remember. I thought this was interesting, so I looked in the grocery store and the bread wrappers DO have different twist ties, and even the ones with the plastic clips have different colors.

So to get more tasty bang for your buck, get the bread that tastes the freshest.

And knowing a system always works for me!

To see really neat tips, go check out Shannon's WFMW.

200th Blog... Already?

****Updated**** at the end of the list

On March 30th, I posted my 100th blog. On it I listed all sorts of trivial things about me, some you knew, some you might have wished to never knew.

Can you believe that I've reached (actually I've surpassed) my 200th post already? That just seems CRAZY! But still really satisfying for me to know that I haven't given up yet. Hey, I've been around longer than some tv shows! (And for a good reason too, don't you know it? No laugh track - this puppy is always on live and without a net to catch me if I fall.)

So to commemorate this second 100th posting time, I am listing, for your reading enjoyment, 100 books that I think are worth your time. Some books you may have read, some you might find that you want to read yourself, some you may have read and thought, "She thought that was good?" If you see any that you might be interested in reading but want more information on it before you commit and want a reason for the recommendation, just email me and I'll give you what I've got. (But bear in mind, it may have been a while since I've read them, so some of the details may be fuzzy.)

All books listed are in no particular order (except for the first one - it really is my first pick).

1. The Bible
2. Time Traveler's Wife
3. Blue Like Jazz
4. Year of Wonders
5. Five Quarters of the Orange
6. Sense and Sensibility
7. Pride and Prejudice
8. Emma
9. Persuasion
10. Into the Forest
11. Odd Thomas
12. Forever Odd
13. The Eyre Affair (The following three titles are rest of the quadrilogy - read in order!)
14. Lost in a Good Book
15. The Well of Lost Plots
16. Something Rotten
17. The Big Over Easy
18. Redeeming Love
19. Echo in the Darkness
20. Voice in the Wind
21. Grasshopper
22. Tell No One
23. Gone For Good
24. Lightning
25. Watchers
26. Girl With the Pearl Earring
27. Girl in Hyacinth Blue
28. The Age of Innocence
29. Ethan Frome
30. Speed of Dark
31. Portrait of a Lady
32. Sleeping With Schubert
33. Picture of Dorian Gray
34. Tale of Two Cities
35. Murder on the Orient Express
36. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
37. Expecting Adam
38. The Secret Life of Bees
39. To Kill a Mocking Bird
40. The Witching Hour (next two are the end of the trilogy)
41. Lasher
42. Taltos
43. Queen of Camelot
44. The Grail Prince (sequel to Queen)
45. Bel Cantos
46. A Walk to Remember
47. Good Grief
48. My Sister's Keeper
49. The Five Love Languages
50. Tuesdays With Morrie
51. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (And no, watching the movie is NOT the same thing!)
52. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
53. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
54. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
55. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
56. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
57. Coraline
58. Speak
59. Fahrenheit 451
60. A Man Walked into a Room
61. Room With a View
62. The Pleasure of My Company
63. The Talisman
64. The Black House (sequel to The Talisman)
65. Memoirs of a Geisha
66. The Confessions of Max Tivoli
67. Confessions of an Ugly Step-Sister
68. Les Miserablés
69. One Coffee With (and the entire Sigrid Harald series)
70. Plain Language
71. The Killer Angels
72. East of the Mountains
73. Observatory Mansions
74. Misery
75. The Giver
76. The Hero and the Crown
77. The Blue Sword
78. Bridge to Terabithia
79. A Wrinkle in Time
80. Fortune's Rock
81. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
82. Spilling Clarence
83. The Making of a Chef
84. Atonement
85. Tuck Everlasting
86. The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. (next two are part of the trilogy)
87. Tales of Passion Tales of Woe
88. The Last Dance
89. The Other Boleyn Girl
90. I, Elizabeth
91. Tepper Isn't Going Out
92. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
93. Red Storm Rising
94. His Needs, Her Needs
95. Red Rabbit
96. The Scarlet Letter
97. Booked to Die
98. The Bookman's Wake
99. Lord of the Rings
100. All the Stephanie Plum series by Evanovich (12 so far - Warning: It is complete fluff reading, but never have I laughed out loud so many times while reading.)
101. I just finished "We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg. I highly recommend this book too.

There you have my 101 reads; trust me it could have been more. Please share some of your favorites, and I'll see if I can't have them on the next listing to come... if you're still reading this post by then.

Obedience? What's that?

One of the things that I think God is really trying to embed in my brain is the idea that there are so many facets to the body of Christ, that no one has everything all figured out and that all that God calls us to do is to be obedient to Him, not to work out our own salvation or the salvation of each other. As a friend of mine says, “God doesn't call us to statistics, but to obedience.”

How do I know He is pounding me with these thoughts? Well, it’s been running around my mind a lot, class at church is constantly referring to it, God has been introducing many new people to me – some who I wonder how they are to fit into my life because of their choices in lifestyle, the scriptures that I’ve been reading are on this very subject (I’m reading Acts now), even my other readings have been laced with these thoughts and last night, I heard the most convincing sermon that God is speaking directly to me from a well-spoken, enthusiastic guest speaker. (The really neat thing about this speaker – Jerry Taylor (click on the link to hear his words from last night)– is that when I went to thank him for speaking and that I really needed it, I found out that we were from the same church when we were growing up. He was about nine years older than me so we were on different life levels at the time when I would have known him. But still, it is good to see others from your home town.)

How are we to be obedient, you ask? Just two things – that’s all it boils down to once you do some simmering on these subjects: Love God with every part of your life (thoughts, actions, money, etc.) and love others. Not just those that are in your family, your friends or others at your church – love everyone else who does not fit into the previous category.

Those who cut you off on the highway, those who disagree with you, those who live life with a different purpose than you, those who wait on you in a business, those who criticize you or your children, those who refuse to look you in the eye, those who are struggling to keep clothes on their back, those who chose to not wear clothes even though they can afford them, those who are hypocritical, those who grate on your nerves, those who are different from you in any way imaginable, those who are sick, those who attend different church than you, those who look unlovable. All of them and more.

Simple, huh?

Yeah, it’s not always so simple. But it is doable. I know this because when it comes to God, impossible is nothing. Plus, He has proven this situation possible time and time again. And I find that the more I practice setting my opinions/standards aside or my need to be right and really start to love another person because Christ died for him/her too, the easier it is to do the next time. And the blessings of having such a burden of having to be right all the time removed is so refreshing and freeing for my mind as well as my soul, not to mention for those who are around me.

Do I have it down pat where it is an automatic response? Ummm, no. For example, there is one person at church who is still holding a grudge against me for speaking the truth (in love, I promise!) and she has polluted some others to not really speak to me. It’s really hard not to retaliate because the flesh of me wants to say, “Oh yeah? Take that!” But the Holy Spirit in me is constantly (and I do mean constantly – it’s amazing that the Holy Spirit really doesn't shake its head at me all the time) reminding me that God has called me to be a peacemaker since I am the daughter of God. (Remember this one? “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.” – Matt 5:9 One of the characteristics of belonging to Him is that I should let go of the “joy of being right” and to strive to know the “joy of being righteous.” And there is a huge difference between the two.) So rather than smear her name, I chose to lift it up to God and ask that she find peace and forgiveness towards me. Now it should be out of my hands and I really shouldn’t dwell on it anymore. (But sometimes I do, so I know that I’ve got a ways to go in my spiritual walk… Sigh.)

So I’m on this journey to practice obedience. The road is going to be long with lots of potholes and obstacles in my way. But God will get me to where I want to be, and that should be worth the minor inconveniences along the way. And everyone knows that a trip is so much better when you have company, so if you want to be a fellow traveler, I can always use another passenger to keep me going in the right directions… or sometimes just to keep me going at all.

Fil-A for the Family

Yet another reason that I love Chik-fil-A.

And I'm not just talking about the food.

This blurb is an excerpt from the Family Research Council email that I receive. It is just too good to not pass on to you.

The Family that Fil-A's Together...

...stays together. Or, at least that's the hope of S. Truett Cathy, founder of the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain. Cathy has implemented family-friendly policies for the 600 employees at his Atlanta-based company. Mr. and Mrs. Cathy themselves have been blessed by a 57-year marriage, an inspiration for some of the pro-marriage seminars their company offers as part of its standard benefits package. Scott Stanley of Denver's Center for Marital and Family Studies agrees. He notes that levels of conflict at home are related to productivity and absenteeism on the job. Even more important, S. Truett Cathy's 900 franchise restaurants publicly honor God by closing their doors on Sundays. May God bless the Cathy family and I say to them: thank you for all you do for America's families.

For more information on this fantastic idea, click here. This owner really is forward thinking. As in thinking about the future and our families.

Praise God there are some business owners who get the importance of family.

Soundtrack of My Life

So Kristi encouraged Crazy Hip Blog Mamas to ask us this question:

"What song or movie best tells the story of your life/family?"

Now you see, there is no one song that would work for me. There are far too many facets of my life to fit in to one song title.

Here are just a few to explain what I mean...

Before I married Mr. Right it was "Hot for Teacher" by Van Halen. (He was my Art Professor for one semester. You know I made an "A" in that class. Hey, I earned it honestly, you naughty-minded people! Sheesh...)

When I am awakening from the night's slumber, and Mr. Right is handing me a steaming cup of coffee, Evanscence "Bring Me To Life" is VERY appropos.

For the part of me that is just completely in awe of my Christianity, I'd have to say "I Can Only Imagine" by Mercy Me.

When I try to get an answer from the kids about something that happened (that shouldn't have happened), Norah Jones' "Don't Know Why" echoes throughout the house.

At the sounds of tears around the house, it's Journey's "Who's Crying Now?"

When they have pushed me to the brink, it is Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone". And they know those words by heart now.

"9 to 5", the good old Dolly Parton rendition. fits for the part of me that is working almost all my week (in an office mind you).

For the part of me that wonders where I left my mind or my keys or whatever it is I happen to be needing but cannot locate, it would have to be U2's "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". (Just put that song on a constant repeat mode in the CD player of my life.)

For the times of complete idiocy and mistakes, Brenda Lee's "I'm Sorry" could be sung... often. (Which is much better than the annoying "Oops, I Did It Again" from Britney Spears.)

"Hello" by Lionel Richie might work when I'm answering the phone.

When I'm on hold, it should be "Hanging By a Moment" by Lifehouse.

When someone has invaded my space, you know, the two feet we should be allowed to keep without feeling as if there is no place to breathe, The Police's "Don't Stand So Close To Me" blares from my brain.

When I'm having the best day - the "nothing can go wrong today" day - it's KC and the Sunshine Band's "Walking on Sunshine" all the way.

When the world is against my every move, it may be Miles Davis' "Blue Miles" album, but eventually it's gotta be "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor. Not often am I singing the blues... I know God will get me out of whatever depths of despair I've gotten myself into.

For the times when I feel really great about being a woman, it would have to be "Man, I Feel Like a Woman" by Shania Twain.

When I want to have coffee with my blog buddies, I'm sticking to Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want To Have Fun".

As I grow older, the Beatles' "When I'm 64" comes to mind, but I'm hoping for Five for Fighting's "100 years" to be honest.

And when it comes to my Mr. Right, it would have to be either "Crazy for You" by Madonna, "Breathe" by Faith Hill, Michael Buble's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", Mariah Carey's "Vision of Love", Cake's "Love You Madly", "Truly Madly Deeply" by Savage Garden or almost every song on "We Are In Love" by Harry Connick, Jr. Really this list could go on and on...

Hey, I guess there is a song about all this after all. Alana Davis "32 Flavors" would definitely fit all the different songs and sides of me. Too bad I didn't think of that first...

As for a movie, I can't think of just one of those either, but I can tell you the genre. It would definitely be a romantic comedy, but unfortunately not "While You Were Sleeping" because that never happens for me.

Eureka!

Okay, I put the Haloscan on my blog and then noticed that I lost all my comments. And that is just wrong, really really wrong. But after doing some research, I discovered that I could get my old comments back. They weren't lost, just overpowered by Haloscan's mighty presence. And since I usually root for the underdog, I found a way to give the "Tips Appreciated" back on the scene.

So if I've confused you, I'm sorry. Please just ride it out with me. I think I may be deleting Haloscan's comments, but keeping the trackback. I am still working it out in my head because it will require my cutting and pasting all the Haloscan comments into the "Tips Appreciated" link.

Which I will probably do because now Haloscan is the underdog...

Thursday Thirteen... And Thensome

A whole bunch of stuff that I love about going out with Addie.

They are, but not limited to, the following:


You laugh so much you feel like your sides will split.
You will really laugh when you tell Addie what you really wanted to put as a comment on her blog that day but were afraid what others’ reactions would be if you put something so honest on it and she pretty much snorts Diet Coke up her nose. She’ll tell you that she thinks it is hilarious, but no, you made a wise choice leaving it off the blog.
You will feel good about your choices that day.
You will hear a very attentive* waitress tell you that “You all sound just alike.”
*By attentive, I mean the lady will come and talk and talk and talk like she has nothing else to do for the evening other than to make sure she gets your order right. After three minutes of discussing the drink order, she will turn to go. Three. Whole. Minutes. I am not kidding.
You will talk so much that your mouth will feel worn.
You will discuss anything and everything under heaven.
You will watch with amusement when the very attentive* waitress comes to check your drink selection.
*By very attentive, I mean that the waitress who heard your comment about being delighted at trying a new coffee creamer will inquire about the reaction to it. When you state that it was okay but regular half and half will do, she will look properly mortified that such an abomination should be put upon your tongue, apologize from the depth of her being, remove the offending flavored creamers and return with much energy and speed within 5 seconds to place a fresh, half and half only container for your enjoyment.
You will love all aspects of the conversation.
You will then make funny eyes at each other as the very attentive* waitress dissects every menu item and special in the house.
*By very attentive, I mean she will give you a full length dissertation on what they have on the menu, what is the special of the evening and how everything is available, they have run out of nothing and it would be her pleasure to make sure that the order is up and ready just as fast as humanly possible. This task will take more than five minutes to complete. Five. Whole. Minutes.
You will find out that Addie really has the most charming smile, a real and genuine beam that reaches up to her eyes.
You will laugh all the more at the stuff she didn’t hear because you can say to her, “Just read it on my blog.” (Oh, I kill me sometimes.)
You will watch Addie’s face strive not to smirk when the very attentive* waitress comes to take your order.
*By very attentive, I mean the waitress will ask you 20 questions about every detail of your order, ensuring that you are having the most exquisite culinary creation known to man. 20. Whole. Questions. We were eating at IHOP. How can you have an exquisite culinary creation at IHOP? Pancakes. No brainer. The 20 questions involved, but were not limited to, the exact amount of whipped cream was to be on the top of the pancakes, how many chocolate chips would we like on it, would you like any hidden underneath (as if I wouldn’t find them!), how much caramel would you like on the stuffed French toast, would you like cheese on the eggs and would you like a refill on your drink (that is 3/4th the way full).
You will hear Addie state that it is not fair that you can silently laugh because you are sitting on the side where there is no way that the waitress can see or hear you. (Note to fellow eaters with Addie, always sit with in that position. It adds to the hilarity of the night.)
You will be charmed by Addie’s Ben stories. (I cannot wait to meet this fellow. He sounds as if he is a pretty special guy.)
You will suffer endure listen with rapt attention to another minor discourse from the very attentive* waitress as she laden your table with the feast that was fit for a king.
*By very attentive, I mean she will set each plate before you in a perfect manner, moving one here or there just a smidgeon until everything looks right, talking the entire time about each item on the plate, and commenting as she leaves about the beautiful colors contained within your dress.

You will appreciate Addie’s delight and understanding of your eating amazing foods like this:

I moved the plates, but don’t tell that very attentive waitress. I am sure she would come back and place them just so again. And we do not want her to come back unless we really need her to come back. And to be honest, three of those plates are mine, but I gave one of them to Addie. And no, it was not the Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes or the bacon and hashbrowns. She got the crummy yummy eggs.

You will enjoy the fact that you can say a lot while shoveling food in your mouth and Addie won’t look at you once like you were an ill-mannered pig.
She won’t comment on your eating almost everything, either. She might even give you a look of admiration.
You will keep it together when you discover that the very attentive waitress brought the wrong food for Addie. You will really keep it together as the very attentive, yet no idea how to handle change* waitress attempts to understand the error.
*By very attentive, yet no idea how to handle change, I mean that the waitress could not figure out where the error was made. When Addie explained what she had ordered, the waitress then tried to figure out how to rectify it by asking us what we wanted to do. When Addie expressed that she wanted the banana stuffed French toast, not the banana cheesecake stuffed crepe, the woman then went into how she would put the order in, but how shall she fix the ticket when the French toast cost less than the crepe. Then she said, “I’ll just use it as my dinner selection tonight. Maybe someone will come in and order it tonight and I’ll be able to make it work through that.” She then had the gumption to say “I just want to do right by you” which really meant “I don’t know how to go in and change the order so would you please pay the extra amount without making me ask you to do so.” Addie felt so sorry for this waitress that she said, “I’ll pay the extra. Don’t worry about that.” (For the record, Addie is the nice one of the two of us.) Then as the waitress leaves, she turns and says, “You are like twins. It’s in the eyes.”

Somewhere along the lines, we decided that we were twin princesses. (It’s all in the posture and sitting arrangement, by the way.) I voted for matching tiaras. (I realize this is probably funny to no one but us…)
You will state that you need to get going, but you will still talk another 10 minutes in the parking lot about some really good stuff.
You will realize that two hours will seem like 20 minutes when you are with Addie, not enough time with this really wonderful friend.
You will realize how wonderful it is to really connect with Addie and feel like you are right at home the entire time.
You will be anxiously awaiting the next coffee time with her.

You will thank God for bringing Addie into your life as you make your home.

WFMW - Stains Begone

In case you didn't know, this will help with all those unwanted stains.

Dear Tide:



I am writing to say what an excellent product you have! I've used it all of my married life, as my Mom always told me it was the best. Now that I am in my fifties I find it even better!

In fact, about a month ago, I spilled some red wine on my new white blouse. My inconsiderate and uncaring husband started to belittle me about how clumsy I was, and generally started becoming a pain in the neck. One thing led to another and somehow I ended up with his blood on my new white blouse! I grabbed my bottle of Tide with bleach alternative, and to my surprise and satisfaction, all of the stains came out!


In fact, the stains came out so well the detectives who came by yesterday told me that the DNA tests on my blouse were negative and then my attorney called and said that I was no longer considered a suspect in the disappearance of my husband. What a relief! Going through menopause is bad enough without being a murder suspect! I thank you, once again, for having a great product!

Well, gotta go, have to write to the Hefty bag people.

Thanks for the Tips, Chilihead

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog, thanks to the suggestion from Chilihead.

She is giving a great suggestion regarding trackbacks. I'm going to attempt to see if I can get this puppy to work...

But do remember, it's a Monday and I've only had one cup of coffee so far. It may be Friday before I figure it all out.

Praise, Prayers and Cards (Oh My!)

First of all, I want to thank those of you who have been praying for Susan and her mom, Kay. The word from the doctors – and I quote verbatim – “It’s a miracle from God that she is recovering. She should not be doing as well as she is.” They are already talking about when she may be able to come back home. Now that is a reason to be praising our God; not only has He healed Kay, the doctors are openly giving the glory to HIM! So thank you for lifting this sister’s case to the Father. Proof, yet again, that He hears our pleas.

Next, my boss just called in and said for me to take off early today. You don’t have to ask me twice! Praise God for giving me such a kind boss. Now this opens up my day to do what I need to do for today. I want to see if I can petition any of you to join me in it.

My daughter is at camp this week and on the first day there, they took her to the hospital. The campers were playing a fun game called “Capture the Flag” and she tripped and fell while running after the flag. Unfortunately, when she fell, someone was so close to her that he/she stepped on her hand. So she went to see the nurse, who iced it and gave her some Tylenol and gave her the instructions that if it still hurt in a few hours to come and see her. By 10 PM it still hurt, so they took her into the ER to have it x-rayed. The doctor thinks it is only a sprain, but he did caution that if it still hurt in a couple of weeks, there may be a small fracture in the hand. So can I petition you to pray about her hand, that the injury is only a sprain and will be fully healed shortly?

I’m off to get a care package ready for her, but I was just wondering if you wouldn’t mind sending her a card or a short note. If you are interested in doing this, just email me and I will give you the details of where to send it. It cannot be an email card because this camp really is CAMP. No a/c, no TV, no computers, no pool – a lake is what they use to swim. And she loves it! I just think she would love having mail that will be wishing her a happy week and letting her know that others are praying for her.

Oh, and I want to honor my girl a moment. My daughter did a wonderful thing this summer. She said to me that she wanted to cut her hair, but she would wait until it was long enough (the cut portion needs to be at least 10 inches) to donate it to Locks of Love, a wonderful program where people with long hair who want to have it cut donates the hair for the making of wigs for people with cancer. Most of these wigs are for children, but I do believe they have it for adults too. Anyway, she decided to do this again (she’s done it once before) and she had it done right before she went to camp. I had to go on the camps website to see what she looks like because Grandma STILL HASN’T EMAILED ME A PICTURE! (Hint Hint) If I get them, I will post them so you can see the difference!

And her first words to me after getting it cut were, “I’m keeping my hair this way forever!” To which I said, “How about awhile?” To which she said adamantly, “FOREVER, Mom!” To which I said, “How about forever or until you change your mind?” To which she said, “Forever, but okay.”

That girl is a lawyer in the making, I tell you.

Let me know if you want to send a card. I, as well as she, would greatly appreciate it!