Once upon a time . . .

there was a farm girl who was asked to watch a young boy and his baby sister.

So she did.

She enjoyed spending time with the boy and girl so much that whenever the parents needed (or wanted) to step away from their children for a while the farm girl would watch the children again.

Soon another baby girl was added to the family. And again the farm girl was asked to watch the children.

And she did. And as they grew, the farm girl grew to love them.

Now the boy is in college, bright and strong-opinioned. The second child, also in college, is smart and beautiful and kind-hearted. And the baby, a baby no longer, is maneuvering her way through the treacherous waters of high school and growing into a sweet, beautiful, kind young woman.

And the farm girl smiles.

5 ways I am blessed

1. God is taking care of my finances

2. I have a comfortable place to live

3. I have friends who I enjoy spending time with

4. I work at a job I wake up each morning wanting to go to because it is challenging and fulfilling

5. I have a family I love and with whom I keep in touch with whether over lunch or through e-mail

Let's go to the zoo

This weekend a friend I went to the Madison area to visit some other friends. We went to the Madison Zoo on Friday. This is a very nice zoo and it was free! Bonus!

Okay, I need to stop talking now because nobody (but me) says "bonus!" anymore . . .

Pelican Pond

The Parrot Family (NOT The Partridge Family)

The kids and the lioness

I was tired out by the end of the day and slept very well. The next day we went to an outlet mall in Wisconsin Dells and met up with another friend -- who is expecting in October! -- and wandered around for a while. I found a $3 shirt I liked at Old Navy. Then we went out to eat and headed back to play some games for a while.

Sunday after church I slept for 3 hours! Nothing like a fun weekend to wear you out!

Picnic

Yesterday we had our church picnic a the park.

There was a lot of good food! And a lot of good fellowship!

Funny face there is my mom . . .

After the food . . . the games . . .

with the younger ones . . .

the older ones . . .



















and everyone in between . . .

:-)

The 4th Photos

On the 4th I had some friends over and we grilled brats and played some games. Then we headed out for fireworks.

We got there a little early . . .

Waiting . . . Playing UNO

We were right next to the Mississippi and once the ballpark lights turned on the mayflies came out. Two of the kids sitting next to us were trying to stomp them out.



The fireworks were really good -- it was about a half an hour show. I haven't become adept at photographing at night, moving object, or lights. :-)

Just a little push . . .

Last night, as I was driving home from the grocery store, I came upon a father and two sons riding their bicycles up a long hill. They boys were really pumping to make it up the hill. About halfway up the father reached out his hand and put it on his younger son's back and gave him a little push.

To me that was a very endearing moment.

Don't we all a little push sometimes. A little help along the way. I am blessed to have people in my life that can give me that little push every once in a while.

On the right foot

Well, I had a pleasant weekend! It was busy too! Friday I did dinner and movies at a friends house. Saturday I had to work for a few hours but then a friend and I visited with friend of ours who was in the area for the weekend.

That was great -- we got to catch up on each other's lives and visit with her kids!

Yesterday, of course, was Mother's Day and I had dinner with Mom & Dad after church.

I even started out the week right getting up at a early enough to get some yard work done this morning before going to work and now I'm going home to mow my lawn.

I hope I can keep my momentum up for the rest of the week!

Every once in a while

Every once in a while there comes a week or day or moment when I can revel in the blessings I have been given.

This is one of those weeks.

You will have to wait till tomorrow to see some of them. Today I just wanted to take a moment to soak up the blessings. They remind me how special I am. Sometimes I can forget that. In the hustle and bustle of life and work, in the demands of the people around me, in the choices I make everyday. I need to remember that I am special. Created. Loved.

And blessed.

My hope and desire that I can help those around me -- friends, family, acquaintances -- feel special -- blessed.

Friendship shattering?

One of the t.v. shows I like to watch is about a group of twenty something friends. Tonight the episode revolved around annoying habits. Each of the friends did something that annoyed at least one of the other friends.

For example, one of them chewed food loudly. Very loudly, no matter what kind of food it was, it was chewed loudly.

Until, the habit was pointed out, the rest of the group hadn't really noticed it. Well, then everyone started pointing out everyone else's annoying habits and by the end of the show they were arguing with each other.

But in the end, like all good sitcom's do, they reached a happy conclusion. They realized friends overlook those foibles.

They just do.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.

1 Corinthians 13

More friendship musings

I thought this post from Confessions of a Pioneer Woman fit into my friendship/relationship post from Tuesday. It certainly gave me something to think about.

Serpentine thoughts

I was reading this blog today and it started me thinking about my own friendships.

1. Specifically, do I commit myself to my friendships or do I absorb all the benefits of the relationship, not giving anything back?
2. How can I make my current friendships/relationships better?
3. What are some things (practical or impractical, big or small l) I can do to show my friends how much I value and respect them?

I think that friends and family are some of the greatest blessings. True friends will not simply placate you or give you empty words to make you happy but will help you to grow as a person, be an encouragement, or even be a wake up call.

Well, I know what I will be pondering for the next little while . . .

Cotton candy high

I went to the fair again tonight. I'm still flying on the sugar high from the cotton candy. It was good though!

Tonight I went with a friend and she convinced me to go on a ride with her. I like rides. They are fun. However, I am only good for one twirly ride before I get ill. My friend talked me into the zipper -- which is a basically an elongated ferris wheel except the cars are cages. Which means, yes, the cars flip and rock. Yes, fun.

Anyway, we saw some groomed animals -- specifically the ones of people we knew. We wandered through the commercial buildings and signed up to win a couple free flags and $50 in groceries. Toured some 2008 RVs and ogled the 2007 cars we will probably never be able to afford. You know, dreamed a little.

Had a corn dog and the aforementioned cotton candy. Hmm . . . I don't know how I will top the cotton candy . . .