Octopus?

Have you ever watched a kid vacuum? If your kids are anything like mine, they tend to vacuum an octopus. No, there's no octopus in my house (that I know of) but I'm blogging today at At the Well about Vacuuming an Octopus. Are you curious?



In other news, I've had about all the drama I can handle for awhile. So, I'm spreading the word...

No more drama in my world.

Please!

hehe. Do you think it'll work?
How about you? Any drama in your life?

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F is for...

Now, for this week's installment of our a 2 z 4 u & me meme,

the letter F...

Now, to understand the... um, importance (read that Funny aspect) of this post, you need to know that I've teased my mom for years for taking pictures of flowers. It seemed like every other picture she showed me was of flowers. It totally cracked me up. And I hafta admit that it cracks me up even more because now I'm doing the same thing!! Truly.

So, this week's letter F is for Flowers. Because I just can't resist.
 
There's stories for many of these pictures, especially these tiger lilies, but the stories will wait for another day. ;-)

Tiger Lilies

Some of my favorite flowers have always been pansies...

Pansies

...maybe because I like purple. This one grows wild all around us.

Venus' Looking Glass

One of my favorite features of Spring is smelling the honeysuckle. Honeysuckle vines line much of the road along here and I love it.

Honeysuckle vines

...and the scent of honeysuckle after a rain? Heavenly!

Honeysuckle

I've begun posting a Weed Watcher's Monthly Report at The Barn Door just so I can post some of my flower pictures, and it's been so fun!! Since I missed my June Weed Watcher's Report, today's Flower post is helping me feel better. ;-) Thanks for being such good sports and humoring me. It'll get me through to July now. ;-)


If you're joining us for the a 2 z 4 u & me meme by posting on your blog this week about the letter F, be sure to add your name and the link to that particular post in the linky gadget here.

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Look, Mom!

Normally I'm a very laid-back mom who doesn't get shook up over much. Normally.

Wanna see what turned me into a shrieking shrew? (Seriously. Ask my kids.)

Can you see what my son brought home?
Adorable? yes.
But it was enough to push me over the edge.

I mean, this isn't a critter that you can just release, pat on the head, and say "Run along, now" to. But that's about what this son of mine thought--without the pats of course.

I asked him if he was Superman.
Loud enough for the whole county to hear.
Seriously.

*eye roll*


So tell me, what's the best your kids have brought home?
Come on, please tell me. I'm still trying to see the funny side of this.

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Eeks it's E

Now, for this week's installment of our a 2 z 4 u & me meme,

the letter E...

Last week was wonderful. I spent time with my mom and dad and almost no time online. It was just what I needed and I'm so thankful!

Before they left, I heard from the agent's assistant I've been working with and she asked to see my full manuscript and to submit a proposal. I was elated!

But it also really put the pressure on. After a week of being offline, I was swamped... and still am.

So, guess what I've been doing since Friday afternoon?

Editing!!!!

(see Joanne's post about those exclamation points! *wink*)

And since that's ALL I've been doing, that's all this week's letter E is for.

Well, and eeks. I've been saying that a lot since that email and as I've been editing and putting together a proposal. ;-)

But you know the comforting thing? God's got it all in control. He knows what's in store for this manuscript and I'm good with that. God's will, in God's way, in God's time. That's what I want, and I don't wanna settle for less.

If you're joining us for the a 2 z 4 u & me meme by posting on your blog this week about the letter E, be sure to add your name and the link to that particular post in the linky gadget here.

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Letter D

As you can see, I've not blogged at all this last week, even though I wrote two devotionals, snapped many pictures and have several ideas for posts. The problem has been time.

See, my parents arrived yesterday to spend the week with us, which means that I'm 'on leave' from the computer so I can spend time with them. Dad's bone cancer constantly reminds us how fortunate we are to still have him with us and I intend to soak up every moment with him I can. Which means I was working like crazy last week, getting as much done ahead as I could. Time well spent, but it left no time for blogging. That's okay!!

Now, for this week's installment of our a 2 z 4 u & me meme,

the letter D...

I have a confession.

I could not come up with any ideas for the letter D!! I drew a blank, so I brainstormed as I taxied my daughter to and from work.
Here's what I came up with:

• Dad. Hooray for a visit with my dad and mom!! But I don't have many good pictures of them.
• Dogs. I love my dogs, but I've blogged about them many times and don't want you guys to think the only thing I can blog about is crazy animals...

• Dad. Wish I had a more comfortable chair for him...
• Day lilies! YES! My tiger lilies are blooming, I just need to run out and get some pictures of them. Ugh. Time...
• Dad... Wish I could scan in some old snapshots for a post about Dad!
• Dumb... that I can't come up with a decent post about D.
• Dad... Not that I have time to hunt up pictures and learn how to scan them in.
• Ditz! I almost went with this idea cuz I was a MAJOR ditz last week!! I even told the poor tire repair man the wrong tire!! So embarrassing, but that's letter E...
• Dad and Mom. I'm tellin' ya, it doesn't get much better than when they're here!
• Dance. Did I mention I went with my daughter to dance the other week? Fun! (the average age there is about 68, LoL)
• Dad. Even just one picture of Dad will do and I'm out of time...

LoL. You get the picture. And there's a picture of my dad and daughter. Ha! Two Ds there!!

Phew. I made it. See?!?! THIS is why I need this meme!! LoL
*whispering* I DID say at the out-set of this meme that even a LIST would do, and I'm so thankful cuz that's about all I could eek out this week!

If you're joining us for the a 2 z 4 u & me meme by posting on your blog this week about the letter D, be sure to add your name and the link to that particular post in the linky gadget here.

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Letter C - When Storms Come Calling

This week I'm at Joy's Joyfully Journaling blog, talking about blogging and giving away a premade layout or 2 blog lessons, the winner's choice. Be sure to come join me there!! =)

Welcome to this week's letter for the a 2 z 4 u & me meme.

The letter C.

Clouds are fascinating.

I didn't think it was any coincidence that when I was contemplating what to post for C we had a storm roll through and we got to enjoy a family time of watching the clouds and the storm roll in. It was a peaceful and relaxing time for us. But not all storms have that effect.

One evening I looked out my front window and saw what could be the closest to the Pillar of Fire I'll ever see. It was stunning.

It makes me think of how our lives can be when God shines on us... When He lights us up.

My kids love watching for what they can see in the clouds. When did I stop looking to see what could be found in clouds? There's surprises and blessings and beauty galore in the clouds that pass through my life--if I'll just stop and look for it.

If all our days were clear, with no clouds in the sky, just think how much we would miss out on.

Storms are part of life. Some are big and some rock our world.
Just as Jesus calmed the storm, 

He brings peace to us as we keep our eyes fixed on Him.

When the light of God shines into the midst of our storm, everything changes. Great beauty comes from the storm--beauty that others notice. Beauty that makes them wonder at the peace we have. Beauty that can point them to the creator of the clouds. God Most High.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Thanks for joining me for this week's edition of from a 2 z 4u & me!

Don't forget to add you name and link to Linky if you're posting about the letter C today! Join the fun! The more the merrier! (Learn more about the a2z meme here.)

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You Gotta Be There

I've been trying to get back into walking this spring. It's been tough with all the topsy-turvy rush of everyone's work schedules, but I need to walk—for my body, mind and soul. There is just something about being outside first thing in the morning, walking that tunes my heart to God's channel. Since I've been posting a lot of pictures for the a2z meme as well as at The Barn Door, I left Puppers at home and brought my camera, never dreaming all I'd see.

I was crouching in weeds, getting a picture of a cluster of wild roses—I had actually taken one shot when I realized there was honeybee on the far rose. As I watched, it moved to the other roses, flew away and came back.

Then, just a little further down the road, I stopped to get a picture of the milkweed. Once I got one of the whole plant, I waded into the weeds to see if I couldn't get some of the flowers. I stayed there a long time snapping shots, thrilled with God's detail of each individual flower that made up the whole.

I was amazed at what I was seeing. Things that I only usually saw as a whole, from a distance, were much more intricate and beautiful up close.

Yanno, it's a lot like my spiritual life. Just like I had to purposefully go out and walk to put myself in a position to see and experience the beauty of the morning and the flowers, I need to put myself in a position where I can see the things God has for me to see.

I love those who love me; and those who diligently seek me will find me. ~Proverbs 8:17 NAS

You can't see it if you aren't there. And you can see it in greater detail if you're there yourself and not seeing it second hand.

As beautiful and wonderful as some pictures are, it's not the same as experiencing it yourself. When you are in God's Word, digging for yourself, you learn things in greater detail than you do when you're listening to a recap or a lesson after someone else has done the digging. Those times are very good, like seeing a picture, but it's not quite the same as being there yourself.

I don't know about you, but I want to put myself in the position where I can see the things of God. That means being in God's Word, looking and listening. 

You gotta be there to yourself. It's better than any picture could ever be.

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