Thankful for Blogging

(Maggie, just like my kids...)

 

 I am an accidental blogger.

About 8 years ago,

I was trying to help my friend Christine figure out how

to start a blog when all of a sudden, it asked me what name I wanted

to give my blog.

I felt my stomach turn a little and thought, "what the heck?"

I named my blog something I always pray.

So it came to me immediately.

I posted one thing and within minutes

2 commenters had left a comment.

I thought, "Hey, this is kind of fun!"

 

You know the rest of the story.

I'm still here.

 

 

Along with blogging came many new friends,

some I've met and some I haven't.

 

Last week, some of these friends got together

and threw me a party!

(a going away party, though, we have not sold our home yet, so I'm not going yet!)

 

 

 There we go!

These lovely ladies are, (from left to right)

Christine (and her chicken), Margaret (also answers to "Mags" and "Maggie" and "Hey you!"),

Lori, (who drove like 4 hours and lives way way up north, you know way up there!), Sarah, (look at that cute baby tummy!), Becky, (she also makes amazing rosaries HERE), and last but not least,

Marie (and her adorable sweet littles)

 We hung out on Christine's beautiful porch

(my favorite thing to do)

Lovely Sarah was one of the hosts,

and I think forced Christine to have this party at her place!

I met Sarah when she was just a teen, at a retreat hosted by our church,

way back when Tom and I were first married. 

Blogging has brought us a lot closer.

So thankful for that.

 I think Christine was OK with hosting-- she has like 40 acres and a ton of things to do!

Thankful for Christine who helped me accidentally start blogging.

We've been doing it and supporting each other ever since

 (with blogging and other things too!)

 Sweet Becky.

It was such a pleasure to meet her (finally!)

She has been reading my blog for years, even though I don't read many blogs,

she still sticks with me. 

I, for some reason thought she'd be a huge talker and maybe be loud....

but she was sweet and reserved and so pleasant to be around.

I love how actually meeting and putting a voice with her words on the screen

is just, so, special.

 

Reminds me of God's love for  us.

How we all need each other.

It's wonderful to be friends online,

but to be physically present, is just all the more special.
It shows we are all one Body.

One Body in Christ.

 Marie with her sweet little girls!

She was so laid back and easy going.

I was not that laid back when I had 2 littles with no big kids to help!

We were all googly eyed over this sweet baby....oh, my,

 if she doesn't make you want another baby, nothing will.
  Marie was such a great conversationalist. 

Her stories are really interesting.

 Maggie surprised us all by saying she was not coming and then showed up anyway!

We were all overjoyed!

 She was either posing for pictures

or taking them!

She has a budding photography business now!

(If you have a link Mags, I'll link your business)

 Becky's girls have the most beautiful eyes and were sweet just like their mama!

Hey!  There was pop?

We were all too busy gabbing and laughing!

Christine actually stopped chasing chickens to sit and enjoy a cold drink, I'm glad! 

She gets those muscles from picking up chickens...

 I brought my 2 oldest girls

(this is my oldest daughter, with Sarah's Lily and Christine's Colette)

ON A DUNE BUGGY!!

 

See?  I told you, tons of stuff to do at Christine's!

 She told me on our way home

"This was the best day of my life!"

(pretty sure that's partly because I did not bring my littles and so she was

free to go rafting, swim in their pond, explore, go on their zipline, balance on their slackline,

ride in the dune buggy and hang out with some really nice kids)

 Skateboarding, ripsticking, sidewalk chalk, 4 square, bubbles....the fun never ends!

We filled our souls with lovely talk and laughter.

We girl talked too.
 

Lori here, to come so far, really touched my heart,

well, you all did!

You are all so very special to me and you always will be.

Friends to encourage, share, lift up, pray for and love.

Thank you, thank you ladies!

(Christine, I can feel your hand behind my head!)

My flowers are still beautiful and make me

smile every time I look out my kitchen window!
They remind me of my sweet blogging friends and how blessed I am
because of them.