A Sign

I was ready to write this post about my pet peeves, which is blog challenge #8. I'm behind, yesterday was supposed to be the last day. But, we had a busy holiday weekend. I will post it at another time. Anyway, I have to share this with you. I have several small pictures frames with inspirational quotes and Bible verses throughout my house. My Sister Martha and her daughters came over for dinner the other night. Martha commented on how she liked them (picture frames w/verses) . Yesterday, being that John had to travel for the Army. I planned to spend the evening at Martha's house. So before she came to pick me up. I wanted to make her a frame with a Bible verse. I looked up a few verses I liked " This is the day the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalms 118:24 I had to find the "right" font and size for it so, it took me a few minutes but, I kept reading the verse over and over again. Well, I have an app on my phone that gives me a daily Bible verse . I woke up way too early this morning. I pick up my phone to see the time and to read my daily verse... Yes! you guessed it! It was the same one...I was/am in awe. I know why it is perfect for me to read and believe at this time. I have been worrying about the CT scheduled for Monday morning. I am so scared ! I have had clean CTs since January. I just can't help it. I let it consume me. In my prayers I always say "Thy will be done..." I can't seem to put it all in God's hands. I need to celebrate today I need to enjoy and give thanks for today. I can't let my worries take over. I am healthy and strong today. It is a beautiful, sunny day. I need to trust and have Faith that He has a plan. And, that no matter what my test results are, everything will be alright. I am having such a hard time with this right now. If you read this please say a prayer that ...well, you know.

BC#7 Best of Blogs

I am pretty much a new comer to blogs. I had heard of blogs and blogging but I worked full time and went to school. So, Needles to say, I didn't have much time to do much on the computer other than what I needed to do for work or school. I quite working almost 3 years ago. Since then I've had plenty of time to "play" as my Husband calls it. I started reading blogs one afternoon looking for inspirations for Fall decor. Actually, If I remember correctly I was looking for these pumpkin topiary I had seen on several front porches. I just didn't have any idea on how to make them. I typed in pumpkin topiary and all these sites came up. One was to Lemon Annie's blog (she has since stopped blogging) she had some very cute pictures of what I wanted. Then I noticed she had linked to other blogs. One of the blogs she linked to was "Bless Our Nest". Shannon had some very nice vignettes for Fall throughout her house. I was inspired and from then on I have been following her blog. Most of the blogs I follow are home decor/design and crafting blogs. Others, like Chelsea's, have inspired me in other ways. I don't remember how I came across her blog. Her Husband Nick had just been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I do remember thinking Wow! they are so young to be faced with such a challenge. Okay, here it goes, I'm going to get kinda' heavy on you here. I think there was a higher power at work. Because less then 4 months later I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I/we were DEVASTATED to say the least. I was terrified of Chemotherapy. I think I initially even said I wouldn't do it. My Dr's gave me very good chances that I would be cured with treatment. With John's and my families promise to help me through it. We went ahead with their recommendations. I needed someone to talk to. I had a lot of questions. Don't get me wrong, my Oncologist (Dr. Klein)was/is great! Makes you feel like your his only patient for the day. I didn't know (thank God!) anyone else going through Chemo. Okay,I'll reel it in here. Ha! This post is supposed to be about favorite blogs. I thought of Chelsea and Nick...so I sent them an e-mail...they were awesome! We even spoke on the phone. They were such a blessing to me.
And last but not least. Here is a list of some of the other blogs I follow or how some of you like to say "stalk".
Southern Comfort in a Northern Life
Nesting Place
Dear Lillie
Elizabeth & Co.
Susieharris
Hooked on Houses
The Old Painted Cottage
Katie's Keepers
Antiques Chase
For The Love of a House
The Graphics Fairy
Possessionista

I hope you can link up to these bloggs. I still don't think I'm doing it right. I hope they inspire you as much as they do me.

Is This Thing On?!

Dear Readers
Are you out there?
I'd love to get some comments. So if you stop by please let me know you were here. I'd love to hear your thoughts. I enjoy reading and commenting on ya'lls blogs. If there is a problem and can't leave a comment. Please send me an email and let me know so that I can try and fix it. Happy Blogging!

Leave Your Mark

I would have never called myself a morning person. Especially, when I worked! Ha! I used to have the hardest time getting going. I definitely needed my coffee. However, lately I have been getting up early. I like to get my cup of tea, my laptop and sit in my favorite chair or bed :) I usually stay in my pj's. Today, I got up and dressed for some reason. I'll read my favorite blogs. I look for inspiration for new project ideas. Look at what I learned how to do! Thanks to Susie Harris she gave a short tutorial on how to put your name or your blogs name on your pictures. I had wondered how to do this. It looks very professional to me. What do you think? Here are

some pictures I played around with.

I really like how they look! I'm going to keep playing with it until I find a font I like and can use for my pictures. I think I'll only use it for my project pictures. So, go visit Susie's blog to find out how to put your mark on your pictures. Have fun!

BC#6 What Would You Do With $100?

When I saw the title of today's blog challenge my first thought was to go to the antique mall and see what small treasures I could find. :) John and I enjoy getting a coffee and bagel on a Saturday morning and drive out looking for antique shops.We can spend hours just walking around an antique shop and looking at old books, furniture. We often do this when we travel. It's a nice way to bring a souvenir home without it being a key chain or t-shirt and it ending up in a drawer. We have several things we've purchased on a vacation and still remember where we got them. Sometimes I find things I gotta' have like this.

Or this table we got in a flea market in Michigan I think it was almost 100 degrees out and the table had a glass top (It broke during our move to this house) but John says that it was fun trying to get to the car. The dumb table kept slipping because his hands were so sweaty. He adds that this proves how much he loves me. Ha!

Or, I could treat my Mom to a nice lunch and an afternoon of pampering getting a mani/pedi together. Something she doesn't treat herself to often enough. This sounds like a great idea and I think I'll schedule it in time for Daniel's wedding :)

I don't want to leave this post without showing you one of our other finds. We found this chair at Goodwill for $20.00. We fell in love with it! It was covered with a worn out, hunter green, velvet fabric.

We had it reupholstered. It was my inspiration for the custom made curtains in the family room.

Another way I could spend my $100. Is going to Micheal's or Joann's Fabrics and buying supplies for my many craft ideas. All of these sound like fun! Enjoy your Summer break!

BC#5 Happiness is...

Family

These are my brothers and Sisters

Do you know that one of my three Sisters came with me to every Chemo treatment!

Apparently, they gotten together and made a schedule for who be able to go to Chicago with John and I. My treatments were scheduled on Mondays (every 2 weeks) starting in mid March until September of last year. They always had a smile on their faces and a bag full of magazines and an inspiration book or two. WOW! I'm already in tears! (I don't think Chelsea had something this deep in mind when she thought of this part of our blog challenge.) How do I thank them? How do I tell them how much that meant to me and John. John and I have talked about it, but I've never talked about it to my sisters. They were so strong and faithful! I don't know how they did it. I wonder if I could have been that strong and faithful for them. I pray I would and will be there for them whenever they need me. I wish I was a better writer. So that I could better convey the feelings behind these words. Okay, deep breath...How about I lighten things up?!

Happiness is getting together with family. My Sisters and I love to go get together have lunch and go shopping. Last weekend we got together and had a very nice dinner at an Italian restaurant in Naperville.

John has a big family he has 3 Brothers and 4 Sisters(Patricia passed away a few years ago) He is the youngest of the boys. They love to get together and grill out talk and laugh (loudly!) You just can't be in a bad mood or not have fun when you get together with this crowd : ) I know he is happiest when we can spend some time with family. One big reason I fell in love with him. I saw how much he loved his boys and his family. I knew he would understand mine. Are you still reading this? Have I lightened things up any?

Happiness is...my furbabies

I love my dogs! Ginger my Cocker Spaniel mix. We adopted her 7 yrs ago when she was just 6 weeks old. They had found her along with 5 other pups in an alley. Farrah, my baby, is my one year old Sheltie. We got her from a breeder. She is a little princess!

And last but not least is this guy. He is the common denominator in all of these things. He is a big part of my happiness.

BC#4 What Do You Listen To?

I guess that says it all! Ha!I grew up listening to Johnny Cash, Willy Nelson and Hank Williams. My Dad is a song writer and has had some of his songs recorded (in Mexico). If you've listened to any Mexican music you can hear the resembalance in style. So, I guess that is why my Dad liked and listened to Country music. There was always, and still is, music in my parents house. There began my <3 of country music.

The truth is I listen and like all kinds of music. I like Adele, Bruno Mars, Beyonce, Lady Gaga. But, If you checked my Sirius XM radio settings is on The Highway. Here in Chicago we have 2 country stations US 99 and 98.3 Needles to say those are set in my car : )

My Husband likes to listen to the 70's, 80's and 90's and so you'll hear that music in our house too.