It has been awhile...

I really admire those bloggers that can do this daily.  It's not as easy as it looks.  I bow down to you!

Life gets busy and a Mother's job get busier!

Hope everyone had a very Happy Thanksgiving.  Tomorrow begins December and the Christmastime rush.  Please do all you can to remember what Christmas is all about!

Thought for the day:

"Think of giving not as a duty but as a privelege." - J.D. Rockefeller, Jr.

IMPORTANT!!! Please read this

Linny of A Place Called Simplicity has called us to pray and fast on behalf of Africa's orphans.  Apparently, the Canadian government has stopped all Visas from Africa...meaning all those in process of adopting from there are devistated.  Canada has stopped all adoption from Africa, and often in these cases, what happens in Canada, the US soon follows. Here is Linny's post http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/2009/11/favor.html

Rolling Back the Years

July 4, 1976

I would be embarassed, but just how cute is that? Hahaha.

The ones who should be embarassed are my parents!  I mean, look at those ORANGE drapes and what's with the carpet?!?  I seem to remember dark green couches to go with all that loveliness.

Miss J Updated Me on Aleah

My niece called and said that Aleah came through the surgery just fine.  She's still in critical condition for awhile, and they won't know if she'll be able to move her facial muscles (I think that's right) for a bit.  Keep little Aleah in your prayers, please.

Prayers for Aleah

My niece's best friend has a little sister adopted from India, named Aleah (such a pretty name, isn't it?).  Well, today Aleah is having major surgery to fix a nerve in her face.  Apparently, it is a SEVEN HOUR long procedure.  So, I'm asking for prayers for:  Aleah, her family, her doctors and medical staff, and all that care for her.  I am also lifting up my own prayers for her.  Instead of trying to word my way through a prayer, I'm counting on what it says in Romans 8:26-27

The Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

Sleep?!?!

Isn't it amazing all the wonderous thoughts, brilliant ideas, sensational plans you come up with in the middle of the night while you are trying to sleep?  Where do they all go?  And why didn't I get to sleep anyway?

Seriously, I need a notebook by my bed some nights.  Maybe I could end world hunger or cure cancer.  At the very least, I could figure out what I'm going to make for dinner that day.  *SIGH*

You would think that since none of that happens for me, I should be able to look like  Sleeping Beauty when I wake as opposed to the Medusa bedhead I usually have (she and I must be related).

vs.

Note: All images in this post have been “borrowed” from the internet. If I’m using your image and you don’t want me to, let me know and I’ll take it down.

YouTube - federov9's Channel

For anyone thinking of adopting a child with special/medical needs, you should watch this:

YouTube - federov9's Channel

Not Sure How I Rated

But I got to go out to eat TWICE today!  The first time my loving husband and I had a lunch date at a local family restaurant.  I was a good girl and had salad, which turns out to be a good decision because the whole family went out to Happy Joe's Pizza (they originated the taco pizza). 

Ooooh, it's just too hard to be good at Happy Joe's, and I wasn't.  Now my tummy is waaaay full, but my taste buds are waaaaay-er happier (yes, it's my blog, and I can make up words whenever I want!).  I think I splurged for the entire week.  Back to being a good girl tomorrow morning.

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head

It's raining today! 

Maybe that isn't too exciting to most of you, but for this farmer's wife it is.  I haven't been able to spend a lot of time with Steve lately since he's been working in the fields.  He just texted me that he'll be home soon and done for the afternoon.  We have a date!  We're going out to lunch together (for the first time in a long time) and who knows what we'll do from there.  I LOVE spending time with my husband.  He's truly my best friend.  I'm a happy wife.

Beth Schlarmann, you've just won the Super Bowl! What's next?

I'M GOING TO DISNEYWORLD!!!

Woohooo.  Somehow in my entire 37 years, I've never made it to the home of Mickey Mouse and friends.  I'm so excited.  So, am I taking my wonderful husband of 17 years?  No.  Am I being a "good mom" and taking my children?  No.  I am being all selfish and stuff.  I will be going with a girlfriend of mine from high school, KT.  She is a Disney freak, as well.  Only she has been there many times.  We have decided to do a girls' week away from home in the wonderful world of Orlando.  I'm so happy!!!

Awesome Blogg-i-ness

Check out these way cool bloggers I met this weekend!

http://www.debworks.com/
http://hisandhersphoto.net/
http://www.bloggingbasics101.com/
http://www.boogersandburps.com/
http://www.smartcentsmom.com/
http://www.myredapron.com/
http://sincerelyjenni.blogspot.com/
http://www.iheartmimi.com/
http://www.complic8tedjourney.com/
http://www.threeboysandadog.com/
http://www.iowageekonline.com/
http://www.havekidwilltravel.com/
http://www.delightfulcupcakes.com/
http://minnemom.com/
http://blog.rockstarjenny.com/
http://journey4hope.blogspot.com/
http://tam4buit.blogspot.com/

and many more....

Thank yous, thank yous, and more thank yous

Didn't get a chance yesterday to give a "shout out" to the wonderful sponsors, speakers, and bloggers I met at the iBlog conference.  So, here I go:

Jody at Iowa Geek and Have Kid will Travel was both the brains and beauty behind the conference.  Yes, in an earlier post I mentioned that this was the inaugural conference.  Jody is planning on the first weekend of November 2010 in a TBA location in Iowa.  I love that she's moving the conference around the state!

The site of the conference was the beautiful Hotel Pattee in Perry, Iowa (approximately 40 miles west of Des Moines).  They also catered the conference.  Let me just say that the diet took a hit.  So yummy!!!

One of the sponsors of the conference was Land O Lakes Dairy from right here in our great state of Iowa.

Another sponsor was Dexter PC Computer Services from Dexter, Iowa.  They had very cute pink netbook and a way cool desktop that I was drooling over (as a gift for my husband, of course!).  Brian and Linda were very informative.  Check them out!

Creative Memories also sponsored the conference.  They totally hooked us up with StoryBook Creator Plus 3.0.  I am a HUGE scrapbooking fanatic, but I've never really digitally scrapped.  After listening to speakers Jenny Dammann, Web Specialist with CM, and Amber Gustafson, consultant, I am so excited to play with the software.  Not to mention, I am in NEED (not just want) of the MemoryManager software.

Some more speakers were:
PR Princess Claire Celsi
BJ Weber from Ankeny Tax and Accounting
Melanie Nelson at Blogging Basics 101
Darcy Milder from His and Hers Photography
Deb Brown at Deb Works Online Marketing Strategies and Franklin County News Today
Jennic Law from KangarooBoo

I learned so much from these people.  I don't know how to begin to say thank you to them all!

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

iBlog Conference

Well, as I mentioned, this blogging all started with a small conference in Perry, Iowa at the BEAUTIFUL Hotel Pattee on November 14 and 15.  This was the inaugural conference, so it was small...but very well put together by Jody of Iowa Geek and Have Kid will Travel.  The conference was attended by around 30 people: men, women, new bloggers, never before bloggers, and seasoned bloggers.  The speakers ranged in categories, answered many questions, followed a well-planned schedule, and took the time to meet and greet the attendees.  In all honesty, we attendees were treated like honored guests.  The Hotel Pattee is stunning with many themed rooms (ours was the RAGBRAI room).

So many sponsors to thank, so many blogs to link, so little time at the moment.  Look for some wonderful people, some wonderful blogs, and more in my next post.

New at this...

Well, I've done it.  I've broken down and tried this whole blogging thing!  After attending a blogging conference called iBlog (more on that to come) this past weekend, I've decided to jump into the blogging world.  My friend Tamara, who you can find at tamarab introduced me to the blogging world.  She and I met a few months ago at an adoption parenting class.  Who knew that would lead to this???  On Saturday, we travelled down to Perry, IA to attend the first ever iBlog conference.  Originally, I thought I'd just blog our adoption journey, but after meeting so many wonderful bloggers and learning from all of the presenters, I just knew I had to join the world of blogging.  So, here it is!  Hope you enjoy and keep coming back!