Honey, I'm home!

Sorry I haven't posted for MONTHS--I'm sure there are only about 3 of you out there after all this time. My bad. Profuse apologies.

First, I got a job with the 2010 Census. It was one of the best jobs I've had. Very fast-paced, very detail-oriented, and since the economy put so many highly-educated and highly-qualified people out of work, I was able to learn so much from people I would never otherwise have met. God blessed me! And our local office actually placed in the TOP TEN of the entire country for meeting deadlines, accuracy, etc. It was a once-in-a-lifetime coming together of positive, action-oriented, think-outside-the-box, get-it-done-right-the-FIRST-time group of people. We rocked that Census!

I was also blessed to come away from that experience with lifelong friends. I moved to California, got married, and worked in the family business since 2003. Not a lot of opportunities to meet non-family members. Now I have several friends and at least 3 I know I will hold close forever.

Since the job ended, I have been spending my time with those new friends! They are teaching me creative things--knitting, scrapbooking, photography, card-making, etc. I'm learning to go with my imagination, something I never really did before. It's good. I'm seeing parts of the area I wouldn't otherwise see, with our photography sessions and hiking. I'm starting to feel like a real part of a community.

I also got to go back to Ohio in January to visit with friends there and most important, my family. Because of the census job, I missed my usual summer visit, so I was anxious to see everyone. It was, as always, the icing on the cake of my year. This time I did something new: I drove down to Sunbury to spend a night with my cousin's family and meet a facebook friend in person that she introduced me to online. I feel I've come away from that evening with another lifelong friend as well. And another creative outlet--zendoodling!

Another big event in my life since I last blogged: the birth in June '10 of my husband's 6th grandchild. She has absolutely stolen my heart! We have the privilege of watching her on weekdays while her parents are working. She's my first experience with day-to-day contact with a baby (never had kids of my own). Of course she is the most *insert positive adjective here* baby on the planet! Shehas taught me unconditional love.

So here I am back again after some awesome times. And some sad times, too, but I try not to dwell on negatives these days. Life really is too short.

And on that note: pray for Japan.

Here I am . . .

do you even see me?

I am so much more than you think.

It is your fault that I don't let you see me.

You don't deserve me.

Thoughts and prayers . . .

for blog buddy, Shannon, in her time of sadness and loss.
Hang in there, BPR. We're all here for you.

Is there anybody out there?!

Sorry I've been AWOL. As most of you probably know, I got a full-time job working for the local census office.

I LOVE it!

But, it does cut into my online time quite a bit, and while I could talk about the census ad infinitum, I won't. (I heard that sigh of relief over there!)

In other news, we expect the arrival of our 6th grandchild, Martine Michal, in late May/early June, our business is picking up a bit (custom cabinets, anyone?), and I am more in love with my husband than ever. Just 'cuz!

I do read your blogs and try to comment, so don't give me up for dead! I'm out here!!!!

Relief!!!!!!

I have no idea WHY, but my list of bookmarks disappeared Monday. I looked high and low (computer-wise) for them, and so did my husband (a much more patient soul than I am with technical stuff).

I was bereft. I felt lost without my trusty sidebar of favorite sites, just waiting for me click on them every day and opening up my familiar stops in my online adventures. Sure, I could have thought about it and remembered url's and typed them into the address bar, but it's just not the SAME . . . .

I actually avoided my computer. It felt alien. Slightly unfriendly.

Today, o wonder of wonders, my sidebar returned!!!!! The list populated and once again I had instant access to my routine! I have been happily clicking and catching up with my cyber-friends ever since!!!!

We blame yahoo. And thank yahoo for restoring things.

All is well once again.

Am I too attached to internet? YES!!!! And proud of it!!!! =0)

YES!!!!

(Many thanks to Dutchie for this flat-out stealing from her blog)
Off to Starbuck's now . . .

My Resolution--to remember this:

Lovely, complicated wrappings

Sheath the gift of one-day-more;

Breathless, I untie the package--

Never lived this day before!

Gloria Gaither