Birthday update --

Well, the birthday surprise was a hit! I think she was a little thrown as to what it was at first and I think she thought I'd put that shoe picture on front of the card just to be mean (!!), but once she clued in, she was happy! She asked how I knew what to order and I told her, "I'm just smart!" :-) She thinks I saw the chewed up box in their garage or something and I didn't tell her HOW I knew because I wanted to save that little Amazon.com trick for future use if I need it for anything again. No sense in giving away all my tricks! Good thing she doesn't read my blog, huh? She knows I have one and she knows the name has to do with Grace, but she has never even asked about it. None of my family reads any of this, so I am especially grateful for my little 'blogger family' because it gives me a little safe place to share and get feedback on things I might not share otherwise.

On that note, I was driving home on Tuesday night this week, after I'd been to Grace's 'spirit night' at Chick-Fil-A, thinking about how excited I was to get home and check everyone's blog for the evening. I think I realized then, maybe for the first time, how connected I'm beginning to feel to my blogger friends. It's kinda weird because Tracey is the only one I personally know who reads any of this on a regular basis and I'd tell her most anything anyway, but I've really come to look forward to knowing what is going on, the struggles and the good times, in the lives of so many people that I've never even met! Isn't that funny? I just like reading peoples' thoughts, 'real life' stories, and the things God is teaching so many people. They are encouraging, thought provoking, inspiring and funny. As for me, somehow it is easier for me to get my thoughts out in writing than it is in speech sometimes, and I have a feeling that my nieces' moving next year will definitely fall into that category....I am sure there will be MANY posts about that! I mean, a friend of mine just mentioned, MENTIONED, to me at church Sunday night that they'd heard my sister talking about moving next year at the school last week and I burst into tears right there on the spot! I mean, it is a year away and I'm already messed up about it sometimes, so I have NO idea what I will be like when it actually happens! I can see already that writing is going to be great therapy.....

I guess, after sharing all that, what I most want to say is thanks to all of you who make this such a fun experience. I'm most grateful for the things in your life that you've shared with me...but for the encouragement, camera, CD and Netflix recommendations, etc, that you've given me, I am also thankful. I really do feel like I've gained, and am gaining, new friends...and I know that is no accident.

'He's and On-Time God,

Yes He is!'