It's A Small 'Bloggy' World

Yesterday, as I did some much needed email filing, I came across a comment from Thea at I'm A Drama Mama; and, I decided to visit her site. I enjoyed the first post I came across and became more interested when she mentioned moving from Ohio to Maryland.

I browsed through a few previous posts and when I got to this one which asked for a vote for a photograph she had taken, I immediately decided to cast my vote because I liked the photo SO MUCH! Unfortunately, it was too late for my vote but the picture haunted me. It looked so familiar and then I remembered where I had seen it. It was in my January picture file. Here's my version. Now look again at hers.

Go ahead. Compare. It's definitely the same barn but with a different setting. She had snow. I didn't. But obviously we both thought it was unusual enough and picturesque enough to photograph it. Remember this isn't at a famous tourist site or near a national landmark of some kind. It's a barn along a highway in Pennsylvania.

And that's proof that blogging is making our world smaller, more accessible, and friendlier than it's ever been before.

We meet people that we'll never see. We empathize with individuals that have nothing in common with us at all. We compare notes with others about weather, work, family, friends, shopping, kids, schools, etc. etc. etc. Because no matter how different we are or how far apart we live, we share a bond with a million other people who write about their everyday lives.

And we become part of a family that gathers when there's heartbreak or tragedy and that celebrates together the victories and accomplishments.

The blog world. It's a beautiful place. Unless you've been there, you can't really appreciate it. The worst thing about it is that it's so captivating. As you become interested in more and more sagas and histories and updates, it consumes more and more time. But it's all good because through the blog world we're all evolving. We're learning and empathizing and understanding and caring about people we don't know and we're understanding different points of view that in another situation we would ignore rather than attempt to grasp.

Yes, the blog world is a beautiful place. And it's making this big, cold world smaller and warmer every day, blog by blog.

Houseguests

Recently our 'lovely' youngest daughter and her family spent a couple of days as our guests.

Adding to the fun of spending every moment with her family is the opportunity to capture special and everyday moments on film .. er....digital...um....format.

Here's Sarah with her newborn. I can't even tell who looks happier or more comfortable.

And of course Proud Daddy has to have his turn.

And it's not often that I can catch a photo of a new grandson watching his grandpa talk to him but I did here. Trey is obviously QUITE amazed at some of Grandpa's perfectly articulated baby talk.

But soon he became a little bored and after a hearty stretch, turned his attention elsewhere.

And if you look at this picture closely you'll see how poignantly beautiful it really is.

And of course we can't forget Trey's big sister and brother who added so much fun and love to the visit.

And then there's that final family photo just before they head for home. It's the new look of their family and it's absolutely perfect!

We may not get to see them as often has we'd like but these little in-house visits are truly priceless.

Get Under The Car!

Disclaimer: This post is not about texting so don't skip it just because of the first paragraph. If you have to, skip that paragraph. Just be sure to read the rest of the post.

A couple of months ago I wrote a post about a terrible accident that inconvenienced us on our way home from Louisville. Although in this post I hinted at several possible causes of the accident, I was really being generous because in my heart of hearts I suspected and feared that texting was involved. I felt compelled to write about it because I think it's the cause of many, many serious accidents and it's SO preventable. (And, sorry girls, but I think today's modern young women with more on their plates than their mothers would ever understand are the most guilty. Just sayin') Also, I know that many of us have great confidence in our ability to text while driving. We'd NEVER do it if there were the SLIGHTEST chance that there could be an accident ESPECIALLY one that might hurt our kids. We KNOW we can handle it because we've done it so often and so carefully and we've never ever had an accident while doing it.......yet. Most of us would have to admit that there have been close calls but, because of our care and alertness and skill, we were able to avoid anything really happening.

Now, I'm climbing down off that soapbox because that's not what this post is about. This post is about yet another possible cause of a lot of auto accidents that most of us are completely in the dark about. So PLEASE, watch this:

And if you didn't watch it all the way to the end, please go back and do so because some of the most important stuff you need to hear and see are past the middle of the segment.

It could save your life or that of someone you love. And, I think you'll want to pass it on to everyone you care about after you've seen it.

So, have your Mr. Right or your dad, your brother, your neighbor or your good friend get under there and check it out. And if you just can't find a guy to do it, do it yourself. You're just as capable. The only reason I suggested getting a guy to do it in the first place is because they like to get under cars. Really! All guys do.

And then I'm thinking when we buy tires we need to be able to look at the set that's going to be put on so that we can check that secret code ourselves. That we can do because women like to read secret codes. Really! All women do.

Okay, that's it. Let's start a no texting but always checking rule for our cars. The life we save may be one we love.

Jenna Corinne

Jenna's birthday post is very very late and that's just wrong because Jenna was very very early.

She was born nine years ago Wednesday. I didn't get to be there for two reasons. One - I was at work. And two - she was born by emergency c-section after a premature separation of the placenta at 33 weeks.

And my she was tiny.

She was born weighing just over 3 pounds but soon dropped below. We were concerned for awhile but she was strong and she was a fighter and within a few months, she was looking so much older.

And by her first birthday, she had pretty much caught up with other babies her age. Except that instead of birthday cake, she got..... peas!

Not really! Just tricking. On her first birthday, she got birthday cake just like everybody else and she enjoyed it with great relish.

When she was very young, she enjoyed a lot of the same things that other children like but somehow she seemed to take everything just a step further. For example, she didn't just play with pots and pans, she joined the pots and pans and became part of them.

One day when she was about 15 months old and had never taken her first step, she was outside watching the other children play.

When she decided to stand up.

And start walking. Just like that!

At age one, she was watching TV with her big brother, Jeremy....

At two, she was showing signs of being a model with a great sense of fashion

Also at age two, she met her new cousin Anna - not knowing that someday soon they would be fast friends.

Years have passed and many interests have started to grab her attention....

But some things have remained the same. Anna and Jenna continue to be BFF's..

And Jenna continues to be a beautiful little girl.... who is tiny but strong and mighty.

She loves to help out the new kids in school, the younger kids, and anybody else that needs a helping hand. Her teachers love her as much as her family (both at home and extended) and we're all proud of the wonderful girl that she has become.

So Jenna, Happy 9th Birthday! I'm sorry it's late but it's no less heartfelt. We love you!

You Capture - Colors

Once again Beth's You Capture challenge has taught me something.

There is virtually no color in my house. And outside the color is .... white. I've always been an outdoors kind of girl. I'm not too interested in making my house beautiful because I don't have good taste like that. I don't know why I never got it and I'm not sure if maybe somehow I could develop it; but for now it's just not there.

So I had to go to the playroom for color. And I could pretend that I found color in nature because the animals in their bin had some color:

And there was color in these ducks but I guess you couldn't call it nature.

Then there are the Legos. So cheerful and colorful and they show how creative grandsons can be because they are used ALWAYS to create rifles and pistols and machine guns in every shape and size. So even if you don't buy guns to play with........ you know. Just so you know.

And then there were the teapots. One I bought at a yard sale last summer and one was given to me many years ago by a customer in the tavern where I worked. He found it in a junk pile and thought of me. ....... huh?

But there are things I like about this photo. I like that I had to stage it and use my tripod and turn off all the lights to cut down on shadows and I like the color copper. Also, I feel like there's a message there. These teapots might be about the same age but one was cared for. The other looks so much older because the color is faded and covered in years of built up grime. And I wonder... is that what makes old people older than they should? Exposure to the elements, lack of care, faded out color? Yikes!

For more 'color' shots, visit Beth at ishouldbefoldinglaundry and maybe you'll catch the spirit and join the challenge. It can be very revealing.

Anna Helen

I decided at the beginning of the year to post about each of my grandchildren and my great grandchild on their birthdays. My only trepidation was that I might drop the ball somewhere and fail to do all of them but I decided to try it anyway. I was off to a good start until Anna's birthday which was the 25th. We'd had an unusually busy weekend and house guests that I was thrilled to be able to spend time with and I dropped the ball. Then, our modem or something went out and we haven't had internet since yesterday evening and only intermittently today. I never dreamed that my resolve (along with Comcast) would fail me during the first month of the year but now I'm picking up again where I left off and this post will be all about Anna Helen who turned 7 on Monday.

Seven years ago, Anna's mom, two of her sisters, and I were in Chicago to welcome Anna into the world. Even though it was five weeks sooner than she was expected, no child was better prepared for. Here's a glimpse of her room:

I wish I could include all the nursery pictures but there are too many and then I'd have to leave out pictures of her.

Although, she was five weeks early, she was beautiful and perfect and weighed 5 lbs, 9 oz. Our joy turned to concern though, when shortly after she was born, she was in the NICU and looked like this:

I can still see Beth's love and pain as she gazed at her new daughter for the first time.

Soon, though she was home and perfect in every way:

At one year, she was bright and adorable. You couldn't look at her and not fall in love: (and she already had a baby brother!)

At two, it was becoming obvious just how bright she was because she noticed EVERYTHING!

And at three we realized that not only did she notice everything but she remembered everything:

And at four, five, and six we enjoyed her quirky, cheerful personality.

(And also when she was six, her mother became a photographer and produced beautiful pictures like this one!)

At seven, Anna is a beautiful fun-loving girl with her mother's sense of humor. She's intelligent, thoughtful and loving and she's going to be a big help when her new little brother arrives.

So Anna, even though I've said it before and this one is a little late:

Happy 7th Birthday!

You Capture - Love Around Your Home

I couldn't possibly do a post of things I love around my home without including the baby koi that we've invested so much time and effort into. The fact that I don't really love them that much anymore doesn't mean that I don't love the idea that we finally had that spawning that I was anticipating with such fervor. I could go on and on but I won't. I'll just include some of them.

Then, there's this grouping that I look at often. Like Beth, the birds represent for me little ones that I'll meet someday. The pictures were taken in younger days and show our big, little family when it was just getting launched.
And how could I post about things I love around the house without including my husband's balls.

They represent innumerable vacations, all over the country to places where our sons were stationed. And believe me, they've been around. Although, I haven't started golfing yet, I accompanied the golfers and took scads of pictures of the men in my life having the time of their lives. If Beth, ever does a You Capture featuring golfing photos, I'll be all set.

For more pictures of household treasures, visit Beth at Ishouldbefoldinglaundry. You'll find lots of beautiful photos and an invitation to participate.