More About Jonathan

Wow!

You guys are interested in Jonathan.
Your comments on the last post came
in very quickly.
So...I'll share more.

I know, he usually flies under the radar
here on the blog...however

he is very interesting young man.

Sweet, caring and an artist/author.

He has been conflicted about what
he wants to do with his life.
Write?  Become a Psychologist?
Focus on his art?

But for now Jonathan is
in the process of writing a fiction story.

 It is sci-fi but not of the scary or 

gross kind.  It is smart and interesting.

At least I think so...

Warren and Pastor Mike agree.

I asked Jonathan for permission to share 

some of the first chapter.

Chapter One
The Child is Born

The rain is silver.  It hasn't been silver
in two milleniums.
Rom was standing by the window 
in the one room log cabin.
The cabin built with his own hands
 for himself and his wife Reena to share.
 
He looked down at his hands.
So strong... and yet so helpless now.
Reena was in labor behind him and he 
didn't know how to help.
So, he stood looking out the window
randomly commenting about the weather.


Sabriella, the midwife, had come.
At least he had ridden out to get her.
That had to count for something, he thought.


"Reena, dear, I wish you could see this.
It won't happen again in our lifetime."
His wife moaned with a contraction.
Sabriella stood up and said indignantly,
"Would you shut up and go hold your 
wife's hand?  
She's going to need something
to squeeze."


Rom went over to the bedside and 
asked, "How are you doing, Hon?"
Reena grabbed his hand and squeezed
as she let out a cry.


As if from a distance Rom heard 
Sabriella say, 
"It's a girl...
but such an odd baby."


After wiping the baby clean she handed
her to her mother.


"It's amazing!" Rom said, "Her hair is as 
silver as the rain!"


Reena whispered,
"Her name is Silveea."


So, now you know what Jonathan and I are
up to.  I think it is pretty cool that he has
taken the initiative to begin writing.
He is currently working on the sixth chapter.
They are getting longer and I think that
it will be fun to go back and work together on
smoothing the story and filling in, dressing up and

finishing the process over the next several months.
He will illustrate it, as well.

If you know anything about publishing or
getting a publisher's attention we would be
interested in hearing from you.
Jonathan would be delighted if he could
make a career of writing.
His dream is to live in a cabin in the
mountains where we vacation.
Writing, fishing and creating his art.
Hey, a person can dream.
One just never knows!
I wouldn't be surprised at all
if he pulls it off.
Even though he has above average intelligence,
Jonathan has fought huge battles in his
lifetime....born with a life threatening
birth defect, struggling through
school years with
dyslexia, poor eye tracking
and learning challenges.  
Yet, he loves books and
great stories.
So...this means the world to us.
Our son, the writer!

Making Jonathan Look Small

Remember, he is 6'7" tall!

Check out the height on that corn!

It has loved the heat and humidity 

we have suffered in this Summer.

When the corn is big

and you stand across the street...

he just doesn't look that tall.

Oh, that was fun!
I recently found out that Jonathan reads here.

I guess he does that when he is taking
a break from his writing.
Yep!  That's what he is up to these
days.  Jonathan writes, I edit.
We are loving it!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Fun Serving Dishes

I have a weakness.

It is for anything for the kitchen.

This means our small kitchen is

FULL.

A nearby store has

tempted me for a while.

I have purchased items there for my

Mom....

that helped for a bit.

A little while ago I visited

the QVC Outlet Store once again.

I found this entire set for $23.91.

It was love at first sight.

The best part?

It is so pretty all stacked

up together that it can sit

out on the jelly cupboard.

Its a good thing,

because it wasn't fitting

into the cabinet.

Sometimes it doesn't hurt

to treat yourself.

As long as it doesn't

break the bank.

How do you treat yourself?

Items for Bath, Kitchen, maybe books

or Chocolate?

Come on, let us in on your weakness.

So You Have an Idea...

You are thinking about starting a 

home based business.

Congratulations!

You are thinking in a way that many

people never will.

You are also considering one of the most

challenging things you may ever tackle.

However, this could be among your most

rewarding ventures as well.

I got started in the candle business nearly by

accident.  It was never my dream to make candles.

I'm really not that crafty.

In fact it was just a thought spoken out loud

to my next door neighbor who had retired

from work in a retirement community kitchen.

She loved to make candles just for fun.

Beverly would melt down ends of candles that 

she had burned as far as they would go.

I used to get a kick out of watching her do this.

So one day when she was talking about getting a 

part time job for something to do I just opened my 

big mouth and asked her if she would be interested in 

a candle business.  After all, I am a financially minded

person with the skills and abilities to keep her books 

and take care of the paperwork.  She could make the

candles.  We would be partners.

Well, this started a whole series of events.

First, we needed a name.
We played with this for a few days.

What stuck was The Good Neighbors Candle Co.

Not very creative if you stop to think about it.

We were neighbors and we were good neighbors
who wanted to make candles.

That was that.

But then came the paperwork.

Registering with the State of PA.

We got our tax id number right away.
As for the name,
You have to make sure that the name
you want is available.
You don't want to print up business
cards, get name recognition and then find out
that someone else already had that name registered.
Now, in our case, I verified that the name was
available but did not register it right away.
I don't recommend that you do what I did.
I would not have had a leg to stand on if someone
else had wanted this name before I got it done.

As for getting a tax identification number, I highly recommend it!

You do not want to be sitting at a craft show

worrying that agents might show up and confiscate

all of your inventory.  

It happens!

The second part of this caution is a reminder:

 keep a copy of your license 
with you 
at all

selling opportunities.

It is not enough to have

one...you must be able to show it.

This is true in our state...you'll have to check 

your state regulations to see what is required.

The paperwork is not fun.

But it is much more cost effective to have 

everything in order than it is to pay fines.

That is about all I will say now about legalities.
My main focus with this short series of posts
is to help you realize how  

important it is to 
have a plan, do something you love and 
be financially responsible.

When Beverly and I decided to make candles
that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Do you have any idea how many
candle types there are?

Also, we discovered how many thousands
of people are out there making candles.

We wanted ours to stand out in the mix.
Beverly showed me a teacup candle that she had
purchased several years before.
It was adorable.
We were convinced that we could do that.
We were also convinced that they would sell
like crazy.

Not so much.

We had a lot to learn.

For example:
Did you know that many people
are afraid of gel candles?
In some cases they have very good reason.
We found out in our research that not all
fragrance oils are gel safe.
There had been some candlemakers who did not
do research and had made unsafe candles.
They had been distributed widely causing
fires and what were referred to as explosions.

Please, if you are starting a business....
do the research!

Don't make it harder for those doing things properly.
It is hard enough to build a name for yourself
without having to deal with someone else's
sloppy work.

We also decided to explore the newest
trend in candlemaking...soy wax.
That had many upsides.
The only downside was that
we were so cutting edge that we had to
do a lot of customer education.
This is where the craft shows came
in handy.

Beverly as we set up at a Willow Valley Craft Show

Face to face with curious customers
we were given the opportunity to
explain all of the positive differences
between paraffin wax and soy wax.

By now, most people are aware of,
and love soy.
But, remember this was several
 years ago.

My next post on the subject should be

a bit more specific, however,
This gives you a little background into
how I came to own a
small business.

What do I want you to take away
from this post?

Starting out legally is very important

 and taking time to do research 

is not a waste of time.  It is potentially one of 

the most important things to being successful!

It may even make sense for you to 

seek out advice from a small business advisor 

in your area.  There are volunteer organizations 

who are more than happy to meet with you

and go over your business plan.

They can offer advice from their own 

experiences that can save you a boatload 

of time and money!

I'm thinking of making these posts a Thursday Feature

until I run out of material on the subject.

Feel free to leave your questions in the comments.

  I will answer those that I can.

Remember, I am not a lawyer and so 

will not address specific legal questions.

Thanks, Diane, for suggesting this.

It is challenging and fun to look back

at our successes and failures.

We've had both!

Anyone in business does.

Diane has just begun her own business making

head coverings.  

It is called Lovely Coverings and can be found at Etsy.

She has found so many creative

ways to construct her coverings.  

The feedback is very positive already.

Awesome!

Now this is truly a "niche" business.

One that just might be very successful.

Go for it, Diane!!!!

Becky K.

Your Opinion Please...

'Tis the season to make decisions.

Which of my many, many fragrance 

options do I want to offer for the Fall

and Christmas Fundraisers.

I have a friend, a very sweet friend,

who makes up my flyers.  It is such 

a gift that she has.  I appreciate Bee

so much.  You'll find her blog here.

She loves the cappuccino candles and 

I love to keep her supplied.

Bartering....it can be a very good thing.

I loved the design of last year's flyer

so much that I plan to keep it and just

add different photos and maybe an extra fragrance or two.

So, here is where you come in.

I am going to list the Top 12 Contenders

for this year.

I can only use 10 at the most.

So, which ones would you use?

If you only like one or two, that is ok.

I can compile the most popular.

Last year I offered these:

Apple Cinnamon

Candy Cane

Cappuccino

Cinnamon Bun

French Vanilla

Orange Clove

Potpourri Spice

Pumpkin Pie Spice

The ones I would love to 

add are:

Mulberry Spice

Balsam 

Cranberry Orange

Country Apple

That means I have at least two too many.

Which one or two to remove?

Yikes!

This is so hard.

I live with these choices 

for months.

However, it is the most fun!

I am so excited for this candle season!

My family just laughs at me.

Diane, at Tomato Soup Cake, 

has asked me to write a bit about 

starting and maintaining a small

business.

I hardly feel qualified but I am 

willing to write a few posts about 

my own experiences.

Those who know me are aware that 

I have a very entrepreneurial brain.

Always thinking up new ideas.

Scary!!!!

I worked, many years ago, at a 

Small Business Incubator.

Did you know there was such a thing?

Fun!  

It is so neat to talk to folks who are 

interested in beginning businesses and 

creating jobs.

Maybe that is a clue as to my strong 

belief in the American small business.

The challenges are great, 

but the spirit is stronger.

I have met them.

These entrepreneurs.

Great people!!!!

So...back to my soap box

to say...

Please give your business to your

local shop owners 

and farmers first!

They are working so hard

and will appreciate it immensely.

Have a great day!!!

Becky K.

Is It Time to Dance?

A happy dance?

The dishwasher with which I have a hate/hate

relationship broke last night.

This is the dishwasher that 

"made a fool of me".

You know my temper tantrum 

while windows were open and 

neighbors waited for the school bus

right out there.

That post is HERE.

Warren must evaluate whether it is 

cost effective to fix it.

He is so good like that.

Never understanding the emotions

of hating a kitchen appliance

he will give it his best shot.

Of course, this was the week that he 

ordered parts so that the top rack could

stop falling down every time it gets the whim.

After at least a year of wrestling with this stupid

machine....now he has more incentive 

to bring it back to life or we will 

have the parts for a broken

appliance.  

Ugghhhh.

But, then, there is the possibility that it is not

cost effective to fix it....

Oh, I hear the music.

I am beginning to sway......

Here's hoping!

I would just love to meet a newer,

quieter, friendlier kitchen helper!

I'd be so happy to make and sell a billion 

candles to pay for one.

Really!

I'll let you know.

In the meantime

Chelsea and I will work

side by side washing the 

dishes.

That is not all bad, either.

Hugs!

Becky K.

Blues From Church

Joining Smiling Sally's 

Blue Monday Meme.

It is fun.

Thanks, Sally, for being 

such a fabulous hostess.

I find the color blue to be soothing.

Perhaps that is why I chose the 

soft blue color for the front wall

in the sanctuary.

The other walls are a tan color.

I love having the "pulpit wall" stand alone.

This particular blue had a very 

appropriate name for a sanctuary.

It is called Kindred Spirit.

It was meant to be, I think!

Sunday School is special

at Sonrise.

Everyone participates from the 

children to the Seniors.

But the wall is not the only blue to be 

found at church.

Very often Nick, whose Mom

writes Cozy Comforts, wears blue

as he plays the drums. 

He is a relatively new drummer but honestly is already very, very good.  

I so enjoy the energy 

he brings to the music!

We have a grouping of pictures as a sort

of welcome just inside the door.  There are

a few blues to be seen here, as well.

We wanted the church to reflect our sense

of family and community.  We enjoy spending

time together and love meeting new people.

It is our hope that those who visit feel at home

with us.

Our Pastor is such a dear friend.

We have known Mike for more than ten years

 and have such respect

for him.

His sermon today was amazing.

But, any Pastor worth his salt can 

preach a good message.

Pastor Mike, while very human,

is also a very Godly man.

Always seeking the Lord's will and 

directing his congregation

to do the 

same.

Here you see him helping me fold

the bulletins.

Yes, Mike is very good about things 

like this.

Mrs. Rabe and I remember the day, very well,

that we were working ever so hard to set up

for a Christmas Tea.  

After setting up tables and decorating out in the 

sanctuary we each headed to our  homes

for a bit and returned

shortly before the ladies began to gather

to find a note from Mike telling us

how nice everything looked and that 

he had mopped the floors....

just to be helpful and make things

as nice as they could be.

We actually laughed really hard because

we thought we were being sneaky in setting

up the tables in the sanctuary, 

not sure how he might feel about having 

food served over that carpet.

That certainly allowed us to breathe

easier that evening...

After we finished laughing!

So...aren't you glad I am not singing the blues 

about things at church?

It can happen.

No church is perfect, because they all have

imperfect humans that make them up.

However, I am so very thankful for our 

church body.

Such wonderful family and friends.

The love and support that flowed from

them over this past week as I was 

in the hospital and then recuperating at 

home was 

genuine.

This morning, my friend, our Associate Pastor Jack...

that is him on the left...

came to the piano earlier than usual.

You may recall he loves to do that while

I am playing the prelude.

Messes me up every time.

Today, however, he came straight to me

even before Sunday School.

With misty eyes he gave me a hug

and told me how glad he was that 

I am ok.

That sweet former Marine.

Contented sigh....

Have a fabulous week.

I'm still taking it easy. 

Naps are very good things.....

Hugs,

Becky K.

Risk vs. Reward

Risks:

Broken Bones... or worse.

Rewards:
Precious time with siblings.
Exercise
Skills that will last a lifetime....
....and more!

This evening Warren, Mikey, Chelsea and I spent time with 

teen friends from Creekside Cottage. 

It brings Warren and I such joy

to hear their happy chatter. 

The teasing and the love

that abounds between them. 

It is not uncommon for our kids to
head out to a park together.
They like to skate, take pictures,
play frisbee
and just have good clean fun.
They took these pictures on one such day a
few months ago.

Are there risks to having
great relationships with our children?

Of course!
We open ourselves up to the
possibility of broken hearts
and potential grief.

But the rewards are so much greater.
Sometimes the struggles seem
almost more than we can bear.

There are times when I wish I had protected

my heart more.  

You know, like if there was just some way
that I could not care
quite so much!

Ever been there as a parent?

My suspicion is that most parents have.

Then the hard times might not hurt so much

and the real world stuff that threatens 

wouldn't seem so scary.

But, if we were somehow to protect ourselves

we would be cutting off those 

rewards as well.

The love and the relationships that 

are priceless.

I must not ever let myself give in to the 

temptation at self preservation at the 

sacrifice of the rewards of the relationship.

Here's hoping you are taking that risk

in your own relationships

as well......
Husbands, Wives, Brothers, Sisters....
Relationships all come with risk.
The rewards are amazing!

Becky K.

Good Morning World!

Have a great day!!!!

Brownie Biscotti with Raspberry Icing

Chelsea loves to bake.

It is a passion.

So...at least she has

found something to make

that is easy on the calories.

You'll read Chelsea's take on this

at her blog HERE.

Fun thing is that Chelsea's photo 

was chosen second on Allrecipes.com

this week.

Today she made Orange Cranberry

and Banana Nut Biscotti.

Mr. and Mrs. Rabe and  their company

from Florida sampled some this morning.

Then our Aunt, Uncle and Cousins from 

Florida visited this evening and 

sampled it for themselves.

Good reviews all around.

So yummy!

What a girl!!

Go Chelsea!

A Tale of a Hospital Stay

Well, what a week this shaped up to be.

Just when you think you have the world

by the tail and all is well, leave it to

your health to step in and take things

in a totally different direction.

In all honesty I haven't felt well for

quite a while. Here is hoping that the

last couple of days are the resolution to

that.

Over the past couple of weeks we have

started a journey of a change of diet

and weight loss. Chelsea is our coach.

She loves all things to do with nutrition

and food and has lost a lot of weight over

this past year...in fact too much....but we

are addressing that, as well. Our goal as

a family is to be healthy, whether that is

losing or gaining weight, as needed.

Anyway, I had promised Jonathan and Chelsea

breakfast at our local family restaurant on

Monday. Even though I felt terrible I wanted

to follow through. I forced myself to order a

bagel, even though I had absolutely no appetite.

As I ate it I felt terrible. Pressure and pain

crushing my chest, nausea and sweating with a

very odd sensation in my head. I looked for

a waitress to get them to call 911. However,

I did not want to leave the kids there and have

all of that chaos for the other diners. Breathing

deeply I waited for the sensation to pass, quickly

paid the bill and we left. I decided to go directly

to the doctor's office. As we went the pain went from

my chest to my shoulder and up under my chin. 

I prayed that I would make it the 

couple of blocks to the doctor.

We did. The kids headed home on foot. 

It is nice that we are close enough 

that they could do that.
In their defense, I had not
let on to them exactly how badly
I was feeling.

As soon as they left the tears began
streaming down my face.
(Isn't it funny how you can hold
things in for the sake of those you love?)

I told the woman at the

front desk that I had chest pain. 

She called the nurse and very quickly 

things were underway. 

The E.K.G. showed

changes and nitroglycerin was 

given while the ambulance

was called. 

I tend to withdraw when in pain so I didn't

really enjoy chatting with the EMT's 

as they took me

north to Lancaster General Hospital. 

Several attempts

to start an IV were unsuccessful.

I do recall getting

angry with the one student EMT as he 

poked and prodded with

the needle in at least two places. 

Finally his buddy gave it a

try on the other arm...no success. 

At the hospital it

took at least two tries, as well.

Nitroglycerin gives me a nasty headache. 

If you've ever

used this you'll likely know what I mean.

But, it did seem

to ease the chest pain. 

So, it was a catch 22. 

My blood

pressure was 164/100+ 

and my heart felt like it was working

so hard at 123 beats per minute. 

Later, the Cardiologist

would ask me if I was 

a nurse because I was repeating the

numbers as I retold the story to him. 

I laughed and asked why?

He said because I knew all of the numbers. 

I didn't tell him that as a 

financial analyst numbers 

are my business

too.

Long story, shorter....

They decided to keep me in the 

Outpatient Observation Unit. 

A stress test was abnormal with reduced

blood flow to the front of my heart. 

My echo technician was very thorough and

very concerned.  

I felt that if there was something to see

he would find it.

In fact he added contrast halfway 

through the test because he said he

didn't want them to miss something he saw.

It was interesting to see

how the different nurses handled my pain. 

Most were very fast

to offer nitroglycerin 

but one, a guy named Chris, was not.

I liked him. 

I do dislike those headaches. 

He would wait the

pain out and always said that if it got worse 

he would give me

the nitro.

Every doctor and nurse 

I met were fabulous. 

I cannot say enough

good things about the treatment I received.

But, now to the mystery.

My heart cath came back just fine.

Weird.

My mother-in-law, an RN, is not very

satisfied with my release without additional

investigation. But, I figure I will try the

treatments offered and will see if they help.

They have added an additional blood pressure

med as the Cardiologist said that there is a

lot of pressure in my heart. They are also

starting me back on meds for acid reflux.

A known issue with me. 

I wouldn't know why a busy person with three

teenagers would ever have stress, (lol) but I seem

to thrive on it...until it eats holes in my

digestive track. We will see if this is part

of my problem this time.

I'll be seeing doctors over the next month

for follow up and will be taking it easy

for a while. Got to get better before candle

season kicks in this September. I am so excited

for this year's orders to begin coming in!!!

I've been planning and working on the website.

I ordered postcards to send out to non-profit

groups. It will be so much fun!!!

Got to be better!!!

Also, Chelsea and I have so many plans for

this school year. So much to do.

I want to be better.

So, I will continue with the healthy eating

plan, take the meds as prescribed and follow

up with the doctors. I might take Georgia with me

to ask the right questions as I tend to just

accept whatever they say...if I am the patient.

I am a great advocate for others, though.

Need someone to go along with you?

I'm there.

I'm a shark!

But for me?

Not so much.

So....now you know more than you

ever wanted to know.

Your prayers and comments were the

highlight of my morning as Warren would

bring in the laptop.

I didn't have the energy to comment back

or read many blogs but I knew you cared.

Many hugs to you.................

Tomorrow back to regular stuff.

Hope you got your fill of 

hospital stuff...because unless something

unexpected happens we will be back

to subjects like

Chelsea's gorgeous brownie biscotti!

With raspberry drizzle!!!!  Oh my!!!

It is amazing!!!

You'll see it tomorrow....

So, if you haven't fainted and are still

reading you have a treat to look forward to.

Consider it a reward, of sorts.

Becky K.

Praise God!

The heart cath was all good.
No Blockage.

So with some med changes in my future
and with a thankful heart I should
head home long about 7pm this evening
if all goes as planned.

A slightly loopy
Becky here.
Yes, the meds are good.
lol
Thanks and Hugs!!!

Becky K.

Heart Cath Today

The Stress test did not go well.
So...more cardiac fun is on the way....

The front part of my heart is not getting
all of the blood it needs.

So...your prayers are appreciated!!!!!

Good Morning, People....update from Hospital

Update: An episode of chest pain, an unscheduled trip to our local doctor's office and an ambulance ride to the hospital. Lots of blood letting, pain and worry and I am still here. The people in this sterile spa are amazing. I have slept well and will soon head out for a stress test. I'll either be on my way home this afternoon or off to some new cardiac adventure.

Thanks for your prayers and kind words.
I'll give you more details later.
Warren was kind enough to bring the laptop
so I could do this short update.

Mom is not quite feeling up to posting today

so she sent me to say "Hello!"

She hopes you'll have a great day!!!

Love,

Bandit K.

Echinacea

Otherwise known as

Purple Coneflower.

So full and pretty in my

garden right now.

I braved the

heat and humidity

for these photos.

But, they are worth it.

This weather seems to make

them very happy.

What I didn't realize until today

 is that I have Double Echinacea!

This freaks Chelsea out.

Do you think it is 

cool or weird?

Oh Melissa, You had to Ask...

Melissa at The Inspired Room is hosting a link party featuring

things that have inspired us this week.
My contribution has nothing directly to do with
homemaking or decorating but

let me tell you, this has been a week full of inspiration.

Some for good and others not so wonderful.

I should probably just pick one thing, huh?

Well, maybe just two!

Two separate things that will go together, 

I promise.

Yesterday I told you about the Blogger Meet

at Sight and Sound Theatre.  What I have not 

talked so much about is why this particular story

moves me to the core.

You see, the story of Joseph speaks to the part

of me that used to be extremely fearful.

I feared everything.  

Faith was just a word in my vocabulary 

when it came to trust in God.

You know, what if He chose to let something

horrible happen to me or someone I loved?

What if....So many of these if's.

But when you see the story of Joseph laid out

in live action you realize that life can stink pretty 

bad and still be within the Will of God.
Encouraged yet?
Ha!

I mean, how many of us have had our siblings

toss us into a pit with the intention of allowing us

to die a slow and painful death?

Or....sold us into slavery?

Not so much.

How many of us have spent three years in 

prison for something we never did?

It happens.

But not to me.

Most likely not to you either.

But the thing that grabs my heart and soul

is the knowledge that God did not allow 

any of these things for evil intentions or 

because He didn't care about Joseph or his 

brothers.  He allowed it specifically because...
Are you ready?

He loved them THAT MUCH!!!!

Because of these seemingly

cruel and unusual circumstances 

God saved Isreal.
A family was restored and a life of
a Faithful man became one of Honor.

Through all of this,

He preserved the line through which He

would bring the Savior.

This is the best of all!

He loved US THAT MUCH!!!

I have spent so many hours in worry and fear.

Even this morning I opened my eyes and crawled

out of bed early because of concerns relating to 

my health.  

Yes!  

Today!! 

I am not over this whole

tendency to worry.  

If it hadn't been about test results
that now require a trip to the doctor
in a week or so....I likely would

have been trying not to hyperventilate

about Mikey's determination

to get his motorcycle license!

However, I am wholly encouraged

by the fact that God is intimately involved in my life.

His plan was established before the beginning of

time and it is all as it should be.

Will I always see the pathway clear?

Nope.

That I can guarantee.

But sometimes a miracle happens just when you need

most to see it.

Such was the case today.

Our neighbors were in a horrific accident.

They were pulling a large camper behind their 

SUV when a tire blew out on the camper.

Their SUV and camper went flipping down 

the road rolling three times.

I got the call as they were still attempting

to get one of the ladies out of the vehicle.

 Credit for this photo goes to 
WGALTV.
You'll find the story here.

It was necessary to remove the roof 

to get her out.  

She is the only one

of six people, two dogs and a cat 

who is injured enough

to remain in a hospital this evening.  

She has a badly 

broken finger.

Really!

It truly is a miracle. 

The youngest child was three.

The oldest person was a senior citizen.

I just know that things could have been so 

different.  Sometimes they do work out 

horribly otherwise. But, if God wishes to 

intervene and allow a miracle, 

He can and will 

do it.  

If He chooses to allow us to travel through 

bleak times...even years... as in Joseph's case

what is most important is that we remain 

faithful.   Always knowing that He is at work.

His plan is perfect.

Truly.

I wish I could quote the challenge

given at the end of Sight and Sound's performance

but it is along the lines that God is 

looking for those who will stand up

for Him today.

It reaches into the core of me

each and every time I see it

and it is all I can do not to jump 

from my seat shouting

"Me!  Pick Me!"

Now that is inspiration.

Straight to the heart.

Be encouraged that our Heavenly Father
knows what He is doing.
It is good.

Bloggers Invade Sight and Sound Theatre

Oh boy, we really did invade.

With white gift bags for the 

water, sugared almonds and 

an 8 oz candle for each person

in our party.  

The concession employees thought

it was great.  

They were all smiles as Warren

and I piled the bags on their counter

and filled them on the spot.

No, really, they were smiling....lol.

We thought the show was wonderful.

I noticed that it was not the lead actor

playing Joseph and was very impressed 

by his understudy.  When the show was

over we found out that this was neither 

the lead nor the understudy, but a third

in line.  Wow!!!  He did an awesome job!

Now, that is depth of talent.  

Attending were:

Mrs. Rabe of Creekside Cottage was able to make it 

at the last moment!  She is having a very busy week

but things worked out for her.

Lindsay of Girl in Nature who is studying the art of 

training horses with the Parelli method, which is what

Sight and Sound uses.  She enjoyed seeing the many 

horses in the show.

Maurie of Gracious Interiors.  This was our first time

to meet.  Maurie is new to blogging.  I do hope you'll

stop by her beautiful blog and say hello.  It was a pleasure

meeting this wonderful and warm lady. 
I look forward
to getting to know her better.

Grandma Georgia who reads my blog very faithfully.

Poor dear, Warren set it as her home page...so 

every time she starts up her computer...there it is!!

Grandma Phyllis who reads Creekside Cottage, 

Girl in Nature

and Hospitality Lane.  

She's Mom and Grandma to 

the Creekside Cottage Folks 

and has become a very dear friend 

of mine over the past three years.  

She is a very worthy opponent 

in the bowling alley as is her husband, 

whom I used to bowl with every week until 

my neck went kersplat!

Ellen, my friend and neighbor

was able to go with us, as well.

She has been such a 

huge encouragement for me and blogging.

A very faithful reader and 

always one to tell me that it is of 

benefit to her. 

I think that readers who 

know you in person are the scariest.  

They keep you honest.  

You met Ellen's boys in 

this post.

So, that was the group! 

Warren and I were so happy to host!!

I wish we could have taken 

every one who reads here.

The show is phenomenal 

both in artistry and in message.

When it was over 

Mrs. Rabe exclaimed that this was her 

favorite of any 

Sight and Sound Production she has seen.

Of course, you already know 

that I agree one hundred percent!!

We posed for a photo before Maurie had to leave us.

  Warren snapped the photos for us and so

wasn't in them.  

It was nice having him along.

We headed to Applebee's for dinner. 

There were paparazzi on the way!

  But we caught them at their own game....

It was good to have Mom join us.  

She had been working the show

and was done for the day. 

Technically she counts because

she is a reader, as well.  

But we would have let her come

anyway.  We're just nice like that.

((wink))

It took a few minutes for her to find us 

so we had some time

to peruse the menus.  

Mom would have found us sooner but 

she was walking around the wrong restaurant with their 

manager looking for us.  

Poor lady.  

We all howled with laughter at her mistake.  

She laughed, as well.  

We offered to just pack up and head 

over there since she had been 

very excited about their salad bar.... but only in jest,

as we had all put in our order.  

Good thing my Mom has an 

awesome sense of humor. 

I love her, so much!!!!

We crammed eight of us into a space designed for six.

Cozy...would be one word for it.

Poor Ellen was crammed in the corner of our booth.

Maybe that explains the silly look on her face.

Or maybe she is just a whole lot of fun!!!

She wasn't sure she was going to be able to stand on 

her feet when she got out after being so squished.  

But she managed. 

I would just like to mention two other ladies who were 

definitely there in spirit....

Yvonne of Stone Gable ended up having to cancel due

to the need for emergency Oral Surgery.  

I felt so badly for her.

She was in so much pain.  

Hop on over to her amazing

blog and wish her well.  

You can tell her I sent you.

I was looking forward to meeting her.  

We've agreed to try to meet up 

once she is feeling better.

Kelly of Cozy Comforts wanted to come, as well, but 

things are progressing in the adoption of their little one 

and they had an important day with that yesterday.

We are so excited to see how things are working 

out for this adoption.  Their little guy is just so sweet!

If you get to Lancaster County while Joseph is playing

please try to get to see it.  You never know, I might even

get free to come and see it with you!  

With a grateful Heart!

Becky K.