And the answer iiisssss.......

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Looks like we're going to Illinois. *grin*

I'm very peaceful about our decision.

Am I jumping up and down and dancing jigs?
No.
But that's okay.
I'm very happy that we were able to make an informed, Responsible compromise.

Darn, it's soooo ADULT of us.
Man, when did that happen????


11 reasons to move to illinois:

REALLY fabulous health benefits.
Excellent retirement plans.
A good salary.
Closer to family.
Winter.
Good schools.
Good services for Sean.
Cheaper cost of living...than most places.
A place of our own.
A chance to SAVE.
Hunting on Sunday.


Scattergories

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This is courtesy of Heather's Blog. Copy and paste into a new email/blog. When you are done, send it on, including to the person who sent it to you.*Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following.*They have to be real places, names, or things…nothing made up!*

Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial. (WHICH BY THE WAY IS HARD IF YOU ALREADY READ THEIRS. You CAN’T use your name for the boy/girl.)

1. What is your name? uh, oh... um, Bethanne
2. 4 letter word: Bump
3. Vehicle: BMW
4. City: Bethlehem
5. Boy Name: Brad
6. Girl Name: Brigid
7. Alcoholic drink: Beer
8. Occupation: Bee Keeper
9. Something you wear: Bra
10. Celebrity: Beatrice Small
11: Food: Bratwurst
12. Something found in a bathroom: Brush
13. Reason for being late: BM... *blush* well, when you gotta go, you gotta go.
14: Cartoon Character: Bugs Bunny
15. Something you shout: Bugger!
16. Animal: Baracuda
17: Body Part: Bladder
18. Word to describe you: Blessed

A Run for St. Jude's Hospital

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On the Run
by Judith Rochelle
Rose
PRINT ISBN 1-60154-214-3
(240 pages) Sensual



When Robin Fleming witnessed the murder of her sister, Jamie, her only thought is to grab her nephew and run, from her vicious brother-in-law. Running and hiding, covering their tracks, they eventually settle in Memphis to begin a new life. Robin, now Laura, though still grieving for her sister, is determined to make a good life for her nephew. Then illness hits Andy, and while Laura is dealing with that crisis, bad luck and unfortunate circumstances bring all the players together again and endanger everyone’s lives. Can Dr. Gage Hollander, who has fallen in love with Laura, find a way to save them?

Available now from The Wild Rose Press....ALL Proceeds going to ST. JUDE'S CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

From Rhonda Penders, Editor-in-Chief, The Wild Rose Press:

Judith Rochelle, is one of our multipublished authors at The Wild Rose Press. In late summer, 2007 I approached her with an idea of a project that would enable RJ and me to give something back for all the wonderful things that had happened to us since we opened in May 2006. I wanted to find an organization that I felt everyone, everywhere would care about and really embrace. While many qualified, the one that kept coming back to my mind was St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

A few days later, Judith created a synopsis and a proposal for a book incorporating romance, suspense and St. Jude's. It took my breath away at what she'd come up with. Judith wrote the book, RJ and I edited it, and Kim Mendoza did the beautiful cover. None of us, including the publishing company, will receive any compensation; every penny will go to St. Jude's. Children's Hospital.

The result of this, is the amazing Crimson Rose book called "On the Run" by Judith Rochelle.
The book will be offered in both print and electronic format. The amount raised will be announced on our web site twice a year. The first report to be posted at the end of June 2008.

If you've purchased this book, thank you for your contribution to St. Jude's, if you haven't purchased it yet, I strongly encourage you to do so. The download is $5.00 and will go into a special fund to be donated to St. Jude's twice a year.

I've been very very blessed to have not only three very healthy sons, but cousins and nephews and nieces and children in my life who have been healthy and happy and strong. Sometimes we all have to take a reality check and realize that there are families out there truly suffering due to their children's long term illnesses. Maybe some of these children are in your family and circle of friends. St. Jude's is an amazing hospital in Memphis, TN that supports and helps families and children of long term illnesses.

If you would like more information on this project, you may contact Rhonda Penders at rpenders@thewildros epress.com. To learn more about the author, please visit www.judithrochelle.com. To see the amazing work St. Jude's does, please visit their web site at www.stjude.org

Thank you for your support of this important project.

Rhonda Penders

I had mom's group at my house...

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...And there was lots of BLOOD!

1. Sometimes, there are as many as five or six moms with their children.

2. Today there was just one, my good friend Heather.

3. She has 4 children: Michael[sweet michael], Joey[rough and tumble yet so quiet], Anna[a laugh for every minute], and Esther[with smiles for everyone]

4. Then, there are mine: Thomas[tiny bit bossy but loads of good-cheer] and Sean[taking everything in with his ears and a touch]

5. I drank about 6 cups of coffee...Heather 2.

6. Usually, I try to make something like sweet bread but last night I wimped out and bought an Entenmann's.

7. The kids played around us for an hour or so.

8. The boys went upstairs to play with the Thomas train tracks.

9. An occasional yell or scream didn't faze us.

10. ...Until we went upstairs and found Joey sitting on the floor with blood pouring from his head.

11. Grabbing a towel from the hall closet, I quickly stemmed the flow.

12. Heads are known for their bleeding quality... there wasn't even a cut that we could see.

13. Apparently, Thomas launched a train from on top of the bunkbeds with deadly accuracy and hit Joey in the head...

*Ouch*

Tag, I'm IT

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Okay I got tagged by AJ Chase and Teresa D'Amario, two very good friends of mine from Romance Divas, to do one of these meme things. I hated IT, the movie. Way too scary for me... also, my mom just called me from her room two floors above me. HOW strange, this new world we live in... okay, it's not that new, but still, in the grander scope of things... it's new.

The rules:
Link to the person who tagged you;
Leave a comment on their blog so that their readers can visit yours;
Post the rules on your blog;
Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog;
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post;
Include links to their blogs;
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.


7 things about me...

1. I had an inguinal bilateral hernia when I was a baby.
2. I’m really organized…despite what anyone else says. :D
3. I refill the dishwasher almost everyday because it hasn’t been done correctly the first time.
4. I have Type I Diabetes and wear a pump.
5. For an entire 9 months, I lived in a van with 8…or was it 9 other people?
6. I met my husband’s former fiance before he and I started dating. She pointed him out [I had already admired him from a distance] and I was disappointed when she showed me her ring... My ring's better!
7. I’ve lived in 6 states and 15 different houses.

Now I will tag 7 people...
Leigh Royals
Kris Yankee
Dianna Street
Ally Kendall
Michael Klein
Kate Fifelski
Lucinda, LK Campbell

...now to blog hop, I go. :D

Steeped in Reality

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Have you ever heard that romance writers, they must live in some fantasy world? Perhaps they aren't connected to real life like the rest of the world? Love doesn't exist as sweet and pure as a romance writer portrays?

*gasp* What? You mean prince charming isn't going to ride in on his horse and save me with his everlasting love? *rzzz* Well, of course NOT! And who better to tell you this than a writer of romance... married to prince charming?

Prince Charming, who annoys the beezzles out of me at least three or four times a day.

In my love, I can turn to him and honestly, no GRATEFULLY say, "You are the reason I can read romance novels but still keep two feet on the ground."

He chuckles and says, "Why, thank you Clark!"

[please tell me you get that!!]

christmas vacation

A tiny look at Sean

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AW, I can't help it!
It's the first day of school [with a backpack]...
Little man who's blind.
Everyone, including me, likes to say, "He has so much courage! He's doing so well!" I think, despite the fact that he's wonderful, that Sean wouldn't consider it courage to face what he knows. Courage is facing the unknown.


Courage for Sean would be an experience of sight.


As the New Year approaches

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My internet has been out for a few days.
Grr. It's frustrating but okay. I'm not pulling my hair out...
It seems, even without the internet, I can find something to do. LOL.

Imagine that!

I don't mind mentioning Christmas...
My family's Christmas starts in church.

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We were surprised by the church being not-so-full, but we went early, 9:30am.
...before the presents were even opened. :D Well, two for each of them.
I didn't fill... er, Santa didn't fill stockings this year.

You know, Santa gets tired too! And he forgot!

Our Christmas season isn't over yet despite the fact that most stores and webpages have already stripped of the holiday garb. I look forward to the new year. My mind lingers on the prospect of moving, on the prospect of this life changing event that will take place within the next two months. Along with it, I add thoughts of NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS...

Despite being completely disappointed in last years attempt, I'm added weight loss to my list. I'll say now, though that I'm happy. [despite the fact that I feel as if I should explain, "No, i'm not pregnant, I just look pregnant in that picture!]

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I'm working at losing weight...as most people my age are, but I'm not obsessing. I have a friend who is content. She's more than content... she says, "This is me. Take it or leave it!" And she's beautiful. So, this is my year for finding contentment... for having contentment. Perhaps, this will be the key...

Oh, write.
I'm a writer... so i'll continue to do that as well.

writing
(This is totally NOT me! LOL but it could have been me in a different life.)

Just a picture for bragging... I can't help it! They're mine...all mine!!! LOL. JK. We're at my parents for Christmas. Like I said, a wonderful time.

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Writing...FINALLY! THANK GOD!

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A written experience.

To write a story takes time and effort.
To write a story takes feeling - hardship and elation.

To write a story I need just enough time to strike my keys.
To write a story I need only the feelings that I've already lived...
and the feelings I can imagine it would take to live.

Somehow writing is both easy and extremely difficult at the same time.



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