Miracles--big and small

/
First, congratulations to Lola! Her name was drawn from the hat. A special package is being put together and sent on its way. Thanks to all my visitors who braved the comment form to share their story with me.

Do you believe in miracles? I do. Present day experiences with God. Signs that He is here on earth with us even though we can't see him. All my life, I've considered myself blessed and without need of any miracle. Even as a diabetic, I've always thought, "There are other people who need it more. At least my disease is manageable."

Well, this week, I was pretty desperate. My husband wanted me to bring the family down to see him, and I knew... finding lodging was going to be impossible. I'd already tried numerous times. We'd come to an agreement that it would be better if just I came down. No kids this time. A room for one person, no problem. Room for a seven-member family? NOT HAPPENING!

But I received a call from him two nights ago. He loves me, but he HAS to see the kids. Four months without seeing them wasn't going to work for him. :D Well, "Okay," I said. And I went to bed praying. Praying, praying, praying... please let something open up. The next morning I woke up and prayed again. Then, I called the campground.

When I was put on hold... my heart started pounding a little harder because until that moment, I'd only had the lady say, "I'm sorry we're booked that week." As a matter of fact, I hardly had to have the question out of my mouth and they'd be saying, NO. The lady came back on the line, "I have a medium cabin from the 8th to the 11th."

"I'LL TAKE IT!"

A miracle. I'm telling you right now...
I don't care what anyone else says. I'd been trying since mid-April to get a reservation for this place on that week. This was my miracle. I was totally claiming it. :D Now my husband, who has worked his ass off for weeks and weeks without being able to see his family has a place to be when we come to town. A place where we can relax, cook our own meals, watch tv, go swimming and not feel the stress of living out of a suitcase and eating out like we would if we had to be in a hotel.

Thank God.

Such an Idiot!

/
I feel like I've been such an idiot!
I should do a blog post about how NOT to run a promotion. :P
1. Draw when you say you're going to draw.
2. Announce winners when you say you're going to announce winners.
3. BE RELIABLE...

BE RELIABLE!

Grrrr.
it's too frickin' late now! [I mean late at night] Not too late to draw!
Tomorrow as I bite my nails waiting to hear from my husband, I'll draw a winner.
Thanks for your patience.
With Love,
Bethanne

Love and Friendship

/
With my daughter in sixth grade this year, talk of boys and who's dating whom has come up on occasion. I know she has a very good friendship with a guy in her class... and I wondered [ridiculously] about what it was going to be like when dating became part of the process. Would she want to date him? Or would he be 'a friend'.

My husband and I met in college. I first met him when he was dating someone else and I thought, "Oh, too bad." But the next semester, tada!, he was single again. :D Lucky me. He was a manager at the student union and I took a job at the switchboard that year. We worked together for a couple of months and finally, he asked me out on a date. A double date with a buddy. We went to Drovers, this great place for wings, in his piece of crap Chevette. For the next year, it was romance--dates, skipping class[ONCE! and believe me, it was highly unusual for him. I think he might have even gone to confession for the offense. :D], flowers[which his buddy told me I shouldn't get used to--thanks Michael, but I still get flowers about once a year when the rose bush and the peonies bloom]... We had a few ups and downs. What couple doesn't? Then he asked me to marry him. When he tells me he loves me today, it's with words and feeling he couldn't have understood back then. And still, we made it all these years.

Contemplating the stories I write, I found a tendency to write of romance that started as friendship. But, my husband and I definitely started with romance and became best friends. How STRANGE! As if I'm wishing for something else! I'm not. I love the whirlwind romance my husband and I had over the year we dated. In the long run though, it's the friendship that I value more. I suppose this is why I write of women who fall in love with friends--for the most part.

WOW, spoiler alert!!!  Hey, the stories aren't ALL like that!  I swear it! You'll see... as soon as I'm published. :D

So tell me about you. I know you want to talk about your love story. And I really want to hear it!
I'm giving a prize to a random commenter who comes in and tells me a love story...
A box of goodies. Yes, that's the same as saying I don't really know what's going to be the box!
You know me though. It will probably include a book, some chocolate... and whatever tickles my fancy when I'm shopping that day. :D

Winner will be picked next Saturday, so feel free to send your friends by throughout the week. Leave a name, link and/or email so I can contact you if you do win. Of course, if I know you and you know I know you, you know I don't need to know your contact information.
Enjoy the weekend, Friends!
With Love,
Bethanne

Passionate Critters -- Easter Scavenger Hunt!

/
The Grand Passionate Critters Easter Scavenger Hunt
Did you know…
The Easter Bunny was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500s. The first edible Easter Bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800s.

During the 1700s it was introduced to American folklore by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch county.

Some people there still call it "Oschter Haws".

The Easter Bunny, aka Mr. Hide Egg and Scarper, told us he's having a few leftover eggs this year.

Naturally, we don't like anything going to waste, so we said we'd help him out.

So we decided rather than hide all our eggs at Easter…we'd do something a little different.
Hence "GPCESH" was born.
Starting today, you will find a question (or two!) on our blog every day, until the 24th April 2011.

Find the answer(s) and email it (them) to us (Don't worry, we'll give you clues), and there are prizes to be had. We will do random drawings throughout, and you never know – you might get something you like. It could be a book, or a goody bag, or chocolate, or…something…else.

All the entries will go into a daily/weekly pot, and the winner(s) drawn from that.
Be sure to enter every day, and your name will go into the Final Draw — which will win an Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift voucher.

The Final Draw winner will be announced after the 24th, to get the last day answers into the pot as well.
We has Rulez. 'Natch.
So here they are:
Only entries emailed to the dedicated contest email address qualify – the link will be beneath the question.

Entries not having a subject line of "Day X Answer" will be disqualified. (If you use the daily link, it is already set up, all you need to do is click on it.)

To win the main prize of an Amazon / B&N gift voucher, you must enter every day, with the same name/email address. (Even if you get it wrong on some days!)

Contest winners will be announced on our blog, here. (Be sure to check.)

You should leave a comment on the various blogs, if you can. (Don't post the answers!)

We won't tell you the answers until the very last day! (25th)

Have fun!!

WE RESPECT YOUR PRIVACY, AND NO EMAIL ADDRESSES WILL BE REVEALED OR MISUSED IN ANY WAY.

ALL ADDRESSES ARE CONFIDENTIAL, AND WILL BE REMOVED ONCE THE CONTEST ENDS.
We would appreciate if you you could tweet, facebook, or blog the contest. Not a must, but please spread the word!
We may also sneak in an "Egg 'n' Ketchup Day", for any who missed a day or two.

The questions won't be the same, and you won't be eligible for the previous days prizes, but you'll still get a shot at the Grand Prize.



Friday Five

/
Here we are again for Friday Five with my Five Favorite Candle Scents.

1. Hazelnut -- for fall. I just love when the weather cools off and I light that warm scent of hazelnut and coffee. Mmmm.

2. Apples and Berries -- what is it with me and fall? I love adding the scent of apples to those warm fall days.

3. Linen -- Glade has a clean linen scent that--oddly enough--I really like. It's not too harsh and reminds me of days at the beach house. Weird, huh?

4. Island Breezes...or no, Moonlit Walk -- I like something exotic, especially during the summer. I don't want fruity smells or sweet flowery smells, either, but these two have always been pleasers for me. More subtle than the floral arrangments, they sooth and float in the background.

Last but not least,
5. Pine/Cinnamon/Christmas -- I like something for the winter months. The pine has to be high quality, otherwise you feel like you're in a motel room. Iiiick. :P

What about you? Do you like candles? What's your favorite go-to scent?

Don't forget to stop off at the other Friday Fiver Blogs, listed on my sidebar!

Music Monday

/
Where is the line between apology and regret?

Have you ever been sorry for something, but not regretted what happened?  Is that even possible?  I have this contradiction within myself and debate this topic in quiet moments.  Is it possible to regret an act but not the outcome or result? 

It has to be. And though, as a Christian, there are so many things I've done wrong. Choices, looking back, I might [maybe] change... everything in my life has brought me to where I am now.  How can I regret that?

I don't think I can.
Enjoy the song. Great voice. Thoughtful words to encourage us to look ahead and see the blessings we have.

Friday Five

/
Another FRIDAY!!!
Can you believe how fast the weeks go?
After today, I have TWO MORE Fridays before I see my husband again.
:D :D :D :D :D :D

So...back to the matter at hand.
Friday Five.
Five Damsel in Distress Scenarios that we all love or hate
1. Your classic, helpless Damsel who needs a Knight in Shining Armor--I can take this sometimes. But of all the dames, this one rubs the worst. She often cries too much.

2. The not-so-classic, kick-ass Damsel--She doesn't need any Knight. Though she's not as annoying as number one, for me she has a tendency to be too strong, too independent. At times even bitchy. She can go so far as to make the hero seem like an idiot. Eh. I don't always like her, but she has some good qualities.

3. Then there's Miss Clueless. She can be sweet or sometimes naive, occasionally strong but more often just helpless. I can like her better if the story shows her growth. She has to gain some commonsense.

4. Miss Smarty-Pants is likely to be taken down a notch or two by the hero. And THAT I like. It makes the banter between the two fun and easy to read. I like her because despite being a know-it-all, she has soft spots and doesn't think less of the people around her, USUALLY. :D

5. My favorite Damsel in Distress is the mix. She's strong yet knows when to rely on a man. She appreciates his appeal and his strengths. She doesn't pretend to know everything but isn't afraid to speak up when what she does know can bring about resolution.

Let's be honest, every heroine has to change and resolve something within herself to make the story come alive. My favorite heroine of all time is Emma McAvoy, Nora Roberts' young heroine in Public Secrets. She didn't just literally grow up in the book, she became a strong, intelligent, street-smart woman who could turn away from pain to love.

Tell me about your favorite heroine. What makes her special?
Then don't forget to visit the other FRIDAY FIVERS, listed in my sidebar. :)

Picture Wednesday

/
Five YEARS ago this month...
I finished making that blanket.

Looking back, I see friends I haven't thought of in YEARS... holding my then-a-baby, five year old

What a cutie. She looks [almost] exactly the same.














I would call this Wordless Wednesday, but then I wouldn't be able to tell you what I'm thinking...and that's what a blog is for!!! :D I will tell you this.... adding pictures got wonky on Blogger with the last editor change. :P

Friday Five

/
Five uses for Braille if you're an over imaginative writer:
1) as a preteen, passing notes in class that your teacher won't be able to read
2) as a young adult, impressing the opposite sex with a unique skill...and passing notes in class to your best friend that your love interest won't be able to read.
3) as an adult, being able to communicate through letters to your loved one who is blind...and passing notes your boss won't be able to read.
4) in middle-age, like with soduko and word puzzles--working the brain to keep it useful...and passing notes to your lovey that the kids won't be able to read.
5) during old age, reading because you've lost your eyesight...

I would rather learn braille than not be able to read!!!


I've got all my Friday Five Friends listed on my Sidebar. Please take a swing by and enjoy a few more short reads. :D

Happy St. Patrick's Day

/
My Grandma will be the first to tell you that I'm not ALL Irish. There's enough Scottish in me to make a difference. :D But I come from a long line of McCarthys. I have two redheaded sisters, blues eyes and freckles, and a temper. And if I can help it, I never cry. I have 8 nephews [by one sister], Patrick, Seamus, Francis, Liam, Peter, Michael, Timmy and David. I'm Catholic and have five of my own.

Stereotype much? :D hahaha.