Where did it go?

I thought about changing my template today. When I clicked on it, it said it had to update the templates. I thought I might get some new options to choose from... how exciting. That wasn't the case. And now my links have disappeared. Where did they go? Do you have any idea how hard I worked to get those links there in the first place?!? I want them back!

10

I just wanted to share 10 things I am thankful for:

1. I have a great family (immediate and extended) who love me.
2. I have great friends (near and far, old and new) who love me.
3. Warm sunshine.
4. The freedom to worship God.
5. Dave has a job.
6. We live in a great house.
7. My girls get to grow up with snow, the beauty of spring, the joys of summer and the fall of leaves... in other words, they get to experience the beauty of all the seasons.
8. We finally have access to the internet.
9. We go to a great church.
10. We have a Starbucks in Marion. :-)

Of course there is much more and this list is in no particular order. I just was thinking this morning about things I am thankful for and thought I would jot down a few. What are you thankful for?

Facebook Phenomenon

I have had several friends tell me to join Facebook. I have not done it, until today... mostly because I just haven't had time to sit down and try to figure it out. Of course the lack of internet proved to be a reason too.
Now that I have joined the "cult" as one friend said, I have found a few things to be true:

• It is fun to be able to be in contact with many friends from many stages of life.
• I have been able to reconnect with people I haven't spoken with in years... and I have only been apart of this since about 1:00 this afternoon.
• The trouble with it is that I don't want to leave the computer... I want to know how many friends I have (I am up to 20 so far) and I want to see who is leaving comments.
• I think people comment more on Facebook than on blogs!
• Like anything new, it is addicting at the start.

But can anyone tell me what a "poke" is?

Friends

As I sit here cooped up all day with a sick child, I begin to think of things I wish I could do. Here is the start of my list:

• feel the warmth of sunshine (and 75 degrees!)
• feel warm sand between my toes as I hear the crashing of waves upon the seashore (Can you tell I miss California?)
• drink a good cup of coffee while laughing with a friend (not drinking my boring coffee while sitting at my computer)
• get back to my scrap booking... never mind, that sounds like too much work :-)
• hang out with my CA buddies (did I mention I miss CA?)

I guess what I really wish I could do is take a trip to CA. I really enjoying living here and I have made some great friends here. But there will always be a spot in my heart for California. Today as Anna is laying in bed sick, I too am feeling sick... homesick, that is.

I think what really got me feeling this way was something that happened this weekend. So let me back up...

Dave recently got an email from an old college friend of his. Somehow, An found Dave's email address. Turns out he lives in Illinois and has a brother in Fishers. This weekend he and his family (his wife and two girls) were making a trip to Fishers to see his brother. So we made plans to connect. An and Michelle came to our house Sunday. We hadn't seen them since their wedding December of '95... 12 years ago. It was great to reconnect and to meet their girls. Dave and An talked about college days and it made me miss my college friends. It was great to have friends we knew in CA sitting in our living room in Indiana.

Then yesterday I got a call from one of my college friends. (It was great talking to you, Melissa!) I love having friends that when you talk, you can simply pick up where you left off, even if it has been a long time between conversations!

I am not trying to minimize any of my friendships that I have here. I have made some great friends here in the last 5 1/2 years. I can't imagine living anywhere else and if I did, I would deeply miss my friends here. I wish all the people I love could be in the same place at the same time. :-) Then I wouldn't have to miss any of you!

For all of you in CA that are reading, know that I miss you.

For those reading here in IN, know that I am thankful for you.

I don't know how I did it...

BUT I GOT THE INTERNET FROM MY OWN HOUSE!!!

My parents have wireless internet and we have been trying for months now to access it from our house and have been unable to do it. We have tried many things, and asked advice from all the computer "geeks" we know. (I don't mean to offend any of you that we asked for help!) All this has left us so frustrated and stumped - and not connected!

Dave is away tonight at a conference and I thought I would give it another try. I don't know what I did, but after a long time trying, I suddenly was connected. I DID IT!!!! YIPEE!!!!

So now that I am on here with my own computer, I think I will add a few photos of what we have been up to. Here goes...

My mom recently found this dress... I wore it in a wedding when I was Anna's age.

Emma had her best friend, Camille sleep over.

My parents took the girls to see "Arthur Live" at eh Honeywell Center. The girls had a blast!

Happy Valentine's Day...

a day late.

The heat situation...

In answer to the heat situation... well, we have heat! We had to file a claim with our homeowners insurance. That meant we had to pay a deductible - not fun! But a new heat pump was installed last Friday. So we are nice a toasty now... well, not really, because we don't want to pay the bill on being toasty, but at least we are comfortable enough. :-)

Happy normal Tuesday, or Super Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday, or whatever kind of Tuesday it is for you.

I haven't forgotten all of you...

Have you forgotten all about me?

We are enjoying life in our new house... except for the fact that we have to replace our heat pump! The terrible winds on Tuesday night knocked the heat pump on its side, causing it to cease working. We have had to file a claim with our homeowners insurance and they should be putting the new one in today sometime. We have been heating our house with a kerosene heater since Wednesday. I am getting a little tired of being cold and smelling kerosene throughout the house! The heater is actually doing a pretty good job... considering the house is 2300 square feet. Electricity is not cheap, but neither is kerosene. It costs more per gallon than gas. Not fun. But all things considered, we are doing well in the house.

We still don't have internet, but at this point, that is our fault and no one else's. We simply just can't afford it right now (since cable is our only option). So we are putting it off as long as we can... which won't be too much longer since Dave will need it for school (he is currently not taking any classes this semester because of the issue).

I have to get back home now and wait for the call that the new heat pump is on its way. I will try to post again soon. Sorry for the lack of postings lately. I am sorry to make all my fans keep reading the same posts over and over again. Please don't leave my fan club. Ha Ha

Happy February 1st to all of you that read this... Keetha, I guess that means you. :-)