Company Coffee 3.13.09

Please join me for coffee this week. I've just discovered french vanilla creamer and it is new and fun! Hot cocoa for this rainy cold Friday too!



We're beginning to think wild week's are the norm here.

Last Saturday night Dh and I had a date night to celebrate that I had met the 10% of my body weight lost enroute to trying to lose 50 lbs by August. This marked 21 lbs gone since January. It was a great date night! Church was really tremendous Sunday morning as we worshipped together. Home again to eat lunch then a drive Sunday began new experiences as we visited the Huntsville Botanical Gardens as members this time. Madison and I enjoyed a tour by author and master gardner Harvey Cotten, who has a new book out with Barbara Pleasant and Pamela Crawford. Easy Gardens for the South It's a great book and we're so thrilled to have been privileged to spend time with Mr. Cotten in person.

I have had the pleasure of working a new website this week as the publisher was facing a website gone with a new book on the shelf. God moves in mysterious ways sometimes, for we certainly never intended to go to the garden to find a client, or to overnight learn html. Dh and I were able to build a new site together for Ms Crawford, usually I am the web content or strategic marketing part of a website as a ghostwriter and content marketing developer for other authors and businesses. In fact, the one strategic partnership I have with The Belford Group, launched their new site this week as well in Northwest Arkansas, if you look on the "About Us" page, you'll see my name...and no I didn't self describe .. Angela Belford herself did the writing on that bio.. After hearing the author and publisher Ms Crawford's situation after emailing her, I offered to help out, and had a 23 hour all night adventure Sunday night getting the site up and going. Ms. Pamela Crawford's Easy Container Gardens book series is beautiful and very encouraging of those of us with less than green thumbs.

Madison and I were thrilled to receive a box of all of Ms. Crawford's published books and those of her company at

the door one day later in the week. It was though the Easter bunny came early! Such a thrill! We have so enjoyed looking at them and studying them so far!

We will be sharing this wealth of books as resources in workshops for blended families as an activity for multi aged blended families to learn to grow roots in the garden together. We did just that as a stepfamily six and a half years ago and have every year since!It was kind of like meeting a movie star talking to her on the phone, only knowing later who you met. I've admired her books for years and had first contacted her about sharing their books at Educational Consultant trainings I lead for schools and districts. The books can be found at Home Depot, garden centers, and in book stores. She is a very articulate writer and her books are a visual treasure! Mr. Cotten was so kind to Madison and I both as we enjoyed his welcome tour to the Huntsville Botanical Garden where he has been Master Gardner and Administrator of the gardens for the last thirteen years. We look forward to knowing them through their books and in person if we're fortunate for many years!

God has moved mountains this week on the ministry front. Our personal ministry is to help provide Christian resources and training for leadership for those working with step and blended families. To train and provide guidance for church leadership who work with stepfamilies, and to train organizations who work with blended and step families how to overcome the complexities of step and blended family children's lives, so many scheduling conflicts, form conflicts, and hurts can be avoided!

A Joyful Place Called Home will be attending Christian Book Expo 09 March 18-22 in Dallas. The graphics were done by myself and Trista Stewart of Delicious Designs by Trista, and I am just tickled to now have her on the staff of Sweetwrites! my company. I have the a really fun story of how this has all come about, but today I want to hear about you!

Our oldest step daughter, Kimmy, gets married in three weeks. Her grandfather had major back surgury this week, so we're all thrilled he is doing well and looks like he can attend the wedding! How good will it be for all six of us to be in one place for the weekend!

Mt. Washmore still exists, and with the children leaving for spring break in the morning I apologise but I have to keep cycling loads! The mountain is shrinking but the companion tourist site the Dirty Dishes Chain has indeed been put away tonight....so I need to let you girls enjoy your coffee, and start another load if you'll excuse me....talk loud girls! I want to hear your every word and I'll be right back!

You are precious for coming and I can.not.wait. to share with you from Dallas next week.....oh that I could talk Rachel Anne into coming downtown! Cheryl I am so glad the two of you got to visit!! Count me in if you would like to do a get together event, and I'll help do the work to gather us and plan it! I may have to settle for hugging her neck long distance for now...but one day she and Katherine will indeed get squeezed with excitement as we finally meet!

hugs hugs hugs!

God is good!

Sweetie

P.S. Your blogs just keep me beaming each morning as I read through them during the week!