This and That Wednesday:

"My Girl Rocks!"

  Card from Zazzle.com

I just wanted to mention a few things today.  First of all, I am so excited for my daughter Kari.  She has received a promotion and a new position at her work.  Way to go, my Kari Beari and congratulations, sweetie!  We are all so proud of you.

"Our Newest Follower"

Ebible Teacher.com

I would like to welcome Oregon Gifts newest follower, Susy from Italy.  Susy's blog is Susy's Cottage, and there is a feature on the top right where you can translate it into English.  Welcome, Susy!

"Australia"

My blend (blog friend) Natasha from Australia,  sent out a prayer request for the folks of her country.  The rain has flooded the farmlands and ruined the crops.  She has maps and everything explaining the situation.  Here is a link to Natasha's post at 5 Minutes Just For Me.

"Building A Sense of Community"

As I got out of bed this morning, thinking about the stuff I wanted to do on my blog today, I began thinking about how grateful I am to have met all my friends in Blogland.  I am thankful for you readers who are there but silently.  I am thankful for those of you who are really now my friends, and for those of you who are becoming my friends.  Without having my blog, I would have never run across any of you.

The best part is, I know that you are for real.  I see your things, your homes, your families, and read your thoughts and stories.  Some social media is fakeable, but not our kind of blogs.  We are not fakers.  What you see is what you get.  Thanks everybody for visiting, commenting, praying, caring, and for being part of a larger community.


Thirty years ago, I had my first baby.  There was a new program created by three women in Eugene called Birth to Three.  They had noticed that times had changed from when they had their own babies.  When their babies were born, most mom's stayed at home.  They went next door for coffee with the neighbor lady, with the kids in tow.  New mothers were able to visit with experienced mothers and you had a built-in babysitter if you needed to go to a doctors appointment or something.  The kids could go outside and play all day long during the summer with the neighbor kids.  There was a community. 


By the time my generation started to have babies, the kids went to  daycares, and many women were working outside of the home.  Not many people were at home during the day.  The stay at home moms were more isolated.  So, the three ladies got a grant (under the prevention of child abuse category, of all things) and contacted everybody who had a baby in the same month. They did this through the vital statistics column in the newspaper, so as to not imply anybody would be a child abuser.  We met once or twice a month in our homes, and built friendships became our own support groups.  It was really a neat thing.  The program grew to become a national model, and I am sure it is still going strong.


I told you all of that to say this: Blogland reminds me of that program, though it is by the way of computer instead of in person.  It helps us to become friends with others, and to create our own communities.  I just think it is so neat, and I appreciate this forum so very much.  I woke up happy to be a blogger!


Well, that is enough for now.  I hope that you have a wonderful day.
God bless and take care.


~ Kathy