Touched By An Angel

Cat Daddy and I had planned on going to Kansas to the Mid-America Flea Market in Wichita, but sometimes there are things that just take precedence over junking.My cup runneth over. Psalms 23:5

Our precious angel, Bella Marie, who is a gift from God and a living miracle of His faithfulness.

I will praise thee, O Lord, with all my heart; I will show forth all thy marvelous works. Psalms 9:1

The Truth? You Can't Handle The Truth!

Have I got some news for y'all!!! Take a good look at this photo of Bella. The next photos I will be putting up for show and tell will be totally different! Her C-pac was removed and a nasal line is now in its place. She began her immunizations today just like a normal two month old baby. She was taken out of her glass castle and placed in a normal nursery bed. The nurses are putting her off and on in a infant seat so she can take a look around the NICU and let the other babies see what they have to look forward to. AND...MY BABY HAS CLOTHES ON!!! Not that she likes them, but she has britches and everything. Isn't God good! This all means that she will be coming home and soon. You can't see me, but trust me, the tears and the smile says it all! Thank you God and thank you my friends for all your prayers. Isn't she just the perfect little southern girl? A true lady always wears gloves!To put a cherry on the top of my day, Lisa at La Rustique Market gave me the Lovely Blog Award AND Shelley at Sweet Pea Home has tagged me. Y'all know what that means, right? I get to talk even more about myself. Just when you thought it was safe to go into the blog pool! If you are bored to death with me, I suggest you click off NOW, otherwise, here we go again with even more blackmail info. Oh by the by, I am going to combine the two awards lists with the first being about me and maybe the rest being about Cat Daddy. He likes to get his props every now and then, too! BTW, does all this tagging remind anyone else of the game "Truth or Dare" we used to play at slumber parties?

1. I broke my little finger being chased around the backyard by a bumble bee. I was wearing a swimsuit at the time, fell over the volleyball guards and didn't know it was broken until a week later when the swelling went down. Yes, there were witnesses!
2. I dislocated my knee while dancing for a dollar at my son's reception. Yes, there were witnesses!
3. I fainted and fell off the top riser during a choir rehearsal resulting in stitches to my forehead. I still have the scar and yes, there were witnesses!
4. I wrecked my car in an automatic car wash while trying to exit. Yes, there were witnesses!
5. While joy riding, I knocked my front tooth loose after jumping off the fender of a car when someone yelled Police. I tried to tell my parents I tripped off a curb, which they actually believed (I wonder why), but later confessed the truth. Yes, there were witnesses!
6. I fell down a flight of stairs my first day at UNT (in a dress no less) and of course, there were witnesses, all guys!
7. I can dance with the best of them ( don't count #2), but cannot walk across a room without hurting myself and yes, there are always witnesses!
8. Cat Daddy was a wonderful dance partner until we said I do... then he did not.
9. Even though he is 6', five feet of it is torso, but he sits a horse really well. Tall in the saddle!
10. Except for the first two years we were married, he has lived on the same street all his life. When he was working out of town, I bought the house across from his mom and dad. We have been in the same home for 34 years!

Are you ready to call uncle? OK then, that's enough about me for now. The next time you hear from me I'll have new photos to rock your world! JENN HAS PHOTOS UP!!!

Party Games

Everybody say Hey! If you have been reading Jennifer's blog, y'all are aware of the rapid progress Bella has been making. As of last night, she is up to 3 lbs. 14oz. and is 16" long! Can you believe it? God is so faithful and good! She is giving the nurses fits and they are ready for her to be placed on the nasal line for oxygen. She keeps pulling her C-Pac line out and rearranging her wrestler's helmet that holds it in place. She can be quite the little handful and a true little diva and you have no idea how happy this makes me!!! Once she goes to the nasal line, she will get tried out on a bottle for feedings. If she can handle that, we are looking at a time to come home with her mommy and daddy. I said at the beginning of this journey that God placed us on that I would take it one day at a time and I'll try not to look ahead, but just be thankful for this day the Lord has given us. Psst! Just a little secret between you and me...I may get to hold her and soon! Raise those hands high baby girl, all the way to the heavens! I know y'all are getting tired of my birthday celebrations, but guess what? I don't care! Actually, this will be the end of it. What's that? Do I hear a collective sigh of relief? All I was going to say was that I get to celebrate my birthday every year with my other favorite little trashette...my Graycie. Her birthday is the 23rd (which btw, Patti's new granddaughter was born on...go tell Kay-Kay congrats!) so every year we share a cake and candles! She's 7 going on 14 with an attitude and there isn't a sweeter present than blowing candles out with her. Many more and I'm afraid the cake is going to melt!

Now I am just going to ramble so hang with me if you can. Mindy tagged me and wanted me to list 6 things that I am going to be bringing to my space at Winnie & ulula'sT. I hate to give too much away, but because I love games, I'll play along.

1. White alabaster lamps
2. White garden statuary
3. White fountain
4. White accessories
5. White garden sets
6. White pottery

Do you see a trend here? Not that it will all be white...there will be rust. Rust is quite the commodity in our business. And of course, some gold...y'all know gold lame' is my favorite color!

Now I am supposed to tag six others, but I figure if I have to tell what I'm bringing, I think y'all need to tell me what you are looking for. It's kind of hard to shop unless I know what you want.

So here's the deal pickle, I challenge all of y'all to leave me a comment telling me what you would be looking for if you came to W&T's. Believe me, I'll pass the information on to the other vendors if they don't read it here. I know one of the goals of all of us is to make shopping fun. And what's more fun than seeing a shop crammed jammed with the things that make your heart race?

Sometimes you have to kiss a lot of toads to get the best deals! So what do you say...wanna be like Monty Hall and Let's Make A Deal? You show me yours since I showed you mine....list that is! I am also supposed to list 6 things about myself...is there 6 that I haven't told y'all? Let's just see!

1. I love to read! Anything-books, maps, magazines, newspapers, cereal boxes...if it's written, I'll read it.
2. I have a passion for watches. They're kind of like shoes...you really only need one, but I have to have a different one to wear with different outfits. My favorites are my Luckys'.
3. I can't remember names. This is just so embarrassing. If you see me out and I look a little confused, please be kind and just gently remind me of your name. I'm not rude, just moniker-challenged.
4. While I can't remember names, just give me your phone number and I will remember it until you change it. Same with addresses...does this make me an oddity?
5. Music is my life blood. If you can't tell by posts I do, every memory I have is tied to a song. My love of music is like my love of reading. I love all of it from show tunes to polka music.
6. I was a rural mail carrier for a long time. I delivered mail in a Chevy S-10 blazer from the passenger side with my leg stretched out like a Barbie doll! And that's a whole 'nother post!!!

You know, before too long y'all are going to know more about me than Cat Daddy!

I'll wrap this up now and I promise you up and down, not another mention of my birthday!

Ticket To Ride

I don't think I made a secret of the fact that my birthday was last week. In fact, I expect to celebrate for the whole month of May. But when you celebrate a major birthday (which is anything past forty) it kind of gets you to thinking about the passage of time. I graduated in the year 1969 so I get to say I am a child of the '60's which is a cool thing to be. The 60's started out slow, but along about midway, things really picked up steam, ending with a bang. For the benefit of y'all who weren't fortunate enough to be a teenager during these turbulent times, I thought I would give y'all a crash history lesson beginning with what really was the icon of the 60's, the Ford Mustang. Forget your daddy's car...this car defined our generation of cool! There is no better ride for a trip down memory lane than this except maybe in blue.I'm going to be skipping around a bit, so just bear with me. You know the memory is one of the first things to go, so I just have to write as I remember. They say if you can remember the 60's, you weren't really there...but I was there all right...just as a weekend hippie with no need for matches.

I graduated in May 1969. In case you can't do the math, that means my 40 year high school reunion is just around the corner! Richard Nixon was inaugurated as President of the United States and Golda Meir became Prime Minister of Israel. Apollo 11 was launched and Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Woodstock hit New York and Hurricane Camille, the gulf coast. The Brady Bunch and Sesame Street both debuted on television and are still on. The Mets won the World Series and WalMart incorporated, both miracles! The great Emmit Smith was born and the great Judy Garland died. We were listening to some of the greatest music ever like "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", "Proud Mary", and a "Whole Lotta Love". Led Zeppelin released "Led Zeppelin I" while the ending of "Easy Rider" stayed with us forever. It was definitely a year for firsts!

1968 saw a coming of changes. Johnny Cash recorded "Live At Folsom Prison"and Charlton Heston got lost on "The Planet of the Apes". 60 Minutes and Rowan & Martin's Laugh In" debuted on television. Hair opened on Broadway. Youth ruled as Janis and the Big Brother and the Holding Co. gave us "Cheap Thrills"! On the AM car radio, "Hey Jude", "Born To Be Wild", "Chain of Fools" and "In-a-gadda-da-vida" rocked as we cruised. Tony Hawks was born and we lost Helen Keller, Bobby Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr.

1967 was the "Summer of Love". Super Bowl I was played with the Green Bay Packers defeating the Kansas City Chiefs. Aretha was getting airtime with "Respect" and Elvis was marrying Priscilla. We had the Monterrey Pop Festival and the first heart transplant. The Beatles were huge with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Jimi Hendrix asked "Are You Experienced"? We all danced to "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" on Sump'n Else at North Park. Ron Chapman was our disc jockey and we all wanted to be Joanie Prather and be a go-go girl to "Light My Fire" and "San Francisco".

1966 was a year of fun. The muscle cars and music were fast. Twiggy was thin and the skirts were short! The Beach Boys rocked our world with "Pet Sounds"! Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister of India, Daylight Savings Time was observed and Caesar's Palace opened in Vegas. Star Trek debuted and made lifetime Trekkies out of a lot of us. We were just starting to make some noise on 8-track players with "When A Man Loves A Woman", "These Boots Are Made For Walking" and "Wild Thing" and then Janet Jackson was born.

1965 was a very good year for music. Hullabaloo was on television and we could watch Sonny and Cher sing "I Got You, Babe" and get our hearts broke listening to the Righteous Brothers croon "Unchained Melody". Petula rocked us with "Downtown" while the Watts riots shocked us. "Charlie Brown Christmas" and "The Sound of Music" stole our hearts and we still had the right "Darrin" on Bewitched. We saw LBJ sworn in and Churchill's funeral. The Astrodome opened and "Days of Our Lives" changed our lives. Fashion got thrown for a loop with the mini-skirt and men everywhere just said thank you!

Elvis returned home from Germany is 1960. Harper Lee gave us "To Kill A Mockingbird" while Chubby Checker encouraged us to do the "Twist". Music was all over the place going from "Alley Oop" to "Tell Laura I Love Her". It was little plain vanilla at the beginning of the sixties, but the quiet wouldn't last thanks to the "Pill"!

1961 saw things beginning to pop with the inauguration of John F. Kennedy. It seems apropos that it was an "upside down" year, because things soon would be turned for a loop! The Peace Corps was formed, the Vietnam War officially began and Barbie was introduced to Ken. "I Fall To Pieces", "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and "Where The Boys Are" were on the hi-fis in middle class America. We are forever thankful that George Clooney was born in 1961 and that we had "Breakfast At Tiffany's"!

Can you believe it...WalMart opened its first store in Arkansas in 1962 and forever changed retail. Ringo Starr joined the Beatles. Spider Man made his debut in comic books and the term "personal computer" was used for the first time. Music was not rock and roll, but not boring either. "Telstar", "Go Away Little Girl", "Peppermint Twist" and "He's A Rebel" were catching some air waves.

The days of Camelot ruled 1963 for a while. Tab Cola was introduced along with zip codes. We heard the "I have a dream" speech and wanted to believe. We saw the first Smiley Face and Mike Myers was born. Things were beginning to rock with "Louie, Louie", "Wipe Out" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand". The British Invasion had happened. And the end of the year saw the loss of our innocence.

Then all H-E-Double Hockey Sticks hit!!! 1964 saw big and fast changes. Beginning with the birth of Theresa C. in Galveston Texas. She hit the gulf coast causing all kinds of hurricanes in her path. She brought in the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, the game show Jeopardy, Shindig on television and the Ford Mustang. No one could have foreseen that one tiny baby would wrought changes and the beginning of the "young" generation. But I'm telling you...this one little spark plug baby resulted in "Pretty Woman", "Gloria", and "Baby Love"! She sparked the revolution!

Now I know you are wondering how one little baby could be responsible for all that changed after her birth, but believe me it's true. Would I lie to you? Look at how she continues to shake things up in the junking world. I for one am so thankful she was born. And I think this old hippie will go over now and tell her Happy Birthday! Care to join me? Well, just hop in the back seat and let's ride! No arguing over shotgun though!

TCB

We got a long way to go and a short time to get there, so what do y'all say...Let's get busy! First order of business is announcing the winner of my first annual Happy Birthday To Me Giveaway of the Betsey Johnson Rockin' Chick necklace. Drum roll, please.......TOOTSIE at Tootsie Time! This little chick will be winging it north for the summer all the way to Canada in the next few days. Oh and the gardens she will be living in...Oh My!Next order of business is a couple of really sweet ladies that I need to say thank you to. Shannon at Silver Trappings had a giveaway recently that I was lucky enough to win. Here is a peek at what all she sent me. Don't you just love the way all the blues play against each other? Please don't make me pick what my favorite thing was because I just loved everything! She did the eggs...aren't they Fab U Lous? Thanks so much Shannon. Bonne volante' to you and Francesca!

Do you love the fleur-de-lis pendant as much as I do? Thought so!

This is a really special gift box that was sent to me by Debbie, One Vintage Hag...now I'm not calling her that. One Vintage Hag is the name of her clever blogspot, silly girls. This is special because it arrived out of the blue with no reason except friendship. This is Bloggie Swag at its finest. She sent it just as a way of showing her appreciation for commenting and she plans on sending more to others. She encourages recipients to do the same. I think it is a wonderful idea and I am so on board with this kind of encouragement. Give me food and I will dance like the organ grinder's monkey! Speaking of food, there were two Little Debbie oatmeal cakes...where did my other cake get off to? Cat Daddy!!!

She included a beautiful collage of all the things I love! Look close and you'll see she knows me well.

Enclosed was a lovely letter detailing all the treasures hidden inside. These were things with Bella in mind. There were even tiny doggie treats for Jakie. So thoughtful and sweet. Swag like this takes a lot of time and thought and I hope I can come up with things just as clever when I put together a Bloggie Swag to mail out. You just never know who I might mail it to...could be you...you know you are my favorite!

(Whew! I told you there was a lot to cover. Remember, I've been sick and haven't got to talk to y'all in quite a few days, so there's been a lot of words just building up, itching to get out! So, let's get back to it!!!)

Tamis at A Day In The Life has given me the Honest Scrap Award (I sure hope she didn't mean The Honest Crap because that's what I'm know for around here!). I am supposed to list ten things about myself and then pass it on. She's a new friend(and funny as heck) and I can't help but wonder if she realizes she has given me permission to talk about myself and we all know what my favorite subject is, right? So let's see if I can make this interesting, but keep it honest.

1. I am a handbag freak. If you think I love shoes, you ought to see the other side of the closet. Oh my! If you share my obsession, then no explanation is needed. If you don't, I couldn't begin to make you understand what it is about new purse smell that is like no other.
2. I have a thing for bald headed men. Don't tell Cat Daddy although I think he suspects. I mean, not to the point I want him to shave his head or anything, but if a man has the head and the face for it, there is only one word to describe it....MMMMM! (Think Captain Picard, Chris Daughtry or Jay Bush!)
3. My secret vice is Brazil nuts. I am so nutso for these nuts. If you want to shut me up, just give me these to eat and I am too busy to talk!
4. I love to wear white clothes in the summer even though I look awful in white! I like to feel like I am at the Hamptons for the whole summer. I think I should mention I also am one of those girls who cannot stay clean and yet I want to wear white. I run around looking like the renegade Good Humor Man for the better part of three months even into the fall.
5. I am addicted to game playing. No one will play with me anymore because I don't know when to stop. Check out Moonlight Hollow's Pop Quiz on Tuesdays and you will see what I am talking about!
6. I am afraid to cut my hair. I feel like I am Samson and without it I have no identity or personality. This is a big thing for me to admit. It isn't vanity, it's the fear of people no longer liking me. I know it's silly, but I'm being honest here.
7. I love to iron. I hate laundry, but I love to iron. I love the smell and the feeling of accomplishment that comes with it. It's soothing to my soul.
8. I am a peacemaker. I hate confrontations and will go out of my way to avoid them. Arguments make me very uncomfortable even when it is someone else doing the fighting. I then feel the need to make everyone friends again. Sometimes it works, but not always.
9. I am 58 years old. Don't ask again...I'm only going to tell that once and then self-destruct.
10. I am a fabricaholic. I don't sew or do crafts or quilt or anything. I just buy and horde fabric. Is there a cure and do I really want to stop?

Now I am supposed to pass it on, but before I do I want to mention one other award I just received from Cathleen at Vintage Homelife Style called One Lovely Blog Award. Cathleen is a new friend as well with a beautiful blog. Isn't this one of the prettiest buttons ever? I was thrilled and over the moon when she selected me as one of her ten to receive it and I am supposed to pass it on to ten more. Now the fun begins. The ten I have selected to pass on both the Honest Scrap Award AND the One Lovely Blog Award will be listed below. These ten ladies are not just getting these awards, but they are also the ten names I pulled out of the vaporizer that I will be buying a Bella Buck Raffle ticket for. So girls, this is a win-win deal for you. I am really anxious for them to post ten things about themselves so that I will have the opportunity to get to know them better. Doesn't this sound like fun. So in no random order, here are the winners:

1. RetroMod Girl
2. Vintage Inspired Jewelry
3. Vintage Patina
4. Magnolia Memories 08
5. Domestic Fringe
6. Vintage Nest
7. Love2Junk
8. My Petite Maison
9. CC Millefleur
10. Delighted Heart

Girls, I will need your e-mail addresses to send to Amy at Junk Sistas. Once the drawing is done and if you win, this will be the way to get in contact with you. Good luck and here's hoping my ticket is your winning ticket.

A big thank you to everyone who left me birthday and get well wishes! You know how much I love it when you talk back to me. I even like it when you get a little sassy!

Bird Flu, Swine Flu or One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Well, we're back and let's just say I brought home a little sump'n sump'n that wouldn't fit in the suitcase. I managed to pick up some kind of bug and not a good one. Why couldn't it have been a mudbug? I could go for that, you betcha!

Heck, the jitterbug would have been a lot of fun...you ought to see Cat Daddy and I cut a rug. Quite the sight to behold!

Friends, I would have even settled for the love bug!

But oh no, not old Deb...she had to go and get herself a fever! And once again, not the type of fever I would like to have while on a trip!

A little Saturday Night Fever, you ask? Not for this pitiful birthday girl! We had to come home Saturday because I was the official party pooper!

Dance fever, then you ask? No, not unless shaking from chills counts as the shimmy!

I have no idea what I picked up, but there are no other symptoms besides a fever! So I am in bed letting Cat Daddy wait on me hand and foot and I am totally zapped. I cannot be funny or clever and I'm so sorry. I do have a lot to tell about the first two days of our "romantic" getaway, but it will just have to wait until my head is a little clearer. In the meantime, just because I don't feel well doesn't mean y'all have to suffer! In my state of delirium I have decided to do a little Happy Birthday To Me Giveaway. This will actually be more than one giveaway!

First by leaving me a comment about how sad and needy I am, your name will be put in the empty kleenex box and drawn out to win this Betsey Johnson Rockin' Chick necklace. I think you all rock and Betsey J. is one of my favorites for jewelry. How cool is this?

Then the other giveaway is this...I am not buying any raffle tickets from the Junk Sistas Bella Bucks for myself, BUT, if you are a follower, I am putting all your names in the vaporizer and drawing out ten names that I am going to purchase a ticket for. This is just a small way for me to give back to all of you for your faithfulness with the prayers and love you have sent out for us! Now, we just need to decide when to do the drawing. I figure I am going to be down (but not out!) for a few days, so in looking at my visitors numbers I noticed I was getting close to 50,000! So what do you say that when I hit 50,000 or Friday at 8:00 a.m, which ever comes first, I make the drawing? How does that sound? That will be for all eleven drawings. So start telling me to get well soon and happy birthday to me before the fever breaks and I realize what I have done!

Oh and I want to add one more thing! It looks like the inmates have been in charge. I've been visiting a few of your latest posts while I've been gone and it appears some of you have been running amuck in my absence! I just can't leave you unattended even for a weekend!

This was going to be just a short post, but there is just so much going on and so little time to talk, that I just threw it all together for a down and dirty chitchat. Cat Daddy and I are heading out of town tomorrow for my birthday trip, so this will be it until I get back. I've got more, just not the time to post it all. I thought I would first show you my Mother's Day present. I love everything big and gaudy (hence, Cat Daddy!) and my love of trashy jewelry is no exception. Have you ever seen such a big, honking ring? I love it...pearls are a favorite of mine, especially fresh water ones. I love the way they warm against the skin...so organic! C.D. really didn't want me to wear it to church...he thought it a little over the top. Really? The Lord knows who I am and what I am...after all He created me. You'd think after all these years C.D. would just give up and quit trying to reform me. You'd also think he would realize that if I ever were to change and become "normal", he might be the first thing to go! And no Laurie, you cannot have first dibs! The line forms to the left.

Boy howdy and my oh my, but spring is in the air. Everybody is buzzing around like bees busy with everything from graduations and gardens to weddings and baby showers and I am no exception. I told y'all I was up to something and here is the 411. I am going to be moving into a brand new mall opening in June! Can you stand it? I haven't done a mall in forever and didn't think I would ever again, but this will be one like you ain't never seen! No noxzema jars or telephone insulators here....no sirree bob. This promises to be a store that will knock your socks off and not because I'm there. Gloria of Sweet Pea Collection is gathering amazing talent from all over Texas to bring the best there is to offer to y'all. You won't have to wait for Warrenton to see the latest trends and displays. It will be available year round! How cool is this? The grand opening is June 13th and I hope to see all of you there. Bring your checkbooks AND autograph books....Cat Daddy will be available for photo ops with every purchase! (I just love pimping that man out...can I say that?) Just click here to see the announcement and details.Speaking of exciting news...look at our baby now! Doesn't that chin make her look just like her nana? Can you believe this is the same baby as in my header? Those little gloves are a nurse's best friend. She is notorious for pulling out her lines and the gloves help prevent her from doing just that. Jenn and I found them in a preemie size at my favorite store, T.J. Maxx. We bought an extra set just in case Miss Bella tries to "lose" them.

Jenn and Joey (my two melon heads) went to church with us on Sunday and from there, Jenn went to the hospital to celebrate her first Mother's Day with Bella. My girl is a beautiful young mother and I am so proud of her (just in case you didn't know that)!

Her dibble-dobble looks huge on her tiny face, but it's only cabbage patch size...just like her gloves. I am not kidding! The photographs are deceiving as to how big things are and aren't.

This is pure bliss and so many thanks are owed to all of you for praying so steadfastly for her. When so many problems were anticipated by the medical staff and never appeared, it makes me fall to my knees, thanking God for blessing us. Bella truly is a miracle and while others may search for proof of a divine being, I only have to look at her and know my God lives. He is performing miracles right before our eyes everyday and not just Bella. The proof is in the day to day miracle of life, breathing out and breathing in. And while it is not always perfect or as we would like for it to be, would any of us give it up? Not me!

I'll wrap this up with a photo that just says it all! Thank you my friends for the gift of your friendship and I'll see you just as soon as we get back from Cajun country!