Bloggy Friends

Those of you who don't blog, may think making friends in this cyber world is strange and/or crazy.  It's not.  Leigh Ann and I went to the same high school (as did her husband), but we didn't know much about each other until we reconnected in bloggyland.  LA sent me an email a few months back inviting me and my family to dinner the next time we were in the area (my parents live there).  The first few dates didn't work, and then, I sent a last minute email, LA graciously accepted, and we had a wonderful evening together.  Dinner was fabulous, LA's house is beautiful, and I love that I now I can REALLY picture where she lives and blogs.  Our husbands clicked, our kids had a blast, and we left just before total meltdown.  Thanks, the the whole "Momma Roar family" for a wonderful evening.  I think you should plan a homeschooling fieldtrip to DC.....

A few weeks later, I entered another blogging right of passage when Jessica came for lunch.  She is a blogging friend who I had NEVER met in real life.  She was in town visiting a friend, and she made a point of coming to meet me and my family.  She called in route, and it was strange to realize I never heard her voice.  It is a crazy experience to know so much about someone that you have never met!  Well, we were like old friends.  She is just as sweet in person as she is on her blog.  Thanks, Jess.  I am honored that you took time to come and see me.  I hope you'll come again.

Since you asked...

I've had several people ask me recently about how I make my headers.  I wish I could say it is my superior knowledge of all things computer, but alas, there is a much more simple response.  My IRL friend, Jen, helped me to find the site, scrapblog.com.  It took me a little while to get the hang of the site, but now I can update my header in a very short time.  I've also noticed several people using thecutestblogontheblock.com, but I haven't tried that.  My friend, Jenni, also gave me the tip of using this site for help with colors.  You can plug in the codes when you update your layout, and it gives you a lot more color choices.  I hope these sites are helpful and I didn't just lose cool blogger points for having a design that is so simple to create.

For other bloggers who have a far superior knowledge of this crazy medium, what sites have been helpful to you?  Anyone have any good sites for getting pictures of books (I hate that the pictures on Ama.zon ussually have embellishments like "Look inside" attached to them)?  Any good sites for free stock photos?

And you thought meeting friends through blogging was wierd...

I would like to introduce you to Terra...but I can't because she hasn't started a blog yet. If/when she does, I know you are going to love her. Many of you fellow bloggers have done posts about how amazing it is to meet people through this cyber world, and that non-bloggers just don't "get it." I am in awe of how connected I am to some of you and how much I know about your daily lives without ever meeting face to face. I didn't meet Terra through blogging....I met her through ebay. Yep, ebay.

I bought an adorable Pottery Barn kitchen set from her on ebay (which Adeline loves...I'll post pictures sometime). There were some problems with a discount offer from another company at checkout, and she suggested I call her rather than continue sending emails back and forth. Oh.my.word!!! We talked for almost 5 hours!!! She is a Christian, homeschooling, mommy of 6. You can find her on my facebook page...because we exchanged that info during our late night chat. She (and her whole family) is adorable! This story almost had another twist...the weekend after our talk, she was coming to VA for a funeral, and I told her if they took a day trip to DC (which they were hoping to do), I would drive down to meet her. She was so excited about the possibility, but they weren't able to make it work. Maybe next time, Terra. I enjoyed our talk and hope we can connect again soon!

Because I have many wise readers...

...AND many of you are Christians, AND many of you have moved recently (or all the stinkin' time if you are military), I thought I would pose a topic for discussion that Patrick and I have dealt with a few times.  Okay, are you ready?

With moving, comes the process of finding a new church.  What do you do about tithing when you are making the change?  Do you continue to tithe to the church where you are a member until you commit to somewhere else?  Do you tithe at each church where you visit?  Do you give to another mission during the interim with the money you would normally give to church?  Do you splurge on that really cute dress you have been eying and enjoy a nice dinner with your hubby?  You know I was kidding with that one....really....I was.  ;o)

I'll be waiting with bated breath to glean from your wisdom.

Oh, and while I'm asking for advice....should Adeline wear the green and pink dress from this post or the red one from this post for her 18 month pictures?

Some thoughts on blogging...

There are some things that keep entering my brain as I continue on this crazy blogging journey, and I thought I would share.  This post may be boring for those of you who are non-bloggers...

1.  Why the word verification, folks?  Does it really bring more security?  I've had mine turned off for most of a year, and I can't say I've gotten any alarming comments.  I had a friend recommend that I turn it on soon after I started blogging (you know who you are), and soon after she wrote to say she had just gotten a "junk comment," and hers was on!  I'll keep typin' in those silly letters, but really, why?  You don't have to be self conscious if you keep yours turned on.  I'll still love ya, but you'll know that I know that you know how I feel about it.  :o)

2.  I've gotten a few comments recently from people who seem normal from their comments.  I went to return the visit, but they do not make their profiles public.  Just know that I tried to visit, and I WOULD visit, but ya gotta leave me an address or open your profile....otherwise I can't find you!  I even had a friend from college leave me a comment, and YES, of course I know who you are!!!  I just have no way to get in contact with you.....sigh.

3.  For the love of all that is convenient, please link your email to your blog.  You do this under your profile, and this means that when you leave comments, I can just reply to your email instead of needing to find your email address...yes, I know this saves me about 30 seconds, but seriously, I could leave YOU a comment in that time.  :o)  I've never gotten a strange email as a result of linking my email to my blog.  It will not post on your blog, it just makes it easier for fellow bloggers when you comment.  Again, we can still be friends if you choose not to do this...see #1 above.

4.  I just need to close by saying how much I love blogging and the amazing women I have met here.  I have been able to keep in touch with friends, that let's face it, I probably wouldn't have otherwise.  I even know more about the daily lives of real life friends that I DO keep in touch with.  There are others of you that I only know through this crazy medium of blogging, but I consider you friends, and I can't wait to hear what is happening in your lives.  I pray for you, I rejoice with you, I laugh with you (and sometimes at you), I hurt with you, and I just know if I met you, it would be like we've known each other for years.

Bloggy Flip-Flop Swap

My very fun blogging friend, Alana, hosted this Bloggy flip-flop swap at her blog.  Since she is so sweet and since I love new summer accessories, I participated.  Thank you so much to Earen, another blogging friend for these super cute pink and red plaid flip-flops that are adorable and fit perfectly!  You can head here to Alana's site to see the other fine flops that were shared.  Thanks ladies, this was a lot of fun!

And they match perfectly with my new pedicure!  I'm ready for vacation....only two weeks!.. (Did I mention that we are taking one more trip before we head back to the US?.....We leave for Thailand on the 14th!!!)

Blogging advice anyone?

I am well past my 100th post, and so you would think I would have learned more by now. But, I have been lazy about learning the nuances of HTML, and have had to figure most things out by myself since most of my experienced blogging friends live nowhere near me (can you just hear the whine in this post thus far). Anyway, I want/need to do some sprucing up to my blog, but I can't find any templates I like. Well, that's not quite true. I found a few, but every time I download them into my layout, they lose my widgets. I have even downloaded them instead of cut/paste, but they still don't seem to work quite right. So, why not ask the wise masses of you to share the love and tell me your favorite sites for templates, stock photos, fonts, and the like. Any recommendations for other sites I should check out to teach me...I mean FOR DUMMIES kind of sites. I need it basic or I won't stick with it. Please HELP!!!