Wondering why.

<div align="center">I was going to blog about cleaning, organizing and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">decluttering</span> tonight...but I just can't. Something is more important tonight...many "things" actually.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />When I first started blogging, I was completely overwhelmed by how many creative women are out there. It quite literally leaves me sitting with my mouth hanging open in front of the computer screen...thinking, How cool is that? And, How did she think of that? It has been a wonderful discovery for me. I am amazed at the talented women out there...whether it be writing, crafting, cooking or decorating. I am in awe. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />Lately though, I am overcome for another reason. I am floored at the power of blogging and more importantly, the power of prayer. I have read so many heartbreaking stories on blogs, mostly to do with children. Children who are sick. Children who have died. Women who have lost babies....it goes on and on. Grief for these women has overcome me many times. And I am reminded again, how fortunate I am. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />When the worst happens -- we ask <strong>why</strong>? </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />Why would God take a child?</div><div align="center">Why would God take a mother or daddy?</div><div align="center">Why do we have to deal with cancer, illness?</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />I believe that these people suffer so that <em>we</em> can remember how lucky we are, and not take advantage of <em>one second</em> of our blessings. I believe they have been dealt that nasty card so that we never forget how <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">fortunate</span> we are. I wish no one had to do that for us. It is a cruel reminder but sometimes it's the only way I can explain how God works. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />Many times over the past few days, reading about so many families who have suffered loss...I have cried and asked <strong>why</strong>. No matter how I try to explain it, I don't understand the lesson in losing a child, or having a child suffer. And then I go to my sleeping baby. Look at him. Touch his cheek. And I remember these families. I pray for them and for us. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />Here are a few of the sites that I have visited recently who need your prayers...whether it be for something that just happened yesterday or two years ago...</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />Pray for Jessica's son over at <a href="http://therussocorner.blogspot.com/">The Russo Corner</a>.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />Pray that Kelly's baby daughter continues to fight her illness over at <a href="http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/">Kelly's Corner</a>.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />I was up till 1 a.m. reading Angie's story at <a href="http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/">Bring the Rain </a>on Friday night. I cried. And cried. And cried some more. Pray for her family that they will continue to heal with each day.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />Pray for <a href="http://www.our-journey-to-parenthood.blogspot.com/">Adrienne</a>, who has endured what I don't think I possibly could. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />For <a href="http://half12.blogspot.com/">Jessica</a>, who lost her daughter this past Friday. She was only two months older than my son. I don't know how to deal with this. I don't know how.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />I am humbled. So quickly it can be gone. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />Life is so precious. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />My heart hurts tonight. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />I am going to go kiss my sleeping child, snuggle next to my husband and say a prayer. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />I am so thankful. For the good and what the bad teaches us.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />If you know someone that needs prayers, post a link in your comments. </div>

Wondering why.

I was going to blog about cleaning, organizing and decluttering tonight...but I just can't. Something is more important tonight...many ...

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Putting odd wall space to use

I have a major staircase redo in the works, but until then, I'm adding this post to Beth's party!<br /><a href="http://bethcrabtreehunter.blogspot.com/2009/11/wahoo-its-finally-here-and-i-happen-to.html"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405291693412510610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhz0bgi_q5bP3_F5NQPip5_DWpzCzokcoJVP_0H-qiG7HG7tCO2LY310vKm4sfIK5d716KXPd0UiPt-wRtVF6-qW1PQhlSI6sctVJoEKZshAtJ8aIEW5prJgzZ-RRvdF8Nsp5QH4yc-Q/s400/4018962323_31339c218d_o.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 175px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 166px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a>Thank you for your encouragement about my last post! You are all so wonderful and it warmed my heart. Thanks to those who have already gotten in touch with me -- I'm so excited about working with you all!!<br /><br />So you may have heard me complain about our lack of beautiful stairway railings in our house. (Especially at Christmas with the GORG garland wrapped around them.) I only have myself to blame for this -- hubby wanted them when we were building our house but I was already <em>hyperventilating</em> about the growing size of our mortgage with every. single. little. thing. we were adding. The extra four grand for <em>railings</em> (come on) was enough to put me over the edge.<br /><br />So I've dealt with what we have. Which is a bunch of HUUUUGE walls on our stairway. It is open to the top of our house, about 25 feet up, so there's lots of space to work with. I've done a couple things to fill these spaces, the first of which I wanted to share with you today:<br /><div><p><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296903146327085538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKOk8X41ueURvjuwVMC2WJ8em1uCiZJJjv7yn2hrrfN73wv9bQOT8Szyj5RGfwn33581RRUeh8g8N6MuRRxQ5eIpCbGB3f2mjYYfcCrjGyP7dUi8I12VQ5uD86-y5KWMxqT6s22Gpbq8K/s400/DSC07775.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /> I started with a vinyl rub on from Uppercase Living. If you haven't heard about them, I wrote about the products <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2008/07/this-stuff-is-just-plain-fun.html">here</a>. I love this stuff!! Luuuuurve it!<br /><br />I found floating frames at Joann's at half off -- I've probably spent about $50 on all of them. I love that there is no mat, just the wall showing through:<br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296903140599138242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sXDh_4VbgRfwj-JqjbuEO4ZdiYfEu8qeXoYmh6xtR4f5R4Y6Rs7KF2ETGk0dPrkAKnrsWGNOj1TDb3-iVxPBm48QVxa20aBk5LVXBPit-cMnVh16MBezzGWl0lYZmdYw05NluG5wqUH2/s400/DSC07774.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /> I started taking my own pictures of our son when he was itty bitty -- the baby who <strong>NEVER</strong> cried screamed like a banshee for his first professional pictures -- so that day I went home, stripped him down, laid him on black fabric, and shot away. I did this often his first year or so:<br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296903135642025634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-C6xNHz5ItQDYudbCbRBA4nzsckU5H7NatXC2FTR-DJ-S38ke0ElCi78_BFmameVITzI-ps0WoqLDSxumlucBVlR0NnasqERjaFc2Km34eHcsVTvqwSa5ZXXSYyg91KqFiWvdQNnwsM9/s400/DSC07768.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /> **This does not work with a two-year-old. :)<br /><br />I didn't use any kind of design to put these up -- just hung them willy nilly, and I love doing it that way:<br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296903153651121986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVICo15cEpZFVrmNcqDq-Gs8G2d4bnsLvgKf4wHD7HKE7lGXjHktZUcXyxXw9to66P8T7scN57I14BTES2IrXfP7DJvEOJg1CVB2m-CW0U7X4FW3hsug3aOjH83A_elvW1cVLs6P2BquF/s400/DSC07778.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />It's one of the first things you see when you walk into our home and it's one of my favorite spots. I just added a new one today, and may add one more, but I don't know. I like all the "white space":</p><p><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296903130900281538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUH4C3pKJ96t4DIyhveOo7OZUjrI0RzH0N9FChMJ7M9aXxO6MZFvovlbcHbtSmHdc1wgmjZL-U8RmpHx-AR3QEp_ILIdRPndXdkvSb_FzWkjBrIf7YjQILnaDTKaIXVkAgsy-EBDOM5nG/s400/DSC07762.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 307px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /> I always suggest this kind of wall for weird hallways and stairways. I think it is a beautiful way to deal with awkward spaces like this. The pictures cost me nothing because I print them at home, on regular paper. Love it!<br /><br />And yes, I hang my head at the awful lack of stepdaughter pictures. I am really a good stepmom, I swear. It's hard getting a good picture of a teenager -- especially when they don't live with you full time. (Or hardly ever come over anymore cause they are too busy with work, choir, friends, boyfriend, school, sporting events....wait, sorry....rant.) Sniff. :)</p></div>

Putting odd wall space to use

I have a major staircase redo in the works, but until then, I'm adding this post to Beth's party! Thank you for your encouragement a...

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Chitra Santhe~ Art for All

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7jTG4WdJMrMe_sRgyi52uXlmmF1Fq6WwaRxX6_nepZU1F7JyyXC8L0RYLvGBFy54m742D5C7xRDyQbUzepQl5OyP6qzo3NjbzBZCvnNf_x5MgJSmtQu90v0eZKrqn8bvMH6FFVPDfjgV/s1600-h/cs1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296203400222599186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7jTG4WdJMrMe_sRgyi52uXlmmF1Fq6WwaRxX6_nepZU1F7JyyXC8L0RYLvGBFy54m742D5C7xRDyQbUzepQl5OyP6qzo3NjbzBZCvnNf_x5MgJSmtQu90v0eZKrqn8bvMH6FFVPDfjgV/s400/cs1.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 270px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">C<a href="http://chitrasanthe.com/index.html">hitra Santhe</a></span> is a one-day art festival organised by Chitrakala Parishad, where 1700 artists from all over India come together to showcase their work on the side pavements of Kumara Krupa Road in Bangalore.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WWRYgPGOmAXCtIAFyl2-qssHn3KMXpMNBMJrADZ0Dxso84z_6XHyG8O9ijIsBHvAy4xxy6OvNY70xNgNjw0FcFj82RNr0lhP6Gi7PbPU0vjUWdxXXPUmlmeF3bg5YcD24GGh-55Z_xcD/s1600-h/cs11.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296209783947516866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WWRYgPGOmAXCtIAFyl2-qssHn3KMXpMNBMJrADZ0Dxso84z_6XHyG8O9ijIsBHvAy4xxy6OvNY70xNgNjw0FcFj82RNr0lhP6Gi7PbPU0vjUWdxXXPUmlmeF3bg5YcD24GGh-55Z_xcD/s400/cs11.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 317px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3P-hmvpM-gHwiuhJds_YCZN8vLtOEj0OWPdKoXVz78De1DwNiS1mIYTRDt3Ha-zfxjGvOcDQMqrmabBBIu5SNkPc88LdOlABt0xpJeDe4AUwsw5yCuuTUYABcAT1ZpVIu4sLrwrEVHslS/s1600-h/cs3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296205200282966082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3P-hmvpM-gHwiuhJds_YCZN8vLtOEj0OWPdKoXVz78De1DwNiS1mIYTRDt3Ha-zfxjGvOcDQMqrmabBBIu5SNkPc88LdOlABt0xpJeDe4AUwsw5yCuuTUYABcAT1ZpVIu4sLrwrEVHslS/s400/cs3.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 302px;" /></a>It was a feast to the eye with artists showcasing various styles and forms of art. Here are some photographs that I clicked while we slowly walked the length of the road drinking in the beauty of a sunny morning and some hot chai;-)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_o1feqBkg2_Ekw1-Dg3UQFZ8TEkihgGotRiV2clQXyTg793bBKEUlUbRx9aZinlUQayrLhMPOGKenXPp7c2-gymKaiiv4z1TmdQKb2rrHpWxlniVTFvtaykc8S0hqNqJUeoLahuh43yHP/s1600-h/cs2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296205197236744418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_o1feqBkg2_Ekw1-Dg3UQFZ8TEkihgGotRiV2clQXyTg793bBKEUlUbRx9aZinlUQayrLhMPOGKenXPp7c2-gymKaiiv4z1TmdQKb2rrHpWxlniVTFvtaykc8S0hqNqJUeoLahuh43yHP/s400/cs2.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 283px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWnvH-4i2-lvE0GFAeVmxfN1VGQKZFIGmhVZw8kKt3ChCyAY598zcYtIL7qOZj2hCQJnu0abOJuDwN6LwGvJSSgNGVscOJI8SKurST86VnjNv00JPCm8j3Zixk2ILWsY7M-NHrRAhvKzn/s1600-h/cs7.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296207704314271234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWnvH-4i2-lvE0GFAeVmxfN1VGQKZFIGmhVZw8kKt3ChCyAY598zcYtIL7qOZj2hCQJnu0abOJuDwN6LwGvJSSgNGVscOJI8SKurST86VnjNv00JPCm8j3Zixk2ILWsY7M-NHrRAhvKzn/s400/cs7.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlIWcgnRcBUDVw6mOok7EPQD8IHOGoRP9WjIzLrepo00g8Kp1Fjj6s-lc-BKWZzCT0f5Xy-loQvakfDXSIrecd_i8-41bStd79AQAPVPM-MgGlBNBjF1N1htGonvSyE9shIKmSEr9wriH/s1600-h/cs10.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296209776538584258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlIWcgnRcBUDVw6mOok7EPQD8IHOGoRP9WjIzLrepo00g8Kp1Fjj6s-lc-BKWZzCT0f5Xy-loQvakfDXSIrecd_i8-41bStd79AQAPVPM-MgGlBNBjF1N1htGonvSyE9shIKmSEr9wriH/s400/cs10.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC5QBLQeCd4eDNz-knGVraZYu5sPvCEbfwI0brBBR8v1utVpAWA_g9U45jF7Jh02E7VmBNdfwNp9dxu32QKhN4SnXCzkdqHjwl6XqiiSST9_3cPI1XSCjeJQT6gXY-WUb0tcIdWakUTPDs/s1600-h/cs12.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296211385612212274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC5QBLQeCd4eDNz-knGVraZYu5sPvCEbfwI0brBBR8v1utVpAWA_g9U45jF7Jh02E7VmBNdfwNp9dxu32QKhN4SnXCzkdqHjwl6XqiiSST9_3cPI1XSCjeJQT6gXY-WUb0tcIdWakUTPDs/s400/cs12.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 306px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7q6r8XPPDydlsrNmEZRsNI0h1u0Ly1Fvl1p-Aly2YUl2DvAIrJ-5sPJRkY4hkdhyz-4J67KaOK7V63tdW9UVkS_YGydpjJlLPqeN331VBksFwvbympWg-bcMq4AteCLiaYHfKGMlWUbSj/s1600-h/cs9.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296209775008120322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7q6r8XPPDydlsrNmEZRsNI0h1u0Ly1Fvl1p-Aly2YUl2DvAIrJ-5sPJRkY4hkdhyz-4J67KaOK7V63tdW9UVkS_YGydpjJlLPqeN331VBksFwvbympWg-bcMq4AteCLiaYHfKGMlWUbSj/s400/cs9.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Vishwas M</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrD26m6w8ucWWINEnBmibUz1zW5nYJPVCGDE9qnR1C9Xba83E4gkQe5V86vcUv2ABwgVdfIn1zDS2cioNzDrxj0pQr0kNKEDYSd6GrBvEfKjgCS3x9QkRR6SVb44hhxypk19JGLZEMpRyd/s1600-h/vish.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296209783240155762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrD26m6w8ucWWINEnBmibUz1zW5nYJPVCGDE9qnR1C9Xba83E4gkQe5V86vcUv2ABwgVdfIn1zDS2cioNzDrxj0pQr0kNKEDYSd6GrBvEfKjgCS3x9QkRR6SVb44hhxypk19JGLZEMpRyd/s400/vish.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 276px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspmVjaprw-gqJ3y9XpiAwZ6CmxoYtiinLnGaCRSjnHLdOfhpV2ouYS7CyiWvkOu4CCM2zgsaNe9zw24JHbp3qhZq2eAwhvI0IU_n5iJgFYcpeFynR0vXVkvtXXdNFB0f9_olKtaR3f5Dn/s1600-h/cs14.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296209788257188770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspmVjaprw-gqJ3y9XpiAwZ6CmxoYtiinLnGaCRSjnHLdOfhpV2ouYS7CyiWvkOu4CCM2zgsaNe9zw24JHbp3qhZq2eAwhvI0IU_n5iJgFYcpeFynR0vXVkvtXXdNFB0f9_olKtaR3f5Dn/s400/cs14.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" /></a>There were loads of amazing work on display this year, but this was one of our favourites by artist Vishwas M.<br /><br />Hope you enjoyed these colourful works by various talented artists.<br /><br />Have a great day!

Chitra Santhe~ Art for All

C hitra Santhe is a one-day art festival organised by Chitrakala Parishad, where 1700 artists from all over India come together to showcase...

Read more »