Grouchy But Blessed

Greetings from the fourth floor of our local hospital! My firstborn sweet little baby (who is three to four inches taller than me) is attempting to fight her way through what appears to be a virus that mimics appendicitis.


Have you ever heard of such a thing??


Me either.


At any rate, sorry for the scarce posting, but between just arriving home from vacation, company arriving today, and Ashlee falling ill .... I'm pooped. And grouchy. And on an adrenaline rush. And my hair looks like I am mimicking Don King.


And that makes for one Crabby Prairie Mama!

But I'm a Crabby Prairie Mama that is counting her blessings that said baby girl is on her way to recovering - without surgery.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

~Brenda

Single Sentence Saturday #3

Being sick on a Saturday during Spring Break should be illegal. :-/

~Brenda

Country vs. Red Neck

I love family gatherings. We had a big one last night, and I learned something new about red necks while listening to a conversation between Jessie and her Grandma Frasier.

Went something like this:

Grandma: Well I never knew the difference between a red neck and a country girl. What exactly is the difference?

Jessie (in her matter of fact tone): Country girls have hygiene.

Lol. I'm fer sure a country girl. No hairy armpits or tobacco teeth for me.

~Brenda, the country girl who vows to never cross over to red neck

Single Sentence Saturday #2

I am visiting my mother, brothers, and my home town - you know, the one with the grandios mountains - and I'm loving every second of it!

~Brenda

FYI...

Just a note to say that I hope you'll bear with me concerning all the side bar gadgets. I'm playin' around with the Blog Frog, and the new Lovely Lurker follower option (both on the right). Feel free to join either one. If you'd like to link up with me, and you choose the Blog Frog, anytime someone visits my site through your site, your link will show up on that cute little Blog Frog. Which may, in turn, generate more traffic for the both of us.

There's also a Prairie Tales Community link in the Blog Frog, and please feel welcome to post any comments, suggestions, or questions there!

Clear as Prairie Mud?

~Brenda

Teenager Talk

Me (bummin' around with Jessie): Do you still have those scars on your toes from when you were a baby? You know ... because a few strands of my hair were stuck in the footy of your PJ's and got wrapped around them too tightly?

Jessie (bummin' around with me): Yep, they're right there.

Me: Hmmm ... Sure enough!

Silence.

Me: Did you know I also dropped you in your car seat when you were a baby?

Silence.

Me: And there was of course that curling iron accident when it fell off the counter and landed on your chubby little bare leg.

Blank stare.

Jessie: And I still turned out the best of all three kids!!

Chuckle, cough, snort ...

Don't ya' just love teenagers?

I do. They may be the most entertaining people in the whole world.

~Brenda, the kid lovin' Prairie Mama

A Plea for Prayer (Prairie Pebble #3)

How's that title for some alliteration? ;-)

Did you know that I often go through my day thinking up titles for my blog? Ones that contain plenty of alliteration, of course. How weird is that??

Anyway ...

I think we're all familiar enough with what a Prairie Pebble is at this point, so I'm going to get right to tossin' the Pebble. Notice I said "toss," not throw.

Cuz that would be rude.

So Prairie Pebble #3:

I have a gigantic fear of speaking in front of a crowd. And by crowd, I mean more than two people at a time.

It makes my palms sweat. My heart races and skips beats. My mouth goes completely dry. I get a headache. I get a stomach ache. I get it all!!

But Guess what? I'm going to be speaking in front of about sixty people on April 26th.

Deep breath ....

I'm giving my testimony at church, along with letting folks know of my involvement at a nearby pregnancy center and how they can get involved should the Lord lead them in that direction. It should only last about ten minutes - at the most.

TEN MINUTES!!!

Deep breath ....

But here's the good news. I don't have to do it by memory. I can write out everything, and then simply read it. In some ways, I hate to do that, because I think public speaking is more effective if you look people in the eyes. But I know myself, and when I get nervous, I go on rabbit trails. Lots of them. Two minutes into my testimony, we'd be talking about my childhood dog, Twiggy ... and that of course has nothing to do with how Jesus lives in my heart.

So please, Lovely Lurkers. If the Lord so leads you, please offer up a prayer for me, that I might be calm. That I might do this for the right reasons. And that I might get through it without anyone having to call 911.

We have a few paramedics in our church. I do hope they will be attending.

What is in this for you?

Well, not that we should pray for someone so that we get something in return. But there is an upside to all this praying that you would be doing. Because I promise with all my prairie lovin' heart that you will get to read the testimony. I've known for quite some time that I want to post my testimony right here, for all of my Lovely Lurkers to see and know. And I see no reason that the time shouldn't be April 27th, the day after I give my testimony.

Live.

In front of sixty people.

All by myself.

Deep breath ....

Eh hem!!

Posting my testimony on the 27th will allow me to practice opening up.

And it will assure you that I am not dead.

~Brenda

P.S. Lovely Lurkers are starting to emerge ... and I couldn't be happier!!! Keep up the lurking, but remember to be kinda obvious. Okay?

Cute Cows (Prairie Pebble #2)

How do you all like the blubbering, slobbering cows I've recently added? Aren't they disgusting cute!?

Prairie Pebble #2:

You do remember what a Prairie Pebble is, right? In short, it's a tidbit that I share with you so that you can get to know me better. I'm still waiting for you Lovely Lurkers to share something about your little selves.

It's ok. I'm a patient woman. A patient prairie woman.

So Pebble #2:

I love the prairie. But that hasn't always been true. I grew up around large, grandios mountains. Easily accessible mountains. We still have mountains. They're just not easily accessible. So, while they're awesome to look at, they're not something we often take advantage of out here on the prairie lands.

I used to think that if we weren't in the mountains or at least extremely close by, I wouldn't survive. And yes, I know that's childish.

I told dear husband yesterday that I would like to move further out on the prairie. To a little place with a couple of acres. I want at least one goat, a few chickens, and maybe even a cud chewing cute cow! Oh yes, and a German Shepherd to guard the place. And of course, we'd bring our bunny, Fizzles.

Let's see, what else? Mmmm ... yes, I think that about does it. For now, at least.

I never expected the prairie to sneak it's way into my mountain loving heart, but it did. It has a way of growing on you like mold wildflowers. And I'm okay with that now ... more than okay with that.

What about you, Lovely Lurkers? Are you a city girl, or a country girl? Are you a country girl trapped living contentedly in the city? Or are you a guy that is living the daily grind pleasure of an office job, but deep down, you are a Marlboro Man?

Tell me about it!

~Brenda, the prairie lovin', cow huggin', little housewife on the prairie

Single Sentence Saturday

Can you tell I like alliteration? MckMama has a recent post on alliteration. Confession: I was a little irritated when I saw her post, because I've been planning this post all week. Perhaps MckMama and I have some sort of telepathic connection.

Do you believe that?

On to the point. Each Saturday (Lord willing!), I'm going to post a sentence. A single sentence. On Saturday. Hence the title, Single Sentence Saturday. Got it? Most weeks, I'll be summing up my week in my one, precious sentence. Other weeks, I might just say something ... like ... really profound.

Do you believe that?

Seriously, the point of this is so that I learn to not be quite so wordy - kind of like I am doing right now. A good writer doesn't use words that are not needed, right? Writing needs to be tight and to the point. In other words, I'm practicing on you. I hope you don't mind.

Single Sentence Saturday #1:

What you fear most will very often happen, and this is God's way of focusing your trust on Him and not other people, money, or things.

Just a little tidbit that I have come to realize this past week. Next Saturday, it really will be a Single Sentence Saturday!

How 'bout you? Do you have any single sentences this super Saturday?

~Brenda

Confident Clerk

I ran to the market to get a few supplies to last me until Friday, aka grocery day. Milk, bag of chips, hair spray, donuts. You know, all the really important stuff you can't live without. Jessie also needed cough medicine.

I went through the self check out lane. It means you are less likely to have to speak with people, and I'm shy. Remember?

I scanned the chips, donuts, and milk. Next was the cough syrup.

"Please show your ID to the attendant," the computer blared at me.

Blank stare.

Then I remembered that cough syrup is being used by some hoodlums to create a certain drug. I want to say it's meth, but I don't know for sure.

Anyway, I began fishing for my ID.

I didn't even get my wallet out before the attendant rushed up to save me the trouble.

"That's ok, miss. You're good to go."

Another blank stare.

Good to go??!

"What? I don't even look as though I could be in the neighborhood of 18?" I wanted to ask. I could have stopped him and asked what it was that brought him to this conclusion. But I didn't. He was young. And I am not - apparently. Good to know.

I came home and told Jessie about it in my best "can you believe it" voice. Her only response was to slowly twiddle a few gray hairs, suggesting they may have been the cause of said clerk's confidence in age determination.

Perhaps Miss Clairol and I should become acquainted.

Perhaps Confident Clerk will offer to walk me out to my car next time (they do that for old folk).

Does a Miss Clairol purchase require ID? Any drugs that are being manufactured from that? If so, do they make you look younger?

~Brenda <----middle aged, and learning to be ok with that

Prairie Pebbles

Good morning, Lovely Lurkers!

Here it is! The promised post from me to you. Me sharing with you. Getting the ball rolling. Priming the pump, if you want to say it that way.

This does two things for me. It helps me get things off my chest. And it helps me learn to share. Because (she says, leaning forward, eyes shifting left and right), I'm kind of a private person.

Don't get me wrong! I love for others to share everything with me. I am attracted to people that wear their heart on their sleeve. My closest friends are blabber mouths. And I mean that in the most respectful way.

It's not like I'm trying to be someone I'm not. It's just that I find it much easier to open up using the written word rather than the spoken word. And I think it's important to open up. At least on some level.

So without any further adieu, let me toss my first Prairie Pebble.

What's a Prairie Pebble?

I'm glad you asked.

A Prairie Pebble is just a small something I'd like to share about what is happening in my life. A tidbit, if you will. Mind you, I am not throwing stones. No...I would never do that. But out here on the Prairie, we don't have much except for Pebbles. Well, that and tumble weeds. But those are hard to catch.

So - Prairie Pebble #1:

A confession and a prayer request.

I am in debt.

It's true. Not a lot of debt. But, in debt nonetheless. My husband and I are taking a Financial Peace University class by Dave Ramsey. I'm sure you've heard of him, or perhaps heard his radio program. With the economy the way it is, the timing on taking the class seemed to be nothing short of appropriate.

Whoooo doggies! I have learned SO MUCH from this class. Some of it is exciting - dreaming of where we could one day be, financially (as in debt free, not rich). But at the same time, some of it is painful. Why is it painful? Because change is painful! And it became more than obvious very quickly that change was needed in the way I handled money.

But you know what?

I know that when all of my debt is paid in full, all that pain is going to turn in to sheer joy and rejoicing.

In fact, we now have enough money to pay off one of our vehicles. I'm just waiting for when the next payment is due, and I will relish writing that check! Never thought I'd hear myself say that..... I mean, after all, I'll be paying a bill. :-)

So, lovely lurkers, please pray that I will have the gumption to stick to the plan and continue knocking off debt and becoming a saver instead of a spender. I want to do what is right and be a good steward of what God has so richly rewarded us with. Ah, not just monetarily speaking ... but this post is getting too long.

How 'bout you? Would you have any Prairie Pebbles to toss back to me? I'm fresh out.

~Brenda

The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. ~Proverbs 22:7 (NKJV)

Lovely Lurkers

I have noticed recently that I have some lurkers on my blog.

I confess - I have always had a fear of lurkers. Lurkers behind bushes as I'm walking through a dark parking lot ... Lurkers outside my windows, peering in as they sit in the darkness, and I in the light ... Lurkers stalking my beautiful daughters ... Lurk, lurk, lurk....

I sound like I've watched one too many creepy movies ...

But you know what?

You don't scare me!!

Why?

Cuz I know that you are lovely lurkers. Friendly lurkers. I just know it!! You lurk because, in spite of the fact that I am somewhat of an amateur blogger, you are interested in something I am saying, pictures I post, or links on my blog.

Well ... I have something to say to you, dear lurkers:

Come out of the darkness. Tell me who you are. I am friendly too, just like you. If we began talking to each other, we might even find out that we have lots in common. You might learn something from me, and I will most assuredly learn something from you. Are you another little housewife on the prairie? Are you a mom of teenagers? Are you a woman? Are you interested in crafts and cooking (and Tupperware!)? Are you married?

That's just a start, my sweet lurkers. The sky is the limit! So post a comment, ask a question, tell me what you'd like to see on my blog. Tell me what you know. Share with me. Share with the other lurkers. If you have something you'd like me to pray about with you, let me know. I want to get to know you. If you are not comfortable sharing your requests with everyone, email me your prayer request to Tuppermom77@yahoo.com. In essence, I want to be a blessing to you.

I know. Monkey see, monkey do. And so I will be the first to share something with you.

But you'll have to wait. So check back, sweet lurkers. And whatever you do, keep lurking. But please be a lurker that is easily discovered. ;-)

Blessings to all,

~Brenda

There's something about shadows because you make your own mind up about what's lurking in them. ~Richard O'Brien

And the Winner is....

Well! That's the last time I'll ever commit to posting something over the weekend! Sorry for the delay in choosing a winner. The weekends really do get nutty around here at times.

Now - down to business! Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the greatest commenter of them all? Wait. Who cares what the mirror says?! I'm the owner of this blog!

Truthfully, I loved all the captions. However, one stood out to me, and the reason is that it's soooo close to the exact caption I would have chosen for this picture:
In addition, the winner chose a caption that had much to do with the whole reason for the photo contest to begin with - a Tupperware giveaway! Can you see why I picked this caption as the winner?:

"Yuck, stale Doritos! Doesn't your mom know about Tupperware?"

Grandma Coats

Baaahahahaaa!! Good one, Grandma Coats!! I'll be sure and properly store our chips in some Tupperware next time. ;-) Grandma Coats, if you'll contact me, I'll be sure and get your Tupperware to you ASAP style. I know you can't live without those Salt and Pepper shakers much longer.

But wait!! There's more!! While Grandma Coats did win the major caption/Tupperware, I had one other person who left a comment that deserves recognition. Putting a caption to the "sweet" photo of Andrew wasn't part of the competition. But when I saw these words that this dear person bestowed upon my sweet photo...well...I knew I had to mention it.

So the caption worthy of mention for this photo:




is.....

"Infinite Possibilites"

Don't you just love that?! Maybe it's because I'm the mother of that sweet face. But I wholeheartedly agree with Judith Robl's caption. ;-) The saying goes that a picture is worth a thousand words, but in this case, two will suffice.

If you want to know a little more about Judith, you can go to her blogs at www.ephemeracaptured.blogspot.com or www.praisegarment.blogspot.com. Thanks, Judith, for the stunning (and oh so true) words.

And thank you to everyone who participated. Each one of you made me laugh, and I had a riotous time with my first ever photo contest!!

((Hugs)) and love to all,

~Brenda