These are 2 layouts I did for a couple of events planners in Tunica this past February. They both were lifesavers when the original planner flaked on the mega regional event I was in charge of planning for the Thompson Area (a tri-state area).

I placed them into album frames bought at Michaels for about $5 each (thanks for the idea Sarah!). I was sneaky and found out both of the planners office colors so that I could coordinate layouts to match.

They were totally surprised! I just love to surprise people. I sure wish I could think to do the whole surprise thing more often! It was an amazing feeling when I saw the look on their faces! My only wish: that I had made 2 of each layout so I would have them for myself, too!

I just love the whole album frame idea and plan to make more for Christmas gifts this year~~~but I do hope to include PHOTOS!!!

Aren't surprises fun? Aren't secrets even more fun?

As I am fast approaching my annual trip to the mountains, I am eager to share a few secrets and surprises for my friends! It has been difficult to keep some secrets, as it always is, but the reward is the surprise part! That really makes it fun!

I really do look forward to this trek! I always do. I dreaded the 3 years that I missed going...time lost never to be regained. Funny, I don't even remember why I had to miss really. I don't even remember what I did during that time (other than mourn)! This is such a needed break from my everyday life. A time to share with friends..to bond with gals whom I never see any other time during the year. Each year there are changes. Some changes in who attends and who and who doesn't~some never have returned; changes in food, changes in people and changes in other ways that are less obvious~laugh lines and gray hair, to name a few. This year will be especially hard as one of the organizers won't be with us. She made a major life change in the lives of herself and her family in order to go and make even more life changes in the lives of many. Ethiopia. That is a long way from home, a long way from modern convieniences and a long way from the mountains of Tennessee.

I just can't wait to see all the surprises and secrets this year!

Another week comes to a close. What an incredible week it has been. Of course, I learned something...perceptions are an important part of how you choose to accept a variety of things that come at you. For instance, at work one of my fellow co-workers asked if another of my co-workers spoke to me in 'that' manner often. Like you, my reader, I was quite baffled by his question--had no clue what he was talking about at all. He relayed a conversation of sorts that had happened earlier in the day when one of the gals had given me a work order to make some changes to an account. As she walked away, I asked her if she had completed the routing or would I need to and her comment was that she had just received the work order and hadn't had time to route it..that she would get to it when I completed the change I needed to make, and so forth. The other co-worker, who had overheard this conversation and was now inquiring with me, had perceived a tone of snippiness (is that a word?). Ahhhh!! Now some light was shed on the original question he asked! Without batting an eye, I told him that I had not perceived what she said in the same way as he did. I guess in a nutshell, I perceived her as answering my question and no more than that while he perceived her as being hateful towards me. He said that I was a better person than he cause he would not have taken it off of her. Funny, he is always complimenting me on how I perceive things....only I never really looked at it until now. Perhaps, to some degree, everything about perception is a choice based upon past experience or ideas formed about specific people and situations. I believe I chose not to be offended by her comment while he chose to think I should have been offended (as he apparently would have been) at the way she quipped back to me. It has been my experience over the past 2 years (in this job), that he and some of my other co-workers 'look' for and choose to hear things in such a way that, to me, seem skewed. I would say possibly manipulating what they hear to make it what they want to hear giving them justification to feel contempt for others. Hmmm....something for which I need further pondering!

Thank you God! What an incredible week. You are giving me blessings beyond measure in so many areas of my life. Thank you for keeping me open to seeing them.

This week I have had some shocking realizations. God can work our tasks into somehow being completed in what seems like record time. I have had that week. I don't want to take it for granted. I know that by the same token, I can be buried! There are lessons to be learned in that blessing.

I look forward to what is to come this week. Refreshing.

Thank you and praise Your name!

Favorite quote for this week: 2/3 of GOD IS GO!

Favorite scripture story: In John, Jesus heal the blind man on the sabbath.