Shawn told me to go get material to make dresses and list them in my ETSY shop!

I will make them in the satiny materials and in cotton. Mostly because $3-5 a yard is cheaper than $6-10 a yard, and not everyone wants to pay an arm and a leg for a kids costume.

It will be a few weeks yet as I have a few projects already lined up, but I am very excited. I also have a few other things up my sleeve to put in my shop.

As soon as I get the first one finished I will have a giveaway. I am giving myself a deadline of May 31, 2008. *crossing fingers* The giveaway will open on June 1, 2008. But I need some help first.

I don’t know how to determine a winner. Should I just have everyone leave a comment and then use a randomizer or draw a name from a bucket? Maybe I should have you help me finish this.

I am completely stumped as how to keep going with it. I stopped writing that night because I was very tired. That was a very big mistake. I have tried and tried and I just can’t get it to sound right.

So what do you think I should do?

If you could all pray for my friend Maria I would really appreciate it.

She was admitted to the hospital with a vicodin overdose, yesterday, May 5, 2008. She was resuscitated by her boyfriend while the ambulance was in route.

She was put on anti-depressants and released this afternoon. With directions to make appointments to see a therapist, group and one-on-one.

She was very upfront about it with me. (Does that mean she is regretful, is it just a way to ask for help, is it a way to down-play it? I just don’t know.) When she called me this afternoon, she very bluntly told me what she did. I told her it better not be over a guy because that was plain stupid. I know it probably wasn’t the smartest thing to say, but I wasn’t going to feel sorry for her. She knew what she was doing when she did it. I wish it hadn’t happened, but it has.

There’s no going back from here. She can’t take it back, she can’t make me feel better knowing that she didn’t succeed. Nothing is going to help but prayer. I feel like she doesn’t trust me anymore in a way.

The last few times she has called for advice I was honest with her. She didn’t like what I had to say, but she still called again. I am not going to tell her what she wants to here, I am going to be honest with her. The truth hurts sometimes, but I don’t want her to repeat the things she has done in the past. I care about her too much to sugar-coat things for her. Maybe that’s why she didn’t call me yesterday when she knew she was feeling that way.

I am very worried. She does not handle stress well. And her life has been very upside down lately.

Her husband left her last December, she moved in with a guy friend in March, things with guy friend are not always so smooth, she was promoted to front-end supervisor at THD, things with guy friend got worse, was talking to another guy online, he completely fabricated interest in her and things about himself. She couldn’t cope.

I instructed guy friend to leave her a few regular Tylenol for back pain, and take all other meds with him when he leaves the house. She is going to have a cow, but I really don’t care. Her safety is first. I don’t want any chances being taken.

Maria, if you are reading this, please don’t be mad. I care about you, I want you to get better, I just want all my friends and family to be able to pray for you. I am not trying to tell everyone your business. I just want what’s best for you. Prayer works and you know it. Hugs.

You know things aren’t going well when you dream you have a blinding migraine so bad you can’t open your eyes, you sink to the floor, put your head between your knees and cry.

And that Carrie*, Mike, and Eric were all in the dream and it just gets weirder. For some reason I was at their house visiting, without my own kids, but I think Shawn was there. Anyways some welfare guy came to the house to stay for a few days and was trying to cause problems and threatening to take Eric because the house wasn’t perfect. I kept trying to tell him that it wasn’t their fault, that I was supposed to be cleaning for them, (and no I don’t know why, though they may have been on vacation), but that I couldn’t because of the migraine. That’s when I sank to the floor and couldn’t even open my eyes or talk because the pain was so bad. There was also a brief moment when Carrie took me out to the garage to look for something and I found out she had an awesome muscle car that didn’t run. Then I woke up.

I don’t understand what the dream was about and it doesn’t really matter. But you don’t sleep well when you’re sick in your dreams. It was weird and so far an unrepeated event. I’m hoping it stays that way. The last thing I need is another recurring nightmare. I think the one I’ve had since I was about 8 should be enough for a lifetime.

You know, if I wrote that out it might actually be kinda funny for the kids to read. Though I get goose bumps even thinking about it. But not tonight I’m to pooped. I think I’m going to work on SAJ’s blanket some more before I hit the hay. It doesn’t require any real thinking.

*This is not the first dream I’ve had with Carrie in it. The last one was when she was pregnant with Eric. They are completely random and don’t tie into anything particular. They just happen. I am not a stalker, I promise, k.

The countdown to Christmas break and Christmas day has officially begun.

All the kids made a chain calendar to count down to Christmas Eve. I only took a few photos and none of them wee good enough to post.

I have three more projects for them to do. One for each week before Christmas. We will be making reindeer, snowmen, and Christmas trees.

And I made my Christmas cards today. Tomorrow I’m going to try to finish BB’s dress. I need to make the overskirt, sleeves, and cape.

Photo by SAJ