AM~Erica Sees Signs of Lent

So anyway...

Mardi Gras is over, and Lent is in full swing.
(some of my reflective Lenten thoughts, HERE)

In this past year, and the year going forward, I made a decision to keep my heart, mind & soul open to what God needs from me.
No, this is not a Lent-specific thing...but certainly a challenging one!

Many times, Christians will "preach" about being open to God's will...and blah-blah-blah! I find the non-Christians rolling their eyes & giving retort, usually; or just ignoring Christians completely.

But hear me out, OK?

I'm a visual-learner, mostly. But I try to keep my senses open to what may be asked of me.
Lately, when I feel my heart being opened to something else, I try to keep my whole being open to the Spirit, and in full-on prayer, to see where I am being guided.

If you have read some of my blog posts opening up about my struggles with depression & my failed suicide (reminder HERE, or you can click on that tab ^^^ up there about "My Struggles (Depression & Suicide), you will see that I try to stay open in a very scary subject, but try to remain open in what I should do next.
Actually...I have something coming very soon. I'm not ready to share yet. I'm freaking out, but so super stoked to be a part of it! But that will be another time...

Right now, I want to point out that I don't really ask God for signs. OK...sometimes I do, but I mostly ask for guidance & then stay as open as possible to possible signs of where I should take on next.

And it scares me! But that's how I know God is leading me. God wouldn't lead me to it if the task were to be easy. So I have to cling onto strength in Jesus & keep God in sight.

With that said, Lent is usually a time of reflection. I have tried taking on devotionals, reflecting, and then trying to put what I've learned relevantly into my life. And sometimes signs show up!

Several years ago, I remember getting ready for church on the first Sunday of Lent. As I got around, I walked into the living room, and nearly fell over when I saw what the sun was projecting onto the wall of the parsonage (aka - pastor's house; aka - clergy living quarters) when we were living in St. Louis:

YES! That's right. It was the sun shining thru the blinds on from the other side of the room!
I obviously had to get picture proof. I don't know if people would have really believed me if I just tried to tell them. I mean, c'mon! We are in the Show Me state. And I had to take my camera (it was just before the times of camera phones, kids) with me to church so I could bring some proof of what I'd found to any doubting Thomases I may have encountered!

And it really happened on the first Sunday of Lent that year. I'm still blown away by that moment on that morning.

Now, as I remain steadfast in the sense of being open to what God needs from me (again...not always so easy), I try to stay vigilant of any signs letting me know I'm heading the right direction, or that I need to change direction. Believe me when I say that I have certainly received signs! Even if I didn't ask for them.

Through the years, I have seen many inspirational photos going around. Some of the more intriguing ones seem to be what is seen in the sky, usually in the clouds. Usually it's forms of angels & things.

Today, the 2nd Friday of Lent, my hubby & I were on our way home from our weekly trip to the store. We were just talking about different things...and then I saw an amazing cloud right in front of me!

Pretty amazing! Right? A truly Divine sign in this moment.
And then my hubby commented that it looked like Ash Wednesday clouds...even if it was over a week later than Ash Wednesday. We discussed if it was a sign of Jesus coming back soon. But that is ALWAYS on the table, people! Don't ignore that fact! "Soon" to us is a much different timeframe than "soon" to God!

We were just shocked over the cloud formation. So much so, I decided to bring up the photo again...but then I noticed something above the clouds in cross formation, and was stunned!
(sorry for sounding like ridiculous click bait)

Do you see that? Do you see the winged clouds in the sky above it? It's like an angel or a dove, but definitely a Divine vision!

People, just know that God leaves us signs EVERYWHERE! And it's not always in visual form. Be aware. Just as God can take any form necessary to get a message across, God can also leave any God-sized sign for us. We just have to be open enough to figure out if it is as obvious as these clouds, or as small as a song lyric in a much-needed time.

We are in a time of wilderness, on a journey to seek out Easter. Though it is a solemn & spiritual time, we should enjoy the view along the way.

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Stood Crying in Costco's Parking Lot

So anyway...

Have you ever just gotten yourself into a situation that you just stood full-on teary-eyed while in awe of a situation while standing a parking lot? I have. As recently as yesterday.
(I say "recently" because I'm 94.783% sure I've stood crying in a parking lot before.)

Let me back up to a few days ago. Trust me, you need the backstory...

It was a Thursday morning, and the first actual snowfall of the season. The kiddos only had a couple days left of school before the holiday break, and the school district decided to close for the day. We were having a lazy morning at home while trying to work on some more Christmas finalization in continued prep. The lights on all of our trees were twinkling, and we were watching the news.

Hubby was getting coffee & doing some stuff in the kitchen with Lil Guy, and I sat at the dining room table signing Christmas cards for the church staff while watching the snow fall thru the window of the back door as it collected on the deck, the patio furniture and the grills. It was a beautiful Christmasy-type morning!

With our trees up, we moved our recently purchased furniture back to how we originally had our living room set up, which meant the TV could be seen from the dining room table again. As I sat there taking in the view of the snowfall & signing Christmas cards, something on the television caught my attention!

One of the morning news anchors, Mark Alford, was holding up what appeared to be a card with this image & scripture on it:

After seeing this, I just sat at the dining room table & began to sob. I couldn't believe it! A cardinal in the snow with this particular Psalm on it? I really believed it could only mean one thing.

If you remember, we LOST MY GRANDMOTHER in July. I've been talking about her a lot lately. I miss her greatly. We would have celebrated her birthday earlier this month, so HERE'S WHAT WE DID to celebrate this year.

It's also the time of year when cardinals are seen everywhere. They are beautiful in their contrast to snowy backdrops & evergreen trees. My grandmother loved her birds...especially cardinals. Boy, did she love her red birds! This year has been difficult seeing cardinals adorning all kinds of products of sorts around every corner. I knew I would need to brace myself this year, but it still doesn't make it easier.

My grandma also loved the Lord, our God. She always had her bible & at least one devotional close by her chair. It's how she would spend her mornings. And she prayed a lot. She always made sure we knew that she prayed for her family fervently. She was one of only a couple of people I know who actually was the family-oriented person they claimed to be. And she worried about us often. She just wanted us taken care of & safe, always.

Before I came across the above image that morning, I had a great feeling of anxiety take me over. I get those when I feel like something bad may have happened or might happen. With all of MY OWN ISSUES, I don't get the anxiety like that too often. But that day seemed to be overwhelming. I never remember having intense anxiety that seemed so out of the blue like that before. But I went on with my day...

So...I'm sitting at the dining room table, anxiety-ridden & sobbing. Of all things to come across our large television screen, it was a cardinal with a reassurance that her soul has been restored. She is very much OK in Gloryland. I believe that.

When my hubby was trying to figure out why I was overcome with emotion while signing a few Christmas cards, I backed up the story (thanks to modern technology) to show him what came into my view. When the close up of the card, I paused the TV and snapped a pic (the one above). My hubby was as shocked as I was. What a moment!

The close up of Mark holding the artwork was a preemptive tease for a segment coming up for Rhapsody Imaging. It's a husband & wife business that turns his photography of birds & some florals into her creative & beautiful pieces of art. The piece of artwork in the tease was actually a self-standing concave metal piece. And there were so many other things, and so many of the pieces had scriptures on it...
Whew! That was a hard segment to watch! But beautiful. My grandma used to get a subscription to "Birds & Blooms" magazine, so what a glorious moment as I felt like my grandmother had come for a brief moment.

Shorty after that, the weather came on. They love to show viewers photos of weather events when they happen...and someone had sent them a beautiful pic of a snow-covered tree by a snow-covered wooden fence. The fence had a birdhouse on the post, and then, if you looked closely, the tree was beautifully dotted by red spots of cardinals.

*SOBS*

I decided to post the photo I took on Facebook to let folks know my grandmother had stopped by. I had tagged Mark in it, since it was him holding the artwork in my pic. He commented back letting me know touched he was that they could be a part of our lives in that moment. And he also talked up Rhapsody Imaging more as he tagged Pam (the artwork creator) in the comment.

After I'd pulled myself together, and since there was no school, we decided to give another go at trying to get the kiddos to see Santa (the first time was a fiasco on its own). As we stood in line at Bass Pro (like nearly everyone else anymore), I looked down at my phone to see there was a comment on a photo of mine from a name I didn't recognize...
I decided to check Facebook from my phone to see what that was about...
As I read the comment in confusion, and after reading it at least 2 more times, I realized the comment was from Pam at Rhapsody Imaging. It took a moment to sink in that she wanted me to message her my address so she could send me the very piece of artwork I took the picture of! She was so moved by the moment I had, she wanted me to have the concave metal image...

So...there I was crying while in line to see Santa. My older two were freaking out & wanting to know if everything was OK! My hubby wondered why I was crying AGAIN...and I showed him the comment. He was stunned, too. And then we had to explain to the kiddos why mommy is crying in the Bass Pro Santa line...

~~~~~~~~~~

After I got home, I messaged Pam back in my overwhelmed state. As we had a few back-and-forth messages, we decided to save her some shipping cost, we could meet up since she's located in a neighboring town! This was awesome for me since I could tell her face-to-face what a blessing she was.

We decided to meet at the local Costco. (See where this is going?) Once we figured each other out...we embraced in a hug as our greeting! We stood there in the gray, drizzly weather talking about our losses & our blessings.

And I stood there, crying, in Costco's parking lot.

While I stood there crying with Pam, I told her I'd come to a realization that I saw the cardinal image with the Psalm on the first snowy morning of the season; it would have been a morning my grandmother would have been extra worried about us. However, she could not call us this year to check on us...so she found other ways to make sure we knew she was looking out for us. I also fully believe I had been channeling her anxiety for us that day.

I brought home the beautiful artwork & decided to place it appropriately by the tree we put up in my grandmother's memory:

The beautiful artwork now displayed in our home.

The memory tree with grandma's costumed goose & the beautiful Rhapsody Imaging artwork.

The cardinal I got to put on the tree a couple of weeks ago.

I have a plan for displaying our new concave metal art after Christmas...but this is a fitting display for now.

I'm so emotional, yet happy, about that moment with my grandma on Thursday morning. I'm also so thankful that our favorite morning news team & Rhapsody Imaging were a part of it.

What an amazing & blessed Christmas miracle we got to witness.

I miss my grandma. This Christmas will be different. But it doesn't mean she's not with us. She still wants us to know she's watching out for us.

Even if it means leading to sobbing in the Bass Pro & parking lot of Costco.

Amen.

*grabs a tissue*

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

** PS - check out the glorious work by Rhapsody Imaging HERE!

AM~Erica Has Spoken

So anyway...

Today I am back home from a big weekend. BIG!

This past weekend, my hubby & I do what we do every year: Go to the annual conference of Missouri United Methodism. Clergy & laity gather to take care of conference-wide business, take in some worship opportunities, have the fixing of appointments (where each pastor will be thru the upcoming year), and to basically hob-nob & catch up with friends, colleagues, as well as meeting new people.

I do go each year, but certainly not-Not-NOT for the business!! I like the time away, but I also like to catch up with a lot of different folks, too...clergy I know, laity I know, vendors I know, and absolutely with the other clergy spouses! (read HERE about me being a pastor's wife)

If you read the above link, you will see that I truly have a passion for lifting up my fellow spouses. Why? It's because I've heard enough stories from them about how each of us are expected to be like the previous spouse before us. And...if you read the above link...you will note why this is quite difficult.

Um...you should read the above link.

Two years ago, I heard enough of these stories & became sad and baffled by the thought of it. And then I was SO bold as to actually imagine myself SPEAKING about this at conference!! WHAT??? Who do I think I am?? I don't even sit in on the business sessions because I would get bored & yell, "BINGO!!" just to throw things off a bit. It's just how my brain works. I was even working on soccer chants with my friend, Rob, to possibly yell/sing. But I would have to leave that to him since he is clergy.

See why I'm not in there??

But I digress...and back onto how bold I apparently am. Who do I think I am?? (OK...back on track now.)

Yes. I imagined myself standing in front of people letting them know how beautifully different each & every spouse of clergy is. At conference. Whatever...must be me with big thoughts. Right?

Well...this year I was asked to help out somehow with the annual clergy spouse luncheon. I had no idea what that meant, but went with it & figured someone would tell me what was happening.

Last week, I found out that I would be greeting the spouses coming to the room our luncheon was being held. OK...I can TOTALLY do that!! And as I was speaking with this other lovely spouse, she told me she probably wouldn't be there & wanted to hand off several things to me. She had an idea for a song to sing, but needed someone to lead it. There was going to be a speaker, but it fell thru. So things were up in the air...

...then it happened...
...my voice was coming out, but it wasn't me talking...

I found myself saying I could do table decorations, maybe lead the song &/or sing/lead another song...and...speak.

Wha-WHA??? WHO DO I THINK I AM??? Where was this coming from?? It certainly wasn't me, but it was coming out of me!

And there we had it. I began to weave together table decor that would also be fitting for a table with guys, I put both songs on front & back of of some paper that I decorated for each spouse attending, led the first song after a great lunch & awesome conversation...and then...it happened...

See, after God had me agreeing to speak to this awesome group of nearly 30, I didn't have time to work on what I would say. When I tried to start, something always came up. I then knew that God had me speak it, and I should trust Him to guide me thru this.

For all of those who were praying for me, I cannot express enough how much that meant! I could feel them & the Spirit flowing! And? It caused conversation afterward. I spoke to the spouses about being themselves. And I tried to keep in within the theme of the songs chosen.

God laid it on my heart to speak at conference one day about clergy spouse individuality...and I did it! Not for a large group by any means...but in front of a group from all over the state of Missouri, and a group that I hold close & dear to my heart. We share a bond of our very title & role...and it's comforting to know there is the blessing of this group to have my back. Cuz I've sure got theirs!

Two years ago, God laid it on my heart...and this was apparently the time I needed to speak.

This is a big deal for me, y'all! My heart is full & I am blessed by such a wonderful group of gals & guys. My cup overflows with love & support with this group!

Also...those big & bold thoughts & visions you have may very well be God setting you up for something. You may not know when it's coming...but it will. Be ready. God has you on this.

What a beautiful & blessed weekend overall...but this is what we were all praying for!

And thank you for your patience on this. I don't like to put out there when I am out of town...plus, with so much going on, it was hard to just sit down & let you all know what all was in my heart.

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica is "Dog-Gone" Relieved

So anyway...

My fun & crazy post a couple of days ago pointed to the fact that we had roofers. After the crazy triple hail storm back in September, we needed a new roof...and did not get it until 2 days ago. The team that came out were very courteous & hardworking. They got it done in less than a day & a half! With there feverish banging away, my hubby said he was glad I wasn't having one of my migraines during this...he's right. I'm glad I didn't have one of my headaches either!

Well, when the roofing crew left on Wednesday, I went to let the dog out (FINALLY) when I noticed they left our back gate WIIIIIIIDE open! Good thing I caught it & got it closed before I let our dog out! They knew we had the dog...they watched me walk him with his leash in the backyard so he would leave the guys alone & their stuff.

Then came yesterday: the roofers got here at a decent time & got started, so I made sure the dog was in. The roofers finished around 11:30ish, so I checked the gate, it looked latched, so I let the dog out. I even watched to make sure the dog wasn't pushing the gate open. He tried, but the gate didn't [seem to] move. So I let him frolic in the gorgeous weather. He never asked to come in & I figured he was loving the weather as much as everyone else...

Fast forward to the kids coming home & heading out back to play & kick the soccer ball...
I told the boys to let the dog in but instead got a frantic response that they hoped the dog was already in. The gate was open. We have no idea how long it had been like that, but the roofers did not latch the gate back, so our very large yellow lab was able to nudge it on open at some point.

The older two jumped on their bikes & started scouring the neighborhood, and hubby drove around too. Nothing. The kids (especially the girl) were very upset! I felt bad because it still happened under my watch.

Well, since there's not much food in the house at the moment before we head to the store, we went to pick up some dinner. As we turned the corner, my hubby noticed a makeshift sign by the sidewalk that read "DOG FOUND". We picked up dinner to bring home (YUM! Sonic!) & looked at the sign to find a number to call. But we knew there was the possibility that it might not be ours. As we passed...no number. So I was hoping it would be behind the house where the dog was.

After dinner, I went to put my car back in the driveway, but took the opportunity to track down the sign to see which house it might be. So I started checking houses in the cul-de-sac the sign marked. Even though it was after 9:00 at night, I was ringing doorbells asking if they were the ones that posted the sign. No avail. I was really disheartened. Then I got a text from my hubby (the kids didn't know about the sign & that I had gone looking) bringing up that maybe there was a number on the sign we missed. So, I headed back to the sign...and...as I turned the corner...

...that crazy dog was crossing the street!! He just looked at my car approaching & kept going. I stopped abruptly & jumped out of the car. I started calling his name & he looked at me like I was insane! I told him to sit, so he did...and then layed down. He was a very tired dog & must've had a very long day. I had the leash with me & hooked it onto his harness, helped him into my little car, and then took him home.

Since we left the gate open just in case the dog came back on his own, I walked him back through the gate, into the backyard & back into his room (the storage room). I texted my hubby that I had an extra passenger, so he met me in the basement. The dog was tired & knew that he was in a little bit of trouble for wandering because he went and sulked in his hiding place under the stairs.

We did not let the kids know yet since one of them was in the shower & we wanted to tell them all at once. However, when my daughter was getting her pajamas on, she could hear sniffing in the storage room. The storage room is just on the other side of her room downstairs & there is a crawl-space door in one of her closets that leads to his hiding place. So instead of coming up & asking us what was going on...she investigated herself. *sigh*

Then she came up & let the boys know the dog was in the storage room! After they went & said hi to the dog in relief, we told them about the sign & me going & looking for him while I moved my car.

Now then...do you believe God gives you signs? I do! And I believe in very literal signs sometimes. I believe "DOG FOUND" was God leading us to our dog. And the dog was ready to get home.

What a day!

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

Dear Friends of AM~Erica (the hard post)

So anyway...

Many of you know that March was a very difficult month for our family. It still hurts from time-to-time. But, below, I am posting a version of what I posted on my FaceBook & MySpace pages recently about it:

"Hello to all of my friends.

I want to thank everyone who has shown concern for our family situation the last couple of weeks, as well as the prayers.In a tragic string of events that have come to light, Chris' 17-year-old daughter, Chelsea, has made the decision to move back to Las Vegas with her mother. It has been a gut-wrenching time & a lot frantic moments have been spent, a lot of tears have been shed.

I want to make a couple of pleas to those reading this:

1. to all of the teenagers who read this, your family loves you no matter what. They want to help you through any hurts & problems you may have or encounter. You are not alone. You are trying to show your independence by making adult decisions, but you must realize you still need guidance in doing so sometimes. We all make mistakes; no one is perfect except for Jesus Christ. Even if you don't want to admit it, your family is there to help you through no matter what it is. Pray through your decisions. If it feels wrong, or you know it's wrong...then...it's wrong. If you stumble, ask your family to help you back up. You are or will be a role model to at least one person or more whether you like it or not. Be the role model that you would like to have. This is my plea to you.

2. to all of the parents & adult mentors - it is a difficult job, but we love our children no matter what. Remind them ALWAYS! Never assume they are doing just fine - check, often. Get to know the friends & parents of your kid's friends. It may prove to be an important asset to posess. If your child gets into trouble, hopefully the other parents will have your back if they know the situation to let you know; and if you believe one of your kid's friends are in trouble, make sure their parents know. It is NOT ok to cover up the situation in ANY circumstance! Be as involved in your kid's life, even if they are teenagers, as possible. It won't prevent heartache, but it should help prevent a heart from breaking. This is my plea to you.

Continued prayers are appriceated for all involved: Chelsea, family & her friends. She will realize one day what she has done, and will have to face up to the hurts & wrongs of her (not-so)"adult" decisions.

Hugs & Blessings to everyone. It is now in God's hands."

We are so grateful for the support our friends have shown our family as we continue to get through this & heal.

Some of you may know that I love doing some of the random quizzes on FaceBook. I came across one about "What God wants you to know"....so, whatever - some random thing to read. I did it, and I would like to share here what was on my screen:

"Erica got a message that on this day, God wants Her to Know...
... that it is time to finally forgive yourself.You've carried the guilt, the shame for long enough. You've kept your wounds open for long enough. The time has to come to let go, to heal. Keep the lessons and let the pain heal. Yes, you know what we are talking about it."

Wow...that one hit hard. I have been talking about this still being a "wound". So, here is part of my attempt of "healing" as I continue to loosen my grip & let God just take it. Why is it so hard to let go??

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica is Inspired (and reminded)

So anyway...

As a dancer & choreographer, it is amazing what inspires me...

I did my signing of scripture yesterday, and people asked me how long I've been signing. This is too funny since I learned the 14 verses in an hour on Wednesday. But, I had a fabulous teacher! People would be amazed at the way it flowed; I have been amazed watching Debbie (my ASL "teacher") doing her signing, and how easy she makes it look. I got thinking how beautiful it would be to incorporate it into some interpretive dance. My mind is racing!

Then, my son, Ethan, has been talking about this freaky "Elvis cat" that sings in this freaked-out play. He was referring to the Rum Tum Tugger from "CATS". Ah, CATS...the dancer's musical; the one that every dancer wanted to be a part of when I was taking classes growing up - the pinnacle of plays, the benchmark of what we all wanted to be as dancers & performers. Ethan had me watch the Rum Tum Tugger song on youtube this evening...then I had to start watching several scenes...amazed by how each "cat" moved so beautifully & gracefully. My son was so sweet to tell me I should be in that play - however, if I did & moved the way they moved at this point in my life & fitness level...I would need a paramedic @ every show.

It did stir all kinds of thoughts in my head...the grace & energy of "CATS", the beautiful flow of sign language...

I think God is letting me know I need to get going on my dance ministry...

Oh...on a side note: I have a little more voice. Maybe a couple of sheep have returned from the flock. I'm still searching for the rest...

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Insanity

So anyway...

Things have been a little crazy around here. Could you tell since I haven't posted anything in over a week?

Oh, where to start.....hmmm...

Just over a week ago, my hubby had a conference in KC, so we all went to see family & such while he was doing his thing. We never thought about the fact that HE would have the mode of transportation. We got to spend time with family, so it was nice; we also had my mom-in-law fighting having to go to the ER from severe back pain. She didn't want to go to the ER because we were in town. We all made her go.

Then, we got a call this past week (I believe it was Wednesday) that my mom-in-law was unresponsive, so they had to take her back to the ER. This time they admitted her. So, we surprised her by going back to KC for moral support (although she thought she was dying when she saw us walk into the room). She has a growth on her pancreas, and they want to know what it is - it's been rumored to be her spleen regenerating or a tumor. They have to do a biopsy to find out, but they haven't done it yet, but they are supposed to do it today...and yes, she's been in the hospital this whole time...getting test, after test, after test...etc. You have to understand that there is a lot of health issues going on with her, so EVERYTHING has to be monitored. She needs prayers....a lot of them. We had to come back on Sunday so the kids could get back to school, and my hubby had a dr. appt. of his own. So we await news from afar...

When we got back home, there was a message on our answering machine from someone who got my resume on CareerBuiler, and wanted to talk to me. No, they didn't want me to sell insurance; it's a preschool in the area. Well, I called them & they wanted me to come in to fill out an application. I did that yesterday, along with a tour of the facilities & an impromtu interview. What's to come of it? The job is pretty much mine & she told me she could schedule me next week if I'M interested. Whoa! Did you hear that? Oh, yeah...because of my previous expierence, they want to start me at a higher wage than their typical start, plus benefits kick in after 90 days, plus Christian will have daycare. Why haven't I picked up the phone to say "Sign me up"? I have a job interview set up for next week at a nearby church.

A few weeks ago, a staff member at our church called me to see if I was still job hunting. When I told her I was, she said there was a job posting in her local paper for a nearby United Methodist Church needing an office manager. When I asked my hubby about the church (he's in the know), it turns out I know the senior pastor there. For the last 5-6 years, she has always told me to never change & always be myself...especially being a pastor's wife. That has stayed in my head, so I was so excited to hear it is her church (she came over to the StL side from KC the same time we did). Plus, our church's lay leader, who is also attending seminary, is doing her residency at this church as the associate pastor.

So, I am torn. I am trying to figure out whether I should wait for the other interview, or jump on the present opportunity. I am in deep prayer and consideration right now.

I do have to share with you my "God-Moment" from yesterday. It's a brisk & crisp fall Monday morning, and I have just seen by daughter onto the bus at 6:48 AM, and as I walk back home, by way of the church parking lot, to get my son ready for his bus, I looked over to my left, and there is a doe watching me & she's about 15 feet away from me. She was beautiful and serene, but she is still wild, and I have to walk past her to get home...I was hoping she didn't have to attack me. I walked slowly by & tried not make too much eye contact so she would know I wasn't a threat. She took a step back, and I knew she was either scared, or she was getting ready to attack me. As I put together a plan in my head incase of the attack, she just watched me & I began to watch her...I then realized there were two smaller deer, just past fawn stage, about 30 feet behind her. It was beautiful. Then I got home to get the trash to the curb, and realized we have a rose growing in our yard - a big deep magenta rose in full bloom...I got to stop and smell it.

It's amazing what God puts in front of us, and we never realize it. But isn't it beautiful when we do see it?

Oh yeah, in the midst of this, I am trying to plan a birthday party for my son (who is going to be 10 - boo hoo), prepare for Halloween, and guests from out-of-town (my side of the fam). Whew!

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica