3 years have passed....?

I am shocked to see it has been 3 years since I last posted! So many things have happened, of course, but life has been good to me in this time.
When my husband went to work in a cold day in December, he discovered 80% of the work force at the plant had been let go. My husband was not. He is still working. Praise God.

Our son attends the U of I, in the Chemical Engineering program. He has interned for Kraft Foods and entertained many internship offers for the upcoming summer, but chose to return with Kraft. Praise God.
Our daughter is a Junior in high school and is beautiful. She plays basketball for her school and volleyball for her school and a competitive club. She is 6'2" and towers over most of the kids in her school, but she is a confident and intelligent young woman who surrounds herself with good kids. Praise God.
I continue to work 2 different jobs, one in the summer and a different one in the winter. I work for my dear friend in the winter, where we make t-shirts. It's a lot more fun than it sounds and she's a great boss. I have a lot of creative license and alot of control over my hours. (perhaps too much!)
I miss my blogger friends. I miss my blog. I have spent the last week going back to the blogs I love and have discovered so many of you have continued to be inspiring and hard working gardeners and quilters and cooks and landscapers.
I am sad to see some of the blogs are now advertiser driven. I don't know how to feel about those "give aways". They always say, "I received a free gift from so and so but the opinions are my own". Then a blog post about how wonderful the free gift is. I have my doubts....
I am sad to see some dear friends have lost their soulmates. I did not know how close I considered these blogger friends until I read one particular post of a blogger who lost her dear husband. I did not know how much I cared for the people who I met while blogging, until I felt the tears splashing on my fingers on the laptop. I truly felt the loss.
It was that feeling, this morning, that brings me back here. I miss having a creative place to go. I miss the connection of my blogger friends. I wonder who is new out there that I have yet to read??!!
I do not consider myself so enthralling that someone would want to come here to find out what wonderful adventures I am on. (haven't been on vacation in 3 years....sigh...college tuition and uncertain times @ hub's job) But I will do my best to contribute

This is the view of our porch. And our newest family member, Gracie. Hate the winter. Love Gracie. She came to us in August of 2010. My Pooh died and I thought I would die, as well.
My co-worker, Chris, her in-laws had a pair of yorkies that had a litter of puppies! They tried and tried to get me to take one, but I didn't want any more heartache.
One day, with the son and the daughter gone, I looked at Chris and said, I will take that last puppy, if she's still available.
With that, Gracie Mae was mine. 
her cuteness cannot be underestimated....

Thanks for waiting for me, blogger. I'm happy to be back!