Finally!!  The picture is viewable!  Jill sent me the pic of her with her “laptop,” and I’ve been trying to figure out how to get it to be an actual picture instead of alphabet soup with a few symbols thrown in for roughage.  I never know how these things work themselves out; just glad they do.

It’s been a rough week.  Not just for me and mine but for my community and the surrounding communities.  On the heels of the tsunami and earthquakes come tornadoes and flooding; fighting rages in the Mideast; gas goes up while the economy precariously teeters toward going down or flat out free falls in some areas of the country and for many people.  My heart is aching for you all, and I could cry my eyes out (just about have over the weekend).  The list is extensive that is under the heading “Heartache.”

So what does this have to do with Jill and her picture with her new laptop?  Joy.  Joy in the midst of sorrow; a smile in among the furrowed brows; an “I-hope-she-has-another-one” happy thought amid the swirling, darker worries; the glimmer of sunshine popping out on a rainy, stormy, sad, exhausted day.

For a moment enjoy the fun I had with my give-away.  Thank you all for participating; I had such fun; you all had such good things to say, uplifting me, making me smile or laugh.  I have read and reread your responses so many times I probably know them by memory.  You make my blog fun as well as feed me your strength when I have none and give me your wisdom because I don’t have much.  I love you guys!!!!

The “laptop,” as you have seen above, was an apron, a wonderful piece of cloth that covers your lap when sitting as well as standing.  I’m truly amazed no one thought of that.

The box was a little worse for wear by the time it arrived in Ohio.  I can see I have to learn how to mail properly.  The postal employees wanted to make sure that the mailee knew the mailer was a novice packager.  Here is what the tag on the outside had to say:

The contents were intact, nothing broken.  The balloon I had put in there was still blown up, perhaps not to its full balloon girth, but a nice, cheery, round-bellied blue surprise.

In one package was her apron “laptop,” and in the other package was a sugar cookie candle.  You saw the rest of the fun stuff:  a photo album which will go perfectly for her pictures from their beach vacation; a key holder that says “Be Happy,” a car coaster with flip flops all over it.  She said she loved it all, and in fact, does look rather happy in the picture.

Jill has been through a lot this year with her battle against cancer, so I was kind of glad she won; she needed a prize for being thrown in the ring to fight cancer and coming out the winner.  It’s odd, too.  When I uploaded the numbers, her number won.  But just to make sure I actually did it correctly, I uploaded them again… and she won again.

So… I’m thinking the powers that be thought she should win this little fun give-away, no matter how small.  My birthday is in June, and I’m having another one.

Here are the results of your answers for the contest:

A Love Story and the blogs about James won the favorite blog with stories about the grandgirls, Jarred’s struggles, and my sunflowers coming in second.  Movin’ On Up and the grocery fiasco were No. 3.

Julie was first to respond (she really should get a prize for that).

The laptop guesses were great!  My very favorite was by Dymisha who said it would be  “cardboard with a keyboard drawn with a crayon.”  Now that is funny.  A laptop desk got the top guesses with Darla even adding that it would be a beach scene (since I was in Florida).  Notebook was the runner up (wishful thinking).  Gail said NONE!  (hahaha)  And then there was a toy laptop.

Some of you had NO faith in my ability to provide a laptop (you must know my finances) or even be able to sort through the comments and keep track of who said what how many times and when.  (Okay.  Now I’m confused.)  And some of you missed the opportunity to play at all!

June isn’t that far away.  Be thinking of your favorite memory of me or favorite story or favorite quote or favorite something (because some of you I only know through email or blog sites).  Don’t tell me yet… not till June.  Give you lots and lots of time.  I reserve the right to delete those most horrible, embarrassing, stupid moments, words, actions.

Hmmm.  Not much left, is there?