Blog stalking...

I've been doing a little blog stalking and have come across some great blogs that have got me thinking for different reasons...

A few weeks ago, a friend and fellow blogger mentioned www.ThePioneerWoman.com. I did a little browsing on her site and read her love story, the story of how she and her husband met, got engaged and married about 10 years ago. (Ok, well...she actually is still in the process of writing it and hasn't gotten to the wedding yet, but anyway...) She has a great sense of humor and wit and had me laughing 'til I cried more than once. What I really appreciate about her, though, is that she is so very much in love with her husband, and loves to show it. I don't just mean she loves her husband, I mean she is head-over-heels, wipe-the-drool-off-your-chin-girlfriend, in love with her hubby, whom she affectionately calls "Marlboro Man". (He's a cowboy, he doesn't smoke.) It's so refreshing to hear someone who brags up her hubby rather than complain or make sarcastic comments and jokes about him. (Guilty! Oh, it's just soooo easy sometimes...)

She inspired me to think about all the things I really love about my hubby, remember when we first met and married, and get to crushing on my guy, too. I'm still trying to think of what "Marlboro Man" nickname to give him. I joked with the friend who introduced me to Pioneer Woman that her husband was the Gordon's Fisherman (he's a fisherman...I wasn't sure if I needed to point that out... No? It was obvious? Oh, you're sharp as a tack...) and my guy is "Nick Burns, Your Company's Computer Guy" from Saturday Night Live. (Those of you who know Rainer but haven't heard of Nick Burns, google it and watch some clips. You'll laugh.)

Another blog that has inspired me lately is one that I stumbled upon because the blogger and I share the same first name. www.noahsteven.blogspot.com Her blog is very different than the first one I mentioned. It's about her son, Noah, who died at only 7 months old from a mysterious illness, and the wisdom God has shown her through the ordeal and the grief that follows. (Tip: I wouldn't recommend reading it at work, I've been bawling for the past two days.) She has been so open and honest, and has been able to put into words some of the thoughts and feelings I had with my father's illness and death. One of my greatest fears is having to go through something with Lukas like I did with my dad. (For those of you that don't know, he passed away after a 4-year-long battle with leukemia.) The Lord has really been reminding me lately that Luke is not mine, he's just "on loan". God also has to keep reminding me that it's pointless to worry and I just need to trust Him. He kinda knows what he's doing.

I know some certain readers think that no post is complete without some recent Luke pics, so I'd better not disappoint...No, I didn't forget which side of the baby his face was on, I just wanted to have some pictures of his sweet little ears and the delicious nape of his neck. That was my grandmother's favorite place to plant kisses and I wanted to remember how precious some of his less-photographed parts were.