Grateful for Online Friends

This is a picture of a wreath that I won in a giveaway from our CPLG blog. We're just about to undecorate for the holidays, and so the picture needed to be taken today. Trish is a painter, and a friend for a number of years. We've never met in person, but I love seeing her post in our group. She is a busy mom and grandma, paints some incredible products, and stays way busier than me. This wreath was her giveaway prize on our group blog, and I was the lucky ducky to have my name drawn. Great decorative ribbon and picks on it. She painted the Santa on the sled just to the side of my smile. She paints on gourds, wooden shapes, mouse traps(memo pad), and even toilet seats!

Our group has known each other for years, and it is amazing how connected we've become. Fine women, who love their families, encourage each other, laugh and cry together. We often ask for prayers when a family member is ill, or having some type of trouble. We occasionally disagree, but by and large we are of a like mind.

I was lucky enough to actually meet with Marissa and her wonderful family a little over a year ago. Had seen a picture of her daughter, Katie, in a photo album in the group. When Katie and her brother came racing to the door, it was kind of cool and weird at the same time, to know so much about kiddos I'd never really met. Then Marissa and her dh came into view, and yep, it was Katie. :) They have a new son, who was born a few days before Christmas this year. Their family is dear to me, almost as if I had another daughter. But they live far away in Indiana, :( Marissa has been knitting rabbits and other wonderful items, resulting in quite a good deal of business, been highlighted on a couple of blogs. Hope their new year will be the most wonderful year they've spent as a family.