I just realized that it has been almost 3 weeks from my last post! I feel as if I missed confession or something! haha

I have been having the time of my life lately and God has been sooooooooo good to me it scares me!

My new business venture is going wonderfully and I am hoping that anyone who reads this blog, the few of you, will pass on my newly built and set up webpage! It is still under construction but I hope that it will be completed by the 15th of August at the latest.

For the past several weeks, we have gone on 2 vacations, had numerous birthdays, and many events that had to be attended. Life has been busy and hectic but I hope to catch up on all the blogs and such as soon as my computer is fixed. (she's having a bit of trouble) Please check out my new website (a real one! haha)! The following is a copy of the post I left on "Chasing Butterflies" to direct you to the site. I guess I could have just typed in the link but what would have been the fun in that?!!!

If any of you that are subscribers to this site; I apologise for all the notices about the new blog and new website but as my desire grows to help those in need, I pray that my business will grow along with it to help with the costs involved. I need your help to do this. By spreading the news about my jewelry you will actually be helping out those that need transplants, those that are needing skin, new site for bad eyes....etc. Thank you so very much for your support and I pray that you will continue to come by and visit! I have missed hearing from you all more than I have missed actually writing the posts. I suppose that when my machine is repaired, it will take a while to catch up, but for now, know that I miss you all, I continue to pray for you all and I hope to hear from you soon! You are all blessings to me when I read your blogs and your comments and there are some days that I know God has used your posts to get me through another tough spot or bad day! Thank you!


I've finally done it.......

I bought my own domain and website!!!

I am sooooooo excited!

Please log onto

Chasing Butterflies
and leave me a question or a comment! I'd love to know that you visited. I would appreciate any forwarding of the website to anyone you know, as the more hits it recieves, the more search engines will add it to the search pings. Thank you all and God bless. I will probably not be adding anymore to "Chasing Butterflies" , as the NEW website, which is still under some construction will be taking up alot of my time. I will, however, continue to update my original blog,
Praynladys Blessings
when my computer allows me to.

It is on the fritz right now and is not really cooperating with me willingly. I hope to have the problems erradicated soon!

God Bless,
Blessings and Hugs,
Colleen

This coming Saturday, I will be setting up at a craft show in Brazoria. I am excited and looking forward to seeing what the "public" thinks of my creations. I am praying for a great turnout as well for myself and the other crafters. I am also praying for great weather, as many of the booths will be set up outdoors. My table is just inside the door so I am not too worried about rain, but would feel bad for those who purchased spots outside.
I will have donor (wallet) cards available for pickup. I have not had the chance to go to Houston yet to pick up some flyers but I hope to this week or after the following week. You can always go online to LifeGift.com and it will give you prompts on where to print a flyer, a card and to fill out an application to find out who the recipient or recipients were.

For more information, you can find out more at: Chasing Butterflies

Following are some comments that I received via email about the jewelry;

"I don't know any of your family, but it was still heartbreaking just to hear about someone's young child leaving this world. I have a husband, 3 grown sons and 7 grandchildren. My oldest grandson was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 5 , treated and cured within 3 years. The week of his 11th birthday it was discovered that he had relapsed. I ask you to please pray for his recovery. Also, I loved all of your jewelry."

Do you display it at home, in a shop or only on line? "

"It was a joy to see what you have been doing. What a blessing to hear that you donated some of your sons organs. My husband and I are both donors. I am so touched by your loving heart and I am so thankful to have met you several years ago. "

"These are beautiful! How much would a bracelet be that is in sterling?"

"You are awesome. It never ceases to amaze me that with all you have been through medically, just in the few years I've known you, and loosing Ian that your thoughts always seem to be with others. What an awesome influence for your nieces and nephews."

"I admire you for what you are doing."

"that was awesome colleen - you're certainly making lemonade out of your lemons! ""I need to get something for a friend of mine. Her son drowned when he was 18 mos. old and she has claimed the butterfly as her symbol of hope & healing. "

"I just came from youre chasing butterflies new blog and im amazed at your beautiful jewelry, im soooo proud of you.... the jewelry is unique and I love it, I know Jesus and Ian are looking down from above and smiling at you!!!"

"We have very close friends whose son, Samuel, was a recipient of a donor heart at 3 months! He is now 7 years old and as ornery as ever. His family stays in touch with the donor family, and have visited them a couple of times. Here's their story: http://www.clainescorner.com/"

"How amazing....I'm forwarding your message to an ex-coworker whose husband received a heart several years ago from a 16 yr old. She is very active with Life Gift here in the DFW metroplex. I'm sure she'll share the word."

"Colleen, These are very pretty and What a great idea and what a neat way to remember your son! Chasing Butterflies and what it means just gave me goosebumps. I think it's really wonderful to promote the donor thing-so many people don't know about it or realize what a Great thing they can do with something they aren't using any more"

I did not include names but will share privately. Thank you all for your support, your encouragement and love. I hope to continue to do what God is calling me for and enjoying the ride in the process. I know He has great things planned for me and while I am trying to figure out what they might be, I will pray that I am able to help someone, mentor someone, or even pray with someone that needs an understanding ear, shoulder and heart. Please continue to comment and if you know a donor family, or a recipient or family member, I'd love to hear from you.

God Bless, Colleen

We got back home Thursday evening and emptied out the camper and I started the laundry and emptied all the "groceries" and put them up and cleaned up the after effects of having basically 12 people in my camper for a week. (that is not counting the ones that stayed there all day and only left at night to go to my parents camper...and even they stuck around till after midnight most nights! haha) Paul and I, (along with Kaylee), took our 5 nephews camping. My parents took 3 of my neices and my eldest daughter and her son, Kendra and Kordell. Although they rode up with me and stayed most of the time at our camp, they slept in mom and dads camper with the girls.
I can definitely tell you that there was an estrogen shortage in my camper! Oh yeah!!! We took a 15, 13, 11, 8 and a friend 16 with us! WAY TOO MUCH testosterone!!! It seems that I was always busy with one thing or another but the time spent was wonderful. We went into New Braunfels and swam and played in the Guadalupe at a free park, and the kids had a blast! We went to Landa Park, (which was not as fun as usual but still a nice time)for a couple of hours.
The best thing about the trip was that we were at our usual camp, Potters Creek on Canyon Lake, and this time my father in law brought us his boat. A 24 ft Party Barge. We had a blast! We went out and found a nice place to swim and the kids had lots of fun there as well as on the boat! We took it out again the next day and went to a family favorite, "the swimming hole"!
To back track a moment, I have been going there since I was about 1.5 years old! As a young adult and a young married couple, we have gone many, many times each year since. In the past few years, our "swimming hole", had become a "party hole" and along with the LOUD music, the alcohol and the women sans clothing, we were unable to go there. We went during the week and early in the day and the kids had an incredible time! As did we!! All of the kids, (boys and girls), except Kaylee and my youngest neice jumped off a 20' cliff and did it several times each! I was amazed! They also jumped off the boat and dove and the older ones taught the younger ones to dive! That was impressive as well. Many other things happened and I was blown away by one of my nephews that came with us for the first time! He has been living across the U.S. and in Italy for most of his life and was never here to go with us. He is still timid about most things, but this week, we saw a completely different little man. He did everything the bigger boys did and was so proud of his accomplishments that he glowed! No kidding! He helped at camp and was eager to help with whatever needed to be done. (after the initial shock of how much it took to set up camp and get settled in! haha)
All the older kids, rode a bike off the boat dock into the water and they also got to ride some "rapids" on the river. We were unable to ride the "real" part that we usually take the kids on because the river was running so low. You had to walk way too much. Anyway, to make a wonderful long story short....Yeah, I know, too late....
We had a wonderful time and I am going to try to put some pictures below or above to show you just a bit of how it went! Sorry I have been away for so long but as there are not that many people that read my blog, it doesnt really matter! haha
Jake, you are still my hero!
Matthew, you amaze me!
Michael, you are a mess!
J.G., you can't eat that many snacks and NOT have a tummy ache!
Josh, hope you can stay the whole time next year if you want to come back!

Girls.....you are, well,
Shannanigan, you are getting there!
Frigid-ear, you are definitely a 15 year old!
Anna, you are a mess too!

Paul and I love you all and are grateful to your parents for trusting us yet again to keep you away from them for a week and enjoy your company and being with you! These are the times I treasure and will be memories for years to come for me!

Kendra and Kordell, I love you both very much.
Kendra, you have got to lighten up and tighten up! haha
Kordell, you have to stay away from the dogs hair and the water machine!!!!

Mom and dad, I love you guys and I am sorry that the kids wanted to spend time with the "cool people"! haha I am really glad you were both there. I will greatly miss these times when you are gone! Canyon to me means family and you started it all when I was just a tot! THANK YOU BOTH!

Paul, you still have a few things to learn but you are getting the message! haha
1. when you are on a camping trip with 5 boys, there is and will be NO time to sit and read your vacation book!
2. When you are on a camping trip with 5 boys, 2 of which are teenagers, there will be NO time to sit and read your vacation book!
3. When you are on a camping trip with 5 boys and the girls are just across the street and staying at our camp,.... you guessed it....there will be NO TIME TO SIT AND READ YOUR VACATION BOOK!!!!
4. When I've asked you if you have already done something, that is your cue to get up from the few moments of actually reading your vacation book and do it immediately!
5. When I've asked you to do something before the sun goes down, it means on the same day that I asked!

(I know that Paul does not read my blog so I'm not to worried about what I just wrote! Ok, so maybe I am shaking just a bit!) hahaha