Emily...

Hello... I'd like to share a blog with y'all today. This girl really, really needs your prayers and support. Her name is Emily and she has cancer. The chemotherapy has not helped and she has decided to discontinue her treatment. HERE is her blog... would you pray for her?

Protected?

Hey y'all. It's been a long time! So sorry for the delay in posts (*hangs head*). Anyway, I hope you enjoy this story...

Angie ran down the rock path and stopped as she neared the big red oak tree.
She rested her hands on the 'y', formed by the two trunks. Leaping, she let her feet fall between the trunks. Balancing herself, she pulled up to the branch above and jumped onto her grandparent's roof.

Angie slowly walked half way up the roof's peak and flopped down. Her mind wandered to one of her most asked question: How much does God actually protect me? How many times have I put myself in real danger and God has had mercy and saved me from certain death? She recited a well memorized verse from Proverbs 2:8, "He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints."

Angie leaned back and looked up at the clouds and sighed. She doubted she'd ever get an answer to her inquiry.

Ten minutes later, Angela sat up and walked back to the tree and began to climb back down. Her foot slipped! Frantically, Angie grabbed the trunk. But wait a minute... hadn't someone grabbed her waist and hoisted her back onto the branch? Slowly, Angie turned around and then opened her mouth and tried to scream. A girl about her age was standing behind her.

This girl had blond hair and dark blue eyes that seemed to be perpetually lit up. She smiled at Angie, gave her a wink, turned, and then shot up into the sky and was gone.

(what I think Angie's angel would have looked like...)
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Still gaping, Angie got off the tree and ran up to the large deck in front of their house. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw her 3 year old brother, Bobby, being followed around by a person. Angie watched as her 5 year old sister, Jasmine (or as they called her, Jazzy), come out of the house with a person trailing her as well.

Jazzy grabbed a stick. "Bobby, w-, w- we're gonna play jump-over-the-stick. I'm going to spin this near the ground," Jazzy waved the stick around, "and you jump..."

Angie's eyes almost popped out of her head as she saw the person following Bobby put his hand over Bobby's left eye just as Jazzy's stick whacked the left side of Bobby's head and scrape over his eye.

"Ow!" Bobby began to cry, then got mad and began to run after Jazzy.

"Oh no you don't, young man! Stop right there," Angie led both kids inside to Mom and looked back at the man who had helped Bobby.

He looked at her, smiled, and said simply, "God told me to do it."

Angie nodded. "This is weird! Who are these guys? Who was the girl who helped me earlier?"

"Well, we're angels on an important mission," Jazzy's angel began. "And God assigned us to these two children to make sure they don't hurt themselves or others. However, we only protect them if God says to. If God says to leave them alone, then we just stand by and watch."

Angie looked at them. "I guess God told you what I was thinking, huh?"

Both angels let out a deep laugh. "Yup," both said in unison. They smiled at her, then, just as the girl that had helped Angie had done, shot up into the sky and was gone.

Angie didn't see any more angels until night time. Then, as she was putting Bobby and Jazzy to bed, the two angels suddenly appeared. Angie had no idea where they came from... they were just there.

She didn't say anything to them. Just nodded to them in acknowledgment and went to bed
herself. As she drifted off to sleep that night the last thing she remembered after thanking God for protecting Bobby's eye, was the girl coming in and sitting on her own bed, and herself thinking, "It's kind of strange that I don't feel weird that someone is watching me so closely."

When Angie woke the next morning, the girl was nowhere to be seen. However, when Angie, her mom, Jazzy, and Bobby were coming home from grocery shopping, all three angels appeared again. All three waved and smiled at her as they flew along behind the car.

"Mom! Speed up!" Angie shouted. A car was coming 90 mph toward them. As Angie's mom smashed down on the gas pedal, Angie watched in amazement as the girl grabbed the back of their car and began pushing. Angie turned to watch the speedometer go from 60 mph to 80 mph. She snapped her head back. Jazzy and Bobby's angels were bracing themselves against the oncoming truck, slowing it down faster than normal.

Angie looked at her mom. "Did you pray for safety before you left the house, Mom?"
"Well, yea. I always do," Angie's mom checked her mirrors to make sure the truck was traveling at a normal pace. "Why?"

"Just wondering what would have happened just now had you not prayed," Angie shrugged her shoulders. "Do you pray protection over us kids?"

"First thing every morning."

Angie nodded. It made sense.

Angie sat up and yawned. "Dude! I have got a sunburn!" Angie winced. "Wait. Didn't I just about die? Where's the car? Where's Bobby and Jazzy's angels?" Angie shrugged. She didn't care if she had dreamed all that. She was grateful to God for answering her question in such an awesome way.

She slowly walked to the edge of the roof and set her feet on the tree trunk. She stood up. "Oh great!" she thought as her foot slipped. She grabbed for the trunk and caught hold. Her feet were now firmly on the tree trunk. Angie smiled. "Thank You, God. You're more than amazing. Thank You."
Angie began to laugh when she neared their deck. There was Jazzy waving her stick and Bobby angrily chasing her around the deck with a red patch on the left side of his face. Angie began to laugh.

"Oh no you don't, young man! Stop right there." Angie led her siblings into the house and shut the door wondering if those three angels were laughing with her.

Written by Moe.

Bunny Craze

I guess we can officially be labeled a bunny crazy family (let's face it. We've had at least 9 bunnies in the past). You know what? I don't really care. Bunnies are AWESOME!! Speaking of which, my sister, Anne, just got one. An adorably soft, pudgy, Holland Lop with ears that flop over. Oh, that's why they call 'em Holland Lops. Their ears are lopsided :D! I guess he doesn't have enough muscle to pull those whopper ears up.

Thing is, we have a problem. We are at a loss for names for this little guy (yes, he is a boy). *Gasp* I know... that's why I'm asking y'all to comment and give me some suggestions! Actually, I did suggest Chubbers. I have no idea why Anne didn't go for that. I SO would have named him Chubbers.
Just make sure your names (which I'm sure will be great :) are adorable enough for this cutie pie.

I am now a fan of Holland Lop bunnies. Period.

Giveaway!

Moriah @ Uniquely Fashioned for His Glory is hosting a giveaway. Be sure to follow the button and take a look :).

Ultimate Dog Tease

Hey y'all! I hope everyone is having good Sunday morning :). And if you aren't... well, I pray it will get better. But, in the meantine, watch the video below. It is seriously the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. Enjoy!

Yea... it's pretty good, huh?

Palace at Versailles

Louis XIV also known as the "Sun King"

Louis XIV built the Palace of Versailles in 1661-1668. The palace was built around a hunting lodge erected by Louis XIV's father, Louis XIII. This hunting lodge still remains at the center of the palace. Below is a picture of where the hunting lodge stands.

This amazing marble mansion took 27 years to complete. In that time thirty thousand of the best workers were hired to erect this magnificent building. Louis XIV first hired Louis Le Vau as head architect in 1669...

Louis Le Vau

...then later hired Jules Hardouin-Mansart as head architect in order to expand Versailles.

Jules Hardouin-Mansart

Charles Le Brun was hired as painter and decorator...

Charles Le Brun

...and Andre Le Notre was the landscape artist.

Andre Le Notre

Statue made by Andre Le Notre

This magnificent palace was built using Baroque architecture. The Baroque style prefers curved lines over rigid ones, and includes many domes in its design. An excellent example of these characteristics at the Palace of Versailles can be found in the chapel room... curved arches line the room and the ceiling is a symmetrical dome with a beautiful frescoe gracing the inside of it.

Close up view of chapel room ceiling frescoe

As seen in the above picture, frescoes make up a large portion of Baroque architecture and the Palace at Versailles. Frescoes are large elaborate paintings found on walls and ceilings of magnificent buildings. These paintings show much depth and amazing lighting techniques.

Below is the Crusade Room in the Palace at Versailles, showing walls covered in large paintings of war and sieges. But also, look at the floor. Doesn't it look like a wavy, pyramid-like surface? Optical illusions were another unusual, but defining, twist in the Baroque time-period architecture.

Anyone can tell by looking at the palace of Versailles that it is elaborately decorated. Baroque architecture spared no wall or ceiling in the decorating process.

Below is the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. This room sports 49,543,547 mirrors of all sizes, fixated to seventeen arches which reflect the seventeen windows.

The layout of the grounds were elaborately designed by Andre Le Notre. These grounds cover nine hundred seventy-seven acres. Three hundred statues grace the lawns, along with one thousand four hundred waterfalls and fountains.

Bassin of Apollon

Pyramid fountain

My favorite building/part of the Palace at Versailles is Marie Antoinette's Le Hameau. Marie Antoinette was the wife of Louis XIV's son and had Le Hameau built in order to get away from the rigid etiquette of life at Versailles. Le Hameau looks like a giant playhouse fairy land that I dreamed of playing in as a child. Marie Antoinette was ridiculed for building this quaint place because many people thought it extravagant. And indeed, it was, although I can understand why Marie would want to get away from etiquette.

Marie Antoinette hired Richard Mique as architect to build this farm, dairy, and mill. Marie only allowed Switzerland animals to be raised there and Le Hameau was therefore nick-named "the Swiss hamlet". A farmer was hired to take care of the place and many times, Marie Antoinette went there to live a pretend life as a milk maid. Even if the majority of people thought Le Hameau extravagant, this farm did provide fruits and vegetables for the royal table.

The rigid schedule and etiquette which Marie Antoinette wanted to escape was set in place by Louis XIV, her father-in-law. Louis XIV always had his day planned out and followed this schedule precisely. At 7:30 Louis got up, had his servants bathe, shave, combe, dress, and feed him while one hundred men looked on (to watch the king was considered an honor). At 10:00 Louis made a procession through the Hall of Mirrors and then headed to chapel for thirty minutes. At 11:00 Louis met with his cabinet and made decisions on country matters. Then at 1:00 precisely, he had lunch in his bedroom alone. At 2:00 he went hunting or walked in the gardens with the ladies. At 6:00 his son presided over entertaining the guests while he signed letters and studied. At 10:00 the extravagant Grand Public Dinner was attended. Louis retired at 11:30.

Only Louis XIV followed this rigid schedule though. His son and grandson did not adopt it because they could not stand the rigidness of it.

Etiquette was of great importance at the Palace of Versailles. People did not knock of the king's door... they scratched with their left pinky. Many courtiers grew their left pinky fingernail long to serve just this purpose. Ladies did not hold hands or link arms with gentlemen. They laid their arm on top of a gentleman's bent arm when walking with him... only fingertips were allowed to be touched. No one crossed legs in public and when an acquaintance was met on the street gentlemen acknowledged them by raising their hats off their heads. Also, gentlemen did not work. Instead they danced, fenced, gave speeches, and wrote letter. The fashionable lady's dress did not allow her to do much activity. Instead she could sew, knit, or spend time making her own perfume and cosmetics.

Essentially, everything about the Palace at Versailles was made and done to fit the king's wished or needs. So much respect was given the king that when the chamber maid passed a group of courtiers with the king's chamber pot, all the courtiers got on one knee and showed respect to the king.

In fact, the kings' selfishness, pride, and desire for power drove the country to revolution. The Palace at Versailles, while magnificent and beautiful to behold, cost a shocking amount of money... 116,438,892 livres or 2.5 billion in American currency. Only the middle class was expected to pay taxes for the king's frivolity. The rich were not required to pay any taxes at all! This led to much bitterness and resentment among the middle class, which in turn caused a revolt.

While Versailles is beautiful and shows the architect, painter, and worker's talents, it did not favor to the middle class people who bore the brunt of this outragious extravagance.

Guess where I want to visit now... VERSAILLES!!!

Lovely Randomness :)

I guess I've been a little quiet, huh? Let me ya, last week was a doosy. Can you guess? SCHOOL!! However, I'm going to be posting a 1,000 word report (which is proof I've been working hard ;) that I wrote up for history. Yea... a little boring but it's what's been happening! And too the picture-oriented folks (which I happen to identify very well with) I am going to be posting plenty of pictures along with the 1,000 words.

Remember in THIS post when I said I thought that turqouise and yellow were really good friends?

Well, I'm making something with these awesome colors. Nope I'm not telling what it is exactly that I'm making... sorry :D.

Giveaway

Stephanie @ Stephanie's Saga is giving away these two lovely rings to two different winners! Be sure to go take a look, ok?

Yep... I'm a girly girl

Last week I won the giveaway hosted by Renee' at GLOW Academy and I thought I'd show you some picture of the goodies shipped to me...

Well, ok, I didn't win this, bUt I absolutely love the box that my goodies came in... I stored it away in my 'treasure box' (or sewing box :D). I don't want any of my sisters getting their fingers on mY purty pink box.

I'd never actually had a necklace using leather so it was nice to try something new :).

This is my favorite :). So simple and the beads are awEsome.

Can you believe I found this necklace at Wal-Mart? I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered this a few weeks ago.

I'm beginning to think I've got something with butterflies :). Have a lovely day folks.

Meet Chance the Bunny Rabbit

What is your first though after seeing the above photo? How about, AWWWWWWWWW!!! Yep, I knew I was right.

And by now you are probably in tears from the cuteness. Doesn't this cutie remind you of Peter Rabbit in his blue jacket? Easter week our dog, Sammie, brought this bunny to our front yard. Thankfully, Ann found him before Sam had a chance to crush his bones. Ewww... let's not think about that. I thought it was pretty cool that we got this bunny on Easter week... yes, I know bunnies have nothing to do with Easter. But still.

Ann named him Chance since his life was a bit chanc-y till we found him.

We think his mom pushed him out of the nest because his left front foot is lame. Ann was hoping that since she had gotten him at approximately 12 days she'd be able to domesticate him to where she could keep him. However, Ann felt like he wasn't really happy in his cage and so let him go on Saturday of last week. I hope he's ok out there. Poor guy...