If ever there was a time to revive Swirly Saturday, it’s now. Goodness. Ready?

~~The latest on Joanne: the movements she was making today (Friday) were actually seizures. The doctors have put her in a medically-induced coma until they can find out the source of the problem. This is heartbreaking news. Please keep praying for her, friends. And again, THANK YOU for taking the time to check for updates and pray. I do most of my updating on Facebook and Twitter if you want to keep up that way.

~~I had a wonderful time with my mama, grandma, sister Bethany, niece Isabelle, and my three girlies today. We visited Grandma in the nursing home, Mom treated us to lunch, then we played some rousing rounds of Rummikub. Bethy and Izzy had to head home at 4:30, but my girlies and I stayed for some Sequence, Phase 10, pizza, Freaky Friday (the Lindsay Lohan version), and a 5-woman play-with-my-hair-&-scratch-my-back train. I soaked up each minute of being with my loved ones.

~~I broke down on the way home, thinking about my friend and all she’s missing as she lays in that hospital bed. Audrey and Emma have been so heavy on my heart. Their whole family really (Toben, Mom, Dad, Kristen & her fam).

~~We have a WINNER (I originally typed SINNER and thought about leaving it just for fun, but I’ll let God be the judge of that) of the Your Secret Name Week #2 Give-Away (The Chronicles of Narnia boxed set). Congratulations, Kelly Sipan! (e-mail me your address.)

~~We also have a WINNER of Is That All He Thinks About? and The Husband Project. Come on down, Carla Lupkey Gain! What does Carla love most about her husband? “His unconditional love and acceptance of who I am even after 37 years together.” LOVE it, Carla. Congratulations, and e-mail me your address.

~~I swore I’d never make a boa again as long as I live, but my sister convinced me to make some more with the girls and sell them to raise money for Cambodia. So if you’re a crafty/seamstress kind of girl and have some fabric scraps lying around that you’d like to send me, that would be AWESOME. E-mail me. Thank you!

~~Same goes for S-C-R-A-B-B-L-E letters. I can always use more! Especially since there’s only one J and one K in each set (boo!). A big hug and thank you to Keli who just sent me 2 complete sets all the way from CA this week. E-mail me if you have some lying around you’d like to donate to the cause.

~~And because I just want to type “e-mail me” (and insert a link) one more time, go ahead and e-mail me just for the heck of it.

~~Gabe and I are doing the Daniel Fast (from January 11-31) with our pastor and his wife and some other friends at our new church. This is NOT a good week to be without coffee. This IS however a good week to be in constant communion with God.

~~Ava has been sick (headache/fever) most of this week, and now Nina’s not feeling well. Poor sweet little things. I love them so much. And if they’re gonna be sick, this is the absolute best kind.

~~Remember that January is Mail Month? I’ve been mailing things left and right and having a mighty fine time doing it. Sure, I had to take out a small loan (actually, I just used the rest of my Christmas $), but it’s so worth it. And I know one special gal who could use some love, encouragement, verses, or whatever you want to send her: Joanne Heim, c/o Kristen Haufschild, 11004 Grayledge Circle, Highlands Ranch, CO 80130. You don’t have to know her to send her some love. And I’d bet her girlies would be touched if you feel led to send something specifically to them. (Audrey–12, Emma–9)

~~Nina just got up all flushed and feverish, so we’re going to cuddle.

~~I have a lot of love in my heart for all of you tonight. Thank you for being here.

Does your name start with S? Because today is Name Game Bonus Day!! (and can I just say that every single time I try to type the word g-a-m-e, it comes out g-a-b-e instead?)

Looks like K names are the new winner (unless the S’s can knock it out of the park). I’m Stunned by the Sheer variety of names your mothers came up with. Thanks for playing Keli, Kylee, Kimberly, Kellie, Kathlena, Kat, Kelly (both Cousin and Zoo), Kara Kay, Kim (all 3 of you), Kristi, Kara, Krisha (yep, you’re the only one!), Kay, Katie, Karey, Kathryn, Krista (aka, Krisco), Kristy, Karen (both of you), and Kelsie. I think that’s 24.

Wowzers. Let’s See what you’ve got, S girls!

~~S is for Stephanie and Sarah and Shelly and Susan and Sacajawea! (and all the rest of you!)

~~S is for Swirly Saturday.

~~S is also for Soccer. After Starting the Season off with losses, Livi and Ava both won their games tonight. Sweet! (and Livi Scored a goal)

~~S is for Science. I had a blast-and-a-half with Nina and Ava and 4 other darling Seven-year-olds today, walking around the coolest Science Museum in the country. Well, I can’t really Say that, because I don’t know for Sure that it is. And honestly? Science is not my favorite. I can handle this place once a year max. (And I know Someone’s going to ask me why in the world I like zoos then. I have no idea.)

~~S is for Supervision. Which is what your 4-year-old apparently needs in the Life exhibit, or you might happen upon her with headphones on, watching a video documentary on circumcision. I promptly removed her from the TV Screen, and we moved on to Something more appropriate–a gorilla c-section.

~~S is for Snot and Stinky and Scat. The new Grossology exhibit was a big hit with the girls. You’d love it, if you’re into Sniffing a hole and deciding if what you’re Smelling is armpit, feet, or anus. And that’s just the beginning!

~~S is for Short(ish) and Sweet and See you Monday! Have a great weekend!

If your name starts with S, give me a Shout!

Dying to know the history of Swirly Saturday? Wonder no longer.

Dedicating today’s post to the three little beauties who used to look like this (photo circa 2007):

And struggling to breathe through the sharp pang in my chest when I realize how much bigger/older they are now. Especially the youngest one.

Or maybe the pang is because, six months later, I can no longer fit into those jeans. (Or do my hair with the skillz of the Early Show stylist.)

~~I bought this book at the thrift store awhile ago and got it out this week for my 9-year-old. She read it on my bed while I read this book. We chatted, she asked questions, I answered. It. Was. Awesome. Highly recommend the book (the one Livi was reading–verdict’s still out on mine).

~~Speaking of Livi and books, I rediscovered a little funny from 10.18.06. Gabe was getting ready to mail some of my Blushing books, and Livi picked up one of the packages.

Livi: Is this your book?

Me: Yeah.

Livi: There are still people out there that don’t have your book?!

Ha! Yeah, like one or two probably.

~~More from Livi (that same day):

Ava (throwing an absolute fit upstairs–some things haven’t changed in 3 years)

Me (to Livi): What are we going to do with her?

Livi: (shrugs and smiles) Sell her?

~~Ava’s turn! (11.06.06–she was 4)

Me: Ava, what is that on your arm?

Ava: I accidentally wrote on myself with a pen.

Me: You accidentally drew a picture of a girl with curly hair and wearing a dress on your arm??

Ava: (grins impishly. busted!)

~~And all 3 of them from 11.15.06. The context: me putting whole milk in 10-month-old Nina’s sippy cup (which she was refusing to use) as practice for her transition at 12 months.

Livi: What are you doing?

Me: She’s trying big girl milk.

Livi: You have the same milk as me, Nina!

Me: Actually, you have skim milk. Hers has more fat in it to make her chubby.

Ava: Like her mom?

~~And Nina yesterday: “I wish Mommy wasn’t married to Daddy so I could marry him.”

~~When books go out of print and new contracts don’t come, I look around me at these three precious little (big) girls and thank Jesus for the gift of being their Mommy. Besides being their Daddy’s wife (sorry about your luck, Neen), there is no greater calling I could have. If God asked me to give up writing and speaking and blogging and the internet for them for life, I would.

Livi, Ava, and Nina–I love you so much it hurts.

If you’re not familiar with Swirly Saturday, read up on the phenomenon (cough, cough) here. And if you’re stuck inside your house in the middle of a snowstorm, you can read the first 19 “issues.” Or go sledding with your loved ones. Whichever you think will be less painful.

Jumping right into The Swirl.

~~HAPPY 59th BIRTHDAY, DAD!! I love you!! You’re the BEST dad a girl could have!

~~Up until 2005, my daddy got to celebrate his birthday with his daddy. Grandpa would’ve been 90 today. Love and miss you, Grandpa! Tell Jesus I said hi!

~~You know how my sister Stephanie Dawn had a baby girl on Wednesday? Well, did you know that Steph’s husband Daniel also has a sister named Stephanie Dawn? True story. And guess what Daniel’s sister Stephanie did right after my sister Stephanie on Wednesday? HAD A BABY. Mia and Miles. Sweet little South Carolina cousins born on the same day, 15 hours apart. I LOVE IT.

~~I’ve shipped 171 Blushing Bride books out this week. 51 more ready to ship once I get the checks. And several more left that I’m willing to part with. I can do 5 more boxes of 17 books (for $15 to cover shipping). Let me know if you’d like one of them.

~~Beth Moore’s new book, So Long, Insecurity, released Wednesday. I bought my hardcover copy from Amazon for $12. You can’t beat that! I don’t buy many books, so rest assured that I expect this one to be GOOD.

~~I was hoping to get started on the Boa and Jewelry Sales by the end of this week, but that didn’t happen. I have high hopes for next week!

~~My friend Mary Kate sent me this List of Book Titles in case I’m drawing blanks for my next book. I’m totally thinking of using one of them.

~~I got to do an interview with Moody Radio’s Midday Connection Thursday afternoon. We chatted about Expecting, which was super fun. It airs in March.

~~And did you need to see another picture of my new niece? I thought you might. This is her daddy, Daniel. A real nice guy who says “y’all” a lot.

~~May the rest of your weekend be cheery and bright!

Oh, Swirly Saturday! I’ve missed you! Let’s belly-flop right in, shall we?

~~Kathi Lipp, author of The Husband Project, has sweetly offered me TWO MORE BOOKS to give away! (for a total of 3 winners) It’s not too late to enter to win one!

~~I’m speaking at a church in Maumee, OH (northwest corner of the state) on Wednesday, October 21 at 7:00 pm. The topic: Unsolved Mysteries: The Case of the Opposite Sex. Anyone’s invited! I don’t usually get to invite people when I speak at stuff, so I’d LOVE it if some of you could come. Bring friends! Bring your husbands! Bring your youth group! It’s going to be FUN–I promise! Details here. (The church started a facebook group, and so far, there are 7 confirmed attendees. One is me.)

~~I know a lot of you know this story already, but my friend Kristen added some more details to her blog yesterday. Angie Smith wrote about her friend C. here. Then C. (Candice) wrote her story here. Then Kristen (Candice’s counselor and my dear friend) wrote more here. Praising our awesome, sovereign God!

~~I love reading. I love writing. I love reading about writing. I’ve been wanting to “give back,” so to speak, when it comes to my writing “expertise.” Maybe “pay it forward” is more accurate terminology. What I’m saying is this–there are lots of writers out there who spend lots and lots of time compiling information and sharing knowledge with other writers. Sometimes I feel like blogging about writing. Then I think, “It’s all been said already. What do I have to add?”

~~That paragraph was so swirly I need to start over.

~~Next week will be Writer’s Week on the blog. Monday through Friday, I’ll be offering hopefully-helpful tips to those of you who are writers (whether or not you dream of publishing a book someday). If writing doesn’t interest you, consider this an invitation to take a week’s sabbatical from my blog. Or stop by anyway. There might be something you can glean from all the shop talk. Writers–come with questions! I’ll have answers (they may not be the right ones, but…).

~~We have top-secret plans for the next couple days. They may or may not involve scenarios similar to this one.

~~Have a great weekend, friends!