I’ve been tagged by Rebecca Writes, and I’m only a new reader who has never yet commented. Didn’t you see?

Tagging: Anyone named Kim – like you and you, for instance. Or Amy – and yes, that’s you and you. If your name is Kim** or Amy and I missed you, feel free to participate and leave your link in the comments and I’ll add a link to you in this post.

**that’s me

So, since she asked, here are my answers.

1. Are you craving anything and if so, what?

OK, are you all laughing at me? Would any regular readers like to jump in and answer that one for me?

2. What is the weather outside, and do you wish it would change?

It’s raining!!! In the midst of a record-breaking drought, I feel constrained to say that I’m glad it’s raining. But I sure did enjoy the nice dry summer…and spring…and winter…

3. What two websites do you think you will go to next after you are finished here?

I’ll pop over to Rebecca’s to let her know that I did the meme, since I know she wanted to hear from all of us Kims and Amys (or are they Amies?). After that, I’m done here. Really. I promise.

Hey, does my kitchen count as a web site if there’s a spider web in the corner?

4. Do you wish you were somewhere else and if so, where?

I wish I were in the kitchen, ironing and stirring ground beef as I eat chocolate. I have a feeling that wish will come true in just a minute.

5. Do you wish you were someone else, and if so, who?

Never. I love my home, my husband, my kids, my chocolate-stocked freezer, and my place in life!

6. Tag?

If your name starts with any of the letters in CHOCOLATE, I’m tagging you. Would you expect any different from me?

So far…

C (mom2fur is being mysterious, but she gives us a hint about her first name)

H

O

C

O

LammyAnn

Anita

Tammy

E

Join the Nestle Chocolatier club in September and get free chocolate – really good chocolate, from the sound of it. But really, is there any other kind?
The best part is, I get more free chocolate for referring you, then you refer friends and get more free chocolate…and the world becomes a happier, more chocolatey place!
for the delicious link

Godiva, See’s, and Ghiradelli are heavenly, but for everyday chocolate nothing beats Hershey’s.
Say what you will, there’s just something about sinking your teeth into a big hearty chunk of Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate.
It’s good enough for all but the snobbiest chocolate snobs, and cheap enough for guilt-free consumption.
I’m just mentioning this because…well, because I’m down to my very last 8 oz. bar that my wonderful handsome sweet thoughtful hubby bought me. And it’s shrinking by the hour.
And I know he reads my blog.
I love you, Honey.

mmmm…
Nothing says, “You’re special” like a box of Godiva Dark Chocolates. A true friend is concerned about one’s health, and it was so kind of the Horn family to consider my special needs in their gift to our family.
Since the gift was presented on the day that I had no voice, I could only smile and try not to swoon when I saw the Godiva bag – but lest Mr. Horn mistake my silence for lack of enthusiasm, I want him to know that:
(a) I would have been speechless even if I had woken up with my voice that morning, as I have never before had in my possession more than 4 oz. of Godiva chocolates.
(b) I tried to wait until Christmas, but the wrapping was utterly ineffective at keeping the fragrance locked inside. It haunted me all the way home. It haunted me at night. The chocolates have been well-sampled today.
(c) I did save Perry some. Well, if he gets home soon…

I receive a surprising number of comments that say my blog is an encouragement to others.
This surprises and delights me, but it also encourages me.
I sometimes find myself feeling discouraged and overwhelmed: yes, I have more children than average, but is it really so hard to train them well, to keep a clean house, to cook nice meals, to spend time together reading and schooling and sewing and playing outside…if I try hard enough, surely it is possible to consistently do everything that I feel I should do. After all, it’s easy enough to knock a couple of items off the top of the Priority List when we’re feeling motivated. Why can’t I do it every day?
But to know that others are encouraged by what I write tells me that others are sometimes discouraged. They know what it’s like. They fall short. They struggle to do well and to do better.
The fact that others are encouraged tells me that not every mother with less children than I has it all together. Not every mother with more children than I has it all together. As a group, mothers don’t have it all together. We are human. We don’t accomplish every single thing we can and should, every single day. We strive to do better, and it’s good to know that our sisters are striving for the same goal.
It is also encouraging that not one reader has accused me of complaining. My job is demanding, but ahhh – what rewards! I struggle to do well and occasionally grumble at my own failings; but I would never complain about my blessings! The very fact that I am so blessed fills me with gratitude and a hunger to do better.
sigh…I guess I just want to say thank to you to all the people I’ve met through my blog – I feel I have a whole new circle of friends here in front of my little glowing laptop screen, and it’s a warm fuzzy feeling. Or maybe it’s just the chocolate I ate.

How could any of us ever list all of our blessing? But here are just few of the things I’m especially thankful for today:

1. A husband who leads and encourages me, says nice things just because he loves me, loves his children with his whole heart, embraces his role as a husband and father, and brings me dark chocolate.
2. The 7 living children God has given us, and the new child growing within me.
3. Our little stillborn Sarah, who reached the end of the race before us (June ’03) and reminded us of the sanctity of life and what a tremendous blessing each and every child is, when I was in danger of assuming that we could just “pop out a kid every 19 months.”
4. The modern luxuries that make our lives so easy: indoor running water, hot water, kitchen sinks, dryers, refrigerators, ovens, doors, lighting, and more. We did without all of these for varying periods of time while living in/building our new home. Life went on without them (with surprisingly little hardship), but they were such sweet blessings when we regained them one by one!
5. Family nearby, and family far away.
6. A church body that loves fellowship.
7. The joy I hear in our house, when the family spontaneously bursts into songs of praise.
8. Red meat, portobello mushrooms, and other such blessings.
9. Fall in Texas – my new favorite season!
10. The Source of All Joy, Who gives us the ability to take joy in our blessings.

My Hardworkin’ Man came home last night to find me in the fetal position on the couch, with a headache and nausea and a cool wet rag covering my eyes. And what was in his hand?
A bag of Dove Special Dark Chocolates.
What a guy.

Through my extensive research on Google, I have learned the following:

• dark chocolate lowers blood pressure
• dark chocolate improves insulin sensitivity
• dark chocolate contains Endorphins, which bring on a relaxed state of mind, enable more oxygen to reach our inner blood supply and even improve our memory
• dark chocolate contains Seratonin, a neurotransmitter that works in our body as an anti-depressant
• dark chocolate contains endorphins, which act like natural opiates in treating chronic pain
• cocoa butter in chocolate coats the teeth while it’s being consumed making it one of the least likely snacks to cause tooth decay
• dark chocolate contains the vitamins B1, B2, D and E as well as the minerals potassium and magnesium
• dark chocolate contains high doses of several key antioxidants, which help prevent heart disease and cancer
• dark chocolate inhibits platelet aggregation which could cause a heart attack or stroke
• dark chocolate contains stearic acid, which can boost HDL (“good” cholesterol) levels
• dark chocolate is a good source of potassium, as well as vitamins B1, B2, D, and E
• Cocoa is the highest natural source for Magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is linked with hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, joint problems and pre-menstrual tension. Adding magnesium to a deficient diet has been proved to increase pre-menstrual progesterone levels, thus alleviating mood swings.
• dark chocolate neutralizes damaging free radicals, substances believed to advance aging

I also found the following article. The Reuter’s link appears to have expired, but I believe the article is authentic. Wouldn’t you?

LONDON (Reuters) – Pregnant women rejoice. Eating chocolate is good for the baby, say Finnish researchers.
Scientists at the University of Helsinki, who asked 300 pregnant women to record their chocolate consumption and stress levels, found that daily treats had a positive impact on the newborn baby’s behavior.
Six months after the infants were born the mothers who had eaten chocolate reported more smiling and laughter in their offspring.
“And the babies of stressed women who had regularly consumed chocolate showed less fear of new situations than babies of stressed women who had abstained,” New Scientist magazine said Tuesday.
Katri Raikkanen and colleagues who conducted the research admitted they can’t be certain that chocolate consumption and the babies’ behavior are not linked with other factors.
“But they speculate that the effects they observed could result from chemicals in chocolate associated with a positive mood being passed on to the baby in the womb,” the magazine added.

I, for one, am going to eat healthier from now on.

It’s Friday and my Honey brought me chocolate ice cream. Life is good. God is good.

To borrow an idea from another blog I read recently, here are a few of my favorite things:

1. Proverbs
2. Chocolate-flavored anything
3. Coffee-flavored ice cream (am I in trouble if 2 of my top 3 are foods?)
4. Praising and being praised by my husband
5. Seeing sweet fellowship among my children (now I’m really in trouble; my husband and children came after chocolate)
6. Dramatic thunderstorms (a small sample of God’s power before us!)
7. Good children’s books – I can read, do it aloud, and do it without guilt
8. That excited feeling when you first learn that you’re pregnant
9. That excited feeling when you first realize you’re in labor (OK, the whole experience isn’t on my favorite list, but the first part sure is!)
10. Knowing that we serve the One True God; what peace!”

Would anyone care to share their own favorites?