If there is one thing I would want my friends to know, it is how much they mean to me. Friendship takes time to grow. And it begins with just making a person feel welcomed. Whether it is in your home or somewhere else, making one comfortable and relaxed is important. That means we must feel relaxed. Soemtimes we will go out of our way for everyone else and forget about what we like for ourselves. A few years ago I realized that I had to learn to be real with me first. To stop hiding the real me. A few years ago I realized that it was really okay to decorate my house the way I really wanted to. I really enjoyed the country craft store in my town that had so many neat home made items. That is when I started collecting Noahs arks and angels. I kept them mostly in my family room. After I filled the fireplace mantle, I headed for the swap meet to buy some shelves. I put one up over the fireplace. I have 3 on another wall and a smaller one over my couch, Each one holds a collection of arks, country dolls, gingerbread, Raggedy Anns and bears. Many are gifts. Some are hung on the walls. Yes my room looks like a country store with its country blue and country crafts. But I like it. It gives me pleasure. Now some of my friends have done the same with their collections. We are expressing who we are and what we like though our country crafts and style. Remember. God made us each unique and special. Raggedy's remind me of special friends. These rag doll friends are a gift from Mary. "Friendship with oneself is all-important because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world." -Eleanor Roosevelt Primsical Cuties Mary's Country Lane Falling heart script by Lisa Explains It All. Contents & Graphics Copyright ? Susan's Garden of Friendship/2001 and the graphic artist listed. Our work is not Public Domain, and should NOT be taken from this site. Thank you.