With Love, From Germany...

As with any addiction, there is a 12 step program for a full recovery.

As a diagnosed Swapaholic, I am sharing my story with you in hopes that it may help you or someone you love.

Step 1: Admit that I am powerless over swaps, that my life has become unmanageable.

My name is Jodie LeJeune and...

I am having an overseas love affair.

It started when I found her blog and it has not ceased since.

Step 2: Come to believe that a Power greater than myself could restore me to sanity.

We "officially" met in Paris and it was love at first sight. {sigh} It was meant to be  :)

Inside this beautiful dark brown velvet bag that she made just for me, are the priceless memories that we shared of our time in France.

Step 3: Make a decision to turn my life over to the Power greater than myself.

I thanked Him for bringing us together as she knows all of my secrets and desires.

Thus she filled this bag with tempting things that would never let me forget her.

Step 4: Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of myself.

We share the same love of vintage laces, luscious trims, romantic histories of the past, and of course...PARIS.

I would travel the world just to be with her.

Step 5: Admit to the Power greater than me, also to myself and now to other human beings that can relate to the exact nature of my addiction.

Would you like to peek inside my beautiful bag of unforgettable memories?

(read on...I promise this is NOT x-rated!) haha!

Let me start by telling you a little bit about her.

Her name is Julia, aka Vintage with Laces and she lives in Germany.

She is a wife...

an artist,

and Julia is a VERY dear girl friend of mine.

We now share lots of special memories, especially of PARIS.

Step 6: Be entirely ready to have the Power above me remove all these defects of character.

  um, What?

Me? Be entirely "ready" to remove WHAT???

 oh Hell no!

I LOVE these "defects of character".

I love me some Julia!

Let me show you why. I think you'll agree with ME too ;)

the details...

the backside...

the details...

Step 7: Humbly ask the Power above me to remove all of my shortcomings.

Nope. Can't do that. just cannot do that. Sorry!

I just love love love all things PARIS as they are one of my (many) weaknesses (and Julia knows that!!! )

Julia feeds my addiction!!!!   ;)

Like really, is all this beauty really considered "shortcomings"?

Is me loving  Julia's artistic talent really considered a "defect of my character"?

I don't know "WHO" wrote this 12 Step program but um, I'm not buying it. Not for one second ;)

Step 8: Make a list of all persons we have harmed and become willing to make amends with them.

Nope. I'm not doing that either. uh uh.

I will not responsible for hunting down the person who wrote this 12 step program and I surely don't regret showing all of my goodies "shortcomings" to all of you.

YOU are my friends (even though you may be harmfully jealous right now) and  you know exactly what I'm going through, right? ;)

I mean, like don't you love these vintage things too?

Is swapping really such a "BAD" thing?

I bet if you try it, you'll love it!  :)

Please tell me I'm not the only one!!!

Swapping IS an addiction...BUT...

It's the anticipation of the package.

It's the thrill of opening each and every little gift.

It's the rush of feeling your heart flutter with each peek.

Step 9: Make direct amends to such people where ever possible, except when doing so may cause harm or injury.

Don't let me catch who wrote this 12-step program. I'm just saying...  

Step 10: Continue to take personal inventory and when wrong, personally admit it.

oh I can do this step...

If ANYONE touches my "inventory", refer back to Steps 8 & 9!!!

When they mess with me, they mess with my "extended family" and that's a BIG NO~NO!

If you think you are brave enough to do so, there's two tickets here that have your name on them...

And again, I won't be responsible for what happens thereafter ;)

Step 11: Seek prayer and meditation through conscious contact, praying for the knowledge and the power to carry that out.

Even my little Oreo knows not to mess with my swap stash.

She of all people dogs knows how much I cherish these swaps and how I hoard everything that gets sent my way.

See how scary she looks? She protects her Momma's stash!

(Good Doggie)

Final Step...Step 12:  Have a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, try to carry the message to all Swapaholics, and practice these principals in all our affairs.

My Spiritual Awakening is...

I can only get through the first 5 steps. Not even half way. Call me a failure if you want but I am still addicted to swaps and probably forever will be.  I am happy in my own skin.

;)

My message to all Swapaholics (or those who've never tried it) is...

If you have a good swap partner, it feels VERY good!  

;)

And lastly, Practice these principals in all our affairs.

Case in Point...Julia!

She sent me ANOTHER BOX to feed my addiction!

(address have been erased to protect the innocent)

Being the confessed swap addict that I am, I asked sweet Julia to send me some little "extra" items from Germany in addition to the swap and she so sweetly obliged.

I just can't get enough.

I AM ADDICTED!

see step #8...

I'm apologizing in advance for making you become addicted to swapping AND addicted to Julia too!   :)

yum yum

see how fun?

don't be shy.

you're gonna love swapping!

Let's not forget to mention the people you'll fall in love with...

and the places you will go!!!!

You'll NEVER forget the one's who have touched your heart with all of the little details...

and especially the one's that are worth having a love affair with, over and over again :)

Thank you Julia...I love you!

Even when all is gone, we will still have PARIS!!!

(above is the inside of the brown velvet bag that Julia made for me. She spared NO detail!!!!) 

I thank all of you for sharing in my swap with Julia and sharing my sense of humor about "addiction" in general.

I hope I didn't offend anyone as no intentions to do so were portrayed here.

I only share positive thoughts (as always) and try to spread  love and humor throughout blogland :)))

I hope you have a wonderful week!!!

:)