Wednesday, January 31, 2007

We Are Praying For Snow!!!!!!

They are calling for it. They have before and we have been let down. We are just hoping this time they are accurate. We even went to Target to get those roundy, plastic, sliding thingys. They were only $2.78, people, it did not break the bank:~) I am sure that they are on sale because the 70 degree days made them believe winter was over.

They were wrong!!! Well, we hope they are wrong because we want some SNOW!! I even did the sacred bread run this afternoon. You know, the thing you do if they even hint at the S-word on the news. We are not alone in our preparations. The city has sent out the brine trucks and have been busy as beavers all day long. I'm not sure if they just have an abundant supply and want to get rid of it or if there is really something to this snow thing.

The conditions are pretty good for it. We have barely been above freezing for 5 days or more. There are gray clouds moving in and they are looking more suspicious by the minute. COME ON SNOW!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!! Okay, I will let you know tomorrow if the weather man was true to his word.

Monday, January 29, 2007

8 Days Til.....

my parents and sister come into town. You know what that means? 10 days til my hubby and I GET AWAY!!! We are so excited we can barely stop talking about it. When he came home from school today that is what we talked about. By the way, he brought me beautiful carnations for absolutely no reason! He is the most wonderful man. Oh yes ma'am, he is!!!

The trip became real to us on Saturday~when in the midst of my 23 hours of sleeping, dozing, or thinking of sleep~we made our reservations. WOO-HOO!!!! I think I have visited the website about a hundred times imagining us walking hand in hand down the street. We are so familiar with Gatlinburg that we know exactly what we want to do and see. We may even try our hand at skiing!! Never done it before but I am all for trying it.

My kids are excited that Grandma and Grandpa are going to spoil them for 3 whole days with no interference from Mom or Dad. They have some plans that they have cooked up and we will see how far they get with them:~) Of course, all the parenting I had growing up has went out the window with the grandkids. Isn't that the way it happens.

My sister is going to nanny for a family while she is here and make some mad money. She is going to have 4 children to take care of and they love her so she will have a ball with them.

On a side note, one of our goals for 2007 is to decorate for the major holidays. Valentine's Day is coming up so I am decorating for that and since I homeschool it would be good for me to acknowledge President's Day. I am off to hang up paper hearts and paper heads of former Presidents:~)

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Random Pictures


This is my middle child goofing off with a plastic egg. This is my baby having a picnic n the living room. They are such sweet girls!

We Have The Yucks!!


My youngest and I have had the yucks all weekend. We started out with fevers on Friday night and it has continued through today. We sent Dad, oldest, and middle to church this morning, curled up together, and read books. I got a burst of energy and put one of the revival cds in and cleaned the girls' room. Now, I have hit a wall so I am going to crawl up on the couch. I slept A LOT yesterday and it has helped.

I am glad this happened on the weekend so that hubby could be home to take care of me. Ds has been very helpful, too! Anyway, hope everyone had a great weekend!

Friday, January 26, 2007

Boundaries

I am reading a book that has been around since 1992. I got a recommendation about this book from the Pastor's Wives Seminars that I attended in the fall. I just got it from the library this past week. Boy, does it speak to me. Have you ever read a book and it talks right to you as soon as you read the first page?(other than the Bible:~) This one does that for me. Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend.

Man, OH, man, do I have a problem with boundaries. I was talking to my friend yesterday and I was telling her how much it speaks to me. I have quoted scripture to myself for years as reasons why I should do all kinds of things for people. They take almost every one of them and show why we SHOULD have boundaries!! It just amazes me.

My husband has told me for years that I needed boundaries and to be honest it has been a sore point between us at times. I have gotten SO angry at him because he refused to do something that I knew other people expected us to do and he didn't want to do it. I would cry and plead with him to do this particular thing because I was afraid someone would get upset with us if didn't do it. Thankfully, he is not easily persuaded because now that I can look back on it, he was right to have those boundaries in place.

I am looking forward to working on these boundary issues I have. In fact, today when Dh came home from school, I was on the phone with someone and I politely told them I needed to go because he was home. It was not painful, it was some what liberating. I know that I sounds kind of foolish, but we all have things that we need to work on. Boundaries is one of my issues. I will be working on this for awhile so you will probably hear more on this subject later.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

My Natural High!

I absolutely love going grocery shopping. Yes, I know that is real weird. But I tell you the sight of an empty shopping cart and a grocery list with nothing marked off makes me high!! I have a hubby that actually enjoys going to the store with me so I think that is what sets me off. We walk down all the aisles looking for the best deals and use our super shopping sense to get the most out of our experience.

As you can probably tell, today was grocery day. And I guess you are thinking that I need a life. Rest assured I have one it is just a little simple. I don't get out as much as you might suspect. I am off to get my stuff done and look at my freshly stocked shelves.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Wowsie, Wow, Wow, Wow

That post yesterday was pretty heavy!! Today's is very, very light!!! Actually, it is so light it is fluffy! We have had a real laid back day today. Hubby had to go to bed early to get up in time to preach tonight. Our pastor is in Florida for a conference and he asked Mike to preach. I am looking forward to it. Really, it is more like a Bible Study thing, not preaching, per say.

Anyhoo, we have done school and played with Legos. That is just about the extent of it. I am still in my pjs and I need a shower. Oh, I guess I should say that I did do the dishes and fed the kids. Yeah, they are funny like that. They get grouchy if I try to make them go without food. Something about them being hungry or something.

We are at T minus 2 weeks and counting, for the countdown to the Romantic Getaway. And may I just say that I am getting antsy-er by the day!! I am so glad we are finally going to do this!! I have some ideas about what I want to get my hubby for Valentine's Day so I need to do some shopping over the next few days. Because, people, there is one thing that can be said about me~~ I AM A LAST MINUTE SHOPPER!! I know, I know, I am working on this little itty bitty flaw that I have. That is why I am giving myself till Wednesday of next week to get it done.

Oh, and you know it is a laid back day when the main ingredient in lunch and supper is pasta! The macaroni and cheese and Alfredo was a nice bit of comfort food on this entirely cold, but nice, lovely, winter day. We will add veggies back into the diet tomorrow.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Thoughts About Today

I turned on the radio yesterday afternoon to an AM station that we have here in Middle Tennessee. I know this information is not a top news story, but what I heard on that Christian station made me ponder some things. The guest was Gianna Jessen and I am sure not a whole lot of people know who she is. I didn't before I listened yesterday and I hope I never forget her name or her story.

She is a woman that was born in 1977, four years after I was born. She has cerebral palsy and she was adopted. Those are not unusual things in themselves, the reasons behind the CP and adoption are a miracle straight from God. See, Gianna was a baby that was unwanted. Her birth mother went to Planned Parenthood in New York 3 years after Roe V. Wade. She was talked into having an abortion in her 7th month of pregnancy. They used saline to kill the baby and then deliver her.

What they didn't expect was the baby to be born ALIVE!! A nurse called an ambulance to come and get this baby that did not die. She was given a zero percent chance at life but they were wrong!!! She not only survived, she was adopted by her foster mother's daughter. AMAZING!!

God spared her life and she has decided to live for Him. Go and read her bio on giannajessen.com.

I have been thinking about my life and how abortion has played a part in it. Over 16 years ago, I was considering an abortion. I was 17 years old, getting ready for my senior year of high school. It was at the end of July when my Mom realized why I was acting so strangely. She went to the store and got a pregnancy test. It was positive. I was ashamed, scared, feeling like my life was over.

I don't know why I am writing this. Anyway, I went to the doctor and they confirmed what we already knew. I was devastated. I talked things over with my parents and I told them I didn't know what I was going to do. I knew they didn't agree with abortion but they said it was my decision. I remember looking the phone number up in the phone book. I remember dialing the number. I remember talking to the woman on the other end. I remember making the appointment. I remember knowing that I could not got through with it.


Thank God that I didn't because my precious baby is now a 15 yr old that I can't imagine living without. Yes, it was tough carrying a baby almost my entire senior year. Yes, it was hard to see my "friends" turn there backs as I walked down the hallway. My parents were very supportive and loved me through this ordeal. They never told me so, but I knew that I had let them down. More importantly, I had let myself down and that was a hard thing to get over. Thank God I had my parents, a few friends and boyfriend that were there for me.

I know that God had a plan for me. He knew I was going to make a mistake and turn away from Him. He knew and He loved me anyway. He helped me to get up from my bloody nose and skinned knees. He was right there waiting to hold my hand and help me stand. I know that my life would have been totally different if I had went to that appointment and I am forever grateful that I did not go. My heart goes out to so many that do go and regret it. My prayer is that I will remember the ones that have different outcomes than mine and pray for them often.

This year I will be married to my sweet husband for sixteen years and I can honestly say I love him more now than ever. He is a great father, he loves the Lord with all his heart, and he loves me more than I could ever ask for. When people hear how long we have been married, how young we were, and under what circumstances we were married, they say it is amazing. And I say, it is only by the grace of God. He is the only one that can have the praise for it all. Not in our strength but HIS!!!

Monday, January 22, 2007

Can I get some patience over here?

I am telling you right now, I need some patience!!! I had to go to the doctor today for what I thought was a blood pressure check. I dropped Dh at school for his one class and I had planned on running to Target after my so called BP check to leisurely walk the aisles till Dh's class was over!! Never happened!!!!!!

When I got to the doctor's office I should have known that there would be trouble when they looked at me with a puzzled expression and told me to have a seat. I sat, and sat, and sat, and sat, and sat some more. Finally, 1 hour after I signed in to have that BP check they came to the conclusion that I needed to have blood drawn. 5 minutes after that deduction I was out the door in just enough time to pick up Dh!!

Bummer!!! I was so looking forward to that little time to shop in peace. I was so worked up by the time hubby got in the car that I was just a bit snippy. Mainly because he asked all the wrong questions ~ How was it at the doctor's office? My reply "Don't ask!!" His ?~ " Did you get to go to Target?" My reply "I don't want to talk about it!" No patience today. Maybe I will conquer that tomorrow. Remember, people, work in progress!!

Now I am going to go eat some ice cream. Maybe that will help me have patience. Probably not but it tastes good!!!!

Friday, January 19, 2007

Wow! It is Friday!!!

This is my wonderful Dh playing tea party with our daughters and me. I love it that he is so willing to play girlie things with them. They love it, too!! He says men who have a problem with girlie stuff are not confident with their masculinity. He is soooooooo confident!!!!!!!

Is anyone else glad it is Friday? My Dh has to work tonight and after that he is all mine!! I get one day a week where he is ALL mine~no classes, no work, no obligations at church~Saturday is my only day!! I try to have the house work done by Friday so we don't have to worry about it. I have easy things to eat so we don't have to do a lot of cooking. We can just sit around together and enjoy each other.

Watch movies, play backgammon, read, whatever we want. TOGETHER!! It is nice. I am glad that we get to spend one day like that. With him working 6 nights a week and going to school 5 days a week we only get that hour in the morning when we walk~Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

The kids like the laid back day and it kind of prepares us for the busy Sunday we have. It is just a good time of being together. I am happy to do nothing with my little family on Saturdays. I know it won't always be this way but I will treasure it while I can. Have a great weekend!!

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Last Night

Last night was the last night of our revival and it was very good. I have enjoyed the last 4 nights and I really got a lot out of the sermons. I have to say though that I am glad to be able to stay home tonight. It is cold outside and it has been dark all day. I am glad I don't have to rush around and get the kids ready. We can just leisurely eat supper and stay inside where it is warm.

The other day, Dh, the girls, and I were at the store. The oldest Dd was talking to her Daddy about something~he was correcting something she had said. All of a sudden, she blurts out, "I hate the rightness of grown ups." Her Daddy was quite surprised. It was hard not to laugh. I wondered where she came up with that.

Well, I had gotten the book on tape "Ramona the Pest" and that is where that quote came from. We were listening to it in her room and there it was. I started laughing because it could have very well been an original quote from my Dd and if I hadn't heard it on the tape I might have forever thought it was an original.

I can see myself 20 years from now saying " Darling, do you remember 20 years ago when we were in the store and Dd said that witty,witty thing?" And my Dh saying, "Oh yes, dear! She was so witty to say that at just the right time."(In my head these quotes are in a British accent for some reason!!) And it all being a lie because she got it out of a book.

She didn't come up with the witty saying~~Although, she did say it at just the right time in the conversation~~so, she really is witty!!! What can I say? She is such a witty girl!!!! Can you tell I like to type witty? LOL

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Summer Plans And Other Drivel..........

The son found out that his summer camp that he absolutely can't miss is the week after we get back from Disney AND his music camp is the week after that. SO~~~ let's put this in perspective~we will be gone for something like 12 days to Disney then the day we get back he has to pack for camp. Then~~ he comes home on Saturday and gets packed for music camp on Monday. That is almost a month of traveling for this kid!!! That is a lot of running.

The stress for me is getting school done before Disney because let's face it we are NOT going to want to go back to hitting the books after that trip. Besides, from the looks of things the son is not going to have time to do anything after May 24th.

On a much more selfish note~ it is exactly 3 weeks til the BIG VALENTINE GET AWAY!!!!!!!!! Can you tell that I am EXCITED?????? I just can't wait to have my honey all to myself for 3 WHOLE DAYS!!! And when I say whole days, I mean 3 whole days. We are leaving as soon as Dh gets home from work on that Thursday morning at 7 am and I am hoping not to return til LATE Saturday night!

We are going to use the gift card that the son gave us for Christmas to eat out on. We are going to shop for the bedroom decorating project. BUT, most importantly, we are going to sleep late and do WHATEVER we want!!!

You know, couples need time alone together to stay a couple. I can't remember the last time we had a WHOLE 3 DAYS to ourselves and that is bad. We are long overdue for a weekend getaway.

Tonight is the last night of revival and it has been so good. The Pastor that is preaching is awesome. This is the first time that I have heard him speak and I will be visiting his church website and listening to his sermons. He has been preaching "where we live" ( to steal a phrase from our pastor). Meaning, his messages are pertinent to what we go through on a daily basis. I am glad I made a commitment to go every service.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

More pictures


This is my very handsome, very responsible son who hates to have his picture taken. Blackmail goes a long way with teenagers!! LOL



My oldest daughter is showing off our very first gingerbread house. Daddy helped them make it and they had a good time. The youngest wanted to eat all the candy that they were using to decorate it! LOL

Some Random Thoughts




























Here are my two girls playing dress up! The girls love to dress up in all kinds of stuff we keep in a storage thing under their bed. They love our cat, Miss Kitty. Original name, isn't it? It took us weeks to come up with that! We could not come up with anything we could agree on so finally Miss Kitty just stuck.

On to Deeper Stuff:

Our church that we go to on Wednesday nights and Sunday nights is getting ready for revival. Let me explain. The church Dh preaches at only meets on Sunday morning and we have to drive 50 miles one way to get there. So, the kids and I go to our other church for the other services. Any way, we are starting revival on Sunday and although I will miss Sunday morning I am planning to go to all the others.

Last night we did some preparation for revival, like praying for ourselves and others. The pastor quoted a person (you'll have to forgive me I don't remember the person's name!) he said"When Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future." I like that quote! Also, I was reading a chapter of the Beth Moore book "When Godly People Do Ungodly Things" and she said"Satan wants to make the clean feel unclean in hopes that they will act unclean." Now that is pretty powerful stuff if you ask me.

I struggle a lot with things that I have done in the past and Satan uses them to try and bring me down. Sometimes he succeeds because I listen to his lies. I am trying hard in 2007 not to be controlled by things in the past but look to my Father and the future. I have always been one to let guilt tear at me and make me feel less of the person I am. I am tired of that!!!! I want to live up to my potential and not be hindered by guilt and Satan's lies. I want to live in the freedom that Christ died to give me. I want to live with the peace and joy that only He provides. I believe that is God's desire for me. I want to be concerned with the way God feels about me not what other people think I should do, be, say, etc. I weigh what other people think against what I know God wants me to do and sometimes people's reactions to what I do make me question what I feel God wants me to do. Anyway, I am praying that in this weakness of mine God's strength will be magnified.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Is it okay to brag?

I saw my 15 year olds' boss today and she was so full of compliments for him. She said that he is very responsible for his age and that she has 18 yr olds that are not as responsible as he is. She also said that when he is there she knows that the customers are being taken care of and that the list of chores get done. He is a good kid with only a little of the teenager attitude sometimes. He doesn't like to be home schooled but we have asked him to trust us and I think he does. He misses seeing friends everyday and we have dropped the ball on getting him into a co-op or something where he can make some friends. That is on the top of my to do list.


We have 4 weeks, one day before the big romantic getaway!!! We are still looking at places to stay but we have narrowed it down and so I told Dh to surprise me. I just want to go out of town with my hubby so don't bother me with the details.

The girls haven't felt good today. The oldest Dd ate breakfast climbed up on the love seat and went right back to sleep for about an hour. That is so not like her at all. Dh has classes 5 days a week this semester and it wouldn't be so bad but he has to dress up every time he goes to class. Can't go to class with t-shirt and jeans on, his usual attire. AHH, the sacrifices of a soon to be pastor! LOL! He is pretty much a pastor now. The church he preaches at considers him their pastor, even though he is not ordained. He is doing so well. I love to hear what he has been working on all week. He always makes me laugh with something he says. I am so comfortable with him behind the pulpit.

Sunday, January 7, 2007

Pictures and New Sheets


This is my two Dd on Christmas morning. They have on their new Christmas pajamas and they are having a great time with all the stuff Santa brought them. Granny and Pawpaw got youngest the Lincoln Logs.


I asked for new sheets for Christmas and I got them. They are brick red or burgundy whichever you prefer. They do not match my bedroom decor at all. So, why would I ask for a new set of sheets that don't match my bedroom? Because I want to change my bedroom decor and these sheets are my jump start. I love new sheets and I am not going to allow myself to use them until I paint and start redecorating. We are wanting to change to something that reflects things that we have enjoyed as a couple. We have picked a theme that will be something we both enjoy. I am excited to start.

Friday, January 5, 2007

The Skating Adventure

I took the girls to our community center to skate this afternoon. They haven't skated in a while and I figured this would be a fun thing for us to do together. I got their skates on them and right away they couldn't even stand up. Plan #2 I put the plastic beginner skates on them and they were off and skating~~~until~~~the first fall for both of them and then they were done. Dd said she didn't like falling on her behind and she didn't think she wanted to keep doing it. I believe we will be going back to get in some practice.

We got Miami Vice Season 1 & 2 from the library this week so I am off to go watch with my Dh. Don't you just love these old TV shows on DVD. We do!! Dh got The A-Team for Christmas and it took us back quite a few years ago.

Oh! One more thing, Trev's snake got loose last night and we have looked this house over for it. It was a king snake and it was about 15 inches long. If you see it you can keep it, just let us know you found it so we can stop looking!!! YYYUUUCCCKKK!!!!!!

Thursday, January 4, 2007

Okay~~~so

Okay~~ so we are maybe changing our family vacation to May instead of August because we think it might work out better AND we are excited to go!! The only thing is we have got to save money like mad people on a mission! Which is not a bad thing but we are not famous for having a great saving capability! We are determined to go so that is the motivation!!!


On to a different topic~My Dh and I have been out of school for 15 years and we haven't had a reunion yet. I got an e-mail from my friend Becky, she graduated with us, that said they might be planning an informal reunion. I have been reflecting on this reunion thing since I read the e-mail and I have come up with two things I think about a reunion. 1- I am not the least bit curious to know what people I graduated with are doing except maybe a couple of girls my husband had a crush on, LOL! 2-The two people that I love the most that we graduated with are two of our bestest friends in the whole world so we don't need a reunion to see them. Correct me if I am wrong but aren't reunions just for finding out who married who and got a divorce, who got fatter after high school ( I would fit in that category!!), who has kids, who is the most successful, who has gotten bald, who is the overachiever, who died, who is gay, etc-etc-etc. No thank you, no thank you, no thank you!!! My Dh says he would go if they had awards like in high school. LOL! I just can't see driving 12 hours back home to see people that really don't interest me in the least. Unless, it coincided with an already planned trip home. HHMMM~that might not be so bad. Now if they serve steak and shrimp cocktail I am there!!

Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Mall Walkers

My Dh and I are mall walkers. Yes, I know, we are not the average age of walkers! In fact, the average age is twice our age. So what!! We like it!! As soon as Dh gets off from work, 7am, we head over there. It is a half a mile around and we go around three times. We get to be together and talk uninterrupted for at least an hour!! AND we exercise without guilt!! Can't complain about that at all!! We are trying to get some weight off and have a bit of couple time in the process.


We have been researching places to stay in Gaitlinburg and I think we have narrowed it down to a couple of places. Reading reviews online takes a lot of time!!

Exactly 5 weeks and counting!!!! Can't wait! Can't wait! Can't wait!

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

Some of Our Goals

These are some of our family goals for 2007:

* DH and I are going on a romantic getaway in February!!!
* We are going on a family vacation to Disney World in August
WOO HOOO!
We're goin' ta Di-ney World! We're goin' ta Di-ney World!!!
* We are going to enjoy school more!!
* We are going to be more organized!!

We are a work in progress, people!! Rome wasn't built in a day, ya know!! We are trying to be more Christ like and less our old, natural selves. Trying here, just plugging along and trying not to fall! That is us this beginning of 2007.

I have started a new book study: Twelve Extraordinary Women and I am just inching through the first chapter and reading as much as I can absorb in 30 to 40 minutes. Again, work in progress!

Monday, January 1, 2007

New Year's Day

There are so many things I could look back on and lament. I am a person who analyzes things way too much! Did I say the right thing? Do the right thing? Was I the ______ to the person who needed me? I am ready for this year to look different. I can't be all to everyone and I need to reflect on what I can be and not what I can't be!


Enough philosophy!!! We went to O'Charley's for lunch today and as much as I like eating out I knew it would not be a great earth shattering experience! Why? Because I have 2 girls who eat like birds, a hubby with a stomach ache, and a teenage son whose eyes are too big for his stomach. Well, I was right! We spent $45 on a meal that we could have made at home and been much happier! Geesh!!


Hubby and I went through our junk drawers today and reorganized them. I like finding extra space for stuff!! It's like finding something we didn't know we had.


As the holiday season comes to a close and all the hub bub has died down, I am thankful for what I have and that God knows what I need and what I don't. I know that I am loved especially by the one that matters most! When things get rough in 2007, my prayer is that I will climb up in the lap of the One that knows ever single solitary thing about me and loves me anyway. What I am and what I will become is known by the Father who made me!

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!