Post holiday, part 2

I hope all of you had a wonderful, wonder-filled Christmas. Santa came early for us - he does that for public servants when necessary. Waddaguy!

Now, on to New Year's - anyone have resolutions? Anything anyone would like to see in '08?

Moving into high mode on the retreat, too. Herding cats, in my opinion - *sheesh* - lol!

Just wanted y'all to know I AM still here - just not often...miss you!

Brand new...

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Ryan (my Rybee), original birthdate 07/05; re-birthdate 12/02.



Dad, doing the honors...


Getting some hugs from the dudes...


New in Christ, but still goofy and lovable.

Post-holiday...

I hope you all had a terrific, restful Thanksgiving! We certainly did - well, maybe not restful necessarily, but...

I think Allen and I rediscovered how much fun the other can be. We spent a LOT of time together this weekend: picking out paint colors, applying said paint, cleaning house, law-breaking *ahem*, watching TV - just hangin' out. It was really fun, and something I think we needed.

Now, on to Christmas - and yes, I'm using the C-word! Less than thirty days, people!! I'm looking forward to this weekend's slumbie/decorating session at the church. I really hope we have enough decorations donated to do what I am envisioning...we'll see!

Off to do homework...!

Mojo risin' (not)

I've lost my mojos, I think. I've lost my stitching mojo, my blogging mojo, my music mojo - you name it and I can't seem to find it. Even my *gasp* Christmas mojo - can you imagine?!

I feel okay. I'm excited about the things I AM doing, but the things I mentioned - meh. Maybe I'm just tired today. I dunno...

Tyler is going to go out for the wrestling team. I think it will be really good for him. I don't know why, but I feel very comfortable with this. Guess I'll just go with it! LoL!

Okay - wrists hurting, so I better go...

Have a great week and a wonderful Thanksgiving, Blogville!

Catching up

So, yeah, Thanksgiving is one week away. Can you believe it?! And tomorrow, (Friday) the holiday-which-must-not-yet-be-named will be here in less time than Noah didn't have to water his lawn! (So to speak...)

My supervisor has asked me to mentor/train the new person that will be coming to work with me. Great news! I'm very happy that she has seen something in me that she feels is good enough to train someone else. However, that means my current partner on my floor and former mentor/trainer is moving to another floor. Yeah, NOT so great news! So, I'm trying really hard not to be a pain about being excited, and respecting the fact that she doesn't want to move. I know she's bitter (inside, anyway) and not happy by any stretch of the imagination. But like someone told me today, I can't own her problems.

Soooo...I guess I won't! Lol!

Duh...

Wow - I guess if I actually blogged more often, I would have noticed that my most recent post echoed very closely the one immediately prior - either that or I'm REALLY REALLY boring...

What?

In response to some of the comments left on my previous entry, specifically Maud's, I have to admit (59 days) that I'm not sure to what you are referring. Christmas (59 days people!) is a long way off, and far be it from me (cards ready?) to harp on any sort of subject - especially (lists made!) on that tends to make people unhappy - time after time after time (gifts? check!) until people are ready to kill me! I mean, come on - I'm not a glutton (menu planned) for punishment here! I've learned my lesson in years past! I'm not going to mention ANYTHING about (cookies!!!) the holiday that's coming up! Nuh-uh! Nosirree! Not me!!!

Lol - actually, I've been trying to get things together for the sisterchick lock-in at the end of November - we'll be decorating the church building, so I've been coming up with ideas for that rather than doing anything for the house.

Beyond that, I'm heavily into planning next year's retreat - yay!!! We're making some changes, and I'm really excited about it! Nearly everything is done, and I've still got about four months. (Can you say "over-tweaking"? Lol!)

In work news, I've been given all KINDS of new responsibilities, so either I've really impressed someone, or I've messed up in reverse! But, actually, I'm really enjoying the new things, so that's good!

Have a terrific day, Blogville!

Testing...1...2...3...

Yes, I'm still around. I was just sitting here, playing me some Bingo Luau on Pogo (hit 1 million tokens tonight - woot!) and was listening to my iPod play list when a song by Michael Card came on. Took me back to about 13 years ago...(cue flashback sequence)

...to when Tyler was just a little thing and as a gift, someone made us a tape of Michael Card music, along with some other lullaby-esque tunes. We played that tape EVERY. NIGHT. Sometimes, more than once! Then, we played it for Ryan when he came along. I still have it somewhere around here. I'll always remember rocking each one of them in the dark, listening to that tape. *sniff*

Moving on...so yeah, my job is still going like gangbusters! I'm so thankful I am where I am! Just last week, I was accorded some extra 'sponsibilities, so I must be doing something right, right?

(Wow - it just hit me how pitiful that fact that I'm excited about a million tokens (which, by the way, I'll NEVER use for anything) is, and how much wasted time over the last seven years those tokens represent! Ack!)

Anyway, in other news, I've started (and nearly completed) next year's women's retreat! We're changing some things (a lot of things, actually!) and I'm really getting excited about it! Almost everything is done, like I said, but I still have about four months to go. Great. How much planning is too much??? I also started working on some things a little closer timewise.

As far as my last post goes, the throat is feeling MUCH better, and I even sang with the praise team yesterday. But the weird thing was that I had NO confidence in singing at all. I felt like I couldn't hit a note with a rock. Weird...guess it's a good thing I didn't have a solo, huh?

Just wanted to let people know I'm still around, and have let up on the pressure to post things deep and meaningful all the time (obviously, eh?) Lol!

Have a great week, Blogville! Blugs!

Shhhh!

I am getting over the start-of-school cold that my beloved sons thoughfully brought home. I'm pretty much well, with the occasional minor cough, but I've had a real scare with my throat. For a number of days, it felt like I had some sort of lesion in my throat. It hurt to talk, it hurt to whisper, it hurt to breathe! So, for those few days, I was very quiet - whispering only when necessary - and taking pain medication, etc. to try to recover as soon as possible. Then it started to hurt less to talk. Still cautious, I took another couple of 'quiet' days, just to be sure.

Feeling pretty good, I took the next step - I tried to sing a little something in the car on the way home from work - BAD. IDEA. The pain was excruciating! I was really afraid that I wouldn't be able to sing for a very long time - or even ever again! You must understand that singing is what I do. I can't teach or preach, I'm not very good with socializing - the only thing I do in front of people pretty much is sing. (And to be honest, there are plenty of times when THAT doesn't go to well!)

Singing is how I praise. It's how I feel close to Him. It's my way into the throne room. If I can't sing, how will I get there? I was in crisis mode.

I finally decided just to be quiet for a little longer and listen. I still managed to sneak into the throne room - just not as loudly. Today at church, I just listened to everyone else around me singing. I was just quiet. And I was okay with that.

15 + 1

Well, we had our traditional anniversary meal last night, and it was very nice - the kids were wonderfully behaved and intent upon serving us, the dog was brought us each our slippers, the coolers were frosty cold and tasty...riiiiiight...

Just kidding! Actually, we're both coming down with the annual start-of-school cold/flu thing that our beloved children have brought home along with homework. Blech.

I finally woke up last night around 11:30 to find Allen snoozing at the other end of the couch - you're jealous, I know.

Anyway, we're both looking forward to maybe heading out for a real anniversary dinner this weekend - just the two of us. I can't wait! Especially since we're hosting Ryan's sleepover Friday night. Pray for us...?

I still do...

1 true love

2 boys

3 dogs

4 different jobs for me/addresses for us

5 members in our current family unit

6 different cars

7 years ago - a new millenium! Does that mean our love is for the ages?

8 years ago we partied like it was - oh, wait, it WAS!

9 years ago was our first house-buying adventure - ack!

10 trillion times per day I think of you

11 years of being a family of four

12 months seem to go by too fast and at the same time too slow

13 years of anniversary fried chicken dinners (so we missed a couple of years...)

14 million versions of barbecue sauce and/or rub - HA! Finally got it, though!

15 years of loving you and thanking God every day for bringing us together

Happy anniversary, sweetheart! I love you!

Just get over it already!

No, this isn't going to be some sort of political entry, or even about Britney's belly.

My feelings were hurt this weekend, completely unintentionally, but I REALLY struggled to deal with it. It affected my attitude Saturday, it affected my worship on Sunday, it made me grumpy and resentful and altogether unpleasant to be around.

Someone mentioned offhandedly that a bunch of friends were getting together Saturday evening, and wondered if I'd be there. Well, that would be no, because this was the first I'd heard about it.

"Oh. Well, your name was mentioned."

Niiiiiice.

So my attitude was crap.

I really, truly, tried to look on the brighter side - to be encouraged that some of the women were getting together in fellowship and fun (one of my goals for the women at church), and I knew that if I prayed for their evening, my attitude would improve. So I tried to pray.

Yeah. That didn't go so well.

I was pretty far down into my own little pity party to do much prayer-warrior-ing (?) but, I did get over it. Thanks in large part to a well-timed pants-kicking by my beloved hubby.

Then Monday happens along and all my insecurities that nobody likes me were brought to the fore once again, due to some perceived (on my part) anger or SOMEthing with a co-worker. I hated how I felt. I hated that it was happening again. I hated that I had let satan get to me.

I gave myself a mental shake and reached out to the co-worker, who by the way, was FINE - no anger AT. ALL.

Satan is such a nerd!

Blessed

Today I was talking to a friend at work. He wanted to show me the pictures his wife has been taking and posting online. They really were great. But moreso than the pictures, I was taken by the pride and love so evident in what he said and how he said things.

I then thought about Allen, and how he talks about me when I'm not around. I know he loves me, and he always builds me up. I am blessed.

Then it hit me: that's how Jesus talks about me. He's proud of me when I do well, he grieves when I've disappointed him. The love is evident whenever he speaks of me. Thinking about me makes him smile. He knows everything, but forgets the bad and loves the good.

I really am blessed.

13

Thirteen years old. I'm having such a hard time with that. I can't believe my elder son is now a teenager. He's embarking on such an exciting journey through life - everything is ahead of him.

For his thirteenth birthday, we gave him journey-themed gifts. His own Bible, to show him which way he should go on his journey. A cross necklace, to remind him that he's so special that Someone died just for him. A watch to remind him that it's never too late to change. And a video game, to remind him to have fun on the way.

...and I didn't even cry...

Tuesday

Yeah, I probably should post something here, but today, I'm worn out. I'm just plain tired. Of just about everything. Sorry. Maybe I'll write something inspirational or enightening tomorrow...

On being like a teenager...

Actually, I snagged this from another blog I read, and you're only supposed to use one word answers - close enough to being a teen, I guess...

1. Where is your cellphone? Cellphone?
2. Relationship? Married
3. Your hair? Unruly
4. Work? Happy
5. Your sister? None
6. Your favorite thing? Singing
7. Your dream last night? Unremembered
8. Your favorite drink? Soda
9. Your dream car? Paid
10. The room you're in? Office
11. Your shoes? Indoors?!?
12. Your biggest fear? Failure
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? Better
14. Who did you hang out with this weekend? Friends
15. What are you not good at? Cooking
16. Muffin? Please
17. One of your wish list items? House
18. Where you grew up? Illinois
19. Last thing you did? Logon
20. What are you wearing? Pardon?
21. What aren't you wearing? Shoes
22. Your pet? Spoiled
23. Your computer? PC
24. Your life? Busy
25. Your mood? Okay
26. Missing? Hubby
27. What are you thinking about right now? Answers
28. Your car? Untidy
29. Your kitchen? Tidier
30. Your summer? HOT!
31. Your favorite color? Blue
32. Last time you laughed? Today
33. Last time you cried? Yesterday
34. School? Shopping
35. Love? Family

Your turn...

It's Here!

Today's the day! The big 0-3! I can hardly believe it! This blog is finally, officially, past the terrible two's! Whodathunkit? Blogville, I just want to thank you for letting me pitch my tent here for as long as you have, and for putting up with me - you guys ROCK!

And...I'm not REALLY hinting about a gift or anything, but my understanding is that leather is the traditional 3rd anniversary gift...



...What? It has leather...


I'm just sayin'...

Categories

Human.
Female.
Daughter.
Wife.
Mother.
Friend.
Sister in Christ.
Clerical.
Soprano.
Left-brained.
Right-handed.

All these categories and others that are supposed to define who I am and what I do and how I do them.

Yesterday, I found a link to an interesting website on another blog. The blogger has an interest in entomology and has a link to a site that will identify insects via pictures and descriptions. And every one of those identifications starts by categorizing the critter. It lists habits, and enemies, and just about anything else you'd like to know. Almost any animal website will do the same thing. Zoos worldwide are also on board that particular bandwagon.

But I've also been observing the local wildlife, as it were. And you know what? Herons don't care. Neither do lightning bugs. Or dogs. Or crabs. Or even flowers. They simply do not care what we, in our quest to pigeonhole our world, have decided that they do or do not do, or what their scientific name is, or what genus they are. They do what they were made to do. Every single one of them. They sing, or glow, or bark, or pinch, or bloom (or not) - whatever - just because it's what they are supposed to do. It's how the Creator made them. It's how they give Him their praise - by doing what He has told them to do.

He has told them to be themselves, and in doing that they honor Him.

Why can't I just do what I've been told to do by my Creator? Why can't I praise Him by being how He made me?

Georgia on my mind

As you may have read in DH's blog, we're going on vacation! Whoot! We are so excited! Our first ever official vacation - and it's to the mountains and the ocean - scree! Not really too much more to say that he hasn't, so...see you on the flip side, I guess - oh, and prayers are ALWAYS appreciated! (After all, we're spending a week in the same hotel room as our children...LOL!)

Recap

A message for my Boo...






Happy Birthday, Allen! Love you!!!!