Blogging Break

So I guess I have been taking an unintentional blogging break...I really didn't mean to, it just kinda took a place on the back burner. Things in our lives have been sooooooo busy for about the last month. We have been having some vehicle trouble. A couple of weeks ago my SUV broke down and left me stuck on the side of the road, that same day Michael started having trouble with the battery on his car and the truck is not a good back up vehicle because it needs a new transmission and hasn't been able to go over 35 mph for a long time. So needless to say it was a huge blessing to get my SUV back on the road...the part only cost $400 to fix not including labor...Michael was able to fix it himself. Thank you God for a handy hubby. I still think it is almost time to retire the SUV now every time I touch the breaks the left blinker blinks and the right one comes on solid...I look like a goof ball who is trying to turn left everytime I stop at a stop light. Pray for us, we are actually looking at a new car, pray that God will open up the doors for us to be able to get it! This weeks has also been a crazy one, Michael got the SUV back on the road just in time to make an emergency trip to North West Arkansas to go to a funeral. On friday Michale Grandpa D passed away and the funeral was Monday. Pop was a good man and he had a beautiful service. Michael was honored to be a pole bearer in Pop's service and it meant a lot to him to be there for his Grandma. It was nice to see her and she talked a lot more than usual. I pray that God is giving her peace as she adjusts to being by herself once again.
This week we are preparing for church camp, and it has been a VERY STRESSFUL preparation time. We are just so busy and had a short week to get ready. Things finally seem to be coming together, but I am still a little stressed. It has been a full week of the kids cancling going to camp and me having to scramble to find someone to fill in their non-refundable spots. I just don't get it though, really, who doesn't want to go to church camp?????? Its amazing to me how that has all unfolded. Next year I think I will have to be a little less flexible. All of that aside almost all of the laundry is finished and our clothes are packed for the trip. Even our snacks are all ready to go. I am very excited about the trip, please keep our teenagers in your prayers as we travel three hours away to have a close encounter with God. Pray that they don't kill each other and that they come away with a fresh sense of our savior and the sacrifice he has made for them.
I guess that is really all I have to say for tonight, maybe once we actually get to camp I will get a chance to slow down a little and get some rest.

A true testament of the times......

okay....so in case everyone doesn't know this already, let me fill you in! A rather large storm blew through here on Friday and knocked down just about every power pole in the area...so we have been without power since about 2:30 Friday afternoon...I have to admit that I am so spoiled and don't know what to do without power. Every where I have gone over the last two and a half days I have taken my computer and cell phone chargers so I can keep all my electronics charged because heaven help me if I have to do without facebook for a few days!!! Aint that just a true testament of the time!!!!! Actually Friday afternoon I came home to no power and ran down the battery of my lap top. We went out to dinner Friday night with Paul and Kay and slept with all the windows open in the house until Michael started getting wet from the rain outside. The first night wasn't so bad. Then yesterday Michael had to do some work at the church so while we were there I borrowed their electricity and hot water to wash my face. Then Michael asked if we could borrow his dad's bosses generator, and THANK GOD they said yes. I have to admit Bill's generator is capable of powering our entire house...of course since we can't really afford to use that much gas we're just running the basics...like the laptop lol. JK....just the air fridge and hot water heater is all. Last night Carrie fed us and then today we had potluck at church. Tonight Tammy fed us some really yummy enchalads and we had a nice visit!!! I love having friends to help me out having good friends has really saved us from a potentially very expensive weekend! Plus we managed to save all the groceries in fridge/freezer! Thanks everyone!!!

Volley Ball

Last night was so much fun! Michael and I arrived at church about an hour early and set up some of the sport equipment for the kids. We are disparately in need of a Volley Ball net ya'll so here we are set up with two poles and an imaginary net playing volley ball! We had so much fun, Michael, recognizing our patheticness, tied two ropes up so we could at least know if it "went over the net" lol my honey is so ingenuitive. (if you know anyone looking to get rid of a volley ball net, let me know) Anway, we had so much fun "playing" volley ball. Really we were just being goofy, seeing who could hit it the hardest and kick it the highest and waving our hands around like idiots trying not to get hit in the face by the ball. At one point some of the little kids joined us. At the end of the night just about all of the kids were out there playing. Even the little kids were playing and the youth were holding them up so they could hit the ball over the "net". It was such a blessing to watch.
Speaking of which I love it when a plan comes together. Sunday night was rocky, I was planning on doing a bible study about "making wise choices" and how that almost always involves "getting out of your comfort zone" I always try to start the study time with a game to get everyone loosened up and ready to talk. Unfortunatly it took them a long time to pick up on the game and we only had 20 min left for the lesson time...to be continued. So Wednesday night I asked if they remembered what we started talking about and one of them says "being in the world and not of it" I was soooo proud! We had such a good lesson about how we need to be aware of what goes on in the world so that we are not taken by suprise and how making wise choices means looking to god for the answer and how sometimes his answer means getting out of our comfort zone. All that packed into about 30 minutes! I have to say I absolutly love those kids and love seeing them make so much progress from week to week!!

Dreaming

Okay so I know its been a while since I have posted a blog, but the truth is I have been busy...and my new job, that I actually kinda like keeps me at the computer all day and I don't have as much desire to mess with it at night. So anyway, a lot is going on. About 2 weeks and a half ago I noticed that my left pinky finger and ring finger were numb. I let it go for about a week until I totally realized that I was having trouble opening jars and doors because of this strange sensation and that my arm feels like it weighs about a thousand pounds, so I finally went to the doc. She poked and prodded and told me that I have Ulnar nerve damage, caused by sleeping on my hands most likely and that I need to go to a nerve specialist and possibly a OT/PT. So Thursday next week I get to go to the specialist and let him zap me. Meanwhile, any activity that involves a lot of movement with my left hand makes my arm feel like it weighs a thousand pounds!
Today however I am dreaming of something very nice.


Next year, the year that we hit the big 5 I want to go on a cruise. Marian, my Mary Kay sales director challenged us to set a goal. She also challenged us to set a goal that has an end, so my goal for next year is to go on a cruise. Today I am dreaming of that cruise! I have this dream that we will be able to fly into Los Angeles, rent a car and drive up the coast, visit some friends for a day or so and then drive to port and go on our cruise! Isn't that such a fun thing to dream about??? My family has been talking about taking a cruise together forever, I'm making a goal to make that a reality this time next year. I know what you are thinking, you don't want to take family on an anniversary trip, but I have heard that there is so much to do on the ship that you may not see anyone you know for hours! I can't wait!!

EEEK...I can't move lol!!!

Okay, so my last post was about how very motivated that I am feeling. I am still feeling pretty motivated. On Wednesday I had a good day off. I kept my diet all day, and I even got to hang out with Carried and to the...duh duh duuuuh....SHRED. The shred theoretically isn't that hard, but in reality, it's pretty exhausting, but well worth it. In Carrie's blog she said that she heard tell that someone who did it needed help getting off the toilet, well I believe it.

Let me just tell you that after doing the exercise I thought I was tough, but I wasn't...later that day my thighs were killing me. Then the next day my abs were so sore, and I had a cough, and everytime I would have a coughing fit...lets just say...SORE. On the other hand...that soreness made me feel accomplished. So what did I do you ask?? I went to Hastings and bought my own copy so that Carrie doesn't have to watch me make a fool of myself doing the exercises. Thanks Carrie for introducing me to.... duh duh duuuhhh...the shred! I just finished doing it for the second time and am feeling a little shaky.

I also bought another video to try so that I can work on my moves lol and keep my interest. The other movie is a dance movie.
Before I did the Shred I did about half of one of these routines and realized something very important...I CAN'T DANCE. So I am just going to keep trying to learn the moves!! So now that I am finished with my workouts for the day I am off to make some supper for my hubby. Thanks Carrie for helping me to stay motivated!

Today is a good day!!

Today has been a VERY good day. I just thought that I would share. Today was the day I decided I was going to make myself be good to myself. I woke up early and got ready for work. I started my day out very prepared! I was prepared to eat healthy all day, and I took a pair of socks and tennis shoes so that I could go for a walk after work. I even remembered my headphones, I never thought I would say this, but Thank god for whoever it is that created the iPod. So after work I went over to Don Owens sports complex and walked the track for 40 minutes and listened to some music while reflecting on the amazing life God has given me. I love worship music, it helps me to keep my life in perspective! It felt so good to do something good for me. While I was walking I realized that I hadn't really heard from Michael all day, so I kept trying to call but he didn't answer. Also while I was walking I decided what I was going to make for supper. I made a quick run to Kroger for a tomato and some fat free sour cream and then headed home to fix supper for the hubby. Before I made it home Michale called to tell me that there was a mail box full of goodies! Wanna know what came in???? Drum roll please.....

I was so excited! It's official, I am an educated woman, and genuine college graduate, and I have that stupid piece of paper to prove it!!! I know...it's silly, but I am so proud of it! Can't wait to find it a permanent home. I also got a graduation card from June! Thanks June, I was just kidding when I teased you about sending me one! It was a beautiful card and I loved it!

I'm so excited about the wonderful day I have had and am praying that tomorrow will be just as joyful!

Day 4 and 5 of feelin feminine and more

So...I did wear a dress yesterday, it was even a really cute one...however I was so disheveled by the time I got home last night that the picture I took looked terrible...so I am not going to share. It was a cute black dress with turquoise polka dots. It has a collar and cap sleeve and a belt. I bought it at Lane Bryant last year for a funeral. I feel classic when I wear it and it makes me feel good! Today....was dress down Friday. ....so......I wore jeans...I admit it...I totally wore jeans. Please forgive me ladies, I love to wear dresses, but I just don't find them comfy...so I took advantage of dress down Friday.


Okay, so moving on, today I finally went back to a normal people schedule it went by very fast, but got off to a rough start. However, I told myself that just because it started out rough that it didn't have to stay rough, things really brightened up later in the day and I really did actually enjoy work today. I have been trying really hard to talk myself into getting back into the swing of things with my diet when my schedule went to normal, so today when Michael spend our life savings...I mean went to the grocery store I tried to buy some healthier food. We are going to try Carrie's chile burgers and I got some Ronzoni noodles. Yoplait light is always on my favorite diet foods, it's the only diet yogurt that tastes real! We also got some fresh veggies to make skewers out of and we also got some stuff to grill, cuz I loves me some grilled meat. So next week I am going to make it my goal to try to eat healthy next week and to walk at least three days out of the week. I have some work to do to catch up to Carrie who has already lost almost 10lbs. Way to go Carrie! I hope that I can reach the kind of dedication she has.