It has been ONE WILD RIDE this weekend. Whew! Hard to catch my breath, but I wouldn't change one thing!
Our youth conference was Thursday through Sunday. Bro. Frazier, Bro. Lambeth and Bro. Boyd preached their hearts out! So meaningful, on point, and EXACTLY what I needed to hear! I must confess that for me the conference may have began the Sunday before when Bro. Schwing preached for us. Everything has been about keeping your heart clean, not letting the things of the world get in the way, stepping up to what God wants us to be &/or do. I'm certain it's nothing we've never heard before, but it was SOOO good to hear it again, and in a new and fresh perspective.
It did my heart good to see so many of our youth get such a blessing during each service. The choir and all of our groups sang so beautifully to His glory! There is no talent greater than that which is annointed by God!
The food and fellowship afterwards was enjoyable and entertaining. Links and boudain one night and hamburgers the next. Most people went to Cheddars Saturday after service. The skits on Saturday night were hilarious - thanks to all who worked so hard to make us laugh! New friendships were formed and who knows where these last few days will take us. Can't wait to see!
We moved Ryan into his first apartment Sunday. I am so very proud of him. He has applied himself to getting his business in order and being responsible enough to deal with it. Oh, there have been, and will continue to be, bumps in the road. That's just a part of life. It rains on the just and the unjust. We were able to help him get all of his furniture set up in an order which allowed him to function and flow. A few "masculine" pictures of deer and the great outdoors "manned" up his space a bit. Thanks to me, Me-Me and Pawpaw Gerard, he has a well stocked pantry, fridge and freezer. He won't go hungry for a while. Should give him some time to get his act together and save a bit of money up. I'll be going back up Saturday to help him get a couple more items to finish out his list (this was my graduation gift to him!) and then I'll have to step back and watch him fly or fall. It's not easy being a parent, but this is the moment we all strive towards. I pray he will remember Who has kept him all along the way and find his way back to His house! After all, THAT is the most important part of learning to be an adult. Learning to take direction from our Creator!
Well, I think that's about it. Oh, I did finally finish painting my room and hope to get the pictures and curtains hung up tonight. I do have a few more things to do to get my house in order, especially with the transfer of furniture around the house to Ryan's new abode! Hopefully this will help me strive towards my goal of LESS CLUTTER!
Last of all, I started another round of the Game On. To date I have lost 18 lbs and maintained. I still have about 30 lbs to go - so wish me luck and less weight! Hahahaha!
K. Bye, now!
Monday, June 11, 2012
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Congratulations, Ryan, Senior 2012
Words cannot express how happy and proud I am at this very moment for my son, Ryan. He is the first graduation class (2012) of Porter High School in Texas! What an accomplishment! His future is bright and I know he will be successful as long as he follows the path God has chosen for him. I pray and wish him all the joy, happiness, success, love and fulfillment life has to offer.
Isn't he the most handsome man? It shocked me a bit to see how much he resembles my Dad! I knew there was a family resemblance, but these photos blow me away! The last pic is Ryan and Kirstyn, his big sis, in her typical silliness!
A big congratulations to the rest of the classes of 2012! May God bless you all in your endeavors!
K. Bye now!
Isn't he the most handsome man? It shocked me a bit to see how much he resembles my Dad! I knew there was a family resemblance, but these photos blow me away! The last pic is Ryan and Kirstyn, his big sis, in her typical silliness!
A big congratulations to the rest of the classes of 2012! May God bless you all in your endeavors!
K. Bye now!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Sharing Smiley360 Mission
Sharing Smiley360 Mission: I just became a Smiley360 member! Sign-up for free at http://bit.ly/lTDqVw Be heard. Be happy. *Please remember the FTC requires you to mention that you received a free sample courtesy of Smiley360 when sharing.
The good, the bad & the ugly
Since I last posted, the pump has been fixed and everything is working in ship-shape order!
I've been quite the busy little bee, cleaning out my laundry room, taking apart and cleaning my washer & dryer so it will function more efficiently, cleaning my NASTY cabinets, purchasing a new microfiber mop and loving it!, and learning to make my own (just as efficient, less expensive, environmentally friendly) housecleaning supplies! I've traded in the dryer sheets and the nasty gunky residue left by liquid softner for 1/2 cup of VINEGAR - works wonderful! Purchased some Krud Kutter concentrate and it works wonders on EVERYTHING! I'm getting ready to make my own laundry soap, just waiting on the essential oils to come in at the health store - I'll let you know how it goes.
I've cleaned off the patio - pressure washed it down and cleaned all the patio furniture. Colby & Gerard put up my LOVELY yard swing. I've been spending many an evening sitting out on the patio next to the fan enjoying the cool of the evening (the fan keeps the ginormous mosquitos away!). I've weeded all the flower beds and layed fresh mulch with Colby's help. Ryan cleaned out my gutters and Colby removed the Christmas lights off the front of my house (yes, I know it's May!).
I've found a new cleaning schedule with the help of Pinterest that breaks down the inside household chores into tiny manageable portions that the girls and I have divided up amongs ourselves. LOVIN' IT!!!!
So, everything seems to be going right along, when...BAM - Malissia gets a 6cm cyst on her left ovary and we have to have surgery ASAP! The doctor said it was dark & cloudy instead of clear and he was worried about #1) possible tumor and #2) possibly losing the entire ovary. Malissia is only 16 and we did not like either of these forcasts. So - I turned to God and asked a few friends to help us pray and guess what??? He answered! The dark cloudy substance was old, clotted blood, and he was able to salvage most of the ovary! WOO-HOO!
Meantime, my A/C went out in my house and they informed me I needed a new unit inside and out - so there goes another $3,500! Boo-Hoo! Well, at least I'll have a new a/c unit with no problems this summer!
I have a few miracles I need to share, too. They are not mine personally, but still.... My friend Daina's dad, Bro. Wright, was electrocuted underneath his house last week when he was changing some wiring. There was mud under the house and he had turned off the power to the wires he was working on, but not all the power to the house. His wrench accidentally touched a random live wire and he was grounded to the mud! He is FINE! The doctors can't explain it - called it luck - but I know what it was! It was God! He is not burned, he has no internal damage or external damage. He checked out completely fine. Oh, and did I tell you that he was home alone when this happened? He remembers being electrocuted, and then he remembers waking up not attached to the wire. Praise the Lord!
Also, 2 men affiliated with our church were burned badly in 2 separate incidents. One was at work teaching a new employee some welding skills and someone had left an oxygen tank nearby and it was leaking up his pants leg. His leg was badly burned, but he was at church last night - less than 2 weeks later - giving God the glory! The other man was at home on a backhoe that had an oil leak and he did not know about it. He was using the backhoe to pile trash and shrubs onto a burn pile when his cabin exploded and caught on fire. He has some bad burns to his face, hands and upper body, but he is alive and expected to fully recover. Again - thank you, Jesus!
Last, but NOT least, Sis. Jan, my friend Jill's mom, had a stroke at church Sunday morning a week ago and another stroke about 3 hours later. She had lost her mobility on her left side and things looked really bad (she already has congestive heart failure). She came home this Saturday and is doing fine - doesn't even need physical therapy. She is on a very special diet and can only have 1/3 tsp of salt per day, and she is still weak and tires easily and has to walk with a cane because her left leg gives out every once in a while, but otherwise she is doing so wonderfully! I can't thank Him enough. I just wonder how there are people out there that think this is all just a bunch of lucky people - that think He is not real, or that miracles don't happen anymore. I can't imagine living one day without having Him to cling to. He is my rock. I'm so thankful to know truth - to have experienced the Holy Ghost for myself and to know it's real. My own personal experience that no man can ever take from me. If you haven't had this experience, I suggest you read Acts 2 and pray for God to give you a revelation of salvation. It's black and white!
"And then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptised, EVERYONE of you, in the name of Jesus Christ (not the titles Father, Son & Holy Ghost) for the remission (washing away, burial) of your sins and ye SHALL receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (evidenced by speaking in other tongues - can't be taught!). For the promise is unto YOU, and to YOUR children, even to as many as the Lord our God shall call!"
K. Bye now!
I've been quite the busy little bee, cleaning out my laundry room, taking apart and cleaning my washer & dryer so it will function more efficiently, cleaning my NASTY cabinets, purchasing a new microfiber mop and loving it!, and learning to make my own (just as efficient, less expensive, environmentally friendly) housecleaning supplies! I've traded in the dryer sheets and the nasty gunky residue left by liquid softner for 1/2 cup of VINEGAR - works wonderful! Purchased some Krud Kutter concentrate and it works wonders on EVERYTHING! I'm getting ready to make my own laundry soap, just waiting on the essential oils to come in at the health store - I'll let you know how it goes.
I've cleaned off the patio - pressure washed it down and cleaned all the patio furniture. Colby & Gerard put up my LOVELY yard swing. I've been spending many an evening sitting out on the patio next to the fan enjoying the cool of the evening (the fan keeps the ginormous mosquitos away!). I've weeded all the flower beds and layed fresh mulch with Colby's help. Ryan cleaned out my gutters and Colby removed the Christmas lights off the front of my house (yes, I know it's May!).
I've found a new cleaning schedule with the help of Pinterest that breaks down the inside household chores into tiny manageable portions that the girls and I have divided up amongs ourselves. LOVIN' IT!!!!
So, everything seems to be going right along, when...BAM - Malissia gets a 6cm cyst on her left ovary and we have to have surgery ASAP! The doctor said it was dark & cloudy instead of clear and he was worried about #1) possible tumor and #2) possibly losing the entire ovary. Malissia is only 16 and we did not like either of these forcasts. So - I turned to God and asked a few friends to help us pray and guess what??? He answered! The dark cloudy substance was old, clotted blood, and he was able to salvage most of the ovary! WOO-HOO!
Meantime, my A/C went out in my house and they informed me I needed a new unit inside and out - so there goes another $3,500! Boo-Hoo! Well, at least I'll have a new a/c unit with no problems this summer!
I have a few miracles I need to share, too. They are not mine personally, but still.... My friend Daina's dad, Bro. Wright, was electrocuted underneath his house last week when he was changing some wiring. There was mud under the house and he had turned off the power to the wires he was working on, but not all the power to the house. His wrench accidentally touched a random live wire and he was grounded to the mud! He is FINE! The doctors can't explain it - called it luck - but I know what it was! It was God! He is not burned, he has no internal damage or external damage. He checked out completely fine. Oh, and did I tell you that he was home alone when this happened? He remembers being electrocuted, and then he remembers waking up not attached to the wire. Praise the Lord!
Also, 2 men affiliated with our church were burned badly in 2 separate incidents. One was at work teaching a new employee some welding skills and someone had left an oxygen tank nearby and it was leaking up his pants leg. His leg was badly burned, but he was at church last night - less than 2 weeks later - giving God the glory! The other man was at home on a backhoe that had an oil leak and he did not know about it. He was using the backhoe to pile trash and shrubs onto a burn pile when his cabin exploded and caught on fire. He has some bad burns to his face, hands and upper body, but he is alive and expected to fully recover. Again - thank you, Jesus!
Last, but NOT least, Sis. Jan, my friend Jill's mom, had a stroke at church Sunday morning a week ago and another stroke about 3 hours later. She had lost her mobility on her left side and things looked really bad (she already has congestive heart failure). She came home this Saturday and is doing fine - doesn't even need physical therapy. She is on a very special diet and can only have 1/3 tsp of salt per day, and she is still weak and tires easily and has to walk with a cane because her left leg gives out every once in a while, but otherwise she is doing so wonderfully! I can't thank Him enough. I just wonder how there are people out there that think this is all just a bunch of lucky people - that think He is not real, or that miracles don't happen anymore. I can't imagine living one day without having Him to cling to. He is my rock. I'm so thankful to know truth - to have experienced the Holy Ghost for myself and to know it's real. My own personal experience that no man can ever take from me. If you haven't had this experience, I suggest you read Acts 2 and pray for God to give you a revelation of salvation. It's black and white!
"And then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptised, EVERYONE of you, in the name of Jesus Christ (not the titles Father, Son & Holy Ghost) for the remission (washing away, burial) of your sins and ye SHALL receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (evidenced by speaking in other tongues - can't be taught!). For the promise is unto YOU, and to YOUR children, even to as many as the Lord our God shall call!"
K. Bye now!
Monday, April 9, 2012
Daily grumbles and thanksgiving
I had a wonderful Easter weekend in spite of the trials this life is throwing at me right now! I spent Friday in Round Top TX with my wonderful friend Daina and some other ladies - Daina had a booth there and we got to shop around and eat some delicious food while we were there! I was able to buy 5 metal containers for flower arrangements for the wedding! While I was there I had a plumber come to my house because the bathrooms have been acting up. It was NOT good news! The pump grinder is out - OUT - and we cannot use ANY water in the house until a new one is installed! Boo-hoo-hoo! So, it is ordered (from Michigan, I believe) and has to be freighted, so it will take several days to get here (and about $3,000!). We are sleeping at my Mom's. Sigh - there's no place like home!
Saturday I went and picked up Ryan and Amanda (already had Mom, Kirstyn & Malissia) and we went to the Galleria so they could ice skate. We stopped off at Garden Ridge Pottery first, where I purchased flowers to go in the metal containers I bought the day before! After skating everyone was hungry (it was LATE) and we ate at the KONA GRILL - delicious!
Sunday was filled with church and Sunday school, then food on the grill! Grandma had to leave church early because her oxygen tank was messed up. I felt bad for her because she truly cherishes the services she gets to attend - they are not many! Her caregiver, Ortensia, has a neice and 2 nephews who asked to come to church - so Michelle & Anthony went and picked them up and brought them to Sunday school. I am thankful for my family, my church family and for those with a burden to care for the needs of others. I hope we may be a light and a witness to Ortensia and her sweet family. Later in the evening Malissia ended up with a fever, but it seems to come and go. Ryan was having problems with his Dad, and it saddens me, but they are working things out and all will be right in a few days, I'm sure! I'm praying to a VERY BIG God who hears and ANSWERS our prayers!
Love you all! Thanks for putting up with my grumblings!
K. Bye now!
Saturday I went and picked up Ryan and Amanda (already had Mom, Kirstyn & Malissia) and we went to the Galleria so they could ice skate. We stopped off at Garden Ridge Pottery first, where I purchased flowers to go in the metal containers I bought the day before! After skating everyone was hungry (it was LATE) and we ate at the KONA GRILL - delicious!
Sunday was filled with church and Sunday school, then food on the grill! Grandma had to leave church early because her oxygen tank was messed up. I felt bad for her because she truly cherishes the services she gets to attend - they are not many! Her caregiver, Ortensia, has a neice and 2 nephews who asked to come to church - so Michelle & Anthony went and picked them up and brought them to Sunday school. I am thankful for my family, my church family and for those with a burden to care for the needs of others. I hope we may be a light and a witness to Ortensia and her sweet family. Later in the evening Malissia ended up with a fever, but it seems to come and go. Ryan was having problems with his Dad, and it saddens me, but they are working things out and all will be right in a few days, I'm sure! I'm praying to a VERY BIG God who hears and ANSWERS our prayers!
Love you all! Thanks for putting up with my grumblings!
K. Bye now!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
The bouquet
Since Kirstyn already posted this on her FB, I don't have any problems posting pics of her pretty bridal bouquet here...so without further ado...
So - what do you think? Pretty, no? It's exactly what Kirstyn wanted! We went Saturday and picked out all the flowers. She wanted silk flowers that represented real wild flowers. No purple petunia's or anything unnatural. She also wanted some burlap, hence the burlap flowers. She wanted it to be airy and natural, like she went to a field and picked the flowers that day. Her only other request was for a "cascade" style bouquet. She is using all colors in her wedding, but wanted to really pull out the yellow, green and orange. I think this is an excellent representation of what she wanted to achieve. Way to go, Tamara! You did a great job!
Tomorrow is the Bridal Portraits and Friday is the Engagement Portraits. I can't wait to see them! We have a very talented photographer who excels at natural light photography - she's a perfect fit. You may question why we are taking these pics so far in advance - well, the fact of the matter is that our photographer lives in Indiana and can't come down very often. So - here we are! Fun, fun, fun!
On another note - pray for Malissia - her ears are hurting her and she can't hear anything - probably another ear infection. You'd think at 16 she'd outgrow them, but no! Also, I'm worried I'm catching a cold. I have a bit of congestion in my chest that is being persistent.
BTW - for those of you who have been reading my blog - I'm on Round 6 of Game On. We took a small hiatus from Thanksgiving until Valentines. I put on about 1/2 my weight loss before we began Round 5 (I was eating everything in sight as though I'd never eat again!). Fortunately for me I was able to lose all of it back in Round 5. Round 6 brought a few changes - we decided to increase our water intake to 3 liters, or 96 oz, or 12 glasses per day (MAX!). After a few complaints, we decided they could reduce it back down to 8 glasses, but NO alternative drinks (we had been allowing diet sodas, crystal light, etc...if you finished your 8 glasses). If you can finish 8 glasses and then drink 2-3 diet drinks or other types of beverages, then you can drink more than 8 glasses of water per day! So there! :) Anyway, I'm struggling on - dreaming of going to the lake, peeing in the bed, drowning - but struggling along. Also, our weeks are from Wednesday to Tuesday instead of Mon-Sun. I have lost 4 lbs in the 1st week! So maybe there is something to this.... Wish us all luck - there are 10 playing this round.
K. Bye, now!
So - what do you think? Pretty, no? It's exactly what Kirstyn wanted! We went Saturday and picked out all the flowers. She wanted silk flowers that represented real wild flowers. No purple petunia's or anything unnatural. She also wanted some burlap, hence the burlap flowers. She wanted it to be airy and natural, like she went to a field and picked the flowers that day. Her only other request was for a "cascade" style bouquet. She is using all colors in her wedding, but wanted to really pull out the yellow, green and orange. I think this is an excellent representation of what she wanted to achieve. Way to go, Tamara! You did a great job!
Tomorrow is the Bridal Portraits and Friday is the Engagement Portraits. I can't wait to see them! We have a very talented photographer who excels at natural light photography - she's a perfect fit. You may question why we are taking these pics so far in advance - well, the fact of the matter is that our photographer lives in Indiana and can't come down very often. So - here we are! Fun, fun, fun!
On another note - pray for Malissia - her ears are hurting her and she can't hear anything - probably another ear infection. You'd think at 16 she'd outgrow them, but no! Also, I'm worried I'm catching a cold. I have a bit of congestion in my chest that is being persistent.
BTW - for those of you who have been reading my blog - I'm on Round 6 of Game On. We took a small hiatus from Thanksgiving until Valentines. I put on about 1/2 my weight loss before we began Round 5 (I was eating everything in sight as though I'd never eat again!). Fortunately for me I was able to lose all of it back in Round 5. Round 6 brought a few changes - we decided to increase our water intake to 3 liters, or 96 oz, or 12 glasses per day (MAX!). After a few complaints, we decided they could reduce it back down to 8 glasses, but NO alternative drinks (we had been allowing diet sodas, crystal light, etc...if you finished your 8 glasses). If you can finish 8 glasses and then drink 2-3 diet drinks or other types of beverages, then you can drink more than 8 glasses of water per day! So there! :) Anyway, I'm struggling on - dreaming of going to the lake, peeing in the bed, drowning - but struggling along. Also, our weeks are from Wednesday to Tuesday instead of Mon-Sun. I have lost 4 lbs in the 1st week! So maybe there is something to this.... Wish us all luck - there are 10 playing this round.
K. Bye, now!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Parent Taught Drivers Education - YUCK!
Yesterday Malissia and I were going to get her Drivers License. Much to our dismay, we discovered we were unprepared. I had called the local DPS office and was told to have her VOE form from school, her permit, another photo ID, her SS card, her Birth Certificate, her proof of Drivers Ed class and a verification form. The only thing we didn't know about was the verification form. We stopped by the Drivers Ed school to pick up her classroom certification when they notified us that #1 we needed to go to the DPS or online to get an app to mail, along with $20 to the Austin office to get a packet that would include the verification form I was looking for. SIGH!!!
The Orange DPS office is much quicker, so I called them to see when they would close. It was after 4:30pm by this time and they close at 5:00pm. No time to get there! THEN the lady at the DPS office informs me that I will need to mail the app to the Austin office with $20 and that will allow the DPS to send me a packet of information allowing me to purchase the Parent Taught Driver Ed documents that need to be completed before Malissia can apply for the Driving Test and get her license! SCREAM!!! This packet will cost about another $85!
It's NOT that it's so much money - I just wish someone would have offered the driving portion in a class - that's how I did it with Kirstyn and Ryan and it was SOOO much easier - much less hassle! Plus, if you have to PAY for a list of packets and then PAY for the packet itself, kind of a rip-off, money-making scam by the Texas DPS, NO? Grrrr....
So the app and check are in the mail and now I have to wait about 2 weeks before I get the list of packets. THEN I can send that off and wait who knows how long for the packet to come in, then I get to wait for us to complete the time frame the packet determines, and THEN we get to go apply for her TXDL!!! AAAuuuurrrrgggghhhh!!!!
Does anyone else feel my frustration? I need a good prayer meeting and a really intense workout session!
Oh, well. I'll get over it, I'm sure! Meantime, Friday is the Bridal Portraits and Saturday is the Engagement Portraits. I know, I know...it seems a little wierd doing everything all at once, but the photographer is from Indiana and is coming in for this 2 week time frame, and we have no idea when she'll be back, so we have to do what we have to do when we can do it! :) Fun, fun, fun!
K. Bye, now!
The Orange DPS office is much quicker, so I called them to see when they would close. It was after 4:30pm by this time and they close at 5:00pm. No time to get there! THEN the lady at the DPS office informs me that I will need to mail the app to the Austin office with $20 and that will allow the DPS to send me a packet of information allowing me to purchase the Parent Taught Driver Ed documents that need to be completed before Malissia can apply for the Driving Test and get her license! SCREAM!!! This packet will cost about another $85!
It's NOT that it's so much money - I just wish someone would have offered the driving portion in a class - that's how I did it with Kirstyn and Ryan and it was SOOO much easier - much less hassle! Plus, if you have to PAY for a list of packets and then PAY for the packet itself, kind of a rip-off, money-making scam by the Texas DPS, NO? Grrrr....
So the app and check are in the mail and now I have to wait about 2 weeks before I get the list of packets. THEN I can send that off and wait who knows how long for the packet to come in, then I get to wait for us to complete the time frame the packet determines, and THEN we get to go apply for her TXDL!!! AAAuuuurrrrgggghhhh!!!!
Does anyone else feel my frustration? I need a good prayer meeting and a really intense workout session!
Oh, well. I'll get over it, I'm sure! Meantime, Friday is the Bridal Portraits and Saturday is the Engagement Portraits. I know, I know...it seems a little wierd doing everything all at once, but the photographer is from Indiana and is coming in for this 2 week time frame, and we have no idea when she'll be back, so we have to do what we have to do when we can do it! :) Fun, fun, fun!
K. Bye, now!
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