Fall is in the air!

I absolutely love this time of the year. I love the chilly evenings and mornings. I love building fires and roasting marshmallows and hotdogs. I love wearing jeans. I love pumpkin everything. I love snuggling. I just love this season.

It's been a while since Ive blogged but I am now teaching 3 year old preschool at Shandon Baptist! It is so much fun! Taylor goes there too and she loves her class and her teachers! She is learning so much about her letters, numbers, colors, and shapes, and most important the Bible.

 Taylor is now playing soccer. I decided not to do dance this year and try sports for her. I think she likes dance better but if you know me at all then you know Id rather her play sports than be girly girl! LOL! Anyways, we will try different sports this year and then next year let her chose. I already know her choice will be gymnastics. We will do TBall, Basketball, and then the year will start over and she can decide at that point. She is growing up so fast and is so independent and smart. She loves playing dress up and playing with her baby dolls. She is definitely very girly! She loves pink and princess everything but does not mind getting dirty! She's just a great kid and we are so blessed to have her.

Game Day with Hummy (her class mascot that she got to bring home for the weekend)

Can I have a moment to complain...just a little!

Have you ever been unsatisfied? So many of us are always searching for things to make us happy. I know only Christ can provide pure joy and happiness but right now Im just not happy and satisfied with my time and how I spend it. My priorities are a little out of order and I feel like I WASTE so much time. As most of you know, I have been truly blessed to be a stay at home mom for the past three years. Paul never demands anything out of me, except that I keep the house clean (which is not a problem-Im not dirty at all). To make ends meet and to make our lives a little more comfortable, I choose to work. God has provided me with a very part time job as a kindergarten teacher (9 hours a week) and they have allowed me to bring Taylor. God has also provided three houses for me to clean. With the school year coming to an end, I will be losing my teaching salary because Im not full time, so therefore I dont get paid through the summer. I was a little worried about this loss of income and God knew this...no one else did though. God provided, once again, for my family. I got a call from two different people wanting me to clean their homes. This was just out of the blue and I was wowed by the awesomeness of how God works and takes care of us! This supplements most of my income that I will be losing from teaching. No, cleaning is not fun at all! BUT it pays well and Im able to take Taylor.

Besides the cleaning and the teaching, I have a lot of time on my hands to be a mom and wife but I think Im not doing the best of job right now! I wanted to sit down with Taylor everyday and do "school" with her. I spent 100+ dollars on a christian home school kit for her and have only used it a few times. Why dont I take the time to do this with her? Is it so important that I browse facebook daily, check email, coupon, sleep late, etc that I cant take the time to teach my daughter?

My time with God, which is the absolute most important thing to us as christians, is short and sometimes is more of a chore. Why is this? I can honestly say I read my Bible every night along with my Aunt Peggys devotional book, but I dont take the time to sit quietly, soak it all in, ask questions, wait for answers, and dwell in the presence of our Savior! Why? Is there any better place? Absolutely Not! My desire would be to wake up before anyone else in the house is awake and spend time with God alone  in pure quiet. My mom lived with my Aunt Peggy for a short period of time before she met and married Les. I remember Aunt Peggy  waking up so early every morning and sitting at the kitchen table reading the Word. I was amazed at how disciplined she was to do this. I wonder if she still does this now? I think God should be the start of our day everyday. We should wake up and give him the first part of our day. Can I do this? I honestly don't know. Am I going to try? Yes!

Another area of my life that I would love to improve is my organization skills. I may have written about this before but I cant organize one thing in my life. If you were to look in drawers and cabinets in my house, youd quickly know which were mine and which were Paul's. You look in Pauls closet and everything is perfect. His clothes are hanging up with tshirts together, polos together, long sleeve button ups together, work pants together, dress pants together, casual pants together, etc. You get it, right? He's so organized. His bathroom shelf is neat. If you are looking for something of his, you will find it. My shelf is a mess. I have to pull things out daily to find what I need. If I touch it, it will be a mess and out of order. This aggarvates my husband, of course, because we are so opposite. I would love to be organized. I would love to open my closet and know exactly where my white shirt is. I would love to know where my stamps are when I want to mail something. I tell myself, Im going to get organized and I try for one day and then by the next day, its a mess again. I have lost many debit cards because I never put my card back in my wallet. THIS DRIVES ME INSANE! Why cant I change? It only takes a little more effort to put something back in its place so why cant I do it? I pray God will help me in this area and that Ill slow down long enough to do the right thing.

Thats my problem, I dont slow down. Paul and I had a funny moment the other day because I felt something in my ear (not deep in my ear where wax would be ( I do clean  my ears daily) but right around the outside). I was telling Paul there was something in my ear and when i felt it, it was gooey and white...Paul was grossed out because he thought it was wax. So, I smelled it to prove to him it wasnt wax. Guess what it was......Are you guessing?!? It was shampoo or conditioner that didnt get rinsed out. So, Paul starts to remind me how I rush through everything and that I dont even slow down long enough to rinse the soap out of my hair. Oh, how right he was! I would never ask God for patience but I do need to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life. I need to enjoy my daugher, I need to enjoy my home, I need to enjoy my husband, and I need to enjoy the things I can do to be a better wife and mom.

So...here's my list of things I want/need to work on...

1. Putting Christ first and giving him the first part of my day.
2. Doing school with Taylor.
3. Spending more quality time with Taylor.
4. Being more organized in my home and life.
5. And last but not least (and youve all heard this one before)- eat healthier, exercise, and lose weight

Doing a little better...

So, I've been eating a little better. I haven't taken in as many carbs as I usually do. I started walking in the afternoons and hopefully I will continue to do better and begin to lose weight! woohoo!

F-A-T

Many people talk about their weight ALOT! Some talk about it and do nothing about it. Some talk about it and do something about it. I'm one of those ones that only talks about it to my husband and does absolutely nothing about it but continues to shove food down my throat by the minute! I LOVE eating. I live to eat...I dont eat to live. I look forward to my dinners every night. I dont care too much about breakfast and I like lunch but I love dinner...especially when I'm sitting in the living room at the coffee table, watching good tv, and eating chinese food! That is a perfect night for me! I'm not joking either. I love going out to eat. I love food! I mean seriously, my mouth is watering right now thinking about crab ragoon from Yummy Yummy Chinese Restaurant on Forest Dr.

So as the pounds have been adding to my body, I've continued to eat and complain! Am I going to do something about it? I'd love to! I'd love to be one of those people who get fed up and make a lifestyle change. I have ten pounds to lose and its not a whole lot of weight but you got to remember, Im only right at 5 ft. tall. Ten extra pounds is a lot of added weight.

Today, I wrote a "plan." My plan includes 6 days of excerising, less carbs, and smaller portions. I have allowed myself to "cheat"  twice a week- this being my Sunday chinese tradition and one other meal of choice! I can't deprive myself completely because I'd never make it. Pray for me! Im being serious too! I have a food addiction! Ill update you on my progress. I start tomorrow. Maybe I should pig out tonight...does that defeat the purpose??


This is what I feel I look like..(Taylor even just asked if this is me???!!!)

 This is what I'd love to look like (she didn't ask if this one was me!)

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day was wonderful this year! My husband gave me a dozen roses, box of chocolate covered cherries, and a perfect card! He's so sweet (most of time...ha!)! I love my husband so much and I am so blessed to have him as my own. I have always wanted a man that was a Godly man, not ashamed to pray out loud, not afraid to share his faith, and to have Christ as his first love. God gave me way above what I could have ever asked for. Paul is an amazing spiritual leader in our home. I can always turn to him for prayer and Godly love. He is well respected in our church and honestly...I think he'll be a pastor one day. His walk with the Lord and his understanding of the Bible amazes me. I thank God for him each day. Taylor and I are blessed girls!

Always praying for you...

 My previous post about the coolest kid ever got deleted. Who knows?

Anyways, this past weekend was great and difficult all at the same time. Paul was off for four days, woohoo! We enjoyed working at our house, taking Taylor to the zoo, spending some time with Mom since Les was out of town, and going to church and seeing Grandma and Paul's family! My little step brother is in a little bit of trouble, won't go into detail, but he needs prayer! Both of my step brothers need God! I know most of you that read my blog are praying people so I ask that you pray for them and for their salvation. They need a heart change and they need just need the presence of God in their lives. I promised them I would pray for them everyday and wouldn't stop until they gave their lives to Christ.

My Aunt Peggy wrote an amazing book that takes you on a 127 day journey. It's called Rivers of Living Water- 127 Day Journey to Soul Refreshment. As I was dealing with and burdened by the thought of my step brothers and their lives, I picked up the book to begin this journey. I was amazed at the prayer at the end of that days reading.

Father, I pray for you to begin to woo and court my (unsaved family- step brothers) to Yourself today. Please show them that you love them with a love they have never felt before. Cause their hearts to want to know who You are and stir within them a need for You. Help them to know that You are the only source of peace in their lives. Continue to burden my heart to want to pray them into your kingdom. In the name of Jesus I ask, Amen.

Wow, was this right on target with what I was praying yesterday? Absolutely! I have not done my part as a sister to pray for my brothers until they literally turn to Jesus. What am I talking about? I haven't done my part to pray for any of my family like I should. There are so many people in my family that know Jesus, love Jesus, but aren't living it. We all fall short. The time is so short too. I truly believe it won't be long before Christ returns to take His people home. I want there to be no doubt in my mind that I'll be with Him and more than anything, I want my family there too!

So, to my family members who need God...I will begin my own journey of praying for you until there is no doubt in my mind that you will be in Glory with me! Stop running from God and turn to Him. There is no other greater peace and love than that of Jesus Christ!


Here's pics for those of you that don't know my brothers- Josh and Andrew. Love them so much!

Turkey Bacon

Its amazing how the smell and taste of a food can bring back so many memories. My Mama  (Rose-my mom's mom) loved turkey bacon. You could count on her eating turkey bacon everyday in the form of a BLT. As I sat eating turkey bacon today, I thought about the years I had with my grandma...

You see, I was not my mama's favorite..my brother was but that's OK because my papa loved me dearly and I was his favorite! :) For a while, we lived right down the road from them and so I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with them. I would always climb up into my papa's lap, dig in his shirt pocket, and find me a piece of candy! He died when I was 4 or 5 and left my grandma as a forever widow! She never remarried and as far as I know, never showed any interest in another man. We all missed him dearly but who can wish for someone to return from the presence of Jesus!

As the years passed, I had the normal grandma/granddaughter relationship with Mama. She made me clothes, taught me how to wrap presents, let me pick all the figs off the fig tree, and loved me! She eventually moved from the house where she had lived for so long and we moved as well. Mama moved into a small mobile home near one of her daughters and we still visited frequently.

I don't remember the order of the things that happened to her but she got sick, real sick and the doctors didn't think she'd make it. (Jeez, its been so long...I didn't think I'd cry writing this all but I still miss her so much). We spent hours at the hospital as she fought for her life. I just remember everything went wrong...she had strokes, heart attacks...When she finally woke up and came to, she was a newborn baby practically. She couldn't remember how to walk, talk, feed herself...she couldn't remember anything. I was such a little girl, I don't remember what all took place but she spent lots of time in the hospital and then in Health South. I can remember numerous visits to Health South and playing Pac Man on the arcade style machine there.

Mama eventually relearned all the basics in life and was able to leave Health South and eventually live by herself again. She was never the same but she was still Mama. She was so funny and said things sometimes she wouldn't have said before she got sick. It was  like that part of the brain that keeps you from saying what you're thinking didn't work. I'm laughing now at some of the things she said. When she went back to living alone, I remember not wanting her to be by herself and spent many nights with her. I would sleep beside her and wake up frequently from her snoring. That part was terrible but oh how I would give anything to lay beside my grandma again and hear her snore! I would get up in the morning and help fix her breakfast and then later in the day, we would have our Turkey BLT! I treasure that time I spent with her. We had lot of alone time to talk and cherish each other. I think I became her favorite...(HA HA Adam)!

As the years passed, she couldn't live alone anymore and lived with my Aunt Peggy for a while and also my Aunt Linda and then was placed at  NHC (a great nursing home in Columbia). My mom worked as a nurse there and so I was able to come up there frequently. I would go into her room and she would just light up. She did with all visitors. I would sit beside her on the bed and she would hold my hand and pat my leg and tell me she loved me. Some days she would be in the dining room eating lunch and guess what she was eating...turkey bacon BLT. Even though her health was deteriorating and at times she didn't eat much- you could count on her eating  a turkey bacon BLT or a cowtail! My mom always kept her stocked on those!

I remember like it was yesterday, I was getting my red mustang loaded with camping gear. My college friends and I were going camping and skiing in the mountains. I was fixing to leave when my mom's phone rang. I answered, it was my Aunt Peggy and she was crying. I remember asking her, "is everything OK? what's wrong?" I knew deep down something was wrong with Mama even before she said it. I remember handing the phone to mom and saying "It's Aunt Peggy, I think something is wrong with Mama."  Peggy then gave mom the news, Mama was dying and they didn't think she was going to make it much longer. Mom and I jumped in the car and I drove. We were both praying, "God let her live long enough for us to say goodbye." I sped, ran red lights, and ran to her room hoping to get a chance to see her one more time. By the time we go there, she was with the Lord. I think it was Paul (from the Bible) that said in 2 Corinthians 5:8, "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." Knowing that then did not make it easy. I held her hand, told her I loved her and just sat with her or really her body, her shell.

The days after that are such a blur. I cancelled my ski trip, of course and the family planned an amazing celebration! We celebrated my grandmothers life. Her years of being a mom, a wife, a grandma. We didn't have your typical funeral. The family did the funeral. We all spoke...no one knew her better than us. We worshiped God with praise music and remembered the happy times and celebrated her new life with Jesus!

Here is the poem I wrote and read during the funeral...

A Rose Blooming in Heaven

Shes not suffering, shes not even in pain

Jesus and the Angels are celebrating, a new person Heaven has gained.

I know shes smiling and as cheerful as one can be

Jesus has made her new again, this I cant wait to see.

She has seen the pearly gates and walked the streets of gold

I'm so thankful she knew Christ for her life was his to mold.

I can see her reaching to Jesus for a hug and a kiss

Arms stretched wide open a vision we all miss.

The tears we have shed and memories we could share

should show anyone here how much we all care.

She had a big part in helping many of us grow

some of us even wore the dresses she once loved to sew.

Rose was my grandmother and had a special place in my heart

but I know shes in Heaven a new life to start.

She was special to each of us in a different way

know and follow Christ and you will see her again one day.

Mama, you will forever be in our hearts! We love you and miss you terribly!