3 Random Things

1. I love babies in footy pajamas! Especially on this little guy! Thanks Aunt Jodi for the cool NASA pj's. I am glad I tried them on tonight because I don't think they would fit if I waited until he was actually 3 months old. Apparently my almost 6 week old is a big boy!

Look how long my boy is!

 2.  I finally got around to decorating the kitchen.  I was feeling pretty good about the progress I was making and happy that I have been able to use accessories that I already own until I asked for Jeff's opinion. Stupid me just had to know what he thought--he thought it was too girly.  That one little word has made me rethink the whole design scheme and I have spent most of Andrew's naps today trying to rethink a more neutral decor scheme.  After much thought and searching of the internet, I decided to stick with my gut and use the things that I love (and already own).  I know that when all is said and done he will be happy with the end result.  What was I thinking allowing a man who wears camo shorts with every shirt he owns (dress shirts and stripes not excluded) to question my taste in design anyway?

Here is a picture of my work in progress.  I still don't have it where I want it but I do love that plate rack with the red plates.

3.  I watched the sweetest movie today that I highly recommend.  Letters to God is about a little boy who has cancer and writes letters to God and mails via post office. I cried my eyes out during the end credits when they showed people touched by cancer.  I could not stop thinking of my friend Seth who died when we were nineteen years old from leukemia.  Just like this little boy, Seth's life touched many.  My fellow Deer Runner's, if you watch this movie make sure you have tissues close by because you will need them.  Friends, I cried like it was my job today as I watched the end credits roll.  Even if you are not a fan of tearjerkers, I highly recommend this movie.  The story and message are wonderful for everyone to watch. 

Goodbye Long Hair

You may have not known this but I have been growing my hair out to donate to Locks of Love.



I have always wanted to do this and have spent the last year and a half growing it out. Towards the end, it became a real labor of love and I was happy to chop it off on Saturday.


The process wasn't made easier by my co-workers who nicknamed me Penny Pentecostal due to my long locks. Or that I made the mistake of relaying this story to Jeff and he started calling me Penny as well. One night I was sitting in B & N when a guy started to hit on me. I was wearing one of my new summer skirts, a tee shirt and had my hair in a bun. I probably didn't have a lot of make up on because by 8 p.m. it had worn off already and why would I touch it up that late in the night? The conversation turned into a ministry opportunity for me and by the end I had invited him to church. You won't believe the first thing he asked once he heard I went to church.




"Is it a Pentecostal church?"



Seriously?!? I knew then it was time to cut my hair.



(Side note: I mean no harm to the Pentecostal religion, the women typically keep their hair very, very long---that's all)




This past Saturday was the day. As she was chopping off my hair I had a moment where I thought "Am I making a mistake?" Flashbacks to the haircut of 1996 were flashing through my mind. A haircut I choose not to repeat. Ever.




Thankfully, I am very happy with the results. I feel like I am getting a fresh start and that is a wonderful feeling these days. Not to mention that Jeff LOVES it! I mean LOVES. IT.


Here is the best picture I could get while home alone tonight. I went for the serious look in this one.




And here is another one...I was feeling a bit sassy. Can you tell?

I can't wait to send in my Locks of Love this week.

1) Because the "tail" kind of gives me the creeps and I have hidden it in a drawer.
2) Someone is going to be blessed with a wig from my long locks.

Random...

Do you ever have a bunch of posts you want to write but really don't have the time to write them all? My blog is feeling a bit neglected so I thought I would write a bunch of random things happening in our world. Photos will come later since they are all still on my camera.


1. May is a busy month in the Young household. Birthday parties,(12 total) mother's day, end of the school year events makes May a very busy month
2. June looks like it will be more of the same...sigh
3. I have turned my office inside out this week reorganizing and decorating. I am exhausted from all the moving and shaking I have done but very happy with results (photos coming soon)
4. I decided to hang curtains in my living room Tuesday afternoon, drove to wal-mart at 7 then had them hung by 10 that night. Jeff did not know I was doing this so when I called him at work he said, "Seriously, you did that tonight?"
5. Thankfully he came home and said, "It looks very nice. Great job!"
6. Yesterday afternoon I decided to clean out my storage unit on our patio. I threw away 5 bags of junk between work and the past mementos. I did not throw away my Bald Girls Have More Fun t-shirt from when I was a baby. I still can't believe that I was bald until I was 2, my mom has pictures to back it up though.
7. I found a box of old love letters that Jeff wrote me when we were dating. I cried when I read them probably because the letters don't come as often as they used to, say like um, never :)
8. He does tell me he loves me every day so I can't complain
9. I also found an outfit my grandmother made with the tag "Made with love by Granny" sewed in. I will never throw this outfit out because of that little tag.
10. I took my grandfather to get a cataract removed. Afterwards we feasted on Sonic burgers and had a nice long chat about life in general. I pray that God uses these conversations to open doors for me to talk to him about God.
11. Work just called, got to go be a good, hardworking employee now.


Man that was a random post
Happy Friday!

For All The Bachelor Fans Out There

Chris Harrison has a blog that he writes about each episode. I find it very entertaining. In fact, one of the reason I started watching this season is because of Chris's take on things.

So if you love Bachelor and or Chris-then have fun reading.

Now I am off to get my electric tooth brush and french kiss my dog. (said by one of the girls exiting the show last night. How gross do you have to be to want to use an electric tooth brush...I mean french kiss a dog)

Today I

• I slept until 10 a.m
• Decided not to be mad at myself for sleeping late and embrace it
• realized that my body probably needed those extra 4 hours
• am still in my pajamas at 1 p.m
• am glad that the office is slow today because I don't know if I could handle a busy day today
• left a status on Facebook that I am moving at a snails pace
• am looking forward to another biblical counseling class tonight-very thought provoking
• am happy that Jeff said he was going to make dinner tonight
• was told by hubs that he loved me to pieces this morning
• realized how blessed I am to have him in my life
• am thankful for my mom's new tradition of having all of us over for dinner once a month
• am remembering Elijah as he ran into my mother's bathroom and said "Whoops! Too Late!"
• realized that potty training is funny when you are the Aunt, not sure how it will be when I am the mother
• put a tentative moving date of March 31st on my calendar
• am trying to get all the paper work together so that we can move ahead.
• trusting in the Lord with all my heart and leaning not on my own understanding
• am going to make it a great day, even thought I am very tired and a tad bit cranky

I've Got Some Words To Use Up

ahem! (that's me clearing my throat!)

(one more time for good measure!) A-HEM!!!


Do you ever have those days where you wake up and know God is about to do something a-mazing? Not just amazing but A-MA-ZING! Well that is how my day went today. A good day, so good in fact that I almost feel guilty mentioning it since sooooo many of my sweet friends are having rough weeks. I am sorry for those of you who have not had as good of day as me. I apologize in advance for sounding boastful.

But I am about to do a bit of Biblical Boasting so forgive me if it sounds like I am trying to toot my own horn, I say all of this so that God will get the glory.

For the past few months, I have been on an emotional roller coaster. I am finally at the part of the ride where all the twists and dips have started to go smooth. I may dip in the future but I guarantee when I dip I am going to laugh because I know that God is going to bring me joy in every dip and turn in my life. He has already.

So why was my day good? I was able to see God's hand working in every facet of my life today. I was able to be a friend to someone who is where I was two years ago. I was able to have a godly woman who I hold in high esteem call me and say she wanted to mentor me. The cool thing is, this woman is older than 50 and never had kids. This woman is someone who has been able to be used by the Lord and has been a blessing to many. This woman is joyful and at peace with where God has lead her. I love this woman. No matter what happens in the next coming week, months or years, I know that I have someone in my corner who truly knows the twists and dips of my life.

To top it all off, I had dinner with three of my favorite ladies tonight. Three women that I look up to and admire. One of the ladies is a Biblical Counselor. She has been a huge blessing in overcoming many areas of my past and helping me set strong foundations for the future. She is the one who has encouraged me to move to the next step of my journey. (The next step of my journey I will share another day) Tonight as the four of us sat, talked and later prayed, I knew what Timothy must have felt like in the presence of Paul and Barnabas. Total awe and excitement that God would choose little ole me to sit with these ladies. I look forward to what the future holds!

Through today I realized that God is doing something bigger than I could even imagine with me, in this present moment. I see God's hand guiding me down this path and I praise Him. Fully praise Him for revealing Himself to me. Friends, I know there are many of you tonight who are wondering where the heck God is in your life? Why hasn't He shown up? Can I encourage you to keep seeking because you will find Him. Read the Bible daily, ask friends to pray for you and hold you up when you are weak. God has a plan for each and everyone of us. It's just sometimes we have to wait in order for all the craziness to subside so we can hear God's voice through it all.

Don't give up peeps! Keep pressing forward and wait because God is about to do something so fantastic with your life!

I love you, sweet friends, who are having a bad week! Call if you need anything!
Maybe an Es-cape!
sorry, inside joke I will explain another day

(FYI: As always please ignore the run-ons, crazy sentence structure and misspellings-I am too lazy to edit tonight.)

8 THINGS

This is the last post for the week, promise! I am afraid many of you are going to flip out when you see all my posts in google reader. I will take a few days to let you catch up because I am here for you!

But let me just say, when a friend who is in a blogging slump posts and says "Tag your it!" you better join in and fast, so maybe she will get out of the posting slump. I am hear strictly to support a friend.

8 TV Shows (this is going to be hard, I hate TV)

1. Jon & Kate Plus 8
2. Little People Big World
3. 17 Kids and Counting
4. Murder She Wrote (I know, I know, Jeff already teases me for this)
5. Andy Griffin (Yes, again, Jeff's got you covered on the jokes)
6. Maverick basketball
7. Fox News...
8. Little House on the Prairie (Shout out to Andrea!)

8 Restaurants

1. Joe T Garcias
2. Chili's (even after I worked there I still eat it)
3. Sonic (of course)
4. Chuy's in Austin LOVE! IT!
5. La Hacienda Ranch
6. Celebrity Bakery
7. OC Burger (don't be a fool, eat there if you live in the DFW area)
8. PF Changs

8 Things That Happened Today

1. I slept in until 9 after taking a Tylenol PM last night
2. I worked on a few ad's for my customers
3. I helped niece Hayley update her IPOD with a few of my tunes
4. I made Spaghetti and Meatballs (I should post this recipe, it's healthy and yummy!)
5. I played on Facebook, I love that place!
6. I cleaned out from under my kitchen cabinets (Thank you FLYLADY!)
7. I scrap booked Katy's 6th birthday from March. I am behind and I don't care.
8. I kissed my hubby good night when he walked out the door and did a jig because I had the place to myself. (Hee! Hee!)

8 Things I am Looking Forward To

1. getting a call that our home is ready
2. Turkey Trot 2009, Jeff is running a 10K, I think I will stick with the 5K
3. THE MOVIE OF THE YEAR! (hint: vampires!)
4. watching God do His thing in our life
5. Baby Brooklyn's arrival and seeing God move in this child's life
6. meeting baby cousin Nolan (Rach, are you guys headed this way? Let's hook up!)
7. Christmas time! And seeing Andrea's decorations! (I couldn't think of anything else)
8. a girl's weekend that I could really use

Watch This Video

If you are wanting to procratinate...watch this video. If you like pets...watch this video. If you own a cat....watch this video. If you are looking for a way to entertain the toddler...watch this video. It's cute, you should enjoy it!

Thank you Dad for sending this, makes me want to get another cat. Oh wait, I am catbox free. Nevermind, I will just enjoy the video. Happy Wednesday everyone!

For Today

I promise that I will be productive even though I would rather goof off.

I promise to take the day in stride and not worry about all the things on my to do list.

I promise to cook Jeff an actual dinner rather than slapping food on the table 15 minutes before he has to go to work.

I promise that I will not let my busyness get in the way of loving on Jeff.

I promise that the next time he says, "Sit next to me and rest awhile" that I will actually do this instead of recount all the reasons why I can't rest but have to keep moving. (I am so sad that I let this happen.)

I promise that I will start and finish one load of laundry today. I realize I am getting in a horrible habit and forgetting I even started a load. I hate the smell of stale laundry.

I promise not to forget that I thawed a whole pound of ground sirloin last night only to find it still sitting in the microwave this morning. I almost threw up right there and may do so now just thinking about it.

I promise that I will do one task at a time and quit trying to multitask. I believe this is why I forgot about the meat.

I promise that I will not compare my life to those around me. I will let God define our journey.

I promise I will not worry about the future but trust God to lead us.

I promise to not allow the interruptions to frustrate me but embrace them as an opportunity to show God's love through my actions.

I promise that I will be joyful in the moment rather than short tempered and moody.

I promise. I promise. I promise.

No More Than Four

As many of you know, I am in the furniture business and I love to decorate. One of the ways that I entertain myself these days, is by decorating one of the houses that we are seriously considering. (Sorry can't give details yet. I have been asked by Hubs to keep it under wraps until we know for sure what we are going to do)





Even though I have to remain silent (that's like mission impossible for me) I am still decorating it in my head. And now that Jeff has realized that my decorating is not because I am already sold on the house but more of a way to entertain myself, he has started to play the decorating game with me. And when I say "play with me" I mean he will answer yes and no questions. He actually hasn't sat and looked online with me or anything. I just wanted to clarify so that his masculine image was not threatened in anyway.


Anywho...


I found the style dining room table that I have in mind while flipping through the Pottery Barn Fall Catalog.


I want a table that sits more than four people so when I showed and explained my reasoning to Jeff he says, "I like it but I don't want a big table."



"Why?"


"Because I don't want more than four people at my dining table."

"Seriously, no more than four?!"

"Yep, more than four is a crowd."


Don't worry, he was only kidding. I know because that man can't keep a straight face when he is teasing me. It gives him away every time.

He did say that he preferred it in black though which is perfect for me especially since my furniture company sells a black table that I like better. And the price would be a lot better than what we would be charged at PB, that's for sure.

So don't be surprised if we invite you over to our new house four at a time. :)

In My Neck Of the Woods.

I am getting my book list together for another Fall Into Reading Challenge hosted by Callapidder Days. Click here to find out the details and join too if you want. The more the merrier.

I am enjoying my computer free weekends but I did spend 30 minutes on Saturday checking email and reading a blog or two. I never realized how dependent I was to my computer until I gave it up two days a week. Saturday morning instead of reading through many blogs I finished my book. I think I enjoyed reading my book, curled up in my favorite chair, sipping on a cup of coffee more.

Which reminds me of another change in my schedule, I clean the house on Fridays so that I can spend Saturday and Sunday doing the things I love rather than housework.

The Charger game last night was sad. Two seconds left in the game and they loose it by a touch down. Two seconds. Sad.

Jeff and I have a rekindled our love for a good game of Spades. We have been playing it a lot with Matt and Meredith. Boys against girls. The girls always win yet this past Saturday it was a very close match. Meredith and I are going to have to step up our game. As we were driving home Saturday Jeff and I talked about how much we wanted to cherish this time with M&M before nephew Jacob comes to town. I know it has been a sweet time for all four of us.

Jeff and I went to look at a house on Saturday. Three words. way...too...small. We are still looking. Praise God for the fact that no fights have broke out with Jeff and I as we look for houses. Oh what a difference a year will make and lots and lots of prayer.

Have a happy Monday. I am off to get a presentation together for work and praying that the week not be as hectic as it may turn out to be. Oh well, I will take it all one step at a time.

Song in My Head

Jeff quoted a song the other day that I just can't seem to get out of my head now.

Thanks Jeff.

Funny that he quoted this song just before we did our Fantasy Football Draft.

And now I can't seem to get it out of my head. So if you get this song stuck in your head today because of me, well, you're welcome!

I Just Had to Write Another Post

My face was creeping me out every time I logged in so I had to send it packing.

Here we are the other night watching Charger football. Usually Meredith and I are sitting on the floor in front of the television talking about the contrast of the jersey colors with the other team. We also talk about how we would not wear spandex cargo pants ever-yet men love to wear them during the BIG GAME. And one last conversation we had this week went something like this, "The reason they are loosing is because they are cold and tired. Poor boys need a bit of coffee and to put on long sleeves. That should do the trick."


And sweet, quiet mother in law yelled "Move your A$$!" I have never laughed so hard in my whole life. I swear that is not normal language from her. She is going to get me the next time she reads this blog for even mentioning it to blog land.




I thought this picture was sweet, Hayley sitting next to Uncle Jeff watching the game. You know the game is up and down when Hayley will look up from her DS. After I took this picture her Uncle Jeff says, "Are we done with the camera yet?" So I put my camera away, like a good wife. Sigh...

Who are you routing for in the Super Bowl?

I was hoping Green Bay would go but that isn't happening so I guess I am going for Giants-there is no way I would go for the Patriots after how they treated my boys last week! And if you were a true friend to me you wouldn't either! HA!

Just kidding, go for who ever you want, just see if I invite you to my birthday party.

Which reminds me only 28 days until I turn 30! THIRTY! Yoo-HOO!!!!

Much To Do About Nothing

I know, I know I said I wouldn't be back until Monday but it is not even 11 pm and hubby is sound asleep and I am doing nothing but surf the web. That's what I get when hubby picks up an unexpected shift on a Saturday afternoon. He comes home and crashes earlier than normal.

So this post if for those who also find themselves surfing the web on this Saturday night because the house is a bit too quiet.

1) My friend Wade had the greatest story happen to him in a long time. Go here to read all about it. And Wade you are my hero and since I said that, will you email me that picture? My hairdresser said she would love to see it. Yes my hairdresser and she says you are her hero too.

2) Stupid Kitty Tricks here

3) And I have been warming up my dance skills for tomorrow's big game Chargers VS Patriots.
Oh I am so nervous about that game, I have read the story of David and Goliath over and over.

For the halftime entertainment, we will have this, then we will have this, and possibly this and for the grand finale, how about this?

Okay it's official, I have no life.

Happy Saturday night.

And if you were a doll and actually went to all of these links please leave a comment because I would love to congratulate you too on having no life this lone Saturday night.

Christmas Shoes

Today I spent the day tying up some loose ends. You see the last few days before Christmas I will be working non-stop building furniture and decorating a new home store. I look forward to these times but not the weekend before brother in laws wedding and Christmas. I mean come on, like I don't already have enough on my plate with those other two things.



So I made a mad dash today all over town doing things that were scheduled for this Saturday but had to be rescheduled due to the opening of the home store. Hair recolored (I am now a light brown instead of blond), buying accessories for the wedding outfit, grocery shopping for Christmas dinners, (yes I said dinners as in plural) last minute gift exchange cards for co-workers, birthday cards, pretty panty hose with a black velvet line down the back and shoes; a pretty pair of shoes.



You know what I realized I hated today? The people that ring the bells outside and those kiosks in the middle of the mall where the salespeople are always trying to get you to buy stuff like lotions or other useless crap. I know shame on me for saying the people that ring the bells. It must be because all such people are smoking as they wag the bell back and forth saying "Happy Holidays!" I want to yell "Say Merry Christmas and throw out your cig!" But let's go back to the kiosk people-kay? I was walking a very fast mall walkers pace and I thought I had the I am on a mission look plastered to my face so they wouldn't jump in the aisle and try to hold me up. But they did and it almost made my Christmas spirit waver a bit. I just smiled, pushed his hand out of the way and kept going on my merry little way. Yet, the next time I made the rounds by his kiosk he did the same thing to me. Again, I pushed his hand aside and kept walking. Not really much beyond that it just annoyed me and I felt I needed to share my woes with you all.



You care don't you? No. Alright then moving on...



Want to see my Christmas shoes? they are flat and super cute!

And my attempt at an artistic photo. Camera needed charged and a new photographer before it will look artistic or visible for that matter.
And me, in my skirt, pretty panty hose with the velvet stripe that goes up the back and my Christmas shoes.

Two things you need to know before I close:

1) In this picture, I am wearing a bleached stained Camp Deer Run T-shirt that will never be thrown away because it is sacred.

2) I bought the panty hose at Fredrick's of Hollywood. I promise I didn't by anything else but that store is lots of fun and I guarantee you if I didn't have groceries in my car I would have stayed and browsed a bit.

What?!?!

I am married, I can dress like that if I want to.

Shop-A-Thon=Mother Load of Good Stuff

The other night after Bible Study, I went to the Garden Ridge Shop-A-Thon. I went the first night, it really wasn't that busy or picked over yet. I thoroughly enjoyed walking the aisles and looking at all the new stuff. Christmas decor was the last aisle I walked down and let's just say I hit the mother load of ornaments.

Do you know how much fun this was for me? No husband telling me to get a move on and no need to rush because they were staying open until Sunday night at midnight?!? I am so blessed. Really, I am blessed.

:)

For the last two years, I have done a new theme on our small 4 ft tree that we display in our apartment. I got this idea from my friend Dr. Sam. You may remember last Christmas I showed you his different trees and themes for each room. He has 17 1/2 different trees. My idea is to have all different type themes for different rooms just like him one day...when we buy a house of course.

Last Christmas, I displayed all of our ornaments from the numerous road trips for the "Makin' A Memory" tree. We started doing this the first year we were married and in the last 4 1/2 years have collected lots of fun ornaments from all over the USA. I think this tree will be the perfect "Family Room" tree.

At the end of Christmas last year, I started working on this year's themed tree, the kitchen. You must remember before I tell you this I was planning on being in a house by Christmas this year. And well, as I have learned, it is better not to plan that far in advance... sometimes God has other plans that aren't our own.

Anywho...

The kitchen tree idea came from a friend passing on a string of "apple garland" to my mom last year. You know someone Else's junk becomes anothers treasure. Well this garland is precious! A little bit more country than I like but cute nonetheless, not to mention free. And well, if it's free it's for me! So over the last year, anytime my mom and I would go shopping we kept our eyes out for "kitchen tree ornaments." You can imagine how hard this was since most places don't carry Christmas ornaments year round.

I found only three things: Santa in a chef hat mixing up a batch of goodies, a tiny little mixer and a mash potato masher.

But at the Garden Ridge Shop A Thon, I hit the mother load of "Kitchen Tree Ornaments." Garden Ridge is my BFF!

I scored big time!

If you click on the picture you can see the tiny mixer and mash potato masher thrown in too. Sadly the apple garland and Santa Chef are locked away in the storage unit down the street. I promise that when I un-box the Christmas stuff I will snap a photo so you can see.

Could Christmas get here any sooner? I can't wait to display all of this stuff.

I may even put it up early this year for good measure...or because I just can't wait to see what it all will look like put together.

I HAVE NO VOICE!

Normally I would be just fine with not having a voice for a few days BUT, well, you see, I have Cousin Brandy's wedding this weekend and I got how should I put it lighlty...scammed...no...conned....no....asked really nicely...yeah that sounds right... I got asked nicely to help coordinate the big day.

Which means, I tell the sweet bride and groom pictured above along with their guests, wedding party and Jose at the bar to do go here and here and do this and this all day long. Just call me J-Lo from the movie "The Wedding Planner" I plan to wear a fanny pack strapped to my hip and have a headphone so that I can talk to...well, me, since no else will be on the other end. But I want to look professional so this is how you do it according to Hollywood.

Seriously though, I can't wait to see Brandy and Tim get hitched. We have a joke that we are all going to have babies together one day so our children can grow up together since everyone else's kids (except for Baby Brooke) are 5 and up. But in order to have babies, you need to be married! Or at least that is how I was raised to believe. Some call it "Old School thinking "-I call it "Living with morals!"

Speaking of Babies...

Right before the below picture was taken Elijah SMACKED his sister on the head, turns to me and I catch him smiling this goofy grin. His parents are always telling him to be sweet to his big sisters but sometimes he takes after his daddy in that department (Daddy=my older brother) and whacks them when the parents are not looking. But I am just the aunt I just there to take pictures and dote on them...they can pay me back for it later when my kids come down from Heaven. Look at poor Katy-she is thinking, "Did you see that?!?"

Oh and by the way, my mother signed up to reside in blogland as well. Go check out her blog too. You will find she has the Holy Starbucks cup in her hand and I tell you she is OBSESSED with this thing! The whole way home from Paris last weekend-we heard:

"There's a Starbucks." "I want Starbucks, do you?"

"Do you think this town has a Starbucks? No, don't see one there."

"Doesn't Starbucks sound good right now?"

Finally Sam told her he would stop at the Starbucks by his house which was an hour away at this point. I swear Mom, you are OBSESSED with STARBUCKS!

Okay that is it for a few days as I will be doing the Wedding thing this weekend. It should be fun but tonight I got all giddy when I realized that after this weekend we our calendars are free, free, free! Jeff and I need some down time together, alone, if you know what I mean or know me well enough to READ_BETWEEN_THE LINE!

LOL!

Getting My Words Out...

Jeff is laying down for his Sunday afternoon nap, I took a small nap during the half time of Oregon and Florida game. I am now watching Georgetown and North Carolina. Therefore there is no time for a long extended nap today. (Jodi is saying, "That sacrilegious not to take a nap on Sunday!")

You all will be glad to know that I finally made it to my "Day O Beauty yesterday", Tina (TEE-NAH) was very happy to fit me in even though she was very, very busy. I felt sorry for her but she told me, "No you worry, I messed up your day yesterday!" She is the cutest little Vietnamese lady and we have some of the best conversations about her life in Vietnam. She says often that she is happy "to be American". I second that- yes mam I do.

Children's Church was an experience today. It left me a little unsettled. A single mother visited our church for the first time and brought her "autistic" child with her. I put autistic in parenthesis because that is my assessment of him. The mom describes her child as having "behavioral issues." But when you scream really loud, pull your hair and try to run away on the playground three times, it is more than "behavioral issues." I felt horrible because I had to ask that the mother to take him out of our class since the other kids were about to have a breakdown of their own. Our children's minister stepped in and saved the day from there. She kept him outside of the classroom where he continued to scream. Later when we went out on the playground, I offered to bring him into the class. I thought he may work better if he was able to run and play on his own. He ran all right-right past Jeff into the fence door that Jeff had just walked through. Instead of being able to push the kids on the swing and play chase with them, Jeff and I had to monitor the two entry's into the fenced in playground. The rest of time the little boy walked around the perimeter of the fence looking for a way to escape. I guess I will be brushing off some of my psychology books from college this week to get some insight on how to improve all of our environment if this boy continues to be in our class. I really, really hope this mother comes back because I know she needs a community around her. And she has left a burden on my heart today.


On to other things...

My great-grandmother is still in the hospital. They are talking about Hospice Care now. She is very, very sick and I just wish that God would just take her home. I know that sounds cruel to those of you who do not know all the circumstances but she is 97 years old, a strong believer and has no fear of dying. NO FEAR. Jeff and I saw her today-we prayed with her and she asked me to bring my hymnal so we can sing to her. I plan on going up tomorrow afternoon if I can get away from the office. I just want to love her in her final days. She was so cute today holding my hand and telling me the type of things all great-grandmothers say to their great grandchildren. It left me with warm fuzzies all over. I have been blessed to have her for as long as I have-I will cherish my memories until we meet again.

I guess I will end this post since the buzzer on my dryer is going off-and I love to fold a warm load of laundry. That's not a joke-this brings me great joy.

If you made it to the end of this very long post-thank you for sticking with me. You are sweet to be a faithful reader.

Happy Sunday!