The Holiday Festivities Begin...

Baby Brooke and Parents Come for a Visit

Brooke with her Mom, Amy

Brooke with her Granny Sue

While I was away for the weekend scrap booking with my SCRAPPY CHICKS Robert and Amy came into town with little Brooke. I was very sad to miss this opportunity but would not have passed up the opportunity to get away with my SCRAPPY CHICKS to talk, eat, watch chick flicks, scrapbook and get massages. Coming home yesterday, I was able to breathe a little deeper because I wasn't as stressed as when I left. I am so thankful for Jeff taking his camera to get pictures for me but I must say, I am counting down until Christmas is here so I can see Brooke in person.

Cousin Val and Issac are here from Washington State...

My cousin Valerie and her husband Issac came in for Thanksgiving. They live in Washington so coming in to town is always a special occasion since it is not often they are able to get away. The whole family met tonight for good Mexican food. And did you know that in the spring they will get their doctorate in art. Valerie will soon be called Dr. Valerie! Fabulous! We couldn't be more proud of them both.

To Valerie and Issac-I am so proud of your college achievements. I know one day your art will be so well known that they will write books to display your work. And when that day comes, Jeff and I will be the first to purchase a copy to sit on our coffee table for all our guests to see.

Here is a picture of Valerie with our grandparents. If you are looking at my grandmother and thinking "Is she okay?" Yes, she's good-just not very good at taking pictures. Plus the flash is very bright.

They finally got an oxygen tank for her to wear that isn't as heavy as the other ones that she couldn't even lug around. I am thankful for this because I always worry about her when she is not wearing her oxygen, especially when she is out running errands. Now she can go as she pleases with enough oxygen to get her there and back. This is a good thing for a Granny who likes to be on the go.

In Other News...

Jeff and I would like for you to keep a few people in your prayers.

1. Jeff's dad-still in need of a job Please pray that the Lord will provide a job that will be a joy for him to go to each day. Pray that all of our faith will be increased.

2. A good friend of Jeff and I's lost his job today. Pray that he and his wife will not react to the situation but will prayerfully consider the options that God has for them. May the peace transcend all our understanding...

3. Pray for my friend Laura-who is a missionary in Cochabamba and is very homesick for her family. Laura, I tried to leave you a comment but blogger was not my friend. This is my way of telling you that I am praying for you, Gary and little Nathan.

4. Pray for Jordan's family. Jordan is the little boy who died this time last year. Because of this, Canon is alive and well today. Pray for his parents and siblings as they go through the first anniversary and the first holiday season. Pray for Chandra and Drew as well who will praise God on one hand for His provision and on the other hand mourn with Jordan's family for their loss.

5. Pray for the holidays. Please remember to not be stressed this holiday season and to enjoy the family that is around you. Don't ever take your family for granted, cherish the moments you have with them. You never know when God will call them home. Trust me, all the things that we hold grudges about or get upset about DO NOT MATTER IN THE END. So quit your whining and love the one your with. (Sorry, I will step off my soap box now. I always get this way at the holidays but I will leave that for another post on another day!)

I loved a ninja because I am NOT a homosexual!

My sister in law, Missy and I have had a good laugh with this game so I thought I would post it to my blog for all to play.

Leave your sentence in my comments so we can all laugh with each other. My sentence is my title. Feel free to play this game on your blog too just let me know if you post so I can come by to see what your sentence is!

Pick the month you were born:

January------I kicked

February-----I loved

March---------I smoked

April-----------I dry humped

May-----------I choked on

June----------I murdered

July-----------I did the Macarena with

August-------I had lunch with

September---I danced with

October------I sang to

November----I yelled at

December----I ran over

Pick the day (number) you were born on:

1-------a birdbath

2-------a monster

3-------a phone

4-------a fork

5-------a Mexican

6-------a gangster

7-------my cell phone

8-------my dog

9-------my best friends' boyfriend

10-------my neighbor

11-------my science teacher

12-------a banana

13-------a fireman

14-------a stuffed animal

15-------a goat

16-------a pickle

17-------your mom

18-------a spoon

19-------myself

20-------a baseball bat

21-------a ninja

22-------Chuck Norris

23-------a noodle

24-------a squirrel

25-------a football player

26-------my sister

27-------my brother

28-------an ipod

29-------a permanent marker

30-------a llama

31-------A homeless guy

Pick the color of shirt you are wearing:

White--------because I'm cool like that

Black---------because that's how I roll.

Pink----------because I'm NOT a homosexual.

Red----------because the voices told me to.

Blue----------because I'm sexy and I do what I want

Green---------because I hate myself.

Purple--------because I'm cool.

Gray----------because I was drunk

Yellow--------because someone offered me 1,000,000 dollars

Orange-------because I hate my family.

Brown--------because I was high.

Other---------because I'm a ninja.

None----------because I cant control myself

Vacationing from Blogland

The other night at dinner I was telling Jeff my long list of things to do. He looked at me and said, "Maybe you need to take a break from blogging until you get this done." Hmmm, why didn't I think of that!

So for the next few days, I am taking a break to get caught up on my work, school and house. And to have a few days with my scrapbook chicks doing what we do best talking and laughing with a few pages thrown in between.

If I don't see you before, have a Happy Thanksgiving! And remember to be thankful!!!

P.S To my sweet cousins (you know who you are) I am praying for you all. I know this is a hard time for each one of you. I will pray that God will lift your burden and bless your journey.

HAPPY THOUGHTS!

Things are a little crazy so here is my happy thoughts!

Got to run...

Hubby just walked in the door and said,

"Are you fixin dinner?"

(Thinking: NO! FIX IT YOURSELF!)

But I said out loud, "Yes, I will start for you!"

Hey Bible study Chicks: Titus 2 is kicking in!

Tuesday Thanksgivings

Today I choose to be thankful for the Holiday season that is coming upon us.

I say choose because I know that sometimes people look at this time of year as a burden. But I like to see it as a blessing-a time to reflect on all the ways God has blessed us this past year.

Jeff and I have made the decision to keep it simple this year. Just the basic holiday gathering for us. We choose to remember that Christmas is not the amount of presents under our tree but the one gift that has been sent from above. That gift: Jesus Christ.

We would rather enjoy spending time with friends and family rather than fighting the rush at the mall. We want to take time to sit in the glow of the Christmas tree. We want to spend time with our extended family but we also want to carve out a little time for ourselves. Who knows this may be the last year "by ourselves."

I pray that as you start to make your plans that you will schedule time to reflect and be thankful.

God has been good to us this year. So today I choose to take a moment and say thanks to the Lord for giving me life, love and laugher this last few years.

 

"Out of the Mouth of Babes"

Today was our first baptism service in our new church building. We used to meet at a skating rink so the baptisms took place once a month or every two months in someone's pool. Our baptism services are a little more personal than what I grew up knowing. The people give their testimonies before baptism. Needless to say it can run a little long when you have multiple baptisms. But for me, this makes the "conversion" more personal and I like hearing the stories of how God interceed in each person's life. Priceless!

After church was over I turned to our good friends. Who have one son, named Sam, who is too old to attend Children's Church. We often have to surpress giggles when he yawns really loud during the middle of the service. Today was no different-just a little louder than normal. Jeff could not pull it together the rest of church.

I said to Alison his mom, "Glory, Glory!" (I was being funny after singing an active version of I'll Fly Away)

Sam reply, "Yeah it was BORING!"

We started dying laughing. "Sam, I didn't say BORING-I said GLORY!"

Sheepishly he said, "Oh sorry!"

But if you could have seen the face his father, A FW Dectitive, face. OH MY GOSH-HILARIOUS! His dad is known for taking church and bible study very seriously. His nickname is the 2-7 Nazi (a name of a year long bible study he leads)

Sweet Sam, don't ever loose your truth! It is what makes you who you are-Mr Jeff and I have laughed all day.

I will say "Glory"

And Jeff will reply "It was Boring-wasn't it!"

Here is something Sam would do:

Baptism Cannonball!

HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY!

Why the US Navy is better than the Irag Navy!

Them...

Us...

Just a little political humor for your Saturday!

Celebrating My 100th post!

I hear that when you reach your 100th post you are to write 100 things about yourself. I still can't believe I have hit the BIG 1-0-0! Wow! So with much ado about nothing here it goes...

1. My name is Susan.
2. If I was born a boy my name would have been Bomber.
3. My brother's name is Gunnar-I guess my parents thought they would be funny naming the next son Bomber.
4. Thank God I was a GIRL!
5. We have no children but we have a name for our son.
6. His name will be Duke (something-no middle name yet).
7. Some of our family members are hoping we have all girls since they don't like the name Duke. I didn't like Duke at first either. But it is the most animated I have seen Jeff over any name so it will stay
8. But others like to tease and I am fine with that...for now.
9. When we do find out I am pregnant all jokes about the name Duke must stop! It is my job to protect my baby and I will fight you if I must. I'm not scared to whoop your @$%!
10. Just remember-I could name him Bomber.
11. But for now we are the cool Aunt and Uncle. We have 3 nieces and one nephew. These kids frequent the blog world often since they are a huge part of our life. And they do funny things.
12. I am finishing my degree-I FINALLY went back. I fell a little behind. But I am finishing it-that's all that matters.I just don't have many friends in college this go round. They see me as the old lady who does her homework and comes to class sober.
13. I didn't care if I got bad grades the first time I went to school-but this go round, I don't like to settle for less than a B.
14. I still don't know if I will finish. I am taking it one semester at a time. God will lead the way.
15. My husband is my best friend. I met him while I was working at Chili's.
16. He didn't like me the first time we met. He thought I was a "female dog". He soon realized that person he first met was not the real me.
17. How we ended up married is an example that God works in mysterious ways.
18. The song "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts describes our relationship to a tee.
19. We were both mending broken hearts when we first met.
20. God blessed our broken road.
21. We married March 8, 2003.
22. The same day my cousin Clay and Maurine married.
23. Clay and Maurine just welcomed their first child, Avery Maurine.
24. Jeff would like to name our daughter Avery too.
25. I like the name but now with Clay and Maurine's first child being named Avery, well I just don't know.
26. We will see what happens-Clay and Maurine, this could be another one of our similarities one day.
27. Back to the wedding...if we only knew then what we know now.
28. I guarantee we would still be married it's just things would of been different.
29. More like-we would have eloped and called it a day.
30. We still live in the apartment that I moved into when Jeff and I were dating.
31. It's next door to my mom. It is a coincidence-the only apartment available at the time and I needed to move from my old apartment. It was too far from everyone.
32. Jeff will tell you that my mom is the best neighbor since she is never home.
33. What he doesn't know is that she stops by when he goes to work.
34. He works nights-this works out nicely for my mom and I to chat.
35. But she doesn't come by that much: She is never home.
36. Jeff and my mom have a running joke that our new house will be equipped with a mother-in-law's suite.
37. He says he will charge rent but give her a discount if she becomes the "on call babysitter" for our kids.
38. Which our kids are still in heaven.
39. A lady once asked me at a scrapbook retreat-what I did with my kids for the weekend. I said, "They are in heaven so I didn't have to find a babysitter." She turned white as a ghost. My BFS (best friend sometimes) Alison quickly explained that is my way of saying we don't have kids.
40. The lady thought I was strange-but per the quirky factor.com I am only 33% weird.
41. I work out of my home for Ashley Furniture.
42. Our little living room is my office.
43. Jeff and I both can't wait to have a separate room for all of my junk.
44. Ashley Furniture is big on catalogs.
45. My living room is covered with Ashley catalog pictures.
46. I love the job-just hate the stuff that invades my living room.
47. Jeff and I are looking to move in the spring.
48. I will be sad when we move.
49. Lots of memories have been made here.
50. I won't miss my upstairs neighbors. They like to play Spanish music really loud.
51. Bum, bum. Bum, Bum goes the beat.
52. Not to mention they own a squeaky bed. I am surprised they have yet to have kids with the amount of squeaking that takes place. Enough said.
53. I found out this week her name is Sarah when UPS mistook my apartment for hers.
54. Sarah now says hi to me.
55. She is not as evil as I thought-she just is very "active.”
56. I recently told Jeff that he could pick our new house.
57. I told him to cut it down to his Top 5 then I will go looking
58. That way I don’t have to have my heart broken each time we look at a house.
59. Trust me! He will look more than I would want to and it will be hard for me to pick just one.
60. He will also pick a good house-he has GREAT taste.
61. I believe this will make both of our lives easier.
62. We may be homeless come April 30th but I will still let him find a house.
63. When we bought our car-2 years ago, the plan was for it to be a Christmas surprise for me.
64. He looked but never committed until Memorial Day weekend. Almost 6 moths later.
65. So you see why I am choosing to let him pick the Top 5
66. ….the whole process will take awhile.
67.I always wonder what lesson I am supposed to be learning during this whole waiting period in my life.
68.But then I remember that once kids and a house come we will have less time to goof off-so I enjoy the wait!
69.I hate waiting in long lines though.
70.In fact, this year I am buying most of my Christmas Presents online or early.
71.By doing this I hope to beat the crowds-I don’t like crowds too much.
72.I do like people and being around people but not in a crowd. It freaks me out.
73.Especially at the mall surrounded by all the kids with their pants way too low. Why do people do such things? It is so not cool!
74.Speaking of cool, my favorite time of year is coming soon…winter.
75.My Birthday is in February-and I was born on a day that had a horrible freeze.
76.I think that is why I prefer the cooler weather over the hot summers.
77.And I live in Texas so summers are mega-hot.
78.I also don’t like to be hot while I am sleeping. I like it cold-very cold.
79.We have yet to turn on the heater-haven’t really needed to but last week it was cold one night and I just grabbed another blanket. I wanted to save money.
80.I am a frugal person. I like nice things but I don’t like paying full price.
81.Some people call me cheap-that’s okay since they are not the ones paying our bills
82.I am paying my way through school. This time without taking out any loans.
83.I just paid off my final school loan a few months back for a degree in which I have yet to get, I really don’t want more loans adding up.
84.I either take one class or two just depends on how I feel when I register for classes.
85.I may never finish my degree at this rate but again no big deal.
86.I choose to take one day at a time and not sweat it.
87.Another factor that plays into my class schedule is the amount of vacations Jeff and I have planned.
88.We love to travel.
89.When we got married, we decided to we hit 50 states in 50 years.
90.We are on the fast track; we have hit 19 states in 4 years.
91.In fact on our trip to Washington DC-was the first time we set up a blog. We realized that we had some funny stories happening and we couldn’t wait to get home to share.
92.Our favorite was the story of the Amish. They were a quaint little family. A true joy for me.
93.We started a road trip blog this past summer but that is mainly pictures.
94.Blessed Assurances was born out of a daily devotional I used to write and realized it was time for me to go bigger when my email said I could no longer send out mass emails.
95.Some people from my daily devotionals still check in here.
96.For those I am thankful.
97.For the new friends I have made in the last 100 posts, I would like to say thank you for hanging around.
98.I hope you have been inspired.
99.Who knows what the future holds for this blog.
100.But one thing is for sure-I know who holds the future and that is my loving most gracious Heavenly Father. Thank you Lord for carrying me through good times and bad.

"Aunt Sue Sue is Crazy!" -Elijah

I realized last night that I only had 99 posts NOT 100.
So here is Elijah filling in the gap for me.

 

My 13 Favorite Websites

I don't know about you but I like to get ideas of websites to frequent especially if they make my life easier. Enjoy!

1. Two Peas and A Bucket If you are a scrapbooker or looking for a creative spark this is the place to be...it is perfect for when you hit the creative brick wall. You will walk away with many ideas.

2. Martha Stewart She is my favorite for decorating ideas. I also find recipes, crafts and cleaning tips here.

3. Food Network If you ever need a new recipe this is the place to go. I keep Food Network on in the background and often see recipes I would like to try-I can print the recipes online here. They also have videos that teach you how to use a knife, dice and mince.

4. Anywho- A yellow pages/white pages on line. It is faster and easier to navigate than the yellow pages online. I saved an address book online and refer to it often.

5. Organized Home-This is a huge help to keeping my busy life organized. Last Christmas I printed up the "Organized Christmas" pages and already my plan for this year has been laid out. I also have established routines based on this website. (If you battle depression-a routine is the best thing to START doing to get you out of the funk. Trust me-I have conquered the depression thing so if you find yourself wanting to sleep or do nothing all the time-go here and get yourself a routine.)

6. Craft TV Weekly A online tv show that walks you through scrapbook techniques. It's free so check it out.

7. ABC- Did you miss your favorite ABC show like LOST, Desperate Housewives or Grey's Anatomy? Watch it for free online the next day. We are too cheap to buy TIVO so this is what I do-LOVE IT!

8. Netflix Most people use netflix these days but it is my favorite spot for catching up on my classic movies

9. One Place This is your one stop shop for all the great Christian talk shows. Revive Our Hearts, Focus on the Family, Precepts for Life and Family Life Today are just a few of the shows I listen to at my convience. Most of these allow you to download an MP3 of the show for free-I download them to my IPOD and listen while I am cleaning my house.

10. Fandango Find out the local theatre times here. If we know the movie will be sold out-we buy in advance and pick it up at the little kiosk at the the movie theatre.

11. Proverbs 31- This is a wonderful women's ministry. I love what it stands for and what they have taught me over the years. A true blessing if I do say so myself.

12. Christmas Recipes- Last year, when I Christmas was finished I searced out new recipes for this year. They also have fun little ideas for making bulk food items for Christmas presents. Which I believe is an inexpensive way to bless those in your daily life that are not family but are also not your best friend. If you need ideas check this out.

13. Real Simple- I think I may of saved the best for last. I love the magazine too! Sometimes when Martha gets a little over the top-I head over here becasue they seem to provide a little more pratical tips without breaking the bank. Cleaning tips, organizing, saving money there is a whole world over there yet to be discovered.

So I am off to surf the web!

Oh... big announcement!

Tomorrow is my 100th post and I have heard that when you reach #1-0-0 you are to write 100 things about you or your life-so tomorrow that is what I plan to do. I started last night so I have 50 more things to write and then I will be finished.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

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Weddings Vs The Marriage Part 2

Wedding Advice for the WIFE to be:

1. Make a list of attributes you would want in a mate BEFORE you find your mate. My mom suggested that I do this after my first "crush" in high school came to an end. She found me on the floor crying my eyes out when she said, "What did you like about him and what didn't you like?" So I thought about it and made a list. I recently found my list and I am happy to say that Jeff checked off on almost everything.

The reason it is better to make a list BEFORE you start dating is so that you will not be jaded by the "I am soooo in love" state of mind. It happens to the best of us and if you aren't prepared you will settle for the first guy that says "I love you, you complete me" and all the other junk people say when they are high on love.

2. Find out who YOU are first before settling into any type of serious dating situation. Jeff and I had both come out of hurtful, unhealthy relationships. Because of this we both took a break from dating. Jeff came into my life when I wasn't looking for a date or a mate and vice versa. God used this time to help both of us grow and figure out what we wanted in our next relationship and for us to become friends first. I encourage everyone to have a season of "singleness" in order to become better acquainted with yourself but most importantly God. Especially if you are someone who jumps in and out of relationships back to back. That's not healthy...

3. Develop your home making skills. Learn to cook, take up sewing, get yourself in a house keeping routine. These are all part of being a Proverbs 31 wife. Ask people in your life be it a mother, mentor or friend to help you develop these skills. This truly will prepare you for marriage and keeping up with your husband.

4. When you find that certain someone ask yourself the following questions.

-What is his Relationship to God like?
Does he go to church?
Does he have a daily quiet time?

-How does he treat others?
Does he get angry easy, is he lazy, is he hyper?
Does he think about others needs?

-How does he treat his family?
Does he honor his parents?

How does he treat you?
Does he treat you like a lady?
Does he honor your body?
Does he call you and make a point to spend time with you? Or do you do all the work.
Side Note: If you are chasing after him, three words, KNOCK IT OFF!

-How does he deal with finances?
Does he spend unwisely?
Does he keep a budget?
Is he a compulsive shopper?



All of these things will play a big role in your marriage. There are more questions you and your future spouse need to ask each other-this is just the beginning. The most important thing though is not consider marriage and or dating without praying first. Have friends and family support your relationship in prayer. It makes a huge difference if you have someone in your life that knows you well who can pray with you and hold you accountable. I had a mentor friend who helped me in so many ways during the course of dating, engagement and now as a married woman. She has been a real blessing to both Jeff and I, so let me encourage you to find someone who can walk with you.

Just remember to never settle for someone because God is faithful and will lead you to the right mate...one day.

Tuesday Thanksgivings

The other day I was having a "moment". I have these often about this or that. My mom was there-like she has often been through out my life. She told me flat out, "The reason you are freaking out is because you are not living in the moment-you are living too far into the future and you need to live in the I Am." Which is here way of saying, "Don't get too far ahead of God's plans."

Here is the thing that I am the most thankful for-she has risen above her past. We all have a past some more public than others. Hers was a public one and she faced a lot of scrutiny but she has grown beyond this and I am thankful.

Last week, she started her new job as Executive Admin to the Pastor of Global Ministries at Gateway Church. I could of not been more proud. She has grown leaps in bound the last few months. Proof to me that God answers prayers.

I am thankful that she never gave up on herself or us. I am also thankful that she trusted God enough to remove the "junk" in her life and step out on faith in starting this new job. I am thankful for her listening ear. I am thankful that she is the one who encourages me to get up at 6:30 in the morning to walk two miles. I am thankful that she gives me advice when I am have a problem to solve. I am thankful that she continues to encourage me to keep on writing. I am thankful that she has started her own ministry. And tonight she is meeting with her first mentee-she will be a great mentor to this woman. I know this because she has been a great mentor to me.

So tonight I post this message only because tomorrow morning my mom and I are walking to place our vote and since I have been sick all day today-I may have to go to the doctor tomorrow and you know how the doctors office can be...BRUTAL!

Weddings Vs The Marriage Part 1

It is no secret in my family that while planning my wedding almost 4 years ago, I became a little obsessed with the wedding planning. Jeff and I both worked together to pay for this little shin-dig. It was a struggle from day one-especially since neither of us wanted to go into debt to pull this thing off. We also had different views on how things should go. I had always envisioned a wedding with every single one of my family and friends. Jeff just wanted his close family and his two best friends. He didn't care who came he just wanted to get married. I did because I wanted all the bells and whistles.

My husband sent me a card while after one of the biggest fights of our relationship. The reason for this fight: the number of guests to invite. The card said, "Let's not forget that in the end the only thing that should matter on March 8 is you and I becoming man and wife." I soon realized how off base I had been while planning the wedding. After that card, things didn't matter anymore because in the end the only thing that mattered was Jeff and I becoming man and wife.

The total cost of our wedding was just over $5,000. We did not have a caterer-we served Cake, Punch and M&M's. It was at 2 and my cousin was getting married the same day at 7. So all of our families went out to eat between weddings. We had friend who was looking to start her own photography business photograph our big day. That alone saved us tons of money. Our church has a "Wedding Pantry" for all the small things you need-punch bowl, ceramic columns, linens that sort of thing. My mom paid for the wedding dress as our wedding gift. I made all the bouquets except my own. Jeff insisted that I have "real flowers."

About three weeks out from our wedding, I truly started enjoying the moment. When it came time for the wedding-I was having fun, laughing with my friends and enjoying the moment. Looking back, I am thankful for each and every person who helped me put the "Wedding Crazy" into perspective. I couldn't wait to walk down the aisle to my future husband. I laughed when my niece Faith threw a fit because she did not want to walk down the aisle. No big deal-I knew these things would happen so I just chilled. 5 minutes before the wedding my two best friends waited with me upstairs and we laughed and cried at the whole journey. I grabbed my grandfathers hand and we prepared our little assent. He told me " You can back out now if you want." As we passed the table in the atrium at our church filled with M&M's he stopped to help himself-he insisted that I take a drink of punch too. I said, "We have to go they are all waiting for us!" And he winked at me and said' " You sure you don't want to call it off!" I just grabbed his arm and yanked him towards the door.

Tune in Wednesday for the advice I NOW give to all new brides...

Changes...

When I was in high school, my senior thesis covered the concept of change. I wrote how change was the only constant in our world. I have realized over the last few years that I am not a person who likes change. I like things to stay as they are-the way I have known it always to be. But since change is the only constant-it is inevitable things will change.

I woke up last night from a dream where in the dream I found out I was pregnant. I had a panic attack for a good 45 minutes. I tried to pray for peace but I am still freaked out today. I know I am psyching myself up for no reason but finding out that I am pregnant may cause me to totally freak. Why? Because this means that there is no going back now.

My senior English teacher told me "That the greatest journeys begin with good-bye." Which means that in order for the next phase to begin we have to learn to let go of something else. We are about to enter the greatest joy of our life-moving into our first home, starting a family. And although I look forward to this moment, I am still a little freaked. I try to act all tough with Jeff-someone has to be the rock right?!? And trust me, if I told him I was freaking out-he would say then we need to wait. But of course, waiting is not really an option because neither one of us are getting any younger.

So I ask you all to pray for us. Pray that for the next 45 days (that is when my pill runs out-and I am NOT renewing it!) that we will take life one day at a time. Pray that Jeff and I will be at peace with where God leads us. Pray that we will be joyful as we embark on the greatest but biggest change thus far.

And before I forget to tell you-I am so thankful that God is the one constant that won't change! And one more thing I keep telling myself "If Jodi, Maurine, Kendra and Rachel can do it so can I!" (Love you chicks!)

How Quirky Are You?

Your Quirk Factor: 33%

You have a few little quirks, but you generally blend in well with society. Only those who know you well know how weird you can be.

How Quirky Are You?

Thursday Thirteen: WHY?!?!

I had it written-I lost 1-5. Decided that blogger is acting too goofy today so I am signing off! So I will do my Why list later! I can tell you one thing #2,3 and 4 had to do with you-Stupid ole blogger! Not you the reader-Blogger in general!!

I Choose You!

I was on the phone today with Jodi-Reagan's Mom. In the background I heard little Reagan singing.

Me: "Is that Reagan?"

Jodi: "Yeah, she is singing herself to sleep!"

Me: "Elijah does the same thing!

(I was thinking, "These two will be married one day!")


And you see from the picture that Elijah totally agrees!!

He is pointing to Reagan saying " I choose you!"

So one day at Deer Run, Reagan will catch Elijah on Sadie Hawkins day and the rest as they say, will be history!!!

Why the Prayer Journal Works For Me!

It started when I was in high school-looking for a way to release. A friend showed me her prayer journal-and next to each prayer request was a date and the word AMEN. Which translates to: God answered and the date it happened.

I became intrigued with this idea. I started to write and write I did. I now have close to 50 journals-some I have kept-some I have thrown away. But the prayer journal has become my way of documenting my journey.

The year I met Jeff-I started to pray for a husband on a nightly bases. I have each prayer written down. I will give to him one day-he knows they are there-I just think it would be a neat anniversary gift, when the time is right. So I am holding on to them. When we started to date-I wrote out each little detail. A couple of weeks before the wedding- I freaked out-thought I would call the whole thing off-I prayed it out in my prayer journal. I walked down the aisle and never looked back. I just knew that it was the right thing.

I have had highs and lows and those moments in between but God has been there through it all. I have shared my deepest darkest fears, my funny moments of my days, my happy moments, my sad moments and still God has been there.

Recently I started listing my prayer request in one sentence lines-and then writing out the bible verse that was laid on my heart that coincidently enough coincided with my prayer request. I memorized the scripture and throughout my day- that same scripture will pop up and I will think "Oh that belongs to so and so-they must need me to pray over them" Then I pray-I could be walking through Wal-Mart and the name or scripture pops into my head so I start to pray.

"Draw Near to God and He will Draw Near to You!" James 4:8

I believe this to be true. Because I have allowed my self to be drawn into a time of prayer with my heart, mind and soul-I am closer to God. Atleast that is what I choose to believe. One of the greatest compliments ever given to me was by a friend who told another friend in my presence, "If she says she is praying for you she is and she has the pages to proove it!"

So I will continue to pray, continue to write and one day will lavish the moment when I can write Amen and the date next to a prayer request for myself or for others. Because God will answer our prayers when His timing is right!

For more What Works For Me See: Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer-there could be something you need!

Tuesday Thanksgivings!

Today I am thankful for Jeff. My husband, best friend and support system.

The last few weeks have been a trial for Jeff. But God has been faithful to him. God has brought men into his life to walk with him-to show him what it means to be the spiritual leader. You see not only is he my husband but the oldest of his family. He has been given many oppurtunities to lead in his life-he just hasn't always taken them. Jeff is not a natural take charge kind of person. He is content to let me take the lead. Which because of my natural ability to "take charge" I just do it sometimes-most of the time without waiting for Jeff to step up.

But here is how God has changed each of us. He has shown Jeff what it means to be a spiritual leader while at the same time shown me the importance of waiting for Jeff. And I have been waiting-as many of you know-I hate to wait. But over the last few months amazing things have started to happen. Jeff is more quick to the take the lead and I am gaining a peace inside me that allows me to sit still and wait.

I believe that God has used this moment in our life to prepare us for the road ahead. I am thankful today because last night I saw a glimpse of the spiritual leader I have been praying for over the last 3 years. I saw God's workmanship taking shape before my eyes. I often pray Psalms 112 over Jeff. (A great psalm for all husbands out there-I call it Proverbs 31 for men) And in his life, I am seeing many of the scriptures taken shape in how he deals with family, friends and strangers.

For his growth and leadership-I am thankful!

Jeff,
Thank you for taking the lead-for allowing God to mold you into a man after His own heart.
I am proud of you!
With all my love,
Susan

The Princess, The Ladybug and The Lion

Saturday my sister in law, mom and myself took the kids to the Dallas Arboretum to get their annual Fall Pictures. This year Missy let them go in costume-which made the pictures all the more cuter.

This time last year Elijah was still growing inside Missy and we couldn't stay as long because she could hardly walk. No wonder since he turned out to be close to a 10 pound baby. This year-he is laughing, growling (he is a lion after all) and pointing to tell you which way to go.

Katelyn is a lot more social than she was last year. She always has a smile on her face. She can be shy at times but it is my opinion that she is growing out of that. She loves butterflies! We had to stop a few times so she could see the butterflies that were flying around.

Faith loves to pose for the camera. She is a ham! Throughout the day she would say, "Mom or Sue Sue is this a good pose?" We of course, just went with it and snapped the picture. We pray she makes it to her teenage years-she is a strong willed child after all. So say an extra prayer for Mom and Dad- I am sure they would appreciate it!

I am working on putting a slide show together so you can see all the pictures. I will be trick or treating with the kids on Halloween this year so I think I will wait until I get those pictures. Have a Happy Halloween (or in our house Fall Festival) and remember it's not the tricks but the treats we crave!

The Engaged Woman

"An engaged woman is always more agreeable than a disengaged. She is satisfied with herself. Her cares are over, and she feels she may exert all her powers of pleasing without supicion. All is safe with a lady engaged; no harm can be done."

-Mansfield Park

I am reading the book "An Accidental Bride" by Janice Harayda

It's a romantic comedy-that is really funny!

The above quote was the start of the book.

I thought it would be a fun way to show of Cousin Brandy's ring and smile

I like the ring but I LOVE the smile!

Keep smiling Brandy-you have 6 more months to go!

 

Introducing Roselyn Jo Spencer

For Jodi

Roselyn Jo Spencer

Mom

Dad

Grandma-she still doesn't know what the girls will call her

My mom thinks "Gay Gay" since that is what all the other kids call her

Introducing Avery Maurine Spencer

For the cousins out there in blogland and fellow Deer Runners, here are pictures of one of our new additions. I still can't believe that Clint and Clay (brothers for those of you who don't know) had first babies on the same day-both girls! CRAZY! Click on Paige's blog to read the stats because I just can't wait to post the pictures.

Here is another fun fact. This is my cousin who was married on the same day as Jeff and I. I know Jeff did not want me to go see baby Avery because I would come home all the more wanting a baby. But since we will be trying soon (date a total secret-so we can actually surprise our families) I feel fine. I want a baby! But I am not frantically crying like I often do. Does that mean God has truly worked on my heart? Why yes, I think it does. So I am off to enjoy myself, I may even take a nap-go to the movies or go shopping. Because for a little while I am kid free! And that works for me...for now atleast!

God Bless the little ones in our lives!!

THE SONG SAYS IT ALL...

be near
by shane barnard

You are all
big and small
beautiful and wonderful
to trust in grace
through faith
but i'm asking to taste...for dark is light to You
depths are height to You
far is near
but Lord, i need to hear from You

be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good

be near,
oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good, our good

Your fullness is mine

revelation divine
but, o, to taste
to know much more than a page
to feel Your embrace...for dark is light to You
the depths are height to You
far is near, but Lord
i need to hear from You

be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good,
our good

(psalms 73:28; 139)


Chandra and Carla-I am praying for you.

To read a beautiful post of someone who has walked the same path as Carla click here.

Please keep praying-Carla is heading into the hardest time

When the Rubber Meets the Road.

Let's talk about FAITH.

What happens when we face trials in our life? How do we respond?

This last week I asked myself this question, "Where does my FAITH come in?"

Many people in my life are facing some serious trials in their life that require FAITH.

• loss of a job, not sure what will happen next
• financial difficulty that has caused one to make some drastic changes in their life
• loss of a child
• a marriage on the outs because you just can't seem to meet in the middle on certain issues
• a friend who you have been praying for to come to the Lord-just can't seem to take that final step

These are all actual events of people in my life. These are actual prayer requests that my husband and I are praying over the last few days. We came up with the following regarding FAITH.

You go to church. You learn about God. You learn the simple truths, God is a God who cares. God is a God who provides. God knows what our future holds and sometimes causes us to go through things to help us grow. You memorize verses to store away. You read your bible daily, weekly or maybe every once in awhile. But still, you know your Bible is there. You talk to others about what it means to walk by FAITH. You write devotionals and lessons about FAITH. But what happens when tragedy strikes....

This is where the rubber meets the road. These are the moments that define us as a Christian. These are the moments that we either see God as a loving God or we see God as a God who does not care about our needs. It is our choice how we respond.

Do we walk by FAITH, taking one step at a time? Or do you turn and run?

Joshua 24:15 says:

"15 But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” (emphasis mine)

CHOOSE TODAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE!

Regardless of loss of a job, major changes that we have to face, loss of a child, marriage on the outs, others not coming to Christ. You have a choice and it begins by asking yourself this question. Will I trust God when it comes time for the rubber tomeet the road?

MY PRAYER TODAY

Lord, I come on bended knee asking that you interceed in each and everyone's life that you have laid on my heart. I hurt for Carla today and I pray that you comfort her. I pray for Canon's grandmother and his brother and sister and cousins who are mourning this loss. I pray that this be a defining moment in their walk with you. Lead them to quiet streams to find rest in this trial. Bless them Lord with peace. Hold them and draw them near as they cry out in pain. Forgive them Lord when they ask you why you had to let this happen. Show them your plan-ease their pain. Bring healing to them as they close this chapter of their life. This is a hard one to deal with Lord. We still are asking why but we are holding on tightly to your promise that you have plans for us. Plans that give us hope and a future. One that won't bring harm.

Lord, I pray for my family. Who seems to be facing many trials this week. Lord show them that you are the God who provides. Show them that you are there and that you will never leave them nor forsake them. Bless you Father, for taking all these concerns I listed above and handling it. I lay it at your feet. I give them all to you. And today and this day forward, I choose you! In good times and bad-I choose you.

In Jesus Name-Amen!

Canon Has Gone Home to the Lord

From Canon's Blog:

Canon my beautiful angel from heaven passed away this morning. He had two major bleeds last night in his brain. Doctors could not do anything for Canon. I along with family and friends were with him when he died. Thank you so much for all your prayers during this tough time. Canon is now playing baseball, football, basketball, and drinking all the Sprite he wants. Love, Carla

Please keep them in your prayers, please click here to leave an encouraging comment for Carla.

My Parents Aren't Very Creative...

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 2,298 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

There are 1,190,875 people in the U.S. with the first name Susan.
Statistically the 25th most popular first name.
More than 99.9 percent of people with the first name Susan are female.
Names similar to Susan:
Susannah


If I was born a boy my name would of been Bomber. My brother is named Gunnar. I get Susan-I am fine with that. Although one time my mom told me she wanted to name me Lisa-I don't think I look likea Lisa. My Dad recently said he liked the name Susan because it was an old high school girlfriend. Oh great! That explains the divorce. (Just kidding folks!) I often have people think that I am saying my name is "Season!" No-my name is SUSAN! S-U-S-A-N

We Interrupt the Regular Blog Programming to Say...

Tim and Brandy are ENGAGED!!!

"Did you hear? Did you hear?

I AM ENGAGED!!!!!" says Brandy

Congratulations Tim and Brandy! Jeff came in early this morning and said, "Did you hear Brandy and Tim are engaged?" I jumped out of the bed so fast and ran to my email to see if it was true. Jeff laughed because he said that is the fastest I have ever gotten out of bed in a long time. We are so happy for both of you and look forward to celebrating the next phase of your life with the two of you. Praise God! Enjoy the moment! Don't stress the small stuff! Really, take it from me...DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!!!

Thirteen: Counting My Recent Blessings

1. My Aunt Karen married the sweetest man, Jim. They fit like a glove. During the wedding, he leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. Four times to be exact. They are in love. This blesses me.

2. Seeing the other Aunt Karen, Cousin Sue, Linda and Amy. Nice to catch up with them. And uh, Amy, you said you would update your blog-what's the deal?!? When you going to hook up the cousins and your sisters with an update? Catching up with family always blesses me.

3. Having the house to myself for the weekend. A little selfish, I know but it is always nice to read without Jeff over my shoulder. Did I ever tell you that Jeff likes to wait until I am 50 or less pages until I am finished-then he comes over and says "Susan is your book good?" Nod, nod while my nose is still in the book. Then he will grab the book and say, "Did you hear me? I asked if the book is good. Tell me about it!" Then I will look up, give him a smirk and say, "Jeff! Please! I am trying to read! It's getting to the good part!!!" He will laugh and say, "I know why do think I asked you now." MEN!!

4. The rain. I am so thankful that the water levels are rising. I have family that farms for a living-I know they are blessed when it rains. I am blessed because they are blessed.

5. History Test post poned! I have a few extra days to cram, this is always a blessing!

6. Singing the Praise with the Metro Kids! What fun this is and will continue to be for me. God is good blessing me with a ministry like this one.

7. My new OB/GYN. I was nervous changing doctors but after much prayer I knew it was the right thing. She gave me hope. She talked clearly and logically to me. I left the office feeling peaceful instead of frantic for when we start a family! I am blessed that the Lord provided a new doctor for me.

8. Timing! God is good! Jeff and I are moving in the right direction. That is all I will say-some things need not to be posted via the blog.

9. Charger Football! The boys are doing so good this year. This is a blessing because it blesses my husband, FIL and BIL. Keep up the good work boys!

10. LOST-not a true blessing but it keeps me entertained. And I am watching it while I get my list together.

11. Blogland-I have said this before but over the last few months-I have been blessed to get reconnected with friends and family via the blog world. May God continue to use this for His glory.

12. Answered Prayer-When I was in the youth group, my youth minister would ask us to pray for his Dad to accept Jesus as His personal Lord and Savior. I am happy to report that this Sunday, 15 years later God answered that prayer. I am blessed because we all have those people we pray to accept Christ. This reminds me to never give up!!

13. I am blessed because I am alive and healthy. To me that is the greatest gift of all.


Thank you for allowing me to count my blessings!

Prayers Needed for Canon N.

I found this while surfing blogs today...this is from Canon's blog. Please pray and please spread the word for others to join us in prayer

Serious prayer request
Canon had a stroke yesterday. About 5:00 p.m. Canon became unresponsive. His right side of his body was not moving. Doctors sent him for a C.T. scan to look for any bleeding. Scan showed a substantial bleed. They immediately put a drain in to pull off fluid and blood that was causing a lot of pressure on the brain. Canon's brain was swelling and doctors said he would need to go to the operating room to remove the clot. Canon was taken to the operating room at 12:00 a.m. Surgery went well and doctors removed a clot the size of an adult fist. The Neurosugeon said he had been bleeding for a few days. They left the bone out in case they have to go back in. Canon is in critical condition and the next 48 hours are crucial. There was some brain damage, but we want know how much until he wakes up. This is a devastating blow to the recovery process. Canon needs your prayers more than ever. Thank you to all my friends and family who were with me throughout the surgery this morning. Carla

"Lord, we know you are the great healer. We know that you have the ability to heal with a single touch. We ask Lord that you heal Canon. Provide peace and comfort for Carla. Provide wisdome for all doctors and nurses involved. Lord it would be easy to get our little minds wrapped around the why's but help us to trust you. Help us to see your mighty hand at work. You say we are able to question you when we have questions. You say we are able to come to you with our fears and longings. That is what we are doing, we are seeking you. We are asking and we are praying for you to do a mighty work in Canon's life. We pray that the peace that passes all understanding wash over Carla and her mother. We ask peace for all parties involved. Lord move this mountain. In your most precious name, Amen!"

God bless

Susan

Why I Won't Be Cropping At Recollections Again...

I had ordered the pictures, packed the scrapbook bag and headed my way over to Recollections, the local scrapbook store in my neighborhood. Avid scrapbookers can understand the giddiness you feel as a night full of 6 hours of scrapbooking and girl talk goes from planning to reality. To say I needed a break from life in itself would be a slight understatement.

After lugging half of my goodies inside the door I walked backed to the back to check in. Here is where the story gets interesting, confusing and absolutely infuriating! My name with my sister in law, Amy's name was no where on the list. In fact, they told us we had not booked a crop for tonight. "Yes I did," I say growing less giddy and more mad by the minute while I pull out my purse to find my receipt. (Side note: this is the 3rd time this has happened to me!)

The new girl, one I had never seen before, went and got the manager to intercede. I think she got scared once she saw the steam coming out of my ears.

The manager came back obivously ready for a fight.

"I'm sorry there is nothing I can do for you. You are not on the list tonight. Do you want me to give you your money back?"

Seriously this is what she said to me, the first words out of her mouth, no "I'm sorry" or "Let us see if we can come to a conclusion."

Me: "Well I would like to figure out what happened because this is the third time this has happened to me?"

Her: "How could this be the THIRD time?"

Me: "Not sure but this is not the first time this has happened to me."

Her: "Like I said, I am sorry there is nothing I can do tonight. I will give you your money back."

At this point my heart sank, literally. Now I am not one to cry at confrontations but tonight after looking forward to this night for a few days now-that is exactly what I did. I had little tears going down my face when she came back to have me sign my credit card receipt.

No words were said I just packed up my bags and left.

A few hours later....

I came home after a relaxing dinner with my sister in law. I went to the phone to call my husband, who is out of town, to relay the events to him. I had a message on my phone from RECOLLECTIONS. The manager called me to tell me she had figured out the problem. When I scheduled it they wrote my name on the wrong Saturday. Again, not the first time this has happened to me. She did apologize for her behavior-I wish you could of heard here. It was not pretty. But I told her that although I appreciate her apology I do not understand why it had to come to this in the first place.

A few of my other Recollection friends have also relayed to me their own horrible experiences there. I just think it is sad since I LOVE Recollections. I know one day I will go back but for now-I am staying away. A friend told me that if I would of yelled at her or threw a fit I probably would have never received a phone call. But since I kept my true feelings to myself but did show a little tear-that is why she called. I hope she will take this night to remember that sometimes your store does make a mistake and treat others like you would like to be treated.

Singing Praise with the Children @ Church

I prayed for a ministry-God dropped one in my lap.

I am the new Children's Church song leader at my church.

I have been trying to refresh my memory of all my bible school songs.

It's been fun-remembering the old days of bible school.

A friend said to me, "God couldn't of created a more perfect ministry for you."

I am excited for the oppurtunity...

...it will prepare me for my Sacred Sunday Afternoon Naps.

Each morning I wake up with a new song on my heart. For example...

"Give me gas for my Ford keeping me trukin for the Lord. Give me gas for my Ford I pray!"

But I could use more ideas

if you have any songs you remember-could you send them my way.

Thirteen Things About our Trip to Albuquerque, NM

1. We left at 7:00 a.m, Friday morning after Jeff got off work. I packed the car the night before so all we had to do was load ourselves up and drive off. Jeff insisted he drive. I would of preferred that he slept. I was not going to fight him on this because he loves to drive-he also is a horrible passenger-telling me to slow down, move over one lane, speed up, you get the idea. I was able to catch up on my Fall in to Reading list so I was happy.
2. We decided to camp this trip. We borrowed a tent from Jeff's brother. We didn't check it before we left. We started to put it together around 4:30 or 5 that night, storm clouds were closing in. We were trying to get this done fast so we could eat. The tent was broken. The poles you use to hold it up were broken in half. We threw it away and went to find another one. You would think this was a simple task-it wasn't. Not only did we have Balloon traffic, we also could not find a tent. Wal-Mart-none. K-Mart-none. Target-bingo, found it! Funny thing is we passed a Target 5 minutes into our trip but Jeff said, "I am not buying a tent at Target. It will be over priced!" So 45 minutes later we walked out of Target with our very nice, very inexpensive tent! "Take that," says the loyal Target shopper!!! If you want to see if your marriage will last, put together a tent in the dark, that you have never done before-with storm clouds about to rain down it's wrath on you. Glad to report-we are still happily married! Thank God!
3. We ate pancakes each morning with the retired RV folks. We made lots of friends with these more "seasoned" travelers. Each one applauded us for starting our "Seeing The Country Tour" early. They mean: before kids-not waiting until you are retired with less energy. They were precious people! Glad to have the oppurtunity to meet these folks.
4. Only saw the balloons one day, the rest of the time it rained so the balloon festival was cancelled. I will post a few of my pictures-just haven't gotten around to unpacking the cameras from my travel bag.
5. We had to fill up our days somehow-since it was non-stop raining. Thankfully the Target tent was a trooper and kept us dry! Others in our camp did not weather the storm like we did, they were soaked. Thank God for Target! Ha Ha!
6. We drove to Santa Fe one day-with a side trip to Taos. Jeff decided to take a "short cut" on the way home from Taos. The short cut added two hours to our 4 hour drive!!! All was well, I had a book plus we had a few books on tape. We survived! Still married...
7. In Taos, we drove up the mountain to one of the ski lodges. It was a gorgeous drive. It had stopped raining so we got out and walked along this stream than ran down the bottom of the mountain. The water was freezing. Jeff kept telling me to be careful as I climbed on the rocks. Jeff stayed on the bank and snapped photos-there was no way he wanted to get close to the freezing water. The trees were a gorgeous golden color that sparkled in the sun-breath taking really. While in Taos we had a great big belly laughing time-I promised Jeff I would never tell what he did-but it was so funny! It will be one of those moments that I can say just one word and we both would start laughing the great big belly laugh again. Love being married...
8. Next day after I asked Jeff not to drive more than an hour radius-he asks me if I would like to drive up to Four Corners (the place where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah meet) this was a 31/2 hour drive one way! "Oh alright! What else are we going to do sit in our tent!" says Susan. We then drove to Durango-except we couldn't get out to explore because it was raining. So we drove right through. Jeff loves to drive-I love to see the sights-this trip was more for Jeff's benefit than mine, I think.
9. I bought an ornament for my Christmas tree. If you don't know-let me explain. Each trip I buy an ornament to remember our trip. My plan is to one day have a Christmas tree dedicated to our travels. We have done this since we were married so it is a fun tradition for Jeff and myself. Although the ornament hunt was a little harder this year. The good news is we found it-it's a small replica of a hot air balloon. I can't wait to put up my "travel tree." I will take pictures-I promise!
10. I also buy a magnet from each town. I put them on my fridge. I am going to buy a magnetic board and frame the edges and paint "Young Road Trips" on the top so I can display in our new house without the clutter on my refrigerator. We bought three from this trip alone-if you only saw the number of magnets I have,plus I recieve from others who think of me while they are traveling. Lots of fun memories-just not enough space. The neices and nephew enjoy moving them around though-so it works.
11. The last day, we finally walked around Albuquerque. It stopped raining that morning, thank God! The retired RV friends told us that we had, HAD to go to Old Town. We did and loved it! I found a Route 66 ornament there-I bought it since we have been driving the bits and pieces still left on each road trip. We could of bought more souveniors but Jeff kept saying "Yes, that will work if you have the right place for it!" Which translates, " A one bedroom apartment is not the right place to put all this crap!"
12. I can not count the number of times we said "Thank God we do not have kids!" We want them and look forward to that day but with the tent, the rain and all the driving to keep us occupied-the trip would of been a little bit more rough, we think. Those parents out there reading this will say, "Not we think, we know it would of been a little harder to entertain the kids while driving umpteen hours!"
13. We got home at 2:00 am Tuesday morning. I am still tired. Our clothes still need to be washed and put away. The camping stuff is in the storage unit though! But the rest of the stuff still needs to be done. So I will post pictures and another post when I finish this job-as a reward for myself. Until then...I am grounded from the BLOG.

See you when my apartment is back in order!

Meet Elijah The Lion

I came home from being out of town and this was what was in my inbox from my sister in law, Missy! Is he not the cutest lion ever?

I have been told that he now says, "ROAR!"

But I will have to wait to hear this because he is in Florida visiting his Florida family!

Hurry home, sweet boy! Hurry home!!! 

Be Back In A Flash

Jeff and I are headed to our first Hot Air Balloon Festival in Albuquerque, NM. We are also staying in a tent so this should be interesting. We will be back Tuesday and you can guarantee we will fill give you a full write up when we return via the Road Trip Blog.

Continue to pray for Canon Norman and his mom Carla. Also please pray that we have safe travel and great weather.

God Bless you all!

Forgive Me I Need to Type...

I was taking a break from my endless things to do before Jeff and I head out of town.

I signed up for a My Space account a few weeks ago so I could see who from my past I could get reconnected with.

I have been blessed to reconnect with many friends from college and high school. I came across one friend from high school who I have not seen in years.

I started to read his profile, his religious preference shocked me. He is an atheist. I am sad!

Why am I sad? Because I knew in high school that he was struggling with what to believe in God or not. He had yet to jump to full blown atheist but he had lots of questions. He was just struggling. Often times he would talk to us, my circle of friends but most of the time we would laugh it off. We were high school kids after all.

Now, I don't want to laugh about it. I want to pray for him.

Will you pray that God would open doors for us to get reconnected. Or that God would bring someone into his life to show him the Truth.

Thank you for allowing me the time to type. I feel better!

Urgent Prayer Request

If you stopped by for What Works For Me Wednesday it is below. But please take the time to read the items listed below. We need all prayer warriors to unite on this one. If you are able please take a moment to help me spread the word.

From Canon Norman's Blog...
PLEASE PRAY AGAINST HEART REJECTION

Hi there. This is Heather, Teresa's friend (vicariously Carla's friend). I am updating the blog for both of them since they are understandably busy at the moment. They URGENTLY need your prayers, as does Canon:I just sent this message out to the email lists I am on and I hope you will spread the word to all your prayer warrior friends:Today the doctors did a biopsy and discovered that it is possible that his body might be rejecting his new heart. He is still on a ventilator, but coherent and very scared. His mother is beside herself. Please pray for her.

THANK YOU...
... FOR STAYING UPDATED WITH VISITS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THIS BLOG!


THANK YOU...
... FOR PRAYING!Psalm 41:3 - The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.

WFMW: Finding The Perfect Pair of Jean

Whatever happened to jeans that actually flattered YOUR figure?!

Jeans with waist line too low, where you stomach does not look flattering to anyone looking!


Jeans with in-seams too "classic" so your booty has that horrible shape?!


And the ultra low rise pant that no one who has any self respect should be wearing!

I finally found the perfect pair of jean but just because it works for me does not mean it will necessarily work for you. After reading tips on Oprah's website, I decided it was time for me to go out to find the perfect pair of jean for ME! Old Navy now carries a style called, "Just Below the Waist-boot cut" this is the perfect pair of jean that works for my body style.

It flatters, it shapes in the right places and covers the belly buldge to where I actually look like I have lost weight. So head on over to Oprah's place and read up on the guidelines for what pair of jean works for your body style!

For more tips, head on over to Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer-

Be inspired!

What Type Of Superhero Are You?

Your results:
You are Superman

Superman 100% Supergirl 100% The Flash 95% Wonder Woman 90% Spider-Man 85% Robin 80% Batman 65% Hulk 60% Green Lantern 60% Iron Man 40% Catwoman 20%

You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

Holiday Cooking Blogger Style: Peppermint Bark

Overwhelmed with Joy is hosting a great Holiday Recipe swap via blogland. Here is my favorite holiday candy!

Christmas at Granny Bonner's House = Peppermint Bark. I can not remember a time that we did not have mounds and mounds of peppermint bark to take home with us after Christmas. My cousin Valerie and I had a right of passage three years ago. Granny gave us the recipe and our very own private cooking lessons. It was wonderful.

It is the easiest and prettiest piece of chocolate around. I hope you enjoy this treat as much as me and cousin Val.

1 1/2 lbs of white chocolate melted
1/2 package of peppermints, crushed
2 drops red food coloring

Melt chocolate and crush peppermints

Mix together-take a jelly roll pan, cover with foil, spread out mixture evenly, allow to freeze, takes 20 to 30 minutes, take out of freezer and break it up into chunks. This is a fun gift to pass out to friends and family!



Now Ya'll be nice now and go on over to see the other recipes people are posting. I may plan the whole meal via blogland. Fabulous!