~Atlantaphillie~

Ummm, what?

2010-02-02T21:08:00.002-05:00

So, here I sit. It's February 2, 2010 and it's been over a year since my last post. And in looking back at my past posts, losing track of time seems to be a trend.

It is what it is.

But let me bring you up to speed: I am an 8th grade Special Education teacher at a great middle school here in Georgia. I get to Co-teach Science and Math and I get to teach two small group math classes. I absolutely love what I do and consider myself blessed beyond measure. In May, I will be completing my teacher certification program and will be considered 'Clear and Renewable.' And just to confirm how crazy I really am, I am enrolling at another University to earn my Specialist in Education degree. The thought is overwhelming, but the program looks incredible. We'll see if the Lord opens that door.

The children are just as busy as I. Daniel is now in High School, a member of the marching band and plays a mean french horn. Trey is in 8th grade, plays the saxophone and the piano, and has discovered that having a girlfriend is a pretty cool thing.

Joshua is in 7th grade, plays percussion and a whole lot of video games. Julia is learning to play the oboe....and every 'role' in the book. Quite the drama queen, that girl!

One of the most exciting things about being the mom of my children is getting to watch my boys play every Sunday in our church orchestra. Being among adults has brought a sense of maturity and 'family' to my boys that I am forever grateful for. The Celebration Orchestra welcomed my boys and they have found a place of ministry, using their gifts of music to bring glory to God. It is wonderful!

I doubt I'll continue to post regularly. Life is just getting away from me and it's hard to sit down and focus on one thing at a time.

"She is so cruel......."

2008-10-31T21:18:00.003-04:00

These are the words that came from the mouth of my precious 6th grade son. The sharpest of my children. He's emotional. Strong-willed. Romantic. Whose spirit is being compromised and nearly broken by a teacher he cannot relate to.

It's been a tough 6th grade year for him....as it should be. For a time.

6th grade is difficult. No longer do teachers allow homework to be turned in several weeks late...and not take points off. No longer do teachers stand over the kids....imploring them to get their work done. And give them full credit. No longer do teachers send multiple notices home about events, meetings and opportunities.

No. 6th grade is when students are thrown into the pool and expected to swim. Right away.

Granted, they give the kids some grace at the beginning of the year. Reinforcing good behavior and training them on middle school procedures and expectations. But after a week or so....that's it. They are on their own.

Very little grace. Very little lee-way. And no emotion. And my sweet Joshua is having a hard time with this. We have had several emotional moments this school year. Tears. Pleading to be taken out of her class. Off the team. And out of the school. He wants out. And he can hardly think about anything else.

Of course, he needs to learn responsibility. But that's not what I'm referring to. I'm talking about a lady who doesn't offer a lot of positive feedback. Who doesn't seem very caring.

Last night, it all came out again. The hurt. The anguish. The frustration. The tears. And all I could do was sit and watch. There was nothing I could do for him, but listen. And tell him we were praying. And love him.

He wants to switch schools so badly, he can't stand it. He wants to go with me each day. And while I really have no fundamental problem with that, I want to make sure we are making that choice (should we choose to make it) for the right reasons. I don't want to reinforce to Josh that it's acceptable to run from a situation....just because we're uncomfortable. Sometimes, God wants us to endure such trials, so we are more focused on Him. To refine us. To challenge us in our faith. To teach us to rely fully on Him.

But it grieves me to know he is so unhappy. To hear him say his teacher is 'cruel.' That's a very harsh word. (And I have no doubt Josh knows exactly what that words means). To be miserable going to school. To feel as if he has no freedom in his own skin. To have no proverbial 'wriggle' room.

So, we're praying about this. We want the Lord to be glorified.

We want to be clear in what He wants us to do.

The week where 'Giving it all to the Lord so I don't have to take responsibility for the outcome' became a reality...

2008-10-18T18:30:00.002-04:00

Ok...yeah, that title is ridiculously long, but it is more than pertinent to where I am professionally and spiritually.

Our new Pastor, Mel, has truly been a gift from God. A true servant. A more Godly man than I can put into words. Approachable. Has quite the sense of humor. Yet presents the Word of God in such a way that I literally lose track of time....and lose track of myself in God's grace and mercy.

I have been reminded in these last weeks of hearing God's Word that I am truly nothing without Him. As many times as I've tried to bear my own burdens and failed, one would think, by now, I would have learned to plant them firmly at Jesus' feet and let Him take care of them. Yet sometimes, I forget and feel as if I know what's best for me....and worrying somehow seems to be the perfect response....and I need to be in complete control of my own life....

The Lord is using Pastor Mel and his precious Word to begin the refining process. You see, gold will never be perfect or beautiful until it is refined in the fire. The fire removes all of the impurities....causing the precious metal to shine in brilliance, reflecting the image of the person who is doing the refining. My spirit is like that gold.....it needs to be refined. All of the impurities of life....the worry, the regret, the guilt, the frustration, the insecurity, the busyness, and whatever else may be blocking that perfect, pure, love-relationship with God, must be burned out. And once that process is complete...what is left is a perfect reflection of Jesus....My Savior and Lord.

That's what I want. I want whoever looks at me to see Him. I want whoever talks with me to hear the voice of Jesus.

This last week, in our faculty meeting, our Principal discussed several things to us...One of which was the fact that, with two new middle schools opening, more than half of our staff would be displaced and transferred to another school. This transfer process is based solely on seniority, which I knew. And because I am a brand new teacher, I have no rights, so to speak. I knew that, as well. But for some reason, hearing it Thursday afternoon....and facing the reality that I may have to start all over again next school year, in different school, with different co-workers, made me want to cry full-blown Snoopy tears right there in Faculty meeting.

But on the way home, I was reminded of what Pastor Mel told us...."When I don't give everything over to God, I am taking responsibility for its outcome." Ouch! Had I really messed up already? Yeah, I guess I had. By worrying over my placement for next school year, I was essentially telling God He had no idea what He was doing and clearly did not need to be in control of my life.

That reality, and the sinfulness in my thinking, is causing tears to well up in my eyes as I type this.

This refining process is going to be painful. But in order to be more like Jesus, He has to have His way with me. And that means giving up myself and giving Him free reign to do and to act according to His will. This is not going to be an easy road, but I am taking comfort in the fact that God will never allow the intensity of the refining to exceed my ability to bear it.

I am claiming Zechariah 13:9, Malachi 3:2-4, and Psalm 66 today.

Not even sure where to begin...

2008-10-11T20:48:00.002-04:00

Here I am....

Sitting at my computer, with the Rays/Red Sox game on the Tube. Trey lying on my bed watching the game and Daniel walking around with the books he checked out of the public library. Julia is watching TV somewhere. Joe and Josh are on the computer playing. My house is comfortable. My home is blessed beyond measure....God is good.

I checked out the date of my last blog entry. July 25. A very long time ago, but yet, only seems like last week. The time, these days, seems to fly by at such a rapid pace, I can barely keep up.

This school year has had its share of ups and downs, both personally and professionally. My children, while now doing well, began the year with a few bumps in the road. My students at school seemed to start the year well and have now decided they don't want to submit to authority and are making bad decisions on a regular basis. All of this keeps me in a running conversation with my Lord. I thank God every day for the ability to just talk to Him. I don't need an appointment. I don't have to worry about His availability. I don't have to worry about whether I'm bugging him with stupid stuff. He just wants to spend time with me. And it's precious.

Now, here we are at October 11. A little more than halfway through my second semester as a student at UGA and exactly halfway into my first semester as a teacher.

Tomorrow is October 12 and it's a very special day for me. You see, on this day 40 years ago, my parents professed their love for one another, promising to stand by each other until death do they part.....and they've kept their covenant with God.

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for your love. For your commitment to each other. And for being the greatest parents in the world. Happy Anniversary!

I wish I could say I will try to keep this blog going, but unfortunately, our lives make it very difficult. We'll see.

I just gotta tell how cool the Lord is......

2008-07-25T23:36:00.002-04:00

First, let me say....I apologize for the lack of posts lately. Ever since taking the Middle School teaching position, I've been thrust into seminars and new teacher training. (By the way, I'm not mentioning the name of the school or the county in which it is located, for privacy reasons......)

But suffice it to say, God is awesome!!!

Ever since I accepted the position, I have felt peace. Peace, like no other. I have not had a single hesitation about my decision to teach at this particular middle school....even though it is a 22 mile drive, with gas prices the way they are. Even though it is not the same county my children attend school. Even though we will be on slightly different academic calendars.

Peace.

But, just for good measure, the Lord has given me confirmation that the decision I made has matched His Will.

Besides the fact that one of my Sunday School friends teaches at this school.....

Last week, I attended a two day co-teaching seminar, to familiarize myself with what co-teaching looks like. It was very interesting. And one of my co-teachers was there. She and I met...and hit it off immediately. Her name is Michelle and she is cute, young and energetic. In her second year of teaching. And absolutely loves kids. During one of the breaks, we went in to see the Counselor. She wanted to get a copy of the team roster of kids. The Counselor handed her the list of kids names and Michelle said..."Great, now I can begin praying for them."

Wow.

Eight little words opened a huge door of conversation for us. We were able to spend a good portion of our breaks over those two days talking about the Lord.....understanding His Will....and being a life witness to the kids we are charged with. It was incredible.

And this last week, I've spent every day with all of the other 'new' teachers at our school, getting to know them...and being 'inducted' into the County. It's been a great week. Several times this week, we've talked about prayer...and being in God's Will. Open and easy conversation. Thank you, Lord.

And now today. Today, we were at our school for our own orientation in our facility. All of the Special Ed. teachers got together for an impromptu meeting with our Department Chair and Lead Support Teacher. We chatted. They shared. They encouraged. It was a very relaxing and comforting meeting. I feel very at ease with my role at the school. Now, that doesn't mean issues won't come up. Of course they will. But to begin on such a solid foundation is such a blessing.

Now, I'm on Facebook...and have been able to hook up with some of my new teacher friends at school. One of which is my Special Ed. Department Head. Most of us ladies put our maiden names into our profile so our high school and college friends can find us. I saw the maiden name of my Department Head.....She just so happens to be the Aunt of one of my favorite teenagers, Jacob. Jacob's older brother is dating one of my favorite college students....Katye.

I will be teaching alongside several people who are professing Believers in Christ! It is almost unfathomable to me.

God really is THAT cool.

Always learning...

2008-07-16T16:36:00.005-04:00

The Lord has taught me so many things...

How to love those that aren't the most lovable...

How to be patient when patience is the last thing on my mind...

How to be quiet so I can really listen to what others are saying...

How to be productive, when I really don't want to be...

How to be strong with strength that is not my own...

How to have faith, when all I want to do is ask questions...

And I question a lot of things. I'm not the most trusting person in the world. I can be cynical. Pessimistic (according to my dear husband, but I call it realistic). And cautious. I'm not in to adventures and I don't like surprises.

But trying to find a job this summer has been hard. I've been frustrated. Down. Insecure. I've been hopeful. Vigilant. Prayerful. I feel I've been ready for whatever would come my way.

But nothing prepared me for what has happened this week. I had an interview at a middle school in a neighboring county on Monday. I had heard many nice things about this particular school, its administration and faculty. But because I have no teaching experience, I wasn't very optimistic I would even be granted an interview, so when the interview was scheduled, I was excited, yet guarded.

Guarded. That's a great word to describe my emotions. Don't get too excited. Don't get too downhearted. Guarded. That's me.

I walked into the Principal's office, shook his hand and was introduced to two teachers who would be interviewing me as well. And as the Lord would have it, one of the them is the wife of one of Trey's teachers last year.

Small world. So, we had that common thread right off the bat.

The interview went well...from what little vantage point I have. I was comfortable. At ease. And calm. My heart was racing for a time, but quickly returned to a normal state. I realized I had nothing to lose. I would answer whatever questions they asked to the best of my ability and the rest was up to the Lord. Whatever happened would be His will. Not mine.

For 45 minutes we talked, then I was given a tour of the building by one of the secretaries. Large school. Over crowded. 52 modular units. Wow.

After the tour, I was invited back into his office where I was quickly and immediately offered the position of Special Education Collaborative Teacher, specializing in Language Arts.

Um, I'm sorry. Would you please repeat that?

I was stunned. Some friends told me Principals offer jobs on the spot, but I never thought I would actually experience it. Wow. God is amazing!!

I signed my statement of acceptance letter this morning and will be attending the Teacher Induction Program next week. Pre-planning begins the week after.

What once seemed like forever away, is now.

What once seemed like a snail's pace, is suddenly a thrill ride like no other.

Now I get to sit here and realize God had this all worked out to begin with. And I wasn't patient enough to enjoy His glory. I wasn't quiet enough to listen to His voice.

But God doesn't care about that.

His grace is amazing. And all He ever wanted to do was bless me.

And He has.

Home...

2008-07-12T10:14:00.002-04:00

What a wonderful word.

Home.

I love my home. My bed. My shower. My towels. I loved seeing my family and friends in Oklahoma. I loved being part of the Mission Trip...it was fantastic. But what I really love is coming home.

We got in around 9: 45 last night to two dogs who couldn't be happier to see us and to three cats who needed a minute to digest the commotion of six people in the house, but then followed us everywhere we went once they realized we were back. Oliver, our gray tabby, wouldn't let us go to bed either. He ended up with us all night, just being close and purring the entire time.

The drive was long, but good. No real issues, except two boys....Trey and Josh...who got to giggling about something in the back seat while Joe was trying to sleep. It's hard to keep four kids quiet in an SUV.

We had such a great trip to Texas and Oklahoma. Seeing family was so nice. Mom and I did some shopping. Joe and Dad played golf. We ate some great food. And the kids played the whole time. We got to spend time with Joe's mom and sister and Julia and our niece Keiryn were close to inseparable. We saw a Triple-A baseball game, two Major League baseball games and two great fireworks shows. A family friend let us use his pool. And I was able to keep up with schoolwork.

Last Sunday, we made our way to Tulsa for the Mission Trip to Tulsa International Baptist Church. What a blessing this church family is. Sweet, sweet people.

Every day of Kids Club was a different day of showing the community how God reigns. And our children...all 19 of them...dramatized the Bible stories, did puppets and helped lead the music. It was precious. The first day, 22 children from the church and community came. And every day, the numbers grew. 29, the second day. 32, the third. And 36, I think....on Thursday. God is so good. Marna and Mimi shared the ABC's of becoming a Christian on Thursday and Kim led the discussion on salvation bracelets and what each bead symbolized as the children made them.

The men began the restoration of a storage building and Tommy built the playground equipment. Several ladies helped with food for the team and snacks and recreation during Kids Club. And I got to help with music.

In the car on the way back to the house Thursday night, Joe and I told the kids that this was going to be a priority every summer...and they were thrilled. We made some great friends. Got to know some people better. And the children made some precious memories.

Now, we're home. And there's no rest for the weary. Unpacking. A little bit of laundry. A lot of housework. Schoolwork. A wedding today. And back to church tomorrow. Being away from my church family for two weeks is hard, too, so I'm looking forward to worshipping in the morning.

Oh, and I have two job interviews on Monday.....(Yikes!!)

Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow!

The joy of laughter.....or is it?

2008-07-07T23:01:00.003-04:00

I'm sitting here in my brother's dining room.....at my computer, just taking a break. It's been a wonderful first day of the Mission Trip. We met this morning to go over the music, practice the drama and work through the puppet script. The children did the devotional at lunch and the ladies met and planned and talked. The men worked a great portion of the day outside.

Our first night of VBS was such a blessing. 22 precious children came. Asian, Caucasian, African American. 2 year olds and 15 year olds. And every age in between. We laughed. Jumped. Sang. Clapped. And waved our arms. We listened. Giggled. Prayed. Danced. And thanked God for His blessings.

Now, we're back at my brother's hanging out and getting ready to go to bed. But as I sit here, listening to the Phillies game and checking my school website, I'm marveling at the laughter coming from the couch. There is nothing more heart-warming to me than to listen to my four children laughing hysterically. Together. It is a precious sound.

The only issue is what they're laughing at.

My wonderful brother....The Randall....32 years old and newly married, has a movie that I've never seen....nor have I ever wanted to see. The kids have never seen it, either, but today, decided to watch it. They started it this afternoon....and they're finishing it now.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Good Ness.

I actually think I'm losing IQ points just listening to the little bit I've been so blessed to catch.

I think I'll head to bed before I become more stupider.............

Just checkin' in....

2008-07-04T11:59:00.002-04:00

Well, our first week away from home has been great. Our weekend in Texas with Joe's dad and his wife was really nice....we enjoyed two baseball games and had a wonderful time at 6 Flags. We saw a side of our children that was so refreshing.....They hung out together....rode the rides together....took turns choosing which ride they would go on next...and really showed a lot of love for each other. Yes, they've done that before, but watching them Monday was such a blessing.

We've been in Oklahoma City since Tuesday and have had a wonderful time with my parents and Joe's mom. Shopping. Barbecue-ing. And hanging out. Tonight, we're going to the Redhawk's game, the AAA-affiliate for the Texas Rangers, and watch some fireworks afterward. I'm going to get to catch up with my best friend from High School and eat some wonderful Mexican food.

The weather here has been great....Hot and really Hot. Slight breeze, but even that's been hot. Welcome to Oklahoma!

On Sunday, we're heading to Tulsa to meet up with our Sunday School class and our Mission Trip to Tulsa International Baptist Church. I can't wait!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Independence Day! Stay safe and have fun. See you in 9 days.

Road Trip...

2008-06-27T17:15:00.002-04:00

We are so outta here!!!

In about 90 minutes, we will be loading up the car and heading out of town. We've had this planned for so long and now it's finally here.

We're on our way to three different cities....Ok, four if you count Tuscaloosa where we're spending the night tonight.

Our first destination is Dallas, Texas. For two reasons. One, we have family there. My father-in-law and his wife live there, as does my brother, who is stationed nearby. I also have a cousin in McKinney, so we're really making this trip worth our while.........

But the second reason we're going to Dallas is because my Phillies are playing Joe's Rangers...at the Ballpark in Arlington. And you know how much I love baseball.....and my Phillies. We planned this in January when the baseball schedule came out....My parents are driving down from Oklahoma City, so that means close to 16 of us are going to tomorrow night's game. Way too cool!

Joe, the kids and I are going to Sunday's game as well...then to 6 Flags on Monday. Tuesday, we'll get up and drive to Oklahoma City to see my parents and Joe's mom.

On Sunday, we're then heading up to Tulsa, a swift 90 minutes away, to be a part of something really awesome.....a Family Mission Trip with our Sunday School class. In Tulsa, we get to make nursing home visits, do VBS and help at an international Baptist Church. The men will be building a playground for the church, as well...so this is beyond cool.

We'll be back on the 11th of July. Have a great holiday everyone.....and to all of the Patriotic Jamboree folks....I will be praying for you. It's going to be awesome! The only problem is...I don't get to sing this year.

See ya in two weeks!!!!

I'm trying.....I really am.

2008-06-24T10:18:00.002-04:00

Discouragement. Self-Doubt. Insecurity. These are all things I struggle with.

And things I'm convicted about.

These last several months, the Lord has taken me on an amazing journey. One of joy and blessing. One of excitement and anticipation. It was a calling. A beckoning, even. I've answered. And have felt His hands guiding me. Leading me.

But it hasn't been without its frustrations, either. Waiting. Hoping.

Nothing.

Then maybe something.... But no, it wasn't anything.

An exercise in faith. In perseverance. In trust in my Father.

And the devil doesn't like it. And he's letting me know that.

I have applied for close to 25 positions in the tri-county area. Collaborative teacher positions. Resource teacher positions. Parapro positions. I have sent emails. Letters. Packets with my resume, cover letter and great references.

I watch the job boards---several times a day. I pray each time I click 'apply.' I want to rely fully on my Lord. That He is guiding me as I seek employment as a teacher.

Nothing.

Jobs appear on the board. I apply for them. A couple of days later. They disappear. Sometimes Principals respond to my inquiry. Most of the time....they don't. They say, 'Thank you for your interest.' They tell me, 'I am currently looking through the applications and will set up interviews.'

But the call does not come.

I know I am nothing special. I know I am not as qualified as other applicants. It's not that I feel I am God's gift to Special Education, because I don't.

But God has blessed me with a heart. A heart for those who need a little extra time. For those who need more encouragement than other kids. A heart for those who struggle with school. A heart for those who aren't like everyone else.

A heart for middle schoolers.

I know my opportunity will come. God hasn't taken me this far into this journey to drop me off and say....'See ya!' He doesn't do that. I am trying to be positive. I'm trying to be upbeat. I'm trying not to be discouraged....that maybe this isn't what I'm supposed to do.

But it's hard.

Father, remove the devil and his wicked ways from me. Do not let him discourage me. Keep me focused on Your face....Your will for my life. Grant me wisdom and discernment. Courage. And strength as I continue to follow You.

Tea Party...

2008-06-19T15:51:00.004-04:00

Ever since we found out we were having a third son, we were on our knees asking the Lord for a little girl. No, not because the boys were that horrible... :-) I have just always wanted a daughter.

Just one.

I was the only daughter...and it was wonderful. My mom and I were and still are very close...and my dad, well.....let's just say he thinks I'm pretty special. So, when we found out we were pregnant with child #4, Joe and the boys prayed. They prayed for a little sister.

It has long been joked that God has a sense of humor. From the moment Julia was born, we saw His sense of humor in full and living color. Because while I always dreamed of that little pink bundle of joy that would smile and giggle, wear dresses and bows in her hair, what we got was a full-of-life sass-a-frass who will wrestle, wear pants with holes in the knees and would no more wear a bow in her hair than anything.

Our precious little angel has gotten more girly over the years, though. When she was a baby, we could not get her to smile. I have pictures of her just sitting there....totally unimpressed with the photographer and his (or my) attempts at getting her to show her pearly whites. Bows in her hair? Forget it. She would pull out and untie any attempt on my part to exemplify her feminine side. Now, though, she will do ponytails and braids and loves to have her picture taken.

But the biggest shock of all came yesterday, when she came to me and asked if we could have a tea party. Yes. A tea party. And she wanted to use the teacups that I have collected over the years from the times Joe was overseas. Ok. I said. Let's have a tea party.

So today....we had our tea party. Complete with cups made in Iraq, a strawberry cake made by Duncan Hines with vanilla icing and funfetti, ice cream made by Publix, hot tea from Lipton, our pinkies pointing up in the air, our elbows off the table and using fake British accents. Never before, have table manners been so apparent.

Sounds fun, doesn't it? It was. But it doesn't end there......

What made it even more special was the fact that her three older brothers....the very three brothers that prayed for this precious, handful of a little girl, wanted to come to the tea party, too.

And we had a great time.

I must say, Trey's fake British accent is frighteningly realistic.

God is so good.

Golf, a Tiger, and a prayer......

2008-06-18T17:13:00.004-04:00

I'm a big sports fan. Baseball. College football. College basketball. And golf.

Yes, I said golf. I will admit, though, the biggest reason I watch golf is a man named Tiger Woods. He blew onto the scene 12 years ago and has quickly risen to become, arguably, the greatest golfer ever to play the game. It is fascinating to me what he can do with that little, white, dimpled ball.

When Tiger is playing.....I'm watching. And I watched this last weekend...and Monday...as Tiger won the U.S. Open...putting him 4 shy of tying the all-time Majors record of 18 set by the Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus. It was a wonderful weekend of golf. Amazing golf shots. Comeback after comeback and the greatest player to ever play......won. Again.

But today the news came down that Tiger is needing surgery on his already surgically repaired left knee...and he's out for the remainder of the 2008 season. I must admit, I'm disappointed. Not getting to watch him play is a definite let-down, but the bigger let-down for me has far greater, eternal ramifications.

Because Tiger....as far as I know....is not a Christian. Here is a man....recognized world-wide more than any other figure...either sports or otherwise, wealthy beyond imagination, and gifted more than most of us put together.....doomed to eternal damnation, because he has never acknowledged Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

And that, my friends, saddens me more than not getting to see him play. I have decided, though, that in my quiet time every morning, I am going to pray for Tiger Woods. No, I will never meet him. I will never get to shake his hand or have an opportunity to witness to him. But I can pray. And pray, I will do. I am going to pray that someone walks into his life...whether a doctor, a physical therapist, even a member of his official fan club....and shares with him the saving love of Jesus.

Can you imagine the impact he could have on this world....if he knew the Lord?

Oh, Lord. Hear my prayer.

A new beginning.......

2008-06-15T22:32:00.003-04:00

God is so good.

I can't put into words how excited I am about what's happening in our church. We've been blessed to have been members for over 10 years....and God has done some mighty works in these 10 years. He's shown us His glory. He's shown us His power. He's shown us He is bigger than our circumstances. He is truly amazing!

I love my church. No, it's not perfect. There have been some ups and some downs, but through it all God has reigned supreme. And tonight, yet again, God showed me just how much He loves me, because He sent His man to our church to lead us as Pastor and Shepherd.

Tonight, our church called Dr. Mel Blackaby as Pastor. Just typing it causes me pause. I almost can't believe it. God wants me in such a close relationship with Him that He called Mel Blackaby to show me what that looks like. God wants me to become a mighty prayer warrior....so He called Mel Blackaby to teach me how to pray. God wants me to be an Excellent Wife, so He called Mel and his precious wife Gina, to be our leaders. No, not just a preacher....but a leader for our church.

We need a leader. I need a leader in that pulpit every Sunday. And God had something up His sleeve that I could have never imagined in my wildest imagination.

Thank you, Father for sending us Your man for our fellowship. Thank you for impressing upon the hearts of the search committee...this man and his family. Thank you for opening his heart for this community. Thank you for showing us how big You really are.

I praise Your Name.

The first week, an interview, and a blessing....

2008-06-12T10:55:00.005-04:00

Well, I have officially finished my first week of school....and frankly, it's really not that bad. The assignments are fairly straightforward, although I have had to email the instructor for confirmation on a couple of things. The reading, though, is still a bit boring.

I love to read. But this type of reading is rather dry....lots of laws, lots of technical terms that my teeny little brain is not focusing too well on. It's not necessarily hard.....just blah.

But I'll muddle through. :-)

I had my first interview with an elementary school this week and while it could have gone better.....I'm happy with how it went. I will never claim to know that much about teaching. So, when she asked me about teaching strategies and how I would ensure the students learned to read, it wasn't that easy to give a straightforward, concise answer. I don't have that kind of knowledge, yet. That's why I'm in school.

But what I could talk about was how much I love being with the students. How students thrive when they know their teacher believes in them. How they will work harder to reach their goal when they're given praise, encouragement and positive reinforcement. Students need consistency. Love. A hug. A touch. Even a 'high-five.'

I believe teaching is a ministry. A calling. And I believe that God has ordained my steps for such a time as this.....and I told the Principal as much.

I'm still applying for jobs...sending emails and mailing resumes and cover letters. Who knows what will come of it, but I believe sooner or later, I'll get to answer that call of my Lord to minister to students with disabilities.

Thank you for all of your encouragement. Your prayers and your emails. You are very special to me....even though, most of the time, I'm too busy to tell you.

I pray God's blessings on each and every one of you.

I love you.

An absolute thrill....

2008-06-07T23:06:00.003-04:00

I love baseball.

Where else can you relax, enjoy friends and family, drink a Sprite, eat a hot dog, get some sun, watch a game, enjoy family some more, relax some more, and just have fun.

At a baseball game.

There is something for everyone. Food. Sun. Cold Drinks. Fun. Good Baseball. And family.

Tonight, Josh, Julia and I went to Turner Field to watch my Phillies play the Braves...and it was a blast. Great baseball game....and, the Phillies won. But the highlight for me happened before any player took the field....and before we found our seats.

We parked the car. Listened to the Belmont Stakes on the radio. Then headed to the Ted. We walked into our usual gate, just behind home plate and began to navigate the many flights of stairs to the 400 Level.

As we got to the Press Level, I looked to my left....and my heart literally jumped in my chest. I couldn't believe who was standing off to the side. He was talking to another family, so I grabbed my camera and began shooting. A huge smile flashed across my face....and Josh and Julia started asking me 'who is that?'

Oh, my dear children. A legend.

That's who.

I told them I would fill them in on more details later, but for now....I wanted a picture of him....with my kids.

He looked up at me and smiled. I asked if I could take a picture of him with my kids. He said, "Sure." And opened his arms to welcome them to him. I heard him ask their names.....Julia answered for both of them. He then began engaging them in conversation, using their names several times. I was impressed. And thrilled.

The kids......smiled.

I took a couple of shots....then thanked him profusely. As Josh and Julia were walking back up the stairs, he called out to Josh, who was wearing a Ryan Howard T-shirt. "Josh....is he going to hit a home run tonight?" Josh looked back and said...."Yep."

It was so great.

Once we got to our seats, I was able to tell Josh and Julia that the man they just stood next to was Harry Kalas...the legendary voice of the Phillies. He has been broadcasting Phillies games.....it seems, forever.

I then told them that he was in the Baseball Hall of Fame....as a broadcaster. And Josh thought that was the coolest. In the car on the way home, he said...."I can't believe I had my picture taken with a Hall of Famer."

How precious.

I've lost my stinkin' mind......

2008-06-05T14:29:00.002-04:00

My classes are now accessible on the web.

Oh my stars. I know it's been 15 years since I've been in grad school, but Wow...is there a lot of reading. Discussion Boards. Live classrooms. Chats. I need to buy a headset with a microphone. Assignments. Quizzes. An end of term project....Oh, and the end of the term is in 7 weeks. Good Ness.

Pray, my friends. Just pray.

Rest and stewardship

2008-06-05T10:09:00.002-04:00

For the first time in many days...I actually feel rested. Thank You, Lord. Maybe it's the fact that I spent 5 hours in my kitchen yesterday....

No, it wasn't so very filthy that it took me that long to clean it. I just took my time. And was very deliberate in my cleaning. And I cleaned things I don't normally clean. :-)

Cabinet facings. Inside the microwave. Just to name two. Oh, and I mopped.

Twice.

I'm going to pick a room a day and clean/straighten just like I did yesterday. Maybe in a couple of weeks, my home will be a reflection of my commitment to my Lord. My family. And the fact that He's placed me as a steward of the blessings He has poured out on me.

CRCT

2008-05-30T12:46:00.002-04:00

These last several weeks have been filled with all kinds of emotions....

Joy

Anticipation

Disappointment

Frustration

Shock

Anger

Relief

And I'm not just talking about school ending and all that brings with it. I'm talking about taking the CRCT and waiting for the results.

This has been the first year the State of Georgia has implemented the new curriculum in Math and Social Studies and with the new curriculum came all of the emotions described above. Working in the school has allowed me up close access to the teachers....how they teach...what they experience...and how they handle different situations. It's been a wonderful opportunity.

The students took the State mandated CRCT in April...and the anxiety surrounding the test was so thick, it could be cut with a knife. Teachers weren't sure how the kids were going to do....and the kids weren't sure how they were going to do.

The results came back a couple of weeks ago and the numbers were surprising to say the least. The 6th and 7th grade Social Studies test scores had dropped so significantly, parents, teachers and administrators were up in arms....demanding that the State review the test and the standards and investigate the problem. To give some background information....in 2007, 83 percent of 6th graders passed the Social Studies portion of the test. In 2008, only 29 percent passed. Huh? In 2007, 86 percent of 7th graders passed the SS portion....in 2008, only 24 percent passed. This historic drop is what caused the State to stand up and take notice.

As a result, the scores of the Social Studies test have been completely invalidated and the curriculum and test will be re-evaluated this summer.

We received our kids scores this week and since I have both a 6th and a 7th grader, I was most interested in how they did.

I must have children more brilliant than I thought, because both of my middle schoolers met the standards set by the State. And Daniel was within a dozen points of Exceeding the Standard on the Social Studies test. Wow.

All four of our children exceeded the standards in several of the subjects....or came within a few points of exceeding and met the standards in everything else. All of their scores were well above average. Praise the Lord!

I am humbled by this....With as busy as our kids are...(I have been criticized that we are too busy)...our children still excel in school.

And it is all for the glory of the Lord.

His grace truly is amazing!

Symphonic Band

2008-05-22T20:44:00.003-04:00

My precious second child. His name is Joseph. But we call him Trey. He's nice looking. Smart. Funny. Athletic. Talented.

Sounds like an ideal kid, huh?

He's close. But he does have his faults. One of which is skating.

No, I don't mean ice or roller-skating. Although, I don't think he's very good at that 'sport' either. The skating I'm talking about is when he does the bare minimum and expects the highest result.

That.....he's actually pretty good at.

For his entire life, Trey has heard comments like, "Trey, you're so smart." "Trey, you're so cute." "Trey, you're so gifted. I love hearing you play the piano." "Trey, you're so much fun to be around."

And, at times, he's been caught believing his own press. But a couple of weeks ago, the unexpected happened.

Every spring, at the middle school, the band director holds auditions for Symphonic Band. This is the audition-only premier band at the middle school. They are very good. Have won competitions and have played in a couple college football bowl games. It's a big deal to make Symphonic. If a student auditions and doesn't make Symphonic Band, he or she will be placed in Concert Band. A very good band as well....it's just not Symphonic.

Trey auditioned for Symphonic Band, along with everyone else. He expected to make it straight away. He practiced.....some. But not as much as I would have preferred. He had the prepared piece down, but his scales were a little shaky. But he was confident.....After all....he's first chair.

He went in to audition and the rest of the family cleared out of the bandroom. He's like his mama. No audience necessary. But I hung back. And what I heard was not the Trey I know. He did not play with confidence. His tone was not clear. He made some mistakes. After he was through, he came out of the room and made it clear he wasn't happy. He knew he bombed it.

Results didn't come out for over a week...and each day I waited for his text. Finally, it came.

He didn't make Symphonic Band.

I had the chance to talk with him about it....and because it had been several days since the audition, he was over his initial unhappiness. But the good thing is....he could re-audition the last week of school. And he did.

Yesterday.

Trey has learned a lot through this.

He's learned that if he wants something, he has to work for it.

He's learned that life is not always going to hand him everything on a silver platter.

He's learned that being prepared pays off.

He's learned that practicing actually makes him a better saxophone player. (Duh!)

Today, the results came back.

He made Symphonic Band. And according to the director....he 'creamed' the rest of the kids who were auditioning for the ONE spot available.

Way to go, my darling Trey. I am so proud of you.

Orientation, Honor Bands, Rehearsal and Recital...

2008-05-17T20:53:00.002-04:00

The third weekend in May. Every year. Without fail. Is the absolute busiest weekend of the year.

And this weekend...the third weekend in May...followed the same path at it's predecessors.

And I wasn't even around to enjoy the ride.

I am not someone who likes adventure. Nor do I enjoy trying new things. I am a rut dweller. I like the comfort of my home. My car. My schedule. It's the same. It's predictable. It's secure.

Which is why I do not drive into the City very often. My thing is....if I can't find it where I live, then I don't need it.

So, my driving to UGA....by myself....two hours away....for an Orientation for the Special Ed program I'm starting, was definitely a big-time prayer opportunity. I had originally planned on leaving this morning for the orientation, but Joe....knowing me as well as he does....advised me to go ahead and go Friday night, so I could find the hotel....not be rushed, and drive around campus, find parking and find the building I was supposed to go to.

He's so smart.

Orientation was from 9:00 - 1:00 today and it went well. Nothing earth-shattering in terms of information...but the opportunity to shore up my knowledge on how to access my online classes was good. I left right at 1:00 and headed west back toward the city.

But while I was in my meeting....here is what went on with Joe and the kids, during this third weekend in May....the busiest weekend of the year.

9:00 a.m.--just as I'm beginning, Joe is dropping Josh and Trey off at the high school for their respective Honor Band rehearsals. Joshua was one of only 5 or 6 kids from his elementary school band to be selected for Honor Band. And he was the only percussionist. And he got to play timpani....something he's wanted to play for a long time. He's been taking drum lessons for over a year, but he's never had the chance to play timpani, until this weekend. I got to talk to him last night...after his first rehearsal. The joy in his voice is something I'll never forget. He was so excited. And he made this mama so proud.

Trey was selected to Honor Band because he is 1st chair saxophone for his 6th grade band at the middle school. And the Guest Conductor wrote a piece just for this weekend. It was very special and Trey had a great time.

Noon--Just as we're starting the second part of our meeting, Joe is dropping Julia off at her dance recital. Four costumes, with tights, shoes, hair accessories, earrings, makeup, hair brush, bobby pins and hair freeze. Joe and Julia walked in with all the stuff....Joe handed Julia off to a room mom and off she went.

And off Joe went. Back to the house to collect Daniel for his 1:00 soccer game. Now, I'm leaving the building and heading to the parking deck a couple of blocks away to get the truck and begin the drive west. Joe drops Daniel off at the game, then heads to the store for dog and cat food. He and I are talking...chatting....having a nice time. My drive seems to go by fairly quickly. He picks Daniel up at 1:45, so they can head to the high school for Josh's 2:00 Honor Band concert.
2:00. I'm driving along. At a pretty decent clip. Making great time. I'm listening to the Mets/Yankees game on XM. It's a beautiful day. Joe said to go ahead and drive through the city, since it's the weekend....and head straight to Fairburn for Julia's dance recital. I've already missed the 12:30 show, but would make the 3:30 show...no problem.

Suddenly, a wall of cars appears in front of me. All 7 lanes. Turned into a parking lot. Well, not exactly a parking lot. We weren't completely stopped. My speedometer said I was traveling at a nice, easy pace of 2 miles an hour. Yes. 2 mph. It was crazy. Apparently, the DOT thought that the middle of the day on Saturday was a great time to re-pave 75/85 and I and 10,000 of my closest friends all decided to navigate this mess at the same time.

Needless to say, I missed the first part of the recital.

2:40--Joe calls. I'm still sitting in the disaster known as 75/85. Josh's concert was fantastic. Now Joe is heading to the house so he can drop Josh off, give Daniel a chance to change clothes, then get him to church for his Crossroads rehearsal.

3:15--Joe calls again. I'm still sitting in the disaster known at 75/85. Daniel gets dropped off and Joe begins the drive back toward the high school for Trey's 4:00 Honor Band concert.

4:00--Trey's concert begins. I've finally moved through the disaster known at 75/85 and am heading toward 92. I arrive at 4:15, just in time to catch the tail end of their tap dance. It was good. The rest of their dances are fabulous, too. It's wonderful to see the fruits of all their labor.

4:50--Trey's concert is now over....It was wonderful, of course. Joe is now taking Trey to the church for the tail end of Crossroads rehearsal. He texts me at 5:16 that he's heading home....and he's zonked.

6:14--Julia and I are in the car following her final performance of the day. We begin heading south. At 6:35, we arrive at the restaurant for dinner. I'm famished. And exhausted. Joe is not as hungry, but probably more worn out than I. It's been a crazy day. And it's not over yet.

Daniel and Trey both had their Sunday School parties tonight after Crossroads rehearsal. Joe just got home with them. It's 10:01 pm.

It's the third weekend in May.

But honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way. God has blessed us with four children who are gifted musically. God has blessed us with four children who are bright and do not struggle in school. God has blessed us with four children who are full of life....not wall-flowers or soft on what they believe in.

This weekend....the third weekend in May....is a glorious opportunity to see our God at work. To see His handiwork. To acknowledge His greatness. To thank Him for His blessings.

Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow.

A day in the life....

2008-05-10T19:51:00.009-04:00

Whew! I'm whooped. This has been a day and a half....to say the least. And I know I'm one of a billion people who have a lot going on, so I'm not looking for any sympathy. We've done it to ourselves....and the whole 'it's the end of the year and we MUST have a recital/party/concert' is our just dues.

The first thing on the docket today was Julia's dance competition. The biggest part of being in the Company class is going to competition in the Spring. The kids have been working on these dances since July...for 10 months....in preparation for today and it was a big deal. We received our schedule on Tuesday....Julia's class was dancing at 8:52 and 9:19 this morning. That's A.M. At the PAC. And we had to be there an hour early. Yes. An hour early. That's roughly 7:45 A.M. 30 minutes away from where we live.

I am not a night person. By 10 o'clock, I'm starting to fade away. I'm not really a morning person, either, but I do much better in the morning once I'm out of bed. On Saturday, I don't set an alarm unless I absolutely 'have' to. And today, I 'had' to. 5:15 A.M. Yes....5:15 does in fact come on a Saturday morning. Honestly, I thought 5:15 only came 6 days a week...and Saturday wasn't one of them. But today, it did. And I got up. Begrudgingly.

Joe got Julia out of bed at 6 and after she ate her french toast, I proceeded to put some light makeup on her beautiful face and gel her hair. There are very specific 'rules' we have to follow in competition. All the hair off the face. No bangs. Hair tied in a low ponytail with their crystal gemmed ponytail holder.

When Julia made company last summer, I asked her to look around at all the big girls at the dance studio. To a girl, they all have long hair with no bangs. Julia has always had bangs, so we decided we would try and grow them out for dance and see how she does. We've made it through that awkward stage, finally. She can almost tuck them behind her ears. But, they still get in the way. Knowing I had to get them completely off her face, I bought a can of hair glue. Yes. Hair glue. Actually, it's a freezing spray. Recommended by a church friend who has a daughter that dances.....and wow does this stuff work.

Julia's hair was absolutely perfect.

She had to go to the PAC with her costume on and makeup and hair completely ready. I think she looks fantastic. Her team performed their tap routine first...then their jazz. The tap was absolutely awesome. My jaw literally dropped at how great they were. For their teacher to get 17 8-9 year olds to work in sync like that is just unbelievable!

The jazz number was great, too...and in fact, won first place for their age group and category! Their tap number won second place. Not bad, huh. Two dances. First and second place. Way to go Petites!

From there we ran to the soccer fields to watch the end of Daniel's game...grab him and head home. I dropped off Daniel and Julia and picked up Trey to take him to his ball game....and boy, what a game it was. Trey's team, the Braves, was playing the Indians....who just happen to be coached by a very good friend of ours. Their son, Cory, has been friends with my boys forever....really, ever since we moved here. They've been in Sunday School, Kids Choir, and VBS together for years and they always have a great time together.

Trey had a great game.....on base three times and made some great defensive plays as the second baseman. He even earned the MVP Game Ball.

Josh's game was right after Trey's, but thanks to some thunder, lightning and a whole bunch of rain...the game was called after half an inning. So, my long day got a little shorter. We came home and collapsed. Julia has fallen asleep twice since we've been home and has now gone to bed. Joe is putting the boys to bed now...and then we're going to sit and watch an episode of Bones we missed.

And the hero throughout all of this is Joe. No, he didn't do the running around, although he did bring the kids to the field at 3:00 for Trey's game. While Julia and I were gone this morning, he straightened up our bedroom (which was a flaming disaster), had the boys sweep the garage and clean up the guest suite, revamped the kitchen a little bit...swapping the Tupperware and some pots and pans, did three loads of laundry, and mowed the grass.

Who knew Mother's Day came on Saturday, too?

Thank you, dear. I love you very much.

He's 'finally' married...

2008-05-06T22:11:00.008-04:00

I haven't written much of my brothers...mostly because they live so far away and we don't talk as much as I'd like.

I am the oldest of three. I have two younger brothers. Rob is 34. He is married and has a son, Ethan, who is 6 weeks older than Julia. Robbie, as family calls him, is in the military and has been to Iraq. He is a military policeman and one of his responsibilities while overseas was training Iraqi troops. Now, he's a recruiter in Texas...and is not enjoying it as much as he would like.

And then there's The Randall. Yes, he is The Randall. He is 32 and has a very cool job. He works for a company that produces some of those ESPN specials called SportsCentury. They do other things, too, but Randy has been involved in several SportsCentury profiles. Andy Roddick, Pedro Martinez...just to name a couple. And because of his awesome work...he earned an Emmy last year. Yes, my brother is an Emmy winner. How cool is that?

Right now, he does the Tiger 360 episodes for the Golf Channel. Yes, I have some pretty neat brothers.

Which brings me to this last weekend.....My youngest brother, The Randall, finally got married. At the age of 32. Ever since high school, he has always said he wasn't getting married until he was 30. I, for one, never really took him seriously. Randy is cute. He has alot of personality. He has a good head on his shoulders. Everyone loves him. Why on earth would I believe that some sweet, young thing wouldn't come along...and make Randy change his tune.

But no. It didn't happen. It doesn't mean that Randy didn't have his share of girlfriends. He did. But none were anyone he could see himself settling down with.

Randy lives in Tulsa. Apparently...and I might get this wrong....he was on the east coast on business a couple of years ago, either NYC or Philly. At an ESPNZone, I believe, waiting for some people.

At the same time. In the same restaurant. Was Valerie. Who lived in Cleveland at the time. Waiting for some people, as well. They got to talking. And never made it to what they were there for. Two people who live in completely different parts of the country...on the East Coast on business...meet and totally hit it off.

The rest, they say, is history.

Thus began a long-distance relationship...which only made them closer. She finally moved to Tulsa so they could be together.

Randy proposed in a most romantic way. She had taken a trip and was flying home. Randy met her at the airport...only he wasn't alone. He had several friends in cahoots with him...and as she walked off the plane, she saw three signs. 'Will' 'You' 'Marry' ....Randy was holding the fourth, "Me." It was so sweet. He got down on one knee and presented the ring to her.

She said Yes.

Randy is at least 6'3". Valerie...is pretty darn close. They have a standing joke that when they get their picture taken, she has to either wear flats...or take her shoes off. What Randy gives to Valerie in the way of his sense of humor....she gives right back. He jokes. She jokes right back. He adores her. And they are perfect for one another.

And this last weekend, they got married. In Cleveland. It was absolutely fantastic. We had a ball hanging out with family we don't see very often. Almost everyone was able to come in for the wedding. All the aunts and uncles...and most of the cousins. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect weekend...except for maybe a couple more days of spending time with one another.

The wedding ceremony took place in a beautiful, Catholic church. Then the wedding party took a couple of hours afterward to go take pictures in various scenic parts of Cleveland. The rest of us went back to the hotel to hang out. The reception was a typical northern U.S. affair. Buffet dinner. DJ. Dancing. etc..... It was so much fun. They picked some of the best dance music. Even my father...all 65 years...was on the dancefloor, not only dancing a nice romantic, slow dance with my mother, but also the Macarena and the Chicken Dance.

Dad.....don't quit your day job!

Mom and Dad...you were awesome! You really know how to throw a rehearsal dinner party.

In a state of shock....

2008-04-28T19:49:00.004-04:00

As you know, I'm presently getting myself ready to become certified as a teacher in the State of Georgia. I've enrolled in classes at UGA and will be starting the beginning of June. (Yikes!) I have applied for several jobs in multiple counties, but have not received any calls. I have been substitute teaching for 18 months...and have been trying to rub elbows with all the right people, so that when jobs become available, they think of me first.

I've taken, and passed, the State Certification exam for Special Education and decided that I would go ahead and take a couple of Middle Grades Content Exams so that I would look a little better on paper than I do now. Right now, on paper, I'm almost useless as a teacher. Nothing on my resume indicates I should be standing in front of kids teaching them Math, Language Arts, or Reading. It's all ministry or retail work. Nothing in the way of education.

So, last month, I took the Middle Grades Math and the Middle Grades Language Arts tests. I prepared. I studied. I did Math problems. I graphed. I solved equations. I read stories. I studied grammar. I perused vocabulary and spelling words. I brushed up on angles, the Pythagorean Theorem, and exponents. I felt like I did all I could to be ready for these tests.

When I sat down to begin, I decided to take the Math test first. I wanted to give myself ample time to work each problem...making sure I didn't make any dumb mistakes. About halfway through the test, I found myself relaxing....and actually feeling good about what I was doing. The vast majority of the problems made sense. I was able to figure out the answers. And I answered with confidence. The Essay question.........not so much, but I decided I wasn't going to stress over that.

Because I spent so much time on the Math test.... I left myself only about 90 or so minutes for the Language Arts test. And when I began to read the test, I almost couldn't focus. I realized I'd spent too much time on Math...and had nothing left for Language Arts. Oh well. No biggie. I don't have to be Highly Qualified (High Q'd) in content classes yet anyway. So, I walked out---almost laughing at the fact that I actually sat for two Middle Grades Tests. What was I thinking?

So, when people asked me how it went, my answer was pretty standard. "I doubt I did well. (Yes, I'm a realistic pessimist)...but that I would be surprised if I didn't pass the Math test....for no other reason than the fact that I spent so much time on it....being oh so careful with each operation. Language Arts. No way I passed. My brain was fried."

Now here we are today. April 28. The day the Scores are released. According to the website, scores are released after 5 pm. I am not that patient and decided I would log-on and see if they happened to post them early. 8 am. No. 8:15. Nope. 9:00. 10:00. 10:42. 11:48. 12:16. Still nothing. 12:45. I try again. And sure enough. There it is. The log-on window...asking me for my ID#. My hands nervously begin to type. Then it asks me to verify that I am me. I do. And in front of me are the two test scores I can verify. I click on Language Arts first.

And it says........

PASSED.

Huh? You must be joking. I hit the back button and started again. Sure enough, I passed the Language Arts test. Unbelievable. And all that's left is my Math score. I click the button. It flashes to the screen.

Did Not Pass.

My heart sank. I couldn't believe it. The test I spent so much time preparing for. The test I spent so much time taking. I didn't pass. I stared at the screen thinking that maybe I had accidentally infiltrated someone else's test scores. But, No. I hadn't. I just plain didn't pass. I missed the passing score by 13 points...and frankly, I can't imagine what I messed up on. After much thinking and much consternation, though, I've come to the conclusion that the essay question was what did me in.

So, now I'm High Q'd to teach Language Arts...but not Math. Whooda thunk it?

So, on June 14...I'll be taking that goofy test again. And hopefully this time....I'll pass.

Standing Ovation...

2008-04-27T21:50:00.008-04:00

I am ashamed to admit that I rarely think about those who are persecuted for their faith. Those who must worship in secret. Those who are arrested, interrogated, beaten, taken from their families, imprisoned, and killed. Beaten and killed for no other reason than because they love the Lord. Because they have chosen to go against man and praise the Name of the Lord despite the earthly consequences. Because they have chosen to risk their lives in order to bring the lost to a saving knowledge of Christ.

But here I sit, in my home. On my couch. Watching a baseball game on TV. Typing on my laptop. Wearing clothes. And shoes. I'm clean. My hair is curled. I have makeup on. I am able to go to church without fear. Without having to look over my shoulder. I can raise my hands and worship my God for His many blessings. Without hesitation. I can go to work and pray over my lunch without wondering if anyone is going to beat me for doing so. I can read my Bible during my planning period without worry that someone will take it from me....or demand I put it away or be fired.

Tonight, our High School Choir presented a powerful musical honoring those who have been persecuted for their faith. Those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice because they chose God over man. They gave their lives because they loved the Lord. Wow. What a sacrifice. It is literally unfathomable to me that there are people who have done this, but yet there are many.

It was an incredible time tonight as we learned about Polycarp, Betsy Ten Boom, Graham Staines, and Georgy Slesary. Those who were killed because they loved and worshipped Jesus. And it got me thinking. How dare I ever feel put upon when God asks me to serve Him. How dare I. What am I being asked to sacrifice? My time. Yes. Money. Sure. But my life? No. My family's lives? No.

Yes, there are times when I just don't feel like it. When I'm tired. Tapped out. Spent. But, that's just me being selfish, really.

God, forgive me for my complacency. Forgive me standing pat. Forgive me for being so busy that I forget to Praise Your Name. Father, create in me a clean heart. Use me to glorify You. Remove me from the equation. It's all about You. You have placed me into the mission field of teaching. Give me opportunity to share You with those around me. May I glorify You, Father, every day I'm in the classroom.

Thank You, God, once again for Your grace in my life. I praise You for Who You are. You are the Almighty. The All-Powerful. The Resurrection and the Life. Thank You, Father, for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, so the rest of the world can have the opportunity to get to know You.

Thank You, Father for two parents who took me to church every Sunday while I was growing up. Thank You, Father, for grandparents who took my parents to church every Sunday they were growing up.

I just want to be a blessing, Father. I want others to look at me and see You.

God, be with those all over this world....who are under attack. Who are under the threat of beatings or even death if they share Jesus. Father, if it be Your will...keep them safe. Give them strength to stand up for what they believe. Give them Hope. Courage. And Peace. Give them a glimpse of Your glory, Father. Show them that their work is not in vain.

Thank You, Father for the reminder tonight that we have much to do in the remaining days until You return for Your children. Thank You for Frontline. What a blessing they were tonight.

Learning more and more every day.....

2008-04-23T21:52:00.004-04:00

I've learned a lot these last few weeks.

I've learned that Middle School Math is not that bad.

I've learned that I have more patience than I realized.

I've learned that Grammar, punctuation, and spelling are very important to me.

I've learned that some children who suffer from disabilities want to be treated like they have disabilities....and not like every other average learner in the school. (Too bad for them.....they're going to be treated like they're 'normal' kids in my classroom)

I've learned that repeating myself is something I 'have' to do to get through to the children I've been charged to teach...and it doesn't bother me like I thought it would.

I've learned, again, that God provides an extra measure of grace right when I need it....and He always infuses me with extra energy to tackle the next task....right when I thought I was tapped out.

Wow. It's been an interesting 5 weeks since I started my long term job. A lot of teachers ask me how things are going....and my answer is always the same. "Some days are better than others, but I wouldn't trade my opportunity for anything." I love what I'm doing. It's funny, though. I'm tired....but that tired doesn't show itself until late at night. And every morning when I get up....I can't wait to get back to the school and see the kids.

Thank you, Lord for this. It's so great!

This last week the kids have testing...and it's been tough on both the students and the teachers. The state uses the results of the tests to determine which schools and which school systems are meeting the minimum standards set by the government. The results of these tests are basically the 'report card' for the teachers, the schools and the school system. We finished yesterday....and it was a relief. The hardest test, according to the kids, was Social Studies. Even my own personal 6th grader said it was hard, so it will be interesting to see how they do.

4 weeks of school left. Unbelievable!

Pictures from our day

2008-04-11T17:33:00.006-04:00

Here ya go.....Some snapshots of our day at Augusta National. Joe got some great shots of the players and of the amazing scenery.

Enjoy!

Gorgeous azaleas in front of one of the cabins

Three legends of golf. Arnie, Jack and Gary.

Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus

Historic No. 12

Ernie Els

Phil Mickelson and his caddy

Stewart Cink and last year's champ....Zach Johnson.

It was a great day! Thanks, Mom and Dad.

Our Day at Augusta National

2008-04-10T16:18:00.005-04:00

I so enjoy watching sports....both in person and on TV. Baseball, basketball, football.....Heck, I'll even watch a hockey game every now and then. Golf is one of my favorite sports to watch. It's something I know I'll never be able to do. Hit a baseball...no problem. Shoot some hoops....yep, I can do that. I can even throw and catch a football. But golf. Nope, I'm no good. I've tried it and I can't do it. Which is why I'm so fascinated with what these men (and women) can do with a golf club and a little white, dimpled ball.

My parents live in Oklahoma City. My father plays golf three times a week, and TiVo's golf tournaments so he can both play one of his favorite sports and watch the rounds of golf on TV without missing out on anything. I've even called him after the end of the tournament to talk about Tiger or Phil and he'll say...."Don't tell me. I haven't watched it yet!"

So, when my mom called me a couple of months ago to tell me that she and my dad had BOTH won the opportunity to purchase four tickets to the Wednesday practice round and Par 3 Contest at Augusta National, I was pretty excited. They had 8 tickets between them....so, Joe and I got to go.

And it was wonderful. Beautiful green grass. Immaculate fairways and greens. Amazing scenery. Gorgeous azalea and camelia bushes. I was awed by the beauty of the grounds. And was reminded that all of it came from the Lord. God created such awesome wonder. And we were able to enjoy it yesterday. The sun was shining. A slight breeze. Conditions were ideal for golf. And for hanging out with family and friends.

We got to see Phil, Fred, Nick, and Tripp. We even saw Jack, Arnie and Gary....that was a highlight. No Tiger, though. He didn't play in the Par 3, but it was a great day nonetheless. I'll post pictures once I get them off my camera.

Spring Break is now coming to an end. Just a couple more days of no alarm clock, then it's back to reality and state testing that begins next week.

It's been a great few days, too. We've cleaned up the house...made piles of things to donate...and had a nice time with my parents. Joe is now in Norfolk for the weekend and my parents are on their way back to OKC.

God is good.

I'm being called a 'Teacher'

2008-04-06T14:32:00.003-04:00

These first few weeks of my full-time teaching job have been absolutely wonderful. The kids have been great. For the most part, they've really tried hard and they've adapted to my way of running the classroom quite well. I have had to do some re-teaching of things....like, not getting on the classroom computers without asking first. Going to the bathroom and getting a drink of water 'between' classes....and not 10 minutes after we've begun. (big problem). Raising their hands when they want to speak. Not saying 'shut-up' to each other...(one of my least favorite words in our slang language).

They now have homework several nights a week and quizzes are a regular part of our time together. I'm not sure how much of that was being done before I took over the class, but suffice it to say, they are behind in both Math and Language Arts. A real shame.

Trying to get them exposed to some things before State testing has been a bit of a challenge, but thankfully, I have a lot of support at the school, and if I need anything, I just ask.

Still no word on whether there is a permanent job for me. Oddly enough, there is a surplus of Special Education teachers in our County, so no hiring is taking place. The school has let me know they'd love to have me there on a permanent, full-time basis, but the 'numbers' may not allow it. I'm still praying that the Lord will open the door for me at this school. I love it there. The kids seem to like my being there and the teachers have been phenomenal.

I start classes this summer at UGA and have taken two more certification exams. Middle Grades Math and Middle Grades Language Arts. I get my results at the end of the month and once again, I'm not optimisic. The Math one wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I spent a lot of time on each problem, making sure I performed each operation correctly. I didn't want to make any dumb mistakes. The Language Arts test was ridiculous. I'm sure I didn't pass that one...if only because I gave everything I had to the Math test.

And now, it's Spring Break. And I need the break. Working every day...preparing lesson plans, exams and homework takes a lot out of me. Saturdays are spent on cleaning and laundry, leaving little room for rest. Standing over the kids and helping them with their work has my back in a frenzy, so I've been told to wear shoes with less of a heel. That, my friends, is not an easy task. I have worn high heels for years. Almost every job I've had required me to look professional or in my Sunday Best at all times. High heels are natural for me. Problem is, I'm now dealing with kids are still shorter than I, so my posture has changed. So, I am now having to re-think how I dress each day.

But, God is good. I love going to work. I love being with the kids. I love helping them understand things like equations, Pythagorean theorem, and coordinate planes. Big fun! And helping them remember how a compound sentence is constructed is a blast. After state testing, we're going to bring out the Literature books and start some vocabulary and spelling lessons. Some of my all-time fondest memories of school! Spelling test. :Sigh:

In the mortal words of Archie Bunker...........Those were the days!

Next time.....move.

2008-03-22T15:31:00.002-04:00

I don't consider myself the smartest person in the world........but I'm certainly not the dumbest, either. There have been times I've made some very intelligent decisions. There have been times, of course, that I've made some not so intelligent decisions.

Today, I made a not so intelligent decision.

It's Saturday. I love my weekends, because I get to rest, play, work and worship....all in a span of 24-36 hours. Things get done around the house. The kids get to play, the alarm isn't set and on Sunday, it's church and rest. What a blessing.

Today all three boys had a game. Trey and Josh both had baseball games and Daniel had his first soccer game. Yes, we've added soccer to our list of 'things to do,' as if that list wasn't long enough as it is :-)

Josh is still not able to play baseball...it looks like it could be another two weeks before he's cleared completely to play baseball and do karate. And who knows how long after that to regain the strength he once had in his arm. So, today he sat on the bench and cheered his team on. To their first loss. The score was something in the neighborhood of 9-2. Not a lot fun, but Josh, despite his "I-hate-to-lose" mentality, took it in stride.

Trey's team played as well.....and lost, as well. His score was 12-4. Not good. Trey did get a hit and scored the first run....and he walked, so he contributed. It was during Trey's game that my boneheaded decision occurred.

I'm not real sure who was batting...us or them. But there was a pitch, a swing and a foul. I saw the ball come off the bat. And I saw the ball come toward me, but I thought for sure it was going to hit the fence. When I realized it was coming over the fence straight toward me, I stuck out my foot....to try and block the ball.

Problem is......I didn't pick my leg up high enough and the ball smacked me flush on the right shin. A literal SMACK!!! The wife of the coach was sitting two rows in front of me and was all up in arms about my getting hit. She's a Brit and one of the most pleasant women I've ever been around. And she was fussing over me. It was sweet, but I was alright. Yeah, my leg hurt, but it wasn't that bad. I felt more like a doofus than anything else.

As I was explaining my clearly idiotic decision to try and block the baseball with my foot to everyone around me, one of the moms sitting near me said, "Next time....move."

And we all chuckled. My leg still hurts a bit, but that's not what I'm concerned about. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday....or as I like to call it, Resurrection Sunday and I have a gorgeous pale green and brown suit that I'm planning on wearing to church. The skirt is short.....so my legs, below my knees, will show. And right through my panty hose, will be a nice bruise.

I guess it's a great thing there's no Praise team tomorrow. I'll be in a robe, so the only folks who will see the evidence that I'm a dork...(as if there was any doubt anyway)....are my Sunday School mates.

So there you have it. I got hit in the leg with a baseball.

As for Daniel and his first soccer game....he had a ball. He has wanted to play soccer for years, but never got around to it, because of all the other things we do. But he finally has his chance. He played goalie at the beginning of the game and blocked the one attempt at a score. Way to go, Dan.

Then when he got to play offense.......he scored two goals.

My little David Beckham.

Wonder who his Posh Spice will be?

Off the radar...

2008-03-18T22:07:00.002-04:00

Yes, I'm still alive.

I apologize for having neglected this blog for the last three weeks, but I have a good reason....

I'm tired and I'm busy. :-)

Oh, and I've been asked to be a long-term substitute teacher at a middle school in one of the Special Education classrooms. I've wanted a long-term gig for a while now...and the Lord has answered that prayer. I get to hang out with some precious middle-schoolers as they finish out their school year. We're covering Math, Language Arts and Reading and getting ready for Standardized testing in three weeks.

I'm excited. I'm scared. I'm overwhelmed. I'm humbled. God is so good. He is allowing me to do what I've wanted to do for so long.....Hang out with the same kids. In the same school. On the same schedule. And I get to teach kids in a small group setting, to boot!

Unbelievable!

Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow!

Adventures in bird catching...

2008-02-29T21:28:00.002-05:00

Today I had the opportunity to work at my favorite school. I knew it would be a good day...and it was. My kids know....from the moment they get on the bus in the morning....where I'm going to be that day in case they need me. Only one time have I gotten a phone call while I was in the classroom. Today, was the second.

Josh called at 3:00 this afternoon....telling me there was a bird in the house and he couldn't get it back outside. He said he had all the windows and doors opened, but he could not shoo the bird out. He wasn't panicked...he just didn't know what to do.

Then I got another call that the bird went into the laundry room...but he couldn't find it. So, I told him he could either stomp around and scare it out or he could just not worry about it. I told him I would be home shortly to pick him up, grab the other kids and head to the airport to pick up Joe. We would worry about it after Celebration Night. After all, we have cats. If there was a bird in the house...it wouldn't take long to get the attention of our pretty kitties.

I grabbed Dan and Trey from the bus and headed to the house. When I walked in the door, I found myself looking up at the ceiling...almost ducking down expecting to be dive-bombed by this bird. Harken back to the days of bat-catching and you'll know why. I scanned the house but did not see anything. Trey went in to get his basketball shirt and drop off his backpack and I headed into my room to check email. Nothing seemed out of sort. In my room, at least.

When I walked into the kitchen I could see that yes....a bird had, in fact, been in the house...as there were feathers strewn around the kitchen floor. I stopped right there and decided that looking for the source of the feathers was not in the cards for me at this moment. We needed to get back in the car to get Joe. He had already arrived and was waiting for us at 'our spot.'

We picked up Joe and headed to dinner then to church. We had a wonderful time at Celebration Night. The speaker/entertainer was fantastic. Juggling, unicycling, fire, bouncing balls. It was great. The kids were captivated and I laughed until tears were stinging my eyes.

Then, home. Julia and Josh were the first up the stairs. Daniel and Trey were playing basketball in the basement. Joe was grabbing his suitcases from the car and I was close by. That's when I heard it. Her voice. In a nice, even tone. "The bird is laying in the middle of the kitchen floor. And there's blood everywhere." Then Josh. Again, in a nice, even tone. "And it's still breathing!"

Wh-What??

Bird. Blood. Breathing. Three words I really didn't want to hear in the same three sentences.

But Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow! Because I didn't have to worry about it. I had a husband who had just come home from drill....and he was more than happy to come to my rescue.

Before I knew it, Daniel and Trey were upstairs checking out the 'victim.' Joe told me to stay on the staircase and not look at 'the mess.' Julia decided to let me know that the blood looked like ketchup.

Nice.

Within a few minutes, Mr. Bird was put in the back yard, the blood was cleaned up and the cats were found. None of our pretty kitties owned up to the deed, but I'm sure they had a lot of fun playing with the moving target.

I know cats are smart....but ours are really smart. The decided to maim the bird on my tile kitchen floor....instead of my white berber carpet.

They're so good to their mama!

Again....it's just another day in our crazy household.

Let's Go Upward!!!

2008-02-23T15:15:00.005-05:00

Our little girl, Julia, told us last year she wanted to be a cheerleader. This really didn't surprise me because she does 'girl' very well. She's adorable. She's spirited. She loves to flip her hair and stick out her hips. She's a mess. I frequently refer to her as 'all that and several bags of chips.'

Those of you that know her....know I'm describing her to the letter.

Because we've always had so much going on, I hadn't thought of signing her up....until this year, when her asking finally got me to say 'yes.' A church in our city does have a cheerleading team for their Upward Basketball league, so off we went. She's had a ball and has been in her element. Today was the last game she can cheer....because next week she gets to participate in a 5-hour boot camp to get ready for her black belt testing.

Yep....

She's a ballet, tap and jazz dancer.

She's a cheerleader.

And soon, hopefully, she'll be a black belt in karate.

So, when she needs to defend herself, she'll do it with grace and spirit.

A doofus, shoe polish and R2-D2

2008-02-21T13:16:00.008-05:00

Oh the joys of having small animals.

First, our fish births 18 babies....then they all die. We had them for several months, then one by one they began to die. It was actually pretty sad. We were enjoying hearing the pitter-patter of little fins around the house. And having grand-fish was a lot of fun.

We have three cats, who decided their scratch posts of choice were two beautiful Queen Ann chairs that I love. Yes, it's only furniture. Yes, they can be replaced, but when I gave the cats the choice of keeping their claws and moving outside or continuing to live in the lap of luxury and lose their beloved tips-of-their-fingers.....they chose the latter.

We added a puppy last year....much to my husband's joy.....and my dismay. We have enough critters in the house, I always say, but I lost that argument. His name is Max....and he is intelligence-challenged. Not much between the ears, as they say.

Which brings me to the present. We had the cats de-clawed this week....and we had to transport them to the vet using Max's cage. I obviously didn't think this through, because when it came time for bed, we had no place for Max to sleep. Two nights ago, Max stayed outside, but last night we decided we'd bring his favorite daytime sleeping pillow upstairs to Josh's room, so Max would have a comfortable place to lay. When I saw Josh this morning and asked him how Max did, he said he was fine. No issues. That he woke Josh up with two licks around the face, then went back to his pillow for more sleep.

Or so he thought.

This morning, as Josh went upstairs to get his trashcan to empty, he noticed the present Max left. Because I am mom of the year, (tongue in cheek, of course), I got the paper towels to clean up said present. As I moved something laying on the floor, I found the second present. A huge black stain. And next to it......the empty bottle of shoe polish. Oh boy. This was going to be fun.

I asked Josh to get the carpet cleaner and a rag and had him begin the process. Not knowing how much was actually in the bottle before the 'spill' was unnerving, but before long we realized the bottle must have been full. The clean up was tough....as the polish kept spreading. Poor Josh was trying so hard....I commend him for making such an effort. Finally, I was able to make it upstairs to help out. And boy, was I in for a shock. What started off as a stain the size of....maybe three silver dollars, grew into an area twelve inches by eight inches, at least.

So, I did the only thing I knew to do.....get water and get R2-D2, our beloved wet-dry vac.

We sprayed the cleaner. We dumped the water. We sucked it up. Then we sprayed some more. We dumped some more. We sucked some more. And wow, was there a lot of ink in that stain. And when I thought I'd gotten most of it, there was more to get.

After 45 minutes of spraying, dumping and sucking....this was the end result. No, it's not perfect, but it's probably as good as we can do......for now.

And because I don't like to wear gloves when I clean......now I need a manicure. ;-)

A doofus, shoe polish and R2-D2.

Just another day in our wild and crazy household.

Ch- Ch- Ch- Changes....

2008-02-18T09:52:00.003-05:00

Here we go again.....

I decided since I wasn't able to figure out how to change to a template that I liked, that I would add some personal pictures to one of the ones on blogger. And so far, I'm liking what I'm seeing. It's nice to be able to 'Jennifer' it up a bit.

And speaking of changes...........this week is going to be a bit different. We're on Winter Break, so that's a blessing. I think we were all ready for some down time. But besides being home all week, I'm short two kids until tomorrow afternoon and a husband for the next two weeks, which always makes things interesting. Daniel and Trey are at Snowball and Joe is on Active Duty. Come tomorrow morning, we'll be short three cats, too....as they're going to be de-clawed.

If you know of anyone who gets bored this week....send 'em on over. I'll give 'em something to do.

Have a great week, everyone!

Grumbling and Complaining

2008-02-16T20:37:00.004-05:00

Ok...so I thought I'd be smart and change my template. And I believed blogger when it said I could access my old template if need be.

Then I didn't like how my blog layout looked.....it was all squishy and narrow-looking, so I tried to access said former template...........but no. It wasn't there. Then I thought....Oh well. Now I've messed up, so I might as well change my look. But the blogger templates are kinda boring. I'd love some flowers....or an Americana theme. But blogger doesn't offer anything like that. So,I tried to find some free templates on the web. And I found one that was absolutely gorgeous.......beautiful flowers cascading down the page. But my most recent post was 'lost' in the foliage.

So, I kept looking.

I found several templates that I liked, but I can't get blogger to identify them. Now, I'm back with blogger until I can get Joe to help me figure out how to get some of these other ones I liked to work.

This is Tracey's former look and it's nice, but I'd love to find something original.....that looks like me. If anyone has any good websites to offer, I'd love to hear 'em.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

2008-02-15T15:09:00.009-05:00

Yeah, yeah....I'm a day late, but I've been busy. :-)

Joe and I ended up having one of the best Valentine's we've ever had. We went out to dinner with Mark and Allyson...enjoying each other's company and exchanging gifts. Even though they live right next door, we have to plan WAY ahead in order to get together and last night was one of those nights.

We went to Baci for a nice 4 course meal, got caught up with each other's families and laughed and laughed. And two and half hours later....I walked out with my Valentine's present----a brand new Niken D40 camera. I am so excited! It's exactly what I wanted and now I'll be able to take action shots of the kids while they're playing.

And it just gets better.....Today, the second part of my gift arrived. A new cell phone. My Palm Treo has been flaky since the day I got it---less than a year ago. I've had to have it warranty-replaced three times and it just drives me nuts. It has trouble holding a decent signal and freezes up no matter what application I'm trying to perform. I figured I would just gut it out until my contract expired, but Joe surprised me with a new Palm Centro. In Sooner, Phillie and Bulldog red. It's absolutely wonderful.

Yeah, I'm pretty spoiled, but I do know how so very blessed I am. I have a husband that adores me, four children who bring me a ton of joy, and a God who is more loving and gracious than I deserve.

Shock and awe...

2008-02-11T17:41:00.003-05:00

I'm speechless. Literally. Maybe I'm dreaming. Maybe I'm not. But one thing's for sure......God is AWESOME!!! Of course, that's not exactly a Fox News Alert, but that's the only explanation I can come up with at this point.

Last month I blogged about taking the teacher certification exam in Special Education General Curriculum. I mentioned that the test was crazy hard and that I had little hope of passing. Yes, I'm my own worst enemy. Yes, self-doubt is something I battle on a regular basis. No, it doesn't honor the Lord, but it is what it is. And I am who I am. The Lord is working on me, though...thankfully.

Today was the day I've been waiting for since January 12. Today....February 11...was the day the 'unofficial' scores would be released. Today...February 11...was the day I would register to take the test again, because I was certain I would need to.

Apparently, the Lord had other ideas. Because when I logged onto the GACE site to check my scores, one little word changed my entire perspective.

PASSED.

Yep, the screen said, 'Passed.' Not just on one part of the test, but both parts. I passed the test.

That's the shock.

No, I'm not looking for a lot of 'strokes' from people. I 'honestly' did not think I had a chance of passing this test. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever done. Three hours I sat in that room. Three hours. Without getting up. Three hours. 120 questions. 4 essays. On a subject I hadn't studied within a classroom setting as a student.

That's the shock.

But, in the mortal words of Junior Asparagus.....God is bigger than the boogeyman. And in this case, the boogeyman was me and my negative self-talk.

That's the awe.

Yesterday in church, Dr. Minnix talked about this very thing. How we have to guard our hearts against ourselves and our sinful thoughts and desires. He may have meant more overtly sinful thoughts like lust or greed or pride, but you know what.....self-doubt is just as big a giant to overcome as these others. And I was reminded of this yesterday.

God doesn't need me. But guess what? He uses me anyway.

That's the awe.

God is Faithful to me. Even when I'm not faithful to Him.

That's the awe.

God is Gracious. And Kind. And Loving. And Forgiving. Even though I don't deserve it.

That's the awe.

Now, we move onto the next step.

School. Yikes!

But that's OK. God is clearly in all of this, because I'll be the first to tell everyone that I could NOT have done this without Him. No way. No how. It's all God. He called. I'm just answering. Am I still scared? You bet I am, but nowhere does it say that God calls the equipped. But He will equip the called and that's what I'm counting on.

He promised it and I'm believing it, because He ALWAYS keeps His promises.

What a day...

2008-02-10T21:36:00.002-05:00

You all know how much I love my Sundays. I so love going to church....to worship my Lord and to study His Word. I love the songs, the preaching and the fellowship. It's my favorite day of the week. And today was no different from any other Sunday....or so I thought.

It started off like any other Sunday. Only slightly differently. Today was the first Sunday, Dr. Minnix...our transitional preacher until we find a new pastor....was in the pulpit. And he delivered a powerful message on the heart. How we need to guard our heart and protect it from not only the devil and the world, but also from ourselves. How we need to lock it up and keep it safe from evil desires and thoughts. It was a wonderful reminder. The Choir sang one of my favorite songs...."Before the Throne of God Above" and Rick, Julie and Carla led in worship with a song called 'I Bow Down.' It was truly a worshipful experience for me.

After Sunday School, we headed to a chinese restaurant to eat and then headed home.

I love being home. My home is place of refuge for me....a place of safety and of security. A place of comfort and of rest.....which is another reason I love Sundays. This is the only time I get to sit down and close my eyes for a bit. I don't get to do this every Sunday, but today I got to. But only for a couple of minutes.

As I laid on my bed, I heard the kids playing basketball outside...laughing and playing and having a wonderful time. Then they stopped and started riding their bikes. The next thing I knew, a blood curling scream came from the driveway....and resonated through the house. Joe jumped out of his chair in his office and went to find out what happened, only he went the wrong direction. He went out the front door looking for the source of the scream.....The screaming child went through the basement and came straight to our room, where I was laying down. It was 12:30.

It was Josh. Our precious 10-year old boy. Clutching his arm and crying. He wasn't hysterical, but it was clear he was in a lot of pain. He only said one thing. "I broke my wrist. I broke my wrist. I know it's broken." My first thought was that he was over-reacting. That he had just jammed it. But once we looked at it...we weren't so sure it was just jammed. Here's what happened...

Josh had decided to ride his bike in the backyard...pretending he was on the trails. He went down one of the slopes toward the driveway and tried to navigate his bike between Joe's car and the basketball goal. The ground was apparently just wet enough to cause the bike to shift beneath him just as he got to the car. He hit his head, (he has a black eye), as well as his hand....causing it to roll upward....breaking his wrist. Thankfully, though, the break was not near his growth plates. It was more his lower forearm. It shouldn't cause any problems for him, unless you count his inability to play baseball and the drums.

His wrist wasn't grossly out of place, but it did begin to swell and it didn't look quite right. So, two minutes later, Joe, Josh, Julia and I were in the car headed to the ER. We didn't have to wait too terribly long....if you're talking ER standards. By 3:30, the X-Rays had proven what Josh had said. His wrist was broken, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. It wasn't snapped....more like cracked. He was put in a splint and we were sent on our way. The next step is to get with his pediatrician and then the orthopedist for his permanent cast....sometime this week.

He was such a trooper. After the initial shock of pain, he was OK. The only other time he cried was in the car on the way to the hospital when he realized he was going to have a difficult time in drum lessons and in band. Even with both the doctor and X-Ray tech poking and prodding, he took it like a man. I was proud of him.

We got home right at 4:15...in time to change clothes and hustle to church. The kids were about 25 minutes late for Bible Drill and Choir, but it's understandable. Prayerfully, Josh will sleep through the night and will be OK in school tomorrow.

So there you have it. Our Sunday. My favorite day of the week. Spent first at church, then in the Emergency Room, then at church again. Who could ask for anything more?

Wow, I'm full

2008-02-04T21:46:00.002-05:00

God is good.

And tonight, He showed just how much He has blessed me and Joe. About 10 days ago or so, we made a plan to go out to dinner with some friends. We don't get to do this very often....and when we are able to do it, it ends up being adults and kids. Of course, I love my kids and I love my friends kids, but sometimes I just want it to be the adults. And tonight was that night.

We took Tom and Kathy, John and Jill, and Matt and Missy out to Pura Vida, one of our favorite restaurants. And boy did we have a blast. We laughed and laughed and talked and ate and laughed and ate some more. Hangar steak, salmon, malanga chips, cheese and nuts, shrimp, chicken empanadas, and oh so much more. It was wonderful. And we topped it off with chocolate creme brulee, churros in chocolate and two different kinds of ice cream. Oh yes....it tasted just as wonderful as it sounds.

We ended the night standing in the church parking lot for another twenty minutes talking.

We've decided that since we had such a wonderful time that we need to make this monthly and prayerfully we'll be able to find that one night where we are all relatively freed up and can get together. It's clear that God has brought us together for such a time as this.....so we can love and encourage each other. That, my friends, is true Christian fellowship.

I love you guys.....thank you for tonight.

Finally sittin' down.....

2008-01-31T19:38:00.002-05:00

Whew, I'm tired! Yeah, I know....that's not exactly a Fox News Alert, but I thought I'd say it anyway.

I'm sitting here trying to find something to write about, but nothing is coming to me. I guess that tells you how 'not interesting' our lives are.

So, I guess I'll just talk about how good God is. (Like you don't already know that). I have been blessed with a husband that loves the Lord and strives to be more like Him each and every day. I have been blessed with four pretty awesome kids.....each with their own individual personality. Each with their own quirks. Each with their own special gifts. They are all doing well in school, although I think my oldest two are realizing they need to start studying now that they're in middle school.

Joe and I have been blessed to have 3 other couples be a part of our lives. 3 other couples who love us....just because. Three other couples that we don't always talk to...all of the time, but that's OK. They understand our busy lives and we understand theirs.

The Lord has blessed me with some pretty awesome opportunities to substitute teach. I've worked almost 80 days this school year and every one of them has been wonderful, in its own way. Some days were tougher than others, but I've learned something each time I've stepped into the classroom. I love to be with students. I love to help students learn. Whether it's reading or language arts or science. I love it. And prayerfully, one day I'll be able to be that teacher, full time. Several of you have asked if I've heard how I did on the Teacher certification exam. Well, the answer is no. Scores are not due to be reported until February 11 and frankly, I'm not expecting anything positive. Besides the fact that it's not my personality to think positively, the test was too hard for me to believe I may have passed. But I will check scores as soon as I possibly can....for one reason. So I can register for the test again before the registration deadline on the 15th.

The Lord has blessed Joe and me with a pretty good sized income tax return. One that will allow us to pay off a couple of things still hanging out there and possibly allow me to get my braces. Praise the Lord!

I am blessed to be able to pray, too. What a comfort it is to know that when I'm burdened for someone I care about....all I have to do is take it to Jesus. For the educator friend struggling with cancer (who, by the way, has a better understanding of God's blessing and provision than most of us will ever have). For another friend who is going through one of the most frightening experiences in her life. For a teacher friend who is seeking God's will for his church. For another teacher that I've never met who is going through a tough time right now.

For everyone else I know but may not know what they're going through....that God would show them how much He loves them. That He would show Himself to them in mighty ways. For my children....that they will make wise choices when it comes to friends. For my children....that they will grow in the love and admonition of the Lord. For my children.....that they will fall in love with Jesus. For my husband....that he will use the gifts God has given him for the glory of the Lord. For my husband....that he will be safe as he travels. For my husband....that the devil will just stay away. For me.....that I will be the godly example to my daughter. For me......that if there by any wicked way in me.....that God would bring it to my attention, remove it and fill it with something joyful and beautiful.

And more than anything else, the Lord has blessed me with my salvation. Wow. Every time I stop and think about the fact that I've been saved.....I'm speechless. It is truly amazing to me that God could love me that much. I know my thoughts. I know when I get angry. I know when I get frustrated. I know when I get too busy to stop and read His Word consistently. I know when I get selfish. I know when I am lazy. I know when I grumble. But yet God, in His loving, mighty and powerful way, bore all of my sin and nailed Himself to the cross, so that I could spend eternity with Him.

A couple of weeks ago I found an old Higher Call CD. One that had about a dozen songs on it from 2005. I loaded it into iTunes and put it on my IPOD so I could have it around the house and when I'm at school, but I put the CD in the car so we could have it on the drive to Oklahoma for Christmas. By the time we drove back into Georgia, the CD was dead. Too scratched to listen to. But thanks to the wonders of technology, I was able to burn the iTunes playlist back onto a new CD. And it's back in my car with a few more songs added to it.

I love all of the songs on the CD, but a couple of them are really special to me and are ones that I will put on repeat. Sheltered in the Arms of God, Freed, Love Brought Me Back, and Marriage Supper of the Lamb are those songs. These songs talk about God's love for me...about being safe....about being redeemed....about being forgiven...about the celebration when we get to Heaven. Which brings me to another blessing from God.....music. I can honestly say, if music weren't such a big part of my life, I'd be one unhappy person. I love to be able to just sing. Even when I'm out of tune and off pitch. I love to be able to praise the Lord. I also love how the Lord will bring a certain song to my ear....with a message I need to hear. Thank you, Lord for music.

Thank you, Lord for all of the blessings you have given me. Thank you, Father for my family. For my friends. For my church. For teachers. For students. For this life I get to live. Thank you, Father. Thank you.

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!!

2008-01-19T17:18:00.002-05:00

Wow. What a difference a day makes. Yesterday was beautiful. We woke up to cool temperatures, but it warmed up to the mid-50's by the time I left the High School. Gorgeous.

But by the time Joe and I got home from our dinner and shopping date last night, Trey's basketball game and all related activities had been cancelled in anticipation of rough weather. At 10 o'clock this morning, Julia's cheerleading opportunity was also cancelled. I found myself chuckling that events and activities would be cancelled in anticipation of bad weather....because this morning, it was just raining. But it wasn't long after that that things changed. What was wet became white. And over the next 4-5 hours, a nice, wet blanket of snow accumulated on the ground.

It wasn't enough to cover everything, but the Lord sent just enough for Joe and the kids to have a snowball fight. For the most part, the rules were followed: No aiming at the face. No head shots. No jamming snow in or around the face. But of course, boys will be boys and they will forget. Dan ended up with snow in his face courtesy of Trey and Josh got some put down the back of his shirt. Yes, by Trey. (He only looks innocent) And Joe made it a point to bean Lauren next door as she arrived home.

Fun was had by all. Even Julia got in on it, but was already back in the house when this picture was taken.

Have you ever had that moment.....

2008-01-12T20:13:00.001-05:00

....where you wondered...."What on earth was I thinking?"

Well, I had that moment today as I sat in a classroom of a local high school...taking a test that, if I pass, could get me provisionally certified as a teacher here in Georgia.

I registered for this test over a month ago and I was given some study materials the first week of December, so I've had plenty of time to prepare. Unfortunately, though...I wasn't exactly sure what to study. I had a textbook and I had some good information on different disorders and disabilities, plus I was aware of Ethical codes and knew a little about the Public Laws defining the rights of those who would benefit from an education outside of the general education classroom, but I haven't ever been a student in the classroom learning about Exceptional Children. This, I felt, put me at a bit of a disadvantage.

I wrote up note cards. I typed a 35 page study guide. I read this textbook and looked over the chart I had on classroom modifications for those experiencing a learning disability, mild intellectual disabilities, or behavioral or emotional disorder.

But I'm not sure anything would have prepared me for the test today. Wow, it was hard. Two tests. Each with 60 multiple choice questions and two short answer, essay-type questions. And it took me 3 hours. But I walked out of the school with a feeling of freedom. I'd done it. I'd taken the GACE in Special Education General Curriculum and I had no idea how I did. Not a clue. Not even a guess.

If I had to be honest....and of course, I do.......I don't think I did very well. And the funny thing is.....I'm OK with it. I tried. I did my best and I have no regrets.

I won't know my scores until February and until then, I'll keep doing what I'm doing. Being a wife and mother, carting my kids to and fro and substitute teaching to the best of my ability.

Sometime in February, my score report will be mailed to me. And right after I read my scores, I will probably be back on the web, registering for the GACE in Special Education General Curriculum..............again.

Atlantaphillie....

2008-01-06T12:29:00.001-05:00

Good Sunday afternoon, everyone.

Due to some pressure from my darling husband, I have changed the site address to my blog.

It is now atlantaphillie.blogspot.com. No longer am I a Single Wife...and I haven't been for over a year, so now I must identify myself with another 'handle.' And atlantaphillie is perfect.

What on earth is an atlantaphillie? Well, I'm glad you asked. Here's how I came up with it:

I am a Phillie. Big time. Who can forget the 1980 World Series Champions? Michael Jack Schmidt. Steve Carlton. Greg Luzinski. Bake McBride. And of course, Pete Rose. Gotta love 'em.

The 1993 Phillies made us proud, too. Curt Schilling. Tommy Greene. Dave Hollins. Darren Daulton. John Kruk. Mickey Morandini. Lenny Dykstra. Terry Mullholland. And of course, Mitch Williams. Whew! I get misty just thinking about it. (sniff)

And there's the Phillies of today. Cole Hamels. Brett Myers. Chase Utley. Pat Burrell. Shane Victorino. Last year's MVP- Ryan Howard. And this year's MVP- Jimmy Rollins. Oooo, I can't wait for the season to begin.

But alas, I live in Atlanta. Not---alas! This is a horrible place to live, but alas...I am not near my Phillies where I can go to more games each season. But we go to as many games as we can...every time the Phillies are in town. And we go to a lot of Braves games...and Yes...I cheer for the Braves (except when they're playing the Phillies.)

So there you have it. The story behind this blog address, my license plate, my screen name on mlb.com, and my personalized Phillies jersey. Atlantaphillie! That's me!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T11:03:00.000-05:00

It's 2008. Wow. It's hard for me to believe that 2007 is already gone. My how the time flies.

2007 was a wonderful year for me and my family. God truly worked some mighty things in my and my family's life. Right at the end of 2006, the Lord brought my husband home from Baghdad, safe and sound and ready for our family to become complete again. Re-engagement was almost seamless this time....definitely a work of the Lord.

2007 also brought an opportunity for me to substitute teach. 2007 had two of our boys playing baseball and all of the children showcasing their talents in various music and dance recitals. 2007 closed a chapter in our lives in Joe leaving his job at Delta Air Lines and beginning his work at Hewlett Packard. 2007 had Joe changing Navy units and graduating from Dallas Theological Seminary with a Certificate in Biblical Studies. God is good.

2008 brings a similar anticipation for me. This year, I may be going back to school to become certified to teach. This fall I will have all 3 of our boys in middle school. This year, Joe could have some big opportunities to offer his gifts both with Hewlett Packard and the United States Naval Reserve. This year, our children will continue to hone their God-given gifts in music and Julia should earn her black belt in karate.

God's blessings continue to abound....not necessarily physical or monetary blessings, but the blessing of friends. The blessing of peace and complete joy. The blessing of contentment in all we have. The blessing of opportunity to worship Him each and every Sunday. The blessing of getting to read His Word without fear of persecution. The blessing of the sun shining every day. The blessing of children laughing as they play.

God is clearly evident in so much around me. How can I be silent.

Kids, kids, everywhere...

2007-12-30T18:26:00.001-05:00

Today has been such a great day! The sound of children laughing and playing just fills my heart with joy. Granted, it's noisy, but it's a precious noise. Today, we've had four additional kids over for the afternoon. Yes.....4 + 4 = 8 kids....ranging in age from 7-13. Two 7 year olds, a 9 year old, a 10 year old, two 11 year olds, a 12 year old and a 13 year old and it's been great.

They've played on the Wii and the XBOX. They've played Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader, hide and seek and freeze tag. Now they're playing Duck, Duck, Goose. They've run and jumped and hid and tagged and then screamed in delight. And it's been great.

They'll be going home shortly, but it will all start over again tomorrow. Only this time we're adding the adults.....three families...all as close as we can be, just hanging out and spending time together...celebrating the end of one great year and anticipating the beginning of the next.

The only thing missing is Matt, Missy and Levi. They're out of town. Bummer.

God is good. For He has provided for us some wonderful friends. Friends that we really enjoy spending time with. Who have kids who really enjoy spending time together.

Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow.

Home...safe and sound

2007-12-29T10:04:00.000-05:00

We've made it home. After spending a couple of days with family....chilling, shopping and just hanging out...we drove home yesterday. Picture this.....two adults, four kids, four car size pillows, two blankets, a laptop computer with an Air card, a portable DVD player, five ipods, a Nintendo DS, a PSP, an electronics box with chargers and cables, a food box and a coffee thermos in an Envoy pulling a UHaul trailer filled with a full size bed, 15 boxes of books, Christmas presents (including an XBOX 360 with two Guitar Hero guitars, random mish-mash, suitcases and winter coats making the trek from Oklahoma City to Atlanta, GA...only able to drive 68 miles per hour.

What normally would take 12 1/2 hours (driving an average of 78 mph) took 15. But the kids were great, save for Trey and his moments of whining about why should fly everywhere we go...or at least rent an RV.

We spent Christmas Eve with Joe's mom, sister, and her two kids and son-in-law. It was a very nice time. Christmas Day was spent with my parents with lunch with Joe's dad, his wife and Joe's 90 year old grandmother.

The kids made a haul...as usual. They get to share the XBOX 360--as the family gift. They each then got one special gift that defines each of them. Daniel got his Papasan Chair, Trey--his guitar. Josh was told his new drum kit was on layaway and he would be helping pay it off and Julia got the portable DVD player because of her love of movies.

I did well, too. I was able to enjoy an IPOD itouch. Very cool.

I love Christmas. It's a wonderful time with family, but more than that, it's a celebration of the birth of a Savior. That precious Baby Jesus, born over 2,000 years ago, would grow up, become a man and give Himself up on a cross....taking our sins and placing them on His back because we could not pay for our sins ourselves. Only a perfect, Holy Lord could do it. And because of His love for us....He did. Now, provided we've accepted this Gift, can live eternally in Heaven with God. What an awesome reality!

Where has the time gone?

2007-12-27T10:17:00.001-05:00

Ok..ok...I know it's been awhile. 10+ months to be exact, but when you've got four kids, two dogs, three cats and several fish....not to mention being a wife and house-manager, it's hard to sit down and blog with regularity.

What have we been up to, you ask? Well, here it is...in short:

Daniel: In 7th grade. Still playing the French Horn. Is doing well in school. Sings in the Middle School Choir at Church. Loves to read. Is a black belt in karate. And the scariest fact of all........he turned 13 on the 21st. Holy Cow!

Trey: Now in 6th grade. Plays the piano, the saxophone and now the guitar. Plays baseball at the county league and basketball at the church. Is doing well in school. Sings in the Middle School Choir at Church. Loves to play computer games. Is very good at Guitar Hero. Loves to give his mother hugs and tell her he loves her. Is a black belt in karate. And turned 12 the end of November.

Josh: In 5th grade. Plays the drums and is quite good at it. Plays baseball at the county league. Is doing well in school (when he feels like doing the work). Sings in the Children's Choir at Church. Loves to play computer games. Is taller than both of his older brothers. Loves to give his mother hugs and tell her he loves her. Is a black belt in karate. And is 10 years old.

Julia: In 3rd grade. Plays the piano. Takes ballet, jazz and tap. Is a cheerleader with an Upward Cheerleading league. Will begin testing for her black belt in karate in March. Is doing well in school, but needs to work on multiplication facts memorization. Sings in the Children's Choir at Church. Loves to watch movies and is a High School Musical freak-a-zoid. She turned 9 on December 16.

And the best part is......all of my children know the Lord....have professed Him as their Savior and have been baptized. What a wonderful legacy we, as parents, can pass on to our children. My prayer will always be that they continue to pass the love of Jesus on to their children.

We are doing well. Life is busy...as it is for everyone, but my going back to work has made it much busier. I began substitute teaching last year and to be honest....it has brought me more joy than I expected. I was scared to death when I started, but the moment I walked into that 6th grade classroom last year....I was hooked. So hooked am I that I will be taking the state's Teacher Certification Exam in two weeks....in Special Education. I love middle school kids and I love working with kids who need a little more help....a little more love....and a little more encouragement. Whether it's learning disabilities or emotional or behavioral disorders....it doesn't matter. I'm nervous but I truly feel that God has given me a love for middle school kids that I need to respond to.

Joe is doing well, too. He loves his job and his job loves him. He is also working with a new unit in the Navy which has him very busy, too. We fully believe that God has answered our prayers for Joe to 'love' going to work and for him to be productive.

That's about it...in a nutshell.

I pray all of you had a wonderful Christmas and will have a safe and Happy New Year! May God bless each and every one of you.

Undeniable grief

2007-02-21T23:44:00.000-05:00

I am not the most sentimental person in the world. It's not that I'm hard-hearted....it's just that 'things' don't necessarily make me or break me, so to speak. My Joshua, on the other hand, is sentimental. He is sensitive and caring. He loves flowers, puppies, kittens and babies. He is very soft-hearted and wears his emotions on his sleeve.

So, I wasn't too terribly surprised at his reaction to what happened in the fishtank while we were at church. We bought the fish on Monday night and since then....every chance we've had, we've sat in front of the tank marvelling at how they interact with each other, calling them by the names the kids gave them and just enjoying the serenity and calmness having fish brings to the house. This morning, one of Daniel's fish--Moonbow--our black molly, died. We're not sure of the cause.....he was swimming around, seemingly fine, then was still.....then finally died. Daniel was OK with the outcome. Joe and I had already set the kids up for the fact that the fish may die in their new environment....there are no guarantees with tropical fish.

But tonight, when we got home from church, Daniel called us over to the tank and what we saw was very difficult to watch. Now, please understand, we know it's just a fish. No biggie there, but this was just sad. One of Josh's fish had part of his under-fin chewed off. We're not sure if one of the larger fish got a hold of it, or if he caught it on something, but it was hard watching him try and swim. He could move in a straight line, but he twisted like a corkscrew. Very sad.

We watched him try and swim for about 20 minutes, then he gave up....laying on the gravel and seemingly trying to catch his breath. He tried swimming again....this time only for a couple of minutes, then he gave up again. He did this two or three more times, finally just stopping and laying down.

What came next is something this blog cannot do justice. Once my Josh realized what was happening to 'Pearl,' he broke down into these gut-wrenching sobs. Unspeakable grief over the loss of his fish. He cried for a long time and at one point when he thought Pearl had finally died, came running into my room almost hysterical. It's hard to sit here and type this without tears coming to my eyes. My boy was so heartbroken and there wasn't a thing I could do about it.

He wanted to stay up until his fish died completely, but I assured him he needed his sleep, so off he went, asking me to wake him when Pearl dies. I tried waking him, but he was content staying in bed.

Pearl and Moonbow are now resting comfortably in a Ziploc bag in the cabinet and tomorrow we'll take them back to Petsmart as they have a two-week money back guarantee, in case of death.

Hopefully, we'll be able to find a fish for Josh that he can learn to 'love' as much as he did Pearl.

What an angel. I love my little man.

The Greatest Show on Earth

2007-02-19T22:14:00.000-05:00

This week is Winter Break, and because we don't want the kids sitting around all week playing mindless video games, we thought it would be fun to do some things together. A couple of months ago, we bought circus tickets to congratulate the kids on their great semester report cards and today was the day we picked to go. And what a day it was!!

Technically, I wasn't supposed to take pictures, but I just couldn't resist. The tigers, elephants, acrobats and the motorcycle guys in the big sphere were just way too awesome to 'not' take their picture. I thought Josh was going to come out of his seat he was having so much fun.

I have to admit--the acrobats were probably my favorite part of the show. I can't imagine being able to swing high above the ground with no net---a harness, yes, but no net. Unbelievable. My stomach was doing flips just watching them! The boys loved the motorcycles in the sphere. Julia loved the horses and the 'cute guy with long hair.' The lady with the trained cats was pretty fascinating, too. Not the big African white tigers....but common housecats. Running around on cue...jumping into her arms on cue...walking a tightrope (ok...he took a couple of steps, then slipped and shimmied his way to the other end) on cue. It was pretty impressive.
Everything was great, although I was a little disappointed there was no human cannonball or high wire act.

But I'll get over it.

From there we headed to Spaghetti Factory for a great meal and a little entertainment on the side. The boys were standing back to back to see who was taller when Daniel bumped Josh. It just so happened Josh was standing right on the edge of the stairs and when he waved his arms to catch his balance he knocked over the water pitcher.....(Splash!!!) It was pretty funny.

Here's a picture of the mess he made.

We got home and grabbed the dogs and headed back out again--the day was not yet done. Last Thursday Joe and Julia picked out the stuff for a fish tank. Joe and I put it together and we let the water settle over the weekend. We checked the water today and it tested as 'acceptable' for tropical fish. So, off to Petsmart we went. Well, Joe and the kids went to Petsmart. I went to Ulta.

We now have four kids, three cats, two dogs and eight fish.

And two parents who have gone off the deep end.

Dodgeball Tournament

2007-01-27T23:54:00.000-05:00

Why didn't they have this kind of stuff when I was growing up?

I loved dodgeball as a kid. I hated PE, but I loved dodgeball and I was pretty good at it, too. I couldn't necessarily throw that hard, but I could catch someone else's throw....almost every time. My kids love dodgeball, too and today Trey got to take part in a county-wide all-school dodgeball tournament. He was so excited.

I had him at the school by 7:50 this morning, then headed up to church for a Women's rally. Thankfully I knew several of the parents there and was comfortable leaving Trey for the morning while I went and helped lead in Worship and enjoyed learning about a new ministry the church is birthing. The tournament was over by 1:30....I got to the school at 2:00 and learned that my little man's team.....the Average Joe's.....won the tournament for their age group---4th-8th grade. Yes, Trey's team---mostly 5th and 6th graders beat the 8th graders and took the honors of (drumroll, please)..........

DODGEBALL CHAMPION!!!!!

Pretty sweet.

So, on Friday night, at the High School basketball game, his team will be honored and will receive their 1st place medals....in front of everyone.

Too funny!!

Our day ended with an awesome dinner at the Spaghetti Factory, then at the Fabulous Fox Theatre where we sang and danced to the Theater of the Stars performance of High School Musical and it was fantastic. Two thumbs up from this mama!! Beth and Michelle gave it a resounding "Hooray" too. The girls loved it. (I think my ears started to bleed from the screaming.) My Josh thought it was great. Trey---well, let's just say he was a little disappointed that the dance moves from the movie weren't performed on stage. And the fact that the songs were changed a little bit bothered him, too, but that's alright. He'll get over it, I'm sure.

After all, he's the dodgeball champion.

What is a Name?

2007-01-23T19:23:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally decided on a name. Like all moms in this world, I wear many hats. I am a wife, a mom, a friend, a daughter, a sister, a teacher, a board member, a volunteer, a student, a fan...but mostly I am a Child of the King.

But one title I can no longer claim---a hat I can no longer wear---is Single Wife......and it's a crown I'm thrilled to turn back in. Joe has been home for a little over a month now and it's been great. But all this time, I was trying to figure out what to call myself, or, more so, my blog. Lots of things came to mind, but only one really seemed to be 'right.'

And that's 'JPV.' That's pretty much who I am. My email addy begins with 'jpv' and a lot of people call me 'jpv.'

So, JPV it is.

Kinda boring, but I am what I am.

And I am 'JPV.'

Shameless brag

2007-01-11T08:12:00.000-05:00

This blog has allowed a different side of me to come out. Normally, in social settings, I don't offer up little tidbits about my family. I figure if someone wants to know something...whether it's how we're doing, what's been going on, or even just idle chit-chat about the kids, they'll ask. But blogging gives me the opportunity to 'talk' about what's going on....what the kids are up to.....and to give a little glimpse into the lives of the PV's, without wondering if anyone really cares.

Throughout the life of this blog, you all have seen how busy our lives can be. Running kids to karate, ballet, music lessons and church takes up almost all of our evenings, leaving not enough time for family dinners or movie nights. Joe and I decided that keeping our kids busy and giving them access to different types of extra-curriculars would give them a jump-start on life and to allow the Lord to reveal their gifts and talents to them.

Here's a rundown of what we do throughout the week:

Monday: Piano (Trey and Julia)

French Horn (Daniel)

Tuesday: Karate (Julia)

Saxophone (Trey)

Master's Club (Advanced Karate--Daniel, Trey and Joshua)

Wednesday: Weekly Wednesday church activities

Thursday: Karate (Julia)

Master's Club (Boys)

Friday: Ballet (Julia)

Once or twice a month we have to throw in an orthodontist appointment and I believe all children should have a chance to watch mindless TV (Hannah Montana, Suite Life of Zack and Cody), play video games and play outside. We protect our Friday nights and Saturdays for family movies and special times together. This would, seemingly, leave little or no time for school or homework.

Oh, but fret not. Not this mama. I've always told my kids that their A #1 job was school and homework. Everything else, besides their relationship with the Lord and their family, comes in a distant second.

On Tuesday, report cards came home. This is the day, four times a year, that I literally wait by the door in anticipation. I look forward to seeing how well they've done and reading the comments by their teachers. This Tuesday was no different and I'm thrilled to offer this shameless brag.

Four kids. Four report cards. 25 different letter grades.

24 A+'s, A's, and A-'s........1 B+.

The B+ was in Math. No biggie. And the child that got the B+ loves Math, so I'm not too concerned. The grade will come up. I was and am so proud of my kids. Lots of stuff going on. Middle School. Dealing with their dad being gone. And they've come out shining like gold.

Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow!

Back in the swing of things

2007-01-04T10:05:00.000-05:00

Thank goodness! While I love Christmas and all of the fun involved, I love the kids going back to school that much more. Don't get me wrong, I have fabulous children and I love spending time with them, but not having school, karate, ballet, music lessons, and regular Wednesday night activities has caused me to lose track of what day it is.

It's Thursday, so that means tonight is karate night. Tomorrow is Friday. Ballet night.

Our schedule has returned...bringing with it, in all its busyness, my serenity.

And now that Joe is home from Active Duty, the title of this blog is no longer valid. Let the renaming begin!!! I thought about just taking off the 'Single' and calling it 'Wifery,' but that sounds kinda goofy. Then I thought about another title I have--Mom. Thus, calling the blog 'Quadruple Mommery,' but that sounds too much like Quadruple Mammary and since the two mammaries I do have don't amount to one decent-sized one, I don't think that's a good idea, either.

So, what to call myself. I just don't know. SAHM of 4? atlphly? jpv? Joe's wife? DTJJ's mom? If any of you has any ideas, I'm open to hearing them.

Have a great week!

CHRISTmas

2006-12-25T21:39:00.000-05:00

Christmas has always been a much-anticipated time of the year for me. I love the lights, the trees, the decorations, the gifts. I love spending time with my family, lounging around in my housepants and taking time off from the usual busyness of life to reflect on what really matters.

But Christmas isn't about lights, gifts or housepants. It's about a little baby. A precious, pure, and perfect little Child sent from Heaven above to redeem all of mankind from it's own sinfulness. It's about the Child, who would grow up to be a Man.....a Man who would willingly lay down on the cross and allow Himself to be crucified to pay for our sin. Because He knew we couldn't pay for it ourselves.

In a word...Amazing. Thank you Jesus for loving me so much that You would die for me. Thank you, Father, for sending Your Son to earth to redeem me....to offer me the gift of grace. Without Your love, without Your grace, without Your Gift, life is meaningless.

Praise the Name of Jesus. Praise the Name of Jesus. He's my Rock. He's my Fortress. He's my Deliverer, in Him will I trust. Praise the Name of Jesus.

And thank you Father, for bringing Joseph home to us safely. What a great Christmas this has been!!

Not a day of rest.....that's for sure

2006-12-17T21:54:00.000-05:00

Whoever said that Sunday is designed as a day of rest, hasn't been in our house too much. I love my Sundays. I love worshipping with my friends and family in church and I love coming home and spending a good part of the afternoon chilling out with my children. Today was a very different, but just as wonderful a Sunday as I've ever spent.

This morning, my Ensemble had the chance to lead in worship. After church, we headed to McAlister's for lunch, then home to change clothes. We were at the house for all of an hour before heading south to attend the Karate Extravaganza. All of the karate students, if they have attended the classes and know their material, graduate to their next belt every three months. And once a year, in December, the graduation is the big extravaganza at a local high school. Everyone looks forward to it because all of the students from all three schools are together, the instructors get to show off their moves, and the students that earned their black belts and are continuing on in advanced training get their swords. My boys all earned their black belts this year and are continuing in the Masters program.....so they got their swords today and they were so excited.

They also got to perform their demos for the entire crowd, which is always a thrill.

I figured I'd get in a picture to since I'm the one that has carted them to karate hundreds of times....I'm the one who has washed these uniforms hundreds of times.....I'm the one who always seems to know where the belts are that the kids have misplaced. Jiminy Christmas...I should get a black belt for all the work I've done these last 4 1/2 years.

After graduation, we raced back home (I forgot Daniel's pants), then headed to church. It was the Middle School and High School Choirs turn to lead in Worship and it was fantastic.

I'm so proud of my kids. They have worked hard these last 4+ years and now they have their sword and their black belt to show for it.

Tuition---payable over 6 years: $13,000.
Three different uniforms for four kids: $500.
Nunchakus, Bo staffs, kamas, and escrima sticks for four kids: $325.

Being the mom of three black belts and one first brown belt: PRICELESS!!!!

Happy Birthday times three!!

2006-12-16T19:22:00.000-05:00

The last 24 hours have been an incredibly busy time. Having three children born between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a dynamic all its own. Throw in Christmas programs, parties, end of year concerts, graduations, and recitals from various extracurriculars......and you have a completely different kind of animal.

As a result, celebrating birthdays ends up being almost an afterthought....a time shoehorned in amongst all of the other things we do. This weekend has been deemed Birthday Celebration Weekend. Last night, Daniel and Trey each had some friends over for a sleepover....which ended up being a big lie, because no sleeping was actually done. Trey's birthday was two weeks ago.....Daniel's is next week. Today is Julia's birthday and she wanted to go to Chuck E. Cheese's for her family dinner. Ugh!

Double Ugh!!

But we survived it. We are all exhausted and so looking forward to bedtime, which will be very shortly.

Tomorrow is another crazily busy Sunday......but more on that later.

Here are a couple of funny pictures of the party animals.

Trey, Joshua, Jordan and Cory---at 6 am.

This is Justin----I guess that XBOX game wasn't quite exciting enough to keep him awake.

And tonight, after dinner with Chuck E, Daniel came home and literally passed out on his bed. I just left him there. Hopefully, he'll get a good night's sleep. He's going to need it for tomorrow.

The Family Notebook

2006-12-11T21:55:00.000-05:00

For the last several weeks....months almost....Trey has been working on this project. He asked me for information on my and Joe's parents; he asked for our three favorite family recipes; he began writing sentences about Joe and me and about Daniel. I knew he was putting these things together for something for school, but I didn't know what the end result would be. Today, he came home with the finished product and it is beautiful.

What struck me more than anything else was his creation of a Family Crest. This is how he described it:

My family crest has a lot of symbols that mean a lot of things. I put a cross on the crest because of our Christianity and the church. There are music notes on there because I've taken piano lessons for four straight years. Everyone in my family is in the choir except for my dad. I put a little bit of white on the crest because of our very pure family. The yellow on the cross stands for intellect. We have a very smart and united family. The family crest tells over 1,000 things about our family.

I could only smile as I read this. As a mom of four very opinionated, stubborn, willful, bright, amazing children, I see a lot of things. I see Daniel---our quiet, easygoing, nonplussed eldest child. Very little rattles him. I see Trey---our instigating, talented wonder of a second son. He believes he can accomplish just about anything. I see Joshua---our often misunderstood, most sentimental and physically loving child. He is our most strong-willed and the most difficult to parent. He is the one who could do just about anything if he only believed he could. I see Julia---our princess. Our sassy diva of an only daughter, who has the world by the tail and most everyone wrapped around her little finger. I see my two middle children arguing with each other more than with anyone else. I see my oldest block the world out as he reads his extra time away. I see my little girl wishing she had more little girls to play with her.

I think---How I wish I could do a better job. I say to myself---If only I'd done that differently. But as I read Trey's description of our family crest, I can only thank the Lord for four children who bring me more joy than I could have ever imagined. Where I feel frustration about the children arguing, Trey sees a family united. Where I see the mistakes I've made, Trey sees purity. When I think I'm forcing Trey to play piano, he includes music notes. When I wonder if my kids will have the same kind of love for my Lord that I do, Trey includes a cross.

Thank you, Father for this reminder to view life through the eyes of my children.

"I got hit in the head with a tooth."

2006-12-07T21:39:00.000-05:00

Today has been a day!!! It began at the orthodontist where Trey got his braces off. He looks great and now he gets to wear a retainer for awhile. (Here's to hoping we don't have to dig through trash cans like we did with Daniel and his retainer.....twice)

After I dropped Trey off at school, I headed to Michaels to try and use the 40% coupon that came in the mail. As I'm trying to find a metallic gold three-wick candle (to no avail, by the way), my phone rings. It's the nurse from the school and she has Josh with her. All I heard were the words tooth, blood, suture and that he was in good humor. By the end of the conversation, I understood what had happened. Josh was in P.E. and they were playing a game of flag tag, where each child wears a flag and everyone else tries to take it from them. As Josh was reaching for Rachel's flag, she turned.....and her front tooth embedded into Josh's forehead. Thankfully, the tooth stayed attached to Rachel, but Josh ended up with a pretty decent gap in his face.

Of course the nurse and I had a chuckle at Josh's expense.....I mean, if he was going to be felled by a girl, hopefully she was cute!!! She's a redhead...I've seen her and she is cute.

I finished up at Michael's and went to pick up Josh. The nurse was right....he was in good humor, he looked like he was fine and I questioned, silently, why I was checking him out of school. I called the doctor but they couldn't see him until 2:00, so since I was already out running errands, I told Josh he could tag along. We ate at Moe's, then continued to try and find that elusive metallic gold three-wick candle. No such luck and by the fourth store, he had had enough, so I took him home for a bit of Game Cube time.

He didn't have a headache and his head only hurt when he scrunched his forehead up, so again, I didn't think the doc would do anything. He would probably have a decent scar, but otherwise would be fine. When the doctor came in and starting asking questions, we both learned from Josh that the nurse hadn't put anything on his gash.....no peroxide, no alcohol. According to Josh she told him to get a dry paper towel and hold it against his head to stop the bleeding.

Alrighty then.......maybe school nurses aren't allowed to put antiseptic on wounds. I don't know, but that seemed a little odd to me. So, because the human mouth is so very nasty inside, the doctor had to commence with cleaning out Josh's wound. And Josh did not appreciate this at all. He didn't cry but he was clearly uncomfortable. After several minutes, the doctor decided that in order to minimize the scarring, Josh would need some stitches.

Let me put it this way.....I only thought the yelps coming from this strapping black belt during his wound cleaning were bad. The mini-screams when the doctor injected the lidocaine were quite impressive, but once the good stuff kicked in, he was good to go. He took his stitches like a champ and is now quite proud of them. He told me he couldn't wait to get to school to show them off.

The afternoon ended with Josh's teacher calling the house to see how he was doing, which I thought was a very nice thing to do.

December 7.....this day will live in infamy for a lot of reasons.

And I wonder why I'm tired all the time..........

P.S. Happy Birthday, Jill

P.P.S. Please forgive the continuous wordage of this blog entry. I've tried several times to separate the paragraphs, but the blogger won't allow it.

Full Metal Mouth

2006-11-29T19:56:00.000-05:00

Phase 2 of my relationship with the Orthodontist began today at 9:30 this morning. Our eldest son, Daniel, had braces put on...installed....cemented into his mouth today. And it wasn't just the top four teeth, as it is with Trey, it's the whole shebang...the whole kit and kaboodle. He's big-time. Glinting brightly in the sunshine.

And he better take care of his mouth for the next 24 months as I make payments on this newly installed hardware. It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'Million Dollar Smile.'

This picture isn't the best one he's ever taken, but it shows off his new bling. Kinda nice, wouldn't you say?

I love my Dan-man. He's such a great kid.

Happy Birthday Trey!!

2006-11-28T08:12:00.000-05:00

I now have two 11 year olds. Yesterday, our second son, Trey, turned 11. In three weeks, our first son, Daniel, will turn 12, but for now I can say that I have two 11 year olds.

Trey is fun-loving, talented, bright and wrote the book on instigating. (He only looks innocent). Most of the time, he eats standing up (I have no idea why) and loves to play baseball. He earned his black belt in karate in May, is gifted in piano and has just taken up the saxophone. Look out, Kenny G!! Happy Birthday, kiddo.

On another note, due to some pressure put upon me by the grandparents, I have taken the children to have their hair cut. Personally, I didn't think the mop-head look was that bad, but apparently it was to the generation above me. So, Fantastic Sam's got our business on Sunday afternoon. Here is the result.

As for Julia.....this is how she went to school today.......In my "Random Pictures" folder, this shot is entitled 'Julia Gorgeous,' because she is.

Wow!

BLACK BELT!!!

2006-11-18T21:19:00.000-05:00

Four and a half years.....225 weeks.....close to 500 classes and now, Joshua can call himself a black belt and this mama couldn't be more proud!!

Four and a half years ago, this day seemed a lifetime away. As I look back, I realize how quickly it has come. A lot has happened since that first karate class back in August of 2002. Joe was on active duty at the time and I wanted the kids to have a positive male role model in their lives. What I got was more than I had bargained for. Josh has made some of his closest friends in karate. His instructors have become like family to us and he has learned some of the most valuable lessons a kid can learn........perseverance, respect, self-discipline, teamwork. Josh has learned that when you work hard, it pays off. When you don't, there are consequences. He has learned that he can accomplish his goals when he sets his mind to it. He has learned what Excellence really means. He has learned what it means to be a friend....to pick each other up and cheer each other on. He has learned how to take care of himself as well as those around him.

And, at the same time, he has learned how to defend himself if he ever needed to.

He has worked very hard these last 4+ years, but his training isn't done. Now he gets to be part of the Masters Club and the Demo Team where he will learn advanced training in martial arts, weapons and self-defense.

Congratuations, Josh!!! I love you, son.

(This is Adam--the Head Instructor of our studio)

This is Matthew, Joshua's sparring and self-defense partner.

Fright Night

2006-10-31T20:53:00.000-05:00

I'm not much into Halloween.....I mean, it's a great night to get candy, but beyond that, not so much. I don't like the witches, ghouls and goblins. The 'Scream' masks and Leatherhead faces aren't my kind of thing. And spending a ton of money on four costumes plus accessories doesn't do anything for me, either.

As a result, we haven't trick-or-treated too many times in my 12 years of being a mom. This year, though, we decided to go for it and I actually got out of Party City with only $30 being spent. I found Julia a Hannah Montana wig, (it was actually a Barbie wig, but it passed for Hannah nicely....) and some face paint for the boys.

We targeted certain houses.....and the kids made out like bandits. One man, who's porch lights were on, told the kids he didn't do Halloween, but told them to 'hang on...' After a few seconds, he came back to the door with four $1 bills for the kids. It's amazing what a dollar and some candy can do to a kid's demeanor. All I heard all night was...."Mom, this was the best Halloween EVER!"

Kids are so easy to please.

(I pray no one thinks less of me because of the weird face paint on the boys.....Josh was into this zombie old man thing and Trey....well, I'm not sure what Trey was. Dan's picture wouldn't upload, but he wore a camouflage face)

Hannah Montana.....

2006-10-26T21:13:00.000-04:00

Ok.....could she be any cuter???

We watch a lot of TV in our house. I like watching TV. My kids like watching TV. I grew in a TV-watching house. Sports, news, soaps, comedies, dramas. You name it.....we watch it. Well, except the History Channel, that is. That's for Joe. I've even been known to watch the Golf Channel.

Don't get me wrong.....we do not sit 24/7 in front of the TV, but FoxNews stays on my TV as long as I'm awake.....I'll watch Fox and Friends in the morning while I'm piddling around my bedroom getting ready for my day. I get my daily Hemmer fix at noon, then Jane Skinner and Shepard in the afternoon, all the while doing housework and helping kids with homework. I'll throw a load of laundry in, empty the dishwasher and clean the kitchen, then walk back here and check my email and the news headlines, then I'll go straighten up the living room and clean a bathroom or two, then walk back here and check the news again.

The kids like typical kid-shows, but a couple of months ago, I decided I was going to put a block on Cartoon Network. They were watching it too much to begin with, but what they were watching wasn't all the great anyway. So, I told them they could watch Disney Channel...maybe Nickelodeon, but that was it. The fallout was enough to make a grown man cry......."Disney Channel!!!! That's a dumb channel. There's nothing good to watch on Disney! That's for babies!!" I begged to differ and told them that's the way it was.

Before I knew it, 'Hannah Montana' and 'The Suite Life of Zack and Cody' were taking over my TiVo. They can't seem to get enough of either show. A couple of weeks ago, when Disney had a Hannah Montana Marathon, Trey TiVo'd 7 or 8 episodes.....and they watch them every day. Same episodes. Same jokes. Same giggles coming from my kids. And to top it all off.....last Saturday, as I was laying in bed trying to pretend morning hadn't arrived, all four kids were on my couch watching Hannah again.....and suddenly out of the mouth of my 11 year old comes...."Who thinks Hannah's hot?"

Oy!

And Christmas came early for my bunch.....for today in the mail, via Amazon.com, came the just-released DVD and CD by Hannah Montana. It's been played so much, I've almost got the lyrics down.

I'll say it again.....could Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana be any cuter?

He did it!!!!!

2006-10-12T21:55:00.000-04:00

Our fall ball season is coming to a close. Joshua's team, the Braves, ended their season this evening. Daniel and Trey's final game is Saturday. The team Josh played against tonight is a team that many of Josh's friends are on and apparently Josh and Jake, one of the member of the opposing team, made a bet in class today. Jake would pay Josh $1 if Josh's team won. Josh, on the other hand, wouldn't have to pay Jake anything if his team won. I guess it goes to show you which of the two is more confident in his team.........

It was a fun night. I got to catch up with Tanya V. and Tom and see Stafford, Drew, Jake and Quinton play. The game consisted of sparkling pitching by both clubs as well as several spectacular defensive gems. And finally, after 9 games played this fall ball season, my third son.....my angel-boy Joshua got his first hit! Actually, he made contact both times up to bat, but his first AB resulted in a pop out to the shortstop. His second AB resulted in a single to left field. And this was no sissy single.....this ball was hit into the air.....landing in left field. It was awesome! Josh told me later he could hear me yelling over everyone else. Well duh! That's my boy!!!

What's even funnier is that his best friend Drew was playing first base when Josh got his hit. When Josh arrived at first, Drew looked at Josh and said...."Don't say it!" HA!

I love it! These boys will probably be friends forever....they are that close, so it's interesting to see the dynamics of them being on opposing teams. I'm sure tonight's game will be the topic of a lot of conversations in the classroom tomorrow. In the end, Josh's team won 4-2 and ended the season with a winning record. I think it was a great experience for Joshua.

On a more yucky note.....our dog, Bumper has gotten himself into something. And I don't know what that 'something' is. What I do know is that he was not around for awhile earlier today and tonight, while we were leaving for the ball game, he showed up on the front porch.....wet and smelling like something so disgusting, I can't even identify it. Kinda like a combination poop, puke, murk and just general nastiness. We do have some workmen on our property shoring up the earthen dam that is behind our house and they had to drain the lake in order to do the work, but Bump would have had to have gotten outside of his Invisible Fence line to get wet via the creek. Shooooo-weeeeee. Whatever it is....it's gonna get scrubbed off of him tomorrow.

I have to have Joshua to school tomorrow morning at 6:30 as his Gifted class is heading to Wahsega for an all-day field trip. (Who thought of that brilliant idea----6:30...good heavens!) I'm sure he is going to have a blast.

Humbled.......and thrilled

2006-10-07T20:16:00.000-04:00

This has been quite a weekend already and it's not even over yet! It started last night with Joshua having a SuperWorkout in preparation for his Black Belt Testing, then continued with Daniel having his first Science Club meeting (thank you Allyson for playing taxi for me last night) and ending with a rehearsal to a wedding I was privileged to sing for.

This morning all three boys had baseball games and the wedding was this evening. And Julia....well she had to skip ballet last night as there was just no way to get her to her class. So, she got to tag along with me wherever I went and she was a trooper for it, too.

Singing is something I've been doing since I was a little girl and it's something I love to do. But I've never considered my singing as anything other than a personal worship service with my Lord. Just me.....and Him. So, when I'm asked to sing a solo in church or for a funeral or wedding, I'm always surprised. This time was no different. Two months ago, I was asked to sing for the wedding of the daughter of a lady in our choir. I know Glenda, but had never met her daughter Amanda and before Celebrate America....Amanda didn't know who I was and had never heard me sing. So, imagine my surprise at the message left on my voicemail!!!

I was humbled to sing tonight, but thrilled just the same. Was I nervous? Of course. I get crazy nervous when I sing, but that's OK. Because it's then that I know that I am not singing in my own power, but in the power of the Holy Spirit and tonight, I believe He was glorified. Amanda chose 'How Beautiful' to be sung after her father gave her away and 'Ancient Words' while they lit the Unity Candle. It was beautiful.

But the weekend is not yet done. Tomorrow evening my children's choir, the Young Musicians, will be singing one of the specials in the evening worship service. I am so excited to be able to lead such a spectacular group of kids in corporate worship. Directing 'my kids' has become something I look forward to more than anything else in ministry. I love it! Thank you, Lord for giving me such amazing opportunities to glorify You.

The love of a son for his mother

2006-09-28T00:23:00.000-04:00

Joshua. Our third son. Our sensitive child. Our most emotional as well as sentimental son. Has a beautiful smile. Is a giver of great hugs. Is the one that will keep me on my knees more than the others.

Tonight, as we were driving home, Joshua, after I told the children that it was 'straight to bed' when we got home, told me he still had homework he needed to finish. That figures.

Ok. No biggie. He has two pages in his English workbook to do and in my opinion, it shouldn't have taken that long. Finally, at 10:00 tonight, he finishes. I send him upstairs to get into bed while I finish watching the half-inning of baseball I was intrigued by. I walk into his room to find him in bed, his light off and Josh asleep. I lean over him, give him two kisses on the cheek, whisper 'I love you' into his ear and give him one more kiss.

As I'm walking out of his room I hear a 'Mmmmm.' I turn around and see his arm sticking out from his covers, reaching for me. Smiling, I walk to his bedside and lean down to love on him. Then he says one of the sweetest things I've heard as a mom.....He says, "I almost fell asleep without giving you a hug goodnight."

Wow. What a statement. He let me know in 10 short words that his day wouldn't be complete unless he ended it by hugging his mom. I leaned down again, gave him another kiss and said, "I love you, Josh."

"I love you too, mom."

12 years

2006-09-23T19:15:00.000-04:00

Today is our Anniversary. 12 years of putting up with each other's quirks, idiosyncrasies and plain craziness. We've come a long way in 12 years. 4 kids. 4 states. 7 moves. 4 different churches. 2 stints on Active Duty......and on and on it goes.

We decided to spend our anniversary away from the children in Destin. Neither of us have ever been but have been told it's a wonderful place to vacation. Julie and Michelle..........you were right.

Destin is simply beautiful. Touristy, but beautiful. The beaches....powdery white. The water.....warm. The sun....shining brightly. The condo we are blessed to be staying in......simply amazing. The food...........indescribable.

We've eaten at Ruth's Chris Steak House, Dewey Destin (fantastic seafood) and tonight, for our Anniversary we're going to Zampieri's. I cannot wait. Tomorrow will be spent at Johnny O'Quigley's watching some baseball then heading to AJ's to board the Sea Blaster for a Dolphin Cruise, then to Lousianna Lagniappe for a casual, Cajun dinner.

It's been a wonderful weekend away. A weekend I hope to repeat in the near future......either with just Joe, with two other couples......or just the girls.

Special thanks goes to my father who dropped everything to come to Georgia to watch the children when our inital child-watcher was unable to come. Big-time Kudos to Grandpa Bob for carting the kids to karate, ballet and baseball; getting them up and out of bed and to the busstop, and putting up with countless phone calls by this mama wanting to know how the kiddoes are faring without her.

Thanks, Dad. You're the best!!

And here's to my husband, Joseph......the man God placed in my life for such a time as this. Thank you for putting up with me and my consummate 'girlness.' For loving me through it all. For giving me 4 fantastic children. And for showing me the same love that God the Father has for His church. I'm looking forward to the next 12 years....and many more beyond that.

Happy Anniversary, Darling!

He's HOME!!!

2006-09-11T22:24:00.000-04:00

Today was the day. The day my man came home.

At exactly 9:21 this morning, my cell phone rang with a ringtone that I hadn't heard in 5 months. "When I call on Jesus....all things are possible. I can mount on wings like eagles and soar. When I call on Jesus....mountains are gonna fall, 'cause He'll move heaven and earth to come rescue me when I call."

That's Joe's ring.

I was surprised that he called as I wasn't expecting the plane to land until 10, but he was early and he wanted his wife. So, I gathered my purse, put on the rest of my jewelry, grabbed my phone and headed out the door. By 9:55 this morning I was looking at my man, dressed in his fatigues waiting for me.

He's home.

For the next 15 days we will be going to Braves baseball games, watching our children play their baseball games, hanging out with friends, going to the Newsong concert up in Rome, completing a 'honey-do' list, going out to dinner, going to church and heading out of town for a 4 day weekend.....just the two of us. On the 26th, Joe will head back to Baghdad to finish up his work with the Civil Affairs Brigade and to plan on coming home for good in December. Chances are he will be in his home on Christmas Day.

I praise the Lord for keeping Joe safe and bringing him home to us for this short-but-surely-to-be-sweet R & R time.

God is good.

Opening Day

2006-09-09T14:53:00.000-04:00

The Fall baseball season has begun......Ya gotta love it!!! Daniel and Trey are on the 11/12 Indians. Josh is on the 9/10 Braves.

Needless to say, I got my exercise in today, as both games were at noon and the fields were nowhere near each other. I did make sure I watched all of my boys bat---Trey and Dan each struck out once and walked once. Josh walked once and was hit by a pitch. And I saw some of Dan and Trey on defense.

I didn't get to see Josh play much defense as his team was up to bat far more than they were in the field. Josh's team played against another team that had just moved up into their age bracket, so they were younger and a lot of the kids had never played before. Because of this, Josh's team run-ruled them every inning they played.

Josh said the score was 9-1, but I think it was more like 15-1. Maybe the mercy rule was in effect. Joshua started in the outfield and played the whole game, with his highlight being his head-first slide into homeplate to score on a wild pitch. He just had to get that uniform dirty!

Daniel and Trey's team lost 10-6 and it was a tough one. They were ahead for the majority of the game, but lost it toward the end. Trey was the starting third baseman and played the whole game, even making a great defensive play---throwing the runner out at first. Daniel started in the outfield and played all but the last inning.

Game 1 of 10. Indians 0-1. Braves 1-0. It's going to be a fun season.

Home Sweet Home

2006-09-05T12:59:00.000-04:00

This last weekend I had the chance to head back 'home' to New Jersey for my cousin's wedding. It was a wonderful time....the wedding was beautiful....and I had a blast catching up with aunts and uncles and cousins that I don't get to see or talk to very often. My mom was there too, so of course that was wonderful.

If you ask my kids what their favorite part of the weekend was they will tell you that going to the Boardwalk at Ocean City and riding the rides at the amusement park takes the cake for them. Of course, they weren't having to pay for the tickets to ride each ride.....Yikes! For me, the weekend as a whole, was wonderful, but Sunday from 1:35 until 4:20 had to be my most favorite part, as I had the privilege of going to Citizen's Bank Park and watch my Phillies, my first team, take on the Braves, my second team. Baseball-----America's past-time and a sport that I follow closely.

There's probably few of you out there who really care, but 'Sophomore' Sensation Ryan Howard hit three home run's against one of the game's best pitchers, Tim Hudson. It was an unbelievable time.

But times that that.....when people are cheering and chanting for their hometown hero.....makes me wonder one thing. Why is it that we don't cheer for our Father, who has blessed us exceedingly abundantly? Why don't we talk about His great works like we do our favorite sports figures? Why are we so willing to spend freely at the ballpark for tickets, food and souvenirs, but recoil when the Pastor talks about the budget or Missions?

Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven..........

I fall short in my relationship with my Father far more than I would like, but thankfully, my Father is unwavering in His love for me.....He is unmoving in that, when I realize my sin....I know exactly where to find Him to seek His forgiveness.

This has been a year. A lot of ups. A lot of downs. But one thing has stayed the same. My Father in Heaven has been watching over me.....Loving me. Protecting me. Guiding me. Pruning me. Making me the woman He designed me to be. He alone is worthy to be praised.

Home Sweet Home......a place of love, joy, safety, comfort, laughter and peace.......both here with my earthly family......and my Heavenly Father.

You say it's your birthday.......

2006-08-31T07:47:00.000-04:00

Today is a special day for a special lady. How do I know she's special? Two reasons. One, because her friends that are also my friends told me so. But second, because she and I have spent some time together posting our thoughts and wishes and comments with each other for the past few months.

She has shared her family. She has shared her fears. She has shared her home. She has shared her love for the Father. So, how do I know she's special? Because she's shared a piece of her heart with me.....that's how I know.

Today is her birthday......making today a 'most' special day!

Happy Birthday, Tracey!!! I hope it's your best one yet!

Friends are friends forever

2006-08-29T19:29:00.000-04:00

"My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory." Philippians 4:19. When I am tired, I find rest in my Father. When I am hungry or thirsty, I can eat from the Bread of Life and drink from the streams of Living Water. When I am overwhelmed with life, I am calmed by the Spirit.

God shows Himself to me in so many different ways. Through the stillness of His voice on my heart, He speaks. Through His written Word, He speaks. But sometimes He shows Himself to me in more tangible ways......through my friends. God has blessed me with some amazing friends.....Indescribable friends. Friends that have walked through the fire with me. Friends that have loved me even when I wasn't very lovable. "A friend loves you all the time....."Proverbs 17:17) Friends that have showed themselves true more times than I can count. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

There is a wonderful verse that has been playing over and over again in my mind: "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you....." Colossians 1:3. I think of my friends when I read this passage in Colossians. It goes on to say....."In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus....."

I know God is not done with me yet. And I know that whatever path He chooses to take me down, I will have the best friends I could ever imagine walking that path with me.

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.

Wow!!

2006-08-24T22:16:00.000-04:00

If you haven't seen High School Musical yet..........I highly recommend it. Do not delay. Head to your nearest Blockbuster and rent it.

Tonight.

My daughter has been wanting to see this movie for two months now, but every time we go to Blockbuster, there are no more copies left to rent. Many times she has left disappointed. Not tonight, however. Just after dinner, I asked the kids to go get in the shower and then I would be up in a minute to kiss them goodnight. Suddenly, out of my bedroom comes a voice......."Guys!! GUYS!!!! High School Musical is on Disney Channel!!!" The next thing I knew all five of us were in my bedroom on the couch and on the floor watching this movie. And what a great movie/musical this is. The block time on TV was two hours.....8:00-10:00. This presented a problem as the kids are normally in bed by 8:30. But because I am the nice mom that I am....I allowed them to watch the first hour, then head to the showers and bed. What was so comical was, every time one of the boys needed to use the bathroom.....they paused the TV so they wouldn't miss any of the movie! It was great.

We TiVo'd it, so they'll be able to watch the second hour tomorrow afternoon. Unfortunately for the kids....when they came down after having their showers, they caught me watching the movie and they were none too pleased.

Ah well.....they'll get over it.

Sunsations!!

2006-08-23T16:34:00.000-04:00

Music has been a big part of my life since I was a little girl. I remember singing with my mom's choir when I was in elementary school. I sang in every choir and ensemble that was available to me all the way through my college years. I love to sing and I love music.

So when Joe and I got married I prayed that that same love would pass on to our children...whether it was through singing or an instrument. God answered my prayer! Our oldest, Daniel, plays the french horn and takes piano lessons. He also sings in the Middle school choir at church. Trey plays the piano and will be starting the saxophone after Christmas. He sings in the Childrens' Choir at church. Julia just began taking piano lessons this fall. She loves to sing and is very expressive when she does, prompting many people to tell me she is a chip off the old block, so to speak.

Which leaves Josh. Josh didn't seem to have the same love for music the other kids did. He didn't enjoy the few months of piano that he took and singing hasn't been that important to him. I wanted to be a little disappointed when I realized that Joshua didn't seem to be as gifted as the others in music, but then I'm reminded at how special each of my children is. Each of them has their own unique style.....their own unique gift......their own unique talents. To try and mold them into my vision for them is nothing short of shallow and just plain selfish on my part.

So when Josh busted through the door after school today and made the announcement he made, I was surprised. "I made Chorus!" Chorus. Wow. The 4th and 5th grade Sunsations, as they are known, is a 'by audition only' singing team. Joshua had to try out and had to have a perfect score in order to be on the Chorus. He did it and he made it.

He seemed very proud of himself and very excited that he made it. I am thrilled, obviously. This is our third year with at least one boy as a member of the Sunsations. Daniel and Trey both were last year, Daniel the year before and now Joshua this year. Trey decided he didn't want to try out this year. He wanted to focus on band. Julia's time will come when she hits 4th grade and rest assured....she will try out.

Playing catch.....

2006-08-21T23:17:00.000-04:00

.....with my kitten is something I never thought I'd do. But yet, here is Limerick, my orange and white tabby bringing me a green puff ball, dropping it in front of me, waiting for me to throw it and once I do........chases it down and begins the cycle all over again. A puppy in a kittens body............What a goofball.

On another note, tonight I went to a meeting at my son's middle school regarding the new math curriculum the state has adopted. When I first heard about the program last spring, I was skeptical if only because some math concepts are very difficult for me to grasp. Algebra....Ok. Geometry........forget about it. There is no way. And this new curriculum is so good, my son, by the time he finishes 8th grade will have mastered things I didn't learn until I was a Junior.....and what I did learn stayed back there in 11th grade...it didn't come with me to 2006. So, this was a concern to me. Then we found out toward the end of his 5th grade year, that Daniel qualified for Accelerated Math. So now, not only is he learning in middle school what I learned in High school, but he is learning it faster than other 6th graders.

This current school year is the second year the 6th grade teachers across Georgia are teaching the new curriculum. In the Spring, the entire state took the CRCT standarized tests. All grade levels....every subject. We were told at the meeting tonight, that our County ranked tops in the state in scoring in 6th grade math, making this mom very happy God placed us where He did.

Daniel is really enjoying middle school. He does his homework and practices his french horn and reads like crazy. After 11 days.........so far, so good.

Only 169 more to go.

Young Musicians

2006-08-16T22:29:00.000-04:00

If you had told me 10 years ago that I would be one of the directors in the children's music ministry, I would have thought you were crazy. No way would I ever teach anything.....let alone music.

But it's amazing what God can do when all He has is a willing participant. I started my 'career' in children's music as a sub 7 years ago. If a teacher were out for any reason, I would go and take their place. This meant I had to know how to 'teach' all of the small group activities that came in the quarterly pack as I never knew from one week to the next who's place I would be taking. It wasn't a whole lot of fun, to be honest, but it did start me down a road that, frankly, I couldn't imagine not being on right now. Afte subbing in 3rd grade, I became a permanent teacher....just helping out the director and helping the kids learn the words to the songs they would be singing for the church. The next year, the 2nd grade director ended up going back to school to get her Master's Degree, leaving that age group without a leader. I was approached about being the director.....I was excited about the opportunity, but scared to death. I really didn't know what I was doing and I did not have a particularly fun time.

The next year, the 3rd grade director moved on to other opportunities, leaving that ministry role open. After some prayer, I realized that part of my difficulty was the age group.....I do much better with older kids, so I decided I would 'graduate' with my second graders and move on to directing the 3rd grade Choir. We had a great year! The next year, the 4th and 5th grade director stopping directing.....Are you seeing a trend here? Yep....I did it again, I moved up as Director of the 4th and 5th grade Choir. By the time the kids I began with in 2nd grade moved to middle school, I'd been their director for four straight years and they were the most precious years for me. I was able to get really close to every child and still today...2 years later...have special relationships with a lot of them.

Tonight was the first night of the new year of Young Musicians and this year began like every other.....How many kids will we have? Will they behave? Will they think I'm a goofball? Will they like to sing? Will they want to come back next week? Will I run my teachers off?

We had 32 children tonight....what a great group of kids. Most I already knew. Only a couple I had never met and we had a great night. This year's theme is Created by God, the Master Designer. We had a chance to talk about what a designer does and what God's purpose was for designing each of us.

We read Ephesians 2:10, "For we are His creation—created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them." It was a good time to remind them, that even though they may get in trouble....even though there are times when it seems like we can't do anything right....we were created to do good works!!! I was also able to share with them the fact that God created us so He could have fellowship with us. He doesn't need us. But He wants us. He wants to spend time with us each and every day! It was a precious time.

We sang one of my favorite songs..."How Great is Our God." And we ended our night watching a DVD about praying all of the time. In the morning. At noontime. In the evening. When we're down. When we're worried. Pray. Without ceasing.

I love teaching children music......but it's not just teaching them the words and notes and helping them understand time signatures and dynamic markings. It's about believing every word they are singing. It's about understanding why we sing praises to our Lord. It's about living every word we sing. It's about worshipping a Living God....the Maker of Heaven and Earth, a God so powerful He was able to create every living thing on this earth, but yet is so loving and so tender we can go to Him, lay our burdens at His feet, fall into His arms and know we are loved.

Thank you, Father, for Your gift of music and Thank You for using me to share Your gift with these precious children.

Question.....

2006-08-13T21:36:00.000-04:00

How do you know when your kids have been jumping on the oldest child's bed a few too many times?

Answer: When the slats inside the box spring have broken enough to pierce through the batting that surrounds the boxspring, enough so that Tymin, one of the new babies, can climb inside and hide.

Last night, I said Goodnight to Daniel, bent down and kissed him....scratched his back while I prayed for him, turned the light off and closed his bedroom door. As I was kissing Trey goodnight, Daniel came out of his room and asked me if I knew he had kittens under his bed. Hmmmm, I think I remember a comment about that, but it went right on past me. I finished saying goodnight to Trey and headed back into Dan's room to retrieve said kittens. Limerick was under Dan's bed and wouldn't come out. Tymin was inside the Box spring....and, you guessed it.....wouldn't come out.

Understanding the only solution, I pushed Dan's mattress off his bed and lifted the boxspring up off the slats hoping this would inspire Tymin to come out, come out wherever he was. Realizing this was a job bigger than just Dan and I, I hollered for Trey to come join the fun. I asked him to grab Limerick and then asked him to coax Tymin out. No such luck. He was staying put. And the more I pushed up on the boxspring, the further he moved away from the opening. And the slats inside the Boxspring were jagged enough that no kid needed to be fishing a cat out of it anyway. I peeked in and sure enough...there he was way back in the opposite corner from where I was.

Seeing as how I had the box spring almost completely vertical, I got a good look at it and WOW, was I surprised. The thing was completely trashed. Several of the boards inside were broken and there were a couple of holes in the batting where the boards had cut through. Craziness. Seeing as how it was a disaster anyway, I grabbed the batting and yanked it right out of the frame. Wah-lah....Instant cat access. I grabbed Tymin by the nape of the neck and handed him to Trey.

We will probably need to 'deep six' the box spring as it is now leaning against Daniel's bedroom wall. The cats......well, they're not allowed upstairs anymore. Too many hiding places. Not enough people around during the day to keep them out of trouble. But I'm sure they'll find enough trouble to get into downstairs anyway.

In our house.....with four human babies, three feline babies and one canine baby.......There's always something going on.

A tale of two tires

2006-08-09T22:28:00.000-04:00

So you got the story on my Krystal expedition in the midst of a right-rear tire blowout.......

Well, that was 4 days ago and, No....I hadn't yet gotten my tire replaced. In all the research I've been doing, I've learned that tires for a gas-guzzling SUV are not cheap. $180 each. Craziness. One of the places I searched on the web did not have prices listed on their site, so I decided I would run by there and see them in person and get an estimate. Hoffman, with an H, Tires. Very nice people. I walked in and told him that I had a blowout, that I was driving on my spare and that I needed an estimate on four new tires.

He walked out with me to take a look at my car and told me that I didn't need four tires. I only needed three. My spare is a full-size spare....that is identical to the other tires. He said they can put my spare onto one of the front wheels and then take the best of the other three and make that my new spare. Ok....I like the guy already.

Done. We make an appointment for Thursday morning 8 am....Then he makes a ridiculous comment. "Don't run over anything while you're driving. Remember, you're driving on your spare." Yes Sir!!!

And off I go. Onto Jonesboro to meet a couple of gals for lunch. I'm listening to my music....lost in my thoughts. I turn onto Tara Blvd from 54. And BAM!!!!!

What was that? You must be kidding me. I didn't, did I?

I did. I ran over something and there was this crazy knocking sound coming from the left-rear of my truck. And this was not 15 minutes after Mr. Hoffman himself advised that I not run over anything. This must just be my day. I'm looking in my side-view mirror trying to see if there is any tread flying up, but I can't see anything, but this awful noise is still coming from the back of the car. I pull into the children's building parking lot and assess the damage. Ok....no tread flying off. Good. But there is a piece of metal stuck in my tire. Not good.

I know what all of you are thinking. I can hear you yelling at your computer now........'Don't pull it out!!!!' Ok....I thought about that myself, but decided not to listen to the little voice in my head. I pulled it out. This wonderful SSSHHHHHHHHHH sound comes from the tire. Fabulous. Idiot, jpv.

Well, since I'm at the church to meet friends for lunch, I head over to the office. I found Chip and asked him to take a look at it, but he couldn't find anything wrong with the tire. And honestly, it wasn't too terribly flat. Just low. Knowing that Mr. Hoffman was going to the Warehouse during his lunch break to pick up my new tires, I made my way back to his shop. He stood up when he saw me, looked out at my truck and said......"You have a flat tire." Uh.....yep!

I told him he never should have admonished me to not run over anything. I pulled out of the shop 45 minutes later with my spare back under the truck and with two new tires replacing my two rear blown-out ones. I will return in the morning to get the third new tire put on and the spare put back on. They are going to see if they can patch the one I biffed up today before they decide which tire actually becomes my spare.

So, there you have it. A tale of two tires. One.....went flat. Then shredded on Hwy 85. The other......seemingly met its Maker in the form of a road hazard on Hwy 19/41. Then may get new life at the hands of the techs at Hoffman Tire.

Take me out to the ballgame.....

2006-08-08T08:21:00.000-04:00

Baseball.....America's pasttime. Like apple pie and Chevrolet. Could there be anything better?

I've been a baseball fan for as long as I can remember......and a Phillies fan for even longer and last night I got to hang out with a couple of friends at Turner Field (AKA The Ted) and watch my Phightin' Phillies take on the Braves. The Phillies won........of course. There was some great defense....and some sloppy defense. Some 'small ball' and some long ball. There was something for everyone and we had a great time.
This is Ryan Howard....The Phillies homerun machine.
I took this picture during his at-bat in the second inning. Eye-level, you say? Yep, I have access to second row seats. Yes, I said second row. Right on the field. Awesome!

I went with Cantini and Jatha, two gals I had the privilege of being on staff with at the church and have become good friends with as a result.

We had a blast. So much so, that I'm sure we'll be doing this again.

First day of school

2006-08-07T10:25:00.000-04:00

The first day of school is always a highly anticipated time. It's when the kids get to see their friends again. It's when they get to be in new classrooms. It's when they get to meet new people and do new things. But the best part of the first day of school for my kids is getting to wear their new clothes. Yes, my kids think this is a big deal.

Last night before they went to bed, they all had their clothes laid out neatly in their rooms. They knew exactly what they were going to wear today and they were pretty excited about it. Check out their new threads!!!

Getting out the door today was the easiest it's ever been and probably the easiest it will ever be. Trey was insistent when we went to bed last night, that I get him up at 5:30....maybe as late as 5:45. He wanted to be up and ready this morning. I got him up at 6:00 and he let me know of his dissatisfaction with me that I'd gotten him up 'late.' Just you wait, 'enry 'iggins,' just you wait.....when it's impossible to get you out of bed here in a couple of days.

It's been a tradition for our family for me to take the kids to school on the first day and take their picture at their new desk. Julia, since her room was the first we came across, had hers taken first. I am reserving judgment about the teacher she was given. I have not been given the most positive feedback by those who've had this teacher before, so we're praying she has a good experience.

Josh was next. He is never too sure about school. Josh had a rough 3rd grade year and wasn't looking forward to today at all, but we believe that God gave him the perfect teacher and are praying that he has a good year.....at least enough of one to erase the bad memories from last year.

Trey's room is literally the furthest classroom from the front door and by the time we'd gotten there, he decided he did not want me taking his picture. He is now way too cool for that. So, you get a picture of him with Tymin.

And lastly....I am now officially a Middle School mom. Daniel was pretty pumped about today. He'll get his schedule this morning for the first time and hopefully he'll remember to bring it home so I can see it!! I'm dying to know what he's doing right now. God is good. He has given us two fantastic schools to send our kids to and teachers that love to teach. I'm looking forward to a great school year.

Adventures at Krystal

2006-08-06T15:18:00.000-04:00

I am a priss and a snob. I know it. I claim it. I am a priss and a snob. I believe that the county I live in is better than anyone else's. I believe my kids schools are the best. I don't like getting my fingers messy when I eat. I don't like my hair messed up and I don't like my face being touched. It's just me.

Because of this, I have never eaten at Krystal. I have also never even had the desire to eat at Krystal. Krystal just seems so.............trashy. So............cheap. So..............I don't know......So........not me. Am I judging a book by its cover? You bet I am. But that's just me. Love me or hate me for it? Ok.....I am what I am. Saturday night, the Lord decided He would show me a thing or two about myself and being the willing participant that I am, I went along for the ride.

On the way home from White Water on Friday, we noticed that my right rear tire was beginning to go flat. No worries. I would just take the car to NTB on Saturday and get it taken care of. So, on Saturday as we were leaving the house, I noticed something very strange about the way the car drove. It was rocking so violently from side to side, it was as if I was running over something. And it kinda freaked me out. I got out of the car and sure enough.....the tire was completely flat now and it was just beginning to storm. So, we continued on our way to the NTB. It didn't take me long to learn that I wasn't able to drive more than 20 miles per hour without the car shimmying and shaking in an almost scary manner. And the fact that it was raining so hard it was almost a monsoon didn't help either. With hazard blinkers on, I prayed our way through the downpour to the NTB......probably a 7 + mile trip. We got 3/4 of the way there when I heard some strange goings-on from the tire area. I called back to Trey....."Look behind you and see if there are pieces of tire flying up from the car." Trey's response....."Yes, mommy. There is."

Fabulous. Had the tire not begun to shred I would have kept driving, but since I knew I was in danger of some serious rim damage, I pulled off Hwy. 85 into the nearest parking lot.

The Krystal parking lot.

We sat while the rain came down.....And the thunder pounded and the lightning struck. The lightning struck so closely there was no...and I mean NO wait for the thunder. There were more simultaneous flash/bams than I cared to count. And the Bradford Pear right next to where we were parked just decided it wanted to lay down right where it stood. The kids were scared. I was awed. God's glory and power were in full display at 4:00 yesterday afternoon. I got out of the car to assess the damage......if the tire wasn't too bad, I would consider making our way to the shop. We were so close I could almost see the building. But sure enough. It was bad. And the rain was coming down so hard and the wind was whipping so strongly, the umbrella was flipped inside out and I looked like I'd gone out without one to begin with. I went through my cell phone to see who I could call to come help. Mark was at a wedding. Tommy was in Macon. Joe B. didn't answer his phone.......Now what? Then it dawned on me.............

The little blue button. "Thank you for calling Onstar, Mrs. PV....How can I help you?" It was like a voice from Heaven. It was a beautiful thing. I told them my plight and they assured me they would send Roadside Assistance out to help us as soon as they could. A great sigh of relief washed over me and the kids. The storm continued, but the anxiety began to dwindle. Suddenly from the back of the car came a voice....."I'm hungry." "Well, guys we really can't go anywhere. We need to wait here until the tire gets changed and then we'll grab dinner." "But mom.....we can eat at Krystal."

Huh? Krystal? I don't think so. "C'mon, Mom....we're hungry." Feeling like I was in the twilight zone, I sent Daniel in to get some Krystals. Out he came with 5. And he only spent $4. I'm not sure what it is.....but something about spending $4 for 5 little burgers seems disturbing to me. The kids each took one. I did not. And the response was unanimous......."Mom, these are best burgers EVER." "Mom, I can't believe you've never taken us to Krystal before. These are awesome." "Mom, we need to add this to the 'Great Restaurant' list." Ok, now I draw the line.....Krystal? A restaurant? Puhleeaze!!! I went ahead and ate my little burger, too and I will admit it was better than I expected it to be. Next, the kids decided they were thirsty too and since we couldn't go anywhere we might as well go inside and eat for real. Now, I know I've gone off the deep end. We head inside. Everyone orders and we sit down with our food. On one wall is a sign that says, "Krystal Lovers Hall of Fame." Trey looks at me and says, "They need to add me to that list." What a goober. We finish eating and head back to the car. The call came in telling me that it would be at least another 30 minutes before Roadside Assistance would get to us. At the same time, a very large black pickup truck pulls up beside me. And out walks our angel. Brad. The man that built our house was driving by, saw the kids near the car and then realized what had happened. He got out and asked one question...."You want me to do it?" YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!

It was wonderful. I called OnStar back and cancelled our request for assistance. And within a few minutes Brad and his boys had our tire changed.

God showed His awesomeness once again....not only in the power of the storm, but in sending just the right person to help us as well as providing us with a good meal. It was a good couple of hours.

Now the kids are asking for Krystal for every meal.

Hmmmmm, let me think about that one...................No.

White Water

2006-08-05T09:16:00.000-04:00

White Water is such a fun place to be. We've only been twice in the 8+ years we've lived here, but both times I've asked myself...."Why don't we come here more often?"

Oh yeah, cause it's expensive. But no mind....we went yesterday and a good time was had by all. It was sunny. It was hot. But the water was wonderful and the rides......pretty great. I must say, though, that the highlight was the Tornado. The line looked menacing, but in reality it wasn't. In fact, the park as whole was not as crowded as I was expecting, for the last 'official' day of summer. We had no trouble finding multiple chairs in a row to lay our towels and we waited no longer than 30 minutes start to finish for a ride.

We decided on a couple of rides that we would go boys on one and girls on another. The Tornado was one of these rides. The boys went first and we girls had a good laugh watching them try and get that huge 4-man tube up the stairs. They did well once they figured out how to work together. We girls were two groups behind the boys. This was our first time riding the Tornado and wow.....we'll be riding that again someday. It was great. I must say, when we went up into the funnel part of the ride, I was convinced we were going to flip, we went so high. But we didn't. We came down laughing and ready to head to the next thrill.

My boys had a couple of moments where they didn't want to wait in line......they wanted to head straight for the Atlanta Ocean. Why, I'm not sure. It's just a wave pool, but the adults and Julia won out and we waited in the lines we were in and then headed to the wave pool.

The one downside was the end......No, not because we had to leave. But because we couldn't. At 4:20, Chelsie began to round up the kiddoes from Little Squirt's Island. One by one they came out for a sip of Diet Coke and to hear that we were leaving. One by one....each boy was on board with what was going on. The girl.........not so much. For those of you who know Julia, you know she can be 'all that' and has a ton of personality, to say the least. For those that don't know her....well, there's no way I can describe her and give her any justice. She is a joy. A doll. A pain in the neck. Our sunshine. Our hormonal mess. A flake. A flirt. A tease. A perfect mix of her three brothers. A chip off the old block in her mother. The apple of her daddy's eye. The Queen Mother, as my father calls her. A diva. The only granddaughter for my parents. She loves to learn new things, but thinks she knows everything. A brat. And just plain wonderful.

When Julia was told it was time to go, she decided we would 'wait right out here' for us while we finished gathering up the boys. By the time, we made our way out of the Island, not 10 seconds later, she had taken off in the direction of Captain Kid's Cove. Daniel, being the oldest and because he can run faster than I can, was sent after her. We waited for a bit but they never showed. Chelsie and I decided I would head back to the chairs to gather the stuff and she would head over to gather Daniel and Julia. As I was finishing up folding the towels and gathering shirts and flipflops, up walks Chelsie......alone. Shaking her head, she tells me she couldn't find them. Most parents would probably flip their lids in fear. For some reason, with my kids, I'm not like that. They have shown themselves in so many situations to be able to handle different things and handle them well. They have been approached by kids at school to do the wrong thing and haven't. They don't talk to strangers. I've watched them ignore people who say HI to them because they don't know them. They have been trained in self-defense.

Does that mean I don't worry about them? Absolutely not. I am very careful with my kids. I just don't hover over them and watch their every move. So, when Chelsie said she couldn't find them.....I knew where Julia was. She wasn't lost or stolen. She was playing somewhere. We decided to go two different directions to the exit in hopes of coming across the two kids. We didn't find them right away. Neither of the adults found Julia........Josh did. And sure enough, I was right. She was in the Wave Pool.......living it up. Having a great time. Daniel was nowhere to be found. I made my way toward her and she saw me. We mothers have 'the look'.....you know the one. And she got it. And she hung her head knowing she was dead meat. She got a good scolding and I seriously considered spanking her right there, but figured there were way too many people who would take what was once considered good parenting, and twist it into abuse. She knew she was in trouble. She got the message. Now off to find Daniel.

Within 30 seconds he walked up. He told me he chased Julia toward Captain Kid's Cove but she got away via the Suwanee river. He had gone around again trying to find her, but couldn't. He's such a great big brother. He was as frustrated as I was as he knows his role as the oldest.

This took 30 minutes. 30 minutes. I had promised Chelsie we would have her back to my house between 5 and 5:30, so she could head to a commitment she had and so Noah could go to his Open House with his teacher. Now, none of this would happen, which did not make me happy. Chelsie and Noah were OK with it. I was not.

But all in all, it was a good day. We ate dinner on the way home, so no cooking for me last night, which is always a blessing. Today, we're cleaning and cleaning and cleaning and doing some laundry and going and finishing up getting what the kids need for school. It'll be a long and busy day. But I ain't complaining. I've got my human babies.....and my feline babies. Just missin' the husband, but he'll be home in 5 weeks.

What a Thursday

2006-08-03T23:36:00.000-04:00

This has been a day!! First, we had guests last night. Yep, that's right. Four active children just wasn't enough for me. I thought I'd add a couple more. And it was great!

Aubrey and Parker spent the night last night just to make things a bit easier on Cantini and Red Ranger. Hopefully they used their time wisely last night........

Anyway, I digress. The kids had a blast watching Parent Trap again and playing with the Star Wars toys that Aubrey brought over.

When we designed the house, we put the Master Bedroom on the Main level on one end and the main living area of the basement at the opposite end. Genius, I know. So, the children were in the basement, and I was in my blissfully, silent bedroom.....not hearing a thing. I did have to re-accompany a couple of kids back downstairs, but other than that....once they fell asleep, they stayed asleep.

Today was Meet the Teacher Day at the schools. Allycat's younger daughter came over to sit with the kids for the hour that Daniel and I headed to his new Middle School. And much to my surprise...it was exactly as they said it would be. Meeting the Teachers. No schedules. No locker assignments. No nothing. It was as simple as finding Daniel's name on the big board, paying the $35 in fees they need and walking to his homeroom to meet his teacher. That was it.

I found myself a little disappointed as I was hoping to 'show him the ropes' so to speak about middle school life. You know...checking his schedule against all his friends so they can see if they have any of the same classes, changing classes for each subject, finding his locker and learning how to open the combination, how to stack the textbooks in the locker in the same order as the classes so they're easier to transfer to the bookbag......That kind of stuff. But no. All we did was meet teachers. Funny how it's called Meet the Teacher Day. Craziness.

We came home for lunch and got ready to take Aubrey and Parker back to their mommy and head to the younger kids Meet the Teacher time at their school. We've done that for the last four years, so nothing was a surprise there. They all seem excited about their teachers and are looking forward to Monday.

Joshua had the first football practice he could actually attend tonight and it went really well. It appears they are going to put him on defense as he spent the whole time blocking and tackling. He is loving it, thankfully.

And finally, to close this most exciting and news-worthy post.....I present you Limerick.
First, who could not love this face. (I think he is posing in honor of 'di-dan's' Sweet Kitty)

But second....this picture was taken just after he decided he wanted to rub his face against my toothbrush, and then chew on it.

Goofy kitty.....

And if I wasn't enough of a psycho....I'm taking my kids to White Water tomorrow. But I'm not going alone....One of my most favorite teenagers is coming along and probably bringing her younger brother. It'll be good.

But even if the whole day turns out not so great tomorrow....one good thing will come out of it. Compared to some of the 'physiques' stuffed inside bathing suits and bikini's at that place.....I'm Bo Derek. I know I can hold my head high and stick my 4-kid poochie out there for all to see, because there are thousands of other women who look far worse than I........

At White Water.....I'm a '10'

No doubt about it.

I just can't do it......I refuse

2006-08-02T23:43:00.000-04:00

I'm stamping my foot in complete and utter disregard to the advice given to me today.

Last Thursday or Friday, I noticed I was having some congestion issues. Because I have always had overactive sinuses, I didn't really think too much about it until Sunday when it seemed to get worse.......then Monday, worse yet....Tuesday...... today. Concern washed over me. What is up with my throat and my chest?

Holy Canoli.............NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! It can't be. I refuse to believe it. I won't. NO!

But, yet, it's true. According to the doctor......I am, in her words, 'highly allergic' to my new kittens, and a cat allergy is, in her opinion, 'very difficult to treat.' Then she gave me her recommendation and like I said.....there is no way I am going to do what she recommends. She actually had the audacity to tell me that I need to consider getting rid of the kittens before the children get too attached. Children, shmildren. I'm the one that's attached, dangit.

They're my babies. How can I give them up? She asked me if they could become outside cats. No. I'm not comfortable with that, especially since there only 4 months old. Is there a way to enclose them in a porch or carport? No, my house is wide open.

So, that's my quandary. She gave me Nasonex and Allavert to get me through the crisis, but then said again to consider giving them up.

Blasphemy!!!

My life as a mother of six

2006-07-31T20:25:00.000-04:00

I have always wondered how Mike and Carol Brady did it. 6 kids. Having six children was never even on the radar for me and Joe. We always knew we wanted four and God, thankfully, gave us what we asked for.

But this week, I have the opportunity to see what being a mom of 6 would look like, as I have the privilege of watching over Cantini's and Red Ranger's boys, ages 5 and 3.

Today was Day One. On the 'Great Day' Scale....this one ranks right up there near the top. A Great Day.

When my kids went to bed last night, they asked me to wake them up early this morning, so they could be up when Aubrey and Parker arrive. They didn't want to miss a thing. They were so excited to be able to entertain and be entertained by two younger boys.

There are many benefits of having children so close together. They grow up together....like and do a lot of the same things...have a lot of the same friends. But one thing I saw in my kids as God continued to add to our family is that they make great older siblings. They love playing with kids younger than they are. They love babies. They love little kids. They even enjoy working in the nursery on nights when it's my turn. So being excited about hanging out with these two boys comes very naturally to my bunch.

They played Prince (Aubrey) and Princess (Julia), Knight (Parker) and Guard (Daniel), they played Spy Kids and the played like they were in Narnia. They played air hockey, pool, Perfection and ran through the sprinkler in the front yard. They played with our kittens for two straight hours.....and the kittens played right back.....so much that a 4 hour nap was in order for the babies afterward, much to the chagrin of some cutie kids.

They ate cereal for breakfast and grilled cheese for lunch and had Oreo's with peanut butter (my kids) for snack.....in honor of Hallie Parker and Annie James of Parent Trap, one of our all-time favorite movies.

And when it came time for the boys to go home....there was hate and discontent all around. Ok, not really, but it was hard breaking them away from each other. They had a great time today.

And later, my boys declared Aubrey and Parker as officially 'cool.' It was, without a doubt.......

........A Great Day.

It's official

2006-07-30T21:36:00.000-04:00

Not only am I the quintessential karate mom......the cat charmer......and the consummate baseball fan.....I am now a 'football mom.'

It's official, Josh has been drafted by our hometown team.....The Cowboys. We're very excited as the Tuna is a great coach and there are few better than T.O. at wide receiver, despite his antics. While Josh's position is yet to be defined, we're confident he'll be lined up next to Roy Williams or DeMarcus Ware ready to take down Michael Vick or even Reggie Bush as they attempt to gain yardage on this outstanding defense.

We got word tonight that all new footballs have been purchased as well as new uniforms......no used equipment for my Cowboy!!!

Needless to say, we are ecstatic. He was a little disappointed as he was hoping to be drafted by the Eagles. Playing alongside Donovan McNabb has always been a dream of his. Now he'll just have to look forward to bringing him down on Monday Night Football on ESPN this fall.

The team has its first practice on Tuesday night. Rest assured I will have my face paint on and my "That's my boy!" sign raised high in the air for all to see.

I've also decided it might be best to hire a bodyguard. Josh might need a respite from all of the screaming fans wanting his autograph.

'Nuff said

2006-07-27T22:45:00.000-04:00

I can't say enough how thrilled I am with our kittens. Yes, I know we just got them. Yes, I know they're still kittens and one day will become cats, but this has been a great week of getting to know our new babies. They seem to really enjoy being part of our family and our family enjoys having them part of us. They are sweet, cuddly, lovable, precious, curious, ornery and just plain wonderful.

Julia and Tymin....He's is the perfect cat for our family because he lets her carry him around like a baby!!

Josh and Oliver. He is the most nervous of the kittens,
but he loves to be held and he loves to eat!!

Limerick...the most entertaining and the most ornery
of the kittens. He is full of vim and vigor, for sure.

The babies think the fireplace is a great place to explore.
It's a good thing I turned the pilot light off last week.

Promises, Promises

2006-07-26T22:09:00.000-04:00

I knew resigning from my position at the church was a God-ordained decision. What I didn't know was how quickly it would become so obvious.

Just like it is with most families, my kids keep me pretty busy. Alot of it, I will admit, is my own doing. I chose to put them in karate when Joe was on Active Duty the first time. I wanted them to have a positive male role model in their lives and honestly, Mr. Adam is more of a positive influence than I could have ever hoped for. He encourages the children. He believes in them. He lives and works so my kids, and all of the kids he teaches, will succeed. I chose to have the kids take piano lessons. For some it's a joy and something to look forward to. For others, it wasn't their thing and that's OK. I wanted them all to experience it for a time.

One thing we haven't gotten involved in is organized sports. Because karate can take 3-4 of our nights each week, I didn't see how we could add something else. Especially since we're at church on Wednesday and Thursday nights. But the kids have always asked. Trey has wanted to play baseball. Daniel soccer. Josh football. We told the children that once karate was completed........once they earn their black belt, they can begin the next sport. Daniel and Trey earned their belt in May. Josh will be testing for his in November and should pass.

If there is one thing that my children expect, it's for us to keep our word. If we make a promise, we need to keep it. And promising to sign them up for their favorite sport was no different. Joshua's football 'career' began this week. He's had tryouts every night and it's evident by watching the boys practice who has been playing for a year or two and who is a first-timer. But that hasn't stopped Josh from jumping right in and doing what he's asked to do. And he has had a ball. Every night this week, he has made the same comment to me, "Mom, thank you for signing me up for football."

He has melted my heart with his gratitude.

We will sign Trey up for baseball at the end of August. I will be real curious how practice days and times jive with what we are already involved in. I have already come to the conclusion that I may have to give up my role with Celebrate Recovery. It's an awesome ministry, but not one I can give enough to and still be and do what my kids need.

We will get a phone call on Saturday from Josh's new football coach. There are 3 teams that will be drafting players this weekend and we'll find out then which team Josh is on. It is a beautiful thing to see true joy in my child. And I thank my God that He prompted me, reminded me, smacked me around, so I would understand that my ministry is my family. This has been an awesome summer and one I wouldn't trade for anything.

Introduction

2006-07-23T22:06:00.000-04:00

We have had Bumper for 5 or 6 years. I can't remember how long it's been. He's been a part of our family since he was a puppy and we think he's pretty special. He does stay outside most of the time, but is allowed to come in to eat, sleep and hang for a bit. Then he's ushered back outside. He's a sweetheart. Has never hurt anyone and usually is even a little skeptical of people he doesn't know. We rarely hear him bark and growling......forget about it. It just doesn't happen. He's a stuffed animal inside the body of a Black Lab.

Harmless. To say the least.

Tonight, I decided I would introduce Bumper to his new housemates. I grabbed Limerick. Julia had Tymin. Oliver has decided he doesn't like venturing too far outside of Joe's office and was under the desk. I let Bumper in.

Whenever Bumper comes into the house, he's little jumpy. After all, he loves his human housemates and is happy to see us. He wants some lovin' and some food, then some time to either lay on the couch watching TV with Julia or lazying around my bedroom waiting for bedtime.

Tonight was no different. When Bumper came in the house, he did his usual tailwagging, circle-running, bouncing up in the air stunt that he's done for years. Did I mention he is harmless?

Unfortunately, I forgot to tell Tymin. The first meeting did not go well. Tymin came just short of having a coronary in Julia's arms. Limerick didn't seem to be too terribly concerned. Tymin........Yikes!! He jumped out of Julia's arms, taking some skin with him and began arching his back and hissing and trying to 'beat up' Bumper. Bumper just stood there trying to check Tymin out, but Tymin was having none of it. He freaked again. Julia meanwhile, began crying and clutching her arm. I yelled for Josh to grab Bumper and put him back outside. Julia continued crying. The boys weren't exactly sure what to do. Limerick just let me hold him. Tymin then hid under one of my chairs and waited til the calm came.

Oliver turned out to be wisest of all the cats as he stayed right where he was.....in the office.

Once things got quiet, I went to fish Tymin out from under the chair and thankfully, he seemed fine. Not knowing too much about cats, I really expected him to be totally ticked off at me, but he didn't seem to be. He let me pick him up and love on him.

Julia on the other hand has decided that Tymin is no longer her favorite cat. I tried explaining that Tymin wasn't picking on Julia, he was just doing what comes naturally......defending himself in a situation that he deemed dangerous.

I do not want Bumper to be relegated to outside life hereto and forevermore. But if the cats won't be comfortable in the house with him, I guess I don't have a choice. If anyone has any wisdom for me, I'd sure appreciate it. The cats lived with a dog at the foster home.....a lab mix who seemed to be as jumpy as Bumper, so it's not that it's a dog. Maybe they just have to get used to Bumper.

Hopefully, time will tell.

Too adorable.....not to.

2006-07-22T23:22:00.000-04:00

I have always been fond of animals. Growing up we always had dogs and even a cat way back in the day. We had Sam, the cat; Jofis, the weiner dog, (yes, his name was Jofis, because I couldn't pronounce Joseph); Lady, the dog; another Lady, the dog; Hardhat and Bandit, both dogs; and later, Nicholas, the cat; Petey, the dog (he didn't last long); and currently, my parents have Wiggles and Waggles, the dogs on a very short leash. (I sure hope I'm not forgetting anyone).

Now, we have Bumper. Our black lab. He is probably one of the sweetest dogs around. Last week, a couple of my blogger buddies began talking about cats and how therapeutic and wonderful they are. So when 'Glasses of Grace' AKA 'di-dan' encouraged me to "Go For It!" and contact rescuecats.org.....I did.

Honestly, I didn't have any intention of adopting a kitten. Knowing I already had four two-footed children and one four-footed child, I didn't think I could handle anymore feet underfoot or mouths to feed, for that matter.

But as the song goes, "Just one look and it felt so right." I was hooked immediately. I sent Joe the link and knowing he is a 'cat guy' I figured there would be little argument. Sure enough, he said to go for it. But that we couldn't get just one. Kittens need a buddy.

So, I called the number of a lady in the area who is a 'foster mom' to abandoned or otherwise homeless kittens and cats and she invited us right over to check out her babies.

Needless to say, it didn't take long to figure out that kittens in our house would be a good thing. Meet Limerick and Oliver. Two tabbies that love to play. When we got them home tonight they explored and sniffed and did all those things that animals do in their new space, but very soon after they were wrestling and playing.

Limerick

Oliver

Tymin, our Russian blue mix, was content to just sleep in the chair.

So, there you have it. We are now cat owners. I wonder what Bumper will have to say about this.

Just us girls.....No more

2006-07-21T00:01:00.000-04:00

My babies are back!!! The parents were told that the campers would be returning this afternoon at 3:30 and sure enough....at 3:27 the Motorcoach pulls up. Very impressive!!

Josh was the first to find me as he got off the bus. Then Trey. Then Daniel.

There are many benefits to my children going off to camp. Of course, the opportunity to get closer to God through Praise and Worship and take part in activities that they wouldn't normally get to be involved in......the opportunity to 'get away' for a bit, both for the kids and for me......but most of all, one of the greatest benefits of my kids going off to camp is the hugs they give when they see me for the first time in four days.

Awesome! And Trey was still hugging me when we got home. He wrapped his little arms around my waist, laid his head back, looked me in the eyes and just kept talking about his trip.....never letting go of me. It was so nice. And when I bent down to kiss him....he just smiled. He loves his mama.

The kids went down the zip-line and the rock slide and went swimming in the pool. They enjoyed Bible Study and Praise and Worship. The theme this week was Kids under Construction....and they were taught how God is the Master Designer of their lives. They said they learned a lot and can't wait until they get to go back next year.

I was told that the food at the Camp was WAY better than mine.....( yeah, whatever ) and the hayride was long and bumpy, but really cool.

There is, however, one downside to camp. Yep, the laundry and lemme tell ya....there was some 'funky' laundry in those suitcases. All three boys were sent with plastic bags to put the wet and/or dirty clothes in. Daniel did a great job of using the bag for its intended purpose. Trey just slightly less so. Josh......well, let's just say only one thing was in the bag. Everything else.....and I mean everything else....still very wet towels, dirty clothes and underwear was in the suitcase with the things he didn't wear. And the smell was enough to knock your socks off.

I didn't even bother to separate the laundry.....there were red towels and shirts with whites alongside jeans and shorts and bathing suits. I just stuffed as much into the washer as I could, and the tennis shoes went right into the trash can. Gross!!!

But I'm not complaining......

It's good to have my babies home.

Just a'tillin'

2006-07-18T15:18:00.000-04:00

Day 2 of the House Reclamation Project has been underway for awhile now....I've finally gotten to a point of a break and thought I'd sit down for a lurking and blogging session.

So, how are all my blogger buddies doin' today?

Julia and I are good. We woke up at a fairly decent time this morning, made coffee (yes, she drinks it, too) and took most of the trash to the curb for the CLM folks to cart away. I realized, though, that I still had a laundry basket full of old toys that were garbage, too, but the big can was full, so it'll have to wait til next week. I'll just have to hide the evidence before the boys get home on Thursday, 'cause if I don't there will be a rummage session as soon as I turn my back.

Josh's room is mostly finished as is Daniel's room. Another 30 minutes and the upstairs should be completely put back together. Cleaning it will come Friday when the boys are here. After we worked on the upstairs this morning, Julia declared it was time to go to the pool. No argument from me as I enjoy every opportunity to add some freckles to my skin. We made lunch and headed that way only to find a sign on the gate.

"Pool closed due to contamination."

Ok......what the heck? Haven't ya heard of a swim diaper? And they say it takes 24 hours for a pool to be declared 'safe.' Having never owned a pool, I don't know if this is true or not. My gut tells me this is a bit of overkill, but whatever.

Back to the house we go, much to the chagrin of my daughter. It took her a good 30 minutes to get over her irritation about not getting to go swimming. We ate our lunch and I decided that since I couldn't work on my tan the old fashioned way, I would do it a little unconventionally........by tilling my flower garden.

I hate weeding. I just don't do it. I'd rather use my Bolens tiller three or four times every summer to chew up the weeds then get down on my hands and knees three of four times every week and hand pull or 'weed-popper' them out. So, I went into the garage, grabbed the tiller and took it up to the 'triangle' where we have most of our flowers. Hydrangeas, roses, zinnias. It's a rather large area and it takes a good 20 minutes or so to get all of the weeds tilled up. I noticed, though, that the tiller was out of gas. Fabulous. Thankfully, there was a full gas can in the garage that already had been mixed with the oil ready for my use. My husband is so good to me. Even when he's away, he's still taking care of me.

Thanks, honey.

Tilling is actually very good exercise. Working my biceps and my quads. Feel the burn, baby. Feel the burn.

Off to do more laundry.....the one downside to the type of 'cleaning' I'm doing. It's amazing all the clothes I'm finding in some very odd places.

I now understand.....

2006-07-17T20:52:00.000-04:00

......why some animal mothers eat their young.

I knew going in that the project known as Joshua's room would be daunting at best. But I didn't expect what I actually encountered......a disaster of epic proportions.

I am truly the epitome of.....If I don't actually see it, it must not exist. Of course, this doesn't apply to my faith or my relationship with Jesus. With my kids and their rooms......absolutely, it does. I walked in to Josh's room and began tackling the 2 plastic bins against the wall. One was supposed to be full of nothing but Duplo legos. The other, with random toys and stuffed animals and probably a sock or two. What I got instead was legos, plastic letters and numbers, 3 belts, 5 socks, one zip-off leg to a pair of pants, a quarter, a dime, a pack of Blue Ice, 23 stuffed animals of all shapes and sizes, a pair of shoes, 7 books, 4 unsharpened pencils, 3 brand new crayons, 2 empty Coke cans, a Butterfinger wrapper, a pen, a marker, a SpiderMan mask, a bicycle helmet and a table knife. It was truly the PV"s version of Shock and Awe.

The only thing missing was the partridge in the pear tree.

By the time Julia and I were finished, we had all the duplos in one bucket, the stuffed animals in the middle of the bedroom floor, the books on the book shelves in Daniel's room, the clothes in the hamper and just about everything else in the trash can. I started to sift through the bigger of the two buckets to see if anything was salvagable, but when I realized there were crumbs of some sort coating the bottom, I decided it wasn't worth the time. I did keep the Thomas the Tank Engine stuff as well as any Hot Wheels cars, but everything else was deemed trash-worthy.

Good thing tomorrow is trash day.

Just us girls.....

2006-07-17T18:10:00.000-04:00

Just me and Julia. No brothers. No boys. Just us.

And Oh what plans we have this week. Today the boys headed off to camp until Thursday, leaving Julia and me to fend for ourselves here in the ATL. We could hardly contain our glee as we made our way back to the house to begin Project #1: Tackling Julia's room.

I told the children last week that when the boys came home from camp they were going to find a new look to their bedrooms. No, we weren't going to move furniture.....I'd already been told by the boys that was not an option. But we were going to go through the plastic buckets of 'who knows what' and clean them out. Old McDonald's happy meal toys. Old broken toys. Books that are for younger children.

So, today, Julia decided she wanted to do her room first. Works for me. We began with the plastic bin at the end of the bed she doesn't normally sleep in (she has two beds in her room) and we found all kinds of stuff that did not need to be taking up space. Then we decided that we did want to move the furniture in her room, moving her two beds away from the walls so they are easier to make....and easier to clean underneath.

We ended our time.....2 hours later.....with the mini-book shelf that contained books I didn't even know we had and books I'd forgotten we had. Several were given the heave-ho. The rest were neatly lined up in order of type.....(Dr. Suess's together. Disney books together. Little Golden Books together.) Can you say Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

We decided to reward ourselves with a trip to the pool for some fun in the sun. And in a little bit, we're, or I should say, I will take on the project known as Joshua's room. Now, that's a job that will surely only be completed when I reward myself with a bowl of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream.

Off to cook beanie-weenies for dinner.

Up to here....

2006-07-16T22:49:00.000-04:00

I wish I had a dime for every time I've told my kids...."I've had it up to here with _________" because I would be a very rich woman if I did. I love my kids immensely, but Wow...can they spin me up. Tomorrow is Josh's birthday and because he and his brothers are off to camp in the morning, we celebrated his birthday today. I told him he could open his presents at the restaurant.....AFTER we ate lunch. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I said that, but I said it and I thought it best that I stick with it. Or not!!!

Josh is my negotiator. He'll come up with every reasonable option OTHER than the one I've presented and he, almost always, presents a very strong case in his favor. He didn't like the fact that I was making him wait until after lunch to open his presents. He wanted to do it in the car on the way to church at 7:30 in the morning.....Nope.....then he asked if he could open them in the car on the way to Olive Garden. Nope. After we eat. "But that's not fair!" Um....Ok. After lunch. By the time we finished our 'discussion' he had me down to opening his presents after we ordered our drinks. Fine. I said. Good grief.

I think the rest of the children were more excited than Josh was to open his presents as they all know.....what one kid gets, they all get to play with. It was a nice lunch and he seemed excited about his presents, including his Ipod with his name and favorite Bible verse on the back. Luke 2:52. Not the verse I would have chosen, but he likes it because it reminds him that if Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, then he can too.

After an afternoon of three of the children interrupting my snooze to tell me something someone else had done, we began getting ready for church.....and the boo-birds, otherwise known as my children, came out in full force. I wish I knew why my kids react with disdain when I say we're heading to 'night' church. I don't understand it. They know we go to church. It's nothing new. This is something I am really seeking God's help with, because I'm stumped by it.

While I was on the platform with the Praise Team, Joshua fell asleep. He's been doing that lately, which does cause me a little concern as he was out cold, which is not like him. As I sat down before the offertory, the other three kids piled on me. By the time the Pastor began his message, they were all wanting to lay down and go to sleep. I lost count at how many times I told them to sit up....at how many times I snapped my fingers for Daniel to be still.....at how many times I told Julia to stop crying....that I'd HAD IT!!! "But there's nothing to do" she replies. In all my smartness, I look at her and say, "Try sitting back and listening to the Pastor."

Poor Richard and Beth and Tommy and Michelle. I'm sure their worship was disrupted by this 'precious' daughter of mine and her busy-body big brothers. All I know is....the Pastor was talking about faith...different levels of faith. I heard parts of it....I'm sure it was awesome. I wish I could have heard the whole thing.

After church we headed to Moe's. We hadn't been in awhile and it was too late to do any cooking at home. Oh, by the way...they've done away with the punch card....What is up with THAT? Anyway, after dinner, we were piling back in the car and Josh looks at me and says......

"I don't wanna go to night church."

"Huh? .....Uh, Josh. We've already been to night church. You slept through the whole thing."

"Oh"

What a goofball.

Funny how my kids trying my patience seems to coincide with this new book I have on the Power of a Praying Parent.

Dad-gum devil. He is NOT going to win this battle. He's messing with the wrong mama!!!

Just another Saturday

2006-07-15T21:30:00.000-04:00

I love Saturdays. It's a day for nothing....or something..... or a lot of somethings. That's what I love about it.....

Today, we chose a variety of things to do and I wasn't even going to post about it, cause I didn't think anyone would be that interested..... until I read some of my friends 'happenings' today and thought....well, maybe someone will get a smile out of my day. At the very least, Joe and our parents will.

As I've posted before, our kids have been taking karate for almost four years and because of the amount of time it takes out of our week, the children haven't been able to participate in any other organized sports....until now. And today was 'sign-up day' for the first child in line. That first child is Joshua....the third son in the order of the PV's. And he chose football. A strapping young man, he looks fine in his new ensemble. A black mesh jersey with '62' emblazoned in white on the front. The pants are equally fine in polyester black with a daring red stripe down the leg. The helmet, in stark white, has shown signs of past use with gouges and scrape marks throughout.

Isn't he adorable? Oh wait. Football players are not adorable. They are tough. Rugged. Mean. But take a look into those eyes.....isn't he precious?

Our #3 son turns 9 on Monday, then heads off to camp with his two older brothers until Thursday. One of the karate instructors asked me today how I was going to do watching my boy play football......Easy. If I can watch my two older boys take part in one of the most brutal sparring exercises, where kids are crying and noses are bleeding from being punched, in order to earn their black belt....(the Circle of Doom)....I can watch anything. Team tryouts are the 24th....Draft day is the 29th. I wonder if he needs to wear a suit and tie for the cameras.....? You think they'll call ahead of time to tell us he's been picked? I wonder how much the signing bonus is??????????

After registering Josh for football, we headed to the karate studio....(I told you we were there all the time....), then Julia and I took the boys to a birthday party. All three of them.

Now it was just me and Julia. What to do. What to do.

It just so happened that I had two BOG's in my purse, so the first order of business was a Chick-fil-A lunch date with my daughter. Then it was off to the Nail Salon......to get our toes done.

Julia decided she wanted the pink polish with a flower on it. I was just going to stick with my neutral copper color, but then decided I wanted a flower, too. Why should she have all the fun?

It's my first pedicure this summer, so I'm feeling pretty good about my feet, even though I have THE longest toes known to mankind....

After pampering our feet, we headed to Fantastic Sam's to get Julia's hair trimmed up then made our way back to the house to get ready to go to the pool. We were at the pool for all of 40 minutes when it began to thunder. So, back to the house we go. We got the boys at 5 and pretty much didn't do much after that. No one wanted any dinner either, so I got off easy there too. I did make some Bean with Bacon soup that was quickly consumed by Josh and Trey. So much for not being hungry.

Now they're all in bed and I'm watching the Red Sox win against the A's. My Phillies won today, so that's both good (because they won) and bad (because if they lose, they might actually fire the manager and sell off some players for good, young talent).

Tomorrow we get to go to church, and I always look forward to that. I love my church. I love singing in the Choir and I love seeing my friends in the halls and in Sunday School.

Oh, and Tracey....If Gary and Zack are ever back up here during the baseball season, let me know. I can get 2nd row Braves tickets....Right between Chipper Jones and whoever is playing left field. Very nice.

But, I digress........

Like I said, it was just another Saturday.

Praying for my kids

2006-07-14T23:10:00.000-04:00

As a mom, I do everything I can to take the best care of my kids, but I must confess....the one area I wish I was better at is interceding for them to my Father. Fervently praying over them. Covering them completely in prayer every day.

I pray over my children every night as they are lying in bed waiting for their kisses goodnight. I pray for them in different ways.....Keep them safe. Protect them Father. Thank you for them, Father. But I haven't covered every aspect of their lives in prayer.

I bought a lot of little books today....one of which is Stormie's Power of A Praying Parent. But it's not the book itself, it's just the prayers from the book. 60 of them. In this neat little compact book.

The first one knocked my socks off.

Lord, I submit myself to You. I realize that parenting a child in the way You would have me to is beyond my human abilities. I know I need You to help me. I want to partner with You and partake of Your gifts of wisdom, discernment, revelation, and guidance. I also need Your strength and patience, along with a generous portion of Your love flowing through me.

Teach me how to love the way You love. Where I need to be healed, delivered, changed, matured, or made whole, I invite You to do that in me. Help me to walk in righteousness and integrity before You.

Teach me Your ways, enable me to obey Your commandments and do only what is pleasing in Your sight.

"The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him." Proverbs 20:7

What an awesome way to begin a fervent prayer life over my children.

It's the little things.....

2006-07-14T16:09:00.000-04:00

I am so excited!!! Why, you ask....Well, since Joe's birthday is the 22nd, it's time to renew our license plates. But, I decided today that I would try for a personalized plate instead of the 'Support Education' tag we've been sporting for the last two years. I'm not exactly sure what spurred this on, but the idea stuck in my head, so I decided to go for it.

I got to the tag office and told the gal what I wanted to do. She handed me a form to fill out, which I did and handed it back to her. She made a few keystrokes and informed me that "Yes" my combination of letters was available and my new personalized tag would be mailed to me in 30 days or so.

Sweet!!! I'm not sure why, but I got so excited. She then informed me that I would have to turn my Education tag back in and place a temporary tag, which she would give me, in the back window. No problem.

As I was walking out to the car, after writing a larger check than I had planned, I realized I did not have a screw driver to take my now invalid license plate off my truck. Now what? I thought about asking the nice man that was making his way into the tag office, but then decided against it. I had 3 of the 4 kids with me and I had other places I needed to go.

So, feeling like a common criminal, we pulled out of the parking lot and headed to the Pavilion to finish our errand-running, all the while wondering if said Tax Commission clerk was putting out an APB for my truck and its now invalid license plate. Wouldn't that be something to blog about?????

Single Wife arrested for driving with stolen license plate. Story at 11.

I figured if I was pulled over for a moving violation I could come up with some sob story about my husband being overseas and that all the stress that being home alone with 4 kids brings on had just become overwhelming....and that I just plain forgot about taking the tag off the car. "And officer....do you have a screwdriver, by the way?"

I decided that observing all posted speed limit signs would serve me well.

So, now I have a temporary tag where my Support Education tag used to be. And for those of you wondering what my personalized tag will say????? You'll just have to wait until it comes in. And to save you some agony.....It's really not all that exciting......it won't mean a thing to anyone but me.

I picked it because it describes me really nicely.

Oh...and I almost forgot....I am MacGyver after all. The floating tube that is attached to the plug is long enough to be taped to the arm that leads to the handle. Problem FIXED! WooHoo!!!!!

MacGyver..........I am not.

2006-07-13T22:06:00.000-04:00

You remember that guy????? You know, MacGyver. The guy that could take chicken wire, duct tape and a piece of gum and make a lightbulb shine brighter than the headlamps on my car? You know.......that guy? Besides being really good looking....he was rather handy and I must say, I could use that handiness right about now.

On Tuesday....that was two days ago.....I was doing what most people do several times a day. I was using the bathroom. As I turned to flush the toilet, something different happened. The toilet didn't flush. Hmmmm. Odd, I thought to myself, and tried the handle again. Again, nothing. So, knowing that behind all that porcelain were the 'brains' to this wonder of technology, I lifted the lid to the tank and lo and behold............the problem.

The rubber tubing that links the arm of the toilet handle to the plug at the bottom of the tank had come loose, or so I thought. I reached in to grab the loose tubing only to realize it didn't come loose....it had broken completely. And the piece that is attached to the plug was not long enough for me to try to re-attach it to the arm. Great.......now what was I going to do????

After mulling my options.....wondering if I could pull a MacGyver and try and fix it......I realized the only thing I could do was stick my hand into the water and manually unplug the tank, so the toilet would flush. Did I mention that was two days ago?

Where's MacGyver when you need him?

I guess a trip to Home Depot is on the horizon for me.

On another note, we had a great night at Recovery tonight. Two of the people that I had spoken to this week came for the first time. One for the Recovery program. One for Divorce Care. God is good. The lesson tonight was on completing our daily inventory.....where we list the things that happened today....both our successes and our failures, using the Fruit of the Spirit as our guide.

"Did I show love to others today?" "Did I act in an unloving way toward anyone?"
"Did others see in me the joy of having a personal relationship with the Lord?"
"How was my peace? Did something happen today to cause me to lose it?"
"Was I patient?" "What caused me to lose my patience?"
"Would anyone say I was kind/good?"
"How was my faithfulness?" "Did I keep my word with everyone?"
"How was my gentleness and self-control?" "Did I lose my temper?"

Some of these questions are really hard to answer, but I've learned that the only way to truly find peace......the only way to truly turn everything over to the care of God is to admit when I'm wrong....and PROMPTLY admit it. Ask forgiveness from those I've hurt and do everything I can, with God's help, to not make those mistakes again. On my own, I'll never make it. None of us will, but Praise the Lord, I don't have to walk that road alone. My Lord walks right along side me every step of the way, carrying me when I need Him to.....loving me the whole time.

He truly is my peace. He is my joy. He is my comfort. He is my salvation.

~~~Atlantaphillie~~~