Only Three Weeks

That's no big deal. What in the world could have happened in three weeks that I have failed to blog about? Ha! Let's see...there was a short stay in the hospital because my blood sugar was too high. When I finally managed to get a doctor to discharge me, we left for our trip to Canton and Dallas where we shopped til we dropped, or at least until a fire forced an evacuation at Grapevine Mills Mall. While we were shopping, the fours boys were at the Nascar race. We had a late night getting in around 2:15 am, but I was just glad to have gotten to go in the first place. There was Olivia's last few soccer games and an end of season party at the Tech Aquatic Center. We've been to the pumpkin patch, a baby shower, birthday parties, dinner dates, a laundry night retreat, a high school play, and we had try-outs and uniform try-ons for basketball and cheerleading.

Phew! I'm sure I have forgotten something.

The Sonic in Canton had this cool car ride, so the kids were bugging their Uncle Stephen about when his Sonic would get one.

I have seen more doctors in my first few months of this pregnancy than I saw in both of my other two combined. I have to take off half a day of work for each time I have to see the docs because I see my regular OB and then must see the diabetes specialist after that. I am now pricking my finger six times a day, following a diabetic diet, and taking medication to help control my glucose levels. While in the hospital, an ultrasound revealed that all is well with the baby, so that's really all that matters right now. We are praying that once this pregnancy is over, I won't have to continue with medication; however, my former OB is convinced that I am diabetic all the time and not just gestationally. The new doctor isn't quite convinced either way. The only visit to which I look forward is on December 19th when we find out whether we're having a boy or a girl. That will be our best Christmas present for this year, for sure.

I am really excited for the kids to start Upward. Carson will be playing basketball while Olivia cheers for his time. I am hoping that she will take more to cheering than she did to soccer. I don't really think that was quite her thing, but I'm willing to keep on trying until we find that perfect fit. She did score her first and only goal of the season. It technically did not count because she kicked the ball off from mid-field and it actually rolled all the way down the field, untouched, and went in, so to us, and especially to her, it counted. Carson has been anticipating basketball for about six months now, so he is very excited that practices will finally be starting after Thanksgiving. I think he is more athletically inclined than Olivia, but we will see.


I think I am still catching up on rest from these last few weeks. It's been like a whirlwind of activity, but I know that I wouldn't trade a moment of the fun for anything in the world.

From The Mouth Of A Teen

Maybe I'm just naive, but I was very surprised at the response I received from one of my students. She had her cute little wallet out. It's one of those flat ones that are so popular now. I asked her if she got it at Dustee's. She said, "I guess. My mom bought it from a lady who steals stuff and sells it for half price." Okay, I worked in retail for almost four years. We had a teenager walk into our store on a Saturday morning, grab a stack of about thirty ladies' long sleeve tees, run out the front door, and dive through the open passenger window of a getaway car. The next weekend, one of our managers visited the flea market. Low and behold, there were our shirts for sale. They had the $12.50 price tags still attached and everything. They were selling for a whoppin' $5 each. On numerous occasions I caught customers stuffing their clothes and baby strollers with merchandise. I even confronted someone at Old Navy (when I was no longer employed there) who was stuffing their jacket with clothing. I know people steal, but for someone to just come right out and say that's how they buy their stuff is a little surprising to me. She was so proud to admit it. I guess since she's not doing the stealing, she doesn't see anything wrong with supporting someone who does. She really didn't believe me when I tried to explain how prices have to be raised to make up for money lost on stolen merchandise. Most teens are clueless to anything pertaining to money, but for as long as I have taught high school, you would think that situations such as this would not surprise me, but these kids (and their parents) never cease to amaze me.

Tag. I'm It

Denae tagged me to make this list, so here goes...

A few of Chris's favorite things:
Jesus
Family
Friends
His truck
Red Raiders
Cornhuskers
Chargers
Texans
NASCAR
Philly Cheesesteak
Disaster movies
1340 AM
My Name Is Earl
Red
ECW
Video games
Sheridan's

Surprise, Surprise

Well, Chris and I have only been married for two months now, but about a month or so ago, we were in for a HUGE surprise. After ten days of being married, I got pregnant. We were very shocked that it happened so fast, but we are also super excited to have a new little one on the way. I haven't gone to the doctor yet, but according to The Bump I am due on May 5th. I was born on September 16th which is Mexican Independence Day, so we figure, why not have a Cinco de Mayo baby? Actually, since I have already had two c-sections and don't plan on a vbac, it will more than likely be an April baby.

We told the kids a few weeks ago. Carson said, "Maybe we can have a boy and it can be Morgan's baby's boyfriend." After explaining that just because Nanny and Papa Bonner came from Arkansas, this isn't okay, they were still very excited. Olivia wants a sister and Carson wants a brother, so hopefully we're not having one of each.

Another thing I learned on The Bump is that the baby is about the size of a prune right now, but I really feel like it's more so in the cantaloupe range. With both my other kids, I grew really big, really fast, so it wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't closer to tomato size. I am already wearing the ever so lovely paneled pants though. My other pants just aren't comfortable when they're buttoned...if I can even get them buttoned.

I have experienced some pretty bad morning (ok, all day) sickness, but it seems to be subsiding. Sleep is the only issue I am dealing with at the moment. I am a stomach sleeper, so the past few nights it's gotten more and more uncomfortable to sleep on my tummy. I absolutely love to be pregnant though, so I am looking so forward to the next seven months. It will definitely be an adventure for our family.

BUSY BEES

Life has been seriously hectic these last few weeks. We've been running from place to place and rarely spend a night at home. Here are just a few things we've been up to...

Olivia decided she wants to play soccer, so we signed her up. Besides talking the coaches ear off during practice, she's really not too good. She will kick the ball if she's by herself with her own ball, but when it comes to playing the actual game, she runs with the pack and steers clear of the ball at all times. If it's near her feet, she moves out of the way so someone else can get to it. It's really funny at times but also a little frustrating. Her coach is so good with the girls. He makes sure they all get a chance to play, explains every whistle blow, and is amazingly patient. It really is pretty good entertainment though.

We had the opportunity to go to a birthday party at the apple orchard. It was on the last day of the Apple Butter Festival, so it was pretty busy. We still got to pick some apples and have tons of fun. I think we will definitely head out there again some time soon.

Aunt K-Kay strikes again. Olivia's 4th birthday came and went. We had no time for a party this year, but she had already gotten her bicycle several months earlier. Kaylee had talked about getting Olivia a Texas Tech cheer uniform because Olivia had admired the one her cousin had but she wasn't big on sharing it. Just a week ago, Kaylee picked Olivia up from school as a treat for good behavior. They visited the boot store to find some boots for Kaylee, but Olivia was sure to ask why she couldn't try any in her size. Of course, they take Olivia back to find her size, and a few minutes later, they leave the store with Olivia wearing a brand new pair. They are the cutest boots I have ever seen. She really looks adorable in them, and she absolutely loves them. We have to talk her into wearing something else every once in a while or else she'd wear them every single day. I love my Red Raiders, but these boots are absolutely the cutest! When I was taking this picture, she lifted up her foot and told me, "Mama, this is what you do when you kiss." I respond, "Who told you that?" She tells me, "My teacher." Man, they're really teaching them different things in school than when I was there.

Besides soccer, our Saturdays have been filled with Red Raider games. Chris and I decided that as our wedding gift to one another, we would purchase season tickets. It's been a really great time for us to just spend together and have a sort of date night. We also are HUGE fans of #57 Brian Duncan. He attends church at Trinity with my parents and sings on the praise team and in the choir with my mom and dad. He is so genuine, and not to mention, hilarious. (He slaps my dad on the butt all the time and hugs and kisses us all every time he sees us.) It's really great to watch the games when we actually know someone personally. Here are just a few pics from the first three games.

Another Bonner Girl to Make Her Debut

If you haven't already heard, I am going to be an aunt. My youngest sister, Morgan, is pregnant. It was a hard reality for our family to face, but our shock and disbelief are now transitioning to joy and excitement. Come January, we will have another sweet little girl to love on, torture with giant hair bows, and of course, spoil rotten.

Because this isn't really a new situation for our family, I think it's made it a tad less difficult, but these things are never easy. I am so proud of Morgan and her attitude toward the whole thing. She realizes that she made bad choices and she's now facing the consequences, but she's decided to cling to the Lord and his promise found in Jeremiah 29:11... "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

When I found myself in this same situation (twice), I chose to give in to the guilt and shame. I tried to hide from God because I was so humiliated. Not only did that plan fail, but I found life going downhill rather rapidly. My hole was getting deeper and much harder to climb out of. Finally, I turned from that sin and found that grace and mercy the Lord so desperately wanted to show me. It's been a long road from those six something years ago, but thank goodness, he didn't ever leave me or forsake me. He was just waiting patiently for me to run into his arms.

I know that Morgan, too, will find this same love and peace that I have found. She will run into the arms of the Lord and find that his grace is sufficient for her. She will be a wonderful mom, and one day, an excellent wife. She has already come so far from that little girl with braces and that ratty pony tail. I am so proud of her, and I pray that she will continue to cling to Jeremiah 29:11 and her other favorite verse..."Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

Red Sox, IKEA, and Rings, Oh, My!

This weekend, my sister, Kaylee, and her boyfriend, Stephen, went to Dallas to see the Rangers and Red Sox play. Stephen is a die-hard Red Sox fan, so they have been planning this trip for some time now. They had tickets for Friday night's game (they were playing three different nights.) On Friday morning, they went to IKEA (the best store ever!) Stephen wanted to get to the game early to see batting practice, so they were decked out in all their Red Sox gear. A man approached them and asked if they were going to that night's game and if they wanted to go to Saturday night's as well. He had four tickets that he wasn't going to use. Wow! What a blessing! So, after IKEA, they decided to go to "The World's Largest Engagement Ring Store" just to look at rings. They have been talking about getting married, but no one really thought it would happen any time soon. So, Kaylee picks out this 1.3 c round solitaire ring. Stephen proceeds to purchase the ring, but the salesman leads Kaylee to a seating area in the front of the store. He and Stephen go into a back room somewhere while Kaylee waits....and waits...and waits. The salesman comes out and tells Kaylee that they are having some trouble with Stephen's credit, so he's calling his dad to co-sign on the ring. Red flags should have been going off in Kaylee's head from that point forward...A) Stephen has impeccable credit and B)Stephen loans his parents money because of their bad credit. She said she was oblivious. After an hour or longer, Stephen comes out, ring less. He apologizes and apologizes and Kaylee tells him she really didn't want the ring anyway...yeah, right.

Friday night, after the game had been going on a while, Kaylee happened to notice a woman's ring and told Stephen, "Ooh, her ring's really pretty." Stephen replies, "It's nothing compared to your ring though. Here, will you marry me?" After the initial shock of it all, she finally said yes. They weren't on the jumbo-tron or anything, but it was still so sweet. Apparently, Stephen had enough time by getting to the game early to inquire about that sort of thing, but you had to book it months in advance, so he just went with what he had. Surprisingly enough, Stephen wasn't having credit problems in the back room of that jewelry store. He was calling to ask my dad's permission to marry Kaylee. He hadn't really planned this whole thing, but we deduced that he realized this would be the best opportunity to pop the question. He had his two loves...Kaylee and the Red Sox.

I am so excited for them. Stephen is a great guy, and they both deserve all the happiness in the world.

Bridal Pictures

A few months ago, my friend Shala pointed me to a photo blog of one of her friends. She said her friend, Amy Rose-King, was holding a contest for a free bridal portrait session. After visiting her website, I knew that this would be the only opportunity I would have for such amazing pictures. I emailed her my info, thinking it was a long shot. It was a $350 value though, so I really wanted it. A while later, I received an email from Amy saying that I had been chosen for the session. I was so excited. So, this Saturday, I got back in my gown and headed out for a bridal session. It was so much fun. My mom went with me to help with my dress, and we ended up going to some of the same places we had our engagement pictures taken. It was really amazing. I am anxious to see the rest of the pictures because I want to see if I successfully smiled with my eyes, but for now, here are a few from Amy's blog...

http://amyrosek36.blogspot.com/

This was such an amazing blessing for our family. These are pictures we can treasure forever that without this being free, I would have never had this experience, much less the portraits. Even in the little things, the Lord shows his favor.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Ephesians 1:3

Out of the mouths of children...

It's been a rough couple of days for us here. Most of you have heard that one of our students was killed in a car accident on Tuesday afternoon. Kelsey Vines was an 18 year old twin sister, daughter of our Deputy Superintendent and elementary teacher. She played basketball with my sister and was always so cheery when I saw her in the hall. Her mom actually taught my sister in kindergarten, and her brother was a few years younger than me. They had been at Cooper since the girls were in first grade, so we have known them for quite a while. It's always hard losing anyone, but when it's someone so young, it makes it even harder to understand and deal with. Yesterday was the toughest day I have ever had at work. I would dry my tears so that my students didn't know I was hurting too and so I could be strong for them, but each time I would enter the hallway, there would be crying and hugging and I would start all over again. It definitely the quietest most heart wrenching day we have ever faced around here.

Carson and Olivia were with my mom and Morgan when they got the news, so they were curious to know why everyone was crying. When we got home that night, they were telling me all about Morgan's friend who was in her car and had an accident and died. In their innocence about the situation, I really found hope. They were so sweet to hug on Morgan and offer their sympathy. They were sad, too, because they know that death means you won't see that person again, but in spite of all of this, they are still so encouraging. They reminded me of God's comfort and His promise of eternal life in heaven. It's so amazing how little children are so equipped for these situations. We try to shelter them from what's going on in tragic times when in all actuality, we would probably be better off letting them in so they can show us support and guidance with their honesty and innocence.

"At that time, Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure." Luke 10:21

Holy Spirit Conviction...It Does The Body Good

Last night as I checked my cafemom, my playlist started playing "Healer" by Hillsong. The writer, Michael Guglielmucci, gave testimony of suffering from an evasive type of cancer that had him wheelchair bound and needing oxygen during every performance. He told of his pain and suffering caused by this disease and how he wrote the song as a claim of his healing and his praise to the Lord for his healing. I was so moved by this story and the song, but recently discovered that Mr. Guglielmucci has admitted to making up the story about cancer because he was really sick from his secret life of pornography addiction. His body did suffer physically (hair loss, vomiting, severe weakness, etc), but not because he had cancer. Even his own family had no clue that he was not suffering from cancer. Only he and the Lord new of his lies. He has confessed to deceiving millions by his tale of sickness, disease, illness and his healing. He was in hiding with his wife and children, but finally came out and spoke to an Australian news program confessing his sin and proclaiming that he will tell the truth from now on. All of his ministry credentials have been suspended or terminated. It is truly sad that this could take place in the life of the church, but because he was so afraid of the truth of his sin and the life he was leading, he was only led into more destruction. It is a shame that anyone could use ministry to advance a lie; however, many of the members of his church congregation told reporters that we are all human and we all sin. Most of them have forgiven him and don't desire to have any of the money that they donated to his ministry repaid. Here lately, Chris and I have both been struggling with having our feelings hurt, being offended, and not feeling well because of allergy symptoms and me having some stomach issues. We've been arguing and not wanting to go to church because of these and other things with which we are dealing. I have really struggled lately with not wanting to enter into a time of worship anywhere, but especially at church. Last night, the Holy Spirit convicted me of this as the song played. He reminded me that all these petty things I thought were so horrible are nothing compared to the suffering that others are facing. I was thinking about Michael and his cancer. He was dying from this devastating disease that I have seen take the life of so many, especially some to whom I was very close. Now that I know the whole testimony behind the writing of the song was a hoax, I still feel convicted about my pettiness. Although this man is not and has not ever suffered from cancer, he is suffering now. Yes, it's because of his sin, addiction to pornography, and his lies to hide that addiction, that he suffers, but if we were truly the body of Christ that God has called us to be, no one would be too ashamed to confess their sins one to another and redemption, forgiveness, and freedom would be found, not only from the Lord, but from our brothers and sisters in Christ. I still believe that the Holy Spirit was convicting me of being petty and selfish because there are so many others out there who are worse off than me, but I know that he is also revealing to me that people need to know they don't have to be ashamed because they sin. They need to know that the God of the universe is forgiving, no matter the sin. They need to know that there are other people out there suffering from the same addictions, pain, heartache, and guilt that they do. It is so important that we have the mind of Christ. That's what he has called us to do, but we can't honestly believe we are obeying Him in this when there are those like Michael suffering from the hold of the enemy on their lives but who suffer alone because they are too afraid to ask for help. They are too afraid to reach out to others to battle with them because we might look down on or shun them, ask them to leave the church, or tells others about their suffering. Our lives are no secret to the Lord. He sees our every move, knows our every thought, and what's scarier still, He knows our hearts. Not only do I vow to forget all the mess in my life (hurt feelings, pain, offenses, etc.) and remember how blessed I truly am, but I will remember all those sins I have committed in the past that I don't wish for anyone to know about but that are now cast as far as the east is from the west. I will think about how my life could have turned out and how I could still be wrestling with or living in that sin without anyone to turn to. I will remember how alone I felt in that sin, until I confessed it to the Lord and found forgiveness and freedom. I will recall how hard it would have been to face those struggles alone. I will reach out to those in need so that they no longer have to hide. They don't have to make up a lie that brings glory to God and draws attention away from their sin because they're too ashamed of what we will think about them. Yes, God deserves all the glory, but we must also focus on taking care of business, being forgiven, and walking in freedom. I am so excited about walking this out. I am also thrilled to sing "Healer". Not because I feel sorry for Michael and his family, but because it is biblical truth and a proclamation of my walk with the Lord, my pursuit of freedom in Christ, and claiming what God desires for me to have...complete and total healing- physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial.

$10 QVC Credit, anyone?

Anyone up for a $10 credit on your next QVC purchase? Just follow this link, create an account, and you're on your way to a free ten bucks.

www.qvc.com/iqdou/join.aspx?ref=6021

Hi-Ho Hi-Ho It's Back to School We Go

What can I say about my first day back to school with actual students? Well, it wasn't all bad; however, it is high school we're talking about here. These kids are nuts! I have already had to stop them in the middle of their summer party stories where they had run ins with police and got drunker than a skunk. I just have to remember that I was one of them too once upon a time.


My kids didn't get home from their first day of school until bedtime, so we only got to share a little bit of what happened that day. They both made friends and had lots of fun. Little Olivia wasn't too sure she wanted to go to "big" school. She wanted to go back to Happy Trails with Ms. Marsha, but after Monday, she's completely over losing her boyfriend and her favorite daycare teacher. She had a real blast in pre-k. Carson was so proud to have made it through the day without any trouble. That's about all I could get out of him. I am just hoping that this behavior continues because I don't want to spend my days reading emails and taking phone calls from his teacher about every little thing he's done wrong. I am hoping that more focus is placed on his good behavior rather than the bad so maybe he will see how great it feels to praised more than gotten onto.


I think this is going to be a wonderful year. I am just claiming that the Lord has great things in-store for our family. He is truly amazing, and I just can't wait to see what blessings unfold. This passage in Deuteronomy is what I will claim over my family every single day. I hope it blesses you like it has me.



Deuteronomy 28:1-14
Blessings for Obedience
1 If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:
3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
5 Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.
6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
7 The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
8 The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.
9 The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways. 10 Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. 11 The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you.
12 The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. 13 The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. 14 Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.


Courtesy of BibleGateway.com
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2028:1-14;&version=31;

Yard Sellin' and School Startin'

I don't know what I was thinking having a yard sale the weekend before school starts, but I did. We didn't do too well, but we're going to try again next Saturday because most people get paid this week. We have so much good stuff, but people drive by slowly and then take off, or they pull up and look from their car and then pull back out again. You can't possibly tell what people have by doing either of these things. We have so many amazing kids clothes, plus my sister cleaned out her closet and there's a ton of great juniors' stuff. We have toys, shoes, and of course, wedding decorations...gerbera daisy stems, fabric, candle holders, picture frames, centerpiece baskets and trays, and favor boxes out the wazoo. I'll be the first to admit that we do have some junk too, but one man's trash is another man's treasure, right?

Since I was so busy with the garage sale, Kaylee took the kids to get their back-to-school haircuts. A lady from Trinity church was giving $4 kids cuts for this busy time of year. She did an amazing job, but Olivia came back with something I wasn't at all expecting. She looks like a whole new girl with her shorter style. I really like it a lot though. It makes her look like she didn't lose most of her hair to ringworms. ha! Carson's hair doesn't take too much work to impress me. Usually when I send him with Kaylee or Stephen, he comes back with a buzz cut of which I am not too fond, but she stuck with my wishes this time and brought him back with an adorable little fade just like I like. This time of year is pretty difficult for me, but I haven't really had a lot of time to stop and think about it. With planning a wedding, going on our honeymoon, getting back less than twelve hours before my first day back to work, unpacking (sorta), laundry, moving Chris in, our school flooding, Carson not having a teacher for his class yet, and now, a yard sale....well, I'll just say that my mind's been elsewehere lately.

Now that things are quiet and I labeled school supplies and filled backpacks, it's really hit me. My babies are starting school in less than 36 hours. It was tough last year, but with them both being away from daycare and on to "big" school, I just don't know how I will handle Monday morning. It's gonna be hard to walk out of that cafetorium without shedding a tear, but who are we kidding? I will be bawling all the way from their school to mine. I must start searching for my big girl panties and realize that there's nothing I can do about my sweet little babies growing up.

One week down and forever to go

Well, it's official...I have been a Mrs. for over a week now. The wedding went great. The reception was so much fun, and the honeymoon, well, we'll just say that it was a blast too. So far, I love being married, but it is a little weird to refer to Chris as my husband and hear me referred to as his wife, but I wouldn't have it any other way. For all the stress I felt leading up to the big day, it all went rather smoothly. The stuff that did not go according to plan was fixed in no time at all. We have had so many people telling us how unique and sweet and great our wedding was. Even people who didn't attend told my family that they heard about how wonderful it was. It really makes me realize all the stress and hard work were worth it.

It was amazing how many family and friends attended. I got to see people I hadn't seen in years. I got to catch up with my best friend from high school, my three best friends from childhood and junior high, and one lady who use to change my diapers in the nursery. There were so many people there to celebrate with us and make our day the best ever.

We just got back last night from the honeymoon. We enjoyed some time away in Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin. We went shopping, to a Rangers game, Fiesta Texas, Volente Beach, and more shopping. It was so good to get away, but this morning it was really hard to get out of bed and head back to work. I just have to remember that every morning I get up and head off to work means that I have all day to look forward to and dream about seeing Chris and the kids when I get home. It makes the day move a little faster and more bareable.

DUH!!!

I don't let my children use the word because I think it's demeaning and rude; however, I definitely had one of those moments when you look back and wonder what the heck you were thinking. After getting the call about the music no longer being available, I was seriously upset. Anger, sadness, and worry all wrapped into a fit of tears. Tuesday night at church, we heard testimony from our friend who had just had a baby but experienced some serious health issues that took her out of work, church, and other stuff in which she would have liked to participate because she was told she should be on full time bed rest until her health woes subsided or she delivered. It was the hardest thing for her to do, but she was also scared and worried about what might happen to her baby if she didn't take the doctor's orders. She gave the Lord glory for reminding her to not worry about tomorrow and what was taking place. She was able to be cool, calm, and collective and enjoy her time with her husband, family, and friends before the baby arrived, and then enjoy those precious moments with her new son because of that peace the Lord granted her in her time of need. The Lord also gave me a word about healing every aspect of our lives (mind, body, and soul) and raising our lives from the pit, rescuing us, and being our shield and strength. All of these words were given at church the night before we found out about Chris's uncle not coming. So, the next night, rather than recalling these words and applying them to my life, what did I do? I blew up in anger and crying and just acted ridiculous. I am really embarrassed about my behavior and how quick I forgot what the Lord had shared with me, but now, not only has He made it clear to me that He meant what He said, but He provided a way for us to have exactly what we wanted for our wedding as far as music and entertainment is concerned. My myspace inbox was flooded with messages from people with phone numbers, names, and other info for solving our problem. I was on the phone at once with one of the people who had messaged me. She gave me the number for a man who I have only met three times in my life. She had spoken to him at lunch about our dilemma and he said that if we found the system, he would be willing to take care of everything for us. When I called him, he not only told me that he would do it for us, but he was willing to drive all over town to find us a system to rent. After several stops and phone calls to tell me he couldn't find exactly what would suit our needs, he reassured me that he was going to find it. He wasn't giving up. The last call he made was to tell me that he was at the home of one of his friends who would be available to provide deejaying and karaoke for our ceremony and reception at a price $300 lower than the quote we had received from the only other available person in Lubbock. How amazing is that? We also received a call from our venue saying that we could purchase insurance from them for half the price we were quoted elsewhere. I don't know what I'm so surprised at God's goodness, but He truly never ceases to amaze me when it comes to taking care of His children. I just needed a little reminder to not worry about the logistics. He has ordained this marriage from the beginning and will continue to sustain it all the way until death do us part. This was definitely one of those "duh!" moments for me.

Never Let The Sun Go Down On Your Anger

I cannot imagine anything worse happening a week and a half before our wedding...well, there are a few things; however, this is a doozie. Chris's uncle was suppose to come and do his deejay and karaoke show for our reception; however, after repeated un-returned phone calls, he finally calls back and tells us that he thought it was at the end of July, and he's already scheduled another wedding of the weekend of ours. Ok, so if you thought it was the end of July, does that mean you're coming this weekend? No! When we called months and months ago to say that we'd moved the date from July 18th to August 2nd, we were told that it was actually a better date. So??? He claimed to not have gotten the invitation, but he was told numerous times the date and time is. So??? I just can't imagine any professional not returning calls and waiting until the last minute to let someone know that you're not coming, but to do it to your own family??? I am so angry right now. I am really hurt and just don't know what we're going to do. Our whole reception was based around the dance and karaoke and having a blast with our family and friends, so now what are we suppose to do? If it weren't bad enough that the dance and karaoke are not going to be there, but the whole set up of a sound system (speakers, music, microphones, etc.) is shot as well. I am really just needing to vent right now. Sorry to dump on all my faithful blog readers.

So, now that I've cooled down some... I was reminded earlier this week that all the stressful things will work out fine and if they don't, we will still be married in the end. That's the main purpose of this whole shebang, right? Now, I have to take a few deep breaths, get on my knees and repent for my anger, and move on to finding a solution to this dilemma that will in no way keep us from our main goal of sharing our special day with the people who mean the most to us and officially becoming one big happy family.

Sad Saturday

Our weekend flew by so fast, but we had a pretty good one. We painted polka dots on 200 favor boxes, gathered pictures, and finalized rehearsal plans. I never imagined that I'd say this, but the highlight of our weekend was attending a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. It wasn't so much the pizza (if you've ever been there, you know what I mean.) It wasn't the great games, prizes, or the huge crowd of people there. It was mostly the fact of whose party it was. Olivia has absolutely been in love with a sweet (younger) boy from daycare. Ever since we started planing our wedding and getting our dresses, she's been talking about wearing hers when she marries John-Paul. It's the sweetest thing ever, but now the moment we've dreaded for so long has finally arrived. We had to break the news to her that her "betrothed" is moving away. On the way home from the party, we explained that his mom and dad got new jobs and their family is moving to another town. She started crying and said, "But I want to move too." It just broke my heart. I told her that mommy and daddy's jobs are here so we can't move. She then said, "I want to move with John-Paul." It's the hardest thing to explain to a four year old. She was heartbroken that her best friend and if she has anything to do with it, her future husband is moving far away. We consoled her as much as possible, but I know that they will miss each other so much. It's very sad, but I'm sure when she goes to "big school" this year, she'll quickly find her new "John-Paul."

A change would do me good

Only 17 days until the big day...I just can't believe how time is flying by. Things are finally coming together pretty well. I have amazing helpers who are relieving some of the stress. We have had a few snags...one of our groomsmen can't make it, but we decided to move one of the three ushers up to groomsmen. Not too tough to fix. I was sick for a few days with nausea, intense pain, and other issues. More than being uncomfortable and not able to get the things done I was mostly really fearful of it being something serious. Because I teach the kids at church, I couldn't just stay in bed all Sunday and sleep through the pain and discomfort. About eight people prayed for me that morning. They prayed for my healing and restoration of every aspect of my life. I wasn't better immediately; however, my pastor felt led to scripture and a word from the Lord about other things in my life. It was a real revelation that made me feel so much better...physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Monday, I was better, but still not 100%. I decided not to go to my regular "Laundry Night" meeting with my friends because I couldn't stay awake. I got the kids taken care of and my mom picked Chris up from work, but I could not go to sleep. I decided that I needed to go to my Bible study no matter what. As soon as I got up and started getting ready, my nausea returned. I went to group and got prayed over again. I also received another word from the Lord which lined up exactly with my word from Sunday. It was so amazing. On the way home, I felt amazing. No pain, no fear, no nausea, nothing but joy for the Lord. I am so thankful for a God who heals, who loves, and who forgives. His grace is sufficient for me. His healing power reigns in my life. He is a fortress and refuge in my time of need. He is miraculous and overwhelming. I just can't imagine my life without him. I am confident that He will be the center of my marriage. He is the rock of ages on which I stand firm. I know that during this time of planning my wedding and working two jobs, I have failed to pray, worship, serve, and spend time with the Lord like He has called me and desires me to do. My focus and priorities have now changed, and I can't wait to see His glory come shining through!

In-Laws

Can't live with 'em. Can't live without 'em...actually, I wish I could. My bridal shower was Saturday. Can you guess who didn't show? My sisters-in-law were hostesses. They showed, but without some of the things they were suppose to bring. They never said anything to me about their mom. One of my friends asked when she was getting there and one of his sisters said, "She's not coming. She has to take the dog to the vet." Was the dog dying? No. Had the dog travelled just fine the 14 hours back from Omaha and been OK the twelve hours since they had returned home the previous night? Yes. Could it have waited a couple of hours? Definitely. They didn't even have the decency to tell me or call me and explain. I happened to overhear the conversation. Not one word was said to me about it. After the shower, however, the story changed. Chris was told that she had to take her rental car back before noon, but that she had to go to the vet before noon also. My shower ended at 11:30, but she could have left a little early. At least she would have been there. She dropped his other sister off at the shower, too. Her just not showing up was ridiculous, but now it's our fault. Chris was at the mall, where the rental car needed to be returned. He could have met her there and then taken her to the shower. He could have even taken the dog to the vet, but she wasn't going to ask him to do that because that would take away her excuses. If this all wasn't bad enough, now I'm being accused of not talking to Chris's sisters at the shower and not asking how his grandma was doing. What? I talked to everyone who was there, which, by the way, was about 40-50 other people. I can't spend my whole shower talking to them, but I did talk to them, so it's an invalid argument. She's also saying that I don't want them to do the rehearsal dinner because I told her that our friends offered their home and our church to be used for the meal. They also offered to cook, but I told her that I knew they already had a plan for what they were going to serve. I was just relaying the message of the offers, not telling her I didn't want her to do it. They have no other place to have the meal, so why not have it at our church which is only a few blocks from the ceremony/reception site? It was, however, only a suggestion. The sister who was accusing me of this, wasn't even there for the conversation, so Chris told her to shut her mouth and not argue about something she knows nothing. They are such pains in the butt.

Chris and I both agree that the only reason she found those excuses not to show up was because she was embarrassed to show her face where the shower was held. The last time she was over there for mediation of a family dispute, she acted like a fool in front of everyone present. We know that she was too ashamed to go there, but this is just another example of her selfish attitude. It wasn't about her and her feelings. It was so important, to me, that she was there. The mother of the groom is one of the most important guest, but not only is she having to deal with guilt of not going. She's having to deal with her son, whom she favors most highly out of her three children, being angry, upset and hurt because of her wanting to save face.

She always turns on the water works and tries to manipulate her way with Chris, but I am so proud of him because he didn't fall for it this time. He's not buying her excuses and refuses to let his family accuse me when they are the ones who messed up. If I hadn't already been certain about him before, I would definitely be now. He is amazing. I love him so much! As for the family situation, I don't know what's going to happen in the next month until the wedding, but I'm not gonna sit around and mope about it. We have let them ruin special times for us far too often, so we're pressing on to the goal of getting married and living happily ever after whether his family is part of it or not.

As far as the rest of the shower goes, it was amazing. There were so many of my friends and family there to make it special. My sister, Kaylee, did a wonderful job of organizing and planning. I was showered with so many great gifts and just blessed by so many fantastic people being there to honor me before our big day.

My Big Girl

My little Olivia is growing up so fast. She's only been 4 for a week now, but I have already seen so many changes in her. It's like she turned four and someone gave her a "big girl" attitude as one of her presents. She can buckle herself up in the truck...I know this doesn't sound like a lot, but it means we can get in the truck and get going without having to wait for her to get in and then us buckling her. Anyway, this morning she was asking about why she can't have Dr. Pepper to drink. We explained that it's full of sugar and caffeine that aren't good for your body. She goes on to tell us that if you eat too much sugar, you can die. I just told her that sometimes that can happen to some people, but then she tells us that your teeth will fall out if you eat too much sugar. Chris's dad doesn't have any teeth and his mom has false ones, so this has been a huge issue at our house since they discovered this about their grandparents. It's our secret weapon against the kids not wanting to brush their teeth. Well, she goes on to tell us that your teeth will fall out and you will die if you eat too much sugar. Then she says, "Just like Jesus died on the cross." I told her that he did die on the cross, but he didn't stay dead. She then goes on to tell us the whole story and says, "he had thrones on his head, like a crown." When I corrected thrones to thorns, she said, "Yeah, I know," and without skipping a beat she went on and told us that he was bleeding and hurting so bad. I asked her if she knew that he did that just for us and not because he did something bad. It was because we were bad. She said, "Yeah, I know that, mama."

She just cracks me up with the things she says lately. She's getting so big and is about to head off to pre-k at "big school". I just can't believe it! I don't know what I'm gonna do next year when both my kids are no longer in daycare right down the road from me. That first day of school is going to be the hardest...for me, probably not for them.

Getting Started

My first post....let's see...there's so much about which I could write.

Well, wedding plans are wrapping up and we're down to less than two months from the big day. Things are really falling into place nicely and I grow more and more excited and less and less stressful each and every day. God is so faithful to bring peace to situations that are causing strife. He is simply amazing. I am so excited about what He has in store for our family. He's already brought us a long way.

I am in my second full week of Summer school. Time seemed to just creep right by for the first few days, but now it's moving a little faster. My students are still a little irritating, but we're working through that.

Tonight, our laundry and barf meeting is a whole family affair with food and swimming and fellowship. It ought to be great. I just love my Bible study friends. They are so much fun! Our retreat this weekend was fantastic! It was definitely refreshing and uplifting and all that good stuff that it always is.

I decided it would be a good idea to get satellite for Chris for his birthday and Father's Day. We had it installed yesterday, and he actually handed over the remote after it was all installed and ready to go. I was shocked. I love it though. Now I just can't decide what to watch. There are too many choices.

Father's Day was great. We had lunch at Mom and Dad's with the whole family. I just love my dad and am so grateful for all he's done for me. I wouldn't have made it through the last six years without his love, support, and prayers. I probably wouldn't have made it out of Jr. High if he wasn't so faithful to pray for his family. I am also so thankful for Chris being in our lives. As I watched him open his cards from the kids and I, I realized just how much I love him. He is such an answer to prayer. To have someone who loves me no matter what I look like, what I say or what I do or don't do...man, to me, it's an absolute miracle.

I knew I was gonna do this...write a novel for my blog, but as time goes by, maybe I will get the hang of just stating the facts. Have a blessed day!