Beautiful display of nature

May not have seen snow here yesterday, BUT . . . WAS SO TOTALLY BLESSED THIS MORNING WITH AN EXPERIENCE OF NATURE I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE!!! It was almost magical. The morning of our first hard freeze has displayed leaves falling all over our neighborhood, even now. There was one tree though that stood out above them all. Since my camera battery ran out, I'll have to write the experience down to remember the details. So very thankful . . . thanks God for the wonderful gift this morning, even though I've been such a crank from not getting snow in San Antonio!

Whew!

Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson, Somer Thompson, Angela Montez talked and prayed with robber, Leading the way message, Family Life message, bobunny chipboard . . . all in one day. Kids getting off of school soon; gotta get ready and change hats to "chauffer", "chef", "counselor", etc. Thank you Lord for being my rock.

Recipe to try . . .

This is a recipe recommended by a sweet, dear girlfriend

Lambrusko, White Lambrusko, or Red Rosette
with
Diet Orange Soda, preferrably Sunkist

Measurements: use 1/2 and 1/2 of each beverage; or 2/3 orange soda and 1/3 wine

Looking forward to trying this recipe. Never heard of Lambrusko, not even sure if I spelled it correctly.

Great Wolf Blog #2

YEA!!! Just had Mommy time in Grapevine. Main Street is somewhat like Main Street in the Hill Country towns like Fredericksburg. The weather was too dawg gone hot to stay long, but I visited a few boutiques just to get out of the hotel. Anticipating the hot weather, my plans were to at least stop by Holy Grounds - Christian Bookstore & Gifts. It was advertised in our room's Guest Service Directory, under the recommended businesses. Adorable and welcoming place to visit. There was some coffee cake coffee to sample. As steamy as I was from the summer heat, I couldn't resist. Delish! Found some unique bookmarks from www.RememberMEjewelry.com. Perfect for my season of life, the titles are "Overcomer" and "Surrender". I had forgotten the advertisment mentioned going to visit Barbee & Ken. It wasn't until I got ready to make my purchase that I saw an adorable, black lab laying so quietly on the floor. In a kennel, close to the register was a schnauzer who wasn't too happy about the hat I was wearing. I can't remember who was which, but they were very cute! Nancy was the lady who greeted me and helped me with my purchase. After a brief chat with her about Sam Moon purses and chlorine that stings your eyes just by being in the area, I was on my way back to Great Wolf. Ahhhh! I so needed that Mommy time. Oh yeah! I also drove around a little bit and took some photos of some beautifully unique homes. Just wish that I could have taken pictures on Main St.

God moment: Listening to Francesca Battistelli in the car, I was calmed with the reality that as awkward as it may seem to others, it's okay to spend time exploring new things alone. I may not have had my family or a friend with me to visit historic downtown Grapevine, BUT . . . there was a peaceful excitement knowing that God was with me. He's always willing to spend time with you, and it doesn't have to be such serious moments. He'll even join you for some browsing and shopping time! I love You Father God!

Great Wolf Blog #1

This is our second day at Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas. We arrived in Addison, a suburb just north of Dallas, on Saturday around 2:30pm. Stayed at LaQuinta on Landmark Blvd. Very spacious room, large bathroom, beautiful outdoor courtyard, lobby with lots of elbow room, and a decent breakfast . . . all for a very comfortable price. Daydreamed about a ladies' weekend away to take in some Sam Moon shopping (only 6 miles away), Saturday Symphonics in the park (just up the road from the hotel), American Girl and the Galleria to browse or shop (just 2 miles away), lots of restaurants both fancy or casual, essentials shopping very close as well, and I'm sure much more to discover.

Our first day was eventful with shopping for Mom and Sierra at Sam Moon, the van's alternator scare that turned out to just be the battery, shopping for Sierra at American Girl, quick stop for the boys to get some cookies at the Galleria mall (Sierra even got to get her hair curled at a kiosk while we waited), dinner at BJ's, chill time for Dad in the LaQuinta courtyard, and chill time in the room for the rest of us. Learned that for future trips we need more than 2 double beds, ha! ha!

God moment: The realization that Sam Moon and American Girl were so close without Ramiro even realizing it when he made the reservations several weeks ago!

Making hard decisions; Setting boundaries

For the Lord GOD helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed. Isaiah 50:7

As hard as it may be. No matter what you think others may say about you. When God convicts your heart and a situation arises that requires you to make a decision and set a boundary, you must obey. Be encouraged by Isaiah 50:7 that God will help you and you will not be put to shame.

Forensic psychology . . .

Just listened to a forensic psychologist interviewed on Good Morning America, named Dr. Michael Welner. Don't have much time to take as many notes as I'd like.

***Education has nothing to do with character.
***Crime spree is something that is associated with distress in a person's life.
***So much about crime is about choices. A fork in the road.
***Learn about accountability

Might look into this later, but what came to mind after a question from Chris Cuomo related to how could someone like Phillip Markoff commit this crime. He was an educated young man, happily engaged, etc.

Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"

A brief downpour . . . with a tiny bit of hail

It was the morning of Tuesday, March 30th that a brief downpour of rain brought us a display of pea-sized hail. I was busy in my restroom getting ready for work, while Frankie was getting himself ready for school. There was music playing in the background that kept me from hearing the hail. From the doppler radar on the local morning news, I was aware of a strong, but short line of rain that was headed our way. Little did I know that we really were going to get hit hard with some rain and hail. Frankie was the one who heard all the commotion as it passed over. Once the rain stopped, we ventured out to investigate the leftovers. From my bedroom window it looked like a scattering of pretty white balls amongst patches of prickly, dry grass. Stepping outside was so refreshing. The air was crisp and new from the downpour, and the hail was . . . beautiful. It was scattered on the front yard, but there were two piles from where it had fallen from the roof. My favorite photo is the one with the penny nestled in a pile of pure bits of ice from heaven. On our drive to his school, Frankie and I didn't see much more evidence of hail. I told him that I think we got a special little gift from God . . . a display of His creation that we rarely get to see. What an awesome Creator, and to think that we are able to have a relationship with the One who put the heavens and the earth together and everything in them. taken from "Revelation Song" --- with all creation I sing praise to the King of Kings, You are my everything and I will adore You. Clothed in rainbows of living color, flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder . . .

The first woodworking masterpiece!

Whadda ya think of this? Isn't it fantastic! I'm so excited for my hubby as this is his first woodworking project! WAY TO GO HUSBANDO!!! In all the years we've been married, he's never really had any power tools other than the basic corded drill that he used for small projects in the house. After having fun with a power saw that we borrowed last spring, he got an early Father's Day gift . . . his own power saw. That thing has been in the box until this past Sunday. Together with his newest toy . . . a cordless combo drill kit, he produced the picnic table. Did I mention how excited I am for him!!! It took him just two days! This sucker is a heavy table, and I was the one lucky enough to help him move it to the backyard. Since he doesn't really have a work area, the garage and front porch are it for now. We struggled a bit and I nearly got my head squashed, but we got it to the backyard in time to enjoy a hot dog dinner with the kids. It's exciting to think of what other woodworking projects lie ahead. Thank you God for River City Men's Ministry and the recent San Leon Mission Trip. Someone was blessed with a newly built house after losing theirs in a recent hurricane, and our family was blessed with new skills, vision, and motivation.

Puppy Drama . . . it's not even ours, ha! ha!

Okey dokey, it took about an hour but I think I'm ready to go back to bed. I fell asleep early around 9:30pm, but heard some puppy crying in our kitchen around 1am. Upon entering the kitchen to shut up the noise, there was a lovely display of trash and doggy poop. Our dog was in his kennel with a bunch of trash, as well as the box of his heartworm medicine that he apparently got into. The puppy who has taken refuge at our place was jumpin' around yelping and falling all over himself. After a few moments of flustered and sleepy-eyed problem solving, I got both dogs in the kennel, left the mess for the morning, and stomped back up to my room EXTREMELY PEEVED!!!

We're sort of dogsitting our neighbor's puppy. I say sort of because it was out of pity that we took in the little stinker. His sister stayed the night Thursday night, but ran back home Friday morning after having contributed a bunch of poop and pee mess in my kitchen.

Since our neighbors have been out of town, we'd seen their 3 chihuahua mutts runnin' around the neighborhood. We had no way to get in touch with them. With coaxing from another neighbor, the kids and I took it upon ourselves to try and get them in our house out of the cold, rainy weather. The mama mutt wasn't having any of it and always ran back to their backyard.

Why in the world do I continue taking in dogs when I absolutely can't stand dealing with them!!! We've put the puppy outside to do his business (while I secretly hoped he would go back home), but he's now used to us and just comes back crying like crazy and throwing himself against our back door wanting to come back in. Oh yeah! I'll have to do some investigatin' but I think one of the other neighbors was kind of looking after them because one of the boys came knocking on our door sometime after 9pm saying the puppy was his. I don't know what my hubby told him, but the puppy was still in our kitchen at 1am.

I'll be visiting somebody tomorrow to try and sort things out. This puppy cannot stay here any longer. It's getting ridiculous constantly having to climb over the baby gate to get in and out of the kitchen.

New Interests . . .

songs by Sara Bareilles - Love Song, Gravity, One Sweet Love

book "Out of Captivity"

gotta look more into them later; on my way to work

Fabulously Furious

Deep breath in . . . Deep breath out . . . Slowly count to 10. Repeat as many times as necessary so as to calm the sizzling and bubbling hot lava that is rapidly approaching the surface and getting ready to totally spew. Can anyone say, "MOM'S ABOUT TO BLOW!!!" Grrrrrrr! Aghhhhhh! Ughhhhh!

Okay, I think the boiling has now calmed to a simmer. In fact, I believe there was a crack of a smile on Mom's face after writing this recent post.

It's been one of those mornings. You know, the kind of school mornings that are thrown a loop with a teachable moment in the midst of . . . wakings kids up, finding out that you forgot to turn on the dryer before going to bed, packing lunches, talking about yesterday's folder mark at school, making sure that last night's throw-up episode was nothing more than your little pumpkin getting overstressed, yada yada, and oh yeah . . . you've got to do all this with some sort of peace cause you're also sending your sweet husband off to work.

I've got one more kid to help get ready and take to school, and then it's time for Mama to get herself together and go in to work. Yeah! Now that, I'm looking forward to. It's been SEVERAL years since I stopped working to be a stay-at-home Mom, and I've just recently started working part-time. That is another whole blog entry in itself.

Ahhhhh . . . how much calmer I feel after having just vented. Blogging is pretty sweet!

Missing the husband . . .

Here's some old photos of my husband and I. He's gone on his first hunting trip, and I have to admit I miss him.

We've had a few rough times recently in our marriage. Honestly, tell me who doesn't ever have some rough marriage times! I don't think we ever realize how tough marriage can be. Especially if when you marry, you're not even sure of who you are as a person. That was me . . . woo! hoo! I was the one who thought "my knight in shining armor had finally rescued me!" Rescued me from what? Maybe from actually taking the journey of soul searching? Once I got married, I got busy with being a wife and soon after, a mom. There wasn't too much time to work on soul searching, until it got kind of quiet with all the kids going to school.

As I've mentioned to my husband just a few weeks ago, and it has now become somewhat of a personal motto: "growing a marriage". When marriage is abundantly joyful, painful, thrilling, lonely, thriving, or stagnant . . . as long as we continue to make the efforts to put one foot in front of the other, we are still growing. Growth requires change, and change can be difficult, yet it is necessary. So in the journey of deep soul searching, I thank my husband for remaining married even when he doesn't have a clue. (Shh! which is most of the time, but he's working on it :) Most importantly, I thank my Heavenly Father for the gift of His presence and direction, my husband and my children, as well as close family and friends that He has given me so that I don't have to make this journey alone.

Historical Day in America . . . my feelings

As we all know, today is a big day in America . . . it is the day that the first black man will be inaugurated as President of the United States of America. I still don't know how to feel about it. President Elect Barack Obama was not the man that I voted for on November 4th, 2008. In the first few days after the election, there were a range of emotions that wore me down. In the end, the stance I chose was . . . as my husband stated during various pre-election discussions with friends and family, "If Barack Obama is elected to be the President of USA, and as that office is one that I respect and honor, I will respect and honor him." So the big day is here . . . and I'm very emotional, something I wasn't expecting. It's not exciting for me, instead there is an extreme sense of sadness. There were tears falling from my eyes as I watched a snippet of the Good Morning America show this morning. It's very hard to explain because it's hard for me to understand what I'm feeling, and there is almost a sense of shame.


The snippet was about the "Tuskegee Airmen" the first African American pilots, of which Robin Robert's (GMA hostess) late father was part of. It was a history lesson for me.

It feels like it's going to be a very long day for me. I'm off to drop off my middleschooler at school. The tv will probably be on all day, just not as much as when the kids are home. We've already chatted a little about today's event, but it just doesn't seem appropriate to allow them to see my grieving. I end this entry with a prayer asking that God protect Obama and his family today and throughout his presidency, that President Bush and his family would know they are loved and appreciated for their service to this country, and that Americans would use this historic moment in history to do, as well as think only good towards each other. In God we trust . . . Amen.

Adding photos to my blog . . . help!

I've added a family photo of us in Weslaco at one of our oldest kid's regionals qualifying football game. The only thing is . . . yuck, it's huge on the blog and I don't know how to fix it! I'm tired right now, so who knows when I'll get around to learning more about adding photos and resizing them. Just a short note about the photo. The photo was taken in November and the team did end up winning Regionals in College Station on Thanksgiving weekend! So the team went to Nationals in Florida, but the Weslaco photo was the only family photo we had from the whole season! Crazy, huh!?!