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.