A week has gone....

and there is no kitty.  We weren't able to get the kitten because my friend couldn't get back in touch with the gentleman who had it.  So..... we wait.  We actually want a full grown cat.  A cat that might not have had a wonderful family to love it.  As my daughter says a "fat lazy cat."  My son wants a kitten.  And maybe there is room in the house for both.  We will see.

Work has been absolutely crazy.  That's all I'll say.  C R A Z Y

I'm still playing with Pinterest.  If you come by here and haven't tried it yet, leave me a note and I'll send you an invitation.  It's nothing but a huge web page of inspiration.  You name it, it's there.  Sometimes, it's just fun to find something that hasn't been pinned already.  I did discover a pet peeve.  If you want to "pin" something, please make sure you open the post that the image is in to a separate window.  So if there is a picture in this post, click on the permalink and open in a new window.  That way when the next person clicks on the image in Pinterest, it goes to where the picture is and not to the main page of the blog/store/web page.  *s*

Other than that, life is life.  I'm grateful to be alive.  I turned 48 a couple weeks ago.  I have amazing children. A great job.  Super church.  Nice place to live.  Vehicle to drive.  So many people don't have half of that or even a third.  I'm thankful to be so blessed in my life.

Niters. I think I'm headed to bed early.

work...

Just wanted to post a couple things that I made for work today.

Source: thepinkandblueblog.tumblr.com via Deborah on Pinterest

and this:

Source: likecool.com via Deborah on Pinterest

I posted a set of them inside the bathrooms, one set on the door to the clinic, and one set on the outside of one of the bathrooms.  :)

I'm thinking about taking my window with the chicken wire to work and using it to hang photos and artwork on during the year.  Not sure yet.  Will have to see what my nurse thinks about it.

Tomorrow I'll post pictures of the banners I made.

I haven't been here in a while as you can see.  I am not on any creative teams for digi-scrapping right now.  I so need to take my computer in for repairs.  Both the usb ports on the right side are messed up. I've gotten a memory error and a display error in last couple months.  Of course, I'm over due for a backup and for a defrag. But it has been virus scanned thank goodness. :)

I am thinking about starting a new blog.  This one has been around a while.  I'm thinking photo blog?  Art journaling?  Digiscrapping?  Who knows.  Just feel like it's time for a change.

School starts back up for the kids on Monday.  Breezy is a Junior in high school and Chaz is a Freshman in college.  Hard to believe we're at that point!

I'm headed to bed soon.  Another early morning so I can get to SHO for training.  Niters!

Veteran's Day

To all who have served, past and present, gone on and still living, thank you for your service our great country.

This year was the most special Veteran's day I've had.  The daughters of my nurse made me a card and bookmark to thank me for serving.  And then the SGA at the school also made cards and handed out to the veterans.  It's the first time I ever remember being thanked in this way.  It was really special.

Baby it's cold outside!  Well, not yet but it's getting there.  I was trying to figure out something to scrap using parts from the Shabby Holiday Blog Train (hosted by Digital Scrapbooking Studio) and finally decided to scrap a picture I took in January 2010 of the "ice trees" that were made when people left their sprinklers on overnight to prevent the piping from freezing up.

Word art is by Jennifer at Word Art World.  It's from the Kids 101 pack on Gotta Pixel.

And I was brave this week.  Well, brave for me.  I applied to be on a creative team for a digiscrap designer.  Will find something out next week.  Either way, she's got the best word art!

The kids have settled with the phone thing.  It took Chaz a couple days to apologize.  Breezy hit the ceiling the same night when I told her there were limits at night.  Told her to keep it up and she'd have no phone either.  And that ended that.

Last week was the toughest week I have had parenting in a long time.  I spent a lot of time praying last week.

Work is still good.  I am grateful to have such a great nurse to work for and the school staff is awesome.  Still enthralled with the windows!  LOL

I'm off to find something to do.  Well, I have something to do, guess I better get on it!  LOL  (cleaning.  YUCK!)

Moved!

Well, moved to a different school to work that is.  But a move just the same.   LOVE IT!

I did have a revelation after changing schools.  If you dislike what you are doing or have stayed past when you should have gone, your frustration does not help you keep your witness.  I don't think I was much of a witness for Christ when I left because of my frustration.  Lesson learned.  I'm a wee bit slow some days obviously.

Chaz tried for a walk on position on the football team.  He's now a wide receiver.  Yah!  Well done.  Hopefully he'll get some game time.

Breezy is playing soccer.  This week is tryouts  And she is playing powder puff football.  Yes, that's my beautiful girl.  She'll either be the quarterback or a wide receiver. Yah!  Well done.

Me?  I'm downloading digi-scrap kits and still digi-scrapping.  Totally enjoy extracting the subject of the digi-pages.  So far I've printed 30 pages  and put them in a real live scrapbook!  Amazing I know!

A very old picture of my Mom.  Created using PhotoShop Elements 6.  DigiScrap kit from DigiDesignResort (Natural Breeze).  Word art by Elegant Word Art.

Chaz and Breezy with Tigger at character breakfast at Walt Disney World. Sweet memory. Definitely worth the splurge in expense.

Created using PhotoShop Elements 6.  Word art by Word Art World.  Kit is from Gotta Pixel (Ephemeral Soul by Designs by Helly).

I love this picture of Breezy.  Although I know she was having a marvelous time in the rain, the picture always reminds me of the song "Praise You in This Storm" by Casting Crowns.

Created using PhotoShop Elements 6.  Digi scrap kit by Polka Dot Chicks (Reflections).  Fonts:  Pea Noodle for song text and "Praise" "in the Storm" and The King and Queen for "You."  Photo modified with PSE Action by Paint the Moon.

I'm off to do a special page for my friend Debi and her husband.  They are such an amazing couple and speak  such encouragement into not only my children but so many others.

rearranging, prayer, digiscrapping...

So, I'm headed to my new school in the morning to rearrange.  Our supervisor doesn't like the last layout I did, so I drew up a little sketch and sent it to my new nurse to see what she thinks.  She likes it.  And so, I'm going to be there at 7 a.m. to help her get it rearranged the new way BEFORE I take the kids to school and BEFORE I go to work.  Yeah, long day but so worth it.

I've learned new things the last few days.  I've been helping my nurse review files.  WOW!  Lots of paperwork.  It's nuts but I know it will help her tremendously with the work she is about to start.

I'm learning to pray in a different way.  I know my daughter needs more help than I can give her but she doesn't "hear" me.  I'm just noise to her.  Any and all prayer is appreciated.  God, we need an intervention.

Made a digiscrap page tonight. DigiKit by Bruissements (Raccrocheuse). Yeah, the French site. Word art by Word Art World.  Jen has fabulous word art!  Check her out!

Back to work...

I went back to work yesterday.  The first 4 1/2 hours was spent getting updates to procedures.  The next 1/2 hour was spent driving.  Then an hour of updates with our team. 

I spent the last hour of the day at my new school.  Yes, I'm changing schools!  Yahoo!  I've been working in the clinic at the school I am currently at for 9 years!!!  I have never spent that long in one place.  The tech at my kids' school moved to a different school leaving the position open.  It was offered to me and I jumped at the chance.  Not only does it give me a change of school, I'll have WINDOWS in my office for the first time EVER!!!  I'm so excited.  The nurse is sweet and I believe we are going to work great together AND I get a window!  I'm so going to watch me some storms!

I'm still digiscrapping.  I finished a couple challenges this week.  And I won a kit from Shell's Playground.  Yah!  First kit I've ever won.  *dances*  The page below "Worn Out" was made with that kit.

Breezy's 15th Birthday was done with parts from Scrap Matter's 3rd Birthday Celebration.  Papers by Scrapmuss, word art by Graham Like the Cracker and cluster by Stephanie.

Chaz' 2nd Christmas done with digiscrap kit by Delicious Scraps.

 

Breezy playing in the rain was done with digiscrap kit from Au coin de l'objectif. Yes it's in French. Google Chrome will translate pages written in foreign languages with the click of one spot on the options page.

Chaz' first year of basketball.  Digiscrap kit from the Surfs Up collaboration by Scraps N Pieces & the Scrappy Kat.

Breezy after playing in the rain.  Kit from Teapot Lady at DSO. Font "Love Ya Like a Sister" from dafont.com.

Chaz at his 8th Birthday Party.  Digiscrap kit by Free2Scrap (Tough Enough).

Breezy colored her hair and then spent a half hour trying to get the perfect picture to post to facebook!  LOL  Digiscrap kit from Free2Scrap (Tough Enough).

My sister at Bass Pro.  We all spent time trying on hats.  Here she was testing out the camouflage gear!  Digiscrap kit by Rebecca B and done for a contest.

Hope you enjoyed the digiscrap pages almost as much as I enjoyed making them.

carts and horses

Today, I got the cart before the horse. Not the first time but probably the worse time.

I am considering a job change. I have a bit of work to do on my resume but it will be ready to submit on Friday. I'm going to apply for 2 or 3 jobs at a local university. Administrative type positions.

The benefits, pay, and working environment are good. No shelter duty either. I know several people who already work there are love it. It would give me employment over the summer as well.

My cart before the horse moment occurred when I let my supervisor know I was going to send in several applications. I've been told that was a really bad thing to do. I think I did it more out of guilt for wanting to leave before the school year is out.

I've been miserable lately. I know I work for God. His opinion is what counts. But lately, it seems there is pretty much nothing I can do that is right. I talk to almost nothing but pre-teens all day long. I don't mind doing behind the scenes work but the last year has been rough. If I screw up, go ahead and chew on me. But when I'm getting chewed for things I didn't do, I'm kind of over it. I'm tired of pre-teen attitude, pants to the knees, and a hundred other things. And I know it's not really a hundred other things but I am tired. Probably the least appreciated job I've ever done. I truly don't feel like I make any difference to anyone there. Is that such a bad feeling? Am I wrong to feel this way?

I'm also ready to go to college. I believe I've finally got it figured out. I want to study Library Science (maybe specializing in Research) with Art on the side. I wanted to be a librarian most of my childhood. I love books, libraries and everything to do with libraries.

We'll see. So if anyone is still around, please say a prayer for me. I've been told my cart before the horse moment could be costly.

Change has come. The kids and I officially started at our Foley campus on the 20th. It is awesome. I actually want to go to church for the first time in ages. It had reached a point that I was miserable.

And today (or rather yesterday), God reminded me that I knew in January/February that I was supposed to let go of the position I had at the church in August. When I didn't let go because I thought I had to have the income, it had to become miserable enough to let go.

I am grateful I let go. I feel like we turned the page and are in a new chapter of our lives. Thank you God for putting up with me when I'm hard headed.

In other things, we did get to go to Night of Joy. Other than the teenage D-R-A-M-A, it was a great trip. I spent most of the trip alone and it was a wonderful thing. I took over 900 pictures in EPCOT and Animal Kingdom. I need to get them modified to update my facebook page. I also have already set up our finances to pay for next years trip so that it won't be such a burden when it gets close to time to go.

Work is going well. Busy but well. I can deal with that.

Been downloading my music from iTunes lately. For the cost of an album that may have only 1 or 2 songs I like, I can get up to 10 songs that I really want. And I'm actually dropping them to disk so I can hear them in the car and at home. Yah for technology!

The following lyrics are from TobyMac's new song "City on Our Knees."

If you gotta start somewhere why not here
If you gotta start sometime why not now
If we gotta start somewhere I say here
If we gotta start sometime I say now
Through the fog there is hope in the distance
From cathedrals to third world missions
Love will fall to the earth like a crashing wave

Tonight’s the night
For the sinners and the saints
Two worlds collide in a beautiful display
It’s all love tonight
When we step across the line
We can sail across the sea
To a city with one king
A city on our knees
A city on our knees
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

If you gotta start somewhere why not here
If you gotta start sometime why not now
If we gotta start somewhere I say here
If we gotta start sometime I say now
Through the fog there is hope in the distance
From cathedrals to third world missions
Love will fall to the earth like a crashing wave

Tonight’s the night
For the sinners and the saints
Two worlds collide in a beautiful display
It’s all love tonight
When we step across the line
We can sail across the sea
To a city with one king
A city on our knees
A city on our knees
Oh-oh-oh

Tonight could last forever
We are one choice from together
Tonight could last forever
Ooh
Tonight could last forever
We are one choice from together
As family
We’re family
Oh Tonight could last forever
We are one choice from together
You and me
Ya, you and me
Tonight’s the night
For the sinners and the saints
Two worlds collide
In a glorious display
Cuz its all love tonight
When we step across the line
We can sail across the sea
To a city with one king
A city on our knees
A city on our knees
Oh oh oh
A city on our knees
A city on our knees
Oh oh oh
If we gotta start somewhere why not here
If we gotta start sometime why not now

I once said the only way I'd leave my church is if God forced me to go somewhere else or I married.

Well, I haven't married. But I do feel as if I am being forced out. I prepared a draft of my two weeks notice resignation letter this morning. I feel like crying nearly every time I come through the door lately.

The kids and I are going to start attending one of our other campuses starting the 20th of September. They already love it at the other campus. I've never been but I'm willing to take the chance on it. Everyone I know who has attended there is very pleased. We will still be associated with our church, just a different campus.

School is back in session. Great update on the Novel H1N1 influenza. This may be the first year in over 15 years that I get a flu shot! (kids too!)

I will start with gratitude today. I am so grateful for Chaz and Breezy being healthy and following God. I am grateful for a home, electricity, a vehicle to get to work and to church. Grateful for my church family. Grateful for books. I am thankful for a great family.

~

Chaz and Breezy went to North Carolina last week. They had an amazing time. Their friend Sethie got to go with them. One of the guys from the north campus went with them. he's the one who found out about the conference and we were blessed enough to have Chaz, Breezy, and Sethie included. Yah! Next year, Chaz will get to help plan it.

Summer school is over. No regular work until late August. Praying for grace and provision from God to make it through September on what we have. Or what He will provide.

Death. We have had several deaths at church in the last week. A friend who is a couple years younger than me and a child less than one year old. It is so sad. I have been to more funerals in the last 2 years than I have the first 43 years of my life. I don't understand.

And another thing I don't understand. We always tell people they will see their loved ones again in heaven, that they will be together again. But in Matthew 22, it says:

23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24 "Teacher," they said, "Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?"

29 Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'[a]? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."

33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

So... then when I get to heaven I won't know my Daddy? my Grandma? my children? I don't understand.

And so there is where my mind is today.

Hero Arts Web Site and Stuff

First, Hero Arts is revealing their new web site on the 15th. They make beautiful rubber stamps and have fabulous stamping ideas! And they have a a fab blog too!

Chaz and Breezy are out of town at a conference. Actually, they're way outta town! As in outta state and several away. They got to go to a YMCA Christian Values Conference. 5 days in the Blue Ridge Mountains! I'm thinking I wanna go next year!

Summer school will be over Thursday. It's been busier since they have 4 times as many students as they have had in previous years. But I did get a little bit of crafting time. Made some lanyards to sell, a couple necklaces, 130+ tags to write on, and about 20 handmade cards using pictures I took and modified or rubber stamps. They turned out great!

I got to see the last episode of Eli Stone online today. I really enjoyed it. I'm sad that it's over and disappointed that there are no more episodes. Still not sure what to do about my general boycott of ABC.

I'm sitting in my favorite coffee shop reading blogs, facebook, listening to music and thinking I really should eat an earlier dinner tonight.

And today, I'm thankful to God for the summer work and believing He will provide the rest of the summer. I'm grateful the kids got the opportunity to go to this conference (and a friend too).

whew, long time

I know, I know. it's been a while. A long while.

Much has happened. School is out. I spent the last week of the school year in the hospital. Um yup.

I've been having really bad headaches for months. Little numbness in my hands every now and again. The last Monday in May, I tried to give blood but my blood pressure was 152/104. To say the least they wouldn't let me give. So I went ahead with the kids and went to the movies.

On Tuesday, I didn't feel right so I let my supervisor know and went to the emergency room. My B/P was 152/98 when I got there. I was having that pins and needle feeling in my left arm. The doctor had me put on a heart monitor and hooked to an iv for fluids. They pulled some blood. He seemed to think it was just my B/P until they got the blood test results back. Everything was normal except I had troponin in my blood. Troponin is only supposed to be in your blood if you have had a heart attack or are going to have a heart attack. So they admitted me to the hospital. The next day, I had a echocardiogram and a stress test. Both turned out normal and later that day they released me with no answer about the troponin levels.

On Thursday, I was getting ready for work when I had an intense pain across the center of my back. I thought geez, I really slept well to cause this much pain in my back. But the pain started getting worse, and then I started thinking women present for heart attacks in their back. I'm pretty sure I panicked because then I started feeling tightness in the chest. I dropped Chaz at school and called a friend to come and pick up Breezy from the hospital.

By the time I got to the ER, my B/P was 198/100. They pulled some blood again, started a heart monitor and iv. Again, there was troponin in my blood but everything else looked ok. I explained what was going on and they decided to send me to a local hospital via ambulance.

Off to the hospital I go. Thank goodness they don't run sirens when they transport someone like that. whew! Within 30 minutes of arriving at the hospital, the cardiologist on call had me in for a heart catheterization. Everything normal. He scheduled me for a CT scan at 5 a.m. the next morning. They slapped nitro patches on me and kept me on the heart monitor all night. Put me on blood pressure medications.

The next morning, the tech came in to take me for the CT scan. I was back in my room by 6. Then I waited. And waited and waited. The doctor never did show up. When I asked about him, I was told he hadn't made rounds of the floor yet. By the time they paged him and he returned the page, he was over 40 miles from Pensacola. He told them to release me, my tests were fine. Excuse me? Did I miss something? To say the least I was pissed.

A friend called someone at the hospital who worked there and she came to see me. They paged the doctor again. He finally called back and said he had the ER doctor write me a prescription for the blood pressure medications and that when he came to see me I was having a test done. Don't even get me started on that comment. I left the hospital over 12 hours after the CT scan with two prescriptions for the blood pressure medications. As I was being discharged, the nurse told me that my troponin levels were normal and had been since just after I arrived at the hospital the day before. Do you think maybe someone should have told me earlier?

I am grateful to God that I am ok. I'm 45 years old and now know that both my heart and lungs are in good condition. I am slowly losing weight (4 pounds already). I'm eatting better. Moving more. I thank God that I will be around for my children.

Last week, I went to a funeral for a friend's nephew. He was under 20 and had committed suicide. Wow! My heart goes out to the family for the unanswered questions left by his death. It was a tough funeral to attend. It was also the first funeral Chaz and Breezy have been to.

After the funeral, I called the kids dad to again encourage him to stay in contact with them. Let him know that they both have Facebook accounts with dozens of pictures. He told me they had trouble connecting to Facebook. (Only people I know with that particular problem.)

They have both had cell phones for 22 months and in all that time he has called 3 times total. I received an email the next day saying not to contact him any longer and if the kids wanted to talk to him that they could call.

How could you not want to keep contact with two of the most amazing kids ever? That's not just my opinion as a Mom. That is the report of everyone who works with them, mentors them, loves them. Amazing children. And I'm angry all over again at him.

So, I'm preparing a draft message to respond to him with. I'll save it. One of these days, I'll need it when they start asking questions. A friend is reviewing it with me to make sure I don't let my emotions override what needs to be said.

I also talked to that friend about what would happen if something happened to me. She told me that she and her husband had already discussed it. They would like the kids to come live with them. I talked to it with Breezy a little bit. She is good with that idea. I've not talked to Chaz about it. After we discuss it, I will be having my will prepared and select the executor of the estate.

Other than that, the last month and a half haven't been bad. I've taken a lot of pictures. I recently figured out how many I have posted on Facebook. Over 2000. One day I'd love to own a DSLR camera (with an autofocus mode too) to take better pictures. My daddy was a photographer on the side. He took beautiful pictures. My mother is a great photographer as well. This apple didn't fall too far from the tree. I'd love to take professional portrait photos, landscape, animals, whatever. Just let me take some pictures.



Saw Joshua Stevens, Steven Cochran and John Michael Montgomery in concert at the base with my sister. Incredible concert. Steven Cochran has quite the testimony. A tour in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was injured in Afghanistan and he said he woke up a month later at Bethesda. He said he was told he would never walk again. He's walking and talking and singing. God is good.

Ah, but Eli Stone was on last night. We watched. I still can't believe ABC canceled it. I'll be sending them another email. It was great!

Chaz and Breezy will be attending a youth conference at the church on Monday and Tuesday. Then Wednesday - Saturday they will be at a worship conference. They are pretty excited about it.

Today, they are spending time with friends out on the water. I thank God for the incredible mentors he has placed in their lives. People who care and show that they care.

I miss you Daddy.

geez

does it get any less busy?

School is nearly out. Only 11 1/2 more days. I will be working summer school though. I'm looking forward to it. It's at one of the best elementary schools I've ever been in!

Breezy and Chaz have been playing soccer. Chaz however is out for the rest of the season after a football injury.

Chaz tried out for wide receiver on the high school team and ended up at defensive end. On Friday, he wanted to skip since he didn't make the spring team but I wouldn't let him. During practice, he broke his left index finger.

We spent 5 hours in the emergency room on Friday night/Saturday morning. They splinted him up and gave us a referral to orthopedics. That appointment was today. He will have to have surgery on his finger. He broke the phalanx between the 1st and 2nd knuckles. The break is so close to the end of the finger that just casting it won't fix it. So on Thursday, he will go in for surgery and have pins put in his finger.

So, for the next 3-6 weeks, no sports and he won't be able to play his guitar either. He's not particularly happy with me either because I made him go to practice.

I had a long rant for this but have calmed down enough not to vent it right now. Maybe if it comes up again and is fresh then I will.

For now, keep us in your prayers.

ohhhh

I like this layout. All I need to do is make a title header to replace the text header.

I'm sitting outside the church waiting for everyone to get here for practice and finish preparing for the Christmas program. I'm getting a better signal sitting outside than I do when I'm inside. *grimace*

One more week of school. I have to say I'm totally ready for it. I hope and pray God opens a door for me to be somewhere else come August of next year. Breezy will be finished at the school in high school. Chaz is already there. It's time for a change.

Still need to finish Christmas shopping. I returned the shirt I got for Chaz while in Alabama. I'm going to order him a replica Alabama jersey for his big gift. Still not sure what Breezy's big gift will be. She hasn't given me any clues. Go figure.

Anyway, I'm still alive and kicking. On Twitter and Facebook more often. I use text messages to update Twitter which updates my Facebook account. That way I don't need to be logged in as much and can just use my phone. Good idea huh?

Oh yeah, I got my 1099R from the military today so I'm 1/4 of the way ready to do my taxes!

Happy Thanksgiving

Short week. Only two days of work. Finished up. Completed the monthly report for November that I will email before leaving Martellis.

Laundry is done. Chaz and Breezy are cleaning the kitchen. Groceries are purchased.

I just need to pack my clothes and the car and we are ready to go.

To the few who come by, Happy Thanksgiving. May your day be full of blessings!
~Deb

I get to go see Sarah Palin when she comes into Pensacola next Tuesday. I called a friend of mine on Wednesday night to tell her that Palin was coming to town and she and several other friends stood in line to get tickets. I got one!

I've been having a lot of fun with Twitter. Yeah, I know. 120 updates on twitter, 2 updates on blogger. I must admit, 140 characters from text messaging is so much easier!

I discovered House. A friend lent me the first season on dvd. Watched 3 episodes on Wednesday night and 5 episodes last night. I'm a third of the way through the season. I should finish them all by Monday at this rate. LOL

Kids are at band practice. I'm sitting at the church reading the news and will probably read a few blogs soon.

Tomorrow, Chaz will referee for soccer and I'll take Breezy to WF to let her tour the campus. Then it's off to Barktoberfest. Breezy really wants to go so we'll go.

Alabama football at 2:30 p.m. Now to find out what channel it is on.

In other things, I stuck my foot in my mouth. Nothing new I know but hey. By the time it was over, I was as red as my shirt. Pretty bad. *sigh* Yes, it was in reference to a man. duh.

Anyway, let me get to blog reading. Later gators and see ya on twitter.

oh yeah!

I won tickets to the Winter WonderSlam Tour from Power 88. Oh yeah!


Other things... Hurricane Gustav went to our west. We got lots of rain and wind but no damage. My mom, her husband, my sister, and her two sons came and stayed with Chaz and I. Breezy spent the night with a friend that evening. Played some cards and talked a lot. It was good.

Saturday morning, I went to the Humane Society to sign up to work as a volunteer. I filled out the forms, got the tour and then I got to spend about 2 hours sitting in a room playing with kitties! I love kitties. :o)

Work has been crazy busy. Learning new things. I got to do some basic training type stuff with two new health technicians who are going to schools around mine.

Anyway, I need to get busy. I came up here to do some work. Need to get it done. Later.

hello?

It's been a while.

Summer school is over. Vacation Bible School is over (both at BAC and ESC). The kids are out at the beach with the Bloom Event that is being held for the youth.

VBS. It was good. Both of them. Chaz and Breezy both helped lead the worship portion of the daily sessions. During the BAC VBS they also were crew leaders. It is so cool to know that God is working in them and has given them a heart to minister to children. I know it didn't come from me! LOL My portion of VBS is the registration and first aid.

Since May 3rd, I've attended 5 weddings and missed 2. I'm aware of at least 3 more engagements that have occured in that time frame as well. Two of the weddings are supposed to take place before the end of the year and one next summer.

For the last couple months I have been interested in a guy at the church. He has recently come back to the church. He and I became members at the same time in '02 and he left for a season. The smile is devastating. I finally got to spend more than 2 minutes talking to him on Sunday. It was a good conversation. The subject? The defunct over 30's singles group at church and what we need for a new one. A little personal stuff about work and kids. Although there seems to possibly be an attraction, I got the impression he's not interested in a relationship. So, I can toss that to the wind. Of course, I know, it's not my timing. It's God's timing. I'm ok with that. I've been single this long, what's a while longer? I'd rather have the one that God intended for me than to screw it up again. I am teachable. It only took 3 tries to learn though. *smile*

Things have been tight around the house. No real paychecks between now and the end of August, it's real tight. The rent and the car payment is paid from my retirement check. I have a small check that comes in from some part time work. It's the electric bill, water bill, and cell phone bill that I need to come up with. Oh yeah, food and gasoline for August. Nothing too big. People tend to think I'm overly optimistic. However, I know God has provided every single year since I've been working at the school I know He'll provide again... somehow some way.

My computer is still non-functioning as well. I did 2 customer service surveys for the Geek Squad. After the first one, the manager called me and said he'd order the recovery disks for my computer. After 4 weeks, I still have not recieved the disk. I sent the 2nd survey on the 17th of this month. No response. On the 24th I emailed Best Buy. I recieved the "canned" email response saying they'd contact me within 3 days but it's now 5 days later and no word. Now to figure out what to do. My thoughts have run from contacting the channel 5 consumer department for assistance or seeing if I could start a "urban legend" all by myself. Neither ring true at the moment so I'm being patient. Out of the last 100 or so days, 42 of the days, my computer was with the Geek Squad, 30 days, my computer was not working properly, and for the last 40 days, it doesn't work at all.

I am ready to go back to work. I go back on the 13th. Breezy and Chaz on the 18th. Breezy will be an 8th grader and Chaz will be a sophmore. It is good. At the wedding this past Saturday, I was looking at a pew full of teens and realized how much I love those kids. Makes me want to cry just thinking about it. If I decide to stay with the Health Department after this year, maybe I'll see if I can move up to high school from middle school. Ya never know.

My brother will be home from Iraq for a couple weeks in August. We get regular updates through the blog that his significant other set up for him. He is safe and we are still praying for him.

Prayer. Over Spring Break, I went to our Eastern Shore Campus for a Sunday service. It was suggested that I pray Psalm 91 over my brother for his safety while in Iraq. I missed a couple days that first week but have been faithfully praying it now for 3+ months. I added my other brother, Chaz, Breezy, and my names to it as well. There is something comfortable about reading it outloud with our names in it.

Movies. The base has free matinees on Wednesdays for the first showing. The kids have seen Kung Fu Panda and Speed Racer. I saw Prince Caspian twice. I really like the movie and the soundtrack is awesome. I decided the song "This is Home" by Switchfoot would make an awesome wedding song. Guess I'll file that away for future reference.

I've got my memories
They're always
Inside of me
But I can't go back
Back to how it was
I believe now
I've come too far
No I can't go back
Back to how it was
Created for a place
I've never known

Chorus:
This is home
Now I'm finally
Where I belong
Where I belong
Yeah, this is home
I've been searching
For a place of my own
Now I've found it
Maybe this is home
Yeah, this is home

Belief over misery
I've seen the enemy
And I won't go back

Back to how it was
And I got my heart
Set on
What happens next
I got my eyes wide
It's not over yet
We are miracles
And we're not alone

(Chorus)

And now after all
My searching
After all my questions
I'm gonna call it home
I got a brand new mindset
I can finally see
The sunset
I'm gonna call it home

(Chorus)

Now I know
Yeah, this is home

I've come too far
Now I won't go back
This is home

I am thankful for my children walking with God, a home, a working automobile, friends who love us, an amazing church family, a job, sunshine and rain.

That's all for now. later gators.

Another month gone...

School is out. First week of summer is over. Summer reading camp starts next week. Two weddings down. Several to go.

did I say it's the summer of the weddings? Two in May. Two in June (not counting the one I missed). Two in July. All friends or children of friends. Or in the case of the one yesterday, a nephew. It's crazy.

And lately, I pray that God will bring someone for the kids and I. I've been reading a book called "How to live well as a Single Mom." And today, I was wondering just how well-adjusted my children are. Are they tramatized by the divorce and I just don't realize it? Are they understanding of relationships? Do they have godly role models to follow? Am I missing something that they need?

So much turmoil lately as well. A friend whose 17 year old daughter is pregnant (and I've heard of one more who is pregnant). Another friend is in the midst of a bankruptcy that they never saw coming. The friends who are ill. I know that there are things going on in the heavenlies and on earth but so many prayers are needed.

back later.