Happy Birthday to me!

Every year for I don't even know how many years, I have gotten rice krispy treats handmade by my wonderful husband. And every year he hand picks me a card.

My husband is not a romantic, and he does not do things at the spur of the moment(unless I force him to!). My husband is predictable and practical. He knows I love his treats, and he knows I love that he takes the time to pick out a card for me. So that is what he does.



 My husband doesn't always realize that I take my romance where I can get it and I have more than one way to spell romance.

My husband has done our laundry for the past 24 years. My husband has balanced our checkbook to the penny for the past 24 years. My husband has tolerated my baby blues, my family dramas, my extra love handles. My husband comes home to me every night and never misses telling me he loves me before he leaves for work. My husband never complains if he has to eat cereal for supper.

 My husband is the most romantic man I know, it's all in the way you look at it! Thanks for a great birthday!

She's driving...well sort of!

How can I even use words to describe this picture? How can this picture even exist? The answer...our little baby is growing up! This was actually her 2nd attempt behind the wheel, however dad was not prepared to take any picture while she was having her first lesson, and I can appreciate that! This time around, I was along for the ride, designated to the back seat by Samantha. That is an experience I will not be having again, due to the fact that I will exit the car if I am along for any more rides around the parking lot! That and motion sickness go hand in hand! So, this may be the only pic we have for now. Wish us luck and send up a few arrow prayers! (she is really doing good for her first experiences! So proud)

Zoo!!!

Last minute change of plans took us to the Tulsa Zoo today! Wow! It was crowded! Spring break in Oklahoma on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon is not the perfect zoo day! We however, did the best with what we had and came out with memories and time together as a family. We went with cousins, nephews, nieces, sisters! We had a crowd of 10! Supper at Olive Garden topped the evening with a highpoint! Fun, fellowship, food....a good day!

I'm too busy!

It's time! Time for parent teacher conferences, time for spring break, time for the band trip finalization's, time for AWANA, time for working more because we are gonna be shorthanded.  I don't have enough time.  And I am sitting here rebelling about not having enough time by blogging about the time I don't have.  I do not know how I got involved in so much stuff.  I can be just as involved without being the one responsible to make sure everyone else is doing the stuff they don't have time for either!  I need to just calm down and take it one minute at at time.  Deep breaths, calming thoughts...thanks for listening!

Bored Games?!?

Samantha is not much of a gamer. We do not regularly sit around the table with a game between us. Would I like to sit around a table often with a game around us? Hmmm, well to be honest, I am not much of a gamer either. I do however like games you have to think about. Not strategy per se, (like how to annihilate on Monopoly!) but like Scrabble, Guess Who? and Blockus!

Lately Samantha has randomly said, "Let's play a game!". My first thought is that I will get to spend a few minutes of quality time with my daughter. So I doubt my response will ever be No, or Not now...I hope response will never be no or not now! Tonight before we left to go separate ways on a Sunday night, we played Blockus. It's a fun easy game when you have only 2 colors, but add 2 more and it is nearly impossible to use up all your blocks. I hate to say it, but Samantha beat me! My pride is hurt, but I will strive to continue on!!! Thanks for the games Samantha!

Guess Who???

A lesson in deductive reasoning.

We broke out a game of Guess Who? tonight. It was brand new,right out of the box. The game took us longer to put together than to play. As we were playing, Samantha said that this is what they were learning in Biology, how to narrow down information to come to a solution. It was great that she related our spur of the moment game with what she was actually learning at school.

She is smarter than I give her credit for. She is funner than I give her credit for. Well, since I still think of her as like a 10 or 12 year old, she is even older than I give her credit for! I love my little girl...Guess who???

Life is precious, I am blessed



Something happened today that shook my world.  A precious life was lost, a mommy lost her unborn child and a family was changed forever. I did not know the family well, only well enough to smile and say hi in the hallways of church.  However, I did see God move through the people in my church.  Tears were shed, prayers were said, hugs were given, children were taken care of, family was picked up from the airport, pictures were taken, hours were spent in the waiting room.  I was only a part on the far outside, not touched physically, only emotionally.  I hope to help if I can, but am blessed by watching my church step up to the plate.  I am in tears for the family and am humbled by the heartache we all now share. 

I visited with my sister about my day today. She reminded me that my mother always said that some children are too special to God to have them endure the pressures of this world.  I am blessed by a loving church family, but am equally blessed in my God given family.  I was raised in the best family. A loving, smart, caring, Christian family.  I was also blessed because my mom was able to see my daughter and spend time with her and spoil her buying her Easter dresses and whatever came along that she thought Samantha would like. 

So since I am thinking about how life is precious, how thankful I am to be where I am today. I am posting a picture of my mom with Samantha in one of her Easter dresses.  I also know that mom endured the pressures of this world with grace and beauty.  I miss her dearly, but know she is in a much better place now.  For Jesus went to prepare a place for us, for where He is, there we shall be also, if we truly believe that He is the Son of God, born of a virgin, dying on a cross to save us from our sins, only to be raised from the dead conquering sin forever, to live at the right hand of God. He is our intercessor, our redeemer, our Lord. 

I am blessed