Six Word Saturday

PRAYING FOR OUR FRIENDS BEAUTIFUL BABY....

These are our friends Joe & Erica & their beautiful daughter Emily at Baby Dedication Day at church just a few weeks ago...

Today, baby Emily is in the hospital...

let me tell you first, Joe & I have been side by side in the youth ministry at our church for the past four years.  And in these past four years, Joe has truly become my little brother!  He's got my back & I've always got his back.  The deal was even better when I met his wife Erica & I knew I couldnt talk to her without busting a gut laughing... yep, add in a sister in the mix for me.  I love these two people!  They are just family to me...

They have always wanted to be parents... the road was not an easy one... but God was faithful & Erica became pregnant & after a hard road for momma, Baby Emily was born 6 months ago today....

She is now in the hospital with a genetic disorder called "Infantile Cluster Seizure"... or another name we've heard is "Infantile Spasms"... Emily is currently starting a very strong steroid & tests are still being ran.  The only thing that is certain is that there is going to be a long road ahead for this family...

Can I ask you all to join along & pray for this beautiful little girl, for her parents, Joe & Erica, & the whole family....

Jingling for Jesus

This morning, I needed red socks.  Looking through the drawer, I found a pair & then saw what was attached to them & had to just smile... there were bells attached to these socks...

I put them on & had to find Ricky... the dogs were chasing my feet at the sound & before I could get up to him, I could hear Ricky laughingly say "Oh no!"

You see, these socks were given to me from my dear friend Steph who is celebrating her 3rd Christmas with Jesus himself in Heaven!

Steph LOVED LOVED LOVED bells!  If a bell could be put on something - there was a bell on it! 

And one Black Friday, we convinced her to go shopping with us.  Lindsay, our youngest, decided to tackle it too... so what does Steph do?  She comes prepared for me, her & Lindsay.  She gets in the car & hands us our "Bell Socks"... her reasoning was legit for our Black Friday shopping adventure - "So we dont loose each other in the crowd"... & because I know my friend's love for bells - I had these bracelets ordered.  They say "Jingle for Jesus" on them...

Well, add a few bell necklaces & you could hear the three of us in any store!  So much so that Ricky was even embarassed to be around us!

It was awesome though because when the lines were super long, one of us would stay in our place & the other two would run to find bargains... we could hear each other getting closer because of the bells...

So today, as I walk around my office - with every ring of my feet, I'll smile of memories of my friend...

& I cant help but think of the line from "Its a Wonerful Life" - that every time a bell rings, an angel gets their wings!  My friend Steph, I'm sure already has those angel wings!... But I'm sure she's doing some major Jingling for Jesus up there in Heaven!  So I'll keep smiling at every ring I hear...

GOD/DOG... for all the dog lovers...

My daddy knows I love my doggies... & all the doggies in the world...

And he knows I love my God... so he sent me this video... its under 2 minutes... you HAVE to watch it... even if you ARENT a dog fan, you'll adore this song...ENJOY!!!

All About Christmas

With no Dancing with the Stars, I'm all at a loss... So needless to say, I was out in the blogging world tonight & ran across a fun Christmas tag... if you wanna play, let me know so I can stop by!

(1) What is your favorite Christmas movie?

For sure... ELF!!!!!  So many favorite parts but every time, when he burps for 5 minutes & then says "DID YOU HEAR THAT?"... I about pee on myself laughing every time!!!

(2) What is your LEAST favorite Christmas movie?
I think the Frosty remake... dont even remember the name of it, but it had something to do with a snow removal product...stupid, just stupid...

(3) What is your favorite Christmas song?
O Holy Night.... by ANYONE... everytime I hear that song, it makes me tear up or gives me chills... the part "Fall on your knees....", mercy me, its just beautiful

(4) What Christmas song(s) drives you crazy?
Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer.... seriously?  This song is popular, WHY?

(5) What is your favorite Christmas drink? (i.e. egg nog, hot chocolate)
Diet Coke...
Hey - I'm not a big "hot" drink kinda person... & I'm not a fan of anything milk-y... But at least this year, they have coke products in those cute little ornament looking bottles - that's festive enough, right?

(6) What is your favorite Christmas memory?
I just love remembering all the Christmas mornings as a kid... me & my brother waking up, doing what we could to wake our parents up so we could go downstairs to see what Santa left... that anticipation is something that cant be replaced!

(7) What is the best toy/gift you've received on Christmas?
Our Schnauzer puppy... my brother & I ran right past her & she was sitting under the tree scared to death of two kids running around... she was a great present... a part of our family for MANY years!

(8) What is the worst toy/gift you've received on Christmas?
call me corny or sentimental, but I dont think any gift is bad... if someone is giving you something, then to me, its wonderful... (too Pollyanna?  sorry)

(9) What do you LOVE about the holidays?
Just the feeling... Christmas definitely has a "feeling" that can be sensed EVERYWHERE!

(10) What annoys you about the holidays?
The need I have to find that "perfect gift"... I can drive myself CRAZY sometimes... & that's not even what its about...

(11) Do you prefer star or angel on top of a Christmas tree? Or something else?
I PREFER an angel, but we have a Disney Christmas tree... & we actually found a Minnie Mouse Angel - but it kept toppling over at top... they dont make the top of trees very sturdy... so we're ribbon clad at the top.

(12) What is your family favorite recipe at Christmas?
If you saw my post not too long ago, it used to be my grandma's dumplings... but now, I have to say, I look forward to my brother's brocoli casserole... cheesy, yumminess at its best!  Doesnt even taste like a vegetable!

(13) Are you a Grinch or a Who at Christmastime?
Probably a Grinch... hate to admit it... but look back to #10... too much pressure at Christmas & too much to do with so little time... I can do some Christmas complaining - that's all I'll say about that!

(14) Christmas light displays - Love them or Hate them?
Love them.... at everyone else's houses!  I get to enjoy it & dont have to deal with the hassle... so thank you all you Christmas Light Displayers!

(15) Santas at the mall - Fun times or Creepy?
The ones with the fake beards... FOR SURE CREEPY!!!!  But some of them that play along & look the part, those are some fun times!  or ones that let me & for teenage girls pile around him - definitely FUN TIMES!

(16) Christmas cards - do you send them, yes or no?
I used to be really good about it, but now with postage being so expensive, that's one area we have cut out...It seems like every year we receive less too... or maybe that's because more people dont like us every year (gasp!!!)

(17) What is the best thing about Christmas, in your opinion?
That's a given for me... the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!!!!  Nothing better then that in the world!

(18) What is the worst thing about Christmas?
The commercialism or greed that seeps into the season taking away the whole meaning of Christmas...

(19) When do you put the tree up and take it down?
It goes up every year the day after Thanksgiving, after the Black Friday shopping (can you say EXHAUSTED?)... & it goes down on New Years Day... the house is always so empty looking after that!

(20) Out of the 12 days of Christmas, which day and item would you want your truelove to give to you?
Knowing my husband, it would be the 12 Drummers Drumming... but his drummers would look like the picture here!  He IS a rocker afterall!  And really, this red headed dude kinda looks like Ricky! 

(21) Why do you think that Grandma got run over by a reindeer?
Just to tick me off... see #4

(22) Who is your favorite reindeer?
Hello?!?!  Do you all know me... my favorite reindeer is NOT Rudolph... it would have to be DANCER!!!!

(23) Do you believe in Santa Claus?
I believe Santa is part of the magic of Christmas... & Christmas is FULL of magic

(24) What is your favorite smell at Christmastime?
ANYTHING baking... if it has sugar & is sweet & is warm out of the oven... mmmm, yeah!

(25) What would make you happy at Christmas this year?
To see Isaac's face Christmas morning when he opens his gifts... big heavy sigh...

Be sure to let me know if you are playing along!  I wanna see if you too detest "Grandma got ran over by a Reindeer"

Close to the Broken-Hearted...

I know the Holidays arent wonderfully happy for everyone....

& today, this verse has just kept going through my mind & my heart...

So I'm thinking someone, including me, needs to hear this verse...

And today - my blog post is simple, but I pray it touches & speaks to whoever needs it today...

If your heart is broken, you'll find God right there;

if you are kicked in the gut, he'll help you catch your breath.

Disciples so often get in trouble;

still, God is there every time.

-Psalm 34:18-19

Six Word Saturday

WHY IS CHRISTMAS SO DANG MESSY?????

I woke up this morning after a long day of shopping & an even longer day of wrapping last night, feeling refreshed & ready for a new day...

Then I walked out of my bedroom....

UGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!

No - this isnt what my table looks like - mine looks worse!!!!  But my house is just a mess!  Wrapping stuff everywhere, bags everywhere, gifts that are wrapped - just sitting on the couch waiting for my tree to go up, gifts that NEED to be wrapped...you know those - the ones you wait until the last minute because they are the weirdest shapes to figure out how to make it look pretty!  By the end, I wont even care - I'll just roll it in paper & put a piece of tape to hold it together.  Slap a bow on it, & good enough for me!

But today, we've got to pull out the Christmas tree decorations - MORE MESS...

Not to mention the mess of Thanksgiving leftovers being pulled out & reheated & nibbled on all day...

And NOT to mention all the knitting projects going on so piles of yarn everywhere...

Needless to say, I'm getting overwhelmed...

& it doesnt help I'm sitting here watching Martha Stewart & her showing how easy & beautiful Christmas is supposed to be... shut up Martha!

Off to do SOMETHING to get this house straightened up...

How the Day went...

How was your Thanksgiving?

I was woken up at 7:00 with my husband standing over top of me saying "Are you ready?"... I clear my eyes to see what the heck he's talking about & he's standing there with the newspaper!  Its tradition for us to go through the Black Friday sales ads together & he just couldnt wait until I woke up....Sydney had to get in the mix too....

I went to my brother's house & had Thanksgiving with them while Ricky went to his family's...  today was also my brother's birthday!  Happy Birthday Tony... I asked Sophia how old she thought her daddy was.  She said 27... I said, how old do you think I am?  She said 28... yeah, my brother is older then me, & Sophia knows that, but that's OK - I'll take 28!  Here's Madi just eyeing Tony's ice cream cake... & I had to be slick to take a picture of Madi - she's Miss Camera Shy....

& then me & Ricky meet up for our own Thanksgiving dinner so we can eat together.  I do a turkey breast in the crock pot & man, can I tell you - it just fell off the bones & it was the yummiest turkey...

Ricky even said, "Take a picture of my plate for your blog"... to me, that's his way of saying "This is good stuff!"...

& even the dogs were going a little crazy....

So now, the kitchen is clean & the leftovers are put up for tomorrow & I'm ready to relax a little because we've got the alarm clock set for around 3:00 am.... WHAT?  Yes, 3:00 AM.... This is a glimpse of where I'll be in the next few hours....

Are you out taking advantage of Black Friday Sales?  How was your Turkey Day?  Are you still as stuffed as I am?

Happy Thanksgiving

May we be thankful for our blessings at ALL times...

Enter his gates with thanksgiving & his courts with praise; give thanks to him & praise his name.

For the Lord is good & his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

-Psalms 100:4-5

And for a little fun... enjoy this video... THANK YOU CHICKEN NUGGET PEOPLE!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just enough

I was blessed to give our church's communion thought this past Sunday... Every time I hear "Communion Thought" I think of Saturday Night Live's "Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey"...two TOTALLY different things...

But our pastor gave me the scripture earlier in the week from where he was going to get his message.  It was going to be in 1 Chronicles 29:10-22... I kept reading it over & over & one verse just kept coming out to me.

"And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, requirements & decrees...." verse 19

Those words wholehearted devotion just kept hitting me....

I mentioned earlier that I just celebrated 17 years at my job.  Obviously, I'm dedicated to my job - devoted... to an extent.  I mean, after 17 years, I know the days where I can take a longer lunch... or I can bring knitting in & knit the afternoon away.  Its like I know on some days where I can just do what needs to be done... just enough to finish what I have to do...

Then I thought of how we do that with our walks with God.  That we loose our "wholehearted" devotion - we end up just doing "enough"... following the commands & rules that we LIKE... not the whole thing...Oh, yes, we still love Him & are devoted... but we loose the complete picture somewhere along the way.

Where are you lacking wholehearted devotion?  In finances, in relationships, in attitude, in passion....?

Its easy to do - & I think we all loose it at time... but God can & does restore it...

Beautiful Ending...

I've always loved Barlow Girl... love people that have a ear for harmonizing... jealous of them actually (Yes, I'm talking to you Lynn!)  Barlow Girl is made up of a group of sisters & they are just growing & changing with each of their new albums.

Their latest came out - "Love & War" & they had it on sale for $8.99 the day I ran in to pick up my wonderful Steven Curtis Chapman's CD.. (You totally knew I was going to throw his name in there)...

I am in love with this CD... but the one song that I'm just listening to over & over is "Beautiful Ending"...

The words in just the first part of the song breaks my heart...

And it scares me to think

That I would choose

My life over you

Oh, my selfish heart

Divides me from You

It tears me apart

The selfishness in us - that tears us away from God...

Its funny because this morning, Ricky & I were just talking about selfishness... not because of something we did - but I was watching my dogs this morning.  Zoe was laying in the dog bed at the foot of our bed... she wouldnt move because she knew Sydney was standing right next to it waiting for her to move so she could take her place in the comfy, warm softness of this bed. 

And I look up and on OUR bed (these dogs said "forget the dog bed!") & Bruno is chewing a bone just staring at Buffy while Buffy is just waiting for Bruno to turn his head for a minute so she can run off with it...

I told Ricky - look at that.  Selfishness is bred into not even our being, but animal's instincts as well...

Its "what I want"... "its all about it"... "I'm in control"... "I am in charge."..

And then I get in my car & the CD is still tuned into this song...

The words continue to say "At the end of it all, I wanna be in your arms"....

Thats the most beautiful thing of it all... no matter our selfishness, God will take us back into his arms because He loves us DESPITE ourselves....

May I set aside more & more of my selfishness daily as I long for my own beautiful ending...

Who's it going to be?

Tonight's the night.... Our big Dancing with the Stars Finale!  I get so anxious...I usually do a recap during the show, but honestly, I am so happy about the final 3, I'm just going to kick back & hold on to my knitting & yell on the couch instead of sitting at the computer.... I dont think there is anything else I could even say about these three.  With Aaron & Joanna gone - I'll be happy with ANY of these three holding that hidious, beautiful mirror ball trophy...

Is it going to be Kelly?  She's the under dog, but she truly has become a beautiful young lady who carries herself with more poise.  Is she the best dancer?  Nope, but in a show like this - its kinda, not really the thing that makes someone win.  Plus, there are alot of Ozzy fans out there so you may see a rush of 50-60 yr old rocker men pick up the phone... (hey, that almost includes my husband!)

Then there's Mya....She is obviously the best dancer on the show so that's why I feel like she deserves it.  I dont think she has anywhere the personality as the others, but her dancing definitely pulled her through.  And I'd like to see our alumn from So you Think you can dance, Dmitry, take the trophy!  He deserves it after having that horrible partner of Holly Madison last year!

Finally..... DONNIE OSMOND!  Yes, he is deep in my heart my fav to win & who I'll vote for.  I can say that without even seeing his dance tonight - I just would love for him to win...But if he doesnt win - I wont be devestated.  He is truly the entertainer & for that reason, I believe he should win.  And (Sorry AuburnChick,) I really like Kim & would like to see her take a win too...

Who do you think will take it all?

Somebody lost a tooth....

... & it wasn't me!

How many of you all thought it was me with all the dental issues I've had over the years?  Luckily - this isnt about my teeth...

I met up with my family this weekend & lo & behold, one of the twins has lost their FIRST tooth!!!

Here's a picture of Sophia showing me... & yes, you actually cant see her tooth space in this picture - but I love her eyes in this picture, so I'm showing you all anyways...

The kicker - no one knows where the tooth is.  She didnt even tell anyone she lost it!  My brother & sister in law think maybe she lost it at school...

She just keeps saying "I think its under the couch"... how funny is that?

Hopefully the tooth fairy found it in fairy land enough for her reward for her first tooth gone...

Where does time go...they grow up so fast!...

Six Word Saturday

OUR FUR BABY IS TURNING 9!!!!

Sydney is our Australian Sheperd.  She is one of our fur-babies - the oldest of the group - & her birthday is tomorrow & she turns the big 9 YEARS OLD!  Her birthday is so easy to remember because it is 11-22-00.  Being a number freak, I always loved that date....

If you've never dealt with an Aussie - let me tell you - they are the best breed!  They are so smart - smart enough where we literally have to SPELL words around her - & I'm not sure she doesnt know how to spell now too!

They are a protective dog. Protective of their family, of their home, of their other fur-sisters & fur-brother.

Ricky & I always said we will always have an Aussie in our home...

The down side of an Aussie - they have horrible hip problems & as we hit Sydney's 9th birthday, her hips have really kicked in the past few months.  We had to buy steps for her to get up & down in the bed.  She doesnt like to use them & she's smart enough to con us to pick her up & put her down out of the bed so she doesnt have to push herself.  Not easy to do sometimes, as she's about 75 lbs - but its building up muscles - right? 

We had an Aussie before Syd - & we literally carried her in & out to go to the bathroom the last part of her life for about 2 years, so we're used to tending to those hips... just hate its already setting in on our Syd-girl.

So tomorrow, Sydney Louise will get a special treat & we'll sing happy birthday to her & maybe even take her on a walk to the park (her favorite thing in the world!)...

And if you think its weird we celebrate our fur-babies birthday, you must not be a dog-owner.  Because once you are, you know how they are a part of your heart & how they are a member of the family!  And would you ignore a family member's birthday....

Friday Fragments

*I could just put this picture up & leave it at that.... after all - it is NEW MOON day!!!!  AHHH - counting down... t- minus 11 hrs till my moving showing...

Yes! I'm one of THOSE people!  And believe me - if I didnt have to be up at 5:30 am to go to work, I would have been at the midnight showing.  But I'm looking forward to meeting up with friends & sitting in a room full of Twilight-ers & screaming like I did about Patrick Duffy when he was the "Man from Atlantis"... dang - there I go showing my age again!

Anyone remember this show?  I was  YOUNG... but man,  I crushed on this guy in this show!  Before his big days of Dallas... we're talking REALLY old school there!

*I got a camera this weekend... Another Sony Cybershot - but the next step up from what I had.  I feel so much happier knowing I can pull out & click any time I want to again.  Didnt realize how dependant I was on cameras until it was gone.  But now that I have that - I can set my goals on that mac-daddy camera... yes, the best of both worlds!  I love the HOT PINK of this one too... makes me smile every time I hold it!  Hot pink just does that...

*Driving home yesterday from working out, I saw 5 Christmas trees in windows & at least a dozen houses with lights up... I guess Thanksgiving is getting further & further pushed out of the way...

*Project Runway season is over.  And surprise - another ALL BLACK collection won?  Wasnt that FIERCE with Christian?  But again?  I think they just look for the wackiest things & say that's "Innovative" & let them win.  I liked Althea the best... but I'm no Michael Kors or Nina Garcia!

*SPAT OF THE WEEK:  Cordless phones!  Our phones are deader than a doorknob... no charge left in them at all.  They are getting pretty old & it was time to get some new ones.  So when we made the trip to get my camera, we went ahead & picked up new phones.  They are on the counter & Ricky goes to pull them out & hook them all up around the house the minute - literally, the minute - I call him to tell him supper is ready.  As he's pulling everything out of the box, I ask him if he can wait, since hello?, I'm putting his food on his plate... he said "Fine, they can just wait now - we dont need to get them hooked up"... so because I made him wait that minute, he refused to hook them up all week long & he'll do it when "he's ready'... seriously?  Really?  So if you call my house & the phone goes dead, its because the old ones are still hooked up & Ricky's still sporting his stubborness.

*Anyone else excited about seeing Disney's new movie "The Princess & the Frog"?  I cant wait!  I love me a Disney story anytime, and add in a Princess in there - I'm all about it!  Hoping to take my twin nieces... if not, I gotta snag up on someone's kids, so it doesnt look like I'm the one who's anxious to see it!

*Speaking of Princesses... do you believe in Happily Ever Afters?

*BEST GLEE MOMENT:  We had a full episode without Sue Sylvester?  And it was STILL good?  Who would have thought!  But when Finn was in the bathroom talking to Kurt & he said

"I gotta go - they'll think I'm pooping" -

I about died laughing!  And then his "Karate moves" to pump him up to sing his heart to his family... is there anything better then this show?  And to close out the week, I'll leave you with the song that made me cry this week - Finn singing "I'll stand by You"...

Oh - & speaking of Finn - I saw on People.com that all three of the hot guys from Glee - Finn, Mr. Shue & Puck - they are all like within 3 yrs of each other - in their late 20's...

Now - onto my tearful song of the week....

Water thru the nose is a lesson? Oh yes!

You know me - I try to find a lesson in anything...  & with flu bugs going around - the Neti-pot has been sitting right on my bathroom counter, I could just see so many things that spoke to me... yes - a Neti-pot - the contraption that puts water through your nose.

I pulled out the neti-pot & not one of the kids knew what it was... I was sorta surprised, but that made it even more fun!  So I ask for a volunteer & everyone is afraid!  One brave soul finally came up... Here I am explaining what he's about to do... yeah, he's nervous!

Our youth minister came up & he brought his own Neti-pot... & he demonstrates how it works...

Then he walks this young man through it - giving him one on one directions & support

He even puts his hand on his back & tells him what to do so he doesnt choke, walks him through step by step...

So many lessons in this example...

First - I really hit on the salt water!  The way that salt gets in there & cleanses out your nasal cavity... when we take God into our life - dont we get "cleansed"?  So many examples of washing away our sins in the Bible!  So many great scriptures of God scrubing us clean of guilt ...

And what really hit me too - is that Jeremy, our youth minister - he showed the example of how it was going to be... it didnt take the nerves away... Eli was still nervous because he never did it before - but he saw that Jeremy survived!  His words were "I knew if I choked - he could do CPR or go get my mom"... Eli felt the support there!  The safety of the situation...

I loved the fact that Jeremy stood there & walked him through every step... "tilt your head".... "breath through your nose"....guided him...

But you know what - Jeremy couldnt FEEL what Eli was going through - Eli had to do that himself.  But Jeremy could be with him because he knew HOW it felt... & Jeremy couldnt take away the "weirdness" of water running through his nose - but he knew what it felt like himself & could relate...

And ultimately, Eli lived through it, he could do it himself now & then he could walk someone through the same process...

What an example to me... can you see it? It was screaming to me! 

We are on these walks with Christ - & people can come along side us & encourage us & walk us through - but its still OUR decision to take a step & go through with the relationship with God... & because people come along side us - it doesnt make the walk totally rainbows & butterflies... we'll still have painful situations, but they can relate & they can put their hands on our backs & walk us through.  And we can go through processes that cleanse us & those aren't always pretty situations & they can be uncomfortable... but in the end, we see we survive...

& then we can help the next person...

All through a Neti-pot....