YUCK!

Some things are just not made to be sugar free...

Cake is one of those things.

No more school =(

I actually missed not having to go to school today.

Weird... really weird...

SURPRISE!

I work with the greatest group of girls ever... and after you read this, you may think that that comment was a sarcastic one, but it really isn't. I enjoy coming to work with them everyday and they always manage to make a horrible day fun... As one of them quoted, "It should be illegal to have this much fun at work." I almost wrote a little blog about how much I missed them... I guess they missed me too.

So as you know, I was on vacation for four days. So today, I come back to work and say good morning to everyone. When I left, everything was put away in its place nice and clean. I approach my desk, and I just see stacks of papers everywhere, boxes all over the place, rubber bands and paper clips thrown all over, and post its with little notes stuck all over my hutch. Ha ha ha! They sure are a bunch of funny girls. Then, sitting on my keyboard was a note signed by our VP telling me about how my desk was unacceptable and I need to "rectify this situation immediately." I could not stop laughing. The mess is cleaned and the day goes on and I thought everything was done... BOY WAS I WRONG?!? My calculator was unplugged, my stapler taped shut, and then the phone... The phone was taped all over. I tried to answer my phone and I wasn't getting a signal!!! The hang up button was taped down and so was the mouth and ear piece! Those silly girls!!! But I love them anyway...

And now, I have been initiated in the accounting department.

P.S. They said it was because they missed me... Boy do I feel loved!

Second grade

Today was "Meet the Teacher" day at my baby's school... My baby... now in SECOND GRADE!!! Boy does time fly by so fast. It seems like just yesterday, I was walking her to her preschool class with tears in my eyes because she was growing right before my very eyes... and now she's in SECOND GRADE!

Actually, it seems like just yesterday, I was in second grade. Second grade was definitely a year to remember for me. Being a military brat all my life, I went to three different schools in second grade and one of them happened to be right here in San Angelo. Funny where the military takes you at times... The funniest part is my dad volunteered and sacrificed a year away from the family at a horrible base in Korea so we could be assigned somewhere other than here the first time around... and here we are, back in San Angelo. The military must have thought they were being funny when they handed my dad the papers for his last duty station before retiring. We seriously thought it was a joke. But I don't regret it one bit. This city has grown on me for sure. And this is the place I fell in love with Jesus the way I should have been all of my life. The amazing part is that my dad felt the disappointment within the family that he wanted to find a way to change the assignment. The only other option was Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi and he tried very hard to arrange that for us. But God is great because if we had been stationed there like we very much wanted to, we would have experienced the disasters of Hurricane Katrina. This is just one of the few ways God has revealed to me that He knows what he is doing and has reasons for everything He does.

But now, it is my baby's turn to start her second grade year here in San Angelo! She is so excited! She was assigned to the teacher she really wanted and she gets to sit right next to her best friend. I just can't believe summer has already come and gone.

And the week comes to an end...

I'm back. I went on vacation and now I'm back. It seems like time flew by so fast and there wasn't enough day to do everything. It was absolutely fun. What really puts a smile on my face is seeing my baby excited about the things we do. If only everyday was a fun day... and on top of all of that, the weather was absolutely perfect. It wasn't blazing hot like a typical August day in Texas. It was cloudy with a little wind. Thank you God for good weather! We started off at the Ft. Worth zoo. Thanks to everyone who recommended it. It was definitely a blast and I loved the many shady spots and air conditioned attractions.

Then we stayed in a hotel which was walking distance from Six Flags and of course we had to do that. We walked over thinking that it opened at 10, but ended up waiting for an hour because they really didn't open until 11! This is Diamond's first year to be tall enough to ride roller coasters so I thought it would be fun to go. She refused to ride on the really big coasters like the Texas Giant or the Titan, and I don't blame her. But she also didn't want to ride anything that turned her upside down. I didn't want to force her either. I asked her a few times and asked her if she was sure that she didn't want to and her answer was... "Yes mom, I'm sure. God said no." Well how do you argue with that comment... =)

And finally our trip ended with a trip to some Dallas museums. There was a total of 8 museums located in Fair Park and we tried to visit as many as we could, but our feet were already pretty exhausted from 3 days of walking around. My favorite of all of the ones we visited is the museum of Nature and Science. There was a variety of fun things to do there for adults and kids.

Silly me, I forgot to pack tennis shoes, so I had to do all this trekking in my lovely Old Navy flip flops. They did the job, but I'm sure my feet wouldn't hurt so much if I had planned with the right shoes... Sometimes on trips, we remember everything else, but the most important things. It was fun. The family had a blast, but nothing beats being able to sleep and relax in your own house.

Yay!!!

Why did I have to go to work today? Oh well, what matters is that I'm off for the rest of the week!!! I'm excited!

Small beginnings

"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer..." - Matthew 21:22

Here's a little something from my devotional tonight...

No matter what our situation, before we are ready to minister, we must learn to be faithful and diligent at whatever is at hand in our lives right now. As we yield our expectations and demands and find contentment in God's love for us, He will begin to send opportunities for us to minister to others. We must not despise the days of "small beginnings." He is not in a hurry. We must not become impatient and let our spiritual vision outstrip our emotional growth.
It is so critical that we grasp the significance of the seasons of our lives, the different periods during which God is building character! No matter how clearly we visualize the dreams for ministiry, without the graceful bowing to self-denial and a deepened sense of our own need for Christ, which teaches us to forgive, without learning to say we are sorry to those with whom we live, there is no true ministry.
Oh, we may run about doing amazing things in the name of ministry, but we will not find God in any of our efforts. No eternal effect comes without the catalyst of character, and character is built by godly responses to the things at hand.
Faithfulness constitutes the fabric that must be woven into our own lives as we are dressed to carry the cross to the world. And faithfulness to those closest to us - our parents, husbands, children and friends - will be the garment that protects our hearts in the battlefield.

-Joyce Strong

Lord, teach me to wait on You and help me to appreciate the day of small beginnings... Sometimes in life we forget the great plans You have for us. But with patience and faithfulness in prayer, you never fail to provide and remind us of how much You love us. Thank you Lord.