has it really been that long???

We haven't posted anything for quite some time! We have been so busy! My job has consisted of several new computer installs and lots of training and being trained! Have you heard of social bookmarking? Do you want to let other people see your bookmark? Check it out at the delicious.com. You can use this site for sharing your bookmarks. Also, I have been seeing a lot of great videos on the Common Craft Show. There are so many cool things on the web that I would hang out forever on this thing if I didn't have kids! On that note, the kids are doing great! They are starting basketball season and Dayne is trying to get a DI team together. Well, I am, I guess. It is so much work that I just want to get started so I don't back out! We are so excited about this great time of year. We get to be thankful for all of our blessings and really take the time to grow in our hearts and give back to others. We will be getting some great pictures made soon and so I will post some cute pictures soon! Take care everyone!

It's time for the Fall!

So much has happened since September 7.......we have had lots of family time, soccer, hurricane talk/prayer, and family issues with crazy emotions. I began reading a book I don't want to put down only so I can start it over again. It is called The Shack and everyone in the Christian community is reading it. It has such an elaborate use of imagery, I have to re-read lines to let them soak in and gather the beauty of the words that flow from the page. I want to loan it out, so I haven't been writing in it, but so desperately I long to underline sentence after sentence. One line in particular says "if rainbows talked or flowers growing made a sound, it would be the sound of her laughter". I replaced "her" with my boy's. Now, that is truth! Who doesn't agree that your child's laughter would sound like a rainbow or a flower growing. If you disagree, then Kiss My Grits!

Truthfully, I make this blog a sweet, fun page to share with family and friends so you can enjoy our life as much as we do. Our family dynamics have changed so much since my divorce. We don't always enjoy everything. Lives have been broken and our dreams, shattered. Through these dark times, we are holding on to Jesus, crying out to Jesus, and desperately seeking to fill ourselves with unclean filth to cover the abrasive cleaning we know we need. The Shack describes our ways and His ways, and our ways are so far from His ways. I can't even imagine. I really can't. One thought the book discloses is that of the past, present, and future. Yes, we all know we worry about tomorrow and regret, and hang onto the past, but Jesus is the present. He is the here and now God. I want to be the here and now servant. How do I train my kids this way? Help me model this for them. How can I teach what I don't even know? Friends and family, pull together to seek today's gift. I need my kids to do things different and I don't know how to train them. I want to be teachable, pliable, and humble enough to know I need all that God placed around me to take it one day at a time. I told the kids I haven't been on the phone much. The reason isn't because I don't want to be, but because I don't have as many useless words to say right now. I am tired of hearing myself talk about nothing, worry about tomorrow, or dwell on the past.

One last thing. An old friend called to tell me she received Christ recently. Her enthusiasm is very apparent and we instantly retreated to our childhood sister relationship we once had living next door to one another. We talked and shared the excitement God brings, and we both teared up at what her eternal life looks like now. Then, the dreaded subject of my divorce came up. She was confused on how I could be divorced as a Christian. After giving her the long of the short of things, I found my answer. I don't know. I am a sinner and I quit. I couldn't do it anymore and when I face God on the day of judgement, I will know for sure then, what the implications of this death truly were....until then, I ask God for healing and to grow my testimony in Him so that He would be glorified in spite of me. His grace is sufficient for me. His strength is made perfect when I am weak. All that I cling to I lay at His feet. His grace is sufficient for me........

Hard to update, but lots of thoughts floating!!!

OK....where do we start? Let's go back a week and talk about our labor day fun! Who doesn't love the water? We didn't want the weekend to go by without hitting the lake so we went to the clearance isle at the local Big Lots and bought a 12 ft inflatable boat. I know what you are thinking....wow, they got a boat! Yes we did. No motor, just four sturdy plastic oars that allow us to row till our hearts are content. The kids and I were pumped! We blew up the clearance item (only $7.50) and carried it down to the "beach". As I stood at the water's edge thinking about the safety of my kids around all of the boats, I thought we shouldn't row too far out. When I eventually got myself up in the boat after pulling the kids out into the water, I also dumped in about a gallon of water. We seemed to be okay on the weight limit, but who knew the holiday weekend waves would be such a challenge to row against!!! Needless to say, the harder we worked, the more this seemed less like an enjoyable day at the lake, and more of a blur in the hot sun watching all of the real boats with motors and stuff pass us by....I decided it would be best to allow nature to take us where it led....so we proceeded to allow the waves push us into shore in the opposite direction of our belongings right into a group of drunk Hispanic men past the point of belligerence. The boys didn't even notice and began slinging mud they scooped out of the ground using the old oars as shovels! Cute. Real cute. I begin to whisper softly and row quickly away, away, away, from this unpleasant situation....We managed to escape unharmed, had a good old fashion mud fight, packed up our stuff, and came home. You can't say that we don't go out on the boat!!!

This last week, Mema came to visit. I got in real trouble today at church announcing all my laundry was done and the dinner was cooked every night-they thought I was a bad host. They don't know my Mema. If I had given her nothing to do, she would have been too bored an wanted to go back home. She did some much needed sewing and was a great after school caretaker as I worked 12-hour days!!! Friday nights Toby Keith concert was a blast because I knew I could go straight home and not have to worry about the kids! I really appreciated all of her hard work. Although I thought it was one of the worst weeks for her to visit, it turned out to be one of the best. She was so helpful, it helped her. She needs to be needed just like we all do and she talked the entire time-no one ever asked her to stop! The kids and I are great at tuning things out so we didn't mind a bit. I am privileged and honored that my grandmother who loves the Lord more than anyone I know kept me up telling me the sweetest stories of her walk with God. This week gave me moments in time I will never forget. I love my mema.

Updating the Blog...

Back to school and going strong...We have hit the new year hard and fast. This week is a whirlwind. Now, I must say I don't have too much to worry about myself being in my new department. I can't believe how much I used to do this first week of school. Don't get me wrong, it is definitely a challenge, but in a completely different way! The boys are at two different schools which makes for interesting mornings and stirs up a little bit of chaos. We are just praying Dayne gets to move with Cole and all will be right with the world! Either way, I know they are both enjoying their year so far. Short story about Cole...after putting him in time out the other day he asked how long will he have to stay there. I asked him how old he was and he said 6. I proceeded to tell him he needed to sit out for 6 minutes so he decided he was only one! Yes, that is how adorable he is which makes it so hard to train him in the way he should go. Proverbs 22:6 hasn't met Cole!

We went to the Apple store for a workshop tonight. The kids learned how to make a truly fun presentation and burned their creation to a CD. I felt like I was forcing them to be in love with the Mac when it first began, but as they went along learning, they naturally fell in love just like they all do! You can't help but love a Mac. I wonder if that's where Mac Daddy came from. Or maybe, that's why they named it Mac. I may never know the answer to this and so many other interesting questions I have! One last thought...
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind." Basically, it's made up of two separate words, mank and ind. What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
God Bless!!!

Busy New Job, New School Year, New Start

I am so excited to report I have been back to work for the last week and absolutely love my new position! It is so confusing and I have no idea what they are talking about half the time, but my smile and nodding seems to be working! No, really, this new team I am with is fabulous! They are always reassuring me that they knew nothing when they started either. So, I am learning so much everyday and trying to pin down my new schedule. The kids still have no answer on where they are going to school, but they are accepting that their not knowing is OK! In the midst of all of this, I enjoyed a day off today riding the train. We visited an old soda fountain shop in Irving and went to see the new Star Wars movie. I used some serious coupons and we all had drinks, popcorn, and candy along with tickets to see the movie for $13.00. Sometimes I wonder how I get such great deals and that is when I am reminded-God is my Employer and I work for Him. He has the most benefits and the best salary! I miss my friends from my old school already, but have been asked to help with their technology too so I will get to visit much more than I originally thought! Dayne and Cole haven't expressed sadness about missing their friends but I really believe it will be a good time for change. Now, if anyone can force me to lose 30 lbs, I know I will be complete!!!

This is sort of a random entry, but I haven't been updating like I should. I will try to be more attentive for those nosy rosies out there spying on me!

Last minute summer fun...

We are trying to cram in the rest of our summer fun before I go back to work. Tuesday was open to close six flags day! Today we hit the wet zone in the small town of Rowlett. Cole couldn't ride any of the slides because he was one inch too short. Needless to say, he was crushed. HOWEVER, it ended up to be such a blessing as we were forced to spend lots of time in the mini-lazy river. Monday was great fun swimming with my friends and their kids. The boys are so much fun! We have to clean the house for my pampered chef party on Saturday. That will be a BLAST!!!

Missing friends and a schedule...

Yesterday I actually felt like it was time to get back on a schedule. I felt uneasy about what to do next. It seems we still have so much to do, but at the same time, I have never been 100% efficient on time management. We have our annual birthday swim party we are planning along with my pampered chef show. We have summer fun planned this week and next, but work will start early for me this year. The kids are not secure in their new school and we have no sound day care. Maybe I will feel more prepared when we have more concrete plans for our future. I am currently listening to a book on tape called Rosie Dunn. The narrator constantly reads to and from because they are always e-mailing and instant messaging! What a difference from 20 years ago! The literature really has a way of keeping up with the Jones'. Well, I think I am going to stop the audio to watch my Redbox. I have locked myself in my room eating junk food and listening and watching this rented entertainment. Till next time...

New Endeavors...

New job, new school, new outlook! I am so excited to start my new job as an elementary technology facilitator! I couldn't believe I got the job. It was very sudden and unexpected. I wasn't looking to change and just thought I would apply when I heard about the opening. God knew it was time. The boys will attend school with their cousins and they are thrilled! They are also excited for me as well. I must say I have the sweetest boys! Since our return from the mission field, we have been reminded of all we have seen and continue to pray for the Mexico church, the people we met, and those who gave their lives. We are incredibly grateful for our lives and stand firmly on God's word each moment we are blessed to breathe in America. It is good to be home.

From the Mission Field

Wow! We made it home today. There is so much to tell, I don't know where to begin. In the beginning...okay okay, a little mission/Godly humor! God moved in so many ways. I had no expectations, just a heart to serve and a desire to model and teach that to my children. I saw two little sacrificial hearts grow this last week in such an amazing way. The church we worked with cooked delicious food daily and we ministered to a neighborhood where they are trying to plant a new church. Each morning we walked el barrio and at night we had a fiesta with crafts for the kids and a movie to tell about Jesus. The local church led the worship (a song or two) and did mimes and skits for entertainment in the native language. We also did construction on the church in the afternoon so our days were filled morning to night and there were few breaks at any point. This made for quite an exhausting trip, but the Lord sustained us constantly and met EVERY NEED. Cold water was provided abundantly along with snacks and much needed prayer time for the group. Our morning devotionals were direct messages sent from God filled with the exact encouragement we needed each day. I know God called us there and I thank Him for sending my family. Our hearts are completely knit with the team and I can't express the relationships that have developed from what Christ brought together in fellowship. To my family-I have the most amazingly loyal brothers! Let's praise God for what He has done in Mexico through these boys! AMEN! I am so grateful for all of my family and friends who supported us through prayer, finances, and encouragement. We love you!

P.S. Schlitterbahn was AWESOME on the way back! We got a group rate and tax exempt prices so we had the BEST time. If you know me at all, you know a good deal makes me happy!

Oklahoma to Mexico

We drove home today from a relaxing trip to OK to see the family. We were fed fresh vegetables that we picked from the garden (corn, green beans, and fresh berries along with jelly made from the berries). We could also drink the water and eat the ice! I hope we can reverse these skills tomorrow when we hit Mexico. I have spent most of the night washing clothes and re-packing. I also went through and organized all of the crafts we lined up to do with the kids. I honestly have no idea what to expect. I feel like many of the people who have gone before didn't have many questions so I wasn't sure what to ask. I am more of a "wing it" person, but would like a more concrete schedule with specific supplies that need to be brought. I have found this has been my first lesson in trusting God on a mission trip. The kids are so excited-not in a vacation way, but in the true expectation of what we are about to embark upon. They truly seem to realize the things we encounter there will be so different from what they know. I trust God will keep us safe and bring us home. I obviously can't sleep and decided writing to you would be a way to take everything out of my head so I could rest medicine! Thank you God for taking control of our lives and allowing us to be a part of your team!

Camp

Off to camp for the weekend!  The boys are experiencing worship, bible study, the lake with the "blob", and swimming with their friends and cousins!  This week I wondered if it would be too much with all we have going this week, but for me it is a perfect opportunity to get ready for  our trips and spend some time with Cole at night while Dayne is away.  It is always nice to bond with them one at a time!  We will post pictures of camp if we get some good ones.  They each took a disposable camera so we will see if they are better than last year's photos!  

Family Time

Although we are preparing for the trip and have lots to think about, we manage to play alot! The girls have been over so much lately and I love getting to do girly things! We've made jewlery, painted crafts, and made pom pom characters. Family is so nice to have around!

Final Meeting before departure

We had our final meeting today for our mission trip.  WOW!  Excitement, nerves, and planning kept my mind spinning.  The boys were so attentive and willing to help out with any of the plans that needed to be made.  We tried to get Cole to be the Van Captain, but he didn't think he was up for the job quite yet.  Dayne is on the VBS/crafts team and is so excited to get all of the materials together.  We are just waiting to see what we can get donated to take with us.  Apparently,  we will be walking the neighborhoods, doing crafts, and having fun festivities at night showing the Jesus video.  We have so much to do before we leave-including church camp!  I am so glad I am not a volunteer for the weekend!  More later...

We are headed to Mexico in a few short weeks.  Yesterday we reviewed what it means to be on God's team.  The kids really have a good understanding of what to say when you evangelize.  They are amazingly pure, you know.  It blows me away to watch their little hearts be filled with God's love so strongly at such young ages.  It makes me sad to think of all of the hurt and pain of our own sin they will experience down the road.  I pray that through their walk and knowledge of Christ, they will have a stronger tower to lean on than I did.  I pray rebelliousness does not rule their hearts as they grow into the teenage years.   Most of all I pray to be a godly mom the depend on in times of crisis that can pray through the storms of life with them.  I want to be their earthly strong tower.  And a skinny one at that!!!  So, with that being said, I am eating a lot less this summer in hopes of catching the skinny train back to school.  I have overwhelmed myself with the pounds and MUST stop the madness.  Three days of starving and I do feel skinnier, but it will take a lot more.  I owe my co-worker credit for motivation.  She looked so good when school got out and I know she is doing even better since we have been home.  She has so much self control.  I don't even know what that is sometimes!  Well, I will close for now.  My bed has it's usual stack of clean items on it that need to find a home.  I am about to free cycle my whole house!  Love, hope, and healing!!!

Here is our first entry!  Life is crazy and we are so busy with the end of school and getting ready for our Mexico mission trip.  There are so many days we don't make it home till 9PM!  Summer will be here before we know it!  We will try to keep our blog updated with cute stories and fun information!!!  Thanks for reading our blog.