Sugar Land's newest - and most exciting yet! - arrival!!

Stevie!!!!
Stevie has been cutting my hair for, wow, maybe ten years now. She is a beautiful mom of 3 (and one stepdaughter) and loves the Lord. She and her husband, Brian, opened their own salon several years ago, but it was on Westheimer near Fountain View which was great when I lived just off Westheimer but since coming to Sugar Land, I have tried to find someone else closer who could do the magic she did. No such luck. So I make the trek out to her salon every couple of months to get a great cut.
The last time I went in I had grown my hair out and was once again ready to cut it all off. Stevie is by now familiar with this cycle of mine and was unruffled. She gave me fantastic hair once again and then: "Oh, did I tell you we're moving?" she says. "WHAT???!!!" I exclaimed, "To Sugar Land?!" I sarcastically joked. "Yes!" GASP!! YEA!!!!!!!!
Turns out that she and Brian just moved their family to New Territory and are moving their salon to 59 and Hwy 6, just down from the new Whole Foods.
So, friends, if you're in need of a truly fantastic haircut and are willing to pay for it ($60 which I'm willing to pay because I go every other month and I don't really do anything else at a salon but a cut and blow dry), then go to Emmanuel and see my friend, Stevie! Oh, and tell her I sent you, okay?!

Spring Break and Easter in pictures!

This one is for those of you who have been begging me for pictures...this should satisfy you for a while!!

Thursday - Livestock Show and Fair

My first ride without Mommy or Daddy - but I'm with Ally!

At the pig races - so FUN!!

In awe of the big longhorn! The stroller was a lifesaver!

Saturday - Helicopter Egg Drop at Sartartia

Clapping and singing to the music with Karena.

Raining Easter eggs!!

Evy getting some eggs - we had a great spot!

Gal pals + Eli!

Lola, Eloise, Evyn, Eli and Menya

Don'tcha love little girls?

The adult table at Lupe's after the egg drop! and then....

...the kid table!! Thanks, Mike and Mark and Reed!!

That evening Mr. Kris and Ms. Priscilla came over to help dye eggs!

I really liked the stickers - but it was getting late!

Sunday - Easter morning!

Her Easter basket: Dora video (her first to own) and Dora flip flops!

That's our girl: Dora is her delight!

Then she went a-hunting! Her first real egg hunt.

She finds the empty egg (a reminder of the empty tomb).

This picture also shows off our other weekend activity: painting our front door blue.

We stopped at some flowers to take some Easter pictures.

It was cold so we took this one fast. She was determined to wear the pearls her Daddy gave her.

An Easter picture at Mamaw's after our delicious lunch.This one also shows off (though not so well) my new haircut.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter celebrating our risen Savior. I had a fun week but I must readily admit that I am very excited for school again on Tuesday! This mama is going to get myself a pedicure!!

Here's one last picture. I think it's my favorite:

What squirrel?

Serving Communion

For a couple of sermon series now, our church has served communion every Sunday. During this series called "Snapshots" about the different ways Jesus described himself in the gospel of John, we have continued this practice. I can't think of a better way to lead up to the glorious Easter weekend. At Crossbridge we come individually, whenever you're ready, and are served communion by the leaders (community group leaders, PAT, or ministry team leaders). Reed and I have had the blessed opportunity to serve in this way. I really LOVE it! Sure, the first time I was a little nervous but as my sisters and brothers came up to be a part of this beautiful ceremony, that all went away. Some of them I know, some of them I don't but when they come to us Reed holds the plate and as they take the bread he says their name if he knows it (or remembers it!) and then, "This is the body of Christ broken for you." and then to me where they dip the bread into the cup and again, I say their name and then, "This is the blood of Christ shed for you."

This sacrament never fails to overwhelm me. I am overwhelmed by God's acceptance of me and the price that was paid for it. I'm overwhelmed by how prideful and sinful I am and how beautiful Jesus' death and resurrection is. But what really moves me is getting to serve this cup to those who have accepted it's meaning and precious grace which has delivered them from the pit. Terrible pits. As my friends come forward, those whose testimonies I know, I think of their lonely, searching, fruitless and purposeless lives before they received this free gift of God and were delivered. I think of the sacrifice made for them and I think of their indispensible roles in the chuch body now, full of purpose, meaning and ministry. And if I don't know the person's story, well, I can only imagine but it is still incredibly moving. Friends, it is so beautiful.

A couple of weeks ago I actually got choked up and started to cry as we were serving. My voice wavered and cracked as I said the words while thinking about these things. I had to kind of pull it together and think on something else for a minute!

There are people who seem embarassed or nervous and move past so quickly that Reed and I are practically talking on top of each other! There are some who look me dead in the eye and wait for me to say it and seem to soak it in. Some of my friends will smile at me (especially if that's our only "hi" for the day!). Sometimes people say thank you. I even had one person who had not done communion in this way at our church before, who took the whole cup from me and took a drink. I was taken a little off guard, but let him have it anyway. (We later laughed about it as he explained his background and confusion over what he was supposed to do!)

I would encourage you to simply take your time, don't hurry, and recieve the blessing thinking of your own deliverance and the great gift of Christ. Oh, and if you're ever asked to serve, jump on it! It's such a joy to be a part of this amazing symbol of Jesus and His message to us all.

Spring is...

These lovelies waiting for me in my closet!!

Yet another reason to love, love Hobby Lobby!

O, Hobby Lobby,
How much do I love thee?
Let me count the ways!

Your picture frames alone
Draw me to your doors
Greenery, paper, crafts,
and those ornaments of yours!

Material and ribbon,
artwork, paint and more,
You're even closed on Sunday!
Could there be a better store?

Your wonders never cease,
I'll never get enough!
You're just around the corner
And I love all your stuff!

Desperate for spring fabric
For my girl who dreams of pink.
I had gone all over Houston
But of you I didn't think.

Until today, O happy friends!
I wandered down your aisle
And found the most perfect thing!
All I could do was smile!

O delightful Hobby Lobby
Where could my mind have been?
You have everything I need
And I'll never doubt again!

Yes, I found the perfect pink material for Evy's Easter dress!! I'm so excited! Wanna see it? Sorry, you'll have to wait a few more weeks!!

Various Thoughts

I have had vague subjects that could have been posts, though not so interesting on their own. So I'm thinking maybe I'll just throw them all in here together. Uh, shortest to longest, ok?

1. Last night's Oscars. I really liked the movie Once, as you may recall my writings on it, and Reed and I were thrilled that a great song from that movie was not only nominated, it was performed live by the artists who wrote, sang and performed it in the movie - beat up guitar and all! Then, not only was it nominated and performed, it won! Reed and I jumped off the couch as if the Aggies had just beaten texas (again) and were enthralled to hear their acceptance (though Marketa's was a little delayed). Wonderful moment. P.S. See Phil or Tim's blog if you want to see/hear their songs.
As for the rest, well, I didn't see No Country For Old Men and probably never will (too violent), but found myself considering watching other Best Picture winners from years past. Laurence of Arabia anyone?

2. I have been in search of material for an Easter dress I want to attempt for Evy. My client's stipulations are: PINK! (are you surprised?) This has proven to be difficult. Because I don't want a boring solid pink, but don't want little bitty calico-y flowers (too Little House on the Prairie), yet I don't want big bold flowers either ("Is there a girl inside that dress? All I see are flowers!"). I've been to JoAnn's but a lot of their stuff is very novelty-ish. Then I went to Quilter's Emporium - that's a GREAT place and you seamstress friends should check it out! However, no luck in the Easter dress department. Then I went to High Fashion thinking that would surely have exactly what I wanted. No such luck. And, I went across the street to find a red toile (like Catherine's blue one) for new couch cushions - also no luck. Sad, my friends. The clock's a-tickin'. Any suggestions?

3. Making a meal in a slow cooker today. It is fabulous, however, the smell is about to send me over the edge! I'm eating everything in sight because my mouth is watering for that chicken! I can't wait to eat it with the rice and broccoli I'm going to make.

4. On Thursday, after dropping Evy off at school, I went to a great mom friend's house for coffee. I had set this time up with her because I knew her to be a beautiful woman of prayer and that she knew God's voice. She is older than me and has two terrific girls (elementary and jr. high) that she has raised to know thier faith and fear God. It has proven itself as the beginning of wisdom which I highly believe is my greatest calling as a mom. Not only to live that belief out for myself, but also to pass it on to my children (yes, I'm believing for more!). Anyway, it was better than I had expected. She has a passion to do exactly what I had asked for: advice, wisdom sharing, suggestions. I was able to ask any question and she was delighted to offer what she'd learned and prayers she'd prayed. She and I are both eager to do it again sometime and just meeting with her really took off some stress that I had placed on myself and my daughter to meet some crazy expectations.
I highly recommend finding someone that fits this bill for you and get together with her and fire away with questions then just sit and soak up what they say. It was delightful and I was so encouraged and renewed.

That's all.
That's what this blog is all about anyway, right? Random, personal thoughts. I'd love to know yours!

Makings of a Good Naptime!

Can I just tell you how delighted I am today that:
1. We actually made it to Kindermusik on time!
2. Got to have lunch (interesting as it was) with friends.
3. Made it to Bed, Bath, and Beyond for a new shower curtain liner (and the possibility of new spring placemats/napkins).
4. Made it home with only minutes to spare before the rain. This is especially wonderful since I just had my car washed yesterday!!
5. I also was able to get the mail which contained my new Country Home magazine!

Oh, joyful naptime! Sleep inducing rain for the wee one and tea and a magazine for Mama...does it get any better? (Maybe a haircut - oh, but that's the next post!)

This Means War.

Where to start to tell you of the events of the last 5 hours?

I sit finally resting my weary self after quite an ordeal. It all started yesterday as I was making lunch after Reed had replaced the sink. I noticed a small amount of dust and debris on the stove top that I assumed came from the work being done. I was not in the mood to clean it thinking we'd just do one big clean up when they were all done. I mentioned it to Reed, though, this afternoon and we wondered aloud what it could be. Reed suggested it came from the toaster since that had been where it sat during the project. We later both admitted that we agreed to that explanation not wanting to say what else we were thinking could explain it.

Now fast forward to tonight. We went to my mother's to make Valentine cookies with my neices and nephew. When we got home, Reed took Evy to check on the holes he had patched yesterday where squirrels had been getting into our attic causing havoc and making a lot of noise. I decided to go on in the house. The first thing I noticed, however, is that the "debris" that was on the stove top was now much worse and had...well, additions. With much trepidation, I looked above it. Yup, a big ol' gnawed hole in the metal mesh that covers the vent in the hood over the stove.

Now think of Janice's voice from "Friends" in your head as you hear me say, "OH - MY - GOSH!!!" I set everything down and proceeded to look for whatever creature was now freely roaming my home. Hoping it was only a squirrel (which is, of course, bad enough, but not as bad as it could be!). I spied it almost immediately. A big brown, furry body behind the wingback chair in the family room. Big bushy tail. We just looked at each other for a minute.

Then I comically hear Reed outside in his chipper, proud voice: "Yup, Evy, we got 'em all covered! No more noisy squirrels!" Boy, was his bubble about to burst. I reached for the camera. However, as I got close enough to actually get a picture, he bolted! Scared the crap outta me! I watched where he went, then I yelled out the door: "REED!!! Get in here!!"

He did and I, regretfully, sarcastically, asked if he was sufficiently proud of his handiwork. He knew something was up. I showed him the evidence and pointed to where the squirrel had gone. We quickly sent Evy to her room, and well, to spare you every detail, there was yelling (by me), our brave, calm neighbor with dog food, and Reed's pellet gun involved. It ran to the front entryway where it slammed into the mirror, the kitchen, the breakfast room, up my baker's rack to the curtain rod, hesitated on the clock for a while (which was quite a feat) and dashed into the utility room. There it used Reed's hand as a launching point of escape (anyone know about rabies reports in the area?) and somehow, finally, made it's way out the back door.

Because the cleanliness of the kitchen had been clearly compromised, we ordered Chinese and ate it on a plastic tablecloth on the rug in the family room after it had been vacuumed thoroughly. We have spent the last 3 and half hours or so 409'ing, disinfecting, vacuuming every surface of that living room and kitchen (especially the stove!!!!!). We are exhausted. But, hopefully, finally squirrel-free. We better be or next time, I'll be reaching for the pellet gun, not the camera!!

Bragging!

Since my husband does not have his own blog but prefers to live in Blogland vicariously through me (as he reads this over my shoulder while I type - as shown in the picture), I will gladly, happily, proudly boast of his manliness!

He was happy as a (manly) lark today, getting out all his tools and flexing his handyman prowess as he took out our dated, tired sink and faucet to replace it with this beauty:

I should also note that he had some assistance from our neighbor, Chris, because, well, this sucker is a very heavy cast iron puppy (though he did carry it into the house by his own brute strength!). Anyway, I am a happy little valentine today with my new kitchen sink! Thanks, Babe, I love you, too!

Surprises, still

Okay, so, yesterday afternoon I'm taking MaryEvyn out to a doomed, devastatingly terrible trip to Target (there was a spanking right in front of the store by the doors, and at least 3 tantrums, not including the one on the way because she spilled water on her sleeve).

But, blissfully, before all of that, I was putting her in the car in our garage when I hear an odd, but familiar humming sound. I follow the sound beneath the workbench and see this old friend of mine:

I used to have this refrigerator in a hidden corner of my classroom to keep my Cokes and lunch because the lounge was on the opposite side of the school and who wants to waste precious free minutes walking all the way there!

"Strange," I thought, "It wasn't there before." I assumed Reed had moved it there over the weekend when he was doing other outside chores, though I had no idea why. Knowing my hubby, though, I knew there had to be a reason why, and thought maybe it's contents would give me a clue. Never was I prepared to see this:

"What the...?!"
No, ladies, I don't think he got this for our Bunco night.
We are not necessarily a "dry" house, yet we simply rarely have a reason to have alcohol in it and neither of us are beer drinkers, but, apparently, one of us may be changing that! Ever since Reed's trip to Germany (dang Germans!), he mentions a desire for a beer every now and then and I've heard him off-handedly say he had one out with "the guys" when he's at a work dinner or something. It still surprises me. Not that I have a problem with it, it's just, well, it's Reed! Reed's not the surprising kinda guy, ya know. I sorta thought we were past the surprises.
So all I can do is shake my head and go on our merry way (oh, if only I'd known....).
Later the next night as we're finishing dinner.....
"So, Reed...." I begin innocently, "Do you have anything you'd like to tell me."
Girls, he didn't even hesitate before he started blushing and got a sheepish smile. "You mean the...uh... Did you look inside?"
"Um, Yeah, I did," I answered.
" Well, I just thought that Jake (Reed's work pal that's coming over for dinner tonight who's not from around these parts) might like to have one...and maybe if Casey or Phil were over...."
Yes, Casey and Phil, he implicated you, too! Seriously? Does he seriously expect me to believe that the majority of those won't be consumed by him?
Baby, it's fine if you just want beer, okay? You can even keep it in the house if there's room for it. It is just entirely funny that you didn't say anything to me about it, though, and that I "discovered" it the way that I did! So funny!

Next thing you know he'll come home with something like this for me to discover:
P.S. You may want to forward me the names of some good rehab programs, though, ladies, just in case. Isn't "hiding it" one of those signs....? ;-)

When Evy is sick

At 4am this morning Evy came into our bedroom and as Reed was sending her back to bed she pitifully cries, "But I'm all shaky!" Well, that got our parental alert system going and we were quickly reaching for the thermometer. Sure enough, 103.7. Yikes!

She was also coughing and crying because it hurt when she did. I gave her honey for the cough (I'd heard that does as much good as cough syrup for toddlers) and Tylenol for the fever. We gave her water, prayed for her, got her settled back down and went back to bed. She has kept her fever ever since, still hovering around 102/103, and she's oh so sweet!

"Mama, I'm so sorry I'm sick" in a sad little warbling voice.

"Mama, I'm so hot!" only to be followed an hour later by, "Mama, I'm so cold!"

She also comes up to me and lays her head on me and says, "Mama, I love you."

Oh, and then there was, "Mama, don't climb up on my refridgerator again, ok?" which she said upon waking from a feverish sleep and apparently had a disturbing dream. What do you say to that except, "Okay, Baby, I won't."

So, we've read books, played Memory, rested on the couch watching TV and I've tried to coax her to eat (though only succeeded in getting two bites of waffle down) and drink plenty.

It's so sad to see her in such a daze some of the time, and interrupting breakfast just to go and rest. Poor baby.

But I enjoy being her nurse and caring for my baby in the best way I know how. Though she doesn't enjoy the "new" oral way we're having to do her temperature (we're investing in one of those ear ones this afternoon!), she's really handling it well and takes her medicine happily but I'll be glad to have my cheery, energetic little girl back.

CSM Gets an Answer to Prayer

Faithful, prayerful readers,
With a delighted and grateful heart I announce that CSM (Crossbridge Student Ministry) has a new leader. His name is Aaron Statser and he is an answer to our prayers. He has quite a bit of experience with students in OK and here in Houston at Sugar Creek Baptist. He's recently married and his wife, Heather, is all in as well having her own girls' ministry experience!
God has made another of his wonderful matches with Aaron and Heather. They are a perfect fit for our church and are fully plugged in - youth ministry or not. He has a great vision for our church and our students yet is not jumping in to make things happen and/or change as soon as he can...he's getting to know us, the students who attend and those who don't, the parents, the leadership. He is prepared and preparing for the building we'll be moving into soon and is prayerfully considering each step. He's going to be great and I'm so excited to see how God uses him to use us to the best of His glory!
There were literal leaps of joy as I bounded out of the meeting with Brandon and Aaron and I feel as though the world is off of my shoulders! No more guilt, no more falling short because I wasn't even sure where the mark ever was! No more getting swallowed up in a sea of uncertainty and effort! No more organizing camps!! :-) Yet all the more time to teach, to prepare, to disciple, to mentor, to spiritually prepare for battle.
I was faithful, I feel, with the calling laid upon me temporarily thanks to God's faithfulness with me...but praise God for Aaron's arrival and willingness to take on this beautiful mess we call Student Ministry.
So, those of you who prayed along with me, let's thank Him together and now begin to pray for this new leadership and that he would soon be able to be on full time staff!
Thank you for all of your encouragement and prayers!

My Top Five Favorite Movies

Though perhaps you care nothing at all, but then again maybe you might read about one that peaks your interest. But I should explain the type of movie that really stirs me first.

They tend to be dramas, but no particular genre other than that. I enjoy movies that don't just tell a story or look pretty or cool - I just like deep, rich characters and films that have a message - even if I don't agree with it, sometimes. I love films that don't spell everything out for me, don't answer all of my questions, leave me wondering and actually thinking about what it means. I don't mind if the guy does or doesn't get the girl or a depressing end, if it is an honest one - not one conjured up to make me cry and it seems sometimes the ending is the reason the story is told. No, I just want the true emotions, the real talk that I might say or do, not some brilliantly written and edited saga where...oh, look, it's raining right in the middle of this emotional moment, how apropos!
I love films with nobody actors. Or where the known actors are simply so good that I forget who they are in real life. They become the character and I no longer see Julia Roberts, but instead I see "Shelby".
Okay, I think you get it... By the way, I linked some of them to great scenes (though not spoilers)from You Tube.

Here they are in no particular order except that in which they were remembered!

1. "Cider House Rules" - Though I didn't agree with the theme of this movie and it had some disturbing moments. But as I said, I left thinking. It challenged some of my black and white ideas and made me see some things anew.

2. "Dead Poets Society" - When I saw this movie, I remember wishing I had been the only one in the room. Simply because it was intense for me. I got lost in the characters and was wishing that I could stay there and not be intruded upon by other movie goers. There was the scene that left me absolutely sobbing to the point where I was making that unattractive, involuntary noise of gasping for air because you've been trying to stifle your tears when all of a sudden the scene changed and there was no sound except for birds taking wing - and me crying. I was embarassed...a little bit.
Anyway, I was shocked by what happened, inspired by Robin Williams' character and his passion and drive to ignite these young men. Wonderful characters.

3. "Steel Magnolias" - These distinctly southern ladies just steal my heart! For someone who seems so fake, Dolly Parton's characters are always so real and believable. And Olympia Dukakis and Shirley MacLaine are brilliantly funny. But my favorite is Sally Field who fiercely loves her daughter throughout everything, even when she doesn't like or agree with her decisions. (I'm beginning to tear up just writing this!) It reminds me, of course, of my own mom very much and her group of friends who may as well be my mothers, too. (They began calling themselves Steel Bluebonnets, FYI.) Absolutely lovely ending.

4. "Marvin's Room" - Most people have never heard of this movie and that is an absolute shame! It does have big names in it, but they are not in their typical roles and I like to think they did this film for the beautiful characters and the simple story of the joy and fulfillment of real love. Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton...they are terrific, especially Keaton as she innocently demonstrates how to love those you love.

5. "Good Will Hunting" - Again, though Matt Damon is easy on the eyes, I forget that it's him and I just see this hurt, broken genius that needs help and doesn't know how to get it. I liked the developed characters that take you past just their involvement in the story and how you don't really know what happens between Damon and Driver in the end because it doesn't matter to the real story being told. Again, a good message and an honest movie.

Runners Up:

"Terms of Endearment" - I saw this when I was somewhat young and I surely didn't really get it, but it left a big impression on me. Shirley MacLaine is awesome in this one, too. She's a pretty underrated actress in my opinion, though I know she's a little crazy! This one'll make you cry, too, but well worth it. The soundtrack is my favorite music ever!
"Finding Forrester" - This one is just a little too tidy for me, but I did like the honest characters and their unlikely friendship.
"Once" - The real inspiration for this post. I watched this just recently with Reed and it may just move up to the top 5. Billed as a "modern musical", over half of it is music (really awesome music at that) played by an Irish bloke with a hole in his old, loved guitar and the Czech girl he meets who basically gets him moving again. Neither of which do you ever learn their names. Ummm...I did cry at this one, too, but out of sheer sweetness at the end. A great date movie - watch it for Valentine's Day with your sweetie! It was awesome!
P.S. Thought of three more: "Hotel Rwanda", "My Life as a House", and "Spanglish" (I love Adam Sandler's serious roles, and I'll be watching "Reign Over Me" next, thanks, Ashley!)

The Aforementioned Teen 'tude!

This was the scene last Friday night. Reed had been gone all week and I was exhauseted so I'd headed to my parents' house for a little respite and company (and satellite TV!). We had finished a wonderful dinner and it was time to get Evy's bath. I had asked her a few times already to get ready for her bath and get undressed, but in my tired state had yet to make a move to actually prepare myself for the task or to enforce what I'd said. When I finally did drag myself up I nicely, though firmly, asked Evyn once more to get her clothes off. This is the response I received: "Nooooo," as she ran and crashed into the couch, "Shut up!"
It was like a bomb had gone off and no one knew what to do first. Evy froze and looked at me: "Wonder what it does when I say that!" she seemed to be thinking. My dad gasped a little, though he tried to check himself. I'm sure my eyes widened, I glanced at my dad as if to say, "Can you believe that?", then as I heard all the "good" parenting books in my head saying: don't make a big deal of this, I calmly took Evy out of the room to the hallway, so she wouldn't feel the need to perform, or be ashamed. We had a good talk, I explained what she had said and why it was very wrong. She apologized, promised to never say it again, and we hugged and kissed.
However, she has been on a streak lately of at-tit-tude! This little three year old has skipped about 10 years on us! All I have known to do to react is to give her time out every time. Though neither of us may be able to articulate why it's disrespectful, she knows just as well as I do that it just is! So, there's been some time out happenin' up in here lately!
Anybody have other effective solutions for the toddler turned teen overnight? Geesh!!

Just a Little Saturday afternoon craft!

Unfortunately, I always forget to take a "before" shot, but just imagine a plain jane, cheap pink lamp shade. I had bought this elastic sort of ribbon a long time ago intending to use it on a pillowcase, but didn't realize it was stretchy until I opened it, so it was shelved for a while. Then I saw these cute little shades on Better Homes and Gardens and that ribbon came back to mind...and that plain little shade. Add a little hot glue and...Voila!

Q: "I don't know how you do it!"

A: Psalm 3 and 4
Reed has been in Hyderabad, India for the past week and a half. It's been...hmmm....hard.
Just so you know, if it were completely up to me, Reed would quit. I really can't stand the travelling at all. Call me a baby, but I just don't think it's right. However, really Reed and I have not felt like that has been what God is calling us to do (yet!) and we know that this job he has is really amazing!
At any rate, the answer is that I don't do it! I hate it. I hate every minute of it and have to work very hard not to make Reed "pay" for leaving me. Not making him feel guilty. Especially when it's Sunday afternoon, I'm tired, she's got an attitude that would rival any teen (more on that later), and it's been a week of on the job 24/7! The worst times are at night. I get very bored, very lonely. But I won't whine about that (I think I have before) so I'll get to the point. If you're like me, when you're alone in the house, you hear everything. bumps, creaks, scratches, booms...and they are amplified! I tend to stay up very late watching TV until I'm so tired I'm about to fall over so that when I go to bed, I won't be able to keep my eyes open and hear all the noises. But I've discovered Psalm 3 and 4.
This verse is my favorite: "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Not only did this initially relieve my anxiety about being safe, but I realized something in this verse, too. "You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Even if Reed was here, even with our alarm, even with doors locked, it is God alone who gives me safety. Even with the phones (I sleep with the cordless and my cell phone), even if I had a gun (which I DON'T!), it would still be God alone who makes me dwell in safety. It reminds of another verse: "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." Psalm 20:7.
What do you trust in?

Falling in Love: Live from France!

I don't know if you've checked out the link down there to "Tongue in Cheek" but I have so enjoyed it lately! She is a California girl who met the man of her dreams and moved with him to his hometown in the South of France and spends her free time taking great photos and scouring French brocante. Anyway, she's also an incurable romantic and has been playing quite the match maker this past weekend. You just have to check out this story! It's so cute and sweet and I've been really loving watching these two fall in love! It's so sweet and amazing! The story starts here!

Also, if you enjoy that, then you should read this quick story about when her hubby, Yann, proposed to her. Very touching - and not for the reason you'd think.

Her home and photography was also just published in the newly reissued Victoria magazine - a perfect fit, I should think, for her romantic perfection!

Have fun!

Can I have my husband back, now?

Well, it's official, friends. College football is over, at least for a while.

I actually love football, college in particular, but not like my hubby. I'm pretty singular about my love: it's Aggie football and/or any team who's fate affects my beloved Aggies. This is true for Reed as well, though it still goes deeper for him. I will turn football on and just have it going in the background, simply because it's just right. I grew up with it on all the time. Saturdays: college football, Sunday: pro football (the home team , or Dallas), Holidays: bowls, of course! It just doesn't feel right to not have it on. Sunday isn't complete without my nap and then a coke all while "watching" football. I do it even if I'm the only one home. I have been known to listen to an Aggie game on the radio when we couldn't get it on TV (though I'm kinda in and out). I really love to go to Wild Wings and watch it with some fellow Ags at least once a season - that's fun! Then you can all comiserate at the idiotic calls, the deflating interception and you can all high five and celebrate when t.u. goes down....again!!! ;-)

I do love football. I love those capable quarterbacks, the game cinching field goal kickers, the cool coaches who keep it together until the 0's fill the clock. I love the fans (most of them), I love the strategy, the hard nail-you-in-your-tracks tackles, the big throws and I totally love the spirit of Aggieland.

So, here's to the end for this year. Congrats to LSU, congrats to WVU (even though we did were pulling for Oklahoma, sorry, Patrick and Ash) congrats to Tech, bu-bye Coach Fran, and, oh, texas, be sure and come back next year for more butt-kickin'!! Whoop!

On Resolutions

Happy New Year, Friends (and Family!)
So, do you make resolutions? A lot of people I know would quickly tell you no, that they wouldn't keep them anyway, so why do it? There is truth to this, but it's also a little negative and cynical, don't you think? And I think that even these people secretly have a few things that they try to get going in the New Year. Sure, it's just another day with some different numbers attached to it, but how can you resist the urge to be swept up in the fresh newness of it all.
Well, here's what I've decided: yeah, I may not keep these resolutions, in fact I doubt it, but why not make a go of it and why not start now? I mean, it can't hurt, right? And if I should actually keep these suckers, wouldn't that be something? So, here goes:
1. Pray every night with Reed.
2. Brush my teeth. I know, I know...but, really, most of the time, I'm so tired at night that I just can't bring myself to do it. (Yes, I do brush them, just not as often as I should!)
3. Clean my contacts. This, too, is often sacrificed because I just want my bed! I have hard contacts, so it's not the end of the world if I don't clean them, but I can keep them more comfortable for longer if I do.
4. Quiet times more often. Sometimes my quiet time morphs into prep time for youth Bible study. Sometimes it is not so quiet, my heart and my fleshly desires get really loud. I'd like to be more consistent this year (and every year).
5. Mail birthday cards to friends and family - on time, too!

I think that's all.
I'll let you know how it goes....maybe! ;-)
Any other resolvers out there?