It's Monday.....

I can not believe the weekend is over. Time has just been flying by!
Sorry it has been over two weeks since I have updated this thing. I finally looked up how to add a title so you all can actually read the updates. Anywho, we have been busy around here. I am trying to remember what all we have been up to since I last blogged. School is going well. We actually have parent teacher conferences this week. I've never had to attend one. I'm glad they do this here though. Just so we can get to know the teachers and see how the children are progressing.
Last week I spent most of my time unloading boxes. I have most of that finished. I still have to organize, or reorganize most of it. Friday Keith and I spent the day running errands. He had to run over to the hospital so I went with him. I got to meet his boss. She was very nice. Then we ran over and donated blood. I had forgotten how big those needles had to be ... eek! It was well worth it though. Especially since I am not one of the most common types. If they can not use the blood here in the US they send it immediately over seas, where it is greatly needed. Later we took the kids out to eat supper. Saturday morning we took the kids bowling at the base bowling center. What a hoot!! Jacob is so funny because he gets so frustrated if he can't immediately pick something up. He got better as we went along. Christina, well, she tried. We had a good time anyway. Yesterday we visited another church. I think the kids really liked this one. I liked the children's Pastor especially. Keith and I also enjoyed the sermon. They didn't have a choir, but they said they were looking for a new music minister. Apparently that is why they are going to add a traditional service in the morning. We shall see what happens. I know the kids are getting a little tired of us dragging them from place to place on Sundays.
Today is cleaning day! I am trying to get it all done today since Keith is working today and tomorrow then off for two days, but works this weekend.
Poor Keith hurt his knee during the move, so he got placed on PT restrictions. He is hoping to go see the physical therapist this week.
I did make the kids dental appointments today! YAY! Jacob is going to the Orthodontist tomorrow.
Well, I better stop writing before I make this entry so long, you get bored and quit reading, lol.
Have a great week!!!

It's the weekend!!! YAY!!!
Sorry I haven't blogged in forever, but every time I sit down to do it ... I get derailed, imagine that!!

Well, Spring Break will officially be over tomorrow. :( We didn't do a lot, but I did get the kids out of the house twice this week. I totally gave up on unpacking. Although, I have done a little today.
Let's see Tuesday the kids and I went to the Zoo. It was super nice and huge!! They are in the process of doing some more renovations so I'll get a membership and we can go again this summer. It will be well worth the money. Wednesday it started raining so we just lazed around the house. Yeah, they haven't had rain in SA in forever and the week the kids are on SB it gets cool again and starts raining. We can't complain though because we needed the rain desperately. Areas all around us were on burn bans. So Thursday we did something inside. We went downtown to the Children's Museum. It was really neat, lots of stuff for the kids to see and do. We almost got to drive by the Alamo, but I missed the turn. LOL! So, today .... we got up early and hit the Brunch Buffet at Zuni Grill. It was awesome!!! I think I could have eaten one of everything they had!!! We did do a little walking up and down the River Walk. Thankfully because it was still sprinkling a little bit and early enough there weren't too many people walking around yet. They were going to have a St Patrick's Day parade. I am so glad we got out of downtown before that started. We STILL didn't get to see the Alamo!! Oh well we have the next 4 yrs to go see it, LOL!! I think we are going shopping for a microwave later. I am going to get some more of the boxes in the bedroom unloaded today ... I hope!! I'll have to make a run to the storage unit this week too.

Well, I think that is about it for now. I will try to become much better at blogging on a regular basis!
Have a great week all!!
HUGS

We went back over to the base today to get the kids registered for school! That turned out to be an all day ordeal because south TX requires children to be vaccinated for Hep A. Well we had to run over to Wilford Hall (the medical center) for that. That place is amazing ..... it is an entity in itself!. After we got that done it was the cafeteria for lunch then back to the school nurse. I am very impressed with the school. Mainly because the prinicple herself came out and spoke to us all. She wanted to warn me about the test coming up Tues for Jake. It is one of those state mandated reading assesment things. He should do ok, IF he takes his time. The drive from this side of town over to the base is going to stink, but at least we only have to do it for a week! Then they have spring break, lol.Well Keith is helping me with laundry today. I guess I had better get the kids stuff organized for school tomorrow!I miss you all already!!!
hugs

OK, I have to start a blog of just "Jacobisms"! This boy is soooooooooo funny!!!

He got invited to go on a youth trip to see the Memphis Tigers with his oler cousins. He said he hoped to get good seats like when he went to see the Grizzley's with Tripp. Silly me ... I told him probably not and that they would be higher up in the "nose bleed section" I keep forgetting how literal my children are. Mom and I laughed so hard at him the other night. We were watching basketball on TV. Jacob starts talking about the Tigers game at the Forum. He told his Munnie that even though they sat in the nose bleed seats, neither he nor Austin got a nose bleed. You know he and I both get them alot .... he said.

I love my son!!!

My first week off ... and what a week it has been!
Monday was spent doing just random stuff. Tuesday I spent all day on the phone trying to find somewhere for us to lay our heads on the way down to SA Sunday night. That actually wasn't that difficult since I had pretty much figured that part out. The difficult part was finding a place to stay once we got to SA. I'm telling ya there wasn't a room anywhere near the base. Come to find out, that wasn't exactly a bad thing. With a little help from my sweet Uncle Ricky ... I soon found a Homewood suties in the north part of town. yay!!! So, it will be living out of a suite case for us for a while, but we'll get through it. At least I'll have K's laptop... hee hee hee!!!

I have to brag on my kids. I wasn't feeling well last night. They were so sweet. I laid down in bed waiting on them to get thier baths. Well next thing I know it is an hour later and they are in the living room watching TV before bed. Jacob is so funny! He told me to go back to bed, lol. I think they really wanted to go to bed on thier own. They had actually already planned to make me breakfast this morning too. I let them anyway. They made a mess but who cares. They are such sweethearts!!!

Oh yeah, and Christina's birthday is next Tuesday, so I am having a couple of her friends over Friday night. This should be fun!! Pray for me!!

Ok, so ..... This week has been kind of wild. The first couple of days were not bad; then the movers called. UGH .... I was prepared for it, but not really. I guess the flush of what do I do now hit me all at once. I paniced for a half a day or so Thursday but as I contemplated I came up with a solution and as I started researching and working on applications I had more and more of my questions answered.
It will all pan out in the end.

Ok, so as I feel my way around this blog site again, bare with me. We had a better night last night, so I'm thinking Jennifer may be right about the Monday blues. I have been trying to get them to bed on time and keep a more regular schedule. We shall see how that goes!

*hugs*

Ok, day 1 of Keith's training and we have a melt down already. Man this just about killed me. Christina was taking her bath last night and just spontaniously burst into tears. I know, number one she is female and I do realize that this could be for absolutly no reason. Well, she wanted her Daddy! Of course I am trying to be as calm as I can. I just reminded her that this was just like Dad being at work. In her sweet little sad voice she squeaks out ... but longer! I almost lost it right then and there. All I can say is thank God for my Mother who swooped in while we were dresssing her and took over. Christina quickly got over her little spell. I talked her into a game of Princess UNO. It worked we taught Munnie how to play and that seemed to take her mind off of the situation. The mind of a 5 yr old girl.

Wow, God has really been dealing with me on some things recently. The biggest is on worry. It seems that everything that has come up in recent lessons has been dealing with worry. I have had so much going on that through it all God has shown me that he is going to take care of me and the problem. Whether it is my recent health issues or this whole Air Force thing of hubby's. I know God's hand is in it all and to be patient about the out come. Patience is not an easy thing for me either. I have grown to look forward to my time with the Lord, even though I don't make the time that I should to spend in prayer or the word. Today I had an incredible break through! I was driving around running my errands, listening to KLOVE and talking to God. As I was praying for friends and marriages, God showed me the origin of my issues. I had been so bound by sin, that the devil had convinced me that even though I had gotten EVERYTHING I had prayed for as a newlywed (A loving and kind hubby, great kids and a wonderful church) I didn't deserve to be this happy. So therefore, as I begun to get pulled in by my "fantasies" I sunk deeper into depression which perpetuated the whole addictive snowball ... guilt + shame = doing the destructive behavior AGAIN. I repented to God for my lack of trust and faith right then and there. It feels great to be healthy in every sense of the word!!

There was a word given about God last night in Bible study saying that he sees our hands reaching to him. I tend to get so wrapped up in my "LIFE" that I feel as though I'm in a frantically treading water in lake of water up to my chin and the only thing sticking out is my head and my hand. God was so awesome to show me that he is paying attention even when I feel I am not worthy of his attention.
That also leads me to several things that God has brought to my attention through out this Bible study. This one has been great. I have had to dig deep and pull out some things. Obvioulsy last night really hit home. I wanted to stand up last night and shout amen during her talk about guilt and shame associated with sexual sins. I have learned that the major players on an addictive personality are guilt and shame. You absolutly do wear them like a second skin. Satan does get the biggest kick out of knowing that and using it to throw our past right back at us. It was so freeing at the end when we all stood and verbally stated that we are daughters of the King. I had also never thought about God warning us before we do something that we know will eventually have a bad outcome. God did that with me several times and I didn't listen and it has almost cost me the thing I love the most, my family.
I'm sorry this was so long! When God prompts me to start writing sometimes it goes for a while.

Last Sunday we had a healing service. Christina had been having some horrible night mares. I decided to take her down for prayer, because I was at my wits end over it. God is awesome!!! He healed her. Even though she has been sick the past few nights, she has slept much better all week long.
PRAISE GOD!!!

Well, where do I start???? I've spent this week trying to catch up from last weekend.
I have had an interesting start to my day. I was just called and asked if I was available for my dream job. Of course I couldn't say yes. They need someone to teach clinic at UT's Dental Hygiene school part time on Monday's and that is one of my days to work at the office. I wanted so badly to tell her I'd at least think about it and see if I couldn't work something out with my Doc's, but we are just so darn busy at the office that I can't leave them hanging, plus I NEED that income right now. Ironically enough, I had been thinking and praying about this very thing, just yesterday. So... I am going to chalk it up to God encouraging me not to give up on this dream. Who knows, I suppose it is all in good time. That is such a good way for me to get my foot in the door, so to speak, and I think if you work enough hours for UT you can get them to pay for you to go back to school.
Saturday we bid farewell to our friend, Mrs Ethel. It was a sweet funeral, and thank God the rain held off until after the grave side service. Then we bid tribute to her at church Sunday morning, we were all blubbering like babies. I think they are going to have an actual Memorial service in a week or two. It was one of those sad but joyous occasions.
Now, what to do about Christina's birthday party? It is going to be here before we know it *sigh* I can't believe my baby girl is going to be 3. Time just flies by, huh?

Well, I'm sure there is more I could babble about today, but I am starving so I'm off to eat my soup.
Have a great day all!!!

Pastor Eddie's SS lesson yesterday got me to thinking, what about that woman who had gotten caught in the act of adultery. The reference to her being naked there in front of all those men, including Jesus. Wow, what a metaphor that truly is. Feeling that ashamed, that naked, literally stripped of all of ones dignity. I guess since most of us consider the consequences of our actions, but never really think them through, that metaphor makes perfect sense. After such an awful experience. That statement really hit home for me.
Ah, but by the grace of God.....
Can you say a big amen to that??

Three Things.....

Three things that I think make me feel like a geek...

• I love anything that has to do with forensic science
• I love musicals(always have)
• I love the way it smells after a rain

Three things that I have always wanted to do, but keep putting off...

• read my bible all the way through at once
• travel out west
• travel to Europe

Three things that make me miss my spouse...

• his kind eyes
• his forgiving smile
• that sexy look

Three things that other people say about me that make me feel good about myself...

• I'm kind
• I'm caring
• I'm good at what I do

My three goals in life...

• to be a great Mom to my children
• to be a better wife to my hubby
• to make a new career path(still trying to figure out what that is)

My three new years resolutions...

• lose weight
• make myself be more social
• be less selfish

Well 2006 has arrived. YAY!! It was nice to actually feel good about a new year this time. I spent this New Years eve contemplating and going over the years events and realized that a year really does make a difference. I can't believe that Keith and I, especially, have made it this far. I really never thought that he and I would make it back to that proverbial beginning. I just hate it took him getting sick to do it. As I always say, things happen for a reason and apparently God decided that He was going to bring us closer together no matter how much of an attitude we each had(mostly me). Of course, had we not faced all of the opposition before his illness, maybe we wouldn't have grown as close to each other as we have. I suppose that will make some good material for another blog.

OK enough babbling, I just thought I should get something posted, LOL.

My testimony.....

Well, I've been talking about writing this forever and it just seems to get pushed to the back burner. I am grateful to have been raised in church. I love my small town roots, and have great memories of that small church. I am amazed by what God has done in my life. I've made a few mistakes in my life, but, I suppose it can be considered all part of growing up. I began drinking around my Sr. year in high school. My maternal grandmother had been diagnosed with lung cancer and I had no idea how to deal with it. Unfortunately, I'm one of these people who just hangs on to things instead of getting them out in to the open. Well, she eventually passed away the summer of 1988. I think the memory of that night is burned into my brain. It was a very bad time for me because she was my best friend and I loved her dearly. As I reflect back on that time now, it must have been the beginning of my questioning God. Time marched on and I went back to college, still drinking, more heavily. I engaged in a lot of self destructive behavior, I was pretty much a mess. I met hubby my second year of college. I remember thinking,he is such a dork, and why is he interested in me??? Well, we went out and things became more serious, and we got married. The first year of our marriage was a battle. OK, you get too very strong willed individuals who are also control freaks in the same apt..... can you say WWW III?? We muddled through the first couple of years, I graduated from dental hygiene school and we moved from Little Rock to Memphis. We started going back to church with his family. I had tried while we were in Little Rock, but between work and school and me making excuses in general, I didn't go very often. An event happened and the entire family started attending another church. I had pretty much stopped drinking by then. Keith was gone a lot working out of town with a lease driver from the moving company he had worked for during the summers while he was in high school and college. We began having a revival at church. Me not being Pentecostal, I was kind of leary, but I was in the choir and loved singing ... so... I went. Well, lo and behold, did God show up. He gently pulled at my heart to go forward for an alter call and give my heart back to him. That was such a beautiful experience, but that wasn't all he had for me. Later on that same week, I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Wow, how awesome was that??? God began renewing my mind and my spirit. It was awesome. At that same time God was using me to bring Keith into a closer walk with the Lord and he got saved during that same set of revival services. We were walking on air with the Lord from that moment on. I just remember so vividly having such a hunger and thirst for God. It was like I had been stranded in the desert of life and desperately needed a drink, of Gods holy water of course. Keith and I decided to finally start a family in 1998. That was a struggle. I wasn't sure I was even going to be able to conceive a child much less carry one. I had made countless visits to my OB/GYN at the time and felt I was just getting nowhere. We had an awesome women's conference that year. One of the speakers took the liberty of wanting to pray for us women who were trying to conceive and we either told we could never ot who were just having trouble. The Lord tugged very hard at my heart. I was almost reluctant to go down for prayer, probably just from being a newly born Pentecostal girl. During that same time I decided to change Dr.'s on the recommendation of a few of my girl friends which was fine with me. I really wanted to make the change from a male Dr to a female Dr. I had to wait three months before I could get an appointment with the new OB/GYN and in that amount of time, I realized I was pregnant two weeks or so before I was to see the new Doc. Almost immediately after I took the home pregnancy test I began to have some bleeding. I rushed right over to the new Dr's office and saw one of her colleagues. They ran several tests and sent me home to rest. The bleeding stopped but I still had some off and on during my entire first trimester, my Dr was just stumped, she could not come up with any reason at all that I should have been bleeding, yet it continued. She just told me to stay off of my feet and take it easy every time it started and to alert them to any changes. I gave birth to a 7lb 5oz healthy baby boy on October 15th 1999. Well another series of events happened and Keith and I had decided to change churches. During that time Jacob had been exposed to the flu at three months old while we were visiting my husbands oldest brother. It was quite scary but we made it through. The youth pastor of one of the churches that we wanted to visit came by to visit with us, so we decided as soon as we could we would go visit this church. From the very minute we stepped into this church I knew we were home!! I had never felt that at the previous church although through everything that happened we knew that we were there for a reason during that season of our life. We had awesome support from day one from the pastor as well as the staff who were willing to minister to a hurting young couple. We almost instantly became involved in the choir, began attending Sunday school and became members of the church. A few years went by and we were blessed with our second child. She was pretty much a surprise. I had talked with my OB/GYN and expressed my concerns over getting pregnant a second time, but I had also asked God for his guidance and hand in it. Well lo and behold I go to my Dr for a check up and I had been experiencing my usual erratic cycles etc. I discussed them with her and had expressed some concern over possibly having a miscarriage. She had a puzzled look on her face when I mentioned my symptoms and asked if I had taken a home pregnancy test. I said no and she promptly got up to go test my urine. She came back with an even more puzzled look and informed me that the test was positive and that we needed to run the appropriated test to determine whether or not I was or had been pregnant. It turned out that I had not miscarried her and I had my usual complications with her as well, but I knew what to expect this time and all was well. I gave birth to a healthy 8lb 2oz little girl, Christina.
Now this is where I get to the biggest mistake I've ever made in my entire life. While I was off on maternity leave with my daughter, I began to spend a little too much time on my computer. I got into some chat rooms and met a man who I started chatting and playing pool against. Well, as time went on we began to chat more often, talk more frequently and so on. Eventually it became an emotional affair on my end. You know what the bible says about the sins of the righteous being uncovered. Boy were they. Keith discovered what I had been doing, and confronted me with it. That was a horrible feeling. I had so many emotions going through my head at that point that I seriously considered just packing up and leaving. Luckily God brought me to my senses and I went to counseling to get a grip on myself. Amazing what you can find out about yourself from a trained professional. All I can say about that situation is that God is awesome. Keith and I have had some of the best times of our marriage recently. I still sit and reflect on what could have been and cry over God's great power and grace. This situation has burned a desire in my heart to minister to hurting women. I hope somehow reading this you are blessed.