Meg's Little Corner of the Universe

God's blessings

2011-02-06T16:53:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, my husband would have told you that I was a flaming shrew. The combination of a currently high stress job, being back in college with actual homework, gymnastics, youth group and my own two children who struggle with homework, my own bible study/mentor meetings and I was ready to tear my hair out. It was only going to take one small thing to send me over the edge...

.....it was a poorly painted wall that did it. Frantic to finish the back room, I demoted my husband from painter and took over. For some reason, in all the painting we've done in the last few years, we still do not have a stepladder. So here I was, standing on a very unstable and rickety stool trying to paint near the ceiling. This, after a few early birthday drinks with some friends (and btw Mark, thanks for that shot of liquid cocaine....nasty), does not a good combination make. My lovely husband is quite protective of me and did not want me on the stool. I was not, of course, listening to reason and it lead to an argument. About how I absolutely HAD to finish painting because it was the one thing I could control. Jimmy said.....wait for it.....that I sounded just like my mother. Now that's something no woman wants to hear. And it certainly did nothing to improve my frantic mood.

Later that night though, that little comment gave me much food for thought. And my comment leading up to that was a definite eye opener. Who was I to think that I could control anything??? It was apparent that I was trying to do this all on my own. Silly Meghan. You would have thought that I would have learned this lesson by now. Over and over again I try to assert my dominance over my own situation, my own destiny. And over and over again, God gently reminds me that He has the reins. You would think that since I'm a reasonably smart woman, I'd have caught on by now. Properly chastened, I bowed my head in obedience to the only One who can carry me through anything.

Let me just tell you how He has blessed me since then. We had a blizzard. I might have been one of the few people that found that to be a blessing but it was, in a huge way. My class was canceled on Tuesday night and she gave us no homework for the week so that freed my week up. Then, my hubby & I got a snow day from work on Wednesday due to the weather conditions. A full day to chill with no homework to do?!?! Yes please! I was able to catch up on laundry and read whatever I wanted to read to my little hearts content. It has been a very relaxed week and I am very thankful to God for it. I know Jimmy is certainly thankful that his wife is no longer a psycho termagant.

Next week, it's back to the grind but I will be going back to it with a renewed heart and spirit. I know that with God, all things are possible. Even facing down the 5th graders homework on prime factorization in both expanded and exponential notations.

What to do on a Friday night........

2011-01-28T21:15:00.005-05:00

when you have kids and just had to spring for a rear brake job on the fam-mobile?

Well some people might make a nice big dinner and then play games like Monopoly or Sorry with their family.

Others might curl up with a good book.

Our family....well we clean on Friday nights. And do dishes, laundry, and whatever other chores might have been left undone during our busy week. And then I make a homemade pizza, toss it in the oven while surfing the net and the hubs scratches away at his vinyl. As the one glass of Moscato turns into two or three, we might even dance to Madonna's La Isla Bonita or Deee-Lite's Groove is in the Heart while the rugrats giggle at what dorks their parents are. Ahhh the joys of family living.....

There and back again.....not a Hobbit's tale

2011-01-27T18:31:00.004-05:00

As if I didn't have enough on my plate....I spent my last few days contemplating bringing my blogging back up to speed. Since I am back in college now...and I am in a writing class, what better way to practice right? Only on my blog, I can write about whatever I want, in any fashion I choose and in any length that I want. So there! I assert my ability to control at least one form of writing in my life. Heaven only knows "the man" is controlling the rest at the moment.

So what to blog about? How about the fact that I'm miserably sick and wishing to take another day off work tomorrow but won't because I swear I have some inherited-Catholic-guilt thing going on? Or maybe about my partially made meatloaf loafing about on the counter waiting for the eggs that my shopping-challenged husband is out to procure? Or possibly about the homework that I'm procrastinating on? Even better, how about the fact that we are going to have a joyous weekend bonding with an angsty teen who just can't understand why everyone is mad at her for failing her freshman year in high school?

......on second thought, maybe I'll just go back to the couch and my newest book instead.

Absence.....

2009-08-03T17:04:00.002-04:00

Wow, I've been gone for a very long time. A slacker, that's what I am! I've always thought that my life started speeding by once I had kids and now I'm convinced that it goes by even faster, the older they get. The summer is already more than halfway over and it hasn't even felt like summer at all. Gotta love Michigan weather. That being said, I'm definitely ready for the advent of actual autumn. I'm ready for football, fires, manicotti and our annual trip to Traverse City. I'm also ready for school to start. Ani and I were window shopping for school stuff today while we were waiting for her prescription to be filled and we are both looking forward to school shopping this year.

I really need to make an effort to keep up on this blog...and on my book reviews. Really. I'm going to :)

What my name says about me

2008-10-29T12:25:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Diane for this interesting link: http://www.kabalarians.com/index.cfm
I also do not believe in kabala but this is pretty interesting. I'd be curious to see how they came up with it.

· Your first name of Meghan has given you a responsible, expressive, inspirational, and friendly personality.
· Expression comes naturally to you and you are rarely at a loss for words; in fact, you have to put forth effort at times to curb an over-active tongue.
· Self-confidence has made it easy for you to meet people and you are well-liked for your spontaneous, happy ways.
· You sincerely like people and do not often experience loneliness; your work and home-life are likely filled with association You enjoy music and could have a fine singing voice; however, the study could be somewhat difficult because you do not find it easy to apply yourself to concentrated study for long periods.
· In this respect, this name is not altogether constructive; it creates a somewhat scattering influence which makes it difficult for you to finish what you start.
· This name brings disappointments and emotional involvements through being too sympathetic and easily influenced.
· As a result of your active nature, you have an appetite for quick-energy foods, which you could consume to excess.
· Health weakness appear as skin conditions, or as ailments relative to the liver.

I would definitely concur with having a problem curbing my overactive tongue as well not often finishing what I start. Yep, in general, this pretty much describes me.

Weekly Wrap-Up

2008-10-13T09:10:00.002-04:00

WEEKLY WRAP-UP

10/06/08-10/12/08

Weather: Mostly perfect fall weather with a weekend that was like an Indian Summer, in the middle 70's and sunny.

Sunday sermon: Pastor Kyle did an amazing job as usual, discussing how we move forward in our walk of faith. He described the process as starting with getting to know Christ, then accepting him and so on, until you become completely Christ-centered.

Life lessons: That life is short and it throws us curveballs but if we rely on God, everything will be ok.

Favorite meal(s): Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn & rolls

Treasured moments: My kiddos "taking care of me", a quiet weekend at home with my family.

Talked with: My parents, my friends & my Uncle

Things I read: Finished Doesn't She Look Natural? and started The Thirteenth Tale

Things we watched: Harry Potter, Bones, a few Gangland episodes, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and football

Places we went: ER, doctor's offices, more hospitals, grocery shopping, Detroit and church

Blessings: I've been blessed with good friends and a wonderful family

Challenges: Not stressing things that I have no control over

Family happenings: A diagnosis of Chiari Malformation for me Tuesday night in the ER which was followed by doctor visits and an MRI.

A night in the ER

2008-10-09T09:11:00.003-04:00

I spent Tuesday night in ER which was definitely not fun. I was given a CT scan and new diagnosis that I was not expecting. Instead of blogging here with that drama, I've created a new blog for it.

http://megscmipage.blogspot.com/

Honeymoon

2008-10-06T15:37:00.010-04:00

Yes, I am a slacker. I've FINALLY gotten around to getting some of our honeymoon pictures organized and I thought I would post a few here.

Here is the view from the top level of CityWalk at Universal Studios.

Jimmy with Jaws at Universal Studios

Jimmy at Universal Studios

Me at Universal...obviously

Jimmy at the Luau

This was a fire eater at the Luau Jimmy & I went to on our first night in Orlando. This guy was amazing! He even rested the fiery ends of the batons on the soles of his feet. OUCH!

Thursday Thirteen #7

2008-10-02T07:00:00.000-04:00

13 Things that prove God blessed me with an amazing husband

1. He does dishes
2. He does laundry
3. He cleans the kitchen
4. He mops floors
5. He (and this is a VERY important thing here!) has become a true father to my children and he's wonderful at it! He loves the kids just like they were his own.
6. He waits on me hand and foot if I'm not feeling well.
7. He constantly tells me how much he loves me and he shows it too
8. He would take care of all the stressful things in life if I let him
9. He cleans toilets!
10. He always asks for my opinion
11. He (and here is another extremely important thing) has brought me so much closer to God in my walk of faith, it's amazing.
12. He watches chick flicks with me
13. He loves me for me...really! He loves me if I put on an extra 10 pounds, or get a bad haircut. He loves me no matter what.

Word-Filled Wednesday

2008-10-01T07:00:00.000-04:00

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

slow to anger, abounding in love.

Psalm 103:8

Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Shearin

2008-09-30T08:15:00.000-04:00

I am a picky reader. By this I mean, I may love a genre, but certain types of books in that genre do not appeal to me. I love a good fantasy novel. My favorite fantasy novels are generally urban fantasies and my least favorite is the very in depth, intricate fantasy (for an example, I have never been able to finish The Silmarillion by Tolkien). So when I picked up Magic Lost, Trouble Found, I wasn't sure where it would fall on the spectrum. Three days later, after putting it down only for necessary reasons (i.e. work, sleep & kids), I can tell you that it's a keeper. Magic Lost, Trouble found is a very well written, fast paced fantasy novel that will definitely remain on my "to read again" shelf. I cannot wait to read the next one in the series.

The main character, Raine, is a witty, kick butt sorceress of mediocre talent. I love the whole cast of characters in this book and I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. Raine finds herself as the very unwilling keeper of a beacon that will lead her to a very dangerous artifact. I don't want to give too much away for those of you who might read this book. If you like fantasy and humor, I highly recommend Magic Lost, Trouble Found. Now I'm off to find the second book......

Magic Lost, Trouble Found
Lisa Shearin
A

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

2008-09-26T08:48:00.001-04:00

First, let me say that I am not a big fan of murder mysteries. In fact, the only ones I do read are the ones by Rita Mae Brown with Sneaky Pie Brown and JD Robb. So, in truth, I wasn't prepared to enjoy this book much but I figured that it wasn't actually a challenge if I didn't read anything that challenged me. Not so amazingly, I did enjoy the book. Hercule Poirot is a neat, amusing little character. He reminds me of the character, Sidney Wang (played by Peter Sellers) in Murder By Death. The book was well written and very easy to read. I loved how Christie kept me guessing until the very end. I admit, as is my habit, I had already predicted several suspects. Then, as the book would go on, I'd change my mind. Again and again. I don't want to give any spoilers so I won't say much more, but I will concede to all of those murder mystery lovers out there....Agatha Christie was very skilled at her chosen genre. I may even check out a few more of her books in the future.

Murder on the Orient Express
Agatha Christie
B

Simply Divine by Wendy Holden

2008-09-25T15:42:00.001-04:00

Here was another quick read (I wonder if this says anything about my attention span?) that was light, funny and relatively predictable. I am a big fan of chick lit, primarily because I don't have to think while reading it and it almost always has a happy ending. This book did not disappoint on either front.

Poor Jane has a typical chick lit existence with her rather useless (and then nonexistent) boyfriend, her dead-end job, her concern over her weight and her crummy flat. The icing on the rotten cake is when she gets saddled as a sort of a ghost writer for Britain's newest, brashest and most obnoxious socialite, Champagne D'Vyne. The story follows Jane as her life goes through its various ups and downs. A lot of the book isn't very realistic (i.e. Jane getting dumped via phone by her live-in boyfriend and it's barely a blip on her radar), but this is chick lit and who expects realism from that?

This is a cute, popcorn fluffy type read that would be perfect on the sort of day where you've forgotten your purse at home, spilled coffee on yourself, accidentally hung up on a customer and then gotten a speeding ticket on your way home.

Simply Divine
Wendy Holden
B-

Seal Island by Kate Brallier

2008-09-25T15:13:00.000-04:00

First, I will start by admitting that I am already on my third book for the Fall into Reading challenge. I just wasn't sure how the reviews were done so I wanted to wait until I saw one on someone else's page. :) Yes, this means that I read WAY too much. I know, it's an addiction. To be fair though, the first three have been very easy reads. That being said, on to the review....

This was an extremely quick read that didn't require much, if any, thought at all. The writing style itself was extremely repetitive. I stopped counting how many times the author used the word lugubrious after I hit eight. Brallier definitely went overboard on the adjectives. Beyond the writing, the plot itself was fairly predictable. The big "surprise" was obvious to me within the first few chapters and I already knew "whodunit" well before I reached the end. All in all, I wouldn't recommend this book and it's not likely to encourage me to search out any of the author's other works.

Seal Island
Kate Brallier
D

Thursday Thirteen #6

2008-09-25T08:50:00.000-04:00

13 Movies I loved as a kid

1. Dunderklumpen
2. Murder by Death
3. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
4. Return to Oz
5. ET (now I can't stand the movie!)
6. The Explorers (bought this movie as an adult and cannot remember for the life of me why I liked it in the first place!)
7. The Pirate Movie
8. The Hobbit
9. McClintock
10. Ghostbusters
11. Jungle Book
12. Cinderella
13. The Goonies

Word-Filled Wednesday #4

2008-09-24T08:20:00.000-04:00

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but

Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

Weekly Wrap-Up

2008-09-22T11:20:00.000-04:00

WEEKLY WRAP-UP

09/15/08-09/21/08

Weather: Lots of warm, but not too warm, and sunny weather

Sunday sermon: This was the final sermon in the Getting Political series and it was war and its biblical perspective. Pastor Wayne did a great job as usual and he gave me a lot to think about in terms of the upcoming election.

Life lessons: That friends are the family that I get to choose and that they can lift me up if I just let them.

Favorite meal(s): Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn and rolls

Treasured moments: Saturday afternoon with my kids, Small Group on Sunday night, going over my son's first graded quizzes. He got an A- on his spelling test! A B+ and a B- on his math quizzes and an A on his geography!

Talked with: My parents, my small group members

Things I read: The bible, Frankenstein, Change of Heart

Things we watched: Fringe, Bucket List, Waitress, Gangs of New York and Igor

Places we went: Dance, swim, church, small group, the movies, shopping

Blessings: I've been blessed with good friends and a wonderful family

Challenges: Letting go and leaving God in charge of ALL of my life

Family happenings: Ani's dance class, Aidan's swim lessons, an outing to the movies to see Igor, Small Group

My Fall into Reading 2008 List

2008-09-22T08:28:00.001-04:00

Since I'm completely addicted to reading, my list is 20 books long. :) Here's to hoping I haven't bitten off more than I can chew!

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie-I've never been big into murder mystery type books but I recently read a fictional book club book in which they read this and it actually seemed pretty interesting. I've never seen the movie either so I won't know the ending, which I hear is a surprise.

Dracula by Bram Stoker-I've recently realized that there are several classics out there that I have neglected to read and I need to remedy that. Considering it's fall and near Halloween, I thought I would go with Dracula. I've seen the movie in its many incarnations but I've never picked the book up.

(The Keep by Jennifer Egan-This is not a horror novel but it seems like it will be another good Halloween read with its gothic environment and creepiness. I've never read any Egan but I'm trying to expand my repertoir. I tend to find an author I love and then read all of their books. )*

The Shack by William P. Young-I'm definitely intrigued by this one....it is based on the diary of the author which he then fictionalized. It's about his journey to God.

The Queen's Bastard by C.E. Murphy-I've read all of Murphy's other books (see above, about falling in love with an author) and this one seems like it will be right up my alley. It's supernatural mixed in with court intrigue.

Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Shearin-Fantasy, a weakness of mine.

Seal Island by Kate Brallier-This one is a mystery/love/supernatural story.

Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult-I love her writing and the fact that she takes such controversial topics and makes you look at every side of them. She can make you feel pity for the supposed "bad guys" and anger at the "good guys". I'm trying to finish all of her books (again, see above).

Beyond Left & Right: Helping Christians Make Sense of American Politcs by Amy Black-Our pastor recently recommended this book while doing a series on voting biblically.

Chocolat by Joanne Harris-I'm sad to admit that I've never read this or seen the movie.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield-I picked this one up from the library before because I always love a good ghost story, but somehow I never had the time to read that. It's time to remedy that.

Imaginary Men by Anjalii Banerjee-A well rounded reading list for me always needs to have some chick lit on it!

Doesn't She Look Natural? by Angela Hunt-And one step better than chick lit is Christian chick lit.

Finding Anna by Christine Schaub-This is the first in a music series where Schaub gives a story behind certain hyms. This is based on one of my favorite hymns, It is Well with my Soul.

Gods and Kings by Lynn Austin-This is a fictionalized account of the Old Testament.

Simply Divine by Wendy Holden-British chick lit.

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry-A little bit of love, a little bit of suspense. It takes place in Salem, MA.

The Beach House by Jane Green-Green is another one of the authors that I have fallen in love with.

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff-This is a ficitionalized account of one of the many wives of Brigham Young and how she devoted her life to destroying the Mormon leader.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke-A young adult fantasy novel....it has always been on my list to read but it was recently moved to the top when I took my kids to the movies this weekend and saw that it has been made into a movie that will be coming out in January.

If you are interested in seeing what everyone else is reading, or in joining yourself, check it out: http://www.callapidderdays.com/2008/09/fall-into-reading-2008-time-to-read.html?showComment=1222089300000#c5547571690504590999

*I've removed The Keep from my list. I got about 80 pages in and I just could not force myself to go any further. I'm going to replace it with the second book in the Raine series by Lisa Shearin, Armed & Dangerous.

Weekend plans

2008-09-19T09:38:00.001-04:00

What a crazy week it has been! I've been cranky and busy and I seriously need a break. It just seemed that we had way more things to do than normal and I feel so far behind right now on small things like household chores. Tonight we're supposed to go to a friend's house just to hang out and eat and visit but honestly, I feel so worn out that I might cancel. Tomorrow morning Aidan has swim and I have to run a few errands. After the errands, I promised the kids I'd take them to see Igor. Thankfully Saturday night is blessedly free. We have a huge pile of movies to watch so I think we'll just have dinner and relax all night. Sunday we have church of course, and then our small group meets in the evening.

I'm praying that I am able to let go of this anger and stress. I pray that I can learn to rely on God far better than I do now. And I pray that everyone has a wonderful, safe weekend! God bless!

Thursday Thirteen #5

2008-09-18T08:31:00.002-04:00

Thirteen Things I love about Fall

1. The amazing color as the leaves start to change
2. Carving pumpkins
3. Decorating for Halloween
4. Da BEARS!
5. College football
6. Curling up in front of a fire
7. All those yummy fall scented oils from B & B Works
8. The smell of fall outside
9. Our annual trip to Traverse City
10. Trick or treating with the kids
11. The family's annual trip to the orchard
12. Fall meals (we're weird, I know!)
13. Baking yummy smelling fall stuff like apple dumplings and pumpkin cakes

Word-Filled Wednesdays

2008-09-17T09:11:00.000-04:00

When I said, "My foot is slipping,"

your love, Oh Lord, supported me.

When anxiety was great within me,

your consolation brought joy to my soul.

Psalm 94:18-19

Weekly Wrap-Up

2008-09-16T09:23:00.000-04:00

WEEKLY WRAP-UP

09/08/08-09/14/08

Weather: A very rainy, gloomy fall weekend but I love that kind of weather!

Sunday sermon: This was the second sermon in the getting political series. I was very impressed by how Pastor Wayne really made his way through it without aligning himself to any particular party, etc. This sermon was on the wisdom in the bible about our economy.

Life lessons: That sometimes I just have to let go of anger and disappointment. If I give it to God, He will give me peace.

Favorite meal(s): Manicotti with Italian sausage and crusty bread

Treasured moments: The time I spent with some girlfriends just having fun together, my relaxing Sunday at home with my kids.

Talked with: My parents, my girlfriends

Things I read: The bible, Frankenstein, The Secret Scripture, Be Sweet

Things we watched: An American Crime (so traumatic and wrenching!), the first episode of Fringe, and lots of football

Places we went: Grocery shopping, swim, church & dinner with my girlfriends

Blessings: I've been blessed with good friends and a wonderful family

Challenges: Letting go of some hurt that was just festering in my heart

Family happenings: Aidan's swim lessons, a visit from Jimmy's daughters

Thursday Thirteen #4

2008-09-11T08:17:00.000-04:00

13 things that my kids do that make me smile

1. Call me "Mama"
2. Hug me
3. Laugh
4. Spontaneously tell me that they love me
5. Say "Mama you're the best!"
6. Tell me they love God
7. Share any of the biblical knowledge they have gained thus far in life, it's surprising how much they soak in!
8. Draw/paint pictures for me to hang up in my office & to share with my coworkers
9. The way they "take care" of me when I'm sick
10. The way my daughter pronounces the word movie "ooovie"
11. The way my son pronounces the word 2 only when it's following a title like High School Musical 2 "toot"
12. The way they pray at dinner and bed time
13. The way they adore "family time" (I wonder how long that will last!)

The power of prayer

2008-09-10T14:21:00.000-04:00

My husband and I could really use some prayer right now. We're struggling through the joys and minefields of blending a family. My children are very well adjusted because, unfortunately, their birth father hasn't had anything to do with them pretty much since we divorced. They are used to Jimmy being their dad and they are with us constantly. There are no problems with them having two different sets of rules in two homes, or playing one set of parents against another. We are not so lucky with my husband's daughters. To begin with, they are not being raised in a Christian home...or even a home with many morals. It is not unusual for their mom to act in ways that make my husband and I cringe (such as getting a movie put in her bag by accident at a store and not returning it). Family time, regular homework time and monitored tv/video game time is also unheard of in their home. Sadly, the oldest daughter often plays the parent game. She will come visit us and tell us the horror stories of how her mom fights with her boyfriend, or how they have to deal with said boyfriend's spoiled daughter, etc etc. Then she will go to her mom and say that I don't treat them fairly, or that I act differently towards them when their dad isn't around (can we say "evil stepmom"?). Things seem to only be getting worse and every time they are out for a visit, there is bound to be some drama. As is typical of four children between the ages of 7 and 12, our four don't always get along. This is more fodder to go home to their mom with. I'm at my wits end and I know I just need to give this up to God. If anyone else could put this in their prayers, I would greatly appreciate it.

God bless!

Word-Filled Wednesdays #2

2008-09-10T08:22:00.001-04:00

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

Weekly Wrap-Up

2008-09-08T12:29:00.000-04:00

WEEKLY WRAP-UP
09/01-09/07

Weather: Fall is on its way! It was gorgeous out, not too warm at all with bright blue skies.

Sunday sermon: It was the beginning of a new sermon series on politics and how we should use the instructions in the bible to chose our politics. I think this is going to be a very interesting series.

Life lessons: That my daughter is a magnet for disaster and that I just need to give it up to God. He will take care of her and make sure she's safe enough.

Favorite meal(s): Parmesan chicken with alfredo

Treasured moments: The evening I spent with our small group bible study, everyone is so amazing! And the time I spent making sun catchers with my kiddos.

Talked with: My parents, the urgent care doctors & nurses, my good friends in small group

Things I read: Daring Chloe, Breaking Dawn, the bible

Things we watched: Some of the VMA's and a LOT of football

Places we went: Shopping, swimming pool, urgent care, church and small group

Blessings: That my daughter didn't cause any permanent damage to herself

Challenges: Keeping my head when Ani's hand was gushing blood

Family happenings: Aidan's swim lessons, Ani sliced her thumb open & ended up at Urgent Care getting 6 stitches, church & Small group

Book update

2008-09-05T16:21:00.000-04:00

In keeping with one of my goals (to read some of the classics I've never bothered with before), I'm currently reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. So far, I'm enjoying it far more than I thought I would (my only knowledge of Frankenstein before now was from Mel Brook's Young Frankenstein). I am only reading a little bit every night as I have to fit it in between the kids books, the bible, my nonfiction book and whatever fiction I'm reading for myself, but I don't think it will take me very long to finish.

Goal #2(reading an actual book you can get your teeth into with my kids) is Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone. They've seen the movies more times than they can count but I'm hoping this gives them a new appreciation for reading. My youngest can't read yet, but I'd love to instill in both of them the absolute love I have of reading.

Goal #3(a nonfiction book to further my mind/spirit) is A Mom After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George. It's filled with good advice on how to bring your children up with a love of God and this is one I'll read over and over again. It's already got little notes all over the place and highlighted sections.

And finally, my fiction book of the moment is Full of Grace by Dorothea Benton Frank. It's a wonderful book as usual. Frank has a way of making you fall in love with the Lowcountry even though you may have never seen it before. I'm close to halfway through and should be able to finish it tonight. It's a great book, if a little predictable and I would read it again.

Oh...and two days ago I finished Daring Chloe by Laura Jensen Walker. It was a very quick read, Christian chick lit but I would definitely read it again. I've never ever dreamed of going to France but the way Walker described it made me fall in love with the city of Paris and now I've added that to my travel wish list.

Good intentions

2008-09-05T15:59:00.000-04:00

Have you ever noticed that even when you start out with the best of intentions, you eventually let things slide? It's the typical tale of New Year's Resolutions, or weight loss goals....you set them and within a week or two (or even less for some of us!), they've gone by the wayside, forgotten in the busyness of life. I constantly find myself setting very similiar goals which should be a sign in and of itself right? Maybe it's that I set too many goals at once, or that I shoot for the stars when I should be aiming a little closer to home. Whatever the reasoning, I find myself running in circles way too often and it's disappointing.

The beginning of a school year is always an auspicious time to attempt to set new goals and keep new resolutions. As a working mom of two energetic kids, I sometimes struggle in keeping my goals. Add the full time job outside of the home to the full time job of being a mom and wife, plus the sometimes debilitating effects of having Sjogren's Syndrome and Fibromyalgia, it's no wonder that I lose hope in ever being the person I want to be. But the book of Matthew reminds me that "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). With this in mind, even when I falter and lose sight of goals, I realize that I just have to rely on God and start fresh again.

I'm nearing the end of week one and so far, so good. I've been staying on top of the household chores and laundry, homework has been checked and double checked, I've been making yummy homecooked meals for my husband and his coworkers, I've been spending time in the bible every night, I've been reading a little bit every day in a classic novel plus reading with the kids every night (a fun book plus the bible). Even more amazing, I've been managing to get up early every morning to work out on my Gazelle and make a good, hot breakfast for the kiddos before their day starts. I pray that I can stay committed to these goals that I've set for myself and that I can continue to rely on God to give me the strength to do so.

God bless!

Thursday 13 #3

2008-09-04T08:43:00.000-04:00

13 Things I love about the start of a new school year

1. Clothes shopping, especially for Ani (girls are so much more fun to shop for!)
2. School supply shopping
3. Getting the kids back into a routine
4. The start of their extracurricular activities
5. Bible club
6. Full Sunday school starts up again
7. JAM with the Fam starts up again
8. Earlier bedtimes :)
9. High school football games
10. Helping the kids with their homework
11. Halloween is not far away!
12. Hearing about how their days went at school
13. The excitement my kids have over starting school (I'm sure this won't last much longer!)

Word-Filled Wednesday

2008-09-03T08:35:00.001-04:00

"Surely God is my salvation;

I will trust and not be afraid.

The Lord, the Lord, is my

strength and my song;

He has become my salvation."

Isaiah 12:2

Another school year begins

2008-09-02T14:28:00.000-04:00

My kids were both so excited to start school today. This is Annika's first year going full day so I'm sure it will be a totally new experience for her. I can't believe my little baby is a first grader! It made my heart hurt to see her go off for this first day...they all grow up too quickly. Even harder than that, was to see my little man try so hard to make friends with people. For some reason, most boys Aidan's age just don't like him. Girls do, teachers, older kids, and younger kids, but not boys his age. There is this boy who has been in the same class with him since K who just does not like Aidan at all. :( When he walked up to the bus stop, Aidan tried talking to him and he wouldn't look at him. In fact, he went so far as to turn his back on Aidan and Aidan was just prattling on, like he didn't even notice. It made me want to ask that boy what his problem was but I know it won't do Aidan any good for me to get involved. Aidan tries so hard, he wants to fit in, but he just doesn't. Part of it is that my boy is so sensitive. He cries so easily and for boys going into third grade (and quickly moving to the macho end of the spectrum), that is just not cool. I don't know what to do to help him adjust better, to make friends easier. I have no fears with Annika who is a social butterfly and might give us problems on the other end of the spectrum (I have no problem imagining calls from the teacher complaining that Ani talks too much in class!) but I'm at a loss as to how to handle Aidan's situation.

**sigh**

Weekly Wrap Up

2008-09-02T09:07:00.001-04:00

WEEKLY WRAP-UP
08/22-08/28

Weather: It was BEAUTIFUL out! Not a cloud in the sky. It was a little on the hot side yesterday but still beautiful.

Sunday sermon: It finished up the series on Colossians, this one was about how the people we choose as friends show lots of things about us.

Life lessons: That I need to be diligent in my bible time and prayer or else the enemy gets a foothold into my mind and life.

Favorite meal(s): Burgers on the grill

Treasured moments: Watching my kids play on the beach all day on Saturday, seeing Aidan take his first jet ski ride.

Talked with: My parents, Jimmy's coworkers

Things I read: Bitten to Death by Jennifer Rardin, the bible

Things we watched: Just plain ol' tv

Places we went: End of summer party at Jimmy's bosses house on the lake, the pool

Blessings: We had a safe weekend

Challenges: Trusting solely in God

Family happenings: Pig roast at Jimmy's bosses house, a trip to the pool.

Weekend plans

2008-08-29T12:23:00.000-04:00

I am so looking forward to this weekend....long weekends are always the best. Tomorrow morning my daughter and I are spending some girl time together. We're getting coffee (ok tea for her!) and then going to get our nails done. She's getting a "manicure" and I'll be getting a pedi. She's tickled pink by this. Then tomorrow afternoon we have a pig roast that my husband's boss is throwing. They live on a lake so the kids will have a blast, they can swim and it will be their first time on a boat. Sunday morning is church and then I think we may go to the beach, the weather should be perfect for it. Monday we have NO plans minus grilling out! I like it.

God bless! Have a safe weekend!

More books....

2008-08-29T09:28:00.000-04:00

Destiny by Alex Archer-Eh. That's the most I can say about it. It was a quick read but I wouldn't recommend it. It seems like it's going to be in a series and I definitely won't be reading the rest of them.

Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer-YAY! One more left to go. As usual, I couldn't put this one down. I do prefer the first two but that has NOTHING to do with the style of writing, it's just that I didn't like parts of this story as much. I can't wait to read the last one.

I've just started The Man with the Golden Torc by Simon R. Green.....I've read some of his Nightside stuff and I like the way he writes. So far, this is a good fit for me. It's similar to the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher.

Thursday 13 #2

2008-08-28T08:29:00.000-04:00

13 Books/Series that I can read over and over again

1. The Bible
2. Christine by Catherine Marshall
3. Bingo by Rita Mae Brown
4. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
5. Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery
6. The Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling
7. The Three Sisters Trilogy by Nora Roberts
8. The Key Trilogy by Nora Roberts
9. The Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris
10. The Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series by Laurell K. Hamilton
11. The Merry Gentry Series by Laurell K. Hamilton
12. The Undead Series by MaryJanice Davidson
13. The Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer

Wordless Wednesday #1

2008-08-27T09:16:00.000-04:00

Weekly Wrap-Up

2008-08-25T08:05:00.000-04:00

WEEKLY WRAP-UP
8/18/08-8/24/08

Weather: The week was pretty nice, though slightly on the warm side. Saturday was horridly hot!!!

Sunday sermon: It was based on Colossians 4, about how we are to evangelize. It was a great sermon as usual.

Life lessons: That if I simply give things up to God in prayer, He will answer in His way, in His time.

Favorite meal(s): Chicken breasts on the grill, it always tastes so juicy and good!

Treasured moments: The time we spent with my kids. Watching them watch the shows at the Ren Fest, they had the time of their life.

Talked with: My parents

Things I read: Julie by Catherine Marshall

Things we watched: The season finale of America's Best Dance Crew, Day of the Dead 2008 (HORRIBLE!) and The Goonies

Places we went: The Renaissance Festival in Holly, MI

Blessings: We has a great day at the Festival and a safe trip. Also, the excitement my kids have for going to church filled me with such happiness this weekend.

Challenges: Trusting God that whatever is wrong with my legs/feet is in His hands and that He will watch over me. It's a challenge to give it up to God and not stress over it as if I, a mere human, could actually fix it by stressing about it!

Family happenings: Family trip to the Renaissance Festival.

More and more books

2008-08-22T12:47:00.000-04:00

Again, I've been slacking on noting the books that I've been reading. I've read so much lately that I can't even remember the entire list off the top of my head. I'll list the last few that I can truly remember.

Blood Noir-the latest in the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton. Now...this one of my most favorite series. I love the little tough-as-nails Anita and her cast of supernatural friends. But, at this point, I'm going to have to start agreeing with the many critics of the later books in this series. Anita went from a woman of strong morals, to someone who sleeps with almost everyone thrown in her path. It seems to me that Hamilton works hard to come up with crazier "metaphysical" problems that need to be solved with sex and that makes me sad. As it is, I skim past all of the sex scenes...so in Blood Noir, I barely got to read much actual writing!

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer-Oh my! I really wasn't expecting to get so drawn into this book. I finished it in one evening. Meyer does an amazing job of making you feel Bella's fascination with Edward. I think that Twilight is very unique for it's genre since there isn't a lot of the typical sex and violence that usually accompanies vampire novels. This is definitely a book I could read over and over again.

New Moon by Stephanie Meyer-Again, wow! There isn't too much I can add to what I said about Twilight except that I cannot wait to read the third one in the series!

Julie by Catherine Marshall-This is one of those books I will read again and again. Catherine Marshall's other novel, Christy, is a book I read at least once a year, but I can revisit Julie every few years or so. I love how Catherine Marshall portrays the passion that Julie has for the poor, the downtrodden and I love to watch God work in the lives of her heroines. I should finish this one tonight and I'm not sure what book I will read next.

Healthcare provider rants

2008-08-22T11:12:00.000-04:00

Ok, I'm finally settling in to work today after my morning of doctor fun. See, I've been experiencing a very strange, reocccurring rash, on my ankles and legs for the past 5 months. They are usually not raised and they don't itch while they are there (though, I can tell they are coming on because the area will itch like crazy until they show up) and they are very atypical as far as skin rashes go. Benadryl, hydrocortisone, Benadryl cream, Aveeno...nothing makes a remote dent in the rashes. So, when I woke up Thursday morning with a new set of rashes, I finally called my doctor and they made an appointment for me for first thing this morning. Two doctors looked over me and had NO idea what it is. It is not a comforting feeling, being a medical oddity. They said it appears to be actually UNDER my skin and so not a dermatitis type rash. They referred me to a vascular surgeon who was kind enough to squeeze me in for this morning. What a WASTE! The doctor was in the office with me less than five minutes. He took one look at my legs and declared that it wasn't vascular and he actually sounded vaguely accusatory...like I had a plot to waste his time! It was horrid. It was so frustrating to walk out of there as clueless as I was first thing this morning. **sigh**

So, I came back in to work and called my doctor. After much discussion they've put in an order for more blood work on me plus they've scheduled me to see a new rheumy (as my old one doesn't take my new insurance) because, according to my doc, since I have one autoimmune disease, there is a good chance I will develop others and this could be related. Also, they've mentioned possibly sending me to a hematologist depending on the blood results. Is it any wonder, that even though I have Sjogren's Syndrome & Fibromyalgia, I try to avoid doctors? It always seem that when I start seeing one, they multiply quite like Gremlins exposed to water!

Thursday 13 #1

2008-08-21T12:55:00.000-04:00

(Here is yet another thing I'm stealing from Diane...I thought I might as well give it a try!)

13 fun things to do with our kids

1. Take them to concerts
2. Take them to Michigan Adventure
3. Play Jr. Trivial Pursuit with them (since I kick their butts every single time, this might be a little selfish of me)
4. Read the bible together and let them ask questions about the passages we've read. They always come up with REALLY interesting ones LOL
5. Take them to the Renaissance Festival
6. Play volleyball with them (most of them duck from the ball, it's hilarious)
7. Play Harry Potter Scene It! with them...another one I win a lot :)
8. Go swimming with them and play Marco Polo
9. Have a "picnic" dinner in our living room while watching a family movie
10. Take them to the orchard in the fall for all the fun harvest activities
11. Carve pumpkins with them
12. Color eggs with them (though I'd say they still get more color on themselves than the eggs!)
13. Go through all of our photo albums and look at the fun stuff we've done together in the past, the kids can talk about it for hours and it reminds us that we are making wonderful memories for them.

Another first for the kiddos

2008-08-21T09:12:00.000-04:00

Last night I took my babies to their very first concert. Annika was thrilled beyond belief as it was her very favorite artist, Britt Nicole. Aidan, on the other hand, was bored silly. He told me I should have let him bring his PSP in, what a horrible mom I am! Regardless of what her big brother felt, Annika had a blast with her little friend, Maddie. They both got Tshirts and stood on their seats, waving their hands in the air in time with the music. It was such a neat experience to do that with them. I enjoyed the concert myself. Britt Nicole really spoke to the kids in the audience, telling them of God's love and mercy. I'm very glad we went, even if I'm tired and dragging today.

This weekend will be another first for my kids; we are taking them to the Michigan Renaissance Festival. It's one of my favorite places and the kids are pretty excited too. Actually, I think they are most excited about seeing Ded Bob. :)

God bless!

Weekly Wrap Up

2008-08-19T09:56:00.000-04:00

(I've stolen this idea from Diane, who stole it from someone else...thanks!)

8/11/08-8/17/08

WEEKLY WRAP-UP
8/11/08-8/17/08
Weather: For the most part, the weather was great. It was absolutely perfect this past weekend, not too humid

Sunday sermon: We did not go to church this week. :(

Life lessons: I will continue to rely on God instead of myself...He does so much better at running my life.

Favorite meal(s): The best tasting meal I had all week was the omelet and hashed browns I threw together when we got home late Sunday night. YUM!

Treasured moments: The time we spent together as a family, especially on Saturday and Sunday. I loved watching the kids have a great time together.

Talked with: My mom, Gina, Heather, Missy

Things I read: Twilight & New Moon by Stephanie Meyers

Things we watched: Hmmm nothing but America's Best Dance Crew

Places we went: The pool and Michigan's Adventure

Blessings: We had wonderful weather for our trip to the amusement park and a safe trip to the park and to Detroit yesterday.

Challenges: Trusting God's advice to keep my mouth shut when it came to some issues that really upset me. Having patience when a child would get too greedy.

Family happenings: Family trip to Michigan Adventure.

Back to reality

2008-08-08T10:44:00.000-04:00

Our honeymoon was beautiful and amazing. I'm so glad that we chose Florida and Universal Studios even though I wasn't too sure about that in the beginning. It was so relaxing and it went by far too quickly. We spent several days at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. I hadn't realized how cool Universal would be. My favorite ride there was The Mummy ride. The special effects were AMAZING! The Men In Black ride was fun too, a giant ride-in video game. Aidan would love it. Islands of Adventure had far more rides and it was equally fun. The best rides there were the Hulk coaster (which gave me whiplash!) and the Spiderman 3D ride. Beyond the theme parks and rides, we went to a luau at SeaWorld our first night there. It really blew our minds away, with the fire eating and all the dancing. We had front row seats and it was so cool to see a different culture. And for a glimpse at another culture, we went to dinner at a Greek place called Taverna Opa. The food was good, but the atmosphere is what made it. After Taverna Opa we went to a wine bar to listen to a jazz band. The sax player was from MI and they played At Last for us by Etta James. The rest of our time was spent relaxing! We spent time at the pool and enjoyed the scenery. I was amazed at how many little lizards just hang out all over the place (not in our room thankfully!).

We were torn about coming back...we didn't want the vacation to end but at the same time, it felt so good coming home and seeing our kids. Now that we're back, life is busy again and we have to start counting the days until our Traverse City trip this fall. Next week I have to register the kids for school and Annika for her dance class. We're going to MIchigan Adventure with a group of our friends next weekend. I think the rest of this month will fly by with plans to go to a concert with my kids and to the Renaissance Festival later this month. Then, before we know it, it will be time to go school shopping and the summer freedom will end for the kiddos. I cannot believe that my baby is starting 1st grade this fall! She is growing up way too quickly.

God bless!

Honeymoon time!

2008-07-21T12:58:00.000-04:00

I can't believe that we'll be leaving for our honeymoon in a few short days! I'm so very excited. My poor husband has never flown before so he's quite terrified but I am sure that he will get past that after his first flight (at least I HOPE he will! I plan on traveling a lot more in the future!).

I was so sure that the time prior to our trip would crawl by but it has flown. It seems that we are always busy and the older the kids get, the more quickly time goes by. Once we are back, then it will be a little over a month before my little man starts the THIRD grade! Even worse, my baby girl will be going into the first grade. Shouldn't there be some rule that kids can't grow up this fast????

The countdown

2008-06-25T16:15:00.000-04:00

The kids will be home in 4 1/2 days! I cannot wait to get them on Sunday morning. I have to serve in the nursery on Sunday morning at church and then we are heading out to get them. It's going to be SO nice having them home. I think we have our small group bible study on Sunday night but they will enjoy that too, because I know they miss all the SG kids. After that, we're renting Spiderwick Chronicles and vegging out for the night. Of course, they will have to adjust to life without being spoiled rotten. They've been taken bowling, out to a few movies, out for pizza, Chuck E. Cheese's, to the park several days, a few baseball games, you name it. Not to mention, they've been shopping with Meemah & Poppa and have obtained several new toys. **eye roll** I can guarantee you that I will hear, within a few days of them being home..."Mama, why don't you take us to MisterDonalds all the time? Or to Chuck E Cheese?" Ahhh I can't wait to get revenge on them with their children (well actually, yes I can wait, they can't have kids for at least another 20 years!!!!).

Empty nest syndrome...

2008-06-10T10:48:00.000-04:00

Well, I took my kids down to IL to spend two weeks with my parents this past weekend. They were done with school last Wednesday and were definitely ready to start their summer vacation. This is a tradition..to spend the first two weeks of summer vacation with my parents but I miss them terribly! While I'm sure they miss me, they are far too busy getting spoiled silly to bother missing mom & dad too much.

The house is so quiet. And clean!! It's amazing how clean a house stays when you have no children to mess it up. Last night all I had to do was go to the library, make dinner, do one load of laundry, dishes and watch a movie (Griffin & Phoenix..very sad). Tonight I have NOTHING to do...how absolutely wonderful. At the same time, it just makes it more obvious that my kids aren't there when I'm not busy. I think I might start the biyearly overhaul of the kid's rooms. I try to go through them twice a year to clear out any broken toys (garbage) and clothes, toys or books that they've outgrown (Goodwill). It's always so much easier when the kids aren't here to do that. Otherwise I run into things like "Oh I LOVE that toy" nevermind the fact that they haven't even picked it up for 8 months!

I hope everyone is doing well. God bless!

Blessings

2008-06-02T14:25:00.000-04:00

The Lord is truly wonderful and amazing. We are so blessed in so many ways and this weekend really brought some of those ways home to me. Saturday morning the kids and I went to watch my best friend's daughter play soccer. It's hilarious watching a bunch of first graders play soccer...half of them stopped when the ball came near them with expressions on their face like "What do I do now?!?!?" Saturday afternoon two of my very good friends threw Jimmy & I a "post wedding" shower. It was so much fun to just hang out with our friends and eat yummy Greek style food.

Sunday morning I took my daughter and her little friend Savannah, to church. As usual, the service was amazing and I felt so uplifted when I left church. Jimmy & I both are so happy that God pointed us in the direction of KCC. We spent Sunday afternoon cleaning and then we hosted our small group bible study on Sunday evening. While we were all visiting and eating dinner, I was struck by how blessed we were to have this group as friends and as partners to help us learn more about ourselves in Christ.

No matter what I don't have, the things that I do have are the most important ones. A healthy and loving family that puts Christ first, friends who do the same and who want to help us in our walk with God in any way that they can. Thank you God for things like this.

Holiday weekend

2008-05-23T09:53:00.000-04:00

It's the end of May already....where did all the time go? My kids only have school for another week and a half. Aidan turned in his last homework packet yesterday. He was THRILLED, I can tell you!

We have Jimmy's girls this weekend and I went to pick them up last night. We're supposed to have them through Monday, but as usual, things are complicated when it comes to their mother. Tonight we will just relax and maybe play a few games at home since Jimmy has to work. Tomorrow I have a girls afternoon planned with my girlfriends and tomorrow night, we are all taking our kids to a Whitecap's game. Jimmy's oldest daughter, Rain, is REALLY excited about that. Sunday we had planned on a day of playing outside (volleyball, soccer, etc), grilling out and possibly putting out the sprinkler depending on the temperature. If the girls have to go back on Sunday though, we will take them back after church.

I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Memorial Day weekend! God bless!

Pictures

2008-05-23T08:42:00.000-04:00

I've finally found some time to upload pictures so I thought I would put some of them up. There is a mixture here of the wedding, and some Libby Lu shots of the girls.

Work rant....

2008-05-08T13:02:00.000-04:00

Let me give you readers (all 1 of you!) some warning…this is a work rant. I love my job….I adore my boss, he’s the best boss I’ve ever worked for and the owners are awesome too, I get along really well with my “partner in crime” (as my boss calls us) but I just have to vent today. This is a smaller company, 11 years ago it started in one of the owner’s basements and it’s grown from there. From the basement it moved to a 5,000 sq.ft. building and from there, to an 8,000 sq.ft. building and finally, we’ve grown into a 50,000 sq.ft. building. Buildings aren’t the only thing we’ve grown out of….we finally had to move on to a new accounting/order system. Since the company’s inception, we’ve used Quickbooks. I know, I know, accounting for dummies. But it worked! On January 1st this year, we went live on a new system. The first month was nightmarish. The software company that provided this system for us was very new at this system and we’re still feeling the pains from them not knowing what they were doing. So, about two months ago, we found a local consultant who was a “pro” at this new system. We brought him in and he was a HUGE help. Our mistake was allowing him free reign over everything. I handle the bank reconciliation and I haven’t seen it in two months. Now that I’m doing April’s, I’m finding a lot of problems with the way he did the last few months and this is going to cause endless headaches and a lot of clean up. Now beyond the system issues, I also have a pet peeve. I think it’s terribly rude of someone to come to your desk while you are sitting at it, and start going through your files to find something they want. Am I crazy? This gentleman does that ALL the time. I’ve taken to moving my files around, but he inevitably finds where I’ve moved them to. He also comes to my desk after I leave for the night and takes things. The worst part of that is that he NEVER puts things back where he got them from. Our filing cabinets are a mess now because he puts things back in out of order.

Ok **deep breath and some big prayers** I’m done now. I’m just trying my best to hold my tongue at work but this all just needed to come out! Sorry! God bless!

Graceland, TCB and all things Elvis

2008-05-06T15:50:00.000-04:00

Who knew? I planned our trip to Graceland with much eye rolling. I huffed and puffed about doing it for my mother-in-law...what a great DIL I am, huh? I anticipated the trip solely for the excuse to get out of town for a few days...and for the break, I just had to put up with a bunch of tacky, overdone Elvis memorabilia. Imagine my surprise when I found that I actually ENJOYED the visit to Graceland. I learned more about Elvis in those four hours than I have in my entire life. I'm in no danger of collecting kitschy Elvis baubles but my interest has been tweaked. Walking through Graceland was eye opening, if only for the fact that it made Elvis more of a real person to me than the Vegas lounge act that I had in my mind. Most of the rooms in Graceland were pretty hideous but let's cut the guy a break, he bought the place in 1957. Tacky was the style then, as was evidenced by the many jumpsuits we saw in the costume museum.

Beyond Graceland, Memphis is a beautiful city. I wish we had more time down there, the day and a half we actually spent in the city was not enough to see all of it. Sometime, we will make another trip to Tennessee and see both Nashville and Memphis again. For now though, we have enough trips on our plate. In a little over two months, we will be taking our delayed honeymoon to Orlando, and then we are going to Holly for the Renaissance Faire later this summer and Traverse City in October.

God bless!

Returning to normal life....

2008-04-21T13:00:00.000-04:00

Last week was a blur. I can't even remember which books I read. I spent the entire week decompressing from the wedding. Yes...it is FINALLY over and I'm extremely happy to say that I am now Mrs.Chase. I love it. The wedding itself was beautiful and it went off without a hitch. As the story normally goes, it was over so quickly. The same can be said for Thanksgiving, you spend all day cooking and it's eaten in less than 30 minutes. Or about Christmas....all those months shopping and baking and decorating and then BOOM, the kids tear through the gifts in under 15 minutes and you're left to wonder "Is that it?!?!?" The weekend was a VERY long one but it seemed compressed into a very short amount of time. I'm still tired thinking of it and I'm very glad that we planned our honeymoon to take place months after the fact. I would have been useless the first few days.

We haven't gotten our pictures back yet but I will add one poorly lit on that we do have to this little note. I hope that everyone is doing well. God bless!

4 more days

2008-04-09T09:26:00.000-04:00

It's amazing what a little quiet will do for my peace of mind. It's only four more days until the wedding but I haven't stressed at all this week. Maybe it's because my kids are out of town, visiting my parents, so I have less to worry about. Jimmy & I are getting things done at a good rate and I'm not freaking out that Friday will arrive with a ton left to do. As usual, when my kids are gone, I make too many plans with friends and that's put a little bit of a pinch on my evenings. For instance, tonight I'm going for drinks with my favorite coworker, then I need to get my manicure & pedicure AND my good friend, Heather is supposed to be coming over to visit. Did I mention I also need to do laundry and clean tonight? :-)

This week work seems to be more of an interruption of real life...there is so much I need to get done outside of work. Thankfully the week has gone by relatively quickly. Tomorrow they are throwing me a shower/luncheon here which will be very nice. Jimmy is off work tomorrow night so we will finish up the shopping and probably go out to dinner for our anniversary (it's been three years tomorrow). Friday will be filled with small stuff..finishing up cleaning, picking up the flowers and making them all up, etc. Someone just asked me this morning if I'm nervous and I'm not. Not at all, I'm just excited. I'm ready to be married.

More books..

2008-04-07T10:04:00.000-04:00

I finished Change Baby by June Spence and I wouldn't recommend it. It wasn't so horrible that I couldn't finish it but it wasn't worth the read either.

From Change Baby I moved on to another supernatural fiction novel.....Night Life by Caitlin Kittredge. It's the first in a new series and it was pretty darn good. The heroine is a homicide dectective that just happens to be a werewolf as well. I like her character and I will definitely keep an eye out on the rest of the series.

After that, I started Tales from the Crib by Jennifer Coburn. So far it's a hilarious read that has kept me laughing out loud (my fiancee thought I had lost it last night!) and I can't wait to finish it. It's not a book I would buy to read again but I'd definitely recommend it as a good read to women who like chick lit.

I've been slacking on the books....

2008-04-04T11:49:00.000-04:00

I've read a few since I last posted a blog on books but I haven't mentioned a word. Slacker.

First was The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison...book #6 in the Rachel Morgan series. It was as good as I expected. This is one of my favorite supernatural fiction series. I have to admit to an addiction to series....they keep on going so that story lines that I've fallen in love with just don't end. This is probably why I also avoid short stories like the plague. They just aren't enough for me.

Next was Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. It was a good read....a creepy look into Munchausen Syndrome and the different ways it can affect children beyond actually killing them. I wouldn't read it again but it kept me up, the pictures it made in my mind replaying over and over again.

After that was Waking Brigid by Francis Clark. This was an unplanned read...a book I liked the look of but had never heard of. The cover intrigued me and the description pushed me into picking it up. It was about an Irish nun in post-Civil War Savannah and about a satanic cult summoning a demon to kill people. I liked the book, but I wouldn't buy it or read it again.

After that was Biting the Bullet by Jennifer Rardin...the third book in the Jaz Parks series. I loved it! Again, the same rule applies to this series about a Sensitive CIA operative whose boss is a centuries old vampire. I hope Rardin keeps them coming because I"m addicted.

Finally...I just started Change Baby by June Spence last night. As much as I love my supernatural fiction, I need a break on occasion to read something a little deeper than vampires, demons and werewolves. This book is about a woman who was the youngest child (by several years...so called a "change baby" since she was born when her mother was 49) in a rather dysfunctional family but the dysfunction was so hidden that she never realized it until she had to come back home to take care of her ailing mother after a house fire. So far, it's good...the prose is well written and engaging...but so far it hasn't turned into a book that I just can't put down. More on this later.......

The kiddos

2008-04-04T10:48:00.000-04:00

Isn't he just a little man? They grow up WAY too fast. He's so amazing...every day I look at him and see something new. What a blessing it is to be a parent.

My youngest...my baby girl. Doesn't she look angelic? Trust me, looks can be deceiving. :) She's a doll...but she's very creative and good at getting into trouble.

Bringing it all into perspective

2008-04-04T10:22:00.000-04:00

As the wedding creeps slowly closer and my stress level ratchets higher, I've been given a serious dose of perspective. Last night, unable to sleep, I lay in bed with thoughts weighing heavily on my heart and mind. Some were random...a memory of a couple of high school acquaintances who had a child with many health problems (and I vowed to look for their blog when I got up in the morning), and some were quite pointed...the way that I've been too busy lately for friends, or the way that when I do have free time, I just turn into a hermit (I vowed to email them all this morning and apologize for my Bridezilla-type behavior). I prayed long and hard for God to give me clarity and peace of mind. Lately it has been escaping me and I know it's because I'm so focused on the wordly things.

So, first thing this morning, I emailed my girlfriends and apologized for being a poor excuse of a friend. Feeling good about that...like I was on the right path, I then went in search of the blog of those old high school acquaintances. I was saddened to read that they had lost their son nearly a year ago. They are an amazing family that God has most certainly blessed with peace and comfort. It reminded me that life is fleeting and that I need...no, we all need, to enjoy our loved ones and every minute of our time here on this earth but that we also need to focus on what is coming ahead. Heaven is very real, and God's mercy has assured us of our spot there if we but accept Him into our lives and ask Him for forgiveness of the sins we continually commit. In light of that...my wedding is small potatoes and while it's very important to Jimmy & I, the most important part is that we use it to glorify God in our lives.

Grace & Peace to all.

Chaos!

2008-03-26T15:36:00.000-04:00

I should have known that since my evening yesterday was so peaceful, and since I was feeling so happy, calm and content...that work was going to be pure insanity today. I can predict (no, I was never previously employed by Madame Cleo) that tomorrow and Friday are going to be even worse. Why? Because my partner, my closest friend at work and the girl that helps keep me sane here is going to be on vacation for the rest of the week. For shame!!! Leaving me with this mess!

On the bright side, the days will go by quicker right? Nevermind the fact that there are a lot of people that work here who feel like the world will fall apart when my partner is gone (they are very afraid of change) and I won't get a lunch for the next two days but hey, think of the overtime!

Fashionably Late

2008-03-25T16:44:00.000-04:00

I recently finished Fashionably Late by Beth Kendrick. It's one of those perfect fluff reads. I read it in less than 3 hours (with interruptions..thanks kids!) and I didn't have to think once. Romance, drama queens, a Yes Girl trying to make it in the big bad world of fashion. This book would make it into my "library reads" list..meaning I'd borrow it from the library to read once but I wouldn't buy it. If I buy a book, I'm going to want to read it more than once. I like Beth Kendrick...you can count on her for these fluff reads and she doesn't repeat the basic theme too often.

Now I'm reading The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison. It's a guaranteed must buy book but I"ll fill you in on that a bit more in another day or so....Ciao!

19 days and counting...

2008-03-25T16:09:00.000-04:00

19 more days before my wedding and now I'm starting a blog? Shouldn't I have started it about 2 1/2 years ago when my beloved actually proposed??? Pshaw...why go with logic? My life these days is all about countdowns, and ticking little items off of a very large list. Thankfully, between God, my sweetie and my friends, I'm still sane (and if you don't agree, keep your opinion to yourself!) and I hope to remain that way until the day before the wedding when I can begin running around like a chicken with my head cut off and turn into Bridezilla!

To keep myself from obsessing constantly over wedding details such as what flowers would look best in my daughter's hair or which champagne would be best, I've been keeping myself busy with my kiddos. This week we're spending TONS of quality time (i.e. me sitting under a puppy pile of kids while watching horrible cartoons like The Fairly Odd Parents) together. My baby girl has been extremely sensitive lately, crying for her birth father and asking why he never calls or sees them. What should a Christian woman, who is attempting to be the best mother that she can be, say to that? I'm getting very good at repeating "I don't know honey."

Beyond the horrid cartoons, we have also watched all of the Harry Potter movies lately and threw a new flick into the mix when we watched The Seeker: The Dark is Rising. It didn't even come close to the book, of course, but the movie was pretty decent. Once the kids are in bed, I've been losing myself in books. Those of you who know me, know that I am an absolute book fiend. I've been reading, on average, four books a week. I think I might start reviewing them in my blogs as well, for those of you who are looking for new reading material. (Look at me, talking to the nonexistent group of people who AREN'T reading my blog!)

As for the wedding (a topic I can't avoid for very long as you can see), we applied for our marriage license on Monday and I will be picking it up on Thursday. After that, all we really have left to do it get the rest of J's suit and then the drinks, champange & appetizers for after the ceremony. The RSVP's are due by Friday. I'm interested to see how many of J's family actually RSVP. They haven't been good at that in the past....

Ok ok...enough of my wedding rant. God bless!