An Unexpected Journey

Where's My Little Boy?

2009-07-13T07:23:00.000-07:00

I realized I never posted a senior picture of my son, Jordan! He moved in when he was a chubby faced 3 1/2 year old. That was 15 years ago! Now he is tall and thin with a huge heart for people.

He's thinking about going to college to become a history teacher. Jordan is passionate about any history he can learn and he loves to talk non-stop about anything he's learned! LOL! So I would love to see him be able to utilize his love for both history and telling facts. We used to call him our own little CNN news!

Please pray for him as he is making life changing decisions. Thank you!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-24T12:06:00.001-07:00

Now that's what I call dog tired!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

This was on a Monday evening. Ooh, scary!

This was the next evening. What a difference!

Camera Critters

2009-05-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

This is the lovely face I get to wake up to each morning! And trust me, she has morning breath too!

Do you have a lovely picture to share? Join in the fun at Camera Critters today!

Aloha Friday

2009-05-29T08:10:00.001-07:00

Do you Twitter?

I'm looking for more people to follow. Like I don't have enough to do already! Please let me know your name so I can follow you!!

In Honor

2009-05-25T11:47:00.001-07:00

Thank You

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-13T12:19:00.001-07:00

My baby had eye surgery on Monday. This new funnel thingy has been oh so much fun. As if she wasn't spoiled before, we now have to hold her bowl as she eats and drinks. And she still thinks that she can sleep right on top of her daddy with that thing on! I have to admit I have laughed a lot this week!

1000 Blessing's Friday

2009-05-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

326. My daughter had quite a scare and was told she could possibly have a tumor in her head or Meniere's disease. She had an MRI done and it showed it was neither of those. There is something wrong and we will find out on the 11th. But for now I am thankful for the good news!

327. My son ran away from home a couple Sundays ago and moved in with his sister. I do see where he is learning that it was not the wisest choice to make and he is dealing with the consequences. It's hard watching your child turn from God. I am placing my child completely in His arms and know that His plan is best. Please do pray for my son. He is very naive and a follower. He just wants to fit in somewhere. He does have a heart for people, but right now his heart is completely self focused.

328. It's always a blessing when money comes in to the shop! A new customer just showed up and wants all kinds of things done to his Mustang and he put down a deposit. Just when the bank account was very, very dry! God is good and I see His miracles all the time!

329. Blessed with new friends on Twitter! I love getting to know people! Do you Twitter?

330. I was part of a blessing for someone else this week and it sure feels good! My best friend's daughter has started dating a young man with a rough background. He wants to be in church and is open to the teaching. All of the sudden he quit wanting to come to church. Come to find out he didn't have a Bible and had no money for one either.

My friend told me that she wanted to buy him one, but money was also tight for her as well. She wanted to get him a parallel Bible because he does have some reading difficulties.

It just so happens that my mom gave me a nice parallel Bible a month ago with the NIV version and the Message. It is a beautiful brown and blue leather bound Bible. Very masculine looking. I immediately sent Bridget out to my car to go get it. It was still in the box! She said it was perfect.

She asked me how much I wanted for it. I said, "NOTHING!" I had been saving the Bible back for just the right person. And he was it!

Bridget emailed me and told me she gave him the Bible. He asked where she got it from that he wanted to pay her back somehow. She told him it came from Jesus and it was his for the keeping. I guess he smiled and even smelled it and held it with pride.aid, "Yes, it did come from Jesus because He loves me."

Is that not sweet? Please pray for this young man. He's 18 and his name is Shannen. He has been tossed around from family to family and has nothing. Well, except his Bible. And it has ALL the answers!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-06T07:06:00.000-07:00

I saw this car at our local library the other day and just couldn't believe it. To me, this is not funny. This person needs help. I can't imagine getting in a car completely filled with trash. This made me very sad.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-29T12:42:00.001-07:00

Ewww!

1000 Blessing's Friday

2009-04-17T06:51:00.000-07:00

The following quotes have been a real blessing to me this week. It's just what I needed to hear!

321. “Give yourself permission not to know and be satisfied knowing the One who does.” ~ Joyce Meyer

322. “Let God's promises shine on your problems.” ~ Corrie Ten Boom

323. "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." ~ Bill Cosby

324. “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” Corrie Ten Boom

325. "I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all, but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess." ~ Martin Luther

Do you have a favorite quote? If so, please share!

Praying For Stellan

2009-04-01T11:47:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: This precious baby was flown to Boston to the Children's Hospital. Please keep praying he gets the care he needs. He's been in the hospital for almost a month I believe. While our lives continue theirs has stopped in a sense. Please take a moment or two to visit McMamma's blog and get to know them. This little guy is famous all around the world! Cool things are happening. God is using Stellan in mighty ways!

This little one needs our prayers! Please visit this mom and read her story. She has hundreds and hundreds of readers. And she is an amazing photographer! Please take some time to get to know them and pray for this little guy. Thanks!

Whew, What A Week!

2009-03-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

I've got that sniffling, sneezing, aching, coughing, stuffy head, fever, but I can't rest feeling. Sigh!

In other news, I want to brag on my husband a little bit. This is the 45th anniversary of the Mustang. The editor of Mustang Monthly did an article of the 45 most significant Mustangs of ALL time. My husband, David, made the list!

Oh yes, he did! Uh huh!! I doubt many of you buy Mustang Monthly, but if your husband does the article is in the April issue on page 34!! What's cool too is the gentleman that wrote the article has seen thousands upon thousands of Mustangs during his career. So to make it in the top 45 is quite an accomplishment!

My husband and I both give the praise to God for we know that we can do nothing without Him!

This is not the April issue, but this is my hubby on the cover with the car that made the top 45!

What Makes Me Smile?

2009-03-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

First and foremost knowing that I have a Savior who loved me enough to die for me so that I may have eternal life!

I found a couple of new blogs to read and they just touch the very center of my heart.

Smiles & Trials I just love this family! You need to read from beginning to end about all of their wonderful children. I promise it will be worth the time!

My Charming Kids This woman takes the most gor-ja-mous photos I have ever seen! She's a lot of fun too! Again, I would read from beginning to end!

I hope you are having a wonderful week!

Change

2009-03-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

I'm the first to admit that I do not handle change well. This is a problem! For the past several weeks at church we have been doing the Bible study "Changed Into His Image".

At first I sat there and listened and would think to myself, "Hmmm, I sure hope my husband is paying attention to this because it's exactly what he needs to hear."

But that very next week while doing the daily devotions in the book I soon realized that it was ME who needed to change. OUCH! The truth hurts, I tell ya!

My husband and I are going through it together and both making changes in our lives and with each other. We've got a long way to go, but we've finally turned a corner and we're headed in the right direction!

I praise God for our pastor and his wisdom in knowing how to teach this amazing study. He brings out so many aspects that sometimes I overlook when doing the study on my own.

If you are looking for a new devotion book I highly recommend this one and be prepared to change and be willing to let the Lord do it!

Change My Heart Oh God
Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You

Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You

You are the potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray

Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-25T00:03:00.000-08:00

As a kid a TV dinner was such a treat. Imagine my delight when I saw that Banquet was concerned for me as a consumer and now sell an even higher "quality" product. I never knew a corn dog would be considered as a select recipe. LOL! And at almost twice the price of a regular TV dinner I'm wondering now why I didn't stock up. Too funny! I'm still laughing about this one!

Thursday Thirteen #12

2009-02-19T10:12:00.000-08:00

Thirteen Things About Me That Start With The Letter "L"

1. Loves of my life - First, my Savior. Second, my husband David. Third, list making! I take the first two very seriously though.

2. Laughing - I'm glad I can laugh at myself, but it's good to be able to learn something too!

3. Listening to my husband sing - My husband has an amazing talent and I'm glad he has chosen to use it again for the Lord. He is singing I Stand In Awe by Chris Rice this Sunday. It gives me goosebumps every time!

4. Licking the mix out of the bowl - sometimes I would rather eat the leftover cookie dough or lick the cake batter than enjoy the end result!

5. Lemonade - pink, preferably please! Since I quit drinking NOS energy drink I've switched to this. And water! Can't forget that.

6. Leftovers - they don't bother me a bit and sometimes I like them better than when it was first made. Especially soups!

7. Letters - you remember the hand written kind? I love to get one in the mail and hold it in my hands and read it over and over. I cherish them and hold on to them forever!

8. Lazy days - I haven't had one of these in SOOOOO long. I want and I think need a day where I can lounge around for most of the day and do things like read a book or play a game with the family or just lay in bed curled up with my husband and dream of our future. Sounds good to me!

9. Leaves - when they begin to change in the fall! Oh my, do we have some beautiful trees here that I look forward to watching change!

10. Loraine - that's my moms name. Since my dad died two years ago she has aged 15 years herself. Her personality has changed, she has become demanding, she is different. My brother and I are going to have to make some tough decisions in the near future. Please pray for us that we do His will, not ours.

11. Limping - I am quite bionic with my replaced knees and new hips, but I still limp quite a bit. And that's okay. It used to bother me to get called names like Hop-along or crip, but now I embrace it. I've come a long way and am doing so well now. God is good, without Him I can't imagine what my life would be like.

12. Long lost friends - It's been great re-connecting with old class mates and friends from church through Facebook! I love my friends! No matter how far apart we are they are forever in my heart!

13. The Love Dare - I just watched Fireproof on Friday and am waiting to get my book, but have started already. I love this! Good stuff. My husband really enjoyed it too. It hit home with us for sure.

I Stand In Awe

I long to leave this world behind me
With its hatred, pain and fear
When I’m reminded of my journey
That I’m just a pilgrim here
Then my eyes begin to fill with tears

That’s when I think about eternity
And a place I’ve never seen
I wonder how it’s gonna be
and I’m caught up in a dream
Where I find myself at Jesus’ feet

I stand in awe of one so Holy
I stand amazed before His majesty
And soon I find myself no longer standing
But bowing down in His glory
Knowing I’m unworthy
Until His hand of mercy
Raises me again to stand in awe

Someday my dream will be reality
When He finally takes us home
From every nation, tribe and family
He will come to claim His own
And we’ll find ourselves before His throne

We’ll stand in awe of one so Holy
We’ll stand amazed before His Majesty
And soon we’ll find ourselves no longer standing
But bowing down in His glory
Knowing we’re unworthy
Until His hand of mercy
Raises us again to stand in awe

"Not Me!" Monday

2009-02-16T10:18:00.000-08:00

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It was NOT I who was hungry and yet so tired that I opened some ravioli and ate a few right from the can. Don't judge me!

And nope, it WASN'T ME that ran out of drinking glasses so I used a measuring cup for my iced tea.

I WOULD NEVER be so lazy that I threw in the whites, darks and dress clothes together in the washer. And I WON'T ADMIT that some of our undies are a disgusting gray color now.

It really WAS NOT ME who spent a lot of Valentine's day Twittering even though I'm not really sure what it's all about instead of paying attention to my husband. Why did I start that too?

But it WAS ME that learned so much yesterday at church on worshiping God in the midst of trials and then last night a valuable lesson on being humble. I can do NOTHING on my own. Any success, no matter how big or small, comes directly from Him!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

1000 Blessing's Friday

2009-02-13T08:54:00.000-08:00

1000 BLESSING'S FRIDAY

316. My mammogram came back free and clear! I admit I didn't want to go. I'm 44 and should have done this years ago. My husband has begged me to go all this time and if anything I should have gone because he asked me to. But it's all good now!

317. I've been able to reconnect with some very old friends on Facebook! I definitely spend too much time on there, but it is SO nice to get reacquainted!!

318. I got my hair cut last night and for once I really, really like it! It is going to be easy to do in the mornings which is great because my fingers are pretty stiff then. I've never had a haircut where I can wash it and dry it and go. Until now!

319. My back is getting stronger all the time. I've been able to really help this week in the kitchen, doing laundry and even took a long shower without using my seat! Much progress! Taking it one day at a time baby.

320. My husband has been very sweet all week and sending me texts of why he loves me! It's been a rough few years for he and I. The trials aren't over yet, but we're making changes and working at it! We'll be married 25 years this year. Wow!

How have you been blessed this week?

"Not Me!" Monday

2009-02-09T13:23:00.001-08:00

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Welcome to another addition of Not Me! Monday, where we can be brutally honest with each other, and live to tell about it.

I got the test results back from my first mammogram and I am happy to report that I can say NOT ME, nope, free and clear from breast cancer! PTL!

No, it really WASN'T ME that got the giggles in church yesterday at a very inappropriate time. Well, when is an appropriate time to be giggling during church? I had to excuse myself for a few minutes until I gained some composure.

NOPE, NOT ME. It wasn't me who ate four oatmeal creme pies from Little Debbie on Sunday while working on tax stuff. And they weren't even that good. With all the freshness and stuff I could barely choke them down. Thank goodness for that glass of chocolate milk!

I will continue to DENY that I did see the dog throw up and left it on the shop floor for my husband to clean. Don't judge me. It was on concrete. Thank goodness!

Twitter this and Twitter that. It was NOT ME that joined this fad. Like I need another distraction from doing my real work. Pssst, but if you are a Twitterer please let me know!

This blog carnival was created by MckMama. Head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week. I promise you won't be sorry!

What I Learned This Week

2009-02-02T11:11:00.001-08:00

1. I am 44 and went for my first mammogram this week. Over due I know. I learned that a squashed bosom can be quite painful. But to ease my pain and suffering I was given a bar of chocolate afterward the test!! I learned I recover quickly when given a Hershey bar. ;o)

2. I learned that when you drink a NOS energy drink practically everyday for months and months you get addicted to the caffeine. I also learned that when you decide to quit drinking them because you know that it is SO bad for you that you will have a migraine for days and days. Not fun, but will be worth it in the end.

3. I am learning that my frustrations and lack of patience is my own fault because I won't say no to people. It is okay to say no once in awhile. Even to your own mother who doesn't understand it. She will live.

4. I have no money. Seriously. Our line of work (restoring old Mustangs) has been affected by the economy. My husband and I are really praying fervently on what we should do next. He keeps opening doors for us that tells us we should continue. We want to do His will not ours. And sometimes that is very hard. I am learning to be still and listen. Please pray for us as we wait on His answer!

Anything you're willing to admit you've learned this week? Join the fun at Musings of a Housewife.

"Not Me" Monday

2009-02-02T10:36:00.000-08:00

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Welcome to Not Me! Monday, where we can be brutally honest with each other, and live to tell about it.

Yay for new memes! I saw this one today at several of the blogs I read and have been laughing ever since!

So....

It was NOT ME who griped and complained that I never have a moments peace to get my work done.

It was NOT MY family that decided to give me ALL day Saturday to do my paper work.

No, it was NOT ME who couldn't get motivated for a long, long time because the house was too quiet. Where were all the usual interruptions?

It was NOT ME that made excuse after excuse for not taking full advantage of the day.

It is NOT ME that just completed some very important paper work that is due TODAY!

This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Tuesday Top Ten

2009-01-20T07:57:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Things I Should Be Doing, But I'm Not

1. Leaving comments when I visit you. I have been very, very bad lately. How do you know if I've stopped by if I don't say hi?

2. Getting my year end tax stuff done. Yeah, this is worse than not leaving comments. I have deadlines to meet and I'm not doing so well. Gotta focus.

3. Taking pictures. I got a really nice little camera for Christmas and have yet to learn how to work it. I was so excited when I got it because I realized I could actually start putting pics on my blog. Yes, I am ashamed.

4. Keeping up with the laundry. If I don't get a load done every night then it tends to pile up quickly. When I work from nine in the morning until eight or so at night I'm too pooped to think about it.

5. I really want and need to e-mail some friends. I have made a new friend that also has arthritis and she enjoys having someone to vent too that understands her pain and frustrations. It's been a couple of months since I wrote her and that's just too long. I also have another dear friend that's been going through some rough times and I haven't been encouraging her like I want to. I let my own family trials get in the way of helping others.

6. Oh my do I have stacks and stacks of papers to file for our business! I despise filing. Enough said!

7. Cleaning out the fridge. I went to get some spaghetti sauce last night in the fridge that I thought was still fresh. Boy was I mistaken! I am not looking forward to that job. Weak stomach have I.

8. Putting away the Christmas stuff. Yeah, it's generally all together, but I need to actually organize it and have someone take it back down to the basement. Why do I get so lazy?

9. I should be spending less time on Facebook. Yikes, I can't believe I wrote that! I love me some Facebook.

10. Drinking more water instead of my NOS or other sodas even if they are diet. One good thing is I've given up McDonald's sweet tea. Do you have any idea how hard that was? But I did it!

1000 Blessing Friday's

2009-01-16T12:50:00.000-08:00

311. We started the Bible study Changed Into His Image last Sunday night! I think the most important thing I learned that night was it's easy to look at the person next to you and hope they are listening to what is being taught and then realizing that what the pastor says is really for ME. I had to take a step back and ask myself why I do some of the things I do. Is it really to please God and glorify Him or is it to keep peace in the family because I don't like dealing with conflict? This series is going to be great!

312. I know some of you are colder than we are here in Indiana at -19 degrees. And no, that's not the wind chill temp! But as I sat in my nice warm house and turned up the heat to 71 degrees I couldn't help but think of all the homeless people out in this weather. Where I live I don't see anyone on the streets or asking for money so I admit I don't always think of those that are without shelter. I want to see what I can do to help.

313. Willpower. I know that might sound crazy, but it's true. Not that I can resist everything, but I am getting better at wanting to eat when I'm not even hungry and that feels like an accomplishment!

314. Achy bones. I won't say I am blessed because I hurt, but because of the severe drop in temperature I have hurt more which means I am slower in the mornings which means we don't get to work too early anymore which means I am not at the shop for twelve hours a day! Now don't get me wrong. I don't mind working. But it's nice to be able to take some work home and do it there in my pajamas! Oh how I wish we could have pajama day at work. LOL

315. Laughter. To me laughing is really a blessing. I can laugh at myself. I laugh at people on American Idol (probably when I shouldn't, but I do). I laugh a lot at my bulldog! My kids and husband like to dance goofy for me just so I will laugh. Even on days when I hurt terribly it's nice to be able to laugh and know that tomorrow will probably be better. And if not, I pull out my old Peanuts comic books from when I was a kid!

How have you been blessed this week?

Wordless Wednesday

2009-01-14T12:04:00.001-08:00

Poor girl was shivering on the ride to work this morning. Spoiled dog!

My Precious!

2009-01-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

If you know me at all you know how much I love to drink NOS! I'm really not into energy drinks and such but I love the taste of this one. When we went to the SEMA show a few years back they were giving free samples. Uh, hello? FREE? I was hooked.

I admit I don't like to share my precious NOS with anyone but my husband. Call me Gollum if you like.

I was determined to make it my New Year's Resolution to treat myself to this delicious nectar only on special days. Like a birthday, an anniversary, my son's birthday, or if the sky was blue! Yeah, only on those special days.

My husband, bless his generous heart, bought me two cases of the BIG bottles of NOS for Christmas! Yep, that's right. 24 of these beautiful blue and orange bottles are there to tempt me daily.

But I've been pretty good. I could easily chug one of these beauties at breakfast, lunch and dinner with my hands tied behind my back! I received this gift twenty one days ago and I am proud to say that I still have 16 bottles left. Trust me, this comes as a shock to even me!

I'm learning to say no thank you and be satisfied with my tasteless water. My head no longer spins and I have quit foaming at the mouth at the mere mention of my precious. There is hope!

I think I might even share a bottle or two. Okay, probably just one. But hey, at least that's a start!

For Today

2009-01-12T08:08:00.000-08:00

Outside my window... it is trying it's hardest to snow. We're expecting 1 to 3 inches. But I'll believe it when I see it!

I am thinking... of the Miller family. Pete developed bacterial meningitis and his family had to make the decision whether to take him off life support or not. There was absolutely no brain activity and so they did. Pete passed away within an hour. We went to the calling and waited over 2 1/2 hours in line. This man was loved by all! He will be missed greatly.

I am thankful for... my father. It's been two years since he passed away, but I have been thinking of some wonderful times we had together and laughing about them. He and I had the same sense of humor!

From the kitchen...not much tonight because tomorrow night we are having my daughter's boyfriend over for the first time. Yikes! My hubby is making a delicious pasta he concocted himself, garlic bread with cheese, some kind of veggie and then....drum roll please....Chocolate Mousse Cake! And the people cheered!

I am creating... a mess when I work on the year end tax stuff for our business. Not fun!

I am going... to do a cartwheel when I am finished with all the taxes. No really, I am. At least in my head!

I am wearing... A gorgeous blue long sleeve top with only one stain on it that I have no idea what it is, a slightly faded pair of jeans, and yep...brand new tenny bops! Except they are hurting my toes. Sigh.

I am hoping... that we don't get the snow, that I find a $20 bill in a coat pocket, that I can lose five pounds without feeling like I am starved all the time!

I am hearing... my husband laughing with the boys out in the shop. He's got a great laugh!

Around the house... well, it's been pretty quiet since we all got back into the swing of things. But sometimes quiet is good!

One of my favorite things... knowing how much I love my kids and husband. But knowing that God loves them even more than I do!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... we're doing the Bible study Changed Into His Image at church and I started last night. It's gonna be good folks! Just what I need right now.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Wensley heard daddy take out the bath mat in the tub so she knew that sound meant bath time! She went and hid on his side of the bed. She thought if she couldn't see dad then surely he couldn't see her. Wrong! She smells much better now!

A Fresh Start

2009-01-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

I miss blogging. I miss you. Yes, you! I think and pray for so many of you. You have not been forgotten.

It may take awhile to get back in the groove of things, but this is what I would like to accomplish in 2009.

1. Read the Bible daily instead of waiting to study it when I am facing trials. By hiding God's word in my heart on a daily basis will make even the smallest of challenges not so overwhelming.

2. Lose five pounds. Yes, I need to lose a lot more than that I know. Losing weight is hard, but I know it can be done! And so I don't get discouraged I like to set small goals in the beginning. After I lose the five then I will set it for ten pounds. Pray for me please!

3. I want to be a better communicator with my husband and children. I've always been the listener. I used to think that was a good thing. It's not bad, but I can see now that I should have worked more on expressing myself and learning to work on conflicts together.

4. Managing our money. Owning your own business can be very difficult when it comes to cash flow! Instead of learning how to manage the money I've learned how to juggle it. There's a big difference. God keeps our doors open and I want to make sure I am using His money in a way that is pleasing to Him.

5. I also want to be open to God's calling. I am one that does not like change. But how can I grow in Him if I am not willing to do as He asks? I know He will give me the strength and the resources to do what I am called. I shouldn't look at it as a scary thing, but an opportunity to grow and be more like Christ!

What is something on your to do list for 2009? Let's pray for each other to achieve our goals!

My Hometown Boy - Answer To Prayer!!

2008-12-18T11:32:00.000-08:00

When you have a chance from the hustle and bustle please check out this article on Luke Menard and read his wonderful news! God is good!

I hope everyone is doing well. I haven't forgotten y'all! Just in the midst of my storm right now. But can't wait to be back on a regular basis!

I pray that everyone has a Merry Christmas and many blessings for the coming year. Each and everyone of you has been a tremendous blessing to me whether you know it or not. I love you all. I really do!

I'm Needed Elsewhere

2008-11-26T08:11:00.000-08:00

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Here are three of the reasons I have been missing in action for so long. My kids. Besides Jesus Christ and my husband, I love them more than anything!

Each of them are going through their own trials and temptations right now. It's hard to watch your children fail. I want to protect them at all times. But I have learned that if I step in and try to be their Holy Spirit, then I am not allowing God to work in their lives. He knows what's best and I want His will to be done.

I know how much I love my kids and to think that God loves them even more than I do is, well, I don't know how to describe it really!

I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing these kids are and how blessed I am that I am their mom!

Would you please be in prayer for all of us as we gather together and support one another during these difficult times. Please pray that my children's hearts will be open to God's will and not their own. Please pray that their dad and I show them Christ and help lead them on the right path.

Thank you! And I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! We all have so many things to be thankful for this year, don't we?

1000 Blessing's Friday

2008-11-14T10:12:00.000-08:00

301. Knowing that God is in control. My household is going through some major trials right now. All three of my children are going through difficult times right now. I can see one daughter growing closer to God and one daughter pulling away. My son wants the world, but knows it can lead to sin. Please pray for each of them. I know His plan is perfect, it's just hard to watch sometimes being their mom.

302. Grace. To know that even when we pull away from Him, He is waiting with open arms and forgives us of our sins.

303. My friend, Lori. God has brought her along side me to help me through this difficult time. She recently went through many of the same challenges. God's timing. I'm telling ya people!

304. Growth. During this time I have drawn closer to Him. There were days when I felt like I had no one. I always seem to do this. I pray, but I think I pray not believing. It's easy for me to pray for other's needs except my own. This time around He's my rock. I have had to confront family members of their sin. Not an easy thing to do. Especially when they blame everything on you. I question myself constantly. Am I wrong? Has my heart hardened because of the pain? I want to glorify Him in all I do. I am at peace now.

305. Awana! We have a large group this year compared to last year's 10 girls. On Wednesday we had 26 with 5 of our regular girls missing. Pretty cool. And they are eager to hear the stories from the Bible and are very receptive!

306. New friends. I love Facebook and have made several new friends that live pretty close to me. I hope to meet them soon!

307. Protection. If you see the post below you'll now why I am blessed!

308. Health. I went to Vegas and didn't take my crutches! I still need to use an electric scooter to go to stores and stuff, but I can walk and stand for longer periods of time without my back giving out. And for the first time last Monday night I went grocery shopping completely by myself! This is a huge accomplishment for me and I was so excited I know I looked silly smiling he whole time, but who cares!

309. Dollar Menu. Yep. Vegas was uber expensive, but several restaurants had dollar menus! And McDonald's sweet tea! Yummers!

310. Time. Tomorrow I am not coming into the shop to work. I need to take the morning just for me. I never get to do that. Ever. I want to take the longest shower I've ever had and use all my girlie type soaps and lotions. I'm going to pamper me. Then back to the real world! LOL

What Happen In Vegas Stays In Vegas ~ But Not This Time!

2008-11-12T07:37:00.000-08:00

I am finally home from Vegas and boy am I happy to be here! We went out for a convention and that part of it went well, but the rest of the trip was crazy!

I don't know how many of you have ever been or even care to. Since we're not gamblers or partiers there isn't a whole lot for us to do anymore. We've been to Vegas so many times we've seen all the free stuff over and over. It gets old after a while!

We stayed at a cheap little hotel off the strip that was nice and quiet and had a quaint little restaurant on the property. I had just told my husband the night before how pleasant this place was. No riff raff of any sort.

My husband and I got back to the hotel one night at one in the morning. We had gone out for a nice dinner and then to Circus Circus to play the carnival games and win some stuffed animals for our dog! Then we went shopping for souvenirs for the kids.

We had just climbed into bed when we heard dogs barking and a man shouting in a megaphone. He kept saying, "Back away from the door! Back away from the door!" My husband and I didn't know if someone had there tv on way too loud or what. So he got dressed and opened the door only to hear a really, really loud B.O.O.M.

I thought a bomb had gone off! I was scared and hid under the covers. Like that was going to do me any good! The S.W.A.T. team had to blow open some guys hotel door because he wouldn't come out.

I still don't know why the guy was arrested because the hotel management wasn't allowed to tell us.

I kept waiting for the guy from C.S.I. to show up, but he never did. LOL

Let's just say I am happy to be back in boring old Crawfordsville. The place where everybody is related to each other somehow!

What Happens In Vegas....

2008-11-02T05:44:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't been around much lately as it is, but wanted y'all to know I am leaving for Vegas here in a few and will be gone all week.

We're out there for actual work, but a little bird told me that Donny & Marie are performing in Vegas for awhile. TeeHee!

How cool would it be to be walking down the street and bump into my guy? If you really love me you could pray that I get my wish!

And they called it puppy love......

Sigh. I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it! LOL!

See you when I get back!!

Thursday Thirteen #11

2008-10-30T00:55:00.000-07:00

WooHoo! I'm Up To The Letter "K" On 13 Things About Me, Amy!!!

1. King of Kings ~ And Lord of Lords. Jesus is my Savior!

2. Kayla ~ She's my oldest daughter being 21 years old. She still lives at home and goes to school and works full time. She's a mom's girl!

3. Kara ~ Middle child. 20 years old. Going to school full time for business management and just changed jobs to full time at McDonald's. This new schedule allows her to go to school full time! Very independent.

4. Katie ~ One of my favorite names and Katie was also my favorite cat in the whole world. She loved me and would insist that I hold her from the time I got home until bedtime. She would stay perched on my shoulder while I cooked and did dishes and such. Too funny!

5. Kind Hearted ~ I love people and meeting new friends. When I ask how you're doing I truly want to know! You need a shoulder to cry on, I'm here for ya. Someone to laugh with, I'll tell you a funny joke! Someone to be quiet with, I'll sit close and let you know I'm there.

6. Karen ~ She is my most bestest friend in the whole wide world. Next to my husband, of course.

7. Kate Gosselin ~ Oh how she makes me laugh! I love this show and love seeing how patient they are with eight kids. Puts me to shame.

8. Kids In Mind ~ http://www.kidsinmind.com/ is a great place to check out before you go to the movies to see if the film is appropriate for your kids and even yourself. I, as a christian, want to be careful what I fill my mind with. I am glad to have found this site because there are many movies I would have gone to see but after checking them out on I have decided not to go!

9. Kindergarten ~ I cried and cried my first day and told my mommy I didn't want to go. She didn't want me to go either and kept me home! Dad made me go the very next day. Mom and I both cried!!

10. Kiss ~ I saw my first kiss the other day at the pizza place. I didn't recognize him because he's gain so much weight. Hmm, just like someone else I know. No wonder he didn't recognize me either!

11. Kiwi ~ I love them and can easily eat three or four at one sitting. Yes, I am a pig. But they are so good!

12. King of Queens ~ This show makes me laugh so hard that when I was watching it after my surgery I had to turn it off and ask for some pain medicine. I had laughed so much I made my hip hurt really, really bad!

13. Knock, Knock ~ I love a good knock, knock joke. I actually even enjoy the bad ones too!

Send In The Clowns ~ Not!!

2008-10-13T00:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, so my last post mentioned a few things that freak me out such as balloons and clowns. I had a few comments asking me what's up with that. It is not a terribly exciting story, but mine none the less. Hold on to your seats!

When I was around eight years old I started having this reoccurring dream. I have dreamt it clear into adulthood. I guess I shouldn't call it a dream though, but a nightmare.

It is the dead of winter. The fresh fallen snow had no signs of kids playing or sledding. I have to go to bed early if I want to play outside the next morning my mother tells me.

She wakes me up from a deep sleep and wraps me up in my favorite blanket. I also grab Snuggles, my baby doll. She isn't feeling well and needs some medicine from the local pharmacy. We drive down to Hook's Drug store which was about four miles down the road.

The car was barely warmed up at this point, but mom let me stay inside the car while it was running. Yes, I know. Remember this is only a dream!

My mom was taking forever and I was getting scared. I opened up the car door and stepped into the freezing snow. She had parked right by a drainage ditch. I heard a tiny little noise and thought maybe it was a kitten. I went over to see what it was and there was a long, fat, yellow snake with white polka dots and a face that looked like a clown. An evil clown.

The snake latched on to my blanket while I was trying to get away. He was strong. But I was stronger! He did bite me on my arm, but I managed to get away and I was able to get inside the store and find mom. When she went to check it out he had slithered away.

It's been awhile, but I have had this same dream so many times and it is exactly the same every time. Creepy.

And that my friends is why I don't care for clowns.

10 on Tuesday & A Meme of Fives

2008-09-30T10:25:00.000-07:00

10 Things That Scare You/Freak You Out

In no particular order...

1. Balloons

2. Clowns

3. Wobbly ladders

4. Bouncing a check when you thought for sure you had enough money!

5. Realizing that your youngest is almost 18. No more babies. Sigh.

6. Getting prepped for surgery. I'm scared of having to be poked a zillion times for an iv.

7. I freak out when my NOS is all gone. :o)

8. Ice - I am scared I will fall and break my new bionicness

9. Accidentally burping or doing something worse in public kinda freaks me out. And others too!

10. Michael Jackson's mug shot. So scary I won't even post it for you!

A Meme of Fives

5 Things Under $5.00 I Can't Live Without

1. My bathing scrub brush I get from the Dollar Tree. You can't beat a buck!

2. Suave body wash. Only .96 from Wal-mart.

3. Chapstick - preferably cherry

4. Sugarless chewing gum - any flavor will do please

5. A funky pen with blue ink

5 Favorite Movies

1. Jesus of Nazareth

2. Lonesome Dove

3. While You Were Sleeping

4. Lord of the Rings - Part 2

5. Rocket Man

5 Baby Names I Love

Boys ~ David, Michael, Preston, Jonathon, & Jordan

Girls ~ Kayla, Jennifer, Katie, Michelle and Rose

5 Songs I Love

1. I Stand In Awe by Terry and Barb Franklin

2. This World Is Not My Home

3. As The Deer

4. Just A Closer Walk With Thee

5. You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban

5 Life Changing Moments

1. Asking Christ to be my Savior when I was eight years old. The greatest moment of my life!

2. Being diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at 10 years old.

3. Saying "YES!" to David on December 4, 1983!!

4. Answering that anticipated phone call the end of February 1994 and hearing all about our future daughters that moved in two weeks later!!

5. My father passing away on January 11, 2007

5 Current Obsessions

1. McDonald's sweet tea - it's too delicious!

2. NOS Energy drink - so bad yet SO good!

3. Boneless wings Thursday at Buffalo Wild Wings - only .50 each and they are huge. I eat like 4 and I am stuffed.

4. FaceBook ~ I'm doing more of this than blogging

5. My precious bulldog, Wensleydale! She provides much joy and a whole lot of laughter each and every day. There will never be another like her.

5 Places I Want to go to

1. I want to go back to Switzerland with my husband!

2. I would love to go to Krueger National Park in South Africa on a safari.

3. I want to go see Donny & Marie in concert. ;o)

4. I want to get in an RV and travel anywhere with my husband. And my dog!

5. I want to come and visit all of you!

5 Appliances/kitchen tools I can't live without

1. Toaster ~ to heat up my Toaster Strudel for breakfast. Yummy!

2. Microwave ~ some nights I eat a bag of popcorn for dinner. Even yummier!

3. Freezer ~ to keep my TV dinners and ice cream frozen

4. Refrigerator ~ to keep my sodas icy cold and my chocolate pudding just the right temp!

5. My husband ~ he usually does most of the cooking because he helps me eat healthier! Actually I am just teasing about the previous comments. Just trying to be funny!

For Today

2008-09-29T07:42:00.000-07:00

Outside my window...I am blessed with yet another gorgeous day. Perfect. Just perfect.

I am thinking...about my nephew, Travis. He is in Korea studying abroad and I just had the chance to chat with him through Facebook!

I am thankful for...the time I was able to spend with my husband last night! We went to Bed, Bath & Beyond and Meijer. Then we had a fantastic meal at Texas Roadhouse!

From the kitchen...well, tonight it will be my leftovers from Texas Roadhouse. I still have my baked beans, my loaded baked potato, a roll and most of my steak leftover. I got too full munching on the peanuts last night!

I am creating...hmmm, well, I am getting some goodies together for a bloggy swap. Does that count?

I am going...watch the Dancing with the Stars tonight!

I am wearing...a grungy, light blue t-shirt and some very baggy jeans. I am PMS-ing it today and didn't feel like wearing a nice t-shirt. LOL!

I am reading...actually I am memorizing verses from the Start Zone in Awana. All the leaders have to memorize them along with the kids. I've only got one left to learn!

I am hoping...to get a chance to email a lot of my blogging friends and catch up!

I am hearing...Meatloaf singing on the radio. Can't wait for a different song. Oh, now it's Queen singing Bicycle.

Around the house...lots of excitement. My son got his driver's license so he is wanting to do all my errands for me now. He will even go to Wal-mart and buy my personal products! Not that is a boy wanting to drive for sure, huh?

One of my favorite things...Playing Tetris on Facebook! Any challengers?

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Dancing with the Stars, Awana on Wednesday!, the vice-presidential debate on Thursday, and maybe a date with my hubby on Friday!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Christine hosts a swap every fall and I joined in again this year! You still have until October 3rd to sign up. And if you decide to join in would you please let her know I sent you? Whoever has the most referrals gets an added treat from our beautiful hostess herself! You only have to spend between $8 and $10, not including shipping. Here are some questions she's asked so we can get to know each other a bit better:

What do you like best about Fall? I love to see the leaves change colors right before my eyes!

Do you have any family traditions for this time of year? We have a covered bridge festival that starts in a couple of weeks that we always go to. Lots of good food and stuff to buy!

What’s your favorite Halloween chocolate? I'm not too picky as long as it doesn't have coconut in it!

Is there any Halloween treat you do not like? Whoever invented Candy Corn should have to eat only that for the rest of their lives. LOL!

What has been the best Halloween costume you’ve ever dressed up in? I always went for the easy costumes like a ghost, a clown or a cheerleader. I was only in it for the candy!

Someone Is Listening

2008-09-23T10:12:00.000-07:00

Most of you know I was bedridden for a long time last year. My family took such great care of me, along with close friends and my church family. I couldn't wait to be able to return the favor!

I have been blessed with many opportunities to help others lately. Some in big ways and other times by just listening to them share their heart.

So many families I know have been hit by one tragedy or another lately. Several of them have lost their child either to suicide or an accident.

I don't know if you are like this or not, but I am never sure what to say when someone loses a loved one. especially a child. But I have noticed these families have called me needing to talk and cry with someone.

Although the circumstances are uneasy, I am thankful that they feel they can call on me to help. When I am on the phone with them I am constantly asking God to give me the right words to comfort them and help them.

I know He does help! Usually after the phone calls I can't really remember what I said, but I know through Him the words they needed to hear have been spoken. They are His words. Not mine.

You know, there are days when I feel like no one is listening to me and I long to have someone to share my heart with and comfort me. Then I realize that I have someone wanting to my desires, my fears and my joys.

Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Christ is available to me 24.7.365! And who better to talk with and seek direction from? Or cry to when I am burdened? Or laugh with when I am joyful?

And knowing that He has my best interest at heart is all the more reason! He won't lead me astray and in the worldy direction I sometimes desire.

There is no need for any of us to ever feel alone in this world. We have a friend that loves us like no other and wants to hear from us. Any time. Day or night!

For Today

2008-09-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

FOR TODAY

Outside my Window...is the bestest, most perfect day we've had in a long time. It's very hard to concentrate on work when it is so gorgeous. The outdoors is calling me! Amy...Amy...

I am thinking...ouch, my hands are really hurting today.

I am thankful for...pain. It reminds me that there others facing bigger trials than mine.

From the kitchen...trying something new in the crock pot. Chicken cordon bleu! I love cooking in the crock pot, don't you?

I am creating...my lesson for Awana. I am teaching on prayer and only have 20 minutes to teach. I have so much good material I don't know what to cut out.

I am going...try something new with my hair tonight. I got it cut and highlights last Friday. It looks much better!

I am wearing...a pair of black track pants and a black and white striped shirt. Very comfy today!

I am reading...numerous verses on prayer and realize how much more I need to be in prayer for even the little things.

I am hoping...my son passes his driver's test tomorrow. I think!

I am hearing...the FedEx man pull up at the same time the phone is ringing! Plus I need to pause YouTube because I was listening to Donny. I LOVE YouTube!

Around the house...oh my. It's in desperate need of a cleaning from top to bottom. Any volunteers?

One of my favorite things...is being able to go to our park and enjoy a picnic lunch with my hubs and my dog. It was so peaceful today and not a bug in sight! I am blessed beyond measure. No doubt about it.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...I get to go back to the gynecologist on Wednesday. Yay! I am teaching Wednesday night. Should I start watching Dancing with the Stars tonight?

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Guess who is performing in Vegas the same time I will be there in November for the SEMA show? I so wish I had a spare $200 to go see them. And then sadness set in. Sigh. Whimper.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

My computer burnt to a crisp last week. Purchased this Compaq laptop this week. I am very thankful to be up and running again. I missed you all so much!

Adopt Me, Please?

2008-09-10T07:01:00.000-07:00

Uh oh. I can't. I fell in love with this little face this morning. I cannot stop thinking about her. Or him. I didn't even bother to see I fell that fast!

I went to our local animal shelter this morning to drop off some donations and the puppies were all outside playing. My dog was with me and when she saw the other puppies she jumped up front and start crying to get out. She loves to play with other animals!

But this little puppy above just sat at the gate looking at me. Didn't bark. Listened while I talked my "doggy" talk. Wagged it's tail a lot. Precious as can be!

I'm hooked, but I know I cannot have another dog right now. This is what happens every time I go to the shelter.

Have you ever adopted a pet from the shelter? How did it work out? Would you do it again?

Gotta go and see if I can't talk one of my close friends into adopting this darling dog!

Thursday Thirteen #10

2008-09-04T00:14:00.000-07:00

And Here We Go Again~Thirteen More Things About Me That Begin With The Letter "J"!

1. Jesus ~ My Heavenly Father. I accepted Him as my Lord and Savior when I was eight years old.

2. James ~ My earthly father. Dad passed away January 11, 2007. I was and will forever be a daddy's girl!

3. Jordan ~ My 17 year old son. He is a senior this year! Where did my time go with my baby?

4. Juice ~ Grape juice is my favorite. I wish our communion cups were a little bit bigger. Okay, I know that communion is not to quench my thirst! I'm just thankful they don't put prune juice in there!!

5. Jelly Beans ~ Never cared for them until I had Jelly Belly's! Can you say yummers? I like about all of them but the buttered popcorn and anything coconut flavored. Can you say yucky?

6. Journey ~ Now who here doesn't like Journey? I do miss Steve Perry though, but the new guy is pretty good I have to admit!

7. Jennifer ~ No, I don't have a daughter named Jennifer. But it is one of my favorite girl names. Maybe a grand daughter someday though!

8. Josh Groban ~ Yum, yum give me some! That's all I need to say.

9. Jon & Kate + 8 ~ I love, love, love this show so much! I get the giggles watching Kate because she can be so anal. But I think they are both wonderful parents. They have to have so much patience, don't they?

10. Joint replacements ~ I've had a few. Both my shoulders, both elbows, one hand, both hips and both knees! I am ever so thankful fir technology. Otherwise, I would be in a nursing home right now.

11. Jury duty ~ I have never been selected to serve on a jury and I am not sure I would want to either. Especially if it was for a case of murder or something evil. It's easy to sit at home and say someone is guilty, but to really have their life in your hands is another. Have you ever served on a jury?

12. Jack -O- Lantern ~ Why I am confessing this now is beyond me. I was a very innocent, sweet child. Really. But my friend, Mary Lou, wrote in her Peanuts comic book that she hated Amy Williams. I was so hurt and mad that I smashed her freshly carved jack-o-lantern all over her porch. I was around eight years old. I've never forgotten what a horrible thing that was for me to do. And no, I never told her it was me or apologized.

13. Jokes ~ I cannot tell a joke to save my life, but I am a wonderful audience when you tell them. Even if I've heard it a thousand times! If it's funny the first time, I find it just as funny the second time around!

1000 Blessings Friday & Friday Fill Ins

2008-08-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

1000 BLESSINGS FRIDAY

296. I'm a wheeler and a dealer and always try to get the best bargain I can. We needed a nice printer for our business and I was able to get one. A nice one. Dirt cheap! It is a Samsung all-in-one laser printer. Original price was $999.00. After all my deals and negotiations I was able to get it for (drum roll please)....$237.00!!! Thank you Lord for this huge blessing!

297. We made a trip to Pennsylvania a couple of weekends ago. We were delivering a car to our customer so we were pulling the trailer. We stopped for dinner and noticed that a tire on the trailer had a split in it. When my husband changed it the back of the tire was ready to explode. I don't want to even think what might have happened on down the road. Thank you Lord for drawing this to our attention!

298. When we stopped for diesel our truck decided to die. It was very late in a remote part of town with nothing...and I do mean nothing nearby. Some sweet little man that barely spoke English stopped to help. It took a really long time to jump start our big diesel truck with his tiny little car, but we did. Thank you to the kind man for his patience and thank you Lord for helping me keep my sanity and patience by sending him our way!

299. Also on this trip I was able to see my dearest friend, Teresa and her family. I met them years ago when we all went on vacation together without even knowing them. But that's a whole different post. It was great to spend the day with them and I can't wait to see them again!

300. Our Awana clubs start next Wednesday and I couldn't be happier or more excited. We got together last night to discuss our plans and decorate our room. Our theme this year is Handmade By God, the only label that counts. There are so many wonderful Bible stories that are centered around hands. It is going to be a wonderful year!!! Can you tell I am excited?

1. When I'm sick I'm truly thinking that others are in worse off situations and thanking God that this is just temporary.

2. When I take a walk, I think about how much further I am able to walk without my crutches! My back still gives out, but I can walk for almost a half of a block now!!

3. Money can't buy happiness but it can help out others who are having a hard time.

4. Cotton makes me feel like home and leather makes me feel a little rebellious!

5. The strangest person/character I've had lewd thoughts about was ...honestly no one. Sorry.

6. My favorite color these days is and always will be blue because plain and simple, it just makes me smile!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to spending time with my husband, tomorrow my plans include keeping up with the laundry and paperwork and Sunday, I want to go to church, relax in the afternoon and go back for the evening service!

Flair Addiction

2008-08-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

I got it bad, real bad. I heart Facebook! Oh how I do love me some flair!!!!!!!

I have a feeling I'm one of the oldest people on Facebook, BUT people....I do not care. Teehee!

Facebook is, so far, innocent, silly and just fun. There are lots of games to play, I can write on my friend's walls, and I can give flair and more importantly...receive flair! See my bulletin board? I need a bigger one!

And before you scold me I know it is more important to give than to receive. That is in every other case, except for flair!!!!!

If you are on Facebook, please let me know so I can send you some flair too!

I Facebook. Therefore I get nothing done!

For Today

2008-08-25T12:27:00.000-07:00

For Today...

Outside my Window...we are having another gor-ja-mous day! Perfect weather if I do say so myself. The doors are open and the breeze is flowing through the shop.

I am thinking... and praying for the Barclay family. Their son died last week. He was only 20.

I am thankful for... my children and knowing it is a privilege and a blessing to be their mother each and every day!

From the kitchen... probably just sandwiches and soup tonight. The realtor is coming and I don't know how long she will be there!

I am wearing... Yellow polo shirt, new jeans, and brand spanking new undies! I thought I had my gyn. appt today. Turns out it is next month. So much for the new undies. LOL

I am reading... Nada. Zip. I haven't even read my Bible in days and that is not good.

I am hoping... to get back to normal life soon. Deciding whether or not to sell the house and move some where smaller has been a big fiasco. Need to pray more and see what God wants!

I am creating... a bigger problem than it is. Turn it over to God, Amy. Turn it over!

I am hearing... My husband painting a car in the paint booth and the guys grinding on cars and my dog snoring beside me. Life is good!

Around the house... getting laundry caught up and sending more stuff to Goodwill. How do we acquire so many things? And that's just it...they are things.

One of my favorite things... Knowing that some little child will love to play with the stuffed giraffes I sent to Goodwill. Maybe she will carry it around and love it to death. I just hope they don't leave my beloved giraffes out in the rain to catch a cold! Sigh.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... Wednesday night I will get to meet some future Chums then an Awana meeting Thursday night

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Sometimes what we want is so close. All we have to do is allow ourselves to be stretched. God will help us all the way through if we only let Him!

Another Prayer Request Please

2008-08-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

Aren't the clouds pretty? On our trip to Pennsylvania this is how the sky looked the entire time. It was nice to sit back and just look at God's beauty. I took picture after picture of the clouds with my cell phone. I didn't know cell phones could take that good of a picture!

It's been another long week. My heart is burdened for so many hurting families. I pray for them, but that doesn't seem to be enough. I wish I knew what else I could do. I know that sometimes the only thing you can do is pray and give it ALL over to God.

We learned this week that a young man from our church had comitted suicide. He was only 20 years old. My husband and I both had him in Awana. He was a sweet boy. You just never know what is going on inside a person's head.

Please be in prayer for this family. The young man's father recently had a stroke and has been in intensive care. I don't know if he will even be able to attend his own son's funeral.

Thank you for remembering them in your prayers.

Is there something I can be praying for you this week? Please let me know. I want to know and care about each of you that stop by!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-08-20T10:01:00.001-07:00

I was able to visit my "friends" on Friday! Isn't he a cutie?

Thursday Thirteen #9

2008-08-14T00:21:00.000-07:00

The Thursday 13 Where I Can't Think Of Too Many Things About Me That Start With "I" So I Will Cheat A Little This Week!

1. I wish I would have realized how close I was to Sandy last weekend. I could have stopped and met my first fellow blogger. How fun would that have been? Maybe next time!

2. I confess...I've been listening to Miley Cyrus' 7 Things song. And I like it. Don't judge me.

3. I never wanted to get a bulldog. When my husband mentioned getting one I cringed and said NEVER! After Wensley was born I took one look at her and was in love. Now I would recommend a bulldog to anyone!

4. I dream about being able to run all the time. In my dreams I do not have any limitations. This thrills me because this will how it will be in Heaven!

5. I love snapdragons, big puffy clouds, laughing until my tummy hurts, and having friends that know when something is wrong and they hug you tight.

6. I hope you are having a wonderful week! If not, how can I pray for you today?

7. I've always wanted to learn how to play drums! I am not coordinated and I can't hold the sticks correctly, but in my mind I think I am pretty awesome!

8. I get to go to the zoo and then a ballgame tomorrow night for a belated birthday celebration! I can't wait to see my giraffe friends!

9. I miss my father and father-in-law very much. But I am thankful that neither one of them are suffering anymore and some sweet day we will be reunited!

10. I'm addicted to Facebook. Too much fun to give and receive flair! You need to sign up for it. Go ahead. I'll wait.

11. I think a lot about my blogging friends, especially when they are hurting. I want to be there to hold their hand, give them a shoulder to cry on, a hug or just sit there in silence knowing that we don't need to speak, but it's comforting to have someone beside you that cares.

12. I have been enjoying YouTube and watching videos from back in the olden days like Rex Smith, Scandal, The Monkees, David Soul, and yes, The Osmonds!

13. I am happy. My life around me is challenging and I have many struggles in different areas, but I am happy. I know my Lord is there helping me through each moment in life. He wants the best for me. He died for me! How could I not be happy?

A Mini Break From Blogging :o(

2008-08-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for me this weekend I will be in Pennsylvania. My hubs and I are delivering a customer's car. Oh, and the Woo will be going with us as well! She is a great traveller. And a lot of company too!

Please pray for us as we are pulling a trailer up some mountains! Diesel is expensive and we only get around 8 miles to the gallon. YIKES! Can you say expensive?

Please know I will be thinking of all of you and missing you. Praying for many of you that are going through difficult times right now. You are on my heart all through the day.

Thanks for everything and I'll see you all soon!!

Thursday Thirteen #8

2008-08-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, 13 More Things About Me That Start With The Letter "H"!

1. Happy Birthday To Me! ~ Today is my 44th birthday! WooHoo! I was born at 1:20 am. My mom went into labor while my dad was working late. She was only in labor for two hours. I was three weeks late so I was ready to come into the world. I weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces and was only nineteen inches long. I was a chunk! And the spitting image of my daddy. :o)

No people, he did NOT look lke a bulldog! Very funny.

2. Hugs ~ I'm a good hugger. No a great hugger! And I'm not afraid to give you one if you want it. I think people need that physical contact daily. So go ahead...find someone to hug and let 'em know how much you love 'em!

3. Husband ~ His name is David and we will celebrate our 24th anniversary on September 8th. He's very talented in just about every which way you can imagine. Seriously.

4. Handicapped ~ I may have arthritis, and there might be a whole lot I cannot do, but please do not call me handicapped! I just do things different than you do. Where there is a will there is a way! And when I can't figure how to do it on my own I yell, "David!".

5. Height ~ I'm a shorty. Five foot three inches. On a good hair day you can add another inch!

6. Hubba, Hubba ~ In my house we say hubba, hubba for a very nice looking man. And I think Antonio Banderas, a younger Mel Gibson, Brad Pitt and my husband are all hubba, hubba!

7. Ham ~ I used to hate ham until I had my knees replaced. My iron got extremely low and they were not going to let me go home until I had it built up again. Let's just say I ate lots of ham sandwiches and learned it's not so bad.

8. Hop On One Foot ~ When my kids were little they were always whining about something hurting them. I kinda got tired of it so if I knew they were okay I would ask them, "Can you still hop on one foot?" They would hop and then start laughing and forget what they were crying about. Happy kid. Even happier mom!

9. Hot Dogs & Hamburgers ~ I'll kill two birds here. I love my hot dogs on the burnt side when we grill. And I prefer my hamburgers to be really thin and crispy.

10. Hurst Olds ~ I do love me a Mustang, but I would also love to have a Hurst Olds.

11. Hotels ~ I've been blessed to travel a bit, but one of my favorite hotels I ever stayed in was the Tower Hotel in London. Why? Just look at the view.....

12. Happy ~ It doesn't take much to make me happy. My husband appreciates this about me. If I get a free pen or a sample of anything I'm a happy camper. When good things happen to others I am happy for them. I like to be happy and stay positive, even in difficult circumstances.

13. Heaven~ Because I have accepted Christ as my Savior I know with all my heart that some day I will be in Heaven for all eternity!

Take It To The Lord

2008-08-05T13:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my friend, Holly, gave birth to her first child. A little girl named Abigail.

This is what they posted on their Facebook. I know they won't mind me sharing.

"Today, our baby girl danced her way into Heaven. Before we knew her, before she could smile at us, before she knew how to walk-she knew how to dance!

We know she is in the arms of Jesus and is not hurting at all. Though we are hurting, we find comfort in the Strength of the Lord.

She is loved and will never! never be forgotten.

It was nothing we or the doctors did or didn't do, when she came out, we found the umbilical cord wrapped around her feet as though she were dancing-thus the reason we can say she danced her way into Heaven.

Since we knew you were a girl, we patiently waited on our princess, but when you got here you were but a sleeping beauty!!!!

As we know, there is a time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, but don't forget to dance!!!

Dear friends and family, do not feel bad for our little girl because, her mom said that on Sunday she felt like her baby girl was dancing, so you can draw your own conclusions, we have drawn ours.

To die before birth is very hard but only for those still living. But you our baby girl, it is not hard at all, but very wonderful for Heaven is your home and it's all you'll ever know. One day we will go home-to you and our Savior and come to know the both of you; with kisses and hugs, we will walk and talk forever. We love you and will miss you in every way very much.

In loving memory of Abigail Renee

Your Dad and Mom"

Please be in prayer for this sweet young couple. Thank you.

1000 Friday Blessings

2008-07-31T13:42:00.000-07:00

1000 BLESSING'S FRIDAY

This has been one of those weeks where I have received many blessings, but friends close to me have had their world turned upside down. One friend in particular lost her husband to a fire last weekend. She not only lost her soul mate, but her home.

Her church has already gone into action and will have an extra offering to help with funeral costs. They are asking for giftcard donations right now and school clothes and supplies. Once she finds a new place they are going to help furnish it.

I cannot even begin to imagine what she must be going through, but knowing Trish I am sure she is counting her blessings. Her church family being one of them. I know God will get her through this and I ask again for prayer for her and her two little ones, Nick (6) and Courtney(4).

My blessings this week is a tribute to Trish and how she has blessed me this past year.

289. The first day I met her we clicked immediately. She was going to be my physical therapist for the next four months! It was obvious to me that she was a christian. We each shared our testimonies as I tried exercising for the first time.

290. She is a tiny little thing. Me? Not so much. But she was able to move me and lift me and do the things that I couldn't do. Sometimes we would get to laughing so hard that I would have to say ~ Okay, put on your poker face and let's get back to work. Therapy, no matter how painful, was always fun because of Trish.

291. When Trish spoke of her husband her eyes lit up. She loved him and was in love with him. Two different, but very important things.

292. She is very caring to everyone. One time she was very late because she found a stray dog and she knew she had to take care of it somehow. Come to think of it, this dog may have died in the fire too. I don't know if it was an indoor pet. Another time she was late because she saw a little seven year old boy roaming the streets and knew he should be in school. He had missed the bus. Trish took him back to his house and the boy's mom said he was big enough to get himself ready for school and she went back to bed. She was visibly upset and before we did therapy we prayed for the young boy. Trish checked up on the boy's situation the rest of the week and ended up calling the authorities.

293. I shared with her cd's of my favorite christian group, 4Him, and she shared with me hers, which is Natalie Grant. Over the year we have each kept forgetting to give back the borrowed cd's. This makes me cry, but at least I have something of hers that I know she cherished that I can give back to her. A tiny piece of home, I guess.

294. I love to laugh more than anything and she would tell me story after story about her kids.

She would tell me that she always thought of me when they did something funny because she knew how much I would enjoy it!

295. And most importantly she blessed me with her day to day testimony of God's love. We talked often about our parent's death and other things that we had in common. She and I both agreed that God DOES know what's best in our lives, even when we cannot understand it.

Thursday Thirteen #7

2008-07-31T00:48:00.000-07:00

Continuing On With 13 More Things About Me, Amy, That Start With "G"!!

1. God ~ My Heavenly Father! Even though I fail daily, my purpose in life is to glorify Him in all I say and do.

2. Giraffes ~ Most of y'all know how much I dig 'em! It's not like I study and read everything I can about them. I just really, really enjoy going to Binder Park Zoo and feeding them and observing them. They are truly miraculous creatures! And check out this place for a live giraffe cam!

3. Gold therapy ~ When I was a teenager I used to get gold shots for my arthritis. And yes, it contained real gold. Tiny, itsy, bitsy particles, but gold none the less!

4. Grilling ~ Mmmm, mmm! Boy how I love to grill out. We do it every Friday at the shop and we make plenty so everyone can have a take home bag for the weekend! Chicken, burgers, dogs, oh my!

5. Google ~ I'm a googler. And if you google my name, these are some dolls I collect made by a couple of little elderly ladies on The Isle of Wight.

6. Games ~ My family LOVES to play games together! And I am happy to say that even though they are older now, the still love to have family night and play board games!

7. Guys & Dolls ~ The movie was horrible, but watching it live is SO much fun, especially when your husband is in it! David has performed in a lot of musicals, but this one is probably my fave.

8. Green beans ~ Carrots used to be my favorite, but this summer I have been enjoying fresh green beans. Just give me a huge bowl full and that's my supper. Throw in a piece of cornbread and I'm your best friend!

9. Girl's Night Out ~ Now I don't get to do this often enough, but I when my friend comes from Missouri and my other friend comes from Pennsylvania, we go O.U.T!!!! It really doesn't matter where we go as long as it is away from the kids, the phone, the housework, and yes, even the husbands!

10. Grab Bags ~ This is one of my very favorite things to make up for kids. I love the smile on their faces and how their eyes light up when they realize how much stuff is in them! They are easy to do and if you are a good shopper like me you can manage to make up a bag for a dollar or two. Yes, I am a great bargain hunter! TeeHee!!

11. Glasses ~ Oh, I need 'em bad! I'm being stubborn and not getting them because everyone in my family has to wear them now. I'm determined to be different. Yeah, I'm that dumb. And blind!

12. Grape ~ I love crisp, fresh grapes and grape juice, BUT I do not like grape flavored candy or Kool Aid.

13. Giggle ~ I've been told I sound like Betty Rubble when I get really tickled at something. I also have a really loud laugh that people say is infectious. I just hope it's not too annoying!

A Heavy Heart

2008-07-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

I received word yesterday that my physical therapist's husband was killed in a fire over the weekend. He was only 41.

I spent a lot of time with Trish last year. She came to my home every couple of days to do therapy. She spoke of her husband with such adoration. She said that Nick was the type of guy who would give you his very last cent and not blink an eye. She also said that he always put their needs before his own.

Wow.

Trish had taken their two little ones (ages 6 and 4) to visit friends in Chicago. It was an annual thing. Authorities still do not know what happened exactly.

I cannot stop crying. I can't even begin to imagine what she is going through. Not only did she lose her husband, but she lost her home filled with memories and pictures. Yes, furniture and clothes can be replaced, but I pray that she can somehow get copies of photos.

Nick knew Christ as his Savior. Trish and I spoke a lot about salvation and religion and God. She knows her loved one is in Heaven.

Please be in prayer for this family as they begin to rebuild their lives without their husband, father, son, brother, uncle.

We know God's timing is perfect in all things. It doesn't mean that we understand it though.

Thank you.

And please let me know if there is something I can be praying for you this week.

My Own Tuesday Top Ten

2008-07-29T10:24:00.000-07:00

Since I post about Luke Menard so much it got me to thinking if there were any other famous people from Crawfordsville. So I looked up our hometown on wikipedia and this is what I found out:

1. Joseph P. Allen - Astronaut, served as mission specialist on the first fully operational flight of the Space Shuttle in 1982. He was born in Crawfordsville in 1937. He attended Mills School and graduated from Crawfordsville High School.

2. Dick van Dyke - In 1938, just before Dick was of high school age, the Van Dyke family moved to Crawfordsville, returning to Danville, Illinois in 1940.

3. Bryan James Hellwig - former professional wrestler known as the Ultimate Warrior was born in Crawfordsville in 1959.

4. Eleanor Lambert - head of NYC Fashion Institute; picked "10 Best-Dressed Women of the World" every year.

5. Henry S. Lane - One of the city's most prominent 19th century figures - a United States Senator and pallbearer for Abraham Lincoln, has a historical site dedicated to him in the city. He started a law practice in Crawfordsville in 1834.

6. James W. Marshall - A New Jersey native who had at some point called Crawfordsville his home, was the discoverer of gold at Sutter's Mill, California in 1848 and thus set off the California Gold Rush.

7. Pete Metzelaars - Professional football player, is a graduate of Wabash College. Currently on the coaching staff for the Indianapolis Colts. He has actually been to our shop and sat in one of our Mustangs. He didn't fit very well! He's a big guy!

8. Will Shortz - New York Times puzzle writer, was born in Crawfordsville in 1952 and grew up in the city.

9. Lew Wallace - the author of Ben-Hur, has his home made a historical site in the city. He attended Wabash College, moved back to Crawfordsville where he wrote Ben Hur, and died in Crawfordsville in 1905.

10. Susan Wallace - author and poet; wife of Lew Wallace. Born in Crawfordsville, Indiana to Isaac and Maria Elston in 1830.

Do you know of anybody famous from your hometown? If so, do tell!

For Today

2008-07-28T07:58:00.001-07:00

For Today...

Outside my window...today is kind of overcast and a lot cooler than it has been....only 78 degrees this morning!

I am thinking...of all the families that need prayer this morning. My heart is heavy this morning. So many people facing such trials and hurting.

I am thankful for...my health! A year ago I had one hip replaced and was anxiously awaiting another one. I've come along way baby! I give all the glory to God!!

From the kitchen...leftovers. I made a huge crockpot full of sesame ginger chicken yesterday with brown rice and carrots. Even better the second day!

I am creating...a list of the Bible stories we want to make sure our Awana girls get taught this year. Most of the kids come from unchurched homes so this is a huge opportunity for us leaders to teach them about Christ and salvation!

I am wearing...the usual. Jeans, tennis shoes and a red tee shirt with the American flag. We don't dress to fancy around the shop. I'll probably end up getting grease on me somehow!

I am reading...no books right now, but a long e-mail from a new friend I have made! I am so excited and look forward to being able to witness to her. She is ten years younger than I am and also has arthritis. She's not handling it too well so I hope I am able to encourage her. Please pray for me as I do this!

I am hoping...to feel really well this week, especially my hands. I have lots of writing to do in some ledgers and I need my hands to work!

I am hearing...Chris Daughtry's cd playing. The guys out in the shop always have a cd going. Sometimes I torture them and make them play something I would like such as The Osmonds, The Carpenter's or The Bee Gees!

Around the house...things are moving and a shaking! My husband (PTL) wants to get rid of some junk!! And all the angels sang...Hallelujah!

One of my favorite things...a sense of accomplishment. It feels good when something gets done for a change and you can actually make a checkmark on your list. And that checkmark means...DONE!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...to try and keep my husband in the getting rid of junk mood! Can you say, "Hellooooo Goodwill!"

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Once again, this is Luke Menard. He was on American Idol this year and made it to the top 16. He was diagnosed with cancer shortly after getting voted off. Our community has been so supportive and has had numerous fund raisers for him. On Saturday Luke gave a concert at the local high school. Read here and here if you are interested! Please remember to pray for this sweet young man as he seeks God's direction for his life.

1000 Blessing's Friday

2008-07-25T18:12:00.000-07:00

1000 BLESSING'S FRIDAY

This week my blessing list is a little different. While I've received many blessings this week I want to share some special people. I've said numerous times how much I love Blogville and the fact that we can share our prayer requests and know that our friends are praying for us. I consider it a blessing and a privilege to pray for these people. Will you please take a moment to visit them and pray for their needs?

281. Kimmy ~ She's my sweet, sweet friend who has recently broke her foot. She's likes to keep busy and this is slowing her down a bit. We all know that God's timing is perfect, so there is a reason for it. Please pray for healing.

282. Christine ~ This amazing family has adopted a precious little boy named Dennis. He faces some upcoming surgeries and needs pray. I have enjoyed reading and getting to know this family. And it's big one....full of love!

283. Luke ~ He was on American Idol this year and comes from my hometown. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's. He's working hard to get his career started in christian music. He's a sweetheart and loves the Lord very much! Check out this clip from the tv show Extra. He was on it last night.

284. Kimmie ~ Another beautiful family that has adopted children from all over and are awaiting a child from Ethiopia. They are up to #12 on the waiting list and are anxious for their newest family member to arrive home! Again, we know God's timing is perfect.

285. Heather ~ Her father has recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Things are grim right now. Please pray for healing, peace and spiritual needs. I know what it's like to say goodbye to your father. My heart aches for her and her family.

286. The Laurie Family ~ I do not know this family, but saw on someone else's site that their son had died in a car accident.

287. Nathan, Tricia and Gwyneth ~ Tricia has Cystic Fibrosis and sweet Gwyneth was born 15+ weeks premature. This is an extraordinary family full of love and most importantly faith in God.

288. Amy & Michael ~ Some of you may know them already. A sweet couple patiently awaiting the arrival of their daughter, LynnMarie, from China! It's and exciting time for them and I am sure they are anxious to have her home!

Thank you! And please leave a comment and share with me what's on your heart. How can I pray for you this week?

Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Back To School Memories and A Giveaway!

2008-07-25T12:31:00.000-07:00

Mary is giving away this awesome backpack at her place! All you have to do is mention the contest on your blog and leave her a comment telling her one of your "first day of school memories". How easy is that folks? Hmmm, I am quite forgetful in my old age so I am going to need to think hard, but I bet I can do it! I have one child left in school and he said, "Mom, I need you to win because those are my school colors!" Wish me luck!

The drawing is next Tuesday so you need to enter soon!

I just turned fourteen and was going into my freshmen year of high school. I was scared to death! I didn't like change. I was used to having the same teachers year after year and the same classmates too. They had grown up with me and knew the reason I limped, had crooked fingers, wore splints and sometimes used crutches. No explanation needed.

I started off my high school years on crutches. Back in the olden days we didn't have backpacks like kids do now. I wasn't sure how I was going to get around that big school carrying my books. I got to school early that morning and was determined to get three classes worth of books and folders so I wouldn't have to keep coming back to my locker which was quite a walk. I was stubborn and too prideful to ask someone new for help.

I was pleased as punch when I managed to get all my books and folders for those three classes. As I was walking with them I tripped and fell. All my things went flying everywhere! Because of my arthritic knees I could not get on the floor to gather up my stuff or even bend down to get it either.

I started to cry. What was I going to do?

A teacher walked out of his room and started collecting all my things. He got them all put together and called for a girl named Angie. He asked her if she would mind helping me to my class. She was quiet like me, but smiled and said sweetly, "Sure!".

From that day forward she helped me to every single class for the next four years. We became best friends and went through good and bad times together. We needed each other.

God's timing was perfect. Angie taught me to be humble and ask for help. And most importantly to accept it. I was able to witness to her and share the gospel!

It was a win/win situation for both of us for which I know I am blessed!

Thursday Thirteen #6

2008-07-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

13 Fantastic Things About Me That Start With The Letter "F"!!

1. Facebook ~ I love it! It's easy and simple which is a plus for me. Right now I am having too much fun playing games against my friends. If you haven't signed up for it, you ought too. FUN, I say!

2. Flower ~ My favorite flower is a snapdragon. Any color will do nicely.

3. Fish ~ We have a 110 gallon aquarium with some pretty cool fish. I had no idea that fish could have as much personality as dogs and cats. For those of you that think fish are boring, I would think twice!

4. Flying ~ Love it SO much! I usually get the window seat because I am spoiled, but to be above the clouds and looking at God's creation is breathtaking!

5. First Crush ~ No, it wasn't Donny Osmond believe it or not. It was my next door neighbor. His name was David. I was five. He was twenty five. And engaged. I cried at his wedding because he wasn't marrying me. At least he held me and gave me a kiss on the cheek and said I would always be his #1 girl. We still laugh about it to this day!

6. 4Him ~ This is my all time most favoritest christian singing group. I've seen them numerous times in concert and have all their cd's. Their songs truly keep my spirits high and remind me again and again of how wonderful our Heavenly Father is!

7. Finding Nemo~ This is such a cute movie. I even watch it when there are no kids around! I think Ellen DeGeneres did a great job, don't you?

8. Friends ~ "There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven't yet met." I love this quote, don't you?

9. Father and Father-In-Law ~ Both of them have passed away, but both of them were huge influences in my life. My father taught me how to be patient, kind and put others first. My father-in-law taught me how to come out of my comfort zone and be more outgoing when talking to others. The above quote describes him perfectly. I have always said that dad never met a stranger. I miss them both, but I know I will see them again in Heaven!

10. Fruit ~ Oh man, it's hard to choose a favorite, but I love strawberries, watermelon and fresh peaches. Ooh, and apples too! And grapes. Let's face it...it's ALL good!

11. Family ~ Very close with every single one of them. On both sides. It's so nice to be part of a family where there are never any feuds or fights going on. Seriously. It's that perfect! We are blessed!

12. Fingers~ Because I have arthritis my fingers on my left hand are all crooked and don't bend. On my right hand they are straight because I had them fused but the surgery hurt so bad I decided not to have my left hand done. I get stared at a lot because of this, but that's okay. I'd probably look too!

13. Faith ~ I believe that God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins so that I may live with Him for all eternity. I accepted Christ as my Savior when I was eight years old. If you would like to know Jesus, please click on "Faith". It's a free gift that you can't live without!

This Does My Heart Good!

2008-07-23T11:33:00.001-07:00

I'm sure many of you have seen this already, but if this doesn't make you tear up then you have a black heart my friend. Okay, that's a little harsh. But this will put a smile on your face at least!

YAY, It's Another Friday Fun Day!

2008-07-17T08:58:00.000-07:00

1000 BLESSING'S FRIDAY!

276. I feel blessed getting gas for $3.91 this afternoon before it went up to $4.27!!

277. I've been blessed this week with getting some needed sleep! I am never too comfortable sleeping and spend a lot of time awake at night...which is a great time to pray for y'all. But I am thankful for my rest!

278. I am blessed each week with my kids. They are such a joy to me and I love it that they want to spend time with me and their dad. We went to the midnight showing of Dark Knight together. It's more fun going at midnight with all the other dorks that can't wait until the next day! Very good movie, btw. Definitely not for children. Heath Leger is amazing. If you liked the first one you will love this one!

279. Blessed with prayer warriors that pray for me daily! My mom is one of them and she is such a sweet, kind lady. I know you all would love her too!

280. And then there's this little fellow. His name is David and I FINALLY got to meet him. His daddy used to work for us and then he moved to Michigan. Every time they've been down for a visit I've been in the hospital. But not this time! David was so much fun to play with and I got him to belly laughing harder than even his parents can! Babies bring true joy to my life. I could sit and watch them for hours on end!

Kailani is the hostess with the mostest for this easy, breezy meme each week. So simple to play along! Just answer the light hearted question and if ya want post one on your blog too! C'mon, I dare ya. I double dog dare ya!

My question this week is:

Have you ever been on TV? If so, what for?

When we were on vacation back in 1994 we went to Universal Studios in California. They were filming a tv concert called Summer Blast 1994. I was so excited because we got to watch All-4-One sing I Swear and then one of my faves, Richard Marx, performed too! I got to meet him. While he was practicing I was taking pictures of him. He stopped and pulled down his shades and flashed me a big smile and said, "Hi!" I melted and said, "Thank you!"

I didn't know if we would be on tv or not, but when they aired the show we had the VCR all set up to tape just in case we were on. Yes, we were geeky. And yep, there we are waving our hands in the air and swaying back and forth having a blast! A summer blast that is...teehee!

Have a wonderful weekend everybody!

Thursday Thirteen #5

2008-07-17T00:35:00.000-07:00

13 More & Exciting Things About Me That Start With The Letter "E"!!

1. Ethel M Chocolates ~ Pssst, I have to let some of you in on a little secret...these are yum.i.lish.ous!! And yes, that is a word. Seriously, these are the BESTEST chocolates I have ever eaten. They are so good that even I cannot pick a favorite! And since my birthday is just around the corner it would be real easy to just click and ship me a box! Just kidding. No I'm not.

2. Engaged ~ David proposed to me on December 4, 1983 which was two days after my brother got married. We were shopping in JC Penney and he stopped by the jewelry counter and said, "Which one would you pick out?" I looked for a minute and saw one that was perfect and he said, "Well? Are we going to get married or what?" I replied, "Sure!" We were married September 8th the following year! My husband feels bad for the way he proposed, but I always knew we would be together so it was natural to me the way it came about.

3. Eggs ~ I go in spurts if I like 'em or not. I normally love egg salad anytime, but if I were to eat eggs for breakfast they would have to be over medium. I like runny centers and dipping my toast in it. My family thinks that's disgusting!

4. Ears ~ I have my father's ears. Well, not literally. That would just be weird! And just like my dad I have, on my right ear, two little bumps. I've never seen anyone else have these. I guess that makes us special!

5. Eighties ~ I love the eighties! I graduated in 1982, married in 1984 and had my first joint replacements in 1986. Which, BTW, are still in great condition. I was told they would only last 13 years. Something else I am thankful for!

6. Europe ~ I have been fortunate to go to many countries in Europe. My husband and I have been to France, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. I would love to go back to Switzerland someday!

7. East Side Baptist Church ~ This is my church and I have been going there since I was eight years old. I absolutely love it there and have been blessed with a supportive church family. And my bestest fwend in the whole wide world goes there too!

8. Electric shock ~ I was shocked badly one time when my nurse shark, Fluffy, bumped his filter pipes. About 60 gallons of water spewed out on the carpet. I thought I had everything dried up by the next night and when I went to turn on the light to the tank it shocked me and sent me flying to the ground. I had to have my shoulder replaced about a year later because of it. I just feel bad because I killed Fluffy. He was cool. Sigh.

9. Escalator ~ Don't like 'em. I'm not fast enough when it's time to step off of it and I've stumbled before. I was afraid I was gonna have to yell, "I've fallen and I can't get up!"

10. Ellison and Ellen ~ These were the names of my grandparents and Evans was my father's middle name. Can you tell I am running out of ideas for the letter "e"!! Oh yeah, and my bestest fwend's husband's name is Earl. And he hates it when I sing the Dixie Chicks song Goodbye Earl to him. ;o)

11. Eager Beavers ~ This was the name of my Bible club when I was little. We earned our stickers by saying our verse each week and bringing visitors. Now we have something called Awana at our church, which is a much better program.

12. Exercise ~ Yep. Need to do it more often. Because I was in such pain and bedridden for awhile I lost alot of my range of motion. I used to think that since I couldn't lift weights or use a stair climber and other such machines that there wasn't anything I could do. But nope. I was wrong. I've started out slowly with sitting on the side of my bed and doing leg lifts and and things like that.

13. Eternal ~ The best thing about my life that starts with the letter "e" is that I know for certain that when I die I will go to Heaven and live with my Lord and Savior for all eternity! Nothing is better than knowing that!

So please entertaine me and tell me something about you that starts with "E"!!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-07-16T00:37:00.000-07:00

BEFORE

AFTER

Isn't she purty?

Update On Luke Menard

2008-07-15T07:43:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember Luke from American Idol. He made it to the top 16! Not bad. Anyway, Luke is from right here in my hometown of Crawfordsville. After he was eliminated from AI he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Our little town has rallied the troups and have shown tremendous support for him and his family. There have been several benefits to help pay for the medical bills. Our local ice cream shop sold over 2800 milk shakes one day! One afternoon when I went to Kroger there was a group of teenage girls selling hot dogs and cokes too. Here in a couple of weeks Luke and his singing group, Chapter 6 are going to perform at the high school. Should be fun!

Here and here are a couple of articles from our local papers if you want to read further.

I love Luke's attitude towards the whole thing. He knows that everything happens for a reason. He could easily be feeling sorry for himself right now and having a pity party. Instead, he is looking and working towards the future in christian music. This is where he feels God's leading right now.

Please pray for him and his wife, Lara. They are a sweet couple, both with a lot of talent. God could use them in mighty ways if He desires.

We don't know what the future holds for any of us, but when we know Christ as our own personal Savior we have the assurance that we can rest safely in His arms, trusting that He knows what's best for us.

And that, my friend, is a huge blessing and a comfort!

TMI

2008-07-14T11:23:00.000-07:00

I was catching up this morning with all my blogging friends when this post caught my attention. You'll need to scroll down a bit until you get to the pictures of the empty tp rolls. Excuse me, I mean almost empty!

I had to laugh out loud with a snort or two thrown in because my family does the exact same thing! And the guys at the shop do too. Don't they know that a lady can't just use a square? I mean really!

Then I remembered this picture I'd seen somewhere on the internet and I could so picture Barb, being the crafty, creative one that she is doing this to all the tp rolls in her bathrooms!

Makes you think twice about using it, doesn't it? Nah, me neither!

I hope your week is starting off great!!

Friday Fun Day!

2008-07-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, my question for the day is.......

Would you rather spend a beautiful, perfect weather day at the beach, at an amusement park, camping and hiking or shopping with your best friend with endless amounts of cash?

For more Aloha Friday questions go check out Kailani's place today!

1000 BLESSING'S FRIDAY

271. What a fun time we had at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana! We spent most of the day in the lazy river and the wave pools! It was beautiful weather too...like 90 degrees! The day was relaxing and enjoyable!

272. When we were getting ready to leave the park a lightening storm came from out of nowhere! I was sitting there in an electric scooter wondering if I was going to get struck. It was hitting all around us. I am not kidding! Scary!! I got drenched and this sweet family came over and dried me off with their towel and gave me a new one to keep warm. How sweet was that?

273. Oh, how could I forget? They only charged me half price admission since I use a wheelchair! How cool is that folks? Plus their food is real cheap and you get FREE soft drinks all the live long day! And they also give you FREE sunscreen. And yes, I did use it all day, but I still got crispy.

274. And I learned at what a blessing aloe vera with lidocaine is on the way home! Soothing. Plus it is blue so, of course, that made me happy!

275. But the biggest blessing of that day was spending time with my precious family that I love so very much! We laughed and splashed and giggled the whole day!

FRIDAY'S FEAST

Appetizer

When was the last time you had your hair cut/trimmed?

Does snipping at it myself count? I'm always trimming my bangs to get it out of my eyes. It's been about six weeks since I had a for real haircut.

Soup

Name one thing you miss about being a child.

Oh, I know...being with your best friend and feeling the wind in your face as you run as fast as you can, then you fall down laughing in the grass. Then you lay there awhile and look up in the sky and see what kind of things the clouds are forming. Sigh. Oh to be young again!

Salad

Pick one: butter, margarine, olive oil.

Olive oil hands down. Cooking chicken in it tastes so much better than the other two. Then all I add is a tiny bit of salt and pepper and I'm good to go. Much healthier too!

Main Course

If you could learn another language, which one would you pick, and why?

I had four years of Spanish, but can't remember a whole lot of it. I would pick that again because we have a lot of Spanish speaking folks in our town now and many of them do not speak English. I would be able to communicate with them and tell them about Christ!

Dessert

Finish this sentence: In 5 years I expect to be…

In five years I expect to be quite a few pounds lighter and off prednisone and most importantly running around chasing my grandchildren and spoiling them rotten!

Thursday Thirteen #4

2008-07-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

13 More Different Things About Me That Start With "D"!

1. Daddy's Girl ~ I was and will forever be a daddy's girl! My father passed away 1/11/07. I miss him terribly, but have the assurance that I will see him again in Heaven!

2. David ~ That's my husband's name. We've been married for almost 24 years come September. Can't wait for our 25th next year. We're trying to decide if we want to go somewhere new or go where we did on our honeymoon, which is.......

3. Disneyland! ~ My husband is originally from California so for our honeymoon I wanted to go there and see where he grew up and all the schools and churches he attended plus all his hangouts and such. I loved every second of it!

4. Deer ~ Yes, I have hit a deer before with my car. Then sadness set in. Sigh. She did get up and run off into the woods, but I don't know if she lived or not. Or had babies that were waiting for her to come back. I still feel bad about it and wonder all the time what happened to her.

5. Decision making ~ I'm horrible at making decisions such as where to go eat, or what to do for entertainment. You know, dumb stuff. I'm worried what the other person wants to do. Me? I honestly don't care what we do or where we go for supper if I am with someone having a good time. To me, that's the most important thing!

6. Driving ~ Okay, I love, love, love to drive and go on road trips, BUT I cannot follow a map to save my life! I get lost easily. So if you and I go somewhere will you please tell me how to get to our destination? Thanks!

7. Disgusting ~ I find these things disgusting: cottage cheese, liver, cleaning up vomit (but who would enjoy this?), and milk. Just to name a few.

8. Disco ~ Yes, I love to listen to disco music. I'm not ashamed! But I don't like the song Disco Duck, even though it has two D's. Stupid song!

9. Dance ~ I have absolutely no rhythm. It has nothing to do with having arthritis and not being able to move easily. I just can't dance. At all!

10. Dreams ~ But in my dreams I can do ANYTHING! Dance, run, ride a bike, do cartwheels, and shop as long as I want! In my dreams I don't have anything wrong with me. And I like that!

11. Dum Dums ~ I love these little suckers. My favorite is cream soda. How about you?

12. Denzel ~ Who doesn't love Denzel Washington? Not only is a cutie, but I think a very talented actor? Who is your favorite guy to watch?

13. Desire ~ I have lots of things I want, but my true desire is to serve the Lord and glorify Him each day!

Bonus: My middle name is Diane. What's your's?

Well folks, that's my D-list. And those of you that know me so well....aren't you proud I didn't even mention You.Know.Who? Your welcome!

In "other" Words

2008-07-08T00:45:00.000-07:00

Bonnie is our sweet hostess for this week's edition of In "other" Words.

The quote she has chosen is:

“The Christian life is a pilgrimage. At times the road is difficult and we get lonely. Sometimes we may get discouraged and consider abandoning the journey. It is at such times that God will place a friend alongside us. One of God’s most precious gifts to us is friends who encourage us and lovingly challenge us to ‘keep going.’ “

By Henry T. Blackaby & Richard Blackaby from their devotional book, Experiencing God

My church isn't small, but it's not huge either. We have about 250 in attendance each week. I've gone to my church since I was 8 years old. I've seen a few families come and go over the years. Not as many as you would expect though. Basically, we are a very close knit church.

This same group of people have been witness to my childhood until now. They've seen me as a little girl, full of energy and giggles. They watched as I became a young girl, full of pain and giggles, still.

After my father died in January, 2007 I became bedridden due to my hips. I needed two new bionic ones! I'd had many other replacements over the years, so this was nothing new. Except for being stuck at home. In one room. For months on end.

My church family has always been supportive when I've had surgeries in the past. Lots of cards, phone calls, flowers and food. Oh my, the food. Baptists do know how to cook! My family actually looked forward to my surgeries because they knew they would be fed well. LOL!

This past year was no different. The outpouring of love from everybody was amazing. Most of the people didn't realize how bad off I actually was this time around. There were times when I didn't know how I could face living another day. I wasn't suicidal, but I did beg and plead for the Lord to come back and take me.

I had so many visits from friends that didn't care if I was in my pajamas and hadn't had any kind of a bath in days. And normally that would embarrass me to no end, but I needed them. I needed their shoulders to cry on. I needed their smiling faces to keep my spirits up. I needed their prayers to keep on going. At least for another day.

I received a card from one friend in particular. Her name is Sharon. She was always involved in children's ministries, visitation and hospitality. A more devoted christian would be hard to find.

She has Multiple Sclerosis. She cannot walk. She cannot eat or drink. She cannot speak. She cannot hold her head up without a brace.

It is extremely difficult for her to write her name, let alone a letter. I have never sobbed so hard when reading what Sharon had to say. She wrote and told me how much she prays for me each day and that I was an encouragement to her. She told how wonderful our God is and that some sweet day we will no longer be in pain. She told me she loved me.

How could I be an encouragement to her? I could still walk using crutches. I could still quench my thirst and satisfy my hunger. I could sit and laugh with friends. I could sit and gripe about my woes if I wanted. I didn't need a brace just to keep my head erect so I didn't feel like I was suffocating. I was humbled, indeed.

This dear woman is my inspiration. And her husband too. I only went through a tiny portion of what they face day in and day out. For her to take the time and write me a beautiful letter like that is a true blessing.

It's obvious how much she loves the Lord and is willing to go the distance for Him. She's a true prayer warrior. A better friend you'll never find!

Would you please pray for Sharon and her husband, Jim? They face many trials each and every day and never complain about how much has been handed to them. They serve the Lord with all their heart and are true inspirations to all of us who know them! Thank you.

For Today

2008-07-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

Outside my window...prettiest blue skies I've seen in a very long time and a bird taking a bath in a mud puddle! He's having a great time too!

I am thinking...of how much I need to get done before tomorrow's outing. But I am excited!

I am thankful for...how much work I was able to get done with my three day weekend! And I didn't use my crutches one time!! Double yay!

From the kitchen...we are having leftover hot dogs and hamburgers from our 4th of July cookout! Still yummy!

I am creating...nothing but a pile of trash today. Sorry!

I am going....to Holiday World tomorrow with my husband and two of my kids!

I am wearing...my usual jeans, tenny bops and a striped blue shirt with a mustard stain I got at lunch! LOL!

I am reading...my new book, A Whisper of Freedom, I won from Tricia Goyer. I've only read the first two pages so I don't know what to say about it yet!

I am hoping...for beautiful weather tomorrow at the water park. Sure hope it doesn't rain. Wouldn't want to get wet...teehee!

I am hearing...my husband on the phone talking about Mustangs. Shocker!

Around the house...laundry is piled high and the dust bunnies are multiplying. After our trip we'll get it done!

One of my favorite things...having a chance to spend time with my kids and hubby. Our schedules worked out pretty well this time!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Holiday World, laundry, dusting, and I'll make time to laugh too and be silly because that's just fun!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

For more Simple Woman Daybook entries, go to Peggy's site at Simple Woman!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

2008-07-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

1000 BLESSING'S FRIDAY ~ FREEDOM'S

266. Blessed with freedom to worship anytime, anywhere. I can bring my Bible with me wherever I go. Even my kids have taken theirs to school for silent reading time!

267. Blessed with freedom to write about my Lord and Savior on this blog and share what He has done for me!

268. Blessed with freedom to pray in public.

269. Blessed with the freedom that even if these things are taken away from me I still have You and Your Word in my heart and that cannot be taken away from me!

270. Blessed with the knowledge and assurance I have in You knowing that when I die I will be in Heaven for eternity. This is freedom!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

Thursday Thirteen #3

2008-07-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

13 More Things About Me, Amy! I'm Up To The Letter "C"!

1. Clowns ~ Don't like 'em one bit. They scare me. Whew, I'm glad I have that off my chest!

2. Christian ~ I accepted Christ as my Savior when I was eight years old! Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. This verse helps me everyday. Especially on days when I am really hurting.

3. Cheese ~ For years I never liked cheese unless it was a grilled cheese. My husband, who loves every kind of cheese, thought I was crazy. One day I asked him if I could have a bite of his feta cheese. He looked at me like I was nuts. I tried it and loved it! Now I love all kinds of cheeses, but feta and cheddar are my favorite!

4. Chicken ~ Since we're talkin' food...right now chicken is my favorite meat. We grill out every Friday at work and it is ever so good. Mouth watering good I tell ya!

5. Crockpot ~ I recently bought a new much larger one and we are loving it! The Crockpot Lady has some great recipes on her site. Makes life alot simpler when you can throw it in the crock!

6. Children's books ~ I still read 'em. I'm 43. I love the Little House series. I love all Dr. Seuss books. And when I go to the doctor...I grab a Highlights magazine. Think what you want, I don't care!

7. Catsup ~ I don't like for my condiment to read - catsup. I like the bottle to read - ketchup. I don't know why it matters. It just does to me. And yes, I am very childish!

8. Crayons ~ Oh, how I love me a new box of Crayola's!! The bigger the better. And the smell? One of the best ever! And look at all the shades of blue, will ya? Pretty!

9. Chocolate Mousse Cake ~ This is my husband's specialty. He makes this for each of our birthday's and for the kid's graduation open houses. It's always a huge hit wherever he takes it!
(click on chocolate mousse cake and you'll be able to make this dessert just in time for the 4th!)

10. Comics ~ My favorite comic strip of all time is Peanuts. When I was a little girl my dad used to buy me all kinds of Peanuts books. I would lay in bed each night and laugh and laugh. My dad said he could hear me giggling and that would make him laugh too!

11. Cash Cab ~ This is my new favorite game show. So simple. So clever. Plus it's a double C. Did ya notice? Bonus points for me!

12.Casablanca ~ I have never seen it. Nor do I have any desire to either. Is it worth watching?

13. Coconut ~ YUCKY! The smell alone makes my tummy queasy. Everyone in my family loved it, especially my dad. So please don't send me any candles or candy that contain coconut.

Stop by here to read more Thursday Thirteen's!

WFMW ~ A Different Kind Of S'more

2008-07-02T07:46:00.000-07:00

Today's edition, share your best recipes that require five or fewer ingredients!

A Different Kind Of S'more

Ingredients

Chocolate chips (you can experiment with different flavors too!)
Mini marshmallows
Flour tortillas

Directions

1. For each roll-up, spoon 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips and about a dozen mini marshmallows onto the tortilla.

2. Fold and wrap the tortilla as you would a burrito, and then wrap in foil.

3. Set on campfire coals for about 4 minutes, or place on grill for about 8 min, flipping halfway through cooking time.

4. Use tongs to remove from heat and carefully unfold the foil.

5. Be sure the filling is cool enough to eat before serving.

My kids preferred this recipe over the traditional way because they liked picking out their own chips. They tried the chocolate/peanut butter chips, mint flavored, and the cherry chips (which they loved!) This was also cheaper to do as well!

For more great recipes with five or fewer ingredients check out Shannon's place today. Thanks!

The Two Things Meme

2008-07-01T00:38:00.000-07:00

Two Names You Go By:

1. Miss Amy ~ my girls at Awana call me this.

2. Mrs. Ahh The Lady ~ one of the strange names my husband calls me. There are many more!

Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now:

1. A new top I just bought off the clearance rack at Wally World. Nothing exciting, but it is blue. Imagine that! And I do look kinda cute in it...teehee!

2. Some new socky poos. And they are comfy my friend!

Two Of Your Favorite Things:

1. Pillows ~ can't get enough of them. I literally sleep with about 15 of various shapes and sizes.

2. Free Samples ~ nothing puts a smile on my face like a freebie!

Two Things You Want Very Badly At The Moment:

1. A watermelon all to myself. Yes, I could eat a whole one. It might take me all day, but I could.

2. A few minutes of peace and quiet. Pretty please?

Two Favorite Pets You Have Or Had:

1. Katie ~ a tiger striped kitty that was completely devoted to me. She insisted that I hold her like a baby and carry her around!

2. Wenselydale ~ our English bulldog. I have never loved a pet this much. She goes with us everywhere. Even on vacation. It's true!

Two People You Hope Will Fill This Out:

1. Marina

2. Kimmy

Two Things You Did Last Night:

1. I worked until 8 pm and then picked my son up from his new job at Papa John's.

2. I stayed awake most of the night crying. A friend, Mark, passed away this weekend. He was only 45 years old. His sister and I were best friends in high school. Mark was a sweet, sweet guy. Please pray for this dear family.

Two Things You Ate Last Night:

1. General Tsao's chicken and fried rice. Delicious!

2. A new Little Debbie snack - orange, cranberry muffin! Also delish!

Two People You Last Talked To:

1. My mommy ~ I talk to her several times throughout the day. She likes to know how I am feeling and wants to know what she can pray for!

2. Wensleydale ~ Hey, she's a people too! I asked her if she wanted a treat for going poo. She said, "Yes!"

Two Things You Are Doing Tomorrow:

1. Hopefully going to the movies with my husband to see Wall-E. It's BYOB (bring your own bucket) at the theatre. They fill it up for only $.50! And I can eat a lot of popcorn. I'll skip the Milk Duds this time though since I'm trying to cut back. And I'll bring a smaller bowl than my usual HUGE one.

2. More blogging! I love my Blogvillian friends!

Two of Farthest Trips Taken In The Last 5 Years:

1. Las Vegas to the SEMA convention for our business. I love it because I come home with duffel bags full of freebies! And I am smiling all the way home. :o)

2. California ~ unfortunately it was for a funeral of a close friend.

Two Favorite Holidays:

1. 4th of July ~ not only for all the good food, but because of the freedoms we are blessed with as a nation!

2. Mother’s Day ~ My husband and kids treat me like a queen. And I love it!

Two Favorite Beverages:

1. NOS Energy drink ~ because I love the flavor so much!

2. Sweet Tea ~ with lots and lots of ice!

Fun Monday

2008-06-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

Lisa is the hostess for this week's Fun Monday! She's asking us to tattle on ourselves and let you know what makes us quirky. I call this normal however!

1. I need to have everything in alphabetical order. My canned goods, my dvds and cds, etc. I am doing better at this though because when I mention several friends names on a post I'm learning to just type a name and not fret that it's not in the right order!

2. I want my hot food hot and my cold food cold please. None of this luke warm stuff! And my drinks have to have a ton of ice...crushed please.

3. I hate to tuck in my shirts. Even when I was a thin girl I didn't so it has nothing to do with the fact that I am fluffy.

4. For some reason I have started sleeping with the tv on all night. And I have to hold the remote. I think it all began when I was not feeling well last year and would be up all hours of the night. But I can't seem to break the habit.

5. I have an obsession with Little Debbie's. My favorite since childhood has been the oatmeal creme pies. Not only are they always fresh, but they are so cheap. And ever so yummy! I'd rather have Little Debbie's brand than Hostess anything. My family says this is weird.

6. I have to change my toothbrush at least once a month. Does anyone else think it is gross how we brush all this nasty stuff off our teeth and then just rinse the brush and hang it back up? I rinse my brush off in scalding hot water. Oh yeah, and my brush has to be blue. Always!!!

7. I tried a dog biscuit one time. I just wondered why my dog loves 'em so much. Still not sure why she begs for them. Nasty!

8. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to pull teeth. I guess I should have been a dentist. When any kid shows me a loose tooth I ask if I can pull it. And believe it or not several of them have let me! I so love the crackling sound when it comes out. Mwahhh!

9. I embarrass my kids all the time at the grocery store because if I see someone looking for something I ask them what they are trying to find. Then I help them find it. I like looking for things!

10. My poor kids. Because I love the color blue so much I've noticed I always made them wear blue in all their school pictures! I've never noticed that until now. It makes me happy though!

Okay, that wasn't so bad. Nothing too revealing! Have a great Monday y'all!

My First Award On The New Blog!

2008-06-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

De honored me with this award the other day. Thanks De!

Before I pass the love along please read about the origin of this sweet button. Noah is the reason for all the lovin'! Go over there and check it out, I'll wait!

The rules of this award are so simple: SHARE THE LOVE!!! Share this award with all those blogs out there that you love. All the people who make you smile. All those that make you laugh. All those that make your day. All those that leave uplifting comments on your blog. **All I ask, is that you include a link to this post with the award and ask your recipient to do the same**

I want to give this award to:

Amy ~ There are so many things I love about you, but the one thing I like best is the obvious love you have for Michael. I admire that.

Kailani ~ Your blog is such a fun place to visit. And not only because you live in Hawaii. That's only part of it! Plus you are a great commenter and I love to get comments.

Christine ~ I haven't got to spend as much time as I like to with you lately, but you always put a smile on my face when I stop by. I feel at home with you. And I like that!

Michelle ~ I want you to know how much I love visiting and watching your precious babies grow up. Thank you for being honest and genuine in your writings too.

Marina ~ Oh, how I love you girl! You are on my heart so much and I am just dying to have a chance to sit down and write you a super long letter. You are an inspiration to me and I pray for you daily!

Jennifer ~ I love your random question on Thursdays and I love all the pictures of your dear, sweet boys. And I really love your long posts and your sense of humor. You make me laugh. And I like that a lot!

Faith ~ I am thankful for our friendship that is building. Thank you for sharing your heart with me and letting me pray for you. I am looking forward to getting to know you better!

Sandy ~ I love your sense of humor! I love what a devoted mother you are to your sweet babes. I know you and I could have a lot of fun together! I also appreciate your posts that remind me how wonderful our God is and how much He cares for us!

Kimmy ~ You are so precious to me. You lay your heart out there for all of us to read. You help me see that I am not the only one that struggles with different areas in life. Many times you have posted a verse or a thought that is exactly what I needed! Love you!

Okay, that's enough lovin' for now. I'll leave some bloggers for you to pass it on to! Please let me know when your post is up because I would like to read who you give this award to! Hugs to one and all on this beautiful day!

Another Fun Filled Friday!

2008-06-26T14:38:00.000-07:00

1000 BLESSING'S FRIDAY

261. Blessed with having a really great week! I have felt really well and been able to accomplish quite a bit! That always feel nice!

262. Blessed with employees that make me laugh when I'm at work! The boys are only 20, 21 and 23. The joke around here is they all compete to be my "favorite" of the day. They will let me listen to Donny Osmond on their cd player or tell me how much they love American Idol or that I am the best shop mom they've ever had! Too much fun!

263. This may seem really silly to some, but I feel blessed with my new place here at The Junk Drawer! I am getting more organized and actually have a few entries ready to post when it's time. How did I start getting so organized? Love it!

264. I have been trying really hard to stop drinking so much soda and start eating healthier. The Lord has blessed me greatly in this area! I have far to go, but I haven't missed my Dt. Dew and I haven't craved chocolate at all!

265. My daughter, Kayla, is a huge blessing to me day in and day out. She's just such a sweet girl and loves her mom very much. She is 21 now and I find myself not only being her mom, but a really close friend. It's been a nice transistion. It's a great feeling to have!

Kailani is our hostess for this laid back, easy question of the week! Let's make it very simple this week, okay?

What is your favorite thing to do on the 4th of July?

I would have to say my favorite thing to do on the 4th is oohing and aahing while watching the fireworks! We are a silly family and like to "name" each firework when it explodes. We come up with some pretty funny ones so this just gives me another reason to laugh!

I pray that you all have a wonderful weekend with your family and safe travel wherever you go!

Thursday Thirteen #2

2008-06-25T16:01:00.000-07:00

13 Things About Me Continued With The Letter "B"!

1. Because He Lives ~ Oh, this is one of my most favoritest hymns ever! Because He lives I can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone.... What is one of your favorite hymns?

2. Bread ~ I love me some yeast! I can't pick a favorite because it is all so yum.i.li.cious!! And hot, right out of the oven! With or without butter, doesn't matter to me.

3. Beauty & The Beast ~ I love Disney movies and this is probably the beastest one. Get it?

4. Bargains ~ Now that I am out and about again I am loving every minute (no make that every second!) of finding bargains. Oh the thrill of the hunt gets my heart pounding!

5. Breast ~ as a little girl I would get the giggles if someone said this word. Yep, that's me, immature.

6. Bath & Body Works ~ *sniff, sniff* Mmm, can you smell all the good stuff? I love body washes. And lotions. And body sprays. And anything and everything else! Great store with great coupons too! What is your favorite scent?

7. Budget Help$ ~ I love this site! Nothing puts a smile on my face like a free sample!

8. Baby Dolls ~ I played with babies until I was a freshmen. Thumbelina was my all time favorite. I still have many of my dolls from childhood and collect others as well.

9. Basketball ~ When I was in the sixth grade I played basketball at recess every.single.day. Was I good? No! But one day when the recess bell rang I had the ball in my hands. I walked to the door which was about 30 feet away from the goal. There I stood with my back towards the goal. I didn't even try to aim. I threw it over my head as hard as I possibly could and it went in the basket! A shining moment for this little weakling girl!!

10. Brady Bunch ~ I love The Brady Bunch! I don't care that you are laughing at me right now. I am secure with my decision! I even have several Brady Bunch cd's. And I listen to 'em.

11. Boss ~ I so love being the boss at our shop! Technically I am the president of our company. It doesn't really do me any good since I don't know the technical side of cars, but the title alone sound nice, doesn't it?

12. Bee Gee's ~ What? Why are you laughing again? What's wrong with the Brother's Gibb? Two of my favorite songs are: How Deep Is Your Love and Tragedy.

13. Bulldog ~ This is my baby. Her name is Wensleydale. Like in the cheese. She is happy to meet you! She is my constant companion. She comes to work with us everyday and sleeps with us at night. And yes, she snores.

Go here to read more Thursday Thirteen's!

Wordless Wednesday ~ sorta!

2008-06-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

I am proud to announce that our local high school, Crawfordsville, won the state baseball championship! Now how cool is that?

When It's Time To Change

2008-06-24T06:56:00.000-07:00

I can hear it. Literally. I have this cd playing right now:

Yes, I admit it. I am a dork! It doesn't bother me though. Can you hear Peter Brady singing, "When It's Time To Change" with his crackling voice? I loved any episode that involved the Brady's singing! How about you?

Well, onto the topic at hand. I've had several inquiries as to why I changed blogs with a new title and all. And the lack of the color blue! Let me explain....

I discovered blogging at one of my lowest moments. My husband had turned away from the Lord and was taking his anger out on me. Not physically, but verbally and emotionally. My arthritis in my hips was extremely painful and I became bedridden for almost a year. I needed constant care. During this time I also developed several kidney stones which required surgery. Stones, for me anyway, are as painful as the arthritis. And my dear, precious daddy was dying of Parkinson's.

I know that God directed me to Blogville just when I needed it most! I knew nothing of blogging or even where to begin. I came across Goofy Girl and she set me up with my own blog: Laughing Through The Tears. The blog had my favorite things on it ~ giraffes, clouds and lots of blue! Looking at it each day put a smile on my face. I made many new friends that encouraged me and prayed for me during these difficult years. And for that I am forever thankful!

The past couple of months when I brought up the blog it reminded me of the painful past. The name alone kept staring me down and saying ~ it's time to move on. Because you see, I am at a much better place now in my life. I have a husband that is going to counseling with me and attending church again! I have two bionic hips that are pain free! I rarely have to use my crutches anymore! My last kidney stone was in March! Hopefully it's the last one!! And my dear, precious daddy is no longer suffering for he is in Heaven with his Savior! I miss him terribly and will forever be a daddy's girl, but I rejoice in knowing that I will see him again someday!

This new blog, The Junk Drawer, is so me. It's where I am right now. Like it says under my title...sometimes the contents are useless, other times you'll find exactly what you need. I'm sure I'll still do lots of meme's because I love those. I like knowing "useless" things about others because that makes them who they are! It's a fun way to get to know each other, ya know?

I am hoping, too, that through my walk with Christ I can share what I am learning and be an encouragement to you through words and most definitely prayer! We can ALL use this no matter what season of life we are experiencing. I know many times I am led to a blog or a certain post and it will have just the right Scripture or message I am needing for that day! I pray that I can be there for you.

And for the lack of blue? Well, blue will always and forever be the bestest color in the whole wide world, but I decided to do a complete change....well, except for the giraffe theme! TeeHee!

That's it in a nut shell! Nothing too traumatic, just on to a new adventure. Come with me, okay?!

For Today

2008-06-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

I always like to read Faith's list each week so I said to myself, "Amy, why don't you do this one too?" I like to talk to myself. Except when I get in an argument. Nobody ever seems to win! LOL

Outside My Window...I can see three young men hard at work on the cars. And one of the cars is blue. And blue makes me smile!

I am thinking...that blue sure is a beautiful color for that Mustang and I can't wait to see it hit the road!

I am thankful for...so many things! Right now I am thankful that my hands and wrists are no longer hurting today. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to do this right now!

From the kitchen...Chicken Noodle soup. My poor husband has a terrible cold. But it will be homemade soup made with love. Maybe that will make him feel better!

I am wearing...A red cotton top with a pair of jeans that keep sliding down and my favorite tenny bops! Maybe I should wore a belt too! I do look pretty cute though....haha!

I am creating...a rather large mess right now! I have two month's worth of papers and receipts to file and log into the computer. Can you tell I might be a tad bit behind?

I am going...to not get stressed about it and do what I can. If I do my best then that will please God!

I am reading...the book of James. I don't have much time to read books so when I do I read my Bible. I have so much to learn and the more I read it the better I handle everyday life! Funny how that works, huh?

I am hoping...and praying that my husband's cold doesn't get any worse and is nipped in the bud soon!

I am hearing...the birds singing joyfully while the guys are grinding on cars. I think I like the birds better!

Around the house...my son has been cleaning our gutters again since the storms. And sawing up the beautiful trees that fell during those storms.

One of my favorite things...watching people. I especially love to see older couples walking hand in hand and looking all googly eyed at each other!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Finish filing papers, donate items around the house to my friend's yard sale, go to the doctor tomorrow about my shoulder problem, and take care of my husband until he is well!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

This is my hubby feeding my friend at The Binder Park Zoo in Michigan!

Yes, I like this one very much! Why not join in on the fun? Check out The Simple Woman and add your name to the list. That is, after you've answered the meme!!

Stay tuned because tomorrow I will answer every one's ? of why I changed blogs! It will be an exciting post for all, I am sure. NOT! But at least stop by and say ~ Hey! Pretty please?

Friday Fun!

2008-06-20T06:28:00.000-07:00

1000 BLESSING'S FRIDAY

256. We have been blessed with some absolutely beautiful weather! It's so nice to be able to turn off the AC and open the doors and feel a breeze and hear the birds singing a joyful song!

257. My daughter, Kara, moved out on her own this week. And I survived it! She is my first child to leave the nest. Thankfully she is just about a half a mile from our shop. This was a huge step for both of us!

258. A friend from church stopped by yesterday and gave us 2 really nice office chairs, a microwave, and several moving blankets! I am thankful for these because we just gave Kara our microwave for her new place, and one of our office chairs broke and we needed some big blankets to cover some Mustang car parts that are worth a fortune. God provides!

259. I love talking to people from all over the world. I have two new customers ordering parts from our company. One is from Dubai and the other is from Russia! I feel blessed to have the opportunity to "meet" so many new people.

260. My MIL is a blessing to me! She comes into the office and talks to me each week. I love having a close relationship with her. She always tells me that she loves her DIL's and SIL's just as much as her own children!

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.

This is my very first Aloha Friday! I am so excited! Okay, my first question is......

Do you have more of a sweet tooth or crave a salty snack?

I actually like to have both at the same time! I love popcorn with Milk Duds melted in! Yummy!

I hope everyone has a happy, relaxing weekend!

Thursday Thirteen #1

2008-06-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

13 Different Things About Me!

Let's start with the letter "A", shall we?

1. First off, my name is Amy ~ which means most beloved. My husband's name, David, only means beloved. I like to tease him about this. He gives me a dirty look when I do. TeeHee!

2. My birthday is August 7th, which is very soon in case you wanted to get me something!

3. Ark as in Noah's Ark. I have been collecting Noah's Ark items for over fifteen years. I like the unusual looking ones the best.

4. Artsy Fartsy - so not me! I have no talent when it comes to decorating or anything crafty. I do appreciate the arts and love going to the museums, but what's in my head I have yet to put on paper or anything else.

5. Ask! My philosophy is if you don't know then ask! I have a very intelligent husband and used to feel dumb around him and I would let that intimidate me. Now that was just silly of me. I ask lots of questions and am learning a lot, especially about politics.

6. Arthritis. I've had it since I was ten years old. It's painful. Everyday. Christ gives me the strength to face it head on!

7. Accountant. One of my many jobs as owner of a Mustang restoration shop is the accounting. I used to love it, but now find it stressful when trying to keep up with all the other duties. I am thinking about finding someone to take over the books so I can be the "BOSS" around here! Now that's fun!!

8. Action! I love my action movies. And my hubby likes that I like action movies the best. I loved Iron Man and I just saw The Incredible Hulk. The new Hulk was way better than the first one they made. I am really looking forward to The Dark Knight. How about you?

9. Apples. I love 'em all, but Granny Smiths are my favorite! I love the sour and the pucker lips I get. Good for kissing!

10. Awana! I love working in Awana on Wednesday nights at church. I am a leader in the Chums group, which is 3rd and 4th grade girls. This is one of my most favorite things to do!

11. Able. Philippians 4:13 I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me!

12. American Idol. I am a HUGE fan and I am not ashamed to admit it!! Dave Cook R.O.C.K.S!!

13. A new blog. Okay, so I cheated a little. I felt it was time for a change from the old blog. I am still learning how to set everything up, but am proud of what I've been able to do so far. I know it's not that hard, but I've never had the time to learn how to do it properly. How do you like the new look?