Naming Newsletter Help (WITH a Contest!)

Here we are, 15 days into September.

I have done it -- I have written a blog post every single day (with one of them posting a day late due to a disabling migraine).

Lemme confess this: I am tired. Not of writing. (Oh, I'm about to lay a bombshell on you that will cause you to roll your eyes and say, "But I am tired of your writing. Enough...!")

I'm just tired. Maybe it's the cloud cover. Maybe it's the fact that my alarm goes off at 4:45a so that I can meet my running partner at 5:15. Maybe it's that we keep having weekends-o-fun (that I think I pinky-promised you I would tell you all about and I haven't) and I need a weekend-o-rest. Super Bad. I think I have one penciled in for the weekend before Thanksgiving, but I see band directors eyeing it for something that will keep my children out until ridonkulous hours.

So. Today I'm a little bit at a lack of writing material, because heaven knows you don't want me detailing how tired I am. Instead of doing tons of writing I'm planning and working on ministry stuff, planning for the spring, and working on things I should have done a long time ago. One of those things is looking at my calendar to see which dates I have available for speaking in the spring. If your group (conference/ club/ small group/ retreat/ ladies class/ church gathering/ etc.) needs a speaker, I would be honored to visit with you to see if I would be a good fit for your group. (P.S. -- I just looked at my speaking topics. Evidently I could stand to be practicing what I preach -- or something like that...)

One of the things I'm working on today is to create a(n email) newsletter. Yes, this is where you, faithful blog reader, think, "Why in heaven's name would I need to read your newsletter? Pretty sure when I'm reading about how tired you are, we have scraped the bottom of the subject-matter barrel and you have nothing left to say to me..." EXCELLENT point, dear and lovely blog reader...

And while I will be thrilled for you to read my newsletter, it's really not for you, you see. Because you are my faithful. You show up over here when I lament about my dog losing hair, losing my dog, or just generally losing my mind. You rock that way.

Once I get my newsletter up and running (target date: Oct. 1.  Feel free to ask me about it!) it will be for folks that have heard me speak and/ or may be interested in having me speak, but what exactly am I about anyway? It will probably be a once per quarter newsletter, so just 4 times per year in your email inbox.

Here is where you come in. I do articles and words and loquaciousness. Brief and succinct are not my strong points. Can you help me name a newsletter for my speaking ministry? It can be a play on words based on my name: "Sarah's ... Stubborn... Stumping.." (see? I told you I shouldn't do this...) or it can be based on the title of my ministry: "Thoughts from The Cleft of the Rock"

To encourage you to put your thinking caps on, I would like to offer a $10 Amazon gift card to a random entrant/ commenter that gives me an idea. Here's how this will work: Leave one comment on the blog  with your BEST entry for a newsletter title. Only one newsletter title entry per person, please. However, for an additional entry, you can click on my facebook link over there and follow me on facebook. Comment and tell me that you did, or leave me a comment to tell me that you already do. So there should be a maximum of two entries per person.

I will accept entries for a week -- through midnight, September 22. I will choose a winner by a random number generator, so even if you think the best you can come up with is cheesy, toss it out there! For those of you that read my blog on Facebook and generally comment over there, you're going to have to add your comment here ('lest I get REALLY confused). 

So get thinking, and be clever. Ready.... GO!

Losing Myself?

(originally in Abilene Families magazine)

My husband and I think that Super Bowl night is a good time to go to the movies without crowds. We only know sports figures from crime reports, and fantasy football/ baseball/ horseshoes is a time investment we don’t bother to make.

We aren’t sports people at my house. At least we weren’t... before we became parents.

I introduced myself to my son’s first little league coach by saying, “You know... I don’t really care for baseball...” Little did I know this man lived by the “Life is Baseball, The Rest is Just Details” motto and I may as well have insulted his mother. For some reason, Coach still loves me anyway -- but he never lets me forget that I dissed his sport.

Of course the universe laughed and I have children -- especially first-born -- that live and breathe all things sports. ESPN is a favorite channel, if TAKS covered batting averages and shots made “from the paint” of the pros it would be a no-brainer, and first-born is loyal to a fault to one city’s teams: football, baseball, and basketball all have her heart from that area.

And thus it was that I found myself last fall watching Game 6 of the American League Championship: Rangers taking on the Yankees. You might remember it as the game that sent them to the World Series, with Alex Rodriguez’s strike out being the final out of the game. I know enough about sports to know the sweet justice that had to be for the Rangers.

As I shouted and celebrated and wiped the tears from eyes, I looked around to realize that I was alone. Watching baseball. Voluntarily. And crying. What exactly was happening to me?

I wondered the same thing weeks ago as I woke my children at 5:30 on a summer Thursday morning (and they actually got out of bed), boarded crowded public transportation to bump along, then unload to wait in the heat with thousands of our closest friends to celebrate the Dallas Mavericks’ NBA National Championship.

The strangest thing about this scene isn’t that I was there, it’s that I wouldn’t have dreamed of being anywhere else on the planet at that moment.

Our children have made us lose our mind and hair. What’s left of our hair is graying. I am wrinkled and sag in places I can’t discuss on these pages. But bringing these people into my life has changed me. I wonder if I have lost who I am or if I am growing into someone better?

Somewhere between the 3 a.m. feedings and diaper changes and the 7 p.m. volleyball games and PTA programs, an actual person emerged. Someone with his or her own thoughts, ideas, interests, and opinions. How am I ever going to keep up? I have to jump in with both feet, of course.

A friend is adamantly not a dog person married to also-not-a-dog-person. Also victims of the humor of the universe, their third-born has longed for a dog since she knew what a dog was. Recently this family welcomed a puppy into the home.

Those of us that have walked that road know that in no time at all that dog will be an integral part of the family, with heaven and earth moved to keep puppy healthy and happy. Did my friend lose... or grow? I guess that depends on your perspective. I know that the third-born is one happy child.

We bring children into our lives expecting to influence and shape them into who we think they should be. Morals and boundaries are valuable lessons to pass along to our kids. But if we look and listen, occasionally these small people may lead us into a better understanding of the world around us.

And sometimes, they lead us to more fun: a day at the ballpark or a cuddle with a puppy. Not a bad place to be.

Friends When You Need Them

I am WAY overdue in telling you this story!

I told you MONTHS ago about some very close friendships I made in my former town -- when I signed up at they gym. I started telling you that because of something really cool that my gym buddies -- Amy and Laura -- did.

So... this was in July. It was hot. Stinkin' hot. Not that August or September has come to be any different. We were new in our town, hemorrhaging cash the way you do when you move, and it was too hot to do ANYTHING -- honestly too hot to go to the pool. So we sat in the little cave of our new house, watching the TV too loudly, or whatever. A little bit of a depressing existence.

I tried to at least keep the house picked up to help my mental state of being, but with two teenagers that didn't seem interested in picking up behind themselves (they have the classic philosophy about making their bed: "Why? You only get in it 12 hours later...") and a dog that was losing fistfuls of hair due to the summer heat, it was an uphill battle that my weary psyche rarely felt energized enough to fight.

So one Friday my kids are wandering around picking up. Weird? The man-child even swept up some. What in the world? I mean, they are washing dishes, putting things away, and "where does this box go?" "Why?" "Well... it's bugging me here..." "It's been sitting there all summer without bugging you. Why is it bugging you now?" Like... Twilight Zone kind of things.

So, we had our Friday night Domino's and were all settled in doing the boring things we do -- kids messing on computers, Troy and I watching some mindless TV, blah, blah. My cell phone rings. It's Amy. Not horribly odd. We've been texting all summer.

A: "So... what are you doing...?"

"Oh... the usual big Friday night... watching TV with the fam."

"Wanna go to Starbucks? You, me, Laura?"

Snort/ laugh..."Oh. Sure. That would be fun..."

"Well COME ON!! Your sprinklers are on or I would have knocked on your door! Let's go!!"

"WHAT???" So... yes... I throw open my front door. True, my sprinklers around my sidewalk were on. True, Amy and Laura were standing on the other side of them. True I ran THROUGH the sprinklers (soaking my rear) to go hug their beautiful necks. How fun are they?

Yes, my family had been in on this very fun surprise that my friends came to see me. Such a little/ huge thing. Oh, my stars -- to get two women out of town away from their families? Huge. And Amy's husband travels for his work. Turns out, she didn't see him before she left. He was driving in as they were driving out. That is a sacrifice!

So we went to Starbuck's. And caught up. And laughed and shook our head over some things. Like always.

They slept in one of the kids' rooms, we woke up the next morning and went for a walk. Like always.
It was hot -- like always.

Somewhere there was breakfast and showering, then we were OFF! None of us are much into shopping but there are some cute little (overpriced) shops in my town I haven't seen so we scoped those out -- for about 15 minutes. Then we hit the resale shops, which I have LOADS of and they are awesome!

We laughed and talked and scoped out cheap finds for ourselves and our kids. Above all... we just were. We were just there... next to each other. Which was SO much what my weary heart needed at that moment. To laugh over the hideous music at the teen resale shop and to shake our heads at the not-so-bargain hideous find at the more "grown up" resale shop.

Troy grilled us steaks and some chicken, baked us some potatoes for dinner, and eventually they had to leave. *sigh* But my heart was refreshed.

 You can't put into words or sentences what those kind of friends mean -- the ones who don't sit and wish that your heart was in a better place but will leap into action to make it so. I'm rarely that kind of friend to others, I openly admit. These beautiful ladies call me to do better and be better in so many ways.

Nine years ago I walked into a gym to get fit and lose a few inches. I gained two amazing friends and so many more rewards. Even from too many miles away, they're still my dear friends today. Like always.

Better Yet, Remembering September 12th

Yesterday was a great day. Church, brief nap, ballgame with family and firemen, and then home with family.

I missed most of the media coverage of September 11th anniversary, though they were replaying some footage where we went to lunch. That was a good way to talk to the kids about it. They were 3 and 5 when it happened, so they only remember/ know what they have been told about it. I heard some people complain that there was too much media coverage/ dredging up the past. I'm glad I wasn't here to watch it. I can so easily get caught up.

One thing I heard on the radio last week that I do want us all to remember is September 12th. I heard a radio interview -- I think he was the contractor/ architect/ something to do with the memorial plaza being constructed at the site of the World Trade Centers. He said that the feeling they were trying to convey wasn't the awfulness and destruction of September 11, but how we felt on September 12.

He said something along the lines of "On September 12th, people volunteered to find survivors, they made sandwiches for rescue workers, they donated blood, and they flew their flags. We showed that it wasn't over, and that we were in this together."

Yes.

September 12. THAT is what I want to remember.

Because here's the deal: I frequently thank the Lord for tiny, minuscule things in my life: the ability to walk across the floor with no assistance or prosthetics, that my children, spouse, and myself are all healthy, not requiring regular medication and/or hospital visits, for providing SO much that we need and then some that we have clutter (and on and on...). However, I rarely thank Him for one HUGE thing: the roll of the cosmic lottery that had me born to two parents that a)wanted me and loved me b) still love each other and stayed married and c) live in a country where we are free to make fashion choices as heinous as skinny jeans when we have no business wearing them or Uggs with short shorts, and can post entire blogs, Facebook posts, and whathaveyous about how much we dislike, distrust, and don't care for our current leader.

And all of those fashion and political freedoms make us as a people occasionally an intolerable bunch to live with, but when the rubber meets the road, we are a scrappy people, resilient and strong. This isn't a "my country can beat up your country" post. This is a "I'm very thankful for where I live and the people that live here with me" post. To honor September 12 -- go do something! Volunteer -- give blood, donate to the Texas Wildfire Fund, help out at your local Meals on Wheels, be a Big Brother or Big Sister. Do one of the bazillions of things that makes us a working team in this country.

As for me, I am currently writing from my front porch, my puppy at my feet, deciding which of those things to do. What a great day, September 12.

Honoring the Memory of September 11, 2001

As I mentioned yesterday, I don't have much to add to all the amazing words that have been written about this day.

We all know where we were, what was going on. It was the most amazing, beautiful, clear crisp September morning ever. And then it was a mess and the whole world was wrong. My baby girl was 3 weeks into kindergarten -- and I desperately wanted her home with me.

I was stepping out of the shower trying to get my youngest off to pre-school and the phone was ringing. It was T, telling me to turn on the TV. The TV was on, but youngest was watching Barney or something and was NOT happy when I changed channels.

I sat on the end of my coffee table wrapped in a towel watching the news reports. When Rudy Guiliani gave a press report about how to pick up your kids from school, I wept, wondering how many kids wouldn't have anyone to come get them.

Eventually we learned that day was full of heroes. Some lived to tell the tale. Many did not. I told you yesterday about one, and today I will share many more with you.

Five years ago I wrote a memorial about Brian Bilcher, one of the first responders who lost their lives that day.

There was Rick Rescorla, whose foresight kept literally thousands from losing their lives that day.

Lt. Heather “Lucky” Penney  was given orders to bring down United flight 93, which eventually was crashed into a field in Pennsylvania thanks to heroics of some passengers. Lt. Penney had her F-16, but in a pre-9-11 era, she had no ammunition. She took off, preparing to use her plane as the missile to bring down the plane.

These are just the stories I know of right now. I have others floating around in my brain I wish I could tell you. So many heroes of that day.

Let me tell you how I get to celebrate this day, showing the terrorists that life goes on:

A friend is a captain for the fire department where we used to live. He got tickets (or was given -- I'm unclear) for first responders in that area for the Texas Rangers baseball game. Once they were all spoken for, he had a few left over and invited my family to join them. So, I will be attending a baseball game. Sitting amongst first responders. And I will probably cry at some point due to the normalcy of it all.

May you have a grand day of normalcy.

Wells Crowther -- An Ordinary Hero

I am LOVING the commitment to blog everyday.

It has reminded me that I actually DO have things to say. This 10th anniversary of September 11th has certainly provided a flood of writing material, but I'm not sure I have anything worthwhile to add to the dialog. Memories and moments and emotions that we all had have surfaced again, but it's precisely the same memories, moments, and emotions you had -- only with different scenery maybe. Besides that, this weekend is CHOCK FULL-O-FUN and I don't have much time for writing. I will fill you in on a LOT of things next week. Pinky promise?

Today I have run 4 miles, worked in the yard, pedicured, yoga-ed, and just got out of the shower because our family is on our way to a tailgate party and football game for Troy's work (here, it's evidently called "boulevarding" -- for the love). So. Must run. But first I want to share a video with you. It's lengthy, but it's just one story out of dozens of 9-11-01 of everyday people turned heroes.

Big Day! New Beth Moore Study, Thrift Store Shopping, and a Ballgame!

Y'all, I only have a minute here. My giddiness at this day will tell you what a sad, sad state my life has become. But I am SO! EXCITED! for today!! Truly, it's a big day (for me -- no one else in this house has any idea how excited I am).

First, I signed up for our new church's fall Beth Moore study. They will be studying, "David: Seeking a Heart Like His." Of course, I'm totally pumped to dive into a new study of the word. But... honestly... for THIS day the big news is that I will be putting on ACTUAL clothes (not exercise) AND make-up, hair not ponytailed -- a look previously reserved for Sundays only.

Plus -- and this is HUGE -- there will be PEOPLE. People that might (I don't want to put too much pressure on my new sisters, now) actually speak to me. Say "hello" even. Actually, I had lunch with two of the women two weeks ago and they are quite lovely and I feel certain at least those two ladies will say hello. Generally my days are limited to my children, my dog, and, if I'm really blessed and social, the cashier at Kroger or Walgreen's. Seriously. I'm gonna be on people overload.

THEN while I am out and all dressed and everything I'm going to Goodwill! Yes, go ahead and laugh, but, again, I'm excited. For those of you in my former town, Goodwill is now as far as "all the way across town" is there -- about 10 miles. I have an awesome one about 10 miles north of me and there's one 8 miles south of me that I've never been to. I don't go often, keeping in my little Kroger and Walgreen's circle.

Yes, I will be steps from amazing outlet stores, but I am headed to Goodwill. A) My family is on a Goodwill budget. B) I have some projects I would like to do for the house that Pinterest has me thinking about. I am going to troll for old frames and cookie sheets, but I'll be honest: I'll be scoping out clothes while I'm there, too! Jen at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam has truly shown me the light about thrift store shopping.

Then, as if actually getting dressed, actual people, and an actual thrift store aren't enough?? There is a football game!! (Remember? These people don't get excited about football, but I do because my Sporty Girl is marching in that band!) The temperature is the absolute perfect football watching weather that Texas doesn't usually get until well into October. Honestly, I just don't know what ever I did to deserve this day!

Giddy!

Soooooo... TOP THAT! What do YOU have going on today? HAPPY FRIDAY!

Planning My Day for Success

Hey, y'all! What's up with your Thursday? I have my windows open enjoying a breath of fall before the dog days of summer come back to haunt us. I hope it's beautiful where you are, too, though I know many of you are battling the smoke of nearby fires and all the worry, danger, and heartache that goes with that. My heart is with you!

Just a quick check-in today. I am SO far behind in my day and I have nothing earth-shattering to share with you. We have a gloriously empty calendar tonight, so I would like to get all my things done to welcome all home with dinner (which is going to be a "clean out the fridge" type concoction) at the ready so that we don't fritter our bare evening cooking or cleaning.

I don't know why, but I did NOT sleep well last night. Since having my running partner, I tend to wake up about an hour before my alarm, worried that I will miss hearing it. That's annoying, since my alarm goes off at 4:45 a.m. I usually doze pretty well for the next hour.

Last night, after having a lot of trouble falling asleep I was WIDE AWAKE, tried and tried to go back to sleep, finally caved and looked: 12:55. D'OH! Are you kidding me?? Deep breathing, relaxation, {stomach growling -- SHH!}, dozing... now 3:01. Text running partner. "Not today." Snack (Nilla Wafers!), water, bed, real sleep, alarm too soon. Stagger.

Thankfully, I did something last night that I always THINK ABOUT doing, but figure it can wait until the next day. As someone who is currently in "job-limbo", it's easy to let my day get away from me without getting to all the things I need to do. Whether it be home things, job-hunt things, writing deadline things, etc. I used to be able to wake up in the morning and make myself a to-do list, but even with running and waking up, I just can't quite get my brain in gear in the mornings any more.

My kids have to be at school at two different times by HOURS (6:30 and 9) so I do things in fits and starts and short bursts and do lots of wandering before I remember that I'm even supposed to make myself a list.

Last night I spent 5 minutes planning today. What needed to get done, what  could possibly get done, and what I want to do. Sadly, because I skipped some things and went back to bed after the 6:30 kid got to school, I may not get to what I want to do. But I was able to wake up, walk into the kitchen, see my list, and immediately start in on what needs to get done, which is a far cry from what would usually happen after a night like last night.

I know you're supposed to do that before you leave work every night, but if this is my work right now... it stands to reason. I wonder if I can add: "plan tomorrow" to my nightly routine? Should probably add it to my list right now!

What do you do to make your mornings go smoothly?

My BOGO's Gone Blinky!

(originally in Abilene Families magazine)

The economy may have affected your job situation, paycheck, or status. Gas prices have all of us evaluating our driving habits. One side effect of the economy is that a simple cost-saving measure seems to be bubbling to the top as America’s new favorite past time.

Scraps of paper, specific types of accessories, blogs with excessive! exclamation! points! with corresponding mystery lingo like BOGO, wyb, blinky, peelie, and OOP all characterize one of the money saving techniques known as couponing.

I have attempted to save a few bucks with coupons in the past, but it never goes well. I always end up buried under heaps of newspaper and clippings, looking like an Edward Scissorhand massacre gone awry.

Scanning the Internet, however, the coupon craze is the pastime of the stay at home mom (or, you know, SAHM). I marvel at the blogs devoted to this modern-day sport, soon to be an Olympic event. These women say they turned to coupons as a way to stay home with their family, yet it seems to have become its own full time job.

Never mind the time spent clipping and organizing, these gals are scouting every web site for sales and coupons, every store for clearance items, and every newspaper stand for extra coupons.

Then there is the non-stop blogging. *SALE NOW* *OVERSTOCKS AT THIS SITE* *BOGO ON KRAFT DRESSING* Whew. After they blog and tell us where all the sales are many return home from the shopping trip and take a picture of their haul, receipt, tallying the savings for the year and percentage of money saved vs. gasoline used divided by the numbers of planets in line. Truly... it wears me out.

Am I a lesser person if I just want to be able to feed my family without incorporating a slide rule and abacus to save some money?

Of course, since this is America, couponing has gone (cue fanfare music) “Extreme.” Or, what A&E network likes to call “pre-Hoarders.” Yes, put couponing with rock climbing, skateboarding, sky diving, and BASE jumping as another pastime to go extreme.

Even amateur coupon wielding folks proudly display their stockpile of cabinets, pantries, and garages full of cereal, soap bars, and shaving cream. Extreme couponers have their own bar codes and inventory list. Are these people expecting some sort of disaster that will make them unable to get to a grocery store for 4 years?

I understand wanting to pay the lowest price possible for a product, but are those bug-free boxes in your bug-free garage? How much cereal does your family possibly eat before cereal is on sale again? And will your family eat cereal or pasta that has bugs in it -- even if it did only cost $.07/ box?

I can’t stand to ever be on a bandwagon, but the economy has showed up at my doorstep, too. So I am trying to make another go at this couponing thing. You can tell by the little scraps of paper all over my house and the newspaper strewn hither and yon. You may also recognize me in the grocery store, zig-zagging the store as I chase down $.25 off a tube of Preparation H. This is what the fuss is all about?

Of course the Coupon Czars have convinced me to set up a special notebook. It’s an accessory -- what can I say? Maybe I should market a coupon purse. Of course, no one would ever pay full price for it, so that invention may not be worth the effort.

I don’t have room for the hoarding/ stockpiling portion of couponing, so it may be a bust for me. I have a few things tucked away here and there. I think I do have a back-up box of toothpaste for the next person in the family that runs out. I think it was a blinky. Or BOGO. I’m not sure. I think you have to go extreme to know the lingo. I have openings for sponsors, if you’re interested.

The Land of The Living

This whole blog-a-day-in-September had to take a brief hiatus yesterday (I just now posted yesterday's blog) as I lay in bed with a migraine all day. That was sad, considering it was evidently the nicest weather day we have had since I've lived here.

My regular blog-readers are all-too-aware of my migraines, which have been somewhat well behaved lately. But we traveled to a wedding this weekend. I didn't drink as much water as I should have, being on the road and all, then the weather change knocked me flat on my back. Literally.

At one point I couldn't keep anything down -- no water, no food, and worst of all, no pills. So I could lay with an ice pack on my head, in too much pain to sleep. It's really no way to spend a Labor Day, I tell you.

I totally need one of these things! Found it while  looking for pics of ice packs.

However, it gives me opportunity to practice "give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thess. 5:18). Too often the first thing to come out of my mouth is a complaint, an "if-only", a "why isn't it that way...?", so laying perfectly still in pain gives me time to practice being grateful. And I realized that I am.

No, I was not grateful to be inside a dark room flat on my back, unable to be medicated on a gorgeous day. Here are things I was grateful for:
*This is not my usual life.
*My family was so amazing and sweet and took good care of me.
*The ice pack.

And on it went. Above all, I went back to being grateful for being generally healthy, so that days like this are rare.

And this morning, when I could keep down half a banana, then a whole pill, it was an amazing day for rejoicing indeed. Look at me! Back in the land of the living. Now if I could figure out how to get one of those ice helmet things...

Inspiration for Sunday

The video is a wee bit long, but what else will you do on a holiday weekend? Worth your time:

Pics To Snag

Hey, y'all! I'm actually back again, but not for long today!

We are on our way out of town to a wedding (outdoors -URG. Bless the bride. She's been planning it almost a year. She had no way of knowing this would be the hottest summer in 30 years).

I love that our family called friends to stay with (for free) so that we can afford for our dog to stay at her $25/ night Bed and Breakfast. Sheesh. Of course, they won't let us pick her up late Sunday afternoon OR Monday, so a one night trip is costing us $75 for her. Good thing we like her.

One thing I'm going to work on while we go is my list of pics to take for the month -- an idea that I got from this site.

Sad, but true, that I have to make myself a list, but I am not naturally a picture taker ... unless I see something fascinating like this, of course:

But my family? Not so much. So this web site encouraged you to make a list of 10 pics to take per month (to give you an idea, for September it recommended "leaves changing color" and "Family in sweaters" -- neither of which will happen in this state). So I'm working on my own list of "must-have pics for September" today.

If you would like to print out your own handy list, go here. I would love to get some ideas of what you come up with! What is a must-have September picture for you?

It's Friday! It's Friday! Gotta Write A Blog On Friday!

Everyone read the title -- and sing along. And let it get stuck in YOUR head, too! Since I have teenagers, SOMEONE has to sing it every week. Now they're gone and it's stuck in my head. I may have to turn on The Wiggles or something just to cleanse my head!

So, football discussion about why there was no "WooHoo": a)this was our only Thursday night game. Probably because we have to share a stadium -- but there are two stadiums in town (but 7 high schools!) b)we were a home game, but still no pep rally. Maybe for district games?

Someone commented on Facebook that she had always suspected that football was a "small town" thing -- because big city had so many other things to do. That's a possibility, of course -- and this city, as mentioned, has too many schools for all of us to throw our allegiance behind one school, so it's less of a big deal that way.

Something else I considered as I sat there last night -- other than noticing that red face paint is a REALLY bad idea if you want it to come off before graduation -- is that this high school is only 7 years old. Everywhere else I've lived in Texas the football program has been legendary. None of these high school kids grew up with a little cheerleader uniform or football jersey or tiny football from this school because this school didn't exist until they were in elementary school. They didn't grow up looking at annuals of their parents at this high school, or go trick or treating in their parents sports uniforms.

However, I will say that the stands were relatively full last night for a Thursday night game, it was pretty fun, our little team did okay, the band did great, and a grand time was had by all.

Oh! This is a hoot! So on Facebook I put up this pic. My caption was:"Can you pick out Ashley? She's wearing black. And khaki shorts. And her clarinet (NO LIE) is held together with super glue and duct tape."

(She's 3rd from the front on the 45, FYI).

Um, yeah. We got that clarinet for free when she was going into 6th grade. She wasn't planning on playing in high school, so it was a win. She literally decided the last week of 8th grade to play in high school. Two days later, Troy lost his job. So we really weren't into clarinet shopping. And her band director at the time said, "Oh, let her keep this one for marching, anyway -- she'll drop it, etc."

Now, it's still not a great time for us to be clarinet shopping, but when your clarinet is held together with super glue and duct tape -- you've pretty much taken it as far as you can go. Grateful for the Lord's provision at the time, trusting in the Lord's provision now. C'mon, Craigslist!

Okay, I have spoken enough nothingness today. Thanks to Donna's comment yesterday for the reminder. She didn't say it as a reminder, but it was: to look for what God is doing/ teaching daily. Hmmmm... lack of football fever and a broken clarinet? God is in it! If nothing else, I am trusting that God will provide a clarinet -- and I think God would rather us have a passion for him than for football, anyway. How's that? :-) Thanks, Donna, for the reminder to look for our Father/ Creator in the little and mundane.

Until tomorrow!

A Blog A Day In September...

One of the blogs I follow is posting every day right now (and I'm fuzzy on why so don't ask for details).

I thought: I think I could post every day in September. It would get me back in the habit of checking in over here. And remind me that I don't have to tell you people my whole life story to start back up.

So, I thought of TWO things to tell you on the first day. It may lead you to believe that I have a sad little life over here if I'm considering this blog-worthy. Let's look at it that I am saving the really fascinating stuff for ... some other time.

First, I have a running partner! If you are on Facebook, this is not news to you (can y'all believe I actually have a VERY computer-savvy blog reader who is not on Facebook at all. She's awesome). My running partner is perfect for me -- she texts, not calls, to line up if we're going the next day, and she is VERY patient with me in my pace. We run as far as I can, then we run intervals for the rest of our distance. She wanted a partner more than she wanted to get in a super hard workout, and I needed someone to spur me on to do better, especially with it being 88* when we go at 5:15 a.m. OVER this heat, people!!

The second thing is about our new area. If you aren't a Texas person, or even from the South, this may not be a big deal to you, but this is something I am simply BAFFLED by -- and so are my children, honestly.

So, we move here (larger city) and are finding that everything extracurricular is far more intense: the band program is at a level we never imagined, we didn't even look at the soccer programs because it is craziness, I can't even discuss the lacrosse program (NO! I'm not kidding!), there's power lifting, volleyball, basketball, blah, blah, blah... but football? Oh... yeah... we have that, too... WHAT???!!!

Y'all -- today is the first football game at Ashley's high school. Woohoo, right? Um, no Woo. no Hoo. Not even a pep rally! Just... nothing. Not one word has been said about it. Ashley said no one... in ANY of her classes has said, "I'm so excited about the game tonight!" Are ya kiddin' me??? What are these people thinking?? It's FOOTBALL season! Don't they understand that?

Now I'm wondering if there is a pep rally for soccer games. We have entered the twilight zone...

So that's the news from the Metropolis. Check ya tomorrow with more yawn-invoking news. I think I'll go to the game tonight. Sounds like the largest population in attendance will be band parents. Stay tuned.

I Am an Educator

I think I feel the need to define/ redefine who I am/ what I do.

I am in the middle of a job hunt and the truth is that, on paper -- I don't amount to much.

I have a few years experience teaching -- and I don't want to return to the classroom. Not that I could in the state of Texas, anyway. With budget cutbacks, etc., a teaching job is a rare find.

I have a few articles published in a local paper. I would like to write, but I have nothing "impressive" -- again, we're talking what someone looking at a resume' would see -- published. Nothing national, no books. Of course there's this rockin' blog that has a few too many weeds growing over the summer and needs attention currently.

Nor do I have a journalism or English degree. Of course, it's not too late for that, but since they don't give those away for free except for some internet sites of questionable reputations, I still need a job before I can get a degree.

I am completely at peace that I have done some amazing things in the last several years that cannot assess a monetary value. I need look no further than here or here and I don't regret a minute spent on my family or my ministry.

One thing I know I am is an educator. Again -- that doesn't mean I want to stand in a public school classroom, and God BLESS those who do since my children are public school educated. I am an educator and love to share what I know with others of all ages, whether it's God's word with other believers (or non-believers, for that matter) or how to swim with the little guys. I love to see the light come on and help someone know or understand something they previously didn't.

I value education highly. When my older child started kinder I decided that the best philosophy for choosing how to educate your child (public/ private/ homeschool) is: prayerfully, carefully, and be willing to admit at a moment's notice that you are wrong.

For a variety of reasons, we went with public school and are still there.

Again, I think the WORLD of public school teachers. They have an amazingly difficult job. But I know that my kid is "a student" to them. To me, my child is my child. Don't get me wrong -- my children have had teachers that have loved them dearly and we have loved in return. But no one is going know what my kids know, what their passions and gifts are, or where they are struggling like I will.

No doubt, my kids spend too much time in front of screens now and our recent life upheaval has made me much too relaxed about limiting such. But even with that, it hasn't taken away the hundreds of books we have read in the past, coupled with both of their intense curiosity and hunger to know more.

And I am still an educator, leading them when they start down a path they are interested in. We explore and find out more and turn over the leaves and pluck up the rocks to see what's underneath. In that regard, all parents are homeschool teachers.So, my resume' is a mess, or as someone kindly put it, "eclectic." Yes. Eclectic. But I have been gifted two gorgeous healthy bodied and minded children who I'm tempted to become 12 levels of proud about. 'Lest I do, the Lord reminds me that they are a gift from Him -- just like He gifted me as an educator to gently lead them. I cannot put a price tag or income on these guys. Aren't they the awesomest?

The Mission Field You Walk

When God called us to this place, I marveled, and might have said, "Seriously???"

You see, in my small town the "have nots" are never very far away and I was ever mindful that there was a population to serve, people to love on, and God's children to care for. Then God called me to suburbia.

Sure, our family could have chosen a mission field in an inner city area around here somewhere, but our call to public education, and our concession to our children in the move allowed them to have a voice in which school they would attend, which landed us squarely in suburbia.So, I turned to the Lord and said, "Seriously??? THIS is where I have been called? Manicured lawns and stone front houses and store fronts? When my heart is broken by the least of these, you put me here?"

As the Lord tends to do, He began to quietly whisper to my heart (without even yelling or shaking me by the throat like I would do if I were my kid), "These are my children, too... and they are just as broken and hurt as those with less."

Then, early in the summer, I read this amazing article. (You need to read it, too. Go 'head. I'll wait...)

Since you've now read it... RIGHT?? ... you know that it talks about just that: some of us actually ARE called to mission work in suburbia. And suburbia is no less of a mission field than Ghana, Tegucigalpa, or Nepal.

Remember my words for the year? That gentleness was one. That concept -- that I am now living in a mission field that God ordained for me -- has brought new gentleness to my day.

"Well, sure..." you think, "we all are missionaries wherever we live!" But am I really feeling it in 5:00 traffic? How about at the gas pumps in 105* heat? What about with the cashier whose elevator doesn't QUITE reach the top floor? Do I see each of those people as my mission... as people to touch for Jesus? I am trying to start to see my world that way.

Example: I live in the South (okay, Texas -- which truly is "a whole other country" per the ad campaign -- but I was raised in the South) where folks hold doors open for each other. It's common courtesy. And at a Domino's -- it's almost a no-brainer: the one coming IN has empty hands and therefore should hold the door for the one coming OUT who will likely have their hands full of pizza boxes. Truth? This is the civilized world we live in. In my mind.

So, walking into a Domino's, I hold the door open for the woman coming out. Because it's polite. But on my way out, I am juggling 3 boxes (I have teenagers -- don't judge), my wallet and my keys, and am struggling to push open the heavy door. Through the glass I can see this tiny bug of a woman smiling sweetly. Waiting ever-so-patiently for me to either drop everything in my hands or to successfully fight my way out the door. I couldn't tell which she was rooting for.

I admit I was a little frustrated thinking, "Can you not help me here? Don't you know how we do things around here? You're supposed to open the door! It's the polite thing to do..." But, first the lady's sweet smile disarmed me, and I had to look at her as my mission field and just love her. Her smile made me realize that she honestly believed that being patient was the best she could and should do in that situation.

Only Christ in me allows me to reframe may day and my world to see the mission field I live in.

What about the mission field where you live and work? What is God calling you to do there?

Prayers for All

The pictures of backpack-clad munchkins have begun cropping up on Facebook. The sales papers are full of crayons and glue sticks. You know what that means! It's TIME!

While I definitely have some of this guy's sentiment about it:


this year brings new heaviness to my heart as my kids are heading into uncharted territory (for them).

Next Monday I will take my 13 year old man-child to a school of 900 middle schoolers where he knows no one to start 8th grade. Then I will take my 15 year old daughter to a school of 1700, where she has had the good fortune of being in band camp for almost 3 weeks, so she has someone to sit with at lunch perhaps. Then I shall return to my house and cry for a good long while, I suppose.

I have told both of my kids that since I knew we would move (even when I didn't know WHEN we would move) I have been praying for their first day of school at their new school. Mainly -- that just ONE person would be gracious and friendly to them -- and eat lunch with them.

Of course, you and I know that in the global scheme of things there are much worse things than feeling completely left out on your first day of school in your new town.... but at 15 and 13, it's pretty hard to imagine what that would be.

So, as you are praying for your own children and their teachers, and please do be praying for teachers and administrators everywhere, it would honestly mean the world to me if you would remember to pray for my two. While we have had some bumps along the way, this summer has gone much better than I ever imagined, and I fully credit it to the prayers of folks like you.

And while I'm praying... feel free to leave any requests in the comments. I'll be talking to God, I would love to go to Him on your behalf as well.

The Teens Keep Me Laughing!

I remember when my kids were little hearing a woman with a 13, 15, 16, and 18 year old say that she would rather have 4 teenagers than 4 2-year olds. "Hmmm..." thought I, "I'll just have to see about that!" Not that I planned to have 4 of either, mind you.

But I have to confess that my teens are so funny -- sometimes inadvertently -- and generally a joy.

Just a few of the recent conversations around here. Only one will identify WHICH teen it was:

Me, after clearing off a week's worth of clutter and mess off of my kitchen island: (HUGE sigh and exclamation) "OH! I feel SO! much better!!
Boy Teen: "Because you cleaned, or did you fart?"

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After some outdoor stuff:
Me: "I can't believe I drank 2 liters of water and I am still this thirsty. My throat is completely dry."
Teen: "Yeah, but you talk a lot."

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11 a.m.
Teen with one eye open, still in bed: "I AM up!"
Me: "That's not UP-- you're horizontal!"
Teen: "I'm planking..."

Love those guys.. Every day is a new day.

Reasons Not to Hit The Snooze

A few times a week I get out of bed while it is still dark, strap on my running shoes, and hit the road. The temperature and upheaval of this summer have done a number on my pace and training and I am basically back to square one, but I am celebrating where I am.

If you can fog a mirror, it's not too late to start over. So I start over. This week I ran further than last (without walking -- the end number is the same) and next week I plan to run farther still. God has blessed me with healthy legs. We got this.

When the alarm goes off and all is quiet in the house, of course I want to stay in bed. Especially Saturday mornings. But eventually I crawl out and go. And I have found that the rewards are great. Below I wanted to document some of the reasons I am glad that I get out of bed:

1) Avoiding heat stroke:This one is a little too obvious. Forget those crazy highs (though I have seen some whack-a-doos out running in it) even the lows are too hot for me. It doesn't matter if I set my alarm for 4:30 a.m. (I don't) -- it's not getting any cooler out there, and the longer I lay in bed, chances are it's getting MUCH hotter. Let's ROLL!


2) Sun coming up (Part 1)
I go down to the middle school track on occasion to run. This picture doesn't do justice the HUGE orange orb that rose -- yet I was VERY thankful for that stand of trees that blocked the light and heat for a few more minutes. Every last minute without the extra heat is a blessing.

3) Every once in a while --
Random hot air balloon. Dunno why, but I loved it. Hot air balloon on a Monday morning. Why not?

4) Sunrise (Part 2)
After the sun rose a little higher in the sky, some clouds blew in. Not the rain variety, of course. We don't get those in this part of Texas. Rumors are that they get them on the coast, but not us. Anyway, it made for an amazing few moments of sunrise. Definitely worth being out of bed for (this is the same spot I took the first sunrise pic from -- weird, huh?)

5) You might find a friend:
Elsie and I have a deal: she doesn't mention my pace, I don't point out that her udders are in woeful need of support. It's a friendly arrangement. I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm crazy for the whole running deal anyway. You can kind of see it in her eyes.

Running doesn't have to be your deal. Walking, biking, swimming, yoga... whatever gets you moving. But I love what I see when I head out on the road. Now I talked to someone recently who lives close to some Buddhist monks. SHE got to see a monk sitting at the bottom of a spiral slide in her park having his morning meditation while she was on HER walk. I may ask for directions to where she walks just so I can get a picture. What do you see around you?

Friends In Unlikely Places

Nine years ago, my home was flooded, I wasn't living in my house, I had a husband whose job required him to travel, two small children, we were being sued (I haven't told that captivating story on the blog), and I was keeping a baby 2-3 days a week. In short, I was a wreck.

I ran myself over to what would have been the closest gym if we lived in our house and signed up. I decided that I deserved just a little bit of me time and that was going to be it. I had no idea the significance that decision would play in the next 9 years of my life.

Soon I was attending classes there and met Laura, who had also recently joined that gym. Laura is a local preacher's wife who likes to not fit the preacher's wife mold. My earliest memory of her at the gym -- NO idea what we were discussing, but Laura laughed and said, "Honey, we've been married almost 15 years. If I shave my legs, that's foreplay." Yeah, I was going to like Laura.

I think Amy was there all along. Amy is a little more like me. Seemingly quiet... until she has an opinion. I know when the gym moved to "the new place" (where it's been for 7 years now) that Amy was there and that's when Amy and Laura and I all started going to some of the same classes regularly.

Before too long I got a job -- stinkin' income! -- and had to quit that regular class and sorely missed my friends. I would catch them on every other Friday, but it wasn't the same (of course). In time, I quit that job (theoretically to write, but we all know it was so I could work out with my friends! :-)

The class that we went to most often together was a weights class -- Body Pump if you know it. I'll be honest. We would talk all the way through it. Oh, we were working out (want to feel my biceps?) but we were catching up on life and diverting our attention from the pain in the mean time.

For the record -- we were frequently in trouble in class for our talking. We got talked to by the teacher -- and would stop talking for a while. Then the people on the other side of the class would start talking, inspiring us to continue our conversations. Until we got ugly looks from the front row. Or chewed out by the angry exerciser. And the cycle would start again. Truly, we had long conversations (at Starbucks -- not in class) about this.

Through class or at Starbucks we discussed it all, big and little. We talked our way through children's illnesses and surgeries, sports victories, defeats, and struggles, we've wrestled, prayed, and cried through two husband's unemployments, struggled over parenting decisions and children's heartbreaks, frequently coming to tears right there at the weight rack.

Muscles and bodies grew stronger, and so did the friendship. I honestly had NO IDEA how much those girls -- my "gym buddies" as they became known around my house -- meant to me. Until I needed someone to be strong. Or consistent. Or both. And they were.

(My two closest gym buddies, Amy, far left, and Laura, in yellow then me, and Rebekah our body pump instructor, far right, my last day at Body Pump the day I moved)

A Waiting Place Filled With Teen Crazies

I keep trying (not very hard) to get back over here... and I just keep doing other things.

My goal for the last couple of weeks has been to consistently get back into the word and eat better. Evidently I can only accomplish 2 things at a time, because I am unable to blog on top of it. I am getting some writing done and wrote about "Choosing Joy" when life wasn't aligning for me to do such.

I am behind and owe that ministry an article. My next article will be where my family is -- this waiting for the inevitable: beginning of school and band camp, settling in at church, etc. We are unpacked... but when people from the former town ask "are you settled??" with very hopeful eyes, what do I say? Well, no, we aren't settled. It's summer and we have stared at ourselves, a movie screen, and a big fat TV screen until we are all sick of each other. We workout and have push up challenges. We have precious dinner conversations. But settled in this town? We may as well be on Mars.

Of course, it's awesome that we live where Troy works 'cause, you know, we did it the other way and that totally stunk, too. We are just still in this "waiting place" -- just a different waiting place than before -- now waiting for a scary first day, hard time, obstacle to get over.Band camp starts soon for the high schooler, followed by orientation for the middle schooler. I, personally, am SO! READY! for these things to happen. Tensions are running a little high here at the house. We are all a little ready to see what it will be like and get it over with.

Not one prayer would be wasted on my family. You and I KNOW "it will be fine" when it all comes out in the wash -- it's these few weeks/ months of WAITING for it to "come out in the wash" that have tension/ anxiety mounting and teen crazies going crazier.

You know you're jealous of the teen crazies. Those are some good times, y'all...

Until next time, just trying to get settled... in front of a screen. SO! Tell me -- what are YOU up to this summer? Doing something fun?

Choosing to Be Chosen

The youth minister for our church in Abilene chooses a theme every summer. The theme is the focus of the mission trips, then the camp later in the summer. One of the reasons I won't refer to him as "my kids' former youth minister" is that a) he will always minister to all of us b) the themes always speak to me -- year 'round if I will let them. He is my minister, too -- and a friend that I always enjoy challenging spiritually and allow him to challenge me spiritually.

The theme this summer is "Chosen (and Choosing) to Be" (and I think I'm taking liberties with parentheses, etc., but it's my blog so it's my theme today).

This is based on one of my favorite verses: 1 Peter 2:9:"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

There are many parts of that to pull out and dissect that I love and that bless me, but the main point that Ricky told us on the mission trip again and again is that a) we are a chosen people, chosen by God to take Him into the world (be "his wonderful light"), be His ambassadors and b) we must, in turn, CHOOSE to put on that royal title and mantle.

We can choose to accept Christ as our Savior. Once we have done that, we can get up on a daily basis and choose our actions. We can choose to read His word. Choose to take up His cross on a daily basis. We get to CHOOSE. We have already been chosen... but what will we choose?

Last week (while the air was out in my house) I had an annoying day. Of course, when you start with an 85* house, it stands little chance of being otherwise. But I had to go into a retail establishment where I knew I would need patience and kindness. Not only did I want to reflect Christ in my actions -- I wanted them to help me out and I knew that going in as annoyed as I was at life would not help my cause. So, yes, I had a little bit of ulterior motive. But I knew I could choose.

Sleep-deprived and hot, I had little patience and kindness on my own, so I purposely pulled out my shirt from the mission trip to wear: I wanted to remind myself that I was chosen -- and I wanted to choose to act like royalty.

It's a daily decision, this royalty business. I get immensely frustrated with people who "show their tail" when it will reflect poorly on a group that I am affiliated with -- but how often does my impatience, selfishness, and judgmental heart reflect poorly on the God I worship?

This thought continues to roll around in my head... that I have been chosen, so I can choose to be. Today... then again tomorrow.

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COMPLETE side note/ public service announcement for you if you are reading this on the day I write it:
Get your free Slurpee at 7-11 today!! And... choose to act like royalty when you do! :-) Enjoy!

Air Conditioner Out in Texas in July? SCORE!

"Umm... why is the air blowing hot air?"

No one wants to hear this at 6 p.m on a July afternoon in Texas, when we definitely like our air of the cool variety.

Oh, yes. Like about 80% of everyone else that we know, our air conditioner simply couldn't keep up with the horrific heat this week.

We commiserated with the dog, trapped in her fur coat. We tried, valiantly, to put a happy face on it. But when it came down to it... we were all miserable.

We spent one night in the heat. Woke up to house at 82*, outside at 75*. Urg.

The kids were already heading out to meet a group at amusement parks for a couple of days. Troy and I scheduled our repair guy -- for two days out -- and used hotwire to book a (NICE) hotel for the night.

Until I could get in the hotel I did a few things at the house, with temps climbing to around 87* in the house. Partly from partial heat stroke, partly from sleep deprivation due to sleeping in a hot house, and partly from just trying to be okay, I realized it's not completely terrible if your air goes out in the summer in Texas.

Therefore, in no certain order, the good parts about going without air conditioning in July in Texas:

-- The SAVINGS!! Not running your unit for almost 3 days!

-- The earnings potential! You could open a Bikram Yoga studio in your living room!

-- Your pores look AMAZING after being in your own little homemade sauna all day long.

-- No need to eat (who's hungry?) while sitting in the sauna, so the pounds fall off.

-- It is a true emergency to go spend a night at a hotel. Thank you, Dave Ramsey emergency fund!

Obviously all of the savings (and earnings!) could have been completely wiped out by the verdict of "your system needs to be replaced..." But, thank you, Lord! The verdict was (I kid you not) the capacitor. I want it to be the flux capacitor so that Michael J. Fox will show up in a DeLorean and take me away to a simpler time.

Best thing, hands down? When it starts working again!

So very very happy to be going to bed in a cool house!

Dear Running Dude

(now that I am on my Facebook fast, the blog will get my drive-by thoughts again. Won't that be fun?)

Dear Runner Dude,

You totally kept me going today. I had a 5 mile run today (that I am still walk/running). Want to know something HILARIOUS -- so I am at about mile 3.9, running with my iPhone for my music and Nike+ training thing, and I checked my training plan on SmartCoach to see the pace I should be going my 5 miles. Because I am a turtle and today I totally blew that turtle business out of the water... for the first 3.5 miles. Then the turtles passed me and laughed and gathered their friends around to point and laugh.

It was at this point (the 3.9 mile mark, checking my SmartCoach) that I noticed that I wasn't even supposed to be going 5 miles today. My training plan said 4 miles. Isn't that SO! FUNNY! Um... yeah, it wasn't to me at the time, either. But I was out for 5 and I had already planned to do 5 AND I had already told my Nike+ thing that I was doing 5 and I couldn't have that little piece of electronics mocking me, now could I?

So I kept going -- did I mention I was at the corner where I could have turned to come home? Or I could have kept going straight up a hill... Up the hill I went. Into the sun. I did decide not to add an extra loop and I was running less and walking more and, in short, dying. I convinced myself to run in little 30 second shuffles.

I finally was getting toward the end. Mainly the part where I was heading down the hill toward home. I didn't care what Nike+ said, I was just going home. Since I was heading down a hill I talked myself into going for broke and running for a whole 60 seconds.

As soon as I started running I saw Mr. Runner Dude coming around the corner towards me -- which meant... up the hill. More overweight than I am, pouring buckets of sweat like I was, but running the whole time. He's probably some awesome distance runner, just in what they call the "Clydesdale" division (and I am SO not entering a race that has a Clydesdale division for me -- I have a very brave friend that I shall not call out that faithfully reads my blog that entered a race and was in the Clydesdale division for her age group... and she's smaller than me!! I would. have. DIED!!)

When I passed him, I yelled, "Good job! We're doing it!" and truly hope he didn't think I considered myself some super-awesome runner being condescending to him. Oh, no. I hope he goes home and pops open the Gatorade and scouts out random blogs and happens across mine and finds out that he kept me running today -- because he chugged it UP the hill when I barely could run down at that point in my run.

So... thanks, Mr. Runner Dude. You never know when the little thing you're doing encourages someone else to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

P.S. I got in front of my house -- Nike+ read 4.90 miles. Doh! Went to the end of the street and back. Boom! Done...

Welcome Back to Me!

Whoa. It's been... a VERY long while.

If you're still here, glad to have you. Last I posted, I was telling you that Troy and I were trying to adjust to living together. Think we're still trying to adjust. That and this town-o-concrete and the driving. I don't mind the driving but all of it takes very, very long to do.

We have celebrated my grandmother's 100th birthday, painted over some wallpaper, and the kids and I went on a mission trip to the Rio Grande Valley and just returned Friday night. NOW let summer begin.

I know I SAY this all the time, but I plan to get back to the blog more regularly. One way I plan to do that is get away from Facebook (which will keep some of you from knowing that I have updated my blog). I plan to shut down my Facebook account for the month of July. I have many things I want to concentrate on, and Facebook isn't one of them.

Our mission trip was truly bittersweet and a great time for us. It was tough to make the effort to go, but I'm so glad that we did. The kids all had a great time. It was the 3rd year in a row for Ashley and me, and Riley's first year. Lives change when kids see what a difference it makes to serve others. I'm noticing that and mindful of that as we start looking at where to serve in a church now.

"Church shopping" -- there's a weird thing to say and do. Not super fun, either. Think we have a fairly good plan in place, but it's still not a ton of fun.

Also trying to get hooked back up with exercise but REALLY missing my gym buddies from Abilene -- isn't accountability a great thing? Isn't a cheap gym membership a great thing? Starting over. In every area. I admit it can become overwhelming at times.

So. Looking toward the 4th. What's everybody up to? We have a bazillion options in our huge city now. I suspect we'll end up doing what we've always done -- a big fat nothing.

What about you? Does your family have big plans for the 4th?