SPAAM (Sophie, Peter, Amy, Abby, Megan)

10/9/08

We leave tomorrow for Disney World and a Disney cruise!  We are very excited.  Sorry for the lack of bloggish-ness.  I am having too difficult of a time not getting political.  It would be sufficient at this point to just express my dismay that so many people (my friends included) are going to vote for a radical socialist who is buddies with terrorists(yes, that was intentionally plural--read up, for goodness sake) , worked with ACORN (aka, let's commit voter fraud), and wants to raise taxes so much in the higher tax brackets so as to "re-distribute" wealth to people who DON'T PAY TAXES ALREADY.  Socialism...nice.  Folks, no matter who is in the White House it will be a change...not Bush's third term.  Sheesh.

So you can see why I'm not in blog-o-mania right now :).  I'll post pictures from Disney when we get back.  We've been planning and saving for this for awhile and can't wait to get going!

9/14/08

Today was the big day.  Launch day for Rockhills Church!!!  We officially go "weekly" after today.  We still will use the first Sunday of every month for "ServeFirst", where we use the energy normally put into a service towards giving back to the community.  Pretty awesome.  Sometime in the next couple of days, I think the service will be up on www.rockhills.com.  I sang this week, and it went very, very well.  I don't think the music will be up, but feel free to check and see.  Dave's message was great and really gave a great picture of the vision for Rockhills.  So for those who are curious what the heart of Rockhills is like, check out the message.

Mono update--still 2 steps forward, 1 step back.  Today wore me our more than I thought it would.  My whole body is rebelling against me right now.  Abby has a little cold, so hopefully she'll just want to hang out and watch movies tomorrow and we can both recover!!!

9/7/08

Be sure you're sitting down...this is perhaps the funniest thing Amy has ever said.

She asked me about the presidential race.  We started talking about the differences between Obama and McCain and one of the things I explained was the idea or more taxes, bigger govt. verses personal responsibility, etc.  I was telling her that we pay a lot of taxes already and that it is what it is, but that Obama would want to take more of our money for the government.  Before I could elaborate, she asked, "How would be take it?"  I told her through Daddy's paycheck like it already comes out.  She said, "It would be a lot better if he snuck in our house to try to take it, cuz then we could just knock him out."  Oh my gosh, I am still laughing.  Honestly, I have been nothing but positive about Obama to her.  Talking about how he has made history, how a lot of people like him, how he is a daddy to two beautiful girls her age, etc. but that I just disagree with him.  So, this was completely un-solicited and truly a hysterical moment in our house.

9/6/08

Marinara Sauce!  I made it tonight all on my own and wanted to share because I think it turned out GREAT!

Marinara Sauce

3 medium-sized garlic cloves, pressed (2 if large)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

½ medium onion chopped (optional)

1 large can (28 oz) diced tomatoes (or petite diced), undrained

1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)

1 can tomato paste (6 oz)

1 tsp. basil

1-2 tsp. sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

In saucepan, heat olive oil, add garlic and optional onion for about 2-3 mins.

Add all other ingredients.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce to medium-low and simmer 15-20 mins, stirring frequently.

Add more salt and pepper to taste.

9/5/08

I'm borrowing this from my sister because I don't think it could have been said better:

WHY I AM VOTING FOR MCCAIN/PALIN

"We believe in low taxes, spending discipline, and open

markets. We believe in rewarding hard work and risk-takers and letting

people keep the fruits of their labor.

We believe in a strong defense, work, faith, service, a

culture of life, personal responsibility, the rule of law, and judges who dispense

justice impartially and don't legislate from the bench.

We believe in the values of families, neighborhoods, and

communities. We believe in a government that unleashes the creativity

and initiative of Americans, government that doesn't make your choices

for you, but works to make sure you have more choices to make for

yourself.

I will keep taxes low and cut them where I can. My opponent will raise

them.

I will open new markets to our goods and services. My opponent will close them.

I will cut government spending. He will increase it.

My tax cuts will create jobs; his tax increases will eliminate them.

My health care plan will make it easier for more Americans to find and

keep good health care insurance. His plan will force small businesses

to cut jobs, reduce wages, and force families into a government-run

health care system where a bureaucrat stands between you and your doctor.

We all know that keeping taxes low helps small businesses grow and

create new jobs. Cutting the second-highest business tax rate in the

world will help American companies compete and keep jobs from going

overseas.

Doubling the child tax exemption from $3,500 to $7,000 will improve

the lives of millions of American families.

We're going to stop sending $700 billion a year to countries

that don't like us very much.

We'll attack the problem on every front. We'll produce

more energy at home. We will drill new wells off-shore, and we'll

drill them now. We'll drill them now.

My friends, we'll build more nuclear power plants.

We'll develop clean-coal technology. We'll increase the use of wind,

tide, solar, and natural gas. We'll encourage the development and use

of flex-fuel, hybrid and electric automobiles.

Senator Obama thinks we can achieve energy independence without more

drilling and without more nuclear power. But Americans know better

than that.

We must use all resources and develop all technologies necessary to

rescue our economy from the damage caused by rising oil prices and

restore the health of our planet.

My friends it's an ambitious plan, but Americans are ambitious by nature, and

we've faced greater challenges. It's time for us to show the world

again how Americans lead."

[an excerpt from John McCain's acceptance speech given September 4, 2008 in Minneapolis/St.Paul, MN]

9/4/08

I am done for a little while talking about politics (at least for a few days!).  Palin was amazing last night.  I just plead with people to stay informed.  If you have cable, tape "Morning Joe" on msnbc.  Bi-partisan, all points of views, great analysis... please just be informed.  If you don't have cable, pull up Morning Joe clips on youtube.  Getting swept up by either party because of well-crafted speeches or timely zingers just isn't what this country needs.

As for my mono... 2 steps forward, 1 step back.  Headaches still abound and I am exhausted, but I am overall, feeling better.  Thanks for praying, folks.

Here are some pics.

Abby's birthday.

1st day of gymnastics

Sophie underwater

Snowcones!!!

Abby's first day of school!

these two pics are almost exactly a year apart!

9/2/08

I'm sad and disappointed.  I cannot believe the way Sarah Palin and her family have been treated.  I really can't believe it.  Kudos to Obama for coming out and slamming what parts of the media and especially the lefty blogosphere has done.  I was very thankful for that.  But it is the deeper issue here-- the deep, deep, deep sexism in this country (already having been previewed with poor Hillary).  In the last 24-hours, she has been ridiculed for giving birth to a DS baby, she has been slammed for believing in abstinence, she has been boxed up that she can't be a mom and a VP, there have been disgusting attacks on her 17-yr. old daughter!  There are so many things I could say here and that I will leave alone, but you get the idea.  Never really thought of myself as a feminist, but having 3 little girls, I just can't believe that they are STILL, 88 years after we fought for the right to vote, going to be battling it in their lives.  Grrr.  Okay, on to different things.

Abby started preschool this morning.  She's excited.  Pray for her, please.  She is becoming very aware of her speech issues, and when people have trouble understanding her, she stops saying what she was trying to say.  I would be so sad if this makes her quiet and withdrawn.  For those who know Abby, she is anything but!  Anywho, I will post some pictures later today of the last few days of the new camera.

8/30/08 

So mono stinks, but I think I've got it relatively under control.  Tired during the day, and quick to get winded and sweaty, but overall, it isn't too bad.  The nights are awful, as I remember they were for Peter...fever after fever, sweats that soak you head to toe, and just all-around not great sleep.  But if I sleep in a different place every hour, it isn't so bad. :)  Anywho...I'm going to be one of the lucky ones who gets better really fast.  Right??

The fun news from having mono is I've lost 3 pounds :).  My spleen feels huge and presses on my stomach, so I always feel full.  So, although having an enlarged spleen is kinda scary (it would suck if it exploded!), it sure is helping with the weight loss!

I'm sure you all wanted to know about this :).  I'll post some pics soon.  Right now, the camera is just too far away...

8/28/08

Well, I'm not as yellow as Peter was, but yep, today I got the official mono diagnosis.  I started feeling kinda yucko--aches, etc. on Sunday afternoon.  Monday I felt a little worse.  Then Monday night, I got those nasty shakes and chills and had a raging fever in the middle of the night.  Worse Tuesday, same deal with the nighttime fever, and again last night.  I really thought maybe I was going crazy and that it wasn't really happening.  I tried to say it was a virus that would go away, but the symptoms were so close to Peter's from earlier this year, I couldn't fully ignore it.  But it didn't change the fact that I was stunned when the PA said the test was positive.  I had already passed out (hard!) after getting my blood drawn and was feeling horrid, and then bam, it's positive and I might actually be feeling like this for 3 weeks...maybe shorter, maybe longer.  Crap.  Trying to be positive, which most of you know is kind of against my nature :), saying that it is good I have friends who want to help keep Abby entertained, the other two are in school, maybe this will help me lose weight since I don't want to eat, etc... but it is so hard when you feel this awful.  Please pray for us.  There is a lot coming up in our lives over the next few weeks and I don't want to ruin it.  Also, there are some folks who get lasting effects from mono (chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and other delightful things), and I ask you to pray that that won't happen.  Thanks.

8/25/08

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IS DONE!  The girls had a great day.  In fact, they are already playing up the street at their friend's house.  Abby and I had fun getting a new camera (my other one is finally dead), eating pizza at Costco, and just lounging around both at home and at the pool.  Here are a couple of pics.  My camera is waterproof, in case you were wondering if I was just nuts!!

And just to get extra sappy and sentimental, here's some baby pics :).

 

8/21/08

Tom Petty is right.  The waiting IS the hardest part.  I am waiting to hear about the auditions (round 2) for a local theater.  I have to admit, I think I got my butt kicked.  It was actually kinda fun to get my butt kicked!  It is making me more comfortable with the idea of climbing a ladder, refining my various talents, making connections with folks, etc.

I have some good news for those keeping up with my (mental) health issues.  This month has been remarkably better than last month--I am not sure why, but I am so thankful.   It gives me a little more hope for the future on this front.

Also news... still the same weight I was when I left for CA, which is actually pretty impressive, seeing as how I ate at In-n-Out, and various other delightful places while I've been out of town for 3 weeks!  So, back on the WW stick.  High hopes for 10-15 more lbs by our cruise in October.  I'll set more goals after that.  Slow, but moving in the right direction.

On the political front, I was really impressed with John McCain's performance at the Saddleback forum, and I hope everyone gets a chance to at least see some clips from it on youtube or something.  I am highly critical of Obama--mostly for his highly radical stances on abortion, socialism, etc. but I was not really a fan on McCain's until I saw the forum.  So, I am a little more willing to head to the polls.

A great site to keep up on political happenings is www.realclearpolitics.com.  Check it out.  Stay/GET informed.  Participate.  Then vote however you see fit.

8/14/08

Well, it has been a crazy week, or weeks, but we are finally in MI.  And of course then we promptly leave again Sunday.  *sigh*  Not enough time to see everyone and it is kinda making me nuts.

We went to the zoo today and other than getting a little sunburned, it was a fabulous time!  John Ball Zoo is actually a really nice zoo, for those looking for something to do in Grand Rapids.

Just thought I'd give the quick update.  More to come, pictures too, soon.

8/7/08

Obama not only bashed our country in Germany, he had the gall to bash the country when a 7 year-old little girl asked him why he's running for president.  Wow.  It just gets better.  Now I think I'm more mad at him than terrified of him.  Oh, but then there's socialism... hmm...nope, going back to terrified.

7/31/08 (again)

Making rice krispie treats this morning.

Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA

This is Grace, Chrissy's daughter, in front of the sea lion tank.  Tough to see her, but she's there!  We had such a nice time all together and the exhibits were truly awesome.  Amazing stuff.

 

7/31/08

What we've been up to...

AZ with Tom

Pool at Grandmother and Pa's

Shopping (of course that really means riding the Carousel at South Coast Plaza)

The Beach for the first time for the girls!

Hanging in the hammock

Grandmother gave the girls a little airplane bag full of exciting things, like eye-covers for sleeping.  The girls think they're great.  I do too, since they pretty muchy slip into a coma when it is time for bed!  Today is Long Beach aquarium day, so look for more pictures soon!

7/29/08

We arrived safely in CA on Sunday afternoon.  Everything has been running pretty smoothly.  Abby has had a tough time, but seems to be doing better today.  We had a great time today with our friends, Chrissy and her little girl, Grace, swimming and enjoying the mildly warm weather (as opposed to the searing heat of San Antonio!!!).

I am sure many are wondering how we fared in the earthquake today!  I am so excited I got to be here for it and feel it, honestly.  I haven't felt an earthquake since barely waking up to feel the Northridge quake back in '94!  We were at a "waterpark" of sorts in a neighborhood in south OC.  The girls were in the water and didn't feel it, but I (and my friend Michelle!) totally did!  Just a rocking back and forth.  Mom and Rob felt it much stronger and there was quite a jolting and cracking at my Grandma's house.  Other than a shifting of my Grandparents' woodpile, there really wasn't anything to report.  I am hoping for some mild aftershocks.  As long as we're safe, I really enjoy earthquakes!! :)

Anywho... I am eating way too much and really have to pull myself back.  Probably living on salad and water the next few days to recover.  Salads are yummy, right???!!!  It is so hard when In-n-out and Ruby's are here!!!

I miss my hubby a lot.  I wouldn't mind being home right now, that's for sure, especially as I am looking ahead to the weeks following our trip home...back and forths 2 times from SA to MI, our last RH preview service before launch on Sept 14, a jewelry party at my house, a huge RH concert/party at the end of August, the girls starting school, another house concert in mid-September... oh my gosh, it is so overwhelming.  And somewhere in there I am trying to figure out how to lose another 10 lbs (if I can even keep off the first 10 this week!).  I hesitate to change my goal, because it feels like I am woosing out, but maybe that isn't all that possible right now.  Just pray for me--for strength, for patience, for discipline, energy, encouragement, etc.

Thanks.

7/21/08

Yikes.  For those of my close friends who have understood my struggles with hormonal insanity, please pray for me.  These last few days have been so horrible and I don't really know what to do.  Feeling better this morning, after sleeping for over 10 hours and the girls sleeping later than me (which has happened maybe 5 times in my life!).  I know that people everywhere struggle with different things, some much more terrible than what I am dealing with, but it just doesn't seem to help when I feel like curling up in a ball and never coming out.

On a different note, I went and saw "The Dark Knight" last night by myself.  Maybe it was my state of mind from the last few days, and my surprise that some friends of mine have an 8-yr old daughter who can stand the violence, but I had a tough time with this movie.  It was so dark, the body count so high, and extremely "hopeless."  Knowing Heath Ledger died because he couldn't sleep because of this role is more disturbing than I thought it would be.  All in all, though, I recommend seeing it.  It was very well done, Christian Bale is (hot) talented, and Ledger was truly amazing.  I think I enjoyed it.  I just wasn't energized by it.  I know it sounds weird that I would somehow think I would be energized by a guy wearing a bat costume, but hey...

On another completely different note, you won't believe what Peter and I saw the other day...

Our old Ford Contour that we sold when we got here!  Same license plate and parking sticker!  We couldn't believe it.  I took a pic with my phone and may get around to posting it at some point.  It was funny. We were glad to see it had found a home so close to our home!

7/19/08

Rough day.  Pray that I don't find a cliff.  Okay, that's a little extreme, but sheesh!

Thank goodness it is 5 o'clock somewhere (it happens to be here).

7/16/08

This was hilarious to me.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/16/opinion/16dowd.html?_r=3&ref=opinion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

7/15/08

If you can't read all of this, at least check out the "Indiana Jones" post.  This is my cousin, Wes, and I couldn't be more excited for and proud of him!

http://www.wescummings.blogspot.com/

7/15/08

Okay, it gets scarier.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/07/are_facts_obsolete.html

7/13/08

I finally sang at Rockhills this morning.  It was amazing.  I can't really put into (eloquent) words how it felt to be back doing what I was pretty much born to do.  And unlike the usual crasher that happens after such excitement, I feel an excitement and a peace knowing this is just the beginning.  And working with someone like Chris is an amazing privilege.  I HIGHLY recommend (I would make you if I could!) checking out his stuff.  Years of making some amazing music.  http://www.myspace.com/officialchristaylormusic

According to the powers that be, www.rockhills.com is going to be up this week.  I'll believe it when I see it :).

Brief WW update...9 lbs.  Slow, but steady, and surviving the summer...

And on a political note, though all of you know where I stand, here is an article I enjoyed.  I am trying to stay light-hearted about this election, but the thought of the Supreme Court being affected for decades is a thought I can't deal with, no matter how charming a candidate may be.

7/2/08

I seem to post on my blog whenever it is someone's birthday!  Well, happy bday to my bro-in-law, Jared, and hopefully to my friend Kristin's new baby boy... we'll see!

Just thought I'd give a quick WW update.  7.8 lbs down this month!  So that's cool.  It means I'm well on-track to lose 20# by Labor Day.  Hooray!

The girls are taking gymnastics this summer, so that's something we get to do every Wednesday afternoon.  And they are also doing a really fun 4-day gymnastics "camp" (9:30 to 1:30) next week.  They (and I!!) can't wait.  What am I going to do with approximately 15 hours to myself next week, you ask???  Probably paint, clean, exercise, and maybe, just maybe, get a pedicure.  But I think I'll have to lose 2.2 lbs for an even 10 by next Wednesday for me to think I am worthy of a pedicure :).

Auditions for some really amazing shows at a nearby theater are coming up in August.  Trying to decide if I'll jump in again.  I can't do another holiday show.  Nuncrackers nearly killed me!  But there are really great shows in the spring.  Plus, the theater is close by, as opposed to downtown.  And I really think that doing one a year would be good for the soul.  We'll see.  More on that later.

Kind of a random post full of tidbits of nothing, but there ya go, faithful readers.

6/23/08

First of all, happy birthday to my brother-in-law, Kevin, and my beautiful niece, Adeline.  30 years separate the two, but they do share one special day! :)

I am feeling the need to blog today.  My heart and head are a mess.  But not a frazzled mess.  In fact, I feel quite peaceful at the moment.  I think the peacefulness could have something to do with the fact that the girls are all at VBS at a local church right now!  I still have 90 minutes to myself!  I am really hoping they are having a good time.

I think my heart and head are a good kind of mess.  The restless, full-hearted kind of mess.  The chance to sing with a band at a bar was almost too much for my heart to handle.  I still can't verbalize how I felt and feel about it.  It sounds ridiculous to people who don't care about singing in bars :), but I felt like it was where I belonged.  So there's the mess part...what the heck do I do with that feeling?  Believe it or not, for the first time in my life, I am having moments of day-dreaming in song lyrics... like I actually have something to say and could say it with music.  I'll post more at a later date, I think, cuz I really think that's all I can say.

Been sick with a horrible sore throat this week.  Thought it might be strep, but the pain subsides (reasonably) with ibuprofen, which isn't the case with strep, as many of you know, so I don't think I need to go get myself checked out.  Just have to wait for it to go away.

Well, back to real life...laundry, cleaning, etc.

6/21/08

We are taking the plunge... and switching cell phone companies!  There are various things we've been looking for in a phone lately, and Verizon just doesn't cut it right now.  So we're giving Sprint a test-drive.  We have 30 days to chance our mind if we don't like it.  And then after the two-year contract, maybe we'll go back (I do like Verizon as a company, just in case anyone was wondering).  Here are our new phones.  Samsung Instinct.

It is like having an iphone without having to get wrapped up in all of the charges and Apple/At&t craziness (not to mention the phone is about $100 less and the plan is about $30 less than what ATT charges).

Anywho... just thought I'd share.  We making the foray into cool phones!  I think the GPS will come in handy when looking for In-n-Outs on our trip to CA!!!  Well, among other things, I'm sure.

6/17/08

Oh my goodness, I did it again...took way too long to post!  We pulled off our driving trip (22 hours straight) to MI and back (21 1/2 hrs straight) last week. To the right is a pic of the girls and their cousins on the DY side. Had a nice time, but we were very ready to be home.  Lots and lots of rain the whole way home.  Of course, not a drop in San Antonio!  I think we might be under water restrictions now!

Let's see...what's happened since the 29th of May?  Well, I turned 30 and Peter totally pulled off an amazing surprise party for me.  Here are some pics.  I am not kidding, I was SHOCKED!

And here is the first fam pic in a long time!

As for WeightWatchers, I have to keep perspective.  In the last 3 weeks, I should have gained at least 5 pounds--travel, multiple birthdays (and parties), summer grilling adventures, The Melting Pot, Outback, movies....  and I've actually lost 5 pounds.  So, though I think under normal circumstances I would have lost more by now, I am okay with this...it is more like losing 10! :)  Look, ma... no pessimism!  I think I need to incorporate a little more exercise into my routine.  The next weigh-in is tomorrow, though I may not make it because of other commitments...it might have to wait until Thursday.

Summer plans are evolving this week.  I added a spontaneous trip to CA to be with the fam at the end of July/beginning of August.  I am taking the girls in the yaris by myself!!!  We're stopping in Phoenix to see some friends and then heading on to CA the next day.  Very exciting!  Then we fly to MI August 8.  Just a little busy...

Last bit of news... I am singing with my new friend, Chris Taylor, at one of his gigs this weekend!  Chris is our new Rockhills music dude and he is awesome.  I really can't wait.  Going to be super-duper fun!  Now to find a sitter for the girls...

Fun quote of the day from my dad...

Thought for the day: some people are like slinkies--- not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when pushed
down the stairs.

5/29/08(posted twice)

WeightWatchers meeting number 1 yesterday.  It was actually quite pleasant.  I met a gal whose 1st day was also yesterday, and we've been emailing since yesterday afternoon!  I think the support and accountability is going to make a huge difference.  I can lie to myself pretty easily.  Tougher to lie to someone else!  So far, so good.  I'll probably just report on how things are going once a week.

We had a bit of a problem (actually, it was more like a disaster) with getting our Rockhills website up.  So, we have resorted to a myspace page for now.  It's pretty good, so check it out.  It looks like I'll actually get to see a service and sing on July 13.  I've been in kids' stuff for the last couple of times, because that's where we need the most help.  Its been fun and rewarding, but those who know me, know where my true passions lie...its in communicating God's love and truth and inspiring people through music.  I need prayer for balance in my life and acceptance of where God has me.  Thanks.

www.myspace.com/rockhillschurch

5/27/08

So, I have known the Galatians 5:16-26 passage about the Fruit of the Spirit by heart since I was young.  Here it is in New International Version:

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Great text, challenging, etc.  I always saw the orgies part and figured I was in the clear :).  But now read it in The Message version of the Bible.  The bold part is the kicker.  Ow.

My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?

It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.

   This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom.

But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.

So what kind of life do I want, yet what kind of life do I settle for every day??!  Just wanted to put that out there, in hopes that we can all strive to live by the Spirit of God, no matter where we are in our journey of faith.  Jesus rocks.  I wanna be like him.

5/26/08

Happy Memorial Day!  A friend of mine just forwarded this to me and it made me laugh.  Enjoy.

POLITICAL SCIENCE FOR DUMMIES
DEMOCRATIC You have two cows.
Your neighbor has none.
You feel guilty for being successful.
Barbara Streisand sings for you.
REPUBLICAN You have two cows.
Your neighbor has none.
So?
SOCIALIST You have two cows.
The government takes one and gives it to your neighbor.
You form a cooperative to tell him how to manage his cow.
COMMUNIST You have two cows.
The government seizes both and provides you with milk.
You wait in line for hours to get it.
It is expensive and sour.
CAPITALISM, AMERICAN STYLE You have two cows.
You sell one, buy a bull, and build a herd of cows.
BUREAUCRACY, AMERICAN STYLE You have two cows.
Under the new farm program the government pays you to shoot one, milk the other, and  
 then pours the milk down the drain.
AMERICAN CORPORATION You have two cows.
You sell one, lease it back to yourself and do an IPO on the 2nd one.
You force the two cows to produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when one cow drops dead. You spin an announcement to the analysts stating you have downsized and are reducing expenses.
Your stock goes up.
FRENCH CORPORATION You have two cows.
You go on strike because you want three cows.
You go to lunch and drink wine.
Life is good.
JAPANESE CORPORATION You have two cows.
You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty  
 times the milk.
They learn to travel on unbelievably crowded trains.
Most are at the top of their class at cow school.
GERMAN CORPORATION You have two cos.
You engineer them so they are all blond, drink lots of beer, give excellent quality milk, and run a hundred miles an hour.
Unfortunately they also demand 13 weeks of vacation per year.
ITALIAN CORPORATION You have two cows but you don't know where they are.
While ambling around, you see a beautiful woman.
You break for lunch.
Life is good.
RUSSIAN CORPORATION You have two cows.
You have some vodka.
You count them and learn you have five cows.
You have some more vodka.
You count them again and learn you have 42 cows.
The Mafia shows up and takes over however many cows you really have.
TALIBAN CORPORATION You have all the cows in Afghanistan, which are two.
You don't milk them because you cannot touch any creature's private parts.
You get a $40 million grant from the US government to find alternatives to milk production  
 but use the money to buy weapons.
IRAQI CORPORATION You have two cows.
They go into hiding.
They send radio tapes of their mooing.
POLISH CORPORATION You have two bulls.
Employees are regularly maimed and killed attempting to milk them.
BELGIAN CORPORATION You have one cow.
The cow is schizophrenic.
Sometimes the cow thinks he's French, other times he's Flemish.
The Flemish cow won't share with the French cow.
The French cow wants control of the Flemish cow's milk.
The cow asks permission to be cut in half.
The cow dies happy.
FLORIDA CORPORATION You have a black cow and a brown cow.
Everyone votes for the best looking one.
Some of the people who actually like the brown one best accidentally vote for the black one.
Some people vote for both.
Some people vote for neither.
Some people can't figure out how to vote at all.
Finally, a bunch of guys from out-of-state tell you which one you think is the best-looking cow.
CALIFORNIA CORPORATION You have millions of cows.
They  make real California cheese.
Only five speak English.
Most are illegals.
Arnold likes the ones with the big udders.

5/23/08

Abby's last day of school (she only went from February thru May).  Here are pics of her with Ms. Michelle, her teacher.  And yes, every once in awhile I braid Abby's hair.

 

5/22/08

Amy had "Reading Restaurant" at school today.  Here are some fun pics.

(her teacher)

This next picture is of a canvas that was painted by a little boy, Hano, in Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa.  I bought it when I was at the Orange conference in Atlanta last month.  You can read all about the project at luo-setfree.org.  By buying this canvas, we are paying for little Hano's medical, food, education, etc. for a year.  If you have the time, you really should check out the site.  It is truly amazing.

 

5/21/08

For old-times' sake... this was just a few days before I had Amy 7 years ago!

As I typed the date above, I accidentally typed 5/21/01, since I am so used to that year being attached to that date.  Yes, today is Amy's birthday.  Amazing.  Here are some pics from today.  She is so loaded up with presents!

The bottom picture is that of a duck.  A wooden one, to be precise.  Amy saw it in Target a couple of months ago and was totally in love with it.  So, her fave present was her wooden lawn duck from Target.  Who knew???  I'll post a pic from the cake festivities tonight. (see above)

Oh, and just in case you are interested in anymore of my political silliness, here's an editorial I appreciated today.  Good insight.  Click here.

5/19/08

Amy's birthday pics.

Been a busy few days!  We had Amy's 7th birthday party on Friday afternoon.  23 kids!!!  Holy cow!!!  We had a bounce house in the backyard, pizza, I decorated (if you can believe it)... she got so many presents, I don't even know what to do with all of them!  We had our small group on Saturday night, which was very fun, but also involved childcare, etc.  Oh, I forgot to mention that Peter and I went to the AWESOME Spurs game on Thursday.  Hoping we win tonight!!!  Then yesterday, we had preview service #2.  I was in kids' stuff again, and it went really well.  I enjoy telling the story to the kiddos.  Now we just need more help!!!  During all of this, I wound up getting a cold Friday night (of course).  Feeling better.  Peter took the girls to Sea World yesterday for a nice long afternoon, so I cleaned up a bit, did some laundry, etc.  I wanted to take a nap, but couldn't seem to fall asleep.

So after Peter got sick, and then we started going through Amy's stuff, I fell of the weight-loss wagon in a big way.  Grrr.  I am wondering if I shouldn't be doing this on my own.  Anyone out there have any suggestions?  I was thinking of actually attempting to go to WW meetings or something (never done that).  So easy for me to get distracted and now I'm turning 30 all chubby and stuff.  Bummer.  By the way, that picture is the perfect taco plate... I have mastered "crock-pot chicken tacos" with guacamole.  They get rave reviews every time.

Oh, I forgot to share my big news.  Most of my readers know I have been dealing with PMDD (look it up) for a couple of years now.  As of 2 weeks ago, I am off of the meds for it and I am attempting to "ride without my training wheels", so to speak.  So far, so good, really.  I actually think I feel better. Weird.

5/15/08

Okay, now I'm really scared.  Obama is so insanely clueless about international matters--even down to the language they speak in Afghanistan.  I am so sad to admit I completely got sucked into the aura of Obama several months ago.  Even during his "race" speech, I'm thinking "yeah, we can move on from this" and "maybe he's the guy", etc.  But it is because he has a speech writer.  He has a teleprompter.  He has zero substance.  Zero agenda.  He calls legitimate questions about his experience and his opinions on issues and his associations "distractions."  For goodness sake.  Answer the questions.  Stand up for what you believe in, if anything.  "Change" is a lame thing to run on.  Grrrr.  I know I need to drop this from my blog, but it is what I'm thinking about right now.  I just can't stand it anymore.  Sorry to those who are Obamaniacs, or whatever they're calling themselves these days.  I still love you. :)

5/14/08

Congressional job approval is 19.8% today.  And they say Bush is bad...  Don't get me wrong, I am so ready for a new president, but my goodness, none of the 3 choices look very good to me, and the congress is full of wimps unwilling to get anything done, on the off-chance they'll have to work together.  *sigh*  I think it'll be 2012 before I care about this again.  There's my political talk for the month.  I guess I could throw in there that Obama scares me.  Yeah, he does.  Socialism in general kinda scares me.  So does the fact that my birthday is 2 weeks and 3 days away...

Sorry if this is too opinionated for anyone!

5/13/08

That is entirely too long to keep my mouth shut :).  Just wanted to update everyone with the exciting news!  Amy and Sophie learned how to ride their 2-wheelers yesterday.  Yes, just yesterday!  Isn't that nuts???  So fun.  There is something sad about watching them ride away from you, though.  Kind of a strange feeling.  But seriously, it was so fun to watch them keep trying and finally get it.

I am officially a Spurs fanatic.  Went to the blow-out, er, game, on Mother's Day (thanks honey!!) with a friend of mine.  We had nose-bleed seats, but wow...the excitement in the AT&T Center is infectious and it was a total blast.  Peter and I are going to the next playoff game on Thursday night!  Soooo exciting!  This is the benefit of having Mother's Day, my birthday, Peter's birthday, our anniversary (9 years!), and Father's Day all in one month :).   We just keep finding fun things to do!

I know this isn't the time of year one wants to come and visit San Antonio (although the heat can be a lot of fun when you can go to SeaWorld and hang out at the pool), but I want to be sure y'all know you can come down here anytime for a vacation.  Lots of space, and it is especially beautiful during the times when it isn't so beautiful up north.  So just give me yuor reservations and I'll put you on the calendar!

I'm going to work on getting some pics and video up of the girls riding their bikes.  It was so cool.  The next Rockhills preview service is this Sunday, so if you're in town, please come, and if you're not, please pray!  Thanks!

Woooooooooooohoooooooooooooooo!

4/24/08

My laundry is almost all done and put away.  Sweeeeet!  The rest of the house isn't looking so hot, but I admit, I always feel better when there are clean clothes around.

Another wave of sickness has swept through the house, but it seems like we are getting better.  A few of the neighbor kids had a brief virus with a headache and fever that is pretty brief.  Amy got it yesterday.  Soph had it earlier this week.  I am getting over the cold I got from Abby.  Blah blah blah. The funny thing is that the girls don't want Peter to get sick.  I think their frame of reference is his 3 weeks of mono.  I wouldn't want him to get sick either if that's what I thought sick was!!!

Nothing too new to report.  It is getting hot hot hot down here.  I leave for Atlanta for a conference in a few days and the girls are really looking forward to having Aunt Kristen and cousins Seth and Micah here to visit.  Should be fun!

4/16/08

Amy just wrote a great story for her class assigment called "The Missing Lego".  It is all about a little boy named Ian who is putting together a giant coffee mug lego project for a contest.  Of course, there is one piece missing... and it is in the vacuum!  Super cute.  She'll illustrate it tonight.  She's really good at drawing, so that will be a lot of fun.

We think we've made plans for the summer, so now I can plan around those days for seeing friends in MI and WI as well as the girls participating in things around San Antonio, and all of us being present for the summer Rockhills Church previews.  It looks like we'll be in MI June 8-15 and August 7-17, if I remember correctly.

I think our website (after being delayed a few times) will be up early next week.  So, if you are checking this after April 20, give www.rockhills.com a shot.

The weather has been so beautiful.  I have to remember to put sunscreen on now(more on me than the girls!!!), but that's ok.  It is worth all of the beautiful sunshine.

4/6/08 (there are 2 posts today, so check both!!)

Wow...I actually spent some time outside doing the whole gardening thing.  And get this--I actually enjoyed it!!!  Never knew I could do it.  Guess my mom's thing of "They're not better than me, they've just done it before" is true!

For those wondering, we planted purple phlox all along the front "planter" (they'll lie down and "creep" once they grow a bit), re-mulched, and did a lot of trimming back the bushes (by Abby in the first picture).  And I tried my hand at the planting of annuals.  I'm going to go get some more tomorrow to build up my "splashes of color".  Sophie really enjoyed planting with me and then soaking me with the hose.

4/6/08

We are coming out of the cloud that has been the last 2 months... my back is pretty much all better.  I am so nervous to do anything, but I need to start exercising again.  I think I've probably gained like 7 pounds...I'll give myself a few days of exercise and good eating to weight myself again.  Sick family and bad back makes taking care of oneself a little tricky.

Anywho...here are some Easter pics 2 weeks late.

And here is a cute pic of Amy from the other day.  She was walking to school with Peter in the evening for the Art Walk.  She got to go and display her art for a PTA meeting.  So cute.

 You are now up-to-date!

3/24/08

I'm getting there.  No more muscle spasms, so that's good.  Just lots of pain, stiffness, etc.  I am really looking forward to not being in pain anymore (and being drug-free!).  I'll let you know :).  In the meantime, I am very thankful for Peter and my friends.  Peter had his first day back at work post-mono, and from what I can tell, it went just fine.  He's on call for the first time tomorrow, so pray for him.  I am also very thankful for my bedroom.  We just got a new mattress and it is saving me a lot of discomfort.  I also love the view I have out my window.  When I can move, I'll take a picture.  Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers.  God's got it all under control.  Amy is closing in on 100% improvement.  Praise the Lord.

3/22/08

Yikes.  Never read an MRI report about your lower back.  Thankfully I read that on a website before getting too freaked out.  They say that no one has a perfect back, even as early s your 20's, and there will be lots of "fairly normal"s and "irregular"s or "defect"s and it can pretty much freak you out.  Basically my L1 to L5 vertebrae are all messed up, I have a tear in one of my discs, bulging, narrowing of nerve channel thingys (that is technical), etc.  Sheesh.  29 and already I'm falling apart.  And the bummer is that I had finally mastered getting through muscle spasms--getting off my butt, stretching, moving around to keep things loose, heat, ice, etc.  But with disc issues, you just have to rest.  Argh!!!  Resting with all these drugs in my makes me feel like a frickin' invalid.  Grrrr.  Anywho...back to basketball and Video on Demand.  Hooray.

3/21/08

Some improvement.  Still not standing straight, went for an MRI yesterday to see if it is just spasm or an actual bulging disc.  Mmmm... sounds like fun!  But when I have my darvocet, my soma, ibuprofen, prednisone, ice and this amazing lotion stuff called BioFreeze, I am slightly functional! :)  Woo hoo!

Peter and I have decided to play 100% by Amy's rules today to see if we can get her to understand we do listen to her and she doesn't have to be so afraid of everything.  Hopefully, she doesn't want to jump off the roof or anything... that could make it more 90% of her rules...

3/20/08

When it rains... well, you know the rest.  Peter was finally making strides.  We were at least pretty sure that Amy was (and is) struggling with anxiety.  Grandma was coming to town.  SeaWorld was open.  Ah, normalcy, right?  Wrong.  Tuesday morning, I reached for the phone and my back went out--worse than it ever has.  Here's an interesting picture:

As you can see, I can't stand up straight.  Literally, this is what I look like when I stand up and when I try to walk.  Its like my legs are walking next to me.  The chiropractor and my doctor are trying to figure out if it is a deep muscle spasm or a full-blown disc issue.  Bummer, huh?  So, instead of hanging with the fam, I've been going back and forth to doc appts and chiropractor appts and soon to an MRI appt.  Not the most fun spring break.

But before all of this happened, we did have one family adventure on Monday to Cascade Caverns.  Daddy also took the girls to see "Horton Hears a Who" that morning, while I drove a friend's sister to the airport.  Here are some Cascade Caverns pics.  They're pretty cool!  It took the girls a bit to try to decide that it was okay for their shoes to get dirty and their hair to get dripped-on.  Funny stuff.