Blog Ketchup

I've got a lot of "catch-up" to do in my blog! I'm hoping that when I'm home over the next few days I'll be able to play "blog ketchup" and get everything in here that I want to talk about and let you know about!

So....hang in there....I'll be filling you all in with all of the wonderful things and blessings that have been going on in our lives lately....soon! I can't wait to tell you about it all!! :o)

prayer time.

Life goes too fast sometimes. I need to be still. I'm trying to get to this place today. Please pray that I find it.

(feeling lost in a chaotic world right now...)

Thank you and I love you...

Sometimes I just don't have words for what I'm feeling. I am so overcome by a sense of love and awakening right now. I love how God's love and teachings are always new and fresh. He shares this with me through the little bitty things in my life....things that at times I would really think would be insignificant.....He uses all of it....just to remind me of how much He loves me.....to remind me that I matter to Him....that He hears my cries, my prayers, my thoughts, hears my questions. How does He do it? How does He know? How? I am always amazed by His teachings. He does that for you too. Sometimes life just gets too hurried....too busy....too chaotic, and we miss his little subtle, yet love-filled messages. I love it when it feels like it's just me and Him...there is nothing I treasure more than those moments. Thank you Lord.....I just wanted to say I love You. :o)

All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale.” 1 Cor. 1:7 MSG

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving day at mom and dad's. Our day was filled with family, laughter, yummy food and football! :o) I am so thankful for my family...

Refiner's Fire - Hillsong

I love, love this song....it's hard for me not to cry when I sing it.

Straight No Chaser "12 Days of Christmas Medley"

This is really cool!! Enjoy! :o)

'How to Train Your Dragon' Trailer HD

We watched this tonight....it is definitely on my "top 10 list" now!!! We absolutely LOVED this movie!! Watch it if you get a chance...

Sesame Street: My Cute Little Heart Beat

How To Wrap A Cat For Christmas

Time to start decorating!

I just love this time of year. Time to get the Christmas tree and decorations out....I just love decorating my home for the holidays.

Family traditions are my favorite. One of my favorite traditions is getting together with the family to make homemade tamales!!! Yum!!! The fun, laughter and time together is something I'll treasure forever.

What is your favorite family tradition(s)?

Being Thankful

I originally saw this in a blog....they received it from a friend from Saddleback Church. I see it making its way to people’s blogs. It’s definitely worth repeating.

I am thankful:

For the wife who says it’s hot dogs tonight, because she is home with me, and not out with someone else.

For the husband who is on the sofa being a couch potato, because he is home with me and not out at the bars.

For the teenager who is complaining about doing dishes, because it means she is at home, not on the streets.

For the taxes I pay, because it means I am employed.

For the mess to clean after a party, because it means I have been surrounded by friends.

For the clothes that fit a little too snug, because it means I have enough to eat.

For my shadow that watches me work, because it means I am out in the sunshine.

For a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing, because it means I have a home.

For all the complaining I hear about the government, because it means we have freedom of speech.

For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot, because it means I am capable of walking and I have been blessed with transportation.

For my huge heating bill, because it means I am warm.

For the lady behind me in church who sings off key, because it means I can hear.

For the pile of laundry and ironing, because it means I have clothes to wear.

For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day, because it means I have been capable of working hard.

For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours, because it means I am alive.

For the crazy people I work with, because they make work interesting and fun!

For too much e-mail, because it means I have friends who are thinking of me.

and…

For staying up late working on my blog, because of the modern technology that makes it possible.

:o)

What are you thankful for?

The Road Not Taken

I went to see an orthopedic specialist yesterday afternoon -- Dr. Sullivan, in Austin. What an experience this was, in so many different ways.

Mom offered to go with me 'cause she knew how nervous I was about going.....there are no words I can use to describe just how thoughtful that was, and how loved that made me feel. Thanks mom. xoxo

My nervousness was eased just by the fact that Donato went with me; I am thankful he took the time from work to go with me. He had me laughing hysterically the entire time....thanks Donut. :o) We spent about an hour waiting once I got into my room.....which gave us plenty of time to just talk and cut up and joke around....thankfully we didn't 'cause too much damage. lol

When Dr. Sullivan finally got to our room, he asked all kinds of questions and poked and twisted my knee in all sorts of directions....none of which bothered me or caused pain (well, maybe the poking around my knee did a little). After talking for a few minutes, he determined that he'd like to see what was going on inside my knee, so he ordered up x-rays for me. We waited another 45 minutes or so before the technician came in and took us for x-rays.

The x-ray machine was the coolest thing ever! I actually stood on a stool with one knee in front of the other, and bent slightly. This giant arm came out of this machine and twisted around my knee. As he was positioning it and while I was shaky because it hurt to stand still like that for a long time (Donut held my hand 'cause he saw my trembling, God bless him!), we could see "live" pictures of my knee bones up on the screen! So, as I moved around, I was watching the screen to see what my knee bones and knee cap looked like! It was amazing! After taking multiple pictures/x-rays of my knees, we went back to our room to wait for the results from the doctor. (this isn't an actual picture of my knee....but it was somewhat like this.)

After about another 30 minutes, he came in to tell me my knees have osteoarthritis. Oh my.

My immediate first question was: "So, this is as good as it gets?!"

The doctor said no, right away. He said that although there is no cure for arthritis, there are several things we can do to alleviate the pain.

1) Lose weight. Interestingly enough, he told me something I didn't really know. When I told him that exercising was hard because my knees hurt so badly, he told me that the key to losing weight was not exercising, but instead the key was in counting calories. "a-ha moment!" He went on to say that if I kept my daily calorie intake no higher than 1200-1400 calories (1800 for guys), then the weight would come off by itself. (I just wish I had followed this all this time...oh well....it just means good news for the future! :o)

2) I can control the pain in a few different ways:

a) Taking 2-3 ibuprofen (200mg.) 3 times per day, on a regular basis.

b) If that didn't help, then I could take a medicine just once a day, called Meloxican.

c) If that doesn't seem to help, there are injections that I can have in my knee. One is a gel that will lubricate my knee joints and will last 10-12 months.

d) And if all this fails, the very last resort would be knee surgery. (don't wanna go there)

So, I have begun my calorie-counting and am taking 2 ibuprofen, 3 times a day now. I've decided that I want to carefully and closely monitor my blood pressure while taking all of these medicines. I'm just funny that way, I suppose....I just know how meds can mess up a body, and I don't like taking meds and try not to if I can. Thankfully, my BP has remained normal so far.

So.....the new journey officially begins....

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
and sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
and looked down one as far as I could
to where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
and having perhaps the better claim
because it was grassy and wanted wear;
though as for that, the passing there
had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
in leaves no feet had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence;
Two riads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less travelled by,
and that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost

Blessings,
-t

If we don't change the direction we are headed, we will end up where we are going. -Chinese Proverb

I am afraid.

I am afraid. I am a whiny baby when it comes to doctors and needles. I am going to have my knees looked at by an orthopedic specialist tomorrow afternoon. I am so afraid. I mean, just look at the size of that needle in this picture, and look at how far it goes in!!!!! I am already crying. I am scared.

Yes. I'd really appreciate your prayers.

My appointment is at 3:30 tomorrow afternoon.

Thanks.

There's no place like home...

Forgotten God, by Francis Chan

The Awe Factor Of God - Francis Chan

When Sin Looks More Enjoyable Than God

...big changes are coming.

Donut & I have some BIG and MAJOR changes coming over the next 3-6 months. These changes will be quite shocking to some people, especially to our kids and family. I believe these changes will be really great. We are very excited. More news will follow soon.....and no hints will be given. ;o)

Ann's Blog

If you have some time today, please stop by and visit Ann Voskamp's blog. Her blog entries for the past few days are so good and heart-touching. Hope you enjoy her blog as much as I do, and hope you're blessed by her words.

Love-ly

It's a lovely day today. Hope you find your day full of love, kisses and hugs. :o)

God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. -1 John 4:16

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. -John 13: 35

Let all that you do be done with love. -1 Corinthians 16:14

"But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise." -Luke 6:27-31

Hope you all have a Love-filled day.....xoxo :o)

Just one of those days....

Going to my secret hiding place.....it's just one of those days. I am thankful...

New and Improved!

Thanks to my sister for making my blog the GREATEST!!!! What would I do without you?!?!? You're the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :o)

Halloween Weekend w/Family

Okay, so this wasn't really my halloween costume, but if I could have been Jack, I would have!! :o)

We had a great time at mom's with mom, dad, Monica, Deona, Everett, Emory, Chris & Kim. We ate chicken fajitas, hot sauce (yum!), rice, beans, and cupcakes!!! Oh yea....and LOTS of candy!! We all had a great night.

It was nice to have a good weekend with Monica, Deona and her boys....it flew by so quickly though. :o(

Can't wait 'til Thanksgiving, when we'll see everyone again.

Psalm 139

I love perspective. I love how it teaches you, brings you peace, and clarity.

The older I get the more I realize how inadequate and flawed I am as a woman...as a person. And yet the older I get, the more okay I am with that. I see how futile and wasteful it is to strive for perfection. There is beauty in my uniqueness.....no matter how weird or different that may be.

I heard recently that people over fifty are found to be happier and less stressed than those under fifty. I think it's 'cause they've discovered the same thing that I'm slowly learning. I think that through their maturity in life, they've learned that it's more restful, more joyful, and more peaceful to love yourself as you were created, than to strive to be someone whom you were never meant to be.

At times I feel like the more perfect I become, the less I need to lean on God. Still, I strive for perfection anyway.....for myself.....for this inner image I had of what it would mean to be the perfect image of "me". What I fail to see is that if I just allow God to work in my life, submitted to Him, tilted my face upward and let Him mold me in His own time, that I would become perfectly as He intended me to be (Psalm 139). Maybe I would reside perfectly in a state of heartache for a while to learn a perfect lesson for my life......maybe I would be perfectly "antsy" and "uncomfortable" as He shifted priorities in my heart......maybe I would feel perfectly "alone" in a season of life so that He could perfect my reliance on Him, my courage, and my self-esteem.

Perspective.

Inadequacy.

Maybe what the world deems inadequate, God deems workable.

All I know is that God created me with a purpose....a vision. I want to fulfill it. In order to do that I have to be who He intended me to be -- whether or not I feel I am ready or perfect.

There is a beauty in that knowledge.....and peace knowing He finds me lovely right where I am.....because He sees the bigger picture.

Pet Peeves

Everyone has pet peeves. What one person can overlook can drive another person completely insane! What another person finds offensive or disrespectful, another can easily offer grace and mercy.

I'm not sure if our pet peeves stem from bad experiences or merely our God-given personalities but they are there constantly challenging us.

Here are a few of my pet peeves:

~ Hearing other people swallow. I don't know why, but it bothers me beyond measure!

~ Hearing other people chew with their mouths open when eating or chewing gum. Gross.

~ Wrinkled up paper. I like my papers to be crease-free and neat.

~ People who cut in line in front of me (in a car) and then wave "thank you". Uh, hello! I didn't have a choice!!!

~ People who don't RSVP to invites....especially family.

~ Girl cliques.

~ Anything wrong with my food...dirty glasses in a restaurant, bugs, discolored lettuce, stinky cheese, hair.....I get grossed out very easily.

~ Sticky price tags that don't come off easily and that leave that sticky gunk on there and won't come off no matter what.

What are some of your pet peeves?

blogging from the parking lot at my HEB

I'm waiting for Donut....he went in to our HEB to buy coffee. :o) mmmm....coffee! And not just any coffee....Dunkin' Donuts coffee!! :o)

Just really wanted to see if I could send/create a blog entry from the blackberry...I think I can!!

More to come later....bye!! :o)

I need to start my diet...

I seriously need to start my diet. I've decided that I am definitely buying a bicycle when I get paid. I don't want to walk....it hurts too much. So, I hope that riding a bike will make it easier on my joints to exercise.Ugh.

Thumbs Up!

Donato's report from his blood work came in the mail today.....everything came back VERY normal. In fact, some of the tests were on the very low end of the normal side! THAT'S "GREAT" NEWS! I'm so happy for him!

Big sigh of relief. :o)

(thank You Jesus!)

mmmmm! Egg Salad Sandwiches!

mmmmmm!!! There's nothing better than homemade egg salad sandwiches!!! Yum! I just had to share....hope you can taste it!!!!!!

Still unpacking and cleaning

It seems like we're never going to finishing unpacking. It's one thing to unpack into a nice, new and clean home.....but we've moved into an older home that needs a lot of cleaning and remodelling. The previous tenants were very dirty. The kitchen is so gross.....all of the cabinets will need to be deep cleaned and painted. We cannot afford the paint until the 15th which is next Thursday.....so all we can do is wait and work around boxes for now.

I really don't mind all the cleaning.....I am just so ready to begin organizing everything and making this feel more like a home. We're not used to having so many closets and space...it's very nice.

Major remodelling projects will be:

• kitchen cabinets - clean and paint


• washroom - clean, seal and paint


• extra bathroom - clean and remove outdated wall paper, repair cabinets and sink
  
• Chad's closet and room - spot paint


• our extra closets in our master bedroom - paint and clean


• library/desk area - build wall shelves for books

I can't wait for everything to be done. And that's just inside. We've got lots to do outside too.....but that's fun stuff! We have discovered a hidden koi pond in the backyard that we cannot wait to uncover and revive. :o) (okay, it doesn't look quite like this, but it's pretty)

Okay.....we're getting to work now....wish us luck!

A New Beginning.....

Donato went to the doctor for a physical today. He had been worried since going to see the doctor for his carpal tunnel. They informed him that his blood pressure was extremely high and they recommended that he go and see his general doctor for a check-up. Donato was very good and called his doctor to make an appointment for a complete physical, including blood work.

The results of his blood work should come back in several days.....and in the meantime Dr. Smith put Donato on Lisinopril, a HBP medicine. He took his first pill tonight.A new life starts for us today. We will begin to:

Start exercising daily.....

Watch what we eat.....

Eliminate unnecessary stresses in our life....

And be there for support for each other.

It's hard to admit that we're now "middle-aged" and that we cannot continue the bad habits we've had all of our lives. But we can do this.

I'll keep you posted with how we're doing on our new lifestyle.

Fourth of July Celebration

We had an awesome weekend with my sister, Deona, Everett and Emory! We celebrated fourth of July with them at their house.....they, as usual, lavished with all kinds of love, comfort, yummy food, laughter and fun! Sunday night we went to watch fireworks down the street from where they live....the night was cool and crisp.....it was unusually cool.....so very nice! We were joined by Deona's sister Dondi, her husband Roy and their boys Jordan and Matthew.....as well as Deona's dad Don, aunt Jackie and Courtney. What a nice and pleasant evening.

Thank you Monica & Deona....for such a good and fun weekend!!!!!