It is hard to believe

Last Thursday, Chelsea and I flew to Abilene-- via 4 other states (don't ask) with friends to visit ACU. It was ACU's homecoming and a homecoming for me. I have not been to Abilene in almost 20 years! Campus has changed quite a bit but the town...not at all! I found my way around without much help! It was great to see old friends and remember the good old days!

Chelsea's heart is at ACU but she is looking into one other college. Jeremy the ACU recruiter and admissions counselor is working hard on her and for her! Jeremy was great this past weekend! Thanks Jeremy! Lipscomb is calling her almost everyday wanting her to seriously consider them. We are going for a visit after the New year.

Chelsea has decided to major in Nursing. An area I know NOTHING about. I have a cousin who is an ER nurse. Jay's brother is in Nursing school but I know NOTHING about it. When we went to meet with the Nursing program director and talked with her one on one, Chelsea came out of the "interview" and said "I totally see myself here doing this!" I could have cried. I am just so proud of her and who she is.

I would get teary eyed at times over the weekend thinking that I am at this stage of life. I can't believe that in just a few months I have to let my first born go. It is hard to believe.

It is hard to believe that yesterday was Alex's 15th birthday! In 6 months....he can drive! How did we get here?! He has been struggling in school this quarter but has pulled up 2 class grades SIGNIFICANTLY by doing a lot of hard work...it helps that we pulled the t.v. and saturday time with friends. We are proud of him!

It is hard to believe that next Friday Chelsea will be 18. Two weeks after that Jay will be 40!

It is hard to believe...

It's official!

Well, I do believe that #9 won by a majority vote with #2 coming in 2nd and #8 coming in at a close 3rd. Now I can start on Christmas gifts and graduation announcements! Thanks for your help....see why it was hard for me to pick!? She is just beautiful inside and out.

It's been quite a week--we have lost a lot of money with the stock market this week. So much for retiring at any age below 65! But you know what...the Lord gives and He takes away. If He wants us to have it back...we will get it back...if not then He has a plan.

I am starting to stress about making sure I tell Chelsea all she needs to know before she goes off on her own in 9 months. My prayer is that God presents those things and that I can recognize them and put them to good use. There is so much I want to tell her but I feel like things are just spinning out of control...maybe a mom/daughter weekend away would be a good idea.

I could get into politics but I don't wanna...I don't want to hear it from the other side. I believe he is wrong...flat out wrong. I believe that even though he professes to love the Lord but doesn't use those morals/religious beliefs to guide him in his job is just WRONG....ok I said I wasn't going to get into it...sorry....

I am also tired of bullies. Christians who behave like a bully. It just makes me sad...very very sad.

I am very happy that the Biggest Loser 6 is on...it makes me happy...very very happy.

Ok now I have to brag about my kids--They have the opportunity to go to the DR this Dec. to deliver Magi Boxes to the children. Both of my kids came to me about it and we do not have the extra $600/kid to send them...so they are going to forego their birthday gifts in Oct and Nov. and possibly Christmas. They are only asking for family to make a donation in their name to help fund their trip. They said that they don't need or want anything other than to go to the DR and help out there! Jay and I could not be any prouder of them! I of course want to go--but my birthday is not until April! :( I am such a proud mom!

Happy weekend everyone!

Polls are open!

In the spirit of politics, voters making a choice, having a voice and the american way of life! (boy that was a bit much huh?) I am opening myself up to a vote. These are some photos of Chelsea that I took this summer for her "Senior Pictures". She did her normal drape pic for the school. These are for announcements, memorabilia, posters, documentaries for the Bio channel, etc.

I would like to know what you, the voter, think. Help me make my decision! Remember what you decide will live eternally as Chelsea's senior picture! No pressure! Thanks!

The nominees are:


1.
2.

3.
4.
5.
6.

7.
8.

9.

10.

Change is good

My friend Mindy just posted about change! You can find her over on the left under "Team Bedard". I love change to! My furniture tends to get rearranged at least once a year! Well since Suz moved out, I have dying to do something with our basement. 

Over the summer Chelsea has taken some GREAT black and white photos. Worthy of framing...sooooo....I got them blown up and framed....hence the inspiration for our basement! I already have one Ansel Adams print...now we have our own budding Ansel Adams.

My MIL came this week too and she and hte kids cleaned out and the back of my Expedition is PACKED full of stuff to take to Salvation Army or the used book store. Thanks Pat for all your hard work! I love to simplify!

I wish I had before pics but I didn't think about it until we were done. But the walls were a blue kind of like the curtains you see there...so it was dark. We wanted to lighten it up. Teh bathroom was an eggplant purple...I know..I don't know what I was thinking....Sooo now they walls are Almond Chip and Lime Curl!

 So here's the after. I am in the process of getting frames for the final 4 pictures--2 to go by the entertainment center and 2 more to go on the green wall. I am also looking for denim slipcovers for the loveseat and chair. Anyone know where I can get relatively inexpensive slipcovers in denim?

I LOVE a musical

My friend Lisa and I surprised our daughters this past Thursday with tickets to see Mamma Mia at the National Theatre! It was WONDERFUL!!! I heart musicals!! WE bought the sound track and have been singing ever since! Next on our list is Wicked!

By the way, I hope the movie that is released on the 18th is just as good as the musical!

The DR day one

The homes had one main room that might have a table and chairs and a kitchen. There were 3 bedrooms and one bathroom. The shower was separate from the toilet. 
This is outside the girls house. the orange tank outside is the gas that they use to cook with. These homes are very nice by Dominican standards.
Nice dominican homes have concrete floors. A lot of homes only have dirt floors. You are really rich if you have tile on the floors.


You see a fridge in this picture but they are not normally plugged in or used because they don't have consistent electricity. The slogan for this area is "hay luz?" which means "is there electricity?" The plastic lawn chair in the corner of the pic. is what most homes I saw had for chairs.

We arrived Tuesday afternoon and got our stuff situated and had orientation, dinner (delicious rice and beans!) and devo. It was a little unnerving to sleep on a thin mattress with mosquito nets over them. I had Cassey tuck me in! Thanks Cassey! In fact, Cassey or Chelsea had "tuck-in" duties each night for me! I never quite got the hang of tucking in my mosquito net!

We woke up on Wednesday, and ate breakfast...which consists of whatever food items we bring for this. The camp provides fresh fruit! We drink water provided by the camp that is bottled water but contains sodium...so yes, my feet got swollen!

We headed to the children's home that is just up the road to do painting of the houses. The rumor was that they were going to be inspected soon and Brian takes great pride in the children's home and so wanted everything to be just so!

It took my body about 24 hours to adjust to the humidity and only drinking water and sweating like a pig. I just kept drinking and drinking, I did not want to get sick. Our teens were troopers! 1/2 the group went to haul rocks from the river and the other 1/2 painted. We broke for lunch and a little siesta and came back and finished what we had started!

trying to find the words

Here's the group ready to go!

A nice Dominican Road

A nice Dominican house

I haven't blogged about the Dominican Republic Mission trip that I was blessed and honored to have chaperoned.

I don't know how to find the words for the amazingness that happened while there! I will tell you that Fairfax has the BEST teens HANDS DOWN of any youth group!!! I cried everyday watching them be uncomfortable and pushing that aside to do God's work and show the people we met what it means to be a Christian! They were so selfless and unselfish and poured their hearts out in some really nasty situations.

Thank you guys for allowing me to be a witness to that part of your life!

I will try to post pictures and a synopsis of what we did everyday! You will find to the right of this post, the links to the Missionaries who live everyday there--The Bynums, The Wallaces, The Lambs, and The McClouds. I encourage you to read their blogs and pray for their efforts.

Cardboard Confessions-AMAZING!

This is what happens when.....

your neice gets a hold of your camera.





Your son gets a hold of your camera.

Hello--is it me you're lookin for.....

So how are you? It has been a while! Our life has been crazy busy since last I blogged. Many of you  may have thought that I actually fell off the face of the earth. This however is a falsity! Let's see.....In May, I was in our 3rd production of "Defining Moments". We had mother's day, administrative assistant day, organized all of my photos, my mother's birthday, went to see a friend in the "Sound of Music", went to a conference in Dallas, had the Senior Banquet, and then last week worked 3- 12 hour days and went to my dad's retirement ceremony at the Pentagon, went to a graduation party, went to a final concert of a dear friend's daughter. Um...I am a bit tired! I couldn't even imagine what my life would be like if Chelsea were graduating this year.

Jay is working in PA for the next 2 weeks...."it looks good for the bosses" It's fine, we are going to make money off the deal! :)

Chelsea is reffing volleyball games and babysitting regularly now. Which is good, she has her own money! She loves it!

Alex is Alex and will always be Alex. He has decided not to continue with band so Wed. night is his last band concert. We are looking for ways to keep him busy this summer.....other than him going to movies and spending my money.

whew...it felt good to get that all out!

Remembering the Hokies

Hokies you are in our thoughts and prayers today as we remember and honor those whose lives were taken one year ago today.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

A picture is worth 1000 words

This picture is not a staged picture--I promise. My friend Misty loves to take pictures of good food! This dessert was AMAZING and so pretty! So she went to take the picture and I was trying to lift the plate so that you could see the "happy birthday" written in chocolate. As I lifted, the dessert slid! And as we made those faces, Misty snapped the picture!

Raise a glass...

Jay was the best man at his brother's wedding, March 15, 2008. Here was his toast/blessing to Chris and Carrie. I thought it was such a great toast!

It's customary for the best man to toast the bride and groom. It's also customary for an older brother to pass along words of wisdom. Since I am both, I would also like to give them a blessing in place of Dad. When mom found out that I was giving a toast, she knew how Chris and I are and she made me promise to "toast" not "roast"--I am going to do my best to honor that.

Chris and Carrie--I pray that you remember your actions that brought you here today, because your actions make your words reality.

Your mothers have prayed for your mate since you were children, I pray that you remember that when God is the center of your marriage there is nothing you two can't do and your love will grow more than you ever thought possible.

I pray that your good times are plenty, and when the hard times come; and they will, that you embrace them for what they are and allow God to do His work inside of you to make you perfect, complete, and lacking in nothing.

I pray that when the time is right, God blesses you with children. Because nothing fills your heart with more joy and melts the worries of the world away like the laughter of a child.

All through life, I can remember my mom saying "The man maybe the head of the house, but the woman is the neck that turns the head." I see lots of ladies nodding. One day, a few years ago I asked mom if that is were the saying "pain in the neck" came from. I can remember Dad falling on the floor with laughter and mom slapped me on the back of the head. Chris, I pray you learn a phrase that will help make your marriage happier--"yes dear."

Finally God has placed all of these people in your life to help support and guide you; when necessary, stand in the gap for you. So if anyone here would like to join me in affirming this blessing to Chris and Carrie, please stand and raise your glass to them and the journey of marriage they are starting.

To Chris and Carrie--God bless you and Salud!

Praise You In This Storm

They say tragedy comes in 3's. That has happened in our family of God.

This song helps me through. My heart aches tremendously for all those suffering their losses.

*Please pray for the Team of Missionaries in the Dominican Republic.

*Please pray for the family who lost their son.

*Pray for the college students who lost their friend.
http://web.mac.com/coryandlaurabeth/Site/Blog/Blog.html

*Please pray for the family who has lost their husband and father.

*Pray for our country who lost one of it's protectors.

*Pray for the sister who lost her brother.

*Pray

Casting Crowns--Praise you in this Storm

I was sure by now

God, You would have reached down

And wiped our tears away

Stepped in and saved the day

But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls

I barely hear Your whisper through the rain"I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am

And every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand

You never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind

You heard my cry to you

And you raised me up again

My strength is almost gone

How can I carry on

If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls

I barely hear You whisper through the rain"I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes awayI lift my eyes unto the hills

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

The Maker of Heaven and Earth

We're leavin' on a jet plane

Tomorrow we are headed to sunny Florida! My BIL (brother in law) is getting married this weekend to one of the most sweetest girls I have met! I can't wait for there to be another Mrs. Sergio!

On a sadder note, there is a family at church who could use your prayers. God knows why. This family needs peace that only God can give.

Our hearts are with you. We cry your tears and we lift you up to our Lord God who is the ultimate comforter and bearer of our sorrows.

Have a great week everyone! Pics of the wedding will come when we get back!

why can't life be like t.v.

I didn't weigh in this week. My weigh in buddy was not feeling well and I just wanted to sleep on Sat. I really like having the accountability partner and someone to celebrate with me when I get off the scale. So when I didn't get htat on Sat....well, I stayed home.

Why can't life be like "The Biggest Loser"? When I get on the scale, I DO NOT want them to announce my weight but I want the drama of the numbers going down and up and down and up and then landing on the final number and every one looking at me in shock and amazement and then having some say...You lost 2 lbs. and then everyone in the room clapping for me! And the hostess asking me how I feel to be 2 lbs. lighter and have a total weight loss of 14.4 (but since it is t.v. we will round to 15).

Why can't my weigh in's be like that? Maybe I should put that in the weight watchers suggestion box. I bet they'll do it!

update

I thought I would update you all on the recent activities in our house and that will also update you on my last post.

So when last we met-- I was under going some changes!

1. I am doing rather well with my daily bible reading and praying!
2. I am down a total of 14.4 pounds! (since Oct)
3. God is working well in our finances area.... (the dryer saga turns out well!)

On a down note--my son has mono! Not sure how he got it....he doesn't kiss girls!

So to expand on the dryer saga....if you remember from my last post, our dryer started to trip the breaker and we could only dry 1 or 2 items of clothes at a time on extra low heat. It was pain but I wasn't paying a repair man $200 to fix it...we were just going to save up for a new dryer. Well there are some wonderful people at our church who are very generous with their time and resources. As God would have it, they have an extra dryer. They said we could borrow it until the Army relocated them! GREAT! Jay and a good friend from out of town went over on Friday and picked it up and brought it in.

Now the "new" dryer has a 4 prong plug....we have a 3 prong outlet. So Jay and Joey thought no big deal, we will just switch the plugs on the dryers. They did that and I put a load of clothes in to dry! I was giddy with delight that I could now dry a whole load of laundry at one time! I set the dryer up and pressed the button and left the room. We got busy with our out of town friends that evening and I totally forgot that I had put t hat load in the dryer. So Sat. morning I went down stairs to take out the newly dryed clothes.....wrong! They clothes were not dry, the dryer and popped the breaker! Joey then tells me....that he thinks it is our breaker that is broken not the dryer! So he pulls out the old breaker and we go to home depot via starbucks to get a new breaker. We come back and install it and I go to the dryer and nope....it won't turn on!

Frustrated, we went to the spy museum (which is cool!) and then to Bertucci's for dinner and then to Home Depot to get yet another breaker! Joey installs the new breaker and I go to turn on the dryer and NO LUCK!!! And then my leg hits the dryer door! Yes my cognitively higher developed friends...the dryer door was open!!! That is why it wouldn't start! Now the old breaker was bad but the new breaker was just fine!

All I have to say is Thank you Lord for saving me $200!!!

ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

I am not a believer in "new year's resolutions". Why because I don't stick to them. Instead, I believe in life style changes.

My 3 that God has completely convicted me about it:

1. a deeper, daily relationship with Him
2. my weight
3. our finances

So far, so good.....

1. reading my bible almost everyday (I started with Proverbs and James) and then spend about 3 minutes in prayer.
2. down 9 lbs.
3.saying "no" to eating out and other non-necessities. I am clipping coupons again!

But isn't it always like this...I start to make those changes and WHAM! Our dryer starts to go on the fritz! I can only dry one towel at a time on ex low heat. I can only dry about anything one at a time on extra low heat! But I have not built up our "emergency fund" yet to $1000, so we are going to bite the bullet and deal. I am not putting it on credit, we are just dealing!

So life changes are hard and Satan doesn't want you to get your life right. What life changes could you make? I will pray for you in your quest to getting your life right!

HILARIOUS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-8Ihsccknw

I am sure you have seen this t.v. commercial but it is hilarious! I don't know how to post a video from youtube...if anyone knows how...let me know

Thankful

So--I am sure that about a bazillon people will post something today about what they are thankful for and because I very rarely have any unique ideas and I tend to be a follower not a lead.......well you catch my drift.

The one thing I wanted to do this holiday was be just the 4 of us. We almost never get to be just the 4 of us. Suzanne, I know you are reading this and OF COURSE you are "the 4 of us" even though you make 5! Suz is a permanent fixture in our family now. My kids were upset when they thought that she was going to be in town but not with us today. Anyhoo--I told my mother that I wanted it to be the 4/5 of us. That we were going to laze around in our pj's all day and eat and watch movies and then watch the Cowboys win another game! God had a different plan for me today...

I have just come from the hospital visiting one of our families whose 3 year old little girl had surgery this morning. As I am waiting for the family to spend a few minutes with their daughter before she goes to surgery, I am watching all the staff walk to and fro. There are very very few none hospital workers that I see. I am touched by the fact that they are working today. I know that the majority of them don't have a choice. It is their shift to work. Some of them did choose to work today for whatever reason and because of that, this little girl gets to have surgery to heal her from her illness.

This family is suppose to be in Nashville visiting family. Instead, they are sitting in the waiting room with me awaiting to hear that the surgery is going to have done it's job.

• I am thankful for hospital staffs who work on days like today instead of being with their family.
• I am thankful for quiet waiting rooms so that we can talk and try to be comforted during this scary time.
• I am thankful that God shows me what is important and that I can recognize when He is showing me and I listen.
• I am thankful for my kids. They got up when i told them I was headed to the hospital and they cleaned the house for me! The kitchen is ready to be worked in. The living room is free of dog hair and ready for us to spend the day together.
• I am thankful for hugs from my kids when I got back.
• I am thankful for a daughter who has such a great sense of self and not willing to compromise it for anyone.
• I am thankful for a son who is always ready to sing and make us laugh and tell us, what he thinks are the best stories ever!
• I am thankful for my husband who is currently flying back from AL because his been taking care of his family during their time of sadness with the loss of their matriarch (Jay's grandmother).
• I am thankful for a daughter who can drive to the airport to pick up her daddy while I am cooking Thanksgiving dinner.
• I am thankful for clergy signs so I didn't ahve to pay the money to park at the hospital...even though I would have anyway.
• I am thankful for songs of praise that I can lift to honor God daily.
• I am thankful for His forgiveness of all my many many sins

Happy Thanksgiving!