Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Merci, Mes Amis!

Thank you, my friends, for the birthday wishes, whether it be through technology, phone calls, dinner at PF Changs, or any other means. It was so appreciated and brought a smile to my face.

My mom and dad came to town yesterday, so we were able to spend some time with them tonight at my aunt and uncle's house here in Arlington. My cousin and I share a birthday, so we got to hang out a little bit as well.

Despite some hiccups earlier in the day that I won't go into, it ended up to be a wonderful day!

Je suis ainsi béni!
I am so blessed!

Monday, February 25, 2008

Random Pics

Have I mentioned Rosie is not a morning dog?

Mmmmm...not really an afternoon dog either...


One of my favorite flowers

The new, older us...kind of oxymoron-ish, wouldn't you say?

Sunday, February 24, 2008

is it just me?

There is a plaque that we sell at work that reads this:

Love is a many splendid thing.

Is this bothersome to anyone else besides me?????

Anyone?....Anyone?

Saturday, February 23, 2008

What a Week!

It has been a weird week! As I mentioned before, Dan and I were both sick all week. I took off Monday and Tuesday, which is rare for me, but I didn't use any of my sick days last year and lost them, so...I was sick, that's what they are there for, so I used two of them!

Wednesday I had a visual training meeting in Frisco, so I wasn't in my store that day. Then Thursday the visual trainer visited my store, which was weird for me since I hadn't even been in my store since Saturday! It went well, though. He pointed out some things for us to consider changing and gave us some basic standards in building displays. Then I was off on Friday and worked today on implementing some of the changes the trainer suggested.

I do feel better than I did earlier this week, but this cough just keeps hanging on. Anytime I get winded or really active, it sends me into a coughing fit, which makes me have to pee. Not that you wanted to know that...sorry...TMI.

Oh! Random thought...have you ever had the capresi salad from Carino's? It's the one that has tomatoes with mozzerella cheese and balsamic dressing. It is ssssooooooo good! Well, I attempted making it the other day, and it was really good! I mean, there's not a lot to mess up, but I did add spices and made the balsamic dressing, so that counts for something, right?

Oh, well...

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Sick

Well...I guess it was too good to be true to think that we could get through the holidays and flu season unscathed.

It caught up to us.

Dan has a sinus infection and the flu. I have a sinus infection and bronchitis, but they're treating me for the flu as well. Between the two of us, we've had three shots, and seven prescriptions...just the prescriptions (for five days) alone without insurance would have been almost $500. Isn't that crazy???

With doctor co-pays and prescription costs, we still had to drop an unexpected $180, but when we compare it to what it could have been, we get really thankful really quickly.

One positive thing that we learned through this is that the urgent care clinic that we went to lets you register on-line and stay home or at work or wherever through the duration of your wait time, then when they are ready for you, they call you and give you time to get there. We still had to wait in the lobby for about 45 minutes to an hour, but that's better than the 5 hours we would have waited had we just walked in to the lobby without pre-registering.

Yeah...good times...

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Thoughts

Today was a long day. I got up at...well, my alarm went off...at 3 am and we left at 5 am to attend a 10 am funeral in Snyder, TX. A good friend of our family passed away Saturday. F.R. "Bear" Williams was a cowboy at heart, rancher by trade, lover of people, communicator of the Word.

Bear and his wife, Jo, lived in Snyder, but occasionally would come to San Angelo to do some shopping and take a few days off. Everytime they came, they would come by the store to visit with me and give me a Bear-hug. He didn't believe in one-armed hugs from anyone.

This man was 81 years old when he suddenly went to be with Jesus...do you know what he was doing? Mending fences. Add hard-worker to the list.

Bear's son, Danny, preached the funeral, with some help from Bear's brother, Bull. Not sure what his real name is.

Bull said something today that got my attention. His son, who is also a pastor, called him one day and was asking a question about the account of Jesus walking on the water. He asked his dad what the purpose was of that being in scripture. He couldn't find anything in any commentaries and it was perplexing him. Bull told his son that he knew the frustration because he'd had it himself. Interested, his son asked him if he ever found out the answer and was surprised when his dad said he had.

"Really? Which commentary was it in?"
"None of them."

He went on to explain that to find the answer, he did what he always did when he needed an answer to a question about scripture. He took his Bible, put it on the floor, got on his knees, and began to pray. When it comes to the reason why Jesus walked on the water, this is what he felt the Lord impress on his heart:

"You can't go where I can't get to you."

Jesus physically proved to them in scripture and to us today that no matter where we are He can get to us, and if He can't get to us then there's no way we can go there.

That is for every one of us. He will walk out to your boat in the sea of despair. He will break down the walls that have been built up around your heart. He will trek the miles of sand and heat to get to the desert place in which you've been dwelling. It doesn't matter if you have sick babies, crying babies, no babies, adult children/parents far away, lost teenagers, little money, a lonely heart, a wavering sense of purpose...whatever sea you are in...He will get to you.

He will get to you.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Things are Good...

...but I miss my friends.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Three posts in one day...really?!?

Will wonders never cease?!?

Just wanted to let you know we made it safe and sound to our destination...home in Arlington!

I'll be working in Lake Worth (I start Monday), so the drive will be about 30 minutes, depending on traffic. That's really not bad for this area. When I worked in Waco, we lived in Temple, and that drive was 45 minutes. So, I know I can do it...I've just been spoiled for the last 2 1/2 years in San Angelo!

We really like where we have the trailer. It's in a residential area about two blocks from a Super Target, four blocks from a mall, and about a mile from PF Chang's!

Does it get any better than that???

Yes...you all would be here, too! ;)

Li'l Man Jacob

Crys, I hope you don't mind me sharing this story, but it's too cute not to!

We stopped by C's house last night, and right before we left, Dan and Jacob started playing cars. Jacob was standing on the couch facing the back, and Dan was behind the couch. The back of the couch was the "race track".

They sounded like they were having fun, so I walked around to the back of the couch and started playing along.

Evidently, this game was just for the boys, but Jacob was too polite to come out and say it.

His car fell behind the couch, so I picked it up and started racing it, as Dan had been doing. It got knocked off again, and Jacob crawls down from the couch and yells, "I'll get it!"

So he runs around the couch, picks up the car at my feet, turns around and says...
"Here, Dan!"

So, Dan and Jacob continue playing cars. I'm standing there with my hand on the back of the couch having fun (ahem) watching, when I feel my hand being run over by Jacob's car while he's making the car sound. Without missing a beat, this is what I hear:
"Vvvvvrrrrrrrrmmmmmmm, Vvvvvvrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmm, move, Vvvvvvrrrrrrmmmmmmmm, Vvvvvrrrrmmmmmm."

At first I wasn't sure that's what I heard, but later on the way home, Dan confirmed to me that really happened. We have gotten several laughs out of that today.

I love that little boy.

Peace Be Still

Everyone knows how windy and dusty it has been these last few days. We were really worried about how it was going to be pulling the trailer today.

Last night as we were pulling up to the trailer, we had just talked about how we hoped the weather cooperated with us on the way. As the conversation came to an end, the wind was literally howling. A thought came to my mind, and before I had a chance to open my mouth, Dan said was I was thinking...

"Jesus, you spoke the words thousands of years ago to the wind and waves, and you can do the same for us today...Peace be still."

It didn't happen right then, but when we got up this morning to head out, there was a breeze, but no howling winds. I took this picture out by where we stayed as a reminder.

Thank you, Jesus, for being the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.