Can I just say....?

I think my Texas politics professor is Chuck Norris's brother.

This dude is hard core, and let me give you a few reasons why.
By the way, it took almost an entire class session for him to give us his resume.

He's a marine.
He's a pilot.
He's a scuba diver.
He worked on Capitol Hill.
He worked at NASA.
He worked in the Texas Capitol.
He is a park ranger for the eastern part of Alaska.

Oh! And he's a professor at three different campuses.

I have a feeling this class will not be boring.

Goodbye, Christmas break.....

Hello, spring semester!

As much as I have enjoyed being out of school, working part time, cooking, and being the occasional lady of leisure, it's time to go back to school.

Truth be told, I am looking forward to the routine. I tend to be more productive when I have a routine....and I am less prone to snacking.

Ah, there's the rub!

It took me three months to lose ten pounds last semester and about five weeks to put it plus five more back on! Evang-elastic-ly speaking, of course. I've not gotten on a scale but I can feel it. UGH!!!

So, since my classes are mainly in the mornings, getting out around noon, I will have coffee and a granola bar for breakfast. On days I will stay on campus to study or for my afternoon lab once a week, I will have carrots, string cheese, and an apple for lunch. This way, I am not spending money for lunch on campus and they do not require refrigeration or microwaving. Plus, I have my handy reusable water bottle that I fill with my Brita water system I started using last semester. I love that thing!

Dan and I will also be taking advantage of using the campus gym, although he is doing very well on his own. He's lost about 25 pounds. I'm so proud of him! He's looking good! We finally had to break down and buy him some new jeans because I told him that it looked like his jeans were gathered in the back because his belt was so tight.

So, that's our health care plan we'll be working on. As far as classes, I'll be taking the chemistry class I dropped last semester, statistics, technical writing, and Texas politics.

Here we go!!!

God is great, God is good.....

Yesterday we were supposed to leave around two for Livingston, TX. We had planned a Fine Arts workshop a couple of months ago with the youth pastor and were so looking forward to it.

Well, as you all know, it's been down right frigid here the last few days. As a result, our water froze night before last. Without boring you with all the specifics, it was apparent that the water pump had gone out in the trailer. As Dan was working on it, trying to figure out what the next step to do was, there was an extremely loud pop out behind the trailer. Scared us to death. I thought it was a gunshot, but it was the transformer about twenty yards behind our house that had blown...and left us and our neighbors without electricity.

By this time, it is two o'clock, and we were already supposed to have left for Livingston. We have no water or electricity. I finally got a hold of Oncore and they sent someone out to restore the power. Dan had been talking to the repair man about the water pump and made arrangements for him to come to the house while we were gone to make the repairs.

We finally pulled out of Arlington around five, not feeling very confident whatsoever.

Kinda defeated, actually.

We came to the conclusion, though, that for all the trouble we had, something good MUST come out of this workshop!

And it did!

It wasn't any one thing that I could put my finger on and say "that" was what made it good, but it was just good! The kids were receptive, and we even got them to sing a song that they are going to perform tomorrow in church. They are pretty excited about it.

AND we found out that the water pump did not go out. The motor had just frozen up in the cold. We have water!

Thank you, Lord, for your provision and favor. You are so much more than I deserve.

For a couple of days...

I'm home!

At my mom and dad's, that is.

Got here this evening, in time for the Tech game, I might add! We will have our family Christmas tomorrow, spend some much needed time with my best friend in Lubbock Monday, then leave again on Tuesday. It always goes by too fast. :(

Speaking of my best friend...
I forgot to mention that she graduated from nursing school in Lubbock on December 18! I am so proud of her. I know most of you don't know her, but Kristi and I have been friends since we were 12 or 13. Our dads are both pastors, we've covered for each other, got in trouble together, we both have an addiction to peanut buster parfaits from Dairy Queen, got engaged and married within 3 months of each other, we actively compete to see who can move around the most (not really, it just seems that way!), and she is my inspiration for going back to school.

Congratulations, Kristi!!!