New Poll Results

Attention everyone.

The question has been answered. No more sleepless nights.

The most annoying phrase or word in the English language is "whatever." In case you were wondering, Marist College did a poll on 938 adults, and they were the ones who picked the most annoying word or phrase.

Apparently my top annoying word didn't make the cut for the five annoying phrases the adults picked from. Hmmm. Maybe I should conduct my own poll. Surely I can find 938 adults to ask.

What is your most annoying phrase or word?

For the record, if I never hear the (non)word "tumped" again, I'll be okay. I think it's a hybrid between "tipped" and "dumped," but I'm not sure.

There. Now your day is complete. You now know the most annoying word. Be sure to sprinkle it liberally in your daily conversation.

One person can make a difference...

I recently read an article (online, of course) that described 50 things that the internet is killing. You can read the entire list here. It's kind of an interesting little article, and a great commentary on how things are changing around the world because of technology.

Any-hoo. It seems that I am guilty of helping the culture to kill #5 (punctuality) and #50 (lunch break - seriously, when was the last time I left my desk to eat???). I found one thing that I simply cannot let pass without comment.

#43. Solitare, and it's counterpart, Minesweeper. The internet is killing solitare and minesweeper. Let that sink in a moment, shall we?

How in the world would I have spent (or wasted) hours upon hours of my precious time in high school, college, graduate school and beyond without these two games?

So, today, take one for the team. One person can make a difference, you know. Double click on the deck of cards, just once before bed tonight. See how many mines you can find before you blow up. Practice makes perfect. If you fail, then try, try again.

Just a note: I'm definitely doing my part to help clean up the mines of America. And save Minesweeper. Maybe we should have t-shirts made...

The End of the Story

So I'm in a bloggy-funk, but I've gotten enough snarky comments from the three of you people who read me on a regular basis to protect myself from further snarks, and go ahead and post.

I was waiting until I got pictures up and going, but that's going to take too long, and this (non-photo) blog as been rolling around in my brain for a few days now.

I love good endings. If I invest a few hours of my life reading a book* or watching a movie, it's got to end well. That means: the guy gets the girl, the wedding happens, the baby is born, the family lives happily ever after. If it's not happily-ever-after, I don't wanna know about it. I see too much of the not happily-ever-after in real life. I read or watch movies to escape.

So, having the former in mind, I'm switching lanes. Fear not, I'm still on the mountain, I'm just meandering a little.

A girl I knew in college lost her younger sister to cancer about a week ago. The sister shares a birthday with my brother. I don't know why, but that made this hit closer to home. I knew the sister in college (it was a really small college). I didn't know she was sick until after she had passed away. Her story was too brief. The end of her story was unexpected and tragic. And crappy.

And yet, the ending was victorious. It truly was happily-ever-after for her. (See, I told you I was still on the mountain.) We are all to finish the race well. We are all to strive for the goal. She just beat alot of people to the finish line.

Our victory is assured. We don't have to wonder about the outcome. We don't have to be anxious about the end. The battle is won.

There is a happy ending here. Even in the midst of feeling unhappy.

*If you're not like me and let your books end not-so-happily-ever-after, Sea Glass by Anita Shreve is good. It's just not happily-ever-after. Definitely not.

Same Ol', Same Ol'

There have been no posts for the last month. It's because there's nothing going on. It's too hot to do anything but stay inside and work the same two days a week, pay the same bills, do the same laundry (or not), dust the same furniture (or not) and think about hitting the eliptical.

I will post photos of Project Wednesdays at some point, we've gotten lots of work done.

Kim and I are headed to Austin today and we're thrilled. We'll be learning more about teaching kids the Bible. Can't wait to get to Austin and start learning!

Hope your summer is going smoothly and the air conditioning bills are not too high! Thank God for rain!

Happy 9th Anniversary to US!

9 years

108 months

468 weeks

3287 days

78894 hours

4733640 minutes

284018400 seconds

of happily married bliss.

I love you, sweetheart. I love planning to spend the rest of our lives together. It's been a ride, and I don't want to be on it with anyone else! I love you!

My 30th Birthday!

For my 30th, we kept it low key.

I went out to a new (to everyone else) restaurant. It ended up being new to me, too. Their menus are different in the restaurant than from catering, apparently. It was yummy, though, and different from our regular fare.





The following weekend, J and I went north to Dallas to celebrate with the Dallas family. We had a good time, and got to enjoy a wonderful evening together with lots of cake and ice cream.




The next 3,654 days will be more fun than the previous decade, I hope. I can't wait to see what the 30's hold for me!

Tim says it best. Enjoy, and enjoy your next 30 years!

Thoughts on Life

Recently I have seen a few things that made me think...

When you pick up a dog to puppy-sit for a "little while" and they give you a 20 pound sack of dog food, what exactly does that mean? How long will we be keeping this dog?

I recently saw a television show in which the main character figured out the physician in the show was an imposter because she cared about her patients and she had readable handwriting. He called the FBI, she was arrested. I may be in trouble.

I recently saw a news article (okay, more tabloid-y than news-y) that asked if Someone Famous was pregnant because she just traded in her teeny-tiny purse for an extra large sized purse. Really?? I'm glad no one's commenting on the new extra large purse I just got. I'd hate for anyone to think that I'm pregnant just because my purse is big. My purse...I don't know why non-mommies can't have big purses. So far I've carred a Bible, wallet, lipstick, notebook (full sized), a stethescope, bottle of water, yogurt, a spoon, sunglasses, keys, cell phone, 3 pens, business card holder, and 20 hours of continuing education in my purse. And there's still room.

So there are my thoughts. Not really deep or noteworthy, but there they are.

What I did on my Memorial Day vacation...

Memorial Day was super busy for us. I had plans that included J working Friday, but earlier in the week J told me he was thinking about taking Friday off. Ooookay. And what would we do with the extra day, you ask? Something romantic for our 4 day weekend, you ask?



No.


J decided to use his 4 day weekend to add value to our house. He wanted to landscape. Major landscaping.

Here's the before pictures of the west side of my house:










First, we take up the grass from the side of the house. Can you tell whose job it was to stack the grass?













Second, we went to the nursery (nurseries, actually) and picked up the plants we were going to plant. All 45 of them.






Step three is to plant these plants in the ground.






Here's a secret - plant the plants, then have the dirt delivered. Then you don't have to dig through it when you're digging the holes for the plants. For our reference, one yard of dirt is as much as our truck can hold. Literally.











We got the dirt spread out and the sprinkler system installed and the mulch put out. It only took us three days to do all this. It looked GREAT!!


















There were a few rain delays - like 5 - but we didn't let it stop us. That's right, we worked in the rain. It's dedication, or maybe just getting tired of working and ready to be done with the project. Let's go with dedication.









And, while we're at it (he says) let's start on the east side of the house, too. Ya know, since we're working on the west side and all.


West side finished product.







Oh yeah, and adding a few gardenias to our front bed, too.








We (He) decided that a 3 day weekend was a great way to spend landscaping. I don't know if he got a memo that the weather is HOT that time of year. I do think that by the end of it, he remembered.



The new flower beds are very lovely and we can't wait a few years until they grow up and we can really enjoy them. J has already started asking about when we can finish the east side of the house. I did promise his mother that I would wait and have some gardening for her to help with when she came next, whenever that may be, so maybe she can help with that. The more the merrier!

Having a Mary Monday in a Martha World

Monday I drove to B, about 100 minutes from here. This was a special trip, a fun trip where I got to spend the whole day with a dear friend who had moved far away (but, thankfully, not too far). I got there about 10 in the morning.

That's when the fun began.

When I got there, she offered me water, which I gratefully accepted, and we headed out to her back porch. Where we stayed all day, leaving only to grab sustenance (which we ordered to-go and ate on her back porch) and grab her daughter after school. I love my friend, and I love her back porch. The weather was just right, even a little chilly initially, for a day in the shade.

Over the 10 hours I spent with this wise and wonderful friend, we touched on every subject you could think of. I left her house encouraged, refreshed, and energized. We had laughed, shared heartache, struggles, and victories.

What did I cross off my to-do list Monday? Nothing. Not one thing. I had also monopolized my friend's day, and she didn't get much done, either. Was it a wasted day? No! I know if I'd been at home, I would have had plenty to do. But instead, I was able to slow down and be still.

I need more days like that...

Weight Watchers, the bootlegged version

Weight Watchers, Week 1

Well, we decided to do it. Take the plunge. We're both ready to really watch what we eat and get rid of this extra poundage. We're just not ready to pay WW to do it with us.

Sooo, we got some help on line (you really can find ANYTHING on Ebay) and planned a menu. We were ready to jump into this WW thing full force. Except actually attend WW meetings.

So, by day 4, I had lost 3 pounds by conscienciously counting points. Wow. Not so hard to do. Then the weekend came. Lets just say things didn't go as planned. At least I was still down 0.6 pounds by the time Monday came. Down is the right direction. Homeboy lost 6 pounds. Eating the same foods, making the same bad decisions. Oh well. At least we were both down.

His snoring is better, which means I'm sleeping better :)

I am giving myself the same peptalks I give my patients - don't give up; you put it on slowly, it will come off slowly; if you fall off the wagon at lunch, don't wait until the next day to get back on, get on now; if you fall off the wagon, exercise 10 more minutes that day. Hmmm. They are much more motivating when I say them to other people than when I have to internalize them.

And also we signed up for a half-marathon in November. The training has not started. Which is a bad thing. I'm trying to remember (as I'm craving chocolate) that it's easier to do a half-marathon with less junk in my trunk.

Stay tuned for further updates. I'm looking for more weight loss than 0.6 lbs, but at least it's going down!!

Call me a cheater...

I realize I have been absent from blog-world for a few months. My friend and I have been caught up in a never ending project for the last three months. But, contrary to it's name, this project did have an ending. I will pass the project off this evening. So I have spent some time today to catch bloggy world up on what I've been up to. Since I know you're wondering.

So, please feel free to link to the following blog posts to catch up on the previous three months. I feel like I'm coming out of a hole... and there's sunshine!

Feburary: MasterFollies, Lubbock
March: Spring Break, LC
March: Teacher's Workshop, LC
April: Bible Bowl, Abilene
April: AB visits, LC
April: The weatherman said there would be some storms, LC

Enjoy! And hopefully I will be a more regular presence in bloggy world again!

Two Victories

I wouldn't call them large victories, at least in the cosmic sense, but they were a big deal to me. So here I share:

Those of you who know me, or have read some previous posts, may know that I get lost easily. Very, very, very easily. I am the reason Garmins and Magellans were invented. I don't have a GPS system, so hand written directions are my only navigational guides. I still get lost alot even with those. Even with places I've been alot.

BUT, yesterday I went to two new places and once old place a new way, and I didn't get lost twice. Whoo-hoo. Yes. I don't know if I was really lost getting to my first new place, but I sure didn't know where I was. Turns out the exit is named Monroe, but if you turn right, the street name changes to Winkler. Whatever. As soon as I figured out that I was on the right street, and all I had to do was turn around, I stopped hyperventilating. I'll definitely call that a win!

And, for the first time in more than a decade, I have a sunburn. I know this seems strange to be a victory, but I have had a skin condition for more than 10 years that prevents me from spending more than a few minutes in the sun before I start getting hives. Over the previous month, I could tell that, for whatever reason, my condition was going away. So I have done trials in the sun, and have had success. So yesterday, I took the plunge. I sat in a hot tub with a friend, and got crispy. NO HIVES!! I know I should still be using my big floppy hats and my shirts with SPF 75 in them, etc. But I have spent 10 years trying (and failing) to convince myself that I liked being whiter than snow (my skin, not my soul!). I think I will smile as I go slather aloe on my crispy skin now. It feels good to have a little color on me.

Just a preview: we are taking a television fast this week. So far, it's been a success, and we have enjoyed it alot. But you're only getting one point of view - the one who wanted to do it. We'll see how it goes this weekend with no television. And in case you think we're going too far, realize that all our shows are being Tivo'd, so we can catch them next week. HA!

Why I'm Glad to be a Texan

Fields of Bluebonnets









Dublin Dr. Pepper






Blue Bell Ice Cream - Yummy!





Governor Rick Perry

I Have Never Done This Before,

but there's a first for everything, right?

I protested today.

When you watch(ed) the news tonight, you might see TEA parties there. There were some already being covered at lunch today. I was at a TEA party - Taxed Enough Already. We were protesting excessive taxes with excessive spending by our federal government. We were protesting federal government programs designed to take the autonomy away from individuals. We were protesting federal government infringement on states rights.

I was woefully unprepared in my first ever protest, except for my camera. No home made sign, no American flag, no bull horn, no American Revolution-era costume. Just my body, giving silent support for those who did come prepared.



We were set up right across from the post office in a little community not far from where I live. There were approximately 70 people in the parking lot when we got there, which was late. Very late.

We saw upside down American flags, being waved and wielded by young children.

*side note: Upside down flags mean distress. Whether on a ship, in a state, or waved by a child, it means distress.*

We saw multiple home made signs, decrying one or another government program meant to make us safer, healthier, happier, but that will ultimately be burdensome to the American people, and infringing on our personal rights.

We saw people with newspaper cameras there, but no news crews.

We saw many, many people drive by and yell words of encouragement or support. The community was obviously in favor of this particular protest.

And what protest would be complete without John Phillips Sousa playing in the background? I can't make this up.

Apparently those of us who protested in any state, in any way, were classified as right wing extremist radicals, according to a report out today from Homeland Security. I am now a terrorist, I guess. Middle class, tax paying, law abiding terrorist. It's a label I've not had before. I'm not sure I believe it, but it was on the radio. It's got to be true.

My friend (who went with me) called her husband to let him know we were protesting. He gave us 3 rules: 1. No violence. 2. No cursing (that's so like us) 3. No breaking the law. (I added 4 and 5, No calling him from jail, and No television cameras, respectively.)

My friend's husband also gave us our sound bites: We're interested in protecting the city and state government from infringement by the federal government. We're here to draw attention to the message that the American government cannot just print more money to fund its projects. There must be accountability and transparency.

So that was part of my afternoon today. You can go here to see what another local community did yesterday as a part of their TEA party, organized much differently than ours was. You can also go here to see where ongoing protests near you are taking place.

I never saw myself as a political activist. But there's never been something that's been so big to me. Please keep our government covered in prayer. That's being an activist, too. And God can affect change in sweeping ways we cannot even imagine.

The weather man said there might be some storms

April 11 we had some doozies sweep through here. Apparently these weren't on anyone's radar, they just popped up. We knew slight chance of rain, but we didn't know how much. Here's the damage...

This was about 20 minutes after the rain started. We had three cars in the driveway because we had Bart's there, too. Hmmm. We had to do something...

See the truck down the street? And in the next one, too.

See the fire hydrant?

This photo has my neighbor's SUV in it at the back of their driveway.

The moat behind our house...

J has been telling me for 5.5 years that there is no way to get a car in our garage. But let me tell you that when threatened (by nature's storms and his wife) there is a way!

See AB in the photo? (She's the tiny head). She wanted to go to the beach. We obliged. What gracious hosts we are.

The water in my back yard was half way up Bart's calf.

We had neighbor kids swimming in the street. I guess it was safe, at least from cars. But, ewww.

We did have some roof/ceiling damage from this. Same place as the hurricane, if that tells you what the wind was doing. Regular rain doesn't make it inside my house, but driven rain does. We had more flooding with this storm than we did with Hurricane Ike. Puts it in perspective.

AB came to visit!!!

We finally talked AB into coming!! We've been badgering her for months to come, and finally wore her down! Yay!

She loved it here. She really wanted to go to the beach, but she wasn't able to, because of the weather. So we brought the beach to her. Photographs of that amazing sight later.

Hannah helped her eat. Both of them were pleased with the results. We forgot to keep an eye on the dog while we were feeding the baby. Ha!

AB started crawling 4 days after she visited. Stinker. She's mobile now, and that means mom and dad are on their toes alot more these days!!

Sunday...

The life saver swing... Our dear friends J&K S let us borrow a baby swing and a pack and play for AB while she was here. Let's just say her pampered tush didn't touch the pack and play. She's a swinging kind of girl... We did really get alot of use out of the swing. She even slept in it!

Laugh with me: J told AB's mom and dad, we'll take the baby for the night and come get you if we can't console her. Ya'll sleep. Seems sweet... Somehow the baby ended up on my side of the bed in the swing. Hmmm. Then, when she got up in the middle of the night who did not stir one eyelash? My sweet husband, who volunteered for this mess. Ha! He says he stirred, but saw that I was up with her, so he just stayed asleep. No sense in both of us being up with her...

Sunday, we were watching AB while her mom and dad napped. She was a little tired and cranky, so I put her to sleep. J coughed riiiight when AB was juuust asleep - at that golden moment when anything can wake them. And it did. Grrr. Fuzzball just ran away. I was stuck putting the baby to sleep again. Which didn't happen, despite my best tricks.

Our next door neighbor came out to see what that awful racket was (we were outside to give my bro a break with the noise). Literally, as soon as S got AB, AB stopped crying. As soon as S gave AB back to me, AB was crying. It was so TV show, it was funny. So S and her two daughters came and had a picnic on the front lawn with me and AB. We hung out together for about 2 hours, which was the first time that's happened in a long time.

We love grass!!

We loved having her come visit. I hope to get a photo of me holding AB, but the only one J took I was in my jammies and not looking too hot. So, I'll post one later.

AB, we can't wait to see you again!

Bible Bowl

There's not alot to say about Bible Bowl this year.

We took a great group of kids to Abilene for ACU's final Bible Bowl. I've been going since I was 12 or so, taking a few years off for my college education. Now, I'm taking kids.

It was a good year for us. Our group was really cohesive, and got along well. We did have fun.

We stopped at BlueBell Creameries on the way up to Abilene. Yummy! We got to tour the plant, and got a sample of their ice cream at the end.

After the test, I give whoever beats my score $5 cash. I try to make a big production out of it, and the kids seem to like it, especially since I'm a little competitive and it means they beat me. One girl beat me this year; she was the one who tied last year and she was a little upset that tying didn't rate the $5. This year she beat me (by two points) and earned her $5. Her sister tied me this year. I think I may be out $10 next year...

We let the kids stay up as late as they want on Saturday for two reasons: 1. so we can give them a bedtime on Friday night before the test, and 2. it makes it so they sleep all the way home on Sunday. Devious, I know. Here we are playing a game I don't remember into the wee hours of the morning. We didn't even get half way. 14 people is alot for this particular game.



We had church in the hotel conference room with some other Houston churches. It's wonderful to worship with new friends, knowing Christ binds you all together.



Big thanks to the V family for making our rockin' Bible Bowl shirts. We all look great!

Since ACU has shuttered its doors to Bible Bowl after years and years, the Houston churches have gotten together and are trying to start up a Bible Bowl of our own. We're looking for churches who have been participating in Bible Bowl for years, as well as churches who would like to start a program that encourages Bible study. If you know of any that would be interested in starting this program, with plenty of help from us, of course, please let me know!!

We wanted to thank the elders for allowing this trip, and for supporting us through this ministry. They've been great! We pray it will continue into the future as a ministry that encourages memorization of the scriptures.