a great weekend

As it gets closer and closer to summer vacation, it's harder and harder for me to transition from weekend to work week. And with great weekends like I just had, it's really hard to get excited about going to work tomorrow.

we walked from grandma's to the deercamp. he sucked that upside down pacy all the way.

Friday night, Lovey and I went to eat in Pine Bluff. If you're from around here, then you know that there aren't many choices. We ended up at Chili's - one of the few places with a bar. It's always so crowded and so slow that we hate going there. But this time we found a few seats at the bar while we waited on a table, we had good service, and the food was pretty good. Believe me, compared to the last few times we've tried it, it was 5 star equivalent.

he and cousin katie had the best time playing together in the wagon.

On the way home, my niece texted me asking what I had planned for Saturday. Honestly, I hadn't decided at that point. It wasn't until the next morning that I knew for sure that I HAD to take the dogs for haircuts. Jake was getting mats, they were both hot, and it had gotten impossible to keep the floors clean from hairy little paws tracking through the dewy grass and then across the gravel road. And Saturday morning after I went for a run/walk, I decided to take them out for a walk without leashes. They both found a mud hole to plop down in when they got hot and then came in and plopped on the cool concrete floors. That's when I decided what I would be doing.

such a pretty horse.

After dropping the dogs off, I joined Brooke and Eli and we went to the "Cowboy Up for Cancer" fundraiser. Each year they do a trail ride then meet at the deer camp for lunch. There's a band and a silent auction. Several of the employees from PBNB work very hard to make this a success. I just go for lunch - no trail riding for me.

just hanging out at the trail ride

After picking up the dogs, Brooke and Eli joined us for supper. Grilled chicken and mushrooms, twice baked potatoes, salad, and bread. Brooke made a chocolate chip cookie cheesecake for dessert. It was delicious. We spent the night just as we had spent the day - laughing at Eli. He is such a mess. And every day he has a new trick.

i have no idea who this is. saw her heading to the pond and grabbed my camera.

Of course, Sunday means family lunch at Nannie's. And again, Eli was the center of attention.



i just love this

How was your weekend? What did you do? How do you plan to top it next weekend?

pretty typical where i live. do you ever see this?

how would you rate it?

I sit here this morning enjoying a President's Day break from school. I must get up and moving soon - it's going to be a busy, busy week for me. I've got a two day Benchmark committee meeting in Little Rock in the middle of the week, and then a weekend youth conference in Rogers. I'll leave straight from school tomorrow, come home on Thursday to switch bags, head out again on Friday, and return home, exhausted, sometime Sunday evening. Today I have to get laundry done and bags packed.

But I'm ready to face the busyness. My weekend was good. My Sunday was great.

Last year our church and community were in constant prayer for Mrs. Clara as she started her recovery from a liver transplant; yesterday she sang a special in church. She looked beautiful and healthy and a bit blurry - many of us were looking at her through thankful tears.


And then UMY at night. We had so much to discuss - last minute info about our upcoming trip to Veritas 2012. T-shirts aren't here yet. There is a one bag limit. Times for leaving and returning. Where we'll be staying. All on top of our lesson.

Brooke and I were a little disappointed when we realized that several of the kids weren't coming. Some were out of town for the long weekend. Some had gone to WinterJam. It just all landed on one night - the night we needed everyone there. That's the way it goes sometimes.

And then the lesson started. And we realized that even in this (especially in this?), God was in control. I was cleaning up after supper as the lesson started. I could hear the kids naming the things that are important in their lives and then ordering them 1-10. Of course, they put God at the top of the list. But there was some discussion about where everything else fit. And then someone mentioned that God doesn't want to just be at the top, separated and isolated; He wants to be a part of it all. Shortly after that I was able to join the group. We discussed our personal relationship with God - on a scale of 1-10, where would you rate your relationship? And that's where it really kicked in. Honest answers from everyone. Discussions about the difference in praying our words and listening for God's words and knowing that you are in God's presence and wondering, hoping, longing for that feeling again.

About those t-shirts we are waiting for - Brooke and I let the kids plan what they wanted for the design. They are very simple. A cross and flame on the front left shoulder and on the back a Bible verse. Chosen by the kids. With no fluff. No artwork to distract for the words.

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12

And what an example they are!

And if you still don't believe that God is in control of it all, let me just give you this. We left church last night with our minds on our personal relationship with Him and longing to make it better; we are returning this weekend to our statewide youth conference. Since our first visit to Veritas last year, the kids have been ready to go back - always speaking of how they felt God's presence at the conference last year. And last night's lesson that worked to focus our hearts and minds? It probably should have been done about two weeks ago. But one Sunday a few weeks back we had some bad weather that forced us to cancel youth and send the kids home early with no lesson done. And then last Sunday, Brooke and I were just wiped out after a full weekend of banqueting and let the kids know that we wouldn't be meeting for youth on Sunday night.

I never cease to be amazed.



i'm back

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've posted something. I've almost forgotten how. I have thought about writing something many times. I have even picked up the computer to do so a few times. But I just didn't do it.

Just like I haven't put up a Christmas tree. Or wrapped the presents. Or made the Christmas goodies.



I took this one.

Don't go thinking that I given up on Christmas all together. I have done the shopping. And I've made several things that I'm excited to give as gifts (of course, I can't show any pictures yet). And I did make dipped pretzels and wrap seven presents tonight - that's a start.

and this one.

Oh, and I helped with the Christmas program at church last Sunday. It was great.

Very simple and sort of old-fashioned. I just loved it.

Just before it started, I gave my camera to shove my camera at my cousin Samantha. She has a very artist eye, and I knew she would get some interesting pictures.

Here's my favorite.

My niece Brooke and her sweet baby, Eli, as Mary and baby Jesus.

thirty days of thanksgiving 6

When your children ask you, 'What does this ceremony mean to you?'
- Luke 18: 26

Come children! Listen to me! I will teach you what it means to fear the Lord.
- Psalms 34:11

So now, children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.
- Proverbs 8:32

Tonight's youth lesson took some thinking. For the last several weeks we have used a house analogy, and tonight that analogy moved to a toolshed.

You might ask, "What does a toolshed have to do with God?" Believe me it took just a few minutes for us to get there too.

There are tools for all kinds of jobs. As a matter of fact, there are very job specific tools.

Tonight's question: If you were a tool, what would you be?

The idea? That tools work for us.

We are a tool for God. What work do we do for Him? Do we use our talents for Him?

What if we don't know our talents yet?

I think my talent could be leadership.

My talent is making people feel better when they are sad.

How do we know when we have a talent?

What if we are scared to use our talents?

When we share about our Salvation, we are working for God.

When we are chastised for our beliefs but stand up for what we believe in, we are a tool for God.


Those kids have some thought-provoking conversations. And an amazing FAITH.

Father, I thank you for Jacob, Megan, Laynie, Darian, Kaitlyn, Blair, Chandler, Caleb, Sarah, Delaney, Hannah, Chandler, and all those who join us for UMY. What a blessing it is to study your word with these amazing kids.  Thank you for the leadership that Brooke provides each week. I ask that you lead us in the direction that draws us closer to you. Enlarge our territory, Lord. Allow us to be a well-worn tool in your toolshed.

a weekend review

Last week was 9 weeks testing. I had the great idea of assigning a narrative writing assignment for my 9 weeks test. Students got the prompt, information, and rubric on Monday. Final drafts were due Friday. Grades have to be uploaded by 8:00 Monday morning. What was I thinking???

All week I dreaded the grading. I knew my weekend would be spent indoors, pen in hand, papers in lap. Saturday morning Lovey asked what I had planned for the day. I thought maybe he needed me to run an errand for him, so I told him that I would grade one class's papers and be ready for a break.

He had a great idea. So I got busy grading those papers, and he took off to complete some job or another at the chicken. I was just finishing with my 8th period papers when he came back.

We got on his motorcycle, rode to town, had burgers and a beer, and spent an hour or so relaxing. It was great. And what a beautiful day for a ride.

While we were eating, I was tagged in sister's status. It was a call for help. This is homecoming week, and Lulu needed help with dress-up days.  Lovey dropped me at her house; we discussed it a bit; then headed to back to town for supplies.

We got suspenders and some cute buttons for her nerd day costume.

Today, I made her trashbag/duct tape softball uniform to wear on Tuesday. Lulu and Brooke helped. It was my first attempt at this type of costume, and we just had to make it up as we went along. But I'm pleased with the final product, and I think Lulu is too.

Wednesday is Disney character/superhero day. I've started on her Jessie the cowgirl chaps. I've got tomorrow night and Tuesday night to finish.  (I'll post pics of her in the outfits at school this week.)

I came home Saturday night and graded one more class set of papers. This morning I graded a few before church. And I finished the last few just a few minutes. My grades are in, and it's not even midnight!

The next week is my Abby's homecoming; she finds out this week what dress-up days she has. Wonder what I'll be making next Sunday?