100 Things About Me

Okay I passed my 100th post without even realizing it. So this is really my 102nd post. When you hit 100, you are supposed to post 100 things about yourself. I am not doing 102. This was incredibly hard. I hope you don't fall asleep reading it.

1. My middle name is Dawn
2. I have been mistakenly called Jennifer by several different people over the years. I must look like a Jennifer.
3. I have 2 brothers.
4. I have one sister.
5. I love to read.
6. I hate math.
7. I have a hard time convincing my oldest child that math is not bad or hard!
8. I could not pass math in college so I dropped it. Twice.
9. I did not graduate from college. (That had nothing to do with math though.)
10. That does not bother me at all. I do believe it bothers my parents and my husband.
11. I love staying home and taking care of my family more than anything else I can imagine.
12. I love to bake.
13. I like to cook-even though I am a picky eater.
14. I hate when I cook something and my picky kids won’t eat it.
15. I have lived in 9 states.
16. I hate moving.
17. I have a hard time making friends.
18. My best friend is my husband.
19. I am not very social.
20. I would love to learn how to sew.
21. I would like to learn to can food.
22. I don’t like cooked vegetables very much.
23. I love potatoes.
24. I could live on potato chips—until the grease and fat killed me.
25. I am trying to give up potato chips.
26. I am also trying to give up cheerios snack mix—my new substitute for chips.
27. I don’t like sports.
28. I hate to garden.
29. I hate all yard work.
30. I am not an outdoor girl at all.
31. I also don’t like animals.
32. Because I hate dirt. And germs.
33. That is the number one reason we have no indoor pets.
34. I also hate to clean.
35. But I spend a good portion of my time cleaning.
36. I have at least 5 books about cleaning and home organizing.
37. My favorite books are the Little House on the Prairie books.
38. And the Bible.
39. Also Gone With the Wind. The book is better than the movie.
40. I love the movie Gone with the Wind too. Even though it is different than the book.
41. My favorite book of the New Testament is probably James.
42. Old Testament is Psalms.
43. I wish I could sing. I can’t. I sound awful. Ask anyone who sits near me in church.
44. I sing anyway. I love to sing praises to God.
45. I love Jesus.
46. I love to read to my kids.
47. It is shameful how little I do read to them.
48. I once argued for the “right to choose” even though I do NOT believe in abortion at all. I am probably more ashamed of that one “conversation” than anything else I can think of.
49. I am not a feminist.
50. I am ashamed to say I have never voted in my life.
51. This year I AM voting! I got my absentee ballot yesterday and am so excited!
52. Some days I do not turn on the TV at all.
53. The one TV show I have to watch is Army Wives. It fascinates me to see how crazy they portray Army life. Although some of it makes me cry because it is real.
54. I love fall. It is my favorite season. I miss fall in WV.
55. My favorite “church songs” are Amazing Grace and I’ll Fly Away.
56. I love so many praise and worship songs I could not name just one.
57. My favorite food is pizza. Or maybe potato soup.
58. My favorite sweet is chocolate chip cookies—homemade.
59. My favorite fruit is strawberries.
60. I love aprons.
61. I love my sister and I wish I could talk to her everyday. She is 10 years younger than me and was only 9 when I got married. Now I wish we lived right next to each other and were best friends!—love you Wendy!
62. I love babies.
63. I am terrified of frogs.
64. Someday, when my kids are all grown up—I would really like to go help Operation Christmas Child distribute gifts in another country.
65. The only other country I have been in is Canada.
66. I wish I could make a quilt. (Have to learn to sew first--#20).
67. Before I had kids my shoe size was 7 ½. Now most of my shoes are size 9.
68. I have never been ice skating.
69. I have never been skiing either—snow or water.
70. I have been whitewater rafting.
71. I think cable TV is one of the worst things to happen to our society. I think it is a major reason for the decline of morals.
72. I still think the internet is awesome though. I love being able to look things up instantly.
73. I know sometimes I don’t make much sense.
74. I don’t care though, because I also have some pretty strong convictions.
75. Sometimes when I voice those convictions, I make people mad.
76. I hate having people mad at me.
77. I hate speaking in public.
78. Every year I make “speeches” in church to push Operation Christmas Child.
79. For a girl, I don’t think I cry very much.
80. I hate sad movies. Maybe I don’t want to cry.
81. I also hate scary movies. Refuse to watch them.
82. You probably already knew this, but I love to move furniture. My husband thinks it is a sickness.
83. I don’t have a favorite color. I like blue and red and brown and pink and purple.
84. I sleep under a down comforter. Even in summer in Texas.
85. I hate shoes.
86. I love socks.
87. Being a mom is the only career I ever wanted to have.
88. In December I will have been married for 20 years.
89. We waited 9 years to have kids.
90. I am 30 years older than my son. That is how I remember how old I am!!!! Yes, I forget.
91. I have much more patience with babies than 5 or 6 year olds.
92. I have never been farther away from home than I am right now in Texas.
93. I like to vacuum.
94. I am always late.
95. I hate roller coasters. My kids love them.
96. My favorite flowers are daisies, sunflowers and pink roses. Flowers are too pretty to just pick one.
97. I procrastinate a lot.
98. I spend too much time on the computer.
99. I wish we had an office so the computer was someplace where I did not see it all day and be tempted to get on for “just a minute”.
100. I am glad to be finished with this list as I don’t usually like talking about myself!

Sunday

May the words of my mouth and the

meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

God bless the teachers

Today I volunteered at the schools for a little while. It was interesting.

K had snack today so I needed to take it for her. Also I decided that maybe letting them all sleep a little later on Thursdays might be a good idea after being out to church on Wednesday nights. So I let them sleep at least 45 minutes later than usual and drove them to school. Since I knew I was going to drive them, I arranged to volunteer in K's room and then go over to E's school and help there also. You know, if I am going to get up at 6 and actually get showered and dressed, I need to do more than just drive 15 miles and back.

Well I don't know that I was much help to the teachers, but I was once again reminded how I never wanted to be a teacher. I never thought I would be very good at it. Any time I go to school that decision is confirmed as a good one.

The kindergartners were better than I expected. It wasn't wild or crazy or anything like that. There is one girl in the class that K calls the "mean one". This girl had to be dragged to the principals office the first week of school. She was not doing anything the teacher told her to from what K said. She even refused to walk to the office, hence the dragging. This girl was not doing her math and so I tried to help her. She said to me "Will you just go away!". Okay. No problem. But she wasn't disrupting anyone else, so I hope for the teacher's sake she is adjusting to school. I would hate to have to deal with mean little kids. I suspect there was something a little "wrong" with her though. That is mostly what I would not want to deal with. I just don't think I could take the heartbreak of it.

Last year then I went to a pre-k party I sat next to a little boy who is hard to describe. He broke my heart. He could not talk. He wore a bib and diapers. He fed himself, making the worst mess I have ever seen. I am not sure what his disability was, but it was severe. He was not given attention that I thought he needed--there was a whole classroom of other kids, I know they can't focus on him--but why was he in there? It just broke my heart. What had happened to him? Why did his parents not keep him with them? Did it help him or hurt him to be in a regular class? I know I am no one to question any of those decisions. My point is, I could hardly stand it. It broke my heart.

Today after being at K's school for an hour or so, I went to E's. 3rd grade was okay too. Love the teacher. But right before lunch something happened there to break my heart too. The class was interrupted by someone. The teacher sent the class out for a bathroom break and off to lunch a few minutes early so she could talk to one little girl alone. CPS was there to pick the girl up and take her away. She took all of her stuff out of her locker and the teacher gave her a beanie baby to take with her. The teacher said she is never coming back. The teacher was upset and heartbroken to lose the child, but she said it was definitely better for her. I have no idea why and would not dream of asking--I am sure they would not be able to tell me anyway.

But when I left I wanted to cry. I walked out to the car and prayed for that girl. I have prayed several more times since and will several more. It breaks my heart. What kind of home life did this child have? How bad could it be to be taken away so suddenly forever? It obviously needed to be done. I am glad she is out of the situation whatever it is. I pray that whatever happens to her now is all good. I pray for whoever ends up with her will love her and take good care of her. I pray that God protects that child and comforts her. No matter what it was like before, I am sure she is scared. I pray God helps her. I pray that her life gets better, that she learns to know God and love him and trust him.

How on earth do you people stand it? I know I have several people reading this who are teachers, who work in the schools. You have stories I would not want to hear. I can't stand it. It makes me want to hide under a rock with my children protected around me. I guess the only way you could stand it at all, is to hope that you are doing something to help kids or make their days a little better, or take care of them at least a little. God bless you all. I mean that. I pray God blesses you and strengthens you and uses you to help these kids. I am very glad that so many of you take on that challenge to go out there and work with, teach, and "deal with" other people's kids. Thank you!!!!

Sunday

"And we pray this in order that you

may live a life worthy of the Lord

and may please him in every way;

bearing fruit in every good work,

growing in the knowledge of God"

Colossians 1:10

More birthday pictures

Sorry I am slow. But here are some more birthday pictures.

Got a scooter. It is pink.

Isn't she pretty?

They both are!

She was so thrilled with that singing Hannah Montana card from Mamaw P! It was her favorite thing.

My baby is six today

Today is her birthday! She is very very excited to be six. She wants to be bigger. She woke up this morning and said she still feels five. She wanted to know if she was taller.

Yesterday we went to Wazoo's. Don't know why it is called that. The kids loved it. Two hours and they were exhausted.





Will have more pictures tomorrow. Maybe she will look taller and feel six by then.

Sunday

Because of the LORD's great love

we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness

Lamentations 3 22-23

No hurricane here

Just thought I would check in and let you all know we are fine here. We are just to the west of the path. We are supposed to get winds around 30 mph. I am really not sure if we are going to get any rain at my house. Sometimes the radar looks like it is going to completely miss me. If we get any, it will not be bad and we need the rain.

Just in case, because you never know, I have prepared. Everything is cleaned up in the yard. All the porch furniture is pushed back out of the wind and rain. And we have our supply of bottled water. We will be fine here.

Just wanted you all to know not to worry about us. There are lots of people who could use your prayers though!

Will check in again later!

Relationship and Joy

This is something I wrote for our church newsletter that is coming out next week. I wanted to share it here too.
****

What is a relationship? One dictionary says a state of connectedness, a connection or association, especially an emotional connection. Just knowing about someone, being acquainted with them is not a real relationship. In a relationship, you must spend time with another person, talk to them, and know them well.

You cannot have a friend that you do not ever talk to or get together with. If you do not talk to your spouse or spend quality time together, you will not have a very good relationship.

With my spouse, I talk to him, I want to spend time with him, I think about him often. It is very important to me to do things for him and to please him.

I grew up with Christian beliefs. But I do not remember hearing people talk about “having a relationship with Jesus”. If I did ever hear that phrase, I am sure I just took it as being saved and that is all. I grew up thinking that all you need to do is believe in God and Jesus, go to church on Sunday, and be good. Very simple and basically true. You do need to do those things.

It was not until a few years ago that I finally found out what having a relationship with Jesus meant, and how important it is. I use to wonder how some people managed to be so committed to their faith. I wondered why some “fanatics” were the way they are. I wondered what makes people different like that when I believed in Jesus too—I just didn’t get extreme about it. But some of those people were ones I genuinely admired. I still admire people whose faith shines out from them, people who you can look at and see their love for Jesus. I did want to be that way, I just didn’t know how.

Relationship. That is how. You must spend time with God-in prayer. Get to know Him well—by reading His word. Think about Him during the day—you can’t just go to church on Sunday and not think about God again until next Sunday. I think about Him during the day—is this what He would have me do or say? Or I am asking Him to help me or forgive me many times throughout the day. I want to do things for Him, things He would want from me, to be an example of Him to the world. I want to please Him—that is my biggest prayer. If I please God, then I am doing what He wants, being what He made me to be, doing His will.

I certainly do not think that I am a super-Christian. Some days I think I am a really bad one! Every day I do things that I know displease Him. Some days I don’t read my bible. Some days my prayers are all short and don’t include all the things I know I need or want to pray about. I am definitely NOT perfect. But I DO have a relationship with Jesus now. That relationship is what now gives me a joy and peace that I never knew before. I have been called fanatic now. My greatest desire now is to know Him more, please Him, and for His love to shine out from me for others to see.

Do YOU have a relationship with Jesus? Have you been neglecting Him? Make sure you are connected to Jesus. I believe it is the only way to have “the joy of the Lord.”

Happy Sunday

My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Psalm 62 1-2

A recipe

I found this soup recipe on the Internet somewhere and thought it sounded good. I made it for lunch today and I loved it! The kids would NEVER eat it, but I will definitely be making it again for myself. There is no fat and lots of fiber. So yay for a healthy lunch!

Refried Bean Soup

2 cans rotel (I used mild because I am a wimp)
2 cloves garlic minced (used jarred kind because I was lazy)
1 cup onion, finely chopped ( I always keep chopped onions in freezer)
2 cans fat free refried beans
3 cups fat free chicken broth, divided

Combine rotel, garlic, onion, and 1 cup of broth in a large pan. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Stir in beans and remaining 2 cups of broth. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often.
Makes 10 1 cup servings. (I halved the recipe.)

If you want to make it even better--but more fattening, you can top it with shredded cheese or sour cream, or even crushed tortilla chips. Yummy and very filling.

I think like my sister would really like it (so try it W!). A good lunch to take to work!

Prints

Luke saw the safari pictures. He asked how many scratches the deer with the big horns put on his truck. I had to laugh. Those deer horns (okay, antlers, whatever) were nothing compared to this.




This guy circled the truck several times, but he never touched it. See how close he was? I was pretty nervous. I was wondering how I would tell Luke, "Yes, honey, the truck does have scratches all over it, but it wasn't me, it was a wild animal!! Really!" Yeah. Sure.

Thankfully, there are no scratches. I promise!

BUT, there are a LOT of slobbery animal lip and tongue marks. Eeeuuuu gross!! I am hoping for rain from the storm to come and wash them off for me--it isn't looking good though.

This guy is the only one who did not leave prints on the truck. He was so tall, he could reach anything he wanted without touching the truck--including the kids. They could not get away from him. This is exactly when they said "Drive Mommy. Drive!!" And so this is when I had to answer that I could NOT drive because there was a zebra in the way. So I really DID say that!

Okay, no more animal pictures. Promise. For now anyway.