2007 Recap

Each year I like to reflect back on the previous year and do a sort of recap blog.  Here it’s almost February and I haven’t even thought about it yet.  Well in all honesty I have thought about it but I thought why in the world would anyone want to remember the past year in my life?  I was only thinking how horrible it has been and how much heart ache it included.  But really when I thought about it and looked back through the months worth of pictures stored on the computer I realized there were so many wonderful things that happened as well.  And I’d be selling the year short if I didn’t do a recap and mention all those wonderful things along with the bad.  So here goes nothing.   I hope you enjoy and remember the good things about your past year too.  I don’t really have a plan so I’ll just number them and explain.  Some may be long and drawn out and some may be short and sweet.  Depends mostly on how much I remember which considering the state of my mind lately probably will not be alot. 

1.  2007 was my first year as MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship because I know someone will ask) Leader.  What an honor and privilege it has been.  Along with the honor and privilege also came a few headaches.  The main headache being all the fundraising involved.  Our church is pretty small and there isn’t a ton of money for doing everything these kids deserve.  So in order for fun to be had money had to be raised.  Now I hate fundrasiing more than anything.  I guess that goes back to my high school days and cheerleading.  But one of the fundraisers the youth and I did in February 07 was so much fun.  Not only fun but it ended up raising more money than anything else we did the rest of the year.  It was a Womanless/Cow Beauty pageant.  Don’t ask me where the cow part came from but the womanless is pretty self explanatory.  It was mandatory for all the youth and leaders to enter the competition.  We asked for volunteers from the congregation too and had several takers.  Which might have been a bit disturbing considering how many men wanted to dress up like women and strut their stuff.  As for the girls… We had to make ourselves look funny or ugly to the best of our ability.  How was money raised you ask? Well it was pretty guiness if you ask me…  After each contestant walked the runaway they all went back around the room carrying a bag with their number trying to get as many votes as possible to win.  The votes were money and the winner was the one who collected the most money.  It worked out great.  We made well over $800 dollars that one night and there wasn’t nearly as many in attendance as I had hoped.  It’s too soon to do it again this year unfortunately… But seeing this every few years is MORE than enough anyway… 

2.  In May we did another fundraiser that wasn’t nearly as much fun… I hate yard sales but they had always done one each year and I wasn’t confident enough as a new leader to venture out from the norm just yet so I went along with it.  Not so much this year btw.  For a few months before we collected items and junk from all the congregation.  It was a great way for them to spring clean and for us to make some dough so there was tons of donations… It took nearly 2 night to get set up and then the morning of the yard sale it was pouring rain.  We gathered together and prayed that if God saw fit would he please stop the rain for a few hours.. Guess what? He did and we had our yard sale.  We raised over $500 this day.  For me it was too much work for these old bones.  Yah, sure I had 13 or 14 able bodied kids around but they were not very much help.. As much as I love teenagers they are lazy bums when it comes to manual labor and I worked my buttocks off all day…

  

3.  June was a bittersweet month.  Our pastor of 13 years had to move on to another church and we got a new one.  Brother Ron and Mrs. Joan had been such a major part and influence on my life for so many years it was really hard for me to let them go.  Even to this day I still have troubles with it sometimes.  But God works things in his own way and it’s not for us to question or know why things like that happen.  Maybe Brother Ron was meant to preach at another church for the life of one person to be saved.. And maybe that one person would go on to win many many lives to Christ.  If that means I have to get used to a new preacher and wife then so be it.  I can do that for God.  So.. out with the old.. and in with the new.  Brother Eric and Mrs. Barbara then entered into my life.  I love them both but it’s just not the same yet.  I’m sure in a few more years I’ll wonder how I ever made it without them. 

4.  Four and Five happened back to back but are two very different thing… Allison spent 5 days at the University of Alabama for Cheer Camp in July.  I didn’t go so there isn’t alot for me to say.  I do know that her squad did excellent and won camp champions and brought home many other trophies and ribbons.  Allison also tried out for Univeral Cheerleader Associations All Star squad and made it.  This is a very high honor and you have to be really good to make it.  We were very proud of her to say the least.  Winning All star would affect the rest of our year too but I’ll get to that later. 

The squad being goofy…

When I was looking for this picture of Ally with Big Al (Alabama’s mascot) I found this one of me and Big Al from about 18 years ago at cheer camp… 

5.  The very same day Allison left cheer camp was the day we left to go on the youth trip to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach.  I lost my mind and decided to take 15 teenagers on vacation.  I know I know.. What on earth was I thinking?  Beats the heck out of me.  It was fun but for me not in the relaxing way a vacation should be.  I tried my very best to keep the kids inline and also give them many good devotions about God to ponder, pray and think about as they lay their heads down each night.  With that being said the next time I go to the beach I will only have two kids with me.  The 2 I gave birth to. 

6.  Okay up until now it’s been all fun and games… But here is where 2007 started getting sticky.  I’m in a really good mood right now and I don’t want to bring myself down writing about depressing things.  So if you want to read about my father’s death and his life up to that point read this entry from August 9th…

7.  More Cheerleading… The girls competed at the Haleyville Invitational and of course they won…. By this time their heads are getting purty darn big..

8.  Kelsey got glasses.  Now she is like the rest of this nearsighted family. 

9.  We went camping with my Sunday school class in September.  It was a great weekend full of fun and fellowship.  I am getting tired of writing so the entries are getting shorter.  Hopefully the photos paint a better picture anyway. 

10.  I’ll combine these 2 events… As you can see cheerleading pretty much runs our life.  I’m looking forward to this year because Allison has decided to take a year off before moving up to varsity.  As soon as Nationals are over in February we will get a break..

North Alabama Regionals-  3rd Place

Alabama State Cheerleading Competition- 3rd Place

11.  I told your cheerleading was everything to us… But this time cheerleading paid off in a big way.  Because Allison made UCA Allstar she was invited to be in the Thanksgiving day parade at Disneyworld.  We got amazing group rates and we took advantage of this since we haven’t been on a real family vacaition in a long long time.  We had a blast together as a family and it was just what we needed.  I took so many pictures I’m not even going to try and post them all here.  You can view my Disney photobucket album here though if you want to check them out.  Looking back now I am so blessed for this vacation because little did we know that just a couple of weeks after we returned our world would come crashing down around us. 

12.  Which brings me to the final chapter of my 2007 recap.  Most of you know the story.  I started this blog over 2 years ago when my then 20 year old brother had a car accident that left him a quadriplegic.  I journaled his 7 months in the hospital and recovery from my point of view.  Then we he got home I wrote about his struggles and what I was going through as a part time care giver.  Chuck went from having his back turned on God before the accident to praising him with all he had after he survived what should have killed him and then headed back the other direction as depression over his injury took over.  I journaled it all here.  This was my outlet for stress and worry where he was concerned.  Sometimes the things I couldn’t say to him I could say here.  But I always was able to tell him how much I loved him and he told me too.  On Dec 11th I lost my little brother through circumstances none of us could have prevented or saw coming.  I struggle every day without him in my life.  I’m comforted knowing he is happy and walking again in heaven with our Savior and Lord.  It seems like I’m leaving Christmas out but I’m not really just everything from that day on seems to run together over the few weeks following….I miss him everyday some days it gets the best of me but most days I still manage to smile. 

Thank you to all who have been here over the last year with me.. Laughing, crying and sharing our lives… I don’t know what I would do without this blog & my friends here… Be well and here’s to another great year ahead of us all….

The Choice….

 Wow, I’ve been a terrible blogger for a long time.  I remember a time when blogging brought me joy and a sense of comfort.  It was such an amazing way to release emotions and thoughts.  And also a great journal of day to day activities.  I am so busy that sometimes life gets away from me and I forget to savor all the moments.  Reading back over my blogs helps me to remember and smile or laugh or cry over past experiences.  I want that back.  There is still so much going on in my life that needs journaling.  It’s hard to decide where to begin with this one and I’m sure I will leave important stuff out but I’m going to give it my best shot. 

 Let’s see… My blog started to taper off around the first of November when I started working on “The Choice”…. What’s the Choice you say? Well let me tell you about it.  Our church does an annual drama or judgement house type thing.  It’s a scene by scene experience.  Over the years we have had many different subjects.  Whatever the best idea the Lord lays on our hearts is what we try to do.  We have had plays about 9/11, car accidents, the return of the Lord, and last year our focus was on letting God help you through the difficult times.  I think I blogged about it last year.  Chuck was a main character and gave his testimony.  Thinking back it’s so hard to believe the difference just one year can make for a person.  He has changed so much.  Anyway, back to this year.  I wrote the script last year and therefore everyone sort of nominated me to write AND direct this year.  Unfortunately the subject did not reach out and grab me like it did before so I asked for help with ideas.  Once the ideas started pouring out so did my words.  It’s a wonderful message and so perfect for all the things that are going on in this area right now and many other places as well.  God is so good when you just ask him.  Lately I haven’t been talking with Him like I should.  It’s crazy how I know when I’m not so much backsliding but stepping out of the light and yet I still don’t do anything about it.  The Christmas season always puts me back where I should be.  Back to the Choice. …. I thought ya’ll might wanna see it. 

Now keep in mind we are not actors.  Just a bunch of church folks trying to glorify God.  And I am no filmaker.  The message speaks clear though in spite of us.  It’s rather long so I had to break it down into four 10 minute videos.  If you can take the time, sit down, watch and LISTEN to it.  If you can’t spare 30 minutes and you have to cut something out during the second video Holly, a young lady from church, gives a wonderful testimony about her struggles with drugs.  She is the only person who was not playing a part.  Hers is real however it does run a little long.  So if you MUST cut out you can skip over some of that.  But if you can listen to it, you will be blessed.

I was completely stressed out for an entire month about this.  I spent practically every night for 2 weeks doing something up at the church.  Writing, decorating, directing, practicing.. By the time it got here I was ready to pull my hair out.  But then that first night we had 50 people waiting to go through on opening night.  Over the 3 nights it ran (November 9-11) we had over 177 people walk through.  Ten people chose to accept God into their hearts because of this.  That makes it worth it all.  So I sacrificed a month, Jesus gave his whole life….. 

If you look closely and pay attention you will find Chris, Kelsey and Allison in the video but not me because I was filming.  Enjoy and I’ll be back in a couple of days to update on more including Disney…

Quickie

Hey Everyone.  I’m so sorry I left on such a bad note.  I’m doing fine.  I appreciate all the concern.  Wow, I didn’t know you guys loved me so! It must have been what the doc said because after a few days on the antibiotic, I felt like myself again.  If the pain ever does come back like that again tho, I promise I will head straight to the ER. 

I haven’t updated because I have been so busy.  We had our annual church drama and I wrote and directed it.  I have a video of it that I’ll try to get posted soon.   That kept me busy, busy and more busy over the last few weeks.  Things have calmed down finally and tomorrow begins my well deserved vacation and our long awaited trip to Disneyworld!!!! The kids are so excited and I don’t think I could be more excited if I was a kid too.  I’ll take tons of pics to share with you all when I return. 

I hope you all are doing well.  The holidays are here already and it’s so hard to believe that Christmas is just a few weeks away.  I miss you all and if I don’t get a chance to come tell you all in person I hope you have a wonder holiday season with your loved ones. 

For now I’m out…. see yuns when I return… OH YAH I almost forgot—-Today happens to be my 33rd birthday!!! I’m spending it doing my favorite thing in the world- relaxing with my family..

Love,

me 

Overdue update

Where to begin….
 
I had to look back through my pictures to remember what all as been going in my life over the past few weeks.  Let me begin with last night and go back.  Wait, let me go back to Saturday night.  I had 12 teenagers come over to the house for a bonfire.  I was even shocked that my brother rolled back as well.  He even sat through my talk with them about how we are all sort of like vampires. 
 
1.  We are afraid of mirrors.  It’s not that we scream in fear when we look into a mirror.  It’s that we don’t like ourselves.  When you look into a mirror what do you see? Are you afraid of seeing who you really are?  Weak? Addicted? In desperate need of love? Someone who will do anything to be cool? 
2.  We are afraid of the light.  Light has a very distinct purpose- it exposes things and makes reality clear.  God’s light exposes the truth- and that can be scary!  Think of the Titanic.  This tragedy would never have happened in the daylight without fog because everything would be clear.  John 8:12 says “I am the light of the World”.  The hard reality is it can be scary to live and walk in the light.  But it’s the only way to experience life.
3.  We are afraid of the cross.  When you think of the cross as a crucifix like in those days sort of like we think of an electric chair now.  If Jesus lived in this day and age we might be wearing little electric chairs around our necks instead of crosses.  Maybe the cross is feared because people do not understand its symbolism.  Many people see the cross as a symbol of demands, rules and a boring life.  But actually it is a symbol of love—of Jesus’ amazing love for each of us.  As Romans 5: 6-8 states “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we are still sinners, Chris died for us.”

So that same night we walked in the night air down the lake road (the same one we had the hayride on last year).  I turned around about half way because I didn’t feel right all the sudden.  I’ve been having this sharp pain my abdomen/pelvic area.  True to me I just tried to ignore and went on the best I could never letting on there was anything wrong.  I have too much going on right now to be sick or even slowed down. 
 
Sunday after church we went down to Stephanie’s and watched the Colts on pay per view because they have a new big screen TV.  It’s not normally something we would pay for but Mitch’s (step dad) mom is in town from Indiana and she really wanted to see the game.  I left before the game was over because I had to be at church at 3:30.  I had asked for volunteers to help me clean out the outdoor storage shed so I could get to the decorations and props for the drama I’m directing.  Of course the only person who showed up was the preacher, Chris and I.  So once again I’m hurting but still pushing through the pain and hauling these huge boxes into the church.   

Then we had drama practice and following that I took a few of the kids to another drama at another church.  It was 9:30 when we got home so I went straight to bed because I was hurting so badly the only way I could stand it was to hug a pillow tight against my stomach. 

 

Yesterday was Monday and I took Kelsey and Jake on a trick or treating hayride with 30 other friends and kids.  I wasn’t sure I’d be able to handle the pain but I really wanted them to be able to go so I didn’t say a word and just kept on pushing myself.  It was nearly 10 when I got home and then I cried myself to sleep from the pain while listening to my husband yell at me for being so stubborn and not going to the doctor and pushing myself so hard.  Yah that really made it better.  NOT.  

 
This morning I of course got up and came in to work still aching so much I can barely stand up straight intending to call the doctor and go right in to his office so he can figure out what is wrong with me.  I guess they are too busy because he called me instead and diagnosed me with a severe bladder infection over the phone.  I just don’t think that’s what my problem is but I’m willing to try the antibiotic for a few days and see if it works.   Something has to work because I’m really in severe pain. 

 That’s about it for now.  The next couple of weeks are super busy as well.  Saturday is a big regional cheer competition.  November 9-11 is the production of the drama we have been working so hard on.  Sadly I’m so stressed out about it all I will be glad when it’s over.  I know that it serves God in a wonderful way so I feel like I should be looking forward to it more.  I guess being a faithful servant of God isn’t always promised to be easy and I should be thankful that I’m in a place where we are able to express our beliefs in this way.   

God Bless you all….

Internet hook up

Hey! How’s everyone?  Great I hope.  I’ve just been getting right along in life.  I have a couple of quick updates tonight.  Today I had my first internet hook up!

A couple of years ago on Myspace after only being on there about a month I got this random message from Micheal.  Now at first I thought it was Michael like a guy but then I noticed the ‘ over the E in the name.  Anyway, long story short.  She lives nearby and actually married a guy that I went to high school with and she was looking for a local person to talk with.  We talk for hours and hours for months.  Then my brother had his accident and she purchased a business that kept her really busy so we didn’t have the time to really stay in touch very often but we did keep up with one another the best we could.  Anyways last night she sent me a message saying that she would be in town where I work pretty much everyday if I wanted to go have lunch someday.  I say how about tomorrow and that’s what we did.  After 2 years of only talking online I met my dear friend Cheal in person today! She’s such a beautiful sweet gal.  She is going through a tough time right now and yet she still has the sweetest smile on her face.  I’m really looking forward to spending more time with my cool “new” friend. 

Saturday was Jake’s 4th Bday party.  Whatta cutie!

After eating everyone went to ride Go carts. Jake was so cute in this little one.  Those overalls are just so adorable!

Kelsey could barely reach the pedals but she insisted on riding the big ones that went fast. She did pretty well too.

Allison was trying so hard to pass Adam on this curve..

It was a fun time for us all!

 

I rented 3 movies tonight for some reason.  I just finished watching Evan Almighty.  It was pretty cute.  Much better than the original Bruce Almight I think.  Now I have Reign Over Me (Adam Sandler) and Evening (Clare Danes and Toni Collette) left to watch in the next few days. 

 So I’m out.  I’ll get around to checking in on you all soon I hope. 

My life is so lame!

Here we sit on a Saturday night.  Allison is at a friends and Kelsey spent the night with Stephanie.  One would assume that a married couple who never actually gets to spend time together would get dressed up, go out dancing or something fun and exciting.  Instead we opted, it was a joint decision, to stay home and watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  We started with our favorite episode “Once More with Feeling” The musical one.. Just for giggles I went online to TV.com to check out any mistakes or goofs that we could catch.  I’m such a dork.  Anyway I noticed there was an Easter Egg hidden in season six.  That sparked a whole ordeal of finding all the easter eggs hidden in our dvds.  My life is so exciting.