School Is In Session!!

Well tonight is my first night of class for the Spring semester (the first of my last 3 :))!! I had my first experience with a long distance learning class. I've already decided that I like to see my teachers face to face! Watching them on a screen is for the birds. If you want to answer a question it is very awkward! The class that I'm in right now is Texas History. Hopefully this history class will go better than the other history classes I've taken over the years! I have an 8 o'clock class in the morning so I'm not so sure how this is going to go. I already know that this semester will be way better than last year, so for that I am thankful! Hopefully I will be able to keep you all posted better than I did in the fall!
Hope everyone is having a great week!!

A New Year!

It's a new year and of course many people have decided to declare New Year's Resolutions! Well this year I have many! Two main things that I am going to try to focus on in 2011 are weight loss and spiritual growth. The bible study that I am doing is Come Thirsty by Max Lucado. In this study I am trying to focus on how Jesus Christ is all I need and he will satisfy every need!
Tonight is the night that I start Weight Watchers. I have tried this program before and I have had success so I know I can do it again!
Please say a little prayer for me as I begin this journey of weight loss and spiritual growth.

Thankful...

I am so thankful for the people in my life. I wrote a few days ago about a great friend of mine who came to visit last week and today I am reminded of a great friend who I haven't been able to see in a long time. Before Josh and I got married he introduced me to B. Since we met almost 10 years ago, she has been a great friend who, even though we don't talk much, is one of my friends that I feel I am closest to in spirit. We have both been through huge storms and I know I can always count on prayers from her! As I was reading her blog today I was reminded that God loves us so much. Just like me, she has a son in heaven with Jesus. I am so thankful that I could read her blog today and see pictures of her growing family...which includes two sons. One of my favorite songs is Blessed Be Your Name. God gives and he takes away, but all the while we should be shouting BLESSED BE YOUR NAME, because he is always faithful and even though there are things in our lives that are taken away, he loves us so much that he returns that joy to us! I can't tell you how awesome it is to see the joy in B's face again!! I love you B!

Children's Walk 2009

Where Is Your Focus?

Have I ever said how much I love my church??? Well, I do! Every week I am challenged on Sunday morning during our worship service to be a better servant and follower of Jesus Christ. This Sunday we were challenged to refocus our lives on Christ. As I started to think of all the things I am focused on, I realized that God is one of those things but he is definitely not in the little box that indicates the main focus on my camera. This week I am striving to get him there! Some of you are probably a lot like me. There aren't a lot of sinful things (although there are a few) that stand in the way of my time spent with God, but it's things like playing with Ashby, cleaning, watching TV, facebooking, or just being lazy. My goal is to set aside a time each day where I can have real solitude time with God (not just time when I do my bible study while Ashby is running around playing). I challenge all of you to take a few minutes and figure out what it is that is taking time away from your relationship with God, good or bad and figure out how you can change things around a little so you can have a more focused relationship with him.

May we all make a direct effort this year to grow spiritually so that we can be a better witness to those around us and show them just how awesome our God really is!!

Another Step In The Right Direction

This week we got to spend some time with some of our best friends, the Smiths. We always know we are going to have a lot of fun when they get to visit! They are the type of friends that, it doesn't matter how long it's been since we've seen them, it's like we've never been apart! When we lived in Oklahoma, we were at their house all the time and Boomer fit right in with their boys. I think Boomer even thought they were his big brothers. Not long after Boomer passed away, Jessica told me that when I was ready, she wanted some of Boomer's shirts so that she could have a blanket made out of them. Through our grief journey we have been able to share the healing process with many people through many different things. So I am so glad that I waited on Jessica to be here with me to go through all of Boomer's clothes. The second day they were here, we got down all of the boxes out of the attic and went through all of his clothes, from birth to 2 years. I knew that the day I went through his clothes would be a hard day so I put it off as long as I could but i am so thankful that I have now done it and I picked out some very memorable clothes that I will be able to look at anytime I need to. I am so thankful to Jessica and her boys (Chad included) for all of their love and the support they have shown us through everything...we love you guys!!

Goodbye 2010

What a great year! I have so many things to be thankful for that there is no way I could ever list them all! One of the biggest blessings in my life is my husband. I never imagined I would find a man who was as great as he is. If it weren't for him, I would be having pity party after pity party for myself! He always finds ways to remind me how much God has blessed us and how much he loves us. I know that God made him just for me! And then there's Ashby...what can I ever say about Ashby? From day one she has been a huge blessing! She is growing up so fast and there is no way to hold on to today. I am trying my best to enjoy each day and cherish it as much as I can because I know that it will only be a short time and I will be looking back on these days missing them. Then, I have the best extended family in the whole world! I am so thankful for my mom and dad and my brother and sister. They have all loved me, even when I should not have been blessed with their love. They even married some pretty great people! When I was younger, I stood up in front of our church during a testimonial service and told the congregation that I had the perfect family. Even though now I know we all have flaws, I still feel like I have the perfect family! I have the world's best in-laws. Even though I only knew him for a few years, my father-in-law was one of the greatest examples of love that I have ever known. My mother-in-law loves me just like I was her own and I have the best sisters-in-law you could ever imagine! Not to mention they are married to some awesome guys! And what would I do without all of my nieces and nephews? They are all hilarious and awesome! There are so many more blessings would take too long to write about but I am still thankful for each one! I love all of you more than I could ever express. May we all allow God to work through us in 2011!!