It's a Praise the Lord Moment!

I have had two "Praise the Lord Moments" this week. First (let's hear a drum roll....), after waiting 11 months, our auto insurance company has finally agreed to pay our hospital bill ($2,000+) from our car accident last year!!! To read about the incident click here for part one and here for part two. The other guy's insurance company has also agreed to pay all of our out-of-pocket expenses that were incurred because of the accident. We are getting close to putting this all behind us. Woot-woot!!!Secondly... Well, I have been on work overload this month. I've been working 2-3 days a week covering for my friend who had gone job searching in California and pulling a day or two at the restaurant in addition to my regular daycare hours. So all together working 5-6 days a week, still keeping my evening obligations and nearly going out of my mind. I hate this schedule and earlier this week I was ready to pull my hair out. I want more time to be at home with my family and taking care of my house and my guys. Anyway, just when I thought I was at the brink of exhaustion, my friend calls me and says she is coming home, which is earlier than I expected her to come home and will be able to work her hours at the daycare next week. (Can I hear another woot-woot?!?) PRAISE THE LORD! I think knowing that me schedule is about to relax has given me an extra dose of energy today because I am nowhere near as tired as I was Monday and Tuesday of this week. Another praise the Lord!

I have no picture for this moment.

A Visitor

I just thought you'd all like to know that, according to my "Cluster Maps" app, El Salvador has visited my blog. :) :) Hello El Salvador! Next time you visit, leave a comment! I miss you too!

Two by Two

This morning we found a Jehovah's Witness tract/church invitation stuck in our door. Almost immediately I began to feel guilty because they are doing a better job of sharing their beliefs with my neighborhood than I am. I have lived here for nearly three years, have met a handful of my neighbors and have shared Jesus with only three. My first instinct when Adam handed me the Jehovah's Witness's literature was to say that we needed to go out and share the gospel right away. But a hour later Adam was called to work and I was left home with cranky Josh. In Mark 6:7, Jesus sends out His disciples two by two and I am left here alone. So is it correct, Biblically speaking, for me to wait until I have another believer with me to go door to door in my neighborhood? I would feel safer that way, especially since I don't know all of my neighbors and having someone else with knowledge of the Bible would be wonderful... But I am kind of sad that I cannot go right away, while I feel the urge. Though, to be honest, sharing Jesus Christ with others makes me nervous too, but only because I am afraid of turning them off to my Savior or not saying the right things. *sigh* So, if you all could pray that I have good opportunities to share Jesus with my neighbors and friends, it would me much appreciated.

It's Only a Dream, Only a Dream....

I know it's all a trick. This is a joke really. There are many, many March's in my memory and none of them were as warm and sunny, like it were really June. That's what it has felt like these past few days. Like June. The trees in my front yard have "blossomed". Granted, they are only Maple trees, but they have blossomed, none-the-less. The weather is a tease. 65 degrees this afternoon... I keep telling myself that next week we are going back to snow and cold and wet and more cold. But this lovely reprieve in the weather is much too wonderful. My windows flew open upon returning home on Thursday. I just had to let the nice, warm, fresh air into my house. I love this weather. It is my favorite. Tomorrow is supposed to be 15 degrees cooler. :( Oh well... I tried to tell myself it was only a dream.

A Goal Update

Now about those goals I had set....

I have gone to the gym twice a week for the past two weeks. (!) And I can run 3 miles in 30 minutes. Yes, you may think that stinks, but when I started I ran 2 miles in 30 minutes. Go me!!

I started reading A Family of Value by John Rosemond. If you have a family you should read it. I like it. A lot. So there. (Thanks for letting me read it Mom.)

I have written at least two blogs a week since I set my goals. (!)

I have learned almost no new Spanish words. But my Mom has lent me some Spanish lessons on cd, which I started listening to in the car. I don't like them yet. But maybe I will learn to. I saw some Mexicans in the laundromat today and thought to myself I should give them some of my Spanish tracts. But that was after I walked past, so I didn't. I would've said, "Yo tengo muchos importante informacion para la vida en JesuCristo. Leer esto, por favor." And then I would hope they wouldn't ask me any questions.

Each week I have taken at least two photos of Josh. My goal was five new photos each week, but this week I have failed that. Two will have to suffice. It is better than none.

So there you go. I think that sums it up. Tomorrow we are visiting the church of some friends of ours. There will be a special speaker speaking on marriage and families. I am excited.

I "Created A Table"

It was suggested, so I tried it. I'm not sure if we sat any longer than usual, but the pleasure of seeing such a presentation was obvious for all to see. I may not have many spectacular pieces, or even the properly matching sets. I am short one black mug and my only bowls are chipped and cheap. I'm not complaining or asking for replacements, but merely stating that a beautiful table is not necessarily matching pieces of china or extra fine glassware. I believe it is the arrangement of the settings, lit candles, place mats (whether colorful, plain or made from napkins), a tablecloth, and knowing that someone took the time to make your dinner special. The dinner guests were pleasantly surprised, my husband told me I was silly (in a loving kind of way) and the pleasure of going the extra mile was all mine. And Josh thought it was someone's birthday.

*See Jessica's blog for my inspiration*

Missing: One Pair of Red Shoes

Adam basically told me I was insane today. That is because I am developing "detachment disorder". Whether that is a real thing or not, I don't know. I think I just made it up. Last week my *FAVORITE SHOES EVER* broke, and in a moment of self-denial I threw them away. After all, they were unfixable and almost worn out. See, I wore them at least four times a week (during somewhat warm weather when the snow wasn't over three inches deep) for the past year and a half. I had bought them at Payless Shoes and was almost sure I'd be able to replace them, as I had seen them there somewhat recently... (Christmas time?) Yesterday when Adam and I were in Syracuse, we stopped in at Payless Shoes only to find that the shoes were discontinued and only random stores had a select few left. For instance, that particular store had one in size 6 1/2. Yeah, well that wouldn't work for me. No other stores in Syracuse had them. When we arrived back at home, I called a local Payless. They thought they had one pair, but turns out they couldn't find it and no other local stores had them. We went to Buffalo today to visit Grandma, so I called the local Payless Shoes there and they told me only two stores in Buffalo had them and I knew Adam wouldn't drive me that far to get them so... yeah. I'm sad. These were the perfect shoe. They matched nearly everything I wore. Whether it was casual or dressy. The red color was perfect. I am feeling a detachment growing. I miss my red shoes. Maybe you have a Payless Shoes near you and maybe they have size 8? Okay, maybe not, but maybe, just maybe, there will be another perfect red shoe out there somewhere, waiting for me, waiting for my size 8 feet.

Wanted:

*letting down my guard*

This is a post about friends. I have a hard time making new friends. I am fine at meeting new people and holding civil conversations and even having casual friendships with people. But I have a hard time getting close to people. I realized this past week that all of my close, buddy-type friends are friends that I have known since before I turned 16. These are the select few I will call most often, that I look for to hang out with, and that I can let down my guard with. It's not that I don't want new friends or feel like I could have a connection with someone I may have met more recently. It's just that I don't know how to go from saying hi at church to inviting someone over to have girls' night or out somewhere fun or really having a heart-to-heart talk. Or is this just part of growing up? Is the time of being "bosom-buddies" just part of childhood and when you grow up, you just can't get as close as you could if you were still kids? Is a close relationship only possible with family and childhood friends? Or is this something that I have to work on? Being more open and vulnerable, putting myself out there and getting out of my comfort zone... Because I think I may need some new buddies. Not that I'm getting rid of any old ones, but when your old friends grow up sometimes they move far away or sometimes they are too busy. Sometimes they see things differently and sometimes they have kids that monopolize their time and energy. What is your take on the issue? I know you may not believe this about me, but I think it is true. I build walls, though unintentionally, and I want to know how I can climb over them. Or is it that when you grow up, and you have a new friend, you don't necessarily need to laugh loud and make crazy faces without feeling incredible stupid about it. But that friendship takes on a more civil tone, being older and more sophisticated... ?

It's Just Criminal

I don't know about that Josh-kid who has taken up residence with us. I'm not sure he's entirely trustworthy. Just today I caught him in the midst of three major criminal acts, punishable by at least a few days in prison.

First thing this morning I caught him streaking.Then he was seen talking on his cell phone while driving.

And thirdly, he committed defacement of public property.

As his mother, I am just beside myself. Thankfully the first two offenses were only observed by myself, and caused no long term harm. But the third infraction had to be dealt with. The library was called and a new puzzle was ordered from Amazon. Now I will have to stash any and all writing utensils somewhere out of reach and we will have to postpone anymore library trips till the offender has grown out of this scribble-on-everything stage.