"The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow"

"Bet your bottom dollar"

Okay, that song has been going through my head as I am struggling today, so I thought I better think positively, though it goes against every grain in my being right now. Really though, it's not that hard. I've got a lot to be thankful for.

• Emily is reading some words!!!!
• Audree is standing for like 10 seconds completely on her own.
• I have the sweetest husband who takes good care of me.
• My mom is the best!! I wish I could describe for everyone what she is doing for us!!!
• My cast is off which means I will be able to sleep a lot more comfortably tonight than I have been!
• I got to eat at Texas Roadhouse tonight, one of my favorite places!!!
• I have to sit, but I get to sit on my new chair and ottoman.
• I get to watch Frasier tonight.
• I have the best family ever!
• I have the best friends ever!
• I have the best job ever!
• The weather is INCREDIBLE!
• I get to go to Dallas with my girlfriends and go SHOPPING in 5 days!! Can I get an Amen girls?! (Thank you Amy for arranging this!!!!)

Okay, so I feel a little better at the moment!

Good News, Gross News, and Bad News

Thank you so much for your prayers. I had my appointment today.

Good news - I got my cast off and am into a boot! :)

Gross News - I can braid my leg hairs! :P

Bad news- I can't walk on it for 6 more weeks! :(

Needless to say, I am pretty bummed today! If you could keep me in your prayers, please. My worse case scenerio was that I couldn't walk for 2 more weeks, so when they told me 6 weeks, I was pretty much in MAJOR SHOCK!

Why do I have a boot but can't walk? I can put a little bit of pressure on the boot using my crutches for a few minutes each day and have to do excersizes that I couldn't do with a cast to build strength, but that is it. There is improvement, just not as far as what I can do physically. It totally stinks!!! I thought that getting into a boot meant walking within a week or 2. Apparently that is not the case!!!! STINK!!!

The Message

To be honest, I'm really struggling tonight. I'm needing to let go of a lot of bitterness toward someone that has really hurt and betrayed me in the worst way! Let me tell you it is HARD! I am so tempted to allow hate to enter into my life, and I am praying everything in my power to steer away from hate. It is evil and will ruin my life! I went to Psalms for empathy and encouragement. Here is one that I am going to hold on to for the next couple of days!
Psalm 16
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=16&version=65

Hurricane Education By My Daddo

Hurricane Education: What I've learned after Hurricane Ike . . .

1. Frozen dinners and pot pies can be cooked on a BBQ grill.
2. No matter how many times you flick the switch, lights don't work without electricity.
3. My truck gets 16.21675 miles per gallon, EXACTLY (you can ask the people in line at the gas station who helped me push it).
4. Cats are even more irritating without power.
5. There are a lot more stars in the sky than most people thought.
6. TV is an addiction and the withdrawal symptoms are painful.
7. There are a lot of dang trees around here.
8. Flood plane drawings on some mortgage documents were seriously wrong..
9. People will get into a line that has already formed without having any idea what the line is for.
10. When required, a car will float, doesn't steer well but floats just the same.
11. 27 of your neighbors are fed from a different transformer than you, and they are quick to point that out!
12. Clothes hampers were not made to contain such a volume.
13. If I had a store that sold only ice, chainsaws, gas and generators... I'd be rich.
14. Price of a can of soup rises 200% in a storm.
15. Mayor Bill White knows a few cuss words. (Ask the FEMA worker in charge of the distribution point that didn't send the supply trucks out on time when the Mayor showed up for an inspection. Bill's gonna have to explain that one to his Sunday School students)
16. Linemen sleep in their trucks (So they can keep their per diem money. With regular and overtime pay that's about $8,000 a paycheck....NET! Sweet.)
17. Your relatives in other places have more fun than you do after a hurricane. Hurricane? What hurricane?
18. Fallen trees and damaged buildings everywhere just don't look weird anymore.
19. Spam is really not that bad!
20. I hate chainsaws!

Real Life Church

I got to teach the Elementary girls tonight. I really loooove teaching!! We had soooo much fun and I love seeing them excited about being at church!!! We started talking about the upcoming Trunk or Treat and Northview Jones weekend, and they couldn't wait to invite their friends!!!! I mean isn't it great being in a church where kids want to bring their friends?!?!?!?! They were naming friends that had a rough time and said that they wanted to bring those friends so that they could have fun and feel better!!!!

Also, it is AMAZING to have so many youth serving and leading our kids. If you want to see a picture of real life kingdom growth, come see our kids learn and the youth of Northview serve!!! You can't miss it!!!! They are being brought up in a culture that is really about living out the Great Commission!!!! The status quo of gossip, rules, religion, and politics in church isn't acceptable at all to them!!!! Church is not a game or social club to them, it is a place where people are brought to Christ and learn to be disciples!!!! Imagine what church will look like in generations to come if kids are brought up expecting real life to occur at church!!!

Politics, Weekends, and Rest

K, who all watched the debate? It was very interesting, not surprising, but interesting. I thought they both got their points across. I have decided who I am voting on based on the pro-life issue, so I, of course, think that McCain won! :) What did you think of the debate?

Now for the important stuff. THE WEEKEND!!! I am longing for some REST this weekend. Not that I haven't been able to get some, but there is just something different mentally when it's the weekend!

Oh yeah, I have my next Dr. appt. on Tues. I need as many of you as can to PRAY that I get the cast off and get into a boot!!!!! I have my hopes up and I am going to be soooooo disappointed if I don't get this green cast off!!!!!!!!!! :)

By Myself

Weird! I have found myself at home by myself tonight. I don't think I like it. I know I should enjoy it, but it's just strange. Maybe I'll put the computer down, lay down on the couch, and relax.

Parent Teacher Conference

Jake and I went to Emily's first parent teacher conference of the year. I love being the parent in a parent teacher conference! I'm so proud of Emmy! She is kind and respectful to her teacher and others!!! She also can identify all upper and lower case letters, give all of her personal information, and is even reading a few words!!! I had fun teaching her sight words and "Frog Jump" capitals tonight! Wow! I can't believe my baby girl is starting to read and write!!!!! It feels like she was just born. I love my girls!

New Pics from DADDO

Comments, Comments, Comments

K, you all are AWESOME!!!! I love getting comments.... Here are my responses to the comments from my last post.....
1. I don't stink, and I shower more than once a week. I think Jake is the one that smells!!!! :)
2. False Assumptions - I never make any. Ha! Ha! Like the one where I assumed that if I slammed the brakes, I could stop. Oops, instead IT BROKE MY ANKLE!!!
3. helmut = pain meds
4. Dad - I think we are more pathetic than you without mom at this point. Emily and Jake were begging for mom to come back!!! We are gonna have to fight over her. :) Actually, we want you to come up here soon!!!
5. I DON'T SMELL FUNNY! Jake just has someone to blame it on, but you guys already know that if you know my husband. :)
6. LOVED Lars and the Real Girl and would recommend everyone watching it!!!

You all are GREAT. Jake - You need to be nice to me. :)

The Last Few Days

Hi All!

K, sorry to disappoint! I have taken a break from the computer, and I know some of you are worried about me. :) I know, I went from posting 3 a day to skipping a few days. Actually, the lack of sleep I had been getting was really getting to me, and I have just been resting up.

A few updates till tomorrow....

• Audree did great with her tubes, she was very mad, but feels good now.
• Emily had her school carnival and took her friend Dax. They are sooooo cute. They both said they "missded each other! "
• Got new furniture!!! I seriously have been waiting 8 years for it!!!
• Am still in my cast trying to not go crazy!!!
• Am about to watch "Lars and the Real Girl" with Jake.

Till tomorrow....

"I Guess I'll Eat a Worm"

Nobody likes me,
Everybody hates me,
I guess I'll eat a worm,
Big ones,
Fat ones,
Little ones,
Skinny ones,
I guess I'll eat a worm!

This is the song that my mom used to sing to me when I was feeling sorry for myself growing up. It usually made me laugh and cheered me up, sometimes it egged me on. :)

As of right now, I've snapped out of my funk! And I'm gonna "just be positive, positive, don't be negative, negative!" Okay, I'll admit that I've lost it, but at least I've lost it and am happy.

Let's see...
Emily's school had a Chuck E. Cheese fundraiser night tonight. Each child got a sticker that promised them 10 free tokens if they took it with them, and Chuck E. Cheese actually made an appearance at the school. Brilliant!!! On a Tues. night, Chuck E. Cheese was full of kids who high fived Chuck E. Cheese in the hallway at school. I actually really had a great time!! I love watching kids, especially my own, get so excited about simple things, in this case pizza and games.

Oh yes, Audree cut her first tooth today!!!!!

Pray for my baby girl as she gets tubes put in her ears tomorrow morning at 8 am. I know it is a fairly simple and common procedure, but my baby is having surgery.

One more thing....thanks for all of the encouragement yesterday and today. It was needed!!!

K, not feeling so great

Okay enough is enough!!! I am not in a look at all of the blessings in life mood! My leg hurts and I can't walk, can't take care of my babies, have a throat infection, dealing with some other stuff that frustrates me!!!! I feel like I am totally worthless right now!!!! Urg!!!! Definitely on the dip in the roller coaster ride today!!!! I have been off my feet for 39 days and have oh probably 27 more to go!!!! Then physical therapy!!!!!!!! I know I need to count my blessings and it could have been worse, but I'm just not in that kind of mood. I know nothing good can come out of self pity, but I sure am in a bout of it right now!!!

Thank goodness for my husband and mom!!! Hopefully I will feel better about life tomorrow, but I'm just not feeling it tonight. Maybe some good old fashion sleep would help. Oh wait! I have a sleepless baby!

K, I will try to change my attitude tomorrow!!!

Ooh Gross Dad! Seriously these are my parents! :P

Hurricane Ike Destruction Slide Show