Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's Day weekend was the best. This was my 3rd Mother's Day as a mom, but the 1st one I've actually been able to celebrate. Last year we were in MS for my sister's graduation, and even though we were among family, we really didn't celebrate Mother's Day. The year before, which was my first Mother's Day, was a disaster. It involved a major family dispute and I spent the entire day crying and upset. But, I won't use my blog to, as my husband says, "air out my dirty laundry."

My weekend started off very early Sat. morning to participate in The Race for the Cure. I did this with my friend, Kathy. This was my first 5K and I am not much of a runner. Kathy, on the the other hand is a pro at the races. She has encouraged me to do the Peachtree Road Race on July 4, so I signed Greg up for Peachtree as well. I love the atmosphere at these events. It was so fun running through the streets of Midtown Atlanta and Atlantic Station. Like I said, I am not much of a runner, but I was pleased with my time. I finished in 41.41 according to the race timer, but Kathy said their clock was off a little bit according to the timer on her watch. She thinks I finished it in a little over 40 min. I'll go with that one.

After the race, I went home and Greg and Kirsten greeted me with roses. Kirsten picked them out and she gave me a card. I am starting a box, like the one on the Hallmark commercial, and I'll put all my cards from her in there. I keep an art portfolio for her that's dated with all of her colorings, drawings and crafts she does while she's in childcare anywhere. I want to save everything so one day, she can see her progress, and we can reminisce and maybe even make our own Hallmark commercial.

For lunch Greg and Kirsten took me to McAlister's in Roswell. I've been wanting McAlister's for quite a while, and they don't have one close to Douglasville. The food and tea were consistent with what I remembered and the weather was beautiful and pleasant enough to eat outside. Give me some easy food, beautiful weather, a table on the patio and wonderful company like Greg and Kirsten, and I think I'm in heaven.

The day continued with a visit to Fleet Feet for new running shoes for both of us, then to Dick's Sporting Goods to check out exercise equipment. I love Fleet Feet. They put lots of different shoes on us and let us run around outside until we found those perfect shoes. They also had inserts that help with my plantar fasciitis. Dick's had lots of equipment to choose from, but we can't decide if we want an elliptical machine, a treadmill or an arc trainer. Across from Dick's was a Marble Slab. I've soooo been missing Marble Slab's chocolate frozen yogurt. There's nothing like taking Kirsten to get ice cream. She loves it, and for a few hours, I'm the coolest person in the world to her.


Sunday morning we went to church. The service was awesome. I love it when our pastor and his wife present the message together. They're so cute. The message was about Mary and Martha. It was a great topic for Mom's.

Greg and Kirsten took me to Jason's Deli in Midtown for lunch. I love my deli's, can't you tell? I especially love Jason's Deli. They have lots of organic choices and the menu is excellent for those with food allergies. Again, the weather was beautiful, so we sat outside and watched the city life around us. I love Atlanta city life.

After lunch Greg took me to The Dump. I've been wanting to go there for some time. This is a furniture store that sells high-end furniture at affordable prices. It's actually a very nice showroom. They had lots of beautiful furniture. It's a lot more pleasurable to shop around for furniture when you're really in the market for some. We stayed at The Dump for a couple of hours.

For dinner, Greg made his "better than any Italian restaurant" chicken parmesan. It was so delicious. This is my favorite, and Greg hasn't been able to make it in at least a year and a half. It's always a privilege to eat his chicken parmesan. I wish I took a picture of this but I didn't think about it.

For dessert I made a red velvet cheesecake. I wanted this from Cheesecake Factory, but I am not going to wait in line for 2 hours to eat just because it's Mother's Day. I would much rather spend that time doing something fun with my family. Restaurants are open every day of the year, not just Mother's Day. My cheesecake was trial and error, but I am very pleased with the results. I haven't made a cheesecake in a while and my recipe is stored in the computer that isn't set up yet. I made it from memory, and just attempted to add the red velvet.

All in all, Mother's Day was like Christmas and my birthday. Greg gave me my bracelet for Deeper Still, the new Francine Rivers book, Her Mother's Hope, Paula Deen's Savannah Style and he vacuumed out my car. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband and daughter who love me and make me feel so special. I could not have asked for a better weekend. I don't know how I can equal or top this for Father's Day. Any suggestions?????

My Weekend

This past weekend was so fun. Thursday, our friends from MS, Tracy and Darren, came to see us. We love the Short's so much that it's going to require a list for me to explain why.

Why we love the Shorts:
1- Because they are fun -We can have a blast with them no matter if we are out and about, or just chilling in an empty room and laying around on air mattresses

2- Because they're the real deal - They aren't "sometimes" people...you know the ones that act like your friends sometimes, but only when it benefits them

3 - We share that spiritual comfort - We can talk spiritual with each other without feeling uncomfortable about it

4- They don't judge - They know about all our issues and dysfunction and they like us anyway

5- They're a great fit- I have great girl friends, and Greg has great guy friends, but I can count on 1 hand great couple friends. It's rare to find great couple friends where the wives are friends, the husbands are friends and the kids are friends. We are grateful for our couple friends

6- We have lots in common - Darren and Greg love the Saints and Tracy and I love spiritual conferences

7- Cole - Their precious little boy and Kirsten love to play with each other

I could list hundreds more, but I'll move on with our weekend. Thursday, Tracy and I got less that satisfactory spray tans, but they were only $15 so I guess we got what we paid for. The tans were streaky and splotchy. Friday was Tracy's Birthday. We took the kids to Jump 4 Joey. We all had a blast. My parents met up with us around lunch time and we went to eat at Fabiano's. Fabiano's is a fabulous pizzeria in Downtown Douglasville. They have the world's best pizza. We finished up the night with Cold Stone cupcakes and hanging out.

Saturday was a huge day. Tracy, Candy, my Mom, and I went to see Beth Moore speak at FBC Woodstock. This was so awesome. The worship was amazing. It was so beautiful and powerful to hear 5500 women singing Revelation Song while being lead by Travis Cotrell. It was probably the most gorgeous thing I've ever heard. I started crying like a baby when I heard the 5500 voices and pondered the lyrics, "With all Creation I sing, Praise to the King of King's. You are my Everything, and I will adore You." I realized that around the world 300,000 women, and in Heaven all creation was singing those words in synchronization. How powerful is that?

Beth was fabulous and precious all rolled into her 5 foot, 90 lb. frame. Her blouse was so cute, and her message was life changing. She assured us that our strong-willed children will grow up to be future leaders, and could be dangerous (in a good way) for the Kingdom of God. She gave a better understanding to our insecurities, what causes them, and how to rid ourselves of them. I recommend buying her book, So Long Insecurity. It's a must read, and a must own.

Little did we know that while we were listening to Beth, Yazoo City, MS was being destroyed by tornadoes. My husband sent me a text that these tornadoes were happening and no one could find my sister, Hayley. He said my dad was freaking out. I knew better than to tell my mom because to say she worries is like saying Oprah has some pocket change. I thought there may be some family drama going on between Hayley and the parents, because, well, there is always drama between Hayley and my parents. So, I texted Hayley and told her to let me know she was ok. After I sent the text, I started to pray, and before I could finish, Hayley called me. Praise God she was ok.

While we were at the Beth Moore event, the men were working on moving us into our new house. They got a lot done. It was so nice to return to our real home. No matter what kind of mess it's in, it finally feels like a real home. I am so grateful to now have a set home and great family and friends to help us out in the move. We still have lots and lots of unpacking to do, but I won't complain. It's been a pleasure being able to unpack and actually have a place for everything. I'm getting a workout on my legs by climbing the stairs, and I can keep Kirsten entertained with Direct TV.

I'll post some pics as soon as I can find some batteries for my camera.

As I've been spending time with God, He's revealed the many many prayers He's answered for me. Most of the time, prayers are answered after a period of hardness. Or, maybe they come through a change of life, or a journey. What would we learn if God just gave us what we asked for on command? How would we grow, and most importantly, how would we grow in Him?

This past year has honestly been one of the hardest challenges of my life. But, the difference between this time and other hard times, is I trusted God through this one first. I didn't wait until I could do no more, then turn to Him. I am so grateful to God for holding my hand, and carrying me through this journey. I have stumbled and doubted Him at times, but He would always reveal that He never gave up on me and He never will.

During this season, God has blessed me with two deeply appropriate Bible Studies. It amazes me how perfect His timing is. He taught me what I needed to learn when I needed to learn it. This is what I believe Scripture means when it says, "We'll go from strength to strength."

A quote I've held on to from one of my studies was this, "Salvation delivers you out of Egypt, but the wilderness is designed to work Egypt out of you and replace the prominence of its influence in your life with God's." Wow, so true. What a humbling perspective.

God has answered so many of my prayers through this move. My studies have shown me His ways in answering them. In the beginning, I would never have chosen this to be God's way, but as Scripture explains, "my thoughts are not His thoughts, and my ways are not His ways."

I consider my Mississippi time as training for why God brought me to Georgia. God immediately answered my prayer of finding a wonderful church where we can serve Him. West Ridge Church has been nothing less than a blessing. To say they have welcomed us with open arms, is an understatement. The girls from my Bible study are some of the most amazing women I've ever met. The love shown to us here is so accepting and gracious. These friends have been perfect examples of being lights for God.

"The wilderness is designed to work Egypt out of you." I have prayed for years for a deeper relationship with a loved one that hasn't had interest in sharing this with me. Until I moved, I didn't consider that this deep relationship I've longed for, may not be what God has planned....not now anyway. I didn't realize how much time and effort I put into trying to have this. I would neglect my friends, my husband and daughter to try to pursue a chance at even having meaningful chats with this person, only to be left with disappointment and hurt feelings. I'm not saying it's not worth it, I'm just saying, it's not in God's plan, or it might just not be His time. Through my wilderness, God has shown me who He has given me, and my focus should be on building relationships with them.

Another prayer I prayed was for God to show me who I was, and who I am in Him. The first part was ugly. I am a sinner, I have my issues, I have my faults, and I have my insecurities. I've prayed for God to come in, and consume me from the inside out. This made the ugly come to the surface and it forced me to deal with it. This was not fun. It's amazing how much you can hide inside yourself and forget about it. I've been doing some internal spring cleaning, and I've been getting rid of the clutter I've hoarded for a long time. It's necessary to detox myself and get rid of all the garbage, so God can fill me with His fuel.

While camping out in Scripture, I've noticed that God really uses those who have been through a wilderness. Moses, Abraham, Paul, Esther, Daniel, Noah, etc.....What lies ahead? What's our true purpose here? I have no doubt that God will reveal this to us in His perfect timing. Until then, I will keep pursuing God and growing as a Christian. "Who knows? Maybe we've come to this position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14b)

CLOSED!!! Really!

Can I tell you, this is the blog that I have been waiting to write. Greg and I have been waiting for a very, very long time for this. As of Friday, Mar. 26, 2010, we are no longer homeless. Hallelujah, Praise God!!!! In His perfect timing, the closing process on our home is now complete. It only took about 5 very long months, 8 attempted closing dates, 1 break in, 3 deadline extensions, and 1 brilliant realtor. HGTV really missed out on about 3 seasons of the most intense and dramatic reality show on television. Real Housewives of Atlanta have nothing on what really goes down at the A P T in Hiram.

In this process, God is really answering our prayer of making this test a true testimony. Now, our focus is shifting towards renovating this house, and making it our home. It's time to plant some seeds. We've found our place here, so now it's time for us to figure out what to do with it. I cannot describe how blessed we are to have met some amazing friends in this area. The move was so difficult, but the people here have welcomed us with open arms.

One day last year in the middle of worship, I was singing in the choir at Pinelake....I remember it clear as day...God spoke to me. We were singing "Forever God is Faithful, Forever God is Strong, Forever God is with us"..... Anyway, God said, "Why are you worried about where you're going to live, and your future home?" "I already know where you're going to live and I already know what house you'll live in." God is too perfect to end sentences with prepositions, but you get the idea. This was so comforting to me. Forever, God is faithful, and Forever, God is with us.

We decided that since selling our home was complicated, buying one should be as well. Since we love a great challenge, we chose a home that was a short sale. Believe me, there is absolutely nothing short about it. I highly encourage anyone that wants to add a little bit of chaos to their lives to try this. My advice is to not plan any T'giving dinners at your new short sale home until 2012.

I am not sure what God's reasons were with His timing. I do know that He and I have become much closer, and much better friends through this process. Through this time, my priorities have changed. I never realized how materialistic I was, until almost everything I own was packed into storage. I've found my identity in Christ, instead of in the groups and activities I was/am involved in. I've learned that my importance level isn't based on how much my jeans, purse, or shoes cost. Brand named foods do taste better than generic....if they're purchased with Publix BOGO free and a coupon. And, I love, admire and respect my husband so much more than I ever have.

The road ahead will be hard work, but as I mentioned before, we love a challenge. With God, all things are possible. We hope God's timing allows us to be in our new home by the end of April or beginning of May. This is just in time for summer. So, pack your bags and plan your road trips to come see us. Our disclaimer is you have to come to church with us. I promise you'll never be the same. God is good!

Psalm 27:13-14

13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Psalm 27

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—

so why should I be afraid?

The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,

so why should I tremble?

2 When evil people come to devour me,

when my enemies and foes attack me,

they will stumble and fall.

3 Though a mighty army surrounds me,

my heart will not be afraid.

Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.

4 The one thing I ask of the Lord—

the thing I seek most—

is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in His Temple.

5 For He will conceal me there when troubles come;

He will hide me in His sanctuary.

He will place me out of reach on a high rock.

6 Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me.

At His sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy,

singing and praising the Lord with music.

7 Hear me as I pray, O Lord.

Be merciful and answer me!

8 My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”

And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”

9 Do not turn your back on me.

Do not reject your servant in anger.

You have always been my helper.

Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me,

O God of my salvation!

10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,

the Lord will hold me close.

11 Teach me how to live, O Lord.

Lead me along the right path,

for my enemies are waiting for me.

12 Do not let me fall into their hands.

For they accuse me of things I’ve never done;

with every breath they threaten me with violence.

13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness

while I am here in the land of the living.

14 Wait patiently for the Lord.

Be brave and courageous.

Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

I just love this Psalm. It's been so assuring during this time of transition.

Update on the House

The update on the house is that there really is no update. We were not able to close on it a couple of weeks ago like we were hoping. Greg got the call that morning that it wasn't going to happen that day. Since he took off that day, we ran errands instead. We got some paint samples to try out in the house. When we got to the house we saw that the former owners broke in and stole more things. They stole some sinks, pipes, light fixtures, faucets, thermostats, etc. Ugggghhhh, so frustrating.



We were both so mad that we honestly had to just not talk about it. We didn't call anyone but our realtor, and the neighbors that said they saw the guy there. We basically cut off any communication with our friends and families so we could try to get a grip on everything. We slept on it that night before we could even think about trying to process what had happened. These previous owners knew we were supposed to close that day. They came in a couple of days before and took all the stuff. They were foolish enough to not realize that all the neighbors remembered what they drove. However, the neighbors didn't pay attention as to why they were there...not that they were supposed to, but the fact that they were observant, or nosy :), was helpful.



So, we've had to start over with another inspection. The bank had to rework some numbers for us considering it was their fault we didn't close, and the house wasn't ours at the time of the incident.



What we are learning, and I put strong emphasis on the word learning, is that God is in complete control, and that His timing is perfect. Maybe this was protection from Him as to what would have been our responsibility if we had closed that day. God sometimes puts us through situations to strengthen our character, to remind us where our help comes from, and to mold us to where this test can be used as a testimony to share with others. God never wastes a hurt or trial.



The verses in Scripture where we have found our peace this past year are these:
Psalm 27:13-14

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

The New House

We should be closing on our new house Friday, the 29th. I pray this works out. Our realtor is telling us that the bank may need us to wait until the end of Feb. to close, but hopefully this won't be necessary.

Greg and I wanted to make a list of things we are looking forward to with getting a house. It's amazing how much you can take the little things in life for granted, when you don't have them anymore.

What we won't take for granted in our new home......

1- The private bathtub. I haven't taken a real "bath" in a year. Showers don't cut it in a woman's world. It's a germ issue thing...I don't like bathing in hotel, dorm or apt. bathtubs.

2- My own yard where Kirsten can play outside

3- A garage, and a designated parking place....no more defrosting our cars in the morning after a hike across the parking lot trying to find our car.

4- No more loud, active and vocal upstairs neighbors....enough said.

5- A real refrigerator with an icemaker that works and it's own water dispenser.

6- A microwave with a spinning plate

7 - Cabinets with knobs on them

8 - A pantry

9- A laundry room without mold in the walls

10 - My washer and dryer on the correct sides of each other so the doors don't open in the way you have to lean over them

11- More than an 800 square feet of living space

12 - A bathroom with double vanities and a door to the toilet

13 - clean and sanitized floors

14 - walk in closets and storage space

15 - ceiling fans

16 - room for guests

17 - mailbox in my yard and packages delivered to my door, not at the office

18 - not having to drop off a rent check in person to anyone

19 - painting walls

20 - not having to iron clothes in the kitchen

I am aware that some people in our country and in others consider the way we've lived the last year as a luxury. I am truly grateful to have a place to live, and a roof over my head, but it is time for a new home. It's time to plant ourselves in GA. Praise God for blessing us with this move.