Friday, May 11, 2007

Field Trip to Sharkarosa









Today the second graders went on a field trip to a place in Pilot Point called Sharkarosa. It was possibly gonna rain today, but it turned out to be a beautiful dry and sunny day! I didn't go since I've been doing my real estate courses this week...bummer! But Marv did get to go! He took the day off to be with her and get out into the country. Mrs. Slomosky was very thankful to have a dad going since her group of boys can get a little rowdy. Julia was just glad that Marv decided to put her before his work for this fun day in the outdoors. I love you Marv for being the most amazing dad to our three precious babies!!!

The drive is just amazing!!!! Rolling hills, trees, and country (we drove through there on our way to camp in Oklahoma) so you know Marv was in heaven just getting to be one with nature in his truck! Some how he took all the dirt roads home so it took him alot longer to get home than it took the buses to make it home! He's got the country fever bad y'all!

I forgot to send the camera, but I know if this one mom goes... there will always be some excellent pictures coming my way...she is a great photographer and sure enough had some pictures emailed to me within an hour after school today! Thanks Cyndy!!!






There were all kinds of neat wild animals there, and from the pictures it looks like Julia and Marv made friends with a camel! I love all the fun faces that Julia is making as they are trying to get just one decent picture! Can't you just see the little thoughts buzzin' through her freckled faced brain as she tries to not be too concerned with where the camel is!

I'm so thankful for fun days like this...great memories are made and time away from the worksheets are awesome! Glad y'all had fun Marv and Julia...momma will make sure and make it next time!

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Marv and his fine china



Okay there are only 11 cups here...I think one is in the dish washer...and I am having trouble getting my pics to sit up straight!!! UGH :)


My man cracks me up! He is so obsessed with everything country, and has been probably since he was born, but went through a time when he seemed to be content with the good ole concrete city life...about 3 years ago Marv started voicing a need, want, dream, and big desire to move back to the country with horses, land, tractors, ATVs, fish ponds, barns, and even stickers!!! He misses the experiences that he had growing up raising all kinds of animals. Most people don't realize what a true country boy he is. I remember when we first meet comparing how we each grew up out in the boons and although thankful didn't really think that we would end up there again. Well as they say you can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy. When Marv got his pick up truck he started itchin' for a horse trailer to pull behind it (ever heard of the book if you give a mouse a cookie?). Well we don't have the trailer yet, or even the horse to put in it, but we are praying hard about that!!! SOMEDAY!!!!

Marv's other favorite thing in life other than God, family, and his truck is BBQ! And not just any BBQ, but CHEAP BBQ at Dickie's!!! He LOVES LOVES LOVES the "fine china" (a.k.a. big, free, yellow cups) that we collect from each Sunday meal that we have there. He pointed out to me just yesterday that we now officially have a whole set of 12 of HIS fine china. He was seriously overjoyed by this!!! I'm so thankful it doesn't take much to make this man of mine happy.

I love you babe and I know that God will reveal his plan for our future in the country!!! Until then we will just keep on watching old westerns and dreaming of the day our dreams will come true! wink wink

Monday, May 07, 2007

Great Weekend












Well we are finishing off a wonderful three day weekend! The kids had off today I guess for a teacher's work day, or something....I'm not sure, but who cares.....we got the day off! Saturday we all got up fairly early and had cinnamon rolls before the boys headed off to work in some yards to help Jeffrey raise money for the youth mission trip to New York this summer. Julia and I stayed home in our pj's and caught up on dancing with the stars, and american idol...we like them all, but hope Blake will win even though Jordin is getting big votes from the Keller Williams group since her parents are KW agents. Julia and I then got done up to go and sign up for my correspondence classes through the Champions real estate school! I'm so excited to finally have the time and dough to get these classes done....once I finish the five courses then all that's left is to take the state exam! I'm already all most done with one of the classes after just getting started Saturday night! The classes that I have been taking at Marv's office the past 5 weeks have really taught me so much and will help greatly with these classes! I will be able to do this and still be the momma that I want so I can't wait to get started. It will be so much fun to help my friends, family, and clients find the home of their dreams!

The boys came home after stopping off at Lowe's to get some supplies to fix a towel rack, stopped up tub, and toilet paper holder and watched some rented John Wayne movies....the girls were super happy to have something better to do and not have to get in on that one! Julia and I went to see K'lee McKinney's dance recital....fun and man are they good! We had fun singing Hannah Montana and stopping off for a bite at our all time favorite...Sonic!

Sunday was a wonderful day of worship and family time. Jacob and Julia had their choir musical..KINGDOM QUEST. It was a musical about putting on the full armor of God. Jacob had two solos and Julia was on the dance team. They both did super and really enjoyed the choir this year. We came home and caught up on some planet earth on tv...if you haven't seen this on discovery channel...check it out....God's creation IS so amazing!!!

Monday...today....we slept till all most the crack of noon when our eyeballs were just about poppin' out of our head and our tummies and backs were hurting from all the deep breathing! It was good to catch up on much needed rest! Daddy made us awesome waffles which we drown in peanut butter and syrup! We then caught up on laundry and watched Flicka...makes us want horses soooo bad! Someday! Kids still had piano, guitar, and dance lessons so from 3:30 on it felt like a normal Monday. Marv just got home from trying out a BSF bible study...he is gonna start next fall and try and do all 7 years...I may just have to join him....sounds really great!

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Casting all my Cares

I have been really down lately and have been really good at trying to cover it up...except for the few in my innermost circle who I truly feel safe to share with. Today I have received a blessing from the Lord through my best girlfriend, Kim, and then through a sermon by Jack Graham on the radio this afternoon. I don't know why it still surprises me that God cares enough to answer my cries and pleas to him when I feel like I am in the dessert and wilderness, but I'm so thankful for his faithfulness and unconditional love for me.

Sheep are not the smartest animals that God created, and need some major love and caring for. I remember from my childhood hearing about how the shepherd cares for his sheep. He knows how many sheep are in his flock and can even call them by name. He leads them through the gate to safety, and out to green grass and still waters to give them nourishment and rest. He goes out in front of them to make a safe path for them, and they follow him because they KNOW his voice. When one little sheep wanders off the path towards the greener grass it may think they it is safe to separate from the flock for a little while...I can always go back, or at least it is feeling selfish and wanting all the grass to it's self...non the less after a while it realizes that it has now wandered too far and it can't even hear the shepherd, or see the shepherd and flock from all the darkness.

It's in this darkness that the fear can grip you to the point of depression, and your head just spins not knowing which way is up. How many times have I found myself day after day waking up to another new day just trying to hear my shepherd's voice again. I can tell you dehydration sets in quickly and it feels like you may not make it back. The storms of life surge all around and its just plum scary. The enemy wants me to think that I am the only one experiencing this and that how horrible am I for being in this dark place AGAIN called wilderness.

On the radio today Jack Graham said that some sheep are prone to wander and that the shepherd sometimes HAS to break the sheep's leg in order to MAKE it not wander off. He doesn't leave it broken though...he restores it and allows it to heal hopefully teaching the sheep to stay safe and find peace by the shepard's side. This is where I have found myself....broken....weary....thirsty and hungry for the true peace that can only come from my shepherd.

When the shepherd counts his sheep at nightfall and realizes that one is missing...he will go out and search for that sheep and bring it back to safety. He cares so much for each one. I think we begin to believe the enemies lies that we are that one sheep that he isn't going to come for and that he doesn't really care for....wrong...so wrong! Praise God that he loves us with a love that we will never fully grasp or understand. No matter how far we have wandered, how long we have wandered, or how many times we have wandered....HE WILL NEVER STOP COMING FOR US!!! He will allow something to break us though so that we will have to look up. Jack said something about a sheep being cast down on it's back with all fours sticking up in the air, and the only thing to flip it right side up is the shepard. That's where I have been knocked down and sprawled out, wind knocked out of me, and my precious shepherd has come today to pick me back up.

I have been searching for happiness and understanding, but all I really need to search for is HIS righteousness. Matthew 6:33 has a whole new meaning to me today...Seek first his kingdom, and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. These things being the things that we really need in this life...not the things that we THINK we need or deserve. It is in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS that I will find true peace. 1 Peter 5:6-7 says Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety and cares on him because he cares for you!

I have been not only a sheep prone to wander from my shepard, but also like to put up a good struggle and make things harder than they really have to be when he is trying to save me.

Father forgive me for being such a subborn and hard-headed little sheep. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.....I have been humbled O LORD and I praise you even in the midst of this. Thank you for your daily willingness to restore my soul! I know it is in this struggle that I am being made strong, firm and steadfast.