Fridays Are My Favorites because….

On Fridays I get to reflect on how much God has done for me in the week and give thanks. This week has been one of healing and thankfulness all across the board.

*Today at 3 p.m. I was able to see my son win a “Kindness” award. This award is given out once a month and he and one other Kindergartener won it for their age group. What a huge blessing to see my son be singled out for the first month of school for his kind spirit and giving heart. He was so excited and happy. He told me that he tried his hardest these last two weeks of school to be as kind as he could. I love that about him. He truly cares about others and how they feel.

*I started my new job and have had the most fun that I can remember in years. I don’t have clients calling my cell complaining. I don’t have sales managers calling me into meetings that are about other meetings and how the other meetings will be scheduled….to go over what the last meeting held. I only have to serve tables with a smile and hope they’ll tip in kind. It’s so refreshing to work with the group I do, as no one is uptight. I’m blessed!

*I’ve been aiding my sister in coordinating her wedding. She got engaged a couple weeks ago and she gets married on Sept 12. She had a very unpleasant caterer scheduled that did nothing to accommodate her. So I found her a new one, scheduled a tasting, and they were less expensive. She canceled her uncooperative one and hired the second I found her. I’m blessed that I’ve been able to find her less expensive, better solutions. Anything I can do to make her day easy will be a huge blessing to our whole family.

*I had an old man pull me aside at the restaurant day before yesterday and compliment me. He said, “Honey, you sure are a good waitress….how long have you been doing this?” When I told him -2 days- he was amazed. He told me, “Well your smile means a lot, and you can tell you care. You’re doing a great job.” That made my day.

*My son had show in tell this week. He was supposed to bring in something that made you feel happy, sad, warm…something old and something more precious than gold. He filled it full until the last one… he turned to me and said, “Mommy….you’re more precious than gold to me, but I can’t box you up.” That made me melt in happiness. What a blessing my son is to me.

*I got asked to be a part of my University’s Homecoming Celebration at their big book signing event, along with 14 other alumni authors. I think I’m the youngest one attending. It is a HUGE honor to be invited, and I’m so blessed and thankful.

*Because I’ve been on my feet all week and working my hiney off…I’ve slept realllly good, which is rare as I have 3 sleep disorders. BIG BLESSING!

Fridays are great. Not only because I have the weekend to look forward to, but because I can look back and count so many obvious blessings. Thank you Lord for all you do.

Sadness for Today

I came home today, after dropping my son off at school, to a saturated carpet. My 14 year old puppy lost control of his abilities. I’ve been putting off taking him to put him down, knowing that he’s getting more feeble. He’s still like my puppy in so many ways. He still gets excited and can play with toys in joy. He still wants to love and show affection.

So I’ve been telling myself he was fine. He lasted 14 days at the vet, while being boarded when we were on vacation last month. The vet said he didn’t think he was going to make it at first because he’s stressed himself out so much, with us leaving him there, that his bowels were loose and uncontrollable. However, he gave Hershey meds to help him, and my sweet doggie turned a corner for the better, and continued to do well.

But ever since we brought him home, he’s just not been the same. He doesn’t sleep through the night, because he can’t hold it anymore. And then today I came home, and it was just strung through my entire house.

I only left him for 20 minutes, but it was long enough apparently. Every walking path had a string of zig zag pea which tells me that he just couldn’t hold it in. He wasn’t stopping to pea in a corner because he had to go….he was walking around the house in distress as he couldn’t hold it.

Everything in me tells me it’s time to put him down. His hind legs now shake barely able to hold him up. He’s blind in both eyes, due to massive cataracts. And now he’s incontinent. I’m sad for my puppy, as he’s lived a long loyal life.

In the last 14 years with Hershey, he always knew what I was feeling. He was that in tune with me. When I was sad, he always knew and would lay his head in my lap. When I was stressed, he would break out in hives and stress out for me. When I was uncomfortable with anyone my room-mates would bring over, he’d growl or bark at them, which in effect gave them enough motivation to leave and not come back. He was potty trained after one try when I brought him home, at 10 weeks. I have been a very blessed to have such an extra-ordinary dog. This pure bred puppy changed my life.

I was the first human to actually have contact with him. His breeders let Hershey’s parents have interaction with him, but never held him so that he would bond with the first person to own him….me. I was his momma. For people that don’t have pets…they don’t understand the bond between animal and human. They don’t understand the love for one another. He was my baby, until I had my own. Then Hershey patiently and graciously stepped aside to be the step child, as my son was born into my life. He held no resentment, only love for my new baby.

I’ve not given Hershey as much as he needed in the last 5 years, as my son was my primary focus. But I know Hershey has not been neglected. He’s had a loving family, food, and shelter. He’s been taken care of very well. He just didn’t have the emotional ties to me, like he had before my son was around.

BUT I can give him something now…a chance to let go. I don’t want to see him suffer. Whew…so there’s more than a little sadness in my world today, but I know he’ll be going home to see his creator. And in heaven he’ll get to run and jump again with no pain in his hips.
I took this right before loading him up to go to be in doggy heaven. Goodbye friend…I love you.

A few reasons why…

Marriage is a tough road. Most couples focus so much on the wedding, that they forget to prepare for life with their spouse. They don’t think to remember that there will be horrifically tough times when you see your partner in a light, you never expected. In 8 short years of marriage, and 10 years total with my husband…we’ve seen each other through a lot.

The life of our child.

The flat line of my husband’s heart, and the miracle that he lived through a horrible experience.

The death of loved ones.

Financial strain.

Financial surplus (still waiting to have that one back).

Proud moments, when the other shines in the spotlight.

Sad moments, when the other almost breaks in defeat.

Tough times, when the other fights through something.

Life throws us all curve balls, and I just don’t know how couples make it without Christ as their center. I know some do…so I know it happens. BUT do they have the peace that only Christ can give?

I just wanted to take a few minutes to tell my adoring husband how much I love him today. And here’s a few silly reasons why…

*Because he leaves me a dry towel hanging in the bathroom every morning for my shower.

*Because he lets me do whatever home improvement project my heart desires, trusting my instincts.

*Because his chest puffs up when he tells people about my book.

*Because he spends so much quality time with our son, who in turn adores his daddy.

*Because he tells me I’m sexy even when I feel I look my worst.

*Because he trys to make me laugh when I’m mad. Try’s being the operative word! Sometimes he succeeds 🙂

*Because he remembers the smallest details and surprises me down the road with little things.

*Because he teaches my son about the most amazing things…from sports to life in general.

*Because he’s himself and that never changes, no matter who he’s talking too…even if resonates a little too loud…I still love him.

Friday’s Blessings

Each week I’m honored at how many beautiful things happen in life, and not just in mine. So many of my readers have been such big blessings as well. In reading up on their Friday posts, and catching up on all God’s doing for them….I’m truly blessed.

I want to say thank you to all of you, who participated in this contest of mine. I hope you’ve seen a huge difference in how many good things you can find in life, if you only look a little.

I hope you’ve received peace in knowing how much you’re blessed, even through the chaos life throws our way. Cuz trust me people…life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s hard!

You have to choose to see the silver lining and have faith that God will provide. That’s when your blessings will be abundant. That’s when you’ll see more clearly.

Before listing my blessings for the week I wanted to link to those brave enough to ‘consistently’ take my challenge on.

Thank you to:
Terri at Terri Terri Quite Contrary
Leblance at A Natural Deficiency Of Moral Fiber
Trish at Stringing My Thoughts
Bad Momma
Jamie at Bumps in the Road

And a few that posted from time to time were:
Tara at If Mom Says OK
Papa, my adopted grandpap, at Choices are Mine
Yvette at Fresh Wind Ministries
My buddy, TT, over at Total Transformation Test
Godsgal at Worship in Spirit and Truth

One of my Cre8buzz buddies at Half Past Kissin’ Time
Love posted once at LoveWillBringUsTogether
Down River also posted a couple…

If I missed anyone, I’m sorry. Some people forgot to link to my page, so I didn’t have them listed as participating…b/c I didn’t know they were. I am just humbled by all of you who participated. Thank you for blessing me each week with your posts. I will announce next week the winner of this contest!

This week has blown me away…so many blessings.

*It’s the last of my summer vaca with my son. We’ve been slowly transitioning to earlier mornings, and although I’m not liking the change…I’m blessed to be able to make it. Last year I would have been at the office already, not able to be at home to do this sort of thing. I’m loving being a stay at home mom for the moment, and that’s a huge blessing!!

*My cover art for my book, out next month, came in. I loved it loved it loved it. Then I found out it was just concept art, and the real art is in the works. I was only to approve the concept first. I fell in love with the first one. I can’t wait to see the real thing. Seeing my pen name on a book cover was an amazing and humbling blessing indeed. God is so amazing.

*My sister went on vacation with her boyfriend, and his 9 year old son, to spend time with his family. I’m blessed that she has such a wonderful man in her life. He makes her laugh and truly makes her happy. I’m blessed that she’s so in love, and one day will have such a wonderful extended family.

*My husband realized that he needs to get serious about his health and weight. He’s started his workout regimen…again. I’m blessed that he’s back on the wagon, and pray he makes it stick this time.

*My sister’s birthday was this week. I’m blessed to count her as my best friend. She and I are six years apart in age, but like twins as far as mental/emotional bonds are concerned. I love her very much.

*I joined FaceBook in May, but never really checked it out till this week. I’ve found so many old acquantainces and friends. I’m blessed by so many names and faces I remember. It reminds me how many wonderful people God has put in my path throughout my life. I recommend everyone get on there and do that!

*I’m blessed by a really great PR person in Melissa, who’s been doing everything to help me promote my book. She’s going above and beyond to get it out there to those in the media, locally and nationally. God has blessed me ‘big time’ with her willingness to do this. She read the electronic version of my book, that was created for review purposes, and she’s so excited for it to release. She’s the first unbiased person that’s read it, and her enthusiasm for my book is so humbling! I’m thanking God for her.

I hope you all have a great weekend coming up. Please remember that just because this contest is going to end, doesn’t mean you can’t continue your Faithful Friday gratitude blogs. I pray you find the time to continue, as it will change your life. Have a blessed day!

Fridays Bless Me Every Week

Today is the day I post my blessings, and how I look forward to this. Some weeks are harder than others, since it’s a choice to have the peace of God’s love and thankfulness in His blessings, and some weeks just blow me away.

Those that read me know I’ve just come back from a huge blessing in my vacation. I hadn’t been home in 12 long years to Oahu, and hadn’t visited Maui since I was 5. The fact that my son is now five and I took him and my husband to my home was HUGE for me. The obvious blessing was being in a tropical low key, laid back, beautiful environment. Who couldn’t see the blessing in that and thank God for His creation? The not so obvious blessing and the main one for me was to experience it all again as a 5 year old through my son, which really took me home ten-fold. The fact that my auntis, uncles, and cousins got to meet my family is a huge blessing.

Today as I look toward this past week my heart is somewhat heavy as I know I’ve not treated my husband as well as I should have this week. The phrase, submit to your husband keeps going through my mind. This is often a inflammatory biblical instruction for a lot of female liberals. What does it mean…submit? To me, it’s not letting a man walk all over me, as some people like to twist it. To me, it’s having compassion for the man God has chosen for me…letting go of some of my own control and giving my husband his way more than I choose my own.

I’ve been very controlling this week and I don’t feel good about it. What is the blessing in this? That I have a wonderful husband!! He puts up with me and loves me…frustrated or not. I know I need to make it up to him and I’m blessed that he sticks around so I can.

I’ve had no job this whole month…I’m unemployed! HA! How cool is it that this is NOT stressing me out. <—-(blessings right there) This whole month is the only month, before my son starts Kindergarten that I’ll have had all this time with him. I had no one calling me for work…well not for most of the month….so my time was truly “MY” time with my family with no interruptions. I’ve never experienced that freedom before, so this has been a huge blessing.

Now that it’s back to reality and the bills need two incomes…what am I going to do?? I’ve been wondering how I’m going to supplement our household income since I quit my sales career. I have my photography business that I started last October, but that’s not going to take off overnight.

This week my son’s school hired me as a substitute teacher. I turned my new hire packet in this week. I was told that it my be pretty infrequent for the first couple of months, but after that get ready for it to get crazy. I’m not sure how it’s going to pay, but I know God will provide. I’ve also run across a couple of jobs to pay the bills for the next couple of months until teaching kicks in. I’m not sure if they’d be something I’d be interested in, but it’s what they provide that counts. This is the first time in my life that I didn’t have to have something ‘professional’ working that went along with my degree. I finally realize….MY JOB DOESN’T DEFINE ME! I do…being a Christian mom, wife, daughter, sister, niece, grand-daughter, and friend defines me. This has been a blessing to get this.

Today would have been my Grandfather’s 100th birthday. If you’ve not read about him, you should…because he was and is still, to me, an amazing human being. He died in my arms, and I saw him see the Lord first hand. Seeing his pupils dialate, his breathe quicken, and his head pop up after being in a coma scared me at first. Hearing the monitors scream at me that his heart rate was bottoming out freaked me out. BUT seeing the look on his face when he saw angels come for him…there’s no way I could doubt that he saw the face of Jesus. And even though terrifying for me at the age of 19 or 20, I know this is a blessing now. For one because they say, those that have come back from the dead, that they see their surroundings when they leave their bodies…so this means my papa knew I was with him too.

You see I got there too late to see him before he went into his coma. He went into his comatose state asking for Kimmy and wanted me. I was selfishly on Spring Break in Texas…but took the first flight out as soon as I heard he went into the hospital. I was just too late in saying my goodbye. I have the peace and blessing of today, his 100th birthday, of that lovely man and his love for me. He was my role model growing up, in what to look for in a man. He was truly one of a kind. Please honor his memory today and go read this post about him and my wonderful grandmother, as she too, was truly one amazing lady. For those that don’t know, he was a photographer and the reason the love of photography is in my blood and heart. I hope he’d be proud that I’m trying to make a living at it.

Lastly the fact that we all came home from a long strenuous trip unharmed and well is a huge blessing. Other than my husband’s small fall, which we think he cracked something…we’re all fared well. My son is an amazing traveler! And no one got sick. Praise God for that!

Thank you for tuning in to my little corner of the web world. Next week is the last week of this contest. You can view the video at the post below to see who’s almost winning. If it stays this close in the running, I may have to extend this by another week to get a clear defined winner. I pray you’ll consider counting your blessings…it truly IS life changing. Just ask Terri…you can read why it’s changed her outlook, here.

I think I’ll leave you with a pic I took of my husband and son, on Maui. Have a great weekend all!

In a few days…

I will be home…in a few days.
I will feel the island breeze…in a few days.
I will taste my favorite foods…in a few days.
I will see my favorite people from my past…in a few days.

My Aunti and Uncle, although not by blood, by heart are letting my stay with them for the weekend in Kaneohe. They’re throwing me a potluck dinner party for all of my family to come celebrate.

When first moving to Oahu, we were in awe of it’s beauty. We were in awe of it’s weather. We were in awe that we really lived there! I was 5 and life at that age is wonderous any where you live, let alone on a tropical island with mountains at every corner and beaches at every turn.

Living near the ocean is home to me, on so many different levels. Every fiber in my being is pulled to the lull of the waves. To walk the beach, looking for sea shells and chasing hermit crabs, was my ideal day as a child. To find Japanese glass balls floating to the shore, and learn of their origin, was a blessed gift. Digging my toes in the sand, feeling it’s damp heaviness surround my foot right before the sea would rush in and drain the sand away is a sweet memory. Doing cartwheels and leaving hand and footprints down the shore was my signature, leaving my stamp of love for the island I lived on.

I dream of those days most nights. To know I’ve chosen a life away from them is not ideal, but I know I always have a home to come home to in my family away from family, on the island of Oahu. We were the first Hoale family to don the door of the Nazarene Church in Kaneohe, and our O’hana opened their eyes wide and soon their hearts to us.

We learned their dialect, and their culture as if it were our own. I spoke pidgin before I learned proper English. In fact when I moved back stateside, the education board made me take a test before starting school, because they thought I wasn’t smart enough to be in the 4th grade. They assumed my broken dialect was a sign of my intelligence.

I still have that test. It showed my intellectual age being 23, when I was only 10. I blew their tests out of the water. Then they wanted to put me in accelerated classes….I said no thanks. I would do fine in the normal classes with normal kids.

Back on point…I grew to love, breathe, and sleep my island life. Knowing that I will be home in a few days means more to me than anyone could ever know. It will be a short 3 day trip to Oahu, before leaving for Maui for a family wedding. But those short 3 days will be amazing! I will visit the place I went to school, and some of my other favorite spots like here, here, and here.

Sunday, we’ll attend church where I did as a kid. I hope my son and husband can appreciate how unique and special this place is. Not only because of the love for Christ they have in their heart, but also because of where it sits. It’s at the base of a mountain with slat windows, which allow the island breeze to stream through from side to side. You get to see God’s great creation in all it’s beauty, smell the wonderful flowers on the breeze, and worship in His goodness.

Afterwards we’ll go to Pearl Harbor so that my family can visit the Arizona, where I can point out my other house we lived in at the east lock of Pearl Harbor. We lived 20 feet from the Naval Intelligence Building, and it was a house that was pre-WWII, with vegetation that should be in a jungle. I had a closet that overlooked the harbor, with an amazing view.

Needless to say it’s going to be hard to tear myself away from my family and home, but I’ll be going to other family (in-laws) waiting for us on Maui. We’re staying at a beach house a block from the ocean, with the rest of the family to see my brother in law and future sister in law get married. This will be near and dear to my heart as well, knowing we’re making new memories to last a life time not only for me–but my five year old, who will taking it all in with wonder…just as I did 30 years ago.

I wish I could scan some of the old pics of me at 5 to post here, but my scanner is broken. I’ll post some new ones I get from this weeks adventures. Stay tuned!!!

PS….here’s the house in Maui we’ll all stay at:

So far it’s been a blast…

Today is my birthday. 36 wonderful years I celebrate today, but the parties started on July 4th. My mother went into labor on July 4th, so I think it’s appropriate that we start celebrating then with fireworks as she probably felt them then too!

My parents had us over for a great night of home-made Japanese cuisine, and a truck load of fireworks to shoot off afterwards. It was my son’s first time to take an active role in lighting the small fountains or sparklers, as in years past…he’d been too afraid. I think the big ones that my dad would light, that lit the entire night’s sky, still scared him though. This is not him in the pic (up above) by the way…for fireworks like these, he’d either be wrapped around me on our blanket…or running off screaming, “run for your lives!” I think after a while he got the hang of it.

My sister and husband go every July to a huge fireworks stand, where my sister happens to know the owner. They get a professional set up for a friends and family discount. My birthdays are always quite impressive when we have a 4th that overlaps a weekend. My son has always thought that we shoot fireworks for mommy’s birthday. This is the first year he gets that our country’s independence has something to do with it. 🙂

My mom is so pretty. Thought I’d just throw that in there.

Last night we had a party at my house and had about 15 people over to play our new Wii. We partied like it was 2099 pot luck style. My husband and I cleaned house from 9 am to 6 pm non stop to make sure every little detail was taken care of. With the exception of my kitchen being half painted,half stripped of wall paper…I think it was beautiful. I had to point out the before and ‘almost’ after in my kitchen, so people wouldn’t wonder why it was half way done. I can’t wait to have it completely finished so I can start on my next project!  See the 4 layers of wallpaper  that I’m in agony stripping chunk by chunk.  The purple paint on the wall below is the paint that I’m re-doing in it’s place.  It will have a whole new feel to it .

Today my son sang me the sweetest version of Happy Birthday, that brought tears to my eyes. Just to have him in my life, and get a huge hug while being told I’m the prettiest birthday girl…is such a gift. Afterwards we left to teach children’s church. I saw many parents I’ve not been around in a while. It was good to catch up with people I enjoy being around. That in itself is a huge blessing. And of course my son was handing my business card out to some of them, which I always appreciate. Tonight I have dinner with my in-laws and can’t wait to have the rest of my birthday weekend extravaganza!

I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday weekend!

Child Prostitution Ring Brought Down

I have to say a big PRAISE GOD for this weeks big story in the news. You can go to Yahoo for their updated story on an entire ring of Child Traffickers that were caught and prosecuted.

Nothing makes me more ill than the thought of someone being so vile, as to turn an innocent child into a sex pawn for their own gain. What kind of person wants not just to hurt another person, but to ruin the moral fiber down to their core? What kind of monster would break a child? It makes my skin crawl to know that there are those out their profiting off of this type of activity.

The Justice Department’s sting focused on the following cities: Atlanta; Boston; Dallas; Detroit; Houston; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Miami; Montgomery County, Md.; Oakland, Calif.; Phoenix; Reno, Nev.; Sacramento, Calif.; Tampa; Toledo, Ohio and Washington. Now I hope they broaden their scope and continue on with their persecution of these vile human beings and rescue more children, who’ve either run away or been thrown out by their families. No child, no matter what problems they’ve caused or dealt with, deserves this.

I read in People Magazine today at the salon about Elizabeth Smart and was so happy to read she has a happy ending. Most kids don’t have a moderately semi happy ending, and she’s in the minority. She’s now trying to help those in her shoes, those abductees that are brought back home trying to find some normalcy in life. Thank the Lord for her miraculous survival skills and will to press forward.

In reading this I ask you for two things: Pray for the runaways and throw away children and teens in America and abroad…because some are shipped to other countries. And pray for the F.B.I and any government organization in their efforts to infiltrate these types of cells.

One of my good friends here in OKC, is traveling to Cambodia in July on a rescue mission for children sold and trapped into sex slavery. Please pray for her traveling mercies, and the children she comes in contact with. Pray for her safety even though she assures me she’s only dealing with the children, who are already rescued and need to be cared for.

She’s involved in the operation that will care take these children to help them learn what true Christian unconditional love is – an innocent, clean, releasing love that isn’t anyway dirty…sexual….or evil. She’s basically going to be deprogramming these children, who are forced into the sex trade as early as infants, to show them a motherly love vs. sexual abuse.

—What a mission she’s going on. I’m going to ask her to be a guest blogger when she gets back from her mission trip on Reality Chicks.

—My heart breaks for all of today’s lost children!

I also have to give kudos to Our Crooked Tree for giving me a link to a non profit org that works to save these children. Please go check them out.

Bop till you Drop

Sorry Terri. This is not autographed. We went to Rick Springfield last night, and my wonderful husband had arrangements to get us back stage to meet him again. At that point I was going to have him sign this photo, from his concert in 2000.

My hubbie had his position backstage all night, since he did his show from there last night and got the opportunity to introduce Rick on-stage. My sister & I weren’t allowed back until after the concert. Security was heavy as many had tried to jump the barricades to get up close. I don’t get some people, but it was funny watching them try something stupid and then get in trouble for it.

Unfortunately my poor husband quickly came down with some strange stomach problems after eating some food he’d bought. He says his tummy was upset before hand, as he’d not eaten almost all day. I’d given him a sugary frozen lemonade earlier in the evening and he said the sweetness upset his stomach, but I don’t think the lemon ice started his downward spiral. It may have contributed to it, but he had some severe issues.

Scarrily enough, multiple vomiting in-sued and he passed out. He was as white and clammy as I’d seen him last time I had him in the hospital, which gave me the gut feeling that something was more wrong than sugar ripping into him. I hurried passed security, to ask for a medic. No barricade was going to keep me from my man.

It took a few minutes, but the medics arrived… as well as some lookey-loos. What is it about some people, who have to interrupt while someone is obviously sick? And continue to try to talk to them — oblivious to the fact that they’re feeling as if they’re on their death bed?

Seriously…my husband wanted to die on the spot from not only how he was feeling, but the fact that it was in public view….and 2 ditzy blonde girls want to ooh and aah over him? And then have the audacity to ask if my husband can get them backstage to meet Rick?

—>AAAAAh, that would be a BIG FAT NO!!! I had security send them off immediately.

Long story short we were in the emergency room all night and morning, where in my opinion they discharged him too early. IF a man can’t walk and is barely mobile, someone should be wise enough to keep him under observation!! We got home and he continued vomiting until 4 a.m.

I prayed and prayed that God would bless him just enough to keep meds down. Thank God for answered prayers! He’s finally keeping some meds and a little Gatorade down, and is resting comfortably at the moment.

The official diagnosis was the flu. BUT he had no fever or no symptoms prior to the food he ate at the concert. After eating, within 10 minutes he was vomiting. To me, my wife-dar, tells me that it’s food related…especially with all his food allergy history.

Here are some pluses for the day:

*We’re so blessed that he didn’t have any anaphylaxis issues.

*We’re so blessed the my son was at my mom’s, where he stayed the night.

*We’re so blessed my sister and boyfriend were there to help facilitate the operations of getting my poor sick husband into his work truck, so I could drive him out of there.

*I’m blessed by the fact that at the last minute, I rode to the concert with my sister instead of on my own car…that way I didn’t have to factor in an additional car in the scenario of leaving. My husband could have NEVER driven himself, and my car wouldn’t have been in a safe place overnight

Will you all please pray for my hubby? Pray that God gives him is healing peace? Pray that God blesses his stomach and intestines, so that we can keep liquids down him?

Thank you all!

Fridays are full of Blessings 6-6-08

Well anyone who read my latest post knows how well my week has gone. God is so good!

*My grandmother has been praying for 3 years that my book would get published. She faithfully and tirelessly would get on her knees every night, and pray for multiple things…my book being one of them. How wonderful was it for me to get to call her this week with the good news? She started crying and rushed off to church Wednesday night to tell everyone about her grand-daughter, the author. She lives in a small town, and I’m sure reveled in the moment. To me that was a huge blessing.

*My son got to be on stage with my husband, in introducing KC and the Sunshine band. My son got to turn to the crowd of about 1,000 and shake his booty to warm up the crowd in hopes of KC coming out to start the show. My little guy was a hit! The crowd roared in laughter as my husband then introduced the band, before joining the rest of us in the crowd for the show. IT was a blast. It was my son’s first concert and he had so much fun.

*My son asked me why it was special to get published. I gave him an analogy that he could understand a little better:
“You know when I teach your Sunday school class and I ask questions, that all your classmates raise their hands to answer?”
“Yes.”
“Well everyone wants me to pick them, right?” (head nod)
“I can’t pick everyone. I can only pick one person at a time to answer, and when I do pick that person it makes them feel pretty special…right?”
“Yah.”
“Well a publishing house is like me, the teacher, picking one person, like the student, to feel pretty special. LOTS of people want their books published, and they can only pick one.”
“WOW! Mom, that makes you special! I’m so happy for you!”
—This was a special moment for me because he got the big picture. He even answered the phone within minutes of our conversation and told my sister excitedly how his mommy was getting published!

*I put my notice in at work, in plans to focus on my photography/writing. Two days later I got another photography job, for July.

*Today is one month till my birthday! Yay! I told my son I’d be 36 years young. He responded with, “Yah, you are young…but I’m younger! AND your skin is getting thinner every year!” Okay now I’m imagining my veins showing through my skin when I’m 70, and wrinkles everywhere, but I’m still blessed.

*This week we bought our tickets to Oahu/Maui for my brother in law’s wedding, in July. We couldn’t afford to buy them until now, so we were blessed that our finances finally fell into place PLUS we found some tickets at a rate we were happy with considering how late we were buying them.

*My future sister in law, whom I adore, asked my son to be their ring bearer. So not only do we get to stand on a beach and watch them take their vows, but I get to watch my baby be a part of it. I’m so happy.

*I confirmed that I can stay with my aunti and uncle on Oahu, on our 3 day trip, before heading to Maui. That will save us a lot of money with room and meals. They’ve not met my husband yet so not only do I get to introduce my son to them, but my sweet husband. It’s going to be a huge blessing to show them where I went to school, lived in which houses, and attend church on Sunday at my church home. This church sits down in the valley, where the breeze flows through the slatted windows from the mountains above. I’m blessed to think of how peaceful that will be.

*My husband used his academy sports gift certificate and came home with a big 40″ X 12 ft pool for our back yard. It will give our son the practice he needs swimming for our trip next month. The mere fact that he’s home at 5:20 at night, from his new job, is a huge blessing….but that now he’s home to take care of the back yard and now put in a pool is bonus!

*Lastly I took my first Zumba class with my sister at the gym, we recently joined. I loved it and lasted the whole class. I got to shake my booty and have fun with my sis!

I hope you all have had a great week!