BFFs

I've been trying to write this post for ever 2 weeks. Life has been super full and fun, so sitting down at my computer hasn't happened. My college friends and I had our annual weekend together, and we had a wonderful time. Seeing as long it's been since our weekend, I'll just give a basic recap. We had: lots of food, spa time, a movie out, pictures, yummy homecooked dinner, long walks, Cookie dough, good conversation, and more laughter than I usally have in a month. I am so blessed to have these friends even though I only see them once a year. God gave us something special when he slowly put brought us all together to be friends. Thanks, Ladies.

Thankful in November

On Facebook there is a Thankful in November campaign going around. I think it's a great idea to ask ourselves to think of a daily reason to be thankful. Too many times, I forget how truly blessed I am. I have not participated everyday because I have not had computer access every day. I'll put my lists here every couple weeks to keep myself accountable for finding something great in every day. I'll pull some of them from FB, but others I'll just have here.
1st- from FB I am thankful for my spaghetti covered baby.
2nd- a day off from school and the freedom to vote
3rd- thankful that Abigail spends her days with her Daddy or her Nana. I'm jealous, but I'm glad she's always with people who really love her.
4th- thankful for a weekend away with college friends
5th- thankful for a day spend reuniting and catching
6th- thankful for good conversation on an abundance of topics
7th- thankful a safe trip home to my family
8th- thankful for money to spend at the grocery store on food.

Stay tuned for more later.

Gentry Farm

Our family went to Tennessee this past weekend and had some good old fashioned family fun on the farm. We spent Saturday morning at the Gentry Farm. It's a pretty famous place around Franklin and Nashville. It's a family owned farm that goes back a long ways. We happen to know the family since we went to church with them for many years. They are a great family and run a great farm. The kids had a great time being outside and playing. for the parents and grandparents, it was great fun to see the kids so happy. A great morning was had by all down on the farm.

Lessons from My Daughter

Being a mother has taught me many lessons about the love of God. I don't claim to understand it, but I feel like motherhood has given me a greater understanding of the depth of his love for us, his children.



Abigail is at an age where words are a big deal. She's learning new ones and attempting to say a few things. Most come out as nonsense, but she's learning that words are a way to communicate and get a message across. The word that I of course long for is Mama. She has been able to make those sounds for months, but I think only recently has realized that I am Mama. The truth about that word right now though is that she only uses is when she's whining. She'll stand at my legs and whine mamamamamama. Of course has her mother I want to pick her up and comfort her and take care of her needs, even when she's whining.



Yesterday, I was struck like a ton of bricks by the parallels between this relationship with my daughter and my relationship with my heavenly Father. How many times in my life do I only go to Him when I'm whining. I go to him and pray (whine) that something isn't good, and I need Him to fix it or make it better. Of course as my Father, God wants to help me when I'm hurting or sad or something has gone wrong. But just like I long to hear my child say Mama just because she's happy to see me, God wants that from me too. Duh. I wait for the afternoon where I go pick her up and she says Hi Mama. My mama's heart wants her to be excited to see. When she's upset, I will run to her to help her, but I want my name to be spoken by her in joy.



God deserves that and so much more for me. If he cares when I am hurting, of course he also cares when I'm excited. He wants to hear it all. He wants me to talk to him. He wants me to be excited to see him and have a conversation. God just wants me to want to talk to him. He wants me to say his name and be glad to talk to him.

I'm so thankful for the little lessons that God allows me to learn through my daughter. I'm the one supposed to be teaching her, but often it seems like the other way around.

The Reunion

In just a few days, I'll be traveling home to go to my 10 year high school reunion. Wow, so many feelings and emotions are attached to it. First of all, it's been a long time. Ten years seems like a long time, but in other ways I feel like I should still be a Mustang dressed in my purple and gold gym clothes. Am I old enough to be out of school for 10 years, be married for 5 and have a young child? The answer is... yep. I'm there. I'm proud to be where I am. Since high school I have gotten 2 degrees, married a wonderful man, had a beautiful child, taught several hundred children, and enjoyed myself along the way.

High school had many good moments. Softball would have to be the best part. I was the worst part of the team, but I learned things there that I never could have learned in a classroom. As I think about going back, I'm flooded with memories of sleepovers, football games, JR./Sr, and all the rest that goes along with high school. Overall, high school was a good experience for me. I wasn't part of the top tier or the bottom tier, but hung out there in the middle. I had a good core group of friends who were great to hang out with and made life fun during those times. I am looking forward to seeing them and meeting husbands and children and such. The slightly strange part of seeing them for me though is that several of them remained friends after high school. I left for college in August after graduation and havn't really lived there since. They are all current on each other's lives, but I only know what's been posted on Facebook.

There are also parts of high school that I would love to never go back to; I don't really even want to reflect, but alas, I can't help but do it. Let me be a bit transparent here. In high school, I was very hard on myself. I struggled with my self esteem and self confidence. It was a constant battle for me. At times it still can be. Going back to high school scares me because I don't want to slip back into that old me. While I do still struggle to believe in myself and have confidence, I am in a much better place with me than I was back then. I don't want to walk into the reunion and immediately fall back into "mousy me". I don't want to feel inferior the way that I used to feel. BUt I know that it's going to be hard to step out of that car and walk in. Cute dress or not, High school me might come back out.

One difference this time is that I will have my fabulous husband by my side. He knows all this about me. My struggles with me, my need to conquor this reunion, my need for help in confidence. Plus I'll be proud to walk in with a hot guy on my arm. Let's face it, that didn't really happen much for me in high school. So here goes, classes of 2000 every where, Good luck with your reunions. Wear your new sleves proudly. Give people a chance to grow up, Be an adult, but enjoy looking back and seeing how far we've come.

What I Found This Morning

This was what I found this morning when I went to get Abigail to put her in the car. It was too sweet to not take a picture. I just loved that little booty sticking up in the air.

The Gift of Jury Duty

Whenever I have heard people mention jury duty, it has always been followed with groans. Well last week I had my first experience with jury duty and I can honestly say that God blessed me through my time served.



Monday was a reporting day. First of all, I got to sleep in a bit since I didn't have to report until nine. Another teacher from school was also there, and I enjoyed talking to him for awhile in the morning. Then I got to sit and read which is something I love to do, but rarely get the chance these days. I actually got selected to be on jury. While listening to the testimony in the case, I was reminded how blessed I am because of the husband and family that I have. Seeing how the court system works was very interesting. It was certainly a break from my normal day. During the HOUR and a HALF lunch break, I was able to run errands and eat out. I usually get 27 minutes. Another gift was the chance to sit in the sun and read my Bible. The sun on my shoulders was like feeling God's hand resting on me while I read.

I ended up being put on a jury. It was an interesting process which I am glad to know more about. The legal system surely has its flaws, but hearing and watching the proceedings was fascinating. The family involved has been on my mind and in my prayers since then. We left the court house at 5 on Monday and were to report back on Tuesday at 9. This mean another morning of sleeping a bit later than the norm. I'll take every few minutes I can get. I ended up being the alternate juror so I did not get to participate in the deliberation. I was sent to sit in a room and read for over 2 hours. It was amazing. FOr me the gift of time to read was so welcome. To me extended reading time is a luxury that is reserved only for summer and holidays. So what would have been torture for some was a heavenly blessing for me.

I had to report back on Thursday. This time I "knew" several of the women in the room, so we started chatting like old friends. We sat there for about an hour without being called to do anythign until we were dismissed. During that time I heard these women around me having various conversations about God, faith, churches, the Holy Spirit. It was completely uplifting to be surrounded by strangers talking about God. It was a reminder from God to me that He is alive, active and working. He's even at the court house. As we walked out we said goodbye and a couple of them women told me that they would be praying for me. How wonderful to have just met these people, but because of the love of Christ, we are connected. I have new "friends" out there lifting me up before the Father. I wish I did actually know these ladies. It seems like I would love to have lunch with them and learn from them. What a gift from a week that was supposed to be awful.

God gave me margin. We've been doing a video series in our Sunday School about margin in our lives which is basically have room around the edges. Lately I have been struggling to find margins with my time. There hasn't seemed to be any extra anywhere. So for me, God gave me the gift of Jury Duty which allowed for the gift of margin. Bits of time opened up. Hopefully I glorified God in the way that I used that time. God can use anything for his glory. He took a week that I had partly dreaded and turned it into a gift to bless me emotionally and spiritually. God is so good.