Does it have to end??

We are headed home and I hate this part of vacations, but here are my favorites from this trip:

Favorite meal: At Oceana - Queen Snapper with spinach-asparagus risotto followed by creme brulee for dessert - it all just melted in your mouth.

Favorite drink: Pomegranate martini

Favorite purchase: a new sundress and necklace that my mom found.


Favorite activity: making pizzas with my uncle. He lives on Water Island so he came over and picked us up on his boat and we went over there to see his house and deli/bar. Once we got to his island we parked the boat and got into a golf cart to drive to their house. It was quite an ordeal to just get to their house, but a great adventure.
me driving the golf cart...and they drive on the opposite side of the road so that was interesting!!




Favorite place: in the lounge chair, reading a book, listening to the waves. I think I was doing this 95% of the time!!!

Favorite outfit: Provided by Chris...THANK YOU!!!




Favorite memory: Seeing a rainbow streak across the sky one morning during my morning devotional.

Favorite animal: Although there were iguanas, lizards, cats, birds and chickens on the hotel grounds, my favorite two things were the crabs on the beach and the cute little clear and yellow fish I saw while snorkeling.



Favorite "take-home" thought: "Say what you need to say" I heard this song alot while we were here and it really made me think. So, whether positive or negative, I will try to follow that saying. I know who I am, what God is asking of me, what areas to strive to improve and that I am the only person that knows all of those things, so I will stand firm in that. It's great how a vacation can completely clear your head. I needed this more than I realized.

Virgin Islands

Everyone keeps asking why am I on Facebook or texting or blogging while on vacation, and the answer is because with two kids I don't really get to do all those things WHENEVER I want and for this whole week I can!! I can text ALL day, take 2 hours to create a blog and check/update facebook without ever being interrupted. It is so nice. Here are a few pics from the last few days. My aunt and uncle, Becky and Mark, have been able to take us around the island and eat dinner with us both nights so far, so that has been alot of fun. Other than that, I have spent alot of time on the beach just relaxing!! More pics to come later in the week.


dinner at Greenhouse



Happy Hour at the hotel!!

Dinner at Wikked

Mystery Man

Ok, so I wanted to share more about my mystery man. To be honest I wasn't sure how I felt about dating at this point, as I shared earlier, but after several weeks and alot of prayer and advice, I am more comfortable with the idea. So...

this is Chris.

We have spent alot of time together over the last few weeks and I have really enjoyed getting to know him. He is the kind of guy that you can get dressed up and go dancing with or grab take out and curl up on the couch and watch a movie with. He knows Austin well and always has a new, original place for me to experience. I really enjoy his company and humor and great conversation. I guess I assumed I would date alot of "frogs" before I found someone worth spending time with, lucky for me that wasn't the case.

Time at GG's

We were able to spend some time with GG this week. We went to the zoo to see all the animals, played in the sprinkler, rode a merry go round, but I think the boys had the most fun playing with the doggy door!! The video is a little dark, but you can still get the idea of the endless fun they had going in and out.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

July 4th

Another year at the lake with family!! We always have a lot of fun and this year was no exception. Between skiing and tubing and eating and fireworks, we made alot of great memories.

A whirlwind

I have gotten alot of comments about where I have been in the blogging world lately. I went from blogging almost daily to maybe once every two weeks, if I can fit it in. The last month has been a whirlwind of activity and emotion.

Back in March I started a new job with a company that contracts with Child Protective Services as a Homemaker Provider. I go into homes where the kids have been removed or are about to be removed and re-teach life skills to the parents. It has been really rewarding and I have seen some crazy things over the last few months. Last week, I increased my work load by double, so although I will love the extra income, I have been a little overwhelmed! Yesterday I saw the worst case yet. There was trash a mile high out front and the stench was just overpowering as I got out of my car, but to my surprise, inside was not any better. There were 4 girls in the home; a 1, 2, and 3 year old and a 9 year old. The 2 year old has cancer, a eye that had to be removed due to the cancer, and was just diagnosed with autism. The other two small girls were pretty much neglected because of the attention the special needs child needed. The house was filthy and I felt so bad for the girls that they had to endure that kind of living situation. I just wanted to take them all home with me to love on them. After my visit with that family, I came home and was served a subpoena to testify in a different case that I have. I was shocked and never thought this job would be so dramatic, but I am really enjoying every minute of it and hope God can use me in each one of these cases.

Also capturing my attention lately is a gentleman. Over the last year I have had to fulfill two different roles in the home. I love my role as a mom and a woman; one of cooking and nurturing and cleaning and loving and serving. I do not love my role as pseudo dad and man; one of changing light bulbs and taking out the trash and fixing things. I have been lost in a world of survival...until now. In the last month God has surprised me with a man that has taken romance to a new level; purple flowers, wine and cheesecake, a surprise car wash, a shirt just perfect for me, drinks overlooking downtown, a gift certificate to the spa, long talks under the stars, time spoiling the kids, country dancing; I could just go on and on about how the last month has brought back a spark within me. I have no idea what God is going to do with this relationship, but I am thankful for this man who sees me for who I am.

Wordless Wednesday

The problem with planning

I am a planner. I love having a schedule and a timeline and keeping a calandar. Maybe it's because I enjoy having things to look forward to or maybe it's just because I like to have control. But I've once heard, "The greatest illusion is the illusion of control."

It's been almost a year since my life was turned upside down. The whole ordeal was especially hard because I had absolutely no control in any respect, but now that it's over I thought I would gain some control back. I would be in charge of me and the boys, my job, my home, my ministry; everything would be "under control", and then I could start to think about dating. Wow... dating!! That's a scary word to type, much less say. I never thought I would be here, but here I am so I will plan, because that's what I do. I thought about a timeline; when's the "proper" time to start dating? I thought about my reputation; what will people think of me for dating at all? I thought about the boys; when is the right time to introduce them to someone I am dating? All these thoughts lead to plans and schedules and... safety.

I started off 2010 wanting to live in God's abundance; feel free to go back and read that blog. And once again, I am putting God in a box with my timelines and schedules. I know He is the Author, but for some reason I feel the need to continually pull the pen out of His hands and want to write my own version of "life". Just a 30 year habit I am going to have to continue to make an effort to break, I guess. He has been faithful to close doors and open doors at the right time, even when I am screaming at Him that He doesn't know what He is doing. And now, as I start to think about dating, I find a door opening that doesn't quite fit the mold I had or the timeline I hold.

This wasn't in my plans.

So, do I hold fast to my schedule and possibly miss something great, or do I let go and let God?

Wicked

I was able to go on a girls trip this weekend. The main event was to see the show Wicked, but we also did alot of relaxing and alot of much needed girl talk! I am so glad I have girlfriends that are so down to earth, honest and fun to be around. I can't wait until our next trip!


Right outside our hotel


Melinda, Becca, me and Lisa at the pool

At the show


Melinda doesn't like to eat salt because it makes her puffy, so we made her a no puff zone with her own basket of chips with no salt.

Troy swimming

Troy is now swimming, jumping in and going under and doing hand stands under water. What a complete change in him since swim lessons. That really was money well spent!!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Summer

This week Troy took swim lessons for the first time. Through several recommendations I signed him up and Monday we both were a little nervous. The instructor teaches from her home by age and with only 5 kids per class. The parents are not allowed to stay, but there are some hedges to stand behind and watch the kids. The very first day she had them jumping in from the side. She would let them go under, but just for a moment, and then help them kick back towards the side. There were tears by all, but by the end of class they are all fine and Troy has really enjoyed it.

Also this week, Tanna came in town to go to the Splash Pool with us. Brylee, Troy and Teague were quite a team, and quite a handful. We didn't have much time for visiting if all three of them were awake, but it was fun to watch them all interact together. At the Splash Pool Troy wanted to show me what he learned from swim lessons and I was surprised that he went completely under water and then popped back up, wiped his face and just smiled and said "see!" He was so proud of himself and showed me and Tanna and the lifeguard and any other mom that walked by. I am hoping to get some more of him swimming on video at the last swim lesson today, if so, I will post it later, but here he is going under water.



They are quite a pair!!