Happy Halloween

Geez my kid, lazy, lazy, lazy! We get to trick or treating and he's all pumped, then after 10 houses he's butt tired and wants to pass out from exhaustion. Drug him around for 2 blocks and gave in to his whines. Someday he'll make it the whole 2 hours.

He sure made a cute pirate. And Zacks costume was dang funny.

Brrrrr.....

How about we go camping in the Smokies this year, in a tent. With the added addition of a small flameless propane heater this should be something any camper could do. Have tent will travel to the mountains no matter what the tempurature. Then theres the fact that it dipped down to 34 degrees....and the tent is made of nylon, with a roof that is entirely made of mesh. Odd doesn't seem to hold heat too well. Neither does fleece blankets for that matter.......now that is just dang funny. More on our polar expedition tomorrow. For now I will be going to my warm bed, in my warm home. Waking up and getting into my warm car, to work where heat is plentiful. I love technology, that allows heat to be readily available anytime anywhere.

Longest ever!

This has been the longest ever I've gone without updating my blog I believe. Must mean life is way busy. And it is. Just wait till we add basketball to the mix, watch practice will be on Tuesday! I always wondered what it would be like to be that person whose life was so busy she didn't even have time to scrap. OMG.....I'VE BECOME THAT PERSON......and I said it'd never happen. It has and I feel so ashamed. It's completely unavoidable. Still officially waiting for that call, haven't heard a peep about the God job, so hold on to your britches faithful fans, I know you are praying so don't quit. I look around at my co-workers who use big life insurance words on a daily basis, and wonder why it is they sound like they know what the hell they are talking about. Do I sound like that? Ever? God I hope not. Promise not to ever bore my blog, stalkers with boring ass life insurance jargon, trust me you'll remove me from your favorites if that happened. Must go pack for camping, bought an ultra cool tent heater, hope it is toasty! Stay tuned on Monday for fabulous pictures of the Moutains.

Nice Weekend....

Well the Alpha Day Away was awesome as usual. The Holy Spirit did not disappoint. Kind of bummed my whole table didn't show, but it was all but one. So that was cool, and they all seemed to be happy with the outcome of the day. My apprentice leader is awesome, he and his wife are a lovely couple, and it's cool to see them grow to be super cool Godly people. Plus he said I was a good leader and that was very flattering. I do try, lack in the hospitality part, but my gifts are elsewhere so I make up for it. Feeling a little disconnected from my close friends lately, maybe because I haven't been to a crop in over a month. I think P's new dose of meds is working better. Don't want to say for sure until we've had a full week of it. Kind of dissappointed in the lack of communication from his teachers. Frustrating when you beg to be involved and you get nothing on the other end. Can't try if I don't know what to do. P signed up for basketball. He knows nothing about the sport, but is willing to give it a try, could be interesting. I hope he enjoys it.

Bleh...

No better way to end a fast but to experience extreme glutiny. Isn't that how it's done? We went to Buca Di Beppo, and ate way too much and spent way too much money. But Ron suggested Olive Garden.....once you've eaten at Buca Di Beppo, Olive Garden seems like fast food or something. I am officially spoiled and snooty! Long day tomorrow must get to bed!

FAST IS OVER!

Unless someone calls me right now and tells me "you can do it!" Too late, I'm done. I made it 40 hours. Ron tried to push me to make it to 48 but he's coming home, and I am not so sure he wants to see me on a completely empty stomach. It was rather interesting what your body does. It wasn't too terrible, but my vision was getting a bit cloudy, (could have been from dirty contacts), and my head didn't stop hurting. It wasn't a full on headache, but......it was just hurting.....I was beginning to get rather uncomfortable and I don' t thing that's what God had in mind. I did some serious prayin, got some clarity on some P stuff, and feel better about other things as well. It was a good fast and I'm glad I made it as long as I did. Hey it was the 40 hour famine.......Jodi style. It did however cost me 100 dollars is scrappin supplies. Hummm.....next time it'll be a shopping fast. Going to go have some soup.

Confessions of a shopaholic who is fasting.....

So what does one do when they are not eating during their lunch hour?? Shop...duh...I'm a shopaholic! For some reason I was thinking when one fasts for spiritual reasons, they shouldn't talk about it. Which is true to an extent, since it is between me and God. But it seems that when I share it with some the why, most understand, and get it, and it has an effect on them in a profound way. Or they are secretly talking about what nut I am behind my back. Whatever that's where the "between me and God" comes in. So why fast? At first there was just one reason, and then as I felt confirmation that fasting was the right thing to do, several other reasons fell into place. It's just a 3 day fast. I say just like it's been easy. Ha Ha....clarity yes, easy not so much. Free lunch at the workplace today to roll out the new vision. Lasagna....right.....gotta go shop, so I headed to Haps. I do feel hungry right now, it's been almost 24 hours, but it's not unbearable. It's completely doable. I've been drinking V8 splash, OJ and water. I did take a few tylenol, cause I have a headache and I had some gum, cause ones mouth gets rather funky when no food is put in it. It may seem wierd but I find myself praying with clarity and more purposeful, I feel like I know more what to say to God. They say when no food is consumed toxins leave your body. Very true. You seem to be very intune to what God is saying when you fast. Full report on how I am feeling tomorrow. And any suggestions what my first food consumption should be on Friday at midnight may be rewarded.

It's Tuesday.....

Ok the do too much day is shifting to Thursday this week. Sorry for the late notice, alot went on today, but most of it shifted to my mama....thanks Mom.....Man thanks everyone for your prayers it's been overwhelming how many folks got my back, you guys are truly amazing. Now can you shift all the prayer doing to my kid. He's having a tough time at school. Kids don't get him because socially he misses cues that most kids would pick up on. Theres a couple kids who get him and just accept him for being Perry, but I'm not even completely sure that he even kicks it with them often. He says he does, but you never know if he's just talking to you to get you to stop asking questions or if he's really telling you the truth. So frustrating. I just don't want folks to pick on him. So we go to the psychiatrist and maybe do some med adjusting. Wish medication wasn't the answer, but the alternative is way way way worse. My prayer is that switching won't have to happen and just an increase would do the trick and help him focus. Or that his teachers would find something that would help him. And that his teachers would "get" him. So so so important. It'd be so easy to view him as a disruption, and just get frustrated and just let him do whatever to keep him quiet and happy. Or that they would be gentle, patient and persistant, and draw him out of Perryland into the land of learning. Ah yes....wouldn't hat be nice. Can we just stay there for a little while?

Ok I knew I wasn't the only one who LOVES Greys Anatomy. I so need Tivo so I can watch these amazing scenes over and over. Check out Heathers blog.....She does a far better job descibing why this show is so good than I could ever. Yes the closing scene is what awesome TV shows are made of. And Yes if I need a major organ removed, can it be Patrick Dempsey who does the cutting? Thanks that'd be great!

It's a Good Thing!

Things that are good at this moment:

• Bookmark making
• Someone paying me to make bookmarks for their friends. (that's kind of fun!)
• Jones Cream Soda
• Splenda
• Cooking a whole chicken in the crockpot
• Eating healthy most of the weekend
• Perry's voice is all raspy because he's got a cold
• Ron comes home this week
• Scenic route paper, beautiful on both sides
• The smell of fabritac glue
• Finding my Art Journal and I may even do some stuff in it.
• Feeling a sense of peace with what God has planned for my life
• Feel like my life is going to dramatically change here soon, don't know why just a feeling.
• Fun mail from Lisa in California
• Pumpkins
• Crisp fall air, seems so clean
• Kate Miner song Overwhelmed (latest blog entry although from August is worth reading, and you can hear some of her music there. Come to the Water is good too)
• Ben Stiller with Jack Johnson, funny stuff
• Greys Anatomy is on tonight
• Wallace and Gromit
• New White Barn Candles (which happen to be on sale for $10) got some fall scents, Creamy Nutmeg, and Cinamon Pumpkin....very nice.

You guys Rock!

Thanks for your prayers. You'll know the outcome soon enough. Just know that I appreciate it more than you could imagine. Now about Jack Johnson. Did I come late to the Jack Johnson party or what. I love him. He's like James Taylor only better and hipper. There's probably some JT fans screaming at their computers right now. Simmer down, my blog my opinion deal with it! Love the silhouette look of this video, and the subtle humor. I think if I was Jack I would have wacked Ben with the guitar towards the end.

Brother stepped up to the challenge of helping his sister. I am all about not realizing what I am going to need until like the day before. I have a leader retreat gig tomorrow morning, not realizing mom sleeps during the day, duh. So brother called for some childcare hook up of his own, so it's a you help me I help you and then we come together and kick it. It all worked out real easy like that, so it's all good. Big shout out to little bro, coming through like that! I think I'll do a little cleaning right about now. A little domestic work never hurt anyone!

Challenge

Ok I am challenging all you prayer warriors who have stepped up and been faithful this far. Tomorrow at 3:30 pm, is a good time to do that amazing praying thing you do.

New INXS for ya! Why all the sudden am I obsessed with a dead guy?

INCREDIBLE DAY!

****PLEASE TELL ME YOU ARE DOING THE HEAD SHAKING INXS DANCE!********
Do it with me, head goes up and down in a "yes" motion. Now shake it in the "no" motion, awesome!

Wow, man when you people pray, you ain't kidding. You take this praying thing very serious. I will not devolge (is that a word) to much detail so as not to jinx myself. But WOW! I can't imagine going through a roller coaster of a day like today and not having a God connection. There's absolutely NO way. How can people live like that? I don't get it at all. I can't imagine for a moment having hook up after hook up and not thinking God had a part of that, theres no way coincidences happen like that, completely impossible. Then theres the people I know who don't have the God connection and my gosh, their lives are a royal wreck. I mean honestly I have had catastrophys happen in my life, but was able to come out of it with peace because well God hooked me up with that peace. What do you do if you don't have a God thing going on, no peace, and if you do find peace where does it come from? I can see where the folks I know, have moments of happeness but it never seems like true happeness, theres always the next big catastophy around the corner to push them a little deeper into the hole, till pretty soon you are buried. Or you find immoral means to create a sense of happiness. To which you then beat yourself up over it, and the guilt comsumes you so then you have to medicate yourself to get through the day.....NO THANKS.....I'm not saying hooking up with God equals instant peace in your life, you still have to work at it. But the waves of heartbreak always seem easier and less torturous to me. I'm just speaking by what I see because I've not ever been through an horrible experience without God, but know people who have. Nuff said....rambling craziness, but someone will get something I am sure. Promise to unload the mystery when the time is right!

I am a coward!!!

Biggest coward ever! Terrified of rejection so I avoid being assertive. What is it with me? Thank goodness Abby doesn't read my blog or she'd be all over me about being a coward. Ugh....I suck. I won't get into the why....those who know me well know the why, and that's cool. Man old school INXS....theres enough video's out there to sustain me for a good while, I think I might just hook it up with some INXS till I've used them all. They will never be as they once were. NEVER....got that JD? I was obsessed with Michael Hutchinsen back in the day, he was so dreamy and had good hair, I had that hair.....love it. Never noticed before though....dude he dances like a girl! I like the head bobbers in the background and the dude playing air drums in the referree shirt.....too dang funny. Ok folks need to pray for me to be assertive, cause I can't do it, it'll need to be God if anythings gonna happen. I was actually creative last night, I made bookmarks for folks at my table. I was up half the night cause I procrastinated, but it got my creative juices flowing, and now I feel some mail art coming on, or something in an altered book perhaps.....look out, more artwork in the next few days I promise! Well heck Rob if you read my blog theres your bookmark, won't be much of a surprise. It's so much cooler in person. Ha....love that quote by MLK jr! Incase you can't read it. "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." MLK jr

So so true.

Good Shopper Indeed!

No intentions of buying stuff today, seriously! I'm suppose to be working on some projects, but I felt the lure of Itunes.....it's like some sort of spell it casts on you and calls you into it's presence....creepy actually. So you surf around and suddenly find yourself looking at something rather frightening.......David Crowder, seriously frighten looking dude. But do you have to be pretty to make amazing worship music? I think not. I think he makes himself look scary on purpose, just so you'll close your eyes and worship, because that my friends is what happens when you hear his music. And low and behold he has a new album, which has a super cool looking cover, which means it's has to be good music. It's all vintage looking and funky looking.....what's happening?? Tons of good songs, I'll probably listen to it tonight as I go to sleep, nothing better than listening to good worship music as you go to sleep. You can check out the A Collision E-card it will give you a little taste. Check that bad boy out HERE! Or you can take a listen at the my space thing too...check that out HERE.....GOOD NIGHT!

I Resign!....

I am so done being a grown up right now. I don't wanna play anymore, I want someone else to take over and run things for a while. Too much responsibility. I have to be a good parent, good employee, good daughter, good Christian, good friend,good wife, good stranger....too damn much people. Get me off this crazy train. Oh gotta be a good housekeeper too, I am failing at a lot of those miserably. Those are all the things I need to do and the only thing I can do is be a good shopper. Not good, not good at all.

The door for the God job remains open. I keep thinking it's going to slam shut, but nope still a possibility. Don't want to get my hopes up, yet trying to remain positive since it would be a nice hook up if it pans our the way I think it would. We shall see. If not I know it's just not where God wanted me. Nuff said.

P got in trouble on the bus yesterday. Apparently he is having difficulty staying in his seat, and he hit a kid. Probably cause the kid was trying to make him sit down. Well the Assis. Principle called and left a message to this regard. To which Perry denied all allegations. Although, his integrity was in question since he sits directly behind the bus driver, therefore, the bus driver would actually see P hit or stand up. So he was sentenced to his room till he was willing to share his side of the story. To which he continued to deny all allegations and said they just said he did it. After 2 hours of incarceration, the prisoner wore down, and confessed to his crime. It went a little something like this.

Mommy: Perry do you remember why you are in trouble?
P: Mommy I don't wanna be under punishment anymore.
Mommy: Do you recall the reason for you punishment?
P: Alright Mommy I'll talk about it. (in a wee small voice)
he softly says....."hate to break it to ya mommy, but the bus driver was right, I did hit, and I did stand up.....I'm sorry I lied. but a kid pushed me like this (he pushes his chest)
Mommy: I am glad you told the truth. You'll remain punished until I get home from work tomorrow. If it happens again you won't be allowed to ride the bus anymore. (he actually loves riding the bus.)

The prisoner is now free, and enjoying Fosters Home for imaginary friends.

Stacie wins for funniest link ever....gets kind of raunchy but dang funny! Steve Don't Eat it!
Give the Foo Fighters some love would ya!

No Seriously......

Whose trying to be funny. It's self portrait tuesday, thought I'd sign up for this gig. Because I love to do stuff on Tuesdays. If I could schedule everything to happen on Tuesdays that would be great, because theres just not enough stuff to do on Tuesday. So lets just add to the things we already do on Tuesdays, and self portrait session shall we?
So there it is. Me on a Tuesday, at the end of her DAY FROM HELL! Thought it was smooth sailing once I got to Alpha, and was reassured that the Alpha folks had been praying for me. Wondered why I hadn't completely lost it yet, since things seemed to be going as if I should be stressed, yet I wasn't feeling it. Well that's because folks were praying Duh! Just cause I wasn't handing my stuff over to God (cause I got this remember?) doesn't mean everyone else was for me. Here I am trying to lead people to find the right answers about God, leading them to a healthy spiritual life, and I am suppose to be setting a good example, and I am completely failing at spirituallity 101. Completely distancing myself from God, and not being purposeful with my walk and spending time chatting with the big dude whose obviously making things easy on me and less stressful. Wow what a freakin reality check tonight was. I may have gotten more out of the Prayer talk than the people at my table. I was honest though, so at least they know I'm human. Ok so heres a rundown of the crazy crazy day!

Work half day
Pick P up 1 hour early from school
head to the super cool psychologists office
On time and happy about that.
Get halfway down the road that goes to his office.
Police, yellow crime scene tape, can't get there from this direction
No receptionist at his office
call the other office they can't help me cause they ain't there.
leave message for the doctor, going to be late, police ect....
try another direction
get lost cause I am directionally challenged.
Perry a little concerned that the Police won't let him see the doctor he enjoys
End up making a big 10 mile circle, Police still there, try again.
This time I find it, Perry screams with delight with a raspberry for the police who tried to keep him from his appointment, that now only has 30 min left.
Get to the office and wait....wait somemore, because...no receptionist...and signs saying do not go past this point because of confidentiality blah blah blah....so we wait....
by the time Doc actually heard us out there, we only had 10 min left. Of which Mr. Super cool Doctor we love made those 10 min. quality, so still happy even if I had to pay a co-pay for 10 min.
Head to Meijer for a quick trip to pick up some cool gummy ear buds for my ipod, love them, wanted pink to match but all they had was black, it's all good. The cord is kind of pink. I think this selfish act was when things began to go very bad.
Meet mom at my house for her to take me to get my car that was being serviced, a routine 100 dollar tune up....(barf)....She drops me off, then I head to Alpha.
Is anyone else exhausted yet??? ME!
Alpha so so good, encouraged that folks were praying for me, talk on prayer, table went well folks shared their hearts good stuff. Mom suppose to drop Perry off at church after cubscouts, so after meeting see the junior helper who usually has him, but no Perry, and she's not seen him. Slight panic.
Ok no after alpha meeting for Jodi, must find son.
Head to childcare area, no Perry, and they hadn't seen him all night, he never show'd. What?
I had precise plans of how things were to happen, very easy, everything was communicted properly. Call my house, home phone not working line trouble....NOT....good. Geegaws should have cellphones. Call brothers house, get sister in law all worked up and worried, I was a little concerned, and getting a little anxious, but not yet freaking out, she's an instant freaker outter, always a good balance for us laid back folks, good thing she married my brother also pretty laid back, but me more so than him. So at least someone was paniced, since clearly I was not yet....called best friend, got her to head to house she lives close, to see if Geegaw just forgot?? BINGO, she didn't forget, she was just delayed by a longer than usual Den meeting. And was now waiting for me to come home, but couldn't call from my phone (line trouble remember). So best friend gets to the house, Geegaws getting in her van, and best friends like "mom where ya going?" To which she responds in a frantic response to church to drop off Perry....I'm now going to be late for work. She then asks, Mom where ya been? To which Mom responds......
"the police station..." Screeching tire sound effect, best friend schrieks in horror.....ahhhhh...what happened, OMG is everything ok. Because she didn't remember the fact that I told her the cub scouts were visiting the police station tonight.....Mom said...."cubscouts".....LOL Oh that's right. Best friend took P with her, and I head home, Geegaw headed to work. I get home phone still not working. Talk on cellphone to husband with a run down of the chaos that is my life. Problem is I'd have this drama whether he was here or not, theres just the added bonus that he ain't here. Talk to best friend, cellphone now goes dead.....telecommuncation devices are no longer my friend at this point, any moment now the computers going to fizzle out, I can feel it. Check e-mail and theres a e-mail in regards to the part-time God job.....more stress to think about, how about we get that on Tuesday too. It's the job description of all the responsibilities, which is a huge list to be accomplished as a part-time position......ahhhhh.....are they my gifts? Must pray about that, many many are, but am I up for a non-boring demanding job, when I've been doing boring not stressful for 10 years now? Wonder what God's thinking? I may need to pray, and more importantly quiet myself and listen. I am sure this is probably the longest blog entry to date. HECK IT'S TUESDAY WOULD YOU EXPECT ANYTHING LESS?
Yes yes, there is something rather disturbing about this, and the fact that I own this pen. It says like 6 different phrases all of which make me smile and laugh with delight, and that's all that matters.
I shall declare Tuesday, "do too much day"! Anyone care to join me? I wouldn't advise it to those who don't have folks praying about your stress levels. Thanks to the folks who stepped up to the challenge of stress this evening. Layni, my best friend, retrieving my child, Sister in law, freaking out and panicing when I should have been but was not, I am sure theres a purpose for that. Brother for checking mom's house, in a timely manner, probably because your wife was freaking out, response time was amazing you should be a police officer. And to Geegaw who seems to be completely oblivious to her children freaking out about her whereabouts and still got to work on time. Theres a lot to be said for punctuallity of that nature and on a TUESDAY no less!

I got this!!!!

****NOT A CRY FOR HELP****

Not to worry people I got this! So I thought I did. Harold (best friends husband) came and started it, since I am not strong enough to get it pull started. I called and he ran right over....love friends like that. Well after trying to figure out how to get the blades to stay down for 5 min....I cut a strip in the front headed to the back, and it stalled out.....WHAT THE HELL....Why does our riding mower have to be from 1976? It has a button that says "push to start" why can't that work? So Harold had headed off to a soccer game, brother had a doctors appointment. So I call my dad, he says. "I'll be right over!" Now maybe I can just get this man to stay here and just do it. Or help me do it! I'll ride you walk we'll have it done in no time. No big deal. We'll see. This is #1 why I don't like to ask folks for help. Wish someone would just schedule themselves to just cut my freakin grass once a week, so I don't have to worry about since it just stresses me out. And #2 why I like to shop on the weekend....requires little stress! Dads here....

Update: Yep he just did it! Even the super high grass around the bee hive. Ron wouldn't cut it because he is allergic to bees. See that's what I'm talking about you call you dad, he takes one look at you cutting grass, and he said let me just do it "fast".....dang I was just making sure it was cutting. Oh and that stupid riding mower....good heavens. He couldn't start it either. So we pushed it back in the shed, and dad got the push mower. 1.5 hours later it's all cut, I made him some ice tea. I'll round up some snapshots for him so he can make some crazy collage and we'll call it even. Good ole, dad, I cried help and he dropped everything and was here in a flash. Thanks Dad, and Harold for having my back! Oh and the kitchen's clean, and the bathrooms mopped. Kids in the process of getting cleaned then it's my turn. A very productive Saturday indeed.