Christmas Fun in Fort Worth

We went over to Jonathan and Alyson's house last night for a delicious dinner of Cheeseburger soup and then headed downtown to see Santa and the big Christmas tree in Sundance Square. We had a fabulous time hanging out with some friends before everyone headed out of town for Christmas. Dallas and Emily also joined us...They are from Booneville, MS--small world huh?

This morning my dear sweet husband woke me up at 8:15 because he could no longer contain his excitement. Santa came early to our house since we are leaving to go home to our parents' houses for Christmas. Sadly he only visited me--I know I know, I should be ashamed. I'll redeem myself, Christmas isn't over yet!--Anyways back to the story. He--Santa--had cooked muffins for breakfast and filled my stocking. Michael had 3 presents out for me to unwrap! In my stocking I got an iTunes giftcard along with Rasinets, ponytail holders--because Santa says I only have 1--and 2 different kinds of chap stick--apparently Santa thinks I have dry lips! Then I opened my presents. **Notice--this year Michael made an executive decision to take my part of the Christmas money to buy for him to put toward one gift that was "for both of us". ** So I am a little worried that he has gone and gotten something really expensive for me and is just pretending that we'll both like it! No need to fear--he was honest. He got me--us--a Wii! YAY! Plus Dance Dance Revolution! I really super duper like that game! So it was an instant hit! I did talk him into giving me a little bit of money to buy him something to unwrap. I gave him one of those charger valets that hold your iPod, phone, wallet, keys, etc. plus all the chargers with cords hidden. I must give the credit to my sister-in-law Nicole for the gift idea. I am TERRIBLE at gift ideas! So anyways, we spent the day dancing away and finished up a little Christmas shopping. I leave for Columbus tomorrow and Michael will come on Wednesday after he gets off work. If I don't post until after, have a very Merry Christmas. Don't forget the reason we celebrate--The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us! (John 1)

God With Us

I think that, over the years, I lost connection with the amazement and wonder presented with the Christmas story. God has renewed that in me this year. I assume (possibly wrongly) that most of my readers have grown up hearing the Christmas story as well as the story of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. It is easy for those stories to become "common" or "normal" in our brains because we have heard them so much when in actuality there is nothing "normal" about either one. I encourage you to stop and ponder the reality of the Christmas story today.

God--seriously GOD--the creator of the universe--came to earth in human form. He became like us! Stop and think about what He gave up in order to do that! HEAVEN--Hello? Isn't that where we are all looking forward to going, and he gave it up for us!! I think a lot of people assume (as I did) that even though Jesus came as a baby, he was somehow a supernatural baby who was only a baby in the physical sense. No no...he became like us completely, which means he was completely a baby. He cried, got hungry, maybe even had the cholic. He was dependent on his parents for food and shelter. He grew up, just like we did. Seriously, God became one of us! That is just amazing to me!

The following by Francesca Battistelli helped me put it in perspective. It is written from the point of view of Mary, the mother of Jesus. (stop and think a minute about her position--WHOAH! Here you've been entrusted with the baby who is to be the Savior of the world!)

You're Here

Hold on now, I gotta take a deep breath

I don’t know what to say

when I look in your eyes

You made the world before I was born

Here I am holding You in my arms tonight

Noel, Noel, Jesus our Emmanuel

You’re here, I’m holding You so near

I’m staring into the face of my Savior, King and Creator

You could’ve left us on our own, but You’re here

Don’t know how long I’m gonna have You for

But I’ll be watching when You change the world

Look at Your hands, they’re still so small

Someday You’re gonna stretch them out and save us all

Noel, Noel, God with us Emmanuel

You’re here, I’m holding You so near

I’m staring into the face of my Savior, King and Creator

You could’ve left us on our own, but you’re here… you’re here

Someday I’m gonna look back on this

The night that God became a baby boy

Someday You're gonna go home again,

But You leave your spirit and flood the world with joy

You’ll be here, I’m holding You so near

I’m staring into the face of my Savior, King and Creator

You could’ve left me on my own, but you’re here…

You’re here Hallelujah… You’re here… Hallelujah... You’re here

I think the most overwhelming part of the whole thing is that He's still here. Each and every day for each and every one of us. AMAZING!

Office Christmas Party

George, Morgan, and Sneed sure knows how to throw a Christmas party! About a week ago, Michael and I attended our first annual Christmas party at GMS. It was held at the Keg Steakhouse conveniently located about 5 minutes from our apartment. Michael had heard all the hype at the office about how wonderful the party was and had me equally excited! So we arrive and are just chatting away with James, a partner, his wife and his son. Then the appetizers begin to arrive, and they continue to arrive for about the next 10 minutes. The table (which was about 4-5 tables pushed together) is completely covered in appetizers. Granted, they were all really fancy and I wouldn't eat any of it, there was still tons of food! Then we ordered our main entree. We were free to choose from anything on the menu. Do I need to remind you that this is a fancy place? I choose a filet and Michael chooses a NY Strip. (We haven't had a real steak dinner in a LONG time! We're poor remember!) While waiting on the food to arrive, we begin round one of presents. All the employees got to choose a gift from the table. The theme for the evening was the 50's because GMS will have its fiftieth anniversary in 2009. The tables were decorated with paddle balls and yo-yos! (I am surprised nothing got broken by the paddle balls!) Anyways, back to the important stuff--presents! So Round 1, everyone has a gift, the theme is 50's. Everyone opened their gifts, and they were some game or toy from the 50's--Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Nerf guns, etc. We got Chutes and Ladders and a Rubix Cube. (We got an extra gift because we were sitting next to the partner in charge, and it was a spare gift!) Then came round 2 of gifts! (Yes if there is a round 1 there is usually a round 2!) Again, all the employees choose a gift from the table. Then everyone opens. This time they are super nice gifts. Some people got a Garmin GPS. Others got a Portable DVD player. There was one bag full of gift cards to excellent places. The guy sitting across from me, Casey (partner's son and tech guy at GMS) got Sleeping Beauty and the Indiana Jones collection and a gift card to Target. When he opened the Sleeping Beauty, I screamed "Sleeping Beuty! Oh My Goodness! I want that!!!" (I couldn't help myself!) So he continued to taunt me for the next 20 minutes but ended up giving me Sleeping Beauty! HOW SWEET! Michael got a pair of Bose ear buds (really expensive!) Then we enjoyed our lovely dinner and lovely conversation. As we are getting ready to leave, James (partner) gives us a $50 gift card to the restaurant. Score! We get to have steak again! It was a wonderful evening! Of course, I love presents!

The Search is Over!

So Mississippi State fans' wish will come true for Christmas but not in the form of Boise State's head coach Chris Petersen. Mississippi State football's new head coach will be Dan Mullen, Offensive Coordinator for Florida. This comes on the heels of rampant rumors Friday that Chris Petersen would be State's new head coach.

Dan Mullen's future position as head coach is not just rumor. It has been confirmed by MSU officials that Mullen has been hired and will be presented to the media most likely tomorrow. He should be landing at Bryan Field in Starkville, MS around 4:00 and fans are encouraged to attend. It is also rumored that he will be presented at half-time of the MSU men's basketball game tonight at the Hump. Tipoff is at 6 p.m. If I were in Mississippi, I would definitely be heading to Starkville to support my Bulldogs in basketball action and meet the new football head coach. There will also be a pep-rally tomorrow at 10 a.m. at the Templeton Center. Doors will open at 9 a.m.

As for the whole Petersen thing, who knows if we will ever know the truth about that!

Click HERE to read more about Dan Mullen!

His Father's Son

So whether he likes it or not, Stephen (my brother) is just like my dad.

Today I was calling him back and he answers with "hold please" and disappears for the next five minutes. Anyone who has ever called Dad at the store knows that is how he answers. I couldn't help but chuckle.

They are alike in many other ways (stubborn yet silly) but this is just the most precent to present itself.

Daddy at the store.

Stephen being silly at Aunt Edna's house in Shuqualak, MS.

Get Excited!

"Why?" you ask. Becase I am done with my first semester of Graduate School!!!

"How does this make me excited?" you ask. Well because now I have lots of free time to BLOG! Aren't you thrilled!

I just have to come up with some interesting things to blog about!

Quick update on school for those interested. This semester I took Basic Skills in Christian Counseling, Theory of Counseling and Personality, Human Growth & Development, Great Themes of the New Testament, and Spiritual Formation. I really feel like I have learned so much! I feel like I understand the Bible (at least the NT) tons better as well as how to critically examine information against Biblical teaching. Not to mention then loads of psychology stuff I now know. It's kind of overwhelming to look back over these 4 short months and think of all the changes and learning that has taken place. God is truely in control and I know that this is where he desires for me to be right now!

Keep checking back for exciting posts!

Early Christmas Present for State Fans?

Word out in cyberspace is that Boise State's Chris Peterson will be MSU's new head football coach. Michael has been flooding my inbox with links to sites confirming the rumor. We will see if it pans out. Everyone seems to be super excited if this does hold up.

http://spartyandfriends.com/2008/12/05/breaking-news-sources-confirm-chris-peterson-to-mississippi-st/

To read more about Peterson, Click HERE.

Christmas Decorating!

Michael and I decorated the apartment for Christmas last night! We had a lot of fun. We watched All I Want for Christmas which is one of my favorite Christmas movies while we decorated! We almost ran out of places to put everything! I can't believe its almost Christmas! If time keeps going by as quickly as it is now, we'll be back in Mississippi in no time! It's kinda scarey how fast the last year and four months have flown by. It seems like I was just thinking the wedding would never get here! Now I don't even know if we really qualify as newlyweds anymore!

There is also a picture in the collage of Michael holding his nephew Andrew!

I finish up the semester next Tuesday with my last exam! I am taking a winter term class for two weeks right after Christmas. Then I have about three days off before the Spring semester starts! There is always something to be doing!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving with friends and family! We miss each of you that we don't get a chance to see on our quick trips home! You are not forgotten!

P.S. My darling parents got me an iPhone as an "early" Christmas and birthday present! Maybe I'll update more often since I can do it from there now. (supposedly...I haven't tried yet!)

Official Announcement

I have completed my last paper for the semester!!! YAY!!! I am so happy, and I know you are too!!! I still have finals to study for and a few miscellaneous assignments to complete but nothing too big!

Oh By The Way...if you did not watch 24:Redemption last night, you totally missed out. Excellent show. You didn't even have to be a Jack fan to enjoy, although I definitely am one!

The Shack

I just finished reading The Shack by William P. Young, and I thought I would give you a "review" of sorts. Overall, the book is a very good read with an excellent plot and development. Now, for those of you who aren't familiar with this book, it is the story of how a man, Mack, who has tragically lost his daughter, works through the pain and distrust that loss causes in his relationship with God. I must call to your attention that this is a work of FICTION. The author on his blog writes that this is a work of Fiction. It seems that there are people out there who believe it is real. (Once you read the book, you will understand why I am making this point.) Anyways, I don't agree with all of the theology you will find in it, but overall it is a good book that looks at our relationship with the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) from a different perspective. It is well worth the read, but keep in mind it is not Scripture. If something said in the book doesn't match up with what you find in Scripture, then go with Scripture instead of the book. (That sounds really dumb to have to say, but apparently there are people out there...) :) Happy Reading!

We've Added One to Our Number

Jason and Tiffany Ketchum
proudly welcome
Kaylea Ruth Ketchum
born November 18, 2008
11:47 p.m.
8 lbs 4 oz
20 in.
Big Sister: Clara Beth

Mr. Sunshine

Here is an excellent article from the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal (Thanks Kristy) by Brad Locke about Tyson Lee, quarterback for the Mississippi State University Bulldogs.

I don't know Tyson now as well as I did in high school, but it is apparent from (Thanks Day) this article that he still has a heart for Jesus Christ and is showing that heart to the press. In a word of addition to the article, last Spring, Tyson took an afternoon and came and spent it hanging out with my second graders. He helped us feed them lunch and then played a little football with them on the Drill Field at State. These kids need role models like Tyson to look up to.

This kid is for real because his faith is in something real.

Our Modern Civil Rights Crisis

In recent months, I have become increasingly aware of the abortion rates in our country and the devastation that brings into lives. Where I am from, everyone is mostly pro-life. There are no abortion clinics right down the road. But here, in Fort Worth, there are abortion clinics just right down the road. I am so much more aware of how prevalent this practice is. My heart aches for those unborn lives and even more so aches for the women who come to that decision. I want to reach out to them in some way and offer them the hope of Jesus Christ who forgives ALL sin.

Here is an article that puts things into perspective.

Where do you stand?

Someone Should Have Told ME!

I spelled the word humOrous wrong and NO ONE told me!!! I am SO embarassed. I have a degree in teaching ENGLISH to small children, and I can't SPELL!!

Kristy, I really thought you would have told me! You've got to have my back girl!

I apologize. I will try to check my spelling on future posts.

Too Humerous Not to Share

DISCLAIMER: I am not in any way trying to offend anyone. I am sure it is no surprise to anyone who knows me that I supported John McCain basically because of moral issues such as abortion. However, now that Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States, I am exhorted by Scripture to submit to that authority (as long as it doesn't require me to sin obviousely) and pray for him. That is what I will do, and it is what you should do. That being said, this is very funny:

George W. Bush won in 2004 with 51%. Some responses: Deeply Divided Country Is United in Anxiety (WSJ) Sure, Country Is Divided (NYT) A Nation Divided (SPT)
In contrast, Barack Obama won the 2008 Presidential race with 52% of the vote. Some responses: Nation is united by victory for hope over historic divisions (Times UK) America’s choice: Obama wins in a landslide Obama’s night: Long road ends in landslide (BDH) President-elect Obama wins landslide victory (TN) Obama becomes first black president in landslide (AP)
The lists go on. So - to get it straight: 51% = deeply divided nation. 52% = landslide election.
Gotcha.

An acquaintance mentioned this political cartoon after the election, and I just had to find it. This just shows how the mainstream media interprets things based on biases. Click HERE to see the original piece.

ANSWERS!

Warning: Do not read this post until you have read the previous post: Can you speak the language?

See how well you did:

LOL: laugh out loud
2G2BT: Too good to be true
4COL: for crying out loud
404: Where are you?
MYOB: Mind your own business
M8: mate
ROFL: Rollin' on the floor laughin'
BFF: Best friends forever
PLS: Please
AITR**: ADULT IN THE ROOM
AYSOS: Are you stupid or something?
IDK: I don't know
XOXO: hugs and kisses
ILBL8: I'll be late
YF: wife
YBIC: your brother in Christ
XLNT: Excellent
ZZZZ: bored
IWALU: I will always love you

BONUS: WOMBAT: Waste of money, brains, and time

One I forgot to put on earlier, but it is important to know:
ASLA: Age/Sex/Location/Availability

Do you Speak the Language?

In my Human Growth and Development class on Monday we took this quiz as teams to see if we could speak the "text language" of today's teenagers. How well do you speak the langauge?

LOL
2G2BT
4COL
303
MYOB
M8
ROFL
BFF
PLS
AITR
AYSOS
IDK
XOXO
ILBL8
YF
YBIC
XLNT
ZZZZZ
IWALU

BONUS: WOMBAT

I am proud to say that my team scored the highest in the class! We won $5 giftcards to Blockbuster.

Quiz by Johnny Derouen, Ph.D., professor at SWBTS

ANSWERS will be posted later!

Sweet Home Mississippi

I had a lovely and fast weekend visiting family this weekend. Michael was very blessed to get the day off from work, so we could leave as soon as I got out of class Friday morning. We went to Michael's brother's house Friday night to meet our new nephew, Andrew, and visit with Todd, Nicole, and Matthew. Andrew is absolutely precious of course! I got to hold him a lot, and I had forgotten how wonderful it is to hold a sleeping newborn! It was also great to see Matthew and how much he has grown and learned since we last saw him. He sang all of his ABC's perfectly for me! Lucky guy, Pops gave him $5 for his performance, which he immediately showed to his dad and said, "Wal-Mart". Smart Kid! He has also discovered wonderful toy magazines. We spend most of the night looking over and over again at the Toys R Us catalog finding things that Santa need to bring Matthew.

Then we drove on to my parent's house to spend the night. Saturday morning sweet Lindsay who cuts my hair met me at Profiles to give me a new cut while I was home! It feels so much better now! Then I made a quick visit with Carrie Westmoreland before heading over with the family to MSU for the Homecoming festivities. We arrived at 11:00 AM for a 6:00 PM game. Michael wanted to be there earlier! We had a good time hanging out with friends and family, PLUS MSU won!!! YAY!!

It was way too short but very sweet. We will be home again for Thanksgiving!

It Pays to Go to Chapel

We had a special guest today in Chapel. Bo Pilgrim, CEO of Pilgrim's Pride and self-proclaimed chicken plucker, spoke to us about the current economy and running a business based on Christian principles. First, he graciously gave everyone in chapel a copy of his book, One Pilgrim's Progress. Then as he is speaking, people come down the aisles and begin passing out tracks. He also wrote a track entitled "The Gospel for the Modern Man" which he gave everyone a copy of as well. Here is the kicker, during his speech, he mentions that many great speakers require you to pay them when they come to speak. He said that he was willing to pay anyone who would listen to him talk about Jesus, so he gave us all $20. There, tucked into the back of the track, was a real twenty dollar bill! Praise Jesus! It pays to go to chapel!

Then Dr. Patterson begins speaking and uses an object lesson. He calls up Dr. White, another professor, to come on the state. Dr. Patterson has prepared a lovely tray of mushrooms for Dr. White to sample. He only has to eat one, but he must be aware that some of the mushrooms on the tray are poisonous. After much joking and testing, Dr. White goes to eat the mushroom he picked, and Dr. Patterson grabs his hand and says its insane to do something that might kill you. He then draws the parallel to the importance as preachers and teachers of the word to study Scripture carefully, teach it truthfully, and lead our lives in a holy manner. In the past, God has struck people dead who did not do this. If you don't believe, me check out Leviticus 11 and ask Nadab and Abihu, they were priests messing with "strange" fire.

Interesting day.

Never a Dull Moment

This weekend my wonderful parents sponsored me (bought my ticket) so I could attend the America Association of Christian Counselors West National Conference in Dallas. I was really excited about going, but nervous about traveling alone. I found an upper classman, Rachel, who was getting a group to travel together. I signed myself up. A friend of hers suggested we use the train, so we wouldn't have to worry about traffic etc. BAD IDEA!! We didn't realize that at the time, so he mapped us out a plan and we embarked at SIX A.M. on our journey. Well, we missed the 6:20 a.m. train because we couldn't find the train station and our friend Samuel was late. So we barely caught the 7 A.M. train. This train took 1 hour to get us to Dallas. In Dallas, we caught another, smaller train up to LBJ Central, which was "in theory" supposed to be in walking distance of the conference center. HA. HA. It was in the middle of nowhere. A nice police officer called the transit people and they told us to go back one stop and catch a bus! So we do. The nice bus driver says there is no way to get us to the Hilton Lincoln Center. The best she can do is drop us off on the backside of the Galleria. The Hilton wasn't that far from there, but there was a HUGE INTERSTATE between us and the Hilton. Luckily, my friend Rachel had a friend who knew Dallas well and had just arrived at the conference, so she called her to come pick us up. We FINALLY arrived at the conference....are you ready for this?....at 9: 30 A.M. Now...think back....what time did we meet to leave? 6 A.M.!!! We traveled for over 3 hours! I could have been half way to Mississippi and I was only in DALLAS!!! It was worth all the trouble though. The conference was good!

My new Korean friend Son Hi.

One of the many trains we rode.

Me and Rachel (we were twinks in our jean jackets and Brown slacks)

Our whole group for the train adventure!

We saw the sunrise and the sunset from the train on Friday! Needless to say, I drove on Saturday! I will try to post later about some things I learned at the conference!

FINISHED!! Plus more MUST READS!!

I AM FINISHED!!! With an incredibly long (28 pages to be exact) Outline. I have now officially thought through my personal strengths and weaknesses as a counselor/person, my theory of personality, and my theory of counseling. The basis of which was a biblical worldview, which I also had to discuss. AHH!!! Glad to be done with that...at least for now until she hands it back and I have to start revising and writing the paper.



Enough of that!






MUST READS!!



Okay, so all the hype was that this new series Twilight by Stephenie Meyer was the "next Harry Potter". Well, if you are a Harry fan, don't get your hopes up. I just won't even compare the two because they just really don't have much in common except they are both fantasy.



That being said, you MUST read Twilight, especially if you are a girl. Fabulous love story. Now, I will tell you that I wasn't that enthralled at first. During the first three books, I was thinking, well this is a nice story, but really its not just phenominally amazing (like Harry Potter). Then I read the last book. It made me fall passionately in love with the rest and want to go back and re-read them now with my new perspective. Now, this is interesting because I have friends who were passionately enthralled with the series from the beginning and were seriously disappointed in the final book. So, be warned. I loved it though. I thought it was totally unexpected and creative!



Now I know you are thinking, she is going on and on about these books and hasn't even told us what they are about. Well, if you don't know, all I am telling you is that it is a love story between a girl named Bella and a man named Edward. They are from completely different worlds which I will tell you nothing about. Go read for yourself and tell me what you think.



Now if you know why they are from completely different worlds, you should still go read for yourself and tell me what you think.



If you aren't a reader, check out the trailer to the movie.

I would like to hear anyone's thoughts on these books. Please leave a comment.

Just Following Directions

I was informed last night by my mother that I needed to get my priorities in order and update this blog. School and work are not more important than blog updates. This came to her through my dear Brother Sammy! So here you are!

I am in the middle of mid-terms. I really only had one test. I have an outline due for a really big paper on Tuesday which I haven't done very much work on, so this weekend will be devoted to that.

Last weekend we went to the Texas State Fair. It is just all the rave out here. It is supposedly the biggest and most attended state fair in the country. Well...it was fun, but I don't have to go back again next year! Everything is SO expensive, and you have to buy tickets for EVERYTHING! Even the Food! I ate a fried s'more which was very good. I left my camera in the car, so I have no pictures. SORRY!

Today in chapel we took up a boot offering. Literally, Dr. Patterson asked for the men wearing boots to take them off and pass them around to take an offering for the Hurricane Ike victims. A group went down from SWBTS last weekend to help clean up, and they will be taking 4 more trips down there before Christmas. Needless to say, the offering had a "sweet smelling aroma"! HAHA...only in Texas!

I am coming home the weekend of October 25th which is Homecoing for MSU. Michael and I will be at the game and tailgating before the game. We haven't made the decision on whether we will be in church Sunday morning or not. We might leave in the morning, so we won't get home so late. The week starts up again on Monday, so late Sunday nights aren't good. (In case you didn't know that already) I have commited 15 minutes to Brother Sammy...(Yes she conveyed that message too!), so if you try to see me during that 15 minutes I will have to ignore you. Sorry...he is the boss!

That is all I can come up with right now. I need to go type up a paper. I love you all and miss you all!

Welcome to Our World!

Congratulations to Todd and Nicole Ketchum
upon the birth of their son Andrew!!
He is welcomed by big brother Matthew!
October 8, 2008
10:56 A.M.
6 pounds 12 ounces
19 3/4 inches long
Everyone is doing great!

We May Have Found a Home...

GUESS WHAT!?!?....

NO! I am not having a baby!

NO! We did not buy a house!

YES! We think we may have found a church!

We went back to Travis this weekend because I really liked the preacher. We wanted to try out their Sunday School again. When we went it was summer, so the class was small. Plus one of my professor's teaches it, and I really like him. So we went back and...GUESS WHAT?!?

The Special Guest for the day was......KIRK CAMERON!!!

HOW COOL IS THAT?!?! So no, that was not the reason why we think we are going to go to this church for at least the next few months, but it was still really cool! Did you know he has SIX kids!?!?

He was funny and did a little 1-2 minute bit of Mike Seaver-isms to get us over the Growing Pains fix. Then he talked about God's judgement on America for turning its back on Him, and how each individual needs to make sure we are in right relationship with Him if we want to help our nation. (That was the really condensed version.)

Check out Travis at their website.

School Update

This is for those family and friends that care. Otherwise it is probably going to be a boring post.

I assume some of you want to know how school is going. So here ya go...

I have finally got myself on a schedule where I am not completely overwhelmed all the time. I try to have my classwork done a couple days ahead of time to allow for emergencies and so far that has kept me "chilled out". I am really enjoying my classes. A couple of them are really challenging while the other two are fairly easy. That is a good balance. I turned in my first paper on Wednesday. It was a book review on a book my PROFESSOR wrote! Seriously? I did it though. And was rather proud of it, but that makes me afraid. It will probably get ripped into shreds!

I am making some good friends. I have one friend that is in two of my classes and her husband is in another one. We hang out between class and chapel. Several of my new friends are coming over tonight for a Mary Kay party. Deanna will be here with her array of fabulous products. I am sure you will hear more about that on a post after the party!

I am really enjoying my job. I am getting used to the kids and their personalities. We have a pretty good routine and get the job done. I also have some time to do my own homework at work after I get things ready for the day, so that is good.

Michael likes his job. He is leaving me to go on an audit at the end of October. I will need lots of encouragement that week! I don't think he's wild about the getting up at the crack of dawn stuff, but that is the real world I suppose and you all are not sympathetic!!!

We have narrowed our church search down to two I think. One has a Sunday School that we liked and the other we really liked the preaching. We are going to go to Church 2 this Sunday to check out the Sunday School there. Hopefully we can plug in somewhere soon!

In other news, we are going to be aunt and uncle again in the next couple weeks. Nicole is getting close to her due date with little Andrew. We are hoping to get to make it home to meet him when he arrives, but it might not be until Thanksgiving. By that time we might be aunt and uncle again, depending on when little Kaylea decides to make her appearance!

If you would like to help me with my classes, call me when you have a problem! Every week I have to practice my new "skills" on people, and Michael is not very obliging! HaHa!

Also I have discovered that getting licensed in counseling is not as simple as getting the Master's degree. I will have to complete two additional years of supervised counseling after I get my Master's degree. Do not fret though, I can do this in Mississippi. We should still return to that great land in 3 years. Soon we'll be able to say 2 1/2!

I love you and miss you all! Please keep us in your prayers.

Mary Beth

Things I Could Live Without

My friend Laura Tomlinson inspired this post with hers similar to it weeks ago!

In no particular order, just as they come!

1. Caffeine...except in Chocolate...it gives me a headache!
2. CLEANING!!!
3. People talking on their cell phones in the bathroom.
4. People talking on their cell phones while they check out at a store.
5. Bubble Gum...like the old pink kind...the smell of it makes me want to puke!
6. Bad Weather...especially tornado weather...its strange though...I get a rush when the weather is really bad, but I don't like it!
7. Little children saying they need to, "Use it." Really? What is it?
8. Ole Miss...except for the fact that it is thoroughly enjoyable to beat them in anything.
9. Online quizzes
10. hmmm...this one has to be good...its the last one...OH I KNOW...Coaches complaining that the measly little COWBELLS in our stadium keep their poor wittle qwarterbacks from being able to think...POOR POOR BABIES. What exactly constitutes "artificial" noise anyways?
11. OOOOO!!! I thought of another one...RAP MUSIC!!

So how about you? What could you live without? Leave a comment!

CVS Success!!

So I got out of my routine of posting my trips to CVS. This is my most recent trip to CVS, which was highly successful! I get so nervous when I go in there!! I am afraid that I am going to have misfigured something and look royally stupid! Today went well though!

Transaction #1:

Aleve Cold and Sinus D: 3.99

Jergen's lotion: 5.99

Coupons: $1/1 Aleve product; CVS $2/$10 coupon; CVS 5.99 ECBs

OOP: .99!!! ECBs Earned: $8 (I got 5$ for the Jergen's b/c I was completing $15 worth from a previous sale)

Transaction #2:

Garnier Fructis Shampoo (4): 3.99 each

Coupons (4): $1/1; CVS $2/$10 coupon; CVS 1.96, 3.00, & 5.00 ECBs

OOP: 0 DOLLARS!!! ECBs earned: $5

Transaction #3:

Lipton Iced Tea Bags 100 count (2): 3.00 each

Ragu original 26 oz (3): 5.00 TOTAL

Couponts: $1/2 Lipton; $1/2 Rague; $2/$10 CVS coupon; CVS 5.00 ECBs

OOP: 2.00 ECBs earned: $3

Total OOP: 2.99 ECBs: $3 (I earned more than that but used them on the next transaction!)

Tagged

So, Katie McCrary tagged me probably a MONTH ago, and I have been procrasitnating. It is a picture tag. I am supposed to take pictures of these things to answer the questions. Hence the reason I have been procrastinating. I haven't had the time to take the pictures. So now I am just going to tell you the answers, and give whatever pics I have. You will have to just love me anyways.

1. A tool you use daily that makes your job easier, list your job too!

My Laptop. I am currently a grad student, so everything I do is on the computer. Some
machine that would automatically read all my assignments for me and give me condensed
versions would also be handy!

2. A tool your husband uses everyday in his job: a calculator. My husband is a five star
accountant. Crunching the numbers all day long!

3. The best toy and most entertaining toy your child has had for the $$: Okay...so we don't
have any kids, but I am going to apply this to Michael. The PS3! Without the playstation, I
would never get to read any of my books. It's really quite sweet...he plays baseball on the
PS3 while I read on the couch. PLUS I got the most amazing deal on it for his birthday
before we got married. Katie won it at the world of concrete convention and sold it to me for
a fabulous price. She got to get cool stuff for Nash, Michael got a fabulous birthday gift. Fun
Stuff!

4. The best bargain in your pantry at this moment: I would have to say a recent trip to CVS
provided Pantene shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, dishwashing detergent, and toothpaste all
for the whopping price of $1. I know, I know, AMAZING!

5. The place you blog from: My desk at the apartment. See previous post of apartment tour for
picture.

6. A hobby you have no one really knows about: I love to READ!!! (Just not endless school
textbooks!)

7. Your marriage anthem: hmm...I will say Kenny Chesney Me & You

8. An inspiration to your marriage: Both sets of parents have been married for forever!! :) I
pray we love each other like they do after 30 years and have as amazing kids as they do!

Now...I have some bulldgs to go cheer on from 500 miles away! GO DAWGS!!!

Book List

My wonderful sister-in-law Ashley asked me for some books that she might enjoy, so I compiled this list.  It is a bunch of books, mostly Christian fiction, that I have read lately and found entertaining.  Some are better than others!  Let me know if you would like to know more about a particular title and I will give you my opinion.  I am currently reading any titles by Jodi Picoult, so I will give you an update on those when I finish.  

J.K. Rowling:  Harry Potter 1 - 7

 

Karen Kingsbury:   One Tuesday Morning (1)

                            Beyond Tuesday Morning (2)

                            Even Now (1)

                            Ever After (2)

                            Between Sundays

                            Oceans Apart

 

Beverly Lewis:  The Shunning (1)

                       The Confession (2)

                       The Reckoning (3)

                       The Redemption of Sarah Cain

                       The Postcard (1)

                       The Crossroad (2)

                       October Song (after all of the above)

                       Sanctuary

 

Francine Rivers:  Redeeming Love

                         Mark of the Lion Series: A Voice in the Wing (1)

                                                            An Echo in the Darkness (2)

                                                            As Sure as the Dawn (3) 

                         The Scarlet Thread

                         Leota's Garden

 

Ted Dekker:  Black (1)

                    Red (2)

                    White (3)  (These are very different from the above.  They take a little time to get into, but end up very good)

 

Khaled Hossieni:  The Kite Runner

                           A Thousand Splendid Suns  (very intense books)

 

Wanda E Brunstetter:  Daughters of Lancaster County

                                 Brides of Lancaster County

 

Mary Higgins Clark:  I Heard That Song Before

                               I have read so many of hers I don't remember.  Anything by her is a good mystery, suspense.

 

Janette Oke:  Love Comes Softly Series

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Start of School

So I officially started school on Thursday. I am overwhelmingly overwhelmed. I told Daddy that I feel like a kid on the first day of Kindergarten. I know nothing! I have no counseling background and no theology background. I know nothing! I guess that means I just have a lot to learn. I have my classes all figured out. I will have a class at 8:00 every day and then one online. This way, I can be at work by 2 every day and hopefully have all my work done before I get there so I can spend the nights with Michael. ( I think that was a run-on sentence...sorry Kristy).

I wanted to tell you a little bit about convocation. It was held during chapel on the first day of school. All the faculty came in in their little robes that they wear at graduation. I find those things extremely humerous. For all you Harry fans, it looked like a large assembly of Dumbledore importance witches and wizards. Anyways, I digress. So apparently, there are 2 ways to be on faculty. You can be appointed by the president, or you can be approved by the Board of Trustees. Being approved by the board is way cooler. You get to be called up to the stage. Then you get to sit in the founding president's chair and sign your name in an extremely large book. I can't help but compare it to the Book of Life! Then you go and sit with the rest of the faculty.

President Patterson gave the sermon in chapel that day. He read the story of Jesus washing the disciples' feet. As he was explaining the different Greek words for the term servant, he washed this dude's feet. Just called him right up on stage, sat him down, washed his feet, and never missed a beat in his sermon. WOW! The dude was very touched. He was crying as Dr. Patterson prayed over him. Dr. Patterson was stressing the importance of service within the church and how no one is above service.

I will try to do better with posting. I think I have a little schedule worked out which should allow me some time to post. I have a few ideas of things I want to post for your enjoyment.

Katie McCrary, I have not forgotten about your TAG. I actually have a sticky note on my computer. It is on the list!

My First Day of Graduate School...sort of

So today was orientation at SWBTS.  I think I have been so orientated that my head may fall off.  We started with general orientation.  Then we went to orientation by school...mine being the school of education.  Then we went to orientation by degrees.  FINALLY after that we were released to...guess what...go TAKE A TEST!!!  Yes a TEST on the FIRST day of seminary which technically was just orientation and not class.  It was a standardized test to figure out how much Bible knowledge I had.  I always thought I had a pretty good working knowledge of the Bible.  Not so.  It was very difficult.  Do you know who Joshua's daddy was or what River flows through the land of the Hittites?  Yeah...me either.  At least it was multiple choice!  **Attention parents:   This was not for a grade, don't be alarmed.  It was just to establish a baseline for what I know now.  I'll take it again when I graduate and hopefully do better.**

Oh...and guess what else...I have HOMEWORK!  Yeah, I haven't even been to class yet, but I have 60 pages to read and 3 discussions to post comments in before Thursday.

This is going to be a fun 3 years.  Please pray for me.

Another Exciting Weekend

So I will try to give you a brief update about our weekend, which is why you haven't heard from me until today.

Friday we went on a "field trip" with Kristy and Deanna to the Fort Worth Money Factory.  It is one of only two places in the U.S. that produces our paper currency.  I could not work in a place like that.  To have to stare at that much money every day and leave it there at the end of it would overwhelm me.  I am perfectly content with my life where I am but looking at millions of dollars only makes me want it.  For security purposes, we weren't allowed to have cameras or cell phones so sorry no pics.  I did meet this adorable little fellow and his brother who were visiting the area for a family reunion on the bus ride over to the "factory".  He was very friendly and told me all about his family and the money he had in the bank!  He fully expected them to give him some money on this tour!

Saturday we headed over to Plano, TX, which is about 1 hour away from us to meet Michael's brother and sister-in-law, Todd and Nicole, as well as Nicole's parents and brother for lunch.  We ate at Abuelo's which I will call an upscale Mexican restaurant.  It was a good lunch, and we enjoyed getting to visit with Todd and Nicole.  They educated us a little bit on the CPA exam and suggestions for prep courses for Michael.  Interesting indeed.

Then we headed over the Kristy and Deanna's, our lovely hostesses for the weekend.  We spent the night with them to keep from having to make the drive over to Plano twice.  We were able to visit Deanna's classroom and attempt to help her get things ready.  I don't know if we were more a hindrance or a help!  After that, we attended church services at The Village.  Then we went to eat at Babe's.  This was very good.  Everything is served family style.  We had fried chicken strips, corn, green beans, creamed potatoes with white gravy, and fabulous homemade biscuits.  It was a tasty dinner.  Then we headed back to their apartment to watch the Olympics.

**Side story--Nicole's brother has a son, Kent, who is a little younger than Matthew.  He has been watching the "bobympics" this week.  His favorite sport is diving.  He stands in front of the TV and says, "Jump boy!  Jump boy!"  Then, when they land, he breaks into applause!  TOO CUTE!**

Sunday morning we woke up and went to church a SECOND time...yes aren't we good!...with Todd and Nicole at Prestonwood Baptist Church.  Talk about HUGE!!!  When we walked in, I felt like I was in the corridor of a mall, not a church  The sanctuary was gargantuan.  The choir was AMAZING!  They were all color coordinated with the ladies in Pink, Green, and Turquoise shirts and the guys in black striped shirts.  Very good.  After church, we were saying our good-byes when Nicole's cousin suggested that we all stay and eat lunch....wait for it...wait for it...AT THE CHURCH!  He said, you're gonna wait forever at any restaurant, just eat here!  YES...we walked down the hall...and turned the corner...and there is a full buffet for lunch...all you can eat for $11.  If you aren't in the mood for the buffet or have a picky child on your hands...DON'T FEAR...There is a FOOD COURT...with pizza, hamburgers, chicken, anything you want!  IMPRESSIVE!  **Brother Sammy, you need to work on this for Fairview!**

Good times.

 

Warner Brothers Change Opening Date

Just in case anyone hasn't heard yet...Warner Bros has decided to postpone the premier of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince until NEXT SUMMER!  In JULY no less!!  That is a YEAR away!  If you are interested, you can read an article here.  I am too mad to discuss it.  If you were wondering...YES...all it has to do with is MONEY!!!

Question

Does anyone know how to attach a file to a post like you would attach a file to an e-mail?  I have something I would like to share, but its an attachment in an e-mail.

Encouragement

Psalm 19

The heavens declare the 

glory of God;

The skies proclaim the work

of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth

speech;

night after night they display

knowledge.

There is no speech or 

language

where their voice is not

heard.

Their voice goes out into all

the earth,

their words to the ends of 

the world.

In the heavens he has

pitched a tent for the sun,

which is like a bridegroom

coming forth from his

pavilion,

like a champion rejoicing to

run his course.

It rises at one end of the 

heavens 

and makes its circuit to the

other;

nothing is hidden from its

heat.

The law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul.

The statues of the LORD are

trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

The precepts of the LORD are

right,

giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the LORD

are radiant,

giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is pure,

enduring forever.

The ordinances of the LORD

are sure

and altogether righteous.

They are more precious than gold,

than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

than honey from the comb.

By them is your servant warned;

in keeping them there is 

great reward.

Who can discern his errors?

Forgive my hidden faults.

Keep your servant also from

willfull sins;

may they not rule over me.

Then will I be blameless,

innocent of great

transgressions.

May the words of my mouth

and the meditation of my

heart

be pleasing in your sight, 

O LORD, my Rock and my

Redeemer.

Favoritism

Scripture:  Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter began to speak, "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right."

Observation:  Let me give you a little background on what has just happened in this chapter.  Cornelius, a Gentile, has had a vision where an angel tells him to send for Peter.  So he does this.  In the meantime, Peter fall into a trance and sees heaven.  He also sees a sheet being lowered with all kinds of unclean animals in it.  The Lord tells Peter to kill and eat.  Peter responds by saying that he has never eaten anything unclean.  The Lord tells Peter not to call anything impure that God has made clean.  End of trance.  Cornelius' people arrive, and the Spirit has told Peter that it is okay to go with them.  He does and then we get these verses as he begins to speak to Cornelius.  God used the dream to prepare Peter for the fact that God's salvation was not just for the Jews but also for the Gentiles.  He doesn't show favoritism.  Later in the chapter, the Holy Spirit fills Cornelius and others who heard Peter's message, and they were baptized.

Application:  God offers salvation to ANYONE from any background or nation.  Who am I to decide that only a certain type of person can receive God's forgiveness and grace?  It is natural for us to gravitate toward people who are like us.  People who come from the same types of families, economic status, schools, etc.  God doesn't want us to be like that when it comes to sharing the Gospel.  For God so loved the world, that He gave his Only Begotten Son that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  How would you feel if someone had skipped over sharing the Gospel with you just because you were different from them?  Think about it.  We are called to share the Gospel to anyone and everyone.  We can also commit to pray for people living in different nations.  Pray that their hearts would be softened and open to the Word being shared with them.  Pray also for the missionaries who have dedicated their lives to bringing the Word to these people.  We have our own mission field here at home.  There are plenty of people who don't know the Truth.  Will you tell them?  Will I tell them?  This is a huge challenge for me.  It is easier for me to go off to Thailand or a Christian summer camp and share the Gospel, but right here where I am is a huge challenge for me.

Prayer:  Lord, Pour out a special blessing on those who have dedicated their lives to your work overseas.  Help me to see all people through your eyes of love.  Give me the words to say and the strength to say them and the love to say them with.   I can't do it without You.

CVS Trip # 4

No pictures.  Surprisingly, this trip was Michael's idea, so as soon as we got home he had opened the packages before I could remind him that we needed a picture.  So you will just have to use your imagination!

This was not the most moneysaving trip ever.  But everything we got, we will definitely use, so who cares.

Transaction #1:

2 Irish Spring Bar soap 6 pk:  5.69 each

Coupon: $2/$10 CVS Coupon

OOP: roughly $10.00 (Michael has the receipts sorry!)

ECBs earned:  4

Transaction #2:

1 bag of Jolly Ranchers:  $2

1 bag or Air Heads:  $2

4 theater boxes of Raisinets: $4

1 bag of M & M's: $2

Coupon: $2/$10 CVS coupon

OOP: again roughly $8.70

ECBs earned: 5

Want your very own $2/$10 CVS coupon?  Click HERE.  Go to page 30 and print!

So we basically spent about $20 and received $9 in ECB's back.  As I said, not the best money saving trip ever, but we needed the soap and Michael loves candy.  Plus I needed some candy for tutoring incentives!  It will all get used, and we would have bought it anyways.

My Story

In light of my previous post and to encourage others to do the same, I am posting my story.

I was raised in a Christian home and taught Christian principles from early childhood.  At a very young age, I went through the motions of joining the church and baptism without completely understanding the decision and commitment I was supposedly making.  Looking back, I feel that I was simply trying to please those around me rather than make a decision to follow Christ.  During a choir presentation at my church when I was a fifth grader, the Lord pressed upon my heart the realization that I was a sinner in desperate need of a Savior.  It was at that point in my life that I spoke with my Children's Minister and made the true decision to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior.  I knew that I was a sinner who deserved death.  I believe that Christ came as the Son of God and lived a perfect life in order to pay our penalty of death and offer us salvation.  I chose then to accept that in my heart and follow Jesus as Lord and Savior.  At that point, I had a full understanding of what Christ being my Savior meant, but over time, God showed me what Christ being my Lord meant.  I learned to follow Him in decisions in life as well as the way I lead my life.  It meant I was going to yield the control of my life to Christ and serving Him.

I felt a call into the ministry as an 8th grader.  At the time, I felt a clear call to serve God vocationally but didn't understand to what specific field.  It took three summers of service in different areas for God to reveal His plan.  As the time for college drew nearer, I was still unclear of where exactly God was leading me.  He made clear in my heart that I was to attend MSU and major in elementary education.  This made sense to me because I have a passionate drive and gift for working with children.  At the end of my senior year of high school, God finally placed a specific call on my life--service as a missionary in Thailand.  I didn't know when or how, but committed to follow God wherever he led.  At my college BSU, I was introduced to a summer missions program, applied, and was granted an opportunity which most Freshmen do not get--a placement at a children's dorm in Thailand.  God used that summer to grow and teach me so many things.  One specific thing I knew coming out of that experience was that although God used that time to teach me, international missions was not my vocational call.  The next summer I was given the opportunity to serve as a children's ministry intern at my home church.  Over that summer through working mostly with preschool and some children, God began to confirm in my heart that this was part of the vocational plan He had for me.  At the end of the summer, I shared with my church my commitment to follow God into vocational ministry.  The following year, literally at the last minute, I applied to serve as a counselor at a summer camp called Lake Forest Ranch in Macon, MS.  This had been a childhood dream of mine.  Amazingly, I was given a position to serve as a girl's counselor for the summer.  It was over that summer of service that God awakened my passion for counseling.    People have always naturally felt comfortable talking with me and sharing their struggles with me.  After the brief training we got, I realized how powerful counseling can be when you have the tools.  Coming out of that summer, I knew God's call for me--Children's Ministry with emphasis in Counseling.  My vision for what I would love to do one day is work within a church as a marriage and family counselor.  So many families are falling apart in our society due to divorce; I want to serve people by showing them how God is enough to hold their families together.  I also want to work with children who are dealing with grief, abuse, or other personal struggles.  Where I am from, most churches could not support a counselor on staff, so I am also interested in serving as a Children’s Minister while offering counseling to those who need it.

Now you know a little more about me and my story.  I would love to hear about yours!

What is your story?  Share it in a post on your blog and link it in a comment here or e-mail (meb88meb @ hotmail . com) me a link and I will link it here. Put MY STORY as the heading of your e-mail.

Confused?  Don't know what I am talking about?  E-mail me.  

This Became Known...& Many Believed

Scripture:  Acts 9:31-43

Focal Passage:  Acts 9:42 "This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord."

Observation:  In this passage, Peter performs two miracles.  As a result of both, many people were saved.  People were saved because someone told the story of what had happened, or they were witnesses of it themselves.

Application:  What miracle has God done in my life that I need to tell about?  The obvious one that comes to mind is my salvation.  That is the biggest miracle of all.  I was dead in my sins, and Christ died on the cross to give me the opportunity to live free from those sins.  If I simply tell my story of what God has done for me, both on the day of my salvation and since, how many might come to know Him?  

I find it interesting that in the second miracle in this passage, Peter raises a woman from the dead.  That is exactly what Christ does for us through salvation.  We are dead in our sins, and He raises us into life with Him.  

Prayer:  Lord, Please make me sensitive to times when you want me to share my story.  Guide me to do it only for your glory and your honor! Amen.

What is your story?  Share it in a post on your blog and link it in a comment here or e-mail (meb88meb @ hotmail . com) me a link and I will link it here. Put MY STORY as the heading of your e-mail.

Confused?  Don't know what I am talking about?  E-mail me.  

Success at CVS Trip #3

Last night as I was browsing the CVS deals for the week, I stumbled upon a $3/$15 (that means $3 off a purchase of $15 or more) coupon for CVS that expired yesterday! So I had to use it!! Here is my deal that turned out REALLY sweet!

1 box Alavert: 5.99
1 tube Skin Effects pimple cream: 9.99
Coupons: 

$3/$15 CVS
$2 off Skin Effects (CVS beauty magazine)
$4 off Alavert
$3.50 ECBs
**BONUS** I found a CVS coupon for $2 off any Alavert product on top of the price scanner. (*NOTE* Always scan your card at the price scanner usually located near the front of the store for bonus CVS coupons!)
ARE YOU READY FOR THIS!?!?
   
OOP: $1.49
ECB's EARNED: $8!!!

YAY!
I will say that they almost didn't take my $3/$15 coupon b/c the bar code on the coupon didn't match the bar code on my card. They ended up just keying it in themselves. Same with the Alavert coupon I found on the price scanner. I was a little nervous there for a minute, but all turned out well!

Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince

I haven't decided whether I should be excited or not.  Nevertheless, coming this November, the sixth movie installment of Harry Potter based on the book series by J.K. Rowling will appear in theaters.  I will say to all of you skeptics out there, that I stayed away from Harry Potter when it initially hit the scene.  I wasn't a big recreational reader at the time, and all the fuss about it teaching children about witchcraft and sorcery was enough for me to just stay away.  But as I grew older, I not only began to think a little bit for myself, but also became a more recreational reader.  Put the two together, and I really needed a good book series.  A good friend of mine, Day Smith, was a big Harry Potter fan.  She so sweetly agreed to be a bridesmaid in my wedding BEFORE she found out that the final book, The Deathly Hallows, would come out that very day.  Anyways, all of the excitement got me interested.  I got to thinking, I am a grown woman who is very founded in her beliefs, a children's book is not going to shake me up!  So I began reading, and I was immediately addicted.  J.K. Rowling has such a talent for developing characters and plot and setting and weaving it all together into this unpredictable web of a story.  Let's be honest with ourselves...how many times have you read a book and NOT been able to predict the ending of it by the time you got there?  Aside from the classics, I myself have not read many.  But she NEVER ceased to astonish me with her twists and turns.  Not to mention the way she made me HATE certain characters and LOVE others.  I laughed out loud, I cried real tears, I found myself actually CARING about these FICTIONAL characters.  I can say that I have never read a book that had me so involved in its story.  Lucky for me, all of the books were out when I started reading, so I read them all back to back in about 1 month!  I definitely have a new favorite author and series.  And as for the mumbo jumbo about being unsuitable for children based on the witchcraft and wizardy...that is hogwash.  The only reason I would say it is unsuitable for young children is because there is a level of violence in it that might scare children.  The book is CLEARLY fictional...and very good fiction at that.  So after I read these fascinating books, I was thrilled to find out that there were movies to go along with them.  I borrowed all 5 that were out at the time from my cousin Neil.  Then I forced Michael to watch them with me.  I wanted him to understand why I was so obsessed with reading these books.  I wanted him to enjoy the story and love the characters I loved and despise those that I despised.  Well...the movies did NOT help me meet my goal.  They were okay.  But so much of the plot is left out!  There are just some things that cannot be conveyed on a movie screen. THIS brings me to the reason I am wary of getting excited about the Half-Blood Prince coming out in November.  I do think that the movies have gotten increasingly better with each one, so maybe this one will shock and amaze even the truest Harry Potter fan.  I still think the only way to truly appreciate and understand this story completely is to read the books!  I am begging Michael to do so.  First I have to purchase my own copy!  (if anyone needs to get me a present for anything...hint hint)  Enough rambling.  You can watch the movie trailer here.   

Blogs that Might Pique Your Interest

I am sorry that it has been a few days since I've posted. I got a book that I've been waiting on from the library, so those of you that know me well know what I've been doing for the last 48 hours.



ANYWAYS, I thought I would share with you some of the blogs that I find interesting. I have a few main categories that I look at: Christian blogs, Friends & Family, MSU, and Saving Money. You can find all of the friends and family blogs listed to the right. Here are the other blogs that I enjoy:



In the Christian Section:

Albert Mohler's Blog: http://www.albertmohler.com/

This is the president of Southwestern Seminary in Louisville, KY. His posts are mostly commentaries about events in the world today. I find them interesting.



Pinelake Church's Life Journal Blog: http://pinelake.org/blogs/lifejournal

These posts are made by staff members at Pinelake in Brandon, MS. They use the lifejournal format that I introduce in a previous post.



For State Fans:

Inside Mississippi State Sports with Gregg Ellis:

He writes articles for papers in Mississippi focusing on MSU athletics. Reading his blog helps me hold conversations about MSU with Dad and Michael!



Saving Money:

MoneySavingMom:

This site gives practical advice and ways to save money. From grocery shopping tips to cooking from scratch. She is currently doing a series on making money by blogging...very interesting!



The "Cents"ible Sawyer: http://www.thecentsiblesawyer.blogspot.com/

This is the site that got me started on CVS. She also posts on deals at many other stores, give-aways, places to find coupons, etc.



The Simple Dollar:

The writer of this blog quit his full time job to write for his blog. He is full of great ideas on how to save a little money. He is a Dave Ramsey Supporter. He reviews finance books weekly.



Wise Bread:

Similar to The Simple Dollar except that many different writers post to the blog. I must admist that these posts are sometimes not "Christian" in that they are not always going to support the same moral/ethical things we believe in. Just be warned. You have to filter the good from the bad.



RANDOM:

The McNulty Quads:

A mother chronicles her journey raising quads. I don't see how she has the time to post, but she does an amazing job!



The Gerwer babies:

Another mother writing about her journey raising quads. These babies are younger.



I hope you can find at least one blog out of my list that you enjoy. Refer to my post about feeds to find out how you can recieve updates from multiple blogs on one site!

Semi-Successful CVS Trip #2

So on Sunday afternoon, I plotted out my plans and trucked it on down to CVS. I am trying to keep it simple here at the beginning. Here was my plan:
Buy: 1 Colgate toothpaste using a $1.00 off coupon and earning 2 ECBs
1 Crest toothpaste using a 75 cents off coupon and earning 1.50 ECBs
2 Oral-B Inicator Toothbrushes with a $1 off 2 items coupon and
earning 4 ECBS
This should have made my total around 4.75 OOP after using the 3.99 in ECBs I already had and earn me 7.50 in ECBs in return.

Well well well...here is how it went down. I got all my items, gave them my coupons, ECBs, etc. and the price comes to within 8 cents of my prediction. I am excited. Then I only got 3.50 in ECBs back. I said hold on...I am supposed to get 2 ECBs each for these toothbrushes...that is 4 ECBs I am missing. I tell the cashier. I pull out the August ECB flier and show her it on the page. This is how it reads: Buy Oral-B Indicator or Advantage Value Pack Toothbrush 4 pk. get $2 extra bucks. This led me to belive that I could buy 1 Indicator OR I could buy the 4 pk of Advantage. Well it is not so. You must buy the 4 pk. of either one. So, alas, the ambiguous fine print got me. But DO NOT FEAR...I have a plan. I will tell you about it after I make sure it works. I don't want to look stupid if it doesn't!! All in all it was still a good buy. All four items would normally cost around $10-12 and I got it for $4.80. AMAZING! Have you tried CVS? Leave a comment of your adventures, questions, or thoughts.

The Bread Making Site

Click HERE to get complete directions and pictures for making homemade bread.

Thank you Katie for helping me!

WOW! I am getting so talented!

I AM EMPLOYED!!!!

I got a job! YAY! I will be tutoring children at the All Church Home for Children in downtown Fort Worth Monday through Thursday from 2 - 6 p.m. I couldn't be happier! I prayed for a job, and God has blessed me way beyond my expectations!! Praise the Lord for HE is good!

Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

Bread Making Extravaganza

Yesterday, Kristy and Deanna came over and we made homemade bread! Wow! Aren't we cool! We followed a recipe on the Simple Dollar blog. I don't know how to post handy dandy links on here, so if someone would kindly educate me, I will get that up for you!

We had a rather good time as you can tell from the many pictures!!

We are flirting with becoming Texas Rangers Fans: Game # 2

Amazing sunset!
The future home of the Dallas Cowboys!

Sweet! Awe! Aren't they precious!?!?

Kristy's cousin Jessica is in town, so they decided to take her to a Rangers game last night. Michael and I decided we would tag along. This is game #2 for the Ketchums. We are now 1-1. The Rangers won last night. Michael wants to buy us Rangers T-shirts to wear to the games. I told him I just didn't know if I was ready for such a big step in this sporting relationship. I know MSU is college and this is the Major Leagues...but I still sing "it's root root root for the BULLDOGS..." even at the Rangers game. Oh well!

The lovely ladies of the evening!

We won! YAY! I can even explain how...are you ready? We are tied in the bottom of the 8th...Rangers have the bases loaded and no outs. The batter sacrifice flies out to right field and the third base runner tags up and runs home for the go ahead run! The right fielder cannot throw very far and the catcher has to come away from the plate to catch the ball, so he is SAFE! YAY!! No extra innings. We got 3 outs real quick in the 9th! You're impressed aren't you!?!

The "W" in Southwest blinks when you win! CUTE! My amazing photographer husband managed to snap this pic when it was red!

This is where Michael landed our helicopter when we arrived for the game! :)