We're moving to Texas!

We're moving on May 20th!

For those of you that haven't heard, Brian has accepted a Worship/Associate Pastor position at a church in East Texas. Our family is excited to see God's hand move us into a new chapter of our lives, but sad that we will be leaving so many great friends in South Carolina.

Please pray for us as we transition. I'll keep you posted!

By the way, have you seen the Spongebob Squarepants episode where Sandy Cheeks is missing Texas? Here is a song and clip from the show. It's FUNNY!!!

Sandy's Texas song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_ADjpeLg1w

What Patrick and Spongebob think about Texas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U69maNgKFSQ

Once upon a time...

there lived a 12-year old girl named Anna who resided in a place called Duncanville.

Now, Anna was a beautiful, sweet, and fun person, but she lacked the motivation to keep her part of Duncanville tidy. You see, it had been MANY months (or ever?) since Anna had a spotless room to enjoy, and considering all of the trash, books, and other unmentionable items on her floor, it seemed like a lost cause. Her royal parents (having washed their hands of this long ago) had promised her that if she would clean her royal bedroom and keep it clean, then she would be allowed to enter the world of Facebook on her 13th birthday. But alas, Princess Anna had no hope (see pictures below).
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Until one day, the Princess was describing her royal plight to her friend, Countess Jill, who just so happened to have the drive and organizational skills (with a mild touch of OCD) to believe this was not a hopeless situation. "I will come and help thee during your break from school," the Countess said. An appointment was made, but only after Princess Anna agreed to toss unwanted items into the royal refuse.

After toiling for many hours, a beautiful, inviting, and cozy bedroom evolved. The end result was priceless.
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Titus 2:4 - Have you read this?

"In this way they (older women) will teach young women to show love to their husbands and children ..."

Recently, God allowed an older woman at church to live out this verse for my benefit and it has been HUGE in helping me to discipline Sophie. Let me explain.

Several weeks ago, I was talking with an amazing older lady at church named Ms. Susie. Ms. Susie just so happens to be Sophie's Sunday School teacher, and in our high and mighty opinion, the BEST Sunday School teacher in the whole world.

Anyway, Ms. Susie was asking me about how Sophie was doing (at school, etc.) and I proceeded to launch into a mini-tirade about how my daughter was driving me crazy (I love that line) by not listening and obeying. I can only imagine God looking down from heaven and thinking, "Poor child. Maybe she needs a little encouragement today," and blessing me with wisdom through Ms. Susie. Here's what she said: you have to discipline them IMMEDIATELY. Not later. Not when Daddy comes home. Not when you feel like it. NOW. Even if it means pulling the car over off of the road, you do it pronto. So, being at my wit's end and with nothing to lose, I tried it. And thank you, Jesus, it worked!

I never thought I would have a problem disciplining my child, but it's WAY harder than I thought. For one thing, I don't like it. I don't like being the bad guy, but since I don't want Sophie to be referred to as "Damien" behind her back, I guess I'll keep at it. #2: It stinks. It involves tears, sometimes spankings, and losing privileges, and I would prefer to keep things stable. I know. Not going to happen. And #3. Who enjoys punishing their beautiful, sweet, child? Not me. But since I'm pretty sure there is a verse in the Bible about sparing the rod, spoiling the child, I'll keep on keeping on.

Well, it has been about 6 weeks, and things are soooo much better at home. Don't get me wrong. I still have a head-strong 5-year old who only wants her way (who doesn't?), but the fact is now she LISTENS to what I'm saying and OBEYS. Some days are better than others, but considering where we were at the beginning of the year, these past several weeks have been P-R-I-C-E-L-E-S-S. I am enjoying spending time with Sophie more because I'm not having to be on her all the time, and I am actually looking forward to Spring Break next week when she will be home (last year, I dreaded it and couldn't wait for the week to be over).

The moral of this story is LISTEN to your elders. They may just know what they are talking about and Jesus may be setting you up for a WOO HOO moment and you don't even know it. Yet...

I'm not perfect...

just forgiven...

I'm so grateful...

- for the grace of God.

- that when God looks at me, He doesn't see a divorced person, but His child.

- that He has forgiven me of my sins.

- that if I were the only person on this earth, Jesus would have still died for me. And I BELIEVE that.

- that I don't have to answer to man for my failings.

- that God is such a BIG God that He still wants to use me to minister to His people.

- that God can use anyone, anytime, anywhere in whatever way He sees fit.

- "The Lord is my Light and Salvation. Whom shall I fear?"

- That God loves me enough that He has had to bring me to my knees in order to reveal my sinful heart. Dear Jesus, I pray that others will not have to go through what I did in order for You to get their attention.

- that my hope is in the Lord.

- that I'm in such a different and BETTER place in my walk with the Lord than I was even 5 years ago.

- for REAL people and relationships. (Hypocrites need not apply.)

- second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh chances from God...to infinity.

- to be a child of God and that He calls me His daughter.

- that I don't have to be perfect.

- that I KNOW I am not capable of making right decisions without the Lord's help.

- for the chance God has given me to make mistakes, and that out of those bad decisions, I have come to know how much I NEED God.

- that I'm not in control.

- that God is able.

- it's all about Him - not me.

- that no situation is hopeless.

- for the gift of faith.

- that God is longsuffering.

- that I KNOW and UNDERSTAND grace. Dear Jesus, please help me to be quick to GIVE grace.

- I have an opportunity to teach Sophie what I know about God.

- that He loves M-E.

- that I serve an AWESOME God. Not for what He can do for me but because of who He is.

- this place is not my home.

I got a new book

I'm so excited... and I just can't hide it!

Okay, people. I know there are very few of my friends that will understand why I wanted The Complete Idiot's Guide to The Mafia, but trust me. It looks AWESOME! I can't explain my fascination with La Cosa Nostra, it's just there. Some people read romance books to escape, I read about the mob. And now I have a book that explains the history and families involved in this crazy life.

I'll let you know how it is. You know you can't wait.

Del Grosso

Del Taco has opened a new restaurant (if you want to call it that) not far from where I live, and I was so excited! I haven't eaten at a DT since I lived in Spring, Texas which was over 20 years ago. I have been talking about going for weeks and tonight, Brian and I tried it.

When I walked in, I had a sudden flashback of not liking their food, but pushed it to the back of my mind and ordered the Macho Nachos. Oh my goodness, it was so gross! The cheese, beans and steak were lukewarm, and it had no flavor whatsoever. I guess I subconsciously wanted to eat there because it made me think of high school. Why I would try to relive those memories, I have no idea.

Brian did enjoy his burrito, but it came with french fries - what's up with that?!?

Anyway, I told Brian he never had to worry about eating at Del Taco again. We can cross it off of our list like Zaxby's. I don't like that place either.

Eat at your own risk...

Random Thoughts...

I haven't blogged in a while, so here are a few things have have been going on in our family....

- Sophie is continuing her swim lessons at the YMCA and LOVING IT! I wasn't thrilled when my parents gave this to her as a birthday present, but shows what I know. She is having a blast!

- Church drama, church drama, church drama. I came really close earlier in the week to writing my personal feelings on my blog like regular people, but talked myself out of it (not my style). I will say God have mercy on our souls!

- Sophie and I went to the library on Tuesday for story time and it was fabulous! I love that my daughter was the big girl in the room who sat still, paid attention, and followed directions. My heart went out to three other mothers whose kids were just being kids. Bonus points: Sophie can reach the sink in the bathroom to wash her hands. WOO HOO! It was a good day!

- Jack, our Pirate Puppy, is doing great! He is now 13 weeks old, and weighs 2 lbs, 12 oz. Other than the house training thing, he rocks! Sophie loves him a little toooo much.

- I just learned the words to "Beat It" by Michael Jackson last week by watching American Idol. I always thought it said, "No one wants to beat it, feel it." Um, no. The CORRECT words are "No one wants to be defeated." Oh well. Brian just shook his head when I told him.

- God has continued to bless Brian with side jobs after getting laid off from the cabinet shop. Thank you, Lord, for Your provision!

- Have you heard about the actress, Natasha Richardson, passing away from injuries related to a ski accident? It makes me sad. I really liked her. God bless her family.

- I had TWO (count 'em TWO) Girl's Night Outs last weekend - one on Friday night and one on Saturday night. It was so nice! I really enjoyed this time with friends even though I didn't get a thing done around my house. I'm still paying for it.

That's all for now. Later.

The Hiding Place - Corrie ten Boom

We are reading this book for our Ladies Bible Study at church, and I think everyone is really enjoying it. It is a wonderful book about an AMAZING family with AMAZING faith! If you haven't read it, you have to N-O-W! Words can't even describe how GREAT this book is! Loved it!

Jack

Today marks week two with our new puppy, Jack Sparrow. I'm happy to report that he is doing GREAT and is a perfect fit for our family!

He is very sweet, and has managed to survive the past 2 weeks without committing puppycide from Sophie's constant attention. It's a good thing we got this dog young - now he will never know a life apart from the obsession of a child. He is getting bigger each day and is so smart! I tied a bell to the door to train him to ring the bell when he needs to go outside and potty. Believe it or not, he started ringing the bell a couple of hours later! See what I mean? S-M-A-R-T. However, he still likes to pee pee in the house. So, I'm trying to bribe him with treats even though the vet told me not to. What do they know? They don't have to keep cleaning up after him.

Jack likes to eat, sleep, play, and follow me around (the perfect dog!). However, Sophie is jealous of the attention that Jack shows me when I come into the room. She has been known to say, "Don't pick him up, Mama! Go away!" I can't imagine why he runs under the couch when I'm not in the room and he is alone with Sophie. Oh yeah. It's because she stalks him. She likes to yell, "MAMA, make Jack come out from behind the couch!!!!" But all in all, they are doing well together.

I told someone earlier this week that God has always blessed my family with good dogs (I'm not even joking), and that Jack has just been added to the good dog list of Mako, Mickey, Judas, Scout, and Sydney. Thank you, Lord!

Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia by Joseph Pistone

For the 5 people out there that read my blog, I know you have been waiting with baited breath to see what book I will review next. Well, today is your lucky day!

Last week I finished Donnie Brasco. (Yes, they made it into a movie in the 90's.) It is about an FBI Agent who infiltrates the mafia for 6 years (yes, you read that right), and it was intriguing. First of all, kudos to Agent Pistone who was willing to risk his life for this assignment. He barely saw his family during this time, and was at the beck and call of his partner, Lefty. And AMAZINGLY, he didn't commit any crimes during those 6 years! To read about how he walked and talked the part of a wiseguy is really fascinating.

Okay, here's the bad part. It is FULL of bad language. I knew this before I purchased the book (because I scanned it), but I really wanted to read this story so I bought it anyway. So even though I tried to skim past the yucky words, it got old. Fast. I'm talking off the charts bad...

I would definitely recommend this book. But just know what you're signing up for.

Happiness is a warm puppy...

and his name is Jack!

Yesterday, we added an adorable yorkiepoo to our brood. He is 7 weeks old; weighs 1.7 lbs.; has black and tan coloring; and is a s-w-e-e-t-i-e pie! Sophie and I are beyond excited that we have a dog in the house again (I think Brian just tolerates it.). Where did I get the name? After Capt. Jack Sparrow, of course! Also, it didn't hurt that my name was Jill and I thought "Jack and Jill" would be cute.

This picture was taken by the breeder when we picked him up yesterday. Sophie kept saying that Jack was her "puppy brother." More pictures soon.

Priceless

How do you like my two new favorite pictures? This is my friend, Kim, with her son, Frankie. Kim and her husband, Dave, are in the process of adopting Frankie from Haiti, and Kim is in Haiti right now spending time with her son. This is her first visit to see him, and the look on Kim's face is priceless. It is such a special story of how God has brought Frankie into their family. For more information, click here... I love ya, Kim!

The Winner - David Baldacci

I liked this book. A lot. I haven't read a book by David Baldacci in years, and this one didn't disappoint. It is very suspensful, and I flew through it. I admit there are parts of the storyline that are a little farfetched, but I still enjoyed it.

Miracle on the Hudson

Have you been following this story about US Airways flight 1549? It's a MIRACLE!!! Just watching the news coverage about this plane crash brought tears to my eyes. I don't necessarily enjoy flying, and I am especially anxious flying over water. Thank you, Lord, for helping this pilot land this plane safely so that all 155 people aboard survived!

Second Row, Piano Side - Chonda Pierce

This book is a short biography of Chonda's life. Man, has she been through some suffering in her life! Here's the Cliff Notes version: Her father (a pastor), walked out on their family; her oldest sister died in a car wreck; and her younger sister died of leukemia. Only God could help someone not to walk through these circumstances and be bitter...

Lady Killer - Lisa Scottoline

Oh my goodness, I LOVED this book! I know you're surprised since I have loved MOST of Lisa's books, but this one was GREAT! Okay, so the language was a little heavy, but the characters in this book are Italian, so what do you expect? You have to learn to skip it, like me! Funny, smart, suspenseful, 5 STARS!!!!

For the Love!

I have no words in response to this digusting story...

Southern Living

After living in South Carolina for 9 years, I have grown accustomed to "Southern" ways. Well, almost all of them. I always thought that since I was from Texas that meant I was southern, but not necessarily. Here are a few examples of the differences between what I grew up with in Texas and South Carolina's ways...

1. Purses vs. Pocketbooks. I will never get used to this. In Texas, we call our handbags "purses". It took me a year to figure out that a "pocketbook" is not a South Carolina name for a wallet.

2. Sweet Tea. I had never even heard of a restaurant serving sweet tea until I moved here. I thought it was something that people made at home.

3. Chicken Biscuit. What?!? I still shake my head when I see a sign for a chicken biscuit because it sounds so disgusting. Who eats this stuff? Oh, yeah. Like EVERYONE I know in South Carolina.

4. Pork Chop Biscuit. This is even grosser than the chicken biscuit. Come on. Really?!? This is one of the main reasons I don't eat at Hardees (besides the fact that Paris Hilton did a really inappropriate commercial for them a few years ago where she was practically naked. The ban is on!)

5. Duke mayonaise. I don't get this either. I tried to stick to my guns on this one, but Brian insists we buy Duke. It confuses me when I go to the grocery store and almost all of the Duke mayo is gone. I guess it is a southern tradition, but whatever. My mother-in-law would purchase jars of it and bring it with her to Pennsylvania when she lived there because they didn't sell it up North. Personally, I don't think it's all that great, so there.

6. Y'all. I don't have an accent, but I do say "y'all" as much as I say "the". Why don't more people say this in SC? I guess it is a Texas word.

7. Sweet Potato Souffle. Never heard of it before 1999, but now I'm a big fan. I didn't even know I liked sweet potatoes before I had this. In Texas, we have yams, which means sweet potatoes covered with burnt marshmallows. YUCK! Obviously, Texans were missing some pecans and a whole lot of brown sugar.

8. Football. The majority of the women I know in South Carolina LOVE football. What the heck is that all about? Maybe it's because I didn't go to college so I don't have a team to support, but for the love. Wouldn't it be more fun to go to the mall?

9. Vera Bradley. I have to admit I've gotten on this band wagon. Never heard of it before I moved here, but now I am the proud owner of four Vera Bradley quilted bags. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Last but not least...

10. Frito Chili Pie. I remember talking about this particular craving one day at work and I got the doe in the headlight look from my friends. Um, it's a yummy mixture of Fritos, cheese, chili, and onions. In other words, an ooey, gooey sensation! Don't know why you guys have been deprived for so long, but I'm glad that I could enlighten you.

Later.

First Monday Morning of the New Year...

Can I get a shout out for school starting back today... HOLLER, Y'ALL! Sophie woke up in a great mood, and was very excited about going to school today. It felt G-R-E-A-T to come home and clean out the refrigerator, wash clothes, and load the dishwasher ALONE!

Tonight I'm hoping to talk Brian into taking down the Christmas tree. Holy moly, we have stuff everywhere!

On a side note, I just looked out my window and saw the elderly lady that regularly walks our street. I say elderly because she must be at least in her 60's or early 70's, but she walks FAST and FAR! She is probably a size 2, walks everyday rain or shine, and boy, can she move! I wish I could say it inspires me to walk, but it just makes me shake my head. I mean, why does she want to walk when she could be home watching Dr. Phil?

The Vendetta Defense - Lisa Scottoline

Welcome to the first book review of 2009. And the winner is... The Vendetta Defense by Lisa Scottoline. For those of you who pay attention to what books I am reading, yes, I have read this before. It was my first book review of 2008! I was in the mood for a Lisa Scottoline fix, and just as expected, she didn't disappoint. I just started Lisa's new book that came out in paperback over the weekend, Lady Killer. I LOVE GREAT BOOKS!!!

Reflection

I am always excited about a new year because it means we get a do-over! In many ways, 2008 was a good year, but there are several things I would never like to experience again!

The Good:
- Sophie and I visiting my parents for 18 days in Tucson.

- Getting a Nintendo DS for my Valentine's Day/Anniversary present. I love this thing. I'm not even joking.

- Celebrating 9 years of marriage to my sweet husband in March. We had a lovely day together in the mountains.

- Taking Sophie to see Disney on Ice in April. She loved it and we loved watching her enjoy the show. What a special memory.

- Special time with Brian to celebrate my birthday in May. How am I 37 years old?!?

- Ms. Morgan, Sophie's K-3 teacher. Love her, love her, love her!

- Going to Nashville in June with Brian's parents. Sophie was so happy to have them along, and it was fun going to the Grand Ole Opry to see Trace Adkins. Sophie had a stomach bug that weekend, but it still turned out good. I think my in-laws will ask more questions next time regarding how much walking will be involved in our little excursions!

- Ashley and Ryan's wedding. It was beautiful and I know that Sophie will always have special memories of being their flower girl!

- DISNEY, DISNEY, DISNEY! Need I say more?

- Seeing Alan Jackson & Trace Adkins in concert for Brian's birthday. It was fun, but I've never seen so many mullets in one place in my entire life.

- Seeing Steven Curtis Chapman in concert with Michael W. Smith. Special...

- Couples Retreat with our Sunday School class in Pigeon Forge. It was so much F-U-N and a nice break to be grown-ups. We had a blast!

- Sophie's incredible performace for her Preschool Praise musical.

- Girl's Nights Out. I don't know what I would do without this time that I have with my friends every month. I am now going out two times a month - once with my friends from Upward and once with my friends from church. Thank you, God...

- Sophie understanding the concept of "family" and showing us so much love and affection.

- McDonald's lunches with Julie & Natalie and our girls. It's great to catch up with old friends and encourage each other as Mommies.


The Ugly:
- Being away from Brian/Daddy for 18 days while Sophie and I were in Tucson.

- Vacation Bible School. Hated it. I just can't work with children during VBS. I'm going to have to volunteer to work with snacks or something else. It sounds bad, but this was an eye opener to me. No more.

- Steven Curtis Chapman losing his daughter in a tragic car accident involving his son. So sad...

- 3 months of church drama. Enough said.

- The passing of our beloved dog, Sydney, at 18 years of age. I'm still not over it, and neither is Sophie. She is STILL talking about it everyday.

- The crazy month of December. It FLEW by and was insanely busy. By the time Christmas arrived, I was frazzled and worn out. Will it ever get better?

- Our friend, Dr. Bill, getting robbed, kidnapped, stabbed and rescued on December 22. We are still trying to process this incident.

- Sophie testing her boundaries at age 4. Here's hoping that year 5 will be easier!

Come on 2009!