whew - been a while...

I finally remembered that I have a blog.  Since last posting in March, one very important thing has come up - we are having a baby!!  This has taken up all of my thoughts and dreams and waking moments.  We are due to have our little girl on October 31st.  If she comes on that particular day, she will be an absolute treat.  If she comes before or after, that's okay too.  

We are so excited about her and cannot wait to meet her.  I'm thrilled and terrified at the same time.   Already, God is teaching me so much about Him.  I can't wait to see what else He is going to teach us.

We had our first of 2 baby showers this past weekend and it was wonderful.  We received so many nice things and this little girl is already loved!  

7 weeks to go::
Deobrah

#2

Today marks anniversary #2!  I married the best guy in the world two years ago.  He has taught me so much and gotten me out of my comfort zone in ways I would have never thought.  

We went on a camping trip this past weekend to celebrate a little early.  It was sooooooo cold but I made it through one night sleeping outside in 33 degree weather.  Thankfully, the next night, we camped at the Days Inn because it was going to be 28 degrees and snowing.  Never have we been more thankful for heat and a hot shower!  

But celebrating your anniversary on a Tuesday is a little more difficult.  I'm working - He's working - I have class this afternoon.  So, by the time I get home by 7 PM, there will hopefully be an incredibly delicious dinner waiting on me made by my incredibly delicious husband.  

Feeling the love today!
Deborah

Lent

The season of Lent is something that I have observed for the majority of my adult life.  Being a Methodist preacher's kid probably adds to this.

Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter. People tend to "give up" or "sacrifice" something during these 40 days.  In the past, I have given up caffeine, soda - or should I say Coke, or chocolate.  While it may seem a bit silly to do this - it has reminded me that it is a sacrifice for me. 

This year - I'm going down a little bit different route.  This year, I am trying to only drink water.  The sacrifice is that I don't like just plain water.  I like it combined with tea and sugar.  Or with carbonation and sugar and coca cola flavoring.  This is a big one for me.  I will continue to drink milk however.  Can't eat cereal with water.

In the spirit of all honesty, I have had two cups of coffee.  I'm totally okay with this.  

Also, Annie of Annie Blogs fame, did a wonderful roundup of Lent resources.  She also said this:  "You can take the girl out of the Methodist church, but you can’t take the Lent out of the girl, am I right?"

Completely makes sense to me!  Made me smile as well!

Mark Batterson of National Community Church in Washington, DC has another great article for your information.

Hope you have a great day!

Deborah

you want to know why i'm crazy

i must be crazy.  this is the only explanation. 

i'm getting married in three weeks and 6 days.  this coming weekend, i am one of two people IN CHARGE of the elementary winter retreat at our conference camp.  there are 312 people registered for this.  so there has been wedding stress and winter retreat stress to add to the crazy.

now we added a spontaneous super bowl get together.  yesterday, the fella and i said, maybe just one extra person could come over.  she's doesn't get fox and is a HUGE steelers fan.  this is the right thing to do.  no biggie.  well, this morning comes around and now there are 6 extra people coming.  to my house. tonight.  craziness.

then we add the fact that we are getting the carpet replaced in all three bedrooms next week sometime.  do you know what this entails??  oh this means i get to move ALL the wedding presents that are being stored/displayed in guest room and everything else that is on the floors of those three rooms to the garage.  i might have had a moment of anxiety yesterday.

i'm going crazy.  that's all there is to it.  at least after this coming weekend, i will only be down to carpet crazy and wedding crazy.

the plus side to all this is that i have a wonderful fiance who is not worried a bit about any of this.  and we will have new carpet in the bedrooms - one of which will hold a brand new bedroom set built by his father (our wedding present!!).  and we have a new mattress that makes all this crazy disappear when i get into bed at night.

the fella is just jealous that i get to sleep on it for the next month and he doesn't! :-)  

what's going on...

there is so much going on in my life these days. if you consider work, the wedding, all the events that lead up to the wedding, and life in general - i'm that whirlwind you see flying around port st. joe and occasionally south georgia.

wedding accomplishments in the last week:
- shoes purchased (and they are wonderful!)
- invitations stuffed, stamped, and mailed.
- rehearsal dinner menu planned
- hostess gifts made for hazlehurst shower
- shower in donalsonville - oh so much fun.
- wreaths made for entrance decor
- trying on my dress today!  i haven't seen it since november 15th.  i'm ready!!!

that's enough for now. 
later tater.

summer in review...

i stink.  no posts for over three months.  i must have been busy!   so here is an entire summer recap!

listening to: music for hero headquarters vbs, the sound of children's laughter and a bit of whining in the back of the church bus, anything to get my ipod into more use!

watching: lots and lots of movies...saw inception at the theater.  totally stressed me out. overwhelming movie.

reading: a series by Lori Wick of which i cannot remember the name.  other than that just magazines - Lucky, Real Simple, People Style Watch, and Southern Living.

eating:  a lot of sack lunches and kid snacks. i went on a lot of day trips this summer!

drinking: same old, same old.

wearing:  cool and breezy things. and flip flops

lusting after:  longer hair that will be prettier when pulled into my standard ponytail.

peeved by:  parents who are late dropping off their kids and also picking them up.

brainstorming on: back to school/weekly programs planning. here it comes!

excited about:  meeting kevin.  now known as the most wonderful guy in the world.  i'm the luckiest!  God has blessed me beyond measure with this man.  cannot wait to see what's in store for the two of us.

thankful for:  a good church that allows me to do lots of fun things with the kids over the summer and for the parents that show up on time.  thank goodness!

may in review

listening to...some old music that i found (and had been searching for) - caedmon's call, bebo norman, my find rest cd!, and jennifer knapp - all the first cd's these artists put out.  i found them in a box in my garage where i had cleaned out my trailblazer when i sold it 2.5 years ago.  i'm ridiculous.

watching...not much to be honest with you - just some random movies from netflix

reading...the mark of the lion series by francine rivers - soooooo good.  and i read water for elephants for book club - another good read.

eating...not much of anything that i have cooked - seriously, my friends are awesome cooks and incredibly generous for always feeding me!

drinking...the standards - diet coke, sweet tea, milk, water

wearing...anything that will keep me cool

lusting after...a new vacuum cleaner

peeved by...yellow flies - evil in bug form

brainstorming on...what to get dad for father's day

excited about...baby girl patrick making her appearance in the world.  also "sparky" thompson's debut & VBS is just around the corner - 5 days!!

thankful for...the life of scarlett the wonder cat - she died on june 5th.  my heart broke a little that day but i am incredibly thankful for the love and sweetness of that cat.  i miss her bunches.

the distraction of turning 30

well, i have been 30 now for three days.  i'm still getting adjusted to this fact!  i had a fabulous birthday.  in fact, it might have been one of the best ever.  i felt very loved by family and friends.  it was just a happy day.

i thought a lot about all that happened over the last ten years.  i don't remember all of it but many things did stand out.  i thought i would list the most important ones...

-i worked at summer camp
-i transferred to a smaller college
-i graduated from college!
-i worked at a radio station (& had lots of fun doing it!)
-i got my first children's ministry internship
-i discovered my love for children's ministry
-i moved to texas
-scarlett the wonder cat came into my life
-i discovered that i didn't like to be that far away from everyone i knew
-i became independent
-i moved back to georgia
-i got my first real children's ministry job.
-my papa died.
-i lost my first real children's ministry job.
-i moved to florida
-my grandma died
-lucy came to live with me
-i met, dated, and broke up with my first boyfriend
-i bought a house
-i became a certified christian educator in the United Methodist Church
-met some amazing people
-loved my God
-participated in some awesome Bible studies
-dated some other boys
-fell in love with my tiny neighbors
-sold & bought a car all by myself!
-got my puppy

it has been a busy and adventure filled ten years.  i can't wait to see what God has in store for the next ten!