My dear sweet hubby, Ron, and I have been married for 20+ years. We began dating during my freshman year at Free Will Baptist Bible College in Nashville. He is my college sweetheart. We have ministered together in various ministries during our lives together. We pastored for 10 years in Florida. We moved to TN in 2000 to Co-Pastor with some friends of ours. The Lord has given me a fabulous provider whom I love more than any words I write could ever express. He is now the CEO at our denomination's publishing company, Randall House Publications. I am honored to support him.
Our oldest child is named Michael. He is now officially a teenager, although I don't think I'm old enough to have a teenager. He is a very sweet and considerate young man. He is my thinker and my reader. He absorbs every piece of new information that he comes across. He loves playing soccer, riding his bike, skateboarding, reading, watching the History Channel, the Military Channel, ESPN and any documentary on TV. I am privileged to be his Mother.
Lauren is our youngest child. She is just 15 months behind her brother in age. She is wise beyond her years. She has a sharp-witted tongue (which sometimes has to be tamed), a quick sense of humor and a heart for people and animals. She loves organizing anything and everything. She loves being with her friends, singing, talking on her cell phone and playing soccer. I am blessed to be her Mother.
Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier.
- Kathleen Norris
I am ticked off!!!!! I am offended!!!!! I am disgusted!!!! My blood is boiling!!!! I want to throw a rock into my television with the hopes of that rock flying through the media system and slapping Whoopie Goldberg and Barbara Walters up-side the head and knocking them out cold. I did not see the episode of The View yesterday (or maybe it was today) where Elisabeth Hasselbeck was treated in such a manner that has become typical of that show. But I am not surprised by any of it. I have heard about it. If you are familiar with The View at all you have probably heard about the episode. Elisabeth was talking about how offended she is by the N-word. Apparently that "man" who claims to be a Christian/preacher, Jesse Jackson, used the word recently. At any rate Elisabeth was talking about the double standard that exists over the word - how African Americans use it and it is acceptable among their race but how when a white person uses it it is despicable. (Don't get me started on the double standards that exist among Americans today - that's another blog entry altogether)
First of all I would like to say a little something about The View. I have watched it in spurts. Basically I watch it for a period of time until I just can't stomach those liberal women anymore and then I can't watch it anymore. When Whoopi Goldberg first came on the show following Rosie Odonnell (AGain, don't get me started) I liked it. I thought Whoopi was funny. But after a year of sitting next to Joy Behar and across the table from Barbara Walters I just can't take her anymore. And I have always been disgusted by Barbara Walters. When I was watching the show I would just change the channel on the days that Barbara was on. She thinks she is Queen Bee and that the entire media population should bow down and worship at her feet. That's the impression she gives to me.
I have NEVER liked the way that the women treat Elisabeth. I think Elisabeth has done a great job of holding her own against those women as a Republican. I know I wouldn't be able to sit at the table with them without slapping them all or just break down in tears on the spot. Don't get me wrong - I disagree with a few of her stances but as a whole I believe her to be a Christian who wants to raise her children in a loving Christian home with Christian values.
Now, the point of my problem comes in when Elisabeth is speaking up for a certain point. If you watch it you will notice that she is made fun of, laughed at for her conservative views, ignored, disrespected and constantly interrupted. In the episode I am referring to where they discussed the N-word issue when Elisabeth starts talking you will see Barbara throw herself across the table with impatience and, no doubt, rolling her eyes (the camera view wasn't one where I could see that but that is what her body language message is). She treats Elisabeth like she is a child - which I find extremely offensive. It is obvious that this matter is something that she is impassioned about. However, her feelings are treated as ridiculous. As Elisabeth tries to continue making her point Whoopi cuts her off and proceeds to preach at her using the whole race card - which gets on my nerves on a GOOD day.
If I were Elisabeth I would get up and walk off and leave them all to their petty childish liberalism. Let them have it! Noone, child OR adult, deserves to be treated with such disrespect. Am I the only one who feels this way about them? The liberal media seem to have the biggest mouths. Are there any conservatives out there willing to speak up and defend one of our own?
Michael got a new toy over the weekend. That's really no surprise. But what the toy IS is a surprise! Let me first say that the high school they will be going to is an Arts/Literature Magnet School. So, they have to choose a certain Art Elective that they will focus on for the school year. The choices are:
Art - as in painting and drawing
Drama
Chorus
Class Piano
Class Guitar
Band
Imaginative Writing
Keyboarding
He has shown a great deal of interest in playing the guitar for a few years now. So, when he saw Class Guitar as an option he jumped right on it. Ron had been keeping an eye on Craigslist for him an acoustic guitar. He has mentioned that one day he would like to play in the Praise Band at church. So, he got a guitar on Sunday from a man in Pleasant View.
He has been practicing using a DVD that the guy gave him with the guitar. I have tried helping him along as much as I can - which isn't a lot because I know NOTHING about playing the guitar. I've mostly helped him with reading the music and counting the beats out. He also has a book that he is using the work on learning the chords. And we have also done some searching online for various videos and such. He wants to know a little something before school starts. I hope that he stays committed to doing this because it's the first thing, musically, that he has shown a consistent amount of interest in.
Anyway, we are excited. And so is he! Can you tell?
Oh my goodness - I am worn slap out - as a college friend used to say. Lauren has completely zapped me this week of energy AND money!! Well, today Michael helped too. I have been shopping all week for the kids some clothes for the Nationals week after next. We have to dress up the whole week. Since we don't really dress up for our church we don't have dressy clothes. I didn't think we would ever find any skirts/dresses long enough for a 13 year old to wear. Why are they all so short AND cute? It would help if they were short and ugly. But NO they have to all be adorable - I just needed a few extra inches of fabric on the bottom of them. But thank the Lord for Dillard's. We found a zillion dresses and skirts there. So, if you are looking for decent and modest dresses for your daughter that is the place to go. I figured we would find exactly what we need at Penney's. You can always find something specific you are looking for there. Not this time!! Anyway, we finally found some. Of course when we went to look for Michael some new polo shirts today we had plenty to chose from.
And I need to wear a sign that says "No, I don't want to save an extra 15% today by signing up for your credit card!!" Honestly, I'd just like to pay as much as possible - thank you very much! If I came home with a new credit card my life would be over anyway. So, saving the extra 15% just really isn't worth it.
I got my hair done today. I have a new style AGAIN. I got my roots done and a haircut. Why is it that when you leave a beauty shop you never look, in person, quite the way you do in your mind????? I know it has been YEARS since I've really had a hair style that I am satisfied with. If you look at my list of things I want to do before I die in my right sidebar one of them is to have a hair style that I am actually satisfied with. I have a feeling I'm going to be living for a VERY LOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGG time. I am going back next week for highlights.
I got my nails done yesterday. So, I think I'm ready for nationals. Well, actually I would like to get a couple more dresses/outfits. I'm planning to look at a particular store I like after my doctor's appointment on Monday. Then I just need to oversee all the packing. We are packing for Nationals (ALL Sunday morning attire), Cedar Point and a few days at Mamaw & Papaw's. Now THAT is a big variety of clothes!!! Thankfully we are driving and not flying so we can pack all we want - well, as much as the trunk of the car will hold anyway.
Ok - I have a few more things to do online so I will sign off now.
Seeing the kids reading their Bibles on their own
Hearing the ocean
Smelling a cake baking
Remembering our wedding day
Singing in the church choir
Shopping for my family
Feeling good
Reading in the tub
A quiet house
Watching a funny movie with the kids
Seeing my kids playing a game together
Ron's little finger dance
Hearing my kids being excited about church
Watching Ron play with Faith (our dog)
Hearing Ron snoring beside me after he has been gone on a long trip
Chatting with special friends
Feeling hot sand under my feet on a beach somewhere
Game night with Brian & Kim and kids
Spending one on one time with Kim
Double Dating With Brian and Kim
A clean house
Sitting on my front porch in my new rockers
Things I Want To Do Before I Die
Take voice lessons
Lose 100 pounds
Take a yearly vacation with just my girl friends
Break completely free from the strongholds that have a grip on me
Find a hair style that I'm totally happy with
Become a great grandmother
Live on the beach
Drive a racecar on the race track
Learn to swim confidently
Go sky-diving
Learn to knit
Scrapbook our family's life
Build a house with an inground pool
Own my own laptop
Visit Alaska
See the REAL Eiffel Tower
Take a short term family missions trip
Own a black Jaguar X-Type car
Be a REAL wife/mom who cooks/cleans and everything
Have Lasix Surgery
