Parent's Rights

So I received a brochure from the school yesterday called "Parent's Rights: A Brief Summary of Procedural Safeguards" Call me crazy, but am I not the one who pays taxes for them to educate my child - so shouldn't I be the one to tell them what their rights with my child are and what I want done to ensure their safety?

One statement stood out: "You must be given the opportunity to participate in all meetings during which  decisions will be made about your child's educational services." At first glance this seems rational but the real question is what makes you think you are the one who gets to control everything about my child? It basically said that they are going to have the meeting and make the decision whether we are there or not, and we only have to be informed about what is going on.

Please don't get me wrong, I am not opposed to the whole education system. I was trained in education for a reason - I have a passion to work with children and to help them learn and grow. But I think that we need to remember that all of our good intentions will never replace the rights and responsibilities parents have for their own children. Schools can not take the place of parents, even if the parents are really bad. We need to help parents learn to be parents and to train and discipline their children. Teachers and administrators should only need to be concerned with teaching our children, not raising them.

Thanksgiving

Last year was my first Thanksgiving married and I was privileged to host dinner for my parents in my tiny apartment. It was something that we had discussed making a new tradition and I was ecstatic. However, things were a little different my my family this year.

This year my Mom really wanted us to come down and celebrate Thanksgiving with her family as it's been a difficult year for some.

Another difference this year was that our foster child was able to go with us to celebrate the day.

My aunt hosted dinner at her house and almost everyone from my extended family on my Mom's side was there! It turned out to be a great day and it was nice to visit with everyone. I also think that despite being nervous, our foster child really enjoyed it too.

We spent several days at my parents house enjoying the farm and just visiting my parents. Warren and I had a blast riding the four-wheeler and taking a trip to Knoxville to visit friends (my parents watched the kid for us), while our foster child enjoyed riding horses and playing with the rabbits and dogs.....not to mention she was loving having cable AND being allowed to watch it!

All in all it was a great holiday!

Now, if I could just get excited about Christmas that would be better!

Warren's B-Day

On Oct. 2, 2011 my wonderful husband turned 30! We had originally wanted to have two celebrations, one for our friends and family living near us and one for those who live in NC. However; due to scheduling conflicts and the like the first did not happen :(  But, the good news is that we were still able to celebrate with some of his other friends. 

So, this past weekend, we drove down to Asheville, NC. We arrived Friday night and had the opportunity to visit one of his college friends over dinner. 

The next morning we meet up with some more friends for a fun day at Biltmore. Although the house was really cool, I did feel like we were being herded through like cattle. But the great company made it all worth it! After visiting the house we roamed through the gardens and eventually made our way down to their winery.

At the end of the day we enjoyed dinner at O'Charley's, which was delicious (you can rarely go wrong with their potato soup)

I would like to thank the Burchett's, Ben and Steven for  making making the trip down and being part of  this celebration for Warren!!!

Myers Family Update

Lots has happened over the last few days in the Myers home!
As some of you may know, Warren and I just completed training to become therapeutic foster parents about a month ago. Since then we have been praying that God would reveal His purpose in bringing us to this place and for the children that would be placed in our home. On Sept. 30 (last Friday), a child was placed in our home and we have been on this fast paced ride trying to catch up with what's going on. I went to bed on Thursday night and woke up, suddenly responsible for another person....as if that's not crazy enough she's 16! I vividly remember 16, not a great chapter in my life, and I came from a stable, loving, and Christian home so it's difficult at times to relate to her. But, just to be clear, she is amazing, fun, and very likable. So I guess to make a long story short, we all could really use some prayers and a BIG thank you in advance!!
Another event that occurred over the weekend was Warren's 30th birthday!!! Our foster child participates in a horseback riding program at the horse park on some weekends so Saturday was a perfect day to go out and celebrate the big event while she was away.
Lately, we have been reading the novelization of the new movie Courageous....so we went to see the noon matinee. I don't want to ruin it for anyone but it is a must see!!! Plus, I think that one of the main messages in the film could not have come at a better time...it gave us even more motivation to provide the best home environment and solid Christian parental figures for the time she is with us. And of course, like most special occasions, we celebrated with dinner at the Melting Pot. Earlier in the summer we found a great LivingSocial deal for the Melting Pot so our dinner was half off, cha ching!!  Yeah, I'd say couponing is still working our well for us :p
I'm sure that the next few days, weeks, and months are going to be a major adjustment and learning period in our lives...we'll try to keep you all updated as much as possible!

Why didn't anyone tell me??

Truly Sad

When I was in college I was unfortunate enough to visit one of these "churches". It made me really appreciate the solid teaching from my home church. I am more open to varying styles of worship and preaching than I use to be, but it MUST come from God! It you are doing it or saying it just to draw larger crowds without receiving specific instruction from Him, then your work will be in vain and you will have a negative impact on the people. Our God is radical and will make Himself known through magnificent means, he doesn't need our "help" to make the message exciting or popular!
Actually, He even told us it would be unpopular! So why are we trying so hard to conform His message into what the world wants, trying to make it entertaining?

Here's the video............

Amish

I have always been fascinated by the Amish. At one point (not long before marriage) I think that I could have/would have liked to live that sort of lifestyle. Please note that I did not mention their "religion" as that is a topic for a different post someday, just they way they live in general.
So, I have been reading a book called Amish Values for Your Family by Suzanne Woods Fisher. The author has had several family members raised in the Amish culture and remains close to a few communities. This book is some of the best values from the Amish that you could or even should incorporate into your family's today with out "going Amish"
Below is an excerpt from one of the sections called Great Expectations. I found it to be very interesting and thought it was worthwhile to share :)

   "An elementary public school teacher taught her class about magnets. The next day, she gave them a quiz that included this question: "My name has six letters. The first one is m. I pick up things. What am I?" The teacher was stunned to see that almost half of the class had filled in the answer to that question with the word mother. 

   Amusing, yes, but with a sting of truth. We moms (dads, too) do too much for our children! This generation of parents has been more involved in their children's lives than any other before it, experts say-but they also place few demands on their children. Whatever the reason - busyness (it's easier to do things ourselves) or over protectiveness (our child needs our advocacy) -- we just don't expect enough from our kids.

   Short term, it is easier to do more for our kids. But long term? We end up extending our children's adolescence. "My son handed me a thank-you note to mail the other day," said Nancy, a mother of two. "He hadn't addressed it or stamped  it. He doesn't know how! He had always just given me the written thank-you note, and I took care of mailing it. That was fine when he was ten...but he's twenty-one! Sometimes I think I've hobbled my kids with kindness."

   By not asking enough of our children, we aren't helping them to grow up. In fact, they aren't growing up.

   Among 2009 US college graduates, 80 percent moved back home with their parents after graduation. That's up from 77 percent in 2008, 73 percent in 2007, and 67 percent in 2006. Today's young adults are going to school longer, job-hopping, and delaying marriage and children. Sociologists debate what could be driving these changing attitudes. Some blame a dismal economy; others point out that many of these young adults are children of divorce and thus are in no hurry to marry. But one thing they all agree on: today's well-educated, media-savvy, and wordly kids just don't seem very mature -- if maturity is defined as accepting responsibility for oneself and fulfilling expectations -- compared with where their parents and grandparents were at the same point in their lives. In today's world, thirty is the new fifteen!

   By contrast, no one could deny that Amish youth are well prepared for adulthood. A lifelong work ethic is well developed at a young age with household and farm chores. The Amish know that much of the on-the-job training for the workplace takes place at home as children participate in simple chores and tasks. They stare children off with age-appropriate chores as young as three. As children grow, so do their responsibilities. Expectations are clearly set. Income earned by teens who work outside the home is handed over to a parent, most often for purchasing a future property or establishing a business. Most Amish young adults marry in their early twenties and start their families within a year or two. While Amish parents may help to initially finance a child's farm or business, the young couples quickly become independent and self-sufficient. And solvent. Marriage and parenthood, for Amish young adults, are values goals, not burdens to be postponed. Adulthood doesn't come as a shock -- they have been preparing for it all of their lives.

   Taking the time to consistently train, follow through on expectations, correct and encourage our children isn't always easy in the given moment, but such an investment of our times will return to bless our kids again and again. And the ultimate reward? Adulthood won't come as a shock."

Some of what the author says is a blanket statement and while based on facts may have some heavy personal opinions mixed in, I think that the overall point is made clear. It's been a great read so far and I think that no matter what your family values or traditions are, some of the simple but powerful truths in this book are worth looking into.

 

Colorado

There are a lot of pictures in this post but, if you want to see more check the albums on facebook in a few days :)

After sitting in the hotel this week while Warren was working, this weekend was so worth it. On Saturday morning we drove down to Colorado Springs and took time to explore and enjoy the mountains.

Our first stop was at Garden of the Gods. The views and formations were amazing. We started by walking through the paths for up close views and then drove around the perimeter to see the whole view.

After taking in the breath taking views there we drove over to Manitou Springs to check out the base of Pikes Peak. We had originally planned on spending the evening shopping and sight seeing in Manitou and riding the Cog Railway on Sunday but when we went up to get reservations we found out they had openings for the the 4pm train that day :)

The Cog Railway starts in Manitou Springs and takes you to the very top of Pikes Peak. We enjoyed spectacular views and learned a lot. Below are a few of the pictures of the accent, the top, and the decent! For all the pictures check out my facebook album.

Since we had not seen all that we wanted we spent the night in Colorado Springs rather than going back to Denver. We were both exhausted!!! 

Today we started out in Cheyenne Canyon. We took a short hiking trail, about 1/3 mi, up to the top and while that doesn't sound hard to most of you let me tell you that it was. In that hike we went up over 200ft!!! So in addition to the VERY steep  grade, we were at a high altitude. However; I would recommend the hike to everyone, the view was so worth it. Here are a few pictures...

 

To leave Cheyenne Canyon we took the 2 lane (really 1-1.5 lanes) dirt road over the mountain. This was a treacherous and stressful drive....but I did it and I'm so proud of myself. I got nervous sometimes because we were on the outside and there if not careful you would slide off the edge and straight down the mountain (no guardrails or anything) The really cool thing about this road was that it use to be a rail line so when we went through tunnels they were super narrow and you could see the specific purpose they were created for. Of course, once we made it over we had to turn around and go the other way so Warren could get a chance to drive it too ;)

Finally, we ended the day back in Manitou Springs with dinner at a charming restaurant called The Stagecoach and some souvenir shopping.

   

Blog Name

How my blog got it's name!
I have always loved ladybugs! I started to collect small ladybug items in high school and continued through college. When I was in college I joined a sorority, Omega Phi Alpha and our local mascot was the ladybug (national mascot was Ophia aka Raggedy Ann) This made collecting a lot easier!
The problem after graduation was what was I suppose to do with all this ladybug stuff? I gave a lot of it away to other underclass sisters to help them in their collections and kept the items that meant the most to me.
People were so use to buying ladybug items for me that it sort of became my "identity". I even have cousins who call me ladybug and when my real name is mentioned they don't know who you are talking about ;)
Now that Warren and I have moved into a rental home, I thought that I wanted to decorate the kitchen in all my ladybug stuff, but I have since changed my mind and decided on a different approach.
So, while I no longer feel the need/desire to go out and buy every ladybug thing I see, the name "ladybug" is now forever a part of who I am.

Auctions

Going to auctions is something I have done with my Dad for a long time. When I was little, we often went to horse auctions since we owned horses. I remember the loud, late nights and often getting really tired and bored. I never knew what was going on or what the auctioneer was saying but everyone seemed to be into the event.
Lately, we have been attending estate and local town auctions and it's been a blast! Not only are they a great place to socialize, but if you know what you are looking for you can find some great deals.
Last night I had the opportunity to attend an auction with my parents and I actually got an AWESOME deal. Before it started I had eyed some really old books, and knowing that both Warren and I enjoyed them, I knew I would make a bid. I did not think to eBay the books before the auction started (note to self, always take your smart phone and use it if considering a large purchase), so I had a hard time trying to decide what my limit would be.
As the event went on I waited patiently for the books to come up and I did not see them in the line up anytime soon. I had discussed with my Dad how much I was willing to pay should the books come up and I stepped away to go get a snack. And what do you know...they came up for sale as I was away.
I came back and there they were, all 3 of them, laying on my seat. I asked how much we got them for and he told me got all of them for $7.50. That's not a bad deal at all!
It was just my Dad and one other lady bidding on the books and she backed out when she thought that two of the books were the same and was planning to offer me $5 for one of them. This time I thought about it a little before I took the offer and stepped outside to check their prices on eBay.
Now before I go any farther, it is important to know that all of the books were printed prior to 1899, two were printed before copyright dates.
So I was only able to find two of the three on eBay, and the cheapest one was $40 and the other was $50.
Needless to say, I did not sell the book for $5. I hate that she stepped out with the hope of buying one, but for those prices, I just couldn't let them go.
Maybe one day, they will actually be worth something and my future children will be able to reap the profit off the purchase. With the way things are going now, physical books will be rare by the time we have children, especially those who are old enough to read and enjoy them.

Tips for the Auction:
Auctions are something that can be a lot of fun and a place to find good deals. I would caution you, though, to have a plan before you go. Know exactly how much you are willing to spend period before you go. Also, don't forget that in addition to the state sales tax, there is usually also a 10% buyers fee with it, so in KY that will bring the tax up to 16%. So if you are willing to spend X amount on something you need to also figure in the higher taxes. Also, no matter how "antique" or "valuable" something is, it's only worth what someone will pay for it. Finally, if you are going for a specific piece make sure you do your research. Find our how much that particular item sells for, how to tell if it's authentic, and decide if it's worth it. But don't forget, it's easy to get carried away once it get's going, especially when you see someone who's determined to out bid you....you have to have self control and you have to be able to tell yourself that the deal will come back around again.

Anniversary

Warren and I have had a great time ringing in our first year of marriage. This past week we took a vacation to Willamsburg, VA (our honeymoon location) and enjoyed the attractions and each other.

We left for vacation last Sunday, and as soon as we arrived at the airport and got our car we drove straight to the beach. It was perfect weather and a great way to unwind after the traveling.

The rest of the week we spent at Busch Gardens and Colonial Williamsburg. Our annual passes were still valid so we were able to come and go to each location as we pleased. It made picking and choosing what to do a whole lot easier.

On our last night we ate at the Melting Pot. It's become a favorite location to celebrate and since there was one nearby we were able to go.

The highlight of the trip though was sitting at the airport in Norfork, VA and realizing that we didn't have house keys! My parents had stayed with us the weekend before since my Mom and I were attending the Deeper Still conference and they took us to the airport. I guess I was too busy packing and making sure they had a key to lock the house when they left that I forgot to pack one for us. Anyway, after many delays, we finally landed in Lexington, KY around 10:30 pm Friday night. Since my parents live 1.5+ hours away we didn't see a need to have them make the long round trip just to bring the key, yet we didn't want to call a locksmith or our emergency maintenance (also a large fee)....so we got a hotel for the night. 

We were able to get an AWESOME rate and room at the Marriott downtown. We finished out the vacation in the hot tub across town from our home. The next morning we were able to contact our leasing office and they unlocked our doors (free since they were already in the office)

All this leads up to today....our actual anniversary day! We started the morning at church, which was really nice since due to vacation, conference, and other weekend happenings we had not been in a while. After services, we went to Red Lobster for lunch, yum! Warren said it was better than last year since neither one of us ate much at the reception.

Then we went to the church to meet up with my helpers this coming week for VBS. We were able to get the room decorated and schedule in place. 

Anyway, after spending a few hours at the church we were able to make it back home! For dinner we enjoyed the pleasant afternoon with leftovers on the back porch.The grand finale to the evening.........sharing our wedding cake. I was surprised that it lasted so well in the freezer this year. It was still fresh and delicious...just like my marriage!

It was really nice to have my husband for a whole week with no interruptions (other than VBS prep today). We should really take more time away together when we leave our cell phones, and internet access at home and out of reach!

Our Vows Made June 19, 2010

I, Warren, take you, Christina, to be my lawfully wedded wife, in accordance with God’s plan, and through His guidance, to love you as Christ loves His church, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, to love, honor, cherish, guide, and protect you, bestowing all my earthly possessions, bearing with you patiently, forgiving you as I have been forgiven, forsaking all others and cleaving only unto you in faithfulness, from this day forward until death do us part.

I, Christina, take you, Warren, to be my lawfully wedded husband, in accordance with God’s plan, and through His guidance, to love and support you as you follow Christ who is head of His church, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, to love, honor, cherish, respect, and obey you, bestowing all my earthly possessions, bearing with you patiently, forgiving you as I have been forgiven, forsaking all others and cleaving only unto you in faithfulness, from this day forward until death do us part.

Deeper Still

Mom and I attended the Deeper Still event this weekend in Louisville and it was amazing!!!! This was the last Deeper Still event and I'm so glad that I was able to be a part of it. The three speakers, Kay Arthur, Priscilla Shirer, and Beth Moore, shared wonderful messages at this event! I have participated in a few studies by Priscilla and Beth and I was so excited to go hear them live. If you ever have an opportunity to hear them speak or participate in one of their studies you should definitely do it...you won't be disappointed!

Highland Games

This past weekend Warren and I attended the Glasgow Highland Games and it was a blast! We listened to music from great bands all day in well into the night. Some of our favorites from the day were Father Son and Friends, Needfire and of course our favorite and the reason for going....Albannach!
We are at least going to a few more events we are going to this year like the Ohio Ren. Festival and the Highland Games in NY.....it's going to be a great summer!!!

I'll leave you with Albannach performing my favorite song: Heart in the Holy Land

http://youtu.be/-PjllyUiwkM

Mysterious Rash

So for the past 1.5 years I have randomly experienced a severe allergic reaction to something. On three of these occasions, despite massive doses of Benadryl,  I have had to seek medical attention, two of which have been in the last 2 weeks! The last time was this past Friday. Warren and I were in TN camping with my parents for the holiday weekend...talk about ruining the weekend. Below are pictures of the rash/hives that appeared literally within minutes! I have an appt with an allergist tomorrow morning. Best case scenario, we find out what the trigger is and I avoid it. Second best would be to get something to stop the reaction without having to rush to the ER....hopefully there are no other alternatives to have to consider!

June Craziness!!

So, I somehow managed to way overbook the month of June..oops!

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
			Visiting                1	Visiting               2	Visiting                  3	Highland Games/ Mom’s B-day                   4
Highland Games 5	Dr. Appt               6	Dr. Appt./ Dad’s visit              7	Dad  Visiting         8	Dad  Visiting 9	Deeper Still Conference               10	Deeper Still Conference 11
Vacation 12	Vacation 13	Vacation 14	Vacation 15	Vacation 16	Vacation 17	VBS Prep 18
VBS Prep/ 1 yr. Anniversary 19	VBS 20	VBS 21	VBS 22	VBS 23	VBS 24	Family Reunion 25
Family Reunion 26	27	28	29	30

Looking at the rest of the year makes me a little sad! I wish there was a way to spread these events through out the year so it wasn't so hectic. Oh well, guess I'll just have to make the best of it!!!

Pasta Sauce

So today I made some pasta sauce.....I know totally cool right! Anyway, it's been on my to-do list for a while. I'm really trying to incorporate more homemade (organic when possible) foods into our diet and this was just one step closer.
I only made a small batch (4 jars) so I can test it and make adjustments as needed but it has promise. I gave Warren a small bowl of it to sample with some bread and there was no trace of it when he returned the bowl , which may or may not be saying anything for those of you who know how my husband eats ;)
I hope to try it out later in the week when my parents come up for dinner!

Next on my list is homemade yogurt! I attempted to make some already but the power went out mid process! Warren insisted that it was fine but I was a little nervous having never made it and working with bacteria and all. I will pick up the ingredients to make a new batch at the grocery tomorrow. Look for a post in the next few days with the verdict :)

AWANA Award Night

Tonight we celebrated the end of the Awana year, and I was very proud of my 1st grade class! Of my 11 kids seven of them completed their books (the others were very close)!! That means that they have learned, and recited 50 verses!! WOW, how many of us can say that we know 50 verses and their references by heart?
With the wonderful training most of these kids are receiving at home combined with scripture memorization, these kids are getting a good foundation and are going to have an arsenal of weapons (80 verses total from Kindergarten to 1st grade and adding more each year) to use when they get older :)   Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. KJV

Wilton Cake

So for the past 4 Saturdays I have attended the Wilton Basic Cake Decorating course at the local Michael's store. I learned all kind of neat things and had a ton of fun. We learned how to do basic things like bake a perfect cake, leveling the cake, making homemade butter cream icing, smoothing the icing to look like fondant, how to make several flowers including a ribbon rose, and several other cool tips.
The first cake I made in the class looked really bad, it's the one with the cupcake on it. I had a really hard time getting the icing to do what I wanted.
Tonight was my last night and I prepared a final cake..it's the one with the flowers.I have to admit that while it has several flaws, I think I did pretty well for a beginner, and it's a big improvement over the first cake :)

My next class starts on Tuesday, this time I am taking Gum Paste and Fondant :p

Laundry Day

A few weeks ago, Warren helped me put up a clothes line in the back yard. I was able to use it a few times before all this nasty weather set in and I couldn't have been happier. Who doesn't love the smell and feel of air dried clothes (not to mention the savings on energy). Anyway, after this monsoon season set in I had to go back to using the dryer and I lost my excitement for laundry :p
So...today is the day!! The sun in shinning, a breeze is blowing and the laundry hamper is over flowing, I finally get to use the clothes line again. I know, you can say it, it's ok.....I'm such a dork :)

Questionable Dear Abby

Like many, I have always enjoyed reading the Dear Abby column. It usually has some good advice and funny situations! That was until yesterday.....
The following article appeared in the Sunday paper and has me questioning rather "Abby" (or Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips according to her website) really understands marriage.

"DEAR ABBY: I have been married to my high school sweetheart, "Don," for 10 years. I love him dearly. We were very young when we married, and at the time he said he didn't want kids. I didn't give it much thought because back then we weren't ready to start a family. Now, Don still doesn't want kids -- but I do.

He says if children are that important to me, I should leave him and find someone who does want to be a parent. Of course, I don't want just any man's baby. I want his baby.Don has warned me that if I become pregnant, he'll probably leave. He's planning to have a vasectomy even though I'm against it. I don't know what to do. This is the only problem we have. He won't agree to counseling -- I've already suggested it. I can't picture myself starting over with another man or going my whole life without being a mother. Please help. -- UNFULFILLED IN LOUISVILLE

DEAR UNFULFILLED: Your husband has given you fair warning. Your now have an important choice to make. Because having a child is so important to you, my advice is to start "picturing" yourself with another husband, and do it in enough time that you won't be racing against your biological clock."

http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/?uc_full_date=20110417 

OK Abby, are you serious??? How can you tell a woman just to give up on her marriage and find someone else? She's been married for 10 years and you think that's ok to just throw it away? How can you feel it's ok to tell someone to have an affair of the heart and then just divorce and remarry like it's no big deal?

Marriage is under attack and Satan is working hard to destroy all that is good. One is his best weapons is to use well known or respected people and slowly work twisted logic into their views.

Christina's Bible Summaries

So this evening as I was preparing to read the next chapter in my Bible study I noticed it was over the Samaritan woman at the well. I told my husband that it shouldn't too difficult because I already knew about her. He asked what I knew so I gave him a very short description. It follows:
The woman went to the well outside the city at the hottest part of the day to avoid as many people as possible..mainly because she was a hussy. While at the well she met Jesus who called her out on it and gave her a better option for life. She decided that she better follow Him and then went back to the city and converted others there as well.

My husband thought this was hilarious. He said that I should add that into my blog..Christina's Bible Summaries: the Bible in a paragraph or less

behind...again :(

OK, so I'm really bad at this blogging stuff. My life really isn't all that interesting yet I keep waiting for something blog worthy to come along so I can post it.

On a positive note, my husband is on his 5th week at his new job and has been home for 4 of those weeks. It's been pretty amazing! Here's hoping and praying that it continues in this direction!!!!

Moving

So we found a house to rent and we are so excited! The house is in a pretty good location and I could not be happier! For the last 8ish months I have lived in an apartment with my husband and while it was a nice place I was not really happy. It really bothered me to have neighbors beside of me and below me. Not to mention that it was on the 3rd floor and I had to carry everything up and always walk the dog on a leash several times a day. Now, we have a slightly larger home (350 more sq ft) with a small fenced in yard for the dog. Plus, it is less than rent at the apartment :)
We are very slowly moving as we have several weeks to complete the process and we get tired of it quickly because of moving furniture down all those stairs.
My wonderful husband made this very nice move even better by using our tax refund to get us some couches! The couches we have a very worn, uncomfortable, and falling apart! They should arrive in about 3 weeks!
Look for pictures soon as we finish the move :p

Lasik

Last Friday (Jan. 21, 2011) I had Lasik. I have to say that the procedure itself was actually really painful and my nerves got the best of me. That evening was also hard as I tried to rest and recover. This week has had a lot of ups and downs, both with pain/discomfort and vision. However; I am very happy to report that I had my one week follow up yesterday and I now have amazing vision. Each eye is 20/20 and together I see 20/15 :)
Aside from some occasional dryness I am feeling great!

Something Positive

Just to throw something positive in the mix of all my rants....
1) I am with my husband tonight rather then him being stranded and both us us alone
2) we are still on schedule for Lasik
3) my dog is being cared for by my wonderful parents
4) we are staying in a really nice hotel and had a really nice dinner for FREE..sort of
5) I get to enjoy beautiful snow
6) last but certainly not least because it is the most important....I have a Savior that loves me and understands my concerns! Praise God for His goodness and His loving mercy on a sinner like me!!!!

Stranded

My husband travels frequently for work and this week I decided to travel with him. For those who know me, you know that I despise flying and that I'm REALLY not happy with all this security theater stuff the TSA is doing! But that's a rant for another day.
Our Monday morning started well especially since we had an upgrade to first class on the second part of our trip. Once we arrived in CT we were able to quickly get our car and head for the hotel. Once there I got a nap in while my husband went to the office to get in a few hours of work.
Later that evening we met up with my in-laws at T.G.I.Fridays. We had a pleasant dinner and we all went back to the hotel for a few fun games of Taboo. Finally we said our goodbyes as they headed back home to NY.
So far it looked to be a promising week in CT. The next day I hung around the hotel while my husband was at work. I read most of my new book and caught up on some shows I had been missing at home since we cut the cable. I brought my Curves pass since there was one just across the street a ways, but my husband advised against walking due to the extreme amount of snow and ice. By the time he got in that afternoon and we made a needed run to the store it was too late to hit the gym so I had lots of hope that I could go the next day. That evening we had dinner at the hotel and spent the night watching movies.
The next morning is when things began to turn. I had some trouble sleeping the night before but didn't really think anything of it. I woke up early to have breakfast at the hotel before he left for the office. The smell of the food was making me feel a little uneasy but I thought it could be due to the fact that it was very early and there were a lot of people there. I had some oatmeal and strawberries and that was a very bad idea.
I started to feel really nauseous and my head was starting to throb! I laid back in bed and just a few min. after my husband left started to get really ill. I was actively ill for about 25 min. before I could call him and let him know what was going on.
He was able to get away at lunch to come check on me. He gave me some more tylenol and brought me some pepto. It was nice just to have him there for a few minutes to rub my head and hold me. I hated to see him go back to work but I knew he would be back in a few hours and that I could rest more while he was away.
That evening we laid around for a while and then decided that we would try to go out (whether I could eat or not, he still needed to and when traveling going out is really the only option) hoping that the fresh air would help.
I was feeling some better when we arrived and able to eat, though the experience was not amazing...see previous post.
Finally today arrived....I was so ready to go home. Everything again was going well. Arrived at the airport on time, had some lunch, and were ready to board our flight.
First the flight was delayed by over an hour. That in on its own was not a huge deal, we still had plenty of time to make our connection in Detroit. Then later the gate agents announced that the flight was completely full so they needed volunteers to have their carry on bags checked to their final destination to save time in the loading process and to make room for the passengers who truly needed their bags with them. We had already checked one of our bags because of liquids and thinking that we were going to make it home we thought that we would be one of the nice volunteers.
So we handed over our bag with all our clothes and hygiene items in it. All we had with us now was his work laptop and my purse and a few books. No biggie I thought.
That was until we landed in Detroit, checked the status of our connecting flight and saw that it was canceled. Panic set in!
Not only were all my possessions stuck out of my reach but now I'm stranded overnight far from home. The airline was very friendly and already had us re-booked on the earliest flight back home the next morning, gave us a voucher for a hotel and a dinner voucher. The really did what they could but the biggest issue is that I am scheduled to have Lasik tomorrow, at 1 p.m. at home. The flight (which was canceled due to snow and ice) is not due in until almost 11 a.m. If there are any more delays tomorrow it will have to be rescheduled.
Oy, what next? I just want to go home!

Getting on my Nerves

My husband and I have discovered how to eat less when we go out......sit in a section with a really bad waiter. Tonight when we left for dinner we were both really hungry and so we picked a spot we knew to have good food. Once we were seated we were greeted by an overly friendly waitress.
The waitress insisted on making not so funny jokes and trying to carry on full blown conversations with us. I'm all about being friendly with waiters and getting to know them, but I want to eat too. Her voice carried across that whole side of the resturant and sent chills down my back.
The food was good this evening, I started with clam chowder (a must when visiting the northeast). I only had the small cup and was getting "full" before I had even finished half of it. By the time my main dish arrived, shrimp and mashed potatos I could hardly swallow more than a few bites. My meal included what they call a petite dessert (literaly 3-4 bites of cake) and of course I was able to finish that ;)
As we were walking into the hotel this evening we were both feeling as though we were hungry (we plan to warm up the left overs soon). We began discussing how rude or obnoxious people in general lately have really affected us. We tend to change where we sit, events we attend, and even how much we eat when we are around them.
So please take note all you obnoxious people, you are not the only people in the world (or room) and my patience is running thin!
 BTW, my loving husband just informed me that "patience" is singular....I know this when I see it but it's not how how I think of it. I think of patience as a bunch a fish in a pond and everytime someone gets on your nerves a fish gets pulled out. Once you run out you have to wait for it to be restocked! So while I know that it's "patience is" please understand where I am coming from when I say "patience are" because to me it makes more sense.

Christian Marriage

Recently I came across a blog (actually Warren found it) that I found very interesting. It was a blog warning against the advice from a website called christianmarriage.com   We as Christians need to be very careful in practices we engage in and the resources we use to get our information from and lead others to. What are your thoughts????

"ChristianMarriage.com is Wrong About Christian Marriage

At ChristianMarriage.com I found what I initially thought was a great resource on Christian Marriage. As I got into reading the site, I began to see the fire and brimstone attitude that has driven so many away from Christ. ChristianMarriage.com seems mired in the Old Testament.

The site calls on Old Testament Law and seems to level judgment and threats against those who are sinning. The first thing that ChristianMarrage.com should know is that Christians are not to pass judgment on anyone. Christians are commanded to love people – all people – to attract them to Christ; not condemn people and drive them away. And they should know that they (the pastors at ChristianMarrage.com) are not sin free – we are all sinners – we are human. That is why Christ came:[more] to extend His loving Grace and Forgiveness to all of us in spite of our sins (when we accept his free gift of Salvation).

But that is not the worst of it! ChristianMarriage.com actually makes the bold assertion that Christian husbands should be allowed to take more than one wife. They say that concubines are ok and good. Wow. The justification? That King David was a polygamist. They maintain that since the Bible says in 1 Kings 15:5 that "David did [that which was] right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any [thing] that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite", it makes polygamy ok for Christians. They also point to other Old Testament history of men with more than one wife.

The fact is that all men fall short of the perfection of Christ – for He was the only Spotless Lamb – which means that even though David did what was commanded by the Lord, he was still a man and a sinner. There are many arguments I could use, but I only need one: what does the Bible specifically say about marriage?

God made Eve from Adam. Each has one counterpart: one man, one woman. Adam did not take his daughters as wives. He had one wife which is God's design for marriage. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." – Genesis 2:24. This statement is repeated in the New Testament in both Matthew 19:5 and Ephesians 5:31: "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."

It says specifically the two become one in marriage. Not "the two or more become one." Not "the two become one and then another can become one with them." Not "the three become one." It refers specifically to two. Marriage is modeled after Adam and Eve. It is not modeled after Adam, Eve and Jane.

Also, in the New Testament, when referring to husbands and wives, the singular is always used.

Ephesians 5:28 …He who loves his wife loves himself. Not "He who loves all his wives loves himself." And in Eph 5:33: "However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." Not "wives" or "wife and/or wives."


And the final proof about Christian Marriage… in Mark 10 Jesus Christ specifies even more clearly in his own words:

Jesus replied. "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (emphasis added)

Christian Marriage = One husband and one wife.

I think I would rather listen to my Lord and Savior than to some sinners (not an insult: for all men are sinners) over at ChristianMarriage.com. (What a waste of a great domain name… sheesh! – Don't be misled, by the way…)"

Mongolian????

     So my husband has been wanting to take me out for Mongolian for a while but I have been reluctant. I'm not really a fan of stir-fry...who am I kidding, I'm not a fan of A LOT of stuff. While I am willing to go out to new places I am very predictable in what I order....usually some kind of ordinary salad, pasta, burger or chicken.
     When we arrived there was a 15ish minute wait so I had some time to observe how this whole operation worked. After you are seated the waiter brings you a bowl. You then take your empty bowl to what looks like a regular buffet bar, except the first bar is full of raw meat!!!! Now my husband thinks this is just awesome, he calls himself a "meatatarian", me not so much..meat is ok, but to see large amounts of it kind of makes me ill.
     After you fill your bowl with the type and amount of meat you want you then move over to the veggie bar. At this point you pile as many different types as you want onto of the raw meat. This part was kind fun. I like veggies and there were a lot to choose from.
    The third part of this process was picking from a very wide selection of sauces and seasonings. Again, I'm not a real adventurous person but I decided to at least try it. After my bowl was finally put together I did have to admit that I could see how it would taste good (after it was cooked) and I could also see why people say that if you eat at a Mongolian restaurant it's your own fault if it's not what you want. In my bowl I had duck, corn, snap peas, soy beans, and a few other veggies and for sauce I choose a cranberry mixed with orange peel.
     Finally it was time to take my raw ingredients over to the grill. The guys grilling the food seemed to be having a lot of fun. They took my bowl of raw ingredients and poured then onto the grill and did some fancy work. There was meat chopping and veggie flipping and egg cracking going on everywhere. Oh, and did I mention there was a gong? Yes, a gong! Every time someone took a fancy they would hit this large gong and the men cooking would all stop and hoot and holler. It was kind of an amusing site.
     It didn't take long before my food was ready and being handed to me on a new fresh plate. When we got back to the table the waiter brought us rice and tortillas. The dinner and experience was way better than I could have ever imagined and I'm looking forward to eating there again.

Dougal

My little dog is so funny. He is a 15lb, black and white Shih Tzu and he has a personality all his own. He really thinks everything is supposed to revolve around him. Anyway, yesterday after taking him on an afternoon walk I put him in the car and went to Wendy's. He already does not like riding in a car and after I got my food he was really not happy. Lately he thinks he is supposed to eat people food..not sure why. Anyway, on the way back he just would not sit still, he kept bouncing around and trying to look out the window. Once we got in the parking lot at the apartment I opened the door to let him out while I got my stuff together before we went upstairs. Usually when I do this he runs over to the side of the building, does his business and then meets me by the walkway. This day was different though, he did not make it up onto the grass and when I walked over to him he would not look at me and was acting sneaky. It didn't take long before I realized that he had something in his mouth he was trying to hide, a rather large something. I told him to "drop it", a command that he knows and 9 times out of 10 obeys immediately. Well, needless to say, this was one of those rare times he did not obey so I knew that it had to be something good, something he really wanted. Upon trying to get whatever this object was out of his mouth he tried to run. Thinking about it now, it must have been a very humorous sight. Anyway, after catching him I discovered that it was a very large bite of a honey bun and that he was VERY determined to eat it. I tried everything I could think of to get him to drop it but had to finally just pry it out of his mouth. He was very sad and tried to pout. He ran away, all the way up to the second floor and didn't even stop to potty. He's good at pouting and usually if left alone will come back out to play shortly but I knew that if I let him go upstairs without going potty he would decide that he really needed to go about the time I was in the middle of something. So I went up the the second floor, put his leash on, and took him on another walk. By the time I got back upstairs, my lunch was very cold. So, I just want to thank you neighbor, whoever you are for leaving part of your snack on the ground...

A little about me....

I married the man of my dreams in June 2010. After the wedding I gave up my jobs (working with children) and moved to the city. So, for the last 6.5 months I have been on this incredible journey of learning my new role as a housewife.
My husband and I are Christians and the Bible is our foundation for everything we do from our marriage to our personal convictions and beyond.
It is my hope that through blogging I will be able to grow as an individual and a wife.....and, maybe someone else will be able to relate to my stories along the way.