Saturday Night and Our BIG FUN.

I had a great weekend. I went to see the Princess Show on Friday. I had a wonderful time. I love cute kiddie stuff. Before the show, we went to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory! Incredible food with some Incredible Girls!

During the day on Saturday, I spent some needed alone time with myself and God. I did a few chores, prayed, and talked to God most of the afternoon. Saturday night, Karla and Deborah came over. I cooked dinner. If I do say so myself, dinner was good. We also had Pink Panties! YUM! I thought we were going to have a nice & relaxing time eating dinner and watching a movie.....Karla & Deborah wanted to play games, but I kept saying to myself....I did not want to play a game, I wanted to watch a movie. So, they twisted my arm & we played a game.......New Orleans Monopoly. It was BIG FUN. In the New Orleans Monopoly, the Chance and Community Chest are called BIG FUN & CONTINGENCY. The first time Karla got to pick up a BIG FUN card she literally screamed BIG FUN......so, the mood was set......each time any of us picked up a BIG FUN or CONTINGENCY card we all screamed BIG FUN or CONTINENCY. It was priceless. Deborah and I laughed so hard the first time Karla screamed BIG FUN. I had an incredible time on Saturday. Karla & Deborah, Thank you for a great evening.

Taking a Sabbath.

In the last few weeks, both of my Pastor's have preached on taking a Sabbath. I have not had a Sabbath day in about a year. In my younger days, I would take a "ME" day, never really a Sabbath day to reflect on my walk with the Lord. I am taking a Sabbath on Saturday. I will do my chores first thing in the morning, and then I want to spend some quality time with God. I am really looking forward to opening my Bible, reading God's word, applying it to life, and living life as God's example. It's amazing how my life has changed since I started going back to Church and Worshipping God. Heavenly Father, Thank you for your patience with me. I need your Word in my Life. Please bless me Saturday with our time together!

Disney on Ice: My Childhood Returns!

Happy Friday! I am Very Excited about my BIG plans tonight! Tonight, Karla, Stephanie, Kirsten, and I are all going to Disney on Ice: The Princess Wishes! I am so very excited! When I was a little girl, my Grandparents took me to Disney on Ice, Sesame Street Live, and the Circus every time they came into town! I have always loved it! I am counting down the hours until the lights go off and A Princess walks on stage!

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Farm.

Over the weekend, it was my friend, Tim's, Bday. I watched their daughter, Jillian. Jillian is one of the Sweetest Kids I know. She's loving, kind, sweet, huggable, kissable, and lots of fun.........UNTIL you try to feed her foods she does not like........Mental note: Never feed her lettuce in tacos or scrambled eggs ever again........NEVER. Funny story: Saturday night: Jillian and I went to Taco Bueno for dinner. I ordered her a taco kids meal. I un-wrapped the taco & instantly she started saying she did not like vegteebles.....she kept repeating herself until I finally realized she did not veggies. (Okay, I may have been a little slow). So, I removed the tomatoes from the taco, but kept the lettuce in the taco thinking I fooled her somehow. While eating her taco, she dropped over half the contents on the taco wrapper. She started eating everything that fell out of her taco & "flirting" with the little boy behind us. So, I scooped some taco meat, cheese, and the smallest piece of lettuce in the world. Of course, being the smart little kid she is, Jillian instantly saw the small piece of lettuce & started saying again she did not like vegteebles......So, being the sweet little Aunt I am, I removed the small piece of lettuce. I put the cheese back on the spoon I removed when I removed the lettuce.......I put the spoon in Jillian's mouth and she started flipping out, crying, trying to spit the food out. Yep, Jillian does not like lettuce. I kept watching her melt down and kept thinking to myself.........Is this really happening? Is she really crying b/c I put the cheese back on her spoon.....I finally told her to stop crying and chew her food, and she did just that..WOW, I have the kid crying stopping magic! No, really, I do! Okay, maybe after I showed Jillian the lettuce on the paper, she stopped. The same situation happened when I tried to feed Jill scrambled eggs! Will I watch Jillian again? YEP. She's one of my favorite kids!

Dreams: The Incredible Joy (hopefully one day).

A few nights ago, I dreamed I adopted 2 little Chinese girls. We were outside, they were running around causing chaos to the yard & dogs, being sweet little girls. One of them ran up to me & gave me the biggest hug. In that very moment, I have never felt such love as that. I kept thinking the whole time she was hugging me....how incredible this was.....these 2 precious little ones are my very own. The love I felt was unbelievable, indescribable. (I have not told anyone about this dream b/c it's hard for me to even type this......as I am sitting here at my desk at work with my eyes filling with tears.) This dream was incredibly real. I even woke up feeling a touch of that love. It made me a little sad knowing I have not yet experienced it yet.
One of my biggest desires in Life is to become a Wife & Mother. Some days, I think is today the day I will meet my future husband. Other days, I think it's in God's hands so I will let God handle it today. I want a Godly man in my life. A man who will lead his family to church, a man who loves me unconditionally for all my positive & negative traits. I want a man I can laugh with, who's faithful, understanding, patient. The older I become, the more likely my soul mate will already have children. I think that's wonderful. I have an amazing Step-Dad, now my Adopted Dad. I would love to become the Parent My Daddy was to me. Also, I still want to have a child myself and adopt a child or two. I want to have a "little big" family like my friend Karla (who has 4 children under the age of 5 and a 14 year old).

Today, I will let God handle the match-making.........tomorrow is another story. Please pray for my husband-to-be and my future children. May they are happy in God's Grace (and if my children-to-be are not born yet, pray for their safety into this world).

More info. about ME!

I read PandaMom's blog this morning and PandaMom said if I was reading this on her blog, I needed to do this on my blog. So, here goes...........

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Nope

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Friday night, when I had intense leg pain! Yep, I'm a wuss!

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? YEP

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Honey Ham & Smoked Turkey

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? I have 3, but they all have 4 legs. I do hope to have children some day.....Please pray for my husband & children to be!


6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Depends on the day!

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM ALOT? I love it. Some people do not know how to take me........It's pretty funny at times.


8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yep

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Nope, Never! Scares the heck right out of me!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I absolutely LOVE fruit loops! YUM. Another favorite is the Banana Nut Crunch Cereal!

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Nope

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Physically-NO. Mentally-YEP.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Moist, Rich Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ice cream, or pecan pie

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? I notice their eyes, hair, smile, clothes, teeth, a wedding band or not, I notice way too many things

15. RED OR PINK? Pink! Red is not such a pretty color on me.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Being overweight.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My MawMaw

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? If you are reading this, it means you have been TAGGED

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black pants. Black & Neon-Green Sketcher tennis shoes.

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Mexican food

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The buzz of the lights at work.....and people typing.

22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?Forest Green

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Vanilla/Orange Candles, Watermelon, My Mom's house (it's home),

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My Karla Friend...She's so cute!


25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? PandaMom never sent it to me, I just copied from her blog.........BUT Yep, I like her. She's a Great Christian Lady!

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?Football, Hockey, Baseball

27. HAIR COLOR? Red

28. EYE COLOR? Blue

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No, glasses

30. FAVORITE FOOD It's probably easier to name the foods I do not like

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings! Scary movies cause me to have nightmares!

.32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Just like Heaven

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT/BLOUSE ARE YOU WEARING? Neon-Green Sweatshirt with a white undershirt

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter

35. HUGS OR KISSES? Both!

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Anything chocolate and gooey! AMEN!

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? With several blog readers visiting, then hopefully a lot!

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? My friends who like to rebel.

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Not reading one right now.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? It's the name of my company!

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? Grey's Anatomy & Brother & Sisters (both reruns--which I was not too happy about)

42. FAVORITE SOUND? A Child laughter, or someone telling me they love me!

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Hate them both!

44. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Cancun, Mexico

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I don't know!

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Somewhere far away!

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Hopefully the bloggers who visit me often and leave comments. I want to know about YOU! Just copy and paste girly-girls!

Thursday 13: Bad Week.

Here are the 13 reasons why I am having a bad week:

1. My car repair which will cost about $1100.

2. Work has been busy.

3. I want to cry every chance I get & I do.

4. I had a difficult time making a decision on moving to a bigger apartment.

5. I am too busy this week--way too many things to do after work each night.

6. My Mom had a doctor's appointment about her issue.

7. My Brother is trying to get his life on track.

8. My house needs to be spring cleaned & de-cluttered.

9. My dogs need to be bathed.

10. I feel disconnected to friends and family.

11. I have a nasty fever blister.

12. Every day this week has been a bad hair day & I am not sleeping.

13. Oh, did I tell you my car is going to cost $1100 to repair!

So, I am having a bad week. Here's the upside: My car will be repaired & it will be okay. I have decided NOT to move into a bigger place just yet in June. My apartment complex will paint my walls a different color and clean or replace my carpet. So, I am staying with the smaller apartment. I will save the additional money so I can either buy a house or a car in the next few years. I will do spring cleaning this week and next so I can de-clutter & re-arrange furniture so it will not look so jammed packed. My Mom's doctor's appt. went great. The doctor said it's a common cyst women get! Praise God. My Brother is doing great on trying to recover from his addictions. Abby will get groomed on Saturday. My ugly fever blister will eventually go away. My hair has a mind of it's own. I will go to bed earlier than my "normal" bed time. I will have a fun this weekend cleaning and spending time with friends. Please pray for my positive attitude to return!

Prayer's Needed for My Mom.

Dear Friends,
Please pray for my Mom today. She found a lump on top of her breast a month ago. She has a doctor's appointment this morning. Please pray for her.
Thanks, Your Sister in Christ.

Sweetheart Pictures

Hello My Faithful Readers,

Here's 3 of the pictures from My Sweetheart Ball. The people in the pictures are Mom, Dad, PawPaw & Me (the big girl with the funky hair and crown)! :) ENJOY!

The SHARP Pains of being an Adult.

I keep debating with myself on upgrading my apartment to a 2-bedroom, 2-bath. It was an easy decision UNTIL I had my car to the shop yesterday. It's going to cost about $1100 to repair! HOLINESS, that's a lot of money! I truly want to move...I want more space, more room, but at what cost? I can afford the increase in rent, but do I really want to spend that money on more rent?! Life is unfair....car repairs are unfair! My complex will have an available 2-bedroom in mid-April, but I need to put a $200 deposit by the end of the week. They would hold the 2-bedroom until June when my lease is up. Since the car repair, I do not have $200. So, I have a couple of options: I pray the apartment is still available when I do have the $200 in April OR simply sign a another 6 month lease for the apartment I am in now & move in December when my lease is up and I have money saved again....Adult decisions are never fun!

P.S. On top of the financial stress this week, I have the biggest fever blister. HipHipHooray for me! My new name is Poor & Ugly!

My 13 Favorite Vacations.

Since Summer is approaching fast, I am ready for a vacation. The weather in Texas has been beautiful lately. Texas weather can fool you, but I think Spring is just around the corner.

My 13 favorite vacations:

1. My Senior Class trip to Cancun, Mexico (let's just say what happens in Mexico stays in Mexico........Also, we were the last Graduating Class allowed to leave the country for the Senior trip...Yep, we were that bad....and it's been 15 years, and they are still not allowed to leave the country.......the class of 1992 ROCKS)!

2. My weekend trip to New Orleans with my friends, Chris & Michael. I did not tell my family I was coming home, so I had the weekend to explore New Orleans.

3. My family vacations to Florida when I was a child. We went to Florida once a year for many years. It was always so much fun.

4. My family vacations in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. My Parents, Brother, and I stayed at a hotel in Downtown New Orleans during a couple of Mardi Gras seasons. It was wonderful! Throw me Something Mister.

5. My Girl's Weekend to Granbury, TX. It was a wonderful time away from all the chaos the city has to offer.......It was a fun, relaxing trip.

6. My Cruise I went on with my Parents, Brother, Sister-in-law, Aunt, Uncle, & Cousin. We went to Mexico.

7. My Girl's Weekend to Oklahoma last year. It was great spending time with Christian women who all had a heart for Jesus.

8. My family vacation to Gatlinburg, TN during Thanksgiving. I was very blessed on this trip.

9. My long weekend in New York City was incredible. I was the typical tourist. My friend was over me the entire trip. I kept taking pictures of everything & everyone.

10. I went to visit my friend's, April & Scott, in Reno one time during Thanksgiving. We went to Lake Tahoe & San Francisco. Lake Tahoe was the most beautiful, peaceful place I have ever been too........I felt God's presence. San Francisco had wonderful food.

11. I went to Washington, D.C. D.C. was incredible. The history was overwhelming.

12. My visit home after my MawMaw died was one of my favorites. I was extremely nervous & sad, but when I got home I was filled with the love & the grace of my family.

13. I am ready to make more memories on the vacations I have planned this year!!!

A new minty, tingle to my hair. Can this be?

During my lunch hour yesterday, I got my haircut by my friend Gail. I absolutely love getting my haircut....actually I love having someone else shampoo my hair. It's blissful!

I have naturally red curly hair. My hair is beautiful. I am very blessed to have my hair. God gave me this hair, b/c I do not have the patience to sit in a salon chair to have my hair permed, or colored. Since my hair is curly, I have to put lots of products in my hair. I use mouse and hairspray everyday to manage my wild hair. With the use of all these products, I have product build up in my hair. It's gross. I'm very self-conscious about it. It's embarrassing. Gail suggested Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree shampoo & conditioner. Oh my Goodness, it's fabulous! My head was very tingly this morning. On top of the tingle, my hair looks Great! Thanks Paul Mitchell.......and Praise God for the Tea Tree (wherever you might grow)!

Wild, Fast, Not-Long Enough Weekend.

My weekend was Great with my Family. Here's the run down on the weekend:

Friday Morning, I picked up my Parents & PawPaw at the airport at 9:15a. We went back to my house to drop off their luggage. We went to lunch with my friend, Deb. We picked up my NEW SOFA. HipHipHooray! The sofa is beautiful. It's also a sofa bed! Praise God. We went shopping a little. I purchased 2 new pair of shoes, and my Parents purchased a new bbq grill for me for my birthday! I am so excited about the sofa & grill! I need to learn how grill and then I will invite my friends over for dinner. Please pray I do not blow up my apartment! Friday night, we went over to Karla's house for her famous Chicken & Dumplings. It's my PawPaw's favorite. PawPaw fell in love with Abigail who is almost 15 months. It was so sweet to see PawPaw hold & rub Abigail's back. Since my Dad's birthday is March 5th, I surprised my Dad with a cheese cake (we all sang happy birthday) & a gift card to Bass Pro Shop.

Saturday morning was a lazy one. We woke up a little late. I cooked breakfast & we ate. We all got ready to do a little more shopping. We went to the Bass Pro Shop, and some other stores to shop. Saturday afternoon, the weather was bizarre (even for Texas). Saturday evening we were dressed & ready for my Sweetheart Ball. I had to give a speech to accept my Sweetheart award. I did not know that until it was time to present all the Sweethearts. I was NOT happy about it either. If I would have known ahead of time, I would have at least had something written down to say. And I simply do not like speaking in front of a large crowd I do not know. I said Thanks and I was honored to be my Chapter's Sweetheart. After my short speech, we had a great time dancing. (I promise pictures will be posted within a week!) At the Ball, we had a silent auction and raffle for the Susan G. Komen foundation. My PawPaw kept bidding on a blanket! I kept wondering why was he bidding on this blanket??!!! In the end, he really wanted me to have it. He WON the silent auction! I am now the proud owner of a beautiful blanket! I will cherish the blanket all the days of my life. I am the luckiest Granddaughter in the world. My PawPaw is absolutely adorable!

Sunday morning, we went to church & lunch. Then we went home to pack my family, and then to the airport to drop off my Parents & PawPaw.

It was a great, fun, short trip with my family. Right now, I am a little homesick. I wish I had a longer weekend with my family. I am very blessed to have my family. Praise to my Lord for a family who supports & loves me.

Thursday 13: My Dogs.

Thursday 13: Dedicated to my Crazy Dogs.

1. Abby is my little escape artist (aka Houdini)

2. Abby is figured out ways to get out of every crate I have purchased (except the plastic one--she just chewed the plastic one). Do you have any ideas on what type of crate I can by now?

3. When Abby was in her plastic crate as a puppy, she would move the plastic crate all over my apartment.

4. Last Night, I came home to Abby out of her crate sitting by the patio door, barking to anything that moved outside & Phoebe was still in the crate (they share a crate). Abby lost a huge clump of fur on the crate.

5. Phoebe follows me from room to room.

6. Abby never eats her food out of her food bowl. She always grabs some food with her mouth and brings it to where I am & then proceeds to eat.

7. Abby & Phoebe hate baths.

8. When the weather is beautiful outside, they are both feisty little girls.

9. They both LOVE cheese.

10. Abby is very clingy, needy. She demands a great deal of attention. She is afraid of strangers especially men. Abby thinks she really a big dog trapped in a little body. She barks at other dogs in the complex b/c she wants all the space to herself.

11. Phoebe is very excitable, loves everyone (especially children), and always has to have a treat immediately after I put her in the crate. At times, Phoebe thinks she a big dog too, but soon realizes she is small when a big dog comes to close.

12. Phoebe does marathon races between 9:30p & 10P every night. Abby tries to keep up with her.

13. Abby will bark at the TV if she hears a dog barking. Phoebe just looks at me (it always looks like she is thinking--Mom, did you just hear that too?)

Throw me Something, Mister.

Happy Mardi Gras Day! Today is one of my Favorite Days. It's a Great day of celebration. When I was a child, I always went to Parade's today. The people, floats, horses, costumes, beads, & music are essential on this Special Day. Here are some Pictures from this Special New Orleans Holiday!

Exhausted=Birthday Girl

I had a wonderful weekend! I love getting together with friends for dinner especially on my Birthday. I am very blessed to have such wonderful friends in the Dallas Area. New Orleans is my home, but Dallas is where I live. I absolutely loved spending time with new & old friends over the weekend.

On Saturday, I went to spend some time with my friend, Heather, who had been in the hospital. Heather, I had a wonderful time with you & your family. I pray you regain your full strength. You look amazing. Praise God for your continued healing. I am so very blessed to be a part of your life as well as your family (Luke & Jason Rock)! I look forward to you wearing me out when you are 100% again! I love you!

Saturday night, I went to eat dinner with some of my amazing friends. We had a wonderful time. We went to Cozymel's. Yummy Mexican food.

I have a busy week ahead of me. I am busy almost every night this week. My Parents & PawPaw are flying into Dallas for the weekend. I have to find time to do Spring Cleaning before my family comes to visit me! Does anyone want to come help me clean? PLEASE! My Sorority Sweetheart Ball is Saturday. My PawPaw is my date........Isn't that cute?! I will post pictures of the Sweetheart Ball sometime next week! I promise!

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me..........

My Fabulous Birthday is in 2 days! I am so very excited! I will be celebrating my 4th 29th birthday! Wow, time flies when you are having fun!!! My weekend is going to be so very busy!
Here's the run down on my Birthday weekend:

Tonight, Chili cook off at church. I made white chili for the cook off! It's one of my favorite meals.

Saturday morning, Breakfast with my Sorority Sisters. I want to go to a movie on Saturday afternoon..........Who wants to go with me?
Saturday night, dinner with Friends to celebrate my birthday.

Sunday, is my actually birthday!!! HipHipHooray! I am going to Sunday School, Church, and Lunch at my friend Deb's house (I asked her to make me brisket--YUM). I will probably go to Youth Groups, and then to our evening service. I absolutely love our evening service!

Heavenly Father, I thank you so very much for blessing me with your great gifts this year. I am truly grateful for your love and commitment.

P.S. Our Youth Minister just gave his notice..........if anyone is looking to be a Youth Minister please contact me!

Foods To Calm You Down Fast

7 Foods that help your Stress-level:

Berries, any berries:

Eat them one by one instead of M&Ms when the pressure's on. For those tough times when tension tightens your jaw, try rolling a frozen berry around in your mouth. And then another, and another. Since the carbs in berries turn to sugar very slowly, you won't have a blood sugar crash. The bonus: They're a good source of vitamin C, which helps fight a jump in the stress hormone cortisol

Guacamole:

If you're craving something creamy, look no further. Avocados are loaded with B vitamins, which stress quickly depletes and which your body needs to maintain nerves and brain cells. Plus their creaminess comes from healthy fat. Scoop up the stuff with whole-grain baked chips-crunching keeps you from gritting your teeth.

Mixed nuts:

Just an ounce will help replace those stress-depleted Bs (walnuts), give you a whopping amount of zinc (Brazil nuts)-it's also drained by high anxiety-and boost your E (almonds), which helps fight cellular damage linked to chronic stress. Buy nuts in the shell and think of it as multi-tasking: With every squeeze of the nutcracker, you're releasing a little bit of tension.

Oranges:

People who take a 1,000 mg of C before giving a speech have lower levels of cortisol and lower blood pressure than those who don't. So lean back, take a deep breath, and concentrate on peeling a large orange. The 5-minute mindfulness break will ease your mind and you'll get a bunch of C as well.

Asparagus:

Each tender stalk is a source of folic acid, a natural mood-lightener. Dip the spears in fat-free yogurt or sour cream for a hit of calcium with each bite.

Chai tea:

A warm drink is a super soother, and curling up with a cup of aromatic decaf chai tea (Tazo makes ready-to-brew bags) can make the whole evil day go away.

Dark chocolate:

Okay, there's nothing in it that relieves stress, but when only chocolate will do, reach for the dark, sultry kind that's at least 70% cocoa. You figure if the antioxidant flavonoids in it are potent enough to fight cancer and heart disease, they've got to be able to temper tension's effects.

Here's the link: http://food.yahoo.com/blog/beautyeats/1888/foods-to-calm-you-down-fast

Thursday 13: It's all about LOVE

My 13 favorite "Romance" movies:

1. Legends of the Fall

2. Notebook

3. Dangerous Beauty

4. The Family Stone

5. Dirty Dancing

6. Walk the Line

7. Notting Hill

8. Steel Magnolias

9. Pretty in Pink

10. The Family Man

11. Shakespeare in Love

12. The Wedding Planner

13. Sweet Home Alamaba

The Power of Loneliness VS Happiness.

Happy Valentine's Day, My Friends.
On this day of Love, it always amazes me the reaction I get from people when I tell them I am Single at 32. At times, I get the "I am so sorry for you" look, or the "poor dear" look, or better yet "the fat girl is not married" look. When I get one of these looks I always think, I am very blessed in my life. However, I do want to get married and have a family. I am happy because I am truly loved by my family, friends, and pets. I have not "settled" on someone. I did not follow my plan and marry someone who was totally wrong for me. I am waiting on God's Perfect Man for me.
I have the Power to let Loneliness take over or for Happiness to grow in my life. The choice is really simple, but Life is complex. At times, I am lonely, extremely lonely. During these times, I struggle with being Single. I pray & ask God to lead me to the man He has for me. I try to focus on the many blessing God has given me. As a child of God, I am very blessed. I have a family who loves & adores me....Friends who keep me around even after they truly know me.......I have a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in, a car to drive, a church I love, food to eat, a job I like, and the greatest gift of all......the love of Jesus Christ.
I have a choice to make. Do I want to be Happy or Sad? Do I want to look at the positive or the negative in life? My choice is Happiness. Thank you, Lord, for all my many blessings.

The Scary Night Time.

On Friday night, I woke up to one of my dogs barking, such a deep bark for her 11 lb body. I could hear her jumping up and down on the sofa or chair.......and her bark processed to get worse, and then my other dog decided to chime in. At this point, I started to panic.....I thought someone was in my apartment. I get out of bed, walk quickly into the hall which leads to the living room or bathroom. Before I make it to the living room, my bladder had a different plan. I had to go to the bathroom so very badly, I thought if someone was in my home trying to do harm to me, he could just kill me on the toilet. Praise God, I did not die on the toilet!

Nyquil is my New Best Friend

My doctor is wonderful. I was diagnosed with a sinus infection today. I was told not go home, take a hot shower, drink hot tea, eat lots of soup, drink lots of fluids, and relax. I told her I had to go to work, but I will do all those things at 4:30pm when I got off work. I have felt bad all week. Nyquil is the only over the counter medicine that helps me sleep. Nyquil has become my new long lost best friend........yep, Ladies, you have been replaced! I slept so hard the last 2 nights that I even had sheet marks on my face.

Have a Blessed Weekend!!!!!

Thursday 13: New Orleans

Here are 13 reasons why I love New Orleans:

1. The People are incredible.

2. The accent is unique.

3. The food is the best on the planet.....My favorite restaurant, The Gumbo Shop, is located in the heart of the city.

4. It's my heritage, my home, my way of life.

5. My family still lives there.

6. The festivals are so much fun.

7. New Orleans is where I found Jesus.

8. My MawMaw is buried there.

9. The French Quarter is filled LIFE.

10. Beignets & Coffee at Cafe du Monde.

11. It's where I want to me buried.

12. It is under sea-level (this has always fascinated me).

13. MARDI GRAS with a side of KING CAKE--YUM!

Migraine's are NEVER fun!

Yesterday morning was not pretty in my house! I woke up with a migraine headache. The pressure & pain were unbearable, but at 6am I told myself I could go to work. So, I took the dogs outside. The headache got worse with the pressure from walking. I still told myself I must go to work. I turned on the water, stepped inside the shower, and instantly the water pressure (which is not very strong) put me over the edge. I became very sick.......washed off, called in sick, took medicine, and slept until about 9am. I called my Karla friend to get some sympathy, rolled over and slept until about 10 am! I still had a headache, but nothing near the pain it was at 6am. I watched a little tv, ate a little breakfast, took a shower, and went to Karla's house. I had a good rest of the day with Karla and her 15 children (okay, 4 children).
When I finally went back to bed, my allergies were in horrible condition. Benadryl is wonderful! It's not easy being sick with no one to take care of you!!! Today my headache is still lingering, but my sinus are the real problem. The pressure in my head is intense today! I am at work today, but all I want to do is go back home and sleep! Duty calls...........so I am at work typing my blog. Go figure!

A White Sheet.

I woke up this morning expecting to simply get out of bed, take out the dogs, and start my normal morning...........Until I walked outside to discover my yard was covered with God's beautiful snow. It was gorgeous. Praise God for a great blessing. I keep hoping it will snow the entire weekend so I can actually build a snowman.......or better yet have a snowball fight! Is anyone up for the challenge?

Thursday 13: Yummy Foods!

My Thursday's 13 Blog is decided to 13 foods I can not live without. Life is simply too short to constantly be on a "diet". Last year, I lost 64 lbs. This year I have lost 5 so far! I still have a long road ahead of me, but it's these foods below which help me through the bad days:

1. Chocolate Cake with chocolate icing

2. Cappuccino Chunky Chocolate Ice Cream from Braums

3. Grandma Georgia's Banana Pudding

4. Sugar-Free Vanilla Nut Cafe Latte from Starbucks & Diet Dr. Pepper

5. Fried Chicken (Love that Chicken from Popeye's) or any one's fried chicken who can actually cook it

7. Breakfast foods: hard scrambled eggs, biscuits & gravy, grits with butter & cheese, bacon & sausage, pancakes

8. Karla's Chicken & Dumplings & Karen's lasagna

9. Po-boys (shrimp, catfish (blackened), or hot roast beef) OR any type of fried seafood platter

10. Rebecca's meatloaf with the the onions and potatoes in the center

11. French Fries, Pei Wei's Mandarin Kung Pao Chicken with no peanuts, Mr. Wok's Edamame, & Pizza (okay, so I added more on this one) :)

12. My Mom's Gumbo with Potato Salad

13. Tina's turtle brownies


Ladies & Gentlemen, This are the foods that I love! What is your Thursday 13?

Countdown Continues........

Friends,
I only have 20 days until my birthday!!!! HipHipHooray!
In 20 days, I will celebrate my 4th annual 29th birthday!
It's been 28 years since I graduated kindergarten, 15 years ago since I graduated high school, & 10 years go since I moved to the Dallas area.........Yep, I am getting old.

I am so beautiful!

My friend's, Karla & Kenny, have 5 children......4 girls and 1 boy---2 sets of twins! Imagine the chaos in their home....definitely not bad chaos, but happy & joyful. The oldest is 14. The first set of twins are 4 years old, and the second set of twins are 13 months. I love watching children grow. I love how they perceive the world.
Kenny invited me to dinner last night........it was Chili Night. I am always invited to Chili night! Yum!
After dinner I was talking to Kirsten (4 yrs old). Kirsten and I had a long conversation. She hugged me, and I hugged her back. I told Kirsten, She was my favorite Kirsten in the whole entire world. She told me she already knew that, and she told me I love her. Here's when laughter started: In Kirsten's own words "Do you know why people love me, Aunt Tammy? Because I am so BEAUTIFUL!" She is simply adorable! She has great self-confindence. Praise God.

Sunday, November 17, 2002: The 13 things I have done without YOU!

It was not a cold day on Sunday, November 17, 2002. I was sick the week before, and finally feeling better. I was cooking dinner for my boyfriend, Gene. I made homemade lasagna. I cleaned my home, and took a shower--even put on a little make up.
I only talked to Gene twice the entire time I was sick which was unusual since we normally talked everyday. The last time I saw him was on Nov. 10th.
Gene was struggling with our relationship....he needed time.....he needed space.....but he still loved me.......blah, blah, blah. He finally comes over, and I was so excited to see him. Until he sat on my sofa, and told me he wanted to end things.
He cried....I cried. I kept thinking "Why is HE crying? He is doing the breaking up!" He told me he "tried" to love me, but could not (can you actually imagine saying this to someone???). He needed his space & time.
He neglected to tell me he was cheating on me with one of my friends who was pregnant with his child.
I remember telling him: "How am I going to live without you?" "What am I going to do without you?" (what a silly foolish female I was back then) I have been really thinking about writing this blog for a long time. Since Thursday's are dedicated to the Thursday Thirteen, I wanted to write 13 things I have done without him, reasons why I am better off without him, and reasons how blessed I am to not have him in my life:

1. You are NOT the Christian Man I thought you were. I was NOT the Christian I needed/wanted to be when I was with you.

2. I have grown so much as a Christian and Women without you....I can not simply imagine my life any other way.

3. I lost my laughter when I was with you.........It took some time after I got over the breakup to find it again........BUT I have it back and I am so Blessed to have God's Happiness and Joy in my life again.

4. My friendships stopped growing when we were together. Now, my friends and I have wonderful relationships.

5. God has a wonderful Christian man....no, Godly man......in store for me. Praise God for God's plan, and NOT my own.

6. I no longer have to buy triple the amount of toilet paper anymore. What did you do with all that paper?

7. When we were together, you loved going to eat at buffet's. I no longer have to do that (don't get me wrong, buffet's are great, but everyday is not good for my health).

8. I have lost 64 lbs. because I am HAPPY.

9. I do not have to eat your chili........or at least what you thought was Chili. My Dad and my Friend, Kenny, makes chili that would blow your socks off.

10. I learned how to stand up for myself, fight for my beliefs, and walk away from relationships when they become to difficult or unhealthy.

11. I learned what I will or will not tolerate when it comes to relationships & what is really important in life.

12. I have come to realize I really hated your cologne and your laundry detergent.

13. God is who he says he is, God can do what he says he can do, I am who God Says I am, I can do all things through Christ, and God's Word is Alive & Active in me. (Thank you Beth Moore for opening my eyes to see my happiness only comes from Christ)

Basil, Chili and Garlic Chicken by Rachael Ray

Last night, I went to my friend, Karla's, house and cooked dinner for them. I purchased the Everyday Magazine by Rachael Ray. I love this Magazine!

Here's the recipe I cooked:

Basil, Chili and Garlic Chicken

2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1/2 pound thin Asian rice noodles or vermicelli pasta
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion, plus 1 cup finely chopped onion
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup torn fresh basil leaves

1. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup water with the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and crushed red pepper. Stir to dissolve the sugar; set aside.
2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rice noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside. 3. While the noodles are cooking, heat a wok or large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons oil, then the sliced and chopped onion, and garlic. Stir-fry until fragrant and softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat for about 1 minute. Working in 2 batches if necessary, spread the chicken in a single layer in the pan without crowding and cook, undisturbed, until the edges change color, about 1 minute. Turn and continue cooking, tossing now and then, until lightly browned all over, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved sauce and onion mixture and cook, tossing occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and evenly coated, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove the pan from the heat and add the basil, tossing until slightly wilted. Serve the chicken over the noodles.

Here are the things I did with the recipe:

I talked to a friend who cooks lots of ethic food (she is our little international cooking expert in our circle of friends) who told me not to buy fish sauce. She told me since you only use the fish sauce in very small doses, do not buy it b/c it goes bad quickly. So, I doubled the soy sauce---or you can use chicken broth instead. Instead of using 4 teaspoons of sugar I used only used 2 teaspoons. I used olive oil instead of vegetable oil. I did use the rice noodles (which were wonderful), and I tossed the noodles in with the chicken & sauce mixture! It was awesome. Thanks Rachael Ray. Also, I did not find this dish to be as spicy as I wanted it, so next time I will add a little more crushed peppers. Karla's husband said he thought peanuts or cashews would be great in the dish, but I am definitely not a fan of nuts in my Asian food.

ENJOY!

The Lazy Days of Winter

I was warm in my bed until both of my alarms went off this morning at 5:10am. (Yep, it takes 2 alarms before I feel human again). I take the dogs outside before I do anything in the morning. This morning was no different........until we were outside. It was so cold all I really wanted to do was get back in bed. I thought hard about staying home today, but duty calls. On days like this, all I want to do is spend time with family and friends. I love watching movies in pj's, drinking hot tea or coffee. I love being lazy during this time of year.

How many times do we allow ourselves to take time out to be lazy or take time out for ourselves? In my life, I consume myself with great people whom I love to spend time with or activities I enjoy. I love going to a friends house just be be with them and their families. I also tell myself I can not just sit down to relax because something always needs to be done at home, work, or church.

Let's take this to the next level, how many times are we too lazy to take time out for God or to even listen to God?? I am struggling with this right now. I am struggling with how to make more time for God...should I do a bible study on my own, should I join a bible study at church or at another church, is God really talking to me or is that my subconscious.......What should I really do? Here are my excuses: If I do a bible study on my own, which one should I do? I can not join a bible study at church, because there is not any right now to really join. NO more excuses!!!!

Ladies, I am calling in the troops. Is there a bible study you have done on your own or in a group you would recommend?

Hugs & Love,
Your Sister in Christ!

It all started on Jan. 18th.

My friend, Karla, started giving me cards on Jan. 18th (which is one month until my birthday). I have received a wonderful sweet card everyday since last Thursday. Thanks Karla! I am looking forward to the next 27 days.........I love you so very much. God blessed me the day you sat next to me during Stephen Ministry training! I never suspected God had great plans for our friendship! God is Glorious. I adore you and your cute little family. I love being Aunt Tammy to your children & Tammy Friend to you and Kenny!

The Countdown Begins!

My favorite season is Winter. I enjoy the cold weather tremendously....I love snuggling on the sofa with warm pj's, a blanket, and a good book! I love the feel of the cold wind in my hair and on my face! Winter is Grand! It's the season my Birthday is in!

It's Official: MY BIRTHDAY COUNT DOWN BEGINS!!! I have 31 days until my 4th Annual 29th birthday! HipHipHooray! My Parents always made a huge deal about my birthday. And even as an Adult, I still LOVE my birthday. Honestly, I think it should be a National Holiday.

In the past year, I have grown so much as a Woman of Christ. It's amazing to have the Joy of God in my life everyday. Here's are some of the things I have done this year:

I went to Houston for Mother's Day Weekend.

Attended an All-Night Youth Lock-In.

Drove 16 hours for a family vacation with 9 other relatives.

Lost 63 lbs.

Found 5 lbs.

Lost another 3 lbs.

I have a better understanding of my Mom as a Woman.

Cried for no reason at all (being a girl at times is difficult).

Laughed at Life.

Fell down 3 times in a year period (and this is without alcohol).

Embarrassed myself way to many times to count.

Prayed & Studied God's Word.

Blogged way to much.

Found a New Sunday School Class.

Found a new Girlfriend-Heather--YOU ROCK!

Learned about myself as a Christian.

Learned I have a long road ahead of me.

What else have I learned this year? Please refresh my memory, but be nice!

Doggy Dog Days of Having 4-legged Kids!

Most of my faithful readers know I have 3 kids, each with 4 legs. I have an old, bitter cat (BooBoo Kitty) who is 17 years old. I have two small dogs (Abby & Phoebe) who are still pretty young. Over the holidays, my cat lost some major weight. On top of his weight he lost, he has two diseases which requires special food and medication. He even started to throw up his dry food quite a bit. I started to think this was the end of the end. BooBoo has been my longest relationship (LOL--how sad is that)! I was trying to deal with losing BooBoo as best I could......everytime I thought about losing him, I would cry (just like I'm doing now).
Last weekend, I went the Vet to discuss BooBoo's situation. Well, come to find out I was pretty much starving my poor cat. The special food he was eating was also for weight lose. Since he already lost weight, he needed to be on a new type of food. The Vet gave me another type of special food & suggested an over the counter food for his sensitive stomach. I am proud to say BooBoo is eating like a King. Two nights ago, I purchased some pre-cooked Tyson chicken strips for dinner. I gave a huge piece to Abby and one to Phoebe. Well, BooBoo took it upon himself to steal each piece of chicken and then proceeded to run. Both Dogs were shocked & started whining. It was so funny!!! I think the animals, especially BooBoo, ate more chicken than I did! I am proud to say........BooBoo Kitty is doing Great & the dogs are bitter b/c he has been fed chicken since he stole his first two pieces. BooBoo is 17 & if he likes chicken, he's going to get chicken.

Phoebe is going to get groomed on Saturday. She's a shih-tzu. I get her groomed every 2 to 4 months depending on the weather. When I do get her groomed, I normally have her shaved. Right now, she is my little fluff ball! She's simply adorable, but her fur must go. Am I a bad Mom if I get her shaved in 30 degree weather?

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Icyness!

I have lived in Texas for about 11 years (originally from New Orleans). Even after my 11 years, I am definitely not accustomed to the crazy Texas weather. A week or two ago we had 70 degree weather, and this week it's a whole different story. It's been cold, icy, wet, rainy, and snowing. I have wanted to be a homebody this week, but I have to go to work. My drive to work this morning was not fun. Most of the way to work was not bad until I got close to the office. When I stopped at the last red light, my car started going in a different direction than it should have. My heart started racing. I pray everyone gets home safe. I had a great supervisor at my last company who would pick me up on days like this. How I wish I had someone to drive me to & from work? Instead of driving Ms. Daisy, it's Driving Miss BlueEyes!
Monday was a humorous day for me.......My company opened at 10am due to the weather conditions. At about 9:30am, I decide it's time to go to work. My car was so iced over even my locks where frozen. It took me about 45 minutes to get my car & another 20 minutes before my car was defrosted. I was late on Monday. While trying to get into the car, I fell twice in the same exact spot. I'm a smart one!
When I took the dogs out at about 5:30am today, I started slipping all over the place. I did not need to fall again.......so I stayed on the dry concrete. My pups were running around like they had cabin fever. Today my company opened at 10am. It's been a long day so far...1 hour and 45 minutes to go!

Please pray for my cousin, Tina. Tina's Dad died last night.

ABC's of Tammy

ABC’s of Tammy:

A - AVAILABLE OR TAKEN: AVAILABLE, please someone take me!

B - BEST FRIEND: Way too many to name!

C - CAKE OR PIE: rich chocolatey, chocolate cake with chocolate frosting with chocolate ice cream.

D- DRINK OF CHOICE: Diet Dr. Pepper, Ice tea, Wine, Bourbon (I am from New Orleans)

E - ESSENTIAL ITEM YOU USE EVERYDAY: Mirror, Hairspray, and Mousse ( I did not this beautiful without beauty products)

F - FAVORITE COLOR: Green!

G - GUMMY BEARS OR WORMS: Worms

H - HOMETOWN: Marrero, LA

I - INDULGENCE: Chocolate, Traveling, Reading.

J - JANUARY OR FEBRUARY: February. Feb. 18th is my Birthday!!! WOOHOO!

K - KID'S NAMES: Abby and Phoebe (my dogs)

L - LIFE INCOMPLETE WITHOUT: My family, Church, Amazing friends, & the promise of eternal life with my Maker

M - MARRIAGE DATE: Not yet, but God knows ( I just wish he would tell me!)

N - NUMBER OF SIBLINGS: One brother, one half sister

O - ORANGES OR APPLES: Orange

P - PHOBIAS OR FEARS: Being alone for the rest of my life, death, creepy crawling things, someone breaking into my home while I am asleep or someone being in my home waiting to hurt me when I get home. (I watch way too much TV)

Q - FAVORITE QUOTE: Love is very Patient and Kind.

R - REASON TO SMILE: My family & friend are all healthy. God paid the price for my sins b/c he loved me unconditionally (it brings tears to my eyes).

S - SEASON: Fall and Winter!

T - TAG 3 PEOPLE: Sharon, Karla, & Heather when she is finally at home!

U - UNKNOWN FACT ABOUT ME: I was once very shy, I have horrible anxiety when I am in a crowd of people, I am afraid of the rides at Six Flags, and I am too big of a chicken to watch scary movies.

V - VEGGIE I DON'T LIKE: brussel sprouts (gross)

W - WORST HABIT: Eating unhealthy

X - XRAYS: huh?

Y - YOUR FAVORITE FOOD: Cajun, Mexican, Chinese, Thai (Spicy!!)

Z - ZODIAC: Aquarius

Friendships who turn into Family.

Good Morning, Friends.
Since I started my new job, I have been sick. I finally got health insurance Jan. 1st. I went to my Doctor's office Jan. 2nd. I was diagnosed with bronchitis. I normally get bronchitis about 2 to 4 times a year. Since I let this bronchitis go for over a month, my doctor told me, I will get worse before I get better. The Doctor told me I should relax, take it extremely easy, don't walk the dogs or clean house, go to work, come home & rest. Well, do I listen.........NOPE. I always think I am invincible. I can be sick and still do everything I want and need too. Well, the bronchitis caught up with me this weekend. Saturday morning: I took the dogs for an hour walk and went to breakfast with my Sorority Sisters, and then I went home to watch a movie.....during my movie watching I did laundry, and tried for the 4th time to put a slip cover on my sofa (which I still can not figure out!). Well, after fighting with the sofa (and the sofa did win) I was extremely winded. I felt like I could not catch my breath. I kept grasping for breath. It's scary when you can not catch your breathe. Saturday night, I went to my Friend's 55th birthday Party. My friend is a nurse she told me I needed to take it easy........I finally listed to my Doctor & my friend.
I wake up on Sunday morning, and I feel like a truck ran over me, TWICE! I had two friends from church & one Sorority Sister call to check on me. I had lots of offers to make dinner, bring dinner, take the dogs outside, come help me clean, and come just sit with me to give me company. Thanks so much for all your support. I know I can always count on you. My friend, Sharon, asked if she could bring me dinner---How very sweet! My friend, Karla, bought me dinner from Wendy's. My friend, Sarah, wanted to come over to help me in the house.........Poor Sarah, the only thing she would have done was watch me sleep.....Believe me, that's not a pretty site. I am very blessed to have wonderful friends. Thanks so much for loving me so much.

Here's some little facts about me when I am sick: I cry just because I am sick, I want my Mommie, I am a horrible winey, moody, miserable person, and I stay in pj's until I am feeling better. I cried a lot yesterday! I crave chocolate, chips, soda, burgers, pizza, chinese, and pasta. I wanted everything I should not have yesterday. If I actually did buy snack foods, I would have gone thru everything yesterday!!! Pray for my quick recovery!

Update on the new Job.

The first couple of weeks were a little difficult with training & going on vacation. It's official now.............I love my new job! I am challenged daily. I am never bored. I seldom get downtime. I am doing different task. I LOVE IT! I am very blessed for God to give me this new job. Thanks & Glory are given to our Lord today & everyday for all the blessings in my life!

Home again.

I went home to New Orleans to visit my family for Christmas. I had a wonderful time this Christmas. I rented a car, loaded it up with luggage, presents, and my dogs. We made the 8 hour journey home with no problems. I was about 2 hours away from my Parents front door I could not wait to get out of the car. When I finally arrived, I do not know who was more excited me or my pups. We all jumped out of the car with pure delight! My PawPaw was at my Mom's house. It's always so good to spend time with PawPaw. I know he is lonely since MawMaw died last year. This Christmas was the 2nd Christmas without MawMaw. This Christmas was so much harder for me than last year. I miss her so much more this year. Everyone in my family got along well.........even my Mom and I got along extremely well. We talked & laughed the entire time I was home. Praise God for small miracles. My Mom's Brother, David, even came by with the his family. We have not seen David is years. Praise God for another small miracle. Please pray for my brother, Stephen & his family. Stephen is not in a good place right now, so he and his family are struggling.
Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. Praise God for the birth of our Savior!
Please pray for my friend, Heather. Heather is having complications from surgery still. Pray for healing, wisdom, comfort, & peace for Heather.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Gifts!!

I already know several Christmas Gifts I am getting! I am getting a watch, a computer, a ceramic white Christmas tree that lights up, and money towards a new/used sofa from my Parents. The computer is from my Mom's office. She purchased a home based computer without realizing it last year. She just purchased a business based computer, so I get the home based one! WOOHOO! I get a fairly new computer!!! The ceramic Christmas was painted by one of my Parents when they were first dating......it was so adorable, they would go out on dates at the ceramic place. They painted Christmas ornaments and decorations.......so very cute. My Mom called a week ago asking what else I wanted for Christmas. I jokingly told her I wanted a new sofa. We both laughed. Well, much to my amazement my Dad called that same night and told me they would pitch in to buy me a new sofa. I already found a sofa I really liked at Lazy-boy. I will have save some money, and then I get the sofa! HipHipHooray!

Do you know what Santa is getting you for Christmas???

Busy Holy Days.

My vacation was wonderful, but I was having a difficult time adjusting back to reality. I think I am finally back on track, but then Christmas vacation is so close. I may have a relapse! I went to the mall on Saturday to finish up Christmas shopping, but it was pure chaos so I left. I think I had memory loss from the last time I went to the mall at Christmas time. Mental note to self: avoid malls during Christmas time. However, I discovered a new Christian book/gift store this week. I went to Mardel's for the first time this week. Mardel's has everything I want and need!

I love my new job. I work with really good people. I enjoy what I do. I have good hours and great pay!!!! Praise God for small miracles.

Please pray for my friend's Heather and Lorraine. Heather had major complications from surgery. Heather is finally at home recovering. Lorraine had a stint put in her heart yesterday. Lorraine also has 2 other major blockages which will be treated with medication. Please pray for a speedy quick recovery for them both, as well as strength, comfort, and peace.

What are some of your family's specific Christmas traditions?
Do you open Christmas presents Christmas eve or Christmas day?
Does Santa leave his presents unwrapped or does he wrap them?
My family always has gumbo along with the "traditional" Christmas meal. We have potato salad instead of mashed potatoes. Within the last 10 years, we always open gifts on Christmas eve. Santa never wraps gifts at my house.

On the Road Again.......and the true meaning of Christmas!

I am officially back from vacation. I went with 9 of my family members to Gatlinburg, TN. The members of my family that went are my Mom, Dad, PawPaw, Tina (cousin), Stephen (brother), Julie (sister-in-law), Chase (18 year old nephew), Allie (15 year old niece), and Cameron (7 yr old nephew). Here's the run down of my trip: I flew to Houston on Monday. My cousin, Tina, and I drove to Louisiana on Monday night. On Tuesday, 10 of us loaded up and drove 10 hours to TN. We left Louisiana at 4am (way to early). I have the cutest little 7 year old nephew who said 30 minutes into our trip "Are we there yet?" We all started laughing. The drive was not bad. The drive back to Louisiana was never ending & the drive to Houston was even longer! :) I was so very excited to be home on Wednesday night. I was even more excited to see my friend Deborah at the airport & to see my puppies!!!
I saw some really incredible shows. I saw a 50's show, the Miracle, a Comedy show at the Comedy Barn, Dixie Stampede, & the Chinese Circus. My favorite show was the Miracle which was the story of the life of Jesus. This play touched me in so many ways......I cried & laughed. (I will have to say this........The men who played Jesus and the Devil were incredible actors and extremely HOT! Can I really say Jesus and the Devil were hot in the same sentence????) Praise God to our Glorious Lord! His Kingdom is Mighty.

I had a great & blessed vacation. It was great to get away from my crazy little life!!! I am ready for another vacation. I have so many options this year. I want to go to New York City, Austin, and Seattle. Who wants to go with me?

I am excited about this weekend. I am going to decorate for Christmas. I love the Christmas season: the decorating, shopping (especially cheap after the season Christmas decor), cooking, spending time with friends and family! I love the true meaning of Christmas. I am truly amazed our Lord was born so I may have eternal life. Can you imagine being the Mother Of Christ? Every time she kissed her son, she kissed the face of God. The child she held was the Great I Am! Praise God for the Mother of Christ. Thanks Lord for Loving Us.

My favorite Christmas song is Mary did you know:

Mary did you know, that your baby boy

Would one day walk on water?

Mary did you know, that your baby boy

Would save our sons and daughters?

Did you know, that your baby boy

Has come to make you new?

This Child that you delivered,

Will soon deliver you!

Mary did you know, that your baby boy

Will give sight to the blind man?

Mary did you know, that your baby boy

Would calm a storm with His hand?

Did you know, that your baby boy

Has walked where angels trod

And when you kiss your little baby,

You've kissed the face of God?

Oh, Mary did you know?

Mary did you know?

The blind will see, the deaf will hear,

The dead will live again,

The lame will leap, the dumb will speak

Praises of the Lamb?

Mary did you know, that your baby boy

Is Lord of all creation?Mary did you know, that your baby boy

Will one day rule the nations?

Did you know, that your baby boy

Was Heaven's perfect Lamb?

And this sleeping Child you're holding

Is the Great I AM

Wednesday's Blessings!

This is the day the Lord has made.......let us be glad and rejoice in it!! Praise & Thanks to our heaveny Father for this beautiful windy day.

New Job

Well, my first two days are almost over. The job is not exactly what I thought it would be (good and bad). My health insurance does not begin until Jan. 1st.......I was told it was Dec. 1st. My schedule was 8:30a to 5:30p, but it now is 7:30a to 4:30a. The people are very quiet which is something I am not use too........however, they are nice for the most part. The company really does not have a "training" program.......I am a Special Order Buyer. I handle all the special orders for the company. I am not sure if I am going to like it, but for the time being.......they are paying me great money. So, I am going to get trained and learn to like it! However, I do have an interview on Wednesday at 12:30pm with a new company in Dallas right off Tollway & Spring Valley. Please pray God's will be done.

God Bless.
Have a safe weekend!

The New Sweetheart Queen.

I start my new job tomorrow! I am wrapping up work I really do not want to do today at my "old" job! I am not going to work real hard today. I am going to work, but not stress about it! I might even play tetris all day today!!!
Pray for my new job tomorrow.

Last week, I hosted my monthly Sorority Meeting! Every year around October or November we vote on who will be the New Sweetheart Queen of the new year, so we voted last week...........and this YEAR THE SWEETHEART QUEEN IS ME!!! HipHipHooray. I am very excited! I even have a beautiful sparkly crown. I am looking forward to the Sweetheart Party! I feel like Ms. America!

New Beginnings.

In 2 days, I start my new job! I can not believe my 2 week notice has flown by. I am excited & nervous. I am ready for a new beginning. I am ready to actually do something at work for once. I am ready!

Last weekend, my church hosted a Youth Rally/Lock-In. It started at 7pm until 7am. I actually stayed up the entire time! I planned on going home around 2am or 3am, but I did not think it was a wise move b/c the kids out numbered the adults. I was afraid the Youth taking over and starting a riot! (joking) By the time I got home, my body ached! I am way to old to stay up all night. I think I got sick from staying up all night, too. I have a horrible cough & my head is not doing so well. When I was younger, I could stay out all night, come home, slept for a few hours, and do it all over again. Well, now we fast forward 10 years and it has taken me 3 days to fully recover from my wild night at the Youth Rally. Today was the first day I feel 100% Tammy. Sunday, I was only at about 20% myself, yesterday was about 85%, and Today I am 100% ME! Praise God for small miracles.

When was the last time you stayed up all night?