Love Will Show You Everything

Here is a video of that song I commented about in the last post from the movie If Only...check it out!

Ever have one of those weeks...

where you just can't help but shake your head and ask yourself...where did the week go??? Pretty much how this week has been. Kid's finally had a full week of school, meetings this week...hubby working LOTS of hours...just tons of little things really going on...glad it's Friday.

Hubby and I watched a really good movie last night...If Only. A nice romantic movie about a couple who after a tragedy, gets a second chance. I'm not much of a crier...this one made me cry for some reason. Check it out. Also if you know if there is a soundtrack or CD where I can find the song that Jennifer Love Hewitt sings in this movie...please let me know....gotta have it! Here's a video of the song from this movie:

Love Will Show You Everything

I don't know if it's been the books I've been reading and the movies I've been watching lately, but I've been thinking a lot about life, how fleeting it is, what my purpose is, about heaven and what's in store for me, and just all things on that tangent...like the Bible says...we are vapor...merely here for a moment...here one minute and gone the next. We are here for a purpose. I've heard all these things before, but for some reason it's finally hitting home into my blonde little brain. There's more to life than just me and my tiny little bubble I'm in. God is so amazing...He has an amazing plan for all of us and even if we may not be obedient to His plan He will fulfill His plan with or without us...how cool is it when we ARE obedient and become a part of that grand plan.

Like I told my hubby last night....several several months ago I really struggled with MY purpose. Couldn't quite see what my purpose was and why I was here...now I know that my purpose is to be the best Mom that I can and to raise my children the best way I can with God's help. And also to be my husband's best friend and complete him for lack of a better term. Once I came to terms with that, it made me feel better about me and what my job is in this life. Stay at home mom's get a bad rap in my opinion...we have one of the most important jobs in the world IMO.

On that tangent...I usually try to read the Bible to the boys before they leave for school in the morning. My middle son Brennan was in one of his moods the other day and told me...Mommy I don't know why you read that...I never remember what you read. Kind of broke my heart and made me wonder if I was wasting my time...after some prayer and reflection I will not stop reading to them even if it may seem that I'm wasting my time...The devil wants me to be discouraged...and yes maybe they won't remember what I read, but maybe just maybe a tiny seed will be planted and something will sprout from my efforts. It doen't have a chance if I quit now does it?!!? So devil...try all you want...I'm not stopping. I know that God is going to allow something to get through to them...and even so...hopefully when they look back on their lives they will remember the times that their Mommy read God's word to them. Just had to share that.

On a different note...another season of American Idol has begun...unfortunately because of a lengthy meeting I missed seeing the guys sing...but what I saw of them (recap after the show...I wasn't overly impressed...though I kinda liked Chris Richardson, Chris Sligh, and though I wasn't impressed with his performance Brandon Rogers was good during the auditions. As far as the ladies go...WOW...in fact hubby was impressed and even voted...he's never voted before. Our fav thus far...LaKisha Jones...blew everyone else away...and her story touches my heart...I really like her. Also two other favs were Stephanie Edwards and Melinda Doolittle. I think they will go far in this competition. So as far as those who got cut...didn't see that show either, but I'm surprised most that Antonella Barba made it through...I was surprised when she made it to the top 24 honestly. I thought her performance was karaoke at best. Maybe it's just her looks that are helping her through. Just my opinion. Don't get me wrong, she has a nice voice...the song was wrong and I'm just not sure that she's cut out to be a professional. Again my opinion. Also don't care for Sundance...another one that I was surprised to see make it through...and thought he should have gone.

I know this was a weird and rambly post, but I've got three 4 year olds running around me...that may be why ;-) But I just had to share my week...even if it wasn't the most opportune time.

Have a great weekend and may you never forget God's purpose for you!

Snowed In....

If you have been following the weather channel...then you know we are pretty much snowed in where we are...Tuesday it snowed like crazy....while we were at the Funeral...it was quite a messy sight. Though we were invited to stay and visit at hubby's uncle's house after the funeral, hubby and I decided it was time to come home...and boy are we glad we did. I-77 was a total mess and by the sheer grace of God, we were able to make it home...the roads were AWFUL! We saw several accidents along the way including a jacknifed semi. Luckily hubby's mom let us drive her 4 wheel drive Endeavor. Otherwise who know if we would have made it home. I did come home to this on my back door though...

The rest of the family wasn't so lucky...as they tried to head out I guess they closed I-77 and they ended up having to stay another night...I was just so glad to be home and be safe. We ended up with ice on top of the snow...not fun. In all we got about 8-10 inches. School was cancelled yesterday and today. Hubby had to work a 14 + hour day including having to be out in that mess and deliver mail. I was quite frustrated...not at him, but at his situation. He seems to always be the one that has to take up the slack for those who just don't want to work...it's annoying.

With all that it wasn't quite an enjoyable Valentine's day. Though in all honesty...I'm not huge into Valentine's day...I'm not huge into the obligatory holidays...you know the one's where your significant other HAS to do something for you or they're in the dog house. Why should the calendar or card industry tell me when I should show my affection or when someone else should show it to me?? I'm more into the "it's March 2nd and though it's not a special day I just wanted to tell you today how special you are to me" kind of chick. The element of surprise...the not expecting it...that is what I like. Just makes it all that much sweeter for me...How about you?? How do you feel about it??

I'm not usually into watching movies in the afternoon (too many other things to do) but they had Message In A Bottle on TBS this morning...watched bits and pieces of it intermixed with fixing breakfast, snacks and drinks for the kiddos. Such a sweet movie. And though it's filmed in Maine from what I understand...it makes me miss North Carolina...hope we can visit again soon...it's been almost 3 years...miss it so. Especially now since I'm surrounded by all this white stuff!

Well hopefully the weather is better where you are...going to go try and shovel myself out now. :-)

Happy 8th Birthday Brennie Gene!!

Just a quick note to say happy birthday to my little guy Brennan....Can't believe that you are 8 today. You have grown into such a fine little man...Mommy loves you very much! Have a great time with Gamma and Papa tonight and know that I love you always!

I will be away for the next couple days attending Grandma Gerri's funeral. Kids will be spoiled by Gamma and Papa while hubby and I are gone....it the first overnight trip hubby and I have had to take without the kids in quite a while...pray for Gamma and Papa :-) Pray for me....I'm having a real hard time leaving...especially since it is Brennie's birthday. Pray for hubby's family with the loss of his Grandma. Thank you.

Have a great Valentine's Day! Remember God loves you!

Things that make me smile....

So glad that it is Friday...love Fridays...movie night...night to relax and just veg as a family...love it so!

Had lunch out with the hubby this afternoon...so nice...haven't done that in a few weeks...his job hasn't allowed for it. Looks like he's going to have to be stuck in supervisor mode again till who knows when now...stinks, because that means he won't be home much and he'll be working lots of hours again...in a way it's a blessing since they are currently restructuring at the Post Office and many of them are getting their hours cut big time. So God does answer prayer...and I'm thankful that he'll be getting the hours this way, he just gets so stressed out and burned out at supervising. I pray that things go back to some kind of normal soon.

One praise is that a local factory in our town (which my brother works for) just ended their strike and they will be returning to work Monday....PRAISE JESUS! They've been on strike since September. It is truly a boost in the moral of our little town that's for sure.

Another sad note...Kevin's step grandma passed away this morning. It's sad, yet to know where she is...I celebrate for her.

So here are some things that are making me happy today...

I so love my mp3 player...downloaded some new music to it...a little bit of the Goo Goo Dolls and then a double album of Jeremy Camp's. So love his music (as I've already mentioned in an earlier post). Also a big fan of this guy too...Edwin McCain. He sings some of my favorite songs like "I'll Be" and "I Could Not Ask For More"...his Messenger album is one of those albums I would definitely have with me if I was stuck on a desert island. Love it!

Tim Horton's English Toffee Cappicino...Yum!!

Bath and Body Work's new Tropical Passionfruit body butter....if you are anywhere near a B&BW take a sniff of this stuff...so yummy and just makes you think of summer...which right now sounds like heaven!

Also today was the first day I've been out of the house since Sunday...so nice to get out...even if it was quite chilly...those four walls were getting a bit small ;-)

Well going to get ready for some dinner and watching some movies (Fox and the Hound for the kiddos and 50 First Dates for hubby and I).

Have an awesome weekend!

Snow days and other things...

Needless to say the last three days have been snow days for the boys...whether it be for extreme cold temperatures or snowfall...today was their first day back to school this week. Love having them home, but I'm glad to get back to status quo in a way...there is only so many fights over the Playstation that I can handle. ;-)

This is how Austin spent part of his time off school though...taking right after his momma...

Hope you are keeping warm and safe.

God works in mysterious ways...

I need to quit with these once a week posts...I miss it I do...just not much to write lately...but I have to say God has worked in mysterious ways in my life this past week.

First of all as I had mentioned earlier this year I have begun reading my Bible...the whole reading your Bible in a year thing. Still doing well...a day behind right now, but that's OK...I'm still OK...God understands...and I think this may be where this is all stemming from...I'm feeling closer to God and understanding even more His commitment to His people...I'm in the book of Leviticus right now.

In our Women's group Tuesday I mentioned again during prayer time about Brennan having trouble in school and with his teacher. Ironically (or may be not so) a new lady that has been attending our grou works for the School Superintendent. She gave me some things that I could possibly do to help Brennan and his situation with his teacher. Then on Wednesday Brennan comes out of school all smiles because his teacher FINALLY moved the desks around and he's no longer sitting by the kids who have been distracting and picking on him. We've been on his teacher to move him since November. God thing maybe??

Then I got a call from the library about this book I reserved for my hubby that he wanted to read (which my hubby does not like to sit and read a book BTW)...it was in, so I went to pick it up...it was this book: Don's description of heaven just again reaffirms for me God's love for us...and the beauty that I will someday behold.

Then we missed church yesterday (which I hate missing church) but it was for a good thing. Kevin's step-grandma Gerri was celebrating her 83rd birthday. We went up to visit her and participate in her party. The night before I thought about her present (I know great time to think of that)...hubby didn't have anything for her, and I really wasn't sure about what to get a woman who was in a nursing home and honestly we weren't even sure if she would make it to this day. Then I remembered Kevin's stepmom had given me these crocheted granny squares that she told me that Gerri had once made but never put together. I then had this overwhelming urge that I had to make something for her out of these...I didn't hesitate...didn't second guess or talk myself out of it...so at 10 p.m. on Saturday night I sat down...watched a movie and sewed these squares together...about 35 in all...I was up until 3:30 a.m., yet I was determined to finish it...almost like I was on a mission, yet not sure why. So then yesterday we had to be on the road by 9 a.m. so we could be there by 11 a.m. and there I was in the van crocheting the edge around this little lap afghan. I got it done in time. Thank God. My hubby presented it to her and told her about the blanket and how the squares were the ones that she had made...she looked at the squares with tears in her eyes and said that she didn't make those squares...they were made by her mother. This feeling just swept over me of how much more precious this gift must have been to her...she even said that I couldn't even know how much it meant to her. She was truly touched. And I was truly humbled. Here was a woman who in all honesty doesn't have much time left, and something I (and I say I loosely cause I know it was a God thing) did touched her heart...WOW...God works in some mysterious ways. Sometimes you just need to listen to that still small voice inside you and not question it...lesson learned. I give God praise for that moment...and I will cherish it. The picture is of me with Grandma Gerri and her brother and sister...those granny squares were made by their mother.

Then we came home and our Pastor was having a Family Communion, which is where we as a family would come into the church and he would personally serve our family communion and then pray for us as a family. It was a true blessing to have communion and share that sacred moment as a family...with my boys.

God is so amazing.