Another Update

It seems for the later part of this week, I've only had time for updates. So sorry about that, but I will be back to my witty, (haha) indepth, (lol) random (ain't that right=) self ummm probably Monday. (Like the way I nailed that down, clear as mud style =)

I wanted to jump on and give you an update on my B-I-L Brian. His surgery went well. In fact, his knee, looks extremely good, except of course for the tear, which doc took care of and while he was looking around in there he also saw a lot of wear on some kind of band we have in our knees. Now he described it being like the space between your nose and lip, weird huh? Well Brian's was very wore and doc said when he bent his knee that band was getting caught up in something-er-another or something like that. But the good news is, doc fixed it.

On a side note, I really liked his doc. I would spell his name for you, but it is French and trust me, I'd mess it up. So let's just say Doc C did a fine job.

Brian is home now and I haven't talked to baby sis today. So I will talk to her later today.

Lil Scoot is on his way . . . YAY!!!

Have a Blessed Saturday,

Update

Thanks to everyone for praying for my M-I-L. PRAISE THE LORD it is not her heart!!!!! In fact her heart is pumping normal, no signs of blockage and no signs of blood clots in her lungs. She does however, have shingles. Now I know this sounds weird that she would think it was a heart attack if it is shingles, but apparently where they are at on her body will cause the symptoms like she has been having. Weird huh?

But she is in the contagious stage and 2 of her grand kids (our niece and nephew) were up there today, so she is so hoping that she didn't give it to them, (which if she did they'll get the chicken pox). We are so very thankful this was not her heart. She was SOOOOOOOOO relieved.


I also saw my B-I-L and baby sis today at the hospital, he was doing his pre-admit stuff. Please remember him tomorrow as he has knee surgery. It is to be out-patient. He is really limping and in a lot of pain right now, so he is actually really glad to get this fixed. I'll update on that tomorrow when I get home.


You all are so sweet to always remember my knee and tell me to take it easy and be mindful of it. I am a go-getter. It is just the way God designed me, so in situations like today it is so easy for me to over do it, but I didn't. I used my crutch and took it easy, even I was surprised =)

Thank you again so much for praying for us and our families.

Have a Blessed evening,

Prayer Request . . .

Good sweet Thursday to you. I only have a few minutes to post, before I get Dak up and over to school and me dressed and out the door. But I wanted to ask for your prayers this morning.

Dick's mom was taken to the hospital yesterday and they think she has had a heart attack. They are running a stress test among other things today. I will be heading up there as soon as I get around. Please pray for wisdom for the docs and peace for Dicks mom. She's having a hard time with this.

Also if you would pray for his sister Barb and brothers Matt and Roy, they all desperately need the Lord. I have been praying this morning that God would use me in some way today to be a blessing to them and to point them to Christ.

There will be a lot of walking involved today and the knee is swollen this morning. So I am taking my crutch even though it slows me down, but you know safety first =) Please pray that the swelling will stay at bay and that I won't have a major flare up. I'm believing God!!!

And also my B-I-L Brian is having knee surgery tomorrow. He has a torn meniscus in two places -- ouch!! So if you would say a pray for him and my sis Dena I'd be so grateful.

Thank you so much for praying and I'll update later today when I get back home.

When Walking ='s Running

"I delight greatly in the LORD;

my soul rejoices in my God.

For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation

and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up

and a garden causes seeds to grow,

so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise

spring up before all nations."

Isaiah 61:10-11

The other day when I went for my walk at the track God started making me very aware of what I was doing. Have you ever had those moments when God just stops you in your tracks so to speak, and wants you ALL THERE in that moment. That was me.

You see I am a runner at heart. I love it. I am one of those crazi's that get out there and run and run and love it and do it some more and then after a little rest want to do it some more. Now you might be thinking that I was just born running, but that my friends just is NOT the case. You see I didn't start running until I was about 30. Yes you read that right. So what in the world possesses a girl to start running at that age? I mean really. I know.

Well you see all my life I had been heavy. I don't mean a few pounds over weight, I mean HEAVY!! My doc had put in her report that I was a 27 year old MORBIDLY OBESE FEMALE. When I saw this I nearly fell over. Now granted I was a little pleasingly plump, but MORBIDLY OBESE, seriously doc that was harsh. Anyway... it got me off of my tush. There is a lot to this story so I'll not go into all of it, but the long and short of it is that I lost 100 lbs. WOOHOO!!! And have kept (most of it) off for 12 years now. And part of that keeping it off regimen included running.

Since the whole knee situation I have been unable to run. It is such a bummer to me. I have been walking and so happy to be up and going again to where I can, but when I get on that track I just want to take off running. Seriously. Even with the knee hurting and swollen and there is pain in every step, I want to take off running. That is where I feel empowered and free.

So at the track I just wanted to take off, and of course didn't, because can't be adding insult to injury and all, but oh how I wanted to. Well, while I was walking God just showed right on up at the track. And as I was walking I was imagining myself running. And part of my memory verse came right into my head. "And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1b And I have just felt God saying to me "This is when walking equals running. When you are doing it unto me." How great is that?!! One of the most difficult part of this journey with the knee has been the limitations. I like to be healthy and running. But I am okay with not doing that right now, if what I am doing is pleasing to God.

Running the race really has less to do with physical running and a whole lot to do with obedience. This verse tells us to run with perseverance. Why is that? Because this my friends is a marathon and not a sprint. We have to hang in there and run with strength and run with perseverance, because He is coming back for us. We must have our lamps trimmed and ready and be running this race with perseverance to win it!!!!!

So you may be wondering why I started this post out with that verse from Isaiah. I love those verses and they are the ones that God has been speaking to me about lately. They may just be my next memory verses!! One of my favorite parts of these verses is in verse 10: "For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness." And trust me, we have never looked better than when we are wearing these garments!!

Have a Blessed day,

Widgets, Pyzam, and Problems Oh My!!!

Okay so I have just a few minutes before I'm off to fix my hair and make-up (oh help me) and head out the door to PT, but I HAD to tell you this story.

First let me just give a SHOUT OUT to my blog friend Jacquie. Well Jacquie doesn't know I'm given her a shout out, so she's reading this along with ya'll saying, "hey Dawn, what's up girl?" anyway. . .

Jacquie is such a sweetheart. She was the very first one to follow this blog of mine, even before I had the thingy up on my blog that asked if you wanted to follow. I just logged onto blogger one day and it said that I had one follower. YAY!! I was so happy. I looked over at who it was and it was dear Jacquie. I didn't even know you could do that!!! It was so great!!

Well, my dear blogger friend Jacquie has this keen sense about her. She just knows when I'm in the middle of changing my blog design, because she always jumps on and clicks over at just the moment that I'm tweeking it. It is just so funny. I love it!! She has seen designs ya'll haven't seen because of her girlfriend keenness.

Well about a week or so ago I was working on yet another design -- every since I've figured it out, I like to play with it -- anyway. . . and I posted it to see what it looked like alive and in color, okay black and white, but you get the picture. Well I moved on from that one to the one that I have had up since then (not including today, boy I hope your following me here =) Well, Jacquie commented on how much she loved my new blog look and how these pics could be her fav so far. Well I wondered about that since it was pretty much the same, or close to it of the ones I had. And then the next day she commented on me changing the look again. So I knew that we had a little secret her and I, she had seen the black and white!! =)

So we e-mailed back and forth about my Pyzam widget that I had on there. Well oddly enough, I really hadn't paid much attention, but when she asked me about then I started thinking about how to get that Widget off of there since I no longer had a Pyzam background. (Oh man I hope your still with me =)

Okay so it just kind of got stuck in my craw (isn't that another funny saying =) anyway. . . and I couldn't get it out. Ya know how one hair out of place ruins the whole look. anyway. . .

Well then I started thinking about figuring out how to get that off of there and then it became like, my-skirt-stuck-in-my-panty-hose-and-I-don't-know-it, kind of embarrassment to me when I'd look at it, so IT HAD TO BE FIXED!!!!! =)

Well last night was the night. Dick was watching 24 (sorry Jacquie I am not a fan, but I'll live it vicariously through hubs =) so I knew I had an hour to figure it out. Well I figured it out all right, I lost my whole page at one point. I mean the whole thing, oh yeah except for the black and white polka dot background. No postings, no pictures, NO NOTHING BUT THAT BACKGROUND!!! And then of course, that is the moment Dak comes in and asks if I'm almost done on the computer. (I needed a paper bag to breathe in at this point!!) So I tried to politely tell him that I'd messed up my blog and I didn't know how long it would take to fix. So then of course he wanted to see (patience mama, patience, breathe into the paper bag, he is trying to help). So I showed him and yeah, he had nothing. No help at all to lend me.

So then I tried something else and it took me back to plain Jane template Dawn back in the humble beginnings of this here blog. And guess who checked my blog at that time? Yep you guessed it Jacquie!! It is so funny. She left a comment about the plainness of my blog at that moment and she figured I was just working on it . . . she had no idea!!!!!

So I did what any 21st century completely computer illiterate girl does, Googles. I Googled my problem and within minutes I was fixed and up and running.

So the black and white background that I have on today, is an Ode to Jacquie. I love you girl!!!

I am in the process of a Spring look. One does need a new look for Spring don't you think?

Off to do the hair and make sure every last one is in place =)

Have a Blessed day,


PS And if you have not checked out Jacquie's blog. Please go through any link above, just click on her name and it will take you right there. She is just a sweetheart, really she is a sweet heart!!! You will be hooked on her, just like me =)

PPS oh yeah and look Jacquie no Pyzam!!! YAY!! Mission Accomplished!!!!!

Laundry, and the Dishes and various other household duties . . . bring 'em on!!!

So if there has been one thing that has been completely lacking since November 11th, 2008, (surgery date) it would be my housecleaning skills. Being that I was put on strict "no contact" with house duties by husband, PTist, oh yeah, and the doc, family, friend, blog readers . . . . I have been SEVERELY lacking in my housecleaning skills.

Those of you who know me in person and all, know that I enjoy a clean house. (Carrie is laughing at this right now. Yes she is smiling from ear to ear and shaking her head yes with a GREAT BIG AMEN at the end =) love you Carrie . . . anyway . . . you know I heart me a clean house. Well it has alluded me lately . . . but not any more!!!!!

I am back to cleaning house, at least to some kind of normal degree!!!

So what does this mean exactly? Yes that would mean that my knee is definitely feeling better!!!!! Thank you Jesus!!!!! The swelling is down (not gone, but down) and the pain is SO much better. I have been walking; I'm now up to 20 mins at a time and shooting for 25 mins later today (I'll leave a tweet to let you know how it goes). I have been taking ibuprofen more and that is helping a lot. I have to be careful with how much I take because it really makes my tummy hurt and gets the SVT going, but so far so good. I'm being REALLY careful!!!

I cannot tell you the joy that simple housecleaning has brought me both last night and this morning. I cleaned my kitchen between commercials of the strangest and possibly most boring Oscar show I have ever seen. And I am a fan . . . usually. But this year with all the strangeness, and all the weird stuff, I was ready for bed, lonnnnng before it was over. So when I turned on the news this morning, that is when I actually heard who won the "big" awards. I did, however love some of the dresses. I loved all the glam!!!

How in the world did I get from cleaning to the Oscars?!! You know me, I'm nothing if I'm not a little random =)

anyway . . .

So this morning I have been cleaning away and ready to go for my walk. Hubs left me Dak's car so I could go walking at the track this morning instead of our local CC path. There was an attempted kidnapping in our Walgreen's on Saturday night just like about 10-15 mins from here and they haven't caught who did it. So hubs said no walking outside!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He takes such good care of me.

So back to this housecleaning thing for a minute . . . I am finding it quite hard to get in the groove again. Before, I had such a good routine and really looked forward to spring and fall cleaning (again Carrie is smiling =) but now I just need to get back to the basics. So if ya'll have any good ideas to get me back on the housecleaning train, I'd so appreciate it.

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I have so much more to talk about, but I really must get up and get going. Oh and I'm kind of behind on my blog reading, but I'll be hopefully getting caught up this week. We've had more crazy computer problems, so it is limiting me. boo.

Love you all ttttttttttttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssssssssssssssss much, okay more than that, but you know =)

Joy in the Simple on this Random, but Very Relevant Friday . . . .

Today I am thinking about the simple, probably because today in some ways is complicated. I felt like the lesson Abba asked me to teach this morning in CYC was not an easy one. It was about being relevant and authentic in this extremely CRAZY world we live in. It seemed complicated to me, but sometimes I just make things to hard.



Hubs left for work like everyday and called me about 2 mins later (literally) and said that the car broke down, boo. and he was walking back home. What? Huh? (please keep in mind that it was 5:15 AM and I am really tired today, so yes I was confused and yes the fix for the car is probably going to be complicated. bummer.) I. do. not. like. car. troubles. blchhhhhh!!!!!

So he is home today and trying to figure out what to do. simple? no. Blessing. Yes!! Dak had the car last night and I'm so thankful he got home safe and sound. It literally broke down within about 2/10's of a mile from our house (if even that). It you moved the house across from me, you can see the car. (not that I'm moving the house, but you know . . . ) anyway . . . I'm just very happy that Dak wasn't driving it when it broke down. And also I was gone all day yesterday in it, again so thankful if it was going to break down that it didn't strand anyone more than 2/10's from our home. Thank you Jesus!!!

And also a praise is that we did get Dak's car running last weekend (remember that story? anyway. . .) So we at least have that to drive in the interim even though hubs still needs to fix the switch. anyway . . .

So what in the world does any of this have to do with joy in the simple? Because I make things so hard somtimes. Even though I felt very inadequate in teaching the lesson God laid on my heart this morning, I know the kids got it. I could see it. And one of the girls in class B, just broke up with a long time boyfriend. hard. So I got to love on her neck. Sometimes life is just hard.

But today I am finding joy in the simple. Like hugging B. It was a simple gesture but she needed it. Who do you know that needs a hug today? Can you fulfill this simple joy for them?

I talked to C's mom today. My friend that has cancer. She is not doing well. Please keep praying for her. As I was talking to her mom, my heart was so sad and full at the same time. This is an amazing family of faith. She told me today this was not the road they wanted to be walking but they were taking it one day at a time. That's all they could do.

Who needs a call today? Can you fulfill this simple joy for them?

I asked K if I could send C a card and she said she loves cards. I am so happy. I'll be working on that this afternoon. It is a simple thing, but it brings joy to the giver and the receiver.

Who needs a card today? Can you fulfill this simple joy for them?

These are questions I am asking myself today as well. There are MANY needs out there. And many of us can do simple things to help those who have needs. Maybe monetarily you are completely strapped, but you can drop them an email of encouragement. Please do. The recipient will love the fact you thought of them.

So today I am determined to find joy in the simple. Like maybe getting laundry caught up before the weekend. Talking to Dak about his night last night. Snuggling with hubs when he gets back from dinking with the car (I never get him in the day during the week -- I will be making good use of snuggling time =) Playing with little Scoot, did I say little Scoot? Uh huh!! Does this mean he is coming over for the weekend? Uh-huh!!! Does this also mean I am just gitty about it? -- OH YES IT DOES!!!!! BRING ON SIR CUTENESS!!!!!

Okay so get out there and do the simple and in doing the simple find GREAT JOY!!!!!

Hope this wasn't too random a post, but you know it is Random Friday after all =)

Who do you like and other randomness . . .

Wow Random Thursday, really? Generally I reserve randomness for Friday's but today I have a few things running around in my head. So random Thursday it is =0)

First of all, do ya'll watch American Idol? We have watched since the second season. We've seen the good years and the not-so-good years. My two favorite winner's are Carrie Underwood and David Cook.

So this year I just wasn't to sure with some of the judges choices, Tatiana, ummmm what? and Nick/Norman, huh? anyway . . . There is one contestant that is already a front runner for me and that is Danny Gokey. His story so speaks to my heart. He lost his wife just four weeks before his AI audition. And last night he made it to the top 12 and as he was singing the people who were there supporting him had a picture of him and his wife that they showed. It was powerful. Anyone who has lost their husband or wife just strikes a chord with me. I remember those hard days and all the pain that it brings. If you are new to this blog or haven't read this part of my story, you can go here to read about it.



I really look forward to see how far he will go in this competition. Just the fact that he is able to sing a song like "Hero" so close after the death of his wife and not break into a hundred little pieces right there on stage makes me want to see more of this guy and here more of his amazing story of faith.



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I prayer practically everyday that I will be used of God in some way. Well, yesterday I prayed that prayer that God would use me to be a blessing to someone or that I would be able to share with someone His love. It is so interesting how God works this out. Almost every time I pray this prayer, sometime through my day I get the opportunity to share His love with another in some way. And God always speaks to my heart and tells me that that moment is an answer to prayer. Well that happened yesterday in a very unexpected way.



When Dak got out of the car yesterday at school he was short with me. I know. What in the world? =) Well I fretted over that all day. I did because I am a complete goober. Really I am. I know better than that, but it didn't stop me. Oh brother. Well when he got out of school the thing we "discussed" before school we "discussed" again and I told him wasn't going to happen. We had a little more of a "discussion" and a few uncomfortable moments and then it was over, pretty much. But for the most part I had braced myself for the silent treatment, which never came. PTL!!!!!



I had gone in my room to study for my lesson, (I'm teaching at CYC on Friday) and Dak came in and we started discussing something going on at school (totally unrelated to earlier incident). And as I listened and we talked about this issue and looking Scripture up, God started speaking to my heart that this was in answer to my prayer I had prayed that morning. WOW!!! Now I wasn't expecting the answer to be with my son, I see him everyday. But ya know he taught me something through that. The people we are with everyday still need to see Christ is us. My son needed a word from The Word last night. I am so glad that he came and sat on our bed and looked to me to help him. It was a great talk. And it really helped me in the lesson for tomorrow as well. God is Good!!!!!



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Well okay, so now I'm just stalling. I'm trying to get the video downloaded of Dak and Alyssa, but blogger is being a booger. So I'll be back . . . .

Ok so I'm back (many hours later). I hope it works.




Sorry the sound is not great, it's hard to get great sound in a school =)

Jump - N - Jiving!!!!!

No silly -- not me -- I wasn't jumpin' or jivin', but oh the kids were!!!!! HaHa I had you scared for a minute didn't I? You thought I was getting my groove on . . . anyway. . . =)

Last night was "The Showboat Clever Belle" and for those of you who are unfamiliar, let me give you a little background.

We live about 45 mins from Branson, MO and in B-MO there is a working Showboat on Table Rock Lake called "The Showboat Branson Belle". It is a dinner cruise. You go cruising on the lake, all the while eating and watching a show. Just me, it is a good time!!

So at the beginning of this school year our new music teacher asked the kids to be thinking of something they could do for a fundraiser for the choral dept. Well while they were brainstorming, Dak came up with the idea of doing something like the showboat they have in Branson, but calling it "The Showboat Clever Belle" and so it was born. The kids all came up with the idea of having a dessert buffet and having servers (the middle school choir) and the whole thing, all the while entertaining us with their singing and dancing. I have so been looking forward to this night and it did not disappoint!!!

So here he is the emcee for the evening, Dak.
How cute is this kid?!! Just sayin' . . . =)



Here is Alyssa. I just loved this pic with her dress all twirly.
You are a doll sweet Alyssa. (excuse that woman's blonde head in the pic -- it's my mad photography skills and all =) anyway. . .



Here is Dancing Dak -- now he's getting his groove on =-)


Can I just say that Dak has the sweetest girlfriend. She sat with me the whole night and I got to know here a lot better. She is as sweet as she looks.
Oh yeah and speaking of looks, this is the first official picture of the happy sweethearts!!!!!

How cute are these two? I mean seriously. . .



And then to cap the night off, after Dak got home I made asked Dak to take a pic with his mom. And he obliged =)



This night was so fun and I am so proud of the kids. They worked so hard on this. And it is just so heartwarming to see. Another very heartwarming thing to see is how the kids rally around one of their own. We have a girl, who is a senior this year, that is blind. And to watch the kids help her up and down the stairs and help her get into place is just GREAT!!!!!

So that was are very fun and busy night. Hubs didn't get to go because he was camped out on the couch with his sinus medicine and tissues. Sorry babe.

Hope ya'll had a fun evening as well.

Oh yeah I also have a video to post of Dak and Alyssa's duet. What a hoot!! I'll try to get it posted later today or tomorrow.

When you get the answer . . .

So why do we pray? There are a lot of reasons wrapped up in the answer to this question. We pray when we are in need, when we are happy, when we are distraught . . . we pray. But what is the purpose of prayer? To get to know our Father. He desires a relationship with us, and through prayer that relationship is cultivated. How much do you love the Father for that?!!!! He is so AWESOME!!!!!

As most of you know I am using this devotional during my prayer time, and it is wonderful!!



As you can see from these next two pictures, it is in dire need of some book tape.




Yes it is falling apart. But that doesn't bother me, it just means it's used right? Yes that is correct!! =)

I am going to be in need of a new devotional in less than a month though, so if you have any suggestions, please let me know. I am in the market for one -- so-to-speak =)

If you've done one recently or even not so recently and it really touched you and brought you closer to God I'd love to hear about it, so I can check it out . . . thanks.

Now check out what is in the back of this devotional . . .

Now I know that you can not tell what this is, but it has become one of my set of favorite pages in the book, because it is a reflection of my heavenly Father's love -- it is the answer part of this devotional. Yes when I started this devotional, I didn't even realize it had an answer section. When I discovered this, I thought, "okay I'm going to go back and see if prayers have been answered." Do you know what I discovered? Practically everyday that I have written in this book a prayer from that day of intercession has been answered. I am not kidding. It is AMAZING!!!!!

When I started doing this I was so amazed. God is so good and He wants us to taste and see that -- OH YES HE DOES!!!!! And He answers prayers. Many of your names are in this book and in this answered prayers section. Just a couple of examples: Faith and Chad have found a new church home. God lead them to the one He wants them at. How GREAT!! Baby Harper is home!!!!! PTL!!!!! And so many others. I'm praying for lost loved ones and for women who are waiting on a child from the Lord and so many other issues. God is so good!!! I can't say it enough!! I.can.not. He is good!!!!!

So lift those needs to the Lord and watch Him move on your behalf. Because He will child, He so will. Not all the answers have come like I expected, but He keeps reminding Him that what He has for us His children, is so much better than what we could want for ourselves. Thank you Father. His ways are not our ways. Can I get an Amen?!! =)

Well, I'm off to PT and doc's appointments with my mom. And then tonight is "The Showboat Clever Belle" I cannot wait to show ya'll some pics and tell you of our night. Dak is going to rock I tell ya -- totally rock!!!!!

PS Yes I am tweeking the look again. Since I've learned how, the creative juices are just flowing like a river let me tell ya =)

Making it Plain . . .

Don't you just love it when God makes some things in your walk with Him just plain. He makes sure you understand it. I love that. That happened to me this weekend. I often make things MUCH harder than they have to be. Trust me I am Queen at it. Sad really. anyway . . .

This weekend Sky came to stay and Papa, GiGi's and Uncle Dak's, it was just to fun (as ya'll saw in the pictures yesterday, anyway . . . ) Well, when hubs went and picked him up on Friday night he forgot his bed. Well that posed a dilemma for us. Dick said he'd just sleep with us, well that is a problem, because I don't lay still at night -- a whole lot of movement with this knee of mine -- and I knew it would wake Sky up, so I told hubs, I'd just sleep on the couch, no problem. That way little Scoot would get some sleep. So that's what I did.

Well, on Friday night God had me open up the Word and He started explaining some things to me about past hurts in my life. Specifically moments that I'd been humiliated and left feeling very small. He covered those places with the soothing balm of His Word. It was truly beautiful. I was so thankful for Friday night. Yes another wilderness moment where God drew me close and taught me and helped my wounded soul. He is so attentive to His children; to this child. Thank you Lord.

Then on Saturday evening, Dick, Sky and Dak went to bed, so I was here in the living room at night with all very quiet. It is a rare moment that this happens at night. Well, God started teaching me about Moses' experience in the wilderness and how some of the most profound lessons he learned in his life were learned in the wilderness. I'm telling you I was so moved by these Words to my heart. It is such a comfort to me.

Well while I was working on something (which I'll get to in a minute =) God put a Scripture in my heart, and since Sunday was the 15th and the day for our new verse if you are doing The LPM Scripture Memory Team, that got me to thinking. Because I already had the next verses I was going to memorize, in fact, I'd had them for over a week. But I'm telling you God very specifically put these other verses in my mind, so I put both references in my journal and prayed over them and went to bed. Well on Sunday it was time to log them on the site and get them on my note cards, so I put the original verses that I was going to memorize first, but I just couldn't send it, so I erased those and put the verses that God had spoke to my heart Saturday night and I'm so glad I did. As I read them I read one verse further and knew for sure that these were it.

So let me verse recite the verses that I memorized over the last two weeks.

Matthew 21:21-22 "Jesus replied, 'I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt not only will you be able to do what was done to the fig tree, but you also can say to this mountain, 'Go throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.'" (oops it's suppose to say "also you" =)

Here are the Scriptures I will be learning these next two weeks:

Hebrews 12:1-3 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured such opposition by sinful men, so that you will not grow weary or lose heart."

I love these verses and look so forward to having them hid in my heart. Thank you Jesus for always walking with me and illuminating my heart to Your Truth. Amen.

Okay so I have just a few pics to share with you today. This first one is the Valentine's Day card I made for Dick. We are trying not to spend money on things we really don't need, so I decided I'd make his card this year.

This is what I came up with -- complete with an original poem. I love you honey -- you are the best husband in world!!!!!



Okay so these next two pics are what I alluded to earlier in this post . . . do you remember? =) God has really been working in my heart through memorizing Scripture this year and so to help me remember and to have a pretty way to display these verses, and also during this season God has really been opening back up the door to creativity in my life. Oh and I'm just giddy over it!!

So I have started a Faithbook with all of my Scriptures that I'm memorizing this year, scrapbooked on these pages.

So here is a small sampling of what we've (Abba and I) have been up to . . .

Isn't that dragon fly cute? It is a piece of chipboard that you cover yourself. How great is that. It isn't hard and you can make it any color or paper syle you want -- GREAT!!!!!


This is my first page, please enlarge if you'd like a better look.




And then today I thought I'd leave you with a couple of pictures that my hubs e-mailed me from the Hubble Space Telescope. (how funny I just read this over and realized it sounds like my husband is on the HST -- hahaha ) anyway . . . =)

Isn't God's handiwork amazing?!!!!



Check this out -- these pictures were taken in space. These beauties are in our galaxy. AMAZING!!!!!

He sent me 10 pics in all, so maybe I'll share a few more with you. So cool.

Have a super, wonderful afternoon,

What a Weekend!!!

Okay so usually I try to come up with a catchy title, but I'm telling ya, this pretty much sums up our weekend.

So what would a busy weekend be without pictures? Ummmm boring for you, so I took a few =)

First of all, as most of you know, Friday night was Homecoming, complete with girlfriend and dance for Dak. I was suppose to have pics of him in his car driving away to pick up his girl and then hopefully pictures of him and his girl, but it didn't work out that way. He ended up having to take our car, because his is having an issue with the switch. The key doesn't want to come out easy, so hubs is going to have to fix that as well. Again, so glad he works on our cars. Thanks honey, you are the best!!!!!

It also was a very bittersweet homecoming for Carly, Dak's girlfriend. After school she had gone to visit her grandmother. Dak picked her up a little later than originally planned so she could spend some time with her. While they were at the dance her grandmother passed away. Our thoughts and prayers are so with them. It is very sad. But we are soooooo glad she saw her just hours before she went home. Bittersweet indeed.



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Remember last week when Dak went to school on Blackout Day with the black mustache etc. well this was what he came home with on Friday . . .

Yep he won for Blackout Day . . . YAY Go Dak!!!!! Now seriously should anyone have this much chocolate? Just saying. . .


Well Little Scoot came to see us this weekend, YAY!!!
And if he is not the cutest thing ever!!
Here he is looking adorably cute -- little booger =)


Okay so this would be an action shot -- yes that is me on the floor and yes that is Sky with his mouth to my ear. What is he doing you might ask? SCREAMING!!!!! Yes laughing and screaming!!!!! It was a hoot!!!

And here I am trying to recover and he is trying to help. So sweet my itty bitty. . . so sweet indeed.

Ahhh!!!!!

And here he is showing Gigi a little love. Okay or grabbing my lips and squezzing and squelling . . whichever it's all good =) (Oh yes notice the green ribbon from last weekend? Yep still a fav!!)

Okay so this one, if you can't see it you must click on it and enlarge it.

"Hey GiGi look out below!!!!!" Ummm yes that is drool coming out of Scoot's mouth, and umm yes that would be me that he is laying on. You know the rest . . . .

Oh yes and this is his newest trick -- -- hair pulling. Yes he has definitely found my hair. owwee!!

Okay and yes this is a blurry one, but thought you might enjoy the hairdo that Sky fixed for Gigi. Great. Thanks Kiddo!!! =)

So that has been our weekend so far. We have a busy fun week coming up. Can't wait to share some of the fun that will be going on.

Tomorrow I'll be posting my Scripture for Memory Team. God is so good. I'll share more of that story tomorrow.

Love and hugs to you,

Going Through . . .

The last several weeks have been weeks of trial and growth for me. This knee just refuses to cooperate with us. But I am making it a matter of prayer and letting God lead me.

As this has certainly been a difficult time, it is also a time of growth, one that I feel very blessed to have. But what am I learning exactly?

I am learning to trust. Trust in the One who is ALWAYS faithful!!!

God has made it very clear to both me and my husband that I am currently in the wilderness. Do ya'll know what I mean? I'm not talking about punishment, I'm talking about a going through.

If you will recall in Exodus, Moses lead the people out of Egypt and into the wilderness. It was necessary for them to go through the wilderness to get to the Promised Land. It was on the way, if you will. What wasn't necessary for them was the amount of time they spent in the wilderness. Their complaining, grumbling, idol worship, and relative bad behavior took them on a 40 YEAR journey around the same mountain. YIKES!!!

Sometimes the Wilderness gets a bad rap. Often times it is linked with disobedience and punishment, when in all actuality it is a necessary journey of growth.

The knee was progressing nicely. You will remember that I even got to get out for a walk and I'd been progressing in PT. Things were going well. And then the set backs started. There has been much limitations and pain with the set backs, but I have been gaining this incredible faith that all is okay.

God has been revealing to me that during this time of wilderness traveling, I do not have to just be wandering around aimlessly, I need to trust and stay focused on Him and He will direct my path through this season. He is calling me to quiet and calm and rest in Him.

Now I know, ya'll are probably thinking, go on with that plan girl. But here is the problem for me. I am a doer. (I know huge shock to some of ya'll =) I do not like to sit. Not even to like watch a movie. I like to be moving and getting things done. I've just always kind of been that way for the most part. (Okay I do have my lazy moments, but for the most part . . . you get the picture . . . anyway . . . ) So God, calling me to rest is no easy feat, but I know it is necessary. For some reason God is allowing these set backs, and I know that at least part of that reason is so He can take me to a deeper place in Him.

So the wilderness is a going through for me. Not a staying still and certainly not a monotonous trip around the same mountain for 40 years!!! I want to move forward in God and not around God!!!

I have much more to share with you and many more of the specifics of this wilderness journey and I will be sharing glimpses of this journey with you soon. This afternoon I will be sitting in His Presence and basking in the glow of this time. It is precious and sweet to me. That God would want to draw me so close and help me to know Him more is truly astounding to me. And an offer I will not refuse.

So thank you so much for all the nice comments and prayers that ya'll send out and up for me and our family. They are more appreciated than you know.

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I just wanted to let you know that this weekend looks like it will be so much fun for Dak. His car is up and running with tags, so he is ready to go. (I'm going to surprise him and pick him up at school today in his car -- how fun is that? I know -- too cool!!!!!) anyway . . . I will be taking pics for ya'll. And also Homecoming game and dance is tonight and Valentines Day tomorrow. His first with an actual girlfriend. How fun and exciting for him!!!

I hope each and every one of you have a wonderful weekend. Have fun hanging out with your sweetie. Hug them a little tighter and tell them what they mean to you.

Scoot is coming this weekend -- YAY!!!!! Can't wait to get my hands on this little booger!!

Have a Blessed weekend,

Where in the Wide World am I?

Well I would so like to say that I have been hanging out in the mountains hiking with my fam, but in reality I have been here in good ole C, MO hanging out. I have been a bad blogger this week, which quite frankly is unlike me. I really like posting daily, but this week, well I have been a slacker =)

I've had a VERY busy week. Dak got sick and I had to take him to see the Doc yesterday and yes he has another sinus infection; the second in a month.

And Dick got Dak's car fixed this week, so I need to get it tagged and all that stuff, so I've been busy trying to get that done. We've had mom's car because it broke down last week, so Dick's had to get it fixed to, which he has. So now we just need to get it back to her. Man I'm glad hubs can work on our cars. He saves us a bundle!!!!!

And then there is this knee of mine. There is much to say, but I will just say for now, that it is having a REALLY bad day. I had PT this morning and we did a little stretching and stem and ice. That's it!! What?!! I know. Bummed me out. But the swelling and pain are back, so I'm back to taking it extremely easy and trying to not get upset. It is a bummer (did I say that already? anyway. . .)

I actually have a post that I so want to get down, but I can't right now. I need to go get a few groceries put away and get this knee up so maybe the swelling will go down and we can start exercising again. But hopefully tomorrow will be a slower day for me. I have so much to share with ya'll. God has so been showing up!!!!! YAY!!!!!

Have a Blessed evening,
Dawn

Black Out -- Teenage Style!!!

If you follow this blog you know that I am the mom of a much loved teenager Dak.

He never ceases to come up with stuff that makes me laugh or surprises me, and this morning I got a dose of both: humor and surprise -- both good in this case =)

He got up a little early and said today was black-out day at school. Ummmmm okay, I'll bite . . . what's black out day Dak?

Well this week is Spirit week because Friday is Homecoming, so every day they have a different theme and today's is black-out. This is a new one on me. We've had in the past, hat day, pajama day, mixed-up day (ya know pants and shirts on backwards, shoes on the wrong feet, you get the idea =) crazy hair day etc. but NEVER black out day.

Apparently black out day is just that, you wear all black. Simple enough right?

So Dak, gets his black dress pants, and black dress shoes, and I'm having visions of my very cute son looking all dapper today in all dress clothes -- ummm hello, do I know this child at all? Ummm yes I do, it was a moment of daydreaming bliss =) I digress . . . anyway. . . .

So he comes out from the shower, in yes, his black dress pants and shoes with his black ninja monkey t-shirt on . . . no not even kidding . . .
see what I mean?!!?

It says, "Be nice to me or I'll sic my ninja monkeys on you."

Nice son. . . real nice.

anyway . . .

Then he asks if I have any of that makeup that goes under your eyes? Ya know like the football players wear. Okay because yeah I keep that around for all of the football games I play with my beloved Nebraska team in the back yard =)

So of course I said . . . uhhhh no. Does that deter the child, oh no NOT AT ALL!!!!! HE IS NOT TO BE DETERRED!!!!! So he says, do you have any eyeliner? Ummm yes, yes I do. GREAT!!! So here I am, naively thinking that the eyeliner will be made for the black under his eyes and all is good, but ummmm. . .

Well just take a look at what came out of the bathroom . . .

Why yes that is a mustache, curly handle-bar style and a gotee.

Son, for the love of all things wild and wonderful, if you don't crack me right on up!!!!!

So yes, just to clear things up, he did go to school just like this, DETERMINED to win Spirit day today. Apparently the best show of Spirit for the day wins. GO DAK!!!!! YOU GET MY VOTE!!!!!

So go have a rockin' good day!!!!!

Smack Down -- Baby Style!!

Yes as I alluded to on Friday, Scoot did come and hang out with us this weekend. D & D just left to take him home. sniff. But what a weekend we had with the little guy!!!

So I have a whole slew (funny word =) of pics for your viewing pleasure. So please sit back and enjoy our little baby . . . umm who possibly could be turning climbing-wrestler . . .

So here he is with his Grandpa playing tug-of-war with a ribbon. He loves anything string. In fact his mama walks around with a string on her neck just for him to play with. She is such a good mama.

So when Dick told me this, I went to looking. And I found ribbon and other various and sundry things to put around ones neck. I even found this duck call thing that I got at "The Ducks" (a totally different story for another day - but a fun one =) but the duck call liked to scared him right out of his diaper, so we didn't play with that one.

So here is Sky playing tug-of-war with Grandpa.



Sky has had a terrible cold and ear infection. He had to go to the ER this week, so you can see in his eyes he doesn't feel very good. But even so, he was still a happy baby.

He is such a sweetie!!



Hey Sky do your sweats say Nebraska on them?
Oh yes you are Grandma's boy!!! Go Huskers!!




He loves to stand at the back of the couch and chew on the leather.
So funny this kid. I love to see him standing there. He is so cute!!!!!




I cannot resist this face. Yes you could have a piece of cake with an extra scoop of ice cream, if you were big enough to eat such things =)

So now on to the Smack Down portion of this post.

Dak loves to get on the floor with Sky and wrestle and play.
Here Sky is choking him . . submit . . submit

No . . No. . . I won't go down . . .

Oh yes you will!!

Sweet victory for Sky!!!

Dak is such a ham!!!!! I love it that he plays so all out with Sky. So sweet.

Well that was our weekend in a nutshell. Hope yours has been a good one too.

The knee is doing better. YAY!!!!! I was able to work it out, a little today with help. And the swelling is way down today. Double YAY!!!!!