Wonderful Summer

I've decided that this is the most important summer I have ever had. When I wasn't commiserating over the pain in my knees I was spending time with my husband, my children, my friends and family.

Above is Scott throwing the first pitch at the Round Rock Express baseball game. Mom, Larry, Paul, Justin, Jacob, Deb, Craig, Larissa, Nathan, Tabitha and Annalisa were there to cheer Scott on.

Every Friday the ladies of our life group get together to eat. I was able to get together with Lori in New Braunfels. The fellowship of Christian ladies has been wonderful.

I loved going to Marble Falls with Paul...every walk, every quiet moment, every talk was time well spent. I love taking Jacob shopping. This child lives life like he feels it should be spent never criticizing others for making different choices.

My oldest two children have made me proud in their adult decisions. Justin loving college and Chelsea working steadily at her job making sure she can pay her bills.

Justin, Chelsea and I have many opportunities to sit, talk, and have laughs together.

This had been a wonderful summer.

I release you

Prayer for Chelsea

Thank you Lord for Your many promises of protection. You have kept Chelsea safe from accidents, disease, and injury. I now ask for your help to release her to adulthood knowing that she has morals and values embedded in her heart. Help me not to hold on and stop her from growing in her ability to make independent decisions. Give her a vision for her life when setting goals. Help her to see herself as You do--from her future and not from her past. Teach her to look to You as her hope for the future.

In Him I pray.

Summer!!

I've got a few things started that I wanted to get done this summer. I've got about 5 weeks left which should be plenty if not too much time. Without a schedule things are taking much longer than they normally would. Example: Woke up this morning at 8! I had already missed Fox and Friends, but continued on. I worked on the pillow I am making with Dad's neckties, and I studied for the Reading Specialty test then I got in the hot tub to relax--now 11:00. By 12:30 I did finally get dressed for the day. I am loving unscheduled days. Here is the pillow so far. With the amount of ties dad had, I could make 4 or 5 pillows, if I have the stamina.

Taking it slow

I've had 3 weeks since school ended. I've had time to relax, read, and catch up with stuff that life throws us when we REALLY don't want to accept it. Now, refreshed, I can get on with my summer. I have 2 weeks before my ethics class starts, and then 4 weeks after that the Masters degree will be finished! The sun is shining, the grass is green, there are new exciting units of study to plan for, crafts to create, and places to explore.

Going through dad's things last week, I got a whole box of ties to make something out of. I know there is a craft in there somewhere. I have all these great ideas that I want to plan for next year. I am not positive which grade I will teach, but I want to start the planning process.

Oh the places we go.

The year 2020

Instead of getting the grant written up for my graduate class, or doing laundry, or washing dishes, or planning for VBS next week, I thought I would purge myself of the thoughts creating this headache that is keeping me from being productive.

I am at a good place right now. I love my husband and children more than life itself and they know that. I also have a career that I love.

The problem is not letting all the stresses keep me from appreciating what I have. Yes, I feel I need to look for a more stable job. Yes, I wish Chelsea was more stable. Jacob is going to highschool. Justin is going to study in France. Both are scary for me. I don't think my children are worried. I hope not. I pray they are able to function without the anxiety that I seem to create for myself.

I have decided to put myself in the mode of looking toward the year 2020. I find tomorrow unpredictable, next year unpredictable, but somehow 2020 looks very good. I see myself teaching and should have found my stable job by then, the kids will have all moved out and found their paths by then and it will be me and Paul enjoying life.

Yes, life is good in 2020.

Onward and Upward

I've been in a constant whirl wind of learning since I started my master's degree in 2008. I think I am just about ready to stop--seriously just not have to think anymore yet here I am typing away trying to get all my thinking documented.

The days seem to be filled with trying to figure out life: how to enhance others lives and refine our own lives. It would be nice to wake up, look in the mirror, and confidently know that God is leading the day. There are days that I do that. Then there are days that I wake up sure of the fact that without a conscience effort to bless others with my speech that I will drain others of their confidence. There are so many forces in the environment that impact how we react to the world.

May the positives propel us forward and the negatives not get us down. Onward and upward.

Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what if doesn't have. Love trusts God always. Love looks for the best. Love never looks back, but keeps going to the end.

Covey: Understand what others are saying before seeking to be understood.