Blog Break

Ok....I am sad to say, that as much as I enjoy my blog time, I need to hang it up for a bit. My life has quickly overtaken me, and I can't seem to keep up as well as I would like. The kids have started school, I have started work, the kids are doing Junior Bible Quiz, and kids praise team, I am hosting a small group and I am singing in the choir. I don't think I forgot anything except for PTA and trying to take care of 3 kids, a husband and a dog. So, for now, I must take a break, and try to order things so I can fit the time in. I hate to do it, but my sanity is on the line.....goodbye, for now!

God bless all of you who have taken the time out of your schedules to read my posts....

Invasion - Finally!

So, I have been not blogging a whole lot here lately. I think I need to cut back to once or twice a week. I am now working part time, the kids have all started school, and I am still on a roller coaster ride with my emotions. In all reality, we have done A LOT in the 2 months we've lived here. TWO months....that's it!! It's crazy to me that it's only been that short a time. We have dived into life here full steam ahead in that short time period.

Anyway, so Invasion week. This was a totally transforming week for me. First of all, I got recruited to help coach the softball team for Mega Sports Camp. That was so much fun! A huge stretch for me, but TONS of fun! I also enjoyed getting to know my partner in crime better....I made a new, good friend!

So, Invasion.....our church, and the teens who came from across the bay, totally touched our city, and it won't ever be the same again! Praise God! The entire week is outreach driven, focused and fueled! Topped off with amazing services in the evenings, and it made for an exhausting, transforming time in my life! I had the privilege of singing on the worship team for the services, and being able to be there for every one of them....including the one at the beach! I have never, in my entire life, seen teens go so hard after God, and serve Him with so much passion! After hearing some of their stories, I can see why they do....God has pulled them out of the pit, and they are grateful, and want the same thing for everyone they know, and don't know!

There were multiple outreaches going on around the city of Mobile for 4 days straight, and every teen was involved in every outreach, every day. It was such an awesome opportunity for them to learn to reach out to the city while they are young, so they're not as afraid to do it when they get older. Fear stops us from doing way too many things!

I need to give a shout out to my Music Man here for a second....he led youth worship, hard-core worship, for the first time ever, and he was amazing! (the only picture I have of him from that week was the beach worship, which he did not lead and I did not sing) He totally led those kids into the presence of God, and created an atmosphere that they could relate to and get lost in the presence of God in. He was awesome! (Today is also his birthday.....happy birthday honey!)

I feel like I am rambling here....my brain is short circuiting...I need to try to get some down time and then try to revisit this.....

So, I'll leave you with a snap shot of my kids on the first day of school. I feel as though I am consumed by this stark routine change....and need to come up for air! The lazy days of summer are surely over....

Meet Smooter

We adopted a new member of the family this past Wednesday. Her name is Smooter....(as in, Melanie Smooter from Sweet Home Alabama). She is such a precious puppy! We got her from the Mobile Humane Society, and it was a much harder job to pick out a puppy than I ever thought it would be....

Smooter was one of a litter of 3 that was found on the side of the road. Her brother and sister were just as adorable as she is, and equally as sweet. We chose Smooter because she has some awesome markings. I don't know how well you can see from these pictures, but she has some pink on either side of her nose, her ears are trimmed in white, she has a teardrop on the top of her head, and her spots on her back are different shades of brown.

She is only 11 weeks old, which means we are responsible for her last round of shots (yay), but we couldn't leave her and risk her being adopted by someone else! She is just too precious! As for breed, they are not 100% sure, but there is for sure some type of hound in her, and some lab. This will be the biggest dog I've ever owned one day!

So, my grandmother called me a glutton for punishment....I don't know why....we got a new puppy, my brother in law is in for a visit, the kids start school Monday, I start work (part time) Monday, and I am painting the bathroom. Why do I do these things to myself??

Birthday Month

August in our house brings lots of celebration! We have 3 August babies in our family of 5! My MusicMan is first, followed by my Gidder, and then Libby-bibby! We also entered into a church family that is full of August birthdays too!

We used to do separate parties for each August birthday, but that's just not practical anymore. So, we have changed to one blowout bash for all 3 birthday babies! (sorry MusicMan, but you're still your Mama's baby!)

This year will prove to be interesting, as far as the birthdays go. We are in a new state, with no family, and all new friends. Also, the kids start school this Monday....this will be the first year they will be in school for their birthdays. I have no idea HOW we're gonna celebrate this year! But one thing I do know, I am thankful for my August babies! I am so blessed!

Beach Day

Well....we made it to the beach! It was such an awesome day with my little family. I don't think we've ever gone to the beach before, just the 5 of us, and we had a great day! It was super-hot, another record-breaking day of heat in Alabama, but we enjoyed it so much. I was being silly in this picture, and I kinda like the way it turned out!

The kids spent a lot of time hunting for hermit crabs, and then laboring over the one they would bring home with them. I don't think I'll ever learn my lesson on that one! Then they freed all of the ones they decided not to keep. Libby made a new friend, and Jon and I got some down time. 

The water was awesome, and the fishies were swimming like crazy! We had no shark sightings, so it was a great day! 

So, hopefully tomorrow I can get some real thoughts on paper, and blog about my amazing week....and also start painting my bathroom! Hope everyone had as good a Monday as we did!

Busy, busy

Well, it looks like there's a lot of busy happening around me....but I'm getting a break here this week. I have so much to share, but I am too fried to try to do it right now. Let me get some rest at the beach tomorrow (YAY), and then I will be ready to write away!! Our church had Invasion week this past week, and I can't wait to share all about it....it's the reason I'm so tired right now, but it's such a good tired, and a city has been transformed!

Be blessed, and share with you soon!

Why I Blog

(Disclaimer: the picture above has nothing to do with the content of my post, I just really like it and miss my Smitty, so I wanted to share it. Sorry for any confusion this may cause you....I'm not always rational!)

So, I wanted to explain why I decided to blog. Many people who hear I have a blog look at me like I have 10 heads.....so, I wanted to let you in on why I decided to do this in the first place.

Let me first say, I have always loved to write! I had always thought I would write a book someday.....don't know about that now, but I've had many starts throughout my lifetime. Some good, and some, well, ugh. So, I enjoy expressing myself through writing.

Now, the idea to blog had come to me several times, and I usually dismissed it. But, when we entered "The Big Transition", I needed a voice! The way things happened, I was left without one. No one asked my opinion, or how I felt, or what was going on with me (except for my Music Man, he was very tender towards me and my feelings). So, I needed an outlet....the great cyber-space where I could scream, rant, rave and vent all I needed to! Well, when I sat down to type, I couldn't vent like I wanted, but it came out different, and better. And so, my blog was born.

I started seeing a bigger purpose for my blog. All my life, I have felt like I was alone in the way I thought, felt and expressed myself. I thought that I was weird, and no one could or should  feel or think the way I do. Then, I started forming grown up relationships, and deep friendships, and found out that I was much more normal than I thought, and not so alone. So, out of that realization came my title....

People want connection. That is without a doubt, 100% true, whether anyone wants to admit it or not. People want to feel like they can relate to someone, in any area of their life. This is the great thing about blogging. You feel connected. You feel like you are a part of something that makes sense. You can relate to life, when it's shared, and when it's real. I like that about blogging.

Now, on a personal conviction/calling level, I want to be encouraging. I want people to be able to read my posts and think she went through it, I can too. Or, I've been there, and I can get victory from that. Or, I'm not alone in thinking this way, there's someone out there that thinks the same thing. You know, things like that.

I have also always had big dreams for my life. I feel now that I am in a place where God is going to bring them to pass. I have always felt like I was supposed to do something big, lasting and meaningful with my life. (I thought that meant doctor, until I took my first college level biology course and almost failed it because of the labs - yuck!) I have had visions of myself speaking to thousands of people, and bringing hope, and comfort, and vision, and life. I had always thought that everyone had those visions of themselves, and then found out that most people don't. Then I struggled with, is this a pride issue, but realized it's not. I do not feel like I deserve to do what I feel driven to do, nor do I feel like I would be the best one. I just know there's something in me screaming to get out, and it won't go away. So, for now, I wait, and I write. I enjoy sharing my life, and my hopes and dreams, and even my disappointments with my readers. If one person is touched....it's worth it. That is what I pray when I write.

So, this is my starting point. This is where I pray that someone will read and feel a little bit better about themselves. This is where I hope to connect with people that will also encourage me, as many of you who read my posts have already. This is why I blog! Why did you choose to blog?