Watching

Did anyone watch the premiere of Biggest Loser?

I DVR'd it so I could fast forward the commercials. I got so much more done and it is just faster!! I love whomever created the DVR and as my friends told me it would...it has revolutionized the way we watch TV.

But Biggest Loser was very depressing last night. Bryan was in the office studying for his P.E. exam and I went in there crying and telling him I just couldn't watch it anymore. He just shook his head!! I think he thinks I'm a little odd! But he did marry me so what does that say about him!! :-)

My heart hurts for Abby and her loss.

By the way, when I told Bryan Abby's story, he was more sympathetic.

Because we are considering adopting through the foster care system in OK, my heart also went out to Shay who was in foster care until she was 18.

I also liked the kindness Allen showed to Abby by picking her as his partner. I think they will make a great team.

So....I'm just not sure who I am pulling for.

What about you? Who do you want to win this season?

Today I also watched this movie.

I had been wanting to see it for a while but it's not Bryan's "kind of movie." I think it is a cute movie. A great girl movie!! Sadly, she reminded me of myself when I was in management at the mortgage company. I'm so glad I'm out of that!! And I think I have change quite a bit since then!!

Then, this Thursday one of our favorite shows premieres: THE OFFICE !!!!!!!Thank goodness again for the DVR. I have book club and Bryan has agreed to wait to watch it until I get home!!

What are you watching?

Birthdays

Earlier, in the later part of August (is that grammatically correct? Did I spell grammatically correctly?) I got to tag along with my sister, my niece, and her friends, while they celebrated my niece's 12th Birthday out on the town. We went to the movie:

It had been years since I had watched a movie in 3-D!! Very neat!!

And then we went to dinner at Abuelos's:

My niece Rachel in the middle with her 2 friends. Amazingly all 3 girls were 12!!! The size difference just cracked me up all evening long!

My sister, Jennifer, and I:

We celebrated Jesse's 1st Birthday at his house with his parents this past Saturday. He has really grown!!

I thought they picked out a really cute cake!

Jesse sure seemed to enjoy the cake too!

Bryan and I are going down to Ada this coming weekend and will miss my nephew's 3 Year Old Birthday party so we took Jackson, his mom, and my parents to Chuck E Cheese Tuesday night. I had not been to Chuck E Cheese since I was 5!!! Jackson seemed to really like it. I'm so thankful we got the minimum number of tokens in a package. It took Jackson forever to "spend" the tokens. He was just so engrossed in watching everyone else.

Does anyone else have a birthday I need to attend !!!!

For Such a Time As This

Near the end of August I attended the Women's Conference at Emmaus with the theme of "For Such A Time as This." As always (it seems like for the past several months), I'm behind on blogging about it.

The decorations on the tables. I thought they were cute and went well with the theme.







One of the ladies made this wood cut out. I thought "she" was darling!!

Some of my friends led the group of ladies in Worship.

Amber Ivy, Amy Hillis, Julie Fletcher, and Betsy Vaughn on the keyboard (you can't see her).

I wanted to get a picture of them leading worship but I was afraid it would be too distracting. Instead I had them pose while they were practicing. Also pictured is Emmaus's Worship Minister, Joe Kellogg. He was one of a few men present at the conference. No wonder he made this pose!! :-)

The ladies did a great job. Sometimes I am so easily distracted with what is going on around me. But on this night, I closed my eyes or focused on the screen. I was able to truly worship and sing to my God. I appreciate them leading. The only thing....I feel bad for the folks in front of me since I am tone death (according to Bryan) and I know I must have sounded awful!! Music can be so soothing to me. I just wished I was talented enough to make a soothing noise!!

In one breakout session, a sweet godly woman whom I love and admire, Earlene Mays, shared this acronym:

P-R-A-I-S-E

P=Pray at all times Colossians 4:2 Jeremiah 33:3

R=Read the Word

A=Adore Him Psalm 37:4

I=Inspect your life. Confess sin

S=Surrender & Serve

E=Endure & Encourage

It amazes me how God can "speak" to each of us in different ways. I attended my friend Erin Anderson's breakout session on motherhood called "Timeout for Moms"; thinking I would use some of her insights at a later time when I am a mother. Erin shared Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Erin shared how some translations read "Cease striving." I'm sure this verse spoke to several women from the mothering perspective. But it spoke to me in such a different way. Bryan and I are in the midst of several important decisions. This verse has shown me that perhaps God is moving me into a position which will cause me to cease striving regardless of what I may want for myself. I think sometimes God will purposefully put us into a situation to bring us to a point of learning and closeness to Him. He removes "stuff" from our lives in order to hear Him and know Him more.

Erin is a great mother of 3 handsome boys and a huge example for me to look up to. She has the sweetest, gentlest countenance and she is so sensitive to the Holy Spirit. I was able to get a quick picture of her in motion before she started.

Erin is my friend who also opens up her home to ladies and mothers one Thursday night a month. She is so giving! In fact we have Ladies Night this very Thursday!! I am looking forward to it.