Crazy Days

I've been wanting to post some of this but I also wanted to participate in the favorite room blog at Kelly's Korner.

Do you ever just have several days in a row that are just crazy--busy, hectic, confusing, tiring, laborsome? Where you feel like you go and go and wonder...Am I ever going to get ahead? Will I be able to rest again? It's just been an odd 3 days for me. Here goes...

Wednesday
I am having family at my house on Friday night and then we are having 25-30 people at our house on Saturday for Katie's 8th Birthday celebration. Katie is my cousin's step daughter. Right now, Eric is stationed in Maryland so we volunteered our house and Bryan's grilling services to help out Whitney and make sure Katie had a party. I worked on my list of to do and to buy items all day.

I decided I wouldn't go to church that night but instead I would stay home and get the house cleaned, the deep cleaning kind of cleaning. I had to do it on Wednesday because I needed to get the yard ready on Thursday. I had told Bryan I would focus on everything because he needed to prepare his Sunday School lesson before this weekend since we were booked up. DO NOT SKIP CHURCH TO CLEAN YOUR HOUSE!!! At about 7:00 Wednesday night I had major stomach/digestive issues and I was in the bathroom at least 4 times in 45 minutes. I was miserable!!!!!! I didn't get finished cleaning until after 11:00 and went to bed around 12:00 Midnight!!!!

Thursday
Such a very tiring day....I left work early (3:45 pm) and did the following
1. Went to bank, deposited check, and got cash.
2. Went to Academy to buy a shirt I had seen but decided I didn't like so I left without anything.
3. Went to jewelry store to buy the present for my cousin who is turning 30 on June 4th.
4. Stopped by a sno cone stand. This was one I hadn't tried before. I ordered a Margarita sno cone with extra sour. The girl was younger than I was, had a yucky piercing, and looked at me like I was from outer space!! I felt very very old.
5. I was talking to my older sister Jennifer when I drove away from the sno cone stand and I barely missed a man in a wheel chair wheeling through the parking lot!! Scared me to death!! I decided to cut the call shorter.
6. Went to Wal-mart to pick up some additional flowers for the deck and two plastic chairs. Paid for everything and realized once I got to the car, one of the chairs was cracked so I had to go back in and get another one. On top of this it felt like it was 110 degrees!! I haven't grown accustomed to the warmer weather.
7. Stopped by a child's clothing store to pick up a present for Katie. I didn't like anything I saw and felt some of the items were slightly inappropriate for an 8 year old.
8. Went to JCPenney's and bought Katie a birthday present.
9. Drove through drive thru at Taco Bell and ordered a bean burrito, no onions with extra red sauce. I asked the clerk if they had sweat tea and he said "Let me make sure we have some made." 7 seconds later. "Yes we do" So I ordered a sweat tea. Do you know what I got. Bean burrito with NO extra red sauce and unsweet tea. I didn't take it back because I had to get home and start on the yard. For future reference...DO NOT MESS WITH MY BEAN BURRITOS AND SWEET TEA!!!! It is not a joking matter! :)
10. Mowed and trimmed the front yard.
11. Put down remaining mulch.
12. Swept entry and sidewalk
13. Washed front windows and front storm door.
14. Watered flowers
15. Began mowing the back yard. I wanted to bag it but it kept getting clogged. I ended up having to leave 1/3 of it undone and Bryan said he would finish it tonight before cooking the steaks. Very frustrating!!! I trimmed the back yard but I had to change the string at least 15 times. I promise I don't think I'm exaggerating. I just could not do the back yard right. I lost it. I was frustrated. I wanted to get everything done and not carry anything over to Friday. Bryan found me on the deck in the dark crying. I was physically and mentally worn out. I just wanted to get things done!!!
16. Took a very long shower and shrubbed my legs and toes. They were nearly stained green!!!
17. Went to bed!!!!!

Friday
1. I woke up, wide awake, at 2:30 am this morning and I've been up every sense then!!! I nearly broke down and bought a Monster energy drink on the way to work this morning but I didn't!!!
2. After I couldn't get back to sleep I went into the office (at home) at 3:00 am and put photos in my album. The good thing about waking up so early is you get a few things done. I even journaled a little in the albums.
3. While driving to work I encountered a rude driver. While I was driving down a city street I put on my blinker (promise I did), looked behind me (promise I did), saw a white mazda behind me, and switched lanes. I am completely truthful in saying there was plenty of room between me and the mazda. The driver honked at me ever so rudely. There was no need to honk so loudly and I mean she was laying on her horn. It hurt my feelings especially in my fragile, tired state! A little further down the road I wanted to get back over. Apparently I didn't get over fast enough and the same white mazda laid on her horn again!!! I just couldn't figure out what she had against me. I politely got over and never looked to my side when she drove by. Funny thing was we each took 2 separate routes to get onto the interstate and guess what......I got on the interstate first!!! So Ha Ha to you white Mazda in Oklahoma!!!
4. I have to go home and make 28 hamburger patties!!!!
It just seemed like in nearly everything I did, I ran up against some snags! Uggghhhh!!!!

My Favorite Room / My Favorite Things

A very special blogger friend, Kelly, is doing a wonderful post!! We are to post pictures of our favorite room in our house. Check out her Wednesday May 28th blog for tons of wonderful other bloggers and their favorite rooms.

I do not have a favorite room in our house yet because all of our rooms and even our house is a work in progress. Right now, Bryan's focus has been on trying to get the vinyl siding complete (he is doing it himself) so we have not updated anything on the inside. Hopefully this winter. The two rooms that I like most are my bedroom and the living room. I posted pictures of them as well as some of the items in the rooms that make them special. I hope you enjoy

This is our bedroom looking from the master bathroom. It's very tiny but I love our bed. We've only had it for about 2 years and I just bought new bedding and curtains this year. I saved and saved and saved to get just what I wanted instead of settling.



The bear with the "B" came with some cologne I bought Bryan for Christmas one year. He wears Burberry. I kept it since obviously his name starts with a B.
I worked very hard picking out these curtains, and I love the color. I need to get a different curtain rod, but I had already hit my budget with these curtains. The sales associate was very helpful. I kept asking her what she thought...should I go with a valence or should I have something longer. I wanted to make sure they matched the bed skirt. I don't think she really cared. I think she just wanted me to make a purchase and quit taking up her time.

My night stand and a close up of the books I'm reading. I have a HORRIBLE habit of starting several books at one time. No wonder I'm so scatter brained. Everything runs together.

This cross and picture are also in our bedroom. I got them both at Affair of An Affair of the Heart. When my life gets hectic, I get tired, and I just need to think I often lay on my bed and gaze at these. They help me put things in a better perspective.
Our master bathroom (very little) is done in animal print. This is actually a quilt rack I bought but I think it fits well in our (my) bathroom.I bought this plaque (not sure what to call it) with my niece Kayla last Fall when Bryan and I were really focusing on trying to start a family. Kayla helped me pick it out. I told her I wanted to hang it right outside our room so each time we walked out the bedroom door we would see it and be reminded to BELIEVE God will give us a family. Although it did not occur the way we had hoped, I have left this up and we still BELIEVE God will give us a child.

Here are some pictures of our living room. This is still a room in progress (we need to carpet and paint and tile). I had a garage sale and saved up for the new couch and love seat.Looking into the living room from the hallway. The next picture is looking from our eating area.
My father-in-law bought this old dresser for me and re-finished it. They gave it to me as part of my graduation present from college. It sits in our entry way. I'm very proud and honored to have it. He also bought this cedar chest and re-finished it as well. They gave it to me for Christmas the year before Bryan and I married.

The glass jar with cross top is filled with the flowers family and friends sent to us after our last tubal pregnancy. I wanted to somehow keep them as a reminder of our friends and their love and God's goodness. I have another one in our kitchen.

The yellow roses and purple flowers came in a huge bouquet from Bryan's co-workers. This bouquet alone filled up one jar.

This is one of my favorite walls in our living room. It is right above the cedar chest. I need reminders of faith, hope, love, joy, and peace surrounding me.

This next picture is a quilt rack that is in our entry opposite of the antique dresser. These quilts are very special to me. The one on the left was made by my great-great-grandma and my great grandma on my mother's side. The one in the middle was made by my Poppy's mother. I never got to meet her. Granny gave me this quilt after Poppy died. It is very special to me.

I bought these blocks at Affair of the Heart as well. My dear friend Kristine gave me the bear and because she gave it to me and it has the OU sweater on, I cannot put it away out of sight!!!! Actually, everything on this shelf has special meaning but I will not take up space with the details now.

This picture and vase sit on top of our entertainment center. The vase holds the roses Bryan sent to me for our 10 year Wedding Anniversary.

Lastly, I love old white pitchers. I have collected several over the years and due to space limitations I have quit collecting them. Here is my collection. Excuse the border. It was in the house when we bought it. I'm not a huge wallpaper fan (If I had anything I'd rather it be stencil so if I changed my mind I could paint over it). I hope I didn't offend anyone who loves wall paper. It is pretty in homes but it isn't my personal first choice.

I included way more than I intended but I didn't know where/when to stop. I'm sorry if I bored you. My house is not the newest, it isn't the biggest, and it isn't the fanciest. But God has provided a home we can easily afford and we are looking forward to making the upgrades and perhaps selling it in 3-4 years.

Have a great weekend.

Prayer Request for Super Summer

Kristine Young is a very very dear friend of mine. Her husband, Jeron, is the Youth Minister at our church. Together, they are doing a fabulous job. Their heart of service is a huge example to Bryan and I. They have influenced us tremendously. We are so blessed each time we get together (by the way I had my first sno cone of the season with Mr. and Mrs. Young. I guess they are to blame for the addiction!!) She sent me an email today and included this request. I asked her if I could share it with all of you because I knew you would pray. Super Summer is this coming week. I understand it is a huge leadership function for the youth at Oklahoma Baptist University. Part of her email is below and are in italics.

will be gone Saturday through Friday----I will be a team leader "mom" for a group of 7-12 students--leading discussions, prayer time, etc---Jeron is an assistant dean---which means he will be helping with the different ins and outs of the school he is in throughout the week--he will also be teaching three times during the week-----please please please pray for our students---this is a leadership camp---we have some great students going---and some that are potential leaders---we desperately need these leaders--and we need their passion for God to spread like wildfire-----in their own hearts and throughout this ministry---and our church-----
Please pray for Kristine as she leads these girls. Pray she will be full of the spirit and have the boldness for Christ she needs to make a positive impact on these students. Pray for physical and mental strength for both her and Jeron.

Its Official.....I think I have an addiction....

Guess what we did again for the 4th night in a row....................

Don't judge the way I look! It was 9:00 at night. You're lucky I wasn't in my pj's!!! I wanted my picture and Bryan made me pose next to the snow cone sign!! Otherwise, he would not have taken the picture for your viewing pleasure!! In the past 4 nights/evenings/afternoons we have been to 3 snow cone stands. I have them rated!! I've gotten the same flavor at each one. I like the salty and sour flavor. I think I have issues and may need some kind of therapy. Bryan tasted mine and his face wrinkled up. His favorite is banana and coconut. How boring!!! Just kidding, Buddy!! There are so many flavors to choose from.

Do you like snow cones? What is your favorite flavor?

Memorial Day Weekend

What a 3 Day Weekend!! I knew I should have stopped to blog throughout the weekend so I didn't end up with such a long post, but as you know I didn't and for that I'm sorry. Bryan and had a great 3 days together. We started our weekend off with visiting the new theatre in town to watch the new Indiana Jones movie.The new Warren Theatre is very nice and we loved it. Sorry I didn't get any pictures of the theatre but we went to the late show and I didn't even take my purse in. We ate at the Waffle House. Not many people like it and think it is kind of yucky but we had ate there years ago when the new Star Wars movie came out and Bryan thought it was neat to re-create that. The 9:00 pm showing was sold out on Friday so we ended up going at 10:30 pm!!!!!!!!!! I have not gone to a movie that late in a loooooooong time!!! I'm getting to old to do that!!! I liked the movie overall but I thought the ending could have been different. Let me know once you see it and I'll explain!! :)

Because we were up so late on Friday night we slept in on Saturday!! Yeah!!! I worked on laundry, and then I worked on laundry, and then I worked on laundry some more. I have somehow established a horrible habit of not folding my laundry right away. I have to stop that. It ruins a Saturday!! Seriously. I'm caught completely up now and I hope to break that habit of not folding clothes when I take them out of the dryer effective right now. I rented the movies August Rush and Juno to watch while I folded all the clothes under the sun. I thought Juno was okay. I thought there was some crude humor that wasn't necessary. I LOVED August Rush. I wouldn't mind having that movie. And I would recommend it.

Sunday was another great day! Bryan is going to be teaching the Young Adult class we are in!! During class we talked about the future and direction of our class and he shared his testimony. I loved hearing his heart. Please pray for Bryan as he leads our group. Often when we are in God's Word more and more, Satan attacks more and more. We are looking forward to growing through this leadership opportunity.

We didn't have Sunday night services due to the Memorial Holiday. Bryan and I came home and napped!!! Then we went to Academy to pick up some wood chips so Bryan could smoke some ribs on Monday. When my Poppy passed away, Granny gave Bryan and I his smoker. Ours looks very similar to this picture. Thank goodness ours didn't have this much food. Bryan had used the grill before but this weekend was the first time he used the smoker. He smoked ribs and deer jerky on Monday. It was a meat fest!!! I watched Bryan watch the smoker, add the wood chips, and monitor the temperature. He was very proud of his accomplishments!! It reminded me so much of how much Poppy loved his smoker and I cried when we sat down to eat the ribs. I called Granny later and told her I thought I had gone crazy crying over a smoker. But I do miss my Poppy terribly bad this year. Bryan nearly insisted I take a picture of his ribs for my blog. I thought that was absolutely hilarious. Drum roll please......Here is Master Haskins ribs (and my pasta salad that looks a little scary because I was too close but I was focusing in on the ribs)

We also came home with this from Academy.................

It is a gas grill (we don't have the gas hooked up here) and charcoal grill combination. And it is massive. Between this and the smoker, our patio looks like we have issues!! I told my boss this morning, we could put these bad boys/girls on the back of a trailer and sell barbecue on a corner somewhere!! Hee Hee!!We had to try the charcoal grill out as soon as possible so on Sunday we had a very healthy meal !! :) Kind of!! We grilled squash and asparagus and had bratwursts!!! It was all delicious and we ate out on our deck. By candlelight, porch light, and a lantern because it was dark by the time we got everything done!!

Bryan built our deck a few years ago and we are lovin it this year. Last week we sat out on it every morning before getting ready for work and prayed and read our Bibles. Bryan drinks his coffee and I have my sweat tea or juice. I'm not a big coffee drinker. I woke up early yesterday and sat out on our deck and watched the sun come up. I could go into great detail on how the birds have attacked our deck and how I've scrubbed it and our furniture down this weekend, but I'll spare you the grossness. Needless to say, I'm about to get out my Red Rider BB gun and hunt me some birds!!!!

Because we are grillin' and smokin' machines, we plan to spend a lot more time on our deck this summer!!I did get 1 1/2 projects done this weekend as well. I wanted to get more done but I also wanted to enjoy the relaxing time plus remember I was folding clothes. I cleaned out my chest of drawers and started in on cleaning up our office. I threw away a huge trash bag of junk. No pictures of the office because I am ashamed at the clutter!! I was behind on filing papers away and the closet storage has become unorganized. I worked for 2 hours on the office and I've made great headway! I hope to get new furniture for it this year sometime. We are outgrowing it!!! Bryan and I love to read and we love books. We have two large bookshelves in our office and they are overflowing. This is the only room we have not bought better furniture for. What we have is what we had when we got married, pretty much.

One more thing....Snow cone stands are open !!!!!! Bryan and I had a snow cone Saturday, Sunday, and Monday!!!

If you are still reading this, thanks for sticking it out. Sorry it was lengthy!!

Step Class Flunkie

Brooklyn and I met at the YMCA Thursday and did the Step Class. I've discovered I think I am an official Step Class Flunkie!! I just am not coordinated enough. And I can't keep up. I felt like a ding dong!! Everyone seemed hot and out of breath except me. It was because I wasn't moving as fast and I didn't know as many moves!! I have no idea what a hot water heater move looks like. When I watched the instructor it didn't look like a hot water heater. Then there was a reverse step....well I barely got the normal step down!!! I think Brooklyn and I may do kick boxing or a cardio class next week. Wish us luck!! I envied the Jazzercise Queen (Caroline) last night !!!!!!

Bryan met us at Mazzios for pizza afterwards. I know, I know. Working out and then pizza is not a good combination. Bryan is the greatest. He beat us there and ordered for us. The girls were great (stayed in their chairs at the table) and ate very well. We enjoyed our time with Brooklyn, Ava, Stella, and little Boston. Jorge had to work :( Have a great Memorial Day celebration everyone!! I am off work on Monday and I hope to get several of my projects accomplished!! We hope to stay around the house all weekend long, except for church!!!

Adoption Seminar Recap

I've been trying to think how I can summarize the adoption workshop Bryan and I went to on Saturday. There's just no way. Perhaps the biggest statement would be it was very enlightening, informative, and convicting. And at the same time it was also a very sweet time to share with Bryan. There were 13 breakout sessions but you could only go to 3 and they were 45 min - 1 hour long. I wanted to have more opportunities for breakout and longer sessions!! The information we received was very valuable.


The workshop was hosted by Hope Ministry. Their theme verse is "Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their distress." James 1:27. I got tears in my eyes when this came on the screen. Poor Bryan was probably thinking.....this is going to be a long day! :) But seriously, think about that verse....Pure and LASTING religion involves caring for the orphans.


Our day started with hearing a story from an adoptive mother's perspective. At lunch, we heard the testimony of a birth mother and her experience of giving her child for adoption. The choice for adoption proved to be a pivotal event in Crystal's life that God used to lead her away from a life of abuse, drugs, and alcohol. Since her daughter was born she has lead an abortion alternative ministry and is an advocate for pro-adoption, pro-life legislation in Oklahoma. To be completely honest, I had not put much thought or prayer into our birth mother. I had viewed it as a means to get what Bryan and I so desperately want. But God used her testimony to show us both we MUST begin praying for the birth mother now. Pray for her well being, guidance, and spirituality. God showed us Saturday we can use this adoption to minister to the birth mother. That was just one of the BIG lessons we learned.


Bryan and I chose to go to these 3 breakout sessions: Domestic Adoption, Creative Ways to Finance Your Adoption, and Home Study 101. There were others on Transracial Adoption, Profile Books, Ages and Stages of Adoption, Mentoring, and Fostering. We chose these 3 because this was the areas we really wanted some clarity and factual information on at this point in our journey. We are interested in the others but we couldn't get past these 3 until we understood it more. Does that make sense? I could have sat for hours in each session but time was very limited... :( Would you believe I cried and kept crying in the Finance session!!! Who would cry over the federal tax credit!! I'm crazy!! I felt like a crazy doedoe. The presenter went over the tax credit in detail and how that plays out over a few years. It just really showed us this is completely possible and we can do it. It isn't as hard as I thought it would be. I was just grateful God has blessed us and provided a way. The numbers do not look as bad as I had thought they would. Bryan was quick to remind me he never doubted we could do it!! :) In short the financial session was very encouraging. We left there uplifted.


All along I had thought there were only about 3 agencies available that facilitated adoptions. Nope!! I learned there are several more in the state of OK!! Thank you God!!! I truly saw the grace of God throughout this day in just giving us information and then in encouragement. It is very hard to explain. Thank you for being patient with my rambling. But Praise God Today!!!


Dinner last night:

Would you believe I cooked last night for the first time in a very long time (I know exactly how long but I'm not going to tell you for fear of shame and judgement..hee hee). I know breathe, everyone take a breath. I was shocked too. I tried something new Bryan and I found at the grocery store.

I love boneless Buffalo Wild Wings and I had been buying the Tyson frozen already season bag. We found this wing sauce and decided to try to make our own. I cut up 3 chicken breast, seasoned them with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper. Coated them with egg and flower and then fried the little pieces. Then I poured this sauce mixed with butter over the cooked chicken. My husband loved them!!! Absolutely loved them!! He was so complimentary! The finished product looks scary in picture but they were pretty crazy good.

I have a goal to eat at home every day this week! Seriously. Tonight is roast, green beans, and scalloped potatoes. Wish me luck!