Just stuff … August 18, 2008

Things have been crazy …

Just returned from my final trip for a very long time (traveling can be fun but enough is enough).  I was in S. Fl for my cousin’s baby shower.  It was a nice weekend and I get to spend quality time with Gabriella and Sophia - I love when I have time to just play, talk, read and be with them - the quality time is wonderful!  The shower was beautiful and I am so excited for Adrienne and Angelo - cannot wait to meet him!

Weather days!  It has been a while since we have had weather days in this area.  Not sure the first week of school is the best time - UCF, Seminole and Volusia have weather days tomorrow!  I want take advantage of this time!  My dad woke me up at 5am this morning to get me on the road asap - he saw the weather report and did not want us to get stuck in S. FL rains for the drive home.  I hate getting up that early but it was nice to be back in town by 9am!

The first week of school!  How exciting … back to school is in the air.  Matthew started kindergarten today, Sophia started pre-school last week (she wants to go everyday) and Gabriella starts kindergarten on Wednesday.  It is so fun - I love it so much that I did my back to school shopping at Office Max last weekend.

We cannot wait to be a part of C3 again - it has been so hard this summer.  The traveling kept us away.  I am excited to have the opportunity to engage in the worship and the fellowship!

Happy Birthday, Mom!!! August 15, 2008

Today is my mom’s official birthday!   Yes, we had our big family celebration the first weekend in August but I want to take time today to honor my mom!  She turns 60 - I cannot believe that! 

My mom is …

• beautiful
• selfless
• generous
• loving
• a fantastic cook
• worried about everyone and wants everyone to be taken care of
• a great mom
• a great friend
• a great employee
• a loved boss
• special to her family
• cherished by her friends
• really good at organizing
• the best at cleaning your house
• a little crazy
• somewhat anxious
• easily surprise
• always serving others
• is good to all the she meets
• strong
• wonderful!

To know my mom is to love her - quirks and all!  I am thankful for her and all that she has and continues to do in my life!

Mom - I love you and wish you a very happy birthday!  I am glad that we get to spend the weekend together again!

Disturbing! August 12, 2008

I am in the middle of watching NBC Nightly News with Bryan Williams.  I just heard the most disturbing story … http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26153578/

We were all mesmerized by the opening ceremony of the Olympics in China.  It was beautiful, spectacular and well orchestrated!  The little girl that sang was seemingly both beautiful and very talented.  It was just reported and confirmed by China that the little girl did not sing the song … there was another little girl behind the scenes that sang the song.  Though her singing was good enough for the show, her beauty was not.  It was deemed by the powers that be in China, that they needed a more “flawless” beauty to be onscreen for the song during the opening ceremonies!

I don’t know about you but that makes we want to cry!  What message are they sending to little girls?  What definition of beauty are they using?  Aren’t all little girls beautiful in their own way?  Why was the physical beauty valued higher than the beauty of the talent to sing a song well?

I wonder about the little girl with the beautiful voice … how does this impact her?  Does she realize that her beauty is not defined by others?  Does she understand that she has a great talent and gift that is worthy?  Does she know why she was not allowed to sing in front of the audience?

I wonder about the little girl with the beautiful face … how does this impact her?  Does she see that her beauty can help her get ahead?  Does it show her that she does not have to have the talent to get the praise?  Does this show her talents that may be hidden behind the beauty?

There are so many questions!  All little girls should feel like a beautiful princess!  All little girls should grow-up thinking that they are pretty!  All little girls should have the self esteem and confidence that comes from feeling good in their own skin!

What a disturbing report!  We need to consider the consequences of what we do to our little girls!

This weekend… August 11, 2008

Friday night - Bryan and I went to Amura with our friend, Luanne!  They love sushi and Amura is the best!  We wanted to celebrate Bry’s first day at his new job!  We enjoyed the food and laughed as always.

Saturday - Bryan and I went to Panera for some breakfast.  Then we went shopping - our separate ways.  I went to Office Max and Franklin Covey (my second trip to each) - school shopping is very serious!  I was looking for a new bag and a new system for organizing myself for the new school year.  I am excited for these new notebooks that I got - it will be exciting to use them!  Bryan was able to get some great new items for his new job - back to school sales saved us tons of money.  Saturday night, we hang out with two couple friends.  It was fun but I started to not feel very well!  We had to leave early!

Sunday - I was sick!  The kind of sick that you cannot get off the couch and go in and out of sleep!  My stomach was killing me!  We had to miss going to C3 - which we hate because we love the entire experience!

Now, we are into a busy week!  I am feeling much better - still not a 100% but working towards it.

I love flair and more… August 7, 2008

• I love flair!  If you are on Facebook and have flair, you know what I mean!  It is so fun to pick flair for yourself or to send to others!  When I get home and am using my own computer, I want to make my own flair!  I want to make an I love Bry flair with his pic - fun!
• A BFF of mine has been sick this week!  I have been spending lots of time with her!  I am glad that I had the kind of schedule and understanding husband that has allowed me to spend quality time with her.  I hate that she is in so much pain and I truly pray that on Monday the doctor can take an aggressive approach to helping her!
• Bry starts his new job  tomorrow!  I am so proud and excited for him!  He will be perfect for the position and has so much to offer!
• There are lots of good “back to school” sales - I hope that Bry and I can take advantage of them and get some quality items of clothes for work!
• We need to get an iron … ours feel and broke a few months back and I have been lazy in replacing it.  It is time now with the new school year starting!
• I hate that it has been so hot!  Where is the rain??? 

My Mom August 5, 2008

My mom is the greatest!  She is the matriarch of our family!  She is always wanting to take care of everyone!  She is always cooking, cleaning, organizing, helping and worrying about us all!  In two weeks, my mom turns 60!  We wanted to take the time and celebrate her … for eight months my dad, cousin Heather and brother Marc have been planning a big get-away weekend for her.  She had no idea what was to come and we decided to let the weekend unfold and have her experience each surprise as it happened. 

You cannot imagine the excitement and the joy!

We took her to the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne.  Which is a beautiful resort right on the beach!  (She loves the beach).  Friday night was just a small group of us (13) and we had dinner on property at the Cantina by the ocean.  The food was great and we had lots of fun - except it was really hot.  (My mom thought that was her bday dinner.)  On Saturday morning, we told her that we were all having breakfast together … when we got to the resturant by brother was there to surprise her (she thought that was the big surprise).  We spent that day at the pool and the beach - her favorite thing to do!  We went swimming and lounged around and had great fun with the girls.  We went to a great place on property for lunch - Dune which served very expensive gourmet burgers - the scenery was wonderful and the furniture was lush!  We sent my mom to the spa for the afternoon for two reasons - for her to relax and for us to get things done for the party!  She had the 42 movement massage - she said it was fantastic.  In the Ocean View room, my brother and I set up a beautiful setting - we had three long rectangle tables with beautiful green and blue flowers with candles and shells (the theme was the ocean).  We had menu cards and chocolate shells at each place setting.  My mom was shocked when she arrived at the room -she expected something at this point but not something this special.  We were 27 of our immediate family and had a super fun time - the food was fabulous, the cake was just a delicious as beautiful and my mom was actually speechless!!  Sunday we did a family breakfast and some more beach/pool time.

It was a fabulous weekend - it was so wonderful that my mom just got to relax, be loved and feel special!  Mom, you deserve all the best and we wish you a very happy birthday!

Gas pains and snoring! August 1, 2008

Yes, that is a strange a title but that is what is on my mind. 

Yesterday, I had one of the worst days with gas pains ever!  Don’t laugh - until I started getting randomly a few years ago, I could not have imagined the uncomfortable pain.  They started at around 7am yesterday morning (remember Bry and I could not sleep and we went to breakfast at Perkins),  They usually last no longer than an hour - I take Gas-x and drink hot water and walk around and that usually does the trick.  That was not the case- I was still in major discomfort until the middle of the night.  It is a strange kind of pain - walking, sitting and laying are equally uncomfortable.  Eating was not an option.  I hate to complain because it is gas and I know that at some point it would start moving - as it did in the middle of the night - but it is the worst.  I feel like I totally missed an entire day! 

We did get to Ft Lauderdale - which brings me to snoring.  The snoring is out of control!  Last night, my dad was exhausted and fell asleep way before the rest of us.  Wow, is all I can say about his snoring!  Then, there was Bryan!  He has been having congestion due to allergies and that has caused him to really snore!  Thus, it was wide awake at 6:35am because of his snoring!  

I know these two things can be trivial and funny but I have to say those are the random thoughts in my mind this morning!

I am excited for today and watching my mom as she experiences all the surprises of the weekend!

We cannot sleep… July 31, 2008

It is 5:39am and both Bryan and I wide awake!  We cannot sleep! 

There are so many things going on …

• Bryan got some good news yesterday and gets to learn more about it this morning.
• I am taking today, tomorrow and Monday off!!! 
• We are having a celebration weekend for my mom … she is turning 60.  My cousin, Heather, my brother, Marc and I wanted to do something special.  For about a year, we have been planning this special weekend.  It is hard to surprise my mom … we are going to the Key Biscayne Ritz Carlton for the weekend and on Saturday night, we (along with my dad) are hosting a celebration dinner with 27 of our immediate family!  (Will share all the details!)
• I cannot wait to experience a Ritz Carlton - I have never stayed at one!!!
• I cannot wait to spend the weekend in a hotel with Bryan!  I love him so much and we need quality time together!
• I cannot wait to see my mom’s reaction as the weekend unfolds …  she knows nothing!
• I cannot wait for my mom to open the gift that we got her … a Pandora charm bracelet filled with various charms that have special meaning.

Bryan and I are wide awake at 5:43am!  It is going to be an exciting weekend!

The Shack July 29, 2008

www.theshackbook.com

I just finished reading the book The Shack!  It has been a long time since a book has penetrated my heart with such intensity!  I was consumed with devouring this book - every piece of joy, sadness, confusion, and understanding that was brought with it!

I am mesmerized by Papa, Jesus, Sarayu!  I am intrigued by Sophia.  I am compelled to rethink and reflect on my own judgements against Papa.  I am saddened that I, like Mack, have put Papa into my judgements and expectations - I have limited Papa!  I am awakened to the pains of who I am and what I understand a father to be - how that has hindered who I allow Papa to be in my life.

I yearn to have the realizations that Mack had!  I am amazed that he has such an awesome experience that took his faith and relationships to an entirely new level.  I don’t want these this opportunity to fade away without new learnings!

I think that everyone should read The Shack and be taken in by the pain, hurt, struggles, joy and beauty!   I cannot wait to talk about it and share it with everyone!

So much on my mind… July 28, 2008

• I got my hair done today … nothing is better than great new hair!  Matthew is awesome!
• I had great conversations with Bryan - we are making solid plans for our marriage, for our God and for our future.
• I also had a great conversation with Andrea - we were both stuck on the am 408 traffic jam!  I don’t think I have ever talked 54 minutes on my cell phone. 
• The sermon yesterday at C3 was amazing - it is still digesting.  I know that I really want to read Jude and focus on all that Pastor Byron taught us.
• The Shack … I don’t remember reading a book that has touched my heart like this!  I was extremely emotional - sad at first and now I am amazed and in awe.  I am going to read a little tonight - I want to slow down a little and truly relish the experience.  Readers - please catch-up!
• I have two more days (Tues and Wed) to present!  These are the final two days of my summer presentation tour!  I am excited and ready to get it over with!
• I am so excited about this upcoming weekend … will blog much more about what we have planned to celebrate my mom!

Now … I must study for my presentation tomorrow, spend quality time with Bryan and God and connect with a few chapters of The Shack!  Good night!