Casa de Castro

Fifty-five Years of Studly

2009-05-16T10:16:00.006-05:00

I absolutely LOVE this picture of Studly Man. Such a cowboy! I think this was when he still lived in Peru and his dad's job on a zillion acres owned by W.R. Grace permitted access to ponies. I love his little outfit, his saddle oxfords, and the way his two-gallon hat sits back on his head.

Cute back then.

Still cute today.

His hat is bigger. His pony has been replaced by a Faithful Friend, and his toy six-shooter is now a real pistola.

Oh, yeah. And he grew a beard.

Happy birthday, Studly. Although you're officially a double-nickle senior citizen, you'll always have that little boy charm that warms my heart.

I love you.

Documentary

2009-07-12T01:14:00.003-05:00

Faithful Friend Ministry's documentary video is FINALLY here! Check it out:

Click To Play

We are SO grateful to Rod Dixon, Matt Dixon and Robert Morris for their efforts in producing this first class video and showcasing the mission the Lord has given us.

What are YOU using for the Kingdom?

Eh... Uh.... Oh!!

2009-06-20T22:15:00.004-05:00

Blogger and I haven't been getting along. Two posts are written and sitting there in the list, but they will. not. publish. I copied and pasted them, deleted them, reposted, and they simply will not publish.

So I decided it was a good time to take a bloggy break seeing how I couldn't, you know, POST anything.

Hmmmmmph.

Then my little friend Suze told me in very clear terms that it is time for a new post.

I sat down to write about one of the 11,000 things in my head, and nothing would come. It's Blogger's fault. I'm sure of that.

Tomorrow is Father's Day. It isn't just ANY Father's Day, but the one right after my daddy has had some scary health issues. I was reminded once again that my least favorite site in the world is someone I love in a hospital bed. However, Dad never lost his sense of humor, and he did keep us all entertained. Thankfully, he is doing well now, and all the scary stuff is behind us. God is good. And so is my daddy.

So tomorrow, we're gonna get together as a family and celebrate him and remember the good times we've shared while we're making new memories. We'll laugh a lot, and there will certainly be some pictures taken. Of course there will be presents. And hugs. Lots and lots of hugs.

Studly got to spend three days with his dad in South Texas this week. At almost 87, my father-in-love is going strong. Every Father's Day with him is a gift, as it is with my dad. If you're able, reach out to your own dad and tell him how much he is loved. Don't let it go unsaid.

To all you dads out there, Happy Father's Day!!

To MY dad... I love you dearly and SO glad God chose YOU to be my daddy.

Wow.

See what I did there?

Nice work, Jenn.

Sat down to grumble about Blogger and ended up making myself grateful for my two wonderful fathers!

Okay, Blogger. I forgive you.

Still Considering the Iris

2009-04-29T21:57:00.006-05:00

Days later, and I'm still marveling at both the handiwork of God and how well my little camera captured it!

The colors: some bold, some pale.

The frills: some delicate, some strong.

The blooms: all breathtaking, all proof of the Creator's endless imagination.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1

Still more to come. Check back soon!

Consider the Irises and How They Grow

2009-04-26T19:35:00.006-05:00

In our yard in Virginia, my mom grew some of the most beautiful iris flowers I've ever seen. I've always loved them. So elegant. So delicate. So lovely.

Studly and I took a Sunday drive this afternoon.

To see beautiful iris flowers.

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Luke 12:27

More to come. Stay tuned!

No Itching Here

2009-04-20T00:15:00.000-05:00

Seven years ago today, I married my best friend.

Since then, life has been crazy and fun and full of surprises and adventures. Most of them have been wonderful; a few have been difficult. All of them have been easier because we've had each other.

We've laughed. A lot.

We've journeyed through life together.

We've cried some, too.

And we've had our communication challenges and our moments when communication simply didn't exist. We've frustrated each other. We've even made each other angry.

But those things make us human.

It's hard to remember life before April 20, 2002. Life before sharing a bathroom and fighting for the covers on a cold night. Life before the inevitable toilet seat up-versus-down debate. Life before the risk of having someone else eat your leftovers before you could get to them. Life before sharing the remote control. Life before splitting holiday and vacation time between TWO families.

But I wouldn't trade any of it. (Okay, I'd trade the toilet seat being up in the middle of the night.) Because through all of those adventures, we've become a team. We've built a home together that is a haven for us. We've grown a ministry together. We've become family.

Happy anniversary, Studly Man.

I love you.

Celebrating Easter

2009-04-17T23:47:00.014-05:00

As in years past, Studly Man and I enjoyed hosting the family and our dear friend, Ben, at Casa de Castro for our Easter celebration. And as usual, I had fun planning and preparing and getting everything ready. I absolutely LOVE the colors of Spring and the colors of Easter; they represent a renewing, a return to life, and they bring me joy.

For the centerpiece on the kitchen table (where the snacks were laid out for those youngsters - okay, for all of us - to graze on before the big meal), I wanted something cheerful and bright and fun. I found a beautiful bouquet of 20 tulips in lavender, pink, yellow, and salmon. Gorgeous! Made my heart sing!

I put them in a nesting vase and anchored it with jelly beans. I ran out of jelly beans, and was ready to go get some more to finish my lovely design, but Studly said I couldn't spend more money on more candy that no one would eat. He said no one would notice if the jelly beans filled the vase or only went half way. Ya know what? He was right! No one even noticed the vase had ANY jelly beans in it! So we saved $2.99.

But the tulips were still gorgeous.

I had these cute little egg stands, and I also had an assortment of cute little eggs. I put them together, and voila! Cute little stands with eggs! The stands are in various colors, and they made fun little accents.

I also used the drink charms I made for Thanksgiving to identify each person's glass. My dad (or "Paw" as he is known to the grandkids and now to all of us) had his miniature Bible charm on his glass.

For the place cards, I again wanted something that involved the beautiful colors of Spring but also signified new life, new creation, new beginnings.

Enter: the butterflies!

I was pleased with how they turned out. I was also pleased that Cammie's was blue, Rachel's was orange, and Megan's was purple. Those things matter, ya know!

We had a wonderful day and basked in the blessings of family, faith, and friends. The greatest joy of all was and is the victory that is ours because of Jesus.

...and they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, and they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. Two men in dazzling clothing said, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has RISEN!"

Doesn't Everyone?

2009-04-06T21:49:00.005-05:00

The Gregorian calendar says today is April 6. That's 17 full days after the beginning of Spring. More than two weeks! The vernal equinox marks the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring.

So why is it supposed to get down to 28 degrees tonight? Unless I remember incorrectly, that's below freezing. And temperatures below freezing don't occur in Texas 17 days after the first day of Spring.

Wasn't there some big movie about the Earth having a fever and the giant threat that is global warning?

Guess Al wasted his money on that!

FREEZING!

In April!

My local nursery and the weathermen on every channel were kind enough to warn me to bring the plants in. So I did what any smart wife would do. I asked Studly to bring in the potted plants.

He's such a good boy. He did it!

(I'm keeping him.)

I walked by the bathroom on the far side of the house a while ago. Something seemed strange.

I turned the light on in there, and this is what I found:

The bathroom has become a temporary greenhouse.

Doesn't everyone store potted plants in the shower?

If they have to stay in there very long, it will be easy to water them. That Studly is genius. Pure genius!

31 Flavors

2009-03-31T21:40:00.009-05:00

This year's flavor was chocolate pecan. As in chocolate pecan pie.

I can taste it just typing those words.

On Saturday, I celebrated my birthday for the 31st time with my BFF, Burlene.* (Burlene is also known as Matilda on this blog. She's neither Burlene nor Matilda, but roll with it.) Thirty-one years we've been friends. Thirty-one birthdays celebrated together. (Well, 62 birthdays if you count hers.)

That's so strange.

'Cuz I'm only 29.

Oh, I kid.

She was there on my 16th birthday when her brother/my high school sweetheart surprised me with a lovely gift. I was no doubt wearing overalls with a tube top underneath and no shoes. And she loved me any way. We've celebrated in some unusual places in unconventional ways, but we've celebrated nonetheless.

This year, Burlene/Matilda took me (Juantela Wayne*) to my favorite tea room for lunch and some serious girl time, although there was no discussion of armpits this time.* It was a FABULOUS meal, and of course, we topped it off with pie. Chocolate pecan pie.

Girl talk with the BFF over lunch followed by pie, presents, and shopping. Is there anything better than that? I think not!
Thanks, Burlene, for a wonderful day. More importantly, thanks for being my forever friend through thick and thin, up and down, good times and tough times and everything in between. Thanks for loving me just the way I am and always seeing the good in me. Thank you for helping me see beauty and joy in the simplest of things and for reminding me of the value of laughter. Thank you for praying with and for me and sharing the challenges of ministry. Thank you for loving Jesus above all else. You are a treasure.

A friend loves at ALL times. Proverbs 17:17a

*LONGstanding funnies from the "Life's Funniest/Most Embarrassing Moments" annals.

Eureka!!!

2009-03-20T15:56:00.004-05:00

I've been having a spat with Blogger.

A long spat.

Blogger won.

I think Blogger was simply jealous of all the time I've been spending with his rival, Facebook.

I had three posts written that Blogger flatly refused to publish. They're still sitting over there in the "draft" column.

Won't publish. No way. No how.

BUT....

the fine peeps at Blogger assure me the problem is fixed.

Except I still can't publish those posts.

If THIS one publishes... I'll see if I can cut and paste the others into new posts that can be published.

This blogging stuff is hard!!

Mr. Facebook isn't this contrary....

Letting Sleeping Dogs Lie

2009-02-19T22:20:00.003-06:00

Because they're so sweet when they're sleeping....

BigDog was asleep on the portion of the ottoman not occupied by Studly's legs, and Little was asleep on said legs, almost nose to nose with his sister.

Ahhh.... the quiet!

Daughters of the King

2009-02-12T20:40:00.008-06:00

Last week, my friend, Heather, celebrated her 30th birthday. Two of her lifelong friends, Amy and Amy, and I had a princess tea party for her.

I KNOW!

A) I have friends.
B) I have friends who are only 30.

Since we'd had such a fun time at Princess Betty's birthday party, Amy #2 and I decided we'd surprise Heather with the same idea. She's a ham as you will soon see, so we knew it would be a home run.

Here is Heather with Amy #1.

Amy #1 won the prize for the longest drive to attend a princess tea party that day. She drove four hours to surprise Princess Heather. I didn't witness it personally, but rumor has it Heather did the ugly cry when she saw Amy #1. I love ugly cries.

And here's Heather with Amy #2 (my planning partner in crime)

And here she is with me. Do I look 17 years older than Heather? Why, yes. Yes, I do.

And here are all the princesses together. Note that Cinderella, Belle and Sleeping Beauty joined the festivities. We had a blast. We laughed and we ate. We laughed some more. We ate some more. We talked about the Lord and what a difference He has made in all of our lives. We are princesses... we're daughters of the King! (All of us except Cinderella. Her tiara was prettier than ours, so we're not letting her play with us any more.)

The tea room is nestled in the back corner of a darling little shop that is geared to kids, mostly girl-type kids. We embarrassed ourselves browsed around for a while. And then Amy #2 came running over to get my camera/phone because Heather was being a, well, you know, a ham.

Girl cracks me up.

Just as we were leaving, the hostesses for a bridal shower came in to begin setting up in the tea room. When a woman pulled the cake from its bakery box, I couldn't believe my eyes.

There, in all its splendor, was an armadillo cake.

Yes. It IS red velvet. I asked.

Think "Steel Magnolias" and Shelby and Jackson's red velvet armadillo "groom's cake" that Jackson's aunt made. Ouiser Boudreaux cut off the tail and served it up to Drum Eatenton, Shelby's dad.

I hope the bride-to-be thought it was funny.

And yes, I DID send the pictures into the Cake Wrecks blog.

As we walked to the parking lot, Amy #1 said her feet were hurting her. Apparently she had a recent injury, and her pups were none too happy to be pent up in some high heeled shoes. She took the shoes off and stood in the parking lot for a few minutes as we said our goodbyes.

When she stepped away, this is what we saw.

Not only did her pups not like the pain inflicted by the shoes, they also couldn't breathe!

I'm still laughing about that.

It was a grand day, and I'm so glad to have been able to celebrate with my precious friends. God is good. Indeed, He is good.

And so is red velvet armadillo cake.

Ma and Pa Kettle Go To Costco

2009-02-02T21:01:00.010-06:00

Costco.

It's a wonderful thing.

Everyone should go to Costco. At least once.

My mom and dad had never been to Costco. Until today. Oh, they'd been to Sam's Club many times. But Costco? Never.

AND they'd never had LUNCH at Costco.

I had to fix that. 'Cuz if you've never had a Hebrew National all beef hot dog and a 20 oz Diet Coke - with refill - at Costco all for the low, low price of $1.50, you have. not. lived.

So...

Studly Man and I decided Ma and Pa needed an adventure. Adventures require fuel. Fuel consists of food.

We ate hot dogs.

And drank Diet Coke.

We could have gone home after that, and my day would have been complete.

But in the interest of stretching our adventure, we went shopping.

At Costco.

Now Ma had both of her knees replaced a few years back. She's doin' great and gets around fine, but we thought the motorized cart would serve her well since the warehouse is so big and all. That, and she just looks so cute drivin' one.

Not to be outdone, Pa got a cart, too. See, he NEEDS to have a knee or two replaced, but he ain't interested. Since he'll be 79 next month, we figured a motorized cart would be okay for him, too. That, and he just looks so cute drivin' one.

Before we actually moved into the actual official shopping area, I laid down the law. No racin', no honkin', no cart bumpin'.

Ahem.

Off we went.

We looked at flat screen TVs. (They've got a GORGEOUS 46" Sony for the bargain price of $1,799. I'll take two, please.) We looked at computer stuff. We contemplated the at-home keg because who doesn't need a new one of those? We looked at the car covers because you never know when the need for one might arise. We looked at toasters. Pa bought Ma a new one recently, and he wanted to make sure he'd gotten a good deal.

And then we arrived at the bakery. We salivated and contemplated, but since we were so full from those Hebrew National all beef hot dogs we'd just eaten, we passed on dessert.

But then...

Then it happened. We came upon the butcher shop. It was a thing to behold, that Ma of mine comparison price shopping. Now let me tell you. My Ma can comparison price shop you right under the table. She can smell a deal. Pa? He can smell the deal once she's home cookin' it, so he followed (somewhat) quietly behind her and occasionally sipped on his Diet Coke after retrieving it from the basket of his chariot.

Ma was wowed by the vast array of choices.
There was a cart traffic jam, but that didn't stop Ma from doing her work. She sweetly smiled at that pushy broad nice lady who refused to yield right-of-way at the salmon section and went methodically on about her business.

Next, we motored on over to the cleaning and laundry supplies. Ma had never seen a box of laundry detergent that was bigger than her kitchen table. She was impressed! Studly went over to help lift it off the shelf, because everyone knows you need a box of laundry detergent bigger than the kitchen table. Pa dutifully watched and waited and sipped Diet Coke while guarding the 5,700 rolls of Charmain Ultra Ma had procured a moment earlier. Good deals, y'all. Good deals.
Ma and Pa and I strolled/drove leisurely up and down the aisles to survey the inventory in the awesomeness that is Costco. I realized after a while I hadn't seen Studly for lo unto a half an hour or more.

And then I turned the corner.

And there he was... relaxing in a comfy glider/recliner and eating ice cream he'd lifted from the sample lady. He was so cute sittin' there I would have bought him that recliner if only I'd had an extra $299.99.
We price checked 87 gallon drums of olives and a 200-pack of yogurt cups. We passed the four gallon jugs of mayonnaise and the packages of spaghetti large enough to feed Minneapolis. At last we came to the pharmacy section. That's where things got ugly.

Did you know that THREE senior citizens riding motorized carts, TWO very busy and important ladies with regular carts, one slightly disoriented son-in-law, and a frenzied daughter don't fit well in one skinny little pharmacy aisle? Well, we found out.

I instructed my drivers to back up, retreat, turn around, and go the other way.

You have never heard such beeping and honking in your entire life! Pa went left. Ma went right. I went straight and pretended I'd never seen them before. It was chaos.

We were finally reunited, and just as we approached the coveted check-out lines, Pa said, "So, where's all the candy?" (He knew we'd bought Costco candy by the truck load for the kids we minister to in prison.) I pointed that direction, and off he went.

Studly excused himself to the necessary room (lotsa Diet Coke, ya know). Ma got in line with her cart behind me with mine. I paid for my items, and then....

it was Ma's turn.

But there was no Pa.

And HE had all their treasures in HIS basket.

Thankfully Studly emerged from his side trip, and I sent him to find Pa because causing unnecessary wait time in the check out line at Costco? NOT a good idea.

When no further damage could be done to Costco or her patrons, Ma paid as Pa drove by with their goods.

And all I could do was stand to the side and take pictures. And laugh.

Because they just look so cute...

Never Too Old

2009-01-29T21:09:00.007-06:00

Today was my boss' birthday. She turned another year older. My coworkers - some very savvy girls - and I decided the idea celebrating with the same old tired lunch at a nearby restaurant was so, um, yesterday. Come to think of it, using the term "yesterday" for something that is tired and outdated is, um, well, yesterday.

I digress.

Early in the week, we told the boss lady (whom we'll call Betty) that we were taking her to lunch. Yesterday (you know, the actual day before today, not the outdated term for something outdated), she asked where we were going. I told her I couldn't tell her.

This morning we told her we were going to the monster truck rally. She wasn't buying. She's smart like that. Then we told her we were taking her to the zoo. She didn't bite. (Sorry. Seemed to fit...) She knew it was too cold out for a trip to the zoo. She also knew we were aren't THAT lame.

When the last visitor left the office this morning, we loaded up in the car and headed out. We drove. And drove. We neared Casa de Castro. She said, "We're going to YOUR house? Studly Man (well, she didn't call him that; she used his name) is cooking?" Although that would have been a treat since Studly is quite the cook, alas, that was not the plan.

We drove some more. She guessed some more. She was wrong some more.

FINALLY we arrived at our destination... a lovely little tea room in the back of a darling children's boutique housed in a 100+ year old building.

But it wasn't just tea or even just lunch. It was a feast fit for a princess.

There was even a gaggle of princesses waiting for us!

And WE got to don tiaras and jewels, too.

Betty loved it. (AND she was a great sport.)

And I give you.... PRINCESS BETTY!A girl is never too old to be a princess.

Lunch was just delightful, and we had a great time.

Here's a (blurry) picture of the four of us.

Happy birthday, Betty!

Then and Now

2009-01-28T21:24:00.004-06:00

Today was interesting. I learned something new.

Actually, I learned something old... again.

The storm that has blanketed America covered our region with ice. Schools were closed. Even the schools that NEVER close were closed. Businesses shuttered for the day. Activities were canceled.

But my office was open.

I thought most people would cancel their appointments and opt to stay safe and warm at home.

And I was wrong.

No one canceled.

Everyone kept their appointments.

In fact, one person even called the office on a whim saying she unexpectedly had the day off from work because of the ice and was hopeful we'd had a cancellation so she could come in.

We did.

She did.

And ya know what?

I knew her.

Another lifetime ago, she was my friend. She was a beauty queen. She was talented and funny and popular. She was smart. She had it all figured out. And for a second, it felt like I was a teenager again, all insecure and unsure of my place in the world.

And then I remembered...

- She had come to MY office, a place I've been for 18 years.

- She was in my office because she, too, has insecurities.

- She has aged just like I have. She also isn't a teenager any more.

- Her life isn't perfect now. And it wasn't back then.

- I know a secret about her family that she doesn't know. When I was told, I was bound not to ever divulge my knowledge to her.

- She has challenges in her life that make mine pale in comparison.

All these years later, she's still beautiful. But so am I. And I know my place in this world. I know I am loved. The life God designed for me is more perfect than the path I would have chosen for myself if I'd given in to those insecurities so long ago. Because He knew me then as He knows me now, He didn't leave me to my own devices, but instead guided my steps to where I am today. He has given me more than I ever imagined and far more than I deserve.

He's given her a lot, too... more than she imagined and probably more than she deserves.

We're not so different after all.

And we said, "Yes, we'd LOVE to!"

2009-01-22T18:57:00.016-06:00

It's good to have friends.

It's better to have friends with lake houses!

D & B, our dear friends, recently purchased a house at a nearby lake. Now D & B have been favorite travel buddies for a long time, and they're VERY generous people. When they asked us if we'd like to go and spend a long weekend at their new place, of course we accepted. (We could do that because I'm on vacation this week, so rushing back home wasn't an issue.)

We envisioned a little cabin near the water with rustic fixtures and dated plumbing. Perhaps the deck would need a little refinishing to keep our feet from getting splinters (when we walk barefoot on it in the summertime of course). Maybe the bathroom would be damp and cold, and perhaps the bedroom would be dark and creepy.

Um.

We. were. wrong.

Here's what we saw when we drove up.
And then another view with our vehicles in front:

We entered to find an awesome "great room."

Looking from the fireplace towards the kitchen:

Check. out. this. stone. fireplace.

Dining room. Seats eight. (Other chairs in front of window.)

Gorgeous HUGE kitchen with granite counter tops. (I don't have those in my regular house, much less my non-existent lake house!)

Pretty hand-painted tiles.

Cozy breakfast nook.

Master bedroom. View out the window just to my right is simply a.m.a.z.i.n.g. You'll see it below.

Part of the master bath. Marble Jacuzzi tub? Yes, ma'am!

These stairs lead down to a whole other adventure.

The game room with a big flat screen for the "Guitar Hero" players in the family.

The bar/kitchenette downstairs.

Downstairs bedroom #1.

Downstairs bath. Two-sink vanity with TONS of cabinet and drawer space (most of which is not pictured) and a great shower/tub.

Downstairs bedroom #2.

Each floor has its own laundry area. I'll spare you those photos (you KNOW I took them!) 'cuz I'm pretty sure you've all seen washers and dryers before.

But back upstairs, we went out on the looooooong deck that runs the length of the house. There's a brand new five-burner grill that Studly Man helped to assemble and inaugurate at the end of it.

And sweet Snickers joined us for the trip. Doncha just wanna hug him?

Snickers LOVES Uncle Studly Man.

But the best part?

What's that you say?

What's the very BEST part of the house?

Why, the view, of course!

And the view at sunset

D & B will retire here in a few years. For now, it is a lovely place to escape for the weekend or heck, for a whole week! Some furniture and accessories remain on order, so it will become more like home with every trip.

Now, here's some irony. The picture below is the house of D & B's new next door neighbors. Pretty, right?

Take a close look at that gorgeous double front door.

Yep, Studly designed and built that steel entry way about eight years ago. He even stood on the slab of what is now D & B's new lake house before it was completed and sold to its first owner. (Same builder built both houses.) How's THAT for a small world!?!?

We had a great time. We hung paintings and valances and cooked steaks on the new grill. We watched several movies and slept in late. I think between all the cell phones present, we collectively had three incoming phone calls the whole time. Ah.... the quiet.

And ya know what's even more exciting? We have some OTHER really dear friends who have recently bought a house on ANOTHER lake (not quite as nearby, but close), and we've been invited out there, too! In fact, we've tried to get out there, but got sick. SKay, get ready!! We're headed your way. ;)

Coughin' and Sneezin'

2009-01-16T22:37:00.005-06:00

Cough.

Cough. Cough.

Sneeze.

Cough. Cough.

Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough.

Sneeze. Sneeze.

Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough.Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough.Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough.Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough.Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough.Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough.Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough.

Sneeze. Sneeze.

Sneeze.

CoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCough CoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCough CoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCough CoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCough CoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCough CoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCoughCough

Amen.

That's my life. In a nutshell. Just ask my friend Suze who has listened to it every.single.day.

It's been a tough few weeks what with all that coughing and sneezing. Haven't felt like blogging. But now?

NOW...

I'm better.

Finally.

And I'm on vacation.

I don't have to work again until January 26.

Jealous much?

Perhaps I'll stop by here some this next week and REALLY write something worthwhile.

Until then...

Happy trails.

can't... seem... to... blog...

2008-12-28T23:47:00.004-06:00

Hello one and all. I trust your Christmas was filled with love and laughter and peace and joy.

We had Christmas in our family, too. Why haven't I written about it?

Well...

a) My brain is so fried every December by the time Christmas rolls around, all I can do is sit, stare, and drool. (December is nuts in my office, what with all the peeps wanting to have surgery whilst they are on vacation from work or school and while deductibles are met, yielding the highest insurance benefits of the year.)

b) My dear husband got this flu bug thing that landed him in bed on Christmas Day.

c) My dear husband shared his flu bug thing with me, and I'm now buying stock in Tylenol Multi-Symptom cold products.

d) my attention has been mostly focused on my new little toy. Oh, I've had it since just before Thanksgiving, but that isn't nearly enough time to learn all about it and explore the various apps one could download.

e) I have developed an addiction to playing Demon Solitaire on my new toy. Or WordWarp. Or Wurdle. Or Pyramid Lite. Or Bejeweled. Or any other mindless yet stimulating game.

Let me know how YOUR holiday was. I promise I'll write about ours soon.

Well, if I can break away from... playing... with... the...

Gloria!

2008-12-14T22:53:00.009-06:00

Tonight my family went to see Gloria! at our church. Can I just say... A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

We enjoyed EVERY second of it. We had awesome seats (what a story there!), and couldn't have asked for better ones. I took a few pictures with my iPhone.

Me-Again and her family came.

Dad and Mom came with us, too.

The 500+ voice choir and full orchestra rocked the house.

This year, there was a special guest. We had an up-close-and-personal view of him. We sat, um, pretty close.

Those feet? They belong to Daniel, my nephew who sat next to me. That round black and white thing a few feet away? The satellite stage where The Guest played the piano and sang and entertained.

Yeah. We were close.

And here he is at the piano, literally a few feet away. John Tesh.

He sang "It Wouldn't Be Christmas Without You," a song he wrote for his wife, Connie Selleca, to whom he has been married 17 years.

See that red streamer at the edge of the stage? At the end of the very first choir number, all these shiny streamers in different colors fell from the ceiling into the crowd. One landed right at the edge of the stage.

As soon as he finished the number he was playing, he came around and stood in front of the piano. He leaned down and picked up the streamer and then held it out to me saying, "Oh, a streamer fell. Ma'am, is this yours?" "Why, yes. Yes it is," I answered with cameras rolling all around. (DVD available on the church's web site in about four weeks!) My brush with greatness as David Letterman would say.

Next, John (we're on a first name basis now) called a seven-year-old little girl named Carly from the audience to help introduce his band. So cute!

He read his very own 2008 version of "Twas the Night Before Christmas." It was humorous and poignant. So what that his face is all washed out by the bright lights in this picture. HE WAS RIGHT. IN. FRONT. OF. ME.

His three instrumentalists and one vocalist (well, technically one person was an instrumentalist AND a vocalist) did a few numbers right there at our feet.

At the end of his final segment, he challenged the congregation to employ their gifts to help others and recognize our own personal ministries. He was great, and his love for the Lord was evident.

What a night. What a great night. It was...

GLORIOUS!

The Mantel

2008-12-12T13:18:00.008-06:00

When I was growing up, I always loved to visit my grandparents' homes. They were always full of wonder and interesting and different things than were seen around our house.

My dad was raised by his grandparents. They were the sweetest people. Most knew them as Stewart and Eugenia (or "Eugie" for short). I knew them as Nana and Gimpa. (Yes, Me-Again, I know. If I said "Stewart and Eugenia," I should've said "Gimpa and Nana," putting both references to them in the same gender order. But we didn't call them "Gimpa and Nana;" we called them "Nana and Gimpa." Deal with it. Love you.)

Ahem.

They lived in this big ten room house at 1829 Belleville that they purchased in 1926. (Picture taken in 2007. Still looks good!)They raised my dad in it and still lived there by the time Me-Again and I came along. We loved to explore the attic (the two small paned and gabled windows at the top) and wander through Nana's pantry to see what goodies might be awaiting us if she hadn't just made a fresh batch of her famous custard. Oh, how I'd love to have some of that custard now!

Visiting Nana and Gimpa and PawDad (my dad's dad who lived with them in his later years) was especially fun at Christmastime. Everything sparkled and was so lovely... a fantasy land for a little girl. In Nana's huge dining room, there was a table in front of the tall window that held the most wonderful ice skating scene made with a mirror, rolls of white cotton and darling plastic "skating snowmen" whose knapsacks held real lollipops that good little girls were allowed to sample. It even had little green pine trees that stood in the snowy cotton to complete the outdoor scene.

Perhaps our favorite thing in the house was The Mantel. Its crowning glory was the nativity scene she placed in the center. Nana bought in 1908 for PawDad's first Christmas. Every year she put it up with care, and she even wrote out directions for placement of each figure in case someone else had to put everything up in her absence. They included such details as placing the camel with the broken nose facing a certain direction "as if he was wandering off" so the broken part didn't show so much. Dad still has those written instructions.

Eventually Nana gave Daddy that nativity and Santa's sleigh with white plastic reindeer that went on one end of the very long mantel. (The other end had a gorgeous white church with a rotating color wheel in front of it. We loved watching the colors change. I'm sure one of Dad's cousins has the church now.) The nativity has been displayed on the mantel at Mom and Dad's house all these years since, and this year, it is 100 years old. One hundred years old. A century has passed since these small figures where purchased by a loving mother for her firstborn. I didn't realize it until just recently, but that mantel manger scene was part of the faith legacy of my family that was being passed on to me, even before I was born.

Check out these pictures.
PawDad (my grandfather) is in the center, and Gimpa (my great-grandfather) is on the far right. The nativity is behind them.
Taken the same year, this picture cracks me up. So serious! I always remember Nana as jolly and happy and one who loved to laugh. Front row starting at left is my great aunt Ida Belle (PawDad's sister), my Nana who is holding Baby Gail (Ida Belle's daughter), and that cute little guy on the end is my dad at age ten. The back row left to right is my great uncle Stewart (PawDad and Ida Belle's brother), my PawDad, and my Gimpa. Again the nativity is behind them.

This picture was taken when my mom and dad had been married for just six months. Still newlyweds! Left to right, my Nana, Uncle Stewart, Uncle Buck (Ida Belle's husband), my PawDad, Aunt Ida Belle, my dad (seated on the arm of the chair), and my oh-so-serious mom. The little girl in front is one of my dad's cousins, but I'm not sure which one.

Here's the nativity as it looks at Mom and Dad's house in 2008. Dad put the reading lamp in front of it for photo lighting.

Here's Santa's sleigh with the reindeer. Never mind that the reindeer:

a) are of different species and sizes.

b) are 30 times larger than Santa himself.

c) have beady little red eyes.

Obviously Nana used her imagination in combining reindeer and Santa sleigh pieces she came across over the years. It makes me smile just to think about her and the many funny things like that she did over the years.

I'm glad this nativity came to reside with us. Nana died after we'd moved from Virginia to Texas. I was in my early teens. Gimpa and PawDad had both passed on by then, and I never went in that beautiful old house again. I hope the people who live in it now can somehow feel the warmth and love we always felt inside its walls.

Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas, you beautiful old nativity scene!

I Am Second

2008-12-05T14:09:00.005-06:00

Have you seen it?

Have you heard about it?

It's time you did.

"I Am Second."

I've had the immense privilege of being in the audience to hear Josh Hamilton speak. Chris Plekenpol was the key note speaker at a fund raiser I attended last year. Rick Briscoe is the pastor of the church where Studly Man was formerly a member. I have first hand knowledge of how real Stephen Baldwin is because of how he and his wife partnered in ministry with and ministered to friends of ours whose toddler son was dying of cancer. Jason Castro (no relation!) is known in these parts to be a talented young singer from American Idol AND a man who loves God. Tony Evans is one of my all time favorite pastors and teachers, and he is a frequent guest at my church. Rod Bayron has been with our team into juvenile prisons.

They are second.

Are you?

I'm Thankful

2008-11-26T12:46:00.015-06:00

I'm thankful that God loved me SO much He sent His only Son to die in my place. Grace so undeserved.

I'm thankful to live in a country where I'm still free to worship and live my life as a fully devoted follower of Christ, a privilege I don't take for granted and pray will remain.

I'm thankful for godly parents who love the Lord first, then each other, and then their children in ways that have always pointed me toward Jesus. They have sacrificed so often for me and for my sister.

I'm thankful for a loving sister who is an amazing, talented, wonderful Christian woman and friend. I'm thankful for her newfound (found again?) happiness with her husband.I'm thankful for her kids, the two greatest nieces and greatest nephew God ever created. They are joys!

I'm thankful the Lord added to my family by giving me the wonderful gift of my precious Studly Man. He makes my life complete.

I'm thankful for Studly's folks who have embraced me as their own and show love so freely.

I'm thankful for Studly's sister and her precious family who are wonderful examples of sacrificial love. (All four kids are adopted.)

I'm thankful for Studly's brother and his wife who bless us with their kind hearts.

I'm thankful for one very energetic and loyal BigDog and the joy she brings to our home.

I'm thankful for her little brother who makes me smile every day with his sweet cuddles.

I'm thankful the Lord sees fit to use us and that big dog in minstry to bring His love to kids who need to know Him.
I'm thankful for a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church that is not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, refuses to compromise the Truth, and reaches out to the world with His love.

I'm thankful for an amazing friend who has known all my secrets for 30 years and loves me any way.

I'm thankful for a wise friend who sees the best in me even when I can't.

I'm thankful for a sisterhood of friends who hold me accountable and encourage me to follow Jesus.

I'm thankful for my job and the privilege of working with some awesome ladies.

(no, of course that's not me... just the only picture I could find of a woman working at her desk.)

I'm thankful for all my bloggy friends and their wonderful encouragement in my life.

My prayer for each of you this Thanksgiving is that your heart and home be filled with love and joy as you count your many blessings from above.

Making Thanksgiving Special

2008-11-18T23:36:00.028-06:00

As I mentioned in the previous post, I love making Thanksgiving a special gathering for my family. Any time we have together is precious, but especially so when everyone recognizes and is focused upon just how precious that time is.

I usually employ my printer to make formal invitations and mail them to each household and to family friends who may be joining us for dinner. My family deserves my very best effort, more than any other guests I'll ever host, and I love creating an atmosphere where memories can be made.

Here are some examples of past years' invitations.

This year, I didn't do invitations, but I still wanted to do something special for everyone. Every now and then I surprise myself and actually come up with a craft idea that turns out well (not my strong suit). In doing "something special" this year, I also solved an age-old problem: a way for everyone to keep up with their drinking glass! (I had a side agreement with my dishwasher to try to lighten the workload a little.)

I bought some glass beads and wire loops to make "beverage ID" markers. Then I went on a mission to find a charm that somehow represented each member of the family. Here's what I came up with:

Paw (my dad, the grandkids call him "Paw") - he's been teaching the Word in Sunday School for as long as I can remember, and his wisdom and knowledge have blessed us all.

Meegoo (my mom; Meegoo is what the grandkids call her) - she's the sweet and loving heart of our family, the one whose heart feels our joy, our sorrows, and everything in between.

Leslie (Studly Man) - a) he's lived all over Texas and/or b) he's the man I had to move all the way to Texas from Virginia to find. (I looked for a dog paw charm, but they were sold out.)

Me - I'm the family whale lover. My dream vacation is to go on a whale watching trip.

Joe (my brother-in-law) - he's the band director at a local Christian school and quite a talented saxophone, clarinet and flute player. He's also an excellent arranger and plays in a professional jazz quartet.

Megan (a.k.a. Me-Again, my sister) - she's the choir director at the same Christian school and is also the organist at their church. She's a private voice and piano instructor, and she sings like an angel. She directs the North Central Chapter of the Singing Women of Texas.

Rachel (my eldest niece) - she's our Texas Longhorn. She graduated in May with her bachelor's in biomedical engineering and is currently back at UT in graduate school.

Cammie (my youngest niece) - the child can text message with her eyes closed or while she's explaining the theory of relativity. (She's a music major, following in the footsteps of her talented parents, but there weren't any other music charms!)

Daniel (my nephew) - he's a junior in high school (yes, that same Christian school where his parents teach) and is a talented basketball player. His school colors are green and gold. BTW, he's just recently been thrust into the position of point guard, but he's really an excellent center.

Kei (Rachel's significant other) - he's a scary smart aerospace engineer whose family is from Hong Kong. (Rach, please don't hit me if I got any details wrong!)

Ben (our dear friend and best man in our wedding) - he has the biggest heart for missions I have ever seen. He's a loyal prison ministry dedicate and has recently founded another ministry to feed villagers in Africa and Romania in a most unique way. Check out his web site.

So there you have it. My homemade beverage-ID-charms-with-significance.

Now if I could just get those place cards done... Come back soon to see those.

Stretching Thanksgiving Dinner

2008-11-18T21:26:00.005-06:00

It's hard to believe it's

a: Wednesday again (time for Works for Me Wednesday over at Rocks in My Dryer)

and

b: just a WEEK before Thanksgiving!

I love Thanksgiving. I love all the planning and cooking and setting a beautiful table. It's fun to really go all out for the big day. Use the china! Use the good flatware. Use real glasses. No sense in saving the "nice things" for a special occasion. The family all around the table together? That IS a special occasion! There's no group of people I'd rather host, and no better reason to gather than to give thanks to the Lord for His enumerable blessings in our lives.

My mom and my grandmothers and great-grandmother always put together wonderful Thanksgiving feasts over the years. A lot of work? Indeed, but a labor of love always. Along the way, some shortcuts were discovered. (That is why you came here, isn't it?) Here are two of my favorites.

It should be known that my dad LOVES Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey, dressing, the trimmings. He not only loves it on Thanksgiving Day, but long afterward. But instead of eating turkey dinner every meal for three or four days, my mom figured out how to keep us from getting tired of it AND make her life easier in the busy days that follow Thanksgiving.

Our family tradition for the dressing is a yummy bread and celery variety that my dad's grandmother made. Mom learned how to make it, and it has been a favorite part of the meal for as long as I can remember. Because of its consistency, it is easy to form into patties about the size of a hamburger patty. Instead of a large pan for cooking, the patties are put on cookie sheets and baked. Because they are smaller this way, they cook more evenly. And the best part? They FREEZE easily! Mom will stack two or four patties together, put them in an empty bread bag or container, and freeze them. Then on a busy day when dinner time is looming, she only has to take out as many as are needed for one meal and reheat them.

The second idea is along those same lines. Ya know that amazing gravy made from the giblets? Mom freezes it in ice cube trays. Once frozen, she pops them out of the trays and stores them in Ziploc bags. Then when she needs them, she simply gets out a few frozen "gravy cubes" and thaws them in the microwave. One cube is usually enough for one person, but certainly more can be used if desired.

Turkey meat doesn't freeze well, so a small, fresh (and maybe already cooked) turkey breast from the grocer's deli section will be just the right amount to put with the dressing. Toss a salad or add a vegetable or two, and voila! A wonderful Thanksgiving dinner - again - without all the prep and clean up! This way ALL the food prepared for the big family meal gets eaten, and none is thrown away. It also prevents the I-am-so-sick-of-turkey-and-dressing-I-can't-see-straight feeling that inevitably comes with standing at the refrigerator for the three days following Thanksgiving.

I hope your Thanksgiving is full of love and joy and blessings.

Because Not Everyone Will Be Home For The Holidays

2008-11-15T23:32:00.004-06:00

Melanie over at the Big Mama blog is soliciting help in saying "thank you" and "Merry Christmas" to deployed soldiers' families who are based at Fort Sill, OK. This is a great, easy, inexpensive way to remind them of our deep gratitude for the sacrifices they make daily as their loved ones are in harm's way to protect our freedom and liberty. If you have kids, this can be a great teaching moment and family activity.

Go check it out, and please help us encourage these Army families.

http://thebigmamablog.com/index.php/2008/11/15/because-not-everyone-will-be-home-for-the-holidays/