Merry Christmas

Jeff and I decided last year that we would start a tradition of having our "Christmas" together one night before we left to go visit family. We thought this would be good way to enjoy our own time together and it will be good once kiddos start coming around. So this year I got Jeff a few small little things that he mentioned he wanted for around the house. I was told not to get him anything big or expensive because we dont want to spend a lot this year. So I didn't. I got him a rake, some garden tools, a book that he was really wanting to read, some salt and pepper shakers (because he is obsessed with the consistency of pepper on his food... don't ask!), and I got him one of those old time sleeping hats because he has always said that he wanted one. So then it was my turn to open. Keep in mind that I did not think I was going to be opening anything because I bought what I thought was my Christmas present a long time ago; a porcelain Santa Clause for my decor collection. Anyways, So i found a gift under the tree for me and it was the book "Multiple Blessings" by Jon and Kate Gosslin. I am obsessed with the show "Jon and Kate Plus 8" so I was thrilled to get this book. I can't wait to start reading it!
Anyways, a few minutes later, Jeff said "Santa also fills stockings, too." Of course, I gave him a look like, "What did you do??" Sure enough, he brought me an ITOUCH!!!! I am soooo excited! I spent the rest of the night playing with it and getting it all set up. The only catch is that we are going to be forced to fix our wireless internet now. Darn! haha.
Thank you jeff, for such a wonderful gift! Only, now I feel really bad because I just got him a few little things. I will get him back, don't worry! :)

The Price is RIGHT!

Literally!
So those of you who know me know that some of the shows and movies that are my favorite are a bit on the "quirky" side. The Price is Right just happens to be one of these. I have always wanted to go on the show, but since Drew Carrey has taken over, it has never been the same. We miss you Bob!
That being said, This guy, not only bid on the nose for his initial prize that got him to be a contestant, but also on the freaking SHOWCASE! The one day that I miss watching it, this is what happens! Congrats, guy who everyone in America is jealous of!

Season 5 Premiere!

January 21, 2009... Be there!

"TV Guide reported this week that Josh Holloway and his wife Yessica are expecting their first child. The "Lost" hunk was spotted in Hawaii Wednesday shooting a fragrance commercial."

I have to brag about the fact that is wife's name is "Yessica". It's a bit close to "Jessica", don't you think?? haha I am a nerd, I know!

Baby It's Cold Outside....

Thursday morning had to of been one of the best in a long time! I woke up at 6am with Jeff and was waiting for him to get out of the shower and asked, "Hey! Is it snowing?" The day before the news had said that we should expect some flurries, but when we opened the blinds, we were shocked to see a BLIZZARD! Holy cow! It was beautiful! I have to say, that it is much prettier from my warm bed, but of course, I jumped out and put some clothes on and ran outside. Jeff was like a little boy. He had not seen snow like this except for in the Colorado mountains!
I went over and played with Tish and the kids all morning. We built a snowman, made snow angels, and I even made some Snow Milk (the kids were not too sure about this one, but I assured them that it just tasted like a milkshake). Jeff could not make it out of the neighborhood to get to work, so he came back home and played with us too!
Jeff and I built a big snowman in our front yard and put Jeff's cowboy hat on him and named him Boudroux! haha. We lost power at about 8am so we took some naps, read, and I got to work on my painting! What a wonderful day!
It is so great when God gives you these days to step back, stop what you are doing, and enjoy the simple things in life. It is like he is forcing you to stop in your tracks, look around, and realize who is in control! I miss Thursday already, but like I have always said, snow is fun once a year, but it would not be as special or a surprise if we had it all the time. Thank you Lord for such a wonderful day this week! :)

Dog Lovers Enjoy!

This video is adorable! I can not embed it, so you will have to go to this site to watch:

http://www.dogwork.com/dogsnow/

The reason for the season..

*Twas the month before Christmas*

*When all through our land,*

*Not a Christian was praying*

*Nor taking a stand.*

*See the PC Police had taken away,*

*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.* *The children were told by their schools not to sing,*

*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*

*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say* * December 25th is just a 'Holiday'.* *Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*

*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*

*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod* *Something was changing, something quite odd! * *Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*

*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*

*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down* * At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.* *At K-Mart and Staples and Penney's and Sears*

*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*

*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty* *Are words that were used to intimidate me.* *Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*

*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!*

*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter* *To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.* *And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*

* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*

*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded* *The reason for the season, stopped before it started.* *So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*

*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*

*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say* *Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS , not Happy Holiday!*

Please, all Christians join together and

wish everyone you meet

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Christ is ʽThe Reasonʼ for the Christ-mas Season!

This is what we are thankful for this year...

Annelise Jeanne Gribnau was born on November 27, 2008 at 3:45am! She is our little Turkey Baby! She is so beautiful and precious. I miss her so much already! I hope she is being good for Emily and Jeremy!

Thanksgiving Dinner

This was the first year for me to be away from home on a holiday. Allyson and I decided that there was no way that we would miss out on all of the wonderful food, despite the fact that we have never cooked a Thanksgiving meal before! It was a lot of fun. We made Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Pie, a FRIED Turkey, Stuffing, Gravy, Sweet Potatoes, Potato Casserole, Green Beans, and Cranberry Sauce, and Cressant Rolls. We had out work cut out for us all day, but it was a blast! It is wonderful to have such good friends during times like this!

Forget Santa! Obama's Coming to Town

From Townhall.com:
Forget about Christmas! Obama is coming to Washington and a $500-700 billion stimulus package is going to be wrapped and ready for passage! With the Bush administration's help, financial institutions are already getting their funds. The auto industry is next in line, and with more money for the taking, cities, states, companies and citizens are lining up to compete for a share of the pie!

Why should you be left out! You too should be able to grab your share from Santa’s bag! Here are ten sure-fire tips on how you can be bailed out of your debt. Hit-or-miss approaches aren't sufficient. This is your sure-fire strategy to join the coming Barack Obama gravy train.

1. If you want God to speak to you through a lottery, you have to buy a ticket. If you want an Obama bailout, you have to get in line! Don't wait until there’s no money left in Washington. As always, the early bird gets the worm…and the federal money! Start complaining now!

2. Now, if you want a handout, you can't be working! Quiting sounds extreme, but, with any luck, this bailout could pay better! The unemployed move to the front of the line, and you certainly don't want to be one of the working fools who will be stuck paying the tab!

3. To build a good case, stop paying your mortgage! You can't claim poverty when you're up-to-date on your house payments. Why should you be paying your full payment when, with a little pending foreclosure embellishment, you can get your mortgage renegotiated and have the government pay the difference.

4. Start weaving "hope," "change" and "middle class" into your vocabulary to help you connect with the Obama people you'll have to win over along the way. Put a smiley face at the bottom of all your forms with the statement—"Obama is the change we can finally believe in; he's our hope for the middle class to share in the American Dream!"

5. It shouldn't matter, but contributing to Obama's campaign can't hurt. Don't worry; no matter who you voted for, you contributed! The financial industry was the number one source of funds for Obama's campaign. Since your tax money has funded their bailout, you and I are part owners of the preferred stock the government got in return. So, let them know, as a contributor, you expect better treatment.

6. If your case is a bit flimsy, add a tear or two to your interviews. Democrats value emotion over reason. Don't lose control; you want funds, not pity! Just let them know that the funds you set aside for your children's education is gone. OK, so you only had $10 in savings, but it is gone! It's the old "baby needs shoes" gambit, but now baby needs shoes, healthcare, preschool and a college education fund! If you don't ask, you don't get!

7. Throw in a little environmental sensitivity. Let them know that because of the recession, you can't afford your organically grown vegetables. Tell them your limited budget has forced you to feed your children hamburgers! Let them know that you're losing sleep over the fact that your purchase of such animal products is contributing to America's growing carbon footprint and to the increase in cow flatulents in the atmosphere. Just keep saying, "You don't want to do anything to make global warming worse!"

8. Express your joy that a black American of mixed race has finally been elected President. Let them know that your family's mixed ancestry need no longer be an embarrassment, but a badge of honor. They'll be too uncomfortable to ask you what that means, and it just might earn you affirmative action consideration. With any luck, there might be a mule and 40 acres of land in your future!

9. Mention that in coming across the border as a child, you never realized what a great country America really was. Enough said. You certainly went over some border somewhere, and America always looks better in comparison. Just know that if they suspect that you might be an illegal immigrant, they'll give you anything you want. Don't risk a bad Spanish accent; just say that you're so glad your family made you learn "good English!"

10. Now, if you're feeling guilty about any part of this strategy, don't worry! Ethics are all relative, and you can’t let doubts about your integrity and character get in the way of your needs. Besides, self-reliance is overrated, and the work-ethic requires work! Remember, it takes a village-a village of givers and takers! Be the best taker you can be and be proud of it. After all, the rich probably cheated to get their money, and now it's your turn to get yours!

With these helpful hints, you're sure to move to the front of the line. Getting something for nothing will feel good for awhile. On the surface, people will pretend to care about you. You'll get funds, no respect and a lot of government interference in your life. But don't let petty gossip and loss of liberty get in your way. A final note: The Surgeon General warns that using these tips may be hazardous to your career, mental and spiritual health and a disaster to the country you love.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNELISE!

Annelise was born early this morning at 3:45 am! I am sooo excited to meet her!

Sexy Little Thang!

Tisha and I were playing in Target while we waited for Allyson and her family last weekend and Callie discovered the world of big sunglasses! She already knows how cute she is! Finger in mouth and all! haha Watch out Kent!

Here comes Santa Clause...

I ordered our first stockings! I am so excited about getting them put up to make it feel even more like Christmas around here!

Emily's Maternity Pictures

We are all so very anxious for Annelise to get here! Emily finally got her maternity pictures done and they look great! Thank you Tanya for so many beautiful pictures!

What your Dog Says About You

Even though I dont have one, YET, I am a lifelong lover of Chihuahuas. Here is what Yahoo claims this means about me:

Chihuahua:

You are a mischief-maker. These tiny dogs have a lot of energy and may have a hard time being home all day alone, Dr. Weiss says. If not given the proper attention, they can develop some bad behaviors and get themselves into trouble

What are you??:
http://www.forbes.com/2008/11/20/dog-identity-breed-forbeslife-cx_jp_1121dog_slide_2.html?thisspeed=25000

What a Knight!

Texas Tech has been all over the news lately; not just for football, and I am loving it!!! Check it out:

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=ap-texastech-167points&prov=ap&type=lgns

Insight for Today

My Pastor sends out emails periodically with just some insight on what we as Christians, specifically Lutherans, ought to feel and believe on a given topic. They are very inspiring and have always conveniently come at just the right time when I may need them the most. I thought this would be a great outlet for me to share some of his words. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Here is one for today:

God's Response to "Why Believe in a god?" Campaign

During the 2008 holiday season The American Humanist Association is running a provocative ad campaign to assure unbelievers that they are not alone and to challenge believers to question their faith. Messages such as, "Why believe in a god?" will be seen on buses as part of the $40,000 ad campaign in the Washington, D.C. area.

How are believers to respond?

Believers can never compel others to believe in God. Nor can we argue someone into having faith in God. Misguided Christians attempted this forced approach during the crusades of the middle ages and other points in history. Yet mistakes in history or warped expressions today do not negate the veracity of Christianity.

Bill Maher highlights in his recent movie Religulous that Christianity and other religions are filled with hypocrites, extremists, and assorted wackos. In Christianity we admit that Maher is accurate. Our expressions of faith are often feeble, flawed and inflexible. This is why those of us who are Christian admit our faults daily and humbly depend upon God's forgiveness for our imperfections (aka "sin").

Thank God (ironically) that in America atheists, agnostics and humanists have every right to question matters of faith, religion and even the very existence of God. In many nations believers are persecuted for expressing their faith. In many others, unbelievers would be arrested and punished for daring to doubt the official religion.

When I first heard about this ad campaign's latest attempt to question matters of faith, my reaction was one of outrage and defensiveness. But before I and other believers become all hyped up about every attack on faith, we must remember that such unbelief is recycled history. The Bible points out "there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9b).

God began a public relations campaign thousands of years ago in response to those who say there is no God. God's response is not found on bus placards. It is recorded in Psalm 14:1, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" And in case a person misses it in Psalm 14, the same message is duplicated in Psalm 53. Apparently Scripture wants us to be sure not to miss the folly of unbelief.

In the current American Humanist ad campaign, the alternative to believing in a god is stated in what amounts to an unbelievers' mini-creed: "Just be good for goodness' sake." Being a good person is the suggested alternative to believing in God. This, too, has been tried before.

During the Reformation Martin Luther attempted to practice the "be a good person" version of religion. Trying to be good led Luther to despair, because he could never be good enough to satisfy himself, much less satisfy a perfect God. He eventually discovered that knowing God, having peace and being saved do not hinge on human insight or efforts. These things are matters of grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Christians distinguish between faith and religion. Religion is a human system. Faith is a Divine gift. Faith has nothing to do with our attempts to act religious or to be "good for goodness' sake." Faith receives and believes what our five senses cannot prove, but what our hearts know is true. Faith is a Divine gift that recognizes and receives all that God has to offer-gifts like hope, peace, love, forgiveness and salvation.

The basic fact that we are here shows that a Power out there first began reality as we know it. Something cannot come from nothing. But even such general, philosophical speculation about the existence of God can only take a person so far. We finally need to wrestle with the specific truth claims of the Bible and of Jesus.

To those who question if God exists, I encourage them the read or re-read one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John). Go on a journey with Jesus from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. Ponder the cross and the empty tomb and discover anew there is a God (capital "G") out there who loves you-even if you don't believe it yet.

Rev. Scott Schmieding

"The Farmers Ass"

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway, it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quietened down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.


Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.

2. Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.

3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less

LATER --------


The donkey later came back and bit the farmer who had tried to bury him. The gash from the bite got infected, and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.

MORAL FROM TODAY'S LESSON

When you do something wrong and try to cover your ass, it always comes back to bite you.

The big 2-5!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEAH! Sorry I am a day late. At least your card was sent yesterday! I Love you!

Ethen Bulls

Here are a couple of pictures of our angel that left us this afternoon...

Why??!!

Sometimes it is really hard to see what God has planned when He takes someone out of our lives...
I got an email today from my Mother-in-Law, Barbara, letting us know that Ethen, Jeff's cousin Matt's 18 month old son, had fallen down the stairs at his mom's apartment complex and suffered a head injury. At the time she rushed him to the ER but the doctors did not want to do a CAT scan in fear that Ethen was too young. She then began to see signs that things were not ok. He was life flighted to Memorial Herman in Houston last night and was thought to be brain dead. They had him on monitors to keep a watch on him.
At 2:30 this afternoon I got a call from Barbara letting me know that Ethen had passed away. Apparently they found Meningitis. At this point we dont know if he died from the fall, the Meningitis, or if he fell due to the Meningitis.
I do not know much besides this, but I hope to learn more...
God blesses us with little babies in our lives. They bring us such joy and happiness. It is really hard to understand why they are taken at such a young age. All we can do is have faith that this is all part of God's plan and pray for comfort in our pain.
I hope to get some pictures of him up. I do not have any so I will have to get some from some family. These are the times when I wish we lived closer to family so that we could get to know them better. Fortunately, I have the memory of holding and playing with him at the Bulls Christmas gathering last year. He was such an angel!
Please pray for his mom, dad, brothers and sisters, and the rest of us as we say goodye...

It is either "God Says" or "I think"... There is no in between!

Proof...

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=56494

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

Cut off the edge again... here is the link:
http://www.myheritage.com/FP/Company/face-recognition-results.php?temp=06f7c194ezwpen21&server=Server25&database=2&startYear=1800&endYear=2005&collage=1&loadMethod=myFiles

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

It seems to cut off the right side, so if you want to see the whole thing go here:
http://www.myheritage.com/photo-145711992_1_1/title

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celeb - Collage - Morph

Outrage!

I have held this in long enough. Unfortunately, I don't think I will EVER be able to fully convey in words how patiently I feel about this!
I am so sick and tired of the treatment of Christians these days! Please watch this video below (excuse the advertisement). I could not believe what I was seeing! (Actually, to be honest, I should say that I am not surprised but it is never easy to be faced with reality.) This just proves how Americans have truly rejected The Lord Jesus Christ and replaced him with sexual immorality, money, disrespect, hate... actually, I cant even find a word to describe it! These are the people that are out there protesting their right for "fairness" and practicing their freedom of speech when they trample an elderly woman who is out there DOING THE EXACT SAME THING! How hypocritical can you be??!! Get some class, for crying out loud!

I am SICK of these people and their hateful actions. I am shaking it makes me so mad! I am sick of being the one referred to as "ignorant" because I am not "open" to other views. I believe you have a right to feel the way you do, but there is a fine line between that and morality and it should not be forced on anybody. COME ON PEOPLE!

If believing that life begins at conception, babies have a right to live, Marriage was created for one man and one woman, hard work should be rewarded and not punished by the government taking my money to give to other people, and the right to protect myself and my property makes me ignorant, SO BE IT!

Open your eyes people... God has blessed this country in countless ways and all we can do is spit and stomp on him! Do you not know that this is exactly what the Isrealites did after Moses rescued them from Egypt??!! They soon forgot the grace of God and turned to their own evil sinful ways. People have been the same since the beginning of time. Have we forgotten 9-11?? It has only been 7 years and we have already decided that it isnt worth fighting for anymore! How would you feel if you lost a loved one due to a terrorist attack?? Would you just decide you are tired of fighting and give up? Or, would you keep the focus on getting rid of the evil in the world? Isn't this what most liberals want; world peace??!!
I could go on forever, so I will leave you with this: I stand with the belief that the phrase should no longer be "God BLESS America" but "God HAVE MERCY ON America"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Seven Wonders of the World

Need a Laugh?....

Try one of these....

Comfort for today

Have you ever needed to find an answer and knew the The Bible was the place to go, but was not sure where to begin???? I find that quite often. Many times I just open it blindly and begin reading. I have always found some kind of comfort in what I was reading by doing this. There are times, however, when I need something specific. This link ( http://www.biblegateway.com) has been great! You can simply search by key word and it will give you a list of verses that include that topic or phrase. I hope you like this as much as I do!
I know I am not the only one that needs this right now...

Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Hebrews 11

By Faith

1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.

3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he^[a]considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring^[b] will be reckoned."^[c] 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.

23By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea^[d] as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.^[e]

32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned^[f]; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

2012

The future Presidential Nominees for 2012? I sure hope so! Palin or Jindal would be fine with me!

discusted, frustrated, annoyed, and scared

I got this email from my dad this morning. It pretty much sums up what I am feeling a lot better than how I can explain it:

Isn't it funny how depressing something can be even when you knew it was going to happen?

As my emotions vacillate between pure anger, frustration and despair, It is nothing short of phenomenal to me that we have 52% of the people in this country that either have no moral compass, are economically ignorant, have ostensibly have rejected Christ, who covet openly and proudly, who have no work ethic, who do not understand or have never read the constitution, or who do not have a fundamental understanding of freedom or it's frailty.

My solace and focus remains;


Ephesians 6:12 - For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.



Romans 13:1 - Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.



Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.



and I can't help but think of;



Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; 21 for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct. 29 They were filled with all manner of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity, they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them but approve those who practice them.

Our First Home

Micro Chihuahua Teacup

If this doesn't melt your heart, I dont know what will...

Jeff turns 27 today!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Global Wildlife Center

I was finally accepted into Carson's little world! Allyson took Callie and Carson to the Global Wildlife Center yesterday. This was a new experience for me, but the kids had been there multiple times. You basically pay for a feed bucket and a spot on the wagon and you get to ride around and feed some exotic animals. It was really pretty neat! The giraffes were my favorite, of course! Those of you who know me well enough would know that those are my favorite, and only a few of you would know why! hehe. Anyways, it is about a hour and a half ride so it keeps the kids occupied for a good period of time. I was warned that the kiddos would be a handfull, but they were great! We had lunch at McDonalds and on our way home Carson asked me to swing with him and play with his new cars when we got home. First thing Allyson said was "uh oh! You're In". I did swing and play with his cars and then all 4 of us passed out watching Scooby-Doo. What a day! :)

Hallo-Weenie!

Boys are great at turning an everyday word into something very silly! Carson decided that he would yell "Hallo-Weenie" at every door while he was Trick-or-Treating.
Kent and Tisha decided to have some people over for Halloween and take the kids trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. I am sooo glad that we were moved into the neighborhood in time for this weekend. We had a blast. Callie was a pink Minnie Mouse, Carson was a Power Ranger, and Corey, well, I am not quite sure what he was, but it was scary! Allyson got a hold of one of the kids hunting outfits and decided to be a bus... a bit scary herself, too. Needless to say, it was a lot of fun riding around on a hay-filled trailer being pulled by a tractor. Thanks Tisha for having us all over; it was a blast!

Painting

So I have decided that I needed to teach my self how to do Acrylic Paintings. I have been wanting to take some classes but it has never worked out. I have worked with Acrylics before but just doing some abstracts. I have also worked with watercolor (which is definitely not my forte). I have decided that one of my pictures that I took in Italy would be a great piece to place over the fireplace; if it turns out ok. Here is the image that I took and will be going by:

Happy Reformation Day

Reformation Day is a religious holiday celebrated on October 31 in remembrance of the Reformation, particularly by Lutheran and some Reformed church communities.

On this day in 1517, Martin Luther posted a proposal at the doors of a church in Wittenberg, Germany to debate the doctrine and practice of indulgences. This proposal is popularly known as the 95 Theses, which he nailed to the Castle Church doors. This was not an act of defiance or provocation as is sometimes thought. Since the Castle Church faced Wittenberg's main thoroughfare, the church door functioned as a public bulletin board and was therefore the logical place for posting important notices. Also, the theses were written in Latin, the language of the church, and not in the vernacular. Nonetheless, the event created a controversy between Luther and those allied with the Pope over a variety of doctrines and practices. When Luther and his supporters were excommunicated in 1520, the Lutheran tradition was born. This in turn would later ease the creation of the Reformed and Anabaptist traditions as well.

Within the Lutheran church, Reformation Day is considered a lesser festival, and is officially referred to as The Festival of the Reformation. Until the 20th Century, most Lutheran churches celebrated Reformation Day on October 31st, regardless of which day of the week it occurred. Today, most Lutheran churches transfer the festival, so that it falls on the Sunday (called Reformation Sunday) on or before October 31st and transfer All Saints' Day to the Sunday on or after November 1st.

The liturgical color of the day is red, which represents the Holy Spirit and the Martyrs of the Christian Church. Luther's hymn, A Mighty Fortress is our God is traditionally sung on this day. Lutherans customarily stand during the hymn, in memory of its use in the religious wars of the Sixteenth Century. It is also traditional in some Lutheran schools for schoolchildren to hold Reformation Day plays or pageants that re-enact scenes from the life of Martin Luther. The fact that Reformation Day coincides with Halloween may not be mere coincidence. Halloween, being the Eve of All Saints' Day might have been an entirely appropriate day for Luther to post his 95 Theses against indulgences since the castle church would be open on All Saints' Day specifically for people to view a large collection of relics. The viewing of these relics was said to promise a reduction in time in purgatory similar to that of the purchase of an indulgence. Dr. Luther may have been shrewd in his choice of that day to post his theses.

Water Fountain

I got this in an email... It was too cool not to share!

all moved in

Well, I just dropped my mom off at the airport to go home. This week has been AMAZING! We closed on Friday, October 24th (see post below) and then moved on Saturday morning. Thank you to all of you who helped! We would have been lost with out you!
The morning started off very early. I had to send Hannah and EMily (who is VERY pregnant) up to the house before 8am to wait for our bed to be delivered. I got a phone call from them a few hours later telling us that Hannah had backed out of the driveway and into the ditch! What a way to break in the yard! haha. I had to just laugh. I wasnt going to let anything ruin our moving day! Hannah felt bad and was out there fixing the grass, but I just told her that she owed me another visit in payment!
After a long hard day of unloading and unpacking, we were able relax around our new grill and enjoy our backyard! I can not believe that she is ours! It is soooo nice to be able to spread out and have some space!
My mom stayed with me to help get everything in order this week. She was a HUGE help since I have to work from home. We were able to do some exploring of Hammond and Ponchatoula, eat out, and do some shopping. It was kinda sad when I had to drop her off to go home. I know she will be visiting soon, though.
I will be posting some pictures of the finished product once I finish some more organization.

It's finally here!

We finally close on our house today! I can not believe that it is already here. I am so ready just to get into a house; have a yard, garage, driveway, and most of all SPACE! We head to the Title company at 1:00. This ought to be interesting to see how this stuff goes. I have my real estate license in Texas (I think it has expired by now, though) but I have not been able to practice any of the ins-and-outs of the business. This has truly been a learning experience for Jeff and I. We have grown together so much and learned a LOT about each other. I will post the pictures that we take of the final product today.
My family comes up tonight to help us move tomorrow. It will be a lot of fun and we are so thankful to have so many friends and family members to volunteer their time and bodies to help us move!
By the way, I expect lots of guests once we get settled!

Baby shower #3

Actually, this is #5 I think for Emily, just my third to attend. She still has 2 to go! I can't get over how blessed they are with so many friends and family members that care for them so deeply! Annelise will truly be loved!

New Furniture!!

I got to buy these pieces yesterday! I can't wait to put them in the house!

Zach and Tanya are getting married!

My cousin Zach and his long time girlfriend Tanya are getting married on November 8th! We are so excited that they are finally getting together! We through a family shower on Saturday after the baby shower and i would guess that there were close to 150 people there! WOW! It was great to get to have these get togethers to be able to see some family that we don't get to see that often. Tanya got lots of presents and is even more anxious for the wedding now. We are looking forward to the 8th!

Baby Shower #2

Emily had her second baby shower last Saturday. It went off GREAT! Her best friend Stori was supposed to throw it, but due to unexpected circumstances, she was unable to make it. We missed her dearly and I know she wished she could have been there, too. We had a blast and Emily got lots of goodies.