Sundays

Today was such an enjoyable day with my Frank Phillips Adopted Students...Nancy and Brenda. I haven't spent extended time with them in a while (couple of weeks) so it was nice to have the time with them. I am so thankful for Bobby because he is the "cut up" and the "athletic" one so they really connect with him. I love that about him! I am the serious and quiet one so when it comes to hanging out I am not that much fun. Lol. Anyway, we (Bobby and I) had the girls over for Sunday lunch - Nancy was named player of the week so we wanted to celebrate. Carmela, another FPC student, got to come along too. MaKenzie, Anna and John Mark were there also of course. What fun we had!! Playing Wii (Rabid Rabbits rocks!) and having yummy food makes for a perfect Sunday!

So this week was a rough one. My sister and dad had conflict and I HATE, HATE, HATE conflict! I had to be the "mediator" and my dad has moved in with me so that my sister can have an long, extended vacation. She is the eldest and so very much deserves it!! She has been the one who has stayed in Borger and has always been the caretaker of my parents. She was the one who took them to doctor appts, watched out for them, etc. While the rest of us were out "living our lives" (in other parts of the world), she was here being the dutiful daughter. I admire her greatly. Well, then day 2 of my dad being with me, he accuses me of taking his wallet. He later finds it but the accusations just so upset me. I was very sad about the whole situation and my heart just so deeply missed my mom and not having her here. I know my dad also feels the same way. That makes it doubly tearful.

Now to mention my life group lesson. Have I mentioned how amazing it is and how it really ministers to me on a weekly basis? It was on Esther (the study is an in depth walk in the Old Testament). The last day said this...


What does the example of Esther say to you when you feel like giving up? When you feel like compromising your convictions? When you are opposed by people who hate you? When you are hindered by people who should be helping. Pray for God to give you a spirit of faithfulness that will enable you to keep on keeping on in obedience to God.

God just continually causes my jaw to drop open time after time.

By the way, Anna has been substitute teaching. She loves it too which just causes my heart to explode! She's got the teaching bug! She is teaching at the elementary level and tells me stories every evening about her students. The smaller kids are so adorable with their antics & sayings! One funny story is at the 2nd grade level. One little girl was telling another boy, "You know what? I have a horse and I have a goat and I have 2 cats and I have a dog and I have a hamster..." The boy responded, "Well, you know what? I have a 'wee wee'!!" Anna then sternly said, "WHO SAID THAT?" The boys hands automatically shot up to his head in anguish and shame and he walked shaking his head to her desk. By the time he got there, he was crying. She asked "What did you say?" He answered, "It came out before I could stop it!!" So funny and hilarious. She leaves for OBU on Thursday so I will miss her and her anecdotes of her subbing days.

Grand Jury & Such

I just finished serving on the Grand Jury Commission. I love our country and I love the way our political process works. I know it seems messed up at times but it really is the best one out there. If you don't think so, go visit another country. I lived for 3 years in the Philippines and I was able to truly cherish our great country after this tour of duty (we were serving with the Air Force)! So I realize it's not 4th of July but this is my patriotic speech for the year.

For New Year's we went to Laura Arrington's New Year's party and it was a lot of fun. I have not danced since I was 14 years old in 8th grade. My sister, Sylvia, remembers my peach metallic dress that my mom made me for the dance. It was very "disco". ha! Anyway, Bobby taught me how to 2-step! I am still not very good but I must not be too embarrassing since he continued to dance with me. One of the songs was Garth Brooks, The Dance, which kind of made me sad because of my divorce. But you know what? After doing my Life Group lesson, I realized that the song really shouldn't make me sad but happy. The text for the study was the book of Ruth and the commentary said:

"Ruth may have been written to show that God is in control of history. God, the ruler over the universe, works in people's lives to bring about HIS will. He worked through the terrible famine Naomi and her family endured to bring them to Moab. God worked through Ruth's faith to bring Ruth and Boaz together. He worked through the union to provide David as the finest King Israel had. In God's ultimate plan, He worked through Ruth's descendents to provide an earthly step-father for His son, the Lord Jesus Christ."

This commentary blew my mind and reminded me that God WORKS THROUGH all of our life's journey to bring about the finest and most wonderful thing we could possibly imagine. For me the most wonderful and finest are: my kids, Bobby, the unity of my sisters, and my faith.


So I should really be grading papers now. The pile is on the coffee table waiting for me. I will procrastinate for a little while longer (finish watching Bobby Flay) and then tackle it! Lol.

My Joy Bucket

As I was running this morning and it was lightly snowing, I thought I would burst with joy and peace that was filling my soul. Don't you love those moments? The snow and the run were just filling my "joy" bucket! Ha. Ha. Christmas was so wonderful and again, the older you get, the more you realize that it is not the gifts but the people. The first night that Ben & Anna came home from OBU, we were just lounging around watching tv and chatting away. They were going on & on about being excited for Christmas and I asked them, "Why? Because of the gifts?" They looked at me like I had a 3rd eye and said, "NO! Because we get to spend time with all of the 'familia' and it's always so much fun!" This comment exemplified Christmas for me!

I spent Christmas Eve with 4 of my sisters (minus one who lives in Georgia) and their families. Bobby was able to join us and this made it extra special. Sylvia, my eldest sister, had her boys there with their families (plus 2 new grand-babies!). It's awesome to see your nephews with families! Then Christmas Day, we traveled to my sister Dahlia's house in Amarillo and feasted on pork tenderloin for dinner. That evening, I was able to be with Bobby and all of his family as they had their Christmas celebration. Such a blessing as his four girls were all there and that was truly a joy for everyone!

Ben, Anna, and I have enjoyed our mornings during this Christmas holiday. It's so nice to not have a 'schedule' and to just lounge around, read, watch movies, and catch up with each other. We just watched "Horton Hears a Who" and were just rolling on the floor laughing. I thought to myself, "Who would have thought I'd be enjoying this type of movie with an 18 yr old and a 20 yr old?"

So, as I recall the earlier Questionnaire Blog & it's question about 4 things on my Wish List.... well, I have received 3 of the 4. The massage is still "out there". But after the rest and relaxation that I have been experiencing these last 6 days, I don't much need the massage anymore....no stress here!!! Now, talk to me in a few weeks, after school is back in session and then I might be telling a different story! Well, let's not think about that now - ha! I will end this blog by saying that I am going to go finish my novel, "The Bonesetter's Daughter" by Amy Tan (awesome read!). Ben is downstairs reading his 3rd book of the 3 book set from, "The Giver". Anna and John Mark (her bf) are working on a 550 piece puzzle that they are almost done with!!

I got tagged!

Rules:
1. Post rules on your blog.
2. Answer the six "4" items.
3. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving them a comment.

4 Things I Did Yesterday:
Had 3 Classroom Christmas Parties (3 more to go!! yikes!)
Watched tv show "Eli Stone" with Bobby and his parents
Had homemade peach pie that Bobby made (he's a baker...who would've thunk?)
Made 2 dozen Rugelach Cookies for Borger High Christmas Goodie Day

4 Things On My Wish List:
a massage (I am right there with you Holly!)
to thoroughly enjoy the Christmas break with my kids, Ben and Anna
to thoroughly REST during my Christmas break
to do lots & lots of reading during Christmas break

4 Things I Look Forward to:
the 14 exquisite days off that I am fixing to start beginning tomorrow at 12:30 pm!
Christmas and it's true meaning
Grandkids someday
Heaven

4 Restaurants I like: P
Cheddar's
Kabuki's
Tacos Garcia
Coffee Ranch

4 Favorite TV Shows:
Eli Stone
Jon & Kate Plus Eight
Naked Archealogist
Law & Order

4 People I Tag (You're it): only one...Kaci Lusk!!

I got tagged!

Rules:
1. Post rules on your blog.
2. Answer the six "4" items.
3. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving them a comment.

4 Things I Did Yesterday:
Had 3 Classroom Christmas Parties (3 more to go!! yikes!)
Watched tv show "Eli Stone" with Bobby and his parents
Had homemade peach pie that Bobby made (he's a baker...who would've thunk?)
Made 2 dozen Rugelach Cookies for Borger High Christmas Goodie Day

4 Things On My Wish List:
a massage (I am right there with you Holly!)
to thoroughly enjoy the Christmas break with my kids, Ben and Anna
to thoroughly REST during my Christmas break
to do lots & lots of reading during Christmas break

4 Things I Look Forward to:
the 14 exquisite days off that I am fixing to start beginning tomorrow at 12:30 pm!
Christmas and it's true meaning
Grandkids someday
Heaven

4 Restaurants I like: P
Cheddar's
Kabuki's
Tacos Garcia
Coffee Ranch

4 Favorite TV Shows:
Eli Stone
Jon & Kate Plus Eight
Naked Archealogist
Law & Order

4 People I Tag (You're it): only one...Kaci Lusk!!

Is it 4:30 am????

Yes,I got up at 4:30 am this morning! Egad! It's funny though because my dad has been with me the last week and a half and I guess I am used to getting up with him. He left last night to go back to my sister's which is where he is at permanently. It's sad but I kind of miss him. I miss fixing him his oatmeal and visiting with him after my a.m. run and before going off to work. I will also miss the TV being parked on the old westerns on AMC and sitting and watching them with him. I miss him telling me to "bundle up and to check my tires in my car and to drive safely". What a lovable dad. When you lose your mom, you cherish the time with the other parent. Now, if he lived with me permanently, I might say otherwise! Lol.

I spent all of last night reading! I have not done that in forever! I came home and took my dad to my sister's and then read from 6pm - 10pm! It is a great book, "The Last Sin Eater". I loved, loved, loved it! The writing style is similar to Katherine Paterson (Bridge to Terabithia, Jacob Have I Loved, etc). Anyway, it has an awesome message and very well written. Read it if you get the chance!

Anna and Ben are almost set to substitute teach. Yeah! I am so proud of them. They come home next Thursday'ish. Can't wait. They will be home for 6 weeks on & off (between visiting their dad in Oklahoma). It will be nice to have them home again. The next semester at OBU doesn't start until Jan. 29th! I asked them if they were willing to substitute teach at the high school level (for me!) and they said, "NO WAY!" ha. ha.

I am so thankful that next week is the last week of school. It has gone by fast and for that I am thankful. I am also thankful that the semester does not end next week. We, teachers, are usually going crazy giving semester exams, grading exams, turning in grades, getting semester grades finalized, getting kids' to turn in make up work, etc, etc, etc. It makes the last week before Xmas most *CRAZY*. Thank God that it won't be this way this Christmas. I might even end up working just a 40 hour work week next week in comparison to my normal 50-55 hour week....wow! If I do, it will be the first time!

So now it is 6 am and I guess I can go on my a.m. run and then go to work. Don't try getting a hold of me tonight though because I will be snoozing away at 7 pm probably!!!!!

A day in the life of ME

So this morning, I was working away in my classroom and a fellow teacher comes in and says, "Did you know your tire on your car is really low?" I gasped and said, "Oh no. Will it be okay until the end of the day?" He said it would be okay. Then at lunch, another teacher comes and says, "Your tire on your car is COMPLETELY flat!" I again gasped and ran out to the parking lot. Thankfully the gas station is less than a block away and I was able to air it up. This is on top of a teacher coming in to say, "Elizabeth, you did remember that you were speaking to my classes today about growing up as a migrant farmworker, right?" Then the vice principal comes in and says, "Elizabeth, you did remember that I am coming in to observe your classes today right?"

This is a day in the life of ME! So typical of my life. Lol!

Truthfully, Becky Dietz' blog site challenged us to tell what we were thankful for. Thanks Becky because it is something to slow down for and to think about. I am thankful, of course, for my children Ben & Anna. With the "cards stacked against us" as a single parent family and a broken home family, God put us back together and made us a beautiful family again. That blows my mind! I am thankful for a job that I love even on crazy, hectic days. I am thankful that Bobby Forrest and his family are so precious to me. I had so much hesitancy with dating and was so apprehensive with the "issues" that surround all ofthat but have realized that they have been pale in comparison to the blessings and I know that is because God is involved! It is still difficult but God is so good and shows up time & time again. I am thankful for my sister, Sylvia, who is such a great sister. We are as different as night & day but we love each other and "get" one another. I also am thankful to my Wednesday Lunch pals, Debbie Chowins & Margaret Vance. It's so nice to have close friends to be real with and to share & understand what life with college children is like. To pray with one another and to fully bear one another's burdens. What a beautiful picture of Christ.

So be thankful no matter what. Praise God in the dark and in the light.