My Dad

My thoughts regarding my Dad, these last few weeks, have centered around music. Music touches my heart and speaks to me in a way few other things do. ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * What if your blessings come thru raindrops? What if you're healing comes through tears? What if your trials of this world are your mercies in disguise? -awesome song I heard on the way to my Dad's. ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * *For the Moments I Feel Fainting Reliant K Am I at the point of no improvement What of the death I still dwell in? I try to excel, but I feel no movement Can I be free of this unreleasable sin? Never underestimate my Jesus You're telling me that there's no hope. I'm telling you you're wrong. Never underestimate my Jesus When the world around you crumbles He will be strong, He will be strong I throw up my hands "Oh, the impossibilities" Frustrated and tired Where do I go from here? Now I'm searching for the confidence I've lost so willingly Overcoming these obstacles is overcoming my fear Gather my insufficiencies and Place them in your hands, Place them in your hands, Place them in your hands ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * *When the Night is Falling Denis Jernigan When the night is falling, when the day is done I can hear you calling, Come I will come while you sing over me When the night surrounds me, all my dreams undone I can hear you calling, Come I will come while you sing over me. When the night would hide your way I will listen until until I hear you say How I love you my child I love you How I love you my child I love you When the night would hide my way I will listen until I hear you say When this life is over, and the race is over I will hear you calling, Come I will come while you sing over me. ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * *Worn Tenth Avenue North I'm tired I'm worn My heart is heavy From the work it takes to keep on Breathing I've made mistakes I've let my hope fail My soul feels crushed by the weight of this world And I know that you can give me rest So I cry out with all that I have left Let me see redemption win Let me know the struggle ends That you can mend a heart that's frail and torn I wanna know a song can rise from the Ashes of a broken life And all that's dead inside can be reborn Cause I'm worn I know I need to lift my eyes up But I'm too weak Life just won't let up and I know you can give me rest So cry out with all that I have left Let me see redemption win Let me know the struggle ends That you can mend a heart that's frail And torn I wanna know a song can rise from the Ashes of a broken life And all that's dead inside can be reborn Cause I'm worn My prayers are wearing thin And I'm worn Even before the day begins I'm worn I've lost my will to fight I'm worn Heaven come and flood my eyes ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *. ~ * ~ * *Where The Soul of Man Never Dies: To Canaan's land, I'm on my way Where the soul of man never dies My darkest night will turn to day Where the soul of man never dies No sad farewells No tear dimmed eyes Where all is love And the soul never dies The rose is blooming there for me Where the soul of man never dies And I will spend eternity Where the soul often never dies No sad farewells No tear dimmed eyes Where all is love And the soul never dies The love light beams across the foam Where the soul of man never dies It shines the light the way to he Where the soul of man never dies No sad farewells No tear dimmed eyes Where all is love And the soul never dies

Year in Review

Thank you God for all the blessings of this year January started with sadness over friction between some people that I love and myself. Thankfully God brought reconciliation and is continuing to heal. March was a time of jubilation as Bobby and I traveled to Portland Oregon. It was a dreary and rainy time weatherwise but it was such a time of happiness to spend it with Benjamin. God blessed the trip because Benjamin was about to have to come home and it worked out on the last day of our trip that we found a place for him to live with Dexter and Thootmey. And then the next week he found a job that he desperately needed. What a praise to God! In May we saw Anna graduate from college which made my heart want to burst. I couldn't believe my two children had graduated from college. As a single mom I had always worried that they wouldn't be able to graduate college and/or they would dropout . This fulfilled a long, long and deep prayer of mine In June we got to take Breckyn to Chama, New Mexico for a week long trip . What fun hiking, having picnics, looking for gold , using the metal detector, etc. We taught him how to play battleship and slamwich and we also got scared by an alleged bear (aka Bobby). Ha ha! In July I got to go visit Anna and help her move into Bricktown in Oklahoma City. I also helped her move into her new classroom and see her new school where she was going to be teaching. I could not help but think of the words of my mother. She would always say to me, "You have such a gift and a talent to connect with children. You need to never hide that talent nor put it under a bush." It gladdens my heart to see my daughter continue and share the same talent that I have. In August we went on the Forrest family vacation to Dallas and Fort Worth. What fun it was especially since our two younger grandbabies got to enjoy and take part in visiting the zoo and the water park. I also got to go to my first Texas Rangers baseball game which was so much fun! In September (truthfully...it was the end of August)school started and I had an exciting challenge of teaching Spanish 4 after some years of not doing that. I also looked forward to working with the new principal who seemed to have great ideas and great encouragement to our staff. I also was excited to see our Spanish department increase to four teachers. This coupled with being the department head and having a student teacher for the semester brought challenge and excitement. In October I got to go back and visit Anna in Oklahoma City for the weekend. What fun it was to be shown the city especially all around Bricktown by Anna and John Mark especially since they had already gotten their bearings and could show me the cool and fun places to visit. Late October Bobby and I got to return to Taos New Mexico to celebrate , belatedly, our two year anniversary. This thrilled my heart because Taos is my most favorite place to be with him. It is a perfect example of his personality and my personality. His love for the outdoors and outdoor activities and my love for culture, learning, and craft. In early December we traveled to Corpus Christi to see McKenzie graduate from college. What excitement, what pride, and what honest determination of not ever giving up! Then there was Christmas. Christmas was the highlight of my year. Having myself, Ben, and Anna together under the same roof. The three of us had not been together in nine months. I couldn't help but reflect at all the hardships the three of us had gone through together. The years of single parenthood. Working 3 jobs, commuting to WTAMU, not having sufficient money for food, not having finished sufficient money for bills, and not having sufficient money to live day by day. We weathered those years together and we saw God meet every need and every prayer and every cry of our heart. Praise be the name of our God and Father! He truly blesses us - - I have Bobby now and Anna has John Mark now and Ben has lovely Jaclyn . How I thank God for this year.

Changing...

I haven't been doing much blogging lately. I keep a journal on my IPAD but it is a private one since I hate to put my personal and intimate feelings online. Alot that has been going on with my family has been ultra private and journaling this way (privately) is really what suits me best. But all that to say that yesterday's journal entry was one that I could blog about. It is about changes in lifestyle. Life changes for all of us and we find ourselves at different seasons of our lives. This is a new season for me (remarriage, blended family, having adult children, caring for an elderly & failing parent...) so blogging helps me make that adjustment. Monday, June 25, 2012        "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart.".   Psalm 73:26 It is funny that all last week I was in Ft Worth at a workshop and had all the week to myself and I did not journal. Crazy huh? It was a busy week with very full days (strict 8:00 am - 5:00 pm). Then the evenings found me working out, "debriefing"/relaxing, and doing AP homework. After the AP homework, I did not feel like using my brain. Lol!    It was nice though to not have anyone "needing" me. No laundry, no housework, no watering yard or flowers, and no cooking. It was WONDERFUL! But I did miss my husband. By day 3, I felt lonely and empty without him. He really does complete me.  But today  is Monday and I am terribly tired. Since returning, I have hit the ground running. I am thankful for having a little time this morning to "recoup" and to have some time to myself. I have to wait for the admin building to open at 9 am.  I am being kind of selfish too. I just realize that my life now is way, way busy and full and it just plum wears me out sometimes. It is so busier than my single mom life. Crazy huh? Busier than me as a single mom with 3 jobs. Yep, crazy but it is true. When I was a single mom, it was busy but I was able to monitor it and pace it out.  I was able to "schedule out" the busy-ness and then fill in the in between times with quietness and calmness. My life now is like a "go-go-go" life now. I have to fight and be selfish to give myself quiet and calm time. I am learning this. But as Bobby says, "You have to take the good with the bad." and this is so true and I would not trade my life. Not for the world. I am so so blessed. I truly am. I have a great family and great husband. I love it all just gotta adjust. :-)

Snapshot of a teacher

These are entries from the school year... A mini- snapshot of the craziness that teachers go through. Crazy but it is still the best job in the world! ______________________ May 16, 2012  It’s been so crazy around here (Borger High).  I need to remember this next year. You’d think with it being my 12th year teaching that I would remember this from year to year….ha!.  Every day is something new and you don’t know who or which students (if any) you will have in class.  You have to fly by the seat of your pants as a teacher and just hang loose.  Hard for a control freak and uber teacher as myself.  Lol!  Monday was senior awards and senior candlelighting which the juniors were invited to as well so I didn’t have any of those students. This left me with only a handful in each class. I also had to present an award so I have to leave my classes for 2 hours and thus had to leave sub plans.  Ugh.  This was all last minute so my lesson plans for the day just had to be changed drastically!  Then yesterday, was senior skip day so once again seniors were gone.  It was crazy because I had a review sheet for my seniors since they have to take their senior exam today (if they are not exempt).  I had to once again  “readjust” my wonderful plan of action.  Ha ha. Today is AP exams so a large batch of my students will once again be gone and it is early lunch release day so classes are at a different schedule.  Are you kidding me I ask myself?  Lol.  “Be fluid” is the quote I have to remind myself of over and over again (Andy Dietz’ words from Mexico Mission Trip). ______________________ May 03, 2012  The last couple of days have been “fast & furious” so today I am taking it easy and kicking back.  Well, as much ‘kicking back’ that a workaholic like me can do.  Ha ha!  I have been using my days to get review sheets made & copied, exams made & copied, ISS/DAEP work for 4 students, meeting to get NHS scholarships decided upon, frantically getting field trip paperwork for 5 de mayo done, frantically getting Velma Zelma (Borger High's nominee for teacher of the year) paperwork gathered,  filling  a 3 tiered pot with various flowers/plants, making 3 trays of chicken enchiladas ( (for Cinco de Mayo fiesta tomorrow), …..  So today is test day so I am gonna take it E-A-S-Y!!  We have Breckyn’s ballgame tonight and possibly Avengers midnight premiere.  ☺  Fun stuff baby! So today….while the students are taking the exam, I will grade FTQuizzes and enter them into the gradebook.  Tomorrow is fiesta day (yippee!).  Saturday is Cinco de Mayo 5k. Saturday/Sunday….grading exams (boo) ______________________ Thursday, March 22, 2012  Thank you Lord for today.   I sure needed a slow and somewhat “easy” day.  Soooo needed it!!  Crazy 10 hour days on Monday and Tuesday and then UIL yesterday in Pampa (8am – 9pm) really “ate my lunch”!  It was a great day yesterday (we won!) but it was long and this morning, I woke up so tired.  But it was so nice knowing that I had made review sheets for my classes for today.  They have been working so well on them.  I also had 2 students from HomeEc who brought me 2 pieces of delicious pie (chocolate pie & peach pie).  This so made my day.  ☺  ☺ Bobby also fixed Marissa’s flat tire yesterday.  I am so blessed by him and his wonderful way of helping my sister.  He was really tired last night when I got home from UIL but this morning he was back to his cheerful self and was so charming and encouraging.  I sure love him. ______________________ March 9, 2012 Finally I can have a journal entry that doesn’t involve an “ugh”.  J  I love it!!  My 4th period class is the only class that has finished watching the PERU video and since they are my smallest class (only 10 students), I am having them help clean up my classroom, organize their binders, and getting things ready for pinatas which we will begin soon.  This is *GREATLY* helping me out!!  I graded papers this morning from 6:45 am - 8:00 am so all I have to do nowThemis record them during my conference hour.  I am so happy!! I also received my 4 boxes of Pampered chef and last night, I got to organize them and get them ready to pass out to all the teachers here at BHS.  Made me feel so goooood!  I, especially loved getting my own stuff.  $200 worth of free stuff!  Happy Day!! Then…..tomorrow Bobby and I fly out to Portland!  Woo hoo!! Spring Break here we come!

Bob's heart surgery

This morning this verse keeps playing in my head and I find myself humming the song to it. It is my prayer for Bob...

"The steadfast love of of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ' The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope I him.' The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the Lord."  Lamentations 3:22-26

Second half of questions

Here's the second half of the questions that I began a few weeks ago.l..

Question #13. What are 5 strengths that you have?
a. Mediator
b. Empathy
c. Hard working
d. Organized
e. Love children

Question #14. What  are your 5 weaknesses that you have?
a. Not being bold when needed
b. Too structured
c.  Narrow minded at times
d. Too emotional at times
e. Worry wart

Question #15. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
A cat. Quiet but "thinking" all the time.  I sure love the way they can truly R-E-L-A-X.  I envy that. They seem smart and intellectual. They saunter and have "attitude". They purr when they are happy and content. Pet magazines say it's their way of saying, "I love you and you belong to me". 

Question #16..What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?
a. Benjamin Aaron Skaggs
b. Anna-Elyse Buchanan
c. Marriage to Bobby Forrest
d. College graduation
e. Teaching High School

Question #17....What is the thing you wish you were most good at?
That is a no brainier. SINGING. My children are so talented at it and I envy them! I can't even carry a tune. 

Question #18.... What is the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?
I really forgive easily but the breaking of marital vows and promises truly was a hard thing to get past. When my ex said he was remarrying and moving on...BOY was that hard to forgive. Thank God that I did the "Experiencing God" study at that time because it helped me to heal and forgive.

Question #19....If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?
I have been very fortunate to live in many, many places and I have realized that it is the people you surround yourself with and the friendships and relationships that make places wonderful. I have lived in super spectacular places but without friendships and/or family then it was not a good place. I love Borger, Texas and it is because of my family (immediate and blended), grandkids, etc.

Question #20.... What are your 3 most significant memories of your childhood?
a.  Playing Barbies with my sisters in the creek that flowed in the back of our little shack where we lived when we were migrant farmworkers
b. Being involved as a family in our church during our first years in Borger.
c. Riding in the camper of our truck with my 4 sisters during our 3-5 day trek to Wyoming when we were migrant farmworkers. 
d. Attending a 3 room schoolhouse in Washington state when we were migrant farmworkers.
e. Feeling rich when every 4th of July my parents would give us $100 after getting paid from working in the fields for the first part of the season.
f. Seeing my dad get saved and drastically changing his and our lives.

Question #21.....If you could have one superpower what would it beans what would you do with it first?
a. My superpower would be healing.
b. I would heal my dad of his ailments which were brought about due to his alcoholism and his working all of his life in the fields.

Question #22...Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?
a. The same as now. Working and living with Bobby in Borger.
b. Maybe moved away and maybe raveling a lot...with Bobby of course.
c. Taking care of Bobby in his ailing health and possibly my own ailing health. Sad but true.

Question #23....List your 5 favorite hobbies and why you enjoy them.
a. Running....because it de-stresses me and I love the early morning before the whole world awakens.
b. Cooking....I love trying new and different recipes as well as loving to see how food and a home cooked meal brings people together.
c. Weight training.... I love the health aspects (builds bone which helps my arthritis)
d. Reading....I love reading a variety of genres and things that challenge me. 
e. Movies .... Good good movies! Good acting, good storyline, good directing. 


Question #24 What is your love language?
 Words of affirmation (both written and verbal)

Question #25 What is the most misunderstood thing about you?
 Most people think I am a social person. I, in truth, am not. I am quiet and an introvert by nature. I have to work really hard to be "social" and "bubbly". This surprises a lot of people especially my husband.

Pioneer woman website

I am an avid follower of Pioneer Woman. Today her blog was titled Non- Sequitur....

Here is mine....

Non-Sequitur:

My father in law is in the hospital. I need to buy Sharpies for my Spanish II classes project and I need to text my little sister about letting her borrow 2 dvd movies that are excellent (Spellbound and A Better Life). Anna’s graduation invitations are ready to be mailed out and I need to buy a new Iphone car charger (one that doesn’t keep not working after it’s 2nd charge). Ben, my son, is loving his job in Portland and I have to make sure all of my grades are current in my gradebook (it’s the end of the 6 weeks). My husband cried today (thinking about his dad’s being in the hospital and I am sad that parents get old. I don’t have any students in ISS or Homebound (first time all year long) and my good friend, Mary Tristan lost her dad yesterday. I need to study to teach the college Sunday School class this Sunday and I need to pick up my Avon watch from Mrs. Walker. Did I remember to bring more magazines to my classroom for art project days and I really feel like a frito pie for lunch today. My grandson has a baseball game this Saturday and I want to plant some basil in a pretty pot. I made up bellringer papers for my classes for the next 3 weeks and I can’t forget to pick up Jordon before I leave for the hospital. I need to get my dvd player back from Mrs. Reyes and did I order one or two dozen cupcake liners for my daughters college graduation cupcakes. Is STAAR/TAKS testing 2 weeks away or 3 and should I order flowers for my father in law’s upcoming heart surgery. I am glad I made up 130 student bathroom passes for the new 6 weeks that begins on Monday and where is my Starbucks coffee mug? I am glad that Mr. Duncan is watching my afternoon classes (while I go to the hospital) and I want another Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato even though I had one yesterday. I love my husband and his family and I need to take some Tylenol with me today for the hospital.