It's back.

On top of the health issues going on with my Mom's husband.... We found out my Granny (My Mom's mom) was told right before Christmas that her cancer is back in her lungs. She starts chemotherapy again next Wednesday.

This Christmas season has been a strange one. Our focus has been shifted and as I sat in the living room last night with my Mom, her husband, and my sister I found tears coming to my eyes .... Because in that moment, I just felt overcome with gratitude for the family God picked for me.

I've been reminded more than ever this Christmas season how blessed our family is to have one another.

I'm so so very blessed and tears are forming as I type.

Family, it's what Christmas is all about.

So, during this Christmas week, when you're surrounded by your loved one's, remember how blessed you are.

A girl and her dog.

This could alternately be titled, "Get this girl a husband." Or "Here's to hoping for a husband in 2012." LOL!

What is the poor dog going to do when a husband enters the picture???

Taco is the star of the card folks. You wouldn't believe how many comments that boy has gotten. Stealing my thunder, lol!!! JK :) He is pretty darn cute if I say so myself! :)

Christmas cards are such a fun part of the season!!! Merry Christmas, friends!!!!!!

I'm linking up to Faith's Christmas Card Carousel. Click over and join in the fun and check out everyone's Christmas cards and show off your own!!!

Catching up.

Oddly, it hasn’t really been feeling much like Christmas around here. I think we’ve just all been so consumed with the medical stuff going on with my Mom’s husband, that we haven’t been able to think about much else.

He’s still in the hospital. Turns out that there was inflammation and fluid around the brain due to a reaction to an infection his body had at some point. This explains so many of the symptoms he was having. Good news is its totally treatable but he’ll be in the hospital until at least Wednesday or Thursday. They have him on medicine right now and will do another MRI of his brain to make sure the medicine is doing its job. And hopefully if all goes well, he’ll be home this week recouping from that and then can proceed with the heart valve replacement surgery later on down the road.

It was a blessing in disguise because if we hadn’t of brought him into the hospital for the heart, the brain situation could have gone undetected for much longer and don’t even want to think about what could have happened.

This hospital stay is taking a toll on both my Mom and him, and just an emotional time for all of us. They are just both ready to have him home, but he has been such a trooper. My mom has been so so wonderful. Such an example of the kind of wife I want to be some day. 

Just please continue praying for him and my Mom. There is still a little uncertainty and we don't have all the answers yet. I know they would appreciate it and so would I.

Aren't they the cutest??

We may not be doing the typical Christmas stuff right now and our minds may be far from that. But there is no place I’d rather be than by my family. This kind of stuff has a way of putting things into perspective. 

I have my Jesus and family and that’s all I need. Hope y’all are enjoying your Christmas season!

Surgery

An update on my Mom's husband....

He is scheduled for open heart surgery tomorrow for valve repair. Please lift him up, my Mom as well, and our family. I'm taking off tomorrow to be with her. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

He is in good health otherwise and a candidate for the surgery and so we are fully expecting him to make it through just fine, but anything having to do with the the heart is scary! But we know God is in control!

Thank you so much!

UPDATE:
Surgery has been postponed. They found some abnormalities on brain MRI. They are doing a spinal tap today and other tests before they know how to proceed. Pray! Pray! Pray!  

Continue prayers please.

Just wanted to give you update on my Mom's husband since my last post. My Mom and sister took him to the hospital this morning for his heart. They are admitting him and running more tests.

I am at work and so want to be there.

Prayers would be appreciated please. Prayer for answers, a good outcome, and peace of mind and specifically his heart.

Thank you!

Here comes the sun.

Watch More Christian Videos on GodVine.com

I'm speechless.

Just watch.

And make sure you have tissues.

I will never look at the grass and the sun the same.

(I know it looks like there’s nothing there, just click play arrow and it will play)

Prayers please.

Yep, two posts in one day.

I'm here with a prayer request.

My Mom's hubby is dealing with some heart issues and there's some other stuff going on. Obviously we're all very concerned. He went yesterday and saw the doctor and had a echo and blood work done. Today he went back for stress tests. So hopefully within the next couple of days we'll know more answers.

Prayers would be appreciated. Hard not to let your mind wonder and obviously they are both very worried (As well all are). My Mom texted me and said he's not having a good day today. He's very tired and mentally tired as well. Please pray that God would give them peace of mind and guard their hearts, specifically his.

Thank you so much!!!

A few good men.

 

I came across this and it almost brought tears to my eyes. 

Lord, I don't play football. But whatever I do, let me do it for your glory!!!

Thanksgiving 2011.

Sometimes pictures are worth a thousand words.

And sadly, I am only missing a picture of my youngest niece :(  But this right here, this is what Thanksgiving is all about. Family.... Oh the joy of family! Nothing can compare.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and now bring on Christmas!!!! :)

Psalm 9:1 - I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart. I will recount of his wonderful deeds.

Heart full of thanks!

I know, I know... I said I was taking a break. But frankly, it's my blog, so there ;P

Honestly, I'm sitting here in front of the computer with a heart full of thanks and I have to spill it out somewhere.

It's Thanksgiving week .... and what better time :)

• Thankful I'm going to have all my family under one roof this week. 
• Thankful for the turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, rolls, etc etc, that will will be consumed this week. Thanksgiving is by far my favorite meal of the year.
• Otherwise thankful for food, ha.
• Thankful for my health.
• Thankful for transportation.
• Thankful for my salvation.
• Thankful for the gift of family. I'm privileged and honored to have the family I do. 
• Thankful for a mother who I walked in to TJ Maxx with this weekend and blessed me by buying me a blouse and three pairs of shoes. I love her. Truly love her.
• Thankful the Gators won their game over the weekend. We've had a rough season. It wasn't a SEC team win, but it was a win and I'll take it!
• With that said, thankful to be a Florida Gator.
• Thankful it's going to be 70s on Thanksgiving Day and not in the normal 80s. If you lived in Florida, you would appreciate this, ha.
• Thankful for the pedicure I got over the weekend and the hour or so I just got to relax.
• Thankful for the pain I have after my run this weekend (its been awhile, ha), because it reminds me to be thankful I have legs to run.
• Thankful for the fun fun time I had with the family this weekend putting our tree up while listening to Christmas music. 

• Speaking of which, thankful for Christmas music. Just makes everything better.
• Thankful for friendships that add so much joy and meaning to my life.
• Thankful for my job.
• Thankful that when things aren't always going my way, I'm reminded that it could always be worse.
• Thankful for my Compassion child that I sponsor.
• Thankful for my Father God who loves me even when I feel unlovable. 
• Thankful for Faith, Hope, and Love.
• Thankful for memories made this time of year and the way it warms the heart.
• Thankful for laughter. Couldn't imagine life without it. 
• Lastly, truly truly thankful for each and every one of you. If you're reading this... Yes, I'm talking to you.

Some of these are silly things but I pray the Lord will always teach me to have a thankful heart in the small and big things. This life is hard and circumstances beat us down. And it's easy to focus on everything else. Gahhhhh, we have so much in this life to be thankful for. This list could seriously go on and on.

I pray that you can pause for a moment in the hustle and bustle. Go to a quiet place, maybe by yourself, and reflect and give thanks.

Who knows, I might be back, maybe not..... but interrupting to pour out some thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving week!!

A break.

I’ve been blogging since 2008. I would have to say that this year has been the hardest year yet blogging wise. I look back and can see that this year I’ve posted less than all of the other years. 

I don’t know why it’s been such a struggle. I admit, in the midst I somehow lost focus of why I’m blogging in the first place. That happens to the best of us. My desire is that I can get back to the point where I'm blogging for me and no one else. And frankly, just need a break.

I think I’ve decided that I’m going to take the rest of the year off from blogging. We’re coming up to that busy time of the year where time with family and friends is precious. I just want to be in the moment and soak it all in. I think it’s good for us to do that every now and then.

I’m so looking forward to coming back in 2012 and starting fresh. I hope the holidays find you blessed and your hearts full. 

I love and appreciate y’all so much. 

“See” you soon!!! :)

In the meantime...

Good intentions.

We all have goals. We all set out to do something in hopes of obtaining those goals.  Whatever those goals may be.

We all have good intentions. 

I even prepared and ran my first 5k back in May in hopes that would keep me on the road of running. 

 I'm in the green in the front.

 

I went on to do one more 5k and haven’t ran since. 

I went a WHOLE month without soda and what am I back to drinking again. (Carbonated liquid is the DEVIL).

Good intentions.

I was being very good there for awhile about watching what I eat and eliminating the crap from my diet. Yeah, fell off that wagon.

 

So.Frustrated.

With anything that you set your mind to, I’m learning one thing, you have to be intentional in whatever it is that you're trying to achieve. 

Whether that’s trying to spend that quiet time with God.

Maybe it’s turning your phone off and shutting the computer down and stepping away from all things social media so you can be in the moment.

You might find yourself trying to eat better and exercise a little more. 

It might be something as small as when you told that friend, "I'll give you a call soon," and have yet to pick up the phone but you had all intentions.

Whatever it is, chances are it requires us to be intentional. Life is full of good intentions but somtimes good intentions, well, just aren't good enough!

Lord, help me be more intentional, whatever it may be. I can't do it without you. 

Any area of your life he's calling you to be more intentional?

A little Compassion.

If you're in the blog and Twitter world, you might have followed the Compassion Bloggers while they were in Ecuador. Each and every post affected me in some way. But it was Sophie's last post of the trip about sweet Jonathan that left me sobbing.

I’m ashamed to say that at one time I sponsored a child with World Vision but I called and canceled my sponsorship. With much conviction I tell you that I believe that was out of selfish need. It’s easy to think what is my sponsorship really doing and how far can my money really go. Oh my word, it goes so so far. It’s easy to doubt and of course it’s easy for us to hold tight to our money and think, Oh I just can’t give up $38, I have bills to pay. But seriously, the work compassion is doing is amazing, truly amazing!

So for all the Jonathan’s out there in need (and the many others), I sponsored a child.

Meet Darwin. We're birthday buddies. I typed in my birthday and he was the ONLY one that showed up and he's been waiting 6 months for a sponsor. It was meant to be. 

I believe in the cause, I believe in what they do. And I believe that Compassion is the hands and feet of Christ at work, and truly making a difference. 

I can't wait to see what my sponsorship does for Darwin's life. He's a 13 year old boy who has dealt with more than I can imagine. It might mean less going out to eat on my part but so so worth it to see the way God is going to move in this precious life.

So, today, I'm so so thankful for this boy and my role in Darwin's life.

Black belt.

And I don't mean karate! :)

I've said it once and I'll say it again! I am by no means a fashionista! Not by any stretch of the imagination. Ha!

But I love a good outfit. 

I love when that one piece ties the outfit all together!

Sunday outfit of the day. Like the chopped off head??? :) Ha!

Love accessorizing. Never thought to wear a belt with this, but it was the perfect touch! Don't you think?

How was everyone's weekend?? 

It was a beautiful weekend here. 

It was one of those weekends were it was Sunday evening and I just felt so extremely blessed. It was a weekend spent with family and friends. 

My cup overflows.

My pretty Momma and I at Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch after church.

It's eerie how much we look alike in this picture.  I look at this and see my future self, ha!

Happy Monday!!!

Friday Randoms.

• Today is 11.11.11 ... How cool is that? Wonder how many babies are scheduled to be born today or how many weddings will take place.

• Thankful for our Veterans today past, present, and future. I will be forever indebted to them for their sacrifice and duty to our country. I have to work today, BOO! But that's not what it's about. Thank a Veteran today.  

• It's Friday, WooHoo. And I have nothing really on the agenda this weekend. I purposely did that, ha! 

• A few bloggers have put together an ornament exchange. SO fun! Go by here and sign up! November 14th is the last day.

• You may or may not have already seen this. But Erin and Nina are doing a Random Acts of Kindness challenge. I was able to mark something off the list yesterday. It felt good. It's the time of year to give back and sometimes we just need to take the focus off ourselves. Click over to their blogs and print off this printable.

• Treat yo' self!!!!!!! Name that show??? And it was soooooo good!!! 

• Woke up today and Brrrrr, it was cold outside. (Remember I live in the Sunshine State) :)

• Just realized exactly seven months till my birthday (June 11th), but who is counting, LOL!

• I'm really excited because I have a few servicemen I'm able to send some Christmas love to this year.  I can only imagine how lonely it is overseas around the holidays! It's always nice to know someone is thinking of you back home.

• This week was very disheartening because Revenge was not on TV this week. Seriously??? How can they keep us hanging like that? It was just getting good up in the Hamptons. This show is like a drug! Any Revenge lovers out there???

• Who watched the CMAs this week???? 

This girl can wear anything and look stunning!!!

• I'm really loving all these thankful statuses I'm seeing going around Facebook the month of November. It's a nice change from all the whining and complaining you see on there. Puts things in perspective, and a good reminder that we ALWAYS have something to be thankful for. Wouldn't you agree?

• Watch this little girl's reaction to finding out she's going to Disney. Guaranteed to make you smile today!! 

• Y'all, our office mailman, bless his heart, wears a toupee. I just keep waiting for the next really windy day. Ha! I've been racking my brain ALL week trying to think of how I can discretely get a picture. Just don't think it's possible, ha! 

• Thought this was fitting for today! Goooooo Gatorssssss and beat South Carolina this weekend!! :)

• All I have for you folks. Have a wonderful Friday and awesome weekend

Where I come from.

I thought it would be fun today to introduce you to my hometown.

Leesburg, Florida: Population 19,086 (As of 2005 and according to good ole' Wikipedia, ha). Who knows what it is now.

Located right smack dab in the middle of the Sunshine State.

 Welcome to Leesburg:

I'm a born and raised Leesburg girl. My Mom and Dad are both from here.

This is historic downtown Leesburg back in the day

What it looks like today.

They have really made an effort to beautify the downtown area. And it's really become one of my favorite places in this city. The law office where I work is located right off downtown.

They not too long ago built a beautiful new library.

Our one and only hospital.

This is not the hospital back in 1984 where a brown haired, brown-eyed little girl was born.

The hospital I was born  at was waaaaay smaller and turned into the North Campus of LRMC (Leesburg Regional Medical Center.)

Leesburg is surrounded by a chain of lakes. Thus, why it is called the Lake Front City!

This is what you can find while sitting at Venetian Gardens, one of our local parks.

My brother and I went to Leesburg High School. Home of the Yellow Jackets.
 
I'm class of 2002 baby!

My Mom and Dad also graduated from here.

Good times in these halls. Sometimes I'd go back just so I wouldn't wish those four years away.

So yeah, I found this interesting piece of knowledge while doing some research on good ole' Leesburg.

Ummm, do you see the orange? In the words of Antoine Dodson.... "Hide Yo Purse, Hide Yo wallet." Please do let this hinder you from visiting Leesburg.

Anyhow........

Just as a little history for you, Leesburg was first settled in 1857 by Evander McIver Lee. Several of Evander Lee's brothers followed him to the area. One of these brothers, Calvin Lee, was credited with giving the town its name.

More and  more people I went to high school with that left to go away to college are back, married, and settling with there families here. I have ALWAYS been the person that could NOT wait to get out of Leesburg. Not going to lie, nothing to do in this forsaken place. For real. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. It kind of stinks for the younger people. Leesburg is a little less than an hour north of Orlando. Thank heavens or we'd lose our minds up in here.

I never imagined Leesburg to be the place where I'd stay put. Leesburg is growing by leaps and bounds but it still maintains it's small town feel. It will always be my first home. My permanent home, no. But will always have a piece of my heart. It's my hometown, how can it not?

Now that I've bored you to tears about Leesburg.... What's your hometown? What's your favorite thing about the place you call home??? 

It's that time again!

It’s so hard to believe it’s that time of year again where you start thinking of Christmas cards and getting your list together. My list grows longer and longer every year. Christmas cards are one of my FAVORITE things about the holidays, along with ABC Family 25 Days of Christmas… Ha!

Last year I went through Shutterfly and I’ll be using them again this year and taking advantage of their wonderful promotion for bloggers. 

My card last year. 

Yes, I know you must be thinking, get that girl a husband, ha! All in God's good timing, my friends :)

I was so pleased with the way it turned out and these are a few of my favorites I found on their website this year:

Really fun colors.

Love the black and white.

LOVE this one.

Thought this was unique and different.

And these are just a few among many. Such a huge selection. Shutterfly also offers calendars, photo gifts, Christmas invitations, and so much more.

And always love participating in Faith's Christmas Card Carousel she has on her blog each year. It's going to be held 12.14.11. So fun! Don't miss out on that this year.

So if you're a blogger and want your free Christmas cards, what are you waiting for? And get in the Christmas spirit!!! Ho Ho Ho!!!! :)

Attitude shift.

Yesterday was kind of a cruddy day all around.

I felt like death all day. I have an ear infection and my throat was really really scratchy and irritated. I went to the doctor yesterday morning. They wrote me some prescriptions.

I go to Walgreens to pick up the medicine to where the lady kindly says, "That will be $70."

Crazy lady say what?

I wanted to say I know my ears are clogged up, but I know you didn't just say $70. I felt horrible and this was not the cherry on my sundae.

You see, last Friday I was so excited because it was a paycheck where I had no bills to be paid that week. It felt really great.

Then comes the $35 I pay to the doctor and $70 for medicine piled on top of that.

Way to bust my "I have no bills and paycheck is all mine" bubble :/

But I as I drove away from Walgreens mumbling under my breath, it hit me like a ton of bricks...

Lord, you are Jehovah Rophi, the God who provides.

He knew I'd need that $105 dollars. And in that moment, my attitude began to shift., and I praised him for a no bills paycheck. Would I have liked to have spent that $105 dollars on something else, heck yes! I could think of countless other things, and might have muttered at the end of that praise these ears drops better be made of gold, ha.

The point of this post isn't about co-pays or prescriptions, but the truth is.... God knows our need, even before we do. He is always faithful

I know there are people in third world countries that don't have access to medicine and doctors. I'm lucky and blessed in so many ways and God is continuously showing me that and pray that my eyes will always be open to recognize that.

And happy to say that with sleep and medicine..... I'm like a brand new person today!!

Just $105 poorer, ha!! :)

Weekend pics.

The weekend started off with some fun. One of my BFF's Jill invited me to go Gator Growl with her. It was homecoming weekend for the Florida Gators. So I got out of work early on Friday and headed to the Swamp!!

Jill and I at Gator Growl.

The Gator Growl was so much fun!! Goo Goo Dolls and Sister Hazel were there and were great. The Band and the UF dancers were there. The Senior football players and the coach were there. There was a comedian. They crowned homecoming king and queen. And there were fireworks and so much more. It was my first time going, had amazing seats, and it was such a fun atmosphere and such a fun way to get pumped up before our game against Vandy on Saturday. So proud to be a Florida Gator and proud to be in the SEC. Only the BEST conference ever.

 

Saturday was the game. And unfortunately I couldn't go but of course I had to show my Gator pride!!

I look pale as a ghost but Gooooooo Gatorssssss!!!! :)

And we beat Vandy! We soooooo desperately needed this win after 4 weeks of loss.

Saturday late afternoon I went to go head over to my brother and SIL's house and spend the night and visit with my nieces and go to church. 

Being goofy!

This picture is so sweet. Sisters playing together!

It was a fabulous weekend. Hope yours was too!!!

Have a great Monday!! :)