Changing it up a bit...

Friends (and lurkers) - I have moved my blog.

It's not that I didn't like Xanga, I just wanted something else.

Here's the link to my new blog:  http://sentimentsbydenise.typepad.com/sentiments_by_denise/

Bookmark me, leave comments, come back and read often. I hope to be a better blogger on Typepad than I was on Xanga. Whether or not, I keep it interesting enough to have you return again and again remains to be seen.

Have a good day!

Denise

Currently Reading Beyond Tuesday Morning: Sequel to the Bestselling One Tuesday Morning By Karen Kingsbury see related

Time for a Blog Update!

Yes, I've been a slacker - or just busy, not sure which. But this will be a recap of the past few days.

Weekend:  We traveled up to ONU on Saturday to spend the day with Em. It was fun! We took her shopping at Target (saw Erin and did some catching up with her!) and got all the necessary things. I picked up some more mini notebooks because they had some colors that the Indy stores are out of - w00t! Then we picked up Matt and went to lunch. After we got back to campus, we went to the Red Room - Emilee and I made Valentine's and Ed & Matt watched basketball on the big screen. Got to see some of my favorite people: Michelle my Belle, Dan Callan, Laurryn, Beth, and Kerry (who joined us later to make cards), met the McDaniel twins-Matt & Mike, Sarah Johnson, met Stepfan (cute curly hair!), and several more friends of Emilee's stopped by to say HI, but I can't remember all their names because I'm old.  Emilee made some really cute Valentine cards and I watched her creativity grow as I taught her some new techniques. It was truly a bonding moment - such fun! We left around 4:30 because Em had to go babysit.

Sunday was church and awesome as always. The evening service was a District Youth Revival service that ended at our church after a weekend of traveling to several churches on our district. And here's where I must say that our Youth Worship Team is THE BEST!First Church Worship Team did all the services for the revival and those kids are amazing! There was such a spirit in their songs, the musicians are so talented and I was just so impressed by the whole worship experience. And one of the young ladies has the purist voice I have ever heard. I pray that she continues to use it for the Lord's bidding. Pastor Scott preached and afterwards they had rootbeer floats in the ARC. There were 10 churches' youth groups that attended.

Week:  Monday was back to work, as usual. After work, Jeff (company owner) invited several of us out to his home for pizza and swimming /  and to meet our reps that came in from the UK. I must say that Jeff has added quite a bit to his house in the remodeling project - absolutely huge! Like 20,000sqft huge - I'm not kidding! He now has an outdoor pool as well as an indoor pool. The new kitchen/dining room/great room project is about 2-3 weeks from being complete and it is pretty magnificent. I really liked the staircase and landings, but my favorite room was Jeff's bathroom  because it was so BIG and a perfect setting for pampering (although, of course, he had it decorated very masculine!). Oh, and he's building a home theatre that seats 12 - that's going to be a fabulous room!

Tuesday was Valentine's Day. [Oh, I forgot to mention that I took some of the V-day cards that I had left into work on Monday and they all sold. The guys were excited about having them available so they didn't have to go shopping for a card on their way home from work! Props to me!]  Back to Tuesday: Ed and I went to Applebee's for lunch with our boss, Scott. After work, I went grocery shopping while Ed went out to get my Valentine gift. He ended up buying me a CD that I already have (Stephen got it for me for Christmas). I bought him a couple DVDs and some candy hearts. We watched one of the movies together last night - and it wasn't even a "chick flick", though it had a touch of romance in it - The Quick and the Dead with Sam Elliott. ("That's a right fine handsome woman you got there, Mr. Mackasel, right handsome indeed".) Stephen had to work so he missed out on the fun evening we had planned and his self proclaimed celebration of Valentine's day - "I hate Kevin Costner Day". But Mommy left him a present that morning so he had a little bit to enjoy for the day!

Happy Things:

* FUZE white tea  * fresh pineapple *  brisk sunny days *  talking to my babies *  buttons and ribbons *  emails from friends *  vanilla scented candles *  decorating books from the library *  Lucy, the company kitty, greeting me every morning with a squeeky meow *  reading Psalms * 

I'm done now. 

Mama

For my baby girl, who needs some encouragement today - a song from our choir's last Praise CD:  Total Praise (the title track):

Lord, I will lift mine eye to the hills,

Knowing my help is coming from You;

Your peace You give me in time of the storm.

You are the source of my strength,

You are the strength of my life,

I lift my hands in total praise to You.

Have a good day, Precious, and know that I am praying for you today. See you soon!

Love Mama

Currently Reading One Tuesday Morning By Karen Kingsbury see related

Cute ~ Cute ~Cute!

I talk to my niece, Roberta quite often, and she usually shares the happenings of her two sweet little daughters. Recently, the youngest - Kylee, had to see a specialist for a reflux problem she's been dealing with for quite some time. The doctor put Kylee on a restricted diet - so now Ky can't have Mac & cheese or Pop-Tarts, two of her all time favorites! She has to eat more whole grains, less dairy, etc. This started yesterday and since Berta had to work last night, Scott (the Dad) took charge of the girls' dinner plans and announced that "the new diet would start tomorrow because he was taking them to McDonald's tonight!"  While there, Maya (the older girl, who is 6) said to Kylee (who is almost 5) " I'm sorry you can't have a milkshake, Kylee! They don't make them out of whole wheat."    Priceless!   I totally cracked up when Berta told me about this - these girls are precious!

I had lunch with my really good friend, Karen the other day and we had such a great time catching up on each other's lives. I use to see her everyday, but since I've transferred to the other plant, we don't get together as often as we'd like. And she is so special to me! We laugh, we cry, we love to eat salsa & chips, we pray for each other and each other's kids! It's a great friendship!

Happy Things:

* mornings * progress on my treadmill * Valentine cards have been big sellers this year! * my awesome fruit plate for breakfast * a scripture passage that I read in the morning that stays with me throughout the day * a really cute husband * time to be creative * more ideas than I have time to process * successful in mailing birthday cards out in time - but it's only February! * my red corduroy jacket - umm, warm! * Mexican food *

Ok, now that I mentioned Mexican food, I've salivating. I did bring a Lean Cuisine Chicken Enchilada to work for lunch today that I'm getting ready to indulge in, but it's not the same as Don Pablos or  La Hacienda cuisine! Maybe Stephen and I need a date to go out for Mexican (Ed's not thrilled with my obsession for this tasty food!). Some new movies coming out this weekend, too - so maybe we'll have to go out. I'll see if I can work that into my busy schedule!

Done for now.

Mama

How can I be so full of joy, yet incredibly sad at the same time for the same situation? I can't really explain it, but that's how I'm feeling. Last night at choir practice Pastor Tim told us that he was leaving and accepting a position at Oskaloosa Church of the Nazarene in Iowa. Wow! I'm so excited for them! This is exactly where God needs them to be right now. Pastor Tim is a unique man of God - so talented, spirit-filled, a healer, a gentle man. God will certainly use him to help this church who have been wounded in the past several years with many circumstances.     But, oh the loss for us. Sadness that March 12th will be his last Sunday with us. However, I'm believing that God will send someone to lead us and I'm excited to see how that all plays out.

Please pray for someone very dear to me. No names, no specifics. Just that God is working in their life, affirming His call, stretching their faith, and making Himself real right now is so evident. I read this scripture this morning in Psalms, where I have been delving lately:  " Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:4-5. That's truth! And exciting because it leads us to an expectation - HOPE!

Happy things:

* a day to fast and meditate * praying for my husband and children * praying for Brenda * praying for Michelle and Sarah - different things happening in their lives, but seeing God work is amazing * Pastor Tim * singing at choir practice last night and feeling God's spirit come over me * my pink journal * praying for D&D's marriage, where God is working to heal and restore * a new day in front of me *

That's all I have for now. Be blessed.

Mama