Neighbors, Word-Eating, and Macy

I have a million things to blog about, but I am only going to choose 3.

1) I just met (today!) a new neighbor named Jane. She is in her 70's and cute as a button. I am thinking about making her cookies and maybe get to know her a little better. I have always wanted an old woman neighbor to take care of!!

2) My beautiful friend Summer has a hilarious blog post that I decided to copy. She listed the 10 things she swore she would never do and is now eating her words, and then the 10 things that she still swears she will never do (and will probably eat her words). If you know Summer, the list is completely true and funny! Here is my list:

Things I said I would never do, but ended up doing:

1. Getting on Facebook
2. Watching movies like Lord of the Rings (and loving it!!)
3. Watching LOST
4. Watching The Office
5. Talking in voices and using ridiculous names with my husband
6. Wearing Skinny Jeans
7. Enjoying Yoga
8. Wearing leggings
9. Liking popular bands like U2 and Coldplay

Things I still swear I will never do (but may end up eating my words):

1. Watch and enjoy Starwars
2. Eat pickled things (sick)
3. Dye my hair dark
4. Natural Childbirth (copied from Sum's, yep don't feel a call to that one)
5. Learn to smile with my eyes and model walk (though I wish I could)
6. Wear heartbutt jeans (yep the clause was permanent)
7. Drive a minivan (though I can see how this may be necessary :)
8. Enjoy swimming as exercise
9. Allow my kid to use a pacifier beyond 1 year of age (it's weird to me when 3 and 4 year olds still use them...not to mention terrible for their speech development!)
10. Washing my hair everyday

3) Finally, the most important thing...here are pics of my new beautiful niece Macy Elizabeth Seidel!







That's all for now..oh, and I love and appreciate my husband..he is currently fixing fuses on my car. My least favorite thing to do is deal with car stuff, and he takes care of it all! Thanks Babe!

June 29th..already!

I can't believe it's already the end of June! My intentions have been to post a couple times per week. Not because a lot of people read my blog, but because I really enjoy posting little things here and there. I think this is the beginning of week four of my summer break. My favorite activities of the summer have been:

1. Getting my hair cut shorter...it's much cooler and it is fun to change things up (No, I have no pictures..YET!)
2. Spending time with friends by the pool
3. Not going to bed at 9:30 pm and waking up at 4:45 am
4. Having as much time as I want to read my bible and journal in the mornings
5. Writing

Number 5 is what I want to briefly talk about. I have always loved to write. You can read my first blog post about my love for writing. So, this summer I am trying to spend at least a couple hours everyday writing something. I am doing some technical writing for The Village, as well as working on some ideas I have for a children's series. I have no clue if anything will come from any of it, but I am having a lot of fun right now!

Recently I have read several books from renown authors on the craft of writing, and most all of them say write something everyday and read A LOT! Last summer I shared some of the books I enjoyed on here , and wanted to do the same this summer. I try to keep the Shelfari link on the right hand side of my blog some what updated, but here a few of my favorite recent reads.





















I am going to try to get better about blogging and incorporating some of my writing into my blog. We shall see what the Lord does with it all.

Spring in Pictures

I have done a very poor job regularly posting pictures. Since June 1st is tomorrow, I figured that today is my last day to display pictures from the last few months.

These first few pictures our from Rebekah's birthday celebration in Possum Kingdom. I don't have too many from that weekend (like I said, I have been a bad picture taker lately). I had to include the video of Lindsey singing...I will probably get in trouble for posting it, but it was too funny not to.





For spring break I went to visit my parents for a few days. We went to my favorite restaurant in Corpus, The Yardarm, and ate delicious seafood. On Wednesday my mom, our friend Susan, and I went to Austin to pick up Addie and Marty (Susan's grandson). I was stuck between two carseats for the entire 3 1/2 hours back to Corpus.



After my trip to Corpus we went to stay at an amazing cabin in the middle of nowhere. It was awesome. I posted a link to Summer's page awhile back because she did a great job of documenting all of our fun, but I wanted to include this picture because you can see how fabulous our cabin was!!



Mom came in town for Easter and it was the first weekend with truly beautiful Spring weather. We enjoyed the sunshine and Sprinkles cupcakes!! Yum!




At the end of April, Dawn and Zipporah came to visit. It was great to see them, even if we did have to hang out at Boston Market! The even better news, the Thomason's are moving back to Dallas! Our IC will be complete once again.




At the beginning of May Kent and I went to Jasper to celebrate his grandmother's 80th birthday. It was a short trip, but a wonderful time with his family.



For Memorial Day our group of friends went to Crystal Beach (near Galveston). I, of course, didn't take too many pictures, but it was a great getaway with some of my favorite people.




Finally, MEXICO!!!! Lindsey had to go to an all inclusive resort in Mexico to photograph a wedding, and I just couldn't let her travel alone! The wedding was beautiful, and there was something so holy about watching two believer's get married with the Lord's beautiful backdrop of the ocean. Check Lindsey's photography blog for pictures soon.








And then for some strange reason Kent and I ended up swimming over at Megan's yesterday...as if I didn't already get enough sun!! The thing you see Addie standing on is something that Wes built for her to practice swimming.



Five more days of work before we're out of school. The summer is packed with exciting things like a trip to San Antonio, a surprise Anniversary celebration, and the birth of my beautiful niece Macy! Check back frequently for blog updates.

You HAVE to make these

If you like brownies and peanut butter, you have to try these. I made them on Friday for Geoff's graduation party and they were SO good! Here is the recipe.

Eight Things

It's been awhile since I have done one of these, and my friend Melanie tagged me to do this post. Here are the rules for "eight things":

mention the person that tagged you.
complete the list of eight things.
tag eight of your wonderful blogger friends.
go tell them you tagged them

Eight things I look forward to:
1. Going to Crystal Beach on Friday
2. Going to Mexico next Wednesday
3. Completing the 08-09 school year
4. Getting a tan
5. Meeting Macy (new niece to be born in July)
6. Watching the movie My Sister's Keeper (comes out in June)
7. Owning a home
8. Spending more time writing in the summer months

Eight things I did yesterday:
1. Worked Out
2. Listened to an Inventory
3. Took a 2 hour nap
4. Finished reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
5. Ate sushi
6. Drank an Americano
7. Went to the movies with my husband (watched Is Anybody There?)
8. Talked to Lindsey on the phone

Eight things i wish i could do:
1.Be in two places at once
2. Not be a full-time SLP
3. Be debt free
4. Walk in more humility
5. Live near the ocean
6. Run another marathon
7. Live closer to my parents
8. Truly cast all my anxiety on Christ

Eight shows i watch: (this is embarrassing)
1. The Office
2. America's Next Top Model
3. How I Met your Mother
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
(Those are the only shows I regularly watch. I occasionally watch American Idol or Biggest Loser...but not frequently)

I am tagging Summer, Lauren, and Natalie. That's not 8, but whatever. Kinda a boring post, but it killed time before I get to go sit on Blue Goose patio with my IC!!!! Look for beach pics soon!

No, He is not safe, but He is good!

I remember running on the beach one morning when I was 19 and being awed that the water reached further than my eyes could ever see. I slowed my jog to a walk and then slowed my walk to standing still facing the water. For the first time ever my teenage pride was shattered, and I was aware how I am really weak and small. I love the ocean. I love all my memories from growing up near the water and spending many summer afternoons jumping waves and building sand castles. I love laying out with the beach as my backdrop reading a good book or listening to good music. When given a choice of where to vacation, I will choose a beach 90% of the time.

This morning I was reading from a book called, "The God who Smokes", and the author quoted C.S. Lewis' Narnia where Mr. Beaver is explaining to the children about Aslan the Lion. Having never met a lion before, the children in the book ask Mr. Beaver if Aslan is "quite safe". The beaver says, "Oh no... He is not safe, but He IS good!"

Aslan and the ocean hold similar qualities. Both are good and beautiful, but neither are safe. The lion could destroy you in mere seconds just as the ocean could swallow you whole. Isn't that why we worship God? He is good, beautiful, glorious, kind, merciful, and trustworthy. However, He is also wrathful, dangerous, mysterious, just, and jealous.

I worship a fierce and protective God that is swift and mighty, but also gentle and compassionate.

I will spend a total of about 6 days at a beach this month. Three days at Crystal Beach near Galveston, and then three more in Mexico. My prayer is that I worship the Creator of the ocean, knowing He is not safe, but that He is good!"



Also, Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mom!!!



To my beautiful sister, who is a great mom to Addie (and soon to be Macy)!



To my mother in laws, who raised a fabulous son!

A Cheat Post!!

So, I swore I would post before Kent came home on Thursday, but it's almost 10 pm which is when I turn into a pumpkin so my post can't be too long. 10 things that I have learned while Kent has been gone (beware, they are a little cheesy!)

1) I really loved the looooonnnngggg season of being single, but I am so glad it's over. Thank you Lord for the call to marriage.
2) I am thankful that Kent takes out the trash. Doing it this week made me remember how much I hate it. I always stand back as far as I can from the dumpster and launch the bag in. Not many things gross me out nearly as much as the smell of a dumpster.
3) Things are just better when Kent is here...even if we're not talking, I just like to have him near. Summer and Lauren got a kick out of the fact that Kent and I will sit with our laptops propped up in our laps while laying in bed. ha, ha.
4) I complain a lot about the weekly pileup of socks on the floor and the 3 or more cups that accumulate by my husband's bedside, but this week has taught me I secretly love it because it means he's here.
5) We suck at talking on the phone (we already knew this, but it was confirmed this week).
6) I learned how video chat on google on Sunday...very cool and very futuristic feeling! Kent and I laughed about how we thought that we thought there would be flying cars by the time we could live video chat.
7) I learned the importance of praying for wives that have husbands that travel frequently. Especially if it's overseas! (Kent is only in Indiana, but it feels like another country. :)
8) I really appreciate him getting me bedside water nightly. I knew I appreciated it before, but this week has reminded me how much.
9) I have been reminded that the Lord is truly my only constant companion.
10) I learned that it takes less than 10 months to develop very regular habits. We have been married less than 10 months, but having him gone for 7 days has thrown my whole schedule for a loop.

The other portion of my blog is a cop-out. I never blogged about our awesome spring break. Summer did a great job of sharing, so check out her blog.

Good night my loves!!

Tuesday 8:44 pm

I don't have anything too exciting to type away about or any pictures to share, but I felt like writing...so I am writing. It's 8:44 pm on Tuesday night, and the Rabalais' apartment is pretty quiet. Kent and I are in our low-key nightly posture with our laptops in our laps. He is probably checking a sports, news, or theological website/blog, and I am checking in on all my newly found creative's blogs.

I have been thinking a lot about Easter and the resurrection. On Monday and Tuesday I polled my kids at work about what they did to celebrate the holiday. Most of them talked about how much candy they received or what toy the Easter bunny hid (Did you know that kids get things like scooters, soccer balls, and Wii games for Easter???). Very few mentioned going to church, and when I asked if they went to church I would say about 40-50% said yes. I asked each group filled of my little speech darlings if they knew the real reason we celebrated Easter, and 2 out of my 43 kids explained the resurrection well. One little girl named Lauren (who was born in China and then adopted by a beautiful family) received a new bible for Easter, because her old bible was falling apart. She goes to Irving Bible, and lives in a home that believes and lives for Jesus. Today when I asked her to share why Easter is important she told the story of the death, burial, and resurrection as well as I could tell it. I love hearing little Lauren with her speech impaired /r/ sound say, "Jesus died on the cwoss fo ow sins..." She preached, and the Lord exulted over her with singing and dancing as she shared the beautiful gospel!! I pray tonight that those little first grade minds are spinning with the information Lauren, the 1st grade evangelist, shared. Here is a picture of sweet Lauren (I think that name is annointed, every Lauren I know is amazing!)



We live in "Christian" nation (DFW=biblebelt!!!), and 2 out of 40 kids know why we celebrate Easter?!?! And, even worse yet 18 other kids went to church and still think that Easter is about bunnies and eggs! God, please have mercy on our souls and bring revival to Flower Mound. Let us not walk blindly thinking this life is about our comfort and happiness, but instead may we look to Christ and His Kingdom for our joy.

Only 37 days of work remaining for the 2008-09 school year, and then about 2 1/2 months off! Praying through and preparing for what the summer is going to look like, so I don't wake up one day in late August and all I have accomplished is a good tan. Lord, please let me be resourceful with my time. I am going to do a little therapy, and a lot of reading, writing, and cooking. I am already giddy just thinking about it!!

Okay, it's time to start preparing for tomorrow's workday...My 4:40 am alarm will be going off in only a few hours...

Kent has to go out of town for a week starting on Friday :(, so I am determined to post again while he is gone. Until then...good night!

Good Photographer, Amazing God

I stumbled across an amazing website tonight. In this picture alone, God created not only the clouds, but the shapes of the clouds, the color of the sky, the photographer's talent, the web people to create such a blog, and on and on the list could go. All creation literally sings praises to Him!

Five Senses

This weekend has been dedicated to low key and rest. Our lives have entered into the busyness of spring with plans almost every weeknight, so we often find ourselves counting down the hours until there are no alarm clocks set before 6 am and long days in the comfort of our home.

Saturday mornings I have the joy of leading a Step Study Recovery Group made up of about 20 amazing, courageous women. We ended up discussing how to learn to be fully present in the season the Lord currently has us in. So we all agreed that we no longer want to live in our imagination of the future saying, "Things will be better when ________________ happens." I want all my senses to be alive to the blessings that God gives daily. I want to say with Paul in Philippians 4:11-13, "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content"

Kinda on that same note, I also want to be drink deeply in the blessings the Lord has provided. Tonight I found this blog, and every Friday she does a post about how her 5 senses were engaged that day. I loved the idea! So, as I pray for acute awareness and contentment, I too am posting ways the Lord allows me to use my senses in my environment.

Father, I praise you alone for sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.

(Disclaimer: I found this blog literally 20 minutes ago, so there are no fancy pictures to accompany my post :)

Sight: A really, really clean house. I spent a few hours today deep cleaning, and the rest of the day enjoying the sights of a clean house...no more dust on the fan, spots on the mirror, or shoes in the living room.

Sound: Explosions in the Sky. To me, their music is perfect for lots of different occasions...even cleaning!

Taste: Sushi! Kent and I had takeout sushi tonight from Oishi, our favorite neighborhood Japanese restaurant.

Touch: Kent's stubble :). Sounds a little strange, but I love how Kent's face feels against mine in a hug when he hasn't shaved for a few days.

Smell: Coffee from Starbucks. I admit that am a Starbucks junkie, but there is no better way to start a cold (yep, 35 degrees in March) Saturday morning.

So, that's my Saturday night five blessings through my five senses post! I put this on Facebook, but I like this picture and blogs are always more fun with a picture. Here is Mom, Addie, and I last week during Spring Break.

Wordle

Have you heard of Wordle? It's so much fun!! This is one of my life verses Psalm 63 in a fun layout. http://www.wordle.net/

Can you say, random?

I try to steer clear of big news stories of murders or kidnappings. If I read one article about it, I am hooked and will then follow the trials, the new evidence, etc. I should have done that with the Caylee Anthony story.



Instead I watched a news story after they found her little body, and I have been following it ever since. If you don't know the story, just google it and you will find more information than you care to know. Her mom is standing trial in the killing of her baby girl, after months and months of claiming the child was missing. During those months Casey Anthony partied a lot (you can find pictures and stories of that too) and didn't look too concerned with the whereabouts of her daughter. It breaks my heart. As I sit and blog, I pray for Casey Anthony. I pray that she understands the gospel and it's saving power. I pray that she is broken hearted and repentant for her sin (whether she committed the crime or not). I pray she trust Jesus Christ, and that her life is forever changed. She doesn't deserve salvation, but neither do I.

On a lighter note, I have to admit a guilty pleasure of mine...America's Next Top Model! The new season just started on Wednesday, and though Tyra (aka "the goddess of fierce") is ridiculous, I love the show! I love seeing the creativity of the different photoshoots. I love the panel. I especially love the makeover episode. I could do without their house drama, but other than that I'm in. Judge me if you want to (I think Kent does, he leaves the room every time it's on), but I am a fan of ANTM!

It happened again...

So blogging one time every 5 months isn't really a reason to keep a blog. However, I like having a blog and I like the idea of blogging regularly, so I will keep mine for the hopes of the day I habitually update this thing. September to the end of January, how do you update events and thoughts to cover 5 months. I shall do it in bullet points (you guys know I love me some bullet point lists):

*Octoberish: Getting my iPhone!!!! Goodbye Sprint, goodbye to flip phones!

*October 5th: Kent and I went with his Dad and step mom to the Texans v. Colts game. I have always respected Tony Dungee, so it was fun watching that game...AND we had awesome seats.

*October 11th-13th: Dad's 60th Birthday Celebration at the beach. It was a great getaway time with the whole fam. Few pics:





*October 31st: Celebrating my husband's 30th birthday

*November 1st Watching (on tv) Texas Tech beat Texas. I haven't cheered that loud since college!!

*November 19th: Seeing Coldplay in concert





*November 15th: Seeing my friend Afshin get married and going to III Forks for the first time.

*November 27th: First married Thanksgiving at my parents house. I cooked 3/4 of the meal, so I had a lot of fun doing that.

*December 13th: Going to my niece's 3rd birthday party




*December 14th: Watching the Cowboys vs. Giants..2nd to last game in Texas stadium and the last decent game played by the Cowboys in 2008

*December 23-26th: First married Christmas and first Christmas away from my parents. Favorite gift by far...Wii!!!!

*January 2nd: Going to the Cotton Bowl (crappy game, but fun atmosphere)

*January 3rd: Going to my best friend Lauren's (Waters) baby shower. Can't wait to meet Anna Leigh

*January 6th: Celebrating Sara's birthday Indian style!!




*January 17th: Lindsey's 1st annual wine party (yes, Lindsey it will be an annual event) and meeting sweet Zipporah!



I think that's at least some of the events I have to post. I have been married 7 months now (almost)!! The Lord blessed me with an amazing man, and I am so thankful for him. Stay tuned, I promise to post more soon...I have lots of book reviews to do..I have been reading a lot!