Happy Birthday Honey

Happy Birthday to my man. You just get better with age.

38 is just a number Babe.

Get plugged in!!

http://www.pluggedinonline.com/


This is an AWESOME website!!

This website has movie reviews and breaks the review down by spiritual content, sexual content, violence, etc.

It also lists POSITIVE aspects of the movie.

I check this site before I see ANY movie. They try to always say SPOLIER WARNING if they are about to talk about something crucial to the plot.

still 143

This a picture of my new Chico....he was 8 weeks when I got him. He is a really smart little guy. I love him so much already!!

wow.....well I'm still 143. But I know I am building muscle so I am oay with it, not freaking out just yet.

I have been faithful to the program, and honestly, it is really kicking my butt but I like it. I still look forward to it everyday. It's a great bunch of ladies and the workout is not for wimps. I still have to stop sometimes and just march in place but that's okay.

I'm having family problems right now, it's my sister. She is acting like a tramp (I REALLY mean being one) and I'm not sure if I should confront her or just ignore her. She calls every couple of days and I have been avoiding her so far, but I am SO angry I want to tell her how I feel...but that would probably be wrong so I won't do it yet. Maybe once I am calm and I can tell her how I feel without getting angry, I will call her.

143

I love this photo....this is a picture Katie took during our ice storm. It was awful and scary but we are fine thank God. We did lose power, we were forced to go to a hotel because Drew and I had the flu and were just too sick to stay ina cold house.

The title of this post is 143. I am mortified to share that I weigh 143. I weighed this 2 weeks ago and since then I have started a workout program at a local church. It is hard core! I have not lost any weight yet but I know I will. I am sore but also energized!! I want to share my struggle and share my progress!

The program is FIT for CHRIST.......FIT stands for Forming Individual Temples

It is fun and hard at the same time. What I love most is that the ladies there are so encouraging to each other. We were running laps one day and they would scream "Good job Amy!!" and "Keep up the good work"

Today was the step workout....whew. Then we did about 50 stomach crunches. Well, they did! HA...I couldn't do them all, I had to stop several times. But I kept trying....

Anyway, my goal is to be 120. It can be done!!

Never Forget...

I can't believe it's been 5 years. I vividly remember where I was and what I was doing. I remember Lee waking me up telling me that a plane hit the WTC...then we watched as another one hit. Then I think we didn't leave the TV for days. Just thinking of it now I get those butterflies in my stomach that I had that day.

I think every American should watch the USA movie FLIGHT 93.....I have not seen the motion picture but this USA movie is very moving and I have to tell you, I was unable to verbalize my feelings after watching that movie. All I could do was sob. I mean truly sob, head in hands. Lee brought me a dishtowel to wipe my face and then sat down with me and held me. It's all he could do. It is really a well made movie and I think we should all watch and remember how we felt those days right after 9/11/01. We are still as much under attack as ever...nothing has gone away except for the fact that our fine military is taking the brunt for us....because the terrorists know that instead of travelling thousands of miles and spending alot of money to kill Americans, they can spend their lunch money on a bus ticket to go to Iraq to try to kill some.

2 weeks ago, Katie had to write an essay on what she wanted to do with her life and how it would make a difference to the world. She wrote it on being a photographer. Days like today really bring home how important photos are. They help us to remember. I never think of photographer as a noble profession but it can be.

We need pictures so that we can have our own real memories, not distorted truth fed to us. Our grandchildren will be able to see with their own eyes our history and not be fed a kinder gentler version.


I can't express the grief that I am feeling today. I have a lump in my throat that just won't go away.

Welcome Chico!

I have a new baby!! His name is CHICO. He is a one year old chihuahua mix. I rescued him from the vet. He was an abandoned pet. He is a very sweet little dog, weighs about 10 lbs and is very good with the kids. Sometimes I know small dogs are nervous or jumpy around kids but not CHICO! He loves the kids, even goes to bed with them at night! I wish I could put a picture of him here!

Back to School!

Well, alot has happened in the month I haven't posted. Shortly after my last post, I went on a week-end trip with my good friend from Germany.....had a BLAST! It was like I was in high school again, I haven't laughed so much in ages. My friend was great and her son and Katie really had a great time riding roller coasters and crazy rides at Silver Dollar City in Branson.

The girls went back to school on Aug 16. Katie is having a difficult time adjusting to jr high school but she will be fine. She is running for Jr Queen of Crocker Railroad Days and is excited. They had to write an essay and do 6 hours of community service. She picked up trash along the side of the road for 3 hours (all of the girls did that activity) and then volunteered at our local thrift shop that benefits the local battered woman shelter. They also had pictures taken and will have an interview.

Hannah is loving 1st grade! SHe has an awesome teacher and made 100% on her 1st test ever!

I have started back to school as well. I am only taking one class because Lee will take 4 classes this term. But by next year when Drew starts kindergarten, I should be ready to start nursing school. Woohoo!

My mother-in-law and her husband came for another visit. They stayed the week-end and left their dog with us while they go to Europe for a month. We played BOGGLE until the wee hours every night!! FUN! Of course Lee slaughtered us every time but at least I beat my MIL every time. I think she was getting irritated by that but that is just a feeling I got (but Lee got the feeling too--Hahaha)....Julie if you read this you will probably laugh at that!!!

I am going to start weight watchers....I had already made the decision but yesterday I got a points calculator at the thrift shop for $2 (they cost about $30 I think). It was a GOD thing! Thanks for the points calculator GOD--I hear ya talkin to me!!! So say a little prayer for me.

More to follow on weight watchers and how I feel women should be attractive for their men....first I need to pray about it.

Grandparents

There's nobody like grandparents to love on your kids. Lee's mom just left after an 8 day visit. Before that we haven't seen her in 4 years. Drew was I think 9 months old when he last saw her. The children couldn't have been happier to see her or more loving towards her. It was so so sad to see how they craved that attention from a grandparent, but great to see them getting it. Hannah and Drew loved just talking to her, she curled Hannah's hair, she chased Drew around and tickled him, she watched movies with them, bought them a SORRY game and played it with them, and once even played "Rachael Ray" with Hannah (she loves Rachael Ray and apparently so does Grandma). I do have lots of regrets about the last years of my life, but don't get me wrong, there are lots of reasons why my children haven't really had grandparents. Some things you can't get over, some you can. Nothing happened with Grandma that can't be gotten over. It was mainly hurt feelings and misunderstandings during a VERY stressful time in both of our lives. Hopefully this is a new beginning with this grandparent anyway because we need her and want her to be part of our life. Hannah Grace cried her eyes out all night long when Grandma left, she had us all in tears.

I am starting back to school! I have to do it. I took a class last year but only one because then we were house hunting and moving, and things just got in the way. Things will always get in the way though, if I let them. So Lee will be taking 4 , yes, 4 classes and I will take probably just 1. Money will be tight but now is the time. I will get a pell grant but not enough to cover the entire cost. I will go one night a week and with Drew in preschool I will have everyday from 12-3 to study if I want. I am praying about it and I feel led to do it. I have always wanted to be a nurse and I am going for it! I can't wait. I am going to buy myself a new notebook and pen!!! hahaha.....I remember as a child being so excited over new school supplies.

I am going in 2 weeks to see my friend Kimberly who lost her husband in Iraq. I am so anxious! We are going to have fun. We are meeting halfway between our homes, in Branson MO. Should be great fun and I can't wait to give her a big hug. I haven't seen her in 2 years now. I miss all of my friends from Germany so badly. Hopefully we can have some kind of reunion one day. That year of our lives was intense and we grew to love each other and depend on each other so deeply. I wish I could do something for the ones who are living thru deployments again....but I will pray for them and I know that prayer is what they need most. I know how it feels but I don't know how it feels to go thru it again so soon.

Thank you to all of my friends who are loving and supporting their husbands as they do their part to defend us and keep us safe. I know that I for one sleep well at night because of your husbands and mine, and also because of you wives......if not for you, he could not do his job the way he should. Thank you and I love you all.