My Best Christmas Present!

Well my friends, Christmas Eve was a good day. Let me share... we got up slightly late, but not too much, because we knew we had a big day ahead of us. I cleaned up the kitchen (it was a MESS) while Scott prepped the living room. Then I made us a big french toast and bacon breakfast, which we ate in bed, because that was the only place we could find to sit in our home!

After cleaning up breakfast, the fun began. We began installing our new laminate flooring in our living room. For those of us who know us, you know that we've been working on this remodel for several months (4 years actually, but this past 4 months we've been doing the living room and dining room). So it was really exciting to actually be able to put the flooring in. Amazingly, Scott and I didn't argue the whole time. We worked together and got it installed in about 3 hours! Then, we took a lunch break and relaxed a bit. After that, we got back to work with arranging furniture. It was hard to decide where to put everything, but we finally decided - for now.

Of course, the room is not completed. We still have to paint the top border and paint and put up the trim. But, it is SO WONDERFUL to be mostly done the room. We can now actually sit and relax in the room, and it looks so good! Anyway, here are some before, during, and after pictures:

A Christmas Song

Two days away from Christmas... wow, I can't believe this year has gone by so fast. I am so excited for Christmas - I love this holiday. But as our pastor pointed out this morning in his sermon, we have to remember why Jesus came to earth: to die. When you think about that, it makes you even more appreciative of the gift He gave us. In that light, I want to share some song lyrics from a song I heard this past week. It is becoming one of my favorite Christmas songs. It is by Flyfleaf, but it's one of their softer songs. Here it is:

Christmas Song
A frightened virgin teenage girl
Receives a message that defies the laws of this world
All she can do is weep and nod
She's to bring into this world the Son of God

God's angels sound their trumpets
And blow their horns
Tonight the long awaited savior is to be born
The goodness bound by Satan it has been torn
With this baby's precious brow ready for thorns

A star appears fulfilling ancient prophecy
There's an ounce of fear as wise men follow faithfully
The Virgin Mary brings forth the human savior
And this future king sleeps soundly in the manger
Soundly in the manger

God's angels sound their trumpets
And blow their horns
Tonight the long awaited savior is to be born
The goodness bound by Satan it has been torn
With this baby's precious brow ready for thorns

Tonight He is born so one day He can die
To heal hearts that are torn and live the perfect life
So He hang upon a cross and we can take His life
So we can live as sinners
And He can pay the price
Tonight He is born so one day he can die
But He will rise again

God's angels sound their trumpets
And blow their horns
Tonight the long awaited savior is to be born
The goodness bound by Satan it has been torn
With this baby's precious brow ready for thorns

Virtual Christmas Letter

As opposed to sending out a letter to every family member and friend on earth, we decided to write a virtual Christmas letter here online! Enjoy : )

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from snowy Maine! This year we've had more snow than usual, and now we're in the midst of another snowstorm. Today we're supposed to get 5-8" plus sleet and freezing rain. Oh the joys of living in Maine! We hope that wherever this letter finds you, you and your family are happy and healthy this year!

Scott and I have had a very full year. One thing that has kept us quite busy is Scott's job as the youth pastor at Church of the Open Door in Hampden. In March, we had our annual Winter Retreat for the teens, and this year we combined with another local church and went to Fairhaven Camps for the retreat. That was a lot of fun, despite being snowed in at the church for the first night (and sleeping on the floor). Later in the year we went to New York with 3 teens on a Group Workcamps missions trip. Although we had a small group, God still taught us a lot on that trip. The theme was "Renovate", and while we renovated other people's houses, we were also learning about how God wants to renovate our hearts and lives.

In the past few months, we also did a trip to a local farm, Treworgy Orchards, and did the corn maze there with the youth. That was followed by a large bonfire at one of our volunteer's house. Finally, we had a Christmas party for the junior high and then one for the senior high the following day. We had the traditional Yankee Swap, but instead of having the kids purchase gifts, they had to find or make something. Then, we collected donations from them to put towards a gift through World Vision's Christmas catalog. Our group chose to donate some chickens and a goat to families in developing nations. We raised over $200 between the two groups!

Scott is still enjoying his job a lot and is often amazed that he gets paid to tell kids about Jesus! We have many students coming from the local public schools. We also have many students who come from other churches that do not have youth group programs. We are very blessed to be a part of their lives, and we learn a lot from them. In the fall they surprised us with a bunch of cards and a gift certificate to Dysart's. Thank you guys!

As for me, at the start of the year I was still working full time and had just recently started a new home business as well. This has been an exciting year, as I have been able to cut back to working part-time. I am now at Families & Children Together as a Family Advocate, which is a fancy way of saying I'm a case manager for foster children. I enjoy the job a lot - it's 20 hours a week, flexible hours, great co-workers, and wonderful families to work with.

My new business has been going well also. I've been helping others get safer, healthier products for their home, and also earn some extra money if they want to. In October, I advanced to Director IV, which is much more than I originally thought I'd do last year at this time. However, it has truly been a lot of fun, and I feel blessed to be a part of such a great company and support team. In August, Scott and I went to Altanta, GA for the convention. Mom and Paul also went with us. We had a lot of fun despite the 90+ degrees weather every day (we were inside most of the time).

One other exciting event of this year is that we added a new family member. No, not a baby... we got a puppy! His name is Moxie, and now he's about 8 months old. He is a black lab, and we got him from our friends when their dog had a litter of puppies. He's been a spunky addition to our home. He's still learning how to behave appropriately, and I often find him with laundry strewn about the bathroom or licking out a pan on the stove. However, we do love him, and he and Mia love to play together.

Another thing that has kept us busy this year has been renovating our home. Most of you know that we bought this house 4 years ago with hopes to renovate. We did a lot before we moved in, and have continued since then. But the living room and dining room have been neglected as it was such a big project. We were able to start tackling this project this fall thanks to my business income. We are in the middle of painting the two rooms, and soon we'll be putting down the flooring! We'll be sure to post photos here when we are done, so be sure to visit often.

Thank you all for being a part of our lives. We pray that God blesses your family this Christmas as much as He has blessed us!

With Love,
Esther & Scott
(and Kira, Mia, & Moxie)

The Loud Ones Get All the Attention

I've noticed that most of my photos on here are of my dogs. So I thought I'd share some photos of my beautiful cat, Kira. She's not as loud as the dogs, but don't worry, she still gets lots of attention. Plus, she gets the privilege of being upstairs when the dogs are downstaris...

This last one is my favorite! Tell me what you think.

Long Overdue Post

Ok, I know it's been a while since I've posted. I've been busy, and our internet keeps going on and off. The most exciting thing that has happened recently is that we have a new front door!!! YAY. On Saturday (while I was at the church warm and cozy working on Christmas crafts), my hubby and his friend put in our new front door. It was probably like 10 degrees with 30 mile an hour winds... but they got it in! And not a moment too soon! We got hit with a huge snowstorm on Monday, so it was great to have the new door and not be getting a huge draft into our downstairs.

So, thank you Steve! And Scott! Now, on to finishing the mudding so that we can finally paint!!! I want to paint.... yes, I'm strange, I enjoy painting. I am still hoping we might get at least the dining room done so that we can put up a tree before Christmas. My house is not looking festive at all!

That's it for now. It's 11:30pm and once again I am up way to late.

Reforming Society and Friendship

Last night, our good friends Peter and Shannon invited us over for Thanksgiving leftovers, along with our friends Steve and Jess. I was so excited because, you see, Scott and I went to two Thanksgiving dinners and did not have any turkey. Scott's dad had requested ham, so we had ham on Thursday. Then my uncle requested ham, so we had ham on Friday. I was bummed because I love turkey and it's Thanksgiving!!!

So, at Peter and Shannon's, I got to have turkey. YAY! Plus, I got to spend the evening hanging with friends. We talked about all kinds of things, but here's a quick overview of our discussion:

• How Christianity today is not reforming culture; it is either forming a sub-culture or conforming to culture
• The need for chairs at out church instead of pews, and how that is now possible thanks to a sizeable donation
• How the education system is failing our children - they get to college and don't know how to read or write well, and they lack life skills
• What to do about a broken bed
  
• The state of missions today, and that many people would rather give money than give of their time
• How crazy our pets are and all the stories to go with this (and how long it's going to take Peter and Shannon to finally get a cat!)
  
• How the church is failing our youth by not helping them deal with serious issues such as premarital sex
• The next activity we are going to do - which is either go to the Texas Roadhouse followed by a movie, or the dinner theater at a local church

Yup, I think that sums it up in nutshell. Basically, we are going to reform society, the church, the education system, all while having tons of fun with our friends!

The Total Money Makeover

I recently started reading "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey. It was recommended to me by a leader in my business. Jeff said that our company had given it to the top leaders to read, and that he recommended it to everyone. It's a book that contains a lot of common sense, but also a plan for how to pay off debt and secure your financial future.

Last year at this time, I don't know if I would have been ready for this book. But over the past year, I have started to envision becoming financially free. I can truly see paying off car loans, student loans, and eventually our mortgage as well. Last year at this time, this probably would've sounded crazy to me. But I've seen that it can actually happen. I have friends in my business doing it, and I know I will be soon as well.

And I believe anyone can do the same. I definitely agree with Dave on several points. One, debt has become so common that we hardly blink when we take out a loan for something. We Americans tend to buy, buy, buy without thinking about the consequences. 90 days interest free, and we buy it. Bonus points, cash back, new credit card offers... the temptations are everywhere. Dave talks about how important it is that we stop using credit cards and use cash or your debit card instead.

Another point he talks about is paying down debt using the "snowball" method. He basically says to take everything you can and start paying off your smallest debt. Then add that payment to the next highest debt, etc. I am excited to start this and have already figured out how we can get rid of our non-mortgage debt in the next 2-3 years. I don't want to try and summarize his whole program in a few paragraphs, so I recommend you buy the book. I got it off of overstock.com and actually got an additional discount thanks to my business.

If you decide to get the book, let me know. I'd love to know what you think!

To Write or Not to Write

The other day at work, my supervisor gave me an unexpected compliment. She asked me if I had ever considered writing. She was handing me one of my reports that I have to write on my clients, and noted that I am a good writer. Needless to say, I was flattered, and it made me feel good. You see, I have always enjoyed writing. As strange as it seems, I thrived on writing papers in high school and college. I'd much rather write a paper for two reasons: 1. I learn a lot more by writing than by memorizing facts, spitting them out on a test, and then forgetting them, and 2. I enjoy putting words to paper.

So, back to the discussion with my supervisor. My answer was, yes, I have thought about it. It's one of those dreams I have in the back of my mind. Someday I'll write a book. Someday I'll write articles about travel, politics, or business. Someday I'll write my story. Well, who knows, maybe someday will be sooner rather than later. For now, though, I'll have stick with letting out my writing juices at work and in the blogosphere...

Midnight Madness

Last night we had quite an ordeal here. It was midnight, yes, midnight. I was FINALLY going to bed (so much for going to bed early starting this week). Scott was already sleeping soundly, and I went downstairs to let the dogs out one final time. I let Mia out on the chain and took Moxie on his leash. When we headed back for the door, Mia had wrapped the chain around a tree and couldn't reach the door. So, I unhooked her, ready to open the door and let both dogs in at the same time. That's when the madness started. Mia ran towards the door, and then did a 180 and headed back around the cars toward the backyard. I thought, oh, she's probably just gonna get her pink ball, which she had somehow lost in the grass with it being so dark out. So I took Moxie in and stuck him in his crate, and then went back outside to get Mia.

Back outside, Mia was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't just down on the slope where she had lost her ball. She wasn't in the backyard. Then I heard her - she was off in the woods to the side of our house! I started calling for her, whistling, all the things I usually do, but to no avail. She was on something's trail and wasn't about to come back to me. So I went inside to get some food, because that is a huge motivator. I took the dish and food outside, and starting clinking it around so she could hear. Then I yelled, "Mia, come get some food, come get a treat!" Still nothing.

Soon I started to panic, thinking "What am I gonna do? It's midnight, it's freezing out here, and it's pitch dark!" I ran inside, went upstairs and woke Scott up, telling him what was going on while running back outside. We both were outside before you knew it, and we could still here Mia's tags jingling off in the woods. But we couldn't get her to come back. Then I started walking up the road, because she seemed to be heading through the woods parallel to the road. I kept walking, but at that point we couldn't hear her anymore.

I went back over to Scott and started crying. I just didn't know what to do, and I felt horrible because I was the one who let her loose, albeit accidentally. I stood there praying that God would just make her come back, and that I wouldn't lose my dog. I started thinking I was going to have to get in my car and drive up the road. Just as I was about to head up to get my keys, I heard jingling. Then we saw Mia running towards us from the road. I was so thankful, but angry at the same time. We grabbed her when she was close, hooked her on the leash, and went back inside.

It was finally over, but once inside we told Mia how naughty she had been. It's hard because you don't want to yell at your dog when the finally come to you, but at the same time, you want them to understand how bad it is to leave like that. Anyway, I am just so glad that she returned, and that she didn't get hurt or hit by a car. I finally was able to go to bed - a lot later than planned!

The Pink Ball

So we have a pink ball. It's one of those Planet Dog balls for dogs, obviously. We also have a blue one exactly like it. I try to buy 2 of everything now, so that Mia and Moxie won't fight. Ha! The always want whatever the other one has. Anyway, the pink ball has now moved up to the top of Mia's list. She holds it in her mouth, squishes it, drops it and picks it back up, uses her paws to play with it - you get the idea. It's an obsession! She even sleeps with it. If I come downstairs at 5am to use the bathroom, the pink ball is on her dog bed right next to her. If I reach down to pat her, she quickly grabs it so as to keep me from taking it.

It's hilarious when Moxie gets the ball from Mia. Mia is never sure what to do. She doesn't let go of the ball very often, but when she does, Moxie occassionally is quick enough to grab it (he's a little dopey). Then Mia runs after him, and he loves playing keep away, so he just runs and runs and avoids her. He is actually quite good at that, despite being slow at other things. Mia occasionally just grabs the ball right out of his mouth, but usually Moxie gets distracted and drops it, and Mia immediately reclaims her prized possession. Oh, my dogs... they are funny. As long as Mia doesn't swallow this ball like she did the purple one, I'll be happy.

Favorite TV Shows

Recently, Scott discovered that we have "instant watching" availability on Netflix, meaning that we can sign into our account and watch movies, tv shows, etc online. So he started watching "The Office". I had heard a lot about this show and watched bits and pieces of it a few times, but I never really got it. Well, since he started watching it, I have started doing the same thing. Now, I'm addicted. Forget "King of Queens" and "Friends" - I'm now going to have to get "The Office" on DVD. I think it's one of those shows you could watch over and over, and it would still be funny.

Anyway, as for other shows that I am into right now, I have to say there's not a whole lot. "Lost" is one of my faves but I guess it's not back until January. My guilty pleasure show is "Desperate Housewives", which is sort of drama/comedy/romance. I know, I know, many people think it's ridiculous (my husband included), but it actually does have a pretty interesting story line. And, since we don't get cable, I don't get to stay current with my other favorite show, "Smallville". I need to watch Season 6 - I'm waiting for Netflix to send it to me.

I think that's about it for shows for now. Any other suggestions out there? Not that I need to spend more time watching tv...

Funny Dogs

This morning when I was getting ready for work, my dogs were being hysterically funny. Mostly Moxie, the black lab pup. He does this thing where he acts like a cat - he puts his head down low, crouches his body a bit, and stalks our other dog. Well, it's always funny when we see him do that, but this morning it was hysterical.

Picture this: Mia is tied outside minding her own business, digging around in the pile of branches, probably looking for a squirrel. Scott and I are inside getting ready for the day. Scott was about to take a shower when I looked outside and saw Moxie. I motioned to Scott to come look out the back window with me. We look out and see Moxie way down in the back yard (he's tied out on the run), and he is crouching down, walking slowly toward Mia with this intense look in his eyes. He did this for probably about 20 feet before he actually decided to "attack". When he "attacked" (i.e. ran full speed towards Mia with his front paws going up to tackle her), Mia started running away super fast. It was hilarious! Scott and I were laughing so hard.

I don't know what it is, but I have never seen a dog do this before. It's something you see cats do all the time when they are going after their prey - you know, crouching and being really quiet and then full on attack - but I have never known a dog to do it. Perhaps we'll catch it on video sometime and win lots of money on America's Funniest Videos...

My Day's Events

Crazy busy day today! I left the house at 7:30am (a few minutes later than planned) and then hit Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast. Then I drove to Machias for team meeting - yes, that's right, Machias. It's quite a drive but it is beautiful this time of year. Not sure how that's going to be mid-January. I arrived a few minutes late due to the major traffic to get across Bangor and Brewer. After the meeting, I headed home and made a few calls on the way.

Back at the office, I worked on several issues and finally got a conference call together which was really important. Then I left a bit early because I realized I was going to get my hours due to going in early yesterday and today. So I headed over to Bangor Christian to watch the girl's soccer game. I saw one of our youth group girls play, and that was nice since I hadn't gotten to any of the games yet. Scott met me at the game and then afterwards we headed home.

At home, I took a nap because I was really tired from staying up too late the past few nights and getting up earlier than usual. (The ride back from Machias, I was struggling to stay awake). It felt really good to rest for a little while. Then I forced myself to wake up because I had a business call to do. I spent the rest of the evening working on my business, except for break for dinner - which my wonderful hubby made for us! It was a good night for business, as I helped someone on my team and also did some stuff for myself. Finally, I got done and relaxed! Now I'm debating on watching another episode of King of Queens, watching The Office on my netflix account, or just getting ready for bed. I know which one I should do... we'll see if that happens.

Dancing

I am not a good dancer. Growing up in a conservative Pentecostal family, dancing was a "sin". Even when I was in high school and my family wasn't quite so rigid, I still didn't learn to dance. That was mainly due to going to a Christian school where dancing was also not allowed. Of course, my friends and I would have our sleepovers and dance the night away - but in the privacy of our own bedrooms. I never learned to truly dance.

During college, dancing was okay. I went to a Christian college, but they had dances and such. Again, I usually just went for the social piece and didn't really dance. If I did, I probably looked ridiculous. And, my boyfriend/fiance at the time was not around (he was several states away), so I definitely didn't do any slow dancing.

At my wedding, there was no dancing. Mostly because of not having the space at the reception center (it was a low budget wedding) and because my grandparents probably would've keeled over if there had been dancing. Scott and I went to other weddings with dancing, and I made a feeble attempt when dragged onto the dance floor with my hubby.

I think I've gotten a little better with this dancing thing over the years, but I've still got a long way to go. I've been on a few trips with mostly women (business trips) that involved dancing, and I did give it a try then. But that was okay because there were other people who looked just as unskilled at dancing as I am.

So, last night Scott and I were at at wedding, and some of our friends were there too. We did dance a few times, but we were really put to shame by the Mexicans who were there (the groom was Mexican). It was so fun to watch them. I could picture myself doing all the moves, but then when I'm out there, I'm probably looking like a fool.

Oh well. One area in which I have truly changed over the years is how little I care about what others think about me. It's fun to dance - so who cares if I look ridiculous? I managed to get my hubby out there for one faster song (which I prefer to dance to), but then he left me. I stayed out there dancing with Peter and Shannon and random other people. Fun.

Well my friends, when are we going to take those dancing lessons? We want to follow in Jason and Sarah's footsteps - literally.

Headaches and such

Well I am so bummed because today did not go as planned at all. The first part of the day did - got up, showered, went to meet with someone for my business, came home. But by the time I was home, I started to feel my headache coming back. It had started Saturday and therefore I hadn't done much Saturday other than the youth group Harvest party. Well, it was feeling better yesterday, but it came back today. So I took a medication with my lunch, but I didn't notice much change.

Then, after lunch, I decided to lay down instead of work on my business. I just felt like I couldn't make my calls because I couldn't really think straight. Urgh. Anyway, I layed down and ended up sleeping for 3 hours!!! Crazy. When I finally woke up, I felt a little better but still a little funky. Mostly it's my head, but I think that all the work we're doing here at our house is causing me to have some sinus/chest issues and that's really annoying. So I took care of the dogs and started to get ready for youth group. Then I realized that I really didn't feel up to going out, which is frustrating because I hate missing youth group. I miss being with the kids, so I really hope that everything went okay. I'm now sitting here deciding if I can eat something for dinner... I'm hungry but I want to eat something that will help me feel better.

Anyway, I guess this is a weird post... all to say that I hate getting these headaches (which the doctors have told me are migraines) and I'd like to find out what is causing them. I also hate it when I don't accomplish what I wanted to for the day, but I know the world won't come to an end and I can work on some things tomorrow evening. Hopefully I'll feel better by then!

a couple more photos

Ok, since I've received so many comments on my photos (ok, not so many, just one... hint hint people!), I've decided to post a couple more. I love this one of Scott and I taken by Abby, and then there's one more that I took of Abby. This is at the cliffs of Magnolia in Mass... a little place that hardly anyone knows about...

Photos of our weekend

Here are the pictures I promised to post.... there's more on my myspace page...

Seagulls in front of the surf at the Cliffs of Magnolia







A great wave at Pebble Beach in Rockport







Pebble Beach again







A cool bird on Pebble Beach











An old, rundown building in Rockport











Taken by Scott and Esther.... please don't use without permission.

Ahhhhhh....

That's ahhhhhh in a good way. Scott and I are in Rockport, Mass on our little getaway! It's so wonderful. We drove down yesterday after I got out of work. Before we left, we had a big answer to prayer with Moxie. We hadn't found anyone to keep him, so we were having to take him to a kennel, which I didn't really want to do. Anyway, a family from our church emailed and said they could take him, and so we cancelled the kennel reservation and had him go there instead. Yay! Thanks Karen and Scott! They have 2 older labs, and so they already know all about raising a dog. Anyway, that was a big answer to prayer, and when I called to check on him tonight, Karen said he'd been swimming in their pond and having all sorts of fun.

So back to the trip... on the way down after stopping to eat at On the Border, I called our B&B to let them know we'd be later than planned. When I called, they didn't have us down for a reservation! I was so confused, because I knew I called two weeks ago and made the reservation. Well, thankfully they still had the room open and we were fine. When we arrived, they had found the reservation, so I was relieved to know that I wasn't calling the wrong place.

Today we spent the day relaxing and having fun. We started by going shopping in downtown Rockport, which is fairly small but has tons of cute shops. We also climbed out on a bunch of rocks and took tons of pics of the birds. Then we went to Pebble Beach in Rockport, which was absolutely beautiful!!!! It was about 80 degrees today, so if I had brought my swim suit I probably would've gotten in the water. I left the beach with a burn on my neck and arms. I knew I was forgetting something.... sunscreen! As we were walking down the beach, Scott remarked at how crazy it was that this is October.

After that, we headed to Beverly for a late lunch at Bertucci's.... yummmmmm. I'm eating the leftover Silano pizza right now. Then, we headed to Gordon and met up with Abby L. Yay! We walked around the new and improved "Fowler Campus" (named after the couple who just donated $60 million to the school), spent time in the bookstore, and just enjoying reminiscing about my college years. Then we took Abbs on a trip to one of my fave spots during my college years - The Cliffs of Magnolia. It's a little known spot in the town of Magnolia, but it's so beautiful... I'll post the pics when I get home.

Then we headed to Captain Dusty's ice cream for some homemade ice cream - another favorite place from the college years. I couldn't even finish it because they gave me so much. Anyway, after the treat we took Abby back to Gordon and then came back to our B&B. Since then, we've been watching a movie, reading, talking, and now I'm going to hop into the jacuzzi tub. Yup, it's a rough life....

Update on Life

I was doing better with blogging for a while, but I have been MIA for a while. I am sitting upstairs currently, in my "office". Right now, though, it looks kinda like a tornado hit it. Due to our renovation project right now, everything for the living room and dining room (or, almost everything) is either in the kitchen or upstairs. Ahhhh! It makes life a little challenging, but I know it'll be worth it. We actually have bought sheetrock to start putting up in the dining room. We still have to tear out the sheetrock in the living room from the outside walls, which hopefully will happen this weekend.

Other than the chaos that has been created by the renvoations, there's been lots of other stuff going on. On Saturday night, I drove to Portland to pick up my sister from Portland. She is visiting for the week, so that is lots of fun. Sunday we went to church, then we had a dinner afterwards with missionaries visiting our church. After this, we went home and relaxed for the afternoon. Then back to church for the evening service.

Monday I spent most of the day working my business, and then also made dinner for Naomi and Rich. Then we went to youth group as always. Naomi joined me for that while Rich went to do a college fair at UMaine. After youth group, I had a training call and then finally went to bed after that.

Today was not too eventful - back to work, went to my regular Tuesday Forum group for lunch, and then home around 5pm. My stomach was doing something funny this evening but it is feeling better now. I have gotten a lot done tonight, so that is good. Overall, things are going well although I am so excited to get the house project done so that we can put furniture back where we want it! We may even buy a new kitchen table and/or living room set now that we'll have a remodeled living room and dining room.

Well I guess this wasn't too exciting, just a basic update. I will try to post something more interesting next time...

Urgh!

Moxie is driving me crazy! I played with him, threw the stick, fed him, played with him, and so on. He rewards me by stealing my Teva Sandals (one of the pairs he hasn't ruined yet), barking at me, getting tangled around the trees outside, ripping stuffing out of the dog bed, and trying to steal trash out of the trash can.

Yup, I'm going crazy!

It's My Birthday...

Ok, so yesterday was my birthday. So I figured I should share my thoughts about that day. First off, if you haven't figured it out, my birthday is September 11th, which is also the anniversary of a tragic event in the U.S. It was a horrible day for our country, and I don't ever want to forget what happened 6 years ago. I hope that we all continue to honor and remember those who sacrificed on that day as well as those who were murdered by terrorists.

So, on to more upbeat topics. I started my birthday waking up to my amazing husband, and that was great. Then I showered, and realized that I was feeling much better than the previous few days. After that, I went back upstairs and received my birthday gifts from Scott, nicely wrapped in a New York & Co bag... OK, so I picked out my birthday gifts, but I did have to wait to open them. So I wore my new pants to work and felt quite stylish. Work went well, and I realized how happy I am to have this new job and the freedom to work part time.

After work, I headed home and played with the dogs. I also made a few calls for my business while waiting for Scott to get home. Once he was home, he shaved and got dressed up (!) to go out. I still didn't know what we were doing. We drove into Bangor and by the direction we were headed, I figured we must be going to Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden, or Applebees. I thought we probably wouldn't go to the Roadhouse cause we went there recently, and I thought that if we were going to Applebee's, I'd have to kill him because that's his favorite restaurant, not mine.

It turned out that we were going to the Olive Garden. We had some scrumptious food (I tried a new dish - a shrimp and asparagus dish but I traded the shrimp for scallops) and great conversation. Then we went shopping at Target where we bought some great throw pillows (my choice) and a couple movies (Scott's choice).

Finally, I ended my birthday night by watching Big Brother - a very shallow but entertaining show!

So, thank you to everyone who called, emailed, or said Happy Birthday yesterday OR today (Jess and Steve). And, thank God for my wonderful husband, family, pets, friends, business, job, and so much more!

Attack of the Killer Bee

Today we had another "work day", and this time we had help! Kevin, Mary, and Pete came to help us. Pete fixed our lawnmower (yay!) and Kevin and Mary helped us tear out the sheetrock in our dining room. Very wonderful! It was pretty messy, but now it's all down from the entire dining room. Scott and I even got the insulation started after the others left.

So, you're probably wondering - where does the title of my blog come into this picture? Well, I made some very yummy pizzas for lunch to thank everyone for helping us. Since the dining room in not exactly usable right now, we sat outside on our camp chairs, lawnmower, and cooler to eat lunch. We were all enjoying our food and drink while trying to ignore the whining puppy, when a bee started flying around us. It started near Pete, buzzing around his head and even flying into the pocket of his shirt!

Just as we thought it was leaving Pete alone, it came back and started flying around Scott. It quickly left Scott and then came over to me. It started buzzing around my hair, and I tried to stay still and not freak out. Then, it flew to the other side of my head and stung me in the ear!!! I jumped up and ran inside to examine my injury and escape the bee. Mary soon followed, as she did not want to get stung. The guys then tried to kill the darn thing, but they couldn't get it. Mia even participated by barking while Kevin swung his hands around trying to kill it.

Meanwhile, I was checking out my ear, which was now turning red and swollen and also hurting quite badly. I applied some ice and finished my lunch. Once things settled down outside, Mary and I made our way back outside to have a little more to eat and enjoy the fresh air. I moved my chair over next to the dogs so that they didn't have to be lonely, and about 2 seconds later, the bee came back near me! I then jumped up and went inside for good.

We really don't know what was wrong with that bee. We did nothing to antagonize it, but yet it felt the need to attack us - especially me! I don't know what it is, but bugs and bees seem to be attracted to me. Thankfully, I survived the attack of the killer bee.

Renovation

Yesterday was Labor Day, and Scott and I took that seriously. We started on a project that has been long overdue. We bought this home almost 4 years ago. At that time, we did a lot of renovations that we much needed. However, one thing we were unable to do (due to running out of time and money) was the dining room and living room walls. We discovered, after buying the home, that the walls were covered in about 5-7 layers of wallpaper, with dark blue or dark green paint over it. Ugh!

So, finally (thanks to my earnings with my business), we have the money to do this HUGE project. Yesterday we began by ripping out all the trim in the dining room and starting on tearing down the sheetrock. It is not a super-easy task but I already know it's going to be well worth it. Once we have the sheetrock ripped out, we'll have to put up new sheetrock, mud, tape, and finally paint. Then new trim will need to go up as well. Finally, after painting, we will put down new flooring - Laminate most likely. Yay!

The hardest part of all this is figuring out what to do with the furniture while we work on it. Currently we've got the buffet table in the kitchen, the desk and bookcase in the living room, and the table and china cabinet in the middle of the floor in the dining room. After the dining room is done, we'll have to figure out where to put the couch, futon, entertainment stand, and everything else that's in the living room. Hmmmmm....

Well I'm sure I'll post some photos at some point - hopefully we'll be finishing this project sometime in September. This is truly my birthday present from Scott - cause he really isn't into it too much. But he's doing it for me!

Favorite Pasttime

Today I participated in one of my favorite pasttimes: whitewater rafting! It has been a while since I've gone, and it was so great to be back out on the river! I grew up in a family that was very "outdoorsy" - camping, hiking, biking, and yes, rafting. We would do these things whenever we had a chance - to me it seems like it was every weekend of summer, but I know in reality it wasn't. It's just that those memories are some of the best of my childhood.

My dad became a whitewater rafting guide when I was probably 10 or 11, and then he got his own raft. That meant we could go rafting anytime we wanted, which is much better than paying $100 a person to go. So when my father passed away, our friend Tim bought the raft from us. Tim had gone rafting with Dad a few times, and it became one of his favorite things to do as well. Now, Tim takes us rafting anytime even though it's been over 10 years since Dad passed away.

So today, Scott and I drove up to the bridge at The Forks, where we always meet before rafting. It turned out that the other couple Tim was bringing couldn't make it, and I didn't realize that he had room for us to bring 2 friends, so it ended up just being Scott, me, Tim, Michael (Tim's son), and John (Michael's friend). That was fine though, and once I was out on the river I was reminded of how great rafting is! It's not so much the waves and getting wet and everything, but just being out in God's beautiful creation! It's so freeing to just ride the current of the river and not have to think about anything else...

So, it was a good day and I am thankful for it.

Waiting Games

Last night, Scott and I decided to enjoy our newfound freedom (i.e. having Friday nights off together) by going out to eat and to a movie. We hadn't had a "date night" in a while, and I was looking forward to it. We left the house around 5:40pm to head to our favorite restaurant, the Texas Roadhouse. Well, I decided to call ahead in case there was a wait. There was. A 50-60 minute wait. So we got our name on the list, and then arrived there about 10-15 minutes later.

Once we arrived, we checked in and asked how long the wait would be at that point. They told us about 40 minutes. So, we said we'd be back - we were just going to go to the stores in the plaza. We were back within 25 minutes, and then we sat down to wait. We waited, and we waited, and we waited some more. Many tables were called - 5 people, 2 people, 4 people, 7 people. I started getting a little annoyed when it had far exceeded the 60 minutes we were originally told. I thought, what's the point of calling ahead? You don't get in any faster. Finally, after the numbers had gone past ours by quite a bit, I told Scott I was going up to find out what was going on.

Well, I went up and managed to get by the throng of people standing directly in front of the counter, and asked where we were at on the list. That's when they told us - our number had already been called - several times. I asked how long ago it was called - she said 25 or 30 minutes ago! I was so perplexed because we had been told 40 minutes and we were only gone for 25, so they must have called us during the 25 minutes that we were gone. I wish that they would tell you "20-40 minutes" if it's going to be WAY less than 40! Urgh.

Anyway, they acted like it was our fault, which is why I was annoyed. But, they did give us the next available table, which is the only reason I did not walk out of there. I love the restaurant - the food is delicious and the service is usually good. I'd just have to say that they need to get a little more organized about their call ahead and waiting list because it's frustrating to be told one thing and to have an entirely different thing happen...

Oh, and by the way, because of that little fiasco, we missed our movie and ended up just going home.

New Job

I have a new job which I started last week. It's for an agency here in Bangor (FACT), and I am a "Family Advocate" - a fancy word for foster care case manager. I am working part time now, which is so great. So far the job has been good - no major surprises. Basically I've been reading policies, info about the clients I'll be working with, and touching base with the foster parents. I'm fortunate that the foster parents I'm working with are very experienced, and therefore it will make my job even easier. I know it won't be a bed of roses, but even the fact that I'm only working 20 hours makes it incredibly better!

I am now able to have more of a routine, and spend more time with Scott. I'm looking forward to having Friday nights and Saturdays together. It's gonna be so weird, but good! This new job also gives me more time in the evening. Take today for example: I left work at 4:30pm, went to the gym to work out, did groceries, and got home by 6pm! I was able to have dinner, do some work on my business for a couple hours, and still have time to relax after that. Woohoo!

Well, as you can tell, I am pretty happy with this whole thing. I have to say though, it's all God. I truly believe that God has played a part in several changes that have taken place in my life over the past months. I thank Him for leading me into each area of my life and I hope that I can honor Him with everything that I do.

Atlanta

Well Scott and I recently returned from Atlanta, GA. We were there from Wednesday through Sunday for a convention with my business. We had a fabulous time! It was quite crazy getting there, with delays starting in Portland and then having to wait for Mom and Paul's luggage in Atlanta. It didn't come until the next day...

Anyway, I had really wanted to go to the Georgia Aquarium, but with getting in late on Wednesday and the next few days being packed from start to finish, we had no time! I have decided something - next year when we go to Salt Lake City, we'll be adding a few days on to the trip so that we can enjoy the local scenery and activities.

As for the rest of the trip, I had tons of fun. I finally got to meet Kindel, one of my support team members from Oregon. It's funny how you can get to know someone so well just over the phone -but it was lots of fun to meet her in person as well. I think my favorite part of the trip was just seeing how full of integrity this company is and how glad I am to be a part of it. It has allowed me to quit my full-time job and go to part time - which is something I've worked towards for 4 and 1/2 years with another company and not been able to accomplish. In addition, it has been great to help other people improve their own physical and/or financial wellness.

I could go on and on, but I won't. I am so glad we were able to go, and I am so thankful for Steve and Jess who watched Mia for us! They took care of her for us and almost didn't give her back! Moxie went to the kennel again and that cost a pretty penny, but at least he was able to play with other dogs, etc.

I think we're done traveling so much, at least for the rest of the year. No more major trips - perhaps just a camping trip on Labor Day weekend, but nothing out of state...

Freedom

I have been told recently that I don't post on my blog enough, so I'm going to try to do a better job. So here's my update:

I am FREE!!! I am no longer working full time - my last day was Friday. I am so excited! And God is good, because last week I got the call that I got the new job I wanted! It's part-time, foster care case management, and the schedule is flexible. Basically it means that I no longer have to work nights or weekends, plus I have an extra 20 hours a week to spend with Scottie and/or doing my business and youth group stuff. Woohoo!

So, in celebration, Scott and I went to Acadia National Park on Saturday along with Steve and Jess. Here's a couple pics from that trip:

Headaches

I have been having headaches lately, and they are very painful. I've seen my doctor on and off about this, as no tylenol, ibuprofen, or even prescription stuff seems to touch these headaches. I actually started to get one yesterday, had a difficult night's sleep, and when I woke up I was nauseous. I tried to go to work but felt as though I would throw up as soon as I got into the car. Urgh! I hate feeling this way. I don't want to miss work over a headache, but when the only thing I can do without throwing up is lay completely still on the couch, I don't really have a choice.

Anyway, as I said, I've seen my doctor about this and we finally decided that I'm going to have an MRI to make sure it's nothing serious. So next Monday I get to go into a giant magnet. So if you think of it, you can pray for me... currently I'd just like to be not in constant pain. And I'd like to find out that this is nothing serious, but also I'd like to know what is causing them.

Moxie

We have had Moxie now for quite a while. He is a handful, but super-cute and lovable! Here are some fun pics of our new little bundle of spunkiness:

Change

This is a time for change. I have been thinking about working part-time for quite a while. There are lots of reasons - being able to spend more time with youth group kids, have more time to do my business, more evenings with Scott, etc. While I have enjoyed my full-time job quite a bit, and I've learned a lot too, I have finally made the decision. I gave my notice on Friday. I will be getting done there at the beginning of August. I don't exactly have another job lined up yet, but I've got some potentials. And I'm trusting God that He will provide exactly what we need. Thankfully, I've been able to earn quite a bit with my home-based business, and that has been the catalyst for this decision. So, who knows what will be next? I'm excited to find out...

One adventure ends, a new one begins

Scott and I went to Pennsylvania this past weekend to visit my sister and her husband. It was great fun. We left Friday afternoon around 5pm and arrived at about 5am at their apartment. It was a long night, and Scott did most of the driving. We were so glad when we finally arrived. We only had one slight detour at the very end of the trip, but it worked out fine.

We had a fun time with Rich and Naomi after getting a few hours of sleep. We played Settlers of Catan because we all enjoy that game a lot. After Mom and Paul finally arrived, we hung out, went food shopping, and then had dinner. We then rented "Night at the Museum." I was so tired that I ended up falling asleep at the end, but it was a good movie. I watched the end of it the next day. Anyway, Sunday was spent at their church, followed by a great lunch at a Chinese buffet. After returning to their apartment, we had fun swimming at the pool in their apartment complex.

Later that night, we played another round of Settlers, but a little while into it, the power went out due to thunderstorms. So we continued to play in the candlelight. Finally we all hit the hay after a full day and fell soundly asleep.

Monday morning we slept in and then hung out for a while. Mom and Paul headed back to Maine around 10:30 or so. Scott and I left around 11:15 for Kev and Amy's. It was not too long of a drive to their place, and we arrived at noon. We went to eat lunch at my favorite pizza place, Bertucci's. Then we just hung out in the afternoon, Amy and I looking at photos and catching up on life, and Scott and Kev going to a guitar store. Later we hung out with all the other couples in the complex for a Memorial Day BBQ. It was fun to have this time with them and all their friends. It was especially fun to watch Kaden who is such a big boy now! And soon he's going to have a baby sister (at least I'm hoping for a girl... we'll find out soon enough).

Scott and I left Kev and Ame's at around 7pm and we headed to Connecticut. We decided to break up the trip home so it wasn't too long of a drive. We arrived at our hotel around 11pm, which was perfect. It was not the greatest hotel, but it was just one night. We left the next morning at 8am and headed back to Maine. Once in Maine, our next adventure began...

We picked up our new little puppy, Moxie! He is so sweet... a bit whiney right now, but I'm sure he'll get over that. Mia doesn't know what to do - she's jealous and excited all at once. I hope that they get adjusted soon enough. Kira, our cat, is NOT impressed. Her saving grace is that she has access to the upstairs and the basement, so she can escape to those areas. We'll see how it goes. I'm sure I'll have some updates soon about how things are going!

Am I Crazy?

You might think so. I've been told I am for wanting one of these.













But who can blame me? They are soooo cute! But really, that's not the reason I want one. The reason is because my dog needs a friend! She is so fun and full of energy, and I really want her to have a playmate. I think she would have so much fun and I know the new puppy would too. So anyway, after much discussion, I think we're gonna be getting one. This one, in fact.

Isn't he a sweetie?












Lastly, I just have to show off a cool photo that I took sort of by accident. It's my friend's daughter holding the puppy I have picked out...

Looooooooong Week

I don't know why, but this week has felt really long. I just feel exhausted, yet I don't want to go to bed yet. I'm just enjoying some tv and computer time. I'm also trying to keep Mia company since I was gone most of the day today and Scott's gone this weekend.

Well anyway, I am excited for April to be over. April has always been a weird month for me. I'm not particularly superstitious, but it seems a lot of bad things happen in April. For starters, it was the month in which my dad passed away. And then it just seems that other negative things happen during this month every year. So now I'm excited that we're almost to May! May is a good month, full of spring weather and flowers and sunshine. I'm looking forward to what May has to bring.

Currently, though, I'm looking forward to what my head will feel like on my pillow. Yay!

Learning to Slow Down

Sometimes God teaches us lessons that we don't want to learn. One of my recurring lessons is my need to slow down. And it seems that right now is one of those times. And the way God is teaching me this lesson is through sickness. Apparently I have a sinus infection, along with no energy, extreme sore throat, and overall ickiness. So now, I am being forced to slow down and not do all the things I need to be doing. I didn't go to work today - went to the doctor's office instead, then back home to rest. And I realize some people love having a day off from work, but honestly I would love to be back to work if I could just feel better.

Well I guess that's all for today. I'm just trying to figure out how to apply this "slowing down" lesson to my everyday life... when I start feeling better, I still want to take time to enjoy life and family and friends.

Weekend

We spent this past weekend in Boston for a youth group leaders conference. All went well, except that I apparently came down with something on Friday and it hasn't left me yet. I haven't been sick in quite some time, so having the headaches last week and then this cough/throat thing this week is not very fun. I am just praying that this will be short-lived and not last all week.

So, if you think of it, pray for me... And to youth group kids, sorry I've been MIA two weeks in a row. I really wanted to be there tonight!

Oh, and I'll be posting more about Boston sometime soon. I've got a GREAT video that I want to post. It's so funny!

Amy's Research Questions

Well a few weeks ago, my dear friend Amy posted a blog requesting that people respond to the following questions. I am finally getting around to doing it. Sorry for the delay, Ame!

How long have you been married?
Almost 5 years! Technically 4 years and 9 months.
How long did you and your spouse really know each other before you married?
We dated for 4 and 1/2 years before we got married. We were friends for almost a year before we started dating.
Looking back, how prepared do you feel you were for marriage?
I would say we were somewhat prepared. We knew each other quite well, and we had done some pre-marital counseling. There was, however, quite a lot of adjusting to do once we were married.
If you have kids, how long did you wait before starting your family?
N/A.
How many children do you have and what are their ages?
N/A.
What challenges have you faced at this stage in your marriage?
We have faced several challenges - 1. Adjusting to being married and sharing a home together, 2. Buying our first home and renovating - can create stress :), 3. Dealing with job changes and learning to balance our marriage vs. our work, 4. Deciding what to do regarding further education, and 5. The societal and family pressures regarding having vs. not having kids and trying to make the decision based on our own thoughts and feelings, not those around us.
If you have kids, has your relationship changed since you've added them to your family?
N/A.
If so, in what way(s)?
N/A.
What resources or support systems do you have that benefit your marriage?
1. Our families - both my family and Scott's family are very supportive of our marriage and I feel that we are very blessed that way.
2. Our friends - having several friends who have strong marriages encourages us and gives us someone to turn to for advice/support.
3. Our church - they are beginning to implement more marriage related studies and programs which I feel is very beneficial. We haven't been able to participate in any of them yet, but just the fact that it is happening is encouraging.
What advice do you have for young couples contemplating marriage and starting a family?
1. Get premarital counseling - I think this is a key that really needs to happen before people jump into marriage. You can be as in love as you can imagine, and the marriage could still fall apart if you don't have the right tools and skills to keep your marriage alive. I believe that looking at where each person came from is important, including your views on marriage in general, gender roles, household responsibilities, sex, etc, in order to better prepare for your own marriage. That doesn't mean you have to agree on everything, but just being aware of where your future spouse stands on these issues can eliminate a lot of heartache.
2. Recognize that you are God's gift to each other - This point hit home at a marriage conference Scott and I went to last year. I recognized that there were lots of times that I ignored this fact and treated Scott as my enemy instead of God's gift to me. When you view your spouse as a gift from God, it changes how you speak to them and treat them. Still working on this one myself...
3. Don't be afraid to ask for help! Many people think that going to a marriage retreat or conference (which Scott and I do every year) means that your marriage is falling apart. NO! It's kind of like a car - if you never get a tune up, you are bound to have some major problems. But if you do tune ups every once in a while, the problems will still come, but you'll be more prepared and they won't be nearly as expensive! It's the same with marriage - when you take time to specifically focus on your marriage, you and your spouse will be so much more ready to deal with the inevitable problems that arise. Along with that, I feel that going to marriage counseling or even just talking with close friends about issues is not a bad thing - God created us to live in community and to share our strengths and experiences with each other.

AND THE BIGGY......
What is/are the biggest need(s) that you have as a husband/wife at this stage in your marriage?
The biggest need I would say that I have right now is just to be loved and supported (which Scott does wonderfully!). As we are currently deciding about me getting my Master's degree, I appreciate that Scott takes the time to really talk about this with me and pray about it too. He doesn't immediately shoot down my ideas, even when they may be a bit crazy. He loves me and supports me in all of my ventures. And that makes it easier for me to accept feedback from him about these types of decisions. Being an independent person, I know that I sometimes do not have the most submissive nature. However, I do desire to respect Scott and value his perspective immensely.

Do you feel there is a need for this kind of ministry in your church, and if so, would you attend such a ministry program - either as a mentor couple or as a couple who would like to be mentored?
Yes, there is a need for this type of ministry in every church. Thankfully, our church has started a few different things for marriages. One is an Alpha Marriage Course that is 8 weeks long and is for couples at any stage in their marriage. The other is that we have Bible Studies on Sunday evenings and there are a few studies being offered throughout the year that focus on marriage. I would like to see possibly a marriage retreat or weekend that our church hosts or sponsors, since there are currently those types of options for men or women, but not married couples.

Well, Amy, I hope this helps! Sorry for my delay, but I finally did it.

Recovery Day

After a long week and lots going on, I decided to take a "recovery day". I ended up not going to work partly because I was just exhausted and partly because of the crazy snowstorm this morning. So instead I slept in later than usual, then spent most of the day completely relaxing. Scott and I read together, I sat on the couch and watched tv, and more along those lines... we did actually clean up the kitchen was great, and we had a real meal for dinner!

Well anyway, as for other news. I have been accepted to the Master of Arts in International Development Program at Eastern University. If I choose to participate in this program, I would go to South Africa in July for 3 weeks, and then the rest of the year will be correspondence. Then I would go again next summer as well, followed by another year of correspondence. I am really undecided about this, but God answered one of my prayers. I spoke with my contact at Eastern and got something cleared up. I had thought that the complete payment was due by March 15th, but it was only a deposit. The payment is not due until April 15th, which gives me more time to decide. Plus, I found out I was awared a pretty significant scholarship to go towards the tuition. Scott and I are having our taxes done on Tuesday, so then I can fill out the FASFA and find out what other aid I am eligible for.

Otherwise I just had a long week with work because there are a lot of staff issues going on. Plus I'm currently doing 2 businesses from home, so between everything I was just needing a day to myself. It was really nice to have that today, as I know this next week promises to be just as busy. I hope to keep everything in balance and to keep my priorities straight.

Mia in the Snow

My crazy dog - isn't she amazing? She was jumping up in the air to catch a snowball thrown by Scott. This was a fun day a few weeks ago when we went for walk out behind our home.

Fun and Games

We returned this afternoon from Winter Retreat with our cool youth group kids. The weekend went much differently than originally planned, given the huge snowstorm on Friday. We spent the night at the church instead of at the camp we were headed to. But all went well, and we made some fun memories.

One of my favorite parts of these trips is the games we play. On Friday night, I attempted to teach a group to play Settlers of Catan. This game was introduced to us by my sister and brother-in-law, and now it's one of my favorites! It's very obscure - you can't find it at Toys'RUs or Walmart... you have to go to specialty game stores or on the internet (Amazon or ebay I'm sure). Anyway, the game does require strategy and patience, but it's great because it's different every time you play it. We got about halfway through... I think I was winning when we got done.

Another great game is Cranium - we played that on Saturday afternoon and evening. I love this one because it's a team effort and everyone is good at different things, so you get to work together. We had great fun and that's where my current quote comes from. I said, "She's had a few bad experiences in the recent future" about one of the players who didn't want to do more acting out during the game... what I meant to say was "in the recent past". That's how tired I was!

After that game, we played Mafia, which is probably the best game ever. You can play it anywhere, anytime, as long as you have at least 6 or 7 people. It's all about killing people and lying about it. But hey, what's youth group without a little killing and lying, right? I didn't get to be the mafia in any of the 3 games we played, so that was a bummer, but it was nice when the doctor saved me!

All that to say, it was a good weekend, and yes, there is life away from TV, cell phones, computers, and busyness... and one of the best parts of that life is games!

Lent

Lent began Wednesday, and it came on way too fast. I had been thinking about what I wanted to do for Lent, but I didn't realize how quickly it would be here. I really wanted to spend some time praying about what I should give up, and I haven't done that. However, I think I know one area that God would like to work on with me, and that is TV. It's definitely become a habit for me to watch tv whenever I want to relax, whenever I'm bored, or whenever I'm doing other things. So my plan for Lent is to cut back on TV. I would like to find better ways to spend my time and see what happens. I often put off my quiet time with God but almost never put off watching TV. So I'd like to see that reversed - not because I want to a better person, but because I want to grow in my relationship with Christ.

Until recently I hadn't ever observed Lent, but I really like the idea of giving something up in order to focus more on Christ. I pray that I learn something during this Lent season.

Posting - This one's for Steve

I've been commanded to post something, so here goes. First off, I would like to say to those of you who actually read my blog, comment! If no one comments, I ususally figure no one is reading, and therefore I have little incentive to post. I know that I should be blogging because I want to, not because other people read it, but I have to say that I enjoy reading the comments and I then am inspired to write other stuff.

I guess my last post was about my car accident, so I'll give you an update. Monday was a crazy horrible day - just seemed like everything that could go wrong did. I had to drive Scott's truck, but I couldn't get the key to open the gas door, so I couldn't get gas. So I had to have someone else take me places.... it was just one of those days!

Anyway, Tuesday was a better day since we were able to purchase a new vehicle... well, new to us. I got a Toyota Rav4, which is the same as I had before, but this one is 2 years newer, black instead of white, and less miles. It was a long day and we had to wait a long time to figure out what the interest rate would be, but finally everything worked out. We purchased it at Crafts' Auto Sales in Lisbon Falls, which I felt was a good dealership. I have enjoyed driving it and it is definitely not as loud as my old one. Plus, it has a CD player and a moon roof - bonus!

Well the rest of the week has had it's ups and downs, but today was fairly good - we found out that since we had GAP insurance on our previous loan, we actually are getting some money towards the new loan since we're financing again with Maine Savings. YAY! So my payments are actually going to be LESS than they were before with the older vehicle - God is good.

Other than this, I am keeping busy with work, home business, youth group, and family. It's all good, though, and I am amazed every day at how blessed I am, even when I am not as grateful or faithful as I should be.

Weekend Fun

Some friends are complaining that I never blog anymore, so I'm going to try and improve on that. For starters, we just returned from a great weekend. We attended a marriage retreat that we usually attend in Camden, Maine. It's put on by a great couple who's been married about 50 years, and they are great!

On Friday we drove down to Camden along with our friends Steve and Jess. We had dinner at a great little restuarant while listening to a live jazz band. I had a cheeseburger the size of my head and so I had to take some to go. We then joined the 1o other couples at the Country Inn for a weekend of learning and fun.

A few highlights of the weekend were swimming in the pool and relaxing in the hot tub, hearing the many insights about marriage from Russ and Lorrie, getting to know the other couples, and of course spending quality time with my own hubby. We had a date night Saturday night and we decided to check out a new restuarant, which was okay, but not great. On Sunday we enjoyed a morning of praise and worship led by Steve, which was really nice. We also had sharing time and communion together.

Something a little different this year was some added videos which enhanced our learning and converstations. Russ and Lorrie brough videos by Mark Gungor, who is incredibly funny and extremely passionate about marriage. The videos were awesome and we are planning to buy them for our church and somehow incorporate them into our small group studies or something. I can't wait to see the other videos since we only watched a few.

Well now we are just relaxing at home and enjoying having some down time. And for all you readers of my blog out there... I'll try to post more often!

Long Time...

I haven't blogged in a long time! I just realized that it's been almost a month. So, for my 2 readers, I apologize.

Well Scott and I are sitting here at the table with our laptops, wasting the day away. It finally snowed yesterday - we got about 6 inches I think. So we ended up staying home last night and canceling youth group. I didn't want to be out on the roads, and I didn't want any of the kids out either. Anyway, so today we slept in, had breakfast, and now we're trying to work up the motivation to work on our bathroom. We have trim to put up, and I would love to get it done today.

So anyway, things are good here. 2007 is here and it's already halfway through January! I am continuing to pray that God would show me what He wants for me this year, and what I should be focusing on. I believe God has allowed me to do a lot of things that I enjoy, but I also know that He wants me to keep my focus on Him. So I am asking God to show me how to keep those priorities straight.

Well I guess that's all. That was sort of a disorganized blog, but at least it's something!