As Time Goes By...

Paul's 19th Birthday- I can remember baking that cake like it was yesterday!
Paul's 39th Birthday! WOW- 20 years after top picture taken!

We had a great weekend- We celebrated the life of an awesome man and love of my life- Paul! (He turned 39 on Friday) Happy 39th Year Babe- May it be one of your best ever.

Aubrey also returned from her Mission Trip to Jamaica on Saturday! She was Blessed! -and we are Happy To Have Her Back at Home!

"Remember When 30 seemed so old

Now looking back, it's just a stepping stone

To where we are, where we've been

Said we'd do it all again

Remember When."

Alan Jackson

Everything Happpens For A Reason!

So last Sunday Paul was supposed to be in the Morton Plant Mease Tri.- we drove up to Clearwater Beach on Saturday to pick up packet, drove some of the course, checked out parking - the typical pre-race stuff. While driving home I'll have to admit I was not in the mood to go watch a tri on Sunday- it took us 2 hours to drive to registration and I was not looking forward to getting up at 3 a.m. It's been rainy and gray here- just not my idea of good race weather.(Participant or not) So I made a good pre-race meal for him- he got all his stuff around- we watched a little T.V. and went to bed early... I set the alarm...for 3:00 a.m. At 4:00 a.m. Sunday morning we woke up abruptly to a rain storm- no alarm- our power had went out or something. We talked about what to do- we could drive like maniacs and probably make it- I told him I didn't want to make the decision. (Cuz rememeber, I wasn't in the mood) After a quick thought he said I guess it's not worth it- (It was pouring rain here in Sarasota) So we went back to bed, tossed and turned for about an hour- I knew he was feeling like...he quit or something. So we went to chuch and had a typical day.

Today though- I open an email to find the race had been cancelled! Yes Cancelled due to weather and safety issues!

My guilt is gone! All week I have been feeling like I made this happen for selfish reasons and let Paul down in a way. But...I didn't! It was God's plan all along!

So I rescheduled him for a race in August in exchange for this cancellation- and best of all- it's on a Saturday!

My Little Girl is on a Mission!

Aubrey left for Jamaica this morning for the high school mission trip!

May this trip be life changing for all the kids and may God Bless Them all and All they touch!

I Guess I'll Play Tag Too...

10 yrs ago I was...
Living here in Sarasota, had finished Cosmetology school. I was 28 years old, loving life with my 2 1/2 yr. old son and 6 yr. old daughter. Paul and I had been married for 10 yrs. and that seemed long! Fun family times, teaching Aubrey to snorkel, and Hayden would ride along in his blow-up boat. ( A few months later we would move to Chicago!)

5 Yrs ago I was...
I was back in Sarasota- living where I'm living still working on our business with Paul. Seems like we were having sleepovers every weekend with Aubrey's friends- (so I just looked at photos to remember...wow I was a lot heavier...) We went and visited Brookie in West Palm 5 yrs ago this summer.

1 Yr ago I was...
In California on vacation. Loving it all- We visited San Fransisco, The Wine Valley and Yosemite National Park! We didn't want to leave Yosemite! We stayed a night in a Yurt! (1st time ever hearing of one!)

5 Things To Do Today...
Laundry
Workout
Vacuum
Call insurance company to deal with an issue.
Do my Bible study (I vowed I would get back to it- been slacking this summer)

5 Snacks I Like...
Oatmeal
Cherries
Blueberries
Dark Chocolate
Salty Chips...(don't even give me one)

If I were a billionaire...
I'd sleep like a baby...
Pay off all my debt and families debt. Travel...Travel...Travel...
After my children were in college Paul & I would become missionaries- where ever the Lord needed us! Adopt a child that needed me.

6 People I want to have lunch with tomorrow...
1.) I'd love to meet my dad for lunch and talk the way an adult child talks to there parent. (My dad passed away when I was 15) I even want to drive and pick him up!
2.) Pastor Bill
3.) My sisters- Ericka, Shawn, me and my 1/2 sister Erin that we haven't seen in 20 years!
4.) My mom- I love having lunch with her.
5.) My old childhood friends- Sandy and Christy
6.) My Paulser-

5 Places I Lived...
Charlotte, MI
San Diego, CA
Clarion , PA
Chicago (Villa Park), IL
Sarasota, FL

5 Jobs I've Had...
Pizza Hut Delivery (20 yrs. ago)
Rental Dept. at Ski Resort (stinky!)
Waitress at Outback
Restaurant Mgr. (Nick's on The Water Italian Rest.)
Office Mgr. for an ATM Co.

Overcoming Your Fear is Essential to Fulfilling God's Destiny for Your Life!

Okay so I'm going through something! ... At church on sunday I had an "awakening" if you will.

I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN FEAR!

In some way, however, small and secret, each of us is a little mad...Everyone is lonely at the bottom and cries to be understood; but we can never entirely understand someone else, and each of us remains part stranger even to those who love us...It is the weak who are cruel; gentleness is to expected only from the strong...Those who do not know fear are not only brave, for courage is the capacity to confront what can be imagined...You can understand people better if you look at them- no matter how old or impressive they may be- as if they are children. For most of us never mature; we simply grow taller...Happiness comes only when we push our brains and hearts to the farthest reaches of which we are capable...The purpose of life is to matter- to count, to stand for something, to have it make some difference that we lived at all.

I don't think I've been doing that! I've been living in fear- The little voice inside says- "Why would anyone want to listen to an un-educated, married as a teen, little over weight, women?" -"What Have you done that has been so great?"

I guess we all have a story...we all have flaws... weaknesses...the little voice!- FEAR

So I will not let fear rule my life anymore. I will see it as a warning, like lights on a dashboard of your car, and do something to change!

Like my pastor reminded me:

I'm Out of Options= "You're a Liar"

Take Me or Leave Me= "Coward"

This is Just What Life Dealt Me= " You're a Fool"

So today I will begin to get out of this fear, I've seen the warnings- If I lose it's because I decided to lose!