mamasoup

Here I am again

It has been a long time since I last posted! I just haven't felt like I could take the time to sit down and share anything. I have even kind of given up checking my facebook page. I have just been very tired this last 5 months.  My job as a preschool teacher is wonderful and is over until next fall. However, I found myself so drained each day that the last thing I wanted or could do was to sit down and write something amazing or clever or "meaningful."

I think one of my biggest hangups about blogging is that I feel inadequate and awkward when it comes to writing and sharing my thoughts. I am married to an amazing, creative and linguistic guy who's posts are super meaningful and interesting. I also have two friends, Chelsea and Stephanie, who are writers. So naturally their posts are also interesting and creative. I am a math person and a sports person. I don't have very many creative ideas that just come to me. I don't tell stories very creatively. So basically I am embarrassed to post because I worry that people might judge me by what I write and then they may not like me and that would be bad. Because I really care what people think about me and I want everyone I meet to really like me and when they don't I get sad and it hurts my feelings. Whew!  Now that I got that all out, I think I can post again. Thanks for letting me vent!

I have been cheating on you

I have to apologize. I have a new love. Its name is Facebook.  My husband got me hooked a few weeks ago, and I have been in love ever since. I know it is not fair and it is nothing that you did wrong, but Facebook satisfies my need for instant gratification.  I have been missing you though and so I am back. I have had a few adventures that I need to catch you up on and I will, in due time.  Thanks for your forgiveness and understanding. I promise not to cheat on you again. 

Sportsmaniac

    Most of you who read my blog already know what a sports fan I am, but I just had to share my two proud sports moments of the last week.  I was put on the spot last Wed. when two guys asked ME who Utah would play in the first round of the NBA playoffs if they started that day.  I thought about it for a minute and then answered, "Houston"  Now of course the reason I knew the answer to this question is because I check NBA.com at least twice a day to see updated scores and stories about what is going on in the league.  I love seeing all the stats and scores as they change from game to game.  This is all fueled by the fact that the San Antonio Spurs are the most exciting team in the NBA right now. They have the best record since the All-Star Break and have won 10 of their last 11.  (I am a fanatic!)
    So, on to my next story.  The other night at Spectrum they were having a baseball themed give away. They had a short baseball quiz that you could fill out to win a prize.  There were only 5 questions, but a few of them were challenging.  The one that I was most proud of getting right was "who won the World Series last year?"  I know that most people would remember that it was the St. Louis Cardinals, but I don't follow baseball  as closely as basketball and football, so I was proud.  But what made it even sweeter was when the two guy employees, after seeing that I answered all the questions correctly, decided to give me a follow up question.  They asked me who the Cardinals beat in the World Series.  I thought about it for a moment and somehow came up with the answer of Detroit Tigers.  I don't know where I had that answer stored, but I somehow remembered.  I can't even tell you who plays for the Tigers, but I know they were in the World Series. 
    So I just needed to share my sporting moments with you.  I will continue to check ESPN.com daily and keep up with all that is good in the sports world.  I would love to hear about your favorite team or sports moment.

I'm a bad blogger

I just realized that I only blogged 10 times in the last year.  I know that must be an embarrassment to my husband who blogs two times a day.  I am going to try and do better about keeping this blog more updated.  That will also make my friends who used to check my blog regularly happy because there will be something here for them to read.  So here's to a new year of blogging more frequently!  (Am I allowed to have a New Year's resolution in mid-February?)

Ketchup

It has been so long since I have blogged that I don't know how to start back.  Like I did last time I took such a long break, I will list the 10 most important things that have happened since my last post to get caught up. (Last time I only listed 5, but less time had passed) Then I will be able to enjoy guilt-free posting.

These are not in chronological order:

1.    My Dad turned 60 on Christmas Eve, and we had the most wonderful family celebration that included spending a week with my brother, his wife and their 4 kids who live in Chicago.

2.   The church community that we had been building lost its leader and started to fall apart.

3.   We cleaned the clutter out of our house; donated 12 bags of clothes and other items to Goodwill. Such a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders.  As a result of our clean sweep, we had our first housekeeper come to take a little of the load off.

4.    We received a family membership to a local health club as a Christmas gift.  We went every day for the first three weeks and have been less frequently since the semester got back into full swing. 

5.    I had my first Ebay experience selling over 35 sets of rubber stamps with the assistance of my good friend Chelsea Caivano who is a Master Ebayer.   As a result, I signed up for my own Ebay account so that I can do it by myself in the future. I have definitely caught the Ebay bug. 

6.   I got TiVo for Christmas. I didn't ask for it. I didn't know that I needed it. Boy do I love it!   Barney On Demand! What else could I ask for.  Emma is very happy, too.

7.    We began visiting another church that has welcomed us and let us heal a little bit without expecting much in return.

8. I rejoined a Bible Study that I had participated in last spring.  I have enjoyed the accountability, love, and grace that this group provides me.

9.   Two of my daughters celebrated their birthdays.  Kate turned 6 and Abi turned 9. Emma will be 2 on Monday.  They grow up so fast!

10.    I got to watch Peyton Manning win his first Super Bowl.  It was a great game.  The Colts were so methodical (despite the rain) in their dominance and execution.  Slow and steady wins the race!

So that takes us to today.  I look forward to more frequent posting. Thanks for stopping by.

House Concert

I was blessed this weekend by Ryan and Holly Sharp who came into our home Friday night to do a house concert.  We were joined by neighbors and friends to hear Ryan sing and tell stories about his life and his faith journey.  The people who came to the concert were a wonderful mix of the many relationships that we have made in San Antonio.  I was pleased that there were just enough people for it to feel comfortable, but not too many where it felt crowded.  I appreciated Ryan's openness and honesty as he sang songs that he has written over the last 3-4 months as he and his wife Holly have been traveling around the country on a sort of personal pilgrimage.  His songs have been playing over and over again in my head all weekend and they already feel at home to me as if I have know them for much longer.

I was blessed to then see Ryan and Holly again Saturday night in Austin as they played for our friends at the Oak Grove Abbey.  As I was standing in the house in Austin, I was surprised when I realized that the 10-12 people that I was having conversations with were people that I didn't even know a month earlier.  They were all people that I had met at the Emergent Gathering in New Mexico.  I enjoyed being able to catch up with all of them, and I especially enjoyed seeing the Jones' one last time before they fly back to Scotland tomorrow. 

There is so much to tell

Because of my full (rather than busy) life as a mother of four kids, and a wife to Paul, and a child of God, I find very little time to blog.  So when I do have time, I feel like I need to catch everyone up on what has happened since my last blog. However, this is impossible and not that interesting, but it keeps me from blogging.  All of that is to say that I will blog when I can, and I will say what is on my mind at that moment in that day, and that will have to be enough. 

With all that said, I want to start by saying hey to all the wonderful people that I met at the Emergent Gathering in New Mexico. What a wonderful and peaceful time spent with kindred souls of the Faith.  Thanks for sharing your hearts and your children and your ideas for the future.  Our family was truly blessed and we look forward to being with you all next year.

I had a wonderful day and evening with my family.  We started the day early at soccer where I coached my four year old's team.  They played so well and really enjoyed themselves. Then I got to go and watch my son play soccer, too.  Then we had great fellowship at two birthday parties of close friends.  And that was all before 1pm today. 

Then we just enjoyed the absolutely perfect day with each other and some other friends.  My close friend Melissa blessed me as she came along side me and helped me to clean my home.  I was so humbled by her service to me.  We decided that we need to do this for each other more often.  So often the task of cleaning our homes is so daunting and we get discouraged.  But when another comes along side you to help in the task; it is such a joy!  Thanks friend!

We finished the day by sharing in a family meal and then had a family meeting.  We all agreed to a weekday schedule that will get our homework and chores done earlier in the day and alleviate my frustration and stress that comes at about 5pm everyday.  We all signed that contract and are going to encourage each other to adhere to it daily.  I was proud to be a mom tonight.  God has blessed me with such a beautiful and loving family.

It was a good day!

Been Gone so Long

I am sorry I have been gone so long, but I am the mother of four children and blogging doesn't always make the list each day.  I have missed being able to share what has been going on in my life.  I sent Emma to sleep camp which is when we teach her how to sleep all night and it worked. She started sleeping from 8pm-7am pretty consistently until last week. So now I think she needs a refresher course. 

The weather is about to send me over the edge. We have hit record highs for the last 2 days with temps in the 102 range.  I am looking forward to the "cool front" that will bring temps back down to the low 90s.  I can't wait for that first real day of Fall. 

I left the church that I have been attending for 12 years to start worshipping with a new community of believers who have a heart for truly being the hands and feet of Jesus to others.  It is scary, bitterweet and exciting all at the same time.  I am looking forward to growing with these people in the months and years to come. 

I also started a Beth Moore bible study with some of my closest friends. I love the way she gets me so excited about God and the Bible.

If you are reading my blog let me know and that will encourage me to blog even more. 

Welcome to my blog

I never thought I would be doing this, but my sweet and gracious husband has given me the opportunity to join him in the blogging world.  I don't know all the lingo or how all of this works but I look forward to meeting (blogging) with many of you.