Look what I got!!

This is apparently the week of WONDERFUL surprises for me! After getting a whole new bathroom and having my kitchen finished earlier this week, this came in the mail for me yesterday:


I GOT A Wii!!!! AND, this was with it:


A Wii FIT TOO???

I am still in so much shock!! My aunt, uncle and cousin decided to bless me with this amazing gift!! I'm not much into video games at all, but have always enjoyed playing Wii at my friends' houses. I have wanted one for a while but knew I would probably never buy one for myself.
I still can't believe they bought one for me!! THIS IS SO AMAZING!!!

I have already hooked up the Wii and played some of the sports (for some reason I really like the tennis). I will try and Wii fit next week when I have more time to learn how to use everything. I'm kind of nervous about it, haha. Seriously, the last video game system I ever owned was a Sega Genesis. I have a lot to learn...

First, though, I need to get over the shock. I can't believe my family bought me a Wii!!!!!

Almost There...

Paxton and I are only $150 away from reaching our goal in raising money for the American Cancer Society. If you haven't donated yet (or even if you have!), and you still want to, PLEASE click on the picture below. Every dollar counts in helping us save millions of lives...including our dads'!!


My dad's cancer has only a 35% survival rate over 5 years. That's up from 32% just a few years ago...but obviously we still have a long way to go! Thanks to the research of the American Cancer society, Paxton's dad's cancer has a 98% survival rate! Please help us get all types of cancer in that 98%, or higher!!

Some Great Things to Check Out...

I don't have much time to write, my best friend since first grade, Catherine, is coming tomorrow with her baby boy, Ephraim!! So, I have some cleaning to do. But, I wanted to quickly mention the 2 new links that I have added to my blog. Belle Tower belongs to my friend Shera. She is incredibly talented and is seeking to become a full time designer. She does home interiors as well as many other things. She describes her line as a "sanctuary of southern style". I think she is amazing, and her product is amazing, so I had to share it with you!!

Little Bits is run by Carisa and her mom as a way to raise support for the Hinson family. Little Bits are baby, toddler and even mommy items created, designed and hand made by Carisa's mom. They have a ton of different items to choose from and you can customize every order! I have bought several things from Little Bits for different friends who have had babies (including Catherine), and I have LOVED everything! So, check out the site...and support the Hinsons!!!

Here is an example of things you will find at Little Bits:
I'll post post an example of Belle Tower products as soon as I can get a picture from Shera. In fact, many of her items are now being sold in stores in Philadelphia! We are heading over to VIX Emporium tomorrow to take pictures of her first store sales!

Dear Michael Vick...

Dear Michael Vick,

My name is Trish and I am a graduate of Virginia Tech. In fact, I graduated in 2002, the same year you would have graduated had you not already gone pro. I was at every home game you played at Virginia Tech and even traveled to the Sugar Bowl in 2000 and to the University of Miami later that same year (you were injured and didn't play in the game). I have never actually met you, although I did see you from a distance a few times in West End during lunch. I never heard a bad word spoken about you as a person while I was at Tech. Of course, people had plenty to say about your performance on the field (funny how people in the stands can tell you exactly how you should have played a game...all the while not facing down a line of defenders whose only goal is to take you out), but I heard nothing bad about your character. I was a Michael Vick fan from the first Spring Game you ever played...and for the record, I am still a fan.

I continued my allegiance as you entered the NFL and became an Atlanta Falcons fan on draft day. In the fall of 2002 I moved to Philadelphia, and despite intense pressure from EVERYONE around me, rooted for the Falcons every time the two teams met. 5 years later I consider myself an avid Eagles fan now (growing up in VA left me with no real allegiance to a pro team...the Carolina Panthers were too little too late for true Virginians...besides, who needs a pro team when you have the Hokies?!?). However, no matter how my allegiance to the Eagles grows, I have never been able to root against you. I still can't.

Since the news of this dog fighting has come out, I have heard a lot of negative things being said about you. I find it interesting. In the almost 10 years that you have been in the spotlight, not a single person who has ever really known you has had a single negative thing to say about you. Even now in the midst of this scandal...the people who really know you can't say anything bad about you. Its only the people who have never met you that have a lot to say. That tells me something about who you really are. I hope you see that too.

I was watching the show Kid Nation tonight and a 10 year old boy looked the camera straight on and said, "Its not how many times you fall that matters. Its how many times you get up". I wanted you to know that I have watched you stand tall, I have watched you fall, and I am watching you get back up. I work with inner city youth in Philadelphia and you are one of the few celebrities that I WILL tell my kids to look up to. Why? Because you are one of the few celebrities...one of the few people in this world, who has made a mistake, owned up to it and faced the consequences; no excuses and no whining. There aren't many people like that left in this world. That is integrity. That is a role model. Too many celebrities exploit women, exploit their sexuality, and especially exploit urban culture to get rich and take no responsibility for how their actions affect so many people. You are not like that. Thank you.

I don't know where you are with your faith, and I don't want to sound like I am preaching at all. I hope you see this as an encouragement. When I think of you, I think of King David from the Old Testament. David was a man after God's own heart and was very blessed by God. But, David made a mistake. And then to cover up that mistake, he made an even bigger mistake. David's mistake was WAY worse than yours...he impregnated a woman and then KILLED that woman's husband to cover up what he had done. THEN, he kept all of that a secret. One day, though, David's secret was revealed...and he was disgraced. I think you kinda know that the feels like?

David's response was immediate repentance. That is what I saw from you as well. David still had to face consequences. The child that he bore with the married woman, died...and that tore David apart. I imagine right now, you are experiencing a lot of sorrow from your choices. Please know that because of David's repentance and trust in the Lord, he was restored. David became one of the greatest kings of Israel, is immortalized as "a man after God's own heart" and is in the blood line of Jesus. David's sin is not what defines him today; his heart for God is.

I can envision so many great things for your life. I don't have any idea what God's plan for you is, but I pray that you are seeking it...because I am positive that restoration is part of it. God is the restorer of broken walls, and right now I know you are broken. There are so many kids that could benefit from your life, your struggles...and yes, your talent.

I am so very tired of judging people, and even more tired of being judged. I struggle with judging people, I will be the first to admit that. In fact, that is one of the MANY things that the Lord is working with me on. There are a lot of people out there that think they are better than you. I find that simply hilarious. I know it sounds cliche, but Jesus said it so its not only true, but not something to be taken lightly; "He who is without sin, cast the first stone". It is SO hard for me to hear the voice of God over the voice of judgement and condemnation. I can't imagine how difficult that must be for you right now.

So, I am praying for you. I am praying that you will hear the voice of truth speaking to your heart. The voice telling you that you are NOT defined by your actions, nor by what other people think of you. You are defined by your heart. By who rules your heart. There are plenty of people who claim to know you...to know exactly the "kind of person you are". Not a single one of those people knows your heart. "The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." ~1 Samuel 16:7.

I have to admit that I am writing this letter just as much for myself as I am for you. See, for me, the reason it is so much easier to hear the condemnation rather than the truth is because I believe the judgements myself. I believe that I am too overweight to ever been truly loved. I believe that mistakes that I have made make it impossible for me to be redeemed. I believe that other people are right and I am not worth much, if anything to this world. I believe the lies. Its so hard not to. That is, until I read the truth. The truth is, I am a treasure. The truth is, I am already loved, worthy and redeemed. The truth is, "Those who look to Him [God] are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame." ~Psalm 34:5.

Do not be ashamed. You are redeemed. You are worthy. You are loved. Your heart is good, beautiful and pure.

And, if it matters...I am still a Michael Vick fan. Michael Vick the Hokie, Michael Vick the Falcon...Michael Vick the man...and Michael Vick the redeemed.

Sincerely,
Trish ...a Hokie, a woman, a treasure, redeemed and unashamed.

Going Home Today!!!!

I am so excited I can barely stand it! I get to go home tonight!! It turns out that the Hinsons have room in their van for me AND the route they take home just happens to pass about 20 minutes from my parents house. They don't even have to drive out of their way to take me because my mom can pick me up along their route, YAY!!! Plus, I haven't gotten to spend much time with the Hinsons over the last few months and I think a 6ish hour car ride should help make up for that. :) I had hoped to be back on Monday so I wouldn't miss God Squad, but the Hinsons aren't coming back until Tuesday. It still works out great though, I can do my AIM work from my parents house on Monday...and probably get my Tuesday stuff done since I won't be going to God Squad that night. I HATE missing God Squad, but I think this will be the first one in 3 years...so I think they will survive. Plus, I get to spend more time with my family!!! Oh, and I don't have to drive for 7 hours by myself!!!! I thought about flying back on Monday, but the cheapest flight was $140, and it would require my mom to drive me an hour and a half to the Raleigh airport...and then an hour and a half home. That verses a free ride back to Philly with people I REALLY enjoy being around....in the end it was a pretty easy decision. :)

I don't think we have any grand Thanksgiving plans. My family is small with no kids, so Thanksgiving is pretty low key; which I really like. Of course, there is the annual Virginia vs. Virginia Tech game, which will be so great to watch. I can't remember the last time I didn't watch that game with my family. In fact, I think this will be 27 years in a row that I have watched that game, either live or on TV, with my family. How cool is that?!?

Of course, this sudden change of plans means that my house won't be quite as clean as I want it to be before I leave. Actually, its pretty clean, just not perfect. :) I spent all day today running my last minute errands and got everything finished! I got a tire fixed on my car, copies of my house key made (because people keep taking them home with them...Brooke and Rich!), toiletry shopping, picked up the free turkey I earned at Pathmark (that will go to Bonita and Linda for Thanksgiving), and got my blood pressure checked (I continue to defy traditional medicine as I am considered obese yet have none of the complications that are supposed to be associated with my weight...my blood pressure, and everything else, is as healthy as I could possibly be!). Now I have to pack in a hurry and then get ready for Kids Club. I am praying for over 100 kids tonight! Its raining outside, which typically means smaller numbers, so it will be an even bigger deal if we get over 100!

I should be able to update while I am at home, although my parents still have dial up Internet (stone age!, hehe). My friend Joy is taking care of Gizmo while I'm away. She's great because she doesn't just feed him, she spends time with him...which he needs. He freaks out if he's alone for too long. In fact, when I came home he was downstairs on the couch. Now that I am upstairs in my "office", he is sleeping on the bed right next to my desk. He LOVED all the chaos of the weekend because there were always people around to pet him and talk to him (yes, he is a great listener). Oh how weird my cat is! :)

Alright, I'm off for now. Virginia here I come!!!

Kyler said Trish!!!!!

Today was a very good day full of a lot of good surprises, the greatest of which came when Paxton called me to remind me that I owe him a movie date (which I completely forgot about, but am very excited about!). After I talked to Paxton for a minute, Kyler decided he wanted to talk to me as well (he is 18 months old). He was laughing and giggling and making me smile when I heard Carisa say, "say Trish"...to which he very clearly responded, "Trish!". At first I thought it was Paxton trying to help him say it, but it was in fact Kyler saying my name!! That totally made my day!!! The Hinson kids are top on my list of favorite kids in the world. Unfortunately for me (not for the Hinsons though, haha), Frank and Carisa have a teenager living in their house that is able to help take care of the kids so I don't spend as much time with Kyler as I did with Paxton when he was younger...and I don't spend as much time with Paxton anymore either (which makes me even more excited about our movie date). I still have the goal of someones first word being Trish...but Kyler learning my name will do just fine for now. :)

In other exciting news, the leak in my bathroom is fixed and my washer and dryer are hooked up and working!! The washer has a broken part, but thanks to a metal plate, some duct tape and a strategically placed nail, it works nonetheless. The washer is currently washing everything I own!! Oh, and the pilot light on my furnace is also lit, so I now have heat!! Yay!! Both Franks spent a good amount of time helping me out today and I will never be able to repay them. Frank V. is also coming over later this week to switch my outlets from 2 prong to 3 prong so I can significantly lower the rick of me blowing up my house. Whew! :)

I also got a phone call today from the mother of the person who owes me money and she assured me that a check for the full amount owed to me is on its way to my house. That is a HUGE weight off my shoulders and I am so thankful that I didn't have to actually go to court. She was very nice and apologetic as well, which was a blessing.

It seems like literally almost every single thing I wrote in my blog yesterday was answered today. How good is God?!? I still have scary people and dogs living on my block, but I know God has that under control as well. I am still very excited to go home. I have decided to leave early Wednesday. I think I can still avoid most of the traffic, and I would prefer that to driving until 4 or 5 in the morning. I just got the EZ Pass, so at least I won't get stopped at tolls! :)

A little off...

Today has been a pretty good day, but I have felt a little off all day. I'm not really sure why, but today was just one of those days.

Wednesday is my "abnormal" day anyway. Every other day of the week, I do my AIM work from 9-2 and then my Cornerstone stuff after that. Wednesdays, however, I go to Cornerstone staff prayer from 9-11 and only work for AIM from 11-2.

In my normal everyday schedule I tend to stay up later and sleep later. I do a lot of night ministry and I'm not the kind of person who can come home and go straight to bed. It takes me a while to decompress from the day. So, I often don't get to bed until 1 or 2 in the morning. This works fine since I work from my house and don't have to be dressed when I start my day. :) I usually drag myself out of bed around 8:30-8:45, grab a bowl of cereal and start my day. (For those of you who get up much earlier than me, remember that I don't go to bed until early in the morning...and that's often after a 10-12 hour day...so I'm not being lazy!) :)

Anyway, my day started abnormally but in what I thought, at the time, was a good way. I woke up a little before 8, with no alarm clock, and was wide awake and ready to go. So, I got some breakfast and decided to start work a little early. I wasn't even thinking about staff prayer and it wasn't until I decided to take a break around 9:45 that I realized I was VERY late!! I quickly got dressed and rushed out the door. I ended up not missing much of prayer (we rarely get started before 9:30), but I'm usually there on time or early, so it was weird for me to be that late.

After prayer I went back home and finished my AIM work. I had some odds and ends to get done with Kids Club as well as some extra AIM things to do that kept me busy until about 4. That's when I got a phone call from Jeff saying that no teens had come to the after-school program so he was going home. I had completely forgotten about that as well!!! I'm supposed to be at the Hope House at 3:30 on Wednesdays to help teens with their homework, but I completely skipped it. Where has my mind gone?!?

Both situations worked out fine, I didn't miss anything important at staff prayer, and no teens were at after-school anyway, but still...I have apparently lost my mind.

I did remember Prayer Pals tonight, and it went well...until the very end. In fact, the kids were the best behaved they have ever been; especially with 20 of them there! My mom's prayer pal is a fire cracker (to say the least) and she is often a trouble maker, but tonight she was perfect. I had a lot of fun!! Unfortunately, as the kids were leaving, some other kids (not involved with the church) wandered in and asked what was going on. I explained things to them, but it became clear very quickly that they were just looking for trouble. I asked them to leave and escorted them out as they cursed at me, in front of several of the kids. I kept my cool, but I think the only reason for that was shock. What exactly happened?!? I still don't know...

I'm glad I was in shock, I think it kept me from making stupid decisions. My first inclination was to lock the door and not let them leave until they called a parent to pick them up; so I could talk to the parent. I don't even know if I could legally do that, and my dad very kindly pointed out that those kids could have easily gotten violent. I did actually think of that, which is why I escorted them out and made sure I kept myself between them and my kids. My kids were a bit scared by everything, but Monique very matter of factly told everyone, "Ms. Trish isn't scared of anyone". Tasha, beautiful sweet innocent Tasha, was just in shock that anyone would curse at me, haha. She looked at me wide eyed with total shock on her face as she said, "They cursed at you!!" Bonita then asked where the kids had gone and someone told her that they ran away, to which she responded, "I'd run away too if I just cursed at Trish". I love my girls. :)

They day did end on a high note. I had to run to Target after Prayer Pals and I took Monique and Tasha with me. It was a quick trip, but it brought me many smiles. Tasha really enjoys waiting for automatic doors to almost close before running forward and making them open. She got a lot of giggles out of that one. Monique is still embarrassed by "feminine" things (sorry guys), so I had fun loudly talking about pads and tampons and making her blush. The three of us laughed and had fun and it was a really fun way to end a really weird day. I'm going to try to get to bed before 1 tonight. I liked being up at 8...and I don't think I have any important meetings to forget tomorrow. :)


And....a little addendum to my last post...I didn't mention it but my mom also thinks I am pretty much the most beautiful woman in the world. I didn't mention it because mom's opinion, on this subject, is even more biased than a dad's (I did come from her for goodness sake!). Still, I LOVE my mom for it. And my dad....here was his response to my post:

Dear Trish,

I read your blog. I only wish you could see what I see when I look at you. But then again, I’m a dad. When I say to you “Hey Beautiful !”, it’s not just coming from a dad. It’s the true picture of what I see.

Just for the record.

dad

If I have this kind of amazing support from my family, and I still struggle...how much harder is it for the beautiful young women out there who are never told how radiant they really are?

Quick One

Last night was a really good night.Bonita and Linda spent the night and we had a really great time. We got home from Prayer Pals around 7:30 and they still had homework to do. We sat at the dining room table and ate dinner together while doing homework. I was able to explain their homework to them in a way that they actually understood. They both got VERY excited once they realized they could do their homework. They started out very confused saying they couldn't do their homework. After I explained how to do it, they both finished their homework on their own...and very enthusiastically!

I miss Bonita and Linda. I miss After-School.

Prayer Pals was really good last night as well with 22 kids showing up! It was a bit chaotic, but it was good. Things are a little different now. Its weird to not work with someone. I mean, I have help at things, but no one that really loves the kids and misses certain ones when they are gone...or gets really excited with me when kids come back. Wait, there is someone who is even more excited than I am...never mind. :)

Life Goes On

Things are getting very busy for me. AIM work is picking up and Cornerstone clubs are back in full swing. We had 60 kids at Kids Club last night, almost 20 of whom were brand new visitors!!! I really enjoyed Kids Club, although when I am up front I still feel like Bambi trying to walk with his legs very unsteady.

I am discovering that I really don't like doing things half way. Once I jump into something, I'm all in it. I always kinda knew this about myself, but Kids Club has made it glaringly obvious. I originally planned on just trying to come up with lessons and teaching them without passing out or throwing up. Now, I'm all in. I'm not sure what all of this means...especially since I don't know what Carisa's plans are for the future. In addition, I am EXTREMELY busy and its only going to get worse and I don't think I can last at this level for too long...and there is no sign of me being able to quit my part time job anytime soon.

I also have discovered that I HATE not having after-school. I miss the kids so badly, and as lame as it sounds, I feel like something is missing from my life without after-school. It has been my heart and passion for so long, and it didn't end because I lost my passion for it. I am really working toward starting after-school back up next fall, Lord willing. That would definitely not leave me any time for Kids Club...especially if I am still working then. As you can see, there are SO many things up in the air, and my mind races to those things WAY too often. I am trying to take things one day at a time...but as usual that is easier said than done. :)

I don't get to see Bonita and Linda nearly as much as I am used to (which I really don't like!!), but when I do see them they are so much fun! Yesterday at Kids Club Linda triumphantly announced to everyone that she is so excited to be learning to play the trombone. Unfortunately, she doesn't play the trombone, she plays the trumpet. :) They really make me laugh a lot.

My roommate from the summer, Brooke, is here visiting for the week and it has been so great having her around. Shoot, I spend 90% of my day alone in my house, so really its great to have anyone around. :) Today she and I, along with 2 of the teens, went to see another teen play volleyball. Her team won and we all had a blast at the game. One of the teens, T, is a huge answer to prayer. She is AMAZING (that word isn't even good enough to describe her) and I love spending time with her. She is quiet...or at least she used to be. She is opening up a lot. Her mom used to not like our church much, but seems to have changed her mind recently. She even allowed me to take T out of school early so she could go to the volleyball game with me. T and I also spent a lot of time together on the God Squad retreat and she helps me at Kids Club on Tuesday nights. I am so excited about the relationship we are developing!!!

In other good news, my dad gets to keep all of his finger!! He went to the doctor and the reattachment worked and his finger is healing well. Yay!! I also just found out that my friend Catherine might come and visit me with her new baby!!! I have been so excited to meet her son I can hardly stand it and it looks like they might come in December. Catherine and I have been friends since 1st grade and I always love seeing her; I am SO excited!!! Catherine is also Linda's Prayer Pal, so Linda is pretty excited too.

In the midst of my busy schedule I have not made much time for sleep, and even less time for exercise...both of which are things that I LOVE to do (I still manage to get some TV in though, haha. I HIGHLY recommend the new show Pushing Daisies!!). I am going to try and work on that...which means I should probably go now. Good Night!

Another One!!

Okay, I know I have posted already today, but here I am again!! I'm heading out to my parents house in the morning and I don't know if I will be able to post while I am there, so I wanted to get one last post in. If I can post while I'm there, I definitely will!!

Today turned out to be a really great day! I dropped my car off to get it inspected around 9 a.m. and the guy told me it wouldn't be ready until after 1. I had to walk home (or wait for 4 hours!), which I thoroughly enjoyed!! Its about a 15-20 minute walk, but it was such a nice morning I didn't care how long it took! Plus, I pass my fruit stand on the way, so I got some oranges (hopefully they will help with my cold..which is sadly getting worse) and then headed home. As you read earlier, I got a ton done in the morning and went to pick up my car around 2.

That is where the real fun began!! I needed to take 6 kids uniform shopping, and since school starts on Monday, it had to be done today. My original plan (before I waited until the last minute) was to take the kids in sets of 2 (they are actually 3 sets of siblings, so it would have been easy to do) so I wouldn't be stressed out. Instead, I took all 6 kids, representing 4 different schools, to shop for uniforms 4 days before school starts. Not one of my brightest ideas...

Everyone got uniforms though!! Actually, other than being very squished in the car (I really need a mini van), we all had fun!! The kids laughed and were very cooperative and everyone helped everyone else find what they needed. Bonita turned out to be the problem as she was VERY picky about what she liked...and what she did like was not in her size. We decided to have a little competition to see who could find pants that Bonita liked the fastest and Pedro and Miguel won (we were in teams). It took a little while to find everyone things that fit (of course all of the kids are odd sizes), but we did it!!!

After I dropped the kids off I headed home to do some laundry. I think I have now washed everything I own. As much as I was dreading the Laundromat, it wasn't too bad (other than the money it cost!). I washed everything I needed to in about 2 hours. Pretty Sweet!!

So, now my house is clean, I am organized and I am heading home!! I had hoped to be in NC already, but I'm glad I finished things up here before I left. It will make coming back so much nicer. I am really looking forward to going home though...especially now that I am sick. My mommy can take care of me!!

Here is my schedule for the next week or so:

Friday, Sept. 7- drive (with Gizmo) to South Boston, VA; pick up my mom and head to Washington, NC
Friday night-Tuesday Sept. 11- Hang out in Washington
Tuesday Sept. 11- drive to South Boston, VA; drop mom off and head back to Philly
Wednesday, Sept. 12- Fly to Knoxville, TN for AIM training
Thursday, Sept. 13- drive (actually ride with my friend Sara) to Asheville, NC for AIM Staff Conference
Friday, Sept. 15- fly back to Philly

Whew that's a lot of traveling!!! The good thing is, all of the destinations will be providing me with rest, relaxation, family, friends and fun! Yay!! I am really hoping to post some pictures of my parents' new place, the town is so beautiful!! I really really want to go for a run around the lake, so pray that I feel better soon!!

Here is another crazy thing that happened that I could definitely use prayer for. I was talking to a friend tonight who lives in the area and I was telling her about my part time job with AIM. She didn't realize that I was having to work in addition to working at the church and was really upset about that. Suddenly, she came up with 3 different ways that she thinks her church might be able to support me! She got really excited about it and is going to make some phone calls tomorrow. I don't want to get my hopes up, but it all sounds so exciting. So, PRAY!!! We'll see what God does!

Okay, I need to get to bed, but hopefully I will be posting again soon. I actually have a really funny post that I want to share from my personal journal whenever I have time to type it out. So, stay tuned for that one!

And its CLEAN!!

The last few days have had some ups and downs, but more ups than downs, so I can’t complain.

Let’s start with the ups. My house is CLEAN!!! The upstairs and first floor are pretty much spotless and I am SO EXCITED!! I’m also 99% finished organizing everything. I just need a few more drawers and storage things, and a cork/dry erase board and I will be ready to go. My basement is a different story however…

Actually, my basement is clean, except for one room…but that room is a disaster. I will get to that eventually though, I’m in no hurry.

The most exciting part about my house is that I am leaving tomorrow and I will be gone for about 10 days, so my house is going to stay clean!!! :)

I have also gotten a TON of other stuff done. I organized everything on my computer and I have Prayer Pals, Kids Club and all my personal finances together and organized. I still have plenty to do (newsletter, preparing for Kids Club, etc), but I am at a really good place to be able to get all that stuff done. I also cleaned my car, got it inspected and I am leaving in about an hour to get the kids’ school uniforms. The only thing left for me to do is a mountain of laundry. I will spend some quality time at the Laundromat tonight. :)

So, overall I am feeling great about everything and my to-do list is not nearly as intimidating. However, I have run into some email problems that are causing me some frustration. I can’t figure out what the problem is, and neither can the Verizon people. I can access my email, but only from their website, I can’t get any of it on my computer. I really don’t want to have to change my email address!!

I am also facing a situation actually similar to one I faced this time last year. There is a person who is upset with me about something but won’t talk to me about it. It is a very frustrating situation and I am again put in the position of just waiting until this person either talks to me or gets over it. It is also a somewhat embarrassing situation because several people know what is going on and are talking about it, although no one seems to know why this person is upset with me. I don’t like people being upset with me, especially when I have no idea why. There isn’t anything I can do about it though, oh well.

Actually, this person isn’t the only person that seems upset with me. I would say that I overall get the feeling that there are a good number of people upset or annoyed with me, or just don’t want me to be around. Good thing I am going out of town for 10 days! J I don’t know if it’s all in my head or not, so I guess all I can do is trust that people will talk to me if they need to. I try to be humble, I know I’m not perfect and I am aware that I make a lot of mistakes, hopefully people can give me the grace I need…even if I don’t deserve it.

Oh, and I caught a cold...what's that all about?!?

Relaxing AND Productive!!

I have had a GREAT past few days!!! I know I could have been way more productive than I have been, but for the first time in a while I don't HAVE to be productive all the time, so I am choosing not to! :)

I spent most of the weekend by myself and I loved every second of it. I have spent a lot of time reading, in prayer, and watching TV. College football is here and that ALWAYS lifts my spirits!! I spent about 5 hours watching football on Saturday, including watching the greatest upset in college football history. Not only did I predict it, I got to watch it! It was so fun! And, of course the Hokies' win was also a highlight. I know it seems like a lot of TV, but if you know how much I love football, then you know how much of a blessing that was...and I know I won't get the chance to do that again anytime soon.

Also this weekend I decided to rearrange the upstairs of my house and try and do a real deep cleaning before the fall craziness starts. I have gotten a lot done, and thrown a TON of stuff away, but I still have quite a ways to go as well. I decided that since I will be working a lot in the fall, especially on my computer, that it wasn't a great idea for me to have my office in my bedroom. So, I have moved my desk and all of my "work" stuff out of my bed room and into the girls' room. There is still plenty of room for their bunk beds and dresser, and now I have my own work space. Its great!!!

Of course, right now the upstairs is still in the transition phase and is pretty much a disaster. I am planning on having it finished by tonight (hopefully!) and then I will move to the first floor...which is now a disaster as well. I am really enjoying all of this though...I get to work at my own pace with no one else's expectations on me. I LOVE IT!!!

I haven't gotten a lot of preparing done yet for Kids Club or anything like that, but I actually feel really good about where I am. I tend to come up with an idea whenever I have it and then just run with it. I think I will feel SO good about everything I have going on in the fall if my house is in order and I don't have to stress about that or live in a mess. I can handle the mess for now, but once I really get going the mess will really stress me out.

Church was fun yesterday and the teens did a great job sharing about the mission trip. I think the congregation was really challenged by them, which was our prayer. I caused some problems as I made a slide show, but couldn't burn it onto a DVD. So, we spent quite a while trying to get it all set up (I say we but it was mostly J and Frank via cell phone). We got it to work though, and it was great!! We had a lunch after church and it was fun hanging out with people. I also had Prayer Pals last night, and then went over to my friend Elizabeth's house to hang out with friends. It was my first time out of the house and with people in about 4 days! I had a lot of fun and didn't get home until after 1.

This blog was kind of my break from cleaning, but I need to get back to it. I am almost finished cleaning my bedroom and the girls' room/my office. I still have the bathroom and laundry room to go! Those rooms are still trashed from when my church was here, so its going to take a while to clean. I really hope I can get it all done tonight though!! I had planned on going home to visit my parents on Thursday, but I am slowly pushing that back. I still think I am going to go, but I'm thinking Friday or Saturday is now the goal. I just want my house clean!!

Off to VA!!

Well, last night's mission trip meeting went MUCH better than last week's, so we are going on the mission trip!! Actually, there was never really any danger of it being cancelled, that was all just dreaming on my part, haha. After last night, though, I am actually excited to be going!!

Yesterday was an insane day. I went to Sunday School and then church, dropped the kids off at home, went shopping for VBS, immediately picked the girls back up and headed to T's birthday party. T just turned 13 and she is one of my favorite God's Girls of all time (besides Bonita and Linda of course, haha). I am SO excited that she is a teen now and will be coming to God Squad and all the fun stuff we do with teens. Her party was actually really fun and all the people she invited were God's Girls! I asked her what she wanted for her birthday and she said a day hanging out with me, so we're going out for a fun day (doing what? I have no idea!) when I get back from the mission trip and staff retreat.

So, after the birthday party I headed immediately to a leaders' meeting for the mission trip and then our final group meeting (dropping the girls off in the in between, whew!). The meeting started rocky, but only for me because I am a control freak that overreacts to small upsets. Thankfully, God checked my attitude quickly and I was able to enjoy the rest of the meeting. The teens were on task, very prepared and excited for the trip and almost all 18 of them prayed out loud at our closing prayer. I really think this is going to be an amazing trip!!!

We only have 4 teen girls going and I am really excited to pour into them. We have already talked about all the younger girls that will be teens this time next year and we are praying that God will prepare them to step up as leaders and mentors over the younger girls. I'm excited to see God move in these young women this week!

Okay, I need to go to my final packing. I have, unfortunately, left my house much messier than I had planned but I'm trying to make myself okay with it. :) I can clean when I get back...

Back in Philly

Its almost midnight and I am wide awake listening to my neighbors excruciatingly loud music (they have 3 small children, not sure how they are sleeping) and their dog bark and whine in the backyard. Ugh.

I just got back from a few days visiting my parents in VA and NC and this is one of the few times that I'm actually not that excited to be back in Philly. Last Monday we had a meeting for the upcoming teen mission trip and it was less than encouraging. In fact, it involved a lot of complaining from the teens and I left feeling very discouraged. On Tuesday I headed to VA to visit my mom, which turned out to be a very relaxing time. On Thursday morning my mom and I headed to NC to see my dad. (In case you didn't know, my dad is the new chief of police in Washington, NC. He has been there since July 1, but my mom has stayed in VA to try and sell the house there. My mom will be moving to NC with my dad in a few weeks, thank goodness!!). I completely fell in love with Washington and I am so excited about going back there to visit, its so beautiful and relaxing!!! Its a pretty small town right on a river and only 45 minutes from the ocean. I can take night walks along the river and not be afraid!!!

My time in VA and NC was so nice and relaxing and I wanted more of it!! I got back to Philly last night but didn't tell anyone and enjoyed a day alone here in Philly. It was a BEAUTIFUL day here, which almost made me forget where I live. Almost being the operative word there...my phone rang off the hook with people calling me needing one thing or another and only one asking how I was doing.

We leave for the mission trip on Monday and I have a lot to do to get ready, and not a lot of time. I should have spent today getting things done, but I chose to rest, sleep and read. I don't regret that, but I might feel differently tomorrow. :) Tomorrow will be a pretty full day with Sunday School, church, a birthday party, shopping for everything I need for the mission trip and then our final mission team meeting. I am really hoping tomorrow night goes better than last week. If it doesn't we might just cancel the trip. I don't think I would be opposed to that...

Bonita and Linda continue to be a beautiful light for me. I just can't believe how wonderful they are! I come back from the mission trip next Sunday and then leave on Monday for the Cornerstone staff retreat. Its usually a really good time, but it is designed to be a family retreat, which is not very fun for me since I don't have a family. Last year I asked if it would be okay for me to bring Linda and Bonita with me this year. Everyone agreed that it would be fine and I am SO excited to have them along. I almost NEVER get to hang out with just the two of them, and this is my chance!!! We are all very excited!! Plus, it looks like the girls might help babysit some of the staff kids while we are in meetings. I am just so impressed that at 11 and 12 they have shown enough maturity for them to not only be allowed to come along even though they aren't my actual children, but that they are trusted as babysitters. Incidentally, they are both wonderful with kids. I am still so impressed with how wonderful Bonita was at God's Girls, she really seems to "get it".

Awww, the music stopped for a little while, but it just started again. Oh well, I think I will be able to sleep through it. Anyway, I have a pretty busy few weeks coming up. I will be in Philly for about a week after returning from staff retreat on August 29th and the only things on my agenda are back to school shopping with the kids and cleaning my house. I do have some preparing to do for Kids Club and other things, but nothing hugely pressing, although I doubt I will ever find myself bored. On Sept. 6th I am heading back to NC to relax with my parents until the 11th. I am driving back to Philly on the 11th only to fly out again on the 12th for AIM's staff conference. (Ironically, the staff conference is in NC, but its the other side of the state and all of the flights included layovers in Philadelphia! So, to save money I'm driving back here and then just flying from here). I will be back on Sept. 15th and will start working part time for AIM as well as full time for Cornerstone on the 17th. I wonder what it will be like to pay all my bills on time... :)