Sunday Morning

It's Sunday morning. Allen and Noah are playing video games and i am sitting on the couch next to them listening to Noah be a total goofball. We usually go to Mass in the evening but today Noah and I are going at noon and then to a park at Lake Lanier. It's Cristina's birthday and we are going to celebrate! This is what Sunday was created for! A Day of REST!!! A day to hang out with family. A day to play with your friends! A Day to forget all the stress of real life and just enjoy being alive!! And today's weather could not be more perfect! Well, if it was about 20 degrees cooler it would be more perfect but I'll take this beautiful sunny, hot day!

For 2 years now I have enjoyed Sunday's more than any other day of the week. I think of where i was 2 years ago and I am so thankful for where God has led me since. I was in a bad place in my life 2 summers ago. I was wanting to get out of a job i hated (not because of the teens...i loved them, but because of politics). The job was making me miserable and therefore making me focus on all the things in my life going wrong or not how I planned, instead of letting me see all my Blessings! I wish i could go back to that time only to change my attitude because it is so clear now that God had His hand in my life and was leading me to something so much better. I LOVE where God has lead me and I am thankful He did even though I didn't think He was even listening most days. He lead me out of youth ministry (well, as the youth minister anyway) and just flooded my heart with His love. He opened doors for me that I would have never chosen on my own yet fill my soul with happiness!! Luckily He created me and so He knows what is best for me!!

So now I sit on my couch with my goofy family that I couldn't love any more than i already do, praising God for my blessings!! I hope you enjoy your Sunday and gets lots of rest and peace!!!

God has a Plan

This morning I stopped by Publix, like I do many mornings, to pick up some things for Archbishop. The air condition was on and it was pretty cold in there which reminded me I am often cold at St George Village (where ABD lives) so I bought some tea bags and honey. Upon arriving at St George, I put the things I bought for ABD in his room and made myself a cup of hot tea. Yummy! I asked my friend Abbi (who is the activities director for the people in Memory Loss at St George Village) if she would like a cup of tea, and she did. She then went on to tell me about her morning. She overslept, hurried out the house and wasn't able to get herself any breakfast or her usual morning cup of hot tea. It isn't THAT big of deal but without her morning cup of caffeine, she would have a headache until she could get some in her system. Trust me, I know the feeling!! Now, It isn't a huge deal but how funny on the same day she couldn't get tea, I happen to bring some.

Although the tea example is so small, it got me thinking about how God works in our lives. He often works through other people but we are so focused on ourselves that we miss Him talking to us. AND, He often works through US to other people but sometimes we fail to convey the message because we are scared. Have you ever had a weird feeling that you were supposed to do something out of the ordinary? One time I kept getting this feeling that I was supposed to buy my neighbor a gas gift card so after trying to dismiss the weird request in my mind a few times, I finally gave in. Little did I know she had been praying and praying for God to somehow send her some gas money so she could go see her brother who was going through Chemo in New Jersey. The thing is that we only see one small part of the plan while God sees the whole blueprint. Big or small, God is calling us to give of our self everyday to someone in need and because He is faithful, He sends someone to help us when we are in need.

So what can you do, you ask? Well, let me tell you!! Last year, my neighbor (yes the same one I gave the gas card to) needed some help watching her 13 year old son in the morning before school. He is deaf, partly blind, and autistic (among some other things). She is a single mother and asked several people to help her and everyone else flat out told her they were uncomfortable being around her son. Trust me, it was their loss!! Without a doubt in my mind I accepted her plea to help and it became one of the best things I ever did. Over last year I got to know her and her 2 kids better. I learned so much about her and developed a friendship! One thing that really struck me was how much she sacrifices for her kids. She moved here from Haiti to give her kids a better life. She worked as a pre-k teacher and didn't have a lot of money. Even through her struggles she would tell me "God always provides". Last year, with the help of so many, she was able to have the best Christmas ever! Not because so many people donated presents and gift cards but because of the LOVE that was poured out through all those gifts. Well this year things are even harder for her. She lost her job with all the changes of the pre-k program last year and is still looking for something. I know it is only the end of August but December will be here before you know it and I know she is already stressing out about Christmas. That is where I need your help!! Would you be willing to donate a gift card to help her?? Is this what God is calling you to do?

I am going to collect gift cards for her and put them all together on a "gift card tree" for her and her kids. Any amount would be awesome but please pray about what you can give!! She is mostly in need of Wal Mart, Publix, Visa, American Express, or restaurant cards (to give her a break from cooking)! Of course any other options are welcome but these are the ones she is most in need of! I would ask that you don't sign the gift cards as I am going to put it together and send it from an anonymous P.O. Box. Thank you in advance for your generosity!!

God sees the blueprint, we only see a small part of the plan. But together, by helping each other, we can be a part of His master plan!! Thanks for helping!!!

Morning Snack

When i was little I was told I could not have ice cream as a morning snack and that one day when I grew up and had kids I would understand why. Well guess what? Noah and i just had ice cream as a morning snack. And loved it! Maybe I haven't grown up yet....

What I did on my summer vacation....

Summer is over and it is back to the grind! We had a GREAT summer!! So great, that i was too busy to blog about it. so here is what i did on summer vacation....

first and most important, watched LOTS of Star Wars...duh.
celebrated my 7th wedding anniversary with my dear husband....gosh, has it really been 7 years??






Noah had his LAST day of kindergarten....how did that happen???? He surprised us (Allen and I) on the last day of school with a book he wrote...about General Grevious. It is my favorite book I have ever read!!!!







We are so proud of Noah and his accomplishments in kindergarten!!








Noah turned 6 years old and we had a pool party and I surprised him (and Allen) with a video game truck at the party! It was a BIG hit!!
Barrett and Aimee got hitched and my mom threw a wonderful Italian themed rehearsal dinner....
and Aimee's family threw a wonderful wedding reception!
and Noah and "his pretty lady" were sooo cute!!!



Aimee and Barrett looked awesome!!
Girls Night Out was had....
Barrett and Aimee bought a house and moved to Florida....
We had play dates with our friends...


and Noah was silly all summer long...
Noah went to several camps..including flag football, soccer, and all star. he loved them all!!
We watched a bird build a nest outside our house, lay eggs, and watch the baby bird hatch and fly from the nest for the first time. Amazing!!
For Father's Day we went white water rafting in North Carolina....LOVED IT!!!!
we went to the Eucharistic Congress and hung out with some of our favorite people...
we celebrated birthdays!!



We went to Hilton Head Island and had a blast!! we went on bike rides....

















we played in the sand...


and ate lots of food...
vacation is awesome!

and went on a pirate adventure....

and more silliness was had...
we went to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast....
we went hiking in the North Georgia mountains...

went to more camps....
and played with our friends....

we went to Missouri to surprise my cousin for his "going off to college" party.
We hung out with family...
enjoyed the beautiful sunset...
celebrated Nathan!...
hung out with Sophie who came all the way from Germany!...

and wore matching tye-dye!...
and i got to see 2 friends I had not seen in over 10 years!! It was so much fun!!!!!!!! (I somehow forgot to get a picture with her so I stole one from her facebook page) Here's my friend Meghan....
and my friend Jenny..... sooooooo great to see them both!!!
we went to the zoo....
and the best part was petting the sharks and the stingrays....
so fun!!

We went to the Magic House....

and Noah went to his first ever baseball game....



we went to visit the newly-weds in Florida and had a blast!
we went to the water park and played in the fountains....


and on the water playground....



and we went to the beach...
and played in the sand...

and ate dinner on the water....

and on our way home we had lunch with my in-laws....
and we celebrated Archbishop's 83rd birthday!...
and then summer was over and it was time for school. And so....
now I have a 1st grader. just. like. that.


and THAT is what I did on my summer vacation......and then some!!