Prayer Request

My oldest friend, Theresa, who was the Maid of Honor in my wedding and who I was the Matron of Honor for in her wedding in December, could use your prayers tonight. She is telling her husband of ten months goodbye as he leaves for Iraq at 11:00 p.m tonight. He is in the Army and will not be returning until December of 2008 at the earliest. They will not spend their first Christmas or anniversary together. Please prayer for them at this very difficult time and for their friends and family as we are trying to support them. And as always, let us all pray for a quick peace and healing for our country and Iraq.

WE GOT A CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BJ and I drove home our new(to us) car last night. It is a 2006 Hyundai Elantra, and it is the most beautiful color of red. I've always wanted a red car, and BJ's always wanted a sun roof, so we somehow managed to get both of our requests. Here's a couple of pictures I took last night in the garage. The lighting isn't very good, but the sun hadn't come up enough this morning when BJ left to get any better pictures.


It was a really good feeling last night driving home with our pretty red car. I could see in this little used vehicle the healing work of God in our lives after a frustrating, painful two weeks. "All things work together for good to them that love God."

Pink Polka Dots a Little Boys

Since the wreck, I have been substitute teaching at BJ's school to help us with the financial problems that are inevitable after a wreck. Subbing has really been a blessing from God because BJ and I get to commute together, and I am able to make us the bit of extra money we so desperately need. So far I've subbed 3rd grade, 5th grade, and 7th grade. In my opinion, the older the better. The 7th grader all have BJ for Bible, so they were absolutely fabulous for me. Somehow, I just don't know what to do with small children. It seems so natural for elementary teachers to know when to discipline the kids and how to talk on their level. I just kind of tumble through the day from what I later am able to see was one mistake after another.

My biggest problem is that I don't always notice that what a kid is doing is something worth disciplining. For example, at the end of today, I was put in charge of watching the younger children as they waited for their parents to come and get them. One of the little boys was stamping himself from head to toe with a hot pink circular stamp. My thought process: "That looks pretty cool." In fact, this was not only a silent thought, but it was also my verbal response when he proudly showed me his body art. Not long after this, another teacher jumps all over the kid (who was technically my responsibility) for what I saw as a little harmless self-expression. It probably didn't help that he stamped his pristine white tennis shoes, but, what the heck, they look better now. Or at least more interesting. Perhaps I should invest in a lifetime supply of birth control so that I can save my would-be children from getting in trouble at school for things their mother encouraged at home, like Crayola murals or playing with you food until it is aesthetically pleasing and then eating it.

What a week

Monday while taking a quick excursion to Walmart, I got in a wreck that totaled my car and did a pretty good number on me. After two months of barely maintaining hope and sanity in a town that is so contrary to everything I believe in, this wreck was a blow to not only my body, but to my spirit as well. The isolation of life in an urban area is mind-boggling, and the effects of a wreck (even a wreck that, thank God, I walked away from mostly unscathed) is terrifying long after the vibrations of the blow fizzle out.

God, as always, is watching out for us. I applied for substitute teaching yesterday to help with the financial strain of the wreck, and I was called today to come in. Also, BJ's co-workers have been really supportive through our ordeal. The problem is just that I'm not entirely sure how to walk away from that wreck, and I don't have the slightest idea how to live in a place without friends, family, or our church in Nugent. Before we left Abilene, I did a blog on all the things about Abilene I would miss. I was right; I miss all of those things. I just hope that by the time we leave Frisco, there will be things about this place that I will miss. I am beginning to think that a sense of loss is the best way to gage the success of one's life in a given place. Frisco has a lot of work to do to catch up with Abilene

The lengths to which we will go to see The Office

BJ and I, like all newlyweds, are in a constant struggle to make ends meet. This has resulted in us not having cable for over two months. To compensate, we have rented DVD's of the NBC show The Office and watched them over and over and over again, and then we watched the deleted scenes and other special features over and over and over again - no, I am not exaggerating. The new season started a few weeks, so we have pretty much been going crazy not knowing what's up with Pam, Jim, Micheal, Dwight, etc. This lead me to Walmart tonight where I bought bunny ears. Unfortunately, NBC was the least clear of the major channels, so during commercial breaks, we had to get creative if we wanted a clearer picture. Here's what getting creative looked like...

...a bar stool, three pillows, bunny ears, and aluminum foil I literally had to dig out of the trash can because we had run out of it earlier today.

You may wonder what TV show could possibly push two people to this extreme, but it's more than just a TV show to us. It is the first TV show we have ever both liked. BJ and I don't have a ton in common, but we've got The Office. Also, tonight we had a moment in which I saw hope for us even beyond Dunder Mifflin. I had a coupon for a medium three-topping pizza from Mr. Jim's, so I asked BJ what toppings he wanted. He said: "I don't know about you, but I'd go for pepperoni, mushrooms, and black olives." Of all the thousands of toppings in the world, those were the exact three I was thinking of!!!!!!!!! I did do the right thing marrying him!!!!!! Yes!!!!!