SNOW DAYS!!!

I LOVE snow. I think it is so pretty. The mountains are beautiful today. There is only one problem with this snow. It's exactly what I've been wanting minus one little thing....I was supposed to be HOME when it snowed. By the time I left work yesterday, the Parkway was closed and I couldn't get up the mountain to my house. My poor Teddy was home alone. We tried to get up the mountain on another road only, but there was NO way our cars were going to make it up that hill. So, down we went to Wal Mart to get toothbrushes and to a friends house to sleep. Today, my dad took us up the mountain the four wheel drive and we have retrieved the puppy and come back down to mom's to stay until they open the roads our cars can get up. The plus side of this is mom's neighborhood has a GREAT sledding hill and Deanna and I just spent an hour outside in the freezing cold sledding down the hill. It was SO much fun. The dogs love it too! Well, gotta run....so much more snow fun to enjoy. I think snow cream and snow angels are still on the list for this evening! Pictures to come soon!

Happy New Year!!!

Well, it's that time of year that we make lots of resolutions, and then later in the year we break them all! I don't make any so I don't have to worry about breaking them! I'm looking forward to what the new year will bring and I'm very thankful for my family and all that I have been blessed with. Christmas was wonderful and the week after has been filled with the joy of getting to spend time with my kids and sweet husband. I am a happy girl!

What doesn't kill you....

....only makes you stronger...or so they say. I should be a whole lot stronger than I am then! The song "One Day at a Time Sweet Jesus" keeps going through my head today. When you take it one day at a time, it really does make life less overwhelming. I have to remember to stop thinking about the "what ifs" and focus more on the now. Now, I have an amazing husband that loves me and shows me that love in ways I've never imagined. Now, I have a beautiful daughter who is the light of my life. Now, I have a job, a roof over my head, food in the refrigerator, electricity, water, a car to drive, and good health. Now, I have a Savior who loves me beyond what my mind can fathom. He gave me the greatest gift of all....His life so that I can live eternally with Him in Heaven. Now, I am truly blessed. Life IS good! So, there are a lot of things going on that I don't like and really aren't right. But, I realize that He is still in control and that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him. So, I'm going to try not to worry about tomorrow and focus on today and all the wonderful blessings that I have.

How sweet it is....

to be loved by Doug!!! Ok, so I'm being a little silly and mushy, but my husband is so very sweet. Last night, knowing how down I've been the last couple of weeks, he picked me up from work and took me to a very romantic Italian restaurant. Then when we sat down, he presented me with a red rose and a card that said it all. It made me cry (happy tears for a change!). He even gave up a day of golf to take me out! I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful man in my life. After all the things that I have been through, to feel so loved and cared about is just an amazing feeling. And to think, how much more than that my Heavenly Father loves me. In my husband's love, I see a reflection of the love that God has for me. He cares so much for me. He loves me even when I fall, which I do so many times. He picks me up and sets me on my feet again and loves me even when I'm at my worst. It's really quite amazing and wonderful!

Thoughts for Today...

1. I am not in control....God is!
2. Pray without ceasing.
3. Give thanks in all things.
4. Love never fails.
5. God IS love.
6. Don't worry about tomorrow.
7. Rejoice in the Lord always.
8. God will never leave me or forsake me.
9. Miracles happen.
10. Faith can move mountains.

In the darkest times, when my heart is breaking and my soul cries out for help....my God is there! He loves me and showers me with his mercy and grace. I am not alone. Everything I am, everything I have is because of Him. He has blessed me with two beautiful children. They are His. I love them with all my heart, but I know He loves them even more. He has a perfect plan for each one of us even when I can't see it. Faith....I must trust that He is in control and will make beautiful things from our lives.

Sweet 16!

No...not my child....thankfully, because I'm NOT ready for this yet!!! My sweet niece, Bethany, was the birthday girl this Saturday. Sweet 16!

Such a BEAUTIFUL birthday girl!

I took the kids to GA Friday to help get ready for Saturday's party. My sister, Cynthia, is a FANTASTIC party planner. She has some of the coolest ideas and between the two of us, we're really good at putting it all together. I'm the cake decorator in the family and she's the cook. The boys set up disco lights and music and a fog machine in the foyer (which after the fog machine set off the smoke alarms, it did get moved outside the front door) and that was the "dance floor".

The next room was the "halloween room" complete with all kinds of cool treats like bat wings (chicken wings), mummies (pigs in a blanket), and meatball mice (guess momma never taught her not to play with her food)! She made awesome candles and decorations.

This next picture is a little "smoky" looking. It was taken right after the fog machine set off the smoke detectors!

Then, my favorite room was the dining room. Decorated in neon "Rock & Roll" theme (my arms still hurt from putting up all the wall coverings) with the birthday cake (and, YES, it is supposed to have that tilted look...she wanted it that way!) decorated by ME!

And, we can't forget the GoGo girl, Sophia!

Sophia is the cutest 6 year old EVER! I'm NOT just saying that because she's my niece! And, Sophia will be the first to tell you that she "IS America's Next Top Model" and here's the pictures to prove it!!! I only wish I had the "runway walk" on video. The facial expressions were just too much!

All in all, we had a wonderful weekend. The party was a huge success. I'm so glad it's not my turn for my little girl to grow up yet. Although, she is starting to act more 30 than 13 sometimes!

We were sad to have to leave this morning to come home a little earlier than expected. Doug has an abscessed tooth and is in tremdous pain. I came home to see him with a cheek looking like a golf ball is stuck in it. I got him some antibiotics and will be taking him to the dentist first thing tomorrow. I feel bad for him. I've never seen him miss a day of work since I've known him (we've been married almost three years now), so I know he's really hurting when he had to call in sick to go tomorrow.

Well, I think this is the longest post I've made, and I didn't even post half the pictures! :)

Finally.....

Finally, I get a day at home to do school work and update my blog :)

Finally, I got the grocery shopping done :) (I HATE grocery shopping)

Finally, I got my camera downloaded!

So, I'm sitting here on my couch, curled up with my laptop, a cup of coffee flavored with Mint Chocolate creamer (mmmm so good!), and a notebook full of medical terms that I'm still trying to learn to spell, and I thought I'd share a couple of pictures before I really buckle down and start studying again. BTW, I made a 93 on my anatomy test! Woo Hoo!!!

Here's a couple of pictures from Myrtle Beach

And a couple from Cades Cove

Beginning of autumn!

This is my favorite time of year. What an artist our God is!!! The sky was such a beautiful blue today and the leaves are starting to change a little. A few days ago, my husband took me on a date :) Evenings like that one was are my favorite. Driving with the top down through the mountains, and then dinner at some little restaurant, and a drive back under the stars, stopping to dance in the moonlight. I'm such a lucky girl! I liked it so much, he decided to repeat it today when he got home from work. Tonight we went to Bryson City and had dinner at a romantic little Italian place. Then we walked through the little town, and went to the Soda Shoppe and shared a milkshake (you know, like you see in the movies with the two straws!!!) I know, I know, mushy stuff...makes you sick! LOL I LOVE IT!!! He's so good to me. He even bought me a new purse from a cute little shop. Gotta love the name of the store - Pursenality! How cute is that?! Anyway, I'm very thankful for a wonderful husband and for the beautiful creation. I have been blessed in so many ways.

Here's pics from our drive across the mountain!

Medical Terms and Teenager!

So, I learned a very important lesson this week. If your teenage son asks to help you study your flashcards, you really should have them memorized well enough to know to take out the ones that mean private area body parts. Or at least tell him he can't help you in the middle of Wendy's. The WHOLE restaurant got to hear him yell "OH MY GOSH!" as he then turned red and started laughing hysterically. On the bright side, I have the meaning of that word downpat now!!! LOL

Mom's Know Best!

Well, I never thought I'd be able to tell my mom "thank you" for making me take two years of Latin in high school. I thought I would NEVER have a use for it and have always said it was a total waste of time. Boy am I glad she made me take it now! The medical transcriptionist course is very difficult, but at least I can remember some words and some of the spelling and pronunciation. Although it was years ago, I have been surprised at the few things I can remember. And, at this point, every little bit helps. My brain is on total overload with all the new words. And, I'm not even through the "D" words yet!!! I have a stack of flashcards an inch thick and if I can remember what half of them mean in the morning, I'll be surprised!

Hopefully, I will get a chance to download my camera tomorrow....beach pictures! I miss it already!