Several Things

Life has been so busyfor me the last few weeks that I have been meaning to post some things but remember after I turn the computer off to go to bed. I also am the one that thinks in my head about the blogs I read... well when are they going to update, it has been a week already. Yet I am guilty myself.

My life has been so crazy. I have returned to school to prepare for my teaching license through Virginia Department of Education and Old Dominion University. This has required commuting alot to Virginia Beach in rush hour traffic two nights a week. This should be a 45 minute drive at most but in rush hour it is almost a 2 hour drive. I also have to observe a high school marketing for 30 hours before the program ends November 21 but since the last week is school Monday through Saturday 8-4, I have to have observations over by November 13. Of course, the high school that was chosen for me was the high school farthest from where I live in my city. On top of all this I am still trying to work at the bookstore to make ends somewhat meet ( at least get gas money). I also have been writing a lesson plan that I have to present to fellow peers for 50 minutes in November. Today was the deadline for turning it in and at the last minute I had all these thoughts to add. Pray for me to lose my nervousness on the November 20th. I am more intimidated teaching peers than I am high schoolers. As of today , I am now a substitute teacher for my city which involved orientation too. I also am in a ladies Bible Study one night a week.I am a preschool Sunday School teacher and help out on Wednesday nights with Kids Ark at church. I also try to fit my nephew in as a priority. He and I have an awesome bond and he calls me to see if I am coming to see him or if I have to go to school every night. So my posts have been few because of a lack of time and mental capacity.

Now for the posts I have thought about:

Last Wednesday night, church was cancelled because H1N1 hit the children's department. I had planned to go see my nephew but his other grandaddy took ill so they took off for Ohio. (His grandaddy had a heart attack but is doing better.) So I found myself with an hour or two to myself. I took off for Target. I only had enough money for shampoo and a few necessities. I scrounged enough for the popcorn and soda combo before I left. It was a very nice teenage black male working the register. He told me my total was, " one sssssssssssixty sssssix." I smiled and gave him my money. I was thinking about telling him a story about my brother having a terrible stutter when he was young or not to tell him. There was no one behind me so I said, "I noticed you stutter with your S's." He agreed. I went on to tell him that my brother stuttered bad when he was young but that now he can stand in front of a congregation and preach or give a lecture with no problem. He smiled from ear to ear. His response, " Thank you so much for telling me that." I told him to keep working on it and not to let people bring him down or tease him and he agreed and wished me a great day. As I walked away and looked back, he still had that big smile on his face. See I almost did not tell him that story but God nudged me. I will never know the outcome but I walked away knowing I did what I was supposed to do.

On to another subject. My nephew came back home last night and yes I skipped Bible Study to go see him since he was away six days. He does not like me going to school at all. It disrupts his "aunty time". He asked me if I had school the next night and I told him that it was Wednesday and then asked him what we do on Wednesdays. His response , " We get to go to church." I reflected on that because I was thinking , tomorrow is Wednesday and I HAVE TO GO TO CHURCH. What a thought that child put in my head. I don't have to go to church on Wednesday , I get to go to church and have that freedom. Wow, what you can learn from a six year old.

This will leave you laughing hysterically or upheaving hysterically. I was at church in the parking lot running my mouth to my co-worker and I inhaled. Now get your mind out of the streets, nothing illegal. I inhaled a bug. Yes, a BUG. I was jabbering so much he flew in when I inhaled a deep breath. Nothing I could do then. I tried to make him come out by coughing and trying to dry heave , it is one of the only times I have every wanted to dry heave but he was gone for good. My nephew said, "Just stop it is just a bug." Just stop it is just a bug means try harder it is a nasty bug. Little did that buggy know his life would end that way and little did I know his life would end that way. So in a day or so I report that I am not feeling well it will be because I really do have..... THE BUG.

Well folks, that is a few of the posts I have thought about lately and have been meaning to blog about. Instead of several small ones you get one big one. Bigger is better, right.

72 Years!!!

Long before I was thought about and long before my mother was born a man and woman met and fell in love. Today my grandparents celebrated 72 years of marriage. KUDOS to them and Praise God!

What an accomplishment! We celebrated at a bitter sweet short reception at church. Sweet because of the celebration of their marriage. Bitter because this is one of their last visits to church because it is too hard on them to get up and going now. We then went as a family out to Red Lobster. It was a nice day.

Disappointment...

All day yesterday and today I was looking forward to going to the local Greek Fest and purchasing my pastitio dinner that they only offer twice a year. Yesterday because of a misunderstanding I did not go. Today I ate a light lunch and was waiting for my mom to get off so we could go. We arrived and my pastitio was sold out. I was so disappointed.

I need to marry me a Greek man so I can have his momma cook for me. Is that being too picky?

Fall Fest last week

Just thought you might like to see a few cute pics of my nephew and his friend from church we have been entertaining on Sundays to give Grandma a break since she is a full-time caregiver to him while momma is away in the military.

This area they had was a small hay area for kids, I mean small. They had hay strewn all over, pumpkins, kiddie pitchforks, shovels and rakes. These two boys played for hours in this little area. It was great.

Bowling Alley Fries

I love bowling alley fries. You know the crinkly cut fries that are cooked to perfection with just the right crisp and saltiness with loads of ketchup. UMMMH! How do I know so much about them? Well I grew up spending every Saturday hanging out at the bowling alley. I was there so much I would cook my own. UMMH! You wonder why I am fat.

Well , I just discovered that the chinese restaurant near our business sells french fries. Not just french fries but what I refer to as Bowling Alley fries. In the last two weeks I have had them twice and that is once too many. I am in trouble now because they cook them just right too. The right crispness, the right brownness, then I add my own salt and ketchup. OH BOY!

I know this is not on my healthy lifestyle and exercise kick but see I have flopped. I am in school again two nights a week and all day on Saturday. I have committed to a Bible Study one night and then have church the other night. I am also trying to work full-time too so I have back-slidden and lets not talk about exercise. No wont go there, will I.

Here is my agenda.... I will stay away from the chinese bowling alley fries for at least a week. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. Thats a small goal. I can succeed.

Two years ago this week...

Two years ago this week my sweet cat disappeared. He went out when my father went to get the paper even though to this day he swears it did not happen. For those of you who followed my AOL journal you know he was found five days later underneath my neighbor's deck. We were ecstatic.

This morning at 7 AM I knew he was on my blanket. I fell asleep on the recliner and woke up at 7 am and he moved because I repositioned. I went back to sleep and when I awoke he was gone. He did not bulldoze the door down when I was in the shower like he does every morning. He was no where to be found. My first thoughts were that my father had went out to get the paper and oh mercy he ran out. This would be out of character though since he went out two years ago he stays clear of the door unless a stray is out there. There is a new stray out there now too, a real ugly one .( Side note my other strays have disappeared the last as recently as Sunday and I miss him because he was adorable. I lose one I gain one, they know where to come for food, God must send them)

We tore apart the house looking in every nook and cranny this cat could go. No cat. I have been to every room like I did two years ago, no cat. I am shaking his treats and calling his name for almost an hour, no cat. My dad has been in the garage, no cat. I go outside, there is a cat, not my cat, it is the ugly stray. I go back in totally distraught. I go back through the house again, no cat. I go back in the garage and sit there for a few minutes and shake his treats and lo and behold he comes out from the Christmas tree. He had evidently snuck out when my father went out there to get some clothes out of the dryer. Needless to say I was very delighted to find him and he was very delighted to be found.

Glad he was found but next October he is going on a leash.

Christmas Shopping

Well I started Christmas shopping today online, that is. Usually by now I am almost done because I pick things up all year and at the after Christmas sales. Normally I have this nice pile of gifts. This year because of the economy and my financial situation, I have not been browsing stores and picking up all year and I did not make it to a single sale. This really stressed me the other day.

I can now proudly report that I have bought half the presents for two people. WOOHOO! I found these cool leakproof hot/cold beverage containers for my parents.

Now only 15 more people and two halves to go. AHHHH!