Download This

This worship song brought me to tears today - you need to download this on itunes.
Track #6 of Desperation Band's latest CD that was out last November (but I just now was given) The song Title is OVERCOME - it is also the title of their album. It is so great - listen to the whole thing in your next quiet time - its a 12 minute song and then ending of it - is so powerful.
Loved it.

My Week In Review

What a week its been - Im sure some of you thought I had fallen off of the face of the earth. I am still here - and officially a Singleton. In nearly 10 years of marriage I had never made it to the Social Security Office to actually get my name changed. Its a done deal - I guess Im going to keep him! HA! I went to some interesting places this week and on the top of my list is GONG FU TEA
it has the MOST relaxing atmosphere ever. I enjoyed Emperor's Gold Tea, which is a black tea, (that honestly is reminiscent of Red Rose) and my friend got a Moroccan Mint - which is also a great one. There are over 130 lose leaf teas to pick from. A very Zen atmosphere, - the music that you hear while getting a massage - that was what was playing - Im all about a peaceful atmosphere, so this place will become a regular habit for me. In the back of the store they have a partitioned off area that has Low tables that you sit on the floor around, and a fountain in the corner. Super great for pulling a long study session. Tea has way less calories than a white mocha latte - so this is a good thing - not to mention the healthy benefits many teas offer. They also sell all different styles of tea pots. I am particularly fond of one there that is a green yellow color with a crackled look - its so neat! YUMMY

I met up with the manager of the Jordan Creek Iowa Realty office this week as well. She is a super neat Lady that I really look forward to working under. I am so ready! (but still studying) My whole real estate process has been sort of pushed back due to several issues, one being a class I needed isn't available until towards the end of April. At first, I was really upset by that - but now I see it as a blessing, because I really want to be balanced as a career mother. I get so driven towards a goal, and I want to keep all that in check, so all around this is a good thing, and I hope to hang my license on a brokers wall the first of May!

In the mean time, Colin is as much of stinker as ever and Ana is becoming such a joy to hang out with. Today Colin tooted while setting next to me on the couch and sniffed taking in as much air as he could - then turned to me and said - SMELL IT MOM! (no way paco - your out of your mind) He is ALL BOY and I wonder how my sweet baby turned into this - Josh says its great - of course - but Im a little saddened by it all. There is nothing toddler, or baby left about him. The quicker Karina, and Kimmy have their babies the better! Josh feels this way even more than I do, he was trying to talk me into a puppy this week - AINT NO WAY! not in this house - not any time soon - this is the kind he is looking at - a SCHNOODLE...Im just not ready - his picture is adorable but lets be realistic.

Ana and I enjoyed a pot of tea this afternoon at Gong Fu. She thanked me over and over for taking her down there. (its down town Des Moines) We both did a little studying, and people watching. Its much quieter in the morning. Tonight we hung out some more while I studied, she helped me by sharpening pencils and getting more water, and coloring beside me. Today she was supposed to read 50 pages in Super Silent Reading time at school, but read 111 instead! She was really proud of herself - that was the most she had ever read before in one setting like that! It cracks me up that she is reading now - its not just the small stuff - she can figure out my cursive handwriting - its just crazy.

I of course took in American Idol this week, If I don't keep up with that show, it could cause family issues! HA! I have more fun talking to my Daddy about whos doing what on that show. We have the best time with it. I have several favorites - so its hard to predict a winner at this point. Some of them will go places with or without idol - like David Cook that rocker dude is amazing. David Archuletto's voice is like butter - I love him the best - purely on vocal quality - I totally think its a mans year. While I love the blond sweetheart, I can't remember her name for some reason right now - Cook is her last name, I just don't know if she will win the whole thing. Carly Smithson - is a great talent as well.

My mouth has been killing me this week, upon being stressed out, I break out with canker sores - it makes me look like I am in a bad mood, but it seriously hurts to talk or even smile where they are at - ugghhh. I have to find a way to handle stress better! I just get anxious about getting things done, I put pressure on myself that no one else is applying except myself and its stupid really. But speaking of stress free - I am headed to Florida on Tuesday with Anna T. for her 30th birthday. We are going to spend a week in Orlando with another friend and Her mother is taking us all as Anna's present. I am so honored to be one of the guest - I cannot wait - I have never been to Disney - so I am very excited. I only feel bad that Im going without my kids - but I haven't told them - they just know Im going to a birthday party in Florida. Its our goal to take them there hopefully next year - so I don't want to make it just killer for Ana, especially - knowing that is where Im at. So - mums the word - just Florida - not Disney.

We made it through a whole month on the envelope system and will survive. I actually have really enjoyed it. Its amazing how a budget can make you feel like you are working on the same team with your husband when you do it the way Dave Ramsey suggest. Its way cool. If you have never heard of Financial Peace University - You need to check it out. There are so many great tips that will help you make smart financial decisions from insurance to investments, its so good.

Well, I better run, I have a full day tomorrow - I am going to hit the ground running and not stop until I get on the plain to Florida. Have a great week Everyone!

What you learn in first grade...

Ana : Hey Mom today we talked about what I saw on National Treasure - Mrs. Brown said that George Washington signed the Decoration of Independence.

Spring Break

This week is our spring break for the kids at school. Josh went down to Neosho with the kids and was going to be heading home tonight. Unfortunately Sunday we got a call about his Grandma not doing well. So this afternoon he and the kids are heading over to his parents from there to see his grandma. She is not doing well and in the hospital. After having overcome cancer for the third time in the past year, it looks like it has come back in a different location. She is really needing a miracle, but in a good spirit has said that either way its a win for her. She doesn't want to do treatments again, they were so hard on her last time, and she is ready to go home if that is what God has for her. Josh is close to his Grandma and this hasn't been easy on him. Keep Grandma Brown and the family in your prayers. We are waiting on the biopsy results that we should know something by tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I am here studying and getting caught up on all the laundry I have neglected while working on my real estate course. Laundry is the one chore I hate the most. But I am getting it done, and some well needed study time in the QUIET!

The Home Stretch

Well, its been one more week around here - and I am so glad to say that I only have a computer test to take and a ton of studying to do before I take my Iowa Classes for the Actual PSI Exam for my Real Estate License. This week has been a roller coaster in many ways of trying to get all the details worked out. I am going to be studying all spring break - (my poor kids) oh well! You gotta do what you gotta do right? I am so excited about being through that huge book of over 500 pages! GLORY! Can I get an amen? AMEN! to be said in a loud boisterous preacher tone of voice! (you get that joke if you grew up listening to loud preachers - or if you have heard me talk about the T-shirts that they had for sell at the C3 conference.) But anyway - Im so happy to be done with one portion of my curriculum anyway and moving onto the next. can i get a witness up in here tonight?

"i worked real hard on my work"

I went upstairs to switch the laundry over tonight, to find there were a ton of wet sheets in with the dry towels. I was completely puzzled. Josh said, "Why would you have done that?" - I said - "I didn't do it - had to have been Colin." Josh couldn't believe Colin would have been strong enough - (the black eye last week should have clued us in on his strength, but why would this little guy get involved with the business of laundry?) Puzzled, Josh went in to their room, after having already put them to bed to find out who was helping out? Sure enough - Colin had climbed on top of the dryer and taken out all of the wet sheets he could reach (which were his race car ones and his Thomas fuzzy blanket) and he put them in the dryer with all the dry towels and shut the door! His comment - "I worked real hard on my work Dad." -
He's gonna make somebody a good husband someday.

Monday

This week has started out somewhat rough. With the time change Saturday day night it has Colin all jacked up. He has had like 6 hours of sleep in the last 20 hours, Up at 4 AM - don't ask me how this happens. When things change it really affects his little body big time. Josh hasn't been feeling well all day, This evening he was supposed to teach the Membership 2.0 class. The material is so good that he didn't even feel like he could do it justice, feeling so weak. So tonight, I made some stew, we skipped out on swim lessons, (with many tears), and we are all drinking emer-gen-c and airborne. Taking a supplement called get well soon. Trying to fight off this feeling of fatigue. Im going to have to listen to the CD of Financial Peace University for tonights lesson. There are just some nights you have to run a hot bath, and go to bed, and wake up feeling better in the morning.

My Dad meets and AI grandma

ok - for all of you who know my family and how my father Loves American Idol, you will never believe what happened to him this week. While in the Joplin Walmart he asked a little lady where something was - she showed him and went back to where she was working one ilse over. His ears perked up when he heard a man come up to her and say - How is Asia doing? I didn't get to see the show last night. - Oh my - Dad went right over and as fate would have it my Dad finally meets a family member of Asia - (one of the girls in the top 24.) So He goes up to her and says - "Are you Asia's Grandma?" and from there they had a great little chat about the show and so on. He asked her all these questions he has wondered about - It just cracks me up. I love him to death. Well, last night Asia got sent home - and you know what he said to mom? He's going back to Walmart to console her grandma! Bless her heart!~

A portion of Ana & Colin's Prayers

Tonight at prayer time before bed here is what Colin on his knees face down had to say to Jesus..(It sounds like Daine at 3 - I promise Colin should have been his - but Im glad I got him!)

"Dear Lord Jesus, please help my race cars to go super fast, so fast that I can't even see them go by".....
"oh and thank you Lord for my sippy cups, and I pray that you help me get some more apple juice in them in the morning." (he knew he couldn't have any more tonight due to the wet bed at nap time!)

Ana - "Dear Lord, Help my Aunts who are carrying babies, and Lord just help them to have good deliveries and all that stuff I don't know about Lord!"

She also prayed a really good prayer for people who don't know Jesus and it was so sweet, it just touched my heart. I can tell that she is pattering her prayers after how she hears her teacher pray at school, and to me that is just too cool.

So God, its my turn. Thank you for the wonderful people that surround our kids on a daily basis, at school and church. Ana and Colin are such a treasure to us. Thank you that their hearts are being molded for your purposes.

It started!

Colin discovered that Mom is great for scratching his back. How soon a little man learns this in life - fortunately he is buying the fact that you take turns at this, and even though it doesn't feel great now, his wife will one day thank me that I made him reciprocate.

Cash is KiNG!

Well, as you know we are in the throws of the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University. It has been an awesome experience. This week we went have converted to cash in the envelope system that he suggest. They talk about how that you spend money differently when you lay down cash for something. Your brain actually triggers "pain" when you spend cash as opposed to using your debit card, credit card, or even writing a check. So This week, I actually have experienced this emotion and it has definitely proven true that you think more about how you spend your money when you are using Cash!

6 More Chapters!

I am now 75% done with my Real Estate Studies! I am so excited to feel like Im on the other side of the half way mark. YEAH!

Try this...Its Daniel Fast Friendly

For lunch today I made Cajun Red Beans and Rice. I picked up a package from the store and followed the recipe for the soup. I chose Lysanders Brand. It had a package of seasonings to add that was delicious. It was all natural, no preservatives, no artificial ingredients, and absolutely no MSG! Perfect! I added stewed tomatoes, that I crushed up, Celery, Bell Pepper, Onion, and a little oil. It was very satisfying!

Getting Creative

I have really enjoyed the Daniel Fast, It has been a great time of spiritual growth around here. One benefit that it has brought into my life, is a new look at food altogether. I had been in such a routine of recipes that I can make rather quickly, and this really pushed me beyond my comfort zone in what I enjoy making.
We have tried so many new foods now, that I am looking beyond the end of the fast, to some new recipes I am no longer afraid to step out and try. I also have to say that sometimes cooking Vegan is a whole lot more simple. I will no longer feel like if I don't have meat on the table, I don't have a meal. If we don't have meat, it's no big deal! Although we have 1/4 cow in the freezer out in the garage! (sometimes I forget to lay meat out) But anyway! Im so glad that we have taken on this challenge together as a church, you don't feel alone in the journey, and hearing what God has been doing in everyone's lives has made it all worth while.
Having an increased hunger for God's Word has been something that has happened for me. Its been awesome.