Sunday, November 30, 2008

Thursday, November 27, 2008

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?




You Are Pumpkin Pie



Even when people are full - they make room for you.
Good or bad, your smell is most likely to arouse a man.



[ht: Amy]

Today, I'm Thankful for...

Today, I'm Thankful for...
*my wonderful husband Russ
*my beautiful princess daughter Damaris
*my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ
*extended family and friends
*the freedoms I have living here in America
*a home to live in, food to eat, water to drink, and all the other things that I sometimes take for granted
*the ability to further my education even on days when I'm sick of school
*coffee!!!
*Gilmore Girls
*knitting
*my computer Sookie
*my cell phone Rory

I know I went from serious to not so serious, but I am thankful for each of these things and many more. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'm thankful for YOU!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

New Pics of Baby Lola

My sister Carrie finally was able to fix her computer issues so she could send me new pics of Baby Lola. I'm gonna be a proud Aunt and show her off. Isn't she beautiful!!!


She loves to sleep with her arms over her head.


Lola & her Daddy


Sleeping with her arms over her head again


Sleeping in her swing


After bathtime


Sticking her tongue out at her big brother James


Precious angel baby


You can't see me


Bossy loves his Lola


Lola has become quite the chunky monkey. Those cheeks!!!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

It's Time to Dance!

Disco Time:

Send your own ElfYourself eCards


The Charleston:

Send your own ElfYourself eCards


Going Country:

Send your own ElfYourself eCards


The Classic:

Send your own ElfYourself eCards


OK, who's next? If you ElfYourself, comment here so I can come watch you dance!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Happy Birthday Mom & Happy Anniversary Dad & Mom!

37 years ago today, my parents got married on my mother's birthday. So, they have doubly celebrated for the last 37 years. Just wanted to say happy birthday Mom & Happy Anniversary Dad & Mom! We love you!
mom & dad

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

A Baby Changes Everything

A beautiful new Christmas song sung by Faith Hill called "A Baby Changes Everything". An amazing listen, take 5 minutes to watch, you'll be blessed.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

The Best Part of Waking Up...

I'm addicted to coffee. Yes, I admit it. I usually drink 2 cups (which holds 4 cups each) each morning. I typically use regular powdered creamer. I saw this at the store on Sunday & seriously, this made my morning amazing!
peppermint mocha creamer

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Out of the Mouth of Damaris...Continued

So, yesterday I posted about Damaris and what she does if she gets scared at school. Go here to read that post. I thought I would surprise her today with a necklace with the Psalm 56:3 verse on it. Here was her reaction when I gave it to her:

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Out of the Mouth of Damaris...

I was putting Damaris to bed last night. As yall know, we're all struggling right now with this transition of her being in public school. I had prayed with her and given her a kiss and she climbed into bed. I was about to turn out the light when she started talking. She asked me if I knew what she did when she was scared at school. I told her no and asked what she did. She told me that she said this verse over and over, "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You." Psalm 56:3

Monday, November 10, 2008

Damaris' First Day of School

Thank you, thank you, thank you to each of you who prayed for Damaris today on her first day of public school. We were pretty nervous about it especially since Damaris made herself sick with worry yesterday afternoon/evening. Russ had to be at work early, early, early, so I got up & took him so I could have the car to take Damaris to school. I surprised her with breakfast out at McDonald's before school started. We got to the school about 7:30 and had to finish up some paperwork. I had promised Damaris I wouldn't leave from taking her until she was ready for me to leave. I sat with her until the first bell rang and the assistant principal said I could walk her back to her classroom. She was really clinging to me and I was afraid she was not going to want to stay. We got back to the classroom and her teacher was there as well as one of the girls she had met on the field trip last week. I talked to her teacher for a minute and then asked Damaris if it was ok for me to go. She said yes, so I slipped out. I had class at 9 and got there a bit early like normal. A couple of guys were sitting in the classroom working on stuff and asked how I was and I started sobbing and trying to explain. They were so sweet to listen to me. The 3 hours of class made me have to focus on something else so that was good. Russ & I got to the school about 2:40 as I had to take some more paperwork in that I had forgotten this morning. We waited for her to get out at 3:00. We saw her teacher first and she said that she had done wonderful, acting as if she had always been in the class. That calmed me some. We finally saw her walking out at the very end of the class line. She was smiling and talking to a friend as she came outside. She came up and gave me a huge hug. We got into the car and she started telling us about the day. She said it went very well. She had two things of homework plus 30 minutes of reading to do. She said there were a few things she didn't know throughout the day, but she got help and made it through. So we're off and running. Hopefully the rest of the days will go this smoothly. Please continue to pray for her adjustment, our adjustment, and for the students and teachers at her school. Pray for her to make some really good friends because that's what she needs most right now.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

UPDATE - 100 Things To Do Before 12/31/08

100 Things to Do Before December 31, 2008
82 DOWN ~~~~~ 12 IN PROGRESS ~~~~~ 6 TO GO

DONE 1. Go back to school to work on my M.Div.
DONE 2. Reach my goal weight.
DONE 3. Run a 5K race.
DONE 4. Be able to run 5 miles.
IN PROGRESS - 5. Work towards having a date night with Russ at least once every two weeks.
DONE 6. Be able to run 8 miles.
DONE 7. Get accepted into a CPE residency program.
IN PROGRESS - 8. Knit stockings to replace those for my parent's house that were destroyed.
DONE 9. Make a new friend.
DONE 10. Read a good book.
DONE 11. Go on a date with my husband.
DONE 12. Go to a conference that I'm interested in.
DONE 13. Go to a conference with my husband.
DONE 14. Finish making this list.
DONE 15. Finish 2007 Christmas shopping by the end of October, 2007.
DONE 16. Finish 2008 Christmas shopping by the end of October, 2008.
DONE 17. Buy a new digital camera.
DONE 18. Grow my hair out longer than I've been wearing it.
DONE 19. Find a hair stylist than can thin my hair out so that I can wear it longer.
DONE 20. Send a snail mail card to someone for no special reason.
DONE 21. Buy a new couch and loveseat or recliner.
22. Find a church who will allow me to preach a sermon in front of a congregation (versus preaching only for my hubby & daughter or classmates).
23. Write my husband a love letter.
DONE 24. Join the local runners club.
DONE 25. Open a savings account for Damaris.
DONE 26. Get Damaris a laptop computer for her school curriculum (she's using a computer based curriculum now).
DONE 27. Run the mile in less than ten minutes.
DONE 28. Update our http://www.thealmons.com website.
DONE 29. Get my eyes checked and get new glasses.
DONE 30. Do something outrageous (got my nose pierced).
IN PROGRESS - 31. Maintain my goal weight until year-end.
IN PROGRESS - 32. Work towards paying off last credit card.
IN PROGRESS - 33. Maintain important friendships.
DONE 34. Learn how to take a compliment.
35. Write at least 2 more chapters to the novel I started several years ago.
DONE 36. Sing a great song in front of an audience.
DONE 37. Forgive someone who hurt me very deeply as a child.
DONE 38. Fly a kite.
DONE 39. Meet someone I met on the internet in real life.
DONE 40. Learn to be content - "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." Phil 4:11
DONE 41. Say "I'm sorry" and mean it.
DONE 42. Sing in the rain.
DONE 43. Meet someone else with my first name or nickname.
DONE 44. Sell something on eBay or Craigslist.
DONE 45. Say the words "I love you" to someone and mean it.
DONE 46. Knit something I can wear.
DONE 47. Watch a sunrise.
DONE 48. Watch a sunset.
DONE 49. See a rainbow.
DONE 50. Look good in a swimsuit.
DONE 51. Stand in two places at the same time.
DONE 52. Learn to play a game I don't currently know how to play.
DONE 53. Run a 5K in under 35 minutes.
IN PROGRESS - 54. Exercise at least 4 hours per week.
DONE 55. Go on a hike.
DONE 56. Look into my child's eyes, see myself, and smile.
DONE 57. Scale down my dozens of boxes of Christmas decorations.
DONE 58. Organize my file drawer of "important paperwork" to see if it's all still important.
DONE 59. Cut sodas out of my diet.
DONE 60. Find an accountability partner.
DONE 61. Love the unloveable people in my life.
IN PROGRESS - 62. Spend more time in prayer.
DONE 63. Take Damaris on a Mom/Daughter trip.
DONE 64. Get a library card.
IN PROGRESS - 65. Become a better listener.
IN PROGRESS - 66. Learn to be patient.
IN PROGRESS - 67. Don't be so quick to criticize.
IN PROGRESS - 68. Let others see Jesus in me.
DONE 69. Go on a trip for Russ and my 11th anniversary.
DONE 70. Volunteer at least once for a charity or charitable organization.
DONE 71. Have new family pictures taken.
DONE 72. Learn how to cook something new.
DONE 73. Go to the drive-in to watch a movie.
74. Go to a sporting event with Russ.
75. Donate blood at least once.
DONE 76. Do a good deed for a stranger.
DONE 77. Get an A on a paper.
DONE 78. Get an A on a test.
DONE 79. Take a bubble bath.
DONE 80. Do something kind for someone without expecting anything in return.
DONE 81. Get new bedding for Russ & I.
82. Go on a picnic.
DONE 83. Watch a movie with Damaris.
DONE 84. Watch a movie with Russ.
DONE 85. Get the oil changed in our SUV.
DONE 86. Write a real Christmas letter this year.
DONE 87. Mail out the Christmas letters/pictures by mid-December.
DONE 88. Visit Grace Museum.
DONE 89. Subscribe to a running magazine.
DONE 90. Buy a new Christmas tree.
DONE 91. Find a friend(s) to knit with or teach a friend how to knit.
DONE 92. Put together a jigsaw puzzle.
DONE 93. Run the Phedippidations Kick the Couch 5K.
DONE 94. Run the Turkey Trot 5K.
DONE 95. Finish the 6/20 running program.
DONE 96. Tell someone "thank you".
DONE 97. Take Damaris to Carlsbad Caverns.
IN PROGRESS - 98. Teach Damaris to ride a bike.
DONE 99. Make a decision about the rings Russ has for me to chose from about which one I want.
DONE 100. Dye my hair a crazy color, even if it's just temporary.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Overwhelm Me

This morning in worship, we talked about the cyclic nature of our lives and the valleys and mountaintops we inevitably go through. We sang this beautiful and poignant song that I had never heard before. I want to share the lyrics with you. The song is called "Overwhelm Me".

Take not Thy presence from me
for I desire to know You more
For you are worthy of all,
You’re worthy of all I am and more
I need to set my mind on things above,
on the holiness and glory of my God
In the heavens and in my heart
Who created a mountain
And Who set a spark that grew into a flame
that burns deeply for You

Chorus
Overwhelm me Take me from this place and
put me in the place where You are
Overwhelm me Shake the ground I stand on
I want to be dependent on You…on only You.