Senior trip

Friday we leave for Houston for The Final Four basketball game tournament.
We r so excited! I think it was last year when we talked about tKimg a last
"family vacation" before aj graduates. Not a trip to see family but a vacation
Of his choice. He thought going to the final four would be great. So we put in
For the lottery and we got tickets! And now I can't believe the trip is here.
When i first started this blog I was writing about my feelings with all these
"last" things we were experiencing w aj graduating. And when the year first started
I was so sad about it. But as the year has gone on I don't feel that way. I am excited
For him. I know he is ready and I am ready for this new season in our relationship.
This trip will be fun for us all as we all love basketball. And to top it off we get
To have some warm weather.

Reminder...

This morning I was reading in my devotion about giving it all to God especially in this crazy world that we live in.  Things can seem to get so out of control and we feel like we are just spinning out of control on some ride that we can't get off.

Last night, Randy and I were talking about how we were at Darien Lake a few years ago and we decided that it would be "fun" to ride The Superman Roller Coaster.  We both get motion sick so I don't know what we were thinking!  Well, as soon as I got locked onto that ride and we started making that climb up the VERY steep hill, all I kept thinking was, "I want to get off.   Someone make this stop.  I've made a terrible mistake even getting on here!"  But it was too late.  I thought I was literally going to die going down that first hill.  I am afraid of heights and still not sure why I thought that I could go on this ride.  Anyway, I felt so out of control and sometimes life throws things our way and we just feel so out of control.  I know that I should depend on God for all my needs.  But the truth is that a lot of the times I don't.  I try to do it myself. 

We are trying to sell our house and I feel out of control with the situation.  I know that God has the perfect timing for us and that He will work things out.  It may not be exactly what I had planned or my way but I know in my heart that He has things under control.  Still I can't help having those feelings of impatience or anxiousness creep up into my soul.

Here's a quote from what I read.  I like how she wrote it:

"There are ten bazillion things that compete for our attention and clutter our faith: emotions, materialism, negative thinking, overbooked schedules, doubts, legalism, laziness, self-reliance, our past pains and failures, technology, work, our need to control things, finances, debt, stress,  addictions, discontentment and relationships. And I’m just getting started! This list could go on forever.
 
The Bible instructs us to direct our silly-dizzy days toward God. “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans” (Proverbs 16:3, NIV)."


God gives order in our chaotic world.  He gives me peace when things are cluttered and not going my way.    I just have to remind myself of this sometimes!

You Are...

You are the cheese to my macaroni
You are the horizon to  my sky
You are the bacon to my eggs
You are the laces to  my sneakers
You are the jelly to my peanut butter
You are the smile to my face
You are the gravy to my mashed potatoes
You are the bubbles to my bath
You are the milk to my cookie
You are the ink to my pen
You are the ketchup to my french fries
You are the water to my ocean
You are the icing on my cupcake

Saw this poem and loved it!

anniversary

Yesterday was our 24th anniversary!  I just can't believe it's been 24 years!  We had such a nice evening out together.  We went to dinner at a restaurant on the Lake that has wonderful food.  The setting was so relaxing and the food to die for!  Randy was so cute, he went and got a new outfit for our date!  And he put together a playlist on his ipod of all our favorite songs.

College Preview Days

Last week, I had the pleasure of taking AJ to Florida for a college visit.  I know that my friends here did not have much sympathy for me leaving this very frigid winter that we've had so far and heading south to warmer temps.  But hey, someone has to do it!  Anyway, it was really good to spend some one on one time with him before he leaves for college this summer.  Those times are rare these days.

As we visited the campus, I almost forget that what we are really doing is laying the groundwork for his life...one that will lead away from us.  I have to remind myself that this trip isn't about me and my dreams.  As we spoke to professors, sat in classrooms, walked through the library, I couldn't help but be excited, part of me wishing that I could step right back in time.  I went to community college and that was exactly what I wanted at that time in my life.  But, I'm so excited that this is the place that he has chosen and will be at.  I guess I can live vicariously through him.  We talked about how beautiful the campus was, the opportunities in the program that he has chosen, and somehow by sharing my enthusiasm with him, I can also share in his experience.  The point of the visit is to solidify his choice.  The one that feels like a good fit to him.  As he looked at schools, his criteria was that it wasn't too big, it wasn't too small, and that they had a good sports management program.  Oh and that the food was good too!  He loved everything about the school.  Everything they did was excellent.  We had a great time and he feels such an excitement and peace about his choice.

As I am looking back over this past year, I am realizing how much he has changed and matured.  And I am so proud of him.

frustrated

So now that I am working full time, I was really looking forward to having today off.  No real plans.  Maybe shopping for the day.  Maybe a movie.  Who knows.  Then I was reminded that today was the day that the cheerleaders had to go to Oswego (30 min. away) at 2pm to play Bingo at an adult living facility.  Now, I don't have a problem with that activity.  It's just that Rachel can't drive so that means that any plans that we had today are over because I have to drive her to Oswego and then wait while she plays Bingo.  So instead of doing fun things I get to spend 2 and a half hours in the middle of the day trying to find something to do while I wait for her.  I guess I will grocery shop.  Not really high on my list of things that I wanted to do today.  And because we live so far away from everything, I can't really just go early to the mall because there isn't enough time.  Oh well.  Pity party for me! lol  Why do schools plan things on the kids day off?  Can someone explain this to me!

changes are coming!

Now that I'm working it seems I have less and less time to be blogging.

We have been getting soooooooooo much snow here lately!  I'm not complaining, I'm just saying!  In fact, December was a record amount of snow for this area!  And in light of that, my parents decided that they couldn't wait until after Christmas to go to Fl. so they abandoned us and left!  So we thought about our Christmas this year and how different it would be with just the 4 of us.  And it seemed kind of weird and lonely.  So, we decided to head on down to Fl to be with all of our family this year.  And I have to say, it was pretty wonderful.  We really didn't see our frineds this time just family.  It was such a nice treat for us all to be together on both sides.  That hasn't happened in years.  The sunshine wasn't too bad to see either!  Been missing it :)

These are a few pictures from Christmas Eve with Randy's family:
                                                     Brad, JT and Randy

Marissa, Rachel, and Jessica

the cousins

our family

the whole gang!

After we came back to the snow country, we made a huge decision!  We've decided to move back to Fl! I really never thought that that would happen.  First of all, when we left Fl the market was so high that I thought we could never afford to move back.  And really we love living here.  When people ask, it's hard to pinpoint the main reason.  I guess there really isn't just one reason why.  Like when we left Fl to move here it was beacuse of 4 hurricanes in one year! lol  Anyway, we came home and just felt like it was the right time for us to go back.  And life is too short to sit around and wait.  Our family is all there and AJ will be going to college there and the market is at an all time low and we could get a really good deal on a house.  So all that plays into our decision.  But ultimately, we just feel like Fl is home.  It is so beautiful here and we have great friends but there's no place like home!  So we put the house up for sale on Monday and we've had one family come and look so far.  We'll see what happens. 

AJ turned 18 in January!  I can hardly believe that!  I know we all think this but it just seems like yesterday that we brought him home.  And now he's going to be leaving us this year to go to college!  For his b'day he wanted a tattoo.  So he found one he liked and got it.

It's on the inside of his upper arm.  It says always family or family forever in Italian.  I really like how it turned out and I especially like that he picked something that means so much to all of us and is so important in life.  Your friends are there for a time but your family is always there.

We celebrated at PF Changs with Josiah and Eleonore.  Then on Sunday we went to Chili's and they boys went and got tattoos!

We will see what 2011 holds for us!  Looking forward to all that God has in store for our lives!