Miss K Makes A Difference

During church services today, we got to see a slideshow of pictures comprised from a missions trip completed by Pastor's daughter, Miss K. In the past, Miss K has shared life experiences and stories with the church after coming back on break from college. In the past, Papa H and I have talked about how articulate she is when she speaks. Today was no different. She was calm, collected, poised, confident, and humble.

Before showing the video series of pictures from Halifax, she told us about the '5 Dollar Blessing Night'. In essence, the teens were each given 5 dollars that they had to pass along to someone else in need. Instead of giving the money away directly, Miss K opted to use her 5 dollars to buy a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter for a homeless man. I was moved by this idea and I thought about making this a family event for the H Family from time to time. (What an amazing blessing this can be! What a great way to remind people to be kind and compassionate to a stranger in need. A blessing for the person receiving the gesture...and also a blessing for the person passing it along to help someone else in need.)

Miss K is evidence that just one person can make a difference in this world. Imagine if we all took some time to reach out to a stranger in need. The impact would be amazing!

It's obvious that Pastor and his wife are doing an exceptional job with their children. Each one of them has been a blessing in my life so far...and I can only imagine how many other people this family has impacted along their way. I am very grateful that we have had the opportunity to know the L family.

She's back at home...

“Many teens initially run away and in doing so, become easy prey for kidnappers, molesters, pimps, and other predators. It’s easy for runaways to end up becoming a victim.”~NJ Police

We all have struggles in life and we all deal with them differently. Some people stay...and some people run. Our 14 year old neice, K, decided to run (again). We just received good news that she was brought back home today by the police after being gone for almost 2 days with no attempts to call home.

I'm sad. I'm sad because I don't think K realizes how much she is loved and cared for. I'm sad because I love her and I only want the best for her. I'm sad because I'm worried that she is going to head down a path that won't have a nice ending. I'm sad that she has no idea what type of impact she has on people.

K is kind.
K is funny.
K is gentle by nature.
K is loving.
K is unique.
K is playful.
K is an amazing artist.
K is intelligent.
K is beautiful.
K is LOVED more than she could possibly know.

No Doubt About It...God Is Good!

Have you ever not wanted to do something...and then all of a sudden, it really started to weigh on your heart and you couldn't explain why? That's exactly how I've been feeling for the past year. Let me explain...After getting out of college with a degree in Education, I never had a desire to be a teacher. I know it sounds funny but I was terrified at the idea and I didn't feel prepared enough to be in that type of position.

Looking back on the years since my graduation, I can see an outline of how I managed to get where I am today...and for once in my life, it makes sense to me. After college, my mindset was not where it needed to be. I was not in a good spot in my life and I had no idea what I wanted to 'be'.

I began working at a large insurance company and quickly moved up the chain of commands and eventually landed a Training position for their company. After giving birth to PQ, I wanted to be closer to home so I began working for a company located right in my home town. I have worked for that same company over the past 4.5 years and I have gained extensive management experience and ongoing medical/health/community exposure.

I began teaching Sunday School at our Church last fall. Out of the blue, I was prompted to start teaching Sunday School (by Papa H and L)...and in turn, I began to have a greater desire to teach in the school system again. I began praying about my desires and I asked God to please lead me in the right direction. I asked God to please show me why I had been dreaming of teaching and I asked Him to show me what he desired for me in this life.

About 1 month ago, I decided to apply for a position through the local school district. The district was looking for a Part Time Health Coordinator (overseeing the development of the health curriculum for the entire school district). I landed an interview for the position...and just today, I accepted the position! I am excited about the opportunity and I'm nervous as well.

When I look back over the past 9 years, I see that His plan was taking motion. Little by little...experience after experience, my life was taking shape. I feel blessed to have had such amazing experiences up until now and I feel content in knowing that He has a plan for me.

The 3 R's

I took a half day from work today and it was AWESOME. I love being able to spend extra time with PQ during the week. We decided to take a walk to the library after lunch today. PQ signed up for the Summer Reading Program and his goal is to read (or have us read) 100 books by the end of the summer.

While we were walking home from the library, PQ saw a nasty piece of trash (a filthy, plastic bottle that had been mangled). He bent over to pick it up and I immediately said DON'T TOUCH THAT, PQ....IT'S NASTY! The confused look on his face was memorable. He quickly said MAMA, I HAVE TO PICK IT UP SO WE CAN PUT IT IN THE TRASH. I then got lectured from PQ about someone littering and that we all need to help keep the Earth clean.

There it was staring boldly in my face. He was right! We do need to pick up trash when we see it, even if it is gross. Perhaps my immediate reaction was something that was engrained in me when I was younger...don't touch other people's trash. But perhaps a new mind set would be a great example for PQ. Heck, PQ was a great example to me today.

We eventually found a trash can where PQ could dispose of 'his' trash. After throwing out the nasty bottle, PQ and I started to sing "The 3 R's" by Jack Johnson. Papa H has a few of the Jack Johnson CD's in his car so we often listen to this song while driving. I've linked the song below. Please take a few minutes to listen to the song. It's amazing what children can remind us of...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnLZDbaoqC4


Speaking of Jack Johnson(and not even closely related to the 3 R's)...There is another song by Jack Johnson that Papa H likes to listen to because he says that it reminds him of me. It makes my heart melt. I need to share this one with you while I'm talking about Jack Johnson. AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME song. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Y9yZYZWf0

A Very Nice Night Indeed.

Papa H took some time this evening to just say THANK YOU. It was nice. It was unexpected and I think that's why it meant so much to me. He thanked me for being supportive of him. He thanked me for helping him through his weight loss plan (he's lost 25 lbs so far). He thanked me for being a source of encouragement to him.

It's the little "thank you's" that really mean a lot. The one's that you don't hint about...the one's that catch you off guard. I love feeling appreciated and tonight, I felt just that way. I'm proud of Papa H and I'm thrilled about his results. He continues to be motivated and I enjoy watching him marvel at his progress.

A very nice night indeed.

The Power of Friendship...

We all have 'titles' in life. Grandmother. Grandfather. Wife. Husband. Sister. Brother. Aunt. Uncle. Daughter. Son. Cousin. Regardless of our 'title' or 'role', we all have people that look up to us. People that inspire us. People that help us get through tough times. With all of these 'family titles', another comes to mind...Friend. Often times, our friends are not our blood relatives but they are indeed part of the Family.

This past weekend, my sister-in-law and my 10 year old nephew completed a 180 mile bike trek over the course of three days (~60 miles each day). The purpose of the race was to raise money in support for the American Lung Association. A total of 1800 bicyclists signed up for the trek. Mr. G and his daughter, Little G signed up as well (in honor of their own family member and to support D-Dawg's family). In addition, Crash and B-Tizzle signed up for the trek to stand by and support their friends, Titi and D-Dawg.

When we showed up on Saturday, I was immediately moved by the whole situation. Balloons everywhere, clackers clapping, volunteers shouting, bikers everywhere, and families supporting one another. It was awesome. This was day two of the trek and people were supporting one another in a way that you would have thought the trek was over. The camaraderie of it all was amazing. An experience that I hope to never forget.

Today was day three of the race. The bikers woke up early and headed out for the last day of the trek. They biked in the drizzle...and they biked in the pouring rain as well. Each time I saw the pack of bikers from their team (Titi, D-Dawg, Crash, B-Tizzle, Mr. G, Little G~and even Uncle L filling in at times for those who needed a little break), I felt an overwhelming amount of respect for each of them. They each had their own reason for the trek but regardless of their individual reasoning, they all showed us that the power of a friendship can influence many people.

Some of my favorite quotes from the weekend trek are:

Beaner: (At the rest stop)"They have healthy snacks like chocolate because it's good for your heart."

Uncle L: "My wife is amazing."

Memie: "This is REALLY moving."

PQ: "That's Hard work"...or another one from PQ was "Bye-Bye, Titi-Girl"

Crash: "I've got to put my boot back on"~(As an FYI...Crash has a broken foot yet STILL made the trek in honor of Titi's father. Amazing Job, Crash!)

Papa H: "It's amazing what people can do when they come together for a cause."

Looking back on it all, I'm very proud of each and every one of them. Titi, D-Dawg, Crash, B-Tizzle, Mr. G, and Little G. They accomplished something extremely powerful today. FRIENDS SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER TO HONOR AND RESPECT A GREAT MAN WHOM WE MISS DEARLY.

Happy Father's Day, Pampa!

*We have video footage but we can't seem to link it to the blog...sorry. If anyone wants to see it just let us know!*

PQ gets a job...for a minute!

One hour deep tissue massage with hot stones. Oh yes, that was the beginning of my evening. A gift certificate (from Papa H and PQ for Mother's Day).

Before the big event, I was talking to PQ about going to my appointment. He piped up and said MOM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO...I CAN GIVE YOU A MASSAGE FOR FREE. Oh boy, what a treat...he sat me down on the couch and literally 'touched' my shoulders. That's it...that's all...that was his idea of a massage. HILARIOUS! After giving me my 'lengthy massage', he asked me to do it on his back so he would know how it felt. As soon as I started rubbing his shoulders, he says OOOOH...I NEED TO MAKE MY OWN APPOINTMENT.

Hilarious...so funny. PQ cracks me up!

After my 'real' massage, we met up with Country Mouse and Uncle S for some ice cream at the local parlor. Papa H had rum raisin...PQ had a lick (literally just a lick before it fell in the grass) of Black Raspberry (because Uncle S was having that as well)...Country Mouse chose kahlua brownie-NAH, orange pineapple-NAH, strawberry-YES...and Mama H had chocolate. It was a good time had by all. :)

A great day indeed. I'm hoping to have the digital working by this weekend so we can link videos on the blog. Wish me luck!

Redneck continued...

Yes, Country Mouse...I can share the PALE SKIN story...hahaha

The other night while we were eating dinner, Papa H said "Buddy, you're such a white boy (because of his pale skin like Mama H)"...and before anyone could say another word, PQ said "Dad, I'm not a white boy...I'm a REDNECK!"

Redneck at heart

Well, here goes:

PQ got in a little bit of trouble this evening (I know it's hard to imagine). He decided that it would be cool to talk back to his mama, which is obviously not okay with me. He was sent to his room where he needed to think about what he could have done differently. (Uh, how about changing the whole conversation with your Mom!!???) I let him stay in his room for a while, even though he kept saying 'MOM..I KNOW...I THINKED ABOUT IT'. After giving him some space (and taking a few deep breaths of my own), I went in to find him looking through the pictures in his Bible. (How can I honestly be mad at this point?)

After talking to him about the sequence of events that led up to his punishment, he quickly asked me if he could stay in his room and color. I immediately said YES.

There was one specific picture that I wanted to share on my blog (above). It's a picture of Grampa H going hunting. (For those of you who don't already know, PQ is a redneck. He loves everything that has to do with being a redneck. He loves hunting, fishing, NASCAR, tractors-basically anything that has an engine. We're not sure how it all happened but I think Grampa H likes knowing that PQ is one of his own kind.)

In a nutshell, Grampa H is PQ's idol. He looks up to him and he wants to be just like him some day. I love the relationship that they have. I love the fact that he looks forward to going to visit. I love the sincerity of their relationship. It's awesome.

This is for your Grampa H...(you look amazing for only having one leg...hahaha)

25 Years Later...

I was talking to a friend today about Chinese Jump Ropes and I immediately thought about Beaner. I wondered whether she would think it was a fun toy or not. After giving it some thought, I really do believe that she would have a blast with a Chinese Jump Rope. (Now I just need to find her one...and if she hates it, I think I might know a few ladies that might partake in a little Cat's Cradle with me...hahaha) I remember spending hours with mine when I was a child. I brought it everywhere with me. In-Out-Side-Side-Step...I remember it like it was yesterday.

Times are changing...the things that entertained me (us) in the 1980's will always be legendary in my mind. For that reason, I decided to remind each of you of a few of my favorite things from the 80's. I hope that they bring back fond memories from your pasts. As I go through a few of my favorites, I can't help but wonder what type of impact PQ's 'favorites' will have on him in 25 years.

*I was in LOVE with Kurt Cameron...I swear I had every magazine picture of him taped to my walls. Growing Pains was one of my favorite shows in the 80's! It's a reminder to me (as I look back on it all) that every family (whether it's on tv/fictional or not) has it trials and tribulations. In the end, it's all about how we deal with issues that arise. It's about loving everyone in your family regardless of what choices they have made. It's about lifting one another up. It's about supporting each other. It's about the 'growing pains'...

*And how can we forget this guy? Come on, he could do amazing things with gum and fingernail clippers (that just happen to be in his pocket). MacGyver...perhaps he is the reason why I fell in love with how handy Papa H is!!?? Papa H is my MacGyver-2008 style. (It's okay to laugh...I'm totally laughing out loud as I'm writing this...hahaha.)

Lastly, the Flinstones! A simple story about a family (Fred, Wilma, Pebbles, and Dino). A simple story about their ordinary life and their friendships with Barney, Betty, and Bam-Bam. Growing up, I always thought I looked like Pebbles...and somehow I always wondered if I would find my very own Bam-Bam. For those of you who know Papa H, he definitely fits the mold. My Dad actually refers to Papa H as a BULL IN A CHINA CABINET because he can lift large amounts of weight. He's rough when he's working and for that reason, I might start calling him 'My Bam-Bam'. (I doubt it will fly with him so I think I will stick to PAPA H from here on out.)

As I look back on the Flinstones, I see a simple family who tackles each day that is given to them. They live in a home with no windows. They peddle their car in their bare feet. They carry their meat back to their homes on the top of their car. Fred kisses his wife when he comes through the door. Pebbles runs to her Dad when he returns. Yes, they have their struggles but so don't we all. It's all about how we allow the struggles to affect us. I challenge each of you to sit back and reflect on your lives. We have what we have because it is a gift. We are who we are because we have a purpose. We choose our attitudes because we can. Life is amazing...and I hope that this blog entry was a sweet reminder of how tv life can really mimic our own lives. Step back and look at your life. Does it make other people happy to watch it unfold? I sure hope so.

An ode to Mamie

Let me tell you a little diddy...Papa H has an older sister (Mamie) that he loves to share stories about. As much as Papa H and Mamie differ in their sides of the childhood stories, there is one story that I love to chuckle about. It's about the ongoing battle of whits in the family when they were younger. Papa H and Uncle M used to do things to make Mamie angry/upset/frustrated/annoyed (yes-sometimes all of the above at the same time). After hitting the point of no return, Mamie would grab her curly black hair and yell 'YOU'RE MAKING ME CRAZY'!!!!!!!!

Many years have passed since those childish days when poking fun at one another was the main focus of the day. As much as Papa H still loves to harass his older sister from time to time, he does love her dearly. She has helped him a lot in the past when he was struggling in life. She was reliable and she remained a constant in his life.

So for all those times when he was MAKING HER CRAZY, let's just be reminded of the course of life....what goes around comes around. Papa H will have his day...don't you worry about that!

We love you, Mamie!

PQ and Shirley

Sky Bean had a game last night. So fun. Mama H yelled over and over...any chance she got to cheer on the little miss.

PQ met a few new friends at the game and we think he met his match...a girl version of him (let's call her 'Shirley'). Picture it, she had fun, curly, blonde hair that was sort of Shirley-Templish. She was probably 4 or 5 years old. She was a little dirty around the edges (you could tell she loved getting dirty). She had on a dress with shorts underneath and she just so happened to be wearing black boots (yes~the one's that go all the way up to the knees)....it was hilarious. PQ and Shirley ran around like lunatics talking about bugs and pretending that it was raining poop...not sure why they would pretend that poop was falling out of the sky but they had a blast.

Shirley hucked a baseball and nailed PQ in the head (about 2 feet in front of her)...she didn't mean to...she just had really bad aim. Poor thing. PQ was devesated and Shirley felt awful. She knew that she needed to apologize but she felt embarrassed. They finally made up and all was forgiven.

Later on that night on our way home, PQ said BASEBALLS ARE HARD. Why, yes they are!!!

Blessings

What a weekend!!!!! We were non-stop all weekend. (I am hoping to have some pictures posted later on this week...stay tuned!)

Friday night was a PREP night for PQ's birthday party on Saturday. Mama H and Papa H were up pretty late making food. Papa H managed to score a few (several) spoonfuls of the leftover homemade frostings. Mama H made homemade butter cream frosting and homemade peanut butter frosting. (Two different cakes, considering the # of people expected on Saturday.) We also ended up meeting the owners of the 'Bouncy House Business'...they seemed like great people. Very personable, very approachable, and very considerate of PQ. Turns out, they're Christians as well. They're currently looking for a new church home. We wish them the best in their search!

Saturday was AWESOME! PQ had his party and the bouncy house was a HUGE hit. I have to be honest, I had to most fun in the bouncy house near the end of the day when it was drizzling. By the end of the bouncy session, we (Mama H, PQ, Mrs S, Princess E, Ry, A-man, and Tony) were soaked! We laughed non-stop!

Saturday night was Bible Study at the J's Family home. We're doing a Bible Study on Finances. I shared some pretty sensitive feelings with the group. I've come to a point where I am realizing how blessed I am with what God has given us in this life. For a while, I struggled with the perception of material things...and it's amazing to look back and see how the Lord is working in my life. I am blessed with many things...things that are much larger than this life. I am very proud of my life...I'm honored to have such an amazing husband...I value the job that I have as a mother...and I'm thrilled that I have been so blessed.

This morning, I taught Sunday School. I love our group of students (grades 4-6). I have such a great time teaching...and I feel blessed to be in a position where I can minister to these kids. During Sunday service, I cried the majority of the sermon. I kept looking around at various families. I kept thinking about people's circumstances. LF was playing the piano (and somehow, he makes me cry every time). I felt overwhelmed with blessings yet again today and I wept because of it all. Just when I start to think that my circumstances are anything but amazing, things start making sense to me. WE ARE TRULY BLESSED!

Psalm 23:1 Because the Lord is my Shepard, I have everything that I need! He lets me rest in the meadow grass and leads me beside the quiet streams.