What a week. My Dad was put in the hospital on the third with another attack. He has been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. He is doing much better now (Got out of the hospital on Sunday evening) and is in much better spirits now that he knows what is wrong with him and has the medicine to deal with the problem.

Christmas is coming. I am *almost* done shopping...Almost is a big word for me though. I have always been known to spend too much at Christmas time. At 6:00pm on Christmas Eve, if I still have $5 in my pocket, I will be in line at the local Wal-mart buying just one more (or two or three...or more) presents. Lots of kids to buy for so this holiday season should be lots of fun for me :o)

Speaking of the kids, things are going good. Although this can be a bad thing at times, I am the type of Mommy who doesn't stand by and let my kids be treated unfairly. (Ask my oldest son's 2nd grade teacher...She still leaves a store if she sees me come in)...I'm quite dramatic, for sure, but if I don't stand up for us, who will? Growing up in the south taught me two things: You take care of family and you are never a push over. I follow these rules to a T. I've always admired the early 1900's and thought that if I lived in that era I'd be the daughter riding side-saddle behind my Daddy watching his back. No fears. My Mommy now jokes about how I carried a ponytail holder in my pocket ready to battle anyone who bullied my siblings (I am the oldest of five.)

Some things never change.

I got some really bad news today. At 2:00am this morning actually. My Mom called to tell me she had just got home from the ER with my Dad. He was nearly in a diabetic coma (we didn't even know he was diabetic) and was having heart trouble. He is at the doctor as I type getting insulin. Please pray for my Dad as well as for my entire family.

Such a long time since I have had a moment to post...And, oh my, how things have changed...

Since my last post so much has changed. Jeff proposed...I said "of course"...I will soon have an apartment in his town...Jeff's babies are with him...(yay!)...and I now work from home. It's really awesome. After getting laid off from my job as Program Manager of a marketing firm last year I was worried about how I would be able to juggle taking care of my children and working. Fortunately, I had registered on America's Job Bank while getting unemployment from the job I had held for five years and I received a very welcomed call from a Telecommunications company in the upper mid-west. I was working for them within a matter of weeks and loving it. I am able to set my own hours, make $14/hour plus bonuses while I am working, not have the costs of daycare (thank God) and have more time to spend with my children! It's so incredible to be able to wake up, get the kids on the bus and walk up to the computer in my pj's and be at work!

Life is good...and I give God all the glory for all he has made happen for me lately. I know that God brought Jeff to me and my sons. He is all I could have ever hoped for in a husband. I know that God is working in our lives in so many ways. Thank you.

As for Brian and Matthew, they are so excited to have a new soon to be step-sister and two soon to be step-brothers! As for Jeff and I, having five in a home is no real shock...I grew up as the oldest of 5 children...Jeff was the youngest of 5...Of course, this is a completely different scenerio with he and I being the "adults" now...(and I do use the term adult loosely! haha!) But I know that with God on our side all things are possible.

Well, back to work for me! Laters!

Today, my little boy, Brian, was saved...I had gone with Jeff to Atlanta and called to check on them from the court house in Gwinnet County...Jeff was filling out paper work to try to bring his babies home...I wanted to make sure everyone was doing well...Brian had some news for me. "Hey Mommy, I got saved last night."

I started jumping up and down and screaming and crying...in the middle of the Gwinnet County Court House...I didn't care who saw but I did care that everyone knew. I just began telling everyone around the great news...He was so happy...and obviously so was I. I knew Jesus had been talking to his heart for awhile...and my little boy finally answered him.

Please remember my son, Brian, and my entire family in prayer...and thank God for this miracle!

No updates from me in awhile now...Things are quite hectic at this point in my life but they are "good"...

I have a part time job now, in addition to doing my own design work. Doing this AND trying to raise two children on my own gets slightly "hectic" at times, however, the Lord has sent me an "outlet".

I am in love. Now, don't say "Not again!" because I can honestly say I have never felt this way. I am completely and totally in love. For the first time in my life I can look into someone's eyes and get that "feeling". He looks at me and smiles and says "I love you"...and it completely takes my breathe away.

I love him deeply. He has my heart and I can only pray that he keeps it.

I love you sweetie. Thank you for showing me the meaning of love.

THE LORD'S PRAYER


Our Father who art in heaven.

YES?

Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.

BUT -- YOU CALLED ME.

Called you? No, I didn't call you. I'm praying.
Our Father who art in heaven.

THERE -- YOU DID IT AGAIN!

Did what?

CALLED ME. YOU SAID, "OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN." WELL, HERE I AM... WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?

But, I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind of like fulfilling a duty.

WELL, ALL RIGHT. GO ON.

Okay, Hallowed be Thy name...

HOLD IT RIGHT THERE. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

By what?

HALLOWED

It means, it means ... good grief, I don't know what it means. How in the world should I know? It's just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?

IT MEANS HONORED, HOLY, ABOVE ALL OTHERS

Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what 'hallowed' meant before. Thanks.

BEFORE YOU GO ANY FARTHER, DO YOU KNOW WHAT MY NAME IS?

...ah.... Lord?

NO, THAT'S A TITLE,

well! GOD?

NO THAT' S WHAT I AM. YOU ARE MAN, I AM GOD

oh, I know --JESUS!!!!!!

NO !!!!!!!!!! THAT IS MY SON'S NAME
JEHOVAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IS MY NAME AND NO ONE ELSE WILL HAVE THAT NAME BUT ME LOOK IT UP IN AN OLD BIBLE AT PSALM 83;18
NOW CONTINUE

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

DO YOU REALLY MEAN THAT?

Sure, why not?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?

Doing? Why, nothing, I guess. I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control of everything down here like you have up there. We're kinda in a mess down here, you know.

YES, I KNOW; BUT, HAVE I GOT CONTROL OF YOU?

Well, I go to church.

THAT ISN'T WHAT I ASKED YOU. WHAT ABOUT YOUR BAD TEMPER? YOU'VE REALLY GOT A PROBLEM THERE, YOU KNOW. AND THEN THERE'S THE WAY YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY -- ALL ON YOURSELF. AND WHAT ABOUT THE KIND OF BOOKS YOU READ?

Now hold on just a minute! Stop picking on me! I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at church!

EXCUSE ME. I THOUGHT YOU WERE PRAYING FOR MY WILL TO BE DONE. IF THAT IS TO HAPPEN, IT WILL HAVE TO START WITH THE ONES WHO ARE PRAYING FOR IT. LIKE YOU -- FOR EXAMPLE.

Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others.

SO COULD I.

I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those things. I would like to, you know, be really free.

GOOD. NOW WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE. WE'LL WORK TOGETHER -- YOU AND ME. I'M PROUD OF YOU!

Look, Lord, if you don't mind, I need to finish up here. This is taking a lot longer than it usually does. Give us this day, our daily bread.

YOU NEED TO CUT OUT THE BREAD. YOU'RE OVERWEIGHT AS IT IS.

Hey, wait a minute! What is this? Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups.

PRAYING IS A DANGEROUS THING. YOU JUST MIGHT GET WHAT YOU ASK FOR. REMEMBER, YOU CALLED ME -- AND HERE I AM. IT'S TOO LATE TO STOP NOW. KEEP PRAYING.

..pause...

WELL, GO ON.

I'm scared to.

SCARED? OF WHAT?

I know what you'll say.

TRY ME.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR EX?

See? I knew it! I knew you would bring him up! Why, Lord, he's told lies about me, spread stories. He never paid back the money he owes me. I've sworn to get even with him!

BUT -- YOUR PRAYER -- WHAT ABOUT YOUR PRAYER?

I didn't -- mean it.

WELL, AT LEAST YOU'RE HONEST. BUT, IT'S QUITE A LOAD CARRYING AROUND ALL THAT BITTERNESS AND RESENTMENT, ISN'T IT?

Yes, but I'll feel better as soon as I get even with him. Boy, have I got some plans for him! He will wish he had never been born.

NO, YOU WON'T FEEL ANY BETTER. YOU'LL FEEL WORSE. REVENGE ISN'T SWEET. YOU KNOW HOW UNHAPPY YOU ARE -- WELL, I CAN CHANGE THAT.

You can? How?

FORGIVE HIM. THEN, I'LL FORGIVE YOU; AND THE HATE AND SIN WILL BE HIS PROBLEM -- NOT YOURS. YOU WILL HAVE SETTLED THE PROBLEM AS FAR AS YOU ARE CONCERNED.

Oh, you know, you're right. You always are. And more than I want revenge, I want to be right with You... (sigh). All right...all right...I forgive him.

THERE NOW! WONDERFUL! HOW DO YOU FEEL?

Hmmmm. Well, not bad. Not bad at all! In fact, I feel pretty great! You know, I don't think I'll go to bed uptight tonight. I haven't been getting much rest, you know.

YEAH, I KNOW. BUT, YOU'RE NOT THROUGH WITH YOUR PRAYER ARE YOU? GO ON.

Oh, all right. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

GOOD! GOOD! I'LL DO THAT. JUST DON'T PUT YOURSELF IN A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN BE TEMPTED.

What do you mean by that?

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

Yeah. I know.

OKAY. GO AHEAD. FINISH YOUR PRAYER.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BRING ME GLORY -- WHAT WOULD REALLY MAKE ME HAPPY?

No, but I'd like to know. I want to please you now. I've really made a mess of things. I want to truly follow you. I can see now how great that would be. So, tell me ... how do I make you happy?

YOU JUST DID...

I'm so bored today. There is literally nothing to do in this town. I must move to some where more exciting. In my 30 years I have done some extensive traveling and the town of Middlesboro just no longer excites me as it once did. I mean, there's only so many times you can walk outside, look at a tree and say "Wow...That is SOOOOOOME tree..." I remember well the day that my journey began...

It all started in the small town of Barbourville, Kentucky. I had purchased my trusty cowboy hat at a flea market for the amazing price of only 5 bucks and I felt the need to find a cow...Get your frickin' mind out of the gutter. I wanted to take a RIDE on a cow...Dang it, I said GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER!!! We were traveling along the highway when I finally spotted the most beautiful spotted moo cow alive. So, I just had to get a shot...




I left the gas station that day feeling unsatisfied...I couldn't just stop there...So, the next morning I packed a bag and headed to Africa. It was there that I hung out with the locals, had my hair braided and had these shots snapped on Betty, the town elephant and Beltzer, a local giraffe.





Three days in Africa was plenty for me, though. So, I traveled to Australia...Sunbathed and frolicked with the Kangaroos...



Man, was that ever fun.

But, my journey did not end there!

Last summer, I took a trip to the Smokies where I wrestled a bear with my bare hands, then tamed him and taught him to say, "Mandi, you are the most intelligent chic in the universe." To thank me for showing him the light he allowed me to get this picture of us chillin...




But then who could forget my trip to Saudi Arabia...This next shot was taken about 5 minutes after I back-slapped Osama Bin Laden and took his camel, Bessie...who was ironically pregnant even though there weren't any boy camels around...Hmm...



But now, here I am...Trapped in my hometown of Middlesboro...Trying to find something to do...I yearn to travel...I crave excitement...However, of course, I could CREATE excitement... Turn the 'Boro upside down like I did a few weeks ago...

Check me out...running from the cops after I knocked over a local gas station...See that smile? That's a chic having fun...

It is notable that you can see my 10 year old son in the bottom right hand corner pointing to a clearing for me...because he's just cool like that.


Okay...Okay...So, the pictures aren't real.

Obviously I got EXTREMELY bored today and worked a little magic in PSP.

*sigh*

In reality, my life is much more exciting :)