What an amazing song! Everytime I hear it (especially Crystal Lewis singing it) it moves me to a place beyond myself. I was driving home late this evening in the dark rainy night and I really had to concentrate to drive. I was having a worship service right there in my car! I mean when is the last time you listened to or spoke those words.
"And when I think, that God, His son not sparing, sent him to die, I scare can take it in. That on
the cross, my burden GLADLY bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin! Then sings my
soul...."
I mean WHOA!! That is awesome! I botch up so many things sometimes. I feel like Paul when he talks about doing things that he knows not to do and not doing things that he knows he should do. If I thought for even half a second about Jesus GLADLY bearing my sin on the cross, it might just change some of my day to day, hour to hour behaviors. I am so humbled. If not for grace, how lost I would be. I wonder if I didn't have grace if I would even recognize God's daily blessings to me.
If I began to list them, you would get bored and probably have to confess your jealousy over how blessed I am. What about you? How blessed are you? How do I get up every morning and even THINK about complaining about ANYTHING!? I am so abundantly blessed. I am happily married to the man of my dreams in a time when marriage is made fun of and talked about as an option and 50% (maybe more now) end in divorce. Yet I have the peace of knowing that divorce will NEVER be a part of my life. How can I say never? Because of grace! I have the most precious little boy a parent could ever imagine. He is healthy and thriving and in my humble opinion, brilliant! God has begun such an amazing work in him. Who am I to deserve such a special gift? I live in the USA, which I know these days doesn't seem to be so spectacular, but when considering the other options...Ok, I know you're probably thinking "I thought you weren't going to list them." Well, I had to at least get you started.
"Then sings my soul, My Savior, God, to THEE. How Great Thou Art!!"
Monday, October 10, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Precious Moments
There have been so many precious moments with Tyler this past week that I just HAD to memorialize them so I won't too soon forget. He's just at such a fun age. His drawings are so cute and detailed and pretty amazing, if I do say so myself. He tells us more and more about moments at school and everyday I learn new things that he is doing.
Piano lessons are still the current struggle, but I think he's starting to see that it's here to stay. :)
I took him to get icecream and see a movie last night and the time together was just priceless! I wish I just had a audio/video recording of the entire evening. These are the nights I dreamed about before I was a mother. As we sat in the icecream shop, Tyler shared with me:
"Mommy, Mrs. Jeri bragged on me today at school"
"Really, " I replied. "About what?"
"About my letter of the week folder and how nicely I had written my A's and a's."
"Wow! That's great"
"Yeah, Mommy. It's nice to be bragged on every now and then."
How wonderful is that conversation!!! My heart just melted. We talked about so many things, I can't even remember them all! He was such a little man. We had a great time at the movie, sharing popcorn and a bottle of water. He was upset that we couldn't get Sprite (a new found love of his), but I explained he had probably had enough sugar for the day, and so....water it was!
The movie was "Dolphin Tale" and it was a REAL movie. Sure, kids probably enjoy it, but no animation and a real story line were a bit of a stretch for Tyler. He didn't complain. He took it all in and really payed attention. During a slower part he leaned over and said, as sweetly as only Tyler can, "Mommy, I love you!" Again, my heart was full. Melting actually. Towards the end of the movie he climbed in my lap and we snuggled until the end. The drive home was just as sweet. We talked about reading another chapter in our current book "Peter Pan", and how it was past both of our bedtimes.
Such a precious boy! Just had to share!
Piano lessons are still the current struggle, but I think he's starting to see that it's here to stay. :)
I took him to get icecream and see a movie last night and the time together was just priceless! I wish I just had a audio/video recording of the entire evening. These are the nights I dreamed about before I was a mother. As we sat in the icecream shop, Tyler shared with me:
"Mommy, Mrs. Jeri bragged on me today at school"
"Really, " I replied. "About what?"
"About my letter of the week folder and how nicely I had written my A's and a's."
"Wow! That's great"
"Yeah, Mommy. It's nice to be bragged on every now and then."
How wonderful is that conversation!!! My heart just melted. We talked about so many things, I can't even remember them all! He was such a little man. We had a great time at the movie, sharing popcorn and a bottle of water. He was upset that we couldn't get Sprite (a new found love of his), but I explained he had probably had enough sugar for the day, and so....water it was!
The movie was "Dolphin Tale" and it was a REAL movie. Sure, kids probably enjoy it, but no animation and a real story line were a bit of a stretch for Tyler. He didn't complain. He took it all in and really payed attention. During a slower part he leaned over and said, as sweetly as only Tyler can, "Mommy, I love you!" Again, my heart was full. Melting actually. Towards the end of the movie he climbed in my lap and we snuggled until the end. The drive home was just as sweet. We talked about reading another chapter in our current book "Peter Pan", and how it was past both of our bedtimes.
Such a precious boy! Just had to share!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Where have I been??
Wow! It sure has been a long time since I've blogged. It's hard to find the time just to sit down and chat to myself (so to speak). I guess I'll start with all of the general updates. To date, I have lost a little over 11 lbs and over 16 inches. I feel good. Clothes are fitting nicely. Of course I still have about 9 more lbs to go and I'm not sure what that will translate into as far as inches go, but I'm excited to see :) It's going much slower than I had hoped, but I'm older now and I'm finding that most things are slower now! LOL
Tyler is enjoying Kindergarten. As far as I know, he's doing well. We've read over 65 books together this year. I know this because I have to document each book on a list for his teacher. It's crazy how many times I have to write down that we've read a book. Sad mostly becacuse I am sure we have to do it to help other parents remember that they're supposed to be reading to their children. He is enjoying music and art class that he attends once a week. He has also started piano lessons. He's not so sure he's going to like it, but for now he is conforming to my expectations! His teacher is great with him. I can't wait until he's playing little songs for me. He is also addicted to Nintendo Wii. I know, I know, not MY child, but alas it's true. Most of our family time is spent racing eachother on Mario Cart. It's not so bad, we have a great time and we're teaching Tyler to be a good loser! (NOT!!) He hasn't gotten to that point yet. He still asks every game if we'll "let him win". I think it's funny! When he really gets on my nerves I just run off and beat him. HAHAHA!! Anyway, he's limited to 30 min a day unless we're all participating and having so much fun we just can't take it!
Tyler is truly a joy in my life and I am so blessed that God has loaned him to me. I treasure every moment with that little boy. He's so full of energy and personality. Don't get me wrong, he's a challenge, for sure, but I'm learning to go with the flow a little more and not worry so much about "messing him up". I continue to pray that God will keep him from harm and guide his steps and fulfill his dreams. The prayers that all mothers pray. I pray more that the world changes dramatically for the good before he gets old enough to understand what all is going on. I can't imagine growing up in the public school system that I teach in. I hope things change and quickly!
Last night, Travis and I had the joy of seeing Tenth Ave North and Third Day live in concert at our church. It was so amazing! Such a small venue for such wonderful talent. It was great being at a live concert again. It's been awhile since I've attended a concert of that magnitude. I'm getting goose bumps just writing about it. I posted some pics on Facebook. I could reach out and touch Mac Powell if I wanted to. It was a great night and I'll never forget it. I am blessed to be part of a church that can host such events. Such a worshipful experience and fun just praising the LORD through powerful music!
Hope all of my readers out there are doing well. I'll try to get better about keeping in touch :) Until next time....
Tyler is enjoying Kindergarten. As far as I know, he's doing well. We've read over 65 books together this year. I know this because I have to document each book on a list for his teacher. It's crazy how many times I have to write down that we've read a book. Sad mostly becacuse I am sure we have to do it to help other parents remember that they're supposed to be reading to their children. He is enjoying music and art class that he attends once a week. He has also started piano lessons. He's not so sure he's going to like it, but for now he is conforming to my expectations! His teacher is great with him. I can't wait until he's playing little songs for me. He is also addicted to Nintendo Wii. I know, I know, not MY child, but alas it's true. Most of our family time is spent racing eachother on Mario Cart. It's not so bad, we have a great time and we're teaching Tyler to be a good loser! (NOT!!) He hasn't gotten to that point yet. He still asks every game if we'll "let him win". I think it's funny! When he really gets on my nerves I just run off and beat him. HAHAHA!! Anyway, he's limited to 30 min a day unless we're all participating and having so much fun we just can't take it!
Tyler is truly a joy in my life and I am so blessed that God has loaned him to me. I treasure every moment with that little boy. He's so full of energy and personality. Don't get me wrong, he's a challenge, for sure, but I'm learning to go with the flow a little more and not worry so much about "messing him up". I continue to pray that God will keep him from harm and guide his steps and fulfill his dreams. The prayers that all mothers pray. I pray more that the world changes dramatically for the good before he gets old enough to understand what all is going on. I can't imagine growing up in the public school system that I teach in. I hope things change and quickly!
Last night, Travis and I had the joy of seeing Tenth Ave North and Third Day live in concert at our church. It was so amazing! Such a small venue for such wonderful talent. It was great being at a live concert again. It's been awhile since I've attended a concert of that magnitude. I'm getting goose bumps just writing about it. I posted some pics on Facebook. I could reach out and touch Mac Powell if I wanted to. It was a great night and I'll never forget it. I am blessed to be part of a church that can host such events. Such a worshipful experience and fun just praising the LORD through powerful music!
Hope all of my readers out there are doing well. I'll try to get better about keeping in touch :) Until next time....
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Where has the time gone?
WOW! It's been a while since my last post. The Bennett family is back in full schedule now and we already are missing the lazy days of summertime. This year is proving to be busier than ever. Tyler started Kindergarten. He is doing very well and seems to be enjoying himself. It's going to be a long year for me....he doesn't like to tell me EVERYTHING that happend in the day. I know, I know, imagine what he'll be like when he's a teenager?! I'm learning to listen really closely and savor the moments when he shares even the smallest detail of his day with me. This made me wonder about how God feels when we don't share with Him. I know it's not exactly the same, due to HIS omniscience and stuff....but I imagine that he SAVORS those precious moments when we do share with Him. The times when we really talk to Him about what's been going on in our day, our week, our life. You know, I can always tell when Tyler wants something. He starts talking and sharing and smiling...all the while I'm thinking, what is this strange behavior? What is he after? I hope I don't treat God like that. I hope that I don't just start spending more time with Him when I want something. I'm pretty sure He can see right through that. It's pretty amazing how our own relationships with our children mimick so much the relationship that God has with us. I am overwhelmed by the similarities in the feelings that we must share. I try to be teachable in these moments and not let the lesson go unlearned :)
On a slightly lighter note (no pun intended ;) I have lost 8 lbs and over 7 inches in the past 5 weeks. I am enjoying my Curves membership and working out 5 days each week. I'm actually getting to eat more than I thought I would so my body will have the energy to keep up this rigourous routine. It's been an amazing journey. The lbs haven't been coming off as quickly as I would have hoped, but I'm a bit older now and it's a bit of a different routine. I'm learning to appreciate the muscle tone more and more. I think I show off my newly cut bicep at least twice a week :)
Travis is busy this year as well. He is up for tenure this year and I am sure that we will all feel the stress of that process before too long! He is enjoying his semester and adjusting back to being in charge of drop-off and pick up of Tyler! Can't you just picture it now, all the soccer mom's in the carpool line at school and then Travis, patiently waiting to pick up Tyler. It brings a smirk to my face!! They are having some great quality time in the early mornings and afternoons.
Tyler will start piano lessons the first week of September. He seems excited. I'm excited, so that should count for something!
I'm currently reading The Secret Life of Bees. It is a great way to wind down my evenings. I am going to miss these characters as I wrap up the story. Water for Elephants is next on my list. I am hoping to keep up my reading through the school year this year because it really does relax me at night.
I hope this catches everybody up on our "goings on". Until next time....
On a slightly lighter note (no pun intended ;) I have lost 8 lbs and over 7 inches in the past 5 weeks. I am enjoying my Curves membership and working out 5 days each week. I'm actually getting to eat more than I thought I would so my body will have the energy to keep up this rigourous routine. It's been an amazing journey. The lbs haven't been coming off as quickly as I would have hoped, but I'm a bit older now and it's a bit of a different routine. I'm learning to appreciate the muscle tone more and more. I think I show off my newly cut bicep at least twice a week :)
Travis is busy this year as well. He is up for tenure this year and I am sure that we will all feel the stress of that process before too long! He is enjoying his semester and adjusting back to being in charge of drop-off and pick up of Tyler! Can't you just picture it now, all the soccer mom's in the carpool line at school and then Travis, patiently waiting to pick up Tyler. It brings a smirk to my face!! They are having some great quality time in the early mornings and afternoons.
Tyler will start piano lessons the first week of September. He seems excited. I'm excited, so that should count for something!
I'm currently reading The Secret Life of Bees. It is a great way to wind down my evenings. I am going to miss these characters as I wrap up the story. Water for Elephants is next on my list. I am hoping to keep up my reading through the school year this year because it really does relax me at night.
I hope this catches everybody up on our "goings on". Until next time....
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
A new journey and update on Summer Projects ;)
So, I know you've been dying to find out how the Bennett crew has done on their summer projects. I'm here to tell you that we're coming right along! I can't exacty remember what all I said we were going to do, but here's a list of what we HAVE done :)
Tyler has a new twin loft bed w/appropriate mattress and is enjoying it! It took over 5 hours to put together! It was a birthday present from Nana and Grandaddy! He loves it! It's a space saver in the room and he's growing into being a "big boy"!
A retaining wall has been built around our well head area. Landscaping is still underway, but the hard part is finished. Big thanks to Gary for all of his help! We couldn't have done it without him!
Travis installed over 130 feet of gutter shields! yay!!! No more gardens growing in our gutters :)
We toured the Southeastern US and had a blast! I didn't run the peachtree rd race this year...but there is always next year :) I really think it was for the best. Travis ran and did great! He finished in just over an hour. He's now training for a half-marathon in November. I'm pretty sure he's lost his mind.
Travis turned 35 and we had a great get together at the house! What fun!!
While we were out of town we had 2 pine trees removed from our front yard! That was a HUGE task! Thanks to Richard for all of his hard work and taking care of things while we were out of town. It was so nice coming home to this project already completed :)
I've only read 3 books this summer which is not near as many as last summers total of 15, but my 1st and 3rd books were a bit longer than my usual reads, so I feel like that has been part of the slow pace. I am going back to my quick paced books now, so I should be able to knock out about 3 more before school starts. Also, I have about 3 weeks less this summer so that definitely has an impact on the number of books I get to read. I don't read much during the school year. Too much math going on :)
And last but not least...my new journey that I am embarking on. Of course, I've done this before, but I am hoping this will be the last time! I re-joined weight watchers. I am using the on-line community this time. I am a lifetime member, but they changed the program and so now I am relearning all of the great stuff! I am 10 days in and I have lost 3 lbs. It's not bad at all. I can pretty much eat whenever and whatever I want...maybe not as MUCH as would like....but I just have to decide if the point value is worth the short taste satisfaction. The other major part of this weight loss plan is joining Curves. If you haven't heard of it, it's a womens gym with crcuit training. It's a 30 min workout with aerobic and strength training. Personally, I enjoy it. I get in, get it done, and get out. My kind of exercise. My heart is pumping and I'm sweating and I feel good afterwards. I am definitely not the target audience for this place. I a little embarrassed to say that the majority of the members are over 65 :( or are trying to loose over 100lbs. Not really my peer group, but I'm not really there to socialize :) I'm excited to see the inches and pounds come off. My goal is to loose 25 lbs. Should be a neat experience and you'll get to read all about it right here!!
Summer is winding down. Tyler starts kindergarten ACADEMY on Monday, July 25th. It's a 9 day program from 8-1130 am that introduces him to the routine of his new school. I can't believe it's so soon!! I go back full time on August 4th! I hope to be about 10lbs thinner by then :)
We still have a few projects to finish around the house...but overall, I'm satisfied with our summer. It has been short and sweet. Stay tuned as the new school year begins and our lives take on a different pace. I'm not ready for the change..but hopefully, we'll ease right into a routine and not have too much trauma in the process!
Tyler has a new twin loft bed w/appropriate mattress and is enjoying it! It took over 5 hours to put together! It was a birthday present from Nana and Grandaddy! He loves it! It's a space saver in the room and he's growing into being a "big boy"!
A retaining wall has been built around our well head area. Landscaping is still underway, but the hard part is finished. Big thanks to Gary for all of his help! We couldn't have done it without him!
Travis installed over 130 feet of gutter shields! yay!!! No more gardens growing in our gutters :)
We toured the Southeastern US and had a blast! I didn't run the peachtree rd race this year...but there is always next year :) I really think it was for the best. Travis ran and did great! He finished in just over an hour. He's now training for a half-marathon in November. I'm pretty sure he's lost his mind.
Travis turned 35 and we had a great get together at the house! What fun!!
While we were out of town we had 2 pine trees removed from our front yard! That was a HUGE task! Thanks to Richard for all of his hard work and taking care of things while we were out of town. It was so nice coming home to this project already completed :)
I've only read 3 books this summer which is not near as many as last summers total of 15, but my 1st and 3rd books were a bit longer than my usual reads, so I feel like that has been part of the slow pace. I am going back to my quick paced books now, so I should be able to knock out about 3 more before school starts. Also, I have about 3 weeks less this summer so that definitely has an impact on the number of books I get to read. I don't read much during the school year. Too much math going on :)
And last but not least...my new journey that I am embarking on. Of course, I've done this before, but I am hoping this will be the last time! I re-joined weight watchers. I am using the on-line community this time. I am a lifetime member, but they changed the program and so now I am relearning all of the great stuff! I am 10 days in and I have lost 3 lbs. It's not bad at all. I can pretty much eat whenever and whatever I want...maybe not as MUCH as would like....but I just have to decide if the point value is worth the short taste satisfaction. The other major part of this weight loss plan is joining Curves. If you haven't heard of it, it's a womens gym with crcuit training. It's a 30 min workout with aerobic and strength training. Personally, I enjoy it. I get in, get it done, and get out. My kind of exercise. My heart is pumping and I'm sweating and I feel good afterwards. I am definitely not the target audience for this place. I a little embarrassed to say that the majority of the members are over 65 :( or are trying to loose over 100lbs. Not really my peer group, but I'm not really there to socialize :) I'm excited to see the inches and pounds come off. My goal is to loose 25 lbs. Should be a neat experience and you'll get to read all about it right here!!
Summer is winding down. Tyler starts kindergarten ACADEMY on Monday, July 25th. It's a 9 day program from 8-1130 am that introduces him to the routine of his new school. I can't believe it's so soon!! I go back full time on August 4th! I hope to be about 10lbs thinner by then :)
We still have a few projects to finish around the house...but overall, I'm satisfied with our summer. It has been short and sweet. Stay tuned as the new school year begins and our lives take on a different pace. I'm not ready for the change..but hopefully, we'll ease right into a routine and not have too much trauma in the process!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Feet
Have you ever thought about feet? For some reason I think about them often. I apologize in advance for the frivolity of this post...but I just need to get some stuff off of my mind :) Enjoy!
Feet: everybody has them....well most people. Anyway...they are pretty crazy features of our bodies. What I am most concerned with is the care that goes in to feet. Have you noticed that Walmart devotes almost an entire isle to "foot care products" It's CRAZY! There are creams, scrubs, exfoliates, special inserts for shoes, soaking salts, foot spas, etc. But, despite all of these products, most people do not care for their feet very much. I haven't even gotten to the part about women paying tons and tons of $$ to beautify their feet in spas and pedicures, etc. That's all in ADDITION to regular home foot care.
Now, I realize that writing this is going to cause major scrutiny of my feet, but let me warn you....they are NOT anything to brag about. I try to care for them, keep the toes a pretty shade of red or pink, and even get the occasional pedicure at least twice in the summer and once in the winter. But seriously, to have the kind of feet that I dream of I would need round the clock foot care! In the summertime when we are wearing open toe shoes and flip flops all the days and nights we can, it takes a toll on those precious appendages. Heels become cracked and raw, callouses form, it's just plain awful. Let me stop right here and say that if you DO NOT have this problem....don't tell me! Keep doing whatever you're doing and don't EVER take those beautiful feet for granted!! I have gone to such lengths as to rub my feet down in vaseline and wrap them in socks and zip-lock baggies over night to try to get beautiful results...to no avail! I would need to moisturize my feet every hour (which is pretty much impossible to do) if I wanted to have the foot luxury that I dream of.
If you haven't ever thought this much about feet, I hope that you will now :) It's very important to have proper foot care! I think people think about feet more than they want to confess. Why else would photographers focus in on cute little baby feet for pictures? Feet were meant to be enjoyed!
I will continue to work on my foot care and I hope that maybe you will take the foot care challenge and strive to maintain better looking feet! If you need help, please seek a professional to get you started. Many times it's easier to maintain pretty feet, rather than achieve them yourself. Especially if you wear a lot of sandals :) It's the least you can do!
Feet: everybody has them....well most people. Anyway...they are pretty crazy features of our bodies. What I am most concerned with is the care that goes in to feet. Have you noticed that Walmart devotes almost an entire isle to "foot care products" It's CRAZY! There are creams, scrubs, exfoliates, special inserts for shoes, soaking salts, foot spas, etc. But, despite all of these products, most people do not care for their feet very much. I haven't even gotten to the part about women paying tons and tons of $$ to beautify their feet in spas and pedicures, etc. That's all in ADDITION to regular home foot care.
Now, I realize that writing this is going to cause major scrutiny of my feet, but let me warn you....they are NOT anything to brag about. I try to care for them, keep the toes a pretty shade of red or pink, and even get the occasional pedicure at least twice in the summer and once in the winter. But seriously, to have the kind of feet that I dream of I would need round the clock foot care! In the summertime when we are wearing open toe shoes and flip flops all the days and nights we can, it takes a toll on those precious appendages. Heels become cracked and raw, callouses form, it's just plain awful. Let me stop right here and say that if you DO NOT have this problem....don't tell me! Keep doing whatever you're doing and don't EVER take those beautiful feet for granted!! I have gone to such lengths as to rub my feet down in vaseline and wrap them in socks and zip-lock baggies over night to try to get beautiful results...to no avail! I would need to moisturize my feet every hour (which is pretty much impossible to do) if I wanted to have the foot luxury that I dream of.
If you haven't ever thought this much about feet, I hope that you will now :) It's very important to have proper foot care! I think people think about feet more than they want to confess. Why else would photographers focus in on cute little baby feet for pictures? Feet were meant to be enjoyed!
I will continue to work on my foot care and I hope that maybe you will take the foot care challenge and strive to maintain better looking feet! If you need help, please seek a professional to get you started. Many times it's easier to maintain pretty feet, rather than achieve them yourself. Especially if you wear a lot of sandals :) It's the least you can do!
Friday, June 24, 2011
Summer Projects and more!
Well, I have only been out of school for a little over a week and we have accomplished sooo much as a family! It's great! Tyler attended VBS this week and loved every day. He was so sad to see it end. He thought it should be like regular school and he should go everyday. He is very much like his father and enjoys "routine". The chaos of summer throws him off. But it is good for him to learn self-entertainment and spontaneous behavior :) That's why I'm here!!
As far as projects are concerned, we're checking things off of our list left and right. Tyler has his new twin bed, which tunred out to be quite an adventure! If you haven't been on FB to see the pictures, you should. It was a 5 hour event, but well worth it. Tyler comes out of his room everymorning talking about how AWESOME his room is. It's really cute!
Travis spent a couple of hours going up and down a ladder about 43 times putting gutter guards on the 130 feet of gutters around the house. He was exhausted, but seeing as we had a garden growing out of the gutters, I think the guards are going to be well worth the work. Hopefully, we won't be cleaning those out for a while :) Of course "we" never cleaned them out to begin with. I have a very special friend who would come over and notice the terrible gutters and clean them out for us :) It's good to have mult-talented friends. They come in handy! Speaking of which, I have another great friend who is helping us build a retaining wall around our well head. It's another fun project to check off the list. We've lived in this house almost 3 years and we're finally ready to deal with the outside! Travis and I are not exactly "yard" people. But, we're learning. We're willing to learn and have guided help. Stay tuned. I'll have before and after pictures coming soon.
On a totally different note....I am sure you are all anxiously waiting to hear about my training for the upcoming Peactree Rd race! Well, I am sorry to disappoint, but I have seriously dropped the ball. I haven't been training at all. Sadly, I have not been motivated. I don't know if it's the heat or what exactly, but I haven't wanted to run or walk or do anything! I AM going to run the race! Well, I say run, but mean jog/walk ;) I don't want to throw the towel in. I want to go out there and conquor this venture. I've never been a quitter! It might kill me, but if it doesn't it should make me stronger, right? That's how the saying goes!! I have a few more days to at least walk a few miles and get my body going...but it's not going to be a pretty sight out there. I just hope I don't embarrass myself :) Hopefull, I'll blend right in with the other 60,000 runners :)
I have another summer goal to lose 25 lbs, but again I am struggling with this one too. Of course, if I had been training for the race, it might have helped this goal out a little too,but.... I'm going to hit this one hard here soon. I'll keep you posted! HAHA!!
Another thing I like to do in the summer is read. I've already finished 2 books this summer. Last summer I think I read about 15 books. I don't get to read much during the school year, so I have to get it all in during the summer. I like quick reads. James Patterson is one of my favs. I just read a Tana French novel and it took me a while to get into it, but it finally hooked me. I don't know what all I will tackle this summer with the reading, but I really enjoy the time with relationships I form with the characters. I bond so quickly. I love spending time with them and when I finish a book, I miss them terribly for a few days. I'll be sure to let you know how many books I make it through this summer.
This post has been all over the map! I am just rambling on and on. Hope you don't mind. I have some other deeper stuff on my mind, but I'm not quite ready to post yet. I just hope you'll come back and check in whenever I update! I hope you are enjoying your summer. I am sure enjoying mine!!
As far as projects are concerned, we're checking things off of our list left and right. Tyler has his new twin bed, which tunred out to be quite an adventure! If you haven't been on FB to see the pictures, you should. It was a 5 hour event, but well worth it. Tyler comes out of his room everymorning talking about how AWESOME his room is. It's really cute!
Travis spent a couple of hours going up and down a ladder about 43 times putting gutter guards on the 130 feet of gutters around the house. He was exhausted, but seeing as we had a garden growing out of the gutters, I think the guards are going to be well worth the work. Hopefully, we won't be cleaning those out for a while :) Of course "we" never cleaned them out to begin with. I have a very special friend who would come over and notice the terrible gutters and clean them out for us :) It's good to have mult-talented friends. They come in handy! Speaking of which, I have another great friend who is helping us build a retaining wall around our well head. It's another fun project to check off the list. We've lived in this house almost 3 years and we're finally ready to deal with the outside! Travis and I are not exactly "yard" people. But, we're learning. We're willing to learn and have guided help. Stay tuned. I'll have before and after pictures coming soon.
On a totally different note....I am sure you are all anxiously waiting to hear about my training for the upcoming Peactree Rd race! Well, I am sorry to disappoint, but I have seriously dropped the ball. I haven't been training at all. Sadly, I have not been motivated. I don't know if it's the heat or what exactly, but I haven't wanted to run or walk or do anything! I AM going to run the race! Well, I say run, but mean jog/walk ;) I don't want to throw the towel in. I want to go out there and conquor this venture. I've never been a quitter! It might kill me, but if it doesn't it should make me stronger, right? That's how the saying goes!! I have a few more days to at least walk a few miles and get my body going...but it's not going to be a pretty sight out there. I just hope I don't embarrass myself :) Hopefull, I'll blend right in with the other 60,000 runners :)
I have another summer goal to lose 25 lbs, but again I am struggling with this one too. Of course, if I had been training for the race, it might have helped this goal out a little too,but.... I'm going to hit this one hard here soon. I'll keep you posted! HAHA!!
Another thing I like to do in the summer is read. I've already finished 2 books this summer. Last summer I think I read about 15 books. I don't get to read much during the school year, so I have to get it all in during the summer. I like quick reads. James Patterson is one of my favs. I just read a Tana French novel and it took me a while to get into it, but it finally hooked me. I don't know what all I will tackle this summer with the reading, but I really enjoy the time with relationships I form with the characters. I bond so quickly. I love spending time with them and when I finish a book, I miss them terribly for a few days. I'll be sure to let you know how many books I make it through this summer.
This post has been all over the map! I am just rambling on and on. Hope you don't mind. I have some other deeper stuff on my mind, but I'm not quite ready to post yet. I just hope you'll come back and check in whenever I update! I hope you are enjoying your summer. I am sure enjoying mine!!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Summertime
The end of another school year is just around the corner! I literally have 2 more days to report to work before closing out another year. I can't believe I have been teaching high school math for 12 years!!! Where has the time gone? This year is a little bit different than all of the others. Tyler finished Pre-K this year. He is about to embark on a new journey, one that will take him to new heights and adventures. He is so excited. He is sad about leaving Bright Adventures, but he knows that Kindergarten is going to be a great new experience. But, like only a school teachers child can understand, he knows about summer break! He knows that we will have so much fun this summer. We have adventures planned in at least 3 states!! It's going to be a great time. We are all looking forward to the time of rejuvenation and togetherness as a family!!
Our summer plans so far include: A trip to TN to visit with family there. I've heard that Mimi and Papa are going to take Tyler to the science center....he's going to LOVE that! In fact, just the other day he was explaining to me that he wasn't so sure that the earth was really moving and that he would need to go up to space and look down from up high to see for sure :) What a nut! While Tyler is enjoying science, Travis and I will be living it up attending a U2 Concert in Nashville! WOOHOO!!! Such great fun! Can't wait!
From TN, we head to ATL! We're crazy! Running in a 10K on the 4th of July is just nuts!! But that night we'll be relaxing at Turner field watching a Braves game and taking in some fireworks too!
Straight from ATL we head to sunny FL! Pool time with Nana and Grandaddy! Tyler wants to leave in the middle of the night so he can sleep on the way there and arrive when it's daytime! Nice plan, if you're 4!! We'll see how that all works out!
Of course there will be all of the in between times when we go to Splash Country, hang out at the community pool and play at the park,etc. All sorts of fun activities! The Bennett's LOVE SUMMERTIME! It's going to be a short summer this year, but we'll pack as much in as possible. I can't believe my little man is going to be 5 years old and be in Kindergarten in just a couple of months! WOW!!! God has blessed us with this precious little one and I will cherish each and every moment I spend with him.
Our summer plans so far include: A trip to TN to visit with family there. I've heard that Mimi and Papa are going to take Tyler to the science center....he's going to LOVE that! In fact, just the other day he was explaining to me that he wasn't so sure that the earth was really moving and that he would need to go up to space and look down from up high to see for sure :) What a nut! While Tyler is enjoying science, Travis and I will be living it up attending a U2 Concert in Nashville! WOOHOO!!! Such great fun! Can't wait!
From TN, we head to ATL! We're crazy! Running in a 10K on the 4th of July is just nuts!! But that night we'll be relaxing at Turner field watching a Braves game and taking in some fireworks too!
Straight from ATL we head to sunny FL! Pool time with Nana and Grandaddy! Tyler wants to leave in the middle of the night so he can sleep on the way there and arrive when it's daytime! Nice plan, if you're 4!! We'll see how that all works out!
Of course there will be all of the in between times when we go to Splash Country, hang out at the community pool and play at the park,etc. All sorts of fun activities! The Bennett's LOVE SUMMERTIME! It's going to be a short summer this year, but we'll pack as much in as possible. I can't believe my little man is going to be 5 years old and be in Kindergarten in just a couple of months! WOW!!! God has blessed us with this precious little one and I will cherish each and every moment I spend with him.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
May 26, 2011
I am sure every reader has been anxiously awaiting my next blog post! I can dream, can't I? Well, to be honest, I have been anxiously waiting as well. Waiting to be inspired to share something AMAZING. To document some major life event, even just be excited about something. It's like I have writers block or something. I don't want to let my readers down. But, sadly, my life just isn't that exciting lately. To many, that is probably a good thing and I see the positives in it, but Travis has such a dynamic blog and it is hard for me to not compete with others. It's in my nature! Hence, the following....
My pastor spoke this past Sunday about the trap of "people pleasing" and how we should really be about "God pleasing" instead. It was a great message and I definitely needed to hear it. I am not necessarily a "people-pleaser". I am pretty good at standing my ground and speaking up when I don't agree. I don't let too many people or things intimidate me. However, the conviction came when he started talking about the people who expect to be pleased! OUCH! Yep, you got it. That's where I was stung!! I don't know if it's the educator in me or my up-bringing, or what, but I have VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS!! Pretty much for every person I come in contact with. I expect great things! I expect my students to be respectful and work hard to be successful. I expect Tyler (my son) to behave appropriately at ALL times. I expect my husband to be my dreamy ideal husband ALL the time (who am I kidding? he always is ;o) I expected my parents to be happy and raise perfect children and our family to be a model for the world. I expect my friends to make good decisions. I expect all people to not use profanity. Can you tell that this could get a little out of hand? In education we are taught that if we hold high expectations, the students will RISE to the occasion. As much as this may be true...I have found that the higher my expectations are in life, the BIGGER my disappointments are in life. I can honestly say that I have never met a single person in my 34 years that has not in some way disappointed me. They most likely did NOT do it on purpose...but they did it. Guess what? I've disappointed MANY MANY people in my life too! We're human! I've even had expectations for God and HE disappointed me too! Isn't that just awful!!?? Who am I to say what God should do for me? God knows best! I know that in the end, I will NOT be disappointed. Thank goodness! Can you imagine me showing up in heaven and it not meeting MY expectations? HAHAHAHAH!! But I tell you, sometimes I feel that way. Like I will never be pleased. Why is that? It's not all selfishness. I want what's best for my friends and family. I want everyone to be working to be their best at all times. I want everyone to get along. I do not want Tyler to struggle in life. I do not want him to be a bully or to be bullied, I don't want him to call names or be called names. I want him to read on a 3rd grade level tomororw (ok, by next week) but you see all of this leads to disappointment. What will happen if I am not "pleased" with these situations? Will life, as we know it, end? (maybe in October??)
That is why I am so nervous about this blog. I hold such high expectations for everyone else, that it makes me not want to do things for others because I know my expectations and I imagine that everyone else has the same nature. I do not want to disappoint. So as a humbling experience I am sharing this with all of you. I am praying everyday that I will see the "good" in people. That I will make my business Godly business and not people-pleasing business. I pray that I will give everyone a much needed break and be happy (as much as it depends on me) with whatever God sends my way! I will recognize the "human" in all of us and try to throw a little grace out there for everyone.
Don't worry about Tyler...I know he will misbehave...trust me! He is NOT perfect! I know he will bully and be bullied, he won't read by next week and I'm sure he'll even use profanity at some point when I'm not around! I know that his struggles will make him stronger! I am praying daily for guidance in raising a son who is absolutely in LOVE with Jesus and covered in God's grace! That way, when the trials come that not even I can help him with, he'll be ok!
Thanks for spending this time with me. I hope it was worth it. But even if it wasn't, I am not disappointed :)
My pastor spoke this past Sunday about the trap of "people pleasing" and how we should really be about "God pleasing" instead. It was a great message and I definitely needed to hear it. I am not necessarily a "people-pleaser". I am pretty good at standing my ground and speaking up when I don't agree. I don't let too many people or things intimidate me. However, the conviction came when he started talking about the people who expect to be pleased! OUCH! Yep, you got it. That's where I was stung!! I don't know if it's the educator in me or my up-bringing, or what, but I have VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS!! Pretty much for every person I come in contact with. I expect great things! I expect my students to be respectful and work hard to be successful. I expect Tyler (my son) to behave appropriately at ALL times. I expect my husband to be my dreamy ideal husband ALL the time (who am I kidding? he always is ;o) I expected my parents to be happy and raise perfect children and our family to be a model for the world. I expect my friends to make good decisions. I expect all people to not use profanity. Can you tell that this could get a little out of hand? In education we are taught that if we hold high expectations, the students will RISE to the occasion. As much as this may be true...I have found that the higher my expectations are in life, the BIGGER my disappointments are in life. I can honestly say that I have never met a single person in my 34 years that has not in some way disappointed me. They most likely did NOT do it on purpose...but they did it. Guess what? I've disappointed MANY MANY people in my life too! We're human! I've even had expectations for God and HE disappointed me too! Isn't that just awful!!?? Who am I to say what God should do for me? God knows best! I know that in the end, I will NOT be disappointed. Thank goodness! Can you imagine me showing up in heaven and it not meeting MY expectations? HAHAHAHAH!! But I tell you, sometimes I feel that way. Like I will never be pleased. Why is that? It's not all selfishness. I want what's best for my friends and family. I want everyone to be working to be their best at all times. I want everyone to get along. I do not want Tyler to struggle in life. I do not want him to be a bully or to be bullied, I don't want him to call names or be called names. I want him to read on a 3rd grade level tomororw (ok, by next week) but you see all of this leads to disappointment. What will happen if I am not "pleased" with these situations? Will life, as we know it, end? (maybe in October??)
That is why I am so nervous about this blog. I hold such high expectations for everyone else, that it makes me not want to do things for others because I know my expectations and I imagine that everyone else has the same nature. I do not want to disappoint. So as a humbling experience I am sharing this with all of you. I am praying everyday that I will see the "good" in people. That I will make my business Godly business and not people-pleasing business. I pray that I will give everyone a much needed break and be happy (as much as it depends on me) with whatever God sends my way! I will recognize the "human" in all of us and try to throw a little grace out there for everyone.
Don't worry about Tyler...I know he will misbehave...trust me! He is NOT perfect! I know he will bully and be bullied, he won't read by next week and I'm sure he'll even use profanity at some point when I'm not around! I know that his struggles will make him stronger! I am praying daily for guidance in raising a son who is absolutely in LOVE with Jesus and covered in God's grace! That way, when the trials come that not even I can help him with, he'll be ok!
Thanks for spending this time with me. I hope it was worth it. But even if it wasn't, I am not disappointed :)
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
To run or not to run...
So, a few months ago, my loving husband thought it would be a great idea to register BOTH of us for the PEACHTREE ROAD RACE (10K) lottery! Well, guess what? We BOTH got in! Yes, as it stands now, I am scheduled to run a 10K on the 4th of July in Atlanta, GA. My current thoughts on that are "NO WAY!" But a few weeks ago, I was pumped and ready to start training. I have run a couple of 5K's but 6.2 miles...that's a new story! I don't think of myself as a runner. I do NOT enjoy sweating and unfortunately, if you run for any amount of time, you sweat! I'm running out of time to train for this event. (no pun intended)
I started training and I don't know what happened,other than life. It got hot outside, I got bored, I have a 4 year old....the list goes on. However, if I don't get my butt in gear, I'm going to look like a fool come July! Please understand, I do not intend on breaking any records or anything, I'll just be glad to finish. But out of 55,000 runners, I'd rather not come in last place. Right now, it would be a good idea just to get out there and start moving again...I'll be sure to let you know when that happens. Better sooner than later.
I ran for a good while about a year ago. It was nice. I enjoyed it. I had a decent trainer and I started in a season of cool days and I was able to run right after work. BEFORE I went home and got comfortable and lazy. I felt great! I had more energy, I was happier, more tolerant....why can't just the memory of those feelings be enough to get me going again? I have all the great gear, gadgets, and running stuff you could imagine. Travis runs! He enjoys it! He runs a 5K almost 3 times a week like it's nothing. He even does it on a treadmill most of the time! That's just crazy! The treadmill seems SOOOO boring. But outside around here is just not practical. We can't just walk out our door and start running. We live on a major hwy and the hills (I'd say mountains) are a bit strenuous. I guess if I had a REALLY good TV show to watch, the treadmill would be a possibility. Hmmmmm... Of course, 6.2 miles on a high school track doesn't sound that much better.
I'll try to keep you posted on my progress and I welcome any advice and encouragement :) After all, isn't that what this blog is for?
I started training and I don't know what happened,other than life. It got hot outside, I got bored, I have a 4 year old....the list goes on. However, if I don't get my butt in gear, I'm going to look like a fool come July! Please understand, I do not intend on breaking any records or anything, I'll just be glad to finish. But out of 55,000 runners, I'd rather not come in last place. Right now, it would be a good idea just to get out there and start moving again...I'll be sure to let you know when that happens. Better sooner than later.
I ran for a good while about a year ago. It was nice. I enjoyed it. I had a decent trainer and I started in a season of cool days and I was able to run right after work. BEFORE I went home and got comfortable and lazy. I felt great! I had more energy, I was happier, more tolerant....why can't just the memory of those feelings be enough to get me going again? I have all the great gear, gadgets, and running stuff you could imagine. Travis runs! He enjoys it! He runs a 5K almost 3 times a week like it's nothing. He even does it on a treadmill most of the time! That's just crazy! The treadmill seems SOOOO boring. But outside around here is just not practical. We can't just walk out our door and start running. We live on a major hwy and the hills (I'd say mountains) are a bit strenuous. I guess if I had a REALLY good TV show to watch, the treadmill would be a possibility. Hmmmmm... Of course, 6.2 miles on a high school track doesn't sound that much better.
I'll try to keep you posted on my progress and I welcome any advice and encouragement :) After all, isn't that what this blog is for?
What's gotten into me???
Well, what can I say? I took the plunge! I've started a BLOG!!! I can't imagine where this is going to take me,but I've had a lot of time to think lately and I need to start writing it out so I can sleep at night :) If you decide to follow this blog, I will not make any promises. I have NO idea about the content. I imagine some days it will be an outlet for whatever is bothering me at the moment and other days just a "heads-up" about what's going on in my life. I bet some recipes will pop up on here every now and then as well as some pleas for parenting advice. For now...this is my attempt at documenting my growth (spiritual, intellectual, parental, spousal, etc.) in a somewhat tangible way. Stay tuned! (if you dare)
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