Gentle Reminders

So twice today I heard or saw this verse at random times.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6.

I have been struggling with giving things to God and allowing myself to be stressed over things that I absolutely cannot control. I believe with all my heart that this is God's way of reminding me that he has it under control and I just need to trust Him.

Thank you Lord for gentle reminders of your presence in my life. Help me to remember that You are my rock and my salvation and that no problem is too big for You. Thank you for the blessings that come out of the struggles in my life. Amen!

My poor car...

Last Saturday (the Saturday before Thanksgiving) I had just gotten in the shower when the hubby called to tell me he had been in an accident. He was coming to a stop at a red light when a lady in a Dodge Charger backed up from a pawn shop parking lot into him. He got out to talk to her only to discover she didn't speak much English (or pretended not to.) I told him to call the police and tell them to send out someone who spoke Spanish to interpret for them. For whatever reason, he chose no to do this but a man working inside the pawn shop was able to translate. The woman claimed that hubby had hit her but just wanted to exchange information so she could be on her way. The pawn shop worker was kind enough to make copies of her driver's license and insurance for hubby and we then spent the entire weekend trying to get a hold of her company.

So hubby gets home and I see the damage to my fender. He tells me he didn't call the police and shows me the copy of her info and I get a little worried. Her license is an out-of-state one and her insurance is from a company I have never heard of. I was afraid she was going to be an illegal with fake papers. I know that is a terrible conclusion to come to but that was my first thought. We did find out that her insurance is real and they just happen to be closed on weekends. So on Monday the hubby keeps trying to call. In the mean time I get an email from our insurance company saying a claim had been started. Great...she is obviously trying to blame hubby. He hears from her company and starts a claim. Turns out I was right and it wasn't even her that started the claim but her parents. My husband calls our insurance that night and tells them his side of the story. They ask him to take it immediately to an adjustor nearby. When he returns he tells me that the adjustor said there is no way it could have been his fault. The next day her insurance calls him informing him that their client's side of the story is opposite of his. As my husband points out, how can I have side damage and she have back bumper damage if I hit her? After this I am upset so I call my insurance company to find out what happens next since we are both claiming opposite stories. The adjustor explains to me how that Eric is not at fault based on the damage but that first they have to inspect her car since there isn't a photo of it. I said we do have one and she tells me how to send it to them. She then walks me through the steps of what will be happening next as they work with the lady's insurance company to get our car fixed. I feel so relieved and am so thankful for a company that will take the time to answer my questions and explain to me the process. The next morning our adjustor (not the previous one I spoke to but the one assigned to our claim) calls hubby and tells him that they have indeed decided he is not at fault and they will be fighting her insurance company for repairs. I don't know what is going to happen next but I hope that after the other insurance is presented with the evidence that they realize it had to be her fault and they step up and get my car fixed. The estimate we got is $1500+ to repair and part of that is because I have two-tone paint which is extra. My car will take a minimum of 4 days to repair and I also hope that her insurance will provide a rental. Otherwise I will have to borrow one of my parent's cars and I would rather that be a last resort.

I know a car is just a car and I am so thankful that the hubby wasn't hurt. The car is fixable and it will just be a minor inconvenience. What aggravates me is that this woman took no personal responsibility and tried to blame my husband for something he did not do and had no control over. Hubby has been in two wrecks where he was at fault and he immediately took responsibility for his actions (and we are paying higher premiums for it, I might add!) Had he been at fault he would have admitted it and we would be on our way to having her car fixed and paying more higher premiums. However, we believe that is what you should do. Take responsibility and also take the consequences for your actions. It seems that less and less people are taking responsibility for themselves and everyone is always playing the blame game. Maybe if we would all just be a little more responsible and a little more willing to suffer the consequences things in this country would turn around. My words of wisdom for today: Every action has a consequence. Choose actions that will result in good consequences but be honest and own up to your actions even if it will result in bad!

Awards & Rainbows

Yesterday was the 4th Annual St. Matthew United Methodist Church Monk Awards. It is a big deal at my church and I think it is a pretty cool event. The church has awards commissioned through a local artist and they are exquisite! We liken it to the Oscars so dressing up and buying fun, new accessories for this special occasion was exciting (at least for me - I got new shoes, a decorative hair barrette and earrings!) There are three nominees for each category and once you win you cannot win again - unless you are given the Lifetime Achievement Award. I think it is a neat way for the church (and all of us) to show appreciation for the others in our church family who help our church run smoothly! Eric and I were nominated for the Come Unto Me Award which is given to those who volunteer within the Children's Ministries. We teach the 6 & 7 year old class and all I know is that I am learning as much from the kiddos as I hope they are learning from us! They are so smart and inquisitive and even though they are sometimes rowdy (we have only one girl who comes regularly so the 5 to 7 boys can get quite excited!) they are always thinking things through and coming up with the right answer! And, also, being mostly boys they are extremely competitive which sometimes leads to Miss Valarie saying raise your hands to answer the next one! LOL! Anyway, back to the Monk Awards - the minute I heard the other nominees I knew that we would lose out to one of our worthy co-nominees and she deserved it as well! She teaches the youngest Sunday School class and is very good at it! She has been teaching for a long time and I would have to say she is one of my mentors. When I have a problem with how to approach something she is very helpful. I was so happy for her! All the winners (and nominees and EVERYONE in the church) are amazing and I am so proud to be part of the St. Matthew Family! And what is an awards ceremony without a Gala afterwards?!? It was wonderful to sit and have fellowship with my church family after such a joyous occasion!

Now on to rainbows. As I was getting ready I could tell through the window that it was sunny outside. So imagine my surprise when I realized my windows on my car were wet and I was getting sprinkled on. I turned to look at the clouds only to find the brightest, most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen looking as if it were sent to sit just over my house! Isn't it amazing what God can do with some light and some rain drops?!? I have been under some stress and praying about some things and that rainbow reminded me of God's awesome splendor and I know that everything will be okay even if is not necessarily the way I want it to be! Do I think that rainbow was sent just for me? Yes and no. I believe that God sent that rainbow this morning for many people who needed a reminder of his awesomeness but I think I was one of those people. And that my friends is having faith in God's plan for our lives!

What signs have you received that have given you peace? Feel free to share in the comments section!

Lord, I want to thank you for the church family you sent Eric and I to. We know that they will be there for us anytime and I hope they know we will be there for them! I praise your name for them! And Lord thank you for reminders of your awesome glory!
In Jesus name, Amen!

Bad moods and what to do about them

I have been in a bad mood for about a week. I have had to force myself to be nice to people (and I can guarantee that at home nice is not how my hubby would describe me this past week.) I am not even completely sure what has put me in this mood, but I have decided that I am tired of it. So I just googled (yes, I googled): "What does the Bible say about being in a bad mood?" I ended up on a Web site (http://www.victorious.org/) and a Check Your Attitude blog from a Dr. Dale A. Robbins. As I read the blog it gave me some insight into my bad attitude and also gave Bible verses related to it. Then it gave 3 steps with accompanying Bible verses about how to develop a good attitude.

This blog made me think. Here I am going through my week in a bad mood and I could have been in a good mood if I had just prayed about it and given it all to God. Even though I am unsure what is causing my mood had I bothered to let God help me with it I would probably be in a much better mood than I am in. And that of course made me realize that if I would involve God in all of my hindrances I could be free from them. Not free of the responsibility of them (i.e. I must still pay my bills) but free from the excessive guilt and burdens I feel from the weight of the responsibility. Why is it so hard as humans to ask for help? When did we decide we were invincible and that we don't need anybody and especially not God? When did I decide that I could do things better than the Almighty Lord who created the heavens and the earth? Now it is time for me to step back and remember that I was made in His image but I was not made to be Him. I believe that God does give us tests and some of those tests come with pain and tears but like I said in a previous post - He never promised to keep us from hurt but to hold onto us when hurt came. I must remember to be more humble and less willful. "Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world." Psalm 46:10 (New Living Translation)

Lord, please forgive my pride. Please help me to remember that you are the Almighty and that I cannot even compare to you! Help me to seek You out when I need you and to praise you for all of the blessings I have received but also for the trials I have seen for they help me to know you better. In Jesus name. Amen!

Sacrifices

I heard a commercial this morning. The man was asking who is going to reward you for all of the sacrifices you have made in your life for others. His answer was you will reward yourself and in this particular case you will do it with a Lexus. This irritated me (not because of the Lexus part.) Are we as a society now saying that we shouldn't make sacrifices for others because it is the right thing to do or because we love someone but because we want a reward from it? I truly doubt this is what God wants to see. I teach Sunday School so I should reward myself with a new pair of shoes every week for sacrificing my time for the children. Um, NO!!!!! I teach Sunday School because I am trying to teach God's littlest lambs to grow in their faith. I know my faith isn't perfect and I struggle dearly but I am trying. And I want these kiddos to know God and know that He is always there for them. The Bible talks about doing things for others but in none of the verses I have read does it say but make sure you reward yourself after.

Some Examples:
Galatians 6:10 - So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Acts 20:35 - In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

These are just two examples. And I know that it talks about doing good works in the Lord's name and that your reward will be life in Heaven. However, what I am talking about is expecting worldly rewards. I fear that as our society becomes more worldly than we have ever been than the crime and corruption that already seem to be rampant will worsen. So, what is a Christian to do? Does this mean we are never allowed to have nice things? No. It means that we should things for others without expecting anything in return and that we should work for the things we want. Just make sure that you have your priorities straight. God, church, family and friends - these are more important than any one thing in the world. God will provide. It may not be the way you want it but He always will. I truly believe this and that, my friends, is called faith.

Unsure

I hate being unsure. I have been unsure about one thing in particular for months (maybe even a year) now, but today I was given information needed to make my decision. It doesn't make it any easier but it is not anything I wish to discuss in a public forum. However, the decision has been heart wrenching and I wrote this poem today to express how I feel and to remind myself that no matter what I am feeling I know that God's presence will help me to find the strength to move on. (Please understand as you continue that I am no poet.)

I'm drowning in a sea of deception.
Another wave of lies overtakes me.
I scream for help but no one is there,
At least no one that can see me.

And then His hands are upon me,
He gives me strength and hope.
I feel his peace, love and truth
And know that I have an invisible rope.

I want to dwell in Him,
For my whole life through.
I want to be His shining light
And live as His Son taught me too.

It's a little raw, and I am not completely sure it is finished but it just poured out of me today and I wanted to share it. I am sure everybody feels this way at some point so maybe, just maybe, this will help someone.

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. ~ Philippians 4:13

I am always held!

I have something going on in my life that has proved to be more of a mountain than a molehill. I am trying to praise God for the trials he gives us, but that is easier said than done! Then a dear friend posted this blog and got me to thinking. I have blessings all around me and all I am focusing on is the negative. This thought led me to thinking about a song that says it all. God never said he would shelter us from all evil. He never said we wouldn’t face the death of a loved one or the loss of a job or any other scary and sad things that come our way. He did, however, promise to hold us in His hands while we grieve. We just have to remember to praise him through it all. Like in Facing the Giants (a great movie if you haven’t seen it) – we will praise him when we win and we will praise him when we lose. Below are the lyrics and they have made me feel immensely better as did my best friend’s blog! Love ya girl!


Held sung by Natalie Grant


Two months is too little
They let him go
They had no sudden healing
To think that providence
Would take a child from his mother
While she prays, is appalling
Who told us we'd be rescued
What has changed and
Why should we be saved from nightmares
We're asking why this happens to us
Who have died to live, it's unfair
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held
This hand is bitterness
We want to taste it and
Let the hatred numb our sorrows
The wise hand opens slowly
To lilies of the valley and tomorrow
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held
If hope if born of suffering
If this is only the beginning
Can we not wait, for one hour
Watching for our Savior
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held
[Repeat Chorus]

Weight

If I googled the term weight I could find many Web pages about dieting fads and the latest trend (HCG comes to mind.) I could probably find sites about bariatric surgeries, exercise equipment and countless Miracle Weight Loss Products! What I want though is site about how to really lose weight and keep it off.

I have struggled with me weight since I was 7. I became an emotional eater after my biological father died. I still very much am an emotional eater. When I was living at home my mom made sure to watch my portions although there was a lot of sneak eating and some crafty hiding places for food wrappers. When I moved into the dorms (because my mother made me so I could have the "college experience") all of the sudden I had freedom and my own refrigerator. I bought the worst stuff I could to eat, ate out a lot and didn't make wise choices in the cafeteria. And it seems there was always late night pizza! It just got worse and worse and I quickly gained weight. And I kept gaining weight. I won't tell you my high but I decided it was time to do something in 2008. My mom helped me pay for the Lap Band. The six months I had it I did great and dropped about 100 pounds. Then it slipped and had to be repositioned. After that it seemed I could eat more food so I did. I went through a lot of stress and it culminated last year when Eric's grandma got sick. Let's just say hospice was called in and we had a long road ahead of us. At some point Eric and I became her primary evening caregivers and I would tend to her first and then eat junk (Taco Bell is so easy sometimes) and would eat it late (9 is never a good time to eat dinner.) The weight kept creeping back up but I am proud to say I never got back to my beginning weight.

I am so tired of being tired and feeling lethargic. So I decided to do some research. The best way to lose weight is portion control. Easier said than done, I thought. I had heard of people tracking their calories but that seemed like such a pain. Then a friend told me about an app that let her just put everything in her phone. Well my phone is crap but I looked around online and found an online calorie tracker that I like. I have been counting calories, measuring my food and making sure I have healthy snacks since August 1st. I even bought measuring cups and spoons to bring to work! I have not deprived myself but instead of eating a whole sleeve of Oreos I allow myself the serving size. I even just allowed myself a Snickers but I am going to have really watch dinner.

Since August 1st I have lost 7.2 pounds. I only weigh on Mondays. No point in doing that everyday...it kind of makes Mondays better when you see you have lost 3 pounds since the previous Monday! Next, I plan on starting on exercise program - probably at the Y. The more you burn the more weight you will lose. I finally feel like I am on the right track!

My Country

I emailed one of my Congressmen last week. I gave him 5 suggestions for fixing the economy and getting the nation back on track.

1. Stop using my tax dollars to send money to other countries.We have our own problems right now and need to worry about the United States before it falls apart. Use that money to pay off our debts and fix our infrastructure.

2. Make welfare temporary. Welfare recipients have a certain number of months to get a job. If someone wants to better themselves by going to school I would rather help pay for that then for the same person to get knocked up six more times. No one is going to be paying for my children and no one is paying for me to go to school. Why should I pay for everybody else? And to even get on welfare their should be drug tests.

3. 15% flat tax rate for individuals with no tax breaks. We should all pay equally based on what we earn. No loopholes for the rich to not have to pay.

4. Pay cuts for the House, Senate and President. There is no reason for them to be making so much money. And don't even get me started on their benefits!

5. I actually at the moment can't remember the 5th one. It could have been about illegal immigrants, but for some reason do not think it was. I don't think trying to deport all of them would be the answer. One suggestions would be to allow the ones who have not been trouble makers but who are just trying to live their lives to become citizens with these provisions: they learn English and they pay some back taxes. Start out giving them all a green card. If they pay their back taxes or are at least trying to pay and don't get arrested for two years then they become American citizens. Send all of the ones back who are trouble makers and seal the borders for new illegals.

Understand that I am not an expert in politics or money, nor am I racist. I just believe that things should be done properly including going to a new country. Politicians should be listening to the people, not the lobbyists. They should also do everything in their power not to spend more than they make and they should cut frivolous spending. It is every one's responsibility to take care of our country. So let's do it!

School

I just finished my summer class. I feel like I did well on the final but I only needed a 53% to get an A. I can't believe how fast this class flew by! I now have 36 hours left to my Bachelor's degree. I am studying Human Resource Management. When I graduate in Spring of 2013 (I am only going part-time since I have to work full-time) it will have taken me 14 years to obtain my degree.

I graduated from high school in 1999. I was accepted into the University of Oklahoma and went for my first year in college. I came from a high school of 96 graduates and all of the sudden I was thrust into classes with almost more people than my high school. It was a HUGE change for me and I didn't like it. I really struggled there. Plus, I lived in the dorms because my parents made me and I wasn't happy about it. I lived close enough to commute but my mother wanted me to have the "experience." Don't get me wrong...I met some great people, but I didn't want to live there.

After my summer Chemistry class I found out I was going to have to have my gall bladder out so I withdrew from my classes and took that semester off...which turned into a couple of semesters. I finally enrolled back at the local community college where I changed majors three times before finally completing an Associates degree in Business. At that point I still wasn't sure what I wanted to do so I chose to not go to school until I figured it out. That was 2004. It wasn't until 2010 that I stepped foot back in a school.

I finally decided that HR was were I wanted to be and I started researching my options. The University of Central Oklahoma seemed like a good match so I applied. I was accepted and after getting advised found out that I only had 51 hours to graduate (I was thinking more along the lines of 70+.) Yay! So far, I have made As in all of my classes and am looking forward to the upcoming semester. First, I am taking an online intersession that starts tomorrow and ends 10 days later. Then I will take 6 hours in the fall. After that it will be 9 in the spring, 3 in the summer, 9 in the fall and 9 in the spring. I am hoping some of those could be intersessions! I could also try to do 2 8-week courses and 2 more 8-week courses. We will see how it pans out when the schedules come out! All I know is that I am ready to be done! Of course, if I suddenly come into a large amount of money I will quite working and go full-time and be done even faster! Anybody want to donate to my cause? ;-)

Have faith

I have wanted to be a mother for as long as I can remember. I was the typical girl as a child. Baby dolls and pink! A lot of my playtime involved being a stay-at-home mommy while my husband was a lawyer, doctor, or any other profession that involved money...what can I say? Anyway, I would "give birth" to my babies, make them birth certificates, give them beautiful names, get them baptized (did I mention I was also the preacher?) and then I would take care of them. I think there was even a short period of time that I turned my mom into a doll babysitter.

I am 30 now and still have not had children. I believe that God has a plan and that he hasn't yet deemed it time to bless me in that way but that doesn't reduce my yearning. And it doesn't help that it seems people all around me are pregnant or have just delivered. A dear friend just had a handsome little boy and a high school friend was just blessed with a daughter. I am going to a 1st birthday party this weekend as well.

Now don't get me wrong. I do not wish to belittle these blessings for my friends. I am just describing my yearning. This post is aimed at believing that God will provide, but in His own time. And he may never provide for me the way I want Him too. Instead of biological children, he may at some time provide me with children we adopt. Or he may send me into the path of becoming a foster parent. That has crossed my mind before. Maybe he just wants me to be the best auntie I can be and work with children through my church, as I do now teaching Sunday School. I cannot say what His will is at this time but that does not mean I cannot continue to hope that he will bless me with a child brought forth from my womb. However, until that day I will keep believing in and worshipping my God. I will continue to try and follow the path that I believe he has set for me and trying to live by example to others in my life. I really hope I am setting a good example.

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Phillipians 4:13

Something to think about

"If we thanked God for all the good things, we wouldn't have time to complain about the bad."

A dear friend gave me one of those little flip calendars* with daily inspirations on it for my birthday in May. The above quote was yesterday's inspiration and boy did it make me think! I, for one, certainly do a lot of complaining. I complain about the heat, the dog hair, bad drivers (yes it is them and not me!), rude people in the grocery store...the list goes on and on! However, I don't praise God enough for my blessings. The fact that I have air conditioning, my 4 healthy dogs, that I have a car and do not have to sit in the heat waiting for the bus, that my mother taught me to polite to everyone around me...that list goes on and on as well. So I think I need a change of attitude. I am not saying that today I am going to magically not yell at the moron nice person in front of me acting like they have never driven before or that I will never again say it is sooooooo hot! But I am really going to try to think about my actions and words. And I am going to try to be more positive and spend more time thanking God for what I have been blessed with - instead of complaining about the "terrible" things in my life...which aren't so terrible compared to the plight of others.

Has anyone else ever felt this way? If so, what kinds of things have you done to change your behavior? Just wondering...


*Barbara Johnson's Daily Splashes of Joy

This And That

I am feeling a little out of sorts. Summer is flying by and so my Summer class is almost over. The final is a week from Monday. I then start an online Intersession class followed by 6 hours in the fall. All of this while working full-time and trying to decide whether or not I am going to take a temporary job in the fall. You see, the past two years I have worked as a ticket taker for the University of Oklahoma. I actually enjoy it even if it only pays minimum wage. You get to see all types of people (people watching at its best!) and you even get some time to enjoy the game. However, I just feel like there is so much already on my plate. On the plus side, the hubby said that instead of putting the money in savings like I have been doing I should cash the checks, put them in a clothing envelope and then go shopping! I think I will probably save them all up and get some new shoes...if I decide to work the games. There are several negatives to not working them. 1. No new shoes (or not the good, expensive kind). 2. Once you have worked 3 seasons you could become a supervisor the next year which is more pay. 3. I would have to watch the games on TV and sometimes you can't beat watching from the stands...even if it is only for a few minutes. I only have a few more weeks to make up my mind because it won't be long until they start taking the apps for this season.

Another thing that has been on my mind is my faith. I know what I believe. I believe in God, His Son and the Holy Spirit. The problem I have been struggling with is feeling God's presence in my life. I know He is there but sometimes I wish I could see him. I know that I can "see" him in the flowers and the bees and the trees and in the miracles that are my family but sometimes I wish I could see Him right in front of me...even as a burning bush. I find myself struggling to want to go to church - not because of my church family - for reasons that I will not share on a blog. Normally, Eric and I teach Sunday School, but I had to take some time off from that. We have been doing it for two years straight. We took the summer off but our Children's Director is asking when we are coming back and I am not sure I want to. However, we promised we would be back so back we will go. I guess the first Sunday of August is as good a time as any. I think I just don't feel worthy of God's love and maybe that is why I can't feel him.

Well that is enough of that for today. Now for an exciting moment! One of my dearest friends in the whole world gave birth to her 2nd child Saturday and he is so handsome! Congrats to the new family of four and love to you all! :-)

My Pap

Today is my Pap's birthday. I love that man something fierce! He is my dad's dad...my dad passed away 23 years ago this month. Every summer, starting the summer my dad passed, my mom would send my brother and I to our grandparent's house in Pennsylvania (flying as an unaccompanied minor is AWESOME! You used to get to go into the cockpit and meet the pilots.) We would spend 2-6 weeks there doing fun stuff with our grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. There is always so much love - when I go back its like I never left and always feels like I am going to where my heart is. Don't get me wrong...I love Oklahoma and this is where my mom and my incredible step dad are (he stepped in and raised me when my dad passed; however, this post is about my Pap and I will post at another time about my step dad!) But being in Pennsylvania is like an alternate universe. My cousins and I always pick up right were we left off and my aunts and uncles and grandparents always plan adventures - even though I am 30 now!

So, back to my Pap. Some of my best memories are road trips with my Pap and Grandma. There is the one where we went to Washington D.C. where my dad is buried and on the way back my brother and I began arguing about where Harper's Ferry is. My brother said West Virginia and I said Virginia and my Pap got sick of listening to us so he drove to Harper's Ferry to prove one of us right. He didn't though! My brother was right about it being in present day West Virginia but I was right about it being in Virginia when the revolt there took place. If you don't know your American History regarding the Civil War then you will just have to Google it. Then, there was the time (also in Washington DC) where we parked on the street where it said we could but we all read the sign wrong (I was probably 11) and as we were walking back to the car we were laughing about another car that had parked up on the curb. When we finally got to our car we saw it too was parked up on the curb, not in the street where we had left it, and also had a ticket. Apparently the sign was supposed to tell you to move before rush hour or else they would move you (I promise the sign was not clear!) Then there was the time we drove to Titusville which is where the very first oil was struck in Pennsylvania. There I rode on my very first locomotive. That town was really interesting!

My point is that I love my Pap (and my grandma too!) and I wish I could spend more time with him and her. My husband and I want to try and go to Pennsylvania for Christmas. Pap has had some health issues in recent years and while he is strong as an ox right now he does have trouble communicating because of a clogged carotid artery a few years ago. I just feel like I need to spend more time with them...as much as I wish they would live forever I know that at some point they will have to go home and be with the Lord - and I may not be ready for that day!

First Blog (clever title, right?)

Hello. I am new to Blogger and thought I would write an introduction blog. My name is Valarie (no last name - I am cool like that! Just kidding. I will not be sharing my last name.) I live in Oklahoma - in the OKC metro - and work for the State. I am married to an electrician, Eric. We have 4 dogs - a boxer-Katie, a dachshund-Oscar, a rat terrier-Cookie and one I will refer to as the black one because of her unknown heritage (her name is Dora.) You will probably see blogs about them on occasion. I am currently trying to finish my Bachelor's in Business Administration with an empahsis in Human Resource Management. I should be finished in May 2013. Woot Woot!

I guess to finish out my short introductory blog I would like to give you my new favorite quote: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." ~ Maya Angelou