Friday, December 12, 2008
You may think....
You may think the snow last night here in Spring Hill was really cool and fun (which is was!), but did you know God sent it to US? The Campbells? Let me explain...
The past few days at our house have not been fun. There have been certain children and adults who have been behaving very badly (no names to protect the guilty). Friday morning I ended up taking the girls to school in the pouring down freezing cold rain, which was another whole problem. So while we were driving I was trying to calm myself and the girls down and just started talking to God about everything (out loud) and how we were very sorry for the way we had been acting and that we needed to be reminded that when we saw this yucky cold rain we should think of it instead of just His peace just pouring down on us. The day continued to go not so well for about another hour, then things perked here at home. I think they went better at school too.
After school I was taking the kids back to school for a little fundraiser/Christmas shopping trip and when we got out at about 4:30 it was SNOWING!! Not just spitting, but downright big, huge flakes that quickly stuck to everything and by the time we got home around 5:30 (after a stop at Pizza Hut!) we probably had about an 1" or more. It was amazing! The kids were just wild with excitement and played outside some, then came in and got hot showers and had yummy pizza. There was peace in the world again.
We got the call after they went to bed that there would be no school, so when Roger and I went to bed I informed him NO ONE was setting an alarm clock! He had already planned to be off today. It was so wonderful to be snuggled down in our warm beds with no pressure about anything. Everything from the past week of behavior, homework, tattletelling, present buying, lack of a washing machine, time pressures just faded away. This doesn't happen often around here.
This morning as I was lazily waking up, the LORD said to me, "snow...in the Bible...this is for you..." So I looked up all the verses on snow and the one is Psalms just really jumped out at me. "Cleanse me and I will be whiter than snow." Ps. 51:7 The LORD just said to me...."The Campbell family has been cleansed of their sins from this past week and are now whiter than snow."
Friday, December 5, 2008
The mom song
I know, 2 posts in one day, please don't have a heart attack....just had to share this funny, it is so me!
O:)
Melissa
O:)
Melissa
I have a confession....
I didn't want this to happen. I tried to avoid it. But it happened nonetheles. I am addicted to Facebook. (low hanging head, heavy sigh) When I first got on all those months ago it just looked like a way to lurk at your old friends and see what is going on. But now, oh now, I go searching all over trying to find more people and more people I might know to add to my every growing friend list. Granted, sometimes it is fun to go and see what faraway cousins are doing, or my brother and nieces are doing, or find groups to join, but before I know it I have spent an hour or two delving into all these peoples lives when my own housework is falling apart. As my friend Ashley said, "I don't really care what my neighbor is doing tonight..." So, I have made a commitment that I hope will last, at least through the holidays. From now it will simply be Facebook Friday. As in, no looking at Facebook on any day but Friday. No peeking, no casual lurking, no nothing. So, if any of you are on Facebook and see me posting on any day but Friday, you have every right to fuss at me, either my phone, e-mail, or in person.
By the way, (heehee!) if any of you are on Facebook and are not in my Friend List, please let me know so I can add you! But only on a Friday!
O:)
Melissa
By the way, (heehee!) if any of you are on Facebook and are not in my Friend List, please let me know so I can add you! But only on a Friday!
O:)
Melissa
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
God and the crock pot
For those who have known me long enough, you know God speaks to me in all different ways. Today it was the crock pot, one of my very favorite kitchen appliances, right up there with my George Foreman grill with removable plates.
God has sweetly and gently been talking to me about how much I do outside the home and how much I am not doing in my home, and how if maybe I let go of some stuff outside the home, I wouldn't feel so stressed and crazy. I really don't like Him saying what He is, but I know it is spoken in truth and love. I have even been slowly opening myself up to the possibility of this, but have been very unsure about what it looked like. When I think of "doing it all for your family first" I think of being a slave, as such, for everything they want and not getting anything I want. (I know this may come as a shock to some of you that I would even say something like that....)
I have been trying to pray, study and think about all this. I am realizing that there are some things I could let go of, but some things I just feel like I can't, or don't want to. So this morning I got up at 5:00 like always, with another migraine. Granted it's a monthly thing, not necessarily related to stress, but I am sure the stress does play a part in it. Anyhow, I got up and got my workout clothes on, and went downstairs. Found my medicine fast, then sat down to put on my shoes. I just started praying, "Ok Lord, you know what I need to do. I just look around at the clock and see I have about 40 mins...I want time with you, to catch up on Bible Study, I want to clean my kitchen to see the way out, I want to go get back in bed where it is warm and hide from everything. I need to know right now what you want me to do." So I sat there about a minute, waiting for the voice from heaven which never came. I decided I'd get up and start cleaning up while I was waiting for Him to tell me. I got this great worship song stuck in my head that I could only remember only 2 lines from, but I just kept singing those 2 lines over and over again.
Man I want my mp3 back or a new one!!!
So I just kept working on washing dishes and praying my heart out...cleanse me as I cleanse these dishes, wash away my sins, show me what You want me to do, ..... finally I got most of the dishes clean except the crockpot which had beans cooking in it all day yesterday. I knew last night when I went to bed too late I should at least let it soak, but I was too tired. It was time to face the music and start scrubbing on that thing. As I was carrying it over to the sink, I was just thinking that maybe I would let it soak now for a while to make it easier. When I got it in the sink, I starting running nice, warm water over it, using the soapy washcloth to start working on the stuff that might come off easily. Lo and behold, most of that crud practically slid right off! It took very little scrubbing from me to get it clean and smooth and good as new!!! As I was doing this, the Lord was like, "You thought it would be hard to clean, but it wasn't. You think you can't let go and do this because it will be too hard, but it isn't." Wow! I'm still shaking from it, just a direct word from the Lord! Through the crockpot, no less!
Already today I have dropped two commitments at least for this week and it really doesn't hurt like I thought it would!
Please pray for me through this. It still doesn't look easy, but I believe that the more I am willing to give up, the easier it will get. My goal is truly a Prov31 woman (not like, next week or anything!) and however that looks for this Roger Campbell family.
O:)
Melissa
God has sweetly and gently been talking to me about how much I do outside the home and how much I am not doing in my home, and how if maybe I let go of some stuff outside the home, I wouldn't feel so stressed and crazy. I really don't like Him saying what He is, but I know it is spoken in truth and love. I have even been slowly opening myself up to the possibility of this, but have been very unsure about what it looked like. When I think of "doing it all for your family first" I think of being a slave, as such, for everything they want and not getting anything I want. (I know this may come as a shock to some of you that I would even say something like that....)
I have been trying to pray, study and think about all this. I am realizing that there are some things I could let go of, but some things I just feel like I can't, or don't want to. So this morning I got up at 5:00 like always, with another migraine. Granted it's a monthly thing, not necessarily related to stress, but I am sure the stress does play a part in it. Anyhow, I got up and got my workout clothes on, and went downstairs. Found my medicine fast, then sat down to put on my shoes. I just started praying, "Ok Lord, you know what I need to do. I just look around at the clock and see I have about 40 mins...I want time with you, to catch up on Bible Study, I want to clean my kitchen to see the way out, I want to go get back in bed where it is warm and hide from everything. I need to know right now what you want me to do." So I sat there about a minute, waiting for the voice from heaven which never came. I decided I'd get up and start cleaning up while I was waiting for Him to tell me. I got this great worship song stuck in my head that I could only remember only 2 lines from, but I just kept singing those 2 lines over and over again.
Man I want my mp3 back or a new one!!!
So I just kept working on washing dishes and praying my heart out...cleanse me as I cleanse these dishes, wash away my sins, show me what You want me to do, ..... finally I got most of the dishes clean except the crockpot which had beans cooking in it all day yesterday. I knew last night when I went to bed too late I should at least let it soak, but I was too tired. It was time to face the music and start scrubbing on that thing. As I was carrying it over to the sink, I was just thinking that maybe I would let it soak now for a while to make it easier. When I got it in the sink, I starting running nice, warm water over it, using the soapy washcloth to start working on the stuff that might come off easily. Lo and behold, most of that crud practically slid right off! It took very little scrubbing from me to get it clean and smooth and good as new!!! As I was doing this, the Lord was like, "You thought it would be hard to clean, but it wasn't. You think you can't let go and do this because it will be too hard, but it isn't." Wow! I'm still shaking from it, just a direct word from the Lord! Through the crockpot, no less!
Already today I have dropped two commitments at least for this week and it really doesn't hurt like I thought it would!
Please pray for me through this. It still doesn't look easy, but I believe that the more I am willing to give up, the easier it will get. My goal is truly a Prov31 woman (not like, next week or anything!) and however that looks for this Roger Campbell family.
O:)
Melissa
Friday, November 7, 2008
Crazy but true.....
I have never won anything on ebay before IN MY LIFE and today I won three things!!! Once I figured out the trick to winning on ebay was to not make any bid until the last 30 seconds, I just settled for "buy it now" and didn't mess with it. But yesterday and today the momma in me saw something my 3 girls wanted and was no longer available (as in, retired!) so I just decided to try the bidding thing again and see what happened! Well, dadgumit if I didn't win all 3! I know three precious girls who will be shocked and astounded come Christmas morning, and may renew their belief Santa once again....
O:)
Melissa
O:)
Melissa
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
My God
My God is STILL God, no matter what changes may come to America and no matter what people may think.
My God will always rule on His Throne and will be my guiding light.
My God is still in control!!!
I love MY GOD, my redeemer and protector!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
O:)
Melissa
My God will always rule on His Throne and will be my guiding light.
My God is still in control!!!
I love MY GOD, my redeemer and protector!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
O:)
Melissa
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Don't even think about calling them cute...even though they really are!
Katie does not like to be called cute because babies are cute and she is not a baby (humpf!) but she is just so stinkin' cute as a lion there are no other words! This was our attempt at the Wizard of Oz theme -- Leah is Glenda the Good Witch, Katie is the lion, and Rebecca was the Wicked Witch of the West. Yes, to brag on myself I did make all these costumes, (Leah's is a reuse from a past year), but yes, I did finish Friday afternoon and did not sleep much this past week to get them done. Every year I say I am not sewing any more, but then they beg and plead with their stinkin' cute faces and I fall sucker again.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
GISG day!
My GISG (God Is So Good) day was actually yesterday, but I just had to share how awesome it was! First, though, I need to back up to last week.
Last week was not so good. I had a dull headache/migraine/sinus crud all week and while it was not enough to put me in bed all week, it was enough to make me fussy, irritable, short-tempered, grouchy, you get the point. I had been to the grocery on Monday and spent like $150 on groceries for the week to make these great, delicious, healthy meals, only to then spend another $60 on Papa Murphy's, Sonic, etc because I didn't have the energy to cook. I had a huge mess all over my house as I was in the process of "changing over" to fall clothes for everyone, and I had huge pressure building up inside of everything else that need to be done too. There was little rest, even though I was sleeping a lot, and then Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were full to the brim with activities. My morning quiet time, that I treasure more than life itself, had been tossed to the wayside because I wanted every minute of rest/relief I could get, or I would get up, then spend the whole time cleaning up the kitchen or mess that was left from the night before. (SoloHombre is usually awesome about doing what he can too, but one person cannot get home at 6:30, eat supper, clean up supper, give 3 kids baths, get them to bed before 8:30 even, and then work on their work stuff to do. I do not blame him one bit for not being Superman last week in regards to stuff like that.)
But Sunday I got up and had some sweet, sweet praying, resting time in the Spirit, when I walked through Deuteronomy, my very close 2nd favorite book of the Bible. What reassurance, what hope, what encouragement! That is when I found my latest Word from the Lord on the right. I was resting in His shoulders, in spite of my busyness on Sunday. I also made the hard decision to skip my weekly prayer time Monday morning with my buddies and stay home and have me and Jesus time. Oh, what an awesome choice that was!!
I had several people praying for me to be free of all the distractions around my house, and I just focused on what the Lord was trying to say to me, to reconnect, to run back and rest in His arms. I don't even have words for it, it was so special, so tender, so enlightening, so beautiful. EVEN IF I DON'T STILL HAVE MY MP3 PLAYER, FOR WHICH THERE IS NOW A $1O REWARD!!! And God was so good to reward that time not only with peace, calmness, energy, but! Folks, let me tell you tangible what He did!
GISG because:
1. When I did my weigh and measure at Curves that morning I had lost 3 lbs and burned about 350 calories working out!
2. There was a very small homework battle.
3. Roger and I actually got to eat supper "alone" while the kids ran around outside playing.
4. I ended up throwing out some meat I bought at Kroger last week because it went bad ($8.00 down the drain!), but when we went to SuperTarget yesterday I went to get some more and (if I'm lyin' I'm dyin') they had meat on sale $2.50 for 2 lbs! It needed to be either cooked or frozen by Tues, but I got 8 lbs of ground beef for $10! And the meat I threw away that was $8 was not even 3 lbs! Is my God good or what?!?!?
I just love that Guy!
O:)
Melissa
Last week was not so good. I had a dull headache/migraine/sinus crud all week and while it was not enough to put me in bed all week, it was enough to make me fussy, irritable, short-tempered, grouchy, you get the point. I had been to the grocery on Monday and spent like $150 on groceries for the week to make these great, delicious, healthy meals, only to then spend another $60 on Papa Murphy's, Sonic, etc because I didn't have the energy to cook. I had a huge mess all over my house as I was in the process of "changing over" to fall clothes for everyone, and I had huge pressure building up inside of everything else that need to be done too. There was little rest, even though I was sleeping a lot, and then Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were full to the brim with activities. My morning quiet time, that I treasure more than life itself, had been tossed to the wayside because I wanted every minute of rest/relief I could get, or I would get up, then spend the whole time cleaning up the kitchen or mess that was left from the night before. (SoloHombre is usually awesome about doing what he can too, but one person cannot get home at 6:30, eat supper, clean up supper, give 3 kids baths, get them to bed before 8:30 even, and then work on their work stuff to do. I do not blame him one bit for not being Superman last week in regards to stuff like that.)
But Sunday I got up and had some sweet, sweet praying, resting time in the Spirit, when I walked through Deuteronomy, my very close 2nd favorite book of the Bible. What reassurance, what hope, what encouragement! That is when I found my latest Word from the Lord on the right. I was resting in His shoulders, in spite of my busyness on Sunday. I also made the hard decision to skip my weekly prayer time Monday morning with my buddies and stay home and have me and Jesus time. Oh, what an awesome choice that was!!
I had several people praying for me to be free of all the distractions around my house, and I just focused on what the Lord was trying to say to me, to reconnect, to run back and rest in His arms. I don't even have words for it, it was so special, so tender, so enlightening, so beautiful. EVEN IF I DON'T STILL HAVE MY MP3 PLAYER, FOR WHICH THERE IS NOW A $1O REWARD!!! And God was so good to reward that time not only with peace, calmness, energy, but! Folks, let me tell you tangible what He did!
GISG because:
1. When I did my weigh and measure at Curves that morning I had lost 3 lbs and burned about 350 calories working out!
2. There was a very small homework battle.
3. Roger and I actually got to eat supper "alone" while the kids ran around outside playing.
4. I ended up throwing out some meat I bought at Kroger last week because it went bad ($8.00 down the drain!), but when we went to SuperTarget yesterday I went to get some more and (if I'm lyin' I'm dyin') they had meat on sale $2.50 for 2 lbs! It needed to be either cooked or frozen by Tues, but I got 8 lbs of ground beef for $10! And the meat I threw away that was $8 was not even 3 lbs! Is my God good or what?!?!?
I just love that Guy!
O:)
Melissa
Thursday, September 25, 2008
God Moment on the stairs
Can one have a God Moment on the stairs? I sure did only moments ago. I was carrying all 40+ pounds of Katie up the stairs to nap (just because I wanted to) and she instinctively reached over to grab the railing. All of my kids do this, I am sure out of habit, but probably also because they may not feel they can trust me enough to hold onto them without us falling. I remind them over and over that if they will hold on to just me, I can balance easier and there is less chance we will fall.
So today I'm carrying Katie up and she reaches over to the railing. I again start to remind her to let go and trust me and SMACK! there it is, right in my face. I see God carrying me and me always reaching out to ___________ (fill in the blank for the crutch of the moment) to steady me because maybe I am not sure God can handle this? Or maybe out of habit? Either way, it is time to stop. It is time to let go and trust God and stop making other things my crutches to "help God along" ... I encourage you to do the same....
O:)
Melissa
So today I'm carrying Katie up and she reaches over to the railing. I again start to remind her to let go and trust me and SMACK! there it is, right in my face. I see God carrying me and me always reaching out to ___________ (fill in the blank for the crutch of the moment) to steady me because maybe I am not sure God can handle this? Or maybe out of habit? Either way, it is time to stop. It is time to let go and trust God and stop making other things my crutches to "help God along" ... I encourage you to do the same....
O:)
Melissa
Monday, September 22, 2008
Laughing my head off
Ok, I'm not one to routinely get a mani/pedi, in fact I have only had 3 in my whole life, but this video made me laugh so hard I thought I would wet my pants! I actually found it on a blog from someone who posted on Leslie's site. Not sure if they even know each other....isn't it a crazy techno-world?
Enjoy, and girls, you might want to wear a minipad just in case..
O:)))))
Melissa
Enjoy, and girls, you might want to wear a minipad just in case..
O:)))))
Melissa
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Susannah is coming home! Words that could hardly come early this week in sorrow and disappointment are now also at a loss with overflowing joy!
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Praise HIM all creatures here below!
Praise HIM above, ye heavenly hosts!
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!
O:)
Melissa
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Semi-Wordless Wednesday
Friday, September 12, 2008
Still no mp3 ...
The bounty has now been raised to $5 so if anyone wants to come to my house and search any possible square inch that we have missed the money is all yours. Come quickly, SoloHombre says he's not buying me a new one (even though it's not my fault it is lost!) so I gotta find the old one. Besides, a new one wouldn't have my pictures on it, or my sweet girls voicing prayers over me to listen to while I was in Thailand!
Where oh where has my mp3 gone?
Where oh were could it be?
(again, imagine this Melissa singing, not me!)
O:(
Melissa
Where oh where has my mp3 gone?
Where oh were could it be?
(again, imagine this Melissa singing, not me!)
O:(
Melissa
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Following in Mommy's footsteps...
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Wordless Wednesday
To copy Big Nanny's idea, this is Katie's last first day of preschool. How does she get so big so fast?!?
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
First it was the remote.....
In general, I have a pretty good idea where stuff is around here. Maybe not the one "little gray colored Littlest Pet Shop cat that looks like a dog and is my very favorite" toy, but big things, like the mixer, the coffeepot, my crockpot I could not live without, my bed, the computer, you know, things like that.
So it started in July with the TV remote. Not 10 minutes after Roger and Rebecca left for WV on a mission trip early one Sat morning, the rest of us were going to watch TV. Only guess what, no remote to be found. Granted, we could have used the buttons at the bottom of the TV, but I don't even think you can change channels with those. So I call them on their phone and ask Rebecca where it is. Her answer? "Hehe! Remember last night when I was mad at you because you wouldn't let me stay up and watch TV? Well I hid the remote way far down in the sofa cushions."
Ok, remote found.
On Monday of the following week while they were still gone, Leah, Katie and I went out and about and to the movies. When we got home my cell phone was no where to be found. I looked all over, tried to call it to find it, etc. Gone. So then panic sets in and I know someone stole it from me or it fell out of my purse and they are using it to call China or something. In the process I learned that you can put a temporary disconnect on your phone so calls can't be made on it, which was the good news. Finally the next day I called the theatre and discovered that it was sitting there waiting for me. Whew! TYJ some honest person turned it in and no one called China!
The rest of that week got hairy with my uncle dying, Roger and Rebecca getting back, making a quick trip to Atlanta for the funeral, we have car trouble, and on Monday we take the girls to Bowling Green to meet up with his parents and send them home with them. Whew! (As a side note, in a matter of five days, poor Rebecca had been east to WV, south to Atlanta, and north to Kentucky. She was a trooper!)
So Tuesday, my first day at home, I decide to download pictures from the camera. On guess what! No camera to be found!! I tear the house apart, call Roger, call Rebecca, no where anywhere! Finally, the Lord opened my eyes to it and it was found buried under the last pile of stuff I had not looked in. Whew!
Now, it is my MP3 player. I love that guy! I use it a lot while scrapbooking to worship Jesus in song while I scrap (the best of both worlds!) and while I'm cleaning up at night downstairs and sometimes in my morning quiet time. BUT, not for the last four weeks or more. I don't remember exactly when it went MIA, but it seems like it has been forever. The last place I remember seeing it was here in the office when the girls were trying to listen to it, but the earbuds are too big. I know it came back from Atlanta, but did not make it to Owensboro, as I recall, the first weekend in August. Again, I have torn this house apart, the car apart, my bed apart, my scrapbook retreat apart, the desk apart, the area around the desk apart. There was at $2 reward out for it, but now it has increased to $3. I have told SoloHombre that if I can't find it I'm gonna have to get another one because I really miss this thing!
If you have any information leading to the recovery of the goods, please contact me. Thank you in advance for your assistance.
The Parable of the Lost Gadgets
8 "Or what woman who has 10 technology gadgets, if she loses one gadget, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she finds it, she calls her women friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found the gadget I lost!' 10 I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels over one sinner who repents."
O:)
Melissa
So it started in July with the TV remote. Not 10 minutes after Roger and Rebecca left for WV on a mission trip early one Sat morning, the rest of us were going to watch TV. Only guess what, no remote to be found. Granted, we could have used the buttons at the bottom of the TV, but I don't even think you can change channels with those. So I call them on their phone and ask Rebecca where it is. Her answer? "Hehe! Remember last night when I was mad at you because you wouldn't let me stay up and watch TV? Well I hid the remote way far down in the sofa cushions."
Ok, remote found.
On Monday of the following week while they were still gone, Leah, Katie and I went out and about and to the movies. When we got home my cell phone was no where to be found. I looked all over, tried to call it to find it, etc. Gone. So then panic sets in and I know someone stole it from me or it fell out of my purse and they are using it to call China or something. In the process I learned that you can put a temporary disconnect on your phone so calls can't be made on it, which was the good news. Finally the next day I called the theatre and discovered that it was sitting there waiting for me. Whew! TYJ some honest person turned it in and no one called China!
The rest of that week got hairy with my uncle dying, Roger and Rebecca getting back, making a quick trip to Atlanta for the funeral, we have car trouble, and on Monday we take the girls to Bowling Green to meet up with his parents and send them home with them. Whew! (As a side note, in a matter of five days, poor Rebecca had been east to WV, south to Atlanta, and north to Kentucky. She was a trooper!)
So Tuesday, my first day at home, I decide to download pictures from the camera. On guess what! No camera to be found!! I tear the house apart, call Roger, call Rebecca, no where anywhere! Finally, the Lord opened my eyes to it and it was found buried under the last pile of stuff I had not looked in. Whew!
Now, it is my MP3 player. I love that guy! I use it a lot while scrapbooking to worship Jesus in song while I scrap (the best of both worlds!) and while I'm cleaning up at night downstairs and sometimes in my morning quiet time. BUT, not for the last four weeks or more. I don't remember exactly when it went MIA, but it seems like it has been forever. The last place I remember seeing it was here in the office when the girls were trying to listen to it, but the earbuds are too big. I know it came back from Atlanta, but did not make it to Owensboro, as I recall, the first weekend in August. Again, I have torn this house apart, the car apart, my bed apart, my scrapbook retreat apart, the desk apart, the area around the desk apart. There was at $2 reward out for it, but now it has increased to $3. I have told SoloHombre that if I can't find it I'm gonna have to get another one because I really miss this thing!
If you have any information leading to the recovery of the goods, please contact me. Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Luke 15:8-10 (Holman Christian Standard Bible, pp by me)
The Parable of the Lost Gadgets
8 O:)
Melissa
Friday, August 22, 2008
Guess I've been tagged...
I got tagged by Kelley and Alicia, but I decided those lists were way too hard and serious, so I decided to do a meme which sounds easier and more fun anyway.
What were you doing 10 years ago?
1998 found us in Nashville and Knoxville. I started graduate school at UT that summer and moved there that fall (Roger stayed here in town.) Then, that fall, I got pregnant with Rebecca!
Favorite Snacks
Unfortunately, anything chocolate applies here, the darker the better. However I working on loving raw carrots and cauliflower just as much, but I haven't made too much progress in that department.
To Do List
Tonight, get my scrapbook stuff together for an all day crop (woo-hoo!) and go to bed as soon as possible. (It's already gonna be at least midnight I am sure....)
In general, get on a schedule and stick with it in reference to housework, iron my clothes more than once a quarter, paint Leah and Katie's bedroom, I'm sure at least 1000 things more!
Jobs I Have Had
Babysitter
Pretzal seller (Hot Sam pretzals in Indy!)
Cafeteria worker and media center worker at college
Customer Service with a health insurance company
Bank teller (very short lived!)
Library assistant at a school
Preschool teacher
Librarian at church
Places I Have Lived
Indianapolis, Indiana; Jefferson City, TN; Louisville, KY; Nashville, TN; Knoxville, TN; Spring Hill, TN
Bad Habits
Wasting time on the computer reading everyone's blogs
Not vacuuming enough
Not ironing enough
Hiding in my scrapbook room while the kids are running crazy
5 Random Things People May Not Know
My maternal side of the family has an island named after them near Charleston, SC.
I had a cousin who played for the Atlanta Braves.
My two oldest children were born on the same date, and the same date as their grandpa.
Everyone in my family has a freckle on one of their toes.
I really want red hair some day.
CDs I would want if stranded on an island
Michael W. Smith Worship and Worship Again
Soundtrack for My Fair Lady
Joel Hudson anything
Any praise and worship
What I’d Do if I Were a Billionaire
Go back to Thailand and get another celadon bowl like the one Katie accidently broke.
Make sure my girls college education is taken care of now.
Maybe get a cute little China girl like Susannah.
Buy a house in Wade's Grove just like Shelby's, but pay Heritage Elem a lot of money so my kids could still go there....
Help out Katie Askren to be able to help more kids.
That's about it. A lot of this you may have already known, but it's been fun for me. Now I gotta go!
O:)
Melissa
What were you doing 10 years ago?
1998 found us in Nashville and Knoxville. I started graduate school at UT that summer and moved there that fall (Roger stayed here in town.) Then, that fall, I got pregnant with Rebecca!
Favorite Snacks
Unfortunately, anything chocolate applies here, the darker the better. However I working on loving raw carrots and cauliflower just as much, but I haven't made too much progress in that department.
To Do List
Tonight, get my scrapbook stuff together for an all day crop (woo-hoo!) and go to bed as soon as possible. (It's already gonna be at least midnight I am sure....)
In general, get on a schedule and stick with it in reference to housework, iron my clothes more than once a quarter, paint Leah and Katie's bedroom, I'm sure at least 1000 things more!
Jobs I Have Had
Babysitter
Pretzal seller (Hot Sam pretzals in Indy!)
Cafeteria worker and media center worker at college
Customer Service with a health insurance company
Bank teller (very short lived!)
Library assistant at a school
Preschool teacher
Librarian at church
Places I Have Lived
Indianapolis, Indiana; Jefferson City, TN; Louisville, KY; Nashville, TN; Knoxville, TN; Spring Hill, TN
Bad Habits
Wasting time on the computer reading everyone's blogs
Not vacuuming enough
Not ironing enough
Hiding in my scrapbook room while the kids are running crazy
5 Random Things People May Not Know
My maternal side of the family has an island named after them near Charleston, SC.
I had a cousin who played for the Atlanta Braves.
My two oldest children were born on the same date, and the same date as their grandpa.
Everyone in my family has a freckle on one of their toes.
I really want red hair some day.
CDs I would want if stranded on an island
Michael W. Smith Worship and Worship Again
Soundtrack for My Fair Lady
Joel Hudson anything
Any praise and worship
What I’d Do if I Were a Billionaire
Go back to Thailand and get another celadon bowl like the one Katie accidently broke.
Make sure my girls college education is taken care of now.
Maybe get a cute little China girl like Susannah.
Buy a house in Wade's Grove just like Shelby's, but pay Heritage Elem a lot of money so my kids could still go there....
Help out Katie Askren to be able to help more kids.
That's about it. A lot of this you may have already known, but it's been fun for me. Now I gotta go!
O:)
Melissa
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Lucky me (and lucky them)
On Monday, August 18 (also SoloHombere's bday, fyi) I had the extreme privilege of mailing four boxes stuffed full of books -- and some American goodies! -- to some new friends in Thailand! Let me back up....
For those of you who don't know me, my two favorite things besides Jesus and my family are scrapbooking and reading. (I am the also the church librarian at our church.) While in Thailand I got the chance to do scrapbooking with those precious ladies (read my TL blog about all that...) and on the very last day of the conference I found out they were in the process of starting a library with English Christian fiction and were just getting books where they could. Needless to say, it is very expensive to get books over there and they were just going to do what they could when they could with what they had. Well, the librarian in me just about burst when I thought about all the extra books we had sitting ar0und our library that I knew I had to get to them somehow. I got in touch with the person doing it and got a feel for what they were looking for. These English Christian fiction books are very valuable over there because the missionaries don't ever get to read books like that, mainly because they don't have them!
When I got back home and started checking about how to get the books to them, I realized it was going to cost over $150. I knew I could not pay that out of my pocket, but I knew I had to get the books over there. In June we had the opportunity to share about our trip at one of our ladies meetings and I just got brave and asked for the money, explaining what it was going for. That night I passed an envelop around and lo and behold I got over $215! Thank you Jesus!!! With the extra money I was able to send four boxes with about 60 books total and had room for some goodies like Goldfish, chocolate and Teddy Grahams.
It may take over a month to get there, but I can't wait to hear how God uses them! I'll let you know when I hear from them!
By the way, if you are interested in donating money for the mailing fund, please let me know at kidbook1@bellsouth.net . I would like to be able to send them a box every time I get another $50 to mail it.
O:)
Melissa
Friday, August 15, 2008
Where oh where have my little babies gone?
(Imagine another Melissa singing this, not me!)
On Wednesday the 13th my first "babies" turned 9 and 7. How can this be?!? On the left side is Rebecca, born in 1999 and in the middle is Leah, born 2001. To the far right is Rebecca, now 9 and Leah, now 7. They not only have the same birthday (just 2 years apart), but also share it with their grandpa, SH's dad. When we were at the hospital in 1999 and realized we were having Rebecca, we called him and said, "Well, you're gonna get an awesome birthday present today ~ your first granddaughter!" I'm not sure the drive from Owensboro was ever so quick as that day!
I love those girlies so much!
O:)
Melissa
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
The death of a dream and the birth of a new one
As the stories go, when I was a little girl and Uncle Dan was a little boy, one of my fondest memories was always in August of going to the Indiana State Fair. The fair was always open from early in the morning until late at night the entire run. I remember as small children getting up early and watching our favorite morning show live from the fair and we would always get so excited until it was our day to go to the fair.
As I remember it, my dad would get home early from work and we would head on over after the August heat had subsided some. We would always eat corndogs, we would always look at all the animals (I remember seeing a pig once that weighed as much as a car!), we would always look at all the pictures, quilts, cakes, you name it, we would always go to the Manufactures Building and look at all the booths and get tons of cool free stuff (now commonly referred to as junk as an adult), we would always ride the double ferris wheel, and the roller coaster that had a small car you rode up a tunnel of sorts, then came down round and round the tunnel and we always ate elephant ears at the end of the day. Aaah, childhood memories at their best...
When the Williamson County fair started up again in 2005, I could hardly wait to take my girls and open their eyes to all the excitement. Only guess what, it wasn't like I thought it would be. In their defense, it is only a county fair and it was the first time they had one in 50 years. Ok, I can give them a break. They did have a pretty cool ferris wheel, even if it wasn't a double one, and their corndogs were not so bad. And they even had elephant ears! But last night when we went, I made a very sad conclusion and decision. It all started when we went to get our supper of corndogs, nachos and water and the vendor told me it was $42.00! This is no lie! So we put back the nachos and got only 2 waters and instead paid $30. Again, no lie! After that things perked up some and we went through the Little Ones Farming Exhibit, saw some cool animals, including baby pigs that were 2 days old, and rode the ferris wheel (for $20). Then we rounded out the night with a funnel cake (no more elephant ears...). As we sat eating, I confessed, "Dear family, I think it is time I put to death my dream of making our fair experience as wonderful and priceless as the one I had growing up. It cannot compare, so we will just have to start our own new fair traditions, the ones you all will treasure forever and share with your children." It was a sad - more bittersweet, I guess - admittance, but I knew it was time. We all agreed it was ok to let the corndogs go and maybe try a big old turkey leg instead. But funnel cakes would certainly have to still be involved!
O:)
Melissa
Sunday, August 3, 2008
God is so good!
There will probably be lots of posts from me with that title, but I just had to tell you about Saturday's GISG! (Uh oh, here I go with the exclamations again...)
GISG because:
1. I have the supreme privilege of being a Campbell and a Couty (and a Watts and a Daniell, but that is for another day). On Saturday we had a Couty reunion (SH's maternal side of the family) and I was blessed beyond measure to realize the Godly tradition my in-laws were raised in. And they passed that Godly tradition down to their boys. And now, we are all passing that Godly tradition, I hope!, down to our 13 children (total Campbells and Coutys). So many of my friends were not raised in that and still find it a challenge when they go home to explain to their kids why Grandma and Grandpa say things and do things that "just ain't fittin' " ....
2. Leah sprained her ankle on Thursday at the museum, but she is doing much better now and only limping slightly.
3. Most all of the brothers and families left Sat night to drive home about 9:00 and we all made it home safe and sound with no one driving falling asleep.
4. SH had left his car downtown (where he works) and luckily I remembered it at just the last minute as we were getting close to the exit. So even though it was 11:30ish at night, he still got his car and would not have to go get on Sunday or get a ride on Monday.
5. I made it driving that short distance home (about 35+ minutes) without falling asleep.
I just love that Jesus who not only created the world and takes care of all the "big" problems in the world, but also the little, seemingly unimportant, details of my little life. What is not to love?!?
If you don't know my Jesus, let me know and I'll be happy to tell you about Him!
O:)
Melissa
GISG because:
1. I have the supreme privilege of being a Campbell and a Couty (and a Watts and a Daniell, but that is for another day). On Saturday we had a Couty reunion (SH's maternal side of the family) and I was blessed beyond measure to realize the Godly tradition my in-laws were raised in. And they passed that Godly tradition down to their boys. And now, we are all passing that Godly tradition, I hope!, down to our 13 children (total Campbells and Coutys). So many of my friends were not raised in that and still find it a challenge when they go home to explain to their kids why Grandma and Grandpa say things and do things that "just ain't fittin' " ....
2. Leah sprained her ankle on Thursday at the museum, but she is doing much better now and only limping slightly.
3. Most all of the brothers and families left Sat night to drive home about 9:00 and we all made it home safe and sound with no one driving falling asleep.
4. SH had left his car downtown (where he works) and luckily I remembered it at just the last minute as we were getting close to the exit. So even though it was 11:30ish at night, he still got his car and would not have to go get on Sunday or get a ride on Monday.
5. I made it driving that short distance home (about 35+ minutes) without falling asleep.
I just love that Jesus who not only created the world and takes care of all the "big" problems in the world, but also the little, seemingly unimportant, details of my little life. What is not to love?!?
If you don't know my Jesus, let me know and I'll be happy to tell you about Him!
O:)
Melissa
Friday, August 1, 2008
Happy Day
Hooray hooray it's a happy day! I finally finished my Thailand scrapbook! Whew! That is certainly my 2nd biggest scrapbooking undertaking yet!
Hooray hooray it's a happy day! I'm going to get my girls tonight! As much as they drive me crazy, it was too dang quiet around here with them gone!
Hope your day is happy!
O:)
Melissa
Ok, I just realized every sentence I wrote ended with an exclamation point. Hhm...
Hooray hooray it's a happy day! I'm going to get my girls tonight! As much as they drive me crazy, it was too dang quiet around here with them gone!
Hope your day is happy!
O:)
Melissa
Ok, I just realized every sentence I wrote ended with an exclamation point. Hhm...
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Well here I am blogging again. I did it while preparing for Thailand and I really enjoyed it. I have somehow gotten on Facebook and then I was like, Facebook? Web Pages? E-mail? Blogs? Texting? How on earth does one ever keep up with it all?!? So after considering my options and my time and my joys, I decided to forget the whole Facebook thing (since I don't have time to figure it all out!) and go back to blogging. So here we are. Welcome!
I hope you will enjoy my probably daily chatter. There may be only two people who read this, but I love writing and expressing myself and talking about myself and my kids and my house and SoloHombre and Jesus (in no particular order) so I'm sure there will be a lot of that going on.
My friend Kelley does this Flashback Friday thing, so I may try that. Don't expect too much just yet, I have some crazy days coming up...oh wait, that is every day!
O:)
Melissa
I hope you will enjoy my probably daily chatter. There may be only two people who read this, but I love writing and expressing myself and talking about myself and my kids and my house and SoloHombre and Jesus (in no particular order) so I'm sure there will be a lot of that going on.
My friend Kelley does this Flashback Friday thing, so I may try that. Don't expect too much just yet, I have some crazy days coming up...oh wait, that is every day!
O:)
Melissa
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