She Speaks!

It's been a while, I know.

As much as I've wanted to write over the past few months, I've been having a real struggle with trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do with myself. I love being a wife and mother. I love being involved with my church and my family.
And I love to write.
I want to write.
Desperately.
But I'm stuck. I'm stuck and I don't know which way to go. I have been feeling over the past few months that it is my calling to write. That somehow, somewhere, through some sort of outlet I am supposed to minister through the written word. It seems as though the more I try and push those thoughts aside as wishful thinking and crazy talk, the more I feel the Lord leading me to open my ears and LISTEN ALREADY.

Then that I start with The But's.

But what if I'm hearing You wrong?
But I wouldn't know how to start.
But I don't know what to do.
But I have no idea which direction I'm supposed to take.
But what if I look silly?
But I'm just not sure.

But what if I fail?

And so when I stumbled across this while going through my blogroll today, I considered that maybe it's the answer - or at least a starting point. The She Speaks conference is hosted by the Proverbs 31 ministries and is an opportunity to join with other women and "recieve the tools and the confidence to answer God's call on your life." This is a conference for women who feel called to speak, write, lead, and influence. Hmmm. That sounds kind of familiar. When I first read about this opportunity my heart raced a little faster and my stomach got a little nervous.

Then, I started with The Maybe's.

Maybe this is the answer.
Maybe this is how I will know if I am hearing Him right.
Maybe this is how I will start.
Maybe this is where I'll learn what to do.
Maybe this will give me direction.
Maybe this will help me to not feel so insecure.
Maybe through this I'll know.

Maybe I will fail. Or maybe not.

I checked the location - only a little over 3 hours away! Very do-able!
I checked the dates - before vacation and after Bible School! Very do-able!
I checked the speakers - BooMama and BigMama and Rocks? Oh, so Very Do-Able!
I checked the price - $525.00. Um - not so do-able.

I found that Lysa TerKeurst is holding a contest for a scholarship. Winning this would probably be the only way for me to be able to go - if it's His will. The scholarship covers the entire $525.00 registration fee which includes the conference, the hotel, and meals. I'm turning this over to Him. I will continue to pray about what I'm supposed to do. If it's His will - I'll be able to go. If it's not, well, then I won't. The winner will be announced on Monday, February 4th.

So really? This decision making process isn't that hard after all!

To read more about the conference - click here.
To read more about and enter the scholarship contest - click here.
To tell me how much you want me to be able to go to this conference - click here.

Question: What Do You Get When You Cross a Pregnant Girl and a Dog Food Commercial?

Answer: A poodle of tears. I mean a puddle of tears.

Have you all seen these Pedigree Adoption Commercials? They KILL me! "I know how to sit, how to fetch, and how to roll over. What I don't know is how I ended up in here..." OH. MY. GOOD. GRIEF! Have you met little Oliver? He's a good dog and he just wants to go home. I cry Every.Single.Time.

But, wait, there is good news. The newest commercial shows little Oliver getting adopted! It is so exciting! Do you know what I do when I see that commercial?

I cry.

Anyway, the point of this post is, if you have any pups at your house that you have to feed, consider buying Pedigree. They donate money to help shelter dogs find homes.

Shelter dogs like little Oliver.

*photo of little Oliver courtesy of Pedigree.com.

So, Did You Wonder?

I obviously haven't been posting regularly for the past few months, and was wondering if you all have played detective to figure out why...

Did you:

• think that I was trying out the new hair treatment on all of my friends and family?

• think that I was working undercover to bust more criminals?

• think that I was on the hunt for my favorite shoes?

• think I was unwrapping my bathroom?

• wonder if I was polishing my Perfect Post Award?

• bet I was re-reading the Mother of all Memes?

• wonder if I was pregnant?

A Fairy Tale.

Once upon a time,

There was a blogger who wished that, on a day like today, her writing was anonymous.

So she could rant, rave, moan, complain, and live happily ever after.

The end.

Hold on tight.

I want you to hold on tight to those that you love.

Wives, go hug your husbands.
Husbands, please kiss your wives.
Mommies, tell your babies just how much you love them. And look at them smile. And smile back.

Right now.

She was 29. She had two sons. She wrote of a funny conversation on October 27th that she had with her youngest in the car. She had an adoring husband. They had just renewed their vows on October 15th for their tenth wedding anniversary.

She was healthy the last week of October.


She died today.


Her name was Barbara Jamie Bearden Kilpatrick.
He called her BJ.
They called her Mommy.

A sad day in November.

Yes, dear readers, it is a sad day in November. What is this world coming to? What are these people thinking? Now many of you may be so excited that you feel like shouting from the rooftops, while others may in a deep depression and feel like everything you know has failed you.
I must say, that I am in total shock. I know, I know, many of you saw this coming. But listen, I keep up with the news and the articles and the interviews. I try and keep up with the rumors and the retraction of rumors and the "proof" that the rumors are true, and the "facts" that make the rumors false, but still, I did not see this one coming. I don't know what this world is coming to. Everything that we think is stable and true and sure, all things that we think keep us safe and secure and allow us to tuck our kids into bed at night and know that, at least tonight, everything will be okay, has been taken from us. It happened so fast. And I worry. I worry about the children and the future. Because if the stability that we have come to rely on is pulled like a worn rug out from uner our cold feet, then nothing that we know or depend on is sacred. I wonder what is going to happen next, and I am frightened.

And I don't want to be frightened.

I just want Britney and Kevin to stay together.
Because it is relationships like theirs that keep this nation going.
So, dear readers, I ask you again. What is this world coming to?


What did you think I was talking about? Because surely you know by now that I don't talk politics!

Oh Yeah, I Was Doing That Blog Thing. Looks Like I Forgot.

Just kidding. I didn't really forget. Like Anonymous said in a comment from the last post (obviously not one of my parents) I have been incredibly busy with our Vacation Bible School at church. What a wonderful experience it has been! I was the 1st and 2nd grade teacher, along with one co-teacher, and we had 30 kids almost every night. Thirty loud, sweaty, smelly, talkative, and did I say loud? kids - and it was wonderful!! Our church is in a lower income neighborhood and most of these kids need love so bad it can just break your heart. For some of them it seems like they spend the majority of their time getting in trouble instead of getting hugged. It truly is a sad situation. So, it can be a terribly hard week. But we try so hard to make the kids know what it's like to be accepted and praised and loved and able to spend at least 6 nights of their summer just worrying about being kids. It's so fulfilling and such a blessing to be able to experience a closeness with kids that you might not otherwise get to know. Needless to say, however, I'm tired.
On a another note,Tater and Tot both got to experience their first VBS this week, and both had a wonderful time! The commencement ceremony was tonight and the kids all got to perform the songs that they had learned throughout the week, complete with motions. Of course, Tater and Tot and I had been practicing every day with our own copy of the CD, and the girls were precious up in front of all the families dancing their little hearts out! Between me, Nana, and Papaw, there were enough laughs and tears to last all month. I was very impressed with their dancing abilities. They obviously got their their rhythm from me. Enough said.
After I detox from the 30 kids (32 if you count my own) I will continue the smelly post from so, so long ago. Even if I have no one left to read it!

These are a few of

My favorite things about springtime…

* warm weather
* the smell of rain
* sidewalk chalk on sidewalk, hands, faces, and clothes
* blowing bubbles
* the smell of sweaty kids
* shoes that do not have to be tied
* picnics
* short sleeves and bare legs
* more daylight
* supper on the porch
* open windows
* bruised shins
* strawberry stained fingers
* the smell of freshly cut grass
* squeals of delight over butterflies, birds, clouds, flowers, rabbits, wind, anything and everything

What are some of your favorite things about this time of year?