AND THE GRADES ARE IN . . .

Weeell . . . lets just say I didn't do as well this semester as I'd hoped. I actually did BETTER than I thought I would, but not what I had hoped.

See, last semester, I had the bright idea to try to have computer science as one of my concentrations.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!
Yeah, that was pretty dumb on my part.

So now, I have two "D's" and an "F" on my record. YIKES.

That's okay, really I was expecting to fail everything, so I was actually pretty stoked about the "D's".

So where do I go from here? Where I should have been all along.

History.

Medieval British and European History to be exact.

Why you may ask?
Simple -

I am an English major. I have over 60 hours of literature under my belt. Over half of those hours are in British or European literature. And what goes hand in hand with Literature? History! Why? Because every writer in history has written about the society at that time. Weather they meant to or not, every piece of the written word is steeped in historical context and meaning. Therefore, I already have a head start.

Plus, c'm on . . . I'm a RENNIE!! Medieval history is my thing, man! :-)

Christmas soapbox . . .

I love the holidays. I love everything about the Christmas season. The lights, the carols, the colors, the smells, the joy, the giving, the weather (even though right now it's not really Christmas weather . . . grr), the food, EVERYTHING! Well, there is ONE little EEENSY WEENSY thing that gets to me.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Now, if I say "Merry Christmas" I expect one of a few answers: "Merry Christmas" from someone that celebrates Christmas, "Happy Hanukkah" from some of my Jewish friends, "Happy Kwanzaa" from someone who celebrates that, but NOT "HAPPY HOLIDAYS". I'm sorry, but "MERRY CHRISTMAS" does NOT warrent "HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!"

Want another rant?

Nativity scenes/Christmas trees are not being allowed in some town squares. Why? It might offend someone. A star of David, a Menorah, Kinara (Kwanzaa candle holder), or other non-Christian symbol couldn't possibly be offensive, but a CHRISTMAS TREE COULD BE??? HUH?? Soooo . . . let's get this straight . . . It's okay to take Jesus out of the season, because, heaven forbid we might piss off the atheists, but we can include EVERY OTHER RELIGIOUS ICON THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CHRIST????

Is it me . . . ? Or is this lacking some shred of equality?

Don't misunderstand, I'm GLAD that everyone else gets to have thier symbols displayed. I LIKE diversity!! I would just like for MY beliefs to be included in the diversity!

Okay, I'm done now.

Maybe tomorrow I'll have a much more cheerful CHRISTMAS posting.
If I'm over this, that is . . .

Being Thankful . . . Again . . .

As Thanksgiving Day looms over the horizon, I am reminded once again of things that I need to remember daily to thank God for. We need to take a step back and remember to be thankful ALWAYS - not just one day a year. Here's my list of what I'm thankful for . . .

I am thankful . . .

. . . For my God and my Savior
. . . For my wonderful husband
. . . For my amazing children - all four of them
. . . For family and friends
. . . For computers and internet
. . . For television and Dish Network
. . . For food on my table and clothes on my back
. . . For a roof over my head
. . . That Ronnie is able to work and has a job
. . . That I am able to continue my education
. . . That I am not a turkey, cranberry, green bean, or potato this time of year
. . . That I can love
. . . That I AM loved
. . . For cell phones
. . . For puppies and kittens
. . . For Jeff Dunham (Jefah-fah Dun-Haaam . . . dot coommmm)
. . . To be alive and healthy

Love to you all.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!!!

Two Years . . . and counting!

I ment to post this the other day, but life (as usual) has been crazy!!:

Just over three years ago, I met a wonderful man. He had two children, didn't mind that I had a child, and was a musician. We started talking, and became friends. Briefly. Then, he and I met face to face for the first time. The next day, we had lunch. The night after that, we had our first date - and our first kiss. I felt butterflies in my stomach that I had never felt before. From that day forward, we were almost inseperable. We saw each other almost every day after that - and didn't spend more than two days away from each other. Three months later we were engaged.

Two years ago, on the anniversary of our first date, my father walked me down the aisle to meet this man face-to-face. Well, pulled is a more accurate description. I remember how handsome I thought he looked in his black suit. And how cute and nervous he looked. I remember thinking how much I loved him and was so thankful for him. And how I couldn't wait to be his wife.

As we took our vows, I was close to tears. I had resigned myself years before to the fact that I may be alone for the rest of my life. I focused on my daughter and my education. I never thought God had someone in mind for me. But He did. And I stood before him in awe of my love for him and his for me. When he took my hand to put the ring on my finger, I felt the same butterflies in my stomache from our first kiss. I loved him so much - more than I had ever loved any man I had ever known.

Almost a year later, we welcomed the birth of our child together. We now had four children - our family was complete. And I looked at him as he held our son for the first time, and the butterflies were back.

Now, it's been two years since our wedding day and just over a year since our son was born. I looked at him the other night - our anniversary - and felt those silly butterflies again. I snuggled into him as we sat on the couch watching TV. Thanking God for him.

I love my husband so much. And I praise God every day for bringing him to me!

"A change gon' come . . . "

One of my favorite songs of all times says "It's been a long time comin', but a change gon' come". It's a beautifully lyricked song that rips your soul out and stomps on it. We (this country) has been in need of a change for eight long years. We have delt with an incompetent president whose kneejerk reaction is to shoot first, ask questions later. He was so focused on war and being the bigger and better nuclear-equipped country, that he forgot what was REALLY important - his American people. In his mind, sending thousands of innocent men and women overseas to die was justified - it was for the safety of American soil. But he forgot that safty doesn't always mean fighting the bad guy. Sometimes it means that everyone has enough money to eat on or buy a tank of gas with. Granted, in the last stint of his presidency, Bush sent everyone money. This was supposed to up the economy - but it failed poorly. It just wasn't enough. It's not enough to say "Whoops, my bad" and send a check for a quarter (or less) of what we REALLY needed to bring up the economy.


John McCain had the potential to bring us out of Bush's mistakes. He would have helped the economy drastically by doing what Bush (well, and all politicians, really) was afraid to do - taxes. While right now people think that taxes will be the downfall of the economy, the truth is, right now there's just not enough in the government to help the economy. We have to help ourselves first. I believe that McCain would have brought the American government up to Regan's standards and we would have been better off (after two years) than we have been in a long time.

Now, I'm not economist, but if I'm not mistaken, there is no quick-fix to an economic downfall, so why would Bush think there would be?

But I digress . . .

Let's talk about last night. November 4, 2008 was the most historical presidential election in American history. For the first time ever, a black man was voted into office as president of the United States. I did not vote for Barack Obama. Not because he's black - I am actually thrilled to have a black man in office - it's proof positive of how far this country has come in the last 100 years. Not because of the rumors in regards to his Muslim lineage and potential Muslim beliefs. I think that a Muslim has every potential to be a good president as any Christian (now granted, if religion were the ONLY deciding factor between candidates, I would of course vote the Christian, hands down, but that's another blog).

I did not vote for Obama because I simply felt that HE IS NOT READY FOR THE PRESIDENCY. He truly has the potential to be a good president - some day. And the oval office is not a training center. Let's face it, he's a classy guy. When asked about his opinion on Sarah Palin's daughter, his response was "We decided that family is off limits." That takes class. And he has some wonderful ideas in regards to health care and social security. But I am not sure he has the capabilities to clean up the mess Bush has left behind. McCain admonished Bush publically on more than one occasion - I KNOW he was unhappy with the Bush administration and had already gone through the motions of trying to pick up some of the pieces - even before the announcement of the candidates for the caucus. Obama, on the other hand, well . . . I'm not sure he's ready to lead the troops out of Pakistan and Iraq. Let's not forget the faux pas he made when visiting the troops (didn't even shake the hands of the soldiers and stayed hidden in the captain's tent the whole time .. . tisk tisk tisk - and in an ELECTION year Barak . . .). He's been very verbal about his stand against even BEING there. He'll probably pull them all home at once, and then the Middle East will crumble horribly.

On that note, I prayed that McCain would win this election - God chose to put Obama in office in stead. So I guess all we can do now is sit back, relax, and pray that he doesn't get us bombed . . .

God is so good!

Well after this heck of a week, we get a phone call from our landlord telling us that she has a plumber coming out RIGHT THEN. We rush out to meet them at our house. The plumber (Keith's Plumbing from Nocona, to give him a plug) found where the pipeline went, did a little digging, and found out that we have another (hidden) cleanout close to the house. He runs his rooter through, and pulls out a wad of roots the size of my arm!!

With our pipes clear, we run out to check the mail.

Ronnie has recieved a check for an overpayment of child support - $152 worth!!

THEN I notice ANOTHER check in the mail - for me, from my OB/GYN - this was from a credit I had from Jake's birth.

It was, get this, $1094!!!!

ALL our prayers have been answered!!!

We will be able to 1) Pay off all our bills, 2) go to TRF with room to breathe, and 3) have enough left over to put up in savings for the next unforseen emergency.

He is SOO GOOD!!!

Being Thankful . . .

Have you ever spent a single day of your life not being able to take a shower, wash dishes or clothes, or even go to the bathroom or brush your teeth?

We are so there.

Our sewer is messed up. REALLY messed up.

I am looking at this and saying, Okay God, what are you trying to teach me THIS week . . . then it hit me. THANKFULNESS. I have been so set on the things that I DON'T have lately that I forgot to take a step back and remember the things I DO have.

For example, Ronnie's company went to three day work weeks. He was offered a position that will give him a larger salary during this time. That, and the partial unemployment check he will be getting, puts us back where we need to be in order to pay our bills and stay on track. THEN, the ENTIRE plant went to a two week furlow (temp layoff) EXCEPT his section and one other. If that's not God, I don't know what it.

And yet, instead of being thankful for what God has granted us, I have been whiney about "oh, we don't have a second car" or "oh we only have one bathroom" or something else silly and insignificant.

So now, instead of ONE bathroom, we have NO bathroom.

God is chastizing me . . . And you know what? I'm THANKFUL for it. See out of this, I have learned a very valuable lesson. Life is not about the HAVE-NOT's. It's about seeing the little things God gives us on a daily basis, and counting those blessings. It's about saying thank you every once in a while for that little butterfly or that shooting star . . .

I am looking at what we're going through right now, with the job situation and the sewar situation, and seeing it in a whole new light. Now, I am THANKFUL because Ronnie and I are going through this TOGETHER - as a team. I have the man I love beside me, loving me and supporting me through it all. I have him to hold on to in the midst of a nervous breakdown (of which I have had at lest three this week). I am also thankful because we have God on our side. And like my husband, I have Him to lean on and talk to.

So, as I stare at the unflushable toilet today and pack our bags to stay at my mother's until we have a usable bathroom, I am still THANKFUL.