Our Journey

Suffering Gracefully

2011-11-01T10:55:00.000-05:00

I would have to say that I am the biggest, most selfish sufferer. Over the last two years the Lord has been "refining" me. I am sure through all this time He has been wondering where is the beauty in this mess of a creation. Thank Goodness He sees the finished product before He gets started.

God is really teaching me in Sunday school and in the sermons that suffering happens for a reason and when it happens we have a choice to make. To endure it gracefully so it will produce character, otherwise what is the point. A verse that keeps coming back to me over and over again is: John 16:33 (NIV) 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

In the midst of trials it is so easy to lose heart, I have many times and felt like nothing was ever going to change and my heart would always be broken and healing would never come. But the part of this verse that is so encouraging is But take heart! I have overcome the world. I need this reminder when I lose heart. Life is not hopeless and I am not a hopeless case. God's grace is sufficient for a wretch like me. For this I am truly Thankful.

New Nurse

2011-06-20T11:34:00.002-05:00

I passed my state boards and I am an official RN! Licensed by the Texas Board of Nursing! This is huge since I was convinced I didn't pass when I walked out of the testing center!

I got an RN full time position at St. Elizabeth Hospital on a Med/Surg floor. So far I love nursing way more than nursing school and I can say, that I did like nursing school. I am looking forward to making a difference in my patients lives.

We also found us a rent house in Beaumont. My mother and father-inlaw have been with us since nursing school started. They were a huge help in getting me through school but I know we both need our own space. Time for painting and decorating our new house! I am so excited!

Fear

2011-05-24T11:43:00.002-05:00

I have decided my whole problem in life is that I am being fearful and leading a feared life. I am afraid that I will ruin my children's lives by making mistakes. I am afraid my marriage will fail because we are in a different place then we have ever been. I am afraid I will not find a job and when I do I will have forgotten everything I learned. I fear that my extended family will not understand the choices we make. I fear that I will always be a big girl and will never be able to lose weight. I fear that my life will never be settled and that joy will never come again. I fear that my husband will stay away from the Lord for forever. I fear that my children will follow him... I think you get the point. I am feeling crippled by all this fear. Fear is ruling my life. I have been on the verge of tears for two weeks, my TMJ has flared up...fear is affecting my every breath. Fear has become my God. God tells us to "Fear NOT." Safety has become my God or the desire to be safe and protected.
I started this devotion today "Trust More, Fear Less"- By Max Lucado. I want to be fearless and love the Lord and serve Him, and TRUST Him in my life and his hand. I have felt so far away for him for nearly 18 months now. I know He is not the one who moved. I did. I feel Him genlty pulling me back into His comforting arms and trying to reassure my heart of his guidance and grace. My goal is to trust in Him more and not rely on my own strength or on the saftey this "world" can bring. I need the Lord to restore my fearful heart and spirit!

What nursing shortage?

2011-05-23T16:55:00.002-05:00

Apparently there is not really a nursing shortage at all. I have been applying for jobs since March and have only gotten "NO" we have filled all our Graduate Nurse intership positions. Boy this is frustrating and very stressful. I want to move up to where my family is in the Dallas area but it seems like that is not working out for a job...I never in my wildest dreams imagined it to be this difficult to find a job. Everyone is trying to be encouraging and say keep you head up the right job will come through. But when you have worked so incredibly hard at a degree and then every place feels like it slaps all your effort and time in the face when it says "there is no more room for you in the INN." I don't want a job just to have a job, I am ready beyond my wildest dreams to be a nurse and get started taking care of people the way I have always dreamed of doing. I feel so empty and unfulfilled. I am just ready. I just want a position to care for people. Since we left the ministry my heart has ached to minister and this is my newest opportunity to do what I feel like I have always been called to do. I long and yearn for this...more than you know.

Whew! It's over!

2011-05-06T11:34:00.003-05:00

Notice on my skirt there are three little letters. BSN! These three letters have taken me 9 years to achieve...but I did it! I am very proud and want to rejoice in this accomplishment. I have dreamed of nursing for many many years and I can look back in my life and see where God was molding me into this career. I want to serve people for the rest of my life and help bring healing to them. I can't believe this part of the journey is over and now onto the real challenge putting all I have learned into practice. Please pray for me to get a job. It is a tough market these day's with the economy. I know God has the perfect place for me and I will rejoice in anything he has in store for me out there! Thank you for all your love and support of me through this journey. It has been rocky, bumpy, tearful but wonderful all at the same time. Friends and Family I did it!!!! I made it!!! I am a NURSE!!

Pinning and Graduation!!

2011-03-31T21:53:00.002-05:00

Attention: I am graduating MAY 14th at 9:30 AM. At the the Lamar Montange Center! Consider this an unofficial invitation to anyone who wants to come and be my fan club! I am so excited about this event! Second announcement is my pinning ceremony is on May 7th at 3:00pm! This is a unique ceremony exclusive to nursing. You are invited to this too if you want to support me there too. It is also at the montange center!

If By Rudyard Kipling

2011-01-17T22:35:00.001-06:00

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Last Semester

2011-01-07T18:33:00.004-06:00

Monday I am beginning my last semester of nursing school. I am not wanting to but, I am very excited this is IT!!! May 7th is my pinning ceremony and May 15th is graduation. I have been in school off and on for almost ten years. I started school in 2002 and 9 years later I am finally completing the task. I know when I got married, before I was done with school, my mom was worried I would never finish. I promised her that I would finish! I am doing it Mom! I am so proud. Not only am I finishing but I have done very well and made great grades in the process. I have made A's and B's in nursing school. My GPA has gone up in nursing school :-) I am proud of this fact. So I say all that to say, this is the beginning of the end! Strap in this ride is gonna fly by!

Shabby Shae is giving something away!

2010-12-12T22:32:00.001-06:00

Go to this blog to check it out!
http://shabbyshae.blogspot.com/

This is a very creative friend of mine who is always turning someones trash into treasure! She is a fabulous and a wonderful woman with an amazing servants heart.

The Chasm of Nursing School

2010-11-13T21:58:00.002-06:00

The Chasm...

Has taken me to the depths of life. These last two years of nursing school have separated me from everything I have ever known. My kids barely know me, my husband and I have had harder struggles than ever before. Our ministry crumbled beneath our feet...everything seems to be falling apart and for what nursing school. Some days I wonder if it is all worth it? What is God trying to teach me? It will be over in May but the question is will our family be able to recover? I feel that we have been stretched beyond recovery...I hope not but I still wonder.

Southern Living Party

2010-06-10T00:26:00.002-05:00

I am having a Southern Living Party June 29th at 6:00pm! I have always wanted to hostess a party so now I am getting my chance! If you read my blog and want to come. Please just come on over! Email me and I will send you my address! mlcpaine@gmail.com

The picture above shows just a small portion of their awesome products!

School IS OUT FOR SUMMER!

2010-05-16T22:41:00.003-05:00

I am so pumped to have my summer with my family! I have needed this break so badly.
This is just one bright spot in the weeks to come! Bryan and I have been attending Westgate Baptist Church in Beaumont. We really enjoy it. It is hard getting integrated when you are a newby. Kinda stinks but that is just life. I have reconnected with some old friends that have kids as well which has been refreshing. I am really trying to allow God to heal my heart. Sometimes it is easier to hang on to hurt than to move on. Please pray for me.

On the brighter side! I made ALL A's in school this semester. That is a first for me! I am very proud of my accomplishment!

Now for relaxing, exercising and working for the summer!

Nailed it to the Cross

2010-04-06T10:06:00.002-05:00

Psalms 103:2-4, "Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies." (NLT)

Thank you Jesus for nailing all my fears, pains and disease to the cross. Then giving the victory when you raised up from the grave. May I have victory over my hurts in life just as you had victory over the grave. For that to happen it will take the power of the resurrection! Thank you for allowing me to have a piece of that power.

Here...waiting to receive.

Michael

Engulfing my soul

2010-03-12T10:51:00.002-06:00

Bitterness and anger are engulfing my soul and I hate it. Where is the healing? With everyday that passes I get more and more angry. My stomach churns with each word I am typing! Just to let you know not having a church family rips part of your heart and soul out. Bleeding wound here!

Broken Wing

2010-01-19T14:51:00.002-06:00

Not About Wings~ Downhere

Wake dove, stretch your feathers,
Worry not love, how far you could fall.
fly now, darling find how;
A broken wing can be the best to soar on.

It's not the perch you've climbed to reach,
But the broken wing that's made you meek;
that's when He lifts you high.

Ch.
Believing is not about seeing,
Faith is not about reaching,
and on this journey I keep learning,
Flying is not
Flying is not
Flying is not about wings.

Sparrow trapped by a window,
every resource spent for just one goal.

It's not by work you find your escape,
but in your defeat when you seek his face;
that's when He lifts you high.

Ch.
Believing is not about seeing,
Faith is not about reaching,
and on this journey I keep learning,
Flying is not
Flying is not
Flying is not about wings.

What to say...?

2010-01-16T18:59:00.001-06:00

Not much so I will post another day. Sorry.

Full Force

2010-01-14T09:32:00.002-06:00

School is in session and in full force. It is going to be a challenging semester. There are lots of things going on and it is gonna get crazy. I don't think Grayson and Sarah will be attending mother's day out this semester. I am not able to help with the picking up and dropping off this semster. It is ok. I am working on Grayson learning his letters and trying to teach him to read. Please pray for our family as we progress through another semester. I know that God has placed the desire in my heart to be a nurse I know He will give us the endurace to make it through. Thanks for the support.

I will try and post more often.

2010-01-03T20:28:00.003-06:00

About mid way through the semester I dropped my computer and killed it and I lost everything on it including my favorites that were saved, which included all of you guys blog addresses. So I haven't be keeping up with you all nor have I been posting. Sorry.

Life has been so busy. School was amazingly tiring this semester and at the end of the semester I was exhausted. I have spent many days of my break not getting dressed or doing anything trying to recooperate. School starts back Jan. 11th. It will be a fun semester I have pediatrics and maternal child class. I am looking forward to it.

I'm tired!

2009-10-09T17:58:00.002-05:00

I am tired ready to rest,
From busy life and all the stress.
No time for fun or family,
No time for my hubby to hold me.
I wonder if we will make it through,
This thing called nursing school.
Will my family know me at the end.
Or will they say "That used to be my friend."
It is scary, trying, tiring, hard.
Thank God this is a temporary sod.
This season is short not here to stay.
I thank God for that each and every day!

Reconciled

2009-09-10T19:29:00.002-05:00

After the battle of the wills...we have reconciled our conflict and believe now that our marriage is stronger now because of it all. Thanks be to God that we can communicate to fight the issues and not each other. Thank you for your concern and prayers...

Much love from our family to yours...

Bryan and Michael

Quick Post before clinicals

2009-09-08T12:21:00.004-05:00

I have to tell you my friends, I have the most wonderful husband in the entire world. I never have doubted his love for me and hope to never doubt. We have been tested recently and our faithfulness and love has proved strong. I thank you for your prayers and ask that you continue to lift us up.

Bryan you are wonderful, marvelous and highly treasured! May I never take you for granted and the blessing you are to me. I choose you over myself and want to love you forever. My whole heart and devotion belongs to you. You have blessed me more than words could ever say...and for that I am truly grateful.

With all my love,

Your Bride

Please Pray for me! URGENT

2009-09-05T21:47:00.003-05:00

Please just keep me and my family in your prayers. No details just pray for us if we come to your mind!

what is your idol?

2009-08-26T22:50:00.002-05:00

Tonight as I sat in the business meeting which was not nice or pretty at all. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I was ready to vomit and so were many others I know. As I sat and thought tonight about what was going on and what was being said, something that someone once told me came to mind. They said if something consumes most of your thoughts or energy in a day and you focus on it more than anything else than that is your idol. So I ask you as far as our church is concerned what is your idol is it disapproval of the pastor? the building? the money? the worship style? the people you sit next to? the nursery? the fact you have to walk across bridges to get anywhere? withholding your tithe from God because you are dissatisfied with man? What is it that has become your idol? What has become our church body's idol? If this statement is true and I agree with it, our main focus should be on the Lord and serving Him faithfully. I feverishly teach my children to OBEY and I am sure the Lord stands from heaven wishing we would listen to His voice saying obey and trust me. I am the Lord your God and you will have NO other gods before me. Watch out for who your idols have become and reign them in and surrender them to the throne of grace and ask for forgiveness.

So you only think you didn't see me last semester!

2009-08-25T22:15:00.002-05:00

Well the next time you see me memorize my face because you will not be seeing it at all this semester. I hate to say that but keep in mind that this is only temporary. Three months and it is over and I will be in my third semester of nursing. This semester has already been hairy scary loco crazy and it is day two of the stinkin' thing! If you catch yourself thinking about my children during random times in the day please lift them up because they aren't going to be seeing their momma either. This is going to be rough so please be lifting us up as we chug through this semester of nursing school. We are all in it as a family but we can't do it without the uplifting support of our friends and family! Thanks for listening to me gripe and fret!

Beat by a four year old!

2009-08-10T21:48:00.001-05:00

Got schooled by a four year old in bowling! I love it! He almost beat his daddy to but his daddy pulled out a strike in the end!

Way to Bowl Grayson baby!

Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp

2009-07-16T23:14:00.003-05:00

I am hoping from what I have read will transform my parenting focus and method. It has so many biblically rooted truths and I appreciate the boldness of the author to write this book. I have described it as frustratingly enlightening. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to parent their children in a way that is grounded in pointing them towards Christ.

This is not mandatory....

2009-07-10T18:24:00.002-05:00

or anything but I would recommend any person who reads my blog, to listen to Mandisa's new CD. There are songs on their that promote spiritual and physical healing and it has ministered to me every time I have listened to it. (which has been ALOT daily for almost two months now) None the less if you need to know how much you are loved or how Christ has set you free or paid your debt of sin or to hear from the perspective of someone you loved that has passed away listen to this CD. I promise you will not be sorry or regret the fact that you did.

by chance if you do go and listen to the CD please leave me a comment and tell me which song touched you the most.

Happy Birthday Bryan!

2009-07-09T07:06:00.008-05:00

Thank you for being an involved daddy who loves his children with a passion.

Thank you for having a sense of humor that makes me laugh all the time.

Thank you for being SEXY and easy on the eyes...sweet on the heart!

We your family love you dearly and are so very thankful for you.

We love you Bryan thank you for being my hubby!

Even though you are getting old I think I will keep you another year!

THE NEED TO CREATE....

2009-06-26T21:36:00.006-05:00

HAS TAKEN OVER ME! I AM SO READY TO BE DONE WITH SCHOOL...I THINK MY BRAIN IS SAYING ENOUGH THINKING ABOUT ALL THIS ANALYTICAL STUFF AND BE CREATIVE. So instead of denying myself the brain break until summer school is over...I am doing it. My first sewing craft is this...I have this thing about making Fourth of July outfits for Sarah. I think they are so cute and fun...

Little Miss Firecracker!

Here are the pictures...

2009-06-20T11:09:00.007-05:00

What can you make with...

2009-06-19T07:13:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite tv characters growing up and even today was/is McGuiver. That man was incredible he could take a Swiss army knife, stick of gum, shoe string, AA battery and a bobby pin and make a stun gun out of it. I was always in awe of his inventiveness. Hoping to one day be that inventive myself so I took a shot at it last night... today is CRAZY DAY at VBS and I wanted to finally do something different for my kids so. I gathered up all the things to make Sarah a fairy princess and searched for something for Grayson to no avail...found nothing for him. So I got a wild hair to turn him into an airplane for today. But we have no AIRPLANE what is a mom to do....of course pull McGuiver and make one of course.

So I pose the question what can you make with..... a cardboard box, clear duck tape, tissue paper, cool whip bowl and lid, kinex blocks, Velcro cable ties, elastic, chalk, hot glue gun and needle and thread? Granted I had a few more tools than McG. but I have to say this turned out pretty awesome! Call me crazy...because I am...instead of studying for my exam that I have today...I was up at 10:00pm til Midnight creating such a cool costume for my awesome kid!

Summer Time

2009-06-15T14:26:00.002-05:00

The pros and cons of summer!

Pros:
Swimming
watermelon
peaches
suntan
snow cones
fireworks (july 4th)
vacation
water parks
Bryan and Channing's Birthday
veggies are cheaper
VBS

Cons:
IT IS HOTTTTT!!!!!!!
Sweat
heat rash
chaffe (sp)
mosquitos
grass that has to be mowed weekly
snakes come out
Did I say it was hot?
One last thing it is hot!
summer school

Other than that great time of year!
What do you like about summer and what do you not like?

Transformation

2009-05-28T11:48:00.003-05:00

This is the word that God is searing on my heart. I have some issues in my life that really need transforming. I am really praying that God will search me and reveal the root of my issues. As God shows me more about myself I pray that He would heal in the process. As my friends I ask that you would pray for me...in many ways I am struggling and hurting. Thanks for your ears :)

He is FOUR?

2009-05-22T09:26:00.008-05:00

May 1st, 2005

We welcomed our son Grayson Andrew Paine into the world.

He spent a week in the NICU and then I got to bring him home on Mother's Day 2005.

May 1, 2006

Ducky birthday party at Aunt Monica's house.

One year old!

May 1, 2007

Second birthday poor thing he actually had the stomach virus on his second birthday.

Two years old!

May 1st, 2008

Three years old!

May 1, 2009

FOUR years old! How the time goes by...

Why I love Grayson...

Grayson is compassionate.

Grayson is fun.

Grayson is busy, always on the run.

Grayson my boy.

He is my joy.

Thank you God for the blessing of Grayson in my life.

Well the grades are in and...

2009-05-14T23:55:00.002-05:00

I have successfully completed my first semester of nursing school! Hubby and I are still married and my babies survived without me there for the first time in their entire lives. That was a tough one many days, leaving them crying on the front porch as I backed out the drive. The only thing that kept me being able to do it was the relief of such a loving "Kay-Kay" there to take care of them. I am proud to announce that I pulled off three "A's" and one "B". Ironically I made an "a" in one of the harder classes and made a "b" in one of the easier classes LOL go figure. For the record the "b" was in a class that required me to recall facts about history and Michael does not "do" history. I can't tell you anything about WWI or WWII for that matter LOL and what does that have to do with the price of tea in China anyways? or does it? I just wanted to update you guys on my life at the moment. Keep checking back ever so often for the blog on Grayson's b-day party it was a great success with almost fifty peeps at our house! TTYL :)

Potty Training

2009-04-26T23:49:00.006-05:00

Just to let you know I was hesitantly putting off potty training until I was ready... lol...ironic. You would think it would be when Sarah was ready but I was waiting for myself to be prepared. I didn't want the nine month battle we had with Grayson. So the day that she showed me it was not about "me" anymore was the day she tinkled in her Dora Easter bucket. I looked at Bryan and said "It's time." So I went and bought her a potty chair. If you have every potty trained a little boy with a child potty chair then you know that it is not salvageable for any other child to use after that. GROSS! Needless to say his potty found file thirteen after he was finished with it. So I was shopping at target and found that pottys ranged from 39.99 to 9.00. Who needs a fourty dollar potty chair? Anyways I grabbed one that was mid range 20.00. It made sounds for rewards when the child tinkled...cute I thought...no stickers or treats required automatic reward system. As I lapped the aisle one more time to confirm my decision I ran upon this potty for the low price of 12.99. I thought two piece assembly and cute and fun design. The best thing is she has taken to it like a pro and has had one accident since Tuesday. When you get ready to potty train, check out this potty chair it has been worth the investment so far. For mom's with boys, the child straddles the frog so there is no chance of out of control cannons :)!

If you were wondering....

2009-04-03T21:46:00.003-05:00

I am still ALIVE!!! Now that you know that, everything is well with our family. My kids are growing up! WOW my precious son will be four in less than a month. Sarah is getting sassier every day... any remedy ideas?

School is GREAT... I really mean it. School is amazing I am learning so much about people, medicine, the body, and myself. God has shown me from the very first day of class that nursing is the field for me. I am being shown how much of a ministry nursing will be for me. I am honored to announce that my fellow class mates have elected me as BSN Class of 2011 President. Out of ninety other people I was the sole nominee for the position and am so very honored that they think that highly of me. I just hope that I can represent them with the best of my ability. So far my grades have been very good I have one "c" oops the majority of that exam was history, which I BOMBED! But my other exam grades are "A's" which I am happy about. I really feel in my heart I owe it to the people I will be caring for some day to make the best grades. They deserve my best because their lives will be in my hands one day.

I know this blog seems to be saturated with things about "me" but I wanted to catch you ladies up on the latest happenings of my life.

By the way I will be an official Aunt in about 9 days or so. My sister is going to have a baby boy named Jonah Levi. Yeah I am so excited she is going to be a fabulous mom because she is an awesome Aunt to my kids.

I just want you ladies to know that I do keep up with your blogs I just don't always have time to leave a comment or post my own blog but I really care about your lives and how God is working and moving in your lives. So please keep sharing.

The Heart of God

2009-02-02T21:50:00.004-06:00

Trust the Heart of God....

Have you ever stopped and really thought about that statement? We hear all the time to never trust your heart because it is deceitful. The bible says the heart is wicked and who can know it. Our efforts to serve others unselfishly can still be tainted with wrong motives as pure as we try to keep it. We do have wicked hearts and they are tainted with humaness or sinfulness. Those of us that are believers are no longer bound by our sin but yet we still struggle with it daily. So my point is we are tainted, redeemed saints.

But God His heart...wow just His nature is pure and upright. Never could His motive be wrong or tainted with sinfully selfish desires. He always knows what He is doing, even though we might feel as though we are standing in the middle of a tornado watching the world swirl around us trying to keep up with the spinning and keep our eyes on the light above. There is never anything that happens to us that has not been sent straight from the heart of God. The heart of God...girls we can trust the heart of God and that He has every plan worked out for our growth and benefit.

Christmas...take two (clack)... : )

2009-01-01T20:38:00.004-06:00

Let me set up our Christmas time frame...

We had Christmas early with our kids because we were traveling to my parents house in Tyler to spend Christmas day with them...so here we are...

Time Line...

Christmas Eve eve I wrapped the presents...
Christmas Eve morning the children opened presents...
Christmas Eve night we traveled to Tyler...
Christmas Day we spent with my family...

Christmas Eve eve...that night we told Sarah and Grayson "In the morning when you wake up you will get to open up your presents." At this point there were no gifts under their little 3 foot trees. So we sent them to bed and I proceeded to wrap each of their gifts with the greatest care. Sarah had princess paper for her gifts and Grayson had Mickey Mouse paper for his presents. I ran out of paper to wrap all their gifts so Bryan picked me up some generic red Christmas paper to finish wrapping the rest of the gifts which were like two more. After I finished wrapping the gifts I took pictures (those later). I wanted the before pictures.

12:00am Creak..our door opens and little Sarah walks in...immediately I thought oh no she has opened the presents...but she hadn't I got up and returned her to her room.

3:30am Creak...I said "come here..." To which the reply is " I got a dinosaur with a remote." (Grayson) At that moment we both flew out of the bed to find utter distruction in our living room.

Grayson had opened all of his presents plus the red wrapped ones. He knew the princess paper was not his so he didn't open Sarah's gifts. He only opened one of her gifts because it was wrapped in the red paper. But ladies you see, when I tell you that he opened his gifts he OPENED them...the paper was off and the boxes were ripped open. He got new games for Christmas and the game boxes were ripped open and the contents were spread out over the entire room. I was so upset...for two reasons one because I didn't get to see his face when he discovered that he got a dinosaur robot and two because he got up without coming to wake us up. I was so upset I cried...it broke my heart. We explained to Grayson that he had done wrong and hurt mommy and daddy's heart and sent him back to bed. My first instict was to take all his things away because I was mad that he had done that. But after considering and putting myself in his shoes. I am sure I wouldn't have been able to resist the temptation either. You see when Bryan and I went to bed that night all the recliners in the couch were down and the blankets were folded and when we discovered the distruction one recliner was out and a blanket was unfolded. So we speculate that Grayson got up and sat on the couch for a good while he probably sat and stared at the tree for a time before the utter temptation over took him and he couldn't resist not opening them anymore. So after he went back to bed, I calmed down, I decided that I was going to rewrap his presents so that we could see him open them in the morning. This time we told him that when he woke up he needed to come to Mommy and Daddy's bedroom before opening any presents. That was a small yet very important detail that we left out the first time he went to bed. Which could have solved the entire situation before it happened.

After they were rewrapped

Notice there is no Mickey Mouse paper!

4:30 am- I finally climb back into bed and hope and pray that the morning goes better.

One of the main dissapointments of the whole situation is that I took before pictures when I wrapped the presents the first time and after he destroyed the presents and then after I rewrapped them. In the middle of the night I thought I uploaded all the pictures to the computer but all of them didn't transfer before I reformatted the camera to be ready for the next morning. So I don't have before and after distruction pictures...after all I was half asleep when I was transfering them to the computer but I am still very upset that I lost them.

To be continued...

Cracks me up!!!

2008-12-16T23:59:00.001-06:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Sarah is now Two

2008-11-30T23:29:00.007-06:00

My sweet baby girl turned two on Saturday offically. Time is sure ugly sometimes to the heart. I love watching my babies grow up but there is a part of my heart that loves the cuddly lap time and the sweet sometimes wet kisses that it brings. And as many people continute to tell me the time flies so cherish each moment. Sometimes it is hard to do that when she has unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper through the entire house. Grr! Those moments need to pass quickly. They always do. So as I sit here and think about bringing home my big brown eyed, puffy cheek baby girl and watching her turn two...I realize that I have loved being her mom!

How Sovereign is our God?

2008-11-25T19:32:00.002-06:00

About four years ago. In the Fall of 2004 I applied to the nursing program at Lamar University. Bryan and I had been married for about 5 months when I applied. I did not get accepted to the program. Needless to say I was very bitter because I thought I deserved it and people with lower GPA's were getting in before me. I was so confused and angry. Well about the time I had accepted the rejection of the program I found out that I was pregnant and we were going to move to Louisiana. Well four years later I apply to the nursing program nothing has changed in my GPA and I haven't retaken any classes to help my chances of getting accepted...I got accepted to the program this time. All I know is that God was in control four years ago and He knew that I was going to be pregnant and that we were moving. He knew if I got accepted to the nursing program then I would have been bitter about being pregnant and I would have fought moving to Lousiana to follow God's plan for our ministry to His church. Isn't it cool that God knows more than we do! When we found out we were moving back to the area...God made it very clear to me in many different ways that I was to apply to the nursing program this semester. I did and I got accepted and I truly believe that it is because of His total sovereignty. I never knew that four years ago when I didn't get accepted the first time that God would bring us back full circle to the very place that my heart long to get my nursing degree. Now we are here and I am so grateful that I have this chance to become a Nurse. Please pray for me and my family as we embark on this two year long journey as I embrace my life long dream.

Fall

2008-11-02T23:09:00.003-06:00

I really need to post more frequently... First let me say to you, all my girl friends. I miss you so we will have to get together soon. We need to schedule a mom's night out. Heather H. we need to get that on the calendar LOL it might already be there and I can't remember LOL. Where is my brain (ie: planner). If you would keep me in your prayers tomorrow I am taking my second patho exam tomorrow. Now that I am finished rambling onto the fun stuff.

I LOVE FALL... it is such a breath of fresh air after our blistering summer. I love the colors of fall the golds, browns, REDS, oranges, greens... I love them all. I love to dress my kids for the the cool weather the look so kissy snuggly all wrapped up. Cold weather also makes for great cuddling anywhere you are. I LOVE IT.

I love the fact that around this time people begin to settle down and remember family and it's importance. Something about the holidays brings out the best in people... you see countless food drives...toy collections...free thanksgiving dinners given away...I love to see people being generous and giving to one another. Bring on the HOLIDAY SPIRIT!!!!

My sister is 17 weeks pregnant and as far and I know doing very well. Morning sickness has decreased and I am so excited for her. I love you my sister and your new baby inside you!

My Sarita (Sarah) is turning 2 in 27 days. She is amazing and so vocal. I am looking forward to her birthday party. I made a cake yesterday and when she heard I was making a cake she began to sing Happy Birthday... it was the sweetest thing!

Things are good. Love you girls!

Hola mis amigas y mi hermanas!

2008-10-13T13:11:00.002-05:00

I only have a few minutes before I have to be at class but I did just want to brief you on the status of my world. I have been so busy with school I have almost forgotten some of your names LOL. I miss you my wonderful friends and family. I wish so much that I was done with school but that is not reality so I have to be grateful that I am able to attend school. I have such a supportive family that really helps me succeed.

Updates:

Me- Thank you for all your prayers when I was taking my first exams: God answered them I made "A's" on my first two Spanish and Pathophisiology. That is such a blessing to me to have prayer support. Weight loss. I have not lost another pound frustrating but I am not losing heart. I am lifting weights and cardio so I hope that my weight is shifting from fat to muscle and eventually the pounds will peel off. So I am holding at 9.5 pounds. Pray for our success!

Bryan- Went to Branson and had a great time with all those ladies. He had fun getting to see Branson for the first time he said it was like Vegas without the Casinos. He has lost 20 pounds don't men just make you sick sometimes? LOL

Grayson- Has been diagnosed with asthma and takes breathing treatments almost everyday if I can remember to give them to him OOPS! I feel as if I have to applogize to him at least once a day because I get frustrated at him. But thanks to the most recent parenting classes I have taken or am taking those days will become less and less. He is growing up and I am loving it. I love to see his reasoning skills and mind sharpen. What a joy it is to watch our children learn something new.

Sarah- Will be two November 29 so mark you calnedars her birthday party is set for November 22 at 2:00pm at our house. I can't believe she will be two already. She tee-teed on the potty for the first time Saturday night. I was so elated. She has not done it since but I am going to slowly potty train her and not rush progress. She will get it eventually. She is talking more and more and in complete sentences. Grayson can no longer hit her and get away with it because she can tell me now. HAHA!

Well class begins in three minutes I have to go Later girls!

First Exam

2008-09-30T22:31:00.002-05:00

I have my first exam tomorrow in spanish and I would like to ask you ladies to pray for me. For whatever reason I feel very unprepared for this exam and don't know if I will pass it or not. I have studied all I know how I just hope it all sticks. Thanks for your prayers. Talk to you soon.

Latest Update

2008-09-15T22:01:00.002-05:00

I talked to Kathryn Alvis today...I think she wouldn't mind you girls knowing and praying for their situation. The day that they evacuated Katy fell off the bed and broke her collar bone and her humorous bone in her arm. They couldn't take her to the doctor in Nederland because they had all evacuated, so they drove to the Dallas area where they got her treated. Kathryn took her to the ER today where the diagnosis was that the bones would probably heal back nicely and that she would be ok. Kathryn also said that Katy's pain level had decrease much today. Keep them in your prayers also, because it is more than likely that their house is flooded. No one knows the extent of the damage because there is still water around their home and you can't get in to access the damage. Bryan P. (my Bryan) and Lance Howell are going to try again to go out there tomorrow to see what they can see. These are pretty hard hits all at once for them. Pray hard for our precious friends during this time. Until then...

He clothes the lillies...

2008-09-13T14:09:00.003-05:00

This is what I said as, I packed a few last things to evac for Ike. My children and I are in Winona, Texas with my parents. We are safe. Bryan stayed behind to help man the church gym because it is a registered shelter for storms like this. I am grateful for his heart to serve. I miss him but I know he is safe so my heart is at ease. I don't know the status of our home but it is in His hands. Whatever remains is fine...God will provide. I hope you ladies my wonderful friends will let God ease your hearts and hold you close as you concern for your family and homes. I love you guys stay safe and keep in touch. Much love to you all!

Remember as He cares for the sparrow...how much more does He care for you.

Yo necesito practica mi espanol!

2008-09-08T15:45:00.002-05:00

I need to practice speaking spanish. If you have a spanish speaking friend that I can contact just to conversate in spanish pass their info along to me so I can get the practice necessary for me successfully learning this language. Thanks!

Weight Loss

2008-09-06T08:48:00.002-05:00

Weight loss has always been a constant struggle for me. There has always been very little motivation if any. So over the last five years I have been on a constant "edit" aka:diet. There has been success at times but over all there has been very little consistantcy to provide lasting results. Since we moved here I have been inspired by a beautiful woman in our church that has lost over 100 lbs. WOW! I thought she started out at my size and is now 100 lbs smaller. Just because she made up her mind that this was it and it was time to do something now. Thanks so much for your unknowing encouragment "KS."

In February Bryan and I will be married five years which is a huge accomplishment for the world today. We are proud of our marriage and we want to celebrate in many ways, one way by losing weight together and two by going on a cruise as a reward for losing weight and celebrating our marriage. We have a motivating factor in our weightloss an anniversary and a cruise. The catch is we have till December 23 to cancel the cruise and get a full refund so if we have not lost half of our goal weight by then, we are canceling our cruise. Talk about motivation! I have always wanted to go on a cruise so this is for real this time.

All that being said I need your, my friends, help because I can't do this alone. All I am asking is that if you see me cheating remind me that I have a cruise at stake. At times I will want to slip up but I may need reminding that, that cookie is not worth it. Thank you so much my friends.

Women of Faith 2008

2008-08-23T22:39:00.005-05:00

Mom (Bonny), Honey (Pat), Aunt T (Terrie)
Mom, Honey, Aunt T, Channing, and Me
Sisters
Mom and daugters
Beautiful Sister glowing with the presence of new life dwelling inside of her!

I love my family and the women in my life that make a difference in who I am and who I will become. Praise God for His renewal of mind, heart, body and soul!

I found out something EXCITING!

2008-08-21T01:13:00.002-05:00

I am going to be an AUNT! My sister is pregnant. She is about five weeks along so please keep her and the baby in your prayers. I am totally pumped. It seems so surreal! I am glad someone other than me is having a baby in our family! Yeah a new baby. I am so ready to be a blood aunt. I have my surrogant nieces and nephews but I want me a real blood family baby. That is all for now.....I AM SO STINKING EXCITED FOR THEM! :)

Seeing friends from the past.

2008-08-19T10:44:00.004-05:00

I am so glad to be back in Southeast Texas. I have gotten to see most of my precious friends from the past. I was in a true Christian soroity Sigma Phi Lambda at Lamar and within that group was forged a sisterhood that has forever captured my heart. I got to see about 6 of my closest sorority sisters and best friends. Over the past four years our lives have dramatically changed for the better. Most of us are married and four of us have babies or babies on the way. I didn't know how much I missed my girls until I saw them at the wedding shower. We were all inseperable until life happened. I am glad to get back with my old friends. Also I am glad to be here because I am building new friendships and we are part of an amazing church that blesses us with such encouragment and love. Thanks for old friends and new friends.

" Make new friends, keep the old, one is silver the other gold."

Back row left to right: Michael Christian (Paine), Katelyn King (Fertitta), Karen Newby (Langham), Hillary Hanson (Westfall), Ashely Benson (soon to be Bowling).

Front: Blonde lady can't remember her name LOL oops, brunette Lydia.

When I get the updated picture of us at the shower I wil post it on here. Love my girls!

Pictures Made

2008-08-16T23:08:00.007-05:00

I haven't posted in a while because I have been in an inspiration drought and could not really thing of anything to blog. So while I am waiting for the latest and greatest inspirtation I will share with you some photos the kids had made at Sears. My parents were so generous to buy them for us. Thanks Mom and Dad. AKA Nanny and Pawpaw

This is my encouragment for everyone including me go get um girls!

2008-08-06T23:57:00.002-05:00

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders and says, "Oh no, she's awake."

I am ready for tomorrow. If I was tired EEEEK!

DEATH in a Burger

2008-08-05T23:41:00.002-05:00

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4IGtDPG4UfI

Don't watch this if you ever want to eat fast food again. I appreciate fast food but not at the cost of what causes! Enjoy.

Grayson Flew

2008-08-01T10:24:00.010-05:00

Because of Bryan's desire to fly an airplane someday he found someone in our church that does that as a hobby. And out of the goodness of his (the pilot) heart he took Bryan and Grayson up yesterday. HE LOVED IT! That was all that Grayson could talk about yesterday "I want to go flying in the airplane." So he did it yesterday evening. Here are a few pictures from this major life event!

Miss Diva Pilot in her pink shades and tutu! Can't get cuter than this!

Sarah's getting closer

2008-08-01T10:06:00.005-05:00

She turned twenty months old on the 29th of this month. Wow how time flies! I cannot believe it. In four months my baby will be two years old. I guess I need to get her birthday plans started.

This picture is from July 2007...

This picture was taken ten days ago...

How much she has grown in just one year.

I love my little princess Sarah Michael Paine!

Get's me Thinking

2008-08-01T09:17:00.002-05:00

This week was an exciting one for me. I got out of the house almost everyday...but it was not without a cost. GAS....everyday that I drove away from my house the price of gas would come to mind and how much $$ this trip was going to cost us. Don't get me wrong I love to go...go...go. But today the price of gas is outrageous. We live closer to family now than we ever have the entire time we have had children. But sadly we don't get to see them as much as we would like. The reason: it cost us $18.02 to drive there and back everytime. That means that we have to work an extra $20.00 into our budget everytime we want to visit them. We are doing Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University envelope system, which is based on cash. When the cash is gone there is no more spending. So we have a very tight budget to make sure we don't live paycheck to paycheck and to make sure that all our bills are paid on time and also that we are putting back money into saving's, our "emergency fund." So not only do we have to budget our spending money but we have to budget our gas, because when the money to fill up is gone...it is gone. We will figure out a way to save money on gas eventually. How can we that stay at home find ways in the summer to get out of the house without spending money (gas)and keeping ourselves and our children from going stir crazy also without burning up in the heat? Any ideas?

Michael

Cracks me up!

2008-07-28T18:30:00.000-05:00

INCREDIBLE VIDEO

2008-07-26T15:30:00.004-05:00

His son wanted to run an Iron man race but because his body was broken...his father said I will be his legs and feet and he.. can be the heart of our team. So now they have ran and done many Iron man marathons together. How awesome a fathers Love. Sounds like someone I know...AKA The Lord!

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8cf08faca5dd9ea45513

Blog illiteracy...help me!

2008-07-26T08:39:00.003-05:00

Can someone help me...I don't know how to put links into my blog nor do I know how to add a video link in a blog. I guess that would be linking in both forms LOL! Anyways I could use some assistance in this matter thanks :)

Michael

Six Quirky things about me...

2008-07-21T23:39:00.003-05:00

1. I don't like the sheets too tight on my toes...it makes me feel smothered.

2. I just discovered in the last year and a half that my favorite type of Christian music is Rock and soft rock...it took me so long to discover because I would always just listen to what Bryan would listen to instead of what I really enjoyed personally.

3. I made the baby bedding for both of my children's rooms.

4. I have never drank any alcohol before.

5. My parenting pet peeve is when parents give into their child after they have told them no about something.

6. My favorite class I took in school was Microbiology all the gross bacteria and parasites just fascinated me and it still does to this day. I should probably be a Epidemiologist.

So much on my mind...

2008-07-21T23:28:00.004-05:00

Do you ever feel as though your prayer list is so long you could never fully pray for each need as long as you want to pray for it?... Then when you are finished praying (for the moment) you realize that you left something important out of your prayer. I guess that is what it means to pray without ceasing. For me it is pray until you have not forgotten anyone or anything to pray about. I have fallen in love with prayer which for some time now has not been a love of mine. It has almost been done out of duty or necessity. (true confessions) It is not fun to confess unless God has changed your heart and rerouted your desires. I have to say on this issue He has shown me in the last couple of weeks how powerful prayer really is...not only in transforming the lives of others but, praying for others transforms my life. I am reading the book the Power of the Praying Woman...it has invoked thoughts I have not ever had about prayer and the power God has in our lives. I know all this stuff and have been taught it all my life but I am just being given these epiphanies straight from the Lord and it is so refreshing. God is working in my life and doing some serious healing, construction, demolition and refreshing and I am being awakened spiritually again and it feels GOOD! Thanks God for your fresh wind in my sails. May I go in the way you would have me go. Amen

I love my MOM!

2008-07-16T15:08:00.003-05:00

So I was sewing last night...while Bryan was at praise team practice and the children were sleeping. (moms break time) I was feeling all crafty so I wanted to make Sarah a dress so I proceeded. I got to the part of the diaper cover and it was all confusing. So I picked up the phone to call my mom...she is my "sewing coach" over the phone... to get some help. She is going to school in the evenings so it takes her study time to talk with me. But she so graceously answers my call and walks me through the confusement. I love that woman. So I successfully sewed the diaper cover which turned out to be too small :(. But it was done. I also finished the dress which turned out stellar! I love sewing I just wish I could go to school to become a pro and do some really awesome stuff. Then it might not be as fun if I have to do it...anyways enough rambling for now. Here is a picture of the dress on the most beautiful model Sarah Michael Paine!!!

Laters!

Hard Parental Lessons

2008-07-12T16:17:00.002-05:00

I am now feeling Jana's pain with discipline at the table. Grayson is our graze eater. He never really eats a whole meal he just prefers to snack through the day or eat a bite of a meal every thirty minutes or so. He will work on a bowl of oatmeal from 8:00 am till we eat lunch. So needless to say it make me very frustrated at times when he doesn't eat well at a meal and thirty minutes later he is hungry again. So last night we decided that he was going to finish a meal which consisted of 20 pinto beans and two table spoons of hamburger helper. I made his portions small so that it would be an easy task. "riiiight!" Bryan and I decided, in code talk plus some spelling, after dinner we were going to go swimming. At this point Grayson was driving his beans around instead of eating them and he was seperating the rice and meat in the hamburger helper and asking for chips to eat instead of his food. So we made him the "deal" if he ate his dinner we would go swimming but if he didn't finish it he could not go. Good motivator right? Not so much...he cried and fussed about wanting to go to the pool and would not finish his dinner. So his daddy set a timer for him to give him a certain time amount to finish his food and he refused to finish his dinner. So needless to say, to follow through with what we said, Sarah and Mommy went to the pool while Daddy and Grayson stayed home. I pray that Grayson learned his lesson and that Mommy and Daddy mean what they said. But boy that was a hard punishment to carry out because he was so heart broken over the situation. * We don't believe that our children have to "clean their plates" but we do expect them to eat what we give them...if they eat a little bit but are asking for something else to eat instead of what they have been served then we know they are not full and can eat more of what is on their plate, most of the time they are just being picky and we don't want to raise picky eaters if they refuse to eat what .

True Villans>>>>>>

2008-07-08T23:04:00.004-05:00

Poncho and Ponchita! We are the true villans!

My BFF's!

2008-07-08T22:58:00.003-05:00

Monica on the left.......Allison on the right. These two girls were at times the only thing that kept me going. They are die hard true friends and I miss them dearly. Two of my good friends that are not in the picture are Tiffany and Tisha. You know who you are you girls are so special to me also. Thanks for you all being such great friends to me. I cried as I looked back through the fiesta pictures. Jerusalem Baptist Church is the church who gave us wings. Thanks for helping us soar!

Part II

2008-07-08T15:31:00.004-05:00

The Dating/Engagement Story

Bryan and I started hanging out in January 2003...our first unofficial date was to the basketball courts at Lamar U dorms. Bryan called me to see if I wanted to go play. Sure I was athletic and I liked hanging out and talking with this guy so I know I would like to play basketball with him. When we got out to the courts there was already games going on and all they need was one player so Bryan jumped in and I was left on the bench. I sat there for a few minutes waiting to see if they might need me to play....well they didn't. So I thought to myself I could sit here and waste time or I could go and study Psychology. So I got up and left. No problems I wasn't mad I just didn't have time to waste sitting there. So I got up and went back to my dorm. The next day I got a some what frantic call from Bryan he was apologizing profusely because he was sorry I did not get included in the game. He thought I was mad and that is why I left the court. We talked and scheduled another basketball day. That was the spark that lit the flame. We began hanging out, playing ball, watching movies, eating dinner together at the cafeteria. We became fast "friends". This friendship went on about three weeks and I really like this guy...I just wanted to go through a dating relationship that honored God, that was my goal. He asked me if I would be his girlfriend...so high school right but he wasn't proposing yet...LOL :). I told him "no" he needed to talk to my dad first. He wasn't expecting that one. I just wanted to do things right. Get my dads approval and all. Well he was like I don't know your dad. I told him here is his number call him. Well that didn't work out. About three weeks later it was Valentines day we still had been hanging out. Kinda awkward...I really, really liked Bryan. Finally valentines day he asked me out. I could not tell him "no" twice after all I was falling for him fast. That day Feb. 14, 2003 it became official we were a couple. The semester proceeded quickly. I was a bridesmaid in his sisters wedding. He escorted me down the isle and I remember thinking don't you get any ideas in your head. I have college to finish. Well we both were in pursuit of stronger relationships with the Lord so through the summer we decided to break up for a while to make sure our motives and relationship was pure. Bryan had a youth intern position he was participating in and I was headed to Germany for a mission trip. The separation was so hard. I missed him so much. We still talked pretty much everyday. There was a period in the summer that he stopped talking to me for two straight weeks. I moped around the house like a lost kitten. Darlene my summer mom told me "Michael just admit to yourself that you love that boy and get over it." He had gone to two youth camps and when he got back he called me to explain why he had not called he had to see if the feelings he had for me were real or if they were all emotions. I asked him if when I got back from Germany would he be at the airport with my parents waiting for me. He agreed to do so. I loved him. When I got home from Germany we were coming home from the airport and he asked me back out with him. I said yes. I loved him at this point I knew I did. He was who I wanted to be with forever. I was just scared of that. I was only 19 years old. How could I know for sure? That fall semester flew by. Bryan went into the ministry. Then he bought the ring. He asked me to marry him on October 10th. It was so sweet he proposed through 1 Corinthians 13. The love chapter. He asked me if we needed to work on anything in our relationship I told him we needed to work on all those aspects of our relationship. He said " I know we don't have it all figured out but I would like to spend the rest of my life with you trying to get it right." He pulled out the ring and what did I do...Cry! What every woman does! We kissed and then he took me to dinner at Olive Garden. We had a quick engagement...October to February. When you know you know...
To be continued....

Sprained ankle... Blessed heart!

2008-07-06T19:02:00.003-05:00

You know what stinks?..............Stepping out of your storage building and spraining your ankle. With two small children caring for them with a sprained ankle is impossible. We were headed to the swimming pool for a leisurely swim and I went to the storage building to get Sarah some water wing floaties. When I stepped out of the storage building there was a hole and well you guessed it, my foot found it and my ankle couldn't take it so....wham I hit the ground writhing in pain. So much for swimming...so here I am rolling on the ground and my sweet husband runs to my aid. You see he sprained his ankle the day before we moved...so this pain is fresh in his memory. That was almost a month ago...he is still recovering from his sprain. He knows to let me lay there until the initial pains subsides. Then in his sweet caring concerned voice he says lets get you inside and get some ice on that, it is already swelling. He is a gem! At this point I am still on the ground patiently telling Sarah to get off mommy's tummy and fighting off the ants that have now claimed me as there new log playground. Ok getting up with a sprain ankle when you are a large woman is no easy feat. So Bryan patiently stands there waiting as I am figuring how to get my wazoo off the ground and not hurt myself more in the process. Well I wound up scoonching up the stairs and crawling inside to the couch where I now reside. Thanks to grandparents that live close enough to come to our rescue and glean the children for a few days so I can recover. They are awesome! I do miss my babies. I don't like getting a break from them under these circumstances. It is really not a break it is a forced separation. But we will all make it through and they love going to Pepaw and Kay Kay's house. So now Bryan is so sweetly waiting on me hand and foot...I don't like it (well sorta) but...I have no choice. This is really no fun having a injured limb. Take care of those things all you mom's out there! Thanks for listening to me reveal the last hour and a half of our day. Thanks to a wonderful husband willing to help me out. Love you Babe!

Our new Church Family

2008-07-06T17:06:00.003-05:00

We love this church we are at now...Hillcrest Baptist Church. God has truly blessed us to be a part of this wonderful church. Thank you to all of our new friends that have helped us feel so welcome. We appreciate how this church is so willing to serve and give their all in helping out with whatever needs to be done. You all have such wonderful attitudes towards each other. It is such a blessing to us. Thank you so much we love you.

Bryan and Michael

Family 4th Celebration

2008-07-05T09:24:00.006-05:00

We went to Beaumont last night to celebrate the 4th. It was so much fun we went with my mother and father in-law and our whole family. It was a great feeling to be sitting there and actually run into people that we knew. We never did that before when we lived in Louisiana. If we ran into someone we knew from our past we would think "man it is a small word." When you move back to your stomping grounds you almost expect to run into someone you know. Anyways it was fun! We were the cliche matching family...but we were stinking cute! Sarah and I might have our picture in the Beaumont paper. So sometimes it pay to be cliche! LOL I love it and Sarah looked so cute. Hence when I looked back at the pictures I took most of them were of Sarah. Boy do I feel like a bad mom. Although Grayson was so busy it was hard to get a snap shot of him standing still. We had fun watched the fire works and celebrated our expensive freedom that has been bought at a high price but, man we are so grateful to live in this free country!

Fire Cracker...fire cracker...boom...boom...boom!

...Conviction Hurts...

2008-07-03T23:37:00.004-05:00

But I am so glad that He convicts of sin! I have so many spirtiual...parental...spousal sins it clouds even the brightest of days. I have just browsed over about five blogs of random women and in each one I found something so convicting...I feel the need to share it with you. My prayer life stinks...large boisterous odor. I have been reading through this prayer devotional and yesterday it talked about asking God to convict you of your sins so you can confess them...that way you can pray more effectively for others. So I obeyed the suggestion and immediately He brought just that day's sins to mind...ouch I was praying asking forgiveness for like 30 minutes. I am so awful...now I really see what He meant in His word there is none who is righteous no not one. Throughout the day the Lord has continually been bringing different sins to light in my heart it has gotten me all depressed. I believe that alot of depression is caused by sin. Our sin should depress us. Please pray for me my biggest pitfall is anger...this emotion that never surface in my life until I had children...how terrible is that. I never got angry...well only at my sister growing up... Why in the world would I get so upset at the things that God has so richly blessed me with? I get mad at the silliest things. I am constantly asking my childrens forgiveness at blowing up about something silly... I really need to get a handle on this. I came across the Duggars blog (what a cool and God fearing family) I found their family guidline which I liked but they convicted me as well ... because I need to follow them before my children can be expected to follow them. My goal from now on is to use soft words with my children and husband no matter the circumstance. Raising my voice is not the most effective way of communicating with children. I have noticed them hollaring at each other and it is so "ugly". God always uses my babies to show me how I should not act. Thank you Lord I know you love me because you are chastening me! Forgive me Lord...I know and read about women who have lost children and would give anything to get them back and here I am taking my precious, healthy, alive, children for granted and stomp all over your grace. May I be changed by your mercy and renewed in the morning.

I have sewed!

2008-07-03T22:49:00.002-05:00

I got my sewing area set up and ready to go. I got some shorts made for myself and got Sarah some capri's made for the fourth weekend! I plan on taking some pictures of our family in our cliche outfits... as I bought all of us cheapo matching shirts to wear. We will be so corny and cute all at the same time :). Be waiting for that picture!

By the way getting my sewing area did turn into cleaning my bedroom just as I expected but thank goodness it didn't take long to get it all done. Now we can sleep better in a clean room and Mom is happy she can sew! I love to be rewarded by something I made. I also like being a weekend warrior seamstress because I am allowed to have crooked seams LOL!

Until next time...

Michael

Part 1

2008-07-01T16:22:00.002-05:00

I want to share a bit of our story from my point-of-view. I can't write forever you would get so bored. We do not have an exciting story but we do have one.

The Meet

When I graduated I was college bound and headed to Lamar University. I had my "goals" in mind and my heart set on having a better relationship with the Lord. As I arrived both of those task began happening. I loved college life. I loved to learn and go to class. I loved to go to church and the Baptist Student Ministries (BSM) it was the spiritual explosion that happened in my life. God became more real to me in my first semester of college than He had ever been and I was raised in the church. All I knew is I was so hungry for His word and wisdom and He was satisfying my every need and desire. It was a great time. The first semester comes and goes and I have met some amazing Christian friends that I never really had while I was in high school. It was an awesome time. I didn't think it could get better. Then I met him...Bryan. We met as friends in passing, occasionally if there was no one in the cafeteria that I knew we would sit together. We were just common acquaintances, nothing special. Until...one night I was at the BSM after our worship rally in the spring semester of 2003 and I had walk there from my dorm by myself and was kinda creeped out because there had been reports of some rapes on campus and I was scared to walk home that evening by myself. So I looked around the place and no one was left that lived in the dorms but Bryan, well I walk over to him and asked him if he wouldn't mind walking with me back to the dorms because I was a little scared. Him being the polite chivalrous guy he was he gladly accepted to be my "knight in shining armor" without him even knowing that he was. LOL isn't it funny how God works everything out. As we walked we talked...about what I can't remember but I know it was a nice conversation. He was such a nice guy. As we approached the first set of doorms I expected him to veer off and go to his doorm after all I was safe now. It was lighted and gated nothing to worry about, instead he totally surprised me. I told him "see you later" he said what are you talking about, you asked me to walk you to your dorm I am going to see to it that you get there safely. WHOA! Blow me away a guy with such respect for a lady, he did not know, to make sure she was safely at her dorm out of harms way. (*First hook!) The dorms were apartment style so I invited him into our living room and we sat and talked for about 3 hours or so. Exchanged numbers and bid our goodbyes with no future of each other in mind (at least not mine). (It was love at first sight with him.) haha! I am not sure about that one but I will ask him tonight when he gets home...

To be continued

Not feeling inspired

2008-07-01T13:59:00.000-05:00

...I want to sew... but I know when I go in there to get my sewing machine prepared for the task ahead, it will turn into cleaning my bedroom instead of sewing. I am ready to finally have my house in the order that I want it. As I look around the living room and kitchen I still see about eight totes that need unpacking. Plus "homeless" items all around. They need a home but where do you put them. I need Allison Hoopes help in getting this place organized. HELP! I guess it just slowly gets done over time. I guess now that the kids are both sleeping YEAH! I will go in there and attempt to get some kind of order to my sewing area so that maybe tomorrow during nap time I can get some real sewing done. I guess if the room needs cleaning I will do that also. Can't cook in a dirty kitchen...can't sew in a dirty room! I know this has not been a real inspiring post but thanks for listening..or reading anyway!

Michael

Toddler Encouragement!

2008-06-29T20:58:00.001-05:00

So this morning Bryan turned on the shower to let the water heat up. For whatever reason he keeps the door open when does this...well when he went to get in the shower he slipped and fell...CRASH! I did not see the event but he told me about it and Grayson was listening. At which that point

Grayson: Dadddy you fall down?
Daddy: Yes buddy.
Grayson: Daddy I go wipe it.
(he witnessed the event)

So he left our presence and went and wiped the floor up so it wouldn't happen again. How sweet and considerate was that.

That was this morning...this evening Sarah and Grayson were at the kitchen table eating dinner when Sarah got into my patterns I just cut out, to attempt to make us coordinating outfits,...if you know, bananas and patterns don't mix well and she tore a piece off of the pattern.

While I was assessing the damage Grayson said "Mommy we can get some glue and fix it." Yet another encouraging moment in our lives today. How blessed we are to have such sweet and caring children. Thank you Lord for your blessing of children to show us your spirit of encouragement.

Putting Aside the Self-Doubt

2008-06-28T22:06:00.001-05:00

So I have decided to put aside the fact that I can not write elequently like most blogs I have read. And just be me inside my blogspot. Just as a warning I do not "get"grammer. I just stink at it. Commas are my worst gramatical failure. So forgive me if, as you read my writing they drive you crazy because on the fourth line between the fifth and sixth word it needs a comma to make the sentence make sense. I will strive to become better at either comma punctuation or not writing sentences that require them sorta like. See spot run. Sentences like that are definately simple enough that even I don't think I can mess them up. LOL! Anyways I hope as you engage in reading the story of our lives you will catch a glimpse into our world as we grow, learn, change and mature into better Christians, parents, servents and spouses. Thanks for your time...until next time.

Michael Paine :)