Happy New Year!!!

It's unbelievable how quickly 2008 has gone by. I cannot believe that we are on the verge of ringing in the new year. 2008 has been a year with its' ups and downs. We have many good times but we also had some bad. I think the country as a whole faced some really bad times and so many of us were affected by these changes in the economy. Yet through it all, we are here and we should be thankful for that. I am also thankful for good health, my family and close friends.
I am praying for a great 2009 for all of my family and friends. I pray that you will be blessed. I hope that you will make many new and wonderful memories with your family. While there might be many challenges ahead, just remember that God is in control! He will never give you more than you can handle. Lean on Jesus throughout 2009 and beyond and you can be sure that He will get you through anything.
My parents and my younger brother are here ringing in 2009 with us. It is wonderful to see them. We are just chillin' here at the house. We had pizza earlier and we are now just waiting to watch the "ball drop" and do the countdown. I know, it might sound pretty boring but that's okay with us. That's just the way we like it!
Have a Happy New Year!!!

Merry Christmas!

It is amazing how time flies when you are busy. I've been going and going and going for so long now that I am so amazed that Christmas is upon us. Three days away...wow! I did get my tree up, about a week ago. The kids were especially happy to see the tree up; I think they were beginning to worry that we wouldn't have one up and consequently they wouldn't get any gifts.

Speaking of gifts, I am one gift away from being done with my shopping and for that I'm glad. It's been harder to get the shopping done because we've been so busy and also I get alot more tired now that I am 7 months and counting.

Yep, you heard right. I am in my last trimester and before long we will have our new bundle of joy in our home. With a little more than ten weeks to go, it's really hitting home now. Once Christmas is done and over, we will have to start preparing the baby's room. I recently had a baby shower and there are lots of baby things to organize. My shower was amazing!!! I was blown away because it was all pretty much a surprise and my friends and family in Ft. Lauderdale went through so many lengths to make it a really special shower. I am so blessed and so grateful to have so many real friends in my life.

Living in Tampa has made me realize on many occasions how important it is to have true friends that I can count on and who can count on me. I've heard it said that "home is where your heart is" and I definitely have to agree that most of my heart is in Ft. Lauderdale (except for the part of my heart that belongs to Greg and my children). There is just a special kind of feeling that I get when I'm there and around people who I know genuinely love me. I believe that God has my family here in Tampa for a purpose and so I am trusting Him with all my heart. However, when the time is right I hope that He will bring us back to our family and friends in Ft. Lauderdale.

I do have some great friends here in Tampa and I appreciate them very much and thank God for them as well. I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I pray that you will be blessed and that you will make wonderful memories with your loved ones this Christmas.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

This Thanksgiving we have family in our home celebrating with us. We are so excited!!! Presently, Greg's mother is in our kitchen already preparing some of the food for tonight's dinner. I helped her with some of the prep work last night and I will be making a potato casserole later. I'm trying to stay off my feet as much as possible so most of the food that I would have had to prepare I bought from Publix. I've gotten good reviews of Publix's food so I will let you know how it turns out.

Greg and his Dad left out this morning to participate in a 10k race, the turkey trot. They all did really good and he's excited about the outcome. I've been watching the Macy's Day Parade and the kids are into it this year too. Besides that, we are just looking forward to tonight's dinner. It is always nice to have good food and good conversation.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving Day! Enjoy your day however you spend it. Celebrate!

Another Great Read

My friend @ Pursuit of Meaning posted an interesting read on his blog. See below.
http://www.mamelodistories.org/2008/11/06/south-africans-on-obama/

Interesting Read

from Perry Noble. I found this message well written and wanted to share it here. Be inspired!

Questions About The Election
Here are some questions that have been floated my way…
#1 - Do you think the results of this election will lead to the end of the world as we know it?
NO! It really bothered me when some loony Christian wingnut called into a local talk show yesterday and talked about how the Bible predicted this would happen…
Now I’m no scholar…but I’ve read it from cover to cover on multiple occasions and I’ve never even seen Obama’s name!!!
The president of the United States does not hold the universe in His hands!!! God does–period!
#2 - If I don’t like the results of the election, what should I do?
I personally believe the Scriptures tell us to pray for our government leaders–whether we agree with them or not. We live in a country where we have the right to express our opinions…but I think it is hypocritical for a follower of Jesus to slam someone in a leadership position if they haven’t sincerely sought the Lord on their behalf.
#3 - What do you think will happen over the next four years?
Uh…I think I will eat some ice cream and watch some football games…other than that I am really not sure…and neither is anyone else.
#4 - Why didn’t you publically endorse a political candidate?
Because it simply isn’t Biblical. The purpose of the platform I have been given is to exalt Christ…NOT a political party!
#5 - Why do you seem to be anti-politics?
I’m not; in fact, I love politics. I study them a lot and I read about them as well. I have some friends that are really into the political scene that I pray for often.
BUT…the job of the church is not to legislate morality, which is what some idiots believe they can accomplish if a certain party is in power.
Change isn’t the result of who is in the White House…but rather who is in the heart of a man or woman!
I would be more than willing to discuss my political views one on one…and I’m sure it would be fun!!!
#6 - Are you and Tony Morgan going to make a run for the White House in four years?
Absolutely! I think we will win in a landslide!
#7 - What would be the first law that you passed if you were elected president?
I would do away with the BCS system and make them have a college football playoff! That would establish a legacy that would NEVER die!!!

A Moment Like This

is breath-taking! Last night my husband and I sat glued to the television as we watched history being made. It's official--Barack Obama is the President-elect and it is a proud moment for most Americans. Words cannot describe how I felt. It was exhilarating! I'm so excited for all the possibilities for America.

As I watched the crowd gathered in Chicago celebrating Obama's victory, there was one thought going through my head, "the face of America is changing!" When I looked at the crowd I saw America as it is suppose to be (the way God intended for the whole world to be), united with people of all different races. I was proud!

Barack Obama stated that out of many we are one and I smiled the entire time because that was what it was like for me growing up the first half of my life in Jamaica. In fact, that is actually Jamaica's motto and I love hearing it. Unity is important. All the States of America (red or blue) need to be united and this is my hope.

America has spoken loud and clear. They want change. Never again should we hear the words, "I can't." Yes, we can! It was a beautiful moment to watch the first African-American being elected President. It's a historical moment worthy of celebration whether you voted for Obama or not. America needs to come together and embrace her destiny.

Blogger Award

Lady Melissa sent me this award. I need to answer the following questions:

Seven Things I did Before...
1.) My first job was a waitress at a retirement home and it didn't last very long (all of 3 days). I was only 16.
2.) I was in several fashion shows in High School.
3.) I've carried a water bucket on my head (I grew up in a third world country).
4.) I taught myself to ride my bike. I was ten and would get on a hill, jump on the bike and try to balance and pedal until I crashed. After several times I didn't crash anymore and I could ride and then I taught my sister too!
5.) My sister and I wrote our own mystery books after being inspired by Nancy Drew and Hardy boys.
6.) I would teach young children how to read and help them with their homework. I really considered myself a good teacher. I was 12.
7.) I once ate mangoes until I started vomiting. I was so sick! But I still love mangoes.

Seven Things I do Now...
1.) Read, whenever possible.

2.) Spend time with my family.

3.) Watch TV.

5.) Blog

6.) Lots of house work

7.) Talk on the phone with friends back in Ft. Lauderdale. How I miss them!

Seven Things I Would Like to Do...
1.) Go on a trip with just my husband before the baby comes.
2.) Get red highlights in my hair.
3.) Live closer to my Mom and good friends.
4.) Home improvements.
5.) I would love to take a creative writing class that would help me write novels.
6.) Develop & organize a charity group for needy kids in Jamaica.
7.) Do God's work and fulfill my destiny for His Kingdom.

Seven Things That Attract Me to My Hubby...
1. He's very sincere.

2. His confidence and go-getter attitude.

3. He loves God.

4. He was my friend first.

5. He listens and pay attention to small details. He proposed to me with a scrapbook he had made of things he kept over the 4 years we dated. He even kept the piece of paper I wrote my phone number on. Can you believe that?

6. His hands. He really has the gift of touch. No wonder he works with his hands.
7. He loves me for who I am, just as Christ would love me.

Seven Favorite Foods...
1. Curry chicken

2. Lasagna

3. Pizza

4. Cheese Cake - New York Style with whip cream and fresh strawberries--yum!

5. My Mom-in-Law's pina colada cake-delicious!!!

6.Ribs

7. Mangoes

Seven Things I Say Most Often...
1. Praise God!

2. Gimme a break!

3. That's ridiculous!

4. What's up?

5. I don't like that.

6. I told you.

7. Thank you Jesus!

Freedom

Last night my husband and I entertained ourselves by watching, "The Secret Lives of Bees." While we enjoyed the movie thoroughly we were sadly reminded of the cost of freedom for many African Americans who gave their lives so that we can have rights in this country. Personally, I appreciate the price they had to pay and that's why I am currently embracing my right to vote (btw, my husband and I voted weeks ago--early voting in Florida, and so we cannot be "pressured" into swaying our votes). With that being said, I would now like to address some of the comments I received about my previous post. I appreciate all the comments that stated that they found the post interesting and agreed with my point of view. However, I did receive some comments (on my blog and through my personal e-mail) that had several concerns with what I posted. First and foremost, I would like to remind everyone reading this blog that this blog is used solely for the purpose of expressing myself. You will read about my views, beliefs, ideas, pet peeves and any other issue I choose to write about. You are welcome to read my blog but if you are offended then I will make no apologies. This is my blog and I will write and say what I please. I am not afraid to exercise my freedom of speech. If you've known me for any amount of time(and really know me) then you already know; I'm real. I say what I mean and I don't sugarcoat. My true feelings are always shared; infact, phoniness drives me crazy! If you still have a problem with my blog then you have the right to not visit my blog again.
Now, here are some concerns regarding my previous post:
1) The video that I spoke of is said to be quite tasteful and should not have offended me -First, I did not say anywhere in my post that I was offended by the video nor did I oppose to its' tastefulness. The point that I was addressing with the video is that it was very misleading. While the General Superintendent insisted that he was not going to endorse any candidate, the video went on to show a series of pictures and words urging every Christian to vote pro-life. It would have been just as suggestive if the video had showed pictures of people dying during the war and then urge Christians to vote to end the war. Most Americans know where each candidate stand on the issue of pro-life and ending the war.
2) Once again I will not reconsider the motivation in the showing of the video in any church I believe that Pastors should not tell anyone or even suggest to anyone which candidate they should vote for. We all have the right to choose for ourselves and using the art of suggestion in a video to persuade members of the congregation to choose one way or the other is in my opinion tactless and wrong. I agree that instead everyone should pray and vote the way their heart leads them to. Today, I was watching a program "Faith & Politics" on CNN and they interviewed 2 different Pastors (one supporting McCain and one supporting Obama) and they were both giving valid reasons as to why Christians should vote for their ideal candidate. They each had a different perspective. The program even interviewed a Catholic woman who said that every Christian should vote for McCain and then they showed a Christian man saying that he was voting for Obama because he believes that Obama was better for the country overall. This just goes to show that there are many differing opinions out there. This is why I believe that the church and their leaders should stay out of politics and stop telling people that they will not endorse any candidate but continue to show videos, write on their blogs and facebook and myspace about their enthusiasm for a certain candidate. People don't need the pressure; they have minds of their owns. They can think and vote on their own.

I May Not Always Agree

with you! But that doesn't mean that I am not right. I have the Right to choose for myself. I have the right to decide what I want. I believe that God created this universe. Along with doing that, He created us. He also gave us FREE WILL. Therefore, this gives us the Right to do as we please. We have that Right!
With that said, I think that a lot of people have forgotten that during this election time. They get so caught up in the frenzy of things and they want to tell you who to vote for. Being a free citizen in America allows you the right to choose for yourself. Therefore, I am so tired of people trying to pressure others into voting for their ideal candidate. This is so unhealthy for the country. It is so sad to see how ugly things have become. I am deeply disappointed in many of my fellow Americans' behavior and attitudes. Our beloved country has spiraled downwards under Bush's Administration. Yet we, as Christians, were told during last election that George Bush is the ideal candidate for Christians. Churches want to tell you that they won't tell you how to vote, but then before election they show you videos of General Superintendents telling you that you should vote for a "certain" candidate. This General Superintendent or other chosen video announcer will tell you that as a church they cannot endorse any one candidate but then they point out obvious issues of why you should vote for their chosen candidate. Don't be fooled by this. Do not feel pressured to vote the way that your Pastor is voting. I have been there before and 4 years later I still regret it. God is your only judge. No you will not go to hell if you don't vote for the candidate that your church or Pastor voted for. Your vote...you decide! It's that simple.

I leave you with something to ponder on:
Every one has two sets of numbers on their tombstone. There are two on every one... but the most important thing that is on our tombstone is the dash. The dash represents what we have done and the decisions that We have made between the first date and the second date on our tombstones.

Memorial Day was now over and all had left and I was alone....
and began to read the Names and Dates chiseled there on every stone

The Dates differed and the names showed whether it was Mom or Dad or Daughter or Baby Son
The "dates" were different dates... but the number the same... there were Two on every one.

It was then that I noticed something... it was but a simple line.
It was the dash between the dates. Placed there it stood for time.

All at once it occurred to me how important that little line.
The dates there belonged to God. But the line is yours and mine.

It's God who gives this precious life.... and God who takes away,
But the line between he gives to us, to do with what we may.

We know that God's written the first date down of each and every one,
and we know those hands will write again for the last dates has to come.

We know he'll write the last date down very soon, we know for some,
But I pray that the dash between my dates will reflect a life.... Well Done!

Breaking News...Live From Toddsville

I have been meaning to blog about this news in the last few days but I didn't get a chance to sit at my computer and write. Life took over!

I am currently in my fifth month of pregnancy and I am very thankful that my stomach has gone back to "normal". I've had so many problems with food and now I've been enjoying very delicious meals. I am enjoying this stage.

On Thursday, we had a doctor's appt and a sonogram. We were able to find out the baby's gender and....(drum roll please)...It's a girl!!!!

I had pretty much guessed as much due to my morning sickness and other symptoms. Our daughter has also been praying for a baby sister for more than a year now. There's power in prayer...she got her wish.
She was so excited when we told her the news after she got home from school. She said that she had prayed to Jesus and he heard her and answer her prayer and gave her what she wanted. I could've cried when she said that. To me, that was more significant that anything else. Her learning a lesson like that about prayer was priceless. Thank you Jesus!

On This Day...

...3 years ago Arjay was born! We are so thankful for him. Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Arjay. We celebrated Arjay's 3rd birthday this past Saturday at Chuck. E. Cheese. He had so much fun with his friends and was even dancing with Chuck.E.Cheese. Our family came up from Ft. Lauderdale and it was nice to have them around.

Arjay has been talking about his party for a while now and it was so good to finally have his party and see everything come together very nicely.

My Marathon Man

I promised details of my husband's marathon experience in Chicago. Please check out the details in his own words.

I am extremely proud of him. I know that he's taken a lot of time to pursue this dream and I'm happy he made a new PR (personal record). Although he is disappointed about his finish time, I know he had an awesome experience over all.

In the end, I am truly inspired by his focus and dedication. A lot of family and friends are saying how inspired they are now to get out there and run too. As my husband says, it takes a lot of time, dedication and discipline but it's an awesome feeling when you've gone the distance. And what a distance he's gone. Proud of you Babe!

He Did It!!!

Most of you already know that my husband has been training for the Chicago Marathon. Well, today was the big day! And he did awesome!

He finished in 4:36 which is his best marathon time so far. I'm sure he will have more details to share with me once he gets back but that's all for now. I'm so proud of him.

Go Greg!! Soooo happy...for him...and his accomplishment.

This is a picture from his half-marathon in Jamaica (not from his marathon in Chicago).

Acts of Kindness

Teaching children how to show kindness to others can be easily achieved by being a role model. Show your kids how to treat others by your actions.

Yesterday an opportunity presented itself for me to show my children how to show someone kindness.
After picking up my daughter from the bus stop, we started driving towards our home. It was very overcast and I noticed one of the little boys walking home. Not wanting him to get caught in a massive downpour (that was threatening to come at any second) I pulled over to the side of the road, rolled down my window and asked him if he would like a ride home.

My daughter just started school this August so I've only known the Moms and Dads at the stop for a few months. The little boy refused my offer for a ride.
Immediately following me driving off the rain started pouring and it really came down.
It was very ugly outside, with loud thundering and even lightning.
While it broke my heart to drive off and watch the little boy running towards his home, I kept thinking that his Mommy would be proud. I think he's in the 4th grade so he's not as little as I might be portraying him.
The bottom line is, although he's seen me often at the stop, I am a stranger to him and I couldn't help being proud of him for telling me no. Of course I wouldn't harm him but he doesn't know that.

So while my random act of kindness didn't quite go over as well as I would have like, I was presented with an opportunity to explain to my five-year-old how important it is not to accept rides from strangers. It was difficult for her to understand why the little boy refused to get a ride home when he was going to get wet in the rain. We talked about this for quite some time and she kept saying, "I feel so bad for ________."
Although we had a good discussion on how the little boy was just doing what he was told by his Mom, my daughter was still worried about him being wet in the rain and getting hit by lightning. Finally after a few minutes, I assured her that he would be home by now and was probably drying off.

In the end, the lesson learned wasn't the one of intention but it's always great when you are able to teach your children a lesson through actions.

When is the last time you did a random act of kindness?
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." (Colossians 3:12, NIV)

Please Pray!

My Mother-in-law recently lost her mother. Her mother died on Friday morning after suffering a stroke (about a month ago) and then also being diagnosed with terminal cancer. She died from a heart attack, that was due to the cancer. She died exactly 24 hours after my mother-in-law got to Jamaica to visit with her.
All her children living in the United States had spent the last few weeks after her diagnosis visiting with her and saying their goodbyes. Greg's mother was with her when she passed and although she's thankful for the last moments that they shared she is still saddened by her Mom's passing.

In true "when it rains it pours fashion", she received word from Jamaica that her father passed away yesterday morning. As you can imagine, she is torn apart by these simultaneous deaths and is in desperate need of all our prayers. Please pray for strength and peace through this whole process. Unfortunately, Greg has not seen either of his grandparents in many many years. He is deeply concerned for his mother. Please pray for his mother and all of her siblings as they make funeral arrangements and deal with the loss of both parents. Thank you!

Just 4 Laughs...

"To Do"

Truth be told most of us constantly make "to do" lists that we try to follow and consistently frustrate ourselves in doing so. Yet we continue to make our "to do" lists in hope that this is the day that we WILL get it ALL done! Believe me, I am there with you.

I am so anal and such a firm believer of having a plan. I strive to stay "organized" and consistently frustrate myself to tears (sometimes) because I get so overwhelmed. Trust me, I've been stressed out about this a lot more frequently than I care to admit.

I've read somewhere that it is best to make a short list of your "to do" list. That is, 3-4 important things that you MUST get done that day. Try to stick to that list and after you've completed those 3 or 4 things then rest. Relax. Try not to think about those other things that you have on your "to do" list.

Here's my problem: I can't relax. I drive myself nuts trying to get everything done. I always "over -plan" by assuming that I can complete more things on my list than I even have time or energy to do. Then of course with young children, there's always "additional to do's" that pop up each day. These "mishaps" happen all the time and things you didn't plan to do that day show their ugly heads and suddenly they seem more important and the other so-called important stuff gets shifted to the back burner for another day. Then they get added to the "to do" list again. And the cycle begins all over.

Why? Oh why?

It's frustrating and very overwhelming.

I'm learning to lower my expectations.

I'm learning that I can "ignore" some of these "must-get-done tasks" and the whole world does not come to an end.

I'm learning that my kids are more important than laundry and cleaning the house.

How do I know this? Because I heard myself telling a friend of mine, who was sharing her frustration about being a stay-at-home mother, not to worry about getting it "ALL" done today. That there will be tomorrow. I was rather stunneed by this advice because for years I struggled with this same concern. It's definitely not easy juggling everything. It really does seem that I can never get it ALL done. That's the real truth: you can never get it ALL done. No matter how depressing it sounds, it's true.

Finally, I'm learning to accept this and I was advising her that the sooner she did as well then the easier things will be for her. Of course, it's not always easy because there are days when I still get overwhelmed and frustrated. But, I am changing and growing. I've learned that I am human, not superhuman.

Happy Birthday To Greg!

We are celebrating my husband's birthday today. The kids were so excited this morning to wake up and wish Daddy a happy birthday. We had to wait a while though because obsessive Daddy went running.

When he got back we greeted him at the door and shouted "Happy Birthday!" really loud. Sorry neighbors. lol. Of course the kids sang as well and it was just soooo beautiful to hear them. Arjay can finally sing the words so that in itself was just really sweet to hear.

We have been just hanging at the house but we will get to go out later. My BFF is going to baby-sit the kids. I'm looking forward to our date night.

Anyway, it's great to celebrate another birthday with my husband. I love you so much Greg. May God bless you today and always. Know that you are loved and cherished!

Proud Mama!

Warning!!! Bragging Post Ahead...Proceed with caution!

I had to get on blogsville today and share with my blogging friends that my daughter is Student of the Month.

She got home less than an hour ago, all excited about it.

I was so surprised!!! I am elated and cannot even begin to describe how proud I am.

She's a really hard worker and for her teacher to acknowledge that and pick her for the first Student of the Month for her class is so wonderful.

She got to eat lunch today with her principal and other students who were selected from their classes.

She's extremely happy about her accomplishment and said that her teacher told her that it is because she makes good choices. Yeah!!! Go, Adryana!!

I am so proud, did I say that already? Well, I cannot say it enough.

Next Thursday they will have a celebration with all the families of the children who were selected. I cannot wait to attend.

I am beaming with so much pride right now, I am sure it's shining all over Tampa.

I asked my daughter how it felt to be Student of the month and she said it quite simply: "it feels great!" Yep, it feels great to Mom too!

Be Encouraged...

I received this in my e-mail and wanted to share it with my readers. Thanks for reading! I hope this will speak to your heart as it did to mine. Be blessed!


The God of Wooden PlowsThe Splendor of the Ordinary
By Chuck Colson
September 1, 2008
If you saw the movie The Passion of the Christ, you no doubt remember the film's powerful and overwhelming depiction of Jesus' scourging and crucifixion. But the film does contain one humorous moment, which hints at the high value God places on work.
The scene, you may remember, shows Jesus at work as a carpenter, finishing a table. His mother comes over to examine it. Her opinion? The table is too high. Not to worry, Jesus responds; He'll build tall chairs to go with it. Mary is not convinced. As she walks away, she mutters, "It'll never catch on."
The scene is a reminder that Jesus spent most of His life engaged in manual labor. The Christian apologist Justin Martyr said that during his lifetime, back in Galilee in the second century it was still common to see farmers using plows made by the carpenter Jesus of Nazareth.
In his book The Call, theologian Os Guinness reminds us that even the humblest work is important if done for God. "How intriguing," Guinness writes, "to think of Jesus' plow rather than His Cross—to wonder what it was that made His plows and yokes last and stand out." Clearly, they must have been made well if they were still in use in the second century.
Today, Christians typically exalt spiritual work above manual work. After all, what is making a plow compared with preaching to multitudes, feeding the five thousand, or raising someone from the dead? But the very fact that Jesus did make plows—and made them well—suggests that any work can be done to the glory of God.
Any work can be a genuine calling. A calling, Guinness writes, is anything we do "as a response to God's summons and service." When God calls us to do some task—even if it is something the world sees as lowly—that task is invested with what Guinness calls "the splendor of the ordinary."
"Drudgery done for ourselves or for other human audiences will always be drudgery," he writes, but "drudgery done for God is lifted and changed."
Accepting drudgery is one of the ways we practice discipleship—learning to offer it up sacrificially to God. "We look for the big things to do—[but] Jesus took a towel and washed the disciples' feet," Guinness writes. "We like to speak and act out of the rare moments of inspiration—[but] He requires our obedience in the routine, the unseen, and the thankless." We, His followers, must be willing to take on the humble and thankless tasks as well—and not become impatient with changing diapers, doing homework, or taking out the trash.
On Labor Day, we tend to relish our time off from a job we may not find significant in the grand scheme of history. But we should never forget that the second Person of the Triune Godhead spent much of His life laboring in a woodshop.
If you are frustrated in your job or think the work you have to do is beneath you, just remember that for a season the One who turned water into wine and raised the dead to life . . . also made wooden plows.
From Breakpoint, September 1, 2008, reprinted with permission of Prison Fellowship, www.breakpoint.org.

Meme- Me & My Kids

Pastor Deanna at Lifetime Intimate Portraits tagged me to do this Meme.


First: post a picture of you and your kids.

Second: Answer the questions.

1. How many children do you have? Two & 1 on the way ~ Adryana, and Arjay.

2. What are their ages? Adryana is 5 going on 15 and Arjay will be 3 in October.

3. What time of day do you start your day? 7:00 A.M.

4. What do you eat for breakfast? Depends-I eat 2 hard-boiled eggs if I have time. When in a rush, which is most days, I eat toast & grape jelly and of course must have my coffee.

5. Do they watch TV? Yes, but my husband and I are avid TV watchers as well so it's a family trait. lol. I'm not as concerned about it as some Moms are as long as we maintain a balance in their lives.

6. What are their favorite activities? Adryana loves to read (like her Mommy), she plays with dolls, likes to dress-up and is constantly writing/drawing on a notepad (just like Mommy again, the writing part not the drawing!). Arjay is very active and enjoys every kind of ball activity (baseball, basketball, soccer, just throwing balls, etc.). They both enjoy dancing too!

7. Do you get a break during the day from them? Yes I do. Adryana is in school and Arjay goes to part-time preschool on T/TH for 3 hours each of those days.

8. How do you end your day? Long shower or bath then reading. I also spend some time with Greg (mostly we talk about our day or we watch a favorite TV program).

9. What is your best parenting advice or tip? I always tell new Moms to enjoy every single moment with their child. They grow so quickly so do not spend too much time on the mistakes. Relax. Kids won't be little forever. Things are replaceable but you never regain moments passed unless you make use of the moment when it's here so it will be etched in your memory. Memories will last so make as many as you can.

Third: Tag 5 people.

I'm not sure I have 5 but here goes:

Greg @ Running & Rehab

Melissa @ Quiet Time Cafe

Pursuit of Meaning

O Happy Day!

Today is a happy day for me because I was able to eat pizza last night. I know it sounds trivial but believe me when I tell you it is a triumph for me. Many of you already know that the last several weeks have been difficult since I have not been able to eat normal "food." On Sunday I felt like eating fries and had some and later regretted it.

Well, since Saturday I have been craving pizza and I've been patient, mostly from fear that it would cause distress to my uncooperative stomach. Yesterday my patience ran out; I could wait no longer. I was ready for the night of terror. So, I was beyond excited when I ate the pizza (after dabbing away a lot of the grease with paper towels and also swallowing several Tums, lol). Anyhoo, I am elated that I was able to have pizza after months of doing without it. I know it's not that significant but it made me happy all the same.


Most importantly, today is my BFF's birthday. She turns 30 today and coincidentally is off from work. It has been a while since we've seen each other since she finished nursing school and got her "grown up" job. smile. I will be heading over to her place later after Adryana gets home from school so that we can celebrate. So excited that my stomach is feeling better because I'm sure I'll want to have some cake with her. Although it wouldn't matter if we didn't eat anything because whenever we get together we have lots of fun doing absolutely nothing but "chatting and laughing." Laughter is good medicine so I might need that if the cake disturbs my stomach.


Anyway, my dear friend you know I love you like a sister. I wish for you everything magnificent that God has in store for you. Enjoy your special day and know that you are loved and cherished. I am honored to be your friend and thank you for being my friend.

Trapped!!!

This is the title of my devotional that I recently read. I must say that this really resonated in my heart. Feeling trapped is never a nice feeling. We've all had one or more of these moments in which we feel that our life is spinning out of control. If you asked a bunch of people right now if they've ever felt trapped before, chances are you will find that several people will say yes. As humans, it is very hard for us to deal with the feeling that we are not in control of our lives. Many people have fears about this type of feeling. No one wants to feel trapped.

The truth is there are many of us today that are presently trapped and not even aware of it. We are trapped in a sense that we might not even consider being trapped.
Here's what my devotional had to say:
"Traps work because they take hold of us when we least expect it. It's possible to be caught in a greed trap. Let's say you just bought a new house. It was a little more than you planned on paying, so you started working a few more hours to cover your payments. Not long afterward your neighbor showed you her new car. You couldn't shake that restless gnawing at your insides. So you got a new car too. Now by the time you finish work each day you drive your nice new car back to your new house, you have neither time nor energy for anything else. You're so strapped financially that you can't begin to think about helping the poor in your town or city, let alone the starving masses around the world. Tapped!"

Let's face it, some things are about making better choices so that you never have to feel trapped. You have to be content with what you have and not always seeking more. The need for greed is many people's downfall. Don't get trapped in this web of deceit that the devil created for you. So, how can we avoid this greed trap? Here's what my devotional had to say:
"The apostle Paul tells us how to avoid being trapped by greed when he says, "If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." So take a few moments and ask how it is with you and your family? Are you content? Or has greed got you in a corner? Don't let the love of money pierce you with grief."

The bottom line is our country's economy is spiraling downward and we have no idea when or if it will get back to a decent level. Even more than ever we need to look within ourselves and see how we can make changes in our life. It's never easy cutting back but life is about making choices. We can all learn to live with certain adjustments; it may be difficult in the beginning but it will be a huge benefit in the end. Be wise and stay in constant prayer.

"Father, you have taught us to pray for our daily bread, and you have promised to provide all we need. May we be content to trust you for all things. In Jesus, Amen."

What's Happening?

After having a week of ups and downs, I finally started feeling better yesterday. I'm now 14 weeks (tomorrow) and my body is now tired more than usual. I try to stay off my feet as much as possible because my body is also weak from not being able to eat "normal."
Yesterday I felt the desire to do something to lift my spirits. I asked my husband if we (meaning him) could get us a baby-sitter because my best friend was unable to baby-sit. It took some work on his part but he was able to get a co-worker and his wife to agree to watch the kids for a few hours. We dropped them off at their house so the kids could play with their daughter and eat pizza. Then we headed to Muvico over in Wesley Chapel (its' close to where we dropped the kids off). We usually go to Citrus Park so just being at a different theatre was very nice because it really made me feel like I was going some place different. We've actually been to Muvico before so it wasn't entirely new. For me, it was exciting all the same.
My husband was making a sacrifice for me because by the time we headed to the movies he had to miss the game (Miami Hurricanes vs. Florida). The Miami Hurricanes is one of his favorite teams and he had to miss it for precious me. He didn't complain about it. It was all for the greater good, right? I mean, getting out and seeing a movie really helped to lift my spirit. Hanging out at home while not feeling "normal" was taking a toll on me not only physically but mentally too. I've been feeling really down about it and getting out yesterday felt awesome. Thank you husband and thank you Jesus.
Today was off to a good start for me but unfortunately I pushed the envelope and ate some fries after church. Needless to say, my stomach has been wreaking havoc on me and I am really paying the price. Still I will not get down about it. I know that I am getting better, I may not be a 100% yet but my goal is to stay positive this week. I will push forward and take it one day at a time.

How Am I Doing?

--My journey with morning sickness has been such a roller coaster ride. Waiting for it to be over. Holding on to hope that this too shall pass. Trusting God to get me through it. It's taking a toll on me and I just want to feel better soon.

--I'm so tired of politics...just want the election to be over!

--Checking out some blogs. I found this one post quite interesting. I'm sharing here. Go check it out.

-- I'm very annoyed by alot of things (blame it on my raging hormones). Just need some peace. Jesus, help me.

Full Original Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed,

Courage to change the things which should be changed,

and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time,

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,

Taking, as Jesus did, This sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it,

Trusting that You will make all things right,

If I surrender to Your will,

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,

And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.
This is my prayer for today.

Thankful Tuesday

I am thankful today for a lot of things. Some of them I will probably not remember, but thank you Jesus for everything.

I am thankful today for:
-- feeling better after dealing with intense morning sickness for the last 6 weeks.
--for the medication my doctor has me on that has helped to cease the vomiting.
--for my husband, he has been my anchor more times than I can count. These past weeks, I've had to lean on him for strength. Not once did he back down from the task. He went above and beyond with helping me and tolerating my mood swings as well.
--for my children. Although they drive me crazy sometimes; I am blessed to have them. It's like a breath of fresh air for me when I see them after being away from them, even if it's just a short while.
--for friends, who I can always count on.
--for everyone who said a prayer for me.

My grandmother has often said, "ungratefulness is worse than witchcraft."
Always remember to say thank you.
Thank you to all of you that are reading this. I pray that you will be blessed today!

Remember: Let God lift you up, and you won't let yourself down.

"He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and
set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings (Psalm 40:2)."

Change

is inevitable.

It's going to happen regardless of how we feel about it.

Like most people, I don't handle change very well.

It's very hard for me to embrace change.

When faced with change, I feel like going in the opposite direction.

Trepidation grabs a hold of me and sometimes I feel so consumed by the fear of change that I can't even think straight.

It's scary.

For me, it's mental.

It's emotional.

Recently while on our vacation, Greg and I had the opportunity to read, "Who Moved My Cheese?" by Spencer Johnson, MD.

I know, the title sounds hilarious but it is a very informative book. It's an easy read. It doesn't take very long to finish it. We were both able to read it in one night. We were with another couple (Greg's cousin and his wife). Over dinner, we discussed the book and which character we identified with the most. There are 4 characters in the book: Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw. Each one is a mouse, but is portrayed with human-like qualities.

After having a huge supply of cheese, they wake up one day to find that their cheese was gone. As you can imagine, each one had to address how to handle the change. They no longer had cheese and needed to decide what they were going to do. Sniff and Scurry were able to move quickly and started looking for new cheese.

Hem and Haw struggled with how to handle the change. Hem was unmovable. He refused to go looking for new cheese. He decided to stay and wait in hope for the cheese to magically return to him. Haw was afraid to go looking for cheese. For a long while, fear had a hold on him and he couldn't move. He was so worried about the new journey that he didn't know whether to stay or go. After beating up himself internally, he finally decided to go and look for new cheese. Although, he only decided to do that after he realized that if he stayed he could die from not eating any cheese. Therefore, he realized that his situation was getting worse. He tried to get Hem to go with him but Hem wouldn't budge.

So, eventually Haw went out on his own and started his journey searching for new cheese. It was a long, hard journey and he went through a lot. He had to deal with fear, anxiety and worry. Throughout his journey he left some "writings on the wall" to share his insights to whoever needed it (although he was hoping it would help his friend Hem the most).

Eventually Haw found new cheese and was very happy to see that Sniff and Scurry were also there (they had made the journey long before him). He was very sad that his friend Hem hadn't come along but he was still hopeful that he would come one day soon. The author left us hanging on that and we still don't know if Hem decided to change.

In the end, we can draw some conclusions from the book:

1) Some people will never change. (Hem)

2) Some people are afraid to change but will do it eventually. (Haw)

3) Some people move quickly to change. (Scurry)

4) Some people sense (sniff out) change and is ready to act. (Sniff).



We all identify with 1 or more of these characters.

Knowing which character we identify with is very beneficial to assist us in the process of change. Think about which character from the story you identify with. Then use the traits of that character to prepare you. Understanding how you handle change is the first step towards helping you. Also, learn how to adapt other traits from the other characters that are more beneficial in helping you become successful when change comes your way.
Change will come.
The bottom line is: how will you handle change?

Good News

It is always nice when you receive good news.

It definitely beats hearing another piece of bad news. I think we've all had our share of that lately.
Today I am celebrating with my good friend, Latoya and her family. She and her husband just welcomed their second child into the world at 9:30 pm last night. I am so excited for her. She delivered on her due date and her son weighed in at 9lbs 2oz. Little Patrick Jr. will meet his big sister, Skylar sometime this morning.

I mentioned in a recent post, that during the midst of a storm we received some very wonderful news. If curiosity had gotten the better of you then you'll be happy to know that you don't have to wait any longer. Here is the good news I was talking about: it seems that the stork has paid my husband and I another visit. We are expecting our third child. I am due March 9, 2009, which will only be a few days before my birthday. As one can imagine, we are all very excited in the Todd household about this information.

Actually, I'm not sure how Arjay will handle it but we'll just have to wait and see. Adryana is as thrilled as anyone can be because she's actually been praying now for about a year that she would have a baby sister. Even while in preschool, when she was asked to name one wish that she would like, she said she would like a baby sister. BTW, we do not know yet whether we are having a boy or girl. Either way we will be happy; we are just praying for a healthy baby. God is good and we are very grateful for this blessing.

Jamaica Mi Proud (Olympics Triumphs) and Todd Squad Update

As a Jamaican, I have to admit, it has been more than amazing watching the Olympics and seeing fellow Jamaicans win gold medals for running. It's extremely electrifying watching Usain Bolt winning the 100m race and then the following night watching the Jamaican girls sweeping their race. Everyone in Jamaica is celebrating this victory and my husband and I are just as happy to watch this moment in history.

As far as the Olympics go, I have been enjoying watching most of the events. I think that the city of Beijing did a tremendous job of preparing for the events. It has been splendid watching the meets at the Bird's Nest. In addition, watching Michael Phelps compete and win 8 gold medals has been awesome. It's really unbelievable that any one person is capable of doing. Michael Phelps seems like such a nice guy and I am so happy for him. Everyone that has done exceptional at the Olympics, in my book, are pretty special.

Todd Squad Update Ahead:

This morning sweet girl went off to her first day of school. It is such a bittersweet moment for me. Part of me is so happy to see her go off to school. She was somewhat nervous but a bit excited about her new experience. I took some pictures of her and she went in to her class, followed her teacher's directions and got ready for the day. I'm so impressed with her. She did not cry at all. Oh my big girl! I was sad to leave her and I miss her so much already. Thank God that she went to preschool so this is not entirely new to me. I know everything will be fine but it's a bit tough on my nerves. I will survive!!!

In other news, our son has started potty training. We actually started about a week ago but it has been going very slow until now. He's really stubborn and determined to do things his own way. Today, he finally took the bribing bait and went potty on his own. I was so proud of him. He will start part-time preschool tomorrow. We will see how that will go. He can be a tough cookie so I will brace myself.

The Weeding Process

Yesterday I spent over 2 hours pulling weeds from our flower bed. Pulling weeds is one of my least favorite chores. However, it was way past due. I was extremely embarrassed by the "look" of our flower bed that greeted us when we return from our vacation. I was so frustrated and angry while outside pulling weeds. I simply hate to do it but if I don't do it then I hate to see it left undone. I'm really torn with this chore, because I'm upset when I have to pull the weeds but I'm also upset when I have to look at them too. Sigh.


While I was out there pulling the weeds, a thought occurred to me. Does God ever get tired of pulling weeds from our lives? I mean, does He ever stop and think that these people mess up so much and have so much "crap" in their lives that I'm just plain tired of bailing them out? I wouldn't blame Him if He did. There's nothing glamorous about weeds. They come up in a place where they are unwanted. They make it difficult for the flowers to thrive because they will literally choke them to death if they are not removed from the flower bed.

So, it certainly cannot be an exciting job to pull weeds all day. However, I have been told that there are many people who enjoy this type of work. I've heard that pulling weeds can be very relaxing. And while I won't say that I feel relaxed when I am pulling weeds, I can definitely see where a person could be so lost in thought and they could actually enjoy that. When I allow myself to, I can think about several things but every once in a while frustration will creep up and consume me again. Then I will get so angry that I have to be out there pulling the weeds in the first place.

Anyhoo, anyone who has a "green thumb" will tell you that pulling weeds and pruning are very essential to plant care. While I've certainly killed my share of plants and will never claim to be anywhere remotely close to a "green thumb", I am still very aware of the process. As a homeowner, I also realize that it is my responsibility to care for my home and its' surroundings. So, until there is another effective way to handle these weeds, I will continue to pull them and vent about it.

Besides that, we've been keeping pretty busy with getting ready for school. My daughter is starting kindergarten on Monday. She's not nearly as excited as I would have hoped but I know she will come around. We had to do the parents' night for kindergartners and then the school wide orientation and meet-the-teacher day. It was a rush to get all the supplies once we got back from vacation because I didn't get the letter until the day we were leaving for vacation. However, we are prepared for Monday for her and Tuesday for my son who will be going to part-time preschool. Unbelievable!! Pass me the Kleenex.

I am already very nervous about both of my kids growing up and going off to school. It has been a week of boo-hooing and I know that next week will be pretty much the same. Yep, that's me. Change doesn't come very easy for me. It takes me a little while to adapt and that's exactly why I am so patient and understanding with my daughter. She has the same struggle with change and I feel her pain. Fortunately, she usually adapts very well after a little while too. We are bracing ourselves for the ride. We are also staying prayed up!

Vacation Week

We are in Ft. Lauderdale this week. I've had such a crummy week this past week that a vacation is very needed. We were supposed to be in Tennessee for vacation and the devil kept attacking us so much that not even our vacation was safe. About a week ago we had to cancel our trip, due to circumstances out of our control. We were so disappointed because we were looking forward to getting away. I've never been to Tennessee and I was so excited to go. Bummer! I was so bummed out by it.
But God is good. We were able to still make new plans for our vacation. Now here we are in Ft. Lauderdale visiting family. Then on Tuesday, my husband and I will go to a hotel while the kids stay with my mom (she's still not working so she is able to watch them). We will get some "quality" time together. Ha!
Then Friday, we leave Ft. Lauderdale and head to Orlando. Yippee! We will not do the whole Disney stuff this time around but we will be going to Universal Studios. We've never been before. We've always gone to Islands of Adventure and so it will be a treat to go to somewhere new.

We are now at my parents' house and I am so delighted to chit-chat with my Mom. We are so close. We talk every single day sometimes several times per day. But no matter how much we talk on the telephone, we can't seem to stop talking when we see each other face to face. It's wonderful!! It's amazing how much my spirit have lifted already. Tomorrow we will attend church at my parents' church (which is also the church where I went growing up and where Greg and I got married at). Following church services, we will visit Greg's parents' home. It's always great to see family.
I will try to get back and post something about my day tomorrow. I will take pictures but I doubt that we will be able to download and post them until we get back home.

Try Again!

This past week, my daughter has been practicing how to tie her shoelaces. It's one of the skills that they stress in kindergarten and she has not mastered it as of yet. Blame it on those 'oh so convenient Velcro straps' that they have on shoes now. She's doing pretty well but becomes so frustrated with it. I think that she believes that it is something she would learn right away. She is a fast learner and she does get pretty obsessive with a task until she's successful at it (sounds like anyone you know? her dad!).
I've been trying to motivate and encourage her. I've told her more times than I can count that if you try something and you don't succeed then you keep trying. I told her that she should not give up. She's persistent and not about to give up but she does get upset by her efforts.
Watching her has gotten me thinking about how things become second nature to us. Like tying your shoelaces. Now I do it without putting much thought into it.
This is very similar to handling stressful situations in life. At first it appears unbearable. It is such a hurdle and we cannot imagine getting over it. Then as time goes by, little by little, we get "comfortable" with the situation. Sometimes regardless of whether or not we've had resolution. We are not happy about the situation but we've got to sort of learn how to live with it. I'm in that phase right now. I feel like the situation that's causing me stress is something I can't really change so I've got to learn how to "live" with it. I'm learning how to just let go and let God. I've got to give it all to Him and trust that He will take care of it.
Although there's no resolution at this time, I cannot allow myself to be so consumed by it that life passes me by. Stress has a way of eating away at a person. Then it also breeds other stress. While I'm stressed, anything else unfavorable that presents itself in my life, might drive me absolutely crazy. So dealing with what's on my plate in a positive way, even if it's not yet resolved will only help me in the long run. I can't allow it to keep me down. I can't give up. I've got to get up, dust myself off and try again!

Moving Mountains

Over the last 2 weeks, I've felt really weary.

Not tired but just plain weary.

There's been so much going on (and still going on) in my life that has been a struggle. We are facing very overwhelming circumstances and I feel like I literally see mountains when I close my eyes.

Another day goes by and then I see more mountains to climb.

I've been trying to stay positive.

Each day I thank God for every blessing.

I know that God is faithful.

I know that He can do everything.

I know that with God all things are possible.

I also know that God can move mountains.

I've been praying for God to move our mountains. My heart is extremely full and it is stressful.

Then I get on the phone with friends and I listen to their struggles and challenges too. I think, Lord, what is going on? Why are so many people struggling? The devil is surely hard at work.

Yesterday, my husband and I spent most of the day laughing. Yep, we laughed. Not because we wanted to but because we had to. Laughter really is such good medicine. At first I started laughing because we had just heard some more bad news and I just couldn't believe how much bigger our mountain had gotten. At one point, he said, "why are you laughing? This is not funny!" I said, "I know but if I don't laugh then I'm going to cry!" Soon after, he was laughing too. Laughing is very contagious.

We spoke with some friends later in the day and couldn't believe what was happening with them. Their mountain was a lot bigger than ours. That put things into perspective for us. No matter how bad you have it, there are other people struggling too. People who might be going through worse than you. It doesn't make you feel better but sometimes when you hear it, you realize how much you have to be thankful for.

We still have our mountains, but we are trusting in God. My childhood pastor would say, "God is in the mountain moving business!" So I'm going to patiently wait on the Lord to move these mountains for us. In the meantime, I will take it one day at a time. There's a whole lot of problems that I can get from being stressed out. I don't need that added to my other problems. So each day I will count my blessings and make every effort to laugh.

Have you laughed today???

One little known fact about me is...

I read Psalms 23 every night before I go to my bed. No kidding! Growing up, I watched my grandmother read Psalms 23 every night and even my mother did it too. My grandmother would also leave her Bible opened and left on Psalms 23. She thought that this would offer her protection from evil spirits. It might sound a bit comical now but I think because she had faith that she would be protected by doing that ritual, then she was always protected by God.

Reading Psalms 23 makes me feel safe. I feel loved and protected by God. I know that He is watching over me and that gives me comfort.

I can remember as a child going through a frightening hurricane and my Mom and I read Psalms 23 by candlelight. After we were done reading, I felt safe and not as frightened. I learned as a child to seek comfort in reading Psalms 23 whenever I felt scared. Today I continue to read, not from fear, but because it reminds me of the kind of God I serve. The Lord is my shepherd!

Psalm 23

The Lord the shepherd of His People

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

3 He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

I will fear no evil;

For you are with me;

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever.

What's Up Todd Squad?

It's been a while since I've blogged. Not really sure what happened except I could never seem to get my thoughts together to sit and write or I was too busy to even think about blogging.

During the past week, our family had many things on our plate that we've had to deal with. I'm not going to share the details because there are things about my life that I like to keep private (especially off the web). God knows our situation and even in the midst of the bad, we saw good. We are very thankful for that. God blesses us every single day and it's important that we always take a moment to appreciate that. Look around you and see that there is life happening. That in itself is truly a blessing from our creator!

We were away for July 4th celebrating with our family in Ft. Lauderdale. We had such an awesome time. My parents had a barbecue at their house and I saw a cousin of mine that I haven't seen in about 15 years. It was so nice to talk with her. It was wonderful being surrounded by family like that. There were aunts and cousins from both of my parents' sides of the family. Greg's parents also joined us for the barbecue and we were so thrilled. It was fantabulous!!! Here are some pictures...

The next day we celebrated our godson's first birthday. It rained but we were still able to have a good time. It didn't rain all day so the kids were able to do slip n' slide, water guns and sprinklers. They had so much fun! Arjay slept through it all. Still it was a great time together and another awesome cookout. I'll share a few pictures... After getting back from Ft. Lauderdale, we had to deal with the "bad" that I mentioned earlier. It is still being resolved and we are trusting God to take care of it just like He has done so many times before. A few days later something really good happened. I will share about this soon but for now I don't want to jinx it.

So on to more of what's been going on with Todd Squad. Our daughter spent last week at princess dance camp. She spent a whole week (I dropped her off each day for a few hours) doing ballet and tap dancing. She loved it so much and had so much fun. The last day they had a recital (a very small performance). It was so cute to watch. She was in "princess" heaven and of course being that she's so girly girl she enjoyed every minute of being a ballerina.

Our son had a cold a few weeks back and couldn't get rid of a cough so I took him to see the doctor. It turns out he has a post-nasal drip and he's now on antibiotics and it will last for 2 weeks. Hopefully he will be all better soon.

Besides that, my husband and I were able to go on a "date " yesterday. We saw a movie and went to a restaurant called "Fuego"Brazilian Steakhouse (Churrascaria). It was pretty good and they gave good portions of meat and sides. The best part is we spent under $25 for both our meals, and we even had dessert. No kidding, the price was pretty unbelievable to us. We would definitely go back again.

Greg's parents also visited last night. They were actually just spending the night. They were traveling back home from Gainesville. It was a short visit and the kids were really sad to see them leave this morning. They left right before church so getting ready for church was a bit tough with the kids. We did it though and got to church right on time. Church was awesome too. The choir was sensational. They sang really great. The message was very good and we were blessed by it.

I hope we will have an awesome week this coming week.

Later, Alligator!

I'll be off blogging world for a few days. We are off to Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow morning. Today has been a busy day of doing laundry and getting our things prepared for the trip. I'm still not finished packing.

We will have a busy weekend. We will attend a barbecue on Friday. Then on Saturday our godson is celebrating his first birthday. We will attend his birthday party which my kids are really excited about.

It is always nice to get together with family and friends. We are looking forward to it.

I hope everyone will have a fun and safe July 4th. Enjoy yourself!

I saw this quote today and I have to share it:

"When you were born, you cried and everyone else was happy. Live your life in such a way that when you die, you will be happy and everyone else will cry. "

Storms

I got caught in a thunderstorm today! I took the kids to Seven Oaks pool in Wesley Chapel. I was trying to beat the afternoon rain (it seems like we have been getting rain every afternoon here in Tampa). After about 45 minutes in pool, it started thundering. Five minutes after that we felt the first drops of rain and made a mad dash for our car. Before we got on to State Road 54, the rain started pouring.
I tried my best to navigate through the rain by driving very slowly but it got so bad that I had to pull over. I've always found it a bit frightening to drive in the rain, when there is a huge downpour. It makes me really nervous and I would just rather be safe than sorry anyways. So I waited by the side of the road (actually the turning lane to a townhouse subdivision). We waited for about five minutes and I prayed while I waited. Once the rain cleared up some, I decided to try again and we were able to make it home safely.

Being caught in the storm got me to thinking about how in life we have all gone through major storms, or going through one currently or we are about to go through one. The funny thing about a storm is we might get some signs :thunder, lightning and even wind. But even with the signs, we cannot tell how badly the storm will affect us until we have gone through it. Some people are either bunkered in safely at home, while others are stuck in the midst of the storm. We don't know when we will be the one caught in the storm. The only sure thing we know is that we can count on Jesus. He will never leave nor forsake us.

I've been thinking alot about 2 people in my life who are currently going through the storms of life. My neighbor, Zack, who is currently battling leukemia. Yesterday marked one year since he was diagnosed. I've watched his parents drawn closer to God and I believe in my heart that God has worked a miracle for Zack and his family. I believe in Jesus. I know he CAN. I know with God nothing is impossible. Therefore, I am believing for Erik that he will get healed of lymphoma. His journey has just begun; he will start chemo tomorrow. They are in the midst of a storm and would appreciate all your prayers. Remember, God is able!

When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall
lift up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19)

Drama...Drama!

It would be an understatement to say I had "one of those days" yesterday. You know those days when everything just seem to go wrong. Nothing major happened but it was just a day of craziness. I started my day early to run some errands. My first stop at the library started my day off wrong. A book I had placed on hold was not there when I got there, even though it should have been. No biggie really, they would just re-order it and I would get it in a few days. I'm not going to let that ruin my day.

Off to the next stop: Sam's club. I've discovered that an easy way to shop at Sam's club is to use a service they call "click 'n' pull". I've used this service a few other times and has find it very beneficial especially when you have to tow around two young children when you go shopping. Yesterday, however, was not as easy as it usual is. When I got there, they did not have half of my order. Once again, I'm determined to stay calm.
So, the gentleman helping me asked me to wait while he got the items. I decided that I would help him and told him I would get 2 items if he would get the others. We parted ways to retrieve the items. Upon my return to customer service (where you pick up order) this man was MIA. I waited patiently until someone else offered to help. Finally everything was sorted out and although it shouldn't have taken so long, we were finally done and had gotten everything we needed except one item because they didn't have it in stock.

We left Sam's club and I came home feeling like I could just relax a bit in my chaise and read while the kids take a nap. Unfortunately, there were a few pressing phone messages for me to return immediately. One of those calls had my blood pressure rising. I won't get into details since it will only frustrate me even more. Let's just say it involves money. Speaking of money- -our A/C has been leaking in our garage and we had someone "fix" it on Saturday and it's still leaking. Therefore, that was another issue I had to deal with yesterday. Now, it looks like it's going to cost us a lot more money to get it fixed and I honestly can't tell if we are being ripped off but I get the feeling we are!

On to more drama...
Last night, I put the kids in bed at their regular bed time and went in to take my shower. After I finished, I went in the kitchen to make a cup of tea and I hear the kids playing and making noise. It's supposed to be bed time. After scolding them, I returned to my room to watch TV. I'm now thinking they are asleep because it's been a good while. Next thing I know Arjay is in my room (he's been climbing out of his crib now). I took him back to bed. In less than an hour later, I turned the TV off and started going off to sleep when I feel someone climbing into bed. I think it's Adryana (she loves coming to our bedroom begging to get in our bed) but it's Arjay! He usually loves to sleep in his crib. I'm now half asleep and didn't feel like walking back to his room (we have a split floor plan so we are in back of house on one side and they are in front of house on another side). I allowed him to sleep with us and we didn't sleep very well with him in bed. He's not a good sleeper.

Finally, I was getting some zzz's and at 5am I hear the alarm blasting. Greg forgot to turn off the alarm. Greg decided to go running this morning and he has to get to work at 7am so he left for running at 4:30am (I know it's crazy, trust me, I am always worried). Next thing I know Adryana is up in her bed screaming and crying that Arjay is gone. I got her calmed and then she came into our bed too. We are finally falling asleep when Greg came back home and went to shower before work. So, neither Adryana or I could sleep with him moving around in master bathroom/bedroom. Finally, he leaves for work and we were able to get a little sleep before we started the day. So now I'm extremely exhausted and cannot wait to get to my bed and sleep. I hope tonight will be a less dramatic night! We desperately need some sleep. Jesus help us.

Please pray...

for my cousin's husband who is scheduled to start chemotherapy on July 2nd. His name is Erik. The last time I wrote about him, he was having surgery to remove a tumor from his neck. He has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Please pray for healing. And for salvation.

Also pray for my cousin, Trecia. It is a difficult time for both of them right now. But, I know God is able. Right now, this is hurting my heart so much and I am at a loss for words. I know that nothing is impossible for God and that is all I can cling to right now. Thank you for your prayers!

If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'move
from here to there, ' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you
(Matthew 17:20, NKJV).

Sunday's Reflection

Sunday was not a sunny day here in Tampa. It rained again pretty much all day! My daughter was really upset yesterday because it was raining and she wanted to go swimming. She's been taking swimming lessons since the day after Memorial Day and when she first started out she hated it.

In fact, on her first day of swimming lessons, between screaming and crying she said, "this is the worst day ever!" We laugh about it now but she was really terrified about putting her face under water. It has been a long journey but she's now really comfortable in the water and she's made so much progress. She's now a bit obsessed with swimming and wants to practice as much as possible. So, on Saturday she wasn't happy because her dad had promised to take her swimming but couldn't because of the rain. We even heard her praying and begging God to stop the rain (oh, the faith of little children; you gotta love it!).

We were not able to go swimming Saturday so we went yesterday after church. We were lucky enough to get a break from the rain after church. We went swimming at a pool by Greg's work. We were able to stay there for over an hour without any rain. So my daughter got alot of practice and she did awesome! I'm truly proud of her and all the progress she's made. The whole time she was smiling and saying, "this is the best day ever!" Funny, huh?

Later that night, she prayed and thank God for stopping the rain just for her so that she could swim. I told her that God smiled on her and she said that it's because God loves her. I love to listen to her talk about God. She's so in love with Jesus and God. It's exhilarating to watch her and hear her pray. My prayer is that she will always have this love for Jesus and have a passion to do His will.

Tag

1) What were you doing ten years ago? I was attending Florida International University, where I met Greg and we would have been dating for 2 years by that time.
2) Name five things on today's "to do" list:
-attend church (actually teach children's church)
-catch up on my reading (I have a library book that is due tomorrow)
-wash dishes/tidy kitchen
-make dinner
-wash my daughter's hair and give children a bath, then put them to bed
3) Things I'd do if I was a billionnaire...
- help my friends and family (especially those in Jamaica that are less fortunate)
-start my own charity organization
-invest
4) Three bad habits:
-mood swings
-high expectations (prefectionist)
-Emotional shut down when overwhelmed/stressed
5) Five places I've lived:
- Jamaica
-Fort Lauderdale, Florida
-Miami, Florida
-Tampa, Florida
-Odessa, Florida
6) Five jobs I've had:
-Waitress
-Sales Respresentative
-Front desk/Receptionist
-Recreational Therapist
-Substitute Teacher/Teacher
7) Five people I'm tagging: you