So my mom is making me blog to so mine will probably be as random as Annie's.   I just finished the third Dahveed book by Terri Fivash, for those of you who don't know who she is, she is the author of some of my favorite books. 
I have a job two days  a week, I babysit for a friend who has to work, it's a lot of fun.  
I miss my old room it was nice to have a place that I could be alone. 
I wish that I could  go swimming more, maybe I can when I get my drivers license in April. 
My little brother is showing me pictures he took of some flowers out in the front yard.  
I had to leave in the middle of writing this, my dad, Annie, and I just got back from a driving lesson.  We practiced parallel parking.  My mom is in the process of making dinner, we are having frog-leg patties, they are one of my favorite meals.  My music lessons are going well and my teacher is happy with my progress.   I have to go now, my mom just called us for supper.

Random Happenings in My Life Right Now

My mom is making me blog again, so this post may be a little random. As some of you may know, I read a lot of books, and while some people will read maybe two or three books at a time, I am currently reading about eight or nine, which is a lot even for me.  I am currently in algebra 1, and lets just say that math isn't my favorite subject, but I am doing well enough to keep my mom satisfied. We are learning about Columbus and the early explorers in history right now. It's ok, but I can't wait  until we get to the mid to late 16th century and the revolutionary war. I hope to be starting Latin by the end of the semester, and if not by then, then definitely by the end of the school year.  I am hoping to go out and work at Camp Mivoden again this summer, I'd like to go out for the whole summer if I get hired on as payed staff,  but if I don't I 'll probably try to volunteer for about 6 weeks if I can. Well I better be going, I have other home work to catch up on, and Castle is on tonight, and I want to be done by then so that I can watch it.

debris

One of our neighbors took down a tree recently and had all the branches and trunk sitting out in the street, waiting to be hauled away.  I drove by there twice today, and both times I got a knot in my stomach.  The branches/etc are gone, but what is left is alot of tiny pieces of tree debris laying in the street.  I'm amazed how the sight of that debris on the road brings up such feelings.  We are all healing, but there are still 'things' to deal with.  I'm sure they will increase as we get closer to the anniversary, and as storm season ramps up.  Please continue to keep us all in your prayers.

Sharon

A reply I wrote on Facebook that I thought I should share here...

A friend posted this as his status on Facebook:

Trust your Shepherd. He'll do anything for His sheep, especially if you're the one who ran away.

One of his friends, Roxie, replied:

How I wish I could be so sure and trusting as you are! I really need some guidance and self assurance!

Here is what I wrote: (I felt God helping me find the right words - praise goes to HIM!)

I don't know you Roxie - but I have felt the same way in the past (as recently as last March/early April) I've struggled with it ALOT through the years. But it is DEAD now. I prayed for God to remove it from my life, and He DID - in a powerful way - and EF5 Tornado hit our house on April 27 of last year. I will never again doubt His love and care for longer than what it takes me to remember how we felt Him walking with us through that day and the weeks and months to follow. He BLESSED us in the storm and protected us, and many of our friends and even our stuff. He used the tornado to remove debt and distractions from our lives and provide us with gifts and a clear understanding of the infinite love He has for us. 

My recommendation would be that if you wish for that - turn that wish into a prayer - if you ask God for something that is within His will HE WILL GIVE IT TO YOU - there is no if's, and's or but's about it. And having a closer relationship with Him is definitely within His will. BUT (and this is the tough part) beware- He might use a shocking method to draw you closer to Him!! Before you pray that prayer - brace yourself - the ride might get a bit crazy - but in the end - it will be worth it!!!


--  just thought I should share this here too, for some reason - hope it touches someone who needs to hear it.   And lest anyone think >> I <<  'have it all together' - please know that I am facing this next storm season with a fair bit of apprehension.  It seems to have gotten an early start with two 'storms' in January!  But I am exercising those 'trust Him' muscles and getting stronger and stronger.  Please continue to hold our family in your prayers!!

Every day is a potential tornado day??

Lon just dropped that little bomb shell on me this evening, as we were tucking instruments into the closet under the stairs because we are on tornado watch tonight until 5:00 in the morning (it's 11:30 now, and it started about an hour ago).  ( ! ) (that's a LONG one - usually they are for a few hours at the most) I had commented that it sure seems the storm season has started early this year, and he kindly pointed out this little fact about life in Alabama.  Every day has the potential of being a storm day.  It has more to do with where we live than what time of year it is - the time of year just makes it more or less likely, and more or less likely to be severe.  Ok - can I just say - I didn't probably need that little bit of information in my human data-base of a head.

I should probably stop and let you all know that we were able to recover most of my data, there were a few things lost and of course the HUGE inconvenience of it all, particularly in the fact that I essentially have a new computer and have to migrate all my stuff over to it, and not every thing migrated well, or easily.  And we also did an upgrade to Lion, at the same time (bad idea) so there is a huge learning curve there and a whole 'nother set of 'migration' issue.  So, life with the computer has settled down, though it is far from perfect - I end up frustrated with it not doing what I expect it to do on a much more frequent basis it seems.  However, once again, 'stuff was saved from the brink of disaster' but it is NOT all peachy keen. We ARE, however, doing REGULAR back-ups now.  : )  That is a good thing that came out of it.  

Anyway- just checking in - it's been a while.  Lon and I did take our trip to Hawaii in December. It was pretty wonderful.  Relaxing and fun, just what we needed.  There are a bunch of pictures up on facebook.

The holidays were very nice.  FEMA came through with money from the portion of the truck pay-off amount that wasn't covered on insurance and the portion of my leg PT that wasn't covered (plus some!).  So that helped for us to have a VERY nice Christmas.  It was also just a nice relaxing, family time.   Enjoyed that.  : ) 

Then, New Years weekend our friends, the Fernando's came over from Texas - so another trip up to the old house, so show them around - they had been out to visit us just about four weeks before the storm last year, and it was pretty shocking, for them to see that area, SO different!  It was also VERY fun to have them here - always lots of laughter when they come, and it truly is the best medicine!

It's been good to launch into the new year and get back into a routine.  It seemed that the fall was pretty broken up with trips out west (two, and then Hawaii) and other things going on, and so, now, we have a stretch of school/life ahead of us, that seems as if it can proceed without major interruption.  : ) That feels good.   Just to be in a routine, with predictable days feels nice. 

Lon is REALLY enjoying his job/work.  And we are hoping that his contract will be easily extended, as they really like his work, too. 

Emma has started a gluten free diet - she just has tummy aches so much, we sort of figured that we could try it and see what happens.  Certainly better than letting the doctor continue to throw this and that different heartburn med at it, which questionable results.  The diet seems to be helping, quite alot, actually, and we are only two weeks into it so far. 

I"m back on track for my weight loss - I had lost 15 pounds going into the holidays - gained just under half of it back, and am back on track now, to keep getting more and more off.  It feels good.  I'm using a meal-replacement plan called Visalus, and the ELMM plan - Eat Less, Move More!!

Not much else new - just same old same old, which is good.  I could use a little 'boring' in my life.  Kids are settling back down now, succumbing to sleep - perhaps I'll give it a try myself.