Update on Dad, and a card request

Here is an update/card request for my dad. I know some of this is redundant information, but I thought I'd just put it all together for you.

On December 8 he had a minor heart attack and had a stent put on the December 10th, and was scheduled to have triple bypass surgery on sometime around the middle of January. Due to the procedure, Dad was not able to go to my brother's wedding -- in Virginia, they live in Wisconsin -- and that was really, really hard on him.

Last night, Dad was having some chest pain and so Mom brought him to the emergency room. They decided to keep him overnight for observation. When the doctor came in this morning, he decided to keep Dad in the hospital until the surgery, which will be moved up -- we are waiting to hear back from the surgeon on that one.

My poor dad....he is going to be in the hospital on his birthday, January 1, waiting for open heart surgery, which will probably be on January 2...although we are not sure yet.
ANYWAYS - Dad is feeling pretty sad at the thought of being in the hospital for at least the next week and a half. My family is getting together a card shower and I was wondering -- Would you be so kind as to help us out??? I/we/he would really really appreciate it!!
Cards can be sent to:

James McMillen

c/o Saint Clare's Hospital

Room 2373

400 Ministry ParkwayWeston, WI 54476

A couple of hints:
Dad is a very conservative Baptist pastor

• His name is James, but he goes by Freddy
• His favorite color is blue
• Dad grew up on a farm and LOVES horses

Most imporantly, we appreciate your prayers during this time. The Lord has given our family some very specific challenges to deal with, but God's grace is MORE THAN SUFFICIENT to meet our needs.

Thanks so much. I will be sure to keep you updated on the status of how things are going.

Blogging from the hospital

But don't worry - I'm not the sick one. Dad was having some chest pain that wouldn't go away yesterday, so Mom took him to the emergency room. They decided to keep him overnight for observation....which is probably a good thing. If nothing else, he will be seeing the surgeion this morning, which will take the place of his January 3 appointment. We are hoping that they will schedule his surgery now instead of having to wait. We appreciate your prayers for Dad...he is having a lot of stress with the whole surgery thing, I think. Well...I don't really blame him. I was nervous when I went and got my wisdom teeth extracted. I can't imagine what it would be like to wait for triple bypass surgery. Eeek!!

In other news, our family had a wonderful Christmas. On Christmas Eve, Mom and I watched Cynthia because her mommy and daddy had to go to work. That was so much fun -- Cynthia is such a cute baby. No, really -- she is. ANYWAYS.....after everyone was off work, we went over to Josh and Shannon's house and had a very yummy dinner. Shannon made pork chops with this savory gravy stufff, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Super tasty!! Then, we all told the Christmas story to Cynthia. Each person told her part of it, and we passed her around. It was fun. Cynthia (and everyone else, too) got to open her presents.

On Christmas Day, we had a big turkey dinner at Mom and Dad's house. Yummy! After dinner, we played Clue DVD and had more trauma with Dad and his heart....he wasn't feeling very well then, and we ended up calling his doctor, who adjusted one of his medications some.

Yesterday (Wednesday) I got to stay with Cynthia all day. She and I had a pajama party all day -- it was soo much fun!! I'm sure you uncles and aunts will understand this -- but I just love that little girl so much. I don't even know how to describe it. She is soooo adorable!! It's been fun to watch her over the past two weeks or so that we've been together. She is really holding her head up very well now, and has discovered her hands. When someone talks to Cynthia, she tries to move her mouth and do the same thing. It's soooo funny!! She is always smiling, and then when someone talks to her she gets an EVEN BIGGER smile. What a little heart breaker. I'm so happy for Josh and Shannon -- they really have a very sweet and happy baby.

Well, I guess that's all for now. I don't have my camera with at the hospital, or I would post some pics. Have a great day, though!!

Talk about your white Christmas!!

Yesterday -- Christmas Eve Eve -- we had a GINORMOUS snowstorm. I never heard how much officially, but we were definately snowed in for the day. They cancelled church and everything.

BUT, Mom and I had a very nice snow day. We lounged around on the chouches and watched TV most of the day -- but that was only after we didn't get up again until lunch time. To keep up our strength, we managed to work in a couple pieces of cake and some leftover ham and popcorn and cereal and popcicles and candy for snacks....um, I think you get the point here. Talk about a busy day!! Although...we did get up for a while and work on our Christmas cards. They turned out really cute, but I havne't gotten any picstures yet.

Today, Mom and I are babysitting Cynthia. We gave her a bath...that was really fun, but now I smell like a baby -- which is very distracting. It makes me want to go get the acutal baby and sniff her 'cause I know she smells sooo good!!!

I'll leave you with some pictures I took of the snowstorm from yesterday. Enjoy...and Merry Christmas!

What is up with me

Well..a lot has happened in the past couple of weeks. As I mentioned a while back, my dad had a heart attack about two weeks ago now....wow -- it seems like a lot longer than that! He is doing ok for the most part. They are in the process of adjusting his medication, so there are some minor problems related to that. Apparently, one of his medications (simvastatin) was keeping his blood pressure too low, but that's getting much better now. They are planning to do triple bypass surgery, probably sometime around the end of February. In the meantime, we all appreciate your prayers. I think the stress is kind of getting Dad down a little bit. He is very, very limited as to what he can do and stuff like that.

I also have a little bit of an update on my job situation. Since I got home, a week ago, I was able to go and visit the church in Ohio. It was a very pleasant trip down and back, and I enjoyed visiting the ministry there. I had been praying about it quite a bit and just did not feel peace about going there if they had offered me the job. Then, I got an e-mail last evening telling me they did not feel the Lord leading me there. So, that settled that.

As it stands right now, I am planning to stay in Virignia...but that leaves me with a few challenges, too. Namely, I don't have a job or a place to live....nothing major....riiiight!! LOL!! So, I am praying that the Lord will show me exactly what He wants me to do. I am able to stay with my cousin, Marilyn, and her husband, Karl, for a short amount of time...but definately not on a long-term basis. So, I've been applying for jobs in Virginia Beach, Richmond, and the Fredericksburg area. I figure that if I'm going to move, any of those places would be viable options. Also, I am seriously considering a drive down to Greenville, SC, to check out the job market there. I have a friend who would let me stay with her if I needed to....so that's an option as well. I appreciate your prayers that the Lord will lead me exactly where He wants me to go. The only thing I"m pretty sure of right now is that moving back to Wisconsin would not be a wise choice...and my family agrees with me unanimously.

Well, there is how things sound. Above all, though, I know that the Lord has a plan for all of this. He is in control and knows exactly what He is doing in my life...even though it seems a little scary and uncertain.

The Wedding

Well....here are some wedding pictures. I hope you enjoy them. The wedding was so beautiful....I loved every minute of it!!

Mark and Krystina -- congratulations! I am so happy for you both.

Mark and Krystina's Wedding Rehersal

Well....tonight was the wedding rehersal. Here are the pictures that I took. They aren't all the highest quality....I'm still trying to get used to my digintal camera. But, some of them are ok. There are also some pictures from our family dinner on Thursday evening.

Dad and Josh -- we really miss you and wish you could be here!!!

Enjoy!!

Ups and Downs

Well....It's been a really interesting few days since Friday. To start, I got laid off from my job on Friday. The layoff is effective the end of December, so I will be getting two more paychecks...so that's good for me. Plus, it is an answer to prayer in some bizarre sort of way. I've really been struggling with my job, and praying that the Lord would show me what He wants me to do...including helping me to be more content, especially if it would be His will for me to stay working there. Well, this is definately clear that I don't need to stay at the "current" job. So, that is a praise. I got my stuff packed up and out of the house I was living in -- I've been staying with my boss and his family -- on Saturday. The Lord provided me some friends to help move. That was a HUGE BLESSING....!!!!!



Then, Saturday morning, my dad went to the emergency room. It turns out he had a mild heart attack. They did a catheterization (spelling help !!) today and found several blockages. The doctors put in one stent in one artery that was 100% blocked. Dad is going to have triple bypass surgery in about four weeks. Scary!! The doctor said that the only thing that kept him from having a major heart attack is that there was one artery that wasn't blocked. I'm so thankful to the Lord that He allowed my dad to get to the hospital on time, and protected him from something even more serious.

On the positive side, I am staying with my cousin, Marilyn, for the week. I'm glad that she is close and I have a place to stay. I loooove coming up here -- was here on my birthday and Thanksgiving and last weekend for Krystina's wedding shower. I didn't ever really know Marilyn very much growing up -- she is my dad's first cousin, and she lived away from where we did for the most part. But, it has been really nice to get to know her. Marilyn and Karl's house feels so much like home to me, and they have a WONDERFUL doggie...Sam, who is my FAVORITE redhead!!

PLUS Marilyn let me spread my stamping stuff out all over the kitchen table. So, I was able to indulge in some stamping therapy. How nice to play with my toys again!! I love stamping so much (duh!) and just haven't had the time to do it lately.

Check out my Splitcoast Stampers blog HERE to find out more details about the cards I posted.

Have a happy night!!

I went to the shower, but I didn't get wet

.....because it was Krystina's wedding shower.
No frills....I'm ready for bed, but here are the pics......

My Favorite Redhead

I thought you might like to see some pictures of this FABULOUS redhead I've met while staying at Marilyn and Karl's house.

His name is Samson Zeus, or Sam for short.

WOOF!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I am still alive.....believe it or not....even though I haven't had a chance to blog lately. Things here are very interesting right now. The Lord is definately giving me lots of challenges, but He is good (as we learned this summer...!) and gracious, even though it doesn't seem like it right now.

Work is going ok. There are a few unexpected challenges, but I have a couple of options that I'm praying about right now. I have great co-workers, wich really helps.

It's also nice to live close to my brother, Mark. It's about half an hour between our places, and we usually get together about once a week or so.

The most exciting part of my life right now is that I actually got a digital camera last weekend. I'm really REALLY excited about that. It's a Poloroid i834 if you are interested.

So....here are a few slide shows for you. First, I took some pics of my bedroom. It's quite a nest, really, but I like it.

The next group of pics are from my trip here yesterday. "And where is here??" you ask. Well, Here is at my cousin Marilyn's house. The leaves are really just starting to reach the peak of color here, and it was a beautiful drive!!

Marilyn and Karl have a GORGEOUS house here, and their back yard is fabulously landscaped. Here are some pics I took of that.....and I think some of them actually turned out not too bad.

Well...thanks for looking. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving day!!

My Beautiful Niece

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Cynthia is such a beautiful baby girl in the pictures, I can't imagine what she must be like in person. I'm totally in love with my niece....and I haven't even met her yet. I hope you enjoy the little slide show. My brother in law is a good photographer, don'cha think? AND -- I made that pink and purple striped afghan for Cynthia.

And to view more pictures of my GORGEOUS niece, click ---> HERE <-------

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Well...it's my birthday today. For those of you who were wondering, I'm 28. It has been a really great weekend, too. Mark and I drove up to Fredericksburg so he could see Krystina (the fiance, of course) and I went on about 15 miles to Stafford, VA, to visit our cousin, Marilyn(she grew up with my dad), and her husband, Karl. It was great to re-connect with them....I've met Marilyn and Karl several times, but just briefly.

Sooo....I'm staying with them in their BEAUTIFUL home here, and they have really made me feel at home. Isn't it funny how family is always (ok...not ALWAYS, but usually) feels like family, no matter how long you've know them? I've felt so welcome and loved this weekend. It's been great.

Today, Marilyn and I went shopping. I ((heart)) shopping. AND I was able to get some good deals on some clothes that I need for work. That was a huge blessing, because you know how it is when you go shopping for something specific -- you can never find what you are looking for. I'll post some pics of the clothes later if I can, but I don't have a digital camera yet, so I'm not sure how that is going to work. We also got something for Cynthia. Yay for nieces!!

After shopping, Mark and Krystina and two of her sisters, Bethany and Rebekah, came over for dinner. Karl grilled some hamburgers (yummy!!) and the most awesome hot dogs that I have EVER had -- they were soooo good!! Then, we all watched a movie together. It was great family time....we really had a blast!!

As another added bonus, Karl and Mariln have this really wonderful Golden Retriever -- Sam. He is so sweet and loving and "petable". I miss Wonka LOTS, and was telling Mark on the way up here that I could really use some fur therapy...and I definately got that. YAY for furry family members, too!!

OH -- if you'd like to see more pictures of my BEAUTIFUL niece, Cynthia Esther Rose, check out Shannon's Blog. There is also a great narrative by Joshua about Cynthia's names.

Well, I'm off to bed. G'nite!

Welcome, Little one!!

Cynthia arrived today. Oh goody!! Here are the stats:

Cynthia Esther Smith
Born 10/2/07 7:10 pm
8 lbs 7 oz
20 inches
Dark, fuzzy hair
Chubby cheeks

Congratulations to Josh and Shannon -- I'm so happy for you!!!

TellDoDo

My friend Vega made a really cool website --

www.telldodo.com

Happy Sunday!

Well....at least I had a happy Sunday. I hope you did to. I REALLY like this church I'm going to be attending...which is a good thing, I suppose. The pastor preached a really good sermon this morning. Then tonight, there was a panel discussion about different standardsd like women wearing pants, what version of the Bible to use, and stuff like that. I met up wih my friend Les at church tonight, and was actually able to meet his dad, Les. After church, quite a few of the singles from church got together at someone's house and just hung out and ordered pizza and stuff. It was really nice, and I made several new friends. YAY for new friends!!

Yay for Brothers!

Well, I've been here since Tuesday....all by myself (sniff sniff). The people I'm living with are gone on vacation, or were. They are getting back tonight sometime....I acutally thought they would be here by now, but apparently not. Oh well.

So, I wasn't sure what I was going to do today. Fortunately, Mark came to my rescue. I drove out to Hampton about 1pm today or so, and we spend the afternoon together, and I got home about 8pm.

After I got home, our cousin (she is Dad's first cousin, if you really wanna know) Marilyn called me. It was really nice to chat with her. Marilyn and her husband Carl live about 2 hours or so from here. Well, we made plans for Thanksgiving -- Mark and I are invited and Krystina's family. Who knows who else may show up, but it will be really nice to have Thanksgiving with family, even though it's family I bearly know.

Tomorrow is church day....how's that for stating the OBVIOUS. I'm really excited about the church I'll be attending here. The name of it is Colonial Baptist Church. They have a pretty big singles/college and career group, so I'm really excited about that. There is a Bible study every other Friday evening -- the next one is on Friday. I'm eager to meet everyone there and develop some friendships. They also have small groups that meet weekly. I think there are like 3 groups of gals and 3 groups of guys. I am going to try and paraticipate in one of those, too. That's a great way to get to know people at church.

Well....hmmm....I'm trying to think of what else. Oh -- my first two days of work were ok. I think I'm going to like my co-workers, but it's so quite there -- lots of working and almost no talking.....that's sad. But, I guess that's what we are there for -- to work. Maybe there will be a little chatting as we get to know each other more. Who knows. OR MAYBE I just talk to much. That could be another possiblity for me to ponder. Hmmmm

Ok. Enough pondering. In case you were wondering, No -- Cynthia has not been born yet. This makes Melinda sad. BUT Maybe she will be born on my birthday. That would be cool....but I would feel very badly for Shannon if Cynthia waits that long to be born.

And so....I'm off to bed. Have a great night and a wonderful Sunday

Ventured forth into the great unknown

Returned unscathed. YAY!! OK -- well, maybe I'm a ((Little)) tired and feeling strange, but I made it here just fine, and didn't have TOO many adventures. BUT I"m too tired to talk about it right now. I just wanted to post and let my dear, faithful readers know I'm here ok.

An Update -- Finally

Well...to answer your questions --

YES I am still moving.
NO, I am not packed yet (shame on me!!)
YES I have started packing (just bearly)
YES I am excited about moving.
NO I am not looking forward to driving all that way by myself.

I have a feeling that the first person I see when I get there is going to have some very sore eardrums...I'm such a talker when I've been by myself for that long. LOL!!

And here is the scoop:

I'm leaving Sunday afternoon and traveling to my Aunt Ava's house in Illisnois. That's 5 hours from here. Monday morning I'm leaving Aunt Ava's and driving to Somerset, PA. That's about 9 hours.Tuesday morning I'm leaving Somerset, PA and traveling to VA Beach, the final destination. That's aobut 6 hours.

I have been pretty busy stamping, too. Here are some projects I've done. The bottles are Frappuchino bottles that I altered....those are SOOO much fun to make. Details for all of the cards can be found in my Splitcoast Stampers gallery HERE.

Let the Countdown Begin.....

Well, sorry I haven't updated sooner, but I've been so tired from my trip, and busy doing other things, that I just haven't had time. My visit went really well. The Potocskas are really nice...I liked them a lot, especially Pam. SO, I will definately be moving. Yay! It's only ten more days. I can't believe it - time is going to go so quickly!

Well, that was short and sweet, huh? I'm too tired to think, though, so I'm going to bed. Nite.

Here Ok

I made it here ok, no adventures this time :o) It's late....it's been a long day...it's time for bed.

An Exciting Post

I will be leaving tomorrow for my job thing in VA Beach. I'm too exhausted to say anything else, but I really appreciate your prayers.

Also - I am excited about a direct answer to prayer that the Lord provided. Remember I told you that I had two job offers on the table? Well, I was praying that the Lord would open one door and close the other - and He did!! The second job decided to recant on their offer. SO, I thank the Lord for answering this prayer so specifically for me.


"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path." Prov. 3:5-6

Stamping Fun!

I love stamping...I love creating new things. It is my hobby and my passion. Wanna see what I made this weekend??? OK......it's this notebook. The quote on the front says

"You are only as strong as the coffee you drink,

the hairspray you use,

and the friends that you have".

This other notebook is one I made for my secret sister at church.

And so, because I've had a full day of cleaning and working and swimming, I'm going away now.

Goodbye

New Blog

I made a new blog. It's called "recipes for the cullinary challenged". The intent is to get together a quick reference of easy recipes for those bachelors who we all know and love, but who don't have a CLUE about cooking.....LOL!! Soooo....if you know of a recipe or two, I'd love to have them. You can check out the blog here:

Recipes for the Culinary Challenged

Decisions Decisions

I had my second interview with Allied Chiropractic, and the supervisor said she feels comfortable offering me the job, after she talks to her boss and the HR type person. It sounds like a pretty good job with lots of variety, which is a huge plus. Manpower had told them I was thinking of relocating and so they asked me about that. I told them I have a job offer in VA Beach that I am flying out a week from today to review, but that I would have a decision when I get back. So there ya have it. Now I have two job offers. I appreciate your continued prayers that the Lord will give me wisdom in knowing wich to persue.

On another note, my friend Kristina (not my soon to be Sister in Law) came over last night and stamped with me. She got here at 6:30 and left about 10:00. We had so much fun!! I made three cards for VSN next weekend. One of them is a pre-challenge card, so I'll post it here. The rest you will have to wait for. :o)

Here is one of my creations, though. The challenge, linked HERE was for Christmas in August -- to create a Christmas card using fall colors. I love using non-traditional colors for Christmas cards, but I usually gravitate to bright colors....imagine that...me, using BRIGHT COLORS!

Stamp Sets: Holiday Wishes, Swirly wheel

Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive

Ink: Versamark, Pumpkin Pie, Bearly Banana

Embelisments: Olive and Chocolate ribbon, Stickles,

The tree is embossed with gold detail EP, star is cut out and mounted on dimesionals. The jumbo eyelets added just the right touch, I think.

The second project is a glass bottle that I decorated for Shannon's baby shower. The people had to guess how many Skittles are in the bottle. I decorated the bottle with this awesome circle designer paper, and then added the big flowers.

Supplies:

Stamp Sets - Big Blossom, Pocket full of Poseys, Very Punny

Cardstock - Creamy Caramel, Whisper White, Tempting Terqouise

Embelishmetns: Ribbon

Technique: Faux shaving cream, Embossing (the lid is embossed with red glittery EP)

Tools: Paper Crimper, Circle Scallop Punch, Circle Punch

Have I mentioned lately that I loooove stamping???

On a lighter note...

....I've had some stamping fun recently. It's nice that, even in the midst of all the stress and job trauma, I can still take time to relax and have fun.

This is a card I made for Caleb Reese. Those of you who know the Reese family know Caleb had a serious eye injury and really needs our prayers. I thought a pirate card might be something Caleb would enjoy. My friend Shelly (papermoon on SCS) sent me these images. Thanks, Shelly.

Stamp Sets: Ahoy Matey, Matey's Map

Cardstock: Real Red, Whisper White, Sahara Sand

Ink: Basic Black, Chocolate Chip

Technique: Distressing, Direct to Paper

Accessories: Rafia, Dimensionals

This notecard holder is one of my favorite projects to make!! I made this and a set of Terrific Tulip cards for a gift basked I donated to work for a co-worker's benefit. These are sooo easy to make, and I loooove making them!!

Notecard Holder measurements:

1. Start with an 8.5" x 11" sheet of cardstock

2. Score along the 11" side at 2.5", 3", 7.5", & 8"

3. Score along the 8.5" side at .75", 1.25", 7.25", & 7.75"

4. Trim corner to 3" score line and 1.25" score line. Repeat on corresponding score lines for all corners.

5. Fold along all score lines and put together.

Stamp Sets: Wild Rose, Terrific Tulip, Swirly wheel

Cardstock: Brilliant Blue, Tempting Terquoise, Very Vanilla

Embelishments: Primas, Brads, Organdy Ribbon, Stickles

Technques: Distressing, Heat Embossing (swirls on the card)

Thanks for looking. I hope you are having a great week!!

More Decisions

Well, I had my job interview today at Allied Chiropractic. I'm not sure how it went, and I'm not sure about that job altogether. So, I called the place in VA Beach and they are setting up a time for me to come out there to visit. But, I'm really not sure what to do, and I appreciate your prayers that the Lord would give me wisdom and direction.

When it rains, it pours

So, I woke up on Friday morning, and I was feeling a little disappointed because it was to have been my last day at work. I don't particularly love my job -- I set in the corner and answer the phone and stuff envelopes all day. It's not challenging, although I am thankful for the job I have since it is what the Lord has provided for me to do. But I digress -- I was feeling a little down because of my job, and disappointed because I had been expecting to move.

Well, Friday morning before I even left for work, I had two calls about jobs.

The first job is working through Manpower, working for Allied Chiropractic, doing some credentialing for their physicians, and enrolling doctors in benefits and things like that. I had a phone interview on Friday afternoon, and a face to face interview tomorrow (Monday) at 3:30.


The second job is something that I actually applied for about 6 months or so ago. It would be working as an Administrative Assistant at a Christian CPA firm in Virginia Beac, VA. I spoke with them for about 45 minutes on Friday and about an hour and a half on Saturday. They would like me to work as an Administrative Assitant and eventually work up to Office manager, probably within the next 24 months. They would want me to take the Tax Preparation class through H&R Block and a basic accounting class, just to kind of get to know the basics of the business. They offered me the job if I want it now, or would pay for me to fly out and visit. They will also pay for my moving expenses. The only drawback is that the pay to start out with isn't great, but the man I'd be working for would be allowing me to live with he and his wife for the first 6 months or so. That would be part of my salary, and an opportunity to save some money. It sounds like a really great opportunity...maybe almost too great to be true.

So...there are the options. I am praying, and appreciate your prayers, that the Lord will direct me to the job that He wants me to have. I am praying that the Lord will open one door and close the other one.

I'll keep you posted on how things go, but I really appreciate your prayers about these jobs.

Cancel That

Well, I got home from work today and spent my evening cleaning out the garage and getting ready for my move. Then, I got home from Wal-Mart and checked my e-mail. I got an email from the school stating that they are about 40 students short of their projected enrollment and that they are having to cut staff and they are not going to be hiring me afer all.

WOW!! I can't believe it still. It's been about an hour since I got the e-mail, and I'm just completely shocked!! I quit my job and everything. So, I'm not sure what the Lord has in store for me. BUT I do know that God is in control, and that this is what is best for me, even though I may not understand it. Jeremiah 29:11 - 13 says....

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

SO, I will continue trusting the Lord and praying. I know that He has something wonderful in store for me.

Thank you for praying with me about this. It may take me a day or so to adjust, but I know that my Heavenly Father only wants what is best for me. So, I am confident that this is His best, whether or not I understand it right now.

Moving

Wow!! I'm moving in one week....can you believe it?? I sure can't!! I guess when something happens, it happens quickly. It's funny because I've been praying about getting a ministry job since January and nothing has worked out. Now, I have one and I'm moving in a week. It's insane!! But, I know that the Lord is in control and He will work out the details....you know, the small ones like where I'm going to live, little stuff like that :o)

Right now, I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed with all that I need to do between now and then. Wanna hear? OK......

Sunday (tomorrow) -- Church, then a Stampin' Up! workshop
Monday -- nothing so far....planning on packing up my stamping stuff
Tuesday -- dinner with my co-workers at Texas Roadhouse
Wednesday -- Stampers Ten group
Thursday -- Church
Friday -- packing, HOPEFULLY...and then in the evening Mom and I are going to Shannon's to help get ready for the baby shower. We're having a sleepover!!
Saturday -- Shannon's baby shower in the AM and then I'm planning to spend the rest of the day getting my moving stuff finalized.
Sunday -- Church (of course!!) and then we're having a whole glob of people over for dinner. Mom is so good about letting us invite people over!!
Monday -- move.....!!!!!

Yeah....it's going to be a CRAZY week! But, everything will get done. It HAS to!!!

Oh yeah....here's a little shout out to Uncle Doug. I just found out that he keeps tabs on me via my blog. Hi, Uncle Doug!!

Well....it's late. I'm going to bed. G'nite!!

Off you go, then

Well...I finally heard back from the school. I'm definately headed to Maryland. My last day at work is a week from Friday and Mark and I are headed out the next Monday. Stay tuned to this blog for more info....I just wanted to throw in a quick update. Thanks to everyone for the prayers!!

Unexpected Blessings

Soooo.....I got home from work today, and there was a letter from the company who took care of our 401k at my last job. I had cashed it out when I quit working there. Well, apparently there was some money that hadn't been taken into account or was lagging behind or SOMETHING. So, they sent me a check in April, and I didn't even know that. Well, about two months or so ago I had a run-in with Josh and Shannon's garage door....now it's crinkled It is not a happy time to remember. Well, it's been floating around in the back of my mind that I have NO IDEA where the money to fix it is going to come from, especially if I am going to be moving. What an answer to prayer....it's like free money!! J and S are still waiting on the quote...the guy came and did an estimate about a month ago. So, hopefully we will be able to get this stuff squared away quickly.


On another note, today is my sister's birthday. Dare I tell how old she is? Naw....I'd better not. I did make her a set of REALLY cute cards, though....so I thought I'd share.

I hope you are having a wonderful day!!
Hugs!!
Melinda

Stamping the Day Away

Well....I got to spend my ENTIRE day stamping....well, not my WHOLE day. I had to go to a funeral this morning. So -- here is the card I made.

Supplies: Close as a Memory Stamp Set, Leaf Prints wheel, Paisley Background set, Oval Punch, Crafters Tool Kit (for paper piercing), Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, and River Rock cardstock and ink.

I also made several other cards. Here is one that I made for some of the Splitcoast Stampers challenges. This card combines the Color Challenge and Sketch Challenge for this week. I looove the way it turned out!!

Supplies: Bundled in Love stamp set, Sweet Stars Jumbo Wheel, Organdy ribbon, Cameo Coral, Blue Bayou, and Soft Sky cardstock and ink, Very Vanilla cardstock.

I made several other cards as well, but they are all for Splitcoast Stamper's Virtual Stamp Night, which is being held Sept. 7 - 8. It is sooo much fun. If you don't know what VSN is, then I would HIGHLY suggest you ---> CHECK IT OUT <------- I am hostessing one of the challenges, and as I hostess I am privy to all of the challenges, but I can't reveal anything until the challenge is announced. I hope you will play....it's ever so much fun!!

Well, it's late, and I should head to bed. Have a wonderful evening.

Hugs!

Melinda

In Everything Give Thanks

"In EVERYTHING give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus conerning you."
I Thessalonians 5:18

Does that mean EVERYTHING?? Why, yes. It does.
Does that mean EVEN THE STUFF THAT HURTS US?? Why yes, it does.

So, I decided to make a list of things I'm thankful for....including the "bad" ones:

• My family -- it is so nice that we live so close together, because we won't always
• My Mom -- she is such a caring, giving person
• My Brother-In-Law -- even though he doesn't always use the most tact, I am pretty sure he is just trying to help me become a better person.....
• The Migraines -- I have learned a lot about pain during the past couple of years. Having a severe headache or migraine every day can be trying....but, it feels sooo nice during the rare days I don't have any. I am also thankful that the Lord has allowed me to have them, so I can understand just a little bit about how people who live in severe, chronic pain feel.
• The interviews that didn't work out, especially the one at Baptist Mid-Missions -- I am thankful that the Lord has a perfect plan for my life, and that He will provide the best job for me in His perfect timing.
• The job I have now -- even though it is sooo tiring and tedious, it is what the Lord provided for me, and something is always better than nothing. AND it could be worse!
• MOST IMPORTANTLY, I am thankful for my salvation!!! Wow -- it is so amazing! God sent his Son to die on the cross for ME! I certianly don't deserve that kind of love!! "Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us....that we should be called the sons of God." That's part of a song I remember singing growing up. How true it is!!

So....those are just a few of the things I'm thankful for. Now, I want to challenge each of you who reads this -- think of one "good" thing you are thankful for and one "bad" thing you are thankful for. I'd love to see everyone post here....please!!

Waiting...waiting....waiting....

....for the people in Maryland to call me back.
This is not an easy task!
I am not a patient person!
My family is SHOCKED to hear this!

SO, I've been at work thinking about the job/interview and beginning to become anxious about it. Then I think "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Phil:4:6,7 Then, I feel better for a while. Then I start becoming anxious again, and I think "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge HIM and HE shall direct thy paths" Prov. 3:5-6.
....AND so it goes. Mom says I haven't learned the patience lesson yet. But, I keep praying and I know that the Lord will provide just the right job in just the right timing. It's a sin to worry, so I can't do that.

I appreciate your prayers that Mr. Bandy and Pastor Washburn will have wisdom to make the best decsion about whether or not I should be employed at the school. If that's not where the Lord wants me, then I don't want to be there....but I really want to be there. Yes, I know....my logic is astounding.

And so....I'm off to bed. Have a great night!!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity-Jig!!

Well, I got home about 1:30 last night. It was such a loooong few days, and packed with stuff. I had a really good time, though. I think the interviews went well, but I'm not going to try and make a call one way or the other about whether or not I got the job. I am praying that the Lord will give the people at the school wisdom and direction.

On Saturday, I got to visit Washington, D.C. That was lots and lots of fun....and lots and lots of hot! I got to go with three teachers from the school:

Trudy -- 4th grade teacher (she's the one i'm staying with)

Tammy -- Middle School English (how fun!!!)

Brian -- Middle School History (he's the new guy....)

It was sooo much fun to spend some time with other Christian "young people" who are all in the same age group. Yay!! How refreshing. Plus, I got to do something I've never done before, and have wanted to do for quite a while. What we saw today was just a drop in the bucket, but hey....ya have to start somewhere. Here's what we did:

Arlington National Cemetary -- and the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which was my favorite part of the whole day

Natural History Museum

Smithsonian Art Museum

Capital Building, and we got to watch some Representatives debating an ammendment to some bill. That was pretty cool!!

Blogging from Baltimore

Well, I made it here safe and sound last night. No flight delays -- I am DELIGHTED with this news!!! So far, I've had an interview with the pastor of the church and I've toured around the school some. The 4th grade teacher picked me up form the airport and I'm staying with her. Tonight, we went to downtown Annapolis. That was fun....we saw lots of old buildings in the dark, but it was good. Tomorrow, I'M GOING TO WASHINGTON, D. C. !!!!!!!!!
In case you may not have noticed, I am very excited about this!!

And, I'm off to bed. LOOONG day tomorrow, and not much internet time.

Oh yeah....I'm having dinner with the HighSchool principal and his wife on Sunday. That is when my other interview will be.

CIAO!

I'll Fly Away

Well, it's 'bout that time again. I will be leaving tomorrow evening and heading out to Baltimore, MD, for a job interview at Calvary Baptist Church Academy. They are considering me for either their High School Secretary or Accounts Receivable/Payable Staff. I appreciate your prayers for safety as I travel. Please pray with me that the Lord will continue to guide me as I look for a job.

Mark is also leaving on Friday for a job interview in Newport News, VA. If he gets that job and I get the one I'm going for, then we would live about four hours from each other. That may be kinda nice.....at least that's what I think. Don't ask Mark. LOL!!!

I will keep all y'all updated on the status of things. Hopefully, I won't have QUITE as many travel adventures as when I went to Cleveland. But, as long as I get there and back in one piece, it's all good...and don't worry...I'm NOT going in a hot air balloon!

Off to Baltimore

I had about a 45 minute phone conversation with the Assistant Principal for Calvary Baptist Church Academy in Glen Burnie, MD, last night. We were able to talk quite a bit about the church and school and the ministry there. It seems like a really, really good opportunity. They would like me to come and see the ministry and interview. I have a plane ticket as of about noon today. I'll be leaving Thursday, Aug. 2 and returning Sunday, Aug. 5.

So, I appreciate your prayers that the Lord would keep all of the doors open if that is where He wants me to go.

If you are interested in learnig more about it, the school website is http://www.cbcaknights.org/index.htm

And, since this started out as a STAMPING blog, I thought I'd share another of my passions with you -- 6x6 recipe pages. Aren't they fun? They make such GREAT gifts!!!

On the top picture with the chickens, the recipe slips into the green traingle -- it's a pocket. On this one, the ingredients part flips up to reveal the directins underneath. Fun!

Attention Stampin' Up! Customers

For the months of July and August, my special is:

Buy 1 new stamp set from the catalogue and receive 5% off your entire order.

Buy 2 new stamp sets from the catalogue and receive 10% off your entire order.

Buy 3 or more new stamp sets from the catalogue and receive 15% off your entire order.

In addition, anyone who hostesses a workshop for me during July or August will earn 20% off any one item from the catalogue. So, if you have something "pricey" you want to get, this would be an excellent chance to do so!!

Some Work and Some Fun

Work: I weeded my flower beds this morning. Ick! They were such a mess!! I filled a five gallon bucket and then some full of weeds and debris. It has been way too long since I worked in them. But, now my flowers look pretty again. Ok...ok....you can actually SEE the flowers. LOL! That took me about 2 hours or so. Then, I went upstairs and cleaned out my stamping room, and re-sorted my stamps. I keep them seperated between current and retired sets, and I have to tell you - when the catalogue updated, I lost a lot of my stamps to retirement. Oh well...I'll just have to buy more stamps I guess. LOL!!

And then for the fun part -- I spent some time stamping tonight JUST BECAUSE I WANT TO!! Yay!!! The last few weeks....months....I've been stamping cards to make at workshops or swaps I needed to get done. But tonight, it was stamping just for fun. I got to play some of the Splitcoast Stampers challenges. That is always such a fun way to get the creative juices flowing!! There is a challenge for each day of the week. My favorite are the sketch and color challenges.

So, here are my cards and a little bit about each one:

I'm not sure what inspired this card -- the ribbon or the image. But, the kitty cat is an image that someone sent me a long time ago. It's been floating around my stampin' room for quite a while. She is TTerquoise and kissed with Green Galore flowers, all embossed and a little sparkly. I got this ribbon about a month ago, and I really (HEART) it! It matched the image perfectly, so VOILA....there ya go!

I really love this sketch. Thanks, Roxie, for mixing it up a bit!! The dragonflys are embossed with white detail EP and the main one is popped up on dimensionals and covered with stickles. I had some ribbon that my DSS gave me the last time I played, and it just happened to match my colors perfectly. I used jumbo eyelets to attach it. I used DTP to edge the circle and triangle with Basic Black ink, so it would help define the edges just a bit.

I think this one is a little plain, but oh well....It is what it is. I love the ribbon that I used. I got it at Mike's for $1. It is some of that ribbon with the loopies on both sides.

If you want to learn more about what supplies I used on my cards, you can check out my Splitcoast Stampers gallery.