Vacation Day 4

The first picture is our cruise director Jen, who was sooo cool!!! The next 4-5 pics are me playing with the new camera on the Lido deck!! and did you see that dedicated healthy guy I have, he spent time at the gym on the ship while on vacation, I sooo would have happily skipped that part, but I did not, I spent time on the treadmill, elliptical, and bike!! (he was much sweatier that me, he worked harder!)

Vacation 3

Seems I can't sit my behind down long enough to add the remaining things to the vacation blog, like perhaps day 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7. Why is that? I wonder, I am stuck in the answer being somewhere between, sheer laziness and way toooo much stuff on my plate, but considering I have a TON of other stuff I want to be blogging about! so I am going to plan to re-cap the vacation, which I really also want to do, I mean come on after 8 years of fabulous marriage, my man and I were able to escape CHILDLESS for 10 days, solo by ourselves, no one wanting for anything, noone complaining that they don't want that for dinner. All by ourselves, no kids, no homework, no cell phones, no email, no internet, just US.... let me just say is was a wonderful 10 days, as much as I love my family it was a BLAST!!! And, I would not want to have spent it with anyone other than my beloved!!!
I just realized that by only posting to day 2 of the vacation, I haven't even boarded the ship, or it is a boat yet, so here goes day 3, we were already in Galveston, so took the shuttle to the ship, at about 0900, and then waited, and waited and waited a bit more in the what seemed like forever line.... I can remember there was a single guy a few places ahead of us in line, with his garmet bags (tuxes), and yes I said BAGS.... Lee and I both looked at each other happy we were not in that category of "formal night" dressing, don't get me wrong we dressed EVERY night and especially on formal night, but there was no ball gown wearing for me and no tuxes for him, but enough of formal night, if I ever get those pictures blogged well then you can see them. So, finally we get on the ship, it seems a bit surreal, definitely dream like. We were not able to go to our stateroom yet, because they were not ready, but we were able to go have lunch, which was NOT soup and sandwiches, however I bet if that is what you wanted then, you probably could have!!

Vacation Day 2

Day 2
Most people who are off on vacation have taken the time to make reservations, and perhaps get directions to where they are going.... most people are NOT the Perez' or at least not the female (me) part of the Perez', however as much as my guy wishes I would plan our outtings a bit better, I think he likes the spontaneity and excitement that comes with our adventures.
So, we are off to Galveston Tx, a tourist type town on a Saturday, running the risk of sleeping in our van as we wait to boat our "Fun Ship" on Sunday, well, God sure loves us and continues to bless us, I began calling around hotels, that I found on the GPS on Lee's phone, and Moody Gardens was IT!! We did have some other choices, BUT, we did not want to park our car at the cruise ship terminal, we were not sure just how secure it really is, and well Moody Garden's won, they offered a GREAT room, with cruise ship parking, and a shuttle to the terminal, and BACK!!! oh, and the car parking was VALET....WOW, that was exciting, I asked out Valet guy, who I think was David, if he could infact drive a stick, cus our car is a standard (yes they still make them)
And, the blessings just continued to FLOW..... as we are handing over the keys to the valet we ran into a co-worker of my husbands who was hosting a marriage retreat there at Moody Gardens, and had extra tickets to the attractions, don't you know I was sooo excited, Lee on the other hand knew that any hopes of a nap he had were quickly out the window!! We visited EVERYTHING there was to visit.... actually we did miss the aquarium, however, we visited the Rainforest Pyramid, which was very cool.
Here is the funny part about our visit to Moody Gardens, or at least I thought it was funny, We visited the Titanic display, which featured artifacts from the Titanic, and ended the evening with an IMAX movie called Titanica, what a blast to view the Titanic exhibit and then the movie, the night before we leave to board our own cruise ship, however I don't think anyone is naive enough anymore to say that the ship is "unsinkable". I was quite amused with the fact that that was how we spent our evening!

Vacation

And the vacation begins....Room 407 at the Holiday Inn in Beaumont Tx, a 4 hourish trip to Galveston turned into a 2 day travel, which was ok, we were happily on vacation, and ready to begin, but did you know that if you stay at a Holiday Inn express they feed you a continental breakfast AND you pay less for your room than at a regular Holiday Inn, but even with no breakfast it was ok, we were on our way to a great vacation! The room had a GREAT KING size bed, I think I want one at home!!
so, with the promise of finding a Starbucks in the morning we were set, and check out wasn't until
Noon!!!

Whole Body Health....

When thinking about holistic health, I have been quick to shy away from it, because anything that is not of God is not anything I want to be a part of, many people enjoy Yoga, not me, not messing with that, even Yoga for God...something about it just doesn't sit well with me.
anyway, holistic health has had the same effect, not truly knowing enough about it and looking it up online has not proved to be very beneficial, but my current psych class has brought me a definition that I really like, it talks about holistic being wholeness, the whole body, mind, and spiritual health.

In talking about the food that is brought to PWOC on Tuesday mornings we have talked about the high fat, loads of calories, with a splash of fruits and vegetables, I have advocated that we need to encourage our ladies to bring healthier choices. This coming from me, the one to gravitate to the high fat, loads of calories, unbelievably delicious foods. I have said more than once during our planning for the next year sessions "If our bodies are a temple, isn't it our whole body, our whole being?" Our physical health, and our emotional health go hand in hand.
Who am I to "preach" about our physical health being inter connected to our emotional health, and spiritual health when my physical health is in not such a great position.......

So, this evening was the beginning of my new journey, to whole body health, my emotional health is good my spiritual health is great (thanks to God's GRACE!!) now, for my physical health, I am beginning....tonight, 1.6 miles.....how many more to go???

Leadership Weekend

WOW.... Where do I begin about Leadership weekend?

Thanks Melinda for posting this picture of the executive board from Ft Polk that went to Leadership weekend at Fort Benning Ga.
We had a BLAST!!!
Fun, Food, Fellowship....all my personal favorites!!
We all learned so much that we just didn't know we didn't know before going!
Most importantly we were able to fellowship together and learn about each other!
Imagine this... had I not taken off on this expedition I would never have known NOT to take LA10 to go anywhere....apparently I would have known that had I too married an aviator, alas, I did not, I married a foot soldier, not a fly soldier!! In addition in order to go east you must first go north or south, I guess that's just how it is here is Louisiana, but it's good that there is a solution, I was worried you can't get there from here!!

Yahoo maps says it takes 10 hours to get to Benning from Polk, well if we were in fact in the car for 20 hours, going and coming, it sure did not seem like it! Yvonne and I enjoyed great conversation. I had really wanted to fly, however airfare now is outrageous, so driving is what was the most cost effective choice, and I am so thankful that it was, I would have missed out on such great conversation, there are way to many things, and not enough room to post, but I would have not heard about the tiger on Fort Polk, and the snipers trying to catch it! Or, the transitions that our local Chapel and PWOC have gone through in the last few years!
I am thankful for our time spent together!!
LW was well planned and scheduled and even when something was not going as planned, the improvisation was exceptional!!
So, dinner is a bit late.... ok, ladies... Let's Worship our God in song, while we wait!! That's not a bad plan at all!!

I definitely got alot out of the president class, which will be very useful, the thing I enjoyed most and cherish is the time I was able to spend with my ladies, in a new environment, loved...loved...loved the break we had on Saturday...spent at Starbucks, who knew 3 hours in starbucks could be sooooo Awesome!!!....Now I do, never underestimate the power of God to do amazing things with 5 sleep deprived, caffeine withdrawn women!!!






New bag for PWOC.... it's bigger than Yvonne, so there will be no new bag for us.

Entering Follow Me Chapel

This car was seen on our way home, it was covered with stuffed animals, buttons, and really weird stuff! not a great picture but at 70 plus MPH, what do you expect!!??

Ramblings.....

I am married to the BEST husband!!!
Happy 4th of July!!!

I have decided I am not behind as long as I get it done, in some weird sort of way that actually makes sense to me. I have lots that I want to blog about, but I think I mentioned that in another post, however it requires re-posting because I want to make sure that I do not forget!

• I need to blog about PWOC.... wow what a year it's going to be, God has placed some amazing people at Fort Polk, LA, and I just can't wait to see what He has planned.
  
• also...Leadership weekend, but that really does go under PWOC
• And my marriage to the best husband in the WORLD!!!
  
• And...school, seems I can not get a grasp on college algebra, human anatomy and physiology are kicking my butt, the other one is nothing major... yet.... I sure do wish I could just get that algebra!!!
• Kids.... actually that's what this is going to be about today.... KIDS, and I intend to touch on all three of them, and being the positive chicky that I am, let me begin with Jacob....

Here is LA is rains whenever it wants, it can be a beautiful day and then all of a sudden rain, sometimes with the works thunder and lightening, well just so happens to have been one of those days today, we were taking in the "Moving Wall" in DeRidder, and rain it did.... well Jacob rather matter of factly says "Mom let's go find the rainbow God made"!!! Love it love it love it!!!!
seems he is listening and paying attention!!! YEAH!!!--- come back for the pic... for some reason I could not connect to my own network, and well if it were 9 oclock instead of 11:30, I actually might have investigated why......



Then there is Stephen, that child is going to make me crazy..... again pictures coming, but in December while on a scout camping expedition he took a road cone to the nose, yes you did read correctly road cone to the nose, they were playing a testosterone filled game of man hunt, and in an effort made by the opponent to distract him he threw a big, orange, road cone at him! Well, he was in fact successful in distracting him, and 6 stitches later and a trip to two emergency rooms, he was definitely distracted. That was in December, and since then we have dealt with mono, a broken hand, and the latest injury is... he has jammed the ring finger on his left hand, get this falling out of the pool. I am not sure if the Er is going to continue to see us with out calling social services too.... I am beginning to wonder.....


Now, for the best part of all..... We have officially stooped to the lowest level of worst parents EVER... or at least according to our resident teenager.. who is 17... we have FORCED, her to get a job, school ended in May, we gave her the entire month of June to locate gainful employment, which she did NOT do, so we took her to McDonalds, she was hired on the spot, imagine that... we took her Monday, orientation Tuesday and she started working on Wednesday, she is not enjoying it at all, or so she claims, but HERE is the BEST part of all, she came home today and said "mom, you know the girl that was at orientation with me, well her mom forced her to get a job too!"..... seems we are not the only parents that believe work to be a good thing, for all parties involved!!! (there are pics of her in uniform coming too!)

I feel like I am behind

It's Tuesday, which you probably already know, but, I just finished my Father's day post, 2 days LATE!!!
Today was the first of 6 summer sessions for our local PWOC, I great morning was had by all in attendance, at least I wasn't told otherwise, we watched the FUNNIEST Christian comics, this week they were the funniest, perhaps next week will be funnier. The main comedian whose name completely escapes me talked about Joy, and that satan comes to steal our joy, I was reminded through my laughter that God wants us to be joyful, wants us to be happy. The Lord delights in us, the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. Psalm 147:11 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! Psalm 22:23 and lastly... Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Psalm 2:11 Be Joyful!!! That's my take home message for today, enjoy every special blessing prepared for you by God each and everyday, enjoy the singing birds, the beautiful flowers, and the wonderful gifts we have in our children, (yes... even the teenagers, I am convinced toddlers are MUCH easier!!!)

Oh that teenager note, I am a fan of Vicki Courtney, and this is a plug for her, she is doing a FAB job bringing to light some things in our culture that we need to be aware of, my 17 year old daughter listens to music, what teenager doesn't, but my prayer is this one doesn't end up on her song list, it's our jobs as mom's to protect them and guard their hearts, as much as we can, they are entrusted to us from God, and it's our duty to do what is best by them and for them. If you are a mom of a teenage girl, please click on the link Vicki's blog, and read her post about this new song, and lost girl.

Father's Day

What a great day Father's Day is.....
We had a good day, nothing fancy, we live in rural Louisiana, there isn't much around that can be considered fancy anyway. Dad, (my hubby) decided staying home instead of going to Wagon Master was a good choice, I must confess I would have enjoyed a nice piece of cow....eerrr I mean steak!
Dad got a very cool manspatula: (and some other stuff)
All dad's need one it's the only way to grill, we were camping a few weeks ago, somewhere near Baton Rouge (I think) only to discover we did not bring a flipper for the burgers, well campers are typically friendly people so I bee bopped my way across the street and asked to borrow a spatula, and the above spatula is what I was handed, WOW, the man handing me the spatula said, when he uses it, he doesn't want to shave for days, and feels the need to go hunting..... *at this point I am thinking, I could be in trouble, I am married to a soldier, not just any soldier, but a career soldier, the kind that LOVES soldering, (yes that's a word) he loves what he does.
So, Alas another great Father's Day was had my dad, or so I hope!!!

The best laid plans.......

Seems to be the beginnging of a famous novel, which forever I have thought is was Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, and much to my utter amazement, the quote "The best-laid plans of mice and men/often go awry,"is taken from Robert Burn's poem, To a Mouse. but I have already digressed, .........

my plans for my Saturday were abruptly altered at 0300 or there about this morning, when our little guy awoke crying about his ear hurts! "mommy alarm... he has been swimming in the pool and on the waterslide alot the last week or so, so that probably explains it!! I medicated him, prayed over him, and tried to go back to sleep! Sleep was successful for a couple more hours, Tylenol is a great medication! to the Er or not, that is the question.... well after a few hours of contemplation we opted for the ER at 10:00, arrived there and waited.....waited.......waited...... and then we waited some more. In all actuality we were home in 5 hours, not too terribly bad, especially considering that we took both boys, Stephen has been complaining about his ears hurting, and quite honestly I thought it was from swimming as well so I have been treating him at home with swimmers ear stuff, all without much relief.

So, as my wonderful hubby would say...BLUF..(bottom line up front) both boys have ear infections, however Stephen's ear has an inner ear infection, oral antibiotics, and Jacob has an outer ear infection, drops for an antibiotic. So all that to say, my Saturday plans were out the window, which causes me to wonder.....

How often do we make plans and wonder why God doesn't just "let" us do what we wanted to do, instead of first consulting Him before we even make our plans, we plan, then consult while wondering what we did wrong. Do we make our plans for HIS GOOD PLEASURE; To Glorify Him? obviously my plans were changed today, I pray that I did what God wanted me to do, I wonder if I wasn't place at the ER for an opportunity to glorify Him, and I hope I did what I was supposed to do!! I pray that God found pleasure in my actions today, all day, and everyday!

"It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure"
Philippians 2:13

Just in case you wondered, I planned on working today, I do contract work at home and today was my day... guess not!!

When??

The question has been asked...When will you Blog again? The answer is every second of every day, I am blogging, it just so happens to be in my head. It's proving to be difficult to move it from my head to my fingers then to the wonder of cyberspace, for all to see read and hopefully laugh about!!
I am contemplating a Blog topic, something like:

• Parenting, God's way
• Marriage, God's way
  
• PWOC, and the inner workings
• School, I am finishing my BS in Psych, (oh, with a concentration in Addiction Studies, and a minor in Prevention) and my AAS in Nursing (YES, at the same time)
  
• I could blog about the price of gas
• The upcoming election/politics
  
• Being an Army wife
• This week at VBS

As you see there are a myriad of topics I could write for days, however I will not bore you!
I am enjoying some of my other blogging friends a scripture a day, so please may I chime in??....
"I am among Your chosen people, O Lord, Your royal priesthood, Your hold nation. I am part of a people belonging to You, that I may openly declare Your praises, the One who called me out of darkness into Your wonderful light I Peter 2:9.

God chooses us!! Amen!!! Hallelujah!!

Not exactly sure what is next, I think I will be posting a few one about PWOC, one about parenting teenagers and toddlers, and maybe chime in my 2 cents about the price of gas and the election.
See you soon....
Have a Blessed day in the Son!!!

It's Official

Here I am.....



and here are some pictures of our first Crawfish experience, what a blast, as you can tell we had a great time eating the inexpensive lobster, or at least that's what the guy at the roadside stand said. I was wondering, do they have a department of health in Louisiana, there is just sumpin about a roadside guy selling "mud bugs" out of his trailer that does not sit well with me. I am just saying!!