Talking with a Friend

I am so grateful for the precious hour of talking time I was able to enjoy with my dear friend, Kristin yesterday afternoon. Talking with Kristin always does several things to me.
It lifts my spirits. We do a fair amount of laughing at one another, at funny things our kid have done, at bizarre experiences her mother has had as a Christian counselor (I would love to tell this story, but not sure if it would be appropriate! But OMW!! So funny!), or at memories from college days.
It inspires me. Kristin is the mom to two precious little girls, Alaina and Sasha. Alaina is autistic, and Kristin's acceptance of this difficult situation as part of her calling in life, her honesty concerning the day to day struggles of it, and how she leans hard into her Savior through it all is nothing less than inspiring to me.
It spurs me on to greater surrender to Christ. Even though there is already such a strong depth of faith and life in Christ that is apparent in who she is, I can hear in her words a hunger for more and more intimacy with her Savior. Isn't it wonderful how the Holy Spirit makes that hunger contagious? When I hear my sister in Christ just chompin' at the bit for more of Him and hungering to make Him known more to others, suddenly my mouth is watering for more, too!
So thanks, Kristin, for making me laugh, inspiring me, and spurring me on to greater things with my life in Christ! I just wish we were closer so we could see one another once and a while. It's been much too long! Bless you, friend.

More Facebook Status Updates for you NonFBers

I really enjoyed the ice dancing couples, but did anyone else catch that several of them were brother-sister teams? It's one thing to have a dance with your brother at someone's wedding or something, but to straddle your brother's hips while wearing short Daisy-Duke style shorts and a cropped top....I love you, Will, but it just ain't happenin'. Hate to crush both of our Olympic dreams so brutally, but...

spent $76.62 saved $80.08 which felt like a particularly big accomplishment as I had Benjamin with me! :)

the birds are a-talkin' this mornin'! Spring's a comin'!

my star status just quadrupled--My dad included something from my blog on the front of his church newsletter. :) What a neat surprise!

getting ready to head to Valdosta to be with Stan and some of his band students at the district clinic. Should be a fun, frugal diversion. I just wish Mom and Dad still lived there (just for times like these--not that I want Dad to be a D.S. again!). Olivia says we can go by and say hello to "their house".

is home after a fun quick trip to the 'dosta with my precious husby and kiddos.

for all of you who are regular Focus on the Family radio/podcast listeners, if you are yet to listen to the broadcast today, get your hankie ready! It's Dr. Dobson's goodbye as chairman of the board, and he reads a love letter to his wife Shirley that will have you ringing yourself out like a washcloth! Tender!

hard headed son who is terrified of doing #2 in the potty + hard headed momma who struggles to understand this irrational fear = less than stellar moments in my life as mom. When do I clock out today? I'm done. Lord forgive me and help me be better tomorrow.

happy birthday Dr. Seuss! Olivia, my 5 year old, went to school so excited about celebrating his birthday today, and when I walked her into her classroom, her teacher had red and white hats for each of them and was drawing cat whiskers on each of their faces! So cute in a room full of 5 year olds!

feels like I've been a recovering messy much of my life, but there are times when the messy wins out, and it seems to be one of those weeks. I'm working on getting back on top, but it's a bit of a climb to the top of mount messy this week.

has been crunching numbers this morning, planning our next attack on debt--student loans better watch their back! Startin' in October, they're goin' down!

in the spirit of Aunt Betsy, I'm 'bout to have to pull over in the "spankin' lane"! it has just been one of those nights! After Benjamin kicked Olivia in the leg (this was 3rd incident of the evening) he and I had a meeting of the minds (and my hand had to meet his hiney) and I eventually asked him to LOOK his sister in the FACE and tell her he was sorry for kicking her. I was feeling pretty tense and less than joyous at this point, and he said in all seriousness, "Oyivia, I sawee I kick you in da face." Olivia said, "You didn't kick me in the face! You're supposed to look me in the face!!" This interchange just made me double over in laughter, and my sweet daughter said, "Oh good, Momma found her joy again!" Praise the Lord for the joy He brings us--even in the spankin' lane!