So, I'm part of this great program called BzzAgent and I get to try all these great products.  Well, this time, my toddler, Zachary was able to try out this Sesame Street Cereal!  What a great product this is!  Zachary gets excited as soon as he sees the cereal box come out, even the packaging is just for him!  He loves the x's and o's that the cereal is shaped in, and I guess the flavor must be out of this world because he gobbles it up!

If you're looking for a nutritious cereal for you toddler, I can't say enough good things about Sesame Streets Apple or Banana flavored cereal!

change can be refreshing...and sometimes you have to know when you need it. like now.

Its amazing the twists and turns that life takes.

I have to say...my life is amazing right now. Well, for the most part. I can honestly say that I HATE being in a long distance relationship...but with a wedding date set, I can survive the next 166 days until we are together for good! =o)

School is getting harder and harder. Not because the classes are that hard, but because I am so ready to graduate. December can not get here fast enough! I'm finishing up the process to be ordained (hopefully Feb. 28! - one interview to get through!).

Lots of big changes...

So, I have this terrible awful no good very bad fear of dentists, doctors, etc.

I get along pretty well without going to them too often, and I like to think I'm fairly healthy...

Until I wake up Saturday morning with a TERRIBLE tooth ache. Its one of my wisdom teeth. All 4 are in...so I never worried about getting them removed.

Bad. Idea.

So, I've spent the last 3 days in severe pain. I'm hoping that tomorrow I can call the oral surgeon back and move my appointment up. Right now its set for NEXT monday...but I can't survive another week of this...no way, no how. Here's to hoping.

Oh, lets not forget to mention the fact that I don't have dental insurance. Sweet action. Here's to hoping mom can help pay for some of this gig... *sigh*

hey - maybe this will encourage me to get to dentists more often...i never wanna feel this pain again if i can help it!

I hate being put on the spot. I never know how to answer blunt questions that I'm not ready to talk about.

I had a Lay Training Committee at church today...at the end of the meeting, I was asked, "So, you are graduating in December, what are your plans." UGH. It is only April.

But, i realize that they have a right to know where my line of thinking is.

So, I told them that I don't know. No matter what I will need a full time job that pays me substantially so that I can survive. I would like to stay in youth ministry - but I'm open to where God calls.

Then we talked about Aaron and I - and how will that work, yadda yadda.

I didn't tell them that we've been talking in great deal about moving to Kansas City. I don't know how to say that yet...to much of anyone. I haven't even told my parents that - it will make them sad...and I will be sad to leave them. I will also be sad to leave the region and the area that has played such an important part in shaping my ministry.

I think this is part of why I am taking my HS group to Kansas City for mission trip.

Although - no plans are set in stone... but, this time next year... *sigh*

God works in mysterious ways - we'll just have to see what happens.

I'm so ready for Spring Break.

Scratch that...

I'm so ready to graduate.

that is all.

So...I've really meant to do a better job about updating on my life - but life is so fun, that the updates just aren't happening. Haha.

So - Valentines Day was awesome - we ate at a cute little Italian Bistro (that I think we'll never eat at again - but that's a different story) - and ate ice cream - and then hung out with my parents? haha, yes. As we drove up to say hi to them, I told him that they were going to think that we were engaged - i was right - but nope, no ring yet. However...I did get a diamond necklace that I love love love!

I was blown away - I had NO idea he would be getting me something so nice. But I love it. =o)

On Friday we did a "date day." It was so much fun. We left Friday morning to drive over to Dallas for lunch and then headed to the Dallas World Aquarium! I love that place! It was so much fun!! I'd post pics here - but I'm putting them all on facebook - so you can see them there. But we had a blast. Aaron was like a 5 year old the whole time. It was fun seeing him so excited about everything! Of course, I was too...lets be honest. Then we were trying to decide what to do next - and we went over to the AAC to see if there were any Mavs tickets available last minute. Turns out that we could get seasts for $2 each! Who knew? So, we then went on a hunt to a sports store to find some cheap Mavs shirts. It was greatness. The game was fun - we were of course sitting in nosebleed, but the seats surprisingly weren't bad! It was such a good day. Let me tell you though, I was exhausted!!!

So, I guess that means things are good in Deb-land. I like it.

Apparently we have another rat...or maybe some other type animal in our house.

Em is in town and was staying the night with me. At 6am we both shoot up because of a terrible noise. I never saw it...but it was adventurous to say the least. Anyway - we called the landlord again and finally she sent someone to patch up all the holes and such. Well see how that works for us.

The people I babysit for are giving me Valentines Day off! Yay! They want me to spend my first Valentines with Aaron. They are sweet. I'm watching Evie tonight, and she cried for an hour and a half after they left before she passed out. Her parents said she's been like this for two days - they looked exhausted. They need the night off. Anyway- now I get to spend V-day with the boy - and his parents. Haha. should be good. We're going to go to Melting Pot next week to celebrate just us. Yay! =o)

No Day But Today!

So - I just found out that RENT live on Broadway is released on DVD tomorrow!!!

It just so happens that I got a lot of Birthday money over the weekend.

$20 of that will buy me this DVD and I will watch it over and over and over...

I'm done.

I'm so done with feeling like this.

I hate the negativity.

Why do I go to meetings, when they begin and end and every minute between is full of negative energy. WHAT IS THE POINT?!?

I don't know how to make it better, and I certainly don't trust everyone else in the group. That doesn't make the idea that things will get better seem any more likely.

guh.



On another note...

XP Midwinter - I thought it went pretty well. As did Anne and Jeff...among others. Were there some things that needed to change? Yes. Some things that didn't happen like I expected? Yes. But was it a BAD weekend? No.

Not sure how I feel about directing...perhaps it was just the circumstances I was handed...that is very much a possibility.

Ok -

I'm all about NOT ending on a negative note...so...for something positive....

Super Bowl/Chili bowl party at my parents last night was a lot of fun. Everyone in my family seemed to really like Aaron - so that is always good. =o) He certainly does make me happy. Plus, I got some great gifts! Woo!

Today has been a wonderful day!

I slept in late - skipping my 8am class as a birthday present to myself. =o)

Then, Anne surprised me with Starbucks and an AWESOME gift! It is a movie three pack with: Mean Girls, Clueless, and She's The Man! I'm so beyond excited!!

Aaron and I went to lunch. We went to Olive Garden - it was very yummy. He still has the flu a tiny bit, so the food was making him feel gross...which makes me sad. But, it was the first time he'd REALLY been able to eat all week, so we'll take what we can get. =o)

Then, I was working on a sermon for my preaching class. I have a problem turning in a sermon on paper...it always ends up coming across SO differently when it is actually preached instead of just read. Plus, I end up changing things while I'm up there depending on a number of factors. I know that Jeter knows this...but still, I don't like that I had to only turn in a hard copy of it.

Aaron and I went to dinner with my parents at Saltgrass! It was SOOOOOOOOO yummy!!! I got great gifts! I'm very excited about my 1000 thread count sheets from my sister!! They are in the wash right now so that I can put them on my bed tonight.

Now it is time to finish up my exegesis so I can turn that in before I go to bed.

Tomorrow I head to Athens where I am directing Chi-Rho Midwinter!! Yikes!! How am I old enough to do things like that?!?

And...

HOW AM I 27?!? WEIRD!!!

So, I decided I was tired last night and went to bed at 11.

6:30 my phone wakes me up - I'm annoyed by it, but don't read the text.

I wake up at 8:45 and read the text - TCU Alert saying TCU is closed. Woohoo!

It is only then that I remember that I had an 8am class...luckily it was cancelled. Which is good, since I would have slept through it anyway.

So, I'm on a new committee at my church to come up with a new name for the church. While I am glad to be involved...I don't feel like spending my Monday evening when its rainy/icy/gross outside at the church. And, I still have 25 minutes until the meeting...so I'm not really sure what to do until then because I'm tired and cranky. *sigh*

That's all.

Wow...

So, I am preaching on Sunday at East Dallas Christian Church. This is the congregation that I grew up in from the time I was in 7th grade. I love this church, it is my home. To have the opportunity to preach there is exciting, but it is also scary. Scary in the sense that they are much more high church than the congregation that I am currently serving. But really, like I said, this is home.

So want to know what is really scaring me about preaching this Sunday?

I am preaching sermon number 3 in a series. That's right...I was given my scripture and my topic. Ok, that's not too bad, I can handle that. My topic - Communion and Baptism. Again. I can handle that.

What makes it so hard then, Debra?

I'll tell you. The fact that the parameters of the sermon were sort of laid out for me. I have to add in Disciples History of Communion and Baptism. I also have to talk about why we call them ordinances instead of sacraments (even though I tend to call the sacraments, not ordinances...).

Gah.

I feel like I'm losing my own voice by trying to cater to what my minister wants me to talk about. So, now I'm trying to let God speak through me, because this sermon is the toughest I've ever written. I want to have fun with it, and for it to retain my voice...but, man, that's tough when I'm having to do a history lesson. *sigh*

I can do it...I'm not worried about it, I'm just ready to be happy with what I've written so far...

And I introduce to you...boy.

Well, I call him Aaron since that's what his parents named him...anyway - this was taken of us at the KU Basketball game we went to in Kansas. I went to Kansas City, MO over New Years to meet his family. That's right, after a mere 2 1/2 months, we've officially met the families. Its fun. He's amazing and makes me uber happy. =o) Funny how quickly it can happen that you can't imagine your life without someone in it. =o)

I'm in a January term class with Dr. Jeter this week. Interpretation for Preaching: James, 1,2,&3 John and Jude. This class is fascinating...but I'm ready for the week to be over. I have until January 30th to write an exegesis and a sermon over a text of my choosing. We'll see what I pick. I kinda liked my sermon brief for the scripture in 1 John that I presented on today...we'll see if that is what I end up doing. I've made it through the week in a D.Min level class...makes me think that I could do it...someday. Let's be honest, I can't afford any more schooling for a long while.

So...its about that time of year again. Finals are upon me...and I'm procrastinating, once again.

I know, I know...you are all shocked.

I'm actually "working" right now on a 5000 word paper...or updating my blog. Either way you want to look at it.

I hate finals, I feel like they put so much pressure on you, I wish there was a way to not have to take finals, that the work we have done throughout the semester should be used as a better reflection for what I have learned, rather than what i can remember during a 2 hour time frame two weeks after class has finished. Blah. Although, I guess the paper isn't only being done in two hours...but really...5000 words?!?

Anyway - at least I have Vanilla Biscotti coffee and freshly baked cookies to get me through the evening.

Yesterday was an amazing day... Anne, Katie, and I went to Southlake to see Anne's dress. She looks STUNNING in it. Jeff is going to crap his pants when she starts walking down the isle! Yay!

It was funny - while we were at lunch Katie and Anne were pumping me for more info about Aaron. He makes me SO happy! I'm glad things are going so well with him.

He does this thing where he tells me at LEAST twice a day that I'm great, awesome, wonderful. Take your pick, he says it. And, he makes me smile nonstop.

Yeah.

That's all I've got to say about that. I'm taking him to dinner with my parents next week. =o)

Tagged

CanDance tagged me...so here I go.

7 Things you may not know about me.

1. I'm completely OCD when it comes to putting lotion on my feet. I can't put my feet under the covers of my bed unless I put lotion on right before hand.
2. I've been working on a cross-stitch for my dad for over 2 years. If I keep going at the rate I am this moment - it will be done for Christmas.
3. Monkey is my favorite animal - I sleep with one every night.
4. I can't imagine doing any other job but ministry - it is my life, my calling, my passion
5. I've been keeping a journal since I was 15 with the intent to give it to my daughter when she is 15...I guess that's assuming I have a daughter.
6. I'm addicted to TV on DVD...it makes me happier than buying a movie
7. I am directing TBA Chi-Rho Midwinter in Jan/Feb...woo!

Eh - I'd tag people, but no one would do it...so if you want to, do it. =o)

Hm... Meeting the parents?

Kind of exciting idea/prospect.

Aaron just invited me up to Missouri for a couple days at Christmas... his parents would pay for my ticket. Kinda freaks me out, but makes me excited at the same time. I dunno...I'm just saying.

Guess its moving along.

I'm still extremely happy.

This week he is at home, and I miss him. I've gotten so used to seeing him a lot, and its weird to not see him for a whole week.

Anyway - that's my life. Guess the next step is for him to meet my parents. Guess it makes sense for him to meet mine before I meet his - if only because mine live here...and his are in another state. Haha.

I don't do cold well - Missouri in winter = COLD...but it'll be worth it if we can get dates to work out. =o)

I awoke with a start. There was a loud ripping noise outside my door and the pounding of feet running down stairs. My heart rate accelerated greatly. This was it. After almost a month of trying, the time had finally come. I hear the feet come back up the stairs and a beating noise happen that causes the awful ripping noise to finally stop. It's over.

"Did you get it?" I yell.

"That wasn't a mouse...it was an 8 in rat!"

a full body shudder took over me. I have been living with a rat for over a month.

Our landlord has not been doing anything, until I finally told her we had to try something else besides poison because the 'mouse' had eaten through my shoe last night. Guess that should have been a clue that it wasn't a mouse. Anyway. She brings by two heavy duty crazy strong sticky traps. Jeff sets up the line of defense just inside the door the thing was always going into.


The boys are laughing and excited. Anne and I are completely grossed out and tell Jeff he has to stay in case we catch the mouse because we don't want to deal with it.

Thank God he stayed. Anne couldn't look at the rat, although she did see it. I couldn't even open my door until I knew that it was gone from the house. SO GROSS. All of this happened at 6:40 this morning. What a wake up call.

Hopefully, there was only one. Guess we'll find out. We put out the second sticky trap, I just hope we don't have to deal with another one...that ONE was scary enough.

Now, I have to finish a paper, and Anne and I have decided to clean our entire house cleaner than it ever has been before. Every inch of this house will be cleaned. We are getting new rugs for the upstairs...because...ewwww....

NASTY!