Oh hai!!

So.....long time no blog, eh? Well, I've been a little busy and needed a little break from the blogger world, don' chyah know...? {You like that? I'm gearing up for Frozen Tundra speak...}

What could I possibly have been up to that has kept me so distant for so long? I have no clue...other than seeming to move non-stop lately. The J-Man graduated, Seaner came in town for that, a day or two after he went home to Cali I jumped into bridesmaid mode for one of my "childhood" besties (we've known each other since high school...we were still children then...technically) - beautiful wedding, beautiful image of Christ's love. After all of that I made the trek down to CS (literally the day after the wedding...never a good idea to start off exhausted when heading the CS, just sayin') to work in the lab and visit with the peeps...oooof course :D I was down there for about a week and a half and it was glorious! Exhausting to the max - I still haven't recovered - but glorious none-the-less. I came home only to hit final VBS preps like none other...the big week begins on Monday. Say some prayers for your favorite Pre-K leader!! As soon as VBS is done and over I'm road tripping to Nashville with the youth group for a conference - I'm the female chaperon, and we will be gone from Sunday to Saturday - neat...I just might die, more prayers would be much appreciated. Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited about VBS and to go to the Higher Things Conference with the youth group, but I'm tired, y'all! Ah well...I can sleep when I'm dead...wait, whaaaa? Scratch that, I'm 'a be partying it up with the saints and the 3-in-1 like none other! I guess it really boils down to "sleep is overrated." Or...I'm crazy. Yeah, that's probably a little closer to being the appropriate evaluation, haha.

{Mmmm....Lady Grey Tea....}

So, now that I have successfully assured you all that I am most likely certifiable, what is there to report outside of my ree-donk-u-lous schedule? Oh you know...the ushe... Haha, nah, let's see here....

Let me just start by saying that resolution is beautiful. I was extremely blessed about a week and a half ago to mend a broken friendship. It was a friendship I had felt I had essentially lost, and while I was preparing myself to let it go, what with the up-coming move and such, there was not one ounce of my being that desired for us to arrive at that end. Due in-part to some movings of the Holy Spirit in a mediator of sorts, I was able to meet with this precious, precious friend family member (that's definitely what this person is to me) of mine, and the two of us were simply honest about the happenings and events that lead to brokenness of our relationship. God is so faithful. SO very faithful. I had been praying for reconciliation for about a month and God brought it. Glory! I love this person ever so dearly and am more than thankful that we can continue to stand side-by-side (even if thousands of miles apart) as members of the Body as we embark on new chapters of our lives.

That has probably been the highlight of my life post J-Man's graduation festivities. Oh! Speaking of graduation festivities...While Seaner was here for all of that mess we made a special treat in honor of J-Man's achievements: BUTTERBEER!! Yes, HP buffs, you read that correctly - we made some, and it was awesome! And, the nice thing is that you have the option of making it alcoholic or non! Seaner and I decided to try #8 on this site. It was delish! Definitely recommend it. For all you 21ers and up, butterscotch schnapps = the bomb. Soooo good!

I made it out to the midnight premier of Toy Story 3 with Mak and some of her sibs while I was in CS - I laughed uber hard, I cried...it's definitely one of the better movies I've seen this year, for seri. WAY good. Very nicely executed close to an era. They are a great set of films!

Man, CS was way uplifting this go-round. Since I was down there for so long I got to sofa-surf my way through three lovely "sofas." Sofa #1 = the all too comfy sofa of Miss Awyssa. "Sofa" #2 = the marvelous room of Mak. "Sofa" #3 = my very own room at my second home, that of R and J-Hump. I am so incredibly blessed by the body of believers in CS...I think I have cried out of sheer joy and upcoming loss every time I have been down there in the last 2-3months. I have often returned "home" after an overly jam-packed night of hanging out-age to settle down for the night with tears streaming down my face. I am so grateful and blessed by my family there. And I am beyond sad to leave their beautiful souls come August. But, I am resting in the knowledge that this is not the end (cliche, I know...so sue me, haha...just kidding, please don't...), and we are beyond blessed/spoiled, however you want to look at it, in this day and age to have never-ending modes by which to communicate: cell phones, texting, emailing, facebook, twitter, skype, the list goes one...and yes, even includes snail mail :] I do love me some snail mail...there's just something so special about getting something in the mail - I love sending it too, it's just fun and more personal, I feel. But, I digress. I honestly cannot imagine where I would be personally, spiritually without these blessings of people God has showered upon me. Even those I haven't known much more than a semester have impacted me in ways they could never imagine - and I already consider them family. Family.

One thing I truly enjoyed this last week was getting to spend sometime with my "Dad" from church. The Freeman family has more than blessed me over the last year and K is quite the closet craftsman. He doesn't like to make too much of a fuss about it, but he has an amazing talent to make stunning crosses. We have been talking about me getting together with him to make one before I move for "ever" and finally got around to starting one this week. Alyssa joined us, which was fun. It was neat to see how our crosses turned out so differently from one another. It was great to visit with K. I will sorely miss him and his precious family when I move - thank God for technology!!!

So many beautiful visits were had, my heart is seriously overflowing with joy...and a touch of sadness...but, that's to be expected, right? Who wouldn't be sad to leave their family? Especially one as HUGE and wide-spreading as mine!!

Well, I could obviously go on for days about how blessed I am by all of them, but I will close for now. It's time to get in some Firefly with the J-Man! Whoop! If you have never seen any Firefly...add it to your netflix instant queue or go rent it or something! Ready....GO!

Shalom!
~MW

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Now playing: Tenth Avenue North - Any Other Way
via FoxyTunes

Christ and Women

This is an amazing sermon by Mark Driscoll - I mean, wow...

The last 15-20min are especially good. If you find a chunk of time I encourage you to watch/listen, you can skip through the first 14min or so (they had a little business meeting at the beginning).



Shalom,
~MW

Something to be mindful of...

This is something that we all need to be reminded of from time to time. I love this video and come back to it often. Piper hits it dead on the nose. God is glorified when we are most satisfied in HIM...not health, wealth, prosperity, etc... The Gospel has been tainted by churches and preachers who feed this message to millions across the globe - that is terrifying to think about.

School is coming to a close

Wow, the boyos have one more week (well, technically they just have Tues-Thurs...) of school and then they are free for the summer. For the J-Man, he will not only be free for the summer, but will be free of high school altogether! WOW. I know I probably sound somewhat like a broken record lately, but seriously, how is it that time can fly so quickly?

It feels like just yesterday that the three of us were gallivanting around the old farm house in IN collecting moss, tracking raccoons and gophers, and running through the corn fields. Or running around the cotton fields in south TX and hoarding random rusted out pieces of farm machinery and old nuts and bolts in our water tower fort. {yes, you read that correctly, be jealous} Not to mention our adventures in Panama...monkeys, red squirrels, hiking through the rainforest, pipa, making awesome "independent films" with Seaner. Ah...memories.

And now it's off to this production for J-Man or that concert for Fariz (aka: C-Fizzle, haha, I love my brothers)...band camps and comps, theatre camps and comps...etc, etc. CrAzY! When did they grow up?!

It's one thing to cope with Fariz closing out his sophomore year, but it's another to cope with J-Man's high school graduation. I mean, really...he's still 5yrs old, promise. But they both really are growing up and I need to suck it up and accept it and embrace it. I am so beyond proud of them - if you can't tell. From the time they were itty-bitty they have both been go-getters. Timid at times, but always outgoing. They have dabbled in sports and the arts, and are both superb students. I absolutely cannot wait to see where their lives take them. At this point they both want to further their studies in theatre and band, independently. I'm excited to see what that looks like for them.

I'm all nostalgic because last night was C-Fizzle's last concert of the school year (with the exception of graduation, but that doesn't exactly count...it's not as fancy as his jazz band concerts)...and possibly the last concert of his I will see for quite some time - thanks, Frozen Tundra. {bitter-sweet} And the Wee Ones had all of their banquets and award ceremonies last week and this week, and I'm pretty sure I've cried at every one of them...especially J-Man's theatre banquet - blast the emotions that come with the close of senior years!!!

And, I love these kids' friends - they are just fun, and I feel like most of them would have been people I would have been friends with in high school. They are just neat bunches of kids. And all extremely talented in one way or another.

So very, very proud of you kiddos. Keep up the good work!

Fariz's Band Banquet

J-Man's Theatre Banquet

Shalom!
~MW

Quick & Healthy Foodz...in an ebook?!

Yes! It's true! This little ebook has all kinds of recipes that are easy on-the-go and GOOD FOR YOU snacks!

And, guess what?! There are currently TWO giveaways for it. TWO!!

Check out these two ladies' blogs and enter their giveaways for your chance to win a "copy" of the book for free!

Simple Organic - Healthy Snacks to Go Giveaway

Passionate Homemaking - Healthy Snacks to Go Giveaway

Best of luck to you, readers!

Shalom!
~MW