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I usually have something on my mind to blog about, but right now I am at a loss for words. I am happy and contented with my life right now. I guess I could write about what I've been up to for the past few days? Would y'all out in "blogland" like that? Alrighty......

I think I will start with Tuesday, June 9th.....my mom arrived in Texas while I was hard at work getting my Tuesday night classes ready for their recital. It was her 60th birthday, very exciting! My mom doesn't exactly look like she's 60 either which is great news for me! ;)

On Wednesday (6/10) I went to work, like usual, and later on that evening we went out to eat for my mom's birthday at her favorite tex-mex restaurant here, Pappasito's......pretty dang good food I might add! They sang a ridiculous birthday song, made her wear a sombrero and we got free sopapillas (if you don't know what those are....omg, you need to google them and find somewhere that sells them.....yum yummy yum yum yum).

So, that was Wednesday.....on to Thursday (6/11)....I went to work, then I rested for a bit at home before I went to the dreaded last rehearsal for Ballet 3 before the dress rehearsal/recital....it was good, but it was also very bad! I think both Tracie (owner of Ballet NB) and I were very stressed out this year with the whole swine flu breakout and the time that we lost for rehearsing their dances and stuff, that we went into this last class with our fists and jaws clenched. No joke, we really were wound up pretty tightly! Yikes! I will definitely give our girls kudos because they worked very hard for us and they put up with a lot that night.

Friday (6/12) I went to work and left at 3:00. I got my stuff together and headed out to TLU in Seguin (no, not sequin!)for the dress rehearsal.....Well, we started a little after 5:00 and got behind because of a music snafu! (i hate music snafu's they are the worst) Tracie and I didn't leave the auditorium until 11:00 that evening. When I got home I gathered my thoughts for the next day and then crashed in my bed.

Saturday (6/13) Shower? Check! Target for last minute details? Check!! Starbucks for a pick-me-up even though I would probably have heartburn later??? Check!!! We had a last minute dress rehearsal with the older girls at 11:00 and I don't know, but they could definitely feel our stress still, but we made it through. Recital started at 1:00, not on the dot, but close enough. Our recitals are a lot different than OTDC where as we do "demo's" here which shows the level system. I hate demo's with a passion because I feel that the class' recital dance is a reflection on what they've been learning for the past "dance year". Anyway, it is a waste of time (in my opinion) because it just takes waaaaay too long!!!!!! The recital progressed on as smooth as it could, but we didn't actually finish until 3:30-ish.....ugh! That was one long effing recital! Things will change next year, so help me God, they will change!

After recital was over I collected my weary body, my mom and my hubby and we head out to Bucee's in Luling, TX!












Need I say more? The place is worth visiting even if you aren't on a road trip! I just love all their Texas-y nick-nacks and jerky and ice cold dill pickles and fudge and beaver nuggets! Ahhhhh.....it's more fun than you and your grandmother could handle...lol! And the bathrooms really are as clean as advertised! Everyone gets their own stall and there are lysol wipes in there and air freshener....I don't feel like anyone is listening to me pee! I can do my business with confidence and ease! ;)

Back to Luling....I thought it would be nice to go a little further into Luling and visit one of the top 50 bbq joints in Texas, so we did. Luling is also the watermelon thumping capitol of Texas (maybe even the world?) and it is a hick, Deliverance-esque town. Hence the picture seen below and myself posing with a potential "thump queen" poster....





We ate at Luling Bar-B-Q and headed out after a somewhat scary time at their "farmer's market".....never again! Matt decided to head back to I-10 to get back home and then I decided to take a different route that would take us to I-35 via San Marcos, TX. I have never been that way before so I thought it would be fun to have an adventure with my mom! We passed by several "redneck yards of the week" and the "town pool", tons of random cemeteries and such. Those of you who live in Texas or have been here you know that the speed limits can change at any given time, but for the most part are actually posted with visible signs. Well, on our lil' joy ride I got pulled over and received a speeding ticket from one of the "redneck" police officers. I got caught in an effing speed trap in redneck usa!!!!! I was so mad! We were having the best time poking fun at everyone that we didn't notice the speed and we didn't see any posted speed limit signs (God's honest truth, there weren't any!). Whatever! Now I have to go back to that po-dunk town and visit the judge and beg for mercy....mer!

So, that was Saturday....big day full of ups and downs. Sunday (6/14) was fantastic though! We woke up and went to church at Oak Hills Church in SA. Max Lucado is the pastor there and it's just all around a really great church!





Those were pictures from Christmas Eve last year and here's another for funsies!



Can you say special?

Anyways, we went to Oak Hills for a very specific reason.....Shannon Wexelberg (who I have mentioned in several previous blogs) was going to be there leading worship and Bruce Bowen (from the SA Spurs) was going to be speaking. Although I support our Spurs I wasn't there for Bruce....I was there to participate in worship our Lord with one of my favorite singer/songwriters!



I got to meet her, speak with her, hug her and take a picture with her!!!! I don't have those pictures yet, but as soon as I do they will be up here for sure! That was definitely the highlight of my weekend. I will post more on that later also as this blog has become the longest in the history or blog-dom!

Peace out!
SJR
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I promised that I would post this...enjoy!

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A Good Conversation

I had a really great conversation with a great friend today. We talked about what I've been going through as far as babies and stuff like that. We also talked about what was going on in her life as well like how we both have "pity parties" when things aren't going as "planned" in our lives, etc. etc. We got on the subject of my conversation with Matt yesterday....we were talking about our future with children and such. We were discussing our options as far as would we pursue IVF if it came down to it, or would we go directly to adoption....stuff like that. As I'm sure y'all know that this whole fertility thing is a touchy issue with me, but I'm learning to deal with it and roll with the punches....but our conversation sparked kind of a small pity party and I said out loud "Why me? Why is God doing this to me? Why is He taking His time and won't just give us a baby already? Why does He ALWAYS do this to me? Why do I have to wait for everything???" That accompanied with tears lasted for a bit and finally I shut up. As soon as I did I listened for something, I don't know why, but I just sat there I heard a voice say to me "You asked to be my vessel, that's why you are waiting and I am waiting too". Wow! It's true though, I did ask Him to dwell in me. I did ask to be His vessel. I asked this over six years ago, but He reminded me of it just yesterday. I told God that I would do WHATEVER IT TAKES no matter what He needed to do in me. And I told Him I would wait....and boy, am I waiting or what!? When it all boils down to it, I am His. His will is my will. I want what He wants. And I will wait as longs as it takes as long as He is there with me every step of the way. I know He'll be there.

I was also "challenged" by my dear friend that maybe it isn't just my time that He's waiting for, but He is waiting for my future child's time as well. She reminded me that if we look at the good examples of the Bible like Moses, David, or even Hannah we see that they were placed into the world at a very precise time in the world to do very specific things. So, maybe this isn't just about me? What???!!! How can that be? (just kidding)But it makes perfect sense, doesn't it? In the book of Esther she was challenged by Mordecai (her cousin) to plead with King Xerxes (her husband) to get rid of Haman and eventually save her people (the Jews). Even though she was queen she would be risking her life to even approach the king without prior consent, obviously she would be frightened and hesitant to go to his chambers. Not to mention if he didn't accept her into his presence she could have been killed as well as her people. Anyway, "Mordy" spoke these words to her "
Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” Can I get another wow?! Or perhaps an amen (and really..lol)?!! That phrase doesn't just apply to her being queen back then, but to all of us today.

We are always asking God "why"..... Why haven't I been promoted? Why am I not married yet? Why is my marriage/relationship falling apart? Why don't we have any kids yet? Why are my kids rebelling? Why? And yet God still says to us, "Who knows if perhaps this is happening to you now for such a time as this?" God may not be finished with where He has you right now
, but just know that He has already prepared what is going to happen. He is shaping and transforming your life and your heart for what He has already prepared for you to do. All we have to do is wait. That isn't always the easy thing to do, but in the end IT WILL ALWAYS BE WORTH IT!

For me, I am still waiting on what He is doing. Let me rephrase that a little, we are waiting (Matt, God and me) on what is coming next. Maybe a baby? Whether we get pregnant naturally or we become parents through adoption I know without a doubt that it is all lined up for us. I feel that God is turning my heart toward adoption even more and He is softening my heart to these children who don't have parents. I know that He knows what is going to happen and I have peace in my heart that He is preparing not just Matt and me, but that He is also making our future child(ren) ready as well.

Don't worry about what you cannot see right now because your new season is coming, He is on the way and He is never late! (Hebrews 11:1)

SJR