Time Flies

I can't believe it! June is almost gone! Summer seems to fly by so very fast. It gives a whole new meaning to "Time flies when we're having fun!". We've spent the last month enjoying vacation, having our water balloon wars, going to vacation bible school, and swimming with friends. Jonathon is trying his hardest to grow up and has found great interest in a particular young lady. It has been quite fun to watch this part of him develop and we have found ourselves as parents having to move to a new level as well. Listening, listening, listening and not talking, talking, talking. Clarissa is having to discover some new friends because Jonathon is moving on with a new phase in his life. This week during VBS, she boldly called and invited several children from her school. I was so proud of her. And even though only one showed, it has been so good to watch her reach out and develop new relationships and make friends of her own and not friends that are shared by she and her brother. I've heard the sweetest things come out of their mouths recently. Two of my favorite are "I love our family!" from Jonathon and "I'm so glad you're my Mom!" from Clarissa. Well kiddos, I love our family too and I'm so glad that I get to be your Mom!

What will July hold? We'll have to find time to delve into school clothes shopping (more fun for some than others), Jonathon will leave for church camp (his first time away), Clarissa will attend soccer camp, and I will continue to try and get my house in order so that when August arrives, we can start the year off organized. We all know that it won't stay that way!

Whatever the next month brings your way, I encourage you to find time to have fun. I have to say I believe that we have had more fun this summer than we have in a while because we've taken time to be silly with our kids. I am discovering that time flies too fast!

NEWFLASH.......A little birdie says that the water balloon war has expanded into new territories (as of last night). I believe two victims were dampened, others might have been hit by stray droplets. Could you be next?

Just a Tease

We're back from our wonderful vacation to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon! We took lots of pictures and have lots of stories. I'll do my best to get those posted on Flickr soon! Here's a tease of what's to come!



Our Wonderful Hotel



My beautiful kids at the Grand Canyon


We found some interesting folks there!


AND....we celebrated Jonathon's 11th Birthday AND and an early Father's Day!

We are exhausted but can't stop talking about it! I'll get busy soon!

War

War.....not something that is looked upon with great anticipation. As a matter of fact, these days, war is such a curse word to many. When I hear the word, I automatically think about those wonderful men and women in Iraq that give so much of themselves so that I can write about the events of my life on this blog.
There has been a different kind of war brewing around my place. I guess I can thank my dear co-worker Sarah for getting me into the war-mindset.

The last day of school, two 4th grade teachers and their students along with some other enlisted soldiers ambushed me and my students with water balloons, shaving cream, and silly string. It was not a pretty sight! We looked like a war-torn region! I had students with big chunks of the groud stuck to their heads because they held them down and tortured them. I, at one point, (thanks Sarah) had water dripping from my eyelashes as a result of a point blank water gun attack after I opened the door to try and get my students to safety!

Since we weren't able to retaliate (yet) because school was out for the summer, the urge to battle did not leave me! So, I carried it over to home. Something came over me the other day and I enlisted my most willing soldier (Clarissa) and we filled water balloons, hid on the side of the house, and when Sal brought Jonathon home from gymnastics, we bombed the enemy!! We had to re-stock our amunition the following day and last night we had a friendly battle that turned bad. The four of us decided to play a game of catch with the water-balloons and somewhere along the way I forgot the cause and effect lesson that I teach every year! (nails + water balloons = SPLASH!) Not once, twice, but almost everytime! Not willing to go down easily, I enlisted the help of the waterhose! :)

Where will the next battle be? What and who will it entail? Hmmmm........watch your back because I believe this war could last a few, long, hot summer months and you never know when it will expand into other territories!

By the way.....Sarah, what is the address to your new home?
!

And there it goes!

Wow! Where did the school year go? It seems as only yesterday that we were buying school clothes, shoes, and picking out what to wear that first day. It has flown and with it went a great year. I was richly bless by my students (stories to come) and Jonathon has ended his elementary career! That is so hard to believe! So, as fast as the year went the summer will too so we've got to get busy having fun! More Later.......

Proud Parental Moments!

This weekend we traveled to Fort Worth to watch Jonathon compete in the Region 3 Tumbling & Trampoline Championships. Region 3 is comprised of 8 states. How very proud we are of him! He brought home 7th place overall in trampoline, 5th place overall in double-mini and 2nd place overall in tumbling!!! Not to mention, he qualified for Nationals in all three events. He will not be attending Nationals this year. That is something we're going to take on next year! His coaches were very proud of him and so were we! We did manage to get in some "fun" along the way! Saturday evening we ventured into the Fort Worth Stockyards.


She wasn't exactly sure about it but was willing to try it! It seemed like she wanted to laugh and cry the whole time!



As you can see, I got a big kick out of watching him! (He says I enjoyed it way too much!). Nonetheless, we had a great weekend and thoroughly enjoyed our time together. I am so proud of both of my children and thank God daily for the gifts that he has given them but also for the gift he gave me, through them. I am so blessed to be their Mom!

A Whole New Meaning to Happy Hour

I've been meaning to post this for some time and am just now getting around to it. So....where do you go for Happy Hour? Yes, Happy Hour???? I go to happy hour and not just on Fridays! Sometimes I go EVERYDAY!! Hello....my name is Gayla and I am addicted to Happy Hour........at SONIC!

Recently, I picked up my kids and was in a rush and a bad mood all together, I zipped into Sonic for my Happy Hour fix and was served by the most uplifting carhop in the business. I have been served by him during times before and he never changes. Here's a sampling of our brief conversation.

CARHOP: "Hello....how are you today???

SELF: "Good" (not really meaning it but not wanting to be rude) "How are you?"

CARHOP: "Blessed. Absolutely blessed!" You had a diet Dr. Pepper. Is there anything else I can do for you today?

SELF: "No thanks"

CARHOP: Alright ma'am. God bless you and enjoy the rest of your day!

SELF: (feeling a bit humbled by this young gentleman) Sir, I need to tell you that you are a blessing to run into.

CARHOP: Thank you so much ma'am. I pray everymorning that God would use me and shine through me in EVERYTHING I do and with EVERYONE I meet.

SELF: (feeling very humbled) Well, you have blessed me today a great deal and I've seen you here before and you are always the same. I just want you to know that you have been a blessing to me today.

CARHOP: Ma'am, thank you! You, too, have blessed me!

SELF: (what????, I'm the grumpy one?)

And off he went.

I pondered our brief conversation on the way back to work. Here he is, a young man, working as a carhop at Sonic, coming into contact with HUNDREDS of people everyday, and uses it for a time for God to use him. I, in my selfish world, work in an air conditioned room, come into contact with the same hundred people everyday, and I don't know that I bless any of them the way this young man blessed me.

I do know this. He has definately made me think about how I treat people on a daily basis and what (or who?) I'm letting them see. And another thing, I love going to Sonic, no matter the hour, to watch this young man in action.

So....if you're looking for a Happy Hour to attend, you'll find the one at 82nd and University to be uplifting, relaxing, and possibly, life-changing!

A New Chapter

As most know, Sal completed 12 years and 2 months of employment today with MHMR. Tomorrow, he moves on to a new chapter. The move to Community Access has been one of faith for us. God brought the opportunity to Sal without Sal having o look for it. There are still some aspects that we are simply trusting God with and I can't wait to see how God uses Sal in this position. Tonight as I look at him resting, I can't help but be nervous for him. In the morning he will step into an office that he is to direct, not knowing anyone and they knowing nothing about him. Sal is such a hard worker and loyal employee. He is highly intelligent and has amazing insight. Anyone is lucky to have him as an employee. My prayer for him tonight is that tomorrow morning when he walks in tto his new office, that those employees will see a man of God, will see someone who is going to be fair, and someone who is going to lead them to the next level. My prayer has been that God bless Sal in the workplace and allow him to have favor among men/women that he comes into contact with. Tomorrow is the beginning of what can be and what I believe will be, an amazing opportuniy for Sal. I am so glad that God has chosen me to be part of this journey with such a wonderful man.