Sew, Sew, Sewing...

Well, it's been my plan all day - to sew. Went in and started getting things together when I realized I needed to rinse out my fabrics and dry them. Hm. Show stopper. I am waiting for that to happen and then I will cut 3 bags out. One is to donate to a silent auction. One is to go to the lady to developed my logo. The last one goes...well, I'm not sure. Maybe I'll just use it myself. We'll see. I post pictures when I get done...

Keith hits the big 5-0

Keith had a birthday this week. He turned 50 on Tuesday. He's been saying he's fifty for almost a year now, so he doesn't seem to be affected by it much. A couple of weeks ago, he got his birthday gift - a new recliner. The old recliner was broken - wouldn't go down and stay down while you were in the chair. We got it early so that my parents wouldn't get stuck in the old chair.

So for his birthday day, he also got a couple of shirts, dinner out, and a movie. It was a nice day, and he seemed pleased with the outcome.

That has been my week. How is yours going?

The beginning of a new week

I am ready for the new week. I finished the laundry today (well, I am going to finish the laundry - I have to put it away yet.) I have a couple of things to do to have the kitchen in shape. Keith and I finished some paperwork for my job yesterday. All of that makes me feel like I accomplished something.

Keith and I went to dinner with friends from my old job. We are a motley crew, but they are good people. I enjoyed it immensely. We get together about once a month, and are all committed to keeping it up.

Next month we are heading home for a visit. We have synod meetings in Dayton, OH after which we will start our trip - Columbus, OH overnight with family; Frostburg, MD with Keith's family; Sumerduck, VA with my family. I am hoping we can get to see my brother and his wife (David and Rachel) and sweet little Jasmine. I cannot wait to see everyone.

Have a great week, everyone!

Just Poppin' in...

Just popping in to report that I was not perfect in hitting my goal today. I am disappointed, but I did keep the rule in mind and DID keep several comments to myself. So, improvement - but not accomplishment. I am guessing this will be a life-long struggle.

My other reason for popping in is to see how long it takes dad to notice I'm up and running this week. Dad? Are you out there? Hope your having fun in Indiana, and make it home safely!

In other news - please pray for my three year old neice - it appears that they will have to remove the cyst in her left lung. Parents don't have word on when just yet, but please keep Jasmine and her family in your prayers.

Many Thanks!

Are you a Joiner?

I was taking this in a whole different direction, but decided it was just stupid. So, I'm starting over.

I don't have much to say, so let me share this:

I often find myself in conversations that I had no intention of having (and some I absolutely intend on having), saying things I had no intention of saying, and going down a road that God is probably not always pleased with. You see, I'm a joiner. I just can't pass it up. I justify it in all kinds of ways, but there it is...sin. Big, bad, ugly, SIN.

Well, I was listening to Dave Ramsey the other day for about a minute and a half. He was talking about his company and employees. He said that he has a (well, maybe a couple, but he was talking about this one) rule that his employees must follow unless they no longer wish to be employees. That rule is that they must not talk about another employee unless that person is in the room.

Sit me on my butt. What a great rule. I have decided to try to implement this rule in my own life. It will not be easy, nor will I be perfect - especially at first. But I'm gonna try. Join me?

This one's for you, Dad.

So, my parents came to visit me in Memphis this past weekend. I haven't seen them in over a year, so it was good to spend some time with them. But in one of those quite moments when dad and I were taking, he asked me why I had not updated my blog in almost a year. So...this ones for you, Dad.

Much has happened in the last year. We moved last September - just up the street from where we were, about 2 blocks from the Hancock's fabrics which burned down. The good news is that the place is bigger and the Hancock's reopened - along with an Ace Hardware. The bad news: no pool. ah, well. All for the best, I guess. We really like the location of the new house - and I have yet to spend a whole pay check in the Hancock's (at one time) yet. Time is on my side, though.

Our holidays were spent right here in Memphis, with good friends around. In January I left working at the hospital to go back to work at the Navy Base. It was an opportunity I could not pass up. I was hired as a Technical Writer, but have been working as a data analyst. I love what I do. This position requires a security clearance, and we hit a bump in the road with that. Long story short: My interim clearance was pulled and I let go. On my second day of unemployment, I was called and told that there was an administrative SNAFU with the investigative body; my interim was fine - not pulled. Did I want my job back? You betcha! And so I am back. Still waiting for the final to come in, but none the worse for it.

In June I finished up my MBA. I am glad that is over. There are absolutely no plans, thoughts, or dreams of going back school again. I've said it over and over - I will not learn another thing ever again. Amen. Really. I mean it. Done. But it feels good to have accomplished it!

There have been a good many changes at the church, but mostly to the actual structure. We just had the altar blessed, and it is beautiful. We also got a new organ, which means my piano got to come home - today, in fact.

Things are good here in Memphis. Hope all is well where you are!

Love,
MelBoe

Obsessions...

I love my Chihuahua. She is my baby, and I'm not sure what I ever did without her. She is not warm and fuzzy with strangers - she really doesn't take to much of anyone but Keith and me. We have seen her warm to a VERY few couple of friends, but cautiously, and only on her terms. But with Keith and me, she is very attached (I'm the runner up, to tell the truth). If we have been out of house for awhile, she was us to sit down and hold her until she feels better. She must sleep between us - touching one of us or, preferably, both of us. She has to move from room to room if we are moving around the house, and just about can't stand it if we close a door to keep her out.

UNLESS, that is, El Toro of Love or Christ-moose is in town. These are stuff animals that have been picked up along life's way, and found their way into this Chihuahua heart. She loves them very much; her little ears perk up that the mention of their names. Oh, how she loves them. If they happen to be lying around, she becomes completely obsessed. She will not leave them to go outside, to eat, to sit with us - nothing! She lays beside them with her head resting on them, she does unspeakable things with them (until her mother informs her that we don't do those things in this house), and she chews on them. (This would be why El Toro and Christ-moose don't get to hang around the house much.) She will not leave them - the obsession is real and it's deep.

So this week, we noticed that Busy-bel was hanging out in my sewing room a lot. She was snappish with Beau (more snappish than usual), and she was sitting on a box with my quilt. At one point she was guarding the door to the sewing room to keep Beau from going in. I wasn't paying close attention to it, but we wondered about her behavior. What was up with her? Then yesterday I walked past the box and happened to glance in it, and realized that she had found Christ-moose, who was packed in that box. It cracked me up! That explained it all - I guess she assumed Beau would be just as taken with Christ-moose as she is.

Christ-moose and El Toro of Love have gone out of town, and may never see the light of day again.