Ashton has lost his fourth tooth.   He almost swallowed this one.

Today my Ashton is 5 years old.  I cannot believe how fast time as flown.

My newborn

1 year old

2 years old

3 years old

4 years old

5 years old

Sorry, I am only about a few weeks off with this post. I participated in the Christmas swaps with my fellow bloggers. We swapped gifts. Debbie from Iowa (I think) pulled my name. It was so neat to find new people’s blog to read. So here is my gift.

I did receive two pillows. One said joy and the other said believe. My sister is home and does not think pillows belong on the couch, so she has thrown it somewhere. We also received a bag of chocolate candy of which Ashton immediately open and ate. We loved the gift Debbie. It was perfect.

We are so busy during this season. Hint the reason why this blog is late. We just finished all our testing in kindergarten before the holiday. We have had Christmas parties all week. Bowling on Tuesday, Journey Church on Wednesday, Michael’s work on Wednesday, and my class on Friday. So it has been week. Guess what it is not over. Here is our schedule.

Saturday: Christmas at Arkansas City

Sunday: Christmas in Lake Village

Monday: my nephew from Batesville’s coming over

Tuesday: Christmas in Casscoe (Stuttgart)

Wednesday: Christmas in Camden

Thursday: off

Friday: Memphis for the Houston Rockets vs. Memphis Grizzles game (My Christmas present. Houston is totally going to beat Memphis.)

Saturday: In Casscoe

Sunday: In Casscoe

Monday: In Cascoe

So as you can see we are busy. My two weeks will be over before I know it.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Well, it is time to lose weight when you look in the mirror and notice that you body looks just like your Momma.   Also, when you BMI is 25.   Starting with 25 means that your overweight for your height.   I know it is barely overweight, but it is overweight.  So I am going to do something about this.   I am working on a diet/workout routine.   Hopefully on Monday’s I can update on the weight loss.   I don’t need to lose much, but I do need to get active a bunch.  Since I lose inches before pounds, I am going to include those too.

Current Weight: 147.2

Waist: 36 inches

Hips:  41 inches
My diet is going to consist of lots of eating, but fewer servings and caloric intake.   What I like best about this plan is that I get to eat and I love to do that.

Breakfast—weight loss shake

Morning Snack–apple

Lunch–weight loss shake and half a sandwich

Afternoon Snack–1 cup of carrots

Supper–A real meal (just less servings or smaller servings)

Bedtime snack–1/2 banana

My exercise will consist of 1 hour aerobics using my Wii Fit.

It all started out at 9:04 a.m. on April 17 in 1979. I was baptized a few months later (Methodist).

Fast forward lots of years….

At 12, I went through confirmation (still Methodist). I attended church all the time. Pretty much any time the doors were opened, I was there.

At high school and college I began to venture out into the world. All the bad stuff. I don’t have to go into details but if it was out there, I was in it.

I really started wondering about Christianity at college. I knew there was something more than I needed. I wasn’t quite sure, but something was missing. In October 1997, I went on the Fall Prayer Retreat with the Wesley Foundation at Arkansas State. I discovered what I was missing. JESUS! Right then, I decided to change. I tried my best to stay on the right track. Nope didn’t happen. I moved out of the dorms and into my own place. Talk about FREEDOM! I loved it. I loved it so much I dropped out of school and began to work full time for Pizza Inn in Jonesboro. I thought my life was awesome, yet something was still missing.

In March of 1998, my grandfather died. This was the first time that someone that close to me has passed away. I was so angry. The something I was missing was going to stay missing for a long time. I didn’t even care if he every found me. I was so mad that I didn’t even want people to mention God’s name.

In December of 1999, I met Michael. He changed me quite a bit. Here was a guy that never had sex, drank, or smoked. I couldn’t believe it, there were still people out there like this. I thought he was a complete dork for this. Boy was I wrong, he was a great guy. Never before had I had someone care so much for me.

In May 2000, I dumped him. I was so confused. No way was I going to be around someone like him. Old boyfriend came back into the picture. He was funny, drank alcohol, etc. This was what I wanted. So see you later Michael. During that summer, I ventured further out into by rebellious state. I got my tongue pierced. I was like, oh yeah, Michael will for sure turn the other direction and not look back. All I can say is thank goodness, he never gave up.

In May 2001, I moved home. My mom was getting sicker with lung cancer and I was accomplishing nothing in Jonesboro. I enrolled at UAM to become a teacher. That was the best decision I have ever made. In February, my mother passed away. Michael was again by my side. He is so sweet.

In June of 2002 we got married. Life was the greatest. Who needed Jesus? I had Michael.

In November of 2003, Ashton was born. Here I had my husband and now my baby boy. I was still missing something. My heart was still empty.

In January of 2005, we moved to Jonesboro. We are still in pursuit of true happiness. Guess what it wasn’t there. We are back in Monticello. We still were not following God’s will and it kicked us in the butt.

In May of 2005, we moved to Arkansas City to stay with my Dad until my internship was over in December 2005. On May 31, we took Dad to the hospital because he was not feeling well at all. Two weeks later and still in the hospital, we determined it was pancreatic cancer. Jesus had just taken a plug out of my heart. Again, I was angry. I was just determining who I was through my Dad. My mom and he were divorced before I could ever remember. I lived with my mom. After Mom died, I grew closer to Dad. I finally realized who I was. I was my Dad made over. In September of 2005, I went with my Dad to the chemo doctor (sorry don’t know that official name for it). I will never forget the words of the doctor and to this day they still haunt me. “You need to get prepared. Out of 10 patients in your same conditions, 9 of them would not see Christmas.” Trying to hold it all in and not cry in front of him, I was crushed. Great my whole world was being destroyed. Again, I became angry. I guess this is just the first feeling that you feel with someone close to you leaves. We all went home and prepared for Hospice to come. Through that month, I grew closer to God. I prayed constantly for him to take my Dad, I hated to see him suffer and be in pain. On October 7, 2005, he passed away.

After this we moved back to UAM family housing. We were not in church. We then met Phillip. Michael and he clicked the first meeting. We were invited to the family housing small group. We were finding our place. Notice I said out place not our God. We used it more for social reasons.

In March 2006, I thought I was going to get a divorce. We were at this point struggling a lot. Michael went and talked to Jeff about his problem. Things were getting better but I was angry that Michael had someone to talk to. Being who I was, I had too much pride to admit what had happened. Yet, I knew there was something I was missing or thought I was missing. JESUS. In fact, he was there carrying me through this whole situation. I could actually feel him. From that day forward, Jesus was in my heart. There was no taking him out.

Fast forward to present time…

I can say that Jesus reminds everyday of his miraculous ways. I am not saying that I am perfect or ever will be, but I am God’s child. I strive to do what is right and make him to the happy dance up in heaven.

The song below sums up everything that I am feeling right now. I have always loved to her Ronnie at Journey sing this song. I have to admit that this is one song that can put me on my knees in a heartbeat. In fact, I missed at few slides at church because I was so caught up in the moment. I encourage you to just read the words. Sometimes when we are singing, we don’t really pay attention to the message behind the song. This song has a very powerful message and we should be thankful that we have Jesus among us. I don’t know where I would be without him. Just remember we are who we are because of him.

Chris Tomlin
Amazing Love

I’m forgiven because You were forsaken,
I’m accepted, You were condemned.
I am alive and well, Your sprit is within me,
Because You died and rose again.

Amazing love,
How can it be?
That You, my King would die for me?
Amazing love,
I know it’s true.
It’s my joy to honor You,
In all I do, I honor You.

I’m forgiven because You were forsaken,
I’m accepted, You were condemned.
I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me,
Because You died and rose again.

You are my King
Jesus You are my King

You are my King

You know you are a decent teacher when you get a letter from a student that you have never taught.  You only have lunch room duty with him.

Tuesday nights are one of my favorites. It is bowling night. Michael is on bowling league with Taylor, Jenny, and Tanya. You are probably asking why it is my favorite night and I don’t bowl. This is one night that our whole family gets to go out together and have fun with friends. Michael bowls, Ashton plays in the arcade, Kaylee is talked to by everyone, and well I just relax. It is great. Here are a few shots of last Tuesday bowling night.

Jenny showing her confidence in how well she bowls.

Michael trying to catch a spare.

Taylor working on another strike.

Michael and Taylor discussing options to pick up a spare.

Ashton watching a Bug’s Life during bowling.

Sorry there are no pictures of Tanya, she was sick and couldn’t bowl that night. So Tuesday nights the Arnold family has a blast.