Dancing feet and Disney fever

Did you ever go to a wedding and soon after your arrival sensed that it was going to be either a dancing night or a non dancing night? Last night Joe and I went to a family wedding, and I have to tell you, my man had the dancing bug! Now before you get the wrong impression of Joe's dancing abilities, let me just say that he will never be asked to appear on Dancing with the Stars. And I do not mean that in a negative way, just stating the facts. He didn't dance much before we married; however, 14 years later he's a man with moves. Football moves, that is. You see, he has successfully adapted football drills for the dance floor, and they are actually pretty good! The funny part is, when others on the dance floor catch wind of what he's doing, they imitate him! Over the years he has gained some confidence along with new moves, and he has become quite the dancer. And when Dancing Queen is played, all dancers must beware and clear his immediate sphere of motion, lest they get kicked, jabbed, or stepped on! It is his absolute favorite dance tune and tears up the dance floor like nobody's business! He even broke out in a sweat last night, and when I commented on his intensity he didn't miss a beat as he twirled me and said, "Just trying to work off some meatballs Honey!" My husband is hands down the funniest person I have ever met.

How I wish I brought my camera to share some of his moves with you! Maybe next time. We had so much fun dancing the night away. Well that explains our dancing feet. Now for Disney fever...

When Matthew was an infant I placed a large plastic coke bottle bank in our bedroom closet and designated it our Disney fund. While I had absolutely no idea how much a Disney vacation would cost, I knew it would be expensive so I thought the sooner I started to save, the better. Over the years I put in handfuls of change and extra dollars when I was able. At times it seemed my goal was unattainable, and some people scoffed at my endeavor. Nine or ten years later, we saved enough money to go! I am absolutely beside myself with excitement and the countdown to our trip is narrowing.

The kids are not too sure what to expect. It will be their first plan ride, and also our first family vacation. Today our youngest son Jacob said to me, "Well, it is good that we are going on a plane because it is a lot faster, but we will have to hold on really tight 'cuz it will go very, very fast!" Chris is so pumped just to fly in a plane. I think if we just flew over Pittsburgh for a while he would be fine with calling that his vacation. Matt would be fine with that too, as long as he was served a five course meal while he was on board! That child is very into his food these days. And not just any food - it has got to be good food. Has to be the right temperature, the right seasoning, and made from scratch. It's like watching myself eat... Why hasn't anyone ever told me how annoying my eating idiosyncrasies can be? Then again I guess they have, I just overlook them. Like not letting the different foods on my plate touch, for instance. That is often a topic of conversation as I go through buffet lines.

Joe is concerned that I have come down with a severe case of Disney OCD. I told him that I'm just trying to get the most out of our vacation by learning as much as I can to plan well. My nose has been buried in books and on websites for hours on end as I have planned this trip. Come to think of it, Joe may be right on this one.

I thought I'd throw out a SOS and ask if anyone is willing to humor me in my OCD and provide any words of wisdom for a mom preparing for her first family vacation and first plane trip with children. And if there are any Disney fans out there with tips, I'm all ears. (Pun intended!)

My favorite story

I just have to tell you about the wonderful group I had the privilege to serve last night. They were so welcoming and hospitable, and I loved them from the moment we met. Now the last thing I ever want to sound like is a gong or cymbal crashing whenever I speak or teach, so I always pray and ask God to give me a sincere love for those He gives me the honor to serve in these ways. I am absolutely stunned at how He honors this prayer every time. (See 1 Cor. 13:1.)

By God's grace, there are many testimonies of His activity in my life that I can share. Habitual sin that I have been freed from (before I knew Christ as my Savior - and after), strongholds that He has delivered me from, His healing hand in my life, destructive and sinful thought patterns He revealed to me and transformed... This list is certainly inconclusive, and the nearest and dearest testimony of my entire life is the testimony of my salvation. I am absolutely stunned that God would extend His amazing grace to me. And you know what, the longer I am in Christ and the more I learn about Him, the more amazed I am that He saved my soul! I am very thankful for the opportunity to share my story with the amazing group that met last night.

I vividly remember my pit of lostness. (Like that word, lostness? I made that up... I do that from time to time.) I remember a constant sense of impending doom, the stench of despair, and the anguish of helplessness. I felt as though I was cloaked in darkness and many times I wanted to die. I was broken and tried so many things to self medicate and fix myself. Every attempt in vain, of course. God forbid I should ever forget this pit. I want to remember not so I can live in perpetual self condemnation, guilt, and shame; I want to remember because it drives me to worship.

"I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD" (Ps. 40:1-3).

I never cease to be moved by these verses, for they concisely describe my life.

Man how I love my Savior. The more my little mind attempts to grasp the reality of His saving grace imputed to me, the undeserving sinner I am, the more I marvel at Him.

Thank you again for the honor to tell my favorite story last night ladies, and for the opportunity to serve you. You are a wonderful group and were such a blessing to me.

Now look out couch here I come. As soon as I grab a Skinny Cow, that is. Have you ever tried Skinny Cow ice cream novelties? Oh you simply must if you like ice cream but not all the fat it contains. I especially love their drumsticks and ice cream sandwiches. Trust me, you'd never guess they are low fat, or that they have fiber in them for that matter! No, that was not a typo... The addition of fiber in ice cream - I'd like to shake the hand of the person who came up with this genius idea! Step aside straw tasting cereal, gritty drinks and pill supplements, I scream for ice cream! I mean this is one of the greatest additions to ice cream since the ol' Oreo cookie was introduced! Sorry, I'm getting a little carried away. Now please excuse me while I go increase my fiber intake for the day.

School's out! Scream and shout!

The last day of school... Time for lazy days at the pool, BBQs, and catching fireflies. (Unless you're in the minority like me and avoid every single insect on the planet at every possible moment!) Our oldest child is moving from the elementary school to the intermediate school (3rd to 4th grade), our second son will go into 2nd grade, and our youngest will start full day kindergarten in the fall. You can expect a very emotional blog entry in the fall!

The onset of summer is a transitional time. Schedules change and routines are blown out of the water as new ones fall into place. While I love the relaxing tone of summer, it can also be a bit challenging getting used to the newness this brings. I was sure to stock up on extra groceries at the store today, as the kids eat me out of house and home in the summer! And dear hubs too - he's a teacher.

What are in your plans for the summer?

A proud sister

What a weekend! We just began an eight hour drive home, so I guess this is a great time to tell you all about it!

My brother Jeff and I have always been very close. He is my only sibling and is 2 ½ years younger than me. The two of us share a special bond, and I could not be more proud of him than I am today. When Jeff was a little boy he never walked anywhere, but ran incessantly. He rode his bike from morning until night, and he always said he wanted to be a fireman when he grew up. I can still picture him running around with a plastic red helmet while playing with his fire trucks. Funny the images that stick with you.

After Jeff graduated from high school, there were no fire stations hiring near his hometown, and the required civil service test was only offered every three years. To make a long story very short, Jeff graduated from college with a teaching degree, and after he married his darling bride Michelle they moved to North Carolina. While he was a good teacher, he was unable to deny his unwavering passion to become a fireman. He began taking the necessary steps to prepare himself to be considered for an interview. This was a very long process and one that seemed hopeless at times, as few people were selected to fill a small number of positions on recruit teams. He did not get a position after his first interview even though he passed all the required tests and had excellent recommendations. Jeff did not give up, however, and he continued to strive to accomplish things to help him stand out in the pool of resumes for hopefully another interview. He was persistent and when the next interview came several months later, he was accepted for the recruit team.

Although Jeff was in excellent physical condition, I don’t think anything could have prepared him for the intense 18 week training period he endured. In the beginning he was unsure if he was even going to make it to the end. The drills they underwent pushed these young men to their limits, the method of training was similar to military boot camp, and the threat of being fired loomed daily should they not meet all requirements. The men began a countdown for the final week during their first week on the job! Jeff continued to put one foot in front of the other as he kept his eye on the finish line.

Friday was his finish line. Jeff stood among the 19 recruits from the 59th Greensboro fire department and they received their hard earned and long awaited badges. They are firefighters. And from all I saw and heard, I have no doubt that this group will be among the finest. One of the graduates spoke at their ceremony, and he opened with Psalm 118:24, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” He went on to talk about integrity, loyalty, and respect. In conclusion this young man led us in prayer, and as I bowed my head I was moved to tears. Those men earned their positions with hard work, dedication, and a passion that transcends a desire to punch in a time clock as they have a genuine desire to serve their community with zeal. Jeff looked so handsome as his wife pinned his badge on his uniform. I had flashbacks of the little boy who ran around wearing a red helmet. A dream fulfilled.

And so I thank God today for the desire He gave Jeff even as a young boy to serve in such an incredible way. I thank Him for placing him at this station with these fine men, at such a time as this.

Introducing firefighter Jeffrey Bryan, Greensboro FD:

Whenever we hear an emergency worker’s siren, our family always stops to pray for the emergency workers and those they are assisting. Recently Matthew said to me, “Soon that will be Uncle Jeff on that truck, Mommy.” Beginning tomorrow, June 8th, it just may be him.

I am so thankful I was able to be there as Jeff crossed the threshold of a finish line to the start of a new chapter. I miss them both so much now that they’ve moved out of state, and it was great to reconnect with them both, tease my little brother, and of course prove to him once again who the Boggle champion is between the two of us. (Not mentioning any names... Hmmm.) He and I are also famous for the worst one-liner expressions ever, and I think he deserves the prize for the best one when he told his wife who is a fourth year med student, “Michelle, doctors should never lose their patience!”

June is a month when many people will celebrate graduations. Is someone you love celebrating a hard earned graduation this year? From college, high school, or perhaps even preschool? Or maybe you are celebrating your graduation this year? If so, tell us about it!