MORE ROOF REPAIRS AHEAD

A few of you were with me in September when Hurricane Ike visited my neighborhood. If I was blog smart, I'd post the link the right way to show you pics of the damage to our house. But I can never figure out how to do it "right" so you'll just get this: http://sooneraggiemom.blogspot.com/2008/09/i-really-really-dont-like-ike-now.html Oh geez, I bawled just reading that post again. Anyway, a couple of months ago, we noticed a few shingles had fallen off the house. It had not stormed, hailed nor had there been any heavy wind. It was odd. This was in the midst of end of school stuff and we forgot about the shingles. Then we had graduation and vacation and remembered we hadn't done anything about the roof. We called the roofer who helped us after the hurricane. He examined the roof and said he believed our entire roof needs to be replaced. Remember, they only replaced the front where the hole was. I don't know why we didn't pursue having the roof completely replaced last year. We were just so happy to get it fixed quickly, we didn't even think about it. I've been talking to the insurance company for a couple of weeks now, getting conflicting information (imagine that) but finally was told since it had been so long since Ike, we'd have to file a NEW claim. That means we'd have to pay our deductible AGAIN! Those were not the words we wanted to hear. I began to pray as soon as I hung up the phone with the person who told me that and asked God to please let them be gracious to us and not open up a new claim. Guess what? The adjuster came this morning and said "this is damage from the hurricane"! YAY GOD!! I know he could have easily have said "your roof is old and this isn't our problem". I'm so grateful.

I've really enjoyed reading blogs this week. It has lightened my mood and made me feel better. I've counted my blessings, been to California, read about my friend going through a break up but seeking God's help to get through it, laughed at odd pictures, read some really good Bible lessons and have been awed by my friend far, far away who went to youth camp where I didn't know it existed. I've also praised God for my friend with cancer who continues to hang in there and FEEL GOOD! (they gave her 30-60 days in April) Yep, your blogs are a blessing to me.

Have a great weekend everyone!

MOVING WEEKEND

Saturday was a tough day...bittersweet. Clint (I've decided to start using real names, instead of initials or made up names)and Jordan are sharing a house for college this year, along with one other roommate. Clint has lived in student housing the past three years, therefore, he didn't need furniture...until now. His roommate has living room and dining room furniture so we didn't have to worry about that. We had to make a decision about bedroom furniture for both of them. Jordan got new stuff courtsesy Hurricane Ike so we had decided to let him take it with him. This will leave his bedroom completely empty....I will not set foot inside it for the next year. That will be another post, I'm sure. We decided to buy ourselves new furniture and give Clint our old stuff. My hubby had bought our bedroom set before we were married, making our furniture about 28 years old and still in perfect condition. We've moved this furniture eight times plus the several smaller moves across town into different homes and it's made it perfectly. We get to College Station and start unloading the dresser and I see a huge scratch on it! I guess we're not the best movers afterall. Anyway, as I was polishing it one last time in Clint's bedroom, I begin to cry. I'm pretty much an emotional mess right now getting ready for Jordan to move out. A few other things have got me stirred up as well. I found out Thursday, one of our worship leaders has been called to another church in Atlanta and will be moving in a couple of weeks. He's a Sooner like me and we have to stick together here in Texas. He and his family are the second Sooner families to move from my choir in the past year. Not fair at all!

I'm not ready for this phase of my life. I'm not old enough to be an empty nester. I don't want Jordan to move away. I've been one of "those" moms for 21 years. You know, the one that shows up everywhere the kids are. Beginning in "extended session" when they were newborns; VBS; children's choir; homeroom mom; team mom for soccer and baseball; (NEVER missed a game my boys were playing in. I remember walking as fast as I could from one baseball diamond to the other trying not to miss anything. I even quit playing softball when my boys were playing baseball because our games were on the same night). I'm being honest right now...I'm miserable thinking about this. Please pray for me as I go thru this transition. My heart is so sad.

Aren't you glad you came by my blog today? What a bummer.

RAMBLE RAMBLE RAMBLE

Ya'll know how much I love Beth Moore and read her blog. She posted an anniversary post today that she videoed (that's an odd word) around her office which is just down the street from my neighborhood. If you watch it on the third video, when she says to Melissa at about the 2:00 mark "that's too long baby, that's too long", if they would've turned left, they would have driven into my neighborhood! How cool is that? I saw her once at the mall near our house and was so shocked she was shopping at MY mall. I figured she'd be down at the Galleria shopping. I was with my hubby and I noticed her as a very thin lady with pretty eyes. It took a moment before it registered "THAT'S BETH MOORE". I stopped and turned around and told him it was her. He asked me why I didn't say hi to her. I said "I don't know". Then I was confused...should I chase her down? should I insist we turn around and follow her and hope she goes into Bath and Body Works and I could just non-chalantly greet her? Nope, I just kept on walking thinking she has a right to go to the mall in peace like the next person. But the next time I see her, you can be sure I WILL stop and talk to her and tell her how much her ministry means to me.

The first time I heard her speak was at a Ladies retreat at Falls Creek in 1995. It was three days after the OKC bombing and you can believe God spoke thru her! I had no idea who she was, but knew she was an annointed speaker....a little twangy (okay, a LOT twangy) but nevertheless, she brought comfort to that tabernacle. In 1997, I did her "A Woman's Heart; God's Dwelling Place" study. As soon as she started talking on the video, I said, "that's that lady from Falls Creek". I've been a fan ever since. No matter where I've lived, she's been there....in the TV, of course.

No big plans this weekend (imagine that). Clint will be home later tonight but he's going to two weddings tomorrow so we won't see much of him. It's so hot outside, we can't even work in the flower beds. I'm extremely upset right now anyway. Remember last year when I posted about my bird of paradise plant http://sooneraggiemom.blogspot.com/2008/07/ta-da.html? Well, I noticed it was getting ready to bloom again this year. Yesterday I was out pulling weeds and looking at all the dead things we can't water and I reached over the plant to cut the bush next to it AND KNOCKED OFF THE BLOOM!!! I was seriously stunned and thought I was gonna cry! The only thing that kept me from really getting mad at myself is that I noticed two other blooms on it. Whew....that could've sent me right over the edge!

Have a great weekend everyone!

OKAY, OKAY HERE'S A POST

Last year when I began blogging, I remarked "I don't work outside the home and my kids are old"....not much blogging material. Lately, I've realized just how boring my life is right now. The highlight of today? Going to Target to buy the coffee I forgot to get at the grocery store yesterday and checking my Facebook and email.

I've forced myself to start thinking about things J. will need for college. Since he's living with his brother and another friend in a rented house, he won't need a lot of the start up stuff C. did. Towels and school supplies is all I've thought about so far. C. has all necessary kitchen stuff so I won't have to get any of that. He's taking his bed so I won't have to buy sheets. Hmmmm, see? Even boring trying to plan for shopping! I need to plan another cruise. I can do that well and it takes a long time too.

Actually, I've been pretty wimpy lately thinking about him leaving. He's been my buddy since day one. We've been thru a lot together and I'm thankful we get along as well as we do. He's taken care of me thru my two recent knee surgeries and even helped me figure out why my truck wouldn't start Tuesday (wiggle the steering wheel).

I can't really even gather my thoughts to finish this blog. Maybe I should quit blogging. I haven't been doing a very good job lately. I log on everyday thinking a wonderful blog will pop out of my brain onto the keyboard. Maybe I'll just log in everyday and say Hi.

Happy Thursday everyone!