We are Family!!

Labor Day weekend is the time we hold our family reunion for my mom's side of the family. It is a lot of fun and we eat a lot, as a matter of fact we call it "Grazefest". I love this time so much, but I don't think I love it as much as my mom and her sisters and all of the great grandkids. I wish we could all live closer so the kids could be together more often but I guess that is what makes this all the more special. My girls start on the day we leave planning the schedule for the following year-I amazes me how much they love this.

I think my kids generation is starting to see the importance of family, something my generation moved away from as quickly as possible. I hope my girls always crave family and work to make it possible to be together.

Perserverance/Character Building

Last night we had the opportunity to take out girls to the first football game ever for the girls school, Skipstone Academy. We drove to Lagrange for this game, we wanted the girls to be able to remember they were there for the first game ever someday down the line.

Our team is small in numbers but we are from a small school so that is to be expected. Those boys truly had to feel like they were Facing the Giants last night, the other team was bigger in number, they were on their own turf, they had cheerleaders. We did have amazing fan turnout considering how far it was. We tried to let the guys know we were behind them, we hollered and screamed the whole game. The guys played their hearts out last night, I know we had atleast 3 injuries by halftime but they did give up, even though the score was 54-0 at that point. I asked my husband why they did not call the game at that point, he told me the guys would not want to do that. He told me that everybody has to start somewhere and most of the time it is not at the top. He was right, after halftime, the team never let the other team score, and they managed to score an amazing touchdown. We probably celebrated more over that first touchdown than the other team celebrated over all theirs. I am not putting the other team down by any means, they played an amazing game, we just wanted the guys to have a taste of it. After the game was over I was proud to see all of our guys with their heads held high, they have nothing to be ashamed of, they played to the best of their abilities and never gave up-these will become great men some day with great leadership abilities because they have seen the impossible situation and did not walk away. I am proud to say these are the role models for my children to watch everyday. I saw one of the guys shirts yesterday during the pep rally and it said "I can, I will, I am a Warrior" and they did last night! I would not have missed this experience for anything.

Job 23:10 "For He knoweth they way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

This my favorite verse in the Bible, Job was tested beyond anything he himself could have stood but he knew that God had a plan, he was able to accept what happened somehow. This is how I want to be able to handle the curves that life throws at me, I know that God has my life planned and there is a reason for everything. I want to be a better person on the other end of whatever situation I encounter.

I don 't think it was any accident that one of our school colors is gold because the team came forth as gold last night.

I know I am babbling but the name of the blog is inner thoughts on the outside, this is how my brain works I start somewhere and my brain shoots off on tandem thoughts before returning to the original train of thought. Till the next random thought . . .

Wedding Anniversary

Today is my 14th wedding anniversary. I am so amazed that God has blessed me with this amazing man in my life. I am fortunate that my husband still loves and wants me. He truly is my best friend and other half.

A little about my husband, Johnny. My husband is a God-fearing Christian man. He also is gorgeous!! More importantly than that is what is on the inside. He is a rock, nothing moves him from his convictions, he amazes me. He has honor, this is a quality that is rare to find in today's world but seriously a long time ago he would have been a perfect knight. He is really funny but most people don't even know that about him. He is so smart, way smarter than most people would even give him credit for. Again I am blessed that God created this man and placed him in my life. I know he is not perfect but he is mine, and I am so glad that he is mine.

Mean Girls

I know that this is the name of a movie but currently I feel like there are more of the means girls around than nice girls. I wonder if I have done a disservice to my daughters by teaching them to always be nice even in the face someone being mean to them. I by no means think my daughters are perfect, I know they can be mean to each other, but somehow they are never mean to other children. It breaks my heart when we come home from somewhere and hear from them that someone was rude or just plain mean to them. The thing is I know most of the parents that are involved and they do not act like that so where does this come from. Would they be appalled if they knew their daughters acted like this? I have heard it be said that little girls are mean because all girls grow up to be witches with a capital B.

I don't know what I should do. I am tired of my amazing daughters having their feelings hurt whereever we go. I sometimes think that some of the crap that they take will shape them for later in life, but I want them to live life to the fullest and not feel pushed to the back and like they are not important. Maybe one day other girls will realize it is better to build others up instead tearing them down. Until then I will keep holding my daughters when they get their feelings hurt and hoping and praying that no permanent damage done to their spirit.

habits and other things.

I have always heard that when you do something three times it becomes a habit. Today was my third day in a row of going to the gym and working out. This is huge for me because I can find so many other things to do than go to the gym. I really need to keep it up because I need to fit into my clothes besides the fact that I want to be healthier.

Hubby is staying busy, and we are grateful for the work. Miss him bunches when he is gone but you gotta do what you gotta do right?

I am extremely proud of my daughters, they started at their new school about 6 weeks ago and immediately were in a school sponsered reading contest they had to read 1200 minutes before May 1st. They have both already surpassed that goal and will get to go skating with their school as a prize. This is a huge accomplishment for them both because of the amount of time they had to read and the time they had available, also one of them is dyslexic and reading is very hard for her.

Loved for who you are

My husband and I had a conversation last night about a friend who was recently told by their signifigant other that they needed to find a new job and "better themselves" or they did not know how their relationship would survive. I was appalled and very saddened for this person. I have always believed that you love the person. I love my husband regardless of what he does to support our family, his job does not make him who he is. I love him for his strength of character, his humor, love, intelligence, his looks are the topping on my cupcake. During our discussion I told my husband (I hope he has always known) that I will always love him because of who he is, not what he does from 9-5 monday through friday. I don't expect everyone to agree with me but I don't want to be liked or loved for what job I am capable of doing but for who I am on the inside. I have been having this ongoing dialogue in my head all morning and I can't quit thinking about it. I don't mean this as a critiscism to anyone but I just think that if you are lucky enough to find someone to love that loves you back-accept them for who they are not what they could be if they were to try and "better themselves" if they are happy you should be happy also. That is a simplistic view to some I guess but I choose to love those I love for who and what they are not what they could become if I push them to be more.