I think we all needed this little reminder this week!

Peace and a Pedi

Wanted:  A few moments of peace.

Needed:  A pedi.  (its a little rough down there right now, ladies!)

Anyone want to go with me??  

Team Rinn!

Okay...so not to do a back-to-back commentary on my friends, BUT I totally am lovin' me some Bethany Rinn!  I LOVE how God gives us friends that are special right from the first time you meet. 

 I remember when I first saw Beth, I thought to myself..."Hmmm....I like her.  Yep.  Need to be friends with her!" (Side note: when I think to myself I always start with Hmmmmm....  for instance, "hmmm...I wonder who always puts the empty milk back in the fridge next to the empty bottle of juice."  or "hmmm....I wonder which child stuck the fake lizard in my sheets.")

Bethany is truly fabulous.  Always a beacon of joy.  How can one NOT be happy around her?!  I love being around happy people!  

And I must say that my kiddos love her husband, David!  Jimmy loved him so much that he wiped his boogies on him all night long.  When Jimmy loves ya, he lets you know in a BIG way!

And while we are on the subjects of David...I will totally admit I have an embarrassing story involving him!  I get a little pink in the cheeks even thinking about it.  It is one of those "open mouth, insert foot" moments.  I may have to save that post for another time...That post will be  my Top 10 embarrassing moments!  No kidding.  I almost cried with embarrassment.  And, not a shocker...I ran to tell Sandi about the stupid things that come out of this big mouth of mine, and she laughed!  Yep.  I laughed too...but one of those weird "I am really embarrassed so I better laugh before I cry" laughs!  It probably sounded a bit like Betty Rubble's laugh...ha ha.   

So, let me end my endless blabberings with:

 "Hmmm...God, thank you for Bethany Rinn."

P.S.  I am going to start selling Team Rinn T-shirts.  Your choice of color, $10.00.  Interested?

Inspired and thankful

I just have to say how proud I am to call Diane (Bohannan...sorry, HAD to say it!) a friend.  She is so special and has such an amazing call from God.  What makes her so unique and special is when she ministers to people she does not wave her hands and make a big deal out of it.  She is discreet, gentle and full of God's love and grace.  

Diane puts together Ladies Night Out every couple of months.  She always makes sure to invite everyone she knows, extends the invitation to anyone new to Keystone and tells everyone to invite more people!  She does this for fun but also with a quiet purpose.  Sometimes we get so caught up in hanging with JUST our friends, that we don't realize that there may be someone on the "outside looking in."  I talked to her once about it and she said that she had felt like that! (Hard to imagine, I know!) But what is so amazing about our sweet friend, is instead of feeling sorry for herself, she turns it into a ministry to ensure that no one else ever feels the same way!  WOW!  How inspiring on so many different levels!  Instead of trying to figure out where she belongs in a certain friendship circle, God has placed it on her heart to look outside of the circles.  

God has used Diane to touch my heart in amazing ways.  My heart swells up even thinking of the times that Diane has just shown God's grace and love to me in my moments of pain.  I told you once before how when I was hit with some tough news, I asked Diane to pray with me (I actually don't know if I even got that far...I think I started crying as soon as she looked at me!).  She was so filled with empathy and compassion that she sobbed with me.  I just think about that time and it makes me think of Christ's compassion and love for us...and how special that Diane showed that to me that night.  

The past few months have been rough for me, and I have had moments when I have felt absolutely hopeless and I just sit there and pray...and NO KIDDING Diane has called me every single time right in that time of need!  It amazes me each time she does this...and I tell her and every time she responds with "God just told me to call you!"  Seriously. How cool is that.  

Diane has her own struggles...her pain is constant, she has burdens to bear that could drive a sane person crazy.  But the interesting thing?  When I think of Diane, her struggles are not the first thing that come to mind...I always think of her profound relationship with God, and how she always truly shines for Christ.  And that is so inspiring to me!  I HOPE that someday when people think about me, they would not associate me with the burdens I bear, or the struggles I deal with.  But instead think of how amazing and loving our God is through selfless actions.  

Change can be painful...

After years of begging, I finally allowed one of kiddos to throw the change into the toll booth this weekend.  I guess my sweet child got a little confused and ended up throwing the $1.25 in loose change out the passenger window...and to make matter worse it HIT the attendant who was working the next booth over!  

I was so stunned I gunned it!  Of course the alarms go off (because we didn't deposit the money into the basket) and my son starts sobbing thinking that the police are coming after him and he is going to jail for sure.  It doesn't help that I totally start to crack up thinking about trying to explain this to the TDOT.

My Day So Far...

1. Took Caleb to his Dyslexic school he is going to this summer.  Left the house at 7:30 (on summer break, trust me, he is not a happy camper!)

2.  Came home to discover that the dog got back into the house and has chewed up about 5 poopy diapers from the garbage.

3.  Aidan smells the horrible stench and proceeds to run upstairs and throw up on my bed.

4. I grab all the blankets and sheets throw them into the washer.

5. Clean up diaper fiasco.

6. Shower Aidan

7. Want to call Terrie to vent...phone no where to be found....until I hear the clunking sound coming from the washer.

Plans for the rest of the day?

1. buy new phone

2. check into insane asylum

YEA!! YIPPEE!!! WHOOO-HOOO!!!

The draught is OVER!  Sandi has finally blogged after like 6 months of NOTHING!!  I know, I know...for you fans of Sandiwalker.blogspot.com, it has been rough, hasn't it?!  Woa is me!  I have had nothing to crack up about...nothing to lift me out of a bummed mood...nothing to relate too!  

So enough about my rantings (Although I DID threaten Sandi with an all-out protest if she did not start blogging soon!): I thought that I would blog about my dear friend.  I know I gave her a shout out a couple of blogs ago, but it really did not do her justice.  So, I came up with a top 10 list!

(Drum roll please...)

10.  I first figured out that Sandi was potential BFF when I first met her at church and she couldn't remember my name so she just called me "D'Amico."  It makes me laugh even thinking about it..."Hey, D'Amico, What's up?" (Can't you just picture it in your head?)

9.  She watches the same infomercials that I do...at 4 am.  The only difference is she actually ordered what I almost did!  

8.  She really is the best mother I have ever met.  When I said before that I aspire to be like her, I was not kidding.  She is amazing!  Her children are so lucky to have her as a mom!

7.  She introduced me to Chipotle...'nuff said.  (never mind that she called Todd in the middle of Target when I told her I had never eaten there, and they had like the 10 minute laugh-fest.)

6.  I was once praying with Sandi...really serious stuff too, and one of the kids did something in the background, and she totally started laughing, and snorted!  YES!  SNORTED during my outpouring of grief to God!  ...this sealed our friendship for life!

5.  So, I know this post is about Sandi...but how could I write about Sandi and not mention what a wonderful husband she has!  Todd is so sweet...they are a perfect match.

4.  When she was pregnant, my poor friend had a problem with her pubic bone...and she showed Eric and I exactly where she hurt in detail!!  I really don't know if I have ever seen Eric walk away from a conversation so fast!

3.  Sandi will tell you that compassion is not one of her spiritual gifts, but I beg to differ.  She cares so much about her friends...she is someone that you can count on to really pray for you when you need it.  She has such a big heart and her faith is amazing.  

2.  Okay, one more story with Eric (these seem to always be the funniest ones!)...once one of my sweet children punched him...well, I will let you guess where!  I (with my 12-year old potty humor) had to run around the corner before totally lost it from laughing so hard.  Sandi walks up and asks why I am laughing so hard, I tell her in between giggles of the event (which I should tell you in detail some time--so, so funny).  She starts laughing really loud (I think a couple of snorts came out then too), and yells over to Todd to come over.  So Todd comes over and he starts laughing...then a few other people join in.  Poor Eric.  He was in pain, and he had no clue that half the Little Campers Volunteers (including his wife, I think!) were huddled together laughing at his misfortune.  Who else better to laugh with than Sandi?!  

1.  People have told me often, that I remind them of Sandi, or we are very much alike.  I take this as such a compliment because I just adore her!  When we hang out, I feel like I am hanging out with my sister or someone I have known my whole life.  I really thank God for Sandi all the time.  

If you have a funny story to share about Sandi, let me know!  I am sure that it will boost her spirits (not that she needs them boost!) to know how much we all think so highly of her...I mean, really, who doesn't love Sandi!?  

  

Leavin' it all behind...

So, had to go to the doctor today with ALL 4 boys!  

While I am there, the doctor informs me that I have to get a shot.  

N0 big deal, right?  

The boys are all watching me prepare to get this shot--I roll up my sleeves, and am acting calm...until the nurse tells me to bend over!  I look over at the boys in horror, and they look at me and the most evil little grins form on their faces!

Let me just tell you, my friend....my children are still laughing as I type this.  And my cheeks are still red...(ALL of them!)

Keystone is so RICH!

Noah and I went up to the office (aka: The Lodge) a few days ago, and he had to go to the bathroom.  He came out with wide eyes and said, 

"This church is so rich!  They have Sports Illustrated in the bathroom!"

My New Favorite Thing!

Have you ever treated the person in line behind you at Starbucks?!  So much fun!  The drive-thru is the best though...  I am excited even thinking about it!  You must try it!

What a bummer....

The saddest thing happened today!  Someone stole my Noah's bike!  My heart just broke for him...he loved his bike.  And too make it worse, his Dad gave it to him, which made him love it even more, I think.   Man...I am just so bummed.  

Please just pray for Noah.  My eyes tear up even as I type this because he is a 9-year old boy who struggles to be happy.  It is so hard for him with out Craig here...and this week has been a rough one and the whole bike-thing just didn't help at all.   

Noah is incredibly talented.  He has amazing athletic abilities, he tested perfectly on his TAKS test, he can write profound poetry, he has a compassionate heart for the "under dog."  I love him so much, and my heart aches to the core that he just cannot find contentment and a positive attitude.  It really is heart wrenching...