My Special Mother (Year 2)

So last year, I posted Garrett's fill in the blank story about me for Mother's Day. 2010 brings another story and some different answers!! Love this!!

My Special Mother

My mother is the most wonderful mom in the world!

She's as pretty as a butterfly and as sweet as

ice cream. She weighs 20 lbs and she's 30 ft. tall.

My mom is 30 years old. Her favorite food is steak

and her favorite color is pink.

Her favorite animal is a dog. She likes to shop

when she has time and is crazy about pink cars.

In the good old days when mom was little she liked to

play with Barbies. I think mom looks funny when

she has a towel on her head. I know she's really

mad when she catches me doing something wrong.

I wish mom would swim with me everday. I

wouldn't trade my mom for a dragon.

Love,

Garrett

Book Review: God's Promises for Boys

God's Promises for Boys by Jack Countryman & Amy Parker

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their booksneeze.com book review blogger's program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Each devotion and bible verse expressed in this book is very easy for young readers to listen to and understand. It's simple answers for some complicated and even happy times in a young boy's life. It's promises with each verse are a way to help boys see the need for God in their lives and how He is there for every situation. God cares about everyone and everything.

The illustrations on each page make the book very inviting. I love the verses quoted from the International Children's Bible. Not only are the verses easy to read but they are easy for young reader's to understand and for parents to help explain to their children. Each lesson is easy and perfect for kids with short attention spans.

I would highly recommend this book as a daily devotion for boys.

All About Alabama..things you wanted to know, and maybe some things you didn't!

Hello friends & family!!
I am home from my week-long visit to Alabama. It wasn't long enough, I could have easily stayed another week, I already miss everyone SO much.

First off, I'm not going to give a play by play, you'd be sitting here reading 'til the early morning hours.
I'm going to start with seeing my sister & her family. My sister, Michele, is the only person in this world I've ever been able to totally trust for my entire 30 years. Never, ever gave up hope for anything, and always wanted the best for me. I feel so like myself when I am with my sister. She has always been my rock, and there when I've needed her, through thick and thin.
I love her more than she will ever know, and I am happy to add that Michele & I have a sister bond like no other. It's one that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
The kids are awesome. I didn't get to see my oldest nephew, Josh, because he is stationed elsewhere, but I got to see my niece Moriah, who is 17, (everyone calls her Mo) and my youngest nephew Caleb, who is 14.
Wayne is Michele's husband. He is a hoot. He talks more than most women I know, which isn't a bad thing, it just makes it SUPER easy to break the ice! He is perfect for her in every way. She deserves a man that treats her like the princess she is!

We rode horses in the Cheaha (pronounced Chee-ha) Mountains, which is gorgeous!! I enjoyed the entire 3 hour ride on Pep, my sister's cherished horse! We went through lots of forest, saw a rock wall, some old gravesites, crossed some magnificent mountain creeks, and just enjoyed the quiet in the mountains, being with nature & God.

And, the moment you've all been waiting for......I saw my birth mom again after 12 years. Up until a few months ago, I swore I'd never see/talk to her again. But if you've been following my blogs the past few months (and I know you have) you will know what brought me to the point where I booked a flight to Alabama, for the main reason to see her again.
Her name is Catherine, Cathie for short. She has 3 children, Michele is 37, Danny is 35, and I am 30. She was left a widow at the age of 27 with 3 kids to take care of. My Dad died in a drowning accident in the Missouri River in 1981, one month after I turned 2.

My sister picked me up from the airport on Monday, Aug. 10, and we drove to my Mom's house for lunch. Getting out of the truck and walking into her house and seeing her in person for the first time in 12 years was SO surreal. I should have pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. It was really nice to see her again, and hear about her life.
I stayed with her for 3 nights. We hung out, relaxed, and just were together.
Michele & Mo came over one night and we saw the movie Julie & Julia, and it was a hoot, but what was more fun was all of us having fun, girl time together. Just acting silly & not caring what anyone thinks of us!
We also got pedicures. The first of which for Mo & my mom. They BOTH enjoyed theirs so much, but I have to say that Mo was about to cave in, her feet were so ticklish, but lucky for her, I do have a video of that.

My sister & I hashed out a lot with our mom towards the end of the week. We said what needed to be said, and listened in return. I can only pray that as I put the past behind me, I look onto a new day & a new chapter in my book, for a relationship with a mother who is joyful over the reunification and from a daughter who can't get enough of her.

I must say a huge thank you to my friends & family for your huge support & encouragement. Knowing that y'all are behind me and supporting me makes it easier to cope with things and to know that everyone is cheering me on. THANK YOU!!

A thank you to my sister Michele, who like I said above, is the best sister I could ever ask for. I love you soooo much!!! Also, a shout out to Wayne, who will likely never read this, but thank you for putting up with my mouth, being hospitable, and giving up your bed for me, so my sister & I could have a 2-night slumber party! You rock Wayne!

And last, a thank you to my mom, Cathie. Thank you for being honest, for allowing me to put you on the spot, and for listening to me all week. Thank you for speaking from your heart, for wanting to see me, and for loving me. I love you, and every day is a new day, a chance for a new beginning, no matter what has happened. The past is the past, and the future is the best present of all. Love, your daughter, Mindy.


I hope y'all have enjoyed my saga the last few months, and seeing what God has done & changed in my life is nothing short of a miracle. I owe this entire experience and healing to Him. To God be the glory, forever & ever!!


Mindy

I figured it would be easier to share a link to the pics from my trip, rather than messing with uploaded a whole bunch to my blogspot. Of course, if you read this via Facebook, then just click on my album titled http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=136378&id=553119051&l=703efb14aa

If you'd rather access my pics through Snapfish, here is the link for that:
http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=1224709015/a=7515133_7515133/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

Abby is a Wannabe

I am posting this here so my facebook-less Aunt Teresa can see the video! Love ya Aunt T!

Moving on....or at least trying

This blog comes to you from a long road of pain & heartche affecting my childhood.
You know, back a few months ago, I forgave the one person in my past who hurt me the most.
I am not going into detail, but if you know me really well, then you know exactly who & what I am talking about.
See, I have made the choice to forgive (read back through my earlier blogs titled "Forgiveness").
That does not mean it was instant, but I do believe God is healing me through each & every step of the way. Healing my heart and my mind from the things that occured.
But, then, every once in a while, Satan gets his 2 cents in, when someone says to me " I don't see how you can forgive this person" "Why are you talking to this person" "All this person did was screw up your life, think how different things could be"
Believe me, I do think of how different things would be if certain events had not happened when or how they did, BUT I cannot and WILL NOT dwell on that.
I am sorry that others cannot forgive this person for what they did, BUT seeing as how I am the victim and I am able to forgive her says volumes about how God can work in your life, if you just let Him.
I've said it once, and I'll say it again: I chose to forgive, and now I am handing the rest over to God, and I'm NOT taking it back!!!!

If you are struggling with forgiving someone in your life, remember that forgiveness is for YOU not the offender. In time, and if God allows, you can start to heal.

Turning 30

Hello Friends!
I write to you now as an older, more mature & sophisticated 30-year old.................NOT!!
It sounded good though right, that I should instantly be sophisticated because I'm 30!
Sunday was my 30th birthday (June 28) and I just have to say, that I feel no different, but I did have some trouble that day.
Before I get into that, I'd like to talk about my celebrations! The night before, my husband & kids took me out for dinner, and then Garrett wanted to pick me out a cake from the grocery store. So, as we are leaving the restaurant he says "Mom, I am going to get you a tractor cake like I had for my birthday! And you will like it & be grateful!"
I was almost rolling in the floor....where did he hear that? Oh yeah, from me! I am forever getting onto him for not being grateful about gifts he's given.
So, he picked me out a lime green & hot pink (does my kid know me or what!!) cake with sprinkles! He also picked me out a plant of red, white, & blue Mums!
The next day we went to Amarillo for some yummy food from Abuelos. If you live near an Abuelos Mexican restaurant and have never been, you are missing out. That is some fantastic dining! And thank goodness they don't sing & make a big hoopla about birthdays anymore!
I think the last time I was ever in a restaurant and I had to stand up & be sung to was my 21st birthday at On the Border. I had already had too many margaritas and they made me stand in a booth and wear the biggest sombrero I've ever seen in my life!
Afterwards, we left for my parents house and I was welcomed by a SURPRISE little party at their house. It was so sweet. My sister, Stacey, had done all the decorating and getting the cake, and I had no idea about it, heck, Brent didn't even know!
My kids sang Happy Birthday (which was the sweetest thing a Mommy could ever ask for on her birthday, is hearing her kids sing that song with such gusto & look SO proud when Mommy could blow out her own candles)!
I have a great family and some wonderful friends!!
Oh yeah, you wanted to hear what was so terrible about my birthday, right? Well, besides that fact that my husband bought me a Dyson vacuum cleaner (totally kidding, I LOVE IT) I was feeling quite like a failure. Why?
I hadn't lost all the weight I wanted to yet and I felt as though I was a failure, because there were certain things I'd set for myself that I'd have done by the time I was 30. Well, my husband, bless his heart, said "Hun, who cares? I mean, you have God, me, 2 wonderful kids, and so much family you don't know what to do with all of them, what else do you need?" And I realized, he is so right. To me, that's like having it all!!
So, yeah, I'm 3o now, and loving it! No where near sophisticated, but I never will be, that's just not my style!

Goin' to Alabama!!

Alright! I'm going to Alabama in August! Normally I do not take trips by myself, let alone on an airplane, but circumstances this year have made it possible for me to do just that, and to want to!

My big sister, Michele, lives in Alabama with her family and all her animals! I recently saw her for the first time in 7 years back in April, when we both went to Nebraska! But, I've never met her husband, and haven't seen my niece or nephews since 2002! So, I'm super-excited to see the kids, however, the last time I saw my niece, Moriah (aka Mo) I was the age she is now (17, well barely 18, anyway.....) and that makes me feel old, not to mention I will be 30 years old this month (stayed tuned for another blog about that)

I am also going to see my real Mom again. It has been 12 years since I last saw her, and I'm excited & nervous all at the same time. In fact, I think I more nervous about this trip, than the one to Nebraska! I recently started talking with her again, and its been a welcomed relationship.
God really worked hard on me, showing me things I'd never seen before, and opening a door for me to step away from past, and into the present & future with not only her, but a lot of people in my family! How blessed I am!!!

So, I'm flying out on August 10 and coming back on August 15.....I'm really nervous, but then again, I can hardly wait for the next 2 months to fly by so I can go!

Meanwhile, I'm going to enjoy our jam-packed summer fun....the lake, pool, birthdays, parades, vacation, friends, snowcones, popsicles, homemade ice cream, and playing in the sprinkler....all with my kids; heck, we might even venture to the waterpark this summer!