Like Brand New...But It's Not!!

I just paid off my car.

Can I get a woo hoo!!

What a great feeling to get in my car and know that I own it and I don't have to make a car payment next month.

I got in the car the other day and looked around and thought 'yeah, this car looks five years old and like I just paid it off!'

I have two boys.

Two boys can do a lot of damage to a car in five years.

Boys are nasty, dirty creatures who do gross things in the back of a car.

We have the standard once a week 'remove the toys and trash so you can fit and vacumn so you can survive' cleanings, but this poor car had not been really cleaned since I first got it.

I took it to the best place in the world to clean your car.

It is Pitt Stop Custom Car Wash and Detail on Longmire. I will shamelessly give them a plug, they are that good.

I first took my car there when it was brand new and I was parked at church (which unknowingly to me at the time has a flood zone in the parking lot, it is now marked on the curbs) and it was pouring down rain. When I waded to the car carrying two children (they were that small...sniff, sniff), I opened the door and there was two inches of standing water in my car.

I cried and Pitt Stop fixed it like nothing had happened.

So yesterday I decided to treat myself for paying off the car and have it detailed.

They come and pick it up and then a few hours later bring it back.

I cried again.

Oh my goodness it is like a brand new car.

The place where Alex spilled red juice...gone. All of the scuff marks and dried bubble gum and dried other things we won't mention...gone.

They got all of the things that fall down in between the seats that you can't reach with your hands or a vacumn.

I was so excited I jumped up and down and hugged the man who brought me my car.

When I picked up the boys I had to point out to them how clean the car was...they were pretty much oblivious!!!

We're gonna try and keep it like that.

I give it a week.

But for now it is like brand new...but paid for!!!!

Happy Birthday Momma

Today is my mothers birthday.

I love my mother so very much.

Growing up we were two peas in a pod.

If I had known two weeks ago the journey I was about to go on, I probably would have said, 'I'd really rather not, someone else do this please.'

My mother is sick.

She has reoccuring breast cancer that has masticized to the bone.

She is going through chemo again and she is trying to fight it.

Two weeks ago she got very sick. She called me that Thursday morning to come get her because she could not get up.

My mother lives in Snook...actually you drive to Snook and then you drive 2o more minutes out into the middle of no where. I always say, when you feel like you have driven forever, then you know you are there.

I got to her house to find that I could not get her across the house, down the steps and across the gravel driveway...I had to call an ambulance.

That was scary, to see someone you love put on an ambulance is very frightening and it was only just the beginning.

My dad died two years ago and both of my sisters live far away and could not get here right away. So I am the only relative here. It is very hard when doctors and nurses start asking you questions and want you to sign things and they are telling you things and you have to make decisions, but you are emotional and you really don't understand.

I felt like Marlin in Finding Nemo when he was listening to the sea turtles give instructions and all he could say was 'it's like they're trying to tell me something, but I don't understand'.

My mother was extremely dehydrated. Her blood pressure and all of her 'numbers' were very low. Her fingertips were blue and cold.

The first few days were touch and go. Her bowel died. Apparently it can die and cause your body to stop functioning. That was very scary, because my dad's did the same thing but never came back. Not only was I going through all of this, but I was reliving my fathers death. It was so hard. I have never had to rely on the Lord so much in my life.

It was a roller coaster ride of one thing after another. They got her rehydrated and then the problems with her bowel. As that started to get better, her lungs filled up with fluid because her heart was only operating at about 20%. The doctors said that she had an 80% chance of having a massive heart attack and not surviving. All of this is hard enough, but my mothers eternity is not secure...that burdened me more than anything.

During all of this, she was still the parent and I was still the child, but it looked different. She was the one asking me for things and I was the one feeding her soup and jello...you are never really prepared for that. Over the past two weeks my mother and I have gotten closer than ever. We have been through things that people shouldn't have to go through. She has had every tube and wire possible attached to her and has not been able to move. I have been the one blessed enough to be there through it all and to serve her and love her. Yes, I am exhausted...physically and emotionally I feel drained.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:29-30

The Lord is good and her heart is healed. It is now performing at 100%. There was no permanent blockage in her bowel to require surgery (which she could not have handled) and she is about to be transfered to do a month of rehab to get her strength back.

Medically this should not be.

Last night I could not sleep...I was so anxious to talk to my mom. I want so badly for her to know the Lord. I have talked to her many times in the past about the Lord but today when I went in to talk to her, I told her that she was a miracle and that the Lord wanted her and I believe that He is saving her for a reason. She listened and she asked questions. I know that God is doing something in her heart besides healing it physically. Please pray with me that she will come to know Jesus as her Savior.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:1-4

I am considering these past two weeks pure joy and I would not give them to anyone else.

Taco Soup

This is our new favorite meal.

Liz Amy made it for HOPE group one night and I had to have the recipe.

A meal is always a success when both of my children love it and can't eat enough.

The last meal that was this big a hit and still is, is Ashley Garrett's Italian casserole...cream cheese...need I say more.

Alex still asks for Italian casserole for breakfast!!

Anyways, I love that I can put taco soup on in the crockpot first thing in the morning and it is waiting (smelling SO good) when I get home.

Taco Soup

1 lb ground meat (or turkey)
1 medium onion chopped*
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix
1 package taco seasoning
1 can corn, undrained
1 can ranch style beans
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can chopped green chiles
2 cans stewed tomatoes

Brown meat and onions. Put everthing into crock pot and cook 8 hours.

Liz serves her with cheese on top of cornbread.

I like mine with cheese and sour cream (if it's not cream cheese, it is sour cream!!) over rice. As I am typing, I am thinking it would be really good with tortilla chips in it...next time.

*I chop lots of onion up at a time...a good cry...and freeze them in a zip lock bag. Then you just grab a couple of handfuls, it saves so much prep time.

So good, I promise.