I Did It!

I wasn't really sure I wanted to start a blog page but here it goes! I have a few favorite pages and they've inspired me to start. I'm not much of a wordsmith; I'm not creative (at least in my opinion) and I'm not sure what I'm going to say.



So let's start with a little of who I am. I've thought lots about this.

I grew up in a small town (my high school class had 119 students). I lived with my mom, dad and my sister. My mom was the disciplinarian, my dad the quiet one. My sister is two years younger. When I was 15 my parents divorced. My mom always told us that she just couldn't live that way anymore. I believe there was definitely a lack of communication. I look back now and realize that my parents in that sense (communication) they were role models to me in a not so positive way. If they didn't communicate well, where would I learn to communicate well. I admit it now. I am terrible at communication. I would rather avoid and perhaps pretend that it will just go away on it's own. I know that's not the case but communication is hard. It's something that you have to work at. People are not mind readers. Well, as it goes... my dad remarried when I was 16, not even a year after the divorce was final. I, like any other teen, learned that I could use that to my advantage and I learned quickly that I could do what I wanted with my dad and well, quite the opposite at my mom's house. I lived with my mom until I turned 18 and then I moved in with dad. At that time I began drinking and partying with friends. I did the typical teenage rebellion activities through college, mostly drinking.

I have to tell you where I was spiritually. Throughout my elementary and high school years I attended church faithfully. I participated in the youth group activities not only at my church but also at the churches of friends. I believed in God but I had never heard that if I was the only person on earth, Christ would have died just for me. I never heard of salvation. No one ever shared that gospel with me. I remember in high school attending the Christmas Eve service by myself. In college I never found a church away from home. I did try a few but never anything consistent. I recall several times throughout college when I would be walking home from work late at night by myself and I would find myself singing hymns I learned as a child.

When I met my husband I knew almost from the moment we met that he was the one. The spiritual side of him is what drew me to him. He was the first to explain Christ's love and forgiveness to me. Three months after we were married I accepted Christ as my personal Savior! While I have gone through many ups and downs I have always tried to rely on Him for strength and comfort. We have three kids ages 16, 13 and almost 10!


So...who am I? Well first and foremost I'm a Christian. I am a mother and wife. I am a secretary, a co-worker, a helper, a driver, an encourager, a teacher, a friend, a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister a lover, and a passionate person. My family defines me. I am passionate about women's ministries and encouraging people in their walk with Christ. I love to sit at a pool or on the beach and read. I enjoy crossword puzzles, working out, and spending time with friends and family. I love music but I cannot sing. I just love to listen! My kids are all involved in sports and I love watching them learn and grow and do well. I love photography and would love to take a class. I am sometimes organized. I am a pile organizer. I know where to find something and which pile it is in! I like to be outdoors but not at night! I like to bird watch. I went snorkeling for the first time this last year and I loved it. I was a little afraid but quickly overcame my fears after seeing all the beauty hidden below in the depths!


I don't like change but who does? Instead of learning through change, I avoid it! I am an avoider in boundaries. I put up walls and it keeps people out but doesn't let anything out either. I recognize this but don't know how to get around it. It's something hard that I need to learn. I am terrible at communication. I rarely share my intimate feelings. I have low self-esteem and often that comes in conflict with sharing feelings and thoughts. I have had them invalidated and hurt so many times.

In May, 2004, my mother passed away in a very tragic car accident. I was the first one to my mom after the accident and seeing her in that state will never be erased from my memory. My mom and I were close. Although we had had our differences when I was much younger, we had worked through many of those issues. Her death was a very, very tough blow. Just prior to her passing, I had never felt closer to God. When the accident happened I felt like I had sank into this deep pit. It has taken my several years to learn to make one step on each rung of the ladder out of that pit. I know that God has been with me every step of the way. I have to cling to that fact. It gives me hope and comfort. It hasn't stopped me from asking, "why?". Time has helped me work through grief.

My dad is currently battling brain cancer. He has a glioblastoma multiforme stage 4! He has multiple tumors. The outlook doesn't look too good right now. But we remain strong and know that God has His hand upon this whole circumstance. My dad and I love to go to the Nascar races together. This is a picture of the two of us at a race!