I Miss Blogging!!

I haven't given up on blogging!! I have really missed it! We have had so much going on during the past two weeks that I feel like I have been in a whirlwind. I have barely had time to even THINK about blogging. In the next few days I will explain more about all that has been going on in our corner of the world.

Right now it is 11:30, and I have been going non-stop all day (actually all week!). So before I drift off to dreamland, I want to tell ya'll about something crazy that happened last week. Last Wednesday morning I walked out to my car at 8:15 to head to work. When I got near my car I heard a soft but high-pitched sound that I thought was a mockingbird. Then I looked down and saw the most adorable little fluff that I have ever seen! It was a precious little kitten. She hobbled over to me and rubbed around my pants. Of course I could not leave her there!



I ran inside to wake Dustin up (it was his day off, and his day to sleep in... sorry Sweetie!) I brought the kitten inside, put her in our laundry room, and ran off to work. Dustin took her to the vet later in the day and dropped her off to get checked out. When he dropped her off an adoption agency was there, and they donated $100 for us to get her vaccinated, de-wormed, and tested for feline leukemia.

I picked her up when I got off work that evening. The doctor said that she had alot of cuts on her neck area, and that her right shoulder was really sore. He said that she had probably been attacked by another cat. He also said that she was probably about seven weeks old. She was starving for both food and attention. So I took her back home to rest for a few days. She lived in our laundry room, and she slept alot. We really had fun watching her roll around and play. We really wanted to keep her with us, but Dustin and I decided that we don't need to add one more expense to our budget right now.
On Friday I took her to work with me. She played behind the teller line and got some loving from my co-workers and from many of my favorite customers. Finally, that afternoon, one of those favorite customers volunteered to give her a wonderful home. I have talked to the new owner since then, and the kitten is doing great! Her shoulder has gotten stronger so she does not limp anymore, and she seems happy and healthy! I am so glad that we were able to rescue such a sweet little baby!!
Then the story takes an unfortunate plunge. On Thursday morning I suddenly realized that my wallet was not in my purse. I skimmed the house before work, and looked all over my car. All day I wondered where it could be hiding... I figured it must be under some boxes in the house. But on my lunch break I got the sinking feeling that I had sat it on the top of my car when I was putting the kitten back on the car at the vet hospital. I drove home and searched my house just in case, and when I still could not find it I decided to drive over to the hospital. I looked all over the parking lot, and then I started to walk up and down the street.

My heart was sinking lower and lower with every step, especially since my wallet contained my license, social security card, debit and credit cards, and some gift cards that I got for my birthday. I was so excited when I found three of four of my photos lying on the ground beside the street. I thought I was at the start of a little trail that would lead me directly to my wallet. No. After about an hour of walking up and down the street in my business attire (including heels) with tears brimming and sweat dripping, I called Dustin and begged him to come help me on his lunch break. He did, and we found several more pictures, but still no wallet. We looked under bushes, through poison ivy, and in wooded areas near the road, all the while praying that God would make it turn up!

All the pictures we found were damp and torn in places, but each one offered a glimmer of hope. After two hours we gave up. Had my wallet not contained my SS card, I probably would not have put so much effort into finding it. So I drove back to my very understanding co-workers and cancelled all my cards that afternoon. What a terrible feeling...

My new credit and debit cards have been arriving over the last few days, and yesterday another letter came as well. It was from the Kernersville Police Department, and it told me that someone turned my wallet over to them!! I was so excited, relieved and grateful!! So I went to the station on my lunch break and got my wallet. Many many thanks to Keith Oleker who found it and turned it in!! I tried to look him up so that I could thank him, but he is unlisted. There is no record of him at all in the triad area. Makes you wonder about angels on earth...

So there is a tiny snippet of what has been going on with us. Thankfully that part is over, and more exciting things are yet to come!! I'll be posting more about those things over the next few days.

I hope I haven't lost all my readers because of the long periods between posts lately. I promise I will get back on track! I miss blogging!

I Want to Eat the Grocery Store.

Since having my surgery last Monday I have been on a liquid diet. I can't eat anything that requires chewing, or anything that could get stuck to the roof of my mouth. I have been drinking, drinking drinking all liquids, which has caused me to lose some weight that I have worked very hard to gain and maintain.

Those who know me know that I eat ALOT. People are sometimes surprised that I can easily handle four or five slices of pizza... no problem. I LOVE eating and trying lots of different kinds of foods (except meat of course). So obviously this "no eating" thing has been a little tough. I am constantly hungry and wishing I had some REAL FOOD! To keep myself from getting depressed about it, I have been making lists of foods I want to eat, recipes I want to try, and restaurants I want to visit. I thought I would share a few with you... And please, eat something yummy for me tonight!

I love Vegetable Lasagna

I love Homemade Macaroni and Cheese I love Pizza, especially the healthy kind
I love Salad
I love Veggie Burgers

I love Grilled Vegetable Sandwhiches

I love burritoes
I love Cheesecake
I love Chocolate Cake
I love Peanut Butter Cookies

Every time Dustin has something yummy to eat I look at it longingly and say "yum!" He is always quick to ask "Do you want me to put it in the blender for you?" As much as I appreciate the thought, blended grilled cheese sandwhiches don't quite tempt me.

Hopefully this won't cause anyone to go cheat on their diets, but I just thought I would share what's on my mind!

We Have CrAzY Date-Nights

We just thought you should have a glimpse of a typical date night for us. They are always so much fun!

This particular night started with a look at the cheapest gas price in town. Sad, isn't it?

Then we went to the dollar store to see what we could find.

Hmmm... How many of these to we need?I like the pink unicorn!!
We caught someone spying on us in the canned food section. I wonder how he got there DUSTIN?!
Seriously, who wants a baby that looks like this?
Peanut butter and chocolate... an amazing combination.
Obviously, Dustin was not fond of this puppy.Can you tell that I LOVE Reese's Cups?
An interesting find worthy of a picture.
We finished off the night with a delicious dinner at Denny's.
Yay for Date Nights!!

A Disgusting Dinner

Last night we had an absolutely disgusting experience at dinner. I had prepared the meal and put it on the table in the dining room. Before we sat down we noticed that a huge fly was buzzing around the house. I'm serious, this was not your average-weight flying insect. We got the fly-swatter and ran around trying to kill it. Sophie, our delicate, prissy, girly-girl cat, also jumped around trying to help us catch the fly. Dustin and I laughed at how high she jumped, each time coming nowhere near the racing insect. We talked about how funny it was that she was trying so hard because "it's not like she could ever catch him." She would not give up. Each time the fly passed her she jumped into mid-air and then sprinted after him.

After a while, Dustin and I gave up on the fly and sat down to eat before the food got cold. When we sat down I noticed a spider on the floor near the window. Dustin, my resident spider expert (he knows what alot of spiders are supposed to look like), bent to check him out. Well, this spider was not just an ugly little house spider. He was a Black Widow. Yes, I repeat, he was a Black Widow. Just as I was about to call 911, Dustin got his shoe so we could kill the intruder. We stood there for a while and stared, first at the spider, and then at each other. We debated what would be the best weapon with which to kill him. I didn't want spider guts on Dustin's shoe, but he didn't want spider guts to squirt on him through the holes in the fly-swatter (which was already handy because of the fly that was still buzzing around us, with Sophie still in hot pursuit).

We finally decided to use the shoe method, but then we had to decide how to make the kill. Dustin absolutely hates spiders because of a bad spider-bite that he got as a child. So he kills the camel-crickets if we see one (I feel nauseous every time I see a camel cricket because of a bad splattering-death that I inflicted on one a few years ago), and I kill the spiders.

Just as I was about to end the life of the unwelcome dinner guest, Sophie came running over, still chasing the fly. We watched in amazement as she trapped him in one corner of the dining room, right next to the black widow. Our mouths dropped as she stopped the fly in mid-wing-flap with her fluffy little paws. Then we heard it. Apparently our cat is not as delicate and girly as we thought. The fly CRUNCHED between her teeth, and she chewed him up with great satisfaction. Meanwhile, Dustin and I ran from the room, covering our faces and shrieking in disgust. Our stomachs were feeling a little weak because of the gross event, but now they were hurting because we were laughing so hard. We really had not given Sophie much credit, but we now know that she is a priss AND a huntress.

Now that the fly was gone, it was time to get rid of the onlooking spider. I grabbed Dustin's shoe and made a bank-shot off the air vent. Dustin was kind enough to get rid of the corpse while I went outside to rub his shoe on the grass. After studying the victim as he floated around in the toilet, we both washed our hands and sat back down to a cold dinner. Then Dustin said exactly what I was thinking: "It's amazing how quickly you can completely lose your appetite."

I'm glad we were just having leftovers.

Another WOW Video

Here is another video for you to watch. Kayla showed me this one too! Watch it through to the end to get the full effect. You will say "wow" at the end.

Charlie bit me.

Here is a funny video for you to watch. I originally saw it on a friend's blog (thanks Nicole!). Yesterday the people for whom I used to nanny came by with little Caden, and we talked about how funny the video is. I thought I would post it here so you can enjoy it too.

The accent is so funny coming from such a little person!

A Picture of Salvation

Kayla, my sweet sister-in-law, showed me this video on Wednesday night. If you watch it you will see why it blew me away. It shows how Jesus loves us, and how, even when we make wrong choices and betray Him, He still loves us. That is mercy that we do not deserve.

Homeschooling Toward College

I am a member of a Yahoo Group for homeschoolers. My reason for joining the group was to let homeschoolers in the area know that I am available as a tutor. Tonight I got an e-mail from another member asking my advice. I was homeschooled from First Grade through High School, and it was an incredible experience for me. I thought I would post her request and my response for those homeschooling, for those considering homeschool, and as a tribute to my loving and sacrificial parents. Please note that this letter is concerning homeschool in relation to college, and does not cover many of the other valuable aspects. I may post more at another time with my thoughts on those.

Dear Jennie,
I am seriously praying about homeschooling my 3 children in the fall. My oldest daughter will be in the fourth grade. She attends a public school and is an overall good child...well- behaved (at school) :) and has straight A's. She has expressed concern about being homeschooled because she is fearful she will then not get into a good college. Do you have any advice for her and me?
Thank You in advance,
Betty

Hi Betty!

I am so thrilled to hear that you are praying about homeschooling your children. I am excited whenever I hear that someone is thinking about taking that step. Homeschooling was absolutely wonderful for me. My Mom was an incredible teacher, and I learned so much more from the one-on-one teaching than I could have ever learned in a school system.

When I was 15, my standardized test scores were high, and I sat with my Mom to look at the plan for the next several years of high school. We realized the the NC requirements for a high school graduate were easily attainable for me. We made a schedule together, and I was able to graduate at 16 years old.

I wanted to find a college nearby since I was so young, so I chose Southeastern College (a branch of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC). It was the only school to which I applied, and I was accepted immediately BECAUSE I came from a homeschooling background. I started college just after turning 17 (my birthday is in June), and it was a wonderful experience.

Homeschoolers are well-known to most Christian and secular educators for their exceptional abilities. It is no secret to them that most of the winners of the National Spelling Bee are homeschoolers. We score higher on state standardized tests than do those in public or private schools, and we generally have more confidence and respect for authority as well. When I was looking into colleges I found that most were actually RECRUITING homeschoolers because of their outstanding scholastic abilities (Liberty University is one example of that).

Also, most colleges require SAT scores for entrance, and homeschoolers should certainly take the SAT. If you and your daughter work hard as a team, her scores will be all the proof that any college would need of her readiness, even for those colleges that may not be recruiting homeschoolers.

The only complaint that I have ever heard about homeschoolers is that they are "socially inadequate." In most cases this idea is ridiculous. I have seen some homeschoolers that do not make any attempt to be social or to build people skills, and that results in the obvious: no people skills. But if you make sure that your daughter is involved with church and community, including adults and friends her own age, she will develop the skills needed to gain respect in the world. When she goes in for her college interviews, she will be more confident, respectful, and well-spoken than most of her public school peers.

If you have any further questions or concerns, I would be more than happy to help you! I am a strong advocate of homeschooling, and I am excited for anyone who would do such an incredible service for their children!

Sincerely,
Jennie Harrell

What God has Done...

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. -Psalm 19:1
Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights! -Psalm 148:1
Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens." -Genesis 1:20
Dustin and I were outside one afternoon last week, and we had to get our camera to capture some of the beauties of God's creation. What a mighty God we serve!

Just in Case...

Just in case you do not already know, our blog consists of many pages. If you would like to view previous blog entries, all you need to do is scroll all the way to the bottom of this page and click "Older Posts." Do that on each page until you reach the end. Enjoy!

I Never Thought I Would be Thankful for This...

The most difficult week of my life was when Dustin was in Ecuador for ten days and I was home alone. I'm sure that sounds really silly to some of you, but it is absolutely true. I felt so lonely even when I was in a group of friends. Every day seemed so long because I couldn't look forward to seeing Dustin when I got home from work. I think I was pretty pitiful, and I'm sure my parents and Dustin's parents can attest to that.

One night when I got home from work I walked in the door and realized that everything looked exactly the same as it did when I left that morning. The dishes were done, the table was wiped clean, the floor was spotless. Doesn't sound too bad, but it was very depressing for me. Suddenly I realized that there was no evidence that Dustin had been home that day. I was alone. I had no one to nurture. I found myself wishing that I could just have SOMETHING to clean or pick up or cook or fold.

At that moment I realized how much I had complained. Dustin has a million incredible qualities... he is a wonderful singer, guitar-player, listener, chef, artist, and much more. However, his personality is very different from mine in the organizing and picking-up-after-yourself department. I don't know if I could count how many times I have huffed, puffed, whined, or rolled my eyes while picking up socks, towels, shoes, plates, cups, candy wrappers, etc. I know that Dustin does not leave his stuff around the house to make me angry; he just does not have the pick-it-up reflex.

That night was a wake-up call for me. I decided that I will never again whine about wet towels on the bed or dirty socks on the floor or any other messes needing to be cleaned. I finally understood more clearly how much I should be thankful. Those things that I would have complained about before have taken on a new meaning. They are evidences that I have a husband who loves to be home with me. Wow...

I have not gotten over my relief that Dustin is safe at home with me. Tonight we took a drive, took nutty pictures of ourselves in the car, and laughed like crazy. When we came home I saw some socks on the floor. I smiled, picked them up, and hugged my precious husband. I am praying that God will maintain this attitude in me; I know I cannot do it on my own.

Something New

I was tagged by Adrienne (http://ourlivesasvesselsofmercy.blogspot.com/). It is a "7 Random/Weird things" meme... What's a meme? I just found out that it's something that's passed from blog to blog.

Rules:
1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share seven random or weird things about yourself.
3. Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

7 Random/Weird things about me:

1. I love to fill out forwarded surveys and doctors office forms, etc. If Dustin has any forms that need to be filled he brings them to me. What is so exciting about name/address/phone? I have no idea.

2. I have been a vegetarian for half my life because my Mom read something to me about how chickens are processed that grossed me out. I lost my appetite for all meat and haven't gotten it back for 12 years.

3. I am very particular about bedsheets. When I put new sheets on the bed the flat sheet has to be folded down a little at the top. And the comforter and the sheet HAVE to stay together. If they separate I get a little stressed out. And if there is a stray sock in the bed I will wake up and I cannot go back to sleep until it is out. I usually wake Dustin up saying "there's a foreigner in the bed!"

4. I have an aversion to Monopoly. Some of you know about this. I will never play it again because it takes too long and it is stupid.

5. I have a favorite nightshirt that I absolutely love. When I see that it is clean in my PJ drawer I smile and hug it. Dustin laughs.

6. I am allergic to citrus- strawberries, oranges, kiwi, lemons, etc.

7. I laugh hysterically at stupid corny jokes, but it usually takes a few tries for me to get the really good ones.

Yay, that was fun. I am tagging Joy, Nicole, Rachel, Caitlin, Cheryl, and Elise.