What matters more than the number on the scale?

The difference between the photo on the left and the photo on the right is 10 months and 63 pounds. I was no where near my goal in the photo on the right but I felt so much better. It was hard getting to that point. Everyone asked how I did it and the honest answer was diet and exercise. This was the truth and still is; however, what people don't know is that the first 30 of the 63 pounds was brought along by personal stresses in my life at the time & quite honestly not eating like I should. The last 33 pounds that I lost were definitely by eating right and exercise.

Right after the second photo was taken, the holiday season hit! All my stresses from the beginning of my weight loss journey had resolved but now we were under different stresses. We were beginning the journey of moving two states away. The stress of the move, leaving our families and starting in a new place where we knew no one was huge. I stopped going to the gym and pretty much ate what I wanted when I wanted. It is now December of 2014, one year and two months after the photo on the right was taken, and I am now 30 pounds heavier than I was in that photo. Granted, I am not the 63 pounds heavier...like the first photo.

I have tried over and over to get back on the wagon. I have had so much trouble! I have had no energy for exercising, no willpower to turn down food and my cravings have been all over the road! Then something happened...something that even I was skeptical about...this was it....in this photo...do you see it?

There, on the left? Do you see it yet? The ruddy appearance, swollen look, tired eyes. More than that, do you see what is on the photo on the right? Still round but not as swollen looking, the glow, the bright eyes, the energy? These two photos were taken SEVEN days apart, same lighting, same location, same make-up.

What you see in the photo on the right is more than just the girl with polycystic ovary syndrome with out of whack blood chemistry...its a girl who has been able to help regulate what is going on inside of body! What you see is more than a girl who has had more energy than she has had in a very long time...that girl worked 6 out of the last 7 days and spent her one day off Christmas shopping! What you see is more than just the 7.4 pound weight loss on the scale in just ONE week...you see the happiness of someone who finally was about have her appetite suppressed just enough not to want to starve herself but to be just hungry enough to make the HEALTHY choices without a moment of hesitation. The one that was also able to completely eliminate her NIGHTLY sweet snack!

You are probably wondering how I did this and I wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't share that information with you. What I must tell you is that a miracle pill DID NOT make me lose 7.4 pounds in one week....regulating my diet did. I know from my experience no matter what you do, you have to decide to make the right choices for yourself. What I can tell you is that taking 2 pills, 2 times a day for the past seven days gave me the willpower to make the RIGHT choice and the ENERGY to get done the things I needed to get done. In turn, what you see in that photo on the right is the happiness of knowing that I have a new co-pilot with TruVision Health to help me stay on track to have a happier and healthier life for both myself and my family.

Do you want to try it for yourself? Email me and let me know that you are ready to have TruChange for Life! You are ready to try this out for 7 days yourself. I promise you, you won't regret it! Contact me via tiffany.ivey.garrett@gmail.com or (210)913-2291. Also, find me on facebook at TruChange for Life. Just send me your email address and for just $20 you can get started with your 7 day sample pack and begin your TruChange for Life.

'tis the Season!

I love, love, love this time of year! Anyone that knows me, knows this fact. I love the Christmas season! I hear so many people complain about the fact that people celebrate Christmas earlier & earlier each year. I do agree that those who (like me!) love Christmas should not cram it down other peoples throats but at the same time, what does it hurt to celebrate more often. Let's face it, people seem happier during the holidays for many reasons. If having a tree up & decorations in your house make you happy...why not do it? I understand that the holidays are not always a happy time for everyone. They may bring along bad memories or stress. There are definitely two teams when it comes to Christmas....either....lets start decorating after Halloween or don't even wear a red shirt until after Thanksgiving. When it comes down to it, we should all show joy and celebrate the real reason for the season all year long...Jesus is the reason for the season. So to you all, I say MERRY CHRISTMAS - not - Happy Holidays. Be blessed!

The Ramblings of an Exhausted Mom...

This past week or so I have not slept well, at all. It is odd for me to have difficulty sleeping because short of a few times of major stress in my life, I have never had trouble falling asleep. My daughter, unfortunately, gets that from me. She is SO hard to wake up in the mornings! The advantage to that is that, even though she is now 16, she slept like a champ when she was little. While other parents complained about being up all night with their kiddos, this mom was kicked back enjoying the good life; however, the tables sure have turned on me & things have backfired now that I have a teenager! I am getting off track here. Where was I? Oh, we were discussing my sleeping issues. I am not sure what it is. I do have a lot on my mind right now with the holidays coming up, attempting to pay off some bills, training at a new job and going to school.

To add to my sleeping issue I, in general, just have no energy these days. I know much of it is because I am out of shape right now. I so bad want to be back where I was physically just one year ago. I know it will happen. I will get there but it is so hard to stay focused right now! I think once Brian gets on board with going to the gym with me, it will make things easier. I am planning on going to the gym in the mornings (before I realize what hits me) after Thanksgiving. Okay, so it won't be the immediate Monday or maybe even Tuesday after Thanksgiving due to our long drive, but it will happen!

So...really, I guess that is all this rambling will be about. I am just tired. I want my energy. I miss it. Please send it home if you find it.

Later, friends.

Today was a good day...

...admit it. You know you sang along with that blog title! So why was today a good day, you ask? Not really for any reason other than the fact that it is almost 2 pm and I have not once pigged out or taken the elevator. I have taken the stairs four times at work just today. Actually, in the past few weeks I have only taken the elevator twice (& we are on the fourth floor)!

I know all these things are so small but I decided that I am going to start counting all victories...even the small ones! Why not? Why do we only celebrate the bug things? Aren't the small ones just as important? Without all the small things we wouldn't have the big things. The small things are our foundation for success! 

So today...I celebrate the small things...today was a good day...and it isn't even over!

What will you celebrate today?

Hello Friday...Nice to See Ya!

One of the pretty ladies I follow, Aubrey Leigh, has a link on her blog called Fitness Friday. I decided that in my NEED to get back with it, I would type up a little something during my lunch break about how my week has been. This will be a nice accountability tool for me to use! I will report the good, bad & just plain ugly (Like the Whataburger Jr. I had for lunch today!)

So as far as the "fitness" part of this post...well mine had been completely lacking this week! In two different occasions I did walk from the 1st floor to the 5th floor, down & back up, during a work break. I also have been using the stairs every time I come & go. (We are on the fourth floor.) I plan on being able to report back to you all next week about how much better I did! :) 

Meal wise, I brought healthy snacks to work all week, I didn't eat out all week (Except lunch today...gulp). We also cooked at home each night. It helped that I spent several hours last week looking up healthy recipes & bought ingredients for all of those. It made it easier for my husband & myself to just grab things out of the fridge & prepare dinner. Does anyone else get stuck in a cooking rut?

Up Next (Here for link up below):

I thought I would join in one more link up. It is the Friday 5!

So my Friday 5 list for my weekend plans are:

1. Work: I work part time at a local ICU so I will be spending my day there tomorrow! :)

2. Dinner Date: I am excited that we are going over to have dinner with friends tonight! We are going to a friend of mines from work house for dinner. She has the pretties little boys (Yes I know boys aren't supposed to be pretty but they are!) Her hubby & mine haven't met but they have a lot in common so I am excited about the two of them getting together. 

3. Church: We are still looking to find a home church here. Brian has to work but Baylee & I will at least get out & explore!

4. Homework: I have three weeks left in my first semester of BSN program so that is what I will be working on!

5. Cleaning up my act: I need to get my exercise, healthy eating & household cleaning under control! 

So that is all...have a great weekend!

Later babes. 

Don't Forget Where You Are From

As I type this, I am on a plane headed back to San Antonio. I was telling Brian yesterday that although I will miss my family & friends in MS that I was actually ready to get back home to Texas. In the short month that I have lived there, it has already began to fill like home. It probably adds to it that our "home" in MS has no furniture & none of the comforts that we are used to in a home since everything has been moved to Texas. I think wanting to be in a regular routine is some of me wanting to get back out to Texas. I am just ready for my family to be there with me! I miss them TERRIBLY at night & on days I am off work!

Next weekend, I will drive back to my MS home for the last time for awhile. That brings me to the point of this blog post. Texas has so many great things to offer & my family & I are excited for the new adventure; however, we will never be that family that moves away & bashes our home state. Mississippi has many great qualities. I, for one, will miss my drive home across the causeway & though I haven't experienced many sunrises, I have seen many beautiful sunsets from the causeway looking out toward Ridgeland. The contrast of Mississippi's green grass & trees against a beautiful summer blue sky is hard to beat...you just have to take the time to look at it & remember God gave us such beautiful things & to be grateful! Even in such a small place (in comparison to much larger cities) we can forget to appreciate the small things because we are ao busy in the hustle & bustle of life! Being a southern girl, I am very fond of the politeness of most children in MS & their use of "ma'am" and "sir". I love that many people are courteous enough to hold open the door. I love our good southern food & had to laugh when someone in Texas asked if we have catfish in MS! I especially love my family & friends & all the memories I have made in MS!

Our family is off & away on a new adventure! We will make new memories & call new places home & who knows we may be back to MS one day...or to another state BUT no matter where life takes us...we won't forget where we came from & the place that made us who we are.

Choo! Choo! Chugging Along!

Hello from the Alamo City! :o) I hope life is treating everyone well...no matter which state or city you are reading this from! Things with the Garrett family are chugging along as smoothly as could be expected. Considering we are living in two different states and paying bills on two different houses...things could be so much worse but God is truly good! Just to give you some updates of what has been going on...

Brian & Baylee made it back home safely, of course! Brian had to head to work the next day after making it back to Mississippi so he was pretty exhausted. Thankfully, he got blessed with a not so busy day on this past work day and he said he FINALLY was starting to feel rested. His first day off, he and Baylee did SO much around the house. He has gotten her bedroom, bathroom, extra bedroom, living room, hall closet and dining room completely cleaned out. There are still some things in our bedroom/bathroom & a small amount of things in the laundry room cabinets & kitchen cabinets that we were not able to get to before we moved our other things over here. Everything else, he has gotten moved in to the garage. Some of it will come to the apartment but most of it will go into our garage here once we get it moved. We got rid of SO much and cleaned out SO much but we still have SO much! Anyone else know how this feels? He has also gotten a lot of the priming done around the house.

Baylee has been a huge help to Brian. She has painted & cleaned with him. She has stayed with Bebe once & will stay with Sally & Danny this Saturday
night. Brian & she will be doing something (I don't know what) I am sure for her birthday on Sunday...I can't beleive she will be 16!!! Next weekend, his drill weekend, she will be at my moms house IF my mom is feeling better. (She - my mom - is having horrible tooth pain...please say a prayer for her!) She "may" (we haven't decided yet) come over here with me the second week in May. Of course, she will be right back over there (Hattiesburg) for Show Choir camp in June. She will turn around & go to a Show Choir camp here in Texas in late June. Brandy & her family will be coming right at the end of that Show Choir camp so we will be out and about with them at least one of those days and we are very excited about that! Other than that, nothing real new going on other than possibly getting her permit soon. We waited for awhile for lots of reasons and actually are glad we did...but do watch out when she finally hits the road! :o)

I will be driving to Missisippi April 17th and returning back to Texas on April 21st. I, unfortunatley, won't be able to get out and visit with anyone. We still have a lot we need to do to the house so that we can put it in on the market and/or up for rent. Feel free to bring your garden tools for my flower bed, or pressure washer or a paint brush and come and visit. Ha! :o) Only joking...sorta! I will be back again for Hunter's graduation around May 9th but not sure how many days I will actually be in Mississippi. Baylee may come back with me to Texas then depending on how the house stands & if Brian goes to Chief's Academy for two weeks or not. I will be back again in June to go to Baylee's Show Choir program concert & to bring her back home but that will just be a brief trip & I possibly will only be in Hattiesburg for the day and heading back home afterwards but we again will see how it goes. I have two more days of orientation (Mon/Tues) and then I start working with patients on Wednesday. I am very excited about it and have already met a few people & found a great hair dresser! (She is no Kelly but what can ya do?)

I guess that is all for the Garrett family update! More to come!

Miss y'all lots!!!

I got a J-O-B!

I am so excited! I applied at the VA hospital as a student nurse tech earlier in the year and I got the job! I start tomorrow and have two weeks worth orientation. I am excited and hope that this helps me out in the future of looking for a nursing job! :) I am excited to work with the patients! I will update on how it goes...soon! :)

No News Is Good News

I haven't blogged in awhile but there is still that part of me that likes to hold on to this blog as my online journal even if no one reads it. I could advertise more especially to family & friends but it really isn't about the audience to me as much as it is about just the knowing I can come here to say what is on my mind!

For now, no new "news". I am finishing up my third semester of nursing school, Baylee finishing up middle school and Brian has a few months before he is 100% done with paramedic school! Things have been stressful but thankfully we are going on a cruise in less than three weeks. We didn't really need to spend the money but boy oh boy do we need a break!

Well back to studying! I have my last chapter test tomorrow and my final next week! I will try to do a post about my third semester journey...after I see that final grade! :)

I *Heart* Cooking

I have always enjoyed cooking to a certain extent but lately my "cooking" obsession has kicked in. I wouldn't necessarily say I am a "great" cook but I do like to experiment and try new things! I have been watching what I eat and in the process have been watching a lot of things about food and it has intrigued me. I am still sticking to my diet but have enjoyed cooking for my family. Funny enough for the first time I attempted an omelet for Baylee's breakfast yesterday. It actually turned out pretty well! I have a few things I am going to do different next time but I was pretty impressed with myself. I get to thinking that a lot of our "smarts" regarding how to cook things we learn as we get older and based on time we spend in the kitchen. I also think the fact that my kitchen is a little more organized than it has been in a long time helps me stay in there more. The positive of this is eventually I will apply my "smarts" I am learning about healthy eating to my cooking AND I am saving my family money by not eating out. It costs us almost $30 to eat fast food these days! You add in the bonus of family time at the table and you have a winner! So get in your kitchen and get to cooking!

Bittersweet Week

I am so fortunate that I am in nursing school because I know there are lots of people that can't afford to be or have applied and can't get in. This week has been exhausting and I am not sure why! We have only been in this semester three weeks and it already feels like a lifetime! I think it just caught up with us so fast!

We also had a couple of ladies this week who didn't pass their third round of their math test who face having to leave the program. They are so smart and will make great nurses but nerves just got the best of them. It has been hard because I know what they are going through adn it is a horrible feeling. I am hoping that the ones that make the deciscions provide them mercy today but I also know it is in God's hands and he has a plan for everyone!

It was also bittersweet because the hospital we toured yesterday I had three friends have babies there. One friend no longer lives here and I miss her! The other I am still friends with but we just don't talk very often because of life circumstances & sadly seems we drifted some but hopefully that isn't the case! The third is hard to explain really...I don't really know what happended to us tho I have said my sorry's and forgave them even without them asking and feel like we are at a clean slate but our relationship just has no momentum right now so I am not sure if that is a God thing or what but I will continue to pray about it. Truthfully, God takes people in and out of our lives for a reason and if they are meant to be back in our lives it will happen and if not then we can only remember the good times.

Well....guess I better get off of her....gotta get up and get a few things done because we are going with Baylee's Show Choir on a field trip today to an out of town competition and won't be back until late tonight! I am going to try to record the show and will post here later!

Happy Friday everyone!

The Time Is NOW

I was looking at my calendar this morning and I cannot believe that I am in my third week of my last year of nursing school. Really when you look at it I have less than a year because we graduate in December and we don't have class during the summer months! It is amazing how much has changed in my life in 3 weeks! I am back in school, the hubby is back in school and of course my daughter is back in the second part of 8th grade. I have been doing a diet...no not diet...but a "life change". I have made grade progress and my motivation is unbelievable at this point. I have never been this dedicated this far in the game! We are trying to catch up on bills but have some things coming down the pipe that will help that fall into place! Also, my house has been some kind of clean lately and I am working very hard on my organizing projects. All this may seem minor to some but these are huge areas in my life that I always struggle with and the fact that it is all going semi-smooth is Ahhh-Mazing! I only have one person - GOD! - to thank for that because I know through him all things are possible! I look forward to looking back a year from now and thinking...WOW...I REALLY did it this time!

Oh Lindsey!

*Sigh* Even though she tends to be a little wild I have always liked Lindsey Lohan as an actress. Today she goes to Court and is upset to know that she is sentenced to 90 days in jail. I just don't get it. She has it all fame, fortune, beauty, and she just can't seem to get it together. She says in court that she learned her lesson but shouldn't she have learned it after the first time? I don't know. I just don't get it. I guess all the above mentioned (fame, fortune, etc.) really just isn't enough. I am not sure what it is about these talented actresses and actors. I don't know if it is the lack of "real" friends in their lives or just the stress of fame that causes them to make such poor decisions. Either that or maybe they thing they are invincible. I really hope after this she really does straighten her life out.

Old Blogs!

Well I have decided...as part of my ever growing "to do" list...I am going to go back to my "old blog" and insert my "old post" into this blog (in date order). I don't really know why. Other than the fact to have a complete "blog" of all things I have posted since I began blogging many many years ago! I really wish I could get back into like I once was. I loved it. Still do but it is hard to keep it going in this world of social networking sites such as My Space or Facebook. Either way, like I have always said this is just more for my purposes and my way to "journal" my thoughts. :o)

Life List Update

Well this "updating" sure is going slow. Though, I guess a life list keeps growing most of the time!

Just an update:

Places To Visit:
Wyoming
Colorado
New York
California
Vegas!
Grand Canyon
Canada
Alaska
Hawaii
London
Venice Italy
Rome Italy
Madrid Spain
Tahiti
Jamaica
Bahamas
Cancun
Cozumel
Key West
Pennsylvania - Hershey Park & Historical Sites
Bora Bora

Things I Would Like To Do or Learn In My Lifetime:
Play the Piano
Play the Guitar
Fly A Plane
Go on A Cruise
Rock Climbing
Hike Up A Mountain
Snow Ski
Speak Spanish
Learn Sign Language
Swim with Dolphins
Fly in A Helicopter
Fly in A Hot Air Balloon
Finish Nursing School
Get some sort of degree (if not in nursing)
Start A Business
Write a Book
Go to the Oprah Show!
Ride Horseback on the beach!
Pay off 4-Wheeler!
Sell Brian's Truck!
Pay off Tahoe!
Pay off old Credit Card Bills!

Around The House
Organize my closets
Clip & Organize articles out of my old magazines and toss magazines!
Paint my bedroom
Paint my kitchen
Paint my living area
Organize all of my pictures
Scan all pictures in and put the on CD's
Get backyard fenced!
Organize & paint laundry room
Organize all cabinets – bathroom & kitchen
Organize Baylee's room….again!!

Books to Read or Read Again (In 2009):
Dear John – Nicholas Sparks
At First Sight – Nicholas Sparks
Three Weeks With My Brother – Nicholas Sparks
True Believer – Nicholas Sparks
The Wedding - Nicholas Sparks
Predator – Patricia Cornwell
Trace – Patricia Cornwell
I Heard That Song Before – Mary Higgins Clark
No Place Like Home – Mary Higgins Clark
Ghost Ship – Mary Higgins Clark
Before I Say Goodbye – Mary Higgins Clark
Mount Vernon Love Story – Mary Higgins Clark
Yada Yada Prayer Group (Re-read my old ones and catch up on the new ones)
Mitford Series – Jan Karon
Step On A Crack – James Patterson
Judge & Jury – James Patterson
Little Women
The Secret
Twilight Series
Harry Potter Series
The Adventures of Hucklberry Finn
Beloved
The Catcher in the Rye
The Good Earth
The Sound and the Fury

Health Goals:
Teeth cleaned!
Cavities filled
Eat more fruits & vegetables
Drink 8 glasses of water a day
Exercise at least 30 minutes everyday
Lose 10 lbs
Lose 20 lbs
Lose 30 lbs
Lose 40 lbs
Lose 50 lbs
Lose 60 lbs
Lose 70 lbs
Lose 80 lbs
Lose 100 lbs

Jingle, Jangle, Smack, Clip, Clip...

I SERIOUSLY have a problem with noises. (I blame this COMPLETELY on my mother - she knows it!) I work in what one would call a glorified cubicle. True it does have walls...but they don't go all the way to the ceiling. As you can see from this picture - there is about 3 feet from the top of my wall to the ceiling. (To the right you can see my door and in the middle is the picture above my bookcase.)

Well I tell you that you can HEAR EVERYTHING in my office. Jingling of peoples bracelets, smacking, typing, etc. One thing that has driving me NUTS these past few months is the sweet old man in the office right beside me. I believe he is in his last 70's and he constantly talks on speaker phone. (Crazy, right?) Well he just isn't used to being in our "glorified cubicles". His office (and several others) had mold in them and he is working in the empty one next to mine until his office is finished. As if speaker phone (and other noises of the office!) weren't bad enough what really gets me is "clip, clip" "Clip, clip clip" "CLIP CLIP CLIP"...can you guess? Clip clip is the sound of fingernail clipping. Can we say gag? Every time I hear it all I can pictures is this sweet little man in their clipping his old man fingernails and little bits flying everywhere! Man his nails must grow fast b/c he does this all the time! LOL...well at least it isn't his toenails...I HOPE!

Life List

Just an update:

Places To Visit:
Wyoming
Colorado
New York
California
Vegas!
Grand Canyon
Canada
Alaska
Hawaii
London
Venice Italy
Rome Italy
Madrid Spain
Tahiti
Jamaica
Bahamas
Cancun
Cozumel
Key West
Pennsylvania - Hershey Park & Historical Sites
Bora Bora

Things I Would Like To Do or Learn In My Lifetime:
Play the Piano
Play the Guitar
Fly A Plane
Go on A Cruise
Rock Climbing
Hike Up A Mountain
Snow Ski
Speak Spanish
Learn Sign Language
Swim with Dolphins
Fly in A Helicopter
Fly in A Hot Air Balloon
Finish Nursing School
Get some sort of degree (if not in nursing)
Start A Business
Write a Book
Go to the Oprah Show!
Ride Horseback on the beach!
Pay off 4-Wheeler!
Sell Brian's Truck!
Pay off Tahoe!
Pay off old Credit Card Bills!

Around The House
Organize my closets
Clip & Organize articles out of my old magazines and toss magazines!
Paint my bedroom
Paint my kitchen
Paint my living area
Organize all of my pictures
Scan all pictures in and put the on CD's
Get backyard fenced!
Organize & paint laundry room
Organize all cabinets – bathroom & kitchen
Organize Baylee's room….again!!

Books to Read or Read Again (In 2009):
Dear John – Nicholas Sparks
At First Sight – Nicholas Sparks
Three Weeks With My Brother – Nicholas Sparks
True Believer – Nicholas Sparks
The Wedding - Nicholas Sparks
Predator – Patricia Cornwell
Trace – Patricia Cornwell
I Heard That Song Before – Mary Higgins Clark
No Place Like Home – Mary Higgins Clark
Ghost Ship – Mary Higgins Clark
Before I Say Goodbye – Mary Higgins Clark
Mount Vernon Love Story – Mary Higgins Clark
Yada Yada Prayer Group (Re-read my old ones and catch up on the new ones)
Mitford Series – Jan Karon
Step On A Crack – James Patterson
Judge & Jury – James Patterson
Little Women
The Secret
Twilight Series
Harry Potter Series
The Adventures of Hucklberry Finn
Beloved
The Catcher in the Rye
The Good Earth
The Sound and the Fury

Health Goals:
Teeth cleaned!
Cavities filled
Eat more fruits & vegetables
Drink 8 glasses of water a day
Exercise at least 30 minutes everyday
Lose 10 lbs
Lose 20 lbs
Lose 30 lbs
Lose 40 lbs
Lose 50 lbs
Lose 60 lbs
Lose 70 lbs
Lose 80 lbs
Lose 100 lbs

The Root

Someone at work shared this with me today. I really needed it. I have been dealing with an issue that has been tough but I have really tried to let go and give it to God! One of the issues I have been dealing with was me being me. It saddens me to think there are those out there who can't take being nice and being yourself for what it is. I am not perfect. I have my faults. However, when I do something or desire a relationship with someone it is purely because of the love in my heart. I do things and say things because of my desire to care and love for others. It makes me sad that there are those out there that can't accept that. At first I was mad and was thinking well fine if they don't want to have anything to do with me and if all my decisions are the "wrong" ones then forget it. I just won't do this or that anymore. The truth is...that isn't me. I ENJOY being with other people and I ENJOY doing for others...even if there is nothing in return because I expect nothing in return. That being said...I am going to keep being ME...albeit a little more guarded version of ME but you can't change me. I want the fruit I bear to be the fruit that shows only one motivation...the motivation of love.


A farmer once planted two fruit trees on opposite sides of his property. One he planted to provide a hedge to hide the unsightly view of an old landfill; the other to provide shade to rest under near a cool mountain stream which ran down beside his fields. As the two trees grew, both produced and began to flower and bear fruit.

One day the farmer decided to gather the fruit from the tree nearest his house " the one used to provide a hedge from the landfill. As he brought the fruit inside the house, he noticed that it was a little deformed " the symmetry of the fruit was not very good, but still the fruit looked edible. Later that evening, while sitting on his porch the farmer took one of the pieces of fruit for a snack. Biting into the fruit, he found it to be extremely bitter, and completely inedible. Casting the fruit aside he looked across the field to the other tree over by the mountain stream.

After walking across the field, the farmer took a piece of the fruit from the other tree and bit into it. Find the fruit to be sweet and delicious he gathered several more pieces of fruit and took them to the house.

The fruit was greatly affected by the nutrition of the root. Just as the tree grew by the landfill to be bitter, and the tree by the stream produced sweet fruit, so the Christian has a choice. He can either put down his roots into the soil of the landfill of fleshly pursuits, or into the cool refreshing stream of the person of Jesus Christ. We must understand that the root bears the fruit. The fruit of the Christian is the outward evidence of the inward motivation.

Crazy, Crazy, Times!!

I am sitting at work on pins and needles. Brian is taking his EMT exam as I type this. We don't know if he will know the results instantly or if we will have to wait or not. He rarely gets nervous but this morning he was SO nervous. He is very ready to work on an ambulance. He loves to help people and he is very good at it. I am so proud of his accomplishments and so proud of him. We have been married 9 years this year...as of this month we have been a couple for 10 years. He has always been an awesome guy but the past several years he has really evolved into a man that I know I will always and forever love. He really is my soul mate. I thank God for him. As much as he says I have helped him...he too has helped me. We really do bring out the best in each other. Mushy gushy...I know, I know. :-)

He and I have been taking A&PI this summer and he takes his final tomorrow and I take my next Tuesday. I am SOOO nervous. I am coming up with every study tactic I can find. I wish I could just lay my head down on my book and "soak" up all the useful information. It just seems like as I have gotten older I can't absorb as much as I used to. I also think I really do have adult ADD. What were we talking about again???

We have been dealing with some family issues lately. I have just hated seeing my husband so sad and hurt. I too have hurt but I have tried all I can do. I just wish it was easier for everyone to get along. The bad thing is that we WANT to be closer but we just keep being pushed back. So sad. :-( There is one family member I talked to this morning that I think being the mom of a boy that is closer to Brian's age understands more. She doesn't even know what has been going on (that I know of) and you know I always just feel good when I talk to her. She has a lot going on in her life right now with her own little family and I am remembering to say prayers for her everyday!

Hmmmm....what else, what else...oh Brian will be leaving to go out of town for 2 1/2 weeks for the USCG. He will come home for a week and then be gone for another whole week! Whoa is me...life of a military wife! :-) I do plan to go down and visit him and get some beach time in during the next couple of weeks. We will see how that goes...

Later!!

Life Is So Short

I have been sad since I heard about John Travolta's son dying today...all from hitting his head on the bathtub. I am so sad for his family!! I guess this really gets to me this week because Baylee is gone with her grandparents to Knoxville and I have missed her so much and worried about her. She is in great hands but just like this situation...you never know what can happen. Anyway, just had to post this and get it off my chest. :-(