Life... A true reality

Wedding success!!

2006-08-17T09:02:00.000-05:00

The wedding was a blast and went off with few to no problems. Everyone had a great time. To look at the pictures on the web go to www.lc.weddingherald.com. I'll post pictures from our honeymoon soon and give ya'll the link so you can see them as well. The last 2 weeks have been so much fun and frankly, I'm kind of sad it's all over. I'll write more about a few of the funny points later. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Count down to wedding day!

2006-07-06T13:18:00.000-05:00

Well, we're counting down the days until the wedding. Chris's parents just bought a new house and are in the process of finishing some painting, moving, oh yeah and a pool house before the wedding (they better hurry!). There is little left to do except last minute stuff, like marriage license and finalizing the head count. We are getting our RSVP cards in and that's exciting (hope everyone enjoyed their invitation). So, most stuff is done except a short to do list. Chris and I are both anxious and maybe a little nervous standing up in front of everyone... I'm sure my face will be red and probably his too. We're going on our honeymoon to Hawaii on a cruise for a week after so that will be a much needed vacation by the time this is all said and done. Keep us in your prayers and thoughts.

Bridal Shower

2006-06-16T08:11:00.000-05:00

Well, I had my shower last Saturday. My sister flew in from San Diego on Saturday and stayed till Monday to be here for the shower and my bridal portraits. It was a good but extremely busy weekend!! Chris and I got a lot of nice things that we really needed. Also, we have sent out the invitations, so be watching for them in the mail. If you don't get one it's because I don't have your address, so email me. I hope ya'll enjoy the invitations.

The big day is getting closer and we're getting more anxious. Most everything is done except the last minute stuff. I think we have about 50 days left!!! Very exciting!

Engagement Announcement

2006-05-15T11:36:00.000-05:00

Here's our announcement in the Duncanville newspaper, Duncanville Texas.

Bimmerfest in CA

2006-04-19T16:59:00.000-05:00

For Chris's birthday we went to CA to a BMW meet. There were about 1,500 BMWs, I would guess. It was lots of fun! I also got to see my sister and her husband and kids. They are getting so big! It was a quick trip, but here are some pics from the trip.

Indiana

2006-04-03T16:27:00.000-05:00

Well, I had a great time in Indiana meeting my half sister Kristen. This was the first time I met her face to face, but it felt like I had known her my whole life and we'd grown up together. I think it's amazing how we were so comfortable with each other. We had a great time! There's a picture of my only neice Nevaeh. She's 4 and just an amazing young girl. Just wanted to share a little more with you.

I am still alive!

2006-03-15T17:11:00.000-06:00

No, I haven't dropped off the face of the Earth. I went on vacation to see my half sister, Kristen, Feb. 26-March4. I have never met my sister face-to-face but have talked to her on the phone. Anyways, I'll go into detail about my trip later, but just wanted to post something. It's always hectic the week before vacation and for 2 weeks after because you're trying to see all of these patient's that you're going to miss that week. Work is also picking up so I'm seeing anywhere from 2 to 4 new patient's a day. This makes for a really busy schedule... but busy is good for business! I'll post some pics of my trip later. Here's one of Chris and my engagement pictures.

Funny Headlines

2006-02-21T13:10:00.000-06:00

Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
[no, really?]

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
[now that's taking things a bit far!]

Is There a Ring of Debris around Uranus?
[not if I wipe thoroughly!]

Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
[what a guy!]

Miners Refuse to Work after Death
[no-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-sos!]

Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
[see if that works any better than a fair trial!]

War Dims Hope for Peace
[I can see where it might have that effect!]

If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile.
[you think?!]

Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
[who would have thought!]

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
[you mean there's something stronger than duct tape?!]

Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
[he probably IS the battery charge!]

Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
[That's what he gets for eating those beans!]

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
[Chainsaw Massacre all over again!]

Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
[Boy, are they tall!]

Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
[Did I read that sign right?]

Best Valentine's Day Love

2006-02-14T13:44:00.000-06:00

A kid asked Jesus... how much do u love me? Jesus replied," I love you this much." and he stretched his arms to the cross and died for us. If you believe in God, you will send this to everyone on your list.

Nail in the Fence

2006-02-08T16:56:00.000-06:00

I'm sure most of you have read this before but I really enjoy this.

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger,they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. " A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us.

Chris Rock's "Quote of the Year"

2006-02-07T14:14:00.000-06:00

"You know the world is going crazy when the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, the tallest guy in the NBA is Chinese, the Swiss hold the America's Cup, France is accusing the U.S. of arrogance, Germany doesn't want to go to war, and the three most powerful men in America are named Bush, Dick, and Colon. Need I say more?"

That's one way to look at it....

Insight from God: some answers to my questions

2006-02-06T08:17:00.000-06:00

I go to church at a small church that my youth pastor in high school started. There are only about 20 people who attend on a regular basis, but it's more of a revelation with God rather than someone who relays a message that they have experienced. I really enjoy this lay out because I learn from God and experience Him for myself.

Well, God revealed Himself to me as Truth. We read from Genesis 22 where Abraham takes Issac as a sacrifice. A few new things were brought to my attention from this chapter even though I've probably read it multiple times. First, Abraham was 130 and Issac was 30 years old. I've always seen Issac portrayed as a little boy. This passage not only says something about Abraham's relationship with God but also about Issac's relationship with God. If Issac did not want to be a "sacrifice" or to be bound he could've over taken Abraham, but he did not.

One of the key points that really hit me and opened my eyes to some of the turmoil I have been dealing with concerning Aaron and his attempt to encourage me to read the book of mormon, is that even though God is the same God and there is only one God, we relate to Him differently because we are each different. We think the person we see ourselves to be is who God sees us to be, but that's not necessarily true. This gave me some understanding on my situation with Aaron that I will pass to him. He may not see it that way, but I am going to relate to God the way He leads me too, and only I have experienced Him in certain ways. I can share those experiences with others but God becomes more real in every situation as each individual experiences Him in their own lives. Am I talking in circles here?

Another thing that was brought to my attention is that we see God as "watching over us", off away in heaven, but God feels what we feel, sees what we see, and then sometimes sees us completely differently and knows what is really going on. God is Jehovah Ahway (not sure if I spelled that right) or "The One who sees our needs and provides". Not only does He provide but He is the provision. I have on several occasions asked God to "give me strength" or "give me peace", but I must remember that God is strength.... God is peace. Whatever need I have He is that provision. He is not far way sending us gifts, but with us, waiting to be the gift we need at that moment.

All of this really spoke to me about my feelings and knowing that I am on the path God wants for me. Knowing that God is going to be different for Aaron and me and we will relate to Him differently because Aaron and I are different and have expericenced God differently, yet we have the same God. I'm not sure if Aaron will understand this but God has become peace to me thru this message.

Bad Day at Work

2006-02-01T11:50:00.000-06:00

I received this forward from a friend.... really puts things into perspective.

Next time you have a bad day at work...think of this guy...

Rob is a commercial saturation diver forGlobal Divers in Louisiana. He performs underwater repairs on offshore drilling rigs. Below is anE-mail he sent to his sister. She then sent it to radio station 103.2 onFM dial in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, who was sponsoring a worst job experience contest. Needless to say, she won.

Hi Sue,

Just another note from your bottom-dwelling brother. Last week I had abad day at the office. I know you've been feeling down lately at work, so I thought I would share my dilemma with you to make you realize it's not so bad after all. Before I can tell you what happened to me, I first must bore you with a few technicalities of my job. As you know, my office lies at the bottom of the sea. I wear a suit to the office. It's a wetsuit. This time of year the water is quite cool. So what we do tokeep warm is this: We have a diesel powered industrial water heater. This $20,000 piece of equipment sucks the water out of the sea. It heats it to a delightful temperature. It then pumps it down to the diver through a garden hose, which is taped to the air hose. Now this sounds like a darn good plan, and I've used it several times with no complaints.

What I do, when I get to the bottom and start working, is take the hose and stuff it down the back of my wetsuit. This floods my whole suit with warm water. It's like working in a Jacuzzi. Everything was going well until all of a sudden, my butt started to itch. So, of course, I scratched it. This only made things worse. Within a few seconds my butt started to burn. I pulled the hose out from my back, but the damage was done. In agony I realized what had happened. The hot water machine had sucked up a jellyfish and pumped itinto my suit. Now, since I don't have any hair on my back, the jellyfish couldn't stick to it. However, the crack of my butt was not as fortunate. When I scratched what I thought was an itch, I was actually grinding the jellyfish into the crack of my butt.

I informed the dive supervisor of my dilemma over the communicator. His instructions were unclear due to the fact that he, along with five other divers, were all laughing hysterically. Needless to say I aborted the dive. I was instructed to make three agonizing in-water decompression stops totaling thirty-five minutes before I could reach the surface to begin my chamber dry decompression. When I arrived at the surface, I was wearing nothing but my brass helmet.

As I climbed out of the water, the medic, with tears of laughter running down his face, handed me a tube of cream and told me to rub it on my butt as soon as I got in the chamber. The cream put the fire out, but I couldn't poop for two days because my butt was swollen shut. So, next time you're having a bad day at work, think about how much worse it would be if you had a jellyfish shoved up your butt.

Now repeat to yourself, "I love my job, I love my job, I love my job".

And still the wedding planning continues!!

2006-01-31T14:23:00.000-06:00

Well, Chris and I are back on the wedding planning trail. We picked out the tuxes, cakes, invitations, and are about done with the catering. It's all coming together very easy. We are ahead of schedule and have more than 6 months left. We'll be putting the final touches on the invitations at the end of February and doing the flowers in June, so for right now we don't have much left. I'm still bugging some of the bridesmaids about their dresses and will have to bug the groomsmen and ushers about their tuxes in May, but other than the wedding favors, that's it for right now. Just wanted to keep ya'll updated... and yes I know Dr. Labar "eloping" would be easier but we'll have a really nice wedding and everyone should have a great time!

The Turmoil Continues

2006-01-25T15:00:00.000-06:00

My brother has emailed me and still urges me to pray about the book of mormon and whether it is true, but I don't want to. He wants me to read passages from it, but I don't want to. I don't need the book of mormon to be true because I have the Bible. I'm scared to pray about it because I think I will see false signs. I just pray for God's will and His truth. I would like to believe that my lack of desire to pray about it and to read the book of mormon are signs in themselves of God telling me that I do not need these things. I am trying to get back to reading the Bible regularly for guidance and to keep from being deceived, but with all my other "busyness" it has been hard to set the time aside. I think if I began to pray about and read the book of mormon I would be very easily deceived right now. Just wanting to share with you what I am going through and feeling. Any input would be appreciated.

What the back of a smiley face looks like

2006-01-23T15:23:00.000-06:00

Here's a cute link that one of my co-workers sent me. Hopefully, this will make you laugh.

One Word

2006-01-19T09:52:00.000-06:00

Describe ME in ONE WORD...just one word! Send it to me only, then send this message to your friends and see how many strange things people say about you! This could be fun! (It could be dangerous!) Just hit reply and send me my one word back. Then forward this message on to your friends (including me) and see what they say about you! GAME ON!! Don't forget to "clean up" other addresses before you send this on to protect my friends' names. Thanks!

I received this email from a friend... I'm interested to see what people say.
The pic is of me after the Alumni game... that's why I look so rough and hungry!

Baby Rap

2006-01-18T09:30:00.000-06:00

Here's a funny baby rap a friend emailed me....
Laugh away.

God's Boxes

2006-01-13T08:53:00.000-06:00

I have in my hands two boxes,
Which God gave me to hold.
He said, "Put all your sorrows in the black box,
And all your joys in the gold."

I heeded His words, and in the two boxes,
Both my joys and sorrows I stored,
But though the gold became heavier each day,
The black was as light as before.

With curiosity, I opened the black,
I wanted to find out why,
And I saw, in the base of the box, a hole,
Which my sorrows had fallen out by.

I showed the hole to God, and mused,
"I wonder where my sorrows could be!"
He smiled a gentle smile and said,
"My child, they're all here with me.."

I asked God, why He gave me the boxes,
Why the gold and the black with the hole?
"My child, the gold is for you to count ! your blessings,
The black is for you to let go."

Some pics on display for the Fall '05

2006-01-09T11:48:00.000-06:00

Chris and I seeing my brother off at the airport. He's going to Brazil for 2 years.

Chris's sister, Melissa, opening presents at our apartment on Christmas Day.
Chris's parents opening presents Christmas Day. You wouldn't believe it was 70 degrees outside.

Aaron and Nikadian chilling after a long day at Grandpa's house.
Aaron and Geno checking out the pics Aaron took of the kids opening presents.
Quentin showing Uncle Chris how to work the helicopter.
Julie and the boys snoozing before the big day begins.
Chris and Aaron before our road trip to San Antonio, TX for Thanksgiving.
Me, Gretta, Aaron, and Carolyn looking at black and white pics of our ancestors.
Aaron and Danielle (cousin) checking out more pics after Thanksgiving dinner.
Me eating our second night in the apartment. I hadn't moved all my stuff in yet so it was pretty bare.
At a friends' birthday party with his rock band playing.
Kori and me in SC the weekend of the SWU Alumni softball game.
Chris and me at Kori's parent's house the same weekend.
Chris and me on Halloween. Sorry about the lighting putting a funny glow on us.

Aaron in Brazil

2006-01-05T17:18:00.000-06:00

Well, my father and I watched my brother get on a plane to Brazil on Tuesday at 11:00 am. Aaron is a mormon and is going on his mission for two years to Brazil. We will only be able to talk to him twice a year, on Mother's Day and on Christmas Day. Aaron is only allowed to call my mother but if his mission president is nice enough he may let us all talk to him as long as we're there when he calls.

Aaron wrote me a letter to read once I got home Tuesday afternoon. In his letter he told me his testimony about when he prayed about the book of mormon and whether or not it was true. I'm sure this experience was very real for him. He then asked me to put my faith to the test and to ask God to reveal to me the truth about the book of mormon. Here I was hoping for a letter that would tell me that he was going to miss me and he loved me, etc.

Aaron and I do not usually discuss the root of our beliefs because he gets very defensive and it's not worth it to me to have our relationship strained at this point. Aaron believes in God and believes that Jesus is God's Son and that He died for our sins but after that his beliefs differ to small or great degrees. Where is the line drawn? To what degree can you falter in your beliefs but still go to heaven? Aaron thinks everyone is going to heaven except purposefully bad people like Hitler and Sadaam. Then what's the point? Why are we Christians here? I've quoted him verses and he'll say oh, it's not talking about this or that. My hands are tied.

I've committed to Aaron and God to pray for him every morning when I get up. I've been faithful to this so far and have found myself praying for him through out the day. I pray that God would protect him and that Aaron would know God's will and would follow it. I pray that God would challenge Aaron on his beliefs. I just can't help hoping that Aaron will come into contact with a Christian, or whatever vessel God chooses to use, and lead doubt and questions in his heart and mind concerning the mormon religion. Part of me is very scared for my brother, but I do know at this point in time God has given me peace in knowing that Aaron is following His will.

And it continues!

2005-12-21T15:22:00.000-06:00

Chris and I found a photographer. We really like him a lot but man, they make a killing off of pictures!! We also talked to a couple that makes invitations from their home and we're going to get to customize our invitations. We meet with them again in January so they can bring us our ideas in hand. I bought my dress in Novemeber and they told me it would be in March 5th, but it already came in. I tried it on so my brother could see me in it since he is going to Brazil for two years and won't be able to attend the wedding. I also got a great price quote on the flowers and we're having an ice cream reception by Marble Slab. We're real excited about how well everything is coming together. I know that despite everyone insisting, "the day" won't be perfect but it will be fun and there will be lots of family and friends there, which is the most important thing.

My sis and her family were in this weekend for our Christmas. This year I have to work a rotation at the hospital over Christmas weekend, so my sis and her husband and kids came here to visit and to see my brother before he leaves for Brazil. We had a great time and did a lot of running here and there to see people. As much as I love them to be here, it is nice to have things back to normal. I'm still tired of course and trying to catch up on sleep, but I don't know if that ever really happens.... and if it did, what would we do then? Just a thought. Anyways, I'll post pictures of my nephews and family soon.

Just wanted to send ya'll an update so you wouldn't think I've disappeared off the face of the earth.

Let the wedding planning begin!!

2005-11-23T11:49:00.000-06:00

Just a short update. I found my wedding dress and it is now bought and off the list. We are beginning to talk to photographers and invitation designers and to price out flowers and decorations. People make a killing off of this stuff!! I went into the wrong business... should've been a wedding consultant that gives massages on the side. Anyways, there's still tons to do but I'm getting a grip on what's going on.

Everything else is going good. Still loving my job! I got an apartment about 5 min. from work so that makes a nice short commute... a lot better than an hour.

Just thought I'd let everyone know that I'm still alive even if I am busy.

Weird poem, but good.

2005-11-16T13:56:00.000-06:00

A drunk man in an Oldsmobile They said had run the light
That caused the six-car pileup On 109 that night.
When broken bodies lay about "And blood was everywhere,"
"The sirens screamed out eulogies," For death was in the air.
"A mother, trapped inside her car," Was heard above the noise;
Her plaintive plea near split the air: "Oh, God, please spare my boys!"
She fought to loose her pinned hands; "She struggled to get free,"
But mangled metal held her fast In grim captivity.
Her frightened eyes then focused "On where the back seat once had been,"
But all she saw was broken glass and Two children's seats crushed in.
Her twins were nowhere to be seen; "She did not hear them cry, "
"And then she prayed they'd been thrown free, " "Oh, God, don't let them die!"
"Then firemen came and cut her loose, " "But when they searched the back, "
"They found therein no little boys, " But the seat belts were intact.
They thought the woman had gone mad "And was traveling alone, "
"But when they turned to question her, " They discovered she was gone.
Policemen saw her running wild And screaming above the noise
"In beseeching supplication, " Please help me find my boys!
They're four years old and wear blue shirts; "Their jeans are blue to match."
"One cop spo ke up, ""They're in my car, " And they don't have a scratch.
They said their daddy put them there "And gave them each a cone, "
Then told them both to wait for Mom To come and take them home.
"I've searched the area high and low, " But I can't find their dad.
"He must have fled the scene, " "I guess, and that is very bad."
"The mother hugged the twins and said, " "While wiping at a tear, "
"He could not flee the scene, you see, " "For he's been dead a year."
"The cop just looked confused and asked, " "Now, how can that be true? "
"The boys said, ""Mommy, Daddy came " "And left a kiss for you."
He told us not to worry "And that you would be all right, "
And then he put us in this car with The pretty, flashing light. "
"We wanted him to stay with us, " "Because we miss him so, "
'But Mommy, he just hugged us tight " And said he had to go.
He said someday we'd understand "And told us not to fuss, "
"And he said to tell you, Mommy, " "He's watching over us."
The mother knew without a doubt "That what they spoke was true, "
"For she recalled their dad's last words, " " I will watch over you."
The firemen's notes could not explain "The twisted, mangled car, "
And how the three of them escaped Without a single scar.
"But on the cop's report was scribed, " "In print so very fine, "
An angel walked the beat tonight on Highway 109.

"The 7 Second Prayer, Just repeat this phrase and see how God moves..
"Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless my family, my home, my friends, and me. Amen. "

Label

2005-11-09T14:14:00.000-06:00

I got this funny email. Hope it makes you smile too!

In Honor of Stupid People . . . In case you needed further proof that the human race is doomed through stupidity, here are some actual label instructions on consumer goods.

1. On a Sears hairdryer -- Do not use while sleeping.(That's the only time I have to work on my hair.)
2.On a bag of Fritos -- You could be a winner! No purchase necessary. Details inside.(the shoplifter special?)
3. On a bar of Dial soap -- "Directions: Use like regular soap."(and that would be???....)
4. On some Swanson frozen dinners -- "Serving suggestion: Defrost."(but, it's just a suggestion.)
5. On Tesco's Tiramisu dessert (printed on bottom) -- "Do not turn upside down."(well...duh, a bit late, huh!)
6. On Marks & Spencer Bread Pudding -- "Product will be hot after heating."(...and you thought????...)
7. On packaging for a Rowenta iron -- "Do not iron clothes on body."(but wouldn't this save me time?)
8. On Boot's Children Cough Medicine -- "Do not drive a car or operate machinery after taking this medication."(We could do a lot to reduce the rate of construction accidents if we could just get those 5 year-olds with head-colds off those bulldozers.)
9. On Nytol Sleep Aid -- "Warning: May cause drowsiness."(...I'm taking this because???....)
10. On most brands of Christmas lights -- "For indoor or outdoor use only."(as opposed to what?)
11. On a Japanese food processor -- "Not to be used for the other use."(now, somebody out there, help me on this. I'm a bit curious.)
12. On Sainsbury's peanuts -- "Warning: contains nuts."(talk about a news flash)
13. On an American Airlines packet of nuts -- "Instructions: Open packet, eat nuts."(Step 3: say what?)
14. On a child's Superman costume -- "Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly."(I don't blame the company. I blame the parents for this one.)
15. On a Swedish chainsaw -- "Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands or genitals."(Oh my God..was there a lot of this happening somewhere?)

Some people, huh?

SWU Homecoming 2005

2005-11-01T16:25:00.000-06:00

I had a great time in SC this weekend. Got to catch up with a few old friends and even play a little ball. Sorry I didn't get to see everyone. I couldn't stay longer because I don't have vacation time for the first 6 months at my job but hopefully Chris and I can drive out for a few days next year. Check out more pics here.

2005-11-01T16:17:00.000-06:00

I was in SC. Told ya I'd be there!!

The Boys

2005-10-31T09:50:00.001-06:00

Julie and Geno were having fun with the costumes at K-Mart with the boys. They're so much fun! I can't wait to see what they look like with their real costumes on! Hope they have fun tonight and get tons of candy!

2005-10-31T09:50:00.000-06:00

My boys are so silly!! I'm sure they'll have fun tonight getting dressed up in their real costumes!!

2005-10-31T09:49:00.000-06:00

Look at him smiling!! He's so cute!!

2005-10-31T09:48:00.000-06:00

Nickadian with a blonde wig. He's a boy but so pretty that you can't tell.

Now on to planning!

2005-10-27T16:42:00.000-05:00

We have officially set our wedding date for Aug. 5, 2006. We had originally set it for the week after but there was a conflict with the church. It is now official. Anyone wanting an invitation email me your address. Now, it's time to start planning for the BIG day!

Thought for the Day.

2005-10-26T11:25:00.000-05:00

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

Coming to SC... No kidding, I'm for real this time!

2005-10-19T17:42:00.000-05:00

Chris and I are coming to SC for SWU's Homecoming on Oct. 29th thru 30th. We'll be flying in at midnight on the 28th and then getting up early for some of the festivities at SWU that day. That afternoon I'll be playing in the Alumni softball game. So, if anyone is interested in coming out to watch a bunch of old athletes acting like they still have "it" (whatever "it" is) then we'll be playing at 1 pm on SWU's softball field. Check www.swu.edu for directions. It should be a good weekend and if I can walk after the game then I'll be up to going out to eat or hanging out that Sat. night. Our flight leave at 7:30pm from Atlanta that Sunday night so if anyone wants to hand out on Sunday let me know so I can make sure my driver (Kori) is available. Hope to see as many people as I can since it has been a long time!

Wilson and Tiff are alive!

2005-10-13T10:40:00.000-05:00

Just wanted ya'll to know that I talked to Wilson and Tiff and they are still in Florence. Ed, the number you gave me was right... Thanks. Wilson is working at a chemical plant and Tiff is working in marketing. Wilson is applying for dental school in Greensboro, NC (I believe) and at MUSC in Charleston. He is patiently awaiting his acceptance letters. Just thought ya'll like to know that they are alive and kicking. If you want contact info for them then email me and I'll give it to ya.

A story about 2 friends

2005-09-27T16:02:00.000-05:00

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books.
I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives." He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face.
It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now.
I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books.
He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.
Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.
I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!"
He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college.
Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.
Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd.
He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak.
Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.
He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous.
Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends... I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story..." I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later, and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way.

Yeah! Yeah!

2005-09-19T09:22:00.000-05:00

Well, I passed my licensure exam! I'm a licensed physical therapist now!! I now get letters behind my name! I'm so excited! I found out Thursday while in Austin, TX at a conference for work. I called my mom and asked her if she had checked the mail. She said that there was a big tan envelope in the mail with my name (this is good news, a certified letter would be bad news). I said,"Yeah!" But then I thought it might be something else, so I asked her what it said in the top left corner and she said she didn't know but that she opened it and there was a tan certificate with my name on it (my license)! Yeah! It's so awesome how God truly gives you the desires of your heart. He never let me down and carried me through all of the hard times. Thank you, God! Yeah, I know I did the studying, but I would have to say that during the exam, I was the clearest of mind that I have ever been during a test. Thank you for those that prayed for me!

Just a little update... work is great! I'm getting into the swing of things. I plan on starting to work on my Orthopedic Certified Specialization now that I have my license. I'm now beginning to plan Chris and my wedding. We set a date for Aug. 12, 2006 in Red Oak, TX (just south of Dallas) so I have a lot to do until then.

Working Woman!

2005-08-30T16:18:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I started working Aug 1st and I'm taking my licensure exam Sept 6th so I've been pretty busy. Between healing patients and sending them on their way and studying, life has been hectic. No wedding planning here yet. My new catch phrase is,"Not until after the test." I can't say that much longer, but it works for now. Basically, I'm in need of major prayers for the test, espically at 1:00 pm (CS) on Sept. 6th.

My job is great!! I really love it! It's definately been worth all the hard work. I'll have more time to write after I take the test. Don't forget the prayers... I really need them!

15 Things You Probably Never Knew or Thought About

2005-08-11T10:34:00.000-05:00

1. At least 5 people in this world love you so much they would die for you.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. If not for you, someone may not be living.
8. You are special and unique!
9. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
10. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
11. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look: you most likely turned your back on the world.
12. When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you probably won't get it, but if you believe in yourself,probably, sooner or later, you will get it.
13. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.
14. Always tell someone how you feel about them; you will feel much better when they know. 15. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are great.

A Minute: They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.
Take the time ... to live and love.

Me as a Physical Therapist

2005-08-07T13:10:00.000-05:00

My first week of work has gone great! I still love my job! Ha, ha. Seriously, everything is going good. I'm studying for my licensure exam and I need major prayers concerning that. I take my exam on September 6th, so I have less than a month away now. I'm putting off any wedding planning stuff till after the test. Also, it looks like a house for me to rent might have dropped into my lap. One of the ladies I work with is moving out of her house and the landlord is still going to want to rent it. I go on Monday to look at it and see if it's what I want. So far it sounds really great. The nice thing about this is I didn't really have to go looking at a ton of houses.

2005-07-30T17:59:00.000-05:00

Us at the Grand Canyon!

Good News!

2005-07-30T17:40:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I've written because I finished up school the first week in July and then I've been off vacationing ever since. Chris and I spent a week in Galveston, TX with his family. We were planning on going to Destin but the hurricane hit. That's why I never made it to SC. I'll be out there for SWU's Homecoming the last weekend in October 2005.

We also spent a week with my sister in San Diego, CA. We drove out there and stopped at the Grand Canyon on the way out. We only spent about an hour but it's amazing!!! So beautiful and huge! Pictures just don't do it justice. We had a lot of fun in CA. On Tuesday, July 26th Chris proposed to me and I said yes! I was totally surprised and had no idea what he was doing until he went down on one knee! I didn't know he even had a ring! The funny thing was that my sister and I took him to look at some rings a few days before. He did a great job! Just how I wanted it... to be totally surprised.

Proposal Story
For those of you who are dying to know how he did it, here's the story....

My sister and her husband and kids, and Chris and I all went to eat lunch. Chris rode with Geno (my brother-in-law) home while my sister and I stopped by the mall. We got back to the apartment and I sat down on the couch while my sister put the kids down for a nap. Chris was sitting next to me and Geno was getting ready for work. Geno asked me to lean over the side of the couch and look for his name tag. I did but didn't see anything. He asked me if I was sure, so I looked again, and still no tag. Finally, my sister sat down on the other couch next to Geno. Geno looked at me and asked me if I heard Quentin (my nephew) crying and I stopped to listen. Chris stood up with his back to me and turned off the tv, so I was looking at him confused because I was watching Bad News Bears and was really into it. Then he turned around and I was looking at his face with a confused look. He was smiling. Then he got down on one knee! I went totally red in the face and my jaw dropped. Yes, I started crying a little bit too. He said, "I love you so much. I am serious about being with you forever. Will you marry me?" I said, "Of course I will!" It was awesome! He picked out the ring mostly by himself with the approval of his parents. It is a georgous ring!! Yes, it's platinum! So, there's my good news! We're looking at having the wedding sometime late July to the end of Sept. 2006.

2005-07-30T17:40:00.000-05:00

On my hand! It's big!

2005-07-30T17:39:00.000-05:00

:-)

2005-07-15T18:38:00.000-05:00

Quite an image. This is Noelle, talk about feeling small.

Pray for Noelle!

2005-07-15T18:01:00.000-05:00

Many of you don't know Noelle, but I had the pleasure of rooming with her when I went to school at SWU. Noelle is an amazing young woman with a huge heart for God and the mission field. She has spent the last year living in Cambodia working with World Hope International to build a safe place for girls from prostitution. Here is the current email she has sent:

"I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.......peace, peace to those far and near," says the Lord, "And I will heal them." Isaiah 57:15 & 19

Our God lives in a high place yet He has chosen to make His dwelling in the lives of those who are lowly and broken in spirit. God is with us, and this truth has become more evident to me in the past few months as I've watched the assessment center grow from a thought, to a prayer, to reality. It seems that we barely breathe a prayer before it is answered. I am now seeing the faces of the little ones we've been praying for since before my time in Cambodia even began. The Lord is very near to these girls and His hand is upon them. I have a vision for their lives and I know for sure that God has a plan for each of my little sisters.

My heart breaks when I hear the stories of these victims that have endured things my mind cannot even conceive. I have delayed in writing you because I don't know how to convey to you what I am seeing and hearing each day. These girls are precious and they each have deep wounds. We now have 7 young girls at our center. We are working around the clock to investigate family situations, set up doctors appointments, meetings with the lawyers, and conduct our assessments and therapy. Meanwhile the center is full of activity. We've hired an artist to come and help the children paint the white concrete walls that surround the center. She has done an amazing job. We have a teacher that comes to the center twice a week to teach Khmer reading and writing, English, math and science. They have sewing classes and special drama activities once a week to help the children express themselves through drama. There is also a lovely dance teacher that is helping them learn Khmer traditional dancing to songs like, "The Lord's Prayer."

The girls have initiated prayer from the very beginning.They admit that they prayed to the one true God for help while they were still in the brothel. They all are familiar with the name of Jesus. Three of our girls have professed that Jesus is the true God. We bought some Christian DVDs in the Khmer language and the girls were amazed at the character of Christ. They all began to talk and ask about Him. I had the opportunity last week to share the plan of salvation with the girls and answer some of their questions about why He had to die on the cross and the importance of the resurrection. They asked me questions like, "who are the other two men on the cross next to Jesus in all the pictures? did they rise from the dead also?" and "Who created God? When was His beginning?" I find they absorb God's word like sponges, and are so eager to learn more. They've already begun memorizing scripture and I almost always hear praise songs coming from their mouths while they play. They are so responsive to the Love of Christ and the love of God they see in the lives of the housemothers and counselors here. I am so amazed. None of us expected these girls to cry out to God like they have, but God heard them crying long before we ever knew about them. He is so near. When one of the housemothers was sick, one of our little girls immediately began to pray over her. When the girls were asked to draw a picture of how they see themselves in the future, one child drew herself in heaven with Jesus. They are full of love and life. They shower me with hugs and kisses as soon as I arrive. I most enjoy playing pick-up-sticks and connect four with the girls teaching them English words while they teach me Vietnamese or Khmer. They are each a blessing from God! But these precious ones have been cursed with hurts and wounds so deep. The stories are too numerous and heart wrenching to recite, but I say all of this to urge you to pray with broken hearts for these little ones. God is with us and I know He desires to set these oppressed children free but the enemy is attacking as always. The children battle nightmares and often feel as if they are reliving the trauma even though they are now in a safe environment. They desire more than anything to return to their families even though they realize they are not safe with their families. Often we've found that the families of these children are abusive and the children are at great risk of being resold into sex slavery if they return home. Pray that they will begin to let go of their old lives and the only families they've known, in exchange for a new family that will love them and truly care for them. Our staff has been attacked with this and that as well. At times we find ourselves afraid of the brothel owners and pimps that seem to be on our tails. We know that God has not given us a spirit of fear so we meet every morning to pray against fear, discouragement and burnout. We fight these battles with prayer and God is so faithful!

I led a group therapy session today. After we finished I explained to the girls that I would be returning to the USA in two weeks. I didn't expect it to be so hard. The girls all began to cry. I did all I could to hold back my tears, but I didn't have the strength. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I looked into their big brown eyes to tell them that I prayed for them before I knew them and that I would never ever forget them. One girl said that she wanted me to be her her real sister (they all call me "Bong," which means "older sister"). I assured her that we were most definitely sisters. Two of the children asked to come to America with me. I know that these girls have not had much consistency in their lives and today I felt as if I was stirring up their emotions and making life so much more difficult for them and less stable. I don't want to leave. I don't want to say goodbye, but I know God is leading me to further my education in counseling so that I can be better equipped to work with these children. Please pray for us all. Pray that God will help me to find closure here and that the girls will not feel abandoned. They have many housemothers that love them dearly. However, they've endured such hardship that even the thought of someone they love leaving them can create such deep pain.

I will return to the States on July 28. It is difficult to explain what I'm feeling. My heart feels split in two. On the one hand, I'm excited to see friends and family that I've missed terribly. On the other, there is a great loss that I will face when I leave. Today was my last day of teaching English. I love my students. They are also a blessing to me. As difficult as teaching English has been for me, I praise God for this opportunity. My students are awesome! I have learned more from teaching them than they have learned from being taught by me. Pray for each student as they desire to serve the Lord in whatever capacity they can. Pray that God will provide for their financial needs and their families' financial needs so they can continue their study at the Bible Institute. In this culture, often it's the children that support and provide for the family. Pray for me as I prepare to return home. I feel a great sense of loss as I leave my friends and family here in Cambodia. Pray that the Lord will make it a smooth transition for me from this culture to life and culture back home.

I will be attending Wheaton College beginning August 22 this year. Therefore, I will have a very short amount of time home before heading off to school. Pray that the Lord would prepare the way and the next steps for me. I hope to be able to meet with all of you before moving to the Chicago area. You have been an extremely important part of this ministry. I don't know if I would have made it the whole time here without your prayers and continued encouragement. Thank you for all that you do! May the Lord be very near to you today and bless you with reminders of His love as you seek and serve Him wherever you are!

Much love,

Noelle

My prayer for Noelle:
Dear Lord,
I praise You for all of Your blessings! All of the blessings you have poured on me and those I love. I lift Noelle up to you now, Lord, as her time is nearing its end in Cambodia. I lift up all of the children and women that she has reached for You while she has been in Cambodia. Continue to work in their lives and to pour Your many blessings on them. I pray Lord that they would follow Your will and they would be used for Your glory. I pray Lord that You would help them to let go of their old lives and the only families that they have ever known, for a new future and a new family. I pray that You would bless their growth with their new families and new in their new life. I pray Lord that the girls will find closure and peace and that they would not feel abandoned. I pray Lord for all of those involved with the beginning and present program there in Cambodia. I pray for their strength, wisdom, and direction. I pray Lord for each student as they continue their studies. Provide means for them and their family so they may continue to study at the Bible Institute. Bless their paths in You. I pray for Noelle as she makes her journey home. Give her guidance, strength, and peace. May the transition between cultures be smooth. Prepare a way for her as she comes home. I praise You for all You do, and all You're going to do! Thank you Lord that I am able to be a part of this and to witness this. In Your precious name I pray~ Amen~

Please look at Noelle's website. I encourage you to let her know you are praying for her by leaving comments on her page.

Last Day!

2005-07-07T15:06:00.000-05:00

Today is my last day of PT school! I am officially done!! What a great feeling!! I looked at one of the good friends I've made while I was here and said, "We're done! Finally, finished!" It's only hitting me that I will not sit next to these people in class ever again (not all of us as a whole anyways). I will not have to take another test here unless it's by choice. This is just an amazing feeling! Thank you GOD!

Last 3 Days

2005-07-05T18:51:00.000-05:00

I'm in my last 3 days of school. "Thought you already graduated!" you might say. Well, I finished up with my last internship on Friday. This week we're just wrapping things up and preparing for the real world. The teachers call it "debriefing"... we call it "wrap up week". Thursday is my final and offical last day. You can imagine how excited I am. Then it's off to Florida on Saturday with my boyfriend, Chris's, family. There I will enjoy the beach and sun! I was planning on driving up to SC for a couple of days, but it's not going to work out since Chris's parents want to take us to see the shuttle take off at Cape Kennedy on the 13th. That kind of splits the week up and it wouldn't be worth driving all the way up there for only a few hours. Never fever, I'll be in SC the last weekend of October for SWU's Homecoming and Softball Alumni Game. That's the quick up date on me. Just preparing to soak up some sun.

By the way... I posted some somewhat crude but funny baby pics on my cartoons blog if you want to check them out.

The Big 2 5

2005-06-22T22:02:00.000-05:00

I'm not usually the one to tell everyone about my birthday, but I thought this year was important. Sunday, the 19th, was Father's Day and in Texas it is celebrated by African Americans because it is the day Texas heard about the freedom of the slaves. The 19th is also my birthday. Yep I turned 25. Getting old... Not really but this is the oldest I have been. I think turning 25 bothers most people because they think of it as turning a 1/4 of a century old. It didn't bother me because I've come with the grips several years earlier that I've already lived 1/4 of my life (God help me I don't live to be 100). That might sound bad, but having to work in a hospital has really made me realize how hard it can be to get old. Anyways, I just thought I'd share my birthday with ya'll even if it is a little late.

A Message from Noelle!

2005-06-13T21:18:00.000-05:00

First I want to say thank you for your prayers! God is good! I appreciate all of your prayers and encouraging emails. I know that's what is sustaining me. I've heard some really bad stories of typhoid and how life can basically be put on hold for months at a time. That has not been the case with me. I did not work last week, but by Monday morning I was up and ready to go to work. I went to the doctor again and she told me the typhoid would be in my system for a while. I think she was a bit surprised that my symptoms had subsided so quickly. I wasn't surprised. I expected to work on Monday and I knew you were praying for me. She urged me to be careful because relapse can occur with typhoid and I might feel exhausted easily for quite some time.

I spent my Monday at the Assessment Center property. Our staff worked hard to get the house ready for children. We pulled weeds, painted walls and shopped for supplies. By the end of the day I was exhausted. A rescue took place at a local brothel on Monday night. We prayed for the young girls Tuesday morning and Tuesday evening after spending the night in the police station, three young girls were brought to our center. We were not expecting to open this soon but these girls needed a safe place and we would not close our doors. I praise God for each of these girls. I love them so much! I can see that God's hand is upon them. Due to the sensitivity of their situation and in order to protect their identity I cannot give you any more details about the girls. Please pray for them and for our staff also. This has been a challenge for us all emotionally. We are working long hours each day in order to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of these children. Our hearts break when we hear their stories. Please pray for the protection of the children- that no one would try to escape, and that the location of our center would remain anonymous so that none of the girls would be found and retrafficked. Please pray that our staff would be full of wisdom and discernment. Pray that no harm will come to the staff or their families. When you pray, God moves in power so please keep praying. You have poured out requests on my behalf and God has honored them. Now I pray that God will break your hearts for these girls and the many others who are still hidden away traumatized and tortured day and night. Pray that our God would set these captives free and bring them into safety. Leviticus 19:29 says, "Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness." Pray that God would remove the curse on this land and that the slavery would be brought to an end. Each of these children knew the name of Jesus well and had visited a church before they were trafficked. They prayed together the first night they were brought to us. I pray that none of the girls that come to our center would be lost, but that all would come to know Jesus, and understand the power and love that is in Him. Thank you again for your prayers and encouragement.

Blessings,

Noelle

"The spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,"

PS- could you also pray for my strength and energy. I find that I do get very tired easily now but I no longer have any other symptoms from the typhoid. Pray that I do not get sick again. Thank you.

2005-05-31T18:55:00.000-05:00

My brother-in-laws first time to Texas, so we had to show him the ropes or how to ride the tractor... which ever came first.

An Event FULL Weekend!

2005-05-31T18:44:00.000-05:00

This weekend was full of exciting and memory making moments. My sister Julie, her husband Geno, and my nephews Quentin and Nikadian flew in on Thursday for my brother Aaron's high school graduation. Thursday night we went to eat with my grandfather Fr. Jim and his wife Mary. They hadn't gotten to meet Geno, Nikadian, or Chris yet, so we thought this would be a perfect time.

A little background history... Fr. Jim was the man my grandmother was married to when she died. This was Geno's first trip to Texas. He was born in North Carolina, but is "from" Baltimore, and now lives in San Diego. Geno and my sister got married in Dec. and had my beautiful nephew Nikadian in January.

On Friday we all drove to East Texas, more specifically Pittsburg, Tx, to watch my brother Aaron graduate. He was the class president this year. We all had a great time yelling for him and posing for the camera afterwards.

On Saturday we got together with my mom's cousins and my cousin's. We had a really great time talking about my grandmother and her siblings. It was a great time to share in pictures and memories!

On Sunday we spent time with my dad and then with my mom. Overall, it was an awesome weekend! Sorry to post so many pictures, but I took so many and I wanted to show off my family whom I love and adore! Hope you enjoy!!

2005-05-31T18:42:00.000-05:00

Quentin blowing on Nikadian's tummy. He loves being a big brother!

2005-05-31T18:41:00.001-05:00

Chris and me... the happy couple.

2005-05-31T18:41:00.000-05:00

Julie and Aaron... what a duo!

2005-05-31T18:40:00.000-05:00

Those of us that were present for the picture: Julie Tossey Gray, Pat Anders, Morrison "Geno" Gray, Aaron Tossey, Melissa Campbell Fruscella, Steve Fruscella, Mhonta Fruscella, Laura Tossey, (second row) Gretta Gibson, Danielle St. John, Quentin Jackson, Heather St. John, Nikadian Gray, Carolyn Gibson Anders

2005-05-31T18:37:00.000-05:00

Danielle, Julie, and Heather holding Nikadian.

2005-05-31T18:35:00.000-05:00

Everyone watching Quentin have a blast playing in the water puddle.

2005-05-31T18:34:00.000-05:00

Nikadian at the family reunion on Saturday.

2005-05-31T18:33:00.000-05:00

Aaron with Quentin... boy, Quentin always has a blast with his Uncle Aaron!

2005-05-31T18:32:00.000-05:00

The men of the family... Geno, Aaron, Chris, and Dad

2005-05-31T18:31:00.000-05:00

The Tosseys! Quentin, Me, Dad, Aaron, Mom, Nikadian, & Julie... we're a cheesy bunch!

2005-05-31T18:30:00.000-05:00

The most enthusiastic clapper of the day!

2005-05-31T18:29:00.000-05:00

Class of 2022 representing!

2005-05-31T18:28:00.000-05:00

Geno, Nikadian, Julie, Quentin, Laura, Chris, Fr. Jim, & Mary

Memorial Day Weekend

2005-05-30T23:03:00.000-05:00

Just a sneak preview... I had an awesome weekend with the family and will share it with ya'll (pics and all) tomorrow!

The End of the Season?

2005-05-24T21:45:00.000-05:00

As the end of May approaches I am constantly reminded about how this time of the year is the end of a "season". You may ask "End of a season? What are you talking about?". Well, graduations are taking place at colleges, universities, and high schools all over the country. I just graduated from grad school and in a way I feel like it's the end of a season of my life. My favorite tv shows are having their season finales. What will I watch all summer? Maybe this topic seems really weird, but my heart is partly sad because I am saying goodbye to what's left of my "childhood". I'm saying goodbye to the part of my life where irresponsibility used to live and where decisions I made did not seem to permanently affect me. I am beginning life in the "working world"... the grown up world. I know that I'm not going to give up my childish ways over night and I will still have my "childish" days, but this is the beginning of the end of all of that. I guess my mind has been thinking back on my days at SWU... the fun I had and the awesome experience college was!! I miss those days. There are people that I left behind in SC that I deeply miss. In my heart I really want to move back to SC... move back to those friends and that life. For some reason it seemed easier, but in reality I guess it wasn't any easier. You may ask, "What of your friends in Tx?" Well, most of the people I'm really close to here in Tx I've known since middle school. I moved to SC before and we're still friends now. Even some of them have ventured away from Tx. I don't know... maybe I'm being silly. I know that God brought me home to Tx for many reasons. Too many to count, but I long to return to SC. Maybe this time of year reminds me how I really found who I was in SC. I moved there not knowing anyone after growing up in a small town in Tx where everyone assumed they knew you... even if they didn't. Moving to a place where no one knows you can be very refreshing because you can start new a be the real you. I guess I send this blog to all my SC friends so they know I have not forgotten them. I still long to be there hanging out with ya'll!

2005-05-22T22:37:00.000-05:00

Noelle in Cambodia

2005-05-22T10:58:00.000-05:00

One of my roommates from SWU, Noelle, is in Cambodia right now. At the end of her trip she will have been there 1 year teaching English classes at a Bible college and working with World Hope International to help stop child trafficking. She has been helping to provide a safe place for young girls to go when they've been exploited. She sent me an email asking for prayer and I want to share that email with you. If you know her or not pray for her and their efforts in Cambodia. So, here is her email asking for prayer:

Please pray for me. I am having a hard time. I can see the end. I will be returning home on July 28 and heading to graduate school at Wheaton in Illinois in mid August. As the end approaches it's hard for me to see beyond the "I wish I had done this or that differently." I can't see the fruit of my labor and I wonder if I've been a blessing or a burden. I realize that this is a common feeling that people face when one season in life finishes and another is about to begin. I am already beginning to feel the loss of leaving Cambodia. I don't want to leave. The work is not finished. It will be hard for me to return home and leave all the people who have become some of my dearest friends. I struggled with the decision of staying longer or coming home, but felt that the Lord was opening a door for me to walk through at Wheaton. I will pursue a master's degree in Clinical Psychology. The Psychologist at the World Hope Assessment Center has already asked for me to come back during my summers and intern under her. Hopefully this will be possible.

The Assessment Center is well on it's way. We have been interviewing and hiring staff over the past few months. We now have a vehicle to transport staff and the girls. We have hired four housemothers (we will eventually need at least two more), a cook, two helpers, a counselor (we need one more), a guard (we'll need a few more) a psychologist and two volunteers. We still need a safe driver to drive the girls to the center when they are first rescued, social worker and a housecleaner for our facilities. We will be training staff for the next few weeks and hopefully we can open our center for children shortly after training. I am leading three training sessions this week for our caregiving staff. Please pray that God will be with the translation and comprehension of it all. We have a location for the center. The maintenance work should be complete this week. We hope to begin painting pleasant scenery on the walls and filling the rooms with toys and fun things very soon. I am most excited about decorating this center for children. Fruit trees line the back yard, and hopefully animals will soon graze our land. We have lots of vegetable seeds for the children and teens to plant in our vegetable garden. Pray that the girls will sense the peace of God when they enter our property. Pray that they will not escape or be lured outside of our high walls. I will let you know when the first rescue takes place and children are brought to our center. Pray for our staff. We are all feeling the attacks of Satan as we begin this fight against one of the highest forms of organized crime in this country (child trafficking). Pray that we will be united. We know that this battle is not against flesh and blood so we begin each morning with prayer for each other and for the young girls that are hidden somewhere in the darkness. This is the first center of it's kind in the world. There are many homes for young girls, but our center is like the emergency room. It is a transition from brothel to long term aftercare. We specialize in mental and physical healthcare of the child. We will be granted legal custody of the child until the court decides if the child can return to the home. We will do family investigations and work with local foster homes and orphanages to determine where the child should be relocated. Pray that God will grant us wisdom. We suspect that a child will not stay with us longer than two months before being sent to a medium or long-term care facility. We have a short time to help stabilize the child and show them love. World Hope offers just a small part in the healing process. Our aim is that no child be retrafficked. Please pray for our partnering organizations (those that offer long-term care) that will be most influential in each child's recovery.

I have been so busy with the assessment center so the missionaries at the Bible college allowed me to drop two of my English classes. Another staff member is teaching those classes and I am continuing to teach my level three class. This has given me much more time to work with the assessment center.

A team from Southern Wesleyan University (my alma mater) will be arriving in Cambodia on Thursday, May 19. They will leave the States on Tuesday, May 17 and depart from Cambodia to return home on May 31. Please pray for their safety as they travel. The team consists of five college aged girls and one team leader. I have been busy planning for these girls. Pray that God will use this experience to inspire, grow and change them that they may be better instruments for His service. I am so excited about their arrival. We have a busy 11 days ahead. The girls will visit a Wat (Buddhist temple), prayer walk around the brothel areas in town, ride an elephant, visit a women's development center that cares for girls at risk or are victims of sexual exploitation and/or abuse, take a boat ride to a nearby village, teach classes at the Bible college, lead chapel services, lead the service at a house church, prayerwalk around the assessment center, minister to street families, train our staff in hygiene, shop in the markets, visit the killing fields and genocide museum, see the palace and much more. They will be exhausted by the end, but hopefully they will develop a burning in their hearts for the people of Cambodia. They will probably never forget the faces of those lives they will touch and who in turn will touch them. Pray for this team, and for me as I attempt to lead them.

I need your prayers. I have been feeling so flat and overwhelmed lately. One of my friends and prayer partners asked me how long it had been since I last sent a prayer update. I realized it had been too long. I can feel it when you pray. I wake up refreshed and renewed as if I had just returned from a long vacation. Thank you for the battles you fight for me! You are dear to me, I can't wait to meet with you all when I return. God bless you!

In His shade,

Noelle

"The Lord watches over you- the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life."
Psalm 121:5-7

Thank you for your support for Noelle, even if it's just in thought.

Graduated!

2005-05-18T22:05:00.000-05:00

Here are the pictures you've all been waiting for! It was tons of fun to wear the hood!

Chris and me. Aren't we a good looking couple?

2005-05-18T22:04:00.000-05:00

Isn't the hood awesome? I thought it was one of the coolest parts of graduating with my Masters!

2005-05-18T22:02:00.000-05:00

Me and my parents.

2005-05-18T22:01:00.000-05:00

Me after graduation posing for the camera.

2005-05-17T17:47:00.000-05:00

3 of my favorite boys!!! My nephews Jaelyn, Nikadian, Quentin.

Graduated!

2005-05-15T22:06:00.000-05:00

Well, it's over... I finally graduated. My parents and my boyfriend's parents put together a cook out for me yesterday evening. We had a really good time! I have 7 weeks left in my last internship and that's it. Except of course for the licensure exam. I'm finished the end of the first full week in July. I start working at CORE in Longview, Tx on August 1st. So, here I am, almost at the complete end of a long journey, and it feels great! I'll post pictures later this week.

Aaron Tossey

2005-05-12T17:35:00.001-05:00

I'm so very proud of my brother! He's incrediably smart and athletic. Not only that, but he plays the sax and is awesome at it. He's a mormon which has been weird to think about. I don't agree with a lot of what mormons believe, but I know that he is seeking God. Does that sound crazy? My sister and I witnessed to him when he was 10 or 11, but it's hard to comprehend God at that age. He was mostly concerned with building forts and getting dirty. Despite the fact that I don't believe most of what he believes I still love him very much. I have faith that God will lead him where His will wants him to go.

I mainly just wanted to show off his pictures and what a handsome stud he is!

To think... he used to fit in my arms.

2005-05-12T17:35:00.000-05:00

He's been accepted to the University of Utah.

2005-05-12T17:34:00.001-05:00

He played varsity football and basketball.

2005-05-12T17:34:00.000-05:00

He's the senior class president!

2005-05-12T17:33:00.001-05:00

He's 6'4"!

2005-05-12T17:33:00.000-05:00

Here's my good looking 18 year old brother. He's about to graduate high school in a few weeks.

It's Over!

2005-05-06T21:02:00.000-05:00

I would like to brag to all that I will be graduating from Texas Woman's University with a Masters of Science in Physical Therapy a week from Saturday!!! I am officially done with all of my school work and only have one internship until it's all officially over in July. It's been a long hard road full of learning, testing, and studying. Don't get me wrong, it's been totally worth it! Soon I will begin working as a Physical Therapist. This is my "calling". Some people are "called" to be ministers, God has "called" me to be a PT. It's so very exciting to finally meet that road. I can't wait for the PT road I'm about to embark on.

P.S. All monetary gifts as graduation presents can be mailed to my home address. :-)~

Trip to Austin

2005-04-29T19:00:00.000-05:00

Me & Heather Shea

A few weeks ago I went to Austin (Capitol of Texas) to meet with my Senator and Representative concerning some bills that have an influence on Physical Therapists. It was a great trip! I learned a lot about the legal process and how much influence you can have on the "big cheeses" if you just take the time.

While I was there I got to see my 2 cousins whom I haven't seen in almost 2 years. Despite the distance when we were growing up my Nanny made sure we got to spend time with "the cousins". We're pretty close even if we don't get to see each other. I just wanted to share some pics with ya'll so ya'll could see how beautiful they are. Danielle just turned 21 ( I think) and Heather just turned 19.

2005-04-29T18:59:00.001-05:00

Dani & me

2005-04-29T18:59:00.000-05:00

Johnny (Danielle's boyfriend), Heather, & Danielle.

2005-04-29T18:58:00.001-05:00

Heather and Danielle

2005-04-29T18:58:00.000-05:00

Danielle, Me, & Heather.

2005-04-29T18:52:00.000-05:00

Here's what my award looks like. Cool, huh? It's so shiny!

Sorry for the glare.

Research Day!

2005-04-28T22:39:00.000-05:00

Today was Research Day. For a little background, the second year graduate students have to perform a research assignment. We have at least one advisor to oversee the research. I had 2 partners and mine research was on The Effectiveness of Two Physical Therapy Internventions for Increasing Pectoralis Minor Length. Ultimately we were looking at "bad" posture and the contribution of pect. minor length in playing a part. It was a really cool research project and we got some good results, even if they weren't exactly what we thought they would be. My group was 1 out of 8 that had to do a platform presentation. We had to present last... right before lunch. There were also about 12 poster presentations afterwards. 3 people are picked to judge the presentations and vote on the best from each section. This year one faculty (with no interest in a particular study), on physical therapist from a nearby clinic, and our Dean of Health Sciences who resides on the Houston campus, were the judges. The 2 best then get their name on a plaque at the school that has predecessors from the last few years on it. As I had published before, this was very time consuming and a lot of hard work. Well, my group won the platform presentation award! This year a nearby clinic (same mentioned above) Concentra gave a $100 award to each group and a group plaque (separate from the one at the school). I did not expect to win the award even though a few people had told us afterwards that they thought we would. One of our advisors had also told us previously that she thought we had a good chance. This not only makes us look good (and is a great honor), but it makes our advisors look good even though they were just there for the basic guidance and we did all of the brunt work.

Anyways, I'm real excited about the award and thought that it was really cool how our hard work was acknowledged. I thought everyone did an awesome job and I'm sure it was hard to choose the best one. Just thought I'd share my excitement!

Published...

2005-04-27T16:41:00.000-05:00

I know that I haven't really posted anything about me lately, just neat emails I received. Life has been fairly hectic, as usual, especially as I prepare to present my research information tomorrow. I'm really excited about presenting because our research (my 2 partners and 2 advisors) had significant findings. For those of you who know nothing about research, significant means that the findings were attributed to true change and not measurement error... something like that. (If anyone has a better definition, please share.) We may have actually identified a better tool for measuring pectoralis minor length than the one previously used as well. I know this sounds boring to all you non-nerdy non-scientist people. The really cool thing is that we'll probably get published!! That you'll probably understand. There's still the writing of the article, which will take some work, but it'll be worth all the hard work and time I put into this.

Do you feel like you're in the fire?

2005-04-23T11:05:00.000-05:00

Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at the next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

Another cool email I got that really hit home for me. Some encouragement for those that feel like they're in the fire.

Drowning!

2005-04-20T15:35:00.000-05:00

I know some of you are not in school right now, but I'm sure you have pressing deadlines that make you feel like you are drowning at times. This is my feeling right now. I thought this semester was going to be laid back with a few assignments, but it's getting down to the nitty gritty right now. All of my classes (5), except one, requires at least one presentation and I also have to present on my research project in front of faculity, staff, students, and other health care professionals. And of course 4 of them are in the last 2 weeks of school. Not to mention every paper and piddly assignment... which I did get a head start on, Thank God!! So, for those of you who feel like me, I sympathize... and those that don't, count yourself lucky and say a prayer for me so I'll maintain my sanity.

The Lord's Baseball Game

2005-04-18T13:42:00.000-05:00

Freddy and the Lord stood by to observe a baseball game. The Lord's team was playing Satan's team. The Lord's team was at bat, the score was tied zero to zero, and it was the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs. They continued to watch as a batter stepped up to the plate named 'Love.' Love swung at the first pitch and hit a single, because "Love never fails."

The next batter was named Faith, who also got a single because Faith works with Love.

The next batter up was named Godly Wisdom. Satan wound up and threw the first pitch Godly Wisdom looked it over and let it pass: Ball one. Three more pitches and Godly Wisdom walked because he never swings at what Satan throws.

The bases were now loaded. The Lord then turned to Freddy and told him He was now going to bring in His starplayer. Up to the plate stepped Grace. Freddy said, "He sure doesn't look like much!"

Satan's whole team relaxed when they saw Grace. Thinking he had won the game, Satan wound up and fired his first pitch. To the shock of everyone, Grace hit the ball harder than anyone had ever seen! But Satan was not worried; his center fielder let very few get by. He went up for the ball, but it went right through his glove, hit him on the head and sent him crashing on the round;
the roaring crowds went wild as the ball continued over the fence . . . for a home run!

The Lord's team won!

The Lord then asked Freddy if he knew why Love, Faith and Godly Wisdom could get on base but couldn't win the game. Freddy answered that he didn't know why. The Lord explained, "If your love, faith and wisdom had won the game, you would think you had done it by yourself. Love, Faith and Wisdom will get you on base but only My Grace can get you Home:

'For by Grace are you saved, it is a gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

Psalm 84:11,"For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly."

A cute email I received today... Thought I'd share it.

Me & Science

2005-04-16T17:01:00.000-05:00

I love science! I'm not sure how it happened, but it's some inate quality that I have. I remember saving $50 when I was 10 so I could buy a microscope. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it, but when I got it I "experimented" with it and even made my own slides. Through my studies in high school, at SWU, and TWU I have learned so many things about science, the human body, and life. The more I learn the more I know that God is. Everything about life points to Him. One of my professors from SWU, Dr. Labar, wrote a blog about Scriptural Principles that Relate to Science that really impressed me. The fourth (God is revealed to us through nature) and fifth (God is a God of order) principles were of special significance to me because it's one that many scientists miss. The world, and the human body for that matter, are so complex. How can a "scientist" state that all of this happened by chance? When taking Human Gross Anataomy it amazed me how there could be slight differences in which artery/nerve branched off where, but yet the human body still works. Is this chance? I think not. Maybe I am only aware of God in science because I first believed in Him, and then in science.

Cartoons

2005-04-14T22:14:00.000-05:00

Check out some funny cartoons! More to come...

Another Week

2005-04-08T17:10:00.000-05:00

Well, I've made it through another week of school! I don't have much longer until I'll be out in the "real world" working. My mom has also made it through her 4th week of radiation... she has 2 left. Despite the uncomfortable complications that have been involved with her radiation treatment (her mouth blistered up pretty bad) the cancer is dying quickly and her sores are beginning to heal. Please continue to keep her in your prayers. (For those that want more explianation look at my post Murphy's Law, March 07th).

My school work seems to be busy work and there's tons of group projects. I barely have class at all which is very deceiving but have tons to do. Motivation has not exactly been my strong point lately, because I do like sleeping in. It's going to kick my but come May when I start my next internship and have to get up at 5:30 am. Other than that everything else has been awesome. God has really blessed me!

A Different Life

2005-04-06T11:18:00.000-05:00

I was watching a rerun of a once favorite show of mine Dawson's Creek. Today's story was about how the lead girl and the lead guy were saying bye to each other because they were both leaving home to go their separate ways. While they loved each other, were once a couple, but have always been and still are best friends saying goodbye was the hardest things they had ever done. The next episode was the next time they saw each other when he surprise visited her at college... which by the way rarely happens in real life. Anyways, this show made me reflect on the past. I remember how hard it was to leave my friends, even with the anticipation of college. At the time of my starting college at SWU I was "in love" with my high school sweetheart. He was hard to leave, but it would've been worse to stay. I remember talking to my good friend Jason about high school sweethearts a few years after and he made a comment much to the effect "Who marries their high school sweetheart?" While I do have 2 friends that married their high school sweetheart the odds are still against it. I think I once heard 1 in 7. I'm not saying all of this to say that I wish that things had happened differently because I don't. I just think it's weird how that seems like a different life time or reality. You watch these shows and ask yourself "who really lives like that?" I think in one way or another we all do, even if only for a breif moment. At the time of Jason's comment I thought it was almost heartless, but looking back I know more what he meant... You don't even have a clue who you really are, what your capable of, and where you're going in high school. (Thanks for the honest input, Jason.) I guess I'm glad God had a better plan for me than I had for myself.

"How did I get on this path?"

2005-04-04T19:42:00.000-05:00

I think it is really cool when in your life journey God places in front of you the path to your dreams. Let me start from the beginning...

A few months after moving to Dallas I began to lead a life that was not Godly in nature. I am not going to go into detail, but to make a long story short I spent about a 6 months down that path, woke up one morning and asked myself "How did I get on this path?" I think this is an important question to ask yourself when you find yourself in a situation like I did. It's important to know what the first "mishap" (or sin if you like) was that led you away from your God chosen path onto a worldly path inorder to keep it from happening again. After months of analyzing and reevaluating what my goals were and what God's purpose for me is I was headed back on the right path. I say all of that to say this...

It has been a long time dream of mine to work at the Olympics as a physical therapist. For an assignment I had to visit a clinic where a PT was working out of the ordinary and then read an article about another setting. Well, the article that was the 3rd in the notebook the professor had provided was about PTs working at the Olympics. I had not forgotten that this was a dream I had, but more had thought about how undeserving I am to have this dream fulfilled. This article went into great detail about who to contact if interested, the training schedule, etc. and therefore is God reaffirming that "He will give me the desires of my heart" however pushed to the back burner or neglected it may be. It's awesome to know that I am in favor with God and that He has plans to use me and to incorporate my dreams in the path that He has chosen for me. Isn't God's forgiveness awesome!!

The Quick and Dirty

2005-03-28T14:10:00.000-06:00

Well, life has been busy. I'm used to having class 5 days a week from 8-5 and this semester I have class from 10-3 Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, a 5:30-7 class Wednesday night and usually no class on Friday. This is a nice change, but in exchange for less class we have more group projects. During all of this I am also having to meet with my partner to finish our research project to be presented in front of my professors and other Physical Therapists. I think they overload you in school so that you appreciate having that 8-5 job with little to take home. Boy, I'll be glad when I start working!

Good News!

2005-03-23T10:17:00.000-06:00

My mom is having her 8th out of 30 radiation treatments for the weird skin cancer on her nose and you can already see it shrinking!! I'm just really excited about this for her. Her dr. said that as the radiation kills the cancer her body will digest it like fats and sugars. It's really neat to already see progress!!