Highlights March, April & some of May

Yes that is snow and yes those are pretty blossoms.  Spring came but forgot to tell Winter to go away!

March snow, one last appearance of Winter.

Time to get important docs. secure and other things organized too!

My brother, Jason and his wife Bea.  They had just landed in El Paso to visit my mom and gather things that they wanted of our dad's.

April 4th marked a year at Farmer's Insurance.

Celebrated with a giant cinnamon roll.

Easter 2017!

The girls decorating eggs with shaving cream and food coloring.

I'd been home sick for a few days with a sinus infection and bronchitis.  Karlee spontaneously put in the car and said that I needed sunshine and fresh air and drove the switchbacks to Sedona.

I enjoyed the drive to Sedona with my Karlee girl!!

Our second apartment in the same complex.  We moved on the 8th of April from F9 to H9

My new view from my porch of H9.  The apartment is nice inside.  It has been renovated with new floor, new counter tops and cabinets.

Moving in May now....Karlee and I recently enjoyed a Sunday afternoon together down town for lunch a little window shopping.

My new compact front loading washer and dryer set!  They are tiny but mighty lol!

I have got to get the pedestals ordered lol

My latest try at feeling healthy and good!  Thrive!  So far so good.  Its been 8 days and I can feel the difference. I'm trying this out for 8 weeks so we shall continue to see.....and if its as awesome as they saw it is then I'm going to get you and you and you on it and loving it!

I looked into this truck that had been sitting out by where I work.  I had my eye on it for a while before I decided to give the number a call.

My Karlee girl registered for college!!! Yes this fall she is going to go to the community college and start her journey on Hotel, Restaurant Management.

Kyle's prom was last Saturday (April 29th) and asked me me take pictures of him and his friends!  I took over 200!  It was so much fun!  I will post more later and a few of him and his date.

Well I called the guy on the truck and now it sits where we live!  A 2005 Chevy crew cab silverado!  I will try to get better pictures and post later.  I'm allowing Kyle to drive it and use it, he will start a payment plan soon with me so he can eventually be the owner of it later down the line.

The back of my bumper on my car!!!! The other day an old man came into the office to pay his auto payment.  We had a nice conversation, he was telling me about how he had fallen recently and broke his ribs and that it hurt when he coughed or laughed.  His agent is down town but he said he likes to come by here because its easier to get to.  As he was leaving, he was pulling out in his 1974 Yellow Bronco and he HIT my car!!!!!! He drove away!!! Its not dented, just scrapped pretty good.

I got his contact information and called.  His wife answered the phone, I told her what happened and she was so shocked and disappointed too.  She said that she thought she had the keys hidden better and that she didn't think he should be driving any more and also says that he has Alzheimer

 too!!  I know!  Oh My!!!

She said for me to get an estimate and let them know and they would pay for  the repair.

Then this week gets even better with the hitting of my car......

I failed the insurance test again!!!  For the 4th time!!!

I know this picture is odd, I used a filter on snap chat....

The test was taken on May 4th.  Its Friday today May 5th so now you are all caught up!!

The weekend is here!!!

As far as my job, well I still have one for now.  My boss is going to look into a few things and see if I can split the test in two parts and let me take them that way.  And if not then I can still work my regular full time job until he hires a new person and then he said he could keep me on at 20 hours a week, but we both know that couldn't last because that wouldn't pay the bills....Sooooo until we find a few things I won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

May has only begun, my birthday is next Friday and then there is Mother's Day and then Memorial weekend (I plan on going to my Uncle's) and who knows what else will be going on this month....oh gosh the kids will be out of school soon for the summer......

Spring Break 2017

Its so crazy that my kids are old enough to drive to Texas without me to go visit family!!!

Thats what they did! Karlee and Kyle took turns driving my car to go visit their dad and grandparents.  I was super nervous about the whole driving thing, not so much with them driving but the other drivers out on the road.

But as you can see they made it safely there.  So proud of them, they ended up with a flat on the way, about an hour away from El Paso.  They stopped and Kyle changed the tire and off they went continuing down the road at a very slow pace.

They enjoyed time with their dad....

They got to spend time with their grandparents too....

Visit to Fort Davis!

Of course had to go to the best all natural spring fed pool in Balmorhea TX!

Back in El Paso....

Chaparral NM

They returned home safely.  I ended up with glasses!  I love them what do you think?

I missed my kids while they were gone but they had a great trip and they spent time together and got along and bonded.  That right there is worth a ton!  Makes my heart happy!

My Seventeen Year Old

Kyle turned 17 on the 23rd of February!  Crazy how much he has grown and changed!  Thursday we went out to dinner for his birthday at Buffalo Wild Wings.  His girlfriend Misty and his good friend Brandon joined us.

Karlee dared him to take a bite of the hottest, most spicy sauce on a blazin hot wing.....

Poor guy he looks like he is in pain....

He held his composure quite well but drank a ton of ice cold water waiting for the sting of the wing to subside.

This is Kyle with his girlfriend Misty.  She is very sweet and good to my boy.

Sara and her big brother!

We all had a great time celebrating Kyle's birthday!

Journals - My stories

The black covered journal was my last journal and I picked it with purpose.  I felt it was appropriate with all the changes that were going on in my life, with leaving Micah, starting over on my own, new job, grieving the loss of my dad.  I needed the Lord's strength in all that.  I have discovered that the last couple of journals I have written in have ended having a theme, like a chapter continued in my story.  It wasn't planned....at least by me but worked out that way.

This journal with the pink cover speaks volumes of where I'm at in my life right now and the best thing is that a very dear friend gave it to me.  She may have picked it with purpose or the Lord lead her to give me that journal as a Christmas gift but either way it was and is the next theme, or chapter in my life.  I don't know what is in store for myself and my family.  I know what I think needs to happen or would like to happen but really the Lord has the plan and really that is a blessing.

I haven't written here on my blog in awhile or in my journal for a while now.  I'm beginning to see that it is a sign of me trying to do life on my own instead of with Him and through His strength.  This week I'm going to be more intentional on sitting still in the presence of the Lord with his word in my hand and praying for his steps for my feet to take will be clear in each day with each moment. 

Old Friends & New recipes

Recently I have started to talk to an old friend. The one on the right, with glasses is Stephaine and we used to be best friends!  Her sister is on the left, Heather.  Heather is the one who has reconnected Steph and I.  Its been great getting to know Steph again.  Her life is so different than mine running a farm and all but I'm realizing we are still alike in some ways and we are mom's who loves our kids a ton!

A couple of weeks ago I decided to try to make some meals that we like eating out.  If I can fix them at home we don't have to pay the price of them when we treat ourselves out.  So I made Spicy Thai bowls and it was so good!  It was super easy and a hit with all of my kids!!  So I will put this on the repeat list of things to make for dinner.

It's been a while

Its been a long time since my last post.  I seem to just stay in my head when I have things going on that I'm dealing with or when I just get in not so exciting routine of life.  I'm trying to think of what all has been going......

I had failed the insurance test for the 3rd time.

I've been worried and stressed about money.

I've been listening to Satan's lies!!!!  Man he has done a number on me too!!!  I recognize it and I'm trying to battle against him but there for a while, a few weeks I sort of gave up and cave into going with the flow of lies in my head.  I had myself set up for defeat with that test before I even started taking it again.

I'm working hard at believing that I can and will pass this time.  I have some awesome friends around me supporting me and encouraging me.

But lately I still just feel so overwhelmed and tired.  Tired on all levels possible.....

Recently a friend of mine emailed me a devotional.  It was perfect!  It as as if I sat down and wrote it!

The main thing that stuck out and has been something I have been saying to myself lately is:
DO THE NEXT THING

Do it immediately;

Do it with prayer;

Do it reliantly,

casting all care;

Do it with reverence,

Tracing His Hand,

Who placed it before thee with

Earnest command.

Stayed on Omnipotence,

Safe 'neath His wing,

Leave all resultings,

DO THE NEXT THING.

That is a quote from an old Saxon poem written by Elisabeth Elliot.

I love it and I plan printing it out and hanging it somewhere in my home.