I'm trying to kill myself......

So I have finally started working at the school on Mondays and Fridays - yay!!! But that s not what is going to kill me. So I've been on every weekend since the fall kickoff in the kids area for worship team. With the exception of one weekend that I ran away for the annual womens retreat with SLCC. This past weekend I was in the K-1 room because I got my pick of rooms this week. And well tuth be told I was unsure of the motions for the main song in the 2-3 room. Didn't matter - they were short frist service. So I was in there with a quick run through before starting and in the wrong shirt (lol). I only messed up once - not too bad. But man that song.....Click here"Everyday" by Hillsong Kids is the version we use but I can't find it on youtube.com. The difference is the kids version is faster and TONS of jumping and other handmotions. So after doign this and sitting on the stage singing "Shout to the Lord", I then had to quick run to the K-1 room and do "We're all singing". Which of course was even MORE jumping!!!! Don't get me wrong I LOVE being on the worship team but man am I out of shape for this kind of stuff.

Then I am walking with a friend in the mornings to get exercise. 4 miles to be exact. Tuesday after walking in the morning my other friend came and got me (read kidnapped me) for lunch and shopping at Walmart. SO guess how many miles I ended up walking that day?!?! 5, wait 6, no 4.5. Wrong a total of 8.5 miles. My shins were/are still killing me.

On to other things. My kitten now has worms. And I am now seeing how paying $100 to adopt a kitten is worth it because I'll pay at least that to get his shots, flea and deworming meds soon. >.<

New family member......

So a while back I was watching my friends cats while she was looking for a place to live. Loved the kitties. The grey tiger striped one is Zelda and the white and black is Otis. She got a place finally and her kitties went home *cries*. But she told me that she would pay me back for watching them and that she really appreciated it. So I got the call from her two days ago - she had a kitten for me. Mind you I've never had a cat of my own let alone a kitten. I have a cat now. But he is my sister-in-laws cat, who fell on some hard times and could not afford to feed the cats, dog and herself at the time. All the animals went to family/friends. We still have hers simply because I don't know why at this point any more. So last night I got to bring home my new little orange fluffy bundle. Its 6 almost 7 weeks old, all orange - just different shades, and is playing and bouncing all over the place in the room its staying in right now. I keep saying it - we were told it was a girl, my friend said she looked and thinks its a boy. One of my other friends sent me very helpful links to be able to tell and I am now thinking that it is a boy. And again I'm still calling it 'it'. We have no name for him. The family is fighting over the name ideas at this time. But I thought pumpkin this morning would work well - all the girls agree. But my hubby says 'no'. Come on its and orange cat! My brother suggested Garfield or Orange Cat. Hubby suggested bass, sub and I jokingly threw in woofer. How did we come up with these ones you ask. Well the dog (Birdy) scared the crap outta the kitty when we brought him home. So with him scared of Birdy then my other cat and he had a hissy fit - literally. So he hid under my hubby's computer desk on the -you guessed it - subwoofer. So at this point I'm calling it pumpkin.

Still waiting to hear about the job at the school. Which stinks as I was to sub next week once I was processed. Not happening now. However I have a twice a month job at the church watching the staff members kids during their meetings. The non-school age ones that is. I don't know how that will work. And its a paid position! So I get gas money and some spending money -yay.

Things that make you go EEEKKKKK!

So this past week was interesting. Wednesday kicked off the Women's small group (for those meeting Wednesday that is). I stuck with the same group because we were continuing our study. We did the Neighborhood Bible Study book on Mark last time and this time we are doing Acts (book 1 s.g.). I stuck with it because even though I have read the Bible I have never really studied it for any given purpose. So I thought I'll start at the basic sort of "Bible for Dummies" class - not that it was mind you. It was more the easier class of them all for those who had never studied the Bible before - ie. me the dummy. Well this time around we have a new leader (one of the old ones is still there) becauset they combined the Acts class with the Discovering the Bible class. I like this even though we are basically doing 2 studies at the same time. Why? you may ask. Well at our home church there is one Sunday School class that not only goes over the books in the Bible but goes over the History of Christianity. This other study is along those lines. I loved being in the class and learning about how things were decided and when people were persecuted in our timeline. It made it that much more real to me. But as I noticed - the only two from the Mark session were me and our leader. So this will be interesting to meet new women if they stay with us this time.

Thursday came and I was at the school that morning to make copies of our school newsletter and do some lamenating for teachers that needed it as we haven't gotten the schedule done for those volunteers yet. But that was my big thing until that evening when I had my very first Worship team practice. We got our copies of the songs and shirts for all areas that we may be working in. Then we did some practice songs. For me it was a workout, but I LOVED it. So I took home my cd to practice to and realized I knew maybe 2 songs on it and had no words for the others. So I sat and transcribed the ones I could and looked up the others online.

Friday was the volunteer meeting at the school. I roped a new kindergarten mom into working with me in the Motor Moms & Dads program. Didn't mean to put her on the spot but its so easy to do this one program. You just go when you kid is in school and you set your own schedule of volunteer time. We train you - how hard could it be. It really isn't all that hard. Really.

Saturday was family time and Sunday was the kids kickoff of the new year. It was my first morning as worship leader. By worship leader I mean I was more of an extra on the stage. I had my own little stage actually and I sang, sans mic, and danced/did the motions to the songs for both services. I was complimented by both teachers on who well I did and how good I looked. Yay because I was scared even though I wasn't going to show it. I just put on a smile and got up there and had fun. Besides when can I get to spend time playing with legos with a bunch of kids and then get up and dance and sing?

Its school time again.....

So we are finishing up the first week of school today ........ok so my caffene has kicked in! hehe Anyways as I'm a PTO board member we had our first official board meeting yesterday. And I have gotten involved in even more things this year again (*mental note - start getting there as the meeting starts so they ask someone else...LOL) But this is the first morning that I have not been at the girls school for any reason. The last two mornings I was there for the kindergarten bus kids. But really this isn't a big deal as I don't have to work around my youngest being home this year - she is in first grade now. Man they grow fast. So I have tons of free time. But I now have a potentiol job at the school and am just waiting to hear back from the mom in charge - literally - our principals kids go there too. But she is cool. Its only part-time but its better than nothing at this point in time.

And then when I went to post this it made me log back in and I lost the rest of this blog.....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! So lets see how much I remember of what I wrote here....

Our big project of the last few weeks has been getting our oldest into her own room in our house. This entailed moving the computers out of that room and into the living room; finding a new home for our loveseat couch; and me sorting through lots of crap that I had in the computer room, living room and my bedroom to make room for it all in my bedroom. So it also meant rearranging my room too. But I was happy about that part of it. But we got a free frame and box springs for her and just had to buy a mattress. Gotta love freecycle.org! Its the sorting of my stuff and getting rid of things that is the hard part for me. I've heard a lot about Pack Rats Anonymous lately......

Tonight I have new volunteer meeting for our church. I will be a worship leader in the 2/3 grade room. Which means I get to sing and jump around for the kids, run games, etc. I'm excited, my voice isn't that great but the other mom who is the only worship leader at this time said neither is hers - so I feel so much better about this than I did before. We won't start the new year until the 16th but again I'm excited. I chuckled because we also got a call about sheparding in the K/1 room where my youngest is. I can't do both and my hubby says he doesn't think he could handle it. Something along the lines of "my parents made too many commitments when we were kids and were always stretched thin." Doesn't matter that you set your availability schedule - he still says no. Oh well, what to do. I feel like this is the best place for us and that I am as at home here as I am in Lansing at South. But he is reluctant to commit to even being a member of the church because of the above reason. One to better and brighter things.....

My women's small group (Bible study) kicks off this week Wednesday so I am happy to see my friends from last years group again. I have always noticed that I glean more from the Bible through Bible studies. So I am looking forward to that and the Women's retreat at the end of this month throught SLCC. Well better get back to cleaning.....

A doh! moment and then fun......

So first things first - its not a water gasket - its a water pump...... I keep calling it the wrong thing and I was doing so well in showing my knowledge of cars up til that last paragraph too. Needless to say this is my doh! moment for the week.

This past Friday my church, Oak Pointe, had what they called Drivefest. A combo of a drive-in, with the movie cars, and a festival. We had classic cars outside to look at, the food cooking and inside was the face painting, movie, bounce houses in the sanctuary/gym area among other things for the kids of all ages to do. we even had a rock climbing wall. But at 6 pm the rain hit and we were under a tornado warning so everything but the cars got moved inside. I had a blast working the last shift of face painting. One of the first things I painted was a spiderman face - it wasn't my best work, but he enjoyed it. Then I had a woman ask to be a dalmation puppy - a girl puppy. She kept me on my toes and it was a blast making her up. She also mentioned that she was taking a picture of it to put on her myspace page. And I realized later I should have asked her myspace address so I could see, since she came back and took some other pictures of me doing someone elses face.

Then today we went to service and it was just me and the girls as Mike was at out home church, South Lansing Christian Church, to do some wells and water samples after service for the new pole barn they are putting up. Well I latched onto the aunt on one of the girls friends and sat with her. Here I am thinking it was an off day for my singing and she told me I sang beautifully. Now I'm not great or anything, I'm a second soprano and was in the choir at SLCC. But every now and then I have good moments in singing where I just lose myself and it sounds good. Today must have been one of those days. But I am usually better in the crowd than by myself - or so I think. It also helps when I am really familiar with the songs we are singing. And today was like being at home - they were some of the favorites that were and are sung often at SLCC.

So after service she was trying to hook me up with and intro to one of our many gutarists at church to possibly join the choir at OPC. Well I'd been thinking about getting into one of the positions with the childrens ministry and the aunt was talking to the director of that ministry - because they are recruiting people heavily for the new school year. And wouldn't you know it she was talking me up as this amazing singer. So now I've been signed up as a possible worship leader for the kids. Long story short. LOL It'll be fun and I don't think they will be too critical of my voice when I have an off day.

I tell you my van hates me.......

Its time for a trade in I decided roughly a month ago when the driver's side door handle broke. Still opens from the inside which is good considering that the passenger's side does neither anymore. Have I mentioned I own a piece of crap van? We've had the van since 2001, its a 1995 chevy lumina van. Or as the back end now says hevy umin. Think this but in white.


Roughly in 2002 the passenger handle broke but could still be opened from the inside. My hubby fixed it for roughly a month and then it was only ot be opened from the inside again. Now you may think thats not enough to have a vehicle hate you - theres more. Christmas eve 2003 driving to home for parties that night we get to literally within a mile from my in-laws, turn onto the street and have to pull to the side of the road because my (I can't remember which it was but I think its this one) driveshaft on the passenger side went. Luckily we got the part that afternoon before the store closed But were late to the party as we had to borrow a vehicle to get there.

Christmas 2004 blew a spark plug or two. Driving both vehicles to Lansing and hubby was ahead of me when I hear a ticking noise and am having trouble accelerating. So I get in far right lane to pull over if I have too and sure enough the ticking becomes a pop. We get part, get it fixed on side of road and on our way in 40 minutes. Only to find out later that I actually blew another one when a good friend was replacing the wires and the rest of the plugs for me. Replaced the battery at least once in the mean time here.

Feburary 2005 front tireS go flat while driving my boss home. Find out that when the spare houseing rusted out and the spare fell out from under my van that a few rocks lodged themselves in the tire. Making it useless. May 2005 the slight chip in my windshield is now a crack across and needs to be repaired. Also had a power steering leak.

2006 - Drivers side window won't roll down any more - motor died; November a drunk walks through my yard and falls against the driver side view mirror - breaking the backing off it; replaced battery again; and over the summer my ac went.

2007 - My new windshield (from 2005) is now leaking at the caulk - causing my steering wheel column to get soaked after a good rain storm; now have a leak in the radiator hose; driver's side door handle breaks. And lastly in the most recent crap my van has given me - I blew the water gasket and ribboned my drive belt getting to a place to park. That was this past Sunday.

Visit home.....

Went home to Lansing today to pick up the girls from my in-laws house. And to bbq at the sis-in-laws house and remove the fallen tree. We went up in time to attend our home church, South Lansing Christian Church for Sunday School and Worship. Sunday School there is always a pleasure to attend. Ray Lund teaches on just about everything not just strictly sticking to the bible, but sometimes venturing into Christian history. Today we studied II Timothy 3 and as always I learned something knew and have almost a full page of notes.

I then got to hear one of the first messages by the new minister Frank Weller. It was on what was expected of us Christians as the Church body and good Christians. All about the hows and whys of seeking God in our lives, the reasons we fail sometimes and ways to succeed. But the thing that stuck with me the most was the "key" to seeking God of the message. It is love. As Frank so greatly put it our love for God needs to be proclaimed out loud. He gave the example of Tom Cruise on Oprah's couch professing his love for Katie Holmes. That our proclamation of our love for God should be along those lines - out loud, unashamed, unrelenting and for everyone to hear. Just what I needed to hear this weekend. It touched on something I didn't know I was needing. I love when worship sermons do that.

Back home now and glad that I have air conditioning. It was to darn hot today! But the girls do need to be outside in this. They are spoiled in the fact that their school is the only elementary in their district that has a/c. I am torn at the thought that we as kids could run free in our neighborhoods and be safe. Our parents didn't worry about us being out and about. But that feeling is gone, predators are known to live in your neighborhood and nothing feels safe anymore. Whats a mother to do?

And now its bedtime as I plan to get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow and start running.