God You Reign

Lincoln Brewster

You paint the night
you count the stars and call them by name
the skies proclaim
god you reign
your glory shines
you teach the sun when to bring a new day
creation sings god you reign

God you reign
god you reign
forever and ever
god you reign

You part the seas
you move the mountains with the words that you say
my song remains
god you reign
you hold my life
you know my heart and you call me by name
i live to say god you reign

Closer to Love

Thank you Lord for my new day. Thank You for pulling me out of that darkness. *sigh*

Closer to Love, 

Mat Kearney

She got the call today One out of the gray And when the smoke cleared It took her breath away She said she didn't believe It could happen to me I guess we're all one phone call from our knees We're gonna get there soon  If every building falls And all the stars fade We'll still be singing this song The one they can't take away I'm gonna get there soon She's gonna be there too Cryin' in her room Prayin' Lord come through We're gonna get there soon  Oh it's your light Oh it's your way Pull me out of the dark Just to show me the way Cryin out now From so far away You pull me closer to love Closer to love  Meet me once again Down off Lake Michigan Where we could feel the storm blowin Down with the wind And don't apologize For all the tears you've cried You've been way too strong now for all your life  I'm gonna get there soon You're gonna be there too Cryin' in your room Prayin' Lord come through We're gonna get there soon  Oh it's your light Oh it's your way Pull me out of the dark Just to show me the way Cryin out now From so far away You pull me closer to love Closer to love  Cause you are all that I've waited for All of my life (We're gonna get there) You are all that I've waited for All of my life  You pull me closer to love hu huuh Closer to love hu huuuh Pull me closer to love You pull me closer to love Closer to love oh no Closer to love Closer to love  Pull me closer to love

Day 5???

WOOOO WHOOOOOO! 5 Seems to be the lucky number. Its day 5 of flu and all I have left is a cough!! I feel pretty good. I'm not ready to say "I'm great" yet but I did put makeup on and started picking up around the house. By Tuesday I think it will  be a bit ridiculous to stay home. The doctor told me that I could leave the house after 5 days but to be sure I will spare you all from showing up at church until next week. 

Thanks for all of your prayers!

Day 4

Last night was the worst night yet. I woke up at around 4:30 with horrible chills and an achy body. I took more Ibuprofen and went back to bed. Around 8:30 AM I awoke feeling more rested and started my day with a hot bath. I was napping on the couch 3 hours later with Trisha and Becca Taylor arrived with soup and blue Powerade. THANK YOU! 

Today is the first day that I have felt a bit nauseous. I have been napping a lot. When I woke up from one of my naps on the couch both of my cats were curled up at my feet. I think they are happy that I am stuck at home! Love bugs! I love that Stetson sleeps with his front legs straight out..haha!

My sister-in-law Kelly Paige Childress called this afternoon and told me that she had NO idea how sick I am until she read my blog. I'm glad I decided to post :) Love you!

Its 6:15 in the evening now and I just got finished putting my beautiful flowers from Crystal Gelber in a vase. She delivered a beautiful care package with orange juice, brownies, 100 calorie right bites, Theraflu, card, bubble bath, and Powerade. 

My friends have blessed me and because of this I am feeling pretty good this evening. Your kind words, texts, prayers, gifts, love, encouragement, and friendship have brought on a new day for me. I'm not getting ahead of myself because night time has been the worst for me but I think I am actually on the road to recovery now! Thank yall very much!!!

Day 3

Around Noon: Praise the Lord! I slept through the night! Almost 12 hours of sleeping! I am feeling a bit better today but still have a slight fever and achy body. More soup it is. 

PS: I'm bored 

2:40 P.M. Dani came by wearing one of the blue masks you see in the basket above (well she wasn't wearing one of the ones in my basket but she h

ad the same one on). I cried. I now have 2 magazines to read, chips to eat, word puzzles, pretty Kleenex, kiwi smelling candles, germ-x, ibuprofen, masks to wear, and a very pretty basket!

Okay really...I am blessed and humbled. 

3:20 Jenny H sends me a text that reads, "Porch Now" and awaiting me is a picnic basket with a note that reads, "A Picnic for you--Love You- Please enjoy!" I have MORE Lime chips (don't worry I reallllly love these and will eat them), sour patch kids, chocolate drizzle indulgent snack mix, kleenex, 2 books, and beside the basket was a SNOW CONE!!!!!! I cried again. I'm gonna need a nap after all of this excitement. 

Wow! I dont even have time to think about not feeling good today. 

Day 2

Today has been miserable. I say that because the first time I woke up was 4:30AM. I was so achy and sweaty/cold that I decided to take the first bubble bath of the day to ease the pain. I crawled back into bed at 5:15 and after tossing and turning for about 20 minutes I got up and curled up on the couch and watched Big Brother from my IPhone (I know). At 6:30 I headed back to bed and woke up at 8:15 with my achy sweaty/cold body again and took a SECOND bubble bath. After this one I put on a sweatshirt, winter PJ pants, and socks and crawled back into bed until 12:15.
At 12:15 PM I receive a text from my good friend Lewanna Campbell (pictured in Purple shirt above posing with husband Jason) saying that homemade chicken noodle soup and brownies ARE ON MY PORCH!! I found new energy and sprang out of bed and had that delicious soup heated up in less than 3 minutes after reading the text (yes I had a brownie too). Thank you Lew! You have no idea how much that meant to me and I LOVE chicken noodle soup! 

Kyle left to go to the Houston meeting. Don't judge him. The Dr. doesn't think its best for him to be around me either so I sent him on his way (its just for the day). My mother-in-law is on standby if I need anything until Kyle comes home later tonight.

The rest of my afternoon/evening I watched Twilight the movie, ate more soup, another brownie (or two), took another bubble bath, and am planning on reading the last Twilight book until I fall asleep. I am achy-er than ever and have never experienced joint pain like this. I am happy to know that my temperature is now at 99.7 but my coughing is still bad. (I also have a weird craving for those Lime Tostito chips)

Thank you for your comments, prayers, and well wishes. They mean the world to me!

House Arrest

I have H1N1 Flu. The Dr couldn't say if it is Swine or not because they no longer have to send positive tests to wherever they used to send positives tests from our state however H1Ni is in fact Swine. I am to stay at home for 5 to 7 days and not leave (so reading my blogs might get boring for you). I think I should document exactly how I feel throughout. Just so you know! I made fun of people who went and got checked for swine flu. I'll admit it and now I have it. 

I feel terrible because my symptoms started RIGHT after I returned from spending a 4 day vacation with 16 family members. 

Got home from beach on Saturday at 7:15

Sunday: Had lunch at Hula Hut with the Childresses to celebrate Kyle's 30th birthday with them. Got home around 4 and started feeling bad. Got into bed and rested the rest of the day/night.

Monday: I wake up feeling achy all over, coughing up a storm, and pack to get ready to go to Houston to take care of my HUGE traffic fine at court (my mom had to take me). Kyle had to go on to Beaumont for a meeting. Get back to my moms after court at around 8:30 PM she cannot find her thermometer because she is still unpacking but I am burning up, coughing, and blowing my nose like crazy.

Tuesday: I wake up feeling achy all over. My eyes are drippy, my nose is runny, and I lay in my moms bed and watch, Good Morning America, Regis and Kelly, and The View. Drink coffee, have no appetite and cannot finish my protein bar. On the road by 2 because I can't wait much longer to go to the doctor. I make Kyle stop at McDonald's in Columbus for a 6 piece chicken nugget. We make it to the Kyle HEB Plus Rediclinic at 4:45 and I get right in. They stuck this ridiculously long q-tip looking thing up my nose and in a few short minutes I am diagnosed. 

Now I am home and praying that my husband will say that we can finally become cable TV users and order me some Time Warner. We have NO TV, im out of books, and the only thing left to do is blog or facebook. I guess you can Skype me if you want. RunnerJD. 

Who's In?

Last fall most of you started reading about the series of races that I was challenging myself to. I completed all six with the ultimate accomplishment of ending the series with completion of the Austin Marathon. I started looking online the other day for the new schedule and it doesn't seem to be up yet but I would like my readers to consider joining me on this adventure (as in challenging yourself to complete the series as well). Judging from last years schedule the series should begin in mid October and WILL work you up to completion of a marathon if and when you stick with it. First race is a 10K (6.2 miles). Who's in!??

Home Sweet Home

We made it back home to Austin around 7:15 PM on Saturday night. We had a blast celebrating Kyle and Lance's 30th birthdays AND Mammie and Granddads 60th wedding anniversary in Port Aransas. To think that they had already been married for 30 years before Kyle and Lance were born just blows my mind. Thank you to my Ratliff Grandparents for their wonderful example to each of us. Here are some of my favorite pictures from this weeks festivities.Mammie and Granddaddy 60 years!
My sister Lindsey and her man Lance. Happy 30th Birthday!
My husband Kyle and me! Happy 30th birthday baby!
Fun!

My boy Landon James!

Big Week

Monday: In Beaumont for our weekly meeting at Golden Corral 7:00 PM. Leave there at 9:00PM and return in Austin by 2:00AM 

Tuesday: Training in Kyle at Starbucks at noon, packing for vacation, heading to San Antonio for the business presentation there, spending the night in Seguin at my dad's in anticipation for our Port Aranasas Vacay.

Wednesday: Kyle's 30th Birthday and we leave for Port A along with: Dad, Diane, Lindsey, Lance, and Landon, beach day. Dad's whole side of family will be there! YAY!

Thursday: Lance's 30th Birthday. Beach day!

Friday: Mammie and Snowflake's (my grandparents) 60th wedding anniversary celebration at the beach. Beach day!

Saturday: Return home, Kyle's 30th birthday party celebration with his family. 

Sunday: Church, laundry, NAP!

Wordless Wednesday

Thankful Thursday

1. My mom is all moved in in Richmond, TX

2. That I live in the land of the free and the home of the brave

3. My family

4. All my friends

5. 2 year old nephews (LANDON!!)

6. That I get to work with my husband 

7. That we have a plan for financial freedom

8. That the Lord teaches me something every single day!

9. The ability to run!!!

10. For my wonderful husband and how he loves me :)

July 1st

My mom is all moved in to her new house in Richmond, TX. I'm gonna miss being able to just swing by her home in New Braunfels but since we are traveling to the Houston area twice a week I might just see her MORE often. 

Love you Mommy! So happy for you!

Today is the 3rd year anniversary of Kyle and I. Well our first date anniversary anyway! Love you Bubba. It's gone by so fast! Our first date was to Chili's where I orderedthe turkey combo with fries and Kyle got salmon and fresh veggies. Then he took me to see Superman (which was soooo long) and all I wanted to do is talk to him the whole time!

I'm feeling very blessed today!