Wednesday

Jaz Update

Got a special note from school today.

Jaz was invited to participate in the U.I.L. Ready Writing Competition!!!!!!

In second grade!

As always, I am extraordinarily proud and impressed and amazed and bewildered by her limitless talents.

This kid is astounding.

And it's not just because I'm her Mom. Lol. I walk around carrying a fairly filled bucket of intellect myself so I can easily recognize traits I like about myself fully magnified within her.

Immediately saw an issue with after school practice and quickly contacted her Coach via the email provided.

God...AS ALWAYS...worked it out in her favor! ♥

Sunday

Thanksgiving

Visited family. Decorated my cubicle (office) at work. Took a few pictures along the way.

This was the first Thanksgiving without Mu. 109 days have flown by since she got her all access pass to kick it wit Jesus. Waves of sadness washed over us, sporadically, on Thanksgiving. But, more than anything else, laughter was abundant. Family I'd become used to seeing annually, I hugged for the 4th or 5th time this year. As always, Mu brought us together. As she always will. For these things and many more, I am grateful. On a random note, I actually got to have a pretty cool conversation with Pawpaw. The wisdom he imparted came from the school of life. Stuff you won't ever get in any textbook on any college campus. Smiling now as I recall laughing SO HARD about him charging all 4 of their kids for gas to take them to work and having them pay Mu for washing and cooking. Hilarious! But priceless money management education! ;-)

Oh...back to the pictures....

Saturday

New Beginnings

The job description said a bachelor's degree was required.
I prayed over it and applied anyway.
Got a call asking me to interview.
Interviewed on Jaz's birthday.
Found out I got the job on the 30th.
My last day at my current job was yesterday.
Had a surprise farewell party and was completely blown away by the outpouring of love and well wishes.
On a side note, I met a lady named Susan when I first started working there almost 3 years ago. She's become one of my dearest friends. I know she's the one that orchestrated my farewell party. If you're reading this Susan, thank you again!
As for my new job, I start on Monday.
Instead of working with ADN admissions, I'll now be working with BSN, MSN, DNP admissions.
Very excited about it.
It's in the Texas Medical Center. If you haven't heard of it, check out this link. It's a pretty big deal in the United States of America...lol --> http://www.texasmedicalcenter.org/about-tmc/
I have to ride the rail (train) for 10 minutes then walk about 5 minutes to get to my building.
I take that back - I am SUPER OVER THE MOON excited about it!!!!

Wednesday

Jazmine The Eighth

Yesterday was my baby's 8th birthday! Geez, time waits for no one. I still remember going into labor. I still remember the 4.5 hours it took to bring her into this world. I still remember the doctor stating she was born approximately at 2:33 AM. I still remember the 6 lbs 5.2 oz and 19 5/8" of wiggles being placed in my arms. Fast forward to now. Tallest 2nd grader at 4'10. Time flies when you're having fun!

Yesterday's Events

Woke up at 5:30.

Surprised Jaz and told her to wake up and take care of personal hygiene so we could go to breakfast.

She was excited!

She and I went to Ihop about 6:30.

She decided on the "Scary Pancake" as her birthday breakfast.

Ate then dropped her off at school.

I then headed downtown for an interview in the Texas Medical Center. Really excited about it. Went very well. Will update on the outcome in a couple weeks! ;-)

Came back to our side of town then picked up 72 mini cupcakes. 36 for school. 36 for daycare. All for $18 at Walmart! Yay!

Then came time to pick Jaz up from daycare.

She was shocked when she saw Mr. Desmond walk in with me. He also got to see the tedious process to pick her up. LOL. Enter a code to get in the building. Enter a code in the computer to sign her out. Enter a code on the door to gain access to the classrooms at the daycare. I'm used to it now. He thought it was high tech. I guess it kinda is....lol

We got back to his truck.

He handed Jaz a large gift bag and she started tearing through it!

JAZMINE IS FINALLY IN POSSESSION OF A PINK HOUSTON TEXANS FOOTBALL JERSEY!

I'm pretty sure she now feels her life is complete. She knows nothing about the Texans. She thought the #8 on the jersey was an 8 for her age. Had no idea who Schaub was. LOL LOL

From there, we came home so she could open her presents from Grandma and Grandpa & PawPaw & me.

Moneyyyyy. And coooookies. And a Bible storybook. And Hello Kitty goodies. And an obnoxiously pink and zebra print travel mug and a box of tea k cups. (K cups go in the Keurig Coffee machine. All I had was coffee and Jaz likes putting in the k cups. Since we drink tea every night, now she has her own k cups she can use! Also, whenever we're running errands in the morning, she wants a travel mug to bring her tea or hot chocolate. Now she got one.)

After all of that...we surprised her by taking her to ITZ. It's like Chuck E. Cheese but bigger.

Finally, here are the pictures and Facebook posts all about the birthday girl!

So if we missed your call yesterday or took forever to call you back, now you know why. Twas a busy busy busy day! :-)

Sunday

Chicken Soup

One of Desmond's gifts to me on my birthday last week was a crock pot.

Pause for birthday gifts from Des:

-Two pairs of glasses
--I'd picked up both pairs at Target and decided not to buy them a few weeks ago. He went back to Target the next day and bought them for me.

-Huuuge full length mirror
--Jaz & I pose in it ev-ery-day!

-Dinner at my favorite steakhouse
--Of course I chose an 18 oz ribeye, medium rare! ;-)

-Crock pot
--Same one I ooh'd and ahh'd over at Target!

-Lunch at Tokyohana yesterday
--It was a post birthday lunch for me and a pre birthday lunch for Jaz. Our birthdays are a week apart. I've included the pic I snapped when she realized we were hitting up her favorite Japanese hibachi grill.

My boyfriend is pretty awesome.

Anyway, I'd been talking about needing to budget for one and lo and behold....I looooove it! So pretty. Using it for the first time today to make chicken soup.

Ingredients:

6  chicken drumsticks
2 carrots, chopped
3 green onions stalks, chopped
5 petite potatoes, quartered
Handful of cabbage, chopped
Big can of chicken stock

Directions:

Boiled drumsticks for 15 minutes on the stove.

Poured the whole can of chicken stock in the crock pot and turned it on high.

Chopped and threw in veggies and potatoes.

Added chicken.

Currently cooking now. Hopefully it'll be ready in the next few hours. I don't remember what time I started cooking it. I wrote down ingredients and directions just in case this actually tastes good. Will update and give the results. I'm bad at not following recipes or directions. LOL

Monday

Someone Posted This On Facebook

It blessed me. Hope it can and will bless you, too!

-Tiffany


You Are Anointed

September 30th, 2013

It’s a wonderful day to be a child of God. Have you ever questioned your own ability to do something? Even though others around you believed it could be done, you found a way to talk yourself out of it. Are you hard on yourself? No matter how much God uses you, you are never satisfied. Have you ever compared your life to the life of a friend? Because they have something you always wanted, now you considered them more blessed than yourself. Have you ever questioned the effects of your ministry? Since you are not in the spotlight often, you feel ineffective. Have you ever seen an old friend from high school and heard their testimony? After conversing with them, now you are depressed or upset with your progress.

Today, I have been commissioned to come and minister to you. Through all we experience in this life. Through all of the ups and downs. Through all of the rain and pain, heartaches and disappointments, tears and fears, I have been sent to tell you something of great importance. My friend, You Are Anointed! In spite of what the enemy has spoken to you, God has chosen you. The Bible declares in John 15:16 - Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you. He has chosen you for Him. You Are Anointed! You do have a purpose to fulfill in this life. Understand, do not look at the life of someone else and feel as if you are not anointed by God. What God has chosen for you to do, is an assignment perfectly designed for you. The Bible declares in Matthew 22:14 - For many are called, but few are chosen.

My brother, my sister, today you must grow past the point of comparing yourself to someone else. God did not call you to compare yourself to anyone but Jesus Christ. You Are Anointed! Even though you feel as if things have just begun in your life, God has anointed you for where He is taking you. The Bible declares in Philippians 1:6 - Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Beloved, God would not send you out unless He anointed you for the task. What are you worried about today? What fear factor are you battling? Dear friend, You Are Anointed! The very hand of God has saturated you for something greater. Right now it may seem dark in your life. Things may appear impossible. The Bible declares in Ecclesiastes 7:8 - Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Prayer for Today: Father, today I thank you for the anointing on my life. I ask that you give me the boldness to operate in my anointing. In Jesus’ name … Amen! 

Scripture Reading for Today: Isaiah 10:27

Isaiah 10:27

Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

27 He will take away the troubles Assyria brought you—troubles that are like heavy weights carried with a yoke on your neck. But that yoke will be taken off your neck. The burden will be lifted from your shoulders.



May God Bless you at Your point of need!

Minister Darrick D. McGhee

Thursday

The 5 Love Languages

Insanely popular book. Today, I decided to take The 5 Love Languages Quiz to see what my primary language is.

Oh. Yes. I'm definitely incorporating this into personal and professional interactions.

You can take it, too! Or not. LOL. I liked it and it proved to be insightful.

Enjoy!

http://www.5lovelanguages.com/profile/

Wednesday

The Grasshopper

The day after Mu's funeral...24 days ago...a grasshopper hitched a ride in one of her plants and rode back to La Porte with us.

I'm drinking coffee on the balcony and looking at him as I type this.

He's grown on me now.

He hides when I try to get close and take a picture of him.

When he dies or hops away, I'm gonna need a day of mourning to recover! LOL!

Oh...and all the plants yet live! :-)

Saturday

Saturday

Fun day touring Houston with Mr. Desmond. Jaz informed me she no longer wants to go to China Buffet for Chinese food. She only wants to go to Tokyohana now because it's the best sushi she's ever had. Oh...and I have no idea how she learned to eat with chopsticks.