10 Things I Love About My Hubs

Feeling lucky to have my husband so I thought I'd share why (well 10 things). Don't worry, I'll keep it G rated!! In no particular order.

1.   He's bold and a risk taker.  He's not afraid to do something that might be "crazy" to normal people. 
2.   He's really good at surprising me with random flowers.
3.  He has a crazy sense of humor and fun loving side.  He loves to scare people (yes, all of us).  He loves to play.  I find myself squelching that sometimes and am trying to learn NOT to do that.  I want our kids to inherit this trait.
4.  He's honest. 
5.  He is a GREAT deal finder!!
6.  He loves his family.
7.  He picks his mom up and spins her around his head (yeah, he still does it, poor woman!).
8.  He goes on dates with his daughter & takes the boy on "manly" adventures.
9.  He let's me stay home with my kiddos.
10.  He's passionate about God and His love!!!

Routine of Abnormalcy

I've learned that my life is not normal and to say I'm getting back into a normal routine just sounds silly. I talked to a friend today who I told I would call her 2 weeks ago and then emailed and told her I would call her Thursday. It's Saturday and she called me....yeah, I'm a jerk!! I even had every intention of calling her.  I've got to slow down and be more intentional about that kind of stuff. 

So, for the last 3 weeks have been CRAZY!!!  Here goes the breakdown.  Our band, Fusion, drove from Dallas to Adrian, Georgia.  Levi and the kids stayed with his parents.  It was great.  I love teenagers. They have an excitement and vigor and love of life that is contagious.  i love that...I think being with teens keeps you young (especially if they're not your kids-ha).  It was a fantastic week. I enjoyed being with the band.

I met up with the kids and drove down to Florida at the end of the week.  We stayed with my family in Florida for the next week and a half. I love being with my parents.  They live on 30 acres, they have 11 horses of their own and board another 20-ish.  It is so relaxing.  The cell signal is weak and they have dial up so it's a pain to get on the internet.  I LOVED IT!! Sometimes, it's great to be unplugged.  When we drove in town to my sister's I could check email, etc. So, if you tried to call or text or email and I ignored you, I'm sorry.  Both kids can now swim alone (we're working on technique now-wink).  We were in the pool 2 or 3 times a day which was awesome and fun.  They slept great too!!

While we were there, my sister had a HUGE kidney stone and had to have 2 surgical procedures.  Bad for her but she couldn't work so I got to see more of her which was great. My niece is growing like a weed and had so much with her too:)

My friend drove up from Miami on Tuesday evening.  We planned on leaving Wed. morning but got a crazy hair and decided to leave Tuesday night. So, at about 10 pm, we loaded all 5 kids up and left.  We talked until about midnight and i slept for an hour and a half. We stopped for gas. I grabbed 2 Monster drinks and I started driving.  We stopped for gas at about 6:30 or 7.  I seriously drove all night.  Any of you who know me, know that that is CRAZY for me. I love to sleep!! Those Monsters are AWESOME. It was nice for all the kids to be asleep during that part of the drive.  We got home at about 1pm.  I surprised El.  It is great to be home.

We've spent the last couple of days catching up on housework and bills and catching up on sleep.  Yesterday we spent the day as a Lowry Family Day. It was great just being with us and kind of shutting everything else out.  We need that.  I love my family and am so blessed with a wonderful husband and wonderful children!.

Today I went to a baby shower for a friend from church.  I love our church...seriously.  They are wonderful people and I missed them. We have 5 babies coming to us in the next 4 months.  The first was born this past week and the other 4 come September, October, & November.  I love sharing that part of life with people. It is a joyous time. 

So, I'm rambling now but I wanted to catch you all up on me.  Hope summer is going great for all of you!!

PEACE

I'm sitting by the pool at my parents house. they own 30 acres out in the country. it is black out except for the solar lights by the pool. as I'm sitting in the quiet I'm thinking on peace. I'm reading a great book, Forgotten God, & it references this scripture. Peace I leave with you, not as the world gives. For in this world you will have trouble but take heart, I have overcome the world. there's the weird part in me that likes to think of Jesus as a James Bond character as He says that. in the midst of a peaceful night there are lots of chaotic sounds: crickets-LOUD crickets, bullfrogs, cows mooing, an occassional horse sighing-thats what it sounds like, a dog howling, the ac kicking on, & a huge insect jumping in the grsss behind me- way too close actually! it just hit me that God's peace is similar to my peaceful night. in life, we have chaos & right now my heart is heavy for lots: sister with big kidney stone, friend's dad diagnosed with lymphoma, friend divorced, tough family issues, friends with an ER scare with their son, friend who has been trying to concieve for4 yrs, friend who delivered twin babies at 20 wks -both babies died- their due date is this week. those things are chaotic!!!! BUT I am learning that my situations & my self induced drama (there goes that howling dog & mooing cow again) do not determine whether or not I live in peace & at peace. I have a God who is the Peace Speaker who I cannot manipulate by my chaos, drama, or situations, who loves me for me and wants nothing more than for me to love Him. He has overcome the chaos. Not that that means the chaos will go away. IT WILL NOT! I am not alone and there's comfort in that. I'm going to go inside because the cow is definitely kicking the mooing up a notch and the large insect jumping sound seems to be getting closer, and I'm starting to feel creepy crawlies on me! good night or should I say peace night!!

Happy Memorial Day

Today was a wonderful day. I'm so thankful to live in the USA. So thankful to all the men & women who sacrificed their lives for my freedom. Thank you!!!

We enjoyed a great day as a family. We ran a few errands, worked in the yard (thank you Chris & Levi), enjoyed lunch together, a Target run, naptime, and then a BBQ at our friend's house. It was wonderful. A great day, enjoy great people and thanking God for all of His many blessings!! Feeling very fortunate:) I added a pic today. Our friend's bought a slip n slide and they had a blow up mattress....red neck, I think so:) It was actually a lot of fun to watch. Not sure if Daddy or kiddos had more fun!!

Menu for the Week

Okay so you know EL & I are Dave Ramsey Graduates....it was probably one of the biggest blessings that we randomly heard his radio show almost 10 years ago while driving back to Nashville from our honeymoon.  He was running a sale on FPU and so we thought we'd give it a shot. Another random but cool thing was that when we got home, we checked our mail and someone had sent us a late wedding present and it was the amount of the class...crazy right:)  So, we enrolled and went to 13 weeks of Financial Peace University.  It was huge for us.  We began our married life living on a budget, within our means, and saving for our future.  We ended up paying around $65,000-$70,000 in loans (student loans-yes I went to a private, Christian college that ate my lunch in student loans, brand new car-I loved my Honda, 2 Master's degrees-bogo since he was employed by the school) and we also saved 20% to put down on a house payment.  We rocked Dave Ramsey!!  We had a lot going for us, Levi didn't make a whole lot as a RD of a men's dorm BUT we had no living expenses, he got a free master's, and he had a SWEET part time job at Highland Park Church (awesome experience).  The first year, I was a secretary not making a whole lot.  The last 2 years, I taught and the school that I was at included summer school so it was awesome.  The situation was GREAT!!  Anyway, I say all that to say, it was a blessing because if you've heard our "We Moved to Texas" story you'll know that we got our butts kicked in the finances department.  We paid 2 mortgages for 13 months and lost a lot on our house in North Carolina.  Fortunately, we haven't accrued any credit card debt and we are rebuilding our savings.  It's all good and it was a good life lesson for us.  I tend to be judgemental (Annie-I've lost count of my character flaws but that's another).  Because we were such good savers and money spenders, I thought it was well within everyone elses means to save and pay debt.  And, I do think that the choices we have to be accountable and responsible with our money.  At the same time, life sometimes deals you situations that don't always fit into that nice, neat box of logic.  I've learned to lighten up on that kind of stuff...okay so I'm learning. 

oh my lands....anyway, the purpose of this blog was to tell you my menu for the week.  We live out of our envelopes and try to NOT eat out too often...ha!!!  Here goes:
Monday-cookout (I'm taking strawberry shortcake & corn on the cob)
Tuesday- ham, mashed potatoes, green beans
Wednesday- grilled chicken pizza & salad
Thursday- chicken pot pie
Friday- steaks, baked potatoes, salad
Saturday- grilled chicken & veggies

However, ELi has not taken me out for my birthday dinner...SO not his fault, our schedules have been crazy and I can hear him now, "You went to see Wicked on your birthday with your friends."   yeah yeah yeah... :)

34

This week was my birthday.  Birthdays are not as big of a deal as they used to be. AL & LJ were very sad that I wasn't having a party.  She especially kept asking what kind of cake I would have and who was coming, etc etc etc.  LJ asked me if I was going to Chuck E Cheese for dinner. It was cute!!  A few months ago a friend asked me if I wanted to go see Wicked with her (and a group of others) and it was sometime in May.  Well, yes i wanted too and I connived with EL and it was going to be part of my mother's day and part birthday.  Last week, EL found a FAB deal on a camera that I've been wanting to that was the other part of my birthday.  I knew what I was getting, no surprise there.  It just wasn't a big deal.  BUT, when I woke up Thursday..back up.  Wednesday night we had "restaurant night" with our C group (BIG C group, our original group split into 3 and everybody is invited to restaurant night once a month).  It was awesome and we had 2 or 3 new couples come...it was GREAT!!  My friend, mentioned above, baked me a cake and brought it.  So, when the waiter put it in front of me, our group of thirty-something all started singing "Happy Birthday" in the crazy, obnoxious way only they can.  It was a tad embarrassing but fun none the less.  It made me feel special, I love surprises FYI. So, Thursday I wake up and I felt great.  I think I'm supposed to feel like 34 is old and I'm creeping up in life. I don't!!  I feel great.  I look in the mirror and smile, not arrogantly. I'm thankful! 
I'm thankful for my husband, he is wonderful.  He loves me, just the way I am.  I have loved watching him come into his own as a lead pastor. I am so proud of him.  I love how he looks for the best in people and is quick to forgive. 
 I'm thankful for my kids, they are incredible.  I love listening to them laugh and play. I love that AL tells LJ what to say while they're playing pretend and he says it word for word. I love that when they're at a playground, they stay together and make sure each other are taken care of.  I love that they love each other.  (they sound perfect don't they??  they do fight really well too by the way.)
I'm thankful that I get to stay home with them and enjoy this time in their lives.  It has been a major sacrifice, ask EL but so worth it!!
I'm thankful that I'm a mom.  I realize that there are lots of women that struggle with conceiving, carrying, nurturing children. Being a mom is a privilege. 
I'm thankful for my parents and sister and HUGE extended family.  I have so many wonderful memories.
I'm thankful that I'm learning and growing in my relationship with Christ.  I'm thankful for a God who also loves me for me, imperfect.  I'm thankful that He nudges me to work on areas of me where my pride gets in the way, when my temper gets short with my kids and husband, when I feel self conscious, when I'm negative, controlling, holding a grudge, comparing myself with others.  I'm thankful that He loves me in spite of that crap that I struggle with. 
I'm thankful for Catalyst.  It has been so cool to be a part of a group of people who are who they are.  I love that they are authentic and real and genuine (yes, I realize those are synonyms).  I love that I don't go to a church that "plays" church but who is the church. 
I'm thankful for my friends.  I feel IMMENSELY blessed in this area.  This last weekend alone, I got teary eyed thinking about all my blessings AKA friends.  I got to spend Thursday night at Wicked with a group of some of the BEST Mommy friends I could ask for. Friday afternoon, I met a friend from the Mother's Day Out (and our church).  I've made great friends teaching at the MDO.  Friday, I met one of my YoYo's who was here in Dallas on vacation.  My YoYo's are incredible!!  Today, we spent the morning at the pool with Wonder Woman and her family.  I am surrounded by wonderful, caring friends.  I've thought about the song from Wicked, "Good."  The lyrics are, "because I knew you, I have been changed for good." That is so true for me with the friends I have in my life.  I love that!!
And this might be kind of dumb but, I'm thankful for music.  I love to sing.  This month has been my month off from the band.  I wasn't looking forward to it.  I think it has become part of my identity, which isn't all bad.  I really enjoyed being able to hang out in the lobby and help with some other projects.  It was a good break for me.  I've missed it and I'm glad I have missed it.  We met last week for camp practice.  That's the first time I've sang (not counting the car or shower) in a few weeks.  I want to look forward to that and this month I did.  So, that's good. I loved being able to just "be." It was a good change for me and it's allowed me to be a little more reflective. I need that!

So, for me, I'm looking forward to a kickin' 34th year.  I've got so much to be thankful for and I'm glad I'm starting my year with a happy, full heart!! 

Calling all Gardeners

Here's a great chance to score some inexpensive plants, trees, shrubs, etc.  Go to Spring Hill Nursery and use coupon code 414217 to get $20 off of a $20 order. You do have to pay shipping. I think mine was $7.95 but that's super cheap.  This is a great way to get some great items for your garden!!