Susie's Steps

Wow. Isn't it something how a little comment obiviously not meant to be overheard can be so hurtful?

This morning at church, I overheard a little girl say (about my sons), "Malachi looks so much like his big brother Daniel." Then the woman with the little girl replied, "Yes, he sure does. Let's hope he doesn't act like Daniel!"

Well, blogger family, how would you feel/what would you do or say? The preacher this morning preached right at me on this, and I've been praying since I heard it to forgive/forget it, but wow. I'm struggling with this. Nothing can hurt quite like someone speaking ill of your children. But keep me in your prayers on this one, because I don't want to harbor ill feelings or to let it steal my joy.

And I had been so excited to get to go to church this morning . . .

Okay, if you haven't seen this, you've got to. I have no idea who he is, but he cracks me and my family up. My 11 y/o begs me to play it for him. What a nut!

The Fat Dutch Boy

Okay, I reckon everyone else has done this. I'll give it a try . . .

1. I'm a forgiven sinner.
2. I'm a wife.
3. I'm a Momma to 3 kids.
4. I always wanted blond headed, blue eyed kids and got them! : )
5. I was always partial to blond men (Got one, but he's kinda light brown now--LOL)
6. I LOVE to laugh!
7. I love chocolate.
8. I love coffee--especially Millstone's Caramel Truffle!
9. I'm a police dispatcher and love it!
10. I work nights.
11. I don't always get to go to church because of work. : (
12. It's cold where I live today!
13. I'm a 2nd generation native Houstonian.
14. Now I live in Alabama, Heart of Dixie--and LOVE it!
15. I hate housework!
16. I love to do laundry.
17. I love to read.
18. My favorite author is Robin Jones Gunn
19. I also love to read Harry Potter books.
20. I'm also a Harry Potter movie addict.
21. I love Diet Cherry Coke
22. I used to teach aerobics.
23. I was A.F.A.A. certified.
24. I took a 9 hour aerobics certification/exam, and was the only one of the three from my gym who passed.
25. I like to sing.
26. I love to line dance.
27. I love to do step aerobics.
28. I love my kids!
29. My husband is my best friend.
30. I went to Camp Bandina when I was young (LOVED it!)
31. I went to Westbury Christian School for elementary.
32. I went to Northland Christian School for junior high.
33. I went to Klein High School for high school.
34. I love teaching Bible class for kids when I have the time to work at it.
35. I collect Precious Moments.
36. I went to Westbury Church of Christ when I was little.
37. I spent most of my junior high and high school going to Oak Ridge North Church of Christ which is now Spring Woodlands Church of Christ.
38. I strive to be positive.
39. I am not concerned with fads or trends.
40. I never leave my house without makeup!
41. I love to read.
42. I have no idea what my natural haircolor is besides the really gray part!
43. I like disco music.
44. I like country music
45. I like pop music
46. I like contemporary Christian music
47. I like Southern Gospel music.
48. I like rock music.
49. I like some rap music.
50. I love to watch movies.
51. I love the beach.
52. I love to play board games.
53. I love to play cards.
54. I played basketball in school.
55. I sang in a bar once.
56. I swung on the swing at the San Francisco Steakhouse.
57. I have never been out of the South.
58. I love to ride Sea Doos on the lake.
59. I was in the choir in high school.
60. I was the choir secretary.
61. I was in the Spanish club in high school.
62. I do NOT like to get up early.
63. I love to stay up late.
64. Conversely, I love to sleep!
65. I love to eat.
66. I like candles.
67. I like monogrammed things.
68. I like jewelry.
69. I have no body piercings, save my ears.
70. I have no tattoos.
71. I've had 3 c-sections.
72. I did 68 sit-ups in a minute in high school.
73. I love fragrances.
74. I sleep in a king size bed.
75. I don't have cable TV.
76. I spend too much time on this computer.
77. I've never had much arm strength.
78. I hate push ups, and have never incorporated them into my aerobic routines. ; )
79. I loved teaching aqua aerobics. : )
80. I learned to drive a stick-shift at the beach, and got my dad's car stuck in the sand!
81. I drove the police chief's car! : ) (So fun!)
82. I fell asleep at a slumber party once and woke up with mousse shampoo and mousse conditioner all in my hair!
83. I never fell asleep at another slumber party!
84. I love to waltz!
85. I love to polka!
86. I used to go dancing at the Wild West in Houston, the Midnight Rodeo and the Ropers Rockin' Country in Birmingham with my family.
87. I do not eat dead minners on my pizza (anchovies).
88. I like to roller skate.
89. I won first place in a darts contest once.
90. I used to be an annoying (not on purpose) telephone surveyor in high school.
91. I used to go to the beach every weekend when I was a teenager (summer and winter)
92. I love to play spoons!
93. My favorite message board is Septmeber Sprouts 2003 Playgroup
94. I love water parks! : )
95. Red is my favorite color.
96. I love to nap when it rains.
97. I love any kind of holiday decorations.
98. I have a sign on my head (that I can't get off!) that says, "Tell me your whole life story. I desperately need to know right now." that glows neon at inappropriate times.
99. I love/collect smiley faces. : )
100 (LAST ONE!) I love area-wide singings! : )

I can't believe I did it. It only took me 3 days--LOL.

1. What time do you get up: Depends. When I'm working, I don't get up, I stay up (I work nights). When I sleep nights at home, I usually get up around 6am, but here lately, 4:30am seems to be involuntary wake-up time. LOL--what's that about???

2. If you could eat lunch with one person, who would it be? Jesus

3. Gold or silver? Gold!

4. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? LOL--what's a cinema??? I'm not sure, but I think it was The Passion of The Christ.

5. What is/are your favorite TV show(s)? Don't laugh, but I have become addicted to The Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica. Also Ashlee Simpson's show. And any old sitcom.

6. What did you have for breakfast? Cold leftover pizza.

7. Who would you hate to be stuck in a room with? Marilyn Manson?

8. What inspires you? God, music, my kids

9. What is your middle name? Lynn

10. Beach, city or country? beach, baby!

11. Favorite ice cream? Blue Bunny's Peanut Butter Panic! : P

12. Butter, plain or salted popcorn? Butter/salted. (Guess what I'll be having for lunch!)

13. What color is your bathroom? Green, white, cream, brown

14. Favorite color? RED!!! : )

15. What kind of car do you drive? Ford Crown Victoria

16. Favorite sandwich? Peanut butter and strawberry jelly!

17. What characteristic do you despise? Dishonesty

18. Favorite flower? Gardenia : )

19. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation where would it be? Hawaii! : )

20. Favorite brand of clothing? I'm really not much of a brand person. I do prefer Skechers shoes to workout in.

21. Where would you like to retire to? Hawaii/and someplace close to my kids.

22. Favorite day of the week? Any day that I get to be home with my kids. : )

23. What did you do for your last birthday? Same thing I do most birthdays. Take the kids to school, rent some movies that I want to see, buy some donuts for my breakfast, and camp out in the living room! : )

24. Where were you born? Houston, Texas

25. Favorite sport to watch? Oh, definitely aerobics competitions. Also, ice skating and gymnastics (close cousins to the aerobics competitions--LOL)

26. What fabric detergent do you use? I believe it's Tide

Your turn--post in my comments section or post in the comments that you'll answer on your blog, and I'll come read yours! : )

Well, I'm so discouraged today. : (

We had been trying to buy a house. The price was great and it was 5 bedrooms! Well, we just found out that we can't have it. The owners were going to let us just assume the payments. Fine. So, we went to the bank to have it transferred, and they said that they couldn't do that. We'd have to get a whole new loan for us. Okay. Well, we did all the paperwork, and the lady said she personally couldn't approve us because John had no credit at all, but that the vice president would approve it. So okay. We went home. We called the VP and the lady we had talked to all day Monday and Tuesday, trying to get an interview with him. No one even returned our calls. Today, we finally called the owner, and she told us that when she called the vice president, he had found her a buyer, and she sold the house. I know I prayed for God's will on this, and therefore this house must not be for us, but OH, I'm so disappointed. I don't think I'm ever gonna own my own home.

And it's been a really tough week here anyway. Monday, I had to take Malachi to the pediatrician, because he's had this horrible cough and green nose for about 6 weeks now. We can't take him anywhere, because no one wants their babies around a sick one. Then yesterday, I came home from work, took a nap with Malachi midmorning, and woke up with a really nasty stomach virus. I had to call in sick (and I NEVER call in sick). But can't you just see me trying to answer a 911 while praying to the garbage can? UGH! And before I was quite over that, Madeline woke up at 3am crying with an earache. When I woke her up this morning, she had goopy eyes too. I took her to the pediatrician--both ears infected and conjunctivitis in both eyes. This afternoon, despite the ear drops and Tylenol, she cried and cried with ear pain.

And we have a mouse in my kitchen . . .

I'm trying to smile (or at least find something to smile about) . . .

Sorry I've been MIA. I was at dispatch school for the past two days. And it was in a PD 2 hours away! So, I've been getting up at 4am and getting home at around 6:30pm. It was a very interesting school, but some parts of it would make you cry and some parts would just make you weak in the knees to listen to. They had disturbing photographs, audio tapes, and video tapes. I was just so sick and tired in spirit when I got home. I just hugged my children to me and thanked God that they were safe and with me.

Well, John and I are looking at buying a house. A friend is having to move out of her house, and the owners really need to find someone to pick up the payments. It's an old house and needs some aesthetic work, but to me, that's the kind of fun part. You could fix it the way YOU want to. But the only snag we've come across is that the daycare that my kids go to doesn't pick up from that school. I usually work nights, but if I had to work a day or if I went to school again, I have to have someone to pick Maddie up from school and keep her. I guess I'll look into if they have after-school care at the school or if one of the daycares takes drop ins. Madeline and Malachi are both on "drop in status" at their current daycare. They only go there once in a blue moon, but when I need the daycare, they just charge me for that day. It's very convenient, but I don't know if any others do this. I'll have to look into it. But I sure would like to buy that house . . . I'm tired of renting.

Now, I'm running on fumes--the energy is fast running out. I've been up since 4am (and finally fell asleep at 3:15am), so I'm going to bed now. Good night!

Mom & I are having a small friendly debate. Tell me what you think about this sentence:"God does not want moral people nearly as much as He wants people who love Him for the sake of the world."

(Pant, pant) I made it! Whoo hoo! Made it through another workout--YAY! I did Gin Miller's Simply Step Classic Moves. You know, it doesn't seem fair that it takes so much cardio to burn off pizza.

It's Friday, and I'm working tonight. Wonder what lies in store for me tonight? That's one thing that's so fun about my job. It's never the same from one night to the next!

Anyone got any neat plans for the weekend? I'm working the next two nights. Sunday, we're supposed to go to Heritage Place C of C in Birmingham for church. It's a family weekend. My sister and family and brother and family are all coming. Boy will I be tired working all night, then a day with all the family. But at least John is driving us to Birmingham--so I can sleep on the way. And Wayne Kilpatrick is the pulpit minister there, and we just love him! We love Randy, too, but we do miss Wayne from when we were members at the Homewood C of C (before we moved to Cullman).

Wonderful day today! I know, it's kind of dismal weather here in the Heart of Dixie, but really, it's a great day! Here are a few of my blessings:

Well blog, I had a new experience last night. I learned just what 10-100 means! HIGH SPEED CHASE! Apparently, while I was talking to Corporal M. (who had just come on shift), Officer P (who had just gone off shift) decided to light someone up and pull them over. That person (L) decided he didn't want to pull over and took off! So, Officer P announced 10-100! I about fell out! Corporal M took off to 10-48 Officer P (assist), and didn't know that I had locked the outer door. So Corporal M about broke through our outside door! I heard this CRASH! And Corporal M came running back in, pushed the unlock button and left. The inmates were just rolling! I called the S.O. (county) to come assist, and the dispatcher kept asking me, "WHERE ARE THEY!" I kept telling her to wait a minute, I was giving her the details as fast as the officers were huffing them out. By this time, L decided that he'd do better on foot, and bailed out of the car! Leaving his sister in law and brother in the car! A resident heard the ruckus and ran out hitting L as he ran by--"YOU STOP!" (LOL) Officer P took off after L, and Corporal M drew his gun on the brother and sister, "DON'T MOVE!" Poor people! Corporal M scared them to death! When he ascertained that they weren't going anywhere, Corporal M took off to find Officer P and L. The county police got there remarkably quickly and brought the state police! But even with 4 cops on the scene, this guy was pretty doped up and ran like the wind. He got away. But Officer P said (on the primary recorded radio), "500, you did an excellent job!" (500 is ME!) I did an excellent job. And I didn't panic! When it was over, I had the shakes pretty badly, but I did good!

I'm tired now, blog. I've had 4 hours of sleep since Monday morning.