Mammoth Post

I am making time to blog today. I feel like I have been running 90 miles and hour with my hair on fire lately. I know everyone is busy. It seems like it is the norm for most people. I don't like it. Yesterday I had kind of a meltdown and Craig and I were talking about what I might be able to cut out. Right now, there really isn't anything I can cut out. I will continue, and try to take it one day at a time. I have begun praying that God would use everyday to mold me to be more like him - in all the things I have going on. Blogging has just fallen to the bottom of my list, and doesn't get done often.

I currently have 39 piano students. Before we moved here, I thought it would be so great to build my business and have my schedule completely full of students. I am rethinking that between now and next fall for many reasons. I am trying to fit in Mary Kay when I can because it is so fun, is my creative outlet, and Craig and I had decided to give the money I make from it to missions. I am getting ready to teach a Bible study at our church, that I attend each week. My topic is "Beauty." I'm going to be talking about beauty from a biblical perspective but then also work in modesty and dressing your body type, spring trends, hair and makeup. It's rewarding but also takes a lot of time. I'm homeschooling Jack which is going well. He loves it. He sent out several valentines and carefully signed his name on each one. There is a lot more going on as well, but I won't bore you with all the details.

I decided to do one post with some highlights from the last month and a half or so.

Craig went back to Guatemala this year. He loved it, of course. He is fortunate to have found a God-given passion. He feels like he wasted so much valuable time in his life, but this is one of the things he can do, and loves to do, that matters for eternity.

Craig is in the middle with the black hat on, with his back to the camera. I went to Guatemala 3 years ago and I hope to get to go with him sometime. Jack keeps saying, "When I get big, I'm going to Guatemala with dad!"

I had a Mary Kay conference and awards luncheon in the Quad Cities. I have met so many beautiful, neat women. That has by far, been one of my favorite things about Mary Kay so far.

I recently had a baby shower for three friends from the Tuesday morning Bible Study I attend. It was a lot of work, but so much fun.

One of the beautiful moms, Katie, and my friend from Liberia, Jamima.

(This picture is out of order :) After the Mary Kay conference during the day, there was an awards Gala in the evening. It was formal! I love stuff like this - Craig not so much. I spent weeks thinking about what I would wear. Craig said he would pull out his sport coat that he wears for "marryin' and buryin'." He also told me he would wear a tie or a coat but not both. I had been a star consultant for the last quarter, so my director bought our dinner. It was so much fun - for me anyway. I told Craig to think of it as going to prom with a girl since he went to prom in high school with his friend Squib (Mike.)

Jack's newest favorite activity with dad is wrestling. He begs to wrestle. He is all boy.

Here, Jack is winning :)

It's funny how one minute he is wrestling and toting guns and the next he is asking to bake cookies.

Jack figured out how to print Transformer masks on the computer. We're working hard to find fun, indoor activities to pass the time. Come on Spring!!!

We had the Blizzard of 2011 in February. It took Craig almost all of the next day to dig out his truck and our driveway. Jack loved helping - as long as he had "earmuffs" to help with the loud noise of the snow blower.

February was a whirlwind, but it seems like lots of great, fun things happened in the whirlwind. We have been treated to a little hint of the arrival of spring in the last few weeks. We are so ready to be outside! Can't wait!