Different, yet the same.

I am taking a Family Science class this semester and I am required to take counseling sessions for a grade. In my session today my therapist shared a few things with me.

The first thing she shared was that she sees traits in me that I only have because of the experiences I have had in my life. She said I have unique insight and compassion because of the things God has brought me to and through. She feels that I am going to make a fantastic counselor one day. Well, I was both shocked and flattered that she felt this way. She also said she feels encouraged by my life story and hearing me talk about how far God has brought me. It was so nice to hear her say that I have done a wonderful job in processing my feelings about what God is doing in my life. I told her that I felt inadequate and uncertain about what I am called to do. I told her I thought Satan was not out necessarily to keep me from God, but to keep me from helping other hurting people. She told me to hang on, to be confident that God began a good work in me and that He will carry it on to completion. To just KEEP WALKING IN HIM, one step at a time. Just like I had to depend on God when I was dealing with those deep, dark places in my life, I have to depend on Him to light each step when times are good, too. God will not leave me and He will not lead me astray, He will guide me to the exact place He intends for me to be.

I was encouraged, and this evening I feel very strongly about the other thing we talked about...

My therapist and I also talked extensively about my plans to have another tattoo done on my foot. Now, I won't share all the details of this tattoo....you have to wait for the pictures. But, I will tell you it has a butterfly in the design. She asked me if I knew that a caterpillar and a butterfly have the same DNA. (Huh? What? I did not know that!!) Yes, it seems that it is true. Their DNA is the same....exactly. The caterpillar goes through metamorphosis and when this happens, certain genetic codes are "turned on" to allow growth and change to take place. Before the caterpillar becomes a butterfly, it's DNA becomes a kind of DNA soup. It loses it's structure entirely and has to hang on believing that something good can come of the mess it is in. That poor caterpillar just sits there waiting on something beautiful to happen. After metamorphosis is complete and the butterfly is fully formed, it still has the same DNA as when it began life. The only difference is that the butterfly is now "grown up" into a beautiful creature.

Made me think about how God has grown me over the years. Made me think about all the things I have "survived" over the years. And...it made me think about how that little butterfly on my foot will be a permanent stamp of the changes I have gone through.

That butterfly on my foot is the symbol of my testimony. My heart. My life story.

I'm not dead.

Not yet, anyway. :)

I am just really super busy with that thing called life. I will be posting an update very soon, so stay tuned.

I apologize for not posting sooner, but life has me by the hair right now and it's yanking it out by the handful.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

2 cups cooked, cubed chicken breast
1 lb. bag Bird's Eye Classic Mixed Vegetables
2 medium potatoes, washed and cubed into bite size pieces
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cans of ten count buttermilk biscuits (I usually get the Pillsbury four pack and then have two cans leftover)
one can Cream of Mushroom soup
one can Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
garlic to taste
salt to taste
pepper to taste
dash of basil-optional
couple pinches of thyme-optional


Boil chicken (reserve 1/4 cup of broth), allow to cool, and then cube into pieces.
Grease a 9x13 baking dish and pour in bag of frozen vegetables.
Wash, peel, and chop potatoes. Put them on top of the veggies.
Add the chopped onion on top of this.
At this point I usually put my salt, pepper, garlic, basil, and thyme on top of everything in the pan.
Add cubed chicken on top.

(You should have the following order: Veggies, potatoes, onion, spices, and chicken in the pan)

Last, mix the cans of soup with 1/2 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of chicken broth. It will be pretty soupy. Pour this mixture over the chicken and veggies in the pan. Use the back of a spoon to distribute evenly.

Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes. The cooking time depends on how long it takes the potatoes to cook. I usually pull the pan out of the oven and check the potatoes with a fork.

When the potatoes are fork tender add the two cans of biscuits on top. You should be able to fit all 20 biscuits in top.

Leave off the foil and put the pan back in oven. Bake another 10-15 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown on top.

***I made this recipe up one night just going along and adding things together. When my kids asked for it again a couple of weeks later, I had forgotten how I made it!! Five years later, it is now a favorite. My children and husband beg for this dish all the time. They absolutely love it.***

This recipe will feed a hungry crowd of kids.

Remembering my Mama

Mama,
Today makes 16 years you've been gone. I miss you today just as much as I did back then. I'd give anything to hug you just one more time. I think the words of this song sum up my feelings really well. I miss you like crazy and I can't wait until I see you again.

***Scroll down and stop the music in the music player before starting this video.



You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

In Christ, there are no goodbye
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again

And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow

I've never been more homesick than now

Speaking English is what kills you.

Grabbed this from a friend after she posted it on FB. Too funny!!

Q: Doctor, I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it...don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine - that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good!

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!! .....Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO - Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape!

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember:
'Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO, What a Ride'

AND.....

For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausage and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION

Eat and drink what you like.
Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Dear Daddy...

This year makes the 13th year I have spent Father's Day without you.

I miss you every single day of every single year that passes by. I never realized how hard it would be without you. I miss you at times when I least expect it. I have very few pictures left of you and not one of you and Holley together. It stinks.

My memories are all I have left when my children ask questions about you. I tell them all the funny, crazy stuff we did together.

I tell Holley about how scared you were to hold her the day after she was born.

She just laughs.

I remember the educational things you taught me over the years.

I remember the silly little things.





Because of you:

I learned to check and change the oil in my car.

I learned how to change a flat tire.

I developed a serious constant craving for Chick-A-Dilly chicken.

Every time I see a jar of Tostitos cheese dip I think of you.



I learned to judge the mechanics that work on my car.

I also learned to never let them take advantage of me.

All during my childhood I was convinced I had been named after a carburetor.

I learned to appreciate a person that can hunt and kill their own food.

I developed a deep love for hunting later, because of you.

I see you when I see blue Dickies coveralls.




Crown Royal tastes the best when I miss you terribly and need a good, stiff drink...Waymon Holley style.

Everywhere I look I see hooded eyes.

I learned that sausage is best smoked on the grill and served with mustard.

I remember sitting with you on the porch at Pam's holding your hand...silently.

I remember going hunting with you and sharing a can of Vienna Sausages. YUK!!

You always bought me an ICEE, every time we went into the Pit Stop.

I think of you every time I think of Pam. Those bonds are unbreakable.

Pennywise the clown still scares the crap out of me.

My college degree? It's for you.

To this day I think of you when I see a Nissan truck.

And a Rottweiler.

And a Cocker Spaniel.

And a Beagle.


And a gun.


Click on my music player to disable the blog music before you play this video. Thx.

Wordless Wednesday

First Class Service

This morning my step daughter had her tonsils out. She was a little nervous and got a wee bit teary right before they took her back. She was in and out in less than 30 minutes.

When I first saw her she asked, "Are they done?"

Me, "Yes, honey they are done."

Her, "Wow, that was fast."

Such a sweet child.

She got to eat grape slushy, which gave her a purple tongue and lips, but she loved it. They checked on us often and even gave her a portable DVD to watch a movie with. Her daddy and I brought her some balloons and a cute teddy bear. A lot of her family came to check on her this morning, including her grandpa from Van Buren. He brought her loads of balloons too. All in all, she was a real trooper. She laughed, smiled, and even joked with us.

Her pain meds must have been some good stuff!!

I am proud of her for being so brave.

I was really impressed with the new outpatient surgery center. It had all the latest equipment and offered refreshments for families of patients. Danielle was tickled with the slushy and the movie. The only negative about it all was she can't do anything strenuous for two weeks.

Yes, that means No Swimming.

OH NOES!!!!