Wow, have I missed alot.....I still haven't had time to catch up on the reading since I last posted. Things have been absolutely crazy around here and it doesn't appear to be stopping anytime soon.

Just an update on the family:

The girls are now once again settled back in school. The house is quiet except for the occasional grinding and grunting from Joey, the rabbit.

Jenny, our oldest will be graduating from Georgia Tech on Dec. 17th! We're so proud of her not only for her academic accomplishments but also to see how the Lord is working in her life and how she continues to grow spiritually too. She's on the hunt for a full-time job at least until the Fall when she hopes to go back for her Master's degree. She has lots of opportunities just has to see which one the Lord leads her to.

Christina is back at Berry College in Rome, GA for her junior year, studying Middle Grades Education. This year she's an RA to a floor full of freshmen so she definitely has her work cut out for her. I love visiting her and seeing the beautiful campus. Christina continues to amaze us with her accomplishments as well.

Richard is still SO busy at work. He's crazy but I love him! He's currently training for the 100k Trail Run in January. Better him than me! He finally bought his dream car.....a British Racing Green Mini Cooper! If you've ever seen one they're really small cars.....He's 6'1" Amazingly enough he fits with room to spare. 'Course noone can actually sit behind them unless they sit cross-legged! It's a really cute car....even has racing stripes on the front.

As for me, I had my purse stolen about a month ago. I'm still trying to straighten everything out. A slow but sure process. If nothing else it has taught me to carry only the essentials. You can't imagine all the "stuff" I had in there!

There have been lots of ministry opportunities here in Houston after hurricane Katrina. I went to the Convention Center to help out. My heart goes out to the displaced families. Here's a link to a really good sermon preached by Max Lucado "What Hurricane Katrina Can Teach Us" that's well worth reading, watching or listening to: http://www.maxlucado.com/katrina/ Let me know what you think.....

I'll try to catch up with all the postings to get back up to speed.

Thank you ALL for your encouragment. God is indeed good![/
Until next time...
Karen

I just wanted to share with you that DS got a job. He started at Staples yesterday. He's pretty excited about it. He gets 25-30 hours a week which is what he wanted. It seems like the hours will work with the classes he's taking. God is good!! DIL is still looking for some more hours somewhere. The mall near where she works is having a job fair this week so hopefully something will turn up for her there.

WOrk is going really well for me right now. I still have run ins with one of the girls. I think she's testing me to see what she can get away with. So far she does listen when I tell her something so hopefully we can get this worked out. For the most part I am enjoying my job more so that's a blessing.

Karen: So good to have you back. It looks like things are going well for you. My DS would love a mini. They are really cute cars.

Have a great day!

IT'S A BOY!!!!!

well folks, thats the news for the morning!! Kirsty has given birth to a bouncing baby biy who weighed in at 6lbs 4 1/2 oz. That was all I managed to get out of mother who I rang at 12:30hrs as I was fed up with not having heard from her. I was out at the time so I have at last got home and am able to start spreading the news....



Well done to Kirsty and Andrew. I hope mother and baby get home as planned on Sunday and settle down real quick. Hopefully Kirsty will begin to feel better at last and the daily sickness and indigestion will be gone before you can yell "Nappy change!"

Its raining here again today LIKE IT DID YESTERDAY(Ooops CAPS button on!!)
I have had a load of chest pain to contend with this week. Its not quite at panic button stage yet but I ma not holding my breath that it will not all explode out of all medication control .....

Teel, is Kirsty your sister? Is this the first baby? Details, sweets, details.

Ah so sorry!!

Kirsty is my Scottish friend from the other thread I post on...Around the world with 80 chicks..she writes as Linus and she was good to me when I was in hospital last by letting you all know on this thread...I went to see her in Edinburgh in the summer and we have got to know each other really well. She is a dear and I am so pleased for hedr and the safe arrival especially as she has had such a rotten time throughout her gestation. Even yesterday she was still being sick and getting undigestion. I really hope she comes home and quickly gets back to a better state of health...not that she is in great health anyway...she is like me, in constant pain and reliant on medication to see her through. She has 2 teenage sons already so I think this arrivak was a bit more than a shock when he first put in an appearance nearly 9 months ago!!!

That must be pretty exhausting for Kirsty! I'm so happy for her though.

klynntx -- I haven't seen you around before. Are you new?

Wilma -- so glad to hear DS got a job that he likes! That makes ALL the difference in the world! Hopefully DIL will be able to get a job as well. I'll keep her in my prayers.

School and work have kept me so busy. I need to get a job to work on the weekend so I can pay off my car sooner. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!!

Talk to you all later!
Rachel

Teel ~ Congrats! to Kirsty. Just noticed that you're from England. Richard, my DH is as well...from the Brighton area. We lived in London for about 5 years before moving to the states. Hope your medication will afford you relief from the pain.

Rachel ~ with the job hunt. I joined the group early this summer but have been very sporadic in posting. I have to fight the hubby for computer time. He frequents the runner's forums and he can spend hours doing that. We are a family of four plus a rabbit named Joey. Two daughters, Jennifer (21) and Christina (20).

Wilma ~ glad that work is going well for you. Stand your ground, and things will work out. Just curious what kind of work you do? I'm blessed to work with a great bunch of student ministers. They're young and crazy but it keeps me young!

Congrats on your DS's job. Staples is a fun place to shop....hopefully it will be just as much fun to work there.

Time to call it a night....catch y'all later

Please tell me how I can get one of those sparklin things with my name under it. Please

HI GALS

Have a few minutes to check in before I take my nephew in for a sports physical. Not much exciting happening around here...although Angie and I did get into an argument...er...discussion last night...I might have got a little loud!...let's just say my neice and the puppies were running for cover...the rest of the family were lucky enough to miss it.

WILMA~ for DS and his job. Have a great week-end.

PHAT STARLET Welcome...as far as the sparkling thing...ask SUNNYD.

KAREN~ Welcome back...congrats on your daughters! My daughter is trying to find the right school to get her Masters next year.

RACHEL~ Prayers for finding week-end work that fits your schedule!

TEEL~ Prayers for Linus and family...and for your chest pain!

MICHELE~ How's the packing going?

Well, need to get going......later and

HELLO TO ALL THE M.I.A.'S.....we know whou you are..

Just kinda venting, I guess...
I also sell Avon and I became a Beauty Advisor. Avon has a little known line called BeComing, which is a more expensive line that only Avon ladies whoi are Beauty Advisors can sell. Most peole have never heard of it, since I don't think they ever advertised it.
My district manager told us they were thinking od getting rid of it, and she said she wasn't supposed to tell us. In fact, I cannot get some of these products in, including the new catalogue. When I contact Avon, they say, "Oh, we're having problems with out supply chain and management is addressing that." No mention of are they discontinuing BeComing.
I don't know why it's supposed to be such a big secret. I think the customers are more important. Am I crazy or what, but I think this is offbeat here.
Of course, they didn't ask MY opinion!

Hey great news!!!!!

I made the Dean's list!!! woo hoo!!!!

That's wonderful <ateralUS! What are you studying and where are you going to school?

HI GALS

Just a quick check in before I go watch my RAIDERS play tonight against Kansas City.

I know you didn't see my USC TROJANS last night but what a game!!! They are the real deal. My son was at the game...so exciting for him.

MICHELE~ I like AVON stuff...my mom sold it door to door 35 years ago for spending $$$

RACHEl~ Great job on the grades!!!

Well....caught up again........later, Gary

It's Monday again! At least it's nice and sunny out. We are having a beautiful autumn season here. It did rain a fair bit on the weekend but yesterday was beautiful as it's supposed to be all week. Of course, I was feeling a little under the weather yesterday so we didn't do much. I feel a bit better today but will have to be careful not to move too fast. I think I have an ear infection or something because I was dizzy yesterday and sudden movement would throw my equalimbrium off.

Oldest DS is really enjoying his job at Staples. They are willing to work around his classes and give him Sundays off. Youngest DS goes back to the doc. today to get the clear to go back to his job. He sees the asthma specialist in October so hopefully he'll be able to get back to work full time instead of sitting around at home. It's just not healthy for him.

I went shopping on Saturday for some clothes for work. I tried on a skirt in the size I thought I would wear and ended up going a size smaller.!!!! I still find it hard to believe that I can get into those sizes. It is such a good feeling and a motivater to try to lose the rest of what I have to lose.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day and please come back and post. I miss all the activity here.

I miss all the activity as well! Glad to hear that DS likes his new job! Hope that your other DS can get clearance for his job as well.

Isn't it such a great feeling when you fit into smaller sizes? It makes all the sacrifice wothwhile!

Right now, I'm studying to be a teacher, but I'm getting my Gen Ed requirements at a community college. But I'll earn an Associate's in Art Degree while I'm at it!

Next year, I'm going to the 'big school' to be a teacher. I can't wait!

See you all later....I gotta go to my doctor appointment.