BBQ & Blessings!

We were able to drive back to our old stompin' grounds and visit our beloved Spicy Family for a fun treat on Saturday. They blessed us with buying our BBQ meal at one of the great Mom & Pop shops that are one-of-a-kind sorta cookin' that makes you drool over the food. We were all excited to see each other!!! After lunch we spent some time at their house just chatting and catching up on summer happenings. We LOVE you guys so much! Thanks for a great time.

The next to last pic is of two bloggers in the making! LOL! (If you can't tell, SpicyGirl is taking a pic of the ever-posing PandaGirl).

MommySpice blessed me with a yummy Yankee Candle for my birthday....she knows my crazy love affair with autumn so she got me "Autumn Wreath" and of course, I LOVE it!

First Day of Preschool

PandaGirl's first day of preschool was a BLAST! She woke up to Mickey Mouse pancakes and little surprise package. I am the teacher of the "Frogs" class and she is in the "Bluebirds" class. We both had an awesome day, but were really ready for a nap by the time we got home. We girls aren't used to working, just playing! ; ) We only go two days a week, but there is alot on my plate now and many hats that I am wearing....all good, but time consuming. So sorry for all of you who have commented and I haven't been over to see you lately. It takes quite a bit of time to go blog-hopping and I just don't have the time at the moment. I will be visiting soon, though! We are off this morning to see our beloved Spicy Family and hopefully meet Doodlebug for the first time from the Desheng Family....(My White Swan links).

FUN Day!

Thanks for all the birthday shout-outs from all of you!! I had a GREAT DAY! Lots of fun at the first MOPS meeting of the year where I will be a Discussion Group Leader. The over all theme of the year is "Dwell Well" with each small group having a name like 'home', 'adode', 'refuge'...mine is named "shelter". SO perfect for me! I have always put that as the biggie attribute for God in my life. He is my refuge, hiding place and shelter. Someone else prayed over what names to give which group leaders and I thought it was awesome to have "shelter" as mine. We were to give small gifts to our ladies in the group from us the group leaders. I made these really CUTE little houses with a Scripture about "shelter". PERFECT! After our meeting some of the moms took me out to Chick fil A for lunch to celebrate. Sweet. Last night PandaPop and PandaGirl took me out to Pei Wei and then onto get me my FAVORITE dessert: chocolate frozen custard with cookie dough mix-in...YUM! I also have been busy letting my mind go fast and furious with a new business venture that popped into my head yesterday and I CAN'T WAIT to share it with you!!! I am working out all the details for the next few weeks and will be so excited to announce it! Woohooo! ; )



Yesterday my birthday presents from PP and PG were perfect for me! They got me my favorite crimson red roses, my favorite Lindt chocolate truffles, scratch and smell stickers for my 4 yr. old class on Friday, darling little heart sticky notes and.....$25 gift card to the iTunes store to buy more songs for my iPod. I then got a very funny Napoleon Dynamite card that has a speaker in it saying, "I don't have any skills...nunchuck skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills." LOL!




These pics are of our weekend visit with my parents. They came up to see our new neighborhood and visit our "new" church. While they were here we cooked out steaks and chicken with all the trimmings along with this very southern-home-made-from scratch strawberry shortcake recipe that PG and I read from this really fun book. We went to our brand new GORGEOUS shopping area and ate at McDonald's for Labor Day morning breakfast. This was THE most yuppie, suburbanite Mickey D's I have EVER been in!!! This place was POSH with the same old high fat fast food! I mean, come on...a BLACK potty with BRASS trim? No matter how you dress it up...it's STILL a McDonald's! LOL!







Monday night my friend B took me out to Starbucks for some white chocolate mocha and chit-chat. Great time. ; )


Whew! Tired, but very blessed. Thank you, Lord for family, friends, and a another birthday. All to Your glory.

Happy Birthday to Me! ; )

Come back tomorrow for updates over the weekend and all the happenings of today...my b-day!

Forever Friend

Go here to see my best friend whom I posted the last entry for. She surprised me with a special post about...me! She and I met ten years ago (can it REALLY be 10?!). Our husbands served on staff together at a precious little church in Arlington, Texas. We have such sweet memories for that five year time period. She said at the time that she and her hubby had been praying for a "friend" for her and then I came along. It cracked me up that God used ME to answer someone else's prayer, but from the moment I met her I knew we'd be friends. Little did I know that we'd end up being BEST friends for this long. (God has blessed us both with other friends through the years, of course, but we have a very special bond that is well...you'll see).

We have been through cancer with her husband (praise GOD for healing and medicine!!!), watched her little boy of two years old grow to be a young man with a deep voice, watched her as she threw-up her guts the entire pregnancy of her daughter (well--we didn't actually SEE the throw up!), listened to her completely angelic musical voice while being moved to tears by her own sweet spirit while she sings the lyrics, collected massive charms bracelets together, are connected in our hearts for China for same and different reasons, planned a tea party together for six women JUST because we found scrapbook paper that we wanted to use for it, gone to a Jewish synagogue together and it just happened to be a Bar Mitzvah (LOL!), hugged her when one of her four brothers was killed in a motorcycle accident, disagreed with each other, laughed until we cried, cried until we laughed, shared secrets, rolled our eyes in disgust at the meaness exhibited by church members at times, rolled our eyes at each other, prayed over each other, interceeded for each other, hurt for each other, hurt each other, held each other, forgiven each other, driven really far to get to each other, cheered for each other...I think you get the picture of us.

We haven't lived close for six years, but keep in tune with the other one's life. We know we were divinely put together and are grateful for such a friendship. Thank you, Lord for my sweet friend...even though she is a teacher who can't spell...
S-O-C-C-O-R. LOLOLOL! ; )

A Hairy Decision...

OK~this post is primarily for my personal friend Funderstorm. Here's my hair. It's growing.




I have a question for anyone else who wants to chime in just for kicks. Why do we do this to ourselves? You know the question: cut my hair or let it grow? Most women I talk to would have shorter hair than they sport around, but their HUSBANDS want them to have longer hair. Why? Is it supposed to be sexier than short hair or something? That's the only thing I can think of.

PandaPop likes my hair growing out, but has told me countless times, that he likes it any way I wear it and that it should be MY decision, not his. Thank you, sweet man. I am the one forcing myself into this never-ending pendulum swing.

Just this week I saw a girl at the gym with her darling super short do like I used to wear and I have to say that I almost got the scissors out right after I hopped off the treadmill. She just looked so spunky and FREE! Then I go on to see some chic in the locker room with super long hair for a woman my age (or older) and she looked very feminine and luxurious. Oh, the drama. To cut or not to cut?....that is the question.

Longer hair certainly looks cute when tossed up in an up-do with wispies falling around one's face or a sassy ponytail coming out the back of a baseball cap. However, shorter hair is so darn spunky and much cooler on the neck! Oh---and let's get me started on the whole flat iron era. I never even mess with those, because I have always taken as little time as possible to get my hair done. Today, however, I thought I'd try to "straighten" my hair for a new look with the longer tresses. Mind you, I ALREADY HAVE straight hair, but wanted the look I see on other women with the straight-all-the-way-down model. I have NO IDEA how you girls with natural waves or curls put yourself through the ritual of "straightening" your hair only to have to do it again in the morning. YUCK!!! Too hard and too much time! My hair is waaaaaay too T-H-I-C-K to try and straighten it. You see in the pic that the back didn't even get touched. I am clapping for those of you who take the time to flat iron your hair. You deserve kudos or something....maybe a massage would be better for your tired arms. Hence the reason I want my short hair back. But I can't do it yet. I guess there is some inner cave woman in me that wants to see if I can grow it long enough for PP to pull me around by my long tresses and then watch him beat his chest in triumph. Not really. That's just stupid. In fact, ALL of this is stupid. People are longing for food in their bellies right now and I am concerned over getting my hair cut or not. Hmph. Thank you, Lord that I have hair.

Wordless Wednesday #17-Contentment

Getting Into the Swing of Things...

We are kicking off our new fall schedule in the morning. I am going to have to start posting my first of the week blog posts on Sunday nights because we hit the ground running on Monday mornings bright and early. I will be teaching the young fours class at our church's Child Development Center on Mondays and Fridays while PandaGirl will be in the older fours class. She has been practicing her letters and numbers and getting into the swing of things for her "school". So cute!

After waiting and waiting and waiting for me to finish up a project for a Women's Event at our church in a month PandaGirl finally pooped out just waiting for me on her bed. I LOVE this picture! LOL!!!


By her own choice, PandaGirl decided to get a haircut to be fresh for "school".


I just think PG can pull off this haircut so well because of her little rounded face and the fact that she has two crowns on the top of her head and a cowlick (sp?) making her hair lay funny. It works out great for this cut!




This is PG's "one-of-a-kind" princess lunchbox that 5 million other little girls will be toting this year. I had a Holly Hobbie metal lunchbox with matching thermos when I was in elementary so I just had to let her get her favorite girls for her lunch tote. Memories in the making for her...


PandaPop was on the computer for two and half hours on Saturday night "drafting" his FANTASY FOOTBALL team with a bunch of guys he knows. So cracks me up! As much as I love to scrapbook, PP loves this game. Atta boy, honey! BTW: do you notice the earbud poking out of his ears??? YES! My iPod Nano came in and he downloaded lots of songs for me...woohoooo!


I am very excited about our fall schedule. Since Mondays and Fridays are working the CDC, then every other Tuesday I will be a small group leader for our MOPS group, church choir rehearsals on Wednesday nights, PG in Awanas on Wed, and her choir on Sunday nights, plus being on the leadership team for our Women's Ministry with a huge kick-off event planned for September in which I am the lead for decor AND leading an hour long break-out session not to forget any Children's Ministry events that I will most definetly help PP with AND remember we just got our gym membership and are committed to continuing our new fitness plan, you can see how blogging is going to take a backseat to living. Hope you all come and visit often. I am sure there will be lots to share. I just have to figure out when to do it! ; )

The Fun Stuff

What a FUN anniversary! Thank you for all the well wishes! It might sound arrogant, I don't mean it to, but I love it when people who never knew I had long hair see it for the first time and wig out! I love the reaction!! LOL! ; ) I cut it off about 12 years ago. You'd have thought you cut my arms off. I was bawling so bad in the salon chair after I saw my hair on the ground that I was heaving! My poor husband had to carry me to the car and I cried for a week...until I realized that my hair was actually pretty cute short. Who knew? Then I kept it short until this past year and am growing it out. Don't know why, but we'll see how long I can stand it.

Last night we went to Cozymel's Mexican food and had chicken flautas---with PECANS it them---very good, but interesting.

We then went on to the movies to see Becoming Jane. LOVE it! Cried. Came home to google her life and found out the movie doesn't really follow her life exactly. I was bummed. I just CAN'T STAND IT when liberties are taken like that and totally CHANGE the whole true story. Oh, well, "Mr Tumnus" did a fantastic job as Tom LeFroy and Anne Hathaway was perfect!


I am sooooooo excited to be getting THIS in the mail today! Can't wait to download favorite songs to my new iPod Nano to work out to at the gym! Woohoo!

We finished off the evening with our traditional Welches Sparkling Grape Juice. We have done this since 1998 drinking out of the same two wonderful wine flutes PandaPop got at the grocery store for 98 cents way back in our Seminary days!

Celebrating 15 Years!

August 22, 1992





Fifteen years ago today I became Mrs. PandaPop. What a ride it's been! Being married to a minister has been quite an experience: living on a budget, moving 13 times in 15 years (not that many churches though!), biting my tongue more times than I care to count, seeing the yuckie side of Christians (including myself!), being blessed beyond measure by the body of Christ, meeting so many people through serving in various churches and leading in ministry events, the list could go on and on. There were a few times we just wanted to throw in the towel and have some other kind of vocation seeing that a life in church work is no cake walk, but God brought us back around to see that His will is for PandaPop to be a vocational minister. Right now that happens to be a Children's Pastor. Who knows what God has in store for us in the future?

Through the years we have grown to understand how the other "ticks" and what ticks off the other! ; ) Our first five years were filled with getting to know each other as husband and wife while going in head first into church work. The next five years found us smack in the middle of struggling through infertility and the longing to start a family. God brought us closer together through that valley. It just happened to roll on over to the last five years as well. However, during the past five years our God blessed us so much by allowing us to become parents together to the most amazing and beautiful little girl from China, our daughter. Mmm...those are so sweet to us. We pray that in the next five years He will bless us with another daughter and maybe even a son. It's all in His hands.

We also (me mostly) have completely let our physical bodies go to pot over the past years! Soooo, now we are in a new phase, chapter, story, whatever you call it...and we gave ourself the most awesome gift to celebrate 15 years of marriage: a membership to Lifetime Fitness. If you have never heard of this place then look it up online and see that it is far different than a typical "gym". It truly is the top-notch, best of everything kind of health club. We are beside ourselves with joy over going here. It makes it FUN to work out!!! I wanted something that would "last" as a reminder of our 15th since on our 10th anniversary we got the James Avery GOLD wedding bands that have Song of Solomon 2:16 on them engraved in Hebrew. ("I am my beloved's and he (she) is mine".) The gift of health and vitality is a lasting present to ourselves.

The pics that follow are just a few through the years. I have an album of lots of couple pictures of us through the years. It cracks me up because we have several where we are wearing virtually the same type of glasses frames and we never meant to do it! Tonight we are going out to dinner and to see a movie. We just love being together.

PandaPop, you are my best friend and I love you infinity X 2! Thanks for so many awesome memories and I pray for many more with you, my love. Happy Anniversary! ; )

Go here for last year's story if you didn't visit this blog back then...

1992-Sante Fe, New Mexico...Youth Minister for a youth ski trip

1995-a month after I cut my hair from long to this!

2000-The infamous Y2K!...we are drinking MILK in champagne glasses! LOL!

2002-Serving at a church outside of Houston a bit after 9/11 and in the waiting time for PandaGirl (our FIRST day at this church WAS 9/11/01!!!)

2004Serving at our last church in the Dallas area and are parents to PandaGirl!

Feb. 2004 in China getting PandaGirl!

2007-Our beautiful, adorable, fun, smart and darling daughter.

2007-Last night and serving as Children's Pastor at the BEST church we have ever been blessed to serve!!! We LOVE it!