Fall

I just love fall. I'll say this every year if I have to. I love getting out and seeing the fall colors and taking my pictures. I got to do a little of this last weekend. It was great.

Having grown up in the area I did, we just didn't have fall. It just turned from summer to spring really. The trees just didn't change colors as much as they do in other parts of the country. I don't know if that's why I love fall so much, but I do. We can just be driving down the road, and I'll say, look boys, fall, and point to a tree. They laugh.

In unrelated news, I had a mouse in my mini van! Yes, people, you heard me correct, a mouse. How did he get in? I don't know!!!! How did he get out? I don't know!!!! He left evidence of his existance there, though. We found the hole that he's coming through in the garage, and put bait right in front of it. Later that night, D went out to the garage, and turned on the light, and there he was, chomping on the bait, just looking back at D. If he wouldn't have gotten into my mini van and had a fun little night, I'd almost feel sorry for him. I mean honestly ya'll, how did he get in there? I am possibly quite a neurotic person about things being clean. I mean, I get behind in my housework from time to time, but I like things to be clean. After work that day, I spent 4 hours cleaning out my van. I vacuumed, I wiped down every surface and sanitized it. I shampooed the entirety of the carpet. I shampooed every seat. I really want a new van now, but D says just a mouse in the van once is not a reason to buy a new one. Sniff...sniff. He's so unreasonable.

So, the very next day, I was going on base to get blood work done. Nothing wrong, just getting old, and they want to check everything. Obviously I'm on my way out and everything seeing as I'm so old. Anyway, back on track, I get to the base, and I whip out my trusty military ID card, and the guy at the gate says, "Um...ma'am (geez, enough with the old references) I'm going to have to "confiscate" your ID, it's expired. First of all, confiscate? That sounds like I'm a criminal! And second, do you really have to do that, I've been fasting for 12 hours, and I need to go get my blood taken out so that I can go pop open a Diet Dr Pepper and get on with my day! So, he tells me he has to take it, and to go get a new one. So, I go to the ID place, I get called back, sit down, and tell the nice young man that I need a new ID, and he asks me if my husband is there, because he needs to sign a whatcha ma gigger form, blah blah blah. So, I get up, say, no, he's not here, he's gone. As I'm walking away, he says gone like in deployed? No, I say over my shoulder, just at a conference. Luckily enough, they had pity on my starving soul and took my blood without my ID. That my friends was the highlight of my week.

Post Fireproof

D and I went out for our date night to go see Fireproof. We both really liked the movie. We enjoyed seeing a movie that we knew didn't have anything bad in it. We enjoyed seeing a movie with humor (it's quite funny at times), action (it has firefighting scenes), and a positive message.

When the movie finished, the entire theatre enthusiastically applauded!

Go see it. Do it. Then come back here and tell me what you thought.

Fireproof

Hey everybody! There's a new movie coming out this Friday that I'm really pumped about. No, it's not a major crime drama, or a summer blockbuster. It's a movie about marriage, and God. I think if every married person in America could see this movie, maybe we'd be better off.

I'm going to go out on a limb here because it's my blog, and I can say what I want. If you and your spouse don't have Jesus Christ at the center of your marriage, I urge you to go see this movie. I don't even know if anybody is going to read this post. But, I do know, if you happened on my blog by accident and are reading this post, it's not an accident. I've been married 16 years, and through those 16 years, we've been through a lot. We would not be married today if it weren't for the saving grace of Jesus Christ. He has saved us time and time again. Marriage is hard! It takes work! So, even if you think your marriage is fine, I think this movie would be great for you to go to. I already sent an e-mail inviting my husband to go see this movie with me on Saturday night. He was so excited when he got the e-mail. I was actually upstairs in the bedroom. He came running up, and said, can I RSVP now? We're going on Saturday night, and yes, it took us planning it over a week in advance to make it work.

There's also a devotional book that is featured in the movie that you can buy at your local Christan bookstore. It's a 40 day devotional that can be used by you as a couple after you see the movie. After we see the movie, I'm going to give the book to D as a surprise. Some of you reading might be thinking I'm a dork. You're right. I've been a dork all my life. Oh, and by the way, my husband is a dork too. And I love him.

So, if anyone reads this post, I dare you to go see the movie with your spouse. If you have any friends you think would benefit from this movie, send them over here to read the post and watch the trailer. I would love to hear back from someone! Then I would know there's someone out there reading my posts!

Check out the trailer here:

Random

I just started the new Beth Moore Study - the Psalms of Ascent tonight. I am so pumped. That lady really can relate to people. I haven't been in one of her studies for over a year. I'm so excited! I hope I don't fall behind in my homework, though!

Well, a lot of you know that my very wonderful friend Wendy recently moved away! Sniff...Sniff! But, my God is so good to me. One of my other wonderful friends just arrived this week. It's really a small world in the Air Force. This is our third base together. I love their family like they were my family.

OK, so you don't feel jipped...here's some "Weekly Wisdom with Collin"...

Collin: Mommy, John McCain must be really busy.

Me: Well, I'm sure he is. Why do you say that?

Collin: He's been approving a lot of messages

Oh my goodness, I love that little rascal!

I need to update with some pictures soon! I need to get on that.

More Wisdom from Collin than a stranger needed

Sitting at a Boy Scout Court of Honor:


Collin to a lady sitting next to him that he doesn't know: How old are you?


Nice lady: Let me give you a hint, never ask a girl that.


Collin: My mom's 38.


Later, during the dinner portion:


Nice lady: You better eat that brownie before I eat it for you.


Collin: I know, I know. Women and their chocolate. Women have to have their chocolate.


Nice Lady: Now you know two things about women. You know never to ask their age, and you know they like chocolate.


Collin: Yea, and they don't have a weiner!

You just can't make that stuff up, people!

Check out this dude!

Since it's my blog, I can say whatever I want. Can I just say here today for the record, Zach and Cody have got nothing on this kid! It should totally be called the "Suite Life of Shane Thomas" He just started middle school too! The girls are gonna go crazy for this cool dude. There, I've said it. It's my blog, and I can brag about my kids if I want to.

Renovations!

Well, the reason I was absent from blogging for so long was because we bought a house and moved. This is a big deal for us, as we have never owned a house before. We have never been able to stay in one place for long enough, and we usually lived on base. But, we found a place, and we love it, and we're fixing it up. The look just needed a little updating. We're having a lot of fun doing it. I'll be posting before and after pictures to shock and amaze you. My husband, not to brag or anything, but he can do just about anything around the house. While the older boys were at summer camp, we renovated their bathroom. It was terrible before, really outdated looking and had pink flowers on the linoleum. Take a look...

Ewww, look at the pink countertop...

Not manly at all...

OK, here's the result of all our hard work after one week...

Thanks daddy! It looks much better!