Lemons....NOW WHAT?

Ok....so we made it back from Virginia without any mishaps, injuries, fist fights or hysterical breakdowns. We had an awesome week....time with family that you love so much is always a blessing. I'm pretty sure I was wiping my tears away from the time we left Brad's driveway until we got to West Virginia a few hours later. We all miss them so much. I did get some awesome pictures and I will be sure to share them here soon. One picture I really want to share though is the one below of "Lily Bean"....my two and a half year old niece. She sure is one precious kiddo.

So the title....LEMONS. Right now I have a huge pile of "lemons" in my lap. What's the old saying? "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"? I'd like to but I'm sorta stuck in this chair with the lemons piled up all around me unsure what to do next....my heart aches and it seems to have paralyzed me temporarily. I do know that God is speaking directly to me in many ways these days. I am unsure if what is happening in my life is God's will or the devil's interference, but because I am hearing God very clearly, I believe I now know the truth. Still going to go strong with the business and I have some big plans for other things too. I'm going to read the bible from cover to cover, I'm going to join a women's small group / bible study at my church (finally), I'm going to spend some good quality time with my girls....and I am going to ENJOY sleeping kitty corner in my king size bed -- my dog Buddy is back home now and he takes up so much room (he's only 10 pounds soaking wet!) that I have to sleep sideways...which means I actually missed the screwball!

Two things ran through my head non-stop as I was trying to go to sleep last night. The first..."REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS". So I did...and I do...and I will. The second...Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." This hurt and lack of understanding why this is happening will all be worked out for good because that is God's promise. Sucks going through it now, but I know (that I know that I know) someday I will be changed...and better....for having gone through it. I know that...I do. I really do. (Can you see I am convincing myself?!?)

Someone please pass the lemon juicer....I got a lotta squeezing to do.

JC is my BFF.

Hello from Virginia!

WE MADE IT! We drove 19 hours in two days with no TV, no iPods or mp3 players....just us, the radio and one game boy and one Nintendo DS! I get sleepy just driving to the grocery store so making it half way across the country was a miracle!

We are having a great time. Yesterday we ate at the best BBQ place in Richmond (featured on The Food Network on Bobby Flay Throwdown)and it was very good. I think it was called Buzz and Ed's....I can't remember. The best part, though, and the weirdest, was that as I was paying, the manager walked by and I looked at her, she looked at me. Asked her what her name was and she told me....asked her if she worked at Applebee's many years ago and she said yes. Turns out, she and I worked together over 15 years ago at a new store opening in Kingsland, Georgia! We roomed together for 3 weeks AND she's the one I got my tattoo with! SMALL WORLD!!! The cashier guy said..."WEIRD....she never works up here! I can't believe you even saw her!" It was pretty crazy. We talked for a while and I gave her my card so hopefully we can catch up more.

After that we drove around Richmond for a little while....this city is so full of cool history. If you live here I bet you forget where you are. We ended up at St. John's Church....an active little church today but it is famous because it is where Patrick Henry gave his "GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH!" speech. We watched a reinactment of that. Interesting stuff (the kids were bored though...the coolness of what we were seeing hopefully sinks in when they get a little older).

We then headed to the Virginia State Capitol. It has beautiful grounds, the building, or at least most of it, is new and very pretty. You can walk into the old capitol that was build in the 1700's (??) and it is pretty cool to think what our founding fathers built way back then. Took some pretty cool pictures so I'm excited to see them when I get home.

We are headed to Virginia Beach and Norfolk Naval Base this morning. Alli and my brother are planning to parasail at some point and I'm hoping to get some good family pics on the beach. Will be a long day but we will enjoy it!!!

I'll write more tomorrow if I can.

JC is my BFF!