Valentines Day 2014

Friday morning was my 9/80 Friday which worked out perfectly.

I woke up to get the girls ready for school and found Danny asleep in our bed!  I expected him to be at work but he called in (we had an important interview later that day that he needed to be there for). 

As the girls got ready - Issy found 3 cards sitting on the counter in the kitchen!  They were address to Makaila, myself and Issy.

Issy opened hers immediately and found a cute Snoopy card from her daddy asking her to be his valentine!  Is that adorable or what??!!???  He made my heart melt!

Next was Makaila's card which literally brought me to tears!  It was so simple and heartfelt that I cried at how amazing and wonderful it is for my girls to have a strong steady man in their lives who loves them beyond reason and isn't afraid to show them that love.  This was her card:

 Then I opened my card!  Talk about water works! LOL

 The picture is kinda small - so let me tell you what it said:

 Maybe you don't hear

enough "I Love You's" from me,

and maybe sometimes you feel like

you'd have to read my mind

to know what I am thinking...

But it's important today

that you know exactly how I feel --

I love you more

than words can say,

and I love you more

than you could ever know.

Happy Valentines Day

from your Grateful Husband

My card also held a gift card for a massage.  I was so happy and so grateful to Danny for his thoughtfulness!  The cards were so nice of him, and so perfect that I know he made an effort for each one of those and I can't even put into words what that means to me.  I was pretty freakin happy!  That was a great way to start our day! Thanks Dan!!

I took the girls to school and started on some more laundry.  I watched an episode of Ellen and then got on a conference call I had scheduled.  

I worked from home for a little while and then headed over to the store to buy all the things I needed for Isabella's Friendship party!   I got home and started to chop strawberries, and crush cookies and then Danny and I went to lunch together.  We tried this place called Tipico Cafe which was outstanding!  we will most definitely be going back there!!

Danny had the Cuban sandwich (phenomenal), and I have the skirt steak with white rice, black beans and fried plantains! Everything was so good!  I really liked the Yuca fries Danny's sandwich came with!  Everything was delicious.  We stopped at Wal-mart on the way home to get waters and bananas I forgot on my first trip.  I got home and loaded up and headed to the school for Friendship Party time!!

It was ice cream sundaes, cup decorating and Valentine exchanges and everything went pretty smooth!  It was a hit!!

Once the party wrapped up I came home and asked our neighbor Amy to watch Issy for awhile.  We had an interview at Quest High School for Makaila. She was not happy about this.  She is completely against going here and thinks we are horrible parents for making her apply and making her interview! LOL

We got there and Makaila looked like she was on the verge of tears.  I asked her if she trusted God, and she instantly replies "Yes".  I told her, "I know you don't want to do this - but if you trust God then you have to know that if this is not his call for you - then you won't be accepted and if it is - then you will go here and do this because he will not bring you through anything that isn't in his plan for your life.  We don't always understand or agree with his plan - but we do have to trust in him and know that he knows whats best for us.  I know you hate me right now - but I am doing what I feel in my heart is right for you, and I'm praying about it and I know with complete certainty that God will not let this happen if it isn't for you." 

She gave me a half smile and kept walking, not fully convinced or appeased by my little speech! We walked in, signed in, and then went into the cafeteria and immediately saw Tina and Mike (which are like Makaila's pseudo parents).  They have watched Makaila after school, before school, on weekends, taken her on vacations, etc for years!  They love her and us them...we are grateful to know them and have them in our lives.  Seeing Tina brought on the waterworks for Makaila! She cried and cried because she was really not wanting to do this interview!

A few minutes later they came and took us over to the interview area.  They asked Danny and I to wait in the hall while they talked to Makaila alone!  I think Danny and I were more nervous than Makaila...especially since it was obvious she was crying and not happy!!  We waited out there for about 10 minutes, and then Makaila came out to get us.  We interviewed with a very nice lady who told us all about the school, the curriculum, the schedule, the advantages, requirements, etc.

To say that Danny and I were on board before was a true statement - but after hearing the details, and the layout and plan in place - we were stoked beyond belief!  This is an amazing opportunity that these kids are offered at no cost!  If she goes to this school, she will graduate in 4 years with a High School diploma, a Lone Star College Associates Degree and over 200 hours of community volunteer hours!! She will go on trips, events, career fairs, camps, field trips, be a teacher aid, and so many other great things!!!

After we all interviewed Makaila was taken to a different area to write an essay. Danny and I went back into the cafeteria to look around and talk to some of the students and parents of current students to get more information!  I can't tell you how excited and awed I am at this program!  AMAZING!!

After she was done with her essay - Makaila met a couple of the current Freshman and talked to them for awhile.  Danny and I walked away to give her some privacy - but I was pretty happy to see her talking to them and holding conversation about the school and asking questions...she is pretty shy so I was happy to see her at least talking and listening to others in her same boat!

We left Quest and picked up Issy at Amy's.  It was still kinda early so we decided to head out and try to catch an early dinner before the love infested crowds bombarded all the restaurants! We had a lovely family dinner at Zio's, followed by a trip to Tutti Frutti for the girls, and then went home to relax. 

It was a great day spent with the people I love most in this life!  I am so so eternally grateful for my husband, who tries my patience, and works my nerves, but loves me in ways I couldn't live without!  I'm grateful to be blessed with two smart beautiful and healthy baby girls - who bring light into our crazy lives.  To say I am Immensly blessed is an understatement!!

I hope you had a great Valentine's Day filled with God's glory!  Love you!!!

New Hair cuts

After work today I headed home and took the girls to get hair cuts.  Isabella's was much needed.  She was long over due, but Makaila went ahead and got a trim too! 
My girls are so stinking pretty!  I know I am biased - but whatever - I am right! LOL

Weekend Rewind

This weekend was very  nice!  There was not much going on for me...the girls were busy but I was a total bum.  Danny was working - so I planned on a whole lot of nothing!

On my way home Friday night I got a call from Mrs. Campbell asking if I would take over a room mom for Isabella's class.  I accepted and we made plans to meet up later to give me the money folder. 

Friday night - we sat around watching the weeks worth of Ellen shows and Michael and Kelly (I started recording them on my DVR cause I really think those shows are better than whats on in the evenings...so I record them all week and watch them all over the weekends or at night if I have time)!

Saturday morning I woke up early and watched more Ellen and did some laundry.  Makaila had a Pre-UIL thing going on at school - so we dropped her off at noon.

She looked so beautiful:

I decided to coerce Issy into cleaning her closet with me and we took down EVERYTHING and tried it all on to see if it should be kept or gotten rid of - runway style! That took a few hours!!

I spent the afternoon doing laundry and Issy played over with her friend Abby for awhile!  It was nice and peaceful and productive.  Makaila came home from UIL and we hung out.  We got ready while Issy went over to Aubreys for a play date.  After about an hour we picked up Issy and then headed over to Grandma and Grandpa Limons.  We met Danny there after work and hung out all evening talking and laughing and catching up. 

We came home Saturday at about 11 and it was bedtime for everyone!

Sunday morning the girls and I went to church.

Church Notes:

We started a new Series called Love & War that focuses on marriage and relationships! It started off with a clip of the Kindergarten Bachelor which was hilarious! LOL  It was our church's take of the Bachelor!! Good stuff!

God created male and female and we were made to compliment each other not to compete with one another.  We have equal worth and value; although we are very different.  We have to learn to accept those differences and not try to change people. 

* stop trying to change people and focus on yourself *

In a relationship there is always hope and you have to know that God can work miracles.  God doesn't want your marriage to just survive - he wants you to thrive!  It takes two - and while you can't force someone else to love you - you can pray and turn to God and ask him to be in the center of your relationship.

You should share your issues - not to help solve them necessarily, but to share and know that you are in it together. 

Three steps to a healthy marriage :
1. Dream Together  (if you don't you will drift apart); create a vision of where you want to be in 10 yrs.
2. Fight Together - stick together in battle - he is your team mate not the enemy!
3. Stick Together - your stuck with me;  divorce should not be optional

We have an enemy who is out to steal, kill, and destroy!  Our fight is against that enemy - not each other.  Our God has already won the war!  We have to pray and lift up those close to us.  Fight through Prayer!!

Don't cover up you insecurities and guilt  - we are to wear the armor in battle but not to cover our insecurities. 
Be honest and authentic and real.  Don't be ashamed! Risk being hurt. Your relationship is not a game - they need to be real.

In the bible, once the intimacy was striped Eve and Adam played the blame game!  Don't fight each other - fight the enemy together. 

Three root causes of anger:
Hurt, Fear, Insecurity

As humans we are afraid of rejection so we put up these walls and we hide. 

The happiest marriages are the ones that risk it all.  Hold Nothing back!  Don't be afraid of getting hurt!  Because of what happened on the cross - we can be a new creation.  Let God create a  new passion and love in your relationship!! ~~

After church Issys's friend Aubrey came over for a play date at our house and Makaila and I worked on her family tree for school!

In the evening we headed out to Target to walk around and get some exercise.  I bought a couple things we really didn't need and then we headed to TJ Maxx where Makaila bought herself a pair of jeans.  We headed to Ross and Makaila bought a sweater and I got a pretty pair of heels.  We went home and waited for Danny to get home.  Danny went and picked up some dinner and we called it a night pretty early!  It was  great message at church this weekend and a great relaxing weekend!  This is going to be a good week!  Enjoy and know that you are loved - as much as chocolate cake! - S

New Truck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was at work this afternoon - and I got a call from Danny letting me know that he bought a new truck!  I thought he was kidding but a few minutes into the conversation I realized that he was not kidding and my bug "Betsy" was officially traded in and he was driving a new truck home! 

Those exclamation point in the title were not reflective of excitement - it was more of a mix of surprise, anger, anxiety, anger, and pissyness.

I was so worked up that I decided it would be good to make a list of pros and cons to this to help calm me down and discuss with Danny when I got home.  I won't share that list with you because it is explicit and a tad too personal but let me just say there was one pro and about 9 cons!  LOL

I got home with the intention of talking to Danny in private about the big "truck in the room" but things unfolded a tad differently.  Makaila asked to go to a basketball game at school and he insisted I go with them to take her.  I refused and he insisted and that went back and forth until I caved and went.  But I was so angry that I ended up ranting and raving and screaming and crying on the way there and back and then for about a half hour after that. In the famous words of a fool Danny said " You are ruining happy truck day". 

We talked about it and made some headway in understanding each other and stuff - so that was great. 

Finally I got over it and we headed over to Steak night to celebrate Happy Truck Day (which is synonymous with Piss Sonia Off Day)!

My sister Sam was in the area so she joined us for steak night and it was great!

We came home and put the girls in bed and went to bed ourselves.  Anger can really wear you out! LOL So can making up! :)

Rodeo Meeting

Tonight was the first of two Safety Training Meetings for the rodeo this year. I was very impressed.  They have it down packed to ensure that everyone is trained and stays for the whole training.  They are taking roll call not by teams but by name ( to prevent the whole - people signing in for others), and they are requiring you to stay and pick up your certification cards afterwards too (so there is no skipping out).  I'm glad to see that they have it all together and that everyone is getting the training they need!

Woohoo - rodeo is fast approaching...are you ready?!!!?!?