10" off: My new hair on 08/10/06.

My peaceful place in my house. I love reading my Bible facing our fireplace for some reason. It helps me feel peaceful. I hope you all have your own place of peace in your home, too!

It is so amazing to watch how much they love each other each day!

Future Trick Riders! September 2006

He is happy to go to bed as long as he has his best pal, "Stomps" the dinosaur, with him!

Comes growth and life. I am reminding myself that difficulties are opportunities of growth and promises of God's faithfulness. My grandmother is here this week. Last December was the pinnacle of her abuse, when she belittled me and manipulated my family members to think badly of me to such a point that it made me suffer physically, not just emotionally. I prayed and prayed that God would tell me what to do, and all that I felt led to do was to shut the door to her. I feel that not being in communication with her now is more godly of me than to be in communication and lose my tongue toward her. I told her that I thought it would be best if I did not see her until she could treat me civilly (not even lovingly) and until she could apologize for the terribly things she has put me through in the past five years. She did not agree apparently, because she is here in NC, and has expressed to my parents that she expects me to see her on the days I don't work and that it is my duty to bring my children to see her. She never asked me what my plans were this week, if it was ok that she come down, or anything. I am going to meet with my parents and her after church for lunch, but that will be all at this point. I cannot allow her to hurt me anymore and I will not allow her to manipulate my children against me like she tried to do the last time she was here. Please, please, anyone who reads this, say a prayer that God will give me strength this week, and that He will help me grow through this trial. Please pray that He will heal the wounds in my heart. Please, also pray for my mother, because though what my grandmother has done to me is terrible, what she has done to my mother is far worse. We are in need of your prayerful support and we thank you for it!

Today was a good day, busy as it was. I worked today and was able to give Christian encouragement to one of my clients, which is such a blessing to me! After work, I went to my mother-in-law's to pick up the kids. Mamaw and Papaw had them outside chasing a frog. Abigail wanted to pet it, so being the way cool mommy I am, I caught the little rascal and held it for quite some time so she could pet it. Aiden was thrilled with the little critter and did everything he could to try to take it from me. (I was afraid of what he's do to it, though, if I let him hold it!) After we left, we ran a couple errands and got dinner at three different resturaunts to bbring home to eat. Wes is on night shift, and we both have been too busy to go to the grocery, so it was Wendy's (Abby), KFC (Aiden), and Hunan's (mommy) tonight. Now that he children are in bed, I thought I'd write a couple lines to keep you posted on our lives here in Boone, NC.

Wes was promoted yesterday. Hurray Wes! He is now a Sergeant for our County (still a K9 officer). He will be working the opposite days and time from now on, so I will have a lot of rescheduling to do on Monday for things we had planned, but I am too proud of him to care about the headache I will have later.

I got a special treat last night that completely blessed my heart. My best friend, Daniel, and I got to have uninterrupted correspondence from 10pm until 1am. I can't tell you how wonderful that was. I have missed him so much since he moved away 4 years ago.

Work is going pretty well for me. I am thankful for being able to do what I love to do: make people feel good physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I love that my job gives me an amazing opportunity to witness to people in my community. On a lighter note, the owner of the salon I rent my space in is getting ready to build me a whole new room this Spring and I am so excited about it! We are picking out paint colors and sheets...so much fun!

I hope things are going well for eveyone. I will write again as soon as I get a chance!