My parents in town for a visit this week...

This past week has been totally CRAZY busy... but very GOOD! My parents have been in Corpus Christi for a week from Washington State (over 2000 miles away). They arrived in San Antonio, Texas last Tuesday. I met up with them for some fun in San Antonio before we headed south to Corpus. Mom and Dad will be on their way back to Washington tomorrow. We have kept very busy hanging out visiting and doing touristy things. I've enjoyed their visit and we've had a fun time, but I'm a bit backed up on laundry and housework; what's new? As I take my parents back to the San Antonio International Airport tomorrow to drop them off, my sister, Traci will be arriving in on a flight for a two week visit to Texas. She's mixing business with pleasure on her trip down this way from WA state as Traci will be job hunting while in Corpus Christi.

Here are some pictures of my parents

and their week in Texas!

Mom and Dad in San Antonio on The River Walk

The Alamo (Mom and Dad amidst the people!)

NAS Corpus Christi ~ The Trainer Aircraft my husband, Kirk flys
as a Navy Instructor for VT-35

Joe, Kirk, & Teri (me)

Sitting in the cockpit of the TC-12

Back in our back yard~ Dad's enjoying the sun!
"Did you put your sun block on" I asked?

OUCH!
Dad didn't put sunblock on his body one day out by the pool!
Lesson learned, for sure... MUST have sunblock!!!

The USS Lexington Aircraft Carrier in Corpus Christi, Texas

On top of the Flight Deck
of the USS Lexington

...At the beach, Corpus Christi/Padre Island~
the Gulf of Mexico.

Music Monday! You've Got a Friend

I love listening to music! Often times when I'm doing housework, I turn the TV on the higher cable stations that have the different genres of music and listen to a variety of songs from the TV (cranked loud of course!). I usually listen to the Pop Christian genre, but this week, on one day, I stumbled on the "Soft Rock" genre and stayed there while I made dinner. Most of the soft rock tunes were from the 70's and 80's; it was refreshing and brought back many memories as I heard songs I haven't heard in YEARS! I've selected a classic "soft rock" made popular by James Taylor in the early 70's for Music Monday!


James Taylor - You've Got a Friend (Beacon Theatre 1998)

As I listened to the lyrics of this song, I thought of the many different people that have come and gone in life over the years (see this post). As I got on YouTube and listened to the lyrics again, I had such a revelation of the description of the "friend" being described... this song is describing my now BFF, Jesus! Jesus is always there for me... I just need to call out His name... and He's there for me wherever I am... the chorus says it all:

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend

This week's MEMORY VERSE Isaiah 43:18-19

With the craziness of last week (Easter week), I did not post my weekly memory verse. So, this week I am including last week's verse with this week's which are both from Isaiah 43. I love these verses as the Lord speaks to me through them and I constantly need to remind myself these words. I have a tendency to replay my mistakes and shortcomings in my head like a bad movie... I beat myself up sometimes. In these verses, the Lord wants us not to obsess over and "dwell on" our own past unfaithfulness to Him, but to focus on His faithfulness to us! How awesome is that! He is full of never ending mercy and is forever faithful; He wants nothing but the best for us!

"Forget the former things;

do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up;

do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the desert

and streams in the wasteland."

(Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV)

A side note... I like how Paul also tells us in Philippians 3:13: ...But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead (emphasis mine)

Verse 8 of LPM Challenge

Week 14 & 15 of personal challenge

All dressed up...

...with somewhere actually to go! My husband, Kirk (the handsome bald man below!), is a pilot in the US Navy. We just attended his squadron's Change of Command dinner celebration this past week. Several times through the year, Kirk and I get dressed up fancy for special military events like this one... not usually my comfort zone as I'm more a casual gal in jeans, t-shirt, and Chuck Taylors on my feet.

I do have to admit, I had fun getting fancied up in my simple black dress with my grandmother's vintage rhinestone necklace, bracelet, and vintage rhinestone buttons I replaced on the dress from one of my grandmother's jackets (all from the 1940's)... I even sported a vintage silver beaded purse (I purchased at an antique shop). I felt special with my "bling, bling", my handsome date and the traditions that go along with a Navy Change of Command. We had a great dinner, too!

My Grandma Beaudry loved to look pretty and had
collected a lot of beautiful costume jewelry over the years. When Grandma passed away in 1988, my mom (an only child) shared many of the "pretties" with me. I have had lots of fun dressing up with all the different bling bling on special occasions. I know my Grandma is smiling down from heaven that I am enjoying her "pretties".

Music Monday! Shackles

When I became a Christ Follower in my late 30's, I was literally set free (like the butterfly in this video). And as God would have it, within the first year of my conversion, I participated in the Bible study by Beth Moore called "Breaking Free". Through the work of Christ on the cross, through God's word, and through applying the teachings of the "Breaking Free" Bible study to my life, I am truly free! How awesome to come to a place of complete freedom in Christ... to take the shackles off my feet so I can dance and live out God's purpose for my life.

I love to crank the music in my house and just let loose in dance~ worshiping and praising God for the freedom He has given me/us. Have you let loose in dance unto the Lord lately? Give it a try... pick out your favorite Christian music and praise Him... it is so joyous and liberating!




It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 (NIV)

Happy Easter!

I've been reflecting on the miracle of today! We have life, because HE LIVES!

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation

(1 Peter 1:3 NLT)

GIVEAWAY! Check this out~

One of the blogs I enjoy following is the 2 MOMS TALK blog... they are the creators of "The Cutest Blog on the Block"! These 2 MOMS create some very nice blog designs and are currently running a giveaway- now thru April 16- to select two candidates for a free blog makeover! I've entered to win a free blog makeover and wanted to share this opportunity with you all as well.

If you're interested in finding out more about it...
go to their blog by clicking their banner below...

Randomness from Facebook

So I've been on Facebook for about 5 months now and have had a blast reconnecting with friends from my past. We write on eachothers' walls, we "poke" eachother, we can do private email messages through facebook, post pictures, etc. On top of all that, there's all these different things that get sent out that help us get to know eachother better in more personal and deeper ways. One of these things is called: 25 Random Things About Me... So for lack of creativity in knowing what to blog about, I figured I'd post my 25 random things list. Here it is...

1.) I love watching DIY & HGTV when I get the chance; learning "how to's" keeps me inspired.

2.) I've celebrated my 29th birthday 16 times! (just kidding) I believe I'm only as old as I feel...

3.) I have lived in 6 different states - Washington (multiple X- Southern and Northern); Oregon; Alaska; Florida (P'cola 3 X & Jacksonville once); Maine; Texas (2 X) With my husband in the military, we've back and forth the U.S. like human yo-yo's. P'cola area feels most like "home".

4.) Right after I turned 40, I got a tattoo on the top of my right foot. (it's a cross)

5.) I have two mother's rings with my kids' birthstones- one on my finger, and the other through my belly button.

6.) I hide chocolate in my sock drawer.

7.) I'm a huge SURVIVOR fan... have applied 9 times (and counting) to be on the show! ...still waiting to get "my call".

8.) I'm a "list person"... any given day I have at least 3 lists going.

9.) I say a breath prayer for road kill when I see it.

10.) I love wearing Chuck Taylor Converse on my feet... the wilder the better.

11.) Whenever I have a nightmare, it always has a snake in it.

12.) My best night time dreams: I am flying (like a swimming motion in the air).

13.) I consider myself an oxymoron (not a moron...an OXYMORON!)... smalltown city gal; functionally dysfunctional; a young old person; a less is more gal; an organized messy person... etc.

14.) I've held a number of jobs... bean picker; Lifeguard/Swim Instructor; WA State Senate Page; Gift-wrapper for Mervyns; Retail Sales and Management; and LOTS of volunteer work over the past 15 years.

15.) I met Willie Nelson in the Houston airport and spoke to him briefly.

16.) I'm an avid dreamer & goalsetter and have experienced many dreams come true. I wouldn't get anything accomplished if I didn't dream and goalset! (check out my 2009 goals) http://teri-free2bme-aspirations.blogspot.com/

17.) I have a "Bucket List"... http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=272546555&blogID=409781071

18.) I make a KILLER iced coffee and indulge most afternoons; it's my afternoon "wake-up juice"!

19.) I get an adrenaline rush when I go to antique auctions, antique shops, flea markets, etc. ... someday I dream to own a guest house (off my main house) that I can decorate with my antiques I've collected over the years.

20.) I'm a great listener.

21.) I enjoy sparking random conversation with complete strangers in the WalMart checkout line (or any long checkout line for that matter!) I've heard life stories in a matter of 10 minutes!

22.) The most memorable trip I'd want to have a "do-over" on, was a Carnival Cruise I took with just my sister, Traci, and brother, Curtis in 2002... a "Sibling Bonding" vacation. TOO much fun!

23.) I enjoy refurbishing furniture that has been neglected.

24.) By nature I am a problem solver; I want fix things that appear broken... this character trait has gotten me in trouble.

25.) Faith, Family, and my Friends are priorities in my life... nothing else really matters.

Music Monday! Above All

With Easter this week, I've been reflecting on Jesus' death and resurrection; specifically on the power of the cross and what Easter really means to me. I hope you take time to enjoy the lyrics of this video and allow God to speak to your soul through this Easter week.

Above All by Michael W. Smith



For God so loved the worldthat he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in himshall not perish but have eternal life.
(John 3:16 NIV)

But he was pierced for our transgressions,he was crushed for our iniquities;the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,and by his wounds we are healed.(Isaiah 53:5 NIV)

A Blurry Week

A blurry week~... I'm not talking about my vision; although I probably would benefit from an eye exam. I'm talking about how fast this week has gone by! This week has gone by so fast, it was like the blur you see when you look at the ground out the car window while the car is speeding down the freeway. Remember doing that as a kid and getting dizzy?

At the beginning of the week, my 15 year old daughter, Kelsie, brought home her baby boy, "Jackson" (the name she selected).

Jackson is a computerized baby that is part of Kelsie's child development class in her high school. Over the course of the semester, each student has a 3 day/2 night time frame to be a single parent to a newborn baby as part of their grade. Each baby is computerized to detect how well it is being cared for. For example, if the head is allowed to flop back, points are taken away. If the baby is not attended to in a certain amount of time when it cries, points are deducted, etc. Kelsie got to select her infant from about 8 different electronic babys. They are very life like and are programed to have all the needs of a real baby. Jackson's cry was so real sounding, it was freaky. He cried when he was hungry, needed a diaper change, needed burped, had a gassy stomach, etc. AND, wouldn't you know, Kelsie's little Jackson, was the baby that was programmed to be colicky; he would have bouts of crying fits that Kelsie had to invest a lot of time to comfort. Each baby has an electronic bracelet that matches the electronic bracelet of the student/parent that is responsible for it. Kelsie was the sole provider for Jackson (no help from myself or her dad). Of course, Kelsie let Jessie and Joe hold the baby and they were in heaven pretending to be "Aunt Jessie" and "Uncle Joe".

The younger kids are thinking this

"real life" baby is pretty cool!

I was so proud of Kelsie as she cared for Jackson, even getting up several times through each night to feed, burp, and change him... LIKE REAL LIFE. This was a neat experience for my teenager. It showed her that being a parent is a HUGE responsibility, but it also showed her that when she's older and married, she looks forward to being a mom to her own baby (flesh and blood).

Kelsie has not received her grade yet from the teacher, but I'm confident, with out a doubt, that she got an A!

This week's MEMORY VERSE Isaiah 55:8

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,"

declares the LORD.

(Isaiah 55:8 NIV)

I've been ministered to by this verse so many times, but have not memorized it until now. I love how the Lord show us in this verse that His love and protection for us are central... notice how we are surrounded by Him: MY / Your / Your / MY...

Week 13 on my personal *20*09* challenge

Verse 7 on LPM Challenge