Last Day to Sign Up!

We are only weeks away from the first ever Leading and Loving It PW retreat! That's the good news. The bad news is that today is your last day to register for the event! Registration ends tonight at midnight. Lori and the entire L&L It team are looking forward to hanging out with all of you lovely ladies. So what are you waiting for? Get over to the Leading and Loving It website and register!

Monday Morning Ramblings (beware its a long update)!

We had a crazy busy weekend (nothing new right). I got a call on Tuesday from our Pastor and his wife that they would be near our area for the week visiting their daughter and grandchildren. And since Marc takes Fridays off to hang with his lovely wife....yours truly we agreed a road trip to NC was a must. Only problem was that I forgot (for a minute) that the youth were having a Spaghetti Slurp and Karaoke night on the same day. Oh, and for some reason I forgot that I had a 8:30 AM hair appointment that morning. Talk about scatterbrained! Anyway, long story short we met them half way between the beach and North Carolina for lunch (after my hair appointment mind you) and then after a lovely time of visiting and eating we hightailed it back to VA just in time for the event at WABC!

The youth did a really great job and everyone there had a laughing good time. They even got me to get up on stage and sing! Saturday morning we hit the ground running again at a surprise birthday party for a friend of my mom's. Actually I grew up knowing Betty, and her sister Helen and I go back to the sandbox literally. We went to elementary, middle and high school together and when I lived with my grandparents we actually caught the bus together each morning.

After we left the birthday party we stopped by the church just long enough to hear all of the details of the Cake/Scripture walk the deaconess ministry was holding. From the pics they gave me looks like their was some fierce competition going for a coconut cake. Some people even ended up on the ground fighting for a chance to win!

Speaking of birthdays and cakes it you have not heard by now I will be celebrating my 47th birthday next month. As I was trying to decide what to do this year I knew I wanted the celebration to center around hanging out with the women in my life (mostly my family ) who have been there for me, and have influenced me, and basically help to mold me into the women I am today. So right now I am in the planning stages for the big bash. LOL And since I'm a theme girl I decided since they don't call me the Disneyqueen for nothin why not have a Disney Princess and the Frog birthday party (grown up style)! So 14 of the closest women in my family will be showered with food, obscene desserts, and gifts at my moms home in a few weeks. I can't wait to show you pictures. I have been stalking every party planning site I can get my hands on. You should see the parties people are having!

Ok now on to my latest obsession. And that's clothing. I have always loved fashion (actually went to school for Fashion Merchandising, and wanted to be a buyer for Macy's in New York). Instead I got married and had three kids and became the personal shopper for them. LOL So thanks to my daughter Nicki I am now a youtube junkie. I have been checking out some fashion blogs to see what the latest and greatest is in the fashion world, and started purging my closet to make room for some new clothing and shoes. Who knows you might even see a few fashion post pop up again.

So thats what is happening in my life. What is everyone else up to? LOL

What A Weekend!

Its been such a crazy start to the year that anytime we get a chance to just hang out with family and friends laughing is a good day. Marc had two services on Sunday then immediately following that we rushed home to change clothes so that we could go hang out with our Alabama family who are here for the week on spring break. Cass and I have been friends for over 14 yrs. Our girls grew up together, and her youngest child is our goddaughter. Last week her daughter M'ia was crowned Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen 2011. So of course we all had to get pics with her and get an autograph!

All of the ladies were there, minus our girl Peggy and her family but we still managed to have a good time. Actually I think the men did way more talking then the women. And just watching how grown up all of our girls have become was the best way to end a very busy day. Not sure whats next on the dress sale list for 2011 (we love parties and get-togethers) but I'm so grateful for the friendships. These ladies have been there through thick and thin. In good times (and in some really bad times). They are prayer partners, soul sisters (and only a few hold that title). In all of our years of being together not once have any of us had a falling out with each other, there is never any drama, we just love, laugh and live together. And believe me I know how rare that is among women, so I cherish them and this special connection that we have.

Sunday Night Ramblings

We are at the final stretch of my mom being homebound after nearly two months of being confined to her home with a fractured ankle. You can tell she is ready to get back to life as she knows it, probably just as much (if not more) as my sister and I are ready to get back to a regular routine (not that our lives have ever been normal or routine).

 I had to leave early this week so that I could go back home and prepare to host (for the first time ever) our monthly Interdenominational Ministers Wives and Ministers Widows of Tidewater meeting. Once a month the ministers wives in our community get together for a time of fellowship, food and to discuss concerns of PW's. Last month we held our annual banquet which is our largest fundraiser. Proceeds from this event go towards cancer research. Next month we will be handing out lunch in an area that is known as a gathering spot for the homeless. Last year several of the women from the organization handed out home kits to a Habitat for Humanity family.

Most of the woman are older then me but I love being around them because they encourage me to keep moving forward (plus I love to hear their stories). To say that I was a nervous wreck was an understatement (I forgot my camera, which if you know me is soo not me). But the dinner was a big success do in part because of the help of some really special ladies who served, and served with passion! The one thing that I did not have to worry about that night was food, or the service. The ladies from WABC rocked (three of them are part of our Women's Ministry team, so I knew they could handle it and they did)! Marc even got to hang out with a few of the husbands.

 This organization is special to me for several reasons....my late grandmother was a member of a different chapter of the organization, along with my godmother, but I can honestly say that I am a member because of the late First Lady of our home church. Sister Taylor invited me to attend a meeting nearly 7 years ago and because of her encouragement I joined and have been a part of the organization every since then. I am so thankful for the role models I had before I became a PW, and I'm thankful today for the Pastor Wives I have connected with since then! If the sun comes out tomorrow I will try to post some pictures with the "details" of the event on my facebook page (you know all of the fluff stuff..like my wardrobe, the table centerpieces, favors and food...lol). If you are part of a Pastor/Ministers' Wives Organization or group I would love to hear about it.

*The picture above is of my mom's new house (and my home away from home for the last two months... lol).