Nashville Here We Come!!!!

I don't know about you but I have been counting down the days until Armed and Dangerous! Not sure that Tennessee is ready for a slew of Pastor Wives running the streets of Nashville, but oh well......here we come! LOL

Thought I would share a glimpse of what I'm packing up for the big trip ( with a little encouragement from some ladies in Florida )! Again, I can't believe that I will be headed there in just a few days. I'm soo excited I can't stand myself. I think my biggest concern has been hanging out with all of the gorgeous ladies from Leading and Loving It. The way I understand it, a pair of big earrings are a must...the bigger the better!

The bottom of my bag is filled with shoes (notice the platform heels....I figure I'm going to need a pair of high heels since I will be hanging out with Lori and Jessica....HAHA ), not that I will get to wear them all. But a gal has to be prepared just in case. I even threw in a pair of boots.... I mean I will be in Nashville! My black boots are no where to be found so I need to find them asap and finish up my packing.

I'm not really a jeans kind of gal but there are at least 4 pair in my bag along with a pair of leggings, and a comfortable sweatsuit for traveling. I even took Holly Furtick's advice and brought a pair of skinny jeans! Several ladies have asked what to pack, honestly pack what makes you comfortable. There is no set dress code and Lori, Brandi and the rest of the team really just want you to have a good time laughing, connecting, being encouraged, uplifted and leaving prayed up! See you ladies in a few days. Oh, and by the way don't forget a cute pair of pj's !

Church Diversity

It's sad to think that 40 years later Rev. Martin Luther King's words still ring true..."We must face the sad fact that at 11 o'clock on Sunday morning, when we stand to sing...we stand in the most segregated hour in America." Well my friend Scott Williams has decided to step up to the plate and confront the elephant in the room! His new book " Church Diversity-Sunday the Most Segregated Day of the Week delves into this tough issue and offers a forum for conversation. You may think this subject does not effect you, but if you take the time to read the scriptures you would know that this subject was very close to our Abba Father's heart and because of that it should matter to us. I love Scott's  quote when he says "Church diversity is not just about the color of skin, but rather the wages of sin". This is a must read for every church leader, every church goer, and anyone who truly wants to make a change in the world. Thanks to the generosity of Scott and New Leaf Publishing Group I am able to give away a copy of this book for free. If you would like a chance to receive a free copy just leave a message here, and I will randomly select a name on Friday!

Sunday Best

I woke up this morning with a fierce headache. So much so that I almost didn't make it to church. As a matter of fact I spent part of the service in the office with ice on my head. Two Excedrin tablets later I'm feeling a bit better. I had been eyeing this trench coat a while but wasn't sure I wanted to spend $30.00 to get it. Then last weekend I went grocery shopping at Sam's Club and the coat was on clearance for $15.00! I ended up getting it in red and royal blue. Got to love a good bargain! 

Today was Family and Friends Day at WABC. Our good friend Rev. Addie Peterson and the congregation from Messiah Presbyterian came over to join us in celebration. Marc and I have a had a long relationship with their church. Briefly while they were searching for a pastor Marc stepped in to do services for them. Since that time anytime that we call on them for assistance they have been there to help out. They are just like family. So what better choice for family and friends day then family.

Marc spoke this morning on the subject "Royalty Has Its Privileges". For a minute I thought my Wedding Breakfast Party would become a part of the sermon! He said that your family is what makes one royal. That royals all have an impressive title ( by now you may know where he was going with this ). He talked about the fact they we all come from royalty. That when you give your life to Christ that you become a part of God's royal family. And that only the blood of Jesus makes you a part of the royal family of God.

Well that's how my Sunday unfolded. How was everyone else's? 

1 Peter 2:9  ⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Kate and Will!

Nicki and I had a ball this morning watching the coverage of the wedding. Yes, I actually got up at 4 AM to record and watch it. I did the same thing 30 years ago when Will's mom married Prince Charles. I've always been a sucker for weddings ( probably how I ended up coordinating them). Of course I love a good fairy tale (hello...Disney Queen here)! And you all know how much I love a good party so I could not resist setting up a little breakfast tea party in honor of the occasion.  I got my decorating ideas from here , here , here and here!

Sunday Best

I hope everyone had a blessed Easter and that you got to spend time with God and time with family. We had a wonderful service yesterday (the church was nearly packed). My favorite part was running around taking pictures of the children ( I don't suggest doing that in high heels and a short skirt like I did though). This was the first Easter in a long time where I took extra effort with my attire for Sunday. It was way more fun when the children were small. LOL

TJ works at night so he went to the 9 am service at his church, and because they are fairly low key in the dressing up department he can get away with wearing jeans and a polo shirt (not that he would have worn a suit or let me take a picture)! Quisha had intended to go to church with us but she woke up that morning with a major migraine so it was just Marc, Nicki and myself for service.

Nicki picked up an outfit this weekend from New York and Company, and even though you can't see them she had on neutral tan pumps from Target. She is a lot like her dad and is always on the lookout for sale items.

Marc has more suits and ties (and shoes) then anyone I know. So when I changed my dress (originally I was going to be wearing and adorable hot pink dress from the Dress Barn that I ordered a month ago...mind you) to white he went and pulled out his favorite white suit, and the blue and white shoes you see in the picture. Apparently he had the shoes for years and they were sitting in the closet with the price tag still on them ( I ask again, who is the clothes horse in this family)!

The reason I did not wear the pink dress as planned was because I have dropped an entire dress size and did not get the dress to the seamstress in time to do alterations. I have a funny shaped body in that I'm a 14 on top and depending on the fit can be a 12 or 14 on the bottom. I blame it on my grandmother...lol. Anyway we made a mad dash to JCPenneys this weekend (all of their dresses were 50 % off) and I picked up this little number for $35.00!!!! Unfortunately the jewelry cost me about the same amount, but was worth it in the end because Marc and I matched to a tee ( two or three times a year depending on the occasion I consent to matching him)! I don't own baby blue shoes (or even a purse) so I wore neutral tan shoes and the matching purse. I'm almost positive Stacy and Clinton would have been proud! HAHA

Small fashion tip: I am only 5" 4 and for years I have balked at trying anything on in the petite dept. I usually order from the misses dept. but with my drop in size this year when I tried on the dresses in the misses dept. I did not like the way they fit. I knew I would not have time to get anything altered so I hopped over to the petite dept. which is where I found the white dress. I ended up going up to a size 16 but it fit like a glove without any gaps. Granted that doesn't always work out and if I put a 16 skirt on it would have fallen off of me. I always suggest trying on the clothing at the store, and don't be afraid to try them on from different depts (or in different sizes). And by all means if you can use a seamstress use one. The clothing should "fit" you not you "fit" the clothing!

Family Fun

We really did have a good time (which would explain why we missed the fact that we were under a tornado warning). There was lots of food to eat, gifts to open, and the girls finally got me up and doing Just Dance! Which is probably a good thing since I hear through the grapevine that this will be a requirement of all PW"s attending the Armed And Dangerous Retreat in Nashville! Speaking of which...do you all realize we are only three weeks away from the event? Have you ladies got those cute pj's yet?

Wild Ride!

Saturday the girls and I traveled to my hometown to celebrate my birthday with some very special women in my life. When I first started planning this event it was really just a chance for me to thank some very special women who have an impact on my life. I didn't know at the time how much this trip would effect me! There were at least four generations of women in my moms home, including my 90 year old aunt.

Everything was going as planned until my cousin called to say that she didn't think she would make it to the celebration because she was concerned about the weather. I let her know that all was well on our end and that it would be safe for her and my aunt to travel, but that if she was not comfortable coming then  I understood.

Those that were in attendance were having a great time and we did not think much about the weather even when Marc made it a point to call me. Anyone who knows my husband knows this is unusual because most of the time if I am with my family he is ok while I am gone. I don't remember a lot about the conversation at the time but briefly recall him mentioning the weather report on one of local TV stations.

Anyway, long story short he was trying to warn us that there was a tornado headed in our direction and he really just want to warn us to know in advance. By now everyone knows that at least two tornadoes touched down in my hometown. The Middle School I attended as a child was heavily damaged and at least three people were killed in the storm. My home church was not hit but the second tornado apparently landed near there. Thankfully my aunts home, along with my grandparents home was spared. Its been a few days since then and I'm still amazed that my family came out of this ok, while people around us were loosing their livelihood and in some cases their lives.

People in our local communities have not wasted anytime stepping up to volunteer or provide supplies. Those of us who are alumni (including several who who don't even live in the community any longer) are also trying to do our part. Marc and I are heading to Gloucester on Friday to take school supplies for the students and teachers who have been displaced from their school for the rest of the year. I have even got messages from a few friends who would like to send supplies along with me. There were so many volunteers showing up in the county that they have had to turn some away. Can you imagine? I'm so proud of my small town and the people of that community.

The members of WABC have been wonderful also. Marc and I started receiving text messages and phone calls early Sunday morning, including one lady who was in the hospital recovering from surgery!  Most of them were calling out of concern for my mom (one deacon even offered to get a crew together to go and get her) but soon the concern turned towards me and the girls when they realized we were there also. I had to get up in church that morning to thank them and to thank God for keeping us safe.  I am so grateful for God's grace and mercy over my life and of my family. My sister and my cousin were both driving back home from the party at the time that the tornadoes were on the ground and thankfully made it back to their homes safe and sound. Four days later I am still praising him.

Happy Birthday to ME!!!!!

By now everyone knows I celebrated my 47th birthday yesterday. Thanks again for all of the tweets, fb messages and phone calls. You all made my day extra special. Sooo...you know how much I love party planning (almost if not more so then fashion, but not Disney...lol)? Anyway, on tomorrow I will be celebrating my birthday (yes, I'm determined to celebrate the entire month some how) at my moms home with the women in my life who have help make me the woman I am today. I really did not want a big celebration but wanted to spend the day acknowledging them and thanking them for being my support system. I promise to share pics, but in the meantime I thought I would give you a glimpse into the decorations that my daughters and I will be setting up on Saturday. I'm soo excited about using my two favorite colors (don't they look good together). The necklace are courtesy of my friend Kelli. It amazes me that she actually took time out of her busy, hectic life to create such a beautiful gift for me and my guest! And yes, I'm still going with the Disney theme. My mom rolled her eyes when she got the invite which features the Disney Princess Tiana (they don't call me the Disneyqueen for nothing people..lol ). But the plan is to do a Disney themed birthday party with an adult twist. :) I have all of the ideas in my head so I will let you all know how it pans out in reality! LOL

Nicki's NY Trip

Nicki just got back from NY. I got to catch a glimpse of her on the screen while Hoda and Kathie Lee were filming at Rockefeller Center. The next day she attended the Wendy Williams show and ended up asking the question of the day (granted it ended up being scripted....and we had to explain it to some family, friends and yes even some church members). That's my Nicki, never a dull moment. She got to see Bill Cosby while he was being interviewed by the Today Show, and then saw Sinbad not once but twice (he was making the rounds from the Today Show to Wendy's Show promoting his new show). She even got stopped by a film crew from the Netherlands on the street! She spent some time with some good friends, including a friend from college and ended her NY adventure hanging out with make-up artist and youtube gurus at IMATS. The last picture is of her talking to one of the horses on the street. The child is like some type of animal whisperer. I kid you not, animals (and boy babies) flock to her...lol. She says it was her best trip ever, and is planning to go again soon. I'm actually suppose to tag along the next time which should make for an interesting trip in itself!

My Girls Got Talent!

I am proud of all of my kids. Granted at this moment TJ is not using all of his God given talents ( he does some great artwork ). But that's another story for another time! The good thing is that he is a good kid (actually he's a 27 year old man), a good son and he does hold down a steady job! LOL So I can't complain too much. Marc says all the time how blessed we are to have kids who have stayed out of trouble and thankfully healthy.

Now back to the girls. Quisha is a full time teacher but somehow she has been able to create her own business on the side making and selling baby booties. Not sure where it came from because mom can't even knit a square! And then there is Nicki! The girl has so many irons in the fire I'm not sure how she does it (which may expalin why she is usually out like a light by 9:30). She is a Mass Communications major, works full time, does modeling, singing and is a make up artist on the side. She recently attended her first ever IMATS which is a make up trade show (got to say I like having my own make up person). Nicki also acts and the film she was an extra in will be out this month on DVD!

They all live at home at the moment but one day I know they will be on their own, have their own families and will be living their own life. My home will be a bit empty, it will be way too quiet around here and Marc and I will have to find new ways to keep busy...so for now I will just enjoy the time I have with them, because we all know they grow up soo fast and every minute you have with them is a special moment in time.

Shoe Haul!

I have been scouting the stores for shoes for a few special occasions. I'm still looking for the perfect tan pair and the hunt is still on for a pair of pink pumps for a couple of suits and dresses I own. The brown sandals are from Target. Originally I paid $30.00 for them but when I opened up the Sunday paper the next day I noticed that they were on sale for $20.00 so back to the store I went. The gray ones I found online at Urbanog. Originally I picked out a pair in pink but before they shipped they sent me word that the pink pair had a spot on them. They offered them to me at a discount, but I exchanged them for the gray pair instead. Then just before the gray pair shipped out they told me they had some imperfections on them. They even sent pictures so that I could decide. Again they offered them at a discount and this time I gave them the ok to ship them. They ended up costing me $15.00 plus the cost of shipping. The black pair I picked up at JCPenney's. They were originally $60.00 but I caught them on sale for $40.00. I also picked up a purse to go with them. I will share the entire outfit in about a month when I wear it to speak at our Women's Day program. I have to admit its been a long time since I brought this many pair of shoes, but since I have been overhauling our closet I have been able to make room for a few new pair. But as you can see I never pay retail for anything (unless its a really special occasion)!

Sunday Best 4/10/2011

I was tempted to wear pants today, but Marc's bestfriend was speaking at our morning service and I worried that his wife would wear a dress because she thought I would. She knows me better then I thought because she wore pants! LOL

This is not the first time we have done this. When they were stationed in Hawaii Marc and I got the opportunity to visit them and we knew in advance that their services were very casual, but because Glen knew that Marc wore suits to church they dressed up to make us more comfortable. The only problem is that we dressed casual to fit in with them.

They did again when Marc and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. Again they dressed up because they just knew Marc and I would be dressed up for such a special occasion. But because I had picked a tropical theme for our anniversary we were wearing attire to fit the theme.

I honestly don't have a problem with dressing up. And if its a really special occasion that is formal I am willing to go the extra mile when I step out with my very style conscience husband. I just don't want women who walk into our church for the first time to feel like they have to "dress up" like the "First Lady" in order to be accepted by Christ. Because lets face it, its not about us its about him. There is nothing wrong with fashion, but never let it hinder or stop you from establishing a relationship with Christ Jesus! God does not care what you are wearing on the outside, he cares about whats on the inside! It's the heart that matters.

Sunday Best 4/3/11

You can find my Sunday Best post here.

Sunday Mind Dump (through the eyes of the PW)!

Its been like forever since I did a Sunday Mind Dump. But there is a lot going on so I have plenty to share.

1) My newest obsession is all things related to Fashion. Its actually not new, but its been a while since I have indulged in that particular passion. I went to school for Fashion Merchandising after high school and in my younger days I dreamed of becoming a buyer for a major dept. store like Macy's in New York (back then that was the only Macy's you thought of when someone said Macy's...lol).

2) I've already started packing (at least mentally in my head for the Nashville trip). Hence the sudden surge in shoe and clothing purchase.

3) The week I come back from Nashville I will be speaking at our Annual Women's Day celebration. Then that afternoon we will head over to a local school in Norfolk to hear a gospel group in concert. The concert is being sponsored by WABC and our beautiful daughters Nicki and Quisha will be the opening act for the event before the Scott's get up to sing!

4) It still looks like our trip to Florida is a go, not just for my friends marriage renewal but our niece from Alabama who was recently crowned Miss.Outstanding Teen Alabama 2011 will be in Florida for the Miss Teen America pageant!

5) And just in case you missed it I will be celebrating the big 47 in a few weeks. I decided to have a girls get together at my mom's home. I'm actually shocked at the fact that its so close. I need to get my planning butt in gear!

6) To get in the spirit of the occasion (whose theme just happens to be "Princess And The Frog" ) Nicki and I picked up the Disney movie this afternoon for inspiration. We also picked up Tangled which was allusive on Saturday, which lead to this particular purchase. Which led us back to Target today when the very same shoes went on sale (so my $29.99 shoes end up costing me $19.99).

7) Nicki will be heading to NY soon. She decided to get her hair braided this past week, which took six hours by the way and according to her hurt (guess I will stick to my own hair or get extensions if I want to whip my hair back and forth....lol ). She has already warned me that I would not be able to handle it (especially with my headaches). She did this so that she would not have to worry about upkeep while on her mini vacation. And since she is much cuter then her mom, I thought I would feature her as part of my first ever Sunday Best! Quisha wasn't with us today but she promised to let me take pics of her shoes in the future.

8) Honestly I could not update with a fashion post everyday like some of these girls do (even if I had somewhere to go and had something cute to wear). Its just too much pressure (it took way to long to come up with my outfit today). And frankly as much as I love fashion its just not that serious (at least for me). Frankly the real fashion guru in our house is my husband. The man has more accessories then I do (not to mention shoes, suits, shirts and ties...lol).

9) Speaking of Marc.... I'm so proud of the messages Marc has been speaking on the last few weeks. He is really committed to diversity in our church and his messages have been reflective of that. Today he talked about The All Inclusive Church! The all inclusive church is a hospital for sinners and not a museum for saints! The all inclusive church doesn't let tradition get in the way of the truth of God's word. The all inclusive church has everything to do with Jesus Christ!

10) We had a new member join today, and three children who had not been to WABC in a while came back today because they said they had missed church and especially children's church. You don't know what that did for my heart and Marc was cheesing when they came in. Now that's what church is really about!

Sunday Best

If you follow me on twitter you may have noticed my twitpics on Sunday morning are about my Sunday attire ( I started it just for the fun of it). So I have been thinking about adding a Sundays Best as a feature on my blog. Not for any particular reason, just because I have been obsessed with fashion blogs lately and have noticed that very few of them highlight women with curves over the age of 40! Actually I found one fashion blog for women over 40 and lets just say...I don't think I would wear many of the things they wear ( I'm not even sure my mom would wear some of the clothing they suggested). Who knows maybe I can get the girls to participate every once in a while. Actually the real clothes horse in our home is Marc, but don't tell him I said that! LOL

I'm also thinking about doing my Sunday Night Rap ups, or Monday Morning Ramblings. Now that life has slowed down a bit and I'm not traveling back and forth to my moms each weekend I have a little more time to concentrate on the old blog. :)

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).