Built FORD Tough

Yesterday morning i was all bummed because we didnt really have plans for the 4th. My family was all going in different directions and jeff’s fam is in the mountains. I wanted to see the fireworks in lawrenceville, but jeff rarely likes to go b/c of the crowds (yes, he is 60 yrs old at heart). But then Randy and Susan called and they didnt have plans either so we joined forces to get jeff out of the house. YAY! We parked at city hall and walked down to the square and MY was there alot to see! It was really a blast. We ate dinner at McCray’s tavern and enjoyed an italian ice for dessert. YUM!

And i would be remiss if i didnt mention the fantastic petting zoo. Jeff LOVES animals (all animals) and so he really liked it. I’m making him sound like he’s my kid that has to be entertained, huh? haha. But all of this was free (minus the food, of course) and was a blast!

And I thought i’d leave you with this… JEALOUS, guys? I thought so!

 I mean, wow. 

Hope you all had a great 4th as well!

Noah Tingle played bass for our youth praise team for several years and after graduating high shcool he enlisted in the army. He has completed basic and is home on a 2 week leave. We are SO proud of him. He came by yesterday for a visit and we were so glad to see him. He’s a little thinner than i remember…haha!

Ever since we got back from Mexico, i have NO motivation to get anything done. We have unpacked (mostly) but the suitcases still have some miscellaneous stuff in them and they are still in the bedroom. I have cleaned the kitchen…thats progress!

And i went to a yard sale thanks to my friend Christy (who called me at 10am to tell me I must come) and i racked up on getting like 7 pairs of pants/capris and a tank for $8. And i got my nephew 4 cute outfits and some tennis shoes for $3. What a steal.

Now i wonder how long they’ll sit in my bedroom in the bag?

Man, mexico was fun! But i am really glad to be home. And looking forward to saving some money as it seems that vacations seem to get VERY expensive…why with all the new bathing suits, clothes, pedicures, sunblock, aloe, hats, books to read, and of course the waxings…it all adds up on top of the flight and hotel! Wah, wah…i know. But it will be good to get back on the savings track.

We took tons of pics. And i will post some this week. i promise. For now let me tell you a little about it. Sunday was a travel day. Mama kept spud for the week (thanks Mama!!!…you know he loves you and playing w/ Bella is a treat for him…[bella is her dog!].) So it was good to know he was well taken care of. We left for the airport at 7am w/ tons of stuff packed. We’ve never been away for 7 full days so we packed everything we thought we might need. 3 suitcases full. Our plane was on time. We didnt have tons of extra time at the airport like we prefer to have so I ate a quick bite at paschals (an airport ritual for me) and jeff grabbed an arbys sandwich (for breakfast?! he’s wierd…) and off we went. We got to the hotel, unpacked and relaxed the rest of the night.

Here are pics from last sunday…

Off to the riviera. We’ll be back sat night. Please pray for protection, for jeff and i to grow in our relationship and that maybe we even get the opprotunity to plant some seeds while we’re there. Oh and that it would be fun! It always is when i get away w/ my handsome hubby! And for no diarrhea…that would be nice, also.

Much love and peace!

In response to Rebecca saying that MY JOB is #1 on her "id rather be poor than do that" list, i’d like to tell you about it.  I seem to get wierd looks and "uggg…why?" alot as a response. So i would really like to share w/ you all why i enjoy my job so much and how i originally chose this profession. Maybe that will help you to all think i’m not quite as nasty… haha…

I have always been somewhat obsessed w/ peoples smiles. Not in a "they have to be perfect" kind of way but in a "wow, thats the 1st thing i notice and each is unique" way. Like i love katherine Hiegal’s smile and Kirsten Dunst’s as well (i know i cant spell worth a crap!) I remember going w/ my mom for her cleaning back when I was around 5 or so years old. They let me go back w/ her and i sat at the end of the chair watching…it intrigued me.

Then in the 8th grade we got 2 "shadowing days". The 1st I spent w/ my aunt marsha at the gwinnett co. department of public utilities. I filed papers, added stuff on the calculator for her and answered the phone like twice. I wanted to die. Right then i knew that an office job was NOT in my future…not in the sit at a desk and stare at a computer way anyways. The 2nd day i spent w/ my dentist. I was amazed. Instantly fell in love and decided then that i wanted to be a dentist.

Fastforward to when I graduated. By then I had figured out that being a dentist took 8 freakin years of school. Scratch that off the list. So i decided to be an english or science teacher. Then after h.s. i started working w/ the Mazzawi dental group in Snellville (huge family practice…wonderful ppl) and then i didnt know what to do. I could not withstand 8 straight yrs of school w/o a job though. So as i worked in the office learning all kinds of stuff i decided to try to get into hygiene school. Dr Matt really was great and gave me great recommendations and his aunt who was the head of the hygiene department there basically really pushed me. I have to give Mrs Linda huge props for that. Neither know the lord, btw, as far as i know at least. Funny how the lord used them in my life…

I chose dental hygiene originally b/c i could work 4 days a week and be considered full time, make great money for a 2 yr degree (basically anyways) and could work just a couple of days a week when we had kids and still provide for the fam and get to raise my own kids (hopefully). Of course we dont have kids yet and i’ve been doing this full time for 5 yrs now. What i have found is that while my plan was great, Gods was greater. People come in, sit in my chair and i get the opprotunity to build a relationship w/ them. I’ve had the opp. to pray over my patients, rejoice w/ them, witness to them, invite them to church and get to know their entire families as they each come and entrust to me something that most ppl dread…their time in the dental chair. And I love that! And they pretty much love me…which is AMAZING to me. See, i really dont like to work on building relationships w/ ppl… in general its too hard. But here, its totally different. We have fun here at my office. OH, and i work for a jewish guy who has NEVER said a word about all the ministry i do in my operatory. Praise God for that, too! And my patients do the same for me. I have some pts in particular who i am especially close to who are "jews for jesus" and they pray w/ me for Dr cohen and his family. Several of my pts ministered to ME when we were going through losing our baby in December. How did i ever come to deserve a job like that?

So to me, my job is my ministry. And I clean teeth to get the chance to minster to these ppl. Yes, some ppl have stinky breath and whatnot, but its a "project" of sorts. Like doing yard work…its messy but the end result makes it worth while. Plus, i get to teach my pts so much about their health. Not many hygienists take the time to do that but its my favorite part. So i did get to be a teacher after all!

So basically, my job is not for everyone…but its just right for me. And my office…hand picked by God for me to work in. Amazing. 

I teach w/a group called Impact the sex education for all gwinnett county high schools. I love this stuff. But today i am teaching lesson 3 which is the lesson on STD’s. And we have slides from the CDC. They are slightly disturbing for someone who doesnt care for this type of stuff. And for the kids who have never seen a penis or vagina before. Yep, they’re graphic. They need to be! But i’m kinda nervous showing them for the 1st time…hehe. I hope i dont giggle w/ the kids!

Oh and we’re having a concrete patio poured under the deck today. I’m stoked. I’ll post pics when its done!

UPDATE: The concrete is done…too busy to post pics now…

The kids were totally grossed out by the sex ed lesson. I got a good chuckle out of it. I dont think they’ll be having sex for a while anyways! haha.

We will be in Mexico. Plane leaves Atlanta Jackson Hartsfield International Airport (RIDICULOUS to have that many names!) at 11am and due to the time diff. we will be in mexico by 12:45.

Heck yeah. Oh, and i did consider the crash diet thing to slenderize myself a bit but DANG IT i just love food too much. So i got an adjustable bathing suit. Oh yeah. Necissity is the mother of invention and seeing as how i didnt invent this little jewel of an idea it makes me happy that someone else once needed an adjustable suite as well. Plus, there will be european women laying out topless, so who gives a rats a how i look. Everyone will be distracted by the nakedness (which i will NOT be participating in no matter how many times jeff says its ok since were in mexico…hes such a bad christian.) He swears he’ll take a banana hammock and we can both act european, but seriously…gross. Period. Just gross.

I’m trying to think of all the little wonderful things to pack so i can be ultra prepared. HELP! l need ideas so i dont miss a thing!