Things I've learned Recently

1: Andrew Ryan Crosby will be born sometime in late March early April. AC & Trace no longer say a BABY is in mommy's tummy - but say Andrew (Drew Ryan is how Trace say's it) is in there. AC walks up to where his mommy was sitting yesterday and leaned close to her belly and said "Andrew can you hear me". I laughed - it was so sweet.

2: Sarcasm is wasted on a 3 year old. AC was getting in his carseat yesterday and the top buckle part was twisted so he started whining and kicking - I said "Wow AC throwing a fit to get something done works everytime" He looks up with me and said in an awe filled voice "REALLY". So I got to explain to him I was trying to be sarcastic - when will I learn to just say "AC throwing a fit won't make it easier but asking for help would".

3. Nyki is due July 4th - I think it would be cool to have an independance day baby - but then again your birthday would be lost in all the "Holiday" stuff so......... Besides baby will come when baby is ready so. I'm still thinking a boy on this front - but hey I was wrong with the other one so..........

4. Nyki & Rylee were looking at this blog and Nyki was showing Rylee pictures of the boys and she got really excited and started kissing the boys. So a few miles (actually a whole bunch of miles) apart won't keep my grandbabies from knowing each other! - Weird thing is that I was looking at pictures on the computer with the boys and they kept talking about Rylee at about the same time.

5. I've learned that my baby turning 22 makes me feel REALLY REALLLY REALLY old! Also makes me wonder how the years went by so fast!

6. Ethan & Seth came to visit for a while Saturday while Mommy & Daddy went out for Mommy's birthday. Ethan blows me away with his ability to read. He was playing on the computer which is really fun to watch him drive in a Wacky Race. Seth is just too durn cute for his own good - when he's in trouble he puckers up his mouth (maybe I can get a picture of it sometime) and bats his eyes and I have to look away because I can't help but smile it is the cutest picture of "WHO ME?" I have ever seen.

7. I don't know if it's the holiday's or what but I have been feeling the miles between TEXAS & FLORIDA for a couple of weeks now - I've talked to the ones in Texas more often so maybe it's that but boy I wish the states were close enough for weekend visits every once in awhile!

Worried about the WRONG One!

Okay I have decided that I have been concerned about the wrong kid's career choice. Instead of being concerned about Shawn becoming a police officer - I should be concerned about Tasha becoming a Teacher!!! Another school shooting this week - this time it was the Principal & 2 APs. My brother-in-law is an AP all I can say is BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!

Thanksgiving is around the corner and we haven't made any plans yet. In fact we haven't even really thought about it. Randy's oldest brother was suppose to be here - but with GAS prices etc......they are not coming. But whatever is decided we will have a THANKFUL holiday I'm sure.

Tomorrow Tomorrow that's when we should know what Brittney is having. A Boy A Girl it doesn't really matter just as long as their healthy (I'm still hoping for a GIRL - RC is still NOT).

Nyki is doing fine - please join me in praying that God gives her the strength to quit smoking - I know that a lot of RYLEE's breathing problems were not related to the smoking but some of them were, and we don't want to repeat with THIS baby!

Eric & Julie opted not to find out what they're having at the Sono - so we will be SURPRISED in April when the Doctor says "It's a ????" But we do know the important part - it's healthy all chambers of the heart are pumping etc....... Praise God for that.

We don't get to go camping with the Church this weekend - we have a wedding WOW what a wedding. I'm more interested in finding out how it will work than I am stressing over it. We have a small stage "alter" area. Drums & piano do not get removed from it for weddings so it's even smaller. The Couple getting married have 8 attendants on each side, 3 preachers, a pianoist, oboist, celloist, 2 columnes with Flower arraingements, 2 candleabras and a kneeling bench. (Not to mention the full choir up in the balcony). Should be VERY VERY interesting!

Well besides work and recooperating from JH not much going on around our house.

Judgement House, Bike Ride, Bragging et all......

I’ve been sabotaged! I wrote a LONG posting and then went to post it and the system refused to work!!!!! So it’s GONE! So I will do my best to recreate what I told you (but warning I’m not feeling as WITTY as I was so it is just NOT going to be the same!)

RC rode his bike across the State (Good thing he doesn’t live in TEXAS!!!) this weekend. He and 3 others from FBC Lutz went with a group from Idlewild Baptist they started on the other coast and rode 60 Miles on Friday, 80 Miles on Saturday, and finished up in Tarpon Springs after riding another 60 miles on Sunday. He really seemed to enjoy it! (For some reason I don’t think I saw him SIT down at all Sunday night….hmmmm I wonder if there was a reason for that?) I love that he enjoyed it and then still (knowing he was exhausted) came to Judgement House to see his wife for a couple of minutes and take the boys home to spend time with them!

Judgement House – Wow what a blessing that was to be one of the Co-Directors, each of us, Randy, Herb, Linda and I have different areas of strength and God lined us up in each of them as ONLY HE CAN DO! Satan was working overtime to keep things from happening but he was NOT VICTORIOUS! He had silly little fights build in just about every room, he had Room Leaders quit on us and have to be replaced, he had World Series & Football games distract our Security team and some of the cast members to the point it almost created a stumbling block in getting everyone thru. He even had a Hurricane threat cause our numbers to be down the first weekend – but GOD was the WINNER no doubt. We had more people come thru than ever before – like over 1280 people. He added to His kingdom by at least 58 new family members and brought even more than that back to his arms! It was an amazing thing to be a part of! We’ve already started looking at and planning for next year!

Will be posting Trick or Treat Pictures of the grandkids soon!

Momma’s bragging rights – Tasha said that Shawn is 3rd in his police academy classes. Praise God! I also thank God for giving him a wife that supports his dreams and helps them to materialize! Overall I’m feeling VERY BLESSED indeed with my family!

My parents have been married 47 years TODAY!!!!! That's a BIG accomplishment in this day and AGE!!!! in 3 years we will have BIG PARTY 50 GOLDEN YEARS!

With examples like this and Randy's parents having been married for around 45 years when his Dad was called home to heaven, explains why it's been easier on Randy and I to stay married than on some of our friends who were taught by their parents examples that if the going gets rough you can always Bail instead of trying to make things better! THANKS parents and PRAISE be to God for the examples we were given therefore able to give to our kids! The TORCH is being passed thru the generations!

Birthday and GREAT NEWS

Guess what it is my Aunt Sue & Aunt Bertha's Birthdays. (Oh yeah MINE ALSO!) Crazy crazy - seems like I was just 43 yesterday - hehehe. It seems really freaky that I'm 44 - wow 44 that's not nearly as old as it used to be. Yesterday my brother-in-law Greg had his 46 so I don't feel so terribly old. Love you bubba!

Judgement House went well this past weekend even with Hurricane Wilma breathing down our necks. All Glory to God! I believe each night we have had 100 plus go thru but I know of at least 5 new souls added to the kingdom - so again Praise be to GOD!

Well I found out last week that by next Christmas I will have 2 new grandbabies not just one. No Brittney is NOT having twins - Nyki is also expecting! I'm so excited I can hardly contain my joy. 5 that's right 5 by the end of the Summer 2006.

Then after Shawn and Tasha get out of school we will add even more.............Shawn is doing great in Police Academy - a 4.0 average after 3 tests so KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK SHAWN. I haven't heard much from Tasha other than she loves her job and is very busy with it, so since I haven't heard horror stories from School I assume all is going good. Have I mentioned how much I admire her for being able to juggle School, home, husband, and work without letting anything fall!

Randy and I were extremely busy with Judgement House last weekend and this weekend will be the last weekend of it so hopefully it will be great also. Please pray for us for strength and the softening of hearts to hear the message.

LOVE LANGUAGES

TJ and I are taking "5 Love Languages" again, we've taken the course twice and listened to the book on tape once. If you haven't read or taken the small group, do it! It's amazing how much you will discover about yourself. No I'm not getting paid by the author. There is a test to take, real easy you just pick one of 2 answers. Both TJ and I scored high on "quality time", it's my highest and her highest is "acts of service". The coolest part is we love spending time together, so it seems to be right. TJ is a doer, she loves to help others, that's the "acts of service" part. Not really my cup of tea, but since I know it's high for her, I try to do stuff for her. It's important to keep your mates love tank full. Try it, it might just make "physical touch" even better!!!

5 languages are (not in order) Gifts; Quality Time; Words of Affirmation; Physical Touch and Act of Service. You really should take the test you might be surprised. TJ thought one of her high ones were Gifts and it scored way low. (We have a book we would be glad to lend you if you would like to read all about it.)

Enough of that, I'm good, no major complaints, didn't even fall off of my bicycle last week.

It is Well It is Well with my SOUL

Randy is home - came in 2 days prior than I really expected him, which was AWESOME! He even got into town in time to go RIDING with RC. Brittney and I got some stuff for Trace's B-day party Tuesday night (Didn't have it over the weekend cause we didn't think Grandpa would be here).

Brittney may be further along that at first thought she goes to have a Sonogram on Monday 10/10 to find out exactly how far along she is. She goes to the cardiologist on Tuesday 10/11 for a Echo (not sure how but it is different than the EKG I kept calling it) to find out why she is having shortness of breath that leads to heart pumping fast etc........ But I have a peace where this is concerned so - again I'm still feeling Well with my soul.

Nyki and family are in their new house. Rylee is even sleeping in a toddler bed - what a big girl!

Shawn starts school tomorrow 10/4 and is working a new job so that he has time for school. I hope this time goes by fast and easy for him and Tasha - he will be going to school 40 hours a week and working 40 hours a week so........................... Sleep and family time may have to sacrifice a little.

Well I don't really have much to say - but thought I'd say what I did have to say before going home for the day.