Spring Makeover

The other day I was making my bed and I was thinking about how much I love my cranberry colored bedspread but how I would like to change it for the Spring. I don't normally get a new bedspread for every season, but I just felt like I wanted something new.

I found this beautiful blue bedspread and I had to have it. The color is so soft and relaxing. Sometimes it's good to change things up. I am really happy with how it looks. Next, I want to paint a painting to hang above my bed. Right now I have this old picture I have had since college and it doesn't match anything. I have never painted anything before, but I am willing to try it. I have a picture in my mind of what I want and I can't find anything close to it. So that will be a project I will try soon.

I love watching all of the decorating shows on HGTV and seeing the before and after pictures. So, I decided to take my own pictures and share them with you so you can see how it turned out.

Before

After

Maggie and Me

I couldn't resist the title. I just watched Marley and Me for the second time. I don't know why I did that to myself. For anyone who has not see it yet I don't want to ruin it, but I will tell you that I cried my eyes out. It just really hits home because I have a 13 year old lab named Maggie. I have to share her story with all the other dog lovers out there.

....In 1996, I was working at Market Basket on Hwy 105 in Beaumont and a customer came in saying that they thought they heard something crying outside. We all went outside to listen and sure enough there was a sound coming from a garbage can on the sidewalk. My manger started going through it and to everyone's surprise he found a little, shivering, scared, black, lab puppy.

Nobody could take her home so I said I would. I was still in high school at the time and we lived in Sour Lake. I still remember the first night I brought Maggie home. I got a bowl out and tried to give her some milk. The only problem was that she was so little she couldn't reach the milk even with a small bowl. So, I found the smallest bowl I could right out of my mom's china cabinet. She came home and saw a puppy drinking milk out of her nice china bowl. She still tells that story. She said I told her that we never use it so I didn't think she would mind (there's a lesson-use your nice china!)

We made a little place in the garage and put newspaper down for her and put her in there overnight. We had three other dogs over the years as I grew up so we knew that the next morning there would be a mess to clean up. We were shocked when we went to check on her in the morning and there was no mess-she didn't even use the restroom. We knew she was a special dog! She never did go to the bathroom in the garage. She basically house trained herself day one.

We took her to the vet and we were concerned that we didn't have a fence and we couldn't keep her inside. We had decided to find another home for her, but the vet said that she would not run away because we had saved her. All our other dogs would take off the minute you opened the gate so we didn't believe it. By now we were already too attached so we thought we would give it a try. Sure enough she stayed right by the house and she had been with us ever since. She was never put on a leash or fenced in!

There was not a leash law where we lived so it was perfect. She would stay in the garage and lay in the yard, but when we moved to Beaumont she had to be locked in the back yard for the first time ever. It broke our hearts because she would cry and cry to get out and finally we gave in. We lived on a dead end street near a school and we knew she would stay in our yard and garage. So, we kept her in the back yard while school was in and we let her out after school.

All of out neighbors just love her and they don't mind we let her out. She has become the neighborhood dog. About a month ago the doorbell rang and one of our neighbors was standing there in his suit, just home from work,and he said that Maggie was acting weird. He said that she always greets him when he gets home and he gives her a treat but that she wasn't acting like herself. He said that we don't really know how much Maggie means to him. He went on to say that he looks forward to coming home everyday and her being there and that she is the light of his life (I am not making this up, those are his exact words). After he left I looked outside and saw him kneeling in the wet grass in his suit and tie petting her and loving on her. It was so sweet! It's amazing the effect she has on people.

Watching Marley and Me just reminded me how blessed we are to have Maggie. She is the best dog in the world! I know everyone says that about their dog, but she really is :) She has become a part of our family. Those of you who have had a dog this long understand. I love this saying I saw once that said...I wish I were the person my dog thinks I am. Isn't that the truth! I like the end of the movie when it says, "A dog doesn't care if your rich or poor, dull or exciting, tall or short, they just love you unconditionally."

25 Randon Things About Me....

1. I am really a country girl at heart. My dream is to live in the country on a few acres, with a garden, and a front porch!

2. I am a twin. My brother, Christopher Earl Allen, lived for about 1 hour after we were born premature weighing only 3 pounds.

3. I love journaling. I have kept a journal since high school.

4. I have started two scrapbooks and have not completed them (I didn't know it took so much time!) I have since found the ones that come already put together and all you do is add the pictures-what a great invention!

5. I love photography, especially nature photography. This summer one of my goals is to get a "real" camera and take a photography class.

6. I have completed 9 hours towards my Master's degree in Administration.

7. My idea of a great day is one that involves staying in my p.j.'s, a good movie, no shower or makeup, a couch, and chocolate!

8. I am one of those people who loves the rain and secretly loves bad weather. I don't know why, but I get a little excited when I hear that strong thunderstorms are in the forecast.

9. People always say that I am very organized. I like to organize things and clean out my closet, etc.. I get excited when I see stuff that helps you organize spaces. One of my favorite stores is the Container Store in Houston.

1o. I am a list maker. I make a list for everything.

11. I actually like to clean. I enjoy the feeling after I have dusted, vacuumed, and I can relax and enjoy a clean house.

12. My least favorite chore is unloading the dishwasher. I will put it off as long as possible.

13. Since I was 19, I have moved 10 times into different apartments through college and then back home. I hate moving..packing, and unpacking! (Maybe that is why I don't like unloading the dishwasher and unpacking after a trip-hmmm, that just hit me!)

14. I love a good pair of jeans. I seems like I am always looking for jeans when I am shopping, but I wear them all the time. I am definitely a t-shirt and jeans girl.

15. My first teaching job was teaching fourth grade in Irving, TX.

16. I love my job and can't picture myself doing anything else.

17. My weakness is clothes. I love shopping for and buying new clothes.

18. I don't like shopping in stores like Ross. I don't have the patience to dig through racks and racks of clothes.

19. I look forward to getting up and having my coffee in the morning. I actually thank God regularly for my coffee as I pour it in the morning.

20. I would rather cook a meal at home than go out to eat on most days. I enjoy eating out,but love a home cooked meal more.

21. One movie that I can watch over and over and never get tired of is Sweet Home Alabama.

22. I have a hard time driving long distances by myself. I get sleepy in the car just going to Houston :) I would much rather be the passenger!

23. I love to cook and bake. I like trying new recipes. When I like one I type it up and add it to a recipe book I have made of my favorite recipes.

24. I love jewelry, but I have to be in the mood to wear it.

25. I have a weird sense of humor because I tend to laugh when someone falls, or gets hurt (not seriously hurt). I don't know why, but my mom has the same sense of humor. It's not that we don't care, it just makes us laugh. I have had to apologize many times to people who probably think I am a horribly rude person.

The First Easter

On Friday, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the last days of Christ drama on Hwy 105 in Beaumont. It is an outdoor drama that takes you back to Jerusalem and the events that lead up to the first Easter. It all began with a vision that God gave Marlon Quibodeaux back in 1996. You can read more about it at http://www.lastdaysofchrist.com/. I volunteered on the evangelism team and I was very excited to be a part of it.

When I got there I saw all the kids in line with their families and I told my mom how great it would be if some of the kids from my class would be there that night. It just so happened that the first people I talked to were these three teenage boys. They accepted Christ for the first time and as I was writing their names down they gave me the name of one of my students. The whole time he was standing behind one of them and I didn't see him. I asked him if he wanted to pray with me and ask Jesus to come into his heart. He said he did and we prayed together. I can't put it into words how that felt.

He is one of the boys in my class that has a rough home life and tends to get in trouble a lot. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for him. I am so grateful to God that He allowed me to witness to Him.

Here are some scenes from the drama:

The Crucifixion

The Last Supper

The Teacup Story

I heard this story for the first time when I went to the Joyce Meyer's Conference in Houston last year. It spoke to me so much that I ordered the tapes of the conference and typed up the story so I could have a copy. I haven't read it in a while, but I came across it today and felt inspired to share it. It is a great story that really helps me understand how God works in our lives to change us and mold us into what He created us to be. He is the Master Potter and we are the clay (Isaiah 64:8).



....There was an elderly couple who loved antiques and pottery and especially teacups. One day, while shopping for antiques they came across this beautiful teacup. They said, “We’ve never seen one quite so beautiful.”

As the lady handed it to them suddenly the teacup began to talk. “You know I haven’t always been like this. There was a time when nobody wanted me. There was a time when I was not attractive at all. You see there was a time in my life when I was just an old, hard, lump of clay. "

Then, the master potter came along and he began to pat me and reshape me. I said, “Stop it! What are you doing? That hurts! Ahhhh!!! Leave me alone! " He simply looked at me and said,"not yet! "

Then, he put me on this wheel and began to spin me around and around and around. I got so dizzy that I could hardly see straight. I felt sick to my stomach. I said, "What’s happening to me?’ I just knew I was losing it! I said, " let me off of here! I can’t take this any more!" He just looked at me and said,"not yet! "

Finally, the day came when I had taken on a new shape. All this spinning around had actually done something. All that patting, molding, squeezing, and pinching had given me a new shape. I thought, phew! Finally it’s over!

Then, all of the sudden he put me in this furnace. He said something about the first firing. Man, was it hot in there. I couldn’t believe how hot it was in there. I thought, man, I can’t stand this! I am going to die! This will surely kill me! Get me out of here! Don’t you love me at all?

“Why are you leaving me in here? You can see me through the glass and the oven door. You can get me out of here. You can see what I am going through. Why are you leaving me in here if you love me?” But he wouldn’t let me out. He just looked through the glass in the door and said, "not yet!"

Finally, the oven door opened and he took me out and set me on a shelf. I thought, pheww! Man, thank God this is over! He let me sit there a while and then he began to paint me all over and boy did it stink! He changed my color from grey to this pretty blue that I am now. I said, “This stinks! It’s chocking me! I don’t like this smell! Stop it! Stop it! Please, Stop it!” He just looked at me and said, "not yet!"

Then, he put me back in the oven a second time around and it was called the second firing. It was twice as hot as the first one. I thought, now I am going to die. I will never make it through this one! I know I made it through the other one, but I can’t stand this! Please master poster listen to me, you have to get me out of here. This will kill me. Get me out! Get me out! He just looked at me and said, "not yet! "

Then, one day the door finally opened and he took me out and put me on this shelf to cool off. So, after I cooled off he finally handed me a mirror. I couldn’t believe how beautiful I was! I couldn’t believe how I had changed! Why, I didn’t look anything at all like that ugly, grey lump of clay I use to be. Now I was this beautiful, delicate teacup and everybody wants me now.

You see, there was a time in my life that nobody wanted me, nobody liked me, and nobody paid any attention to me. They just kicked me around, looked over me, walked on me, but you see now I am special-but it wasn’t always this way.

Fair Day

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love going to the Fair and festivals. I have such great memories of going to the Fair growing up and I still love it. I love being outdoors, walking around and looking at all the booths, spending time with friends and family, and of course all the food! It's the one time a year I get to eat all the fried food on a stick I want and not feel guilty about it.

I was disappointed this past year when the Fair had to be canceled because of Hurricane Ike, but excited to hear they were going to have it in the Spring. I wasn't sure if I would like it in the Spring as much. It just seems like the Fair and cooler weather go together, but I went out there today and it was just as great- if not better! It was very windy, but the weather was warm and it felt good to have a breeze. I think I actually like it in Spring more. It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.


Here I am enjoying two of my favorite Fair foods-a foot long corn dog and fresh squeezed lemonade! Is there really anything better?

First Fruit

I went outside a couple of days ago and noticed that small green tomatoes had started to grow on my tomato plants. I was so excited! I am new to this and had no idea that they would grow so quickly.

Aren't they cute!!!