I really don't like pictures of myself, but if I have to post one - here it is. Andy and I in Burnet on our 35th wedding anniversary last month. He makes me happy every day!

2 Songs

Are you KIDDING me; two songs only!!!??! Here go two of my all-time favorites:


"You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon; the volume rises substantially when this one comes on!! Fun, fun, fun!

"Untitled Hymm" by Chris Rice; I always think of Jennifer and Mark Palmer, a young married couple who died way too early in life from cancer. Makes me weep each and every time.

3 Films

3 Films:

1. Silverado (You know this is a favorite because you can repeat most of the lines!!)

2. The most recent Star Trek; great new faces on familiar friends!

3. Chicago; I would have LOVED to be in that movie!! "Celophane" is my song!

4 Books

These 4 books stay with me -

1. The Relatives Came (reminds me of my family in my youth)

2. The Thorn Birds

3. Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

4. The Bible

5 foods

This is a hard one to do, because the ones I'm listing are ones that are no longer in my routine menu!! Here goes:


1. Cheese enchiladas covered in gravy and cheese - hands down vote for my final meal if I were to pick one!

2. Pizza

3. Cheesy crackers (I'm sensing a cheese theme here!)

4. A good Sonic cheeseburger

5. Chili's babyback ribs


Man, I'm hungry now!!

6 PLACES

6 Places I love or want to visit:

1. Heaven

2. Mountains - any height, any place!

3. Worship

4. Dana and Erin's homes

5. Road trip along the California coastline

6. Andy's arms

7 wants

This list could be so much longer!!

~ Heaven
~ to meet and love Dana's husband
~ more grandchildren !!
~ to grow old with Andrew
~ a dog
~ a better relationship with my siblings
~ vacations to California, DC, and Canada! (can I count those as one wish?!?)

8 Fears

This is a personal one!

8 Fears:

1. Dying young
2. Losing one of my family
3. Not having enough money
4. Cancer
5. Our nation falling to another country
6. Having to go back to work full-time (i.e. - # 3)
7. Falling
8. Being alone in a country where no one speaks English (right now, not a problem!!)

9 Loves....

9 loves:

~ pictures of Liz and Bladen
~ singing
~ laughing with Jackie
~ vacations - esp. road trips!
~ seeing Andy teach and lead
~ talking to Dana and Erin for hours
~ houses
~ my cousins
~ Sunday nights


That was easy!!!

Following Dana's Lead...

10 Secrets about me....

1. Although I enjoy singing alto, I'd love to have a clear, strong Soprano voice.
2. I'd have 5 dogs, if Andy'd let me.
3. I wanted to hitch-hike across the country after high school, but Mama almost died when she heard and forbid me to go. I obeyed.
4. Cathy and I flushed our feet in the toilet in Austin one day after walking around a lot. (I have the picture to blackmail her!)
5. Jimmy Carr kissed me one night while we were eating pizza.
6. I'm afraid of being thin.
7. I once found some "dirty" pictures of my brother under his nightstand. Don't remember WHY I was looking under there.
8. For many years, I was scared of my inlaws.
9. I would love to play tennis.
10. I have always wanted to dye my hair red. Auburn, really.

Marriages In, Marriages Out

This has been a very difficult week in the land of marriage - while a sweet young couple faces their dreams of a great life together beginning this weekend, I know of three marriages that have fallen apart recently. Two marriages based on a commonality of faith, servants of the Lord, who have been torn apart. Two, couples I've known for many years, and loved with all my heart; the other, a couple I know through association. Doesn't matter - they are still losing the dream they once had; to grow old together and see life at its best along the way.

There are so many thoughts running through my head on this; where did it fall apart - surely not overnight, but - if you see it coming, can't you "fix" it??? Can't what you had be enough to hold it together???

When Andy is in court, and has to hear divorce cases, he comes home and holds on to me really tight - I think it scares him; I know it has me this week. No matter how much you deny it, this has pretty much ruined my week... and there's not much I can do - but pray. For them, for their kids, for their moms and dads who love them, for their friends who knew them as two, not one. For their church families, who looked to them as examples of commitment. For their God.

The thing that gives me hope is the knowledge I have of couples who have faced the unthinkable and survived with their marriages whole. I see them, and I think - "Why not? Who says we have to accept this decision they are making?? Who says the "easy way" is the only way...."

So, today, I will pray. And pray. And pray some more.

Their marriages are worth at least that -