Time to reflect

So much time goes by with no reflection of who you are and how you got to be who you are today. The constant hussle and bustle of just everyday life passes by without a thought of reflection. Look back 1 year - How much has changed? Look back 3 years - how much has changed? Look back 5 years - how much has changed? Look back 10, 15 and so on. How did you get to who you are today? Was it by chance or were there special people in your life to help you to be who you are?

My mom, God love her, is crazy! So, all of you guys who think I am crazy - then you should meet my mom... LOL! She is just one ball of craziness all of the time. She loves to act crazy, have crazy fun with her grandkids and she loves to dance crazy. She is just one of those people that likes to have fun when she can. She is a person that has been with me my whole entire life (obviously)and I wouldn't be who I am today without her. I wouldn't have the same crazy, fun personality and the same crazy dancing ways if it weren't for her.

Thanks, mom, for all of the crazy, fun times. I truly love you and I reflected on how much you have impacted my life today.

Happy 58th Birthday, Mom! I love you lots!

New Beginnings....

New beginnings are a true blessing! I cannot imagine always being stuck in the same place, doing the same things over and over, again. It has been a time of new beginnings for the Tucker/Miller Family. New beginnings with Dave's new job. New beginnings with our schedules. New beginnings with the sports that are starting up. New beginnings with my work.

Change is good.

I just witnessed a very happy union for two great people yesterday. It made me think back to my wedding day almost 11 years ago. Wow, what a day THAT was for us. Months and months and months of planning - all of the money spent - all of the time spent - all of the preparation - all of the heartache over stupid stuff - or the heartache over my dad passing..... It was crazy, crazy, crazy ... And it went by so fast!! And here we are 11 years later. Time sure does fly by! David has been my rock for 13 years. He has been the patient one, the nice one, did I mention patient??? Seriously, I couldn't live without him!

Happy Anniversary on the 22nd honey! May we have another blissful 11+ years!

Love you always and forever!

The Silver Refiner.... we are not alone...

Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.'

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God ..

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: ' He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.'

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, ' Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , rememberthat God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them. And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.

'Life is a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish, but you can only spend it once.'

Thank you God, for teaching me to laugh again......

but please Lord, don't ever let me forget that I cried.

Going out of town.... oh yeah!

So, I will be going out of town this weekend, with my BFF, to a conference in Louisville, KY. I cannot wait to sit with friends having adult conversation, sipping coffee quietly in the morning, reading a book, shopping, swimming/hot tubbing, No - "mom this or mom that", No laundry, No cleaning, No fighting, No homework, No school crap!!! Just hearing great Christian music from Charles Billingsly, Michael W Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman, as well as, being open to what God is doing in my life right now and for my future.

The interesting thing is that Sarah Palin will be our speaker on Friday night. She will give her testimony and talk about her faith. Many people may not like her or maybe some do... but the thing is - she is in the political arena to stay. Even if you don't like it - I truly believe she will be a force to be acknowledged in the future in politics. With that being said, I want to know her testimony - aside from the political arena. I want to know how she truly feels about her faith and what she believes in. I really hope she doesn't get up there and just "blah blah blah" about all of the political crap or all of the stuff she has accomplished - because that is NOT why I want to hear her. I don't want to hear politics - I want to hear inspiration!

So, for all of you crazy's that get to stay in the Lou... HA HA sucka... We are almost outta here! :-))

MONEY.....will be the death of me

Is there ever enough money? I am sitting here balancing both checking accounts and realizing that the more we make the more we spend. The worst part is - we are spending this hard earned money on STUPID stuff. Stuff that doesn't really matter. Stuff that we could do without but yet we are not able to put it down and say no. Everything adds up. Everything including the morning stops at QT to get a coffee, the extra pieces of candy or drinks when we stop to get gas and the kids are begging for a snack, the extra fundraisers that pass by my desk at work (how can I say no to the parent of a fundraiser b/c I have been there and done that many times over), the eating out a couple of times a week instead of eating at home for the sake of "saving time" and last but not least the extra fun "activities" we do to show our kids we love them by taking them to the movies ($36.00 for the tickets, $20 more at the concession so in essence $50 later) or going to the skating rink for a family night and it ends up costing me $130 because I can't say no to my precious daughter because she is begging me for in-line skates....geesh... WHEN DOES IT END?

Obviously, after reading what I just wrote - I am the problem. I, obviously, cannot say no to anything. My parents said no all of the time...so why can't I? My parents said no because they just didn't have the money to buy anything. I cannot say no to my kids - is it because I can say yes because I think I have the money? I don't know...Money drives me nuts. Always striving to make more and more and more...but where does it get you in the end? Still with a balance in your checking accounts still wishing you had more....

Lots going on....

What a year this is going to be. This is the year of marriages and births. Both of my brother's are going to have babies this year in April. I have friends getting married in May and October. Both Dave and I have cousins getting married in May and July. Whew... when it rains it pours!

So with all of these babies and weddings comes the showers. Oh yeah and I forgot to mention that one of the weddings will probably cost me around $500 to $600 becuase I am a Bridesmaid, Gabby is a Junior Bridesmaid and Dawson will be the Ring Bearer.

With all of this going on in our lives, I want to go on vacation this year, too. We (the family) haven't been on a vacation since 2007 when we went to Gulf Shores. We did go to Branson in 2008 but my grandma June had died the week before and it realy wasn't that much fun. Actually, I really hate Branson now b/c it really sucked and we spent a lot of money for nothing.

I really want to go to Florida this year, but I am not sure if that will be possible this year. Any suggestions on places to go with the family that won't break the bank? I was looking into Destin, FL. It is so pretty. I thought about driving and taking a little over a week. Maybe staying in a condo near the beach with a full kitchen. That would cut down on some of the expense if we can buy groceries and cook.

I don't know...does anyone else know of some great places?? Beach preferred.
Thanks!