PTA secretary????

The last couple of days.................

Gracie had some "tummy issues" Wednesday afternoon & evening so we kept her home from church. It breaks our hearts but warms them at the same time when she cries when we tell her we're not going to Bible Class. I'm glad she enjoys it so much, but with all the "crud" that's been going around (including her best friend throwing up on the table in Bible Class Sunday) we decided it was best to keep her in. She was feeling okay Thursday morning and hadn't had any more "issues," so I sent her to school that morning with a note for them to call me if she had any problems. She did fine, so I'm glad I went ahead and sent her. She really wanted to go and I think I knew deep down that she'd be fine. I did go purchase the forehead thermometer several people have recommended. I'm tired of playing eeny meeny miney mo with which thermometer to use. I'm hoping I'll like this one.
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Last night, Chris went up to our new church building to help do some work. Since today was a teacher workday, he decided to take Gracie with him. She thought that was so cool! She got to play with several of her little friends who were also up there.
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Today, I took Gracie and headed to a book sale where there were tons of books for sale. I mean, tons! Kate called me from the parking lot and couldn't find a place to park there were so many people. I never did figure out exactly how much each book cost, but I got 10 books (some children & some adult) for $6. Pretty good deal! After that, Gracie & I went to a nearby town and did a little shopping. Poor thing, alot of her pants had gotten to be such high waters, I had to get her some new ones. She's 5 1/2 but has still been wearing some 4's. Just in the past 2 weeks, they've gotten so short, so I went to get some more 5's. The problem is that some of them are still just so big! I'm such a fan of the adjustable waist pants that lots of places are carrying right now, but even with some of those, they just look weird because I have to pull the adjustable part so tight. We go through this every season with her. She's just got such a petite frame! For a long time, we called her "tiny hiney." She has decided now that that is embarrassing, so we're no longer allowed to use that phrase!

Cute story: I tend to be pretty conservative in what I want the girls to wear. I hope to instill a good sense of modesty in them based on a desire to please God. This makes it hard to shop sometimes, even for a 5 year old. Unfortunately, alot of places are selling things for 5 year olds, and even younger, that are just tacky & "inappropriate." (That is a word that works with Gracie.) Today, I saw a halter top that I deemed to be inappropriate. I just don't particularly care for that type of shirt. I told Gracie that it was inappropriate and explained to her why I thought so. She said something like, "I'll never buy that even if it looks cute!" I thought that was an important point and told her that sometimes something will look really cute, but it may still be inappropriate. Ask me in 10 years if she's still so easy to convince of what's appropriate or not!
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We ate dinner with some friends tonight. Always fun.
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Tomorrow morning, we're walking in the Heartwalk. 3 miles. Not my favorite thing to do, but my husband signed us up and it won't kill me and will probably even do me some good!
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We have a wedding tomorrow night in our new church building and then we will meet for the first time for church in the new building Sunday. We've been meeting in a temporary place for over a year! After reading the book I talk about below, I sincerely hope, and will pray, that we keep our focus on Jesus and don't get swept up in the excitement of a new building so much that we lose that focus.
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Katie Boo turns 2 on Friday! Pass the Kleenex please! *sniff sniff*
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I kept reading Jetty Betty and Elizabeth blog about reading Francine Rivers. I went to the library last week and decided to give her a try. Well, I finished reading And the Shofar Blew a couple of days ago. I really enjoyed it and found myself looking forward to getting comfortable on the couch and reading some more. I was intrigued to find out how things got resolved in the end. It is very good and has given me things to think about. I guess the main thing I got out of it is that our main focus has to be on Jesus or we're doing it wrong.

I'm going to start Unveiled next. It is the first in her Lineage of Grace series and is the story of Tamar. I'm hoping to like it.
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I am thankful for the angels who kept Gracie & I safe today while traveling a little ways for our shopping outing. I don't know what was wrong with me, but I kept doing stupid things while driving! (If Chris reads this, I'm going to be in trouble!) I just kept saying things like, "oops!" or "Where did they come from?" I was really impressed with this one lady. I turned on my blinker, checked my side mirror and started to change lanes. I remember thinking that I know I have a blind spot and should turn around to double check. As soon as I started getting over, I heard a honk. Sure enough, there had been a car in my blind spot. I got back over and looked at the driver. Instead of flipping me off like many people would have done, the lady just kind of smiled and waved as if to say, "It's okay. I know you didn't mean to." That really impressed me and made me think that I need to be more patient when I'm driving and someone else does something stupid. Instead of getting mad at them, I should smile & wave. For the record, it's not like I was driving like a maniac; I just should have been paying a little better attention.
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Tuesday night, Gracie's school celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday with an educational carnival. I think we actually celebrated it a tad early, but that's okay. They had lots of educational games set up in the cafeteria for the students to play. Gracie had a blast! While Chris and the girls got started with that, I went to a PTA meeting in the library and then joined them later. I think I may be PTA secretary next year. *yikes* The time for officer selection is upon us, and someone had asked me to think about being on the board. I wasn't sure about it and had decided that secretary is the only position I'd be interested in right now. I figure I might be interested in President or Vice President one day but not yet. I never want to be treasurer. At a meeting the other night, they said the secretary was staying on in her position (you can hold the same position for 2 years). I told her later that secretary was the only position I felt comfortable doing right now. She said, "You can have it!" I think she's going to move up to be one of the VP's and I'll be secretary. It doesn't appear that anyone is jumping to be President, but I'm sure it'll work out. I'm excited but also scared. Who knows? Someone else may want to be secretary and maybe there'll be an election and I'll lose! The lady who was secretary this year helped me alot while organizing the Family Enrichment Night, so if I do end up doing it, I'm glad she'll be a VP.

I know I need to pray about this for more than one reason and I ask that you pray for me as well. One, I need to pray that God's will be done in whether or not I really end up holding this office. Two, If I do end up doing it, I need to pray that God will help me to do positive things while holding the office. I know many people say God can't be in a public school, but I know that He's there and I intend to do what I can to show that to people. I don't always know how to do that effectively, but that will be part of my prayer.

• I know He's there when I talk with Gracie's teacher's aide and she mentions something that happened "at church."
• I know He's there when I talk with my new friend Mary Beth whose son is in Gracie's class and we discuss how we have to keep praying for our children.
• I know He's there when Kate boldly bows her head during the "moment of silence" and her public high school students know she's praying.
• I know He's there when my sister-in-law, Erin, talks about storing up treasures in Heaven with her public high school students.
• I know He was there when Chester Drawers spoke at Gracie's school and openly spoke of God.
• I know He's there when Gracie talks about her friend "M" talking about how she goes to church.
• I know He was there when Gracie took her Bible for Show & Tell during "B" week.
• I know He was there when we had "See You at the Pole" back in September.
• I know He's there even amidst the bad things. The bad things make Him sad, but I still know He's there.

God is everywhere! He is so present. It's just up to us to make Him known to all.