Monumental Day

So tomorrow I go to my Oncologist for my 5 year appointment. I am anticipating that after all the bloodwork and scans are done there will be an "Everything's just fine" report. In honor of the big day I was origianally going to get a tatoo that said survivor. To be honest I had mixed emotions about it. Mom and Dad would NOT have approved and I just wasn't 100% about it. Soooo, I decided to buy myself a nice piece of jewelry for the occassion. There were two items in the running. The first was a bracelet from Tiffany's........ The second was a charm bracelet from James Avery. The charm bracelet won out. (Maybe I'll buy the bracelet from Tiffany's for myself on Valentine's Day!!!!)

Okay back to the charm bracelet............ here is a picture of it...........

I would get my initials on the bracelet. My younger brother (Daniel) and sister-in-law (Emily) are adopting a baby and her name is going to be Darby Layne Doss. She will have the same initials as I do so everything I get that is monogrammed she can inherit one day, if she wants it. *smile*

Here are the charms that I am going to buy for it right now............

This charm will say - Survivor 12-21-09

I love this one - Jesus - our Ultimate Healer!!!!!!!!!!! This one is in honor of my precious Mother who is currently battling cancer. She has a charm bracelet and I always remember that she had a grand piano on it. I love her, she's the best!!

My funny little children....

There are times when my students make me chuckle inside or simply smile. And then there are those times when my kids make me double over in laughter!!! Such as this.......
Picture it -- Kids coming in my classroom fresh off of Thanksgiving Break: Oh Ms. Doss we love the tree! (As one child begins singing "O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree")
Ms. Doss: Well, I am glad that you all like it - what do you see that is missing from the tree?
Kids: Ornaments
Ms. Doss: Well - you all are going to help me decorate our class tree. After whoops and hollers I continue. If I catch you making good choices, coming in class and getting on task, helping a friend, then you may get to put an ornament on our tree. Suddenly, I see straighter backs, trying to show that THEY need to be picked. And then a hand shoots up.... I call on this student and he says in the most sincere and grown-up voice....Ms. Doss That is a wonderful idea. It just cracked me up. I thanked the student and he smiled.

It is funny how a children sometimes act like little adults. A few years ago there was a little boy that was walking through the hallway and looked at a coworker and myself - shook his head and said "kids these days".......

No internet.....

for a WHOLE week. Yes, my friends a WHOLE WEEK! I didn't realize until this morning just how much I love having access to the internet and unless I am laying beside a pool with a hunky waiter asking me if I need anything - while I am floating around in the ocean on a very large ship - I need internet access. Period. No questions asked. *SMILE*

How is it that a teacher who is not on Christmas Break or Summer Break is writing on her blog at 1:42 p.m. on a Friday afternoon???? Weeeeell we are out of school for the state tournament today! Whoohoo! Love football and that we have a great team this year! So today I woke up around 6:00 a.m. and promptly went right back to sleep! Aaaahhhh I LOVE sleeping late. I love it so much it's could almost be sinful.

I finally got the Christmas Tree decorated. I have NEVER had a Christmas Tree sit bare for about a week. It was looking very pitiful and bleak. But now, it is soooo lit up and beeeautiful!!!! I love hanging my ornaments on the tree. There are so many memories hanging on that tree and I enjoy looking at the ornaments and thinking about the person that gave the ornament to me.

Well, I am off to enjoy the Christmas movies I have been feverishly "DVR-ing" - or maybe a Christmas book I'm reading - decisions, decisions...... all I know is it WILL include some freshly popped popcorn and a ddp.

I'm baaaaaack!!

Well, after several months of "blog silence" I am now back. Sorry - school happened. I love teaching but it becomes all consuming for me. Thanks to my awesome sister-in-law Emily and Leelou Blogs - I now have this cute little template. Emily gave me a little tutorial this morning. We are having a wonderful Thanksgiving. Mom is still very weak and I had to fuss at her this morning and tell her to rest. I tried to encourage her sweetly to go rest and I will take care of breakfast but that didn't work sooo I had to become a little more forceful. Mom's will always be mom's....always wanting everything to be just so.

We had a fab "Doss Breakfast" this morning - country ham, bacon, sausage, country fried eggs, homemade biscuits, fresh grape juice from our homegrown grapes and homemade jam oh and black eyed gravy for Dad. I call the black eyed gravy a heart attack in a cup. Oh uhhh mom just told me it's red eye gravy not black eye gravy. LOL! I need to get another tutorial on my dad's biscuits - it's a recipe from my grandaddy that my great grandmother taught him how to make. So we gotta keep the tradition alive! I think that is one thing that has really hit home with me over the last few years. I want to know how to cook things like my momma - when you ask her - how do you make that she just says well a little of this a little of that it's not really measurements so I figure the only way to really know what to do is get in there and do it with her. That is what we did yesterday. Momma would "supervise" and I would throw the stuff together.

If I were a true blogger I would have taken a picture of the wonderful breakfast this morning and the spread of food last night - but obviously I am just an amateur....so no pics. Sorry. I'll get better. Aaaand it might be a good excuse to buy myself the fancy pants camera I've been wanting! *SMILE* You know me - any excuse for a fabulous gift to myself!
I hope you all have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!!!!
*HUGS* to you!!!

The Great Pumpkin Chase.....

Do you ever feel like you are on a big hunt? Kinda like chasing the great pumpkin or hunting some easter eggs? By the way - I STILL love to hunt Easter eggs - will I ever grow up?!?!? *SMILE* Okay okay back to the whole hunting thing....I have been hunting for a church. Or maybe I should call it the "unhunt".

I have been visiting Daniel (my younger brother) and his wife Emily in Valpo, Indiana. Today, I went to their church GracePoint. Something that was confirmed for me today was just how much I need to really seek the Lord on finding a church home. Growing up I never saw my parents trying to decide what church to go to in the community. The church was why we came to the community. And to be honest, I have gone mostly where my faimly has served.

Another reason I don't think I have been proactive in finding a church home is because sometimes it hurts to go. Most churches are geared towards families - so what if your family consisits of the four-legged type....then what? Honestly, there have been moments that I have left church feeling worse than when I went in. So why go?

Today the sermon hit home for me. I needed to hear it. My heart needed to hear it. It was on pivotal circumstances.....it made for an emotional time. I know, some of you are saying - of course....dang waterworks! Oh for the love....I wish that I was like this rock of steel - but I'm not. Probably won't ever be. And to be quite honest the more pivotal circumstances I have in my life the more tender my heart becomes and the more tears that flow. Just so you know I'm hearing Justin Timberlake sing --- "cry me a river..." in my head! *wink* Oh come on - you know it! You love it!! You were thinking about the song too!! *SMILE*

Speaking of songs ... here's part of another one that I think of when dealing with pivotal circumstances....and of course we worshipped with this song....
"I will trust You in the pain
When I can't see past today
When it's hard to lift my
hands to praise You, I will trust You" (Daniel Doss, Ronnie Freeman)

So I guess the question is - am I gonna trust Him in my pain? Are you gonna trust Him in your pain? It's not easy. There have been times that all I can do is just stand there and weep - and sometimes I haven't been able to stand at all - it's simply been flat on my face weeping....

....I WILL trust you in the pain when I can't see past today when it's hard to lift my hands to praise you I WILL trust You....

Trust - it's not knowing what is gonna come tomorrow..... but knowing He will get me through it.
Trust - it's believing that He is still God and HE IS GOOD....
Trust - it's believing that He has a purpose....
Trust - it's knowing that the victory is won....
Trust - it's a confident expectation

"I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock in whom I take refuge, He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18: 1-2

Ummmm so.....

after reading my last post I thought.....it looks as if I am serious about buying car number 3! That would be a TOTAL negative! Just thought I would clarify....I mean I AM a teacher....and none of us got into teaching because of the paycheck! *SMILE* Car #3 was simply fun to test drive and then walk away!

Now that's out of the way - I thought I would post some pics.... a couple before and after pics. My little Sadie boo......

So these pics would be the "before".....

Sadie usually looks like a little scrub muffin - all scruffy! I love it but sometimes her face hair gets in the way. It is hard for her too see, however I don't want to take her to the groomer b/c I don't want her trimmed all over. And now comes the after pic. I decided the other night to take matters in my own hands. (Sorry Sadie, momma has learned her lesson!)

Sooo here is the "after"....... Now, I'm gonna take you through a photo shoot of Sadie - she hates to pose....so here are how many pics it took me to simply get one stinkin' picture of the little pup's face and it's only b/c I dangled a treat in front of her. I should have done that from the start!

umm yes, I'm serious! See how frustrating this process can be??? And I did it ALL for you! Just so you could see how utterly ridiculous I am!

The above would be Jackson (her bestie) getting in the way. Now, he IS a poser!!! If anyone gets a camera out it's like he becomes the next contestant on America's Next Top Model!

almost.........

aaaand ta da!!!

I would like for you to take note of the choppy uneven facial hair and how HUGE her ears look! However, please also note that she still has both of her eyes and there was no bleeding in the process of the "grooming". And yes I use the word grooming lightly! Oh she looks sooo bad here!!! Bless her!

I have been bitten - by the "car bug". I want a new car - BAD! I have wanted one for a bit over a year and I have been trying to make Dave Ramsey proud and hold off. Well, today I gave in to a bit of the temptation and test drove some cars....

The first one was simply a whim when I got on the lot. It looked fun.... it is really cute but not for me.

Okay now this next one is the one that I have been lusting over for nearly a year and a half......

I realized that I LOVE it from the front but HATE It from the back.


The third car I drove was simply on a whim - I saw it and thought I'd try it out. It was great! Although I will not be making a purchase (how proud are you Dave Ramsey?!?!).

I guess I will just keep looking. I do know that I def. want a convertible!!! I miss mine and want another one! So for now I am trying to ward off the car bug..... *sigh*

Sugar, Sugar, Everywhere.....

You need "trip food" on a trip. You need a cooler that is full of cold drinks and yummy snacks......you need to have a picnic on the way there.....have fun music blasting and laughter filling the car.
Today, I have been studying for a test (tell ya about it l8r), packing a few things and decide to make some Puppy Chow for our fun beach trip. I'm going on w/ teacher friends......we are staying at a condo for FREE!! ***THANKS WONDERFUL FRIEND THAT GOT THE FREE CONDO!!!*** If you haven't ever made puppy chow it is coated in powdered sugar. You are "supposed" to put the mixture in a large paper grocery bag and begin to shake it vigorously. Well, #1 I think putting your food in a bag where there has been groceries that have been touched by all these ppl in the grocery store is gross. And #2 most places use plastic.
Sooo I decide to use a gallon freezer bag. I thought....it will be sturdy. I begin to shake vigorously and suddenly there is powdered sugar everywhere....on me, the cabinet, countertop, floor **you're welcome Sadie (she loves to clean the floor for me!)**. I'm not a very "neat" cook - I get food all over the place and I'm not very patient with things so I usually splurt them everywhere. (Yes, I just used the word splurt!) But it usually isn't "this bad". It is kinda like the time I was making a caramel pie like O'Charley's where you cook the sweetened cond. milk in the can and then pour it into the crust. That little technique can be a little tricky! No one told me that if you don't let it cool and try to open the can when it's hot it will EXPLODE!!! Where was THAT in the recipe?!?!?! And I mean explode. There was pseduo caramel all over the place - from ceiling to floor. God bless that little apartment there is still probably some caramel on the ceiling over there in the Crossings. *sigh*

Am I really a "blogger"?!?!

Weeeeell, after many friends saying - you need to get a blog....here I am! Not really sure what I will blog about.....in fact right now I'm sitting here thinking....just delete it and forget the whole thing.....who's gonna read your blog. *sigh*

I would like to make my blog all cutsied up - I'll just have to play with it and figure all that mess out.

I hope ya'll have an awesome day!!
*HUGS*
Deb