Snazzy

Although I love being busy, I do love the days that we have a "normal" schedule.  You know the ones...coffee, exercise, school, wine, bed!  We don't get those very often but Wednesday followed that schedule to a "T".  Ahhh.

It is so nice that our room mates, Vickey and Slade, are back in town because Vickey and I can motivate each other to exercise.  This morning we hiked Freyman and the weather was perfect!  We were both looking forward to more fall temperatures (the high yesterday was 81) but looks like we'll be back up to 100 by Sunday.

Cole had an opportunity to go a taping of "The Next", a singing competition that is shown on the CW channel.

Cole and Scher.  Aren't they adorable?

In front of the Orpheum in LA.

They had a blast!!

Seeing this picture of Spencer and Max makes me miss everyone even more than I already do.

Love it!

Brad and Spencer are flying out to LA for Halloween and I may have talked Spencer into staying with Cole and I until we head home at Thanksgiving!  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Part of the team for Spencer's flag football league.

"Refresh my heart in Christ."

~Philemon 1:20

New Day & New Attitude

Thank you so much for all your encouraging e-mails, texts and phone calls.  You guys are the best for reminding me that we all have "one of those days" every once in a while.

I was so determined to be happy today that I scared several people during my run this morning as I screamed out a very hearty, "Good morning!".  One woman jumped about two feet in the air and grabbed her chest!  How bad would my day be if I had to perform CPR on someone before 7:30 a.m.?

My mood improved tremendously when Vickey & Slade arrived late last night and told us they will be staying until November!  I love having them as our room mates and having a partner in crime with Vickey.  Whatever trouble I get in I know that Vickey will be right there with me!

Even after a trip to downtown Los Angeles (which usually requires much use of my horn, a rag stuffed in my mouth to keep me from screaming and my wish that my headlights dropped down to produce machine guns) for Cole's audition, I was still in a great mood.

So thankful to be able to come back to the condo to the smell of chicken chili in the crock pot and home made Parmesan corn muffins.  Yum.

Spencer played in his flag football game tonight, even though he has not been feeling well.  He promised not to over-do-it and he kept his word.  I was happy that he was able to make a major block so someone could score a touchdown and yes, I did get confirmation from him that I am reporting that correctly!

I am so thankful that God gives us second chances; and thirds, and fourths....

"Do not boast about tomorrow; for you do not know what a day may bring forth."

~Proverbs 27:1

Needing a Do-Over

Do you ever find yourself needing a do-over even before your morning cup of java has gone cold?  I hate it.  That feeling crept up on me this morning and I haven't been able to outrun it all day.

When I went for my run this morning, I was fine and I just knew that it was going to be a great day.  Five minutes after returning from my run, I knew I needed to call AT&T U-verse to rectify a problem that we have been having for the past 12 weeks (mainly that we have no signal).  Once I called them, I was put on hold for 29 minutes and my bad mood began.  After holding for said 29 minutes, the nincompoop technician informed me that yes, I did need to have another technician out to my house (this would be the 5th technician in 10 weeks) but since the account was not in my name (in our landlord's) and I didn't know her four-digit secret code or her favorite restaurant, they couldn't help me.  After I slammed down the phone, the slew of not-so-nice words that proceeded to tumble into the air was not a welcome start to my morning. 

At 2:00 we had a meeting with Cole's agent before Cole's audition but the agent was running late at a meeting.  He came in at 2:30 and I guess I made it clear that I was not happy because once we left, Cole was not happy with me.  I think my hackles were a little too high and, doggone it, I just get them to lay down.

Traffic going to the audition and coming from the audition was horrendous.

To top it off, once we finally got back home and I started making dinner, I discovered that someone had eaten my apples I needed to make my new recipe for Pork Chops with Roasted Apples and Onions.  Bring on the tears.  Poor Cole, he must have felt sorry for me because he hopped on the bike and headed up to the grocery store to get the needed apples.

I'm taking a deep breath and looking forward to a glass of wine once I  take/pick up Cole and Logan from Bible study.  Maybe I should stay and listen to any words of wisdom that Kendall has to give.

Thank goodness tomorrow is another day.

"Anger gives a foothold to the devil."

~Ephesians 4:27

Hit the Ground Running

I am glad that I am the kind of person who likes to keep busy because California doesn't fail to achieve that...ever!

I decided that Cole and I needed to sleep in on Sunday and sure enough, we both slept for 12 hours.  Guess we really were tired.  My plan was for Cole to work on school all day and try to get caught up while I unpacked, washed clothes, and tried to tackle the "piles".  You know the ones...paperwork, laundry, trash, mail, etc.

Right when we are getting into the groove, our Manager calls and says that Cole has two auditions on Monday and that we need to get coaching TODAY!  Wow, so glad Cole's coach is on speed dial and ready and willing to help out.  I jump in the shower and off we go.  After coaching, we headed to the Shea's house for a cookout and to visit with our friends, the Baxter's, who are in town meeting with our Manager.  Woohoo, the Southerners are going to take LA by storm!!!!

We were home by 7:30 and Cole was in bed by 8:30.  Guess he was more tired than I thought.  He has two big auditions today so we will keep praying and doing what we are doing.

Spencer's allergies have kicked into high gear and he started getting sick on Saturday.  Brad called me from Target and I think he bought one of everything to treat the congestion, the sniffles and the fever.  It must be working because Spencer sounded better this morning.  Now if I can just get him to take it easy (anyone want to volunteer to go by the house and hog tie him?).

The weather was a little cooler this morning during my run (the highs will still be 90+ all this week) and it just makes me home sick for Arkansas.  Fall weather is my FAVORITE!  Seeing this sweet face of my Gigi in my e-mail this morning made me even more teary-eyed.  This spry little sweetie will be 90 in January and she has more energy than me.

She and Grandaddy set a wonderful example for our family of what loving, honor and selfless devotion looks like.  We are so blessed.

"Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit.  All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better."

~Colossians 1:10 

Final Day in Reno & THE MOST FUN EVER!

Friday was our last day in Reno and by far the most exciting.

Cole began filming at a school gymnasium for the first location.  It was so interesting to get to be behind the scenes and to see how they get those really extreme shots.

They used the scissor lift to be able to get the camera above the backboard and over the net to film the toy as Cole shot it through the hoop.

The second location was a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L private home (wish I could have taken pictures of the inside but that's a no no) where they filmed the last shots for the commercial.  Cole will be in two different commercials for this particular toy manufacturer.  The second commercial features Cole and Zack using night vision goggles.  The boys had so much fun creeping around the yard acting like they were Rambo.  Ha!

Mr. Cool was waiting for the camera crew to decide on the next shot.

As busy as the crew and talent are, it still surprises me how much down-time there is while waiting for all the equipment to be moved or decisions to be made on a new/different angle.  No wonder it takes four to six months to film a full-length feature film.

 Chilling while waiting for the camera crew to move inside the house.  At least we had a beautiful setting in which to wait!

The concept of the spy gear is to encourage kids to spy on their family, their friends and maybe even to spot Sasquatch.

No false advertisement here!  Cole found Sasquatch!!!!

Cole wrapped at 7:45 p.m. and the cast and crew were so complimentary of Cole and the way he handles himself and his acting ability.  It made this mama so proud.

Director Jerry and Cole.

After we got back to the hotel, the fun REALLY began!  We had all been wanting to investigate a ride called "The Giant Swing".  It is in the parking lot of the resort and you can see it from a mile away.

It is 180 feet tall and you are strapped into a sling while lying horizontally, then hoisted to the very top of the structure.  When the rip cord is pulled, you plunge straight down until the slack catches in the cord and it swings you back and forth.  Is it the scariest thing I have ever done?  By far, yes.  Is it the most fun?  YES!!!!!!!!

I had to break the video into three parts because it was too long to download from my phone.

Part 1...Yes it's scary but we'll be fine.

Part 2...We're going to die!  What was I thinking?!

Part 3...That was so much fun!  Let's do it again!

After the swing, we rode go carts but in no way could they compare to the exhilaration of the previous thrill.  By 9:00, we were all worn out and headed to our rooms to crash.

At our breakfast buffet this morning, they had EVERYTHING you could imagine.  Three of us had "normal" breakfast food but somebody had steak and strawberries covered with chocolate.

Yep, it was Crazy Boy Cole and he is definitely kin to his Grandma.  He ate every bite and was hungry by the time we arrived at the Reno airport.

We have loved getting to know our new friends, Pauline and Zack.  We can't wait until we get to see them again.

My mom texted me her morning devotional this morning.  It was a wonderful reminder of how richly blessed I am with wonderful family and friends.

"A loving family is a treasure from God; so is a trustworthy friend.  If you are a member of a close knit, supportive family, offer a word of thanks to your Creator.  And if you have a close circle of trustworthy friends, consider yourself richly blessed.  God has placed these people along our paths.  Let us love them and care for them.  These people are, in a very real sense, gifts from God; we should treat them as such."

Day Dos and More Adventures

When my alarm reared its ugly head at 5:00 a.m. this morning, I had wonderful visions of pitching it out of our window on the 16th floor but once I gained consciousness, I remembered why we were in town.  Several cups of strong coffee and an hour later, we were on our way to set in beautiful 53 degree temps.

Our first location was literally out in the desert.  I was excited to see this table as soon as we stepped onto the set.

Oh yes, I may make it after all.

Eden was the make up artist and she was adorable.  Cole didn't need much in the make up department but she did give him a stylish new hairdo.

Oh yeah.

Cole and Zack were "shooting" the toys (can't say the name) over an abandoned airplane.  After many practice runs and several do overs while filming, the Director finally got the shot he wanted.

It's hard work being an actor.

After three hours at this location, the crew packed everything up and we headed to a skate park in the city.

I thought this shot was cool.  I can't wait to see how they put this commercial all together.  Two days worth of shooting all boiled down to a 30-second commercial spot.

After eight hours on set, the boys were starting to get tired.

A 3:00 p.m. cup of Chi Latte and they were ready to move to the third location which was located on the top floor of a parking garage. Here, Zack shot the toy over the dune buggy while Cole pretended he was the goal post.

These two boys sure did have a lot of fun.

We wrapped filming at 6:45 p.m. and once we all got back to the hotel, we grabbed dinner and then made our way back down to the arcade.  Bull riding last night but tonight...laser tag!  I have never played but oh my goodness, what a hoot!

Paulina came in first and I came in second.  Don't know how the boys did but THE GIRLS WON!!!!

I am ready to fall in bed so we can do it all over again tomorrow. 

Don't you love the view from our window?

"God will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouting."

~Job 8:21

Hello Reno!

We left LA today at noon and headed to Reno, NV for filming for a commercial Cole will be featured in that will be released before Christmas.  Thank goodness it was a clear day for flying and we had no problems.

Mr. Cole used his time wisely and worked on an English paper that is due on Monday.

After arriving at the airport, we met Zack, the other boy that will be featured in the commercial.  He and his mom are so nice (and normal!).

After being dropped off at our hotel, we had 30 minutes to unpack and freshen up before Tillman, the Production Coordinator picked us up to head to the offices to meet the stylist.  Cole couldn't get past the fact that he picked us up in a Porsche SUV!

Ahh, so that's what pure luxury feels like.

After Zack and Cole met with the stylist, we were dropped back at the hotel and left to our own devices.

First up, dinner.

Zack and Cole with the "Dos Equis Man".  Mexican food for dinner is always good.

Our hotel accommodations are at the Sierra Grand Resort and Casino which is ENORMOUS!  At one time, it was the largest casino in the world.  After dinner, we went exploring and found the arcade and guess what they had...a mechanical bull!  Three rides for $3.  We had to do it and by "we" I mean, Cole, Zack, Paulina and me!  

Cole volunteered to go first.

Then it was my turn!

Ha!  I guess I can mark that off my bucket list!

W are now in our pjs and getting ready to hit the hay because call time in the morning will be at 7:00 a.m.  I'm sure it will be a busy and fun day.  Stay tuned.

"But the godly are happy; they rejoice before God and are overcome with joy."

~Psalms 68:3

And the adventures continue...

Wow, what an exciting day it has been around the Ewing houses today.

I'll start with the eldest of the Ewing boys...Spencer.  I knew that he was in the best of moods when I called him this morning and he and Max, our Lab, were tromping around in the woods doing some exploring.  I also knew that this must mean the temperatures were in the low 70's, the sky was crystal blue and there was a crispness in the air that only comes in the fall in Arkansas.  Sure enough, all that was true and the fact that he had his second flag football game tonight.  As he put it, he was ready to "truck" over someone.

He called me on the way home from his game and he was so excited, that it made me smile and cry at the same time.  He talked non-stop about the plays he blocked in order for Alex to make a touch down and the seven year old on the opposing team who was talking trash to him and how he fell on his hip and will probably have a bruise.  Whew.  By the time he was finished with all the details, I was thanking God once again that Spencer had a great time and I wasn't there to witness all the mud flying.  I am in awe of his determination, his focus and his love of all things sports, especially if they involve trouncing on someone.  He's all boy.

Our next adventure will begin tomorrow as Cole and I fly to Reno, Nevada to film a commercial he booked today!  Woohoo, we are excited.  Katrina, Cole's Manager, called this morning to say that Cole had booked the audition he did yesterday and the commercial is filming in Reno.  We leave Burbank at noon and will arrive in Reno around 3:00, where a driver will meet us (la te da!) and take us to our hotel then take us to the production company so Cole can meet with the stylist.  I am hoping that I will be able to take it all in while taking pictures (have to blog about it, of course) and not have my mouth hang open.  Don't want to let on that this Southern girl is not nearly as well traveled as my world-traveler husband.  Wish he was going to be with us to enjoy this adventure.

Cole will be filming Thursday and Friday and we will fly back to LA Saturday afternoon.  I am so excited!

It's Taco Tuesday night so I have made fish & beef tacos, home made guacamole, baked spicy rice, black beans and Anna's Killer Margaritas.  Donna and Scher are coming over to celebrate with us...I'll post pictures later.

Happy Tuesday!

"My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident.  No wonder I can sing your praises!"

~Psalm 57:7

Hot, Hot and Hot in LA

Several weeks ago, I'm pretty sure I gloated as I called Brad and Spencer to report that it was a cool 80 degrees in LA while they were sweltering away in 100+ degrees in Arkansas.  Oh my, what a difference a few weeks can make.  All last week and this past weekend, we have suffered through 100+ temps here in the San Fernando Valley.  Even though the heat is not accompanied by extreme humidity (like in AR), it is still HOT!

 Friday night, the brave youth leaders from church took a group of about 60 kids to Six Flags.  They left the church at 5:30 p.m. and returned at 1:00 a.m.  When I picked Cole, Logan & Allie (Shea) up they were so tired but so ramped up from the exhilarating rides.  I mean, what 14-year-old doesn't want to ride "Goliath" five times?!!

Saturday morning, I let Cole sleep in while I went to pick up my car from the repair shop.  I am convinced there is never a good time to spend $800 on repairs to my car.

Cole texted me while I was gone. 

Another intellectual conversation with my teenager!  Ha!

On Saturday, Brad and Spencer attended a wedding in Hot Springs for Spencer's former physical therapist at ACH.  I ask the boys to take a picture of themselves with the bride and groom but did I get one?  No.   Thankfully, Brad took a picture of Spencer in the dressing room at Kohl's where they had to purchase shirt, pants, belt and shoes since Spencer had grown out of everything!  I'm just grateful that Spencer didn't wear his Hog's shirt and coaching shorts to the wedding.

Love, love, love this handsome dude.

Saturday night, Brayden spent the night with us because his sister, Brooke, had to be on set at 8:00 a.m. Sunday morning.  After church, we were headed home when I spotted a Farmer's Market and petting zoo!  When we finally found a place to park, the zoo was gone (it was sooo hot) but the boys spied the snow cone stand first thing.

We ended up having an impromptu swimming party Sunday afternoon with Michelle, Brooke and Brayden; Kari, Allie and Olivia Shea; and our new friends, Diana and Hunter Fisher.  There's nothing like hanging in the pool for four hours to combat the heat!

Diana and Hunter left early but the rest of the gang stayed and we enjoyed Hawaiian pulled pork sandwiches (that I slow cooked in the crock pot), potato salad and cookies while watching HGTv.  Awesome!

Today will be a busy day for Cole as he has two commercial auditions this afternoon and his small group Bible study begins tonight.  Whew, I'm still trying to recover from the weekend.

I hope you are all having a great start to your week.

"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  There is no law against these things!"

~Galatians 5:22-23

A Lighter Heart

These last couple of days, my boys have been heavy on my heart (as evidenced by my previous posts) but today I woke up with a smile and a feeling of contentment.  Thank you all for your thoughtful words of encouragement as I have poured out my heart about my sweet boys.  It is so nice to hear stories from my girlfriends who are experiencing the same feelings.

Brayden, my friend Michelle's little boy, spent the day with Cole and I because his sister was on set all day.  He showed up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 8:15 a.m.   I had already had my run but had NOT had my token cup of coffee.  Let's just say that I inhaled that cup of coffee in two seconds flat as I tried to keep up with that little bundle of energy.

After homeschool (he's six going on 20), we had a little "PE" time in the pool.

Our afternoon was full of excitement (for Cole) as we made a trip to the AT&T store so he could get an IPhone.

So proud of this cutie for saving up his money to not only purchase the phone but also to pay for his data plan for a year.

We took Brayden to his XMA (Extreme Martial Arts) class this evening.  What a great class!  It is full of tumbling, jumping, kicking...everything you need to wear a typical six-year-old out!  No wonder Michelle eagerly signed him up for the class.

After dinner, Michelle and Brooke met us at the condo to eat BLT's and watch "The Lorax".  

Whew, I forgot how tiring it is to be a mom to a little one.  It's 8:57 p.m. and I already have my pj's on, my teeth brushed and one foot in the bed.

Did you have a great day?

"Rejoice in the Lord and be happy!"
~Psalms 32:11

Hearts of My Heart

This guy stole my heart the minute he entered this world.  Since day one, he has been a fighter.

He had his first flag football game last night.  Of course, he did great but when he called me this morning, he was none to happy.  Seems that Dad video taped the game and after Spencer watched it, he was ticked off (I'm being nice) that a) the boys that were helping with the team stepped out of his way and didn't even try to snatch his flag to stop him, and b) that he has decided he runs funny and is not fast.

He was upset and wondering what God really wants him to do since he has come to realize that he will never be able to play ball and maybe not even coach.  Don't we all have those moments in our life, even as adults where we are doing something and then God places a U-turn in our path?

I am praying that through his Bible study and talking with our Youth Pastors, God's plan for him will be made clear.

This guy also stole my heart the moment he entered this world...

When I found out I was pregnant with Cole, I worried that I would never be able to love another baby as much as I loved Spencer.  I'm so glad that your heart doubles in size for each baby you have because this little guy proved me wrong.

As he struggles with God's plan for his life, I am reminded on a daily basis how grateful I am that my boys actively seek God's will for their lives.  This mom could not ask for anything more.

I never knew how hard on your heart being a parent would be but it is the most rewarding job I have ever had.  I hope all my Mom friends feel the same way.

"I will thank the Lord with all my heart!"

~Psalms 9:1

Missing the Point

It is not hard for me to miss the point of a story or even miss the punch line of a joke.  Hours later, the light bulb over my head will click to the "On" position and I will be laughing at the joke that others laughed at immediately.

I have been under the preconceived notion for years that since I was raised to be in church Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, I knew all there was to know about God.  I knew about God but only in the past 10 years have I come to know God.  I have learned that yes, I was truly blessed to have a mom and Grandparents that put all their faith and trust in the Lord.  But sitting in church every time the doors were open does not automatically develop the close relationship that God yearns for us to have with Him.

You see, I have longed, begged, pleaded and even stomped my foot at God for all the things I want for my husband, my children and my family.   If you haven't discovered yet, I can be quite bossy and opinionated.  But in the past few weeks, I got the point that God has been trying to show me (probably for a long, long time).

I always pray for all the burdens to be lifted from Spencer so that he can live a "normal" life.  That's my plan.  And I think it's a great one.  When I was back in Little Rock a couple of weeks ago, Spencer told me that he has joined a Small Group with our church.  All I could think was, "Wow!"  You see, Spencer trusts in God for everything; he never questions, he never complains and he truly believes in God's plan.  Would Spencer have been so open to God's word if he did not have the challenges he has; I don't know but I can see now how God has used Spencer's situation to bring Spencer to a closer relationship with God and to share his love of the Word with others.

This past week, Cole has been questioning whether we need to stay in Los Angeles.  He loves acting and he loves being out here but he also misses his Dad and brother terribly.  We have talked a lot about what God's plan is and how to know when you are doing exactly what God has in mind.  Last night, as I was getting ready to go to bed, I found Cole on our patio with my Bible reading and looking up verses (He found out that the subject of "worrying" is mentioned 365 times in the Bible).  If things were going smoothly, would Cole have sought out God's word for direction and answers?  I would like to think so but it filled my heart to capacity to see my youngest one having quiet time with God.

Don't we all want the easiest path for our kids?  I have always wished for that.  It has only taken me 45 years to figure out that God allows us to be in certain situations so we will seek His word and guidance and become closer to Him.

I'm so thankful God opened my eyes to my "Aha!" moment last night.  I wonder what else He has been trying to tell me?

"For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him."

~Philippians 2:13  

Mothering/Wifing/Daughtering From Afar

Most of the time, I have no problem being in California helping Cole to chase his dream while Brad is home helping Spencer with his dream.  I know it sounds crazy to some of you.  It did to me at first as well.  But I think Brad's outlook on this whole situation is so incredible.  He believes in our family and he believes in taking risks to go after a tangible dream.  He has lived his entire life with that attitude and I look at all the adventures he has had and wonder, if I had had that mindset when I was younger, I would have a lot more exciting stories to tell.

This past weekend has been one of the few times that I wished I was back in Little Rock.  Spencer has had problems with his blood sugar and even though he and Brad have the situation under control, my "Wife" heart is aching to be close to Brad and put our Team Ewing support system into play.  Could I do anything differently than he has done?  No, but in my mind everything (for me) would be better if I was there.

Also, my stepdad was admitted to the hospital this morning with pain in his left arm.  Thankfully, the doctors have ruled out a heart attack but don't have any answers yet to identifying the problem.  Could I do more than the doctors are doing?  Absolutely not, but being close to my mom and sitting at the hospital would make my "Daughter" heart so much more calm.

And, this guy makes my "Mom" heart ache knowing he is not feeling well...

Thank goodness for Skype!  At least I can lay eyes on him and see for myself how he is doing.  Sometimes I wish he would complain just a little so I would know when he is sick but of course, he never does.  He's tired of dealing with the feeding tube and the blood sugar issues and just wants to focus on sports.  

We trust that what we are doing is the right thing and until God makes it clear that this is NOT where we are supposed to be, we will stay.  But my oh my, days like today sure do tempt me to throw that suitcase in my car and high tail it to Little Rock.

"Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.  May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing."

~Psalm 143:10

Friday Fun & Sunny Saturday

I decided my exercise routine was lagging a little this week so on Friday, I decided to ride my bike to run my errands.  I went early before it got hot and made it to the post office, the bank, the library, the meat market and Walgreens for a total of 10 miles.  I did stop at CVS to buy a box of wine (cheapest place in town) but was sidelined when the box, hanging from the bag on my handlebars, got caught in the spokes and chewed up!

Plan B...hold the box of wine under my arm and try not to wreck while laughing hysterically?  Sure hope no one sends that video to AFV (America's Funniest Vides).  Thank goodness Michelle's apartment was close to CVS so I was able to drop the box at her house.  As I reminded her, I may not be the smartest friend but I am the most FUN!

Even though the temps outside are not showing any sign of fall's arrival, I wanted to "pretend" that autumn was upon us so Friday afternoon I cranked the a/c down to 50 degrees and slow cooked a pork roast.  It was so good and accompanied with roasted vegetables, mac and cheese and chocolate pie, it was just too good to eat alone.  So thankful that Michelle, Brooke and Brayden joined us for dinner and a little after-dinner swim.

A little blurry but you can still see how cute Cole & Brayden are.

Brooke and Cole.

Love these kiddos.

On Saturday, Cole and I went to the Burbank Farmer's Market and got the best goat cheese, honey and watermelon.  I do love being able to get fresh fruit and vegetables year round.

I have always been enthralled with the Smart Car since I first saw one several years ago.  You can imagine their popularity in Los Angeles because they get great gas mileage (38 mpg in the city), have a five-star safety rating and are easy to park.  So Cole and I headed to the Smart dealership in Beverly Hills to check it out.  

Crazy boy.

We test drove a convertible one...I'm hooked!  Now, if I only had an extra $20,000 lying around!

Maybe something to keep in mind when Cole makes his first million?!!

Of course, the dealership also sold Mercedes Benz.  Guess where I found Cole...

Uh huh, this little beauty only cost $200,000.  Pocket change.

We had such a good time today but it was such a sad evening watching the Razorbacks lose and especially, seeing all our injured players.  Definitely lifting the players and the family's up in prayer.

"But the one who boasts must boast in the Lord."

~2 Corinthians 10:17

Unanswered Prayers

I am a firm believer in continuous and heartfelt prayer.  I have seen first-hand how a room full of powerful prayer warriors can bring the sickest child at ACH back from the brink of death.  I have been blessed to witness so many of God's blessings, not only for my family but for so many of my friends.

But I must confess that I have the hardest time accepting when God does not answer my prayers.  I act like a five-year-old in Target who has just been told "No!" to their request for candy/toy/game/slushy and proceeds to throw a tantrum that registers on the Richter scale.  Let's just say it is not pretty.

Today was one of those days.  I ranted, raved, cried, whined, complained, got very angry, cried more and finally pleaded with God to answer just one prayer.  Only one.  I did not ask for a baby kitty to be dropped into my lap from the sky or for me to win the lottery.  I only ask for one thing which I have been requesting for the past three years.  I just want Spencer to be able to eat by mouth.

Spencer called me today and was so frustrated with his pump because it clogged and spilled.  I can take just about anything but I CAN NOT handle when he is upset and telling me he can't do this anymore.  My frustration with God goes from nonexistent to 1,000 percent in less than one second.  Do I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God works everything for the good of His children?  Yes.  Do I realize that God has a reason for everything He does?  Of course.  Does it make it any easier to wait and watch and wonder when my child will have one more burden lifted from his shoulders?  Absolutely not.

I am mad and frustrated but most of all I am so incredibly sad.  As I was looking through my devotional tonight, this was what I opened the book to..."Trust Me, and don't be afraid.  I want you to view trials as exercises designed to develop your trust-muscles.  You live in the midst of fierce spiritual battles, and fear is one of Satan's favorite weapons...".  I am so blessed to be truly loved unconditionally by a God that allows and even understands my frustration and weakness.

"Each time he said, "My grace is all you need.  My power works best in weakness."  So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me."

2 Corinthians 12:9

Labor Day Lazyness

Cole and I were so lazy this entire three-day weekend.

There was lots of swimming...

Lots of eating...

Lots of reading...

And even a few naps thrown in.

I hope your weekend was as relaxing as mine.

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way."

2 Thessalonians 3:16