Halloween

I don't know about you, but I LOVE Halloween. I look forward to celebrating with my kids. Some people really think about the background and where Halloween got started and just can't get past it. I vaguely know a little, but I don't think about it much. I feel like since I have a pure heart in it all and don't celebrate this holiday in a way that is offensive to the Lord, we can enjoy it as a family without feeling guilty.

We are having a party here tonight. Between our family, my sister's family, my parents and Lauren, and one other family, we will have 25 people here! So fun!!! Yesterday I got the house all cleaned up and got everything ready for the party. I moved the table into the kitchen. Now we have room in the dining room to play "Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin" and just a lot of room for everyone to sit.

So this morning, when the kids got up, they came down as I was making cupcakes and were so excited, like it's Christmas- "HAPPY HALLOWEEN MOMMY" is what they said as they hugged me. It just makes me laugh. I am a kid at heart and enjoy this as much as they do. I'll take any reason to party or celebrate something!

The other exciting part of today is that as soon as we all get dressed, we are going to my mom's a pick her up and then meet my dad and my sister's family at the "pumpkin patch." OK, this is really nothing like a pumpkin patch- it's a parking lot that sells a few pumpkins. But, inside, there are Christmas trees all over the place decorated in different styles. It's so fun wallking down the aisles and seeing them all. Growing up, this IS what we called the pumpkin patch. As a matter of fact, a few weeks ago, we went to a REAL one and had the hay ride, picked pumpkins, stuffed a scarecrow, etc. But Lauren wasn't able to go. So the other day she said, "On Friday we're going to the Pumpkin Patch." I asked her which one and she said "The good one!" Ha ha. To us, it's the good one because it's the tradition. We love it (Valley View Farms, for those who live in MD who are wondering)!

After we're done, it will be time for the party. Oh, I love a day like today. The house is all clean, we can leave, do some fun things, and come back to a clean house, and LOTS of people! What more is there in life???

To my Facebook friends

So all of you on Facebook, let me ask you this: Is it not hard enough to think of a daily status, let alone having to think of an entire post for the blog??? I have troubles. I think it's much easier to write a one liner than to write an entire post. Is my life REALLY that boring???

I have been so busy lately! It's like time is flying by faster than it ever has in my whole life. I guess that's good- it's been good stuff at least. I love my Bible studies, teaching the kids, keeping up on the house, cooking meals, all that stuff- I have very good days usually. I am just that kind of person. I just feel bad because I think there has to be more I could be doing. There are times in my day/week that I try to come up with something fun. I'm not bored, but I think I fear being bored, so I make sure every moment is filled up with something. This week I am going to focus more on serving others- and having my kids join in. I would like to take a meal to a neighbor (or two or three) in the next few weeks. I'd like to write letters to Scott's grandpa, and to my grandma. You know, stuff like that. If you have any other great ideas, let me know. It's hard to come up with things for myself, let alone myself and FIVE little kids!

Hope you all are doing well! I haven't talked with a lot of you in a while, and I do think about you, even though I don't always get that email out, or even that quick note on Facebook. Let me know what you've been up to. I'll look forward to hearing from you...and maybe seeing some of you soon!

Feeling out of control

As much as I enjoyed last week- all the running and eating out and all that, after a while you just feel out of control and need to get back into some sort of routine. Plus, it gets so expensive! :) But, I feel good about my shopping trips and how I think everyone is set for fall and winter, and that is quite the accomplishment. It takes a long time to organize 5 kids' clothes from season to season. I go into it thinking it will be a quick, easy, and fun job. I figure I'll just put some clothes in a tote and pull out the news ones- that's all there is to it. But, then once I get started, I realize that Jill is the last girl in the family. I need to put her clothes that are too small into a different tote and label it. The same goes with Riley. And, now that I think about it, I do that for Max as well- so they will be ready for Riley in a couple years when he is ready to wear them. So anyway, I did get it all done last week, I got the house all in order, and now I am ready to kind of start the month. I mapped out all the days we are doing school this month and it comes down to just 15 days. I have a lot to fit into those days, but that is the beauty of homeschooling. We can work at our own pace and if we need to take more time, that is an option. That's the reason I started school in August. There are times, or weeks, that come up and you just don't get any school done, and that's ok. We are already a month ahead, so there is no rush.

All that to say, today feels good. I am ready to be in control again of my routine, and I feel organized to do it. Hope your day goes well too!

When the cat's away, the mice will play

Scott and Paige are in Oregon this week. I was dreading it before they left. I was actually ok that Scott was going, but I was really sad about Paige. Scott can handle himself because he's an adult, but what if little Paigy girl misses her mommy? The anticipation was the worst. Once they left, and I shed my few tears, things were fine. It was then that the mice began to play! :)

I have actually had a really great week so far. Monday afternoon and evening was spent shopping and eating and having fun with my sister, Lauren. I had some jeans to return and then was able to find a pair that fit better. That is a good feeling! Then I went to Weight Watchers and was down 2 pounds on their scale from last week. Another great feeling! I celebrated by taking the family to Texas Roadhouse! ha ha

Tuesday was Bible study, then lunch with my mom and sister. I got some school done with the kids, cleaned the house a bit, and then enjoyed a great thunder and lightening storm. The kids' swimming lessons were cancelled, but that was ok because that meant Paige didn't miss two lessons, just one.

Wednesday was also a fun day. I picked up Lauren and we went to this park that has the old Enchanted Forest things (what do you call them?) and a petting zoo and all that. Max and Meredith had school (which was right down the road from there) and Lauren and I took Jill and Riley shopping...another pair of jeans to return. When we picked the kids up from school, we headed down near our church and looked in Kohl's and then ate at Chipotle. Yum! Then it was time for choir rehearsal. Fun day!

Now it's Thursday already and I don't know what I am going to do yet. I need to do some school and clean up our living room and do some laundry. And they do have swimming lessons tonight. But other than that, the possibilities are endless! :) I am still trying to find some winter clothes for the kids, so I might hit a thrift shop I heard about, or I could take the kids to Chuck E Cheese's (because it's been since Labor Day that we've been there and I'm going through withdrawal). Who knows? But, the mice are playing and it's actually turned out to be a fun week!

Modesty

I have been thinking a lot about modesty lately. Scott and I often have conversations on this topic, and I try to better understand a man's mind (although I am glad I don't completely get it!). I feel sorry for men who live in this world and have to really and ACTIVELY guard against the temptation to "look" or whatever they do. :) I know Scott feels very strongly about our girls dressing modestly, and wouldn't even let them wear a halter top at their ages (4, 5, and 6). He doesn't see the point in letting them wear things now that he would not let them wear later down the road. I appreciate his take on this and how proactive he is on this issue.

But, for the longest time, I was so irritated at other women who I thought did not dress appropriately...Christian women at that. I just wanted to tell people, "Don't you know that more than just YOUR husband has to look at you when you go out." I don't want my husband looking at other women's, well, BOOBS, yes, I will say it. :) It is a private area, and why go around showing them to anyone who wants to see them? It's such a tease for men.

Anyway, as I have been talking to other women, I am finding out that so many men (yes, Christian men) WANT their wives to dress like this. They figure a little cleavage is sexy and don't mind flaunting their wives around like that. That shocks me that men would do that- I think because of how modest Scott is. He is constantly pulling on the back of my shirt to remind me to keep it up in the front. He doesn't at all want anyone else looking at me like that.

So now I am torn. I don't think it's always the woman's fault. I think if Scott wanted me to show off a little skin I probably would have gotten used to that, trusting that every man was like him and that it was ok. I don't think women really know the minds of men...and if they do, shame on them for causing that extra temptation.

I feel very strongly about this issue. I think we need to really raise the standard here and remember that it's all about Christ's name, whatever we do. If we are followers of Christ, we need to be set apart. Our men can look at us privately, but we don't need to be so concerned about appealing to the rest of the world that we dress inappropriately. That is my thought for the day. Give me your feedback on this one.

Tips on how NOT to be a tub of lard...as I once was

OK, this is for you, Jen...

1. Don't eat everything that sounds good to you (all in one day) as I was in the habit of doing
2. Don't go for seconds, or thirds as I was in the habit of doing
3. Don't look at your fat self and think you look ok as I was in the habit of doing
4. Don't think that running up and down the stairs a couple times a day counts as exercise as I was in the habit of doing
5. Don't ever order more than a kid's meal when you are doing fast food as I was in the habit of doing

No, really, I joined Weight Watchers January 24th and did so good- consistently lost an avg. of 1.6 pounds a week from Jan-June. Then, the summer came along and I didn't even get to go to the meetings because my babysitter was in Chicago all summer, or I was away or whatever. Over the course of the summer I lost 10 pounds, but not as much as I would have had I been to the meetings and weighing in every week like I was doing before. Now, my mom, who was my partner, has quit Weight Watchers and I was bummed. But, my friend, Tammy, is going with me. I actually just got back from a meeting and lost .6 this week.

Exercise was actually not part of my weight loss. I JUST started walking 2 miles a day (or 6 out of 7 days a week) a couple weeks ago. I am hoping that will help me get over this plateau. I am not sure what my ending weight should be. Right now, I weigh about what I did when I got married. I think my goal is to weigh what I did when I was a freshman at college- it may be too low, but I'll figure that out later.

Basically, Weight Watchers encourages you to eat foods that are low calorie, low fat, and high fiber. You get a certain number of points a day, depending on several different things (sex, age, activity level of your current job, etc.) and each point calculates to be a different number of points. Once you have used your points for the day, you are done. You get an extra 35 points a week. Usually, I don't use those extra points, and figure I probably use them by accident when I don't calculate my foods correctly (or aren't as careful as I should be). It sounds like it could be a lot of work, but I love it and it works for me. Plus, after a while, you have the points memorized because you tend to eat the same things over and over. I am a huge fan of Fiber One ANYTHING. I love their yogurt, bars, and cereal (with fruit and honey on top).

So that's my "trick." If you have any questions I will be glad to answer them! :)

Yea- A picture...or two!

Here's a picture of me...after I've lost the first 35 pounds! :) Still more to go, but this was a huge milestone!

Here's my mom and Riley at Ocean City the night she saved his life. What a great one! This is one of my fav's.

Now that I have figured this out, with the help of Katie, I can only imagine the possibilities ! I love this!!!

Amy

PICTURES

OK, Friends, I am moving up in the world!!! Sara helped me figure out how to get pictures onto my Facebook page, and now I figured out how to put one on my blog profile. I am so happy, so proud, and so thankful not to be so angry at the computer anymore! So now I need more help. (We all knew that, I know!) How do I put pictures onto my posts??? Help!

Am I insane?

Wait- please don't answer that! First of all, be so proud- two posts in one day! That's a miracle!!!

I had a thought today on my walk. A lot of people look at me, pat me on the back and say, "You're brave!" as I walk though a store. I mean, honestly, what am I going to do? Leave the five kids at home while I go run errands? (Someday I will, but not while I can still get sent to jail for doing it! Give me about 5 years when they are old enough.) Anyway, I tend to either get irritated at those comments, or start to wonder- "Where Scott and I in our right minds for having all these children...and especially so close together?"

Well, on days like this past Monday, my answer is confirmed for me. Here's the story. The kids are part of a school, which allows me to have an "umbrella"- I report to them and then they report to the state for me, regarding my homeschooling. (The state requirements are much more strict than they are in Oregon.) It takes a lot of the pressure off, as well as provides much support that I feel I need right now. Eventually, they will be in classes once a week, have a "prom," and even a formal graduation. This school is so organized, and even at this age, they only go to classes twice a month for a couple hours, but there are lots of scheduled field trips (which also takes the pressure off me).

This past Monday was the kick-off picnic for the school. Not everyone goes to it, but I wanted to, just to see who all is involved and for my kids to have a chance to play with some kids their ages. It was a great turn-out. Again, it was organized, and planned really well. We were probably the 2nd family to show up. We were a little early. The kids took off and started right away on the playground. I just hung out with Lauren, and shortly after we got there, some of her friends showed up. I saw one girl on the swings looking very lonely. I would have bet money that she was new to the school and did not know anyone. She looked so pathetic sitting there. She was shy and didn't bother trying to make friends. I was trying to nudge Lauren to go over and introduce herself, and she did later.

But that is when it dawned on me. No, I am not insane. I was so thankful that in a new situation, my kids had nothing to fear. They were confident. I don't think any of them would have thought to be nervous that day. Why? Because they had each other. There is a great security that comes with having someone go with you. And 9.9 times out of 10 they are together in new situations- Awana, swimming lessons, VBS, church, whatever. I love that!

So, even on busy days, when I am doing all I can to just get 5 kids in a car, or calming down crying babies, or whatever, I can remind myself that it IS worth it! Not only do I have company all day long, they do too. And, as they get older, each day gets a bit easier. They can do more for themselves. My role will be changing. They will still need me, but at least soon I can sit and relax while meeting their needs...by just listening!

Lauren

Most everyone of my friends has met Lauren...and probably know just as much about her as I do! :) Lauren and I are so much alike. We both love people, talk a lot, enjoy the same hobbies, and think life should be fun. The one main difference with us, and I'm thankful for it, is that she likes to babysit and I never did. :) She is so great about watching my kids for me...even if it's for an entire day. And, the cute thing is that she will say, when I ask her how much I should pay her for a day's work, "I don't know. Is $5 right?" We don't take advantage of her that way, but she would be glad to just play with the kids all day. I'm so thankful for that!

For those of you who don't know, Lauren was a surprise baby. My mom thought she was done having kids after I was born. Then, 16 years later- SURPRISE- here comes Lauren. We all were so excited and she has been adored ever since.

Lauren is musical. She loves to sing, and has a wonderful voice. (I'm jealous of it!) She is a dancer. She has taken various types of dance lessons and is good at that too. She is creative. She makes cute little crafty things for friends and loves that. She is friendly. She is on the "welcoming committee" at church for the youth group. She is bold. She isn't afraid to share her faith, even with her peers. She is kind. She is not the type to hurt your feelings. I just love her. She is so well-rounded and has a lot going for her. She is 16 (a jr.) and I dread the day she graduates and moves on. I hope she doesn't forget about me! Who will I take with me to the mall...every day! Ha ha.

I love how agreeable she is too. I think she thinks I'm fun, so she'll go with me anywhere. We had such a great relationship just before I got married. Praise God it continued, even though I moved away (and she was still so young). Now that she is older, our relationship has not changed. I don't view her as the little sister. I don't know if that means she's mature, or if I still act like a 16 year old (probably that), but we just get along.

Lauren is probably one of the most well-rounded people I know. She is smart, good at what she does, fun, and a good friend. I love being with her. I think she could probably choose anything to do after high school and actually be great at it. I still wonder if I am talented at ANYTHING! I am thankful to be back with her all the time now, and I am trying to take one day at a time so that these next two years don't go by so quickly...and then she's married and, oh dear, who will I go to the mall with??? :)

Tricia

First, let me give you some family background. I have two parents (ha!), a grandfather who is alive, a grandmother who is alive, two older brothers, an older sister, and a younger sister. Tricia is my older sister.

Growing up, Tricia would drive me crazy! She and I probably could not be more opposite in personality, although if you met us, you'd probably think we are just alike. Let me start with the differences. Like I said, growing up with her was such a pain for me! :) She was, in my mind, the perfect child. She always liked to be home, she had a great relationship with my parents, and she was so giving of her money. I, on the other hand, wanted to be at friends' houses. I loved to spend my money on myself. I was close to my parents, but never would have considered them my best friends growing up- that's why you have FRIENDS, right?

Tricia is 3 years older than I am. We did fight a lot. She always was in that next phase, and I was the immature little sister. Once we hit high school though, and I was a freshman and she was a senior, we started becoming actual friends. I will say that even though I felt like we fought a lot, we definitely were always very close- don't get me wrong.

To this day, Tricia is the home-body. She really gets stressed if she has to go anywhere. She laughs at how much I love to run, even with 5 kids. That has not changed in our personalities. She is very much a family-oriented person. Her giving hasn't changed either. She and her husband, Dave, have 5 children of their own and then adopted a little girl, which gave them 3 boys and 3 girls. They still have a heart for adoption and are burning with desire to adopt again.
She is one of the most unselfish people I know. I love that about her. If anything, I think she needs to ask for help or at least take people up on their offers to help her. It's not pride on her part. She just hates to put people out.

But when you meet us, you can definitely tell we are sisters. We are always laughing! She is one (and even more when Dave is around) who I can laugh so so so hard with over the dumbest things! You know when you are tired and just get laughing and acting silly? I'm like that any time of the day with Tricia. Everything is funny!

I love her family. There are some people who have one child, and even that is a handful for them. Every one of Tricia's kids is a joy. I mean that. I love when they are all over here to play. My kids love them too. Even with 11 kids in one house, and just two adults, it's not chaotic. It's amazing! Tricia and Dave have raised their children to love God, and to respect authority.

The main thing that I love about Tricia, and I am finding this with many of my friends, is her perspective. It is much different than mine. Dave and I are alike in personality. Tricia is a lot like Scott. Dave and I both love words of affirmation and Tricia and Scott struggle with giving words. It's funny. Tricia and Scott are service people, and Dave and I have a hard time accepting that as their way of showing us love. In the times that I struggle with Scott, Tricia is a great sounding board for me. She helps me to see the other side. She explains it in ways that Scott doesn't (because she's a woman) and it helps me to calm down and just understand.

So although growing up I thought that God gave me another mother by giving me Tricia (who liked to tell me what to do), I have grown to realize that I could not be more blessed with someone other than Tricia. I think she has kept me grounded- I'm like a balloon going up in the air, and she kind of holds the string and pulls me down to reality when I get out there too far! :) Yeah, she would not let me just float away. She cares too much...and will always be that motherly sister who will tell me just how it needs to be done!

My Family

My friend, Sara, suggested that I also write about my family. Sounds good to me. The thing with blogging, for me, is that I just can't think of anything too exciting in my life to write about. So then I just end up not writing at all. Writing about people and my thoughts on them is easy, so I will continue on.

Becca

OK, I think I might end here with my friends. Is everyone getting bored with this? Well, anyway, I will write one more and hopefully think of some other topics to write about that actually speak of my life and what's going on here.

I really should have written post about Becca the same time I wrote about Daphne. Although I met Daphne at a different time, she and Becca kind of go hand in hand in my book. Like I said earlier, I was a bit bummed when Daph and I couldn't be roommates at college our freshman year. But, God had it planned differently and I am glad He did! Daphne was paired up with a girl named Rebecca...Becca. The three of us were friends right from the start. Becca and I cheered together, and she actually stayed at LBC through my Jr. Year (which we were roommates for during that year), until she graduated. She was in the secretarial program, so she could graduate earlier than I could.

A few weeks ago, Daph, Becca, and I met in Lancaster (PA) to go shopping for the day. It was great. Usually, when there are just three, one gets left out. But that's never the case with us. We actually feel like someone is missing when one is not there. Anyway, during dinner, Becca (the secretary of our group) brought out these old scrapbooks/picture albums she had made during college. Daphne asked me, "wasn't Becca just a little bit cooler than the rest of us?" Yes, she was. She just has a way about her that is cool, funny, and attractive. She is beautiful and was very popular with the guys at college (and married one of them!). Her sense of humor is something to be desired...literally. She is so funny!.

The thing that amazes me the most about Becca is how much she has changed since college. Back then, she was so fun. Now, she's still so fun, but is also so Godly. She and her husband have grown together, which is so neat to see. They have two kids in public school, and feel strongly that it is where they need to be. She is the parent who's making cupcakes for her girl's class (she did that today for her birthday as a matter of fact), and who is at every PTA meeting. Her husband is a youth pastor and they are very involved in their ministry. They believe in training their kids to tell others about God, and school is a great place to start that. I love to see their convictions being played out.

The neat thing about the three of us is that we really feel differently about things, yet always talk about them. No one is threatened by anyone else's opinion. It's a very giving friendship where it's safe to be honest, even if your way is different than the other two's way is...if that makes sense.

Unfortunately, because she lives in PA, we don't actually see each other very often. Once a year is good for us. But, we are excited because at the end of this month, the three of us are all going to the Gaither Homecoming (Bill Gaither, in case you didn't know). Daph and I are hanging out for the weekend- hotel and all- and Becca is going with her husband. Sounds cheesy to some, but Becca got us all into this. Yes, she was the one in college who made the Statler Brothers sound cool!

Daphne

I have just a few more friends to write about. But first, I am just thinking about a conversation I had with Heather yesterday, and how we both feel so blessed to have a variety of friends. It's really a good thing if you think about it. Some people are threatened by having more than one close friend. It's like they need all the attention or something. I don't know because I am not like that. I like to have a variety so depending on the need, I know who to go to. Anyway, this next friend is one from a while back as well.

I have been on five missions trips, two of which were to Jamaica with Lancaster Bible College. The first was in '93, when I was just 16. The summer after that, I was just dying to go back. I loved the ministry there. So I re-applied and was accepted. It was on that trip that I met a girl named Daphne. She and I instantly clicked. Part of the connection was that we are the same age (and there was a variety of ages on that team). She is another one who I would consider like a sister. She and I actually are pretty different. We joke about how I always see the cup half full and she sees it half empty. She can't stand the show "Jon and Kate Plus 8" which just happens to be my favorite show. Things like that we joke about, but I actually think our differences, like mentioned with some other friends, help me to gain a better perspective on things...or life in general.

Daph and I finished that trip and both headed off to Lancaster Bible College just shortly after. Unfortunately, (so I thought at the time) we did not get to be roommates as we had hoped, but we did become great friends. She left LBC after the first year there, but we stayed close. Out of five girls I could pick as my bridesmaids, she was one of them. (Three sisters, Melissa, and her) I don't know what it is that has kept us close all these years- besides just a good foundational background as friends, and then I guess having kids at the same time, etc. I say that because she lives in PA (just near Hershey, and was the great one who sent me free tickets for my birthday this year!), so we don't get to see each other often. We do, however, email almost daily.

I love Daphne because she is real, she is organized, she is smart, and we can laugh (usually at me) over things that happened in the past. She inspires me to get more creative with homeschooling (which she is excellent at), and how to get outside of my box of routine things that I always do with my kids. She is a good resource.

I think the best friendships are ones where both parties rely on each other for help. This is the case with Daphne and me. When she's down or just wishing some things were different with her family, she will ask me to pray. She probably knows I will try and make some kind of joke to cheer her up (and I do pray!). When I am disorganized and insecure about something, I ask Daph's advice on how to get things straightened out again and just keep going. We both bring out the good in each other. She brings me to reality and I encourage her to dream a little. It's fun, and I am thankful for how God brought us together, and allowed us to walk through life together for many (14 to be exact) years!

Did I say 32?

Ooops...it was Scott's 33rd birthday. Just thought I'd clarify for you!

Yankees

So yesterday was Scott's 32nd birthday. His brother, Tim, is out visiting, and treated us (Tim, Scott, Max and me) to a Yankees vs. Orioles baseball game in Baltimore last night. I love Camden Yards- it's a great stadium, where all seats are great!

Tim went down earlier than we did, so we drove alone. We were looking for a parking spot (garage, lot, whatever) and everything was $20-$25! Unbelievable! We spotted a lot for $10 and as we turned around, I saw some spots on the street, and even though during the day they are metered, after 6pm they are FREE- it was 6:15. God blessed us!

The game was so exciting! Not only did I get to see 5 homeruns, 4 of them were by the Yanks. And, not only that, but the first two were back to back...and so were the second two. I have never seen that once, let alone twice! It was great.

The thing that was so shocking to me was the amount of Yankees fans. I would say the majority of people there were rooting for the Yanks. That was fine by me...because I just joined right in. Anyway, all this to say that I think I enjoyed this game as much as the guys did. I could go watch baseball every night. I just love it. Football, no. But Baseball, yes! There's my post for the day! :)

A lot going on

This last week and a half has surely been a crazy one. There have been some really good times and some stressful ones as well. Let's start with the positives...

Last Friday I was able to spend my birthday at Hersheypark with my husband- just the two of us. We have not been there alone in 10 years. The thing I found so fun that day was getting pictures of us on rides that I had gotten 10 years ago (our first date as a matter of fact), and now comparing them. I am going to get a frame and put them in it. I think it will be fun. We did have a blast and I was so thankful for my friend, Daphne, (the next on my list to write about) for sending me FREE tickets for the day.

Then, on Monday, I had my sister come over again to babysit for me all day. What a good girl. I headed up to a mall in Lancaster to meet two of my college friends, Daphne and Becca. We had an absolute BLAST shopping from about 11 am until 9 pm. I spent all my birthday money and got tons of stuff. Sales were awesome, and that is the way to go. God blessed my day!

Yesterday was Paige's birthday. I got up and cleaned the house until my sister came over and we all headed off to Chuck E Cheese's. (Yeah, I say it's for the kids, but it's always for me because it's my favorite place!) Then we got food at Costco, came home, and set up the food for a party. All my family (except my brother, Adam's family) came. It was such a great party. It felt like Christmas!

Today I am cleaning up the mess and getting ready for Scott's brother and friend to come stay with us for a few days. They will be here a couple days this week, then a few more next week, and then some days in Sept. I haven't seen Tim since we've moved so it will be good to hang out again.

Last week we officially started school, and that has been so so so great! It is wonderful teaching all my kids and doing it individually with all of them. I love homeschooling! I find myself sitting there smiling as I watch them doing their work. I laugh to myself when I notice the differences between each kid. It's so obvious, and I am thankful to God for giving me the ability to do this. I would be missing out on so much. (Like when the kids come home from Sunday School and I just trash their papers right away so we don't have junk lying around- I had no idea what they were doing. I'm sure it was good, but I wasn't part of it, so I don't have that excitement that I would have if I were teaching.) I love knowing each day exactly what they are doing- and making it fit for them and their learning styles. It's so fun...and much easier than I ever would have expected.

Those are the highlights of my week. The negative is that my sister-in-law, Kristy, has decided to "run away from home." She just up and left with the two kids and we don't know where she is. We think she's in Nevada. She talks to her mom every once in a while, and we know everyone's fine, but she is just not thinking clearly. Apparently, she finally talked to her husband, Chris, yesterday and said she doesn't love him and doesn't want to be his wife anymore. It's so sad, and although Kristy has done many crazy things that the family would not approve of, we are usually not so shocked as we are now. I can't believe she has done this, and I am praying that somehow God will grab her heart and "knock some sense into her." It is going to take an act of God. I know He can do it, but have no idea if that is part of His plan. I say all this to ask if you would pray with us. Hopefully one day soon I can add this situation to the "good things that happened this week" section of my blog!!!

Jen

Perfect timing...I just received an award, which I will blog about next, from my friend, Jen, and I was just about to write this new post about her...another friend in Oregon.

For those of you who have been to my house, you will know Jen by the picture that is sitting next to my coffee maker. It's of me with four of my close friends in Oregon. We all signed it, which I think was a fun idea (not my own). This is the Jen I am writing about today...Jen Rouse.

If I want to describe her, I just have to tell you that as I was all worked up about some crazy story I heard (via email) of a little boy who was killed while going into a men's restroom alone, Jen, my most sensible friend, just encouraged me to look on Snopes. How simple was that? But I don't think like she does, obviously. I get all crazy and emotional and weird :) and Jen is there to calmly say, "Amy, let's give this a little more thought." Now I certainly don't want to portray Jen as being boring or too intellegent- she is a lot of fun. I have laughed hard many times with Jen and appreciate so much that she has both sides. She is probably the most well-rounded person I know. It's like she can laugh with you, cry with you, be crazy with you, but also bring you down to reality quickly when you need it. In a world full of many unstable people, it sure is nice to have someone like Jen around! :)

I would say that I love our differences. Jen helps me see a different side to things, but at the same time, is so fun and has the same real life struggles that I have. It makes it easy to sit and have a conversation with her because you never feel judged, you don't have to be fake, and you know you've been heard and understood. One of my favorite memories with Jen was maybe a month or so before we were going to move and I was babysitting her girls for a couple hours. When she came to pick them up, we got to talking and the subject of our move came up. She got teary and so did I. If you know me, I absolutely hate to cry in front of people, but I was amazed that I did not feel uncomfortable with Jen in that situation. We both knew how sad it would be to not see each other as often as we would have if we didn't move (especially now that we lived in the same town), and most of all to not be able to watch our kids grow up together in the same way.

Yes, I miss Jen. I wish she could come over for dinner tonight. I wish I could watch her girls tomorrow (including Evie, whom I still haven't met! Sad!) and see my kids' faces when they got to see each other again. But, I appreciate that we are still friends via email, blogging, and the sweet letters Beth sends in the mail.

Jen, I do appreciate who you are. You are one of a kind, really! That is awesome because you are the one person everyone can count on. You are reliable, trustworthy, and mature. At the same time you have a great sense of humor (anyone knows that if you know who she's married to! :) Eric is just crazy!). I'm thankful that we had a chance to get close, even if it was just in time for us to move out here. We struggled with things at church, and I feel that brought us close in a way that will be an eternal bond. As hard as those times were, I'm thankful for them. I think all of our friendships are stronger because of that! I love you, Jen!

Oregon Friends- Heather

I decided to write about my Oregon friends for those of you from Maryland who read my blog. How about that?

Let me start with Heather. Do you ever have one of those friends you just feel really connected with? It seems like you can talk and just completely understand what the other person is saying. The interesting thing about mine and Heather's relationship is that we aren't exactly alike. We have different interests in many ways. I would actually like to be more like Heather and have the priorities in life that she has. She is probably the friend I admire the most. I just think she has it all together! And, no, I am not putting her up on some kind of unreachable petastal. I just mean that she is a very balanced person and her emotions don't guide the decisions she makes for her family. I really appreciate that because it's an area I know I could stand to work on.

Heather really inspires me. She is the one who encourages me the most in my spiritual life as well. I love her because she challenges me in ways that are very non-threatening. We have some kind of awesome connection, and usually it's not about the superficial things in life. We have a deeper friendship than that.

I also think it's awesome that even though I have been away from OR for 8 months now, and both of us have taken different roads than we were leading before I left, we still really understand each other and still have some of the same struggles and frustrations. It lends itself to great conversations.

I would say that Heather is the one who I have grown up the most with in my adult life. I am so thankful that she pursued our friendship almost immediately after I moved to Oregon. She is the one who kept me sane, but also gave me a great time, all the years I lived out there. We started out just newly married, then we have enjoyed being pregnant together, and now we are both homeschooling and sharing similar experiences all along the way. I love that.

Heather, you are like a sister to me, and I love you so very much. I think it's rare to meet someone later in life (after school days) and still be able to develop a friendship that is like one you've had your whole life. I think you are great, and I miss you!

Tammy

Tammy is another one of those friends I've had for many, many years. Unlike my relationship with Melissa, though, Tammy and I did fight a lot. She and I spent so much time together, we were very much like sisters. We used to make up contracts (and have her parents sign them) that we would not fight anymore! :)

Tammy was the one in high school who I felt went through so much together with. Her parents split up and I was with her through that. And when she was dating her now husband, Keith, I was dating his best friend, Dave. That was a cool thing because the four of us spent a lot of time together at youth group and then at places like the mall and the movies (when we finally turned 16 and were old enough to date!). Those relationships lasted over two years, so it was a large chunk of our high school years.

Then, when I broke things off with Dave, mine and Tammy's relationship changed drastically. It was sad, although I didn't realize it so much at the time (because I started spending more time with Melissa at that point). Dave started dating another one of our friends and she and Tammy became close while Tammy and I drifted farther apart. It was just a normal high school thing I guess.

After high school, Tammy and I did not keep in touch. I got involved in college and with my friends there and didn't think much about her I guess. But one day I got an invitation to her bridal shower. I was shocked and really excited to go. I hadn't seen her in a couple years. So I did go and we have been in touch ever since.

Once I got married and moved to Oregon, we emailed. But now that I am back in Maryland, it is fun to see how our relationship has blossomed again. It just so happens that we live just 3.3 miles away from her and so we try and get together as much as we can. We usually get together as couples. She and Scott are both accountants, who work about a mile away from each other. Tammy's husband, Keith, works in the same parking lot as Scott does. They have two boys who get along great with my kids.

I love those friendships that, even after a few years and a lot of life changes, picks up where it left off and you are the same people you were, even in the 5th grade when you first met. Tammy is definitely one of those people. I would still say that she is the one friend who is most like a sister to me. We have tons of memories, most of which consisted of trying out new and dumb things- the things that help you to grow up. She and I definitely learned to grow up together, and I will always have a special bond with her because of that.

There must have been an angel

It worked out perfectly. My uncle's birthday party was Tuesday night, and since he lives about 1 1/2 hours away (closer to the beach), and we were heading to the ocean that night anyway, we stopped and enjoyed visiting with family for the celebration. My aunt told me that the pool would be open, but I planned on not having the kids swim, so I wouldn't have to take wet clothes with us. I just thought it would be easier. Plus, they were going to be playing in the ocean the next day anyway, so I figured it would be fine.

When we got there, we pointed out the pool, which is not fenced in, to all the kids (including Riley) and told them to stay away from it. And, all night they did great. Scott and my brother, Adam, were outside most of the evening anyway, so if they did try to get close, they would be there to see what was going on. There were no problems during the party at all, which was great.

We decided to leave a little before it got dark. I had to run out to the car with Jillian, and I asked my mom to kind of heard the kids in the house and help me get them ready to go. They all came in and all was fine. My mom had to use the bathroom, so she went in there. I was out front helping my dad move some of his luggage into our van. When my mom came out of the bathroom, she heard some people talking, saying, "something's going on at the pool." Then she heard some screaming, looked out, and saw Riley (who will be 2 in Sept.) in the middle of the pool on his back flailing around. She immediately darted out the back door, ran down the steps of the deck (which was a miracle in and of itself because of her bad knees), and jumped in the pool to save him...literally. The kids were all on the side of the pool screaming, and he had somehow managed to get himself in the middle of the pool. How he stayed above water for as long as he did amazes me. Honestly, there MUST have been an angel holding his little body up and his head out of the water. He was crying, but as soon as my mom got there, that's when he started to go under. She got to him just in time.

Meanwhile, I came casually walking around the side of the house with Jillian and saw her in the pool. My thought was, "Mom, this is not the time to swim- we are leaving. What is she doing in the pool???" Then, when I saw my aunt standing there crying, I knew what had happened. To my surprise, I was really calm, and wasn't even shaken up at all. I guess it's because by the time I got there, Riley was calmed down and everything was already fine.

But, the part that made me want to cry was after we were thanking and praising my mom for saving him, Max walked by me, and I felt that he was wet from the waist down. I asked him why he was so wet and he said, "I tried to go in after him and save him, but then I thought, what am I doing? I don't know how to swim!" Now that's something for a 7 year old.

Man we were fortunate that night! God saved Riley for a reason. My cousin said I need to sing the song "I am a promise" to him. That is his song now!

Aunt Lucy

The next friend I will write about is the one I've had the longest. Melissa and I have pictures of us on a 1st grade field trip together, as well as our high school graduation. We went to the same (Christian) school together from Kingergarten through 12th grade. We've always had a really good relationship. We did not fight much. We were more the type to laugh and giggle too much- and get in trouble in class for it (even in high school).

Because of our relationship, we would joke and call each other Lucy and Ethel (she was Lucy and I was Ethel). Well, two years ago, when we were in MD visiting, Melissa invited me out for breakfast. She was bringing her son, Kyle (who is now 3), and so I brought Paige with me. Then after we ate, we decided to go to the mall (which is something we very much have in common!). Before we left, she had to stop by her house for something. Well, all day, I had been calling her Liss, because that is what I call her. But, when she went inside, Paige asked, "What is Lucy doing?" I guess she thought I was saying Lucy, and I about died. The awesome thing is that it somehow stuck, and now all my kids actually call her Aunt Lucy! We think that is great!

Now, Melissa has two kids, Kyle and Brooke (who just turned a year the other day). Our favorite thing to do together, and probably this is ALL we do together because we love it, is to take the kids to the National Aquarium in Baltimore. I would say that out of all my friends, Liss and I are most alike. We just think the same way, and everything comes out funny, no matter what you're talking about. I often find her laughing when telling me some horrible story that is really actually sad- she says she can't help it. For some reason, I just make her laugh! :) It's mutual that way. We are still like kids when we're together and it makes our relationship so fun.

The thing I love and appreciate most about Melissa is how she teaches me to always have fun with my kids and how to really make light of things that don't need to be big issues (especially when frustrated with the kids). She is extremely nurturing and is always attentive to her childrens' needs. Then she will be creative and think of a fun way to make them happy or snap out of a mood, if necessary. I feel like when we are together, I am very much encouraged and just feel so uplifted. I never feel discouraged or insecure when I am with her. She is (like me) a words person and is quick to compliment. I just appreciate how I feel when I'm with her. It is really nice having a friend that is predictable- you know that you will have a great time, have "real" conversations with, and leave encouraged when you are together. I thank God for keeping us close- after ALL (27) these years!

Sara

Well, today I thought that maybe I should start writing about my friends. Most of the people who check out my blog are in Oregon, so I figure it could be of some interest to start by writing about my friends in Maryland- just to give a glimpse of my life out here.

Let me start with my friend, Sara. She is fresh on the brain since I spent the day with her today. But before I get to that, I thought I would give some background on "us."

Sara can probably tell you the exact day and hour that we met but my memory is not as hot. So this is what I remember. We basically grew up in church together (at a different church than either of us attend now). Our friendship mainly developed in high school- and mainly through youth group there. Even today we talked about and saw some pictures of us on a couple different beach retreats. We have some pretty awesome memories of those days, and still keep in touch with other friends from the youth group there (Mandy, Becky, and Jen).

The one story that you may have heard about me was my most embarrassing moment. This was the night that the youth groups (both Jr and Sr high) were planning to go ice skating. Well, Sara and I were the only high schoolers there that night. The bus broke down and we ended up coming back to church and having somewhat of a game night with pizza. Sara and I stayed in the kitchen with the leaders, rather than hanging out with the jr highers. We were talking when all of a sudden, the porcelein (how DO you spell that?) sink that I was leaning on came COMPLETELY off the wall and water was everywhere- with me on the floor. I think I could have died. I ran to the bathroom with Sara, just to notice a huge gash in my jeans/bottom. Sara saved me by running and getting me some scotch tape and papertowels to bandage myself up with. Also, I was spending the night at her house that night, so I didn't have to show my parents- which saved me the embarrassment of having to go to the ER for stitches. Anyway, it's a fun memory for both of us, I'm sure.

Anyway, Sara came over today with her two, sweet girls! The kids all played quietly all day (well, they were glued to the TV, but who cares!) and Sara and I got to catch up. It was really refreshing, and just a lot of fun to hear about her crazy family- ha ha! (Hope they're not reading this!) And even though we are in Tues. morning Bible study together, we don't often get chances like this to just sit and talk for HOURS!

The thing I really appreciate about Sara is just how much she's grown. Our conversations are very uplifting and I walked away (I didn't walk too far, just into the next room, but still...) feeling encouraged in my parenting and had some new thoughts from the day about things I could do or even think about differently when dealing with my kids. I am so proud of her and just thrilled to see how evident God's work is in her life! In all areas, she was positive and I don't think in all our conversation she said anything to belittle anyone or cause me to think less of another person. I really appreciate that. I don't know about you, but I find that hard to do sometimes. It's easy to talk about the negatives because it often brings more excitement to a conversation. Yet, when you are done and the friend is gone for the day, you feel kind of crummy for putting others down.

And since I know Sara will be reading this, I will send a message straight to her. Sara, thanks so much for pursuing our friendship over the years. It's a special one. I really do see the growth in your life. I think you are a spectacular wife and a wonderful mom to your girls. All three of them are blessed to have you in their lives! You have become a very mature woman, and it makes it all the more fun to hang out with you. Let's do it again soon! Love you!

Music anyone will love

OK, so I have found the most wonderful music. I would say CD except that I don't personally own the CD. I went to the music store last week and had both the CD and the DVD in my hand, and since the DVD was only $2 more, I chose that one- which has probably double the amount of songs the CD has.

Anyway, Celtic Thunder is the name of the group and they are SO SO SO wonderful! I am still amazed at the voice of one of the guys, who is only 14 years old. There are 5 guys total, and all with different styles of voices. Yet, I love hearing them sing together.

My brother heard this group while waiting for an oil change and had to buy the CD. Then my mom heard it while borrowing his van. Then she bought the CD. I watched the DVD at my mom's and I had to buy it. I'm telling you, it's addicting! Every song has a beautiful melody, which is rare anymore (in my opinion). They are such pretty songs, and yet the kind that give you chills.

So this is my recommendation for the day. Find the Celtic Thunder DVD and get a copy for yourself. They are new. The DVD came out this year. They do have the CD with some of the songs, and their second CD with the rest of them is coming out in Sept. I plan to buy them both eventually.

If you look them up and hear any of their stuff, let me know what you think. (My kids are even addicted! It's so fun!)

My athletic girl

My daughter, Meredith, turns 6 on Saturday. Unbelievable! Well, as a homeschooling mom, I really want my kids to be good readers and good in math, for some reason. I guess it's because those are the two subjects you start with in kindergarten. So Max came along, started school and is so good at reading...and math. What a smart boy! Then Meredith came along. It wasn't pulling teeth to get her to do her work. Her attitude was fine. She just didn't care. She'd try, and then say, "I give up." It wasn't a bad tone of voice or anything, it was very matter of fact. It hasn't worried me. She is only going into 1st grade. But I wonder how she'll do in the future in school.

But I don't wonder how she'll be on a playing field, or roller skating rink, etc. You put skates on that girl and she is OFF! On Saturday we picked up a pair of rollerblades at a yard sale. She put them on and she was all the way down our driveway before we even had time to tell her to put her helmet on. Then today, she not only had those rollerblades on, she was ALSO using the scooter at the same time. It was a riot. I need to get a picture of that.

Each kid is good at something. Mer will be the athletic one. She even looks the part. We're going to try her in soccer in the fall and then baseball in the spring. I think she'll do great.

Spiritual gifts and love languages

I went to our one day women's retreat at church last Saturday and was given a Spiritual Gift test. That to me was exciting because I have been wondering what mine is. I had it narrowed down to about 4. Anyway, I took the test yesterday and it just didn't help. I scored about the same (between 31-35) on four of them. So now what?

Well, the funny thing is that on Leadership I only scored an 18 and Teaching was only a 6. Guess what Scott's top two were? Yes, leadership and teaching. I guess that is a good thing, because hopefully we can complement each other well.

So on to the love languages. We took that test too, and I scored a really high score on Words of Affirmation. Scott scored a O on that one. He scored really high on Acts of Service. I scored a O on that one. Good grief!

So what do I make of all this? I'm still not sure.

My favorite show

Heather is flying in tomorrow for a visit. I can't wait. I always love having people over, it's just the cleaning part that I don't want to do. I want my house perfect, but don't want to have to make it that way. Today I woke up just dreading ALL I have to do. I have to still find places for some things, and that is the hardest, or should I say, most unmotivating part of it all. Anyway, I dragged myself downstairs to get started. I decided to grab some breakfast, just to give me some energy, and then I sat down to watch TV during breakfast. It must really be bad- I NEVER do that! Anyway, I looked through the recorded shows on our DVR that I haven't watched yet, and my favorite show was recorded. Jon and Kate Plus 8 is such a fun show for me! I can really relate in many ways, and I just love that kind of thing. Not only does she have a lot of kids who are close in age (twins/sextuplets), she and Jon kind of have similar personalities to Scott and me. Well, thank you Jon and Kate. Since watching your show this morning, I have mastered the guest room and am ready to move on. I think I can do this today!

(By the way, Jon and Kate are on TLC Monday nights- yea- it's tonight!)

We made it

April 15 is always a big day in the Keen family. Scott begins tax season the end of January, and even though we adjust to the crazy schedule, once we get him back, it's amazing that we ever made it through without him. I am one who just likes to have my husband around. I don't like running the house without knowing he'll be home for dinner, for example.

This was Scott's first year with the new firm here in MD. By the end, he was working all the time. I mean that. If Max had a baseball game, he did slip away to see the game, but then back to work he went. A few nights last week, he didn't get home until 3am. (What does he think this is, poker night!??)

April 15 in OR was pretty exciting. His firm there had it all together. He would usually get done early and everyone would go home around 3pm. Then they would meet together at Rudy's Restaurant on the golf course there in Salem that evening for a tax party (and boy did I miss that halibut dinner this year!!!). Then, they would all get off the next day, as a holiday.

This year was not the same. Scott ended up not getting home until after 10:30pm. I think he grabbed some dinner at the Royal Farms convenient store for dinner. He did get to sleep in the next day, but didn't get the whole day off.

For me, tax day was fun. I started out by going to Bible study, which my mom teaches. I always look forward to it. It is at the church I grew up in, not the church we attend now. So it's fun to see the older ladies especially (along with Sara and Katie who are my age) who were friends with my grandparents. Now we are friends. It's just a good time.

Then my mom and I left there and grabbed Lauren and hurried back to drop her and the kids off at my house. She is so great and babysits for me at least once a week! My mom and I quickly left my house to get to Turf Valley Resort for our 30 minute massages we had scheduled. We were in a hurry, did I mention that. I usually don't feel too rushed during my day, but that day I did. We wanted to get there early enough to eat some lunch in their restaurant before the massage. Well, go figure that the one time I wasn't paying attention to my speed, I got pulled over. I was doing 58 in a 40. I found it interesting that the officer was coming at me and quick turned around to get me. He put his lights on right as I came over that hill. I didn't know they checked the speed of cars coming at them. Now I know. Thankfully, because of my wonderful driving record (I have gotten just one ticket almost 10 years ago. It was my first time driving through Junction City after the Scandinavian Festival, and the speed limit changes to quickly there at those lights) I only got a warning.

We did get to Turf Valley in time to eat and the masssage was great, although the lady doing mine felt the need to keep talking to me. Thankfully, though, she was asking questions about God and my church and family- I think she was really intrigued with the fact that I am only 31 and have five children and I love God and all that. Anyway, I felt our conversations were beneficial, so I didn't mind.

Well, that was tax day for us. I'm glad we made it through. Tomorrow, the family is celebrating having their daddy/husband back and we are going up to Harrisburg, PA to a hotel and then Sat. are going to Hersheypark for the day. It's one of my favorite places on earth. I'll eat plenty of chocolate for all of you! :)

I'm Back!

Hello out there! I FINALLY tried to get back to my blog and see if I could remember my password. Thankfully today, I did! I hope friends are still checking it here and there, just in case I might happen to write, which I am doing tonight.

Maryland is going great. I absolutely love being here. I look back on Oregon with great and fond memories. But I think it was time to move back. I know that God knows everything and has a plan for my life. I never doubt that, and I am thrilled that He saw my need and fulfilled it in a way where I could be close to my family again. It's been a fun ride!

Max started baseball this year, and that has been fun. He got the game ball this past Saturday for a good (and surprising, if I do say so) hit. He hasn't necessarily been the athletic one in the family, but he is doing ok. Actually, he is improving tons every time he's out there, and I love watching that. It's been good for him.

The girls are doing well- growing a lot. They are really into their "dollies" and coloring pictures for Mommy and all that. All of them would love to help me cook every meal. I wish I had more time for that.

Riley is the cutest boy ever! We love him so much. His smile is contagious and he really makes us laugh. Even his nursery workers adore him. Awww, he is so cute! I wish I could freeze his age right now. It's the best!

I'm just thankful that we only have TWO more days of tax season. Yippee! Maybe I'll actually get my husband back this week. That will be nice. We are taking a mini vacation up to Hershey this weekend, and that will be so fun. I'm really looking forward to that.

I can't believe how busy we've been these last 6 months (and even more in Oregon before we left). It's crazy. I have so many friends, especially in OR, that I would love to call and really catch up with. I have emails to write. I would like to sit and write a letter to my grandmother. I just really don't have enough time in my day. So, don't take it personally if I haven't talked to you in a while. You are in my thoughts and mostly in my heart. We will catch up soon! And, if you have time, write me! I would love to hear from you.

Yes, it's actually me again!

I have no idea how many of you, my friends, are even checking in on my blog anymore. I'm sure most have given up on me. Well, I am back, and hope to be back regularly again. We are finally getting settled in our new house in MD. I still feel like it's a dream that we have moved. So far, it has been excellent! I can just see God's hand so clearly directing mine and Scott's lives. And, even before I met Scott, I was so positive and sure that it was God who was the One directing me, and to this day, I have no regrets or thoughts otherwise about that. He is so faithful!

I would love to post some pictures of our new house, and maybe one day I can figure it out. Until then, I will just have to tell you about it. Here we go. You walk into the front door and there is a nice living room. We bought new furniture for it, and it's my favorite spot. If you walk through the room, you go into the kitchen, and then into the big dining room. This room has our computer desk, futon, futon chair, two large recliners, armoire, and large dining room table. It's a recent addition to the house, and such a good one. That's the first floor. From the living room I talked about before, you can also (from the side of the room) go up or down. If you go up, you will find three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It's a cozy place, and I really like having all the main bedrooms together. If you go downstairs, you enter the Beaver room. It's a very large room that is now painted black and orange. We have our leather sectional down there and a beaver chair. There is a half bath and coat closet off that room. Also off that room is the guest room. It has french doors and probably was the office before we moved in. But it is serving as our guest room now. From the Beaver (OSU) room, you can go down another set of stairs. This leads you to either the laundry room or the school room. Both are more of my favorite spots.

That's our house. If you ever want to come and see it, you are welcome! We would love to have you over and to show you around Maryland a bit.

Well, if you stopped by my blog and read this, leave me a message. I'd love to hear from you. And if you have any ideas on what I should write about next, let me know. My creativity is pretty shot right now.

Love,
Amy