So last night Dad got home from work and told me he had checked on some of the stuff we would need for the horse's health problems and it was going to be really expensive! Sigh, we needed to talk!!! We did more research online(the horse has a problem, she doesn't sweat right, from what I found on the internet, its called anhidrosine) and this one product that was highly recommended(and cheaper than what dad had checked out) was still almsot $30 a month! In a year, that is still $360. Plus, she would need to be fed twice a day and we live like 6 miles from the stable, so it would take a lot of time. I would do it, but I travel ALOT with my job and when I was gone dad would have to do it. So we decided to wait a couple more days and think about it(ok, so dad was the logical one here, I wanted her so bad). Today, I called dad on my way to work, he was over at the stable and we talked some more and he said that it would actually be cheaper in the end to just buy Dirty Boy. So that is a very real possibility! Also, DB comes with a saddle, bridle, etc which the other horse did not. So we don't know yet, but I am hoping that works out! I was so disappointed to think about not getting her, but if we can get Dirty Boy, that would be great! 

Spring is finally coming and hopefully staying!! Amazing how cold its been this winter! I am loving these beautiful days!!

Sunday's sermon was wonderful. Since we are a new church, we do not have a building of our own yet, we actually meet in a hotel ballroom, anyway, we were unable to use that facility Sunday due to the hotel having other plans, so were at a different location. I was running late already and when I got there, I could not find a place to park. They had said we could park for free in the parking garage, but the gate was down and nobody there, I was getting frusterated, not finding a place. Finally, I found a place to park and went inside. Our pastor was praying as I walked in and then the band played some more, which was great, glad I didn't miss all the singing, And then the sermon, it was so good. John, our pastor, has been during a series on reflections of Easter this month, looking at different people involved in the Easter story and this Sunday he talked about Jesus. Two of the reflection points he brought out that stood out to me were "Do I really believe that Jesus is God and that anything is possible with Him?" and the other one that hit me was "Do I really believe that Jesus understands me?" Like I KNOW that stuff, but it stood out to me again, hit me again. Ok, maybe it was more the realization, the reaffirmation that Jesus DOES understand me, any pain I have gone through, He knows, He understands!! Anyway, I needed to hear that and really appreciated the message. I really appreciate our pastor and the church.

Two weeks ago, I was going to be working in south Alabama, about an hour from the beach, so my friend, Carrie, who was working at Adullam House(we were housemates last fall/winter when I still worked there)and I decided to leave a day early and drive on down to the beach. We had to take separate cars, since I had to go to work the next day and she was going to stay for a while and then drive back up to our area. We arrived at our hotel, a cheap, older hotel with crazy bright colored walls, curtains, etc...but it worked for what we wanted, not to spend a lot of money, and the cool thing was it was right by the beach!! So we walked down to the beach and watched the sunset, took lots of pictures, etc. til it got dark and cold, then went out to supper.

Our bedroom in the motel.

A view of part of the motel from the beach.

It was neat to watch the sunset and capture the different stages of it going down.

Carrie and I

This guy rowed up on the beach with his very friendly Jack Russel.

The internet at that place was so spotty that night, it was annoying!! On top of that, when we went to turn the TV on, there was no remote. So I called the manager and he was like Yea, people have been taking off with them and I guess they hadn't gotten any more in there!! Okaaay.... lol!!! Oh well, we had good times and made some great memories!

We decided we wanted to get up the next morning and watch the sunrise. Now, neither of us are morning people, but we wanted to do it. My mom called me that night and I told her we were going to and she was like "We'll see!"(she knows me!!LOL!)Anyway, we decided we were going to prove to peopl that we could get up for it!! So the next morning we did. We walked down to the beach....and realized the sun does not rise on that side of the sky!! So we hurried back up to our warm room and could see the sun rising across the road, so we kind of watched it from our room.

Well, we DID get up for it!!!

After breakfast and packing up, we drove on down to Pensacola Beach just a few miles away. It was gorgeous.

We found a jellyfish and Carrie played with it a little, trying to get its tentacles out I think.

I couldn't stay real long at the beach, as I had to get to work, so it ended up being a short but sweet trip to the beach! We had a lot of fun!

Merry Christmas, everyone!! Today was pretty quiet, we had our Christmas after Thanksgiving when we were out in Ohio and mom and dad both worked today, but Anna, a chaplain under WeCare was over for awhile and we talked, watched a movie, played a game...Last evening, I met mom and dad at their church for a Christmas eve service then we came back here to mom and dad's and had a little bit of a special meal. Its nice to just have some time to relax. Sunday we fly to NY to get together with mom's side of the family. So that will be nice. Would be wonderful to get snow while are there, but I don't know if we will.

So heres a question for all of you, what was your most memorable/best/most special Christmas present?  Just thought I would share mine...some/most of you already know this story, so if you get bored, feel free to skip it!!!Anyway, in Feb of 2005, my St Bernard was hit by a car and killed and that Christmas, I was seriously like a kid begging for a puppy for Christmas!! Well, when we went to open our presents, think it was prob Christmas Eve, and I unwrapped a big stuffed pug and on the collar was a note that said, "For the real pooch, go to the porch" and out on the porch in a pet carrier was the cutest lil dog....Maggie!! She is a Jack Russsel/Pug cross, one of those designer dogs. She's a sweetheart and still brings me a lot of joy. She lives over at mom and dad's house(she stayed over here when I moved to Adullam House) as it works out better for her and they spoil her, but she still loves to see me when I come over. So that was my best Christmas Present, I think. It was so special for several reasons, mom and dad knew how much I wanted a puppy and made the effort to get me one, she is a present that is ongoing, still bringing me lots of joy, and also its not like we get extravagant gifts,they give nice gifts, don't get me wrong( I don't think its necessary or always even good to give extravagant gifts),so she was a big gift and one that I cherish even to this day. Here are a few pictures of her when she was a puppy and then some from the last couple years when she was full grown! 

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Aw, look how little she was!!

The pictures below are her full grown from the last couple years('08 and '09)