scotschooler

I have realized my computer has somewhat moved into the same category as my car; can’t live without it, but man they’re a major pain when they break.  Not only that, only a select few have the ability to fix them.  I hate that!

My computer (and car) is actually funtioning fine right now, though I’m not holding my breath, but it is literally falling apart.  My screen is coming off of the board ( it’s a lap top).  One of the hinges is totally busted – do you like that Oxford English I just employed?  Boy my kids are so fortunate to have a teacher like me!  Anyway, seems to me like it’s only a matter of time before the whole thing falls off or will be unabe to stand upright.  I would think it’s a bit of a challenge to use a laptop with the screen lying flat on its back – we shall see because it may come to that!

Needless to say the last thing I want (or need) right now is to have to buy a computer.  Believe me the list of things on the needing-to-buy list is waaaaay too long for that!  On top of it, only half of our tax refund came in and we’re ‘fighting’ the IRS for the other half – what are our odds, do you think?  Also no sign of that incentive check yet — anyone else still waiting or is it just us?

Sooo I do believe God must have something up His divine sleeve ‘cuz He knows I can’t be spending hours and hours on the phone contacting people that would take me half a minute using email.  I realize that too was a really bad sentence, but obviously I’m just not feeling it today.

Ho hum – since Joe has been out of town this week – we’ve managed to video chat every morning,but for some reason his little face has not shown up on the little box on the computer.  I’m hoping he’s out shopping for me and nothing negative is happening that has prevented our daily chat    Ok so the "out shopping for me" is not happening, but the point is that I’m concerned something has come up, that is not a good thing, to have stopped him for checking in.  Or, it could just be that his computer battery has run out again (he forgot to take his power cord and has been borrowing his traveling companion’s)

I’m sensing this post is begining to rambling – so I’ll bid you all adieu and good day!

I always like the little questionnaire thingsAmanda does, so I’m stealing hers again

What I was doing 10 years ago:
I vividly remember the summer of ’98.  I was thirty…. uuuhhh somethin’ and very pregnant with Pete.  We had not long before acquired our first building as a church (we’re still there) but inside it looked like an empty grocery store.  So Joe was put in charge of the build-outs with a team of volunteers.   He was working an average of 12-16 hour days, 7 days a week!  I basically didn’t see him the whole summer.  Unfortunately I went into preterm labor at 32 weeks and had to go on bed rest ,or house arrest is more accurate!  We moved into out first home in May of that year (we’re still there too!)  I was thrilled with that and loved our house – funny how 10 years and many repairs needing to be done can make your love grow cold … hhmmm.  Anyway – it was pretty rough … being alone most of the day (friends would take Danie for me – so thankful for that) and I would read all day.  I did love that!  Anyway, Pete was born on August 28th and the building had been ready to move in just a few weeks before that.  So although it was very trying and tiring, it had a good ending

5 things on my list to do today:
1. Video chat with my hubby, I hope!  He’s out of town
2. Go to church of course
3. Watch the game
4. Study for a Bible study I’m doing
5. Hang out with the kids

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Buy all family members their dream home.
2. Pay off the church debt
3. Give to many worthy causes I wish I could help right now
4. Take an extended trip to Scotland and many other parts of Europe.
5. Pray for wisdom about the rest!

3 of my bad habits:
1. This could get personal – I don’t even want to mention most of them
2. Let my imagination run wild – not in a good way
3. Critical thoughts and words.

5 Places I’ve lived:
1. Wishaw, Scotland
2. Edinburgh, Scotland
3. Whittier, CA
4. Seabrook, TX
5. Webster, TX

5 Jobs I’ve had:
1. Worked in 2 different toy stores, first when I was 13!
2. Nursing Asst. in geriatric psych. ward – yes it was as bad as you think!
3. In a camp ground in France for a summer
4. Many positions for local government in housing depts in Scotland
5. Travel agent ticket courier

I had several more summer jobs as a student, including working in a hospital kitchen and worked in a frozen food grocery store.

How about you?

IF YOU CAME TO MY HOUSE

Taken from Amanda  again!

If you came to my House:

You would see:

Our dog, Sniff, first.  He would be checking you out to see how much attention you would give him.  If you give him enough he wouldn’t leave your side the whole evening. If you ignore him he’ll go sleep on his bed.  My advice: ignore him, unless you want to be covered in lots of dog hair.

We’d probably feed you:

Fajitas, Steak or enchiladas

And offer you this to drink:

A bottle of water or fresh brewed iced tea

We’d undoubtedly ask if you’d read:

About the latest bad news for the Astros.

We’d want to play this music for you:

Depends who gets to the CD player first.  If me, perhaps Mozart, Dani would play Jason Castro and Joe – the first CD he could get his hands on – probably Chris Tomlin or someone like that.

We’d want to tell you the latest about:

The Astros, the church building, American Idol (if the season was running – that’d be Dani … do you see a pattern here?)

We’d probably suggest a game of:

Yahtzee, Pass the Pigs, Monopoly

We might show off: 

Dani’s camera and some pics she’s taken

We might get on the computer and show you:

Some stupid youtube a certain staff member at church has discovered, or some of Dani’s pics

If it was a long enough visit, we might watch:

An Astros game!

I’m thinking you’ll avoid coming over at all costs now! 

What would a visit to your house be like?

Me?  Not so much.  My husband?  Well read on and you decide…

When we first moved into our first real buidling that we could call our own as a church we immediately began doing VBS as an outreach to the community and it was a big hit right off the bat.  There were many reasons for that, not the least of which (in my humble opinion) was the creative mind of one goofy worship leader.

It was his decision that in order to engage the kids during a communal worship time at the beginning that the worship leader guy (him) should take on an alter ego, and so birthed a long line of sometimes weird, sometimes — uuuhhh scary?, but always entertaining characters.  in order to introduce these characters he also decided a short promo of who they were and how they got to "host’ VBS was in order.  I’m not quite sure where all those archives are and I don’t think I’m entirely ready to share all of those in any case.

Here is a list – to the best of my memory of these misfits:

Alligator Dan – think hill billy meets Louisiana out-doors man who’s never met a dentist!

Beach bum Bob – old California surfer dude, who really can’t surf

Okie Dokie Jones – bad impression of Indiana Jones (but a great promo bit)

Guitar – zan … this is where it gets scary.  Think muscle suit and curly wig

Rocko Balbaloney – let’s just say my hubby loves the Rocky movies (oy vey)

And being the huge baseball fans that we are the church came up with a whole baseball theme on their own one year and Joe was…

Homer Run ….  old baseball player from the 30′s .  This was a very fun year for us because Lance Berkman (yes the best baseball player on the planet) came to the church to speak to the kids.  Adam Everett also dropped by.

Joe since retired – at my urging.  Surprisingly it took a great deal of time.  He did however revive one character this year for the promo – though I don’t think he’s making a full appearance at VBS.  Beach Bum Bob has transformed into Darth Bum Bob and is urging the new host of VBS, Duke Waverider to leave VBS and come to the "dark side".

So my intention is to try to find the YouTube for you to enjoy (or not!).  OK so right now I can’t find it – but I’ll keep trying.  NEVER COULD FIND IT SO YOU’LL JUST HAVE TO USE YOUR IMAGINATION – SORRY!

Does your church do special things like that for VBS – so share!

• First off, I always thought the spelling for bullet points differed from the spelling of bullets shot from a gun. But wanted to make sure I was correct and so I checked an on-line dictionary; it is listed as the same spelling.  There ya go!
• I’m craving Fish Tacos from Berryhill
• Either that or the deluxe chicken enchiladas from Chuys
• I’m feeling fat!
• Went to the beach yesterday – yuck.  I have never seen so much sea weed – gross!
• Pete has a Plantar Wart on his foot which we are going to a dermatologist to have treated.  Have you any idea how difficult and painful it is to get rid of those things?
• The dermatologist prescribed a cream to use between visits (it’ll take 2 or 3 visits).  She casually warns us the cream will be expensive … so how much do you think? Would you imagine $650!!!!  It’s a WART!  Fortunately our insurance covered it.  Pharmaceutical companies – grrrrr…
• Our Pastor’s Wife came out of hiding to teach our women’s study Tuesday.  She’s not really hiding, just avoiding germs due to her bone marrow transplant.  She’s amazing and looks fabulous!
• Did I say I feel fat?  Blah – I need to exercise!
• School’s out for summer – yeah!
• Got to go grocery shopping – what should I cook for dinner.  Any ideas?
• Me either!
• Astros play Cardinals tonight.  Rubber game – we won first, they won last night.  Go Astros!
• Any one have exciting summer plans – can I live vicariously through you?
• bye bye