High Five For Friday ~ Thanksgiving Thanksgiving THANKSGIVING!!!!!

1.  High Five number one ~ I worked a full day today!  WOOT WOOT!  Sure I felt like crap when I was done BUT I DID IT!!!!!!!!  WOOT WOOT!

2. High Five number two ~  THANKSGIVING is next week and I'm so super excited and even better than Thanksgiving being next week....I get to see my sweet wonderful family and friends from back home!  Normally, I will meet up with a group of my high school friends and it's always like a giant high school reunion.  Although, I'm not sure IF that will be the case this year BUT I know I will get to see a handful of them for sure and for THAT, I am totally STOKED! 

Here are some pics of my beautiful friends from previous holiday visits!!! YAY THANKSGIVING!

These are friends I grew up with and have known since childhood or from college!  LOVE THEM ALL!!!!

 

 

Couldn't resist to post pictures from previous holiday visits!!!!!!  Going back home is always so much fun!!!!!

 

AND a piece of seeing my cousins and niece....DUH!  I love them!  They make my life complete!

 



and seeing my Aunts and Mom and eating home cooked meals is going to be the BEST....I mean THE BEST part of THANKSGIVING!!!!!! Love these ladies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  LOVE THEM!

 

 

AND I just have to throw DAISY in the mix because .....because she's CUTE and because she is a princess and because she is Daisy.....and she's cute!

 

 

 

 

3. High Five number three ~ my sweet students from Christian Women Job Corp graduate tomorrow!  I hope hope hope I am feeling up to going to graduation!  After working a full day today, I have been in pain this evening but maybe sleeping in and a nice breakfast will do the trick! :)

4.  High Five number four ~ uhhhhh...... need I say more.....

5. High Five number five ~ I had another eye opener this evening and another step closer to Him and what He wants me to see!  God is so good!  I can't get over how much He has been working in my heart lately!  I fell to my knees searching for answers and He is showing them to me more and more each day!  He makes things clearer and clearer each day it seems like!  I feel like I am back to my old self but with lots of growth....that might be an oxy-moron but it's how I feel and it's hard to explain....lol!  This Thanksgiving, I truly have SO much to be thankful for!  I couldn't be more blessed to serve such a wonderful and giving God!  I'm so loved by Him!!!!!  I am His jewel!  =)

It's Ok Thursday ~ Post Surgery Randomness

It's ok that I could care less about Twilight starting tonight......not interested.

It's ok that I am still physically healing from the surgery....It will take time and I just have to keep telling myself that and NOT get frustrated (I was frustrated today). 

It's ok that I slept most of the day because of pain pills AND I am ready to go back to sleep again.  Had to take another pain pill, this pain just won't go away.  BLAH! 

It's ok that I am hoping one of my friends will want to hit the movies this weekend..... I am in need of a movie AT the theatre. 

It's ok that I'm totally lost in season transition but THAT'S TOTALLY OK!!!!  I'm just praying and going with God's guidance. I know I can't go wrong that way! 

It's ok that I still love looking at all the Get Well flowers and balloons I got after surgery.....I'm a flower girl and they make me feel so happy to look at them! :)

It's ok that I have no idea what I will wear to work tomorrow, everything hurts around my waist.  I wish I could just wear pajama pants to work!!!!!! DUH!

It's ok that I'm craving chocolate.....duh!

Thankful For True Friendships

Today I am thankful for friendships! True friends are truly amazing because they are the family we pick on our own and this choice should be made very carefully! Real friends are more than just "hang out buddies", they are selfless kind hearted people. They will never turn their back on you no matter what is going on in life. They won't JUST be your friend under certain conditions. They will be your friend even when conditions are not going their way. They will see deep into your life and want to help you, not harm you by helping you stumble in things you need help with. True friends are jewels and a treasure and really are hard to find. I am so thankful for my amazing friends. I have so many life long friends that have always shown me all of these things. They have always respected me and my life and stood by my side with no conditions attached. I have never had to wonder about my friendships and have always been able to just KNOW I had amazing friends. Some of you have been my friends for years and have helped me fight demons in my past, helped me fight addictions with alcohol by truly seeing my weaknesses and wanting to strengthen me and not just ignore it and be a part of my stumbling, you guys have prayed for me when life was going a wacky direction and cheered me on when I would get back on track, you guys have told me the hard things that I needed to hear so that I could better myself as a Christian woman (you guys don't hold back when I need to work on something or have made a mistake). I am SO thankful for the blessing of true friendships! I love you guys! :)

What I'm Loving Wednesday ~ New Season

I am loving that I was able to do a half day at work today and had some amazing friends/co-workers to help make it a fun and happy day!

I am loving that my relationship with God has become so much stronger in the last couple of weeks!  I have seen more and more of Him than I ever have!  Totally in love with Him!

I am loving that Coming To America is on TV....haha love this movie!

I am loving that I am going into a new season of life.  The transition has hurt my heart but I know God has wonderful things planned for me!

I am loving that I have so many wonderful things to look forward to!  I can't wait to see what God has planned for me! 

I am loving that the plans to move closer to family are under way.....so exciting! I'm looking at Oklahoma with the sister or Colorado or Texas with my other family!  I realized after the surgery that I need to be closer to family.  Going through this surgery with out family was really hard.  I am so blessed to have amazing friends here because with out my amazing friends, it would have been DIIFICULT but it was definately more challenging with out family.  So, I have a feeling next year will be AMAZING!!!!! I'm looking forward to 2013!  Good things can only happen from here, right!?  :)

I am loving the new Blessings And Seasons ministry is coming together and I'm so excited to launch!

Speaking of Blessings And Seasons, I am even more excited about more and more writing.  Spoke to my publisher today and I'm so super excited about getting this book together!  God is so good! :)  Still have a lot to work on but the starting steps are what gets it going, so I'm excited about that! 

I am loving that CHRISTMAS is right around the corner!  I just love the holidays and Christmas music!

Most of all I am loving counting all of my blessings.  It seems like my emotions have been all over the place the last few days (p.s. my doctor warned me about this because of all that my hormones are going through right now) BUT I do realize that a lot of this has been from a dear relationship to me ending.  I haven't talked much about it because I have still been in a state of shock and confusion and I guess I haven't really known what to say.  This surgery and the loss of a relationship with somebody dear to me have both had me up and down lately.  However, I'm not one who stays under very long.  I'm a strong girl.  I have been through a lot in life and I have made lots of mistakes of my own over the years, yet I continue to keep growing closer to God and growing as a woman.  I'm not perfect by any means but I have a big heart and a love for life that will only keep growing.  When I love, I love strong and passionate and nothing will ever stop me from doing that!  I have so much to be thankful for and one of the greatest things that I am thankful for is my ability to keep growing and learning more about myself.  I desire to fix things about myself that are broken and I hope that never changes.  I'm a jewel and a treasure and my positive qualities will always out weight my negative ones....period!  Life isn't easy but it sure is AmAzInG and I am SO excited about my future!  I know GOD has amazing things in store for me!!!!!  Lovin' life and all that God has done for me!  What has He done for YOU lately? :)  Count your blessings!

Miracles Are Signs Pointing To The Future

"I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in Him.  Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13

So, I am back from my much needed "social media vaca".  It wasn't very long but it was definitely refreshing.  The last two weeks of life have been up and down but I have experienced God's touch in a deeper way than I have ever experienced.  He emptied me enough to where I could see Him in a way I never had before and for that, I am so thankful! 

Trusting God is critical, especially when it is difficult to have faith.  We see unanswered prayers where Jesus sees the answers.  Where we see and feel the absence of God, Jesus sees the plan of God.  I am learning to never underestimate God's power!  He can change everything in a matter of seconds!  He can turn a hopeless situation into a miracle! 

Over the last few years, I have often questioned my ability to have children.  I have always had a feeling that something just wasn't right with my body.  I have prayed and pleaded with God on this feeling since I desire so badly to one day have my own family.  I  have battled lots of female issues since I was 13 and I have felt the enemy try hard to bring me down.  I would be lying if I said that my faith never wavered.  Because it did.  However, I can tell you that even though I had doubts or wondered how this dream would come to pass, I always knew deep down that God would see it through, one way or another.

Recently I had surgery.  My doctor wanted to go in with a scope and see if I had endometriosis or some kind of scar tissue that would be causing the pain/cramps, contributing to ovarian cysts, and anything that might prevent me from having a child one day (whether it be conceiving or carrying one to full term).  Keep in mind, I always knew something was not right with my body but I had no idea what or why.  Long story short, the doctor removed scar tissue, a LOT of it according to what the doctor told my sister after my surgery.  The tissue was so bad that it had moved an ovary out of place and he had to move that back into place.  I talked to the nurse the following day and she said that they are confident that this will put an end to all of the pain (I mean, I had an OVARY out of place...uh, OUCH) and help eliminate cysts and will definitely help get my hormones back in balance (again, I had an OVARY out of place....wow).  It is crazy how just removing something like scar tissue will change my life so much.  He said, in a few weeks (after healing from the surgery), I will finally know what it is like to be a "normal" woman again. Wow!  I can't wait to be "normal".....what is normal any way?  ...... uuhh.....Anyway, needless to say, fertility is also A plus, which means, one day I will have a little Crystal junior running around! YIPPY! 

So, why am I throwing all of my business out there?  To maybe give somebody out there hope and to remind you to never stop praying!  I know I am not pregnant right now and I still have to go through the whole husband search and then actually getting to the time that my future husband and I are actually ready for a baby BUT I have so much hope now and I prayed and prayed and prayed for answers to my women problems and God delivered.  Not a day too early and not a day too late!  He delivered and not just gave me answers but handed me a miracle of new hope and new eyes!  I have battled women problems and He has delivered me from that.  I have heart disease but I believe I will continue to overcome that as well! He is so AMAZING and His miracles are perfect!

Miracles serve as signs pointing to the future..... 

This miracle gave me hope that I am on the right path and that my future IS in His hands and that He does intend on the desires of my heart to come to pass and not because I WANT these things but because HE wants these things for me!  I seek Him daily and so I trust the desires I have are from Him.

There IS purpose in pain and there IS purpose in difficult times.  We just have to keep holding on and trusting in Him.  We have to know that He is always there and always ready to walk us through the valley.  He will never leave us and in His timing, He will reveal His plan for us.  He will bring us through hard times and show us a miracle of life!  I'm so thankful that my Father is so perfect!  I am so thankful for this life He has given me.  It isn't perfect by any means but I know I am exactly where He wants me, even if I don't understand it or see it right now.  He has shown me what staying in prayer does and He has shown His faithfulness to me.  He has shown it to ME, somebody who doesn't even deserve it.... but that is how much He loves me! 

So, if you are going through a difficult time right now, please don't give up on Him.  I know that sometimes the pain is so real and so piercing that we ask questions like "why me?", "what did I do?", "why God why?" and the list goes on....but just remember that there ARE answers and there are reasons.  We might not understand them or see them while in the middle of the storm but just keep praising Him because I PROMISE, there are answers.  Even in our own mistakes, there are answers and there is grace!  He will never work something out that isn't for our good, even in our own mistakes!  He uses every opportunity for His perfect will for us, we just have to seek Him and ask for that perfect will and believe in Him.  We might get off track from time to time but keep seeking Him because He WILL get us back on track!  He will never fail you!

So, believe in miracles and never underestimate His Power!!!!! 

Taking A Break From Social Media

So, I have decided to take a break from social media and all it's "glory"!  =)

I have had a lot going on and after spending lots of time with the Lord, I have (clearing throat, HE has) decided that I not only need to spend much of my time fasting and praying but I also need to clear my mind of social media and all of the junk that comes with it, including my sweet little blog here!  I have lots of changes I need to make with my personal growth and I also need to really focus on Him and what He wants for my life!  Social media tends to sway my focus away from the important things, allows me to "snoop" on others, and I have found that too many "shallow friendships and empty relationships" keep on going in life because of Social Media.  Yes, I know that's harsh but.... true!  It takes real time to maintain a relationship/friendship with people and if the only connection I really have to somebody is through the facebook or twitter world then my everyday real life relationships are being cheated of having all of me! Just a realization I have currently come to realize, although, I have made some great friends through this sweet little blog here!   Whom most of you, we do talk via text or phone calls or emails every other day or so, so I am confident that my absence from spending time in social media world will not effect the true friendships I have made with some of you gals!

I am also having surgery on the 8th, so asking my blogger pals out there, please keep me in your prayers! =) 

I am honestly not sure how long I will be away from the social media world.  Honestly, I am not even positive that I will be back.  I think a lot of the personal changes I need to make for myself might find me getting rid of social media all together....forever.  We shall see.  I do enjoy keeping up with family and friends from back home and I do enjoy writing in my blog and I know I have a calling to encourage but I will allow God to work in me to determine how He would like me to encourage others.  I just know that right now, HE needs my focus more than anything else does and that once I give Him all of me, everything else will fall into place as He sees fit!

So, please keep me and my family and loved ones in your prayers blogger friends as I will you!

God Bless!  =)

What I'm Loving Wednesday ~ Simple and Sweet

I am loving that my Teal Toes still look amazing!

I am love love loving this little girl's smile!

I am loving fall!  I love love love fall!  Fall colors, fall fashion, pumpkins, pumpkin patches, warm apple cider!  LOVE IT!

Bikes Blues and BBQ 2012

I'm not generally a Bikes Blues and BBQ kinda gal.  The only time I had ever been before this year was a few years ago when I was a semi-pro cheerleader. 

We had a promotion there and I was only there for the promo and then I was OUT!  For some reason, I was always scared of it.  (P.S. - we probably look super tired and warn out, we were)

This year, the boy talked me into going.  I was very hesitant to go but I went because I knew it meant a lot to him for me to spend time with him and his brother, to get to know his brother.  So, the first day Ed was in town, just he and Michael went.  Then, I was asked to tag along, so I did and we really did have a GREAT time!  The motorcycles and the amount that were there were PHENOMENAL!  It's crazy how many bikes were there!  Here are a few pics from our Bikes And Blues adventures!

Life sure is good!  =)

Fall Fesitval 2012

We recently had our Fall Festival at the Wal-Mart DGTC building and I am very honored to say that I was asked to take photos for our Special Events team.  I have done this a few times for them and I am always just thrilled when they ask me to do this!  Always makes this little Texas photographer's heart jump for joy to see my work being used!

Even though I was working, I was able to play a little and see some of my favorite people! 

 

Cindy is one of my most favorite people in the world and just FYI, (not including the people in the background) there are really three people in this pic besides Cindy and April and THIS fact makes my heart happier than anybody could ever guess!!!!  I love my little munchkin!  :) 

 

Of course the Fall Festival is NOT a fall festival with out my favorite little set of twin girls!  I absolutely adore my girls!!!!

I am very thankful for having Michael in my life!  This year was the first Fall Festival since I have worked at Wal-Mart that my sister was unable to attend due to living in OKLAHOMA (yelling in anger), so I was a little sad but Michael came to the rescue and joined me for the festivities!  I cannot say how truly blessed I am to have this caring and thoughtful man in my life! 

P.S. I LOVE FALL!!!!