Ready to Take a Stroll?

I love my red Knockout roses! They bookend one of my favorite
roses, Polareis, purchased from the New England area...
(close up below)

The scent from the Polareis rose is as close to
sweet baby powder as it comes.

Lavender & Lemon Lime - a great combination!

Shrubbery planted last year --
with no Gulf sign to back them up anymore. :(

An old rose which has been growing in our yard
since our neighbor can remember.

After one year of growth, these shrubs are on their
way to fulfilling their purpose...
privacy!

Future view of our pergola.

One of my favorite shrubs tucked away
in my future "secret garden".

My future "secret garden". :)

I found this beautiful clemetis winding its way up my
Chaste tree this morning!

An old building, a white picket fence, and a multitude of roses.
What more could a girl ask for?

I'd only read about the fragrance of this old timey rose,
Zephirine Drouhin, up until this morning.
It simply amazing and continues to fill our kitchen
with its delicious fragrance! I have two of these planted on either side
of our future pergola (it's a climbing rose).

The 9's Have It!

As of today, I've been on Weight Watchers for 9 weeks (seems longer)
Pounds lost? 9 (seems like it should be more by now - if I hear "muscle weighs more than fat" one more time I'm going to scream. ha!!)
How many more to go? At least 9 more!

But despite the "seems", I'm pretty delighted -- especially so with the inches lost -- which have allowed me to wear some things I've not worn in awhile.

Some have asked which DVD's I use since my exercise regime is indoors. One of my latest purchases is "Power Sculpt", put out by the Biggest Loser bunch. Not a big fan of Jillian's, but maybe it's just the DVD. Another recent purchase is "Disco Abs" (don't ask), led by Cheryl, one of the dancers on "Dancing with the Stars". Variety is key for me in staying motivated!

Today, I used my Polar heart monitor for the first time. I have no idea what the numbers mean -- but they're recorded! Where is Zach when I need him? :)

Tomorrow is my only "off" day... unless, of course, cheering for Kyle in TWO races burns off any calories!

A Stroll Through the Snapshots

Sarah and Brian at the Greenville Drive game on her birthday!
We enjoyed the game for awhile and then headed to
Spill the Beans for a real birthday treat. :)

The table was ready for our study on the Bridegroom of Christ
Easter morning in class!

Winter Daphne - one of THE sweetest aromas God ever created.
Everyone needs at least one of these plants in their yard.

My favorite camellia. I'm not sure of the name, but the colors are spectacular!

Our own "nightlight" --
First Baptist Simpsonville, our church, seen from the driveway.

The Good...The Bad... and the Ugly

This pretty much sums up my day.

• The Good: Kathy, a shoe clerk at Belk in the Haywood Mall. Very helpful -- straightforward. At one point, I tried convincing myself that a particular pair of shoes would be perfect for the Zumba classes I start next week. She talked me out of it and immediately gained my respect. She also gained a shoe sale when I found another pair to purchase. I will be calling Customer Service at Belk on Saturday to sing her praises.

• The Bad: A young woman posing as a shoe clerk at Champ's in the mall. I arrived at the store a few minutes prior to opening time -- patiently waiting behind the iron gate. At 10:00, the videos in the store automatically come on -- so there's no denying when the doors should be opened. The young woman saw me and another person standing there but proceeded to take out the trash and fumble around behind the sales desk for another 5 minutes. Without ever cracking a smile, she huffs over to the door, opens it, and then when asked for the location of ladies' shoes she snaps back with a sarcastic remark. I turned right around and walked out. I will also be calling this store tomorrow to speak to a manager.

• The Ugly: We noticed tonight that someone stole our 6' porcelain Gulf sign that sat in our back yard leaning on one of the old buildings. The idea of someone coming in our yard to steal an extremely heavy sign is disturbing. We'd had the sign for almost 20 years. Brian commented that we enjoyed it while we had it - which is true - but for someone to be so brazen as to steal something from a backyard that sits on a busy road -- and across the street from a police station? That's downright ugly. How do people like that sleep at night?

Speaking of which... goodnight!

Friday Favorites

While strolling down the ice cream aisle for my FAVORITE treat these days... Skinny Cow's Ice Cream Sandwiches, I saw one of my absolute FAVORITE people... Kay Chandler.

When we moved to Simpsonville almost 20 years ago, I searched the local paper for a Bible study in our community. Zach was heading to first grade so I would have time in the morning for a study. There, tucked away in our local paper, was an ad for a Precept class being taught at Standing Springs Baptist Church. Little did I know just how much my life was about to change when I walked in the door that first Wednesday morning.

Never had I heard the Word of God taught with such power and authority. Kay was (and is) the real deal and her relationship with Christ was nothing short of inspiring. Her desire to know Him more deeply and to know His Word was simply infectious... and God used Kay and this infectious desire she possessed (and still does!) to light a fire within me to teach the Word.

We stood in the aisle for almost an hour catching up on our families and sharing what God is currently doing in our lives. She still teaches Precept at Standing Springs, and Lord willing, I'm planning to take a course with her this Fall. If there's one thing I've learned over the years (the hard way) is that we, as teachers, cannot feed others if we are not being fed ourselves. We're to be more like a stream, and not a stagnant pool.

I thanked God for Kay on the way home this morning. Only in heaven will she realize the many lives she has impacted through her teaching in God's Word -- no fluff, all substance. Refreshing!

My FAVORITE treat...one of my FAVORITE friends... and my FAVORITE weather (70's!). What more could a girl ask for?

Weekend Snippets

Easter weekend was simply beautiful... in many ways.

Brian took Friday off so we could get some things done in the yard. Oh, and the fact that it was in the mid 80's may have also had a little something to do with it. :) The best part of my day? A calorie splurge on a tall Java Chip Frappe. It's amazing how I've always ordered a venti or grande frappe without a second thought. Now the tall size is a splurge! sigh. Brian's splurge? A new laptop for a bargain -- 349.00! It had a few bells and whistles included so he was totally delighted.

Saturday morning we headed to the Barnyard Flea Market. Brian found several albums and I purchased a few books. Zach came over to wash his car, he and Brian went for a bike ride, and I finished preparing for Easter Sunday's lesson. Again, a beautiful day in the 80's. Trees in bloom. Pollen. eek.

On Easter Sunday, our class studied the Bridegroom of Christ, comparing ancient Jewish wedding customs and the way our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, took His Bride, the Church -- and how He will one day return for her! Praise the Lord!

Later in the afternoon, while Zach and Sarah enjoyed a meal with her parents, Brian and I met Dad and Sherry at Cracker Barrel for dinner, and then we all ended up at our house for dessert and game night. It was a nice way to end such a glorious day. Yes, the weather was nice once again, but the fact that we celebrated a RISEN Savior on that day was what made it simply glorious. A fact to celebrate every day. I couldn't help but think of Shari Bajan, our friend who passed away last Easter, and Mama, who celebrated her first Easter with Jesus. The hope of our Bridegroom's second return brings much hope, comfort, and joy.