Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Is She Becoming a Mini Me???

Jae had this serious limping going on last night and then again this morning.

I made an appointment to take her to the doctor this afternoon.

Unfortunately, our pediatrian was not quite sure what was wrong, so she ordered x-rays and blood work to be done at the hospital tonight.

As we're driving to the hospital, Jae starting talking about how much she didn't want to go to the hospital. Since she's known for loooooving a visit to the doctor's office, I asked her why she didn't want to go to the hospital.

"There are a lot of sick people there and that means that there are a lot of germs there too, Mom" she said.

I was so not expecting this comment! Okay, so any of you who know me the tiniest bit at all, also knows that I have serious issues with germs. Okay, up until tonight, I have always been able to brag ( in a good way) that I am soooooooo glad that my issues (with germs and of course, with my animal phobia) have not rubbed off on my children. No more bragging about that after our episode at the hospital.

So, we walked into the hospital and had to be checked in by the admissions lady. There were two chairs sitting right in front of the admissions desk. I took a seat. I told Jae that she could take a seat in the other chair.

"I don't want to sit down, Mom. I'll just stand," she said.

It was not a big deal to me, so I just looked at her a little weird and said okay.

Okay, for those of you who really know Jae, I am sure that you know that I am by no means making the rest of this story up...

So, the admission's lady leaves her desk to go make copies of our paperwork. Jae leans over to me and says, "Mom, you know a lot of people have sat on these chairs. These chairs have a lot of germs on them."

I couldn't help it...I broke out in a loud laugh. I know the lady behind the desk thought that I was some weirdo or a bad parent to be laughing at my daughter who appeared to be in pain.

Anyhow, we finished the paperwork. Another lady comes out to take us back to the room to have the blood work done. We walk into this room and the lady asks Jae if she wants to sit on the bed or lie down on the bed.

Jae said, "Neither, I will stand up."

Okay, now I was really tripping out. The "blood" lady told Jae that she would have to pick one, either sit down or lie down in order for her blood to be taken. Jae looks at me and then looks at the bed. The silly bed had just the bare plastic mattress pad on it and not a sheet or the white plastic paper that is USUALLY on every doctor's bed you go to. After Jae's eye contact with me and then the bed...I quickly figured it out. I asked the blood lady if she could please put a sheet on the bed because Jae thought that it might have germs.

As she did so, she started laughing and blurted out, "I don't blame ya baby. It's nasty up in heah most of the time. There's allota gurms in heah. " (Okay, so she was a woman of color with some ebonics going on too).

I would have paid a million bucks for anyone to see the look on Jae's face as the blood lady was saying all of this. I was laughing uncontrollably, like I am doing while I type this out. This was a trip! I had not seen this side of Jae before!

Anyhow................after they took 3 tubes of her blood, we proceeded to the X-ray room. No worries for Jae in this room. The bed was completely covered with what appeared to be a "clean" sheet. This was H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S!!!

Now to get to the serious part, the doctor called tonight, the x-rays came back normal. Most of the blood work came back normal. It will still take atleast 48 hours for one last blood test result to come back.

We just gave her Children's Motrin tonight and rubbed her down in Icy Hot. After about an hour of the medicine, she seems to almost be walking without the limp. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

A Humorous Conversation with Jae

"Mom, I don't know if I'll be able to keep my secret from Morgan," she said.

"What are you talking about, Jae?" I asked.

"I have a surprise for Morgan's birthday and I don't know if I can keep from telling her," she said again.

"Well, you can tell Mom. What is your surprise?" I asked.

"On Morgan's birthday, I am going to take her to her favorite restaurant, The Olive Garden and then buy her some candy," she said.

"Oh? and how are you going to get her to the Olive Garden and who is going to pay for it?" I asked.

"Ma'am?" she asked.

"Who is going to pay for your surprise for Morgan and how are you going to take her there?" I asked.

"MOM! I don't have any money. You and Dad can take us there and pay for it, can't you?" she said.

I laughed out loud.

Isn't it interesting that our kids make their "own" plans and come up with their "own" ideas, but OFTEN forget that it's going to take their "parents'" time and, more than likely, our money as well?

She's only 7!!! I think that she's learning from Morgan wayyyyyyyyyyyy too soon.

Yikes!

Friday, July 25, 2008

Morgan's Return from Xalapa, Mexico

Morgan returned from Xalapa, Mexico last friday. I put off posting the results from her trip until I could have the pics developed. Wow! That sounds weird..having pics developed.


Picture of one of the Catholic churches in Xalapa


The oldest church in North America
The inside of the church

This is standing outside the church . This is one of my favorite pictures taken from the entire trip. Isn't it beautiful?
Matt, Morgan, Lindsey and Heath (all youth members from the Harvest)


The House of Cortez

It was a must for Morgan to get a picture of her standing at the House of Cortez
One of the translators, Nallele with Morgan and Lindsey
A view of the city of Xalapa
Another view of the city of Xalapa

Morgan and Lindsey posing outside the church they attended

Postcard shot, huh?

A random picture of a street in Xalapa

Aztec Ruins Morgan posing with the translator and the two girls that she won over to Christ!


This trip was a huge blessing for Morgan in so many ways. Overall, there were 188 souls saved. The Harvest youth were responsible for 17 of these souls. Morgan was able to experience something that she will cherish forever. I have also attached a video clip that our church (The Harvest) taped out in front of our church. Each youth member gives a short testimony about the mission trip they took this summer. Morgan is the 4th one.

There are two video clips. Click on the second one for Morgan's. It lasts for about 6 minutes. Turn on your speakers.

Harvest Youth Testimony

Thank you all for your prayers while Morgan was away.

Blessings!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Be Aware of More Than Gas At the Pump!

I noticed this guy right off as I was whipping in to fill up my car. I think I noticed him because he was leaning on the trashcan (of all places) right next to the gas pumps.

He looked a little unclean, but at the time, he wasn’t bothering anyone.

I parked on the opposite side from where he was and began filling up. As usual, my mind had already moved on to the next thing I needed to get done and so I really forgot about the guy.

As I went to grab my receipt from the machine, he appeared from out of nowhere and came up to my car! Okay, at this point, he was wayyyyyyyyy too close. I had a slight moment of panic on the inside, but tried to remain calm on the outside.

He held out this little white styrofoam cup, and said, “Hey! I need some money!” I was almost afraid to lie. Yes, I lied (Please forgive me), but, I said, “I’m sorry sir, I don’t have any money on me.” He just stood there and stared at me. Okay, it was only for a second, but my heart just about stopped! I shook all over as I grabbed the handle to my car door. Maybe you’ve had a moment to where your hands were shaking so badly that you couldn’t really move them? That’s how I felt. It was like my hands were numb and I couldn’t move them fast enough to put the stupid key in the ignition, start the car and drive off.

I didn’t speed off out of the parking lot. Though, I felt safer once my car started moving away from him.

As I was driving off, I started wondering if the workers inside the gas station actually saw this or was I the only person that this has happened to. Hmmmm….

Anyhow, I am usually pretty aware of my surroundings and to be on the lookout for weird things like this happening. I am just thankful that it was daylight where if his intrusion had gone any further, perhaps someone would have stepped in to help me.

WOW! How freaky!

Monday, July 21, 2008

How Strange Is This?

So, I was thinking about this friend of mine who I hadn’t talked to in about two years. She’s one of those friends that you don’t have to talk to daily, weekly, monthly and in this case…years. We have them, right?

Anyhow, as I was driving home from the grocery store on Saturday, I started thinking about Nikki and Chris and wondered what/how they were doing. Unfortunately, I did not have my address book in my car to look up their number.

As with anything (unless it’s written down), I eventually forgot to follow through on looking up her number once I got home.

Sunday afternoon, Dirk went out to get the mail. The envelope was post-marked from Amarillo,TX. There wasn’t a return address on it. We both stood there asking each other who we knew in Amarillo. We finally opened it. Yep, you guessed it? It was from Nikki.

She was letting us know that they had recently moved to Amarillo. I became very sad while reading her letter, but at the same time, I was happy that she had written to let us know.

How strange was this letter to be delivered in Saturday’s mail – the same day that I had thought about Nikki.

Isn’t it just like God to put us in each other’s minds in a time when her letter would arrive on the same day I was thinking about her?

Can anyone relate to a similar case like this?

P.S. Nikki and Chris, Dirk and I really miss you guys and can’t wait to talk to you soon!

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Yes, I Can Hear You Now!

We all have ringtones that reveal something about us. Some of are just plain rings (I would fall in this category). Some are funny and silly. Some are obnoxious. Some are godly. And then there are some that are just down right offensive.

I was working on a project for my job that involved me hiring a couple of day laborers. At one point, one of the worker’s phone started ringing/singing.
“Working hard like a nigger. Working hard like a nigger.”
The worker couldn’t reach into his front pocket fast enough to stop the ringer from going off. There was a second of silence and then, unfortunately for him, the phone started to ring again. He stopped the ringer again and then commented that it was just an “old country song”. I must admit, that it really didn’t bother me at first.

Now looking back on it, it is something that I am offended by.

If it makes you uncomfortable to have a ringtone when someone hears it (not just because it is supposed to be quiet, but because of the content), why would you program it in the first place?

If you are afraid for a person of the opposite sex to hear it, why would you have it in the first place?

If you are afraid for a person of the another race to hear it, why would you have it in the first place?

If you are afraid of your grandma hearing it, why would you have it in the first place?

If you are afraid for your pastor to hear it, why would you have it in the first place?

In other words, if the content of your ringtone is inappropriate in any situation that you may find yourself, then maybe you should reconsider having it as your ringtone.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

“Are You Kidding Me!?!?!?!?!?!?”

Is what I yelled as I closed the back door this morning with my keys still inside!!

I was rushing unloading and then re-loading different things in my car this morning. Since I had already put my purse in my front seat, I figured that I would lay my keys on the washing machine and just grab them on my way out the door.

I’ve never done something this STUPID before!

The girls are gone this week and we had no spare.

I knew that Dirk was almost half way to work by now, but at the same time I knew that I didn’t have any other choice but to call him.

He couldn’t believe it either, but was very kind to not give me a hard time.

I have to admit that I was very upset at first. I was trying to get into the office early and get things done. Apparently, God had other plans…

I figured that I would be waiting outside for at least 45 minutes for Dirk to get back home – so I was going to go next door and perhaps have a cup of coffee and talk with my neighbor. Wrong!

As I got back into my car to grab my purse and walk over, I was immediately convicted to grab my Bible that was also laying in my front seat, go sit on my porch and read instead. I was so not in the mood, but did it anyway.

I must also admit that I’d prayed a couple of months ago specifically to have the desire and passion again to get in the Word each morning. I was doing great up until last week. Then life got wayyyyyyyyy too busy … and I started trying to fit it in once again.

Looking back on how my day started out with locking my keys in the house, making us both late for work, making us both very behind in our day, I am reminded that it could have been a lot worse.

Unfortunately at times, (for me and others around me), my personality is a get-it-done type of person.

I thank God for slowing me down at times when it is truly necessary.
I had so many things running through my mind and my to-do-list for the day was already a mile long, I truly believe that this was one of those times that I needed to be slowed down.

P.S. Dirk stopped on the way home and had spare keys made.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Okay, for those of you have already emailed me and asked if I got to choose the place to eat yesterday. I was asked and I suggested Mexican or steak.

So, the decision was made for us to go out for steak. This was supposed to be the finest place in Houston for a steak dinner. In fact, one of my co-workers commented that it was the best place to eat steak in all of Texas. Hmmmmm...., I've had some pretty nice steak dinners just here in Dallas, but I kept quiet and waited patiently to see for myself.

Guys, this place , Taste of Texas was P-H-E-N-O-M-E-N-A-L!!! It was very nice and very fine dining! I ordered a 10-ounce center cut filet (we all ordered this same size, okay?), a baked potato fully loaded, and the salad bar (which by the way, was to die for!)

My co-worker, Osana who joined us for dinner on Monday night was kind enough to bring a camera from home today so she could take any pictures that I may have wanted. Thank you Osana!
Anyhow, check it out this spread....







Other than a couple of other restarants that Dirk and I really love (and we do love the Olive Garden, but I am talking about really fine dining places), I will have to say this place is wayyyyyyyyyy up there for me. Unfortunately, Taste of Texas is only located in Houston. Bummer!!!

Anyhow, I must also admit that I was really bummed out when I was contacted on my vacation from my corporate office and was informed that I needed to travel to Houston for training after I got back. My first thought was I didn't want to leave me family behind, amongst other things as well. However, it worked out very well; Morgan is on her mission trip this week, Jae is at grandma's house (my mom's), and Dirk's partner at his work is on vacation this week, meaning that he had to work until nine o'clock both nights while I was gone.

All being said, I really enjoyed my short trip to Houston and seeing all the people (especially my friend Osana) that I talk on the phone to on a daily basis. However,I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo glad to be back home, glad not being bothered with security issues at the airport, excited about not falling to pieces just thinking about ALL the GERMS at the airport, glad to be driving/riding in my own car, excited about sleeping in my own bed and glad to be working back at my own office.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Yep, Heads in All...

Jessica, you are going to be so proud of me and at the same time...disappointed.

So, many of you know that I work for a Chinese company, right?

Well, for the next couple of days I am in training in our Houston office for a new software program they are implementing.

Okay, when my bosses come to Dallas to vistit and we plan to dine out, I will usually suggest Italian or Mexican. Well, tonight was their choice and you may have already guessed it.... I was treated to real authentic Chinese food. I'm not talking PF Chang's type Chinese food. I'm talking about 10 different entrees coming out with whole animal heads on the platter. Stop laughing at me!!!

Anyhow, I made a point of sitting by one of my American bosses so that he could guide me. As I sit down, he nudged me and said, "If I don't eat it...you don't eat it." I felt a little safer, but then I also knew that he was used to eating authentic Chinese food too. I was in for something reallllllllllllllllll different.

First we started with hot egg drop soup. It tasted pretty good. Then, we had 3 different meat platters that the waiter brought out. One was duck meat. A whole head of what appeared to be a rooster or hen was at one end of the platter and it was staring directly at me! Another platter came out with lobsters on it. There was a lobster's head at each end of the platter. I was tripping out! Okay, I know that most of you have tried lobster and just LOVE it! Well, up until tonight, I had never tried it. But, because my American boss was guiding me and was being so kind to serve up my food on my plate, I felt obligated to go ahead and try it. Another platter came out, it held this very flattened fried fish (of course with it's head sticking out on the platter!) and vegetables on it. Ready for this??? I tried this too. No kidding, the server would come to the table and pick up the empty platters and bring 3 or 4 back. There were a lot of different vegtables to try as well. One platter that I was REALLY happy to see was a steak platter with this sweet barbeque sauce on it. I remember helping myself to four servings of this one.

Anyhow, I couldn't wait to be dropped off at the hotel so that I could call and tell Dirk about this experience! He was proud of me.

Okay Jessica, two things...
I know that you are proud of me for stepping out and trying this.
But, girl...I forgot to bring my camera to Houston. Can you believe this? I changed purses this morning (at 3am!) and left my small camera behind! I had made a comment during dinner that I wished that I had my camera to take pictures. One of my coworkers said that I should use the camera on my phone. Guess what? I had NO IDEA how to use the camera on my phone. So, she (my co-worker) figured it out and took some pictures for me. Unfortunately, only a couple of them turned out. After Dirk told me how to send them to my email, it only took me half-an-hour to forward (text) them to my email so I could post them for you all to see. No, I don't like text messaging! Anyhow, I have posted the pics below but they are not great quality.

I hope that you all will be able to see the chicken head and the lobster heads. My boss thought it would be cute to put them closer together. In fact, he tried to stage it to make them appear to be kissing. It didn't work, so he just arranged them to looking at the flower which was also on the platter.





Again, not a great quality picture, but the head is what is poking out on the platter!


Okay, as I was telling Dirk, I really did enjoy this experience and it was really sweet for my bosses to do this for me, but I'm not ready to go back tomorrow. Hahaha. Yes, I'll try this again one day. In fact, I have tried a similiar experience a few years ago with an Asian co-worker, but it was nowhere near this extreme with the heads in all.

They're are treating me to lunch tomorrow, I wonder if they'll let me pick since it's my last day here???



Sunday, July 13, 2008

A Special Request For my Friend, Jennifer

Alright Jennifer!

As per your request, I have posted pics of the EXPENSIVE banana spilt and pics of the girls enjoying their ice cream as well.


BEFORE...


...AND AFTER!!!









I just had to add this last picture of the girls. It's another one of my favorites!!!!


Saturday, July 12, 2008

Morgan's Mission Trip to Xalapa, Mexico



















2am came very early to the Reeves' household today!

Some of you know that Morgan left today for her 1st (out of country) mission trip to Xalapa, Mexico. She had to be at DFW Airport at 4:30 am. She will be traveling with the NEXT organization along with three other youth members and one adult from our church.

While visiting Xalapa, each day they will partnering with local believers to share the gospel in the community. They will also tart a brand new church while strenghtening an existing one. Each morning they will be going through Catalyst Leadership Training. And each afternoon they will be going door-to-door with a translator working to share Jesus with the people of Xalapa.

Morgan has been looking forward to this day for many months. I remember how excited she was when the training started. She practiced witnessing many times using her Evangi-Cube and then also learning to use the Spanish Bible.

A few days before leaving, Morgan was a little overwhelmed with her emotions about this trip. She started getting a little nervous, but at the same time, she was still very excited about getting to go. Dirk and I believe that this trip is going to have a huge impact not only on the lives of the people Morgan will come in contact with, but also on her life as well.

Will you please join Dirk and I in praying throughout the week for Morgan and her team?
Pray for their safety and well-being. Pray for no sickness to occur. Pray that the local community will have open hearts and ears that are willing to listen as they share the gospel.
Pray for the new church that will be planted. Last but not least, please pray that God would reveal Himself in a way like never before to this group of young people.






Thank you in advance for your prayers.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Galveston Pics

Okay, I took close to 1000 pictures of practically everything that we did while in Galveston. Don't worry...I don't plan on sharing all of them with you. I know that you're probably thinking that taking this many pics while just visiting Galveston is ridiculous, but on a family outing to Six Flags, I've taken as many as 200 pics before. I can't help it!!! Anyhow, I've had the HARDEST time just trying to post the ones that I have below.



The first five pics were taken at the beach owned by the resort where we stayed.

Yes, I am actually sitting in what appears to be dirty salty water. Imagine that friends? Nope...this is no where near the comparison to the beach we went to in Florida a few years ago, but it was enjoyable.
I love this picture of Dirk and the girls!


The next few pics posted were taken at Palm Beach at Moody Gardens.



This was really neat. It was a water tower that would fill up and then dump tons of water on people below. Dirk and Jae loved this! Morgan and I stood back and watched. Well, I was taking pictures, of course!

Jae LOVED Palm Beach. We stayed there for a few hours and it still wasn't long enough for her.







We had this grand idea to bury the girls in the sand. It turned out to be a little too freaky looking for me though.


The next set of pics were taken on the Strand. It's the historic downtown shopping district in Galveston.


This was taken at Gaido's, a popular seafood restaurant in Galveston. It's been around for 94 years! It was a pretty nice place!
This picture below of Morgan was taken at the Aquarium Pyramid at Moody Gardens.

The last set of pics were taken in the Rainforest Pyramid.





I know that I posted probably wayyyyyyyyyyyy too many pictures. I know out of all the friends that will view them, Jessica will appreciate them the most.

Anyhow, as you can tell, we really had a great time in Galveston.