First Day of School Revelation

The first day of school is never easy.  Not for this mama at least.

It wasn't easy when Garrison was a Kindergartner...

And it wasn't easy today with him as a 4th grader (last day of Elementary)!

I had a revelation today as I was driving away from school.  I was praying for him and I suddenly realized I am no longer praying for God to shield him from this broken world like I used to.  I am no longer praying for God to keep him sheltered from all the things I have always feared as his mama and protector.  I know that sounds strange but follow me for a second.

I used to literally want to keep him in a bubble.  I used to want to shelter him from all of the brokenness in this world.  But as I was praying this morning the thought came across my mind, "Break my heart for what breaks yours."  And it hit me.  I WANT Garrison to see the brokenness in this world.  I WANT him to have a broken heart for those that are far from God.  I WANT him to see that not everyone is like him.  I WANT him to see that some children don't get love and attention from their parents at home and maybe that is why they act out at school.  How is he ever going to learn to have compassion for others and love them like Jesus loves them if he doesn't see first hand how broken our world is?

And all of these recent situations started flooding through my mind.

I am GRATEFUL he had class with a kid who acted out (big time) in the classroom last year.  This kid cussed at the teachers, threw desks, ripped up kids' papers and eventually got kicked out of school.  But you know what?  Garrison showed him Jesus.  He tried talking to the kid and being a friend to him.  He tried telling the kid he wasn't going to make friends if he acted that way.  And we talked about this kid and how awful his home life must be if he feels the need to act like that in school.  And we prayed for him.

I am GRATEFUL Garrison was bullied at Alpha Best this past summer.  It was HARD for this mama to watch and my mama bear was right on the edge of coming out.  But you know what?  Garrett had a talk with him about how he had to learn to stand up for himself.  And Garrison conquered the situation - yes, by punching the kid in the face, but trust me, after he slapped, punched and choked Garrison he had it coming.  And Garrison learned independence, self worth and confidence in that situation.  Just to clarify, we do not condone violence but we do want to encourage him to stand up for himself when he is being physically bullied.  

Now, I'm not saying I would have wanted him to be exposed to all of this at once as a 6 year old Kindergartner.  But what I'm saying is I am learning that it is okay, even good, for him to start seeing the brokenness in our world.  How else is he ever going to have the passion to change it if he doesn't see it?

So my revelation today was simple.  I want God, in His time and His way, to break Garrison's heart for what breaks His.  I want him to start shaping and molding my 9 (almost 10) year old into the young man God has designed him to be.  And some days that will mean I need to let go of my control freak, mama bear, protective nature.  Because God is constantly reminding me that these boys are His, not mine.  And while I am entrusted to raise them, a big part of that is showing them that our God is SO much bigger than the brokenness of this world.  And part of our job, as His followers, is to remind this world how great He really is.

Here is a picture of both of my loves this morning.  Ethan started Pre-K B today.  He decided to wear his new (hand me down) Cowboy boots.  Great choice, E!  It may be 100 degrees outside, but great choice!

~Jewels*

Catch Up Time

Oh my gracious... it has NOT been 2 months since I last posted...but it has.

If I'm being honest, my mom brain will not be able to remember everything that has happened over the last two months so I will just share my updated pictures.

I know I'm partial but I mean...c'mon!  <3 

Baseball, baseball and more baseball.  This boy has improved SO much this season and I'm so very proud of him!  AND his Daddy!  

COUSINS <3  At my cousin Kaitlyn's rehearsal dinner

It doesn't get much cuter than this folks.  ;) 

Fun day out with Grammy and Papa.  We had an adventure and took the Dart down to Mockingbird station.  After lots and lots of stairs we made our way to a great little Irish pub.

 

We went to a winery in Rockwall to celebrate my beautiful Mama's birthday!  Excuse the hair...it was pouring down rain all day/night.

Dinner at Bin 303 in Rockwall - amazing food and great atmosphere!

First swim of summer!

My sister and cousin came in town last weekend to celebrate my mom's birthday.  Whadya' know - back at the same winery in Rockwall!  ;)  We had such a great time!

I love this family photo from my cousin Ashli's wedding!

I mean....

He's a little dancing fool!

Family Photo...minus the old timers who left early.  :)

Nana and PawPaw took the boys to a really cool place in Rockwall and this little daredevil didn't waste any time climbing to the top of whatever he could.  Oy vey!

I am loving my newest journey in life.  I have been reading about Plexus for 2 years now and FINALLY decided to give it a try.  (Well, that's not entirely true.  I did try it almost a year ago but it was for about 4 days, I wasn't consistent with it and it was a different product combination than what I'm taking now.)  Anyways, after reading so many testimonials and knowing so many people (health conscious people) who have had great success on this I decided to jump in with both feet.  I not only signed up as a customer but also as an ambassador too.  I wanted to try and track my progress on my blog for those of you who are interested.

Week 1 Update:
I lost 6 lbs!!!
Arms - I lost 2 inches in each arm
Bust - I lost 2 inches in my bust (sorry hubby, haha!)
Tummy - I lost 2.5 inches in my tummy (wooooohoooo!)
Thighs - I lost 1.5 inch in each thigh
TOTAL - 11.5 inches GONE

I can't tell y'all how incredible I feel.  I can't remember the last time I had this much steady (non-jittery) energy.  Here are some things I have noticed just in the first week of taking Plexus products.

• I wake up with energy.  
• I am able to lay down and go right to sleep at night.  
• I have not had one sinus headache.  
• My endometriosis pain has been excruciating the last couple of months and as of last week - completely gone. 
• My allergies are under control.  
• I am no longer having crashes in the afternoon.  
• My cravings are gone.  I pass up sweets with no second thought.  
• I haven't had a coke in over a week.  
• I have reduced my wine intake by about 75% (BIG deal for me).  
• I am no longer bloated.  
• My feet don't hurt (plantar fascitis).  
• I am eating about half what I used to just because I'm not as hungry.

It is truly life changing and I have NO REGRETS for jumping in full force.  If you can't tell, I'm slightly excited.

Check out my website to view the entire product line.  Don't wait like I did to start the journey to a healthier you.  It's SO worth it!

www.jewelsplexus.com 


~Jewels

Skinny Shrimp (or Chicken) Alfredo Pasta - Yowsas!

Y'ALL... you know I'm excited when I start  a sentence with that... I tried this Pinterest recipe the other night and was blown away by how incredibly delicious it was.  I love me a good alfredo sauce and never thought there could be a skinny version as good as the full fat thing.  But there is!  This recipe came from Damn Delicious.  I think the name fits.  :)  We love shrimp in the Thomas house but if you are not a seafood fan you could definitely sub chicken and it would be just as tasty.


Ingredients

• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (I buy the frozen kind)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt (or regular) and ground pepper, to taste
• 8 oz whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 (14.5) oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained (I left these out)
• 1/2 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I used cayenne pepper)
• 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (I left out)

For Alfredo Sauce

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (I used 4 Tablespoons of the pre-minced garlic in a jar)
• 1 Tablespoon flour
• 1 (6 oz) can 2% evaporated milk
• 1 ounce light cream cheese
• 1/4 cup chicken broth, or more, to taste
• Kosher salt (or regular) and ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. To melt the alfredo sauce, melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, about 1-2 minutes.
2. Whisk in flour until thick, about 1 minute.  Gradually whisk in evaporated milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.  Stir in cream cheese and chicken broth until smooth, about 1 minute.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add more chicken broth as needed to reach desired consistency.  *If you have a warmer place the pan of sauce on the warmer.  If not, it's okay to set aside while you move on to the shrimp since you will reheat it later.*
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  
4. Thaw shrimp, if frozen, and remove tails.  Put in bowl and pour in 2 Tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper.  Toss to coat evenly.  
5. Pour shrimp onto greased baking sheet and roast until pink and cooked through, about 6 - 8 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.
6. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain well.
7. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat an 8X8 baking dish with nonstick spray.
8. In a large bowl combine shrimp, pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, red pepper and alfredo sauce.  Add pasta mixture to prepared baking dish and top with Parmesan.
9. Place in oven and bake until golden brown and cheese has melted, about 10 - 15 minutes.

 *Not my photo but it actually came out looking pretty similar*

What's that you say?  You want to see more pics of my handsome guys?  In the words of any successful Chick Fil A employee...My Pleasure!

This boy seriously impresses me.  So much improvement in such a short time.

 Taking a little rest.  That catcher stuff is hard work!

I mean... I really have no words.  This guy truly leaves me speechless sometimes.

Make it a great week, y'all!

*Jewels

Three Months? Too Long!

I cannot believe it has been over three months since I have posted.  I really, really miss putting my random thoughts onto paper computer screen so I will definitely try to post more regularly.

Now...how in the world do I catch you up on the last three months?  I am still loving my (not so new anymore) job.  The people are awesome...seriously, awesome.  My boss is just amazing.  And I'm not just saying that because she might stumble across this post some day.  Ha!  I feel truly blessed to finally be at a place where I can stay for a long, long time.

Garrett is still loving his job and doing great there.  He also has another job that keeps him quite busy these days.  He is the head coach of a select baseball team in Rockwall.  Go Jacks!  I am loving Garrison being back in baseball after taking a season off and he and Garrett are both really enjoying all of the extra time together.  I am so proud of the way Garrett is teaching and encouraging these 9 year old boys.  And after leaving an incredibly close team I am grateful we have some really cool families on this new team.  Here are some baseball pics for ya'!

I mean, seriously, when did he grow up?!

 

Pretty cool shot Ethan got at one of the tournaments while playing with my phone.

Ethan's favorite part of the game is the "1,2,3 JACKS" chant at the end.  He had to be right there with the big boys!  :)

Go #8!  He is still working on batting but this boy is a crazy good catcher.  So proud!

My main man!  <3  

Oh, this guy...he always keeps us laughing (and keeps me running) at games.  I believe he was being a lion in this particular shot.  :)

After losing both of my grandmothers recently there have definitely been some sad times but I truly feel their presence every now and then.  And I love that so many happy memories are being created just after their passing.  My cousin and his wife brought a beautiful baby girl into the world, another cousin recently got married and another cousin will be getting married in a couple of weeks.  There is just something about family that makes everything right in the world.  <3

I have realized lately how incredibly blessed I am to have the extended family I do.  I always knew the Gerbers were a fun, loud, crazy, hilarious bunch but the amount of love that flows through this family is just beyond words.  I am forever grateful to God for placing me with them.

Me and a few of my fav cousins (and most favorite sister) after Kaitlyn's bridal shower.  

Me, the Bride to Be and Ethan... Don't mind those clothespins ;)

At Ashli's wedding...such a fun night!

This guy was a dancing fool!  And he looked like quite a stud, I must say!

We have had a lot of family time lately.  I wonder if these guys will ever realize how lucky they are to have such great grandparents.  Nana, where are you when I need a picture?!

We had a beautiful snow day earlier this year and it was so much fun getting to go out with the boys and play.

And I'll leave you with two of my favorite recent pictures of these adorable boys.  And again I say, God, what did I do to deserve these guys?!

~Jewels*

Joy

I sit here tonight filled with sadness, grief and a sense of deep loss.  We lost my Grandmama today. 

God's love and light shined through her and around her like none I have ever seen.  Ever.  She was a woman full of life, laughter, love and joy.  Her joy was contagious.  It literally spilled out of her and flowed onto everyone in her presence.  The impact she had on her children, their spouses, grandchildren, their spouses, great grandchildren and countless others has been life changing.

I remembered writing a post about Grandmama a couple years back and I re-read that tonight.  Here is a link to the post.  I found myself tearing up, nodding in agreement and selfishly wishing so badly for just one more glimpse of her wisdom tonight.  I keep finding myself wanting just one more of so many things from her.  One more detail from that dream where God revealed something to her.  One more of those beautiful hand painted Santas she gave me every year.  One more I love you.  One more You're my favorite Juliana.

If I had to pick one thing I admired most about Grandmama it would be her unrelenting faith.  She was constantly in prayer and in the presence of God seeking wisdom and discernment.  The evening she went into the hospital I found Ethan with a box she had painted.  My grandmamma was an incredibly talented painter and she loved painting boxes, rocks, anything that could be painted really.  I had this particular box on one of the higher shelves of my china cabinet because it held some sentimental items.  Ethan opened it and pulled out a rock.  It was a rock Grandmama had given me a while back and the message on it was simple.  It said Pray.  So I did.  And I was filled with an incredible sense of joy and peace.  I knew at that moment her time on this earth would not last much longer.  But this rock and its message was and will continue to be a constant reminder to me that I need to remain in prayer and in God's presence.  I am so thankful to her for this reminder.

I went to my parents' house this evening to be with family for a while and right before I got there I heard the song Glorious Day by Casting Crowns on the radio ( http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=FBME01NU ).  It was truly the picture I needed to see to remember the absolute joy Grandmama would have experienced today when she finally got to see Jesus face to face.

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming

One day the skies with His glories will shine

Wonderful day, my Beloved One bringing

My Savior Jesus is mine

Ethan's Adoption Day 

My sister took this picture of Grandmama with our kids just earlier this week. 

I will treasure this always. 

 



 

Thank you Jesus for allowing me to know and love this wonderful creation of yours.

Please help me to have the servant's heart, grace, love, joy, forgiveness, compassion, selflessness and steadfast faith this beautiful woman had.

 

 

"It is His joy that remains in us that makes our joy full."  ~A.B. Simpson