Whoa...Where Did That Come From??

Ever had one of those days, or two, or three, where you feel like the rug is just constantly being ripped out from under you emotionally, from every area of your life? Where everything suddenly catches you off guard and you wonder if maybe you just really haven't been paying attention; cause if you were, in fact, paying attention, maybe those things wouldn't have thrown you for such a giant loop?
Ever had one of those days, or two, or three, where when each day is finally over you feel like you have been whipped around on a roller coaster and now you just want off that ride? Where you wake up in the morning wondering if you actually had that conversation or if you had just had a bad dream? Where every misunderstanding is shocking to you?
Ever had one of those days, or two, or three, Where you just feel emotionally raw? Where you just want to go crawl up in bed and have a good cleansing cry? Where you really wish you could blame it all on "Aunt Flo" cause at least that would make some sense, but you can't cause it isn't even her week to visit you? Where you just wonder, What the mess...Where did that come from??

Ever had one of those days, or two, or three, where you know that you must cling to the truth of God's word, knowing that He never fails? Where you have to repeat over and over "I am clothed with strength and dignity" (Prov. 31:25) and "Take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5)? Where you have to consistently surrender all those burdens once again to the Lord? Where He is proven once again to be full of love and mercy, as He lifts you up again?

Ya, me too...

Reality Check Inc. ~ I Love My Job

I love my job! I really do! I work as a presenter for Reality Check Inc.
I love that I work for an organization, that despite obstacles, continues to press on in faith and confidence, believing that He is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine!
I love that I get to work for an amazing person who is strong, passionate about what she does, loving, has the utmost integrity, has a marriage that I can look up too, deserves my respect, and can always be trusted! :)
I love the people I work with and their passion for what we do.
I love the life-long friendships that I have made with the great Reality Check employees.
I love that I get to talk to young people about their futures and the consequences, both positive and negative, for the choices that they make.
I love that we talk to them honestly about their sexual activity.
I love giving them up-to-date medical information.
I love being able to finally get them to understand that "Sex is anything, for the top of your head to the tip of your toes in someone else's underwear zone, or their anything in yours".
I love being able to tell them that EVERY choice matters.
I love hearing the incredible goals they have set for their futures.
I love it when they trust me enough to ask questions.
I love questions, it shows me that they really want to be informed.
I love being able to head up X-Factor Games, because it's so much fun!
I love laughing with them.
I love telling them, some for the first time, that they are valuable and that they have worth.
I love looking at their faces as they "get it".
I love telling them that we believe that they are strong enough to set goals and boundaries and stay in them.
I love getting to know all the coaches/teachers, especially when they get into playing the games with us!
I love playing the integrity game, it's my favorite!
I love explaining integrity and honor.
I love pointing out the kids who are showing great integrity.
I love giving the students the opportunity to call out their classmates who are showing honor, and listening as they do!
I love it when the definition of integrity "clicks" and they begin to understand that they can live it!
I love reading their awesome comment cards.
I love when I read that they have changed their minds and are choosing to save their sex for marriage, because they understand their value and the value of their future.
I love that we are changing students' worldviews, therefore changing their beliefs, values, and ultimately their behavior toward a positive future!

I guess, in short, I just really love young people and I really LOVE my job!!!

We are currently preparing for Dancing with the NWA Stars event to benefit Reality Check Inc. and we are very excited about it!

Meet our "Stars" and find out more about our Dancing with the NWA Stars 2010 event here ~ http://www.realitycheckincorporated.blogspot.com/2010/08/dancing-wthe-nwa-stars.html

Also, please take a look at our website to find out more about Reality Check Inc, our impact in the community, and to submit your votes for your favorite "Star" ~ http://www.realitycheckinc.org/

Twilight Run and New Balance

Heritage High School Cross Country team hosted their 2nd Annual Twilight 5K Run on Monday! The boys ran the One Mile Fun Run!

Stretching those legs! Getting focused!


Hunter got 2nd place ~ 7.22 minutes! Check out that form!!!

Braden came in 3rd place ~ 7.52 minutes! Laying it all on the track!

So proud of my little runners! They obviously get their running skills from their mother....HAHAHAHA....ok ok so maybe they get it from their Cross Country/Track and Field Coach Daddy who has just been signed on to be sponsored by New Balance! That's right my awesome, handsome, talented, athletic hubby is being sponsored to run in road races by our local New Balance store!He has an official New Balance jersey to wear while he runs (which he did not have yet when these pics were taken), and he also gets free running shoes! Yep, he is that good! :)I am one proud wife! I love my little family of runners! I'm the cheerleader, as the boys would say! PS. Lee won that race he is running in in the pictures!!! And he won it by a long shot!

First Day of School

Yesterday was the first day of school. I am a absolutely, positively not a fan of the first day of school. I have cried every first day of school since Hunter started kindergarten. I really love having my boys home with me. I like them and I like having them around! My babies are now in the 2nd and 3rd grade. I can NOT believe it!!!Hunter is in Mrs. Hignight's class and he loves her already. He has several friends in his class this year and is very excited about being able to do a science fair project this year! Braden is in Mrs. Brannan's class and really doesn't like change...it is going to take him awhile to get used to 2nd grade. He is however happy that one of his best friends from last year is in his class with him! He also has set up a system for them to meet up with their other friends from last year to play at recess...I'm telling you, the boy likes having a routine! :)
Lee and I are praying everyday for the boys and for our family's impact on the public school system that we are a part of! We are praying that our boys will be salt and light in their classes and in their school! The Lord has them where they are for a purpose. He has us, as their parents, in contact with those teachers and fellow parents for a purpose. He has Lee at that school, teaching PE, interacting with those students, teachers, administration, and parents for a purpose and a reason! We are salt and we are light, may we be saltier and brighter than ever this '10-'11 school year!

St. Louis Fun

A couple of weeks ago, Lee and I took the boys to St. Louis on a mini family vacation! It was SO much fun!!!
We rented a vehicle to drive up there since it was expected to be 105+ degrees in St. Louis and our vehicles don't have the best air conditioning systems...which, by the way, it reached 110+ degrees while we were there! YUCK!! Anyway, we reserved a compact car...when we went to pick it up, this was waiting on us~Yep...after a moment of shock and some laughter, we decided to squeeze in and call it a part of the adventure. Other than the fact that the drivers seat belt smelled like it had been soaked in B.O. for about a week...It was actually really great...we could fit into some small, but fantastic parking places! The boys named it "Big Ben"!
Let me pause to say that the Garmin GPS system...saves our vacation marriage! HAHA! No trying to read and communicate over a map, which of the eight lanes to be in! Thank you, Lord for giving somebody the wisdom to invent that little miracle! Why did we wait so long to get one? :)
We visited the City Museum in the Downtown area. It was the most fun our family has ever had! So cool! It was difficult to get pictures though, because we were climbing, crawling, and playing as much as the boys were! We will DEFINITELY go back! But next time we will go when it is a bit cooler! :)







One of the boys favorite shows on television is Man v. Food on the Travel Channel! So before we went, I looked up the places that he eats at while in St. Louis. We went to two of those places (again, Thank you Garmin GPS)! It was very cool! The boys LOVED it! Here we are at Pappy's smokehouse ~

SOOOOOO yummy!!!!

And then we went and had malts at Crown Candy Kitchen ~


Ice cream so good, it had to come from heaven! :)

We also went to the zoo...which is 1. A really great zoo and 2. Is free...so that makes it even better!!!




Can't wait for our next mini-vacation!

Fall's Creek 2010

Summer is almost over and man, it's been busy and gone by WAY to quickly! So busy, that I haven't even posted about taking our youth to Fall's Creek! That was at the end of June and it was life changing...for all of us, not just the students! The theme was SENT ~ John 17:18 "As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world."

The Men ;)
Sweet Girls

That week changed our group completely! It woke us up...rocked our comfortable world completely...gave us the swift kick in the pants that we needed!!! There is a lost and dying world out there, and we walk by it, live in it, and encounter it EVERYDAY! Why are we not telling them about the Truth that lives in us? We are sent...it's not an option, or something that will come in the future when we think we are ready...it's NOW, it's who we are right now...WE ARE SENT by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to reach into the darkness with the light of Jesus Christ. We are ready to get busy with what we were supposed to already be doing!
God has blessed our youth group in HUGE ways...we had 5 young people come to know the Lord at camp and our kids have lead 10+ people to the Lord since then, He has given them burdens for friends and family and a boldness to witness to them. He has changed Lee and I as well. He has given us burdens and a boldness like we have never had before! We can't wait to see all the things that the Lord has in store for us, for our church, and for these amazing students!