My very special birthday......

I don't even know where to begin. For those of you reading that didn't know, yesterday was my 30th birthday. It was a day I was not too excited about celebrating, to be honest. I assumed it would be spent dwelling on all the things in my life that I had not accomplished and didn't have that I wanted so much. I thought I would be sad and depressed and I thought it would be just another day. Oh, how I was wrong. God, through my absolutely wonderful family and friends, gave me way more than 30 reasons to celebrate and instead of allowing me to think about what I didn't have, reminded me constantly throughout the weekend of how many blessings I DO have!

I've been so excited to tell this story. I don't know how many times throughout my birthday weekend I thought about how fun it would be to blog it all! So, bare with me. Here goes.

It all began Friday. I woke up and wasn't very excited, nor was I in a very good mood. I was pleasantly surprised by my co-workers when I got to school. They had a "30 Reasons to Celebrate" party for me. I got 30 toothpicks to pick out the good in myself and others, 30 roses (which were beautiful!!!), 30 red hots (because I'm still red hot-isn't that a joke!!!), 30 pennies to match a day's pay (teachers appreciate that one), and lots of other very nice gifts. It was absolutely wonderful and initiated a huge change in my mood. After school was over, I took off to travel to Birmingham to see Cortney. All I knew about our night was that it involved PF Chang's, which is reason in and of itself to travel two hours! We arrived at the restaurant and Cortney told me that some of her friends were going to meet us there for dinner. That was great with me, I was just excited to be there! As I'm watching for "Laura" to come around the corner, one of my favorite people in the entire world walked in. It was none other than Brad Buck. He's a great friend from Auburn that I don't get to see much anymore. What a surprise! I had no clue. Brad and I were talking, as I thought we were waiting on another of Cort's friends to show up. Little did I know, minutes later Amy Cooper Oliver and Alison Glenn Liggin walked in. I was totally shocked! Cort surprised me with dinner and an awesome time with old friends. It was absolulely amazing. I can't tell you how special I felt, for these three extremely special people to travel just to stay long enough to have dinner with me on my birthday. Girls and Brad if you're reading, thank you. I will NEVER forget it.

After dinner was over, we were off to my next surprise. Cort had given me a gift to open. It was a Velveeta cheese box with a spool of thread and a fake gold coin inside. Cort said she put that in there to fool me, that the real gift was what was on the note inside. It read as follows: Amy's turnin 30! And it's sho' gone be fun! We gots to liven dat gurl up Fo' she turns into a nun! So get yo dancin shoes on cause it's sho gone be a delight. We gone to go to WorkPlay to see Dave Barnes tonight!!!" I was so excited! If you've never heard Dave Barnes-go now and buy a CD. His music is awesome, but his personality is equally wonderful. He was so funny! The concert was wonderful!

We slept in a little bit Saturday morning and I was headed back to Florence to meet Mom, Aunt Vicki, and Uncle Tim for lunch.....so I thought. I arrived to find Mom, Paige, Brooke, Amy G., and a big table with lots of extra chairs! Evidently, I got there before I was supposed to because I beat most of the other guests! Shortly after, in walked Gena, Bridgett, Melodie, Scarlett, Meredith, Julie, and.......CORTNEY!!!! She totally surprised me again and drove back to Florence to spend the rest of my birthday weekend with me. We had birthday cake and enjoyed time together. I was totally surprised and in awe of what a good birthday I was having. Little did I know, it wasn't over yet.

Melodie and Will offered to cook dinner for Cort and I last night. We were to be at their apartment around 7:00. We were running a little bit late, so I was rushing to get over there in time. I knocked and opened the door to "SURPRISE!" That's right-another surprise party with wonderful friends that totally made my day.

I can't really even put into words what this entire weekend has meant to me. I think God worked through so many people to answer so many prayers in the past two days. I needed to find hope and I needed some reassurement. I got that a hundred fold. I felt so special, a feeling that I won't allow myself to feel often enough. I tear up even as I write this. My birthday was amazing. I was expecting nothing and I thought I could never be surprised. Boy, was I wrong! To those of you reading that had a part in making my day so amazing...THANK YOU! I will never, ever forget my 30th! I hope it's a sign of what's yet to come! I love you guys!!!

P.S. Once again, blogger disappoints and won't let me post pictures. :(

Look how they've grown!

Lots of people have been asking me about the triplets, not just lately but as always. Here's a recent picture I thought I'd share. Can you believe how much they've grown? Each one is around 6 pounds now, I believe. They're doing so well!

Update on the sweet and sour chicken

I found that I'm not the only one that is a fan of the crockpot! Thanks to those of you that commented and shared ideas. That was great! Now on to my update on the sweet and sour chicken. On a scale of 1-10, I would give it a 4.5. It was decent, but I was disappointed. First of all, there was way too much liquid leftover after it was finished cooking. I'm sure that was partly due to the fact that my chicken wasn't totally thawed when I put it it. Second, it wasn't very "sweet and sour." It tasted like regular chicken baked with bell peppers. That's all I could taste, unless I was eating some pineapple. I couldn't taste the soy sauce, catalina dressing, or pineapple juice. So girls (and guys if there are any reading), I'd pass this recipe up and keep looking for others! I'm going to do that. I'll re-post those that are a success!!!!

Just call me Paula Dean...Browning!

So, with school starting back, Mom and I come home around 4:00 dead tired and the last thing we want to do is cook. Eating out is too expensive, not to mention not very healthy. So, I had the idea to pull out the ole crockpot. Let me tell you....not only have I reconnected with my hobby of cooking, but it was been wonderful to come home and dinner already be cooked! I've been in the kitchen today chopping up some of the ingredients I will throw into Freda (what I have named the crockpot) in the morning. I've never been so excited about something in a long time! HA! I thought I'd share the recipe I'm trying tomorrow (plus a few notes of my own), in case any of you can relate to being tired at the end of a long workday and wishing you had pre-planned dinner.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken

1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced
1 medium celery stick (gross, leave that out)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite size pieces)
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup Catalina dressing
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp. grated gingerroot (what is that??? I'm leaving it out)
1 can (8 oz.) pineapple chunks, drained, liquid reserved
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 medium green pepper, sliced
1 medium red pepper, sliced
4 1/2 cups hot, cooked minute white rice (I bought brown b/c I like it better)
**I'm adding mushrooms-howevermany (is that a word??) you want

Place onions, carrots, and celery (in which there is none for me) in slow cooker. Top with chicken.

Add combined brown sugar, dressing, soy sauce, and ginger. Cover with lid.

Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours (or high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours). During last 30 minutes of cooking time, increase to high. Stir cornstarch into reserved pineapple liquid; add to slow cooker along with the pineapple and peppers. Cook 30 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender and sauce is thickened. Serve over rice.

"He's Still Working On Me...."

School is back in session. This is our second week already. I am actually enjoying myself for the most part and am liking being back in the classroom. My goal is to have a better attitude this year. I'm trying to be positive, less stressed, and more patient. So far I think I've done a pretty good job!

We go to chapel first thing every morning. Hearing over 200 children sing praises to our Lord is absolutely precious. This morning, we sang a song that I've known for years and years. It's called "He's Still Working On Me."

He's still working on me.
To make me what I ought to be.
It took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars,
the sun and the Earth and Jupiter and Mars.
How loving and patient He must be, 'cause He's still working on me."

It wasn't until this morning though, that I thought more about the words and was so thankful that my story is a work in progress and my God is still molding and making me into the person He wants me to be. That's all I want, is to be pleasing to Him.

Today was a wonderful day. I am so incredibly blessed and am in awe of how amazing God is. I'm off now to go see Gates become a child of God. If that's not icing on the cake for today, I don't know what is.

Video! Video!

So I still can't post any of my other pictures....makes me mad. Scarlett-thanks for sharing the youtube idea. I couldn't help myself. I found a few clips from the concert in B'ham the other night so I had to insert the links. The first one is Taylor singing "Do I Make You Proud." It definitely doesn't come anywhere close to comparing to hearing it live like we did Tuesday. Listen to him at the very end. He says, "Roll Tide, War Eagle." So cute. The second one is Mandisa and Ace performing "I'm Your Angel." Third, Chris sings "Dead or Alive." Next, Ace, Elliott, Chris, and Bucky sing "Patience." The harmony was amazing, I thought! Last, a fan outside a concert somewhere up north films as the idols sing autographs and talk to fans. It's really neat!!!


http://youtube.com/watch?v=VJ-1jipE5Ms

http://youtube.com/watch?v=N2PsvrEZGWM&search=Birmingham%20Alabama

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LLf3M0gbMus

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q7kA44tM08k

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vErT0kbn278

Speechless-

*Blogger won't let me post all the pics. I will try to add more later. However, I have to say these are pretty good. The one of Taylor looks like it's from a magazine!!!*

I don't even know where to begin. It's been months since the finale of American Idol. You all know I had a bit of an obsession with Taylor, hence the picture of him every week. But, time had passed and it died down a little. I was still excited to see him at the concert, however I wasn't expecting what I experienced. Can I just say, the obsession is back!!!!!!!!!!!!! Taylor Hicks is AWESOME!!! He came out singing Jailhouse Rock in his purple, velvet jacket. His performance of "Do I Make You Proud" almost brought tears to my eyes. He was obviously overwhelmed with the support of his fellow Alabamians. He brought his very own camera on stage and told the audience to smile as he snapped some shots (however I was watching him through the lens of my own camera-see below). He left the harmonica for last, I was wondering when it was coming. He was amazing! He danced his socks off. I think life came full circle for Taylor last night. Unbelievable.

The other idols sounded awesome too. Poor Pickler had a rough night. She only did one song by herself and sang one from Grease with Bucky. It wasn't great. Chris was wonderful. Lisa Tucker is a new favorite. The show didn't do her justice. She played the piano and sang her heart out. Mandisa rocked. Poor Katherine was limping from the fracture to her foot. She was wearing one of those big ole boots! She sang my two favorites- "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." She was incredible. Of course, Elliott, bless his heart, was precious. He came on stage wearing an Alabama hat. Even though I am totally opposed, I have to admit he looked cute.

I can't say enough about the concert. The entertainment was priceless. It was worth every penny and more. The company was just a blessing-Cortney, Gena, Bridgett, Meredith, Trina, Shannan, and Scarlett. We had such a great time. My eyes are tired today, but my soul is refreshed! Praise God for giving us such experiences. It will definitely go down in the memory books.

Before I get to the pictures.....The funniest thing happened on our long treck back to the car. We were walking along the sidewalk when we all noticed someone off to the side selling CDs. When we looked closely, it was none other than Corey Clark- Paula's so-called "showmance." He was begging for attention and wanting us to come and talk to him. I declined, but did want a picture. As you can see, he was glad to oblige!

Yea Josh! (from mlb.com)

MIAMI -- One pitch was all Josh Willingham needed to deliver one of the most dramatic Marlins wins of the season.
Willingham blasted a first-pitch Billy Wagner fastball over the left-field wall in the ninth inning for a two-run walk-off homer that gave the Marlins a stunning 6-5 win over the Mets in front of 16,641 at Dolphin Stadium.

Pinch-hitting for Alfredo Amezaga, Willingham lined his 16th homer, giving the Marlins a thrilling win in the series opener that seemed destined to be won by the Mets.

Wagner, who has been unable to convert five of 27 save attempts, gave up a leadoff single to Miguel Olivo. Wes Helms' pinch-hit sacrifice bunt advanced Olivo, and Willingham stepped up for Amezaga.

The walk-off homer was the first by the Marlins in 186 games, the longest drought in the Major Leagues. The last time it happened, ironically, also was a win over the Mets. On May 29, 2004, Mike Lowell went deep against Braden Looper.

In 47 games, Wagner (3-2) has now yielded five home runs.

Willingham's fifth homer in five games over four days (he belted three in a split doubleheader at Philadelphia on Sunday) set off a celebration at home plate. Knowing he would be mobbed by teammates, Willingham flipped off his helmet as he rounded third base, hoping that would ease the beating he would take. It didn't.

"I just did it because I knew they were going to pound me on the head," Willingham said of flicking off his helmet. "I was hoping they wouldn't do it as much with my helmet off. It didn't seem much to matter."

My strength for today.....

God's word continues to not only amaze me, but provide me with strength, courage, and hope. I thought I'd share two passages. The first one I came across today, the other is one I read a little while ago and has now become a favorite because it reminds me of how personal God's love for us is. I find so much comfort in that! I hope this gives everyone reading a glimpse of how incredibly awesome our God is and how many, many things we have to praise Him for.

I bless God every chance I get, my lungs expand with his praise. I live and breathe God; if things aren't going well, hear this and be happy: Join me in spreading the news; together let's get the word out. God met me more than halfway, he freed me from my anxious fears. Look at him; give him your warmest smile. Never hide your feelings from him. When I was desperate, I called out, and God got me out of a tight spot. God's angel sets up a circle of protection around us while we pray. Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see-how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him.
-Psalm 34:1-8

The secret sources of ocean were exposed, the hidden depths of earth lay uncovered the moment God roared in protest, let loose his hurricane anger. But ME he caught-reached all the way from sky to sea; he pulled ME out of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos, the void in which I was drowning. They hit ME when I was down, but God stuck by ME. He stood ME up on a wide-open field, I stood there saved-surprised to be loved! God made my life complete when I placed the pieces before him. When I cleaned up my act, he gave me a fresh start. Indeed, I've kept alert to God's ways, I haven't taken God for granted. Every day I review the ways he works, I try not to miss a trick. I feel put back together, and I'm watching my step. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.
-2 Samuel 22:16-25