A Thousand Splendid Suns

I just realized I never blogged about this book when I finished it. Oh my, oh my, oh my! I must say I liked this book even more than I liked The Kite Runner. I was moved from beginning to end and lieterally couldn't put it down. I'm glad I finished before school started or my work there could seriously have been neglected! I highly recommend this book. Just as with his last book, Hosseini does not give a warm-fuzzy feel to his latest novel. Instead, you are able to see the rawness of life, even modern-day life, for a woman in Afghanistan. You MUST read it if you haven't! I give it 5 out of 5 stars!

You've Been a Bad, Bad Blogger

I know, I know. I am the queen of harping on my friends who don't update their blogs regulary and here I am WAY behind. Honestly, I haven't had much to report. School started today...it was breezy. I couldn't come up with another word but that one. It was probably the easiest first day I've ever had, and yet stressful all at once. For those of you who don't know, the 2A school district I live and work in has dived into Apple's One-to-One initiative. Meaning each student, 6-12 grades, gets his or her own laptop computer to "lease" for the school year and every year until they graduate. Along with this has been a laptop for every teacher and LOTS of technology integrated into our classrooms. We have some really AWESOME stuff, y'all. I mean I can honestly say I never thought this would happen to me while I was teaching. I am honored and so excited to be a part of it. Well, the "roll-out" hasn't gone as everyone had hoped and there have been some minor (and major) glitches in the plan, but nonetheless we stay hopeful. So, my year should be really interesting.

This weekend we were in St. Lawrence, Texas for the wedding of one of my best friends, Aaron Phillips. SL is about 45 minutes East of Midland. It is a tiny German-Catholic farming community and let me tell you...these people know how to throw a party! The whole town showed up for the reception!! We had a great time but were exhausted when we got home Sunday afternoon.

So, nothing more to report I guess. I'm just ready for this weekend...a trip to Uvalde and Montell for the annual Labor Day horseshoe pitch and visiting with friends and family.

Cotoneaster

What you ask? No, I'm not going to tell you about our experience with Peter Cottontail last April. If you are familiar with this term, then major props to you! I had never heard of it, but then again I have yet to find the gardener in me; shall we say my green thumb is dormant most of the year round. However, since we have purchased our first home I have started to at least get more of an interest in making our yard look "pretty." So, to say that the yards had been neglected is an understatement. There are two types of grasses growing, several overgrown shrubs and some roses in desperate need of pruning and cutting back. We have slowly started this process...getting the grass back to health and rid of weeds and foreign grass invaders, cutting trees back and I took on the daunting task of the front beds. When we moved in, there was a space, about 7x4, in the front that was one BIG...I'm talking HUGE...bonsai-looking, juniper box shrub of some sort. It was hideous mainly because it hid one side of the house. So, Richard literally wenched it out of the ground and I was left with a big, ugly, blank space of red dirt! For the last year I have been trying to figure out something to do with it. One of my coworkers gave me some Vinca vine to plant..."oh, it will spread anywhere..." Ha! I planted it and it spread only in the shady spots...the rest died...even with all the rain we have had this year. Frustrated, I made my way to the local nursery and begged advice from the owners. She recommended the Cotoneaster (pronounced Cuh-Toe-Knee-As-Ter). It is an spreading, evergreen shrub. The best part is it will produce red-purple flowers in the winter and could produce red berries...how festive! Here is a link for more information and pictures. I needed something meeting these requirements: 1.) I could plant it at the beginning of August and it would be okay, 2.) I wanted an evergreen, 3.) It had to spread quickly b/c I'm having a party at the house 9/22, 4.) It had to be easy to take care of, and 5.) It had to be attractive. This meets them ALL and I couldn't be happier! Here are a couple of pics of the front to give you an idea of what it looked like then and now. After some root stimulator, compost, mulch and lots of water and sun, I think it has taken off! Yay! There are still traces of vinca that I decided to leave and see what happened.

Before: When we moved in last year, you can see the juniper shrub to the right of the sidewalk up to the house! Both it and the barrel are now gone!


After: My beautiful COTONEASTER...hopefully it will spread enough to cover the black edging we put in to keep the dirt from sweeping out in the rain or sprinkler system.




I also potted some potato vine that has just TAKEN OFF! AND, Rich devised this pot to keep our hose in...he didn't want to attach a hose reel to the front of the house, so this was his solution. It is a plastic plant pot from Wal-Mart. He cut a hole in the side and fed the hose through and then just coiled it inside. Once we get those shrubs and that part of the yard done, it will look even better but for now it is a great way to keep the hose from tangling and looking trashy!

Oh, and in the pie shaped space on the other side of the sidewalk, I decided to leave it blank for now (besides mulch). For the party I will just set some potted plants in it, or leave it like it is but then next Spring I want to use it for some colorful flowers...petunias, pansies, something like that.

Thought for the Day

Two years ago, I bought one of my first Beth Moore Bible studies to work through alone. It is called Believing God. I really enjoyed it, but had no idea how much more meaning it would have for me years later. I did her study of Daniel through our church women's Bible study group, but have been looking for a few months for something new to start on my own. I bought something the other day and tried to start it, but just couldn't get into it. So, I thought I would get out Believing God again, really just for grins to see what I was thinking about two years ago! After looking through some of it, I decided to do the study again and it has been GREAT! I think it is even better this second time around. It's really interesting to read things I wrote and to be reminded of a different time in my life. I will notice something I have underlined or really adamantly highlighted in some way, and wonder why it was so important at the time as it is not right now. The same is true for new verses or comments that obviously didn't stand out then but definitely do now. So, here is a comment from Beth that stood out to me both then and now. It is based on the faith principle in Matthew 9:29, "According to your faith will it be done to you."

"Deciding to believe God's Word over our circumstances can be a tremendous exercise of the will at times. I'll just go ahead and say it: the great adventure of faith is not for the languid, but if He can raise the dead, He can surely enliven the spiritually lazy! We have been called to a present-active-participle walk of faith, not a park 'n' ride."

If you are interested in doing the study, go HERE. You will have to subscribe to the study, I think it is around $20 and then you can just download the printable materials you will need. There is even a tutorial of how it works if you need it.

TAGGED

I know I just sent this out to some people via email, but I was tagged by my dear friend, Stacie and I couldn't ruin the fun. So, once again, TAGGED x4!
Okay...here it goes...

4 jobs I have had:
1. Nanny
2. Working in a pecan orchard for my grandfather
3. waitress at Pebble Creek
4. teacher

4 films I could watch over & over:
1. The Sound of Music
2. Dirty Dancing
3. Singin' In The Rain
4. Open Range

4 places I have lived:
1. Edna, Tx
2. Uvalde, Tx
3. College Station, Tx
4. Sharon, Vermont (two summers)

4 favorite TV shows:
1. Big Brother 8
2. American Justice/Cold Case Files (any of the true crime on A&E)
3. Pretty much anything on HGTV esp. House Hunters, Buy Me, Curb Appeal
4. Good Morning America (just because I watch it every morning)

4 favorite foods:
1. Shrimp Tempura (well, really pretty much most Asian food)
2. Dead Chicken (as my dad calls it fresh off the grill)
3. Any kind of fruit
4. Ice Cream

4 websites I visit everyday:
1. Yahoo
2. My fellow bloggers
3. Citizens National Bank
4. Childress ISD

4 places I would love to be:
1. The British Isles (esp. Ireland), or Scotland...part of my heritage.
2. On the Frio River
3. In the mountains of New Mexico (Gila National Forest)
4. On the beach in St. Lucia or any other beach for that matter!

4 favorite colors:
1. Maroon
2. Blue
3. Browns
4. Black (that is for clothing...mainly pants!)

4 names I love but could/would not use for my children:
1. Isaiah - you can figure this one out if you know my last name
2. Daniel - associate it with other Daniels I know
3. Madeline - family member has it
4. Cade - famly member has it

Okay, I tag Paige S.

"Peaches for You, Peaches for Me"

When we moved into our house last summer, we were so excited to see a large peach tree in the front yard! I love fruit of ANY type, and I also love the thought of eating something I just picked out of my yard! We anxiously waited peaches last year to no avail! There must have been a late freeze because we didn't even have buds of fruit. Obviously this year we were hoping for better luck! Rich's grandmother lives 30 miles north of us and her peach tree started putting on fruit and ripening in early June. By the end of June we were picking small, but tasty peaches and eating them left and right out of her yard, but ours still wasn't budding. Well, our tree did put some buds on and much to our DELIGHT, we ended up with a gargantuan amount of peaches! They seriously are the best tasting peaches I've ever had! The peaches themselves are much bigger than what you find in the grocery store. Rich says our is the biggest most fertile tree he's ever seen in this area! The branches were literally dragging the ground with the weight of the fruit! Yay! So, the end of the crop is finally here. It lasted almost a month and we have made peach ice cream, peach preserves and have a total of probably 50 bags of frozen peaches in the garage! I have given away peaches and had people come over to pick them out of our yard! I almost felt guilty because there were so many just falling on the ground and rotting but we honestly couldn't keep up. I know I have pictures of the tree itself somewhere but I can't locate them right now. So, here is a picture of our last "harvest" this afternoon. Aren't they beautiful? Oh, how I wish you could taste them through the monitor...they are divine! So, in June I have mulberries in the alley and in July peaches from the front yard. I think I'm going to attempt a vegetable garden next season...it's just so satisfying to grow your own food, you know?

Book Review

I just finished reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I know many of my blogger friends have already read it, but I had to write my own review nonetheless. I have to admit, the story began slowly for me. In fact, my sister-in-law, Amy D. gave it to me to read probably a year ago or so. I started it, put it in my bedside drawer and forgot about it. I just couldn't get into it. Needless to say, I didn't give it the time it deserved. So, I started reading it again after all of the hubub surrounding his newest book, A Thousand Splendid Suns. I wanted to finish The Kite Runner before I began the new one. So, I once again set out to begin reading...only this time, I had company. Rich started reading it too, and before I knew it he was finished and I wasn't! Now I was determined!

So, I finished the book last night and I think it might be one of the best stories I've ever read. It forces such a conglomeration of emotions as you read, and I appreciate that. Hosseini is a master with words, especially in his descriptions of Amir's, the main character, native Afghanistan. This story of true friendship is wrought with agony, nostalgia, separation, heartache and eventual forgiveness. I just got on eBay and bought my copy of his next novel and can't wait to get it!

So, for any of you looking for a good book...I highly recommend this one! It is NOT a light read, so look elsewhere if this is what you wish for. However, when you put this one down after finishing it, you will feel somehow more whole for having done so.

My rating...5 out of 5 stars, even with a slow start!

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy birthday to you...
Happy birthday dear, Marlee!
Happy birthday to you!

My baby schnauzer girl turns ONE today! Marlee has been SO much fun to have around, especially for our Maggie girl...they are best friends! Here are some things to know and love about Marlee Jane Jenkins.

• She was born in Abilene and lived her first couple of months with her momma, daddy and four siblings.
• She didn't cry (except for one tiny whimper) all the way home from Abilene to Childress.
• She was almost named Abi (for Abilene) but her new daddy didn't like how Maggie and Abi sounded together...momma agreed.
• She was named Marlee with two "e's" because her momma didn't want people calling her Bob (even though her daddy does anyway).
• She is what the schnauzer world calls a "phantom." She is black with white/brown accents on her beard, feet, tail/bottom area and her eyebrows. She is bi-racial. Her momma was black and her daddy was salt and pepper.
• She will be slightly smaller than Maggie.
• She takes her food from her bowl to the rug we have in the living room. She is surrounded by tile and hardwood and still chooses the rug as her place to eat!
• She has gotten better about haircuts and baths, but she still hates to have her ears clipped!
• She ADORES her big sister, Maggie and follows her EVERYWHERE!
• She's a cuddler, unlike her sister. Marlee will lay right on top of you and fall fast asleep!
• She LOVES socks! If there is a sock left on the ground, Marlee finds it. My favorite is when she takes one from the dirty clothes pile I'm about to wash and I find it after the wash is finished! It is pretty cute though, when she shakes it in her mouth...so tough!
• She loves car rides and walks.
• She is an ATTENTION HOG! If I'm loving on Maggie and she sees it, Marlee will run as fast as she can and get right in the middle of it.
• She is "shy" when it comes to taking treats and when she gets in trouble...she cowers if I raise my voice at her.
• Rich and I say we have pulled the ultimate younger child non-discipline in her...we were hard on Maggie and she minds 98% of the time. We were so lax with Marlee and she still doesn't know how to sit on command! Ah! I guess we're learning for real children!
• She licks Maggie's ears (yes the inside).
• She loves to wrestle with her big sister and often instigates it!
• She loves to chase cats, especially my parent's cat, B.W.
• We love her VERY MUCH!

When You Ask

Do not ask to have your life's load lightened
But for courage to endure.
Do not ask for fulfillment in all your life,
But for patience to accept frustration.
Do not ask for perfection in all you do,
But for the wisdom not to repeat mistakes
And finally, do not ask for more,
Before saying, "Thank you," for what you
have already received.
-Brenda Short

I still receive the newsletter from my home church in Uvalde, First Presbyterian. This was in August's newsletter and I really liked it so I thought I would share.