True Story

A son says to his father, "Dad would you be willing to run a marathon with me?"

Father, despite his age and a heart disease says, "Yes"

And they run that marathon together.

The son asks, "Dad can you run another marathon with me?"

Again the father says, "Yes"

Then the son asks his father if he would do the Iron Man with him which is the

toughest triathlon in existence; 2.4 mile swim, then 112 miles by bike, and finally 

another marathon 26.2 miles running, in one stroke.

The father says Yes again.

Now watch the video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJMbk9dtpdY

CRISIS SITUATION...Operation Tick!!!

I was hesitant to write about this because it is nasty and I'm afraid of what people might think, but I promised myself I would be real and honest on this blog so here goes...

WE GOT TICKS!  

Yes, ticks.  

My brother and his wife noticed a few on their dog one day and even a few on their bed!  Yikes!  And their dog sleeps on these floor pillows I made for the living room that they take to their bedroom at night.  In the morning the pillows go back to the rug in the living room.  

Now I'm not sure if the dogs carried them in and one just had 1,000 babies, but a few days after we found ticks on Oso, we found ticks on those pillows and on the rug.  

Mayela and I were home when we discovered this was a CRISIS SITUATION.  A few ticks on one pup is one thing, but ticks on the rug and on the pillows, well...this is cause for major alarm!!!  CALL THE BOYS, TELL THEM TO LEAVE WORK AND COME HOME!   

Mayela and I panicked and got to work.  We bought a powder and put it down on the rugs and in all the bedrooms.  We washed our bedding and gave the house a good clean.  

For a couple days we were dealing with the tick issue.  We would bathe the dogs, treat the yard, and continue to put powder down in the house.  It was not fun and just thinking about them made me itch all over.  A few times it was hard to eat because I had visions of exploding ticks in my head!  Yeah, we stepped on quite a bit and they would explode and leave splatters of blood on the floor.  Told you it wasn't pretty!  

And just when I would take a breath and think we had won the war, I would find another baby tick on the dog and one where she had laid down!  

The whole point to this story is to gross you out,  NO, NOT REALLY!  My point is that this was a crisis.  I couldn't see past it at times.  I was HCSO (hardcore stressed out!) and thought eventually there might be nothing more we can do but burn the place down.  

I lost all hope and I shut down.  I thought to myself..."hmmm...I would really like to just sleep through this whole problem and wake up when scott had fixed it."  

"SCOTT, I NEED A TYLENOL PM PLEASE, IMMEDIATELY!"

I know that's silly and on some level a bit unhealthy, but sometimes that's what I do. I like to sleep through my problems and hope they will be all better when I get up.  

I'm not a problem solver, and I tend to stress out pretty easily.  Those two together, well, I'm surprised Scott has stuck with me!  

Anyway, this whole situation made me realize how I like to escape some of my problems and not deal with them.  But yet when others come to me and tell me their problems, I can so easily give advice.  Good advice too!  Most of the time based on my personal experience.  And I brainstorm and sometimes obsess about how I can fix their problem.

Why can't I solve my own problems?  

It's like when family therapists have really horrible home life and major family issues.  Or when doctors smoke, OR...or when marriage counselors are divorced (is that fair?).  

Sometimes it's easier to fix other's problems than our own.  And sometimes the advice I give to others is advice I don't follow myself.  

Anyway, Scott and I fogged the house this weekend and have treated the dogs with some pretty expensive topical treatments.  Cross your fingers AND say a little prayer that this is the end of the ticks because if I find any more I might be asking if I can come stay with you.  ;)

REDEMPTION

Someone once said that we are addicted to shows like EXTREME MAKEOVER and EXTREME MAKEOVER HOME EDITION because those are stories of REDEMPTION.

We love to see something old and ugly and broken be turned into something new, whole, and beautiful!  

I agree.

I love taking pictures of improvements we make on our house and our garden.  Since Scott is such a handyman I always grab my camera and take pictures before he starts his project and then after.  

I think I enjoy seeing this process take place because it's redemption in a real and practical way.  

Here are just a few REDEMPTION photos.  They are not too exciting, just some tiny examples, so send me some of yours if you have any!  

Our fireplace

Something old, ugly, broken, and PEACH!

AHHHH!

Wow!  Our Bedroom when we first moved in...

Everything is better in Blue!  Well, and Brown.

Our yard

And then...

...AND then...

...AND THEN...

The living room

A few heavy trash days later...

Before we were married...

Sometime later...

And still being REDEEMED!

Confessions

Sometimes I compare myself to others.  Ok, ALL the time I compare myself to others.  

It's a horrible way to live, an ugly thing to do, but still I do it quite often.

It is never a conscious decision, I actually just started realizing how often I do it.

  

Why can't I have her straight hair?  Why does she get the gorgeous kids?  Why can't I be more ambitious like her?  Wow, she's a doctor and I make coffee for a living!  

You know what I mean.  Or maybe you don't.  

From there I put people in appropriately labeled boxes.  I decide they are a certain way, they do certain things, they don't do certain things.  I make assumptions.  Scott always tells me not to make assumptions, do I listen?    

But then I find out something about that person that surprises me.  Nothing bad, just something I already decided they didn't do or weren't like.  

I think that's why I enjoy Donald Miller and Anne Lamott's writings.  They are well known Christian writers with amazing stories and then you find out something like...oh, they smoke cigarettes.

And not that I care that they smoke cigarettes, I just didn't put them in the box with other people that smoke cigarettes.  

So I decided that I'm probably not the only person who makes assumptions about other people.  I'm probably not the only person that compares myself to others.  

And I know that when I found out Donald Miller smoked, it made him more human, more relatable.  Don't you think so?  And when I realized Anne Lamott was a crazy hippie nut, I couldn't help but love her even more!  

So here are my confessions.  These are the things that maybe you decided I didn't do or wasn't like.  Some I'm not proud of, like the whole comparing thing, and others are just what make me me.  

And I know we all have these things in our lives.  So here's the deal, I'm going to go first and then if you have been dying to confess or feel like being vulnerable and exposing yourself, here's your opportunity!  YEA!

1. I love celebrity gossip!  It's true, I do.  I tried to fight it, but I can not get enough of john and kate plus 8 and all their drama.  I think I am most obsessed with the love triangle between Angelina, Brad, and Jennifer.  Scott and I have a deal, if I go grocery shopping alone I get to purchase one of my girlie gossip magazines!  Hooray!  

2. I like to curse.  Sometimes I find it necessary, like when I lost my friend's dog and then I thought I had lost him again!!!  "*&%#$!"  But then I realized he was sleeping under the tree.  "*&^%$#@!"  

3. Um...I can watch reality TV all day.

4. I take off all my facial hair with facial NAIR.  Believe it!  Have you ever seen my sideburns???  EXACTLY!  

5.  I feel uncomfortable without makeup.  I don't like to leave the house without my makeup on.  My sisters would say it doesn't help or I don't apply it correctly.  I'm sorry, I just really love blush!  

6. I used to smoke.  I quit months ago, but occasionally I miss it.  

7.  I am very jealous.  It's ugly, I know.  

8. I can't pray out loud.  It's weird for me.  I don't do it.  

9.  I wear a headwrap everyday.  You might be thinking that's not a confession, I just have really great style.  Nope, I wear them because I pull out my hair when I don't have one on.  

10.  I love hip-hop and rap music!  I really just like the beat, the rhythm, but if some of those lyrics were put in a rock song I would be appalled and wouldn't listen to it!  

I think that's enough for today.  

Thanks.  You can take me out of some of those boxes now.  

Dolomite's Travels

This week Scott and I are taking care of a few pups, Lemon and her brother Dolomite.  We are dog sitting for some friends who are out of town. 

On July 4th we were hanging out with family all day and when we returned home we were greeted by LEMON at the front door.  That little devil had escaped from the backyard!

When Scott went to let the other dogs in from outside we discovered Dolomite was no where to be found.  

Now how do I explain Dolomite? 

He is probably the sweetest pup that has ever lived.  He loves to be pet and just sleep all day. He rarely makes trouble and some would call him a chick magnet.  All the ladies love and adore Dolomite!  My friends adopted him after he was left by his owners at the vet.  And he's got this one bloodshot eye so when he gives you his adorable puppy face, your heart can't help but melt and want to give him all the treats his little heart desires!!!  Oooopsy!  

So Scott and I got in our car and rolled the windows down yelling for Doli as we drove around the neighborhood.  

We thought maybe he got scared of the fireworks and fueled by this fear he was able to jump a six foot fence.  We figured he would find his way back in the night or someone had taken him in and we would get him back the next day.

So we went to bed.

The next morning we made flyers and called our friends to let them know their beloved pup went missing.  

Then we filled out missing dog reports online, put a listing out on craigslist and kingwood.com, and called all the shelters and vets leaving a description of Doli just in case someone brought him in.  

Two days went by and nothing.  

I decided to pray for Doli and I asked others to do the same.  

We put up more signs and took Lemon for a long walk to see if she could sniff out her lost brother.  

Nothing.

July 7th came and I was giving up hope.  

I tried to see the positive in this situation.  With Dolomite gone my friends would save money.  Or they would have less pet hair to sweep up.  Or they wouldn't have to use so many candles or air fresheners to cover up the smell of Doli.  He's a tad stinky.  Not that your house is stinky Jen, remember I'm trying to find some positive things here.  Or they can adopt and save a life of another pet.  

But I was sad and felt awful that their beloved pup went missing under our care.  So I decided to go out searching for him myself, only I got lost!  I had to call Scott to guide me home.

I got home and felt defeated by this whole situation.  

Then finally around 4:00 I received a text from Scott that said the vet called and thinks we have a match for DOLI!  

I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! But I told myself to not get too excited just in case it was not him.

A few hours later Scott and I were on our way to see if this found pup was indeed Doli.  We ended up driving pretty far to a place in Kingwood I have never been.  

We pulled up to the house and there was Doli on a leash, wagging his tail, waiting for us!!!  

I was so thrilled!  It was a CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!

We got out of the car and I let Doli know how naughty he was, then I kissed him.  

The couple that had him lived over two miles away from us.  No where near to where we were hanging up signs and looking.  Doli had traveled far and crossed two major streets and hid in between this couple's trash bags to escape from the noise of the fireworks.  

They brought him in and made him a place to sleep and gave him a new name...BABY!  The lady told us if we wanted to ever find another home for him, she wanted him.  Well of course, no surprise there that Doli won over yet another woman's heart!  

We thanked them profusely and brought the pup home.  Then we called everyone who knew he went missing and gave them the good news!  It was a Christmas in July Miracle indeed!  

WELCOME HOME DOLI!  And Jennifer and Dany, we totally understand if you never let us watch him again.  

Oh, he might be a bit fatter from all the treats I  just had to give him!!!  

PRAYER

Lately I have been thinking a lot about prayer.  

Back when I was younger and I still believed God revolved around me and my life, I used to pray selfish prayers.  I would pray for silly things like front row parking at the grocery store or for my stretch marks to magically disappear.  And then I would pray those desperate prayers where I basically begged God for something that I believed I NEEDED.

I remember praying in high school for a relationship.  I told God that I didn't care if I got hurt, I just wanted this certain boy to like me. 

WOW, what a mistake that was!   Let me tell you, I never prayed like that again.  

Then somewhere along the way, sometime after India, right about the time I realized it's us that revolve and rotate around God, my prayers changed.  

I started thinking that God is God.  He does what He wants.  He works where He wants and how He wants.  My prayers can't change His mind or convince Him of anything.  

But unfortunately it turned out that after I eliminated the request portion of my prayer time, I didn't have much to say.  

I decided that if He wanted to provide Scott with a raise, then He would.  And if He wanted my skin to clear up and my hair to grow long and luxurious, then He would do just that.  I didn't need to make my requests known to Him...He's God, HE ALREADY KNOWS!  

The biggest dilemma was when friends would ask me to be praying for them.  How could I ask God to comfort someone else or provide them with a job if I didn't feel like I could ask Him for those things in my own life?  Most of the time I would tell my friends I was going to "be thinking" about them.

At church this month we are going over prayer.  I was advised to read Mark 11:20-25.  The first part talks about moving mountains but then it says...

That's why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you'll get God's everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it's not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins." 

Now I'm still not sure why it's ok or necessary to pray for the small things like rain or raises or babies (small as in size).  

I'm not sure why God would even care about the details. 

But He does.  

Maybe He asks us to pray for all things so we can always be mindful that He is our Provider, our Comforter, our EVERYTHING.  Maybe I should pray for the small things to remind myself that I don't have as much control as I like to believe I do.  Or maybe it's because He just wants to hear from me because He loves me.

Makes sense to me.  I still have many more questions on prayer and what it means, how it works, and what it looks like.

But last night as I laid in bed listening to the thunder, I remembered my $125 water bill we rung up last month to keep our garden alive, and I prayed.

I prayed for RAIN!   

For those of you who don't live in Houston...it finally rained last night for the first time in months!  

The Fourth

My sister came down to visit us for fourth of July.

We all met at my parents' house.  My mother answered the door and we had a big laugh because we were both wearing a dark blue shirt with white pants.  

A few minutes later my sister walked downstairs and...

She was wearing the same thing!

We couldn't believe we all dressed alike.

It pays to be a SNODGRASS

I always dreamed of being a "CRYSTAL BLOSSOM SMITH"  or "CRYSTAL BLOSSOM JONES"

I would play that game that all girls play.  You know, the one where you "try on" the last name of the boy you are interested in at the time.  I would say it out loud to see how it sounded, to see if it flowed.  Sometimes I would even practice writing my signature with my new pretend last name.  

I just always wanted a white, excuse me, caucasian last name.  No more BERUMEN!  No one can ever pronounce it and it's just a blah sounding name (sorry daddy).  

I couldn't wait for the day when I got my new white last name! 

Now I can remember the first email I received from Mr. Scott Snodgrass.  I only knew him as Scott so when I saw his funny email address I thought perhaps Snodgrass was a nickname or a play on words or something.  

I actually asked him if that was his real last name, and he laughed and admitted it was and told me I could thank his dad for that one.    

After we exchanged a few more emails, I thought it was probably a good idea to try on the name Snodgrass, just in case, and to help me decide if there were going to be any further emails exchanged!  LOL, just kidding babe. ;)   

Then the day came when Mr. Snodgrass and I decided to join forces in this world, decided to become one!  We got on the same cell phone plan, got a joint bank account, and thought about what to do as far as changing names.  Scott even suggested at one point that he take on BERUMEN!   

Gosh NO, I've been trying to get rid of that name for quite some time, no use in making him one too.  Then we had a friend see what names he could come up with using letters of our last name combined.  

GRASSMEN...GASBERNS...NODGEN...UMENASS...you get the point.  

BUT in the end I became CRYSTAL BLOSSOM SNODGRASS.

It took a while to get used to, and a while for the reality to set in that I will never be a SMITH,  I will NEVER be a CRYSTAL BLOSSOM JONES.  I only get one trade, only one NEW last name.  

All that to say...

Last week was the first time I realized that it pays to be a SNODGRASS!

It all started two weeks ago when Scott called the radio station to win some tickets to an Astros game and a nights stay at some swanky hotel.

The radio station was taking caller nine every hour and at the end of the day all they picked was one person, one caller number nine, to be the final winner.  

Scott was so excited that he was finally caller number nine that day!  We turned the radio on that night and waited eagerly for them to announce the final winner.  

The radio host said, "ok now we are going to announce the winner...hahahahahaha, what a funny name!"

I immediately started screaming and jumping up and down!  We had won, what other name could they have possibly been talking about?  What's more unusual and unfortunate than the name SNODGRASS?  

Then the host said, "Scott Snodgrass, it sounds like SNOTGRASS (never heard that one before) hahahahaha, what a funny name."  The other radio host joined in and for a minute or two they just ripped on the name SNODGRASS.  

Then one of them said, "but actually our winner today is mark brandon."  

WHAT?  REALLY?  YOU JUST MENTIONED OUR NAME ON THE RADIO TO MAKE FUN OF IT?  WOW, WOW!  

So we didn't win.   But the host came back and said that he felt bad, and if he ever saw Scott's name on the list again he would pick him as the winner.

All day monday Scott and I listened to the radio.  We had our cell phones in hand and ready to go.  We tried desperately every hour to be caller number nine.  

"You're caller five, you're caller two, you're caller six, sorry, we already have a winner" is all we got.  The last hour to try Scott and I both called.  

Scott was caller number nine.

That night we waited for them to announce the winner and sure enough the host mentioned that he promised the next time he saw the name SCOTT SNODGRASS,  he would be the winner. 

We won!

That day I thought to myself...this would have never happened if our name was SMITH!  

 

One Color

If you could see the world in one color...

RED

ORANGE

YELLOW

 

GREEN

BLUE

OR PURPLE

which one would you pick?

I can bet you Scott would pick BROWN!