I posted to you on the 15th and haven't heard from you. I know that you life is very busy, but it usually doesn't take either one of us this long to post back. Is everything o.k.? Praying for you.....

I guess I got my answer! Glad to hear from you again...

After going back over some of our posts, I realize now that you had mentioned going to Florida. I just did not put two and two together. So tell me all about your trip. I expect that it was very relaxing! I understand that it is very nice down there right now. April 9-13 is spring break here and the kids are going to visit their maternal grandparents during that week. They are very excited. They are driving down with their step-dad. Their mom flew down last Friday. Her dad has been diagnosed with throat cancer and it is apparently pretty advanced. Please keep him and their whole family in your prayers. My stepson is particularly fond of his grandfather. They used to live up here but moved to Florida a couple of years ago. I am taking them shopping tomorrow for spring clothes, so they will have some new shorts and stuff to wear when they get down there. It does kind of frustrate me that we but them clothes for when they are over there, but then, I guess they are just clothes. Well, our concert was fabulous. Imaginge 5,000 or so people holding hands praying together! It was just incredible. I wish it could have lasted all night. It was so spiritually uplifting. I needed it really badly! Anyway, catch me up to date on everything going on with you. I am so glad that things are going well between you and your husband. Now that you have come home, have you been able to sustain the progress? Has the work woman chilled out now? Catch me up. Talk to you later and as always, God bless.....

Hi! Sorry it's taking me so long to get back to you. Between getting the taxes done and having my daughter's 8th birthday party this weekend and meeting with our lawyer regarding disputes with our builder, I have been swamped... not to mention all the laundry I've been doing from the trip and all. I feel like I'm constantly out of breath. I need to get back into scheduling my self. I have always been a very scheduled or organized person, but ever since we moved here and started having problems, it seems like it consumed me. Now that things are pretty much back to normal, I really need to get back into the swing of things. Sometimes we'd eat dinner late, or sometimes I wouldn't have time to fold the laundry so I'd leave it in the playroom for later... I gotta stop doing that.<P>So I guess you could say things are just dandy here! How's it going with you. The concert sounded like a blast. You're going to miss your kids, I bet. I hope the weather's good for them. It actually rained for about two or three days when we first got there and then it was cold for about three days, the last two days were nice and warm. But hey, anything's better than snow at this point. I'm really missing warm weather.<P>I have a question for you, or more like a thought. I have this friend who's been born and raised in the Hindu religion and a few times she has told me that she believes in God. She's actually a very annoying person and she calls me constantly and I've known her for about three years now. One of the reasons I put up with her is because she does admit that she believes in God and I feel it's probably a calling for me to witness my faith. What's bothering me is how snobby she is. She's really into money and prestige and she's always comparing my kids to hers. I stand strong with my values and my opinions, but a lot of times she seems to waver me on my thoughts. She challenges everything I say.<P>Like for example she wants her preschooler to go to a Preperatory school and continue on into one of the all boys Prep schools. I don't even have my son in pre-school yet because I don't want him to go until next year. She'll call me and ask my opinion about it as if my opinion really matters to her and after I tell her what my husband I think as far as for our children, she'll turn around and say something like, "Well, I think my husband and I just have higher standards for our kids." She kind of said it in passing and probably didn't mean anything by it, but she's made sly comments like this before and it kind of hurts me when she says things like that. It's like saying that we don't care as much for our kids as they do.<P>I guess my dilemma or my thought for you to ponder is... Should I stay a friend to her or try to dissapate our friendship? My reasoning for staying friends with her only lies in being a Christian person. My reasoning for trying to stay away from her and her phone calls (we have caller ID) would be because she can be hurtful, she takes a lot of my energy when she comes whining to me about her problems (which I try very hard to fix and find out later my opinion isn't worth a hoot), and lastly, but most importantly, she makes me so angry sometimes that I sink to her level of competition with the kids to make her jealous and it makes me feel very un-Christian. In fact she taunts me to be very un-Christian a lot. Almost likes she's the devil herself. --Not very attractive, huh?<P>Maybe you've had an experience like this. I know the simple thing would be to pray for her, but I've been doing that and I feel like the devil is tormenting me with her. Let me know what you think.<P>Talk to you soon...

Hi, just wondering how you're doing. Haven't talked in a while. Hope everything's okay.

I'm sooo sorry my dear friend, just way to much going on right now. I am committed to spending some quality time here on the board this weekend. I have some thoughts for you, but I am late for play practice. Will post on Sat. if not before. You're in my thoughts, and as always, my prayers...

<BR>Tearful,<BR>Hey, it has been so busy lately. How are you? I was thinking about your friend. Perhaps God has put this lady in your life to help you improve something about yourself. I think a very important thing in this world is tolerance. It sound as if this person know exactly how to push your buttons. Perhaps God is simply using her as a tool. Most people have some reason for being in our lives. I would not mark her off my list, although you may not want to get together with her everyday for tea! Perhaps too it is your calling to witness to her. Counteract her constant negativity with positive things. Eventually she may start to wonder why it is you are always so positive about eveverything. How are things going with your sister in law? Unfortunately, I have gotten some sort of stomach virus again, so I am not yet feeling up to par. I am going to go to bed early this evening but I promise to write more tomorrow. Thinking about you during this holiday season. God bless and I look forward to hearing from you!

Thank you for your words of wisdom, you always know the right things to say. I do think TOLERANCE is the key word here and in most cases and scenarios, is the answer to all my frustrations. I will try to focus on that and the issue at hand, which may be a journey of self-improvement.<P>How are you? The stomach virus is the worst. I hope you are feeling better, now. How are the kids? I hope you all had a wonderful Easter.<P>Talk to you soon...

Hey, had some time to write and I just thought I'd see how you're doing. You don't have the stomach virus still, do you? I was wondering if maybe it was food poisoning. Food poisoning, like salmonilla can last a lot longer than a regular stomach virus and make you feel a lot worse. I hope you're doing better.<P>The weather's been getting kind of nice here and on top of all the daily routines I have to accomplish, I keep getting swept into going outside to enjoy the fresh air. It's a good thing that I do, but it seems like I keep getting behind on all of the other work that I have to do.<P>How are you and your family doing? I'm sure your kids are sweeping you into a lot of outdoor activities, as well. Kids have a way of doing that. But like I said, it's a good thing. We need to come out of hibernation after such a long winter.<P>Anyway, I'm working on some fundraising material that I'm supposed to be in charge of for my daughter's school and I have to send the order through the web, so I better not write too long or I'll end up putting off the order! I have a way of doing things like that. I think I've over-extended myself this year as far as my involvement with my daughter's school. I'm the classroom mom, the head of the fundraising committee, and the Girls Scouts assistant troop leader, and of course all of the other minutia that I volunteer for on a regular basis. --Wow, I didn't realize how much time I spend there!<P>Anyway, I'm saying a prayer for your health and happiness and that showers of blessings may pour upon your house today. Be well and be happy. Talk to you soon...