LOST

This picture depicts my sentiments on Daylight Savings Time exactly. I love the evening being longer and all but I just think they should pick 1 time and stick with it. It messes up your head and body and clocks and life too much to have it switching back and forth. And let's face it, the days are going to grow longer and shorter naturally, so why do we need to tamper with it? I don't really think it helps anything and it sure has made me COMPLETELY exhausted!! (or maybe that is just my inhumane schedule...who knows??)

Anyway, that is my 2 cents worth! (And just in case you're wondering, I know a lot of people who agree! Just read facebook the week after the time changes!)

So, on a more positive note, it looks like we have finally found a house that everything is actually going to work out with for us to buy, so we will be moving in just a couple weeks! Pretty exciting! (well, and stressful and a wee bit sad because I love the house and neighborhood we are in now but let's just focus on the positives...) I haven't actually seen the house except in pictures but it has a place for me to practice and a place for me to sleep, so what more do I need? :) I haven't actually seen the last 3 houses before we moved into them, so I guess it is in keeping with the tradition.

A week and a half til Spring Break!!!!!!!!!!! But who's counting?? ;)

A June Bride

The BIG news for this week is that my little Jophers is engaged!! FINALLY! :) I will be so happy to officially have Abby as a member of our family. She is already a sister and dear, dear friend, so this will just be making it all official. The date is set for June, and you know what they say "When you marry in June, you're a bride, all your life...." (Song from the Musical Seven brides for Seven brothers). Ever since I saw that musical and that song with all of the girls twirling around in their pantaloons and singing dreamily of their wedding day, I have always wanted to be a June bride. So, it just makes it even better that Joe's and Abby's wedding will be in that felicitious month so perfectly suited to all things matrimonial. Seriously, though I am so happy for them and look forward to their wedding with great excitement and anticipation!! :D

If you want to see the song that I am talking about, check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faQHDd1KEwg

Mama Debbie's Daily Doins

This has been a pretty ordinary week. Well - except for the day OFF on Monday!! Woot woot! That was nice and rather Un-ordinary. But, as far as what has gone on - nothing earth shattering has really happened. I spent my day off practicing (I know you are all SO shocked right now) and the rest of the week has been full of, well, you know, practicing, working, teaching, etc. I did make some interesting discoveries this week though.

1. Juicing is a GREAT way to get energy!!! My sister gave my mom a juicer for Christmas, but we have really just now been using it. I stick carrots, apples, oranges, spinach, celery, strawberries, a little lemon or lime - basically just whatever fruits or veggies we have - in there and Presto! out comes my daily serving of health! (Little note though - NEVER juice bananas or avocados. My mom has made it clear it will RUIN the juicer. Just a little tip - at no extra charge! :) Seriously, it is an easy way to get your vegetable and fruit servings and it gives you a big boost of energy! I am trying to have a glass or two every day.

2. Spotify really is as amazing as every one says. I don't know why, but I never really got into it. The other day, I finally for real tried it and the verdict is it is the best thing to happen to recorded music since...well...maybe ever! I know that you all already realized that a long time ago, but just rejoice with me anyway! :)


3. I am NEVER going to have enough time for all things I need and want to do. Oh wait. I already knew that....

Have a fabulous weekend!

P.S. - In case you are wondering about the title........it is from a Good Luck Charlie show in which Amy starts a Mommy blog and competes with Debbie Dooley on having the best blog. It is the title of Debbie Dooley's blog which Amy makes fun of. I just threw it in there for the randomness and curiosity-inducing factor....

And the Greatest of These is...

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! I hope your day was fabulous and filled with chocolate, friends, family, flowers, and fun!! I love Valentine's Day for several reasons:

1. My Dad always gives us each one of those heart shaped boxes of chocolates.

2. My students always give me lots of sweet valentines and candy and make me feel so loved!

3. My mom always makes us a special dinner and decorates the house and table pretty.

4. It is a great excuse to eat extra chocolate and candy that I might normally feel guilty for eating. There is no guilt on Valentine's Day! ;)

5. It is a great chance for me to do something special for the people I love.

And on that note, this Valentine's Day, I got up at early  to make cupcakes and valentines for the special people in my life - well, not technically ALL of them - just a few of the local representatives!

Then it was off to school and then to Macon for a piano lesson. Tonight we are having some friends over and having our special family Valentine's Dinner. Italian = YUM!!

While all of the goodies and cute cards are nice, I also like to remember that Valentine's is a great time to celebrate not only my love for my family and friends and their love for me - but how much God loves me. I was thinking the other day that sometimes I feel like I constantly have to earn others' love and that I am constantly in danger of losing it if I don't measure up. Now, this may not always be true, but we all have friends who we thought would love us forever but who for whatever reason have now rejected us or are angry with us or have somehow stopped loving us. BUT, then I was thinking how we don't have to do anything to get God's love. He loves us unconditionally even if we never love Him back. Even when we mess up over and over again, all we have to do is claim Jesus' blood and He sees us as perfect and spotless - covered in Jesus' righteousness. He never stops loving us and there is nothing we can do or not do to make Him love us more. Now, if you ask me, THAT is something worth celebrating!

{We} had ourselves a merry little Christmas

I am officially in withdrawal now. Christmas is over for another year. Sniff. Our tree is down, all of the cookies are eaten, and it is back to "real" life - whatever that is. We had a good Christmas though...it was a little different than normal but still wonderful. This year, I was working right up until Christmas Eve - actually even then, I was working because I was responsible for the music for the service that night. I also did not finish my shopping until Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, I got up in the wee hours of the morning to sneak downstairs and surprise everyone by filling their stockings with goodies. It was fun playing Santy Claus. Then, I crept back upstairs and crashed into my bed from which I did not emerge for several hours. I hardly ever sleep in, so I decided to indulge in this luxury on Christmas morning. They had to wake me up for the traditional family breakfast at 9:30! Also, I was officially a slacker this Christmas. I did not wrap any presents until Christmas morning!! Thankfully, Hannah came to my rescue or I would still probably be wrapping them. We did not start opening presents until 12:30 or 1:00 and it took a few hours to be done. Our parents were not able to give us gifts this year, but we were all imbued with an extra shot of Christmas Spirit, and there seemed to be no shortage of presents under the tree. In fact, my little brother said, "There are more presents this year than when Mom and dad give them to us!" My dad was quick to suggest that this become a new family tradition. My brothers love to give my Dad gag gifts - this year he was treated to his very own set of Rudolph antlers and glowing nose and his very own dollar tree plunger!! My brother Josh is also graced with gag gifts each year, and this year, he was super excited to get his own special pair of Sponge Bob Underpants!!! :) I know his wife, Kristi, was especially delighted! ;)


The day after Christmas, I headed to Greenville to spend a couple days with my grandparents. It was great to see them, and my grandmother was doing amazingly well! I enjoyed working puzzles with my grandpa, talking with my grandma, and watching movies with the both of them. I also got to relax and lay around, which was amazing - I NEVER get to do that! :)

One of the most special things that happened is God did a miracle for us this Christmas - He sold our house in Albany. It is kind of a long story, but just suffice it to say, God did the impossible, solved a crisis in our lives, and gave us all a most wonderful Christmas present.

Hope you all had a very merry Christmas, too............and Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!