So sleepy!

Our cats have been spending literally night and day outside recently. They are all tuckered out! It's pretty cute. If you're wondering Han is in the first picture and Pumpkin is in the second.

Adam Shew makes an appearance

So I'm going a little crazy with the posts, but I thought it would be interesting to show you proof that Adam Shew is in our bathroom.

And while I'm at it, here's a spring picture of our kitchen and front room/sitting room, but we never sit there. However, Holli slept there once!

You can't miss it

If you know the Demarest family for very long you'll soon find out that MacGyver played a significant role in their childhood and seems to come up at least once at every family gathering. Here's to MacGyver!

Crazy Beautiful

Thank you to the random movie I watched last weekend that inspired the title for this post. (Suddenly I'm reminded that Spider Man III opens this Friday. Anyone following my thought process??)



Crazy Beautiful definitely describes the last week in its entirety. There were crazy parts that made me want to rip my hair out...and there were parts with pure beauty.



CRAZY

• I was in charge of an online testing procedure that involved the K-3 grades. I put a lot of effort into getting ready for the testing that would start Monday of last week. Our smallest class, 8 students, went first and it was a disaster. What followed was pure frustration and the harshest phone call I've ever initiated in my life. I told the test administrator that we quit! The program was not ready for us, so we don't have the time or patience. I know, I feel bad that it had to happen too, but it HAD to happen.


• Last week was Teacher Appreciation week. This will also be under my Beautiful list. This made for a crazy week b/c every morning was like herding cattle as the kids got all out of sorts over what the special was for the day.


• Luke spent an hour outside trying to start our very old lawn mower so he could catch up with our lawn nazi neighbor. It never started.


• Even though last week at school was supposed to be a week of special-ness for the teachers and staff, everyone was feeling the pressure of the end of the year and extra curricular activities...it seemed like everyone at school was having trouble with something or someone. I got so tired of the way we were letting ourselves be overcome by evil and sin. I know for me it caused me to really be in prayer for the people I work with and for myself.

BEAUTIFUL

• Last week was teacher appreciation week. One day was flower day--they were so beautiful! Another day was fruit day--ahh, glorious fruit! As you know we've been trying not to buy groceries...I've been looking forward to fruit day for weeks...it's been so long since we've had fresh fruit! :) Also b/c of TA week I got a massage on Friday afternoon and the lady told me my shoulders are in terrible shape. This may be why I discovered last summer that I can no longer throw a softball. Ouch!


• I got to see my family again this weekend. This time we really got to talk to each other as opposed to seeing them in passing, which is what happened two weekends ago. It was wonderful and so fun.


• We got a new lawn mower!! Luke got some cash for TA week, so we used it to buy a new-for-us lawn mower! It hums like a bee. Speaking of lawn...anyone know how much it costs to get your lawn treated for dandelions and other weeds??
• We are officially debt-free when it comes to school loans as of this week. Praise God!

Not sure if the intensity of the craziness came across, or the loveliness of the beauty was adequately expressed...it was a week that reminded me that God is in control and He's watching our reactions.

But you don't have to take my word for it! Buh, duh, da.

New toy

Luke and I got Guitar Hero II this Easter weekend.

So fun!

It's the gift that keeps on giving.

Such a fun game to play with family and friends...so look for it at the next fun evening with the Demarests near you.

Ahhh, Panera

So here I sit at one of my most favorite-est places in the world. I like it when there are people to share it with, but today it's good too. I'm alone, but yet not alone. I'm aware of all the people around me: the college girls softball team with laughter and smiles, the dad with his daughters hanging out on a Saturday afternoon, elderly couples, and elderly women talking and drinking coffee. What a wide range of people! Panera reaches all age groups. I'm listening to KLOVE online so my mind is flooded with praises as I look around. Every once in a while I look outside and see three men dressed as Uncle Sam and the Statue of Liberty. They must be selling something. Tax help maybe. I'm also aware of the presence of the Lord. Partly because some famous Christian singer just whispered in my ear how the Lord is always with me no matter where I go. Maybe Sara Groves will whisper in my ear soon. That would be heavenly. I used to come to Panera with my girlfriends when I was in college. So, I also like to come to Panera to feel young and reminiscent.

Spring break has been great.
I've done a lot of relaxing--enjoying the break from an alarm. I love staying up late and sleeping in. I wish I could drag myself out of bed earlier. When family changes come, there will be time for early rising, so I'm enjoying sleeping in for now. (no, I'm not hinting at anything.)
Over break Luke and I have been attending practices. Track practice everyday at 1 PM. Also, play practice every night at 7 PM. Tonight is the first performance of our play. I'm ready. There is a Sunday afternoon performance too. I'll honestly miss the excuse to see my friends and family when it's all over. I won't miss all the extra driving we've had to do to get to practices. We bought our Saturn Vue last May (over Ebay!); it is now almost one year later and we've put about 20,000 miles on the Vue. I'm enjoying the Vue, but I'm not sure that's normal to put on that many miles in just one year. I heard somewhere that 10,ooo miles is normal. So, we're trying to cut back. We also haven't bought groceries besides milk and bread and hygiene necessities for like 2 months. We're using up everything in our cupboards. It's like a game. When Luke's mom heard this she started inviting us over for dinner more frequently. I hope she knows she's only contributing to our goal to see how long we can go. :) We're very thankful for her generosity.

Also over break: I got a part-time job for the summer. There is a shop in Moville that sells bakery type food. Most of their business is baking and then shipping pasteries to other businesses. They have regular employees that need to take time off in the summer to take care of their kids, so they need someone to cover those shifts. I volunteered, and over the phone I got the job. I'm thinking it's going to be very part-time. If I worked the whole time they were open the most I would work is Tues-Fri. 8:30-3:30. I don't think they'll need me the whole time, however. I'm praising God today because He provided a way for me to make some money, no matter how part-time it might be. I'm praying today for Luke to be able to find something he will really enjoy and feel satisfied with. "Jehovah-Jireh" means "The Lord our Provider". Lately I've been leaning on that heavily.

I could keep writing and telling, because that's what Panera does to me, but I will stop.
Here's to more times at Panera, and more alarm-less sleep coming in June.
Maybe next time I'm here I'll be with friends.
Anyone?
You never know what will happen when you're here. Man in a kilt? Men in Statue of Liberty costumes?

Another one bites the dust

Have you ever had your day ruined before lunch time?
That happened today.
But I realize I have a choice: I can make it not ruined anymore.

Lord, please help me to hold my tongue!
Tomorrow's another day.
It'll help that I'll be at home most of the day.
I'm coming up on a week of rest and relaxation.
Spring Break!
My prayer is that the Lord will continue to remake my mind so that I don't get so stinking impatient and tempermental all the time.
Some people say I'm not being tempermental, but when I live with the world's least likliest man to ever get tempermental it makes me feel like a horrible person.
Luke is like the law that points out my sin (like what the law did in the old testament); thank heavens for Christ who is the new law and new covenant.
There is grace.
I know I'm not horrible.
I know Luke is not without sin.
He's just stronger in some ways.

I want to be a blessing...



Let it be said of us
While we walked among the living
Let it be said of us
By the ones we leave behind
Let it be said of us
That we lived to be a blessing for life

Let it be said of us
That we gave to reach the dying
Let it be said of us
By the fruit we leave behind
Let it be said of us
That our legacy is blessing for life

This day You set life, you set death right before us,
This day Every blessing and curse is a choice now
And we will choose to be a blessing for life

Let it be said of us
That our hearts belonged to Jesus
Let it be said of us
That we spoke the words of life
Let it be said of us
That our heritage is blessing for life

For your Kingdom, for our Children
For the sake of every nation