Work In Progress.....

Stephan got his license back a week ago. Like I said, he had a wreck and got a DUI a while back. Since then, he's made the decision not to drink liquor again. He's quit for a while, started back, so now, he said he was only drinking beer..... and doing so only on the weekends and only at home. no more drinking and driving. Sometimes he drinks too much beer. Stephan is loud when he's had too much beer and his neighbors have been involved a few times as I've mentioned. Not good.......

Since he and his dad have been working out, Stephan said that beer has too many calories now and he wants to drink liquor again.... but only on the weekends and only at home. His waffling back and forth puts me on my knees quite often! If I'm not on my knees, I pray wherever I am- cleaning the shower, vacuuming... wherever! The Lord does not mind where I talk to Him! I actually scrub harder when I'm praying for Stephan....

If I lived in a perfect world where I could make decisions for my Stephan and he would actually listen I'd have him not drinking at all and he would like it!

I look back through the years by way of posts on this blog and I am so grateful that we are not where we were. We've come away from hard drugs and now we're dealing with alcohol, but I am thankful to my God daily that we've walked a few hundred miles and are not where we were.

Stephan came over yesterday to work out before Richard got home and we talked for about 30 minutes (while his pre-workout kicked in.) It's wonderful to have him in our basement caring about his health. He and Rainey have even stopped drinking soft drinks! They drink the liquor- but not Dr. Pepper! I have to insert a little smile here.... While some things are good, other things are not, over all- things are really, really good.

Stephan is still working hard and has built his credit up enough to purchase this other car he just bought all on his own. He totaled the last one in the wreck. This has been 5 cars he has totaled... I may not have mentioned the forth car he wrecked. He drove it off into a hole down at the driving range one night. That was eventful! He was drunk-- and just drove.. it.. off.. into.. a.. hole! He called Richard to come pull him out and when Richard got there, all he could see was Stephan's head and his eyes peering at him from the pit his car had disappeared in. When Richard walked over, he was only able to see the back end of the car sticking up out of the mire!!! Pulling it out was not an option!! They called a wrecker to avoid cops, another DUI, and of course, lost the money in his car that the insurance company would have covered if it had been a legitimate accident!

So anyway, back to the latest car-- We went to the dealership with him and he actually sat there with a calculator in hand, making sure he could afford the car and the insurance along with all his other bills before signing on the dotted line. I was very proud of him for making sure he could pay all of his bills before he bought the car!

We are still a work in progress here.... I pray to the Lord to use me in Rainey's life. I pray he uses Richard and I both in Stephan's life and hers. They continue to go to church with us. I am most grateful for that!!!!!!

Feeling a little Blah....

It's April here in Wisconsin and I'm still waiting on spring. The snow has melted and I can see traces of green grass here and there if I look closely. I long to go outdoors, look up to the sky, close my eyes and feel the warmth of the sun on my face as I breathe in the fragrant scent of spring.... That would have been nice today. Instead, I sat wrapped in my heated blanket in this stupid chair I'm sitting in now. I found myself in a hard place today. I've cried.... I've feel lonely..... I feel defeated.

We've been attending a church here for quite a while. We've been going for like a year and a half. Well, ever since we visited and left the "smaller" church I've mentioned in previous posts. The church is huge. There's 5 services. One Friday, one Saturday and three on Sundays. Richard had lunch with one of the pastors there and had coffee with another and not once did either of them follow up him. When Richard met with our pastor in Alabama, they had lunch- then Richard was helping him co-teach his Sunday school class. He and his wife discipled us and got us plugged in and serving immediately!!! It was also a huge church (that was also in the south.) I find it very hard to make friends here, find connections here or like church here. People are just.... I'm so sorry.... but rude. I can't say that about everyone.... I've ran into nice people with friendly smiles, but majority of people are really rude, or perhaps it just seems that way. Maybe it's a cultural thing. You've heard of "Southern Hospitality." Now that I'm separated from the good ole south, I now see what all the hype is about the friendliness of the south! It's true. People there are kind and nice and won't let the door slam in your face! People in the south hold the door for the next person if they are close enough to grab it. Sometimes, people in the south hold it long enough for you to grab the door even if they see you coming. Chivalry does not exist in Wisconsin. Or at least that's the way I feel today. Too many people have let the door slam in my face, run over me with their shopping cart and almost hit me with their car! People will walk right in between me and the grocery shelf to get what they want instead of waiting until I make my selection since I was there first. It's like I'm invisible! If (I) do not move- I will get hit or forced out of the way. I don't know the rules here. If two local people are headed toward one another with their shopping carts who moves out of the way? I actually had three very heavy grocery bags in my hands, my purse on my shoulder and was pulling my shopping cart to the place where you put it away and a man (carrying NOTHING) was walking toward me. The area where we were both supposed to pass was very narrow, but I kept going, because I had a lot of weight that I was carrying. He kept walking and so did I... finally- he moved out of the way and stood there giving me an evil look as if he were thinking, "Are you kidding me!!!"  Maybe I should have just dropped all my things right there in the floor and let the stupid man get by me! Men in the south do NOT do that! They would grab my cart and offer to put it away for me once they noticed that I had such a heavy load! That's the problem-- No one notices.

Ok, my rant is over....

My son, Brandon and his family are coming up on the 18th! I can hardly wait. Jeremiah is 2 now and little Andrew is 4 months! I'm trying to plan things to do. I really am hoping it's warm enough to go to the Zoo.

Stephan and Rainey were over this past weekend. We went to church. It was Easter Sunday. The service was good, but again, not a lot of focus on the cross, Christ and salvation. I guess what I meant by good- (the service was good) was that it "was" a good message.... just not leading people toward salvation which is what I expected. I guess Christ is a southern thing too.. my, my...

Stephan and Richard have been working out together. Stephan has gained about 53 pounds since being here! : ) He's trying to loose a little now! Ha Ha! He is 6 foot tall and got up to about 185, which is still a great weight for him! He doesn't like his little bit of belly fat. LOL!

Rainey and I sat and printed out recipes that she wanted from my "loose recipe" book. This book is a 3 ring binder where I have placed all my loose recipes in page protectors inside. I have them organized and categorized. I cook A LOT! I love cooking.... My most recent fascination is with Julia Child. She is my latest inspiration. I made her Beef Bourguignon a few weeks ago. Holy Smoly.... Oh my gracious... Richard said it was on the list of his top 5 favorite things he's ever put in his mouth! This week, I am making Coq Au Vin. Can't wait!!!! I have to pour myself into something, right? Why not French cooking!

Rainey has quite a big interest in cooking herself. It's something that we have found we have in common and she asks me questions and has started cooking at home. She made buffalo chicken sliders and said they were out of this world! I was very proud of her. It's awesome to see her trying new things and exploring new territory.