how rudeee.

whyyy must target send me an email to let me know that they have

an orange kitchenaid mixer on sale,

when it doesn't exactly fit in my nursing school budget?

yes, my white one is fine.

but it's fine. not orange. 

i think stephanie tanner said it best, "how rude!"

i miss good tv & pretending to live in the tanner household.

fact: when i was little, i asked my mom if i could change my name to stephanie.

fact: i changed my middle name to "jackson" on my graduation announcements.  

why? because my parents had boy names picked out when i was in utero.

and they were cool, strong names: 

william kyle & kyle jackson, 

after my mom's dad, who had since passed.

but then i popped out, and they were unprepared. whoops!

since they gave me a family middle name that sort of rhymes with "walrus,"

and that spawned lots of lovely nick names,

i decided to take matters into my own hands and change those silly announcements.

i told her i was going to march right down to the social security office

to take care of business.

long story short,

i never changed my name.

mom decided to go to kinko's and print off little cards with my real name,

making sure that i knew what a pain in the butt i was along the way.

thankfully, she learned patience and how to love me in another way.

hooray!

i don't know where i'd be without that woman.

she prayed and prayed and prayed for me and my stubbornness and 

lack of obedience, and risk-taking abilities.

and tada - God answered!

i was pretty great at being bold and pushing the limits.

and now God is using all of that boldness for His glory.

how amazing, and how perfect are His plans.

without that beautiful, sweet mom of mine showing me  

love and discipline,   

just like God does for us,

I wouldn't be here today.

job 5:17 - 18 says, "Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.  For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal."

thank goodness for that!

His blessings for us are plain to Him!

He doesn't know pain, He just knows what we need.

we are the ones that hurt or receive joy from the gifts He gives us.

but whatever that gift looks like, it is only for our good, and His glory.

He wants us to reach out to Him in need and use that gift to grow closer to Him!

not allowing our circumstances to define us.

just like job.  what a life that guy had!

thankful today, and everyday, for one of the greatest gifts and blessings in my life:

mom, i love you!  your joy for this world and your huge heart have 

shown me what true love looks like. 

if i become half the woman that you are,

that would mean a whole lot.

Happy mother’s day!