My name is Stacey and I.....

well, let's just say I have plenty of issues!! I could write a book about all the things that I think are wrong with me, but I am not sure it would sell, so I will just ramble on this blog to empty my head out a bit! I would like to say that wouldn't take long, but.....

I am a big Disney fan. I have always loved Mickey Mouse. I haven't visited Disney World near as many times as I would have liked, but I will go every chance I get. I have gone more in the last few years (since my children were old enough to say they wanted to go back) than I did in my childhood years. I am kind of surprised that my husband continues to agree to go. I can't really tell if HE likes to go or if he likes to go because it makes me and the kids happy. Either way, he is the BEST!!! Truly more of a husband than I deserve! God is so good to me!

So, we went 2 times in 2009. In March, we went and we all started this Pin Trading hobby. More like pin buying, to me. I am obsessed with it! It is consuming me so much more than it should! We went back in September of 2009 and again I bought pins. We took the Disney cruise and Disney parks in March of this year - and SURPRISE! - again, we bought and traded for pins. I have joined forums, searched (ok, stalked) eBay, and http://www.pinpics.com/ until wee hours of the morning. I have made little pin monsters out of my children. My husband is much more selective and has much more self control than I do when it comes to this new hobby of mine. He is even going with me to Disney's Pin Trading Celebration in August! THREE WHOLE DAYS OF SPECIAL PIN TRADING AND BUYING!!! I just about cant wait! It is so bad that I am even having dreams about pin trading! Seriously, what is wrong with me??? Okay, don't answer that!

I follow Disney on Facebook and Twitter! Twitter is new to me and I am just now getting to know my way around it. My husband is teaching me!! He follows Kirstie Alley. Now, I am not sure how he came to choose to follow her, but she follows him, too. I decided to follow them also - you know to keep my eye on them! Anyway, she has some amazing energy! Her tweets exhaust me! She seems as bubbly as one person can be! Please, Kirstie, share the secret! If I had that kind of energy, I could conquer the laundry and house cleaning and still have time for pin collecting!

So, now tell me, do you collect and/or trade Disney pins or any other item that keeps you on edge??? Please, tell me I am not alone! PLEASE!!

Drop me a line or comment - and be nice! Until next time......

A Parent's Love

I first intended to write about the ache in my heart that is being caused by my daughter's own aching heart. Let me clarify. She is 9 and in the third grade. I think 3rd grade stinks! Especially for girls. Girls are mean! My daughter can be mean, too (I am not blind, deaf or dumb). However, she is struggling with friendships, feeling left out, feeling made fun of and unworthy. So, naturally, as her mother, my heart aches (actually is in agony) for her. I know it is a phase. I know it will pass. But, still, I ache.

Fast forward to this morning - Friday, April 2, 2010. Good Friday. As I was pondering over the trials of my child, I remembered that today signifies the ultimate heartache of a parent - our Father, God in Heaven! His ONLY son, born into the flesh so we - SINNERS - could receive forgiveness for which we have done nothing to deserve!

I CAN NOT imagine the intensity of heartache that God feels when we fail Him (as I do every day that I am alive). That He has already sacrificed His only son for ME - FOR YOU!! So that WE could live eternally in his awesome kingdom!

And I ask myself, after ALL that HE has done for ME, what am I doing for HIM? Wow! What a cold dose of reality! Because, you see, I am not perfect. And He loves me ANYWAY. Even though I am not always nice. I am not always faithful. I am not always loving. I am not always fruitful. Even though.....He still loves me. ME! And YOU!

Please remember that when, as parents, our hearts ache for our children, it pales in comparison to the ache that our Lord felt - and still feels - for us - HIS CHILDREN! He was crucified, AND RESURRECTED, for each of us and the gift of His love and eternal life is free - if you ask for it!

So, as I remember what this time of year signifies in my life, I will also trust in Jesus to take care of my child - who is also His child, because He knows her heart, her pain, her fears - and He can - and will - take those on for her (and me) because that is what a Father does!

Isaiah 53:5 - "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."

Until next time, May you be blessed.......