Let the Good Times Roll!

Have you ever had a friend who always says the right thing? In good or bad, they can put you at ease. Have you ever known someone who could make ANYTHING fun?! Micah is the complete package! She is a party in a can and can turn any situation around with uplifting words! She is one of the wittiest gals I have EVER met and she can tell stories like no storyteller I have ever heard! The woman has humor going on!



In 2005, I wrote a grant to go to Hawaii for 11 days. Seriously, who wants to travel to Hawaii alone? I love to travel but NOT ALONE! There was only ONE choice for me! That was the ultimate travel buddy, Micah! She will FOREVER have that title because there is NO ONE that comes close to having her fun traveling skills! She keeps you laughing, smiling and is always up for any adventure! I LOVED going to Hawaii with her! If I could do it all over again, I would do it exactly the same, minus one slip at the waterfall!



Micah and I have shared so much in our friendship! I walked with her through her dating years, engagement to John, wedding and the birth of her two girls. She has walked through the birth of my two girls and the death of my daddy. We taught in Glenpool and moved together to Broken Arrow. Yet, another thing... I wouldn't change!! Micah and I have grown together through the changes in life and have been there for each other along the way.



I love to call Micah with "news" because she always has such a joyful reaction! I love to spend pool time with her, school time with her and prayer time with her. I will always cherish the memories we have made together. Micah holds a piece of my heart and she always will! She doesn't know this but my little girl was almost named Emma Micah Weyher. Instead she is Emma Grace Weyher and either way... Micah and Grace describe my sweet friend. Okay, I need to clarify... Grace (NOT at the waterfall) but her life is a reflection of the grace God grants us. (PS...Todd has NO idea about the Emma Micah... the "a" sounds at the end would have freaked him out... hence our final name selection but I loved the idea of naming Emma after you.)



Micah, thank you for being there for me through thick and thin, through National Board, Weddings and Funerals, babies being born and growing up, teaching each others' girls, through the changes and moves, but most of all through life! I love you MUCH! Our friendship is a lifelong thing and I will always hold you close!

Newly Blessed!

Acts 2:38 says Peter replied, "All of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then your sins will be forgiven. You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Today, I am a new creation in Christ!

This blog is a DEEPLY personal writing but I am compelled to share it with you.

In seventh grade, I stood in a wooden pew at Berean Baptist Church and confessed my sins to God. When I went home to tell my parents, who did not attend church, I was so excited! I wanted to be baptized and I was ready to be immersed immediately. My daddy encouraged me to think about it some more and in fact, told me that I would need to wait until I was 18 and then I could make that a personal decision. I remember the pure frustration I had in that situation. I remember talking to the youth minister about it and him telling me that the Bible said to obey your parents. I was not pleased. I continued to attend church at Berean for several years. When I changed schools in my freshman year from Hale to Washington, I met Janet. She was a faithful and loving friend who led me to Asbury United Methodist Church. I started attending Bible Study on Wednesday nights and church with her on Sunday nights. Janet gave me my first Bible, one of her own and I still have it today! I met a bunch of fabulous people, went to church camp and onto Oklahoma Baptist University to surround myself with other Christians. I served as a camp counselor at Dayspring Camp while in college. I worked so faithfully to serve God and walk in His will for me. I had quiet times, read the Bible, witnessed to others, prayed with many to be saved, I even joined a sorority (called social club at OBU) to minister to others. As soon as I turned 18, during my freshman year at OBU, I immediately did 2 things... got a second set of holes in my ears (Dad said I had enough holes in my head but I could add more at 18 if it was still important to me) AND I scheduled my baptism!! I was attending Asbury, a Methodist church, so I was sprinkled. It isn't everyday that you see an adult baptized at Asbury. I just felt SO STRONGLY that I needed to be baptized as I understood scripture to mean that it was commanded. Have you met me?? I am a rule follower and I told my daddy I would be baptized! I have to tell you, at that moment, I still felt I need to be BURIED with Christ but I didn't see that option at Asbury.

Fast forward some years, Todd and I were married at Asbury on March 19th, 1994. Both of us wanted to find a church where we would "fit". We moved to Broken Arrow and started attending Arrow Heights Baptist Church. We both had a desire to be "dunked" but when? We kept waiting for the right time... in hind sight, I am glad we did. We attended there until about 6 years ago, and loved our Sunday School class!! My friend Teresa encouraged me to try her church, First Baptist in BA. We did and I loved Sunday School! Here is the thing, I LOVE church. I LOVE Bible Study! I LOVE being with Christian women and a group of people who encourage me in my walk with God. Todd was just not comfortable there. I so wanted him to be but he wasn't so WE stopped attending when Emma was born. That's right, I said WE STOPPED ATTENDING... CHURCH. My faith has remained strong. I have continued to align myself with believers and Christian women but I didn't want to attend church without Todd. My friends tried to tell me to just go and it became a JOKE that I missed ANOTHER Sunday and was worshipping at Saint Mattress with Todd. It was never a joke to me... I desperately wanted to be in church and yet I could not propel myself to go without my husband. I know many women do it and that it AWESOME, and amazing demonstration of faith and obedience!

In August, Katherine started asking if she could go to Awanas at First Baptist so I enrolled her. She was a faithful attender... EVERY Wednesday she was there! Katherine LOVES church just like her mama. That girl has a desire to learn about Jesus and it is my responsibility to take her to church with or without her daddy. So... as I was trying to muster the courage, in swoops Kelly Parrott. She encouraged me to just TRY her church. Katherine had gone once on a Wednesday night when I was sick. So, I got my happy self up one Sunday...Katherine and I were off to the Church of Christ.

What was it going to be like? They don't even have musical instruments! HELLO! I can't sing!!!! (Let me just add RIGHT NOW that the instrumental music or lack there of, really isn't missed... WHY? Think about it, God WANTS to hear His children sing. Doesn't He? That is easily accomplished without music! Just my 2 cents on that!) Kelly is a sincere Christian who has always walked a VERY straight line. I have the utmost respect for the woman but COME ON... I can't possibly mingle with her people. I am not a party girl... and I saved myself for marriage but attend Church 3 times a week. PLEASE! Turns out that the COC (AKA Church of Christ) is a church of BIBLE BELIEVING CHRISTIANS! They are a family of God's children. Traditional? Oh yeah but they are modeling the church after the churches of the New Testament. Why wouldn't I want to be a part of that? Well.. I would and I do. I am a Christian...PERIOD! I love Jesus Christ. I believe HE died for my sins. I am a BIBLE BELIEVING CHRISTIAN!

Romans 6:4 says "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."


Getting ready to take the plunge!

Raised to walk in newness of life!

After MUCH studying... HIGHLY intense studying, tons of prayer, and more tears than is needed to fill a river, I am where I need to be. Today, I was baptized... I was buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life. Thank you Jesus for dying for me and for the road I have traveled that led straight to you! Yes! It was a curvy road but you placed people in my life to get me where I needed to be. I have to thank Kelly because it was a tearful few weeks as we studied and talked and studied and cried. I have learned a TREMENDOUS amount about the Bible lately. I thank God daily for the gift of loving friends. They are the reason I am where I am today.

My Family


Thanks for being there with me today!

Me and Kelly... there are no words to thank you for all you have done for me. Thank you for studying with me! I love you!
WOW! This is an intense blog, deeply personal too but I wanted to share my journey with you. Today, I am FRESH and I am so excited about my new adventures on my road to the cross! Thanks for reading and celebrating my joy!

Time Flies When You are Having T Time!

Tonight I am going to blog about one of my favorite friends of all time! In this life, we have the opportunity to meet many people. Only a few of those people ever "stick" in our hearts. Teresa is one of them for me!

Teresa and I met 6 years ago. We are kindred spirits, I think! We have SO much in common! We both love creative projects, giving to others, like to "be there" for others in need, want to be the heart of our families, LOVE pretty stuff like clothes and make-up... true girlie girls! Teresa is one of those people I could (and would) call at 3am if I needed her. I KNOW she would answer the phone! She is an all weather friend...there in the good, bad and ugly!



Teresa is someone I will always want to be close to... I love her lots! Teresa lost her brother, Jason, in 2001. When I had the opportunity to choose Emma's birthday (at the end of April or beginning of May), I chose Jason's birthday. April 28th is a hard day for Teresa but somehow seeing my baby girl born on that day has added a bit of joy to this difficult day. I will always remember that it is not only my baby girl's day but Jason's too.


Today, I just got home with my girls from my first "traveling adventure" with Teresa! We went "home" to New Mexico. I loved it! It was totally awesome to see where Teresa grew up, all of her special locations, favorite places to eat, etc. It meant a lot to me to go to visit the cemetery with her, to see where Jason was laid to rest. The mountains are beautiful and the temperature was amazing. We made some great memories that I will always hold close.



I love that Teresa always has my back, she wants what is best for me... we can talk about ANYTHING and DO!! Teresa, you are one of my closest friends. I will always be here for you and love you through life's journeys! Thanks for bringing such great joy into my life and adding more laughs to everyday adventures! Love You Bunches!

A spool of thread is a frightening little thing!

Okay, so during my awesome trip to the Q with Teresa, her kiddos and mine, we have had some extra "high school" kinda fun! If you have met Teresa, then you already know she is a FABULOUS make-up, hair and clothes stylist! Seriously! I took the opportunity to have her teach me some sweet make-up tricks! I also spent some serious coin collecting products to help with my new look! She did my hair for me too! I had a TOTAL blast!! I ASKED for tips... didn't want anyone thinking Teresa told me I needed to get some help or that I looked homely! During our chats about make-up, I asked her about the difference in our "brows"... HUGELY different in the bushy factor I must say. So I asked her opinion and she kindly but honestly told me that my brows looked great for the 1980s. SO... I was all about de-bushing them today! We went to Sephora first for make-up and to look at some eye brow templates...WHO KNEW there was such a thing?! (Apparently NOT ME or I would have bushwacked a LONG TIME AGO!) The gal in Sephora suggested "threading" so off I went! I am a HIGH PAIN TOLERANCE kind of gal so how bad could it be, right? Well, I survived... here is the short version of the experience!

It was highly painful but I was brave. It is basically a quick way to pluck all of your deeply rooted eyebrow hairs from the most sensitive part of your body while random fools are overlooking you in a vulnerable position laughing at you while your eyes are closed AND your friend is holding up your eye skin to pull it tight! FABULOUS!!!! Not what I would consider SWEET ACTION... but apparently I LOOK less bushy!

The picture doesn't quite do it justice but my brows are HALF their original size! Can you tell which side is from the 80s and which side is from 2009??

The first man to steal my heart...

My daddy was the first man to steal my heart. I am thinking of him today on Father's Day. What I wouldn't give for another one of his hugs or to hear him belly laugh. My daddy was such a devoted father and husband. He loved us so much and the feeling was mutual. I wish he could have met Emma... I KNOW he would have loved her with all of his heart, just like he loved Katherine. I miss him so much. If your daddy is still on Earth, take time to tell him you love him today... I wish I had that opportunity!

Kelly... the sister God sent me!

I have decided I want to blog about some important people in my life...one at a time. I have a great family and wonderful friends so why not share them with you?? Tonight, I am going to write about Kelly... because well, just because that is who is on my heart at this minute.

I consider Kelly one of the closest friends I have EVER had in my life. She is like the sister that I never had... the one I spent lots of prayer times asking for in middle school and high school, etc. I have known Kelly for many years, 13 years to be exact. Our friendship started pretty surface really and remained that way until she moved back from Alabama. When she started teaching at Park Lane in 2005, we became closer friends. Slowly over time, we have shared more and more. I think when I began teaching her son, Griffin, our bond got stronger.



I can talk to Kelly about anything... my joys, sorrows, my emotions...good or bad, I can share ideas for teaching, ideas for life. I can share my faith with her and talk to her about my dreams. I trust her with everything... my personal thoughts, my fears and my family.

Kelly did something with me and for me that NO ONE in this world would do... she started running with me and has kept her commitments (NOT WITHOUT WHINING.. just own it Kelly) to train with me. We have completed several 5K races together and a HALF MARATHON (that is 13.1 miles) in April. I know that is a huge part of how we became so close over the last year...running = time to talk! Through all the pain I experienced, I wouldn't trade the results physically or our amazing friendship. Kelly, I will NEVER forget what you did for me and how you encouraged me to meet my goals or how you pushed through when it was hard so we could finish what we started.



Kelly and I are friends for the fun times, hard times, joyful times, sad times, for all seasons and in all times. We often refer to each other as sisters because we love each other like sisters... we act like sisters and we love each other's families like they were our own.

Kelly has encouraged me to show more emotion and for the first time in YEARS, I have! She hugs me and has taught me that IT IS OKAY to hug the friends you hold so dear OFTEN... I now hug LOTS of people. She believes in my teaching and challenges me to grow professionally ALL THE TIME. She has challenged me to grow in every area of my life... especially spiritually. The most awesome part of that is... she (and many others) have encouraged me right back to church and to study the Bible like never before. She has NEVER pushed me but has consistently believed that I would be at church and I HAVE BEEN with my family following me. Even when our beliefs differ, she supports me to learn and grow without pushing her ideas on me. Her gentle guidance is a true witness of who she is! She never gives up on me, even when I want to give up on myself. She is always there for me and I try to always be there for her. We have a sisterhood that will continue to grow, will last forever and will NEVER go away. Kelly and I don't have biological sisters like many of our friends. That is just fine with me... because I can't think of a better sister for me. Thank you Kelly for teaching me so much about myself and encouraging me to grow in every area of my life. I love you sis!

True Friends are SUCH a blessing!

I came up with a new quote that I love! True friends are friends of inconvenience... they are there when it is NOT convenient or easy to be, loving you through all things.

Here are some things that true friends do... They:

~ tell you the truth when you ask and even when you don't.
~ come back when you push them away or tell them you don't need them.
~ help you when you don't even know you need it.
~ put up with your quirks.
~ support you in hard times and laugh with you in good times.
~ compliment you when you need it or just because.
~ believe in your dreams with you.
~ let you paint their toe nails because you do a better job :).
~ share lip gloss with you.
~ pray with you and for you.
~ run half marathons with you.
~ love your family.
~ hug you and love you despite all of your flaws.
~ encourage you to grow personally.
~ stand up for you in a crowd.


I have the best friends and I am so blessed!
THANKS GIRLS! I LOVE YOU!


These are just some of my amazing friends!!

Witnessing Life

I had a fabulous brunch with a dear and longtime friend today. Rebecca and I have been friends for...well, forever it seems! We met at Asbury way back when and then ended up at OBU together! We do "catch up lunches" several times a year.

Anyway, today's lunch was rather deep. I was all about it! We talked about many things, including church and the world's perceptions of Christians. We were talking about people in our lives, churches and just beliefs in general. I came up with my own quote that we both liked A LOT! Here it is: "The best witness is a life well lived, not well preached." I am ALL ABOUT THIS QUOTE! I bet you are curious about what we were discussing, right?! Well, we were talking about many things, including how judgemental some folks can be and how often churches judge people right out the door. We were also talking about how to witness to people and simply how a person without an open heart will not receive what you are sharing. We need to love people where they are and for who they are. God will do the rest in preparing them to hear the message. I truly believe the strongest witness you have is YOUR OWN LIFE. We need to think about that (I would totally be included in that statement!!). Am I saying, "Don't tell people about Jesus!"?? NO! I am just saying that people who need Jesus the most are often those who don't want to see or hear from people who are SO HOLY! If you back it off a little, people will see the light in you without needing a sermon. I might get some opposing feedback here and that is JUST FINE. BRING IT! I can see both sides of the coin. There are no perfect people in the world. There, however, are many people who need to be accepted and encouraged. I am about this approach. I was accepted and encouraged, gently over time... right back home (to church) and I thank God everyday for the people in my life that love me for WHO I AM, WHERE I AM! It is a PRICELESS gift indeed!

I came home...finally!

Okay so most of you are my close friends so you already know I have STRUGGLED with going to church since Emma was born. I started with the whole "worried about illness when she was an infant" thing. Then I worried because she didn't do transitions well or new people (she still doesn't)and then I moved to the whole guilt thing. She is already in daycare 5 days a week and it is just too hard on her and me to take her to church care too. BLAH BLAH BLAH... I OWN that it has been hard to get there and so we have only been a FEW times since she was born...on Sundays when Mom and Don had the girls.

I know there are people who see church as a routine thing they do or something they know is the right thing to do. I get that. I know there are many people that have just been doing the church thing their whole lives. I don't really know what I was waiting on because the desire to be in church has always been there for me, even when it wasn't for the rest of my family growing up. I didn't grow up in church... and only started attending a small Baptist church with my friend, Suzanne in 7th grade. When I changed high schools during my sophmore year, my friend Janet encouraged me to go with her to Asbury and so I did all the way through high school and college. During college, I went to the Vineyard in OKC whenever I stayed at school on weekends. Todd and I were married at Asbury and our membership still remains there today. Since being married, Todd and I have attended Arrow Heights Baptist Church, then First Baptist Broken Arrow... until recently.

Here is the thing with me and church attendance... I absolutely believe that I can love God and believe in Him without going to church. We are called to fellowship with a body of believers and it is HIGH TIME I got with the program on this! I crave Bible Study (I truly LOVE it!) and I so enjoy worship. I have found that I can be comfortable nearly anywhere as long as I am learning about Jesus. I have been to a variety of churches and most recently, have begun attending Broken Arrow Church of Christ. I gotta tell ya. I was REALLY nervous the first time. Why? The standards are pretty high and let's be honest, I am ALL ABOUT meeting expectations. It is Kelly's church (as my girls say) and seeing her welcoming me was of great comfort.

As I said before, I wasn't raised in church. We didn't go as a family... ever. (Okay, maybe once or twice after years of begging... but it was RARE!)I don't mean to CHEESE out here but I absolutely loved how it felt being there with people I consider part of my family (I would be speaking of Kelly and her boys, all 3 of them). Things were done differently... some different songs, no instrumental music (WOW, do I sing off key! Have mercy!), very traditional format, little kids in the service (I LOVE this for Emma!) but I have to say, it was the best BIBLE teaching I had been around in A LONG TIME. It was straight up and I LOVED that! I think I could have cried. It felt like I had come home. You know what? That is exactly what had happenned! Thank you for all of you who have prayed for me to just BUST A MOVE back to church! I don't know if BA Church of Christ is where I will remain but I really feel at home there. Katherine has made some great connections during Bible Study on Wednesday Nights and during camp last week. Todd and Emma are warming up... and I am all about it!

I write all of this to share with you a very personal struggle of mine and to encourage you to just GO! Go and be with God wherever you feel at home. It is really a bummer that I have kept God waiting, especially when He has been waiting right there for me all this time. Don't hear me wrong, I have ALWAYS been faithful to pray and believe. Now, I am being faithful to attend and be with a body of believers to learn even more about Him.



Katherine and I @ Burnt Cabin Christian Camp

To give is to receive

As a child, you are always told it is better to give than receive. I get such a charge out of giving to others but today, I got to give and receive all at the same time. I have to say, it was a great day.

Micah and I took dinner to the Parrott family tonight. I love cooking for people because it is truly a labor of love. I bet you are wondering how this involves receiving. Well, if you read yesterday's blog, you know that it was all about accepting the love and support of others. Kelly is really a one woman show most of the time. She is fiercely independent and self-sufficient. I totally respect that and strive to be like that myself. However, there comes a point when you allow people to love you and part of that involves letting them support and help you. So, tonight I gave (food) and received the gift of acceptance. Thanks Kelly... I can't think of a better gift! I must say, it was the best highlight of my day.

Another highlight was when Micah and I drove to several locations, including Rocket Brothers, before arriving back at my house. Micah innocently asked, "Where did Todd move your car?"... HUM... interesting question! IT WAS STILL AT MICAH'S HOUSE!!! It is TRULY one of the things I love about Micah. We have so much fun that we even forget where the car is parked! This was CLASSIC!

Just thinking...

I love drive time...you know that quiet time in the car when all that is there is you and your thoughts. I used to have more of it before children and when I would commute to Glenpool to teach. I like to spend that time praying, reflecting, thinking about the day ahead or behind me. Today, I had some of that time on my way from dropping Katherine at Girl Scout Camp and taking Emma to preschool. It is a beautiful day here and it gave me the opportunity to thank God for all He has given me.

Today, I am having lunch with my mom. We rarely have the chance to just go somewhere together without my girls. I am looking forward to hearing about my brother's new adventures..they are usually jaw-dropping and somewhat funny. He and I really could not be more different. That is a whole other subject for a different time. Anyway, I am thankful for my mom. She and I are not really alike in personality or appearance but we have something more precious in common. We love our families with our whole hearts... the blood pumping through our veins is not the same but I can promise you, the blood pumping through our hearts is rich in love for the family God created for us. God always knows what He is doing and I am so thankful for that because I don't always know where I am headed next! Have a blessed day!

Love, Support and Reflection are all SWEET ACTION!

Where does the time go? I got up EARLY AGAIN to get Katherine off to Girl Scout Day Camp and take Emma to Mom's for the morning. I sat in on 6 interviews for our counseling position at school until 1ish. I remember so clearly interviewing at Park Lane for my current position. It was a REALLY long interview and I even brought questions of my own to ask... pretty bold, huh? Anyway, today brought back those memories. I started thinking about how people perceive me when they meet me. I know I can come across stand-offish... but I am really not that way in real life. Why do I seem that way? Am I protecting myself? Well, it is interesting to think about anyway... if you are reading this, you know I am highly loyal and quite outgoing.

As I ran by to get Emma from Mom's house, I was talking to Micah via cell phone about our dinner plan for tonight. When I don't know how to help people, I cook, bake and bring food. Silly, isn't it? Anyway, we had planned for several days to deliver food to the Durbins (just had a precious baby) and to Kelly's parents/kiddos. I already KNEW how the phone conversation with Kelly's mom was going to go and... I was RIGHT! The funny part was she called ME before I had a chance to call her! Kelly's mom was calling to check ON ME.. FUNNY STUFF! Anywho, I told her I wanted her to promise that she would agree to what I had planned (before hearing what it was) but that didn't work! I told her Micah and I were bringing dinner tonight BECAUSE I KNEW Kelly wouldn't accept it! Martha FINALLY agreed after MUCH convincing that we could bring dinner TOMORROW night when Kelly was home! Heaven forbid that she accept the help, she had to make sure it was on Kelly's watch! All we wanted to do was be there to support them while Kelly was away. We wanted to show our love for their family through an act of service. I don't know why it is so difficult to accept such gifts but it is sometimes and I speak from my own struggles with that. It is natural that we, as Christians, want to be there in a time of need and I am going to work on letting people help me more. As Micah pointed out last week, when we reject help from a friend it can be seen as a rejection of the PERSON and not the deed. Kelly... if you are reading... RECEIVE THE LOVE AND SUPPORT of those who love you! All we want from you is your friendship! We just want to love you through this difficult time.

Diane's passing has brought up many buried emotions in me that I am now dealing with. It is amazing, really, that someone I never met has brought about a divine intervention of sorts. I never really dealt with my daddy's death 7 years ago but somehow being apart of Kelly's grief in losing Diane has made such a difference in me. Diane is the main reason I am writing this blog. She blogged for many years in hopes of encouraging others, to make a difference. She said that if it helped one person it was worth it. Know what? I KNOW she made a difference in many lives because mine is one of them! What an inspiration her faith was! So, I just want you all to know that LIFE IS SWEET ACTION. Sometimes actions are big and sometimes they are little, sometimes they are hard and other times they are easy but no matter what life brings, I hope you find the sweetness in each moment!

Well.. here it is!

I can't believe I am finally doing this! I have had several requests so I figured, WHY NOT?!
I must say that I have only read 3 blogs and they are all 3 awesome! Kudos to Amy for constant humor in your blog, Bridget for your candidness (is that a word?) and to Diane who inspired me in more ways than she could ever have known!

I gotta start with... WOO HOO!!! SUMMER IS FINALLY HERE! I am LOVING pool time, time with my girls, tons of friend time and I need to start loving "clean time" but I am not there yet! Katherine just got home from Burnt Cabin Christian Camp today. It sounds like it was quite an adventure! I must stay I don't CAMP and I am in AWE of anyone who does! Despite the fact she was in a cabin with air conditioning, it was still too rustic for me! She learned a lot and said she'd think about going back. I have many fond memories of Dayspring Camp and prayed all week that she would come away with fond memories... maybe she is just saving them up to share later. Well... I KNOW this is not that exciting to read but it is start! I MUST retire for the evening... after all, I have church in the morning!