Locked Out No More!

I don't know if you heard (or care), but the NFL lockout has ended! The players unanimously voted in the new CBA. Which means regular league business can resume this week. Drafted players, free agents, and undrafted free agents all need to signed. I won't bore you with all the details because this is a subject I go talk about all day long. Just ask Derek or anybody else I come in contact with.

The Pats' first regular season game is September 12 against the Miami Dolphins in Miami. It's on ESPN and you can bet I'll be watching.

My fall and winter has purpose again! So you can probably bet I'll be blogging a lot more about football, I'm kinda sorry if it bores you. If you haven't already seen my crazy football season is when it comes out to play.

It's Monday {SIGH}

This post isn't really about anything, but I feel the need to write. Not only is this blog for your entertainment value (be honest, how hard did you laugh?), but it's the way I get things out of my head. This is my way of dealing with things in a sense. Derek will be the first to tell you I am a horrible verbal communicator. I write OK and can express myself much better that way. I try to talk it out and I get jumbled and frustrated and eventually I'll walk away, which really frustrates those I'm trying to converse with. Today's post is about stuff I'm stressed about.

Derek doesn't feel good. He hasn't felt good since yesterday and I'm worried. In the past if he was sick, it wasn't a big deal. That was before the cancer word. Now every sickness is a worry that perhaps his GVH is getting worse or a different kind of cancer has taken root. Logically I know that God has control of our lives and Derek's body, but emotionally is a different story.

I start school in roughly a month. While I'm very excited I'm also worried. Mostly I fear flunking out or finding out I can't hack it. I know I can and I've prayed about going to school and I know that right now this is God's plan for me, but because it's new and I'm horrible with change I'm petrified.

I have certain people in my life right now who are judging me quite harshly on past actions. Actions I regret, but have been forgiven for. Someday I might post about that part of my life, but I'm not quite ready. Anyway, these people are (to not sound like a 7th grade girl) being mean to me. My feelings are hurt and I'm so angry. I feel at a loss as to what to do with these feelings. I don't want to pray for these people and I don't want to pray about my feelings. I feel I have a right to my feelings. Oh how I hate my flesh.

My kids don't know how to read or tie their shoes! I'm sure all of you out there who are parents can understand the stress that comes with having kids. I tend to forget they aren't mine to begin with, but are on loan from God. That actually just stressed me out more. Their learning and growth falls to me and I'm a terrible teacher! I'm not consistent and I don't know the best way to teach them. School starts in the fall and they are supposed to have a good grasp on these things. Today I feel like a terrible mother.

Those are my big stresses. Verses about worry and giving things to God are floating through my mind right now, but I feel like I can't absorb them. Have you ever seen that Veggie Tales where a little girl or boy lies and the rumor weed starts to grow? With each lie she or he tells it gets bigger and bigger, it eventually gets so big that it is it's own entity. That's what my stress is right now, it's own entity.

Thanks for listening.

Thankful Thursdays!

I'm Thankful...

1. That it's been cooler the last couple of days
2. That my husband goes to work everyday even though I suspect he doesn't want to
3. That I get to stay home with my kids
4. For my pillow
5. For all the people that read and comment on my blog
6. For God's love and understanding
7. For my moody playlist
8. That husband came home safe from boating on Tuesday
9. That my Mom is going to come visit around Thanksgiving
10. For the new Lion software I downloaded yesterday, it's very cool

Wordy Wednesday!

I absolutely love the word sesquipedalian! It sounds awesome and the definition is so fitting to how long the word is.


ses·qui·pe·da·li·an  

[ses-kwi-pi-dey-lee-uhn, -deyl-yuhn]

1. given to using long words

2. (of a word) containing many syllables

I hate the word moist. It just sounds gross. If you look at the definition, why can't we just say damp. Even though damp is pretty borderline in my book, it beats moist any day.

moist   

[moist]

1. moderately or slightly wet; damp

2. (of the eyes) tearful

3. accompanied by or connected with liquid or moisture

Things You May Not Know Part 2

Here is another list of things about me, mostly because I don't know what else to post right now and I'm feeling wordy!

1. I'm a junk food junky
2. I hate the wind
3. I stepped on a nail when I was in the 7th grade and a piece of the shoe was lodged in my foot for awhile
4. I wish I had a British accent
5. I like to stand on the hot pavement barefoot
6. I only paint my toenails red
7. My husband and I sleep with different blankets
8. I own a pair of purple, red, and highlighter yellow Roos
9. I'm addicted to Better Cheddars
10. If I see a loose dog I will stop and take him home to find his owners
11. I want to be a model
12. I've never mowed a lawn on account that I'm highly allergic to grass
13. I threw a water bottle across the room after the Patriots lost the Superbowl (not my proudest moment)
14. I love to read and tend to ignore anything and everything when I do (not on purpose)
15. My favorite numbers are 6 and 13

A Song To Share

I used to have another blog. I called it Beautiful In God's Eyes. After everything that happened with Derek, his cancer, and my subsequent fall from well everything I no longer felt beautiful in God's eyes. 

After my last visit to my family in April my Mom and I were talking about God and our relationships with Him and I shared my feelings with her. I think it bothered her more than she let on. She texted me the other day about this song by Mercy Me called Beautiful. She told me it reminded her of me and I should listen to it. I listened to it and cried. It's so true. I know we've all done things we're ashamed of. Sins we wish we could take back with all our heart. This song I think will resonate with you. I'm trying to let myself believe and know that despite my sins and faults God still finds me beautiful. He still sent His Son to die for me. 

Enjoy.

Letter to a Linebacker

Dear James Harrison (linebacker for the Steelers),

I compliment your boldness. Or is it craziness? Regardless, my compliments to you (that will be the only one). While I agree with parts of your attack on Goodell's character, I have to say I don't know how smart it was to insult the guy that has the power to suspend and/or fine you during the next regular season (provided it actually happens).

Shame on you for using an anti-gay slur though. Not only is it insulting to others, it's bad PR for you. But I guess I don't really care about your PR.

 It would have been interesting to see you whisper in Goodell's ear had you won the Superbowl. I wonder if that moment would have been caught on camera. It's almost worth me changing who I rooted for in the Superbowl. Almost, but not quite.

I do have to say calling Rodney Harrison and Tedy Bruschi "clowns" was I think inappropriate. I don't know why or the context in which it was said in the article, but I'm thinking they commented on your performance and you didn't like it too much. Truth hurts, huh? I'm not gonna comment on Brian Cushing and how you said he was "juiced out of his mind", mostly because I don't know if he juices. What I do want to know is if you have irrefutable proof that he does?

The most idiotic part of your comments though was attacking your own teammates. It takes an entire team to lose a game. I'm thinking that if the Packers scored 31 points that was the defenses fault. You are on the defense, right? I applaud Mendenhall for providing a link to his stats for last season. Way to discredit the idiotic comment! Now I'm not one of Roethlisberger's biggest fans, but telling him how to do his job and insulting him at the same time seems a little oh I don't know haughty, egotistical, pompous, presumptuous...I could go on all day I suppose so I'll leave the adjectives at those four. I'm waiting to see what Roethlisberger says. I'm hoping it's really good. I guess we'll see how much damage you've done when the article actually comes out in the August issue of Men's Journal. Personally I'm hoping the damage is irreversible, but then again I don't like you. At all.


Kindest Regards,

Erica Anderson