A Tribute to Jot

Who even cares about the stinkin' countdown -- my dog is dead. I left for our women's retreat on Friday and I knew he wasn't feeling good, but I just though it was something he ate and I left him out in the backyard. It was something he ate but it was much more serious than I thought...

I'm gonna miss my dog, Jot. I will miss his lopsided ears -- one ear up and one ear down. I will miss stepping over his big body lying in my way while I am trying to cook dinner. I will miss the way he followed me around the house and always was near me no matter what I was doing. I will miss the way he laid at the top of the stairs once the kids got home so he could see what was going on both upstairs and downstairs. I will miss the way he and I both knew when Jacob was home everyday because we heard the squeaky brakes of the bus. He always ran to the front door so when I opened it he could go out and greet Jacob. I will miss the way he always ran to the backdoor when I said, "Jot, time to go to bed." He ALWAYS went outside, then back inside to the laundry room where he slept every night. Just in the last couple of weeks he was reluctant to go in. And, he would NOT go in if the dryer was on. I will miss taking him to the park or Joe Pool lake. He loved to be off his leash so he could run, explore, and sniff around. When he needed to get back on his leash he would always come back to me when I called. Will I ever even want to go to the park again without him? I will miss the fun of throwing his toy upstairs and how he bounded up to find it and then he hurried back down so we could play some more...

Who will keep me company when everyone else is gone to school or work? Who will bark when someone is at the door and intimidate them with his fierce sounding bark though he wouldn't hurt a flea? He hated to have his collar off and he would never run away. He knew who loved him and he loved back -- I know he did.

Dang it, I'm gonna miss that dog...

In mourning,

Jeanette

The Countdown - 28 days

Four weeks from today at this very time I will be waiting anxiously in my cap and gown on the lawn in front of the rotunda for graduation to begin. My NT prof must have seen my name on the graduation list because yesterday he asked me about graduation. I happened to be walking into class at the same time as he was and he said something about being done for a while. I responded that this is it for me -- it's time for me to be done. I will miss Dr. Taylor's class, however. When he reads the NT in class he's looking at Greek and reading outloud in English, for goodness sakes!! I am completely impressed!

4 weeks and counting - Jeanette

The Countdown - 29 days

Check out the below video. I missed the show last night but the finale was quite the buzz today. The words of the song have been changed a bit (the name of Jesus removed) but I think it was still quite awesome.

29 days and counting....Jeanette

Shout to The Lord American Idols on Idol Gives Back

The Countdown - 30 days

Four weeks and two days until graduation. I just about had a panic attack today while I was working on my semester project for NT. My laptop shut down unexpectedly and I thought the whole thing would be gone...hours and hours of work. Thankfully, somehow beyond my understanding, when I restarted the computer the program restored it. (or whatever it's called -- I am just glad it was there)

In two days is our women's retreat. The timing could not be better. Tonight was a warm-up for the retreat. I was in the kitchen doing my usual Wednesday night duty. We had Chick-fil-A (yum!) tonight so there was very little clean-up. After we closed the big metal window and all the males left the kitchen there were seven of us left. We talked about a wide range of topics and I have to say I just about laughed my head off. It was so great! I am leading a "break-out" session on Saturday morning and have been studying Acts 2:40-47 today in preparation. The text is about the early days of the early Christian church. Scripture says, "they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42) Gathering together for prayer and Bible study are essential, I think, in the life of Christians. Sometimes fellowshipping can be mighty important, however. It is so good to laugh and know that your sisters are experiencing the same things you are... they get it.

BTW, my son couldn't believe I texted the word "groovy" to a friend today. He said nobody says that word anymore. Am I the only one?

Serving the King,

Jeanette

The Countdown - 32 days

Only 32 days until graduation. After today there are only four more Mondays of my entire seminary career. One of those is the final exam day for Monday classes. I will miss talking to the young women I have met at school. I went over to the student center between my 1st and 2nd class to get a beverage and sat at a table for a minute and one of the young women came over for a short chat. She works at the seminary and she said she proofed my name on the graduation list!! My name is on the list. Then I saw two of the girls from my 2nd class and they were giggling. It seems one just broke up with a guy. They asked me if you "just know" when you meet Mr. Right. This is what I told them -- while I was in college I had three roommates that all had serious boyfriends. They all are married to those guys now. I was always the oddball. I would ask my roommates how they knew the guy they were dating was the one they would marry. They would all answer, "You just know." That was ridiculous to me at the time. Then, I met Johnny. We were engaged only 5 weeks after we met. After just a few days I just knew. Crazy, I know, but it's lasted 20 years!! In fact, Johnny is my very best friend and I would rather be with him than any other person on the face of the planet.

Just 32 more days, baby!! Jeanette

The Countdown - 34 days

Only thirty-four days until graduation. That's less than 5 weeks -- 5 weeks from yesterday, to be exact. I just found out yesterday that graduation will be held outdoors this year. It will be at 9:00 am on a Friday morning. I will be wearing a black robe outside in Texas in May. I will be thankful for 9:00 am. I must wear a skirt that is not longer than the robe and dark shoes. Who will know if I have on shorts? (jk)

I may be a little delirious right now. I had Cold Stone for lunch. Yes, I had ice cream for lunch. We had guys and girls weekend. Johnny and sons took the Wildwood out and Jess and I went to a hotel and shopping. And that's why I had ice cream for lunch.

Here's one thing about hanging out with Jess - which I loved, by the way - she likes country & western music. I think there must be a bazillion c&w songs about kids growing up, guys stealing daddy's little girl, making the most of now because you're gonna miss this time when it's gone, and the importance of people/valuing people. Time is flying by and I don't know how to make it slow down. Is there a way? We've been talking about college an awful lot because we're in the middle of applying for scholarships/financial aid. It's not just Johnny and me - the siblings are not looking forward to Josh leaving either. Which is good that they are going to miss him but sad at how much our life is about to change.

As I'm counting the days until my graduation and wanting that day to be here, I'm not counting the days until Josh's graduation and not wanting that day to be here. Is that the strangest thing? I simply do not know what the future holds. I feel expectant, but uncertain. Excited, but apprehensive.

Ugh!

Serving the King,

Jeanette