Random

Here's a few random things you may or may not know about me:

1. I've always wanted to be a teacher. I have a picture of when I was very young where I sat my stuffed animals in chairs, sat in front of them, and began teaching however I knew how.

2. When I was about 3 or 4, I fell out of my parent's moving car. All I remember is them (hospital people) picking pieces of pavement out of my skin and putting a jelly-substance on that stung. If I get pressed up against a car door, I may very well have a panic attack.

3. I love learning about medical things and could watch medical shows all day long - the graphic nature of it doesn't bother me. But if I so much as get a scratch myself, I get light-headed.

4. I have nightmares at least once every two weeks about my teeth falling out. I guess it's a hidden fear of mine.

5. I would love to have a big family - lots of children.

6. My husband's name - Septtroplex - is made up. He was born in September (first part) and was born in the Mettroplex (second part) hospital. I call him Septtro because every time I introduce him as Sep, people think I'm saying Seth.

7. The crunching sound from squishing a bug makes me want to hurl.

8. I have to wear sunglasses or goggles to chop an onion.

9. I am a reality TV junkie. (yes I know most of it isn't real)

10. I've never owned a Barbie doll. I had a Skipper doll and a GI Joe.

11. I have a huge place in my heart for children who aren't loved and cared for.

12. My favorite fast food restaurant is Chick Fil A. They treat the customer right.

13. I get huge highs from saving money at grocery stores, drug stores, and Walmart.

14. There aren't many people I feel comfortable crying around...probably enough to count on one hand.

15. I consider myself a self-taught volleyball player. My freshman year in college, my coach taught me how to pass. That's all I learned from a coach.

16. I played baseball with the boys until I was 13.

17. In high school, I felt labeled and extremely misunderstood.

18. If a recipe has more than 6 or 7 ingredients, I get overwhelmed and look for something else.

19. I've realized these past few months that there are a lot of hurting people I come into contact with directly or indirectly every day and I need to be more sensitive.

20. I still sleep with Septtro's shirt he let me borrow (not to wear) when we were dating.

21. I couldn't tell you the actual date when I finally repented of my sins and became a child of God. That used to bother me but not anymore.

22. I've tried to quit biting my nails many times. I've been bribed with money and gifts and I've tried fake nails and the nasty stuff you put on your nails - nothing has worked.

23. The only food to this day that I cannot eat and barely even smell or look at is meatloaf. Thanks mom and dad! ;)

24. My least favorite house chore is dusting. If I can ever afford a cleaning lady, that's what she'll do.

25. I can't watch horror movies.

You're turn!!! :)

Goin Swimmin

There have been so many thoughts going through my head lately. I can't even begin to explain them all. Here I am, 5 months after losing my baby, and I still can't believe it happened. I still wish it was a dream.

All the things true about God, I know in my heart. He is good. He is sovereign. In His time. I guess sometimes you just need to let it all out. I was explaining to my dear friend, Kris, the other night about how this grief has felt. Somebody explained it very well on their blog and I'm so sorry I can't give them credit for their analogy (as I browse blogs of people I don't know - never to find them again). The grief is like swimming in the ocean. You don't wanna go out there alone. You don't want to be completely submerged in your emotions. But every day, it's like you're standing at the edge of the water, feet gradually giving way in the sand as the waves beckon you to surrender.

I took a pregnancy test this morning. It was negative. Maybe I'll go swimming today. I think I'm due for one. I'll grab my Life Preserver, swim out, and let go.

New Haircut

Last Tuesday, I got my hair chopped again. It's very similar to how I got it done this past May. I kinda like it - not the best picture of me, but you get the idea. :)

I admit...

Hello, my name is Susan Lynnette Sene and I am addicted to couponing.

Even after my trips to Bloom last weekend for triple coupons and saving over $30 at Publix on Tuesday, I decided we should visit Kmart for their double coupons. I had several coupons that were $1.00 and a few that were $2.00 so I decided beforehand that I would only get an item if it's free or less than $1.00. Septtro came with me and we were both so excited at our finds - although 2 of the things I wanted to get that would have been free were gone.

Take a look at what we got:

I was pretty excited about the Quaker chewy granola bars. They were marked down to $1.50 a box and I had a $1.00 of two boxes coupon (that was doubled) so they were $0.50 each! AND I had two of that same coupon so I got 4 boxes of em.

Total before coupons: $39.77
Total after coupons: $12.30

We bought 18 items so that's about 66 cents per item! PLUS, Kmart had a promotion on their cereal so since we bought 5 boxes, we got a $5 Kmart gift card. So that's really $7.30 out of pocket for all our goodies!

Another plus, I think my math skills might be improving - with all the calculating of coupon prices with sale prices.

So, yes, I admit. I'm addicted to saving money.

P.S. Please don't stare and laugh at those of us with coupon books in the stores. It's not very nice.

Boldness

While reading through Acts 4, the Lord revealed a truth to me that I thought I'd share. Have you ever read Acts? It's pretty powerful.

Peter and John were preaching the gospel and healing in the name of Jesus. The rulers did not appreciate this but also could not deny evidence of Christ's power through these men. Because of the large amounts of people who were following Jesus as a result, the rulers really had "nothing to say in opposition". I would like to think they were scared. :)

So the rulers came up with a plan - threaten these men, not once, but at least twice - as verse 21 says "when they had further threatened them, they let them go" and here's the cool part - "finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened."

Who knows what the rulers threatened them with...their family's lives, friend's lives, money, food, house, slavery....we don't know. But Peter and John told their friends and instead of getting angry for being treated unfairly - for being persecuted - they prayed. Here's the part of their prayer that spoke to me:

"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness (verse 29)." They didn't pray for deliverance. They didn't pray for revenge. They prayed simply for boldness to continue the work of Christ. Wow!

So that made me think. Have I been praying for deliverance? For revenge? (ok, so I might not word it like that but you know what I mean) God help me...help me to have the trust of your people in Acts. Give me boldness.

Coupons!!

So I've gotten swept into the world of couponing. I know what you're thinking..."Oh you're one of those annoying people that always seem to be in front of me fumbling through their coupons and none of them seem to scan correctly and it takes FOREVER for you people to check out".

Guilty!

Haha, ok well I try not to tie up the line and normally, my coupons do scan just fine and I don't need to fumble through them because I'd like to think I'm pretty organized. Below are some pictures of my notebook I have in my car at all times.
This is in the very front of my notebook. I have my calculator because I'm pretty needy in the area of math as well as my pen and a pair of scissors for any impromptu coupon clipping.


I have several clear sheets to store other important items. Here I keep my grocery list as well as any coupons (mostly store or competitor coupons) that I want to make sure I use before the expiration date.

Here's what the inside looks like. I have tabs separating each category and have kept grocery and non-grocery items together. I use both sides of baseball card protectors for my coupons. It took a while to get it put together but now it's so much easier for me to keep track of everything.

Many grocery stores will double manufacturer coupons every day. Bilo will double up to 55 cents every day and Publix will double up to 50 cents every day. Most will also take other store coupons but I'd check with your specific store as this may vary. AND, this week, Kmart is doing double coupons - which they do periodically - up to $2.00!!! That's right, so any coupon with a face value of $2.00 and below, they will double! Plus if you sign up to receive emails on their website, they'll automatically send you $10 worth in coupons. Here is their weekly add and here is where you can sign up for coupons via email.

Just an example of how helpful couponing can be to your finances, I have listed what I got this past weekend at Bloom during their triple coupon weekend. Any coupon that has a face value of 99 cents or below, they will triple - it's fantastic! They do this about once a month.

First trip - Friday, January 9th:

3 packs of Kraft shredded cheese
6 cups of Yoplait yogurt
1 tub of Smart Balance butter spread
10 cans of Campbells Select soup
1 box of Luzianne tea bags
Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting
2 canisters of Quaker Instant Oats
2 boxes of Pillsbury Toaster Strudels
2 tubes of Crest toothpaste
2 boxes of Quaker Instant Oatmeal

Paid - $24.79
Saved - $44.98 - this includes sale prices Bloom already had


Second trip - Sunday, January 11th:

Palmolive dish soap
Dawn dish soap
2 tubes Colgate toothpaste
2 boxes of Pillsbury Savorings - LOVE these! :)
1 bag frozen Pillsbury biscuits
Coffee Mate creamer
2 jars Smuckers all-natural peanut butter
2 jars Frank's hot sauce
Johnsonville turkey sausage
Bisquick pancake mix
6 cans Chef Boyardee canned pastas - takes me back to middle school days
2 six packs of Jello pudding
1 gallon of milk
2 jugs of Juicy Juice
1 bag Green Giant vegetable steamer

Paid - $25.12
Saved - $40.25

If you wanna learn more about how to do couponing, there are several websites. One I check regularly is www.couponmom.com and I'm a member of www.upstatecouponers.com - they are VERY helpful and have classes sometimes to help newbies learn. It's free to join and I highly recommend it! :)

Places to find coupons:

• Sunday newspaper (majority of coupons found here)

• "blinkies" in stores (those automatic coupon dispensers that blink)

• "peelies" (the manufacture coupons taped to products - most you don't have to buy the product to get the coupon. For example, there might be a coupon for kielbasa on a can of sauerkraut. You don't have to buy one to get the other unless the coupon indicates you do.)

• catelinas - the coupon strips that print out at the register when you pay. As long as it has "manufacture coupon" on it, you can use it at any store although some stores to also take competitor coupons so you could use a Food Lion store coupon at Publix.

• flyers in the store - Publix has a lot of these as you walk in, there's a turn-table with various publications that many times will have coupons

• wine tags - draped over bottles of wine but be sure you don't have to purchase the wine to get the coupon...these are hard to find!

• tear pads - on outside of display for product

Once you start keepin your eyes peeled for coupons, you'd be surprised at how many you can find. And if any of you are reading this and live close by and don't use your coupons - esp Sunday paper coupons - please allow me to take them off your hands...any or all you don't use!! :)

Care free

I love this picture. It kinda makes me jealous...I wanna feel as care-free as that.

Don't Waste Your Life

I've been doing a lot of thinking - especially over the holidays. What really matters? I mean, that sounds like a ridiculous question...rhetorical to most. I guess it's pretty easy to give a good, Sunday-school-type answer. But it's a whole different thing to actually live it out. I can't tell you how many times I feel like I've prayed the exact same prayer - for God's strength and patience as he carries out His will for my life. I feel like as soon as I get a grasp on what really matters, thoughts come creeping back and I forget again and slide down towards despair.

What matters is my relationship with Christ and living it out with complete joy. I've been reading a good book lately by John Piper called Don't Waste Your Life. I would strongly recommend it to anyone - no matter your background or current situation. Here are a few quotes from the book that have helped get my thoughts back on track:

"Pursuing God's glory [is] virtually the same as pursuing my joy...if you life gladly to make others glad in God, your life will be hard, your risks will be high, and your joy will be full."

"Enjoying and displaying [His supreme excellence] are both crucial. If we try to display the excellence of God without joy in it, we will display a shell of hypocrisy and create scorn or legalism. But if we claim to enjoy his excellence and do not display it for others to see and admire, we deceive ourselves, because the mark of God-enthralled joy is to overflow and expand by extending itself into the hearts of others."

"The wasted life is the life without a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples."

"If you don't point people to God for everlasting joy, you don't love. You waste your life."

"No thing can satisfy the soul...all heroes are shadows of Christ. We love to admire their excellence. How much more will we be satisfied by the one Person who conceived all excellence and embodies all skill, all talent, all strength and brilliance and savvy and goodness?"

"He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

I hope perhaps one or more of these has encouraged you. I've been realizing I can't focus on what I don't have or what I can't do. I refuse to let other people and various situations steal the joy I have in Him.

What about you? Are you wasting your life?

Christmas Pics

Yeah these are a week late but I think I do pretty good for not having Internet at home. :)


This was our Christmas with Mark and Shawna the Sunday before Christmas (since they went to Seattle).

Gramma thought Superman was very handsome.











Shawna with her LL Bean slippers.

















Mark sportin his new Clemson hat. It looked like a piece of burlap...but I must admit, I almost kept it for myself. :)











I think mom really liked her present. We went in together and got her a digital frame.












Tillman and Suka in their Clemson and Woodruff apparel....so stinkin cute!

















This was Christmas morning. One of his players got him that Woodruff beenie. Mom and dad got him a griddle...that we've used a TON already!












Santie Claus even brought Suka a present...she just needed a lil help opening it.












Here's everybody after brunch on Christmas morning.













Suka givin some lovin.

















Suka givin her dad five. :)