It's been a long time.

I haven't written in so long because I haven't been on the computer in so long. I haven't been on partly because I haven't felt like it and partly because I haven't had time. I was planning on doing the 30 days of Thanksgiving but again I haven't been on the computer.
My Wall of Fame has taken off at school and we are excited daily to see what is going to come in the mail. The kids are really into it and are excited that this is happening.
I am making headway with my Math class. I feel like I am finally getting a handle on it. We are moving forward and it is neat to see the kids make the connection.
As for the homefront, I am wanting to get back into my baking and be creative there. I miss it. I need to get back into it for my own sanity. It keeps me focused. I need that more than anything.
I am thankful for a lot of things and I am so grateful that I have a wonderful family and that they put up with me. I do think about things that I am grateful for and I feel blessed everyday.
I gave serious consideration to signing off the blog for good but a piece of me just couldn't let it go. So I will continue to blog hopefully more than once a month.

Happenings in my Life

Where to start... Here we go, buckle up your seat belt and hang on.
On Saturday, I went to the grocery store and when trying to pay for everything, was informed that my driver's license was expired. Apparently, DPS no longer sends you a reminder. When I got home, I discovered that my amazing hubby had started working on our messy bedroom. I jumped in and by the time the evening happened, we had cleaned up the mess that had been building up. It was wonderful. We were working together and talking and I enjoyed it so much.
On Sunday, we had birthday lunch for Grandpa and my youngest. I did really well. I didn't cry in front of anyone. I made it through lunch and then our church dinner club that happened that night. I waited until I had gone to bed to let out what I was feeling. My youngest is turning 14 and this was a time when I felt the loss of Jeff's mom once again.
On Tuesday, I went to renew my license. I went during my conference period and got there a little before 10am. There were 5 people behind the desk and only one happened to be working. One lady was actually filing her nails. I finally got done at 11am. It was so annoying.
The high point of the day was when the mail came at school today. My principal came in carrying a box. He was like a kid in a candy store. He read the letter that was sent to my class. In the box with the letter was a mini helmet signed by the coach of the Philidelphia Eagles, Andy Reid. There were bookmarks, pencils, and lanyards for the kids. It was so great!! I had blogged previously (I think) about my letter writing campaign. It is now paying off. Although a lot of people have asked when I am planning on writing to NBA, WNBA, Hockey, and Baseball leagues. I just sent out over 100 letters. I am getting ready to send out the next set. I am just working my way through. My Wall of Fame is growing by leaps and bounds. The kids are excited and so am I. We can hardly wait from one day to the next.

Can you believe it?

First, don't go into shock that I am writing 3 posts in one day. My hubby tells me to spread it out but lately, if I don't just do it then I tend to forget. That is a posting for another time.
I know I have probably mentioned in previous posts that I write letters to all kinds of people. It isn't to get stuff...well it is to get a letter but that's all I am asking for. About 4 years ago I started writing letters to famous people in an effort to get them to write and encourage my students. I wanted my students to know that they could fulfill their dreams, wishes, desires of becoming someone. (Heaven knows, I became someone.) :D Anyway, that first year, we heard from the Queen of England, President G.W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush, Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, Carl Edwards, and another race car driver. One of my students got Bill Bates to autograph a napkin so that we could hang it on the Wall of Fame. After that, every year I would send out 100-150 letters to athletes, politicians, actors, actresses, singers. For the longest time, we received nothing. This year, I decided to be aggressive. I went after addresses for David Letterman, Jay Leno, Clint Black, Reba McEntire, the entire NFL, the president, local blues singers. Anyone that I could think of, I sent a letter or an email. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs.... No one is beyond my scope of getting a letter to them. I am even considering Fidel Castro. (You never know, one student might be seeing dictator as his future goal.)
This year so far, we have had a personal letter from Joe Biden, Ms. Marcy and her Texas Sugar Daddies, Billy Worthington, and the Buffalo Bills. I did receive an email from the San Fran 49ers. They only support California students. At least they wrote and told me that instead of just never answering my letter. I am still on the hunt. Tonight, I was given several other names of famous people to write to. I am hoping that we continue to see more and more people write to the students. They love reading the letters and they are amazed that the people who do write care about them enough to write to us.
I will post a picture of the Wall soon.

Pink Out!!!

Today, our community held its first annual Pink Out! What is that? Well, Pink Out is Cancer Awareness Day. The Pink is mainly for Breast Cancer Awareness but we also wore ribbons that were yellow and turquoise. Those represent other types of cancer. The district had a pep rally and we honored 3 people who are fighters of cancer.
One was a 9 year old boy who had tummy aches starting in April 2010. In June, they discovered that he had stage 4 cancer. This next week, he gets to have surgery to remove the tumor because it is now 50% smaller than when they discovered it.
The next person was Vicki Williams, our high school secretary. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2008 and within the year, she was in remission. Sadly, earlier this year, it was discovered that the cancer was back but now it had seeped into her hip bone. She is fighting daily through the chemo, radiation, and medicine they give her. She always has a smile and never lets on how really sick she is.
Coach Farda is the other person we honored. He has had cancer return to him. He is a fighter and he comes to work; hurting, sick, etc. yet he smiles and stops to talk to you.
All 3 of these people are amazing! I cried over each of them. I cried over the fact that we too have dealt with cancer in our own lives in this family. But today, I wore the pink shirt with pride. I love the slogan on it that says "Pink Out for the survivors, the fighters, and the taken." So I will Pink Out and I will continue to pray for those who are fighting.

Cleaning out Clutter

I know that Spring is when you are suppose to clean out and do all the deep cleaning but for some reason, this mood hits me in the fall. Maybe it's the cooler weather or maybe it's the fact that I get tired of having a lot of stuff around. I recently told some family members that I would love to take EVERYTHING out of my house and then only bring in the most needed items. This would apply to everything from pots and pans to clothes, shoes, etc.
We have lived here 3 years now. There are things in my attic that I haven't used or missed so I know that it is time to get it out. I still have books in my garage from when we moved in. I am still waiting for the promised bookcases to appear. Hmmmmm..... There are still boxes in my bedroom that are filled with things that my hubby deems important and "he will get to one day". (Hopefully that one day is this weekend.)
I am just tired of the clutter. I used to think that I didn't contribute so much to it but I am as guilty as the rest of them. I haven't bought any magazines in almost 4 months. All my subscriptions have run out so, I have eliminated that form of clutter from my pile. Now if I could just get a handle on the rest of my clutter.
I want, desire, dream, and wish that my bedroom was a calming, soothing place to go to but right now it is the storage center, the dumping grounds, whatever you want to call it. There is so much clutter in my bedroom that I hate going in there. Hopefully that will change this weekend. I intend to spend my weekend just cleaning up and getting rid of a lot of clutter. Goodwill, get ready cuz here I come!!!!

Fashion

Well since my birthday, I find myself becoming more eccentric. One day this week, for absolutely no reason, I decided that I was tired of being beige. That is a figure of speech of course but basically it was this: I have always been brought up to match my clothes, shoes, purse, jewelry with whatever color the outfit is. I have had enough matchy matchy. I decided to kick it up a notch and break out. Now part of decision came about when I was flipping channels on television and some fashion show was on and the host was telling the camera that fashion is what you make of it. No one really knows what fashion is. Put something together and wear it. What makes it fashionable is wearing it with confidence. If you wear something and are obviously uncomfortable with doing so then you just look awkward but exuding confidence while wearing whatever shows others that you are a fashionista and then you pull it off. That being said, I decided to start breaking out of the mold. I wore red shoes with a black and white outfit this week. I had more compliments on that than I have ever had before. It was amazing. One thing and everyone noticed. So, I am now determined that I will wear something bright and unusual everyday. Today, I wore one of my grandmother's pins. It was a big blue flower with a bright green stem. Again, compliments over one little accessory.
I am thinking about creating the "Lynne Look" and seeing how that goes. Mind you, I am all about the comfort zone and keeping certain things covered. Maybe if I were skinny and a size 6, I might be all about high heels and such but I am what I am for now. I just need to remember "Be Bold, Be Strong. Right or Wrong." I encourage you to step out and be your own fashionista. Why let society dictate what is in and what isn't. We are who we are and we should be proud of that.

It's been a while

It has been quite a while since I blogged. I was reminded about this not too long ago. Someone told me that they missed me writing and that I needed to get busy on it. They were right. I have missed writing. I know that I don’t write novels or such but I do write about what is on my mind at the time.
I recently turned 44. Yes, I am proud of my age. I don’t try to sugar coat it like my grandmother use to. She would tell everyone that she was 39. When she died, we had a horrible time finding out how old she really was. Turned out she was older than my granddaddy and that was what bothered her. That is the reason she would tell everyone a fake age. Jeff’s grandmother was proud of her age and she told everyone how old she was all the time. She died when she was 92. She didn’t look more than 70 something. I want to do that. I love the thought of living to a ripe old age and living life to its fullest. I seriously try hard not to give into the whining about aches and pains. I feel if I give into it then I will end up an old lady way before I am ready to be an old lady. I am also learning that 50 and 60 are not that far away and aren’t looking so bad. Happy Birthday to my aunt Betty Lou and Jeff’s uncle Jimmy in the month of September. We remembered you.
For my birthday, a small group of ladies and myself went to Salado for an entire weekend. It was so much fun! We went to every antique store, hole in the wall shop, and little venues that we could find. We ate at a little bakery and had amazing food. That night we ate at the Stagecoach Inn and was absolutely blown away by the amount of food they served us. It was really good. We intended to play games and talk but the travels of the day had worn us out. We were all asleep by 11:00pm that night. We hit the trail again the next day going to places we had missed. We also did some sight seeing of houses and trudged through the local cemetery looking at the historical markers and graves. We meandered home, refreshed, and relaxed.

Date Day with Aunt Wee

I finally feel like I am getting my feet on the ground with work so, I talked with my sis-in-law and asked her if I could institute Date Day with Aunt Wee. She seemed to like the idea and plans were made. I go pick up one, two, or even all three kids and then we go off and allow their momma to have a breather and I get the pleasure of spending time with my nieces and nephew.
Today's plans weren't suppose to go the way they did today. The weather caused the change. So, the three kids and I took off this afternoon and headed out to Walmart in Midlothian. There we found legos, a giant pink ball, and a Dora baby doll had ended up in our basket. We decided they all needed a home and we checked out. This adventure was followed up with dinner at Sonic in Venus. We meandered back to their house and relaxed while waiting for their momma to get home from the grocery store. My nephew played with his new legos and the girls played with the ball and Dora. We piddled around and then took baths and watched a princess movie. Their momma made it home with the much requested milk and I went home. It was a great time with them and I just hope they had as much fun. I also hope their momma got the breather she needed to get her through the next few days. There are pictures and I will add them tomorrow.

God smacked me upside the head

Our pastor has been preaching on Galatians 5:23 over the past few weeks. He has discussed each part of this verse and this last part was over self control. It was such a powerful message and I so needed to hear it. He tended to rabbit trail from time to time but everything was what I needed to hear. Not what I wanted to hear particularly but I sure needed to hear it.
One of the things was that he continued to say that the anger and hurt that we hang on to is satan's hold in our life. We give satan that foothold she we don't resolve our differences. With all that has happened over the past year, I have certainly allowed a ton of anger to build up. I knew that my prayer life had been low and I knew that I felt totally disgusted whenever I thought of the problems going on. It was life it would dredge up over and over again. Always when I thought it was past.
Well, I made the decision to have some self control and move past the anger and bitterness. This week I have made an effort to be nicer and to treat people better and as a result, the week has been better. I also got to thinking that I didn't want to be that person that everyone avoids because all I could talk about was the same problems over and over. Complaining and griping over and over. I am tired over reliving the nightmare over and over. So I made sure that I made an effort. It was such a good decision. I am glad I made this decision. I have to say that I am glad when God smacks me upside the head.

Out of Time

There never seems to be enough time. It seems like the more I try to cram into a space of time, the less time I have. School starts Monday and I don't feel like my room is ready so I am stressing over that but at the same time, I want to spend time with family. So, I made the conscious decision to not go up to the school over the weekend. Instead, I went grocery shopping, took my wonderful niece shopping, and had dinner with extended family. Did I get my house clean for the 18 people coming tomorrow? No. Did I get the preparations started for it? Yes. Did I sit down and just be with my hubby? Yes. I will hopefully pull it all together before everyone arrives tomorrow night. My house will at least be picked up. I hate that it won't be as clean as I want it but again, so much to do, so little time.
As for school, I will have to just finish it up on Monday afternoon. It will come together but just not when I wanted it to. I thought I was good at budgeting my time but lately I have been having trouble with that aspect. Hopefully I will get better now that I have a schedule starting up again. I need to get better at it or I will have trouble this year.
I read a blog recently that said, "There must be more to life that dishes and laundry...." I am here to say--There certainly is.

Under Construction

Please excuse my mess. My blog is undergoing construction at this time. I hope to have it completed and looking cute before long.

The Start of School Randomness

I have been working on setting up my room at school this past week. I have to take the boys into band camp so I figure I can get my room set up while waiting on them to finish. What I didn't take into account was that I am getting volunteered to do things. I admit that it doesn't bother me too much right now. Once the year officially starts, I am not so sure that I will be willing to be volunteered so much.
Anyway, I am slowly working my way through all the boxes and such trying to get my room in place. I have decided that I am going to go with basic colors this year for decorating. I weeded out a bunch of material that I have had for a while and not used. I also decided not to use curtains this year. I am turning a corner in my life and that means that I am cleaning out and reducing. I have pack ratted for too long.
Now I have to get my lesson plans up and going so that at least the first couple of weeks worth.

I know my hubby loves me.

My husband loves me. I have many ways that I know this but there is one in particular that cracks me up. I have an aversion to people touching my feet. I don't even go get pedicures because I just can't handle anyone touching my feet. Well, the last few months, I have been trying to get over some of my irrational fears so I asked him to rub lotion on my feet. He got excited and grabbed the lotion. I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes. He did a good job but I am still not over my aversion. How many husbands would want to rub their wife's feet with lotion? I know of people who beg their husbands to do this and I am the one weirdo that begs her husband not to touch her feet. Maybe one day, I will get to a point where I will enjoy the procedure but for now....mmm, I don't think so. I love my husband for trying.

A Day Out With Aunt Wee

Sorry this is late in posting but we have had internet trouble. My nieces came to play with me a couple of weeks ago. The pictures actually loaded in reverse order but that's ok. My little girlies (nieces) got to come play with me. I took a ton of pictures and they are on my facebook picture file but I choose a couple of them for this blog. We started the morning shopping for new shoes. Every girl needs new shoes from time to time. Then we had lunch at Chick Fil A followed by a short trip to the park. It was too hot to stay long. This was all followed by rest time and Bambi.

Watch out cuz here I come!

First, let me say that this is a celebratory post. It is my 200th post!!! I never would have imagined I could blog that much. Cool! I know I already blogged today but I felt the need to post again. I have been looking at pictures of friends on facebook. Friends I went to college with mainly. One of the girls I went to school with is constantly happy. She was a clown then and appears to be a clown now. She looks like she totally enjoys life. She also looks like she enjoys her family. She is an ER nurse at Scott and White and I know that that is a hard job. Yet, it looks like nothing gets her down.
I want to be like that. Instead of hiding from the camera or scowling at the camera; I am going to start smiling more and hamming it up. I want to be known as a happy person. Not sour or depressed all the time. LB is an inspiration to me. She has fun with life and I am thinking that she has the right idea. Now I married a guy who is serious and who is matter of fact but that is him and not me. He knew that when he married me. I am going to find that person he married. She got lost along the way. I want to be more carefree and nutty and I want to enjoy life instead of just existing through it. Watch out world. You have no idea what is in store for you.

Memory Day

I had the pleasure of having lunch with my oldest and my youngest today. (My middle son was off hanging out with friends.) We discussed many things. Most of which were deep and really on a level that I could only hope for. We discussed drinking, drugs, girls, what they should and shouldn't be doing and when. What their dreams were. What they aspired to be. They asked questions of me as well and I answered them the best I could. It was one of those times that I will treasure. They are few these days with the kids going in different directions. It was one of those lunches that I will record into my memory forever. It was a great day.

My Experience

I wanted to post this and let everyone know about my experience. I went to Ennis to go to training. The training was good and I enjoyed it. I started home and realized there was a vibration in my car. I pulled over to the side of the road and thought that the right side looked low. I turned around and headed back into town. The first place I came to was the Kwik Kar oil change place. The guy there put air in my tires and helped me to locate the screw in my right rear tire. He then told me where the tire store was. After detouring through town because of a wreck, I found the tire store (Supreme Tire Co. in Ennis, Texas). I pulled in and was nervous because I noticed that there were a lot of men and no women but that is the way most tire stores are. As I walked up, all the men turned and looked at me and started staring...not at my face. I waited several minutes and finally a guy came over and asked what I needed. I told him I had a flat and showed him where. He told me it would be a "few minutes". 20 minutes later and them taken 5 trucks (with men driving them) ahead of me, I finally asked why they were taking all these other people ahead of me and I was told "they were ahead of me". I was getting mad and about that time, the head dude came out and told me to get my car. I drove it in and then waited while they changed my tire.
I left there and ended up at Walmart because I was still feeling a vibration and the warning light was still on. Norm at Walmart was wonderful!! He took my car into the bay and let some air out of the tires (they were over inflated) and checked the tire that they fixed. He told me it should be good to go.
I finally got home. The ordeal seemed to last forever and I now need a shower to get rid of the gross feeling of those guys staring at me. *Shudder* Eww. I so wished through this all that my hubby and/or my boys had been with me. I bet the service would have been quicker and without the staring. I know that other women have had similar experiences but I wanted people to know what happened to me in Ennis, Texas on Monday, July 19, 2010.

I am ready, bring it on!!!!

In my last post, I blew off some steam because I was frustrated. Let me say that even when my family frustrates me, they are still the bright spot in my life. We have talked since the last post and they understand now that they are going to have to give me some ideas rather than say, "I don't know" and then get upset with what I fix.
I know it is early, but there was a really good sale on...PENCILS!!!!! What does that mean? It means that I bought pencils. When I start buying things like that then it means that I am more than ready to get back to school. I really do like teaching school. I love getting the school supplies, putting up the bulletin boards, getting my room ready, prepping lesson plans for at least the first six weeks, etc. I am one of the strange people that would love to have school for 6 weeks at a time and then a week off then school for 6 weeks and a week off, etc. Otherwise known as year round school. I like working with the kids and helping them to understand things.
When my kids were younger, we made a whole day of going to get school supplies, a new outfit (shorts/jeans and a t-shirt), new shoes, and a new backpack for school. I think I actually liked doing this more than they did but they never complained (at least until they turned 1o). Back to school shopping means the start of something new again. I love it!
I am weird because a lot of wives at school get flowers on the first day of school but I would absolutely love it if I got a pencil bouquet or better yet!!!!!! A BOUQUET OF COLORED SHARPIES!!!!!!!!! Seriously!! I mean it!! Really!! I told you I was weird.
I have already started working on lessons for the start of school. Making vocabulary charts, arranging my room on paper, creating bulletin boards on paper, making a list of school supplies I want to have in my room, etc. I have lists running around my house right now that all pertain to school. My family is enduring this with sweetness. They turn their heads away from me to roll their eyes and grimace. I love them so!!
I still have to wait a month but I am gearing up and getting ready. Bring on the new school year cuz I am ready!!!!

Just blowin off steam

Okay. Normally, I would be upbeat but tonight I am frustrated. I ask my family every single day what they want to eat for supper. If I fix what I want they would never eat. I have a household of guys who are extremely picky eaters. The only veggies that they eat are green beans and corn and then those have to come from a can. Most of the time I fix stuff with chicken and ground meat. This is because that is what they will eat. On top of that I have about 10 recipes that they will actually eat. I have bought Rachel Ray's cookbooks and tried some of her recipes but they don't really like those either. Maybe, I ought to go back to processed foods, pizza, premade meals, etc. They are more expensive but that is what the family will eat. I have been trying hard to make them eat healthier but I feel like I am beating my head into the wall.
*Sigh* I just needed to vent a little. Thanks for listening.

Why am I doing this?

Lately, I have been trying really hard to be humorous on my facebook posts. Why? Because it seems that all I have been seeing are negative comments, people who talk about being depressed or down, people who really are going through tough times, and the list goes on. So, I decided that I was going to make it my mission to post something that might tickle a funny bone or at the very least, get a good groan.
It isn't easy to find things that are clean and funny. A lot of the things I have sorted through have had cuss words, inappropriate subject matter, etc. I did post one that I thought was funny but later I posted something else because I decided it probably wasn't one of the better choices.
I need the positive in my life. It is too easy to find the negative and way to easy to give into the negative. I experienced enough negative throughout this past year. I need, crave, desire the positive.
So, from time to time, I will post things here that are not so upbeat but boy am I trying hard!!! Maybe I even got a small smile out of you.

Watching What My Little Men Become

Today we sent our youngest off on his first mission trip. I was a little sad but at the same time, so excited for him. I wish I had been able to go with him and see the work that God is going to do in him this week. I know that there is a reason why I was able to go but I still wish I could have. I have seen him slowly changing over the past couple of weeks and it is so exciting because his digging deeper into God's word and is looking for more ways to be involved in ministry.
I watched my boys this morning during the worship service and noticed that they both worship with their whole heart. They don't go raising their hands or dancing or anything like that. You can just tell that they have blocked out all the extra stuff going on around them and they are totally in tune with God. They give the pastor their full attention. While others are passing notes, they are focused on what is being said. My heart was full today, realizing what godly men I have in my house. My oldest was sick so he wasn't there but I know that he has a heart for God and for ministry. I am like any other mom and I worry about my kids. If I could, I would have them close to me forever but that is not God's plan for their lives.
I look forward to seeing what God has in their future and what He does with them. It is exciting, scary, and really cool all at the same time to watch what happens.

Looking Back

First, let me say that my habit of keeping the house clean at now is going great. The getting up thing, we will see this next week.
I was looking at pictures of people I went to high school earlier this evening. The people that I always looked at and wanted to be like, well, let's just say...I no longer want to be like them anymore. Yes, I would like to lose weight. Yes, I would love to have thick luxurious hair. Yes, I would love to have a ton of money.
I wouldn't trade what I have for anything. You see, I have 3 boys who are Christians, sweeter than sugar, and huge hearts. I have a husband who loves me, desires me, and makes sure that we have what we need. When I was dreaming of the perfect guy in my life, I had some strong criteria. My husband met every single criteria that I had dreamed of. I have great in-laws. Fantastic nieces and nephews.
I see pictures of these people I held in high regard and wonder.... Some of them have had dream jobs (my opinion), some of them get to travel, and some of them have been friends for many, many years.
I have the job that God gave me, I don't travel...yet, and I am friends with many people. Those who are my true blue friends have been through the thick and the thin with me and they are still friends. I am glad I am not the same person I was in high school. I am glad that I am the person I have become.

Making New Habits

I heard or maybe I read one time that if you do something 21 times, it becomes a habit. So, I am working really hard to make an effort to keep the house clean, picked up, dishes done, and swept. I figure that if I can keep this up for the month of July, it will become a habit and I will just jump in there and do it. When school starts then, I will have developed this habit and it won't be an issue. The other habit I am wanting to work on instilling in my life is getting up earlier than I have in the past. You see for the last 2-3 years, during the school year, I get up at 630am and get the boys up. Then I go back to bed until 700am. I then get up, get ready, and walk out the door at 720am. I am in a dead run by this point. I am wanting to do better and actually get up and make my kids a real breakfast other than breakfast burritos to be warmed or cereal. I also want to have time to make my lunch and have a morning quiet time instead a middle of the day or nighttime quiet time. So, I am going to be getting up with my husband when his alarm goes off and making up the bed so that I cannot crawl back into bed.
I will post how I am doing on my two big goals as I go. I am determined to do this. I know I can if I just put my mind to it.

My Latest Read (Again)

I have a habit of saving up all my reading for the summer. The reason being that I am the kind of person that likes to read from start to finish without interruptions. During the school year, I have trouble with this because I kind of have to get up and go to work the next day, chores have to be done, my family thinks I need to cook and feed them, and the list goes on. So, I save up most of my reading for the summertime.
I finished reading All Cracked Up by Patsy Clairmont for the 3rd time. I love this book. Of course, if you know me, you know that I love Patsy's humor. She makes me need to invest in Depends. I laugh so hard, sometimes...well, let's just say I laugh really really really hard!
With the dark times that have occurred throughout this past year, this book has allowed me to see the lighter side of everything. Patsy has such a way with her words, thoughts, and such. She has experienced fear and darkness and yet has come out with her humor leading the way. What a gift God has blessed her with. One I wish beyond wish that I had.
Anyway, if you need an uplifting, this is a book I recommend. Enjoy it with a cold drink, a sugary snack, and really--seriously--a change of clothes. :D

I Love My House

I love the house my hubby designed for us. It is functional and welcomes people to come in and be themselves. Why do I know this? First, there is only bare concrete floors. We have a couple of throw rugs here and there but no carpet or "real" flooring. I love this for 3 reasons. The first is that before we moved in, the AC drain pipe was capped off and the water from the AC backed up into the laundry room, ran into the kitchen, my closet, and the garage. We also discovered that the sheet rockers had punctured the toilet pipes in our bedroom on the same night. If we had had any kind of flooring or carpeting, it would have been ruined and we might not have discovered it for a while. The second reason is because our dog at the time, chose our closet to give birth to 10 puppies. Again, flooring/carpeting would have been ruined. The best reason of all though and this is the one that I think helps people to relax is that a week after moving in the youth group met at our place. Within 20 minutes 3 Dr. Peppers were spilled on the floor and my response was "OK" and we mopped it up.
Another reason why I think that people relax at our house is the view out the front windows. It looks out onto the pasture and the hillside beyond. It is just a peaceful and wonderful view. People can come kick off their shoes, let their hair down, not worry about their kids ruining the carpeting, etc., etc. They can come and relax and breathe in clean, non-city, air.
The house itself is simple and completely us. My hubby drew up probably 30-40 plans before we decided on this particular one. When people come over and see it for the first time, they make the same comment that it fits us. We built this house so our kids would feel free to have their friends over and to house family things but most of all to just come in from work to a place where we can relax and unwind.
There are still several things we would love to add to the house but it isn't anything we can't live without. Contentment, comfort, and peace are words to describe my home. Come by sometime and see if you don't agree.

Our Sunday Adventures

Every Sunday is an adventure for us. We never know how many kids we will end up with for the day. Most of the time, we have at least 4-5 but today, we had 7 kids. Their ages ranged from 8-21. Luckily, we had borrowed the Excursion for a trip so we had the room. It was hysterical! They were all talking and joking around, laughing til they couldn't breathe. It was wonderful. I then realized that it would have been entirely possible for all these kids to actually been ours. If we had continued to have kids, this could have been our life. I loved it! I told my hubby that I was enjoying it and he totally agreed.
I know that God gave us three boys for a reason and stopped us when He did but He also knew that I was willing to have more. I originally wanted 5 kids. That was not to be. I just consider the kids that come over and hang out are my "other kids". I now have tons of "kids" of all ages. I feel blessed.
I look forward to our Sunday adventures every week.

From the Table

Today (Friday, which is technically yesterday now) was a challenge for me. I procrastinated beyond belief about cleaning the house for the reunion on July 3rd. Actually, I don't know that I procrastinated so much as I had little to no motivation to clean. I finally geared up and got going today. I worked on and off all day on this project. My nephew has been staying with us this week so there were times when we all had to stop and take a movie break with him. My middle son would stop periodically and take a rock band break with him as well.
For some reason at 11:00pm, I decided that my pantry had to be beyond clean. It had to be organized, cleaned, declutterized, and it had to be done right then. I don't know why I chose this particular time to do this but I went after it. If you know me then you know that when I stress, I cook or I clean. Tonight was a cleaning night. It felt good to get it all done but I really wished I had been motivated much sooner than late night.
I will admit that I have been struggling with staying positive. This past school year was rough and I finally finished teaching summer school this week. I think that with all that has happened, it finally crashed down upon me. My family can tell you that I have been pretty unmotivated to do much of anything except read and watch old romantic movies. Maybe now that I have cleaned most of the house, I will get going on the rest of it and get that project knocked out in the next couple of weeks. I always swear I am going to do that over the summer and then I never do. This summer I hope will be different.
I received an encouragement from someone I have never met but would absolutely love to meet. She spoke the sweetest words to me and it was God's timing that I read my blog responses when I did. God knew I needed those words.
I hope everyone has a great holiday and gets lots of rest.

An Answered Prayer

I have been reading this book from Lisa Whelchel called "The Facts of Life and Other Lessons My Father Taught Me". It is basically her testimony/autobiography. As I went through this book, I wrote down the scriptures she quoted so that I could put them to heart.
One thing she talked about was that when we pray and ask God to help us, etc. we tend to just say the words and then proceed to try to do it ourselves. That made an impact on me.
I have been really praying hard for my youngest lately. I have been praying that his heart would soften towards missions and mission trips. You see his grandpa goes every year and our middle son goes with him. Every time we have mentioned going on mission trip, the youngest has melted down. I knew that taking him on a mission trip with that attitude would be pointless.
Last night and this morning I was praying about his heart softening (really thinking more about him being willing to go with grandpa on mission trip). This afternoon I asked him if he had given any thought to going on mission trip with grandpa and he replied, "I really want to go with our church on mission trip but I think it's too late." (Bear with me on this next part.) My response at first was, *Big Sigh* in frustration. Then, I said, "I wish you had told us sooner. Oh my word." At that moment, I got a mental kick from God. A very, very, very large mental kick! It hit me. I had been praying for his heart to soften and here he was saying, "I want to go. I want to be a part." and I was acting like it was an issue! I immediately repented and told him I would check into it.
Our ministry team is awesome! The pastor and the youth pastor immediately said, "Yes!" to him going. I "told" my husband that I was going to pay for this and (another kick from God) my hubby said that it was not a yours and mine situation with the money but ours and there was more than enough in the savings for him to go.
Lisa spoke in her book about how she would get ahead of God and her husband and how she would try to be in control all the time. She also talked about how God got hold of her and changed her heart in this matter. God knows that I struggle with the same issues and today He proved that everything I read really does happen IF we would just let God do what He wants to do for us. He has a much bigger plan and a much better plan than I could ever imagine. I know that my prayers will be much different from now on.

A Story of a Girl

Once upon a time, there was a girl who dreamed of being anything that she wanted. She had no constraints, no limitations. She was intelligent, beautiful, and talented. She had goals that to some people were unobtainable but in her mind she knew she could achieve them.
As time went by, she began to work toward her goals and put a lot of effort into them. Every time she thought that she was getting closer, there was someone there to remind her that she would never be good enough to achieve these goals. There was always someone there to put limitations on her dreams and goals. There was always someone there to remind her how she didn't measure up.
Over time without her realizing it, these words that others had spoken had taken root into her heart, soul, and very being of who she was. Now, she began to have doubts. She questioned her goals and dreams and saw them now as lofty and silly. Eventually she pushed her goals and dreams deep down inside and was convinced that she was not able to fulfill them.
These same people were the same ones that told her how stupid, fat, and ugly she was. This too, took root into her soul and mind. She tried to be better but felt she could never measure up to the standards that these people had placed upon her.
She could never accept compliments and struggled constantly to be what she could. Unfortunately, there were no constraints and limitations placed upon her life. These were placed there by others but she had allowed them to root in her.
She felt no joy, no happiness, no worthiness. She didn't let on that this was inside her. What others saw was happy and jovialness. She would swallow deep down the feelings and thoughts that invaded her.
She knew that she wanted to make changes and become the person she dreamed of being. She knew that she had to work hard. It was going to be a long road but she knew that eventually she would get there and that someday she would be the person that she originally set out to be.

Humor at the House

Humorous Things that have recently happened or been said:

My nephew, Little D--I want to go visit Aunt Wee's house where there are no girls.
Question--Isn't Aunt Wee a girl?
Little D--She doesn't count.

My other nephew--Aunt Wee!!! I didn't know you were here. When did you come?
Me--I just walked in
Nephew--Well how come I couldn't see you?
Me--I don't know. I am here now.
Nephew--Go out again so I can see you first.

Little D--Aunt Wee, I want to move in with you.
Me--Honey, there isn't any room for you to move in.
One of my Friends--You could make Andy move out and then move into his room.
Little D--No Way!!! His room is way too messy for me. I don't want to clean it up.
Me--We could make him clean it up before he moved out.
Little D--Does that include him taking the smell with him?

Since Little D has arrived to stay at our house, the boys have acted nicer and played well together. Amazing what a little 8 year old can do to a household.

Please Indulge Me

I know I said that this was going to be a lighter blog but I feel the need to just write tonight. If you will indulge me for a small bit, I would greatly appreciate it. I have struggled this evening. You see, a dear sweet man in our church died Thursday afternoon in his sleep. He was a great musician and a good music teacher. I believe my oldest had him for band. Anyway, his oldest daughter is a dear friend and tonight, she came up to the church to see some people and I was able to let her know how much her daddy would be missed. Of course, I didn't last long before I was crying. I explained to her that I would not be attending the funeral and I explained why. She totally understood.
I find that there are times when I think I am moving on and I am going to make it through but then something like this happens. There are certain songs that have this same effect. I find myself missing Mom Pipes just as much as before. There are many times when I wish I could talk to her again. I know that time will heal but time sure is slow.
I know her family misses her more than I ever could but it still hurts from time to time. I am praying for the family that lost their dad, husband this past week.

Supper on Tuesday

I made chicken enchilada soup for supper tonight. I wanted to display it nicely so I set it up and photographed it. Jeff promptly sat down as I finished and started eating it. I am glad I got some pictures first. Recipe is below.

Chicken Enchilada Soup
1 1/2 onion diced

1 scoop of minced garlic (I used an ice tea spoon)

3 Tbsp olive oil

4 cups diced chicken

4-5 tsp chili powder

3 tsp cumin

3 tsp dried oregano

a couple of shakes of black pepper

a couple of shakes of cayenne pepper

2 small cans of diced green chiles

1 can of rotel tomatoes

2 cans of diced tomatoes with juice

2 cans of whole kernel corn

1 box of Swanson Chicken Broth

Cilantro

Saute onions and garlic in the olive oil. Once onions are softened, add chicken and cook chicken. Add spices and let cook for 1 minute. Add chiles and let cook 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, corn, broth, and cilantro. Let everything simmer together until it starts to boil.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions, and/or tortilla chips, tortillas, or thick slices of homemade bread.

Jeff's Birthday

Jeff turned 43 on Monday, June 21st. He says that his momma always told him that the longest day of the year was really the longest day of the year.
I asked Jeff to smile and this is what I got! Several friends surprised him at the church on his birthday with cake, ice cream, and watermelon.

Debbie Inman made her famous cake.

Watermelon was there for those who wanted it. I am not a huge fan of watermelon but this was good.

Debbie Inman, Simone Hastings, and Lynn McCullough (she was hiding from the camera) were standing in the kitchen talking. We eventually moved out tot the common area and sat down to continue our visit.

Jeff, Flint McCullough, and Preston Hastings sat at the counter and visited. We all had a good time just hanging out together. We all had kids gone to camp and no one at home so we stayed out as long as we wanted (8:45pm). It was good to hang with our friends for the evening.

My "Brownies"

I had a craving for brownies tonight. So, I went to the pantry and pulled out a mix. Then I stopped and thought about it. One box of mix normally lasts maybe 30 minutes after I make it and they aren't very big. I like thick brownies. So, I got a second box down. As I mixed up the brownie mix, I kept thinking it was runnier than I remembered. I shrugged it off and continued.
I put the brownies in the oven and briefly thought it strange that you could make brownies in a bundt pan now. I went on my merry way. As is with any time I make brownies, the time elapsed and I had to let it cook longer. When I opened the oven, I was surprised to see that the brownies had grown much larger than I ever remembered.
I decided to look at the box one more time. It was at this point that I realized that I had not made a double batch of brownies but I had made a double cake in a 9 x 13 pan. Now I was committed because the cake was almost done. Unfortunately, I had told the guys I was making brownies.
When the "brownies" were done. I cut it up and got some. As I walked into the living room, the guys commented that they wanted one and I told them that it was in there for them. They all had the same reaction. "Those are some thick brownies! Hey, this tastes like cake." I finally admitted to them and they just laughed at me once again. Next time I will read the box. For now, the cake is really good.

Things to come

I am ready to be finished with Summer School so that I can start really cooking. I plan on doing some baking and cooking and then posting it up for others to see. I don't know if my family will eat what I fix because it might have some vegetables (heaven forbid) involved. I am to the point that I want to try new things and see if I like them.
Hang with me and hopefully soon I will post some great things for your family to try.

Backtracking a Night

Saturday night, we had a party for a friend and Mexican food was served. It was buffet style. There was fajita beef, fajita chicken, rice, salsa, tortillas, chips, guacamole, cheese, sour cream, and grilled veggies. Everything was delicious! For dessert there was sopapilla cheesecake and homemade ice cream. I put cheesecake on the bottom and then a large scoop of the homemade ice cream on top. Heavenly!!! Most everyone else had the ice cream with crushed Butterfingers on it. They ate the cheesecake on the side. We ate, laughed, played cards, and had fun until we hurt. It was a great night!!!!!

Sunday Lunch

Sunday we celebrated Father's Day a week early. The Hales had plans for the actual Father's Day so we all got together early. I made a brisket. It smelled great. I am going to be critical though, it was not as tender as usual but then again it did not have much fat on it. I also brought homemade tomatoes to share. SE made potato salad, coleslaw, and bread, all of which were good. The boys even made a point to say that they liked the coleslaw. We also had chips with the salsa that was left from Friday. Everything tasted really good. It was a good visit and meal with everyone.

Our Adventure with Jeff

Jeff and I had seen this place on a show called "Daytripper" on PBS. It has a logo that says "Best Pizza in Waco for last 30 years.". It intrigued us so we scheduled a day and set out to see if it really was good pizza.

The gang was anxiously waiting and it finally arrived. They endured my picture taking for a brief moment.

I took this shot just to make sure everyone was in the photo.

The boys ordered the giant 4 meat pizza. They were so hungry they dove in before I could finish photographing the food.

Grandpa, Jeff, and I ordered the Veggie Pizza. I wanted the Gourmet Veggie Pizza because it has tomatoes but I was overruled. We just ordered a large for the three of us. I guess I have different tastes than people in Waco. We thought the pizza was okay but we have had better. We were hungry so we ate all but a couple of slices. It wasn't bad but it wasn't the best. At least in our opinion.

In order to make this trip, the sacrifice of a major soccer game was made. They were not happy about this and so the trip home was tense, at least for some of them.

Andy had his poutty face on.

Then because Jesse wouldn't smile for me, the games began behind his head.

All the guys got in on it and yet, I don't think Jesse was even aware. He had his headphones on. The trip picked up a bit and they finally relaxed some.

Our Doctors

I really like my family doctor and the physician's assistant that works with him. These two men are the medical team we have been going to since my oldest was born. I love them both because they care about their patients. They don't waltz in, go over a couple of symptoms, and whiz you out the door. They talk to you. They inquire about the family and in our case, the extended family. They make you laugh even when you feel your worst.
The PA has always been referred to by our family as Dr. Tom. He is a hoot! Dr. Green is very old school and I like that. He doesn't just whip out a prescription pad and give you the latest drug. He will tell you like it is and then use tried and true methods that usually work better than the new fangled stuff.
Anyway, I had to go see the doctor today and I got to see Dr. Tom. I don't go to the doctor very often so it has to be something of importance to warrant my going. I have in infection on my thumbs and nothing I have tried has fixed it. Therefore a doctor visit. Dr. Tom told me that I am always presenting him with something new so he looks forward to my visits. Today was no exception. The first surprise for him was my blood pressure. I normally run 130/70 on a good day but today I ran 118/68. Dr. Tom asked if I had been breathing when they took the blood pressure. He said he has patients that dream of those numbers and one of them is my husband. We moved on to my thumbs. He was amazed at what he saw. He said he had never seen anything like that ever. He, of course, referred me to the dermatologist but I also had strict instructions to call him with the findings of the dermatologist. He said that this really had him stumped. It is not viral nor is it fungal. It was unique and different. He said once again I had not failed to amaze him. I told him that I saved the best for him.
We then discussed family and work and his family and such. I left the office feeling like I had visited with an old friend. What could have been unpleasant, cold and callused was actually nice.
Incidentally, when all three of the boys had their tonsils out on the same day at Cook's Children's Hospital, Dr. Tom's wife was one of the nurses in the recovery room. When she found out who we were, she told us that Dr. Tom talked about us frequently. Again, it was like having family there.
I hope you find a doctor's office like ours. It is well worth it.

We started the night with dinner at Chili's. We were excited because we were having a Girl's Night Out.
This is what I had for dinner. I had the Chicken Nachos. I took most of it home. I guess I was too excited to eat much.
This is right outside of Bass Hall. We were in search of gum so we went to Barnes and Noble across the street and looked at books and such. They didn't have gum. We then went to Embassy Suites and checked their sundries department out and they didn't have gum. We finally ended up at the Marriott and they had Altoids which was double the price that we would pay at the grocery store. We were desperate so we bought them. Then it was time to go see the play.
The only semi-decent photo of the stage and pit area.
The ceiling was painted to look like angel wings were surrounding it.
We had to take a picture of us there. We sat in the Upper Gallery in the front row. We had a great view of the stage. We could see all the action. Since the cast was miked, we could hear everything clearly.
This is the quote from Lincoln concerning homesteading. This was the cover for the stage.
This is a shot from the terrace at intermission. I didn't make it to the side with the angels.
This is a shot of the bathroom tiles in the bathroom on our level. It is an angel in case you didn't catch it.
As we were getting ready to leave, we decided to go to the bathroom. This is the bathroom on the floor level of the theater. When all the doors are closed, it makes a music staff. It is so cool!!!!!
This is the last door of the stalls. I loved this on the bathroom doors. I am weird, I know it. I saw this and had to take the pictures. It was an experience of a lifetime. I loved the whole thing. I loved being able to see Melissa Gilbert live and the play was well done. I definitely want to do this again someday.

Changes are being made

I haven't consistantly blogged in a while. It has been sparatic. I have a lot that I want to say on the serious side but I have been giving this a lot of thought and I have decided that I am going to give in and conform. I am going to keep my blog light and airy. I have decided that I won't get as in depth in this blog. The reason is this. I made innocent comments on my facebook page throughout this year and some people decided that I was commenting on them, things at work, etc. So they presented it this way. I have decided that my blog is just as much at risk as the facebook stuff. It is time to make sure that the technology age doesn't cost me my job, cost my husband his job, cause harm to my children, family, or anyone else because of a post I made. So, I will be a light hearted blogger.
I don't know how oftern I will blog now. Keep checking back and see if I have updated anything. With this new style of blogging also comes a new title. I hope you enjoy.

The reason I teach

I will admit it. I cried many tears yesterday. More this year than probably any other time as a teacher. It is silly really. My kids that I have worked with received their awards yesterday. Normally, the 6th graders would move on to the Secondary School and so I wouldn't see them much anymore. Next year though, we will house the Junior High (Middle school grades) so I will see them everyday still. The kids that were 5th graders this year will be 6th graders next year and being that I am suppose to teach Math, I will have them in class.
Yet, as each of my "babies" walked across the stage and stopped by to hug me, I cried. I love my kids and I love working with each and every one of them. Actually, these are the kids that I taught in 1st grade. So, I guess that may be why they mean so much to me. They all have such a special place in my heart. They will always have that place in my heart. As an educator, you are told that there will be that one kid that will work their way into your heart and will stay there forever. Well, in this case there are about 30-40 kids who have done that with me this year. What can I say. I have a big heart with lots of space.
I look forward to watching all these kids grow and move on in life. This is the real reason I teach.

Great Friends

This is a picture of two of the most wonderful friends ever. Vona Hopkins (in brown) and Jan Stinson (in yellow). They have been my biggest cheerleaders, mentors, sounding boards, and friends that one could have. It has been a rough year for me and these two ladies made it possible to get through the "fire". One person who is not in this picture is Jan's sister (Gwen but we call her Sissy). I love Sissy! She is retired and some how she knows exactly when she needs to be at the school to hand out hugs, advice, support, etc. I love how she looks me in the eye and tells it straight up. No pussy-footin' around. She will tell it like it is. It is always in love that she does this. I will really miss her tons.
Unfortunately, Jan decided to retire this year. She had been talking about it a lot through out the year but she finally decided that it was time. I knew she was ready because once she made the decision and took action to put it into motion, I saw her relax and the weight of the decision come off her. She has been an educator for 30 years at Maypearl. What a ride!! I want to be that kind of a teacher.
Vona is around still and I plan on continuing to hang with her throughout this next year. She is my buddy. She puts things into a calm perspective. She has really been through a lot with family illnesses but through it all, I have seen her rely more and more on her faith. She is a strong woman and one that I want to be more like.
I have enjoyed my time with both of these ladies and I have cried a lot the past few days because I feel like I will be missing a part of me. But I know that I am growing and that it is time that I grew in strength without relying on others to help me be strong. The best way I can think to relate this to is that "instead of hiding behind the bushes and letting the strong people be the front line, I need to stand up and join them. I need be a strong person and not rely on the strong people." Once in a while they need some help as well. These ladies mean the world to me and I just hope that I can be just like all of them.
If this doesn't make sense then just remember who is writing this. You should know me by now. :D

Funny Story

Okay, so I have to see some humor in things right now otherwise I would just cry a lot. Saturday last week, I am trying to get ready for the band banquet that I was going to with Will.
[Side note: Will danced several dances that night. I loved every second of it. It was truly a side I didn't know he had. A bit of me hidden inside of him. Who knew?]Anyway. About 3 days prior to this I decided to give myself a manicure. Nails that glue on like the salon and such. I was pretty proud of myself because I had managed to do a decent job on them and not only that they were lasting.
Back to Saturday night. I am getting ready and happen to look down and noticed a nail missing. I started trying to look for it. I realized that I did not have time to do that so I thought I would just glue another nail on. I squirted the glue and it was a tad bit, okay a lot more than I should have used. When I went to press the nail on, it slipped and suddenly, I am standing there with all my fingers glued together and this nail glued to the side of my hand.
I started yelling at Will to pour the nail polish remover on my hands because it dawned on me that this stuff was like super glue. We pried my fingers apart and I, again, squirted more glue out (I know what you are thinking and No, I did not stop and think about what I had just done, the results, and what I was doing again.). I again went to hold the nail down only to discover my finger was stuck to the nail. Lucky for me, Will had a cool head about him and took my hand, separated my fingers, AGAIN then held the nail down so it could dry in place.
Throughout all this my cat has been rubbing around my legs and as Will is holding down the nail, the cat gags a couple of times throws up on the floor and walks away. I look down and see that she has managed to throw up my missing nail.
All I could do is laugh. It just struck me as hysterically funny. Anyway, I thought you might get a kick out of the fact that I glued my hands together and the cat threw up my nail. It is my pleasure to make sure you have had your dose of entertainment for the week.

Endurance

I am trying really hard to view things as an adventure but the way things are going, well, I don't know that I would call it an adventure. It is more endurance. Kind of like training for a marathon. You have to keep pushing yourself to get past the tired, the strain, the pain (especially the pain). As you push through these areas, you go a little further each time. That is really more of what I am doing right now.
I know that this endurance is being built up for a reason and I am trying to hang on with all my might to the thought that there is a point for it. Like a finish line. I know that despite what I tell people (running is against my religion :D ), I am having to run as if my life depended on it. That is part of the endurance.
Unfortunately, this is now something that I have to do alone. I am not sure I am strong enough to do alone. I know I have to but I am just not sure I can. I knew that with a support system in place that I could get through any marathon just fine. Now, doubt, insecurity, etc. crowds in. It is like everything up to this was baby steps. Now I am expected to run it alone. I hope I can. I intend to do my best as well as I can on my own. Endurance, it is needed. Adventure, possibly. Life, always and forever.

The Light Shines Through

In the darkness, the light struggles to shine through. The light's destination is one that must be made with precision and a clearness so that those following it will know exactly where to go. The darkness tries to squelch the light. The darkness fights to keep the light from being seen. It places obstacles in the way so as to misdirect the light. But the light maintains its path and no matter how hard the darkness fights it, the light shines through like a beacon directing those lost in the darkness. When the lost follow the light, their way seems easier and their struggles against the darkness appear to lessen. The light always comes through the deepest darkness. No matter what. We were made to grow, develop, and thrive in the light. When the darkness crowds in, look for the light. It is always there, shining through, piercing and clear.

My Next Adventure

One of my favorite movies is "Up". I love the fact that there is an adventure book and that the wife at the beginning sees everything as an adventure. Just to remember that I watched it tonight after everyone went to bed. Since I am about to embark on a new adventure, I wanted to remind myself of the "Up's" I was going to have.
We are winding down the end of the year at school. I have to say that I am really glad. The kids have been great and I will miss seeing them until August. Our school is making a transition. We are going from being a 5th and 6th grade campus to being a 6th and 7th grade campus. The year after that we will add the 8th grade. With those changes comes the change of our name--Maypearl Middle School. An adventure.
I am excited about starting a new phase of teaching. I will be teaching math. I posted last time how nervous I am about it but in my prayer time and in talking with a dear friend, God has given me peace about what I am doing next year. The kids may not be too excited because it means that we will have the same kids next year that we had this year. I think the 6th graders were looking forward to going to the Secondary School. Oh well, I think that once we get started they will see how good it will all be. Another adventure.
I am looking forward to making new friends because with the new grades joining us, there will be new faces joining us. I know a lot of the people just by their names but now I will actually get to know them on a personal level. I like making new friends. Some of my tried and true friends are taking on new positions throughout the district so I will have to make sure to go and visit them from time to time. And yet another adventure.
So you see, next school year is going to be chock full of adventures and I am going to experience them all. I can't wait. My adventure book is going to quite possibly need extra pages when this is all said and done. How exciting is that!!!

I learned this week that I am going to be teaching Middle School Math next year. I have absolutely no reason left now not to learn it. I have always thought that Math was my weak subject and so I have avoided it at all costs. Unfortunately, God keeps placing me into the position of teaching Math. I stress over it and I worry about it but when it gets down to it and I start working on it, I kind of, sort of understand it.
The problem is when they start throwing the alphabet into the numerical world. I never did understand that. I know that somewhere along the way, I will make mistakes but I am confident that I have enough support that I will be able to teach this subject to the best of my ability.
Watch out world, I am entering the Math Zone!!!!

So much to say

There is so much to say. I am just not sure how to say it all. So this is what I will say......the end. I think that covers it all.

Pathological Picture Taking

I have been on a kick lately. I have been taking pictures of flowers. I figure if I can perfect the perspective that I see with my own eyes and actually get the photos to look like what I see then I have been successful. Once I get this down then I will move on to other subjects. If you look on my facebook page, there are photo albums filled with the good, the bad, and the ugly of these photos.

One day I would like my name to be synonymous with photography, art, or music. I think that if I continue practicing and working really hard at it, then I have as much of a chance as anyone else. So, everyone for a while will have to endure my endless photos of flowers and such until I get it right.

I am a pathological picture taker.

My Mom's Day

I am truly blessed. My hubby made darn sure that I was pampered through and through today. He bought me a beautiful bouquet of tulips, some chocolates, took me to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants and that was all before today. Today, he took me to lunch, allowed me some time to go take pictures, and then allowed me to go eat dinner with a friend. He did all of this and not once did he let on that he was hurting inside and that this was a really hard day for him.
I knew that in church this morning that this day was affecting him when he cried during the prayer for moms. I knew that he was really quiet for a large part of the day. I should have stayed home with him instead of going to dinner with my friend. He wanted to snuggle on the couch tonight and I did so for a while but then I moved down to give him the room I thought he might want/need.
Reality is that I tried to stay really busy today so that I didn't have to think about the fact that this day was a hard day. I was selfish. I really didn't mean to be but I was. I didn't call and talk to my father-in-law although I thought about him lots throughout the day. I briefly talked to one of my sil's but found myself getting emotional so I tried to cut it short. I didn't want to think about how much I missed Mom Pipes.
I love my hubby so much and I love the sacrifices he made for me to have a great Mom's day. He went above and beyond and it meant so much to me. He was sweet and thoughtful and kind and considerate and totally and completely selfless. I am so blessed to have this man in my life. Even without all the hoopla, I still would feel blessed and love him just as much as I do now.

Mother's Day

Usually on Mother's Day, I get a card (sometimes) and/or lunch out or maybe dinner out the night before. I rarely get cut flowers. My husband believes that a plant will last longer and I agree most of the time. But... There are those times when a woman just needs some cut flowers in her life.

Today, I had to take the middle son to get his eyes examined and get him some new glasses and apparently, my oldest and my husband had been doing some talking. My oldest feigned that he was too tired to go with me today and just wanted to hang out at the house. That struck me as being a little odd but since he has been staying up late, I brushed it off and went on to do what I had to do. I was quite suspicious though later in the day when my hubby kept asking who was with me. Normally, he doesn't worry about it.

When I got home, I walked through to my room and looked at the mail. Then I went back to the living room. The boys were all grinning and telling me how oblivious I was to things. I looked around and noticed the house was still messy and then as I rounded the corner, the flowers caught my eye. I started crying immediately. They all laughed at me and I promptly called my hubby. I couldn't believe he had done that. He said it was Mother's Day. As if that explained it all.
When my hubby gives me flowers then I know that I have received something special and from his heart. It was totally unexpected and such a treat. Not only that, it came with a box of chocolates so he did REALLY good!!! I am a happy wife and momma!