Is that even a word?! I don't know, but it's what I portrayed this week while ALSO being incredibly lazy and enjoying my vacation!!
So, I had an entire NINE days off work for Thanksgiving. It was much needed and GLORIOUS. I started it off by helping my high school bestie, Sarah, celebrate her 25 years of living on Friday night. We had so much fun just hanging out with friends. On Saturday, I intended on cleaning my house, but instead, I bought new tires for my car and went shopping while they were being put on. I thought it was a great compromise to go shopping after spending a LOT of money for new tires instead of cleaning as planned. Afterwards, H and I went to see The Blind Side with Sarah and Kaitlin. It was AMAZING. I highly recommend that you see the movie - it was fabulous. We went to dinner at the Marietta Diner (yummy!) and then went with Kelsey to a restaurant in Alpharetta for some great dessert. (Yes, I know, you're wondering why I went somewhere else for dessert after being at the Diner, but it happened.) On Sunday, H and I had to work at the Gwinnett Arena for ALLIANCE. It wasn't terrible, but it was nothing to blog about either. Moving onto Monday... nothing too exciting again, but PRODUCTIVE is key here! H and I went to my school to clean my classroom and put some things away. Then, we took Kay shopping for a suit coat and ran errands. I got a Mary Kay facial that night.
Tuesday started the real fun. H had to get her wisdom teeth taken out, so we were at the oral surgeon's office bright and early. She did VERY well and has recovered nicely... "like a champ" in the words of Kay. We lazed in the den and watched movies all day long. It was great and really helped me to truly relax. I did clean the bathrooms and vacuum the house that night (ya know, 3 days later than I had planned, but at least it got done!!!) On Wednesday, I went over to my parents' house for my sister and I to hang the icicle lights at their house. Then, we came to my house and hung my icicle lights. They don't look so hot right now since #1, they're brand new and not hanging the way they should, and #2, a fuse keeps blowing so they won't stay on, but I'm fixing that this week! That afternoon, my grandma, mom, Kay, H, and I went to see The Rockettes at the Fox. I just love them!
I watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday morning and then headed over to my parents' house for family time. I stuffed myself completely full with turkey, jello, green beans, corn pudding, sweet potatoes, broccoli, bread, mashed potatoes, and a yummy version of pumpkin pie. Of course, it was all fantastic!! And the time with family was nice also.
On Friday, H and I watched some more movies between me working in my front yard with help from my parents and Andrew and watching the Auburn/Alabama game. Sad ending but it was still a great game. It is GREAT to be an Auburn tiger and I am proud of those boys for playing hard! WAR EAGLE!!! We continued our work in my yard on Saturday - we completely took out 6-7 bushes and most of the monkey grass and LOTS of weeds. So, it now just has 7 bushes and a small tree. I would like to plant some flowers and move a couple of my hydrangea bushes to the front of my house. We'll see what the spring brings. :) Today was another relaxing day with another movie and running errands to get ready for this week.
While I dread going to work tomorrow, I feel refreshed. And I feel good about how I spent the last nine days. I was productive, but I also had plenty of time to relax. I watched lots of movies, ate lots of food, but got new tires put on my car, cleaned my house, put icicle lights up, put out some other Christmas decorations inside (including the wreath H and I made outselves!), and got my tree put into its stand. (No, there are no lights or ornaments on the tree, but it's still early too!) So, I go into tomorrow and this week with a clear and relaxed mind. I only hope and pray that my kids will come in with this same state of mind, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I love this time of year, and am excited about all of the projects we will be working on over the next several weeks. While it is also a very busy time of year, I do hope that I have lots of opportunities to stop and reflect on the birth of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I hope that my relationship with Him will deepen and grow from these reflections. I pray these same things for you as well - stop and think when you have the chance and take in this crazy thing called life that we are living!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Little People
I had an epiphany sitting in my classroom on Friday. I've always viewed kids as sweet and innocent, and please don't think I'm noy saying that now, but my view definitely changed after this situation. I was sitting on the rug while all of my kids are on the edges while I was cutting open our pumpkin. Because of the different beliefs that each of my students have, we do not celebrate Halloween, so we talked about what our pumpkin looked like, what we thought would be inside, and so on. While I am cutting it open, my kids are discussing (and when I say discussing, I mean it was an all-out discussion) Halloween and what it means. One student is saying that it is evil, while another talks about how God hates Halloween, others are saying it is just for fun, others are saying everybody participates, others are talking about the candy and costumes, and of course, there are a few others who are just sitting watching me and/or staring into space. Please keep in mind that I teach five-year-olds!! I was completely amazed when I stopped to listen while giving my arms are rest from cutting open this ridiculous pumpkin. I decided to take it all in and kept listening instead of stopping the discussion. As I sat there I realized that these children are not all innocent and naive like I once thought - they have been exposed to so much in this world. At times, it is sad to see that some parents have not done their job and kids have to grow up too fast, but I do not think this was the case. This discussion was kids expressing their views (or rather the views their parents had imposed on them) and actually discussing them in their own five-year-old way. Eventually, I did stop cutting and we discussed that not everyone celebrates Halloween and why it is a "holiday" in our country. We talked about the fact that all children do not dress up and go trick-or-treating, but some stay at home while others go to other events like fall festivals. We did end up carving a face in our pumpkin to experience a tradition of Halloween (just like we will have a Thanksgiving feast, make a Hannukah menorah, and so on). All of my kids had a good time and I don't think I alienated any of them. In fact, I think Halloween is fun. I still remember dressing up as RainbowBrite as a child and going trick-or-treating with my childhood best friend, Jennifer, and our families. You don't have to focus on the evil of Halloween - all it is to me is a night in which people dress up for fun and walk around getting candy from friends/neighbors. So yes, my children will take part in Halloween one day, and I will teach them what people think about Halloween and will tell them my take on it as well. I want them to be educated about it and be able to discuss it like my students did on Friday. After we finally counted the 259 seeds (yes, we definitely counted all of them!) and I had cleaned everything up, I sat and thought about how grown up five-year-old children are - they are not naive at all - they are just little grown ups, little people! As a matter of fact, they know much more than we think or imagine that they know! I am looking forward to going back into my classroom tomorrow and learning from my kids because my job is so much more than kids sitting on a rug listening to me read a book or my kids sitting at a table and working on their handwriting.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Fun Times
Hello friends! I realize that it has been a while, and lots has happened. At the same time, my life has slowed down somewhat.
First of all, I feel like I am finally making progress with my students! I am up to 20 in my class, and at times, it is mass chaos. But those times are getting fewer and the pure learning times are getting greater. Our schedule is completely changing tomorrow, so I may be singing a different tune in 24 hours, but only time will tell. I am praying that the schedule changes won't affect the kids too much. We just finished our parent/teacher conferences, so I am hoping my discussions with parents and recruiting efforts for their help will not be in vain. Looking back over the last 37 school days, I realized that my kids really have come far. I have one student who came in speaking absolutely no english and had no clue how to hold a pencil. He is now asking for help in his own sweet little way, and writing his name independently! Another student came in tracing the letters in the air when asked the name of the letter, and she can now name more than half of them!! And still another, would not sit still in his chair, on the rug, or anywhere else and was constantly talking or screaming. He will now sit anywhere you ask him too and only needs a few reminders to zip his lips and wait his turn. So, while it may be small and slow progress, it is progress nonetheless!! I am just praying that more time will be good for these precious 5 years old who bless my life.
The high school marching band show is now complete and is still working on coming together. My girls have a tough job at being visually appealing even though they are small in number. While they tend to frustrate me to no end, I really am proud of them. We were barely making it with drop spins and hard hits at band camp, but they are now executing their work to an honorable extent. We still have some work to do, but I am comfortable with where we are at this point. We have our exhibition show a week from tomorrow which is right before what will now be our first competition. So our rehearsals this week will be spent cleaning and making sure everyone is comfortable. I need them to perform and I know they will be rewarded for their efforts!
Most of you know about the great flood of Georgia... no worries, I survived! AND I even enjoyed a wonderful day off. While it was unfortunate for those in other areas of my county, I thankfully had no big damage. I knew I needed a new roof and was hoping to wait a little bit longer, but the day the rain stopped, I started getting wet stains on my ceiling. My dad, being the wonderful man he is, went up in my attic to find the leaking spot, but to no avail. So, I will just have to suck it up and get a new roof sooner than later! The damage to the ceiling is not too bad - it's won't require repair, just a new coat of paint. To be honest, I'm done with painting for a while, so I will just have to have some apots on the ceiling until I'm ready to paint a ceiling!
In August, I asked you to pray for me and a big decision I had to make. Well, it has been made... I now have a roommate, but it is not your typical roommate situation. H moved in a week ago, and things have been great. She is a wonderful girl and I know she has a wonderful future ahead of her. H is a high school student at Sprayberry that I have gotten to know through Nicole and my work with Sprayberry, as well as through ALLIANCE. I have had fun getting to know her more this week and spending more time with her. She is very outgoing and beautiful. I told her on our way to school/work the other morning that I am already attached - she's stuck with me now! Please continue to pray for me and for H. And thanks to everyone for your prayers, encouragement, and support!!
Ok, I'm out like a fat kid loves cake to hit the sack - this weekend in which I have done nothing has been exhausting! :) Have a wonderful week!
First of all, I feel like I am finally making progress with my students! I am up to 20 in my class, and at times, it is mass chaos. But those times are getting fewer and the pure learning times are getting greater. Our schedule is completely changing tomorrow, so I may be singing a different tune in 24 hours, but only time will tell. I am praying that the schedule changes won't affect the kids too much. We just finished our parent/teacher conferences, so I am hoping my discussions with parents and recruiting efforts for their help will not be in vain. Looking back over the last 37 school days, I realized that my kids really have come far. I have one student who came in speaking absolutely no english and had no clue how to hold a pencil. He is now asking for help in his own sweet little way, and writing his name independently! Another student came in tracing the letters in the air when asked the name of the letter, and she can now name more than half of them!! And still another, would not sit still in his chair, on the rug, or anywhere else and was constantly talking or screaming. He will now sit anywhere you ask him too and only needs a few reminders to zip his lips and wait his turn. So, while it may be small and slow progress, it is progress nonetheless!! I am just praying that more time will be good for these precious 5 years old who bless my life.
The high school marching band show is now complete and is still working on coming together. My girls have a tough job at being visually appealing even though they are small in number. While they tend to frustrate me to no end, I really am proud of them. We were barely making it with drop spins and hard hits at band camp, but they are now executing their work to an honorable extent. We still have some work to do, but I am comfortable with where we are at this point. We have our exhibition show a week from tomorrow which is right before what will now be our first competition. So our rehearsals this week will be spent cleaning and making sure everyone is comfortable. I need them to perform and I know they will be rewarded for their efforts!
Most of you know about the great flood of Georgia... no worries, I survived! AND I even enjoyed a wonderful day off. While it was unfortunate for those in other areas of my county, I thankfully had no big damage. I knew I needed a new roof and was hoping to wait a little bit longer, but the day the rain stopped, I started getting wet stains on my ceiling. My dad, being the wonderful man he is, went up in my attic to find the leaking spot, but to no avail. So, I will just have to suck it up and get a new roof sooner than later! The damage to the ceiling is not too bad - it's won't require repair, just a new coat of paint. To be honest, I'm done with painting for a while, so I will just have to have some apots on the ceiling until I'm ready to paint a ceiling!
In August, I asked you to pray for me and a big decision I had to make. Well, it has been made... I now have a roommate, but it is not your typical roommate situation. H moved in a week ago, and things have been great. She is a wonderful girl and I know she has a wonderful future ahead of her. H is a high school student at Sprayberry that I have gotten to know through Nicole and my work with Sprayberry, as well as through ALLIANCE. I have had fun getting to know her more this week and spending more time with her. She is very outgoing and beautiful. I told her on our way to school/work the other morning that I am already attached - she's stuck with me now! Please continue to pray for me and for H. And thanks to everyone for your prayers, encouragement, and support!!
Ok, I'm out like a fat kid loves cake to hit the sack - this weekend in which I have done nothing has been exhausting! :) Have a wonderful week!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Respond and Rework
I know you're in shock that I've written two posts in a few days, but it's true. Just don't get used to it!!
Ashley tagged me for a Respond and Rework! I don’t normally like things like this, but with an extra day off work, I decided to give it a whirl.
Rules: 1. Respond and rework: Answer the questions on your blog, Replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, and add one more question of your own. 2. Tag other un-tagged people.
What's your favorite article of clothing?
My pajamas!
What is your favorite board game?
So it’s not technically a board game, but I am OBSESSED with CatchPhrase! I will play it anytime, anywhere – including the car in horrible traffic!!!!
What is your favorite holiday tradition?
We have so many in my family, but I’d have to say Christmas. We go to my grandparents’ house for lunch/dinner. We open presents from youngest to oldest. We usually sing Christmas carols and just spend time together.
What was the last thing you bought?
Groceries
What are you listening to right now?
iTunes: Watermark
What is your favorite weather?
A sunny but cool day
What is your least favorite season?
Probably winter even though I love sweaters and such.
What's in your purse?
Wallet, calendar, notebook, Aquaphor, keys, pens, camera
Say something to the person who tagged you:
Ashley, I am so glad that we have remained friends even though we live in two separate cities. I’m so excited about seeing you soon, and very glad we talked last night!
What is your favorite dessert or cool treat?
I love anything with chocolate!!!
What did you want to become as a child?
A teacher! (funny how that worked out, right?)
What do you want to be now?
A wife and mother
What is your favorite song?
Hmm, tough choice, but I’ll go with I Run to You by Lady Antebellum
If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Huntsville, Alabama to see my BFF, Brittany
What are your most challenging goals right now?
To share the love of God with those around me – it really shouldn’t be difficult but life is so hurry, hurry, rush, rush!
What is your 5 year plan?
Haha, everybody knows this one: get married and have babies – LOTS of them! One day, my friends, one day...
What is your favorite sport to watch?
Umm, I don’t really know. Baseball is the only one I truly understand but football is exciting.
What show would you want to be a cast member on (reality included)?
Well, I’m not sure. I don’t really want to be in any of the shows I like, but I really like Grey’s Anatomy and Army Wives.
What is your favorite magazine?
People
What is your most prized possession?
Call me crazy, but my house! I worked hard for it!
Name one favorite childhood memory.
Another tough one… I’ll go with our annual family beach trips. We still go to the same place every year with ALL of us – grandparents, aunt, uncle, cousins, plus us. So much fun!
What is your favorite book of the Bible?
I love the story that Genesis tells. But I also like Psalm.
What is your favorite quote?
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
What is one country you aren’t interested in visiting?
I have a goal of visiting 6 out of the continents before I die, so I’ll go to whatever country I need to check that continent off my list!
What is your favorite kitchen utensil?
My Pampered Chef ice cream scoop – it has something like anti-freeze in it, so it makes scooping ice cream incredibly easy!!
I don't really have anyone to tag because Ashley already did, so I just reinforce her tags!!
Ashley tagged me for a Respond and Rework! I don’t normally like things like this, but with an extra day off work, I decided to give it a whirl.
Rules: 1. Respond and rework: Answer the questions on your blog, Replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, and add one more question of your own. 2. Tag other un-tagged people.
What's your favorite article of clothing?
My pajamas!
What is your favorite board game?
So it’s not technically a board game, but I am OBSESSED with CatchPhrase! I will play it anytime, anywhere – including the car in horrible traffic!!!!
What is your favorite holiday tradition?
We have so many in my family, but I’d have to say Christmas. We go to my grandparents’ house for lunch/dinner. We open presents from youngest to oldest. We usually sing Christmas carols and just spend time together.
What was the last thing you bought?
Groceries
What are you listening to right now?
iTunes: Watermark
What is your favorite weather?
A sunny but cool day
What is your least favorite season?
Probably winter even though I love sweaters and such.
What's in your purse?
Wallet, calendar, notebook, Aquaphor, keys, pens, camera
Say something to the person who tagged you:
Ashley, I am so glad that we have remained friends even though we live in two separate cities. I’m so excited about seeing you soon, and very glad we talked last night!
What is your favorite dessert or cool treat?
I love anything with chocolate!!!
What did you want to become as a child?
A teacher! (funny how that worked out, right?)
What do you want to be now?
A wife and mother
What is your favorite song?
Hmm, tough choice, but I’ll go with I Run to You by Lady Antebellum
If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Huntsville, Alabama to see my BFF, Brittany
What are your most challenging goals right now?
To share the love of God with those around me – it really shouldn’t be difficult but life is so hurry, hurry, rush, rush!
What is your 5 year plan?
Haha, everybody knows this one: get married and have babies – LOTS of them! One day, my friends, one day...
What is your favorite sport to watch?
Umm, I don’t really know. Baseball is the only one I truly understand but football is exciting.
What show would you want to be a cast member on (reality included)?
Well, I’m not sure. I don’t really want to be in any of the shows I like, but I really like Grey’s Anatomy and Army Wives.
What is your favorite magazine?
People
What is your most prized possession?
Call me crazy, but my house! I worked hard for it!
Name one favorite childhood memory.
Another tough one… I’ll go with our annual family beach trips. We still go to the same place every year with ALL of us – grandparents, aunt, uncle, cousins, plus us. So much fun!
What is your favorite book of the Bible?
I love the story that Genesis tells. But I also like Psalm.
What is your favorite quote?
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
What is one country you aren’t interested in visiting?
I have a goal of visiting 6 out of the continents before I die, so I’ll go to whatever country I need to check that continent off my list!
What is your favorite kitchen utensil?
My Pampered Chef ice cream scoop – it has something like anti-freeze in it, so it makes scooping ice cream incredibly easy!!
I don't really have anyone to tag because Ashley already did, so I just reinforce her tags!!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
A Season of My Life Revisited
Most of you know, or have read, that I marched with the drum corps, ALLIANCE, for the last six and a half months. No, I have not marched since high school, so yes, I realized that some things never change. I had a love/hate relationship with color guard in high school, and that love/hate relationship continues today. Haha. I call it a love/hate relationship because I often dreaded going to rehearsal, hated the heat and the fact that I had no social life, but in the end, loved that I participated in this great activity again! I am so grateful for the opportunity to perform again, and realized that I missed it a lot. However, I have no regrets of taking a six year break during college and thereafter. I learned a lot and had so much fun. I got to know some great people, as well as further build existing friendships. So let me tell you the story...
After graduating college, I was given the opportunity to work with the current guard instructor at Marietta (my alma mater). I really didn't want to do it, because I still had the bitter taste of all things guard from high school. The band director did much convincing, and there I was helping out at Band Camp. I don't think I was much help that fall because I was trying to get the art of teaching under my belt. The next year, the guard instructor left because she got married, so it was just me. Band Camp was a little rough because I was there by myself and trying to write work. A big shout-out to Nicole for all her help with choreography!! I managed to make it through the season and through my second year of teaching. I really did enjoy the girls and the good times we had, so I decided to try for a winter guard. Unfortunately, it just didn't happen. However, Nicole did have a winter guard at Sprayberry, so I went to help her out when I could. I loved it. I remembered why I had agreed to help out at Marietta.
Nicole has marched with ALLIANCE for several years now, and has pestered me about trying it for a couple of years. Well, after much coercion on her part and discussions with my mom, I decided to give it a shot. I told Nicole I would go to one camp and see how it went. I was sure that I wouldn't remember how to do anything and convinced that I would walk out hating it. Oh, how wrong I was!! I fell in love with it all over again and joined ALLIANCE. Ask any of my friends and they will tell you that I hated going to rehearsals every weekend. One reason is because we always seemed to have it on a weekend that my friends planned something fun. By the time our season was nearing its end, I was DONE. I had been through three weeks of Band Camp with Marietta, plus mulitple rehearsals and performances with ALLIANCE, and on top of all that, I started a new school year with a challenging class! I was so over it. I really didn't have motivation for anything. However, I knew I had an obligation to fulfill (and a plane ticket to Rochester) so I flew up for Championships on Labor Day weekend. ALLIANCE was in 11th place (out of 13) going into Prelims. We weren't sure if our performance on Saturday had been enough, but it was! We ended Prelims in 9th place. On Sunday, we went out on the field again for Finals, and just had fun. We knew what we had to do, but we also knew it was the last time this group of people would be performing together again. We finished in 8th place. It was awesome. As I was walking back to the truck with everyone, I turned to my mom and said, "I'm so irritated because this makes it all worth it and makes me love this." Haha. That's terrible, but so true. So, that's my story of "going back in time" and doing something I thought I'd never do again. I don't have an answer if you ask me if I'm going to do it again because I honestly have no idea. I have lots of things to consider and some decisions to make. But I have time, so for now, I am going to enjoy the free time I have and give my body a break!
H, me, and Nicole on Saturday before we headed to warm-up for Prelims.
Kail, Robin, Tammy, (freaky) Tim, Nicole, H, me, Michelle, and Ayaka on Saturday night after we performed and before we went to dinner!
All the guard girls on Sunday before our Finals performance!
So the same as I had a love/hate relationship with color guard in high school, that same love/hate relationship has continued in my adult life. But, when I look back and reflect on the times, they really were wonderful in both experiences. We will have to wait and see what the future holds!
Off to watch Army Wives and hit the sack in preparation for my crazy week ahead - have a good one everybody!!
After graduating college, I was given the opportunity to work with the current guard instructor at Marietta (my alma mater). I really didn't want to do it, because I still had the bitter taste of all things guard from high school. The band director did much convincing, and there I was helping out at Band Camp. I don't think I was much help that fall because I was trying to get the art of teaching under my belt. The next year, the guard instructor left because she got married, so it was just me. Band Camp was a little rough because I was there by myself and trying to write work. A big shout-out to Nicole for all her help with choreography!! I managed to make it through the season and through my second year of teaching. I really did enjoy the girls and the good times we had, so I decided to try for a winter guard. Unfortunately, it just didn't happen. However, Nicole did have a winter guard at Sprayberry, so I went to help her out when I could. I loved it. I remembered why I had agreed to help out at Marietta.
Nicole has marched with ALLIANCE for several years now, and has pestered me about trying it for a couple of years. Well, after much coercion on her part and discussions with my mom, I decided to give it a shot. I told Nicole I would go to one camp and see how it went. I was sure that I wouldn't remember how to do anything and convinced that I would walk out hating it. Oh, how wrong I was!! I fell in love with it all over again and joined ALLIANCE. Ask any of my friends and they will tell you that I hated going to rehearsals every weekend. One reason is because we always seemed to have it on a weekend that my friends planned something fun. By the time our season was nearing its end, I was DONE. I had been through three weeks of Band Camp with Marietta, plus mulitple rehearsals and performances with ALLIANCE, and on top of all that, I started a new school year with a challenging class! I was so over it. I really didn't have motivation for anything. However, I knew I had an obligation to fulfill (and a plane ticket to Rochester) so I flew up for Championships on Labor Day weekend. ALLIANCE was in 11th place (out of 13) going into Prelims. We weren't sure if our performance on Saturday had been enough, but it was! We ended Prelims in 9th place. On Sunday, we went out on the field again for Finals, and just had fun. We knew what we had to do, but we also knew it was the last time this group of people would be performing together again. We finished in 8th place. It was awesome. As I was walking back to the truck with everyone, I turned to my mom and said, "I'm so irritated because this makes it all worth it and makes me love this." Haha. That's terrible, but so true. So, that's my story of "going back in time" and doing something I thought I'd never do again. I don't have an answer if you ask me if I'm going to do it again because I honestly have no idea. I have lots of things to consider and some decisions to make. But I have time, so for now, I am going to enjoy the free time I have and give my body a break!
H, me, and Nicole on Saturday before we headed to warm-up for Prelims.
Kail, Robin, Tammy, (freaky) Tim, Nicole, H, me, Michelle, and Ayaka on Saturday night after we performed and before we went to dinner!
All the guard girls on Sunday before our Finals performance! So the same as I had a love/hate relationship with color guard in high school, that same love/hate relationship has continued in my adult life. But, when I look back and reflect on the times, they really were wonderful in both experiences. We will have to wait and see what the future holds!
Off to watch Army Wives and hit the sack in preparation for my crazy week ahead - have a good one everybody!!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Called OUT
WOW, too bad it's not Wednesday anymore because I think I could win the WOW Wednesday prize on the local country station with my story about how my BFF totally called me OUT yesterday!!! Ok, not really, but yes, I did reveal to her my disappointment that she had not updated; however, I quickly followed it up with the fact that I have been restraining from saying anything lately because I know that I have not updated in a while either. SO here it goes...
What a ridiculously crazy month July ended up being for me!! I walked in the Marietta 4th of July parade with my guard girls (and Heather). As soon as I was at the end, I got in my car, picked up my brother, and we were off to Sarasota for two weeks - sorta. Talk about a vacation!!! So relaxing. In the middle weekend, I went to Rebecca & Wesley's wedding. I had way too much fun spending time with my Cohort C girls. We definitely rocked it in the minivan and had an awesome time at the reception. In fact, I had an incredibly difficult time walking in the sand the next week because my calves were permanently on fire from dancing so much! I flew home early for practice, and that is when the madness began.
So yes, practice. Not for my guard girls - for ME. I can't say no!! And really, I'm okay with it this time. I became a performing member of Alliance Drum and Bugle Corps back in the spring. It has kicked my butt, but not as much as I thought it would. It's just taken up a LOT of time. I had my first performance a few weeks ago, and wow, I forgot how much I love it. I really do love that feeling while I'm performing and afterwards. I've since had another show in Nashville (which was a trip for the books), and we have another one this weekend in Rockmart. We have Championships in Rochester over Labor Day weekend. Honestly, I don't care how well we do or don't do - I'm just there to perform and have fun. So far, mission accomplished even though I am exhausted ALL the time!!
After that weekend, it was the beginning of Band Camp. I worked at Marietta's, then drove to Sprayberry and helped there. Then, Nicole and I would go to the church gym to choreograph work. And that lasted two weeks. Talk about craziness!!
And, with all of that still going on (as it is now), I started back to my REAL job - teaching Kindergarten! Amazingly, I got my classroom into order and actually had plans for the first few days of school ready ahead of time. I have since met my 18 new students for the year and realized that I have my work cut out for me. Since my life is so crazy right now, I'm not really up for the challenge; however, it IS my job so I am trying to mentally prepare myself. I just keep finding the positive traits of each student and reminding myself of those every second. It is a little crazy in my room these days and I am not the nicest teacher, but I am hoping that it will pay off on down the road. Crossing my fingers!
In the meantime, there is something else going on in my life that has been a big decision for me and will greatly affect my life in the near future. All I ask is that you pray for me that God's will be done in this situation. I am excited about the prospect and know that everything will work out. It's uncertain right now and there are lots of questions, but after I know things are settled, I will share a few more details. It has happened quickly, but I know that I have made the right choice and am doing what God wants, but it is up to Him to work it out!
SO, there's my life since my last post in a nutshell (a big nutshell, that is!). Hope you all enjoyed it!
One more thing... B&B find out on Monday if Poppyseed will be a boy or a girl - this aunt just doesn't even have words to express the excitement!!!!!!!!!!!
What a ridiculously crazy month July ended up being for me!! I walked in the Marietta 4th of July parade with my guard girls (and Heather). As soon as I was at the end, I got in my car, picked up my brother, and we were off to Sarasota for two weeks - sorta. Talk about a vacation!!! So relaxing. In the middle weekend, I went to Rebecca & Wesley's wedding. I had way too much fun spending time with my Cohort C girls. We definitely rocked it in the minivan and had an awesome time at the reception. In fact, I had an incredibly difficult time walking in the sand the next week because my calves were permanently on fire from dancing so much! I flew home early for practice, and that is when the madness began.
So yes, practice. Not for my guard girls - for ME. I can't say no!! And really, I'm okay with it this time. I became a performing member of Alliance Drum and Bugle Corps back in the spring. It has kicked my butt, but not as much as I thought it would. It's just taken up a LOT of time. I had my first performance a few weeks ago, and wow, I forgot how much I love it. I really do love that feeling while I'm performing and afterwards. I've since had another show in Nashville (which was a trip for the books), and we have another one this weekend in Rockmart. We have Championships in Rochester over Labor Day weekend. Honestly, I don't care how well we do or don't do - I'm just there to perform and have fun. So far, mission accomplished even though I am exhausted ALL the time!!
After that weekend, it was the beginning of Band Camp. I worked at Marietta's, then drove to Sprayberry and helped there. Then, Nicole and I would go to the church gym to choreograph work. And that lasted two weeks. Talk about craziness!!
And, with all of that still going on (as it is now), I started back to my REAL job - teaching Kindergarten! Amazingly, I got my classroom into order and actually had plans for the first few days of school ready ahead of time. I have since met my 18 new students for the year and realized that I have my work cut out for me. Since my life is so crazy right now, I'm not really up for the challenge; however, it IS my job so I am trying to mentally prepare myself. I just keep finding the positive traits of each student and reminding myself of those every second. It is a little crazy in my room these days and I am not the nicest teacher, but I am hoping that it will pay off on down the road. Crossing my fingers!
In the meantime, there is something else going on in my life that has been a big decision for me and will greatly affect my life in the near future. All I ask is that you pray for me that God's will be done in this situation. I am excited about the prospect and know that everything will work out. It's uncertain right now and there are lots of questions, but after I know things are settled, I will share a few more details. It has happened quickly, but I know that I have made the right choice and am doing what God wants, but it is up to Him to work it out!
SO, there's my life since my last post in a nutshell (a big nutshell, that is!). Hope you all enjoyed it!
One more thing... B&B find out on Monday if Poppyseed will be a boy or a girl - this aunt just doesn't even have words to express the excitement!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
I Heart Plumbers
Haha, so yes, it's true. Plumbers have definitely been a large part of my life for the last five months (yes, today is my 6-month anniversary of living in my house!!) As some of you may remember, my plumbing issues began about a month after I moved in. Go here to refresh your memory, or read up on the past to help you gain a better understanding. So, fast forward another month after the previously mentioned episode and hear it all starting again in the plumbing in my house the night before my open house!!! Yikes! I definitely called my plumber, Pete (yes, we were on a first-name basis by now), who instructed me to call the city because my problem wouldn't be happening this soon after the last incident. So, I called the city, and out they came to perform their own clean-out of the system. Problem solved.
... or so I thought. Fast forward three more months. And picture this: I am painting furniture in my living room late at night while doing some laundry. The toilets begin to make this strange noise (imagine blowing bubbles in your drink with a straw), and then, it happens - everything stops and you hear that terrible sound of water (among other things) come UP into your bathtub. Oh yes, lovely. It is now 11:30 at night. I can't call Pete at 11:30 at night!?!? Nope, I sure can't, so I call my mom and I go spend the night at their house! Haha. I wait and call Pete the next day and he comes out to work his magic. This time, I know the problem is not solved, so I decide to try to be smart and use my home warranty. Unfortunately, it didn't work out quite the way I had planned, but I DO now have properly functioning plumbing and a completely torn up front yard. As I mentioned in my last post, they were quite intriguing as they dug a hole that they could jump in and they disappeared! Ridiculous. Remember how I said I really wanted pictures, but I didn't want them to think I belonged in the loony bin? Well, as my luck would have it, they had to go to Home Depot for a part, so what did I do? I definitely grabbed my camera and went out to the hole for pictures!!! Get ready...
Here is the tractor they used to dig the gargantuan hole...
In the very center of the picture, you can see the infamous hole.
And here it is!!! The brownish pipe that is sticking out in the top of the hole is the city tap. The pipe that is strewn in the middle of the hole is my old pipe... more on that to come below...
Here is where you can see where my old pipe belonged and ran from my clean-out to the city tap.
... or so I thought. Fast forward three more months. And picture this: I am painting furniture in my living room late at night while doing some laundry. The toilets begin to make this strange noise (imagine blowing bubbles in your drink with a straw), and then, it happens - everything stops and you hear that terrible sound of water (among other things) come UP into your bathtub. Oh yes, lovely. It is now 11:30 at night. I can't call Pete at 11:30 at night!?!? Nope, I sure can't, so I call my mom and I go spend the night at their house! Haha. I wait and call Pete the next day and he comes out to work his magic. This time, I know the problem is not solved, so I decide to try to be smart and use my home warranty. Unfortunately, it didn't work out quite the way I had planned, but I DO now have properly functioning plumbing and a completely torn up front yard. As I mentioned in my last post, they were quite intriguing as they dug a hole that they could jump in and they disappeared! Ridiculous. Remember how I said I really wanted pictures, but I didn't want them to think I belonged in the loony bin? Well, as my luck would have it, they had to go to Home Depot for a part, so what did I do? I definitely grabbed my camera and went out to the hole for pictures!!! Get ready...
Here is the tractor they used to dig the gargantuan hole...
In the very center of the picture, you can see the infamous hole.
And here it is!!! The brownish pipe that is sticking out in the top of the hole is the city tap. The pipe that is strewn in the middle of the hole is my old pipe... more on that to come below...
Here is where you can see where my old pipe belonged and ran from my clean-out to the city tap.So onto that old pipe... apparently, when a previous owner of my house had the sewer pipes replaced, their plumber failed to finish the job. They replaced the pipe from the house to the clean-out, but the house owner is responsible for everything up to the city tap. So, there was a 4 foot section that had old pipe that "never should have been put in the ground" according to my second plumber (whose name I never got). The pipe that you see strewn in the hole was basically rotten and had no bottom. Basically, nothing could make it through the pipe because it wasn't 'smooth' on the inside. My plumber could stick his shovel THROUGH the pipe - that's how rotten it was!! So yes, they replaced it, and hopefully, I will have no more problems for a very long time. I've already put it to the test... I did two loads of laundry in one day. And four people took a shower within an hour or so time span, and NO backing up! So, thank you plumbers, for fixing my problem and for always being there. I've never known how important you are to the human race, but if anyone is ever putting you or your profession down, know that you will always have a supporter in me. I will always be grateful for properly functioning plumbing system. And, I'm fairly certain my bank account will be grateful that you finally fixed the problem once and for all! And one more grateful comment... my little brother/lawn service is grateful for the large amount of dirt you left in the yard covered with hay that now prevents him from being able to mow the lawn in this ridiculously hot weather. Clearly, I am grateful for plumbers tonight... who knew?!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
MIA
Sorry, I've been somewhat MIA over the last month. A lot has happened and is continuing to happen as I type!
As I mentioned before, I went to NYC with some girls from work - Lindsay, Lydia, Elizabeth, and Kathleen. We had a blast! It was a whirlwind trip and we did almost all the tourist things in the short time we were there. We shopped (or dreamed of shopping) on 5th Avenue, went to the Statue of Liberty, tried to go up in the Empire State Building, saw Mamma Mia!, went to Central Park, ate at Serendipity, and went to Little Italy for pizza! It really was a fun and somewhat cheap trip. I am grateful for their friendship and the fact that we can have fun outside of work.
I got home from New York on a Thursday night and then rode with the fam to Mississippi for a wedding. My cousin, Collin, got married in Bay St. Louis. Onni, Grace, and Murphy were able to come, as well as my grandparents, aunt and uncle, cousins Russ, Michele, and Keegan. We went to the Rehearsal Dinner on Friday night (where we got eaten alive by bugs). The coolest thing was that it was at a house that was across the street from the beach, but the house survived Hurricane Katrina! We parked where other houses had been, and this one made it because those houses basically got pushed up against it and created a dam for the water. Incredible! It was so sad to see the different areas where houses and buildings had once been, but were very clearly destroyed by Katrina. I was there a few years ago on a mission trip, and while things haven't changed much, they have at least gotten rid of the debris. I feel like that is a huge step - yes, I realize they still have a long ways to go. It was kinda eerie... there were piers that had everything but the boards that you walk on, others had missing sections, and some just had the main posts. The 'house' I remember the most was one that had the foundation, the 'stilts', and the spiral staircase that obviously led to what was once the house. So sad. Saturday morning we spent some time on the beach. Murphy was hilarious in the water - he will definitely be a lot of fun in Sarasota. The wedding was Saturday afternoon and lasted well into the evening. The bride was beautiful and it was really a fun reception. We went to a brunch honoring Collin and Melissa Sunday morning before heading back home. It was nice to spend time with the fam.
Since then, I have been home just working around my house. I started working on my chest, and am almost finished!! I put like 5 coats of paint on it, sanding in between each one, and I have now put polyurethane on it. I will sand it one last time, and then my dad has to fix the bottom of it so it will sit level. Then, it will go in my room and I'll be FINISHED with that. I painted my hallway last week - will post pictures later. It is blue - two lighter versions of the blue from the living room (darker of the two on bottom, lighter on top). Very glad that is done. I will hang my last pictures, then clean the huge mess I have made from these projects. Then, for now, the house projects will be done for a while. Speaking of house projects... remember my plumbing problems?? Well, they came back. So, currently, there is a crew digging up my front yard to replace some pipes - at least, I think that's what they'll be doing. I'm not even sure anymore. I DO know that there is a tractor and huge pile of dirt in my yard, and I so badly want to go out and take a picture. I really want to take a picture of the fact that one of them is IN the hole but I can't even see him - that's how deep they're having to dig! But I'm pretty sure these guys would think I'm nuts, so I will resist the urge.
So, I've been somewhat productive this summer and had lots of fun, so I'm satisfied. And it's not even over yet! I will try to be better about updating over the next couple of weeks before I head to the beach. But I can make no promises. Hope all of you are having a great summer so far!
As I mentioned before, I went to NYC with some girls from work - Lindsay, Lydia, Elizabeth, and Kathleen. We had a blast! It was a whirlwind trip and we did almost all the tourist things in the short time we were there. We shopped (or dreamed of shopping) on 5th Avenue, went to the Statue of Liberty, tried to go up in the Empire State Building, saw Mamma Mia!, went to Central Park, ate at Serendipity, and went to Little Italy for pizza! It really was a fun and somewhat cheap trip. I am grateful for their friendship and the fact that we can have fun outside of work.
I got home from New York on a Thursday night and then rode with the fam to Mississippi for a wedding. My cousin, Collin, got married in Bay St. Louis. Onni, Grace, and Murphy were able to come, as well as my grandparents, aunt and uncle, cousins Russ, Michele, and Keegan. We went to the Rehearsal Dinner on Friday night (where we got eaten alive by bugs). The coolest thing was that it was at a house that was across the street from the beach, but the house survived Hurricane Katrina! We parked where other houses had been, and this one made it because those houses basically got pushed up against it and created a dam for the water. Incredible! It was so sad to see the different areas where houses and buildings had once been, but were very clearly destroyed by Katrina. I was there a few years ago on a mission trip, and while things haven't changed much, they have at least gotten rid of the debris. I feel like that is a huge step - yes, I realize they still have a long ways to go. It was kinda eerie... there were piers that had everything but the boards that you walk on, others had missing sections, and some just had the main posts. The 'house' I remember the most was one that had the foundation, the 'stilts', and the spiral staircase that obviously led to what was once the house. So sad. Saturday morning we spent some time on the beach. Murphy was hilarious in the water - he will definitely be a lot of fun in Sarasota. The wedding was Saturday afternoon and lasted well into the evening. The bride was beautiful and it was really a fun reception. We went to a brunch honoring Collin and Melissa Sunday morning before heading back home. It was nice to spend time with the fam.
Since then, I have been home just working around my house. I started working on my chest, and am almost finished!! I put like 5 coats of paint on it, sanding in between each one, and I have now put polyurethane on it. I will sand it one last time, and then my dad has to fix the bottom of it so it will sit level. Then, it will go in my room and I'll be FINISHED with that. I painted my hallway last week - will post pictures later. It is blue - two lighter versions of the blue from the living room (darker of the two on bottom, lighter on top). Very glad that is done. I will hang my last pictures, then clean the huge mess I have made from these projects. Then, for now, the house projects will be done for a while. Speaking of house projects... remember my plumbing problems?? Well, they came back. So, currently, there is a crew digging up my front yard to replace some pipes - at least, I think that's what they'll be doing. I'm not even sure anymore. I DO know that there is a tractor and huge pile of dirt in my yard, and I so badly want to go out and take a picture. I really want to take a picture of the fact that one of them is IN the hole but I can't even see him - that's how deep they're having to dig! But I'm pretty sure these guys would think I'm nuts, so I will resist the urge.
So, I've been somewhat productive this summer and had lots of fun, so I'm satisfied. And it's not even over yet! I will try to be better about updating over the next couple of weeks before I head to the beach. But I can make no promises. Hope all of you are having a great summer so far!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sweet Summertime
Like I said in my last post, it is so hard for me to believe how quickly the time has passed this year. However, please don't mistake that unbelief for ungratefulness - I LOVE summer!!! Haha. And it promises to be a busy one... and I will tell you that I would have it no other way! There are weddings, guard practices, summer Kindergarten work (for some extra moolah), a trip to NYC, almost two weeks at the beach, a weekend with my girls at Rebecca's wedding, and some summer house projects! I am just so excited. I had intended to get started right away on things this weekend, but I just haven't found the motivation. I have fully enjoyed this long, relaxing weekend in every way imaginable. I did absolutely nothing on Saturday, or Sunday, and I don't think today looks to be more eventful than the last two days. I am okay with that! I will say that in between watching some TV (which I hardly ever do), feeding my neighbor's dogs, reading, napping, and "facebooking", I have done some productive things.
I received my Pampered Chef stuff last week, and I finally had the chance to open the boxes and sort the orders! WOW, I got a lot of awesome stuff! I washed everything last night before going to my Mom and Dad's for dinner, and found a place for everything this morning. I even cleaned up my mail piles - which get pretty bad. I've found all the things that have worked their way to my house that really belong at school and put them in one place so I can return them tomorrow. And really, that's about it. I am planning on organizing my craft room and dragging out my scrapbook stuff today. I'd like to sort out my pictures and figure out which pictures I need printed and that kind of thing. I am pretty pumped about getting started on all of that again. But I sure have a lot of work to do to catch up!
And with that, I am going to get to work. Sorry this was such a boring post, but I felt like I owed a post, and that's about all I've got right now... although I did just think of something. After I've been productive, I'll post again... enjoy your Memorial Day!!!
I received my Pampered Chef stuff last week, and I finally had the chance to open the boxes and sort the orders! WOW, I got a lot of awesome stuff! I washed everything last night before going to my Mom and Dad's for dinner, and found a place for everything this morning. I even cleaned up my mail piles - which get pretty bad. I've found all the things that have worked their way to my house that really belong at school and put them in one place so I can return them tomorrow. And really, that's about it. I am planning on organizing my craft room and dragging out my scrapbook stuff today. I'd like to sort out my pictures and figure out which pictures I need printed and that kind of thing. I am pretty pumped about getting started on all of that again. But I sure have a lot of work to do to catch up!
And with that, I am going to get to work. Sorry this was such a boring post, but I felt like I owed a post, and that's about all I've got right now... although I did just think of something. After I've been productive, I'll post again... enjoy your Memorial Day!!!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Ten Days
Wow, I can't believe how quickly time has gone by over the past 10 months! I am very happy, but it is so hard for me to believe that there are only 10 days left of the school year. I am ready for my class to move on this year. I feel confident that they will all succeed in first grade. I have taught them all to the best of my ability. I currently have 16 precious students in my kindergarten class, and have had the pleasure of teaching 19 students throughout the school year. I smile everyday that I hear my kids picking up a book and reading it - or trying to. And while I don't really like for them to talk in the hallway, I always smile when I hear a student trying to sound out a word or asking, "Miss Hynninen, what's that word say?" We are currently reviewing all of our math skills by going through a practice workbook. It has been amazing to me to see how many things they remember - their little brains are amazing little sponges! We are also going back over our handwriting which has been somewhat of a nightmare. I am definitely going to be more picky about that from the very beginning. Like I've said, they learn things so quickly - and unfortunately, they also learn bad habits quickly. For example, I have a student that hates to write so he will write the first letter of his name and then scribble a little wiggly line for the rest of his name. Ridiculous!! I have another student that will put big spaces between her letters on her handwriting sheet, so she won't have to write as many. I have another student that will just not do her work - and thinks I won't notice! Unfortunately for these students, I have been exceptionally picky over these last few weeks. I will erase their shortcomings and send them back to work during recess (I don't intentionally pull them away from their play time, but that is when I have the time to check their work - and lucky for them, they've been given extra recess time in recent days because we actually have time for that!) Two of the three students I just mentioned have begun to change their ways and know they need to do their work the right way the first time. Of course, there are still those students who just don't care. I pray everyday that their attitude would change - they have a LOT of school ahead of them and don't need that attitude to last.
Not only has time flown in the school sense, but in my personal world. It is hard for me to fathom that I have been a homeowner for almost 6 months - crazy! And I have lived here for just over four months. I walked into this strange house on November 26 that had completely white walls, and it now only has 8 white walls (4 in the hallway and 4 in the bathroom). Every room has furniture and almost every room is completely finished. I bought the final piece for my bedroom this weekend (at Wood You in Auburn) and it will be my first summer project. I am going to "paint" it white and then de-stress the wood to try to make it match my armoire. I plan on doing the same thing to the bedside table I bought as well. I am hoping that my dad will get my armoire fixed and moved in by the end of the summer, so then everything will be complete! I would love to have some chairs and a lamp table in my living room, but I think I'll save up for those and get something I really like. So for now, everything is good.
I cannot believe I am about to finish my second year of teaching. What a joy and challenge it has been - a whirlwind for sure that nobody could have prepared me for! Only by the grace of God have I survived this "real world" since graduating from college. It has been exciting, but it has also been hard. Looking back, it is obvious to me that the Lord has worked in my life. There have been times of grief, and there have been times of joy. There have been times of tears, and times of laughter. He has definitely walked by my side through every time and I am thankful. He has placed people in my life at the appropriate moments reminding me that His timing is perfect. He has completely changed my plans reminding me that He has a perfect plan for my life. God certainly has a funny sense of humor, but He also has a funny way of reminding us "who's boss" so that we always come running back to Him. I have definitely done my fair share of running in the last two years, and I hope that I am now at least running on the same track that He wants me on so I can slow down and smell the aroma of His love that is surrounding me.
I apologize for not posting in a while, but obviously, life has been a little hectic. I hope that things are slowing down, so I really can stop and smell the roses, as people like to say. I'll keep you posted if that actually happens. In the meantime, I pray that the Lord will reach out to you and to me so we can continue to grow in the knowledge of His grace.
Not only has time flown in the school sense, but in my personal world. It is hard for me to fathom that I have been a homeowner for almost 6 months - crazy! And I have lived here for just over four months. I walked into this strange house on November 26 that had completely white walls, and it now only has 8 white walls (4 in the hallway and 4 in the bathroom). Every room has furniture and almost every room is completely finished. I bought the final piece for my bedroom this weekend (at Wood You in Auburn) and it will be my first summer project. I am going to "paint" it white and then de-stress the wood to try to make it match my armoire. I plan on doing the same thing to the bedside table I bought as well. I am hoping that my dad will get my armoire fixed and moved in by the end of the summer, so then everything will be complete! I would love to have some chairs and a lamp table in my living room, but I think I'll save up for those and get something I really like. So for now, everything is good.
I cannot believe I am about to finish my second year of teaching. What a joy and challenge it has been - a whirlwind for sure that nobody could have prepared me for! Only by the grace of God have I survived this "real world" since graduating from college. It has been exciting, but it has also been hard. Looking back, it is obvious to me that the Lord has worked in my life. There have been times of grief, and there have been times of joy. There have been times of tears, and times of laughter. He has definitely walked by my side through every time and I am thankful. He has placed people in my life at the appropriate moments reminding me that His timing is perfect. He has completely changed my plans reminding me that He has a perfect plan for my life. God certainly has a funny sense of humor, but He also has a funny way of reminding us "who's boss" so that we always come running back to Him. I have definitely done my fair share of running in the last two years, and I hope that I am now at least running on the same track that He wants me on so I can slow down and smell the aroma of His love that is surrounding me.
I apologize for not posting in a while, but obviously, life has been a little hectic. I hope that things are slowing down, so I really can stop and smell the roses, as people like to say. I'll keep you posted if that actually happens. In the meantime, I pray that the Lord will reach out to you and to me so we can continue to grow in the knowledge of His grace.
Friday, April 17, 2009
My Small Bladder
So, as most of you that read this know, I have an incredibly small bladder. It's terrible. I could go all day at school in middle and high school without going to the bathroom - because I was scared I would catch some disease in those bathrooms! (at least until we moved into our new school my junior year and yes, I do realize this means I was extremely dehydrated probably all the time - oh well!) Now, I teach Kindergarten and I can only go to the bathroom when I take my kids to specials or during my lunch break. Thankfully, I have a wonderful parapro that I can trust with my kids and she doesn't mind if I leave for a few minutes to relieve my bladder. So I probably go about three times throughout the school day - only 7.5 hours - and I go immediately after school. And that's a good day!!! As soon as school is out, it seems like my bladder just knows I am no longer restricted, so I have to go all the time. Imagine other days when I don't have school/kids in my room - I literally have to go all the time. Well... here are a few stories over the last few years...
Brittany and I were on our way back from attending a reading conference in Huntsville when we stopped to eat lunch with Phyliss (her mom) on Sunday afternoon. We got started back towards Auburn and decided we wanted to stop and look at the new houses they were building in Chelsea Park. We drove to the back of the neighborhood and walked through the houses that were still being built, so they had no doors and such. On our way out, I decided I needed to go to the bathroom. There really weren't many options on that part of 280. So what was I supposed to do? We noticed that several of the houses that were move-in ready were open to potential buyers to walk through and such, so I came to the conclusion that they had running water. And how convenient that I kept napkins in my car! So, we carried in some napkins to this one house, looked through it, and decided we just had to the use the bathroom in that house. I went first with no problems. And Brittany went after me. As luck would have it, I was standing in the kitchen when the front door opened, and then she flushed the toilet. The man walked in and introduced himself as the builder and wanted to know if I had any questions and so on. As he is in the middle of talking, Brittany walks out of the bathroom. HILARIOUS! We totally made up for it, but I really don't remember how, and it was completely embarassed. Other people have told us that it was terrible, but I would totally do it again if I had to go that bad! HAHA.
Another time I had been out in Opelika for something with Terri Leigh and Jack. I honestly do not remember where we were or what we were doing, but I do remember that we were coming back into Auburn to go to something else. Well, as it turns out, we both had to go to the bathroom, and I guess wherever we were going didn't have bathrooms???! So, we tried to think of places that we could stop and go to the bathroom. I HATE gas station bathrooms so those were out of the question. I think we thought about the fact that Lakeview was open for some reason or another, but would look stupid if we did that. We turned onto Samford Avenue and I said, "I wonder if Mrs. Marcia is home and still awake - we could stop there!" So, I think we drove by her house first to see if there were lights on, and there were so we turned around and came back. I know we scared her to death knocking on her door late that night, but thankfully, she recognized us in the dark and let us in. And she totally understood that we were going to be like those guests who "eat and run" only we weren't eating in this case! HAHA. I sure wish I could remember where we had been and where we were going!
So, if you live in a house in Chelsea Park, I am sorry that your bathroom may have been used once before you moved in, but I do thank you for allowing me to relieve my bladder. You helped me to avoid some serious bladder problems that day I'm sure. At the same time, thank you Mrs. Marcia for answering your door when I'm sure you were worried sick as to why someone was ringing your doorbell late that night. And thank you for understanding that Terri Leigh and I were basically using you for your toilet that night - I definitely appreciate your hospitality! :) To all of you out there, be aware that if you move into a brand new house, the bathroom may have been used before, but don't be offended - just think of it as "paying it forward" in a backwards kind of way. And, if I know you really well, always know that if I see a light on in your house late at night, I see it as a sign that you are awake and available to answer the door to your friend who needs a blessing at that moment. And for everyone out there, please know that my bathroom is always available to those that may be in need. I cannot promise you that it will not overflow, but at least you'll get to relieve your bladder!!
Brittany and I were on our way back from attending a reading conference in Huntsville when we stopped to eat lunch with Phyliss (her mom) on Sunday afternoon. We got started back towards Auburn and decided we wanted to stop and look at the new houses they were building in Chelsea Park. We drove to the back of the neighborhood and walked through the houses that were still being built, so they had no doors and such. On our way out, I decided I needed to go to the bathroom. There really weren't many options on that part of 280. So what was I supposed to do? We noticed that several of the houses that were move-in ready were open to potential buyers to walk through and such, so I came to the conclusion that they had running water. And how convenient that I kept napkins in my car! So, we carried in some napkins to this one house, looked through it, and decided we just had to the use the bathroom in that house. I went first with no problems. And Brittany went after me. As luck would have it, I was standing in the kitchen when the front door opened, and then she flushed the toilet. The man walked in and introduced himself as the builder and wanted to know if I had any questions and so on. As he is in the middle of talking, Brittany walks out of the bathroom. HILARIOUS! We totally made up for it, but I really don't remember how, and it was completely embarassed. Other people have told us that it was terrible, but I would totally do it again if I had to go that bad! HAHA.
Another time I had been out in Opelika for something with Terri Leigh and Jack. I honestly do not remember where we were or what we were doing, but I do remember that we were coming back into Auburn to go to something else. Well, as it turns out, we both had to go to the bathroom, and I guess wherever we were going didn't have bathrooms???! So, we tried to think of places that we could stop and go to the bathroom. I HATE gas station bathrooms so those were out of the question. I think we thought about the fact that Lakeview was open for some reason or another, but would look stupid if we did that. We turned onto Samford Avenue and I said, "I wonder if Mrs. Marcia is home and still awake - we could stop there!" So, I think we drove by her house first to see if there were lights on, and there were so we turned around and came back. I know we scared her to death knocking on her door late that night, but thankfully, she recognized us in the dark and let us in. And she totally understood that we were going to be like those guests who "eat and run" only we weren't eating in this case! HAHA. I sure wish I could remember where we had been and where we were going!
So, if you live in a house in Chelsea Park, I am sorry that your bathroom may have been used once before you moved in, but I do thank you for allowing me to relieve my bladder. You helped me to avoid some serious bladder problems that day I'm sure. At the same time, thank you Mrs. Marcia for answering your door when I'm sure you were worried sick as to why someone was ringing your doorbell late that night. And thank you for understanding that Terri Leigh and I were basically using you for your toilet that night - I definitely appreciate your hospitality! :) To all of you out there, be aware that if you move into a brand new house, the bathroom may have been used before, but don't be offended - just think of it as "paying it forward" in a backwards kind of way. And, if I know you really well, always know that if I see a light on in your house late at night, I see it as a sign that you are awake and available to answer the door to your friend who needs a blessing at that moment. And for everyone out there, please know that my bathroom is always available to those that may be in need. I cannot promise you that it will not overflow, but at least you'll get to relieve your bladder!!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Our Great God
I am amazed tonight at the power of the Holy Spirit. Three years ago on March 18, a precious godly man, HT Ford, was taken home to be with the Lord. He was the father of Toma Knight - "my Auburn mom" and spiritual mentor. Ever since that day, I have remembered the date (for the most part) and told myself that I want to always send Toma and Becky a message of some sort to let them know that I am thinking of them on that day. Well... last night as I was getting ready for bed, I realized that it was April 1st which meant March was over and I had missed the date. I wrestled with myself over whether it was March 18 or March 19, but had already turned my computer off for the night. So, this morning it was still bothering me that I couldn't quite remember the date, so I tried to look it up online when I got to work. I couldn't find it right away and had some things to do to get ready for my kiddies, so I gave up. Then, I tried again after school. The first result to come up ended up being an obituary for Abigail Ford from the Macon newspaper. I pieced it together and figured out that this 14-year-old granddaughter of HT Ford passed away on Wednesday. I knew that I immediately needed to call Toma and tell her this story. I was so excited when she answered so I could share this with her. It has turned out that Abby has been having health problems for a long time and had made some progress in the past week. The doctor made some changes earlier this week, and unfortunately, they were not to the benefit of Abby's earthly body. However, the Lord is sovereign and had a plan - as he does for each and every one of us. Toma said it has been neat because Abby's dad/Toma's brother, Ty, as well as her husband, Cliff, and brother-in-law, Chris, were given the opportunity to share the love of the Lord with Abby's doctor. She did ask that I continue to pray for Abby's family, especially her mom, Traci. I know that not very many people read this, but I figured even one more person praying than me is great. PLEASE pray for Abby's family - her parents, Ty and Tracie, and her siblings, Grace, Lilly, and Luke as they go throughout the coming days with her celebration service tomorrow and the burial service on Saturday. In addition, pray for the entire Ford family - Mrs. Martha (HT's wife/Toma's mom), Cliff and Toma, Tom and Leigh, Chris and Katie, and all of Abby's cousins. Remember to trust in Him with all your heart... and He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6). So clearly, I forgot March 18 this year so that the Lord could guide me to finding Abby online today so that he could piece this story together today. What an awesome testimony to the power of the Lord - to God be the glory!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
New Hobby
I know, it's crazy, because I already have enough unfinished projects laying around, but... I have discovered that I LOVE stamping. I decided to give it a try when we went to Missouri two summers ago and I saw what Dawn had done. She made some pretty incredible things, and she gave me her catalog to look at while I was there. I think I spent the entire week just carrying that catalog around gawking at all the adorable things that stamp creators had thought of! This past fall, I found myself gawking at the 50th wedding anniversary celebration invitations Dawn had made with a stamp. Several of us drove up to Missouri for the party, and I got another catalog. This time it was mine to keep! When my mom asked me for additional things I wanted for Christmas this past year, I just handed her the catalog with my favorite stamps listed! Thankfully, I got several and was so excited. Unfortunately, with all the new house excitement and life in general, I haven't had a chance to do much with them. I decided this week to save myself some money and make thank you cards instead of purchasing them after I ran out last week. So, I made my way to the Rubber Stamp Fantasy on the Square (amazing!) and bought blank cards and envelopes. This afternoon, I went to town. It was the only productive thing I've done all day, and it didn't even take that long! Take a look...
You'll notice that I stuck with the same three or four stamps, but changed the ink colors. Obviously, they're not the greatest things ever made, but I still think they're pretty cute. I cannot wait for other occasions that are coming up that will allow me to make some different cards.
These next ones are my favorites. I kept having to clean off my stamps on a scrap piece of paper, and most of the time, I found that I liked the softened stamp too. So I decided to experiment and try it out. Of course, the orange and blue one is my favorite out of these three...
Now I just have to hope that I don't get too caught up in stamping to forget about my scrapbooking! I am really hoping to just bring stamping into my scrapbooking and then I'll be doing two things that are fun and that I love. I am really hoping to get back into that during my Spring Break because I don't have any major plans - which is fine! My first major project before I can start will be to sort my printed pictures. Maybe I'll plan to get THAT done during Spring Break... one step at a time... one step at a time... I need to keep reminding myself of that!
So there ya go! I have a new hobby that I discovered today! Watch for some fun cards coming your way soon...
You'll notice that I stuck with the same three or four stamps, but changed the ink colors. Obviously, they're not the greatest things ever made, but I still think they're pretty cute. I cannot wait for other occasions that are coming up that will allow me to make some different cards.
These next ones are my favorites. I kept having to clean off my stamps on a scrap piece of paper, and most of the time, I found that I liked the softened stamp too. So I decided to experiment and try it out. Of course, the orange and blue one is my favorite out of these three...
Now I just have to hope that I don't get too caught up in stamping to forget about my scrapbooking! I am really hoping to just bring stamping into my scrapbooking and then I'll be doing two things that are fun and that I love. I am really hoping to get back into that during my Spring Break because I don't have any major plans - which is fine! My first major project before I can start will be to sort my printed pictures. Maybe I'll plan to get THAT done during Spring Break... one step at a time... one step at a time... I need to keep reminding myself of that!
So there ya go! I have a new hobby that I discovered today! Watch for some fun cards coming your way soon...Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The One You've Been Waiting For...
Pictures of My House!
Here is my front steps... Auburn garden flag to greet everyone, as well as the pansies (thanks Ashley!!), and my St. Patrick's Day door hanging. I have made it a goal to have something cute to hang on the door each month. I think I've been successful so far... maybe I could have a "running" blog entry of my door hangings!!
Full view of house from across the street...
Full view of house from across the street... 
Close-up of house from the driveway...
My barn a.k.a. my dad's workshop... Yes, I have decided to be a gracious daughter and allow my dad's dreams of having a woodshop come true in my own backyard. Honestly, I have a three bedroom house - what would I need all that space for?! I may be regretting this decision later in life when I have too much junk, but for now, I think it'll be fun!
Haha, my swing - no worries, I haven't tried to sit in it. The plan is to buy a new one and paint it orange and blue (war eagle!)!
Before: Dining Room
After: Dining RoomMy sister and I plastered this room in one day! It's called Venetian Plaster and the awesome people at Home Depot will color it for you. Then, you slap it on the wall with a trowel and move it around. You can then burnish it and/or glaze it... I just left it alone and love it!! I plan on getting some new lamp shades for the chandelier.
Before: Living Room
After: Living RoomYou can't really tell from this picture, but the wall on the left is striped. My plan was to use a flat paint and a glosst paint to achieve this effect, but again, the awesome Home Depot workers told me to buy a glaze instead and just paint over the original paint. So, Kristen helped me tape it off after my mom and I painted it. We put about 4 layers of glaze to get this subtle effect. The door on the far right is my front door... in case you were wondering.
Another shot of the living room...I have decided to start collecting crosses, so here are the beginnings of my wall of crosses.
Before: Kitchen
After: KitchenPainted by my mom and me...
Before: Kitchen(this is Richard in the picture... the guy that sold me my new refrigerator AND fixed my cabinets - notice how low they are and then notice the height of the cabinets in the next picture PLUS the new fridge)
After: Kitchen
Before: Kitchen
After: KitchenThe amazing calendar is compliments of my sister - it was my Christmas present, and I LOVE it! My plan for the kitchen table is to paint it bright colors like the calendar. I'm thinking to do a cool design on the legs of the table and chairs.
Before: Den
After: Den
Before: Den
After: Den
Before: Laundry Room
After: Laundry Room
After: My Bedroom
Before: My Bedroom
After: My Bedroom
Before: My Closet
After: My Closet
Before: My Bathroom
After: My Bathroom
Before: Guest Room
After: Guest Room
After: Guest Room
Gotta give credit where it's due... my initials were hung by Brian Johnson - thanks again!
Another view of the guest room...
Before: Hall Bathroom
After: Hall Bathroom
Another view of the hall bathroom: "You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you." Song of Solomon 4:7
Another view of the hall bathroom: my monogrammed shower curtain! 
Before: Craft Room/Office/Guest Room
After: Craft Room/Office/Guest Room
Before: Craft Room/Office/Guest Room
After: Craft Room/Office/Guest Room
Another view of my craft Room/office/guest room...
SO, that's my house! I clearly had LOTS of help to make my Open House happen this past weekend. I never would have this house painted if it had not been for my family and friends that helped - all of you are a blessing to me!
Before: Den
After: DenPainted by my mom, Kristen, Kaitlin, Katie, and me. The curtains look purple in this picture, but they are denim (like the loveseat) and have a yellow and white stripe. Curtains were hung by Brian Johnson - thanks! The quilt on the sofa is my Very Hungry Caterpillar quilt - love it!
Before: Den
After: Den
Before: Laundry Room(Gotta love the rooster curtains!)
After: Laundry Room(There was no door on this room before we started - my dad and brother had to dig it out of the barn, and my mom had to paint it.)
Painted by my mom, Kristen - ALL the way around the hot water heater (impressive work!), and me.
Before: My Bedroom
Before: My Bedroom 
After: My BedroomPainted by my mom, Mrs. Lewis, Sarah, Katie, Kaitlin, Elise, and me. (The whole thing had to be paint brushed because of the paneling).
Before: My Bedroom
After: My BedroomMy armoire from college was ruined in storage and is now awaiting repair work in the barn, but it will go where the TV is now. My intention is to get another piece of furniture (like a dresser of some sort) to go under the shelves on the wall.
Before: My Closet
After: My ClosetPainted by Elise and me.
I love elfa shelving - sold at The Container Store - amazing store!
Before: My Bathroom
After: My Bathroom
Painted by me.
Before: My Bathroom
Before: My Bathroom 
After: My BathroomYes, the little sign says "Laugh until you tinkle in your panties." ;) Haha!
Before: Guest Room
After: Guest RoomPainted by Katie, Sarah, Elise, Kaitlin, my mom, and me. Fun night - thanks so much girls!
The furniture was my grandparents' and I had it when I lived with my parents. They graciously allowed me to take it causing them to buy a new bed (oops). The quilt is another one made by my mom.
Before: Guest Room
Before: Guest Room 
After: Guest RoomGotta give credit where it's due... my initials were hung by Brian Johnson - thanks again!
Another view of the guest room...
Before: Hall Bathroom
After: Hall BathroomSurprisingly... NOT painted!!
Another view of the hall bathroom: "You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you." Song of Solomon 4:7
Another view of the hall bathroom: my monogrammed shower curtain! 
Before: Craft Room/Office/Guest Room
After: Craft Room/Office/Guest RoomPainted by - haha! - first shade of pink: Elise and me, then I decided I hated it, so I changed the color and it was painted by my mom, Kristen, and me. I am SO excited about this room and the things I hope to get accomplished in it! I am about 5 years behind on my scrapbook now, so I have LOTS of time to catch up on... maybe one day it will happen.
Before: Craft Room/Office/Guest Room
After: Craft Room/Office/Guest Room
Another view of my craft Room/office/guest room...
SO, that's my house! I clearly had LOTS of help to make my Open House happen this past weekend. I never would have this house painted if it had not been for my family and friends that helped - all of you are a blessing to me!My house obviously needs some work still, but it is coming together really well, and I am fully enjoying it. Yes, there are the joys of homeownership that keep sneaking up on me, but as someone said to me the other day, my life can't be boring - I wouldn't know what to do! So, I'll take it.
I hope you enjoyed these photos, but I promise it's a lot more exciting in person, so PLEASE come visit! If you don't live near Marietta, I've given you proof that I have plenty of room for you to visit, so do it!
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