18 Down

It is so hard to believe that in two weeks the pregnacy will be half over. It seems like it is going by so fast. One great thing is that I do not look four and half months pregnant. I have not gained much weight; however, I think I am about ready to make the switch to maternity clothes (thanks Sulayne). I feel great. I had a rough three weeks in the first trimester, but all is well now. I will find out on the 19th whether we are to expect a little boy or a little girl.

I have been very busy the last part of the school year and the first part of the summer. I have started my masters, and I am taking an awesome class this summer. It is called the IUS Writing Project. This is a top class for any grade level of teachers. There is a decently long wait list to get into this class. I got in by default, but none the less I am very excited.

This is my favorite place in the cemetary. The Satterwhite Memorial. I wonder if Bob will honor me with one similar after I am gone. :)

Today the class was divided into groups of 3-4, and we traveled to a couple different places just to write. Our group decided to start at Cave Hill Cemetary. I love that place. I have been there several times and each time I go I always find something else that amazes me.

One of the new things that I found was this monument to the left. I wrote a very interesting piece about who I thought this guy was and how he could have died. This may seem a little morbid, but it is something that me as a writer enjoys doing.

Well I hope you have enjoyed my post, and I hope to write soon. I have been motivated by the class that I am taking to write more often, so maybe I will frequent my blog more often.

Seize the Day

Bob and I have decided after much, much, much consideration that we are now ready (we hope) to add to our family. A couple of weeks ago we found out that I was pregnant. I am not as far along as I would like to be (being that I have felt yucky for the past three weeks, and I still have about three more weeks until I get through my first trimester), but nine weeks is what I get. The initial due date is November 7th, but I anticipate the date will probably be moved up at least a week (my exam showed me further along than the "scientific calculations."

We go for our first ultrasound on Monday, and at that point it will all become real. I am a little apprehensive and worried because of my low blood sugar and blood count. My doctor is reviewing my labs, and he anticipates sending me to a hemoglobin doctor for further evaluation. So please keep the baby and me in your prayers.

That is all for now.

God Bless and Happy Easter.

Off to New York

I have twenty-six hours until I leave for NYC and I can't wait. I am going with Scottburg High School's Model UN. We are doing plenty of things such as visiting Lady Liberty, going to Chinatown, and what I am looking the most forward to; seeing Phantom on Broadway. Also I can't wait to see all of the knock-off purses (so if anyone is interested let me know). 13 hours on a bus with 18 teenagers does not seem like ideal travel, but it will all be worth it.

Pictures will come soon.

The Life

I don't think that she realizes that she is a dog. She is a little spoiled. But that is our baby.

Out with 2006, in with 2007

Wow, another year has concluded. When I was younger I remember those older, wiser people telling me not to wish the years away because they will go by quickly. Boy were they right.

God has truly blessed my family and I this year, and I just wanted to take the time to type a few of the most memorable.
(Jan)- I started Jan anxious and excited. Even though I was not sure where I
was going to do my student teaching (one week before I was suppose to
start). God was in that situation; he answered my prayers, and I was
placed with the best teacher and in the best situation. (New Albany HS
with Thad Atkins)
(Feb)- I finally completed my "unit" The French Revolution, and my student
teaching at last began. God went with me everyday, and help make my
experience awesome.
My days at New Washington State Bank was concluded. THANK YOU GOD. At
first I was so stressed about having to quit my job and not being able
to work until after my student teaching was over. But God more than
provided, and I have not once missed working at the bank.
(Mar)- One of my best friend's grandpa passed away. Yes this does not sound
like a blessing, but it was for Bob and I. We got to see friends that
are as close as family, and we felt part of their family again. It was
a great feeling during such a sad event.
(Apr)- My precious Chloe celebrated her first birthday. She has been such a
blessing from God. Bob and I never thought that we could become so
attached to a dog. But she is more than that, and I want to really thank
God for her.
I FINISHED my student teaching. YAH thank you Lord. But also God worked
in mysterious ways. Money was getting tight because I had not worked
since Feb, but God provided financially as well as professionally. I was
asked to take a permanent sub job at NAHS in the theater dept. It was
such a blessing and I got to make money teaching kids how to do
something I loved so much.
(May)- May is always such a busy month. But God answered a prayer that I have
been praying for the last six months. I GRADUATED from IUS with a BS in
Secondary Education. I am a teacher. Wow the sound of that is still over-
whelming.
The 15th of May will be a day I will never forget. Exactly one week after
my graduation ceremony, God blessed me with a job at Scottsburg High
School. I could not have asked for a better job. I would be teaching both
of the subjects that I was licensed for Social Studies and English. The
situation was very, well lets just say that God had complete control and
pulled his special magic for this one.
(Jun)- God allowed for us to purchase the two and half acres of land next to
us, making our property value much more. We spent a lot of hours talking
and praying for the right thing to do, and it all worked out.
Also Bob and I had an amazing trip to Daytona for the Pepsi 400 race. It
was nice to spend time together, just us. We had safe trips and wonderful
weather, Oh yeah and he threw in something extra...Tony Stewart won the
race.
(Jul)- See above.
(Aug)- School began and my first day of teaching went by without any incidents.
I loved the school system, loved the administration, loved my fellow
teachers, and loved my job. I have not yet to wake up and not want to go
to work. I have the best job ever. Also God put many new people in my
life, but he allowed my to meet one special one, Laura. Laura is the
teacher next door who graduated with me at IUS, and has become one of my
best friends.

(Sep)- I survived...barely... ISTEP testing. Boy was God working overtime this
month, well actually just one week, which felt like a month.
(Oct)- Fall Break, enough said.
Bob and I celebrated 4 great years. I thank God every day for him.
Also my entire family on my dad's side got together for family pictures.
God provided us with a beautiful day and the pictures turned out awesome.
(Nov)- Thanksgiving Break and the conclusion of my first grading period. I made
it in one piece and I was ready for more.
(Dec)- God always provides so much in December, but most importantly we are
reminded that he provided the best gift, his son. Spending time with
family is always such a great blessing.

Looking back God has provided so much. THANK YOU LORD< for everything.

Sorry for the long message, there may be mistakes, it took me so long to write this that I am not going back to proof read.

Happy New Year

Tis the Season Part 2

It seems like forever since I was on here. But I guess I will take time out of my oh so busy schedule to write a few words of update. We finally got the tree put up, thanks to Tyler. It seems like it took forever this year to complete that task. I feel like I am constantly going, and I never had time to catch up.

I finally got all of the gifts wrapped, I was worried that Bob may get curious and start snooping. We also got our family pictures back (see the previous post). They turned out so well.

I am now starting to get into the holiday spirit. And what better way to do that then watch the tradition IU UK bb game that is annually held every December. It is weird; however, that they are playing in RUPP (has not been done since '88). Right now IU is down by 3 with under a minute to go.

What is really weird is that IU and UK have both had their moments over the last 10 years. Their programs have been in the decline, and then out of now where UofL is stealing the scene. (Both in Football-BCS game :) and in Basketball) GO CARDS!!!!!

Well that is my ramble for today.

God Bless!

PS. Nette if you are reading this, I am praying for you. Love you!

Tis the Season

| View Show | Create Your Own

WOW

Today was going to be another boring Friday night. Bob had training tonight so I was going to be home alone...yeah. Sometimes I just like spending time to myself. I was about ready to find my place on the couch for a much needed nap when my cell phone rang. I debated for about four rings on whether or not to get up and walk into the kitchen to answer it. So I slowly got up...Amazingly it keep ringing. Susan my sister-in-law called and told me to get to town ASAP. When I asked for what she told me that we were going to see New Albany High School's production of Disney's High School Musical. I was planning on seeing it next weekend, but what else was I doing tonight.
On a side note, NAHS theater is AWESOME. Disney just finished making High
School musical into a stage production, and they invited seven schools in
the country to perform it before they begin selling the rights, which would
start at around $30,000. So performing this show in this area is a great
honor.

Back to my story, so I called my nephew Tyler, who is seven, and asked him if he wanted to go. I was really excited to see the students that I taught at the end of last school year. The performance was outstanding. The set, the dancing, the singing, the acting. Disney would definitely be proud.

There is a sad part to this blog; however, many times when I go back to see a play I wish I was there. Not there in that specific play, but in our plays. I do not miss high school, and I am not one of the people who wish they could go back, but I would go back to school just to relive the plays. We had such good talent...Beth can vouch for that, and we were so close.

I don't know where this is going but when we got back into the car, Tyler was silent at first then before I got the chance to ask him what he thought, he says enthusiastically "that was so awesome." He had never seen a play before and he was so amazed at the concept. Maybe I can open his eyes to theater, and pass on my joys to him

It is time for me to sleep.

:)

Wow, 4 great years

Create Your Own!


Today is Bob and my fourth anniversary. Man how the time has flown by. It seems like our wedding day is getting further and further behind us. I love to look at the pictures and watch the video just to remind me of that great day. It is amazing what little details you forget about. Like Tyler not walking down the aisle. Shelby forgot to drop her petals because she had to hold her dress up so she would not trip and fall. Cindy (my maid of honor) was more nervous than I was. And Rhett Kaelin was the cutest baby who was stealing the show at the reception. We had all of Bob's family under one roof, which was an amazing accomplishment. Oh the memories.

Here is a slide show that shows some of the great times over the last four years.

For those of you who want more...

I have just enjoyed my first break as a teacher. This is my favorite time of the year. As most of you know, I am not an outdoor person; however, Bob vows to change that. We just purchased our first horse in the Spring, and she is gorgeous. Actually she is Bob's because I refuse to ride something that is double the size I am.


Back to Fall, this break could not have came at any better moment. It was not that I needed a break from school, because that is not it, I love my job. But I wanted an excuse to spend time doing things to enjoy the season. Such as, shopping for winter and fall clothes, being out in the beautiful sunny day, and of course playing in the leaves.




Last weekend was also a lot of fun. I took one of my new friends from school, she is also a new teacher whose room is next door to mine, and her daughters to Harvest Homecoming. She has never been before. I could not believe it, Havest is my favorite fesitval and I wanted to share that we her. Laura and I have become really close and are often made fun of by the other teachers b/c of how close we have become.

Here are a few pictures of her cute little girls.








That is all for now.

Scary Thoughts

I can't believe this is happening again. Only this time I am on the other side of the fear. When the first wave of school shootings began, I was a student in high school. Now with this trend I am a teacher. I realize that now there is more on the line because I not only worry about myself, but now I must worry about 140 other people. Their lives could be in my hands. Whew, what a big responsibility. Every morning I wake up I say a prayer in hope that God will not only protect me, but also should his will lead me to be in a situation of danger, I pray that he will give me the strength to help others.

My view of life and the world has changed greatly. I grew up in a great home with extensive values instilled in me. I now work with kids every day that have no parental support or no support at all. And that makes me sad, and the value of my job goes up so much. I LOVE MY JOB. But one day I am going to wake up and realize that I can not save everyone and that is a hard concept to grasp.

Now that I have rambled on I will stop and continue another night.

God's Awesome Power

One of the first times I ever actually read and understood Romans 8:28, was when I heard a powerful message from Buddy Ferris several years back. Buddy was an ex-cop who was injured while on duty, and his story of life and recovery is just as powerful everytime I listen to the tape. He tells of his near death experience and how he was reading Romans 8:28 right before his life was almost taken. He picks up his story while in the hospital; he asks his wife to read something from the Bible to him, she carelessly opens the book and falls to the same powerful verse where he left off.

For those of you who are not familiar with this verse, it reads:
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are the called according to his purpose."

I have heard this verse told in story after story, each proclaiming God's grace and mercy to those who truly DO love the Lord.

In today's sermon the verse was mentioned yet again. This story tells of a man who was doing missionary work in a non-Christian nation. The man was in prison for his belief in God and his devotion through prayer. Finally after months of mental and physical torture the man renounced God's name, hoping to find some peace from those who imprisoned him. Two days after turning his back on God, his captures changed his job so that he would be responsible of cleaning the latrines (toliets). He spoke of how awful the job was for the man, but on that first day he saw a soiled paper with English writing on it. He carefully washed off the paper and stuck it into his pocket before anyone else could see. Later that evening, he pulled out the paper and found it to be Romans 8. Boy is God powerful. The story goes on to say that this man insisted on cleaning the toliets so he could read more of God's word which was being used as toliet paper in jail.

This was just another story about how God does bring ALL things together for good, for those who love and follow him.

God Bless :)

Just to fit In

So many people have recently started their own blogs, that I decided I would begin my own. I don't know what I will write about, but I guess the words will eventually come to me. I don't even know if I will have time to fit this in my busy schedule, but I will attempt the idea anyway.

The picture above is from a couple of weeks ago when mom and I took my niece and nephew to Indianapolis Children's Museum. This is a great museum, and I would suggest it to anyone with kids.

Until next time :)