compassion.

I haven't written in so long, but I feel compelled to write tonight.

Reading Kelly's Korner and Angie Smith's latest blog post opened up a part of my heart tonight. As I read about Kelly's journey to El Salvador with Compassion, I felt a tug. It led me to Compassions website, where I was immediately greeted with faces of young children, children whose lives are steeped in poverty thousands of miles away. I knew that I would be chosing a child to sponsor tonight.

But how, how do you choose when there are so many in need?

I want to sponsor them all. In fact, I want to bring all of them and their families home with me and love them and teach them about Jesus and feed them and let them know that I care.

But the truth is, I'm just one person. And as it turns out, I'm a pretty selfish one at that. As I read about the conditions of some of these countries, I wept. I haven't cried so hard in months, years maybe. These were shameless, heavy tears. Here I am in my centrally air-conditioned apartment, with a career and a new car and more clothes than I could know what to do with. And here were these children, living in mud huts, some with no shoes and no schooling and no parents. And you know what? They smile. They love. They play as wars are going on around them, as gangs raid their villages, as they survive on just one meal a day.

How can I complain about anything, ever, when this is going on right here in the very world I am living in?

Today, I made a difference. And though I'm not changing the world, there is one thing I know. I'm changing a life. I'm giving a little boy in Ethiopia the chance to have medical care, to go to school, to know the Lord. He will probably never meet me. But he will feel my love through letters and prayers. He will know that there is someone in this world who cares about him and wants to help him succeed. To help him change his life. I am both crying and dizzy with anticipation knowing that he will be told that he has a sponsor. I pray that I can do the job well.

And now, meet Kalkidan. He is five years old and, as I said, he is living in Ethiopia. He lives with his parents and two siblings. I'll know much more about him when I receive my sponsorship packet in a few weeks, but here is what I do know now.

In his home, Kalkidan helps by carrying water, helping in the kitchen and running errands. His father is sometimes employed as a seller in the market and his mother maintains the home.

Kalkidan is not presently attending school. Singing, telling stories and playing with marbles are his favorite activities. I already know what will be included in his first package! He also attends church activities regularly.

I also know that he is the most precious little boy I have ever seen. I wish I could bring him home with me, listen to his songs and stories, and tell him that I love him.

If you feel compelled to sponsor a child, donate to Compassion, or just see what it is all about, please visit their site. I already know that it is so, so much more than giving $38 a month. So much more.

5 days, oh man.

I'm still here. The summer has been crazy busy and I haven't given myself a lot of time to sit and write. Everything is good though- just preparing for my first year in my own classroom! Are any teachers following me? If so, let me know so that I can make sure to check your blog often as school gets close to starting up. I love reading teaching blogs, and belonging to message boards. (If you know of any really good ones, let me know!)

I'm moving to Houston in five days. Wowwww. It's unbelievable. Back in February/March when I first considered making this big move, I'm not sure how much I believed that I would actually get the job, let alone go through with it. But I did. And I am. And I'm teaching 7th grade science- exactly what I wanted! I went through a month or so this summer where I was really torn, questioning what the heck I had gotten myself into. Not the move so much as the teaching. How can I be responsible for my own classroom? Am I sure I'm cut out for this? And am I going to be any good? But then I got back into reading message boards and thinking up lessons and mentally preparing for the first days of school and buying supplies for my classroom... and now I am just so excited to get everything sorted and start teaching!

And while I'm really nervous to move 2000 miles away from home, it's going to be such an adventure. It's a big, brave world out there- time to start conquering it! :P

It's a Geo kinda day.

Well, it's rainy. But I'll brave the rain for a good Geocache. Ever been? If not, click the link and see what it's all about. It's a lot of fun, good exercise, and you can bring the kids along on many of them. My friend Bri is coming down today so she'll be coming along. It's a lot more fun, I think, when you have someone with you. And if you're already a 'Cacher, leave me a comment! I'd love to hear about it. I'm pretty new to it all, but my dad has found over 2000!

Also, have you gone to check out the great giveaways at Tip Junkie today? If not, go and see what their giving away today for the big birthday bash!

Dentist, eek!

I'm off to the dentist in a half hour. Did I mention that I hate going to the dentist? I don't know why... I just don't like it. I would rather go to the, for lack of better term, vagina doctor than to go to the dentist. Is that weird? I just don't like people poking around my mouth with a sharp metal object!

The good news is, I'm going to get my hair cut afterwards! Yay! Picture to come.

Also, if you aren't already participating in Tip Junkie's birthday bash, click here to go and enter! There are some awesome giveaways today.



Also, I ♥ Faces is giving away an awesome All-in-One Printer valued at 299.99. Check it out and enter to win!

Splash Splish.

Tip Junkie's birthday bash is going on all week long, so head over and check it out! There are lots of great things being given away today.

--------

Swimming yesterday with Ben was a blast. Hailey isn't allowed to swim until she's 6 months old, so not until next summer. Here are a fun pictures from our day:

I Heart Faces.

I'm no professional photographer- I've just started to become interested in taking pictures and taking them more seriously. There are people that I follow that take such AMAZING pictures- I can't wait to get better! Hopefully, by the time I have kids of my own, I'll be an expert. :P This week I've decided to participate in I ♥ Faces kids contest. I don't expect to win, but I do expect to have fun, make some friends, and be inspired. This week's theme is sephia toned. So, here is Haileyboo looking cute as a button. (Although, buttons aren't really that cute, are they?) Okay, looking cuter than a button!
Head on over to their blog if you would like to join in the fun!

Splish Splash.

Hey y'all, I'll be spending the day swimming with these two:





Oh, and



Head on over and join in!

Team Eric.

The day at the lake was wonderful. The 4 hour drive Saturday morning to turn around and do it again this morning- not the most fun I've ever had, but worth it. The next time we go down, we'll leave Friday morning and have an extra day, so that will be better. I have pictures to share, which I'll do when I get them uploaded.

On a much sadder note, True Blood starts tonight and I have no HBO! This is horrible! I'm going to have to find a virus-free website that I can watch it on until I move to Houston and get HBO back. Eek! I can't wait to see where the series goes this season. I've ready all of the Sookie Stackhouse books with the exception of the last one (still need to get my hands on it!) and loved it. I love True Blood too, regardless of the different in storylines. I view them as two different mediums and love 'em both in their own way. I can't wait to see whose foot was sticking out of Andy's car at the end of Season One. Will it follow the plot of the books? Will it be Lettie Mae, Lafayette, Miss Janette? I can't wait to see! Those who have seen the episode, without giving too much away- how was it?!

Hope you enjoyed this completely fluff post! :P Have a great week all!

The Spohrs are Mutiplying.

I recently came across this blog and began reading about little Maddie. What a beautiful little girl. Maddie was born prematurely, but thrived. Just one look at the main page shows you lots of pictures of a face full of sunshine and love. A gift to the world! On April 7, Madeline came down with a respiratory infection and was very suddenly taken to Heaven.

If you wish, visit the blog and get to know little Maddie. And if you feel so inclined, go here and vote for the blog as the Most Inspiring. And I believe just a few minutes reading about Madeline will leave you inspired. You can vote once a day!

My Earthly Paradise.

I'm off to my mini-utopia this weekend. Ahh, the lake. Floating on a boat, eating grapes and peaches, flying along on a Waverunner, spending time with my family, playing board games at night, sitting around a fire, eating big breakfasts, walking through the woods, gliding through the water, bobbing on a raft.



My family is so blessed to own a house in this beautiful place. We go 2 weekends a month in the summer, usually, and it never gets old. I mean, would you get bored looking at this?




Note: None of these pictures are mine, but they are all of the lake I'm going to. I don't have any pictures of the lake on my computer. I'll come back with plenty, though!

Remember Them Wednesday

I thought this would be something nice to start. If people show enough interest in it, I'll add Mr. Linky to it.

Remember Them Wednesday is a chance to write about someone in your life who you have lost. Maybe they passed away and are now with Jesus. Maybe circumstances tore the two of you apart and you are no longer in one another's lives. Maybe you just want to write about someone who is still in your life, but who deserves to be commemorated and remembered- remembering the sweet newborn that your toddler used to be, for example.

There really are no rules. Just write what's on your heart so that we may remember them with you. Leave a comment if you are participating so that I know there is interest and so that I can add a Mr. Linky. Tell your friends so that they have a chance to remember.

----

Today, I want to remember a friend and co-worker from high school. His name was Maalcolm, and he was awesome. We worked at a toy store- and you have to be a certain kind of person to last very long in a toy store. Kids screaming, frustrated parents, pre-teens with no chaperones... it can get a little overwhelming. Maalcolm took it all in stride, always happy, smiling, kind. We never spent time together outside of work, but when we worked together it was like we were old pals. We teased one another like teenagers tend to do, but it was always good-natured.

I always think of Maalcolm when I see one of those little rubber bouncy balls- bigger than the kind you play Jacks with, but not of the playground variety. He had a collection of them at the registers, ready and waiting to keep his hands busy when business was slow.

Bounce. Bounce.

Maalcolm was going places. He was in a culinary program and was an excellent cook. (In fact, there is even a scholarship fund for the culinary arts set up in his name.) He was appalled and shocked when I told him, no, I had never had collard greens.

"What?! Never?"

Bounce. Bounce.

"No, never. I don't even know what they are, really."

"I'll bring some in for your sometime. I can't believe this girl has never had collard greens!"

Bounce.

I never did try collard greens. Maalcolm was stabbed in 2007 coming off of a bus after a shift late one night. It was an attempted robbery, one that cost a 17 year old his life.

Today, I remember Maalcolm. I remember his life, his smile, and his charm. I remember the man that he could have been, if he would have been given the chance. I remember the kindness he showed people.

Please, remember Maalcolm with me.

And if you feel inclined to write a Remember Them Wednesday post of your own, comment to me so that I remember your loved ones with you.

One other thing...

UPDATE: I have resolved Question #2. Still looking for answers to the other questions, though! (:

Okay, I'm completely dense. And contrary to the title, I have two questions.

1. Do you see the edit tools on my gadgets to the right? They show up for me even when I log out. If you see them, do you know how to remove them? I assume they came with the layout, but I'm not sure which part of the code to delete.

2. How in the world do you follow people now? Ever since they started the new method of "following", where you log in or put in your name, I've been unable to follow people, even when linking my blog. It says that I am following them, but they don't show up on my Dashboard.

Help!

OK, one more. Can anyone direct me to a good label cloud widget? The ones I have found in Google are downright confusing!

How curious.

I want to start off asking for prayers for Jessica Phillip's friends and family today. Jessica and a friend were in a car accident yesterday, and Jessica died as a result. This is the third friend my 17-year-old sister has lost due to a car accident. Wow. I guess I'm lucky, in a sense, that I haven't lost a close friend as she has. Please pray for her, and everyone else who knew and loved Jessica. This is a hard time for all- life always feels a bit surreal when someone dies so suddenly. I pray for their strength during this time, and I pray especially that they feel God's presence and allow Him to comfort them. Too often I hear from people how they lose a loved one, and along with it, lose God. But to me...

Without God, what is there?

I do not judge those for the way they grieve. I don't blame them for their struggles, with themselves or with the Lord. I simply pray that they find their way back. Please, pray with me.

I was going to go a different direction with this, but you know how it feels when you start typing and the words just come straight out of your fingertips, as if your mind has nothing at all to do with it. I guess I'm just questioning the way I deal with emotions. I was not raised to be extremely emotional, let-it-all-out, nor was I raised to keep them inside. I guess I'm my father's daughter in that I shut down when extreme emotions hit- he does the same. But today, he was reduced to tears (something that is hard for any daughter to see- dad's rarely cry!) And me? Stone. Okay, exaggeration. I feel sad for everyone who is feeling hurt and missing Jessica right now. Maybe I just don't know how to show that. I guess I'm sort of a wall, the go-to for people because I keep my "brave face". But it's not bravery... it almost feels like the opposite. Like I'm too afraid to let people see me upset, crying. Broken.

When Olivia died, I cried. But it took awhile. I remember feeling shock, feeling like I should be crying, that I should be screaming out to God and asking why? Why her? Instead, I shut out the world and took to my bed. Pushed away friends while acting like things were fine.

I wonder if they have emotion-rehab where I can learn not to turn to stone when a situation demands me to feel one way or another. I have no problem getting angry and frustrated and annoyed. I know how to be happy. But grief? Sadness? A whole different ball game, my friends.

And once again, this post has rambled on and probably makes no sense whatsoever. The point is- please, please pray for Jessica. Pray for her family, her friends, classmates, everyone who knew her. Pray especially for the friend who was also in the car and survived. Just, pray.

Benjamin

I thought I would give a big update on Ben. My 18-month-old nephew has grown like a little weed dandelion. Wait, dandelions are weeds, aren't they? Hmm. Well, I think they're pretty.

See? (Not my picture)

Okay, so Benjamin. At 18 months, he's walking and talking like he's been doing it for years. Some of his words are "mama, dad, ball, what, why" and, mostly notably, "hot". Everything is hot. It started with the stove, and moved onto whatever it his little heart desires. And he doesn't say it in a normal pitch- it's always an urgent little whisper. So darn cute.

He's gotten used to his little sister, "Hay-hay", as he calls her. He does get very jealous of her, though. When he comes to our house and everyone is doting over Hailey, he pouts and crosses his little arm, and just looks like the most pitiful thing in the world. Poor thing. But he does love her, which is evident in the kisses he bestows upon her with no encouraging.

He is just a generally sweet child. He has his full-blown temper tantrums moments, but he's mostly just a really cool kid.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, some picture I took last weekend.

With his little friend, Will.

This one below is one of my favorites- it got a little messed up in resizing, though.

I've been here all along!

I'm going to sneak back in here like I haven't been gone for two months... (:

Summer is good. I love the heat, the sunshine, the relief from responsibilities. I love going to King's Island and spending time with my friends and family. June already, wow. This summer is going to fly by.

I am somewhat stressed, what with planning my big Houston move. I'll be leaving at the end of July, and I feel like there's so much to do before then. Buying plane tickets, packing, finding the money to actually make the move, finding a place to live, getting the contract signed, affording things for my classroom... it seems a bit impossible. On top of that, this is a district that hires thousands of employees a year, so it's hard to even get in touch with someone who can answer specific questions for me, such as when my contract will be sent to me. Once the contract is sent, I'll feel a bit of peace about the whole situation. Until then, it doesn't exactly feel real.

In other news, my niece is here and 5 weeks old! Hailey Grace is a wonderful baby, very calm and beautiful. She went to the pediatrician yesterday, and it turns out her muscles didn't develop in her right back/shoulder, and she holds her head to the left as a result. She will have to have physical therapy for it, and if that isn't successful, surgery when she's about a year old. Please pray that the therapy works so that she may avoid surgery! And as a thank you, a picture that I snapped last week.



Okay, that's all for now. Hope everyone is having a great week!

Miracles embodied.

I don't blog nearly as often as I would like to. Life has been going by at the speed of light, it seems, and by the time I think about posting a blog, I'm wiped and ready for bed. I have some extra time right now during my planning period, so I thought I would hop on and let you all know that I'm still alive and reading your updates!

First things first, this little guy.



I think you all know him, and I'm confident that you've been praying for him as hard as I have. Last night, I felt a sense of calmness when I was praying for him. I started to understand the word miracle the way that MckMama was talking about it in this post. Stellan is a miracle. Audrey is a miracle. Olivia is a miracle. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, or in the next hour, or in the next minute, these little lives are miracles in their most basic forms. That I am given the opportunity to know them, through their mother's blogs or through my sister-in-law and brother, that I was somehow chosen to pray for them, that is a miracle. Of course, I pray that Stellan's heart is healed. I pray that God chooses to bring him out of SVT, to cure him, to get him to the point where he can go home again. Lord, please hear us.

Beyond that, there are things both big and small going on in my life at the moment, but I'm running short on time. I will update soon. But for those of you that aren't following me on Twitter, I do want to say that I got the Houston job and that I plan on moving this summer. More details to come.

Stellan needs us!

I'm about to rush out of here to go home for the day, but for those of you who don't already know, Stellan is in the hospital and needs our prayers. Please visit MckMama's website, read what's going on, and then drop to your knees in prayer. Baby Stellan needs us now!

Betchya Didn't Know...

Barking Mad is having a Twilight prize package contest. To enter, all you have to do is make a post telling your blog friends something they don't know about you, link their blog in the post, and then enter your post in Mr. Linky. Simple and fun!

Betchya didn't know that I feel half-naked without earrings.
Betchya didn't know that I might not get the new phone I've been looking forward to because I can't afford it.
Betchya didn't know that I'm addicted to the show Friends and have all but two of the seasons on DVD.

Join in if you feel so inclined!

Not Me! Monday

Join in this carnival of fun by going to MckMama's blog and checking out the rules. You can also find a list of other fellow bloggers who are confessing what they did not do this week.

Yes, I'm posting early this week because I have some time tonight and I don't know that I will have any tomorrow to make a post. How did everyone's week go?

-------

My sister-in-law's welcome party for my niece (did that make sense?) was on Saturday. It was a blast! It was the first time I was home since Christmastime and it was great to see everyone. The weekend was not relaxing and virtually tension-free, which is not half a miracle with a 21, 16, and 13 year old girl under one roof!

I didn't cringe when I saw that a cupcake-cake was chosen and immediately think of Cake Wrecks. It was a fine cake, really, but CW has me conditioned!

I am also not still tickled PINK that they are naming the baby Hailey, a name that I suggested. Given my obsession with love of baby names, I'm weirdly excited about this.

-------

Last Friday, my CT and I took six of our students to a county-wide writing tournament. I was not thrilled and so very proud when five of those students placed in the top ten. And I wasn't jumping with joy when one of those students was awarded first place!!

-------

And, just so we're clear, I would never eat a cupcake, ice cream, chocolate eclair cake, and cherry pie all in the same day, thanks to two family parties in a row. Never!

Insert title here.

So, I'm officially old. I've gone to sleep by 10:30 the past two nights, which were Friday and Saturday, mind you. I used to be such a night owl, so wanting to go to bed so early is unusual for me. This morning, I awoke at 7:30 bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, even though I could have slept until 9:00 if I wanted to. And I did want to, I just wasn't tired anymore. Instead, I got up and worked on lesson plans before getting ready for work and hopping on here. What is wrong with me?!

-----

I made the mistake of telling my sister about Texas, who in turn told my sister-in-law, who texted me like a crazy person telling me I'm not allowed to leave. It's good to feel loved! I told her to just move herself, my brother, Ben, and Hailey down there too. She didn't agree. :P Now that those two blabbermouths wonderful sisters of mine know, it won't be long before I get calls from grandma, Aunt Ronda, my cousins... you get the picture!

-----

February is over in a week. Where does the time go?!

Texas, an update.

Well, I found out last night that the recruiter wants to do a phone interview. You may or may not know how much I hate talking on the phone! Ick. But, I'll do what I need to do. I've never done a phone interview before, and I've only done a handful of interviews in my life, none of those being for a teaching job. Advice would be very appreciated, if you have any!

Backtracking just a bit, but my friend Brittany and I called the recruiter, who happens to be a graduate of my college, and after talking with him a bit, he made the comment, "Looks like I'll be giving two more (my college here) girls letters of intent!" How uplifting!

I also spoke to my friend Summer a couple of days ago. She is currently living in Texas but was planning a move back to her home state of Maryland sometime this year. But she's now staying in Texas, and moving in the same county I would be living in! Is it a sign? Could be.

So, being the impatient girl that I am, I poked around looking for a house to rent in the area. Wow, their prices are very decent. I could be living in a three bedroom house with my friends (and a nice house, at that!) for less than I'm paying now for my one bedroom apartment. Renting a house! When did I turn into such a grown up?

Don't you just love how I jump the gun this way? I haven't even interviewed yet, and just look at me!

Following my head heart?

An opportunity might be headed my way, one that is going to take a lot of deep thought, prayers for guidance, and looking into my heart. My friend Katie was just offered a job at Aldine Independent Schools near Houston, Texas. We have the same major (middle childhood education, science and language arts) and she was offered a middle school science job. They need teachers very, very badly, to the point where she was offered the job before he even looked over her resume. I actually have an interview scheduled with this district at the teacher job fair in April, but Katie says that I should apply now if I'm thinking of working in this district because they are building three new middle schools, and the first people hired will be given first choice of where to work. Now, I live up north, almost as far as you can go before hitting Canada, and know nothing of the district save for what I can find on their website, so I'm not incredibly picky about which school I end up at.

I could be worrying about this for nothing. They might not even offer me a job. And the weird part is, I'm not even that worried just yet. I know I get homesick sometimes, and I know it would be so difficult to be away from my family, but I also know that this could be my chance to see parts of the world that I might never see otherwise. To become part of a brand new culture that I might love. To be brave, take risks, be a good teacher in a district that really needs it, to help kids learn and grow in a place that is desperate for quality teachers. I've said that I will work anywhere and that if I have to leave this state to teach, then that's what I'll do. And I'm even excited about starting a whole new life. But it's a scary, scary thought. So much rests on such a decision! (Keep in mind, I haven't even applied- this is more hypothetical than anything at this point).

The thing is, this is my first year of teaching. It's not going to be perfect no matter where I go. I'm learning. I'll always be learning, and it's going to be hard and challenging and wonderful regardless of where I go, because I love middle school students, I love teaching, and I know this is where I'm supposed to be. This is what I am meant to do. And if I hate Texas, it's just one year. I feel like I could seriously regret not going if I let fear and the feeling of obligation to stand in my way. Maybe this is something I'm meant to do for myself, even if it's just to say I had the guts to take this chance.

I might be posting about this a lot in the next couple of weeks. Katie told me that the interviewer she was with will conduct phone interviews and even come back up here to interview because they prefer our school for hiring, and because they are looking for good, quality teachers no matter what it takes. A district that is so bent on finding the best teachers they can find is so appealing. I feel like it could be a really good environment to teach.

And one of the best parts is that I wouldn't be alone. Katie will be there, and my best friend Brittany is considering Aldine as well. It would be wonderful to be able to take a piece of home with me like that.

I am putting my application in tomorrow. I mean, what's the harm in applying, regardless of what I decide? Maybe this is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. And maybe not. I know that He will guide me.

Thank you for listening to my thoughts. So much is going through my head about this. You'll probably hear from me again sooner rather than later.

Not Me! Monday

Head on over to MckMama's blog to join in this carnival of fun!

This week flew by! I feel like I have very little time to blog right now, what with teaching and job hunting and trying to keep up with life.

At any rate, what did I not do this week?

I did not get someone to take my shift for today because I've been looking forward to a day off for weeks now. I did not almost cry when I saw I was scheduled. And I am not very thankful that someone was nice enough to take my shift!

I did not take a 3-hour nap TWICE last week, on two different days, and then sleep completely through the night. This does not convince me that I've been sleep deprived!

I am not still counting down the days until I get my new phone. I am definitely over that by now!

Well, my life was so monotonous last week that that's all I can come up with right now. Hopefully I'll think of more and be able to add. I'm sure there was more that I did not do!

The old man is snoring.

I bet, if you took a look at these pictures, you would think I went to visit a nice marsh.



Or perhaps a backyard pond.



But if you were to guess that, you'd be wrong. These are the fields I drive by on the way to school every morning, and they were almost all this flooded. With the snow melting from warm weather (in the 60s on Tuesday, it was glorious!) and about 2 inches of rain last night, the poor fields just couldn't take it. It's just crazy.

Not Me! Monday

Want to join in MckMama's carnival of admitting what we didn't do this week? Head on over to her blog and find out how!

It's been a few weeks since I've joined in the fun. So, what did I not do this week?

I did not become addicted to using Twitter from my phone. And speaking of my phone, I have not become obsessed once again about getting a new one, and I am not counting down the days until March 31!

I did not get mad at the Grammys because people always win for songs I've never heard of. That would be completely unreasonable! They shouldn't earn awards based on whether or not I've ever heard their songs!

I was not bored and disappointed by The Dark Knight.

I did not dream about the octuplets born in California. That would be weird!

Have a great week, everyone!

Forgot to add...

Do you Twitter? Would you like to follow me on Twitter? And would you like me to follow you? I would love to add you all to Twitter if you're a member. Just shoot a comment my way and I'll add you.

(:

Lacking sleep

I have not slept through the night in a week. I wake up at about 3 AM, shivering and ridden with the chills, unable to fall back into my slumber. This fever of mine is terrible! I finally picked up some Tylenol PM, and I hope that it can get me a good night's rest. I'm afraid I'm close to crashing, and probably will if I don't sleep well tonight. This weekend is already going to be a bit rough, what with working and lesson planning and applying for jobs, and doing so on less than 4 hours of sleep will not be a good combination.

In other news, my students dissected squid today. It was a blast! Didn't stink nearly as badly as you might think. They really loved it- it's so awesome to see them engaged that way. I took lots of pictures. I'm going to miss those kids horribly when the school year is over and I have to move away. ):

I have also been considering a tattoo. I've always known that I wanted one, and I'm pretty positive that I want it on the top of my foot. I've just never been able to find something I really love. I decided recently that I want something to do with "grace"- the middle name of my nieces and a virtue very important to me. I know I don't want the word "grace", and a Google search turns up nothing. Any suggestions?

Happy Wednesday, all. The week's half over! (:

Wordless Wednesday.

No creativity here.

Blah. I'm sick. It's not normal-sick, either (is there such a thing as normal sick?). My only symptoms are a bad, bad headache and a fever that has me in chills unless I'm medicated with ibuprofen. And have I mentioned that I'm always cold as it is? This fever business is not helping!

In other news, I'm already stressed about finding a teaching job. And interviewing. I hate interviewing- I get so nervous! And how in the world am I supposed to narrow down the entire USA to school districts that I would be willing to teach in? It's so very daunting.

Baby Kylie is home and doing well. Again, I am so grateful for all your prayers. I was sent a few new pictures of her on my cell phone- I'll have to remember to upload them here soon.

And lastly, SNOW! It's back and it's here to stay for awhile. I'm ready to move to the tropics!

Edit: I just realized this is my 100th post! Yay!

God is Great!

Thank you all for your prayers! Baby Kylie is breathing on her own and should be released tonight or tomorrow. I pray that she will be able to stay out of the hospital this time around. She is still pretty sick but almost well enough to go home with her family.

I love you all, thank you again.

Almost Wordless Wednesday.

I just wanted to say... have I mentioned how much I love Malia and Sasha Obama? They are just the most poised and beautiful girls. I adore them.

God Bless the Obamas.

May God bless the 44th President of the United States of America, his family, and his administration.










And God Bless America.

Prayers for Baby Kylie.

I come to you, friends, with a request for prayers. My friend's niece, Kylie, was admitted into the ICU today for what they think is RSV. I didn't get a lot of details, but she was running a high fever and was having trouble breathing when they took her in. She was in the hospital last week and they released her, only to have to readmit her this afternoon.

I don't have any specific verses prepared, but I ask you to please pray that God works his hands in her little body and heals her. I ask you to also pray for peace for her family during this time, and that they may remember Him and have faith in Him during this difficult time.

I will keep you updated as I hear more about her progress.

I don't have any very recent pictures of Kylie saved on my phone, but here one from a few months back:



Please spread the word if you feel so inclined. We all know how much power prayer holds! Thank you all.

Not Me! Monday

It's Monday again, can you believe it? I know I can't!

This week...

I did not have three snow days and only have to go to school once! That would be crazy!

I, of course, would tell you if I spent $30 to pre-order the special edition Twilight movie with 2-day shipping. But I would never spend money on a movie that isn't even out yet! And I would never spend $30 on just one movie! I have more sense than that.

Never would I let my sink get full of dirty pans. I am a clean freak and that would drive me insane, so you know I would not do such a thing.

I didn't find out that my niece is due to arrive by c-section on April 17! I am not excited to go shopping for gifts for her, and do not plan on buying pretty girly things that she doesn't even need.

I did not stay up late reading every night. I wouldn't do this because I know I have to get back on a schedule of getting up at 6 AM!

Are you ready to let the world know what you haven't done this week? Go to MckMama's blog and join in!

Just plain Simple.

Looking for some warm boots to wear this winter season? Jaime over at Simple is having a contest and giving away a pair of Keen boots. Pretty cool, huh? Head on over there and enter!

Twitter... help?

I know I haven't posted in a couple of days and I'll get to updating later today or tomorrow, I promise! I also have something kind of cool (to me, anyway :)) planned that I want to start soon, so I might start that the next time I update, as well.

However, I'm coming to you now for help about Twitter. I finally got it to link to my phone, which I was having trouble with because it kept registering my number as international and would not verify. I got that sorted out, but now I'm wondering- how do I put it on the sidebar of my blog? I'm sure the FAQs on Twitter.com would answer this, but the page won't load for me. So, wise bloggy friends, can you instruct me on how to do this? I would be forever grateful!

Not Me! Monday

It's true, folks. Not Me! Monday is back again, and this time it brought pie.

And speaking of pie, I did not, in fact, devour 3/4 of a delicious cherry pie throughout the course of this week. I would never bake a cherry pie when I know that I am the only one who will eat it. I did not set myself for this!

I have not read three+ books this week with none of them being Breaking Dawn. I am not unrealistically afraid of it ending! I did not mention this last week, as well.

I am not typing this early (on Sunday!) because tomorrow morning I have a seminar to attend, and I want to be able to post this asap! :P

I did not call off work yesterday because my car was buried in snow. I take my (part-time) job much more seriously than that, and spent hours digging my car out of the snow and risked my life and my car for barely-above-minimum-wage money!

I was not tickled pink when I selected my first contest winner yesterday! Congratulations, Courtney!

I did not break down into shaky sobs upon watching the video Angie posted at Bring The Rain of her beautiful daughter Audrey. It did not break my heart to see her and her family's pain in losing their little girl. I do not pray for them often, and think of them everyday. I am not so very thankful that she has allowed us to be a part of her and her family's lives. I am not humbled by the the faith, grace and will that she shows us each and everyday.



Want to make your confessions? What did you not do this week? Head over to MckMama's blog, read the rules, and join in!

Favorite Post Secret.

Isn't it true how, so often in life, love comes and fades away? The old saying is true- you don't know what you have until it's gone. Life gets in the way of love. People change. And sometimes, you miss out on love by this much.

Tick, tock.

Where did the time go? Just yesterday I felt like I was saying to myself, "Ah, two weeks until I go back to teaching. Two more weeks of little to no responsibility, of lounging around reading and watching DVDs from the library, of relaxing with my friends". But, clearly, that was not yesterday, because I no longer have two weeks until I go back. I have two days. That's it! Two days, and I'm back to reality. Don't get me wrong. I love and miss my students so much. And this is my last semester at college. (Enter shocked face here)

Soon, it's off the the real world for, well, real.

In other news, I have selected a winner for my 1000 post contest. I put numbers into a random number generator, and the winner is Courtney Kay! You can e-mail me at kaynic1987@yahoo.com and let me know what magazine you would like, as well as your address.

Beep, beep!

Please excuse this interruption.

This is just a reminder to enter my 1000 view contest if you have not done so already. I will be ending the contest soon, and only a handful of people have entered. This means your chances of winning are pretty good! So, head on over and enter, if you feel so inclined.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

(:

Fifty nine years ago, this wonderful lady was born.



And thirty eight years later, I had the privilege of becoming her first grandchild.

My mamaw is one of the most important people in my life. She taught me how to be the person I am today. I lived with her throughout the beginning of my life, and spent countless weekends and overnights with her after I had moved out. I am sad to say that we don't see each other nearly enough now that I am living 175 miles away, but it's like no time has passed at all when we are able to spend time together. I am so grateful for all that she has taught me, and I am truly blessed in being her granddaughter.

Happy Birthday, Mamaw! Here's to another happy and healthy 59 years! (:

1000 views... a contest! UPDATED.

I am almost to 1000 views, and when I reach 1000 views, I have a small contest that I want to start. Details to come when I reach 1000. (:

**UPDATED**

First, thanks Jill for taking a picture of my 1000 views. I shot an e-mail your way. You are awesome!

And now, for the contest.

I tried to think of a fun prize that had to do with 1000, but couldn't really come up with anything. Instead, I came up with another fun prize to the winner.

First, how do you win? It's simple. Just comment on this post! You can also get others to comment on the post. You'll get one entry for your comment, and an entry for anyone who says that you referred them to the contest.

To make the comments a little more enjoyable for everyone, you can answer this question: What is your goal for 2009? You can take this question any direction that you wish.

And my humble prize? A year (in most cases) subscription to that magazine of your choice from the list I will post below. I have quite a few Coke Rewards points saved up and decided to spare 150 or so to give the winner a subscription. You will have to provide me with your address upon winning, of course!

So as you can see, it's nothing big. Just something fun to celebrate my awesome readers, who have gotten me to 1000 views in a few short months. You are all so great!

Here is the list:

Redbook
Good Housekeeping
Better Homes and Gardens
Ladies' Home Journal
Parents
Traditional Home
Fitness (11 issue subscription)
Marie Claire
Esquire
Country Living
Popular Mechanics

Not Me! Monday

Here we go, another list of things I certainly did not do this week! Head over to My Charming Kids to see MckMama's list and the lists of many fine people who play along.

Things that I, in no way, did this week...

I did not start reading Breaking Dawn and then stop 11 pages in because I'm just not ready to know how it all ends!

I did not tell everyone I know "Happy New Year" through a mass text message. That is so impersonal and I would never do such a thing!

I did not wake up at 10:30 this morning and get straight on my computer. I have important things, such as cleaning my apartment and mailing my Amazon orders, that could and should be done instead!

I was not in the dark about baby Stellan being in the hospital until he was already stabilized and on his way home. I would never abandon my blog and my bloggy friends for such a long period of time like that! I am always in the know!

I did not buy a twelve pack of juice boxes at the grocery last night. Why yes, I am four years old, thank you very much!

I did not make a double post of Not Me! Monday, including a blank one, in my haste to post.

I did not start a contest soon after writing this, and do not think you should go and enter!

Have a great week, my friends!

It's a brand new year.

How was everyone's New Years Day? I hope and pray that 2009 brings everyone good things and good times.

This year, I am really hoping to expand myself. I want to take some risks. I want to step outside of my comfort zones and try new things. I want to become a more well-rounded individual. I just want to improve upon myself and really figure out who I am.

My first specific goal is to read 50 new books that I have never read before in 2009. Hopefully I will end up reading more, but 50 is the goal right now. I am starting with Breaking Dawn. After that, I have requested several books from the library, so hopefully one of those will be ready for me in the next couple of days.

Other than that, life has been quiet for me. I don't go back to school until January 12, so I have another week before it's back to reality. Christmas was wonderful- I really enjoyed the time with my family.

I'll be updating more regularly now that the holidays are over. I see that I lost one follower ): but that's okay! I'm off now to check up on all of you and see how your holidays went!