Spring has Sprung...

Well, I didn't get a chance to post my pictures from Lads To Leaders because I've been in Oneonta since Sunday night trying to help reduce our expenses. I spend about 400 dollars a month on gas just to get back and forth to work! My parents live 20 mins from my school and it's ridiculous not to take advantage of that opportunity from time to time! So.. here are some pictures I took of the kiddos and scenary at Opryland. The picture of the waterfall is so peaceful looking! I sat and listened to the water for a little bit, and it was so relaxing. I should do that more often. Also, this picture of Levi was absolutely too precious not to share! He was playing pee-a-boo with Hannah!!

Pi Day!

Yesterday was Pi Day at Locust Fork High. Being the good sport that I am, I volunteered to participate in 2 events: Oatmeal Creme Pie Eating Contest and Pie A Teacher. I ate 4 Creme Pies and was pied by 6 students! It really wasn't that bad. I had a shower cap on to keep the whip creme out of my hair and a towel to keep it off of my clothes!

Before:

After:

Blogger Strike?

Okay, I try to post everyday, and I know people visit my site because of the live traffic feeder. However, I am not as sure what you think about my blog, what you like best, and what you dislike. So, I'm am going on strike until I get five comments on this post. Only kidding. However, I do love to hear from you!

In Loving Memory

My heart is oh so heavy as I type this post. Today has been a solemn day for me as I remember the life and devotion of Judy Smith.

When we first came to Glencoe almost 2 years ago, I was instantly drawn to a soft spoken, generous lady. She became my adopted grandmother very fast. She spoke nothing but kind, pure thoughts. She has always been weak and easily tired due to a heart condition; however, she was always at services. Judy Smith passed away and her life was honored today in Jasper, AL at her funeral. Her life will be remembered as a positive experience for everyone she came into contact with. She had a "tea party" at her house annually to celebrate the Holiday Season even when she probably didn't feel like having company. She worked on this special occassion year round. The second picture above was taken at Christmas 2006. I was blessed enough to participate in this lovely occassion for two years. No one went home without beautiful handmade treats and a nice Christmas gift. At the party this past year, she had a beautiful, child's farm (full/queen size) themed quilt on one of her beds upstairs. I asked her where she had gotten it hoping to get one for my nursery for my children someday. She said she'd bring it to me on Sunday. I didn't think much else of it. Sunday at services she brought me the blanket! Turns out it was a gift from her daughter, and she wanted my children to use it someday. I was speechless. I couldn't help but feel guilty; I just wanted to know where she had gotten it. I honestly figured she had it specially made. That blanket is one of my most prized material possesions today because of the lesson I learned from her sharing her quilt with me. It is truly a "quilt of love." I will share the blanket AND story of Judy Smith's life and example with my children in the future. I hope I can be as generous, kind, pure, and selfless as she was.

Thank you Judy for everything you taught me. I love you and miss you dearly already. I've thought of you everyday since I last saw you in mid-December, but I know I will see you again someday.

Judy is the first person to pass away since we began worshipping at Glencoe that "hit close ot home". Please, please, please keep her husband, Jim, in your prayers in the upcoming months and years. He also means as much to me and Glencoe as Judy did.

All about this, that and everything in between...

This post is dedicated to just telling you about what's going on in our lives these last few weeks. I don't have cute kids or funny stories to tell, so most of my blogs are about a topic I've been pondering on for some period of time. However, it's been awhile since I talked about us. So, here goes...

Daniel started working at DHR last Monday. So far, he absolutely loves it. He's had a couple of long 12 hour days, but he gets 1 1/2 comp time for it (time and a half). He's trying to build up enough comp time to go on vacation later this year! These pictures are from Daniel's first day! The tongue sticking out was because I got to sleep in due to SPRING BREAK!!

Speaking of vacation, I was on Spring Break last week. It was absolutely delightful as I mentioned in my last post. I spent Monday enjoying time off and being a good "house wife". I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned and then we ate supper at Fuji Express (a cheaper version of a Japanese Steakhouse). Oh so good! Tuesday was purely devoted to spending time with a good friend. Jennifer and I shared a classroom last year. About halfway through the year, we realized we had much in common. Since Christmas of last year, we try to do dinner or a girls night once every couple of months. This time we went to Sips 'n Strokes to paint; we also shopped, and ate supper at The Loop (my personal favorite)! The rest of the week was getting ready for Lads and actually getting there with everything we needed!! Lads was a blast this year, but I didn't get to see anyone hardly because I was studying my speech most of the time. We did get to eat supper with Philip and Sarah though!!

What does Spring mean to you?

I am back at work after a wonderful week of relaxing. I definitely was not ready to come back; it was a wonderful taste of the carefree summer months to come. This morning, I was in desperate need of a spirit boost; so, what better motivation than quotes about the beautiful Spring flowers to come! March 20 was the first day of Spring, and it's already freezing cold outside again! So, perhaps the quotes below will bring a "warm" smile to your face. Oh, and how true the statements are:

• If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. ~Anne Bradstreet

• April hath put a spirit of youth in everything. ~William Shakespeare

• The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month. ~Henry Van Dyke

• The sun was warm but the wind was chill.You know how it is with an April day.~Robert Frost

I love watching the seasons change. I feel as if I am special enough to witness God's handywork first hand so to say. However, Fall and Spring are my favorite time changes because He is most evident during those seasons. I love watching the leaves change colors in Fall, but Spring makes Autumn possible. Without Spring, there would be no leaves to change colors in October. So, in the Spring I love watching the unexpected dandylion's pop up wherever possible, and the intentional flower beds grow each into mature flowers. I love to watch to world around me almost come to life! The blue sky has a distinct color blue that is only visible during the Spring months. It seems a deeper blue if you mind me. I guess I love everything about this world no matter what season. I love my family and friends. So, I can hardly imagine how it can get much better than my life now. However, I rely on my faith to ensure that it can and will! Heaven will be oh so sweet I know. I truly can't wait to get there, but in the meantime, I'll enjoy this life and all it has to offer season in and season out!!

Your Opinion Counts!

Unlike the residents of Florida, your opinion will count!! Which of these do you like the best? This is my picture for L2L Black and White photography. Enjoy!

Who's the abnormal one?

I have thought my entire life, that sun light can make any one sneeze. I just thought it was normal. When I walk out of a dark or dim room and into the sunlight, I sneeze. FYI: Usually I sneeze three big, dry sneezes. My Mom also experiences sneezing in the sunlight. If I cannot sneeze and glance at a bright light, it makes me sneeze. However, Daniel, for his entire life, never realized that the sun can cause sneezing. He thinks I'm absolutely bonkers. We need your opinions; so, be sure to leave a comment!

If you Google "sun makes sneeze" and read some of the articles, you'll find about 1/4 or 25% of the population experiences this genetic quirk. It's called Reflexive Sneezing, Photic Sneeze Syndrome, or ACHOO Syndrome. It could be caused by close association between the eye’s optic nerve and nerves causing the sneeze reflex.

Do some research and make your own conclusion as to why! Be sure to let me know what you think!!!

Daniel...

GOT A JOB... with the Alabama Department of Human Resources as a Social Worker. I'm so proud of him! I don't want to ruin the good news, but I did want to share it with everyone!! I know he's probably ready for some work besides housework!! He starts next week but will still be able to go to Lads.

Good, Bad and Ugly

Good: This weekend was very relaxing. Between Friday night at 5 PM and Saturday night at 5 PM, I slept 17 hours. Apparently, I was behind on sleep.

Sunday was enjoyable; I spent some time with my mom. We also took a few kids from church to Jacksonville's Youth Devo last night. (We only had 3 go with us. We basically begged parents to bring their kids; we even agreed to take them home afterwards. Please pray for our parents and youth to become more zealous for the Word of God and His good works.)

Today has been alright. I'm back in my classroom; however, it's only temporary. But it's better than the hallway or computer lab at this point.

I got some adorable shoes yesterday.

Bad: However, the adorable shoes were the culpret of me flying (aka falling) down the front stairs this morning; the stairs are made of brick, ouch!

Ugly: I have a huge scrap all the way down my arm, and it now hurts to write, type, wear a jacket, drive, or basically use my right arm.

P.S. Addi, I hope you get to feeling better. I love ya!

Flying Rabbits?

With Easter right around the corner, I thought this story was quite fitting for the time of year. It actually happened; I promise.

As we were driving home from Birmingham late Tuesday night, I was groggily sitting in the passenger seat. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something moving across the road in front of us; I shrilled, "DON'T HIT IT!" As Daniel slammed on the breaks and came to a complete stop in the road, so did the creature who was once running across the road. It was a little rabbit. At this point, everyone was at a complete stand still in the road looking at each other (us and the bunny). Daniel and I were sitting in complete silence to see what happened next. Nothing happened for a couple of seconds; so, Daniel honked the horn. That rabbit jumped 4 or 5 feet straight up in the air with his back legs behind him. We both laughed so hard we cried. We must have scared that poor rabbit beyond words. I cannot do the situation justice without you being there; however, it's worth sharing! In the end the rabbit made it safely back into his woodland, and we made it safely home after a wonderful evening with family.