Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Time...do you have enough to consider my thoughts?

Well, Christmas has passed, and a new year is upon us. I didn't post any pictures of Christmas, and I don't think I will because I have so many pictures, and they don't really mean anything to you guys. However, we had a great Christmas with our family and friends - the only thing that would of made it better would have been my family from Colorado being here too (or us being there). I am just glad that we were able to be with them for Thanksgiving this year. My family, like many of yours I'm sure, draw names for Christmas gifts. My little sister Rebecca had me this year. She's not actually "little" anymore; she will turn 27 on January 1st, but I still think of her as little. The box that came from her was little, so I knew it was jewelry. I'm not really a jewelry person, but I was willing to give it a chance! When I opened it on Christmas Day, this is what I saw...





It is not a watch...it's a bracelet with several different watches on it. At first I was a little baffled. Why would she get me this? She told me she was getting me something that she saw a while back and thought it would be a good gift for me. Huh? As soon as I opened it I said "It's what I never have enough of". Well, the funny thing is, as soon as I saw it, I knew it was THE perfect gift for me. The reason this gift is perfect for me is because I speed through my life without slowing down. In a weird way, this bracelet is a reminder to me to slow down. Remember my near death experience I wrote about? Well, I have only shared with a few people that I really carry a lot of the responsibility in that situation for it being a near death experience for me. I was rushing to get to the post office because I needed to pick up a package. The post office closes at 4:30, and I have to work until 4:00 with a 20 minute drive to the post office. Do the math - I had 10 minutes to spare, but I was still following the van in front of me way to close. If I was following the "2 or 3 second rule" it would not have been so stinkin scary for me (or as near death). I cried for a long time after that near accident, especially when I was with Mark at home. I realized that my rushing could have cost my husband a wife or my children a mom. Am I willing to give that up just so that the kids could have had their Crocs that particular day? Would my kids care more about getting their Crocs that day (even though it would've been the 3rd day in a row I didn't make it to the post office), or would they rather have their mom? The answer was easy - they wanted their mom. Funny thing, when I made it home, they only asked about me. Was I okay? They didn't even mention their package? I never did make it to the post office that day, and they were okay with that.

Why am I in such a rush?

What is so important that it can't wait a few minutes or even a few days?

Why do I feel the need to rush, rush, rush?

Why can't I sit still?

Why do I always have to be doing something?

What am I afraid of? Running out of time?

My resolution for this new year is this --- slow down and enjoy my time. Enjoy the time I have with my family, enjoy the time I have with my friends, enjoy my time alone with God (be still and know), enjoy sitting and reading a book without feeling like something else needs to be done, etc.

I have worked on that a little this break. The first few days at home without school was hard for me. I was thinking that there is no way that I can be home for 2 weeks without something major to do. What were we going to do if we weren't planning lessons, packing lunches, catching the bus, etc. Well...I was determined to do something I wanted to do. I have read four books, and not really cared about what I am going to teach when I get back to school. I have spent time at the movies with my family and not cared about cleaning the house. I have slept in with my kids in my bed...that is a true gift. Baby steps that will hopefully lead to more that I can give.

I am thankful that God works in mysterious ways - I think He somehow led my sister to get me that bracelet as a reminder. I will wear it often to remind me of my time - it is important to those in my life (my husband, my kids, God, my church family, my friends, my family, my students). I will spend my time more wisely, and I will not rush through my life.

Happy New Year.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Near Death Experience

Have you ever had a near death experience? I can now say that I have, and let me just say, it was the most frightening experience of my life. I don't want to have another one of those experiences, ever. I was coming home from work on Monday on 730 (between Boyd and Decatur) when I witnessed a head on collision. I was directly behind one of the cars involved, and I nearly missed being in the accident myself. I tried to avoid contact, so I swerved off to the right side of the road. I was going too fast to do something like this, but I thought that it would be a better idea than ramming the guy in front of me in his rear with my car. In doing this, my car swerved, spun, and finally came to a stop in the opposite lane, facing the opposite direction. So, even though I was going north on 730, when it was all said and done, I was facing south on 730. I don't know how it all happened, but I know that there was an angel controlling my car and keeping me safe (I know it wasn't my ability to do so). I firmly do believe that something else was with me at that moment. My car was not involved in the accident, thankfully, but I will never forget that day. I am thankful to God that I am here today because my thoughts during that moment were that my big ol' SUV was going to flip and that I was going to die. I am thankful that the two men involved were not too seriously injured, and I rejoice in the fact that I was not. Praise God, and thank God for his angels - you never know when and where they are going to be.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Colorado Trip

We went to Colorado for a week for Thanksgiving, and here are a few pictures from our trip. This was taken right before we left to come home on Saturday morning. It snowed a little bit Friday night.

Here is a picture on the way to Denver - as you can see, they got a little bit more snow than Ft. Collins did. It was beautiful.
Here are some pictures from our trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. My little sister is the grown up in the picture, and the other kids are my niece and nephew.
























As you can see, we had an incredible trip and a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope all of you had a great one too!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Rocky Mountain high...

What is a Rocky Mountain high? Look and see...


We are going to the promise land for Thanksgiving (Colorado). I can't wait to see the mountains. People ask me all the time how I could live in Texas if I am from Colorado. Well, you will do crazy things for love I guess. Home is were my husband is! Morgan has a volleyball tournament on Saturday, but I think they will be out in the first round, so I guess we'll head out some time Saturday or Sunday morning. I can't wait to see my family - it has been since last September that I saw my little sister in Seattle. It's been almost a year since we have seen my brother or my other sister and her family. My parents were here for Haleigh's ballet recital, but it has still been a while since I have seen them. I haven't seen my "extended family" since...well, I honestly can't remember the last time I saw any of them. So, it will be nice to go home for a week. I can't wait to be able to watch the Broncos play on TV. The stations in Colorado actually play the Bronco games :) Here is a picture of Ft. Collins.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Just Catching Up

I haven't posted for a while, so I guess I should say something. However, I have no new pictures to post, but I thought I would post a cute joke (above). We have been very busy. We have been busy with volleyball, and now Morgan has also started basketball practice. Haleigh and Jacob are about to start b-ball too, so we will be really busy every weekend! We have two more weeks of volleyball, and I am eager for that to end because basketball is a little more exciting to me! This will be Jacob's first time to play something, so we are excited for that. It will be fun to watch him play! Haleigh is thrilled because she is now at an age where she will be able to steal the ball (legally). Last year she did it a couple of times but was called for it. She is ready for the big game - the 3rd and 4th grade league is so much better because they get to play full court and, of course, they get to steal. The kids are all doing very well in school. The girls have great grades, and Jacob is still practicing his reading. He loves it. He will be so ready for kindergarten. He asked me last night when he will be able to go to kinder. since he turned five. Sorry...September birthdays are killer! It will happen too soon for me. I think I am ready for my kids to stop growing.

All is well with me and Mark. I had my first evaluation last Monday and got my results this week. I was happy with how it went, and I was even happier with the comments my prinicpal gave me. I'll tell you what - it is really hard having a full time job. I think I have been doing okay, but it sure is a change for me and my family. I am thankful that I have such a good and supportive family! Mark is still really enjoying his new job at TARGA. It is a great company to work for, and we are so thankful that the opportunity was there for him.

The puppies are growing -- they are so big. They finally opened their eyes, and they are walking. They are so cute to watch. They slip when they walk - too cute. If you are interested in a VERY CUTE puppy please let me know. They will be ready to go to a loving home in about 2 weeks. I KNOW YOU WANT ONE!!!!!

Well, we have a new president. Interesting, huh? It didn't quite go the way I wanted, but I am optimistic about the fact that our country made history. We'll have to see how it all turns out...only time will tell.

Talk again soon!

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Halloween Fun

We had a fun Halloween. We always go over to our good friends, the Vincents, for some Halloween goulash. We ran into Jacob and Heather as they were on their way out. Mia was a very cute little horse, so we had to get a picture with her.


You may recognize Haleigh's costume - it was her bunny costume from her ballet recital. We looked for a costume that she liked, but we never found anything. Her bunny costume was a good solution, and it was already paid for!!!

Craig liked her costume so much that he thought he would try it - only the ears fit him!


Here is our little Iron Man. His costume has a cute mask that goes with it, but he accidentally left it at school. So...you get to see the real identity of Iron Man!


Morgan, Haleigh, and Jacob. As you can see, Morgan didn't dress up. We couldn't find a costume that she liked either.

This, however, is a good look for her!

Morgan went to a party/hay ride with some friends from school while we went out trick-or-treating. We ran into a couple of friends while we were out. Here is Jacob with his future wife, Jentry.


We also saw some of Haleigh's posse. Here are Hannah and Sara.

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween. Enjoy your extra hour of sleep tonight (my favorite day of the entire year)!


Jacob had so much fun and excitement from Halloween that he can't make it through today without a nap. This is how I found him just a little while ago. This is his favorite place in the whole world (mom and dad's bed) on his favorite day of the week (Saturday). You don't have to tell me, I know he is really cute!


I was just loading Mark's fishing pictures on the computer, and I found this picture of him...he is clipping his nose with a chip clip. How funny.


Mark went to Louisiana a few weeks ago with a bunch of guys from church to fish for red fish. Here are a few pictures (because that is all he took) from their trip.



Here is Scott, Mark's brother, with a flounder - not quite a red fish, but a fish!



Here is a red fish!