First Week of School...

My first week of school has been wonderful yet exhausting!!! My feet are killing me and I am definitely not getting enough rest. However, my students are wonderful and I already love them so much! I told Keith that when I get my first paycheck, I'm gonna do two things...1. stock up on tons of groceries and not worry about how much I spend 2. buy a nice pair of shoes for work that don't kill my feet!!!

I started Weight Watchers again yesterday. I've had two days of point counting and it's going well. I feel comitted and excited about the future. I even passed a temptation test today...our hospitality committee bought a huge and yummy looking cake to celebrate all summer birthdays. I literally got a lick of icing on my finger and that was it! For those of you who know me, you know how hard that was!

Grace and I went on a walk tonight (we walked about a mile). I was so proud of her. We even jogged some too! She is in the bath now and just said "mommy...you know what hurts on me right now??? My feet!"

I guess I'll head to the bath now and soak my feet in a much needed bath of hot water! Adios :)

First day of school!

Grace entered 2nd grade today. Her teacher is Mrs. Lee. I haven't met her yet but Keith and Grace just love her and speak her praises. Grace came home very excited and was sure to give me "my homework." For those of you who don't have school aged children yet, just wait...you will LOVE the mound of paperwork that comes home to you on the very first day of school. It's unbelievable!

My first day went GREAT too! I have a classroom of 21 students (Keith was impressed that I could actually say all of their names by memory tonight). They are very smart and fun and social. We might have to work on the social part (that is if I plan on getting any teaching done:)

It's going to be a great year; glad it's gotten started.

Fun Times!

So, I started back to work today. In honor of that, we did our family fun night last night. Keith led the girls in a wonderful study about the snares (traps) of satan. He used a mouse trap for a visual representation. The girls LOVED it! We LOVED seeing and hearing their responses and insight into God's word. Afterwards, we let them have some play time with daddy's shaving cream (see the pic...it was everywhere).

When I got home from work today (5:45 pm) I had beautiful flowers and a note waiting for me from Grace (see the picture). She actually went outside and gathered flowers from our garden and used some rock from an old fish tank to make me this beautiful arrangement....then wrote a sweet note as well. It is at those times that I sigh a deep breath and know God is working within her. Despite the trials we face of her pulling away, her heart is gold.

The girls have learned to play checkers. We all take turns playing each other and seeing who the champ is (much to Keith's dismay, I am the checkers champ and cream them all). Even Maddie gets in on the action; for a 4 year old, she's really good :))

Worship

You know that feeling that you really need to do something or go somewhere but just don't want to? Well, oddly, that's how I felt tonight about going to church. My heart knew I needed to be there, but my emotions were so raw that I really didn't want to go. I literally got in the car and just starting driving...debating all the way. I turned in, perhaps by habit, and parked. I took a very deep breath and walked into those big doors. As I entered the sanctuary and sat down I was so overcome with emotion that I sat there and wept.

Sometimes the right things in life aren't the easy things. (whew...you'd think I would've learned that with all I've been through the past 2 years). This is a clear example of why I'm so thankful for my relationship with Jesus. It's not some religious experience or church membership that dictates who I am...it's the Holy Spirit that lives within me. The Holy Spririt drove me right into that church parking lot tonight and I'm so glad I listened and let "Jesus take the wheel."

I don't know if it's because I'm tired physically from all the training and preparation of school starting, or perhaps it's that I'm dealing with changes in Grace's attitude and behavior, or maybe it's just life. Whatever though, worship tonight recharged my batteries and caused me to reflect on what's important in life. I lost my "balance" today and let my efficiency overtake my effectiveness. I let my worry overtake my emotions.

I love my church and am so thankful for godly leadership. It's so refreshing to walk into my church home each week and feel the spirit of God. "There's a sweet, sweet, spirit in this place...and I know that it's the spirit of the Lord."

Friends, Friends, and More Friends!!!

Keith and I have hosted many friends for dinner over the past three days. We began with chicken n dumplins on Saturday with the Giles family. Grace, Mikah, Jett, Madeline, and Presley played forever and had such a brilliant time! Keith, Mike, Kele, and I had great adult conversation and as always it was nice to be together. It was especially fun for Keith and I to watch Presley scoot around the living room rug, flirt with Keith, and hide her face due to being shy with him.....precious!

On Sunday, we hosted the Byrnes family (Jon, Julie, Jake, and Carson). We feasted on beef and cheese enchiladas and all the fixins! Carson and Grace entertained us with Taylor Swift. Madeline and Jake were just entertaining. Julie and Jon are so easy going and Keith and I find ourselves enjoying their company more and more each time we're together!

On Monday, we hosted the Kelly family (Craig, Kristin, William, and baby Creighton...hope I spelled that right...he will join us very soon). We enjoyed showering their family with baby gifts and spaghetti. Kristin brought fresh bread from Central Market and some garlic/herb butter that was to die for. It's been a long time since we had dinner with the Kelly family (guess since we had waffle night at their house a year ago). It was nice to share old memories, laugh at our children's humor, and make new memories.

Keith and I are really making an effort to invest our life in the important things in life...relationships. #1 our relationship with our Lord Jesus #2 our relationship with each other #3 our relationship to our children #4 our relationship with good friends. My cup truly runneth over! Steve Stroop's message on Sunday really hit home for us and confirmed our belief that this balance we are trying to achieve is God's will for us. I am learning to let go of the things that once had such an obsessive compulsive hold on me and enjoy the relationships in my life. I'm learning it's okay to leave the dishes, or not finish that load of laundry, or wait until another day to vacuum the floor before bed. I am reminded of the verse that reads something like..."these things will surely pass away..." What's important is not so much how efficient I am but how effective I am!

Happy 38th~~

Happy Birthday To You, Happy Birthday To You, Happy Birthday Dear Jennifer, Happy Birthday To You!

We celebrated Jenn's 38th b-day together at mom and dad's. We had fried chicken, mashed potatoes (peeled, cut, and boiled by dad), green beans, cake and ice cream!

I love you Jenny....I'm so lucky to have you in my life :)

Rainy Day Blues...

It's rained a lot here lately...I'm not complaining because we so badly need it, and it somewhat "cools" things off a little. However, the kids and dogs have been so bored being cooped up inside all day. The above pictures show how I found my children and dog one afternoon while it was raining. Madeline was playing like she was a turtle with the laundry basket. It was her shell. Grace was reading Madeline "Junie B. Jones" and Zeke was napping in his favorite chair :)

Our dearest Grann and Grampy....

I would say that I have always been close to my parents. As a child I was most definitely a home body and still consider myself that way. I've never liked being far away fom mom and dad (I only live 2 miles from them now) and can't see myself ever moving more than an hour or so from them.

Now that I'm a parent, our relationship has changed from one of parent/child to friendship. They are always there for Keith and I. We seek their advice on many things....lately parenting. They remind me that Grace is just like me; not only in the way she looks but also in her actions. They remind me that "this too shall pass" only to bring about some other conflict to deal with. Lately I'm hearing "you think this is hard...just wait a few years."

Since their wreck a year ago we've seen even more of them; especially daddy (as he's not been able to return to work). This is one of those weeks when I've had to enlist his help with the kiddos. Today he watched them from 2:30 until 6:30. During those two hours, he played hair studio (where they did his hair...this was my idea--he use to LOVE Leslie and I to play with his hair. He would fall asleep in the recliner and wake up to crazy designs), they colored, read him books, played hide n seek, etc... He even had them bathed and had them cleaning their rooms when I got home; thanks daddy--doesn't get much better than that!

Mom has been able to return to work so she spoils the kiddos in other ways. Grace commented to someone the other day "Yeah, my Grann spoils me....she buys all my clothes!" You know, this really is true. Grace's back to school wardrobe has pretty much been completely bought by Grann. Let me say though...Grann is the queen of smart shopping! She taught me early on about sales.....you give her $100 and she'll make it spread farther than you thought possible (a lesson that I've appreciated as a mother of two girls on one income)!

My children are so lucky to be close to their Grann and Grampy. Not because of the free babysitting or the things they buy, but because of the love they give and get. Mom and dad, thanks for all you do. We are blessed by you and love you more than you will ever know!

Staying out of the heat!

Keith and I woke up this morning wanting to do something as a family but not wanting to be in the heat. The zoo sounded fun, BUT....too hot! The pool sounded fun, BUT....too hot! The park sounded fun, BUT....too hot! The girls had been dying to spray each other with silly string so they went outside and had a blast! (poor Madeline got the worst of it so she ended up in the bath after about 5 minutes). Then we loaded up the fam and want to Stonebriar Mall in Frisco. Gerald and Sheri met us for lunch (where we spent $50; UGH, ridiculous how much lunch can cost). Afterwards we just walked around. Grace used her money to buy 3 fingernail polish colors at Justice, Maddie bought a hairdryer, mirror, and brush at build a bear, I got a great deal on some books for my classroom and Grace (Anne of Green Gables, Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and The Secret Garden...3 books for $9.99). It was nice to just walk around and stay cool and be together.