Losing My Mind or Just Another Teacher in May?

This year, I've had bus duty every Wednesday afternoon. Thinking all day yesterday that it was Wed., I ,made it 1/2 way there before realizing it was only Tuesday...guess I just wanted summer to come a little quicker! BUT...that's only the beginning...

Having a few moments without students, I needed to call my beloved and at least leave him a message, so I picked up my classroom phone & proceeded to call him. While waiting for him to pick-up, I could faintly hear my phone ringing from inside my purse which is inside my filing cabinet. After fumbling to unlock the cabinet before realizing it was ALREADY unlocked, I grabbed my phone & was shocked to see the school's # where I work displayed on the caller id. I simply could not figure out who could be calling my cell phone from the school. (Keep in mind I still have my classroom phone up to my ear waiting to speak to Joe.) My DUH moment came when I said "hello" to myself...seriously.

Oh...and how is it that my students never hear the page # we're on or the directions, but they can hear my phone vibrate from inside my huge Vera Bradley QUILTED purse locked inside of my filing cabinet???

Back in Bloggerland...

Well, I'm back after a long hiatus! Life continues to be crazy with Joe in school & working full-time.

Here are some highlights...

*Micah was voted class favorite with his little girlfriend, whom I understand he has kissed when the teacher wasn't looking...he btw, wants to be a cheerleader so he can catch ALL the girls!

*Rebekah continues to surprise me with her perception of me. She gets the American Girl magazine (awesome btw for girls!) & we took a quiz to see if our responses about ourselves & each other matched...amazing!

*I LOVE that the kids like for me, & Joe when he is able, to lie down with them for a few minutes each night to talk, sing songs, & pray together...I hope this time lasts (or at least builds into a good relationship foundation for the teen years!).

*One of our girls, who is very sweet & a classy young lady, was working on her goals project in social studies & wrote that to reach her goal of graduating high school, she must pass all of her STD's....I was ROFL...I believe she meant SAT's!!!

*I recently made a complete fool of myself, & enjoyed every minute of it, as I relived my high school days cheering in a faculty/student game for Relay 4 Life.

*Just when I think I can't take anymore & question my reason for teaching, something awesome or hilarious happens to remind me of that joy I can get nowhere else!

*I have actually started exercising...did some Sweatin' to the Oldies earlier this week, & then the R4L stuff...nothing like Richard Simmons to ease you back into things...I'm determined to get control of my weight & my life...I hate chaos, & my weight reflects all that I am not. Any ideas for how to slow down & still support Joe & let the kids be kids???

*We may have to take the kids out of the Christian school due to funds...VERY torn about this! I LOVE the school & the little girl that has been so ugly to Bekah is actually supposed to go somewhere else. Plus, the kids love it there, but we have to get ready to live off of me if Joe's class schedule takes any more time during the day & especially in a couple of years when he interns...praying hard!

Hopefully I will finish my post about last summer SOON!

Catching Up on Some Bloggin'

It's good to be back. Things have been crazy lately, so it's been easier to facebook...shameful, I know!! But...I'm also uploading months of pics tonight! I won't share them all tonight, but future posts shall come!

This weekend started off shaky. Micah woke up at 3 A.M. Friday morning with 102 fever. With benchmark tests & student needs, I went into work while Joe stayed home. As I was leaving, Joe called out, "Thank you." Not sure what I had done or if he was being sarcastic, I replied, "For what?" (Not in a surly tone, mind you.) He simply stated, "For all you do for us." Wow! What a way to trudge into work on a chilly morning.

The kids' school celebrated homecoming this week. Being a small private school, they have no football team, so homecoming is during basketball season. Quite the tradition around here! Rebekah participated in a cheer camp for the elementary girls, so on Friday I picked her up at 5. We enjoyed a couple of hours of shopping and hanging out. Upon our return home, Joe surprised me with a clean kitchen, laundry, and bathroom. The man even mopped, cleaned the jacuzzi jets, and the grout around the tub!!!! To top it all off, he got the kids ready for bed, drew a bubble bath w/candles & my Mama Mia! soundtrack playing with instructions that I was to "relax & (he) would take care of everything else." Seriously, somebody take that man to Lowe's!!

Yes, this is the same man that I am so thankful for...maybe I should re-evaluate myself against his taste in women! :0 (This was from Halloween...a friend's in-laws! They were hysterical!)

I love him so. God has truly blessed me...beyond all I could ever ask or imagine. Over & over He proves that if we wait on Him, He ALWAYS has His best in store for us. Oh, this doesn't mean things are always easy or "bliss," but it's always for OUR best! We don't have the perfect marriage, but we're in it together. I guess that's what really matters!

Here are pics from homecoming:

The homecoming game was lots of fun, & Rebekah continues to amaze me with her tenacity. She's a great person...full of life, love, and fun! She had a friend spend the night last night, & as I lay in bed, I could hear them over Micah's monitor (yes, I still use one...actually the one from when Rebekah was born!). Hearing their whispers & giggles brought back so many happy memories from my own childhood. We wrapped up the weekend with a trip to the "dollar" ($1.99 to be exact) movies to catch "Beverly Hills Chihuahua." Cute movie!

Check out this contest on my "Favorite Things Swap" partner's blog...she does amazing crafts! Her totes are super! Plus it enters me for more chances to win...LOVE the fabric for this giveaway!!

Please keep my mother in your thoughts & prayers. They have found places in both breasts, but after completing an ultrasound and MRI, she goes for a needle biopsy tomorrow on the left side.

I end my weekend by "facebooking" AND blogging...what could be better?

Bah Humbug!!

Why am I feeling "Grinchy" you ask? Could it be the non-stop cough for 3 weeks? Could it be the bronchitis that turned into pneumonia & as I was finally starting to beat the darn thing....dumdumdum...a viral COLD???? Add to that two lovely cold sores & the end of the semester for some Christmas cheer. To top off my holiday festivities, I had a colonoscopy today. That's right. I had to do something that topped off the year, 96, I believe, when I had ALL FOUR wisdom teeth pulled on December 23rd. Of course, the very next February, I met Joe. So, maybe something equally amazing will happen this year. I don't mean meeting another guy, of course....;)

For those of you wondering...the test turned out great. Great of course, if you consider great to mean drinking 2 quarts of oily, salty, lemon-lime flavored YUCK. (Better than the gallon some have to drink!) Thankfully, I don't have to have another one for 5 years. But those of you with kids no how quickly 5 years can go by!

Seriously, I'm thankful all is finally well. My sister's life was saved 2 years ago by an early colonoscopy. She had the early stages of colon cancer & was blessed to only have surgery & no treatments. I thank God for her everyday. It's not a fun experience, but if it will save your life...

Do I Have to Show My Work?

Oh. My. Word. People, this is algebra, you're in the 7th grade...SHOW your work!!!!! And SHOW it ALGEBRAICALLY!!!!!

Alas, this has been my mantra, my rant, my battle with middle schoolers. Heaven help me! One more day, & Ms. Kristy is on vacay!!!!!

In other news, and to my defense, I have not been on facebook since Sunday! I did, however, spend way too long on it tonight! What to do when someone you knew from several years ago wants to add you to their friend list, but they kind of weird you out?? I mean, I'm not sure I want to decline...what happens if I just ignore the request? I'm such a coward...

KUDOS to Joe....he has received a scholarship that pays tuition & books, as well as an invitation to join Phi Theta Kappa (honors frat)! I am so proud of that man & all he does! He actually took me to see Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, or was it Knight? I'm too tired to Google it, & I'm sure one of my English buddies can help me! It was great! The university performing arts department had awesome displays of all the sayings & words that have been coined from Shakespeare's works. It was fascinating!

Learning about classification of the species in science. A student listing traits of an animal says, "big paws," but what everyone hears rhymes with "big malls!" Yeah. Laughing till tears rolled down my cheeks. I could not make eye contact with my co-teacher.

And I leave you with some of my FAVE flair phrases:

Procrastinators UNITE...tomorrow!
If ignorance is bliss...why aren't more people happy?
Procrastinators...Leaders of tomorrow!
If I die at school, I hope it's at an inservice so the transition from life to death is smooth!
SCHOOL, one big SOAP OPERA
HAHA. Wait. What?
Even if the voices are not real, they still have pretty good ideas.
My mom says I'm special. But who's Ed?
Don't follow my footsteps. I run into walls.
Be careful what you say...it may remind me of a song that needs singing.
He was hit by a DODGE, which I find funny & ironic.

I Could Do Without the Fairies...

That was what my husband said after reading & watching A Midsummer Night's Dream for his English comp. class. Ah, well, they are pretty much important to the play I would say. He did laugh with me during parts, though.

A recent favorite "Joe-Quote" of mine came after Joe's full day at work, then classes, then home to study & write papers, as well as spend some time with the family. He was truly exhausted. The scene: Joe & I talking about a recent exam he had taken in his ed. class while I was getting ready for bed. The conversation:

Me: Well, how did you do?
Joe: (with irritation) I made an 80. I mean, I missed 4. Stupid.
Me: What did you miss? Did you study? (hmmm...seems like I had the same discussion with Rebekah earlier about one of her tests)
Joe: Yeah, I studied. (here comes the fave quote) I missed two of them because I chose the wrong answer.
Me: (bursting into giggles, ahhh DUH) That's usually why we get things wrong...
Joe: (beginning to laugh at himself, now a.k.a. Captain Obvious) That's not what I meant. I knew the answer. I just marked the wrong one.
Me: Yeah, sure. You know I'm going to post this, right?

Confessions of a Cheater or Defining Interfacing Polygamy

I admit it. I can't lie about it anymore. I've been entertaining another website. I tried to resist, but was pulled into it's provocative promise of connecting with prior acquaintances, as well as local peeps. Yes, I joined Facebook, and darn it, I LIKE it!! There, it's out in the open. Open for all to see just one of the things that has kept me away...that, and school, and kids, and a husband in school, and the kids' school, and LAUNDRY (does it EVER end??), and just life in general. But, I think I can make it work. I mean, what's one more thing, right? I will, however, try to ward off those luring me to that other networking site...the "m" space. :)

I have SO much to update here, and will have plenty more with Halloween approaching. I see a marathon posting in my near future.

Where, Oh Where, Have I Gone??

Wow. The past month has been a blur. So much to post, so little time. I actually have a FOLLOWER now...WOOHOO!! Thanks, Chance, who, by the way, is an AWESOME swap partner! :) I am going to post pics of My Favorite Things Swap package that I received from her, but in the meantime you can take a gander at what I sent her.

I also have a new reader, Susan. Hopefully she will de-lurk & leave a comment! Hint, hint.

Susan & I have seen each other/chatted several times over the last 5 years, but at a recent wedding shower where we showered "unmentionables" on the blushing bride-to-be, I believe we struck a bond. Needless to say, my less than prudent shenanigans have become the talk around our congregation. All was done in fun, & if you can't cut up at a girls only party, then where, pray tell, can you? Lighten up, people! My husband just grins in acknowledgment & shakes his head. (Of course he was the one who hid in the limo & was chased out by the groom after the wedding!) Amy...you would not be surprised!! Let's just say that I should be receiving a thank-you note from the happy couple soon!! (haha) How refreshing it was to attend a shower for a bride who has truly waited for her special groom & her wedding night. Beautiful, I tell you.

The kids are at their aunt's house this weekend. How crazy to live in the same county, but have different fall breaks. My mother-in-law happened to be there as well. Grammy, as the kids call her, is battling ovarian cancer. Of course, with the chemo has come hair loss. Worrying that Bekah & Micah might be frightened or at least a little taken aback, she & Joe's sister decided to talk to the kids about her hair loss & the new wigs she is sporting. After they finished talking, Grammy removed the wig she was wearing. From the aunt's account, if they had videoed Micah's suprised, if not horrified expression, we could have won the hundred grand. When asked by Grammy, "So what do you think?," Micah replied ever so seriously , "I think you should put it back on!" He was later seen that evening running around the house with one of the wigs on his head. Comic relief, that kid, comic relief.

Joe & I have had lots of fun this weekend, but I can't wait to see Bekah & Micah tomorrow night! I'll be posting soon about my swap, the state fair, & other happenings! Stay tuned.

LOL....SERIOUSLY!

If you have, will have, or have ever had a toddler or preschooler to take to a public bathroom, you MUST check out the following link!!! I have not laughed so hard in a long time, & believe me I've needed to! Some of the comments are too funny. Enjoy this excerpt from the McMommy Chronicles.

Has It Really Been 11 Years?

Today is the day that I married my best friend 11 years ago. 11 years full of all that makes a marriage. 11 years of smiles, laughter, tears of joy & sorrow, passion, & even anger. We haven't had a perfect relationship, but we've had one with lots of love & commitment not only to one another but to our Creator. The way we met is a post in and of itself, but let's just say God's hand was in it. The awesome thing? There were things about Joe that fulfilled many things deep down in my heart that I had prayed for. Only God knew the desires of my heart, & oh how he has filled those desires. Here are the reasons that I love Joe, even when he makes me crazy (not in the sexy way, either!!).

1. I love him for his commitment & desire to serve the Lord.
2. I love him for his tender heart & love for those in need.
3. I love him for the time he was helping a mentally ill woman clean her home & I watched as he knelt on the kitchen floor armed with only bleach water & a window scraper to clean layers of animal waste & newspapers off that floor. (I cannot describe the condition of this woman's home without making some of you ill, but I will NEVER forget the humbleness of heart with which my husband served the Lord during this entire situation.)
4. I love him for standing by me through thick & thin, & when life turned our world upside down 9 years ago, he was my earthly rock and protector.
5. I love that when he's truly happy and his heart is care-free, he will sing, albeit rather loudly & off-key, the National Anthem.
6. I love him for the way he continues to love me & still gets that mischievous twinkle in his eye regardless of how I look or the pounds I may have put on.
7. I love him for having the courage & commitment to go back to school at the age of 34, while working full time, in order to not only fulfill his dreams, but his family's as well.
8. I love him for the way his heart swells & his eyes tear up whenever someone obeys the Gospel & puts on Christ through baptism.
9. I love him for the way that he knows me, sometimes better than myself.
10. I love that although he has a very tender heart, he is also the head & leader of our family.
11. I love that despite his tender heart, I can't just run over him (not physically/literally...although there have been times....;) Those of you who know me, know that I am a little strong-willed, okay stubborn. (Wonder where are children get it from?)
12. I love that ALL the kids look for "Mr. Joe" after worship to come outside for any number of games he gets together.
13. I love that he gets excited when scoring a touchdown or homerun against a bunch of 5-12 year olds...seriously!
    
14. I love that he has a soft spot for the elderly & can be seen not just helping them inside before worship, but you might often see him racing one particular man in a walker.
15. I love that he loves ALL people regardless of looks, money, status, etc.
16. I love that he's just a big kid inside.
17. I love the ways that I've watched him grow, both as a man & as a Christian.
18. I love that when I've been very sick he has done things that most would not do because I needed him.
19. I love that although he can be a "mean sleep," he is also hilarious at times when talks/sleepwalks.
20. I love him for the laughter that he brings to our home & to our children.
    

This list is certainly the abridged version of all that I love about my husband. Some were left out to keep this site family-friendly (ha,ha). I leave you with what I feel sums it up beautifully. (This was "borrowed" and the years edited.)

"Do you love me?

Do I what?
Do you love me?

For eleven years I've lived with him,
Fought him, starved with him,
Eleven years my bed is his,
If that's not love, what is?

Then do you love me?
I suppose I do.
And I suppose I love you, too.
It doesn't change a thing, but even so,
after eleven years,
it's nice to know."

Who's Line is it Anyway? & Other Ramblings

For those of you who like a little challenge, as well as love movies, visit one of my favorite sites for a little contest.

In Micah's world, we have been on yellow twice this week. It seems that he's a bit "rowdy" to quote the teacher. When we talked with Micah about obeying his teacher & keeping up, he calmly explained that he "could catch-up...it was easy." I explained that even though he can be all over the place & still learn, as his teachers at both school & church can attest to, others may not. He looked shocked to think that he might actually be bothering someone else! What, there's other people in the world besides him?? The really sweet part is that he prays every night for God to help him stay on green the next day.

Micah is also the center of a love triangle in this week's episode of "As the Lunch Box Opens." It seems that he has a little girlfriend, but the little girl that "broke up" with him at the end of K-4 wants him back. She told her daddy that Micah just won't take her back no matter what she does. It seems the poor girl has been blatantly batting her eyelashes at my boy, or so she imitated in FRONT of her father! I think we should be worried. Her dad's a big man. Instead of eyelashes, she'd have a better chance if she brought him a pudding cup or Little Debbie at lunch. Micah shared that there's one girl he doesn't like because she's not modest. (Seriously, he said that!) Yep, she apparently shows her tummy on the playground! Now, I ask you, how many years do I have before he prefers the belly-flashing type? I am afraid, very afraid, and this is in kindergarten at a Christian school.

Last night I fixed Micah's bath & left him for a few minutes to get Rebekah to bed. As I returned to the bathroom, I find him lying stretched out on his back in the water with his eyes closed. The High School Musical cup that I use to rinse his hair? Upside down creatively covering his unmentionables...yep, gives a whole new meaning to a guy wearing a cup.

What a Week

It has been a whirlwind week. We began school last Friday, and it seems we have not stopped. I am really enjoying this school year. Instead of co-teaching with 4 different teachers, I co-teach math with the same girl for 3 periods & 1 period with the science teacher next door. We've also gone to 75 minute periods which goes by more quickly than you would think.

I am amazed at how UNORGANIZED 7th graders can be. You would laugh at my comment if you could see my house right now, but seriously I love & desire to be organized. My classroom reflects this, I just can't keep up with the 3 other bodies in my house! Back to the kids...what an eye opener to work with several in homeroom to organize their notebooks. Papers everywhere, assignments/notes ALREADY missing, no dates or titles on things...but we did it! Now if we can just keep it up. I'm also amazed at how 7th graders ALL seem to struggle with fractions. Is there something developmentally in adolescents that makes them forget something they've been working with since like 2nd or 3rd grade??? Heaven forbid they have to find a common denominator. Despite all this, I am truly loving this year. I have a few challenges, but all with great potential. It's overwhelming to think of the impact you can have on a kid's life, especially as precarious as the middle grade years. I never would have thought that I would have enjoyed middle school as much as I do. (I'm not really looking forward to my OWN kids' journey through adolescence, but maybe I'll have lots of good experiences to pull from...yeah, right!)

On the home front....

Joe has taken Rebekah out tonight for a Daddy/Daughter date. I believe they were going to go eat & maybe to the movies. Rebekah was so excited. She loves 3rd grade. I can't believe she's 8 years old. The song from Mama Mia!, "Slipping," really hit home with me.

Micah is home with me. It seems that his "card" at school had to be moved from green to yellow to blue...one turn away from red earlier this week. The crime? Standing in his chair at lunch & playing some version of Power Rangers. I believe the teacher also commented that he was "rowdy" throughout the day. The next day, we went for his 5 year check-up. It had rained all day, & the poor guy had not been able to go outside AT ALL! By the time the doc made it in to us, he was running laps around the table, climbing, etc. Needless to say, I left with paperwork for myself & his teacher to fill out regarding the ever-popular ADHD. To be fair, our doc is very conservative with meds, & she did see him at a bad time, so I tried to leave with an open mind. The truth? Micah is ALL boy, full of energy, mischief, witty/funny, and very affectionate. With that, he is hyper & bull-headed to say the least. The paradox? He does very well in school. Apparently he can multi-task, but some of the other kids can not. He will also exhaust you just from watching. Joe is totally against any meds right now, so I am trying to limit stimulants like red food dye, excess sugar, etc. You would not believe how hard it is to limit some of this stuff...labels can be shocking. Anyway, we stayed on "green" the rest of the week, & if he keeps it up all next week, he gets to go somewhere special with Joe. The teachers on my hall have been rewarding him everyday that he stays on green...he seriously can win anyone over. I hate to think of meds, too, because he is so funny and has a great personality. I don't want something to change his personality, but I also don't want his impulsiveness to cause him to get hurt. But, he is only 5...

Someday I will post more pics...

For Whom the Bell Tolls & Other Random Thoughts...

Yep, tomorrow is the day. The day that I return to work, preparing to shape (or warp), the young minds that will be taking care of us one day. Scary, no? My charges will arrive on Friday.
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Tomorrow is also Micah's 1st day of kindergarten. (We have two school systems, & their private school follows the other system's calendar.) He will be attending at the same school in which he attended preschool, but now he's in the "big" building. Funny, but it makes me kind of sad. My youngest is officially a "big" kid. Where has time gone? Of course, he still keeps me laughing & life is never dull. Take for instance tonight at church. He had these two little cheap tops (the kind you get at the arcade for about 2 tickets), & as we neared the invitation & song, he noticed that he had lost one. Not realizing that he had, at some point, placed it on my shirt, I moved to see if maybe it were under me or on the floor. That's when it went DOWN my shirt & into my bra. Talk about awkward & a little uncomfortable! I love that he makes me laugh, even if there are times I want to pull my hair out!




Rebekah is entering the 3rd grade. I love, and hate, that she is SO much like me! She is always eager to help, and LOVES being in charge of something. But, wait, aren't I in charge??? LOL See where the butting heads comes in? Seriously, she is very tenderhearted & LOVES to boogie with me. She & I have been belting out the tunes on the Mama Mia! soundtrack. (BTW...AWESOME chick flick!!) I'm debating on whether to take her or not. She would absolutely love the musical numbers, but there are a couple of parts I'm not sure I'm ready to venture into with her. For instance, I can hear her asking me, "Why doesn't she know which one is her daddy?" So far I've been able to answer any of her "birds & bees" questions with truthful, yet simple, answers. I'd kind of like to leave it that way for at least a year more. It's bad enough that Santa's days are numbered with her. The innocence and magic of childhood just doesn't last very long anymore. So, my limited interpeeps, should I take her?



In other news, I've won 2 items on eBay. I actually bought Bekah some overall shorts for $1.99!! Crazy me, I also bought this pretty silk-looking babydoll tank-style shirt from someone in Thailand. I'll have to let you know how that one goes. They were listed as a power-seller, and the majority of comments were positive. The worry? About 65 negative comments in the last 6-12 months were left, but out of thousands of transactions, they still had a 95-96% positive rating.

I really want to post a Summer Summary later this week, so stay tuned & pray that I don't get lost in the clutter! I'm in the process of MAJOR cleaning & sorting of the kids clothes & toys. If you haven't heard from me here in the next week, send a search party! LOL

Happy 4th!

What a great day it was for the family! We started by decorating foam hats & "Uncle Sam" door hangers Thursday night. Here's a look at the kids' handy work:



Of course, the decorations were not complete until we applied the ever festive tattoos:



We then loaded up & traveled about 2 hours to a state park with a neat zoo & play park. OK, this was probably not the best idea in the south, in July, in the middle of the day, but we lathered on the sunscreen and grabbed the H20. Here's Joe & the kids enjoying a break at the end of our nature walk where we saw everything from grey wolves, to bison, to lemurs...





The pic above is of the alligator habitat. Even adventurous, daring Micah, knew not to lean or climb on the railing...Thank goodness! Here are some of our prehistoric friends. I wonder what the 2nd guy has been snacking on???





Rebekah & Micah had the chance to climb into a replica of an eagle's nest as well as participate in a "long jump." The jumping area was marked off in different animals by how far they could jump. Rebekah was similar to a mouse, while Micah jumps like a flea. You know how spastic fleas can be! :)





Finally, it was time to head home for the fireworks. We stopped by Loco's for some much needed nourishment. If you haven't tried their Rooster Salad w/ the house dressing....mmmm. Here they are waiting for the fireworks to begin. We did kill some time playing Go Fish, Candy Land, & Slap Jack in the back of Joe's truck.



Here's one of my favorite poses that you can often see Micah in...with his arm around Joe's neck. Priceless.

My, Well Somebody's, Big Redneck Baby Shower

To begin with, let me just say that the family farm is a very special place for my family. My dad & his other 7 siblings were born & raised right here. We love to have lots of get-togethers & celebrations here, but this time was probably one of the most comical.


You might be having a redneck baby shower if ...

The "table" for the gifts is actually a hay trailer loaded with freshly harvested red new potatoes:


Your uncle is seen handing out "appetizers" (a.k.a. new potatoes taken from the trailer, washed in the spigot, grilled with butter & seasonings, plated on fine Chinet, & "served" directly to your mouth from the end of a pocket knife). Think I'm joking???


Need hydrating? We have the freshest, straight from the spring, water around. Shoot, you don't even need a bottle! Heck, you don't even need a cup or glass!


Hot? Flies & gnats gettin' to ya'? Why, we even have a 10hp eee-lectrical air conditioning system w/ built-in pest deterrent capabilities!


Some of your gifts actually come "wrapped" in a farmers' co-op paper bag!


Your decorations include this chair & "cleverly" hidden tool shelf...


And finally...any of your pictures feature farming equipment in the background!


Note: Do NOT reenact a portion of Diary of a Mad Black Woman in front of an audience where only ONE person has seen the movie! Let's just say that the dad-to-be was taking a little too long opening a present & as soon as I said "rip it," the drama demon possessed me. I was full-out Madea in the walk-in closet. For those of you not familiar with Madea...RENT the movies!!! I wish I had a photo of everyone's expression, except for my twisted sister, Tammy, who knew exactly what I was doing.

My Life at 36

I will be turning 36 this next week and many things have changed, some things just this past week.

1. Instead of the fading black & white sonogram pictures of my two precious children, I now have a GLOSSY color photo of my uterus with my procedure circled! An added bonus: My uterus is surrounded and insulated by fluffy mounds of fat. Anyone have the local WW's number? Get ready to see my ticker move over there. I mean, do I really need anymore motivation? That's the picture I need to post on the refrigerator, and my lunch bag, and on my bathroom mirror...you get the idea.

2. Instead of stopping by the local drugstore on a late Friday night with my husband to buy "fun" products, we stopped to buy me some Colace tonight. Please don't ask. Let's just say the painkillers from my surgery did more than we, or I, asked for!

3. Instead of having lots to type, I've forgotten what else I wanted to say.

Yep, that pretty much sums it up. Discuss.

NVR Forget!

Here is a really cool tribute to 9-11 that my awesome sister-in-law did with some students that she works with! May we "NVR FORGET."

5 Year Olds & Menopause

My oldest sister calls on her way to our family's baby shower for her daughter, Charlotte, who is expecting a baby girl in June. There has been some debate on the baby's name. We started out with Stella, then went to Ava, & now it appears we may be back to Stella. My grandmother, Lord love her, who is in her 80's, is refusing to call the baby Stella. She even wrote the card for "baby Ava." This is nothing new since my other sister has a new baby granddaughter named Lily. When Grannie calls, she asks how "Rose" is doing. Think this is because of senility creeping in? Nope. Just Grannie being Grannie and a little opinionated. Hmmm...I wonder if any of her grandchildren inherited this trait? (Side note: My sisters are 13 & 8 years older than me, so they have a couple of grandkids already.)

Anyway, back to the story. My mom hangs up after telling Cyndee, my oldest sister, not to worry about coming & to just turn around & go home. We all look puzzled and inquire about what's going on. She tells us that Cyndee is feeling really bad & was crying terribly. It seems that she is going thru the "change," & today was NOT a good day. Rebekah then inquires with, "Mama what's the change?" Well, before I could finish with my generic response of "It's something that happens as we get older," Micah, who just turned 5 yesterday, pipes up with "Yeah Bekah, you go to jail & you never get out!"

I think that sums up menopause pretty well, don't you?

Joining the Craze!

Welcome to my sister-in-law, Karen, to the world of blogging! Go check her site out. It's really looking good!

HUGE shout-out to Joe for again pulling a 4.0 this quarter. (And, no, I have NOT done ANY of his work!) He actually pulled an A in college algebra! WOOHOO!!! I am proud of my man, and exhausted too from our crazy schedules.

Here are some pics of Micah from T-ball. Okay, I confess, these are from the fall, but cut me some slack. Teaching full time, raising 2 kids, & a husband back in college has me running in circles. Maybe I'll get the spring ones up by Christmas! :)





Ready for anything!



Check out that pitching arm! Awesome throw, Micah!



Partners in crime, um, I mean best buds!! (That's Micah on the left.)



GOOOO TEAM!




We all know how important stretching is before the big game. It helps as we flip, stand on our heads, & twirl during the game!

And some final pics...Rebekah this time. Loving all things 80's, I truly love these photos of Bek & one of her best friends. Do they remind anyone else of a Benetton ad?



Don't hate us because we're beautiful inside & out!

A Question for the Readers...

As mentioned in my previous post, I have had a bit of an estrogen imbalance resulting in 7 not-so-fun weeks. As of today, I am looking at having an ablation along with a tubal ligation in the very near future. Why is it, my female friends (& male if you have insight into this issue), that at almost 36 years of age, with 2 great kids, & with reasonable certainty that we are done having children, do I have the internal struggle with the decision to make it official??

Yes, I loved being pregnant. Yes, my children are tremendous blessings (even when they make me crazy or at least they exacerbate my existing craziness!). Yes, I love babies, toddlers, & preschoolers. (In fact, 0-5 is probably my favorite age group.) No, I do not think that I want the late night feedings, more laundry, more illnesses to go through, & all the other strains that come with parenting. But...I do miss the sweet smell of a baby's head as they nuzzle close to your neck; the sweet, yet bitter, feelings as they reach new milestones and independence; the excitement & joy over a new little life...these are hard to surrender. I guess if my sentimentality makes it difficult for me to throw away any little thing from Rebekah & Micah, it shouldn't surprise me that being a pack-rat might also spill over into body parts!!!

Seriously, can't you see me in the nursing home one day showing off my gallstones, or what have you, in little mason jars? You know you can... :)