2008: A Year In Review

I can't believe it's the last day of 2008. I'm always amazed at how fast time seems to fly by. It seems like only yesterday we were ready to say goodbye to 2007, and here we are a year later.

2008 brought many great things into my life. Although there were no huge landmarks that were made, there were many small events that helped pave the path in my memory wall.

Here are just a few of the events that I celebrated or went through this year: (These are in no particular order...just what I can remember!)

• Dave and I were lucky enough to usher in 2008 with our dear friend, Lisa and her friend Jeremy
• Dave earned his GED through a lot of hard work.
• He was also given an amazing job opportunity, he loved what he did and got out of bed excited each morning to go to work. (which many of you know he no longer has due to the economy!)
• I had to send my 5th graders to middle school in May, which was difficult.
• I was given the opportunity to teach and learn from 24 of the greatest, most challenging students in 4th grade starting in August.
• I survived teaching middle schoolers summer school...which I never thought was possible.
• Unfortunately, I was at the Osceola Drag Strip when the motorcyclist lost his life in a tragic accident...which made me all the more thankful for my life and loved ones.
• Keely got engaged and is happier than I have seen her in a long time.
• Dave and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary with a trip to Chicago!
• We were fortunate enough to spend Christmas 2008 in sunny Cape Coral, Florida!
• Dave and I shared our lives and house with Reese the dog for a few months before she was hit out on Capital Avenue.
• I've had the opportunity to reconnect with old friends
• I've watched a close friend celebrate and cry, grow and spread her wings into beautiful woman who is just starting to realize her own strength.
• I painted 4 new pictures in our painting class in Akron, Indiana
• I'm learning more and more the importance of relaxing and letting the little things go day by day
• I had to say goodbye to two close co-workers who left Northpoint
• I had the amazing opportunity to share my classroom with Katie, my student teacher from January until April, then celebrate with her as she got a job in August!
• I've learned not to take life for granted and am working hard to find something every day to celebrate.

I'm sure there are many more events that I can't recall just yet. I am extremely thankful to each and everyone of you that read this blog for being a part of my life! You all help me to be the person that I am.

Happy New Year! I hope 2009 brings amazing things to you and your family!

The Florida Snowman That Wasn't...

We spent 8 amazing days in Paradise this Christmas. We left Dave's mom here at the house to "house sit" and have some alone time. We thought it would be nice to bring her something home. Something little, but at least something.

We found a super cute Florida Snowman Snow globe. For those of you thinking "A Florida Snowman? What?" You're dead on. It was a snow globe that had water only, with a floating snowman hat, nose, eyes and buttons. Of course, no snowman...just melted water. We thought she would love it.

We had it packed up and ready to be brought back. Well, who knew snow globes are dangerous?!?!?!?! It was confiscated at security...are ya kiddin' me? Evidently, someone, somewhere has been attacked by a scary snowman snow globe. We were told that it surpassed the "liquid amount." Wow, seriously! A snow globe.

Just in case you were thinking of traveling with a snow globe...you probably want to pack it in your checked baggage.

Back Home Again In Indiana....

Ugh. Hooray. I'm not sure which emotion is winning right now. I found it incredibly difficult to say goodbye to the family that was staying in Florida, but I also found myself somewhat excited to get home, to be familiar, to find the routine.

We had a wonderful last day in Florida. We spent the day at the house, just enjoying the company, sunshine and surroundings. We had a lazy breakfast and then ate lots of turkey leftovers for a lazy lunch.

Dave and I found time for a walk around Kim and Glenn's neighborhood and then jumped into the pool for some last minute laps and rays.

Grandma, Kim and Brady took us to the airport around 4:45 and after a short 25 minute delay, the plane took off last night about 7:40. We got back into Indy with no problems around 10:00 and only made it to Carmel where we stayed the night.

We had such an amazing time. I know this is going to be a trip that we will never forget and the memories are going to last forever.

Today Is The Day!

Bummer. Today is the day that we must fly home. In some ways, I'm ready. In many ways, I'm not. It's hard to think of waking up tomorrow and not being able to go outside barefoot and do my "wildlife search" at the dock by the canal.

We had another great day yesterday though. We got up in the morning and met Aunt Mary and Walter at breakfast at the Sunflower Cafe. From there, everyone except Grandma and Grandpa (even Aunt Mary) headed to Bonita Beach. We had an amazing day playing at the beach for about 2.5 hours. We were able to collect a lot of shells and just enjoy the view as we walked down the beach. There was a great need for aloe when we returned however.

We got back to the house and Kim, Diane and I went over to Bealls to look for a swimming suit. It's safe to say we found a few other things as well! :)

When we got back, everyone loaded up and we headed over to Rum Runners for dinner. When we returned, a few of us got in the hot tub then everyone turned in pretty early.

We're off to enjoy our last few hours here in Florida.

Ugh...It's Almost Time To Go Home!

Man, oh man...it's almost time to head for home. I'm not quite sure I'm ready.

We had another fantastic day yesterday. We our "Mini Christmas Celebration" yesterday with everyone who is here and also Aunt Mary and Uncle Larry. We had a turkey dinner prepared for us by Publix which was super yummy!

We got up yesterday morning and Dad, Diane, Kim, Glenn, Dave and I went to the Farmer's Market. It was a lot of fun to walk around to the different vendors that set up in a church parking lot. We came away with Red Navel Oranges (aka Blood Oranges), a chocolate banana smoothie and some pickles! We consider it a success! :)

We came home and vegged in the pool and sun for a long while, then got dinner ready and ate with everyone. It was fun, but would have been better if Keely and Jeff could have been here to complete our group!

After dinner, more lounging around then we headed over to the Cape Coral Beach to watch the sunset with everyone. Although Grandma didn't make it out to the beach, she and Grandpa still watched it from the car. Dave and I walked down to the pier and watched the sunset from there. It was gorgeous.

On the way home, we stopped for another round of the Working Cow for some ice cream, then came home and played cards until bed time.

1 1/2 more days of paradise...then it's time to head for home.

Eeeks! A Couple Of Days To Catch Up On!

Well, Christmas 2008 is come and gone. We had a spectacular day, although it seemed very un-Christmas like. It's hard to remember that it's Christmas when it's 85 degrees, the sun shine very brightly and we're at the Casino in Immokalee! Unfortunately, we're not rich...not even close. Dave put me to shame with his $12.79 winnings. I'm fairly certain that he was on the machine that I was supposed to be on, but oh well, I took one for the team and let him sit there and get MY winnings.

We actually started out our Christmas day with breakfast at the Sunflower Cafe. This is a local favorite. The food was good and the service was even better.

After the casino, we hung out at home and went swimming.

Dave and I left about 7:45 that evening to drive up to Tampa to get Kim and Brady from the airport. We arrived with the help from Bossy Betty in about 2 hours and their plane landed shortly after 11. We grabbed them and then headed home, getting back about 2:10 am.

We all kind of took it easy the next morning after getting back so late and had breakfast here at the house. After breakfast, Kim, Brady, Dave and I headed to Ft. Myers Beach. We couldn't have asked for a better day. The weather was amazing the the water was almost warmer than the pool at home. We played Frisbee, hunted for shells, walked the pier and soaked up the sun!

As we were heading home, we stopped for ice cream at the Working Cow, which has become another favorite since we've been down here. Afterwards, we headed home for some pool time and taking it easy.

Dad and Diane got here about 5:45 last night and we got some pizza and enjoyed the family around the pool. Kim and Grandpa headed to the airport about 8:30 last night to pick up Glenn, as the rest of us stayed here and played some cards.

Another 2 fantastic days!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Who would have thought we would be swimming in an outdoor pool, enjoying 84 degree sunshine and petting alligators on Christmas Eve?!?!?!?

That's just what we did yesterday. We got up and headed over to Punta Gorda to The Babcock Wilderness Adventure tours. There, we loaded up on a big ol' buggy and went on a 90 minute tour. It was great. We got to see all sorts of wildlife like: cracker cattle, wild turkeys, ibis, egrets, alligators, cougars, and wild boar tracks. We even got to pet an alligator. It was great fun! On the way out, Dave even chose to be super adventurous and eat gator jerkey! Eww!

When we were done there, good ol' Bossy Betty led us to Olive Garden where we had lunch. After lunch, we headed home for some zzzz's in the sunshine. It got a little warm, so Dave and I bravely jumped into the pool...(all jokes aside, it was FREEZING!) then warmed up in the hot tub for a few minutes.

Last night we hung out here at home and ate leftovers then plopped ourselves on the oh so comfy couches to watch Notre Dame punish the Warriors! Awesome!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The Day Before, The Day Before Christmas...

Another amazing day in sunny Florida!

We got up and made breakfast here at the house. Gram and I made some mean eggs, bacon and toast. We waited for a bit then Dave and I went out on an adventure by ourselves.

We went to the 4 Mile Eco Park that's not far from here. It was a great park that we got to walk around. The paths take you to about 22 landmarks and the guide tells you just what you are looking at and seeing. Although we didn't see nearly as much wildlife as I had hoped for, we did get to see some cool things.

Among our sights, we saw a young bald eagle, ibis, minnows, turkey vultures, mangrove trees and lots of spiders and amazing webs. We were even laughed at by some Floridians for taking pictures of the turkey vultures. They stopped us to ask what we saw and were taking pictures of and when we told them they just gave us odd looks. Dave explained that being from Indiana, we only have those in zoos. They gave us a great tip of where to go to see other wildlife.

We came home and vegged again. Grandma, Grandpa and I laid out in the sun along the canal while Dave napped. Then last night, we met Aunt Mary and Uncle Larry at the VFW for dinner. Yep, that's right. You read that right. The VFW. You know you're vacationing with senior citizens when you go to the VFW, which shockingly was a very happening place. Odd.

We're About To Piss Her Off...

Ok...so if there's anything we've learned in Florida...it's don't mess with Bossy Betty. Just follow her directions, do what she says, turn where you're supposed to turn, don't turn where you're not supposed to and let her do the directing. Really, she seems rude, but she's not...she's just Bossy Betty and she's only let us down once.

You see, Bossy Betty is the Garmin that we got Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas. She's really an amazing little gadget! She gets us where we need to go, with the exception of Ruby Tuesdays. We programmed her in on Sunday night to find the restaurant and oddly enough, we ended up in the middle of a neighborhood, "arriving at our destination" at someone's house. Maybe Ruby lived there? We're not sure.

Dave and I ventured out on our own yesterday, with the assistance of good ol' Betty. She did well for us...but as you can see from the title, we don't really like to make her mad. Dave was in the middle lane and didn't think he could get over as she was telling us we had to turn right in 300 feet...Dave's response: "Oh man, we're about to piss her off." It truly took me about 3 minutes to catch my breath because I was laughing so hard. Oh Betty.

The Day Before, The Day Before, The Day Before Christmas!

It was a chilly one. Ok, maybe not chilly, but cool...breezy....ok, let's face it, still AMAZING!

We enjoyed a pretty lazy morning waiting for Aunt Mary and Uncle Larry to call when they were done with her hair appointment. They finally called around 11:45 and we went up to Perkins to meet them for lunch. (This seems to be one of the local favorites)

After lunch we went to Publix to order Christmas dinner. Then we headed home and lounged around again. Dave ended up taking a snoozer while Grandma, Grandpa and I played cards. We headed to Aunt Mary and Uncle Larry's about 3:30 to meet up for dinner.

We went to the Shrimp Shack for dinner and then back to their house to play cards. (This is another favorite...especially since we play for nickles!) We headed for home about 10:00 and Dave and I jumped into the hot tub. It was wonderful to sit in the cool air and slightly warm water. (We'll need to turn the heater on a bit sooner tonight!)

I'm fairly certain this is the life.

Here's How I'm Spending My Day....What Are Your Plans?

It's Almost Time...

We're here...we're here. Okay, not THERE, but here. We're at the Indianapolis Airport, waiting for our 7:05 take off. We came to Indy last night for fear of the weather and avoid leaving the house between 1:o0 and 2:00 this morning. It's a good thing we did too...our drive to Indy was anything but relaxing. A 3 hour trip ended up taking close to 5...granted we had a 20 minute stop in Plymouth to meet new Baby William, a 15 minute stop at White Castle for Dave to slam some sliders and about a 20 minute stop at the Wal-Mart. It's safe to say, we got lost about um...4 times and had to turn around. To be specific...3 direction changes and 2 full laps around the airport over the speed bumps which Dave now refers to as the Dukes of Hazard Ramps. Oh, the fun is beginning. This just confirms we've made a good choice in flying and not driving. We can almost feel the sunshine hitting our face.

What Is A Hero?

Heroes come in many shapes, sizes and forms. Heroes can be friends, family, women, men, kids, famous people or just your everyday ordinary person you meet on the street. When I think of a hero, I think of someone who leads by example, someone I look up to, someone that has qualities that I want to see in myself.

One of the greatest heroes that I've ever known was taken from our family 12 years ago today. She was everything I think of when I think of a hero. She was a ferocious fighter, a caring giver, an amazing leader, a dedicated daughter, an inspiring mother, a devoted wife. She led by example. She shaped me into who I've become and she continues to shape me as I grow.

For some reason, God decided to call my mom home December 19th, 1996. I'm not sure we'll ever understand why. We know she was tired, we know she was sick, we know she's no longer in pain, and we also know that she is looking down upon us from the golden streets of Heaven. We have a special angel up there watching over us. If I can't have her here physically, there's no other place I would like her to be.

There is not a day that goes by that I don't "talk" to mom, "consult" with mom and most of all miss my mom. She was such a beautiful lady, inside and out. I can't believe it's been 12 years since she was here with us. There are days that seem like it was yesterday, and there are days that seem like it's been longer.

I consider myself to be one of the three luckiest daughters in the world because hands down, we had the world's greatest mom. I only hope that I can be 1/2 the parent to my own kids someday that she was to me.

I love you, Mom. Please continue to keep watch over me. Help me to become like you.

'Twas The Night Before Christmas
A Christmas Poem by Pastor Jim Kamerer

'Twas the night before Christmas and as I looked round my tent,
I couldn't believe all the money I'd spent
For trains and dolls, for trinkets and toys
Some for the girls and some for the boys.
I looked round once more to be sure things were right;
The kids were all in bed for the night.
I set up the track for the train I bought Ted,
The train went round twice and the battery went dead.
I put on my cap, my gloves, and my coat;
I went to Ames and over to Zayre.
You guess it my friend, no batteries there!
As I left the store a thought came to me,
I had one in the remote of the color TV.
Well, I placed that remote in my wife's favorite chair
I was ready for Christmas with hours to spare.
When out came my wife and punched that remote
And then said to me, "The TV's broke!"
So on with the coat, the gloves, and the cap
Out in the cold about ready to snap.
I went to K-Mart and stood in that line
From 8:35 'til a quarter past nine.
As I came to the checkout, my heart leaped with glee --
There was that one lonesome battery just waiting for me.
When from my behind I seen this hand slip
And grab that battery with a real tight grip.
I wheeled around and what did I see?
This giant of a man glaring down at me.
Well, I remembered an ad I had seen on TV
Buy a Big Mac, get your batteries free.
So, I bought me a burger I didn't want...
They were out of batteries, so on with hunt.
I finally found one at Servi-Star,
Paid for my purchase and made for my car.
When I entered the door of my humble shack,
My wife said, "What's this battery for I found in a sack?"
I was out there in the press, the push, and the greed
To buy me a battery I didn't even need.
At last I relaxed in my easy chair,
When this still small voice came out of somewhere.
"You're ready for Christmas with toys, tinsel, and tree
You've got it all together, but what about me?"
I fell on my knees and cried, "God, what have I done?"
I got caught up in the madness and neglected your Son.
The best gift of all you've given for free
Your Son, Jesus Christ, for sinners like me.
You sent Him to suffer the shame and the loss,
To shed his life's blood for me on the cross.
Well friend, I'll never forget ere I rest 'neath the sod,
The the greatest of gifts if given by God.

Happy Birthday, Sister-O-Mine!

Today is Keely monster's birthday! I won't mention how old she is, but I will tell you she's half way to 64 today! HEHEHEHE
It's sometimes hard for me to believe that I'm lucky enough to have a sister like Keely. She is undoubtedly one of the most amazing people I've ever known. Here are some reasons why I love her so much...

• She has the warmest heart of anyone
• She will give you the shirt off her back if she thinks you need it more than she does
• She's always there.
  
• She always has time for me.
• She listens with her whole heart to all my problems
• She cares about me unconditionally.
• She loves me no matter how silly I've been or am being.
• She can tell just by my voice if something is bothering me.
• She taught me to be a gracious loser in games when we were little because WE ALWAYS HAD TO LET HER WIN!
• It never failed, she always had to get up to go the bathroom at the same time on Christmas Eve night that I did.
• I've never met anyone who likes little old people as much as she does!
• She makes really good chicken tortellini.
• She helps me at school...and I don't even have to bribe her.
• She never let me forget that she's 2 years, 3 months and 4 days older than I am.
• She's one of my best friends.
  
• She's an amazing sister.

Those are just a few of the reasons that I want this to be the best year of Keel's life. I love you, Pups!

In Just 4 Days...

Wow. It's Sunday. That means tomorrow is Monday. That also means the next day off of school that's not a weekend is Christmas Break. I wonder if I will make it that long!?!?!?!?!

You see, in the life of a teacher, sometimes the only thing that keeps you going are those days off. Not the normal Saturday and Sunday, but the week days that you get off. You know, the ones that you can sit at home and watch The Price Is Right in your jammies, followed closely by some "Who's the Daddy" talk show. Oh, those days off.

We're at the end of some of those days. With getting Thursday and Friday off for Thanksgiving, I was very excited about a 4 day weekend. Now I'm sitting here trying to figure out where it went. Here's a run down of what might have happened:

• Got up at 4:45 am Thanksgiving morning to be at Meijer by 5:15 for the
• Got home at 7, baked for 2.5 hours then found some zzz's for a couple more hours.
• Flat tire in Dave's car
• Dinner at Dave's sister and brother in laws.
• Dinner at my sister and brother in laws
• GOT HUGE NEWS ABOUT SOMEONE GOING SOMEWHERE TO DO SOMETHING
• Up at 3:15 Friday morning to start the madness
• Kohls, Meijer, Menards, Kohls, ABC Warehouse, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Office Depot, K-Mart, Hana Yori, Michigan
• Got home about 6, went back to K-Mart
• Went out with sisters, step mom, Hannah and nephew Sat morning to an undisclosed location! :)
• Yard work with family-goodbye final lingering leaves!
• Over to a friend's house last night
• Up to drop off kids this morning
• TV quit working-had to do some switch-a-roos
• Rearranged living room
• Almost time to meet the fam for Diane's B-day dinner...which we are only almost a month late for.

Whew...and I wonder why I feel like I haven't rested. We've been busy!

So Many Reasons To Be Thanful!

It's Thanksgiving. The day the nation sets aside for family, friends, laughs, food, and giving thanks! I often get caught up in the hum-drum of everyday life, where it's easy to complain and criticize. It's easy to take for granted the people that surround us and the life we live.

I have so many reasons to be thankful. Here's just a short list of some of my top:

• My family and friends who love me-unconditionally!
• I have a job that I love (most of the time!)
• Dave-who is my best friend even when we don't see eye to eye
• My house that provides me comfort with heat and furniture
• My paycheck (although very small) which allows me to eat and take care of myself
• Hannah and Caleb who remind me what it's like to be a kid and who always forgive me for the mistakes I make while I still learn the best way to be a step-mom
• My dad and Diane who I know will always be there for me when I need them...whenever I call.
• Keely who I see as the strength of the family, who is there ready to listen or laugh, who loves me and always offers to do anything I need.
• Kim and Glenn who are always there, just a phone call away. They listen and teach Dave and I daily what marriage looks like and should be.
• My grandparents who mean the world to us-'nuff said
• My Gramma who turned 91 yesterday and answered the phone sounding like she was 30
• The fact that I am able to get out of bed at 4:45 am, go to Meijer and wait in line for 45 minutes, get home at 6:50, make chewy pumpkin caramel bars and spice cake whoopee pies all before 8:15 am (as I am typing this.)
• The face that I live in America and that means I get to choose--on a lot of different levels
• Dave and both have cars that provide us with transportation (even if they are loud and sound like a jet plane!)
• My friend Lisa--who is just now learning just how beautiful she is, both inside and out and how strong of woman she is becoming!
• God-whom I know NEVER LETS GO OF ME!

My mind is twirling with thankfulness today. I wonder what the world would look like if it were Thanksgiving everyday (minus the Turkey and stuffing of course!) If we all stopped complaining and criticizing and just took a minute to be grateful and give thanks for the gifts before us. Wow. In my mind that could be really powerful!

Maybe I'll start something.

2, 3, 5 and -1

2-pairs of socks

3- pairs of pants

5-layers on top

-1 - how many points ND lost by! Bummer.

But, we had a blast!

The Final Product!

For those few (very few, I'm sure) of you that have been following the painting class progress, the final product is ready for display! Now, it's not Monet, but I'm pretty okay with it. I'm especially proud of the bird that I painted all on my own...(unlike some other people who also attend painting.) Marilyn did draw it in for me, but I applied all the paint! Watch for it to be coming to a gallery near you...hahahaha!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

I love Christmas! I love putting up the tree and decorating the house! I just love it! Our happy little home has officially been "Christmased" for the season! Here's my list of reasons for doing it so early:
1. Because I can...'nuff said.

2. Caleb and Hannah really wanted to help and they just happened to be here this weekend!

3. Since we are going to FL for XMAS, we are losing valuable tree admiring days at home.

4. It makes pretty colorful reflections on the white living room wall.

5. We can use that as our light when we are watching tv instead of using the light bulb wattage.

6. I can sing Christmas Carols as much as I want and it's okay because the decorations match the mood.

7. We always (as much as I can remember) had to wait until the middle of December to put up the decorations when we were kids.

8. It's a great reason to clean the corners of the living room that normally get skipped.

9. We can actually walk all the way back to the far wall in the basement now that the Christmas totes are out of the way.

10. It means Christmas break is even closer than it was before!

There's Only One Rule Down In The Bayou....RUN! DON'T WALK!

If you have no idea about that rule, that means you have missed out on one of Michiana's best new attractions this Spooktacular Season!
Dave and I had the chance to go to Fear Park with some friends last Friday night. It had rained pretty hard all day, so we were disappointed to find out the bloody bayou swamp was "swamped out." Also, the circus had not been given the go ahead green light from the state, so we weren't able to go there either.
We did get to go through the 4-D Amazement which is amazing. We also went through the Cookoo's Nest which was more funny than scary.
We went back last night for the two missing attractions we weren't able to see on Friday. Just when we thought things couldn't get better, the circus was AMAZING. We went there first. The money, graphics, time and energy they have put into this attraction is mind blowing. Not only were we scared and we laughed, but where else do we get to go to see Dave run smack dab into a mirror at full speed!?!?!?!?! That could have been the best! We were in the hall of mirrors, with our hands on our heads (picture what someone looks like when they are getting arrested) and I was following along. He ran smack dab into the mirror...good thing his elbows were up, otherwise we might be just how much plastic surgery is covered by insurance.
The bloody bayou which was said to be the scariest was okay, and it did get a couple of yelps from me, but hands down, the Circus was the best.
Be sure to check it out if you have time. I can't wait to see what else this attraction park has in store for us in the upcoming years, it sounds awesome!

It's Only 2:24 pm

What a day! It's only 2:24 pm and here is everything I have created in the kitchen thus far...

7 loaves of pumpkin bread
4 hillybilly hot dogs
1 pan of chewy caramel pumpkin bars
1 crock pot of homemade macaroni and cheese

Hmm..wonder what else I can create before bedtime?!?!?! I'm on a roll!

Putting It Into Writing (Warning-This is going to be graphic!)

I've debated putting this into words for a week now. I'm really struggling with it. I've decided that it might be good for me to write about it in hopes of finding some kind of closure. I'm going to warn you however, I plan to go into detail so that I can try to find peace, don't continue reading if you are weak stomached.

Last Sunday, the weather was beautiful, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, although there was a breeze and cool temps, it was a fantastic fall day. I went out to the Osceola Dragway about 11:00 because my brother in law was competing in his final race of the season. I got there in time to see him do one more pass for time trials and then we sat down for lunch.

Shortly after 1 the racing started. We had a mad game of baseball going on back in the "pits." The B-man was in the truck bed as full time batter, G was the pitcher, K was playing outfield and I was catcher. That little man is amazing at baseball, we were having a great time. G said that he was going to go up to the bleachers to watch for a bit before he had to get ready to race. B wanted no part of that, so K and I stayed back and played ball a bit longer. Finally, we were getting a bit bored with it, so we headed up to the bleachers to find G. We hardly ever go up there, as in years past, we've always had the motor home so we hung out there. This year they don't have the motor home, so there's really nothing else to do. We were sitting up there on the 2nd set of bleachers when everything happened.

G was sitting to the right of me, B was on the other side standing, we were second row from the top I think. Kim was sitting with her back to the track, facing us, about 2 or 3 rows down. The motorcycles were racing. Quite a few had gone and we were half watching, half playing. I don't even recall hearing the next racers names as they were in the staging lanes doing their burn outs. I do remember the tragedy of what happened next though.

I remember clearly the motorcycles taking off and looking up when I heard a rumble from the others sitting there in the bleachers before us and ours. I remember clearly thinking that the motorcycle was coming straight at our set of bleachers. I also remember seeing that man hit the guard rail and flipping off his bike. It was a split second (that seemed like it was forever) watching him fly off the bike, glide across the guard rail and flip then fall on our side of the rail in a bloody pile. I remember clearly the blood spurting up onto the rail and flying to the grass not 7 feet from us on the other side. I heard the gasps and the chatter, the crying and the yelling. I heard the announcer say that they needed to get down the lane fast. I grabbed B and we raced down to the fence where he lay across from us, motionless. Other people came running. I will never get rid of the vision of seeing his intestines and the fear that he had been decapitated right in front of me. The track personnel came running and the ambulance was there in a second. I remember them yelling for gloves and a bag.

People immediately started crying and yelling. I remember my sister yelling that she knew CPR. I remember Dave, the county sheriff who K and G are good friends with (who works at the track) saying that someone needed to call 911. I remember passing B to G and dialing. The 911 operator answered and asked where my emergency was. I (pretty calmly I think) gave her the information that there had been a very bad motorcycle accident at the Osceola Drag strip. At that point, Dave, the County Sheriff, was saying to tell her that we needed the Medi-Vac Helicopter. I relayed that information. She immediately told me that I could not make that medical call as I was not a licensed medical professional. I was trying to explain that we had County Sheriff who was there and I was just passing along information, she then said she had to speak to him personally. I was livid. He was practically standing inside a man's chest and she was really questioning it?!?!? We started yelling for him, he began to walk over. He never made it as something else caught his attention. The operator then had the nerve to tell me that I could have legal ramifications if I was prank calling. Are you kidding me?

Someone else at this point had called 911 as well, someone that worked at the track and was with the man. She was nasty so I hung up. At this point, it was clear that he had not survived. They started calling for tarps and blankets. They sectioned off the area in which he lay and asked everyone to back away from the fence and give the emergency medical people do their jobs. He had been cut open nose to navel by the guard rail, with most of his intestines no longer in his chest cavity. The very first responders to the body watched his heart beat (the actual heart) for the last few rhythms. I remember seeing his buddy who had just gotten to the track run down the track to get his bike and then come back over the fence to see his friend one last time. We went back to the pits, mournful, sick to our stomachs, fighting tears for the man, the stranger. I remember seeing the man's wife sit on the bleachers after she had arrived at the track to find out her husband was dead, sitting there surrounded by people, rocking back and forth crying for her loss.

I watched a man die. I watched the most horrific death that I hope to ever see or hear about. I was there. I'm really having a lot of trouble going to sleep at night and not allowing my mind to rerun that over and over. I've not been eating much. I'm trying to figure out my purpose there. I found it interesting that when I was at church on Wednesday, Dr. Bob said said something about the fact that God doesn't give us pain for no reason. My prayer all week has been that soon the purpose of my witnessing that accident is clear and that I may find peace in it.

I'm praying for the family who lost that man on Sunday. I'm praying for the track personnel who were there and did everything they could in the face of that tragedy. I'm praying for the people who were yelling at them because they weren't administering CPR, as they knew it was to late. (It was later confirmed by the Coroner that his neck had been broken and he would have not survived with any sort of life saving measure...) I'm praying for the mean people who have been saying slanderous things towards the Drag Strip and workers on the Internet. I'm praying.

Day # 2 And The Frustration Is High!

Last night was class #2 of Painting. Lisa and I once again hit the road on our way to Akron, Indiana for painting class. We didn't take any wrong turns and we got there in record time. We were feeling pretty good about ourselves.
That was...right up until we walked in and the instructor, Marilyn, handed us the directions for the night. Goodbye confidence, hello frustration. We had to mix a total of 9 colors. Nearly an impossible task for the novices like us. To top it off, Marilyn was not so magnificant...she just wasn't friendly. Not real helpful. Not real patient. Just not magnificant. ( I probably wouldn't be either after that many women were chasing me around the basement of a church saying, "Is this it? Am I close? What do I need to add?"

After about an hour, we successfully (ok, successfully is stretching it) had our paint mixed and were waiting patiently (ok, maybe patiently is pushing it too) for Marilyn to begin teaching. Well, we waited all night. There was no instruction and hardly any help. It was frustrating! Argh! To top it off...we had to do trees. Trees and Kori do NOT get along. At all. I had blobs. Just green and brown blobs. There were almost tears. We made it out alive...barely. I can't say after night #2 that I'm in love with my painting. Here it is. Just in case you can't tell...so far it's fields with a small barn. This picture...creating this much stress. Ugh.

It's Easy to Forget About The Beauty In Our Own Backyards...

Life. Busy. That about sums up where I'm at. I'm doing my best to live the best life that I can. Unfortunatly, sometimes my life gets way to busy and I start to dread it, rather than enjoy every moment that I'm blessed with. I forget where I am. I forget to look around and be thankful for what I have, where I live, my health, my house, my family..everything. I am in survival mode.

Today was an amazingly georgeous day in the South Bend/Mishawaka area. It's in the 80's. It's October. That just doesn't happen. Dave and I decided to put life on hold and enjoy the day. I'm really grateful that we made the decision to do that. Everything that I should/could/would have been doing was put on the waiting list. That's usually where my enjoyment goes...to the waiting list. Today, we were able to step back, and enjoy the day.

We went down to the East Race to walk around. We enjoyed the sound of the flowing river, we got to sit and watch a turtle for a few minutes, we quickly moved out of the way of passing bicyclists, we chatted with other walkers, we just enjoyed the day. Here are a few pictures of our walk.

Ok, so I admit...this last sign kind of was a smack of reality in the face, but it also made me laugh!a

1 Year Ago Today...

One year ago today, I married my best friend. It's been a weekend of reflections, of giving thanks, of taking trips down memory lane. There has been so much that Dave and I have been faced with this year, and we are so much stronger for it. If given the chance, there are very few things that I would go back and change from our first year together.

Before we married, many people warned us that marriage wasn't easy. Boy, were they right. I have learned more patience and compromise over the past 12 months that I have learned in 29 years. I have also learned so many, many valuable lessons.

Here is just a few of the things I've learned this first year of marriage:

*It feels good to stand in the shadows and let someone else shine

*Being loved unconditionally is the best feeling in the world

*Compromise is hard

*Love is sometimes painful

*Kids are challenging, yet beautiful

*Sleeping with someone isn't always a peaceful night's sleep--especially when they have a small bladder

*All those amazing friends that you pledge you won't stop doing things with, get harder and harder to see

*Sometimes it's best if I'm put in my place and don't get my way-no matter the fit I throw

*Coming home and getting to share my school stories feels good

*Making dinner isn't easy...or always good

*Letting boys have their play dates is sometimes good for me, too

*Doing things alone are sometimes just what I need

*Spending time watching TV with Dave is usually my favorite part of the day

*Being in love is the hardest and most wonderful thing I've ever done

*You have to put 110% effort into your marriage in order for it to be successful

I'm so blessed that Dave is in my life. I thank God everyday for for bringing Dave to me. This first year has been filled with the best times and some of the worst moments of my life. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm a better person for loving my big silly.

Happy Anniversary Dave. I love you forever.

And So The Fun Begins...

My dear friend and I hit the road tonight in search of Akron, Indiana. We've been there many times before...but never on our own. We were equipped with paint, brushes, easels and directions. We were on our way!
We were super successful in our endeavor...not only did we make it, but we found a Dairy Queen along the way!
We made it to the church with 10 minutes to spare, got a second row seat, stole some paint off the instructors palate and pretended like we knew what we were doing. That's pretty much what we do at painting class. Pretend.
Here's what we started out with. I know it's hard to see but the sketching on there put us back a good 10 minutes to start with.We actually had a speedy quick class, and Magic Marilyn only had to assist with mountains...which is pretty much a minor miracle in itself! It was a great night.

Oh yea...and Lisa's mountains are beautiful.

What's Green, Orange, Itchy and Filled With Fun?

The Pumpkin Patch!

My sisters, nephew and I took our annual trip down to Kercher's Sunshine Farm this afternoon to pick apples and find the perfect pumpkins. We had a great time! Here are some pictures from our trip!

A little assistance
was needed to find

and pick the perfect apple!

You know that old saying about upsetting the apple cart?
IT'S TRUE!

We had a great day! I hope we continue this tradition for many years to come!

Um...It Seemed Like Such A Great Idea...

I hate when great ideas go bad. That's exactely what happened. My friend and teaching partner had an amazing idea. We were so excited. The actual project went off without a hitch. It was the final produc that was the problem. Here's the result. See if you can figure it out.... Yep! That's right...my teaching friend's bulletin board looks like a bunch of cute faces with boobs. That's right...boobs. It's not ok. It's not good. We're supposed to be putting this same bulletin board up soon. Uh-oh! Here's a picture of the entire board....not bad when you stand back a good 20-30 feet.

Oh well...some ideas just weren't meant to be!

Who Could Ask For Anything More?

For those of you that read this and know me well, you know that I am the luckiest granddaughter alive. I have two of the most amazing grandparents that anyone could ever ask for!

As Dave and I near the 1 year mark in our marriage, we have constant contact from two of the best role models in the entire world.My grandparents live life right. They know what's going on. They amaze me everyday! They are two of the most special people in the world.

We had the privilege of celebrating 61 years of marriage with them today in Plymouth when we went out for a late lunch/early dinner. 61 years! Awesome...simply awesome! After all the years, laughter, tears and joy, it's inspiring to sit at a table with them and be a witness to their love for one another.

Together they have accomplished so much in their lives. They raised two of the most wonderful people ever born. They also buried both of them. They have been a part of their 6 grandchildren's lives (+2 step grandchildren for a while) every step of the way. They have given us opportunities that none of us would have been able to have without them. They LOVE their 3 great grandchildren. They put everyone else before themselves...I wish I could be more like them.

I've tried to remember all the trips they've taken us on, and I can't even come close to getting them all down. They are the most selfless couple I've ever met. They are amazing.

I love you Grandma and Grandpa! Thank you for being the most amazing role models that anyone could ask for. Happy 61st Anniversary.

100 Days And Counting!

So...in exactely 100 days, I'm going to be on a plane to Florida. I just booked the tickets and I couldnt' be more excited. This year, we are spending Christmas in Florida. Throughout the two weeks, most of the Moroni/Woods/Ornat/Milner clan will be down there at some point or another. I can't wait! Bring on the sunshine! Bring on the pool! Bring on the palm trees! I think I may go start packing!

Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?

I remember the exact day. I remember the exact moment. I remember someone chuckling when he told us that "some idiot" hit the World Trade Center. I remember when that same person teared up when he realized it wasn't an accident.

I remember facing those kids in my class as I was student teaching...trying to pretend the world was okay. I remember my teacher coming and going with updates. I remember forcing the smile...letting them know we were safe. I remember the pit in my stomach as I rushed to the phone to see if my family was safe. I remember hoping for the best, yet preparing for the worst. I remember the day. I remember watching the news at lunch time and seeing everyday people turn into heroes. I remember.


Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?
By Alan Jackson
Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Out in the yard with your wife and children
Working on some stage in LA
Did you stand there in shock at the site of
That black smoke rising against that blue sky
Did you shout out in anger
In fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry
Did you weep for the children
Who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below
Did you burst out in pride
For the red white and blue
The heroes who died just doing what they do
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself to what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Teaching a class full of innocent children
Driving down some cold interstate
Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone
Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her
Did you dust off that bible at home
Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Speak with some stranger on the street
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Go out and buy you a gun
Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watching
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns
Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger
Stand in line and give your own blood
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

The greatest is love
The greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

2 Years Ago Today

Let me set the scene...

It was the 10th of September, 2006. We were at a lake in MI (I think!) It was FREEZING outside. It was rainy. It was a total day of celebration.

2 years ago today, my best friend in the whole wide world and I got to experience something together that I will never forget. No matter how old I am, no matter the circumstances in my life, it was one of those moments that I'm always going to remember.

I will forever remember what it felt like to huddle together in a group with hundreds of other people listening to a man on a balcony telling us he was proud of us.

I will forever remember what it felt like to hear my name announced, followed by my dear friend's name.

I will forever remember what it felt like to take that first step, into the FREEZING lake.

I will forever remember what it felt like to hear our teeth chatter the entire walk.

I will forever remember what it felt like to be linking arms with my dear friend and being hugged by 2 amazing people.

I will forever remember what it felt like to publicly announce that I was accepting Jesus into my heart.

I will forever remember what it felt like to come out of the water feeling what I felt.

I will forever remember what it felt like in that moment.

Clean. Pure. Forgiven. Loved. Protected. Amazed. Blessed.

I am so proud that 2 years ago, my friend and I made the commitment to be baptized.

I am so amazingly grateful that I got to go through this with Lisa.

I Love This Lady!

I have the awesome privilege of working with this AMAZINGLY, BEAUTIFUL, LOVELY Lady each and every day.

I love her.

I love her BUTTON COVERS even more! :)

Just Call Me Betty....Crocker That is!

So...this weekend, Dave and I were the somewhat confused recipients of a zucchini. We found this to be odd as we've never expressed an interest in receiving random zucchinis, nor did we inquire about getting one. But, nonetheless, we were presented with this rather huge zucchini.


Being the stellar cook (choke, choke) that I am, I have NO CLUE what to do with a zucchini. So..guess what? I decided to make bread! Yep...my first ever experience making zucchini bread. If my memory serves me right, my Gramma used to make this when we were little, and I did all I could to steer clear of the stuff. Gross...vegetables in bread...are you serious? I went to the dark side. I put vegetables in bread.


Well, well, well! Just call me Betty...I was pretty darn impressed with my baking skills. I made 6 loaves (don't laugh..they were small pans!) and they all turned out practically perfect if I do say so myself! Even my Hubby liked em! I liked them enough I even took a picture!

(This was after Dave had gotten a hold of one!)

Found It In The Mailbox

Occasionally, when I go to the mailbox, I am surprised to find something other than a bill that I have to pay. It's a good day when that happens...something that isn't junk, something that isn't asking for money.

Today was one of those days. When I went out for the mail, I was excited to see my new NEA Magazine. For those of you not in education that might be reading this, that's a magazine for teachers. I know, I know...pathetic to get excited about such things...but...you do what ya gotta do!

Here are interesting things that I learned while reading my magazine.
*The first Tuesday in May is known as National Teacher Day.
*There are 18 states in which at least one school corporation only goes to school 4 days a week in order to save money on transportation and utilities.
*On average, teachers are paid 15% less than people who are in comparable professions.
*There is a new Chicken Soup For The Soul book coming out that is made to use in the classroom.
*Barack Obama's favorite food is chili.
*An order of Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch from Outback Steakhouse has 2,900 calories in it.
*Snickers is the top choice of people purchasing something out of a vending machine.
*The next choices (in order after Snickers) are: pretzels, animal crackers, peanuts and life savers.
*This was suggested by Stanford University professor Linda Darling-Hammond as a joke...she calls it Classroom Survivor...and it makes me laugh out loud!
"Take 6 business people and drop them into an elementary school. Expect them to teach students with disabilities and others who don't speak English, all while documenting benchmarks and maintaining order. Sadly our new contestants would have to give up their daily golf games. But that won't matter, because they won't be able to afford the green fees on their new salaries!"

Just thought maybe some of you would be interested in my exciting night, reading my magazine!

Who Knew?

So...the other week Dave came home and told me that when he was working in Ligonear, IN, he saw a sign about The Marshmallow Festival! What?!?!?!? How exciting is that. A festival all about marshmallows. Fun! How can you pass up an opportunity such as this?

So yesterday, Jeff, Keely, Dave, I, Kim and Brady loaded up the mini-van and headed down to Ligonear. We arrived just in time for the Bradester to participate in the Marshmallow Olympics. Yep..that's right, the Marshmallow Olympics.

Here are Brady and Mommy

trying their hand at Marshmallow

Putt-Putt. Not an easy task, those

'mallows have a mind of their own.

Nothing like a little Marshmallow
Lacrosse to make your day complete!

Unfortunately, the Marshmallow Olympics was about all that was going on when we got there. The definate highlight was the free bag of marshmallows we got for coming. What's better than marshmallows...especially when their free?!?!?!?! We didn't know what to expect when we got there, so we walked around for a few more minutes and had had enough. We didn't really want to stick around and wait for the vendors to open for the overly priced fair food, so we decided to continue our adventure and go shopping in Shipshewana.

We had a great time walking through the town and in and out of the little shops. It's such a quaint, simple town that forces you to slow down and enjoy! We did! Dave even had time for an extremely short nap!

We had a great time! It was the perfect start to a long Labor Day Weekend!

Just In Case You've Been Hibernating...

There have been some amazing sunsets lately! Here's one that Dave and I saw Friday night about 8:45 up by the mall!

This Kid Has MAD Frisbee Skills. And I Don't.

It Wasn't A Bike Bust...Just An Alteration In Plans

Dave, Keely, Jeff and I decided to make a short road trip on Sunday of this past weekend. Dave suggested that we drive to Warsaw and go biking around Lake Winona. We had the opportunity to do this last summer with some friends and had a fantastic time, so we were looking forward to a great day!

Sadly, upon arriving to the Village of Winona, we found out the bike rental place was closed. There was no explanation on the door, just that they would be reopening Monday at 10. We were bummed. Although this was a very last minute decision, we were really looking forward to it. I immediately thought it was a bike bust. Dave quickly changed my mind and convinced me it wasn't a bust, it was just an alteration in plans.

We decided that although we couldn't ride around the lake, we could still visit the quaint little shops and walk the trails in the awesome nature park they have there. We had a great time. We were even lucky enough to see a baby deer and a cool green frog that we might not have seen if we were riding our bikes.

To the right, you will find the exact reason I love my husband and sister so much. They are map readers. Not me, I just start walking and hope for the best. They take care of me. They read the map so we don't get lost. I appreciate that about them.

Here is some of the scenery we saw along the way. It's a beautiful lake!

Dave was enjoying a refreshing drink from the natural spring!

Check It Out!

So I'm not that techinically suave yet. I haven't figured out how to transfer a picture from one blog to the other.

Click on my classroom blog and check out the picture of the shirt that I have on there.

I love it! It makes me laugh...probably because it's so true.

I Was Beat To The Punch Line...

Argh! I hate when you have those (what you think are the BESTEST ideas in the world) ideas that you think no one can top, only to find out, it's already been done. That's what happened to me tonight. I'm so bummed!

I have this friend...this friend named Lisa. She's just about the best friend anyone can ask for. I was fortunate enough to meet Lisa about 8 years ago. It started out as one of those friend-of-a-friend situations. Long story short...we each got hurt by the mutal friend and ended up together. Something I never thought I would celebrate, but I couldn't be more grateful!

Lisa is one of the people that I know I can tell anything and everything to. I know I'm not going to be judged, I know I'm not going to be laughed at, I know I won't be put down, I know I won't be thought less of. She's one of those forever friends. I can call her laughing and she understands. I can call her crying, and she understands. I can call her and say absolutely nothing, and she understands! She's that kind of friend.

For the past couple of years, Lisa has shown her strength in ways that I'm envious of. She has proven again and again how strong she is, how she can accomplish everything she sets her mind to, how amazing she is. I have learned MANY things from Lisa in the years that I've been blessed to call her my friend.

As I grow older, I'm becoming more and more aware of what real friendship looks like. What it means to have that person in your corner that is willing to do whatever they can for your sake. What it looks like to have a friend that puts you far before themselves. I'm so grateful that Lisa is that kind of friend.

Just like any friendship, we've had struggles, we've had disagreements and we have had loads of laughs. This is the amazing person I had the fortune to "get dunked by the big guy with" at our baptism! I wouldn't have traded that experience for the world. I have so enjoyed our friendship over the years, and can't wait to see where it will take us in the future.

Happy 30th Birthday, Friend. I love you!

I'm Letting Go!

As most of you know, I've been struggling lately. Struggling in a huge way.

Last night was one of those times at GCC that I truly believe Rob was talking to me. It's likely there were 500 other people in the room...but he was talking to me. Everything he said struck a cord, everything he did, he did for me. I'm so thankful I go to a church that knows exactely what I need.

It's time to let go. It's time to trust that better things are yet to come, it's time to fly.

As I was listening to Rob speak last night, I was flipping through my Bible. My dear friend Lisa and I had the opportunity to attend the Women's Retreat last Spring. I believe it was there that I was given this piece of paper that I found in my Bible last night. It has two songs on it. I can't remember if we sang them, or the purpose of the paper...other than me sticking it in my Bible and finding it last night...just when I needed it.

The Heartache that No One Sees

I've carried it around and I've hid it from the light

I've learned how to smile and pretend I'm alright

But I'm tired of this running and I'm tired of the pain

It's the wounds we deny that drive us insane

There is a heartache that no one sees

A frozen tear inside of me

I think tonight I'm going to set it free

Come and heal the heartache no one sees

I'm going down deep to the place that is broken

Going to embrace it, bring it out to the open

And bathe it in His grace

Make peace with the truth that I couldn't face

There is a heartache that no one sees

A frozen tear inside of me

I think tonight I'm going to set it free

Come and heal the heartache no one sees

Take this heartache, take this shame

Melt these tears and let them fall like rain

It's time to let go. It's time to trust that better things are to come. It's time to fly. I know My God will be my catcher. I want to enjoy the ride.

Delightful Doodling

This summer, two of my team members and I took a class for credit to put towards our next round of teaching certifications. We learned very valuable information in the class, one of which has really stuck with me.

We had the opportunity to do the Gregorc Style Delineator--or personality test. I found out that I am ABSTRACT RANDOM! (For those of you that really know me, you're already smiling because you agree!)

Here are the characteristics for Abstract Randoms:
Abstract world of feelings and emotions, viewing time as artificial and restricitive, living in the moment, emotional, psychic, perceptive, holistic, having an inner guidance syster, creating emotional attaachements, having strong relations, caring and good memories (this one doesn't fit me!), strong imagination, likeness for the arts, does not like when people represses feelings, criticism, dogmaticsts, lies, restriction, likes to be in an enviornment that is emotional, rich, active, open and colorful, uses lanugage that is metaphoric, vibrant and lots of body gestures.

With every positive, there must come a negative...here are the negatives about my personality: spacey, wishy-washy, irresponsible, indiscriminate, lazy and revengeful.

I agree with pretty much all of those.

Another team member was the same as I was. It's a pretty accurate account.

The third team member that teaches with us is opposite, in the Concrete Sequential catagory. Just listen to some of these and try to figure out how in the world we all work together so well and love one another so much!

Characteristics of Concrete Sequential: Likes the concrete world of the physical senses, likes step-by-step linear progression, thinking process is instincitive, methodical, deliberate, does not like theories, mixed signals, broken promises, clutter, likes the environment to be neat, clean, quiet, practical, orderly, stable and controlled.

We laughed for quite some time when we all took this test together, figuring Jen and I must drive Kendra absolutely insane.

Here's proof that our personality tests didn't lie. This week, we had our kids get a piece of paper and doodle on it for 10 seconds. We didn't tell them why. After the time was up, they had to pass their paper to another person, and it was that person's job to make something out of the doodle. We had 7 legged elephants, Dr. Suess's World, clouds, bumble bees, anything you can think of. Jen and I were amazed, pleased, awed. Kendra...well, she threw hers away. She thought they were lame, didn't make sense and boring.

I guess that just goes to show you that living outside the box is a lot more fun that looking out from the inside! :0)

First Day Jitters

Yikes! I woke up this morning with those same ol' FIRST DAY JITTERS that I usually experience come some time in August. It was the first day of our new school year.

This year was especially nerve wracking since I had a class of brand new kids...no one that I have had previously. That hasn't happened in quite some time. The good news is that there are only 24 of them in my homeroom...easy cheesy! I'm used to numbers between 30-32.

I went today with high expectations about our first day together...and I wasn't let down. We had an amazing day together. Lots of fun, lots of laughs and lots of learning. I'm really looking forward to the next 179 days of shaping and molding these young minds!

I May Have An Addiction...

So as I was laying around today, I realized something pretty powerful. I may have an addiction...to the OLYMPICS! It just seems like I can't get enough of them. I've even sat through beach volleyball and fencing...not two of my favorites.
I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow when I have to work...this is really going to put a wrench in my addiction. Eeek!

It's Never Easy

As most of you know, this has not been the best summer of my life. Dave and I have been through some pretty rough things over the past couple of months. Not only did we experience the death of closed loved ones, we also had to find ourselves saying goodbye to dear friends.
Our team at school recieved word in the middle of summer that one of our team members was leaving our school to go to Schmucker Middle School. God bless her for loving those middle school kids...they are NOT an easy group to treasure. We have had the pleasure of teaching with Nancy for two years, and she is an amazing educator. She will be greatly missed by her friends at NP, but we wish her well and know that we will see her often.
Last week, towards the end of the week, we recieved word of another team member leaving. This one was a bit harder. Not that Nancy leaving meant less, but Melissa leaving hit deep. I've had the pleasure of teaching with Melissa for 3 years and she is such an amazing person. She has taught me so many of life's lessons since I've gotten to know her. One of the biggest lessons she's taught me is of God's love. She is deep into her religion and her faith is inspiring. Her and Nathan, her husband, were the host and hostess for Dave and I's wedding. She did a reading. They were the perfect fit. She is just an awesome lady. Nathan has worked hard for many years at Notre Dame on his Doctorate and graduated in May. While we all knew them moving away was a possibility, none of us wanted to believe it would be so soon. They recieved word last week they were going to Pittsburgh for a super opportunity for Nathan's work. This is such a good move for them...such a loss for us! I am going to miss Melissa more than words can say. She brought laughter and love into every situation she was involved in. I hope that distance does not get in the way of our friendship!
Just when we thought there was nothing else that we could/wanted to deal with...our favorite teacher's aide came in to school to resign. Again...great move for her and her family...bad loss for us. Good news--her son's in my class this year! HOORAY for me! I can't wait to have her and her husband as parents in my room...guaranteed to have at least one set that will be delightful!
Today, we had the opportunity to go to lunch with these fine ladies to thank them for their service to us and our kids. Saying goodbye is so hard. I hate it. I left by saying good luck to all, and good bye to none...I refused. I'm putting my foot down to anymore good byes...they are getting old. I wish all three of them the best...and hope that our friendship continues to grow and blossom, even through the miles!

Help For The Hurting

There have been some events today that have got me thinking. I hope that when I leave this world, people (or at least one person) can look back and say something along the lines of, "Man...she was a great friend, good person, etc.) I kinda take pride in my friendships and being a person that other people can trust and count on. Today is a day that I'm afraid that won't be said.
I have a friend who is going through a REALLY rough time right now. As a matter of fact, her life just kinda sux right now, and she has been handling it better than anyone is giving her credit for. She is one of the strongest people I know, and doesn't believe in herself nearly as much as she should. She has taken the world by storm, proved to many people that she is strong and brave...and she is hurting. I hate that she is hurting. I hate it even more that I can't do a dang thing about it, or take her pain away. It's so frustrating to see someone you love and care about hurting. That's what I see when I see her. It is such a bummer. She deserves the best out of this world, and she's playing with a really bad hand right now. I wish I knew what to say, what to do, how to act, take her pain away...and I can't.
I hope she knows how much I love her and that I will always be here for her.

Why Can't We Just Catch A Break?

There's that old saying, "When It Rains, It Pours." That pretty much sums up our life right now. It seems like Dave and I can't catch a break to save our lives.
With everything going on lately, we set aside a chunk of time last night to just be together...we wanted to do something fun, so we decided to go to the Tri-Way Drive In down in Plymouth. Shortly before we were ready to take off, I let Reese out to go potty.
Let me break and back up a bit here...Reese is our approximately 9 month old Dachsund. We got her in March. She has a very strong bond with Dave...she very clearly was the male's dog from the family we got her from. Reese has put quite the challenge upon us lately, she has managed to find every teeny tiny hole in our back fence that she has been able to wiggle through. Right now, we have 6 extra pieces of fence put up along our existing fence, 2 places of chicken wire stuff that blocks off our shed and behind it, because that was her favorite place to escape and lots of rocks and bricks shoved under the fence to avoid her escape tactics. We have been feeling quite successful, as we have had 2 straight days of not running away. Even when she ran away, she would come back in about 20 minutes, waiting for us at the back door.
Well last night when we were outside, I was reading a note that my principal sent in the mail and looked up in time to see her tail just make it through the smallest-never-should-have-been-able-to-fit-through-hole in the fence. I immediately began the search. Dave came out to help and we yelled, and yelled, and yelled and yelled...to no avail. We searched and searched but could not find her anywhere.
We had a decision to make, go to the movie and trust she would come home, or skip the movie and keep yelling and searching. We BOTH agreed that she had always come home before, she would again and we had searched for about 40 minutes already. We went out the neighboorhood the backwards way, still hoping to catch a glimpse of her from the car. Nothing.
We went to the movie. We had a great time. We saw Step Brothers and Hancock. Getting ready to leave at 1:30 and the car was so dead it wouldn't even turn over. They assured us that leaving the key on just far enough to play the radio for sound does NOT drain the battery...I think maybe they lied. It was so late, it was so cold and the car was so dead. It took Dave and one of the workers about 15 minutes to get enough juice to it to start it up. Finally on our way home, we were anxious to see if Reese was waiting for us.
We again went the long way so we could do one more check. We found her. She was directly outside the hole she had managed to get out of. Unfortunatley, she never made it back in. She had been hit by a car and was dead on the side of the road.
2:30 am last night was when we buried our dog. This sux. Why can't we just get a break!?!

My Time To Shine, My Place To Dream!

We're here in Ohio....Basket capital of the world! My sisters, nephew and sister's Mother In Law are in Columbus for the annual Longaberger Basket convention. They call it the BEE! Here are a few pictures from our trip so far...

Our navigator....scary!

She was supposed to be the real navigator!

Our first encounter with one of the "Bee Boys" up close.