Monday, February 7, 2011

Family

My siblings and I have always been super close. Yes, we have had our share of disagreements, but for the most part, we have always loved spending time together. Sometimes, we can be a bit overwhelming when we all get together. When Craig asked my parents for their blessing, Mom made reference to this. She said that some people did not know how to handle the four of us, but he was fine just sitting back and watching. We are crazy and LOVE to reminisce, but we have strong bonds that are rare in some families.

I know if I need anything I could call Adam, Luke, or Bethany at any moment, and they would drop everything to help. As we were growing up, so many people asked my parents what they did to make us act that way. I always thought our close bonds developed over our LONG car trips to Virginia (and everywhere else), having one television in our entire house, sharing bedrooms, eating dinner together at the table every night, and many more things we did. However, what I realize more and more now is that our close bonds run much deeper. I believe the closeness we share has more to do with family history than the day to day happenings in my house.

Over the weekend, I attended the funeral of my great uncle. Uncle Tock was my grandmother's brother. Grandma was one of ten children. From the time I was little, I can remember driving down my grandmother's road and learning of a different family member who lived in almost every house along the road. It was crazy!! Grandma and her siblings share very close bonds. I think my mom and my aunt witnessed those bonds and passed them down to their families. Now, I can see what rich family history we have.

My uncle's health started failing. After his wife's death, everyone soon realized he could not live alone. So, his brother and sister-in-law moved in his house and became his caretakers. I think most people would overlook their sacrifice, but I have been amazed by their example of love. I am so blessed to have grown up with this great example of love and service to others. I am blessed to share bonds with my siblings that many people do not have. Thank you Grandma for showing us how to love and serve others. Thank you Mom for seeing this wonderful gift and sharing it with your children. Thank you Adam, Luke, and Bethany for continuing in this history!

Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Looking Forward To...

  • Dinner Tomorrow Night!! One of my New Year's resolutions was to be more organized with our dinners. I try to plan the meals in advance and cook at least one new recipe each week. So far, things have been going well. Last week, Craig said to leave Thursday night to him. He's on call tonight, so I'm looking forward to our dinner (that he is taking care of) tomorrow night!

  • Meeting Baby Jackson!! My friend, Codi, had her baby yesterday, and I can't wait to meet him. I really wish I could have been there, but thankfully I received lots of text messages. I can't wait to see his sweet little face and see his beautiful mommy!!

  • Spending Time with my Family!! We're making a quick trip to Florence this weekend to spend some time with my Grandma and my parents. We haven't seen them since New Year's, so I am excited!

  • Wednesday Nights!! I am starting a new Bible study with some wonderful women. It's Beth Moore's "Stepping Up: A Journey through the Psalms of Ascent." We watched the introductory video tonight, and I can't wait to learn more with this study!

Monday, January 31, 2011

Happy Birthday to You...


Happy Birthday to my Mother-in-Law!!
Today is Mrs. Carolyn Wright's birthday, and we just wanted to take a minute to wish her a very happy birthday. She is a blessing in all of our lives, and we are so thankful for her. She is so thoughtful and loves to give to others!! She LOVES to host parties and decorate for all occasions. We hope you had a wonderful day, because that is what you deserve!! Happy Birthday!! We love you!!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Snow Days

January has been a crazy month at school.

Week 1: Students came Tuesday-Friday.
Teachers reported Monday for in-service.
Week 2: Students came Tuesday-Friday.
We were out on Monday for SNOW!
Week 3: Students came Tuesday-Thursday.
We were out on Monday for MLK holiday,
and on Friday, we had more SNOW!
(I enjoyed staying in my pajamas all day and finishing "Safe Haven" by Nicholas Sparks. Craig was post-call, so it was fun to be home together. We watched "The Social Network," which we both really enjoyed. I think we could both get used to days like this!)
Week 4: As of now, students came Monday & Tuesday.
We were out today for more SNOW!!

I am enjoying my Snow Days, but I am still waiting for that REALLY good one. You know the kind where it won't melt after a few hours. The kind where we could be out for a couple of days straight. The kind that provides great snowball fights, big snowmen, and lots of sledding!! Oh well, I will be content with the beauty we have received so far.

I am also needing some stability in my classroom. It has been very hard to get back into routine. Every time my students hear or see snow, they automatically think school is out. It has been hard to keep them focused. Even when we are at school there are numerous interruptions- field trip, Spelling Bee, vision & hearing testing, group pictures, etc. What a crazy month!!

Today I plan to relax and enjoy my Snow Day. After all, we have only been given today!!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Hot Springs

Another trip for the record books.
On the past Turkey trips, we have flown to our destinations. This year we decided a Road Trip would be fun. Let's just say...next year we will probably fly again!
Our ride for the weekend.
Thanks Mr. Jablonski!!YUM!! Chick-fil-A breakfast...a great way to start our trip!Rebekah and Rylan met us for breakfast on Saturday. It was so good to see them!!

In Memphis, we were delayed 30 minutes due to road construction. However, that was not the end of our road troubles. In Arkansas, we were lucky to find another route to avoid this back-up. The interstate was completely stopped for at least ten miles. After a few more stops (one where we witnessed a drug deal on the side of the road), we FINALLY arrived in Hot Springs. After grabbing lunch and finding out that the bath house was closed, we headed to our cabin. This was the cabin we reserved for the weekend. It was nice for the three hours we were there. Before dinner, we noticed the shower was not working. We made some calls and were told the problem was fixed. We picked up some ice cream and movies after dinner and headed back to the cabin.
Let's just say when we returned the problem was not any better. On top of the shower not working, the toilet decided it needed a break, too. We took some funny pictures in the cabin before saying good-bye. It was a crazy night, but we had a lot of laughs!Our upgrade: A 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath Condo on the Lake.On Sunday, we found a cute little spot for breakfast. The restaurant will be featured in Southern Living in the Spring. We walked around and shopped a little before returning to the condo for pizza and movies.
Another amazing trip with some amazing friends!!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Weekend Trip

It's that time of year for my annual Turkey Trip. Two years ago, seven us boarded a plane and headed to Chicago. Last year, four of us flew to Kansas City to spend the weekend with Kristen.
Tomorrow five of my besties will arrive, and then we'll leave on Saturday for Hot Springs!!
Me, Sarah, Jenny, Meaghan, Emily, Betsy, and Kristen
Chicago 2009Kristen, Emily, Me, Jenny, and Betsy
Kansas City 2010
a.k.a The City of Statues

This is one of my favorite weekends of the year. I love these girls and always look forward to the time we get to spend together. I'm also looking forward to using my new camera (thanks Mom & Dad), so be on the lookout for an update on our trip as well as new (and hopefully better) pictures.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Snow Day!!

The rumor: 3-5 inches of snow on Monday
The dilemma: I did not want to get my hopes up, only to be disappointed Monday morning.

Sunday night around 9 Bethany called to chat. She bragged about the warm weather and her trip to the beach. I gave her the prediction from our local weather channel. I was jealous of her warm weather. After we hung up, Tucker decided he needed to go out. When we opened the door to let him back in, the snow was coming down! A few minutes later I received the news from school that we would be closed the following day!! Suddenly, I was not tired and felt like staying up late to read. I was also no longer jealous of Bethany's warm weather!!
This was the beautiful sight I woke up to on Monday morning. Craig left early for work while I continued to snooze in the warm bed. A couple of hours later he called to say that he would be off the rest of the day, which made my day. When he got home, he took Tucker for a morning walk and cooked me breakfast. I could get use to days like this!! We spent the rest of the day relaxing and catching up on projects around the house. The snow was beautiful. I just wish it would have stayed a little longer. Until our next snow day...