Sheesh!

So technically I should be finishing my love story from the other day (week!) ago, but frankly I don't have the time!

Sitting in church today waiting for the pastor to finish his 20 minute "review" of the previous 6 weeks, I made a quick list of the various things that have monopolized all my time this month. 

Some good, some bad, some annoying, some not. 

Some were things you probably also had to devote time to and some things you probably would never devote time to but read through and see what you see!

A - appointments. Let me tell you. Eye doctor = 1. Orthodontist =2.

Dentist = 5. Yep. 5. Can't wait until those bills start to roll in!

B - basketball. This last Saturday was the final 3 games of the season and I can finally claim Saturday mornings for myself again.

C - changing crews/court/Mandatory Mondays/SWAT training = all of it equals Mark working A LOT. This last week he worked Monday through Friday (each a 12 hour shift). We were all tired. 

D - dodgeball Club. Each Thursday Caleb does Dodgeball Club where 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders meet in the gym for an hour (supervised) and play a different form of dodgeball each week. Caleb loves it more that peanut butter.

E - early mornings. In the spirit of getting ready for some races I am getting up each morning at 5 so that I have time to go to the gym while Mark is home with the boys. Makes me yawn around 7:30 at night but I do like getting it done and over with. 

F - Foster Care. Mark and I along with the boys have been brainstorming ways that we can give back to others. We all feel so blessed with everything that we have, that we have decided to open up our home for kids who need a stable and safe place to stay for a while. We have started the mountains of paperwork, had our first meeting with DHS, and have got things rolling. Right now we are limiting it to only 2 children and they have to be between the ages of 3 - 8. We'll see what the Lord has planned for us there!

G - grants. Our property is lined on 2 sides with McKay creek and that means we are eligible for a grant that brings people in and plants trees along our banks to help with erosion. Next month we begin the process of planting 500 aspen trees. There may be some willow as well and Mark just said a few evergreens may show up. We have had to secure deer fencing for this project as well as plan out our irrigation system for the pasture and these trees. 

H - house projects - Owen's room is where we are currently at and it has been pretty bare. We are working on a hunting/fishing/family theme in there and we have a few finishing touches to do before I put up pictures. 

I - investments. As per our goals for the year, it was time to start up our investments again. We stopped while we were building but that retirement is important along with the kids' college funds so it was time. More meetings and phone calls but everything is rolling now. 

J - jogging. Lots and lots of jogging. Now that the weather has been nice (er) I have been running outside as much as I can - including as many hills as I can!

K - kids. I have 29 students right now. 1 severely autistic, 1 on a major behavior plan, 1 with diabetes, 6 on IEP's, 1 recently abused, and all needing my every spare minute of attention and love. EX-HAUSTING I tell ya! EXHAUSTING!

L - legacies. Still helping people change their family trees each Wednesday night while doing the Dave Ramsey class. This is a great group and I am so happy to be a part of their journey towards a lifetime change!

M - meetings, meetings and more meetings! Before school, after school and yes - often during my only prep of the day. 

N - nothing. I've got nothing for the letter N!

O - orthodontist. We are practically best buds now and he and Mark have planned some hunting trips we see him so often. I told Mark to smooze as much as he can so we might see some discounts soon! Spacers and braces are expensive!

P - Pendleton Classifieds. I rarely am on facebook but when I am this is the page I go to. I have been selling stuff on this page like crazy and have now made over $400. That's my kind of web site!

Q - nothing again!

R - report cards. Report card time = lots and lots of assessments = lots of correcting and time.

S - sprinklers. We (I am loosely using the word here as it is much more Mark than I) have been planning and planning the sprinkler system for the pasture. It is complicated and expensive but I do believe Mark and I will be gearing up to put it in the first few weeks of March.

T - technology. Trainings, trainings and more trainings!

U - unexpected company. We have had some wonderful evenings with friends stopping by! No complaints here!

V - video taping, admin. walk-throughs, technology walk-throughs, learning walks. All of these things have meant a lot of people in my classroom and me making sure my lessons are all top notch!

W - World War Z - the book that my book club is going to read for next month. Now just to find the time to read it again!

X - x-rays. We had an emergency dental appointment on a Saturday that took 2 and 1/2 hours. Ask Mark about it sometime he isn't carrying his gun. Oh, and please send me money to help pay that bill! It's a doozy!

Y - nothing!

Z - zumba. My favorite class at the gym. I rarely get to go but when I do, I have way too much fun! The boys have gone to the kids zumba a couple of times and they love it too! 

That is where my month has gone! Still searching for the fine balance of being a great mother, wife and teacher and keeping my sanity in the process! Wish me luck!

True Love - Part 1

 

Valentine's Day...

 

I remember when I was 13 and getting ready for the Sweethearts dance. I was in love with a boy named Jeremy Ashbeck and I just hoped and prayed and fretted that he would ask me to dance. Not just any dance mind you. A slow dance. And not just any song. The song had to be "Take My Breath Away" from Top Gun. It was my favorite song and the height of romance for my little 13 year-old mind.

 

At the dance, I practiced in my head over and over what I would do and say if Jeremy actually asked me to dance. I watched him out of the corner of my eye and of course every single one of my girlfriends stared at him for me and reported to the nth detail what he was doing and who he was talking to.

 

Finally.

Finally.

He came over and asked me to dance. I can only wonder at the courage of that then 13 year-old boy. To saunter over to a gaggle of girls and inquire politely if one of them would like to dance. I couldn't have done it. No way, no how.

 

But he did. And while I didn't swoon, I sure wanted to because just as he was leading me to the dance floor, my favorite song began to play.

Take my breath away.

 

In my bed later that night, I replayed every single moment of that night over and over and after the 59th time, I swore to myself that it had to be the most romantic thing that would ever happen to me.

 

At the ripe old age of 34 now, I still think back to that night and replay the whole breathlessness of the situation. I think about it and smile.

Jeremy Ashbeck certainly won my heart for that night but Mark, now Mark is the one who has won my heart for a lifetime.

 

I shared last year an example of how Mark knows just the right way to love me.

In case you missed that shining example, look here.

 

Valentine's Day...

 

I thought it was time to share another story of how Mark loves me like no other man can.

 

                          This next story takes place at the hospital.

My water had broke at home while I was laying down trying to get comfortable with the bowling ball in my stomach later to be know as Caleb. My bag had already been packed a week earlier and so we grabbed it and threw it into the car. Mark kept talking and we were both giddy with excitement at the thought that our baby was finally on the way.

Before the night was to be over, we would have vomit, spraying blood and gas. All different kinds of gas...




End of Part 1
 

 

Ignorance = Bliss

 

Wits and Wagers is my new favorite game.

It doesn't hurt that I am gooood at it - be warned!

I play to win (and wager apparently!).

 

 

I have decided that I would like one of these please.

 

 

I need squooshy cheeks, rosebud mouths and diaper bottoms crawling around in footie-jammies again.

 

I will even take food faces...

I want to rewind the years a wee bit and have my own boys become 3 and 4 again.

 

 

I would like for Mercy to smile more when I take her picture.

Girlfriend's looking a little scary.

And a little slobbery.

 

 

I would like for Kye to live forever. The sweetest, most patient, gentlest dog ever. She is starting to show her age and I don't like it one little bit.

Not that she looks old.

The fact that she is getting old.

 

 

More sunshine = more walks.

 

 

More walks = more guns that the boys bring to the park in order to do battle.

They are starting to pack backpacks now along with their holsters and belts, hidden knives and swords. The backpacks contain all the "good stuff".

 

Or so I'm told.

 

I've chosen not to look.

 

That's me - Ignorance = Bliss.