Currently My Top List

Here are a few things I have either been doing or thinking...

1.Missing my girlfriends (and now their husbands) from High School/youth group/College
2. Enjoyed a relaxing weekend with our dearest friends at Lake Nocona.
3.Working with some amazing teens from our youth group. Go Reagan! Go Johnson! Go SVH!
4. Loving on my new class of ESLers, Refugees, and LEPers. Love them all.
5. Stretching myself to teach all levels of reading and math skills.
6. Checking on our house progress....slooooowwww like a turtle.
7. Excited to meet our new neighbors to be.
8. Learning and focusing to be a better disciple of Christ..."Bigger Than You"
9. Promoting our photography to my campus
10. STARTING the AMERICANS GIRLS CLUB for third graders!!!!
11. Involved in Student Council, Mentor teacher for UTSA teachers, new club leader,
ESL teacher, and youth group leader!

Dreamy

Summer is almost over. This is my last Friday of PEACE, STRESS FREE, DEADLINES, and DEMANDS.

What did I do...Talked on the phone to Tabby for an hour (still in my pj's), ate lunch, read some school material, fell asleep, watched a movie, and here I am. Now don't be jealous and think I have the life made. I did some days, but this week I was up at school pulling everything out of my closet, drawers, and cubbies. Thanks to Colby and Courtney, I was able to get a lot of time consuming stuff done. It looks good...even better than last year.

Anyhow, people alllllllll around me are having little babies. About 10 people that I know of! I am glad it is there time so I can watch and learn. I know my time will come. However, I can't wait till I have a baby that I will love more than words can express. In the meantime I wanted to see how I would look with a pregnant belly. In this picture I have nice body, cute belly, tan skin, long, wavy, brown hair...I look just like Hallie Berry!

Preview!

I Can't Believe It!

In just about 3 weeks I will have little shinning faces at my classroom door at 7:35 in the morning! My summer has just been great and full of relaxation, too good that I don't want them to come.
Last year was my first year in my OWN classroom, and I had nightmare about the first seconds and day of school. I would wake myself up to just get away from the stress and anxiety. I kept telling myself after this year it will be nothing and no more nightmares! WRONG!!! They are back. This time it is about my new class not comparing to my "other" kids. Even though they were trying so hard by going above and beyond at looking busy, following directions, completing their task, and being respectful...it was a disaster! I was so frustrated that I just wanted to ring their necks! I even had two dreams back-to-back, or you can call it a sequel to dream #1. I was not prepared for the first day of school. I just showed up that Aug 24 with nothing...Unlike me!
I guess every year will be like this. Teachers get nerves like the kids do, well this teacher does, maybe I am the only one.

The teacher stores have been hit up, the books have be cracked to better my instruction this year, and my plans are on their way for yet another successful year. Now, I can't say how long my excitement will last ,and if/when the new books will get pushed aside. Nor how long it will be when I am tredding waters some days/weeks just to get by. Even when the mounds of paper work will fill my desk yet another year.

Pray for my little new 4th graders. May they work well together, respect each other, always work hard to their potential, love to learn, a be a good group of kids that mesh well together behavior wise...May I be what they need from me, may I be their comfort, may I speak the words that Christ would to them (that they would see Christ in me.)

Here is to another year!

More Photography

Alison's Bridals

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Photography

Here is some of our work from this summer:

The Sauls Wedding

I will add more of our work such as babies, families, bridals, engagements, and wedding later...this just took too long.

Saying Farewell

It is hard to have such great people in your life that motivate, encourage, challenge, keep you accountable, and lead you in your walk, and in the end say good-bye/or see you again. Our life group leaders, Chad and Nicki, are moving to California and have been preparing to leave our group for sometime. Even though it seems like yesterday that they informed us of the possibilities, the day has come to say farewell.

They really do have a servant's heart and will do amazing things for the people in Vacaville. God has a new agenda for them to start work on in a new location. It's has if their job here is done and we as a group are ready to fly. We may not see it now, but I know there will come a day when the remaining members will say, "That is why Chad and Nicki were placed especially for us."

I will always remember our first dinner with them at Stone Werks, the hilarious games we played, the leadership, the friendship, and most importantly I will never forget their hearts to every single member in our life group.

Chad and Nicki, you will be fantastic parents to however many babies you will have! ( I really think we ALL need to do a couples baby shower for you two up in Cali!

Here is our final blessing to you:
"May the road rise up to meet you, May the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and the rain fall softly upon your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hallow of his hands." -Irish Blessing