My Favorite Time of Year is Here

I cannot believe it has been over two months since I last posted! My life has been more hectic than I ever remember. Teaching just takes up so much of my time and energy, which is why I am thrilled to be off for the next two weeks! I became a new "aunt" again today! My dear friend, Brooke, had her baby boy, Grady, early this morning! I can't wait to meet the little guy! Tonight, Tim's family flies in to DFW. Val and her friend Cami are going to stay at our house tonight, while Steve and Karin drive to Cleburne to see Karin's family. On Christmas Eve, the whole Kerby clan (Steve, Karin, Val, Matt, Ian, and Matt's girlfriend, Hope) will be coming to stay at our house. We cannot wait! Both of our families will be together for Christmas for the first time and I am super excited to have everything at my house.

My sister flew in from Los Angeles last Thursday night and it was great to get to spend some time with her! She left yesterday to pick up her husband, Todd, from the airport and the two of them were on their way to visit his family in Wichita Falls. They will be back on Christmas Eve, along with my brother, for all of the festivities!

Yesterday was a momentous occasion for me. I spent the past two months rehearsing for our Candlelight Christmas program at church. Even though I went to rehearsals, I wasn't sure that I could actually sing in front of the church due to my anxiety. Of course, I stood on the end of the risers in case I needed to exit, but thankfully, that did not happen! I sang with everyone during the morning service and during our evening performance and to top it off, I sang on praise team yesterday for the first time since I left Virginia!! Some of you may not understand, but these are HUGE accomplishments for me and I owe it all to God working in my life!

As many of you know, Tim was laid off in October and has been looking for a job. Thankfully, the company he works for has allowed him to work there at about half the pay until he finds something. He has applied for a 911 dispatcher position and has been through a couple of rounds of the interview process. He will interview again in January and we pray that they will offer him the job. This would allow him to work and also pursue the Texas certification for paramedic/firefighter. Please keep him in your prayers!

Below are some pictures I have taken of our house with our decorations up. We had our entire class from church (about 50 people) over for dessert as part of a Progressive Dinner and ornament exchange. It was a blast! Merry Christmas to all of you!

I'm Still Here

Wow! I don't know if I've ever gone that long without a blog post! I have thought about writing many times, but have never been as busy as I've been since school started. I've had the constant feeling of just trying to keep my head above water so I don't drown in my numerous to-do lists. I definitely work more hours per week than I did in the corporate world, but for the most part, I enjoy it. I definitely want to add more, but I need to get to bed. Not to be the bearer of bad news, but I would like to ask that you keep me and Tim in your prayers. Just as we were getting out of the financial/job slump we've been in the past two years, Tim found out last Monday that he is being laid off. Surprisingly, we are taking this news pretty well. I think we have learned a lot over the past two years and we know that God will see us through this, just as he has through everything else. Our entire church is doing an in-depth study of Joseph and the trials he faced. Although God was silent for a long time, he was always with Joseph, and he continues to be with us. Just keep us in your prayers because we know He is listening to His children. Hope to update you with more info soon! One more thing...Happy birthday to Karin, the best mother-in-law in the world!!

One Week Down

Well, I survived my first official week of teaching! Hopefully, there won't be another week quite as hard as this one. The first day of school was ok, but it didn't go as smoothly as I expected it to. I think I was still feeling like a substitute, trying to figure everything out. Plus, those of you who know me well, know that I have high expectations and don't cut myself much slack. I didn't realize just how little the school had prepared us for things like how the lunchroom works, what door to go out for recess, how dismissal works, etc. I felt like a fish out of water, because I was supposed to be leading the kids and yet, I didn't have a clue! Thankfully, the day did go by fast just like my team told me it would. I have 18 students this year...12 boys and only 6 girls! I wouldn't wish this on anyone. I have two boys who wear me out constantly and are going to be a year-long project. Other than that, I have a really sweet class. At the end of the first day, one of the parents brought me dinner from this really nice cafe. How thoughtful is that?! On day two, another girl brought me a large Dr. Pepper from Sonic first thing in the morning. I so needed that! I can tell that I will probably get a bit spoiled from this upper middle class group!

Wednesday was the worst. The kids tested me all day long and I felt that I was constantly having to get on to them. Nothing was working...they just didn't care. It wasn't fun for any of us and once the day was over, I just broke down in tears. I felt like the worst teacher ever and just couldn't imagine making it through this entire school year. My team was really supportive and helped me think through ways to make the situation better. On Thursday, instead of getting on to them so much, I looked for kids who were doing the right thing and rewarded them like crazy with tickets (the system I'm using in my class). It really seemed to make a difference and Thursday and Friday were much better. Unfortunately, I started feeling sick on Thursday and by the end of the day on Friday, I was miserable. I came home and slept for about 17 hours!! I'm pretty sure I have a sinus infection, which is just no fun, especially this early on in the school year. We are off for Labor Day on Monday, but that is the only break I have until Thanksgiving. I can assure you that I will be taking a "mental health day" sometime between now and then!

I will leave you with some pictures of my classroom. I decorated with Mary Engelbreit and went with a kingdom/knight theme since our school mascot is a knight.

Just outside my classroom



Their cubbies

Science and Social Studies Bulletin Boards



Lunch count, compliment bag, mailboxes

Reading Nook

Class Library

Word Wall

Calendar, Jobs, Math Wall

Front of Class

My desk and files

Just a Quick Update...

Life has been just a bit crazy for me lately! I got a call from my principal a week and a half ago letting me know that unfortunately, I wasn't going to be teaching first grade this year. Instead, she had to assign me to the third grade team due to some staffing changes. I told her that it would be fine (and it will), but inside I was tensing up. For those of you who don't know, third grade is the year that students in Texas are introduced to the TAKS tests (the state exams). It is a big deal here and quite a bit of pressure, especially for a new teacher. On the bright side, I will be on the same team as my friend from church, Crystal, who got hired at the same time as I did. She is new to third grade and to this district, so we are going through this together. The other good thing is that third graders are able to do more independently, read fun chapter books, and still like their teachers. As you can see, I am really working hard to think positively. I'm just thankful to have a job and I know that the other teachers will help me when I need it.

I spent all of last week trying to get my room ready in a building without air, while the temperature was around 100 degrees outside everyday. I don't think I've ever sweat so much in my life!! I lucked out in that I have a large classroom with a window, which is considered prime real estate at my school. I have decided to do a Mary Engelbreit/castle theme with the room...I love ME stuff and we are the Knights, so it all works together. I'll have to post pictures once it is all finished. This week I am in New Teacher training, next week is Staff Development for everyone, and then we start school on the 25th! Please keep me in your prayers as this date approaches. More to come when I have some energy!

Fun Times with Avery

As most of you know, I have been working as a nanny this summer for my friend's little newborn girl, Avery. She is the sweetest baby...I just can't get enough of her! Her mom asked me if I could watch her yesterday and then keep her overnight because she and her husband had a work event to attend. I was really excited about being a pretend mommy for a little over 24 hours. She brought her to my house yesterday morning around 10am and we had lots of fun in between feedings and naps. Then last night, I met Tim, my brother, my mom, and my grandma for dinner at Salt Grass. She was so enthralled with all of the people and the lights that she didn't even scream when I took her bottle away to burp her (which is her typical routine)! We brought her home and gave her a bath in the sink for fun before getting her ready for bed. She was asleep by 9 and slept until about 6:30 this morning. Of course, I got up a few times last night to put her paci back in her mouth so she wouldn't stir so much and make noises. Tim didn't even hear her! It must be a maternal instinct to hear babies. Anyway, she was in a great mood this morning too! I hated to have to give her back to her mom just after noon. Luckily, I think we will get to do this again sometime and I am thankful that the experience only made me want my own even more!! Here are a few cute pictures we took with her.


Just waking up


I'm ready to play, Jill!


Tim and Avery


All dressed up for dinner


Naked Baby


I love bath time!


Don't try to make me laugh Tim! I'm serious!


Tim feeding me my bottle


Avery and Jill


My Jill loves me!

Gone to be with God

This past Saturday, my cousins' uncle, Bobby Murcer, passed away after a battle with brain cancer. Bobby is best known for his baseball career with the Yankees, but to them he was just Uncle Bobby. I remember telling people when I was a kid that I was related to him, when actually that's a little stretch of the truth! I last saw him about a year ago at my cousin Robin's wedding and although he was still sick, he seemed to be doing much better. Unfortunately, he recently took a turn for the worse. I am thankful that God gave him the time that He did, though, and that Bobby is no longer in any pain. I pray that God will comfort his wonderful wife, Kay, his kids and their families, and my three cousins.

The Shack

So, I just finished reading The Shack by William Young this past weekend. Have any of you read it? It will definitely make you think and I recommend it...just be prepared to keep an open mind and let it challenge you. The section of the book that hit closest to home was this part where Jesus and Mack were conversing:

"When I dwell with you, I do so in the present - I live in the present. Not the past, although much can be remembered and learned by looking back, but only for a visit, not an extended stay. And for sure, I do not dwell in the future you visualize or imagine. Mack, do you realize that your imagination of the future, which is almost always dictated by fear of some kind, rarely, if ever, pictures me there with you?"

"...You try and play God, imagining the evil that you fear becoming reality, and then you try and make plans and contingencies to avoid what you fear."

Boy, is that me!! For the most part, I live my life in the future and am fearful. It's true...when I think about the things that I fear the most, I do not picture Jesus there with me. I only picture me, failing at whatever life throws my way. Whenever I am not focused on the future, I am dwelling in the past and thinking about the person I used to be, the accomplishments that I had, and how I lived my life before the anxiety attacks came. I'm still me, I just can't do all that I once did and that makes me sad. I miss that version of me and I hope I'm that person again one day. Back to The Shack...

When Mack asked why he had so much fear in his life, Jesus replied, "Because you don't believe. You don't know that we love you. The person who lives by their fears will not find freedom in my love. I am not talking about rational fears regarding legitimate dangers, but imagined fears, and especially the projection of those into the future. To the degree that those fears have a place in your life, you neither believe I am good nor know deep in your heart that I love you. You sing about it, you talk about it, but you don't know it."

Ouch! He got me there. I don't think it occurred to me that all of this boils down to the fact that I don't truly know how much He loves me and that he will protect me. It's not all up to me. I don't have to do this by myself, but it's so hard to just turn it over to Him...fully. Ok, there's a lot more sections that I liked, but I think I'll stop here for now. Let me know your thoughts if you read it too!

What books have you read?

I got this list from Margie and Shayna. I think I've read 12 of them.

The Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they've printed. Bold the ones that you have read.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien

3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling

5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

6 The Bible (I'm not sure I've read every word.)

7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell

9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman

10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens

11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott

12 Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

14 Complete Works of Shakespeare

15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier

16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien

17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks

18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger (I wrote a paper on this, but read the Cliff's Notes!)

19 The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

20 Middlemarch - George Eliot

21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell

22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald (LOVE this book!)

23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens

24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy

25 The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh

27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens

33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis

34 Emma - Jane Austen

35 Persuasion - Jane Austen

36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
- CS Lewis

37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini (I am just borrowing this one from my mom.)

38 Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres

40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne

41 Animal Farm - George Orwell

42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving

45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery (great memories from my childhood!)

47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy

48 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding

50 Atonement - Ian McEwan

51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel

52 Dune - Frank Herbert

53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons

54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth

56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon

60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov

63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt

64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac

67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

68 Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding

69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie

70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville

71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

72 Dracula - Bram Stoker

73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson

75 Ulysses - James Joyce

76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome

78 Germinal - Emile Zola

79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray

80 Possession - AS Byatt

81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker

84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro

85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert

86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

87 Charlotte's Web - EB White

88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom

89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton

91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery

93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks

94 Watership Down - Richard Adams

95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole

96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute

97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas

98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare

99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

It's In the Water

No, it's not in my water, but it certainly is in a lot of my friends' at the moment. Three of my friends just delivered their babies in June and I have 17 more friends who are expecting! SEVENTEEN!! Is that even possible? I guess so! Some of these women I have been friends with since I was a toddler, some since junior high, others from college, and still others that I have met within the past couple of years. Let me just say, I could not be happier for these women. For many, this will be their first baby and they are anxiously awaiting his or her arrival. I even stayed up super late the other night looking at everyone's baby registries because of my excitement. If I am to be honest, though, I must say that I wish I were going through all of this with you. Man, that sounds so whiny and selfish to actually write it out and admit it to all of you! Don't get me wrong, I am SO grateful for the blessings in our lives, but if it were up to us, we would be experiencing this pregnancy stage too. It's just not the right timing for us and it is hard to come to that conclusion as a couple (and wait for the right time). This coming school year is already going to bring a lot of change for me with starting my new job and most of you know that I can only handle so much change at a time! I'm just trying to accept the fact that I will be in my thirties when I start my family and according to my plan, I would be having my second :). It's like the saying...man plans, God laughs! Well, he must get a LOT of good laughs from me. Thanks for letting me get all of these thoughts down and out of my head. I truly hope that I have not offended anyone with my selfishness. I could not be happier for you! Congratulations to Shelley, Tanya, and Kim...oh and Elena who is having her baby girl today! Oh, and in case any of you are curious...5 boys, 9 girls, 6 unknown.

June Recap

The month of June has been quite busy, which I guess is why I haven't found much time to post. My last day of school was June 5th and then I spent the following day up at school taking things that other teachers decided to give me for my classroom next year. I really lucked out! One of the first grade teachers had a baby this spring and decided that she wasn't going to teach anymore, so she gave me nearly her entire classroom full of stuff. I'm talking rugs, bulletin boards, educational books, organizers, office supplies, etc. I was in heaven (except for the fact that it took me umpteen trips to carry it all to my car in the heat!)!!

The following Sunday, Tim and I began teaching the first grade class at church. What was I thinking?! I always have the hardest time saying no! I am actually glad that I get this opportunity to work with first graders (they just finished 1st grade) since I will be teaching this age group in the fall, but I have to say that this is one rowdy group of kids. Unlike a school classroom, we don't really have the time to establish much classroom management and it is always a bit difficult to discipline church kids. This past weekend got so bad that I threatened to make everyone put their heads down and for us to sit in silence the rest of the time. Don't think I won't make them! Hopefully, I won't be burned out by the time school starts in August :)!

On Monday the 9th, I began working as a nanny for my friend's 3 month-old baby, Avery. She is just precious!! I get up at 5:30 every morning (Monday - Thursday) to shower, dry my hair, and then drive about 40 minutes to their house where I stay with her until about 4:00 most days. I'm getting a real crash course in motherhood! I have babysat many children in the past 17 years or so, but I have not spent so much time with an infant. I had no idea that they would spit up so much :)!! I've learned to wear my old t-shirts and to bring a back up shirt if I plan to go anywhere when I leave. Earlier this week, she had a poop explosion out her diaper and outfit, which also got on me! She is such a sweet baby. I sing to her a lot and she watches a lot of Law and Order re-runs with me. This week has been a bit challenging because we think she is teething. She has been extremely fussy and hardly anything I do has worked. Hopefully, this won't last too long! Tim and I will be watching her over night in a couple of weeks, so I'll be sure to let you know how that goes.



Wednesday, June 11th, was our 3rd wedding anniversary! Tim and I decided not to exchange gifts this year and instead sit around looking at how nice our house looks :). That was definitely a gift to each other! We did go out that Friday night to PF Chang's, which was oh so yummy. It is rare that we eat there because Tim has to be in just the right mood for Chinese, which only happens about 3-4 times a year!

Last Thursday, Karin and Ian flew down for a visit. We had a great time with them, although it was much too short!! They were supposed to get in early that afternoon, but due to bad weather, they didn't arrive until late that evening. Ian was such a trooper and stayed up long enough to give me a big bear hug and to let us show him the house. He was very excited about "his" room that we set up just for him. Tim and I bought a Redskins comforter and sheets and Tim hung his big Redskins flag above the bed (although Karin and I agree that this was more for Tim than Ian!). We figured that would make Ian happy and would help him to sleep in the new surroundings. He turned 5 the week before they came, so he also got to open his present from us...a Redskins tin lunchbox and thermos! On Friday we went to the pool for a bit and then Tim grilled some chicken and steak kabobs with corn-on-the-cob for dinner. It was delicious! We all got up early on Saturday and drove to Arlington for the ZOE Conference. It was truly amazing! I loved getting to worship with ZOE and listening to Jeff Walling speak. What a gifted group of people! Tim and I got to see our friend, Peter, who sings with ZOE, and I also ran into my friend, Patrick, who I graduated high school with and have known since our cradle roll days. Karin and Ian went to church with us on Sunday and then Tim drove them down to Cleburne so they could stay their final two days in TX with Karin's mom and sisters. As I said, it was much too short a visit! Here are some pictures...











Well, that about wraps up June for me! Hopefully, I won't take such a long break from blogging this next month :).

The ABCs

A. Attached or Single- attached
B. Best Friend(s)- Tim
C. Cake or Pie- pie
D. Day of Choice- Saturday
E. Essential Item- cell phone
F. Flavor of Ice Cream- Blue Bell's The Great Divide (chocolate/vanilla)
G. Gummy Bears or Worms- I hate gummy things!
H. Hometown- Oklahoma City
I. Indulgences- Dr. Pepper and Starbucks
J. January or July- it's a toss up
K. Kids- hopefully soon
L. Last movie I saw in a theater- Leatherheads
(M is Missing in Action)
N. Number of siblings- 2
O. Orange or Apples- apples (preferably green, crunchy and sour)
P. Phobias or Fears- being trapped
Q. Quote- I can't ever think of quotes!!
R. Reasons to smile- my family, friends, house, job, good food
S. Season- fall
T. Tag 4- Lori, Kelli D., Becky, Val, Robin
U. Unknown fact about me- I become an introvert in large groups.
V. Vegetarian or oppressor of Animals- animals were meant to be eaten :)
W. Worst Habit- gossiping
X. X-rays or Ultrasounds- ultrasound
Y. Your favorite Food- Italian
Z. Zodiac- Aquarius

The News I've Been Waiting For!

Well, after a year and a half of looking for a permanent job in Texas and after 5 interviews at the same school, I FINALLY have a job!! Praise the Lord! I will be teaching first grade at Norton Elementary in Allen. I could not be happier :)! The team seems great and I just love the administration there. The principal had me interview with the third grade and first grade teams this week. I was really hoping I would get first grade and sure enough, that's what she offered me.

I got a call yesterday from a friend from church who is a teacher in another district. She was so excited because she found out that I would be at Norton next year and she had just found out that she got the third grade position. Little did we know that we were both interviewing there! I am so thrilled to have a friend at work already and it is so comforting to know that there are several Christians (I know of some others) in this building. It truly is a God thing and I know He put me in this school for a reason. This news will definitely help me get through the next 13 days of school! Thank you all SO very much for all of the prayers you have said for me!

Happy Mother's Day

Hope all of you moms and expectant moms had a wonderful day today! Did you all know that I currently have 15 pregnant friends?! I am trying my best to keep up with when everyone is due and whether my friends are having a boy or a girl, but I know I will get confused at some point! I am so very excited for my friends, but I also cannot wait to share in that celebration myself. I actually had several people wish me a Happy Mother's Day today and then say, "Oh, never mind!" I have a few friends who are having infertility issues and I just can't imagine hearing those words if I were going through that. Anyway, I know the women who said it (one was a family member) did not mean anything bad by it...I'm just a little sensitive since I have had so many friends struggle to get pregnant. Anyway, I obviously got off on a tangent there and didn't mean to!

As you may have noticed, I have not blogged in a while. I have been keeping busy with teaching and with decorating the house. I just love this place! I have also avoided blogging because I was hoping to wait until I had good news about a job. I have had several interviews and feel good about them, but don't know anything official yet. I have two more interviews tomorrow...one at my existing school and another in a different district. I hope to have news to share with you soon! Only 17 more days of school left, but who's counting right?!

Too Much Grey's?

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Tim bought me Season 1 & 2 of Grey's Anatomy because he knows what a fan I am. Well, over the past five weeks or so, it has become a ritual that my mom, Tim, and I sit down in the evening (not every evening, but most!) and watch an episode or two. I can't remember exactly when I started watching the show on tv, but I do know that I missed the first season when it originally aired. It has been great knowing how everything started and also watching episodes that I haven't seen in a long time. Tim and my mom are watching these seasons for the first time and it's great watching them get hooked even more!

Well, lately the show has been invading our lives more than we thought possible. Just this week, we have all had a dream that we were a part of the characters' lives!! How crazy is this?! Even more crazy is that we finished watching the last episode less than 10 minutes ago and my mom and I BAWLED...not just shed a tear, but we were practically sobbing (and I've seen it before!)!! What is wrong with me to get so emotionally involved? Is it just good acting? I hope so!

In other news...this month has been quite a month. I caught strep right before Tim's birthday and was the sickest I have ever been. It lasted for a good 5 days and I was still weak when I went back to work. Not fun! Poor Tim had to put up with a sick wife over his birthday. Luckily, he was able to spend some time with friends and we celebrated later.

This has been my Spring Break week and I have thoroughly enjoyed being off work. It just sucks to have an unpaid vacation! Hopefully, it won't be like this much longer. Tim and I spent last weekend vacationing in San Antonio. I had never been there before and it was great to have a weekend away just the two of us (the first since our honeymoon). The Riverwalk was nice and the best part was getting to see our good friends, Matt and Cynthia, who we met when we lived in Virginia. It has been almost two years since we've seen them!

I had an interview scheduled two weeks ago, but it got cancelled due to the big snowstorm we got here (a whole two inches even though they predicted six!). I am still waiting on the principal to reschedule, but I have a good feeling about this one. It is for a teaching position at a brand new school in the district, which just happens to be located in our new subdivision! Wouldn't that be awesome?! Keep me in your prayers. I have had a great time this week planning for the move into our new home. In fact, I have been so excited that I've had trouble relaxing enough to fall asleep at night. All I can think of is furniture and paint colors! I think Tim will be happy when I go back to work so I quit "window shopping" for our house! Well, that's my big update since I haven't blogged in a while. Hope all is well with you, friends!

House Hunt is Over!

Tim and I could not be more excited about our new home! We went out looking with our realtor last Saturday and while we were in one neighborhood where they are still building, she suggested that we just take a look at any spec homes they might have. We looked at two and just fell in love with one of them. I didn't want to get my hopes up, because it was WAY out of our price range, but our realtor told us there was a good chance we could get them to come down. We made an offer on Monday and found out Tuesday that they accepted it!! Last night we signed the contract and we will be closing no later than the 27th of this month. An extra bonus is that the house is in the same neighborhood as the school where I'm interviewing. It would be so incredibly awesome to work just down the street! More about the interview later...Our house was just finished in February and has 4 bedrooms with 2.5 bathrooms. It is just over 2500 square feet and those of you in VA would just have a heart attack if you knew what a bargain it is...much less than our 2 bedroom apartment in Herndon! Here are some pictures so you can get an idea.

Rollercoaster

I feel like I've been on a rollercoaster all week and can't get off! Tim and I put a bid on a house last week and were supposed to find out on Monday if we got it. I could hardly sleep Sunday night because I was so excited and thinking of paint colors, etc. We didn't hear anything all day and finally around 6:30 or so, our realtor called to let us know that it was ours! I was screaming and jumping up and down!! Within an hour, however, our realtor called us back to tell us that the site was now showing that it had been awarded to someone else. She didn't know what was happening, but said she would check into it and call the next day. We weren't sure whether to celebrate or not. We were just sure their was a glitch in our favor. Turns out that it did go to someone else. Needless to say, I was a bit down in the dumps on Tuesday evening. Tomorrow morning we are going to look at 9 more properties, so I guess we are back in this game. I cannot wait until it is over and I can quit looking!

In other news...last weekend I attended a job fair for the district and it was crazy! There were so many teachers there looking for a job. I stood in heels waiting in lines for 3.5 hours! My back was killing me and I was starving by the end of it. The district hasn't had a job fair in about 3 years, so I'm lucky that I get to attend one. One of the lines that I stood in for a new school opening next year was about an hour long. Ludicrous! I have to say, though, that I think it will pay off. With my principal's recommendation and the experience I've gotten, I feel certain that something good will come along. This leads me to my next bit of news...I have an interview this coming Thursday for one of the new schools!!! I wasn't expecting to even hear from a principal until April because the teachers have until mid-March to complete transfer requests. Anyway, as Tim said, "Don't ask any questions...just go with it!" That's what I'm going to do. Please keep all of this in your prayers and I will let you all know what happens!

Happy Valentine's Day (and birthday to Theresa!)

Believe it or not, I am partied out this week! On Tuesday night, Tim took me out for an early birthday dinner to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse...my all-time favorite restaurant. I truly have never tasted food so good in my life! Their filet is amazing and for dessert, Tim and I split creme brulee and warm apple tart...to DIE for! Then yesterday, my family all went out to ZEA, a restaurant I'd never been to before and their food was fantastic too. They brought me an incredible piece of chocolate cake with a glass of milk...yummy! I think I've gained 10 pounds in the past two days :). Since we've been out the past two nights, I think we plan to just hang out at home tonight. Tim bought me Season 1 & 2 of Grey's Anatomy, so we may watch that since there are no new episodes.

As I've mentioned before, I'm struggling a bit with turning 29...just knowing that this is the last year of my twenties is a bit hard to come to grips with! I do, however, think that a lot of great things are in store for me this year. Well, thanks for all of the birthday wishes and I hope everyone has a happy Valentine's Day no matter what you do!

Tagged by Kelli

Rules: Answer each question about yourself, then tag 5 people by posting their names and leaving them a comment on their blog.

10 Years Ago: In January 1998, I was starting the second semester of my freshman year at Pepperdine.

Things On My To Do List Tomorrow: Return phone calls, look for a job, pay bills

Snacks I enjoy: cheddar sour cream chips, wheat thins with crab dip, Sonic tots...nearly anything salty and occasionally plain M&Ms

What would I do if I were suddenly made a billionaire? Quit work, pay off debt, buy a house, start a family, help out my family, save, give to church and charity

3 Of My Bad Habits: Being too critical, picking at dry skin (gross, I know!), imagining the worst

5 places I have lived: I'll do more than 5 - Oklahoma City, OK; Malibu, CA; Heidelberg, Germany; Tulsa, OK; Silver Spring, MD; Rockville, MD; Herndon, VA; McKinney, TX;

Jobs that I have had: hostess at Steak & Ale; receptionist at Sun Capsule Tanning Salon; student worker at Pepperdine Career Center; receptionist at law firm (two summers); bank teller (for 3 days before getting a better offer); two different summer jobs at Hertz Financial Center (not sure what I did!); file clerk/receptionist at doctor's office; HR Consulting Intern; Research Associate at HPS; Consultant/Senior Consultant at BAH; elementary teacher

Things people don’t know about me: You may know this, but I have a hard time trusting others and feeling secure in relationships. I always feel that I "like" the person more than he/she "likes" me.

Tagging: Hannah, Val, Lori, Kelli D, Katie

Matt & Ian are here!!

I am SO happy because Matt and Ian arrived just this afternoon! Ian has gotten so tall and so grown-up, but as I told Tim, he'll always be my baby :)! I'm not sure what all we are going to do this weekend, but I'm thrilled that Tim and I are able to be off for 5 days so we can spend time with them. Tomorrow we are taking Ian to a birthday party of one of the kids from my kindergarten class. It is at a place where kids can jump on all kinds of bouncy blow-up stuff, so I know he'll have fun.

They couldn't have come at a better time. The past two weeks have been pretty rough on me. I really do not like being out of the general education classroom! The first few days back I had to fight back the tears when I would see my kindergarteners go to class with another teacher. I had no idea how attached I was and how much they influenced me! It has been great seeing them almost everyday, though. They all rush up to me whenever they see me at school and several of them have made me pictures and cards that they have brought to me. Isn't it funny how something so small can make you feel so good?

I am really trying to keep a positive attitude about my new position, but the environment is very depressing. One of the kids who is in the class nearly all of the time is bipolar and can freak out at any moment. Most of the time he is really good and sweet, but when he gets mad, watch out! Two teachers had to hold him in a restraint for about 20 minutes the other day while he screamed and tried to kick them. A lot of it is out of his control, but it is still hard to listen to him scream like that.

I plan to meet with my principal soon because I'm afraid that I'm putting all of my eggs in one basket. The school that I'm at is going to be downsizing next year because a new school is opening. I will have spent my entire year at this one school and I'm a bit worried that I'm not getting the exposure that I need in order to get a job offer. Hopefully, I will get hired where I work now, but it's a gamble. Anyway, I know she cannot promise me a job, but I do plan to ask her what my chances are and how she can help me.

One other thing...I found a house for sale that I love! I have only seen it online, but Tim and I are going to get to see it this weekend. It is small, but a great starter house in a cute neighborhood and very affordable. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

High Hopes for 2008

Happy New Year to those friends who still check my blog to see if I've updated! I've had little inspiration to write lately, but maybe the new year will bring some interesting things my way. Tim and I had a wonderful Christmas this year. We stayed here in McKinney and my brother, sister, and her new husband all came in to town for the holidays. In fact, my brother was here for almost two weeks, so today is the first day that I've been home by myself. Although it has been wonderful having him and other family in town, a little time to myself is nice! We celebrated the New Year by having a few friends over to watch the newest Pirates movie and to play some games. We ended up staying awake until just after 4am and needless to say, my body is still adjusting to acting like a teenager :)! On New Year's Day we had our annual meal of black-eyed peas, cornbread, and fried potatoes...yum! I know that this will bring us good luck in 2008! Congratulations to my dear friend, Kristin, who was married on New Year's Eve in PA...so wish I could have been there to celebrate with her!

As most of you know, the 21st of December was my last day teaching my kindergarten class. It was pretty hard for me to say goodbye to the kids (and they were upset too), but I will be spending the next semester at the same school so I will still get to see them frequently. I actually babysat for one of my students yesterday, so I know that I will still be in touch with many of them. Starting Monday, I will be working in the Resource Room. Basically, I will be working with kids (grades k-5) who have special needs. This might mean that I'm working with kids who have autism or down syndrome or that I'm working with small groups of students who need some extra help in certain subject areas. I'm not sure what I'm getting myself into, but I guess I will find out on Monday. Truthfully, this was not something that I wanted to do, but I think that I will learn a lot from this experience that can be applied to a mainstream classroom. The other good thing is that I'm working at the same school and I have a job through the beginning of June!

Tim's job is going well and we are praying that this is our year for many things in our life to fall into place. I've actually had a bit of a hard time coming to grips with the fact that it is 2008 and that I will be 29 in just over a month. I know this seems very silly and I never thought that being 30 would be such a big deal to me, but it is. I think the main reason is that I'm not where I thought I'd be by now and I just don't want my 20s to end. Many friends tell me that their 30s are way better than their 20s, so I'm hoping this is true for me too.

Somewhat related to not being at the point in life that I thought I'd be...I have three friends who are dealing with infertility issues right now. It is so hard to watch the pain that they go through as they desperately try to start their families. I pray that God will bless them with children this year, as I know all three of them will make wonderful mothers. Please keep them in your prayers too.

On a happier note, Matt (my brother-in-law) and Ian (my adorable nephew) are coming to visit in just 2 weeks!! I cannot wait to see them. One of my favorite gifts that I received was an ornament from Ian that had a picture of him on it. When you push a button on the bottom, it plays a recording of his voice saying, "I love you, Uncle Bud! I love you, Aunt Jill! I miss you!" I have played this over and over since Christmas day! Hope you all are having a blessed new year!