Year of Thanksgiving

So in November of 2012, I participated in the Daily Facebook Thanksgiving status.... at the end I thought... Why don't we do this every day of the year? So on January 1, 2013, I started a note on my iPhone. Each day I went to this note and wrote something I was thankful for. Each day there was always something I was thankful for, most days there was multiple things and I had to pick one. If you take the time to read this you will see that something things are mentioned more than once throughout the year..... I didn't realize this until today when I went back and read everything. I challenge you to take time to do this daily. It is neat to go back and look at everything (big or small) the Lord has done for me and my family this year! Happy New Year!

Year of Thanksgiving

1-1- thankful for date night

1-2-Days off with my kids

1-3- heat

1-4- lunch break during a boring pd

1-5-Mom staying with us while the boys go to the game

1-6-Church

1-7 national champs

1-8- Jason being home!

1-9- 9.5 hrs of sleep with no kids waking up!

1-10- Parker will be home tonight

1-11- our home! Love it!

1-12- was able to find shirts for myself (Loft)

1-13-Libby waking up from her nap happy. And not getting out of bed at bedtime!

1-14-My car- don't have to take public transportation

1-15-Fun night at chick fil a with friends and family

1-16-Mostly good grades on students test

1-17-Snow and getting out of school early!

1-18- 2 hour delay!

1-19- Shopping with mom and Libby

1-20-Preschool committee

1-21-Days off

1-22- painting with Libby

1-23-Luke didn't need stitches

1-24- Zumba!

1-25-Positive feedback from Zumba

1-26- Cuddle time with Luke

1-27-Christina's class

1-28-beautiful sunset at the end of a tough day

1-29-Taco Casa in Hillcrests great service

1-30-Grandmaw Rickman's  legacy of faith

1-31- PayDay!!!!!

2-1- fun times playing Settlers with Tink and Parker

2-2-Carol Minets testimony

2-3- Rachel is ok after house fire

2-4-Little boy was rescued from the bunker

2-5-Time for a hair appt

2-6-The time we had to spend with Parker

2-7-Our house hasn't been burglarized

2-8- fun family time! Bunch of laughs

2-9-J found his phone

2-10-Gods promises

2-11-3 years with my sweet girl

2-12-Cheri keeps our kids

2-13-Able to borrow Kaye's circuit cartridge

2-14- Gods love!

2-15-Got to go to Holts game

2-16- great bday party for kids

2-17-Free shutterfly book

2-18-Jason cooks

2-19-Opportunities I have had this year with my job

2-20-My sweet babies

2-21-Baby boy! Can't believe he is one

!2-22-Quality time with Jason

2-23-Beauty walk is over!

2-24-Fun weekend

2-25-Easy day at work

2-26-Kids enjoyed the "gym"

2-27-Health! Spared from flu and stomach bug (so far)

2-28-Luke is consistently sleeping through the night and has been for a while

3-1-Almost $___ refunded from mortgage

3-2-Got to visit with my grandparents

3-3-Watoto performance

3-4-Skype with Parker

3-5-Beautiful kids

3-6-Got to go to sleep early

3-7- a great birthday!

3-8-Mafia night

3-9- kids able to play outside

3-10-Benjamin is now 2 lbs!

3-11-Good afternoon with friends

3-12- pretty days and afternoon walk

3-13-Benjamin opened his eyes for the first time

3-14- met taryn

3-15- Luke had a good check up

3-16-Good night with Taryn and Garth

3-17-So many people praying for Benjamin

3-18-Smooth day of Grad Exam

3-19-Warm day- play outside

3-20-Angela's healthy baby boy- got to see him

3-21-Zumba

3-22-Fun game night

3-23-Kids playing so well together

3-24-AMAZING worship this morning

3-25-Pedicure....

3-26-Fun time with Cheri and kaleigh

3-27-Shane is cancer free!

3-28-walk with Taryn

3-29- Good Friday! Death was defeated!

3-30-Good spring break

3-31-We serve a risen Savior!And some friends joined us at church

4-1- no April fools day pranks - shew

4-2-Opportunities given to me this year at work

4-3-Fun family time at dinner- lots of laughs

4-4-told Smith about echols job

4-5-taryns surgery went good

4-6-Got to go to barnyard

4-7- picnic and park with SS class

4-8-Even after a rough day, there is still hope of salvation!

4-9- better day

4-10- the assurance of salvation when loved ones leave us

4-11-Out of school early for weather (stayed safe)

4-12-dinner with Michaels

4-13- fun time with Pate family

4-14- my marriage- great husband

4-15- got to hang out with rebekah

4-16-Luke's not sick

4-17- kids had fun at zoo with Cheri

4-18-got to see mamaw

4-19-Date night with the hubs

4-20-lazy Saturday

4-21-Peaceful night hanging out with Grissetts kids were great!

4-22- got to interview at echols

4-23-God has a plan

4-24-Friends

4-25-quick doc appt

4-26- Luke's feeling better

4-27-Great husband

4-28-meeting canceled

4-29- easy, quick workday

4-30-Meeting- easy day

5-1- great sermon

5-2-safe trip to beach

5-3- relaxing day

5-4-Fun day of vacation

5-5- kids love their grandparents

5-6-Benjamins  pic looked soooo good

5-7-My sweet kids and that I get done working at 3:15 and can spend the afternoons with them

5-8-God has a plan

5-9- got to see Mrs Brasfield

5-10- good block party

5-11- time spent with family

5-12-good mothers day

5-13-Luke- good check up

5-14- good days at work

5-15- God is able

5-16 graduation- proud of seniors

5-17- got to see Denoras baby

5-18- fun at 80s party

5-19- nap!

5-20-kids played great at ballpark

5-21-last regular day of school

5-22-last full day

5-23- Zumba

5-24-last day of school with kids

5-25-nothing to do today

5-26-dedicated the church gym

5-27- Memorial Day- thankful for all those who have and will serve ourCountry

5-28-summer vacation !

5-29-kids slept till 7:45

5-30-Benjamin got to go home! 

5-31-pedicure

6-1-night with friends

6-2-preschool policy almost done

6-3- day 1 of 24 day challenge!

6-4-encouraged at advocare training

6-5-mom got to go to Texas with friends

6-6-think I'm getting smaller with advocare

6-7-dinner with Pates and dad

6-8 enjoyed afternoon with my dad, J, and kids

6-9-lost 6 pounds

6-10-mom spent morning here with kids and me

6-11-play date with Kinsley and brooks

6-12-play date with Emma Cate and JP

6-13-afternoon shopping alone

6-14-date night in Memphis

6-15-fun day in Memphis for matts wedding

6-16- safe travels

6-17-chance to interview at RQMS

6-18-Libby was sweet while I was so sick

6-19-feel little better today

6-20-good interview

6-21-new job

6-22-relaxing day

6-23- nap!

6-24-mom

6-25-slept late

6-26-survived VBS

6-27-got to meet Benjamin

6-28-girls night

6-29- safe trip to beach

6-30-Libby behaved soooo good!

7-1- no sun burn so far

7-2-fun at beach

7-3- time with family

7-4- freedom

7-5-no sunburn during beach trip

7-6-safe trip home

7-7- we have money to pay bills

7-8- 7 years of wonderful marriage

7-9- moved stuff into new classroom

7-10-Cheri- all she does for our kids

7-11-we are all healthy

7-12-safe trip to ATL

7-13- fun day at white water

7-14-fun at block party

7-15- got to work in new classroom

7-16-got to see mamaw

7-17- J won free cake from Edgar's

7-18-Libby hasn't thrown up today (and so far Luke hasn't thrown up)

7-19-mom - able to help J with kids when I'm sick

7-20-Luke only sick for a couple of hours

7-21-no more sickness

7-22- dinner with friends

7-23-lazy, rainy day

7-24-dad's test went good! No sign of cancer

7-25-good friends and old coworkers

7-26- fun play date with friends

7-27-last night for night night shoes

7-28-safe trip to beach- kids did great

7-29-fun day with family at beach

7-30-fun night playing game with the James

7-31-fun night at the track

8-1- Libby's first set if footie pjs

8-2-sweet kids

8-3-safe trip home

8-4- share blitz for church

8-5- Shannon will be working at RQES

8-6-dads surgery went well

8-7- new teacher meetings are over

8-8-kids love staying with CiCi when I have to work

8-9-summers off with kids

8-10- found magnetic letters for school

8-11-got to eat out with just Jason for his bday

8-12-my amazing hubby!

8-13- Cheri- clean house, laundry done, supper cooked, and most importantly happy kids!

8-14-mellowed about school stress ( a little bit)

8-15-2 classes to prep for instead of 3

8-16-my big brother

8-17-Jason got to see gmaw Rickman

8-18-Sunday school went great- 1st day with 9th grade girls

8-19-some fun new students

8-20-kids had good first day of preschool

8-21-good sermon

8-22-encouraging talk with Mrs Ingram

8-23-Friday..... Time to relax

8-24-Grandmaw Rickman's legacy

8-25- getting to see family

8-26-promise and hope of salvation

8-27-more energy today

8-28-Aaron Keys concert

8-29- nothing to do tonight

8-30-weekend!!!!

8-31-bama football time

9-1-our home- we can have friends over

9-2-day of

f9-3- good day! No major discipline issues

9-4- kids

9-5-enjoyed meeting parents at open house

9-6-weekend!

9-7-got to visit mamas and pop

9-8- Kevin and Christina's class

9-9-bedtime

9-10-home before 4!

9-11-good chat with Shyla

9-12-BBQ nachos :)

9-13-got to take Mallory to dinner

9-14- bama beat a and m

9-15-Luke's temp came down

9-16-Cheri took care of sick Luke

9-17-Libby got to go to tumblebus

9-18- Luke feels better

9-19-sweet email from parent

9-20-Libby had a good day at school

9-21-bama game with pates

9-22-small nap

9-23-j kept kids let me rest

9-24- copy machine worked!

9-25-my daddy

9-26-j cooked a good supper

9-27-park time with family

9-28-Saturdays!

9-29-day with Luke

9-30- got a general doctor for me and j

10-1- think I figured out my health issue

10-2-pink icing :)

10-3-happy,giggling kids

10-4-sweet kids

10-5-doctor got spec out of eye

10-6- restful afternoon

10-7-Luke only has a sinus infection

10-8-cooler weather

10-9- Luke feels better

10-10-no intervention class today!

10-11-got to see Tink and Angela

10-12-awesome concert

10-13-deacon ordination

10-14-good day at work

10-15- cute kids

10-16-reminder that God walks beside me always

10-17-got to go to basketball practice

10-18-Luke goes to bed so easily

10-19-relaxing Saturday- shopping,nap, watch game with parents

10-20-Kevin and Christina's class

10-21-Js surgery went well

10-22-mom helped with kids

10-23- smaller intervention classes

10-24-got to read some of my book

10-25-weekend!

10-26- free, great tickets to we could go to bama game with friends

10-27- church :)

10-28- 1st period was awesome

10-29-good meeting with weekday directors

10-30-church fall festival

10-31- tumblebus station opened for Halloween because of rain

11-1- intervention is going to get better

11-2-got some Christmas shopping done

11-3- kids let us sleep the extra hour (day light savings)

11-4- able to go see dermatologist (without waiting months)

11-5- intervention is better!

11-6-got 2 preps today

11-7-day off with kids (even if it was for doctor visit)

11-8-Christmas decorations

11-9- fun at Bama game

11-10- fun at Disney on Ice

11-11-Luke's surgery went well

11-12-warm house

11-13-Jason cooks

11-14-kids feeling better.... Well no fever

11-15- parents live close

11-16-shopping with momma

11-17-"He Knows" our every need

11-18-Libby and Luke are best friends

11-19-tumblebus, Santa, and a princess

11-20-good health

11-21-Braxton's 100

11-22-thanksgiving break

11-23- naps

11-24- no school tomorrow

11-25-a clean house

11-26-Parker is home

11-27-Emily's cousin survived the surgery

11-28-time with family

11-29-shopping with mom and Cheri

11-30-good thanksgiving break

12-1-a good job (even though I don't want to go back to work tomorrow)

12-2- laughter with the family

12-3-polar express night at chick fil a

12-4- math pd/ easy day

12-5-support from my administration

12-6-fun with Sunday school class

12-7-pate family time

12-8-Libby's first musical

12-9- heat

12-10-parents are close to help (car seat problems)

12-11-meeting went well

12-12-fun night with Santa and the train

12-13- shopping with mom

12-14-kids seem to feel a little better

12-15- kids still no fever

12-16- Christmas time

12-17-fun day with Libby

12-18- good test scores

12-19- good day at school

12-20-Christmas break

12-21- relaxing day

12-22- Libby's a little better

12-23- fun celebrating with family

12-24-close family together for Christmas

12-25- Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us!

12-26- new security system

12-27-negative BRAC analysis test!

12-28-fun with Pate family

12-29- healthy babies12-30-Frozen with Libby

12-31- an amazing year of learning, growth, and  time with family

New School- Update

Well, we are 2 weeks and 1 day into the school year. This year has been full of so much change! Those of you who know me, know I am not a huge fan of change!  New school system, new school, transitioning from high to middle school, having technology to use in the classroom, … The list could go on and on.

It was a really hard decision for me to interview and except a new job. I loved my kids and co-workers from my previous school.

 The first day of school was hard on me, because I missed seeing all my babies in the hallway! However, I was really excited about my new job. The reputation of RQMS….well…. it’s awesome! There are some amazing teachers and administrators at this school. It is actually a little intimidating! However, they have all been so supportive! I still find it hard to believe that they chose me. I hope my ability and skills measure up!

One exciting thing, that some of you may not know, is that I now get to work with my dad. We are neighbors! It is great getting to see him daily. We try to get together and pray each morning. How many people get that opportunity? I am one lucky  blessed girl!

There have been a few challenges. I guess the biggest challenge is the chattiness of middle schoolers. Previously, I would say that classroom management was one of my strong points. Yes, even at a high school that many find to be one of the most difficult to work at, (although that is totally bogus!) I underestimated the chattiness of a middle schooler! I am currently trying to find what will work best for each class. So far my favorite method of ending the madness came to me on Friday.  I have one particular kid who cannot be quiet. The rest of this class is pretty good at being quiet when needed….. So, I told the class if any of them felt like they were being distracted by _______, then they could write a letter to his parents. If I agreed with what they wrote in the letter, then I would mail the letter for them to ________’s parent.  Well, _______ didn’t really like the idea, but his classmates did! Unfortunately, I have not gotten any letters yet.

So… those who asked me about my new job the first couple of weeks…. And I had a crazy look….. and said hesitantly, …..its going good! Just a little stressed! Please, know it is going great. I love the school, I love my kids, I love the faculty and administration!

Every year I begin the year stressed and feeling behind. Also every year I say, I will be fine…. Just get me a few weeks into the school year so that I can get my feet under me. And…. Every year, I am right! (Including this one!)

No More "Night-Night Shoes"!!!!!! (Warning- a little long!)

It’s finally here! A day that I have hoped for and waited on for over 3 years….. The day that Libby gets to stop wearing her corrective shoes (or as we call them, her “night-night shoes!”) We just put her “night-night shoes” on for the last time! Woo hoo!

Many of you don’t know, some of you know a little bit, and some of you have been amazing friends who have listened and encouraged…… but the day we found out our precious baby was a girl, we also found out she would be born with a clubbed foot. It was not something I expected to hear. All I had thought about was pink or blue! It never crossed my mind the real importance of the ultrasound…. To make sure that my baby girl was healthy. I remember after finding out we called our parents and told them. I also remember being really strong. I had talked with Jason and called my parents and not cried one bit. Then, I called my friend Brittany. I feel so bad, because before one word got out of my mouth I was sobbing! I was no longer strong! My perfect baby girl….well…. she had a flaw. I remember asking God why? I remember Brittany and Brittany came over that night to celebrate my baby girl and brought her adorable dresses. We talked and I cried some more. They encouraged me and said that God only gives things to us that we can handle. I knew they were right. I knew He had a plan and that Libby was going to do amazing things.

A week or so later we had a more detailed ultrasound scheduled in Birmingham. Both of our moms went with us for support. As we sat in the waiting room, I could hear other couples talking. One in particular was there to confirm their perfect baby was going to be born with Down Syndrome. It was then that I finally realized….. This is nothing. This is fixable. She is still going to be our perfect baby girl!  Until that point I had accepted our situation and that God had a plan and He would be with us, but at that point I realized how little our baby’s issue was compared to so many others. Only Jason and I were allowed in the back for the ultrasound. There we could see her. See her precious features. We could also clearly see and confirm that she only had one clubbed foot.

After that appointment I began to wonder what all this would mean for Libby. My mother-in-law had a Facebook friend that recently had a baby with two clubbed feet. So, we looked up pictures and saw their cute little son with the corrective shoes on. Other than that I don’t remember knowing much more before her first doctor’s appointment.

On February 11, 2010, Libby was born. She was perfect! Beautiful! She had a head full of hair that looked like it had highlights! She brought us all so much joy! (And still does!)

About a week and half after she was born we went to Children’s for her first doctor’s appointment with Dr. Khorey. As I said before, I had no clue what to expect. But on that first appointment, she got her first, tiny cast. It went from the tips of her toes all the way up to her diaper line. Some other things we didn’t know to expect….. poop on the cast! (YUCK!), no real bath until all of the casting was done, the weird feeling of holding your not even 2 week old with a big, hard cast on, and the fact that she seemed oblivious to the cast (such a blessing!)

We had to return to Children’s weekly to have the cast changed for a total of 7 weeks. If it was bottle time, we always had to try and hold her off so she would take a bottle while they were changing the cast, in order to make it easier on the nurses and doctor. Every week the cast would turn more outward, which was turning her foot more outward. After the 7^th week of cast, she had a minor surgery to clip her Achilles tendon. (this made her foot more flexible.) While she was asleep, they also made molds of her feet so they could create her corrective shoes. After the surgery she had one final cast that she had to wear for 2 ½ weeks. When they took the final cast off, they gave us her corrective shoes. These shoes have 3 buckles per foot to keep the shoe on and have a bar that connects the two shoes together and pushes the feet out. We were so looking forward to this! It meant she could have her first bath in the tub (before the cast, she still hadn’t lost her umbilical cord thingy-which by the way still grosses me out- sorry off subject). But, we were unprepared. Going from the cast for 2 ½ weeks that had followed a surgery to the shoes….. well, it was painful for her. The doctor had warned us….. but other doctors had warned us about shots too….and those were nothing…. We had planned to meet my parents and eat that night to celebrate no more casts. However, she had been crying and screaming basically since she got the shoes on. So my parents let us eat and took her home so we could have a break. Luckily, that only lasted a couple of days! The shoes had to be worn 23 hours a day. We could take the shoes off for one hour, but her bath had to be included in that hour.

Again there were things I didn’t expect with the shoes. I didn’t think about how maybe people who kept her in the church nursery might feel uncomfortable taking the bar off of her shoes in order to change her clothes (if needed), or about how (once again) it would be difficult to hold her, or about how she couldn’t sit easily on my hip like other babies did, or wear footie pjs. L

I wondered, how will she learn to sit up, crawl, walk? But she is a champ! She sat up and crawled with her shoes on before most average kids. She also pulled up! I can remember her pulling up and rocking back and forth on her shoes. She loved to do that! I thought pulling up was the magic skill she had to master to be able to get to stop wearing her shoes during the day….. but it wasn’t. Because she pulled up so early, they knew she wouldn’t be walking that soon and had us keep the shoes on. Once it got closer to time for her to walk, we were allowed to only make her sleep in the shoes….hence the name we gave the shoes, “night night shoes.”

Around 8 months, she finally got to only wear her shoes at night. Since then things have been pretty easy. As she got older she never seriously questioned the shoes. If anything, it helped us with the bedtime routine. She knew it was bed time when we started putting her shoes on. I think it also helped transition into a big girl bed. She couldn’t get out! Unfortunately, in the past 6 months she has learned she can indeed get out of bed and crawl down the hallway to ask to go potty or because she is afraid of the bats that might come in her room…… The first time I saw her crawl down the hall I almost cried because it made me so sad…. However…. Now I get irritated. Stay in bed girl! J

In the past year there have been a few questions. I can remember one night, not too long ago, she had a scrape on her foot and didn’t want to wear her shoes. We told her she had to. She looked at me and said, mom, do you want my foot to hurt? Talk about break your heart! I said no baby, I want it to get better. (She wore her shoes that night!)

One thing that never crossed my mind (until recently), I never worried about how others would look at her (when she was younger and wearing the shoes 23 hours a day). And…. It was not a problem. If anyone noticed Libby, it was because she was/is absolutely beautiful! A few people did ask about the shoes, but I was never ashamed. So if this is something you are facing….. don’t be ashamed. Others will still notice your child first, not their stylish footwear!

I will say it has not been the easiest thing. There have definitely been emotional break downs, but compared to what so many other parents go through, it was nothing! I will also say we were very consistent! There were very few nights she didn’t wear her shoes. She got a break on Christmas, when she spent the night at her grandparents, if she was sick, and a few other special occasions, but we really tried to be consistent. On those days she had to wear the shoes 23 hours a day, there were very few times we didn’t do wear them all 23 hours.  We felt we were in charge of correcting her foot, and although we wanted those times of no shoes for her, we wanted more for this to be a memory!

And now……. It becomes a memory! Woohoo! We will still go back to see Dr. Khorey sometime at the beginning of next year…. But shoes every night….SEE YA!

When she is older, she will probably only remember what we tell her about this whole thing. The one thing I hope she knows, is that through it all, she was a champ! She was and is so strong! That her parents would do anything for her! That through it all, God was with her and He healed her. That He has some awesome plans for her life!

In closing, I want to leave you with the verse we picked out to be her life verse at her baby dedication. I also will include  a few of the earlier pictures. One is with her cast and two show her shoes.

“ Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”    Psalm 139:16

Praise God!

By request I decided to write a new blog post….. this again will not be my typical post. (because its not about my kids- which by the way are the cutest and sweetest things ever!)

Over the past couple of months God has been doing some amazing things. It started back in January. I was sitting in Bible Study one night next to a good friend who has been struggling with a decision and saddened by her current situation. While sitting there and not knowing the updated details of her situation , God spoke to me. Now, there have been many times in my life where God has given me peace or spoken to me through a friend or a Bible verse…. But on that night, I knew He wanted me to tell her something. After it was over, I told her that I never felt the Lord telling me so clearly to do something…. But that He had just told me to tell her that His promises are good. She immediately knew what He meant. It was such an amazing moment for me, because (like I said) I had never so clearly heard His voice. Since then, she has had several things good happen and she is more clear in the direction she will go. I can’t wait to see God fulfill His promise to her!

This month, on my birthday to be exact, God allowed one of my best friends, Rebekah Owens, to have her third baby boy. She was only 25 weeks pregnant at the time. Benjamin entered the world less than 2 pounds. It has been so amazing to see the love of God’s people. They have given so much support to my friends. There are so many people praying for Baby Benjamin. (You can follow his story and find specific things to pray for on Facebook. There is a group called Prayers for Benjamin.) Rebekah mentioned to me the other day how she doesn’t know how anyone could go through what she is going through without the support of God’s people! I can’t imagine either.  In the past two weeks Benjamin has had many lows and some highs too. He is such a little fighter. God is already doing amazing things through Benjamin. Rebekah  has told me stories. I myself have seen some wonderful things too. All of this by a two week old baby! God can use anyone! I hope we can all remember that!

God has also been doing things in my personal life. Jason and I decided at our church’s couples retreat to create a budget and stick to it. Now, in the 6 ½ years we have been married we have done this several times….. well, except the stick with it part. This time we were determined. We came home, made a budget, and were ready. Then that stinkin’  Devil decided to through us for a loop. We had an unexpected payment come up. A pretty large payment we would have to start paying monthly. At first, I was devastated. I didn’t know how we would be able to do it. After a good night’s sleep, I got a grip. I decided that God knew the situation and He would guide us through it. We prayed about it at my Zumba  class on Thursday nights. (FYI- Zumba is more than exercise it is also therapy! Just last week 5 women had answered prayers…. Things we had prayed for at Zumba the previous weeks! It was amazing!) Anyhow, the day after we prayed about it at Zumba…. We got a much unexpected check in the mail for a decent amount of money! In the next couple of weeks we got 3 more unexpected checks! (Not for as much money, but still helpful!) You see…. God will provide!

Anyhow….these are all things that have been on my mind lately. Who knows who will actually ready this. Who knows who will get something out of it…. If anything I hope you see that our God is alive! He is with you from the smallest things to the most precious things! His promises are good! Oh ,and also….if he can use me to tell someone His message….well, then He can use anyone!