Backtracking

This holiday season has been full of back tracking on my diet due to hours of wonderful family gatherings. I anticipate they will be slowing down for a while, at least until we go to Lubbock. I hopefully will get back on track with my diet starting today.

I am going to log some extra time on the spinner today and strength train this evening. I also plan on resuming the salad lunches today.

I also have to run to Amarillo for a doctor's appointment today so I will stop over at home depot and look at a few things regarding the kitchen and price a few things out. I am so ready to get the ball rolling on my new kitchen! Yay!

What A Wonderful Gift from God

I am up early this Christmas morning which is fine because I am glad to have the solitude to marvel in the wonder of the Christ child and the miracle that is his birth.

I am so deeply impressed with all the parties involved in the birth of Jesus. I am in awe of the faith and courage that Mary had to carry a child for 9 months even though in that time it was very shameful. I am also impressed by the love that Joseph had for Mary to stay by her even if an angel of the lord had to appear to him. I am impressed with the magi who believed in the prophecy and went searching for the Prince of Peace and then had the courage to avoid Herod so that he might live. Lastly I am glad for the Sheppards and their role in the worship of the Christ Child.

The following is taken from Luke 2 verses 8-14 of the King James Version Text:

8- And there were in the same country sheppards abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night.

9- And, lo, an angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10- And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for. behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11- For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12- And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13- And suddenly there was with angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God, and saying,

14- Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men.

I am so thankful for this day where we remember the LOVE that our Heavenly Father had for us at that time to send his only son to earth to teach us, love us, die for us, and then ultimately live again so that we too may live again.

I hope you all have a merry Christmas and enjoy your family in an ever increasing manner.

Nice Husbands and a Sick Stomach

First of all I would like to start off this post by saying what an exceptional spouse I have. Reid is very supportive of me and yesterday when I was vomiting he was nice enough to give me that post throw up space I often need. When he got home from work I was babysitting some wonderful children and he proceeded to play with them until their mom came to get them.

The diet yesterday was really rough hence the throwing up. I did not even try to brave a salad for lunch I instead had 2 slices of wheat bread and a dab of peanut butter. I rested for a long time and eventually felt immensely better. I hit the gym around 8:30 and slept really well last night so I am going to attempt to do that again this evening.

I am very ready for tomorrow and am feeling very fortunate this year.

Wednesday Success

Typically Wednesdays are the final nail in my coffin I do rather hate them! But, this one was not so bad. I started the day off with my shake, Strawberry, (shudder) I think I will stick to Chocolate when it is time to buy more. After that I snuggled with grey, did a lot of laundry, and then got moving onto bigger tasks.

Yesterday I was a bit sick to my stomach but I know that is the hunger talking because I feel like that 30% of the time in the morning. I managed to bake an AWESOME birthday cake and not eat any of it. It was a huge hit at the party! Damian LOVED it and was so excited all he could think about was his cake.

I also found time to clean out a closet yesterday and make a lot of trash. I had a salad with chicken and 1 tablespoon of salad dressing. Well within my limits. I do not think I stayed as hydrated as I would have liked to yesterday. But sometimes there is only so much water you can drink.

I also hit the gym for 35 minutes yesterday and did 11.1 miles.

On a note other than diet... my friend Stacy and her family bought me what I have been dreaming to have... Chanel perfume for Christmas! I am so blessed to be around such wonderful loving people.

Still formulating my Christmas day plans and debating cheating a smidgen since I have already begun losing weight :)

ramblings

Not so sure what to title this post. Yesterday went by really well. I hit the gym and had a great workout and came home and fought off my urge to eat something :)

I was in and out of sleep all night but that is nothing new (thank you Lupron) and finally gave up at 5:49 and let the dogs out. The dogs are back asleep but I am not. I am basking in the light given off of my Christmas tree and listening to the furnace roar in its attempts to keep the house reasonably warm.

Today I plan to bake a cake for Damian, he is 5 today! My friend has to work so I told her I would do it. I also plan to cook some blackened chicken to put on a salad at home and have some snap peas. Yum!

I will also hit the gym and then go to Pizza Hut for a birthday party! I think this day will be over before I know it :)

Well it has been a while... 8 months lol

Today I am embarking on a challenge just as hard as loving Reid unconditionally. I have been in a medical nightmare for several months. My nightmares name is Lupron. I have had significant changes on Lupron and I want them to stop. After searching and searching for answers I decided to take another medical path that I hope will liberate me from this. The problem is that it is going to be so hard especially when faced with so many holiday foods and festivities.

So what am I doing you ask? Medical weight loss prescribed by a wonderful doctor who understands I am not looking for a fast fix to being thin I am genuinely affected by this lupron and there is something deeper happening there. For the past month I have suffered tremendous leg cramps and vertigo following a month of being sicker than I ever have been in my life. 2 problems I have never had before. I am having a series of blood work done and am praying that there are answers my Pampa doctor could not see.

So this morning I woke up at 6 to let Grey out and to take my prescription weight loss helper who will remain nameless. A half an hour later I had my first of many new breakfasts called New Direction Weight Loss, a "delicious" shake that I sucked down with a straw. Today for lunch I will be in Amarillo so I will have a half order of Kowloon salad from Baker Brothers with no dressing. My goal is to have 2 9oz. meals a day and to get them in before 3 and to exercise for an hour each night. I am sooo glad however that I am starting this on a break from work but holidays are going to be tricky. I already know that I am going to have a special holiday meal with my husband this weekend so I am going to have to cheat.

Today is going to be busy massage, dentist, optometrist, and gym. Oh and lest I forget bill paying and laundry lol. But the housekeeper is coming so at least I won't have to do the things I don't like. :)

On another happy note we are going to be changing the name of the blog to include Grey!

Positive Greetings

The dare I have been having a horrible time with recently is greeting my spouse in a fantastic and loving way. This problem stems from the fact that Reid has been coming home WAY after I got to bed.

Today however this was not an issue because it rained a lot and Reid did light work today. I went out on the "town" with 2 dear friends-- Lizzie and Tara-- for a night of opera. So when I got home Reid was already here relaxing so I greeted him warmly and then asked him about his day as well as his supper and what he had been doing.

This one is a short and easy thing to do simply decide if you want to be nice to your spouse when you get home or not.

Love is not Jealous

Thought of the day: It is hard not to resent your spouse when they do more things than you can do because of their circumstances.

For example, I can do more things in the evening and on the weekends because I work a Monday through Friday job and I have set hours. While I appreciate how hard Reid works I know he gets upset that I am always doing stuff. I can make a difference for Reid by trying to come see him out on the farm on the weekend.

Today's dare was to destroy the list of negative qualities that I made about Reid. I do not play with fire so tomorrow I will shred it at school. I also need to share in a success that Reid has recently had. This part is going to be so hard for me because the days are getting longer and we are seeing each other less and less. I need to pledge to do more to find time with Reid.

Hopefully tomorrow will go smoothly because I am so tired right now!

Love Believes the Best- Day 7

Today's theme includes the idea that we all have appreciation rooms for our spouse where we have stored all of the qualities that impress us and originally attracted us to them. What is in your room?

We also have a depreciation room where we store things that irritate us about our spouse. These things come from being let down, having hurt feelings, and from DOUBT. I call this the abrasive room because it encourages you to be mad and start fights. What is in this room? If this were last year I would be telling you that I NEVER left this room but after a lot of hard work I only dwell in the depreciation room when Reid has really hurt my feelings or let me down.

This day's dare includes settling down in the Appreciation Room and making it your home in order to focus on the positive things about your spouse. Today also requires that you choose whether you dwell in positive or negative light, so what do you choose?

The BIG part of the dare is to make a list of positive and negative attributes about my spouse and save them for a later day. BUT I am required to tell Reid one positive attribute that he has and thank him for that. I am choosing to thank Reid for being a hard worker because some day he will be able to instill the values of hard work into our children.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH back from the dead (or so it seems)

I got very sick in January and at that time did not continue to blog. Which I must say I have missed and then things came up (as they usually do), I went out of town, took a certification exam, and am now finally in a place where I feel like I can blog again!

So I left off on Day 6 of the dare.... and I admit there are times when I say and do the wrong thing but Reid and I are still working so that means something.

Day 6... Love is not Irritable. The dare says, "Choose today to react to tough circumstances in your marriage in loving ways instead of with irritation. Begin by making a list of areas where you need to add margin to your schedule. Then list any wrong motivations that you need to release from your life."

This question has been eluding me for months. I don't know why but it has been the hardest thing for me to think of even though I know all of the areas where I fall short. I am going to take to heart that margin in my life means FLEXIBILITY. I need to be more flexible when it comes to projects around the house because I know that Reid is busy: he cannot always drop everything to help me.

Another thing the dare asks me to center on is places I have been overreacting. I LAUGH at this since I am the queen of that activity! Although I am not sure I have been overreacting at home because Duke was the little shredder that Reid wanted to name him the other day and I calmly called Reid and told him what happened and he calmly reacted.

Today I looked at everything head on as well and did not panic or get stressed out when I was doing things in the yard I wanted Reid to do. So I just took over and I survived. It all worked out!

Love Dare Day Five

Ahhhh day 5 down 35 to go. Time is moving fast and slow at the same time. I feel as though I have been awake long enough to be on Day 12 but that is ok. Today was hard for me and it was hard for Reid to answer the questions I had to ask him, which is a good thing.

Today the dare asked me to find out 3 things that irritate Reid that I do. When I asked him he gave me a strange look and then said, "the cleaning situation." In our home that means Reid hates that I am messy. I know that and have known it for some time. It did not bother me to hear this statement, I like clutter. To improve in this area I will put my clutter into neater piles and magically stop grass and dust from venturing into the living room.

The second thing Reid says is that I gripe at him. What wife never "nags" a spouse to do anything. I recently red an article about a mother and teenage daughter who communicated about things that needed to be done via dry erase board. Maybe I will try that although I doubt that Reid will feel satisfaction from erasing things from a to do list that I create for him. I think he just said that because I mentioned the Christmas lights that are still hanging from the roof.

Reid insisted he could not think of a third thing until I mentioned he hates it when I use sarcasm with him. I am not sure how I can improve this because that is just my nature. But for Reid and his irritation level I am going to try to tone it down a bit.

The Love Dare recommends 3 things each of us can do in our relationships when it comes to etiquette they are:

1. Guard the Golden Rule "Treat others how you want to be treated."
2. No double standards-- be considerate of everyone you interact with.
3. Honor requests-- consider what your mate has already asked you to do or not to do. When in doubt get clarification.

Observation of the Day

So today I decided that John Mayer is amazing but is not good for the classroom. Exhibit A: his song, Who Says about getting stoned. Somehow high school kids just don't need to hear that. But oh it is catchy. The song not the actions. :)

Post-it, "I like the idea of a neighborhood especially when family is so far away Love, God" Better is a neighbor that is near. Proverbs 27:10

I wish this applied to my life but we are not so close with our neighbors but I do know people I can call for eggs.

Girly, "Laughter is the best medicine. When a friend is sick, tell her your favorite inside joke. Making her laugh will help her feel better."

It is a true statement. Jess this day makes me think of you!

Love Dare Day Four

Day Four encouraged me to live the motto "Love is thoughtful." The challenge for the day was to call your spouse out of the blue for no reason other than to see how they are and if they need anything. This did not really go over well because Reid never really answers if he is busy and he was busy all day. So instead of waiting for a response I decided to get him bbq pizza for dinner since he likes it before I had a chance to nag him about dinner. I think that by being more thoughtful and actively engaging in follow through Reid could have clean laundry more often.

Happy Hump Day

It was a long day today but a great day. I went to several meetings at school and then I left work fairly early. I also payed bills and ordered pizza. Life is good.

Post it, "Because if you even feel like I'm not there that's just not true! Love, God" The Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:9

That is the theme of the young men and young women at church this year. And I love this verse because it is a reminder that Heavenly Father never abandons us no matter how alone we feel.

Girly, "When you see a friend looking really great, tell her so! She deserves to know that you think she's beautiful!"

I got a message from a friend today who was telling me how much she loves my new profile picture and it made my day!

Love Dare Day Three

Today's dare was to buy something for your spouse that lets your spouse know you are thinking of them. As cheesy and stupid as it sounds I went to Kentucky Fried Chicken and got Reid one of his favorite things for dinner. I always reject the idea of KFC but today I suggested it and chose to do it all by myself with no requests from Reid.

I do not know if Reid was happy or not because I was not here when he ate dinner due to our differences in scheduling. But I do hope that he was happy with it. I even slipped him some extra chicken just in case he was extra hungry after work today. Even small efforts can be rewarded.

4 on 4 Volleyball

4 on 4 Volleyball started today and it was a blast. I had a great day at work and then I got home at 5 and went visiting teaching at 6ish with my good pal Stephanie. My life is not too exciting today and I am ready for bed.

Post-it, "Dreading anything? Any black clouds to report? XO God" Be thou strong and very courageous. Joshua 1:7

As of right now the only thing I am dreading is PDAS and I have no idea when that is going to happen. I have not heard anything from my principal on the subject at all.

Girly, "It may sound silly, but remembering how to spell a friend's name is very important for building a bond."

That makes me smile.

Love Dare Two

Today I completed Love Dare Day Two. Today's theme is Love is Kind. We are encouraged to act with gentleness, helpfulness, willingness, and initiative. This kind love is demonstrated through the story of the Good Samaritan. I was really touched by the new angle that the Love Dare places on this story.

When I got home from work today I did laundry for Reid and did the dishes (which I hate) as well as folding all of Reid's clothes and putting them away.

Doing this taught me that love just does things sometimes without holding a grudge against an action. Although I really hate doing the dishes I just did them because I know how much Reid loves to see a clean houses when he comes home. By acting selfless I showed kindness today through initiative and helpfulness.

Tomorrow I am dared to give Reid a gift. I wonder what it will be?

MLK

Today was Martin Luther King Day and I for one put in a long work day but it was very relaxing and I got a lot of classroom improvements done as well as a long and wonderful discussion with my mentor. I wanted to get more done but I was not able to. Who knew that when you put a desk together by yourself it could take a long long time. The plus side of my hard work is that tomorrow I will have a bigger work space to use for all of my paperwork.

Post-it, "Facing any challenges this week? Love, God" I will be with thee Joshua 1:5

I think that every day is a challenge in some way. I am sure tomorrow just getting out of bed is going to be hard for me. I am just not a morning person.

Girly statement of the day, "Judging your friends' actions and behaviors is a natural reaction when you become close with someone. Unfortunately, it can also cause problems for the friendship. Remember, it is her life, her issue. The most important thing for you to do is be there for her, and only give her your opinion when asked."

I think that this goes both ways I can do this and others need to do this for me. Yesterday I asked some hard questions and now I am feeling a bit off. Life is full of so many tough choices and we need to take them one at a time. But a little advice does not hurt, right?

Love Dare Day One Revisited

Well I accomplished the dare of day one- being patient with Reid and not speaking out negatively against him. Friday was a great day. I went back to school and on the way home called Reid to say hi and see what he was doing. We were discussing my plans for Saturday and the responsibilities I needed to fulfill when Reid made a comment that really upset me. I tried to remain calm and I let him know that I do not appreciate it when he attempts to parent me, and then we got off the phone.

Later Friday evening we went to dinner and everything was great we laughed and had great conversation followed by a quick trip to the store. Reid was very supportive when we got home and helped with our precious 4 legged children so I could get to bed right away.

Part of the dare is continue the trend and continue to not say anything negative which was a breeze yesterday (I barely saw Reid) and again today. It really is a hard dare to accomplish but it feels nice to be more positive and upbeat.

Stay tuned for Dare Two...

Borger Bash

So yesterday was the Borger Bash Speech Tournament and it was a lot of fun but I was gone all day. Today was pretty mild. I had breakfast with Reid and before church Duke got out of the house. I woke up feeling somewhat sick so I only stayed for sacrament. After I got home I slept and watched a movie.

We ate dinner out at the ranch tonight and it was delicious! Shrimp, rice, okra, and cookies. I was/am so full that my stomach hurt when I was laughing at Duncan and his story about cotton balls.

This weekend's Post-it states, "And just in case you wonder who you take after... XO God" And God said, Let us make man in our image. Genesis 1:26

It is comforting to know that Heavenly Father created us to reflect his image so we know that he has a body.

This weekend the Way Girls Talk states, "Agreeing or disagreeing about politics or how to raise children might seem to be very important issues, especially if you are a politician or a mother, but remember that you can still remain close with those that you disagree with. It is helpful to remember to avoid those topics."

Enough said.

Finally Friday

So I have been home most of the week but it is so hard to be back at work when you have a horrible substitute teacher taking over your room (and your snacks) for 3 days. I treated myself to The Burger for lunch and I just had a cupcake but I still feel annoyed. I want a nap.

I will be back in Borger within 12 hours of this moment for a fun filled day of speech and debate and I am excited to see the kids.

I will post the calendar information in a little bit!

Today God says, "I want you to know how glad I am I made a y-o-u! Love, God" And God saw every thing he gad made, and, behold, it was very good. Genesis 1:31.

I think in this society it is easy to dislike our image and desire to change it. There is pressure to look a certain way or act a certain way but our Heavenly Father loves us just the way we are.

Womanly advice for the day, "Showing your emotions to your friends is a very important way to get closer to them. Share yourself, and allow your friend to share herself, and you will become closer, guaranteed."

What women don't share their feelings with their friends?

Love Dare Day One

Day One: Love is Patient "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient bearing with one another in love." Ephesians 4:2

The love dare states that when you have completed the task you can move on... I am still mastering not saying mean things to Reid. Never reacting with annoyance or anger is harder than you might think.

Stay posted I am doing great as of this moment.

Insomnia, I think so

It is 3 am and I am awake stressing over a test locked in a filing cabinet in my classroom that a student was supposed to take on Tuesday. Naturally I can do nothing about it now but I will be driving to work in the morning to take it out of the filing cabinet and to make sure it gets taken care of tomorrow/today. It will also give me the chance to read the reports on my students and see how things are going as well as copy or print some more activities.

Ugh I feel so dumb right now. But on the bright side insomnia has helped me download pictures from my camera onto the computer and then onto facebook and order a Valentine's Day "present" for my living room. I am pretty pumped about it! Now I will just need to recruit someone to hang it up for me!

Also in the hours I have been awake I have decided to start blogging about my attempts to make it through the Love Dare; a journey in trying to love Reid a whole lot more and to make sure he knows it. Tonight I went through our wedding pictures as I finally found some to put into the picture mats that were signed (almost 2 years ago). We were married in what feels like a fairy land. As much as I complain about how things could have been better they were pretty amazing.

Now if only I could fall asleep *but if I do fall asleep I think I will not be wanting to get up to drive into work to fix the whole exam in the locked drawer issue. Literally I am wide awake which is going to throw off my whole schedule. This is bad. I am just listening to the clock tick on the sofa with my sleeping puppy.

Advice for the day (since I am here and wide eyed):

Post it- "Don't let your Christmas charity end just yet! Love, God" I will sing unto the Lord because he hath dealt bountifully with me. Psalms 13:6

Can anyone say... Help Haiti!

Girlie- "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." Eleanor Roosevelt

Very true and it is in my highly regarded opinion it is also in the hands of those who encourage the dreams of young people. Of course not the violent dreams but dreams none the less. Lets just say I would never go around encouraging a child to brand him/herself with a coat hanger. OUCH!

I think I am going to try to catch 3 hours of zzzzs and then drive to work early leave notes for my substitute and get home and back to resting. Happy dreaming!

Strep Throat

So I have been laid up at home since yesterday with the most intense strep throat of my life. Monday I felt great and Tuesday my throat was completely closed up. In the grand scheme of things I am glad that I chose to stay home and go to the doctor yesterday versus going to school and being upset with the world. My test came back positive in less than 20 seconds... so fast the control did not have time to appear on the test. So I got a huge shot of antibiotics my first once since 2003 and it did not feel good as well as a prescription.

Yesterday and today brought me rest up to my eyeballs and now I am wide awake. This illness is screwing with my schedule. I also had no substitute plans ready because I felt great so who knows what my students have been doing all week. I just pray that one of them is not eating the substitute alive! He can be especially mean when he wants to be.

Yesterday I watched Julie and Julia and absolutely loved it. It was fantastic although I do not think I could work all day and cook French food all night and then write about it every day for a year. Mostly because Reid would never eat the food and I live in a city void of a great supermarket. We can't even get Quinoa here.

But on that same note I am determined to share daily calendar wisdom with whoever cares to read it (but please forgive me for not doing it everyday).

Post it Calendar inspiration:

Monday- "How about starting the week off with an early morning prayer? Love, God" The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet. Isaiah 14:7

Tuesday- "Gray skies make you appreciate blue skies, don't they? Love, God" A pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun. Ecclesiastes 11:7

Wednesday- "Maybe someone at work (or at home) will need an extra smile today! XO God" Do good. Psalms 37:27

My quickest thoughts on the calendar notes are that Reid and I have been praying together a lot more than we ever have which is so nice. I feel a lot closer to him recently so my extra smile today is for him and for my friend Amanda even though I did not see her.

Girlie Notes-

Monday- A friend's advice is often worthwhile. Remember, she may have gone through a similar situation. Friends know you, and can help guide you through tough life choices.

Tuesday- She who has the most shoes at the end, wins.

Wednesday- Let's face it: some friends are closer than others. But, that doesn't mean that you can't make new friends, and that you can't make new friends that will become very close if given time and effort. Try to reach out to new people; they will enrich your life, guaranteed.

I like this advice. I can understand each of these things. Yes my friends can help me out, I will never have too many shoes, and I had to make new friends here and I am very close to some of them. More than I ever thought I would be.

Please keep the people of Haiti in your thoughts and prayers. I cannot imagine being in their situation at this moment in time. Their whole world has literally crashed around them and I hope that we all can contribute something to their relief efforts even it is only prayers. I know I am very thankful for all that I have been given.

Weekend Updates

The rest of my school week left me drained. Sometimes high school is such a ride with its highs and lows. I had both this week because it is really hard to look into the face of a medical emergency and stay calm. But I am going to keep the best part of this school week private for now.

I have been at the car dealership all morning getting a new radio installed and I am now the proud owner of a volume button that works. This afternoon will probably be slow I am planning on buying my textbooks online and then finally getting my car washed when it is warmer. Tonight we are heading out to the ranch for a pizza party. And tomorrow I will most likely be at church.

I had planned on blogging from a friend's house Wednesday but lost the calendar pages (which makes you sad I know).

Thursday (my big sister's birthday):

Post-it "I hope you'll have a really good day today! Love, God" Psalms 149:4 For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people.

I think that was for my big sister!

Girls "Do what you want honey... just keep your pants on."

Take from that what you will.

Friday:

Post-it "Maybe you could stomp around in a puddle when you find one today! XO God" Psalms 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness.

I really like this advice! It is so fun to remember that we can be kids at heart.

Girls "Womanhood is about many things: being different from men is foremost among them."

Amen! Reid and I are worlds apart sometimes.

The weekend:

Post-it "May a snow angel remind you where snow began. Love, God" Isaiah 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven.

It has been cold enough for snow this week but alas all we got was fog and ice. I had the pleasure of morning duty outside with the brave (or stupid kids) who refused to go to the cafeteria.

Girls "Reminiscing with old friends can be a great pastime. Reconnect with them, send an email, or give a quick phone call. You won't be disappointed."

Well that says exactly what we all need to do. Thank goodness for facebook and cell phones.

What a long day

Today by far was much harder than yesterday. My one and only student was back today but went home sick after throwing up in my ear shot. It was lovely. I ended my school day with a massive headache and the sheer desire to take a nap.

Just real quick:

I love today's not from God... "When you look into the night sky, smile back at the stars! Love, God" Psalms 147:4 He telleth the number of the stars.

I love looking up in the night sky especially during the early summer when it is warm and you can hear nature all around. It really takes me back to high school (my prime, lol).

In other news... : This year, resolve to get closer with the women in your life. If you have a friend that you haven't connected with since last September, try to reach out. Send an e-mail, give her a call or write a quick note.

Perhaps that is easier said than done.

First Day Back

Monday went by so fast! I had planned to get up at 6 so naturally I woke up 10 minutes to soon so I went back to bed until 6:30. I believe that was the best thing to do. Upon arriving at school we had our first faculty meeting of the new year and then I went outside to do my "duty"; 15 minutes of bliss-- watching the young ones chase each other and shiver because they opted not to bring coats to school.

I was right that I would laugh with friends today which I was so glad for. It is hard to believe how much you can miss people in 2 weeks time. I would like to shout out for my friend Shawna who will be a Grandma soon! I am so happy for her and her family.

Now that this evening is upon us I am exhausted but am still planning on going to the store to get a crust to make a quiche for tomorrow to celebrate the new baby. I got Olive and Duke back this afternoon and we have been snuggling on the sofa for a while. Reid is home now and is picking on the dogs. Duke does not seem to be enjoying the attention since he keeps trying to get away.

The new season of the Bachelor is on tonight which is great for women who love to drool over pilots everywhere. And it is good for guys who want to watch girls pull out all the stops to get a man. Overall good entertainment.

In calendar news...

MY post-it today says, "I'll be with you as you strive to reach your goals! Love, God" And we are also reminded of Psalms 105:4 Seek the Lord and his strength.

As of today I still have not made any goals but here is one, I would like to pass my exam and continue grad classes without giving up until I get my Masters.

The girls speak calendar states, "Show your friendship through kind gestures. Spending quality time together, showing that you care through a small note, volunteering to baby sit while your friend enjoys time with her spouse, are all ways that you can show your friend you care."

I also agree with this and I plan to make it happen for someone very soon.

I hope you all have a blessed night!

Weekend Fun

This weekend I was blessed to spend time with some friends from WT as well as a coworker and Reid and his family. Yesterday I got up early to take my car to the dealership to resolve my radio issue (it is going to be replaced ASAP) and from there went to Amarillo. Reid had asked for some new clothes so I went to pick them up for him and then I went over to Kohl's to spend some Christmas gift cards. Following that I went around with my friend Amanda for a bit and then went to see Up In The Air with a pal named Jess. It was so FUNNY until the end when it wasn't but we loved it none the less (and yes I am typing with purpose)!

Today I taught Primary for the last time (at least for now until I get a new calling) and then went out to the ranch for dinner. I sure do love Lisa's steak and okra. Yum Yum Yum! Now I am dreading the moments when I have to climb in bed and force myself to go to sleep early to get up tomorrow and make it to work on time. Don't get me wrong I am looking forward to it. But I have to get my things together and make sure that I have everything that I will need for tomorrow.

Lessons from the calendar are as follows:

Post-it from God "I know how you can keep your resolutions! XO God" Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him.

Trusting in the Lord is not always easy and it seems that for many of us we choose to rely and trust ourselves in times of ease and prosperity. Perhaps a good resolution to make this year is to rely on the Lord in all situations.

365 Ways Girls Talk "Women are so good at many things. Chatting is foremost among them."

Isn't that statement the truth! I am looking forward to sharing stories with my wonderful coworkers tomorrow and discussing the many blessings we received over the Christmas holiday. I am looking forward to so many wonderful conversations and laughs with the women who support me endlessly during the school day.

I wish you all a wonderful night!

A New Year

Well 2010 has made its big debut in my life just as it has in everyone else's by now. I am not really making resolutions this year because lets face it last year I did not accomplish the laundry goal. However I am excited.

I got 2 really neat page a day calendars this year and am so excited to post their musings here.

The first is "If God used Sticky Notes" and the other is "365 ways girls talk".

Today's post it from God says, "Prayer starts the year on the best footing" and is followed by Psalms 16:11 "Thou wilt show me the path of life."

And my Girl's quote today comes from Oprah and is really appropriate for starting a new year! "I am a woman in process. I'm just trying like everybody else. I try to take every conflict, every experience, and learn from it. Life is never dull."

Today we are encouraged to remember that in a small way we get to start over and make changes, we choose to make things better or worse for ourselves. Which will you choose? We also have the opportunity any moment we want to ask our Heavenly Father for help and guidance and we have the opportunity to thank him for all of our many blessings. What are you thankful for today?

On another note with the dogs... they were not able to ring in the New Year with Reid and myself because they are at the vet recovering from being under the weather. It was the best choice for both of them to go because we did not know who was sick. :(

I suppose I will update on my holiday later once I have my camera software on my brand new laptop.

Have a marvelous day!