ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!

I have been so busy with work, home, church, company and running that I haven't blogged in a while. An update is long overdue!  I don't have any super profound thoughts tonight but it has been a great weekend!!

I have to write about my new ADDICTION to football!!! It is SPECIFIC to ALABAMA FOOTBALL! I openly admit that it started out as a social opportunity.  I just really wanted our family to spend time with the Parrott's on a Saturday. Kelly invited us over so WE WENT! It is some kind of entertainment... I'm just sayin' there is NOTHING like watching Kelly interact with the TV during a game.  IT IS AWESOME! So... I liked watching the game but now I HAVE TO watch Bama EVERY week and sometimes, I watch OTHER teams too! What in the world is going on with me??? There are A LOT of changes in my life lately... I guess I am still rediscovering myself! Can I share a secret dream with you?? I AM DYING... I MEAN DYING to go to an ALABAMA game IN ALABAMA! If I had a random donation of $1000, I'd be there... WITH KELLY! WOO HOO!!!! I am cheesy just thinking about it!!! POOF! I woke up... it was just a dream! :>)

ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!

Alabama isn't playing next weekend!! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? 

Oh yeah... I will be running the TULSA RUN 5K!!!

Today was a CHURCH DAY! Literally, I spent the WHOLE DAY THERE! WOW! We went to Bible Class this morning, then service, to lunch, home for an hour and back to church for a meeting, service and then the Good Guy Carnival.  The Carnival was super fun and was put on by the middle schoolers.  Oh how I love Broken Arrow Church of Christ! :>)

My Girls ~ Katherine and Emma

Griffin and my girls

Kelly and I at church... I love to worship, sing and pray with her!!

I wouldn't trade anything for it!

If you dislike sappy stuff... POOF! Be gone from this blog right now... because it is a sappy post!

I have been reflecting A LOT this week! Do you ever feel like AFTER a big event you are kind of drained? You know, like after a wedding or a trip or being TOY for a year?  YEP! That is how I feel... just emotionally tired and worn out.  I was totally warned that this would probably happen but NOT TO ME, I thought... wrong! It is not that I am sad that my time in the spotlight is over... cause that is NOT the case.  I need LESS busy in my life...honestly. I think it is just once the pressure of it all is gone, you realize how tired you are and how much emotion was involved. 

I have been attending Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University since August.  There is a lot to learn about FINANCIAL PEACE... and a lot of discussion on the value of things. It has been said that everything has a price.  You know what?  I disagree... there are just some things I wouldn't trade anything for.  Here is my list:

~ The autumn wind blowing on my face as the sun sets
~ Walking down the aisle at my wedding and hearing Todd tell me I was beautiful
~ Doing the HALF marathon in OKC and FINISHING strong!
~ Reading "You are a National Board Certified Teacher" on the screen of my computer on December 17th, 2006.
~ Giving birth to my two precious girls
~ Teaching my friends' children
~ Going to Hawaii FOR FREE with Micah... hearing the waves rush upon the beach in the dark and knowing we were THERE!
~ Going to Vegas with the kindergarten team
~ My cruise with Todd
~ Being Baptized... looking up and seeing the pure joy on Kelly's face, tears streaming down her cheeks and knowing that it was a moment I'd never forget. I loved sharing that with her after all of our studying.
~ Being the Teacher of the Year at Park Lane for 2009
~ Sharing my heart with my friends and them sharing their hearts with me
~ Still remembering what my Dad's voice sounds like when he says, "I love you".
~ Summer of 2009
~ Attending church with my family AND the Parrott's... no matter what my mood when I arrive, I ALWAYS leave with a smile and a full heart. I thank God everyday that we are part of the Broken Arrow Church and that our family friendships are growing stronger with each passing day.
~ Seeing Katherine and Emma smile at me and give me a random hug
~ Todd's "I am proud of you" look... looking in my direction. :)

This is not a complete list but a good start... What is your list?

My dream came true!

I have been teaching in public education for 14 years. Throughout my career, I have grown and changed in so many ways.  I have strengthened my practice and found value in different parts of what I do each day.  I absolutely LOVE teaching young children. I love being one of their first teachers and getting to inspire their love for learning... hopefully that lasts a lifetime. It brings me the greatest joy to see them later as they have grown up and knowing that I somehow, in someway, influenced their life.

At Victoria's graduation!! Victoria was one of my first students in Glenpool!!

What is my favorite part of teaching? There are so many! I LOVE to teach little ones to READ.  I love to sing with them and hear them sing the songs when they don't know I am listening. I enjoy forming parent relationships, especially those that last for many years. I love to see that twinkle in the eye of young children as they realize THEY CAN DO IT..."it" being anything I told them was possible and they didn't believe me! I love to teach with Micah, Laurieann, Tobi and Kelly. I can honestly say..we are the dream team.  We are there for each other whenever it is needed or not needed!

I love receiving notes, letters, cards and emails from parents thanking me for the time I have spent with their child. These are priceless to me.

Throughout my teaching years, I have set goals.  I wanted to successfully write a grant.  I decided to write a BIG ONE for a trip to Hawaii in 2005 and I got it!  Now I write grants EVERY year for educational materials. I always wanted to become a Nationally Board Certified Teacher.  In 2006, I realized that dream after HUNDREDS of hours of prep, writing, teaching and studying. That moment, that I shared with NO ONE, will FOREVER be in my mind.  It was one of the greatest accomplishments of my professional life and I earned it on my own accord. What a fabulous moment!  So... after that, what kind of goal do you set? I realize that for many, it is enough to just teach because the rewards are so great.  You know what?  THEY ARE! It is not like the daily rewards are not enough for me.  I just wanted to dream a little more...what would it be like to be Teacher of the Year? I had always wondered and in 2008, I found out when I heard my name read by one of my students at a celebration at Park Lane Elementary.  THAT was the greatest moment of my career so far!!  I sat there with my team who were all so happy for me, so supportive. They sat there with so much HOPE for me and SO MUCH PURE JOY when I received this honor! It was a moment I won't soon forget.

So, you ask, why am I writing about it now? On Tuesday, October 6th, a new Teacher of the Year will reign at Park Lane Elementary.  I am very proud to have served our school and SO PROUD to have made it into the top 10 in the BA District. I am looking forward to passing the torch to the next deserving educator. I just couldn't let this mildstone in my life pass without writing about how much it meant to me to be the TOY of Park Lane. It will ALWAYS mean the world to me to know that my peers thought I was worthy of this honor.

I love you girls! YOU INSPIRE ME!!!