My daddy... I miss him.

There is lots of reflecting going on today. Eight years ago, my daddy passed away from this life at 4:30am. I can't believe how much has changed in my life in the last eight years and he has missed all of those things. I am sad thinking about the things he didn't get to share in and yet I am so very grateful that I had so many wonderful years with him. Katherine was just 2 when he died so she knows Dad in pictures but can't remember him in person. That is the hardest part for me... that my girls (Emma was born 4 years after his death), don't remember his voice, his laugh and his magical personality. If I close my eyes, I can remember his voice like he is standing right beside me. I can even remember how he would hug me tight and wrinkle up his nose at my mom...their special little love sign. I wish I had those things recorded so I would never forget.

Life has gone on...without him. He has missed out on my accomplishments which were only possible because of who he helped me become as a person. He missed Emma being born, oh how he would love her! He only got to meet a couple of my closest friends and he wasn't there when I was baptized. Although Mom is remarried, I know she still misses him every single day. I especially miss Daddy when I see the sun set. He loved sunsets and I always think of him when I watch the sun disappear, when the sky is a beautiful shade of pink and purple or a golden shade of orange. I think of Dad everytime I see Canadian geese. Guess what? They greeted me at church this morning. :)

This year has been a little harder, I don't know why. Sarah brought me roses on Friday... Dad always brought me/sent me flowers. That was the last gift he ever gave me... Red roses on my porch on my 30th birthday. It was so thoughtful of her to remember.

Kelly brought me a card this morning and a Bible charm. Although Daddy didn't always agree with everything I stood for...belief-wise, he always trusted my ability to come to the right decision about things and in that way, supported my love for church and Jesus Christ. He allowed me to come to the truth on my own.

When he would hear about silly arguments, he would always say, "Life is too short." It is too short and after he passed away, I made it my daily goal to live each day letting the people I love know that I LOVE THEM. I have been called sappy...so be it! Sappy I shall be because no one will doubt how I feel about them...ever. I also decided to stop putting things off that I wanted to buy or places I wanted to go. Hence, I wanted to go to Hawaii so I wrote a grant to do it instead of waiting for the money on my own. I love to spend time with my girlfriends and I love to travel so I have taken a lot more trips or weekends with them since then. Todd and I have gone on getaways because if we wait for the kids to be grown we won't know each other. I learned so much from my dad... to be confident, independent, strong, passionate, LOYAL, fair, determined, to stand up for what I believe and have evidence to prove it, to value family and to tell the truth even when it is hard. I am my father's daughter and a true daddy's girl. It is a lucky thing that I married a man who has many of his traits so get to see glimpses of him everyday.

Spring Break has come and gone...

We didn't plan anything extraordinary this year for break. Todd took a "guys trip" to Arkansas to ride trails. I was all about it being a guys trip... Can you really see me on a mountain bike riding with dirt and rocks flying?

Last year, we took the girls to Dallas for a few days. $1000 later, we came home so we decided to just stay put this year. I must say, I really enjoyed just spending it with friends and family.

I kicked off the week with Micah @ Pink House in Claremore. We had a delightful girlie lunch at the tea room and enjoyed some shopping for several hours afterward. It was great!! On Saturday, I spent 10 hours shopping for misc. things with Kelly. I only spent $50 the whole day but we had the BEST TIME with no schedule and no children. It was super fabulous! Sunday was church and lunch at Hideway with the Parrott's. It was a slow moving day and I took a nap. Throughout the week, I had lunch with Mom, went to the gym, took a long (4 mile) walk, but my favorite day was Thursday. The girls and I joined Kelly and her boys for lunch, park, shopping, park and dinner out. The kids had so much fun and it was very relaxing to have no schedule. It was almost like a tease of summer.

Todd was gone Wednesday through Friday. Our 16th anniversary was Friday but Emma was sick so we waited until Saturday to celebrate. ALL day Saturday and ALL of Sunday, I spent working on taxes and filing. My "TO FILE PILE" is POOF! I detest filing papers SO MUCH and that was obvious by the build up of stuff I had to organize but it is done! WOO HOO! What better time to get it finished when we were in the middle of a SPRING snowstorm!?

Tomorrow is the beginning of the end of the school year. 9 Mondays left and 9 Fridays left...45 days to go. Luckily I have a shopping adventure scheduled in the middle to get me through the crazy time of the year. For now though, I am going to concentrate on my students and trying to savor my moments with them as they will soon be gone and summer will be here.

Childhood...then and now.

Kyle, one of the members of our church, spoke before the Lord's Supper today about how busy we are in our lives. We are always in a hurry, on the move from one activity to another. We sign our children up for lots of different sports and activities so we are constantly on the move. Our lives are super scheduled and we rush from this week into the next. How true that is. Kyle encouraged us to slow down and think about what Christ did for us on the cross, instead of thinking about what was going to happen next.

This has been a really good, non-hectic weekend with nothing on the agenda. Today, I was thinking about how I spent my weekends as a child verses how my children spend their weekends. I grew up in mid-town, in the heart of Tulsa during the 1970's. I was part of a regular family with a mom and dad, a dog or two and a brother. We were such a happy and normal family. We spent time together, ate meals together everyday, talked about stuff...whatever we had on our minds and hung out playing games or playing outside during the weekends. We had pancakes EVERY Saturday around 10am and usually had biscuits with chipped beef gravy on Sunday mornings. I rode my bike and played on my swing set, played with my Barbies...usually with my best friend Becky. Life was simple and good. I don't ever remember being in a hurry or rushed from place to place. Although, I played softball, soccer, took gymnastics and ballet, was a part of Girl Scouts, and went to piano lessons... mind you, I only did one of these at a time. It sounds pretty awesome writing about it, I must say and it was.

    

Kristine in the 1970's

So...how is life different for my girls? Well... we aren't routined in our breakfast choices for one thing. I don't cook big breakfast meals and everyone just chooses for themselves. Unlike the description of rushing from activity to activity this morning at church, I have stuck with my parent's way of thinking that one activity is enough. Katherine is allowed to play one sport at a time if she desires but that is it. My mom didn't work and I do so that alone makes things more tricky... one activity per child still allows us to have family time each week together and that is important to me. My girls still play outside as often as possible... which Todd and I encourage. We are fortunate that they are not TV junkies and still want to be out and about. When I ponder the differences, two BIG things stick out to me...

Church... We go to church every Sunday. If you know me well or have followed this blog, you know this has not always been the case. We got off track when Emma was born and it took us 3 years to recover. There were many reasons for this but regardless, we are committed to our church and we attend every Sunday and Wednesday. My girls absolutely LOVE church. It is Emma's favorite thing! We almost always dine with our dear friends...The Parrott's following worship each Sunday. That sounds so traditional, doesn't it? I never had that experience as a child because we didn't go to church.

Our Church Home... Broken Arrow Church of Christ

Family Friends... I remember my parents having friends over a few times when I was a child but rarely. I can also count a handful of times that my parents ever went out alone without us. Mom and Dad were best friends... and really each other's only friends. They never went out with individual friends. Even as a child, I vowed I would have friends of my own as an adult. It is not that I don't value my time with Todd because it is very important to me and to our marriage. It is that I value, greatly, my time with friends who meet different needs than Todd can. Likewise, I encourage Todd to spend time with his friends doing stuff I don't so much enjoy. I think these relationships are important. I have also come to realize how meaningful it is to have another family to spend time with. Many of our weekends are spent with our closest family friends...David and Kelly and their boys. I never really knew what this kind of friendship could bring to our lives. I know, however, that when my girls can choose to stay home or go with the Parrott's, they almost always choose the Parrott's (Emma ALWAYS chooses that!). Perhaps it is the kind of relationship that larger families have where everyone gets together for Sunday meals... I don't know because that is not my life. What I do know is that my girls will always remember our weekends like this:

We spent time together. We went to Bible Class and church on Sunday and out to lunch with our friends every week. Mom and Dad both had friends that they cherished and spent time with. Sometimes, Mom and Dad went out to dinner alone or with another couple because it was important for them to have time together. Our times with our family friends were always fun, full of laughter and good times. If there was anything I needed, I knew Mom and Dad would be there... or David and Kelly because they were like our second family.

David and Kelly

We cherish our family friendship and are so thankful they are always there for our entire family.

I wouldn't trade my childhood... it was awesome but if I had the opportunity, I would add CHURCH and Family Friends because I can't imagine my adult life without either of them.

Spring is coming!

My favorite seasons are fall and summer... I can't believe I am writing 'summer'. I do NOT like to be hot but I ADORE pool time with my girls and my friends so it ranks pretty high! Spring is not my favorite because of all the rain involved and my WHITE legs! WOW! Here is what I like about spring:

~ The newness of the blooming flowers and buds on trees.
~ Summer is in sight and plans for summer adventures are beginning... I dream of my summer cruise EVERYDAY!
~ Spring Break..enough said!
~ Easter...not because of candy and bunnies but because of Christ My Lord!
~ April... there is usually a trip to OKC for running or shopping but this year, I have a different plan in mind but it is still in the works!
~ Capri pants AND flip flops are coming out!
~ Warmer temperatures
~ Tax refund....just being honest.
~ My anniversary... March 19th
~ spring cleaning...yes, I really look forward to that!
~ Tulips
~ Running outside
~ taking my girls to the park
~ More daylight

The Simple Things...

It is the simple things that brings me the biggest jolts of joy.

~ A pink and purple sunset
~ Emma's smile
~ Katherine's belly laugh
~ Todd's greeting when the girls and I arrive home after several hours gone
~ An unexpected snow day
~ an overdue chat with a dear friend
~ baking chocolate chip cookies
~ jeans day
~ Rocket Brother's Tea
~ Looking at my pictures from Hawaii
~ planning a trip
~ a note from a former student or their parents
~ an I love you and a hug from those closest to me
~ Date Night
~ going to church
~ friendship that never ends...just grows and deepens with each moment spent together

For all of the simple things, I am so thankful...especially today. :)

The warmth of winter

Where does the time go? January is half over already... We have only been in school 8 days this month so far because of ARCTIC temperatures! I am good with that unless we have a lot of snow days. We have 3 built into our school calendar and we have used 2 already. I will be honest... it is was nice to teach 3 days and then have a 4 day weekend after returning from Christmas Break. However working 5 days last week nearly killed me. Thank goodness for a 3 day weekend this week! :)

I am so not a fan of winter and cold. I am longing for pool days and summer fun. I know I will blink and it will be that time. This year, I am going to work extra hard on enjoying the moments life brings. I have been quite "reflective" over the last 7 1/2 years since Daddy has been gone but I am really going to work super hard on that this year. I am amazed at how fast my girls are growing up. I know my time with them is precious and will not last forever.

Blessed to have such amazing friends in my life!

I admit, it is difficult to not wish away winter because I am ready for the days of endless sun and tons of time with friends and family. However, I am going to hold onto the things that warm my heart for now in hopes of enjoying life's moments along the way.

Things that warm my heart in the winter...
~ Watching snow fall and cover the ground
~ Hot chocolate with peppermint candy cane stir sticks
~ Emma curled up with her blanket sleeping
~ Unplanned shopping trips that last all day
~ Seeing Katherine in her cozy socks
~ Sitting in church with my family
~ Singing in harmony...or trying really hard to stay on key!
~ Receiving a letter from the parents of my dearest friend
~ Snuggling up under my electric blanket with Todd
~ Naptime on a Sunday afternoon
~ Hot Tea with a sprinkle of sugar
~ Sitting in the sauna @ the gym
~ A roaring fire in the fireplace
~ Alabama Football ROLL TIDE!
~ Planning my summer cruise... Oh! I can't wait!!
~ Dinner out with my husband and dear friends
~ Baking chocolate chip cookies
~ Watching my girls make snow angels
~ Lazy weekends with unplanned fun adventures
~ Reflecting on days gone by and how much things change in a season

I am thankful, grateful and blessed. It is such a gift to live this life

and get to share it with those you love.

Blessed to have people I can always count on in my daily life!

2009 What a year!

What an amazing, life-changing year it has been. It makes me kinda tired just thinking about everything that happened in 2009. I must say, it was one of the most AWESOME I can remember. My family is closer and stronger than ever. My closest friendships have endured some emotional roller coasters over the last year... which I truly believe only builds strength as well as deeper understanding and care for each other. I am back in church... and I am LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT! I never really understood what a 'church home' or a 'church family' was. I am so blessed! I watched a rare and wonderful group of kindergartners walk out of my room in May...and into first grade. This school year has tested every bit of me... 27 children in one room is WOW! I am pushing forward and we are half-way through. I will say this is the first (AND LARGEST) group of students I have EVER taught who are ALL on grade level...ALL. That is an amazing thing if you have ever been a teacher!! This year, I became a 'real runner'. I think Kelly and I both earned that title when we crossed the finish line in April of our FIRST (not last) HALF MARATHON. There are no words and if you haven't run a race, I just can't explain the incredible feeling of accomplishment there is at the finish line... it is one of those moments you never forget. I have worked really hard at making this year one that holds no regrets. I don't know if I completely met that goal but I tried to always say what was on my heart at the moment it was there, to communicate honestly in every situation, to share my feelings at every opportunity (even if I was called 'sappy') and I worked to connect on a deeper level with all the people I value the most. 2009 was an incredible year. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to embrace the journey each day.

Happy 2010! I am blessed beyond measure and thankful for each day God grants me!