Amy

Hello Out There

2007-09-30T18:43:00.000-05:00

I am quite sure that no one reads this anymore as I have not posted in a year. I am afraid I've stayed in touch with everyone mostly through myspace and have neglected my blogging. Let me update you on what has been happening in our lives.

In February 2006, we discovered that we were expecting a baby. We were very excited and couldn't wait to share the news. Unfortunately, that never really happened. When I was just 5 weeks along, I miscarried. I don't mind telling you that this was pretty devastating. You never think that you will lose your baby, even though you know that these things happen. Miracle of miracles 6 weeks after my miscarriage, I discovered I was pregnant again (5 weeks along) and everything has gone very well since then. I am now 27 weeks, 4 days and things couldn't be better. I just had a doctor's appointment last week, and he said everything looked great (with the exception of my iron being a little low).

During this time, we have vacationed in Virginia and Atlanta (Dragon*Con 07), sold our Mustang, tiled our kitchen, bathrooms, and hallway, painted our kitchen/dining area/hallway and living room, and in general have been trying to do all the things we can to our house before the baby arrives.

We do not know if it will be a boy or a girl. I really wanted to be surprised, and having the wonderful husband that I do, he consented and only the doctors know at this point. We've had a hard time picking names, but we are working on it.

I spent the summer teaching swimming lessons and lifeguarding (with my doctor's consent), and I really think it was good for me. It kept me from being bored, getting fat, and helped us save a little money. Up until about 7-8 weeks ago, most people didn't realize I was pregnant unless I told them, and I think this was b/c I spent every day in the pool. I really will miss doing that next summer.

I can honestly say that I cannot think of anything else to exciting happening to me right now. The closer I get to D-day, the more I am baby-focused. I have already begun my "nesting" and have spent the last several days cleaning, emptying closets, and washing baby things. Austin and I will be taking a birthing class starting this week. Only 4 lessons so it won't be too bad. I wasn't sure I wanted to take it, but I figured that it couldn't hurt.

If anyone actually reads this, leave me a message and let me know. Otherwise, I'm not sure how many more times I'll be posting. I'll be staying very busy from now on.

I would also ask that you pray for some friends of mine. For different reasons, they are having trials in their lives and any prayer support they receive will be wonderful. Off for now....

My Temperment

2006-10-03T19:18:00.000-05:00

You Have a Melancholic Temperament

Introspective and reflective, you think about everything and anything.You are a soft-hearted daydreamer. You long for your ideal life.You love silence and solitude. Everyday life is usually too chaotic for you.
Given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace.You tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life.Wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times.
At your worst, you brood and sulk. Your negative thoughts can trap you.You are reserved and withdrawn. This makes it hard to connect to others.You tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult.

2006-10-01T21:27:00.000-05:00

Be nicer than you need to be. Everyone is going through something.

Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up!

2006-09-30T21:20:00.000-05:00

So I thought the heart quiz was kind of cool. You just answer some questions and it gives you a profile of love. I'm thinking about joining myspace. It seems kind of cool. I'll post more later.

Heart Quiz

2006-09-30T21:18:00.000-05:00

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free.
In love, you feel the most alive when things are straight-forward, and you're told that you're loved.
You'd like to your lover to think you are loyal and faithful... that you'll never change.
You would be forced to break up with someone who was emotional, moody, and difficult to please.
Your ideal relationship is open. Both of you can talk about everything... no secrets.
Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment.
You think of marriage as something precious. You'll treasure marriage and treat it as sacred.
In this moment, you think of love as something you thirst for. You'll do anything for love, but you won't fall for it easily.

Just For Addie!!

2006-09-12T17:22:00.000-05:00

Well, at the conference we went to that about 20,000 people attend, 75% dress up in costumes from movies, comic books, television shows, or just anything they love. I will put up a couple for you to see, but one in particular is especially for Addie! Pirate Hello Kitty. We had a blast with Kitty as we called him/her (since you couldn't exactly tell), and we had to have some pictures. It was a great costume!! and no these are not the actual stars though--the costumes are so good at times and the people act just like you would expect so sometimes it's hard to tell.

Check it Out!!

2006-09-05T17:25:00.000-05:00

So we went to a Dragon*Con conference in Atlanta this past weekend, and had a blast I might add. We took a ton of pictures, but I'm only going to post the ones that we got taken with famous people!! Kevin Sorbo has been in several movies along with playing Hercules on the TV show. Alan Tudyk is from A Knight's Tale/I, Robot/Serenity/Firefly and many more and Summer Glau is from Serenity/Firefly/ had a small part on Angel and is currently in The 4400 and finally The Ghosthunters. It was really awesome and they were all really nice.

Pictures

2006-08-17T22:28:00.000-05:00

Well, here are some pictures of our vacation in Destin with Ben and Melissa. One is from our sunset cruise, one from this really cool bar called Howl at the Moon. If you ever get a chance to go there, do it! It was awesome. The one with all the money on the ceiling is from McGuire's. Great Irish restaurant that we go to every time. Hope you enjoyed the one with Austin and Ben in their masks.

Same old, same old

2006-08-16T18:51:00.000-05:00

Well, alot has happened in the last two months. I spent two months teaching swimming lessons and lifeguarding (which can be pretty boring-thank goodness!), and now I am back to being a regular teacher. I really enjoyed my summer though, and I hope that I'll be able to do it again next year.

Ben, Melissa, Austin, and I made it to Destin, which was fabulous. Our camera broke the day we got there so I'm afraid I don't have any pictures just yet. We took alot of pictures with Ben and Melissa's camera, so when we finally download them, I'll post some. We did a lot of laying out, body surfing, putt-putt golf, and eating. We also took a sunset sailboat cruise, which was glorious. Austin and I took the same cruise on our honeymoon, and we loved it. We didn't see any dolphins this time around, but we got to see a couple swimming through the bay when we went jet-skiing. We really had a great time. It was heavenly to get away for a whole week, and we all came back very refreshed.

I started heading back to school the 3rd week of July to work on my classroom. Unsurprisingly, I went with an ocean theme this year. I still had beach fever I guess. School started back Aug 2, and we haven't had outside recess one time. It's just too hot outside. In my opinion and everyone else I have spoken with, if it's too hot to be outside, we shouldn't even be in school yet. For some reason, we seem to keep starting earlier and earlier every year, and they continue tacking on a few days at the end of the year as well. We are going a whole week longer this year, but have no extra days off. Who knows why? I'm not trying to sound negative. It just feels like it should be fall outside, and its melting hot instead. It's throwing my senses and instinct all out of wack.

I have a really good class this year. They are so much calmer than last year's class that I'm just amazed. I only have 15 students. There are 16 on the roll, but 1 is at alternative school. Everyone asks me "a third grader in alternative school?" Yes, and to my knowledge that child has been there quite awhile. In fact, another teacher mentioned that the teacher he had in pre-K quit teaching the year she had him. So it is a real blessing that he is not actually "in" my class. We are going to start reading "How To Eat Fried Worms" next week, and then we plan on going to the movies and watching it in a couple of weeks. I saw the previews for it, and I think the kids will really love it.

I have another friend who is pregnant. She is due in Jan, just like my cousin. This is our friend from the coast who lost her house. She and her husband have been living with her parents since Katrina, and they will be moving into their new house in the next month or so. They are so excited, and Austin and I are really happy for them. They are not going to find out what they are having so.... it will be a big surprise. It seems like I have several friends due within the next several months. I guess we're just at that age.

Anyway, that is all for now. Sorry I blog so irregularly. I still read everyone's every chance that I get, but I never go to mine. Addie always has to remind me that it's been awhile. :)

I hope everyone is doing great!! My love to all!! ~Amy

In the Summertime!!

2006-05-30T20:30:00.000-05:00

I just love that song! If you don't know it you should look it up. It's now my ringtone.
"In the Summertime" by Mungo Jerry

So school is finally out for the summer. Last Wednesday was the teachers' last day until August. It is so nice to get a break. I've been really busy since my last post. I actually have been taking a lifeguarding class at the "Y" downtown, and starting tomorrow will be teaching swimming lessons to all ages as well as lifeguarding.

Sometimes I felt kind of silly being the oldest person in the class (several of the others were a decade or more younger than me-can you believe that?), but I now feel like I've accomplished something. For the next 3 years, I will be certified as a lifeguard. That is definitely something I never thought I would be doing, but I've really enjoyed it. To give you an idea of what we had to go through--to pass you had to be able to swim 500 yards (100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 breast stroke, 100 sidestroke, 100 your choice), get a 10 lb brick of the bottom of the pool, tread water for 5 minutes, swim the width of the pool staying on the bottom, rescue a passive drowning victim, active drowning victim (i.e. they fight you and roll you around in the water), a deep water spinal injury, and a shallow water spinal injury/putting someone on a backboard. I figured even though I was mostly with teenagers these skills will always be helpful to me. Especially after I have children. We also had to take a written test, and be CPR certified for adults, children and infants. It has been a long time since I've studied for a test. It felt weird. But I made it!! It might seem silly, but for me this was really stepping out of my comfort zone. I've always enjoyed swimming, and I've been doing it for longer that I can remember. This is different however. It's scary to think that a person's life could be in your hands.

I'm looking forward to starting lessons tomorrow. I believe the first class is a preschool one. They last for about 1 1/2 hours for 2 weeks, then we get in new groups. We even have some adults taking swimming lessons. I think they said 13 so far. Trust me that you definitely want your child in the water at a young age. Keeping them away only increases their fear when they finally get in. My class at Franklin (9 year olds) took lessons this April, and it amazed me how terrified some of them were to try to swim, yet they had no fear of getting into the water. They just didn't want to put their face in or lay on the water. They wanted to bounce around and play. Anyway, after 3 days of lessons several of them had improved alot, and one of the boys could probably make it as a swimmer in highschool/college if he kept it up. He was really fast.

Austin and I are looking forward to vacationing this summer. We're going with Ben and Melissa to Destin again. We'll have to take a bunch of pictures to post this time. If you've never been to Destin, you've really got to go. It is a beautiful place. White sand and emerald water. We don't leave until July, but I think all 4 of us have been counting the days. We get to stay a whole week this time so we'll either be really dark or really burned when we return. I'm looking forward to relaxing in the sun and eating a ton of great food!! They have some of the best restaurants there. Melissa said they were going parasailing, but I don't know if I'm brave enough for that. I'm just ready to go have some fun. Austin hasn't had a day off in weeks, so I know he is too. Every weekend he keeps getting called out, and if he tries to take a different day off, he just gets called in again. He's been really tired lately, and is looking for to some R&R.

Anyway, I just wanted to let ya'll know what's been happening with us lately. I'm still reading everyone's blogs. I just don't always have time to post.

**My cousin, Emily, just found out that she is pregnant!! I'm very happy for her, and wanted to let everyone know. See you guys!!

Learn more about me-Thanks to Addie

2006-03-05T19:57:00.000-06:00

If you read this, FILL IT OUT! Learn 50 things about your friends, and let them learn 50 things about you! Nothing special will happen if you do, and nothing bad will happen if you don't, but maybe you'll get to know someone better, and they'll care to learn something about you.

1. How tall are you barefoot? 5'4"

2. Have you ever smoked heroin? No

3. Do you own a gun? No, but my husband owns several

4. Rehab? no

5. Do you get nervous before "meeting the parents"? I get nervous when I have to meet anyone however I knew Austin's parents before we started dating

6. What do you think of hot dogs? yuck

7. What's your favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night-I listen to it everyday during December

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? water

9. Do you do push-ups? On occassion

10. Have you ever done ecstacy? No

11. Are you vegan? No

12. Do you like painkillers? No, They make me sick

13. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex? I don't know I'm really not the kind of person who tries to lure anyone into anything-I'm pretty straightforward

14. Do you own a knife? Yeah – butter, steak, pairing, swiss army and pocket – take your pick…

15. Do you have A.D.D.? no, but I do have a short attention span

16. Date Of Birth ? 10-04-78

17. Top 3 thoughts at this exact moment:
1. Is anyone going to read this?
2. I cant believe the weekend is almost over
3. does it matter what I'm thinking at this exact moment?

18. Name the last 3 things you have bought.
1. Groceries
2. Anniversary card for Austin's parents
3. Cappucino maker

19. Name five drinks you regularly drink:
1. Water
2. Skim milk
3. Tea
4. Lemondae
5. Slimfast

20. What time did you wake up today? 8:30

21. Current hair? dark brown, just above the shoulders

22. Current worry? the kids in my class who are currently not doing well

23. Current hate? obnoxious people-only b/c I've been on edge today

24. Favorite place to be? Destin on the balcony early morning just listening to the waves

25. Least favorite place to be? stuck in traffic

26. Where would you like to go? There are so many answers to this, but I will say Disney World

27. Do you own slippers? Yes, but I haven't worn them in years

28. Where do you think you'll be in 10 years? married to Austin, at least 2 children, a teacher

29. Do you burn or tan? Tan as long as I'm careful, but even if I burn it usually turns into a tan

30. Last thing you ate? Turkey cheddar melt from Garfield's

31. Would you be a pirate? Probably not, but I would love to sail

32. Last time you had an alcoholic drink? last weekend at Ben and Melissa's we had Margaritas and they weren't very good-The Grill has the best margitas in Columbus

33. What 3 songs do you sing in the shower? I don't usually sing in the shower, but I do occassionally put my radio in there and listen to anything loud and partyish

34. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child? The devil/ anything evil

35.What's in your pockets right now? nothing, the only thing that is ever in my pockets is my cell phone and some change

36. Last thing that made you laugh? Ben, Melissa, Austin and me singing the Reading Rainbow theme song in the car

37. Best bed sheets you had as a child? I don't remember any

38. Worst injury you've ever had? concussion from basketball practice-my best friend and I knocked heads

40. How many TVs do you have in your house? three-two were presents when we were in college and one we got from my old job

41. Who is your loudest friend? wow, I'm probably the loudest out of most of my friends and that's not saying much

42. Who is your most silent friend? ???-to me silent means doesn't talk, but all my friends talk to me

43. Does someone have a crush on you? I doubt it

I don't know where 44. went.

45. What is your favorite book? Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, Gone with the Wind, The Princess Bride, if you can't tell I really like to read

46. What is your favorite candy? I'm more of a cake/cookie/dessert than candy person, but I do love those apple sour straws

47. What song do/did you want played at your wedding? Look What Love Has Done, Be Thou My Vision (during our communion), Only Time by Enya, and Austin sang me a Bryan Adams song called I'll Always Be Right There

48. What song do you want played at your funeral? Go Rest High On That Mountain or Into the West sung by Annie Lennox and performed in The Lord of the Rings

49. What were you doing at 12AM last night? just getting into bed

50. Do you love the pain a tattoo brings? no, and the pain is what has been keeping me from getting a tatoo, b/c I would really love to have one-it's my secret wildness coming out :)

Don't forget to read the next post. I posted two today.

I'm still here

2006-03-05T19:40:00.000-06:00

I know it's been awhile and I'm sorry. I have the tendency to stay off of the computer. However, I do regularly check in with everyone to see how they are doing, and I occasionally comment. :) Anyway, I wanted to give you some lyrics to a Nickel Creek song that really hit home with me this week, and to tell you that if you enjoy reading, please check out Francine Rivers The Mark of the Lion Trilogy and Redeeming Love. These books have an awakening/healing/strenthening power that is God-given indeed. They will touch your heart. Anyway, here are the lyrics.

Where am I today? I wish that I knew
Cause looking around there's no sign of You
I don't remember one jump or one leap
Just quiet steps away from Your lead

I'm holding my heart out but clutching it too
Feeling this sort of love that I once knew
I'm calling this home when it's not even close
Playing the role with nerves left exposed

Standing on a darkened stage
Stumbling through the lines
Others have excuses
I have my reasons why

We get distracted by dreams of our own
But nobody's happy while feeling alone
And knowing how hard it hurts when we fall
We lean another ladder against the wrong wall

And then climb high to the highest rung
To shake fists at the sky
While others have excuses
I have my reasons why
With so much deception it's hard not to wander away
It's hard not to wander away. It's hard not to wander away.

In the Mark of the Lion books, there is a Jewish/Christian slave girl named Hadassah that has dreams of her own, but she stays strong in the Lord loving Him and trusting Him in everything, even when it is difficult and painful. I don't know if Nickel Creek meant this the way I took it, but it meant alot to me, and the thing is that I've heard it for years, and just connected the way I did this past weekend. Don't you just love it when that happens. :) Anyway, I've gotta run. Everyone keep posting, and know that even when I don't post, I am still keeping in touch. Love you guys!!

Doting relatives!!

2005-12-20T21:16:00.000-06:00

It doesn't matter if it's the 1st one, 3rd one or 10th one, there is nothing like a wee little baby. They are just too sweet for words. So do we look proud and happy or what? This child is in for some spoiling.

Celebrate!!

2005-12-19T19:19:00.000-06:00

So I am now officially an aunt for the 3rd time. Kellen Samuel Coleman was born on Saturday, December 17, 2005 at 1:35 P.M. I was in the room when he arrived and it was awesome. Above is a picture of my beautiful (or should I say handsome?) new nephew, and I picture of him with his brother, sister, mom and dad.

He is now home for his very first night with his entire family at their house. The kids stayed with us last night, and with me all day today, so needless to say Austin and I are pretty tired. Picture this...... Austin on the far left side of the bed with a 2 year old knocking off his covers all night and flipping circles in the bed with me on the far right side of the bed with a 5 year old buried in my back. It went alot easier than I expected it to though. I was afraid they would miss Mommy and Daddy too much, but they did fine. I really don't mind keeping them, it's fun to be an auntie. And they do love us so! :) Tomorrow I have got to finish my Christmas shopping and wrapping. Even though we only have a couple of people left, I don't want to be rushing around at the end of the week. I was looking forward to some rest this week, but I've gotten up early everyday I've been off, and been rushing around all day. I'd rather be busy than bored though, so I really can't complain.

I can't wait until Christmas. Only 4 more days until our family tradition of Christmas Eve at Grandma's and 5 days until Christmas. It's so much more fun, when you have little kids freaking out over everything. They make it much more hectic too though. Little Kellen will only be 1 week old for his 1st Christmas, but his sister and brother will make up for any chaos he can't take part in. If I don't get to blog again, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. Enjoy your friends and family, and have a very Merry Christmas!!

Pictures

2005-12-14T21:32:00.000-06:00

Entering Seattle by way of ferry from Bainbridge Island.

This is Isaac. Isn't he adorable?

So I know it's only a couple of pics, but I'm just practicing right now. I'll put more up later. I've never done this before. :)

Wow!!

2005-12-14T21:17:00.000-06:00

This is a picture taken from Austin's graduation.

So, it's been a really long time and I don't know how many of you are actually even checking in anymore, but I have a good reason. I started teaching again, and I'm not allowed to enter any blog sites from the school computer. So I haven't been able to even check anyone else's blogs in months, let alone post some of my own. Austin and I just bought and received a brand new computer however, and I hope to be blogging regularly again. It really sucks when 2 computers that are completely paid for die.

Alot has happened in the last few months. I'm still teaching 3rd grade, and enjoying it very much (even when I feel like pulling my hair out). Austin attended police academy for 10 weeks. He was gone for a really long time, but it's all over now, and he graduated with top academics. :) The week after he came home we headed to Seattle to visit family and enjoy ourselves for Thanksgiving. It was awesome. I'll put some pictures up. Seattle is a beautiful place.

My sister is due any day now, and we have no idea what the baby will be. She is getting very impatient and tired and ready for him/her to be here. I get to go into the delivery room which I've never actually done before. I figure this will be my only chance, and I'm really excited about it.

We're enjoying our new house. Things have been going really well with it, and we have all kinds of plans to make it more "ours". In fact we've already picked out paint for all the rooms, and we're talking about enclosing the back patio to have an extra room for us.

Christmas is around the corner, and there are only 2 school days left. I'm so excited to be off for 2 whole weeks. I can't wait until I can sleep in again. We've got almost all of our Christmas shopping done, and I've already wrapped everything here, so we're doing pretty good.

Ben and Melissa had a little girl (Baylee) the day before we left for Seattle. She is a little sweetheart, and Karlee loves her to death.

That's all I can really think of for now. I'm really going to get back in the habit of doing this. It's a great outlet, and I like staying in touch with everyone.

We got a new camera so now I'll be able to post pictures of everything. I've also put some picture on classmates.com for those of you who want to look at my profile there. Anyways, I'd better run. I had dinner with Kimberly and Terra tonight and have alot of work to do since I got home so late. Enjoy the pictures!

Returned

2005-07-05T11:30:00.000-05:00

Well I know it's been a really long time since my last blog. I have been keeping up with everyone, but I just have not had the time to post anything. Until recently I have been able to post at work, but I cannot do that anymore either. The blogger page is explicitly forbidden to pass the firewall. Bear with me while catch everyone up. I know my last post was depressing and I apologize. I was able to go to Jason's funeral for which I'm very grateful. It hurts to lose someone, but I'm glad I was able to attend and say good-bye.

On to better news. School ended on May 23rd, and Austin and I signed on our house that afternoon. We moved in Memorial weekend. It took several days, but now things are finally settling down, and we feel like we're at home there. Since I've kept up through email I think everyone has my new address and phone number but if I forgot just leave me a message.

Austin's birthday was June 22 and we celebrated by heading to Destin, FL with Ben and Melissa (June 22 is also Ben's birthday). We had a wonderful condo right on the beach, and since we weren't sure what to expect we had a wonderful surprise with a private balcony that had a private staircase right to the sand. I've never enjoyed this luxury before and it is an amazing thing to be with all your things and on the beach. We've been home over a week and I still miss hearing the ocean. We had a great time and hope to do it again very soon. We are making sure we remember the exact condo we stayed in as well.

I received my teacher's contract in the mail the day before we left, and I was very relieved and excited to have a job next year. Another worry gone. School starts on August 1 for the teachers and the students come in August 4th. I really wish we were starting later. August is the hottest month of the year and the kids become miserable very quickly. Recess is always rough and they come back arguing and exhausted. But I'm grateful that I'll be there to endure it and not jobless.

Two friends of ours had their babies. Both boys. My sister is 16 weeks today and her due date is in December. Melissa is planning on having a c-section after Thanksgiving and they're supposed to learn the sex of the baby on July 19. And a woman from our church whose oldest child is in highschool and youngest is around 8 yrs old just found out she is having twins. She is thrilled and hopes desperately for girls.

I am still working my 2nd job. I only have to come in 3 days a week so it's not bad. This week however I'm here everyday all day so that the secretary could go visit her family up north. We had a great 4th of July. Austin got his surround sound hooked up and is extremely excited about it. We also went to see Batman Begins (very cool movie) and War of the Worlds (intense) . We shot off fireworks Sunday night. McKinley loved them and Ayden ran back up on the porch with his ears covered and said he wanted to go inside (he's only 2).

My parents are buying a house just down the road from my grandmother and will sign on it at the end of this month.

Austin's family from out west will be here next week. We haven't seen them since Christmas. We'll have a blast, and then next Saturday my aunt and cousin and her daughter are coming down for a visit. They haven't been here in a couple of years so it'll be great to see them again (although we did see them in April for the weddding).

Please pray for my cousin Emily. She is having gall bladder surgery tomorrow, and she's only taking one week off of work. Let's hope for a quick recovery.

I guess that's all the updates for now. I am going to try to get into the habit of posting every week. Things have just been busy. I rarely get on the computer at home. There is always too many things to do or I'm wiped out and don't do anything. I hope my friends are still checking me out. I promise to do better.

Jason

2005-04-27T17:52:00.000-05:00

Jason Michael Morris, friend to all who knew him, died Monday, April 25, 2005. The funeral is tomorrow. I don't even know if I can go. My principal will not be back in town until tomorrow. I don't know how he could find a substitute in time. I will not be able to ask him until 7:30, and I would have to leave by 9:15 at the latest. I feel horrible. I feel like I should be there. I should be able to get off work. There is so much going on at school right now, it makes taking off even a few hours extremely difficult. I need to say bye to Jason.

On a brighter note: Congratulations to Ben and Melissa. I know that you're excited about the new baby. Austin and I are very happy for you.

I hate to include a baby with the bad news, but otherwise this blog would be too depressing.

Pray for Jason's family. They need Him right now. I cannot imagine enduring this.

Great News!!

2005-04-25T19:41:00.000-05:00

Well, McKinley's t-ball game went okay. They had to be there at 7:50 A.M. for pictures (which I think was a very bad idea), and it was extremely cold here Saturday. By the time the game started at 9:00 most of the kids looked pretty bored. By 9:45, McKinley started crying because she was cold and tired. I think if they hadn't of had to been there so early, she would've been fine. She wouldn't play the rest of the game though. Her first bat she got a double (for you non-sports fans that means she got to second base on her hit). In the outfield, if the ball came anywhere near her all the other kids ran over, and she'd start to chase it, then stop. She probably figured "why bother?". Let the others get it. It was pretty funny, and would've been much more enjoyable if it hadn't of been so cold. Austin and I looked at a house out in New Hope on Saturday, and we put in an offer. It's a small, cute house in a nice, family subdivision. She accepted our offer, and today we signed a contract to close the deal on May 31st. I'm so excited!! We have a house!! Ben and Melissa drove by it with us yesterday. It's too bad we can't show anyone the inside for awhile, but everyone will know exactly where it is, by the time we can. Amanda, it's just a couple of minutes down the road from your old house. When ya'll come back to visit (I know it could be awhile) I'd love you and Darren to come by!! If I had a camera I would take some pictures to share with ya'll. Of course I don't have anyway to get them onto the computer so a camera wouldn't help much anyway. That will be our next purchase, after we get a new bedroom suit. We have a very old, hard bed, and my old dresser and chest of drawers. I'm hoping to put that stuff in the spare rooms, and get something new for us. We'll see. I hope everyone is doing great. We are working really hard to get ready for the MCT (Mississippi Curriculum Test) at school. They take reading on Tues, Language on Wed, and Math on Thurs. I told them they better try very hard b/c they have one day to show the state of Mississippi that they are ready for the 4th grade. Hardly seems fair does it? But I won't go into that now or this blog will be reeeaaalllly long. Everyone have a great week. I'll be checking in. -

Blah, blah

2005-04-22T17:40:00.000-05:00

So I'm sitting here at work. I can post blogs, but I cannot read anyone's. This is due to the Firewall which keeps out most websites. Logically, I would think I couldn't post either, but so far there has been no problems there. Today is my grandmother's 74th birthday. Austin and I are living with her right now until we find a house. Thank God for grandmas. We would've had some stressful times without her. Part of our present to her is that we are paying her back a loan she gave us a couple of years ago. That is always a wonderful feeling. My niece, McKinley, has a birthday on Wednesday. She will be 5 years old. I can hardly believe it. I was holding her in my lap last night, and I just said "Take a look at this long-legged baby." She has gotten so tall lately. She's not my baby anymore. Her first t-ball game is in the morning. I hope she enjoys it. Watching her the past 5 years and being pretty athletic myself, I think she could be good at any sport she chose to. It all depends on if she wants to do it. I've gotta run. My time here is almost up. We are going to look at another house tomorrow. Wish us luck!! Have a great weekend.

Memories

2005-04-21T20:51:00.000-05:00

So I've been back since April 11, but Austin was sick and I was sick and things have been crazy busy here (working 2 jobs doesn't help). So I've been reading everyone's blogs but just haven't had time to post or comment. Don't think I'm indifferent. I like reading, just don't always have time to comment as well. So anyway since I didn't reply to "what you remember about me" I thought I would do some here.

Amanda- remember when we were cheer buddies junior year and during one of our routines at a football game I was half a second ahead of everyone and didn't know it. Because it was you and not someone else, I laughed my head off when you told me instead of dying of embarrassment. Remember when we roomed together at Nationals and I woke up with you 1/2 inch from my face trying to get a picture of my "eye boogies" Remember when you told me that you couldn't have children on the way back from Melissa's house. Remember when we had the 8th grade history project and spent a Sunday afternoon at your house with Chad and Jason laughing our heads off with sock puppets. Remember when you didn't take sides in the "war" I endured senior year. I was always grateful for that.

Addie-remember when you crawled in my suitcase at Nationals and jumped out and scared Aimee so bad she almost peed on herself. Remember how we walked up 14 flights of stairs to get a dress you bought b/c the elevators were full of cheerleaders and it was a long wait. I've never been in better shape, and thought I'd die by the time we made it to the top. Remember when we went horseback riding in 8th grade. Remember how we used to wave at everyone we saw while we were riding around. Remember the time we were at a basketball game and I told you I was "falling" and you said "hang on" You understood.

Kimberly-remember when we stayed up all night freezing in Wyoming b/c we were the only ones who didn't know you were supposed to sleep in your sleeping bags in the cabin. Remember how we got into a huge pillow fight with the guys b/c they kept throwing a tennis ball against the door while we were trying to sleep. Remember when we all got together and slept at your apartment in Starkville for a girl's night. Remember how you came and stayed with me in Ocean Springs while Austin was gone and kept me from being lonely down there.

Melissa-remember when we followed Austin and Ben to town, and when they went into the store we snuck into the back of your car and when they came back we jumped up and scared them to death. Remember how I accidentally slammed your fingers in the door when you were pregnant and you got mad at Ben. Remember when we came over to your trailer and woke up Ben who was supposed to pick you up at work an hour before. Remember how excited we were about Karlee, and we spent hours in Barnes&Noble looking in baby name books.

So I hope everyone enjoys these memories. I had to think for a while, but when I started typing stuff started coming to me. I'm sure I could type more if I thought long enough. If you remember, I hope these things bring a smile to your face and maybe even a laugh. It's great when you have friends you've known "forever" I'll type more soon. Love you guys!!

The wedding went perfect and it was a great trip. Things couldn't have gone better. They walked out of the church to Captain and Tenille's "Love Will Keep Us Together" Look up this song if you can't remember it. It was great.

Weddings

2005-04-06T15:55:00.000-05:00

So I just wanted to let everyone know that Austin and I will be heading to Virginia today for my cousin Emily's wedding. The rest of my family is already there. I won't be able to blog for several days or read anyone's blog. I'm not gone, just unavailable. I'll return next week to excitingly read your blogs. Have a great weekend!!

Not So Good

2005-03-30T21:29:00.000-06:00

Okay, so some changes have been bad. Last July, my husband and I found out from mutual friends that one of our classmates has cancer. I was at home, when I got the call. I didn't know what to do. It was just shock. Jason was the youngest person in our class. Probably the nicest as well. I did not know how I was going to tell my husband that one of his best friends from highschool was dying. When Austin got home that day, I was in tears before I could utter a word. Poor Austin was trying to comfort me, and he had no idea what was going on. He did not react the way I expected. He just said "He'll make it" We went that very week to Jackson to see Jason. He'd lost alot of weight and was very tired, but still talked to us. He was smiling and looked like Jason. I thought he was handling things much better that I could have. Everyone was in shock. It had been over 7 years since graduation. Some of us had hardly seen each other at all, but that did not diminish our feelings. In our hearts, we're always friends, even if we've lost contact. Your heart still breaks, when you hear bad news, and still rejoices when you hear something good. Jason's doctors did not seem to have much hope, but everyone else did. Everyone we know has been hoping and praying ever since. The sad thing is we haven't really talked with Jason. We are cowards. It is too hard to face that one of us might be gone soon. So we hope and pray and get updates from friends and family, but avoid direct contact. Now we have been told that they have tried everything, and Jason has only a matter of time. I cannot grasp that one of us will be gone. We are too young to deal with this. Too young to be dying. We are all supposed to be here for many years to come. But we will not. Jason is one of the kindest people I have ever known. I cannot imagine this world without him. This world needs Jason, but I hope and pray that he will not suffer. That his pain will be eased. I am grateful that I got to know Jason. He was always kind and considerate. Always ready to laugh and be a friend. You could never accuse Jason of looking down his nose at anyone. It is hard to face. It is easier to pretend that everything is as it always was. That Jason is fine, and this tragedy will not happen. But we have to be courageous. For Jason. For his family. For each other.

Spring Changes

2005-03-30T17:29:00.000-06:00

My school is on Spring Break this week, and it has been wonderful. We all needed a break. The kids were becoming rowdy, and I was getting impatient. The weather has been fabulous the last few days. I love spring. Everything is just fresh and new, and I get tired of wearing bulky, heavy clothes. Give me sandals and sleeveless shirts anytime. I have to say though, by the time the weather starts cooling down, I will be just as happy then. God knew what He was doing making the different seasons. If the weather was always the same, we (at least I) would lose our minds. There is probably a lesson in there about how change is a good thing, we just have to adapt to it. Changes have always been hard on me whether they seemed good or bad. Though I admit they are much easier than they used to be. Austin has helped me with that. We signed the papers to sell our house last Wednesday, and the check is in the mail. Now we can finally start looking for a place of our own again. I love my family, but it is really hard to live in crowded quarters when you're used to having your own space. We are grateful though, because it could've taken a year or more for the house to sell, and it's only been 3 months. I will miss our house though. There are things about the coast I was learning to love. I still have friends down there, that I will rarely get to see, and that's sad. Thank goodness for email. I'm better about that then sending letters. It was hard to move down there, but I think it was the best thing that could've happened for us. We got married, and then immediatley were on our own, in a new town, with new jobs, where we didn't know anybody, and had to rely on each other for everything. It was fabulous!! We always missed our friends and family down there, and we loved it when anyone came to visit. At the same time, I miss having weekends where I don't see anyone but Austin. Of course, we'll get some of those back, when we have a place of our own to live again. I'm grateful to be close to our friends and family again. We have been able to really hang out with people, and spend time with them, instead of just quick "Hellos" we're leaving tomorrow. We've been able to hang out with couples and with friends one on one, and we really missed that down there. We had a few friends on the coast, and we still talk to them, but it was different. It's been good to be back home. We've met knew people here and now we're making a new groove for ourselves. We didn't want to go back to the old one. To sum up, change has been very good to me. Not always easy, but good.

Happiness

2005-03-18T17:02:00.000-06:00

Why is it hard to be happy? Some of you will read that question, and immediately begin to doubt my happiness. Don't. I'm very happy. I love my husband, I love my dog, I love both my jobs, I'm selling my house, and hopefully getting another soon. I am extremely happy. But it doesn't change the fact, that happiness seems easy to acquire and hard to hold on to. Day to day life can just get you down, and we as humans seem to want to wallow in that. I know not everyone does this. I've seen extremely happy people, who have had some horrible tragedy or disappointment in their past. To look at them, you would never know. You could never possibly imagine that some thing stole their heart. Thing is the only word for it. It's usually so horrible that it cannot really be described only understood. Yet so many people are able to live again. Then those of us who should be fine, want to give in to annoyances and be unhappy. I've also seen people who seem to have everything going for them and they are obviously miserable, or they only pretend to be happy. (It's all a big fa-cade! -I know it's not pronounced that way but if you seen the movie this is from you'll get it) I am not a moody person most of the time. My moodiness generally comes out when I'm tired, but there are times with me and I'm sure with most people that you just get down. I know I've had some rough things in my past that could have left much more obvious marks for the world to see. Even my closest friends (except Austin) don't know the true secrets of my heart. The things that could have ruined my life. I seem like a normal person that has never had bad things happen to her. Yet these awful things that leave hidden scars are not what generally gets me down. Instead it is annoyances and frustration that I fight to overcome. I hate it when I get like that. It seems so selfish and unfair of me. Especially when others have it really bad. Don't get me wrong. Sometimes it is hard to let go of the past, and I can become hung up on those things. I do not blame people who have a hard time "going on with life" when bad things happen. I'm very sympathetic. But I admit to having hard time with people who just seem to whine. {I'm not talking about venting either, everyone needs to vent-especially to their friends; heck-I'm doing it now} I have this Tom Petty song that I recently really listened to the words too, and I have come to use it almost as an anthem. To remind me that life is hard, but you determine your happiness by your reactions, and the way you choose to live. My favorite part is

"You don't have to live like a refuge, Everybody's had to fight to be free".

I hope no one takes any of this against them in some way. I love reading ya'lls' blogs, the good and bad. This whole thought process came over me when Kimberly and I were talking this week (It was great to spend time with you!). We just starting discussing those times that want to make you give up, but that you keep going on. Wondering why some people (Christians and non-Christians) give in to their pain, and others learn how to live again. Everyone gets depressed, but not everyone stays depressed. I've learned the older I get that everyone has scars, but some are hidden. Everyone has had bad things happen to them, they just deal with them differently. People who are able to deal with life inspire me. They make me want to forget my hurts and stay happy (not flit back and forth). I don't hold grudges, but I do have the tendency to hold onto pain. It is buried deep and rarely surfaces. Those everyday frustrations can get to me sometimes. But I love being alive. Life's no fun if you're always upset about little things. I'm determined to be a more upbeat person who lives life to the hilt. I don't want to be a happy worrier. I want to be a happy person. Happy people help the people around them be happy. (Say that 5 times fast) Being able to share this on my blog, helps me. I just need to get those thoughts out there sometimes. It also helps me hold myself accountable. I will fight to be free. Everyday. From those big and little things. I hope anyone reading this doesn't get down. It's meant to inspire in my own weird way. Just remember when you come down from the happy "highs", you can stay happy. No one has to live in ways they don't want to. You don't have to be a refuge! You can be so happy others will wonder and strive to achieve the same.

I'M BACK

2005-03-18T16:46:00.000-06:00

I know I haven't posted in awhile. Sorry! Things have been so crazy here. I also have been feeling that I didn't really have anything good to write about. I do want everyone to know though that I regularly check your blogs to keep in touch even when I don't update mine. I'm sitting at work with nothing to do, and I'm bored out of my mind. Some might think I'm lucky but since I'm entering my 10th hour soon, not so lucky. Most days working at the base is great, but every once in a while, you could literally die of boredom. This week has been a busy one again. Wednesday I had parent/teacher meetings from 9:40 to 6:00 p.m. Everything went fine and almost all of my parents showed up. But it is very nerve-wracking meeting that many new people in one day. At least for me it is. The day went by quickly though, and I hope that the parents are as nice the rest of the year as they were Wednesday. Yesterday I didn't even go in though, and I paid for it today. Most of the students had to retake the tests they took yesterday, b/c they failed. They passed today. For some reason, subs come in and their brains shut down. I know they're thinking "FUN DAY!" but I would never have failed a test (let alone 2) just b/c my teacher wasn't there. My spring break starts next Friday, and I'm really looking forward to that. Of course, I'll be working at the base most of the time, but it's still a break. Then I'm off to my cousin's wedding in Virginia! I can't wait for that. It's going to be fun to spend time with family again with no real worries around. Except of course the usual wedding worries. Austin and I should be closing on our house by Monday. One month and one day after the original contract ran out. Things have been so frustrating with that, I don't even want to write it down. Let's just say we'll both breathe a huge sigh of relief when all this is over. We can't wait to start looking for a place of our own. I love my family, but living with them after you've been away is not easy for any of us. Things have been good overall. I got to hang out with Kimberly and Jessica this week, and that rarely happens. We actually got to talk. It's been really nice, being around our friends again. That is all I'm going to do on this post for now. Let's just say all this was an update. I hope it's not to rambling and choppy. I'm quite tired, and my first indication of this is that I keep having to retype everything. I hope everyone has had a great week and an even greater weekend. Spring is almost here!!

My congratulations go out to Amanda and Phillip!! I'm very happy for you, and I can't wait to actually meet you, Amanda.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2005-02-14T20:52:00.000-06:00

I love Valentine's Day, although like my friends they have not always been the best. For most people, your heart is broken on that day no matter how hard you hope for a secret admirer. I can't complain. Young girls dream of Valentine's day for years, before there is even enough boys their own age to realize what day it is. It can be a beautiful day though, and I have had some wonderful ones with Austin. (Today a got a dozen multi-colored roses. He threw me off by asking me yesterday at Wal-Mart if I just wanted to go ahead and get flowers while we were there. All I could say was "You can get me flowers from W-Mart as long as you don't tell me about it." See how sneaky he is. All that trouble, just ensure I'd be surprised.) Although, I can't say that my favorite memories of Austin have anything to do with Valentine's or something big and romantic we did. It has always been the simple things that brings a smile to my heart. I'll share one memory that I will keep forever. I awoke in the middle of the night, and we were holding hands. I immediately smiled and drifted back to sleep. Number one, neither of us sleeps on our backs, but we were both lying there flat on our backs with fingers intertwined. Number two, when I mentioned it the next day, Austin said he woke up and noticed the same thing, but neither of us knew who grabbed the other's hand. Number three, I do not often wake up in the middle of the night and smile. Usually, I'm irritated or upset. That is a precious memory for me. I have to say that since then, I've noticed that as I'm waking up in the morning, we are usually wrapped up together somehow. Amazing to me since we generally fall asleep on the other side of the bed with a dog between us. I love waking up next to my husband. We always cuddle in our sleep, and it makes me feel safe and loved. (Forget the stuffed animals.) Another precious thing to me is my wedding ring and it has nothing to do with the band. Most of the time, I don't notice it, but every once in a while I'll remember that engraved on both bands is "Ubi es ibi sum"-Latin for Wherever you are, there I am. It's the everyday things that I love about my husband. Even when he frustrates me, he makes my life enjoyable and happy. So Austin I hope you read this, because you are the man that makes my dreams come true.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Friends

2005-02-08T20:49:00.000-06:00

What to say? I've been meaning to post for days, but things always come up. Including sharing this computer. Until we find a house that will be the case. Anyway, since I haven't been able to post, I've forgotten most of the things I wanted to say. I want all my friends, bloggers and non-bloggers to know that I am very grateful for you. For some of you, this allows us to keep in touch through the miles. For others, not only can we keep in touch but we can get to know each other again. Every good friendship needs a refresher course every once in a while. And still for others, this blog allows us to express ourselves in ways we normally wouldn't in person. Not that we mind people knowing our thoughts. Sometimes they're just hard to put into words. Allowing people to see into your inner selves creates the greatest friendships of all, and these can take years to build. Living on the coast, I found friends. But there was know history with them. I liked them alot, but since I'd never really had to dig deep with my friends (b/c they'd known me so long) it was hard to get the same kind of connection that I had with friends from home. There are still people there that I want to keep in touch with, and I will have to make a point to do that. I want to be lifelong friends with them but distance and sometimes other obstacles make things difficult. To everyone, when you find a friend, a true friend, hold onto them. Do not let misunderstandings, distance, time, family, busyness or anything else get in the way. It is so easy to do and I have done it many times. That's why I love these blogs. I can let my friends know how I'm doing and find out how they're doing. I didn't mean to get sad or lecturey (is that a word?) I just get on a soapbox sometimes. My main thing was to let everyone know who reads this blog: Thanks for reading. Thanks for caring about my life. Thanks for making the effort to stay in touch. Some of you guys I miss, and some of you I get to see pretty often, but I love you all. Now that is something I have a very hard time saying in person! Just know that it is true.
Lord, bless my friends. They mean so much to me, and I know they mean more to You. Be with them and let them feel Your presence. You are the ultimate Friend, and let all of us always remember that. Thank you for Your everyday blessings, we are sometimes to busy to notice. And even though we don't notice them, thank You for not taking them away, but continuing to shower us with Your love. Thank you that my friends have been a blessing to me and help me to be a blessing to them. What would we do without you Father?

For all my friends out there and new acquaintances, we have another new blogger. Check out Melissa at www.melissa99.blogspot.com

Love
Amy

There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Doubting Amy

2005-02-03T19:50:00.000-06:00

Nothing new has happened today. I'm my usual fearful, questioning self. I've been debating for a while if I could really be a teacher for the next 30 years. Don't get me wrong. I love teaching. Kids are hilarious, sweet, and innocent. They're also frustrating. That however would not keep me out of the classroom. It's stressful, yes, but with children each day is a new day. They always start out fresh without the previous days' grudges and anger. How many adults can say that? What would keep me out of the classroom however is the stress from parents and the politcal stuff. That's the only thing I know to call it. Just stuff. There is always pressure for perfection. How many perfect kids do you know? Every day is a reminder that they have to succeed on that final test. If they don't, they suffer, you suffer, the school suffers, and finally the school district suffers. Who signed up for that? The bigger "thing" in all this is that you are supposed to helping mold a child's mind and heart for his/her entire life. What a noble and wonderful thought. Then in steps the real world. Don't get me wrong. Everything you do will affect these children in one way or another. A scary thought. If you don't believe me, think about one of your worst days at school and tell me there wasn't a teacher involved that you will never be able to forget; then think about your best day and remember your undying affection for that teacher. But there is never any attention on that. The focus is always the TEST. The good teachers and principals still believe in helping children, but they are under tremendous pressure too. There is no escaping it. So I battle back and forth on a weekly basis. Can I handle this for so long? Do I have a choice? I'm considering getting my masters, but what then? I want a good job, that doesn't feel like a job. Who doesn't want that? Sometimes I think I'm just lazy. I've always wanted to be able to stay home with my children when I have them, but what if I got bored or couldn't deal with it? That would be a worse feeling than never being able to do it. At least being a teacher, lets me know what teachers want so that I can help my own children. I will always have holidays and weekends off with them. How many people can boast that? In the midst of all the blessings, there is always doubt with me. I wish I understood why. Maybe I do. I just don't want to face why. Then when it seems I need it the most, the faith is there. Strong and sure. I am two people. One always at war with the other. How can I be so sure and so scared? So spontaneous and so predictable? So adventurous and so boring? So loving and so withdrawn? So independent and so afraid to be alone? So blessed and still so skeptical? My husband has a song that he sings to me. It always brings tears to my eyes and reminds me of his love. I've told him that I'm not sure I see the person he does, but he reassures me. That is what great husbands do.

You got to leave me now, You got to go alone
You got to chase a dream, one that's all your own
Before it slips away.
When you're flying high, take my heart along.
I'll be the harmony to every lonely song
That you learn to play.

When you're soaring through the air, I'll be your solid ground
Take every chance you dare, I'll still be there
When you come back down.
When you come back down.

I'll keep looking up, awaitin your return,
My greatest fear will be that you will crash and burn,
And I won't feel your fire.
I'll be the other hand that always holds the line
Connecting in between your sweet heart and mine,
I'm strung out on that wire.

And I'll be on the other end, To hear you when you call,
You were born to fly, If you get too high
I'll catch you when you fall
I'll catch you when you fall

Your memory's the sunshine every new day brings
I know the sky is calling,
Let me help you with your wings.
By Nickel Creek

If this doesn't make sense, I do apologize. I warned you. I ramble. The only way to collect the thoughts is to put them down. They still don't make alot of sense then, but I always feel reassured. Enjoy.

Back to the Beginning

2005-02-02T20:29:00.000-06:00

I decided to name this post "Back to the Beginning" because of one of my favorite movies "The Princess Bride". If you've seen it you know, that when things go wrong you should always go back to the beginning. Well things aren't going wrong. They've been going so right, it is almost scary. My husband and I were married almost three years ago. Two months after we got married me moved away. A couple of months ago, he was offered a job back in our hometown. For him to accept, we had to move out of our first home and in with my grandmother and mother. I had to quit my job and hope I found a new one ASAP. Most importantly, to survive we needed to sell our house quickly. Well, two weeks before we moved back, I got my old job back (a wonderful job). I started the week of New Year's. Everything was going great, but I wasn't going to be able to work as many hours as I wanted. Well, the interim principal, from Franklin Elementary called me and asked me to be a long term sub. I agreed only if I could keep my current job. To sum up, I am working two jobs and one employer is letting me leave early, while the other one is letting me come in late. An enormous blessing. Next order of business: We knew our house would not sell quickly. When we bought it, it had been on the market 1 1/2 years. One month to the day we moved out, we went under contract with someone to buy our house. If things work out as we planned, we'll only have to make 1 payment on a house we're not living in. This may seem trivial to some, but do you ever have God remind you that He is always there. That is what these last few weeks have been like. Austin and I stepped out on faith, and God has carried us. Don't laugh. I've been ignoring Him for a long time, and He has shown His love just by showing me He is still there. I guess I have always thought that in many ways God has let me down. That wasn't fair or accurate of me. Life is life. It hurts and it's hard. No one can expect perfection. You just have to learn to deal with what comes. There will always be good things that keep you going. I had plenty of those good things, but I was angry. Sometimes I still am, but I'm trying to deal with that. I guess I thought that if I turned my back on Him, He would leave (like so many have done) but He is God. Instead of leaving, He showed me that He hasn't given up. I could not be more grateful for that. So my message today is "When things go wrong, always go back to the beginning."

Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning, GOD created the heavens and the earth."

A Beginning

2005-02-02T19:57:00.000-06:00

I have decided to create this blog because of the enjoyment I've received from reading my friends'. I hope this makes it easier for us to be in touch. Their writings have interested and inspired, and I hope my can do some of the same. I have an ordinary life with a wonderful husband, and I can't complain (sometimes I can). Do not be surprised if what I write rambles. Just bear with me, because I could out talk anyone. I need an outlet, and I hope this helps. If you want to get to know me just check in occasionally.