Here are some pictures from our fun trip to Fast Eddies. After a couple rides me and Toby decided to take our rightful place as spectators, our arms hurt from steering so hard. Hey, I never claimed to be SheRa........oh wait except when I was 5 and used to carry my SheRa sword around in my diaper, pulling it out at the slightest sign of danger. But other than then.........

Anyway, I decided boys are just crazy, especially when it comes to go-carts, video games, athletic events, oh yeah and life in general =) Justin, Kurt, Matt V., and Kirk were out for blood. It was quite entertaining to watch. But even with all the viciousness, Jus still managed to give a little sign of affection to the crowd.

Ok so this week has been filled with teacher type stuff, meaning my hand has a permenant cramping from all the paperwork I've had to do.....and yet I still have more! scary! I've spent the last week going to "new teacher" conferences and learning everything I need to know to start off my first school year........so why do I feel like I know absolutely nothing?? haha, well, I guess the only preparation is to get in there and do it, so I will. I'm sure my first few weeks will be full of spit balls and writing lines on the board, but either way, I'm excited! I had to take my Math subject area test on Saturday to complete my certification. This thing was no joke. I'm talking Calculus 2 material and all! I had to dig deep to remember some of those formulas that I thought I had properly disposed of somewhere in my brain, but I think I actually did ok. The guys sitting next to me was a trip. We chit chatted a while while the 90 year old lady in charge walked up to each and every chair 20 times handing out respective materials. I tried to make conversation to make the time go by faster so I asked a simple question, or so I thought, "If we finish before time is up, are we supposed to stay seated or leave the room?" To which he replied, "I'll have you know, I'll still be sitting here when time is up........" All I could do was bust out laughing at the guy. I guess it was pretty cocky to assume I may be finished with time to spare, but it turns out i did! So Nah to you snippy guy! Anyway, I was glad to get that over with. And I needed some relaxation. Luckily Jeff and Laura (she's the pregnant one in the pictures) invited us all over to their house to hang out and play Cranium. I love our new sunday school class. We've gotten to meet so many awesome couples through it. Jeff and Laura have joined our Thursday night bowling group too! Hopefully, we can get everyone going, how fun!

So tomorrow, I start school. Luckily I'll have this next week to prepare and gather knowledge from the other teachers before I actually have to handle the children. Wish me luck!

Where he leads me, I will follow

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 - "26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him."

Okay so this teaching thing is scary for me, but for some reason I feel more confindent starting this career, with absolutely no knowledge or experience, than I have been in starting any computer job I've had. Weird I know! So i think I finally figured out why.........God does not call the equipped, he equips the called! Lord knows he definitely didn't call me because of my stellar teaching abilities or great background in the field, but instead, just like the verse above says, he called me (a lowly unqualified newbie) so that when he makes an amazing teacher out of me, we'll all know it was only by HIS power, not anything I could do. This way the world can see that he is making something of me that I couldn't have made of myself. It's the same way he offers us salvation and love. I'm not loved by God because I am valuable, but instead, I'm valuable only because I am loved by God! He wants me just as I am, all my mess ups and mistakes and things I could and should fix in my life. He offers ME love and salvation just like he offers Billy Graham. That's true unconditional love. It's hard to imagine that because there are little to know true examples of it on this earth today, it's human nature to be conditional. It's hard to believe that someone who knows my every deepest thoughts and faults would still think I'm worth it all. But, again my doubt is baseless. Even the disciples themselves had their sinful ways about them. Yep, although I think of them as these "Holier than thou" types, they were actually just as messed up as the rest of us. Peter was loud, obnoxious and often put his foot in his mouth, John and James were repeatedly shown as hot-headed and let their tempers get the best of them, and Paul (who was formerly known as Saul) was the worst persecutor and murderer of Christians before he was converted! If he can transform those guys into the amazing missionaries and pillars of our faith that they turned out to be........I'm anxious to see what he will make out of me. As I go into this new career I'm vowing to give him control. I'm walking into that school the first day as a missionary.............who just happens to teach Algebra.

Speaking of patriotic.....

Well, it finally happened. I got called into Frank Lay's office this morning and he offered me the Algebra Teacher position at Pace High! Yayyy! I'm so a teacher now!

My God is so amazing. He provides everything I need. For instance, let's rewind to the beginning of this whole scenario. As many of you know, I was working at a software company, anxiously wanting to quit. And due to the fact that Justin was given a huge promotion to Outside sales in his company, I was able to. I was able to lay low for a few months while I figured out just exactly it was that I wanted to do. That was nothing but sheer blessing from above, just that time that gave me clarity. Well, I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher and I felt very strongly that I could do it but, at this point I was NOT willing to go back to school. Although, I was sure that I would have to, being that my degree is in Computer Science and not Education. So I kind of put that idea on the back burner. But for some reason (the conviction of the Holy Spirit) the thought kept coming up again, over and over. So finally I checked it out, and it turns out that God provided for me once again. With my degree I had every single class I needed to be a Computer science or Math teacher (since I have a math minor). Woah! I was not expecting that, you mean I wouldn't have to go back to school??? Wow, I'm in! So I started the application process. What some of you don't know is that in the middle of it Justin and I sat down and talked for a while. We discussed the issue of starting a family. Well, not right at the moment, but, in the next couple of years. So, would it be fair to accept a teaching job and then get pregnant and have to quit after the first year or two?? Would that be a tacky thing to do?? We decided that maybe we should put the teaching thing on hold. So I stopped the application process, kind of halfway through. Not even a week later I had a message on my answering machine that Mr. Lay wanted to interview me for a new math position that opened up...........WHAT?? I hadn't even put in my application with the board, in fact, I hadn't done really anything. I remembered that I had mentioned to him at church one Sunday that I was interested in pursuing teaching and asked for his direction on getting started. Never did I imagine it would be that little encounter that got everything going. So I must say that when Jus and I did too much thinking on our own, God stepped in and said, "No ma'am, here is what you are going to do". I love that. I need that. My Jesus knows me better than I know myself. He knows that I second guess every decision I've ever made. So, for him to provide a straight and narrow way for me in this situation is all the gift in the world! Praise the Lord. I know I wouldn't have done this on my own. Okay so here is where it gets funny.......the same day I got the call from Pace High, Justin comes home and tells me that he thinks I should still apply for a teaching position. Yep, he decided that putting that dream on hold would just be plain silly. We should live life for now and worry about babies and what not when they get here. I agree! So now I am in the fingerprinting, drug testing process and basically have to start my teaching duties and workshops in like 3 days or something!! ahhhhhhhhhh! I'm really nervous but oh so excited.

So here are the details. I'm teaching Algebra A the first semester. That means I teach three classes of the same exact material and then have a planning period. This means I only have to prepare one lesson a day, instead of 3 like most people! Wow, how lucky am I. Then, in the second semester I am teaching Algebra A and Algebra B. The A class (which I will have already prepared for the previous semester) is for those poor students who didn't quite make it through my class the first time. And the B kids will be those who did. Okay so now for the bad news, I'm a floater.....meaning I don't have my own classroom yet, YIKES! But being the new kid, I have to pay my dues. Although being a floater does have it's perks, I get a laptop!

Tonight, Justin and I are going out to celebrate! Go PATRIOTS!

Late, as usual

Happy 4th.........oh wait, too late! Sorry bout that =(

So Independence Day was swell I'd say. A bunch of us got together at Kurt and Toby's to cook out on the grill, the girls talked "girl stuff" while the boys threw the football around and played woofle ball with a tennis racket (who knew it went so much farther with a racket?) I giggled at Jeremy and Kristen's two year old who was running through the sprinkler and laughing histerically each time it spun around and hit him....I could watch that all day. Not to mention that he wanted to continually talk about his new favorite movie, Cars. Except the fact that he pronounces his "tr" sounds like "f" instead..........so it was quite hilarious to hear him talk about the "tr"uck in the movie. hahha, I bet Kristen has a good time with that one in the grocery store!

Justin and I bought sparklers to enjoy but everyone assured me that they would be underappreciated if I lit them in broad daylight, "You should save them for tonight at the fireworks show." Okay so I did. Only to find out later that sparklers/all fireworks besides those being shot by the city of Pensacola were banned in Escambia county...CRAP! So I reluctantly left my Sparkers =( We all piled in the Yukon and headed to the fireworks show in downtown Pcola! Yay! Jus and I needed to stop at Walgreens and buy some chairs to sit in and a cooler full of drinks. Justin decided to go the cheap route and buy one of those styrofoam coolers which we still proceeded to fill with massive abouts of drink and ice. (this topic to be revisited)

So we all pull up at the fireworks show three hours early, Kristen informed us this was the way to get good parking and a good seat, so we did it. Gotta listen to those native Pcolians. As we are walking just chatting away, trying to keep up with Kristen's Dad who has taken his position of "Captain of the fireworks". The man can speed walk like no other and has no remorse if you are left behind, hahah. You could tell he was excited. Along the way you hear the horrible sound of breaking stryofoam and gushing ice on the sidewalk...........OH NO, poor Justin, I looked back only to see him standing sadly over our recent purchase. Kinda like a little kid, who didn't know how to put the cooler back together again.....so the Hudson's and the McGeHee's with their powers combined where able to make room for our drinks in their coolers and we were thankful. Finally we made it to our position in the grassy field overlooking the bay. We did what we could to waste the time before the fireworks started. And finally it was time. It was so beautiful that I wanted to take pictures of everyone, but the pictures SO do not look like the actual fireworks did. I've never been the most patriotic person, probably because I take my freedom for granted mostly. I love my country but I definitely take my freedoms for granted. But at that moment when they play all the great "America" songs, and the sky lights up and everyone just takes a minute to love our country........I'm patriotic. And so thankful for the troops overseas who are patriotic even when there aren't any fancy firework shows and great music. Okay okay, enough I know!

Well, the rest of the week and weekend flew by and I can't really remember what happened. Oh except for the fact that Justin is teaching me how to play golf. Yep I got some ladies clubs and all. I can see how the game would be tons of fun if you could actually hit the ball and make it go in somewhat the direction you wanted, which I couldn't. It's much harder to hit that little ball than to hit a softball or shoot a basketball, or do a toe-touch ya know.........but I will say that by the end of our first lesson I was definitely able to make contact with it 90% of the time, not saying it went very far (at all!) but hey, you gotta start somewhere. I hope that one day when we retire and live on a golf course somewhere, we can be the cute old couple that goes out and plays 9 holes together (because 18 would just be too much). And since I'm trying to learn one of Justin's hobbies, I am in the process of getting him to do something girly with me.......SALSA dancing! Oh yeah, I really just want to wear the high heels and flippy dress and look like i know what i am doing. He hasn't completely agreed but Toby has recently gotten Kurt to give in and I think Justin will soon follow suit. How fun!

Anyway, tonight we have Fast Eddies night. Justin's company rented out the whole place for all the employees and their families to go crazy! Go-Carts and basketball games, here i come!

Just wanted to post a picture of my favorite little girl!

Ain't she just the cutest!!!

Parents are fun =)

Well this week has been a good one. We did our usual everyday thing the first few days of the week and then things heated up towards the end. Thursday night was another pedicure party, but this one was even better cause it was at Kristi's new crib...which of course means that Kristi's crazy kin and soon to be kin (Marti) were there. Haha, I think that is the most anyone has ever laughed while doing pedicures. And next week Carol, Tori, Marti and I have a makeover date, my absolute favorites!!!

Then on Friday my mom and dad came to visit! yayyyyy! Daddy had never seen our house before and the last time mom had seen it, it was halfway painted. They loved it and we had so much fun just relaxing. Well, Justin and my dad relaxed while me and my mom SHOPPED........I guess some things never change?? Saturday we woke up and ate a big pancake breakfast and then me and mom headed out for what else..........shopping. We got the beads to make Sharry's bridesmaid jewelry (In case you didn't know, I'm the expert on bridesmaid jewelry, haha). We did some fun crafts which we hid from the boys until they were finished and unveiled them like the special-ed children we are. haha. I love doing crafts with my mom. It seems that we walk through a store, see an item and my mom proclaims, "We should get this and do _____with it." In normal life, she would say this and keep walking but, with our powers combined, I'm the one who gets excited about what she is suggesting and just HAVE to do it! So I actually force her to put her good ideas into action. It's a great team effort.
Saturday night we rented a movie and made mega nachos and all cuddled up on the couch to enjoy. It was great. And then there was this morning.

We taught the 10th graders in Sunday School, next Sunday is our last one with them =( We decided to join the new "young couples" class that started a couple weeks ago. I am beyond excited, we got to go to lunch with a lot of the couples last week and I loved them. Two of them are pregnant. And just today Matt and Elizabeth Arnold joined the class too! I really can't wait. I'll still get to teach my lovlies on Wednesday nights though. It's a new phase and I'm so happy for it.

So that brings us to the present time. I cooked mexican food for Justin and some of his buddies who wanted to have a Poker night, but then some of the guys canceled and now it's just "sit on the couch and be lazy night" with a little bit of "let's wrestle each other until our faces turn red night" too. As you can tell, I'm uber excited!