Watch this for a good laugh!!

In case you were worried

Just in case you've been worried about the repercussions of sharing my faith at school...I wanted to share that the young lady is doing awesome! Her mom was very proud of her after she asked Jesus in her heart! She went to her church this weekend and had a wonderful time. She said she and her mom had a great weekend - no fighting!! I bought her a new Bible this weekend (for teen girls) and she loved it. She redecorated her notebook with a verse in spanish. Keep praying for her - but I'm so excited to watch God work in her little life!!!

That boy will be the death of me!!

My baby boy got his foot stuck in an escalator today!! We were at the mall, and he wanted to be like Elf - the Will Farrell movie - but his croc got caught in the stair and it started pulling his toe in. No matter how much I pulled, I couldn't get him out!! I was panicked! The man in front of us was screaming for someone to press the stop button. Karis was screaming, Koleman was screaming, I was screaming...AUGH! I can't remember being that scared!! Khris came running (he was at a nearby kiosk). They got it stopped right before we were at the bottom, and I was able to pull him out - but his poor big toe was dark purple and a lady that said she was a nurse said it was probably broken. So, someone got him ice from the nearby Starbucks and we had a chat with security before they had to dismantle the escalator to remove his shoe which was still wedged halfway into it. I don't know how - but he is completely unscathed! We took him to "A Cute Urgent Care" and got x-rays - but we knew right away (when he tiptoed to see the screen) that he was just fine. The whole ride home - I could barely breathe. My neck was all tense, I wanted to throw up...in those moments, you can't help but wonder "what if?" But, the truth is - God protected my baby once again - and we can further confirm that that crazy boy will probably be the death of me!!

Another sister in Christ!

I am so excited!! One of my students came into my classroom during the lunch hour today and I was able to lead her to the Lord!! Woo Hoo!! She was frustrated and crying because she wants to be good but she can't do it all the time. So I shared with her that the only reason I can be good is because I've asked Jesus to live in my heart and be my boss. She goes to a Catholic church nearby and she is very involved with their youth group. She knew about Jesus and how he died on the cross. But, she didn't realize she could have a PERSONAL relationship with Jesus. We talked about how Jesus died on that cross to pay the punishment for us because we just can't be good and we keep being bad. But, he took our punishment, so if we ask him to clean out our heart and be in charge, He promises He will and He will never leave us! She prayed all by herself and sweetly ended her prayer with, "well, I guess that's about it." So I said Amen and we hugged! It was so awesome!! We talked about how life wouldn't be perfect now, but Jesus is in her heart, so whenever she is having trouble, she can pray for the Lord's help - and that I would be there anytime she needed me, as well. Please pray for this precious young lady. She wants so badly to make good decisions, but she's just 12! Such a hard time of life! OOOHH so exciting!!!

Need a verse

I am amazed at how much like little sponges 12 year olds are! My last class of the day has several of my friend's kids in it - and so I take on a little bit different personality when they come in. For some reason, I feel the freedom to encourage them like I would if they were at my house or I was at theirs. One day, they were teasing each other - which is very "par for the course" in 7th grade - and it was one of my dear friend's sons - so I said kinda quietly, "Just remember what Eph. 4:29 says!" And he said, "What does that one say?" (more eagerly than I would have anticipated) And, so I quoted, "Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." I'm not kidding or dramatizing at all - that room got more quiet than they EVER are as soon as I started quoting the verse. Well, that was a couple weeks ago. Yesterday, they were teasing each other again, and 4 of them (not all my friend's kids) started quoting that verse to each other, and then they started correcting each other to get it right, and then they referred to one student's Math binder because he has written the verse all over his binder!! How awesome is that?! So...um...I need a new good verse - because those babies are eatin' it up!!!

I finally did it!

I actually cooked tonight with no menu and no recipe!! I know you're thinking that's no big deal - but it is for me! I've never been one of those who could walk into my pantry and find something to cook. If it wasn't on the plan...I can't do it. But I've been unable to go to the grocery store because I've been so sick so I had to get real creative tonight or go out to eat. And, we had a YUMMY dinner, good for us and everything!! Woo Hoo!!!

Tons of tests - no answers

Well, I went to the doctor and she had no real answers. She's testing me for mono but we won't know for 2 days. She had me go for a sonogram to check my gall bladder and all my other organs. And, they're testing my blood for all that stuff they test...anemia, thyroid, blood count, etc. UGH!! I just want to feel better!!

So frustrated...

I'm at home, sick, today. I have no idea what's wrong with me. I just can't get up...but I'm not like depressed. I have NO energy. Last Saturday, I woke up at 6:30 am, went back to bed around 9 am, woke up at 1 pm, went back to bed at 3:30 pm, woke up around 7 pm, and was back asleep for the night by 8:30 pm. CRAZY! Yesterday, I had to come home from church because I felt like I was gonna pass out! And, this morning, I feel totally wiped out, when all I did was make a pot of grits! What in the world?! I have no sore throat, no headache, no fever, no nuthin'! Just no energy!! So stinkin' frustrating!!

Shared photo book from Valinda:

View Project at Shutterfly

Valentine options

Karis CRACKS me up!!! I went shopping last night for Khris for Valentine's...and Karis said, "You should get him some underwear with hearts on it that says 'I heart Vegas' on the back". WHAT?!! Where in the world did she see that????

People pleaser...

I know this will shock you, if you know me very well, but I am a serious people-pleaser!! I have always thrived on kudos. I know this is not my best trait, and it has been a constant struggle. So, yesterday morning I was a little stressed because I had been told that the administrators would probably be walking through classrooms yesterday while we were doing our special TAKS tutoring. I was sharing my stress with Khris (during my quiet time) and he was encouraging me to not worry about it. He used the verse about, "if we seek to please men..." and talked about how I had the wrong motivation. My motivation should be to bring God glory. And I argued, that wouldn't my good teaching bring God glory? - and my precious husband who knows me all too well confirmed again that I was still looking for kudos and helping MY reputation. hmmm... After some prayer about it, I seriously did not worry about the "walk-through" again. But, the walk-through came. And I got my kudos. But more than kudos from my administrator, the encouragement God allowed me to hold onto yesterday, was when one young man said, "You make me feel like a genius!" Woo Hoo!! If that's my legacy as a teacher - I'll take it! (Now if I can just get my priorities straight and take care of my own family first - oh...too many things to worry about!)

Don't mess with us!!

This weekend was Disciple Now weekend for our youth at church. Every year, they feel the need to TP my house...but this year, we were ready!! We got water balloons, shaving cream, buckets of water, water hose, water guns, etc...and ambushed them just as they were getting started!
It was so much fun - but we forgot to anticipate that they can stay up later than us! And oh...they got us good!!

WHY??

Why am I waking up so early??? I'm more tired than I've been in a long time, yet I keep waking up at 4 am!! What's the deal??!

I have some theories ( no exercise, worrying myself to death, guilt, yada-yada...) but, I don't want to dwell on it too much because it will make my "to fix" list even longer!!!

A new perspective...

I've had a defining moment week that has changed my perspective! Tuesday afternoon, Khris got hit with what he thought was a big thorn, in the back of the leg. The pain was excruciating and immediately started stretching up his leg. By the time I got home, he was shaking and nauseated from the pain. I wanted to take him to the ER but he just kept saying, "Do you know how tough I am?!" By Wednesday morning, the pain was even worse and we both started wondering if maybe it was a snake bite. (He was out in the field around the church when it happened.) He went to the doctor and he confirmed it was definitely a snake bite,and probably a copperhead. If we had called on Tuesday, they would have immediately sent us to the ER! The doctor said, since he was still alive, he was probably going to be OK - so they put him on antibiotics. There's only one puncture wound, so, there must have only been one fang's worth of venom. Who knows if Khris would still be here if the snake had gotten both fangs in?! He's still in a ton of pain - but it's getting better.

I just looked at him last night and thought - "what in the world would I do without that man"?! I can't and don't want to imagine it!! But, that thought started a reevaluation of my current priorities, which are seriously out of whack! Look at these precious babies of mine:
I've had nothing to post because I've had very little interaction with them this week. I worked almost 60 hours last week. This week, I've tried to work less hours, but I'm so tired when I come home, I just collapse! Now, for those of you who have children in my Math class, you know that I am not at all saying I want to slack off as a teacher! However, knowing those friends who read my blog, I KNOW that you would all agree my primary job is to raise my OWN babies.

Please pray for me when you think of it. I desperately want to be a blessing as a wife, mother, teacher, friend, pastor's wife, daughter, and sister. But, that's alot of hats!! I know I'm my own worst critic, a perfectionist, yada-yada...God made me that way for a reason and it has brought me far in life. But sometimes, I let those things take over - NO MORE!!! Pray that I am able to do my best as a teacher AND have enough energy to bless my family when I get home!

Sorry...

I know I have nothing good to post...but I am drowning in teaching right now!!!

A conversation with Karis...

As Khris drove Karis to chef school this week, this was the conversation:

Karis: "Daddy, what did you want to name your little girl when you were a kid?"
Daddy: "Oh hunny, I didn't think about it when I was a kid. What do you want to name your little girl?"
Karis: (looking at him like he asked a stupid question) "I don't know...I'm only 8! I haven't thought about it!" (PANIC crosses her face...) "Should I be thinking about it?!"

Khris was crackin' up!!