Thursday, July 12, 2012

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

I have been very absent this week. Unfortunately, my Uncle Bob has ended up in the hospital after an intestine surgery with septic shock and a couple of heart attacks. He has made a small improvement today, but any prayers you could spare would be greatly appreciated.

I DO NOT want to totally slack on my gratitude list, so here's 30 things I'm thankful for to take care of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.


  1. St. Luke's Hospital. They have done an amazing job caring for my Uncle Bob, and for all of our family. The professionalism and caring hearts are amazing!
  2. People smarter than me. I know he's in excellent hands with amazing doctors.
  3. My Aunt Kathy. She is an amazing woman and a great example of what a wife is supposed to be. She has not left Uncle Bob's side and is pulling for him 24 hours a day. Her strength is amazing.
  4. Text messaging. It's awesome that we can all be updated within a few seconds without a million calls having to be made. Knowing what's going on makes things a little easier.
  5. My husband's patience. I have been a basket case this week with everything going on and he's been so patient with me and had shown so much genuine concern that it's overwhelming sometimes.
  6. The public library. I love coming here and finding new things to read!
  7. My jeep. I love my little jeep and it's icy ac on days like today.
  8. Kids that want to learn. I love teaching kids that want to learn. It's my job to make them all want to learn, but when they come already curious, and wanting to know more, it's so much fun!
  9. All of the individuals who have made VBS so much fun this week.
  10. All of my 5th grade kiddos at VBS. They are teaching me far more than I could ever teach them.
  11. Hymns. When I get super upset or discouraged, 300 elementary kiddos singing about the Bible fixes me, every time. 
  12. Quiet time in our church sanctuary. I went to VBS early this morning hoping to get some quiet, alone time in the sanctuary of our church to pray for Uncle Bob and just reset myself. I sat and prayed for about 10 minutes and it was exactly what I needed to do.
  13. The power of prayer. It never ceases to amaze me how much better I feel when I REALLY pray about something...and then let it go.
  14. Opportunities to give back through my sorority alumnae organization...more info to come soon!
  15. Good school ideas. I have been doing lots of research about how to change some thing up this year and I'm excited to get started.
  16. Days set aside to plan for the school year. Cory and I are getting together next Wednesday to plan for the school year and I'm SUPER excited.
  17. New classroom decorations. I bought some new fabric for curtains and bulletin boards...of course I'll post pictures soon!
  18. Air conditioning in general. It's been a million degrees here. I'm glad I'm not melted. Or sick.
  19. My curly hair. It's nice to be able to just wash it go in this crazy, humid weather.
  20. My wedding ring. I love looking at it and knowing that it's a symbol of an amazing relationship.
  21. Fresh produce in the summer. The end.
  22. Knowing the right thing to say, at the right time, to make someone feel better.
  23. Someone else knowing the right thing to say, at the right time, to make me feel better.
  24. Clean water. There are lots in the world without it...
  25. Feeling put together...I don't always feel like it in the summertime...but I like when I feel like I've gotten myself ready for the day and I look my best.
  26. Plain t-shirts. A staple in my wardrobe. I wear them all the time. Dress them up, dress them down, they're the best.
  27. The Mizzou Tigers...I can't believe I hadn't already posted this one...I LOVE my alma mater!
  28. High school friends...I'm excited to get to see you this weekend!
  29. Make up bags with lots of compartments. OCD, yes.
  30. That I get to share these lists with you. I really have it pretty great...I like to share!

Monday, July 9, 2012

So...

It's been a day. VBS was great this morning! Seeing that many little ones was great!

I'm super tired...so I'm going to keep it short.

Today I am thankful for:

  1. Unconditional love.
  2. Snakeskin sandals.
  3. Doggie kisses.
  4. New classroom decorations.
  5. Saying things out loud that you haven't for a long time.
  6. Facing fears.
  7. Taking care of myself.
  8. Hope.
  9. Prayer.
  10. Serving.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

What's Your Calling?

Happy Sunday!

We had an awesome sermon this morning at church. Jason talked a lot about what we were being called to do in our lives, either professionally or otherwise. He also talked a lot about how things have to be in alignment for it to be a true calling. Not only do you have to be called to do it, but your community has to see it as a strength or a calling that's yours and the timing has to be right. It was definitely something to think about.

Then he has us do a short exercise. We had to write down four little lists.

List 1 - What are your gifts? What has God given you that you can just "do"?
List 2 - What are your wounds? What are the negative things that have shaped you?
List 3 - What are outraged about? What do you see on TV and say "somebody should do something"?
List 4 - What are your passions? What can you not live without?

Then he told us to take those lists and pray that God would connect the dots between the four lists and let us know what we were supposed to do...pretty cool!

After church this morning, Mom's this afternoon, and getting ready for Bible School tonight (it starts tomorrow! I'm teaching 5th grade!) I have LOTS to be thankful for.

Today, I'm thankful for:

  1. Messages and verses that are just right, at just the right time :)
  2. Being able to go to Mom and Dad's on Sundays just to eat and hang out for a few hours.
  3. That my Uncle Bob got through another surgery in good shape! We're all praying for another speedy recovery!
  4. Being able to teach a class of 5th graders about how they can work together to share their gifts with people who need them.
  5. Puff paint...as I was working on our classroom supply box, I was reminded how much I loved the stuff! It's so much fun! And so versatile...it works as paint, glue...border...
  6. Seeing my husband's wedding ring on his finger. It never gets old :)
  7. Planning time off to go see Chris' family. We haven't seen some of them since the wedding!
  8. Ordering wedding pictures, finally. I'm a slacker, but I'm excited to get some of them up in the house.
  9. Awesome neighbors. Not only did they introduce us, but Nikki came through with some much needed glue tonight!
  10. Brown rice. I'd starve without it. It goes with EVERYTHING!

Saturday's List

I'm a horrible slacker...here's yesterday's list.

I'm thankful for:


  1. A spontaneous husband that took me to the Nelson just to look at the pretty stuff because I wanted to go!
  2. Malli sleeping all night long with no whining...yay!
  3. Being able to workout in my house since it's a million degrees outside.
  4. Air conditioning...we all take it for granted, it's actually amazing and lots of people don't have it!
  5. Andy Griffith reruns and marathons on TV. I get reminded of a great life lesson every time I watch an episode...if I taught a character ed class at school, I'd teach it with Andy Griffith Show episodes.
  6. My iPhone. It's my calendar, my Bible, my GPS, my link to my family and friends, pretty much everything!
  7. Modern medicine. 
  8. Lifetime movies...I'm such a sucker for those things.
  9. The Library...I'd go broke buying books the way I've been reading lately.
  10. One mushy one...holding my husband's hand. I LOVE THAT!

Friday, July 6, 2012

Keep on Keepin' On

So...my Bible verse today was Joshua 6:2-5. They story of the fall of Jericho...the message, keep on keepin' on...sometimes things don't happen when you think they should, but we have to remember that they happen when they are supposed to, when God wants them to. Patience has never been a virtue that I have been super good at...but I'm trying!


On to my list for the day.


Today, I am thankful for:

  1. Quiet time. I love having friends and family around, but I really like the time I have, just me, when I can be quiet.
  2. Good workouts. They are the best way to clear my head and help things make more sense. Plus, I can eat what I want then...kind of.
  3. Oatmeal. I eat it all the time. Weird, I know.
  4. My parents' marriage. They are an amazing example of what it should look like. Not perfect, not Hollywood, just real life love.
  5. Technology. I love being able to reach out to a friend whenever I want to, or find a new recipe, or look at bags I can't afford, or... :)
  6. Grace. I'm not perfect, not by a long shot. But I'm constantly surrounded by grace from my husband, my family, my friends, and my God.
  7. Police shows on TV. I make my husband crazy, but I love reality TV cops shows. Weird, I know.
  8. Days when I don't have anywhere to be. I love waking up knowing I have all day to do whatever I want!
  9. New, healthy babies. I had a friend have a baby yesterday. Everybody's great. It really and truly is a miracle.
  10. OPI nail polish. Last but not least. It really does make me happy :)

Random list today...I suspect they're only going to get more random!

Happy Friday!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Gratitude...

Hi! I'm so excited to be officially in my summer! I have gotten lots done this week and enjoyed some napping with the puppies! Next week is Bible school and then I have a couple of weeks to work in my room before I officially have to be back the first whole week of August.

I have been following a website recently called www.shereadstruth.com. I am IN LOVE with it! It's geared toward women of all ages and it gives me the motivation to read something from the Bible daily and think about what it means. The best part is they use reading plans on www.youversion.com so I can do my reading from my computer or my phone. I've been keeping a journal everyday and have been using google docs to keep track of it, so I have it everywhere, too!

One of the first things I read about was being grateful, everyday, for all of the things that I already have in my life. I made a commitment to make a list of 10 things every day that I am thankful for. I wanted to find a way to keep my list so I would do it everyday, and I could see it whenever I wanted. My first thought was my bathroom mirror...good, but not very portable...so I decided my blog was the outlet. So, for the next 6 months, through the end of the year, I am going to post at least 10 things every day that I am thankful for. I'm sure some will be super serious, some will be silly, and some just won't make any sense unless you know me VERY well, but I hope that through posting this list, I will live with more of an attitude of gratitude and help a few others to do the same.

Day 1
I am thankful for...
  1. A God that I can pray to, whenever I need anything! And who knows everything about me, so I can be 100% real in that relationship.
  2. My amazing husband. I won't get super sappy, but I am happier than I have ever been and it's due, in large part, to numbers 1 and 2 on this list.
  3. My family. I have NO IDEA what I'd do without all of you. You've loved me through the easy and the hard and I would not be anywhere near okay without all of you.
  4. A job that I love. I am a teacher. I love being a teacher. I love LMS and I love the people I work with.
  5. Not needing anything. I have everything I need. And most of the things I want. We are truly blessed.
  6. My health. There was a time when I didn't have this. You definitely don't miss it until it's gone...then you miss it, a lot.
  7. My resiliency. I've been through a lot. And bounced back.
  8. Willpower. I've exercised a lot through the last year and am healthier and happier for it all.
  9. My dogs. They are the best unconditional love friends in the world. 
  10. Opportunity. I can make myself better. That's my choice and I have all the opportunities in the world to make those decisions.