The 12 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 12

Wow! What a day! It started early this morning with the Fort Worth Turkey Trot. It's been awhile since I've run a 5k so I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to run the whole way, which was my main goal. I could not believe how many people took part in this race. There were people everywhere. It literally took 7 minutes to get from where I started to the actual starting line and the whole race was like bumper to bumper traffic. All the walkers made it a little difficult for the serious runners like me. That was a joke, by the way. There was lots of weaving in and out of people and running through yards, but I made it. I ran the whole way but haven't received my official time yet. According to my iPod I ran for 40 minutes but it also said the distance was 3.55 miles so I'm curious to see what my actual time was. All in all it was a very good experience. I think it might be kind of addicting...anybody up for the Jingle Bell Run next weekend? :)

Since we celebrated our traditional Thanksgiving last weekend, today we went to Texas de Brazil for lunch. This was also a new experience for me. It was a little overwhelming but the food was great. People rave about all the amazing meat they serve, but for me, the best part was the Ranch Dressing. I thought it was really good. After all of that I was ready for a nap! I slept for 2 1/2 hours which is excellent because now I'm going to have an even easier time getting up at 3:30 am to go shopping! Oops. After the napping and once the Cowboys were in control of their game we made our way to the movies. We saw Four Christmases, and it was hilarious! Definitely a movie you should see.

Now for the last installment of the 12 Days of Thanksgiving:

Day 12: I'm thankful for Christmas
It almost seems kind of trite to me to say that I'm thankful for God, but it really is what I am most thankful for this year. As I'm growing older and living more of life I've been able to see the amazing love of God in so many things. In the people He's given me to do life with, in the job He's entrusted me with, and especially in the circumstances that surround all of it. I certainly don't understand why things happen the way they do but I'm learning to trust that it's all gonna work out far better than I could have even imagined. I'm learning to just live and not worry so much about the details. I'm realizing that without Jesus, without the cross, and without God's grace I would have absolutely nothing - all the things and so many others that I've been writing about for the last 12 days are an incredible gift. Even saying I'm thankful for them seems inadequate. My God loves me extravagantly and way more than I deserve. This year, I want to celebrate Christmas with that thought at the very front of my mind.

And with that, let the Christmas season begin!

The 12 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 11

I totally almost typed "The 12 Days of Christmas" for the title!

Day 11: I'm thankful for Mom & Dad, Grandma E., and Grandma C.
To put it simply, I would not be who I am without my parents and grandparents.

Both of my parents are extremely hard-working people who sacrificed over and over again to give me what I needed and most of what I wanted. From the very beginning they provided a loving home and taught me the value of family. They encouraged me to always do my best and comforted me when my best wasn't quite good enough. They support my crazy ideas, yet offer well-thought out advice when necessary. I'm probably most thankful that my parents have and continue to be a godly example to me. There's absolutely no telling where I would be without them.

I think one of the many reasons my parents are so amazing is because they had such great parents! I am extremely lucky to have the influence of two amazing Grandmas in my life. They are some of the most generous people I have ever met in my life. They both make me laugh really hard. They've made my life so much better over and over again! I'm truly blessed to be a part of this family!

The 12 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 10

I'm quickly running out of days to share all my thankfulness! I'm also certain that there are several people and things that I will miss. In order to do my best at avoiding that I'm going to have to double up... Now, if you would have asked me 10 to 15 years ago if I was thankful for my brother and sister I would have probably given the obligatory yes, but growing up does something to you. You start to realize just how important family is and how big a role they play in who you are. I'm so very thankful that as part of my family, God gave me a big brother and a little sister.

Day 10: I'm thankful for Josh & Kelley, and Ashleigh
Let's start with Josh since he's the oldest! I don't think I really appreciated my brother until he could drive and then it became very important seeing as he was my way to school. :) My brother is a genius. He pretty much excels at everything he does, he can even cook! He's an amazing trumpet player, a wood craftsman, and an all-around good guy. Did I mention that he was smart? You should check out the blog he writes for here. I'll give you a $1 if you can understand it - too smart for me! Josh is also very funny. I don't think there is much in this life that I enjoy more than seeing him laugh so hard he can't stop. Good stuff.

Kelley, Josh's wife, is also someone I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving. Kelley is also very smart and crafty. She amazes me with her ability to juggle two kids, a home, graduate school, and still have energy to make super cute stuff. Obviously I'm also very thankful that they gave me the cutest niece and nephew in the world!

Now, on to my sister Ashleigh. Ashleigh gives me much to be thankful for and I think I've mentioned a lot of them on here before, so I'm going to try to write something different. I'm thankful for her honesty. She's the only person in my life that would ask, "did you wear that today?" when I walk in the door. She's seen the absolute worst of me and still loves me. She's probably the most unconditional person I've ever met. She would do anything for just about anybody. She's a gifted teacher and works harder than anyone else I know. She makes me laugh, a lot, especially if we're laughing about a previous time when we laughed a lot! I'm also extremely grateful that she made THE ROLLS for Thanksgiving, perhaps the best rolls ever. I'm thankful that she's a Baylor Bear like me. And finally, I'm probably most thankful that no matter what happens in life, good or bad, she's always there.

We certainly haven't always gotten along, but I can definitely say that my life is way better with them in it! I'm thankful that God designed just the right family for me.

The 12 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 9

Day 9: I'm thankful for Will & Allie


I don't think I have ever looked forward to anything more than the arrival of my nephew and niece. It amazes me how quickly they have grown from cute babies to cute little people who say and do some of the funniest stuff. I honestly can't imagine life without them in it, being their aunt is one of my favorite things.

I love how they stop what they're doing and run to see me when I walk in the door. I love how they always want to know what I'm doing and will often join me, like last Sunday when I stopped by my parent's house after running and they got up and stretched just like I did. I love chasing them around the house. I love watching "Little Einsteins" with them. I really don't think there's anything I don't love about them.

Those two have certainly made my life a lot more fun and a lot more meaningful. I'm so thankful that God blessed our family with two amazing kids.

The 12 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 8

Who knew that committing to blog everyday would be so much work?? I kind of feel like I'm just repeating myself everyday, but I definitely don't mean to.

Day 8: I'm thankful for Haley
I have no idea how I ended up with so many friends who are Aggies! You know what they say, God has a sense of humor. :)

Anyway, Haley has been my friend for what seems like forever. She was one of the first people I met when my family moved to Texas 18 years ago. And after knowing her for the last 18 years I can say that she is probably one of the nicest people I have ever met. I don't believe there is a mean bone in her body. Haley and I have experienced a lot of cool stuff together. We've been to Alaska, Australia, Hawaii, a Waco tattoo parlor, and several different Smoothie Kings (remember the Smoothie King obsession??). We've also shared some tough stuff - the shooting at church, boy drama, college drama (I remember a particular middle of the night phone call). And then there is tons of funny stuff - early morning basketball practice in middle school seems to stand out in my mind.

I have also had the great privilege of being present at some big moments in Haley's life. I was honored to be a part of her and Shad's wedding and so proud to be at the hospital when Abby arrived a little less than 2 years ago. And I plan to be around in just 25 days when baby Cooper makes his first appearance!

I thought I'd bust out some pictures from back in the day, but I couldn't find any! Instead, a picture of Haley and I before her wedding and one of me holding Abby soon after she was born (I promise it's her even though you can't see her)



As exciting as the last 18 years (that makes me feel really old) have been, what makes me the most thankful for Haley is the fact that no matter what is happening, no matter how great the distance is between us, we can always just pick up right where we left off.

The 12 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 7

Day 7: I'm thankful for Shellee
I first met Shellee about 3 years ago when her daughter Jordan was on the 3rd Grade UIL Spelling Team I coached, and I use the term coach loosely. Anyway, my first impression of Shellee was that she was just a nice, quiet person. We didn't really have too many encounters that year but I was convinced that Jordan was the best kid ever and I begged my principal to put her in my class the next year. I believe my exact words were, "I don't care who you put in my class as long as I can have Jordan." The class lists came out that summer and guess what? Jordan wasn't on mine! Luckily, one of the other teachers remembered my request and we made a trade. Then the "Great 4th Grade Year of '06" happened and I have since been able to get to know Shellee a little better.

While I still consider Shellee to be a very nice person, she is also a lot more! She's so funny! Seriously, so funny. I don't think I've ever had a conversation with Shellee that didn't include me laughing really hard. The girl can dance! The girl can sing! She's just a super-fun person to be around. Shellee's also very smart- her insight always amazes me, and usually includes lots of deepness that I never even considered. She is very passionate, working hard for causes she believes in. One thing she is most passionate about is teaching kids to love Jesus and to live fully in Him. She is incredibly honest and real. I often find myself humbled by her authenticity. There's no telling how many times I've read her blog and ended up with tears in my eyes.

I really can't think of anything I don't appreciate about Shellee! Except maybe that she got MY trophy in her trophy case! I'm working on letting it go.

Shellee, you make my world a much happier place! Thanks for being such a great friend!

The 12 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 6

I must admit, this little idea to write down some specific things I'm thankful for has been really eye-opening. I don't think I even meant for that to happen, but I find myself noticing a lot more things I'm thankful for. For example, when I came home tonight I instinctively kicked my shoes off as soon as I got to the top of the stairs. I immediately noticed a small pile of shoes in the same spot. My thought-I'm thankful I have more than one pair of shoes. Little things that are part of much bigger things.

I have lots more friends to tell you about, but right now I'm exhausted.

Day 6: I'm thankful for a break
I'm so very excited to have the whole week off of school next week. As much as I love it, it's good to have a break. I didn't even bring home papers to grade!

The 12 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 5

Somehow I managed to go about 36 hours without drinking any Diet Coke and it wasn't intentional. I just hadn't been around any and I really didn't give it a single thought until this afternoon, then the headache hit. Aleve couldn't get rid of it, neither could Advil, so as I type this I'm drinking me some Diet Coke! There's only one person I know of who enjoys Diet Coke like I do and that brings me to...

Day 5: I'm thankful for Kristy
I think it's a good idea to look back at the not-too-distant past every once in awhile, it gives you insight into how God has worked things out for your good even when you couldn't see it at the time. When I look back just two quick years ago, I can clearly see how God changed the direction my life was heading, as if He picked me up and put me on a completely different path. I can also see that at the time when I needed it most, God blessed me with an amazing friend.

I'm kind of having trouble putting into words the incredible person Kristy is. Kristy is one of the kindest and most encouraging people I know. She's always willing to help me with the not-so-fun tasks, like cutting out lamination or moving my entire classroom TWICE! She's very thoughtful, always giving nice notes or calling to check on me. She's an excellent listener, and boy has she had to listen to a lot of crazy stuff from me! She cracks me up all the time, especially when she's telling a story or when we're playing Wii Tennis.

Kristy is one of those people that is constantly putting other people ahead of herself. She's constantly speaking truth into my life and is a great example of the kind of person I want to be. As with most of my friends, I often wonder what it is I can give back to Kristy, because she gives me so much. My life is more fun, more meaningful, and all around better because of my friend. And I'm so very thankful for that.

The 12 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 4

I'm not having any trouble coming up with things to be thankful for, but I am noticing that it's a struggle to find the time to blog about them. I almost decided that today I was most thankful for sleep and I was just going to type "goodnight." But that would have been a waste of a day!

Instead of being thankful for sleep, today I am thankful for my friends. I think one of God's greatest ideas was to allow people to do life together. God has really blessed me with some great friends throughout my life, but I feel like He's multiplied that blessing in the last couple years and given me more than I could have asked for or even imagined. Over the next couple days I will try to put into words what some of my closest friends mean to me (in no particular order)...

Day 4: I'm thankful for Deneise
First of all, Deneise makes me laugh. She is always doing something or saying something that is just funny. Take the last couple days for example. You are probably well aware that there was a big football game this weekend between Texas Agricultural & Mechanical College and Baylor. Well, last Thursday I thought it would be fun to hide some Baylor stuff in her classroom in random places, so I would send kids down to her room when I knew she wouldn't be there to "decorate." Friday morning I come to school, walk to my classroom, open the door and notice this:


I laughed out-loud and then began creating my plan for retaliation. I've had a lot of fun this week with that. The funniest thing though was when Deneise "decorated" my room/hallway with a bunch of Aggie stuff Monday morning with me sitting right there watching her. She had planned to beat me to school, but I had already attacked!

Besides the fact that Deneise is an Aggie, she's a great friend. She's very kind, very thoughtful, and a great listener. One of the biggest reasons I'm so thankful for Deneise is because she's so encouraging to me. I walked away from a conversation one day after school with a fresh perspective of God's amazing design for each and every person. Teaching can be hard, especially when you have kids that make it really hard, but this is Deneise's take on those kids:

"I just have to keep remembering that God knew I was going to be their second grade teacher and He has me here for a reason."

That may not be an exact quote but it gives you a picture of her servant heart. Deneise, thanks for being such a great friend and continually pointing me in the right direction. I'm so thankful that God allowed our paths to cross and that I get the privilege of working with you everyday!

The 12 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 3

Day 3: I'm thankful for my class


I think I've mentioned a time or two that I really love my job. I still find it almost funny that I've ended up where I am, but I also believe that my job and everything that has come with it, is all part of God's sovereign plan for my life. Maybe that's the reason I love it so much!

Anyway, I'm almost half-way through with my fourth year of teaching and I've been blessed with four great classes. It is amazing to me how similar, yet different, they all have been. My first class will always be special to me and I can't believe those kids are in middle school now. My second class was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, very good kids who seemed to enjoy school and got along well. When my second year was over I kind of felt like it was all downhill, there was no way another class could compare. Last year my class was great too, but the year wasn't as enjoyable for lots of reasons. Then this year happened. This year, my class is equally amazing as the second, with a twist.

First of all, I'm especially thankful for them today because they totally rocked this morning when we had a very important visitor come to our class. This is the kind of class that could totally survive an entire day if I just didn't show up (not that I would). They would get where they're supposed to be and they would actually do what they are supposed to do. This class also genuinely seems to like each other. They play together at recess, like all of them. They cheer on each other's successes, and they care A LOT when someone is hurting-something that is really going to be important in the next couple months.

I really only have two complaints so far, the first being that I don't get to spend all day with them and the second, the year is already almost HALF OVER!! That is just crazy to me. But for right now I'm just thankful that God has blessed me again with a wonderful group of kids who really feel like family.

The 12 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 2

Day 2: I'm thankful for Running and Nike+
I'm going to take a brief step back from deep thankfulness to share my appreciation for running. I can't believe those words are coming from me. Up until this past spring I have been completely unable to run farther than about a quarter mile. I could walk all day long, but running never happened for me. I have even tried to become a runner multiple times in my life, but never with much success.

I don't know what made it happen this time, but it probably has something to do with the Nike+ running system. If it's a gadget I'm all over it, so running plus a gadget was the winning combination. And, I must say that being able to run a couple miles consistently is probably one of my prouder accomplishments in life. Another huge benefit to the Nike+ system is the community. The fact that I have a couple friends who invite me to participate in challenges makes me run even when I really don't want to. I've found that getting my shoes on and getting out the door is really the hardest part of running for me.

Since May of 2008, I have run 69 times for a total of 174.41 miles. That includes a stretch of about 6 weeks after school started when I didn't run at all. I'm planning to run the Fort Worth Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day and then my goal is to run The Cowtown 10k in February. Then, in 4 years I will run the Marathon at the Olympics in London. Haha, just kidding about that last one!

Besides the obvious health benefits, running just makes everything better. My head is clearer, I sleep better, and it takes up time-something I often have too much of. So today I'm thankful for the sport of running. I'm thankful that it's been such an important and positive part of my life for the last couple months.

The 12 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 1

As great as yesterday was, today has been infinitely better.

It all started this morning with church. My good friend, Kristy, did a great job teaching the kiddos this morning, and as a bonus taught me something! She shared the story of Jesus healing the ten lepers. Jesus had healed all ten of them, but only one returned to thank Jesus. I realized this morning that there are some people who I thank often for different things, there are some people I don't thank as much as I should, and then there is Jesus - someone I never thank enough. I decided today that for the next 12 days my blog will serve as a "gratitude journal" where I will write about some of the things I am most thankful for this year! Here we go:

Day 1: I'm thankful for my church
It was about this time 2 years ago that I was first introduced to Grace Baptist Church. There was this group of kids at my school that had a bond that I had never seen before. They were all great kids on their own but I could tell there was something special about them. Fast forward to basketball season and I realized I now had a connection to an Upward Basketball program, something I had wanted to be a part of for awhile. So, my now good friend Shellee got me all set up to coach a team. As the basketball season went on I met more and more people and learned a lot about Grace.

I didn't actually start going to church at Grace until a couple months later, but immediately they allowed me to plug in and find a place to serve. I have gone to a handful of churches in my life but there really is nothing like Grace. It is a group of people who are first and foremost trying to be like Jesus. It is a place of true worship, family, and a place where authenticity is encouraged. I'm thankful for those kids who introduced me to such a special place. I'm thankful for all the people who have become a part of my life because of Grace. I'm thankful to God for leading me there, and for making it such an important part of my life.

And finally, today I am very thankful for a song we sang this morning. It is called "In Christ Alone." It was written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend but has been recorded by several different artists. I came right home from church, downloaded it and have been listening to it non-stop all day, I may even be a little hoarse from singing it so loudly. If my life had a theme song, this would be it:

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

It's time for a WHOOPing

I'm so excited that Fall temperatures have finally arrived. It is football weather at its finest. I'm also so excited to report that yesterday, for only the second time in the last 23 years the Baylor Bears beat the Aggies. For the first time in my 8 years as a Baylor fan I was able to witness it in person. And, it was amazing. The game itself was really not too exciting and it was VERY windy and VERY cold, but VERY worth it.

We were able to get a pretty good lead and held it throughout the game, but the end result was so cool. They kept announcing that it was against Big 12 rules for any unauthorized personnel to approach the field after the game, and I guess by unauthorized they meant Aggie fans because just about every Baylor fan in the place rushed the field after the last second ticked off the clock. I saw one little old lady walk up to our star quarterback, Robert Griffin III, and say, "I just want to shake your hand and thank you for what you are doing for Baylor." For the first time since the Big 12 began in 1996, it feels like Baylor's on it its way to belonging in a powerhouse football conference.

Alex and Reagan went with me to the game, but they cheered for the wrong team. Here are some pictures from our day:

Alex and Reagan (I do love Reagan's spirit)

Singing that silly Aggie song where they sway back and forth

The scoreboard-in case you can't read it, it says Baylor 41 and A&M 21

Robert Griffin III-He was moving really fast

Alex and I on the 50 yard line - Reagan wouldn't stand on the BU

Their favorite part-playing on the field afterwards

Alex, literally the last person on the field

Now I'm already looking forward to next year. Sic' em Bears!

Did you know??

Did you know there's a whole website dedicated that big ol' barn in Reagan, Texas? You know the one that is painted maroon and says "Gig 'em Aggies?"

You should check it out...Just click here.

You gotta love Baylor vs. A&M week! For the first time in I don't know how long, Baylor is actually favored to win this game. And that kind of makes me nervous.

The Perfect Day

I'm pretty sure today was the perfect day. The weather was just about as good as it gets and I got to spend the day outside enjoying it.

After church today, some of my good friends and I made the trek to Putt-Putt...

We started with miniature golf. Reagan ended up winning and I believe I came in last place, but the best part of our round of golf was Landry. The boy is a future pro! He was the first one up on the very first hole and he got a hole-in-one. Hole #3, hole-in-one. And, he was really, really close to a lot more. I wish I had a picture of Alex and Reagan's reactions, they could not believe it.

Here's a few pictures from the course:





After golf, we took a couple spins around the race track.



And then Jordan and Landry enjoyed the roller-coaster.

All in all, it was a super fun day.

I almost broke the law

Well, yesterday (Election Day), held quite a bit of excitement for the good ol' USA. I left school as early as I could, made my way to my polling place to find absolutely no line at all. Wow! In fact, at the time I voted only about 600 people had been through all day. I guess most of them stood in line to vote early, which I find kind of ironic.

This was my third presidential election and the first time that I voted for a non-winner (didn't want to call him a loser :)). I'm happy the election is over so everyone can move on and get back to real life. While the man I voted for didn't win, I'm not too concerned about the future. I think there is lots of potential for America to be great and I'm hoping, that at the very least, there are people who care a lot more now than they did in the past. It's kind of incredible to think that over 200 years ago when the United States was founded, it was set up in a way that wouldn't allow for any one person to have too much power. It was designed to be a representation of all the people. I believe God was a part of the creation of this country and I believe He's just as much a part of it today. He's not swayed by votes, opinions, or a man in an office. So, even though my guy didn't win, my God is still God and He's still in control.

Now, to the breaking the law part. As I was voting I noticed lots of the "election officials" using their cell phones to check the latest news, text, blah blah blah. They really weren't paying any attention to those of us who were actually voting. So, I thought it might be kind of fun (weird definition of fun) to take a picture of myself voting since I was so excited about it. I knew it would not be a good idea to take a picture of other people, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to document my own voting experience. Wrong!! Apparently, it is completely against the law to document your voting experience in this way and even more against the law to publish that documentation, on like say, a blog! Luckily, I asked Google before I did such a foolish thing! :)

I can hardly contain my excitement

Haha, that title cracks me up! When you realize what I'm going to write about, you might too!

I know you're not supposed to talk about who you vote for and stuff like that, so I'm just going to say that I'm pretty excited about this election. For a fan of history, tomorrow will be the making of it either way. I do need to make sure and take my tennis shoes in case I have to spend hours in line. There's really no telling!

Just a few minutes ago I received this text message: "Due to excessively long lines tomorrow, all OBAMA voters are asked to wait and vote on Wednesday." It sounds really important and I feel like it's my civic duty to pass it along, so if you're reading this and you are going to vote for Obama tomorrow, you might wait - especially if you live in California, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, or Indiana.

Happy Election Day Everyone!

November??

I can't believe it's already November! The time is absolutely flying. I was gently reminded last night at the Harvest Festival that it has been awhile since I updated the blog so I thought I better do that. How about a list to catch up on things?

1) My Baylor Bears were so very close to pulling off a pretty big upset of Missouri today. Normally, we could call a 31-28 loss to the 14th-ranked Tigers a moral victory, but we totally should have had this one. If we had made something happen on any one of our 3 turnovers today the game could have turned out differently. I believe we're heading in the right direction, but it's hard to take another loss in another really close game. If we had won against Connecticut, Nebraska, and Missouri we would be bowl eligible for the first time in 12 years! It can still happen, but let's be honest, it's not likely.

2) I was able to attend the very first Mavericks game of the season on Thursday night. I had a great time hanging out with great people - even though the Mavs lost. Thanks to Debbie for being so very generous!

3) Can you believe it's already November?

4) Can you believe the amount of Christmas decorations in the stores and that there is already Christmas music being played in some places?

5) Do you know what a hoodoo is? I didn't either, but you learn a lot of interesting stuff when you're a teacher. This is a hoodoo:


A hoodoo is a tall, thin spire of rock composed of soft sedimentary rock.

6) I have been asked several times lately if I've voted yet. The answer is no. I will be voting, but I'm waiting for Election Day. I just think it's more fun that way.

7) I guess I didn't really have that much to say after all!