Its all in the Family

Our family with Joel's family. We traveled to Kentucky to celebrate their 60th wedding aniversary.
No you are not seeing double. If Elise was a few years older and just a few inches shorter I think she and Beth could double for one another.

My mom and her new babies.


After a trip to Kentucky, a very quick trip, I understand now why we look the way we do and why we love the things we do.

I think I am getting old!

Wow, I think this has been the longest week I can remember.

Monday started out pretty early. I had to go to school and prepare my room and what not for the year. I got to work around 8:30. That night I had Open House, so I was literately at school for 12 hours with no break unless you count the time I took to change from my work clothes to Open House clothes. Once arriving home I had to prepare lunch for Elise and I for Tuesday, do laundry, unload the dishwasher and oh yeah eat myself. Of course by the time that I got home I really wasn't even hungry.

Tuesday morning started out at our regular time 5:00am. It was only a half day of school. The students came in at 8:00 and left at 11:40. School was only a half day but Elise had a volleyball game. We needed to leave school at 2:00 but before that we had to arrange Elise's locker. Now that is a whole other subject. Oh yeah I forgot to tell you the game was an hour away from school, that means two hours away from home. That night we did not get home until 9:00. Elise had homework too. Again when I got home I had to prepare for Wednesday: pack lunch, make sure clothes are clean and ironed for wear. So I think that night we were in bed around 11:00. Another 18 hour day.

Wednesday was the first full day of school. The students arrived at the normal time 7:55. It was on from that point. We did math, reading, played games, ate lunch, went to Bible and PE. Then we had a back to school bash at church which I had volunteered to work concessions. So we left church at 9:30. The band was awesome. They were the Glorious Unseen. Check them out on myspace. They sounded really great.


Thursday was another full day of school. Elise had another away game. I also had a faculty meeting. I made the decision that I would not attend this game because Joel was able to be there. But with not going to the game, I still didn't leave school until after 5. So I had put in another 12 hour day.

TGIF-- Another regular day of school but today after school a friend of mine and I held a Thirty-One party. Thirty One is a christian based company based on Proverbs
31. It was suppose to be a drop in from 3-4. We didn't leave school until after
6:30. So it was another very long day.


My legs hurt, my hips hurt, my lung hurts. I think my whole body is one big ache. However, as tired as I am physically... God has sustained me spiritually. I love God with all my heart and soul. I know he is with me during every part of my life whether it is being tired, being in bad moods, or fixing my eyes on him.

I wish you could meet my class this year. I have 17 children that are made in the image of the great Creator. Some of them like to talk, some are quiet, some push my boundaries, and some struggle to make it through the day. I probably already know who is going to be my booger and who is going to hold my heart in their hands. The funny thing is, is that I think I love all of them. I am sure after lots of days together there will be days that they push my buttons and I push theirs. But I know that when I look out over my class I get a warm feeling in the very being of my soul. I know that God is the only one that can put that there. So I am looking forward to the weekend when I can spend time with my family and myself...but on Monday morning I will be ready to face the sweet sweet spirits in my class. I know through God all things are possible and I pray that I am the servant He wants me to be.:)

Is it the beginning or the end?

Summer is over, the school year begins.... is it a happy time or a sad time?

In just a few more days I will have the opportunity to meet my new second graders. Is it an opportunity or a privilege?


At this time of year when summer is drawing to an end I am sad because my time is not my own anymore. I now have to operate on someone else's schedule. I have meetings to attend, practices that I have to have Elise to, games I get to watch, and committees to serve on. My time is not my own anymore. However, really in the scheme of things my time is never my own it is the Lord's time.


All summer long I have prayed for God to place in my class the students that need me. I often sit and wonder why is it that I always carry the most students, why is it me that gets the one or two students that are the boogers. Once again this year I have the class of 17. One class has 15 the other has 14. I am asking myself once more why do I get the most students. I could puff myself up and think that they were assigned to me because I can handle them. My reputation is one of being the challenger or the one who pushes. Or I can simply look at it for what it is and that is the privilege that the Lord has given me to show these students my Jesus, to let them know that the creator of the universe, the same person that created everything created them. If we think about God and all the glorious things that he has done from the largest stars to the smallest cell, He indeed is glorious. So if he did all those glorious things where does that put me or the students that I will be serving. They too are glorious.

I know that there are some students that I will not be able to reach. And those are the ones that truly break my heart. How can I reach the unreachable? As the beginning of a new year approaches I don't have a clue what this year will hold. The only thing I do know is that the Glorious God has place those 17 tender hearts in my care for 180 days and I hope and pray that I will not fail Him!!! That one day when I am no longer in this world that He will look upon me with loving eyes and say "Well done good and faithful servant."

If you actually take the time to read this blog, you don't have to tell me, just pray for me. I enter the battleground for hearts of children as a marked woman myself. Satan would love to see me mess up. So pray that he will be kept from God's work. Pray that through God I can be His mouth piece, that the students can see Jesus in me, and that Kingdom hearted children will leave me after 180 days stronger believers. But most of all my prayer is that God will transform lives even if it is my very own.

To God be the Glory, great things he has done.