There's no way to catch up...

for all the things that have been happening since our last post. I really don't have time to do this now, but I wanted to post something.
So here's a little post about Everly's big girl haircut. She is almost 27 months old and has never even had a trim. I really didn't want to get her hair cut yet but I was getting a little stringy at the ends. She had two layers in her hair and Brett and o agreed to cut it even with the top layer, which meant all the baby curls were gone :(
Everly acted like a complete pro after a little bribery from me. I promised her that we would walk down the street when we were done to see a giant Pooh bear in a store window.

Yeah...I'm typing this on my blogger app. I may have to back and rotate the pictures when we get internet at our house. We've lived here for almost two months and haven't had time for them to come out to set it up. Yes, we are that busy!

In one of the pictures Evie is chewing her finger. That is her nervous habit.

I Can't Sleep!

It's now 3:28 am and I've been awake for an hour or so. Now that I am awake I can't go back to sleep. My mind is racing. So many huge events are going on with us right now. We're moving from the only house we've ever lived in since we have been a married couple. We weren't supposed to close until August 9th,but all the paperwork is complete so they want to close this week. Luckily we have 10 days after closing to move. I am excited about moving. We're moving near our farm land and the whole family will get to see each other more often.

School is also about to start back. I have to start on Monday...yikes! I thought I was going shopping on Friday for my "back to school" clothes. Not that it's a big deal...but when exactly am I going to make that happen now. Then there's my classroom. I think of something new everyday that I want to do or needs to be done. I am in the process of painting my desk now. I am so thankful that one of my former students,Meg, came over today...check that yesterday to help keep Everly company while I worked. She's actually a pretty good painter too.

I thought maybe typing some boring random post would make me sleepy...no such luck. Sorry to bore everyone. I guess I'll go back to playing this Sushi Bar game on my phone. I'll probably stay up all night trying to beat it. Oh yeah and if there are any typos please forgive me. I always go back and read my posts and find several...yeah reading teacher who can't spell. That's the way to make our future brighter...ha! I just don't know of a spell check on the Blogger app. If you do, info me please!

Our Summer in Photographs

This summer has been filled with probably not as much fun as it should, but I had a big task to complete...a new classroom. Unless you are a teacher, you probably don't understand all that goes into that task. I am so very grateful that I had to work on it this summer. We've tried to sprinkle in some fun along the way.

 This sweet girl turned TWO in June. I still can't believe it. Here she is riding at her party. She doesn't like anything motorized, so this was perfect for her. This sharp ride belonged to the skating rink, but I found her a brand new one at a flea market for a third of the price of a new one. So proud!

 Glad she likes to come to school with mommy. This is her leaving one night. She takes that baby every where. She is still lovin' her pink boots...as you can see!

 First movie for Evie and her friend E.I. (Eli). They saw Winnie the Pooh with the SES camp kids. I was thankful the movie was less than an hour. Everly was not really into sitting still! I think they sat in this chair for about a minute.

 Swimming with Daddy. We tried to swim as much as possible this summer, because someone was taking swimming lessons this summer and she loves to show off her skills.

 Celebrating the last day of swimming lessons with friends with popsicles. We can't wait until next year!

At school with Mommy. A future teacher in the making? This is her new cheese face!

Mrs. Mack is back!

After crying my eyes out for while about not being rehired at SES, I proceeded to enjoy my summer. I secured a part time job for the fall and knew that I could substitute every day. I prayed about the situation. About a week or two after school was out I got a call from the principal. There was going to be a fourth grade unit added because of the number of students. This teacher would only teach reading...which I love! She told me that I was being considered for the position along with several others. Exciting news but I didn't get my hopes up. I also got a call from B's alma matta...Opp.  They also had a fourth grade position open. I interviewed with them, but their position was temporary. A few days later E and I were on our way to shop in Dothan when I got them call that I got the position at SES. I was so thrilled. We went to the teacher store that day just to buy something, anything that I could use in my room. Later that week I volunteered at Kids Kamp with a civic club I am a member of when I got a call from Andy, another local elementary school. I ended up not interviewing with them because the board meeting to approve my employment was that night. I told the principal that I would hate to waste her time. God is so good. I went from having no hope to having three opportunities for a job within a matter of weeks. I'll leave you with a picture of my room in progress. It is right next door to the room I had last year. I am so excited to be back at SES with my wonderful students and coworkers. I hope Miss E will be going with me when the time comes for her to go to kindergarten.

Summer fun!

Summer is flying by! I've been spending most of my time with a very busy TWO year old. I'll have to do a complete birthday post soon. We've been swimming alot, had playdates with friends, gone to story time at the library, and playing with her newest obsession Baby Doll. I am so blessed to have gotten another job at the school I love so E has started going back to her school a little more while I get me room ready....yeah need more posts for these things too. Right now E is taking swimming lessons with two of her future classmates. They are learning things like floating on their backs, holding their breaths, and "picking apples" (paddling). Wednesday after swimming I asked her what she wanted for lunch and she told me pizzzza. We went to Pizza Hut for the lunch buffet. It was our first time going to eat just the two of us. We had so much fun. We'll definitely do it again soon. I'm ready to get my classroom complete so I can spend more quality time with my big girl before the crazy fall begins.

The death of me!

Yes, these little babies right here are going to be the death of me! E's Gimme ordered them for her back in the fall and they finally fit. I let her wear them on Memorial Day and she pretty much hasn't taken them off since...well except for yesterday morning when she took off her black Crocs and threw them across the floor and marched to her room to get her black polka dot mary janes. I did not fight this battle! I just let her wear them...at least she picked something that matched.

Last night she slept in these Teva sandals and right now she is prancing around the house in them. I think she's beginning a new stage where she wants to pick out her own clothes. She sticks firm to her choices too. If she would only learn how to put these shoes on instead of following me around holding the right one (it won't stay on) in her hand screaming "Shoe off!!!!".

School's out...seriously!

So, I knew when I accepted my position in December that it was an emergency hire and I would have to reinterview for a position in the spring. Our school earned almost two additional teacher units on top of the positions that another emergency hire and I were working in. I love the school I worked at. It is where I would love to see Everly learn and grow. As spring got closer the more nervous I got and the more excited the students became. I interviewed in early May. By this time we were informed that there would only be one position total at our school, mainly because of proration. My emergency hire co-worker and I (who I also graduated with) knew that one of us would definitely not have a job in the fall at our school. Both of our interviews went wonderful, so we thought if we didn't get a job at our school maybe we get one at another one of the county schools. Either way, we were going to be happy for one another.

We had to wait almost two weeks after our interviews to find out the verdict. My poor students...that was the most stressful two weeks all year! We were called into the conference room at the same time. I already knew what this meant...neither of us got the job! I do not know the person that got the job, but I've seen her around. She looks nice and hopefully she will do a wonderful job. It just stinks when you've poured your heart into something and it's gone. I described it as being broken up with...it's the only thing I could compare it too. I cried all night and woke up at 2 am and cried some more. I cried the next day and woke up at 2 am the following morning. Heck, I'm crying right now!

My fellow co-workers and the parents couldn't have been more supportive. I am so thankful to each and every one of them. They made me feel loved and reminded me that this is all in God's hands and he has a plan, even if I can't see it yet.

SES will definitely always hold a special place in my heart. I went to observe there a little over two years ago when I was very pregnant with E. I remember walking in the halls and the smell hit me. It was the same spell as my elementary school. Then and there I knew this is where I wanted to intern. Low and behold I ended up interning with the very teacher that I observed with, who is now a wonderful friend. I was ecstatic when I was offered a job even before I graduated, this is unheard of. The children are wonderful and the faculty like family.

Teaching is my calling, that I know. It's what I have wanted to be since I was 9 years old. So many great people and opportunities have led me to this occupation...finally. I got a job at the Elmore BOE when I was 17 and worked there six years while I was trying to go to school part time. Finally, 12 years after I graduated high school I finished college. 

One of my parents came to talk to me after school one day. She said that she had prayed daily that I would get the job. She quoted a very fitting scripture. I know it was from Jeremiah and I remember the gist of it...but of course I was crying again!! 
I think this is it-
Jeremiah 17:7-8
  "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

If this wasn't it...it's what I needed to read today. As of now my plan is to substitute a lot and keep my faith in the Lord...and pray!!