Lately I've Had the Strangest Feeling...

Remember that song? I think it was by Jodeci...
Anyway, lately I have been really down about Daddy. Maybe it's just seeing pictures of his headstone and knowing that it truly is real. He won't be here to see Everly grow up. Now that she is talking so much more and showing her hilarious personality I can imagine them interacting. If you knew my daddy, you know how much of a character that man was. I think it rubbed off on me alot. I would rather be known as a little crazy than a stick in the mud.
Another reason I'm probably so down is because Easter is upon us. This was a holiday that we always celebrated with the whole family. What to do? What to do? Should I try to plan something here at our house or is it easier for us to travel? No one has even mentioned it. I think we are all a little scared!
We bought a pop-up camper over the weekend and I am so proud of it. I have so many wonderful memories of camping with my family. No it's not a luxurious vaction (I gave up a trip to Mexico to buy it) but the memories we make will be more meaningful to me.
I guess I just needed to get a little of this off my chest. Take pictures with your loved ones this Easter. We didn't take a whole group shot last year. I would give anything to have had one more family photo.

What's Up with Us?

Over two months and no post! I guess nothing really exciting has been going on and we've been so busy that I haven't had time to post. I've been getting adjusted to my teaching position and all that goes with it. Last week and this week we've been completing testing in the fourth grade. Funny, I have been posting on my class blog. You can check it out at Mrs. Mack's class. It is a useful tool for parents I think.

We now volunteer as small group leaders for sixth grade at our church. Last night was our first official meeting as solo leaders. We had the boys last night. I don't have brothers...so wow! was this eye opening. We really enjoy the teachings of our youth pastor. We feel like we're learning as much as the students are. We're also involved in a small group book study of David Platt's book Radical with three other couples. It has been truly life changing. It is so nice to be able to share and learn in this small group setting. Another big deal for us is our house is officially listed! I have been praying that it sells sooner rather than later. I am still commuting about an hour each morning even though the school I work at is only eight miles from our home. I take E twenty minutes away from home to her school. I know the easy thing to do is to change her school, but I won't do it. These ladies have kept her since she was seven weeks old. I am comfortable with her there and I feel peace knowing that B's mom works right next door. Her care is much more important that my convenience. We bought 42 acres between my school and her school. Hopefully we can get out of "town" and out to the country soon.

Brett has been gearing up for another busy hay season. Right now he is getting all the equipment ready and some odd and end projects that needed to be done around the farm. He's also the chairman for our county Young Farmer's group. We have a petting zoo for all the kindergartners in the county. He's held several meetings for that and we attended the state young farmers conference in Huntsville in February. We always have so much fun at those with all the families from our county and the others that we have met from throughout the state. He has also gotten to go turkey hunting a few times.

E has probably had the most going on. She has been battling allergies. We thought she had RSV, but were so thankful she did not. Miss E weighed 24 lbs. 2 oz. at her appointment. I can't believe it!! She is growing so quickly, even though most people still think she is tiny. I love being her mommy. She is my world. Her personality is so bubbly. She loves to sing and dance. About two weeks ago we went to the zoo. I was talking to B and telling him how I need to learn to bake a coconut cake. She starts singing patty cake!! This is the second time I "accidentally" found out that she knows a song.
These are her favorites as of now-
Hokey Pokey (or Pokey Pokey) as she says
Pattycake
The Wheels on the Bus
Jesus Loves Me

She has counted to nine without making a mistake. She recognizes several shapes, especially a circle. We're working on recognizing letters and numbers now with flashcards...kind of like a homemade "Your Baby Can Read". I am amazed daily at all the things she knows and learns. I worked with some children while interning in kindergarten that came to school knowing less. That just breaks my heart.

E still loves books and likes to "read". She really seems to be studying her books. I know this is getting extremely long winded, but I just wanted to give a general update on us.

Shoney Bear

Yesterday I was pretty sick. I had fever off and on all day. My momma called to check on me last night and we started reminiscing. Here birthday is coming up pretty soon, so I invited her to come stay the night with us and we'd take her to dinner wherever she wants to go. She said that she would as long as no one sang to her! She began talking about one time that my dad took her out for her birthday and she was so embarrassed when the staff began to sing. She was talking about how dad had set all of this up. A few hours before he passed away my dad was talking to my uncle on the phone. He said that he had a special surprise set up for he and my mom's anniversary (he passed away three weeks before their 3oth anniversary). As momma talked I was taken back to a very happy time in my childhood...birthdays! We didn't have a lot of birthday parties, but we did usually go out to eat...complete with singing! We were members of the Shoney Bear birthday club. You would get a free meal during your birthday month. My birthday is on the first so we'd always have to go the weekend after my birthday. The staff brought a hot fudge cake (I'd love to have one RIGHT now) and sang. Gosh, I miss those carefree, happy days. Hopefully Everly will have as many fond memories of her childhood as I do of mine. I can't wait to host my Momma soon at our house...who knows? maybe we'll have her surprised by singing. I know she really would care at all now! I think we've all learned in our family to live life to the fullest.

Also, a huge thanks to my sweet husband this weekend! He's done it all (I mean down to sweeping and mopping floors and making pumpking bread)and taken care of me. Thanks honey! Love you :)

How many words?

A few weeks ago when we were at Dr. E's he asked me how many words that E says. I said alot, but that wasn't exactly the answer he was looking for. I guessed between 30-40, but I really think it's more than that. Here's my attempt to see exactly how many...

People
Mama, Dadda, Daddy, Pop, Gimme (still only seldomly...wonder what's up with that), Mamaw, Papaw, Rah-Rah (Sara her teacher at school), Weesa, Huhsen (Hutson), Embeth (Emma Beth), Nick, Ka care (Katy Claire), Mafhue (Matthew), Mary, Danny, Soosie (Susie), Rose, Pooper (Cooper), Zane

Places
home, cool (school), Auburn, Bama

Things
Micka Mouse, Mimmie, boo (what the cow says), Oso, nana (banana), bites, bubbles, jacket, shoes, Crocs, Nikes, socks, pants, tree, Jesus, bible, book, Aubie (she loved watching the National Championship game), touchdown (with her hands in the air), W'gle (War Eagle!), teeth, bwush (brush), bow, wet (pointing to her diaper), cup, duece (juice), milk, yo-gurt (two syllables), banket (blanket), bye-bye, wuv (love), teese (cheese), Nemo (but she means Elmo), Abby (Abby Cadabby), buce box (juice box), cookie, chips, bubath (bubble bath), baby, keys, trac trac (tractor). fen toast (french toast)

I know that's not all, but that list includes about 70. I guess I should count again before we go to her two year appointment. She is so much fun now and I am so proud to be her momma!

18 months

This sweet thing turned 18 months old on December 23rd. Her 18 month appointment was on the 28th. She is such a big girl now and wants to walk every where. The nurses had a fit over her new Vera Bradley bag that she got for Christmas. They took her all around the office to show it off, because she was not going to let it go! She didn't even want to let me hold it while the nurse weighed her. She had it loaded down with her doll bottle, cell phone, and keys and of course we couldn't leave Mimmie at home.

She now weighs 21 lbs. 14 oz. ( I never thought we'd make it over the 20 pound mark)- 20th percentile
and is 31 inches tall-40th percentile. Dr. E always makes me smile when he says most ladies prefer to be on the slender side. He even commented on her purse. He said, "That looks like a Vera Bradley. Aren't you just a Gucci baby!" I love it when he is in a good mood and we can joke. E did great with her shots and didn't want me to comfort her...she wanted her purse! Can we say girly girl? I love my priss pot! I have had the best time staying at home with her yesterday and today (we have a weather day today).

We're about to get out in the cold and buy a few ingredients to whip up some game day grub! Our team (yes E's too...she's in a house divided) is playing in the national championship tonight. I've taught E to say Aubie and War Eagle! She'll be dressed in her #2 Cam Newton shirt tonight, made by my sweet friend Mandi. She has a new Aubie shirt to wear to school tomorrow. She'll wear it either way, because I am so proud of my Tigers...but we're ALL IN for a victory!!!!

My Christmas Vacation...

was spent in my classroom. I would try to get there before 9:00 and sometimes I would be there at 9:00 at night. I just wanted it to be perfect. I took over for a teacher that retired mid-year. I went through tons and tons of stuff. Brett and his dad cut down a bookcase and hung up my television. Brett built a coat rack. I sorted and filed and threw away old things. It was a job! I could have had all summer and it still would have been a job! I am so proud of the way it turned out. I officially started on January 3rd and the students came back on the fourth. I am teaching fourth grade Alabama History, which is ironic because my very favorite teacher ever taught fourth grade Alabama History and it was then that I decided I wanted to become a teacher. I was hired for an emergency position, so I probably won't have this job next year. Hopefully, I will get to stay at the same school. It is a wonderful place and I would love for E to be a Tiger one day!

 Before

After

Two checks!

I can not believe that I did not blog about one of the most exciting times of my life. They say pictures are worth a thousand words...so I'll post lots of those and maybe that will make up for it.

Well....I thought I would post a lot of those. I can't find my "real" camera. Here are a few from my graduation (the others are on my MILs camera). It was December 10th. It was such an exciting day. I couldn't believe that it was real until they called my row to walk to the stage. I have wanted this since graduating high school, but life (and choices I made) kept getting in the way.

I knew this day was going to be hard for me. I cried on the way there and didn't do my eye make-up until I pulled up in the parking lot. I knew how much this day was going to mean to my dad and how proud he would have been of me. When they lined us up in the auditorium, I had to sit next to this girl who really, really drives me nuts. All I wanted to do was sit and listen to the directions. She came in with three bags of stuff and was doing her hair and make-up while we waited to walk. Isn't it funny how God can send you a blessing when you least expect it? As we walked into our graduation ceremony, I like everyone else was looking around for my family. I found them and it looked empty, someone was missing. My dad was supposed to be up there with a big grin on his face, waving so much it would be embarrassing....but he wasn't. Tears started to fall from my eyes. I didn't want to cry, but I couldn't help it. The girl who drives me nuts looked at me and said that this was happy and I shouldn't cry. She was right, it was a happy occasion. I had to hold back tears several other times.  Then, I had to laugh out loud when I tripped on the way down the stage ramp. At least it wasn't on the way up, that was my biggest fear!

Also, while on stage we had to shake hands with Chancellor Hawkins and several other men. The last one asked me, "Do you have a job?" I replied with a huge smile and "yes!". He said that he could tell by the smile on my face. It was (and is) a wonderful feeling to know that I graduated and got a job within days of one another. That only happens to a very small fraction of graduates. Two of my life's goals happened in one week.

Graduation was such a fun day. My momma and sister came down (and they didn't even get lost). We all went to lunch afterward. We don't all get together often enough.

I have thanked the Lord many, many times in my prayers. I have also thanked my husband and in-laws. I hope they all know that I couldn't have made these dreams come true without their help. I got to check two things off my Bucket List and I am absolutely thrilled!