Manic Monday

Manic is one way to describe this Monday. I would also use the words: exhausting, crazy, overwhelming, etc. Let me explain...

The most important thing to mention is that is was a MONDAY. Mondays have a history of being pesky little buggers, and today proved no different. We also altered our schedule at school. Not a huge deal, but if you're used to having a break in the middle of the day to plan and eat, and then you lose it-oof. By the end of the day it took all that was in me not to fall into my chair. Once again, this isn't a huge deal but it definitely threw a kink in things. I'm also on the mend from a weekend a fantastic weekend with the hubs. I am so grateful for the time we got to spend together, but it sure does stink having to say goodbye. To round it all out this bipolar weather has given me the queen bee of headaches. One that cannot easily be persuaded to go away.

Each of these things alone wouldn't be considered a big thing, but combined they create a hurricane-like force. Needless to say this chica is counting down to the weekend and the possibility of visitors! Not to mention I can't believe how blessed I am to live this crazy/beautiful life.

Check Engine

As I'm sure you can infer from the title my "Check Engine" light came on yesterday.

I was tootling down the road headed to school at 6am, and all of the sudden the light clicks on. Joy. After debating the cause all day I headed to Goodyear with my fingers crossed and prayers in my heart. The gentlemen were very friendly and helpful to this car-clueless woman, but alas their kindness did not extend to the price. Miss Suzy Subaru now needs a new catalytic converter. This tiny little thing (see below) is going to cost us a pretty penny.

Needless to say I'm a little perturbed. In less than a year we are going to have put over $3000 into this car. That's right folks, $3000. Now I love Suzy. She has stuck through some pretty hard times and made it to almost 114,000 miles, but good grief this is madness! Now the debate of to fix or not to fix has entered our minds. Is it worth fixing, or should we just toss in the towel and try something new? In a perfect world we could trot on over to the closest dealership and pick out a fancy pants new car, but alas this is not a perfect world.

All this got me thinking, what if we had our own "Check Engine" lights? What if there was something that kept us in check whenever our bodies started to fail? That way we can fix it before it becomes a problem. Yes, we know that eating fast food is bad for us, but we don't know how bad because we don't see the immediate effects. When we finally do realize the harm, it's too late. So if you're a doctor, or know a doctor, how can we make this happen?

For those Interested. . .

If you have a weak stomach, you may not want to look. 

Don't say I didn't warn ya!

The Wooded Unknown

I apologize for my delayed posting, but I wanted to see how long the trend continued. I'll explain. This past weekend found me and Daisy cleaning house and catching up on school. Well at least it found ME doing those things. Daisy conveniently found a bone to chew and sock to destroy. About 11:00 Saturday morning the princess decided that being cooped up was too much for her royal butt and she began whimpering at the door. Now if you know Daisy, you know this cannot be ignored. Thus, the trip outside.

I grabbed the orange monkey and we were off! Usually I just let her do her thing around the tall grass behind our building and she wears herself out. Of course things couldn't happen so smoothly on a day I needed to get things done. She ends up poking around in the wooded area for a bit before she comes bounding up to me with something in her mouth. Anyone want to take a guess what she brought? Well if you said a decayed raccoon's leg, you'd be correct! That's right folks, the princess deemed this a delicacy. The fun didn't end there. The thing had to be disposed of somehow. Armed with my makeshift gloves of ziploc baggies and roughly ten Harris Teeter plastic bags I tossed the thing in the dumpster. If you wondering, I may have gagged the entire run to the dumpster.

The fun didn't end there! Someone thought it was a brilliant idea to throw out their stale bread in the tall grass and pond. I understand the thought to save the birdies in the colder winter months, but they survived centuries in nature before Wonder Bread made its appearance! I digress. Daisy of course sniffed this out and brought me the following items over the weekend:

1. A sandwich. Yes, a full-on turkey and cheese sandwich with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato. Someone somewhere missed out.
2. a ciabatta  roll
3. the equivalent of a loaf of wheat bread
4. a couple slices of white bread. 
5. a moldy sandwich roll

This has continued since then. Every time I take her out she does her business and then trots on over there. She then proceeds to sniff out the most disgusting piece of bread she can find and then prances it over to show me. I then take it and throw it in the Harris Teeter baggie that I now carry around with me. This song and dance has been going on since Sunday. I'm counting down the days until there is no more bread to steal, or a bitter raccoon beats her to it.

PS-There is a picture of the decayed foot if anyone is interested. . .

Faith in Action

Today's reading led me to Hebrews 11. I've been trying (key word is trying) to follow a daily Bible reading, and today's reading was all about faith in action. After reading through the passage all I could think about was our shaky faith in difficult situations, and their unshakable faith in far worse. Verse by verse stories were recalled about faith in the most trying times. It brings me to this question: Why is our faith so shaky? These people didn't know the great power of God, yet they listened to every command without question. Why can we not do this too? Why are we not doing more in our lives with the knowledge that God has a greater place for us? He promises us an eternity, yet we struggle to Him Sunday mornings. What does it take for us to really live our lives radically as they did in the Bible?

David recently finished a book appropriately titled Radical by David Platt. While I have not yet had the time to read it, I know enough to know that Platt knows what he is talking about. Platt challenges us to take the teachings of the Bible and actually live by it. To not just "talk the talk" but to "walk the walk". We must stop forcing God to fit into our lives, and instead make our lives ALL about Him! I understand the difficulty of this task and am still struggling to make it work in my own life, but why not? The question I leave you with is, what is holding you back from living your life by faith?

What a Wonderful Weekend

I apologize for the delay since my last posting, but the hubby was in town and I made sure I spent every possible moment that I could with him! We had a busy, but wonderful, weekend scooting around town. Friday found us dining at the oh so delicious Carrabba's and then heading home to watch Inception. I may be the only person in the world to think this, but I wasn't very impressed with the movie. All I could think was, "huh?!?". Saturday we traveled to Ikea, also known as "The Motherland", with the extended Mob Squad. To put it bluntly, I'm obsessed with this place. Everything they do is just magical. I consider Ikea and Disney World on the same level if that tells you anything. . .

Another recent obsession is the TV show, Modern Family. I caved and purchased Season 1 on Amazon, and it was well-worth the $20! We watched three of the four discs. I told you we were obsessed...

 That evening we babysat four fabulous children! "Babysitting" is really code word for getting to play dress-up and forgetting that we're adults for a few hours. We spent Sunday morning with our AMAZING Hope Church Charlotte family and Sunday evening with my brother and his girlfriend. I cannot tell a lie, I had ulterior motives when I invited them over-I wanted to play Dominoes! Another recent love of ours is Mexican Train Dominoes. If you haven't played yet-you're missing out!

Monday was a day of catching up on work. School for me and Community Groups for Davido. All-in-all it was an incredible weekend and I'm already counting down until the next!

Back to School...

In the immortal words of Billy Madison:
"Back to school. Back to school, to prove to Dad that I'm not a fool. I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight, I hope I don't get in a fight. Oh! Back to school... back to school... back to school".

After a 2 hour delay we were back in the swing of things today. It was a great day, and after a poll of all my kids it was apparent how ready everyone was to be back in school! It is apparent though we have hit the long haul. Thanks to Mother Nature, it looks like our spring break will be much shorter and our well-placed workdays are gone. I understand there is no other option, but it is going to be a rough couple of months until break! Anyone in the field of education understands exactly what I'm talking about. Our snow days also messed with meetings, conferences, etc so trying to reschedule has been quite the adventure. While I may be stressed now, I am extremely grateful for my job and the opportunity to reschedule everything!

After these snow days it's even more apparent how ready I am for spring! I am all about warm weather and all the fun that comes with it (sundresses, the pool, warm evenings under the stars, vacations, flip flops, beach trips etc). Who will join me in the countdown?!

Cabin Fever

We're going stir crazy. Both the dog and I are beginning to lose our minds. The first day was fun because it gave us all the excuse to sleep in and bum around the house in our sweats (though I don't always wait for a snow day to bum around in sweats!). I pulled up Netflix and brought out the honeymoon pictures for an afternoon of movies and scrapbooking. Day two was very similar to the first except I added a walk to Wally World. Just a head's up if you're ever looking for a time to go to Walmart it's during an ice storm! Can you say empty? Then, Mama came to take me out to supper and keep us company.

We have officially reached day three and I have a full-blown case of cabin fever! I'm meeting a friend for lunch this afternoon will be nice, but the poor pooch will still be cooped up. She doesn't quite understand that the ice is slippery and keeps falling on her caboose! So I had the bright idea to take the dog on a walk to the mailbox. Not such a bright idea.  She would be a couple steps ahead of me where it was clear, but I was still back where it was icy. Picture this-me being pulled through our complex while screaming, "DAISYYYYYYYY". I'm sure the neighbors enjoyed that one! A few pictures:

"Maybe she won't notice me if I sneak behind this bush."

 "Why do I keep tumbling down the hill?!"

"I didn't make this mess if that's what you're thinking. . ."

Our snow days by the numbers:

• Number of pictures scrapbooked: over 500
• Number of cups of coffee from the Keurig: 8
• Number of movies watched: 7
• Number of ropes Daisy has destroyed: 2
• Number of naps: at least 1 a day
• Number of times I've fallen on the ice: No comment. . .

Let's all say a prayer we're back in school soon!
Lauren

Ahhhhhh

Another snow (more ice now) day gives me the chance to brag on a new favorite place of mine. As a Christmas present my wonderful hubs got a me a gift certificate to a local salon and spa, Elena's.

I've always wanted to check it out and now I had the perfect excuse! While he was in there they told him about a special for first-time customers. For the low, LOW price of $90 you receive:
* 30 minute customized massage (upgrade to an hour for only $20 more)
* 30 minute customized facial (upgrade to an hour for only $20 more)
* Spa Pedicure with a hydrating mask and paraffin wax (add a spa manicure for only $20 more)
* Consultation, shampoo, cut, and style (add partial highlights for only $20 more)

It was incredible! I spent the morning being pampered and spoiled by a very friendly staff. From the moment I walked in the door I was welcomed as if they had known me forever. Everything was focused on what I needed and wanted. Needless to say I will be going back! If you're looking for a relaxing day of indulgence set up an appoint at Elena's Salon and Spa

Until next time,
Lauren

Snow Day!

As I write this I think of all of you tucked in to your cozy beds on this SNOW DAY! When we were kids we all hoped and prayed for that day off. Many of us even slept with our jim-jams inside out, or with a spoon under our pillows (no judgment), in hopes some higher would have mercy and cancel school. The moment mom gently shook you to tell you that school was canceled was glorious! Forget sleeping, I'm bundling up and heading out!

As a teacher I can't help but think of how behind I am and how I REALLY don't want to make up the day later. That spring break in a warm, sunny place slipping farther and farther away...It is what it is and I plan on enjoying it as much as possible! Pookie and I will be bundling up after breakfast to mess up all the beautiful snow out back. Then, hopefully I can convince her a nap is always a good idea despite the fact we woke up an hour ago (wish me luck in this venture). 

A few images from 4:30 this morning...

 Suzy covered in snow

 Racing down to go crazy!

Pookie is in there somewhere...look at it coming down!

If you must leave, please be safe! For those of us lucky enough to get to stay home-HAVE FUN!
Lauren

Never Alone

As many of you know this is a crazy time in our newlywed lives. David has been placed in Alabama to work on a plant for the time being. My first thought when this was mentioned was, "cool!". Then reality set in-I would be all alone here at home. We haven't been apart more than a week since we began dating and the prospect of being apart for as long as a month terrifies me! I can't help but think, "We got married so we could spend the rest of our lives together, not apart".

I struggled with this for a few weeks. David remained positive and kept challenging me to come up with some good things about it. Now if you know David,  he says this a lot. I stubbornly refused to think of anything. One day it dawned on me-he was leaving whether I wanted him to or not. My good things:

1. It would help us communicate. We had settled into a routine of coming home at night and watching TV over supper. This was something I said I would never do. Neither of us wanted our communication to occur with background noise. Us being apart would require more work when it came to talking. We are blessed to have techy tools such as cellphones and Skype which make this MUCH easier!
2. Time for school. As a new teacher I spend A LOT of time working on school. Many seasoned educators have warned me that it's only a job, and you can never replace the time you miss with your family. While I know these things, subconsciously I still feel guilty if I don't devote hours each weekend to lesson plans and grading. With David in Alabama I will have extra time to find ways of helping "my kids" without missing time with David.
3. Growing my faith. A couple months ago David and I started a Community Group for young couples. David leads the meetings while I serve as support and a right hand. With David gone I will step up to lead. This challenges me to spend more time with the Lord. Studying His word has been something I have neglected in recent months. There is absolutely no excuse, no matter how many I would like to let fall from my mouth. Being by myself, and stepping up as leader, will help me as I grow in my walk.
4. Spending time with others. As newlyweds it is very easy to get wrapped up in each other and the excitement of our new marriage. David's absence gives me an excuse to have fun with new friends as well as visit with family.

After thinking this through I realized that I am not alone. In fact, I couldn't be farther from it! I have wonderful family and friends that would do anything to help me. I also have the Lord. With Him, I will never be alone, and what a good feeling that is. I leave you with a clip, and our first dance song!

Until next time,
Lauren

First Dance

As a teacher, and avid reader, I'm a huge fan of anyone talented enough to express themselves through the written word. After following several blogs in recent months, I decided to give it a go! I'm not promising anything spectacular, but I can promise it's all me. Lots of changes have happened in the past year, and I can't wait to share the new experiences with y'all! A few highlights to catch you up:


* I took my first step towards saving lives one book at a time-I completed my student teaching internship.
* I graduated from the greatest university on the planet (nope, I'm not biased AT all), NC State!
* I married my best friend, and the love of my life.
* We moved into our first place, and I began my most favorite job ever-being a wife!
* We adopted our hot mess of a puppy, Daisy Mae (also known as Pookie).
* I became a big kid and fulfilled a lifelong wish of becoming a teacher.
* We found an incredible church to make our home at, Hope Church.
* We became a Community Group for young couples.
* We actually got see real college football after years of disappoint. (GO PACK!)

And the list goes on! Reflecting on this has reminded me how truly blessed I am to be me, and I look forward to reflecting here:-)