WOW...WHAT A WEEKEND!

To be honest, I was dreading this last weekend all week long. I gave myself a lot of pep talks trying to talk myself into being ready. There were plans for each day of the weekend and the funny thing is... they were all FUN plans. Nothing I should dread at all. But most of you know (and I've posted here a couple years ago) I have a severe case of homebody-itis. Especially when special monthly hormones just tell me to sleep. 

But, as always, it was worth fighting myself. This weekend was so much fun! The most social weekend I've had in a very long time. Here's the recap:

Friday: One of our friends from our LifeGroup threw a birthday party for his wife at their house. It was great getting to know them a little more outside of our LifeGroup setting.

Saturday: In the AM, Chris's work had a family day where they opened up the warehouse and cooked out. You could tour the warehouse and see how they put together the locomotives and there was bounce houses and activity booths for the kids. It was nice getting to meet his work friends and finally put a face to the names. In the PM, my sister-in-law, Erica, had her 80's themed birthday bash! It was fun getting dressed up (my husband even let me poof his hair and give him a mullet!) and having a good time with family. There was a lot of photo booth fun as well...

Sunday: Church in the AM and then Chris's dad and step-mom came over to watch the Cowboys game.

AND my lazy homebody tendencies were even appeased this weekend since I was off work yesterday (Monday) and got to lay in bed all day reading. All in all, a pretty great weekend.

How about you guys? Did y'all do anything fun this weekend?

2 WEEKS AGO

I have picked up my computer to write a post several times the last couple weeks only to keep putting it off. This time not because I didn't know what to write about but because I knew exactly what I needed to write- exactly what I needed to get out.

It's been a rough, emotional couple weeks. Two weeks ago, for the first time in probably a year, I needed to take a pregnancy test. Two weeks ago, the words "not pregnant" caused my heart to break a little. And a little more the week after that.

I promise, 98% of the time I deal really well with the fact that we aren't getting pregnant. I don't know if it's the fact that 13 *I think that was the last count* different acquaintances/friends have recently announced their pregnancy. (That's not an exaggeration. Baby Boom 2015 y'all.) Or the fact that it was the first time I even needed to take a test in a long time. But for whatever reason, it hit me really hard. I didn't try and get my hopes up- in fact I had a ton of other logical excuses for what else it could be- but it still didn't stop the tears from falling. Luckily, I have an amazing, supportive husband who is there every step of the way.

So, today I have officially taken the first step to finding out what is preventing us from conceiving. I made a doctor appointment to be examined. And I'm terrified. I guess that's why it has taken so long for me to actually do it. There's always been some reason to put it off. And as much as I look forward to at least just finally having an answer and being able to move from there in the right direction...it also makes it so much more real. Something could be wrong with me.

I have a few weeks until the appointment, but if you think of me, I wouldn't mind the prayers. 

NEW (SCHOOL) YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

Happy Labor Day! Or as I like to think of it...the last day of long nights and sleeping in. Yep, his is the last official day of summer break. The first day of the school year is tomorrow! I love that we start after Labor Day so that my last day gets to be a full day off with my husband.Yay for lots of Hubby Quality Time!  

Meet the Teacher Friday night was awesome. I am getting a few boys who were in my very first class I taught in Kindergarten which is always fun. And the rest of my boys and parents seemed just as excited as me about this school year. Awesome parents are always the biggest blessing for a teacher and it looks like I got a class full! I also have a class of BOYS this year! As in, literally ZERO girls! Which made me even more excited to introduce my new theme this year....

My classroom got a SUPERHERO makeover! I have been excited since the end of last school year about this. Superheroes is what I would have originally done when I began teaching 3 years ago, but since I found out pretty last minute, I had to go with what I could easily find at the teacher store (though I will miss all my pretty owls I've been given over the years, all packed up safe and sound for future use). 

Since the summer moved way faster and ended up being way busier than anticipated, I didn't get to make some of the stuff I wanted to and wasn't sure how it was all going to turn out. But I'm pretty happy with it! Scratch that...I kinda LOVE it! 

The boys seemed pretty excited about it so that's really what it's all about. I love when my kids are excited about their class and about coming to school. So this brings me to the next point...

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am NOT a morning person. Like in any sense. At all. My summer schedule pretty much consists of going to bed around 2-4am and waking up around 10-11am. That is my natural sleep cycle. Natural in the sense that that is just what it is when there is no reason for me to regulate it, i.e. work. (*making myself go to bed at a decent hour tonight is going to be interesting*) And when I am working, and therefore do have to mold myself to "normal" standards, I have always been one to set my alarm for the very last possible second I need to get up. Wake up, get ready, go to work. No extras. No time for surprises. WELL....not this year!

  I have a New (school) Year's Resolution... 

This year I am not going to take advantage of the fact that I now live about 3 minutes away from my job. I am not going to take advantage of the fact that I no longer need to leave earlier to pick my niece up for school. I am not going to take advantage of that extra 30 minutes or so and set my alarm accordingly. No, this year I am going to become a (semi) morning person! I am going to use that extra time to have a cup of coffee, sit at my kitchen table in front of my new pretty bay windows, and I'm going to spend time with God doing my bible study. That is my goal.

People always say how important it is to wake up and start your day with God, but I have always argued that my time was better spent at night when I am more awake and alert, since I am after all, NOT a morning person. Admittedly though, I have found it hard the last few months to stay faithful to bible study, with life getting so crazy that when I am finally done for the night I just want me time. Selfish I know. That has to change. I have to change it. Obviously, since I am NOT... (say it with me) a morning person, nothing is ever planned for the morning times except sleeping. And on occasion, more sleep. So there is no excuse, nothing "more important" (I know nothing is actually more important than God's word) to do, nothing to distract me, and hopefully no snooze button to be hit.

I am actually pretty excited about having the time for my coffee and to get into this new study over the book of John that we just began in our LifeGroup.

The journey to becoming a morning person (or at least a semi one) starts tomorrow!