2012 wasn't a horrible year, but it wasn't the best year either. There are parts of this year that I will look back on forever. Dates from 2012 that will be with me until the day I die. There are other days that I will do my best to forget. Here are a few moments of 2012, both the good and the bad!
January
We started talking about renting a house from some friends. After thinking we would take it we got a very solid, "NO" while praying about it. I was devastated, frustrated, and I felt like we may have let our friends down. God is always right! Our friends sold their house just weeks later and months later we realized God had a much different plan for our living situation.
Tim started indoor. A time that I loved and loathed. I loved spending time with the kids and helping out. I loathed the late hours that it brought and the feeling of never seeing my hubs. Practice, practice, practice!
February
I don't really remember much about February! It must have been a boring month! I'll note here that I was super glad last winter was a mild one because we were in portables at school. They were cold and I had to buy an electric blanket to keep me warm!
March
Indoor was wrapping up! We took the HS kids on an overnight trip to Tim's hometown. They did two competitions and it was a blast! We got to see some of Tim's friends from back home while there as well. Very great weekend! Oh, and my KENTUCKY WILDCATS WON THEIR 8th NATIONAL TITLE!!! GO BIG BLUE!!!
April
I remember April being a rough month at school. Just a lot of junk going on. It seemed there was always a lot of junk going on at school. We had a week off in April. We didn't go anywhere fancy, just relaxed! Tim's new job was going great and we were starting to toy with the idea of moving. Our best friends also had big news! They were expecting!!!
May
Shortest school year ever!! State testing was rough! New standards, new assessment. Stressful! But, with only one snow day and an early release due to tornado's, we were out of school EARLY! Tim's sister also announced that she was pregnant! We were going to be Aunt Rissa and Uncle Tim! The end of May would be the month that I called our realtor and told her we were going to move forward in June!
June
House hunting!!!!!!!!!! OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!! We are going to buy a house! We began our search and we found our home the first day out. Someone already had an offer in, but it didn't work out and we snatched the house up just a few short days into June! June is a whirlwind of financial documents, signing, packing, signing, oh, did I say signing! But, we did it and in July...
July
WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!!! We closed on July 3rd and moved on July 4th! Happy Independence Day!!! We had amazing friends that helped us!!! July was a month of moving, settling, and resting! June wore us out! Then, band started back! Goodbye Tim! Did I mention that I taught summer school in June?
August
Marching band...I have nothing else, just marching band. All day, everyday, practice, football, practice, football! Oh, Tim turned 27!
September
The start of my favorite time of the year. My uncle passed in early September, some crazy changes took place at school, and I celebrated my 28th birthday. Seriously, 28? When did that happen! Band continues on!
October
Feels like yesterday! We handed out candy at our new home! It was cold and rainy! YUCK! Work was feeling much better and I love my team! We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Silas! Marching band ended. Both a happy and sad time!
November
SILAS IS HERE!! Love that sweet little boy! I wasn't prepared for how much my life would change by our friends having a baby. I love him and hope that he will call me Aunt Rissa even though I'm not his real aunt. My dad's company closed down making this November a hard one. He's such a hard worker and it has really been hard for me to see him out of work. Thanksgiving was nice and my favorite time of the year continues on. I love holidays!
December
It's December? Where did 2012 go? We welcomed our sweet Kaylee Rae on the 6th which was also MaMaw Kay's birthday! Happy birthday Mary Kay! I love being an aunt. I love to snuggle with sweet Kaylee! We had a different Christmas, but it was an amazing Christmas. Decorating the new house was a blast! I can't believe we've been here 6 months! Today we will bring in the New Year with a few of our friends and pray that 2013 will be better than ever!
So there you go! Highlights of 2012. There are things that I missed, like two visits from two friends from college that were lovely! But I can't remember exactly when all those took place. :-) 2012 has been a balanced year of ups and downs and I am hopeful that 2013 will be the best year ever!
*If you actually stuck through this entire post you deserve a prize!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Happy Holidays!
If my mother saw the title of this post she would be upset. She doesn't like "Happy Holidays". But, this post isn't just about Christmas. This post is about the holidays.
This has been one of the weirdest holiday seasons that I have experienced in a while, yet it has been one of the best holiday seasons. Right before Thanksgiving my dad lost his job. My dad is one of the hardest working men I know. It's been hard for me to see him out of work. It's been hard to see him not find a job after a month. It's hard to see my parents struggle. Due to this struggle I had a talk with mom about Christmas. She tends to go over the top in the gift department. I mean, way over the top. It's silly really. But, she does it every year. I had to have the "It isn't about gifts" talk with my mom. Because it isn't.
I've thought about that so much this year. Especially when I know that so many around me don't have gifts. Like kids at my school. It's just been on my mind a lot. I had a hard time making a list. I put door mats on my list. Yep, door mats. Maybe it's a sign of being old. Maybe it's a sign of home ownership. Maybe it's a sign of me realizing that Christmas is about so much more than gifts.
I hope it's the last!
I've never been one to focus on gifts. Sure, I love them. Honestly, I enjoy giving them more. This year was just different. I thought so much more about what the holiday season is all about. The obvious answer is Jesus. But, it's honestly about more than just Him.
It's about stopping. Resting. Reflecting. It's about family. It's about new nieces and nephews. It's about friends. It's about putting all idevices away. It's about helping your dad with his resume. It's about your mom making your recipe for cheese ball and asking you if she did it right. It's about making your Nana's cookies and holding your breath while she gives her approval. It's about watching your brother live his dream on stage. It's about gathering around your Nana's nursing home bed and laughing until you cry as she tells you how she hid a nurse in her closet in order to scare a new nurse on his first day. It's about best friends telling you they are expecting. It's about kittens almost knocking down your tree for the ten millionth time. It's about your mother and father in law becoming grandparents and watching them glow. It's about standing in your living room looking at your blessings. It's about your hubs taking care of you after he shared his germs with you. It's about standing in front of a window and watching it snow. It's about so much more than gifts and bows.
I think Jesus wants us to remember Him at Christmas, but I have been feeling him tell me time and time again to just take it all in. To stop. To rest. To reflect. To just take life in one day at time.
This holiday season has been one of the best in a while because I've tried to do just that. Although life is hard, although it doesn't seem fair, although I don't have answers, I've never felt closer to my family and friends and I love that feeling!
This has been one of the weirdest holiday seasons that I have experienced in a while, yet it has been one of the best holiday seasons. Right before Thanksgiving my dad lost his job. My dad is one of the hardest working men I know. It's been hard for me to see him out of work. It's been hard to see him not find a job after a month. It's hard to see my parents struggle. Due to this struggle I had a talk with mom about Christmas. She tends to go over the top in the gift department. I mean, way over the top. It's silly really. But, she does it every year. I had to have the "It isn't about gifts" talk with my mom. Because it isn't.
I've thought about that so much this year. Especially when I know that so many around me don't have gifts. Like kids at my school. It's just been on my mind a lot. I had a hard time making a list. I put door mats on my list. Yep, door mats. Maybe it's a sign of being old. Maybe it's a sign of home ownership. Maybe it's a sign of me realizing that Christmas is about so much more than gifts.
I hope it's the last!
I've never been one to focus on gifts. Sure, I love them. Honestly, I enjoy giving them more. This year was just different. I thought so much more about what the holiday season is all about. The obvious answer is Jesus. But, it's honestly about more than just Him.
It's about stopping. Resting. Reflecting. It's about family. It's about new nieces and nephews. It's about friends. It's about putting all idevices away. It's about helping your dad with his resume. It's about your mom making your recipe for cheese ball and asking you if she did it right. It's about making your Nana's cookies and holding your breath while she gives her approval. It's about watching your brother live his dream on stage. It's about gathering around your Nana's nursing home bed and laughing until you cry as she tells you how she hid a nurse in her closet in order to scare a new nurse on his first day. It's about best friends telling you they are expecting. It's about kittens almost knocking down your tree for the ten millionth time. It's about your mother and father in law becoming grandparents and watching them glow. It's about standing in your living room looking at your blessings. It's about your hubs taking care of you after he shared his germs with you. It's about standing in front of a window and watching it snow. It's about so much more than gifts and bows.
I think Jesus wants us to remember Him at Christmas, but I have been feeling him tell me time and time again to just take it all in. To stop. To rest. To reflect. To just take life in one day at time.
This holiday season has been one of the best in a while because I've tried to do just that. Although life is hard, although it doesn't seem fair, although I don't have answers, I've never felt closer to my family and friends and I love that feeling!
Saturday, December 22, 2012
My niece
I got to snuggle with my beautiful niece for hours today. There really isn't much that is better in life than snuggling a newborn. Especially when you can hand them back to their mommy and daddy the second they begin to cry. (Sorry mom and dad! Aunt Rissa just can't fix everything, although she will try!) She was laying in my arms, napping and dreaming, and she was grinning a big grin. I can only imagine that she was dreaming about mommy and aunt Rissa taking her shopping for frilly things like princess gowns and tiarra's. I love my niece and I love being Aunt Rissa.
Introducing my niece, Kaylee!
Introducing my niece, Kaylee!
Seriously, how can you not love that face? I could stare at her all day long. Just beautiful!
Friday, December 21, 2012
Snowflakes
I've started a million posts to put into words the way I feel.
I know a million people have commented on the events at Sandy Hook. I know everyone has said the same things over and over again. I know I can't say anything that anyone else hasn't already said, but I just can't let it go.
I didn't hear about the event until school was over. Our building is under construction and we don't have cable TV right now. We also wouldn't want to broadcast that information to elementary aged children. They just don't understand. Upon hearing the news I just kept thinking about how sad it was.
Once I arrived home I just couldn't get it out of my mind. I watched very little of the coverage because I was honestly very disturbed by the news asking those poor babies to recount what they "saw and heard". They are babies!! I know the parents gave them permission to ask them the questions, but I just felt that it was wrong to ask those poor children to relive that horrible event. An event that robbed them of their feeling of safety. So, I turned it off and prayed and cried.
I just kept thinking, "What if that were my babies faces on the news? What if I had been that teacher? Would I have been able to hide my kids? Would I have been that quick to think? Could I have saved my babies lives?" Then, I prayed some more.
I can't imagine how this event will change the lives of the Sandy Hook community. I can't imagine how it will change my life as a teacher. I can't imagine how these poor teachers and children and moms and dads and brothers and sisters and friends will ever move on.
My kids have been begging to make cards for the kids at Sandy Hook. So yesterday, as part of our "Holiday Party" my kids decided to make snowflakes. They so willing gave up of their time to make the typical school treats for themselves in order to fill the halls of Sandy Hook with beautiful snowflakes. In all we made close to 200 snowflakes. They cut and I cried. One little boy asked me if I thought the snowflakes would make them happy again. Although I don't think they will fix the broken hearts, I do think that walking into their "new" school will be a bit easier when they see the halls filled with beautiful snowflakes that represent a nation who is praying for peace in their lives.
So, here's to Sandy Hook! May the Lord bring peace to your lives and hearts!
I know a million people have commented on the events at Sandy Hook. I know everyone has said the same things over and over again. I know I can't say anything that anyone else hasn't already said, but I just can't let it go.
I didn't hear about the event until school was over. Our building is under construction and we don't have cable TV right now. We also wouldn't want to broadcast that information to elementary aged children. They just don't understand. Upon hearing the news I just kept thinking about how sad it was.
Once I arrived home I just couldn't get it out of my mind. I watched very little of the coverage because I was honestly very disturbed by the news asking those poor babies to recount what they "saw and heard". They are babies!! I know the parents gave them permission to ask them the questions, but I just felt that it was wrong to ask those poor children to relive that horrible event. An event that robbed them of their feeling of safety. So, I turned it off and prayed and cried.
I just kept thinking, "What if that were my babies faces on the news? What if I had been that teacher? Would I have been able to hide my kids? Would I have been that quick to think? Could I have saved my babies lives?" Then, I prayed some more.
I can't imagine how this event will change the lives of the Sandy Hook community. I can't imagine how it will change my life as a teacher. I can't imagine how these poor teachers and children and moms and dads and brothers and sisters and friends will ever move on.
My kids have been begging to make cards for the kids at Sandy Hook. So yesterday, as part of our "Holiday Party" my kids decided to make snowflakes. They so willing gave up of their time to make the typical school treats for themselves in order to fill the halls of Sandy Hook with beautiful snowflakes. In all we made close to 200 snowflakes. They cut and I cried. One little boy asked me if I thought the snowflakes would make them happy again. Although I don't think they will fix the broken hearts, I do think that walking into their "new" school will be a bit easier when they see the halls filled with beautiful snowflakes that represent a nation who is praying for peace in their lives.
So, here's to Sandy Hook! May the Lord bring peace to your lives and hearts!
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Old Fashion
There are a few things in life that I am really old fashion about. One being Christmas Cards.
I LOVE Christmas cards! I love sending them and I love getting them. I love to see peoples names signed at the bottom. I especially love when the person took time to write a message, even if it is only Merry Christmas.
While making my cards this year I realized that my address book is very out of date. I got my address book when I got married, and in the past 3 1/2 years many of my friends have transitioned into married life which often means moving to a new home. Needless to say, half my book is marked through and redone on the next page. It's what I like to call a "Hot Mess".
I looked for a new address book but was highly disappointed. They don't make cute address books anymore! Why? Because writing letters and sending cards is a lost art! People don't send cards like they use to! No one writes letters! Quite frankly, it's sad!
I was sharing this thought with a friend of mine and she informed me that I was an old lady. Then she added, "We're so sad! In my day, you had address books." We laughed, but it's true! Kids growing up now think an address book is only in e-mail or on your iPhone! What is the world coming to!
My hubs things technology is taking over the world. (His actual thoughts on this are much deeper and would require a much longer post that I could not do justice.) Although I think he is a bit extreme at times, I do think he is right. It is sad that people don't write letters, and send cards, and TALK IN PERSON anymore! It's sad that I don't keep a journal but have a blog!
Call me old fashion, but I'm sending my Christmas Cards anyway!
I LOVE Christmas cards! I love sending them and I love getting them. I love to see peoples names signed at the bottom. I especially love when the person took time to write a message, even if it is only Merry Christmas.
While making my cards this year I realized that my address book is very out of date. I got my address book when I got married, and in the past 3 1/2 years many of my friends have transitioned into married life which often means moving to a new home. Needless to say, half my book is marked through and redone on the next page. It's what I like to call a "Hot Mess".
I looked for a new address book but was highly disappointed. They don't make cute address books anymore! Why? Because writing letters and sending cards is a lost art! People don't send cards like they use to! No one writes letters! Quite frankly, it's sad!
I was sharing this thought with a friend of mine and she informed me that I was an old lady. Then she added, "We're so sad! In my day, you had address books." We laughed, but it's true! Kids growing up now think an address book is only in e-mail or on your iPhone! What is the world coming to!
My hubs things technology is taking over the world. (His actual thoughts on this are much deeper and would require a much longer post that I could not do justice.) Although I think he is a bit extreme at times, I do think he is right. It is sad that people don't write letters, and send cards, and TALK IN PERSON anymore! It's sad that I don't keep a journal but have a blog!
Call me old fashion, but I'm sending my Christmas Cards anyway!
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