Stupid...

Just now, when I was writing this creative title I mis-typed stupid 4 times...been a long day. Until today, I have not encountered much traffic on my way to work. But I knew it was bad news when I entered the interstate and an ambulance was not far behind me. I should have arrived at school by 6:30 but instead rolled up at 7:00. I always try to remind myself that the people in the wreck that caused the traffic are having a WAY worse day than I am. So, needless to say, should not have waited until this morning to write the quiz I was planning on giving today.

The real reason this blog is titled stupid is because some people are just out to make my life hard and I think that is stupid. Last time I posted I told you that our start time had changed, well...it hasn't. And I don't think it will. Not this year at least. I am soooo bitter. I spoke to soon. Started counting my chickens before they hatched...you shouldn't do that you know. Cause sometimes they die. I think my whole little nest of birdies just croaked...I am soooo bitter.

Yippee Skipppee

Great news first-I just got an email from my principal that says that our start time for next year is going to be 8:45!!!! I am soooo excited! Right now, I wake up at 5:20 and I get to school at about 6:30. Next year I won't even have to be at school until 8:15...which means I could sleep until like 7:00 or 7:15! Most of you know that I am a bit of a sleep nazi. I have to go to bed at a certain time because I wake up so early. A later start time is totally going to change that! I know that there are probably some down sides to starting later but I don't even want to think about them right now. Yes, it does mean that we won't get out intil 3:45 but I usually stay until 5 or 6 anyway and just because we get out later does not mean I am staying later! I can get to school early and get my stuff done if I need to. I AM SOOOO HAPPY! I just did some leaps through the hallway.

I got evaluated today. I didn't plan anything special. I just wanted to be evaluated on the regular running of my classroom...we'll see how that went when I look at my evaluation.

Sorry I haven't posted house pictures yet. Things still aren't finished and I don't want to take pics if the house isn't in order. I can't wait for everyone to see it. The drive in the morning isn't bad at all. At the apartment, I was always the only person leaving at 6:30. The parking lot was always completely full and everyone was tucked nicely in their beds. But now it actually makes me happy in the morning to encounter a little traffic. That way I know that I am not the only one going to work at the crack of dawn.

I'll post pictures soon!

Guess Who's Back...Back Again

Ok...so I have been a sporadic poster lately. I don't have the internet when I am on spring break! Anywho...for those of you who read my sister's blog you have already seen a picture of the outside of our cute new house!!! We are just renting it right now but it is great! IT is right in the area where we have wanted to live for sooooo long. It is fabulous and I can't wait to invite all of my friends over for a house party!!! I will post pictures later today or tomorrow. You see, we don't have a digital camera so I have to borrow Heather's. It's been kind of a crazy spring break but we are just so happy to be out of the apartment. I have a house!! Yipppeee!

Ode to My Lost Friends...

Shauna-even though we see each other like twice a year and live maybe 45 minutes away, you are still one of my bestest friends. It is great to have a friend that you can go sooo long without talking to and still everything is the same. I love you, your kids and our friendship. I will never forget the times you were there for me when I really needed you. Like the time I decided to put an animal cracker on David T's truck. (David, if you happen to read this...I had a HUGE crush on you my sophomore year. To everyone else reading this, yes I am weird.) Or the time that I was lost at the big house. Thanks for looking for me! I will also never forget "the" phone call our junior year that changed everything. I am glad you called me and I am glad that everything changed! You have such an amazing family! I love you Shauna!!!

Joni-I am so amazed at our friendship. You live one million miles from me and still I talk to you more than anyone else! Our friendship has evolved from just hanging out June, July and August. To talking almost every week long distance. I miss our trips to Target and the days that we just sat in the garage apartment and ate fruit roll ups. I think that someday we will live close again...as long as you can talk Beau into leaving Arkansas. I don't think we will come there. If it weren't for you, Joni, I am not sure that Ryan and I would be married right now. Thanks for being there when I was planning our wedding and keeping me from killing my sweet fiance. I am glad you don't look like an "L" anymore but those times sure were great! I miss seeing you, friend! I love you!!!

And to all of my other friends and family: I love you all and appreciate everyone of you for who you are. You have made me who I am today! To those of you I don't see or talk to much, I miss you and love you! To those of you that I do see, I love you too!

**If you feel as though you have been left out in some way, just voice your opinion in the comments section and your statements will be reviewed and commented on in a future blog. Thank you.

Whah, whah, whah...

I feel like I have been complaining a lot lately. Not about just one thing but about different things. I am in a bit of a slump and I want out!! That's why I am thankful for spring break. Isn't it amazing how spring break comes right when you are sure that you wouldn't be able to make it one more day! That's how I feel. I am pretty sure that my body is just shutting down.

My tennis team lost again last night. That makes our record 2-2. Not too bad. If you can be proud of a loss, I was last night. We played the same team in the fall and they kicked our butts 15-4. Yesterday we lost 11-8.

We are benchmarking again today. It is nice because until about 9:30 I get a break. They are testing, it's nice and quiet and I have actually gotten some work done.

I never even got the chance to blog about my fun weekend in Houston! I got to see all my girlfriends and just hang out. It was great! I also got to see Sam, the cutest little baby ever (except for Laine and Bowen...and Robin's baby...that I haven't seen yet. I have to be partial to family :) Tricia would understand.). I love my husband more than words but I miss living with the girls sometimes! I also miss being able to walk across the street to see Tricia! Or walk into the living room to see Audrey and Mere! So it was a good fix for some much needed girl time!

Megan, I am glad that you avoided going home to your cute kids so that you could get some extra time with the girls!

Tonight I have my Law class at UNT. We are getting our take home mid term. He said he was giving it to us tonight so that we could have time over spring break to work on it. Thanks alot...

Well, it looks like Ryan and I could be moving pretty soon. Once again, I will keep you posted as new information comes in!

Meredith....Where are you????

Here I am. My life has been one big giant ball of crazy lately. And most of it is because I made it that way! Most of you know my already hectic schedule, and the fact that we have a dog and I never should have taken two classes this semester while I am still coaching but add to all of that the fact that we got ROBBED last Tuesday and you have a pretty big pot of chaos.

Here is a list of things that I voluntarily put in my life that make it a little crazy:
1. The dog - I love her, I am not getting rid of her...but was it really the best choice for us right now???
2. Grad school - I really am glad that I am going back but somedays it's a lot of work
3. Coaching - I love tennis, I am not sure that I love coaching
4. Playing league tennis - It's fun but just one more thing to do on the weekends
5. Teaching 8th graders - They are fun...I think this one speaks for itself
6. Looking for a new place to live - actually the robbers made me do this one but I guess it still qualifies as voluntary because we could just stay in our crime infested home.

I am sure that this list is not complete but that is all I have for now. As for #7 Ryan and I are trying to be very smart about our decision to move into a new place. I think that we have decided to rent a house for a year so that we can have a little more money in the old savings account before we buy. There is one house that is a definite possibilty that I will post about later this week when I know more information. By the way, I will get to post quite a bite this week because we are benchmarking. ( I hope my administrators don't read this :)

Ryan and I also had the conversation about how God fits into our decision to rent or buy a house. It's not a situation where we can make a bad decision in God's eyes. I don't think that He is really worried about whether we rent or whether we buy. I think He just wants to be included in the decision. Most of the decisions I make on a day to day basis are not ones that require a lot of thought, so I just make them. I think that even if the decision is not one that would affect God or your walk with Him, He still just wants to be included. So I have been trying to do that with our renting situation. I think that when we do make the right choice we will know because we will have a peace about it that will come from our conversations with God.

Robin, Linda and Koby - If you read this, and I know you do :) Ryan and I wanted to apologize for not really getting to hang out much this weekend! We felt really bad because we were just all over the place...can you please forgive us???

Here are my answers...

I am responding to questions on my sister's blog:

The sickest I have ever been: uhhhmm I think it was 3rd grade when I got both mono and giardia. I don't remember how sick I was but I do remember the nasty yellow medicine I had to take. Gross medicine = really sick

The most pain I have ever been in: When I went to Audrey's wedding in Galveston in November. I got the worst migraine I have ever had in my life. Not only was it the greatest migraine I ever experienced it was the greatest pain I ever experienced. Ask Ryan, he can tell you all about it...

The best decision I ever made: Not breaking up with Ryan when we were dating. I love you, babe!

The most surprised I have ever been: When Heather and Jonathan told me they were pregnant while I was waiting tables at Lytle.

The saddest I have ever been: I try to put these thoughts out of my head...the first one that came to mind was when Callie and Pearl died.

The hardest thing I have done: Giving birth to a baby.

The thing that scared me the most: When we were in Spain and Ryan left our money and passports on the train. Ayudame por favor!

Ohhh the weather outside is frightful...

I love cold weather! I am so glad that we are going to have one normal wintry weekend in February. I think I will stay inside and sleep and read to celebrate!

Last night we went to PF Chang's. The food was amazing! So amazing that we decided to stay for 2 and a half hours!!! Actually, no. We did not choose to stay for 2 and a half hours...we were forced to. We waited forever! We were going to leave after we found out about the wait but we had already given our car to the "complimentary" valet people. So we stayed...and we waited. But the food was great!

Nothing too deep to post about today, haven't had much time to think.

Right now I am sitting, listening to 28 8th graders gossip. All they do is talk about each other. I know I did it too. I can still be guilty of it sometimes now. That is one of the ways that Ryan helps me to be a better person. Ryan doesn't gossip. And he gets on to me when I do. I love that boy!

Happy Valentine's Day

Okay so it may not be Valentine's day for most people but it is for me and Ryan. I had a tennis match on Tuesday...which my team won by the way, we're 2-0 now! so we couldn't go out then and last night I had class. So tonight is our v-day. I think we will go to PF Chang's. I love that restaurant but I think I love Pei Wei just as much if not more!

I realized why I haven't been posting as much lately. Blogs require thought and I just haven't been thinking much. I have been so busy that I am just on auto-pilot. I have no opinions, no thoughts, no clue as to what I really think about things the past few weeks. I realized this yesterday in the car when my radio wouldn't work so I just turned it off. Peace and quiet...and I started thinking. Thinking about how I haven't been thinking. So I have decided that when I drive to or from Denton I have to leave the radio off so I have time to think. Not about my job or about my class just about everything else. So I should be getting better about writing...I think...

Inspired...

Inspired by my sister, I am going to post random thoughts today...I hope you enjoy.

If I clean my desk at school, I can never find anything I am looking for.

I moved my bed time to 10:15. I have only seen this hour two times this week.

I can NEVER remember my friend's birthdays...sorry!

My schedule this semester is as follows: Monday-class @ UNT, Tuesday-tennis matches, Wednesday-class @ UNT

Ryan's schedule this semester is as follows: Wednesday night-work, Thurday night -counseling
Friday night- work.

See you in May, Ryan!

I have been wondering lately what it is in our brains that makes us like certain types of music. I like all kinds...right now I especially love Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews, Guster, 311 and GRILLZ

I love a really good pen.

Lola adds about 10 minutes to my getting ready routine in the morning. I have started putting my alarm clock under my pillow so I can still hear it but it won't wake her up.

I love Fridays! and Saturdays! and Sundays!

I am excited that the Olympics are starting. I like the winter Olympics because of all the skiing. But I love the summer Olympics because of almost everything!

Is that game where they scoot the thing across the ice and use a broom to sweep in front of it really a sport? What's that game called?

An amazing story...

There is a couple at our church that has an amazing story to share. They found out that they were pregnant a little while before Christmas. They began to tell people the week before their first sonogram in January. When they went in to see the doctor she saw something on the sonogram that shouldn't have been there. She decided to call in the tech and then the tech sent them to see a specialist. The specialist determined that the baby had (I don't remember the medical term) a membrane that was filled with fluid that went from the baby's head down it's back. It was not good. The doctor told them that in this situation 95% of the pregnancies end in miscarriage. They told people to just simply pray that God would heal their baby. Many prayers were lifted up on this baby's behalf.

They went back to the specialist after two weeks and the sonogram was perfect. The membrane was no longer there and the doctor told them that if this was the first time for her to see them, she would say they had a perfectly healthy baby. God is amazing and this story is a modern day miracle. Share it with people you know!

The couple, throughout this situation has been incredible. They have shown amazing faith! I would hope that if I am ever in a similar situation that I would be as faithful as they have been!

AHHHH the dang dog...

Okay...it's official...the dog's name is...Lola. We decided last night. There is no going back. It is finished.

My day started off pretty average. Lola woke me up whining and I really wanted to sleep about 10 more minutes but try explaining that to a dog. So I got up and started the day. When I was on my way to school I realized that I didn't have early practice this morning - I started singing out loud. We don't start super early but knowing that I had a few more minutes to just be, rather than yelling at kids, I was excited! The only way my day can get better now is if it starts to rain. I have been praying for rain today but probably not for the right reasons. I just don't want to stay for after-school practice. Once again, we don't stay late...I just really am not in the mood.

I need to go now. I have been redecorating my classroom and there is still work to be done. well...of course there is work to be done, otherwise I wouldn't be redecorating my room. I always seem to do this when I have a huge stack of papers to grade. Oh well...

My Life this week

I forgot to post last week about my car trouble. I was on my way home from school to save Marley (yes, her name has changed...again. We just couldn't remember Lola when we calling her name.) and I was in Ryan's car and I ran out of gas! For the first time ever! Some of you may not believe that I have never run out of gas before but it is true. At first I thought it was funny but then when I couldn't get in touch with anyone to pick me up, I started to become frustrated! Thankfully my friend Mona saved me! She came to pick me up and then Holly and Philip had to stop and help me get the lid off of the gas can! I'm not too smart when it comes to car issues.

So...about the dog. She is pretty fun. but she is sort of like a baby. We (I really mean Ryan) wakes up with her at least two times each night. Then when she is awake she just wants to bite me! But when she is asleep, she is soooo sweet!

I have to go now...the bell just rang and my conference is officially over. I'm off to coach!

Tagged...

Shauna tagged me. This is my first time, I am so nervous!

4 jobs I have had:
Journey's shoe store
Joe Allen's Pit Barbecue
Lytle Land and Cattle (waitress)
Teacher

4 movies I could watch over and over:
Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde 2
13 going on 30
Anchorman

4 places I have lived:
Abilene
An apartment in Fort Worth
Another apartment in Fort Worth
...that's sad!

4 TV shows I like to watch:
Bachelor
CSI (any of them)
The Office
Survivor

4 places I would rather be:
At home with my new puppy
on the beach...ANYWHERE
The Cinque Terre in Italy...the best food and scenary anywhere!
On my couch asleep

4 websites I visit daily:
My blog and everyone else's (shhhh...don't tell)
Weather.com
My school website
MSNBC

4 foods I love:
Anything at Pei Wei
Modern Enchiladas at Mi Cocina
Coca Cola (yes, I think it counts)
Strawberry Snacks (you can find them at QuickTrip)

4 places I have been on vacation:
(The most recent are...)
Kansas City
Italy
France
Spain

I don't have four people to tag because I don't know that many people who blog. That's sad too!

More dog stuff...

Ok, quick post today. I am sitting in class while my students are testing and I know one of my principal's will come by any minute. It never fails... if I am ever at my desk, a principal comes into my room. Anywho...

We need help with the name for our sweet puppy. Here is the list we (or I) have compiled so far:
Lola
Marley
Mila
Maddox
Roxy
Claire

Look at her picture and make a choice...or better yet, give us some more ideas!

Our New Addition...

Here is our new addition to our family! She is a 6 week old Chocolate Lab and her name, as of right now, is Roxy. We have had a hard time picking a name, so if you have any suggestions please let us know. The picture is sort of blurry but you can still see how cute she is! We love her already!

Random Thoughts

Nothing exciting to talk about today...I have been looking at other people's blogs and I really need to post some pictures on mine. This will be somewhat of a problem seeing as how we don't have a digital camera. Oh yeah, add that to the list. One more reason Ryan and I aren't really a part of the 21st century. I mean we are trying to live a simple life but at some point you have to draw the line!

Ryan drew the line...He ordered cable over the Christmas break. He said that he needed it because of basketball and it was only going to cost 24.99 a month so I gave in. He contacted the cable place and had everything set up. But something happened and they couldn't come. Then we were out of town. And then we just sort of forgot about it. Until one night. Ryan had gone to hang out with David in Dallas and the cable people called me and told me they were at our apartment and just wanted to make sure we were home. I said come on up and then immediately called Ryan. He was so excited! After about 20 minutes I get a call from the cable man and he tells me that they aren't going to be able to set it up because our apartment uses a different provider. I said, "You call my husband and tell him that because I don't want to!" So, here we are...still no cable. Ryan has stayed up at Chili's twice now to watch a game. I told him just a few more months and then we'll be out of our silly apartment that doesn't face southwest (or whatever direction it had to face in order to keep our dish).

Sooo tired today...

I am a morning person. Well, let me rephrase that...I am a morning person once I get out of bed. Typically my alarm starts going off at 5:30 and I usually get up about 6:20. Then I am rushing around because I like to be at school no later than 6:50. So I have decided to make myself get up by 6:10. Less rushing and really what difference can ten minutes make??? So I started this new idea today and now I am sitting here like a zombie, completely convinced that if I would have slept those extra ten minutes I would feel great. It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that I have been going to bus school every night this week and not getting home until after nine. It was those 10 minutes I missed this morning. So tomorrow, I will resume my regular schedule in order to test my hypothesis.

Everyone is having babies! I won't name any names because who would want that announced on a blog but I am sooo excited for all of them. It always makes me wonder if I am ready to have a baby and then I realize that I have enough trouble taking care of myself, Ryan, Mike and Pete (our cats) that I just don't know if I could do it right now. I know that someday I will be ready but I am just not there yet. But I love all of my friends for having babies so that I can be around them and love them and then... give them back!

One other thought about kids...I know I am not ready for kids yet, because kids follow a very strict routine most of the time. Sort of like my cats. Every morning as soon as my feet hit the floor Mike runs into the bathroom. He rubs on my legs and meows until I feed him. Just like a baby. Now of course a baby doesn't meow and rub your legs but it cries until you feed it. Unlike a baby, if I am tired I just kick him a little and he will go away until I have finished going to the bathroom. Kids won't do that. You can't kick them and make them go away until you finish doing something. That's how I know I am not ready. I think I could handle a baby right now, I just wouldn't be able to handle a baby and having to go to the bathroom.

Sooo tired today...

I am a morning person. Well, let me rephrase that...I am a morning person once I get out of bed. Typically my alarm starts going off at 5:30 and I usually get up about 6:20. Then I am rushing around because I like to be at school no later than 6:50. So I have decided to make myself get up by 6:10. Less rushing and really what difference can ten minutes make??? So I started this new idea today and now I am sitting here like a zombie, completely convinced that if I would have slept those extra ten minutes I would feel great. It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that I have been going to bus school every night this week and not getting home until after nine. It was those 10 minutes I missed this morning. So tomorrow, I will resume my regular schedule in order to test my hypothesis.

Everyone is having babies! I won't name any names because who would want that announced on a blog but I am sooo excited for all of them. It always makes me wonder if I am ready to have a baby and then I realize that I have enough trouble taking care of myself, Ryan, Mike and Pete (our cats) that I just don't know if I could do it right now. I know that someday I will be ready but I am just not there yet. But I love all of my friends for having babies so that I can be around them and love them and then... give them back!

One other thought about kids...I know I am not ready for kids yet, because kids follow a very strict routine most of the time. Sort of like my cats. Every morning as soon as my feet hit the floor Mike runs into the bathroom. He rubs on my legs and meows until I feed him. Just like a baby. Now of course a baby doesn't meow and rub your legs but it cries until you feed it. Unlike a baby, if I am tired I just kick him a little and he will go away until I have finished going to the bathroom. Kids won't do that. You can't kick them and make them go away until you finish doing something. That's how I know I am not ready. I think I could handle a baby right now, I just wouldn't be able to handle a baby and having to go to the bathroom.

Today I played pretend

Today I got to fill in for one of our assistant principals because they were out at a conference. I told Ryan yesterday that this would be good for us because if I hated it then I could just drop out of grad school and we wouldn't have to worry about the loans. But I didn't hate it. I really liked it. I know that it wasn't "real" because I couldn't do all of the things an AP does but I still enjoyed it.

It is sort of weird to think that in a few years I won't be doing the same thing that I am doing right now. But then again, that isn't wierd to most people. Some change jobs every few years but I just didn't think I would be doing something new so soon.

I was talking to a few people today about being an administrator and the one thing that I think worries me about this job is that there will be people who won't like me. Generally, I am pretty easy to get along with. I am not saying that everyone loves me now, but I don't do whole lot that would make someone mad. But being in a leadership role, I know I will end up stepping on some toes. I don't think I am really a people-pleaser but for the most part I just like for people to like me. I don't mind having my own opinion and I definitely and not scared to share it, and I don't avoid confrontation (sometimes I embrace it, right Ryan?). People today were saying, "I bet you are being so nice" or " I can't see you being mean" or "I bet you would be fun." None of which sound like descriptors of a principal. So, I don't really know what category I will fall in as an administrator but I just want to be a good one.