10 Things Thursday

10. Fall...you've been here a little over a week and I am thrilled.



9. Fall is my favorite season and I have yet to get out my fall decor... sad I know.

8. To do: get out fall stuff and decorate

7. I have not run once this week...yes, I have an excuse....maybe not a good one, but still...we've been busy!




This is sounding like such a sad, depressing post... on a much happier note....

6. Mistletoe Merchants is this weekend!

5. Thanks to a little practice Tuesday night before our game...I am getting the feel for setting the volleyball. I have by no means mastered the art but I am a step closer.



4. We won our semi-final games Tuesday night so we're in the championship game next Tuesday....which d and I won't get to play in because of youth stuff. So come on team...win us a t-shirt!

3. Sickness is going around everywhere! Several kids from school have strep, one has the flu, sister has had some throw-up thing, poor Lils threw up all over the gym floor Tuesday night.... sick germs please don't come to our house! You are not welcome.

2. We finally got our new hardwood floor installed. We had to wait on them to order more wood and it took longer than expected. I'll post pictures soon.

1. We're re-painting our front door. Our shutters are like a dark grey/brown....yet our door looks purple. We don't know if the people before us didn't match the color correctly or if the sun faded it, but the purple door has to go. We went to Lowes and found the color that matches our shutters so... Goodbye purple door!

Hello, Cooper Adobe Brown

Parent Day

Today was Parent Day for my class. This is always an exciting time for parents to come sit in for an hour as we show them a miniature version of our day...a whole day packed into one hour! It's essentially a time for parents to come and see what they're paying for. The kids love it, the parents love it, the teachers love it, but we love it even more when its over. :)

I had everything laid out on my board so I could easily transition from one thing to another. We sang songs, played fun review games. It all went very smoothly. I really do love to see how excited the kids are to show off what they know. Its even sweeter when the parents grin from ear to ear because their child is doing well. Bottom line. Parent day is always a great day.

We were on our last song and I glanced at my watch and it had only been 30 minutes! What?! I felt I had planned more this year than any before. Oh well... we were simply getting out early because to add anything else would have been awkward. Everything else had flown together so well. We ended by talking about insects. Thankfully the craft lasted a good 15-20 minutes! The parents were able to help their child make an insect out of marshmallows, pretzels, chocolate chips, sprinkles, and icing. I left my camera at home so I didn't get a picture of them, but I found this and it helps you get the idea.

Ours were held together by icing and they put sprinkles on top to give them spots. The kids loved making them, but loved eating them even more.

So Parent Day 2010, you were very fun, but I'm glad you're behind us!

Seek His Face Weekend and the Sus

This past weekend I had the privilege to go on a ladies retreat with a small portion of the fantastic ladies that we have at FBCHW. The retreat was at Pickwick specifically at the Pickwick Inn. The conference was put on by the Tennessee WMU. The retreat was a prayer retreat called Seek His Face. This was such a refreshing weekend...minus the fact that I slept in the same room with a grizzly bear...I mean Susan....It might as well have been a grizzly bear the way that poor girl snores when shes on her back. I def think that fungal ball #2 is back in your nose Susan! Don't worry.... I'd choose to room with you again any time... I mean who else causes trouble and then makes me deal with it! Yes...camp. Let's go there for a minute.

Going there....Susan and her husband John are 2 of our very faithful youth leaders. We can always count on Susan to go to camp with us. This year was no exception. Lights out are suppose to be at 11:45. Well, the last night of camp d ordered pizza and we took everyone down to the beach to eat it at 11:45. So we come back to the room and our girls jump straight into their bunks doing exactly what they're told. Susan and I go to the showers to wash the sand off our legs.

I volunteered to go get us a towel once I finished. I dried my legs off and apparently got side tracked. Here comes Susan...already in a silly mood...yes this was at that moment.

She turned her back and I popped her good with the towel. So let's remember it's 12:30...at least... our girls are on the bunks ready for bed and Susan and I now begin a towel popping fight...or rather she tried to wrestle it from me.

So Susan and I are laughing our heads off, our girls are taking pictures from their bunks and all of a sudden there is a knock at our door. Susan dives into her bunk and says laughing , "You're the youth minister's wife you deal with it!" OK...payback for sure.


So I open the door and a sleepy headed leader from the room below us is not happy and asks that our GIRLS quiet down! It wasn't our girls! It was 2 of the leaders! Of course I didn't tell her that I just assured her it would get quiet. Thanks Susan Knopf!

Me and the Sus

So Susan...even though you basically throw me under the bus... I love you anyway and will still be your room mate...even when the grizzly bear shows up!


Back to the retreat.....

It was of course great to get a way for a couple of days, but to fellowship with these ladies and then seek His face...literally...what a neat experience it was!

Our view!

The crazy group




And again...



Not everyone...but I like the background



One of the crazies



Me and Kendra



T-R-O-U-B-L-E



The perfect retreat place for sure!

Happy Birthday, Lils!

Happy 3rd Birthday to our favorite strong willed, spunky, vivacious, stubborn, outgoing, lively, precious, gorgeous 2nd born niece! We love you, Lily Grace!

RTJ

Seeing how we went on this trip 3 weeks ago, I guess its finally time for a post.

The girls main hang out.

The girls ate by the pool everyday.

Me and Mags loved going down the slide!



Lily was not a fan.



Our last day there, we met the boys at the clubhouse and had lunch on the patio.



The clubhouse.



The girls were a big fan of the ice, cold water.



Even ole Hals.



I had a little help with my sunscreen.



We had a very relaxing time at the spa. Facials, massages, and pedicures....a great combination! This is the relaxing sitting area where you wait in your robe and slippers for your appointment.



There may or may not have been a couple of trips to Krispy Kreme.



After all the Krispy Kreme, B and I made good use of the workout room.



Cool place to eat. However, we waited forever. The staff was very friendly and offered us free food because of it.



Sunday night there were fireworks on the river.



Such a fun trip at the perfect time of year! Thanks Papa John and Grammy!

Happy Birthday, Momma!

Happy Birthday to the woman who birthed me! Thank you for putting up with my terrible behavior as a young child (I was the first child...you didn't know any better)....thankfully I grew out of it for the most part. Thanks for quitting your well paying job to stay home and be there for us. Thanks for helping me nail down my salvation. Thanks for being so encouraging and supportive through my teens. Thanks for making homeschooling fun. Thanks for driving us around everywhere. Thanks for being cool and letting us stay up late. Thanks for staying up late with us. Thanks for always being our number one fan. Thanks for paying for college. Thanks for being supportive when I wanted to get married at the age of 20. Thanks for always being available. Thanks for being such a strong, courageous woman. Thanks for bathing us in prayer. Thanks for showing us that as humans we will make mistakes, but by God's grace we are redeemed and forgiven.

Thanks mom. We love you!

Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting

Jesus! I am resting, resting
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For, by Thy transforming power,
Thou hast made me whole.

Jesus! I am resting, resting
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.

Oh, how great Thy loving kindness,
Vaster, broader than the sea:
Oh, how marvelous Thy goodness,
Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in Thee, Beloved,
Know what wealth of grace is Thine,
Know Thy certainty of promise,
And have made it mine.

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart,
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings,
Thine is love indeed.

Ever lift Thy face upon me,
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting 'neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth's dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father's glory,
Sunshine of my Father's face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting,
Fill me with Thy grace.

Totally Blog Worthy

Ok, so I know I have already posted today but trust me... this is so worth another post!

Yes, those are my sister's feet. Yes, she has on 2 different shoes. Yes, she noticed once she was at school. Yes, this made my day!

Way to go sister.

Friday Night Lights...Fayette County Style

Friday night was a big night for Fayette County. The 2 rival schools, Fayette Academy and Rossville Christian, played each other. We have many students who attend both so we knew we couldn't miss it. Not to mention that we have a couple of students that play for both teams.

It was a great night for football. The air was crisp and cool. And then there were all of the delightful smells: Popcorn, nachos, hotdogs, hamburgers.... oh and RENDEZVOUS barbecue nachos!

We debated before hand if we were going to grab something on the way or just eat at the game. I thought it made more sense to grab Sonic rather than spend $3 or $4 on a hamburger from a concession stand that's not really that good. D being willing to do whatever I wanted agreed. We got our Sonic and ate it on the way out to Rossville. We parked and as we're walking up to the gate we hear, "Don't forget to stop by the concession stand for Rendezvous barbeque sandwiches or barbecue nachos for only $4." We both looked at each other in disbelief. We loooooooooooove barbecue nachos! So my genius idea of Sonic had come back to bite me in the rear. Oh well. Guess we'll just have to get a half time snack. :)

Wouldn't you know it...we stand in the long line to get the beloved barbecue nachos and the lady in front of us gets the last one! I took that as a sign that God knew my butt didn't need barbecue nachos on top of Sonic.

Ok, ok...enough about food. Can you tell I'm passionate about food? Yes, that is the exact reason why I have to keep running!

A few fun sightings of the night that you'll only find in Fayette County.

-Maybe one of the best mullets that we've ever seen... this is not the one we saw. D wouldn't let me take a picture of it. He said it would have been too obvious. Rats. But this one is equally good.

-And secondly, a football/band player

Half time. Throw the shoulder pads, jersey, and helmet off. Put on the band uniform, hat and grab the trumpet. He should end up with a good scholarship!

Our night in Fayette County was a great one. We were able to cheer on our kids, hang out with some more of them, fellowship with friends, and enjoy the nice weather. Fayette Academy gave Rossville a beating with a 20-0 score. Sorry Rossville... better luck next time.

Race Day

After my failure Thursday night of running the course....which I felt terrible about.... I was quite hesitant about the race if you couldn't tell by my post from Friday. After talking with my race consultant...one of our college guys who is a marathon runner... I knew what I needed to do to complete the race.

My alarm went off at 6:40. I had laid everything out the night before so I was well prepared. I was out the door by 7:10. Feeling more optimistic about the day, I began to really get excited. I pulled into the Oak Court Mall parking lot at 7:30. Met up with my friends and checked in by 7:40. It was almost time.

It was the perfect morning for a race. The weather was awesome. The air was crisp and cool. So I now at least had that on my side! As for the mp3 player that I had been holding....rather than use my velcro arm band , I stuck it down in my bra. Genius idea. Not only did it hold my mp3 player in place, but it kept my ear bud strings from flopping around.

Mp3 player on and in place. Check.

Waited in line for one of the many port-a-potties. Check.

Shoe laces tightened and tied. Check.

On the starting line. Check.

And the siren goes off..... Go time.

Because there were so many ladies running, (I think they said 1200) the starting pace was very slow. Annoying at first, but man did it pay off!

Mile 1. Piece of cake.
Mile 2. Downed my water. Trucking it along.
Mile3. Almost there.

As we rounded the last corner with 1/2 a mile to go....the finish line in sight... adrenaline really kicked in. With each step, we ran faster. Before we knew it, there were crowds of people cheering us on...our running time visible.

33:59.55
33:59.56
33:59.57
33:59.58
33:59.59

I pushed past people in line hoping to get there before it hit 34:00.

It turned. Poop. 34:00.02

But I finished. And not only that, but I felt I could have run another mile. I was disappointed with my time, but grateful to have made it... especially after Thursdays attempt.

Us with our "FINISHER" medals.

Crossing that finish line brings a rush like nothing else. Such accomplishment. So rewarding. You better believe I now have 2 more races on the calendar.

Race for the Cure
October 30th

and


True Blue 5k
November 5th




I was talking with D the other day and he pointed out how against running I was. I remember specifically writing on this blog, "Some people are runners. I am not." Now, I am not hard core yet but I am really enjoying the benefits of running. I have lost 11 pounds, my clothes fit better, my stress level is down, and I feel great. So for those of you who "are not runners" you need to give it a chance. I started with the "Couch Potato to 5k" plan. Trust me. If I can do it then anyone can!

Not Ashamed

I am not ashamed that the 3.1 miles felt like an eternity.

I am not ashamed that I thought I was going to die as we entered into the last mile.

I am not ashamed that I had to tell Sara I needed to stop and breathe more than once.

I am not ashamed to say we walked the last little bit.

Yea, my idea of checking out the race course was much more difficult than I imagined. The race will be held around Audubon Park. My last 5k was the Hope for Haiti at Bellevue. It was a twisted, round about course. After seeing how precise the rectangle that we'd be running tomorrow was... I was actually thrilled.... until I ran it.

I'm not one for excuses, but who cares...here are mine...

1. What happened to the nice fall breezes we were having?! They were not there yesterday. Instead we had 100 degree temps and lots of humidity. (Ok, that might or might not be an exaggeration, but it was nonetheless hot!)

2. We had to spend the first mile running off road...seriously over tree roots, up hills, etc. because there was so much traffic on Southern. Whereas on Saturday we will have a lane to ourselves. Smooth, flat concrete... yes please.

3. My velcro arm band for my mp3 player has disappeared... therefore I was holding my mp3 and adjusting cords a good portion of the time.

4. I had been doing a lot of squats and lunges the last few days so I felt like I was carrying 50 lb. weights on the back of my thighs.

5. I left my water in my purse all day so it was hot.


Ok...so I'm not as hard core of a runner as I'd like to be. It's only 3.1 miles for crying out loud not 26.2! I'm a weeny. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I don't really like excuses....but they make me feel better. However I reallllly don't like when other people use them. I always want to say...but never do.... "Man up! And get over it!" Yea, don't say that to me...I might cry.

As for tomorrow, my goal was to complete it in as close to a 10 mile minute as possible. Now I just hope I complete it!

Ten Things Thursday

10. I always fantasize about the combination of fall weather, porch swing, and a good cup of coffee...I have all of the above, but it never happens. Officially on my to do list!

9. I have the running bug. Now if only I could improve my time without dying.

8. My race is Saturday. My friend Sara (who will be running in the race as well) and I are going to run the course this afternoon in preparation for Sat.

7. I love nap time at school.

6. I think I may be a coffee addict....no b/c I really can live without it....I just choose not to. I drink decaf though! That's not too bad.

5. Since, my last post about my love for candy-corn, you'll be happy to know that the container on my desk is still mostly full... I've decided its best to save the junk for the kids. OK, maybe one or 2 here and there for me...but that's all!

4. Maggie and Taylor (my niece and cousin) who are 5, had their first soccer game the other night. It was one of the cutest things I have ever seen. There was more talking than playing, but boy were they cute!

3. D and I have been playing volleyball together for quite awhile now. This year we...actually our friend Nathan convinced us... that we should take our team into the next league. Meaning we went from recreational to recreational spiking. I am not ashamed to say that I am currently seeking advice from some of our students who play "for real" volleyball at their high schools. This particular game is not only about scoring but team work. Just getting the ball over is not enough now. Bump. Set. Spike. Thats the key. I will never be a spiker...I'm too short and I'll be honest the idea of making my shoulder do what it needs to adequately spike...makes me cringe. So...I want to learn how to properly set the ball. If I can't spike I'd at least like to contribute in the scoring process.

2. Tomorrow night we're going to one of our students football games. They play their arch rivals. We are super excited...well, D would never use that term, but guys pounding each other, hot dogs, and our youth on the field (and in the band!)....makes for a pretty exciting night! Go Austin!

1.I want a watch to run in that keeps up with mileage, time, and calories burned. Any suggestions?....preferably under $100.