Oh my... 2009.....

Wow... what a year. I've learned a few things along the way. I thought if I was going to be taught some lessons it might be a good idea and learn them fast so I don't have to repeat that lesson again.
1. Life is gonna had you lemons so you had better get a good recipe for lemonade and keep all the ingredients on hand at all times!
2. Use gloves when you cut up jalapenos! I am not stronger than the pepper and they will burn.
3. Life is going by very quickly.
4. I can do things that I never thought I would do let alone could do.
5. Life is about changing, either you get on board or the ship will leave with out you on it.
6. I really don't do bored very well.
7. A clean house always makes me happy.
8. I don't really like change... maybe changing the room around, cutting my hair a little... that's all good, but drastic change is hard to make.
9. I really don't know very much. The more I learn the more I realize I really don't know anything at all.
10. When God is in charge it really doesn't matter where you want to be or what you what to do... you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

Life....

Probably gave up on me.... that's ok. I would have given up on me too.
Wow... September 1st was a long time ago. Much water has passed under that bridge. I have not even done a good job of taking pictures during that time.
Makayla's volleyball team went to state... won 3rd place.
Hannah finished up her last season of middle school volleyball and turned 14 in October.
Jordan has earned his 1st rank as a Boy Scout.
Makayla now lists herself as "single" on facebook. All good things must come to an end. There has since been a parade of boys through our house and it's only been a week. I'm not sure I can put myself out there anymore for these boys. I think I'm not recovering very quickly from this one.
I finished up my student teaching.... which mean I graduated. I have spent the day reminding myself that I graduated college. I have no idea how that happened. I remember driving down the road calling my friend Missy who works at MSSU and asking her what I needed to do to enroll in school. I knew the store was going to close and I didn't have a clue what to do with myself. It made sense to be a teacher. I had started the degree in 1990. It made more sense than just going and looking for a job. I tried to think about what I would want to do. I couldn't come up with anything else. So spring of 2007 and started taking some classes while the store was still opened. Looking back I remember that I really thought we would fix the store. I thought it was all going to work out and I would either drop out or just take a couple of classes here and there. Well... we all know that story. It didn't work out. I didn't drop out. And I took as many classes as fast as I could. Now it's over. I survived. It just still doesn't seem real.
There is so much more to say. Almost 4 months is a long time. Will I be able to keep this up again? I really don't know. I feel like facebook gives me more of a connection to the person on the other side. Facebook is a quick glimpse into the lives of my friends and family. I'm not sure what I'll do. I will post some pictures later. I don't even know if anyone is checking in here.
Later.....

We were just plaing around....

We went out for a fun photo shoot... it was just for fun. Then Makayla and I have been playing around and edited some of the pictures. There are her versions of her favorites.










I took a picture of Hannah and editied it 5 different ways.




And here is my edited version of some of Makayla's pictures. It's fun to play around and see how they can be changed.

Stop the hormonal roller coaster....

PLEASE! Oh how I wish I could stop this roller coaster of emotion. I am married to this man who is constant. He is pretty much low maintenance. He is the same most days. How nice must that be to wake up in the same mood you went to bed. He is pretty simple...and I don't mean that in a bad way... I just mean that he is not confusing. He doesn't require much work. Just give him something fun to do and feed him while you are doing it and he is a very happy man. Oh how I wish I could be like that. I've got to fret over what will be served to eat, what time will we eat, while we are waiting what will we do, will everyone be happy doing that, what if one person can't participate, should we still go with that plan, we should probably have a back up plan..... on and on and on and on. If I am making myself this crazy I can not even imagine what I am doing to those around me.
THEN... well let's throw in some hormones. Today its ok for the kids to be loud... but tomorrow I'm not in the mood for it. Tomorrow it is ok for them to not call and tell me where they are because I understand that you loss track of time... but the day after that... well watch out!
Do I want to be happy one day and not able to control my feelings of frustration the next? Well absolutely not! I want to wake up in the same mood I feel asleep in... that is if it was a good mood that day! I do not want to be sad when I have no idea what I am sad about... or overwhelmed when I logically realize it will all work out.
I love a good roller coaster.... but I've got to get off the hormonal roller coaster!

School has started...

The kids went back to school today. This is the first year I don't have someone in grade school. Change just keep happening whether you want it to or not! Now that school has started things will get complicated. The girls have volleyball practice but not at the same time. And games will start soon. They are on the same night most of the time... but in different towns. Then there is bedtime, homework, getting ready for tomorrow, tired parents.... We will survive.. it will just take us some time to get in the swing of things.
I got the word today that I passed my Praxis test. That is such a relief. Now I can start worrying about other things! I've been student teaching for 2 days. Both of these days have been spent in meetings and getting ready. Tomorrow we will have students. Can't wait to get going and meet all the kids.
We had our annual biscuits and gravy for breakfast followed by school morning pictures... thankfully something don't change.

Tomorrows the day...

Student teaching… I think I’m ready. The house is clean… bags are packed… legs are shaved, I was even extra careful on the knees…toe nails are painted… clothes are ready… I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. What else could I do to prepare? I’ve been praying. I’ve been counting down the hours. I guess I’m ready to grow up… we all have to at some point right?

Just some stuff....

I found this list I made from summer school. I had 2 classes. I broke the list down by what was due each week. Most of this was due in the first 4 weeks. Man I never thought that list would get done.... but it did!

This happened way too long ago to still look like this. But of course I used every drop of that paint and there is nothing left.... so now I have to repaint the whole thing! We all know you can never match paint.
So we decided to install these behind all the doors so that wouldn't happen again.
Yet.... Hannah and Jordan weren't getting along. And he told us he was strong... thats what he kept saying as we stood and looked at the hole in the wall. (notice the ps at the bottom)
Because... yes that door had a stopper on it too.... sure hope I have some of that paint left... and no it is not the same color of tan as the living room. I'm telling you... you can NEVER match paint on the wall!

PS... I noticed as I loaded these pictures that obviously that wall has already been patched once. I had not even noticed that.... Jordan must have been strong for a long time now!

Pictures from Makayla's camera

Sisters... they are such a contrast in beauty... it's hard to believe they have the same parents. Not only do they look so different... but they ACT so different. They are polar opposites in nearly every way.

There were 438 pictures on Makayla's camera.... no joking... about 500 of them were self-arm-length-portraits! She really does have an eye for photography... here are a few of my favorites...






Hello Chicago!

And this is why it was so hard to come home.
They are touching and smiling.... that doesn't happen very often.
I know we have talked about this before.... but that is me at the bottom of that hill and I did make it to the top. That is not an optical illusion.... it REALLY is that steep.
This picture reminds of of how she looked when she was a little girl.


That's a Leland smile right there...

We had to tell him to role over every 30 minutes... he was basting himself!


This is the beginning of the trip and Jordan was more willing to take some pictures.


Hannah is trying to decide if it is warm enough to go in.

When you are the 1st ones on the beach... this is what it looks like.
I miss you New Buffalo!


There is NO way you would catch me running into a flock of birds like that... but that is Jordan in the middle of that.

Thats the end of the vacation pictures. Wonder what I'm gonna talk about now....