GOOD Friday

Actually, to be honest, it was a PHENOMENAL Friday!! I have so many amazing things to report :)

First, let me start off by apologizing for not posting more frequently. When I started this I had every intention of blogging everyday, or at the very least every other day. I guess, aside from the few things I've written about in the past couple of weeks, I didn't feel like I had much to share. Things (up until yesterday) had been pretty mundane and life was just moving along as normal.

Ok so here are the events that made yesterday such a wonderful day. For starters, as I mentioned in a previous post, Nate has been dealing with some big things in regard to school. We couldn't be happier to give you the following announcement. Because we serve an unfailingly gracious God, Nathan has been given the unbelievable opportunity to basically "redo" the classes he took with no penalty to his GPA or academic standing. I am so incredibly proud of him. This isn't something that happens often, and Nathan did countless hours of paperwork, meetings, and appointments to make this possible. All of this good news means that we will be living in Bryan a little longer than we had originally anticipated. He is now set to graduate May 2011. Originally this wouldn't have been something I was ecstatic about, because we really do miss being close to our families. Not only that, but we have a new nephew on the way that we really would like to spend as much time with as humanly possible. Nathan and I were both in school when Kenzie was born and we missed a lot being so far away. However, his new of graduating a semester later couldn't have come on a better day!!

This leads me to the next reason that Friday was so wonderful! Here is the summarized version of my day. A parent of one of my students presented me with an unbelievable job opportunity. When she was dropping of her son, she asked me in passing what my "dream job" would be. I thought her question was extremely thoughtful so early in the morning, and I responded by telling her that if I could hand pick a job, it would be to teach 7th grade Texas History. For those of you who know me, this should come as no surprise. I am infatuated with our state, it's history, and everything about what it means to be "Texan". When I answered her, she turned and said, "what would you do if I could hand you your dream job right now". I honestly though she was joking, but I played along and told her that she would officially be my favorite person if she was in any way being serious. Turns out, she WAS. She works for a school district just outside of town, and is looking for someone to replace her as the current TX history teacher. My jaw practically hit the floor. She told me that it was in her best interest to find her replacement so she could take another position at the school. I was thrilled. I scribbled down all of my contact information and told her to let me know if there was anything she needed from me. As she left, I tried not to get my hopes up, but I was doing back flips on the inside. I couldn't believe that the conversation has really happened! I tried to push it to the back of my mind, because there was no way for me to know if anything would actually come of it. I couldn't have been more wrong. By the time I got home from work, I already had an email from my amazing cooperating teacher from my student teaching semester. She was letting me know that she had been asked by my student's mother (the two of them happend to work together a few years ago) if I was someone she would recommend. She so kindly sent me what she had responded with and it almost brought me to tears. She raved about me and said she couldn't think of anyone better for the job. This was all exciting enough on it's own, but the good news just kept coming. Later that evening, Lauren (that is this amazing woman's name) had emailed me letting me know that she had already (in a matter of ONE day, mind you) gotten the ball rolling and was almost 100% sure the job was mine.

I still can't get over just how incredible all of this is. If Nathan's school hadn't gone the way it did, we wouldn't be living here long enough for me to accept such an offer. I too often forget the omniscience of our Lord and how he works all things together for His glory. We are both so happy, and really can't wait to see how all of this unfolds. The really great news is that, no matter what the outcome, we have each other and at the end of the day (even an incredible one like yesterday) that's all that really matters!

Thanks so much for all of you who thought about or prayed for us. It means more to us than you'll ever know! We send all of our love and hope everyone is doing great!

Update

Things have been progressing with Nate's school situation since I last posted. I'm so proud of how he has handled all of this. He has been so pro-active and has taken this entire situation so much better than I ever could have. He spent a few days getting sent all over the place until he finally got to the right office where someone could help him. He's been to several meetings trying to get all the details hammered out and figure out what steps to take next. For now, I can say that we both have a peace about whatever the outcome may be. He has a couple more appointments set up for next week and hopefully, one way or another, this will all be resolved soon.

Regardless, I am incredibly proud of him and feel blessed to have such an amazing husband. Your continued prayers are greatly appreciated!!

Just for fun, I thought I'd share this picture with you. Whenever I see it, it always reminds me to take time everyday to laugh :) Life is too short to be anything but happy.

Dirty Laundry

When I started this blog, I made a promise to myself that I would be honest with the people who take time to read it (whoever you may be). I vowed to share the good, the bad, and the ugly, in hopes that maybe as I work through struggles in my own life, and in my own marriage, that something I wrote could benefit another person in a similar situation. The idea of "airing our dirty laundry" on here, actually occurred to me while reading another blog. After reading someone this blogger posted, I was able to gain insight and perspective on something I was going through at the time. It was wonderful and I wanted to be open doing the same thing for someone through our blog.

My prayer was simply this: Lord, let our marriage, in good times and in bad, be something that brings glory and honor to You. Let the trial and tribulations that we experience mold us into a more solid couple, and let the things we learn during those times be helpful to other people in our lives.

Now, I know what you're thinking. All you've read so far seems like the "good" times. Well, that's because that is how things have really been. But I wanted to keep my word and give you a well-rounded view of how things are going for our little family, and right now we are facing something that is very difficult and stressful. The situation requires a little bit of background knowledge, so here goes:

For those of you who don't know, a little over a year ago, Nathan was diagnosed with depression. It wasn't something that took us by surprise, but it was a hurdle we overcame together. We were extremely fortunate to find a doctor and treatment plan that was very quickly successful. Since then, he has been taking medication, and it seemed to be very effective in alleviating his symptoms. We both understood that this wasn't something that would ever be completely cured, and that there was always the possibility that down the road he could relapse into depression or that his treatment/medication may need to be adjusted.

Now that you have the history I can explain what has been going on now. Nathan's depression had been under control and things were wonderful for months. However, for the majority of this past semester he was experiencing some of his old symptoms. Thankfully, it wasn't as difficult as it had been in the past, but it definitely took a toll on his schoolwork. All of this being said, the semester didn't go as well as it could have. In fact, we've just found out how "not good" it really was. Nathan recently received a letter telling him that his academic standing was unacceptable and that there was little hope for him to continue on his degree path towards graduation. This is a hurdle that is going to play a huge role in deciding what the future holds for our family. It's throws a huge dent in what was our "game plan" but we know God will be faithful. The most important thing is that no matter what happens with his school, we have each other. We have been, and are continuing to pray for wisdom in how to address this situation. We would also very much appreciate it if you could remember us in your prayers as we try and overcome this hurdle.

We've been given a not so pleasant reminder that no matter how much we "plan" God is ultimately in control. We are working on being flexible and open to whatever is in store for us and will keep you updated on how things work out.

MLK Day

I did not have to go to work today, because of the life and influence of an amazing man named Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I was fortunate enough to have visited the museum built in his honor, and I haven't been the same person since. It was the visit to this place, that planted the seed in my heart that would later grow into my desire and my passion for teaching. This fire that burns inside of me makes up a lot of who I am as a person. So, today, as I enjoyed some time away from work, I took the advice I read from one of the many websites set up in his honor. For me, today was a day ON, not a day "off". Even though I wasn't physically with my students today, I sat down and took some time to pray for each one of them individually. I realize that they are incredibly young, and that they have years and years left on their "educational journey" but I also know it is never to early to pray for anything. This being said I asked that God would put teachers in each one of their paths and that each one would help, not hinder them as they develop into the men and women they are going to become. I prayed that they would have teachers that challenged them to become independent thinkers, but most importantly I prayed that as they progressed throughout their education that He would guide and direct them down the paths that would bring Him the most glory.

I spend countless hours with these children every week teaching them things they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. I also realize that they will probably never remember me, or give me credit for the things they learned while in my care. I've always been at peace with that because I know the things I'm teaching them are important, and that teaching isn't about receiving praise or recognition. A lot of times students leave your classroom and you never get to know who they become or if anything you said to them really made a difference. However, today, by following the example of an amazing man like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and taking just a little time to pray for each of them, I can rest assured that their lives will be impacted in a mighty way.

"Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

a thought for Thursday

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass...it is about learning to dance in the rain"

No news is good news

Finally got to go back to work today and I can't believe what a blessing it was. I forgot how fulfilling it is to have your students run up and hug your legs and crave your undivided attention. Not only that, but I happen to work with some of the most amazing people, and it was great to see all of their smiling faces this morning. Being a teacher is seriously the greatest gift!

Our house was pretty quiet this weekend. We did some grocery shopping, and finally took down our Christmas decorations, but aside from that there isn't much to report. Even today has been pretty uneventful. Nathan is still on winter break, and he has definitely been enjoying lazy, leisurely days. As I sit here and type, he and all three of our dogs are curled up on the couch taking a nap! Pathetic, huh? Oh well, I suppose it's good that he is catching up on his sleep. School will be starting again before he knows it and it will only benefit him to be well rested when it does.

I guess that's all for now! I'll check back in later on in the week and I promise to have something a little more exciting to write about. I hope everyone had a great Monday!!

I'M A PEPPER!!

Well, I'm sitting at home, still too sick to go back to work and finding that being bored and sick is a terrible combination. I know I'm not healthy enough to do anything, so I've reverted to perusing the internet to keep myself entertained. In doing so I ran across this little clip, and it made my day! All of you who know me, know that I have a serious "addiction" (for lack of a better word) to Dr. Pepper. I guess you could say it's kind of a family thing. My Rara worked for Dr. Pepper for several years, and it's the only soda my dad's side of the family will drink. I actually remember my dad singing this song when I was growing up. Anyway, this made me smile and I wanted to share it with y'all and let you know that you can be a Pepper too! :) Hahaha, Enjoy!

I'm going to be an Aunt...AGAIN!!

That's right, in just a few months my sister-in-law, Lauren, will be having their second baby. This isn't exactly "new" news, but since I haven't blogged about it yet, I wanted to go ahead and start bragging on my unborn nephew :) I am so excited! Kenzie is such a joy to all of our lives, especially mine, and I just can't wait to have a new little baby to love on and spoil...I already bought him some little onesies!

Aren't these just adorable?!

I have very little self control when it comes to cute baby things. I'm sure I'll be posting about him an obnoxious amount before he even gets here, but I just can't help it. April 25th can't get here fast enough! This is going to be such an fun and exciting year!

Home for the Holidays

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from our First Married Christmas! We are so blessed to have so much family to celebrate with :)

This is our little place in Bryan, and our beautiful Christmas tree!

This is the front of our house and our fun Christmas trees that we put up in stead of lights.

For the first time in my entire life, we had a WHITE Christmas :) It couldn't have come at a better time. I got to celebrate my first married Christmas with SNOW! I was so happy! This is the snow in front of my Nana and Rara's house on Christmas Eve.

This is my Nana and Rara's house all covered in snow....SO BEAUTIFUL!

Eight of the 11 May grandchildren on Christmas Eve at Nana and Rara's. From left to right: Caden, Valente, Noah, Austin, Nathan, Skyler, Preston, and Nicholas.

Me and Nathan full and happy after an amazing Christmas Eve dinner

One of the most important people in my life. My amazing Rara. He loves me more than I deserve and I am SO blessed to be his granddaughter!

The only two granddaughters :) Me and my cousin Skyler. She is so beautiful inside and out!

Me and Nathan in front of the Christmas tree

My dad and his three brothers/my amazing uncles

This was what we woke up to on Christmas morning :) Nathan and I got up really early and took the dogs to play in the snow. They have only seen snow once before, but the both LOVE it! It was a great way to start the day.

Lady playing in the snow. Doesn't she look so happy?!

Lady and Riley playing together in the snow. They were so funny to watch!

Christmas morning at the Hunke's! Patrick, Me, Nathan, and Dan

My precious niece Kenzie. I love this little girl with my entire heart!!!

Me and my wonderful husband. I am so blessed!

Happy Happy Husband with his new "toy" :)

Kenzie wearing her present from Uncle Nate and Aunt Lauren. She's such an angel!

My favorite family! My sister and brother-in-law and my niece: Lauren, Jason and Kenz! Oh yeah, and Toga, too ;)

Sunday brunch at Granny Kris'. Unfortunately, I was pretty sick this day and couldn't come, but I am so glad to have this picture of my wonderful family :)

I hope everyone had just as amazing of a Christmas as we did!

New Year, Same Love

It's hard for me to believe that this will be the 9th year that Nathan and I have been together. NINE YEARS! That's almost a decade, and practically half of my 23 years of life. We've literally grown up together. I've watched him transform into this amazing man of God, who daily provides for me in ways I could never put into words. He makes me laugh like no one else in this world, and I can't even begin to imagine what I've done to deserve him. I can only pray that these past 8 years have molded me into a woman he is equally proud of. I come into 2010, dedicated to being the best wife I can, and to support him, stand beside him, and love him unconditionally as he leads our new little family. Call it my lifelong resolution.

I'm not one who normally puts stock in new year's resolutions. I always silently pray that God molds me more into the person He has planned, but never go as far as making or setting official goals. However, this is the first time a new year has rolled around and I've been a married woman. So, this year, Nathan and I sat down together and came up with a list of goals to work on together during 2010. Our "finances" were the first on our list, and I can honestly say, so far, so good (and yes, I realize it is only just the beginning of the year, so I'll keep you posted!).
Another thing we have both decided our little family needs to work on is our communication. Yes, even someone like me, who could carry on a conversation with a cardboard box can become lackadaisical about keeping up with people I don't see everyday. We all know this is an issue with Nathan ;) so we decided this would be another great thing for our newborn family to consciously work on during this year.

That's where this blog comes in. As you can see by my archive history, I have been a pitiful blogger at best. I always start these type projects with the best intentions and after a week (or two days in this case) I quit. Not this time. I want to remember these precious first years of our marriage. I'd love to be able to look back at this blog a year from now and see all the adventures we've had, all the struggles we've overcome, and how much we've grown. I also want to be able to share our life with our families, even though we are currently live hundreds of miles away from them. This isn't to say, by any means, that this forum will replace phone calls and personal emails, because it won't. This will just be a fun little window into our world, a place to post pictures and stories, and most importantly to share with you all of the wonderful ways that our Lord continues to bless us.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Here's to a wonderful year!!