First Day, First Black Eye (232-238)

Day 232



I finally decided on how I wanted to decorate my classroom door. I got Styrofoam balls, cut them in half, and painted them. I also got a Styrofoam cube, cut it up, and wrapped it up with burlap garland. The result is in another picture, but they are supposed to be hot-air balloons.

Day 233



A sweet choir member dropped off their Christmas tree for us to use at the party. It got me in the mood to decorate, but it ended up being more of a "deep clean the house" kind of day, rather than make it "Christmasy." I am pretty sure my house is messier than when I got started.



Later on, we took Lucy on her daily-ish walk and met another couple that takes their dog on a walk pretty regularly.

Day 234



This is the end result of my project on Tuesday. The quote "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." -Dr. Seuss

It was "meet the teacher" night so there was a lot of making sure the classroom is pretty and getting our information together for the parents.

Day 235



Us fifth grade teachers got together to make sure we had everything ready for next week. We also decided to go crazy and take the tables out of the room. Because all of fifth grade is together, we have to get creative on how we are going to do things. Let's see how this works out. We are trying to be progressive, but I think this might be thinking outside the box.

Day 236



One of the members of the community had a funeral today. A lot of people from different churches donated food and there was a great attendance at the funeral. I really like how the community comes together. Like the justice of the peace for Gaines county told us, once you are a part of this community, you are family.

Day 237



Today the ministerial alliance (different churches who get together once a month) had a prayer walk for all the schools. It is such a cool thing to see your principal and superintendent be active prayer warriors for the school. I also had people lay their hands on me and pray over me. It is such an indescribable feeling to have a bunch of people lay their hands on you and pray (even in other languages).

Day 238



So this is the end result of my first day. Just kidding, it went really well. Don't you think my black-eye is believable? It was a little chaotic, but we all (including the students) thought that not having tables was a terrible idea. One girl came up to me and even told me it wasn't working. So much for thinking outside of the box!

Secret Confessions

This is a post that has nothing to do with the 365 days of photos blog. I'm not sure what inspired this desire to do a "just cause" post. Maybe I am further putting off doing my lesson plans for next week. Maybe watching YouTube videos inspired me to become a little narcissistic and talk about myself some more. Maybe I got tired of having my dog not listen to me while I was having a conversation with her. Whatever the reason, here are twenty-three confessions about me.

23. I hate the fact that I do not have the ability to memorize a rap song.

It's not like I haven't tried. I listened to "Gold Digger" over and over again, looked up the lyrics, wrote them out, "rapped" along to the song while reading the lyrics. Nothing works.

22. I always accepted the fact that the government was always watching.

As a kid, I just assumed there were cameras everywhere. It never freaked me out, I just accepted this "big brother" lifestyle. I wonder if that is the Truman Show delusion.

21. I am liking SciFi way more than I ever thought I would.

I wouldn't say I am a fan yet because I know true fans would be annoyed by that, but I am more open to SciFi stories than I used to be.

20. I used to pray to God that He would grant me the ability to talk to animals.

I would pray fervently. I truly thought that our pets were my best friend and the communication issues frustrated me.

19. I never had an imaginary friend. This upset me as a child so I would have an imaginary imaginary friend.

I thought having an imaginary friend was part of being a kid so to fit in, I would pretend to have an imaginary friend.

18. I hate mouth noises.

It seriously irritates me to the point of me being irrationally angry. This is another disorder called http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misophonia. This hasn't been diagnosed so maybe I am just a hypochondriac.

17. I wish I was better at crafts than I am.

I say I'm a crafter but I'm not very good and I never finish projects I start.

16. I am terrified as a first year teacher.

My goals this year is 1. quit saying I know stuff when I don't/ ask for help 2. don't get fired.

15. I used to hide crickets in my room.

I would hide them in containers in my play kitchen. My room ended up smelling terrible. Ah, the odd hobbies of a tom-boy.

14. My nerdy third grade self got excited about a bird unit we were doing in science and wanted to start a bird watching club. It had one member.

Stories like this make me wonder why I had any friends. Honestly, I think I went to a college no one from my graduating class went to because everyone has seen me go through all my awkward-embarrassing stages and I needed a fresh start.

13. I have a baby complex.

I think this comes from people yelling at me as a kid/ young teenager to "hold the head! HOLD THE HEAD!" I have this terrible fear I'm going to break a baby.

12. I have this obsession with watching people make stuff on YouTube.

I love watching people make pottery, do home-improvement, paint, and do makeup. I have no use except it is relaxing to watch change happen so quickly.

11. I wish I could memorize quotes better.

I always disappoint people when they quote something from a movie and I can't quote something back.

10. I want to rent an RV and travel all across America

This is something that won't happen until I retire, yet at the ripe age of 23 I am already planning my retirement.

9. When I was in kindergarten, my best friend told me she had a crush on a boy I liked so I pretended to like someone else.

This actually happened a lot as a kid. I was a people pleaser so I would pretend I didn't want a toy or I would play the dad when we played house or I would get the plate of food that wasn't presented as pretty as other plates.

8. I love reading books where the protagonist is middle-aged or older and they live in a small town with mundane problems.

Last summer I read this whole series of a bunch of old ladies that quilt. Right now I am reading about a fifty-year-old Presbyterian pastor.

7. I have been praying for my future children ever since I was 8.

My ultimate goal in life is to be a stay-at-home mom. Every decision I make was based on what decisions I would want my future children to make. I guess you can say I had to teach myself on how to live in the moment.

6. I am still terrified of the dark.

I guess my imagination gets carried away. I have changed some of my habits since getting married; such as, I no longer have to turn on the lights when getting up in the middle of the night. I do make Aaron turn on the hall light if he needs to get something from the living room and I come up with excuses to not go outside at night.

5. Sometimes I think my ability to read people gets in the way.

My dad is a salesman and my mom is a theatre director so they taught me how to read people and I feel this gets in the way of my conversation. I am constantly correcting myself when I am talking to someone and thinking about what they are thinking gets in the way of correctly conveying what I need to because I am more focused on them than the words coming out.

4. I wish everyone blogged.

What a cool way to learn about someone, you know, without actually talking to them. ;)

3. People from my high school always pop up in my dreams.

I have such vivid dreams and the main characters are people from my high school. I don't know if this is because I am living in the past or they were such an important part of me growing up. Just know, anyone from my high school that may be reading this, you are still an important part of my life even if I haven't talked to you in five years.

2. I hear about culture of the 40's and 50's and get disappointed that I wasn't born back then.

I long for someone to open a jazz club where there is a Glenn Miller band and dancing. I wish there were opportunities to wear ball gowns. Any entrepreneurs living in Gaines county want to start that up for me? :)

1. I love getting scared.

I love watching shows about ghosts, listening to scary stories, or even reading about it. I get scared easily and I have a vivid imagination (see number 6). I guess it is a safe thrill for me.

I Want to Believe (225-231)

Day 225



Today, we had a church work day to finish renovations on the activity center downtown for the youth. Whenever the work was coming to an end, I decided to go on a little adventure behind all of the buildings.



A lot of the buildings are run down and it is going to take a lot to repair them. I still find beauty in them because all the fallen bricks and abandoned lots have history behind them.

Day 226



Our in-service was held mostly in the high-school cafeteria because that is the only place that can hold all of us. It also holds the business office. I got there early to turn in my W-4 and insurance preference and because I got there early, I got the privilege of rearranging furniture.

Day 227



One of the things that are supposed to be taught to fifth graders this year is managing money and income tax. We are doing that with our discipline/ reward system. We have jobs posted on the wall and they are supposed to fill out an application (some come with recommendation letters). They then have to pay bills; for example, they either have a choice to rent or buy their desk. They're behavior can also effect if they earn or lose money.

Day 228



Each grade is in charge of decorating their hallway with a college theme. Tuesday night was designated for that, but I think only one grade level actually managed to decorate their hallways that night. Way to go, A&M; you were represented well.

Day 229



Aaron and I took a day trip up to Roswell to celebrate the end of summer. We tried to go to the visitor's center like someone recommended but it took us forever to find it and once we did find it, there wasn't an alien to take a picture with like we were told. We did eat at some really good restaurants and visited a lot of really cool places. We went to a UFO museum, which isn't as eccentric as you would think. We also went to a couple of art museums, as well as a miniature art store, thinking it was a museum. We also went to a park that had a free zoo. It was a lot of fun. We'll probably go again, but not by ourselves.

Day 230



Today was a relaxing day of watching youtube videos about babies, costume makeup tutorials, and how to build a house. P.S., put the captions on, it is hilarious because they are never remotely close to being right.

Day 231



I finally did one of the pins I posted on pinterest and squeegeed a small section of the carpet. The sad thing is is, I just vacuumed yesterday.

Muddy Paws and Tomato Colored Faces (218-224)

Day 218



Lucy decided to take advantage of the rainy day and bathe herself in mud. There was even enough to coat my floors. She is so considerate.

Day 219



Our pastor and another man from our church went up to Moore, Oklahoma for a week to help clean up some debris, so Aaron was put in charge of Wednesday night prayer meeting, which included preaching and leading the prayer.

Day 220



We had a ladies luncheon at the church along with a surprise baby shower for one of the ladies that regularly comes. The baby was born in early July and he was precious. Last time I picked up a baby Aaron told me to "put that thing back." I think he is worried about me getting "baby fever."

Day 221

Ugh. I was lame and didn't take a picture.

Day 222



Aaron and I went to Lubbock to buy some teacher supplies. We also got Aaron an early birthday present (Xbox 360) and some other "home accessories" to finish decorating the master bedroom. It is officially my favorite room in the house! I love it! Actually, half of my decorations come from Dollar General,so it was nice to splurge and get a phone from Garden Ridge and the runner and lantern from Pier One.

Day 223



On our way to church, the sound guy called Aaron and told him he wouldn't be there so I got a crash course in running a sound board. Because Aaron asked the youth minister to run the words on the screen, I gave up my new-found talent so she and her new husband (who also knows how to run the sound) could sit together.

Day 224



Today was the first day of in-service. It was in the high-school cafeteria and included all the teachers. It definitely was appropriate being in the cafeteria because no matter how old you get, it is always hard being the new teacher. Especially if it is your first year of teaching. There was a kind teacher who let me pretend that we were having an intense conversation while I was waiting for my co-teacher to figure out where I was supposed to be sitting. I wonder if people know that they give me the same exact look whenever I tell them this is my first year. The look that says "you have no idea what you are getting yourself into," or "I wonder how long she'll last." While trying to give off that confidence vibe, I dropped a tomato on my dress. Oh boy,the overwhelming feeling strikes again.

Fruit Snacks are the Start of a Beautiful Friendship (204-217)

This post is going to include two weeks. Our internet wasn't working last Monday and we were on vacation the rest of the week.

Day 204



Where would we be without Pinterest? I spent all of today planning a "Christmas in August" party for our church choir. Date still pending.

Day 205



Our front room has been such an eye sore. I have always tried to have the door closed anytime guests are over because we hadn't gotten to organizing that room yet. It was a lot of work but I turned the "junk drawer" room into a man cave for Aaron. We have changed the room since this picture: the zebra print shelf was moved to my craft room (see day 206), Aaron added a TV and a PS2, and the shelf I put up fell. That was frustrating. I spent forever trying for find the studs and it didn't matter. I am anti-shelves now.

Day 206

Still being in the decorating spirit, I tackled the last eye-sore of the house: our second guest bedroom. I put most of the things that were occupying the room, old toys both sets of parents made us take, and put them in the closet. There was a table in our shed so I set that up and voila! A craft room.

Day 207



Our youth minister was having a bridal shower Sunday, so Aaron and I drove up to Lubbock to get her a gift. Bed Bath and Beyond makes you wrap your own presents at their gift wrap station. That is a lot of pressure to wrap a wedding present. Here is my attempt.

Day 208



We took Lucy on a walk at the appropriately named "Walking Park." I will always associate that park with the day Aaron and I were waiting to be voted on by the church for Aaron's position as music minister.

Day 209



Today was a busy day. After church, we had the bridal shower for our youth minister and then we went to First Baptist in Seminole to hear a former Mormon talk to us about the religion and how to witness to them.



Day 210



Although we haven't received a bill or account number, our internet service provider decided to punish us for not paying our bill by canceling the internet, so I took a lot of Lucy pictures.

Day 211



Aaron and I FINALLY got an opportunity to go to Austin to meet my brand new baby niece!



Before that, we stopped in Abilene to see my friend, Kayla. I needed to give back books I borrowed to study for my certification exams and I gave her a birthday present that consisted of a Dawson's Creek book, patriotic bracelets, and a slushy maker. Lucy and Lily, Kayla's baby, had fun playing together. Lily was a trooper for putting up with Lucy's tail constantly wagging in her face.

Day 212



Aaron and I waited three hours to eat what Texas Monthly named the number one barbecue in Texas. Franklin's used to be a food trailer service, but just recently moved into a building. We rented chairs from a smart entrepreneur and only got a little sunburned while talking to tourists around us.

Day 213



After having hip replacement surgery over a month ago, my mother decided to brave the caves of Georgetown with me, Aaron, and my niece, Elizabeth. This very outgoing girl from New Jersey befriended Elizabeth while we were waiting for our tour to start. She sealed the deal by providing fruit snacks. They held hands the whole time and New Jersey helped Elizabeth be brave, even if she scared her at first by talking about spiders and bats. At the end of the tour, they declared themselves to be best friends. Elizabeth can't remember her name. It either starts with an 'e' or an 'm'.

Day 214



The day consisted of us hanging out with Aaron's best man before he had to go to work, going through my mom's storage to find Christmas decorations to borrow for the party coming up, and hanging out with Elizabeth in the afternoon. My mom is required to carry a cane with her in public so no one will run into her due to her new hip. Elizabeth uses it to pull my mom places.

Day 215



After traveling all day to get back to Seagraves from Austin, I decided to move some things around in the kitchen. I removed the cabinet doors above the stove to make it a display shelf for all of my lunch boxes. I also moved my microwave to a cabinet. I have so much more space now. Aaron is such a trooper for my constant home-improvement ideas.

Day 216



We had such a fun time in Austin playing tourists; however, we needed a vacation from our vacation, puppy included.

Day 217



My co-teacher and I met up today to organize our room. This is the before, I didn't take the after mainly because we have a lot still to do. I am excited, nervous, and anxious about this school year starting. Our class is going to consist of 50 students, 2 teachers, and 1 teacher assistant. Let the games begin!


Oh, and here is one more picture of my newest niece, Roxie: