I'm so excited, and I just can't...

First of all, if you have an image of Jessie Spano's meltdown in your head everytime you hear that song....then we are on the same brainwave. Scary!!

But back to the post...
Today was one of those days where I actually felt grown up. You would think that these moments occur all of the time since I'm in my late twenties, but they don't. So today, I became the proud owner of a lawnmower...woohoo!!! Here it is--
Fun, huh? I took advantage of my Dad being off work today and his ownership of an SUV. We went to Home Depot and checked out the mowers. We decided on this mulching one that was pretty reasonably priced. Then we met a nice employee, Rageena (no, that's not a typo), who showed me how to use the fancy-schmancy gas can. Rageena also suggested that I mow the lawn in a bikini top and shorts so that some "gentleman" will offer to finish the job for me. And yes, my Dad was with me when she suggested this. And yes, it was a tad uncomfortable. My Dad assembled the mower, we put some oil and gasoline in it, and I cranked it up. I can hardly wait to take it on it's maiden voyage tomorrow!!!

Another exciting part of today was that Target now makes running skirts. These have been a newer idea that I first researched last year. The cheapest ones previously ran you about $69. But I stumbled upon these today and they are much more affordable at $19.99. Tomorrow's run is going to be amazing!!!!

And finally, my good friend Anne has started a blog. Yay!!!! She is one of the wisest people that I know, and she has an amazing heart for Jesus. Go visit her (:

Happy Memorial Day!!!!!

Praise Him!!!

It is officially summer....Wahoo!!!!!!! I don't think I would know what to do with myself if I had an around-the-year job. It would be sad on days like these (:

Some goals for the summer:
1. Start training for another half
2. Get myself un-addicted from sugar (this will be hard...apparently it's almost as difficult as detoxing from 'real' drugs)
3. Finish the 4 books I started a while back but haven't picked up in a while
4. Learn about gardening and clean up my flower beds
5. Replace the countertop in the guest bathroom (currently it is a horrid seashell pattern and is a color I affectionately refer to as "smoker's teeth")
6. Do something with the fireplace...the pink marble must go!!!!
7. Somehow get away to E.P.
8. Teach Marco to tell me when he has to go outside

That's a start...we'll see how it goes!!!

Muddy Buddy

The whole trip down to Austin was about the Muddy Buddy race. We got up at 5:30 to drive to Johnson City, TX. Around 7 or so, we arrived, parked, and headed up to the starting line. Because there were so many age brackets, Claire and I (also known as Team Waterlogged), were in the 9th wave. It took a while for us to start. Claire started off on the bike and I ran. The obstacles at the end of each leg were not so bad. The worst part was the ‘Hill of Death’. Oh. My. Goodness. It was truly impossible. I pushed the bike up for a while and then Claire did it some. Once that was over, the rest of the race was pretty doable. The last obstacle was a giant mud pit that we had to swim through. It was nasty, yet fun at the same time. We decided that the Muddy Buddy was fun but a little disappointing…and probably not worth the cleanup effort. But it was an experience nonetheless. **Blogger is being weird about pictures so I'll try again later...stay tuned!!!**

Princess Buttercup

A friend told me about this crazy adventure race called the Muddy Buddy. It’s an event that combines trail running and mountain biking, along with a few obstacles. So Claire and I decided to sign up. First of all, it was in Austin—road trip! Secondly, it just sounded like a blast.
Sat. morning we loaded up the Escape with our luggage and Hayley and Sarah. We were off to Austin. The first stop was REI for registration. Then, we hit some stores downtown and I got this cool bag and coasters at Whole Earth Provision…so exciting!!

Because we had partied so much the night before (haha), we sat outside of Seattle’s Best and just chilled out and drank coffee. Claire got her computer and found a place with food and live music…The Oasis on Lake Travis. We headed out and got lost a few times but finally arrived. While we didn’t get to sit right on the lake, we were outside and had a great view of the cover band “haywire”. They were men who could have been our parents and were just having a great time. It was fun to see them having fun and we sang along with a lot of the songs. Sarah even managed to score me a spin on the dance floor with some 21 yr. old named Bray. Fun fun.

Claire and me
Hayley, Sarah, me, and Claire
Hayley, Claire, Sarah, and me
The girls and Lake Travis
After dinner we headed to Claire’s friend Chelsea’s house so that we could crash for the evening. Her family was so sweet to put us up for the night and we all had a great night’s sleep.

As each school year comes to an end, I tend to get a bit pensive. Suddenly I start to miss my kiddos…even those few that drove me up the wall. I start to regret that the main thing I know about them is how proficient they are in math. Sure, I go to a few football games, band concerts, etc. and see my students involved in different areas. But somewhere along the way, each kiddo that came into my room everyday became more of a student and less of a regular teenager. But… these are real kids. 14 year olds with hurts, needs, and insecurities. Kids who have lost a mom to cancer, are being fought over in bitter custody battles, or who are so lost and hungry for affection that they find themselves pregnant. It took these recent developments to give me a wakeup call as to what I’m really supposed to be doing. Maybe it’s just a five-year slump, but this year teaching has gradually become a job and not a calling. And I hate that.

One of my favorite movies is “Chariots of Fire”. While I realize that not everyone loves running as much as I do, it is still a wonderful story. The main character, Eric Liddell, is a runner who won the gold medal at the 1924 Olympics. Liddell later became a missionary to China and served there until his death. The scene that still impacts me the most from this movie is when Liddell’s sister asks him why he still insists on running even after he had been accepted as part of a Chinese mission program. He answers, “I believe that God made me for a purpose…for China. But he also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure.” The movie ends with Liddell crossing the finish line at the Olympics, obviously elated that he was able to fulfill the purpose that God had called him to. It gives me chills just thinking about it.

So that’s what I’m after—to feel God’s pleasure. To serve him in such a way that my exhilaration in fulfilling his purpose draws glory to Him. For now, the Lord has called me to be a teacher. He has called me to encourage young people and to be a tangible example of Jesus’ love. Somehow I lost sight of that this year. While I realize that my job is primarily to teach 8th graders how to solve two-step equations, it is also my responsibility to pray for them, learn about their interests, ask about their lives outside of the classroom, and to let each one of them know that they are loved and cared for. I recently read something that summed this up pretty nicely: “When we use our gifts in obedience, we are doing what we were made to do—glorifying God and advancing His kingdom. There's nothing so personally satisfying.”

Micah 6:8
O people, the LORD has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.

Surprise!

My sweet friend Claire is moving out west in a week. While I’m going to miss her company here in Texas more than she’ll ever know, I’m excited to see what the Lord has for her and these new adventures. But I seriously can’t imagine the last six months without her.

Claire’s roommate, Rachel, and I decided to put a little party together to celebrate her friendship and to let her know how precious she is to all of us. We layed the groundwork to ensure that Claire would be available on Friday night. Then we told a few little fib-lets to keep the element of surprise intact. That was perhaps the most stressful part! But Friday night rolled around, friends came over around 7, the food and decorations were prepared, and we were eagerly awaiting Claire’s arrival. She rang the doorbell, walked in, and was completely surprised! It was great! The whole night was full of laughter, food, ping-pong, and fun. We love you Claire!!!

The entrance...

Surprise!!!
Rachel, Claire, Paula, Rhonda and Hayley
Mac, Hollie, Melissa, Rachel, and Claire Rachel and Claire
Not sure what I'm doing here on the hearth....
Mac, Hollie, and Melissa

My girls and me!

Playin' Hooky

As a child, I was horrified that anyone would skip school. I’ll just chock that up to being a rule-follower (even though I sometimes had a rebellious spirit). But I digress….

Last Thursday, I got permission from my principal to take a personal day. Claire decided that Thursday was our day because of a promising 10-day forecast…and it turned out to be glorious! So we skipped out, rode bikes at Lake Grapevine, ate Chicken Express, took some homemade cookies to some boys, and watched Grey’s Anatomy. It was pretty much one of the best days ever....and I enjoyed it guilt-free (:

Taste Addison

Last night was 'Taste Addison'. This was my second time to attend this event. For just $5, we got to hear Daughtry and Lifehouse. What a bargain! There were a TON of people there and my clausterphobia kicked in at various points of the evening. But, we had a great time sitting on our blanket, eating sushi, and enjoying some music.

Claire and Anne.....two of my favorite people!
Claire, me, Anne, and Lauren
Claire and Anne being silly
Me and Anne
Anne
Claire striking a pose (:

more fluff

If you have finally finished laughing at the fact that the computer thinks I'm a 90% match with Jessica Alba, then you're in for more frivilous reading!
This is a little handout that my friend, Melanie, gave to her kiddos at school and passed it along. I just thought it was mindless and kind of fun…so here it is


IF...
*I were an animal, I’d be…a golden retriever (they are so loyal and I think that’s a great
character trait)
*I were really famous at something, it would be…playing tennis
*I were the richest person in the world, I’d spend my money on… a house in Colorado so
I could hike whenever I wanted to
*I were a school lunch, I’d be…Frito pie
*The person who annoys me the most were an animal, he/she would be…a bird (any
kind…they are all evil and products of the Fall)
*I had to eat only one thing for the rest of my life, it would be…some type of bread
*I could change my name, I’d change it to…Paige
*I had to listen to only one song for the rest of my life, it would be…”I will not forget
you” from Enter the Worship Circle. It brings back a lot of college retreat
memories and is straight from Scripture
*I had a baby girl, I’d name her…Harper
*I had a baby boy, I’d name him…Levi

My Celebrity Lookalikes

So I'm stuck at home without a working vehicle. Here is how I spent my time....

Road Rules 2

What a weekend! I spent about 48 hrs. trapped in a van with people I didn't really know that well and truly had a blast! The singles at my church created this competition modeled after MTV's Road Rules. My original weekend plans were to go to Lafayette, LA with my friend Claire for a Cajun festival thing. I couldn't get Friday off of work, so I figured Road Rules would be the next best thing.

Here's basically how it worked: You get split up into vans, find a clue, listen to the clue, figure out where you are headed, and drive.
The first van I was in was led by Andy. Here is a picture of some of my vanmates...
Laura, Nick and Greg. And for a fun, random fact-- they are all Aggies.

Lisa and me in the backseat. Look how happy she is to be next to me for several hours!!! ha
This is all of us in front of a random sign in who-knows-where, TX
For bonus points, we took a picture in front of the "Ghost Town Barber Shop"

We figured out that our destination was a town called Olney, TX. We arrived to a gymnasium there, had relays and played dodgeball. Our team was called "Team Unicorn". I'm not sure what started the "unicorn" thing, except that Greg was obsessed with them. I mean, obsessed. Since no one had a better idea for a theme, we just rolled with it. Greg even made a horn that we referred to as the "horn of hope". Weird.

After the games and all, we met in the fellowship hall and had a time of worship and footwashing. It was a neat time. Then it was off to bed in a Sunday school room. Here are a couple of my roommates for the night, Christy and Melissa.

The next morning started off with a delicious pancake breakfest presented by FBC-Olney. We then split up into groups for service projects. I chose to go to the Seven Oaks Nursing Home.
We painted the trim along one of the hallways there and got to talk to a few residents. Probably the funniest thing that happened was when Micah, Elizabeth and I heard music coming from one of the rooms. Typically, you might expect Tony Bennett, Sinatra, Dean Martin, etc. But instead, we heard Eminem. That's right. One of the residents was totally jamming out to perhaps the most innappropriate CD of all time. It was pretty funny, actually.
Micah made a new friend named Granny Tucker. She is 95 years old and tells a great story about how she got to hug Elvis once upon a time. We really had a great time at Seven Oaks and I enjoyed getting to serve them, even if it was just for a little while.

Micah, Elizabeth, Coley, and Rachel on the way to Seven Oaks
Micah and Granny Tucker
Some of the gang cleaning up after painting
After a wonderful lunch of taco salad, we broke off into our new vans. Coley was my 2nd driver. He is one of the most easy-going, optimistic people I have ever met. We knew each other from the running club but it was fun to hear his testimony during our many hours in the car. We left Olney and headed to Oklahoma.
Casie and me at the Welcome Center (please excuse the blinding white legs) We arrived at the Davis mountains for a time of team building and tug-of-war. Our team got completely dominated in tug-of-war and we were thoroughly embarrassed. Because we were all pretty small in stature, we decided that we were too fit to win tug-of-war. I like that theory:)

One of my favorite parts of the trip was taking a hike. It has been a couple of years since my last Colorado trip so it was great to get a little hiking in. It wasn't a 14ft-er, but it was beautiful once we reached the top.

That night we ate dinner, drove to a campsite, and had a big fire complete with S'mores. The next morning was a little outside church service. It was nice.

After church, we got into our 3rd group of new friends and drove to Arbuckle Wilderness. For those of you unfamiliar with this, it's one of those places where you feed the animals out of your vehicle. We saw lots of giraffes, a white tiger, bison, llamas, etc. After a quick lunch in the parking lot of PB&J, we snapped a group shot and headed home.
It was a great weekend and tons of fun. However, I hope to not be eligible for Road Rules 3 next year (: