Catching my Breath

I have been so blessed with the privilege of having my own Kindergarten classroom while I cover a dear teacher's maternity leave. However, after juggling 50+ students a day, assessments coming out of my ears (report card time), and responding to endless phone calls, e-mails, meetings, and trainings, I am wiped out! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE teaching! I would not trade this job for any other, but I do feel that it is difficult to catch my breath sometimes...in a sweet way. :)

Every morning as I drive to work, I pray that the Lord will allow me to experience humbleness and grace. I am nothing but amazed as I continuously experience the Lord's overwhelming power through everyday classroom endeavors. To be honest, I was not at peace with where the Lord was leading me for quite some time. I did not understand why I was not blessed with a "job" this school-year, or why life decisions had to be SO stressful. It didn't seem fair, and I was constantly comparing my experiences with others. I finally gave up the battle and decided to trust the path I was lead. I can honestly say that I have more peace now than ever before. In fact, I continue to see how each direction and opportunity I have been blessed with are piecing together. Why am I complaining about no job, when I work with students and teach everyday? Why is it so hard to be comfortable with life circumstances, when others would kill to have a loving and supportive husband like mine and a beautiful home to live in?

Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to be in situations where I can serve you and TRUST you! Please use me, break me, and allow me to be fully immersed in your holiness again this week...even if it's hard to catch my breath!

Busyness

I have heard the saying too many times..."I'm just too busy to update my blog!" Actually, I have been telling myself this over the past two months, and I finally need to put an end to these thoughts. The truth is, blogging, although time-consuming, is such a great way to document life. Life is a vastly moving journey, and I do not want to let moments, thoughts, revelations, or opportunities go by the wayside. It's true, I am busy. But let's face it, who isn't?

Shutterfly Holiday Cards!!!

The holidays are just around the corner, and I have been looking forward to designing our photo Christmas cards on Shutterfly this year! Shutterfly is a wonderful place to order prints of your photos. I have used them to order prints and a fabulous photo book for our anniversary. I also loved receiving baby announcements, wedding invitations, and gifts from Shutterly. They are so personal and meaningful! Shutterfly also has tons of great gift ideas for the holidays! Here are some of the products I like:

I could add several of our new fall pictures and it says Merry Christmas! You can find this card here.

I also love this card. It is folded, so you can write a personal message inside. You can find this care here.

This is a great card to capture one great photo of the family. You can find this card here.

Shutterfly also offers more than Christmas cards. You can also find wonderful calendars, photo books, and wall art.

If you are a Blogger, you can get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly!!! Just follow this link to find out how...http://bit.ly/sfly2010 .

OK, OK....It's Been Forever, But I'm Making New Posts!!!

I know it has been WAY TOO LONG, but I want to catch everyone up on our lives the past six months. Bear with me, I promise posts to come!!!

Time For A Change

Those of you who have visited our home in the past three years have read, loved-on, and contributed to our trusty chalkboard hanging in our entry way. Although it looks like a middle school student's notebook, I have never come around to erasing it! You see, there have been several events and special memories that have taken place over the last three years, and this chalkboard stands as a representation of them. I know I am sounding SO cheesy, but it's true! Everything from Blazer victories, family visits, inside jokes, and graduating college is documented on this board! With all of this said, I think it is time I use the chalkboard for practical purposes again. Even though the records will be wiped clean from the slate, I will forever have them in my memory (or a picture for that matter)! :)

Gorgeous Day For A Hike!

Oregon boasted in its first, official "best day of the year" on Saturday! Yes, that's right, a welcoming 85ºF! My dear friend Amy and I already had plans to get together on Saturday, but once we heard of the delightful forecast, we packed a picnic, filled our CamelBaks, and set out for a hike to the top of Multnomah Falls. This gorgeous waterfall overlooks the Columbia River and is the 4th tallest waterfall in the U.S. Even though Multnomah Falls is so close to our home, I never cease to bask in its beauty!


You can't tell in the picture below, but we were being drenched with spray from the falls! Usually this would be a nuisance, but it felt so good on this sunny day!


Amy and I veered off the noted trail a bit and found this beautiful sight right before the drop-off!




Here we are at the top of Multnomah Falls! Look at that view of the Columbia River! What a beautiful day in a beautiful state with a beautiful friend...all knit together by a beautiful God!

The Oregon Zoo

My parents gifted Ivan and me with a zoo membership for our anniversary, and we were ecstatic!!! We both love to visit the zoo, and it is a perfect free date!:) Thanks, Mom and Dad! Evan, Cori, and Brody were also gifted a zoo membership for their anniversary, so we picked a date, packed a picnic, and headed to the zoo on a sun-filled day! This visit to the zoo was extra special, because it was Brody's first time seeing so many animals. However, I don't know if he had more fun looking at the exotic animals, or all the lovely individuals spending the day there! :)

I am having so much fun at the zoo!!! Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!

What a great family picture! Brody was having lots of fun with Mama's hair too! :)

What a day! I loved the zoo! Can we come back, please?!