Prayers for My Family

3 years ago during this very time, my family was picking up from the damagae Katrina left behind. They live in Laurel, and although they were more fortunate than others, they still suffered some damage. No power for 3 weeks, my sister was out of school for around 6 weeks, fights for food and gas, living off of generators, living in piles of love bugs (disgusting), and trying to make it just as everyone else south of us did. They are especially concerned about Gustav doing the same thing. I know they don't live on the coast or in New Orleans, but Jones County was the next hardest hit county other than the coast counties when Katrina came through.

They left this morning on a church trip to New York and are supposed to fly into New Orleans next Wednesday morning. That probably won't happen! My mom didn't want to leave the house not knowing what she would come back to. It scared her when, yesterday, she got an automated call from the governor telling them to be prepared for the worst. And, the news stations around there are telling them the same thing. They have everything boarded up, but they aren't there. Please pray that when they storm hits, their house will have little to no damage. Also, pray that they will find a way home on Wednesday and for them to have peace about everything. Here are some pictures of them below. My dad wouldn't let me take his picture, so this is as good as it gets. Also, I don't know what my sister is doing in her mouse ears. Then, there's mom and the star of the family, CoCo.


 

Singstar Part 2!

This past weekend, we had some friends over - Robert, Julie and their son, Hudson (who need a blog because of the new baby coming!) and Mike and Sarah. We had a great time playing Singstar again on the Playstation! After they all left, Jim let me know pretty quickly that I am a sore winner. So, I apologize to y'all again for rubbing it in your face a little. Here are some pictures from our fun night!


 

I've been tagged!

I've been tagged by Ashley to give 6 random facts about myself.

Here are the rules of the game...


1. Link to the person who ‘tagged’ you!
2. Post the rules on your blog!
3. List 6 random facts about yourself!
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post!
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by commenting on their blog!
6. Let the tagger know the entry is posted on your blog!

This is hard! But, here we go....

(1) I took gymnastics for 14 years and was an award-winning cheerleader in high school. Needless to say, I'm obsessed with the Olympic gymnastics right now.

(2) I was hit by a car when I was in 4th grade. Obviously, I'm ok but I was on crutches for two weeks. And, my parents saw the whole thing.

(3) Jim and I only dated for three months before we got engaged and were only engaged for 5 months before we got married. Hey, when ya know, ya know, right?

(4) I was assistant to the CEO of McAlister's in college - very, very cool job.

(5) My guilty pleasure is trashy reality shows (The Hills, The Real World, etc.) and trashy gossip magazines (US Weekly is the BEST!!!)

(6) I am related to some famous people. On one side, I'm related to the Mannings (Peyton and Eli). And, on the other side, I'm related to Jesse James (yes, the outlaw) - and the one I am a little embarrassed about (we just found this out, do NOT judge me) - Barack Obama. Oh yes, that's right. On my mom's side, we are related to his mom. Don't ask me how, it's an incredibly long story. All I know is that we are related to him...and I really don't even want to know that.

Ok, now that I'm done, I get to tag 6 people!

I tag Jenny, Emily, Suzanne, Shelley, Monique, and Kristen

New Babies = New Blessings

Well, I've made it through the first week at my new school. I must say, I absolutely love it. I have 21 precious first graders that are so eager to come to school and learn. It really puts a new meaning on what I am called to do. It's amazing how six year-olds can bring so much joy into your life. It really makes me appreciate what God has laid before me. He has shown me so much just over one week that makes up for a year's worth of doubting. I feel as if these kids need me so much and it makes my heart so full when I see one of them light up because of me saying something simple as in, "Yes! Great job!"

They come to school and just want to learn so badly. They are always wanting me to see their work and tell them how proud of them I am. It's sad to think that they don't always hear that, except for at school. It makes me realize what a huge responsibility I have. I'm posting a few more pictures of them working at their centers. Please pray for me as I continue this year. I'm so excited to see what will happen in Room 5 of McNeal Elementary!

P.S.

I'm having difficulties posting the video, but I'll get it up when I can. In the meantime if you want to watch it go to YouTube and it's a skit to Lifehouse's song "Everything." I think you can type in Lifehouse Drama Everything and it should work!

Blessings!

What a week of blessings this has been! I have been in professional development all week long, and most teachers would say Yuck! But, I have to say, the ones I have been in have been so touching and motivating. I am so blessed to be working in a school district that is so in need of good teachers who have a heart for the kids that go to the schools there. I found out some statistics this week from the district and they are overwhelming. Sad, sad, sad stories of dropouts, failures, and other things that are heartbreaking. I am so glad to be a part of this district who is yearning to grow and I'm so excited about going back to the little boys and girls who need me so much. The most touching thing that I heard/saw this week was at new teacher orientation. They put us on a school bus (with no air) and took us to the neighborhoods where our students come from. Now, I've worked in Jackson schools and have seen some bad things. However, they did not even come close to what I saw in Canton. Some of the living conditions are absolutely heartbreaking and it opened my eyes and made me realized how INCREDIBLY blessed I am. Now, after experiencing this week, I'm sure of where my calling is!

Speaking of blessings, I've posted the following video. The youth drama team at our church did this last Sunday and it had me in tears. Watch first, and I'll explain my take on it:



As I watched this, I was reminded of the past few months I've had. Some of you know what I'm talking about. For others who don't, just trust me when I say that it's been no fun. How good Jesus is that he holds back all of the things that Satan uses to bring us down. I'm so thankful to have such a loving God who knows just when to come to my rescue. Even if I have to fall flat on my face to get it. I'm so excited about this year and all of the blessings that I know I will receieve. I'm going to have a class blog, but I don't have it completely set up yet. When I get it, I'll let everyone know! Have a great weekend!

Anniversaries and Broken Internets

Have you ever not been able to have your internet for days? It's no fun - especially when you're not on a trip or anything, you're in your own house, in front of the computer! For ONE WHOLE WEEK, our internet hasn't worked. And, for some reason, our internet provider (which shall remain nameless) didn't really care that it was broken and never showed up to fix it when they said they would. FINALLY, today we got it back! And you know what? It wasn't even their fault! Our virus protection somehow got messed with and blocked everything. So, I guess that's what I get for complaining. Anyway, it was no fun having to go to Jim's school to check my email, etc. But, now we're good!

Our one year anniversary was Monday! I can't believe it has already been a year. It has been SO WONDERFUL, and Jim is a saint - that's all I can say. Since he puts up with me on a daily basis, he will definitely have many jewels in his crown. Along with our internet being messed up, our camera also died - right before we were about to take our first anniversary picture! I'm a little upset that I have no pictures to share. We went to Char, ate our wedding cake (which was still VERY good), and watched our wedding - I've watched it several times, but you have to do it on your anniversary too, right? Since I have no anniversary pictures, I want to give the website for our wedding pictures (which I LOVE). Just click here and type in Tolbert-Peacock wedding under "Find your photos" and they should appear. You might have to scroll through a few other ones, but they're there! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think of them!

New and Exciting Things (and yes, Jenny, I'm finally updating)

I was informed by my sweet, sweet friend Jenny that she has been disappointed that, everytime she checks my blog, she finds nothing new. Well, here it is! The past month since I last blogged has been busy and somewhat of a roller coaster! We've been to the beach, visiting family, etc. Also, I had decided that I was going to try to switch careers for a year to evaluate if teaching is for me. So, for a couple of weeks, I set out on a mission to find a new job. After several weird things happening and doors shutting, I decided that God obviously didn't want me to do that. I was almost positive that He was telling me to branch out into other fields! Here was the catch - I never knew where to go or exactly what I wanted to do. I seriously applied to 30 jobs and I just couldn't understand why I wasn't hearing things back or why I wasn't getting any jobs! Well, my mom (you can always count on mom) lovingly explained to me why - in somewhat of a harsh voice, because she knew I wasn't listening. She simply said, "You have nothing to offer these people!" And that's when it hit me. I don't! The business world is not concerned with elementary teachers. They want people who can do business. Well, obviously, I can't! That's when I decided that it was MY will to do something else instead of HIS will. It's so hard to stomach the moment we realize OUR will isn't always HIS will. So, I decided to do some reading, soul-searching and praying hard - I asked specifically that if I was supposed to teach, then He would put this overwhelming passion for teaching back into my life (I have been lacking that for a little while). And before I knew it, I was so ready to jump back in full-force! But, I knew that I needed to go back to the inner-city kids. Some people reading this are probably going, "What? Are you crazy?" And, yes, I probably am. But, I know that's where my heart is. When I worked with them a few years ago, I felt as though my cup was so full. Lately, I've been feeling half-empty and I feel like God is putting me back there to do what he orginally wanted me to do. And I want to be where He wants me - that's where amazing things happen! I am so pumped about this year. I will be working at a great elementary school in Canton with either K or 1st grade. I want to re-vamp everything and do it as if I'm completely starting brand new. I'm up for a challenge and I'm convinced that this year is going to be wonderful! So, I ask that you pray for me as I start this new journey. Since I know I'm in God's perfect hands, I can do anything!

Jim's Dream Come True - Tiger Tour 2008

Because Jim is an LSU alum, he is a die-hard fan. One of his student's parents invited us to go to the LSU Tiger Tour 2008 last night here in Jackson. It was a banquet with coaches, the mascot, the National Championship trophy, etc. It was very fun, and not being a big LSU fan myself, it made me appreciate it a little more. Here are a few higlights:


Jim with the National Championship trophy - he wanted to kiss it, but we decided it wouldn't be a very appropriate thing to do since we were at the Jackson Country Club.


Us with Mike, the mascot.


Football coach, Les Miles, giving Jim his autograph.

I have been told that since I am married to a die-hard LSU fan, I must also become one. So, I guess I'll say (not so loudly) Geaux Tigers!

We're Back!

We're back from Disney World! It was such a great, great trip. We were gone for 8 days and spent 5 of those at Disney. We felt like little kids! Disney is a great place for all ages, I think. There were tons of older (like 60+) couples there by themselves enjoying all of the fun! Yes, we were there during Gay Days 2008 (I apologize if I offend anyone reading this). However, although we saw some interesting sites, it wasn't bad and we hardly saw any at all. We did come to one conclusion: one requistion for our kids to be able to go one day is that they WILL have to be able to walk. We saw little tiny babies there in the Florida heat. They looked as if they were about to die in their stroller (I'm sure I looked the same - without the stroller, of course). We definitely want to take our kids one day, but it was so fun with just the two of us. No agendas, no plans - it was great! Here are a few pictures to highlight our wonderful trip!


Of course, Cinderella's castle




Mickey, Minnie, and Dale entertaining us while waiting for Epcot to open



We were bored in a store - yes, that's Buzz Lightyear on my head and some sort of Mickey concoction on Jim's head


We ate at a restaurant called 50's Prime Time Cafe - great place! This was our table/booth. Every place to sit resembled a kitchen from the 50's era and a TV playing old TV shows in black and white. We loved it!


Because we were first in line for the Rockin' Roller Coaster one morning, we got these VIP tickets to this:

Fantasmic! THE BEST show at Disney! We got to sit in a VIP section of about 20 people in a 7,000 seat theatre (full, of course) and we got free coke! It was exciting because we never win anything.


Ok, this is in Animal Kingdom. It took me a minute to figure out what it was, but, alas, it is a frog. This frog was bigger than my face and I am not kidding. I had to take a picture of it because it was probably THE most disgusting thing I have ever seen!

As you can see, we had a great time! I have MANY more pictures, but it would take about 3 blog pages to post them all. We are glad to be back and can't wait to go again!

One Great Birthday! (Another long one, but worth it!)

Yesterday, I entered the "Quarter-century Club" (as one of my friends called it). It was such a wonderful birthday! First, Jim woke me up at 5:30 - yes you heard me right, 5:30 (we're still doing things in school time). He cooked breakfast and brought me my present. I got my "big" present last week. I got to go to O, Susanna (a really great store, but I cannot afford it outside of my birthday :)) to get a makeover and get all new makeup. Great present! And, yesterday, he got me a wallet I've been wanting. But, the best part, to me, was the card he got me. Let me give you a run-down of our story. We met at church and were pretty good friends for a long time. We started dating and in three months were engaged. Then, we were engaged for 5 months and got married. All of that in 8 months! I know it's fast, but hey - when ya know, ya know! I'm going to write what the card said, because it is TRULY our story, very neat. Here we go:

(First page)
Once there was this guy.
A nice guy, really.
And he met this girl.
An incredible girl - truly amazing.
So naturally the guy falls
head over heels in love with her,
and pretty soon they're picking out
china patterns and rings
and there's a wedding
and the starry-eyed couple
rides off into what will surely
be a rosy future.

(Second Page)
Okay, so now some time has passed
and the guy is living in that future.
He's still married to this girl,
but now their life includes a lot of stuff-
appliances and bills and loads of laundry
and home repair projects.
But between all the to-dos and have-tos
there are these moments
when the guy stops for a minute
and looks around him.

(Third Page)
He looks at his wife,
who is still truly amazing.
He looks at their life together,
all the ways and different
directions it's grown.
He looks at all
the responsibilities he's got,
and he thinks to himself,
"So, this is my life."
And then he thinks,
I am one lucky guy."
Happy Birthday, I love you.

(Followed by a sweet note).

I sat there and cried because how perfect is that card for us! From the "pretty soon" part to all of the responsibilities we now have (we just bought a house). I love this card. I will keep it forever. It was my favorite thing from yesterday. He's so thoughtful!

I went to eat lunch at Basil's (so good) with my cousin Melanie and then ran several fun errands because it was my birthday and I deserved to spend some money, right?Then, we went to Julep to eat dinner and watched several episodes of our favorite show, Family Guy. I know it's trashy - it's our guilty pleasure. It was a great day. My family comes tonight for another birthday party! I love birthdays!


This is us before we went to eat. Yes, I know it's off-centered. We were using the self-timer and couldn't ever get it right, so we finally just chose this one.

We're going to Disney tomorrow - so I won't post until we get back. But, I'm taking LOTS of pictures and will have lots of fun stories to tell, I'm sure (we will be there during Gay and Lesbian Pride week - not planned, I promise!). Have a wonderful week!

Side Note..

I was watching "Regis and Kelly" (which I haven't been able to watch in quite some time), and I was thinking about my previous post. I'm afraid I made my house sound like a complete pig sty (spelling?). It wasn't at all, I just wanted to clean extra, extra good. Please don't think we're filthy! Thanks...

Memorial Day Fun (sort-of)

Our Memorial Day was pretty uneventful, but it was fun spending the entire day with Jim. We went absolutely nowhere, which is RARE. But, it was very nice. We cleaned our house all day. I'm talking serious cleaning - the kind where you have to be in a super cleaning, Martha Stewart mood. It took us 5 hours! We dusted everything possible - windowsills, baseboards, everything that could be dusted or Windexed, we did it. We vacummed every inch, swept every inch, threw away a TON of stuff that we should have done when we moved in. It was a great cleaning day! Now, I look at my house and I am actually realizing that my house is such a prize and blessing. Isn't it crazy that it had to be REALLY clean for me to appreciate it like I did yesterday? I think I haven't had time to do that because of the constant coming and going that we do. Spending an entire day in my house making it beautiful makes me love what I live in. Does that make any sense whatsoever? I feel like I'm having one of those moments where I know exactly what I'm talking about, but no one else does right now...

Guess where I'm going in 4 days??????? DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so, so, so excited. It's an early anniversary trip for us, plus it will give us time to get away for a while. We'll be there for 8 whole days! What a great trip! If anyone has any dining tips, we would greatly appreciate them. We're having trouble deciding on places to eat - we don't want to eat at places that we can eat at here. Thanks, Ashley, for giving us some great tips that we are definitely using! However, if anyone has other tips, please let us know. I want this to be an amazing trip!

Sad Endings, New Beginnings, and Early Birthdays (it's a little long...beware!)

The past 9 months have been a learning experience and growing time for me. I have been teaching at a great school but have realized that I need to seek out for not somewhere better, but a better fit for me. To be frank and honest, there have been some miscommunications, confrontations, and other situations that have caused me to take a step back and examine some things. Some could have been as a result of some different personal things going on in my life, but I think most were miscommunications. I apologize to different parties reading this that think otherwise. However, I am grateful for those situations. I have grown as a teacher and as a person. I'm excited about what God has in store for me and what he will do in my life. Praise God for tough times - I haven't been able to say that for quite a while. I have learned that it is a privelege to be tested - that means that he is showing you something and is trying to use you in a way you wouldn't notice unless he uses a trial to get your attention. My friend, Jenny, played a song for me the other day at school called "God of Our Yesterdays" by Matt Redman. That is my theme song for the present time. I STRONGLY encourage you to find it listen to it. It is such a fit for such a bittersweet time. During the past several months, I have made some life long friends and I am so thankful for these people who have made laughed with me, cried with me, prayed for and with me, and were amazing, amazing friends. I love all of you so much and our friendship doesn't end within those four school walls. Below are some pictures of those people (sorry if I didn't get a picture with you - I still love you!). Looking forward to "circle time" again really soon!


Monique, Melody, me, Denise, Jenny


Mandy, Kathy, Katie, Sarah


Sorry, Jenny, I thought it was funny...

I LOVE Y'ALL!

On a lighter note...

My in-laws gave me an early birthday party Friday night because they will be out of town this week (just a hint, my birthday is Thursday if you are interested ;). We went to Amerigo and then back to their house for a small party. I had decorations, gifts, and my favorite - CHEESECAKE! I forgot to take pictures, but I did happen to get one of my and my sweet husband. This is a really bad picture and he doesn't want me to put it on here because he says he looks sleepy. Sorry Jim!

A Little Survey

Tagged

Tagged by my sweet friend Jenny (who called me "Anna the Peacock" when she tagged me. Long live this incredible inside joke!).

Maybe I should - start cooking more. We seriously eat out every night!

I love the smell of - foot lotion (weird, I know. But, it's minty and it makes it smell clean), white out (again, weird), mom's lasagna, Honeysuckle lotion, Bounce dryer sheets, Old Spice Red Zone deodorant (Jim's got it and his fragrance is called Swagger - we only got it because of the name - hilarious)

People would say that I- need to stop worrying so much about things I can't control.

I don’t understand why - I seem to be more pessimistic than optimistic. My glass truly, truly is half-full, not half-empty.

When I wake up in the morning - Ok, here's my morning ritual. At 5 AM, the LSU fight song wakes me up (Jim's alarm). He immediately jumps up to go work out. He asks me if I want to join him (the answer is ALWAYS no). He comes in at 5:30 to wake me up, I say come back in ten minutes (5:40). So, then he comes in and I ask for 5 more minutes (5:45). So, he comes in, and once again, I ask for 5 more minutes (5:50). This time, he comes in telling me I absolutely have to get up to make it to work. That is why my hair is in a ponytail every day. This seriously happens EVERY SINGLE MORNING. Can you tell I'm not a morning person?

I lost my willpower to - give up diet coke. It's so hard! Something about the carbonation I think....tea will NOT cure the caffeine headache.

Life is - full of more blessings than I could ever count. I'm praying each day that God would open my eyes to see those wonderful blessings he pours on me and my family daily.

My past made me - thankful for the present and hopeful for the future.

I get annoyed when I - hear the alarm clock go off and when I get a song in my head that doesn't need to be there. Why does it always have to be one with a dirty word in it - and the part that has the dirty word in it is the part in my head!

Parties are not a good time to - talk about negative things. Enjoy the company that surrounds you!

Dogs are - something I need!!!!!! (Hint, hint Jim - my birthday is May 29 if you have forgotten. This would be an ideal present).

Cats are - near to my heart - both of my childhood cats had to be put to sleep :( But, Jim is allergic, so I guess I won't be able to have one!

Tomorrow is - a new day.

I have low tolerance for - people who backstab you, pride, people who think they are better than you and let you know they are (or think they are)

I’m totally terrified of - spiders (me too, Jenny), bad weather

I wonder why I thought my life would be - this is a tough one. My life has always been wonderful. I have always hoped and prayed it would be. There are tough times, but it is a great, great life.

I always knew I would - marry somebody like my sweet daddy :) And, I did - same morals, thoughts, spiritual life, maturity, etc. Amazing how God works.

Never in my life have I - been able to draw. I want to be creative and draw cute things!

High school was - ok. A learning process.

When I’m nervous- my stomach hurts, I shake, and freak out and act all stupid..

One time at a family gathering - I don't have any particularly funny stories. I love all of our family gatherings because we have some characters all around. They're all great times.

Take my advice - listen to your mama and God

Making my bed- is Jim's job. I've never been a bed-maker.

I'm almost always - singing or humming.

I’m addicted to - Diet Coke!!!!!!!!! Praise the Lord for the person that invented this amazing creation.

I want someone to - apologize for some hurtful things (enough said) :)

Ok I tag, Ashley, Suzanne, Sarah Smitherman, and Emily.

Hats Off To Mom (a little late..)!!

I know it's a little late, but I want to dote on my mother (in honor of her day)! I have the most amazing mother. She is a solid rock of encouragement and faith. She is such a strong, selfless woman. She is always putting others before herself and she always makes sure her family is taken care of! She is a Godly woman, who always seeks his will first. She is so driven and determined - let me elaborate. She has been a nurse for 25 years. However, TODAY, she started school to become a teacher! I am so proud of her that she has the strength and courage to completely start a new career. I know she will be a wonderful teacher and I am so proud of her!

I love you, mom! God blessed me with an incredible mother and I couldn't ask for a better one!

A Little Excitement!

Not too much to blog about on this end, but I did want to share a little excitement (No, I'm not pregnant...that seems to be the million dollar question among people at church these days). Jim and I are going on a couple of vacations this summer and I cannot wait! I'm SUPER pumped about the first one - Disney World! We are going on an early anniversary trip for 8 days! My parents are letting us use their timeshare and we are staying at a fantastic resort!! Then, my mom called this afternoon and asked if we would like to go to Savannah, Charleston, and possibly Myrtle Beach over July 4...hello...yes! It's little things like this to look forward to that get you through the days/weeks. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week! God bless!

"I shall not be greatly shaken..."

"He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken."
Psalm 62:2

I was reading the Bible and came across this verse. It touched my heart so much that I almost broke into tears. The past month has not been a fun one for me. Lots of various things have happened and are still happening that are bringing me down to a serious valley. Things that make me wonder about plans for the future and make me doubt. I'll admit, I haven't been in a place where I have even felt worthy of praying or reading, having fear my prayers wouldn't go past the ceiling. When I read the part "I shall not be greatly shaken," I realized that no matter what happens in my life to bring me down, God is sovereign. He loves me because I am his child, and he will not ever desert me. My sweet friend, Jenny, told me today that God is not going to leave me hanging and forget about me. When she told me that, I was reminded of what Philippians 1:6 says, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." He still has work to do in me and He's not through with me yet! I pray that I will remember this on a daily basis. His will and His timing are perfect! Praise Him that he knows my plans better than I do!

5 things...

Thanks, Suzanne, for tagging me! This should be fun...

five things on my to-do list today
1. work
2. go the the doctor (the dreaded visit we all LOVE)
3. spend time with Jim
4. go eat at Biaggi's!!
5. relax and think about nothing at all

five snacks i enjoy
1. diet coke - I know it's not a snack, but it's #1 in my book!
2. sundried tomato basil wheat things - I can eat a whole box!
3. chocolate chip cookies
4. Sister Shubert's sausage rolls
5. salt and vinegar chips

five things i would do if i were a billionaire
1. give to my church
2. be debt free (me too, Suzanne!)
3. buy a Land Rover - I've always wanted one
4. travel
5. put a swimming pool in the backyard

five bad habits
1. WORRY, WORRY, WORRY
2. sleeping too late
3. not wanting to wash my husband's clothes when he asks me (i HATE laundry)
4. texting WAY too much
5. being negative about myself

five places i have lived
1. camden, arkansas
2. ruleville, ms
3. brandon, ms (twice)
4. clinton, ms
5. madison, mississippi

five jobs i've had
1. dental assistant
2. administrative assistant to the CEO of McAlisters - awesome job
3. makeup artist at Merle Norman
4. bank teller
5. teacher

five people i want to know more about (a nice way of saying TAG):
1. Emily Tate
2. Kara Killough
3. Jenny Holloway
4. Katie Spence
5. Shelley Crenshaw

A New Goal/Hobby...

I (along with my mother and Jim) have decided that I need a new hobby. I like to do several things, but my absolute love is singing. If I could do it for a living, I would, hands down. I also like to play the piano. I have decided that this is what I want to do:



I love American Idol and I think this girl, Brooke White, is very talented. I can't play by ear, so I have to learn the music really well before I can sing with it. This is going to be my new hobby and my goal is to do it in church. I hope it works!

Singstar!

Playstation is a huge thing at our house (mostly with Jim). However, occasionally, I do tend to play Guitar Hero - this is an INCREDIBLE game if you have never played it - very addictive! But, tonight, we discovered something new...Singstar! We had some friends over and decided it would be fun for all four of us to try it. It's a karaoke game that you play on Playstation. There are several versions of it, but we have the 80s version. You battle back and forth between teams, having to get the notes and words right on all of these songs. You have to do it in microphones, just like real karaoke. Then, you get to playback your performance and hear how incredibly wonderful you did! It is great fun! We looked and sounded ridiculous, but it was all worth it!

We are having a wonderful Spring Break. We were at my parents house in Laurel until today and it was so nice to do absolutely nothing! I can't remember the last time we were able to sleep late and not have to be anywhere or do anything. I wish we had times like this more often!

Just a side note...I'm reading a book called "Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyer. It kinda goes hand-in-hand with a former post of mine that talked about strongholds. I HIGHLY recommend this book. I feel like every word on the page is directed right at me. I cannot put it down! It is amazing how God can use other people to send messages right to you! Sometimes, I think I just need a good slap in the face. This book is doing just that. It is so great...thanks Shelley for recommending it while you were at NW!

Spring Break! Hooray!

I know all of you teachers out there are shouting for joy for spring break! For some reason, I was more ready to get out this year than in the past. Just time for a break, ya know. I found out yesterday at 2:00 from my students that we have "Good Monday" off! I was so pumped. I sure would've shown up at NWRE at 6:45 Monday morning. The funny thing is, my husband has to go that day :) Sorry Jim.

This a pretty unproductive blog. Today, I'm finally starting to decorate my new house with pictures, etc. I have so much "stuff" that I don't know where to put anything. I have been here for a month, and you would think I have an idea where I want stuff. Nope...not even a clue. I enjoy this stuff, so I'm sure I'll have fun.

On another note....tomorrow night (Sunday) is our easter program at church. It is truly, truly amazing. The music is so moving. It starts at 6:00 and it's at Colonial Heights Baptist Church. Come!!

Recipes!

I got in trouble at work today for not updating my blog...excuse me. I'm still learning how the blogging world works (Jenny and Kara)! Last night, I cooked for Jim's family. I'm not usually a cook, so I was very proud of myself when I saw that it was a success! I thought I would share the recipes that I used! Enjoy!

Pecan Crusted Chicken (straight from Rachel Ray)

1 cup pecans
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup of honey mustard (I always use more)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 400. Grind the pecans into fine crumbs in a food processor. Transfer to a wide, shallow bowl and stir in the bread crumbs basil. Season with salt and pepper. Rub each chicken with honey mustard, then coat with the pecan mixture. Place on a nonstick baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Duhlish!

Broccoli Delight Salad

1 lg. bunch fresh broccoli but into pieces (4-5 cups)
1 cup raisins
10 strips of bacon, crumbled
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup diced red onion

Dressing: (this is what the recipe calls for, but I double these ingredients)

3-4 tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. vinegar

Put washed and well-drained broccoli pieces in large glass bowl. Add raisins, onions, bacon and sunflower seeds. Mix together dressing ingredients, pour over salad.

Delta Hot Pineapple Casserole (right out of my mama's cookbook and it is AAAMAZING!)

1 lg. can pineapple chunks
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp. flour
1 cup cheddar, shredded
1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 stick melted butter

Drain pineapple and reserve juice. Stir together flour, sugar, and 3 tbsp. pineapple juice. Pour over pineapple, which should be in a greased casserole dish. Cover with cheddar, then Ritz. Pour butter over all. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Draggy Day...

Have you ever had one of those days where you've felt like you have gotten absolutely nothing done? Today was the day for me! I know I got stuff done, but I feel like it was all a blur. I have so much busy work to do right now...so much that I think it has out-weighed my teaching! I think my kids felt that way too...they complained a lot today. They didn't feel like doing anything and really didn't do anything. I think it had something to do with the weather - cold and gloomy. We weren't able to go outside and I think the School House Rock video I showed for recess was definitely two thumbs down, according to them. I was entertained....


Last night we found out where the tornado siren is in Madison...right behind our house. I was sitting on the bed watching TV when, all of a sudden, I thought the world was ending and bombs were dropping. It was so stinkin' loud! I guess we'll never have to worry about sleeping through it.

T.G.I.F!!!

Thank the Lord above that it is Friday! It seems like everyday this week was a Monday.

Anyone that knows me well, knows that I am a HUGE hypochondriac. I think I have every life-threatening disease under the sun. A few weeks ago, I realized that it is a huge problem and that it is considered a stronghold. I read that a stronghold is "anything that exalts itself in your mind and consumes you, making the problem seem bigger than God." I have been brought to tears because there have been times where I have thought that I couldn't get over this. I know it sounds like a petty thing, but it sometimes keeps me from enjoying my everyday life! I have bought a book on this, and also a Beth Moore bible study (by the way, I LOVE HER). At the beginning of the study I'm doing, she writes a note about how she is praying that this will not be a REPLACEMENT for God's word. I realized that this is what I am making it. It is helping, yes, but I am learning to rely on her study more than I am on God. That's why I can't get over this crazy stronghold! It's very humbling when the Lord reveals something like this to you. I begged for forgiveness for choosing her words over God's words. I would find myself underlining things in her book and when I would start to worry, I would read HER underlined words instead of HIS. I just pray now that I can start to focus on the One that can deliver us from all evil! Satan is always prowling around us, like a lion waiting to attack. Sometimes, I feel like it's easier just to let him attack. It shouldn't be that way! It should be easier to stop and pray and realize that Satan is a liar and wants us to believe his lies. When we do believe them, he wins! I pray that I will stop believing his horrendous lies and start putting all of my trust in the Lord.

A Small Introduction...

Hello! Thanks to the wonderful Jenny Holloway, I now have a blog! I'm so excited, but I'm nervous! Please make me feel at home with this! For those of you who may not know a lot about me, here is a little intro:

I married my husband, Jim, in July 2007. He is amazing and my best friend in the whole world! We just bought a house in Madison and LOVE IT! He is a band director at Madison Middle School and I am 2nd grade teacher at NW Rankin. We go to Colonial Heights Baptist Church and we are both active in the music ministry.

That's us in a nutshell.

On a more serious note, a group of teachers were sitting around talking after school today, when the topic changed to tithing. We were talking about how this shouldn't be just a ritual that you do, but it should be an act of obedience. Yes, it should be habitual, but it shouldn't be something that you just do because you're used to it. It needs to be from the heart. I was thinking about that conversation on the way home and I was floored about how incredibly blessed Jim and I are. Because we were brought up in families who tithe faithfully, there was no question about whether or not we were going to do it when we got married. Because of this, I feel that God has so richly blessed us. Not only with possessions, but also with other things that are not of monetary value. Sometimes we may get an unexpected check or a piece of furniture that our parents don't need anymore. Then we have other blessings such as wonderful friends and families, our health, wonderful jobs, the list goes on and on.But we shouldn't tithe with the mindset of receiving in return of our tithe. I'm preaching to the choir here, but I think we should be happy to write that check knowing that it will help in furthuring the Kingdom of God. We should be happy to know that we are blessing others and should feel blessed in return!