Two Teeth and Strep...Again!

Just a quick update...

Logann now officially has two of the cutest teeth I have ever seen, seriously! The first one came through on Sunday, and the second made its appearance this morning! It feels so strange to have little Logann bite me! She has also been using her little chompers to eat some crackers! I can't believe she is getting so big! Pictures of said teeth are coming soon ( I would post them tonight, but she is already in the bed, and I don't want to wake her up for a photo shoot!)

In other news, Matthew has strep...again! Please pray for a fast recovery so we can hit the pool! He had strep a few weeks ago, and got better rather quickly. Chris and I both had it about a week after him. I finished my antibiotics, but I found out yesterday, that Chris only took about 3 days worth and then quit! Dr. J says Chris is the culprit. Chris and Matthew are both now on antibiotics, and MORE new toothbrushes have been bought!

Not Me! Monday

Welcome again to "Not Me! Monday" hosted by MckMama! Her
fabulous blog carnival was created to take the pressure off. Here
we are on another Monday! Happy reading to all!

This week, I most certainly did NOT skip not one, but THREE
inservices. This is NOT summer and I do NOT hate to spend
the day listening to information that I have either A: already heard,
or B: that I am so aggravated by the power point that I do NOT
want to run out of the room screaming! I do NOT already have my
required five for the year, and do NOT need more days for
re-certification. I did NOT enjoy the days so much because, in fact,
it is NOT summer!

This week was also NOT my anniversary week. I did NOT contemplate
not making plans to see if Chris would even know it was our
anniversary. I did NOT give in and surprise him with the gift of a
childless date night! We did NOT have a fabulous time eating at
one of our favorite restaurants...just the two of us! We did NOT refuse
to go get our children and take a turn through the ever-popular
Target. We did NOT stroll through the store like we had never
been there before. We were NOT home by 10:30...because we
are NOT old farts who can't stay out too late!

I do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT need to lose weight. I was NOT doing
so good until Chris had his wisdom teeth taken out. I had NOT
lost about 25 lbs after having Logann. I HAVE NOT gained 11 pounds
back from said weight loss. I have NOT told myself every day
that I will NOT start working out again. I have NOT started
eating more healthy. I am NOT just missing the exercise part.

AHHHHH! I feel much better!

6 Years...Happy Anniversary!

Six years ago, Chris and I said "I do." I am so happy to be married to this hard-working, sweet man. With God's help, we have created many happy memories. Here are a few pictures (of pictures, because we have no digital photos of the wedding) for you to see! I pray for many, many more happy years together!

I Don't Know Why...

I have been SO blessed....



with happiness,



with joy,



with fun,



with sweetness,



with love,



with my beautiful children,



with more than I EVER dreamed of.

I don't know why, but I am so thankful!!!!

I did not post a "Not Me!" last week, so I have a load to get off my
mind! So...let's begin, shall we?

Sometimes, I do NOT leave the room my children are in to
put away laundry, visit the restroom, or make lunches or
snacks. This week, I most certainly did not leave my children
unattended for mere minutes, to come back and find Matthew
putting his big toe in Logann's mouth. I would NEVER leave their
sight and most certainly have NOT taught Matthew better
baby-sitting skill than this! Matthew did NOT have
a "powder fresh" mouth after licking my deoderant. I did
NOT figure this out by smelling his breath. I also did NOT come
into my bedroom, at another point in the week, and find Matthew
with a whole bag of powdered donuts dumped out on the floor. He
would never do such a thing, because he is NOT my child and does
NOT have my love of sweets! I DID NOT just laugh and go get my
camera to keep this memory.

This week, my husband, mother, and I did NOT all come down
with strep throat! We definitely did NOT get it from Matthew,
who did NOT have strep about 1 1/2 weeks ago. Chris and I did NOT
lay around all pitiful this weekend. And...for some reason, I think
because I am NOT the mommy, I did NOT have to take care
of Logann EVEN THOUGH I was just as sick as
Chris!!! I do NOT have an issue with this...no, NOT me!

While at the doctor's office, when offered a steroid pack, I most
certainly did NOT accept it because I know what crazy energy it does
NOT give me. Yesterday, while the sickest, I was NOT up
doing laundry, dishes, giving baths, cleaning the microwave, and
picking up the house. I would NOT ever take drugs for the extra
perks they provide....let's hope I am never
offered anything addictive!

I'd like to thank MckMama for this blog carnival that allows me to
share my many imperfections. Visit her site to check it all out!

"My Baby Is Getting Married !"

Rachel and I have been best friends for about 13 years. She became a mommy to a sweet little boy almost two weeks ago. Last weekend, I took Logann to see Tyler. I think it is always a best friends' dream to have your children marry each other. We have joked and talked about it a lot over the past few months. As I saw them laying on the blanket together, I knew that it truly is highly unlikely that Tyler and Logann will get married, but I did come to the realization that ONE DAY, my little Logann will get married. For that matter, so will my little Matthew. I know it is A LONG WAY off, but it hit me like a ton of bricks! I have been praying a lot already for the people my children will one day marry. It's amazing what moms think about! Though Tyler would make an excellent husband, if he is ANYTHING like his mommy and daddy, only the Lord knows the plans He has for my children. I look forward to seeing His plans unfold, and I plan on enjoying EVERY minute! I hope you enjoy the sweet pictures of Logann and Tyler!

Goodbye Sweet Girl

I must say, registration day is an interesting day at the beginning of every school year. You meet twenty-plus children and their parents in a few short hours. They look around your room, sometimes share problems and family situations, pay fees, get a supply list, and leave. You spend the next couple of days trying to figure out what your year is going to be like.

A sweet, quiet girl was brought to school by a bus on Registration Day this school year. No parent, no fees, no questions, no words. She did not speak...I wasn't sure if she knew any English. She would giggle and tuck her head when I spoke to her, but never gave an answer.

The first day of school arrives, and you try to see if you can recall the names of the students you met on registration day. You automatically begin assessing each student. You give them "fun" activities so you can assess their writing skills, their listening skills, and a variety of other abilities. You quickly delve into testing each child's vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, computation, and verbal skills. You give timed tests, computer generated tests, and math tests. Tests, tests, tests! You try to see what your students know, and who needs help.

A sweet girl knows no sight words. She reads zero words per minute. She does not know how to add, subtract, read. Does she know any English? After working with her for a while, I come to the realization that she only knows part of her ABC's, some colors, and some shapes. Still the same sweet giggle and the shy look.

You get into contact with her teacher from the previous grade and location. She tells you that she's probably an illegal, and that she just "put her in front of a computer" and tells you that you "shouldn't worry with her much." What??? This infuriates you, and you are determined to help this girl learn to read and to feel successful.

You work with this sweet girl every second you get to. You read to her, teach her ABC's, show her flash cards, and do everything that you can think of to help her. A few months after school begins, she is beginning to talk more and more. She is learning.

A sweet girl came to America with her father. It was a traumatic experience. She had to leave her mother and brothers and sisters. She longs for her mother. She talks about how her dad does not love her mom anymore and how she misses her mom. She is embarrassed so easily when talk of mothers comes up in the classroom. She tells you that she wishes you could be her mother.

I sit and listen in amazement as this sweet girl reads a first grade book to me at Christmastime. I get tears in my eyes. I tell her over, and over, again how proud of her I am. I hug her and tell her how smart she is. We keep practicing and she keeps learning.

You wrap up your school year. You clean, move furniture, average grades, return books, and prepare for the end of school. You think about each student and the progress they have made throughout the year. You try to determine if each child is ready for the next grade. She can read at (almost) a second grade level. She gets along great with her classmates. She chats and plays. She comes and tells me stories like other children in the class.

Today, I said goodbye to a sweet girl. I knew today would be hard. I knew that telling her goodbye would be so very difficult for me. She stopped in the doorway and looked at me. I told her how much I love her and that I am so proud of her. She tucked her head, giggled, and said, "I love you, too." My heart hurt. I pray that the love of Christ that I tried to show her this year, is something that she will remember. I am not sure where she will go to school next year, or if I will ever see her again. Goodbye sweet girl!