whew!

Wow have we been busy lately! School started back with a bang on Jan. 4th with a professional day. Unexpectedly, Aaron and I traveled to North Carolina the next day to be with my family in the loss of my stepdad (Dale)'s father, Mr. Bobby Kenneth (Deacon) Jones. It was a beautiful time for us to share love with my family and nothing in this world could make me happier than being able to do that! The ceremony in celebration of his life was beautiful! It was truly inspiring to see so many people and hear their thoughts and memories. It also reminded me of the unmatched hope that we have that "so shall we ever be with the Lord." And we should "comfort one another with these words" always! (1 thess. 4:16-18)

The tide won the national championship! #13 woo hooooooo (makes for a very happy husband!)

I have been back to "teaching" for 2 weeks now...however, do I feel like I am "back in the swing of things?" No!!!!! I started this week observing/helping/tutoring with the middle and high school Spanish classes here at my school, in addition to all my elementary classes that I already teach. This new schedule has me in a tizzy! I am not used to getting up so early, and the hardest part is switching my mind back and forth between catering to young minds and older minds. IT's hard!

This weekend is super busy...it's the biggest youth event we have all year...BREATHE weekend! And, I'm not so sure I'll be able to sit and just breathe! It is packed full of worship sessions (Hello August!), guest speaker sermons, small group time in the host homes, Saturday fun time, quiet time, and delicious meals prepared by lots of adults from the church. Did I mention I will have a house full of junior high girls? I am looking forward to it so much because I always teach Senior high girls and this will be a wonderful opportunity to get to know these young girls that are in their first year of youth!

If you read this any time during this weekend, take a sec and pray for our students. They have really made us proud this year, but we want to see them take their relationships with Christ to a new level and we are believing that this weekend will be their time to do that!

I am so tired after just writing this and thinking about how busy my life is! So thankful, however, that we have jobs, steady income, insurance, friends, loving families, and God as our rock.