A Disappointing Journey???

One of the first houses I looked at I fell in love with. I knew right away, it was a price that was in my teeny tiny range, it was in a great location for very me, but before I turned around, it was gone. I have dragged my realtor to look at several other houses found another that I liked, then like the first one, of course it was gone before I was able to do anything about it. I think that this is when I decided that this was going to be a disappointing journey for me. Now there is the house on Helen. I do not get real estate. What the heck is a short sale? In my limited understanding of the English vocabulary, short means a little amount. So a short sale sounds like something that would go very quickly. My relator seems to indicate that this could take any where from a few weeks to a couple of months and that is not guarantee that I will get the house. So we are keeping the offer in, but continuing to seek other home. We looked at another today that I really liked. Best thing by far was the kitchen. It is older than maybe what I dreamed, a lot of it has been redone, lots of nice tiling, laminate flooring and what carpet is there is new. So I have told Cheryl to find out what she can and maybe this one will be it. I guess, I also do not really understand the market and how this is a buyers market. Wish I understood the whole thing a little more. Maybe my journey that I called disappointing will be over soon than later.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELLE!!!

Just wanted to wish my dear friend Michelle a happy birthday!! Michelle is truly a great friend who always take the time to call just to talk and see how I am doing and just cares about me. Hope you had a great day. There are pictures of us and some other friends.

Behind with Celebrations

JUNE 13-Mom's 60th birthday!!!!
Friday June 13th was mom's 60th birthday. I am thrilled that her and dad came to town and we got to go to one of her favorite places, Outback Steakhouse and it was delish!!! Mom and dad also looked at a house I am interested in buying and put their sill of approval on it. I am not sure about everyone else, but it is great to have mom and dad's approval when doing something like that. (Now that being said, I have not heard much about my offer, my realtor said that it is short sale and those can take some time. I am told by others I need some patience, but I am kinda on a time line with my lease being up on July 1st)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM I HOPE YOU HAD A FABULOUS DAY!!!!


JUNE 15- HAPPY FATHER'S DAY--Dad, Papike and Russell!!!!

Dad you are awesome, I hope you had a great day, and I was really sad that I did not get to see you on that day! Thanks for being understanding. You know I have always believed if I can find some guys half as great as I think you are, I will have a treasure. I l love knowing that I am and being daddy's little girl!!!


Happy father's day to my awesome grandfather Papike. If you ever ask him about me he will tell you that I am his favorite granddaughter. (No it does not matter that I am his only granddaughter) I still eat that up when he says that. Love you Papike and blessing to you.


Finally Happy Father's Day to my favorite father to be, my brother, Russell!!! I cannot wait for the day that my little niece comes into this world. What an exciting journey!!! I pray for continued blessing during this pregnancy and that the good news continues. Looking forward to August!!!

This is just a picture that I love that was taken at Christmas that has my mom, dad, Papike, and Russell in it. Of course me, John, Aaron, and Jeanette are in the picture as well.

The End of Another School Year

Another school year has come to an end. I might would say one of the most challenging years I have had. If every year was like this, I can see why the average number of years that a teacher teaches is only 7 years. (At least that is what have heard.) It so strange to enjoy a groups of kids so much, but also to feel like I have lived a year of such great frustrations. I end worried that I have not been the best teacher for some, know that I have been just what some kids needed, and kinda indifferent about others. I leave worried that middle school will eat these kids alive. Wondering if they will find someone who will care about there souls and spirits as much as I do. Concerned that they will just kinda be forgotten about. But also hopeful in the knowledge that I have prepared the as much as possible, believing that I have given them my best, and knowing that they are going to an awesome middle school. In case you do not know many of worries come from the fact that my class is an ESL class (English as a Second Language) so school is just kinda tough for them. They are not proficient in the English language, though their expectation is just the same as every other kid in the great state of Texas.

Though this year has been a challenge, I still love my job. I am blessed with this job when I am able to truly make a difference in this population of kids. Some of these guys have never been successful in school and success does come. It is different type of success for each kid.

I am truly excited about the summer and some time off, but I know that when August comes I will be ready to get back to work, with great expectations of another great year.

HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE PICTURES FROM THE YEAR:

I Am A Quitter

That's right, call me a quitter or a dropout. I will be the first to tell you if I am not good at something, I quit. Go ahead and tell me I am not giving it a chance, but I have discontinued my eharmony account. I gave it a chance, I gave it 5 months. That is long enough. It did get annoying to be "closed" by people who would say they were pursuing another relationship. Then may I ask you idiot guy, why are you still receiving matches? Why am I being matched with the guys between the age 40-45? That is a little too much of an age difference. I also decided it was not much of a self esteem booster anyways. Constant closing, little to not interest (except from some of the older gentlemen.) Really a waste of my time and money. I mean really the people they show on TV have to be paid cause I did not experience even a partial of what is advertised. I get the same news from my friends who have done. To me it just reiterated how very shallow many guys are. I would rather not be out there in cyberspace anymore. Please I do not think I really want to hear how great it was for and how everything worked out great for you. Just know that I do not mind be called a quitter.

$1,078

SERIOUSLY!!!! $1,078!!!! Car repair!!!! Stimulus check (and much more) here and gone in less than 3 days!!!

Last week I did something I very rarely do and missed school for absolutely no reason. (It was really kinda just to be spiteful but I am not going to fully explain that here) My very pregnant friend Kara had been on very restrictive bed rest for a little over a week and was given freedom to move about in fairly normal activity, just could not return to work, so I went to her house and we went to lunch. She commented on how loud my car was running and I blew her off saying that it is just kinda a loud car. I was not able to forget what she said and kept noticing that it was loud, but kept being hopeful that it would be nothing. (Yet another example of me being an avoidance person.) Mom and dad though were in town for the weekend and of course I decided I had to ask him to listen to the noise. He did and said I needed to get it into the shop the next morning at the latest and it sounded like it could be a transmission issue. SOUNDED EXPENSIVE and SCARY! So I left it at the local car dealership and waited and waited for the dreaded phone call. They finally called and she starts will good news it is not the transmission, but is something like a hub, not sure what it is, but she made it sound very important for my safety. (Something like it is what connects the wheel and the axle and if it totally breaks my tire could come flying off when I am driving down the highway.) She quoted me a repair of $598. I'm thinking perfect amount, the total stimulus check, awesome, money I did not expect anyways. Then the nice lady continue you also need this and that repair and your total will be $1,078 even. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! NO WAY!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!
OK so let's think about this find the positives..... The car is in its 7th year of life, it does have about 120,000 miles and I have had very little work done, I have not made a payment on it is two years, it has been a good car and I hope it will remain a good vehicle for at least a year to come! So there goes my stimulus check times two. If anyone is willing to send me theirs as well, you would bless my socks off and I will be very thankful:) I am thankful to have the car and the resources to take care of the car repairs. Hope everyone else day was less expensive than mine!!

Communities In School

Can I say enough great things about this organization? First of all, it truly shows love to our kids. It has the ability to care for them in so many ways. It can provide mentors, uniforms, food, school supplies, help for families with other social services in the community, ect, ect. I can not name all of the services. I can remember last year telling one of our social workers, Mary, "Thanks for loving my kids almost
(above me and Ms. Mary)as much as I do." I totally meant that, but there are many times that I think Mary loves my students more than I do. She calms me when I frustrated with the kids, helps me with the needs that I think that they have, helps me visit with parents, delivers food bags when my students forget them, more, and more, and more things that I can't remember or even know about.
Let me rewind to a couple of weeks ago, Mary came to me very excited. She said that she had nominated me for CIS teacher of the year and I was voted by the staff as the winner. WHAT??? Still not exactly sure why, and not completely convinced that I am deserving, but I am honored with this award. (MOM, DAD, and ME pictured to the right)
Last night was the gala where I received the award. Mom and dad were able to come. It was all done up very nicely. There was something called the Gallery of Successes and this really nice wall done in my honor. There was a little paragraph written about me, a quote from Mr. Crockett, my principal, a picture of me and a student, and a letter that a student wrote to me also. Dad took at picture of the wall with his camera and maybe I can add it later. It was truly amazing and very honoring.
(MARY, MR. CROCKETT, and ME)
It was a fun night with great food, music, and casino games. There was a little silent auction. Mom bid and won something and Mr. Crockett won something for me!!!. Thank you Jimmy!!! How fun!!!

A great big thank you to CIS for getting the community involved in the lives of our students and meeting their needs. Thank you partnering with me to help the precious children and for finding ways to help. You amaze me with the help and care that you provide.

Visit cisnt.org to find out how you too can serve the kids all over our community.