Sunday, September 30, 2012

Lottery

My husband and I were having a conversation recently about what we'd do if we ever won the lottery.  We've had this conversation before-Just what we would do should a lottery ever fall on our lap?  Here is my list...

Donate some to my church and schools I've worked in
Set up a lifetime care plan for each of my kids
Set up our parents with all bills paid
Purchase a handful of acres and build a rustic country home right in the middle
Do not quit my job too quickly
Develop a college scholarship fund for high school seniors
Volunteer
Travel to my list of places I've always wanted to see
Go eat at a restaurant and pay everyone's bill

Okay, this is all I could think of right now.  Money certainly isn't everything, but it sure was fun to think what would I do if I suddenly grew a money tree in my backyard.  Well, it didn't happen so I will be grateful for the richness I do possess in life-family, health and love. :)

What would you do?



Happy 4th birthday to my niece Victoria!

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Teaching....again :)


I can't believe what I did today!  I know I say I have a hectic schedule...and I do!  I really do!  But, I couldn't help myself.  Today I went to drop off my high school son for his catechism class.  There was a LONG line of people waiting to be told where their child's class was going to be for the year.  I managed my way to the front and before I could ask where my son belongs, I hear the director over the CCE program tell several parents "sorry there is not a teacher for that class, please give us a call later this week to see if that changes."  After hearing him say that over and over again, it gave me a stronger urge to step up.  (Luckily, my son had a teacher!) So, I decided to step up to teach CCE at the elementary level.  I am so excited, but also nervous!  I hope I am not getting in over my head with everything I have to do.  I guess the plus is that I don't have little ones to worry about so that takes that pressure off of me having to worry about a sitter?  I did do this a LONG time ago so it isn't totally new.  Regardless, I am excited to TEACH again.  And what good blessing it is to teach about my faith?!  Looks like I was placed there for a reason....Stay tuned!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Eleven Years later

Eleven years ago today I was getting home from work and was sitting in front of the TV in awe of the events that had occurred earlier that day.

Earlier that day I was "in a class full of innocent children," as the song goes.  I remember quite clear that I was with my first grade students and one of our classroom aides popped her head in my classroom and said an airplane just crashed into the World Trade Center.  It didn't quite register right away.  I thought "World Trade Center?" that sounds so familiar! It's funny how the simple things leave your mind when you are caught off guard. Not too long after, she came back to say another tower got hit.  My immediate reaction was, wow...sounds like we are being attacked.

I turned my classroom television on.  I put the volume on low and faced it towards the window-basically where only I could see and not my students.  The students were naturally curious once worried looks filled the faces of adults.  The only thing I could say to my students was that something has happened in our country, but we are safe.  We are okay.

Eventually parents started one by one coming to pick up their children.  At the time I didn't understand why they felt it was safer to be at home than at their school.  I later realized that it wasn't about safety, it was more about security.

Eleven years later and it seems as if it was not very long ago that these events happened.  It is a day we can't forget and shouldn't.  It was a day that changed us as a nation.  It didn't matter the color of our skin, the language we spoke, the side we voted on...the only thing that was important was that we lived in a great nation. It mattered to be an American.  

May we never forget...may we always remember...September 11, 2001



Monday, September 10, 2012

Lately...


Lately...

Sunset on our way to my brother's house
Celebrated my nephew's 12th birthday
Celebrated my grandmother's 42x2 (according to her) birthday

Three generations...my daughter was missing and it would have been 4 :( 


Got my haircut and color by my daughter's friend! 
Hanging out with my son

Visited Galveston

Swimming at the pool with my daughter-Labor Day weekend

My cousin's birthday balloons

We released the balloons in honor of what would have been my cousin's 24th birthday.
And.....

Visited The Rainforest Cafe for a late night dinner in Galveston.



Yes, it's been a busy few weeks.  It's non-stop at work and these are just some of the precious moments I got to squeeze in between it all.  Whew!  You'd think I was running a marathon lately!  Nope!  Just living life the best I know how...and feeling quite blessed all the while...