2009

I hope everyone has a wonderful year in 2009. I'm super excited about it.

I also want to wish a belated Happy 30th Anniversary to my Momma and Daddy! Yesterday, December 30, was their 30th wedding anniversary. I know it was so great to spend part of it worrying about me and my wreck. They are an amazing example of what a wonderful marriage should be like. I only wish that I can be so lucky in my marriage. You both are the best and I love you very much!!!!!

I'll be back later with pics of Micah and me chilling at the house since I can't really move around and do anything else. Also, I'm going to decide what I'm going to try to accomplish this year and think about what I accomplished in 2008.

Happy New Year!!!!!!

Blessed

As the year ends, people are looking back on 2008 and thinking what went well and what they are thankful for. Today I am thankful to be alive.

I was in a really bad car wreck this afternoon going down to El Dorado to spend New Year's with Micah. I got up this morning and cleaned out my car, which those of you who know me well, know that that was a HUGE undertaking. I washed my car, vacummed it, and was super excited about going down there. Well, God had other plans for me.

Anytime I get on the highway, I always say a little prayer that God will watch over me and protect me no matter what and to help me get to my destination safely. He did that in a way. I made it back to Conway safely this evening, had my faith restored in the kindness in strangers, and just am so thankful that he was protecting me.

I"m okay and the other person is okay. It happened on a stretch of highway where they are changing the two lane into four lanes and a wreck pretty much happens there daily. I saw the other person at the hospital later this afternoon and since he hit his head, they are going to keep him overnight for observation, but I think he will be all right. Say an extra prayer for him, also.

I was in East End, which is about 20 miles north of Sheridan. I didn't know anyone and if it were not for this angel named Jana, I don't know what I would have done. Both my airbags deployed, my front bumper was about halfway under my hood, my windshield cracked, everything in the back ended up in the front, and Bonnie, who rides up on my shoulder, had fallen down onto my chest. I know that that is not the safest place for her at all, but the vet that examined her told me that it probably saved her life because she would have been squashed or thrown in the car or her carrier would have be thrown. I am all right except for lots of bruises on my stomach and chest. ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEATBELT!!!! I have a bruise line where my seatbelt was and if I had not been wearing it, who knows what would have happened.

I did go to the hospital and got some chest x-rays, but they were all clear. I did not go until I knew my dog was all right, which is not very smart, but it's how I was thinking. This angel, Jana, stopped to check on me and stayed with me when she realized that everyone close to me was way out of town. She held Bonnie when I talked to the police, she found me a vet and drove me there, and then she drove me to Baptist to the E.R. She is also a teacher and was like, "We teachers have to take care of each other". Just a wonderful, wonderful saint. It really gives you hope for the world and reminds you what is important in life. I only hope that one day I can help someone else just as much as she helped. This little girl who was with Jana told my friend Jamie when she got to the hospital that Santa was really great to her this Christmas and Jesus was really great to her friend Jennifer (me) just now. She was so happy that they were there to be saviors for me. This lady will forever be on my Christmas card list and you can be darn sure that she is going to be getting a sweet thank-you and something special that I will make for her. It also goes to show how much strangers can teach each other and how that little girl learned that you can really touch someone's life. She loved Bonnie by the way and kept wanting to hold her.

All is well and remember that God is good, all the time! Say an extra prayer of thanks to your guardian angel tonight!

Happy Anniversary!!!!!!!

Today is the 1 year anniversary of Micah's and my first date. I'm not really sure if I wrote that grammatically correct, so if I didn't--I'm soooo sorry!

Last year at this time, I was nervously getting ready to go to Mike's Place and meet up with Mr. Micah Cabe Fullerton. He was already in Conway, having driven up from El Dorado and already visited Conway's Best Buy. Best Buy is his favorite store. ever.

We met for dinner and had a great time. I, of course, talked a lot. Micah, of course, was a great listener. I had the gulf shrimp and I think that Micah ate the pork chops. This would be the point that my sisters would be rolling their eyes at the fact that I still remember this.

When we got done with dinner I was like, "Okay, lots of fun hanging out with you!" and Micah was all, "Well, we don't have to be done right now. We could hang out and do something else." I said, "Well, Conway doesn't really have a nightlife scene." He said, "We could see a movie". So, off we went to see I am Legend.

I didn't tell Micah that I already knew what happens in the movie because Victoria had told me. I was glad that I knew already because I was kind-of scared. We got done with the movie and then we left. Micah asked if I wanted to hang out again and I was like, "Totally! It was really awesome." He left thinking, "Totally? Does that mean she had a good time?" Ha-ha!

Turns out I did because here we are 1 year later!

Pictures

Christmas Tree 2008

Micah with his "Yooooouk!" shirt

Micah opening his Old Navy pants

Me with some of my presents from Micah--not pictured Friends DVD and a blue scarf

I'm going to have to rely on other family members for pictures from the family Christmas because I did not think to take pictures at all. At least I'm getting some of these pictures uploaded now since Blogger is being semi-cooperative.

Christmas

Close-up of ice from the ice storm
My Driveway and street

View of my house

I hope everyone had a wonderful, happy Christmas! I had the best Christmas ever!

I sang at 4 p.m. Mass and then had Midnight Mass. Micah came up in between the two masses and then we went to Midnight Mass together so I could sing. When we got back, we opened presents and then on Christmas morning we drove up to my Mom and Dad's house for Christmas festivities up there.

When we arrived we opened presents right away. I got a Kindle!!!!!!! Jeal-ous?!?! I'm super excited about it. It can store tons of books and it's really awesome and totally recommended by Oprah. For a big reader like me, it's an awesome gift. My sis Alex got me the Pride and Prejudice disc set. I'm soooooo excited about that! Me and Mr. Darcy! Yea! Mary Margaret got me some fabulous Mary Kay products. If you are in need of Mary Kay stuff--talk to MM--she will hook you up! Victoria got me a "J" koozie and some very pretty chopsticks.

Micah's presents were super awesome. I couldn't wait anymore to open them, so when we got back at 2 a.m. after Midnight Mass, we got to open presents. I got two gorgeous scarves, 2 fabulous big purses, some pretty earrings, and the first season of Friends DVD disc set. My sisters and I are obsessed with Friends and pretty much quote it all the time. I know have seasons 1, 5,6,7, 8, 9, and 10. I'm almost there to a full series. I love it. I got Micah a Razorback hoodie (I let him open it early, since I got the tickets to the Christmas Spectacular), a "Yoooouk! can do it shirt" (he is a big Boston Red Sox fan), 3 pairs of flannel Old Navy pants, and Fallout 3. He is super pumped about the pants and Fallout 3--I know he loved all his gifts though!

Micah and I came back to Conway on Saturday. Friday night we went out to Grub's to meet up with my old High School buddies. It was great to see everyone! Saturday we went shopping up at Pinnacle after the horrible storms moved through and we ate a bite at P.F. Chang's.

Blogger is being difficult, so I'm having trouble uploading some pics. I was able to post some from the ice storm we had a couple of weeks ago.

Baby it's cold outside!

As I'm writing this it is 14 degrees outside! I know that it's much colder in other parts of the state and world, but that's pretty darn cold!

I cannot wait until Christmas. It's only 3 days away!!!!!! I'm excited about seeing my family and friends over the holiday, but I'm also really excited about opening my gifts. I've had 4 gifts from Micah under my Christmas tree since Thanksgiving and I have not been allowed to open any of the presents. I haven't even peeked! It's been driving me bananas not to open them, but I can be patient for 3 more days.

Part of my Christmas present came on Thursday when we went to go see the Christmas Spectacular presented by the Rockettes. It was FABULOUS!
Our seats were amazing and we had the best time. Seriously, I was grinning like a little kid the entire performance. I told Micah it was the best Christmas gift ever! He told me to wait before I made that distinction because I haven't opened my other gifts under the Christmas tree.

I also found my camera cord, so am now able to post pics from my camera. Hallelujah! I'm also going to post some pics from the ice day that we had last week. It made that last week of school totally awesome in that it didn't last very long. We came back Thursday--had Christmas parties, came back Friday--left at 1 p.m. I loved it!

Micah and I will be spending Christmas with my family up in Fayetteville. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

Jeal-ous?!?

I have another SNOW DAY.

Ode to a Snow Day

This time of the year is wonderful because we are celebrating the birth of our Lord and it's a great time for families to get together. However, this time of the year also is wonderful because it means that there is a chance of the coolest thing ever. A SNOW DAY!!!!!!!

I realize that as a teacher, I am not really supposed to have this love of the SNOW DAY. Perhaps it is because the already crazy students will be even wilder when they come back, since they are shaken from their routine. Maybe it's because we will have to 'make-up' this day in May or June. Or it could be because I'm supposed to be an adult and not love things like a SNOW DAY.

Well.

I totally am excited because we have a SNOW DAY on December 16th!!!!!!!! I know that we get out for Christmas break this Friday at 1:00 p.m, but I really wanted a break for just one day. I'm going to sleep in and then lay around in my bed for a while. Then, I'm going to get up and organize things, wrap Christmas presents, and just relax. Also, they called school off at 6:00 p.m. tonight, so I don't have to stay up, watching for my school's name scrolling across the bottom of the t.v. screen, just for that tiny flare of joy at realizing that I don't have to go into school tomorrow.

A SNOW DAY. Utter and complete bliss.

Let me count my blessings!

As we near towards Christmas, I'm tempted to count my blessings. I am always aware of my blessings, but Christmas is a totally appropriate time to count these blessings. I don't think it's fair to be this happy, but as this is a time that has brought some sad memories, I'll take being really happy this year. The last several years have been kind of hard at the holidays because we lost my wonderful Grandmom and Pop-Pop. I know that they are happy in heaven, but it's made the last couple of holidays kind of sad because we all miss them so much. This year it seems to be better for me. I'm sad, but I'm also excited about the holidays and all the glory that goes with it. Here are some of my blessings:

• My family. I don't think you could ask for a better family. I love my Momma and Daddy sooooooooo much. They have taught me how to be me and they have done a rockin' job at it. My sisters are the absolute best. I don't think I could come up with words to describe how much they mean to me. My Sissy---who else would I want to spend every Sunday with?!? My family in general just completes rocks my world to no end.
• Micah. He is just the most wonderful person in my life. We met right about this time last year and this past year has been beyond describing. He's so great and makes me so happy. P.S. I already got some of my Christmas present and it's two tickets to see the Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes next Thursday. How totally completely wonderful and awesome is that? Plus, he laughed when I got the tickets and (jokingly!) said, "Wow! I wonder who I'll pick to take with me!" Of course, Micah and I are going. =)
• My faith. I do spend every Sunday at two Masses and it does make my weekends kind of busy. However, if I didn't have that in my life, I imagine it would be hard to make it through the week. The weekends that I don't have two Masses don't really seem complete. I am just happy and blessed by my faith.
• My friends. I have pretty awesome friends. I have ones that I've been friends with since Junior High and some that I've made from working. I also have some that my Mom pays them to be my friend. Just kidding! I do have awesome friends. It doesn't matter how often I talk to them or maybe not so often if they live out of state or even out of the country, we seem to just pick up right where we left off. My friends are awesome. P.S. I'll see some of you at Grubs on December 26th at 9 p.m.!
• My job and students. I am truly happy at what I do. Even on the days that I'm tired and it's a bit difficult, I love it. My students rock. They are the best. Even at this time of the year when they are bouncing off the walls because they are sooooo excited. They always make me smile.
• My pets. I have two cats, Serendipity and Bloomsbury, and a dog, Bonnie Blue. I love those animals so much. They are so funny. Bonnie is totally smaller than the cats, but she doesn't realize it and wrestles with them all the time.
• Little things in life. It doesn't seem like much, but it can be that little thing that makes you smile. I always try to find something to be positive about every day. I was told last night that even my handwriting is happy. This person said that they felt like they should be happier just looking at it and they decided that they were. It may not be a big thing to most, but to me it made me smile.

I know there are more to list, but for right now, these come to mind. It's great time of year to be with your family and to do family traditions and make memories. I am going to try and make it through this last week of school before our holiday break and then we can all start preparing for one of the best days ever. January 15th. =)

Where, oh, where art thou, Camera cord?

I can't upload pictures because I cannot find my camera cord. It's way upsetting. Maybe this weekend I can find it.

Right now, though, I'm not too bothered because I am watching The Santa Clause. I'm so loving holiday movies. I went to Target and got Elf and then a two disc set of It's a Wonderful Life and White Christmas.

This weekend is all about holiday cooking, so if you are in the Conway area, stop by. I'll have holiday goodies to munch on.

Not much is happening in life right now. We are just trying to get through school to the holiday break. Students are bouncing off the walls and I am singing "The Twelve Days of Christmas" in my sleep.

I wouldn't trade it for the world though.