Where has the time gone?

I'm such a bad blogger!!!! So sorry!!!!

Since I've last blogged, a lot has been going on.

First off, we had 3 snow days! I know some of ya'll are thinking--"3 days---that's nothing!"---but, down here in the South, that's quite a bit. The funny thing was, no one was expecting it!!!! I woke up Monday, February 7, and turned on the T.V. (like I do every morning) and then heard the newscasters say something about checking for school cancellations. I was like, "School Cancellations?!? Jennifer's confused? Jennifer didn't know we had a chance of snow!" At this point Jennifer's Momma is hanging her head in shame that her very own daughter was not up-to-date on the latest weather happenings. (FYI---my Momma is the QUEEN of all things weather.) Totally kidding on the shame because NO ONE was prepared for this snow--even the forecasters! So, when I started hearing some of the school closings that were close to my school, I started thinking that maybe I would get a snow day this year. I started watching the closings at the bottom of the screen with an intensity that would have won an eye-staring contest. Then, I saw it!!! I actually screamed. I couldn't believe it! Then, I jumped out of bed and headed to the window and looked out. I saw the biggest snow that I have seen since I've lived in this town for the last 12 years! It was unbelievable. So, at that point I did what any normal, teacher person would do. I called my aunt, who is also a teacher, and talked with her about what she was going to do on this glorious snow day. Then, I called my fiance, who had just finished working graveyards. And then, (reference to one of my favorite movies!!) I ate some breakfast and promptly went back to bed. All of this happened before 6:15 a.m.

Well, that fantastically awesome snow day turned into TWO snow days. Then, a THIRD snow day!!!! That's right. THREE SNOW DAYS!!!! Crazniness. So crazy, that they took away our day off on President's Day so we don't have to go so long in the summer, which is great, but I would have loved that day off. =)

I also won not ONE, but TWO contests from different wedding blogs! I got some free stickers from Uprinting--contest hosted by Joy. Then I won some awesome postcards from Vistaprint----contest hosted by BP Wedding. We are going to use the stickers for various wedding projects and the postcards for our Save-the-Dates! SO EXCITED!!!!!

I picked up my wedding dress, fell in love with it all over again, and had a trial run of the trial hair run. Did that last part make sense? I went in to get my hair done by my fabulous friend, Shawna, and I was talking to her about how I wanted my hair done on my wedding day. When we got done, she fixed it so I could get an idea of how it would all look. It was so great and it wasn't anything that we really worked on. We were just kind of halfway going through it. The funny thing is that I had to go to karate afterwards, so I clipped it up and went through my 1 hour+ class. Then, after class, took the clip out and guess what....my hair still looked beautiful! Uhm, that hairstyle....definitely a keeper!

Last, but not least, I test for my BROWN BELT!!!!!! So exciting. This is a test that I should have done back in August. That's right. You read correctly. August. Of 2009. It's February. Of 2010. Somehow, when it came time for me to test, I just didn't. I totally freaked out. I became my worst critic and just did not think that it would work for me and I couldn't do it, so I didn't even try. So not the right thing to do! I mean, come on! I'm a teacher! I'm supposed to set the example.

Here's where I became the student and let my students help teach me something:

I can't let fear control me. I can't let the unknown terrify me. I have to trust my instructors, trust my friends, and most importantly, trust myself. For me, this was a HUGE test to past and belt to earn. It represented so much more than just another karate belt. It was a reminder to myself that I am strong and I can deal with any challenge that is presented to me. This is a great thing for me to think about as Micah and I head into this new and exciting chapter in our lives. There is so much ahead that is unknown for us. Unknown wedding date, unknown place of living, unknown, unknown, unknown.

BUT, this is known....Micah and I love each other. Apart we are the strong people our parents have raised us to be. However, together we make the unknown less scary because, despite the fact that it's unknown, we get to face it together. That's what I have to remember each and every day. And I do. I do.