teaching school is the job for me, i just can't help it:)

Hey friends. Long time, no blog, I know. We're still enjoying life in Tennessee. The summer has been eventful and fun! About a month ago, I got to fly to Texas to visit some family and friends. Best of all, I got to SURPRISE my mom at her retirement party...sooo fun! My mom was a fabulous teacher for many years, and it was an honor to be there to celebrate with her! Here is a copy of the letter that I wrote for her retirement. But, first a couple pictures of us! The first one was right after she first saw me...SURPRISE!

Dearest Mama,

In reflecting upon your upcoming retirement, I want you to know that because of you…

I work to create a classroom environment that’s loving, welcoming, and warm.

I want to make every child feel loved.

I try to give a little extra love to those who are harder to love.

I look for strengths in every student.

I survive off of hugs.

I sit in the floor.

I touch children that are not clean.

I wipe noses and bottoms when I need to.

I listen to each child’s story.

I work to develop a sense of community within my classroom.

I try to look at learning through the eyes of a child.

I try to make learning fun and engaging.

I watch children play.

I play with children.

I realize the value of relationship with other teachers.

I try to encourage other teachers.

Thank you for making me want to be a teacher. When you were worn out or frustrated with the job, those things did not consume you, because teaching and engaging with little children is who you are. Teaching has never just been a job for you, it has been your identity for many years. I know you are going to miss spending your days with three and four year olds, but I am thankful that you are moving on while you still love it. You are not waiting until you burn out just to draw a paycheck, afraid of what the future holds; you are closing a very full chapter, anxiously waiting to open the next one. You will spend your days with family, with friends, and with lonely people who need a friend. You will do chores and run errands for people who need help. You will make things grow in your garden and cook delicious food in your kitchen. You will share both of those with other people. Whether these things fill your days or you decide to take up quilting, open a restaurant, or run for school board, I know that whatever you do, you will be a blessing to those around you. Thank you for all that you have done to make me who I am today.

I love you!

Mindy

My teaching career is about to shift gears...A LOT! In just a few weeks, I'll begin teaching 6th grade English. I LOVED teaching first grade, enjoyed my short stint in 4th grade last spring, and am looking forward to a new challenge in 6th grade! During my mom's 25 years of teaching, she taught everything from Pre-K three-year-olds to high school seniors. I am thankful for her loving wisdom as I embark on this new adventure! Middle school here I come:)

Pepperdine

Last week we got to go to Southern California to the Bible lectures at Pepperdine. 

Some of the highlights from our week in no particular order:

enjoying the beauty of God's creation

late night conversations with Keith, Bob, Lourene, and Laura

visiting with ACU ministry friends

visiting with ACU mentors and professors

lots of good food

playing in the ocean with Laura

thought provoking lectures and classes

time with aunt, uncle, and cousins

praising God through song

learning some awesome new songs from Zoe

and now for some pictures....

a day at the beach with my sweet SIL, Laura....soooo fun! it doesn't get any better than the ocean! WOW! I loved every bit of it...waves are one of my favorite parts of creation! All of the metaphors in scripture that compare God's love to the depths of the ocean came to life for me more than ever! 

a day in LA...fun and relaxing

and here's a glimpse at what we ate....yikes that's a lot of food! but it was all soooo yummy:)

pandora

Hi Bloggy Buddies, 

I just have to share with y'all my new favorite thing...it's really not all that new, but I've recently become really into it:) Pandora is free internet radio and it. is. so. cool. 

You create your very own radio station that only plays stuff you like. You tell it which bands and artists you enjoy and it plays them as well as other similar stuff. For example, if I put in The Fray, it might also play Snow Patrol, or if I put in Eric Clapton, it might also play BB King. So, it introduces me to new music and a lot of times it also plays stuff that I've heard and I like, but I don't know who it is. 

You can skip songs that you don't like, and they won't play them anymore, but that rarely happens, because pandora is smart:) Also, when you hear a song that you really like, you can tag it to remember what it is, or click right on over to amazon and buy the mp3. 

It is fun! If you don't already have a pandora station, you should make one:)

Since we're talkin' music...here are a few of my current faves: 

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

Coldplay

Robert Randolph and the Family Band

The Fray

Natalie Grant

Danny Gokey

Kris Allen

Who are your current faves? Maybe I'll add them to my pandora station:) 

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent."

--Victor Hugo

new friends

Since we've been in Hohenwald, everyone has made us feel so welcome and at home. We are thankful for our new friends and church family. They have been loving and hospitable. We've shared lots of good meals, conversation, hugs, game nights, ball games, laundry nights, and shopping trips. Here are a few pictures with some of our new friends. 

Several weeks ago, Margaret and I hosted a middle-school girls slumber party. We had the best time with these sweet girls. We played Hoopla, ate junk food, danced, did pedicures, and watchedA Walk to Remember. It was so much fun, and made me feel both young and old at the same time:)

The next weekend, Kaye and Margaret went with me to a retreat with the ladies from Skyline Church of Christ, where Keith's parents minister. We had a wonderful time. Charme Robarts shared her heart for Jesus and challenged us to live hospitably, reminding us that Jesus' hospitality was so much more than just having friends over for dinner. It was powerful! While we were there, we got to do the zip line! Kaye and I were adventurous, and after much debating, decided to go for it, and it was SO MUCH FUN! 

spring break

My parents came to visit us for spring break. It was so good to see them and show them our new home! We relaxed, toured, and ate lots of good food! When they got here Saturday, I was soooo excited and hugged them tight! I was really excited to show them our house, and they loved it! Then, we toured Hohenwald, went to the antique fair, and had dinner at The Junkyard Dog. We loved having them at church with us on Sunday and introducing them to our new church family. 

Saturday:  having fun at the antique fair

Monday: We enjoyed breakfast at Hardees, then headed to Columbia to return the UHaul trailer. They brought the rest of our stuff from Abilene; there were a few things that wouldn't fit in the truck when we moved including our grill and lawn mower. We had lunch at Marble Slab...yum! That's my kind of lunch:) Then, we toured the rest of Lewis County. We saw the Natchez Trace Parkway and Meriwether Lewis's cabin and burial site. We went out to Yoder's Market, a traditional Amish market, and got some cinnamon rolls, and sandwich stuff for later in the week. Then, we went to the local butcher shop, got some delicious steaks, and Keith grilled out! Yum! We'd missed our grill! 

Meriwether Lewis is buried here

chillin at his cabin 

Yoder's Market

Tuesday: Not only was it Saint Patty's Day, but it was also Mama and Daddy's 30th anniversary! We decked out in green and headed to Nashville to tour and celebrate! We hit up the famous Loveless Cafe for some delicious biscuits, country ham, and red-eye gravy! Then, we toured the city, saw all the big houses, walked down broadway, and had some yummy burgers at Ruby Tuesday!

hangin out with Minnie Pearl and Roy Acuff at the Ryman

Wednesday we cooked breakfast, ran errands, and worked on the house, enjoyed sandwiches from Yoder's, spent more time with our church family, and had dessert with friends. Thursday morning we all filled out our NCAA brackets, had chocolate gravy, a Hohenwald favorite, and hung out at home. Mama and I were crafty while Daddy and Keith watched basketball. Mama and I both got cricuts for Christmas, but hadn't had much time to use them, so we had fun figuring it out and even put some scripture on the living room wall! Thursday night we met up with Keith's parents and had some delicious catfish at Little Josh's near the Tennessee river. 

We relaxed together on Friday morning, fixed some Tennessee pork barbque for lunch, then said goodbye. What a great week! I am so thankful Mama and Daddy were able to come visit! They made it safely home Saturday evening after an 1, 800 mile journey! 

we moved again...

but this time it was 2 miles instead of 800:) 

here's the story...

Back in October we came to Hohenwald for Keith's interview and our first visit. As we were driving around, we came upon this CUTE little street...

Mindy: Oh my goodness, I LOVE this street!

Keith: Yeah, it looks nice, but there aren't any houses for sale.

Mindy: Look at the cute matching tree in front of every house.

Keith: Ummhumm

Mindy: Couldn't you just imagine trick or treating and Christmas caroling down this street with our children some day:)

Keith: You're weird.

Back in Abilene, after deciding to take the position and move to Hohenwald, we began looking at houses for sale online, and I was crossing my fingers, that something would open up on "that street that I love." And eventually one did, in early December, about a month before moving, we hit the road headed for Hohenwald in search of a house. We looked at several houses, including the one on that street, but it just wasn't what we were looking for, however, while we were looking, I couldn't help but notice the *oh so cute* house next door that had some sort of sign in the yard, but it wasn't a for sale sign, and it appeared to be vacant. I kept it in mind, even though we'd never seen the inside and didn't know much about it. During all of this looking, our house in Abilene hadn't sold, but we knew we had to find somewhere to park the UHaul in January. After sharing this with our new elders, one of them had an empty rental house they graciously let us stay in while we transitioned, waited to sell in Abilene, and took our time finding the right house to buy here. We were and are very thankful for that! Three months later, our house in Abilene still hasn't sold, but, remember that *oh so cute* house on "that street that I love"? It was for sale....and the owner is letting us lease it for now, and will put our rent money towards the price of the house when we sell in Abilene! Oh yeah, and somewhere along the way we saw the inside and loved it as much as the outside:) So, a week and a half ago, we packed it all up and moved again! Without further ado, here is "that street that I love" last week. Yes sir, that's right. On Sunday morning, March 1st, we woke up to 6 inches of SNOW and it was BEAUTIFUL! (and of course that meant NO SCHOOL on Monday, perfect for sleeping in, breakfast date, and unpacking!)

And here is our street this afternoon! This weekend spring sprung! Temperatures made it up to the mid-seventies and our Bradford pear trees bloomed! Aren't they pretty:)

our house on March 1, 2009

our house on March 9, 2009

be mine...

Thanks to Jennifer's FUN idea, several girls in our little blog community participated in a Valentine's Day gift exchange. Today, I came home to a PACKAGE!!!! Yay! Doesn't everyone LOVE a package?!! As I walked closer, I saw that Carissa shopped for me! Carissa is a sweet ACU friend; we were in club together and had some education classes together too. 

Now, almost as fun as finding the package, is OPENING the package! Carissa got me some fun and festive goodies including candy (which I've already eaten way too much of!), valentines garland, heart-shaped ice trays, bubble gum, and erasers (which my 4th graders will LOVE!!). Thank you Carissa!!

Hope you all have a good Valentine's Week!