Peanut Update!

Well, I am officially, as of today, entering into the last week of the first trimester!

I had my doctor's appointment on Monday, and, being a first time Mommy-to-be, I had a little scare. For the next few appointments, the doctor is going to introduce himself or herself, shake my hand, whip out what I am assuming is a hand-held version of an ultra-sound machine, find my sweet baby's heartbeat, tell me I'm still pregnant, and send me on my merry way.

Well, Peanut, apparently, did not cooperate with us on Monday. The doctor could not find the baby's heartbeat with the little hand-held ultra sound machine! That scared me, but the doctor and nurses assured me that it was perfectly normal for that to happen. They shoved me into a real ultra-sound room, and the millisecond we found Peanut, Peanut was moving up and down. It was SO awesome to watch the baby move-- I laughed. The doctor smiled at me and told me that if the baby is moving, then, obviously, it is alive and well. We tracked down a heartbeat, took a quick (but blurry) snapshot, and called it a day.


If you look closely (I know it is super blurry-- the goal of this ultrasound was not to get a picture, but it turned out to be a perk!), you can see the face; you just have to look down-- Peanut is hanging out upside down! :)

I have been really blessed to not be very sick. I have extremely random food aversions: I cannot eat ranch dressing or any creamy dressing on a salad, I cannot eat cereal when it is too soppy (so I have decreaed the amount of milk I put in it), and Mexican does not appeal to me the way it used to. I have been extremely tired, though that is nothing new for me. I have taken advantage of this break to just nap and sleep in. My back also occasionaly hurts, but I keep quiet about that because most people just tell me it is going to get worse. I have also had some pretty messed up dreams! I have only gained about two pounds so far, and I think that is simply because I had a weigh-in right after Christmas! My momma got me a work out video that is safe for pregnancy, and I cannot wait to get started on it.

I have procrastinated on packing long enough-- Chris and I are heading out of town for 5 days to North Carolina and Tennessee. We are SO excited! It's our Christmas present to each other.

2009 is looking to be really good for this little family, and I hope it brings many joys and blessings to all of us! :)

Happy New Year!

Peanut

I don't really know how to "break" this news in a creative way, so, since pictures can say a thousand words, I'll let this picture tell you our news:





We are pregnant! :) World, meet "Peanut McGee" Edwards. (the name will change... can you guess who selected it?:) )

Come July 8, 2009, Chris and I will have a new addition to our family.


"The Lord has been so good to me
I will on him depend
And every day, where'er I be
I will His truth defend."

I know WE can make it.

Some days, like today, when I am at school for 12 hours straight, planning and preparing lessons, I often wonder how, in the future, I will be able to handle being both a mother and a teacher, balancing the responsibilities of home and work.

But then I walk in the house after my husband's day off from work to find:
- neglected clean laundry folded up on a made bed
- a load of laundry being cleaned
- swept deck
- dinner made and ready to eat
- vacuumed floor
- organized mail
- clean floors

And, somehow, I know we can make it. It is a team effort.

Chris,

I am SO thankful to have you as a husband. You do more than pull your weight around here to help keep our house a clean home. You are understanding of my long hours and the extreme demand of my job. You take care of me. I don't deserve this! I love you so much.

We're here, I promise!

Chris and I are around and very well at this point... just super busy! :)

After missing one week of school, I have had to play catch-up. It has been stressful for a variety of reasons. At school, you cannot change due dates or slow down your work to catch up. It just keeps on going. This nine weeks, we are starting with a very complicated essay, and it has been stressful on the students and on the teachers. Persuasive writing is the hardest type, and that is what we are starting with! I had to re-plan and start from scratch this week, and I hope to see a breakthrough coming real soon. I am also in charge of redelivering and teaching teachers a SENTEO reomote assessment product and Differentiated Instruction, and, of course, SENTEO decided not to work for just 7th grade...

I have had a lot of hugs, thoughts, and support from that wonderful school, though, and I am so thankful to be a part of the MCMS family. We are the best!

Chris missed a whole week when his work does not have a bereavement policy for in-laws. Whoops! The good news is that his boss is super understanding and told Chris that if it was his wife, he wouldn't have even bothered calling in!

On top of this catching up and making up for missed time, we found a house to rent. So, in our spare (not free!) time, we are cleaning up and packing up here, and cleaning up the fixing up the new house we are moving to in three weeks (first weekend of October). We are really excited because it is a nice house in a nice area, and we have been looking for it for a long time.

I just wanted to post so everyone knew we were alive and well...

I need to grade some papers now and continue in my game of catch up!

A sweet note from an old friend

It comforts me (sometimes- it depends!) to know that I have the hardest part here. I know my Daddy is happy and rejoicing in heaven right now, not only with Jesus, but with his mom and dad, who he missed dearly.

Sometimes, when it is extremely hard to come to grips with why my Daddy had to leave us, I like to think that God just needed him up in heaven.

Why was my Dad needed in heaven?

I told many people at the visitation that the congregation grew so large in heaven that God had to add more microphones and sound boards, so He needed another sound tech to run the boards up there.

We got a note today from a former praise team leader that went right along that idea, and it made me cry at first, but now I smile when I read it. It says:

"At least we know he is in a place where the sound is perfect and the equipment never breaks down."

Amen!

I wonder...

When we got back into the car after the funeral, it was like God had picked the songs to play on the radio. First came the song by Third Day: "My hope is in You; show me Your ways; guide me in truth for all my days..." Then came my dad's all time favorite contemporary Christian song: "I Can Only Imagine."

When that song started, we all got real quiet, but, instead of being upset, I think the lyrics soothed us.

"Surrounded by Your glory
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you, Jesus,
Or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in your presence?
Or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing 'hallelujah'?
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine
I can only imagine..."

As I sang along, a question sprang up in my mind:

What did Dad do when he first saw Jesus?

Did he dance?
Did he sing?
Did he smile?
Did he fall to his knees?
Did he hug Jesus?

I guess I will get to ask Daddy when I get there one day.

And as Pat said at the funeral yesterday, we will spend more time together in heaven than we will apart on this earth.

A sad chapter of life begins

Dearest family and friends out in the blogging world--

Most of y'all already know this, but, on Sunday morning, my dad, Randy Throckmorton, passed away.

This was unexpected. I had just seen him Saturday evening, and he was happy and healthy. He went to sleep, and he just did not wake up the next morning.

My family is suffering a great loss, but we take comfort from the hope in our hearts that he is in a better place with Jesus.

Please, please pray for my family... especially my momma. She will have the hardest adjustment to make and many tough decisions ahead of her. I don't think it is real for us quite yet, but it will be real soon.

Thanks,

Kathi

My cup runneth over!

I had an excellent first week of school! It is the honeymoon period, mind you, but MCMS is a family to me, a place where I belong and truly enjoy being. I spend so much time there; being able to enjoy it is indeed a perk.

My sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and their family moved within half an hour of us! We were invited to their house twice this week for dinner! (Thanks for that, by the way... :)) What a blessing to be surrounded by and close to our wonderful family.

Mount Paran Church has been blessed with new families in attendance and membership. Spending my Sundays there and with my brothers and sisters is the best possible way to start off my weeks.

My husband is sweet. He has made me dinner this week and taken care of me as I got back into the stride of school.

Thank you, Lord, for the many blessings I have in my life.

The teacher is in!

Day two of school is over, and we are in full swing!

I just thought I would mention that to help explain the absence of posts here on this blog recently. Some exciting events to nte, however, are:

1. Our annual church meeting. The Lord truly blessed the meeting with great preaching and fellowship.

2. Laura and Deron moved to Georgia!!!! They are safe and sound in their new home, and Chris and I are SO excited that they are 35 minutes away from us now. It is such a blessing to have family so close.

3. School started. I am still in the honeymoon phase with my students, but I am pretty excited about the children that I am teaching. We are working on building a learning community so we can learn together, and they are really liking the concept. I am really looking forward to getting to know my students and helping them grow. On my first day of school, in my Bible study that morning, I read a passage that I feel really set my tone for that day and hopefully for my whole year:

Colossians 3:17: "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

That verse was so inspiring to me! Talk about choosing your attitude... I am supposed to teach in a way that glorifies God, always giving thanks to Him! He gave me this gift, so I know He will guide me, especially if I look to Him in everything.

4. Breaking Dawn. That book was released and, sadly, I am still working on it. I hope to finish it very soon. I don't know what I think of it yet...

Hmmm. Is there anything else? hah! I ask that, but I just listed a ton of stuff up there! We have been super busy!!!

I'm looking forward to some time of rest and relaxation.

Summer Is Over

The title says it all.

Today I began pre-planning for the school year. Though I am sad that the lazy and fun-filled days of summer are over, I was overflowing with joy reuniting with my MCMS family. I had nothing but smiles on my face as I greeted my colleagues this morning, talking about summer activities and dramas.

I have so many ideas bubbling in my head; I am eager to get the year going.
On days like these, I have no doubt that God created me to be a teacher.
I can rest assured that He is with me... even on those rough days. Remembering that is the trick, though.

The sooner we get this year going, the sooner we can get to some time off! :)

Guest appearance from the husband

I used to detest forwarded questionnaires, but upon reading Kathi and Beth's answers, I just had a strange urge to answer this myriad of questions. Maybe it will be the start of me contributing to this chronicle of our lives more often.

So anyway, here we go...

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? My middle name comes from my mom's Dad.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? When my nearly 18-year-old dog died two summers ago.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? It looks as good as it did in the third grade...so, no.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Whatever's in a Firehouse New York Steamer

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Not yet.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I would, but I'd probably get annoyed with me for monopolizing the conversation and for generally being insufferable.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? See answer to question #6.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yea.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Of course. If the chance of accident is better than getting injured in an automobile accident, I'll do it.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Blah...I've never liked it. Ever since Aunt Diane made me drink the leftover milk when we visited their house in Jesup...I developed some mental block about cereal. I'm not mad at her though. I was just a strange child.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Too loaded of a question...I'm skipping it (though it is an evidence of weakness to not take on the question, isn't it?)

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Ben & Jerry's Half-Baked

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Maybe eye contact. I have to catch myself. Staring into people's eyes doesn't freak me out at all, and that generally freaks people out.

15. RED OR PINK? Blue

16.. What do you like the least about yourself? Sinful nature...seriously. Doesn't everybody feel that way?

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My dog Baby. I'm lucky that I haven't had any immediate family pass away yet.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Uh, I don't care. I'll just creep around everyone's blog to see who does it and doesn't.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? No pants, no shoes. Hey, I'm just being honest.

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Turkey and Provolone on Sourdough bread with nine grain Miss Vickie's chips.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The Braves game on TV. Chipper just pulled his hamstring. The rest of my answers could be pretty dismal. My material happiness is easily swayed by the ups and downs of the Braves season.

22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? There is zero insight that can be gleaned from answering this question. None for you. None for me.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Kathi, Christmas, Fall harvest smells, Apples...I cannot express in words the optimism and peace that I feel at the first whiff of any of these things.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Mom

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yes, she's my wife.

26. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? Atlanta Braves

27. HAIR COLOR? Brown

28. EYE COLOR? Blue

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No, I have creepy, eagle vision.

30. FAVORITE FOOD? Jagerschnitzel, Chicken and Dumplings, Kinder products, many other things...I really cannot limit this...I am generally obsessed with well-composed dishes and fresh ingredients.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? When I was younger, I liked scary movies, but they're all just depraved these days. So, happy endings.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? The Dark Knight

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? White

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Fall and Christmas

35. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate mousse from this cafe in Geneva. The South also has a number of fat-filled, sugar shock delights. Never order a slice of cake in Bavaria Germany. It's like they forgot to put the sugar in.

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? No idea.

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? No idea.

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? KJV Holy Bible. Starting August 2nd...Breaking Dawn.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSEPAD? Nothing, I have a MacBook Pro.

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? Braves game

42. FAVORITE SOUND? Waterfalls. No contest.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? I'm deprived of a sound musical education. I cannot pick.

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Austria.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? No :-(

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Bremerhaven, Germany.

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Didn't this question get asked earlier?

If you want to share answers with me, copy and paste this into your blog and add your answers.

I'm so silly!

Back in January of 2007, I had to have an emergency root canal done on one of my front incisors. Apparently, back in my rough and tumble days of being a tomboy, something smacked me in the mouth and killed that poor wittle toothie! I am still thankful for the persistent hygienist who stubbornly believed that the discoloration on that tooth wasn't left over from braces. She saved me from a lot of pain! :)

Anyways... I had an emergency root canal completed by a dental endodontist. I went back to my regular ol' dentist to finish the work with a crown on my dead tooth. Well, they told me that I needed a temporary crown while the real one was being made in a lab, and here is where the silliness starts! I thought the temporary crown was an obvious fake tooth, so I went in panic mode (since job interviews were about to begin) and asked if the crown could wait.

My dentist laughed and agreed with me. He filled in what he needed to to keep my tooth from chipping or cracking, and told me that I didn't need to rush. Well, today, I got my temporary crown in... and I don't know what was wrong with me! It blends on in with my normal teeth... except for the temporary cement, but you can't see that!

I feel so silly, and this mistake is not cheap... Back in January of 2007, my parents and their insurance would have paid for it. Now I am paying for it with stinky state insurance...

So, if you are ever needing a crown, don't make the mistake I made! The "fake" tooth they put in for 2-3 weeks is matched and looks just like the real thing!

*sigh* Sometimes I really don't like learning things the hard way... but isn't that what being a grown up is all about sometimes??

I love these things! :)

Below you will find a survey that tells you about me... maybe you will learn something new. :)

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Nope!

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Yesterday, a few tears slide down my face when I was thinking about some stressful situations in my life.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes, I do! :) I even had a teacher who loved my handwriting and signed my yearbook saying so!

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Honey roasted turkey breast!

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Nope...

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I hope so!

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Indeed. I teach middle school, c'mon!

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Indeed! Never had that surgery! :)

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Since falling from heights is a HUGE fear of mine, I'd have to go with NO!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Cocoa Puffs! :)

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Only if I have to... even then I try to avoid it! :)

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Physically, no. Emotionally, no. :)

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Anything that involves dough-- cookie dough, brownie batter... yum!

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? I notice expressions, facial features, hair, cute jewelery.

15. RED OR PINK? Red-- goooo DAWGS!

16.. What do you like the least about yourself? My body. I am severely overweight, unhealthy, and just blaaaah.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My family-- they are all spread out-- VA, FL, MO, SC...

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? I will tag the lucky ones to complete this on your blog... :)

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Blue jeans and bare feet! :)

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Herb Chicken and Rice with mixed organic veggies! yummy!

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Reba's awesome advice on her TV show! :)

22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? hmmm... white.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? My husband's aftershave, my shampoo and conditioner, chocolate chip cookies fresh in the oven, febreeze, pumpkin spice, crisp mountain air...

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Chris, running late...

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Indeed! She is quite the awesome sister in law! :)

26. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? UGA College football, hands-down.

27. HAIR COLOR? Blonde (all natural, never colored in my whole life!)

28. EYE COLOR? Blue

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yesh.

30. FAVORITE FOOD? Chocolate chip cookies, any kind of chicken, pizza, and fries.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings... never scary movies!

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Home-- Pride and Prejudice (the new one); Theater-- Wall-e.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Navy blue

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer because I have it off! :)

35. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Fresh chocolate chip cookies...

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? We'll see... I highly doubt anyone will!

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I don't know... I am just doing this for fun! :)

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Rejoice by Karen Kingsbury.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSEPAD? How about I don't have one!

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? Blue Collar Comedy Rides Again

42. FAVORITE SOUND? Good music and harmony, rapids and waterfalls.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles!

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? California!

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Does singing count? :)

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Dunwoody, Georgia.

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Well... I am just doing it for fun! :)

If you want to share answers with me, copy and paste this into your blog and add your answers! :)

Last Week of Freedom...

And the end of July arrives. Summer went by way too fast, and now I only have a week left. Where did all that time go? The time that I was so eagerly looking forward to on Memorial Day Weekend?

I guess time flies when you are having fun?

Next week will mark the beginning of my second year of teaching. After a teaching conference last week, part of me is really excited to get it going. Bring it on! :)

Of course, I can't help but feel anxious about this school year. Last year was my first year of teaching ever. It was supposed to be a hard year. Indeed, it did have some truly difficult moments, like when a parent questioned my ability to teach her son due to my lack of seasoning with adolescents, or maybe when a student was hard to control at the end of the year, but those moments were few and far between. I had many excellent moments, like the Assistant Superintendent remembering my lesson plan, or my student developing a compound-complex sentence out of manipulatives when we were still learning compound, or when my students got really involved in our climate change research unit... just to name a few. All the happy moments, the triumphs, outweigh the bad ones. In short, I had a wonderful first year of teaching.

It makes me worry about this year. Is this the year when reality will bite? Is this the year where I will struggle under the expectations I set for myself last year? Is this the year I disappoint others? Is this the year I struggle with difficult, hard to manage students? Is this the year where I have kids who really just don't care and are openly defiant about it? Is this the year where I have kids who simply cannot and will not learn the content-- no matter what hoops I may jump through to get them to?


"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Phil 4:6-7

I've been praying about this coming school year and my anxiety towards it, and I feel that on Saturday I got an answer to my prayer. I cannot remember the verse exactly (and I think it was paraphrased), but it was on a teacher gift at a Christian bookstore. It's general meaning is that God gives you gifts and talents that you use well in this world. My friend also has a quote she uses that simply says that teaching is a ministry. Sooo... if I smash those two ideas together... God has given me a gift that I need to use to glorify Him. If I stay focused on Him, then He will guide me through the year... no matter what.

So, as characters on a show I watched growing up say,

Here goes!

Dreams Come True?

Having just recently returned from Missouri, certain thoughts always cross my mind, and a deep ache lodges itself in my heart for a brief period of time... specifically, the time it takes for me to travel through Nashville.

Every time we travel to Missouri (with the exception of the one time we moved my Grandma T.), we travel right through the heart of country music. When I was a little girl, my sister (who then shared the same love of country music and singing) and I would amuse ourselves by spotting the tour buses of the famous musicians we knew. As I got older, I would wonder what it would be like to be a singer, and I would often get lost in a daydream about moving to Nashville and struggling to make it big.

Recently, as in a few weeks ago, I drove through Nashville and felt an ache in my heart... a desire, a dream that has always been there that has been shoved aside with excuses coming back to the surface. Ever since I sang along wit Ariel when I was 5, I knew singing was something special and meaningful to me. My best friend and I would make up little bands and songs growing up. I joined chorus and loved it. I sang at church. I sang while I worked (to the annoyance of some I worked with). It was like breathing to me. It still is.

A few years ago, inspired by a friend, I made a list of things I wanted to do before I died. At the top of that list was to record a CD. That's all I want. I don't want fame. I don't really want to perform (I know I am not a performer!). I want to sing. I want the experience of singing songs in a studio and recording them.

If I still have an ache, a desire, then I can hope and pray that maybe sometime in my life, God will point me in a direction that allows me to pursue this life-long dream.

Making My Home a Haven

Every now and then, I find myself glancing over entries at the Biblical Womanhood blog. As a new wife, I am searching for guidance on how to be the Godly wife my husband needs. Though I cannot relate to everything posted on this blog, I find a lot of the entries very helpful and encouraging.

Today I read the Monday's Making Your Home a Haven series and was immediately motivated to make my home a haven, having just returned from vacation. In two hours I started laundry, cleaned the kitchen, unpacked our suitcases, put items where they belonged, cleaned the bathrooms, and cleaned the major walkways of our little home.

As I cleaned, I reflected on why making the home a haven is so important. At Biblical Womanhood, they want to spruce it up so the husband comes home to a haven, a place of rest and comfort. I remember one day during my spring break, I had spruced up the house, opened the windows downstairs, lit some candles, and began preparing dinner. Chris came in the door, and I will always remember his reaction. He was so thankful! He said it was so relaxing to come home to that environment, to smell the sweet fragrance of the candles mixed in with a spring breeze, to have a couch to sit down on, to have a place to put his shoes, and so on.

As a working wife, I feel I can appreciate it as well (along with my husband). From a lot of experience this past school year, I realized that after a long day, coming home to a kitchen piled high with dirty dishes, a living room with dirty clothes and books scattered everywhere, and a bedroom you can barely walk through just adds to the stress you feel at work. I come home, see the house in that condition, and then I just want to turn right around and walk back out... find somewhere else to go.

With all this reflection in mind, I would like to make it a goal of mine (with the summer of organization behind me) to keep my home a haven. I would like to have my Sunday evenings to clean up the house to get it ready for the week. I would like to beat my husband home so I can straighten up the house, light a candle or two, open up a window (weather permitting), and begin cooking our dinner. In general, I would like to see myself step up this year and be a housewife and a teacher... I kinda neglected my domestic duties in the craziness of last year.

I shall travel to Virginia next week, then I will come home and get back into the routine of getting up early, and hopefully get into an afternoon/evening routine that will help me succeed in this goal.

So, here goes! :)

My Grandparents

It has been two years since my grandma was placed in a nursing home. My grandpa took care of her the best he could, but she loved to get up in the middle of the night and roam around on her bad knees. It got to where the best thing for her was to place her in a care facility that could monitor her all the time and keep her from really hurting herself.

I don't know if I shared it on here, but at the end of May, my grandma escaped from then nursing home in the evening and broke her hip. She was found at two in the morning in a ditch, unable to move. Many people feared the worst because most 80 year olds do not ever recover from such a surgery and ordeal.

This was a case where my grandma's stubbornness worked to her benefit. She absolutely hates sitting around and doing nothing, so she was determined to get back up and walk around again. The doctor didn't believe it, but he said, best case scenario, she would be up and walking in six months.

Well, here we are, one month later, and she is up and walking the way she did before the hip surgery. How cool is that?

God pretty much rocks. He took care of her because it is not her time yet. I am so thankful for her recovery, though she still tries to get out of the facility. She doesn't remember anything that happened, so there is no lesson to learn for her.

He will keep taking care of her until it is time, and that is all we can rest assured in until then.

Deacon Ordination

My sweet husband is an ordained deacon of Mt. Paran Primitive Baptist Church. We had the ordination service on Saturday morning, and the Lord richly blessed the service, surrounding us with His spirit and family and friends. If you want to see pictures from the weekend, check out Sister Jennifer's blog here.

I am so proud of my husband. I am so thankful for him and his passion for the Lord's church. I always wanted to marry a man who was strong in the Christian faith, and Chris has proven to be a strong Christian leader in our home, and now he has the opportunity to serve the Lord's church.

We both ask for prayer as we enter service to our church. Our charge was to fight the good fight, to enter into battle for the Lord's church. Sometimes it is indeed a battle in this world, with so many distractions vying for our attention and distracting us from the race we are running. We are excited and thankful for this opportunity, anxious to serve our church any way we can.

Success!

I really need to learn to not whine on my blog. Seriously. So, I am taking an emotional 180 on this post to share my success in conquering the junk room! Of course, I could not battle it alone-- my sweet husband was by my side, sorting through all of his junk, moving furniture, helping me pick out organizational items.

I will finish cleaning our home today, and I will post pictures of our home-- finally, after one year of living here, it is organized and decorated and beautiful.

Huzzah! :)

If I could offer one piece of advice....

...Sunscreen would be it.

Naah. Not really, though it does help, apparently, especially if you are prone to skin cancer like my genes.

Seriously, my one piece of advice would be to NEVER, EVER, allow a room in your home to develop into a JUNK ROOM.

I'm about to hold a white flag in surrender up to it and tell it that it won. It got the best of me. It can go on being junky. I've been working on it all week. 3 garbage bags later, I want to cry because it is still a mess.

So be warned...

...Beware of the junk room.... oooOOOoooOOOoo....

Another typical conversation

I'm thinking that this will become a series on this little blog of ours. Chris and I have so many funny conversational moments that I need to record for future generations. Or just to make someone besides us giggle.

Anywho...

Tonight as we climbed in the car, a jam song came on the radio. The most memorable lyrics are, "Lean with it, rock with it." It kinda repeats it over and over and over...

Well, I was jammin' myself as Chris cranked the car up, then I heard the little hummm of the driver's seat as Chris was leaning the chair back. I began to eye him with curiosity because he had just sat there, so the seat was set for him to drive from.

Within seconds, the song ended, and the hum of the seat moving ended as well.

Chris was pretty upset, and he exclaimed, "Frick! I was just trying to lean with it!"




Okay. Maybe you had to be there. But I laughed about it for a solid five minutes.

And just now, another gem from Chris:
"You know, I should do more nonsensical 'yo' mamma' rants... like 'Your mom is a trapeziust' or 'Your mom likes Tobasco sauce!"


His sense of humor was one of the first things I loved about him, and I always knew I wanted to marry a man who could keep me laughing.

We are enjoying our lazy summer nights right now... the first pop-up storm of the summer is providing a soundtrack for me right now, and I LOVE it. I know, generally, that these storms have a lot of bark, but not so much bite, so I can enjoy these storms. The real things tend to frighten me.

Of course, last July, a pop-up storm rumbled through, and it had some bite. Chris and I were cooking dinner, and our power kept flickering on and off. I was real concerned about the power of the storm, and Chris just shrugged it off, saying that pop-up storms don't cause anything serious to happen.

Within five minutes of that jinx, Chris and I sat down to dinner, just to be startled by the weather alarm that Madison has to warn of severe weather. We had no idea why it sounded, but we sat in our little bathroom for a bit in case it meant something like a tornado.

The next week I glimpsed through a newspaper during my break at Chick-Fil-A, and a little article shared a fun story. A funnel cloud was spotted above the Buckhead (a super small down 15 minutes east of here) fire department, so they sounded an alarm.

Fun story, huh?

I think I have rambled enough.

Take care!

Summer Musings

Summer arrived on May 29, 2008 as I frantically packed anything I could get my hands on and rushed down to Florida to welcome my new niece, Grace Lillie. She was supposed to arrive on June 2, but it seems that babies tend to ignore their actual due dates. To see pictures of this sweet girl (and the sweet family) click here.

Lots of time on the road, especially yesterday and today, gives me time to think. I always back a Vera bag full of stuff to read and do, but generally I use time in the car to think or sleep. This morning as I trekked from Lincolnton back to Madison, I pondered many random thoughts.

One thought that kept coming back to me was about the number one question I get when I tell people that I am a Primitive Baptist. As a new believer still learning about the truths of the Primitive Baptist faith, I find myself struggling to tell others what we are really all about. I generally just stutter through what our services are like and contrast them to the services of other churches. Our preacher, however, challenged me at one time to not focus on what we do not do, but to instead focus on what we do. Focus on what we do have that makes us Primitive Baptists. So, I thought about in the car today what I have as a Primitive Baptist:


I have grief in the knowledge that I am a sinner, and that I am doomed to sin by my human nature.

I have joy in the knowledge that Jesus saved me from those sins. Jesus' blood was the sacrifice that washed away those sins, making me whole again. Jesus. Not me and my belief or actions. Not my minister. Not my youth minister. Not the gospel truth. Just Jesus and His loving sacrifice.

I have regret when I sin.

I have encouragement that there is absolutely nothing I can do to mess up the salvation my sweet Lord granted me from my sins.

I have a refuge in timely salvation. I have a church home where I can fellowship with those in similar belief in a simple service of acappella singing, prayer, and preaching. In this refuge, we worship the Lord in simplicity to focus the spotlight on Him and not others. This church home revamps me from a weary week out in a wicked world.

I have a promise of eternal salvation. I know that I will one day walk with my Savior in heaven.

I have relief to know that eternal salvation does not rely on one's church attendance, actions, or belief. It's all Jesus, remember. :)

I have a passion for Jesus. A passion for living as He commands. A passion to seek after what is pure and holy. A passion to serve His church.

I have an understanding about why bad things happen in this world (and it is NOT God's fault).

I have hope that more of God's children will come to enjoy the Lord's church.

I have a thankfulness for the light the Lord has blessed me with to hear and rejoice in the Gospel truth and the truth of His church.



I know I cannot line these up with scripture or doctrines just yet. I am still getting there. These were just some thoughts I feel that the Lord gave me while driving today... a whole jumble of ideas gathered through meager studying of the Bible and paying attention to sermons on Sunday.

I know these were a sense of encouragement to me today, and I hope that you find them to be the same for you, too.

God bless!

One Year Anniversary

One year ago from yesterday, Chris and I joined our lives together in marriage. It was a day we waited patiently for through two years while we finished college. The slide show below highlights our journey towards marriage in celebration of one year.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A typical conversation

Kathi: Look at his cape! I want a cape like that!

Chris: I want a vacuum cleaner that can roll around on the floor like that little robot!

Kathi: *laughed* But they all have capes! It's the thing. I want one all flowy and stuff.

Chris: I want a vacuum cleaner WITH a cape.

Kathi: *laughs harder*

Maybe I should note that this was while we were watching Star Wars...

Is it summer yet?

We haven't updated in a while because not a lot has happened.

Yep. That's about it.

I need to grade papers, which is why I am even here, typing this post. Procrastination. It doesn't end when you leave college.

I think I will dig into a new book and then go to bed early. Long day tomorrow for my husband and me.

Speaking of husband... we are close to one year of marriage! Where does the time go??

SO much can change in a year... for good.

Nesting

I must be a bird because I have spent the past three days nesting. :)

I had a brief moment, as I sat in front of my open, clean refrigerator with my cold food spread out around me, recalling my previous spring breaks. I picture me, sprawled out on the couch watching some excellent television or movie while my mom sat in the kitchen in front of the open, clean refrigerator, with her cold food around her.

Why am I cleaning the fridge?

Oh, yeah... I grew up, graduated college, got married, and moved into my new home. Mommy is not around to clean up for me anymore. Drat!

I felt SO good though, after that. Then, the next day, I cleaned and decorated the living room, then cooked my husband supper with brownies for desert! I felt like a real housewife. It's something I know I want to do one day, full time!!

When I have completed nesting, I definitely plan on posting pictures. I have never taken pictures of the place Chris and I call home, and I need to do that! It is really, truly starting to feel like a HOME. I have successfully decorated my whole house except for the dreaded junk room... that room is a summer project that demands much more time than one week.

We have some exciting news that I have been neglecting to post... Chris will become a deacon of Mt. Paran Primitive Baptist Church! The church voted him in two weeks ago, and Chris is excited to serve the church. He will be officially ordained the third Saturday of June... the 20th I think. The church has been such a blessing to us, and I can't just put into words how thankful we are to be there. Thinking back to all the chaos of this time last year, knowing I needed to be in Madison but not knowing how that was going to happen, and seeing how it has all fallen into place just makes me smile. God is in control.

So, I have managed to ramble! It is time to eat a late dinner!

I hope everyone is doing well! Leave me a note to tell me you dropped by! :)

It is Well

This evening, as I sit in the living room watching the Atlanta Braves home opener with my husband after almost a year of marriage, I realize that I am perfectly content. I am ecstatic with where I am in my life, not to mention who I am with. :)

I have always wanted to be a teacher, hands-down. Not to be egotistical, either, because I will always remember how I was MCMS' "second choice," but I am good at what I do.
I am finally learning how to balance being the teacher I always wanted to be and the duties of the wife I always wanted to be.
The husband I love is a strong, Christian leader in the family. He is who God created for me.
I am the member of two very loving, understanding, and encouraging families.
I also count it a true blessing to be a member of the Lord's church. The joy I feel in the sweet, simple services is unlike anything I have ever felt at any time at a church in my life.


Even though I could definitely stand to change some things, I am on the road to changing them, like my weight and healthiness.

God has blessed me beyond belief, and I am SO thankful for everything in my life.

An old hobby gone digital!

In high school, I loved to scrapbook. I still have a ton of materials, but it is SO time consuming. Come college, scrapbooking took a backseat to all the other activities and work that needed to be done. In the five years that I have taken a break from the hobby, it's gone digital! I developed my first page today on Photoshop CS3... take a look at it below:



It's not the best because, like regular scrapbooking, good fonts, formats, and cute add-ins cost money. All the cute little things on here are pieced together from various freebies on the Internet. I am proud of it, but I want to change it and make it better. I am a perfectionist, after all...

If you, yes, you, out there know where I can get better freebies, tips, and lessons, please leave me a comment and let me know! Thanks!

An update on uneventful lives... :)

Hello, friends! Once again, I have been a neglectful blogger, and I apologize.

Chris and I have been keeping busy recently; this was our first weekend in a few weeks to rest and relax. We took advantage, too! I have to brag on my awesome husband; on his day off, he cleaned the house for me so we could have Saturday off together! He did laundry, cleaned the floors, vacuumed, febreezed... everything that I would have done! He picked me up from school, took me home, and surprised me with it. I am so thankful to have a wonderful husband who will share the load of cleaning, cooking, and other housework with me. He has been incredibly understanding this first year of teaching, and I am so thankful for him and his service and support.

I feel like we have finally gotten into a routine that works real well for us during the week... it only took us, oh, 7 months! Sunday nights I clean up and straighten up the house: check laundry, load dishwasher... anything that needs to be done! During the week, I come home and DO NOT SIT DOWN. Sitting down is BAD. If I sit down, I will not get back up! So, instead of sitting, I turn the television on to watch Gilmore Girls as I work around the kitchen prepping dinner. I clean the kitchen as I cook, and I work on other minor chores while things bake. My goal this week is to get in a quick work out at home while dinner cooks or before I really cook food. We shall see! Small steps. We only ate out ONCE this week, on Friday night, to celebrate how good we had been! We hope to keep it up.

That pretty much describes what we do every day, all day. Weekends are a break from routine, and we had two wonderful weekends with family and church family. This weekend we are looking forward to going up to Rome to see some friends! I am really looking forward to it; I miss our friends in Rome.

We hope all our family and friends who read this have a wonderful week! :)

Why I teach...

Tonight on the phone, I was talking with a delightful parent of a fantastic daughter. I will remember it forever:

Parent: I really have to thank you, Mrs. Edwards, because she is reading!
Me: Really?
Parent: Yes, she is really reading. A lot. More than she has ever read before. I don't know what you are doing in your class, but she has finally found books she enjoys.
Me: Yay! I am so excited for her!
Parent: Yes. Miranda would come home all excited about a book you recommended to her. And Esperanza Rising; she would talk non-stop about that book!
Me: Yes, I know. I remember that book. It is so good! As soon as she finished it, I pointed her to other books like it.
Parent: You've connected with her somehow. You have been sharing with her and encouraging her, and I am just so thankful for that. We are all avid readers, and to finally have her enjoying reading as much is wonderful. She loves your class.

:)

Sleepless Sundays...

Usually I am conked out, asleep, right now. Sundays are an exception. Ever since I started teaching, I have found it quite difficult to get to sleep on Sundays, much less stay asleep. I guess it is the anticipation of a new week and all the craziness it will bring... but here I am because for whatever reason by body has decided to make me a Sunday insomniac.

Same ol' Same ol'

Chris and I are back into a routine of sleeping, working, and eating.

A few highlights have been weekends of beautiful weather that has motivated us to get outside and drive to the mountains and state parks for various adventures. Also, yesterday, we went to South Carolina with my family and visited my dad's brother's clan up there. It was too fun! I have some sweet second cousins, one who is 6 (my flower girl from my wedding), one who is 4, and one who is 2. All girls. My cousin is expecting another baby in June. Her husband knows whether it is a boy or girl, and he's not telling! Here is one quote from the weekend as I was rocking my sweet two year old cousin:

Mallory (6): (taps Chris on the shoulder) Look, Chris! There is your future right there in front of you!
Kylie (4): Kathi, aren't you sad that you don't have a baby?

It was some good times with great family. I wish we could visit more often...

March is looking super busy on the weekends. Starting this weekend, I have a baby shower I am hosting. The next weekend will be visiting with Chris' family (SO excited to see everyone, by the way!!!). The third weekend will be spent with the Loudermilks at their house to attend Faith PBC's meeting, and we are looking forward to that a lot, too! :) The fourth weekend looks like a break (but I could be speaking too soon!), and the fifth weekend might involve a trip to see some friends.

This week will just be routine, and that is okay! :)

Oh, and I am trying to get pictures of me cheerleading... the coach has yet to email them out yet. It was HILARIOUS! :) I should get them Wednesday from the yearbook work. Keep an eye out! :)

Hope everyone has a wonderful week! :)

Get up on your feet, move to the beat...

So, as friends and people who know me well, I thought you should know that I am branching out and becoming a cheerleader!

... A cheerleader for our faculty vs. students basketball game.

As a tomboy earlier in life, I would love to be out on the court. I am, however, too out of shape to participate as a basketball player. I want to be involved, though, so I volunteered to be a cheerleader.

I have a new respect for cheerleaders that I never had before! My whole body is sore from moving and bouncing. My brain is sore from coordinating movements and words at the right time. And it is FUN! Oh, so much fun! Of course, we are mocking it and going crazy, but it will be so much fun! We are even doing a halftime show!

I will try to post some pictures from this exciting moment in my life! :)

Four Years

Four years ago, Chris and I liked each other, and we were the only ones who did not know it.

Four years ago, Chris and I ended up on an accidental date to Centennial Olympic Park and the Spaghetti Factory, ending at the Waffle House in Rome where a drunk guy scooted in next to me on the booth and hit on me. We decided on trying a real date the next week, and then, once back in our dorms, talked on AIM for hours into the morning.

Four years ago, Chris and I went to Waffle House every night for one full week, learning more about each other over chocolate pie, cokes, and waffles. As with the weekend before, we came back from Waffle House late and talked on AIM until the wee hours of the morning.
Four years ago, the night before our first official, real date, I got a call from Chris. He asked me if I wanted to be his girlfriend because he knew that he wanted to only date me. With a big smile on my face, I agreed.

Four years ago today, without knowing what would happen, Chris and I decided to be a part of each other's lives.

Here we are, four years later, married. Sometimes it is really hard for me to think about how things have changed in my life from that point; it is weird for me to think how far we have come as a couple. We have committed our lives to each other.

I love reflecting back on the excitement in the early days of our relationship. I love thinking about the first few weeks (described above) where Chris and I could not get enough time together. I love thinking back to the early days and thinking about how that excitement transitioned into a deep joy in him and in our love. Lord willing, Chris and I will have so many more years together, and so many more experiences to share.

I am thankful for February 6, 2004, and the decision that we made. I am now a happy wife and member of such a wonderful and loving family.

I am blessed. God has blessed our relationship, and I could not be happier.


Chris and me, celebrating six months together on August 6, 2004 in Athens, Georgia, the city in the middle of our two hometowns.


Chris proposing to me at Panther Falls on October 22, 2005.


Exchanging our vows of marriage before God, family, and friends.


Mr. and Mrs. Edwards!! :)

"I'm gonna love you
Like Nobody loves you
And I'll win your trust making memories of us..."

Neglectful Posters

Family and friends in the blogging world,

I know that you have come to not expect new posts from us. We apologize. To catch you up on everything exciting you have missed this month:

We get up early every morning.
We work all day long.
I come home around 4:30pm.
Chris comes home about an hour later.
We make dinner.
We eat dinner.
We watch television, read books, or play our Wii.
We go to sleep at a decent time so we can start again the next day.

We have a few days where the routine may vary, especially for stressful weeks (like this past week) for me at school. But they all involve the same items on that agenda.

We do not really lead exciting lives that prompt us to post very often. On occasion, something exciting (like snow) happens and makes us want to post... well, me want to post.

We do care about keeping family and friends updated... and we care enough to not bore you with our every day, well, boring-ness.

Hope this provides a decent explanation of the lack of posts recently.

Sincerely,

Kathi (and Chris)

I want to wash my hands, my hair, my feet in snoooow, snooow, snoow, SNOW!

Now, those who know me well know that I tend to be cold all the time, and that makes me really dislike winter. I also do not like precipitation falling from the sky... it makes me want to stay home, curled up. Something magical happens, though, when it snows...

Watching the snow twirl in the sky and cover our tiny yard in a beautiful white blanket makes me warm inside, and that warmth is expressed with a squeal and smile. I can't help but feel giddy when it snows...

Maybe it's my track record with snow. My very first memory of it really coming was in March of 1993. I remember wanting it to snow and waking up at 5am in the morning, looking outside, and being disappointed with no snow to be seen. I prayed, asking God to bring more snow, then I went back to sleep. I woke up three hours later to a weather alert for a blizzard. God answered my prayer, and I had a fun time in the snow with my sister!

I just glanced out our window; the blanket of snow also makes the world look peaceful. It is all so still and quiet... everything seems frozen in time. I think it is time, after my wintery dinner of tomato soup, to go make some wintery hot chocolate with marshmellows! Might as well live it up-- you never know when you will get weather like this in Georgia.

Right now we have slush outside our door, so here's hoping there is no school tomorrow! :)

Full week ahead...

I have found myself questioning why I became a teacher this week. I am hoping something will happen that reminds me of why I became one. I need it.

Chris and I have started a fitness competition program this week. For eight weeks we will be seeing who can work out more each week. Each workout is worth a point value. At the end of the eight weeks, the loser has to do chores and favors for the winner, as selected by the winner. It's been fun so far... all two days of it! :) It has motivated us to work out, and he it will keep us motivated for long enough for it to finally become habit.

I have a new music obsession in the form of OneRepublic. They are very mellowed-out, soothing rock with deep lyrics, piano, and acoustic guitar. I have listened to their CD all day long!

We have a Wii at our place. It is so amazing... we got it for Christmas from my parents. My dad always likes to keep things equal, so I got one along with my sister. So far, we have played tennis and bowling (amazing), and we got to be HARRY in Harry Potter! It was so cool to cast spells!!! The only problem with Wiis is that the games are not cheap. Thankfully, we can rent them! wheeee, or should I say, "Wiiiiiiii!" :) tee hee.

Chris is still working hard and doing well. Nothing too exciting for either one of us really.

Hope everyone is doing well! :)

Farewell, 2007; Welcome, 2008!

So long, 2007, I will remember you fondly:

By first niece was born! (Hannah-belle! :))
College graduation
First year of teaching at Morgan County Middle School
GOT MARRIED
Moved to Madison, started a new home
Baptized as a Primitive Baptist, gaining a new church family

Those are the highlights from last year. Here is hoping that 2008 will bring more memories and fun times for me and Chris! :)

Hope everyone has a blessed New Years!

Welcome, 2008!