Man. I Needed That.

This morning on the way to work I caught the tail end of someone on the radio (I listen to WMHK which is a Christian radio station) talking about affirmation and why it is so important in relationships with children as well as your spouse. I stink at this- to put it lightly. I am GREAT at praising my "kids" (my students). Heck, I even praise MilShelb on a constant basis. Jake? Hah. Nah. Hardly ever.
It made me so sad to realize this. When I got bored with that station and happened to switch over to a country station and they were playing Keith Urban's Without You.
Call it whatever you want, but I'd call it divine intervention. I feel like God was trying to remind me that Jake needs for me to praise him. I need to remember to do that. I need to make an effort to thank him. I need to stop taking out the frustrations of my job, friend/family life and remember a few things.:
1. Jake is my husband. I promised him over 2 years ago that I would prize him above all others. I need to do that.
2. Jake is one of the most generous people I know. He gives and gives and gives. He should be thanked.
3. Jake has given up certain dreams for me. That is hard to do. That is so extremely unselfish.
4. Jake is proud of me. He is proud of me because he knows how hard I have worked to get where I am professionally. I am proud of him, too. He needs to hear it.
5. Everything that I have at this current time... the most important things to me... I have because of him. Because he stopped at nothing to get me what I wanted and what he felt like I deserved. I have an awesome house (if I do say so myself) because my husband knows how to handle money and helped me work it out. I have 2 AWESOME dogters that Jake gave in and got for us... and he fell in love with them, too. I have an awesome home environment because we are happy together. (Please, don't mistake this for me saying we are always happy, sappy, mushy... because that is not true. But, we're happy together and we work out the rest. lol)
6. Jake loves me. He loves me for exactly who I am. That is hard to do. I know that because I am me and there are things about me that are hard to love. But, he does. He does with all of his heart.

The point is not that Jake fussed about me not praising him... because that is not true. He didn't say a thing. He wouldn't. That's not the kind of man he is. The point is that I heard this on the radio and it touched my heart and I knew that it was something I need to work on. I plan to do that starting today!

It's Funny How Things Change

It's so funny how things change... and how things don't change. It's obviously not "haha funny" but just funny "strange".
Some days I think, "man, this is the LIFE."
Other days I think, "what in the word is wrong with people?!"
Most days, though, I'm blessed enough to think, "man, this is the LIFE!"

It Is not Often

"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom.  What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.  When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation.  You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."
                        ~~~~~ Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931 - 2005 ~~~~~


It is not often that I talk about politics (or being politically correct), on here or elsewhere... and, truth be told, I'm not a very politically savvy person, but I do have my own (maybe unfounded) opinions and I found this quote tonight from a past post I did on MySpace 500 million years ago (I don't have Myspace anymore really) and thought I'd put it on here. 


The honest truth is that I feel that people have long forgotten the value of hard work and the pride that comes from doing something your durn self. There's something to be said for a person who sets goals, works hard, and achieves what they set out for and them some. Maybe it's not easy. Maybe it takes a while. So what? Big whoop. When it's all said and done you got what you wanted and you did it yourself. I LOVE that feeling!

Super Cute Chair

Where'd it come from, you ask?

Well, it came from Goodwill and it looked like this:

Then, I spray painted the base to look like this:

 With Shelby's help, of course! :)

Then, I covered the seat and back of the chair:

Then, I put it all together:

Close-up of the fabric:

Did I mention that this chair cost me ONLY about $6?

The chair was $3 from Goodwill, the fabric was a major deal for only $2, and the spray paint was left over from other projects, but I am estimating I used only about $1 of it. I am so excited to put this in my classroom!

I just need to add some slidy things on the bottom so I don't scratch up the floor. Yay!!! 

If Someone Had Told Me

I'd marry that long haired, ugly shoe wearin' kid I met randomly... I'd have laughed in their faces.
If they'd told me I'd fall madly in love with him the first time I laid eyes on him... I promise I would have choked on my drink.
If they'd said that he would be my best friend, stick with me through thick and thin I'd have thought they were crazy.
That kid didn't have a care in the world.
But, they would have been right.
My world, as I knew it, changed forever the night I met Jake.
(And I'm betting his did, too.)

If someone told me years ago that another person could make me feel like I am floating on cloud nine- I really could have thought, "yeah, right." My little miss independent self would have never thought they would be right.
If someone told me years ago that I would build my entire world around another person I would have told them no.
But, I do. Every single day.
If someone told me years ago that I would still be thrilled to see Jake every night when he gets home from work I would have told them I doubt it.
But I am. Every single day.
If someone told me years ago that the same person who makes me the happiest I've ever been can also make me the maddest I've ever been... ok, I might would have believed it. lol
If someone told me years ago that the long haired, ugly shoe wearin' kid would be my husband, my best friend, my entire world... I would have never believed them.
But, really, he has always been a dream come true.

They say some people are meant to be together. We are truly meant for each other. He is not my other half... he is my WHOLE heart. He is the smile on my face. He is the twinkle in my eye. He is the every beat of my heart. I love him more than I ever thought I could... and every single day I love him more than the day before.

Happy Anniversary, Jake! Here's to another wonderful year of wedded bliss. ;)
I am so glad I found you- the person who is happy to share a seat on the bus.

My Heart

My heart is grateful today... and many days. I get up in a house. I eat food I purchased with our own money from our own fridge. I drive a nice car to and from where ever it is life is taking me that day. I share our home with two wonderful doxies that stole my heart even before I met them. I am a grateful person.

Last year I wrote a few times about being blessed to have a husband who supports my dreams. I am still so grateful for this. He is an amazing man. He puts me first time and time again. I am so grateful for him.

I love you, Jake. Thank you for always believing in me and for allowing me to follow my dreams.

Every Now and Then I Go Back...

Every now and then I go back in my mind.
I remember when times were tough. So so tough.
Just a little over one year ago we had only begun the process of getting our lives on track and really seeing that we were headed in the right direction.
It is so crazy to me how one year can really change your life.
For one whole year (and really a little more than that) we were without jobs.
We were struggling.
We were hardly getting by.
But, we did it.
Can I just say that I am so proud of us?
Because I am.
For one whole (school) year I taught in a school where I learned more in that time span than I ever learned in college.
I met people who gave me a chance.
They gave me the chance to live my dream.
In that year we also bought our first home.
Bought a house... and we're making it our home.
It helps me to go back and remember where we've come from.
Because it makes me forever grateful for where we are.
For who we are.
For how we got there.
I am so unbelievably proud of us.
Of me.
Of Jake.
Of what we have accomplished.
And I am thrilled to see where we are headed!