Homecoming

A couple of weeks ago we had home coming at our school and it was a lot of fun. We preformed at the all school pep-rally and in the parade. The girls did really well and even the high schoolers were impressed. This is me with a few of my 7th grade cheerleaders.
On Friday night Jeff brought Josie to the game. She was dressed up in her panther gear. She played with a bunch of my 7th grade girls, who are dying to babysit, and ate chips and m&m's for dinner. FUN!!!

We are learning some new stunts and it's fun to watch the girls be successful.

Right before the pep-rally. Notice the really ugly poms! Don't worry we have new ones now!

On Friday we painted faces and some kids even dyed their hair blue!

Scary Panthers!

These are the crazy boys I get to teach everyday.

Cheering on the football team. WE WON!!!

26 months and 2 days

Is how far apart in age Josie will be from her sibling! Yes thats right I am pregnant. Well according to the test I took last week. I was going to wait at least a few more weeks before saying anything but I was talking to a co-worker (at work, mistake number one) and one of my cheerleaders overheard me. BAD NEWS!!!! I didn't want to lie to her but I didn't want rumors flying so I decided due to my own stupidity I would go ahead and tell the imoportant people at school so they don't hear it from someone else. This is NO LONGER A SECRET and it's all my fault. I hope she can learn somthing from this =)

Anyway there it is, I am so super early and my estimated due date is like May 27th so see EARLY!!!!! Oh well, now you know .

I am always going to be nerouvs becasue I have had a miscarraige and those thoughts are hard to let go of. Just maybe pray for me if you think about it.

Thanks!

Revelation

Last night I had a bit of a revelation. I may have figured out why it's so hard for me to break in here and have deep friendships.

When I was little I moved every year and a half to two years. Hard? Yes it was; however, I always lived on an Air Force Base where the other kids were just like me. We needed somthing from each other. We could share what we needed and form a deep friendship. I fit in!

Now; here, it's differnet. We go to a great chruch were people are nice and Sundays are fun, we feel like we have friends, then we leave for the week. It's not just at church, but it's a reality the Christian coumminity is the hardest to break into. It's not anyones fault, but people here have what they NEED. They don't NEED me. They have family close by, and life long friends but they don't NEED me. Not like I NEED them. I would be there for ANYONE in an instant, but I'm not asked because I'm not needed. So we are in different situations I NEED friends, I NEED help, I NEED someone to call after a tough day. How can I expect anyone to do that for me when they don't want me to do it for them. And not so much they don't want me to but it in a rough situation or a happy day I'm not on anyones list of people to call so thats why my list is empty. It seems like everyone else has a list. It's hard to add new people in these busy times, I know. I really am a faithful firend and I can be there for you. I can do anything: cook, talk, laugh, cry, drive, babysit whatever so put me on your list please let me prove to be a good friend, let me in PLEASE!!!!

I NEED to have a list too!

A little update

I knew it would happen, today I had to leave my sick baby and go to work. It was hard, but Jeff was home with her (way weird, for dad to be home with sick baby) he need to go to work too so "mimi" Jeff's mom came down to stay with her. Josie came up with mimi all by herself. We always thought grandma and grandpa would be grandma and grandpa. When Josie saw a picture of Jeff's mom and called her mimi. It stuck and it's not going anywhere! Josie loves her almost to the point of jealously for me haha! So Josie had a blast today and seemed to be better when I got home. I was able to leave a little early, another teacher did some of things I needed to get done. Including, copying some quiz's for me.

At cheer practice today my patience was thrown over the edge! If you know me you know I cannot really truly be mean. Well today when three girls took cattiness to whole new level and even put a girl in a dangerous situation I lost it. I didn't yell (I wanted to) I lectured them so intensely I was shaking and they took a step back with wide eyes. I think I've seen the end of that. Well maybe not they are in 7th grade =)

Over all they are doing well, learning allot and they look good. I have to remember that they are young and working hard is something they are still learning how to do. We will be attending a low key competition in November and the 8th graders and I will be getting a routine together next week. I am excited and terrified for this =)

I am still teaching a few hours of cheer and gymnastics each week at the Y. Why? Well I love it and I really love the people I work with. I may need to back off a little in the spring, but I can't quit. That job gave me hope when I was so sick of being at home all day and gave some life time friends, and friends for Josie.

Jeff is teaching a bible study at church. It is how to survive the economic meltdown from a Biblical perspective. He is excited to share his knowledge and get to know some new people.

Every other minute is spent with Josie and we love to play at the playground, take her baby for walks in her new baby stroller, read books, and learn new words. She can count to 10, with help, she repeats everything she hears, and today she said shoo to a fly that was buzzing around her head. I am (too early I know) teaching her what the potty is, and today she showed mimi her new words when I asked her where do you pee pee? She ran into the bathroom saying potty potty and hit the toilet with her hands. Too bad peeing in it for real is not happening yet!!!

Doing really well, busy, but having a blast. It's awesome to hear HEY MRS JACKSON yelled from across the school parking lot, then get home to a big hug and mommy, mommy I wub oohh.

So Much Fun......

is my new job! I love love love it! Never in my life have I felt like I fit somewhere! This is it. I can see myself doing this job for years and years! I love the kids, the staff, my boss, and even (well so far) the parents. Everyday is new and everyday I teach the kids something they didn't know the day before. They are so expressive and excited about life. They try new things when I ask them to. Everyday I think I try something new and I know I learn from them. I already tear up thinking about the last day of school. It's a great feeling to be where God wants you to be! I know each day won't be perfect and I will face challenges and make mistakes, but WoW to love my job!

This week has been awesome. Topped off today with a pep rally, my girls did awesome! They have been working hard and it shows!

I am so messed up for loving my job even though I say goodbye to my little one every morning? I am awful for being happy that she is somewhere awesome with people who love her and take great care of her? She is doing really well. It is hard some days, to say goodbye! Some days she cries, but I feel at peace about the situation. Can I be a good Christian mom and work? I want so badly to find someone else in the same situation to talk with, to understand with. Why can't play dates happen in the evening some times? We need a WMOPS working moms of preschoolers =)

So much fun was also my mommy daughter date tonight. We picked up some happy meals and headed to park. We tried to shoo away the ducks as we ate fries (no apple dippers for us =) and then we hit the playground. Josie played hard. I love taking her to the playground. We swing and slide and climb and jump. So much fun. I love being able to play with her, and watch her grow in her strength.

Now I am sitting here totally on empty, ready for bed at 8:30pm, but excited for the rest of the school year....

it really is this simple.......

My favorite. hymn.........

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.

What a peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations, is there trouble anywhere. We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share, Jesus knows our every weakness. Take it to the Lord in prayer.

I can't feel my left toe, the one by the pinky

It has been a long week around here. I started work and we had big plans to get Josie going on her new schedule. Didn't work out the way we had planned. Jeff's grandpa died the night before I started. It has been tough on him, but he is doing well. Josie stayed with grandma and grandpa, I went to bed at two am! Went to work, I am going to LOVE it! I am so excited about this blessing in the form of a job. Later that day I came home to Jeff and Josie and our air conditioning was broken! The windows are painted shut and it is unbearable. So we go to the pool to get away from everything and figure out where to sleep. Some amazing friends let us stay the night and even have a crib for Josie. WoW it was awesome. The next day I take Josie to the babysitter. Poor girl has been in a different bed each night for three days. She is tired and mad at me ;) But God had given me a wonderful place to take her where she has friends and a babysitter to hug and LOVE her. Then after a full day I pick her up and head back up to Newton to help Jeff's family get ready for the funeral. Again Josie is tired and mad at me. I knew she just wanted to go home. We come home at 11pm to a cold house, Thank you God! This morning I head to work in my funeral clothes, heels and all. Again I have a mad 17 month old who just wants mama! (But she had fun with the babysitter today, got to try out bowling) I sit though meetings, then go to the funeral. The funeral is great, goes really well, family is very happy! I go back to work in my heels to meet ALL of kids (7th graders) and their wonderful ;) PARENTS. It goes really well, they are all so friendly and eager to meet me. I am excited to get going with the school year. Then I head out to the football field for the picnic, still in my heels. Eat and talk to a few people. at 7pm I head home. I take off my shoes and my feet ache like crazy and I cannot feel my toe! It was quite a week, long rough but I am so very blessed in so many ways, so many things have gone right that I cannot say it was bad!

But I am more excited to get Josie on some kind of normal sch. than I am for Christmas presents!