Life: It's Changed DRASTICALLY!

Been a long time since I've been here. It's weird-I'll be doing my thing on Pinterest, and my blog will show up in my news feed. I'm glad some people enjoy what I post here!

SO much has changed in the last several months. Currently, I am enjoying the end of my summer break/maternity leave by staring at my 4 month old in the monitor while he naps! Yes, I survived being pregnant while teaching-literally, I worked until my due date...and he was 1 day late! Talk about close call!

Here's a picture of our cute lil guy when he was born, and him at 4 months old you can drool over :)

Literally, the time has FLOWN by! I can't wait to share lots of stories here about him, and also to share with you the joys and challenges of being a working mom.

Secondly, I'm going to begin a new journey of my teaching career. I will be starting a new teaching job at Westlake Academy, an all IBO World School. Man-the decision to leave CHS was a tough one; I LOVE LOVE LOVE Coppell! It's my home away from home! But after lots of conversations and prayer, it felt right to begin a new chapter at Westlake. 

I am going to be teaching 7th grade MYP Science and 9th grade MYP Biology. I am incredibly sad to leave CHS. It's going to feel so weird to start school at a different place, but I am looking forward to being in a K-12 IB school close to home!

Coppell friends and coworkers-I am forever grateful for those of you who poured into me as a new teacher, who helped guided me into who I am as a teacher today. I have grown leaps and bounds because of many of you and I owe you everything! So grateful to so many of you!

Now, time to enjoy a few more snuggles with the lil man before school starts!

8 more weeks!

I hope my lack of posts does not make you feel ignored, my fellow teacher readers. I'm sure you understand by now, it's been a busy year :)

I'm down to 8 more weeks of school! I think it's gonna fly by faster for me than it will for the students.

Supa-fly

Yesterday the district Superintendent and my principal paid me a visit (scary thing when the Superintendent walks in your room and you don't have a heads up!!)

They gave me the recognition of being a Super Teacher!

Super Teacher is a nominated program that recognizes innovative, engaging, and creative teaching. I was given this recognition for a PBL (Project Based Learning) project that my Pre-AP students did. My students were "invited" to a fellowship medical program and to enter, they had to go through a clinical simulation lab and diagnose a patient that had a cell organelle related disease (lots of science words right there for my non-teacher and non-science readers! haha). 

Each class also Skyped with a doctor or medical professional (one that was on their way to Afghanistan and another that was an oncologist-GOOD discussions there!)

Anyways-my students STILL talk about this project and I can't wait to do it next semester with the body systems!

This recognition has been such a good reminder for me personally that I am on the right track as a teacher! :)

Good first week back to school! I hope all my other teacher friends had great weeks back!

To Resolve

I've never been a New Year's Resolution type person. Making a resolution has always seemed so airy and non realistic. "Lose weight," "eat better," "budget wisely." All great things, I know. But do we get past the month of January successfully? Nope.

I love to reflect at this time of year. What was happening last new years eve? How far have I come as a person and in my relationship with God?

My husband and I took time when we were at the cabin last month to reflect on our marriage. We've grown so much together (if you personally know us, you definitely know this!). The biggest thing we realized is we want more rest in our lives. More quiet moments, more refreshing relief.

Rest.

We began last month and have found those moments already well before the new year has rung in.

So this year, don't make empty promises to yourself. Be realistic. May you find yourself doing less, caring more, and finding true rest.

Happy New Years!

Merry and Bright

May your Hope extend beyond what was under the Christmas tree this year.

Happy birthday Jesus! You are the eternal Hope.
Born, so that You could die. For me. Amen!

A week of Thankfulness #1

Woah woah. It's been almost a month since I've been here! The last several weeks have been so busy with school! And I have survived until Thanksgiving break! Thank GOD!

I hope you all have made it or are close to making it to Thanksgiving break (we get a full WEEK off down here!). 

So what am I thankful for? Goodness, there's a lot! Let's go back to almost a month ago and bring you up to speed with what I've been doing!

I'm thankful for:

 A successful Red Ribbon Week

 Friday Night Lights

 Just because...

 An AWESOME conference for science teachers in Dallas this past weekend (I took a workshop and did an experiment to make glowing bacteria!)

 And a fun trip with a girlfriend to a flea market. Found some great additions for the house!

And I'm grateful for the chance to finally get to blog! :)

Happy thankful week!

3 years and still rockin' the show...Happy Anniversary Hubby!

 Three years ago I married one of the coolest people in the world (I don't care how cliche it is to say that, it's totally true!).

You know your guy is cool when he can do 
cool stuff like that.

back in the day

college times @ UIC

We've known each other our whole lives.

We dated for 5 and a half years before we got engaged.

Made it to 6 and a half years when we got married.


I like him. He likes me.

We've been through a lot in our young life together.  I'm grateful he is the man standing with me through the thick and thin.

I feel so blessed to have Steve. Sometimes I wonder if he knows how much I love him. Does he know that I believe in him 100%? When he goes into the world, did I affirm he enough to where he feels he can conquer the world?

I love this man. Happy Anniversary!

Happy Birthday America

And now presenting Mr. Stars and Stripes himself, Wicket. aka our American Superhero puppy.

Last night's festivities consisted of a lil picnic with friends and pups, and fireworks of course!

 That bullpup is my friends puppy, Theo. He's a precious lil guy!

We're gonna eat lunch, and go straight to the pool!