Saturday, December 29, 2007

It feels good..

We went back to Elgin to visit some old friends yesterday, and I got to go visit one of my good friends, Amanda. We were best friends from church in Elgin. She's now married and has two precious little boys, Kaden and Malachi! I got to see them and play with the boys..lots of fun..they are sooo cute! It was great seeing Amanda and catching up on old times, but that wasn't the best part of our trip.

When we lived in Elgin, a very important event happened in my life. I fell in love for the very first time.

I was 14 years old and it was truly a "first love". Before this, I also had my very first crush on someone different, but that's a story for another time and place. The boy that I had fallen for was 4 years older than me, quarterback of the football team, went to my church, was so handsome and honestly just his smile would make me melt. We were friends in the beginning and had so much fun, just hanging out and spending time with each other. Later though, my feelings for him changed. I realized that I loved him, not like a little girl, but like a woman. I loved everything about him. The more I got to know him, the more I fell in love with him. The day that I found out that he liked me too, was a day that I'll never forget. I was blissfully happy..and innocent. I thought that he loved me, and we were going to get married and live happily ever after. However, God had different plans for both of us.

My family ended up moving the year he graduated high school. I remember when my parents told us the news, I went outside on our trampoline and cried so hard I thought my heart would break into a million pieces. Just the thought that I might not ever see him again tore me apart. I was so in love with this boy..and he didn't even know.

We moved to Lorena and I still thought of him daily. See, many people considered what we had or how I felt a small "crush" or something small and innocent. What they didn't know was that it was completely real for me. All during high school I never really dated and wasn't in a serious relationship..why? Because, no one I met measured up to him. I was pretty sure that no one ever would either.

It took me a long time, even until I was in college to realize that I was never going to marry this man. He did not love me, and God did not plan for us to be together. I knew in my heart that I had really loved that boy, as a teenage girl. However, I knew that when I fall in love again, with the man God designed to be my husband, it would be a forever kind of love with the man that I am going to spend the rest of my life with. I knew that my future husband would love me just like Christ loved the church, exactly how I deserved to be loved, wholly and completely.

Sometimes I ask myself..if I could..would I have changed my relationship with this boy or change something that I did or didn't do? The answer is always the same: no. I would not change anything for the world. He taught me so many things about myself, about what I wanted for a future mate, and things I might not have learned if it hadn't have been for that boy.

While I was visiting Amanda, she told me that over the summer, he got married.

Would you like to know my first, honest, emotion? Relief and happiness.

Relief that I didn't feel disappointed or dismayed at the news that my first love was now married, and it wasn't with me. Happiness that he had finally found someone that he could love and loved him back. He really does deserve the chance at happiness with the love of his life, and I am truly happy for him.

It sure feels good to know this...10 years later..oh and I never saw that boy again after we moved. I'm actually a little glad.

I am also happy for myself..because I know that someday I will find that same happiness, with the man that God designed for me, who's out there somewhere, who will make every dream I have dreamed come true, someone who is going to treat me like a princess and love me completely, and utterly, and incandescently..someone who wasn't the boy I first loved.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Friends!

As I said in my previously mentioned post, this past weekend was my sweet friend Kyrbie's birthday. When she got into town, we went out on Saturday for her birthday! We went to our legendary favorite restaurant, McAlister's Deli! We had fun eating yummy food and reiminscing old times :0) After that, we went shopping at the mall, then I treated us to Starbucks for some awesome Carmel Apple Cider! YUMMY!!

Then after that we went over to our friend from high school, Travis's apartment. Will(Kyrbie's husband), Travis and some other people were watching the Cowboy's game. After the game was over, we all busted out the dominos and played Chicken Foot. Super fun! :0) It was so good to spend time with my best friend, and then go hang out with friends from high school (and Will ;0). It was a good night!

P.S. Doesn't Kyrbie look so cute?! ;0)



New Layout!

Here's the new layout! How do you like it? It's TOTALLY my personality! I love it!

Friday, December 21, 2007

Happy Birthday Kyrbie!

Today is my best friend Kyrbie's 24th birthday! Happy birthday Kyrbs, Kyrb by the side of the road, Kyrbage! ;0)

We met during our freshman year of high school, in biology class. We were required to do a project, and didn't want to be with this one girl (yes, I know it's wrong, but hey..we were freshman..we weren't mature then ;0). When the girl asked if we had a partner, we just looked at each other and were like "we're partners!" The rest is history! We've been best friends ever since..

Kyrbie,
I can't imagine what my life would be like without you in it. You have been such a blessing and are truly my sister and best friend! We've gone from being teenagers in high school, fighting over boys, having crazy late nights, toilet paper adventures, slumber parties, welcoming Contessa Grace into the world, WELL JUST BREAK THEM UP!, hoe ;0), cheerleading, TWIRP week, and many more memories and adventures. We've laughed, we've cried..I think we've done it all. I'd like to think that we've grown into mature women, but that makes us sound like we're 40, which isn't as fun..so I guess I'll just say that we've grown! I can't wait to see what the future holds in store for us..I love you my dearest, precious, friend. You are as beautiful inside as you are out. Happy Birthday..and many more to come!


Love you always,
Chel "C"


"Small Town Southern Man" Alan Jackson

The first time I heard this song, I cried. I immediately thought of my Papa. This song seemed to be written completely about him. His greatest contribution that he left behind was his legacy of hard work, love, and faith. It also reminded me of my Grandpa and my Daddy. I see so much of them in this song also. I just pray that my husband will have these same qualities!

*Papa, I miss you more than words can say. I can't wait for the day when I see you again in Heaven. Tell grandmother and Jesus that I love them!
Love,
Your little bunny




"Small Town Southern Man"

Born the middle son of a farmer
And a small town Southern man
Like his daddy's daddy before him
Brought up workin' on the land
Fell in love with a small town woman
And they married up and settled down
Natural way of life if you're lucky
For a small town Southern man

First there came four pretty daughters
For this small town Southern man
Then a few years later came another
A boy, he wasn't planned
Seven people livin' all together
In a house built with his own hands
Little words with love and understandin'
From a small town Southern man

Chorus:
And he bowed his head to Jesus
And he stood for Uncle Sam
And he only loved one woman
He was always proud of what he had
He said his greatest contribution
Is the ones you leave behind
Raised on the ways and gentle kindness
Of a small town Southern man

Callous hands told the story
For this small town Southern man
He gave it all to keep it all together
And keep his family on his land
Like his daddy, years wore out his body
Made it hard just to walk and stand
You can break the back
But you can't break the spirit
Of a small town Southern man

(Repeat Chorus)

Finally death came callin'
For this small town Southern man
He said it's alright 'cause I see angels
And they got me by the hand
Don't you cry, and don't you worry
I'm blessed, and I know I am'
Cause God has a place in Heaven
For a small town Southern man

Heading out..

Well I'm packing and getting ready to leave to go to my parent's for the holidays! Yay! Sorry I haven't had time to post, but I PROMISE I will soon! I'll post about my party, the gifts, and Sydney. Love ya'll!

Oh yeah, today's the 12th day that I've been praying! :0)

Monday, December 17, 2007

December 18th!

You know what's going to rock about tomorrow? It's the last day of school AND our party day! In kindergarten we party hearty ALL DAY L-O-N-G which makes for one extremely tired and exhausted Miss Snodgrass, but it's still worth it! The day's going to begin awesome because I get to go to school in my pajamas and slippers! All the kids will come in their pjs, then we have pancakes catered by IHOP in the morning, play games, eat lunch, decorate cookies, go to P.E. watch a movie and have popcorn, then I open all my gifts! And let me tell you, this year they're going to be good ;0)The kids especially love this part..they love having me open THEIR gift and have me oohhh and ahhh over it! Then I give them their gifts!

It's going to be crazy..but I'm still excited!

"I Am From"

Our assignment tonight in class was to model a poem that we read tonight in class and write a version of our own. This is mine! Enjoy!

"I Am From"
I am from the big family of nine, the oldest of five girls and two boys.
I am from faith, family and God are the most important things.
I am from Daddy’s little girl and Mama’s helper.
I am from sunny days outside, riding my bike and playing grocery store, babies and princesses.
I am from books and music, singing and laughter.

I am from red dirt roads, pick up trucks, deer and rattlesnakes.
I am from “Capture the Flag” with my cousins in the pasture.
I am from cactus, stickers, hay and bluebonnets.
I am from riding horses and milking the cows.
I am from roses in Grandmother’s garden and watering the vegetables with Papa.

I am from football, Friday night lights, and cheerleaders.
I am from Sunday morning church, “what did you learn in Sunday school?”
I am from “because I said so” and “yes, they’re all ours”.

I am from Grandmother’s peach cobbler and Grandma’s pecan pie.
I am from Hershey’s chocolate on my first birthday and no white dairy products.
I am from Texas and seven cities, a moving van and boxes.
I am from freckles and blue eyes, hard work and responsibility.
I am from love that lasts forever.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

I couldn't have said it any better myself..

"I am a teacher. A teacher is someone who leads. There is no magic here. I do not walk on water, I do not part the sea. I just love children."
Marva Collins

"All kids need is a little help, a little hope, and somebody who believes in them."
Earvin "Magic" Johnson

"Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."
Mother Teresa

The Evil Eye

This is absolutely P-R-E-C-I-O-U-S!!!!!!

"This Way" Jewel

Well there's not much to say..I love the song and I can't resist this couple..GEEZ!! They're going to be the death of me..

"Here In Your Arms" Hellogoodbye

I was on YouTube browsing through vidoes and found this one. I forgot about this song! For some reason I really like it. It makes me want to sing along and then get up and dance like a crazy person..and normally I do. It's just a fun song, and a really cute video. So watch and listen...then dance!

My brother..

No, I'm not talking about Chase or Chandler. I'm talking about my other brother, Jason Christopher Cunningham :0) Over the past about 3 years, he's become like my brother, and I'm actually closer to him than my own flesh and blood brothers. He's truly the male version of me..it's scary how alike we are. I don't say it often, but I love him like one of my own and here is one of the many reasons why....

Tonight, Jacque, Jason and I went to eat at Texas Roadhouse. We were waiting to be taken to our table and I was in line first. While we were waiting to be seated, a group of people were exiting the restaurant and passed by us. The man in front, who I'll call "Garth" (Jacque and I said he looked like Garth Brooks) walked right up to me, so close that he was touching me, and put his hand on my lower back. He said, "Excuse me while I get a toothpick!" So I moved out of the way and we followed our waitress to our table. On the way there, Jacque whispered to me that Jason was really mad because that guy had touched me!

When we got to our table, I could tell that Jason was really upset! He looked like he was gonna go beat the guy up! Jason said that it was UNACCEPTABLE that he did that. We were trying to not make it a big deal, but Jason told us that it was unacceptable that a man touch a woman that he doesn't even know on the lower back. Plus the man was married!! Jason said that he should have just stood there and politely asked me to move so he could get a toothpick, or just waited until I left.

I just really didn't think anything of it, but Jason was sincerely upset. It was so cute! It made my heart smile :0)

Jason also informed me tonight that as of now, any prospective boyfriends I have will now have to come over to J & J's house. Jason and the prospective boyfriend would go throw something on the grill and grill out. Jason would "grill him" about his intentions, and if Jason didn't approve of the guy, he would burn him or whack him with the spatula (or whatever it's called)! Again, too cute!

Jason, I love you brother! I can't wait for the day when we all come over and grill out. Hopefully it's sometime in this century! ;0)

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

I wonder...

Today I was sooooo glad that I got to take my half day off, as my Christmas present from our principal! I went to Hobby Lobby and got to get lots of cute stuff that was 50% off! I got a cute snowman, and then super cute wrapping paper, bows, and bags! I LOVE Hobby Lobby and I sure love a sale! :0)

After I did some errands, I went to Shannon Elementary to see one of my old students, Sydney. She was moved to the new school this year, so I don't get to see her like I do my old students. I went with her mom, Kim (who's an aide at Shannon) down to Sydney's classroom to surprise her. It was so funny! She and two other girls who used to go to Springer, when they saw me, started screaming "Miss Snodgrass!!", got up, ran over and practically attacked me! It was so good to see them. I hung out with Sydney and her mom for a while, and it was just like always. Sometime during the Christmas break, I'm going to take Sydney and we're gonna have a "girl's day"! She kept begging her mom to let her go home with me today! :0)

I also got several ego boosts today/ this week! When I was at Shannon today, I was in the office and there was a girl who was probably in 3rd or 4th grade, and she came over to me and Sydney and started talking to us. She asked who I was and Sydney told her that I was her teacher, and the girl asked me what my name was, and I told her "Ms. Snodgrass" and she said "you look really young! You look like you're 16!" I just laughed and said "thanks!" Kim was introducing me to some of the staff at Shannon and told them that I was a teacher at Springer, and they were like "you're so young!". I always say, "yes, I know. I'm the youngest at my school!"

Also this week at school, since the weather has been super humid/rainy/wet, I've worn my hair curly~if I didn't it would be FRIZ city! I'm not kidding when I say that almost everyone (kids AND teachers) have commented on how much they love my hair and how beautiful it looks! I'm finding this really funny and ironic, but loving it none the less! I was in an ARD meeting on Monday and even one of the ladies that works in the Rockwall district (very important), commented on my hair and how much she liked it! I thought "wow..maybe I need to keep this up!" It's funny how a little thing like how you style your hair can make your week! ;0)

After I went and visited Sydney, I came back home and decided to take a nap, because I was really tired and had a headache. I slept for over 3 hrs! It was so nice...so was the dream I had! ;0) I dreamed about meeting this really cute guy at a store that I was shopping at. He evidently worked there with his family, and when I was trying to check out, he talked to me and was telling me not to go out with this other guy who had evidently been checking me out, who he said wasn't a good guy! I was like ok, thanks, and tried to leave. The cute guy kept thinking of an excuse to keep me coming back and not letting me leave. He finally asked for my phone number and asked me out. He also introduced me to his mom who was really nice (random?). Then he wrote his name and number on a piece of paper. In my dream I looked at the piece of paper and then I woke up. The last thing that I remember that he had written that his name was Sloan Young. He also had nice handwriting..I was impressed! I think this is really random because normally I'll have dreams where guys have names, but normally I only remember a first, or a last name..never the whole name. So, anybody know a sinlge guy named Sloan Young?!

I wonder if that dream has any significant meaning. If only I had seen his phone number too.

I wonder...

"Anybody Out There" Rissi Palmer

Jason introduced me to this new country artist named Rissi Palmer, who is amazing! I'd never heard of her before, but she's awesome! Jason told me that when he heard this song, it reminded him of me. He says that it's "my song". The minute I heard it, I completely agreed with him. I wish I could figure out how to let ya'll hear it, but there's not a video on YouTube yet. I guess you'll just have to read the lyrics and see how I could have totally written this song!


Lyin' on a hillside
All alone in the twilight
Watchin' the stars pop out
Feelin kinda small right now
Contemplatin' all that space
All the planets in their place
Wonderin' where I fit in
As the world slowly spins around me
Around me, the universe surrounds me
I thirst and I hunger I search and I wonder

Chorus:
Is there anybody out there
Somebody out there
That one body out there
I believe there's gotta be
A love for me somewhere
Who's prayin' the same prayer
Is there anybody out there
Lookin' for me

Four billion people
A haystack and a needle I
f only I could catch a ride
On the passin' side of life
With a different point of view
Maybe then I'd find you
But I'm stuck here on the ground
Askin' the dark out loud
Is he close?
Is he near me?
Can anybody hear me?

Is there anybody out there
Somebody out there
That one body out there
I believe there's gotta be
A love for me somewhere
Who's prayin' the same prayer
Is there anybody out there
Lookin' for me

Oh, I believe
There's gotta be
A love for me somewhere
Who's prayin the same prayer
Is there anybody out there
Lookin' for me

Is anybody out there?

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Prayer Committment-December 10th

Ever since I was a young girl, probably about 11 or 12, I wrote my first letter to my future husband with my best friend at the time, Mackenzie. We used to write the letters all the time and kept them at her house. Since then, we ended up moving and lost touch with each other, and with that, sadly lost the letters we wrote.

Through the years, I continued to write letters to my future husband, and now I have journals that I write in for him. I plan to give them to my husband when we get married. I love writing, but I haven't been as faithful in writing as I should have been. Another thing that I have been doing most of my life is praying for my future husband. Also, I have not been as faithful in this area as I should be; however, this is where I want to change.

I believe with my whole heart that my future husband is out there somewhere. This is truly the desire of my heart to pray for him everyday until I meet him, and then continue to do so after I marry him.

I will now begin blogging on how many days I have been praying for my future husband. This will keep me committed to this endeavor and also will allow me to blog and tell you on the day that we find each other. I am going to love telling my husband that, "Since December 10th, I have been specifically been praying for you..praying that God would bring you to me."

This will also allow my blogger friends to go on this journey with me..but most importantly prove that God has heard my request, He knows the desires of my heart, and that prayer is wonderfully powerful.

So it begins..day 2 of prayer! :0)

It's a miracle!

It's a miracle! This is my electricity bill for Nov/Dec! My bill has never been this low. Thank you Jesus for providing during this time when my expenses are stretched short! This is precisely why I love the fall so much! :0) Go ahead..be jealous (well unless yours is lower than mine..in that case..keep quiet!)

Monday, December 10, 2007

Jeremy

I've been wanting to write this post for a while. I had honestly forgotten about it, until the other day, I was reminded. Let me tell you a story that goes something like this:

It was almost a year ago this January and it was my first year in Rockwall. To make a long story short, one of my dear friends in Rockwall who gave me my teaching job, ended up tragically losing her husband in a hunting accident. This hit me really hard and my heart was broken for my friend and her family. I wrote a blog about it on myspace and facebook asking for prayers for this family. During this time, I received and e-mail from a man named Jeremy. He explained that he had found me on Myspace, and lived in Rockwall. He attended the same church that I did, and had heard of the accident. He wanted to let me know that he was praying for me and the family. I replied back and said thank you for his prayers and that was about it.

Over the next couple of weeks Jeremy and I continued to e-mail each other and proceeded to move on and talk about ourselves, our jobs, etc. Turns out that he was one of the youth pastors at my church and actually had visited my school a couple of times to eat lunch with some kids in his youth group that went to Springer. We continued to e-mail, daily, and got to know each other pretty well. He sounded like a really great guy and was so easy to talk to. It turned out that we actually knew some of the same people/friends at church. A while later, he ended up asking me for my phone number. I talked to my friend who knew him and she verified with her husband that he was really who he was, and I got the "ok" from them, so I gave Jeremy my phone number. He called me the next day and we talked on the phone for hours. I loved his voice and his personality. He was so easy to talk to, was sweet, but still sarcastic. Everything I loved. He kept calling me and we talked about a lot of deep, important stuff~ what we believed in, what we wanted for our futures, what we believed we had to offer for our future mates, etc. It was awesome.

On about the second or third phone call, he asked if he could take me out on a date and I said yes. I was really excited~he sounded like a really great guy, I had loved getting to know him, and I hadn't been out on a "good" date in a long time. We made plans and set the date for our date. To make a long story shorter, he came and picked me up, I was a little attracted to him (not like drooling or anything, but he had sparked my interest), we went out and had our date. I thought we had a really great time and he seemed to have a lot of fun. He brought me back later that night and came up to my apartment, we talked for a little while, I showed him some pictures and then he had to leave for a youth meeting at church. I walked him to the door, we gave each other a hug, he told me how much fun he had and said he would call me.

Like a fool, I believed him.

He never called or wrote me again.

Ok, now close your mouth shut again :0) YES, you heard me right, I never, to this day heard from him again. Just to ease your mind, Jeremy is still very much alive and well~nothing has happened to him, no ill has befallen him. He's still doing the exact same thing, in the exact same place. See these were the thoughts that were running through my mind when he didn't call like he said he would, when I didn't hear from him the next day, or the next, or the next. Surely something must have happened to him for him not to call or e-mail, right? WRONG. I saw him online later on myspace and facebook and at church. He was definitely fine~he was just now the biggest jerk I had ever met on the entire face of the planet.

The biggest thing wasn't that he didn't call me like he said he would..not that he LIED to my face, and didn't tell me the truth. It was the fact that he didn't have the balls to contact me like a grown man, and tell me whatever the heck he would have told me. I wouldn't have cared if he said, "sorry, it's not going to work out", or "sorry, I'm not attracted to you like that", blah blah blah. I just wanted SOMETHING! It was just that he couldn't man up and be honest and truthful to my face..heck, he couldn't even do it online when he didn't even have to look at me. That's what really pissed me off!

However, upon looking back upon the situation, I thank God every day that it didn't work out between us...that Jeremy was NOT the man that God had designed to be my husband! I discovered that Jeremy wasn't even as cute as I thought he was, matter of fact now he's kinda ugly. He's superficial, a loser, and a dishonest liar. I'm so glad I know that I deserve SO MUCH MORE than he could have ever given me! Thank you Jesus! However, if I saw him again, I would totally walk up to him and say, "Hi~remember me?!" Then break his nose. JERK!!

So, what ended up happening in the end of the story?

Well, Jeremy just got engaged for the second time in his life, to a different girl and the Princess in this story (ME :0) is so glad that the "prince" turned out to be a frog and the Princess didn't even have to kiss him to discover this! The stupid frog revealed his true self, and the Princess is still waiting for her true Prince to come riding up on his white horse to rescue her...and she knows that he will! :0)

Merry Christmas Terrell!

For the past couple of years, it's been mine and Jacque and Jason's tradition of participating in the Christmas event at their church called "Merry Christmas Terrell". They sing that night in their choir's musical and I go watch them. We get dressed up all snazzy and have a wonderful, merry, evening! This Saturday night was even more wonderful, because Jilly and Race (Jacque's parents) came to visit and we all got to spend the evening together! The musical was wonderful and we continued our fun and had a late dinner at IHOP filled with yummy pancakes and lots of laughter! Here are some pics of our evening! Here's me before I left to go meet Jilly and Race!
Smile!
me, Jason, and Jacque...man we look good! ;0)
Jacque wanted me to sit in her lap...so I did!
This year was exciting because there was a new, huge, green, throne! YES!! (sorry it's blurry!)
The "traditional" Christmas picture by the beautiful tree!
This is what happens when I have a camera and I'm amusing myself on the drive home. I like to call this face, "Oh no..don't even think about it."
"I'm serious! Don't even think about it!"
"Did you HEAR what I just SAID?!!""
"OH NO YOU JUST DIDN'T!!"
"Just playing..hahaha...CHEESE!"


Thanksgiving pictures!

Here's a bunch of pictures from over the Thanksgiving break that I've FINALLY got up! Enjoy! P.S. Can anybody tell me how to keep my words centered under the picture? It never lets me! action shot #1 (Me, Chessa, and Cherise..Charity was taking the picture)

action shot #2..I just thought this was funny because of all of our faces!
another funny one..this is how most of the holiday was spent..laughing!:0)
another girl pose..one of a million!
me and Chessa
My sisters and I decided to go back out to where my grandparents used to live. They have since passed on, but that's where a lot of important moments and memories of our lives happened. This is the sign of the road where the used to live.
part of their land
a cool bird's nest I found and had to take a picture of!
more land!
if you look in the background, you'll see an old barn. That's where my mom used to tend the chickens and goats when she was a little girl.
sisters..minus Chalen! Me, Charity, Chessa, and Cherise
We also went by and visited my papa and grandmother's grave sites. They both passed away within 7 months of each other. I believe that they both loved each other so much, that they couldn't live without each other. I miss them so much.
My papa served in WWII. I was so proud of him!
This is me and Taylor, my cousin Stephanie's little girl!
Can you tell that I want a baby?! She was precious!




Christmas Q&A

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? both

2. Real tree or artificial? I love real trees, but I have an artificial

3. When do you put up the tree? Right after Thanksgiving, normally the first Saturday in December

4. When do you take the tree down? sometime in January

5. Do you like eggnog? I've always said no, because I thought it would be like drinking egg yolks; however, my good friend Cassandra told me that it's really good and doesn't taste like eggs! I might have to try it..maybe

6. Favorite gift received as a child? When I was a little girl, my favorite gift that I got was a little play piano. I "played" that thing 'till it broke! That's probably what inspired my love of music, and got me playing the piano for real!

7. Do you have a Nativity scene? Yes! I got my first one for my house this year. I love it!

8. Hardest person to buy for? EVERYONE in my family..but if I had to pick one, it would be my mom

9. Easiest person to buy for? Jacque :0

10.. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't really remember getting a bad Christmas present. Hopefully we can keep it that way ;0)

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? MAIL! Mail and more mail!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? White Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and Charlie Brown's Christmas

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? whenever I can. This year I was better and started in November! Yay me!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? not that I remember

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? the chips and yummy queso at my grandma's, all the chocolates and sweets, then the Christmas lunch at grandma's..pretty much anything at Grandma's!

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? both!

17. Favorite Christmas song? I have a ton..I pretty much love ALL Christmas music..but to name a few: "All I Want for Christmas" by Mariah Carey, "Carol of the Bells", "Grown up Christmas Wish" Kelly Clarkson, "White Christmas" Bing Crosby, "Silent Night", "Oh Holy Night", "The Christmas Shoes" Newsong..

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? definitely travel! That's the fun of the holidays

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? yes, I can..I thought everyone could, but recently have discovered that this is NOT true. Come on people!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? star!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? my family has done both growing up, but my favorite is on Christmas Eve. I think it's because I imagine the exact night when Jesus was born, and it's just so much more surreal to me at night.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Not having enough money to spend on everyone

23. What I love most about Christmas? The fact that our Savior was born and came to save the world! I love the beautiful decorations, lights, music~ just the sense of merriness during the season. I love being with my family and friends, and being reminded that the most important thing during Christmas is love. Love is the reason that Jesus came to save us..because He loved us so much that he would give His life for us. In return we should love each other, like He loved us!

24. Do you buy gifts for your pets? No! I don't have a pet..even if I did..still no!

25. Have you ever been Christmas caroling? yes, but it's been a few years. I love caroling!

26. Hot chocolate or hot apple cider? Both!! But my favorite is definitely spiced tea! Thanks mama! :0)

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Happy 160th post to me!

Yay! I don't know why I randomly picked 160 to be the number that I announced what post I was on, but it just randomly seemed like a good number, so GO 160! I am fairly proud of my self for writing so much..maybe it is a lot to you, or maybe 160 posts are nothing. :0) How many posts you are on?

I have definitely been a bad poster (is that a word that can be used in this context?) as of lately. I have just been so busy and stressed out with school. I have so many posts that I want to write, but just can't make myself do it. Therefore, I have decided to compose a "post" list. That way ya'll can see it, I can check it off, and I will HAVE to finally do it. The posts that need to be written are as follows:

  • pictures from Thanksgiving
  • pictures and post on Merry Christmas Terrell
  • pictures of gifts from J and J
  • Jeremy post
  • holiday post from Stephanie
  • Rissi Palmer lyrics/song
  • prayer post

Ok, now ya'll stay on me to write these! :0)

Friday, December 7, 2007

Oh yes..

Thank you sweet Jesus that today is FRIDAY!!!!!!! WHOO HOO! I honestly don't think I could have made it ONE MORE DAY! If you only knew the week I've had. If you only knew..

IT'S THE WEEKEND!!!!!!!!! Can you tell I'm excited??!! :0)

Thursday, December 6, 2007

So sad..

I haven't wanted to write a new post, because I have loved each time I open my blog, getting to see Brody's beautiful face, smiling back at me. This is extremely sad. I really need to get a life!

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Good Lord...

Ok seriously..does he have to be so beautiful? I mean I'm still drooling just looking at him. I sure wouldn't mind waking up to that every morning for the rest of my life! Anybody want to give him to me for Christmas??!! Thanks..one Brody Jenner please! ;0)




Monday, December 3, 2007

Prayer Requests!

Hey guys,

I wanted to let you know of a couple of prayer requests that I had. I personally have been praying about these, but I know that the more people I have praying with me, the better it is!

  • Please pray that I find a roommate. I'm still really needing someone to live with me and help share my living expenses. It would just make things a lot easier for me! I would be able to save a lot more, pay off more debt, and allow me to finally get a new car!

  • Pray that I am able to find and make friends with young, single, girls my own age. As embarrasing as it is to admit, I really don't have a lot of friends. (That actually sounds worse than it is)! I have amazing co-workers who I love working with every single day. I wouldn't trade them for anything! However, it's not the same as having your best girl friend that you can go do girl stuff with and hang out with on the weekend. Most of my teaching team is married, with families or husbands, and they have their own lives. I do have my best friends, Jacque and Jason here, and they're more like family. Most of the time we hang out on weekends, but when they're busy, I don't have any other friends to hang out with, or even call up. I don't want this to sound like I'm having a pity party for myself, because I'm TOTALLY not! I am a very independent woman and I've liked living by myself. Sometimes it is nice to just hang out and relax at my house during the weekend and recharge alone. However, sometimes I do want to go out, and I don't want to do it alone. I have been going to my Sunday school class and getting involved in church, but I just don't seem to be making any friends. In my ABF, everyone has been really nice, but it's like they already have their friends or know people...and I don't. This past Sunday I just felt soooo awkward and alone..in a room filled with people. I just wonder when am I not always going to feel so alone.

I know that NOTHING is impossible with God and I know He has already heard my cries. Please pray that I will continue to trust Him and continue to surrender my life daily to Him. Thanks guys! Love ya'll!

Sunday, December 2, 2007

TIME TO VENT!

If you haven't already read my post below, STOP now and do so. If you have, then proceed on!

I didn't want to ruin my wonderful post about my beautiful lights with bad news, so I decided to do a whole new post and vent about what went wrong this afternoon! I wasn't necessarily bad, just made me soooooooooooo MAD!!

First of all, I of course was outside all afternoon putting up my lights. I also had my windows inside open since the weather was nice. Well, I went inside to get a drink, and then all of a sudden my alarm starts beeping. I have an smoke/carbon monoxide alarm in my house. I thought it was really weird that it was going off, because I had been outside and hadn't even cooked/burned anything to set off the alarm. So I went to look and on the alarm it had the green light on and then it had a red light by the "go to fresh air" area. Hmmm..so I called my daddy and he said to try and get up there and fan it or turn it off. Yeah, that didn't work. There was a reset button, so I pushed it. The alarm went off for maybe a couple of minutes, then came back on. So then my dad said to take the battery out. I said ok, I'll try that and we hang up. So I climb up there and yank and pull and push till I finally get that dang thing off the ceiling. Then I pull and shove and push till I FINALLY get the freakin battery thing off, and I pull out the battery. *sigh of relief, it finally stopped!)

I climb back down the ladder, go about my business, when what do you know..it starts beeping again! DANGIT! It wasn't as long as before, but the alarm was still beeping. So I call my dad again! He said you took the battery out? I say yes, hmmm...then I don't know what else to do..something else must be powering it. I told him that the green light was still on, even though it had no battery! He then suggested going to my breaker box and flipping the breaker. So I run to the garage and flip the breaker, run back in, and the green light was off! yay? NO!! Then the freakin alarm beeped at me again! I swear I was about to climb up there and beat it to smithereans with my bat. However, finally it went off. That is the most stupidest alarm EVER!! I still want to smash it into little, bitty, pieces! :0) It was like an animal or something that just wouldn't die..you're just like DIE ALREADY!

THEN when I was climbing up the ladder one of the 50 jillion times, I had my hand under one of the handles and raised it up really fast, and completely ripped a chunk of nail/skin off of my little pinkie! Then it started gushing blood and I raced to the bathroom to put it under water and apply pressure. It hurt soooooooo bad! I'm not a swearing woman, but I came pretty close to it just then!! Right now I have a bandaid on it, but it's still throbbing! Dumb alarm, dumb ladder!! UGH!

Well, at least I have beautiful lights up and nothing major happened. I'm just glad I have good balance and didn't fall off and break anything! :0)

Ok, now that I've vented, I'm off to bake a pecan pie for grad school tomorrow! Yum yum!

Taa Daa!

Well, here it is, 3 plus hours later, and I can finally say that I have successfully finished putting up my Christmas lights! It wasn't as bad as I thought! I only had to make one trip to Walmart (this is a big success for me..I thought I'd have to make more) to get more lights and clips. I originally bought 3 boxed of icicle lights, and one thing of clips that had 26 in them. Well, turns out I way underestimated. I went back to Walmart and got another thing of clips, and 4 more boxes of lights. I guess my little house is longer then I thought! I should have bought 2 things of clips when I was at Walmart, because I completely ran out. However, I was NOT making another trip back, so I ghettoed it up and taped up the rest of my lights with clear tape! :0) And you'll never tell the difference ;0). Since it was after dark when I finished it, the pics aren't that great. I'll put up a pic, but in the pic it looks like my lights are colored..but they're NOT! Watch the video if you want to see how they really look, but you can't really see my house that much. Oh well! I must say that it was quite an adventure today, but I'm really proud of myself. I did the research before, read the instructions, and was prepared as I could be! I did it and I think my house has the best icicle lights on the block! ;0)

I really hope this works!

Well friends, I'm off to attempt to put Christmas lights on my house! I have never done this before..my dad and brothers always put them on our house. I'm afraid my experience is limited to putting lights on my tree and up in my room. I have everything I think I need, but you never know! I will report later on how my attempt went! :0) Wish me luck!

Thursday, November 29, 2007

New Look!

So I finally got around to changing my background to a new Christmas one! I love it! I liked this one because:

  • I love the blue color
  • I LOVE the snow
  • I think I look a little like the girl in the background
  • I think she has cute boots on
  • She looks like I feel during this time of season: in awe
  • She looks like I imagine the wise men did when they followed the star in search of baby Jesus..
  • I think this layout is just beautiful

The end :0)

Monday, November 26, 2007

My one and only "blonde" moment

For those of you who know me well, you know that I do not have "blonde" moments, and my hair is as dark as dark can be. Well, you could say that all those years of making fun of the blondes finally came back to bite me in the butt this weekend!

On Saturday we celebrated Thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family in Comanche, Tx (it's in the middle of Brownwood and Stephenville for you West Tx folks). Because of all the Thanksgiving traffic, I always drive down with my family and then drive back to Rockwall after we're finished on Saturday, to avoid all the traffic.

I printed off the directions from Comanche to Rockwall, and it said the drive would take me about 3 hours. I had made this same drive last year with my sister, so I wasn't worried about doing it again. I got off later then I had planned from my uncle's house and left around 5:30 p.m, but oh well.

I drove for probably about 2 hours and was getting close to Dallas when I saw the sign that said "Dallas 47 miles". I knew I was supposed to get on I30 E from Hwy 67. About this time, Jacque called me so I was on the phone talking to her. I saw the sign for I30 (or so I thought) and the turn looked familiar, so I got on the interstate. I talked to her for a while and then after we hung up, continued to drive. I suddenly saw a sign that said, "Hilsboro- 15 miles". Now, some of my friends will understand why I panicked at this moment. For the rest of you, I will continue to explain.

When I drive home to my parent's house, I drive from Dallas, to Hilsboro, to Lorena. It takes me about 2 hours to get from Rockwall, to Lorena. Hilsboro is about 40 minutes from Lorena. ENTER MY BLONDE MOMENT! In reality, when I was on the phone with Jacque I actually saw the sign that said I35 W, which leads back to Hilsboro/Waco/Lorena.

I TOOK THE WRONG EXIT AND WAS GOING THE COMPLETE WRONG WAY!! I WAS CLOSER TO MY PARENT'S HOUSE THAN I WAS MY OWN!!

There is no way to describe how mad I was at myself. I thought that it must be a cruel joke on me; however, it wasn't. I thought back to when I was on the phone with Jacque and thought I had seen a sign earlier that said "Waco", but I thought..nah, couldn't be. Turns out it WAS!

So my "3" hour trip turned out to be an over 4 hour drive. The only way I made it was listening and singing along to Christmas music. Otherwise, I would have probably pulled my car over and just cried.

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!

Here's a funny for ya..

So last night I decided to put all my Christmas stuff up so I was all relaxed and comfortable.

Normally my thing to do when I get home during the day after work, is to strip off my clothes and change into something super comfortable. Sometimes I strip off my bra without realizing that I've just done it!

Well, yesterday was one of those instances. I didn't worry about it because I wasn't going anywhere and there's nobody else around, so I just put on a big sweatshirt and went on my merry way.

Later while decorating my tree, I realized that one of the set of lights I bought had the white wire (which I think looks tacky) and I also realized that I bought the wrong star for my tree. So I decided to go ahead and drive to Walmart to exchange these while nobody was there. So I go put on my tennis shoes, grab my purse and keys, the lights and star, and go get in my car. I start up the car, open the garage door, back out the driveway and start to drive down the street BEFORE I said.."crap! I don't have a bra on!" So, I have to drive back in the garage, go back inside my house and put my bra back on.

Geez..I'm such a weirdo. Has this ever happened to you?!

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Happy Birthday Shaunna!

Today is my good friend Shaunna's birthday! We met during college and were in our sorority Sigma Phi Lambda, together. We were in the same prayer group and became close there! Those were the good days! I got to go to her wedding a couple of years ago, and she was such a beautiful bride! I am so blessed to call her my friend!
* Shaunna,

Happy birthday sweet girl! I hope that you have a wonderful birthday! I celebrate that today you were born, 25 years ago, and that God destined for us to meet and become friends! You are one of the most precious, sweetest, people that I have ever met. You have set such a godly example for others and have shone the light of Christ in your life! You are such an encouragement to me and I know to others. I know that you are going to be an amazing mother and Baby Dawson will be so blessed to have you as his/her mother! I hope that today, dear friend, you feel loved and celebrated..because you truly are!

Much love,
Chelsey

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Time to hit the open road!

Well right now I should be finishing packing and getting ready to leave..but you know me..can't resist one last post!

I'll try to post during the break if I can, but I know my family is going to be traveling alot, so we'll just have to see. I hope that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and family! I know I will!

Love and blessings to you all! :0)

Monday, November 19, 2007

Stanley Leone

Don't let the name fool you..because that's exactly what it to me.

When I arrived to my teacher conference day this morning, along with the rest of the RISD employees, I was expecting an older, unattractive, man who was said to be a "good speaker". I thought..ok, whatever..he better be good if I have to sit and listen to him all morning long! The only thing that I can say after listening to Stanley Lenone for over 2 and a half hours this morning, is that I would have sat and listened to him all day long if they would have let me. The expectations I had of this man were lifetimes away from what he actually turned out to be. I don't think I can do Stanley justice with my own words, so I'll let this article I found online do it for me. It wasn't written about Rockwall, but his story is the same. PLEASE continue reading and then follow the directions for how to view a short clip to see Stanley. (They didn't have one on YouTube, so I tried to find the best one I could!)

From Drug Dealer To All-American Scholar

Thursday, 08 March 2007
RIVERSIDEBy Chris Levister


How does a white, former drug dealing street thug relate to a room full of mostly Black and Latino teens on probation or expelled from Riverside County schools? It's a question all-American scholar Stanley Leone, Jr. hears hundreds of times.

"Pain has no ethnicity. Pain sees no color," he says. Leone a motivational speaker from the Texas based Flippen Leadership Group has shared his life story of tragedy and triumph with ten of thousands of people.

On the campus of Arlington Regional Learning Center he enters a standing room only gathering of students and educators wearing a yellow shirt.

"A white guy in a yellow shirt, right away you can see the skepticism on their faces," admits Leone, "How tough can he be?" That skepticism fades quickly when he dims the lights and transforms himself into a menacing looking tattooed thug dressed in a knit cap and black sleeveless tee. Within seconds he lures listeners into a riveting snapshot of his childhood, a life of poverty, homelessness, drugs, violence, and sexual abuse.

"I'm five years old. I'm watching my father hold a shotgun in my mom's face." Leone paces the floor, his breathing is labored. "If I cried my father would beat me."

"Another night I wake up. A man is on top of me. The next morning he was laughing and joking with him my momma as if nothing happened. She made me swear not to tell anyone. I pushed the pain down."

"My mom did the best she could. We went from living in a trailer park to sleeping in a car, except there was no sleeping. You stayed awake to protect the family. I hated my father. I refused to take his name Stanley. I insisted people call me JR."

By age 13 Stanley Leone was a hardcore gun toting veteran of violence, drugs and incarcerations. By high school he was a fearless gang leader, drug dealer and street thug charged with felony assault. "I remember the police came to my school handcuffed me and took me to jail. Beneath my bad boy talk, I was hurting. I was insecure and scared."

"The boys I hung out with would say ‘yo dog I'll die for you'. In reality they weren't dying for me they were dying with me."

Leone told listeners football kept him from sliding deeper into a life of anger, pain and self sabotage. "I would play football to mask the pain." In his senior year Leone met Monda Simmons who taught the Flippen Group's Teen Leadership class at his school.

"She was a small lady. I tried to dog her. But she wasn't having it. She looked up at me and said ‘beneath your thuggish ways, son I see a champion', when she said that I started crying like a baby. She saw what I'd been hiding all those years."

Leone told teachers and administers, "you do make a difference in children's lives." He credits Simmons with helping him turn his life of tragedy and violence into a message of inspiration and hope.

"I can honestly say if it were not for Monda Simmons and the Flippen program I would be in jail or dead."

Stanley not only completed high school with a 4.0 average but went on to graduate magna cum laude from St. Xavier University in Chicago.

"That's my story. Each one of you has a story. You don't have to be a football all-star to be a winner. But you've got to be serious about changing your destructive ways. It's hard work. In this very room there's a Monda Simmons waiting to help you. But man, you've got to want to change," said Leone."

"He scared me," said David who was expelled for using drugs. "He was a pretty scary homeboy -- kinda like me."

Tonya expelled for fighting called Leone's story ‘amazing'. "He brought tears to my eyes. He said we got to fight with our minds. Not with hate, guns, knives and fists. That's deep."

"Life changing, rejuvenating, I wish all of our teachers and students could have seen and heard Leone's remarkable turnaround story," said Learning Center principal Tony Johnson. "His powerful message lets kids know they really can turn their lives around. We're here to help them accomplish that."

"I see Stanley Leone in every child," says the man who mentored him, Texas psychologist Flip Flippen founder and president of the Flippen Group. Flippen's award winning achievement program Capturing Kid's Hearts is in 22 Riverside County elementary and secondary schools.

Please go
HERE and watch this short clip! It says: WPTV News story about Stanley Leone's presentation to the faculty and staff of Palm Beach Country School District. It's the second to last "In the news, videos". You have to watch this and see him to truly understand. I wish EVERY person and teacher could have been there today. It would have changed your life..like it did mine.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

There

Cass..I did it..pictures, pictures, and more pictures! Now it's your turn..and I'm exhausted so I'm going to bed now! Love you!

Saturday night "Hoe Down"

So to update all on my Saturday night festivities, the evening went really good. I went out to Sabine Ranch, which was about 6 miles down the road, so I was already happy that I didn't have to drive far! The weather was great. When I got there, I met a couple of people and we just sat for a while and chit chatted.

Around 5:45 p.m Shannon told us that we were going to go out to the area. We were like ok? but still went out there. As we got closer to the arena, we saw what was actually IN the arena. What was it you ask? Well, they were GOATS! Yes, I said goats. I thought to myself, "I seriously doubt that I'm dressed correctly for whatever event we're going to be doing!" I of course had dressed in my cute, western, outfit. Not my comfortable, running, getting down and dirty outfit..but I was like oh well! Good thing I like animals and goats!

So we all get into the arena with the goats, form teams and then find out that the first "game" we're going to do is called "dress the goat". We had to go down to the herd of goats, find one, dress it in a t-shirt (legs included) let the instructor know when we had it on, and then take it back off in the fastest time. Sadly, my team got an A for effort, but didn't have the fastest time. Our time was 1.18 but the fastest time was .36 sec. They were fast!

The second "game" tested our goat herding skills! :0) Our team had to herd the entire herd of goats to a certain point across the arena in the fastest time, with the largest number of goats. I am very proud to say that my team had the fastest time and won the herding contest! Oh yeah..watch out..we've got some serious skills ;0) Man..only in Texas! That's why I love this place so much..and am never leaving it.

After we worked up an appetite with our goat dressing and herding, we all headed back in to have some grub. After we ate dinner, we played games, and my group played the game "Mad Gab" one of my favorites..I'm so good at that game! We definitely had some good laughs!

*Kyrbie, remember when we played this at your house for your 16th birthday party? That was the first time I played that game. I still remember how much fun we had and how much we laughed. :0)

After playing the games, we all went back outside, treked about half a mile out in the dark, down to the bonfire. We sat around the campfire, made smores, and one of the guys brought his guitar and we all sang worship songs. It was so awesome! I was reminded again of how astonishing God's beauty is. Sitting there with people who love the same God that you do, worshiping in the same way, admiring the same sky lit with beautiful stars that our Creator made..it was so amazing. It felt like God was wrapping His arms around me and saying, "I love you, beautiful daughter of mine!". It felt like...home.

Thanksgiving threw up!

I told ya'll it was bad! It looks like Thanksgiving threw up around my room at school :0) However, I think it looks very cute! The bulletin board you're looking at below, portrays all of our very fine turkeys. The students were each given a "Tommy the turkey" and instructed to disguise Tommy so that he wouldn't be eaten for Thanksgiving dinner. We made the other turkeys in class.
This is our "thankful turkey". Each year I put up the turkey and then the students discuss what they're thankful for, and write it on a feather.
While talking about fall, the students decorated a tree and then described their tree to me. I loved their answers. Some of them were hilarious!

Click on the picture above and read David's description. His was my favorite! (Remember, all I said was,"tell me about your tree". Then I wrote down whatever they said.)
During Thanksgiving week, when we talk about the Pilgrims and Native Americans, each student gets to "create" their Native American name. I give them them format, (action verb and a noun) and you can see what we ended up with! Mine was Dancing Sun :0)
Overall, it was a great week!

Amanda and Wes' Baby Shower a.k.a "Eli's Party"

So I've finally gotten to the post about Eli's Party! It was so much fun! I'm not gonna write a lot about it, but ff you want to read more in depth, you can read about it here.

It was so good to see my friend Amanda. Our families have been close friends for a while, but because we both moved different places, we haven't seen each other in a long time. Amanda, I loved that we were able to just pick up like it was yesterday! You are so precious, and you are going to be an AMAZING mother! Eli is so blessed to have you and Wes as his parents! Love you!

this was Jeff's sweet van, telling of Eli's "partee"

me and the beautiful mommy to be!
opening gifts (sorry the pics are so dark!)
Wes looks really excited!
opening my gift!
create your own onesie (sp?)

the Langford House where we had the shower. It was beautiful!
these were the gorgeous houses in the neighborhood!


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