Tonight marks the end of another summer for the Millers. Tomorrow is the start of another school year. Yay! I have always been a parent of progress. After all, you can't stop the train from moving forward. However, the realization has hit me that my girls really are growing up. Grace is entering her last year of middle school. That means high school next year. Elissa is entering her last year of elementary school this year. That means middle school next year. Any my baby is entering third grade. Third. Grade. Where has the time gone? Why does it seem like an eternity from weekend to weekend sometimes, but you can blink and your kid is a teenager? After this realization, I decided that ice cream wasn't the answer, and neither was panicking. So, I've decided to embrace this reality. Instead of focusing on how quickly the train is moving, I'll focus on the moments during the train ride. We've had some amazing moments as a family, and there are so many more yet to come. I have loved my kids in every stage of their development, and I will love every stage that is yet to come. Most of all, I'll remember that God loves my girls, and has given me the most tremendous blessing - I get to be their mom. And, after all...
I can do all things through him who strengthens me! Philippians 4:13
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
New Beginnings
New Building, New Classroom, New Students, New Year, New Beginnings!
Wow, these last two weeks have sure been busy! School starts next Monday, so last week I spent the majority of my time setting up my new classroom. This week I tweaked it a little bit, but really spent most of my time in training and meetings in preparation for the new school year.
I love the beginning of the year. Over the summer, I spend time reflecting on my teaching and the needs of my students, in order to better myself to facilitate their learning. I always come up with a bunch of new ideas to implement in the classroom. Some are better than others, for sure! I also love the way the kiddos come in, bright eyed and excited to begin a new year of learning. Children are like sponges, soaking up new information and just always wanting more. I love how animated they get when I introduce a new concept, just so eager to learn!
Here's a sneak peak of my new classroom....
I am looking forward to a new beginning this year, with new students in a new classroom in a new building!
Wow, these last two weeks have sure been busy! School starts next Monday, so last week I spent the majority of my time setting up my new classroom. This week I tweaked it a little bit, but really spent most of my time in training and meetings in preparation for the new school year.
I love the beginning of the year. Over the summer, I spend time reflecting on my teaching and the needs of my students, in order to better myself to facilitate their learning. I always come up with a bunch of new ideas to implement in the classroom. Some are better than others, for sure! I also love the way the kiddos come in, bright eyed and excited to begin a new year of learning. Children are like sponges, soaking up new information and just always wanting more. I love how animated they get when I introduce a new concept, just so eager to learn!
Here's a sneak peak of my new classroom....
I am looking forward to a new beginning this year, with new students in a new classroom in a new building!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Amazing Kids
I have amazing kids. I know, I know, all parents say that, but mine are really amazing! In fact, I marvel at their amazingness each day. What a blessing it is that God gave me them to nurture. He teaches me so much through them, and I truly am in awe of Him when I see how He works through them. Let me just tell you a little bit about what has been going on with them lately.
Grace: Queen of the Elves, or should I say Queen of the Stage? This summer she has been one busy girl! This weekend she performed as Oberon in Midsummer Night's Dream at the Courtyard Theater in Plano. It was incredible! I never imagined that my thirteen year old would be performing Shakespeare, and performing so well. It was a riot! All of the actors were amazing, and I can't wait to get the DVD so I can watch it again!
In addition to theater this summer, she also worked on her Silver Award for Girl Scouts. This is probably the activity that made me the proudest mom ever! Grace has always had a passion to help people less fortunate than her, and she has a big heart for kids. Put those two things together, and you have a girl who worked very hard with her Girl Scout troop to plan an implement a week's worth of stations at a summer camp in Dallas. Add to that a school supply drive, and you have a Silver Award! My oldest daughter is smart, talented, kind hearted, and a Christ follower. What a package! I'm so glad God gave her to me.
Elissa: A sweet soul, that's probably the best way to describe her. She's very quiet, so you might not think of her as the percussion sort, but she is! For two years (at least), she's been begging me for drum lessons. I finally consented. She's a model student, practicing several times a day, with the metronome. She's super cute, too.
She would like to adopt a family that has kids and is less fortunate than us, and give them clothes and food because no one should go without. Anyone know how to adopt a family like that? I need some help in that area for sure. By the way, she really likes pie too.
Kaitlin: Let me tell you, this little girl keeps me on my toes! She asks so many questions, I have found that Google really is my friend! She is very goal-oriented, and someday I really think she might be President. Or a fashion designer. But for now, she's our bowling star! Yes, she won the game fair and square. Please take note about how you should dress when you intend to win at bowling.
All of you out there, you have amazing kids too. Don't forget to count your blessings every day and thank God who gave them to you.
Grace: Queen of the Elves, or should I say Queen of the Stage? This summer she has been one busy girl! This weekend she performed as Oberon in Midsummer Night's Dream at the Courtyard Theater in Plano. It was incredible! I never imagined that my thirteen year old would be performing Shakespeare, and performing so well. It was a riot! All of the actors were amazing, and I can't wait to get the DVD so I can watch it again!
In addition to theater this summer, she also worked on her Silver Award for Girl Scouts. This is probably the activity that made me the proudest mom ever! Grace has always had a passion to help people less fortunate than her, and she has a big heart for kids. Put those two things together, and you have a girl who worked very hard with her Girl Scout troop to plan an implement a week's worth of stations at a summer camp in Dallas. Add to that a school supply drive, and you have a Silver Award! My oldest daughter is smart, talented, kind hearted, and a Christ follower. What a package! I'm so glad God gave her to me.
Elissa: A sweet soul, that's probably the best way to describe her. She's very quiet, so you might not think of her as the percussion sort, but she is! For two years (at least), she's been begging me for drum lessons. I finally consented. She's a model student, practicing several times a day, with the metronome. She's super cute, too.
Kaitlin: Let me tell you, this little girl keeps me on my toes! She asks so many questions, I have found that Google really is my friend! She is very goal-oriented, and someday I really think she might be President. Or a fashion designer. But for now, she's our bowling star! Yes, she won the game fair and square. Please take note about how you should dress when you intend to win at bowling.
All of you out there, you have amazing kids too. Don't forget to count your blessings every day and thank God who gave them to you.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Summer Vacation Fun!
This summer we headed for the mountains. It was somewhat cooler than Texas, thank goodness! Our first stop after flying into Denver and spending the night with the grandparents was the cabin. It's located near Eagle, Colorado, and is pretty remote. It backs up to Bureau of Land Management land, so it feels like miles and miles of open space. We hiked through the hay field, relaxed, and took a day trip to Redstone and Glenwood Springs.
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| A hike through the field |
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| On the bridge over the pond and stream |
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| Just across from the front door |
Mid-week we headed back to the airport in Denver to pick up Aaron. We stayed another night at Grandma and Grandpa's house, then headed to Custer, South Dakota. What's in Custer, South Dakota, you ask? Well, a cute little town, but nearby is Mount Rushmore. It's been a long time since I was there, and things have really changed. I remember the monument and the cafeteria area, but the flags were new to me. It was impressive! Also impressive was Crazy Horse. I had never been there either, and it was quite a gem. We learned a lot about the development of the monument, and they have quite an extensive Native American artifact collection, as well as artisans at the monument to share in their heritage and the development of the monument.
After spending the majority of the day at the two monuments, we headed back for Custer, taking the scenic route on the Needle Highway. This is a geologic wonder, to say the least. Driving through the National Forest, and some of a State Park, you are surrounded by massive pillars that look like needles. There is a lot of wildlife (we saw Antelope right by the side of the road), and you have to drive through some very narrow tunnels (only one lane). I love to see God's creations, and am always in awe of Him when I do! The pictures do not do it justice, you simply must see it for yourself.
Also in Custer, SD is Flinstone Bedrock City. It's basically a park with all the homes and buildings from the Flinstones show. The girls literally ran and played for an hour and a half, checking out all the buildings, them playing at the park. It was a wonderful way to end the day for sure!
We ate at many great places in Custer, but the family favorite was the Purple Pie Place. They serve lunch and dinner, but we just went for dessert. Elissa is on a pie kick right now, so we just had to try it. I'm not sure what we liked more, the pie or the store!
After South Dakota, we headed back to Denver by way of Nebraska, stopping at the Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. This place was also amazing. It is a very large discovery of fossils of extinct animals, though not as old as dinosaurs. Because the rancher who owned the land was curious about the animal bones he happened to come across, this huge fossil bed was discovered. It makes me wonder how many more fossil beds are around our county that haven't been discovered just because someone wasn't curious, or didn't stay curious.
Now we're home, enjoying the Texas heat. Seriously, even though it's hot, we're still having fun together!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Making Music
Today was the first Sunday in about three months that I sang on the Worship Team at church. Boy, have I missed it! A complicated schedule of three school-age daughters has kept me busy during Thursday night rehearsals, but it seems the madness has ended! As I spent the last week or so preparing for services, I have been thinking a lot about the worship experience. I love that we live in a country where we can worship wherever and whenever we want. What a blessing that is!
The fact is, I love to worship! Our day to day lives keep our minds focused on things that are not important, and worship is a way to refocus on the one thing that matters most - our Heavenly Father's love for us. Worship, to me, is my direct connection to God, where I can show Him how much I love Him. It's a complete time of engagement, and it focuses my mind and heart on Him. Matt Redman writes about worship in his book The Unquenchable Worshipper - "The Bible is full of unquenchable worshippers - people who refused to be dampened, discouraged, or distracted in their quest to glorify God." I want to be an unquenchable worshipper- no matter what's going on in my day to day life, I want to be a focused and passionate about my praise! Worshipping is not about the notes we sing or the technical details about the music, but about our connection with God. I can't imagine a life without Him! Thank you God, for being in my life, and giving me the opportunity to glorify you!
The fact is, I love to worship! Our day to day lives keep our minds focused on things that are not important, and worship is a way to refocus on the one thing that matters most - our Heavenly Father's love for us. Worship, to me, is my direct connection to God, where I can show Him how much I love Him. It's a complete time of engagement, and it focuses my mind and heart on Him. Matt Redman writes about worship in his book The Unquenchable Worshipper - "The Bible is full of unquenchable worshippers - people who refused to be dampened, discouraged, or distracted in their quest to glorify God." I want to be an unquenchable worshipper- no matter what's going on in my day to day life, I want to be a focused and passionate about my praise! Worshipping is not about the notes we sing or the technical details about the music, but about our connection with God. I can't imagine a life without Him! Thank you God, for being in my life, and giving me the opportunity to glorify you!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Still Living
It's been a while, so I thought I'd post just to confirm that I'm still living. Yep. Still alive!
What a busy spring we've had! Here's what's been going on.....
Grace was in a play, called "Give and Take" at school. She played the part of a leprechaun. She was terrific! It's not every middle schooler that can pull that off, you know!
My school had it's annual carnival last weekend. The girls and I went while Aaron worked on fixing the fence (just in time for our really big storm). I got really sunburned - not peeling yet - and then got sunburned some more when we took apart our playscape in the backyard in preparation for bulk pickup. I pulled muscles I didn't even know I had hauling all that stuff to the curb!
On Sunday, the girls and I participated in the Girl Scout Amazing Race in our Service Unit last weekend. We had a blast! None of us had ever done it before this year. I went along with Grace's troop as the adult in charge of keeping the driver company, while Elissa and Kaity went with their troops. We didn't win (none of us did), but we had a great time, and I even learned something about Plano! I wore sunscreen for this event, in hopes of not burning more! It seemed to work.
What else is new? I've been working really hard, Aaron's schedule has been insane (read - we barely see each other during the week), and the girls are really busy too!
I have to admit, I'm looking forward to summer break just so we can slow down a bit!
What a busy spring we've had! Here's what's been going on.....
Grace was in a play, called "Give and Take" at school. She played the part of a leprechaun. She was terrific! It's not every middle schooler that can pull that off, you know!
My school had it's annual carnival last weekend. The girls and I went while Aaron worked on fixing the fence (just in time for our really big storm). I got really sunburned - not peeling yet - and then got sunburned some more when we took apart our playscape in the backyard in preparation for bulk pickup. I pulled muscles I didn't even know I had hauling all that stuff to the curb!
On Sunday, the girls and I participated in the Girl Scout Amazing Race in our Service Unit last weekend. We had a blast! None of us had ever done it before this year. I went along with Grace's troop as the adult in charge of keeping the driver company, while Elissa and Kaity went with their troops. We didn't win (none of us did), but we had a great time, and I even learned something about Plano! I wore sunscreen for this event, in hopes of not burning more! It seemed to work.
What else is new? I've been working really hard, Aaron's schedule has been insane (read - we barely see each other during the week), and the girls are really busy too!
I have to admit, I'm looking forward to summer break just so we can slow down a bit!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Dirt, Sweat, and Smiles
Dirt, sweat, and smiles. That just about sums up my Saturday!
It started early with the dirt part. Before Grace was even fully out of bed, I was off to Lowe's to acquire more plants for my front flower beds. While cleaning out my wallet earlier this week, I realized I had a merchandise credit for Lowe's that I had yet to use. Woohoo for me! $43 worth of plants for $3 - that's my kind of shopping. I purchased coleus, phlox, and several other perrenials that are meant for shady gardens. My once sunny or partly sunny front flower beds have become quite shady over time as the trees in the front have gotten quite large. It's amazing to think that when we bought our house eight years ago (almost nine!), the trees in front were basically twigs, but now they are huge!
After finishing my gardening, I continued the pursuit of dirtiness by finishing my sprinkler repair job. My dad and I had repaired a leak in the sprinkler line last month, but we had waited to fill on the hole over the pipes just to make sure it was working properly. Well, it is, at least at that spot, so I went ahead and filled it in. Another item checked off my list. The remaining sprinkler repair will have to wait for another weekend, I'm afraid!
After lunch, the girls and I headed back to Lowe's to purchase more plants for their mini-gardens (large pots on our back patio). This is probably the best part of gardening - doing it with the kids! They picked the annuals they wanted (Grace chose a veggie and an herb), and of course we had to plant them when we got home. More dirt.
As if that wasn't enough activity for one day, we then headed to the park at the end of our street for more outdoor fun. Grace and Elissa are pros at riding two wheelers, but Kaity hadn't quite got the hang of it yet. However, when she realized they were both going to ride, she decided she'd rather bike than scooter down there. So, being the daring mom I am, I decided to throw caution into the wind and let her try. Keep in mind, that the sight of blood for an eight year old causes serious screaming, crocodile tears, and Mom having to carry the bike and maybe the child home as well. Luckily, things worked out well, and she managed to ride it down there, then figure out how to start on her own without me giving her a push. Probably the funniest part was her screaming while riding because it was "scary." We only had one little wipe out, but there wasn't really any blood so she was able to cope. The bike's a bit small for her, so I'll have to garage sale for a new one. Hey, if you have one you'd like to get rid of, please let me know - I'll come and check it out! So - biking - sweat and smiles.
When I reflect about the gardening and activity with the kids today, I can't help but think about how things change. When we first moved to Murphy, Grace was starting Kindergarten and Kaitlin was only four and a half months old. Now Grace is almost finished with seventh grade and Kaitlin is eight! Elissa was a feisty two year old when we first got here, and now she's this amazing fourth grader with a totally different personality. Just as the trees have grown from twigs to huge shade trees, my girls have grown from babies into amazing people. Those trees will continue to grow and shade my house even more, and the girls will continue to grow and change in their lives as well. Sometimes I'm sad that they are not babies anymore, but only for a fleeting moment. Now they are these unbelievable people with whom I can share the things I love to do, like gardening. The best part is that I will have many more days to share moments with my girls. Like Dr. Seuss said, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Today I'm definitely smiling!
It started early with the dirt part. Before Grace was even fully out of bed, I was off to Lowe's to acquire more plants for my front flower beds. While cleaning out my wallet earlier this week, I realized I had a merchandise credit for Lowe's that I had yet to use. Woohoo for me! $43 worth of plants for $3 - that's my kind of shopping. I purchased coleus, phlox, and several other perrenials that are meant for shady gardens. My once sunny or partly sunny front flower beds have become quite shady over time as the trees in the front have gotten quite large. It's amazing to think that when we bought our house eight years ago (almost nine!), the trees in front were basically twigs, but now they are huge!
After finishing my gardening, I continued the pursuit of dirtiness by finishing my sprinkler repair job. My dad and I had repaired a leak in the sprinkler line last month, but we had waited to fill on the hole over the pipes just to make sure it was working properly. Well, it is, at least at that spot, so I went ahead and filled it in. Another item checked off my list. The remaining sprinkler repair will have to wait for another weekend, I'm afraid!
After lunch, the girls and I headed back to Lowe's to purchase more plants for their mini-gardens (large pots on our back patio). This is probably the best part of gardening - doing it with the kids! They picked the annuals they wanted (Grace chose a veggie and an herb), and of course we had to plant them when we got home. More dirt.
As if that wasn't enough activity for one day, we then headed to the park at the end of our street for more outdoor fun. Grace and Elissa are pros at riding two wheelers, but Kaity hadn't quite got the hang of it yet. However, when she realized they were both going to ride, she decided she'd rather bike than scooter down there. So, being the daring mom I am, I decided to throw caution into the wind and let her try. Keep in mind, that the sight of blood for an eight year old causes serious screaming, crocodile tears, and Mom having to carry the bike and maybe the child home as well. Luckily, things worked out well, and she managed to ride it down there, then figure out how to start on her own without me giving her a push. Probably the funniest part was her screaming while riding because it was "scary." We only had one little wipe out, but there wasn't really any blood so she was able to cope. The bike's a bit small for her, so I'll have to garage sale for a new one. Hey, if you have one you'd like to get rid of, please let me know - I'll come and check it out! So - biking - sweat and smiles.
When I reflect about the gardening and activity with the kids today, I can't help but think about how things change. When we first moved to Murphy, Grace was starting Kindergarten and Kaitlin was only four and a half months old. Now Grace is almost finished with seventh grade and Kaitlin is eight! Elissa was a feisty two year old when we first got here, and now she's this amazing fourth grader with a totally different personality. Just as the trees have grown from twigs to huge shade trees, my girls have grown from babies into amazing people. Those trees will continue to grow and shade my house even more, and the girls will continue to grow and change in their lives as well. Sometimes I'm sad that they are not babies anymore, but only for a fleeting moment. Now they are these unbelievable people with whom I can share the things I love to do, like gardening. The best part is that I will have many more days to share moments with my girls. Like Dr. Seuss said, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Today I'm definitely smiling!
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