Yes, it's true. "Back to school," is the saying in my mind. Today I signed up for classes as I called to find out that the Graduate program of Education Leadership accepted me for Summer 2013. The first two classes I will be taking are School Supervision and Curriculum for Leaders. These classes will be blended, so partially online as well in the classroom.
Monday was the day that I went up to SEMO campus to finalize my application and to pay the $30 fee. It was not fun. It was raining, I had to park at a meter, AND I was sent to three different places. Needless to say, I was tired after being there on the campus for 2 hours.
This summer will be tough, there's no doubt about it. Luckily, I'm teaching summer school which will help pay for a portion of my classes. I'm planning on filling out the FAFSA and hopefully we will qualify to get some financial help.
My goal is to pay class by class to get my Masters degree. The beauty of these summer classes is that when I get to six hours of credit, and when I get 8 hours, I will move over one step on the pay scale for Jackson r2. Yay!
I've discovered that if I stay on track and take two classes every semester, including summers, I will graduate in two years with my Masters degree in Educational Leadership. This is my goal for the next step of my life.
I kind of feel like Billy Madison, not wanting to go back, not wanting to grow up. I'd like to be able to just sit back and enjoy where I'm at. I also understand that if our family is to grow and and if we are wanting to work on our home more, I need to do this for my family and myself.
Alex and I have talked about how we would like to wait until Everett is 3 to have another child. This would put us after I graduate with my degree. We'd also like to finish the basement before we have another one too. We will definitely need the room!
Needless to say, we have goals and we have dreams. With hard work, dedication, discipline, and God's grace; we will succeed!
Friday, February 22, 2013
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Circle Maker
Have you ever wondered what your purpose is? What you were meant to do with your time here on Earth? I wonder that sometimes. My husband wonders that more often than I do but yes, I rarely question my purpose. I know that I'm supposed to work with children. I know that I'm supposed to be a mother. I know I'm supposed to be a wife. I also know that I'm supposed to spread the word of our heavenly father. But the question is, do I really excel in any of those?
Do I put EVERYTHING, I mean, EVERY breath, EVERY bit of energy, EVERY bit of my heart, into what I KNOW I'm supposed to do?
A bigger question is: Do I truly pray for things that I struggle with? I struggle with the idea that I can fully depend on a God who truly does love me. I struggle with the fact that we are in debt and we are trying to get out of it slowly. I struggle with knowing that I go home every night to a home with food on the table knowing that some of my students don't.
I've made it a point to sit down with God daily. If I find time early in the morning while drinking my coffee, or driving to work, or even laying in bed at the end of the day exhausted, I still talk to him.
At church, we are focusing on the story of Honi, a circle maker. He stood before God and created a circle in the sand. He stepped into the circle and told God that he was not moving from the circle until God answered his prayer. We are learning to be audacious and bold in prayer. I've asked God many a time to give Alex and I a mountain. Something that only God can do.
You hear stories all the time about people who have amazing stories that seem like a miracle. Well, that's God. God envelops every part of their being. That's what I want. I want a God moment that, when I tell about it, it doesn't seem possible.
I pray constantly for God to reveal himself to me to show me what to do next. I want to do something BIG. Something that I will look back on and say, I didn't do that. GOD DID.
http://www.lacroixchurch.org/media.php?pageID=115
Do I put EVERYTHING, I mean, EVERY breath, EVERY bit of energy, EVERY bit of my heart, into what I KNOW I'm supposed to do?
A bigger question is: Do I truly pray for things that I struggle with? I struggle with the idea that I can fully depend on a God who truly does love me. I struggle with the fact that we are in debt and we are trying to get out of it slowly. I struggle with knowing that I go home every night to a home with food on the table knowing that some of my students don't.
I've made it a point to sit down with God daily. If I find time early in the morning while drinking my coffee, or driving to work, or even laying in bed at the end of the day exhausted, I still talk to him.
At church, we are focusing on the story of Honi, a circle maker. He stood before God and created a circle in the sand. He stepped into the circle and told God that he was not moving from the circle until God answered his prayer. We are learning to be audacious and bold in prayer. I've asked God many a time to give Alex and I a mountain. Something that only God can do.
You hear stories all the time about people who have amazing stories that seem like a miracle. Well, that's God. God envelops every part of their being. That's what I want. I want a God moment that, when I tell about it, it doesn't seem possible.
I pray constantly for God to reveal himself to me to show me what to do next. I want to do something BIG. Something that I will look back on and say, I didn't do that. GOD DID.
http://www.lacroixchurch.org/media.php?pageID=115
Friday, February 8, 2013
Quiet Morning
As I woke up this morning, the boys are still sleeping. I slept in a bit until 6:30 and all I can think about it how I would love to stay home everyday with these two. A quiet morning every morning would be nice.
Today, we will bury my grandfather. I don't need to go on and give anymore information about how he was a good man. He's with our heavenly Father partying on the golden streets! Who wouldn't want to do that?!
I have faith beyond faith that has grown over the years to know that he is sitting at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
Today will be hard and it will be tough. BUT! Family together means love. And where there's love, there's God. I'm so thankful for the family that came into town to spend this time together and to say goodbye to Gene.
After the funeral today, I'm sure we will say our good-byes and everyone will go a different direction. That doesn't mean that life will be hard for us here in Cape County. I'm planning on cleaning grandma's house at least once a month to help her with the upkeep. She will need support and hugs and kisses daily. With support and prayer, my grandma will be okay. And that means I'll be okay too.
Today, we will bury my grandfather. I don't need to go on and give anymore information about how he was a good man. He's with our heavenly Father partying on the golden streets! Who wouldn't want to do that?!
I have faith beyond faith that has grown over the years to know that he is sitting at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
Today will be hard and it will be tough. BUT! Family together means love. And where there's love, there's God. I'm so thankful for the family that came into town to spend this time together and to say goodbye to Gene.
After the funeral today, I'm sure we will say our good-byes and everyone will go a different direction. That doesn't mean that life will be hard for us here in Cape County. I'm planning on cleaning grandma's house at least once a month to help her with the upkeep. She will need support and hugs and kisses daily. With support and prayer, my grandma will be okay. And that means I'll be okay too.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Showers of Grace
I'm starting to follow the blog, Showers of Grace. This woman and her two sons lost their husband/father recently in the fall of 2012 by an accident in the Air Force. I am learning that everyday is a gift and He is faithful.
http://www.showersofgrace.com/blog/?month=january-2013
http://www.showersofgrace.com/blog/?month=january-2013
In His Grace
Throughout my life, I've never really thanked the people who have largely impacted me and my walk with the Lord. I'm going to begin making it a point to do so. My grandfather was one of those people. Handing out his Gideon green bibles and talking with strangers about Jesus always amazed me. When I was in college at SEMO my freshman year, it was hilarious when I would be walking to class and I would see Grandpa Gene in the distance handing out bibles. It brightened my day and reminded me of how we can shine God's light everywhere we go.
I remember as a young child, he would sing songs with me and hug me. He also taught me how to pray. From as far back as I can remember, he's the one person that taught me to pray before every meal. Thanking God for everything that he ate (including his snacks), he always asked for nourishment. He was also the one to teach me to tithe. He explained how important it was to give back to God because he gave us so much. He has also taught me about investment. Investing your life in good.
He was a man of faith that never feared or was afraid to share his knowledge of Jesus or the bible. I want to be like that.
In my small group through church, we are currently reading the book of Malachi. The theme is: A love that never lets go. With God, he let's his people fuss and cry and question God. God allows us to do these things so we will sooner or later look to him for his grace. We see that he is truly all we need. We also recognize that we are nothing without him.
http://www.semissourian.com/story/1938861.html
I remember as a young child, he would sing songs with me and hug me. He also taught me how to pray. From as far back as I can remember, he's the one person that taught me to pray before every meal. Thanking God for everything that he ate (including his snacks), he always asked for nourishment. He was also the one to teach me to tithe. He explained how important it was to give back to God because he gave us so much. He has also taught me about investment. Investing your life in good.
He was a man of faith that never feared or was afraid to share his knowledge of Jesus or the bible. I want to be like that.
In my small group through church, we are currently reading the book of Malachi. The theme is: A love that never lets go. With God, he let's his people fuss and cry and question God. God allows us to do these things so we will sooner or later look to him for his grace. We see that he is truly all we need. We also recognize that we are nothing without him.
http://www.semissourian.com/story/1938861.html
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
It's Not Really Goodbye
Yesterday, I received sad news. After school, I was trying to get some work done so I could pick up Everett early from Nana's. I sat down to make a phone call to our school Social Worker and Alex calls me instantly. I picked up the phone and it was a normal conversation, "Hey, how was your day, etc." I asked how to visit went with grandma and grandpa. He slowed down and said, "Lauren, your grandpa passed." I had no immediate reaction, I asked, "Passed what?" "He passed away this afternoon, around 12:45."
From there, reality hit. I began to cry and just thought about him. I told a few people at school and then I headed to get Everett. He saw grandpa Gene just hours before he passed, he's what I wanted to hold on to.
Yes, there have been tears in the past hours. But there's also been hope. Sitting with my grandma last night and hearing how she told me about Grandpa's last few days, I truly believe he's with the Lord.
She spoke about how the night before, as she was singing a few hymns to him and just rubbing his arms and hands, he was moving his lips. She couldn't quite hear what he was saying but she could see what he was saying. She said that it was just amazing watching his lips move the way they were. He was saying, "I see God. I see God." His eyes were towards the heavens and a bit later he mumbled, "Hallelujah." She talks about how it was one of the most miraculous things she's ever seen.
God truly speaks through us as well as other people. I'm so happy to know that Grandpa Gene is with the Lord and how we will see him again someday.
I know that he's probably up in heaven joking around with many others. He's able to eat all of the ice cream and chocolate he wants. He can run, walk, skip, laugh with joy, and rejoice with the angels.
In Heaven, everything and everyone is healed and always full of joy. God called him home to fight the good fight and to serve Him.
Without Jesus, we are nothing. I've learned this through hard times and troubles. If I didn't have the Lord in my life, this situation would be much different. I wouldn't be able to stand the fact that I didn't get to say Goodbye. What I must always remember, this isn't really goodbye. It's, "I'll see ya soon." :)
From there, reality hit. I began to cry and just thought about him. I told a few people at school and then I headed to get Everett. He saw grandpa Gene just hours before he passed, he's what I wanted to hold on to.
Yes, there have been tears in the past hours. But there's also been hope. Sitting with my grandma last night and hearing how she told me about Grandpa's last few days, I truly believe he's with the Lord.
She spoke about how the night before, as she was singing a few hymns to him and just rubbing his arms and hands, he was moving his lips. She couldn't quite hear what he was saying but she could see what he was saying. She said that it was just amazing watching his lips move the way they were. He was saying, "I see God. I see God." His eyes were towards the heavens and a bit later he mumbled, "Hallelujah." She talks about how it was one of the most miraculous things she's ever seen.
God truly speaks through us as well as other people. I'm so happy to know that Grandpa Gene is with the Lord and how we will see him again someday.
I know that he's probably up in heaven joking around with many others. He's able to eat all of the ice cream and chocolate he wants. He can run, walk, skip, laugh with joy, and rejoice with the angels.
In Heaven, everything and everyone is healed and always full of joy. God called him home to fight the good fight and to serve Him.
Without Jesus, we are nothing. I've learned this through hard times and troubles. If I didn't have the Lord in my life, this situation would be much different. I wouldn't be able to stand the fact that I didn't get to say Goodbye. What I must always remember, this isn't really goodbye. It's, "I'll see ya soon." :)
Saturday, February 2, 2013
House Arrest
Today was a good day. Everett and I stayed home, all day long! It was nice to be able to be home and not have an agenda to be out and about. This morning we woke up around 7:00 and had breakfast. Everett was not interested in taking a nap this morning so instead we were bugging Daddy to wake up for work.
Around eleven thirty we had lunch. Everett loves salmon! It's so funny watching him try new foods. I had salmon the other night for dinner when we went out to eat wither another couple. I brought it home for leftovers and the next day, I decided to let him try a bite. He wanted more! He also loves loves loves green beans! After lunch and his bottle, he finally took a nap and slept for two hours!
He definitely was a happy baby after he woke up.
We've figured out why he's been so crabby lately. He's getting yet another tooth! He will officially have 5 teeth. 3 on top and 2 on bottom. Haha. We thought about calling him Hill-billy for awhile.
Tonight will be quiet due to E going to be at 7:30 and he will be tired!
Around eleven thirty we had lunch. Everett loves salmon! It's so funny watching him try new foods. I had salmon the other night for dinner when we went out to eat wither another couple. I brought it home for leftovers and the next day, I decided to let him try a bite. He wanted more! He also loves loves loves green beans! After lunch and his bottle, he finally took a nap and slept for two hours!
He definitely was a happy baby after he woke up.
We've figured out why he's been so crabby lately. He's getting yet another tooth! He will officially have 5 teeth. 3 on top and 2 on bottom. Haha. We thought about calling him Hill-billy for awhile.
Tonight will be quiet due to E going to be at 7:30 and he will be tired!
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