Thankful Thursday

I am a little late getting this week's "Thankful Thursday" on here because of all the craziness with school! However, we will just pretend that is is Thursday!

This Thursday, I am thankful for.....

WHITNEY!!!

I met Whitney my Freshman year of college in 2004! We both pledged the same sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, and we were both Public Relations majors. Basically, we had all of our classes together and were together for sorority stuff when we were not in class! We were destined to become friends. I literally do not have a memory from college without Whitney in it. She is the type of person who has fun no matter what we do and is funny without meaning to be! It is so refreshing to have a friend like Whitney because she would actually drop whatever she is doing to help you out. And she did this many, many times for me in college. We lived together our Junior year and had the cutest apartment at September Place!

This is our Christmas Tree!! We sent this picture out on a Christmas card that year. It was so cute!!

We went to lots of sorority parties together!

80's Party!

Barnyard!

Trip to the lake

We went to NYC one summer!!

Switching hair-do's!!

Alabama football games!

Talladega...cheering for Jimmie Johnson!

The Candlelight for Tiffany when she got engaged!! We had matching bridesmaids tank tops!

My 23rd Birthday!

Whitney's wedding!!

To sum it all up, I just LOVE this girl! It is hard to believe that we lived 18 years without each other! I feel very lucky to have such an amazing friend. LOVE YOU WHIT BIT!!!!

First Day of School

6th grade is a whole new world! The students are officially in Middle School and have lockers, change classes, dress out for P.E., etc! Today was a bit hectic, to say the least, but it was also a lot of fun! I had a powerpoint on my fancy promethean board to introduce myself and did a few activities to get to know the students. We played a game called "In my perfect world.." The students had to list 10 things that would happen in their "perfect world." For example: everyday would be Friday, water fountains would have Mountain Dew, bedrooms would clean themselves, etc. I got some really creative answers! 

This was all we had time for in each class because we were on a shortened schedule. The day went by really quick and I can't wait to go back tomorrow!! :)

Stay Tuned...

The first day of school is TOMORROW!!! 

I will be posting details tomorrow afternoon of how it goes!!!

Thankful Thursday

This Thursday, I am thankful for....

 DAVO!!!

I am so thankful for my wonderful boyfriend, David. We have literally been through it ALL and have made it through. We began dating in 10th grade when he was 15 and I was 16 years old.  He had just gotten his braces off and I was giddy/could not breathe when he asked for my phone number on an Instant Message on AOL. We had not known each other, despite going to the same school since Kindergarten. However, we hit it off almost immediately. He was the cutest/hottest guy I had ever seen, had such a funny personality and I remember thinking on our first date that he was the ONE!! Granted, most teenage girls think this about every guy they date, but I was so sure that I came home and told my mom "I will be with him forever!!!" Now, it hasn't exactly been forever, but 8 and a half years is a pretty long time!

We were both very involved in high school and practically participated in everything. After high school, things got a bit tricky. College is something that is not meant for high school relationships. We had a few rocky years, went through some challenging times, questioned whether or not we should even be together anymore, but thankfully we made it out of all that MESS!

I can truly say I am thankful for David because I cannot imagine my life without him in it. It is so special and rare to be with someone who you knew at such a young age. We always have a good time together and most of all, he makes me laugh!! Not to mention, there is never a dull moment with him around. He is always stirring something up, cracking jokes, and just being plain ol' David. He comes from a loving, sweet family and I love all of them as well!! I actually had Mrs. Gray as a teacher before I even knew David. It was just meant to be! I can't wait to see what the future hold for us!! :)

I love you to the moon!!!! 

Life Lately

I have been very busy lately preparing for my next adventure....teaching 6th grade!! I will be at Irondale Middle School teaching Pre-AP science and social studies. I will also be coaching the cheerleaders! I am looking forward to this new experience and have been preparing for it the past few weeks. I have had workshops, meetings, orientations, and will continue to to have workshops this week! The first day of school is August 11th and I am running around like crazy to get everything done in time. I have moved all of my things into my classroom, but have not had enough time to "decorate" and set it all up. I will be doing that this week, HOPEFULLY!!!

This is Irondale Middle School...my new home!! :) 

I feel extremely blessed and grateful to have a job that I absolutely LOVE!!! It honestly does not feel like "work" to me and I am happy to go every day. It has always been important to me to choose a career that makes a difference in people's lives and I could not have picked a better career!

With all that said, I am basically lovin' life right now. Great job. Great family. Great friends. Currently looking forward to fall!

Thankful Thursday

I have decided to take on a new task on Thursdays...write about something that I am thankful for!! I have been blessed with great family, friends, and a job, so I wanted to take some time to reflect on these blessings :)

First up...my parents!!!! I honestly don't know where I would be without these two. (Well, obviously, I would not even exist, but thats not what I mean!) I have the most loving, supportive, amazing parents that I could ask for. Everything that I have ever needed or wanted, they have given me. I'm not talking about material things. I am talking about coming to dance recitals for 13 years, coming to football games to support me as a majorette for 6 years, giving me the opportunity to go to Tuscaloosa to attend college and participate in a sorority, basically being there for me in every way they could! I have never felt that there is anything my parents wouldn't do for me. I am especially thankful that they let me move back home after college to pursue my Master's degree from UAB. They knew how important it was to me and supported me 100%.

I have been given an excellent example of what a loving marriage looks like (They have been married 31 years in October!!!) and also a wonderful example of what parenting should look like.

I love yall, Mommy and Daddy!!!

What I'm reading..

I am currently in the middle of/obsessed with Eat, Pray, Love!! I have seen the previews for the movie the past few weeks and have always heard of this book, so I decided to give it a whirl. Honestly, it is a fabulous book!! I can't believe I have waited this long to read it. It is about a woman (Liz) whose life falls apart (divorce, losing money) and she goes on a one year spiritual and emotional well-being journey across the world.

Oh, to have the money to do this!!! I would go in a heartbeat. Not that my life is falling apart, or anything. It is actually quite the opposite! :) (More on that later..) I would love to travel to Italy and learn Italian like Liz does in the book. Not to mention, the FOOD! Every time I pick up this book and start reading, I get so hungry!! She is always eating something that sounds soo yummy!!!

Here is a short excerpt from Eat, Pray, Love:


"Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it." 
— Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia)


I definitely recommend this book!!! Hopefully the movie will not disappoint!!