Grandma

As most of you know, my grandma, Alice McDaniel, passed away this past weekend. Although she won several battles in the war she fought against cancer, she was finally overcome with disease and not able to fight back. The most comforting thing is to know that she was ready. She was not afraid of death because she had prepared herself for it. It is those who are left behind that suffer, so please pray for my grandpa if you have a moment. His strength and faith have amazed me over this past week and his vulnerability and openness have taught me love and dependence on God. He is truly a blessing to me and I pray for his peace and comfort in the weeks to come as he adjusts to a new life.

Spring Break

Spring break has been wonderful! It was productive and restful and we were able to see many friends over the course of the week. We also visited Snyder and looked for a house, but did not have much luck. The real estate agent took us to a $40,000 foreclosure, which wasn't exactly what we are looking for. The next step up was $130,000 with nothing in between. She seemed optimistic that something would come up in the next few weeks, so we are just hoping and praying that is the case.

We went to a wedding of a really good friend and had a great time. It was one of my favorite weddings that I have been to and we got to visit with so many good friends. I'm just sad it was so short-lived! Since so many of us have graduated and moved our separate ways, it seems we are never all in the same place anymore. I guess it's just a good thing we still have more weddings to look forward to this year.

So, It's back to the grind tomorrow. I have thought about my kids all week and am actually really excited to go to school to see them tomorrow. This year is flying by and I really just want to take in these last two months I will have with them. I turned in my application to Snyder on Friday, so I guess that means I need to talk to my principal about not coming back next year before she gets a phone call for a reference. I am really dreading that conversation! Dustin has been preparing for his new job and studying for his CDL which he will need. Pretty soon I'll have to start thinking about packing again. The only consolation this time is that I probably won't have to do it for a while after this.

I'll leave you with some pictures from the wedding:

The beautiful bride and groom

These are some of my favorite girls!

We LOVE these kids!

The whole Aggie group

March Already?

Where does the time go? I feel like every year, the time just goes by faster than the last. I have really been reflecting lately on my use of time and how I can maximize the time I have to do good. Just about the time I get comfortable with the "good" I am doing, I am quickly reminded that my work is never done and there are always more opportunities for well doing. One area that I have really neglected my responsibilities in is visiting or checking on the sick and elderly. I know I would feel lonely if I lived by myself, I was physically unable to get myself out and about, and I never received visits, cards, or calls from others. It is easy to assume that others, maybe those who are closer to an individual are taking care of them, but that is not always the case. So I am writing this here as a reminder to myself and a way to make me more accountable.

In other news, Dustin and I officially kicked off the wedding season by attending the wedding of a college friend in Tyler, TX. I love weddings. I love everything about them...the decorations, the dresses, the details that set one wedding apart from another, the socialization, the food, the cake! Being in weddings is a blast, but it's also a lot of fun to just be the ones that show up and enjoy the party. Weddings seem so much more enjoyable now that I am married myself. I think it's a combination of appreciating the time, money, and work that goes into planning one and knowing what a blessing and joy marriage is. So one down and 4 more to go in the coming months.

Here are a few pictures from the wedding...none of which include anything from the wedding itself. I am terrible at remembering to take pictures during events!