Can pride EVER be Holy...HA?

Because if so, I am so GODLY proud of what I got a chance to participate in...

Well, I'm back, and my trip was AMAZING!!! Y'all, I had so much fun, ate SO MUCH...(I need to cleanse), and God spoke in the car just like I thought He would, and gave me the most amazing gift e.v.e.r!!!

I'll give you a day-by-day! So get ready....it was a packed weekend!

FRIDAY:
I left work during my conference period, and hit the road! I waited a bit on my sweet tea so that I could stop at Bucee's! Does your state have a Bucee's? If not...oh my word!!! You are missing out! I may have gotten a chicken salad wrap, and I may have also gotten a huge bag of brite crawlers...maybe!

I arrived in Waco with enough time to head home, change, and hop in the car to head to the middle school. Taylor and three of her classmates put on a PALS project for middle school girls. We were dressed in our PJ's, and had cute event shirts! The event was called 'Defying Gravity,' and the stage WAS SO CUTE!!! Tracy and I were blown away that the girls did so much on their own! It looked so professional....I was such a proud big sister!

My job was to talk skin care etc., with middle.school.girls! Oh my word! I kept thanking God over and over that I teach high school! They were so........EXTRA!!! Y'all, I'm exhausted just thinking about them. Whew...it was quite a night, and I taught 4 sessions!

The event hosted an amazing speaker, Joy Elliot, wife to Lynn Elliot, former Dallas Cowboy. Her story is amazing, and the girls really identified with her!

We made it home...to bed right around 1 a.m. Just in time for the huge storm to hit....welcome back to Waco! HA! Needless to say, I slept like a baby!

SATURDAY:
Slept in a little bit, but was up and at 'em so that we could go shopping! I was able to get some kolaches from West....sweet heaven on earth! We picked up some things for Taylor, and I picked up my Mom's Mother's Day gift, and a pair of yellow box flip-flops for me....do you know them? If not....you are missing out! The most comfortable flip-flops ever!

We made a little excursion to Hobby Lobby...and Tracy told me to get some things for a project that we could work on later...true story! You can go to her house and make just about anything...so I was pumped. I got a couple of sheets of scrapbook paper to work on these frames. Aren't they cute?! I'm so happy with how they turned out!

Lunch at Chuy's...can you believe it, Waco has a Chuy's...followed by more shopping! Then, my allergies were so bad that we ended up heading home, and I crashed! I couldn't have done another thing if I tried! I woke up around 10:00 ready for dinner of course!

SUNDAY:
I was actually able to sleep in. So much so that I ended up having a brunch of....drumroll please...BUSH'S! Then, Tracy said my favorite words..."you want to do your craft now?!" Umm! yeah! And we made so many frames...and they were SO CUTE! I couldn't believe how easy it was. She's going to sell them, and I'm just going to make them for gifts...neither of us really have the time, but did I mention how cute they are!

WHAT'S IN THE WORKS:So...I mentioned a conversation that I had with Him while on the road, and I'll give you as many details as I have right now. I feel led to hold a Christian youth conference for girls, in the 7th-12th grades. As a teacher, it is not always politically correct for me to share about God, even though I do! I love it because there are girls in my first period that will 'remind' me to say my morning prayers if I seem a little on edge..they are PK's...love them!

I digress-- SO, the planning is in the baby stages right now...I'm trying to secure a speaker, and I'm working with my friend Sarah on the venue...DISCLOSURE: the next few paragraphs will be ALL OVER THE PLACE!!! Stay with me.

So, for the speaker...do you know who I e-mailed, tweeted, and put a beautifully hand written snail mail letter in the mailbox yesterday? Have you any guesses? I've shared my undying love and devotion for her here, and here, and I read her blog EVERYDAY!!! I may be obsessed...just slightly..HA!

If you've never met Priscilla Shirer, and by that, I mean having read any of her Bible studies, then seriously, what are you waiting for! Her stories are so hilarious, and they make you feel totally normal...trust me! Anyway, I know it's a long shot...I know she's a really big deal, but I just might have an inside hook-up that I sure wasn't afraid to use!! NO SHAME HERE! I'm kind of chuckling just thinking about what I have just done, but seriously...it means that much to me...and here's why!

I did a little poll from twitter and my FB friends asking for noted Christian youth speakers...and you know the ONLY name that I came up with....yep...HER! So, I'm taking that, and running with it. If you have any names, then feel free to share..but it made me sad that there really aren't a lot of people out there for the youth...specifically young girls. I guess that's why I feel so strongly. I had so many women pouring into my life....SO MANY, and I know that is why I'm so cool now...OK...I'm joking, but it was awesome having these people in my life that I could go to, hear their stories, and learn from their mistakes..I want to be that to someone else.

For the sake of the length of this post, I'm going to end it...and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE say a prayer that Mrs. Shirer have mercy on my over zealous heart, and grace these babies with her presence. PLEASE!!! (Again, I'm chuckling that I can even type these words in the same sentence...but God is BIG enough...) Can you imagine how their lives would be changed?? Can you? I get goose bumps just thinking about it...if nothing else, maybe we can get on her calendar for 2012...because yes folks...she's booked through NEXT YEAR! Can we say turning water into wine....BUT GOD!

Goodnight friends..and don't forget about that really small prayer request...LOL!

Me, My Tea, and My Tunes

Today...has been a day...well really, this week has been a week! I don't know about you all, but I am ready for the weekend! I need to think...do you know what I mean?

On a normal day, at a normal time, a lot is swimming around in this head of mine...so you can imagine the movie reel that is playing out right now. It's enough to keep my exhausted and napping...ha! Lucky for me, I've got a drive to Waco coming up (you know..to visit my vanilla family, and help Taylor with her PALS project), and long drives always help me clear my head. It's something about being on the open road, with my iTunes playing on my iPhone....talking to God, listening, worshipping....drinking sweet tea from Chick-Fil-A....notice how I slid that in there....told ya I was obsessed!

I am often so guilty of asking the opinion of my close friends, that I sometimes have too many opinions floating around in my head, and really don't know which way to go! Are you starting to see just how all over the place I can be?! It's ridiculous!

I digress..I should return from my trip to Waco refreshed, and with a gameplan...Lord knows I need one, and the quiet time alone...no kids, no husband...just kidding, but seriously, no 167 kids calling my name, and pulling me one hundred different directions.

Have a Happy Earth Day bf's! Give back to the Earth that gives so much to us!

HONEST SCRAP RECIPIENTS:
I want to award the following blogs with the honest scrap award! It's an honor to pass it on!

Jessica at From Marriage to Motherhood
Melissa at Stafford Moments
Corrie at Sea of Corrie
Nicki at Nicksterland
Ashley at Ashley's Avenue

Still waiting...

WOW!! I had no idea that my last post would evoke such emotions from you, my lovely readers....thank you for your encouragement, but for now, I'm still not ready!

I promise the publish button will be hit soon...just not today! Is that cool?! Sorry peeps, y'all know this is a struggle for me!

Yesterday, I worked out outside, and my allergies are kicking butt today! They actually started soon after I got back inside, and they still haven't let up. I have a huge tickle in my nose, and throat....yuck!

This week seems to be going by a little too slow for me. I'm headed to Waco this weekend to spend a little time with my vanilla family...ha! Taylor has a PALS project that I am helping her out on, and I couldn't be more excited. I get to teach middle school girls about proper skin care, and more importantly how 'less is more.' It should be pretty fun! I'll have pics to post later!

I don't know if I mentioned this, but I am going to Mississippi for Mother's Day. Mom and I are connecting in Houston and flying together to Jackson. I.can't.wait! I love going to MS to spend time with my family....I'm sure I'll have lots of laughs, and of course...pics to share!

Hope your hump day is going well friends! Catch you later!

Going Back...

WOW! It's Friday night, and while that thought doesn't make me sad, the fact that my Spring Break is basically over brings about a little sigh!

To say that I have enjoyed myself these past 7 days would be the ultimate understatement! I've relaxed, shopped, slept, shopped, drank so much sweet tea I'm sure my bladder will never be the same, and reconnected with some really sweet people from my journey!

As my last post stated, I took a little day trip to Waco on Thursday! Y'all know that I graduated from Baylor...sic 'em, (beat Old Dominion), and lived there for 10 years. I lovingly say that I was raised in Copperas Cove, but I grew up in Waco. What a true statement.

I have SO many memories from Waco. Some good, some bad, but all of them have made me who I am today! So, when I arrived, my first stop was to University High School! This is the home of my very first teaching job ever! Most of my buddies still work there, and it was SO good to see them! I clearly remember standing outside that first morning, pulling duty, and talking with Kelsey and Andrew...wondering seriously, what had we signed up to do! We were all brand new teaching babies, and were pretty much scared to death! BUT, today...we pretty much ROCK! I walked into my principal's office, and declared.."I'm here to get a job..." his reply, "I'll write you a contract on a paper towel..." He said he'd take me back any day! Such a great man to work for!

The above pic was taken the day before my first day of school right outside of my very first classroom. My beautiful friends and sorority sisters came to help me decorate my room because your girl was panicking in a MAJOR way! They were so shocked that I didn't have it all together, but I was a nervous wreck, but they stepped in and helped me get the job done. My room was SUPER cute by the way! Love them!

I only planned on staying at UHS for about an hour, but of course...I stayed 2 1/2! It was worth it though! After I left there, I headed to JH Hines! Now, before I became a teacher, I worked for a non-profit organization for 5 years. I.Loved.This. Job! I ran my own after-school site. I was responsible for about 90 children, and 10 staff! We had so much fun! The staff and I were all Baylor peeps, and we really loved each other. We would go out for dinner, hang out at each other's houses...it was an awesome place to work!

The teachers at Hines taught me SO MUCH! They are all seasoned teachers, and have been in the field 20+ years. I look up to them even today as I teach my own students. These ladies are from the old school, but totally kick butt with the technology! Needless to say, I love them! They oooh'd and aaah'd over me for a couple of hours! I ate it up! Of course, they all grabbed my left hand looking for "good news!" HA! I told them to keep praying...he was coming! My heart was so full after leaving these great people! I'm so glad they had their Spring Break last week so that I could visit with them all this week!

I loved my visit in Waco! It was so worth the time! I realized that I've made some really great friendships in that little city, and it was nice to reconnect!

Waco Bound!

I'm just popping in here really quickly as I'm on my way to WACO! YAY for that!

Have a great Thursday, and I'll be back later with pics from my trip!