One Year Ago.....

So one year ago today, I went on date number one with Potential #5 now known as D.  I can't believe that it has been a year.   This weekend, we recreated those first few days together with a stop at the Starbucks in Barnes and Nobles, watching the UNC v Miami game and enjoying a pizza and beer.  

To commerate the occasion, D presented me with a box.  It wasn't a square box.  Or a round box. So don't get too excited.   It was a rectangle box.  And inside that box was something round and shiny.  Well actually three things that were silver and dainty.  A bracelet for my wrist and a pair of earrings for my ears.   It was the first time that he has given me jewelry and I will cherish them forever.  And I am sure that it will not be last time either.

Over the past year we have shared our ups and downs.  Climbed the mountains and struggled through the valleys.   We have cried, we have laughed, we have played and we disagreed.

But through it all, we have become each others best friends.   We have fallen in love with each other over and over again.

And this time, it is going to stick.

We have learned that relationships take work.  Compromise.  There will be disagreements.  But most importantly, there will be love.

So the word is out.   My secret is a secret no longer.   D and I are together and plan on being together for the rest of our lives.

Stayed tuned.  There will be more to share in the coming weeks and months.  I am for sure.

I know ya'll are all dying to know......

But sorry, you are are going to have a little longer.   My secret is stil in the vault.  However, I am sure that a few of you have figured it out by now.

Here are some hints in case you missed them:

I did not eat this piece of yummy chocolate goodness at Gravy by myself:

I did not go to this football game by myself:

So continue to stay tuned.  I promise that I will let the cat out of the bag sooner then later.

I have a secret....

So I have a secret and part of me wants to tell everyone, but the cautious side knows that I need to keep it to myself, at least for right now.  Now don't start letting your imagination run wild.  I am not married, not even engaged, not pregnant, not in trouble with the law, and I am not going to sell all of my worldly possessions and move across the globe (well at least not yet.  --- Just kidding mom!)

But I do want to let you know and I am very happy right now.  I have been enjoying life.  I have been doing some different things.  I have been spending more time with people that I care about.   I have been working on friendships.  I watched two friends get married a few weeks ago.   I have fun with a bunch of girls from the office one night.   I am managing my stress at work much better (it helps that summer is now over and the claims and incident madness has slowed way down).   I have gotten to know a few people a lot better.  I have even made a few new friends.   I have laughed, I have cried, I have talked and I have listened.    Overall, I just want to let you know that I enjoying life and I have been having lots of fun.

And I am sure that this is all just the beginning.   So stay tuned.  I will reveal more when the time is perfect.

Until then, enjoy this beautiful weather.  I know that I am (as I sit outside with a glass of wine and my aging laptop).  

Wow, I'm Tired

So last week was promotion Sunday at The Summit Church.   Since I have been teaching the kindergarten class since last summer, I have developed a bond and relationship with a lot of the kids.   At the Summit, they encourage the teachers to move up with their students.  So last week, I became the 1st grade teacher.  

I was so excited, because that meant not having to learn a whole new set of kid's names.  But that also meant that I didn't have to learn a whole new set of names.  Now, don't get me wrong, I love my kids.  ALL OF THEM.   There are just a few that I love a little differently.  But I know that they are in my class to help me with my patience, with my kindness and my development of disciplinary skills.

The past two weeks, I have averaged 15 kids.  And at least for right now, I  have a co-teacher.   However, I could have 40-50 kids if they all came each week to the same service.   My co-teacher It has been someone different for the past two weeks, but the staff has been working hard to find someone who can help me out every week.

For some reason, it is hard to find people who want to help out with the elementary kids.   Yeah, they aren't as cute, they have attitudes and they have energy (and lots of it).  But they can also read, write (well, we are working on those two items), draw, and think creatively.

But they also wear me out.  I think it has something to do with the aerobic style workout that we get doing the kid worship service.   God says to sing and dance and rejoice in him and boy do we do that to the max.

It also may have to do with the constant talking, jumping back and forth between trains of thoughts and controlling kids getting in and out of chairs and keeping them from crawling up the walls.

But I love my new 1st graders.   They teach me so much each week.  Probably more then I teach them. I would not trade them for the world.  I am so glad that God has put me in that classroom to serve each Sunday.  

Even if that means I come home with crayon all over my face and then take a nap.

So I encourage all of you to find a passion.  Find a way to serve God.   I am sure that it is helping me to learn to live, laugh and love all over again.

Young Love

So I had a co-worker ask me if I ever wanted to get married again.   And without hesitation, I said of course.   And then she asked if I had figured out what I was specifically looking for this time around.

I sat there with her and very candidly opened up and shared my visions of what I hope the next guy I marry will be like.   What type of person he is, what kind of outlook he should have on life, what types of goals he should have, what his faith looks like, etc.   While I babbled, she just sat very intently and listened.   I felt like a mom or I guess in this case an older sister, sharing my wisdom.

And well, for lack of better words, it is wisdom.  I have learned a thing or two these past 35 (almost 36 --akkkk- don't remind me that I have a birthday coming up) years.   I have encountered all that life seems to offer.  I have had my shares of ups and downs, marriage, divorce, moving, death, heartaches, love, friendships, sadness, and laughter.

This particular co-worker is young and fresh out of college.   And as we shared dating stories and I heard all about her current relationship, it made me stop and smile.  I felt honored to share with her.  Here is this young woman who is just starting out her career and trying to figure out what life has in store for her and she was asking me what I wanted.   What I had learned.   What I thought.

But as we talked I learned so much too.   It made to smile and gave me hope that the generation behind me is still strong in their faith, still holds high morals and still has a passion to think about someone other then themselves.  Now granted.  This was just one person that I talked to but I hope that she is one of many.

Her young love and her dreams and her goals are not that far off from mine.  There may be 13 years between us in age, but other then that, we want the same thing.  

We want to trust God.  We want to find love.  We want a career and we want a family.  

So today, I learned that age is just a number.   I used to struggle with watching younger friends be happy and getting married and having kids.

But now, I feel that I can rejoice along with them.   One day, it will happen for me.   One day, I will get married.  One day, I will have a child or children.  One day I will be in the love with the man that I am going to spend the rest of my life with.

So until then, I am going to rejoice in the happiness that others have around me.  I will give advice when it is sought.  I will share my experiences.   I will be a friend.

Who knows, one of my young friends, just might happen to have an older brother, cousin, etc.  (I'm just saying).