Saturday, December 31, 2011

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

This year has been filled with LOTS of great things for me and my family and friends!

2011 Recap:
February 27: Dustin and I got engaged! (Can't find a good picture of my ring but this is where we got engaged.)

March: Baby nephew Carter was born!

May 12: Dustin and I got married!

June: Completed first year of teaching. Packed up my life in NC.
July: Dustin and I moved to Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. 
August: Dustin and I moved into our first apartment.

November: Rissa got her first job!We went back to North Carolina to VISIT family. Got to see Breaking Dawn Part 1 with my BESTIE!
December: First Christmas on our own.

As you can see this was a BIG year for me and mines!! While this was a very great year I am looking forward to 2012. There are several things I would like to happen this year which is where some of my New Years Resolutions come into play!! I made a huge LONG list of resolutions last year and only accomplished one, kinda. Well, technically I have no idea where that list is but the only resolution I remember is: To read as many books as I can. I accomplished this by reading 68 books! I am not sure if I can read this many next year but I will try to do at least 50!! (Resolution UN-numbered!)

My New Years Resolutions for 2012 are as follows:
1. To lose weight. I want/need to lose about 100 pounds. Seems like a lot and seems like it is unreasonable but it is necessary. I want to be healthier and we want to have a baby this year. (At least be pregnant by the close of the year). I want to take better care of myself as well.
2. I want to travel. I want to go on a cruise this year and travel to at least 3 places I have never been. (In state or out of state).
3. I want to be a better wife/homemaker. I want to learn to cook more meals and bake more. I want to try several new recipes. I also want to be better organized throughout my whole house.
4. I want to blog more and start my book. I want to blog about my weight loss, new recipes, books I have read and anything/everything.
5. Last but not least I want to get a teaching job. If I do not get a teaching job then I am going to look into the military thing again. I would rather teach BUT I need to think of a career.

I invite you to follow me this year!!!! I hope 2012 is as good as 2011!!! Happy New Years

P.S. Smaller New Year's Resolution... I need more pictures of me, me and Dustin and me and Tiffany! I was trying to find some for my blog... None of me and Tiffany. None at all.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

Well, this is me and Dustin's first Christmas without our families. It was literally just me and him, all day long. It was also our first Christmas as a married couple. He has been itching to open presents since we got sent home with them during Thanksgiving. (He did open one on the drive down, though I am not suppose to tell. LOL) Last year we spent Christmas with our friends who are like family but this year they went to Virginia.

Our first Christmas day as follows:
10:00 am- I woke up (Hey, I took a NyQuil last night, I'm sick!) I yell to Dustin to wake up because it is Christmas and I want to open presents now. He moans and goes back to sleep. So I come out to the living room and watch Christmas movies.
11:00 am- I eat a pop tart and yell in to Dustin. He doesn't budge. I keep watching my Christmas movies.
12:00 noon- I finally go in and jump on the bed for him to wake up. He gets up and we open gifts. We made out like fat rats. We got a crock pot, George Foreman grill, some casserole dishes, towels and pot holders for the kitchen. We got some things to decorate our house as well. Dustin got some stuff to go camping with. I got stuff to make me smell good and look younger. Guess they're trying to tell me something. LOL. I got a gift certificate to get a manicure and pedicure. I cant wait to get it! We are both thankful for our gifts, thank you everyone!
1:00 pm- Start laundry, argue, do dishes, Dustin takes down tree, argue some more (can you feel the love, lol)
3:00 pm- watch Christmas movies, make lunch
4:00 pm- watch more Christmas movies
5:00 pm- see above
5:45 pm- watch Christmas movies and cook Christmas dinner together (Dinner consisted of Ham, mashed potatoes, veggies, bread and pie)
6:30 pm- Eat dinner watch footage of Packers vs. Bears Rivalry
7:15 pm- Watch Green Bay vs. Chicago Bears game  (Go Green Bay)
8:45 pm- Still watching game... while I am blogging. Green Bay is winning!!

The best thing about Christmas is being off of work. The next best thing is the Christmas movies. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Christmas movies. I could watch them all day, every day. Thank goodness for Dustin's sake, they're only on around this time of year. Also, cannot forget the reason for the season... Jesus. Happy Birthday!!!

Update on life for us:
Dustin is still loving his job. I am still hating my 2 part- time jobs with full- time hours. I have asked one to cut my hours though so I am getting more sleep BUT, I am sick now. Seems like now that I have slowed down I have gotten sick. Booo. Stuffy nose and ears, bad cough, wheezing in my chest, sore abs and sides from a horrible cough= NOT COOL. All this coughing gives me a headache. Hopefully I will be better by tomorrow. School starts back not this week but next week and they will be seeing my white behind up there. I want/need a teaching job ASAP. I want to make a difference and want to feel like I am doing something with my life.

Last thing before I sign off: I have been hearing about people paying other peoples layaway's off and it has just melted my heart. One guy in California paid $15,700 to pay off everyone's layaway. Another guy in Destin paid off  $2,700 worth of layaway which was 20 peoples stuff. Those stories are amazing to me. But should Christmas be the only time we do that? I don't think so. And so with this I am going to try and do things like this for people when I can. While I can not spend $15, 000 or $2,000 I can buy someone drink or dinner at a drive through. Dustin and I have come up with some other things we are going to start doing. Think about what you can do to make someones day and do it!




Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way. ~Native American Saying

It is November... that means Thanksgiving and a time to GIVE thanks. Every day this month I have put things that I am thankful for as my Facebook statuses. I feel like I have a lot to be thankful for! Number 1:  I am thankful for knowing God. Thankful that I have a relationship with Him. I feel like this is so important. Since it is November and this is MY blog I here are a list of some of the things I am thankful for. (In no particular order.)

-To be alive, breathing and healthy.
-My 5 senses. I can taste my food and enjoy it. I can see all the beauty around me- leaves changing, beautiful ocean view, etc. I can hear music (I LOVE music!), people talking, regular noises you would normally dismiss.  Smelling and feeling, well most people can do that.
-My husband for doing everything he does. He cooks, cleans and is a handyman plus so many other things. I would even go as far as saying that I am thankful that he gets on my nerves as well. (Like this morning ;-D )
-My mom, sister and family (this includes in laws.) I love and miss them all!
-Thankful for my jobs, even if there are several aspects that I do NOT like about them. My job at Pyramid has humbled me and made me VERY appreciative.
-Thankful that we were able to move to Florida and get our life started on our own. Thankful for my apartment and everything in it. (As little as we have.)
-Thankful for having an AMAZING best friend, Tiffany. Tiffany has been my friend through ups,  downs and upside downs. You name it we have been through it! She has never bed mouthed me, nor I her. She has always been there... whether we went 6 days or 6 months without talking we ALWAYS pick back up to where we left off.
-^^ The previous one includes her kids! She has the most amazingly fantastical kids in the world. To say that Dustin and I love them would be an understatement. A HUGE one. I am SOOOO thankful that I get to watch them grow up and be a part of their lives.
-^^  ^^ This includes Brandon... Tiff's hubby and the amazingly fantastical kids dad! Brandon has helped Dustin and I SO much! He found our apartment for us, told Dustin where to apply for his current job plus he makes my BFF happy. :-D
-Thankful for my ability to read and write. I could not imagine my life without doing either. I LOVE reading and am trying my hand at this writing thing. (Hopefully I will start my book soon.) There are so many people in this world who do not know the joy of reading. My hope as a teacher is to get several students to LOVE reading like I do.
-Thankful for anyone and everyone who prays for me. Anyone who mentions my name to the man upstairs, thank you! I need it!
-Thankful for everything that has led me to where I am today despite all the trouble I had to go through to get here.
-Thankful for the relationship my dad and I now have after 20 years.
-Thankful for my mom, who NEVER gave up on me when I know there were several days years she "wanted to put me through a brick wall!" (Her words, not mine.)
-Thankful to the women who always seemed to know I needed a mentor.... Rita Johnson and Norma Gould (Momma G). Rita Johnson was in my life during my Fort Bragg years and I really have no idea if she understands the impact she had on my life. My mom was a single mom in the military and she took me into her home with her son and family. She would take me on trips when she went to Carowinds, sleep over at her house and watch movies, etc. She was there when I needed her. I am forever grateful that she was there and I plan on repaying the favor myself one day!
Momma G... she had my rougher teenage years. LOL She is the mother of one of my other best friends, Debra. Debra has a confidence that I want... Love her! She is so smart and beautiful... she is going places. Mark my words! Momma G gave me the self- confidence I was lacking, helped me see the dumb decisions I made and helped me realize my potential. She is the reason I went to college. Ms. Rita and Momma G are the reasons I went into teaching. I want to be like them! I want to help kids the way they helped me. I am thankful for them Ms. Rita could have just seen me at the Youth Center M-F but she took me under her wing. I love her for that and it meant the world to me then... even more now because I see and understand she did not have to do that. Momma G could have just let me go to bed that night I stayed over at Debra's and not listened to a word I said but she didn't. She listened and believed in me.... all I wanted. Thank you.
-Thankful that I will be in North Carolina in the next 48 hours. I can't wait to go to my home town and see my friends and family. I miss them.

Last but not least, I am thankful for ANY and EVERYTHING that you can be thankful for. Mostly for things we take for granted.





Monday, November 7, 2011

Time is what we want most, but... what we use worst. ~Willaim Penn


Wow... So my last post was 2 months ago!!! Since we have moved to Florida time is passing by so fast. I cannot believe I am 27 years old. I am so close to 30 it scares me. I haven't even accomplished close to all the things I plan to do by 30. Because I see time ticking by so quickly, now you better believe I will be knocking those things off my list at a rapid rate!

2011 is coming to a close. I can say that this year was pretty good to me, definitely better than 2010 but I am looking forward to the new year of 2012!

I had my first teaching interview in Florida today. It went well. During the interview they asked me a question about Fluency and for a split second I forgot what it was. I was so nervous.... but I recovered. I am hoping I receive a good call next week. It is for a 3rd grade position and the school seems absolutely amazing, all the staff are nice. It was just a great experience and I want to work there! I have all my paperwork turned in for 2 counties now so I am hoping I hear something soon. I put packets in for teaching and/or substitute teaching in both counties and have been praying hard for one or the other!

Dustin started his new job on October 18. He loves it so far and it's good pay. It is pretty much a tie between his electrical background and Papa Johns driving background because he delivers electrical supplies all over the panhandle and Alabama area. I am glad he likes it! He is also looking into going to school to pursue a degree so he can be a park ranger! I think that is a good choice, he loves the outdoors so he would be GREAT at it.

I am still working at the gas station for the time being but I picked up another job on October 19 (my birthday). I work at a "school" for disabled adults. I give mad props to everyone who works there. It is NO walk in the park. I have had to see/hear/do things that are not pretty. My heart aches for some of these people. In the 3 weeks I have been there, I realized that this is not something I can do for much longer. I would have quit but I was taught never to 'burn your bridges' and I just cannot being myself to quit after only 3 weeks. So I am in a dilemma. Like I said, I admire everyone in any "care-giving" field. It is just not something I can handle.

The time change has got me all messed up. Here in Florida it is bright at 6:30am and getting dark by 4:30pm and it is CRAZY!! LOL I guess we will get used to it! Still, I love it here in the "Sunshine State!"

Unless I get this teaching job, we will be going home or to our hometown as Brandon would say, for Thanksgiving! (Because Florida is our new home!)  Also, Dustin's best friend is getting married and he is the Best Man. :-D I know I am excited to see some friends and family! Oh and my kitties!! :-D

Well, that is about all that is going on here. I guess I will get off here and finish this Bears vs. Eagles game with my boo! Go Bears! (Only time you will ever here me root for them is when they're not playing the Packers!)

P.S I wanted to share this link. It is Awesome!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

"Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can." ~Danny Kaye

     Today was an eventful day. We got Directv installed and I didn't even have to call and hassle them about why they were late or when they were coming and it felt GREAT! Unlike the issues I had with Century Link, Directv called me at 7:30am (Yes, a little early- especially since me and Tiff didn't get back from watching The Help till Late) to tell me they would be at our house right at 8am! I was impressed. Not only did they call to announce themselves but they were on time with what we were scheduled 2 1/2 weeks ago! Century Link missed an appointment on one day and was almost 2 hours late to the second one. (Calling ahead would behoove them.)
     Of course I was excited for internet (which we got last week) because were not living in the dark ages anymore! Dustin, on the other hand has been DYING for cable. He has been EXTREMELY excited about the NFL package we got because not he can watch football 24/7. (God help me!) Luckily we have more than one TV and room in our house! LOL This was Dustin as we were given the instructions to the remote.
 
     As you can see- he is ridiculously excited! You can imagine what he did for the next few hours! I can honestly say that I am excited we got cable now too because I was sick and tired of watching movies. For example, yesterday we watched "Into the Wild" which was a great movie by the way. Then we watched "Priest" (another good movie...kinda) . THHHHEEEENNN we watched ANOTHER movie "Dylan Dog"... which I didn't like at all. I know it was trying to spoof zombie movies but I didn't find it funny. If those movies weren't enough I went to see "The Help" with my Best Friend Tiffany. It was an amazing movie, as was the book.
     Speaking of books. I have read 56 this year! Moving right along... but I need to get as serious as I was before on it! I have kinda been lacking on reading as much as I used to. (Probably because I have other distractions like internet! And Facebook, and games, and True Blood on DVD.)
     After Dustin was fed up of watching TV for a few hours we went on a date... only dinner but that's more than what we have done since we moved down here. Next time I will talk him into going to Destin to go to watch a live band play. We went to Chili's and colored while we ate. Service was good but we were surrounded by kids (which I don't have a problem with) but these kids were bad. The parents spanked the kid at the table twice in which the kid started screaming BLOODY MURDER, twice! And the kid was just obnoxious. Everyone in the restaurant was staring at them, I kinda felt bad for them. But while we ate and talked we colored these and in turn donated to St. Judes Hospital.
Here is my Chili...
And here is Dustin's, of course his is better! He is way better in the art stuff. He even has the St. Jude symbol.

On the way home tonight the sun was setting and it was gorgeous. I took it with my crappy phone camera so it doesn't look nearly as nice as it did in person but you get the idea!
    
     All in all, I love Florida. I am so glad we moved down here. Things are coming together for us. House is coming together nicely and I must say that I LOVE living on my own! The weather is getting cooler so it is SO BEAUTIFUL here. Seeing the bear occasionally is a little frightening but its okay. Living 6 minutes from my best friend and my niece and nephews is GREAT! I love the Friday game nights we have. I love seeing the kids grow up and being a part of their daily lives.  Looking forward to several FUN years to come!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Remember, Remember the 11th of September

Tuesday September 11, 2001 is a day that I will not forget. It is a day that most living Americans will NEVER forget.
     I was in high school at good ole FTS. I was a 16 year old senior. I remember the bell ringing ending first period (ROTC) and walking down the concourse headed to my second period class (AP Biology). I remember knowing instantly that something was wrong. I could just tell by the mood and feeling of the other students walking and talking on the concourse. I remember a boy named Chris G. telling everyone that he just saw the news in his 1st period class about a plane hitting the World Trade Center. Soon everyone was talking about it. When I got to my 2nd period class my teacher turned on the TV after the kids in my class convinced her. I remember sitting there in my desk watching the second plane hit. I did not know at the time that it would change so many things, did not realize that so many people would lose their lives, did not understand why someone would do this to our county. I remember sitting their feeling sad for all those people in the planes and in the buildings. I remember feeling scared because I had NO clue what this would mean. My mom has just retired from the military 3 years before and I was scared she would be re-activated. I was also confused because I didn't understand why this would happen. I remember thinking "two planes can not be a coincidence." Then when we heard about the pentagon I remember a girl a couple seats behind me calling her mom and dad because her dad worked there. (He ended up being OK.)
      The rest of the day was a blur. I remember several announcements about Ft. Bragg shutting down making sure the students having their military ID's otherwise they couldn't get on base. That is when Ft. Bragg went on lock down. Before 9/11 anyone could drive on or off base no problems. But from September 11, 2001 up to today you have to go through the gate with and ID or your car is searched. Security is very high on bases nowadays. I don't even want to talk about how the airport security has changed- we ALL know about that, whether you have been on a plane post 9/11, heard a joke about TSA or seen it on TV you recognize the change.
     Another thing that I feel like should NOT go unnoticed is all the United States Military people who died fighting this war. This is in addition to the lives that were shortened 9/11/01. So many INNOCENT people died. I want to take a second to thank EVERY SINGLE soldier: man, woman, past or present who has fought to defend America and our freedom. Thank you. Some risked it all and you are gone not forgotten! Thank you!
     Every September 11 since 2001 I have thought about where I was that day, about those tragic events that led to so many deaths and I REMEMBER and HONOR those who are not with us today. The Alan Jackson song below is perfect for my feelings.
     "Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?"


Wednesday, August 24, 2011

We're in FLORIDA!

OK. So I know it has been awhile since I have posted BUT we're living in the dark ages with NO FREAKING internet. It is horrible, I definitely do NOT recommend it, at all.

We are getting settled into our 2 bedroom/1 bathroom apartment nicely. I like it a lot! I REALLY love having my own place to come home to and do whatever it is that I want. It was a long time coming- moving out of my mom's house. Things are coming together- we got a couch and loveseat for $80. We got a FREE washer and dryer! We get stuff little by little with each paycheck! We are planning to get cable and internet after rent is due next week. :-D

Dustin and I both have jobs. He is working at a restaurant and is already training to get into management. I am working at a gas station where paychecks are hard to come by and hours get lessened by the week. I am hoping to hear something back from a teaching job SOON. I am not holding my breath but it would make everything a lot better. Over these last couple of weeks I have learned that I REALLY want to teach. I thought I would be OK with just waiting a year or so but I'm NOT! Teaching is what I am suppose to do, at least I feel like that's where God wants me to be. It is an act of Congress down here to do anything with teaching.... more so than North Cakalak. It is AMAZING to me how they need teachers but they make "highly qualified" ones jump through hoops and swim across the Atlantic Ocean....

I am very thankful to the Falletta's for helping us out with everything. They let us stay in their house while we got jobs and looked for apartments, helped us find jobs and apartments, gave us the lay of the town, delivered our furniture and been our friends through it all! Thanks Brandon, Tiffany, Aiden, Sophia and Carter :-D Love you all!

Well just wanted to update quickly... got to get back to searching for a job.


Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Single Digits... 9 days till our BIG move!

"We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us."
Joseph Campbell

When I heard this quote tonight it really hit me! I LOVED it! It just spoke to me especially with the big move and all.

We have 9 days till we leave. I am getting nervous and scared. Several questions going through my mind like... What is something happens to my mom and sister and they need me? I am going to miss them. I am going to miss the kitties. What if we need something, we are so far away, etc. I know this is all normal and we NEED this move but I am still scared. What if we don't find jobs? What if we have trouble finding a place? Will our families ever come visit?

Finally got my lien in the mail yesterday and went to the License Plate Agency. You'll never believe what they said? That I could sell the car WITHOUT the title and that the dealership might take my car without it as long as I have proof the car is paid car off... UGH! This would have been nice to know LAST WEEKEND.

On another note I work the next 3 days from 6am-2:30.... Wish I could be done with work now with so much left to do BUT we need the extra paycheck.

It is getting real.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Cleaning out my closet...


"Bottom line is, if you do not use it or need it, it's clutter, and it needs to go."
Charisse Ward

In preparation for the biggest move of my life I have been sorting through everything that I have collected these last 10 or so years! Through this ginormous task of going through EVERYTHING: throwing old stuff I don't even know why I STILL have (dating back to 2003), keeping things I know I will need and then looking at something for more than 5 minutes thinking to myself, "I could use this for A, B or C" or "Do I REALLY need this, or am I just having a hard time parting with it." I seriously feel like I am borderline hoarder... Thankfully Dustin was there to push me through the process and say, "Babe, we really don't need that." It so much easier throwing out someone else's junk!

Now, throughout the process of all this sorting, packing and donating to Goodwill has brought me the realization that when we move I WILL NOT keep as much stuff as I did this time. I vow to be more organized and throw the stuff away when I get it. Don't keep stuff for a rainy day. Some of the stuff I have kept is downright preposterous! I am still shaking my head at some of the stuff I found! Just to name a few things: Games with essential parts missing, clothes from middle and high school that I know I will never wear again, several books, purses full of crap, shells from the beach, etc. However, I did find loads of change to add to my change jar.

We thought we were going to try and have a yard sale.... that is a no go! We have WAY TOO much stuff. We made several piles "to sell" but then when we got done we didn't have anywhere to put that pile but the garage, but the garage needed to be sorted too! Sigh. So in the end, we bagged it all up. I will take the 4 bags to Goodwill tomorrow before work. We will Craigslist and yard sale the big furniture items and if we get no hits on them then we will Goodwill those too!

I know, no one said moving would be easy but damn... this process has been enduring, something like an epic journey. First we had to pick a date to move! That one wasn't too bad. We did it so I could get a few more paychecks out of the Kangaroo. We decided on July 7th or 8th if we need to push it back a little. We know Sally the Saturn is NOT going to make the trek to Florida so luckily my mom is letting us have her car and we are selling mine. Nope, not that easy! When we go to look for the title to my car- it is no where to be found! So then I have to go through the process of obtaining a NEW title. Little did I know it was going to take an ACT OF FREAKING CONGRESS! Everyone tells me to to go to the DMV, I go there and after an hour wait they say I am in the wrong place and send me to the License Plate Agency! UGH! I go to the licence plate agency and wait in line for approximately 30 minutes only to get told I have to have proof that the lien was paid off! I go back to State Farm because THAT is where we got my loan through and the agency calls the 800 number for the bank only to tell me that I have to wait 48 hours for them to send the lien out to me. (This could take another FREAKING week for it to come in the mail!) Then take it to the License Plate Agency and request my title which will take another 20-25 FREAKING days!!!! Why is everything a wait? I went to the DMV the same day to change my last name on my License but that was a 20 day wait too! Figured I would save time and money and just wait till we got to Florida. At the time we had 17 days! Here we are 14 days away from moving and I haven't even got the lien in the mail! I was told we could expedite the shipping with a little extra money, so that's ONE positive!

With all the packing and looking around my house I realize that up till now I am a pack-rat just like my mom. As I stated before, I will NOT be like this in my own place. I plan to be clutter free and everything will have its OWN place. This point brings me to the book that Dustin and I have been reading Crossing the Tracks for Love by Ruby Payne. In the book it talks about how people who have lived in poverty have a tendency to collecting things for a time when they might need it. Obviously we do not live in poverty now but at one point she did and it is still with her. Its normal when people switch classes but their mentality stays. Its like when someone loses a bunch of weight but still has the mindset they are bigger than what they are.

Things I learned in the last 30 days:
1. If you have something that you do not want, throw it away. If you wait 10 years to go through stuff then you are in for a rude awakening!! Cleanse yourself of junk and live Clutter Free!
2. You ALWAYS have more stuff than you realize!
3. Goodwill is the best thing! I would hate throwing all these clothes away!
4. Yard sales are smart when you have a few months to do things spread out over time. (Next time we will know!)
5. I hate waiting! Everything in grown up life has a wait on it. (Why is that?)
6. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!
7. Organization is a subject I would LOVE to be stronger in!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Our greatest strength as a human race is our ability to acknowledge our differences, our greatest weakness is our failure to embrace them.


Quote from Judith Henderson.
I just finished reading "Sing You Home" by Jodi Picoult and I have to say that it was pretty much an amazing book. All of her books are controversial but this one hit on so many topics. All of them evoked feelings in me. The book touched on IVF, divorce, religion, and same-sex marriage.

Let's start with divorce... I grew up in a home with a single mother and I carried the role of mother, father, sister, baby sitter for several years. (Though I get NO credit for that now!) That divorce caused me a lot of pain. When my parents were married things were great (for me) I was daddy's little girl, etc. However, when my dad divorced my mom, he divorced me as well, coming in and out of my life for several years. I would go 6 months without talking to him at times. It really messed me up. I even blacked out about a year of my life. My mom tells me I saw a child psychologist- I remember nothing of this. I had to grow up faster than my peers to help take care of my sister (no regrets) but I didn't really have a childhood. This all brings me to the decision that I do not want to get divorced. I know ALL couples get married with the intentions of staying married forever but luckily I have married someone who agrees with me on this point. We will do any and everything to keep the marriage together, especially if we have children. We are starting early by reading books and doing communication activities to help us understand each other. (Sounds dumb but preventative measure, I guess.)

Next, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a new idea I just learned about. I feel like this is a good thing for people who want to have children but do not have the means (their bodies) to do so. I am scared that one day this may be me and pray to God that I do not have to go through some of the stuff I have read in this book or have heard several of my friends go through just to get pregnant. I pray it is a smooth process when we are really ready but somehow I do not think it will be that easy for me. This is a controversial subject for religious folks but I say more power to the people who want children and can use IVF. Their choice.... America is a FREE country.

Religion... the book touched on this a lot! I found SEVERAL things Picoult pointed out in her book that I agree with. For example, the character Angela pointed out all the things in the Bible that wouldn't make any sense to do now. This includes stoning a woman who marries but is not a virgin AND when a woman becomes a widow she marries his brother. These are all things I have questions about plus sooooo many more. Why do some religious people go against homosexuals?

After all, aren't they people just like you and I? Who are they to JUDGE anyone? I thought the Bible says to love everyone and that God was ONLY person to judge us. That being said why can't some people at least tolerate gay people without all the criticism and stares and protests. They are people just like you and I. I know several gay couples who have been together for 15 plus years. I admire relationships like theirs because they seem to last longer than some heterosexual couples. I say we just let people love who they love.

Mark 12:31- Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

All in all... I feel like NO ONE should judge ANYONE. No one person is better than any other person. Love everyone no matter what color, size, shape, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. Love each other for your differences. After teaching my ESL students this year, I find that the differences are the BEST things to learn from and you meet some REALLY amazing people!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you. -Author Unknown


I am pleased to announce that I am happy in love with my husband! :-D Words cannot express what he means to me nor the happiness we have had. We have been together for 3 years but "marriage" puts a new perspective on things, believe it or not. You can no longer make decisions for yourself. You make them as a team. This is something that is truly important. One cannot make a big decision without the other.
As most couples.... especially couples where one is a man and the other is a woman, communication can be complicated. Dustin and I have been reading a book together (he is going to kill me if he finds out I am telling you ;-) )called Crossing the Tracks for Love by Ruby Payne and it is interesting to see how two people can see or hear something then both have two complete different views on it. I am happy to say we are starting to see "eye to eye" and understand each other more!
I have started the dreadful process of changing my name and such... its not NEARLY as bad as I thought it would be! LOL Went to the courthouse and got 2 copies of the marriage license (just in case). The went to the social security office... I will be getting my new social security card soon. And tomorrow I will be going to the DMV to change my license. The rest, I hope, will be a breeze!
5 1/2 days till school is out and I cannot say that I am sad about it! I will miss several of my students BUT I am looking forward to moving to FLA.
Speaking of Florida... Dustin and I have decided that we will be leaving for Florida on July 7-8!!! YAY! We have a date set that were leaving! I am glad about that! There is so much to do between now and then! On another note, I am hoping that Hurricane season is not as bad as the news is saying it might be, as it started yesterday!
Today is our 3 week wedding anniversary!!!
Until next time!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

"From small beginnings come great things.”


That is a quote I found from an old Proverb. Long time no entry... I have been super busy. As you know I am working 2 jobs... it takes a lot out of a girl!


Since the last entry I have become Kelani Karnes.... I got married!! (My initials are now KKK- way to go Keva and Mike {my parents} ) Dustin and I decided to do the courthouse thing so when we move to Florida next month we are already married. Then next year we plan on having our wedding! I am soooo excited about that. Getting married hasn't really changed anything. I was just starting to get used to calling him my fiance... and now it has changed to husband :-D I am excited, clearly. However, I am NOT looking forward to the hassle of changing my name and all the documents I have to get.


As of today, there are 12 1/2 days till school gets out for SUMMER Break. I am STOKED! Probably more than all my kids together!


Also, in this last month or so I have had an epiphany... I recently had a friend tell me she is ill... not sure what is going on or why and I realized. I have my health, that is the GREATEST gift anyone can have. So I need to do my best and keep and make myself healthier. On to a better and more improved me! :-)

Monday, April 18, 2011

"Don't be embarrassed of who you are, they're gonna judge you no matter what you do." — Melina Kanakaredes


"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." Dr. Seuss

Everyone has been in a situation where they do not "fit in" with the "it" crowd. Children go through it growing up, teens in high school and to me, in college, it didn't seem to be a HUGE issue. But even as an adult there are these same issues where people don't "fit in" and whether one admits it or not... it still hurts.
Now, I know that as you grow up it gets easier and you don't let yourself get affected by it as much. But I want to point out some things to y'all. I am a single girl (unmarried) and I have no kids, however, I would still like to be asked to hang out if you go to the park and then lunch with friends who also have kids. Just because I am not married and do not have kids does not mean I can not relate nor does it mean that I do not want to hang out just because there will be kids there. Just because I do not have a child of my own does not mean I do not understand you. Basically, what I am saying is; If you have a child and/or are married DO NOT ignore your single friends. We want to hang out to.
On to another thing that irks me... I hate when people ignore me. (I am talking about friends and even my family.) If I text, call, email, Facebook, etc. you and you don't respond after a certain number of times I will get the hint. But you cannot think that I am going to forget (easily) all the failed attempts when I tried to communicate with you. The audacity of some people calling for favors after I have been trying to get a hold of you for months just to talk, hang out or check in with you! (Not to ask you for anything) But me, being me, WAY too nice always offer the helping hand. That is not the only reason I keep doing those nice things.... In the Bible it says, "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:14-15
And also in Luke 6:35-36. "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
People, you have to know that when you burn your bridges there is a chance you will get stuck on the island. You have to think about what's REALLY going on. Remember to treat people the way YOU want to be treated. It is not fair to expect someone to go over and beyond for you when you constantly refuse to meet them in the middle.
I want to finish out saying that I am grateful for the few close friends I have, I love and appreciate them dearly. They know who they are.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Yesterday's Natural Disaster





As you all know we had several tornadoes touch down in North Carolina yesterday. Last time I checked there was a total of 62 confirmed to have touched down. One came though our neighborhood, right down our street. I will be putting up several pictures for you to see. I have to say that I am thankful that my family nor any of the other families seem to be hurt. The houses seem pretty much in tact and we all have power. However, there is about a tree down in every yard on our end of the street. We have 2 down in our yard and we will have to replace the back fence. The debris on the ground is unbelievable.
I have been following the news with the other parts of Cumberland County and it is incredibly sad. I got a call from my principal saying that there were several families in our schools area that were affected by these tornadoes. I hope all my students and their families are well. There are other parts of the county that were not that lucky.... Yadkin Road, Ramsey Street area, Riley Road, Morganton Road. I am praying for the people who live in those areas because some neighborhoods have been flattened. The damage is breathtaking and will literally choke you up and bring tears to your eyes. Fort Bragg is closed down. Cumberland and Harnett Counties are operating on a 2 hour delay and there are 2 schools in the county that students and teachers will not be able to return to.
It just breaks my heart to see all this and for it to be so close to home. We hear about Tsunamis in Japan and Haiti, or Earthquakes around the world, we saw the coverage of Hurricane Katrina and it seems surreal because it is so far away and we do not physically see it. But we cannot deny what is in front of us. Natural Disasters can and do happen to all of us no matter who we are or where we might reside. We are not invincible! That being said, it brings me to my next point. One word. God! He was with each and everyone of us yesterday. So much more harm could have been done. I know God was in my house yesterday with my mom and sister and he was with me when I was working at the Kangaroo sitting on 4000 gallons of flammable gas and numerous cylinders of propane. There is no denying it.
So.... I challenge you.... to volunteer your time, energy, money (all are needed) to the people of our community, I know I will be! Just think, that could be your neighborhood we see on T.V. that is destroyed. It could be your family without a roof over their head, without anything to your name. Wouldn't you want help?

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

UPDATE...

So... I have not died. I am very much alive. I started this a few years ago and forgot about it... Here I am again... starting over. Well, since my last post a lot has changed....
1. Circuit City has closed.
2. I finished my certification in Elementary Education.
3. I found a job in teaching. ESL- Not my favorite job BUT a job nonetheless.
4. I am engaged now. :-D
5. Dustin and I are planning to move to Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

That is it in a nutshell. I cannot say that I miss working at Circuit City even though it holds 6 years on my resume. Miss the people, NOT the place. I am proud to be a teacher. I love teaching in fact, I even love teaching ESL, and however, I hate the whole NOT having a classroom thing. I have also realized by teaching ESL that I love the high school level. That being said I will probably be looking into getting my License in Secondary English... (Teaching High School English).

I knew coming into the year 2011 that this was going to be my year. I plan on owning it. Life is all about being the best YOU! That is what I am going to do. I am coming up on the end of my first year teaching. It has been such a learning experience but I am excited to see what the next few years bring and PRAY that I can find a job in Florida. I made a personal goal to see how many books I could read by the end of the year. Right now I am at 24 books. I don't have A LOT of time for reading but I drive more than an average person in society and I am in the boonies so the only thing left for me to do is audio books. That is how I get the majority of my reading done. I hope to be in the process of moving to Florida by July, which is another goal I am setting for myself. The whole wedding planning thing is still up in the air. I am not sure what we are going to do yet. Guess we will play that by ear... if nothing happens by December of this year then I am aiming for July 2012.

I am excited for the upcoming events and CANNOT wait for what the future holds....

Until next time...