Chances are so hard to come by and the second one is impossible to find.

The lesson of the day for today is: It is better to regret something you have done than regret something you haven't.

Think about it! If you have done something and regret it then there is nothing you can do now... nothing to change the way things played out, no way to change the outcome. HOWEVER, if you did NOT do something you are ALWAYS wondering, "What if?" In my opinion that is the worst thing you can think about. All the different scenarios running through your head, all the possible outcomes. It can drive a person mad.

Why, you ask, am I thinking about this? Well I had an interview today at an AMAZING place. All I had to do was do a 5 minute presentation on recruiting for the college and it had to be creative! Well I did a power point on lots of information about the college but it had no pizazz! Nothing I had stood out. I had 2 days to work on it and I stayed up late working on it and got up early to work on it but it lacked the main component they were looking for.... CREATIVENESS. I didn't want to embarrass myself and was worried about wasting their time. So, I did not go. As soon as I hung up the phone from cancelling the interview I felt relieved but filled with regret too. :-(

I started thinking several questions:
What if I was being too critical of my own work? Usually we are our own worst critics? Aren't we?
What if I went to the interview and they liked my stuff? What if I got the job?
What if I burned a bridge God was laying out for me?

I walked around the rest of the day feeling horrible. As most of you know, regret is not a good feeling. I realized there is nothing more I can do with this situation.... I should not dwell on it anymore than I already have. I decided that I learned an important lesson thorough this debacle so I should move on.

But what if.....??

Bloom where God plants you!

As I was fed up from working the usual 15 hour shift this weekend I said a mini-prayer, "Please God, if I am not meant to be in the school systems please let me know. Let something else become available! I do not know what you want me to do but please put it in front of me!" I have been so determined on getting a teaching job and into a classroom that I haven't stopped to think what God wants for me or where I am SUPPOSE to be! It is kinda funny that I was trying to lead my own life... I had to step back and regroup.

That was Sunday. Monday I got 2 phone calls for interviews! Tell me that is not a coincidence! I had an interview today at an Elementary school BUT it is only for a part-time position for after school care from 3 pm-6pm, HOWEVER, it will get my foot in the door! The interview went AMAZING! The lady, Mae, I interviewed with was spectacular!! She told me to call her back after my interview with the YMCA tomorrow!

 This brings me to tomorrow- I have an interview with the YMCA. It is full-time, benefits, and decent pay AND it would work with BOTH my Public Relations degree and with children (which I love). Feels like this would be the right job to go with everything I have worked for to this point!

If you know me then you know I believe in signs. I believe everything happens for a reason! While I was interviewing with Mae today, I was praying for a sign... Something to PROVE to me this was the right path! Well when I went out to my car, it wouldn't start! I called Dustin and he came up there put some gas in my car because I was low on fuel and parked on a hill. We thought maybe that would fix the issue. NOPE! Then we tried jumping the car... NOPE. (Mae came out to help suggest stuff,) BTW- How embarrassing is it to break down right in front of where you have an interview?!!! Tried pushing it and double clutching it to get it to start, NOPE! Called a friend because her husband is a mechanic- he said the problem may be a starter. We call pep boys they say same thing and give us the price of $350 plus $49.99 for a tow! We start calling other place to see if it could be done cheaper! Eventually called the 1-800-PepBoys number  to get towed and it was busy. Then called another tow place and they said it would be 2 hours before they could come. SIGH. About this time Mae and another lady walk up (can't remember her name), we tell them everything we have tried. The woman says, "Pop your hood, lemme see what I can do. I am a jack of all trades!" I popped it. She sees that the battery terminal is corroded which I had just cleaned off a little bit. She asked Dustin if he had some pliers to clean off the rest of it. He did and when he touched the battery terminal he saw it was loose! He tightened it and LOW AND BEHOLD the car started!!!

Now you tell me, is that a sign? Or just bad luck?

So here I am... I have the YMCA interview tomorrow. I am going to see how it goes and go from there. I want to make the right decisions but I never know what the right decisions are at the time. So what if I get offered both of them? Then what?? Either way I don't feel like I can go wrong! I have been praying about it non-stop!

All in all, lesson of the day was.... I need to be the passenger and God needs to be the driver!

What the teacher is, is more important than what (s)he teaches. ~Karl Menninger

In the last 2 weeks I have had a substitute job everyday! I have been to a few different Elementary schools, and a school for kids with special needs. Those students are from the ages of 4-23! When these students get their certificate they go to Pyramid! For just about 2 weeks I worked at this one school subbing for several teachers! It was fun, rewarding and trying all rolled into one. I have a few more jobs lined up this month and April for teachers in this school.

I have subbed for a Kindergarten class and WOW is all I can say! They are SO full of energy! They have a little LESS structure than what I like BUT I had a blast with them. I learned real fast that: 1. Members of the same family should NOT be in the same class. 2. Kindergarteners tattle on EVERYTHING. 3. Three boys going to the bathroom at one time is a MISTAKE! 4. Kindergarteners are so sensitive and sweet! But I loved every minute of it! (I also saw a student get picked up in a hearse which I thought was interesting!)

I worked with 5th grade Science and loved it as well. The subject area for 5th graders is fun and interesting to me!! The behaviors were a little outrageous especially since the day before I worked with Kindergarteners but it was still enjoyable! I heard a 5th grader say "She's got more cushion for the pushin'!" I thought to myself "WHAT THE HECK DID HE JUST SAY?!" LOL Never a dull day in substituting!!

I subbed for a 5th grade class this week at the Ballet school again. I felt confident teaching everything but when I saw the Math I thought, "Fractions, Decimals and Factors, OH MY!" LOL Luckily I had the book to refresh my memory and Math went without a hitch! I even helped a student and had an "AH HAH" moment! It made my day!!! I love 5th grade and fractions REALLY aren't that bad! I actually kinda liked it!! I really wouldn't mind a 5th grade position at all!!

When I was shopping in Wal-Mart today with Dustin I felt a little kid hug me. I turn to see who it is and it was a Kindergartener I had earlier this week. She ran up and hugged me! It was SOOOOOO stinking cute! My heart melted and I walked around the rest of the day with a big ol' cheesy grin on my face! I cant believe she remembered me! (I know it was this week but still.)

I noticed I have been getting calls daily and from some of the schools that I have been subbing more frequently! Hope they keep coming! It makes me feel good, makes me feel like I am getting really close to my dream of having my own classroom! I can feel it! It is SO close! Keep praying for me y'all!

Sometimes things must fall apart for other things to fall into place.

These last few weeks I have been praying like CRAZY! And I must admit, I feel closer to God than I ever have! It is a great feeling. I have been praying for friends,  family and even the people I am not too fond of and it gets easier. The people I used to have a hard time saying prayers for- it no longer leaves a bitter taste on my tongue. I feel like that is an accomplishment!

Several other things have been in the works for me as well.
I have completed ALL my substitute paperwork and actually subbed 2 days last week, would of been 3 but more on that later! I HOPE I will receive more calls this week. This is how it started: On Monday, January 23- I got a phone call at 6:30 in the morning. As you know I work 15 hours on Sundays and I was planning on sleeping in and enjoying my day off. But when that phone rang and I accepted that job I had energy like no tomorrow! I literally had 45 minutes to drop Dustin off at work, come home, shower and get to the school. I made it! That day I taught music at an Elementary School. It was amazing to get back in the schools again! I LOVE teaching and I love those little kids! I do have to say THANK GOD I took band or I would have been screwed! I taught the recorder, played rhythm bingo, taught a new song and played xylophone! None of this would have been possible without Mr. Thomas, Mr. Kuzero, and Mr. Washburn! LOL I had a blast!

Then on Tuesday, January 24- I was prepared to go into Pyramid  but I got a phone call at 8:00am. I was SOOOOO excited. So I let Pyramid know that I wasn't coming in and told them I would explain later. The job I got called in for was 3rd grade at a Ballet School. And I am not going to lie when I heard this I freaked a little and thought to myself- "Self, as long as you are not teaching Ballet you are good to go!" This ended up being a fantastic day! I had huge breaks because the students went to French for a while, then went to Ballet and lunch. After lunch we came back and did math, reading and social studies. It was great! I love the 3rd grade curriculum. I didn't get a call on Wednesday and Thursday and was super sad about that. Then Thursday night I got a phone call from Pyramid asking me to drive the van Friday morning and to decline a job if I got a sub call. I said I would because they said I would be driving then put in the art room. I got a call an hour later from the school I interviewed at and the Principal personally put me on the sub list. So when I had to decline it it hurt my heart. Then as I am driving the van the next morning I got another call. Then on top of all this!!!! I get put in a DIFFERENT classroom. One with several behaviors. This made me mad at first because I was like, "I missed out on teaching jobs for THIS!??" But I realized as I thought more about it and the day progressed that THIS is what God is teaching me. I felt like he was telling me to no longer LET people walk all over me and that it was MY time to do what I wanted. I needed to "DO ME" in a sense and stop putting my needs/wants on the back burner. I want to teach and that is what I plan on doing!!

I look forward to the up coming weeks and jobs I get. I just hope I didnt ruin my chances of getting more substituting jobs because I declined two this week!

LIVE, LOVE and PRAY!

Drugs are bad mmmm...kay

I do NOT understand why people do drugs. I do not see ANY postiives to doing them. None at all!

• They are a waste of money.
• They are addicting.
• They are bad for your health.
• Ruin ALL relationships.
• They are ILLEGAL.
• They allow you to make DUMB decisions.
• They mess up your brain permanently.
• They make you act like a freaking weirdo!
• Make you look UGLY!

I am sure there are several more but these are the major ones and I don't know about you but there are NONE of those that I just HAVE to HAVE!

I work at a convenience store and I had someone come in looking for something to smoke crack out of. He was getting mad because we didn't have anything for him. It was scary because you don't know what they're going to do next. Its sad the people that come in there and by the swishers, good times, zig zags, rolling papers, etc. Everyone in the world knows what you are doing... Just sad....

Needed to vent sorry.

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.

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!