Our summer went by in a blink of an eye. I just can't believe I'm already back teaching school. We didn't do a whole lot as far as traveling is concerned. I worked all of June in the nursery at Noah's school. Then July my life revolved around school.
With Cody's support, I decided to go back to school to get my Master's in Education Leadership through UCO. It's a two-year program that will help me become a principal some day. July was definitely an adjustment for the three of us. Going back to school after having a child is hard. I want to do well, but don't want to ignore my family in the process. Finding the balance was a struggle. I admire friends like Candace and Brandie, who went back to school while being a mommy to multiple kids. I completely understand the sacrifices they had to make to do so.
The good thing about this program is that classes are only one night a week through the semester. I won't be gone a lot, but will have to make time at home for projects and assignments. It's weird being a student again. Now I know how my kids feel every day when I ask them to do something!
Ok, so back to summer. Like I said, we didn't do much, but it was still a good summer. Hopefully these pictures capture that fun.
We enjoyed a lot of snow cones in the 100 degree heat. Noah loved to show off his tongue color and check out ours, too. Snow cones are not only yummy, but magic, too, when they turn your tongue a bright color!
We met Emma Musgrove, her sister, Ellie, and mommy, Casey, at the Splash Pad one Friday to play. Noah loves to see his Emma.
My bestie, Kamrin (in the middle), got engaged. Kenneth popped the question at the art museum then planned a surprise engagement party at their home that night. Kam asked me to be a bridesmaid and Noah to be one of her ring bearers. The date is set for May 31st, 2013. We can't wait!
Noah and I crafted it up for the 4th of July. We made a really cool piece of art. Thank you, Pinterest. It's just the American Flag which Noah painted. We used yellow buttons for the 50 stars. Then I wrote a phrase about freedom across the stripes. It will be nice to pull out every holiday.
For the actual 4th, we headed to the Adkins' home for a cookout and fireworks. Once the sun went down, the boys (I'm referring to the grown men), yes, the boys got crazy with the explosions and fireworks. It was a lot of fun to be with good friends.
Me with Emily and Tracy on the 4th
Us - Happy Fourth!
Back: Emily, me & Andrea Front: Tina & Tracy
Then in mid-July it was time to celebrate Tina's 30th birthday. We headed to Momma Roja's on Lake Hefner for dinner and drinks then to the comedy club after hours for some really good laughs. Tina is about two weeks older than me. Her son, Cashton, who is good buddies with Noah, is about two weeks younger than Noah. I think that's kinda funny how our birthdays are synced. :)
Kelly, me, Monica, Tracy and the birthday girl, Tina.
Then it was my turn to join the 30 Club. Cody planned a great birthday dinner for me. Sixteen of our closest friends joined us at Musashi's Japanese Steakhouse in NW OKC. Then our sweet friends, Bryan and Zan, opened their gorgeous new home up to us for after hours. It was nice to relax with friends around the pool. Turning 30 was great. I am a spoiled and treasured girl.
I finally got Cody to go painting with me. It was sort of a belated birthday date night thing. We headed to Abuelo's in Bricktown for dinner and painting. Cody was a little nervous about painting. He kept thinking he'd mess it up or he wouldn't be good at it. This night was my third time to paint. I'm no expert, but think I'm fairly decent. I just kept encouraging him that he'd pick it up. It's just a bunch of lines and shapes blended together. We had a lot of fun. Just something different we hadn't done before. Our paintings hand side by side in our home. I love that.
I got a tattoo. On my right wrist. It's Hebrew written in black ink. Yes, it hurt. I've wanted a tattoo off and on for years, but never knew what I'd get. I couldn't decide on anything that I loved enough to have permanently on my body. I knew if I ever did it, it would be about Jesus so I would have a permanent opportunity to witness. Well apparently, I figured it out. A few months before I turned 30, I told Cody I wanted a tattoo for my birthday, but I still didn't know what I wanted. I went back and forth about it for weeks. I drove Cody nuts! I put it off until after my birthday. Cody suggested I should get a tattoo because I want it; not because I turned 30. So I prayed and prayed. And prayed some more.
Then I listened to a message from Graham Cooke who spoke at Antioch Community Church in Norman a while back. He spoke about your inheritant word the Lord gives you. At points in your life, God uses His Word to speak into you. (He does this all the time really, but God wrote His word with you in mind before you were even born.) Sometimes it's just for that moment or it's a scripture repeated over the years. It can be multiple scriptures, too. He challenged the congregation to write down their inheritant word and look at what God is trying to say. So I did that. Very cool. I highly suggest you do it, too. There have been several scriptures God has spoken into me throughout my life.
Romans 8:28 signed in every card by my Great-Grandaddy. Colossians 3:23 as I go through school...again. Proverbs 31 because I'm a woman. 1 Timothy 4:12 and Jeremiah 29:11 as I became a woman of God throughout high school and as I lead teenage girls to do the same.
And then there's Psalm 139:14 "I am fearfully and wonderfully made. You know my works full well."
Looking at myself in the mirror as I turn 30 and I think, "I am a grown woman. It's about time I believe to my core what God says about me. I. Am. Beautiful." So now I have a permanent reminder what God says about me. And it's written on my wrist and imprinted on my heart.
In Hebrew "Beautifully Made"
What I'm most excited about since getting this tattoo...Can I tell you what gets me jacked up? The questions and conversations I will have with my students, especially those who are unchurched, for the rest of my career. I've already had five conversations about my tattoo in the first week of school. You know what I tell them? "God says YOU are beautifully made". They are the ones who need to hear that the most.
To wrap up the summer, we celebrated Kelly's birthday at the races at Remington Park in OKC. It was a lot of fun!
Meredith, Casey, Tracy, Birthday Girl Kelly, me, Tina and Emily
Cody worked his tail off in the Cleveland County grass fires. He put in 42 hours of overtime that weekend. (He's on the center of the tail gate, blue shirt.) He was already working that Friday when the fires started. He worked all through the night and didn't get home until 11:30 am on Saturday. He looked beat all black-faced and smoky when he came home. He slept the rest of Saturday then was called back out Sunday morning at 9:30 am and didn't get home until 1:30 pm on Monday. That's the hardest and most draining he's worked in a long time. His crew saved hundreds of homes despite all the damage that has been reported. That's hero stuff.
For a belated birthday celebration, my besties, Amanda and Kamrin, and I went to Hefner Grill in NW OKC to paint an "Enchanted Tree". All three of us have July birthdays. We've gotten together for our birthdays for the last three years. We exchanged funny (and inappropriate) birthday cards and small gifts. This time, we decided to paint, too! This painting is my best one yet. I've hung it in my classroom.
Andrea, me, Emily, Birthday Girl Tracy, Amy, Casey, Tina and Kelly
We closed up the summer fun by celebrating Tracy's "30th" birthday. Appetizers and drinks to start then a night of glow bowling at Sooner Bowling Alley. I bowled the best game of my life. Two strikes and two spares plus knocking down a lot of pins each frame to total 121. I beat Cody, too! Which NEVER happens. It was a lot of fun being with our friends and a great way to end the summer.
Now it's back to work. Giving God all the glory.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance."
~Colossians 3:23
