Graduation Announcement

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Long Time Coming

I really can't believe how long it has been since I posted.  It has been a busy semester full of LOTS of really great experiences.  I am so relieved to have made it through my toughest semester of school and to know that I only have one left is kind of crazy.  I hope to use everything I have learned, including the understanding that cleaning my house doesn't have to consume me.  I was able to present my paper at a national conference in October.  I won an award of excellence and 250$.  Not only that but they have confirmed that it will be published this spring in a scholarly journal.  Which is completely crazy to me. 
Shay and I went to Chicago for the first time as he also presented at a national conference in December.  The only difference is that he didn't have to write a 20 page paper.  He did a great job speaking about job growth.  It wasn't the romantic trip I had planned, since Shay ripped his calf muscle playing football at the Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving day.  I had to push him in a wheelchair the entire time.  That sounds insensitive, but I asked him not to play at the football game because he would hurt himself.  Also, the crowds were insane on the Magnificent Mile and pushing a wheelchair was insanity.  But I do have to say that Garrett's Popcorn, Chicago mix, was delicious and I have craved it multiple times since then.
I have put on at least 8 lbs since the semester finished, I am not used to having time to eat so much.  Which leads me to one of our goals this year.... Cutting out sugar.  I am so sick of feeling yucky.  We are not buying any more sugary treats.  I will see how this goes, but I am excited.  Shay and the kids are on board as well.
It is going to be a great year!

First week of school

My first week is over and it was not bad at all. This summer was way more intense, I am happy to report, only because it is over. I feel great about it and I am planning on enjoying it. I only have one more semester after this one!
-Misty

First day of school

I am so glad it is the first day back for the kids. They are happy too! Adam on the other hand is Mayhem, just waiting to happen.






-Misty

Stone Mountain

Hiked Stone Mountain today. It was beautiful. A great way to end the summer. Adam said some funny things, like when we were half way up the mountain he said, "this is exactly where we started!" I wondered how often we are halfway up our mountains and think we are exactly where we started. Sometimes we dont realize what we have accomplished, or what The Lord has helped us with.


-Misty

Sunday

When I was little, my mom would help us write in our journals on Sundays. She would write what we told her and then we would draw a picture. I remember telling her to write that my baby brother liked throwing his dirty diapers at us. That same baby brother took that same journal and ripped it to pieces. I remember being devastated at losing my stories.
I tried to do this a little with our kids but I have never been very good at it. Skylers journal is much fuller than anyone elses.
Although I have not been the best at journaling for my kids, I know it is important to keep a record of our lives. I have some journals of my mothers from when I was little and it gave me a glimpse of who she was and what she hoped for. It is a priceless gift to hear her voice even after she is gone.
We never know when we will be called to our heavenly home, but it would be nice to leave a record for those you leave behind to know who you are and what you stand for.
-Misty

Momma

It would be weird to see one of the ladies that dressed my momma to be buried but two was really weird. And in the same day, super crazy weird. These are ladies that I haven't seen in years. Another strange thing, they both talked to me about it without being promoted by me. They said it was such an amazing experience. That they felt her there and they couldn't help but laugh a little because they knew she would want that. I know she would have wanted that. It has been 12.5 years since she passed away from breast cancer, but it still made me a little sad. I was supposed to dress her, she had asked me to. These ladies did not know that. We had been visiting my dad in South Georgia when we got the call. My dad and Shay did not want to wake me, she had passed just after midnight. If they had I would have made the 5 hour drive in time to dress her. I remember crying on the way back to her house, not because she was gone, but because I had not fulfilled her last wish.
My mom was amazingly strong. I fear ever being in a similar position because I know I will never be as strong as she was.
It was neat to hear the stories from these ladies and to think of the woman my momma was, I will try a little harder to make it back to her.


-Misty