Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes!!

I have Type 1 Diabetes. There I said it...as if I haven't said it a zillion times before. :)

BUT now instead of wallowing in my disease, I am doing something about it.

On November 17, 2012, I am walking in the Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes Houston edition. 

But, I can't do this without you!!

First, I need donations to help me reach my goal of $500.

Click here to Donate!!

Second, I need people to walk on my team with me! I have lots of friends in the Houston area and would LOVE it if they joined me in this endeavor. Connie's Team has a goal of $1000, and I need your help!!

Click this link to Join Connie's Team!!!
Then click the join Connie's Team link and it should walk you through signing up. The default goal for each member of the team is $200, but feel free to change it.

I'm a third year teacher!!

Time flies!! Here I am starting a new school year--my third one! CRAZY! 

Everyone says your first is the hardest, it gets a little better during your second, and your third you finally start to get the hang of things. I disagree. My situation has definitely not happened that way.

My first (1/2) year I survived but was laid off.

My second year was at a new school and the administration made me team leader.

Now my third year, I am teaching a new subject that I get to create because of the effects of EOC testing. (Thank you State of Texas)

So no my third year does not feel like I have things together. I feel more like I am falling apart than ever before. (this is probably not true, but I don't feel ready AT ALL!!)

However, the Lord has been faithful through it all. As ALWAYS!

It's usually whispers that He is still standing right next to me when I am ready to fall apart. Sometimes it's verses, songs, or prayers that I come across during the day. Sometimes its friends that remind me they are praying for me and that they know I will triumph through this tough challenge that lies before me.

Bring on Monday because MY life belongs to HIM! :)

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DWIGHT! :)

Praying for all the little kiddos that will be sitting in these seats on Monday.

So happy and colorful!

Wordish wall! I'm doing more with this than I did last year.

Teacher space!

I love Mom's gifts and Jessica's Star Wars figurines!

Best part of my room! Wreck 'Em!!

Magnificent Mondays

Yesterday...my first sort of day back to work after a whole summer off. Some might think that this could be a bad day. It was not!! :)

I spent some time with Jesus and got to read my favorite love story about Ruth and Boaz! 

(a pretty fantastic start if you ask me)

I worked out on the elliptical and ended up REALLY sore!

(pain makes you feel alive, right?!?)

I am a mentor to a sweet girl who loves Jesus and I am excited to help her navigate her first year!

(Such a marvelous plan HE has for us)

Those were just some highlights... The real story of the day started when I left work. I was driving through the neighborhood in front of my school and I saw a woman with her 3 year old son. She was carrying a load of groceries in 3:30 Houston heat. (the closest grocery store is about a mile away) I kept driving thinking that she was probably only a few blocks from home. The Lord was tugging on my heart to stop and help the woman. I turned around and pulled up next to her and asked if she needed a ride. She said her house was just another block away, but she was walking because her car battery died. I offered to jump start her car because I knew for some reason I needed to help this woman. She was so grateful that she didn't have to wait for her husband to get home to get her car fixed. 

I don't have a clue why the Lord wanted me to stop or what eternal significance it might have had on her and her family. BUT I do know that the Lord called me to something in the midst of my busy life and I answered His call. Sometimes His callings are big and sometimes they are small. Yesterday, they were small, but it meant something huge to me.

my encouragement to you:

even the seemingly smallest act of love, grace, and mercy you can show to those around you (whether you know them or not) can mean WAY MORE than you can possibly know or imagine. 

Answer God's calling BIG or small.

I am very thankful my life belongs to Him.

p.s. what did you do to make your Monday magnificent?

I'm going to the hospital?! WHAT?!

If you read my blog or know me personally, you probably know that I have Type 1 Diabetes. I am not shy about it, and I love talking about it. I think it's something the Lord has blessed me with so I can be in a position to share with others in the same situation. I found these pictures on my mom's computer last week and they moved me to tears because I realized how far I have come in such a short period of time and how much I am loved.

I wanted to share these with you because many family and friends were miles away and could not physically be near me during this struggle in my life. I also think it shares a very deep part of my soul since this was definitely the lowest point in my life thus far. Enjoy seeing the guardian angels the Lord placed around me almost two years ago. They helped keep me sane!

Lots of cute cards!

Lexi, Kacie, Mandy, and Stephanie

And brought me princess bandaids and socks :)

They decorated my room too

FOOOOOOD finally!! It had been more than 24 hours...

My roomies brought me coloring pages and a big card!!

Roomie love!!

Merick, Jane, Allison, and Katy

Jane brought a Lisa Frank coloring book

I always had visitors :)

Courtney, Shelbie (AKA Pledge), and Mandy (AKA LEEEEEETLE) haha

Flowers :)

Decorations and cards!

Watching my wall explode on FB

Mommy brought me Tech Game Day stuff since I couldn't go to the OSU game

My Rodriguez family came to visit. The twinzies could finally come to see me since I wasn't in ICU anymore

My Twinzies!

Alli, Jessica, and Ada

Mandy and Kara

Lots of Mommy time! GAME DAY!!! Wreck 'Em Tech!!

I have the best roomies ever...they cleaned my room and hung streamers from the ceiling. 

Thank you Kristen, Kara, and Lindsey!!

Ashley, my student teacher partner...wouldn't have survived that semester without her. 

AND Kristen got engaged!!

So glad my mom got to be here for this fun time!!! Even though it wasn't for a very good reason!

Here are some funny stories about some exceptional people:

• In addition to coming to visit me, Mandy was the one that brought me to the doctor, and she was there when I woke up the next morning. Such a wonderful little sis I have. 
• When I was at the doctor, I texted Katy (one of my nurse friends and ex-wife on FB) asking her what an EKG is. Needless to say she freaked out a little and was at the ER when I got there. 
• Kara was another saint the night I went to the hospital. She called our pastor and brought me stuff from the apartment to help make my stay a little better. 
• The Rodriguez family will always be my Lubbock family. They let my mom stay with them as long as she needed to. Tanna had heard I wasn't feeling well and texted me when I was in the ambulance just to see if I was feeling better. I told her I was on my way to the hospital...she freaked out a little and they were there when I got to the ER too. 
• My mommy came to stay with me for a week and a half to help me adjust. My daddy, sister, and brother couldn't be with me because of work and school but they called every day and took care of things at home while mom was gone.

I can't mention everyone because there were so many people that made my transition easier, but I am so thankful for all the support I received.

Best story: When I was in the ambulance (even though I was out of it), I asked them to turn the lights and sirens on, but they wouldn't. I was bummed. :)

I am so thankful my life belongs to Him!

Weddings!

Dresses, flowers, food, cake, love. Weddings are something that girls just adore. We're obsessed with them. TLC has so many shows about the dress and competing for the greatest honeymoon. We eat it up. But what is a wedding really all about?

So many dear friends have gotten married recently and on the other side of the spectrum many dear friends' marriages are struggling. All these weddings have got me thinking about the significance that they hold. Are we just having a party to celebrate the beginning of a relationship that will end in a few short years? Or do our friends really mean the words that they say "for better or worse," "in sickness and in health," "for richer or poorer?"

But instead of wondering and worrying about what the future might hold for my friends, I have turned to prayer for them. I believe so deeply that this is the greatest gift we can give our friends for their weddings--the commitment to pray for them regularly.

All that being said, I had the opportunity to be a part of a very special wedding a month ago. The second roomie got married to a wonderful man of God. I am so excited for them and their ability to share the love of Jesus together. 

The sweet couple at their shower!

My favorite part of events...CAKE!

Love this!

The Bachelorette

Such a special day

Roomie Bridesmaids

CAKE!

I love weddings, but they always make me more aware of the fact that I am single-and have been for awhile. But the Lord has given me encouragement this summer. I know He has me in this season of life for a reason. He wants to stretch and grow me to be more effective for His kingdom. I need to take this time to become more like Him instead of having a single life pity party. Not always easy, but I know He has someone special for me when the time is right. In the meantime I need to pray for that future unknown person too.

I am so thankful my life belongs to Him.