Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas, this day where our Saviour was born unto us!

For unto us is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

(also from Charlie Brown Christmas!)

Merry Christmas from D.C.!

Real quick...

My pumpkins! I'm so proud of my hard work!

I am alive

Capital Building

Me and the Capitol Building

My awesome photography

Washington Monument and me

A lot has happened in the past two months. I had my first trip to D.C. the first weekend in October and I had my second trip just this past weekend!

So my first trip to Washington D.C. was short, but a lot of fun! All day Friday, we walked around D.C. and saw the sights and sounds!
Most exciting moments:
We get to the White House and the uniformed secret service came out and told everyone to go across the street and the sidewalk in front of the White House was going to be closed. So we moved and about 10 minutes later, out comes a motor cad with a black SUV, two limos, and another SUV with armed secret service hanging out the window with guns! I had a great video, but I closed my phone when I saw the guns! It scared me!

My second trip to D.C. was fun as well! We spent a whole day looking for places to live when we move down there. And we found one! :) YEAH! My future place of residence is going to be in Indian Head, Maryland! It is a cute little town and our place is located about 100 yards from the Naval Base and a stones throw away from the Potomac River! I'm really excited and finding a place has really relieved a lot of stress. We found a great townhouse and I'm looking forward to moving there!

Let's see what else have I been up too? Not much really. I've been super busy with school. This week we start our microteaching lessons and have to teach the class a lesson that we would do for our area and grade level. So prayers on Thursday night would be greatly appreciated!

I did teach last week for the first time to my class that I will be student teaching with. I did my lesson on "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe! It went pretty well. Although the thoughts of "Do I really want to do this????" entered my mind! And I have a pile of projects to grade sitting right next to me! Oh the joys of teaching have already begun!

Other than school, not much as been going on, other than the migraines. But a great friend sent me an article about a "migraine diet" that I think I may try. The bummer of it all is that I would have to cut out caffeine, would I be able to survive? And cheese! But I may try it and see what happens!

Well, my homework and grading these projects are calling my name!

I am 30! How did this happen?

So, it finally happened! I turned 30 years old!
I was sick on my b'day with a horrible migraine. But I did have a fun b'day party at Rookies in Lansing the following evening with my great friends from MDE and some misc other great friends! :)

Make a wish!

CHEESE!

Blowout the candels!

How long have we known each other? 25 years? My great friend, Erin and I!

Dancing Queen!

One of my closest friends, Malinda and I!

Another great friend of mine! Lori and I!

Me and my sisters!:)

The cutest boy in the world! I love him and miss seeing him everyday!

I am bummed that I didn't get a picture of Chanda and me and a picture of the whole table! There are some other pics that I needed to censor and will not be putting up here! :)
And yes, I do have a wonderful boyfriend, but he has requested that I do not put pics up of him due to his future occupation. :(

So, today, I can feel that I'm 30 because after some serious scraping of paint off our deck, I hurt my shoulder very badly and am in quite a bit of pain! UGH! This getting older sucks and it doesn't help that I have a sweet, younger boyfriend to remind me of it all the time! :I

B'day Parties and First Day of School....

Me and my favorite little boy!

I Love this picture b/c Madison is gargling water! We were laughing so hard! She was in rare form this night!

The Birthday Girl! She was half laughing and half crying b/c she didn't want her picture taken!

Here is a picture of all the kiddos! Nicholas is the only one smiling and ready for the picture!

So I have this gut feeling that no one is reading this, but that is OK, I guess.

Anyway. Today was the first day of school for me at Onsted Middle School. Yeah! It was a great first day! I have a lot to learn though.

Yesterday was Madison's 2nd b'day! Yeah Yeah! She is getting so big!

Once the school year gets going, I will write more!

NYG and more ducks!

It is day two of the NYG and here are some pictures. The one below is from the first mass event last night and the youth leaving! Look at all of them!!!
Plus we saw the marching of the ducks back to their palace at the Peabody yesterday as well! Too cute!

Ducks BUTT

Florida and the NYG...

In two days, this will be filled with Kids! Choose IN CHRIST where I will be working!

CLB (Community Life Builders aka Yellow Shirts)
morning devos! 220 people praising the Lord and serving Him!

DUCKS at the Peabody Hotel!

I thought this was a cute sign!:)
and then below,
me with the DUCKS!:) yeah!

Well, I've been through two days of intense training for the 2007 LCMS National Youth Gathering. I am an official Community Life Builder. Everything I have received is YELLOW! I get a radio and have to help make shell necklaces for 25,000 teens!
The highlight of my trip so far is the fact that my roommates friends are staying at the Peabody Hotel and everything there is DUCKS! I love DUCKS! And this morning I got to see the parade of Ducks that swim in the little fountain at the Peabody! So FUN!:)

hours away...

Tomorrow morning I leave for Orlando, FL for the National LCMS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) Youth Gathering! I'm excited, but anxious at the same time! I have so much to do before then and very little time to do it in! This is my 4th time going to the National Youth Gathering (NYG)...1) back in 1992 as a youth 2) 2001 as a English District Coordinator 3) 2004 as a Family Adult Group Leader 4) 2007 as a Community Life Builder! It will be a new adventure and a new role for me and I'm pretty excited! Please pray for safe travels for me!

PUPPIES...

Well the puppies have gotten big and 7 out of 11 are going home today or tomorrow!

At first Madison wasn't sure of all the puppies! "They bite!" But she by the end she loved this lonely puppy who was away from his brother's and sister's who were taking a little puppy nap!
Kisses for the puppy!

All smiles! (not to sure what the puppy thought though!)
Simply tuckered out!

Too Cute!

What an adorable face! I want one!

I really should be doing homework...

Me, hard at "work"! Only 5 more weeks! Yeah!

Office Silliness! My great coworkers/friends

Malinda and Lori!

Madison and Matthew up on the lookout tower

at MSU Children's Garden
Brother and Sister, having fun at the Children's Garden

Our new patio set and our first breakfast on it!




I thought these clouds looked so cool!

Opening backdrop for WICKED! The best muscial ever!

This is taken from my seat! Third row, stage left!

Minor view obstruction, but I saw the actors up close and the costumes where amazing!

...but I wanted to put up a quick post! It has been a crazy two weeks! Was in ER Tuesday AM on July 3, then a quick trip up to see my mom and Bob this past weekend.

The best thing about my week, this week was I saw WICKED! I went by myself last night for opening night and it was amazing! It is my 2nd time seeing it and I'm going again on the 22nd with Matt!

Well, I should get back to doing my homework! I have class all day Saturday and need to finish up some loss ends on my school work!