The Best of What's Around

Its a...

2011-10-12T14:23:00.000-04:00

....shall I keep you in suspense for a just a little while longer? Michael and I went to the doctor on Monday morning to find out what gender our little baby would be. I have heard of people going in to the doctor for this momentous occasion only to be disappointed when the little one didn't cooperate. I did not think we would have such a problem considering the last time we went in for an ultrasound the baby's legs were wide open. Well our baby decided to play games on Monday. First, its legs were closed tight. Second, the baby had it's hand covering itself! Thankfully our ultrasound tech was a persistant woman and was eventually able to see that we are having a little boy! I can honestly say that I would have been happy either way....although I keep seeing these cute little girl shoes on Pinterest (like these and these)...but we all know I have an issue with too many shoes. So maybe this is a blessing. However, boy's stuff can be just as cute...like this and this. Now to think of names...

Trulia

2011-10-12T14:01:00.000-04:00

If you are looking for another website or app to waste your time on, then I've got just thing for you. Check out www.trulia.com. It's the best real estate website/app I have ever seen in my entire 29 years of existance. Now don't get confused, I am certainly not looking for a house to buy or even rent at this point. I'm content with where we are. However, sometimes its fun to window shop...and dream....and hope...and wish that teaching & coaching were lucrative careers. Alas, they are not, but they are rewardig careers. So I'll just continue to dream. Check out these beauties...

2250 Winthrop Ave

914 Anderson St

324 E Kingston Ave A

3025 Park Rd

825 E 35th St

1015 Charles Ave

POP!

2011-10-07T12:05:00.000-04:00

I'm about 4 months pregnant at this point, and suddenly my belly has popped out. I actually kind of like it. I now look pregnant & not like I ate too many donuts over the last few months. We find out on Monday if its a boy or a girl. I cannot wait to put all the speculation to rest & finally know what we are having!

Happy Birthday Kendra!

2011-09-02T15:11:00.000-04:00

I am so blessed to have you in my life, as is everyone else who is fortunate enough to call you a friend. I hope the Lord brings you much joy in the next year! Love you!

Look What You Did

2011-09-01T20:31:00.000-04:00

Of course every one remembers Steve Urkel from "Family Matters." On of my favorite moments is when Steve says to Carl "Look what you did"

Well.... look what Michael did

We are so excited! This picture was taken at about 8 weeks. I am 12 weeks now and in about 6 more weeks we will know the gender of the baby. I am feeling OK now. I was feeling pretty yucky at first. Thankfully the worst of it is over although some nights I still don't feel too hot. Here's hoping in the next week or so I'll be feeling even better!

B. Jack

2011-08-20T11:55:00.000-04:00

Certain students touch your heart, no matter how much they may drive you crazy. So let me introduce you to one of the most amazing kids I had the pleasure of teaching at Ashbrook High School: Bryan Jackson. Bryan has had a lot of obstacles to overcome, which makes it all the more sweeter that he is attending Bridgewater College & playing football. B. Jack is one of the smartest kids I have ever taught and I can't wait to see him do great things. Here's to you Bryan.

It's Official

2011-07-29T12:42:00.000-04:00

There have been a lot of changes in my life in the last year: getting married, moving two times, Jared getting married, and so on. However, one of the biggest decisions Michael and I made recently was that I would not be teaching next year. This was not any easy decision for me because I still love teaching. I love my students, I love my co-workers, and I love Ashbrook High School. It has been the only school I have worked at (outside of student teaching) and even though it has had its ups and downs, I have learned so much and developed amazing relationships in the six years I have taught there. However, it was time for change. In addition to teaching full time, I have been coaching full time also... and after six years of working 13 hour days something had to give. I know that the Lord has been working in my heart for the past year, changing my priorities and my desires. When I was single, it wasn't so hard to work a 13 hour day and be gone for a full weekend at a swim meet. My time was my own and I could use it as I pleased. But as a married woman, my desires have changed, and I think it would be nice to spend time with my husband without being completely exhausted by 9:00pm. So as of a week ago, I officially resigned at Ashbrook and I am now turning my attention to coaching at ATOM and eventually transitioning in as the head coach of the program. I am excited about this change. We may be poor for the next few years, but at least we'll be sane!

And I will never forget the people at Ashbrook that changed my life forever...

Happy Wedding Day Jared + Marissa

2011-07-14T19:47:00.006-04:00

My baby brother got married last weekend in Malvern, PA. It was one of the most fantastic 4 day extravaganzas of my life. From dinner at the Nilon family restaraunt, driving through horse country, drinks & hanging out with old friends at the hotel, cracker barrel breakfast, seeing great Aunts & Uncles I haven't seen in 8 years, dancing, eating, partying, and most importantly celebrating the union of Jared + Marissa... This was a perfect celebration of two people I love so dearly. Congrats to you both! I couldn't be happier for you - I'm a big fan of marriage.

Now for a few pictures...

I took a ton of video that I haven't had a chance to load yet, but this one video sums it all up:

Let's Hear it for New York!

2011-07-08T10:30:00.000-04:00

….Concrete jungle where dreams are made of….

Well this post is way too late but life gets crazy. For our 1 year anniversary Michael surprised me with a trip to New York City. We got to the city by 10am and spent most of our first day in the Museum of Natural History. I love that place! So many cool exhibits and it reminds me of my childhood so much. One of my fondest memories is taking the subway from Jersey into the city to go to the MNH. Later on that day we hid from the rain in some wine shops & Dylan's Candy Bar, and had some real New York Pizza. We eventually checked into our very mod hotel in the middle of Manhattan. The next day we spent exploring the city (Rockefeller center, eating delicious food– I recommend Crumbs over Magnolia bakery any day, ground zero, Staten Island Ferry, Statue of Liberty, going to times square at night, etc). We also tried to walk the Brooklyn Bridge, but we couldn't find our way onto the bridge walk. However, this was not a lost cause because we stumbled upon this little dock area that was beautiful. It reminded me of Charleston in NYC. The last day was a bit more relaxing. In the morning we went to the top of Rockefeller Center and then walked around and hung out in Central Park. It was a whirlwind of a weekend but it was so much fun! And I think Michael has turned into a city boy!

Grandma's Chicken

2011-04-21T10:10:00.001-04:00

If you ever had the chance to meet my Grandma Kleber, you will never forget her. She was all of 5 feet (on a good day) and one of the most loving, caring & doting women. Her parents migrated from Syria to Detroit before she was born & they struggled to survive - 10 kids in a 2 bedroom apartment. They have an amazing story. But one of the things that defined my grandmother was that she LOVED to cook. It was her love language - she cooked for you because she loved you. As much as she tried to cook American food, it always had a little Syrian flavor to it. I don't believe she ever made a single recipe that did not include olive oil, garlic & lemon. Last week we had my parents over to our house for my dad's birthday. He requested "Grandma's Chicken" for dinner. Here is the recipe. Its pretty simple, but very delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
+ 2 lbs thin cut chicken breast (or pound out thick breast)
+ 2 eggs
+ 3 cups breadcrumbs (Italian or plain)
+ 3 medium cloves of garlic
+1 whole lemon
+ olive oil (for cooking)
+ 1 red bell pepper
+ 1 green bell pepper
+ 1/2 package mushrooms (any kind you like - I prefer the baby portabella)
+ 1/2 yellow onion

Ok, let's do our cooking dance. Now you're ready.

1. Beat the 2 eggs in a bowl. On a separate plate, pour the 3 cups of breadcrumbs.
2. Coat each piece of chicken in the egg (let the excess drip off). Dredge each piece of chicken in the breadcrumbs. Do this for all of the chicken & set aside.
3. Roughly chop the garlic cloves. Slice the onion & peppers in 1/2 inch strips. Slice the mushrooms.
4. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a large frying pan or griddle. Add the garlic, onions, peppers, & mushrooms to the olive oil. Cook for about 3 minutes
5. Add a little more olive oil if necessary & then add the chicken breast to the frying pan/griddle.
6. Cut a lemon in half & squeeze 1/2 of the lemon all over the chicken & veggies.
7. Cook the chicken until brown on one side. Flip to the other side & squeeze other 1/2 of lemon all over the chicken & veggies. (Make sure you continue to move the veggies around so they don't burn.
8. Add more olive oil if the pan becomes "dry." Cook chicken until no longer pink in the center.

Enjoy!

Ready!

During....

Moving On Up!

2011-04-16T15:52:00.001-04:00

From the end of January through March is the busiest time of year for me. I'm a literally at swim meets every other weekend, and often the meets are 3 1/2 days long & out of town (I think when I counted I was coaching on the weekends 6 out of 8 weekends during that time). In the midst of all that craziness, Michael & I moved to a duplex only 5 minutes away from our first apartment. So that is my exuse for not putting up these pictures 2 months ago when we actually made the move.

We love our new plance. It is bigger than our apartment, has a 2nd bedroom, hardwoods throughout, a working fireplace & a big screened in porch (my favorite part of the house). To top it off, it is in the exact location we were looking for & $200/mo cheaper than our apartment, which is a testiment of God's provision for us. Michael & I had been looking for months for a new place and were getting very frustrated with the process. We went for a run one Sunday afternoon & literally stumbled on this place.

Here are a few pics of the place before we moved in. Once I get started working on some of my projects this summer I can show how its all coming together. Its really a great space (minus the teeeeeeny tiiiiiny kitchen with only 2 ft. of useable counter space).

Kitchen (like I said...)

Front Entry & Living Room

Fireplace

Corner of dining room

Our very large master bedroom

The porch!!

Crying Laughing

2011-04-15T10:27:00.002-04:00

Ever laugh so hard you cry? Its the best kind. Thank you Jenn Romanski for this - I was laughing so hard Michael had to pause whatever he was watching on the DVR & let me finish. Side Note: I wish my students were this funny.
http://www.losteyeball.com/index.php/2007/06/19/56-worstbest-analogies-of-high-school-students/

Getting Organized

2011-04-15T09:09:00.000-04:00

Last weekend (April 9-10) was the first time I cleaned our house since we moved in at the end of February. Yikes! I can honestly say I was happy to be cleaning. There are still a lot of things that need to get done & quite a few projects I have in mind. But with our crazy schedule, there is only so much I can do during the school year when I leave the house at 7am & don't return until 8pm. Here are 2 small projects I finally completed last weekend

#1 - Hanging up the chalkboard clip boards in our entryway. I can't take credit for this idea - I've seen it all over blog land. However, its super cute, easy & cheap (just spray paint some clipboards). Its also a great way to organize all those random papers, mail, etc that you have no place for (or to leave your sweetie a little note - if you know what I'm sayin' ;)

#2 - Hanging & organizing my jewelry. Let's just say if I had a before picture, its caption would be "hot mess." I bought this birdcage jewelry organizer from Urban Outfitters (it was pretty cheap too). The only problem I have is with the walls in our house - there is steel or concrete or something in them that does not allow the nails to go all the way into the wall - my hammer just bounces off the nails.... and maybe I should be concerned that every time I put a nail in the wall I hear something crubmling on the inside of the wall?

Maybe one of these days I'll get to how Michael surprised me with a trip to NYC for our one year anniversary... I think that's pretty blog worthy :)

We Win

2011-03-08T10:10:00.000-05:00

Anyone who knows me just a little bit knows I love UNC - not just the basketball team, but everything about it. They also know I hate Dook. So its brought me great joy to see the Heels beat up on Dook on Saturday night to win the regular season ACC title. My friend Seth sent this link to me a few months ago after Dook lost to Florida State http://www.diddukewin.com/ Go ahead, you know you wanna click on it.

GO HEELS!

Dexter Strickland posterizing Miles Plumlee

Peace.

2011-01-13T13:06:00.004-05:00

I met up with my good friend Kristy Star last Sunday at Caribou before she went back to school in Columbia, SC. During the course of our conversation, she asked me to think of a word that I wanted to describe 2011. Now I'm not big on resolutions, in fact this year I had resolved to do less rather than more (so I will NOT be making a list of things I want to do in 2011). But I liked this idea, it gives my year a theme - and the first word that came to my mind was "peace." As I was meditating on this & CJ Mahaney's message on Jude 1:24-25 the Lord really met me. I hope you find my ramblings & thoughts on this as encouraging as I did....

Peace does not mean life will be perfect - but there is peace and rest that can be found in God's presence alone.

You keep me from falling - Peace that you hold me tightly; nothing can keep me from your love.

You make me stand in the presence of glory blameless - Peace that you have covered a multitude of sins & my greatest need has been provided for. Will you not provide for all things?

Great joy - Peace & assurance that you delight in me. In spite of my sin, doubt, anxiousness, & unfaithfulness, you present me to the father with great joy. What amazing grace!

Glory, majesty, dominion, authority before all time, now & forever more - Peace! You are in control; I am not. You have not lost sight of me. So I know what Philippians 4:6-7 means when it says "be anxious for nothing...and the peace that surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ." What do I have to be anxious about? You have extended grace up on grace and in Jesus have provided for my greatest need.

Happy 26th Birthday Jared!

2011-01-11T11:00:00.007-05:00

Happy birthday to my baby brother, Jared. I love you so much. You are one of my best friends, make me laugh harder than anyone else, & have such a kind & caring heart. I know the Lord will bless you in this next year.

Decade Dance #1

2011-01-10T13:38:00.007-05:00

#1. Marriage. On April 2, 2010 I married James Michael Jerrell. Can I get an Amen? (I'm pretty sure by the time I was 27 my parents were wondering if I would ever get married). When I look back on how the Lord brought Michael into my life I cannot help but be overwhelmed by His thoughtfulness & kindness toward me. I wasn't looking for a relationship, I certainly didn't think I would find my husband in a 23 year old recent college grad from Florida. But the Lord is good & His timing is perfect. Can I get another Amen? (you can read about our engagement story here) I cannot believe that we have been married for 9 months already; time flies. I have learned a lot already in our 9 months of marriage; it certainly is a sanctifying process. However, I could not be more blessed to have such a loving, caring, thoughtful, sacrificial & God fearing husband. (want to read about the wedding planing & wedding/honeymoon?)
(photo credit: elisabeth rose photography. You can see them all here)

Decade Dance #2

2011-01-10T12:43:00.008-05:00

#2. Teaching & Coaching. Working with kids makes me happy. I have had various ups & downs with both jobs, but in the end it is so rewarding to work with my students & my swimmers. I have also had to opportunity to work with some very talented teachers & coaches, travel to new places, work with elite level athletes & share the gospel. It's all worth it!

ASHBROOK HIGH SCHOOL:

ATOM & CHYSC:

NC ZONE TEAM:

Decade Dance #3

2011-01-10T12:02:00.005-05:00

#3. Concerts. I love live music. The End.

+Mute Math @ Amos'

+Shooter Jennings @ Visualite

+Dave Matthews Band (on my birthday) @ Verizon Wireless

+Justin Timberlake @ Atlanta. *Kendra and I were in her kitchen practicing our laugh at Justin's jokes if we were to meet him while at the concert. Please don't judge us*

+Pops in the Park @ Southpark

+Coldplay @ Verizon Wireless

+Also: I've seen Jack Johnson 2 times, but can't seem to find any of the pics. I guess I should include in this list all of the other shows I've seen too: Edwin McCain, Weekend Excursion, Lifehouse & 3 Doors Down (I know... don't judge), Rascall Flats, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney....I'm sure there is more, but that's all I got off the top of my head.

Decade Dance #4

2011-01-10T11:05:00.007-05:00

#4. Open Water Swimming + Triathalons. When I started teaching for real, I put on about 2o lbs. It was a combo of eating like I was still working out 1.5 hours a day & doing very little working out. After a year of being much heavier than I would like, I decided that it was time for a change (you can see my weight gain to the left). In order to motivate myself, I entered my first open water race in Clemson, SC. Franke guilted me into swimming the 5k; I was originally planning on easing my way in by swimming the 3k. After that race, I got hooked on open water swimming. It is so different from pool swimming. Since then I have swam about 5 other open water races, including the Wilmington Pier-2-Pier. I swam the Clemson 5k at 155 lbs in June, 2007. In September of 2007 I swam the Wilmington Pier-2-Pier at 133 lbs. My next goal was to do a triathlon. I have avoided doing such a race because I HATE to run. However, I finally entered myself in the Ramblin' Rose in September 2010. This was a great experience for me (see more photos here). I can finally run with some confidence. I also really began to enjoy biking. I still have a lot of work to do to really compete with seasoned triathletes, but I feel such a sense of accomplishment and so good about myself when I am able to reach these physical goals. It is motivation to keep working hard! And to top it all off, I have actually begun to enjoy running, so much so that I got a ton of new running apparel for Christmas so that I can stay motivated to run during the cold winter months!

Decade Dance #5

2011-01-01T12:42:00.012-05:00

#5. Traveling the Country & the World. I love to travel. I am a tourist. However, I always have 2 goals when traveling: 1. spend as little money as possible & 2. see the city/country from the local persepctive. In the last 10 years I have been so blessed to see the following:

+NYC+ I hadn't been north of the Mason Dixon line since my family moved to Charlotte in the summer of '93. It was great to return to New York in 2005 & see how much the city has changed. I've always seen my self as a bit of a city girl.

+Germany+Austria+Switzerland. In the spring of 2007 I had the chance to chaperone a trip for the chorus at Ashbrook High School. We toured through Germany, Austria, & Switzerland as the kids sang in churches around Bavaria.

+Aruba+ Family Vacation is perhaps my single favorite week out of each year. Every summer my family vacations with my dad's brother and his family. They are some of my favorite people in the whole wide world. In the summer of 2007 we invaded the island.

+Southern California+ I love SoCal. I've been 2 times in the last few years. The first trip was with Kendra in the spring of '08. We stayed in San Diego and also ventured up to the LA area since my brother had just moved there. The second time I went was with my family on vacation. This time we stayed in Orange County & I had the most fun discovering new parts of Cali, especially Malibu. Here are a few things I recommend: La Jolla beach; Balboa Park; Seaport Village; getting your first tattoo; Driving the PCH; In-n-Out burgers; Malibu & point dume; Santa Monica. If it wasn't so far away & so expensive, I think I would move to San Diego

+Chicago+ I've also been to Chicago 2 times in the last few years. My cousin Elizabeth lives there, so it makes for a perfect excuse to visit the windy city. I love Chicago in the summer time. I'm not so sure about the winter though - sub zero temps are the only reason I haven't considered moving to Chicago. My most recent trip was with Michael, who had never been to Chicago before.

+Boston+ Kendra & I spent a week in Boston. I love Boston. While there, UNC won the 2009 National Championship. I love Tyler Hansbrough. Please forgive me stream of conciousness. You can see the blog on Boston starting here (#2, #3, #4, #5, #6)
+Folly Beach+Charleston+ We have created an annual girls beach trip to Folly Beach & Charleston over Labor Day weekend. Charleston is one of my favorite southern cities & Folly Beach is the perfect beach town.

+Dominican Republic+ This was the location for our honeymoon. We stayed at an all inclusive resort (which I highly recommend). We never left the resort!

Decade Dance #8-#6

2010-12-31T00:41:00.012-05:00

I spent five years of my life in Chapel Hill. I would not trade a single one of those minutes for anything in the world. I realize that a lot of what shaped my experience at UNC was the people I met & shared my life with while I was there. However, there is something about the University its self that holds a piece of my heart. Everytime I step foot on campus, I get butterflies in my stomach. The best thing I can compare it to is when you see a long lost friend - its overwhelming. It is truely the southern piece of heaven. Appropriately, the next 3 events in my coundown all occurred while attended UNC.

#8. Sticking around for a 5th year to get my Masters of Arts in Teaching. Graduating from Carolina was bittersweet. It is the moment every college student waits for...

...Buts let me tell you kids. STAY IN COLLEGE AS LONG AS YOU CAN! College is NOT, I repeat, NOT the real world. I am so glad that I stayed for a 5th year.

#7. Coaching at Chapel Hill YMCA. This was the start of my coaching career. The kids there literally changed my life. I really learned what it meant to pour myself into a group of kids, invest in them, teach them, grow with them & love them. These kids are forever impressed on my heart. I am also so greatful to have worked with John King in my 2 years at the CHYSC. He taught me so much about coaching, but was also an amazing friend to me.

#6. Winning the 2005 NCAA National Championship. College Basketball is my favorite sport to watch. This was a year of redemption for the Heels, who just a few years earlier went 8-20. Welcome home 'ol Roy Williams; welcome home. We will celebrate with bonfires on Franklin St. & perhaps a tasty honey biscuit from Time-out.

Decade Dance #10-#9

2010-12-30T16:45:00.011-05:00

'*Cheers*' Tomorrow, January 31st, 2010 will be the end of another decade! I remember bringing in the year 2000 (or Y2K as we lovingly referred to it) and now here we are 10 years later. It is amazing to me how quickly life moves, especially when I started to think of all of the things that have happened in those 10 years. Here are entries #10-9 of the top events in my life of the last decade

#10.Graduating from Vance High School (supposedly the "smoke free class of 2000")...

...and upon graduating from that fine institution....

#9. Attending THE University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This was honestly some of the best years of my life. I met some amazing people who have changed me forever. There are so many memories: St. George Island, Urban Missions in Dallas, Club la Vela, Apple Chill, UNC-Swim Club, the return of Roy, Ashley Forest, the "hot" room, Halloweens on Franklin, camping on the quad, skiing at snowshoe, nice jugs, the Hannukah bush. In the words of Charles Kuralt,

"What is it that binds us to this place as to no other? It is not the well or the bell or the stone walls or the crisp October nights. Our loyalty is not to the memories of what William Richardson Davie did 200 years ago . . . No, our love for this place is based upon the fact that it is as it was meant to be The University of the People. Two hundred years to the day since the founding of the First State University, we can read again the words on its seal--"light and liberty"-- and say the The University of North Carolina has lived by those two short noble words and say that in all of the American story there is no other place like this."

mmmmmm::Chili::mmmmmmmmm

2010-12-28T00:43:00.005-05:00

For the first time in like a bajillion years Charlotte saw snow on Christmas day (even if it did come late in the eventing, it still counts). As expected, in true southern fashion, the city shut down. I decided it was a perfect day for chili & ran out to the grocery store to make a delicious meal for my friends & family. I was one of 5 people on the completely clear roads. Anyway, all that to say, here's my chili recipe (please forgive the lack of measuring, I'm not a big fan of it & tend to cook to taste).

1. marinate 1.5 lbs stew meat in:

+12 oz any beer

+garlic powder

+cumin

+chili powder

+salt

+pepper

+hot sauce (I prefer Frank's) - a few dashes

+1 Tbsp olive oil

2. Allow stew meat to marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes

3. In a large sauce pan add 1/2 chopped yellow onion & saute for about 3 minutes in 1 tbsp of butter

4. Add stew beef (WHITHOUT the liquid marinade - set aside the marinade, do NOT discard) to the onions. Brown on both sides (3 minutes per side)

5. Throw the following (and I mean throw, there's nothing fancy about it) in the sauce pan:

+liquid marinade

+1 can vegitarian chili beans

+1 can pinto beans (w/ liquid)

+1 can corn (remove 1/2 the liquid)

+1 can rotelle tomatos

6. Season to taste with chili powder, garlic powder, salt & black pepper

7. Bring to a simmer over low heat & allow to cook for at least one hour

8. Serve with your favorite toppings (cornbread, corn chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, etc

Enjoy! Drae Speller told me it was the best chili he ever ate. I'll take his word for it.

Holly Daze

2010-12-19T22:48:00.003-05:00

PW's green bean casserole
Christmas Decorations!

Mamma Klebe's sweet potatoe pie

First Christmas tree

Fry Up Another One!

2010-11-12T10:46:00.008-05:00

Let me tell you about one of the best days of my entire life, that I was able to spend with some of my most favorite people in the whole entire world.

#1 We drove up to Chapel Hill with Kendra & Blake, walked around campus, reminisced, and then met Buffy & Steevvhh for lunch on Franklin St. That alone would have been an amazing day, but wait.... there's more!

#2 We went to the North Carolina State Fair. I haven't been there in about 4 years, and I remembered why it was so amazing. We met Lindsay & Kristen there, and had the most amazing adventures! First Michael & Blake bonded over a trashy romance novel (which were free by the way)....

(and Lindsay enjoyed collecting fair paraphernalia)

#3 We ate LOTS of fried food: oreos, peanut butter & banana sandwich, mac & cheese, reeses, cheesecake......... ouch my arteries hurt.

#4 I finally got to see a potbelly pig race! Although I must say the guy that ran the show talked way too much. I think my favorite part was watching the ducks race. (I think Kristen has a rather large crush on the announcer - one day, KK, one day)

#5 Just in case you aren't convinced of the amazing nature of the NC State fair, these next few shots should make you a believer. Until next year....

An Indian in my Cupboard!

2010-11-11T10:25:00.009-05:00

For the 3rd year now (I think that makes it tradition) Kendra, Kristie & I went down to Folly Beach, SC over Labor Day weekend. This year Michelle joined us (and we lost Buffy). As always it was an amazing trip. However, the weekend was marked by the invasion of ..... Roaches ..... ew. The first one was found in the kitchen cabinet as Michelle was going to grab a glass. *side note: Michelle has a legit phobia of bugs, poor girl overcame some serious fears that weekend* Back to the story at hand.... since our first friend was found in the cupboard, we referred to him as "AnIndian," naturally. Now if you are wondering how to pronounce it, just say "an Indian" really fast. And if you are wondering where the name came from, you obviously are illiterate (and I mean that in the most loving way).

Here is a little video recaping our wonderful weekend, AnIndian and all...

Wedding #6

2010-10-31T18:13:00.004-04:00

Seeing as I can't seem to blog in the summer when I have time, I'm not sure how I'm finding time now that the school year & swim season are back in full swing.

I know this one is late too.... but happy wedding day Buffy & Steehhvvv. I am so very happy for the both of you, and I'm so happy Bethany can join me in the cradle robbers club :) I'm also hoping Steve can soften Bethany's heart to the Tar Heels!

Wedding #5

2010-10-29T23:38:00.007-04:00

This is the wedding I was most excited about this summer! My baby cousin John married one of the most amazing women I know, Kati. John & Kati, I know this post is so late but I want you both to know I couldn't be happier for the both of you. Kati, welcome to the Kleber family. We are so very blessed to have you in our family (lets just say, John is the winner)! Happy Wedding Day John & Kati!

Family Vacation 2010

2010-09-21T16:42:00.001-04:00

Wedding #4

2010-07-24T23:17:00.006-04:00

So I didn't actually get a picture of Shane & Mallory due to poor lighting in the church & my attempt at using my iPhone to take the picture.... but happy wedding day Shane & Mallory!

Here's some lovely shots of me + Michael at the wedding. It was beautiful!

I also took this lovely picture while driving on my way to SC for the wedding...

::Summer Is::

2010-07-24T22:55:00.006-04:00

::Summer is ::

:DIY Projects:Grandma's chair before:

:Grandma's chair after: :Summer swim meet:very hot summer meets:
:4th of July:Fireworks:
:Long summer nights in the Queen City:
:A new last name:officially:

Happy Birthday Shaynah + America!

2010-07-23T23:55:00.006-04:00

Since my birthday is only 3 days before America's birthday, I get to celebrate with America quite often. Nothing better than summer days in the water + summer night skies filled with fireworks. On my birthday, Michael took me to the Crepe Ce llar (one of my favorite restaurants in NoDa). We spent the evening relaxing on our deck & then capped off the night watching Robin Hood - Men in Tights ("Mole? I have a mole?").

Michael also got me a new (white) iPhone case. Our phones have jungle fever.

On the Saturday after my birthday, we celebrated with my family on the lake. Kristie, Nathan + Kendra were able to join us. It was such a wonderful day: we spend the afternoon on the lake, floating around, attempting to tube + the evening eating a delicious meal prepared by mama Klebe (and of course incredible wines courtesy of papa Klebe). Unfortunately Michael lost my nice Oakley's in the lake - I dove around like an idiot trying to find them (unsuccessfully of course). We'll just choose to forget about that particular part of the day :)

Wedding #3

2010-07-23T23:40:00.005-04:00

Happy wedding day JJ + Laura. You're story is amazing + I know it will be used to bless others around you. The Lord is going to do great things through this union!

Wedding #2

2010-05-24T10:49:00.005-04:00

Happy wedding day Ben & Elaine Brown. I'm so happy to see how the Lord brought you both together & so excited to see what He has in store for the two of you. Such a wonderful story!

Me Like to Eat...

2010-05-19T10:43:00.005-04:00

One of the things I am enjoying about being a wife is cooking. Now I know that this may sound cliche but I really do love to cook (and eat). On mother's day I had the chance to bless my mother by cooking her one of her favorite meals - fish tacos. Along with the fish tacos, I also made mexican style veggies (squash, zuchini & tomatos sauted in cumin, red pepper, & garlic topped with mexican melting cheese), corn salad, shrimp quesadillas (I got this recipe from THE Pioneer Woman ), and home made salsa (thanks to my baby bro for that recipe). I also made our family favorite - grandma's apple crisp - for dessert (I'll have to post that recipe later, it is honestly the best fruit crisp I have ever had). I was so happy to be able to bless my mother in this way. She is an amazing woman & it is the least I could do to honor her.

I have also discovered a new favorite recipe that I can see becoming a family favorite (thanks Amanda Bartlett for the recipe): Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

INGREDIENTS:
2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can of rotelle tomatoes
1 can of black beans
1/2 cup of water mixed with 1 package of taco seasoning

DIRECTIONS:
Throw everything into a slow cooker. Make sure the chicken is covered. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Shred the chicken once it is fully cooked. Serve with your favorite taco shells & toppings. ENJOY!

Wedding #1

2010-05-19T10:39:00.004-04:00

Michael & I have 6 weddings to go to this summer. We could potentially go to 8, but we will only be able to make it to 6 of them. I really enjoy weddings - but it does take up a lot of time on weekends. We were so happy to celebrate with Jessica Simmons & Beau Mack on their wedding day a few weeks ago. The ceremony was at the Great Aunt Stella Center & the reception was at the Palmer Firehouse Building...it was beautiful & very Jessica. I love how weddings always clearly take on the personality of the bride & groom. I looked at both of these places for our wedding, but eventually decided on Roof with a View (and I don't regret it one bit!).

HAPPY WEDDING DAY JESS & BEAU!

Wooops...

2010-05-07T11:51:00.005-04:00

So I clearly haven't blogged in a while, and my excuse is that I just got married a month ago. The wedding was amazing - the actual day flew by so fast. Michael & I really wanted everyone to have a great time at the wedding & ceremony - that was our main goal for the event. Based on the responses we have received, everyone seemed to have a blast. One of the best things we did at the wedding was have a photo booth with props. As the night went on, the pictures from the photo booth were funnier & funnier. The weather was also absolutely gorgeous. I would not have changed a single thing about the entire day except for the DJ (who talked WAAAAAYYYY too much). Of course, Liz Connolly took the pictures (www.elisabeth-rose.com) and she was amazing. Here is a link to the engagement pics and the wedding pics. Seriously the girl is incredible with a camera. And she made us a sweet slideshow too. Check it out!
I could not have made it through the day without my mother. She was incredible and did so much for me, including baking & frosting 150 cupcakes for the wedding.

Michael & I went to the Dominican Republic on our honeymoon & it was exactly what we needed. We stayed at an all inclusive resort (which I HIGHLY recommend). We never even left the resort because it literally had everything we needed - there were 4 resturaunts, an all you can eat, 23 hour cafe, coffee shop, grill, bars (even a swim up bar), entertainment, 3 pools, etc. It was really a great relaxing time. We had absolutely no agenda and were able to just relax and enjoy each other for 6 days.

.....and married life.... well let me just say that I highly recommend it!

I also got to see my boy Jake go to his first prom last weekend. So cute!

And last but not least in news....after living in Charlotte for 17 years, I finally ate at the Penguin (and literally gained 3 pounds in one meal - but it was worth every bite!)

At the Right Time...

2010-03-24T23:44:00.006-04:00

I have been in the process of cleaning out my room over the last few months, getting ready to move into the apartment with Michael once we are married. As I have cleaned, I have found many things that I had completely forgotten about: notes from swimmers, funny pictures from college & high school, ticket stubs to concerts & basketball games, etc. And with all of these things comes a flood of memories. However, nothing has moved me as much as what I found today: an old journal that I had kept through middle & high school. As I read through it, I was saddened about how confused my heart was, and how I was so drawn by the things of the world. However, the last entry brought tears of joy to my eyes. On May 12, 2001, after finishing my first year of college at THE Univeristy of North Carolina, I wrote the following:

Ok so I was reading over this journal and I couldn't help but laugh at myself hysterically! But its really neat to see how I have changed over the years. I just finished up my first year at UNC (the best place in the world!). I love college so much... this year has been an amazing experience and I have grown so much. I finally know God has forgiven me & I finally feel like Christianity is my religion and my beliefs, not just my parents. God has blessed me so much this year, it is overwhelming. I remember the first day at Chapel Hill and how scared and nervous I was, and now I know I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I have met the most amazing people here... like Warren & Lindsay. I don't know how I survived w/out them first semester. The 3 of us were definately not friends at the begining of the year, but now they have definately become my best friends. Warren is gonna come to Charlotte in a couple weeks... I am so excited, but then he will be in Colorado for 8 weeks (sadness :( ). But I know God has amazing things planned for all of us this summer! At the begining of the year I started talking to this guy @ UNCC and we dated through February... but its such a good thing we aren't together anymore... I definately felt like I was compromising while I was dating him. Maybe one day I'll have a God centered relationship. Nah, actually I have decided that the next person I kiss is going to be my husband... I don't want to waste my kisses on anyone else or give anymore of myself to someone because I keep getting hurt. But I KNOW that God has someone out there for me who is just gonna blow my mind. It's weird to be home after I've been gone for 9 months. But I think it will be good because I will get to spend a lot of time with my brother... he has gone throught a lot this year and I fee like I need to be here for him. We are working together this summers so we will get to spend a lot of time together. After I left for school I realized how important he is to me. I never realized how close we were until I was away from him. Haha, I talk about him ALL the time @ school... but i can't help it, he is such a big part of my life that I have to talk about him, we've shared too much and too many memories for me to not talk about him!
I'm coaching at Wynfield this summer and I am so excited. I've wanted to be head coach for a while, and this is a great place! Ha, both Warren & I are history majors so he decided (for me) that we are gonna teach at the same high school and coach together. That's crazy for me to think that far in advance but at the same time... only 4 more years and I'm out in the "real" world. I will be so sad when I graduate from UNC, I would stay there forever if I could. But I'm not gonna worry about that right now. OK I'm out!
<3 Shaynah Renee :)

How amazing is God's sovereign plan! I look back now on how he slowly changed my heart & opened my eyes up to His amazing grace, and I am astounded! My God is so faithful; He has promised to finish the work He began in me until the day of completion. Although His work is far from over, remembering His past faithfulness to me encourages me have hope for His present & future faithfulness & lovingkindness. I cannot deny that His mercy knows no ends! My marriage to Michael is just one example of God's goodness. I will praise Him in all things, because I know my God is for me, is perfecting me, loves me, saved me, covers & protects me, and is working His sovereign plan in me for my good & His glory.

You and Me

2010-01-31T23:05:00.002-05:00

I absolutely love this song. It's incredible. At the risk of sounding like a 16 year old teeny bopper, here are the lyrics and a link to the video

Wanna pack your bags, Something small
Take what you need and we disappear
Without a trace we'll be gone, gone
The moon and the stars can follow the car and then when we get to the ocean
We gonna take a boat to the end of the world
All the way to the end of the world
Oh, and when the kids are old enough
We're gonna teach them to fly
You and me together, we could do anything, Baby
You and me together yes, yes
You and I, we're not tied to the ground
Not falling but rising like rolling around
Eyes closed above the rooftops
Eyes closed, we're gonna spin through the stars
Our arms wide as the sky
We gonna ride the blue all the way to the end of the world
To the end of the world
Oh, and when the kids are old enough
We're gonna teach them to fly
You and me together, we could do anything, Baby
You and me together yes, yes
We can always look back at what we did
All these memories of you and me baby
But right now it's you and me forever girl
And you know we could do better than anything that we did
You know that you and me, we could do anything
You and me together, we could do anything, Baby
You and me together yeah, yeah
Two of us together, we could do anything, baby
You and me together yeah, yeah
Two of us together yeah, yeah
Two of us together, we could do anything, baby
To reach the end of the world

"Free At Last"

2010-01-18T21:26:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJk

everyone should watch this in its entirety at least once in their life.

Making List, Checking it Twice

2010-01-11T10:57:00.006-05:00

I've always been a fan of making lists and an even bigger fan of checking things off my to-do list. I even have a notebook that holds all my daily/weekly to-do lists. So needless to say with planning a wedding I have been making lists & then crossing things off the list. Most of the big things are finished:

Ceremony & Reception location (I am super excited about the reception - the venue is perfect!)

Wedding dress & veil - which I can't show you a picture of. Surprisingly I got the dress from David's Bridal. I found an awesome veil online at an Etsy store (that website it awesome!!)

Groom/Groomsmen Attire - check it out. I decided to go with suits instead of tux's - too formal is not my style.

Bridesmade dresses - the girls have told me they will wear them again. I'll believe it when I see it - but they do have pockets, which make them super awesome!

Liz Shea is going to be doing the photography. I am SO excited by this - she is a dear friend and I absolutely LOVE her photography.

Invitations are still being worked on, but my uncle Gary & aunt Pam have done an INCREDIBLE job with the designs they have shown me so far. I think they really capture the essence or our wedding & personalities.

I got an incredible hook up for a cake - a mother of one of my swimmers has connections with Johnson & Wales and introduced me to a girl who will be making our cake.

La-Tea-Da's is catering our event - you know Klebers LOVE to eat, so the food will be delicious. I just hope Michael & I will have a chance to eat the tasty treats. We will be having a cocktail hour with 2 passed apps; a carving station that includes NY Strip, Turkey, roasted veggies & rolls; a make your own pasta station with 2 sauces, Italian sausage, grilled chicken, and veggies; dessert bar and cupcakes. MMMMmmmmm......

AGAPE is DJing our event - the DJs name is Russell. We've heard lots of good things about him. Everyone tells me that the DJ can either make or break your event - so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

We've also started working on wedding decorations. I've found some great ideas that I'm copying from etsy & http://www.stylemepretty.com/ (a great wedding blog that I highly recommend). Here's a few pictures of some of the decorations we have started on (mad props to mama Klebe, Kristie Honea & Kendra Sands for their help in this department)

Michael has been put in charge of the honeymoon (obviously) and finding us a place to live. I must say he deserves mad props because he did an incredible job in both areas. We are taking our honeymoon in the Dominican Republic at an all inclusive resort. I am so excited about this!

He has also found us a place to stay - the name of the apartment complex is called Spectrum. I am so excited about this place - it is absolutely gorgeous, has great amenities, is brand new, very safe & secure, and located in South End (a few blocks from Pike's Old Fashioned Soda Shop & the Light Rail - I have a feeling a lot of people will want to come visit us!). Finding a place to stay really made getting married real to me - I just keep thinking "WOW! we are gonna live her together!" (and I can't wait :)

I love this man so much - can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him! Happy New Year!

Florida Football, Carolina Basketball, Christmas, & Wedding

2009-12-26T17:49:00.007-05:00

Here's a photo montage of what's been going on for the last month

1. here are the engagement pics I promised:

2. Michael & Me in Gainesville for the Florida v. Florida St. game (and my first trip to Gainesville)

3. UNC Baskeball hall of fame & Michael's first Carolina basketball game:

4. Kleber family Christmas (+ McMahons later on in the evening)

5. Making crafts for the wedding (paper pinwheels w/ button centers)

Gettin' Hitched

2009-11-20T10:40:00.005-05:00

If anyone knows me even a little bit, they know how much I LOVE The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I bleed Carolina Blue. I love the campus, the memories, the friends & experiences I had while I lived there for 5 years; now I have one more memory to add to the list of reasons why I love UNC...

On Saturday, November 7 (exactly 9 month to the day that Michael & I started dating) I had the opportunity to take Michael up to Chapel Hill, hang out with some of my favorite friens & go to the homecoming football game vs. Dook. Here is how our day went:
1. I tell Michael in the car that Lindsay Hecht is going to the game with us (last minute change in plans)
2. I start to feel pain in my left side & know what it means - kidney stones. Michael & I pray in the car for relief from the pain.
3. We stop at a rest area - Michael frantically calls my mom to find out how to call Lindsay & let her know that he is planning on proposing to me today!
4. Michael calls Lindsay; Linds responds with ah "Oh Shit!" and runs and tells Kristen (who had just gotten out of the shower)
5. We make it up to Nantucket Cafe for lunch with Kristen & Linds (my kidney stone pain has gone away) - we enjoy a beautifl lunch outside - Lindsay eats dairy products & I predict it will cause future problems
6. Michael, Lindsay & I head to campus, randomly run into Warren Perry, then walk down Franklin St to show Michael all the glory of UNC.
7. Lindsay loudly announces that she has to use the batheroom, runs into McAllisters, tells us not to wait for her b/c she will get stage fright (I think nothing of this - typical Lindsay move).
8. I start to show Michael through the upper quad of campus - Silent Sam, Morehead Planitarium, Davie Poplar...
9. I tell him the story of the kissing bench under Davie Poplar - if you have your first kiss on the bench, that is the person you are going to marry... and then I'm ready to move on to the Old Well, Old East, Old West, South Building, etc...
10. Michael suggests we sit on the bench & have our first kiss - I dont object (and studdenly I have a feeling I know what is about to happen)
11. Before I know it, Michael is on one knee, ring in hand, I am having an out of body experience, we are engaged!
12. Campus was crowded, people were watching the whole thing! We get some cheers & a round of applause from the folks walking to the game.

In the words of my cousin Sam, "Your boy knows you well Shay. There is no better place for you to get engaged than Chapel Hill."

(I'll put up pics in the next post, this one is long enough as it is)

In Case You Forgot

2009-10-16T13:36:00.003-04:00

In 2009 Ty Lawson lived up to Ed Coda's #5 jersey. In 2009 Wayne Ellington finally shot lights out like we always thought he could. In 2009 Danny Greene was everything the Tar Heels needed him to be, whenever they needed him. In 2009 Marcus Ginyard inspired his team mates from the bench. In 2009 Bobby Frasor finally got what was his. In 2009 Deon Thompson played his size. In 2009 Tyler Hansbrough became the most complete player in Carolina history. In 2009 we beat Dook twice, and havent lost in Cameron in 4 years. In 2009 we beat MSU twice. In 2009 we won the National Championship ...just in case you forgot.

100 Years & Counting

2009-09-14T23:41:00.003-04:00

Carolina basketball celebrates its 100th year this year. Thank you Tyler, James, Michael, George, Eric, Atwan, Sean, Rashad, Ray, Ty, David, Kenny, Dean, Roy, Walter, Jerry, Sam, Woody, Marvin, Vince, etc. (and Chris Weber for calling that time out). I might have fist pumped a few times when I watched this video...

Mad Props

2009-09-10T21:07:00.003-04:00

I don't really like USC - there's no reason for it, I just don't. However, I can dig this, even if it did come from USC & even if it's not the Clef Hangers...

Family Vacation

2009-08-16T15:16:00.004-04:00

I love my family & the older I get the more I realize how blessed I am. My parents love me & my brother so much, they raised us in the ways of the Lord & taught us how to be God fearing women & men. We have so much fun together, there is never a dull moment, from laughing at Jared's crazy shenanigans, my crazy students or just making fun of mom...to freestyle rappin in the kitchen about our favorite Arabic foods. There's not much I love more than being with my family. I cherish the time even more now that I am grown, Jared lives in California, and we all have busy lives. That is why family vacation is my favorite week out of every year. I wait for it in anticipation. To make it even better, I also get to spend time with my cousins, aunt & uncle on my dad's side. These people are more than extended family - they are brothers & sisters in Christ, some of my best friends, and my favorite people in the whole world. God only knows where I would be without them. Here's a video of our vacation, it doensn't even come close to doing it justice, but it does capture some of its awesomeness....

End of Summer

2009-08-16T14:31:00.005-04:00

I love the summer. I really shouldn't need to say more than that, but let me explain. I have more time in the summer; I can enjoy my friends more; I can enjoy my boyfriend more; the sunshiny days & evening thunderstorms are my perfect weather; I like being in shorts, tank tops, sun dresses, rainbows & bathing suits; I get to focus on just coaching instead of teaching & coaching - and we always swim so fast during long course season; I love having time to workout in the summer, lay at the pool, read a book, spend more time in the word. I know that the Lord always gives me the summer months to refresh, restore & prepare me for the coming school year. I am so thankful for His kindness to me - the Lord knows exactly what I need to be sustained. Psalm 73 "Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My heart & my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart & my portion forever."

Here are a few ways I have been spending the last few moments of that sweet summer time:

Cookouts with my DFLers

Coldplay!!!

Sophia's Bat Mitzvah and family vacation....but that will have to be a whole seperate post!

I've Got A Fever...

2009-08-15T01:02:00.005-04:00

....and the only prescription is more cowbell. I had a most excellent time on the NC Swimming Zone trip in Orlando, Florida. In the four years I have gone, this has been by far the best trip. The kids were awesome, never complained, got behind each other & stayed out of trouble. The coaches were incredible as well, worked well together, were on the trip for the kids & didn't let egos or personal preference get in the way of our goal. Team North Carolina finished third at the meet - much better than our fifth place finish last year. MORE COWBELL!!

and in case you have no idea what the cowbell is in reference to...

http://www.funnyhub.com/videos/pages/snl-more-cowbell.html
Shared via AddThis

BOOM! BOOM! POW!

2009-07-25T00:01:00.007-04:00

Well, I haven't blogged in almost a month. Who would have thought I would be worse at blogging in the summer than during the school year. Let's see.....

I had one of the best birthday's ever this year. I literally celebrated for a week: dinner w/ my parents, lunch & shopping w/ grandma, dinner & a romantic evening with Michael, my best friends from college spending the day with me, a road trip to Charleston w/Michael & a 4th of July/bday party with my closest friends. One of my favorite things about birthdays is not celebrating me, but spending time with friends and family. The Lord really reminded me this year how blessed I am to have such wonderful friends & family! I love them so much! Here are a few pics from all the festivities...

Dinner at Pewter Rose w/ my Carolina Girls :)

Michael & I in Charleston - he packed a picknick lunch for us.Setting off fireworks on the 4th over the lake.

Kendra made me the most delicious rasberry chocolate cake ever for my bday

Watching the fireworks...

Since the 4th of July & my bday the rest of my life has been consumed by swimming. My swimmers just had their state championship meet last weekend. We swam so well!! It was such an answer to prayer. We were somewhere around 90% best times for the meet, had numerous top 8 & 16 finishes, and finished 14th as a team overall at the meet. 14th may not sound that great, but I couldn't be happier. We are a very small team, about 35 swimmers age 14 & under (15 qualified for the meet, 11 swam at the meet), and there were over 35 teams represented at the meet, many of whom are double or triple our size (or more). However, the most important thing to me was the attitude of our swimmers. They were positive all week long, worked hard, stayed motivated & motivated one another. To me, that is way more important than just swimming fast, and the Lord was so kind to answer my prayers in this area in particular. GO ATOM! WE GOT THAT BOOM! BOOM! POW!

Sophia had an incredible meet, starting with a 14 second drop in the 400 IM & a 5th place finish!

Finally, Michael & I went to Florida for 3.5 days to see his family. We had a great time eating, shopping, seeing his friends from home & going to the beach. I was able to meet his dad & younger brother for the first time. So I have officially survived meeting the parents :) I leave for Orlando on Monday for my last swim meet of the season! It should be a blast, but I will be glad to be able to spend some quality time at home when all this traveling is done!

Three Little Birdies On My Doorstep...

2009-07-01T17:12:00.010-04:00

Summer is in full swing, and I am determined to take advantage of every minute of it. Here are some pics chronicling what I have been up to so far.

#1. My aunt & cousin came to visit for a few days. It was great to see them. I haven't seen my cousin Zach in over 10 years....that just seems ridiculous to me. We didn't do a ton, but honestly, one of my favorite things is hanging out w/ family. I appreciate it now more than ever. Speaking of family - we got great news on mom's results from the lumpectomy. She is completely cancer free & will not need any radiation or additional treatment. Praise God!

#2. My parents took me do dinner @ Red Rocks in Birkdale for my bday dinner. It was delish!

#3. Pops in the park is awesome!

#4. I swam in my first long course meet ever since my senior year in high school (9 years ago). I won 3 medals. My swimmers won many more.#5. My swimmers are also extra awesome b/c they surprised me after practice today w/ a bday cake & when I walked out to my car, they had decorated the whole thing. I love those kids!

#6. I went down to SC w/ K Star to get fireworks for my 4th of July/Bday Party. They are awesome! And I found some ridiculously large sparklers....my fav! I promise Kristy, I will save 2 and we will light them together. Wish you could be there Saturday!

"Let Me Check My Schedule..."

2009-06-18T17:19:00.004-04:00

School is out for summer, as proven by my very sad looking classroom on the last teacher workday.Last Saturday & Sunday I watched Lyric Freas while her parents were in Charleston with my parents. I had bought sparklers for us to play with but poor Lyric was exhausted and put herself to bed at 7:30. So instead, Kendra, Renae & I played like we were little girls & kicked off the summer in perfect form - sparklers, beer, brats, & roasted marshmallows! yes & please!

I was chillin' at Michael's place today (aka The Mannex - thanks Zachy) and Tyler said "Let me check my schedule... just as I thought, nothing on the agenda today!" That quote from Mr. Levan pretty much sums up my life right now. Although I have enough to do over the coming months, it is nice to be able to schedule things when I want to do them & not feel stressed out about the things that I have to get done, knowing that I have plenty of time to get it done! I do however, want to make sure my time this summer is spent wisely & not wasted. I plan on doing lots of reading - "Respectable Sin" with mom, an undetermined book with Michael, finish "Nicholas Nickleby," some other classics, & of course spend lots of time in the word. I also plan on collecting starfish......
I also got my hairs did. I got bangs cut for the first time in about 3 years - I'm having to get used to hairs on my forehead, but I likc the cut. Mad props to my hairstylist Becky. She never does a girl wrong :)

It's Official

2009-06-02T13:52:00.004-04:00

Kim-e's wedding was this past Saturday! It was so much fun to see her get married; she is the 2nd of the 6 Ashley Forest roommates to get married (2 down, 4 to go as Marcy said) and her wedding came 5 years after the first. It was a beautiful wedding & reception at Carmel Country Club. So it is official, Kim-e is married & I'm thrilled for her. ....here is the proof (in case you didn't believe)I also have one more thing to prove to everyone. I've been saying that I have a boyfriend named Michael, but have yet to produce any hard evidence of such things since I managed to erase all the pics of the two of us off my camera. However, I now have evidence in the form of pictures. So for all of you who thought I made him up......

NEXT-itude

2009-05-28T11:38:00.008-04:00

Last weekend I attended the Next Conference put on by Sovereign Grace Ministries in Baltimore, Md. The conference used to be called New Attitude & sometimes I get confused about what to call it. Either way, it was as incredible as ever. The theme of the conference was Jesus. Well "duh!" you might say, it is a Christian conference after all. But let me explain, the first message by Josh Harris was on Christ's preeminence. Followed by DA Carson on Christ's incarnation, Kevin DeYoung on Christ's life, CJ Mahaney on Christ's death & 2 messages by Sinclair Ferguson on Christ's resurrection & return. (you can download all the messages for free from the website) It was such a refreshing time, which is what I was praying for. As I learn more and more about my Saviour, my love for Him continues to grow. I am so amazed at His complete power and sovereignty coupled with His love for me and willingness to become both fully God & fully man and suffer complete seperation from the Father on my behalf. One thing I am also more and more aware of is what it meant for Jesus the Son to be forsaken by God the Father. Jesus Christ had always known communion with the Father, even in His time on earth. He suffered seperation from the Father on my behalf when he was put to death on the Cross - that is the punishment that I should know, but because of His mercy, I to can experience communion with God the Father. And Praise be to God! not only did he die for my sin, but he conquered sin & death so that we can live in freedom & faithfully await His return.

One of the other things I love about this conference is spending time with people from my church as well as seeing friends from other churches aroud the country . I was really looking forward to spending time with some of the girls from bible study and the Lord was so kind to really grow our friendships during this trip. I feel so much closer to these lovely ladies and am so thankful that they are in my life.

Here's a few pictures from the trip....all 3 that i took...

Got a 'lil cap'n in ya?

I don't even know what's going on in this picture....

because its tradition, we took our self portrait...

SURPRISE!

2009-05-17T23:16:00.008-04:00

On Thursday of this past week Michael surprised me when I came home from swim practice....
and I was almost a jerk about it.

We had planned to hang out on Thursday after I got done with practice. However, I wasn't expecting him to be over until about 7:30. I left the pool in enough time to get home & showered before he came over. While I was on my way home, I got text from Michael asking me when I would be home because "he got done with things early and was already over at the house." My internal reaction was "dang it! why don't you tell me when you are gonna change plans! I need to know these things in advance."

So when I got home, I yelled to Michael (he was in the back of the house), "I'll be down, I have to shower," and ran upstairs, showered, put on some sweats & a t-shirt....no make up....barely brushed my hair (he's lucky, I know). When I walked into the kitchen, I saw the following: Michael in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on parsley potatoes, steaks on the grill, a salad on the table on the back deck, candle lit & wine poured. Needless to say, I felt like a jerk for having a bad attitude in my head...and to add to it, Michael said he knew that would be my reaction. However, we had a LOVELY evening and I'm so appreciative that he put all the planning & effort into the evening....especially since he is notorious for not being the best cook. Dinner was delicious and the company was perfect.

I would love to put up some lovely pictures of Michael & me from our weekend (we went to the drive in movie theater in Belmont - I highly recommend it) but I'm an idiot & accidentally erased all my pics on my camera. So you'll just have to keep guessing what we look like as a couple ;)

Heartless

2009-05-14T09:42:00.004-04:00

I'm a big American Idol fan. However, I was not so passionate about anyone in the top 3 until Tuesday night. I think all of them have great voices & are fun to listen to, but I was getting kind of bored with it all, until this happened.....

@ Yahoo! Video

Thank you Kris Allen for making me believe in you. You got all my votes on Tuesday night and now you are in the final two. One side note to all you ladies falling all over Adam & Kris and screaming like wild banshees for them: a. Kris is married, don't try to be a home wrecker (and his wife is beautiful, you don't stand a chance anyway); b. Adam is gay. You also don't have a chance with him.

Finally, I played Kris Allen's version of "Heartless" for my 1st period class, most of whom groaned and said it was not even close to Kanye's version of the song. At which point, I proceeded to school them and drop a little music knowledge on their hip hop infested brains. What they don't know, is that half of the hippity hop they listen to steals their hooks from classic & punk rock songs. Lil Wayne's newest song "Hot Revolver" samples Greenday's "Basketcase." For the love, Sean Kingston sampled Led Zeppelin's "D'yer Mak'er" (which really bothered me, by the way, b/c he ruined an incredible song). Now don't get me wrong, I love me some hip hop, but it is not the only genre of music, nor is it exclusive from other forms of music out there. Just recognize fool!

School's NOT Out For Summer

2009-04-27T13:00:00.004-04:00

Contrary to my student's belief....school is not out for summer...unfortunately. Whenever I think of school being over for the year, the scene from "Grease" the movie pops into my head where all the kids are running out of the building and jumping down the stairs & the sun is shining so brightly....

As much as I love teaching, there comes a point in the year that it becomes hard to stay focused when the weather is so warm and all I want to do is grab a good book, a cold drink & sit by a body of water (pool, lake or ocean - ill take any of the three). So, I very much understand how my students feel right now, I can even sympathize with them. However, right now it's my job to motivate them. So, motivate I will....but first I have to find a way to motivate myself. After a wonderful Sunday afternoon at the church picnic with family and friends, I was not trying to come back to work today. But, I trust that the Lord will provide the motivation, patience & perseverance to finish out this school year.

34 DAYS AND COUNTING (down).....

Tyler Hansbrough Can Touch MC Hammer

2009-04-20T12:59:00.003-04:00

It could be because I have a small obsession w/ Tyler Hansbrough & the Tar Heels....but I thought some of these were funny. For all you Tyler haters out there, you will think this one is funny at least: "Tyler Hansbrough once ate an entire bottle of sleeping pills. They made him blink. Once."

Tyler Hansbrough is Chuck Norris?

Nothing But the Blood

2009-04-18T00:24:00.002-04:00

Today was a pretty tough day at school. I got a phone call from a coworker around 6:30 am telling me that a Ashbrook High School student was an innocent victim of a shooting on Thursday night. Keeaira Pendergrass was shot in the neck and killed when an argument broke out in her home in Gastonia. It goes without saying that the students took her death hard. She was well liked by students and teachers at AHS. I am told by other teachers that she had really turned her life around when she came to Ashbrook last year and had made an impact on a lot of people. Although I had never taught Keeaira, it breaks my heart to see someone lose their life at such a young age. It is also heartbreaking to see my students have to work through the anger, grief, confusion, & fear of losing a friend to such a violent & unnecessary crime. As Norkeithus simply said to me, "Man, Ms. Kleber, it really makes you think. I was just talking to her yesterday. Makes you really think about who you hang out with." I think what also makes it so hard to process & comprehend is knowing that this kind of violence happens all the time and in many cases, violence like this simply leads to more violence. The spirit of anger, hatred & revenge cause people to take matters in to their own hands, simply perpetuating the system. Violence begets violence.

I would be lying to say that I have some brilliant plan to end this cycle of violence, but as I turned to scripture to find some perspective, the Lord so kindly pointed me to Hebrews 12:22-24 "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the sprits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel." Charles Spurgeon says of this passage, "The blood of Jesus is the life of all vital godliness...We are full of sin, but the Savior invites us to lift our eyes to Him, and as we gaze upon His streaming wounds, each drop of blood, as it fall, cries, "It is finished; I have made an end of sin; I have brought in everlasting righteousness." Spurgeon later says, "...only a current coming to Christ can give us joy & comfort." Here, in this passage, death is so clearly on display, but this death is unlike any other. The blood that was shed was more innocent than we will ever know. Here on the cross is the only man who lived a sinless life, the only life that did not deserve death, but yet Christ willingly gave up his life so that I can commune with my Father in heaven, bringing about joy & comfort. That is the only solution to ending violence & saving us from our sin...salvation in Christ that leads to sweet communion with our Heavenly Father. I think Matthew Henry's commentary gives even more insight, "This is speaking blood, and it speaks better things than that of Abel. First, it speaks to God on behalf of sinners; it pleads not for veangance, as the blood of Abel did on him who shed it, but for mercy. Secondly, to sinners, in the name of God, it speaks pardon to their sins, peace to their souls; and bespeaks their stricktest obedience and highest love and thankfulness." Here we see that Christ's blood did so much more than the shed blood of other men could ever do. The death of Christ was not for the sake of vengeance, but for the sake of MY salvation so that I may be pardoned & my soul may be at peace. I cannot "solve" the problem of death and violence by the worlds definition of problem solving. But I do know that my solution to the problem is the death of Christ on the cross, and His resurection from the grave. Just as Acts 2:24 says, "But God raised Him (Jesus) up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power." When we see the power of Jesus over sin & death, that is when true change happens, and that is when we are freed from the chains of this world.

Winding Down

2009-04-10T22:05:00.006-04:00

Well, Ker-Joy and Shay-Ray are on their last leg of their Boston adventure; as I speak, Kendra is dutifly packing her suitcase, and I clearly am not. The last 2 days have been full of even more adventure. Yesterday we didn't leave the hotel until about 1:00 - much to the maid's confusion. We made our way over to Fenway Park to see the home of the Red Sox. There was a 1:30 game going on & it was a lot of fun to see the hustle & bustle of the park during the game. {however, I must say that I think Wriglyville in Chicago is even cooler than Fenway} Obviously since Kendra and I wanted to do FREE things in Boston, we did not have tickets to the game. Instead we found a bar right beside the ball park, had a few drinks & a massive plate of nachos, watched the game & chatted with some M.I.T students (one of whom is getting his masters in aerospace engineering - yes, he is a rocket scientist).

We then strolled on over to the public gardens because it turned out to be a beautiful day. It was so nice just to lay in the grass & soak up the warm sunlight. It was also fun to watch Kendra feed a 1/2 bag of pretzels to the ducks. That might have been one of the highlights of the day
Today Kenni got her hairs did. They look most excellent - but will not be unveiled until her return to Charlotte. Therefore, I will not be posting any pictures of said haircut. After the salon experience, we made our way back up to the North End. We had discovered North End on the first day in Boston & fell in love with it. It is very Italian & very awesome. We had lunch at Pizzaria Regina. The only thing this place serves is pizza. Literally. No sides, no pasta, no salad. Only pizza - and when you eat there you will see why. It would be a shame to even try to eat anything at this place that wasn't pizza. One of the best pies I have ever had.
Then we hit up our favorite bakery for one last savery taste of Mike's Pasteries - specifically the cannolis. I wish I could bring one home for everyone. You have not tasted cannoli until you have eaten one of these. I tried the chocolate mousse one today - it was so smooth and creamy & the cannoli shell was perfectly crunchy - seriously people, so good when it hits your lips.
We spent the rest of the day shopping on Newbury Street. It was a great combination of upscale shopping, vintage/second hand stores & stuff that I can afford. Kendra & I went a little bit crazy in the two story H&M - but can you blame us, we don't have one in Charlotte or anywhere in NC for that matter. We also found a vintage cowboy boot store - it was nice to see a little bit of the south in New England.

It feels like I have been in Boston for a very long time - and I mean that in a good way (although I am very much starting to miss my family & Michael). We have had the opportunity to do so much while we are here and I am so thankful for it! Three cheers for Baston, Mass....you were a most excellent host for 2 almost southern girls taking a spring vacation.

Jamaica Plain

2009-04-08T22:59:00.009-04:00

I think today was a few things: one of our most adventurous days, one of the most exhausting days & one very big dichotomy. We decided to explore the area of South Boston known as Jamaica Plain. One of the blogs I read (on free things to do in Boston) suggested seeing the Arnold Arboretum. Now, maybe the Arboretum is cool during Boston's springtime (which is not to be confused with springtime in the South) - but right now is NOT springtime in Boston & right now is NOT a good time to go to the Arboretum. In the words of K. Sands it was "hella gay." (and it was hella cold). We decided to explore everything else Jamaica Plain had to offer - which was awesomeness. I think the best way to describe JP to Charlotteans is as follows: JP is everything NoDa hopes to be when it grows up - beautiful old restored homes that function as apartments, homes, and businesses; incredible boutiques & thrift shops; delicious resturaunts; locally owned bookstores & grocery stores and an eclectic mix of people. We finally made our way up Centre St. where we browsed a few boutiques & thrift shops and eventually made our way to a little Salvadorian resturaunt called "La Pupusa Guanaca." We ate tons of traditional Salvadorian food for about $5.oo in this incredible hole in the wall resturant. Seriously, they had the best empenadas I have ever had. So good, that I had to go back for round two.

After walking a minimum of 10 miles (according to Kendra's odometer) we found our way to the Museum of Fine Arts. On Wednesdays from 4:00-9:45 you can get into the museum for "free." MOFA asks for a voluntary donation - but the $5 donation I gave is much cheaper than the $17 ticket I would have had to buy any other day of the week. There were some really cool exhibits, but I think my most favorite ones were the Classical Greek & Roman sculptures, the Renaissance art & the Imperssionist & Neo-Impressionist paintings. I love getting as close as possible to the paintings to see the brushstrokes & then looking at them from far away and getting the whole picture.

Our final destination took us back to JP to a resturaunt called "Doyle's." There were exactly 2 reasons why Kendra & I wanted to have a meal here: 1. it is one of a few places in Boston that serves Sam Adams Boston Red Brick (which I highly recommend - too bad they only serve it in Boston) and 2. it was used in the movie The Departed (one of our all time favorite movies ever). We had one of the most delicious meals evern since being in Boston. I got clam chowder & fish cakes - absolutely incredible. The resturant was exactly as I hoped it would be - perfect end to an exhaustingly... perfect... day. (which was also the first day that we got lost & our feet got so tired that we took a taxi 4 blocks to get to Doyle's from the T).

I Make It Wayne

2009-04-07T19:55:00.010-04:00

Ok, let's recap the last 48 hours shall we? On Monday morning Kendra & I rushed to over the Harvard Yard to catch the 10:00am tour of Harvard's campus. It was a rather dreary day but that didn't take away from the beauty of the campus. Harvard very much reminded me of UNC's campus - old brick buildings & beautiful architecture, mixed in with the unfortunate architecture of the 70's, a green grassy quad, old sprawling trees, and the bustle of a college town. Being on campus made me want to go back to school so bad. I can't lie, I love acedamia. Kendra & I were so inspired by the academic spirit at Harvard that we decided to bust out Dicken's Nicholas Nickleby and read.We spent the rest of the afternnon strolling through Harvard, visiting the book store & walking down Mass Ave. We also had lunch at this excellent burger joint called "Bartley's Burger Cottage." Each of the burgers was named after a famous person - most of them were politicians. I think it was one of the best burgers I have ever eaten - maybe because it was the Tom Brady burger, maybe.

Now to the best part of Monday - The University of North Carolina Tar Heels. My Heels played in the National Championship game against Michigan State. We played one of the best first halfs of basketball I have ever seen & refused to give up the lead. I am so proud to be a Heel!! Roy Williams has now won 2 national championships in only 6 years of coaching at UNC. I am the most happiest for my baby Tyler Hansbrough. He the kind of player that you love if he plays for your team & hate if he doesn't. He plays for my team, I love him. The only letdown was knowing that I couldnt be on Franklin Street to celebrate. Click here for the Daily Tarheel Slide Show pics. Click here to view the celebration on Franklin.

Today we took our time getting ready since we had a rather late night celebrating the Tarheels victory. We somehow managed to find our way to Sam Adams Brewery. If you are ever in Boston, I highly recomment going. It was really cool to learn about the ingredients & brewing process. At the end of the tour, we were given Sam Adams tasting glasses (which we got to keep - I love free stuff!) and sampled three different Sam Adams beers. We sampled the Boston Lager, Summer Brew & some other one that neither Kendra & I can remember (prolly cuz it was our least favorite of the three).

On our way back from Sam Adams brewery, Kendra & I found the men of our dreams - sorry Michael :/

After our beer tasting experience, we went over to the Warf & walked along the piers & looked at the boats, ate dinner at a little pub, watched the end of the BoSox game (opening day).

Not All Who Wander Are Lost

2009-04-05T20:08:00.007-04:00

Before I go into Sunday's adventures in Boston, let me just say GO HEELS! Last night we went to an alumni viewing of the Carolina v. Villanova game at Tommy Doyle's. I met up with two UNC class of '04 friends who live in Boston to watch the game. I also ran into another friend of mine who just recently moved to Boston. It was great to see all those UNC folks cheering on the Heels and singing the alma mater after winning the game. I can't wait til monday night!!! GO HEELS BEAT STATE!

If I could summarize our Sunday in 3 words it would be: wandering, leisurely, & relaxing.

We started off by waking up slowly & taking our time getting ready. We then took the T to the Prudential Center - there is seriously everything you could want inside the center. Food, shops, things, bathrooms, stuff.....Antyways, we went up to the 52nd floor of the Pru building to a resturaunt called Top of the Hub. They were serving sunday brunch for $40 a person. So we decided drinks would be a better option. We sipped momosas & enjoyed the view of Boston on the 52nd floor. It was absolutely gorgeous. There was a guy on the piano & another on the saxaphone who played while we sipped our champagne with a splash of orange juice (which we decided to call the unCoda - Bethany will know what we mean). Also, our waiter was a delight - further proving that Bostonian men are super nice & Bostonian women are super un-nice. Just a side note, don't drink momosas on an empty stomache in a classy resturaunt - could lead to serious trouble.

We pretty much spent the rest of the day wandering around Boston because we had no agenda & didn't really know where we were going. Case in point - we somehow wound up at the Christian Scientology Church, even tho we specifically said we didn't want to go there. We also strolled through the financial district & saw some beautiful churches. We then spend the rest of the afternoon wandering through the Boston Public Gardens & somehow found our way to Beacon Hill (which makes you feel like you are in colonial New England) and had an early supper.

And now, since we're awesome & don't want to go out and party with David the shuttle van driver, we will spend the rest of our eveing blogging, facebooking, twittering, texting, entouraging & lucky charming. The End. Stay tuned for more updates tomorrow.

"And I Quote..."

2009-04-05T00:37:00.003-04:00

This will be an on going list of our favorite quotes from the week:

lady on the phone on the T: I bought new haih colorh for fiveh dallahs...

guy at Harvard to us: you two ladies looks sufficently locally grown...

guy at the Sam Adams tour, sitting next to his dad: what are you ladies doing tonight? (then later when the tour guide suggested a bar) You ladies want to go there?

the waitress telling Kendra where the bathroom was: It's down tha staihs.

pub owner after he found out we were from NC: Ah, i have gawwwn to Naaarth Caarolinah... (doing a horrible southern accent, with a hint of bostonian)

*phone rings on airplane*
SK: *in jon shea voice* helllo?

SK: If Charles Wesely was on twitter I would totally follow him

Jared (via text message): *in response to me denying buying a bosox hat* Save it for the judge. I saw the video.

French Guy in Pastery shop trying to sound american: OMG! I want to go there! (instead he sounded like a gay black man - head bob & all)

Girls on subway in reference to Jon Cleveland: *under her breath* dang, he's three years younger than us

Doubletree Time

2009-04-04T18:36:00.006-04:00

Kendra and I finally arrived in Boston at about 10:15 PM on Friday evening. Our flight went very well, until we actually landed on the ground & tried to procure a shuttle to the Double tree hotel. We called when we got our luggage & were told that the shuttle would be there in 20 minutes. So we lugged said luggage out to the curb & waited & waited & waited & waited. No shuttle. I called the hotel & asked where our shuttle was and a nice man (who we later came to know as Jose) told us that the driver had been by two times & couldnt find us. I called him a liar; Kendra said something else. Finally, David arrived. Double Tree time should never be confused with "Double Time." Here are my two most favorite quotes from David.
#1 - "My favorite thing to do in Boston is drink & party." (thanks David, you can do that anywhere, and we're wholesome girls, and you dont look like much fun to party with anyway)
#2 - (Kendra asks why there is a cookie on their shuttle van) "uuuuhhhhh chocolate chip cookies are what we stand for, I guess." ....good David, good answer.....

On Saturday we decided to just explore the city & get our bearings of what was around us. We began by taking the redline to Boston Commons, which is the start of the "Freedom Trail." This trail takes you all over Boston to visit historical sights & was totally awesome b/c there are literally bricks to walk along and direct your path....and its free. Kendra & I plan on seeing everything in Boston that is free.

Some of the best things we saw - The King's Church. Absolutely gorgeous.
Paul Revere's House (which is in Little Italy - and I find that kind of hillarous). Old North Church - where the laterns signaled to Paul Revere "One if by land, two if by sea."

Clam Chowder from Quincy Market.

Walking through Haymarket - perhaps some of the best produce I have ever seen for an incredibly cheap price. 4 oranges for $2, 4 apples for $1, and Kendra got us a bunch of cilantro to much on - yes to much on.

Watching these breakdancer guys do some amazing stunts in front of John Hancock's statue. (watch the video below)

And last but not least, I ate the most incredible cannoli I have ever had since moving south of the mason dixon line. If you ever go to Boston, you MUST go to Mike's Pastry Shop in Little Italy. I will be eating the Napolitan I got there for dinner tonight. So in case you were keeping track - my meals today were a breadbowl of clam chowder, cannoli & Napolitan. Delicious & nutritious.
Go to http://www.kendrasands.blogspot.com/ to read a lovely story about how we saved a small girls life today :) we're awesome

Well, Kenni & I are off to watch the Heels in the final four at an alumni viewing in Kendall Square (Cambridge) with some Carolina friends of mine who live in Boston. Go Heels!

I will post pictures tomorrow, when I can borrow some wifi from Bruggers & not have to be on this rediculously slow hotel computer!

Old School

2009-04-03T09:02:00.004-04:00

For all you tarheel faithful out there - thought you would appreciate this picture of little Ty Lawsom & his AAU team @ 7 years old (which includes Dante Cunningham - power forward for Nova). So cute!

Kendra & I are getting ready to leave for Boston tonight. I'm really excited about the trip. We are hopefully going to get to watch the Carolina game on Saturday w/ some friends that I graduated with. There are Tarheels everywhere :) and I love it! I will (hopefully) be updating my blog throughout the week - if you care to read about our adventures in Beantown.

GO HEELS! BEAT NOVA!

Guitar Hero + Roy Williams = Awesomeness

2009-03-30T16:43:00.001-04:00

I L<3ve My Job

2009-03-27T16:17:00.006-04:00

It's been an interesting week to say the least. I really do enjoy teaching, but I tell you what, the closer we get to spring break, the crazier & lazier my students get. Here is my favorite conversation from this week:

B walks into class w/ some new weave, about 8 inches longer than her normal hair length....
Ms. Kleber: B! Your hair grew super fast overnight!!! I ain't never seen anything like that in my life.
B: Dang I know Ms. Kleber! That miracle grow really works!

I will say that I have really been encouraged this week by some of my students from last year. I think my favorite so far has been a young many we will call Jason. Jason failed my world history class miserably last year - and to say the least we did not get along. He was constantly off task, talking, trying to wander around the room & in many cases trying to wander out of the room. Well lucky me, Jason wound up in my world history class again this semester. My first thought was "I can't teach him again! That is not fair!" (Not the nicest thing to say about a 15 year old, I know). Well guess what party people?? Jason is passing world history the 2nd time around with a B average. He may not be the best student ever, but he has shown so much more initiative and concern about his grade. I really don't take any credit for this since I pretty much teach my class the same way this year as I did last year. However, it is so encouraging to see the kids mature, learn from their mistakes, and improve themselves.

I took this pic during break between 3rd & 4th period today. It sums up how I feel right now. I tried to get "my son" Stevie in the pic w/ me but he informed me that he "doesn't do pictures." Typical 16 year old.

The Lord has been teaching me a lot about what it means to hope in Him & where our hope lies. I keep seeing this theme ALL over scripture - from I Peter to Romans to this verse I read in Psalm 33 today: "Our soul waits on the Lord: He is our help & our shield. For our heart rejoices in Him, because we trust in His holy name. Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, but upon us, according as we have hoped in You."

Elizabeth

2009-03-24T08:56:00.007-04:00

We finished the Reformation & Counter Reformation in class today. We had started watching the movie Elizabeth yesterday, and I had only intended for us to watch the first 30 minutes of it at the end of class so the kids could see what Bloody Mary was like as queen and how her half sister Elizabeth became queen. I love this movie & Elizabethan England. It is absolutely one of my most favorite time periods in history. And because I love this movie so much, I decided we wouldn't start on our project today and instead continue to watch Elizabeth. I hate to be "that teacher" who is a pushover when the kids want to keep watching the movie, but I actually think it will be quite beneficial. I wish that I could spend so much more time on the Renaissance & Reformation than I do. It's such an incredible time period. The artwork that comes out of the Renaissance is absolutely breathtaking - particularly the sculptures of Michelangelo. How someone can make a piece of marble look like a piece of cloth is mind blowing to me. The religious revolution that Martin Luther began with his 95 Thesis is incredible as well. Luther's careful study of the Bible & the simple conclusions that he drew, Faith alone, Grace alone, the Bible alone, totally revolutionized Christianity and still influence the Protestant church today. Such obvious truths, yet for so many years, the Catholic church had completely overlooked the simplicity of the gospel. I get so excited when I teach this and my students think I'm crazy, but that's OK.

And just for fun, here is a few pictures from back in the day of me & my family. I am so greatful to my parents for sharing the gospel with me & then showing me how to walk it out daily.

uuummmm....

2009-03-23T10:06:00.000-04:00

So, I'm not gonna lie. I really don't know why i started this blog. We'll see how long my blogging really lasts and if I think its worth wasting my time on. Maybe it will be useful, who knows. But I would like to think it would be a fun way to keep track of all of my various trips w/ friends and family since I have become horrible at keeping a journal. The pic to the left for example, is from my trip to Europe w/ the AHS Chorus a few years ago.

My next trip coming up is to Boston w/ Kendra. I have never been to Boston & I cannot wait. I LOVE visiting big cities. Most big cities I don't want to live in because I prefer simpler life. However, I think one of my most favorite things about big cities is public transportation. You can read a book, listen to music, talk on the phone, do some work, put on your makeup all while someone else does the driving. Which is much safer then when I try to do those things while driving.