Well, I've made it facebook official, so now I suppose it's time for me to make it blog official:)

Ken, Fenix, and I will be expanding our little family come May. Yup, that's right! We're pregnant! (Well, actually I'm pregnant, but you knew what I meant:) And, we are ecstatic! There honestly are no words to describe this feeling or how excited we are. I really feel like we're ready. This is our time. Even though we've just been married three years, I feel like we've waited a while for this...and patiently too (for the most part:). We wanted to wait until the right moment. It's still really hard to believe. In fact, when I look at the 12 week ultrasound, it's still almost unbelievable. There's a baby in my belly! Who would have known?! It's crazy to think there's a living thing in there. I'm sure it will be a bit more believable when I start to show, or possibly I'll spend my entire pregnancy in a state of awe.

I will be 14 weeks tomorrow and the baby should arrive sometime around the 12th of May. Already this baby has perfect instincts and is waiting (well, planning to wait), until after ISATs. Then, I should have the entire summer with him or her.

Ken and I went in 7 weeks ago to have out first ultrasound and then a week and a half ago I went in on Thursday to have a test done that involved the ultrasound (had I not had the test done, we would have had to wait until 20 weeks to see our little poppy seed...err...lemon, again. Each week there's a new food that the size of our baby is compared to, and right now I think we're at the lemon stage). The first picture of the baby is just a little blurb, so it was amazing to see the baby at 12 weeks. It actually looks like a baby! And, it was moving like crazy! On the Friday following the ultrasound, Ken and I went to my doctor's appointment, where we met the doctor finally (who I love), and we got to hear our baby's heart beat! We saw it on the first ultrasound, but nothing could compare to actually hearing it. The minute she located it, Ken and I were grinning like crazy. I think that has been my favorite moment so far.

I feel really grateful that Ken and I were able to get pregnant this time round. We gave ourselves a very small window of opportunity, so I can't help but wonder if we have someone pulling for us upstairs:) I'm really excited to be embarking on this journey with Ken. It means a lot to me that we're bringing a life into this world, especially after losing my mom. I couldn't imagine traveling through this experience with anyone other than Ken. I'm already confident we'll make good parents, because I feel like we've done a really good job on working together as parents to Fenix.

We had names picked out going into this experience, but at this point, there are no guarantees. We've enjoyed looking into other possibilities and I think at this point we're pretty undecided as far as names go (especially in the boy department.) We should find out the sex RIGHT before Christmas and we're really looking forward to sharing whether it's a boy or girl with our family on Christmas Day, especially Fenix, who is pulling for a girl. I'll be happy with either. At some point I'd like to have a girl, because I'd like to have the same relationship with my daughter that my mother had with me. But this time round, I really don't know that I have a preference. I'm just so excited for him or her to get here!

All Saints Day

Today was the Feast of All Saints and so I joined Fenix's religious ed. class at mass this afternoon. I don't talk about my faith very much. In fact that only people I really talk about my faith to on a regular basis is my husband and Fenix. I'd like to think that instead of talking about it, I live it. Nonetheless, I am going to take a moment to talk about. I have never believed that there was one true church. It's just never made sense to me, especially when so many churches share the same basic set of beliefs. I've always believed that there were a few different paths to God, due to the vast variety of people that populate the earth. Being Catholic has always been the right fit for me. I find immediate comfort and peace when I walk into Catholic church. It's not something I find anywhere else. I will not say that my church is perfect or hasn't made mistakes. In fact, I won't even say that I agree with every aspect of my church, because to be honest there are still areas I need more information in. I will say that the Catholic church is the right faith system for me, and I am so happy to be sharing that with Fenix. The real reason I decided to post this is because today is All Saints Day, and despite already knowing that the Catholic Church is the right faith for me, the homily today reminded me of one of the many reasons why. In the homily our priest said that growing up Catholic, you grow up knowing that the dead are always around you; they are always a part of your life, watching over you, supporting you, whether it's a relative or a saint. He said that death can never separate us. I am happy that I belong to a system of faith that supports my belief that my mother and grandparents are always with me and that I'll see them again in the afterlife; no questions asked, no hoops to jump though. When this life is over, I will meet them again.

Eight Questions

Per Sharlee's request...Eight Questions.

1. Is there any one principle that you think all people should live their lives by? If yes-what?

“First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” Mathew 7:5


2. What is the most indulgent thing you do in your week?
Watch T.V., in particular reality T.V. I haven’t watched all that much recently because I’ve been super sleepy, but T.V. is by far the most indulgent thing that I do on a regular basis. Some favorites? “Teen Mom”, “Glee”, “So You Think You Can Dance”. Every week I insist on giving Ken updates on the girls from “Teen Mom”. I love him! I also love giving him updates. He, of course, hates it He puts up with it though.

3. Which one event in your life has had the most impact?
I really can’t choose one. There have been many big events and lots of little ones that have shaped who I am. Meeting Ken, losing my mother to cancer, HAVING my mom as a mom (if that counts as an event), going to Borders with John when I was in grade school, growing up without a father, working at Albertsons in high school, working at St. Lukes, West, college at BSU, getting hired at MMS, teaching Boise summer school, the birth of my niece and nephew, something that happened very recently that I can’ t blog about quite yet, becoming Fenix’s step-mom, high school…All of those events have had major impacts on my life and on shaping who I am. I really can’t narrow it down to just one.

4. What is the kindest thing anyone has done for you?
I have a friend who I met in high school, in choir class to be more specific. My junior year, her senior year, her father passed away from brain cancer. It was absolutely horrible. I had no idea what she was going through, but I tried my best to be a good friend. After she started college we grew apart (this is a huge regret that I have), but when my mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, I posted a note for my friends to read about my mother’s diagnoses. This friend, who I hadn’t seen in years, sent me the most beautiful and caring e-mails. In one of them she prayed. Then, on the year anniversary of my mother’s death she sent me a text, asking how I was doing. In the last seven years we’ve seen each other once, yet she sent me e-mails in which she prayed for my mother and she remembered the anniversary of her death and then checked in to see how I was doing. This, by far, has been one of the kindest things someone has done for me.

5. you have to give a ten minute speech at a high school, what is it about?
Hmmm… no idea. I teach middle school, hypothetically I could possibly teach High School some day, so my guess is I’d be speaking at High School graduation.


6. What drives you every day?
Love…corny yes, but it’s true. Love for my family, for my students, for education, my friends, books, my faith, myself… I am driven by love:)

7. What talent(s) do you wish you had?
I wish I was a stronger writer. I wish I was more athletic. In fact, it would be nice to have one athletic thing that I was really good at (and that would make me really fit, or at least more fit than I am:). I also wish that I could sew. Oh, and I wish I had kept singing past high school, so that I could have developed that talent more.

8. What do you like most about yourself?
This is a tricky one. Physically, I like my hair. I like that when I look in the mirror I can see my mother. I like my blue eyes. I hope Ken and my children have blue eyes some days. Other than that, I love that I’m a teacher. I love that I cry fairly easily when moved by things. I love who raised me. I like my set of morals. I DO NOT like my lack thereof of patience, the procrastinator in me, and my potential “apple” shape:)

At this point I'm supposed to tag people, and come up with 8 more questions, however I only have one follower and two people that read my blog. That being said, if you are one of those two people, then I am tagging you...to answer the above questions:)

Back In Session!

School is back in session. I am really liking this new group of 7th graders that I have and I LOVE having seventh period prep, which is surprising. I was really bummed when I discovered I no longer had first hour prep, but I actually think I may like seventh period prep more. My classes are all pretty small, which is great! My biggest Literacy Block class is 24, and the other two are under 20. In fact, one only has 12 students in it. The one Tech class that I teach is pretty big, but it's filled with my students from last year, and that's been pretty nice. My advisory has quite a few new students. They're a colorful bunch and I think they are going to bring a lot to advisory. I'm really excited. It's only been two days, but I'm really looking forward to the rest of this year and so far I'm happy with the way that things are going.

Hmmm...

So, Fenix has has created this character named Stick Dude and for the past year has been coming up with pictures and comic book ideas. Yesterday, he told Ken and I that Stick Dude has an "evil" step-dad who kills Stick Dude's real dad. Apparently, in Stick Dude's world, his father comes back and talks to him as a spirit. So, Stick Dude has an "evil" step-dad with a temper, huh? Do you think that's coincidence or is that an example of art imitating life? Hmmm...

My Mother is Poem...

I miss my mother every day. After she passed I started a habit of listening to somewhat thought provoking/depressing music on my way to school each morning and crying. I've moved passed that for the most part. With last year being my first year of teaching and with me approaching life in a sort of survival/I refuse to lose who I am sort of way, without realizing it, I mentally reserved my mornings for grieving. ( I know it's probably a little bit strange that I'm talking/blogging about, but I actually think it's really healthy, and to be honest I NEED to talk about it.) Summer has given me a lot more time to think and to deal with my mother's passing. I will most likely never fully accept that she is gone, because to me she still feels too real. I am sure I will hold on to her memories with a sort of desperation, and I know that there will be times now, all the way to when I'm on my deathbed, where I will need to talk about her. Whether I'm talking about how much I miss her, or the days she spent in the hospital, or just sharing funny memories about her, talking about my mother will always be apart of who I am. My mother is stitched into the fabric of my life. She is woven into every memory I have from the time when I walked out of the middle of kindergarten and walked home just to see her, to my wedding day, to just today, when of my students saw her picture and said, "Your mom has curly hair, just like you,". My mother does not physically need to be here to be a gigantic part of my life.

These are just a few memories of my mother that I've thought about today.

*I remember making cookies once when I was still living at home. I was at that stage where I was mixing the sugar(white and brown), vanilla, and egg together, and I was just about to pour in the flour. Thinking I had already added the flour, my mother grabbed a spoon and took a huge bite. We laughed about that for quite some time.
*I remember going through a really rough time about five years ago, and my mother and I taking a break together St. Luke's. We sat in the hallway, facing the window and I cried. I remember telling her "This hurts like hell." The fact that I was going through a rough time isn't exactly memorable, but the way my mom sat beside me and rubbed my back is a memory I'll keep.

These aren't much, they're just a few that crossed my mind today, and I wanted to write them down.



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The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes


My mom is a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being. I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune. ~Graycie Harmon

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving

God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers. ~Jewish Proverb


My mother is a poem
I'll never be able to write,
though everything I write
is a poem to my mother.
~Sharon Doubiago

My First Recipe Post!

So far, I am keeping to all of my "New School Year" resolutions. Granted, school hasn't technically started and it's only been a few days. I have yet to try a new wine for the month (I still have time); however, I have tried a new recipe. I have absolutely no name for it. I've been calling it the Mexican casserole thingy. I pulled it off the internet and then added to it. Sadly, I'm not 100% sure where I pulled it from. I copy and pasted quite a few recipes last night and saved them to a document on my computer. Nonetheless, here is the recipe:

What You Will Need:

1 lb hamburger,
2 cups salsa,
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed),
1/4 cup Craft Zesty Italian dressing,
1 package of taco seasoning,
6 flour tortillas,
1 package of shredded cheese (2 cups),
1 can of corn,
tortilla chips (optional),
and a pinch of cayenne pepper to spice it up:)

Directions:
*Preheat the over to 400 degrees.
*Brown hamburger in skillet and drain.
*Mix in salsa, black beans, Zesty Italian Dressing, taco seasoning, corn, and cayenne pepper.
*Arrange three tortillas along the bottom and side of a 13 x 9 pan.
*Cover the tortillas with half of the meat mixture.
*Then cover the meat mixture with a cup of cheese and sour cream.
*Repeat Layers.

Bake 40 minutes and Viola!




The recipe suggests placing tin foil over the casserole. I forgot to do that, but it turned out perfectly! Ken and I also spread crushed tortilla chips over the top. It was delicious! I have a weakness for Mexican food and I've made similar casseroles before and this has been the best so far.