Load 'em up, Move 'em out

The title sums up our life the last couple of weeks. This will probably be my last post, and since my blogging tends to ebb and flow...I might be done with the blog world altogether. At least for awhile--

I meant to do a post on the U2 concert. Here's a brief description: Awesome! And I felt cool being there (figuratively and literally-40 degrees at the end of May--Really Denver?).

Then, The Clarks came to visit! We're big fans of these people...and we had a great time! One highlight...riding horses through Garden of the Gods. It made me feel like I was destined to retire on a dude ranch just west of here...but I think my horse, Larry, would beg to differ. Abby loved Rizuto's (home of the gigantic $1 ice cream cone) so much, that she's riding 24 hours with Gran and PopPop just to go back and eat another one! That's my girl!

Looking back, I could have written so much more about our 1 year adventure here in Colorado. It's hard to believe it's been a year. Time. It's our gauge for living. It passes too quickly watching your kids grow-up. Or, too slowly when you're in a hospital waiting room. When traffic is stopped on the interstate, there is never a celebratory cheer. Vacation always ends too quickly. Anticipation for a big day can build and bulid causing you to miss the days in between the now and then. And all the while...it marches on.

This year has given us time we will never get back. Have we been good stewards of the past 12 months? In many ways, we can answer "yes"...and in many ways, we can answer "no".

We are a work in progress. Why is that? Easy. This world is fallen. It will not be whole again until the day He comes to get us, or we go to meet Him. And then...time isn't an issue. We can live as we were created to live--O happy day.

Until then, Marc and I will continue to "battle" time...praying all the while that our Saviour is pleased. We stand on grace.

Thank you Colorado...we are better because we knew you.

Now...let's load 'em up...and move 'em out.

"All good things...

...must come to an end."

This English Proverb dates back to 1374--Geoffrey Chaucer (You know...the Canterbury Tales guy. I can still hear Sarah Thompson saying these memorized tales over and over thanks to her high school English teacher). Although it's well-known, and said frequently, I'm not sure how I feel about the saying. I think you just have to listen for the hint of sarcasm involved or...maybe people just say it when they can't think of anything else to say. I've been guilty of both.

Colorado is a good thing. A very good thing.
But...one month from today...it's coming to an end as we arrive back in Birmingham.
Plans are being made. Moving truck is booked. Packing begins this weekend.
And we're bummed.


What a year. I could talk for hours about the things we've seen, done, and learned.
But if there is one lesson I learned early on in this adventure...it is this...

Life is life, no matter where you live it.

Marc and I have made Colorado Springs our home. We feel like we have built it from the ground up, so leaving something that we've invested in together is going to be hard. We have a community here. People we love. And they love us back. We worship with them, serve with them, play with them, and many times...eat with them. :) They are not only our friends but have become our family so far from home. And we're grateful for each of them.

So this good season in life is coming to an end, but as we look south, we know there are good things waiting for us there too. God is gracious to give us seasons in life...some are better than others, but this season has been one to remember.

Even though our geographical location will change, I believe our life will continue to be...well...life. We love Jesus. We love each other. We love our family. We love our friends. And goodness knows...we love our college football. Our life is good. And we pray everyday that we are living it well...be it here of there. Colorado Springs or Birmingham. We will continue this journey together and be thankful.

Downhill...

I'm back...sorry about the break...I think I'm ready to tackle Blogger again.

I wanted to finish telling about the King's visit back in March...and here was a BIG day. We took the whole family skiing at Monarch Mountain. This has been our "ski spot" while in Colorado Springs. It's a local jaunt...what I like to call "Mom and Pop". Nothing fancy. Just some slopes...and we've loved it.

I could give a "play-by-play" of our day, but here's how I'll sum it up.

It was a team effort, but I think we still came in last place. :) Still--by 3:45 (slopes closed at 4:00), they all loved it! Which I guess was the whole goal in the first place. Right?


Monarch Mountain- the sky was blue and the weather was perfect for our day!
The best uncle in the world...they love him. And I do too.

Emma Claire was our "professional"...by that I mean she liked to point her skis downhill...go really fast...fall down...snap skis back on....repeat. She had a blast!
Audrey Kate and I figured out that she could ski best between my skis. We did this down the bunny slope several times in the afternoon after a rough morning on the slopes. Just ask Kim. All I'll say is that it did involve walking down the green hill...and a restroom break before getting to the bottom. I can still hear AK screaming, "WHEEEEEE!" as we skied together. What fun!

Alabama fan working the slopes..."War Eagle!" was yelled. Picture ensued.
Not so happy here...but isn't her ski suit adorable?! A deal at the Columbia outlet! Love it!

Emma Claire loving it!

Lunch break...

Ashtyn Grace battled the altitude while she was here. She did not feel well the entire day. Here she is making the most of it. She started feeling better in the afternoon and really got the hang of it.

Just proving I can still love on her even though she's almost 10! Yes--10. A decade. And I feel old saying, "I remember the day you were born." But I do...and she's one of the coolest kids I know.

After a long day (wake-up call was 4:45 am) on the slopes...we got the "Look, we went skiing!" shot. They really did have fun...but we were exhausted. We drove home. Ate Chick-fil-A. And slept soundly that night.

All's well that ends well. Ain't that right Blogger??

The King's Invasion

The King Family headed west for Spring Break...which was a big deal! Flying with three little girls is not an easy feat (just think "security line"), but we were so glad Kim and Chris pulled up their boot straps and made the best of it. The girls did well...of course...and they landed in Denver around 8:30 Sunday night. Marc and I picked them up in the rental (mini-van upgraded to Ford Expedition-check!) and brought them back to the Springs for a week of go-go-go! I could tell you every little detail, but I think I'll let the pictures speak for themselves and create a "Top Ten-ish" if you will of their visit. So, here we go... Garden of the Gods-- 1) Beautiful day to visit 2) The girls loved climbing up on the rocks 3) Chris took a zillion pictures 4) AK showed us her big muscles 5) Gosh--it's windy in Colorado Movie-- 1) We saw the Justin Bieber movie. 2) AG and EC were beyond excited. 3)AK slept through have of it. 4) Not much more to say than that...besides I'm an awesome aunt. :) Visit to Manitou Springs-- 1) We looked all over for AG's friend a t-shirt. All over. 2) Took this cute pic of AK. 3) A brief douse of Colorado culture for the King fam...cool but "different" place here in the Springs. Our day in Denver-- 1) I vow to never, ever, ever, eat at this restaurant [Casa Bonita] again. Best description--a Mexican carnival/circus with cliff diving and THE most disgusting food. Didn't want to eat for 24 hours after our visit. Blah. 2) Invesco Field...aka the Bronco's Stadium. Gift shop was fun. AG loves her Tim Tebow. AK is nutty--how does a four-year old know that pose? The kid's room had "dress-up" sport gear. Check out EC's Heisman pose. 3) The American Girl Store! Pretty sure we saw more tears in this store than I ever have in my life. And why haven't we bought stock?? Geez. The dolls are beautiful...and the accessories are endless. Thanks to Gran and Grandan...the girls all bought something--although not the dolls they wanted (which caused the tears previous mentioned). Thank you Gran and Grandan for preventing three total and complete meltdowns! 4) It was a beautiful day!

Here's a hodgepodge of other fun outings and happenings...

1) We visited Focus on the Family. AWESOME "Kid Zone" that the girls loved! EC slid down the 2-story slide about 30 times! AK loved the digital coloring screen and climbing "her size" jungle-gym. Just missed seeing the Duggar Family at their book signing.

2) Church--the girls did well. We were a little disappointed that our pastor was out of town. We had a guest speaker...he was from England...and EC kept asking me what he was saying. Poor girl--she gets an "A+" for effort. They were all able to meet our friends, and of course, experience our weekly Sunday lunch tradition--Chipotle with Matt, Julie, and Addy. Our girls loved Addy...sweet girls....all four of them. :)

3) The altitude hit AG pretty hard. She didn't feel good for most of the visit--even took her to the doc. She was a trooper, but I was sad for her.

4) AK is a bottomless pit. And EC has now "visited" every bathroom between here and Denver.

5) They enjoyed visiting the Air Force Academy and the Olympic Training Center.

6) Let's just say our "house space" was limited--air mattress in the middle of the den all week. And I love my husband. It definitely bears mentioning.

7) AK kept calling my jelly beans--"belly jeans". She is the cutest thing.

8) The girls like to sing Justin Bieber songs...a lot...and loudly.

9)Went to Rizuto's for ice cream--our favorite place for a sweet treat. Huge ice cream cones for $1.00.

10) Visited the Broadmoor (5 Star Hotel here in town)--let's just say the girls weren't as impressed as Gran was when she was here.

11) The weather was perfect the entire week! The wind would whip in the afternoons, but mostly sunny, blue skies. The scenery here never gets old. Never. I'm thankful they were able to see this part of the country. Colorado is some of God's greatest handiwork.

We went skiing. But I thought it deserved a post of it's own. :) Stay tuned...

P.S. The format of this post about did me in...even with Marc's expertise...it's still not how I want it to look. It'll be a while before my next post because "Blogger" and I are no longer friends.

Winter Camp 2011

Marc and I love our church. It is exceptional. The teaching. The people. The worship. Exceptional...not the norm. And ever since August, Marc and I have been volunteering as Ministry Partners with the youth group. We've grown to love these kids...and the other ministry partners who serve alongside us. It's truly been a blessing--truly. So ever since we began working with the youth, Winter Camp was the talk. From August to March...there were many discussions about this weekend and how it was epic. Yes. Epic. A popular word used here by my Colorado youth...and I have to say..."epic" it was. This year's Winter Camp was known as "The Show". Many skits and games were all organized around the theme. Creative (and hilarious) minds make up our youth staff--they are c.r.a.z.y. but so much fun. Here's the set for all the sessions. Top notch. (Yes, those are flat screen TVs in the back). The praise and worship band from Woodmen Valley Chapel led us in worship throughout the weekend--awesome job guys! We stayed at a Young Life camp called Crooked Creek Ranch. It's located in Fraser, CO close to Winter Park. Some are you thinking, "Like Windy Gap?" Yes. Like Windy Gap. Brought back great memories of my youth group days! Here is a picture of the lodge where we stayed. Beautiful and cozy. My friend, Julie, and I were cabin leaders for these awesome high school girls. We loved hanging out with them all weekend--even though we were deprived of sleep. :) It was totally worth it! They were a huge blessing to us, and we are thankful for the weekend to get to know them.

Throughout the weekend, we were divided into teams and competed in many games and activities. We were given the task to name our team and create a cheer. We were assigned the color blue...so "Blue Steel" was our team name. The girls were all about it...as you can see here. Serious business. I'm happy to report that we placed 3rd--and you would have thought we won an Olympic Gold. :)

Here are a couple of pictures of the scenery (Amazing!) and the "Tire Game" (Crazy!).

For me to explain the concept of this game would take some time...so let's just say...minimal collateral damage was done. Thank goodness. Although, one poor adult leader broke her tailbone. Talk about servanthood? No sleep + broken tailbone= extra jewel in her crown. :)

Here is Marc participating with his team. They were assigned the color pink...so "Pink Panthers" was his team name. Most of the guys sported a pink tie throughout the weekend which you can see in the second picture. Keeping it classy.

This is one of my favorite pictures of the weekend. On Saturday night, we were challenged to dress-up as a celebrity. This is the bathroom as everybody was getting ready for dinner. Madness. Taylor Swift, Audrey Hepburn, Julia Roberts, Hermione Granger, and even Pancho Villa made an appearance from our cabin. Way to get into the spirit girls!

I decided to dress-up as Sue Sylvester (Glee's infamous Cheerio's Coach), while Marc was Will Shuster (How did I not get a picture of him??) My friend, and former Frazer youth, Blair, was Emma Pillsbury. Here we are--isn't Blair cute? The red hair compliments the outfit perfectly. :) Snooki, Estelle (aka Joey Tribbiani's agent), and Sue were happy to make an appearance. Love to Julie and Jen--two of the best Colorado girls I know.

And...my favorite costume of the night goes to...Ugly Betty! Isn't she a dead-ringer? I mean--too cute! I have to say that "costuming" is not really my thing, but it was fun trying to guess who people were and watch the kids "act" famous.

Another activity that Winter Camp is known for is tubing! Marc and I were able to go, and it was...yes...say it with me...epic. Here are some pictures of us as we suited up and slid down a huge hill covered with snow. Fun times!

Parting shot--our cabin of high schoolers. I almost feel like I was in their shoes not too long ago (but it was many, many moons ago), and my "wisdom" often seems misplaced. I love their spirit and heart for the LORD. They teach me, humble me, and challenge me.

Winter Camp 2011 is a great memory for our time here in Colorado. We are thankful to be a part of a community of believers who bless us tremendously. Thank you Woodmen Valley Chapel!

Certified.

Red tape doesn't even begin to describe the process for receiving this. I mean, wow. I applied for my Colorado teaching license back in July...which required emails, phone calls (aka "Press 1 for...press 2 for...press 3 for...), fingerprints, and paperwork plus paperwork plus more paperwork--which led to copying, faxing and eventually mailing the application (with my $60 money order) to Denver. I received the actual license in the mail on February 8th. If you notice in the bottom left hand corner...you'll see 8/13/2010. That's the effective date. I applied in July-it was effective in August-but didn't have it in hand until February--6 months. Again. Wow.

I'm good at what I do--I've been affirmed in this with three job offers at my school in Colorado Springs. I don't mean to sound pompous/arrogant/snobby (insert your own appropriate adjective for it)...but I have been blessed with a talent to teach (glory to God). And I love it. That's the basic idea. I love to teach. But all the other responsibilities will make any good teacher want to take a break...for a year...or for the rest of his/her life. And the reason--exhibit A at the top of this page.

The bureaucracy in the educational system is enough to squelch any sense of inspiration you may have in a classroom. Now, I obviously can't speak for other professions, but geez, education has to be a front-runner for being THE worse. With no real answer for "improvement"--just running the "here we go again" wheel like a hamster.

Now, before I sound too "by-golly" about all this, I have to say...if you asked me, "What else would you do besides teach?"--I have no answer for you (unless we win the lottery, then we could talk). The truth is, it's just what I do. Plain and simple.

I've loved my time off this year. Loved. it. It's been a gift. And at this point in the year, the "talk" starts in all schools across America. Next year. What will it bring? More budget cuts? How many kids in my class? Who's going to stay? Switch rooms? Switch grades? Moving to a different school?


I heard...so and so.

Really?

Well--I heard this and that.

Really?!


It is by far my least favorite time of year. So now I find myself with a decision to make about next year--and I've been asked, "Do you want to go back to full-time teaching?" And I'm at a crossroad.

Yes. I love being a teacher, but it will require some "umph" for me to go back into the classroom. I'm OK with that, but I just have to prepare for the onslaught of "new" policies, curriculum, requirements, and...pressure which all equal stress. However, I do love the sense of community that is developed when working with other teachers (kindred spirits), and seeing students learn and grow as people while in your care. Rewarding for sure.

No. Being good (not even great) requires lots of t.i.m.e. Early mornings and late afternoons. Day in and day out can be tiring. This leaves little time/energy for other things I have loved(!) this year like volunteering, going to the Y, meeting new people, and taking care of my husband. Note: I could broach the subject here of "superwoman"...but I won't. Just trying to keep things simple...which is how I prefer to roll. I guess that could be another topic of discussion.

Over the next couple months, there will be many decisions made. Big ones. Small ones. Full-time teaching will be on the list. I will be praying that God will show me where He wants me. His plan is best. Certifed. Even if that includes applying for another Professional Teacher License.

A Tree-bute...

When I first heard about what had happened at Toomer's, I immediately thought about the last time I was there. It was an unexpected trip to go home for the Auburn vs. Georgia game. Once the 4th quarter clock ticked to 0:00...we went to celebrate with one great tradition--rolling our own corner where two oak trees have stood for close to 130 years. 130 years. 130 years. Their longevity is something to marvel--and even more so when you consider all the Auburn victories they have withstood. But now...due to an act of ludicrousness...they will struggle to survive even one more year at the corner of Magnolia and College...and it makes me sad.

These lines of "The Auburn Creed" seem especially appropriate now:

"I believe in a sound mind, in a sound body and a spirit that is not afraid, and in clean sports that develop these qualities."

"I believe in obedience to the law because it protects the rights of all".

Here are some pictures of the last time I rolled the trees at Toomer's Corner. I know there will be "new" ones eventually, but it won't be the same. I'm thankful I was able to celebrate a great win with the people I love most...one last time.

"And because Auburn men and women believe in these things, I believe in Auburn and love it."