01/31/09

Here it is... 4:38am on Saturday morning and I am awake. This cold has me not sleeping, it seems, so I got up to try to make myself tired to go back to bed. I have now been up almost 3 hours!

I got on the computer and saw someone had added the link to Kay Yow's funeral on Facebook. I decided to watch it since I couldn't see it this afternoon because of being at school. The funeral was beautiful and lifted all eyes to Christ and away from Kay Yow. Her testimony continues even after her passing.

I invite you to click on the link of Kay Yow's personal testimony that was shown at her funeral. I would love for you to see the entire service, and that is on the web site that I have posted... you just have to view a different video. This testimony was part of her service... she made the video a few years ago from what I understood. The message and her words spoke to me in a mighty way. May they speak to you as well.

01/30/09

Just some pics today. My voice is still not normal and I know I strained it all day teaching so my throat hurts a bit. We've just finished cleaning most of the house... have a little bit more tomorrow.. and I bathed the cats. Now we're going to enjoy being home as a family. :)

Pansy under the snow

01/29/09

Here are some snow-covered collards from my Mom and Dad's garden. I like the green against that white. The detail of the veins in the collards are nice, too. It is too bad I just don't eat them. I would rather eat Turnip Greens. lol


As I sit here, and truly cannot talk with a voice because my adventures in the snow last week have given me a cold, I am continually amazed at how our bodies are designed and work.

I was talking with a friend at school today who said something quite funny. Even though our bodies have issues the older we become, they are still under a great "warranty." She made the statement "I am almost 50 years old and my pipes still work! Now that is a warranty!" Ha!!! So true... God has made our bodies to fight off infections, keep us safe from germs, etc.. If we really knew all that COULD happen with our bodies we would be in shock. Our great God Who designed us made our bodies awesome even in this sin-cursed state. It makes me realize that even though I may not be able to breathe through my nose well right now, my body is working. I was not created by chance, I was designed by the Creator.

It's a good thing I can still type or you wouldn't get to read me today. ha!! I hope my voice holds out for the kiddos tomorrow. It was leaving me by the end of the day. A quiet Kellie... now that is a miracle. :)

01/28/09

Same view... one is vertical and one horizontal. :) You may want to click on it to see it larger. The main tree is a red bud that had already budded out when the snow came. I think my favorite is the horizontal.

Yes... here is another "fun" thing. I didn't have time to do much this evening with having to be at church in a few minutes!

*_USING ONLY ONE WORD_*

Not as easy as you might think! The answers can only be one word and describe me/my life. This is also from my friend Amy. :)

*Where is your cell phone? purse

*Your significant other? Priceless

*Your hair? Straightish

*Your mother? Patricia

*Your father? Earl

*Your favorite thing? Family

*Family? Close

*Your dream last night? Television

*Your favorite drink? Water

*Your dream/goal? Contentment

*What room are you in? Office

*Your hobby? Photography

*Your fear? Heights

*Where do you want to be in 6 Yrs? Healthy

*Where were you last night? Home

*Something that you aren't? Mathemetician

*Muffins? Blueberry

*Wish list item? Camera
*Last thing you did? Eat
*What are you wearing? Sweater
*TV? LOST

*Your pets? 6

*Friends? Precious

*Your life? Crazy

*Your mood? Happy

*Missing someone? No

*Drinking? Nope

*Smoking? Never

*Your car? Chevy

*Something you're not wearing? Robe

*Your favorite store? Walmart

*Your favorite color? Purple

*When is the last time you cried? Yesterday

*Where do you go to over and over? School

*My favorite place to eat? Home

*Favorite place I'd like to be right now? Here

01/27/09

More snow pics of snow on various things around my Mom's yard and her porch area. :)




I saw this on my friend Amy's blog. I decided to "catch the excitement" and do it, too. The things in bold and different color are things I have done. After going through the list it seems I have led a somewhat boring life. LOL!!!


1. Started your own blog (well...you're reading it!)

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band (flute)

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland/world (WORLD... a LONG TIME AGO)

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis (does observing one closely in a carrier at school count????)

10. Sang a solo (You don't really want me doing that. lol)

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (sortof... kind of)

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (Calligraphy)

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables (I helped)

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch-hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort (sortof... for being in the south)

25. Held a lamb

26. Read Gone with the Wind

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (that would be Germany and I'd sure love to do that one day.)

35. Seen an Amish community (Lancaster County, PA... LOVED IT!!!!)

36. Taught yourself a new language (HAHAHAHA... that is comical for me...)

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (That is a tricky question... I have all I need in life because money isn't the key to everything. Would more money help sometimes, yes, but it would only cause us to get more, it seems. Learning to depend on the Lord with that...)

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing... as deep sea fishing as I can go. It was about 3 miles off the coast. lol

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone snorkeling or scuba diving (COMICAL... maybe I should post that story here sometime.)

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Gotten flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check (a LONG time ago, thankfully)

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt (I am counting this as I do this with my students on a VERY SMALL scale.)

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades... I flew OVER them once... does that count? lol

75. Swam in the Mediterranean Sea (from Monaco)

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car (twice... a 97 GMC Jimmy and the great "Golden Chariot" known as my Van....)

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible... never done that straight through. I always skip around to different books.

86. Visited the White House (from a distance because of a bomb threat that day!)

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox (fourth grade... the DAY before my class came to our farm for a field trip! I missed the fun and had to wave to them from the windows of the house.)

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous (famous to me... she used to be a DJ on a country station around here... she KNOWS who she is...)

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby (TWO at the same time, thank you very much.)

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a lawsuit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

01/26/09

While I am posting birds, I'll do these Canada Geese, too. I took these the same day as the Great Blue Heron. I have never been able to get up close to the Canada Geese that come to the house so these by Regency gave me a chance to get better shots without them running from me. Of course, we are not thrilled when the geese come to our house because they leave their droppings all over the place. These were lovely because they were not on our property. lol




I have thought more on my post from yesterday. My friend Sal brought out a point on which I really began thinking.

He said it isn't really a bad thing to be known as one thing from 30 years ago like that guest pastor talked about him only being known for playing soccer so well. Sal said it opens a door to begin to talk about your life's journey and what the Lord has done in your life since! He made the comment that he is not the same person he was at twenty.

It was a great perspective and I appreciated it.

With Sal talking about how life is a journey and we all grow and learn, it caused me to reflect on how the Lord has changed me. I am not the same person I used to be in high school (thankfully!) but I am still ME... just better because of how the Lord has walked me through the good times and carried me through the bad times. All of life is learning as I have stated many times before.

I guess a new way to see the perspective that was taught yesterday would be "Am I the SAME as I was "way back when" or have I grown/changed in my journey through life?" If I am the same as I used to be, that is not always bad because we all have good qualities, but if we haven't changed some bad habits, that is not a growth in the journey and in the Lord. If I have changed, then that really does open a door to share with others how the Lord has worked in your life. What a wonderful witnessing tool!

I'm probably making no sense tonight. Sal just got me thinking in a different path and it was a good one. He sees this from a different viewpoint as he found the Lord later in life and can see what "used to be" in his life. He's a great friend and I value his thoughts. :) My musings in type may not come across as clearly as the conversation I had with him today.

I hope it gives you something to "chew on" like it has for me.

Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God;
and renew a right spirit within me.

01/25/09

These first images are from the snow obviously. I took them while walking around at my Mom's the other day. The first one with the cardinal is an excitement to me because of the contrast of red and white with the cardinal. The other bird is a sparrow, I believe, but I am sure Kevin will instruct me in the correct name. Click on the photo to see more detail.

This second one has a female cardinal peeking at me.

These other pics are for Kevin because he requested them today. lol I took these last Wednesday when Steve drove me to a park to photograph more snow. I was so excited to get UP CLOSE to this Great Blue Heron. (I was also using my telephoto lens...) I would have gotten even closer if my son hadn't decided to chase the Canada Geese. These birds are around the lake at Regency Park and are easy to photograph because they are used to loud noises and people. I was pretty tickled with my captures.






Yesterday a legend around our area, and in the nation with sports, passed away: Kay Yow, North Carolina State's Women's Basketball Coach. She had coached for 38 years. She was a role model for young girls who wanted to play basketball, to her teams she coached, and for millions of people battling cancer as she battled breast cancer for over 20 years in the public eye.

I am not very involved in sporting events, as you all know, but I always had a great respect for Kay Yow as I have gotten older and learned more about her through my Dad and Steve or what I have read/seen on the TV. It saddened me that this strong woman was now gone. What was exciting is that she knew Jesus Christ as her Savior and is in Heaven with Him right now.

She left behind a legacy. She was a woman so many people admired in all walks of life. Everyone who knew her loved her for what she stood as well as being a person who was always willing to give back to others. She wasn't thinking of self.

As I read the newspaper article about her life today it struck me on how well what I had heard at church today went with what I was reading.

The guest pastor that spoke in church today said for us to think about what people would say about us as we got older. He used the illustration of how he was a huge soccer player in college and that now when he sees people from "way back" 30 years ago, the first thing they say to him is something to the effect of "You were great at soccer!" Today that is not what excites him... that is not what he is glad people remember about him.

He said he now challenges his students at the college where he teaches/preaches to not have something so temporal be what people remember about you. Do people remember you for what you have done for the Lord? Do they remember you for the person you were, not always what you were good at doing?

That caused me to think on my life. I realize I am a Christian school teacher. I know that daily I impact little lives but am I always showing forth what the Lord would want? I am human and I know I will make mistakes and learn from them, but I want to be remembered for something more than "She was my second grade teacher."

I have often thought of what it would be like at my funeral if I were to die before the Lord returns. (I am not wishing for that funeral anytime soon, though!) I wonder who would come and what would be said. I wonder how people would react when they heard of my death.

One of my favorite Sunday School teachers of all time used to say: You have a day you were born and a day you die on your tombstone. That dash in the middle is your life. How are you using it for the Lord? What will people say about that "dash?"'

Take a moment today and reflect on your life. I am still "chewing" on it myself.

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

01/24/09

Here are some more snow pics. Glad to hear comments that you are enjoying them. Would love to hear from more of you all... HINT, HINT. lol

The next two of the barbed wire fence are the same shot, I just used different apertures... (or how much is in focus)

The other side of the barbed wire fence.

I like this first one, as far as sharpness, more than I do the second one of this shot. I like the composition of the second shot a little better. ha!

Here is something someone tagged me to do on Facebook so I decided to do it on here as well. There are some you already know if you have followed my blog for very long (or if you know me well in real life....). Others... you may not know. lol Number 22 is one of those you'll definitely know because it is what I do on here every day!

25 Random Things About ME....

1. I became a Christian at age 7 on April 9, 1979. I was in the second grade.

2. I teach second grade... and have taught it for 14 years.... at the same school where I attended for 13 years. (K-12) In fact, I arrive at school everyday around 6:40am and usually don't leave till 4:00 or after.

3. I have 16 pairs of Birkenstocks. I love them and wear them every day. I had a predicament in the snow as I had no snow boots, but plenty of Birks.... wonder if they make Birks in snow boots????

4. I can be quite OCD about some things and let other things slide. One example: I must have my forks and spoons a certain way in the drawer but my "Other" utensil drawer can be quite unorganized. Strange, I know.

5. I have set days I do the wash for certain colors or the kids. DO NOT get me off that schedule or I get a bit irritated. Only I can change the day if I so wish. lol

6. I must have my papers at school in a certain order every day and they must be stapled neatly. I cannot stand disorganized papers.

7. I cannot stand whining.

8. I love Kosher Dill pickles. I used to drink the juice when I was younger. Now I think it would make a hole in my stomach. lol I have now found baby Kosher Dill pickles with Texas Pete in them and they are AWESOME. (Thanks, again, Mrs. Wiggs!!!!!)

9. I love to eat Mexican food. I have ventured out more in the last few years than I used to do with Mexican.

10. I have my clock set 36 minutes fast so that when my alarm goes off at 5:00am it is actually 4:24am and I can hit the snooze button 4 times and still get up when I am supposed to.... I know, crazy.

11. I cannot stand being late... ANYWHERE.

12. I love a lot of different types of music... classical, hymns, pop, etc...

13. I became an "adult" a year and a half ago and began drinking coffee. Now it is a wonderful treat Steve and I enjoy most every night when it gets cooler. It has to be decaf.

14. I cannot do any caffeine... it causes me to have the shakes and talk a lot... a lot more than I usually talk.

15. I love chocolate... dark chocolate to be more specific.

16. My favorite colors are purple and green. In fact, my favorite color to wear is green and it seems I have a lot of that.

17. I was raised as a dairy farmer's daughter and am proud of every moment of that. I wish we could go back to that way of life.

18. Sometimes I wish I had been born in the 1800's or early 1900's when life was less hectic. Of course, my brother says I would die of starvation because I wouldn't know how to live like they had to. lol

19. I am a serious home body. I love to travel, but love being at home. I could stay at home for an extended amount of time and be just fine.

20. I do not like collard greens... or white milk. Yes, I was born in the south and lived on a dairy farm. What a disappointment that was to my parents! (Thankfully, both Wesley and Mikayla LOVE those two items so I have redeemed myself there...)

21. I do not love to cook - - although when I begin doing it I am OK. It is just the thought of trying to figure out yet another thing to fix that frustrates me. My brother continues to make me cook/bake so I have no choice. lol

22. I LOVE Photography. I always have and it has grown into something a lot more as I have gotten older. I try to challenge myself when taking photographs. I over-analyze them, too, and am not satisfied if they aren't perfect. I post one every day (or so) on my blog.

23. I took Spanish and French in High School and College... and I can't remember much of either.

24. I am an extremely visual learner. You tell me something and I don't write it down and I will not remember it. That is why my computer at school has sticky notes ALL over it... as well as my message center by the phone at home.

25. We have a Sleep Number bed and my side is set to 30... yes, I like it soft. I am pretty much sucked into the bed at night. lol

01/23/09

Yes.. more snow pics... get used to them. lol :) I haven't had any in so long that I took quite a bit.

Don't know what this plant is, but it was a pretty color in contrast to the snow. (I wandered around my Mom's house for a bit during the snow the other day trying to capture other things besides what is always photographed around my house!)

Mom has this little bicycle planter in one of her flower beds... the following two pics are of one of the wheels.

The ever-present/ever-photographed camellia bush in our yard.

Friday! This week was so weird that it didn't seem like Friday at all today.... more like Tuesday.

We got home from school today and began cleaning. When I told the kids to get ready to leave school and that we were going home to immediately begin cleaning, my wonderful son says something to the effect of "ALRIGHT! We are gonna clean!" Imagine an eight year old boy feeling like that on a Friday afternoon... lol (Sal... I think he really IS like you were... lol)

As I was cleaning I was enjoying using the vacuum to suck up all of that dirt that always creeps in to the house. Well, as I was mopping, too, I felt a twinge in my back... and now I realize I have done something to it! I can't turn certain ways. It is not excruciating.... it is just letting me know it is back there. lol :) Oh, the joys of getting closer to 40. (And those of you over 40 and higher ages that are reading this, don't even say I am still a "spring chicken"... I realize I still am. Just not as spry as I used to be. ha!!!!)

We're going to enjoy being home as a family. We may watch a movie tonight. Hope you are enjoying my snow pics.

01/22/09

More beauty from the snow....




Back to school today. It is always sad to see the snow leave and the mud appear. I must say... I am thankful I live where we don't get a lot of snow. That way when it does snow it is a TREAT and not something "ordinary." I had some parents who are from up north laugh at how we are down here in the south when it snows. That's OK... we don't have it often so let the world stop a bit while we enjoy the moments. lol

Forgot my papers at school today so I can't grade them tonight. I can't believe I did that!! As crazy as today was, though, I am not surprised. We had to pack in a lot of stuff from missing two days as well as going in 2 hours late because of icy spots still on the roads.

I may just read tonight since I don't have papers to grade... I actually finished two books in the last couple of weeks! That is normally unheard of for me as I fall asleep while reading. lol Starting a new series tonight that I got for Christmas.

Enough of my boring day. Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

01/21/09

Here are a few shots I took yesterday in the snow. I have had a great time going around photographing the beauty that fell yesterday. It was my "gift from the Lord" as I have been wanting to get snow pics for a long time!!!




"

Yesterday we inaugurated a new President.

I did not vote for him.

I do not agree with a lot for which he stands.

However, he is now my President and I will respect him.

The Bible tells me I am to pray for those who have rule over me. It also states that God puts in place those in power... none of this happens by chance.

It just continues to remind me of the song I kept humming today:

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand.

My brother wrote an incredible post yesterday. (Click on the link of what I just wrote and it will take you to it!) I am encouraging all to read it. He is so much better with words than I am... I may "speak" a lot, but when Kevin writes something it is written very well and with much thought. His most recent post is no exception.

We had some more fun in the snow today. Mikayla wasn't here, though, because she spent the night with one of her friends. Steve even got to play today. Here are a few more pics from our adventures in the snow yesterday and today. :)

Our first attempt at a snowman yesterday... pitiful, but the best we could do. This was really powdery snow so it didn't pack well.

Finally... a proper head... looks cuter. :)

I fixed the kids some hot chocolate yesterday. YUM....

They loved it... and loved being home.

This is Steve trying to sled in a kiddie pool today. Needless to say, he didn't get very far. It gave us a great chuckle, though. :)

That is my sweet man heading toward me using a tarp of some kind as his sled when the kiddie pool didn't work. lol

I love this next shot... Steve was like a kid, too.

Yes... that would be ME there... looking goofy, but enjoying some fun, too.

Wesley and I crashed at the base of the hill.

Wesley tries it out with Steve, too. :)

01/20/09

We finally had substantial snow today! I think we got around 5-7 inches here. It was a wonderful day. Yes, in the south here we DID get a day off of school. lol We are also off tomorrow. But since we don't get snow very often, it is a great treat.

I must admit that I have a new appreciation for my friend Amy who endured blizzards in Nevada all last winter. We just don't have the cold stuff enough to know!! Well, today I was out in it a lot more than I ever have since I was a child and my body was frozen to the core... especially my feet and hands. I thought they were going to break off. Kudos to all of you who live where it snows often!

I'll show more pics later... enjoy these for now!

We were outside by 8:00 or so this morning. lol The kids were beyond excited when we got the call they had canceled school!

Can you tell it was WINDY this morning?????

Poor Mikayla couldn't really look at me the snow was blowing in her face so much.