Needing a little help from my friends...

Ok so I have to admit that I'm at a bit of a low point when it comes to my job. Things are rough right now. I have one child in particular who is extremely challenging and the parent is needless to say, not helping the cause. I think I'm at a low point because I realize the challenge of what I do. The teaching is a challenge...yes...but the "type" and I hate to use that word, but the culture of children I teach are challenging. I can see so many of them are missing things in their lives. I can see the frustration that is coming out in other ways (behavior) because of situations going on at home. It's all just a little much right now. Everyone I have talked to has said, "It'll be ok, Spring Break starts Friday and you need a break." Well here's the thing, the problems I am experiencing will still be there when I come back. Like I said, I don't want to go into to many specifics but lets just say that a classroom full of bahavioral problems + unsupportive parents = a great big headache. I DON'T wan to feel this way. Literally every morning I pray the entire way to work that I will experience happiness at my job today. I have to say that God does provide, because there are moments of happiness. However, my problem is all of the difficult and frustrating situations are overpowering my happiness. I used to love my job! I want to love it again!

Well, anyway...right now as I mentioned in a post before, I am reading the book Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst. I just got done reading a chapter where she compares our life's struggles with the battle between David and Goliath. She said, "He (David) didn't wonder or resist why God had put him in this most unlikely place for an anointed king. He didn't let his mind be carried off by doubt and insecurity. He just accepted that God had led him where he was supposed to be--the right place for right now." I find comfort in that statment right there. Doubt and insecurity are two feelings I feel right about now. I doubt myself as being an effective teacher for these children, and I am insecure about my doubts. It's like a vicious circle.

So for all of my friends out there in "blog land" please send up a prayer for me. I need to find the happiness in my job, and the will to keep going. I know my teacher friends understand. Our job has perks because of the time off...but jeesh without that time off I wonder what we would all be like.....CRAZY!

Thanks for listening,

Katie

John Mayer's still got it!

Friday night Chris and I went to John Mayer here in Memphis. Don't judge me here but, it was my 18th time seeing Mr. Mayer. Things are definitely not the same. His fan base has totally changed. There were a lot of 15 year olds running around with short dresses on and no panties. NOT PLEASANT! Especially when you are walking behind them up the stairs. Anyway, we had a good time. John put on a good show. If he comes again I'd love to make it 19! Here are some pictures from the night!


What a great night! Oh and guess what...ONE MORE WEEK UNTIL SPRING BREAK! YEAH!

Katie

Making More Time

So this weekend I don't have a paper due, and I feel FREE! Now, should I be working on stuff to get ahead for next week? Sure. But I neeeeeed this weekend. I'm making more time for me. There is sooo much I want to do before the end of the school year and before the wedding planning starts getting insane!

So I decided one way to make more time for me was to find a good book that is spiritually uplifting. Many people don't know this but I have a small devotional book that I read every night before bed. It's no more than a paragraph but usually it says some things I need to hear. I finished that up about 2 weeks ago and was looking for something else. Well, I have heard of a TON of people reading this book from what people have commented on blogs, friends at work, and Hope even has a Bible study centered on it. Unfortunately that Bible study is on a night I teach Jazzercise. Anyway, the book is Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst. I am only three chapters in and loving it. the way she writes is like you're having a conversation with her. However, what I have learned so far from reading it is that no one person, possession, or anything for that matter can fill what is empty in our lives. We have to fill that emptiness with God. So with this book, I plan on doing just that.

The past week or so has been a little tough on me. I've gotten overwhelmed at times. I've gotten frustrated at times. I've taken my anger out at the wrong people (coughcough Chris cough cough) at times. I can't do that anymore. It isn't fair. There is an emptiness that I'm feeling right now, and now I know how to fill it. It won't happen over night, but it will happen!

So what am I going to do with this glorious cloudy, cold, day off? Well, I'm about to watch the UT vs. Kentucky game and hope that UT can dominate Kentucky again! Can you believe I'm cheering for the vols? I'm really just cheering against Calipari. Saying it that way makes me feel better! While watching the game, I'm catching up on laundry...cleaning out my closet...and getting stuff organized. In seven months, I won't live in this house anymore. Kinda sad, but exciting to get to fix up a house of my own!

Well, I told myself that I have to get straight up off this couch and get to work. My blogging time was going to be the chance for my poor twitching muscles to recover after a full Circuit Jazzercise class and then a Bikini Body Pilates class right after that. Whew. It literally hurts to press the shift key and capitalize my words. Ha! Anyway, y'all have a great weekend! I know I am!

Katie

Some things are hard to understand.

This week we found out that Chris' court case has been settled. It's been settled, not in the most fair way in my opinion, but it is over. There is a sense of relief in just saying that, I know he is glad that it's all over.

For those of you who don't know the background here it is: In 2004, Chris was working as a tech at Lander's Ford. Another company (who shall remain nameless for the purposes of this blog grr) contracted labor out to Lander's. This employee had never driven a car before, and spoke no English. He got behind the wheel of a car, and drove it petal to the metal into the shop building. Long story short, Chris got ran over. It broke both of his legs and several other injuries. He spent almost a month in the MED having multiple surgeries and then a year or more of physical therapy. There were times people told him he may never walk again, there were times when people said he would never be the same....he beat EVERY ODD against him. So now, the court case is over. I don't think any amount of money can be placed on what happened to him. But it is over. That's what matters.

The other night after we found out it was all over he said that the best thing that came out of that situation was me. (After he returned to work they gave him a service line job were he was out in front dealing with customers.) He said that if he did not get hurt, he would have never been on the service line, he would have been in the back and never seen me. He said it's kind of like that song "God Bless the Broken Road." That's when I knew it....that song has to be in our wedding somehow, someway.

I can remember when I first met Chris and he told me the story of what happened to him. It made me like him even more. He has such a great story to tell. He beat all odds!

Everything. Everything. Everything happens for a reason.

Katie

Revitalize

So at church Craig just finished a sermon series called "Revitalize." It was all based on a survey that you could take on the Hope website where you gave feedback about your life, and what you needed to hear. Craig addressed every issue imaginable. Well yesterday he tied it all together and I heard somethings that I definitely need to hear. I have to change some things about myself. It won't happen over night, but it will be MY work in progress. Anyway, some major points that Craig hit that really struck close to home for me was "Identifying your road blocks." He spoke about surrounding yourself with people and things that are uplifting and make you a better person. However, he also mentioned the "road blocks" and doing your best to avoid him.

"Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings out the best of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." Romans 12:2

Wow. Powerful stuff huh? Surrounding yourself with positive things. Positive people. Positively positive!

I know that I mention all the time about how busy I am. How much that seems to be going on right now, however; rather than letting it drag me down, I am determined to find the positive in everything.
1. I am going through grad school. It's tough, but when it's all set and done, I will have MASTER'S DEGREE. That's exciting. Plus I can technically put M.S. after my name...ha!

2. Jazzercise. I CHOSE to go through the Jazzercise workshop when I did. Little do I know how busy it would make me. But here's the positive in that: Jazzercise completely changed my life. I'm happier, healthier, and in the best shape I've ever been in my life. It is my duty to give back to something that was so life changing for me. Plus, I love it...and I now get paid to work out!

3. Graves Elementary: Those two words right there equal stress but here's the thing...I have a job. There are SO many people out there struggling to make ends meet without a steady income. Every year I have had to worry about the threat of being surplussed, but God takes care of me each time. He might have plans to move me...but I will be blessed no matter what. In addition, what an amazing task God has given me. I'm teaching at-risk children and could very well be the only positive influence in their life. Wow.

4. Planning a wedding: This can also be stressful, but it's fun too. I'm planning a special day because I'm marrying the man of my dreams. He's someone who completed the part of me that I didn't know was missing. I can't wait!

So, my life feels revitalized right about now...plus I'm stomach virus free. If that doesn't revitalize you, I don't know what does!

Yesterday I finally felt like myself again so Chris and I went to church with my mom and then we went to Lowe's to get some ideas for his house that will eventually become our house. Chris has a house in Olive Branch, MS...and while we were hoping to be able to buy some land and build a new house, things really aren't working out in that direction. So we are going to save money and fix Chris' house up the way I, I mean we, like it. (HA!) We looked at flooring, paint colors, tile, counter tops, light fixtures....the works. His house will become my summer project. Grad school will be over and I'll be a mean, lean, painting machine. I'm really excited to do this!

Anyway, I guess I better go now...I have a few things to do for Grad school and then I promised myself I would learn a new abdominal routine for my class tonight. But aren't you proud of me? I'm still blogging!

Happy Blogging!
Katie