A Full Plate

This is going to be one hoppin' semester.  Of course, school started back on the August 10th so there are 25 small children counting on me 5 days a week.  Plus, Jessamine County has this fantastic (insert eye roll here) program called JTEAM.  This requires me to, yet again, plan, write up, analyze, etc. a unit by December to turn in to central office :(  Apparently, a college degree plus passing KTIP with flying colors isn'y quite enough proof that I basically know what I'm doing.  It is meant to be something that helps us, but it really just adds more work and STRESS :(  Oh well... Then on top of that I started the first of 2 grad classes I will take at Asbury this semester.  My program is fully online so that is pretty cool.  I don't actually have to go to class, just get online onto "Atheneo", complete the assignments and submit them online.  It's pretty sweet.  I just have to stay disciplined in ALL areas so I can be successful in ALL areas :)  We shall see...

So far, so good.  I am planned up through almost the end of September.  I have gotten a start on the first paper that's due 9/7/11.  Now, as for JTEAM... I think I am avoiding it because my subconscious won't let me think about it yet ;)  It's still in DENIAL, ha ha!  I have also been very blessed to have a phenomenal team to work with at school this year!  Julie and Debby have come in and we have all meshed so well! We are working well together and it's ben a very easy transition.  Yay! :)

Well, I guess that's all for now...

Summer Re-cap

Ok so over the summer I got a little lackadaisical on the blogging...  So here is a quick re-cap of what went down in the life if the Sturgeons.

June 2011 - After the last day of school FINALLY came on June 3rd I had to report the following Monday and Tuesday to a training :/  Then I got a week to relax before Vacation Bible School started at PMBC.  The last week of June I started my first grade class which consumed my whole day - class from 8-12, quick lunch break and then Becca and I were off to work on assignments until 6 or 7 pm.

July 2011 - The first week of July was the 2nd week of my grad class in which I continued to devote most of my days working on assignments for class with my dear friend, Becca :)  We survived and both got an A! WOOHOO!  I went to my first NASCAR race ever at Kentucky Speedway and LOVED it!!!  We were very fortunate that we got to the Speedway about 8:15 in the morning so we could tailgate all day! :)  There were MANY who were less fortunate and didn't even make it to the race despite leaving hours before it was scheduled to begin.  Then I had approximately 3 weeks-ish before I was forced to start thinking about school starting back.  I started work in my classroom July 27th and haven't really looked back since!

August 2011 - I had several trainings/meetings and of course Open House on Friday the 5th.  Then school started with Phase-in on the 10th and 11th.

Well, that brings us up-to-date.  Sadly, nothing too exciting to report.  I mostly just did as little as possible when there wasn't anything I HAD to do :)  Now school has started back and I'm still adjusting to not being on break!  I'm preparing myself for the 22nd when grad class #3 begins and I have to balance teaching students and being a student :)  We shall see...

NASCAR or Nasty-car?

Clark has been going to NASCAR races for a long time.  And I have always made fun of the sport, calling it "Nasty-car" :)   I mean really when you think about it, how could cars going in a circle for 3-4 hours be entertaining?  Well then I watched one afternoon the last few laps and that was pretty exciting as the drivers trying to win were getting aggressive.  Then, the 99 car won.  I had no idea who that was but he did a BACK FLIP off his car and I thought that was the greatest thing ever!  Well it was Carl Edwards and that day I decided that is who I liked.  So since then I have been supporting the 99 and Clark has gotten me a couple shirts with him on it from the race in Bristol he goes to twice a year.  

This past year they announced that Kentucky would get to host its first Cup race ever at Kentucky Speedway.  Since it was so close we decided to go and I LOVED it!!!  We (me, Clark, my parents, and my brother) got there early (about 8:15) and tailgated all day!  We played cornhole, visited all the tents and booths and got free stuff, bought some merchandise and grilled out delicious food!  Then we went to the race and it was the craziest thing to see that many cars so close together going SO FAST!  We sat right in turn 4 by the entrance to pit road.  They were great seats.  I got to see Carl Edwards and his car (from my seat....next year I want pit passes!).  And thanks to Joel I got to listen to Carl and his crew chief Bob on the radio all during the race!  That was probably my favorite part (Thanks again, Joel for letting me borrow your scanner!)!  The race was fairly uneventful with only 6 cautions and not really any wrecks, although that keeps everyone safe so that is good!  The saddest part of the day was that stinking Kyle Busch won (BOOOOO!).  When the race was over we were waiting and waiting to get out of the ONE gate they had for 100,000 people...and some people got impatient and started climbing the fence.  Well, not too long after that some people broke the fence and everyone started going through the broken fence.  This was actually a little scary because I was afraid we were going to get stampeded or trampled.  I just held onto Clark's arm.  Then when we got through the fence the hill was really steep down to the parking lot and MUDDY and slippery!  This was also scary because there were hundreds of people coming down that hill and I knew someone was going to fall and we were all going to go down like bowling pins!  Thankfully, we made it safely to the bottom but by that time my feet were covered in mud and so were my flip-flops.  I ended up throwing them away and riding home barefoot in true redneck fashion! LOL  But seriously they weren't worth keeping...  :)

The day was L-O-N-G, we got up at 6:00 a.m. Saturday and got home at 3:00 a.m. Sunday, but it was SO FUN!  And I LOVED getting in some quality family time, which I, sadly, don't get as much as I'd like these days.  So in the end I have to admit that I loved it and I guess I have to say "NASCAR" from now on! :)

Setting up the tailgate about 8:15 am!  :)

Me and my bub!  

Have you ever seen any two cuter tailgaters?! :)

My parents!

Listening on the scanner to Carl and Bob!!!

Boogity, Boogity, Boogity!  Let's go racin' boys!

The 99 - CARL EDWARDS!!! :)

At the race with my hubs!  :)  

My new hat!  Gotta support Carl with a little BLING! :)

The race was completely sold out!  The only reason there were empty seats is because so many people were stuck in a 20 mile long traffic jam that kept lots of people from ever getting to the race!  CRAZY!

Turn 4

This is blurry because we were basically running to get to the car, but this is what it looked like from the bottom of the hill we slipped and slid our way down!

"Redeeming Love" and me

Preface/Warning (in honor of Becca and for the courtesy of any potential readers) This post got lengthy... :)

I recently read the book "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers.  It came HIGHLY recommended by several friends (By the way, thanks again Bex and Nan!) and they were SO right!  This book instantly sucked me in and I read the entire thing in about 2 days.  It was one of those books that makes you laugh, cry, get mad and then leaves you with a grand smile on your face.  What an awesome retelling of the book of Hosea.  It was truly inspirational and humbling to see how one man trusted God's plan so fully and without question even though he knew it would cause him heartache and frustration.  He trusted in God and knew that as crazy as it seemed it would be one of the greatest blessings in his life and he was right.  It makes you really stop and think about your own plans and if they are simply selfish goals or if they are what God would want for your life.  This book along with the current bible study I am doing (Jonah: The Interrupted Life by Priscilla Shirer) has got me re-examining several things and I am here to tell ya - it's hard!  Sometimes I really think I go through life in a bubble doing my own thing - what I think is best (insert eye roll here) and never stopping to consider if this is what God would want or does want for me and my life. 

When I feel drawn to an idea or plan I often question whether I am truly hearing God or if it is just wishful thinking because that is what I want.  Let me also say discernment is NOT my spiritual gift.  If God is going to send me a message it needs to be in the form of something VERY obvious.  I like to think that He needs to just come down and thump me on the forehead like they did to the people on those v8 commercials (y'all remember those?).  And in my life I am happy to say that I am confident about many things where I know God gave me the "thump" to send me in the right direction. And those have not all been pleasant experiences for me to go through but in hidsight (cause we all know that its 20/20) I can 100% see how the Lord was putting me exactly where He wanted me to be. 

Right now I feel like I'm in a spiritual rut.  Clark and I are part time attendees at Porter Memorial Baptist in Lexington (which I love the church and I feel convicted and moved every time I go there, but can't quite seem to make myself commit - again, is that God or me?!?! - or worse, Satan...) and getting involved as an adult seems so much more difficult than the days of youth group when I was at church every time the doors were open.  Also, right now my life doesn't feel very interrupted as Priscilla Shirer is talking about in the bible study.  It's going really well.  I don't feel like God is calling me to do something I don't want to do, but since discernment isn't my thing maybe I am just missing it completely?  I don't know... which is frustrating and makes me worry that I am not listening to God the way I should be.  I feel like I have a thousand worries and questions and I am not satisfied with the lack of answers. 

In the meantime the only thing I feel like I can do is pray, be open to whatever plans God has for me, thank Him EVERY day for the blessings He has given me in my life this far...and wait for the "thump".

Hello, summer...

Well finally summer is just around the corner and the pool is open!  We just have to get the water all cleared and balanced and we will be open for business ;)  This is my favorite time of the year!  Summer is very relaxing, even when there are things to do, it's not the same as during the school year.  Here are a few things that I love about this time of year...
I love that the sun is up sooner and goes down later.
I love that people are out in my neighborhood running, walking, and bike riding.
I love that you can wear a sundress or skirt and sandals.
I love grilling out and all the fresh fruits and vegetables that are coming in season...yummmmm!
I love working in the yard.
I love that it is warm when I leave the house at 6:45 am and is still warm when I go to bed at 10:00 pm.
I love that the pool is open :)
I love the anticipation that summer vacation from school is only a few school days away.
I love the flora and fauna blooming everywhere.
I love going to Lowes and dreaming up all the projects I'd like to do in the house and yard if I were handy and rich - haha!
I love riding with the windows down and the radio up.
I love opening the windows in the house to air everything out.
I love going to baseball games...T-ball up to the major leagues (Go Redlegs!!!)

Ok, there's a few things, I'm sure there are more! :)  What are some of your favorite things about this time of the year?

End of the school year = bittersweet

The bitter...
There are 12 1/2 days of school left.  I am in shock.  Wasn't I just sitting around planning the first week of school yesterday?  It has been a GREAT year... about the best a first year teacher could ever have.  My students are fantastic, I have several very supportive and wonderful parents, KTIP went smoothly, and I feel very good about the progress and success of all my students. On Friday, June 3rd as we line the sidewalk and wave goodbye to the buses as they pull away I will cry.  No doubt about it.  I will miss the kids in my class BUNCHES.  They needed me this year and I needed them.  They love me to pieces and think I am the queen (this is one of my FAVORITE things about teaching kindergarten). And I love them and their hugs, smiles, the funny things they say and how even when I am tired or in a bad mood at least one of them will somehow make me smile.

The sweet...
However, I know they will go on to spectacular first grade classes and dazzle their teachers with their knowledge and how precious they are in general.  As the days wind down it's easy to see that the kiddos are tired, I am tired, and summer break is just what the doctor ordered  :)
I also realize that I will get a whole other group of students in August that also need me and will love me and whom I will love in return.  They will also make me smile and improve my mood with a funny comment or hug.  They will be a whole new group of little "sponges" that think my lessons are fun and that I hung the moon :)

So for now, I will enjoy the days I have left with my first ever class of kindergarteners (remind/beg them every day to come back to visit me!) and look forward to seeing how they continue to learn and grow.

Puppy Problems... :(

Ever since we were engaged Clark and I talked about wanting to get a dog eventually.  Well we kept putting it off and putting it off and I wanted a dog SO bad.  In February I finally convinced Clark to let us get one and I went and got a sweet pound puppy named Enes.

While I am still glad we got the dog it has been a HUGE adjustment and there are many times I still think to myself... What have I done?!?!

The most recent event that makes me question the decision to get a dog happened on Monday.  On Monday night I cam home from working preschool registration.  Enes was in the backyard where Clark left  him after he came home to let him out and feed him before he had to go to some thing for work.  I went out back to check on the dog and make sure he was ok.  When I walked out the back door I saw the remains of the worst thing Enes has ever done...  He had halfway dug up and chewed all the branches off of my lilac bush we planted last year after my grandfather passed away.

My best friend and her family sent it to me to keep and plant in the yard.  Upon seeing the destroyed bush I went ballistic.  I screamed at the dog and spanked him a couple of times then put him in his crate.  I ran back outside (during this time it started to rain) and inspected the bush.  The entire time all this is going on I am crying HYSTERICALLY.  I texted Clark and told him what happened.  He was sorry but at that point he really couldn't do much about it.  I called my mom and talked to her as well (I'm a mama's girl and she ALWAYS makes me feel better!).  Then (about 30 minutes later) I finally calmed down enough to run over to Dollar General to get some potting soil to fill in the hole where he dug up half the bush.

The remainder of the night Enes stayed in his crate and when Clark got home later he let him out.  Now you may read this and think that I am evil and possibly crazy.  To you it's just a plant.  But I was papaw's girl and I miss him more than I could imagine.  As silly as it seems that lilac bush is like having part papaw in my yard.  I se it and immediately think of him. :) It was 1 year ago on April 17th that he passed away and I was so excited the lilac bush had actually lived through the winter and was blooming and beautiful!  Since Monday Clark and I have both talked to several people that say the plant should be fine and lilacs are hard to kill.  I hope that is true.

I am still very mad at the dog, but he's a puppy and no matter how mad you want to stay, it's hard with those puppy eyes staring you down and looking all pitiful.  I'm not sure what the outcome of our dog situation will be.  I hope that he grows up fast... the puppy years are terrible.

Grad school, here I come...

In honor of Becca I am going to preface this story with a little background info...  Becoming a teacher was one of the best decisions I have ever made (3rd in line to my salvation and marrying Clark Sturgeon :).  However, there are a few aggravating things about being a teacher.  The number one annoying thing about teaching (to me) is that you are REQUIRED to get your masters degree.  Now I guess in the long run I understand that it's important to keep up to date and stay well educated in your field, but MANDATORY extra school?  Yuck.
So never the less that brings us to the reason for this post... I am starting grad school.  I have officially applied to Asbury University to begin grad school in the Teacher as Leader program beginning...THIS SUMMER!  AAAAAAHHHHHH!  Ok, so I am freaking out, I'm not going to lie.  I really haven't been in a class since spring 2009 and I got really used to being the one IN CHARGE of the classroom and not the one sitting in the seat listening.  I am just really worried about being able to get it all done.  Teaching is DEMANDING and for those Village teachers, you know our school is really demanding.  What if grad school and a full time job is too much?  What if I hate the program I've chosen?  What if I actually make it through the program and then realize it's not the right one for me? Or that there really are not any leadership opportunities to get?  There are lots of questions, but it seems as if there are not that many answers.  I guess its one of those situations where everything really is just kind of falling into place so I need to trust that God  has a plan and that this is part of His plan and I should stop worrying, that His job, right?  If I am completely trusting in His timing and His plan for me, then I should never worry, at least in theory.  I'm only human so that is sometimes easier said than done.  Thankfully I do have some good friends who are encouraging and supportive and I even know a couple of other teachers that have gone through the program already so they will be good resources.  It's just always scary to have a big change in life and to begin something that I feel like I know NOTHING about or what to expect.  I am very outgoing and pretty confident, but at times like this I feel like my little kindergarteners probably did on the first day of school - scared, nervous, and unsure of what to expect...

Spring Break 2011...A Cruise to the Bahamas!

For the first time in FOREVER!  I was able to go on trip over spring break!  My friend, Katie, invited me to go with her, her sister, and her sister's friend on a cruise to the Bahamas!  It was AMAZING!  We left Wednesday morning and drove down to pick up Melissa in South Caroline.  Then we stopped in St. Augustine to spend the night.  The next morning we got up and drove on in to Cape Canaveral where we boarded our ship, the Carnival Sensation!  It was the biggest boat I have EVER seen!  Then I realized that was the Disney Dream ship! LOL!  Our was the (still huge, but not as ginormous as the Disney Dream) ship next to the Disney Dream!
We were SO excited!  We got parked and unloaded and headed into the port.  After checking in we went to the boarding area and anxiously awaited the call to board!  Once we were on the ship I was in shock!  (This country girl doesn't get out much! :)  It was like a small city on a boat.  There were places to shop, eat, a casino, bars, 2 lounges, and of course the Lido Deck complete with another bar, pool, hot tub, live caribbean music, and fake palm trees!  But, my FAVORITE part of the ship was by far the very back deck.   There were lounge chairs with cushions and an umbrella and the chairs were pulled up right to the very back rail.  As I was laying out I was just watching the ocean all around...LOVED IT!
The first night we went to supper and met 3 sweet ladies that we shared our table with.  They were so sweet and lots of fun!  Each night the menu was different and it was all DELICIOUS!  I had shrimp cocktail EVERY night.  I had lobster, crab cakes, fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil, salmon, delicious salads, and yummy deserts (just to name a few)!
The next morning we were up, ate breakfast, and were laying out overlooking the ocean by 8:45!  It was awesome!!!  We arrived in Nassau on Friday about lunchtime.  The girls and I got off the boat and went to a few shops and of course to the Straw Market where we all bargained for a few purchases! :)  Then it was back to the boat for more relaxing in the sun!
That night we all went to one of the lounges for... KARAOKE!  It was so fun!  We all sang and Melissa and I rocked it out to "Walk This Way" :)  After karaoke we went to a show in the Fantasia Lounge.  The show was called "Curves" with a tribute to women.  Well let me tell you we saw plenty of curves because all the dancers were wearing thongs!  We were all pretty shocked to say the least, especially since the show was rated PG-13!
Saturday was our "Fun Day at Sea" which is code for we were just sailing all day!  Anyway that worked for me because we id nothing but relax, eat, read our books, and get a tan from 8:45 am until 4:30 that afternoon!  It was FANTASTIC!!!  That night we saw our 2nd show which although the thongs were back the show itself was much better.  It was tribute to the 80s!  The music and dancing was really good :)
When we woke up Sunday morning we were back at the port in Florida.  We were off the boat and headed home by 7:30!  It was a GREAT trip and I can't wait to do it AGAIN! :)

Kickin' KTIP Butt!

Tomorrow I will accomplish a fairly huge milestone in my teaching career...I will officially be done with KTIP!  For those that may not know what this is here is a brief explanation.  Kentucky has decided that a teacher's first year really isn't quite difficult enough.  So they created the Kentucky Teacher Internship Program (KTIP).  This is a program that lasts (almost) your entire first year of teaching and has multiple requirements ranging from writing lesson plans (in KTIP format, of course!) to planning, implementing, and reflecting on a whole unit!  And let's not forget the never-ending, time consuming reflections you have to do with every part of every task along the way...

Anyway, as of about 1:00 tomorrow afternoon, I will be finished (hopefully ;)!!!  The journey has been thankfully not too painful.  Mainly just time consuming and it was stinky to have extra things to do as if my regular responsibilities as a kindergarten teacher are not enough.

It will be good to just be able to mark it off the list and enjoy the last 40 something days of school I have left with the kids in my first class ever :)

Meaningful Music :)

Ok, just a quick run down of the songs that are the playlist...

1.  UK Fight song - Duh, cause Clark and I both graduated from UK and we are both HUGE UK fans!!!  GO BIG BLUE!!!

2.  "Say Yes" by Dusty Drake - This was the song that played in our engagement video :)  Clark picked it out.  Naturally, I LOVED it!

3.  "I Feel Good" by James Brown - This was the song that we used for the recessional at our wedding!  It was SO fun and it was surprise...nobody knew about it except me, Clark, my dad, and the A/V guy from church! :)

4.  "I Cross My Heart" by George Strait - This was the song we danced to for our first dance as husband and wife!

As I think of more songs that served a purpose or that we just like, I'll add them for your listening enjoyment!

Me, blogging? Well...here goes nothing :)

Ok, so since two of my best friends are blogging and I really love reading their blogs I ended up getting convinced to start my own blog... So here it is!  It will be a great way to record the happenings in our lives and basically make a digital scrapbook!

Here is what the blogging world has missed in our lives so far...

March 20, 2004 - First date at Logan's Roadhouse in Hamburg

May 2005 - Clark graduated from UK with a degree in Animal Science

March 20, 2004 - April 18, 2008 - 4 years of dating :)

April 19, 2008 - ENGAGED! (Finally...)

May 30, 2009 - MARRIED!!!

October 2009 - Bought our first house at an absolute auction (which my dad convinced us to go to...THANKS DAD!) in Lancaster, KY

December 2009 - I graduated from UK with a degree in Elementary Education and then got hired as an instructional assistant at the Jessamine Early Learning Village in Nicholasville, KY.

April 2010 - I got my first teaching job at JELV as a kindergarten teacher starting in the 2010-2011 school year! :)

Fall 2010 (Can't remember the exact month...sorry babe!) - Clark got the manager's job at his work :)

February 17, 2011 - We got a puppy!!!

March 20, 2011 - Together for 7 years :)

Ok, now you are all up to speed :)  We have been so blessed in our time together so far.  I have come to REALLY understand that God's timing is not MY timing and THANK GOODNESS for that!  So many things in this timeline would not be if things had happened the way I thought they should have (HA HA)!  I think the Lord is always looking down on our life and saying "I told ya so..." :)


"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
- Jeremiah 29:11