Disney World (Part 1)

I have a feeling that there will be several posts about our Disney vacation, so I titled this "Part 1."

First, here is some background info...

The week before Christmas in 2010, we went on a family vacation to Disney World. The boys had fun and we learned a lot about what we would do differently next time. Unfortunately, the trip was VERY stressful for me and Jarrod. I thought it would be great for our family to get away from our daily stress...but I was wrong. Jarrod had been unemployed for about 9 months at this point and even though we were given money for this trip as a Christmas gift, it was still stressful to go and spend money knowing the tight financial situation that we were facing back at home. I also didn't realize that from mid-December to New Year's is the busiest time of year at Disney. The rides had LONG waits and the crowds were INSANE. Jarrod doesn't always do well with big crowds like that, especially when he's already under a lot of stress.

When I brought up the idea of going back to Disney, Jarrod was a little hesitant...but after we talked about it we knew that it would be different this time and...

It was amazing!!!

There are several reasons that this trip was so successful...

• Jarrod has a job so we are in a more stable financial situation (however, everything started to break down the week before we left! Ugh!)
• We decided to go during fall break which is not an extremely crowded time. This is another reason that I love year-round schools...our fall break is my favorite!
• Free Dining Plan! All of our meals were covered...we were able to eat at some really cool restaurants!
• Staying at a Disney resort costs more, but the convenience of using their transportation and taking advantage of Extra Magic Hours makes it worth it.
• We decided to stay at a resort with an AWESOME pool and it was within walking distance to Epcot. 

Jarrod and I are thankful that we were able to take this trip as a family...especially since we don't get to spend a lot of time together since Jarrod is still working in Maryland. I promise that I will write more details about our trip...with pictures!! :) 

The End of the Wasp Season

I was hanging out at the pool with Joseph and Eli last Sunday and I saw someone reading a book titled...

The End of the Wasp Season

I had no idea what the book was about, but the title of the book felt like a slap in the face. It brought back many of the emotions and grief of my father's death a year ago. I can't believe it has been a year since he was stung by that wasp. I haven't written about it very much, but I think now is the time...

On the first day of the 2011-2012 school year, I was sitting in my classroom frantically working on my schedule when I got a phone call...my dad had been stung by a wasp...one wasp...on his finger. He went into anaphylactic shock and the EMS was trying to revive him. He had just enjoyed lunch at his favorite Mexican restaurant with his sister and was at her house for the afternoon. He reached down to pick up a flower pot...that's when he was stung. He said something like, "Damn it, I've been stung." Due to his history of severe allergic reactions to stings, my aunt turned to get her keys to head straight to the hospital, but within seconds he was on the floor and had stopped breathing.

He went approximately 50 minutes with no oxygen to his brain. The doctors were able to restart his heart, but we knew the situation was serious. Our family still had lots of hope, because he had already overcome a massive stroke just a few years earlier...we were told he wouldn't survive that stroke and if he did he would never be able to talk or feed himself or remember any of us...but he proved them all wrong. This time it was very different though...several tests showed that he had no brain activity and his organs were beginning to shut down. We quickly realized that he was already gone...only the machines and medicines were keeping his heart pumping.

Two short days later, my dad's close family stood by while the machines were stopped. I didn't know what to expect...even though the doctors and nurses had prepared us as best as they could. It was all over rather quickly...he was gone. Even though I didn't have a very close relationship with my dad, I loved him very much and it was hard losing him so suddenly. I worried about my aunt who was with him when he was stung...she blamed herself even though there was nothing that could have been done...the doctors said an epi pen wouldn't have saved him because the reaction was so severe. The EMS hit him 6 times with epi and he didn't respond at all. I worried about my sister who was so close to my dad...I knew it would be extremely hard on her, but she has done a great job managing her grief this year.

The next few days went by in a blur...and I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from everyone...my sister-in-law kept Eli, a friend brought dinner to the hospital, another friend picked up Joseph from school, etc, etc, etc. I feel like I never properly thanked all of the people who loved us, prayed for us, and supported us through that time of grief. If you are reading this, please accept my apology for not appropriately thanking you...I love you all so much!

With All My Love,
Dana

Aren't you embarrassed?!

Someone recently asked me, "Aren't you embarrassed to post those before/after pictures of your house online?"

I've reflected on that question for a few days and my answer is...yes and no.

I am ashamed that my house got to that level of disorder and chaos. I am sure I will soon be posting lots of my reflections about things that I've learned along this journey; however....

I am not too embarrassed to post the before pictures, because I see it as no different than people posting before/after weight loss pictures. These pictures help me to see how far I have come and they hold me accountable...they remind me that I don't want to go back to that point of utter despair and humiliation.

I also hope that these pictures will help other people who may be in similar situations. It took me years to finally allow someone to come into my home and help me. I was too embarrassed to ask my close friends that I frequently spend time with. I finally asked a friend that I see twice a year at a local consignment sale to come help me. As I stood at the door of the first room we decluttered, I was basically paralyzed. I didn't know where to start...it was too overwhelming. I had started working in that room before and quickly gave up....I needed someone like my friend, Geri, to come in and basically take over. I am now motivated to tackle more areas of my house on my own.

I challenge anyone who is feeling lost or overwhelmed with clutter to find a nonjudgemental friend to come and at least help you get started. I feel so much happier...and I don't have that tight feeling in my chest every morning when I wake up.

There is still A LOT of work to be done, but I am now motivated to continue making progress! Thank you all for your encouragement, prayers, and support! Now I need to get up from this computer and keep working....

Happy Birthday to My Sister

Just wanted to take the opportunity to say 

"Happy Birthday" to my sister, Jessica! 

Love ya!

These pictures were taken at her wedding...it was a beautiful day!

Don't Look in the Bags!

My awesome friend, Geri, came today and helped me make more progress in the dungeon basement! She even brought her 2 daughters who had no idea what they were in for...we started in my "office." During all of the cleaning and sorting, I saw Geri filling trash bags with stuff...there ended up being 6 trash bags! I was tempted to open all of the bags and "make sure" that I didn't need the stuff in the bags, but after talking to some other friends...they made me promise that I would NOT look in the bags! :)

 There's still a lot of work to do, but....WOW! I can't believe we made this much progress!!

Next, we moved into Eli's room...we got 2 bags of trash out of this room. Eli was so surprised when he got home tonight!!

 Once again, Sydney was SO HAPPY to have space to roll around!! :)

Apparently, two of my best friends had their feelings hurt because they have never seen my basement...well, I am sure Geri wouldn't mind having their help when we move on to the next part of the basement!! LOL

Revolve

Are you still going to the Summit?

Did you join Ridgecrest?

Where is your family going to church now?

Why did you leave the Summit?

These are just a few of the questions we've been asked over the past year. I've been wanting to write a blog post about our journey, but I wasn't exactly sure how to answer all of those questions...I honestly didn't know the answers to some of the questions. 

Since 2001, as active members of Homestead Heights Baptist Church (which became the Summit Church), Jarrod and I were involved in lots of different ministries. The Summit Church has been a huge part of our lives...through our infertility journey, pregnancy loss, and the birth of our two sons. Unfortunately, at some point we became disconnected. This sometimes happens as churches grow, but we do not blame the church. We had every opportunity to get involved with small groups, but as Jarrod's work schedule constantly changed and eventually led him to Maryland, we made excuses why we just couldn't get more involved. Eventually we simply stopped going to church. 

Months passed and I knew we needed to make a decision....find a way to get involved at the Summit again or find another church to join.  Our boys were already involved in the awesome Children's Ministry at Ridgecrest Baptist Church...they had attended Awana and VBS there for a couple years. I knew lots of people there and had been invited to Ladies Craft Night and other events. So, Jarrod and I started going to Ridgecrest and joined an awesome Sunday School Class. We finally felt connected again....but I was not ready to join. I was still feeling pulled to something different.

My awesome coworker, Brunell Moody, had been keeping me updated on the new church her son and daughter-in-law were launching. I had dinner with them one night and they explained their vision for Revolve Church. I told them that I would pray for their church, but I couldn't get involved because we were just becoming active at Ridgecrest. Over the next few months, God kept placing Revolve Church on my heart. Our Sunday School class began a time of transition with our leaders leaving and I felt that it was time for us to make a commitment to Revolve Church. From the time I made that commitment to join their launch team, I became excited about church again....I don't mean that to sound negative toward the Summit or Ridgecrest....both of those churches are doing awesome things for Durham (and the world!!) I am just excited to be a part of something new...helping something start from the ground up.

If you are curious about Revolve Church, please come out to Frankie's Fun Park on Thursday, June 21st at 6:00pm. You will learn more about the mission of the church and there is no obligation to get involved! Please join us for dinner and a FUN night learning more about how God is building this church to impact Durham. Feel free to ask me any other questions....you can leave a comment here or email me at walkerfamily94@gmail.com. 

Progress

I had an awesome, brave friend come help me in my downstairs family room/junk room today! I joked and told her that I was going to make her sign a confidentiality agreement so she couldn't tell anyone how bad it was. For some insane reason, I decided to post evidence online. Joseph was home today and helped us, too.

 It's like "Where's Waldo?" Where's Joseph?!

 I still need to go through a few boxes of toys. Thankfully the consignment sale is coming up soon!!

Sydney was so excited! She actually had room to roll around on the carpet...now I need to vacuum again!!

Funny Kids

Just wanted to quickly post a few funny quotes from my boys before I forget them...

Eli saw me stepping on the digital scale. He came in an stepped on it, too. He said, "Mommy, you're the winner! That's a lot of points!!" Thanks, kid.

Joseph has been asking to have a yard sale for a LONG time, so we had a small one on Saturday. On Friday night he was helping me make signs. He wasn't taking his time coloring in the letters....I told him to slow down and stay in the lines. He said, "But Mommy, we want it to look like a kid colored it so more people will come to the yard sale."

I couldn't believe the number of people who told me what a good salesperson Joseph is....he actually talked several people into buying things that they weren't even looking at.

Eli also got excited and started bringing some of his toys outside to sell. After selling one of his toys the customer handed him the money. I told him to go put it in the money box and he said, "No, Mommy these are MY bucks."

That's all I can think of for now...I'm sure I'll remember more things later! These boys definitely keep me entertained!

Concern

One of my coworkers is retiring. Today we were talking and she says this to me...

"With me leaving, the person I'm most worried about is you."

I didn't know what to think about that statement...I could be really offended...but mostly I was confused. I said, "Why are you worried about me?" She told me that she feels like I am getting burned out. She has noticed a change in my attitude, my energy, and my enthusiasm. She seemed genuinely concerned for my well being.

Most of my friends know that the last couple of years have been stressful for me as a teacher. I am finishing my 15th year of teaching and each year the job responsibilities keep adding up, but the amount of time to complete those responsibilities is being decreased. For 3 years I have had no planning time during the school day. I was told that planning time during the day is not a guarantee and I could plan before or after school. None of this comes from my school's administration....they are AMAZING and supportive. Every substitute that I have had this year has commented on my crazy schedule. Fortunately I have 30 minutes for lunch this year. Last year I only had 15 minutes. I basically do what needs to be done in order to provide each student with all of their service time...unfortunately it seems that this is burning me out. I have seriously considered other career opportunities, but I absolutely love my school, my coworkers, and my students. I am seeing things slowly improve...and I love the year-round schedule with the breaks that always seem to fall at just the right time!

I am hoping and praying that my attitude/lack of enthusiasm hasn't been noticed or felt by my students. In my heart I sincerely hope that my students know how much I love them. One little boy actually cried when he couldn't come to my class one day because I was in a meeting (I am sure there were others who cheered...LOL!) Last week as I was walking down the hall with my lunch in my hands, the grandmother of another student said, "Let me hold that. He needs a hug and he said you're the only one who gives real hugs." That melted my heart!!

As Teacher Appreciation Week approaches, please take the time to thank the teachers who have made an impact in your life or your child's life. I have a file of "Special Keepsakes" that includes letters from parents and students....when I am having "one of those days" I pull them out and I feel recharged!

Only a few more weeks until summer break.......
Dana

Weekend Reflections

More random thoughts...my brain is so cluttered and I can't focus on one topic to write about, so I will write about everything!

• We weren't able to make it to Eli's baseball game Friday night because we had to pick up the car from the Tire Center at Costco. We decided to take the boys to see the new movie Pirates: Band of Misfits. The boys loved it and we thought it was pretty funny!
• I am planning to have LASIK eye surgery in a few weeks. I am so excited!! I haven't been wearing my contacts because they were really bothering me with all of the pollen and spring allergies. I forgot to put in my contacts before going to the movie, so I had to wear the 3D glasses over my regular glasses. That was attractive!! At least the theater is dark!
• Joseph was SO excited yesterday because there was a "How It's Made" marathon on TV! He is like his Daddy in so many ways! I love it!!
• It's tick season and they are bad already!! Joseph has had 2 on him and I have had 1 on me! Yuck!! I have stocked up on the Avon Bug Guard because so many people asked me for it last year! Let me know if you need some or go to my website: www.youravon.com/dwalker1396 .
• Eli and Joseph had a great time supervising today while Daddy and Paw Paw pulled big logs into the field with the John Deere. Unfortunately, under the last log was a copperhead!!! In our backyard...yuck!! Those things freak me out!
• I am writing on this blog at 11:30pm because I am procrastinating...I have 3 big meetings tomorrow and I should be finishing my paperwork!!

I hope you all have a fabulous week!!
Love,
Dana

Things that made me smile today...

I really enjoyed my day...we didn't have anywhere that we had to be, so we weren't in a rush or hurried. Here are just a few of the things that made me smile today:

• I was able to take a LONG nap today. Jarrod kept the boys, dogs, and telephone from interrupting me!
• I watched Jarrod, Joseph, Eli, Grandma, and Paw Paw work in the yard while I cleaned the kitchen...I love having a window at my kitchen sink.
• Jarrod brought me some beautiful flowers when he came home early on Thursday! I finally had time to arrange them in a pretty vase.
• I went to Ross and took my time looking around....all by myself. :)
• I found a Toy Story Lego set for a GREAT price at Ross!
• At Harris Teeter I got Almond Milk for $1.69 (it was on sale, I had a coupon, and it doubled!) I am using lots of Almond Milk to make yummy nutrition shakes! I'll keep you all posted on my weight loss progress.
• The boys saw a Travelocity commercial a few days ago and thought it was hilarious. They giggled and giggled! At Ross tonight they had a Travelocity Gnome statue...so I bought it and the boys went crazy when I got home! Joseph yelled, "You got us a Travelocity Norm!!"

I hope you all found lots of reasons to smile today!
Love,
Dana

Updates and Random Thoughts

I have so many things I want to write about on this blog, but I don't have the time to sit down and put a lot of thought into anything right now...so here is just a list of updates/funny kid stuff/random thoughts!

After posting about the funny things my boys say I remembered a couple more:

• Eli and I were watching Dancing With the Stars and KISS performed that night. Eli said, "Look, Mommy! Those guys are dressed like clowns!"
• One night, Joseph asked if he could come snuggle in our bed. I told him no because I needed to talk to Daddy about some ideas for this summer. He replied, "You and Daddy sure do a lot of planning!" LOL

Jarrod recently said, "You have the best friends who always look out for you." I totally agree!! I hope I can be as good of a friend to them as they have been to me!

• One awesome friend called and asked what the boys wanted for dinner when I had a stomach bug! She knew that I wouldn't feel like cooking, so she brought them dinner!
• Another friend knew I was a little disappointed that Jarrod and I weren't able to spend our day alone like we had planned because Joseph got sick...so she told me that her family wants to invite the boys over so we could have some alone time.
• Another friend told me that she wants the boys to come spend a weekend with her so I can go visit Jarrod by myself.
• What I really love about my friends is that they step up and offer to help when they know I am too stubborn to ask for help. I don't know why I sometimes feel like asking for help is a sign of "weakness."  

Next week is going to be busy again...
Monday-Joseph's guitar lessons
Tuesday-Eli's baseball practice
Wednesday-Awana
Thursday-Joseph's soccer practice
Friday-pass out from exhaustion LOL

Kids Say the Darndest Things :)

My boys are hilarious sometimes! I just wanted to share a few of the funny things that they have recently said...

Eli is 4 and Joseph is 7.

One night while Eli was snuggling with me he said, "Mommy, you really need to get a haircut, because your legs are too scratchy."

On Good Friday, Joseph explained that he didn't have a soccer game on Saturday because "it is Good Saturday."

In a restaurant in Maryland, Eli loudly announced, "Mommy, I know what that yucky smell is. It is your feet." (By the way, it was NOT my feet that smelled....REALLY!!)

I heard Joseph talking to his friend..."My mommy's not a real teacher. She doesn't take her kids to recess and stuff like that."

Eli got mad at me in Walmart and yelled, "You're the meanest Mommy I ever had!"

Joseph wants to participate in Lemonade Day (check out lemonadeday.org) and he was filling out a planning sheet. One question asked how much money he hopes to make at his lemonade stand. He wrote $7,000. I told him that's not reasonable and he said, "Mommy, that's just my goal."

Eli told one of the little girls in his class that he's going to marry her. When we were talking about it, he said, "Well, since I can't marry you I guess I'll have to marry somebody else." (He used to say he was going to marry me!)

I love these boys SO MUCH...they are funny, creative, imaginative, and loving!

Decisions

Some of you already knew that I entered Joseph and Eli into the lottery for Voyager Academy (a local charter school) just to see what would happen....much to my surprise they were both accepted. I really didn't think they would have a chance at getting in...I had told myself that if by some chance they were accepted we would decline the spots. Well, once I saw the emails saying they were both accepted I began questioning everything and became surprisingly emotional. Jarrod told me that he would support whatever decision I made since he is in Maryland and can't help with daily school issues (transportation, packing lunches, conferences, projects, homework, etc.)  Here are some of the questions people asked me...and some questions I asked myself...

Why would you enter them into the lottery if you didn't want the spots? Isn't that unfair to those parents who REALLY wanted those spots?
I started feeling really guilty about entering them into the lottery, especially after reading several Facebook posts from other parents who were upset that their children didn't get in. I simply wanted to keep all options open. Once they were accepted I spent MANY nights questioning everything! I thought it would be an easy choice, but it was far from easy!

Why would you consider sending them to Voyager when Easley is such a great school?
This was the most emotional part of my decision...I love Easley...I love my coworkers...Joseph has had a great experience there...Eli is so excited about being at the "big school" with Mommy and Joseph in July. Of course there are challenges with having your children at the same school where you teach, but there would be challenges no matter what choice I made. The main reason I was considering Voyager is because there are concerns about our high school option (test scores, crime, etc.)

Are you crazy? How could you turn down this opportunity?
Ultimately I decided to leave my boys at Easley and I am at peace with my decision. A lot can change within Durham Public Schools by the time Joseph and Eli are ready for high school. Sure, I've heard Voyager is a good school, but I've also talked to people who weren't happy there. Every school will have its challenges. Am I setting up my children to fail academically by staying in Durham Public Schools? I don't believe so. I have faith that God is in control of every detail of their schooling. He has made it clear to me that Easley is the place my children should be at this point. That doesn't mean that I wouldn't consider other options in the future.

I have a lot of friends who have children at Voyager and I do not want them to think that I am criticizing their choice. Each family has to decide what is best for them! That's what Jarrod and I have done for our family.

I'll be back....

I am sorry for disappearing from my blog world! Life has been insanely busy and I had to put something on the "back burner." Since I have to work and keep up with these boys, I figured blogging would resume once I am on my 3 week break from school. We have one more week of school for students and one teacher workday, then I am free! I have an unrealistically long To Do list...and I am hoping to spend some more time blogging. I've even been asked to write a guest post on my friend's blog!!! :)

Here are just a few updates....

• Eli started tee ball last week. He had a meltdown because his glove didn't "fit." He thinks his fingers have to go all the way to the end of the glove and doesn't understand why it is so big!
• Joseph decided he wants to try soccer again. He attempted soccer when he was 4, but he was more interested in picking flowers and had to be constantly encouraged to stay on the field. I was so impressed during his first practice on Thursday. He did a great job and has been wanting to practice all weekend. :)
• Joseph also decided to participate in our school's Science Fair tomorrow. He wants to make a Volcano...that's what we are working on today!!
• Jarrod's birthday is tomorrow! The boys can't wait to celebrate when he comes home next weekend!
• Disney announced the dates for their "Free Dining" promotion and we booked a trip for our fall break!! I am SOOOO excited! We haven't told the boys, so SHHH! :)

Forgiveness

I am so glad I went to Sunday School yesterday! I am excited about a new series that we are studying...it is all about forgiveness. Today's lesson reviewed some of the reasons that people don't forgive others...and I could relate to every one of them!

Here are 5 excuses we give for not forgiving someone:

1. The hurt is too big. I can relate to this. If someone does something small to hurt me, I find it easy to forgive them....but "big" hurts like physical or emotional abuse, neglect, etc....those are very difficult to forgive. A good friend once told me that hurting people hurt people. That makes sense to me. When I think of the people who have hurt me, especially in my childhood, I can see how they were hurting too.
2. Time will heal it on its own. I tend to ignore things rather than face them up front. I hate confrontation...I would rather avoid the person who hurt me rather than rehash the situation. I have recently learned that bottling things up is not at all a healthy way to live...I had a situation where I became very angry with someone who hurt me in the past. I let YEARS of anger explode....I released all of that pent up rage that I had been ignoring. I didn't handle it in a very mature way and I regret it.
3. I'm not forgiving them until they say sorry first. One of my biggest fears is telling someone who hurt me, "I forgive you," and have them deny the whole experience ever happened. I have to realize that when I forgive them, I am clearing my heart from the hurt...but they will have to deal with their guilt or denial in their own way. It is not my job to judge them...I am only told to forgive them. Just like I was forgiven by God when I didn't deserve it.
4. I can't forgive what I can't forget. I experienced or witnessed some very disturbing things when I was a child. I have had a hard time getting past those images that replay in my head. Through counseling and prayer, I have come to accept that those things all led me to be the person I am today. I promised that I would never let my children experience those things and I have become very sensitive to others who are hurting. When I see someone in need I want to do everything I can to help them...I believe that my past experiences have made me more aware of the needs of others. When I forgive those who hurt me I know the memories won't completely go away. In time they have faded and I no longer see them in vibrant color...now they are mostly fuzzy black and white.
5. If I forgive them, they will just do it again. Apparently we will discuss this issue in more detail during the next few weeks. I have a very hard time forgiving "repeat offenders." When I know the person hasn't changed and will continue the abusive behavior, it is so difficult to forgive them. I need to come to terms with what it means to "forgive." It doesn't mean you condone the behavior or allow that person to continue hurting you. You can forgive them, but then make sure they aren't able to hurt you again. I think about the women in my life who repeatedly went back to abusive boyfriends/husbands. The abusers begged, "Please forgive me. I will never do that again." It is ok to forgive them, but they shouldn't be given the power to continue hurting you.

Wow....sorry this is so long, but I am glad I took the time to reflect on yesterday's lesson. It is obvious that I need to learn a lot more about forgiveness...and I also need to seek out those who I have hurt and ask them to forgive me.

Blessings

On Monday, Jarrod and I talked about planning a Valentine's date for this weekend since we wouldn't be able to celebrate together on Valentine's Day.  I told him I would ask my friend to watch the boys on Saturday so we could go to lunch and a movie. Wednesday night he asked if everything was in order for our date....well I had forgotten to ask my friend, so I wrote "TEXT JENNIFER" on my To Do List for Thursday.

Thursday morning I pulled out my phone to send a text...and I already had a text from Jennifer. It said:

Hey girl! Could I get the boys around 12:00 on Saturday? Our class is having a party at Wheels for the kids and their families. I thought they would enjoy it if you don't already have plans.

Are you kidding me?! She ASKED to watch our boys on the exact day and time that we needed her.

That's not a coincidence....that was totally God planned!

The boys had a fabulous time at Wheels...they also went to Walmart with her and ran some other errands. She dropped them off at our house around 7:30. They are tired and I'm sure they will sleep GREAT tonight!

Jarrod and I enjoyed our date...we had lunch at Tripps and then saw The Vow at Northgate. I told Jarrod that if I woke up from a coma and Channing Tatum told me he was my husband, I wouldn't question it! LOL :) He kept trying to make me cover my eyes during certain parts of the movie!!

What a great weekend...so many blessings to be thankful for...and I even get an extra day off from school on Monday! Long weekend!!! Thank you, Lord!!

Question #1

I got some great questions/ideas for blog topics...so I will start with one question and work my way through them. You can keep sending ideas. :)

Someone asked, "Are you planning to move to Maryland with Jarrod?" I get asked that question ALL THE TIME. I figured this is a great time to answer it....

The boys and I are not planning to move to Maryland. Jarrod and I have discussed this MANY times. It is so hard for him to be away from us during the week. I know he would love having us there with him; however, the field of work that he is in can be so unpredictable and unstable. There's too big of a risk for us move to Maryland...Jarrod could be laid off...or transferred to New York...or receive a great job offer back in North Carolina. A couple of other reasons...

• The cost of living is so much higher in the area where he is working. I looked into 1 bedroom apartments for him and the rent is higher than what we are paying for our house!

• North Carolina is home for me....all of my family is here. It would be especially hard for me to leave my grandmother who is not doing well physically since she had her stroke a couple of years ago.

• I love the school where I teach...Eli will be starting kindergarten there next year. I am sure there are good schools in Maryland, but Easley is "home" for us.

• Finding a place to live with 3 big dogs would be quite a challenge.

We continue to pray about this situation, because we know that not having their Daddy around on a daily basis is not what is best for our boys. Perhaps an awesome job will open up in NC...but when Jarrod was looking before, every door was slammed shut. God is using this time apart to help make our relationship stronger....it sounds crazy, but with Jarrod gone all week we have gotten "closer" as a family. The boys are so excited when he comes home on the weekends. They spend a lot of great quality time together when he is home. He's like a rockstar...when they see him they start screaming, "DADDY!!!"

I frequently remind myself that he could be deployed in Afghanistan....or a truck driver gone for weeks at a time...or at home working crazy hours and always stressed out...or working a dangerous job causing me to worry about his safety all the time...or unemployed and depressed...

At least he is only 5 hours away...and he has driven all night to get home to help me with a sick kid...and I know he would be here ASAP if I needed him.

So, that was a VERY long answer to a simple question...no, we are not planning to move to Maryland...but if he got a job offer in Tahiti.....see ya! :)

Questions/Suggestions

A few of you have recently suggested different ideas/topics/stories that I should write about on this blog. I love hearing your suggestions!! If you have an idea...or a question you would like me to answer...please let me know!! You can email it to me at walkerfamily94@gmail.com or send me a Facebook message or leave a comment on this post! I can't wait to read some of your ideas! :)

17

With Valentine's Day approaching, I thought this would be the perfect time to write a post about my sweet hubby!

We have been married 17 years...our 18th Anniversary is in August! Here are 17 reasons why I love this man....

(in no particular order)

1. He isn't afraid to show his emotions, especially around our boys. He teaches them that it is ok to cry when you are sad and even when you're happy. He cried when both of our children were born; he cried when the military presented me and my sister with the flag at our Dad's memorial service; he cried when we found out we were pregnant....all 3 times.

2. He is the strongest man I know! If someone needs help moving, they know that Jarrod is the man to call. At the beginning of the school year my classroom was a mess because furniture had been moved to clean the floors, so Jarrod came and moved everything for me...of course he wasn't too happy when I kept changing my mind about where to put things. :)

3. He is such a hardworker! I have known quite a few lazy men in my life....Jarrod is NOT one of those men! He will go to work when he is sick, work overtime even when he doesn't get paid for it, go above and beyond what's required to get the job done.

4. He WANTS to provide for our family. Working in the communications/technology field, Jarrod has been through a few job lay-offs. During one period of unemployment, he went to work at Blockbuster because he was determined to do something to provide for his family, even if the money wasn't great. He has worked every shift and schedule imaginable. He is willing to do whatever it takes for his family...he is even willing to chase bats our of our house!!! Eeeek!

5. He has the BEST laugh! If Jarrod thinks something is funny, you will know it....everyone in the theater will know it...and probably everyone in the next theater will know it, too!

6. He is polite and teaches our boys that it is so important to use good manners. So many people have told me how impressed they are with the way our boys (ages 4 and 7) will hold doors open for people, say yes ma'am, please, and thank you....I tell them it's because they have learned it from their Daddy! I work with several people who knew Jarrod in Jr. High and High School....they constantly tell me what a polite and kind young man he was, even back then.

7. He loves me...not only does he tell me, but he shows me! He will probably kill me for writing this...but when I was pregnant he shaved my legs for me! He rubs my feet and tells me to go take a nap when he knows that I am exhausted. Since he can't be home to help me during the week, on the weekends he pampers me!

8. He is just a big kid...he wrestles with our boys, plays legos with them, rides roller coasters and water slides with them, teaches them to play video games...

9. He loves animals, expecially our 3 dogs. He teaches our boys to love and protect the dogs. They are learning the importance of caring for other living creatures....learning responsibility and compassion.

10. He drives 10 hours every weekend to come home and see his family. He wouldn't do that if we weren't the most important priority in his life. It isn't easy for him to be away from us all week, but he knows that he needs this job so that we can spend more quality time together....taking the boys to Washington, DC...meeting at Kings Dominion to spend the weekend together...

11. He is generous. We have becomes great friends with a single mom. She takes care of our boys with little or no notice. She volunteers to let them spend the night with her. She is like family to us. We have helped her out over the years. It always amazes me how generous Jarrod can be....if she asks to borrow $20 he will say, "Give her $50." If she asks for help paying her past due electric bill, he will say, "Pay the entire balance." There are people who have told us that we should take care of our own family and put more money into savings. While this is true, we also know that God has called us all to care for the widows and that is what I consider her since her husband left her with 5 children to care for. I love my husband for his generous and loving spirit.

12. He treats me like a princess. When I told him that I splurged and got a pedicure yesterday, he said, "Thank you." What?! Why would he say that?? (Maybe he was tired of my scratchy heels!) He actually said that it makes him happy when I take time and care for myself since I always spend so much time caring for others. What a sweet man!

13. He will go shopping with me and the clothes that he picks out for me always look better than the ones I choose. Seriously....every outfit he has picked out for me gets tons of compliments...it can actually get annoying! :)

14. He loves Disney World! We've taken the boys twice and Jarrod also did a half marathon with me...a month after he was bitten by a snake on the foot! We can't wait to plan another trip...hopefully this fall, but it all depends on what happens with his new job responsibilities. Our summer and fall plans may need to be modified....but that is fine with me, as long as we are together!

15. He is passionate about the things that he loves....college basketball, technology, Star Wars, NCIS, his dogs, his family....(those aren't in order of importance!)

16. He isn't too proud to admit when he is wrong and apologizes. If he loses his temper with his boys, he will apologize to them. When he recently had an issue at work, he went to a person that he was kind of rude to and apologized for taking his bad mood out on her. Whenever we argue, 90% of the time he will be the first to apologize (of course that's because he was WRONG and he knew it...ha ha!)

17. He loves God and is the perfect leader for our family. I thank God for the man Jarrod has become during our 17 years of marriage. Is he perfect? No. But, he is perfect for me!! We have had some bad times....some VERY bad times. By the grace of God, our marriage has survived and gotten stronger.

Happy Valentine's Day, Sweetie! Thank you for putting up with me for all these years! I love you!

Fun Friday

I couldn't come up with a catchy name for this post. I figured the best title would be Fun Friday, because overall I had a really good day.

I got a lot accomplished at work today. I spent some extra time doing paperwork...I know that doesn't sound fun...but I made myself finish a couple of things that have been on my "To Do" list for a long time. I felt relieved after checking those items off the list!

After work I had about 2 hours to myself....Joseph was at his after school program and Eli was at preschool. I really should have come home and worked on some decluttering projects...but I didn't! Nope, instead I went and got a pedicure. It had been a LONG time since my last pedicure. Jarrod even recently made a comment about my rough, scratchy heels. I took that as his way of saying, "Sweetie, you really need to go and get a pedicure. I think the VIP treatment is in order!" After being pampered and reading a current copy of Us Weekly, I picked up the boys and we headed to Subway for dinner! The boys love their subs and I can't pass up the $5 footlongs (now I have lunch for tomorrow....unless Jarrod finds my leftovers in the fridge when he gets home from Maryland.)

I am really looking forward to a fun weekend with my family and friends from church!
With Love,
Dana

More Pantry Progress

Finally....before/after pictures of another pantry shelf decluttered! Now 2 shelves are organized....I'm slowly making progress!

My project was to organize foil and plastic bags.

I decluttered the entire shelf. Much better now!

February Photo Challenge

I found a challenge on Pinterest to take a photo each day in February. There is even a list to follow....you know I love this type of challenge.

February 1st - Your View

This was my view as I walked down the hallway. The boys decided to have a picnic in Eli's room. :) Too bad the room is such a mess! I need to get back to my decluttering projects!

February 2nd - Words

My mother-in-law made this for us after we got married! I can't believe in August we will celebrate 18 years!! :) I love my husband and I'm so glad he's stuck with me through the good times and bad. At the bottom of the frame you can see a small stain....that's a story for another blog post! ;)

Watch this, Mommy!

The boys have enjoyed playing outside today!! They like to play "roller coaster" and Joseph pulls Eli around in the wagon. They begged me to get a video....

I was trying not to laugh! I am such a bad mommy!

I've Fallen Off the Wagon!

My "friend" told me about $2 grab bags at Michaels full of awesome stuff....and I thought she was supporting my decluttering efforts! (ha ha...just kidding! I love you, Donna!)

I bought 7 grab bags...my table was overflowing....

$14 worth of "treasures"

There were 168 round magnets!!!!
Some of these will be donated and I'm thinking of using some of them for a craft project.

We got LOTS of stamps. I will be selling some of these at the consignment sale. :)

 

I was so surprised to find a mug with a W on it!! How perfect!

Some of this will be donated, some will be sold, some will go in my Treasure Box at school, and some will be saved for next Christmas. The boys have helped me sort through all of it...I even created a small Treasure Box to keep at home and the boys are doing chores to earn a trip to the Treasure Box. :)

Where a Kid Can be a Kid!

Joseph celebrated his 7th birthday at Chuck E. Cheese! He and his friends had a great time!! I didn't include all the pictures....I will try to post the other pics in an album on Facebook.



Little by Little

I haven't been decluttering as much as I did while on Intersession. According to the decluttering calendar I've been using, I was supposed to go through a storage shelf or pile for 6 days. I decided to tackle my closet!! Even though it is not completely finished it is time to move on to another project before I burn out and give up on decluttering! There's still a lot to do, but I'm happy with the progress I've made so far! At least I can walk inside the closet without climbing over "stuff!"

Here are the before/after pics:



I know you are all admiring the cool "artwork" that I have on my wall! Once all of the decluttering is finished I think it will be time to repaint the whole house! :)

The next project on the calendar is to declutter candles. This will be hard for me because I have candles spread out all over the house. I love my Partylite candles (my dear friend Pennie is a consultant...check out her website: www.partylite.biz/pennieg .) As I have been decluttering I have been putting all of the candles I come across in one area.

The next project is to sort through pictures!! This is another project that I will need to skip for now. I have pictures in several different areas and need to declutter those areas before I can do a really good job of sorting them. I have already sorted a majority of my pictures because I love to scrapbook. I usually take my pictures to scrapbook retreats so I can sort them when I'm away from all of the chaos at home.

The next project is to "only keep your good, sharp knives." I am happy to say that all of my knives are sharp because I recently bought a complete set of Pampered Chef knives with the bamboo butcher block! I got a great deal on them because I hosted a show. My mom was happy to take my "old" knives because they were nicer than her "old" knives.

This next project is one that I can definitely work on.....go through plastic bag/foil area! This is an area of my pantry that really needs work!