Summer is over:( Well, for a teacher it is.

No posts this summer....Because well, the internet man was supposed to come last week and due to a mishap of events...he didn't make it to my house till today (also after a phone call to his company)...so our internet is officially here and I can update anytime on my much-missed blog! Lots and lots of changes in such little time: I got a new job at the middle school in town.....it started this week. I miss my friend. The one that was across the hall, the one that I waited for each morning, the one I saw and hugged and talked to every single school day. I miss her. Can't say much more and haven't been able to all summer. Hope I get past that soon so that I can write her an "I Love Ya" letter longer than two sentences:) Anway, Blakley Kate started daycare. Whew, what a durn adventure. Honestly. Hardest thing ever is putting your baby in a new place for total strangers to look after her. I have struggled with it for about 8 days now. Everyone tells me it will get better...wonder when??!! It's been one of those things that I know HAS to be done so therefore I don't have a choice (other than the choice in where it is I take her) so therefore I have no control....so therefore I have been an emotional hurricane lately. I feel like I need my very own weather siren attached to my back side so that I can warn anyone I come into contact with that I may flip out emotionally at any moment. I have done alot of prayin....alot. I have complete faith that our little princess will be taken care of and that the Lord will keep us all strong through the adjustment process. He never lets me down- and I never doubt His love for us. Got some wonderful news this summer: My pappaw is cancer-free!!!! I want to shout it out everytime I tell someone. After his battle with cancer and many many radiation treatments and chemo....his cancer is gone. Miracles can happen, people. I'm just sayin. Thank you for all the prayers....

I hate landscaping. I really do. After working in the sun for over 3 hours in my yard, I officially am exhausted. I thank God for how pretty these garden ornaments (I call them bushes) are; however, I know now that He did not give me a green thumb. And I am okay with that. Whew- at least they're cut. And I think Jason thinks I "butchered" them (and he may be right since I did cut one down to the ground) but he has yet to be brave enough to say the words out loud. He may not open that can! Good news is that Blakley played outside almost all day and LOVED it! I may enjoy sitting on my porch even more now that I can see out to the road:) Thanks be to helpful neighbors that know alot about bushes!

Jason had another doctor appointment today (first it was to get his stitches out). Well, the surgeon's nurse called him yesterday with more bad news- they had not take enough out. So, we had some fear going into the office today, but we knew that all the prayers would be heard and that He already has our plan layed out- We have faith in Him. The news is that we have to wait 2 more weeks!!! Ugh! After sitting in the waiting room with a very talkative woman....I said a silent prayer for her while sitting there....bless her heart- she just wanted to talk...well okay after sitting there- we went back to the room with a rather elderly woman...rather. Quick funny here: She tried to listen to Jason's pulse without her ear plugs from the stethescope in- hmmmm go figure. That may tell you how "elderly" she is...bless her heart too. Said another prayer for her. Doc came in to take Jason's stitches out and let us know that he was going to meet personally with the pathologist that did the biopsy, which happens to be the lead pathologist at the lab, to see just exactly how much farther he would have to cut. (He originally took a half-dollar size). He did tell us to not worry until we meet again- which is weird for me....Is that good or bad news?? Don't know. I prayed it was good. So, for now we just wait and pray. We're getting good at that!

So summer has started and my to-do list grows.....things on it range from going to the zoo to painting a bookshelf. I read an article last night that said, "Pretend you only have 3 weeks of summer vacation." It followed with some logical reasoning....not only will you spend your time wisely on things that "matter" but you will enjoy every second of it because it is short....I can't help but wonder, though, how will I not remember that it really is more than 3 weeks. Anyway, I will try it. And I already have so much planned for my 3 weeks!!! Ha! We leave for the beach soon...and I am so extremely excited that I can hardly talk about it....seriously, I wouldn't sleep. Let's just say- This beach trip will be unlike any other- mostly because of my new-found outlook on life----enjoy every minute to the fullest exent----don't waste time on negative energy.

My time with Blakley is the best- we "talk", we play (mostly in her kitchen or mine), we dance and run in the yard. She is just the best. I can remember, though, this time last year- what a nightmare....well, really it wasn't one, but I thought it was at the time. Her sleeping pattern was so off, her teeth were just starting to come in, she could not walk, she could not talk....I cannot believe how far we have come this year! God is great- He has blessed me in so many ways- mostly with the family I get to wake up to each morning. All I have to say about this right now- carrying a sleeping baby to bed because she fell asleep on you is probably right up there with being in Heaven.

I think, well I know....that having this health scare with Jason has pushed me into re-evaluating what's important to me. I have always know that he and Blakley were the most important humans in my life....but this has somehow made me appreciate their love even more. I have found myself being more nurturing than I have been in the past- taking advantage of every moment to do things for both of them....and not thinking of one complaint as I go about the task at hand. I have also had the chance to start sort of a new relationship with God. I will leave our status change to me and Him....Everything else aside- I love my family, I appreciate them and value every single second I spend in their presence. I plan on taking full advantage of my life here on Earth....and preparing best I can for my life in Heaven.

Life is good- We are better than ever- Things will be okay- We have faith.

Summer Approaching!

As the school year comes to an end, I can't help but think of how bittersweet this year has been. I have watched my group of children mature and grow, especially fast since Christmas. I love the anticipation of getting a new bunch of kids next year; however, I hate the sadness of seeing my kids from this year leave. I know they will do well at JCHS; I wish them all the best.

We have had a health scare over the past few weeks- Jason became worried about a freckle-turned-mole on his nose a few months ago, so he went, reluctantly, to the doctor for a check up. She said it needed to be removed. It was removed and when he went back to get the stitches out, the dermatologist gave him bad news: it was Melanoma. As you can imagine, he was shocked and scared initially. Anyone would be scared to hear they have cancer! Luckily, the plastic surgeon we met with last week thinks we have caught it in time and that it has not spread. They are still not sure how deep it is; they will not know this until tomorrow morning when he goes in for surgery. Lots of prayers have gone up for our family- I feel certain that God has heard everyone of them. I have some pretty amazing kids here at school that have continuously prayed for Jason and his health- Words cannot describe how wonderful these students are!

Blakley had her 18 month check up yesterday..She is in the 93rd percentile in height and the 47th percentile in weight. The doctor said, "I hope you want her to play basketball!" He kept telling me how tall she was going to be! Wow! I never imagined having a tall child- I am certainly not tall and Jason is average...It must come from our families! Thanks, ya'll! She did get one shot...but she's had so many now that she's okay with it! After the nurse poked her little leg, she said, "Go!" It has been amazing watching her learn new things and "copy" what Jason and I are doing- she does something new everyday it seems. Just the other night she came out of the bathroom, sat in the living room floor with a bath crayon, and proceeded to "paint" her toenails- she did get it on her toes, just not all on her nails! Pretty cute to say the least. The funniest thing, though, is when she sees Jason and I hugging- She wants to hug too:) I must admit...the absolute best part of my day is seeing her face when she first wakes up! It's pricless. Time is flying...and we are having fun:)

Our summer is about to get rolling...vacations, sun-time (not without SPF 3,000 of course), cookouts, and lazy afternoons. I hope to be more attentive to my blog over the summer. We kick off our trips with a weekend getaway to Grandma Barb's in Indiana!

Love, Amanda

Spring

Wow, it's been a long time since my last post! I hope all is well wherever you guys are- We often wonder how everyone is doing and wish we lived closer to all of you. Life in Chuckey is wonderful. Spring has definately arrived in the Moorman household- it is evident in every sneeze and sniffle- ALLERGIES- UGH! However, the yard is green, the birds are chirping, and the air smells of smoke from the grill! Not to mention, the yard sales are emerging!!! Yay! Our summer is starting to fill up- which is great for us! School gets out for me May 26th (hallelujah) and I have an interview with Greeneville City, hopefully, the first few days of June. We are planning on going North to Indiana the first part of June, which will be awesome since we haven't been there in a few years. Our beach trip is planned for June 20th, and our excitement about that is just indescribable!!! This will be the first vacation where Blakley will really get to enjoy herself and play. She got a new sandbox, and her enjoyment with that has shown us that it may be a fight getting her inside from the beach! We also hope to travel the month of July either to North Carolina (Outerbanks) or Chattanooga. So, along with all the trips to the playground, Wal-Mart, and other various places....our summer will be very busy!
Jason's season is coming to an end, but his recruiting never stops! He has a trip planned to Kissimee, FL May 14-16 where the girls will compete in the Body Bar Tournament there. I think he also has a trip or two planned for the summer for recruiting purposes. His hard work is beginning to pay off now; he has recruited some girls that are among the best in the country! Real estate has been very slow this year, and he really is just trying to ride it out until things pick up with that. Hopefully that will happen soon! I think he has decided that our next big purchase will be a boat. Since we both love the lake- that sounds like a great idea to me!
Blakley is blossoming into such a wonderful little girl to be around. Aside from the occasional temper fits we have to ignore:) she is a joy! Her vocabulary is growing and she's even starting to put two words together- like "daddy side" for daddy outside, "all gone", "who's that", etc. She loves to be outside- and seems to get into less trouble there- All day indoors for her is a nightmare. She usually gets a spanking if she stays indoors all day!
Overall, the spring season has started off great. Hope the summer is even better!

Update

Hello everyone! I thought post an update on what's happenin in our crazy lives! Well, Jason is busy busy with wrestling right now- he has traveled away almost every weekend since New Year's! He was supposed to be gone this weekend thru the 2nd weekend in March too, but he decided to take this weekend off and spend it with us! Yay!!! Normally, the wrestling season is hard, and it was hard last year, but this year it has seemed forever long. I can't say that it's any "harder" than last season for me because now I am pretty much accustomed to doing things round the house and such with him gone...I know he loves his job, and he works very hard but he misses us at the same time! We DEFINATELY miss him too- so much. It's a treat when he's home on the weekends! I normally don't want them to end. All in all, we are proud of our wrestling coach...and love to see him succeed.
Miss Blakley is growing like a weed! She is wearing 18-24 month clothes and size 5 shoe! Her hair seems to be growing way slower than her body....but it's finally long enough to put into a ponytail! She's running and pretty much goes full blast from the time she wakes until she finally lets herself sleep! I remember last summer and not being able to wait until she could play in the yard with us- well, she's loving the yard and runs from us every chance she gets. This spring and summer should be so much fun!!! Her teeth are really popping out now- she has 9 total and is in the process of cutting 2 more! A lot of people might say that this is bad (for Jas and I, of course!) but she has really been so good through all of her teeth...occasional rest problems here and there but nothing too crazy! Overall, she is a good baby- she is happy, playful, spirited, and loving. I can honestly say that there is nothing better than a hug or kiss from her! Her jibberish is starting to make more sense....she says about 20-25 words now, but really you can just clearly understand 11 or 12, unless you're me or Jas. LOL! She loves to read and actually pretends to read all the time- her coloring has migrated to walls and floors though, so that's been a challenge. She never eats them- she just colors on everything! She eats pretty much anything, but her favorite foods (right now) are spaghetti o's, cheese, and cream of wheat....she really likes anything messy. We try to give her different foods to try....and some she has loved, but others she just spits out! Her personality is so vibrant! She's starting to form attachments to people other than Jas and I....which is really cool to watch! She remembers her grandma and her grandpa- and even picks them out of photos! It's pretty awesome! She is a blessing in our lives and everyone that she comes into contact with- there is nothing like having a child. People have always said this to me, but I truly know the meaning now:)
For me, I am doing great! My job is really the epitomy of frustration right now....I am resenting the fact that I drive an hour and a half one way to deal with some of the issues I deal with at school, but there's nothing I can do about it right now...so I just do the best I can do while I am there. Hopefully, I can find a job in another district next year- beleive me, I have applications out all over northeast Tennessee! I've been running again (for about 2 months) and have several races in line for the spring...my first one back since the baby will be Feb. 20...I am really excited about it! One of my resolutions this year was to run one race a month from March- October, so starting early in Feb. may constitute one month off:) My thryoid is finally on track, so my medication will not increase anymore for the time being, which is great because having my thryoid messed up has really been the most frustrating thing physically that's ever happened to me. My pappaw is taking chemo treatments and radiation right now with his last treament scheduled to be March 12th. Then we will see what happens- I know lots of prayers are being sent up. Thank you. He is being a real trooper so far- he hasn't lost any weight and remains active for now. He is in his 4th week of treatment. On a lighter note, I hope to start my master's in history at ETSU either next fall or spring 2011; once we work out the finances I should know for sure. That also depends on where I get a job next year though. ETSU has a daycare center for parents taking classes, and if I get the job I want at Science Hill High School, it would only be about 8 or 10 minutes from there! For now, all I can do is pray that I am open enough to see where God wants me to go. Life has been great for me...I can't complain.
So, that's what's going on with us as of Feb. 4, 2010- Our chaos may stir soon, but for now...life's pretty darn good.

Moments

Have you ever had one of those moments where you think to yourself, "I am so lucky to be living this life..." I had one of those hit-you-in-the-face moments this past weekend. There are so many times that I complain, either out loud or in my head, about things I have to do and places I have to be. This weekend as I watched Blakley at the door watching our neighbors tear up our yard by sledding through it(with my permission, of course), I had a realization. These things I have to do everyday are the very things that make my life mine. I realized that these small "everyday" tasks are my life- without them I am not me. So many days I have spent thinking about ways to make life "easier" when all the while I should have been thinking about how to make the most out of each minute. I can remember back to when I was not married, childless, careerless, dogless...and I wonder...when did I become so wrapped up in irrelevant details- things that will not matter in 5, 10, 15 years? I decided that life is not waiting for me at the end of whatever difficult task is on the doorstep that day; life is the difficult task and the joy of getting through it in one piece! My life is three hours a day in the car, a spilled bowl of spaghetti, a ravaged bag of trash on the floor (dog is guilty), a text message to Jason because there's no time for an actual phone call, a grocery list that never ends, puddles of water on the bathroom floor, a bedtime story, walking the dog in the rain with a baby on my hip, saying hello and goodbye at 6 every morning, a pacifier dropped in the toilet, a student's smile when I encourage them, and so many of the other small things that I take forgranted day after day.

Holidays, New Year, Snow, Snow, Snow

Christmas was an absolute joy this year! Blakley got more toys and things than she really new what to do with, and has had the best time with all of them! We did alot of traveling here and there but nothing too far away. We spent Christmas Eve with my dad's family in Knoxville and then later, after Christmas, we went to Jason's dad's house to see Grandma Oden and Nate and Beth. Lyv and Dave came in to visit for a few days over Christmas, which was so much fun. Blakley absolutely LOVES her Grandma! They played non-stop the whole entire time...Needless to say, we had a very blessed Christmas.
The New Year rang in as the three of us snuggled in bed- Blakley was asleep of course and Jason and I barely made it...ya, guess we're just gettin old! Ha! 2010 will bring so much, and we're looking forward to seeing what this new year holds for our family.
After the New Year, we were hit with LOTS of snow (now I know it's not LOTS of snow according to some people...but to us...it was LOTS of snow)....which kept me out of school for almost an extra two weeks! It was so nice being able to stay home longer with Blakley and even having Jason home some with us was great! We spent most of the time eating, which went against my resolution, but what are you supposed to do when you're home all day and can't get out?? Cook and Eat! Jason has been practicing for some BBQ Cook-offs he is entering this summer, so we ate ribs three times over break. I'm not complaining at all- they are delicious! I can't wait for him to enter!
Blakley has learned to kick the ball in the yard, she is running now, she has 8 teeth, and she's learning so many new words. She can say mama, dada, paw, up, no, ya, cup, bear, corn, ball, bye, hi, ga (for grandma, i think), and many other one syllable sounds that I can understand but most others can't. It must be the mommy thing. Her personality is so bright, and she brings joy to everyone she meets. We are extremely proud of her...and could go on and on...