How About An Update?!

Luckily, this semester is almost over, and I will possibly update more often.

On a positive note: This semester has been amazing, and I have grown SO much as a pre-service teacher! I have never worked harder for anything in my life!! I also have not seen God move so much in my life. He has brought amazing friends and teachers into my life to support and pour into me. He has also showed me exactly what he wants from me! I am so excited to enter the Deaf Ed/Special Ed world soon!!!

Here are some of our Christmas pictures (that I have yet to turn into Christmas cards! ha!):

ALL CREDIT GOES TO JILLIAN ZAMORA PHOTOGRAPHY....of course! :)

Love that swing! :)

Those dimples make me smile!

Mistletoe! ;)

In the words of JZP: "Fierce!"

Ahhh that wedding band!!!

A truly sweet moment!

Laughter fills our home daily! I'm so glad Jillian captured this moment!

Visit her website to see more of her pictures OR like her Jillian Zamora Photography facebook page!

STRESSED!

Yess yess! Stressed spelled backwards is Desserts...trust me, I've been eating my fair share of chocolate covered strawberries lately!

I have so enjoyed my first semester of student teaching/observation!! I LOVED the teachers I was with and am sad to see the end (don't get me wrong, the light at the end of the tunnel is a beautiful thing)!! I've spent the last 8 weeks at Cross Oaks Elementary. My teacher friends there warned me that I would fall in love with it! Guess what?! I did! Today I practically gave myself an ulcer at the thought of never seeing those teachers, friends, and students again. Luckily, I know that won't happen.

A few minutes ago, I turned in my preferences for next semester. Oh my was this stressful! How do you say no to some teachers and yes to others?! What happens if some how you end up with all of the teachers that you marked as no?! That would S-U-C-K! But I have to remember that I will learn no matter where I am, who I'm with, and whether the teacher is effective or not. God has me in His hands and is in control of my life. He knows my potential. He knows where is best for me. I have to continue to trust in His Will and rejoice in His truth! I know that He is my Provider!

Now, I will continue to pray that I will end up with the two teachers that I feel will best continue my education and support me along this journey. I have to pray that I will be placed in the school where I have the potential of getting hired! It is all in Your Will, oh Lord!

Another Fast Update

I think that fast updates are all my blog can be right now. I'm just TOO. EXHAUSTED. Here it goes.

1. I LOVE my second school! I'm actually hoping to stay there next semester!! I loved first grade during my first grade, but now I am loving fifth grade and shadowing an inclusion specialist! I can only pray I will stay with them next semester!
2. The Rangers and the Cardinals are in the World Series (like you didn't know). I'm from Texas. Trevor is a die-hard Cards fan. I'm staying out of it. ; )
3. I'm subbing high school tomorrow. In fact, I only sub in high school. I just love interacting with the high school students!! It's always fun to sub at your old high school!
4. Thanksgiving is approximately one month away! I love the holiday season and cannot wait to have an entire week off with my handsome husband. I have a few surprises up my sleeve for him!!
5. I want to run so bad and yet I have no time. I'm practically sleep-typing this! I must be getting old! ; )
6. Marley's birthday party was last weekend!! Pictures and video to come as soon as I have time to upload them. Sophie's party is this weekend!

Psalm 121:1
I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Where I'm From Poem

For my Literacy Methods course, we were asked to create a Where I'm From poem (original idea was from George Ella Lyon-who we got to see a few weeks ago). Let me just tell you, I do NOT like poetry! I am not good at writing poetry and I do not prefer to read poetry. HOWEVER, I really enjoyed this writing process and the results of this poem, thus why I am sharing it with all of you!

Where I'm From

I am from ten years of test tubes and Mama's answered prayer
Iam from beautiful blonde curls and zerburts, giggles, and big cheek smiles
I am from white picket fences and "supper's on the table"
I am from elaborate Easter gowns and bows as big as my head
I am from Daddy's at the pulpit and we're sleepin' in the pews

I am from Monday McDonald's and Saturday morning donuts
I am from basketball game side lines and Friday night lights
I am from extravagant Sunday dinners and an extended family of concregants

I am from “belly buttons and butterflies”

I am from Grandpa's pennies and Grandma's chewing gum
I am from Daddy's little girl knowls who's in charge
I am from short sheeted beds and stolen toys
I am from "Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed by Thy Name"
I am from Lone Star summers and Cowboys on Thanksgiving
I am from bluebonnet photography and hummingbird feeders
I am from sweatin' bullets - "but it is a dry heat"
I am from America by birth but Texas by the grace of God

I am from oversized portions and Mama's weekly feasts
I am from late night snacks and after school meals
I am from Daddy says I'm beautiful but people's looks don't lie
I am from images in the mirror of an overweight teenage girl
I am from images in the mirror of an overweight teenage girl
I am from counting the numbers on a scale, praying they are in the right order
I am from running water to hide the sound - it doesn't taste as good the second time around
I am from wiping tears and hiding the evidence
I am from looks aren't everything but it's not always that easy
 
I am from a broken heart and a hospital bed
I am from "you had me at get lost" --ummmm, let's just be friends
I am from Easter Sunday kisses and dead battery delieveries
I am from Yogurt Story breakups and yep, it's a sign
I am from P.S. I Love You ending fifteen times
I am from counting the days and handwritten letters
I am from crumbly cookies and "You must be Tiffany Joy!"
I am from Marine Corps birthdays and ball gown dresses
I am from "let me see your ring" to sparklers at the getaway
I am from living evily hafter apper with my personal Prandsome Hince

I am from where I've been, but nowhere near the end -- riding into the sunset with my very best friend

Happy birthday, Miss Marley!!

I am so excited and shocked that Marley has turned 1 today! It seems like just a few short months ago that I was jolted awake at 4:30 in the morning to phone calls, text messages, and the excitement of another baby on the way!! Rushing to the hospital and walking into the room right after she was born was such an excitement for me! I've enjoyed my nephews (Eli and Isaac) so much and yet it was such a joy to welcome this sweet little baby girl into the world!

Seriously, this child is the happiest baby on the planet! Even when she is sick, she is so joyful! She's smiley and full of laughter all the time!

She has just grown so much this year!

Marley, I am so blessed to be your Aunt Kiffidy! You have filled me and the rest of the family with such joy and happiness with your laughter and cuddles! I cannot wait for another year, more smiles, more growth, and more hair bows! I love you!

What's up with the Sewell's!?

Things have been absolutely crazy around our house lately!! Trevor is somewhat shifting gears and preparing for flight school. He's begun to read the books and try to get ahead of the game. I'm so excited for the adventure about to begin. I have a feeling I will have a difficult time adjusting, but this is the Lord's will and He never leaves us!

Trevor has also begun working for my brother, Ben! This is somewhat of a shift since he was working nights for Party Animals. HOWEVER, because of the horrible allergies that he has this time of the year, he is beginning to do real estate recruitment for my brother! I'm excited for this opportunity for him and thrilled that they get along so well!

My focus right now is ONLY ONLY ONLY on school. I am in my school two days a week (which I love! I often miss my kids when I'm not there!) and I am at UNT the other two days. I've been subbing on Fridays or working on lesson plans and projects. Truly, if I can survive this year and my first year of teaching, I'm pretty sure I can handle anything!

I haven't been working on any crafts lately simply because I have been so incredibly busy, however, here are a few of the projects to come! :)

Since I'm in the mindset of my classroom, we'll start with this one! Who knows what classroom I'll be in, where it will be, or when it will be, BUT I absolutely must make this and it must be displayed there!

Eli and Isaac made works of art that were vary similar for their playroom! They really enjoyed it so I may have them help me with this! I'd love to have two or three of these! :)

I'm also wanting to make a couple headband holders because I have SO many headbands and bows! I'll probably do somehting similar to this with a teal motif similar to our bathroom style.

I am in major need of a cookbook! I haven't decided if I'm going to make one similar to this like I did for my mom a few Christmas's ago or if I'll create a book on shutterfly. Because I am trying a lot of recipes often, I may start out with something like this and work my way up to printed books!

I also have a few big painting projects coming (baskets, table, chairs, and a console table), but that's probably going to be saved for Thanksgiving or Christmas break.

I also have another wreath planned but I'm keeping this one a secret!

Our "S" Wall

Practically since we have moved into this house, I've had a vision for this "S" Wall. We decided from the very beginning that if we were going to have our initials around the house, they would have to be all in one place! Thus the "S" Wall! I found the letters all over the place and we also painted some. I had Eli and Isaac each finger paint one and they did phenomenal!! We love how it turned out!!

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