December

I have been waiting for this month for so long......and now it is here.  Actually it is half way over with. Wow. Should have known the one the month I did not want to end is ending. Grrr

Christmas is by far my favorite time of the year. I love everything about it. Josh and I have of course already opened our stockings..and that boy did amazing this year! Tomorrow we are having our Christmas date, and I am pretty pumped about it.  We will definitly be eating at Buffalo Wild Wings tomorrow night. Yes this girl right here is beyond pumped!!!! Then we will open our gifts...once again I am pumped!

I told myself I would actually get some wedding planning done while I am off from school.  I have yet to do anything!!! Oh well...the honeymoon is planned, I have the dress, and my groom is amazing..that is all I really need. July cannot get here fast enough. Less than 7 months till we get to meet Baby Miller and I finally get married!!!

Distractions.

This weekend was pretty amazing! Although I have been studing for finals since Thursday, I took time this weekend away from studying.  Saturday I went with Mrs. Miller to look for her bridesmaids dress. Of course when she arrived at my house I rubbed her not-yet-present-baby bump. Then off to David's Bridal we went! This was by far the easiest shopping experience ever...why? Because Amy knew exactly what she wanted! And it look amazing on her! Now lets pray Baby Miller arrives as expected. If not, it will be okay, as long as she/he arrives safe and sound I will one happy girl (and Amy will be one happy momma)!

Saturday night I went to my future in-laws to watch the Ga game....we are just going to leave it at that...there is always next year.

Sunday was a full day of watching House (thank you Ed and Tabitha, Josh and I are addicted).  Of course I put of studying long enough and returend to it. 

I only have one final that I am actually worried about.  And when I realized I could not lose HOPE, I stopped worrying so much.  HOPE will also only pay for four more hours next semester, so even if I did lose it would not be that big of a deal. 

So today I am back to studying for the final that I have on Thursday...but of course life in general is WAY more interesting then Europe in the 20th century.

That light at the end of the tunnel...

I have a week and half left in this semester!!! I am once again doing my little happy dance!

The past couple of weeks have been slightly entertaining. First we got to meet that precious baby Rayne. She is beyond perfect. Josh now has baby fever, it is so cute!
Second, I took Josh shopping for Christmas gifts. We shopped for SIX hours and only bought two presents...Never again!!! I wil soo go by myself from now on. Third, we had Thanksgiving. I am more of Christmas person, but Josh loves it. So like I previously said I baked an orange cake and two chocolate pies. Fourth, I hard an allergic reaction to the antibiotic for my tooth. Which of course caused me to have a panic attack bc I have never been allergic to anything!!! Bubby was always the one who was allergic to everything.

No I am patiently waiting for the end of this semester. Life will be so much more entertaining when I am not worried about finals.

Tis the Season!

Although I love Summer, this time of the year is possibly my favorite. I love spending time with my family, even if they are a bit crazy.  I also enjoy cooking, yes cooking! It kind of relaxes me.  So with Thanksgiving around the corner I have been thinking of different things that I could cook.  For Josh's side I am baking his favorite: Orange Cake.  It is extremely easy to make, and he thinks it is the bomb, so WINNER! Yes I do hand squeeze an orange to make it better.

For my family's dinner, I am making my famous chocolate pie. Yes famous. My family is convinced it is the best (and papa accidentally said that it was better than my granny's).  I actually created this recipe on my own.  I love my Granny's and Mammaw's chocolate pie, but them being grandmothers, they do not have recipes for them.  So I came up with my own.

I have no idea what I am doing for Christmas yet.  I thought about making a chocolate cake with white icing and decorating it with snowmen, but I haven't decided yet. 

For those of you who love to bake, you should check out the Cake Doctor.  It helps you create cakes that taste homemade but come from a box. 

Crazy week

So I thought that I had this whole placement thing figured out.  I decided to stay with Mrs. Baggett...but of course it could not be that simple.  Well as of right now, I am back with Mrs. McClary at North Murray..at least I won't have to drive too far.

Then I week up this morning with a tooth ache.  I have been complaining about about this tooth ever since I had it filled.  I was actually convinced that they missed up my filling.  But this morning it was worse.  So of I called the dentist to make an appointment.  The x-rayed the tooth, and then the dentist says, "You have cracked the front of your tooth."
My response, "I don't play extreme sports, so how did that happened?"
"Do you grind your teeth?"
Oh...yea..about that...
I have been grinding my teeth since I was like six. Yes I have TMJ.  Have ever bothered to wear a night guard? Nope..of course not! Guess who now has a mouth guard? Yep me.
What made it better? That I have to have a root canal, and since the  canal is so small I have to go to a specialist.  Do you know when I can have it done...not till the end of the month. FML!!!!!!!

On a better note....AMY IS PREGNANT!!!!!!! Can you tell I am a bit excited? I have been worried that I would slip up and say something before she announced it to the world (thank you for finally doing that!). So now I have two reasons for the next Summer to get here, my wedding and the arrival of Baby Miller! EEKK!! And yes I am probably more excited about Baby Miller than my own wedding haha!

Roomie Time

After the stress of having to decide where I might student teach, it was nice to have some roomie time.  Okay so we have not lived together in like three years, but she will always be my roomie.  We spent most of the time working on our invitations and finaly have it figured out.

Today we went dress shopping.  It was extremely relaxing to just stand there not be the one forced into dresses.  But she ended up finding one that looks perfect on her! Now I just need to take my other three bridesmaids to get there dresses :)

My luck

So, for the past two months DSC had led me to believe that I would return to Mrs. Noll at southeast. I have been beyond pumped about this. Today I received an email staying that principal did not want a student teacher there bc they were "reconstructing the history department."
You mean the principal who is retiring in 27 days? You mean the department who has shitty teachers besides the two amazing teachers I asked for?

Then they tell me I have two days to find a back up plan. What?!? I sorry but I didn't have a backup plan!
I talked to Mrs. Noll, the principal NEVEr told her that I could not be there. He NEVER asked her about it. He always fired Mrs. Noll from being department head while she was on maternity leave. WTF? So basically I got screwed over by a principal who is mad at the SHS history department and is leaving.

Mad probably doesn't even begin to explain how I am feeling right now.

193 and 257

193days till I graduate from DSC.
257 days till I marry my best friend, which means 258 days till I FINALLY get to go on my honeymoon!!!!!!
Can you tell I am just a bit excited.  Today is a huge day! Yea I know it is Halloween, but that is not the reason I am excited.  Today ends the month of chaos! I have completed 2/3 of the things that were due this semester, no more weddings (for this year), and no more GACE (for this year).
Life has been going pretty amazing! My monkey boys are in town, and I have had a blast with them.  Josh taught Noah how to play Angry Birds, so yes my phone has been dead due to his extreme playage.  Matt Matt drew on my car door :( Not too happy about that one, but I still love him.  I also feel like I have received a lot of exciting news here lately!

Anywhos, I feel like I am about to be in full wedding plan mode! Ashley is coming to visit Saturday and we are going to look for bridesmaids dresses.  I have pretty much decided that I will let each bridesmaid choose her own dress as long as it comes in the blue I want.  That seems the easiest and that way I know that they feel comfortable in it.  I am also starting to think about music.  I have most of it picked out, but I really could use help on a Mother/Son song. If anyone has any ideas please let me know.  We are slowly starting to register for items.  Over Christmas break Josh and I plan on going to Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  They have one of those guns things that you see people using in movies to register, and yeah Josh really wants to use one, bless him!

My aunts are already starting to plan my shower (for their side of the family).  It cracks me up, but I will let them do whatever they want as long as I end up with gifts, I mean who doesn't like receiving gifts?

Light at the end of the tunnel

One week left in this month..
Thank goodness!


Hopefully by the end of this month my life might go back to normal.  Josh and I have been SO busy the past couple of weeks.  This past Saturday we went to Cameron and Alex's wedding.  It was BEAUTIFUL!! We almost froze to death, but it was still gorgeous. It made me want to hurry up and marry Josh!!

I am enjoying life at the middle school level. Robin Baggett is an amazing teacher and I love working with her.  Is it sad that my seventh graders are way smarter than my tenth graders? I have decided to go back to Southeast next semester. I know that it will be farther to drive, but I was happiest there. 

No I have not done any wedding planning.  Although I did buy our invitations and I am hoping one of my amazing bridesmaids will help me put them together.  Pizza party? I will probably drive Josh insane over our honeymoon....Sorry but it was I am looking forward to the most.  I seriously talk about it on a weekly basis. Eh...oh well.

Anywhos...I think I might finally see that light at the end of the tunnel...200 days till I graduate!!!

Life...

Life has been complete chaos for, um, the last month?
I finished my time up at North Murray...thank goodness! I am now at Bagley with Robin Baggett..I love her! But I am not a middle school person, I prefer high school.

I take the GACE for the second time this weekend...stressed much? I am only taking the world history part since I failed it by 2 POINTS! I have literally been studying every night for two weeks! What makes it worse? Oh yea I am suppose to attend a wedding Saturday at four...GACE starts at one.  I hope to make it back in time for at least the reception.  Josh is in the wedding so I really wanted to be there, so Amy save me a seat and keep your cell phone with you, bc I will probably be texting you "Has it started yet?" Haha

I have so much stuff to do this month: a presentation, two papers, a lesson plan, two test, and education philosophy.  Blah.  I am so busy that I literally have something to do every night for the next three weeks!!! I seriously need a break. On top of that we have another wedding next weekend.....can we add like an extra 5 hours to each day? It would help...

And for those of you who are wondering, no we have nothing new on the wedding.  Life has been too chaotic to think about it...well except for the honeymoon part where we get to live this place for a couple of days.  Seriously can July 14, 2012 get here any faster?

I also just realized I have managed to get hair spray all over my glasses and phone...I was wondering why I was seeing these little dots, then I took of my glasses and it made perfect sense....

Oh, well back to work...maybe when November rolls around I might get a chance to see someone outside of Josh and the people at school....

The Adventures of Miss England: The 13 Colonies

What have I learned? That when you which the age of 15 all prior knowledge disappears.  I have no idea where it goes, but it is no longer there.  We are attempting, key word there, to teach our students the 13 ORIGINAL colonies.  This is something that students should have learned back in um elementary school.  Now we do not expect every student to name all of them the moment they walk in the door, nor do we expect the students to be able to locate them on a map.  Do we expect you to know they are on the East coast? Yes. Do we expect you to know where Ga is? Um yea! You live there! The rest, we plan to teach.

So teaching we did. Then we had this conversation. 
Teacher: What religious experience spread across the 13 colonies that made them more alike?
Student: A tornado!!
Crickets....
Since when did a tornado become a religious experience? Also I should not that this was a question that had multiple choice answers?!? No tornado was not one of the choices.  The answer is Great Awakening. Look you learned something today!
Sigh.
Then the test came around.  Now we have seriously gone over the 13 ORIGINAL colonies EVERYDAY and labeled them on a map several times! We told them it would be on the test.
So as I am grading the map part of the test, I realize that apparently they thought we were lying about the map being on the test.  Would you like to know the answers we got? Vermont was the most common answer for labeling New York. Thanks to Jersey Shore, New Jersey is now just Jersey, who needed the New? Manhattan has become a state. And Minnesota has apparently moved to the East coast. Did you know that? Bc I didn't. Of course kids could not label Ga and some labeled North and South Carolina as Tennessee and Alabama. By the way Florida move to Virginia.

Remember what Lindsey said about kids getting dumber and dumber? I COMPLETELY agree with her!

Yes there will be a map on every test.  I am determined that by the time they leave this class they will at least know where Ga is located.

Sigh...

Last week was tiresome to say the least.  I always dogsit for my grandparents, so of course when they went to visit my aunt I said I would once again do it.  They failed to mention that he had not been sleeping through the night.  So if he wasn't sleeping, I wasn't sleeping.  He never slept, so I never slept. 

Then on Wednesday night Daddy calls to tell me he is having a simple procedure to remove a kidney stone.  He never calls to tell me about "simple" procedures and I could tell he was worried about it.  Come to find out, they believed this one had been in there for 3 months and caused kidney damage.  He told me not to worry, but of course I did.  On Friday, as I was attempting to teach my students something, I heard my phone ring, but chose to ignore.  After the lesson, I looked at phone and realized my aunt and step-mom had called me repeatdly.  So I stepped in the hallway to check my voicemail.  All I heard was, "The surgery didn't go well, it is worse then we thought.  Your dad is being admitted to the hospital."  I made it to the hospital in less than 10 minutes.  Apparently they were not able to remove and he was in a lot of pain.  Which caused his blood pressure go through the roof.  They said it was dangersouly high and would not let him go home under those circumstances.  Hardest thing ever: seeing your dad, who has always been your rock, withering in pain.  I lost it.  It took my aunt a good 20 minutes to calm me down.  I stayed with him until he woke up and told me it was dark and I needed to go home.  Second hardest thing: having to leave him there.  I knew that Rhonda would take care of him, but I was scared to death that something would happen to him in the middle of the night and I would not be able to make it back in time.  But I went home, where I did not get any sleep. 

My dad came home Saturday, but he never passed the stone.  He went deer hunting Sunday..thinks to my brother.  He will have to go back if never passes and they want to do more test on his kidneys. Just please keep him in your prayers. 

A couple of reason why Josh is not allowed to go baby shopping.

1. Yesterday went to Walmart to grab a couple of things.  We seen a purple Disney Princess chair.  I love Disney princess so I stop to look.
"Lets get it for Rayne! She would love and it would look good in her room"
"Josh, I think we should wait till she is born and can actually sit up."
"Well you can sit in it when you go over there."
I look from the chair to Josh, I am twice the size of the chair.
"Well maybe Greenleigh can sit in it when she goes to visit."
I shake my head and walk off.

2. Today Tabitha sends me a picture of pajamas for Rayne.  She just happens to be holding it in front of her stomach.
"Is she trying to dress her while she is still in the womb?"
I was in shock that he what a womb was.

3.  I was talking to Josh about how I hope Tabitha doesn't go into labor while we are at Cameron's wedding or while I am taking the GACE.
"Well that would mean she would be in labor for like a month"
"What?"
"Well she is not due till November.  If she goes into labor in October she will be in labor till November. That is a long time."
Hand to forehead!

Although I think it is really cute that he is all about Rayne right now, I think this is definitely a sign that we need to wait just a little bit longer before we have kids!

We WILL remember

Ten years ago today, my softball coach called over the intercom and asked for all softball players to report to him.  Once we got there, he asked us to call our parents because our game had been canceled.  He left the room and I grabbed his desk phone to all my mom.  She immediately answered the phone:

Me: Hey mom it's me.
Mom: Sherika? Sherika? Are you okay? Is everyone at school okay?
She was clearly in panic mode.
Me: Yes mom I am fine.  Are you okay?
Mom: You don't know what happened?
Me:  Something happened?
The girl quickly realized that something serious had happened and my mom was about to tell me.  The came as close to me as possible in attempt to hear what my mom was about to say.  Someone finally decided to put her on speaker phone.
Mom: Sherika, there has been a terrorist attack.  A plane flew into the World Trade center.  Honey, it is pretty bad.  But don't worry you will be fine.
At this point our coach walked back into the room.  He realized my mom had just told us what he was clearly trying to avoid telling us.  I hung up the phone and just looked at him.
Coach: No one in this room is to tell another student what you just heard.
We all went back to class and attempted to not tell anyone.

What happened ten years ago was horrible.  Actually I don't even know if that is a proper way to describe it.  But I do not that we should never forget it.  This past spring I was teaching my class about Pearl Harbor.  I tried to compare it to 9/11  to show how horrific it was.  A student raised his hand and stated that he did not remember 9/11 and actually had no idea what really happened, he didn't even know there were four planes.  I stood there in complete shock.  I asked my site teacher if we could stray from the lecture to allow me to explain 9/11.  She said it was fine, and I started with the above conversation.  Once I was finished, the students asked why no one told that what happened.  I told that it was just so scary for everyone.  Especially the people who watched it unfold.  I don't even like talking about it because it is so upsetting (I am actually watching the special on Lifetime right now and attempting not to cry).  But I realized that day, that people are forgetting to remember and forgetting to tell our youth what happened.  I think that is important to remember 9/11 just like it is important to remember the 4th of July and Pearl Harbor.  I guess that since I am history I believe that if you don't remember your past and learn from it, you are doomed to repeat it. 

So I just ask, even if it is once a year, remember 9/11.  Remember to tell someone what you were doing when your learned the news. Remember to keep praying for the people who lost ones and for the victims.  Remember all of the police officers, firefighters, and anyone else who helped to get the victims out.  Just always remember.

The Adventures of Miss England: Sunflowers

Teacher:  When Columbus came to the New World he brought things that the Native Americans had never seen.  Like Sunflowers.
AP student: We can eat sunflowers?
Me: We eat sunflower seeds.
AP Student: Like the seeds from a sunflower? Like the ones that makes the sunflower grow?
Silence....
Teacher: Um..Yes?!?
AP Student: I will never be able to look at sunflower seeds the same again.d

Bless her!! I guess bless us too.  I have a hard time controlling my facial expressions, so of course I looked at her like she was stupid.  Mrs. McClary and I were in complete shock that an AP Student did not know where SUNFLOWER seeds came from.

Teacher: What are the name of the ships that Columbus sailed on?
AP Student: THE MAYFLOWE!!
Me: You are about 100 years off.

Teacher: Who came to the New World before Columbus?
AP Student: The Pilgrims! Remeber they came here and had Thanksgiving with the Indians.
Me: You are now about a thousand years off. The Vikings came forever ago.

Clearly we had to start from the beginning and explained that the Vikings came first, then Columbus, then Jamestown, THEN the Pilgrims.  Although they have their moments where they completely forget EVERYTHING they have ever learned, it is still a teachable moment. And I LOVE it!! These kids are hilarious and they actually enjoy being there.  The more I am in the classroom, the more I am reminded how much I love teaching and history.  It reassures me that this is what I really want to do..even if I don't get my dream job or a job at first, I want to keep trying until I find the right school for me. I have been blessed with three wonderful site teachers, and I found who I have for middle school starting in October...It is Robin Baggett!!! I love her!  So the only thing left for me to do is decide where I want to be place my fourth block.  I have really considered going back to Southeast and working with Mrs. Noll and Ms. Barto.  They offered to share me so I don't have to teach AP.  Plus, there is a chance I could get a job for me.  On the other hand, I love North Murray and I could save money on gas, but I highly doubt I can get a job there.  So just please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I attempt to make the right choice!

The Adventures of Miss England

So I thought that I would try to blog about life as a student teacher.  Mainly because I really want to remember this "joyous" time.  Okay so I am at North Murray with Mrs. McClary. First, NMHS is ridiculous! If you have not been there than you need to make an excuse to hop on over there.  They have a "grand staircase," and trust me is grand! Second Mrs. McClary is 26 and this is her fifth year teaching.  Yes that means she started when she was 21.  When you see her you would probably assume she taught early childhood and would be really nice. BUT she is defiantly high school teacher and can get mean with her students when need be.  She teaches 10th grade AP U.S History and regular U.S. History.  So there is the all the background information.

Pre-Planning
Last Friday I met Mrs. McClary for the first to work with her on pre-planning. She gave the grand tour of the building which lasted for a good 30 min...seriously, I still do know where everything is at. We then went over her plans for me and my goals for this semester. Then we had to sit through a mandate reporter meeting.  Boring. I learned that I am not allowed to date my students or hit them.  And apparently if my students are having sex and under the age of 16 I have to report it.  Can we just go ahead and report the entire school?  I know, I know I shouldn't take this lightly, but it is common sense.  I also noticed that everyone from Gladden and half the teachers from Murray are now at NMHS.  Mr. Smith (who is on my "team," NMHS does team like in middle schools) walked up to me and said, "Didn't I have you in high school? Wow I feel old!"  He had me his first year, so he is not that old.
First Day
Today was my first day actually meeting the students. Sigh. It was an interesting day.  First, I got up early to head on to DSC because I am behind on school work.  So I took my medicine along with some new vitamins, you know to try to boost that immune system of mine. Sadly, the vitamins made me sick, so I left school without ever going to class. Anyways.  When I felt better I headed to NMHS.  I walked into Mrs. McClary room, and of course the guys had to whistle? Are we in the tenth grade? Oh, wait...5th period class contains 22 males and 6 females! Wow! Next came 6th period.  this is going to be my favorite class..why? There is all of 22 people in it.  That is the same number of males in 5th.  They took their pre-test and that was it. Last was 7th period. Demons. That is what I will call them.  Why? Because this is the class full of attitude.  Take this conversation.
Mrs. McClary: So you were not here yesterday?
Student: No, duh!
Mrs. McClary: Okay,  and your name is _____, right?
Student: (Very hatefully, while rolling eyes) Um no! I go by ____ (shortened version of name).
Mrs. McClary: Okay, I will put that in my grade books.
Student: (Sarcastically) Thanks.
Also they were the only class to complain about the pre-test....that is not for grade!  One girl actually gave me the death stare the entire time.  I really want to ask "Have I offended you?" But I know that is just teenage girl stuff.  Hopefully that side of them stays in high school.
This led me to think, can I put up a sign in room that says "Leave your attitude at the door." Because I really want to.

We also have a girl whose last two letters of her name are "ho" but apparently you don't pronounce that part..whoops! She is a foreign exchange student from Japan.  She barely speaks English, but she is so sweet.  She is in sixth period, thank goodness she is not with the Miss Attitude. She has passed Calculus, but NMHS put her pre-cal. Mr. Pritchard (yes the one from Murray) is worried about her and wants to put her in AP Cal, he thinks she can make a 5 on the AP test..bless him. 
Speaking of the rest of the team, Mr. Smith wore a bow-tie to school.  He looks like a little kid with it.  Mrs. Wildes is also on our team along with Mrs. Gibson.  See a lot of people from Murray.
So that is about it.  I left school, got stuck in traffic, almost had a wreck because the police officer decided to stop directing traffic and no one knew what to do, got stuck in more traffic in front of my house, and made it home 45 minutes later.  Yes a ten minute drive took me 45 minutes. 

I will NEVER live across from a school again!

What I Do When I Am Suppose To Be Studying

I think of all the things I have learned about myself...why yes that is WAY more interesting than studying something about Lincoln...dude I am over Lincoln.

Anyways.

• I am socially awkward. I tend to just smile and nod my head. There might be a nervous laugh thrown in there.
• Thank God I am socially awkward, because Josh is blunt enough for the both us.
• I bruise like a prune.  Like I have this softball size bruize on my inner thigh. Do I know where it came from? Why know I don't. Should I? Yes
• I am the strangest fears: Storms, Being trapped, feet (they don't "scare me" they just gross me out), and birds. Tabitha please don't freak out.  I love your tattoo and I love Rayne's room. Just no real birds for me.
• I am awful about replying to text/answering my phone.  I am mean when I notice that I have a text I read it, but if I don't respond RIGHT then, I probably never will. So it doesn't bother me when people don't text/call me back.
• I am over this whole school thing..five years is way to long to go to college.
• Although I love kids, I am still not ready for them..maybe I can just borrow kids from time to time.
• Don't BS me. That is the name of a card game, lets keep it that way.  It really, really annoys me when I find out that people are BSing me.  It make me look/feel like an idiot.
• I don't handle people fighting in front of me very well...Why...Bc my parents never fought in front of me or my brother..let me repeat that NEVER! I am not saying they didn't fight, just not in front of us. So if you fight in front me, I will go into the above mentioned socially awkward mode.
• Speaking of those wonderful parents.  My parents will 95% of the time take my friends' side over mine. Why? Bc 95% of the time I am in the wrong and someone needs to tell me that I am in the wrong. What about those other 5% of times, they still tell me to go make-up with my friends to be the "bigger person."  Guess what? Yep I am tired of being the bigger person.
•  Also, I am thankful that those same wonderful  parents gave me tough love.  Seriously when I had my little break down at college, my dad told me to "Cowgirl up."  Yep, I am also tired of Cowgirling it up, haha.
• I don't apologize..even when I am wrong.  I might say, "I am sorry for hurting your feelings." But I probably won't actually apologize for the act/words that hurt you...Oops!!
• DO NOT make me wait on you. Seriously, I have no patients and it is rude. (Yes this may be pointed more towards my lovely fiance..LOVE YOU!)
• Don't stand me up or not do something that you say you will. O.M.G. This is rude and you better be dying or know someone who is dying.
• I hate doing homework..which is way you get to read this :)

P.S. Taylor Swift received her first nomination as a writer..YES! This is why I love her, she is one of the few people who still right their own songs. Brantley Gilbert and Colt Ford have been nominated for writing Dirt Road Anthem. Score!!!

Who I am Today

Last night I looked at Josh and said, "Can you believe how are life is today?  Would you have ever guessed that this is where we would be at the age of 22?" Josh: "No, because I wanted to get married at 18...Thank God we didn't!"

No that doesn't mean that he loves me any less.  Just that we both know that it would have been ten times harder on us if we would have married at the mere age of 18.  After we had our little discussion I started thinking, maybe too much.  I realized that for once in my life, I am putting MY life and my fiance's life FIRST!!  And you know what...it doesn't make me a bad person.  Why? Because every single person has different priorities in life.  My priorities right now: finish school, figure out this whole wife thing, save just in case I don't get a job, if I do get a job save for a house, finish Josh's car, and at some point plan a wedding.  It is a lot I know, but Josh and I work at each one of those together, yes even the school thing.  And there are days that if he wasn't beside me then I probably would forget all the things I really want and need in life.  These are not the same priorities as everyone else.  Like Amy is probably concentrating on the whole marriage life and getting her husband through the police academy and keeping him safe.  Tabitha is probably more focused on her new job and Rayne.  Jordan..well Jordan has a lot of the same priorities as me, minus the whole care thing.  But that is okay.  We are all at the age where are lives are becoming so different.  Yet it is so fun to see where we all are today and how different our lives are...actually I enjoy it. Haha, I know that is kind of funny.

Anyways enough of that.  Josh and I had an interesting weekend, at least to us.  We rearranged our house, again.  We bought some curtains  that block out the sun, hopefully it cuts down on the power bill.  These two things made our little house finally feel like a home! We also went baby shopping for little Rayne.  That was an experience in itself...Josh attempted to buy her a potty training seat.  I then told him that she wouldn't need that for a while! Bless him. I was more excited about finding name tags with birds on them!!

The next two months are going to be so busy! We have a baby shower and two weddings, and not to mention all the homework that I have to do.

Changing

"Even though we've changed and we're all finding our own place in the world, we all know that when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we'll come to each other because no matter where this crazy world takes us, nothing will ever change so much to the point where we're not all still friends."



I am firm believer that people change. I am by far the world's best example.  If you met the 14 year old Sherika you would have met a girl who hated people, if she didn't like you then she wouldn't speak to you, a girl who said exactly what she thought, a girl who would give no one a chance, and a girl who did not believe in love.  Today, well I still am not a people person, but I speak to almost everybody, I hold back a lot, I am way to nice to people, I give people way too many chances, and I believe in love. So see, I have changed...and mostly for the better. I have grown up so much in the eight years between now and then.

I am also a firm believer that no matter what happens, no matter how much people change, you can always remain friends. Take me and Amy for an example.  We met in elementary school, played ball together, I broke her wrist, we went to middle school and high school together, and I when she asked me to be her bridesmaid I jumped for joy and told her I would do whatever she needed me to.  See, we both have changed SO much and look we still remain friends.  No matter what happened over the years, I always knew that she would be there when I needed her.

But what if people change the other way? Can you still remain friends? This has been on my mind a lot lately.  What if one day you wake up and the person that was your best friend for years suddenly isn't the person you grew up with? It makes you wonder, has this person always been like this? Or is it because the person they are with has changed them so much that you don't recognize them?  What happens when you have lunch with that person, and realize that they have no idea what you have been doing the past 4 years? And when they ask you why you never told them all the things that you have done you answer with "Well you judged everyone else who did it and I didn't want to be judged." What hurts the most is knowing that you did so much for that person, maybe more than people realize, and that person never acknowledged it.  And now when you need that person, they are no where to be found.  It makes you questions your friendship.  And when does a friendship end? And how can you tell when it does?

These are just a few questions that I have been running through my head.  I guess it is hard for me to understand because one, I am way to loyal to my friends and two, I admit to my flaws and the fact that I change.  Sigh.  It is just crazy at how much my life has changed.  I love it though.  I love all my new friends and the old ones who still remain by my side.  I am not going to say that there isn't a single thing I wouldn't change, because lets face it, there are a tons. I wish I was already married, I wish I had a job, I wish we had new house, I wish for a new car, I wish that certain things didn't bother me, and sometimes I wish that I was that 14 year old girl again.  But I don't have all those things, things do bother me, and I will never be 14 again.  All I can do is wait patiently for the new things that will change me and my life, and try to understand why certain people change for the worse.

Thankful!

Blake came home from the hospital today!!!! Thank you God! It is so weird, when we got the call, the police all but told us that he was dying.  And then Wed night the plastic surgeon said that he needed to thank God that his injuries were not worse, but that he would probably at the hospital for a week.  Then yesterday after I got out of class, Mom called to tell me that he was coming.  I cried because I just couldn't believe that he was able to come home that fast!! It just goes to show you how God can answer your prayers.  Thank you all for praying him.  It has meant so much to me to know that y'all care. 

Updates

So yesterday we went to the hospital to see Blake.  We arrived with only 15 minutes left in visiting hours so of course my brother ran back there to see him. I don't handle situations like this vey so I volunteered to be the one to not go see him.  I knew his friends wanted to see him more.  He kept showing my brother how is teeth were messed up and worrying about if th doctor could fix it.  He also has a broken jaw that they will have to wire shut.  Blake has no idea what happened him to him.  He told Bubs "find who did this to me because I know I did not jump out of a vehicle or attempt to jump into one."  The last thing he remebers is being at the bar. 

While there we learned of a couple possible scenrios.  Apparently some girl came to get a group of frat guys. At first she told friends that she ran over someone. BUT when the police quetioned her she said he was throwing up and fell out of her truck, but that doesn't match up with his injuries.  Then she said he tried to jump in his truck and she didn't know it. So there are once again three different stories.  Either way, whoever did this CHOSE to leave his body laying in the street.  By the grace of God a young man walked out of the bar and called the police, which saved his life. 

I am really annoyed with people.  A young man attempted to tell my little Mason, yes the one that proposed to me lol, what "really" happened to Blake. Now I just said that they don't know yet. It aslo envolves Blake being drunk. Mason is Blake's cousin and has looked up to Blake his entire life. So yes I told the guy off. He said that he heard from a friend of a friend.  I probably went over board but I am extremely protective of both Blake and Mason, and I didn't think that this boy should be running his mouth.  Mason's mom and Bub's eventually told me that this guy is a trouble maker, seriously people do you have nothing better to do then to make up crap to a 14 year old boy about his cousin who is laying in ICU? People chap my ass.

For the most part, Blake is in good spirites.  He is on morphine so right now the world is perfect! He is a little upset that he couldn't find the Braves game last night and that he can't have his phone.  But as most of you know this is just the beginning of his long journey.  Once they cut the morphine and his jaw is wired shut he will be miserable.  His family just ask that you continue to pray for him.  We all make mistakes in life, and trust me Blake and his friends have learned from this one.  But I think that we shouldn't always remembers people mistakes, but how they rise from those mistakes.

The Prayers we Pray, the things we thing won't happen, and the moment that makes you stand still

If you know anything about my family or have been to my house, you will know that my family has like this little extension of people that we call family, eventhough they aren't. They are Andrea, Blake, Bailey, and Nanny Shirley.  Mom and Andrea are best friends, Zachary and Blake are best friends. We go EVERYWHERE together.  They were even there when I got engaged.  They are my family no matter what.

Last night at 3 a.m. Andrea called my mom in tears.  Apparently at some point Blake was in accident.  All the police know is that he walked back to his dorm sometime after one and was then found on the side of the road around three with a broke jaw, lose teeth, and a swollen brain.  Complete strangers found and thank God they called it in.  What was worse, is that his roommate Tyler Timms was missing.  No one had heard from him since he left Blake at the bar at one.  Mom then had to tell my brother.  My brother was suppose to go to West Ga with Blake and Tyler and decided last minute not to.  My brother, well he flipped out.  He kept telling mom he was going to kill who ever did this. When I woke up he was still crying.  We both agreed we had to go to school, he had a quiz, and I missed yesterday's class.

When I got in my car and started processing everything, it finally clicked what happened.  Blake was seriously hurt, my brother was suppose to be there.  I then said out loud, "Thank you God for letting my brother change his mind! That could have been him!"  I then started crying.  What I realized after I said these words, that Blake WAS like my brother, and THIS did happen to him. What if he could have prevented it? My body began to shake because to many "what if" were running through my mind.

When I pulled into school, my brother was parked across from me.  His entire body was shaken and his eyes were red.  I realized that everything that I felt, he felt ten fold.  I realized that then that I have spent my entire life protecting him, and if you have a sibling you know how tough of a job this is.  But this was something that I could never have protected him from. Why? Because we all believe that things like this would NEVER happen to us, but then they do. I was trying to figure out why my brother insisted on going to class, because I would have just skipped.  One, he was trying to be responsible and two, I don't think that he was ready to see Blake.  I think that once he did it would prove that this actually happened

I learned after I got out of class that Tyler had left the bar at one.  Blake was still there and drunk.   Tyler went home and went to bed, the police had to come to his dorm room to find him because he never answered our calls.  Three scenarios are being tossed around, one he fell out of a bed of a truck, two he attempted to jump in a moving truck, three someone beat him up.  No matter what happened it break my heart that the people did not care enough to call the police, I guess if he was beaten up that would explain why he was left there.  Blake is in ICU, sedated and on a ventilator.  As soon as Bubs gets out of class we are headed to see him.  I ask that you please keep all of us in your prayers. 

You know your best friends when you rush tell her things.

Josh and I are celebrating two years of being back together.  It is just something that we do because, we were pretty pumped about it.  We don't really get gifts for it, but I knew that he wanted a new button up shirt so of course I bought it for him and gave it to him.  He surprised me by saying that he had bought me a gift.  And I was pretty surprised when I pulled out my wedding band.  I know y'all are like "why did he get it so soon?" Well I have been asking for it since we got engaged, because it is the only one that fits perfectly with my ring. So I jumped for joy reached for my phone and texted Jordan, because she has heard my complain about it um since we got engaged lol.

A couple of hours later, my phone rings, I see it is Jordan, and I hear "Guess what?!?" I of course started doing my happy dance, because a I knew exactly what had happened! As she was telling me how it happened (which I am leaving out because it is her job to tell y'all not mine lol) she yells "SHERIKA! Your doing your nervous laugh!" Sorry but when I get excited a just laugh. I don't know why, but it is really funny.

So today has been full of excitement.  I cannot help but be as excited for Jordan's engagement as I was for my own, just like I was when Amy told me she was engaged or when Tabitha told me she was pregnant.  I cannot help but be just a little bit too excited for my friends when amazing things happen to them!

The week of craziness

So Dalton State SUCKS! Don't get me wrong I love my teachers, well most of them. My first two education teachers were, well, pathetic is probably the nicest word I can use.  But I love my history teachers and Dr. Murphy is the bomb.  The part about DSC that sucks is the administration. Like the fact that they waited till Monday to tell all secondary ed majors that at some point this semester we have to not only attend the already assigned high school BUT attend a middle school too.  Just in case y'all didn't know, the school systems we are assigned to don't start till Sept.  I have to finish my high school observations by Oct 6th. Why yes that is only ONE month! Sigh.

After I received this astonishing news on Monday, my bubby decided that he didn't want to go to West Georgia. Yes he was suppose to leave this Saturday. Yes he decided this after DSC started back. And Yes my mom allowed this to happen. All day Tuesday my mom and brother went to DSC to transfer him. Of course they were extremely rude to her. I don't blame them there. But they lost his high school transcript AND his financial aid. Yes I sent them to DSC back in March, at the same time I sent the  information to West Georgia. He was finally accepted and started classes on Wed. Come to find out it was a good thing he switched because apparently West Georgia failed to him or mom that they purged his classes because they never received his immunization records, but somehow DSC did.

On Wed my mom went to pick up my dress. When she got home, I tried it on to make sure it fit. It is the exact same size as the one I tried on in the store.  My mom couldn't get it to zip. So this girl right here went into panic mood.  I eventually went to my aunt's house, and she zipped it right up.  Apparently my mom has week hands....GREAT!

Also, my archnemesis moved two roads in front of Josh and I....FML!

Last First Day

Five years ago, I entered North College State and University as an 18 year old freshman.  Five years, two crazy roommates, hundres of papers/test/quizes, two student loans three major changes, a school change, and thousands of dollars later, I am FINALLY about to finish. 

Today was my last first day. Now I know you think I am going to be all sad and say how I don't wish that it will end...well that aint happening. Why? Because I am one of those few people who HATE, let me repeate, H-A-T-E college.  I know that everyone says "These are the best years of your life," but I am convince that they either didn't go to college, or it has been so long since they went to college that they forgot what it is really like.  It is just not my thing. Oh well. In less than 8 months I will graduate..and I will jump and down on one foot out of pure joy...don't believe me, you are more than welcome to attend my graduation.  I threatened not to go to graduation but mom said after the above mentioned thousands of dollars I HAVE to attend.

Anyways, I am now gulping down a Mocha Frappe from McD, because I am beyond exhausted...


I am seriously considering counting down the days till graduation (secretly, I have it on my phone hehe)

Shop till ya drop

Today momma and I had one of our rare shopping days.  I am not the biggest shopper and my mom is, which makes for a horrible combination.  But I was in desperate need of some "teaching" clothes, so the two of us headed to Towne Center (which I like way better than Hamilton Place).  We found some great deals and I made sure to get some pretzel sticks, my favorite! I love getting to spend these rare moments with momma.  To be honest, mom and I used to hate each other.  For about two years we had a rough time, but after spending two years without her, I learned how much I love and need my mommy.  I know that once I get married and starr having babies, that days like todays will become more difficult to plan. 

On another note, I am having the hardest time deciding what to baby Rayne.  You see I am a sucker for baby things, and would probably buy her EVERYTHING. Even Josh, who is sitting beside me, is like "I don't know what we should buy her! Everything looks so cute!" Sigh. Good things we still have awhile before she gets here. Oh by the way, if you haven't seen her baby room, it is so cute! I am totally going to hire Lindsey and Tabitha to decorate my future baby's room.

End of my Summer Days

You know what moment made me realize that Summer is slipping away...when J. Flood told me she was leaving to head back to school....Grr...A week from today I head back to college. Sigh. Then it will be back to getting up early, studying late, and having zero time or energy to do anything. I am not looking forward to the school part, but I cannot wait till North Murray starts back.  I really enjoy being in the classroom, trust me, it is way better then studying the history of history.

But for this week, I plan to relax.  Josh's parents left for vacation on Saturday, and Josh is house sitting.  He took a week off from work, because lets face it, his poor rear end needs it.  Until I go back to work on, Thursday, we are just going to lay out by the pool and be lazy bums.  Actually today we are going Ginja! I beyond pumped about this!

Also, I thought that with my crazy schedule that there would be no way I could work. BUT Lauren promised to work with my schedule. YES this means I will be able to get a couple dollars here and there that I desperately need. For those of you that are already ready, you know how expensive weddings can be. 

But I am not going to thing about money, wedding, or school for the next week...it is just going to be me, Josh, and the pool.

God Gave Me You...

There’s more here than what were seeing
A divine conspiracy
That you, an angel lovely
Could somehow fall for me
You’ll always be love’s great martyr
Ill be the flattered fool
And I need you

I heard Blake Shelton's new song yesterday while traveling back from David's Bridal. I am completely convinced that God created country music to put in words what my heart truly feels.  I am also completely convinced that God put Josh in my life for a thousand different reasons.  Here are just a few:

1. Teach an impatient girl to be patient-Me waiting around on Josh is the story of our lives.
2. Help me learn to trust people again-Slowly put surely I am learning that not everyone is bad.
3. Love with my whole heart, not just a piece of it.
4. Jim Carrey movies can be entertaining-I am usually not his biggest fan
5. Re-doing a car can be somewhat interesting-shhh don't tell him that I said this!
6. To be a child and to laugh.
7. That God has a plan for us all, and there is no use and trying to guess this plan.  If you sit around attempting to guess his plan for you, you might miss all those small moments that makes life a bit more entertaining.

It is amazing how one person can teach you so many things. These days I honestly do not know what I would do without my baseball player.  Even on the days that  I could kill him, even on the days that he is the most aggervating person in this world, I would still rather be with him and be annoyed, then be at home alone. 

The Adventures of Sherika And Sophie

This past Monday, I dropped Sophie off at the vet to get her fixed.  Of course I stressed over it a little too much, go figure.  They asked me if Sophie bites.....Um I have you met my dog? She will probably lick you to death before she would ever dream of biting someone.  Okay so she did bite Ed one time, but he was shaving her. 

I went to pick Sophie up at around four, and she was still drugged.  When she heard my voice, she wagged her tail, and then fell back asleep.  Although I was worried about her, I found it hilarious that my puppy was drugged.

Yes my baby is sleeping while sitting straight up.

This is how she has slept the past two days.

Today, mom and I went to David's Bridal in Kennesaw to pick up the accessories to my dress.  While there, we ran by Petsmart to grab Sophs a few items.

Does she have a dress and bow? Why yes she does!

Sophie has issues with mirrors.  She is completely confused on if it is another dog or if it really her...of course I think that it is the funnies thing EVER!



Needless to say, I have one spoiled dog. 

The ending

In the seventh grade Mrs. Stone made us do book reports. I never had a problem with this because of course I loved to read.  For one of the book reports I chose to read the first Harry Potter book (I think that since then they have banned them from school libraries,which I don't agree with).  I instantly fell in love with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.  The first book that I owned of the series was one that my bubby bought me.  After that, I made a point to own every single one of them.  There is a slight chance that I have read each book ten times, maybe more.  I cried when I read the last book, because I could not come to turnes with the series ending.  So yesterday as I sat in theater waiting for the last preview to end, I assumed I would cry.

But I forgot that Josh was sitting right beside me.  He had a million quesions, one being "does he die?" He asked me if Harry dies since the first time we watched a Harry Potter movie together.  I always answer, "Just watch." He finally got his answer, and no I am not saying what happens just in case someone has not seen it yet.  But it is still bittersweet that our favorite series has come to end. BUT we are going to Harry Potter World next year and I am freakin pumped!!!

On another note, yesterday I went swimming with Lindsey and her two beautiful children.  I am pretty sure that it is impossible not to fall in love with Greenleigh and Skyler, but there was one person who completely surprised me when he said that he thought they were pretty cool: Josh. Which in Josh terms it means that he loves them. After he saw them yesterday, he turned and looked at me "Hey did you see those kids? They are pretty awesome! We need kids like that."
Ummmm, did Josh just get baby fever?

Come together right now over me

Last night, as a stayed up late things to my freaking jaw hurting, I watched The Great Debt Debate. And I have a few things to say about that.  No I am not about to tell you to side with one party or another nor am I going to tell you to call your representative. 

Frankly I am annoyed.  I am sorry but do you (plural) mind getting of your high horses for all of ten minutes and make a COMPROMISE!  At this point I don’t care who is right or who is wrong, but someone (at this point anyone will do) needs to become a leader and get things done.  In six days, if someone does not agree then guess what? Yea our government shuts down.  That means millions of people will go without getting paid.  BUT the people who are refusing to compromise, they people WE elected, still get paid.  Does that seem fair? No I don’t think so.

Do you know what this reminds me of: divorced parents. When I was planning my senior trip to Mexico, my parents got into a huge argument over it.  My mom said it was fine for me to go with just my friend.  Daddy said that we needed supervision.  It took them weeks to finally agree. But before they agreed I was stuck in limbo.  I feel like both sides sitting on the Hill are refusing to make compromises, and at this point the American people are stuck in limbo.

Sigh.  I just needed to vent on this for a few minutes.  It really annoys that we are suppose to be the greatest county on Earth and yet we seem unable to agree on anything.  At this point all I believe that we can do is to pray to God for help and answers.


I will try my hardest to make this my last politcal blog.

Wedding planning!!!

Dress-check
Church-check
Save the Dates-Check
Honeymoon-an almost check

This past week was full of getting things done..THANK GOD! Monday Josh, Lisa, and I went to First Methodist Church to check things out.  We agreed that it was the best church us. 
Wednesday I planned on going to Prado's in Chattanooga to get the dress that I thought I was in love with...however, they were closed.  My mom was convinced this was a "sign" and her and my aunt Amy dragged me to Kennesaw.  Once there, they dragged me into David's Bridal.  I had a bad experience at the one in Chattanooga, so I was dreading this trip.  As soon as I walked, I ran to a dress on display, and told the saleswoman that I HAD to try it on.  Of course that is the one that I bought. 
Yesterday Amy, Ashley, and Jordan helped me assemble my Save the Dates.  I have no idea what I would do without them.  I learned that I am less bridezilla when I am with them.  They make me laugh when things go wrong.
I plan on booking the honeymoon tomorrow.  I finally found a hotel that we like and is at a reasonable price. Of all the wedding planning, this is my favorite.  I cannot wait to get of Murray County for a couple of days.  To bad that I have to wait another year.

Guess what?

Yep yep! I bought my dress! It is nothing like anything I pictured, but I feel so small in it! I always think my shoulders look huge, but this dress made me feel so confident. I cannot wait for y'all to see it! We also booked the church, First Methodist of Chatsworth.

I feel like everything is finally falling into place and I could not be any happier!

Exciting things

An approximately an hour and half I will be heading to First Methodist of Chatsworth to attempt to book the Church for the wedding.  I really, REALLY hope that we like because at this point I don't even care.
Also, today at five I receive my GACE scores.  I am kinda happy that I don't get to see them till after we see the church, because if I failed both of them it would put in an awful mood.  I have a million and one emotions running through my body, so please be with me and pray I do not lose my temper at any point today, especially at the church, because they would probably ban me from there.

I would give the world for this next year to FLY by!

HELP!

I am a planner.  I take the time to look into things before I make in purchase and I plan that purchase down to every little detail.

Now I had found a really nice hotel room in Orlando for our honeymoon.  If I booked it in a year in advance they would only charge me $87 a night.  It was right across from Sea World and Discovery Cove.  Today I check on it to make sure it is still that price.  Guess what? Apparently they are no longer doing that deal.  It is now $207 a night. That is a HUGE difference. 

So if any of you have been to Orlando and know of a place to stay that is not $207 a night please let me know.

The Adventures of Josh and Sherika -Take 2

So the other night my wonderful baseball player and I were watching a movie, Crush On You.  It is kinda like You Got Mail.  But anyways, in the movie a guy and a girl (who the movie is focused on) ask a serious of questions to each other, like what is your favoirte movie, food, and music.  Now I know a lot about Josh, but not everything. So I turned and said:
"Hey what is your favorite movie?"
"I don't have one."
"Everyone has one"
"Not me."
"Okay if you were dying and had one last movie to watch what would it be?"
"Well I'm not dying.  Oh my God are you planning on killing me?"
"Yes Josh.  Dang you caught me. I just don't know it."
"Well I know yours."
"Really, what is it?"
"The Notebook."
"That is not even in my top 5."
"Well what is it?"
"Sleeping Beauty."
Sounding alarmed"Since when!"
"Um since I was three."

Apparently we don't know everything about each other, but I plan on spending the rest of my life learning everything I can about him.

The world revolves around me!

Okay no it doesn't but it got your attention..right?  Anyways...Drama Drama Drama.  I hate when it happens and it seems to be happening a lot lately.  I think this one might slightly be my fault, so if it is or if I have offended anyone sorry.  I was upset earlier and had a really good status to follow it.  My cousin wrote back to me: "Sherika I am not sure what is going on - but I have found to not sweat the little things. People that act this way take up energy so stay away from them and take whatever they say with a grain of salt. What is most important is that the people that count in your life know the truth."  This really goes with the saying at the top of my page.  But apparently I have not been listening to my own advice...sad how that works sometimes.  I wear my heart on my sleeves and it is pretty pathetic at times.  When I was in middle school I had my emotions really well, but one day learned that all it was doing as hurting me.  So I opened my heart to a lot of people, the first person was Josh.  To this day he is one of the few people that I can completely open up to.  This is one of the reasons why I fell in love with him.

But even though it is healthy to share your emotions, I still need to learn to not swear the small stuff, BUT when enough is enough I need to learn to stand up for myself.  Sigh.  There is a good chance I may never do that, but who knows, people can change...right?

I was brought up in a small town in North Georgia

So my cousin Eli made me a copy of his Brantley Gilbert CD...guess who is my new favorite cousin?  So I thought I would give you a list of my favorite Brantley Gilbert songs, ones that Jason Aldean has not touched..yet.

1. Best of Me-became my theme song a couple of years ago.
2. Dirt Road Anthem-Yes Jason Aldean did one version, but Brantley Gilbert has a version where he raps the the last verse..which hits home to me.  You should really look it up.
3. G.R.I.T.S.-um yea if you are a southern girl you can't help but dance to this.
4. Saving Amy- I can't help but shed a tear for the girl in this song. I literally get cold chills every time I hear it. I don't know if it is my fear of losing Josh or what, but I can almost feel her pain.
5. My Kind of Crazy-already included the reasoning behind this on a previous blog
6. Them Boys-yep this is how we are all going to be when we grow old and watch our kids make every mistake we did. 

If you walk me down the middle of my momma's churhc

After Lindsey introduced me to "Walk Me Down the Middle" by The Band Perry, I have searched and SEARCHED for their CD.  I usulally don't buy CDs unless I am really in love with a group or song.  But once I heard "Walk Me Down the Middle,"  I knew that this band would become my favorite.  First, I love their sound.  It reminds me more of Blue Grass or older Trisha Yearwood and Faith Hill songs, which I love.  Second, they have those songs that speak right to your heart. What girl doesn't love a song that can speak for her? Isn't this why we love T. Swift so much?  So now I am going to give you my top 5 favorite songs on their CD (there is only 11 songs on the CD)

1. Why yes it is "Walk Me Down the Middle."  I think this one can speak for itself.
2. "If I Die Young."  It gives you something to think about.  Plus her voice is beautiful in this song.
3. "Independence"  If any of you have counted down the days till you were leaving this sleepy little town, this song is for you.
4. "All Your Life" Isn't that what we all want? I guy to just love us his ENTIRE life?
5.  "Lasso" whirlwind romance your thing? Or that guy that you really want to change but can't...yep here you go.
Okay I have a number 6.  "Postcard from Paris" I can't put my finger on why I like this one.  It may be all of the similes and metaphors but I really like it.

If you haven't heard these songs, I highly advise you to do so.  It might just change your life (yep a little over dramatic).

Whoa, where half way there, whoa, living on a prayer

Josh and I have officially reached the half way mark.  We have been engaged for a year and on July 14th 2012 we will finally say "I do!"

I thought that I would dedicate this blog to telling my blog friends about the proposal.  It is an interesting story to say the least.

On Friday June 25th I received a phone call from my daddy.  Now my daddy and I have this relationship where we do not keep secrets from one another.
Me: Hey Daddy
Daddy: Hey Sissy! I just got of the phone with Josh.  Why are y'all coming up here?
Me: Daddy what are you talking about? We are cooking out at his house tonight.
Daddy: He just called and said he was coming to see...
Both: OH!!!
Daddy: I need to let you go, I have to prepare for this.

My dad had just let it slip to me that Josh was about to have that talk with him.  I was completely confused because I was convinced he was going to propose to me on Christmas.

So on July 8th we headed to the beach with my mom, bubby, Blake, Andrea, Bailey, and Nanny Shirley. 
The next night, Friday July 9th, Josh and I went to Margaritaville.  He had ribs, I had crab cakes.  After we ate I got really sick, so we had to go back to the room while I sipped on some Ginger Ale (I don't drink Sprite).

He finally convinced me to go to the beach to watch the sun set.  Now although I love the ocean, I HATE the sand.  It really annoys me, so I was confused on why he was forcing me to sit in the sand.  On our way out I tried to secretly pat him down to see if I could feel a ring box. I didn't.  As we sat on the beach, I say him start rubbing his hands and realized he was sweating.  He then got up on one knee....what happened next, neither one of us expected.

Josh: Will you..
Me: WAIT! Are you sure you want to do this? You know what lets just go back to the room. I mean we have like two years? What happened to Christmas? Oh MY GOD are people watching us?
Josh: I am trying to ask you to marry me (at this point he pulls the ring out)
Me: Oh no you drained your banking account! What were you thinking?
Then I did the worst thing possible I fell back in the sand laughing.  I just couldn't help myself.  I wasn't laughing at him, but I was laughing at me. Wasn't I suppose to cry?
Josh: Do I need to take a taxi back to Chatsworth?
Me: No baby! Of course I will marry you!

What made me decide that I wanted to marry him.  Well as soon as we got back together we KNEW we were getting married.  It was just a matter of time.  Then one night I was laying in me bed when I thought of something that  I wanted to tell Josh.  I reached across my bed as if I was going to wake him up, and of course realized he was at home in his bed.  I picked up the phone and called. I told him I wanted to marry him because when I woke up in the middle of the night I wanted to know that he was right beside me. Kind of corny isn't it?

So now I am letting y'all in on a secret.  I have been secretly writing our story. Several factors inspired me. One, in case you didn't know Coach Wildes' dad died.  His mom, Brenda Wildes, comes into the store to get her hair done.  She was telling me about her husband and she started crying.  She said that she had never told her children that specific story.  She then looked at me and told me to make sure I tell my children all about their parents' relationship. I couldn't figure out how to do this, until I seen Brandi's and Lindsey's blog.  So I secretly started writing.  Only Jordan has read it, but now I am sharing it with you:
God Bless the Broken Road

Now the first couple of years are hard for me to remember so they won't be as detailed.  I purposely attempted to block out those memories  Also I am no writer so DO NOT judge. If so just don't read it, lol, but seriously. 

Imitation is the BEST form of flattery

An hour and nine minutes. That is how long it takes to relive two years of my life.  Actually I only relived part of it. 

A girl from North Georgia got engaged, so I quickly grabbed my phone and called up one of my best friend and MOH, Ashley.  I must have caught her at an awkward time because she was kinda confused on what was going on.  We quickly talked about the girl's engagment (she lived next to us at North Georgia).  The then started reliving the good ole days of Donovan B300s.  Although I will soon move in with Josh, Ashley will always be the best roommate.  I can remember they day that I met her like it was yesterday.  I arrived at our dorm first, because I am early to everything.  When Ashley and her family walked in I stuck out my hand and said, "Hey, I am Sherika England, your roommate for the next year." Instead of shaking my hand she hugged me.  Now I am a touch-me-not, so it was kinda awkward.  But we quickly moved everything in and arranged our room.

I want to tell you the funniest story of our friendship.  Two months after we moved into our dorm room, I had to be rushed to the emergency room.  I told my parents that it was no big deal and not to come, but I was scared to death.  Ashley quickly put me in her car and rushed me to the hospital (which is the suckiest hospital ever!). So there we were, two girls that barely knew each other sitting in the hospital room one of us only half dressed, yep that was me.  To make matters worse the doctor pretty much over dosed me on medicine.  As the nurse, whose name was Rocky and I spent much the night debating on if he was gay or not because acted like it but he kept rubbing my leg, brought me another dosage of medicine, Ashley looked at him and said, "What is that? You don't understand children's Benadryl knocks her out!!!"  After I took the medicine I started dancing and singing to "Get Low." If you have never seen me on pain medicine then you are missing out! It is a sight or at least so I have been told.  After four hours the doctor finally told me that I had a cyst that ruptured.  Ashley took me back to our dorm and took care of me for the next week.

That is when she became my best friend. Next year when I get married Ash will be standing beside as my MOH, and she will be an amazing MOH.

Also if you are wondering about the title, no it is not about her.  But while on the phone we discussed a certain girl who seems to be copying my every move.  Ashley lives in Gainesville so if she notices it then isn't it kind of obvious?

Memory lane up in the headlights, got reminiscing on the good times.

This afternoon my fifteen year old cousin, Eli, asked if I could drive him to a party.  His mom and dad are still in Atlanta due to her back surgery, so I am his lifeline.  Of course I said yes. He then asked if we could take his truck so he can practice driving.  Once again I said yes.  So as I climbed into his truck, I made fun of him for having Browning and Mossy Oak stickers in his window, he just laughed.
Then a familiar voice belted through speakers...Colt Ford. I squealed like a little girl and asked if he had Brantley Gilbert. He through the CD in and turned to Dirt Road Anthem, the one where Brantley Gilbert raps the last verse.  Bless Him!

As the first notes of that all too familiar song play, my eyes instantly closed and I am taken back to the high school days. A smile crosses my face as remember my younger life.  For a moment I can almost smell the inside of that stuffy gym.  I can almost feel the heat of the summer sun at a baseball game.  I can almost see myself fighting my way down the science hall. I can remember the time I got food poisoning from the chicken, not my best memory.  But needless to say, that song takes me back to the good ole days.  My heart skips a beat as I remember meeting Josh.  My head turns as I remember all things that my parents would kill me for. 

Eli looked over at me, "Why do you love this song so much?"
"Dude you are going to a party, you just wait, this song will take you back to this moment."
"You do know that I am going to a swimming party at my pastor's house?"
Ah crap I just became a bad influence on my 15 year old cousin..hand to forehead.

As I drove his HUGE truck back home I thought about my home town.  I, like Lindsey, have a love/hate relationship with this town (actually is there anyone who doesn't?)  I remember my senior year when I was once again threatening to leave town and never come back. My dad said the following to me: "Honey you can run but you can't hide.  Your heart and soul are embedded in that red clay mud and you are country whether you want to admit it or not. That muddy water  runs through your viens." To me, that was laughable. 

Of course, when I pulled back into the driveway I realized that Eli was laughing because my vehichle, of course, had a hot pink browning sticker and a hot pink mossy oak sitcker. Sigh. What my daddy said was true.  At some point I became the one thing I said never would, the one thing my momma feared.  I became a country girl.  What can I do but my shrug my shoulders and go along with it?


Also my new favorite Brantley Gilbert song is "Them Boys" if you haven't heard it you should!

Cowboy Up

My mind has been full of so many thoughts here lately that I feel like my thoughts have decided to start yelling inside of my brain.  Once again, I find myself sitting in my bed attempting to do homework, but I can't because of everything on my mind.  So I thought that I would share it with my blog friends. 

Just in case you didn't know, shitty parents is a touchy subject for me.  I have not always had the best relationship with my dad, but we managed to work it out, and I am extremely thankful for that.  However, in my eyes, shitty parents or people who pretend they do not have kids are, in my eyes, the lowest people on this Earth.  Okay so people who kill their children are a little bit lower on the ladder, but they are clearly shitty parents.  But anyways...

I am come to realize how many people in this world are CHOOSING not to be good parents, which irritates me.  I HATE when people attempt to be parents to other people's children before they raise their own.  Seriously?  Why don't you focus on the kids who you helped bring into this world before attempting to become a parent to your new spouse's children.  Your children will one day resent you for this. Cowboy up and raise your own first.  It also annoys me when people try to be your parent when you ALREADY have two amazing parents.  I have experinced this personally and it annoyed me beyond belief, it also didn't help that I hated this person.
Also men/women who pretend as if they do not have children.  I don't  care if you provided the sperm or the egg, you BOTH helped to make that child and it is your responsibility to be a parent! I don't care if you were sixteen when the child was born, it is time for you to cowboy up and take ownership.  What really ticks me off is when a spouse knows that his/her wife/husband has a child and helps to cover it up.  Apparently you need to grow a set too.
My dad was a senior in high school when he found out he had a got a girl pregnant. He cowboyed up and took care of my sister and her mom.  Even when her mom moved her to the other side of the country, he made sure to always get her and my other sister Christmas and birthday presents.  When my parents got married, my mom made sure to treat all of us equally, but she never pretended to be their mom. My sisters decided when they were teenagers to stop having contact with my dad and I.  It broke his heart but once he again, since he thought it was what they wanted and needed he allowed it.  When he realized that our relationship was strained, he apologized to me and everything is better.  When my daddy married Rhonda, the first thing that she told him was "I have two kids and you have two kids.  You need to put your kids first and I will put my kids first." That is EXACTLY how a step-parent should respond!

So men and women cowboy up!
Okay Okay, I have one friend who is mom, and she is doing an amazing job so this is not directed towards her, nor the rest of yall because one, Tabitha your baby girl isn't here yet and I know you and Ed will be great parents, two, the rest of you don't have kids lol

This made me feel just a bit better.

This one is for you...

Today I sat in bed waiting for that infamous verdict to arrive.  In my mind, she was guilty, and if the jury was coming back that fast then of course they knew it too.  But apparently I, along with the rest of the United States, was wrong.  As I sit her in my bed attempting to study, the thoughts of that poor baby girl weighs on my mind, and I knew that I would never get any sleep until I spoke how I felt.  This is not a blog written from a mom's point of view, because clearly I am not a mom. However, I did lose one of cousins the first time their parents left me alone with them.  I had made Matt Matt and he thought he would run and hide from me.  Of course when I found him I was on the verge of beating him to death, but instead I grabbed him and cried..isn't this the response your are suppse to have?

Two things that many of you don't know about me: One, my original major was Political Science with a minor in Criminal Justice, ambitious I know.  What I wanted to do with my life was become a child advocate.  I knew that I would make little to no money, but the rewards were worth it.  I truly believed that I could be the voice of innocent children.  Two, while I was at North Georgia I worked for a domestic violence shelter.  While there, I helped sobbing mothers walk to the stand to tell how their husbands had abused her and children.  Mothers would do this knowing that when the went home, and their husbands learned of their wrong doings, they would pay the price.  But in their eyes it was worth it. If their children could get out of the horrible situation they would gladly lay down their OWN life.  I also talked with children about their home life, and would go home crying for what they had to experience.

So after these experiences, I am outraged at what the American Justice system decided today.  Clearly I don't know Ms. Anthony personally, but if the above mentioned mothers would do anything to get their children out of abusive situations, even if it meant they would die in the act, then how is that Ms. Anthony can sit there and pretend that she had nothing to do with her daughter's disappearance. Even if she did not kill her daughter, then why could she not have called and told the police that her daughter was missing!!! This is clearly what makes her look guilty.  This is what made the entire world deem her as a horrible mother. 

Being someone with a small legel background (okay almost non-existent, but while doing it I did it with my whole hear) it seems that one thing was forgotten...Caylee.  Apparently Casey forgot to be Caylee's mother.  Apparently her defense lawyers forgot to find out who really hurt Caylee.  Apparently the jury forgot that someone had to kill Caylee, and apparently they forgot that the only one person benefited from her being dead!

All I ask each and everyone of you...one don't forget little Caylee.  Remember when you see your kids or when you have kids.  Two don't give up on the justice system.  One day one of you will probably have to be a member of the jury, so if you do...fight for the victim.  Especially if for one moment, for one second you think the defendant is guilty.  That is the only way that the justice system can work.

And for those of you who wonder why I changed my major, well I couldn't leave the work at the office.  Each time I left those children I went home and thought about them.  I knew that it was not best for me at that time to attempt to defend them when I could not seperate my personal feelings from my work.   However, after this episode, I feel that maybe innocent children DO need someone who will defend them to the end.  Don't get me wrong, the Sate did an excellent job, they just picked the wrong jury.  So maybe one day, when I get everything settled I might find a way to help innocent children. 

It is the little things that matter most

Last night Josh and I had one of our moments, you know those moments as a couple when one of you does something beyond stupid and the other laughs their rear end off the rest of the night.  Of course Josh was the one who had the ridiculously stupid moment and I proceeded to laugh for the next thirty minutes. 

After I was over it, I sat and thought about how lucky I am.  I am often a complainer and I realized that I have few things to complain about.  I really do live a blessed life.  And it made me think about people who are miserable. 

There is this guy in my history classes who is probably the most miserable person in the entire world.  He is convinced that our government is communist and he does not believe in God.  Now I am an extremely open minded person and I let people believe what they want and I believe what I want to.  I never try to force my beliefs on people, we in live in America so to each his own.  I believe that there is only person who can judge you.  Also, I know that I am not a saint, nor will I ever pretend to be one. Back to this guy in my class, I feel so sorry for him.  He has consumed his life with negative feelings and spends his life trying to convince everyone that God isn't real.  He also thinks that teachers and nurses are the people destroying our country (really? I thought that nurses saved people and teachers taught the future leaders of America).  I finally looked at him, after him making a nasty comment to me about meantioning God in class, and said "Do you have anything in your life to live for? I mean is there anything that can make you happy?" And of course he had no answers.  It just goes to show that if you consume your life with negative thoughts and feelings you will life a miserable life....and I feel sorry for him.

After thinking about all of this, I realized that yes I do have an amazing life.  No it is not perfect. Josh and I fight, we eat left overs, we don't get to go party or out to eat every weekend, I would give anything for a bigger house or a new car, and I don't get to see Taylor Swift this weekend....but I do have something to live for.

If there is ever a time you find yourself feeling down, find a baby or toddler.  Sit with them and look at the world through their eyes.  Watch as baby looks at his/her mother as if she is most amazing person in the world, and you will see what love at first sight is.  Watch a little boy playing in a puddle of mud and you will discover that making messes can be a blast.  Listen to a little girl sing and you will discover that everyone can carry a tune.  Life is absolutely amazing through theirs eyes. 

I am pretty sure that if I don't get a teaching job I want to work with babies and toddlers.  I haven't figured what that will be, but I love kids (bet y'all didn't know that one) and would enjoy spending the day with them.  So maybe I will open my own daycare or work in the medical field with them.  I am sure I can figure something out.


And of course that guy in my class hates kids! No wonder he is so miserable!

Barefoot Blue Jean Night

After a crazy week (for a moment I thought the conspiracy theory was coming true), this weekend was much deserved.  Now my favorite time of the year is Summer! I love cook outs, ice cream, and good times with great friends! And that is exactly what this weekend was made of .   The Dovers threw their first cook out, and it made me wish we had a bigger house so we could have more friends over.  Me wanting to make sure our friends were entertained decided to buy this game set that consisted of washers, ladder ball, and bean bag toss.  I probably should have made sure it was easy to set-up because Jordan and I spent thirty minutes trying to put the games together, and yes there were parts left over, but it makes life a little more interesting. 

Jordan and Corey!

I kinda, sorta, maybe just a little love him!

After Corey and Josh whooped the girls at bean bag toss and laderball we decided it was time to meet up with the Bryans and the McEntires to watch the Chatsworth's fireworks.  Is it sad that I was more entertained in watching Skyler and Greenleigh than the fireworks?  If you haven't seen them then you are missing out.  They are two of the most beautiful children I have ever met and they are hilarious! (Lindsey you and Tyler have done an amazing jobs!) Even Josh thinks they are pretty amazing, and he is not known for being a baby person. 

After the fireworks were over, we went back to our house to have some ice cream (or at least I did) and play with sparklers (yea I am still a child at heart)!

Best Friends!

I would love to know why I look as if something has just blew my mind.

And of coure I had to have a picture with my baby girl!

So this weekend was pretty amazing, but I do have my war wounds. My entire body is covered in bug bites. In case you didn't know, I am allergic to mosiquitos.  Also as I was playing with Sophie she went to bite her toy, missed and ripped my thumb open.  Then as I was folding the table up, it pinched my arm so now I have nasty bruise.  I have got to be the most accident prone person in the world!