A Month!?!?

A Month?!

I cannot believe a solid month has gone by since I have last blogged. February is always the fastest month in my opinion. It just seems to fly by. Add in the snow days and it's been crazy. I will try to catch up!

Of Course - The Day of Love!

I'm not usually a big Valentine's Day girl. I love the party at school for my kiddos. Watching their little faces light up when they read their cards from their friends is just priceless. I honestly think it is their favorite party of the year and the easiest for parents to plan. Trust me, all kids care about is food, sweets, and their valentine cards! It is a very sweet party.

I really enjoyed this year's day of love! My principal is just the best! She let me go during my lunch break to Brighton's Sweetheart Luncheon and actually be a mom! It was my favorite part of the day. With B starting K next year it was awesome to be at her last Pre-K party. I have missed so many due to my schedule at school. After B's luncheon she came back to school with me. She absolutely adores Claire Wilhelm and thinks they are best friends. I had to get their picture. Brighton stayed attached to her the ENTIRE time. Thanks Casey for letting B tag along. B also loves Raef Stalls and Jackson Hutchens. I hope when she is a little freshman they will watch out for her. She has loved them since last year. HUMMMMM Brighton Stalls . . . .Brighton Hutchens . . .I'll take it.  I cannot wait to have her at school with me.

At the end of the day, I got to see my best friend Robin Wright - so my day was complete! LOVE that girl!

My parents were awesome and kept B that night and Dennis and I spent the evening at Embassy Suites. I was pampered at the spa that night, we had a nice dinner in the restaurant and we had 14 hours of undisturbed sleep. It was heaven. So, maybe I'm a Valentine's Day girl after all.

A dreaded Good-bye . . .

Dennis and I have a dear friend who decided to up and move home to Wisconsin or Minnesota or Michigan or whatever those states are called ( ha ha - that's for you Jocko)! Most don't know this, but I am an avid sports watcher and talker- well when it comes to the teams I like and only if you want to hear what I want to say. The first time I met Mike Jacques was at a Naturals game and I hit him head on with 1,000 questions (like I usually do everyone I first meet) about our new football coach. And, it was a friendship immediately. We went back and forth on high school football, baseball, Razorbacks, my LOVE of Auburn, you name it. We have pictures everywhere and he turned out to be someone very special to my family. As, I'm sure he did to many of yours. I have known for several months that his family was dying to get back to "home", but I ignored it, but the day came on February 14th and I said my tearful good-bye to Jocko. I know he'll be back to enjoy our friendly banter and I wish nothing but the best for him and his family. It's good to still talk to him every few days, but when football season starts up - GET READY MY FRIEND!!!!!!

So, that pretty leads up to today. We have had lots of sickness - Brighton and I keep passing strep to each other, we have had our 13th snow day and finally get to go back to work tomorrow, but other than that - things are great! Looking forward to spring!

Check back tomorrow for a great post I've been collecting thoughts for some time!

--J

 

Boredom has officially sat in . . .

It's here . . .

It is what we all dread . . . .every puzzle has been played, barbies are no longer fun, you have played Candy Land, Connect Four - YOU NAME IT. And, then you hear the two words you know have been coming for the past 3 snow days . . . . . I'M BOOORRRREEEDDD!!!!!!!  Well, guess what! SO AM I! Well, at least that's what you want to say back, but you don't.

I have eaten every bit of the $200 in groceries that we purchased on Saturday. I am cooked everything I can think of and played every game in Brighton's closet. I wait all day for 1) nap time and 2) 4:30 when Dennis gets off work. Tonight when he walked through that door Brighton and I pranced on poor Daddy before he could say hello. She was ready for him to play tea party and I was ready for adult conversation!

Needless to say, we have begged him to stay home from work tomorrow and indulge in all of this pure bliss.

Bonding time

Brighton and I did have some time to bond during every Law and Order SVU episode. (Kidding). We made a chicken pot pie in the crock pot and then finished it once Dennis was home. It was beautiful - Brighton didn't eat it because it still hurting her throat to swallow and I didn't eat because - well I am officially tired of eating. But, here is proof.

Tomorrow begins another day . . . .another snow day, that is.

Brighton's school is open tomorrow, but I wouldn't dare send my baby to school. She is feeling back to 100%. I thank you all for your prayers. Daddy is staying home tomorrow and hopefully we can get out of our house and and venture out to get breakfast and come back and enjoy the rest of our snow day in bed! Sounds wonderful doesn't it . . . . . . we shall see how that works out.

Confessions of a Snow Day teacher . . .

We all have them  . . .those dirty little secrets we hope to never reveal, but they are eventually going to seep out so I will do the telling on myself before someone else has to. No judging. Some of you may even relate. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I am a sleeper . . .

Not a "normal" sleeper, but like Dennis thinks I'm in a coma sleeper. I laid down for a nap at 1:30pm today and then boom the next thing I know he is waking me up and it is 6:30pm! And, I don't feel guilty. I loved every moment of it. Does this only happen on snow days you ask? NO way! Every Saturday and Sunday afternoon that we do not have anything going on - once about 12:30 hits - NAPTIME at the Birge house!!!! It's heaven. The sheets are nice and cold, and the room gets dark and I grab my two pillows and arrange them just right and I grab my stuffed animal - Pollie. (NO Judging, remember!) And, for the next 3 hours, it is NAP time! Brighton is the same say - she loves her sleep (for now) so we are some sleeping girls. It drives Dennis crazy in the winter -in the spring and summer he loves it because off to the golf course he goes! Usually in the spring and summer - we head to the pool and naps aren't as important - for now . . . .almost time to catch more zzzzzzzzzzz's.



Teachers secretly love snow days but . . .

We do not like making them up. We love unexpected days off in the middle of a week that weren't planned, but when it comes to June - we are done - our brains are turned off and just like the kids - we are done. We are thinking of pools, lemonade and suntans. No matter when you get out of school it happens around May 10th every year. This is my 13th year teaching - and it happens every year.  Surprisingly, this year, I really am over winter, but I still get a tad bit of excitement when I hear snow is coming because that means SLEEP! I think it is because I wake up at 4:30 every am. and am at school by 6:30. I do not remember loving sleep this much before Brighton or before we changed school start times. Before kids would come to school at 8:00 and now the bell rings at 7:15. BIG difference. Trust me.

I usually can control my eating really well until . . .

a snow day hits! Boom, I try to eat like we will never eat again. 3 Crunch bars - check, cookies, check, it makes me so sad. I just want to say no. IF I don't go on a diet SOON, my clothes aren't going to fix and I will soon look like a chipmunk. My eating has got to get out of control and I totally blame the snow!

My Brighton Girl

It is amazing, we had her at the doctor by 6:45 this am and she is feeling so much better. I have very rarely seen her sick so I was so scared. B doesn't get sick. Mommy does. I haven't rocked her and held her crying in so long, it was scary. I was happy that she needed me, but man that's hard. Her fever this afternoon is down to 99.0 which is much better and she has rested and slept all day. She does have to miss school tomorrow, but I think after that she's going to be back to her perky self. I cannot thank everyone for their prayers.

My Sunday School Girls

I have to give a shout out to Lenette, Jennifer, Kelly, Laurie, Melissa, Kristy, Aimee, Jessica, Shelley,  and Kacy! What did I do without you girls 6 months ago! You girls are my rock and my prayer warriors!!!! I missed seeing you this week - see you soon!!!! Love you all!

 

 

 

I couldn't stop myself. . .keep reading

Tomorrow is Brighton Birge's Birthday!

Now, let me say that correctly . . .tomorrow is MY BABY's birthday. My ONLY baby's birthday. Our one and only child's birthday. And, if you are a mom, you know that as I try to type this, you know that there are tears running down my face because where in the world did 5 years go. Tonight Dennis and I went to go shopping for "her" list. Her "must have" items. I went straight to the Fisher-Price aisle. He had to stop me and say what are you doing -she hasn't been on this aisle in years. Yes, I know, but I wanted to touch them all again and see the blocks and rings you have to stack and watch the toys light up. I didn't want to buy an Esquerian Girl Doll that is half girl and half horse? It scares me! As I have mentioned before I tied my tubes and for my health I can't have another. Plus Dennis has paid all of the childcare until June he is so excited for this birthday to arrive! But, it's not about having another child - this is about MY baby. So, if you are reading this and don't know much about our little B - I have to tell you. In 5 minutes on this Earth - she was ours.

Brighton LeAnne Birge

 

 

 

  She is spoiled rotten.   And she has me eating out of the palm of her hand. 
She is incredibly disciplined.  Because I have made her that way.  I expect her to be perfect.  Because she is the first born.  She’s got a little sass to her.  And she can light up a room.  But my gosh, she is a mini me.  I have created that child.  I don’t know … to be a little me is a little scary.  

But my question is – all the time – you know Dennis goes in a store, a service store, has something done, even a hair cut, no matter what  ... my one question is, “Were they nice?”  “Was she nice?”  “Was he nice?”  Because if the answer was “no”, I’m never going back there.  And I don’t know if I’m seeking approval from those people.  Or wherever it is, it doesn’t matter.  “Where they nice?”  Because I don’t want to go anywhere I’m not accepted.   It's part of my anxiety I suppose.

Brighton’s question constantly is, “Are you sad?”  “Are you happy with me?  Or are you sad with me?”   And to me that just shows that she is going to have a little dose of my anxiety … forever.  And as Dennis knows she is, she is still her mother’s child.  From the very beginning.

 She going to be five tomorrow.  She came out all barrels blazing.  And she hasn’t stopped yet. 

And she’s strong.  And that also scares me.  Because that means she’s going to have something in her life that she’s going to have to be strong for. 

I was strong.  My grandmother is strong.  My mother is strong.  But we’ve all had something horrific in our life that we’ve had to be strong women for.   We’re not pansies; we don’t lean on people, and we don’t need someone.  We are very strong people.  And she’s the same way.  My grandmother loved her husband so much, he was in a wheelchair from an aneurysm. She cared for him in ways that she didn't have to - she didn't sign up for that. She was incredibly strong. My mother - again, my dad has had so many heath issues - again strong - since I was little - he has had something going on - but rarely have I seen her cry - she stays strong for all of us.

 

Brighton is strong.

She doesn’t need me to zip her jacket.  She knows how to do that by herself.  She has since she was three.  I tell my first graders all the time, “My four year old can zip a jacket.  You CAN do this.  

Brighton is the most independent child I know.  “No, I don’t want you to zip my jacket or tie my shoe.  I know how to do that mom. “
“Ok, Brighton”.    “Hold my hand.” 
“No, I don’t need to hold your hand.  I know how to walk beside you without holding you hand.”

So it kind of scares me.  Because she is so strong.  So I know she’ll have something that she’s going to have to go through just like the women before me.  And that’s why she is so strong. 

But just to think … five years old.  She is a complete daddy's girl. She adores her Grandy. I think she would be fine having a room at their house for the weekends. Brighton and Grandy have a bond that no one will ever understand. I think it is similar to my grandmother and myself. I will bring up all kinds of stories that my grandma told me, but no one else knows them. She only told me. That makes me feel incredibly special.

She loves her Papa too and her Nana, Pops and cousins. She is a very lovable child. All of her friends. She's just a friendly child. Never meets a stranger.

My best friend Robin - she truly thinks that is her Aunt Robin. Loves her to pieces.

She thinks the world of her Uncle Todd and Cassi, but NEVER wants him to know it.

I watched her sleep last night, and she is absolutely beautiful.  She is a beautiful child.  But her smile … it’s her smile that makes her absolutely stunning.  You just look at her and you just think … she just doesn’t even know how beautiful she is. 

And it will be her mouth that gets her in trouble.  If only I could teach her everything I know now.  That I’ve had to learn.

 

My five year old little baby. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s sad and so happy all at the same time, isn’t it?

 

I was going to put a couple of pictures up here - but I just couldn't stop.

 

5 Days is ENOUGH!

SOOOO I got sent home from school on Thursday with fever and went to the doctor around 1:45 in which to learn around 2:30 I have/had the FLU! UGHHHH. Generally, I usually like to get the flu, but this flu is totally different. From the times before I have been awake - laid up in my bed watching tv and back to work in a day. This time - well - you shall see.

Thursday

I left the doctor's office and I was literally 2 blocks away from Brighton's school so I decided that since it was 2:30 I would get B because Dennis wasn't able to until 5:30 and I HATE her being there after 4. I went to the front desk and asked if someone could go get her for me and - boom that was done. But, THEN I had to go to Walgreens and get my two prescriptions. I went through the drive-thru, but since my insurance card had changed, they needed ME to come in. (Excuse me . . . .I HAVE the FLU!) Yes, we understand, but you have to come in to get your meds. (WHAT!!!) Does this make sense to anyone? So, I go inside, there are about 3,000 people in front of me - all elderly - the techs take my card and tell me it will be a half hour wait. Can I wait in my car - nope - we will page you over the intercom (WHAT!) okay well, they asked for it I guess. I didn't want to stay near the elderly, so Brighton and I made a heyday in the Valentine aisle. We ate every single package of chocolate that we touched - so to me that seemed to take care of the germ issue. 30 minutes later we were out of there.

We finally got home around 4:45 and Dennis was in the closet changing for Men's thing at church that night. He was ready to walk out the door when I had just taken a HOT bath and my meds when I realized, I can't keep my eyes open - let alone watch a 4 year old. Literally, he was leaving me and I said these selfish words "WHAT ABOUT ME!". He looked at me like UMMMMMMMMMM. So, he decided to take B to my mom's, and let me stay here to sleep and head off to church. Problem was - I couldn't sleep - I was starving. Somewhere around 8:00 I had woken up and decided to make myself pasta salad - but I left it all on the stove and never ate a bite. I think right there was when the actual flu hit.

Friday

I cannot tell you one single thing about Friday. I had already made sub plans when I left school on Thursday. I slept all day, all night and I only remember waking up every 6 hours when Dennis gave me my Tamiflu and stomach medicine. I don't remember a single thing.

Saturday

Dennis got up and was trying to clean the house a little, B was home, my mom came over to help with her - she had a dance recital that day, but I slept through all of that. I can remember sounds, but not much of it happening. It kills me that I missed my sassy little B dancing on that stage. I haven't even looked at pictures or videos yet, because it breaks my heart I wasn't there. I was more alert Saturday, I think.

Sunday

Sunday morning I woke up and felt like taking a shower - (yes, the first one since Thursday night's bath) - I poked around the house and then ran up to school and made plans for today. It took everything I had to take the shower so I knew I couldn't make it today. The last 4 days I had still been running a fever close to 101, but today it has dropped to 99. I was so thankful that my friend of 12 years Melissa came by to check on me tonight. It was good to see someone!!!

Today

I have been awake since 8 - working on school stuff, worried about my kids, which tells me I am 100% better. My fever is only 99 - which means Angela our nurse wouldn't call that a fever. I will be tired, but I'm ready to go back to school tomorrow! I will probably sleep from lunch until dinner tonight, but I'm ready to get back into the world. Especially since I don't remember two of the days I slept through!!!


No, I did not get the flu shot. I do not think it matters at all if you get it or if you don't. Brighton always gets the flu mist and still gets very sick right afterwards for several days. Dennis did not get the flu show because he always forgets. I'm afraid of needles. (Well except the ones that go in my face) B hasn't been around me much - she has really been wanting my attention. My mom got the flu shot this year and was also very sick for nearly 3 weeks. I think its a just a toss up. I'm not for or against it. I do not think B will get it next year at all. But, that's just me saying that now.

I can say - Dennis always comes through - he meant it when he said in sickness and in health. I used to be the healthiest person around. NEVER got sick. B took that from me. She never gets sick and I was left catching everything around. And, I would rather have it than her. It is one reason why I can't have another child. She did a work up on my body and literally my doctor said it wasn't smart to have another baby. I cherish my little B who never gets sick and who understands why mommy can catch everything. But, I am also thankful for Dennis for waking me up at 3am to give me my medicine and bringing me 3 meals a day. I haven't eaten this much food in a year. I think he's enjoyed that! Ha!

Thanks for all of the prayers. I'll be back at at it tomorrow!!!!!

Love to you all!

In Search Of . . . .

It's really a small request . . . .I am in search of a nice, sweet friend who loves country music, likes to travel to Little Rock, Tulsa, Dallas, and Kansas City - likes to have clean fun and can talk the country music talk. I admit I am a country music junkie - especially when it comes to concerts.

For example, Jana Kramer (if you are already saying who - you do not fit the cut) is in Oklahoma this Friday night. I have hit up every country fan I know - everyone is a "no go". Therefore I have to lug poor Dennis to Oklahoma.

Another example, last summer Dennis got to endure the Luke Bryan concert which at one point I caught him counting the beams on the ceiling. Only an engineer would think of studying the structure of a building while Luke Bryan is singing on stage.  Who could possibly not pay attention at Luke Bryan. He also went with me to Miranda Lambert and again to Blake Shelton with me. Now, I have always been a Kenny Chesney girl . . .always. I flew to Charlotte on August 1st to see my Kenny - oh and one of my best friends of all time and we had a wonderful time. The Eli Young band opened for him so it's always fun to see who opens. Anyway, see I'll do anything to see Kenny. I have now seen him 9 times. But, I will have to say Blake Shelton hands down has been my all time favorite concert. Even Dennis laughed, clapped and I even caught him singing! SHHH! It was not what you expected. Blake cried, showed real emotion and talked about things that you wouldn't have expected. Now, would I ever let any child under the age of ummmmm 21 go - probably not, but there were some real moments there. It was awesome.

So, leads me to my point. Billy Currington . . . March 8th is going to be in Little Rock. I would love to go . . . .Dennis says he's a no go. SIGH. But, I have to give him props - he is going to George Strait in April.

So here I am . . .married, white female looking for a another female who loves to get out there and love on some country music!

Please, PLEASE! You know you are out there.

Reconstructing Bridges

My mom always taught me not to burn any bridges because you never know when you'll need them. I'm not quite saying I need these "bridges" it's more that I hate that they are broken and I do not know how to fix them. My husband, is an engineer - that's what he does - designs and builds bridges. But, yet even he doesn't have the answer of how to fix these broken bridges.

This isn't quite a hypothetical question. This is a question for everyone out there. All 500 of you that read this. I have hurt a lot of people in my life. I think we can look back and say we all have either intentional or unintentional, but even years later - this hurt it coming back so vivid in dreams I wake up in the middle of the night wondering how to fix these broken pieces.

I have had friends that have come and gone, these friends that no longer even speak when you walk by and that hurts. I'm not that same person as I was then - I am a new person. I was born again on November 10th and when I heard those words on December 15th "raised to walk in a newness of life" - that is what I'm trying to do. Make amends. Figure out what is wrong and fix it. Apologize for what ever I said, for putting myself first, for doing something so badly that I have blocked it out and caused friends to say good-bye to me.

I do not expect the kind of friendships again, but I did love these people and care for them. Acquaintances, yes, keeping up with families, yes, I would love those things, but first I would like to apologize for whatever happened 3 months ago, or 1 year ago, or even 4 years ago. My heart aches for forgiveness for these people and if they had 30 seconds they may see I'm not that immature girl that once was.

So, my question for tonight . . . how to fix broken bridges -perhaps they aren't burnt down - they are just missing a few pieces.  I can only pray there is a way. I do know I am not deserving, but I will continue to pray.

Ephesians 4:32         
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Matthew 18:21-22      Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
Ecclesiastes 7:20         
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.