So much for free time. . .

I can't believe that it has been since the summer of 2008 that I actually updated this! One of my New Year's resolutions will definitely be to actually blog once in awhile. It's funny, but reading my last post about the summer of 2008 is almost identical to what I could have written for this past summer - except with a more recent set of pictures. I guess you could say we are creatures of habit.

Since it's the end of a year, how about a recap of this year's events! I am still teaching at a local junior high school, and since our enrollment is up, I am actually teaching four Texas History classes and two World Geography classes. I spent the summer writing new curriculum for our district's geography teachers and this summer I will work on curriculum for Texas History. Someday, I hope to teach all ninth graders - not that I don't care for my seventh graders, but the "training" part of seventh grade is probably going to give me blood pressure problems! Neal is working on his masters in Accounting along with an MBA at the University of Texas in Arlington. He plans on finishing the MS in Accounting in the Fall 2010 when he will start a new job with an accounting firm - YAY! We will be back to two incomes again!

We still have two adorable pups who basically have us wrapped around their little paws, but in general they are pretty well-behaved and so worth having around. Neal's sister graduated from Harding last December and she now leaves nearby, so she can "puppy-sit" for us if we need it. I also have a new baby sister named Madison - that is a long story, but the short version is that my dad is remarried and had a "surprise" this year. I will admit that I was not excited about this news at first, but now, I am just happy that everyone in the situation is healthy and happy. I am done trying to predict the outcomes of these types of situations.

In May, Neal and I finally placed membership at the church we had been visiting for a long time. We actually decided to do this, because they needed volunteers to help out with children's Sunday school classes in the summer. Churches generally want people to be members if they are going to teach classes, so we placed membership and spent our Sunday mornings in the summer with an awesome group of second graders! Neal said the funniest thing about why he wanted to sign up, "I know that we will have kids someday, but I really don't know how to talk to them, so this will give me an idea of what they are like." He was really nervous about it, but he was much better at talking with them than I was. I realized that I am much more comfortable with junior high kids.

We also found a small group at our church that is made up of younger couples (for once, we are one of the couples who have been married the longest) and one couple who have children our age. The McNeeses host our meetings at their house and provide us with plenty of food, laughs, and wisdom. We really love where we have ended up. Recently, we even took ski trip to New Mexico with a couple from our small group and had a blast (even though, I played "Mom" and watched everyone's stuff at the bottom of the mountain)!

We spent the last week visiting family for our tour of Christmas. It was fun, but I am worn out! Neal and I are spending the next few days being very lazy until we drive to San Antonio to meet our friends who are flying in from Nashville for New Year's. I can't wait to celebrate with them!

Madison and me

Red River, New Mexico

So, in conclusion, life is pretty great right now! I can't wait to see what 2010 will bring!