The Little Things

I am about to go to bed but today as I was driving home I wrote this post in my head about the little things today that made me happy.

1. Pip being a bat dog out the window on the way home.
2. Grilled cheeseburgers by my daddy
3. Hugs & Kisses from both my parents
4. Singing the Miley Cyrus CD at the top of my lungs (don't judge)
5. Dinner with my family (Thank you again Coker family!)

and my favorite...

6. Randomly getting a message from my husband that says, "I love you"

Vitamins???

I need my bloggy friends HELP!! I have to take care of myself...BIG time. One so I don't relapse, and two just to be better and healthier. I take extra vitamin C (Sunkist Chewables- actually good) and a small slow release Iron tablet. However, I am trying to find a vitamin that is a multi-vitamin that is NOT a giant pill. I am absolutely terrible at taking pills and every multi-vitamin is HUGE!! I am looking at One A Day Women's 2O that you put in water, but I don't want to go buy it unless it is good cause its like 10 bucks! So...has anyone tired vitamins in your water? Does it taste nasty? Or does anyone know a good multi-vitamin that is like Advil sized?

I currently take Adult Gummy Multi-Vitamins, but they don't have as much strength as a regular multi-vitamin.

If I Were...

If I were a month, I’d be June

If I were a day of the week, I’d be Saturday

If I were a time of day, I’d be Sunrise (Every day begins anew)

If I were a planet, I’d be Earth

If I were a sea animal, I’d be dolphin

If I were a direction, I’d be whatever direction points to home

If I were a piece of furniture, I’d be a comfy chair

If I were a liquid, I’d be sonic ice with a cherry lime aide

If I were a gemstone, I’d be a garnet (birthstone & love red)

If I were a tree, I’d be Cherry Blossom (LOVE)

If I were a tool, I’d be a hammer

If I were a flower, I’d be a orange/red calla lilly (wedding bouquet)

If I were a kind of weather, I’d be a beach in Mexico

If I were a musical instrument, I’d be a piano

If I were a color, I’d be red or orange or maybe white...

If I were an emotion, I’d be happy, not content, happy

If I were a fruit, I’d be a strawberry

If I were a sound, I’d be running water

If I were an element, I’d be gold

If I were a car, I’d be Range Rover....red

If I were a food, I’d be chocolate covered strawberry

If I were a place, I’d be the beach

If I were a material, I’d be silk

If I were a taste, I’d be sweet & salty

If I were a scent, I’d be Euphoria by CK

If I were an object, I’d be pictures or home movies

If I were a body part, I’d be the eyes

If I were a facial expression, I’d be a child laughing

If I were a song, I’d be How Do You Know-Enchanted

If I were a pair of shoes, I’d be comfy slippers or stilettos depending on my mood

Hands Down

So cute! My blog has been such debbie downer lately. I am determined to make it more : ) Today one of my little boys brings me this....How cute is that? Inside the hands is a thing of hand sanitizer! Isn't that adorable? Too cute! My parents have been wonderful so has my school! More on that this weekend. Have a wonderful Friday yall! I can't wait for 3:30 tomorrow! : )

Heavy Heart

With a heavy heart I relate to you that Jenny went to be with the Lord at around 3:30 this afternoon. This is from her care page.

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Jenny Bizaillion passed from this world at 3:38pm.
She was the most beautiful, wonderful friend, perfect mom, devoted sister, loyal daughter, and best wife a person could ever have.

We will see her again.

This just breaks my heart. I read this and started bawling. I never met the girl yet I feel so connected to her. That could have been me. I know God isn't finished with me yet and that is why I am still here but I keep thinking of her little girl who will never know her mother. I have just sat here and cried.

My heart really just breaks in two. This was posted on the care page as a comment. Someone made this video for their niece so the girl in the pictures is NOT Jenny, but this song is something so true and we must remember this as we face tomorrow.

Keep her family in your prayers.

Title: You Wouldn't Cry

Good to Be Back

So far, so good. Granted it is only 10 am but this morning has gone really well. We did our estimation with skittles and then we estimated how many people would fit in my itty bitty bathroom then actually did it, cramming 10 kids into my bathroom! They loved it. They all laughed and had fun "estimating." Then with their estimations we made a graph with sticky notes and I asked them what does it look like we are making and little T goes..."A horizontal GRAPH" I died. I couldn't help it, I was laughing so hard. I have never talked about graphs let alone horizontal graphs! Loved it! Good to be back...I miss their little voices.

However, they all looked at me like I was dead when I came in this morning. hahaha

Say A Prayer

Tomorrow is my first day back at work after being out for 3 and a half weeks. I am nervous yet excited. I feel like the past three weeks didn't really happen. To me it is still the middle of January, not almost MARCH!!

So as I go into my classroom tomorrow pray for patience, STRENGTH, no tears ( I cry A LOT), and for the day to fly by and my little babies brains to grow grow grow! Better get to bed...I'll let you know how it goes unless I pass out when I get home (which is highly possible)

Operation Organize Shoes

We still have gift cards to BBB (Bed Bath & Beyond) from our wedding so the other day I went on a shopping spree : ) I needed some retail therapy and what better way to spend money than gift cards! I got some things for the kitchen, a new mattress pad, etc. AND I got a SHOE RACK! Since college my shoes have been in buckets. I never know what I have or where a certain shoe is so today I was determined to make my closet look beautiful. This was my closet with buckets of shoes before.The box says "Easy to Assembly, Together in Seconds" HAHAHAHA! I had to leave it in pieces on the floor twice because I got so frustrated with it. It was NOT easy to put together. Not that there were a lot pieces but because they didn't want to fit together! UGH! I left it to go work on school but before long that was frustrating and overwhelming me as well so I went back to the shoe rack. SUCCESS! I emptied the buckets and organized piles of heels, flats, tennis shoes, sandals, boots, dressy shoes. I then put them in the rack according to how often I wear them (hence the purple, pink glittery shoes are in the back corner)

I got it together, however, they are supposed to be stackable also another HAHAHA. Not stackable. But I like it better next to each other anyways. Finished!!!
However, I had to find a place for my dressy shoes, boots and tennis shoes but I think I hid them nicely. : ) What do you think? Did I do ok? Any suggestions to make it better?

P.S. If anyone ever lets me buy another pair of black heels, hurt me!! Unless I throw some away, then I would need a replacement...right : )

Droid Does

Yesterday Justin had off so he went to the dermatologist and got tore up. He had to have three spots removed, one of them has stitches! He tries to act all tough but I about passed out last night when we changed his bandages. I don't know how I was ever a trainer. I lived for broken bones, staph, cuts and bruises and now I can't even look at my husbands stitches without wanting to pass out! I don't know what happened to me. Anyways, pray that they come back clean!

After the dermatologist Justin went and got his tires rotated and I went and picked him up and we went to Subway and ate lunch. After lunch I dropped him back off at Discount Tire and we headed to Verizon Wireless! I have been on AT&T but Justin was getting a new phone and they were having a deal where you buy one, get one FREE!!! So we both got a new DROID! I know, its just a phone but I have always had just the basic phone which is all I ever needed but now I have the coolest phone (I'm biased). However, I am realizing how lame I am because I never get any email beeps. : ) Justin's goes off all the time!
I just love it!! : ) Justin wasn't sure if I would use it. I am pretty sure I have played with mine way more than he has played with his!

DROID DOES

Couples Shower

This past weekend was Kason & Carla's couple shower. It turned out GREAT! I had gone to Kingwood cause Justin was out of town and had just returned Saturday early afternoon. As soon as I got back in town I got busy shopping and packing up my car to head over to Taylors to help get ready. We decorated and before we knew it was time to get the party started. : )

The happy couple

We started the night off by eating some yummy lasagna and pizza. The theme was "His & Hers." On one side of the table we had lasagna, salad and wine (her's) and heart shaped pizza, beer and chocolate cigars (his). It turned out super cute. After dinner we started the games...This picture was the "Wedding Night" game. They had a bag full of clothes and were blindfolded. They each had to take turns picking something out of the bag and then putting it on each other. The bag consisted of everything from our 5 year old nephews underwear, fairy wings, boots, shape ups (my personal favorite), lingerie, etc. It was hilarious! The next game we played was "Name Those Legs." All the boys had to roll up their jeans and then 3 at a time get behind a sheet and "model" their legs. Carla then had to guess which legs were the legs of her beloved! She guessed right. : )
Then we played, "Name that Kiss." Kason was blindfolded and then all the girls (with fresh lipstick on) kissed Kason on the check and forehead. Kason then had to choose which kiss was Carlas. The sad thing is one of his buddies (MALE) gave him a kiss and he knew immediately that it was Brady. We all laughed and wondered how he knew so quickly it was Brady...haha! He claims he could smell him! But once again, just like Carla, Kason got it right on the money. I guess thats what happens when you date for 6 years!

We then cut cake, played the newlywed game, took pictures and just spent time together. I have so many more pictures but I am sure Carla will blog and put some of them up ; ) Overall, it was a great shower. A good time was had by all and I had to my inhaler a number of times from laughing, smiling and talking so much! (that must mean I had a good time) : )

Carla & All Her Sisters!!
**Cambrey, Taylor, Ragan, Carla, Me, Melissa**

Less than 100 days until the big day (they have been engaged since before Justin & I...since December 2008)

I'll leave you with this...we still are newlyweds ya know? : )

Update

Jenny made it out of surgery! The doctor said that it went great (that is a relative term these days but was still received as good news!) and is back in her room. The doctors felt really positive about everything related to her surgery and the family made a B-line back into her room, relieved and ready to see their Jenny. Please continue to pray for a good post-op recovery, for peace for the family, and for the doctors to continue to have wisdom.

Also, on a side note I feel selfish for asking this but I need prayer. My lungs hurt really bad today and I can't take a deep breath. I called my doctor, they knew who I was without even telling them and when I told them I couldn't breath they told me to go back to the ER! I am not going back. I am going to take it easy for a few hours and see if I improve.

Jenny

When I first was released from the hospital we heard news of a young girl going through the same thing in Dallas. Her name is Jenny, she was admitted the day after I got home. She is in her early thirties, married to a minister and has a sweet little girl. However, she is not doing well. She was admitted into the hospital after fighting the flu, was quickly diagnosed with pneumonia and began to turn septic (sound familiar?) God fought my battle for me and I was able to turn the corner that Jenny so desperately needs to turn. Today at 10, they took her into a 4 hour surgery to amputate below her knees. The medicine they had to give her for her sepsis protected her organs and her brain but her circulation just isn't working....currently they are praying she will be able to keep her hands.

This is the update from the care page from 10:30 last night:

Today has been like a punch in the gut. It has been a long day of talking with doctors for extended periods of time. Dr. Kollipara and Dr. Lester are now two of our favorite people in the world. They genuinely care about Jenny.

Before reading any further, we are asking that all of those who know Malaya or have children who know her, please refrain from sharing the following to people who might pass this on to Malaya. We trust you to keep this from those who might pass it on.

After hours of discussion, we are left with only one option—they are going to have to perform an amputation below Jenny’s knees. Basically, the medicine that had to be used to treat the Strep A and sepsis focused primarily on the organs. The doctors didn’t have a choice. They had to protect the essentials—the organs and the brain. Because of this, blood was not able to flow to the fingertips and toes. The tissue in her feet is dead and it will not grow back. There is a probable concern that a secondary infection has developed in the feet, and this could work its way up the leg causes serious consequences; notably, death.

We are begging God to:
-Save Jenny’s hands. They are looking good today and we want it to stay that way.
-Protect Jenny from all of the negative emotions that could come with the realization that life will now be different.
-Bless David with the words to say as he communicates this to Jenny.
-That everything in this surgery will go smoothly. This is a complicated procedure, so please pray for the doctors to be on their “A” game.
-Protect Malaya’s heart.
-Help Jenny to experience healing and grace so that she can be made whole.

There is some good news:
Jenny has been able to communicate some today. The only word she has muttered is, “Help.” Other than that, it has been a lot of head nods. Talking with Jenny made our day. She confirmed that she misses American Idol.
All of her numbers are improving. Her white blood cell count is still very high, which most likely means there is a secondary infection.

Thank God for the incarnation of Jesus. He chose to enter into pain so that he could love it and redeem it. We are experiencing this power today.
We are still praying for a miracle in Jenny’s physical feet. The time of surgery is set for 9:30am. May the same power that was able to lift up Jesus from the grave be upon her.

Jenny was just like me. Fine one day, sick with the flu the next, and in ICU the next. Please pray with me for her and her family. God is loving God who hears our prayers. I am evidence of that. I praise Jesus that I am where I am today.

This is the care page update that was written at 10 this morning:

As I type this post, they are preparing to take Jenny into the O.R. It is going to be a 4-hour procedure.

The doctor asked us to pray specifically for:
-Them to find strong tissue in the leg below the knee.
-For her liver to withstand the surgery.
-For their hands to move in rhythm with God.

There are risks with this procedure, but the doctors feel confident (over 5 opinions were given by docs) that this is needed for Jenny to turn the corner.

We are all hurting today, but we continue to trust that God is in this. He is moving. He is healing. He is the Lord of all of life, which means He is the Lord over medicine and science.

We know many of you are eager to see us today, but we are asking for no visitors. We feel your love. We will keep you updated as we are informed by nurses and doctors throughout the procedure.

I ask, well beg you to stop whatever your doing right now and pray. The power of prayer is unbelievable evidence of our Lord and we need to lift Jenny and her family up. This could happen to any of us and I know we all would want prayers for our families so join me in lifting Jenny up right now.

Top 2 Tuesday

My friend from High School, really we go back as far as Middle School, Taylor does "Top Two Tuesdays" and this week I decided I would participate, one because I am still not at work and have time and two because vacations are on my mind. This week is:

Top Two Dream Vacations

I have a list of vacations I want to go on before having a baby including: New York, Vegas, Cruise, Austin, San Antonio but my DREAM vacations would be...

1. Fiji- it is so tropical and fun. I love the sun and the beach (too bad I married a pale red head who gets skin cancer, thank the Lord for sunscreen!)2. Anywhere really. I can't just pick one more. I haven't been a lot of places. I would love to go skiing, over seas, Egypt, Australia, London, Paris, etc.

Justin and I are trying to figure out what to do for Spring Break. We are trying to find something reasonable because my hospital bills have yet to come in. I am content with staying home but Justin took the whole week off so he really wants to go somewhere. I want to go someplace in the sun. Every spring break growing up, we would go to Destin, FL. I feel like I need some sun!
: ) But...it will depend on what we can find that is reasonable. Any good suggestions???

I remember when...monkeys?

Today I found out bad news. I can't go back to school until Friday. The district is really strict about letting me come back before my doctor has filled out a bunch of papers and I can't get into to see him until Thursday! Anyways, I talked to my boss for awhile this morning and we got it all figured out and no worries but I was so excited to go back. I already have all of tomorrow planned with fun activities including skittles (estimation) and a video (introduce mammals)! You know how much kids love skittles and videos!! : )

So, I went up to school to visit my room and get my computer. My room looks great! I am so lucky have a certified teacher in my classroom with my kiddos! They seem to be learning and growing so much. The room looked clean and organized (I hate it when subs leave the room a disaster). So I was walking around looking at all the work the kids had completed and some of the stuff they had hanging outside was a portrait of themselves with a little bubble saying I remember when...and they had to fill it in. I started walking down the hallway reading them all...OMG I almost started crying. All of them, "I remember when...I first meet Mrs. Knight", "I remember when Mrs. Knight got sic" "I remember when Mrs. Knight was nice" then I get to one little girl....my tears turned to laughter after reading hers.

If you read my blog you know I have one child who is quite the handful (has had to be physically removed from my classroom...she is doing much better by the way) anyways, one day she was throwing a fit and wouldn't participate, crying, being a rather large distraction to my kids during circle time. So...I said class what do you think would make K smile? They all said things like tickle her, etc. I suggested what if Mrs. Knight gets up and jumps up and down and makes monkey sounds!? (don't judge- I was at the end of my rope) K started to smile just from me saying this but was trying very hard to stay mad. So I got up and acted like a monkey, of course this worked like a charm and with in seconds I was able to continue with my lesson.

Now back to the "I remember when..." so all my kids had sad things about me getting sick and meeting me for the first time and I get to one little girl and her memory was "I remember when Mrs. Knight jumped up and down and acted like a monkey!" I couldn't help but laugh. Mind you, this is in the hallway for everyone to see!! Oh how I miss my kids!

Your'e Never to Old for Your ABC's

The ABCs of Teaching

Your job is to teach the curriculum, right? Sure—for part of the day. But when you stop to think about it, you also play a wide array of other roles every day.

Actor. You prepare for each class as if it were a command performance.
Builder. You build in the wonder, the awe, and the fascination to inspire tomorrow's engineers, doctors, nurses, teachers, politicians, and parents.
Caretaker and caregiver. Many students excel because a special person helped them along the way: a teacher.
Director. You're in charge of the whats and whens in your classroom.
Enforcer. You're the one who enforces the classroom rules.
Fighter. Sometimes you have to take a stand for what you believe is best for a child.
Giver. You give of your time and of yourself—in and out of the classroom.
Helper. Perhaps the most important help you give is helping students learn to help themselves.
Instructor. Truly, this is the heart of teaching.
Joiner. You need a support network, so you reach out to colleagues and you join professional organizations and community groups.
Keeper. You keep track of attendance, grades, milk money, hot lunches, permission slips, line leaders, library books, mittens, and much more!
Listener. Every day you listen to your students to find out what their interests are. Then you build these into your lessons.
Magician. Learning is magic. As you teach students to read, write, calculate, and investigate, you unlock the magic for them.
Nurturer. You care for your students like you would care for blooming flowers.
Optimist. You see the good things happening in schools—even when the evening news says otherwise.
Psychologist. You're a keen observer of kids.
Questioner. You ask your students thought-provoking questions; then you guide them in searching out the answers.
Role model. You let your students know that you care and that you believe in them.
Strategist. A well-planned lesson helps you get your students' attention—and keep it.
Tutor. You give your students individual attention whenever you can. You also find times when they can tutor each other.
Umpire. You live by these watch words: you're fair, firm, and consistent.
Victor. You celebrate your teaching victories, and you congratulate your colleagues on their successes too.
Writer. When you have an activity or a project that works well, you write it up and submit it to a teaching magazine like THE MAILBOX!
Xerox specialist. Who else can unjam paper, change toner, and make a ream of paper last for months?
Yourself. Your students know and love you as a person.
Zealot. You do your job with enthusiasm and energy—it's the most important job in the world!


I got this in an email from one of the teachers I work with. It was just too good not to pass along because I know how many of you who read this are teachers! This makes me miss my kids so bad. As tired as I am, it makes me very excited to get back to my little 1st grade babies.

EEK!

I have been contemplating whether or not to post this picture but since I am doing so much better and getting stronger every day I can now look at this picture with gratitude and praise that I no longer am hooked up to many machines with an oxygen mask on with swollen face and purple lips with a husband who has to wear a mask to be in the same room as me. God is good.

Award & Engagement : )

So I get on my blog tonight to have a comment from The Life of an Army Wife. (so excited, I figured out how to hotlink) She has given me an award: "You're Going Places Baby" : ) You have no idea how much this excites me. I LOVE getting awards. The point of this award is given to bloggers who you think will still be blogging about their great adventures 10 years from now, and still be reading them. : ) I am glad to think my life is interesting enough for someone to want to hang around for 10 years~ ha

Here are the rules:
1.Link back to the blogger who sent you the award.
2.Post where you would like to be in 10 years.
3.Pass this on to 10 other special bloggers.


Again, this award came from The Life of an Army Wife whose blog I just happened upon while reading another one of my friends blogs! I love bloggy friends! : ) In ten years, I will be 33 and hopefully have a kid or two. (whose names have already been picked out) and either still be working as a teacher, working at church with the children's ministry, and building my photography business, all while writing a book with my mom (something we have always said we would do) and maybe if I'm lucky a stay at home mom somewhere in there : )

The 10 bloggers I pass this onto are blogs I am almost certain I will be reading in 10 years. They are as follows:

1. Mom @ K.T.Hardy (she doesn't blog much, but its just because she has forgotten her password, she is an amazing writer and after the ordeal we have just gone through, she is going to start writing again)
2. Carla @ Carla Elizabeth
3. Ragan @ The Jameson Family
4. Taylor @ The Cokers
5. Cambrey @ Me & My Boys
6. Elissa @ Happiness Has A Violent Roar
7. Taylor @ Jimmy Choos & A Baby Too
8. Amanda @ Until Forever Ends
9. McKenna @ A New Chapter of Life
10. Andrea @ Live the Life You Love

So blog away friends : )

Also, in other news Elissa @ Happiness Has A Violent Roar (my cousin/best friend) got engaged! Her ring is BEAUTIFUL! I am so excited and can't wait to be a part of this super exciting time in her life!! Love you Lissa!!!

Before...

I was behind on bloggy world before I got sick so since I am not in the mood to write about my experience in the hospital I will write about happy times before I was sick! : )

A couple weekends ago, we had a fun weekend. Saturday night, Carla dyed my hair, (still just trying to get rid of my highlights and be natural) while the boys played the Wii. Carla meant business. And even with dye in my hair, little baby Pip loves his mommy.

Sunday, we traveled to Lake Conroe to celebrate a round of birthdays. Mine was Jan 13, Mr. Knights was Jan 26 and Kasons is tomorrow. The men went and played golf while we chilled and the house and ran some errands.

The kids didn't get out of the hot tub even though it was like 60 degrees outside, they were very content in the hot tub.

Once the men got home, they grilled and played pool. Look at the cute little daddy-son team and check out those honking huge steaks! YUMMMYYYAnd this picture I just wanted to throw in because originally this was just a picture of me and Ragan but Avery insisted she was in it as well. : )

We headed back to College Station to start our week after spending a wonderful Sunday afternoon with family...

Sign Language

I have always wanted to learn sign language. Since, I have come so close to death now, I am now determined to do the things on my list slowly but surely. I have already swam with dolphins, now I am on to learning sign language. I am currently teaching myself the song, Healer by Kari Jobe, maybe I'll get to perform it at church one day : )

Warrior Child

So I have been MIA but for good reason. I have been very very ill. This is what my facebook status was and is a good catch-up for now:

I was diagnosed with H1N1 last Wednesday, got worse as the week progressed, passed out on Friday morning and was rushed to the ER, where a team of at least 12 doctors made me stable again. I was then put in ICU to find out that I had sepsis, which is a life threatening shutting down of your organs and severe pneumonia and anemia. I was in ICU for 5 days- I am home now. Still not 100% but they say that will come with time. Thanks for your continued prayers!

Today, however, I am going to be honest. This is how I feel today.