Day 107...Grateful to Say No....

I had a long day on Wednesday. I finally was able to go through some emails about schedules and such for the summer and trainings for school. My summer is packed. I haven't said "No" to anything yet...I said yes to VBS at church...I said yes to working the Summer Conditioning Program...I said yes to going to Chicago...I said yes to a two week training in Tyler for a new class...I said yes. Don't get me wrong...I'm so THANKFUL for my job! However...it's overwhelming right now.

I had to take a co-worker to the airport and then get up to the church by 6:00 for a VBS meeting. Well, I was over 45 minutes late to the meeting, walked all over the childrens' area to figure out where to go....and then to find out I still needed to go get a badge. I was so tired from the weeks leading up to Wednesday that I just left and cried the whole way home.

Looking at my calendar that night, I knew I had to say no to some things.
I had to say "No" to VBS (I would have only been able to be there for three days anyway).
Although I hate saying no and letting some people down, and putting a friend in a little bind...I felt one huge weight lifted off my shoulders. So great! So today (well, Wednesday) I'm grateful to say "No"!

Day 106...Grateful for the Downhill Side...

So for the last few months I've been juggling three big things plus being a teacher. Well...Saturday the race happened and ended...so all the volunteer coordinating was over.
Monday...I was able to send in all 7 seniors' final grades that I have been teaching in eSchool...finally!
And tonight...we had our annual Viking Awards assembly (that our art teacher and I pretty much put togehter).

Aaahh....breathing a sigh of relief...
Only 16 days of school left...but who's counting. :-)

Day 105...Grateful...

My heart is still overwhelmed by Saturday. I am still just grateful to have been a part of the first annual Head For The Cure North Texas...grateful to know Stevie and be able to call her my friend...grateful to be able to help make just a little impact to something so much greater than me.

Day 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, and 104....

What a week it has been!!!
I pulled out a notepad last night to write out each day of what happened...how grateful I have been for this past (crazy!) week! If you haven't heard....we had the First Annual 'Head For The Cure-North Texas' 5K race yesterday morning. It was my first time to be on the working and creating side of a 5K race...and it was AMAZING! Here is why!

(fyi....this will be long...there are links to stories and videos that I totally want you to read and watch...to get the idea of the week)

Monday...Packet Stuffing...
So...you know when you sign up for a race, and they tell you to pick up your bib number and your t-shirt at "packet pick-up"? Have you ever thought about how the packet got stuffed? All those fliers, all those discounts, all those goodies? Well, I always just went through the packet and kept what I liked and threw the rest away...with no regard as to how it got into the packet in the first place. Hmm....someone, or some group of people...had to pick up each of those "goodies" and put them in the packet just for me to go through and throw away. Well, that is exactly what we spent Monday night doing. I'll admit...it was long (3 hours or so)...it was tedious...we laughed...Stevie ordered us pizza...but after the experience we had Saturday morning, the three hours seems like nothing!

Tuesday...Jackie...what can I say???
This was the one night I didn't have anything to do for the race. So...I went to boot camp...and Jackie kicked my tail! I did terrible....but felt great after! Thanks Jackie! Love you!

She looks really sweet...but class is a killer!

Wednesday....On-Site Meeting...
So apparently right before a race, you have an on-site meeting. So you can see where everything is going to be located, where we set stuff up, and allows us to visualize the morning of the race. Thankfully it rained (thankfully only because we knew it wouldn't rain on Saturday)...but it made 'visualizing' pretty tough. I was one of the last ones to get my directions from Gerryl (our race director)...so as I was sitting there talking through the volunteers and how Saturday will work...Shari (the one in charge of getting Head for the Cure to North Texas) kept asking why I wasn't nervous...cause she was! Well...to me it wasn't a big deal...I just needed to be ready to tell 120 people where I needed them to work when they showed up Saturday. When I left, I got in my car and started thinking...am I supposed to be nervous?? No...I shouldn't be. I have great friends that signed up to help...and they were amazing. Here is a reminder of why we were doing all we did!


Dallas Morning News- Running Headlines

Thursday...Packet Pick-Up Day 1...
We had packet pick-up Thursday afternoon...and then we went to dinner with Stevie and her family as well as some of the staff for Head For The Cure (in Kansas City). What a super reminder of why we are going the race and why we are all going crazy with details.  It was awesome to hear from Stevie's parents on what they were thinking as they received updates in Oklahoma from their daughter Tyler (the one responsible for sponsors for the race) on the numbers and work being done down here in Texas. All for their daughter. I left thinking how encouraged they must be to know what an influence their daughter has on so many peoples' lives. Here is the promo video of Stevie and Brandon...two of the people whose stories were embraced from the very beginning.

Head for the Cure You Tube Video

Friday...Packet Pick-Up Day 2...
So at packet pick-up the second day, we spent a lot of time discussing the final things for the race (as well as help people get their packets, bibs, and t-shirts). One volunteer that came to help is a brain cancer survivor herself. Deborah was amazing. She is going through her second round of chemo right now. She actually completed the 5K...received a "Keeping the Faith" award...and looked amazing doing it. Deborah made my night...such an encouragement!

Saturday...Race Day!!!
Here are a couple of pictures from the race. I was busy telling people what to do so I personally didn't take any pictures...but I downloaded these. Here were the numbers from race day. Remember...we had originally thought the race would have 250-500 runners, would only need about 50 volunteers....and here is how it ended up! Only God can receive the glory!

2219 registered

62 teams

283 on TEAM STEVIE

791 donors donating over $56,800

126 volunteers

 

We grossed $152,000 - all for brain cancer research! 

 

Runners Ready!!

And they are off!!!

 

Praise the Lord for my 120 volunteers...I was there at 5 am...and they arrived shortly after. None of this would have taken place without them. And...Texas was right on schedule with crazy weather! We were FREEZING...and these volunteers served their hearts out! AMAZING!!!

Our Team that made it all happen!

I went home and read in the quiet for a little bit, slept for about 30 minutes, and then met a few of my FCA kids for a rough-riders baseball game.

Here are a couple of the girls that I sat in the grassy area with...

Then everyone else came and sat with us...then they all left...here is how the "teacher" feels when they all go get food together and leave me to save their seats. :)

 

 

Sunday...Sleep...Rangers...

I had to sleep in...I was exhausted! My body only needed about 8.5 hours...but I got that much sleep...woke up without an alarm...and loved it! I had some time to read the Word...I made cinnamon rolls (like I used to have on Sunday mornings growing up)...wrote this blog...and then I headed to the Rangers game! Thanks Rachel for the invite!!!

 

Day 97...Grateful for My Mom...

I'm grateful for you mom!

I love you!

I'm also grateful for all the mom's in my family...love you all! 

Happy Mother's Day!

Day 96...Grateful for a Full Day...

Not so sure I'm grateful that it was a full day...but it was a fun day. Here is how my Saturday went...

Our FCA for the Plano schools had a 5K run to raise money to send kids to FCA camp this summer. I  had a few FCA kids running so I made an appearance to show them my support.

They even had Bevo (the UTexas mascot) in attendance!

I had enough time to get some breakfast, shower, and get to a baby shower for a girl I coach against. She is a great coach, teacher, fellow FCA leader, and loves the Lord. 

I ran home to wrap the next gifts...and then drove to my friend Laurie's wedding shower. It was a kitchen shower...but we also all received a recipe card to add a favorite recipe for Laurie to put in her recipe box. Then as we left, our little party favors were little chocolate candies with a prayer card attached. Each was for a different day leading up to the wedding and something specific to pray for Todd and Laurie. I picked up the candies dated with Sunday's date. Praying for you (and so happy for you) Todd and Laurie!

I had to leave Laurie's shower a little early in order to get to the next shower in time to deliver the gift. So...off to Cassie's baby shower. We are soon to Baby Benson any day now!

I had about an hour before the next item on the agenda. Our schools' drill team, The Vikettes, had their Spring Show on Saturday night. Although I was super tired and just wanted to relax, I am SO GLAD I went...the girls did an awesome job...they had a guys' dance in which I had multiple of the guy students in class as well...and then our drum-line performed, in which our FCA had a great representation! It was such a great show!

Grateful for this full day to be over!

Day 95...Grateful for Friday....

Man...this time of year is tough...busy busy busy...kids are ready to be out for summer, teachers are ready to be out for summer...but we are all still going to school day in and day out.

My students are creating games using Flash (animation) to review for their final exam. They are definitely creative and have kept me laughing all week over their ideas. I mean...there is one game called "Illegal Immigration"...

Each "traveler" is trying to cross the border from Mexico. If the traveler gets the question right then they will make it over the wall. If the traveler gets it wrong...the stick figure runs up the wall...and then tumbles down off the screen. Is it a little questionable? Yes. However...one of the two group members is from Mexico himself so they can't say the group is being racist...instead everyone so far has taken it "tongue and cheek" and we have all gotten a great laugh out of it.

Even though I had a day off in the middle of the week...even though my kids have made me laugh A LOT...I am still SO GRATEFUL for Friday!!!