First Day Of School

I confess, I was scared to death before school started. I didn't know what to expect. You see, this will be my first time ever to teach 8th graders. And my first time ever to take on a presentation-creating class. We are supposed to push out presentations to show on the projector during lunchtime in the cafeteria. It may not sound like a big deal, but when you think about the logistics to it and think about doing it with 8th graders you may see why I was so nervous. It will be a big task. 

So I was so nervous about this. I felt a lot better when the kids got in here, and 1st hour 8th grade had an assembly we had to go to. That took some time off my hands with them. And then, 4th hour, I am walking around my room watching my Web Design class type. All of a sudden I get this feeling of peace come over me. It was like all was right with the world. I am where I am supposed to be. I really love this job and don't realize how much I miss the kids and the classroom over the summer. Thank you, God for giving me assurance! 

Just-take-the-next-step Kind of Day

Since I last posted there has been a lot happen. We went to the ocean for vacation. I realized that I am not a beach girl. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time. The waves were so much fun to play in and I got a real good tan, but the dirty salty air got old after a couple of days. People tell me I need try to a different beach and I'm up for that!
 Collin went to Iowa to help the Reidamans with their show pigs. He is doing very good up there. He's learning about commodities and markets at Bob's work. He seems very interested in that now, but that could be because Bob is a millionaire from this :)  He will be coming back to Oklahoma Aug 15th and I can't wait to see him.
 The terrible thing that has happened is the loss of Clay Reuter. He was killed in a 4wheeler accident at Little Sahara on Aug 28th. His sudden death has left us all very sad. I have spent everyday with Darla ever since. She is starting to heal, but has some pretty bad days. Jen and KK are not doing very well with the loss. I hope they will go to grief counseling with the Reuters. It's all just very sad. I miss Clay tremendously. I saw him almost everyday either at school, in my living room, or in my garden shooting birds. I keep expecting him to walk through our back door. It makes me sad to think that will never happen again.

2012 VACAY!

Finally, after all these years, I am going to see the ocean! Well, the Gulf of Mexico, but I will get to see a beach and smell sea water. I have always wanted to do this. And, now at 44 yrs old, I am going to. Why did it take me so long!
One reason, and I just found this out, is I have a phlegmatic personality. One of the traits of this is not wanting to put out much effort in anything. If you know me, you are saying, "Yep, that's Alecia." I know there is a way to get out of this way of being, and I will work on it. I'm in a Bibe study at M'lynn McCann's right now to help me out. We are doing Tim Lahaye's "The Spirit Controlled Temperment". I will let you know how that works out for me.
Back to the vacay. It's going to be a Team El Reno trip to Corpus Christi and North Padre Island. Not only will I get to see the ocean for the first time, I will get to enjoy it with our closest friends. Also, both kids and Mikka are all going too! We have never taken a family vacation without ALL the kids and no hogs! It will be a great time I'm sure!
We are leaving Tuesday morning and coming back Saturday. Pray for a safe and relaxing trip. Thanks!

Love Deeply

1 Peter 4:8 says, " Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."
I have read this verse and heard it quoted a number of times, but it wasn't until this morning that it really resonated with me.

Have you ever thought, "Man, I couldn't be married to him in a million years!" "How in the world does she put up with him?" or "I just really can't stand that dog of theirs' and don't think it's cute at all when it acts like that!" (just had to throw that one in there). The love people feel for their spouse or pet :) makes them blind to a lot of faults (sins) in that person. I think that most of these faults that Peter is talking about are ones that don't really hurt anyone just get on some people's nerves. Or offend some people. When we love deeply we don't see these faults. They don't register to us as bad just like they don't to the spouse or owner that loves them.

Here's the hard part....love everyone deeply. We can't do this. The Holy Spirit has to do this. In our sinful world this is impossible without Jesus. When you have to deal with someone that you don't feel much love for or that get's on your nerves....start praying to love that person deeply. It's what God wants us to do.

Let's get this over with!

Ok, so I haven't posted in a while. I have a reason. Collin had a snowboard accident in March and I haven't wanted to post about it. I felt like I had to post all the gory details and I just don't want to. I wrote them down in my journal a while back and that will just have to be good enough. I will probably make reference to things that happened and what I learned in future blogs, but as far as writing out the details here, I'm not going to do it.

Whew, that's over with. I'll get on with blogging now......

Oklahoma Youth Expo 2012

10,000 animals shown; 7000 kids (exhibitors) - The worlds largest Jr livestock show! Out of all those animals, they choose only170 of the best to be in the premium sale. Out of those top 170 animals, El Reno had 9 of them! I want to give a shout out to Mr. Listen and Mr. Lopp for another job well done with those kiddos of El Reno!

I look back over this season with pride in my family. All of the times I heard KK say into her phone, "I can't I have to walk pigs." Or "I can't, I have a pig show.", paid off last night when she was able to proudly walk Speck into the sale ring and get rewarded for all the hours she put into him. Thank you Mr. Herrell and the Bank of Western Oklahoma for buying her barrow. 

The documentary people came to the show. They  were blown away by the kids in the livestock-show life. They are from New York and didn't have a clue about any of it. They told me they had never met so many kids that can talk to adults and have the social skills that these kids have. It has to be the friendships made and the enormous amount of family time it takes to do this. The documentary people thought they were coming to a sporting event with the competition in the ring and the parents cheering from the bleachers. They did a 180 in their thinking the first day they were around. They said that the longer they witnessed this life we live, the more layers they realized it had. Maybe when the documentary gets aired, more people will see that the best way to raise kids is with livestock :)

Papa Ronnie

Coming home from the OYE this evening I started thinking about Papa Ronnie. I cried a lot of the way, I miss him tremendously. I wish he was still here to see his Tooter. He loved KK so much. He would be so proud of her. I know he could be looking down from Heaven watching he as she grows into such a beautiful person. I would love to see him get joy from watching her. I'd love to watch her get joy from being loved so much by him too.
I miss you, Ronnie.