Well, I finally have a chance to get on the blog...

Hello everyone! Well, I finally have a chance to get on the family blog and say hello. I am staying at Mom and Dad's for a few days over our spring break. Ron, Ashley, and Scarlett headed to West Virginia to see his family for a few days, but Melanie and I decided to stay here and visit with Mom for the rest of the week. Ron and the girls will be back on Friday and then we will head back to Texas on Saturday. Life has been so hectic and we are crazy busy, all the time, it seems, so I am glad for a short break.

The girls are busy with school, band, sports, guitar, and church. Ashley plays the trumpet and has been busy with BETA (an academic honor society). She is making a wreath to go to a state competition in April and if she placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, she will go to Nationals in Orlando, FL in June sometime.

Scarlett just started playing on a select basketball team called Team Texas. She practices twice a week and does 2 tournaments a month, so that has been keeping us on the go. Practices are in Lewisville, which is about an hour from our house and the tournaments are on Saturdays and Sundays. They usually play 4 games in two days. She also plays the electric guitar. She takes private lessons every week and plays some at our church.

Melanie is now in pre-school. She had stayed at a home day care until November of this past year and the lady who has kept my children for 10+ years closed her business, so we had to find somewhere for her to go. Luckily there was an opening at the school child care program, where I work, so she is in a pre-k class close to my school. She loves it and she has learned so much. I am just amazed at how quickly they learn at this age. I was very disappointed when Debbie closed her doors, but I think that it has certainly worked out for the best for Melanie. She will start Kindergarten in the fall. She will be a 6 year old kindergartener, because of her birthday being on Sept. 4th. She missed the state deadline for K by 3 days. Melanie is also playing soccer right now. It is so cute to see all of these little kids running around chasing after the ball.

Ron is staying busy teaching school, working at our church, and trying to start a lawn business. He is teaching K-5th grade technology (computers) this year. He is hoping to teach history next year somewhere between 5th-8th grade. He is still the children's pastor at our church, which keeps him quite busy and I guess he thinks he doesn't have enough to do, so he is starting a lawn mowing business for the spring and summer months.

I am still teaching special education, but I am hoping to be teaching elementary general education next year. I have taught special ed. for 11 years and I am in desparate need of a change. I took my K-4th grade certification and 4th-8th grade generalist certification and I passed both of them, so I am now ready to start looking for another position. I am hoping to stay in the same district, just a different campus and position. When I am not at work, I spend most of my time with the kids and Ron helping out where ever I am needed.

Our family has been so blessed over the past year or so. With the uncertain economy I know many people are hurting financially, so Ron and I feel very blessed to have the jobs we have and to be blessed in so many ways: our family, church family, finances, home, work, children, health, and the list goes on.

I hope that this posting finds everyone doing well. I know that I don't keep in touch as often as I should, but I think about all of you often. I wish we were closer, so we could spend more time together and so our children (cousins) could spend more time together as well. I miss you all and I pray that God continues to bless each and every one of you!

Love Ya,
Nicole