A horrible day for a CUBS fan

So, if it wasn't bad enough that the White Sox clinched the title last year, it only got worse last night. The most horrible nightmare came true last night as the Cardinals claimed the title as World Champs. I am not sure if it could be any worse. After a year of Sox fans claiming they are champs, the pattern will now continue with the Cardinal fans. I love my friends that are Cardinal fans but they are not quiet about their love for their Cards... It will be a painful year....

Surely next year will be our year right?

Maybe we are like the trees

I have to admit, there is no better time of the year. I don't really know what it is about fall but there is something about it that just puts me in a good mood. I love when the weather begins to get a little on the chilly side and the leaves begin to change color. I love to have campfires, seeing pumpkins, and fall colors.

Aside from just the season being great, I feel like this has been a season of growth in my own life. I feel like there are so many different things that I am learning and changing about who I am. It feels good to walk through a season of life and begin to celebrate the journey that God has brought you on. Just as the fall leaves are changing, I believe God does the same with our hearts. I wonder if while I look at the trees and admire their beauty during the fall, God looks at our hearts and sees something similar?

Hard to be far away

I am realizing tonight how it is hard to be far away from the ones you love. My little nephew, Kyle, is struggling to get healthy and I wish more than anything I could be with him. It is hard to sit back and realize that the only thing we can do is pray a ton and wait for the next update. I would give anything to bring blue bunny to the hospital and make this little bundle of joy let out his giggle. You will be home before you know it Kyle but until then Aunt Debbie will be praying. 

Well, it is my official last day in my mid-twenties. I will now move up an age category and join the late twenties group. I am not doing well with the change. Before my very eyes, I am growing up and yet there is still so much of me that feels like I am still a little kid.
Over the past couple of months, I feel like I have been on a journey like never before. I am trying to discover this woman that God has created me to be. It is a journey that has me praying about careers, praying about future plans, praying about thoughts, feelings and emotions and a journey that has me trying desperately to figure out the grand purpose of it all.
As horrible as 27 sounds, I believe it is going to be a good year. A year of new beginnings, and new discoveries. Bring it…

Oh dear

So, this morning I woke up and realized I am pretty pathetic. I am 26 years old and I am still frustrated and crabby when my slow pitch co-rec team looses a game. How pathetic is that? We are in a park district league with a bunch of friends and we are out there to just have fun. Not only is the team filled with super fun people but we usually have the biggest fan base of any team out there. It is a Thursday night that is filled with good times. Yet, as I went to bed this Thursday I was bitter. In my mind I thought of all the things I wished we had covered in practice, and the foolish pitch that I swung at because I didn't want to walk (instead I hit a crappy ball up the middle that the shortstop was able to turn a double play), and the silly little things that in the grand scheme of life don't matter. What is my obsession with this silly game and why do I care so much about winning? Any who, Scared Hitless lived up to their team name and let two slide by. I am sure this week we will all find ourselves at the batting cages and get our bats in line for our next Thursday night's match up.

Put me in Coach

The season is officially beginning tomorrow. This is the most important time of the year- a preview to the world series. Our co-rec softball team officially opens up tomorrow evening for an 8:15 double header. Since we are now seasoned players in this league, we decided that our team name must change. Our new official name is "SCARED HITLESS." If you just gasped a little, it is ok, I had the same first reaction. I am not really sure at the reasoning behind the name except that it is funny- especially when you realize it is a bunch of church folk that will be on the field with that name. Let's just hope that our name doesn't determine the success of our bats this season. I am sure that the blogs to follow will update you on the success of the team.
Last year we entered this league and we said several times to one another that we are out to have fun. We "didn't care about winning or loosing," it was just about having a good time. When we got into our fist game and we realized that we were a fairly good and competitive team, the entire atmosphere of the game changed. All the competitiveness of our players began to come out and we were in it for the win. For a great time on Thursday nights, come watch scared hitless take the field.

Summer Days Drifting Away!

Well I am officially back to the old routine. My summer is done. It was brutal to wake up this morning as the alarm clock screamed in my ear at 5 am. For some reason or another, this has been the most difficult year to head back. I know that once the students come and I adjust to the teaching lifestyle I will be fine but this summer has been so nice. I was truly blessed with some incredible opportunities. Here are just a few highlights of the summer.

North Carolina

A wonderful trip to North Carolina.



We spent a night hunting crabs.

Africa

An amazing and life changing trip to Africa!

Annie's Wedding! 

Time with the girls

Lot's of time to hang out with Melissa and Beth.

Breanne, Charissa and Shelley

CIY with with Shelley and Charissa and hanging out with Breanne. These girls are a blast!

StuCo Dodgeball tourney! 

Seeing Kyle laugh 

Hanging with Mikayla and David 

Visit to see Kyle

I got to go visit my nephew this past weekend. It is amazing how quickly they grow. It was fun to hang out and learn the personality of this little guy. He is quite the happy baby. His faviorate games include peek, and playing with his blue bunny stuffed animal. 

All you ever wanted to know about Cranes

This past weekend, I took a short trip out to visit my brother, sister-in-law and nephew in DC. Let me just share a rather humerous story about the plane ride...

On my way out to DC, I had my photo album of pictures from Africa. I decided that I was going to carry it on the plane so that I could finish writing in the captions. It was my hope that I would be able to have some good conversations with my brother and sister in law about the trip. Well, like any flight where I am flying by myself, I did the normal scope of the waiting area to see who was getting on the plane. Yes, lame and desperate as it may sound, I totally had one of those prayerful moments where I just hoped that God would have "Mr Perfect" end up in the seat next to me. What I instead learned was that God really does have a sense of humor. I sat down in my seat and after a while of thinking nobody was going to be next to me, this gentleman shows up just as were getting ready to take off. I had the photo album on my lap and was writing in the spaces and I could tell that he was glancing over at the pictures. Not a big deal, didn't see him as a "Mr. Perfect" but thought it might lead into a good conversation about the trip and maybe even a chance to plant a seed...

Well, he asked some questions and then proceeded to tell me about his job as some type of crane saver. That's right, this man gets the DNA from cranes so that they can clone them so they don't become extinct. He told me that there were a ton of cranes in Africa and he filled me in with about 45 minutes worth of knowledge about each one. In fact, he then pulled out his camera and showed me all 300 pictures of the cranes that he saw during his time in the United States. At this point, we were about 40 minutes from landing and honestly didn't mind seeing the pictures but a little overwhelmed with the information on each bird. If that wasn't enough, he then proceeded to tell me that I should go to India with him. He assured me I would love it there. I could take so many wonderful photos and he was certain I would never want to come back. He warned me about the kidnappers and the robbers but promised that he would keep me safe... after all, he has been there for over 10 years and has never been threatened. The guy across the isle knew I was in over my head and I caught him laughing at the predicament that I was in. After all, was this man seriously inviting me to move to India with him? I told him that I wasn't interested and explained that I was a teacher and needed to stay here. Although he thought he could find me a job in India, he settled with giving me his business card just in case I changed my mind. I wish I could see God at that moment because I am pretty sure that he was laughing. I pray for "mr perfect" to be sitting next to me and all I get is an offer to runaway with some man to India... good one God.

Happy Birthday Big Bro

I have been blessed in my life to have two older brothers. If you would have asked me about this while growing up, I would have told you that I wanted my parents to have another kid so that I could have a sister. Yes, I was picked on and teased like crazy (although they would tell you I deserved it- and there is probably some truth to that) Now that I am older, I have realized that I am pretty lucky to have the two brothers that I do. Darren, the one on the left, is turning 33 today! For the longest time, Darren had a hard time remembering that as he was growing older, so was I. I am no longer the annoying 13 year old that he remembered when he left for college. It has been exciting to see how our friendship has grown over the years. Now, he has a wonderful wife and an amazing little boy. My only wish is that they didn't live so far away. I am excited to head out to visit him and his family later this month. Thanks for being such a great brother. Happy Birthday! 

Annie is married

This past weekend, we celebrated the wedding of Annie and Luke. It was such a fun weekend. It is so funny how high school graduation was 8 years ago but when we are all together it seems like just yesterday.

We re-lived our nemerous pranks (which happen to be all on video), laughed about classes that they put us in together (sorry teachers if we made life a little difficult), re-lived the sports memories, and the nights where we would just dream up doing some of the craziest things.

The "Bat" girls haven't changed a bit...

Bree, is still the funny one. She will say anything whether it is appropriate or not. She has the ability to make an entire group of strangers laugh for hours. There is never a dull moment with her around. I think I laughed more than I have laughed in a long time.

Annie, is still the calm, innocent instigator. She will dream up anything under the sun and be able to convince Bree or Becky to do anything.

Becky, is still the one who laughs the loudest. She is always laughing and having a good time. She, just like Bree, will saying whatever is on her mind but she has a great filter in making it family appropriate.

And as they would put it, I am still the voice of reason. I am not sure what that means but I still tend to make sure we don't carry the pranks overboard, or take the joke one step too far. I would tend to instigate with Annie, and then the two of us would sit back and watch while Becky and Bree carried it out. I of course was the "mom" who would never let it get too far out of hand. Not sure if I am a big fan of that label...

The best part is that every single one of us are now working in the school system in one way or another. Who would have thought? Bree is a behavioral specialist- which she is amazing at. Becky is a high school counselor and Annie and I are teachers.

Annie, I couldn't be happier for you. You have an amazing husband, one who will love you through all chapters of life. Thank you for letting all of us be a part of your amazing day. Have fun on your honeymoon! 

Community like none other

This past weekend I was blessed with an opportunity to connect with a bunch of friends from college. Emily (the one in the tank top) is getting marriend in October and we had a chance to celebrate the upcoming event. Isn't funny how there are people in your life that you could be away from for more than a year, but as soon as you see them it feels like it was just yesterday that you all hung out? These girls are that to me. They are amazing women of God who are each doing incredible things for the kingdom. I am blessed to have them in my life! Congrats Emily on the upcoming wedding. I can't wait to all see you all there!