Wedding Weekend

We had a very bittersweet weekend! Brandon married his high-school sweetheart on Saturday! I have known Brandon since he was 10, so he is pretty much like a brother, so it was very emotional! The wedding was absolutely beautiful! And there were alot of fun memories made! Here are some of my favorite pics! Get ready....there is alot!!!

The boys at rehearsal dinner!

This next picture has a great story behind it! This man is Sarah's uncle. Griffin saw him at the dinner and walked up to him and said "Santa?" It was so sweet to see the innocence in Griff thinking this man was Santa. Before anyone could say anything this sweet man replied by saying "Yes, I am Santa....have you been a good boy?" Sarah's uncle played it up and the whole weekend Griffin thought he was Santa. I think that is why he was so good while standing up on stage during the wedding....he knew Santa was watching!

The BIG Day!

No one really knew that Griffin had been throwing up all day on Sat. You can tell in this next pic that he doesn't feel well! We think it might have been nerves, because when the reception started he was ready to party!

Miss Sydney Faith!

The boys loved the dance floor...they felt like everyone was watching them, and they loved being the center of attention. When the girls of Sigma Alpha took over the floor to sing their song, Griff couldn't figure it out!

And here is Grayson breakin' it down!

The Happy couple saying goodbye!

It was a wonderful weekend! You know you are getting old when younger siblings are getting married!

.....only 4 more days of school if you don't count today!!!!!!

While we try to teach our children all about life,

Our children teach us what life is all about.

~Angela Schwindt

I love being a teacher. I have always wanted to be a teacher. My parents are teachers, my great-grandparents and grandparents were teachers...I don't think I had a choice...apparently it is in my blood! But, I am not a teacher just because I have always wanted to be, or because that is all I know, I feel it is what the Lord has called me to be. I never knew or thought about it until I actually became a teacher how much of a ministry it is! I am so thankful for the opportunities I have everyday to show my students Christ ~ to show love, respect, kindness, patience, and joy!

I think of my students as my children! Everyday they teach me something, and everyday I am reminded what the important things in life are. As much as I want my children to excel academically, or on the TAKS test, I realize that these are not the important things in life. I am constantly reminded of how different the world is and how hard it is to be a child. The majority of my students have totally different homelives than what I had growing up! This makes me so thankful for my childhood, and at the same time really empowers me to want to make a difference in their lives. With all the mushiness said......

TAKS is over!!!! This is the fun time of the year. Even though this is when the hormones kick in for my fifth graders, I really enjoy these last six weeks. I can take the focus off of academics (just a little) and focus on enjoying my students and strengthening my relationship with them before I send them off to the foreign world of middle school!

100 years from now...

it will not matter what clothes I wore,

or the kind of house I lived in,

or the type of car I drove.....

but the world may be different

because I was important in the life of a child.

I love this quote!!!!

Baby Fever

No, Not me.....ok maybe....but who wouldn't after our trip of visiting the cutest babies EVER! Brent and I were talking on our way home that it seems just like yesterday that we were traveling for weddings. Well, now we are traveling for babies! We went to the metroplex this weekend to see babies!!! (and of coarse we managed to see the regional tournament) It was a fun trip jumping from one baby to the next! We started off staying the night with Miss Camden! (and eating at B's favorite place...Babes)She is getting so big! It makes me sad that I don't see her more! She has this little personality that is so fun! And I really think she is the best baby ever! She is always so calm and happy! It is so amazing how she looks so much like Jay one minute and then you turn around and she looks so much like Ally!

The next night we stayed with Miss Sydney Faith and Griffin! He just loves on her and she just eats it up! I'll have to admit I was a little worried that he would be jealous of her....but he is soooooo good with her! When we are there it makes us miss living just two doors down...when Griff could just walk in and say "Bent..... whatch doin?" He is growing up so much!

I love her little hair....she had just had a bath and it was sticking up everywhere!

Then it was off to meet Mr. Quinn! He is a doll! Perfect in every way! Matt and Britt are so good with him! I know they will be all he could ever ask or dream of for parents! It was so good getting to visit and catch up with them! I loved seeing the excitement in their eyes!

It was a quick trip, but a memorable one! We made it back Sat. night and had a good Easter Sunday with my family! Church and then a great Easter lunch! It is weekends like this that make me so thankful for the friends and family we have!

And I just have to add this pic!!! The other night while outside playing with the dogs we witnessed a beautiful sunset! Doesn't look like Abilene, Texas....does it?

Now What Do We Do?????

I remember this feeling from the precious years.....what will we do with all our spare time???? A-high soccer is over! We lost Sat. in the second round of the playoffs! I am so proud of the girls and Brent! It is a little depressing that we won't have team dinners twice a week along with two or three games, but I know we will fill our time somehow! With my brother and Brent's brother both getting married soon, along with a new niece and lots of our friends with new babies, I have a feeling we won't be sitting around too much! Not much else going on, just an update for those tired of checking and not seeing anything new! I will have a more exciting post next week, after our trip to the metroplex to visit friends and family this weekend!

Spring Break

I am so ready and excited for spring break! No big plans for us....just soccer, soccer, soccer! We also plan on relaxing! B is planning on fishing some and I want to scapbook!!!! Here are some pics from the past couple of weeks! Last weekend we threw a shower for sweet baby Quinn! I don't have a sister, but these girls are my sisters! They know me inside and out! They know me all the way back to my bangs and t-shirt dresses!!! The bond we have is so special, and I am so thankful for our friendship!

This is the sweet picture that will go in our "tradition" frame! We started a tradition at my wedding, that we continued at each of our weddings. So, we decided to start a new tradition with pregnancies!

Brittney and her bump!

Soccer is still going very well! We beat Cooper Tuesday night for the sweep in district! Brent was very happy! Britney brought Grayson out to the game! He normally doesn't come because he wants to climb on EVERY step and bleacher! But since the weather was so nice, she brought him out for the second half! After the game he couldn't wait to see Brent! Here they are very watching the boys game.....very intense!!!!

~~~~~~~~~

And this is Brent's hair after a team dinner! The theme was Punk the "Panthers." The mother that was hosting it had already worked it out with Brent and they surpised the girls and let them "Punk their coach!" They loved it! Don't worry ~ it washed out that night!

Have a GREAT SPRING BREAK!!!!!!

3 Day Weekend = 900 miles

Our weekend was full of traveling! Lots of fun! We went to Midland on Sat. and the game was canceled the minute we stepped on the field for wind!!! Only in west TX! So the game was rescheduled for Monday! Two trips to Midland in one weekend!! On Sunday we sandwiched in a trip to Keller! We had so much fun meeting Miss Sydney Faith! And Brent enjoyed playing guns, and cars with Griffin! Here are some (actually alot) of pictures of our favorite (and only) niece!!!

Sound asleep on Uncle Brent!

Griffin has been handling the new adddition pretty well!

He kept asking Brent "How long are you going to hold her?"

Sweet Family Picture!

Uncle Brent brought Griffin a nerf gun! They played guns for hours!

I am beginning to wonder if Brent bought the gun for Griff or himself!

We are very excited about having a niece!!!

Braggin on my Hubby

Not much going on in our little world! Soccer, soccer, soccer! It is a good thing I have grown to love this sport! A-high is in 2nd place! We are 5 and 1. Brent had the expectation of turning this program around, but I really thought it would take a couple of years! Boy ~ did he surprise me!!!! They are doing so well, and I am very proud of him and his girls!!! Last night we beat Odessa High 3~0 and tomorrow we go to Midland to take on Midland High! My students made the team a banner for the Cooper game!

Tonight I am going to a Ladies Retreat with church! I am so looking forward to the time with girlfriends and having the opportunity to become refreshed! Then tomorrow it is off to Midland! And then the highlight of my weekend will come on Sunday! We have a new niece and we get to go meet her on Sunday! I can't wait!

Happy Friday!!!

Tag! Your IT!!!

So here is a little survey!!! I stole this from my friend Shannon!

1. I’ve come to realize that my ex-boyfriend... any of them....were part of the learning process, and help make me the person/wife I am today!
2. I am listening to...the heater in my classroom!
3. I talk...alot....and (some would say) LOUDLY!
4. I love...my husband!
5. My best friends...are miles away, but close to my heart!
6. I lost... Brent would fill this blank in with "my keys" I am always losing my keys!!!!
7. I hate it when people...neglect or hurt their children!!!!!
8. Love is...never ending!!!!
9. Marriage is...different each year. Everyone tells you it gets better, and I thought there was nothing better than newlyweds....but it truely does get better!
10. Somewhere, someone is thinking...that I have too much time on my hands...to fill one of these out!!!!
11. I’ll always be...called Thompson (even though that hasn't been my name for over 4 years)
12. I have a crush on...my nephews!
13. The last time I cried was because...two of my students came in and were so excited because one of the men teacher's had eaten breakfast with them! It was so special for them, and touched my heart!
14. My cell phone...is always in the process of dying!!!!! This drives B crazy!!!!
15. When I wake up in the morning...I don't like to talk for a while!
16. Before I go to sleep at night...B, the puppes, and I all get on the bed to get it nice and warm! I hate cold sheets in the winter time!
17. Right now I am thinking...about if I want to wake up early on Sat. and ride with the team, or sleep in and drive by myself!!!!
18. Babies are...a miracle!
19. I get on MySpace...NEVER....It is so addicting to me, so I just stay off! I am sure I will give in one day!
20. Today ...Brent and I are going to go out to eat for Valentine's Day because we didn't want to go last night and wait the crowds! I do not like waiting! This is a new peeve of mine since living in the metroplex!
21. Last Night I...babysat my nephew. Brent and I love hanging out with Grayson!
22. Tomorrow I...will be happy cause it is Friday!
23. I really want...my new niece to come this weekend, so I can be there.....otherwise she is coming on Monday, and I can't go until after TAKS!!!!
I tag all of you that read this!!!

P.S. For my fellow eagle fans....We beat Cooper!!

Clobber the Coogs

We had our big team dinner last night to get ready to Clobber the Coogs tonight! The two girls and their families that hosted it had a theme of Cavemen/Flinstones. It is so much fun to see what the girls can come up with! One of them even had on a Cougar pelt! B and I decided to dress up this time! His girls played so awesome on Tuesday night he thought it would be a nice reward. They were shocked! They about died when we walked in the door! You know you are old when you feel the need to wear clothes under your costume to avoid showing too much skin!

Soccer is about all we have been up to! Hope everyone is staying warm!

Falling Behind!

I have kind of been falling behind on keeping up with my blogging!!! Soccer is keeping us pretty busy! Tonight we are headed to Lubbock to take on Lubbock High! My mom is going with me, so I don't have to make that boring, dusty drive on my own! Drew is meeting us at the game and going to go eat with us after! I am so excited about seeing him! Speaking of brothers!!! T.J. is engaged!!!!! He has been dating Chandra for three years! We love Chandra and can't wait for her to be an official part of the family! They are thinking around September, or that is what they were thinking before they were engaged...but since the engagement neither one of them can stop smiling long enough to answer any questions!

My soon to be sister-in-law!

This is the gang (without Chandra) before he proposed! This is the evening he brought the ring over to show all of us!!!! Brent and I went ring shopping with him!! And then afterwards we all went to Mom and Dad's! Drew and Lana just happened to be in town for a funeral, so they got to share the happy night with us!

And then here is a random picture!!! Back during the series of ice storms that A-town had the lake became frozen!!! Who would've thought that Lake Ft. Phantom would freeze??? It was like an ice rink! Of coarse the whole lake didn't freeze, but our little cove was solid! I was too much of a scaredy cat to actually step out on it! But it had to be pretty solid for snow to sit on top of it!

I love Christmas Break!!!

Well, I started off the break with the stomach bug!!! No Fun! Brent came home from school throwing up and I was determined I wasn't going to get it!! I had it twice in the spring and he didn't get it either time! So I thought if I kept cleaning the house, and let the fresh air in by opening the windows, I would avoid the germs!!! They found me!!! And I missed the last day of school before the break! I felt so bad for my kids! They had to have their Christmas party without me! After a couple days of recuperating, I was back up and runnin! I started off the holiday break by getting to see some old friends! We had a track get together! I had not seen some of my track teammates in years! It was so fun talking about old times and special memories we made on all those track trips! I think we are very lucky to have been able to have such a unique relationship with our coach! She was like our momma! And it was fun seeing her again! Alot of my track girlfriends have babies that I had never met! Not everyone was able to be there, but it was the start of a tradition that we hope continues!

After that reunion I headed off to another one! This group of friends I have learned is a rare group! When we were in high school people would tell us that our friendship would fade! I guess we are stubborn, because we have been determined to prove everyone wrong! Everytime I get with my girls it is just like it has always been! I am so thankful for that!

After the night of friends, we headed off on Christmas Eve morning to Ft. Worth. We celebrated Christmas with my grandparents and aunt, uncle, and cousins! We always have a ball with this side of the family! There usually ends up being some kind of wrapping paper fight! The boys seem to think it is funny to wad up the paper and throw it at people! We made it back just in time for Christmas Eve service at FBC with B's family. This is such a special time and tradition. After a late night, Christmas morning came all too early! We started off by having our Christmas together with our puppies. Then headed over to Mom and Dad's. It's funny how as you grow older Christmas morning starts later and later. We practically had to drag the boys out of bed! I remember when they use to run into my room before the sun was even up, trying to get me out of bed!

You can tell the boys just got out of bed!!!!

This is Drew's baby! He is crazy about her!

After Christmas morning breakfast and opening presents, we headed off to Grandad's. The Christmas Day events are always the same at Grandad's. The girls are in the kitchen and the boys are watching football camped out in front of the t.v. I know we wouldn't have it any other way though!

My Boys!!!

This is Marjorie... She is wonderful! She is a true blessing! Even though it is hard during the holidays because Grandma isn't here to share it with us, she is a joyful addtion to our family! She makes Grandad so happy, and that is why we love her!

Let me introduce you to Bryce! He is my newest cousin! My aunt and uncle adopted him! He is precious! He is checking to make sure all the presents have been handed out! Too CUTE!

Next stop, the Camp house! This year Griffin actually understood the present process. The past couple of years he has been more interested in the boxes, and wrapping paper than the gifts! It was so fun watching him open. Grayson didn't really get the opening part, but he loved all the toys! His favorite was a book! Who knew? Christmas is so magical in the eyes of children! I love it!

There is a story behind this pic! Griffin was up in B's lap helping him open! As soon as Grayson realized that Griffin was getting Brent's attention he flew over to Brent and climbed up! I guess Grayson isn't used to sharing his Uncle Brent!

Well, here we are! The Camp Crew is continuing to grow! Lisa is due with a little girl in February, and Brandon and Sarah are getting married in May! Big families are so much fun!

Overall, we had a wonderful holiday with friends and family! I managed to see some movies, a chick flick (with mom) and then B and I saw The Pursuit of Happiness (one I would recommend) We also started off the soccer season! Looking good so far! We are 2 and 1! B and I enjoyed time at home together! With the season starting our life is about to be thrown in the fast lane! It's a good thing we love soccer!

What a Weekend!

The weekend started early for me, since I was off on Friday for the wedding! Friday was a special day! I am so glad I was able to be a part of Molly's wedding! One of my life-long friends was married to one of our high school friends. Molly and Peter's relationship has been fun to watch. From the time we were in high school they have had a special relationship, but mainly as friends. Friday they started a new chapter of their relationship, and I couldn't be happier for them. They both deserve the best, and in each other they have found the best! Here are a few pics from the wedding!

Meant to Be!!!

Isn't she beautiful!!!!

This is a picture that we have taken at all of our rehearsal dinner's. We started this pic at my dinner, and then decided to continue the tradition at Sarah's, then Brittney's, and now Molly's!

On Friday night after the wedding I drove back to A-town for Brandon's graduation on Saturday morning. I have known Brandon since he was 10. I feel like he is my brother as much as he is Brent's. I have loved watching him grow from a kid, to a teenager, and now into a man. We are so proud of him!

Then on Sunday I drove to Sweetwater with two of my college roomies for Mel's baby shower. When all of us roomies get together, it is like we have never been apart! I am so blessed to have made these wonderful friendships that I know will never end. It is fun spending special times like pregnancies together! As you can see, there is a new addition to our roommate family! Sweet Camille Raye is almost 2 months old! Isn't she precious!

We finished off the weekend by celebrating at an engagement party for Brent's brother, Brandon, and his fiance, Sarah last night! They are getting married in May and we can't wait! The weekend was very busy, but lots of fun! I enjoyed getting to see so many old friends and lots of family! It made me very anxious for Christmas to get here!!!

This weekend was Griffin's 4th birthday! I can't believe that it has been four years since he was born. Brent and I were newlyweds, and living in Plainview when we made the five hour drive to be there for his birth. There have been so many changes since then! It has been so fun watching him grow and change. He has developed his own little personality, and we enjoy being around him so much! We have learned a tremendous amount about parenting through being an aunt and an uncle!
My students are beginning to get crazy!! We are having Sex Ed. classes right now, and that makes them sooooo hyper! Only 8 more days of school for me! I am taking Friday off for the BIG wedding!!!! I can't wait to see everyone!

I love this time of year!!!!!!

I love this time of year for so many reasons!!!! We went to City Sidewalks last week and it really got me in the Christmas Spirit! I am ready for no school and lots of time with family spent relaxing and being lazy!!! This year it seems that we are extra busy! I am sure it was the same way last year, but this year I am feeling like there isn't enough time to fit it all in! Too much going on to blog about it all, so I hope this picture will do!