Goodbye to a Decade: 25-27

So far I've covered the first four years of my twenties.  Click HERE to catch up.

Time to move on...

*Twenty-five - May 2006:  Graham graduated from seminary.  A-A-Ahem...Second in his class to a medical doctor.  He is gonna kill me for writing that, but I'm proud of my guy.

Graham took the position as Discipleship Pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in Fort Smith, AR and I interviewed for a teaching position.

We went to the beach for our anniversary.  After several years of seminary, it was wonderful to relax for a second.  When we returned home, we packed up our apartment and said goodbye to our wonderful life in Memphis. I loved that season in our lives, but I was excited to see what God had in store for us next.

Seaside, Florida

 June 2006:  I got a job as a 5th grade teacher in the Fort Smith Public School District. 

July 2006:  We moved into a cute little duplex in Fort Smith.

Nov. 2006: We bought our first house (the one we still currently own).  If we had known that the Lord would move us to Texas so quickly we probably would have continued to rent instead of buy.  *sigh*  But then again, we would have missed out on some pretty incredible friendships with our neighbors.

Dec. 2006:  We got the most wonderful news by way of two pink lines!!!!! What joy filled our hearts.

Dec. 15, 2006: We moved into our new home.

Spring 2007:  We started to get aquainted with all of our wonderful neighbors.

April 2007:  It's a GIRL!  We were thrilled.

May 2007:  Schools out for summer!  

JOYS:  meeting new people and the formation of some great friendships, the feeling of "settling down", fixing up a new house, feeling "the baby" move and other joys of pregnancy, 24--we used to love that show, bean dip, caramel frappuccinos
WOES:  learning different trends in a new school district,  fear of the unknown

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Twenty-six - I enjoyed a summer of relaxing and eating!  I was fat and happy by the time Ava Grace was born.

Aug. 13, 2007:  We welcomed our sweet Ava Grace--one of the best days of my life.

Some of my most wonderful life moments were spent during the first few weeks as a new mother.   It was the most incredible time.

October 2007:  I started a website to keep the family updated, but it was hard to use.

December 2007:  Our first Christmas as a family of three!

April 2008:  I started this blog, Our Joy...His Glory, and transferred my posts from the old website to my new blog.  I'm so glad that I have a way to journal my kids' lives.  One day, they will each get a copy of this blog!

May 2008:  I celebrated my very first Mother's Day.

JOYS:  the birth of Ava Grace and everything that having a child involves, blogging, the cultivation of some awesome friendships--God gave me some kindred spirits

WOES:  going back to work after my maternity leave ended; balancing work, family, church, and my relationship with Christ

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Twenty-seven  - I  loved watching my daughter grow and change every single day.  I was thrilled when summer came around and I had a little bit of time to spend with her, but it wasn't quite enough due to all of the inservice that was required by the school district.

June 2008:  We took our first vacation as a family of three.

Taking a ride on the Branson Belle

Aug 2008-May 2009:  In a nut shell...I don't know exactly when it happened, but I started to become very bitter about working.  I LOVED teaching and without sounding too haughty, I felt like I was pretty good at it.  I did everything I was asked, I implemented every single program whether I thought it was effective or not, I was an advocate for my students, I learned new trends, and I tried to better myself as an educator.  I became disgusted (it's the only word that fits) by the politics, administration, and petty job stuff.  I just wanted stay home with my girl, but due to certain circumstances, that wasn't an option.  During this time, I was down.  I suffered from anxiety (not exactly depression)--something that I didn't feel I could control.  In all honesty, I had too much going on and not enough time for the Lord.  I filled my time with work, house-hold duties, Ava Grace, and church. I tried to cut out a sliver of time each day or every other day for reading my Bible and praying.  But it was out of obligation and not desire.  It just wasn't cutting it.  I wasn't practicing what I preached--God first, family second, and everything else third.

JOYS:  spending time with Ava Grace and Graham, talking/venting to my kindred spirits, church, strolling Ava around the neighborhood, the weekend

WOES:  major frustrations with work, the feeling that I didn't have enough time with my girl,  trying to be the best teacher AND the best mom at the same time yet feeling like a failure, trying to handle too much on my own


Well, I'll end here for now.  More to come soon. . .