Meet Sparky!

After the tragedy with Max, we decided to wait a little while to get another dog.  We wanted our lives to settle a bit.  

Ummm...when does that EVER happen?

About a month ago I was at Petsmart and learned about a huge dog/cat rescue event they were having.  I immediately sent Dan a text and told him I wanted to go there to get our new family member and he agreed.  

We decided to keep it a surprise for Logan and early on this past week I told him we had a surprise for him on Saturday.  So, after his soccer game...off we went!  We drove up to Petsmart and they had several huge tents with countless rescue organizations and probably close to 200 dogs.  I asked Logan if he saw what was in there and he said "dogs?"  "Are we getting a dog?!"  Of course I replied yes and my sweetest boy started crying.  Yes.  Crying.  He was so overwhelmed with emotion he was crying.  

At that moment I knew we were doing the right thing.  

We walked around looking at and petting a few dogs and then we came upon a kennel with 4 puppies.  We were told they were Australian Shepherd/Boxer mix and I just knew those 2 breeds would make a great combo.  Logan said he wanted to hold Sparky so we took him out and held him for a few minutes.  We put him back and decided to go show daddy another one we had found but someone else was in a "get to know you" kennel with him.  

Logan then said "I want to go back to that other one that we just held,"  so off we went! We took him to the "get to know you kennel" and he was just the sweetest puppy, not wild and crazy, kinda calm and laid back. Logan told us, "I want him," so the decision was made.  

Immediately he named him Sparky.  

Paperwork was filled out, payment made and he was ours!

The look on Logan's face says it all!

Welcome to your forever family Sparky, you have filled a void in our hearts.

Not Anymore!

After four years of teaching I was starting to wonder if I had chosen the right second career.  It was a little depressing to think that I had invested all of the blood, sweat and tears (and money) and I may not be in the right place.

I wasn't in a happy place in the classroom for many reasons.  Those reasons aren't important anymore.  What is important is what I told Dan just a few days into this new school year.  

"When I thought about becoming a teacher, this is what I imagined it would be like."

It may not be a perfect school district, or perfect school, but at least I know that I am where I belong this year.  In the classroom instilling a love of learning and writing into crazy 7th graders.

Not feeling Ms. Placed in my career choice is an amazing feeling.  

Bring it A.W.C.P.A. 2012-2013!!!

Fred

Frederick William Fulton, III

September 29, 1920-May 28, 1999

brother

son

husband

father

grandfather

Airforce Veteran

32nd degree Mason

man of God

The man that said he was proud, but too young, to be a grandfather....so he bribed us with ice cream and quarters to call him Fred.  And it worked. 

A man that had a great influence on my life.  I still miss him dearly.  

Mothers Day, and So Much More

I have so much to be thankful for on this Mothers Day.


First, where would I be without my own amazing mother?  She is my best friend, my confidant, my biggest cheerleader.  If I miss just 2 days talking to her it feels like forever.  We do not let the 1200 physical miles between us damper our relationship.  I always knew she loved me and would go to the ends of the earth for me, but until I had my own child I could not fathom her love for me as a mother.  She is the best mom I could have ever asked for.  I love you mom!

Another woman that had a profound impact on who I am today was my grandma, Mary Jo Fulton.  AKA, The Queen.  "The Queen" not because she was a prima donna, but because she deserved and earned the title.  She was the epitome of a Southern Belle.  Never a hair out of place, always "had her face on" and dressed to a T.  I don't remember hearing an ugly word come out of her mouth, she always found something good to say.  Her family was her everything.  I was the recipient of one of her pieces of jewelry that I wear every day.  Not a day goes by that I do not put on her ring think about her and miss her dearly.

Mommy. The most important title I could have ever earned.  My son Logan is the light of my life.  He has the sweetest soul of any little boy I have ever known.  If you ask him who his girlfriend is he will tell you, "my mommy."  How sweet is that?!  I love him more than life itself.  (you can see where he gets his crazy hair!)

Three years ago today I heard the dreaded word, Cancer.  It's really hard for me to fathom that I am a cancer survivor.  I know you are thinking, how is that?  You went through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.  Yes, it was hell, but a short hell.  Less than 3 months from diagnosis to finished with treatment.  I think that is why I was able to move on so quickly.  With the amazing support from my friends and family I am a SURVIVOR.  And I can't forget the amazing medical team that I had, headed by my oncologist Mary Jo Schmitz.  Did you catch that?  Yep, the same name as my grandmother.  I knew she was destined to be my doc when I heard her name.

Today is so much more than Mothers Day.  It is a day to be thankful for the women that helped shaped who I am today, for being able to wake up EVERY day,  and to be a momma to the most amazing little boy EVER!


Happy Mothers Day!


jennifer

Giving this another try

I feel like I have boxed myself into a corner with this blog. I started it to tell stories of the life of motherhood, being a wife and a teacher with my Southern outlook. I also read some pretty amazing blogs such as .heart to heart. Life On Madison and Mo Joy and have felt like mine could never compare to theirs.

With all of this being said I am letting go of my "issues" and I am going to give this blog thing another try.  I am proud I am from Louisiana and if I can add a little Southern charm and humor then so be it, if not, that's ok too.  I will also let go of comparing my little blog to "professional" bloggers.

Stay tuned!