Momma Bear Protecting Her Cubs!

Today, I had to break out into full on Momma Bear! Ryan and some of his little fifth grade friends met up to go ride on their skateboards. The meeting place as always was Ryan's house! I love having kids running in and out of our house, because I am in charge and I know no "funny"business will be going on. Before they went on their ride around the hood, they were going to stop at one of the boys houses to pick something up. Five minutes after leaving the house, I hear a knock on the door. I quickly go to the door to see one of Ryan's little friends standing there (this boy was not with them originally!). I answer the door, and Ryan's friend asks me if Ryan was home. I said "no Ryan JUST left with a bunch of boys, and they should be at Ben's house." Ryan's little friend looks at me and goes "I just came from Ben's and his mom said they weren't there. I think they ditched me!" OH NO NO NO.... I am not going to let that fly. No one ditches anyone on my watch. I'm sorry. I yell for Sammie up the stairs, quickly put a leash on Roxie and the three of us plus Ryan's friend are out the door. I am on a hunt for Ryan and the rest of the boys, and my first stop is Ben's house.

I walk up to Ben's house and ring the door bell only to have his mom come to the door to tell me " Oh the boys aren't here, I'm not sure where they are?" At this point I'm livid...not only is Ryan not answering his phone, but he is also no where to be found. As soon as I get to the end of the street I see a pack of boys fly on by, and I knew it was them. I walked as fast as I could to catch up to them, and by this point, half of them fled the scene. Clearly because they knew I WAS MAD. Ryan though is smart enough to know that he needed to go home, because he was about to have a little talking to. I am almost to Ryan, and he knew right away that I was not a happy camper. After asking him where he had been, why he wasn't answering my calls, and what all these boys were up to? He confessed that some of the boys were indeed trying to ditch his little friend. Ryan being the sweet boy that he is had started to head home when they started their ditching plan. I was so proud of him, but I still was not going to let these other boys get away with such a thing. So I marched my little self along with Sammie, Ryan and Ryan's little friend to the house that all these boys fled to. I walked right into the backyard, and gave all those boys a piece of my mind. I explained to them that what they were doing was not appropriate, and that if they continued to do it I would no longer allow Ryan to play with them while I am there. They shook their heads and said "YES MA'AM!"

There is just something about little fifth graders ditching people that screams "bullying" to me and I don't stand for that at all. These children might not be mine, and I might not be their nanny or their mom, but I will stand up for every single one of them. My heart was breaking and pumping all at the same time for this precious little soul, who had gotten his feelings hurt. I am not afraid to stand up to anyone who is in the wrong. In the end it's them who needs the adjusting not me. I want everyone to be happy, and I feel like I can help make that happen. And yes I know somethings the boys need to work out on their own, but this was something that I knew needed some Momma Bear!

I am so glad we got it all resolved, and I hope and pray that it never happens again! Not sure my little heart can take anymore of that.

Have a fabulous weekend!!

XOXOXOXO,

Maggie

8 Months Later

Eight months and 26 posts later I think I finally have this whole decorating the blog down. Seriously y'all it has taken me so long to figure out how to change my template. All the blogs I follow have all these cutesie little backgrounds and they change them every so often, and I was sitting over here like "my stuffs off center, my colors don't go, and I really could careless how the background looks" Ok well maybe not that blunt, but you get the idea! For awhile I thought about paying one of these ladies on one of the many sites to redo my blog, that was until I figured out that cost WAY TO MUCH! I might be a sucker for somethings, but the blog background just wasn't getting me.

Fast forward 8 months and it is now the middle of October, and I still don't have this stuff all figured out. One night last weekend I was just online shopping, catching up on blogs, and trying to catch up on my blog, when I realized I really needed to look into giving my blog a makeover. I mean I won't go outside of the house without my hair done, so why does my blog have to be seen by others with UGLY makeup on?  So, finally I came upon this wonderful website that basically walked me through the whole process of making columns, centering things, putting up a pretty background and even going as far as how to add a pretty banner to match. 

So after all this time I realized, all it took was a simple little search to figure out how to do all this. I guess the saying is right "you can't can teach old dogs new tricks!" I am a walking example! Before we know it my background will get saggy and old and I will have to replenish it. But until then I plan to enjoy this lovely background, and all the lessons I learned with it. Nothing is better than feeling fresh. Isn't that right blog? 

That's all for now little blog lovers, I hope you enjoy my new background as much as I do!


Until the next facelift,

XOXOXOXOXO,

Maggie

Leaving Behind The Teens

In just a couple weeks I will be leaving behind "my young adulthood/teen years" and entering my 20's. To some that might be still super young, and to others it might be super old. But to me I am leaning toward another day older! Like  I've stated in other posts I long for the day that I am no longer labeled in the same category as a "young immature teen". I finally think that time has come and I couldn't be more excited. This weekend I was asked what my plans were after attending this last year at HCC.. My response was "work and continue going to school at UH. I don't want to go away because I am not into all the partying and such that comes along with the whole college thing." I truly feel that it takes a special person to say they'd rather live at home attend the local college and work rather than, go off to school, party 24/7 and hope and pray the "saying D's get degrees" still is true.

I have never been one that was dying to fit in or just did things to make myself feel on top of the world. I have always been a super cautious person, who would rather not push the limit! I know some people are probably thinking "wow this girl needs to live a little." And I agree living and taking chances every once and a while is great, and I do that, but taking chances all the time just aint my style. So while some kids are sad to say goodbye to their teens years, I am rather happy! Happy that I am maturing as a person, happy that I have been blessed for 20 years, happy that I've had the opportunity work and know what it's like to budget money, but most importantly happy that I have been through many struggles in my life, but in the end I always come out on top and a little more wiser than I was when I was first struck.

I hope that in 20 years I will look back at this blog and still have the same thoughts as I do now. I hope that in those 20 years I am able to finish my college degree, find a wonderful job, marry the most godly man on this planet, have lots of children, and have the opportunity to teach my children that in this broken world there is a way to succeed and their mom is a living example of it. I hope and pray that I can raise a family that is loving,generous and all around humble.

I can't thank the Lord enough for giving me the life He did. For allowing me to not live a perfect life, but know that just because life isn't perfect doesn't mean that it won't go on. It's about looking at the glass half full instead of half empty in the darkest of days.

So on my twentieth birthday I will be rejoicing at the fact that I am one year older, one year wiser, and one year closer to reaching all my goals. Life is good y'all and I am so thankful to be apart of this great big world, made by our wonderful creator!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!


XOXOXOXO,

Maggie  

MacBook Beauty

On Monday I made one of the biggest purchases, I think I will ever make in my life. Or at least until I purchase my first car, or pitch in for my first home. I had been dreaming of this beautiful Macbook Air for a long time now. My old laptop started being really slow and getting viruses ALL. THE. TIME. It was quite annoying. I researched for quite sometime to make sure that I was wanting to really make the switch to a Mac. After much research and the reassurance from my brother and sister I knew I was in. 

Although it was really hard to part with my long hard earned 1200 dollars, I knew it would be all worth it in the end. So now I am in the process of switching all my documents over, and getting everything acclimated. Everything feel so fresh and clean on this laptop, that I am so nervous to take it places and use it. I know I will soon be over that fear, and eventually it will become old and decrepit just like my last one. Here's to hoping it last me well into my teaching years!

That's all for now my friends! Hope y'all have a wonderful weekend!

XOXOXO,

Maggie 

A Beautiful Sunday!

Last Sunday was one of the best Sunday's I've had in a really long time. It started out with what I thought would be a simple trip to church and then lots of catching up before the week arrived. To my surprise it was way more than just a simple Sunday! As I walked into church and began to sing my heart out with the rest of Houston's First Baptists congregation, I knew just then that today was going to be fabulous. Every Sunday we start out with lots of singing,praying and just being able to feel so alive in this broken world. After all our vocal cords were tired we moved on to the Baptisms that they offer every Sunday. The first man up was a man in his early 30's who came to know The Lord in prison. He was a man that was full of sin, who was ready to come clean and wipe it all away. This man spent years in prison for drug abuse. As soon as was baptized, he walked away with the BIGGEST, most grateful smile I have ever seen. Tears were already flowing from my eyes as I heard a glimpse of this man's testimony and was able to experience such a special day for him. Next was a man who also was fresh out of prison. He too had a drug addiction, and was ready to wipe it all away. Although both these men had been sober for many years they were still fighting the everyday struggle of feeling alone. It was in that time, that they were able to wash all their pain and addiction away and give it all to our Lord and Savior. At this point I was sobbing, my make up was everywhere and I was crying an ugly cry. Not because I was sad, but because I was extremely elated that these young men knew that it was time that they accept Jesus into their life, and let him help them cure their illness.

After Pastor Gregg preached some of the sweetest words, it was now time to go on my Sunday errands. Ones that consist of Target and lunch haha. After lots of shopping and money spent, my sister and I decided we needed to treat ourselves to some ice cream. As we approached Marble Slab it was already decided that I was the one paying for it this time.(Lauren and I try to trade off paying for things like these for each other.) We walked into Marble Slab in hopes of just walking out with a content stomach, and nothing more. Little did we know, we were about to get way more than that. The line was about 5 deep, nothing too crazy crowded, but enough time for me to contemplate whether or not I wanted to switch up my flavor choice or not. As we were standing in line, Lauren on her phone and me just standing there patiently waiting I heard the man in front of me turn and ask me what flavor I got. After I smiled and said cinnamon vanilla, he looked back at me and said I can't believe people over load their ice creams with toppings. That completely changes the flavor! I just chuckled and agreed with him. He then began to tell me that he was going to get a pint of strawberry and a pint of the sweet cream. At this point I am just thinking he is a really friendly older man and nothing else. As he approached the counter to check out, the lady began to ring him up and he starred closely at the screen that showed what he owed. After she told him "Sir you owe $12 dollars" he looked at her and goes " I would like to pay for these two young ladies behind me as well!" UMM WHAT? My sister and I were in shock! "That is so sweet of you and totally unnecessary" we responded as he handed the lady his money. He then turned and look at me and said "It's because you were so kind and talked to me!" Y'all I was almost in tears, I made this mans day just by talking to him about ice cream at Marble Slab. Little did he know he made my day for more than just paying for my ice cream, but for just being so nice!

Often times we as people forget to give back at random times, we tend to do it when we are asked. Trust me I am so guilty of this, but that man last Sunday, and those two men that gave their lives to Jesus, reminded me that it's not all about giving when we are asked! Everyday I am learning to be a better person. To have more patience and to love more freely. I will never be perfect, and I could never dream of being perfect. I have plenty of imperfections, and I love them all. They are what make me, me.


My heart is still so full even a week later!

XOXOXO,
Maggie

Proud to be an American!

Thirteen years ago yesterday, I was just another little innocent child sitting in my classroom day dreaming about how great life was. It was thirteen years ago that all of that suddenly changed... The world stopped and I was forced to stop with it. I can still vividly remember all the faces of the teachers on September 11,2001. The pain our country endured on that September day is pain and suffering I could never ever dream of anyone having to go through. Parents flooded the school and children slowly started to dwindle. I might have only been six years old, but at six I learned that this world isn't as fun and loving as we wish it could be, not everyone is nice, and people will dishonor you if it means they will feel superior.

It is so weird to me that the children I now love and care for daily don't know much about 9/11. They are now sitting in my spot, and day dreaming about how wonderful life is.  My heart crumbles any and every time I think about all the families that lost loved ones on that terrible day.  9/11 is not only a day of remembrance for me, but also a day that I like to reflect back on all the wonderful people who lost their lives trying to help others. America sure does know how to come together when everything is being ripped out from underneath.

I encourage you today to take a moment to think about someone who has truly helped you in some way. Whether it was big or small, just take some time to pray for them and thank them for all they have done for you. Many times we get caught up in our own lives, so days like yesterday are just easily pushed aside. We need to love and honor each other not only in the hard times, but always. I also would love to ask you all to take a moment and thank God for all that he does no matter the circumstance. He stays true to his word, and never lets his knees buckle. It is because of him that our country was able to recover from our terrible loss.

So many things have changed in the last thirteen years, but one thing that has not is the fact that I am still extremely proud to be an American!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!


Faith, hope and love are some good things he gave us, and the greatest is L O V E- Alan Jackson

XOXOXO,

Maggie

The Start of Another New School Year!

Monday was the start of yet another school year. Towards the end of summer I was no where near ready for school to start. I still wanted to have no routine and just do things whenever I pleased. Sadly I didn't have an option, I was forced to show up Monday morning at 9:30 am. I wasn't nervous or excited, I was just clearly indifferent. One of my first thoughts was "when will this be over?" It was then that I made myself snap out of the funk that I was letting fill my head.

So here we are half way through the week and I am still alive. Taking each day as it comes and remembering that one day this will be over, and I will probably wish that I could go back to be young again HA. My schedule this year is AWESOME!! Monday-Thursday starting at 9:30 and over by 12:30, not sure if it gets much better than that. Even though I am complaining about summer being over, I must admit my schedule makes it seem like summer is always in session. The Smith kid's are back in school as well and are slowly but surely getting back into routine like the rest of us. This year I am able to take some classes that really make becoming a teacher more and more real. I will be doing lots of field hours at different schools and I am super excited about it.

I am way beyond ready for fall, jeans, sweaters, and hot chocolate. Bring on the cool weather! This summer weather is really starting to be a pain. I am hoping to start blogging more now that all the craziness is over. I really do miss being able to sit down and giving y'all a daily dose of my margarita ;)!

This ended up being a post about way more than just school.. I guess that's what you get when you only blog once a month!



Until next time summer!


XOXO,

Maggie