Um, so it really has been close to a year since my last post...a year! Grad school has certainly sucked the life out of me...thankfully, I will officially be done this August!  Last July, I was suffering from back-to-school depression. However, this year has truly been wonderful. Administration has been supportive, innovative, and fun. Some of my students have been amazing! Most teachers agree that the current sophomore class is one of the coolest, most interesting, and most motivated classes we've ever seen. They actually WANT to learn; what a concept! It has certainly made my job much more enjoyable and fulfilling.

School is, indeed, winding down for the year. We've already had Yearbook Day, Honors Day, prom, and even the seniors spent their last regular school day with us on Friday. I cried on and off the whole day as I realized just how much I am going to miss some incredible students. These are students that came to Central High School when I did four years ago. I've had some of them three, even four years in a row! They were my first group of Natural Helpers, and I believe I have formed some life-long friendships with several of them. There is a large core group of these seniors who strive to live a Godly, morally-driven lifestyle. They stand up for their beliefs and refuse to give into the pressures put on them by their peers and the media. To say that I am proud to know them is an understatement, and it isn't enough to say that I will miss them terribly!!

Can't even imagine volleyball without Amber!

Mariah is such a blessing to this community!

My awesome Natural Helpers at our Easter Egg Hunt!

I've known Meg for years! Certainly will miss her!

Love my Tiffany <3

Central will NOT be the same without Mr. Joseph Minga!

Christopher and I can only hope to have a son like this guy someday.

Taylor Mae Cockrell...love this girl.


I'm sure later this week, after graduation, there will be much more about the awesome Central Cougar class of 2012!

On a different note...

In January, Amanda and Josh added this little guy to their family:

Hudson is just too cute for words, and I cannot WAIT until the three of them move back here in June after their four-year venture in Memphis!

Christopher sold his Nissan 350Z so that we could make a down payment for a loan on a big piece of property in Blountville...but more on that later!

I had a few triathlons scheduled for this summer, but school and work are interfering. Going to just focus on running!

This is me winning my age group at a short race this past Saturday.

In about three weeks, I will be going to New Orleans with my best friend from high school, and to say that I am excited is an understatement!

Lastly, this past weekend was Mother's Day.  We celebrated with the Martins last week and forgot to take pictures. Jennifer, my sister-in-law, is very much pregnant and due to have little Quinn Ellis in just a few weeks!

We did celebrate with my family yesterday at my house. I so much adore my mom and my sweet grandmothers and I am very blessed to have had them in my life all this time.

Mom and Sis <3



Mother's Day 2012

What's Happening Now...

The school/student dreams have officially begun.  Actually, they began around July 4th.  Do people in other careers dread their jobs as much as teachers/school staff members do?  Hmmm. 

BUT summer isn't over just yet, and it's been fabulous so far.  Since my last post, we went on a fabulous vacation to Charleston (where we spent our 2nd anniversary) and then spent some time with the Martins/Greesons in Myrtle.  Fun was had by all. 

Dolly was spectacular!  Thompson-Boling was packed with fans and her concert was one of the best I've ever seen/heard.  What a performer!  I hope I have that much spunk and energy when I'm her age. 

The last Harry Potter film was released and Stacy and I went to the midnight premier.  I can't help feeling like a part of my childhood has officially been shut down.  We're talking eleven years of my life...waiting for the next book to come out, then the next movie, and now it's over.  Sigh.  At least Hunger Games comes out next March!

Luke Alan Renfro was born on the night of HP; he's the perfect addition to such a cute little family! 

Last week, Christopher and I rescued a bat.  Bart flew into our windshield late at night on our way home and got stuck under the wiper.  He had a torn wing and other damage, so we rehabilitated him as best we could until we were finally able to take him to Wyn Wood Wildlife Rehab Center in the hollars of Elizabethton.  I hope he's doing well!

Nana turned 88 today...I find myself putting emotional distance between the two of us to better prepare myself for the day she is no longer with us.  It's a terrible thing to do; we can't all live with our guards up in hopes of numbing ourselves from the pain of loss.  Instead, we should enjoy one another fully and live with zeal and vigor (much like Roby J).  But I think of how hard it was to lose him, and the thoughts of losing Nana...well, I just can't even stomach the thought.  Yet only God knows what each of our futures hold, and I rest easy in the assurance that He holds my loved ones and me in His hands. 

Father's Day

For a little over a week now, I've been sort of dreading Father's Day because it's the first one without Roby J.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it could've been.  After church, my family and Christopher's family came over to our house for lunch.  Nana couldn't join us because of a church function; I know she was thinking about Papaw extra today, though.  I just tried to focus my energies on the family that was present today; I enjoyed spending time with my own dad, my father-in-law, and Grandad Martin.  We're very blessed to have such great dads and grandads in our lives.

My birthday (this Tuesday) will also be my first birthday without Papaw and it really does make me sad.  Just a few years ago, he gave me my annual birthday money in a "Seasons Greetings" bank envelope.  On the envelope he wrote "Shelley, it's your birthday, so Christmas isn't far away.  I like to be prompt."

Also, June 27th would've been Nana and Papaw's 63rd anniversary (it'll be mine and Christopher's 2nd anniversary) so I know that day will be tough as well.

We miss him.

Father's Day 2008

Papaw observing our wedding ceremony.  So handsome and regal.

Full of joy and spunk even at 90 years old.

Celebrating 61 years at our wedding reception.

My own dad that I hope to have many more years with!

Christopher and his father on our wedding day.

We are blessed!  I hope everyone else had a Father's Day full of joy, memories, and love.

Kick-Off to Summer...

Well, it's still "spring", but summer has certainly shown its dominance with 94+ degree weather here in East Tennessee.  Actually, 94 feels like a nice break from the 100 degree record-breaking temps (and humidity) that Memphis had to offer last weekend for Mandy's wedding.  The air there was like hot steam, and nobody could last 30 seconds without sweat dripping down every existing crevice.  Heat aside, it was a wonderful weekend.  Christopher and I got to spend some time with Amanda and Josh:

I miss them so much!

They took us to some fabulous restaurants and we ate copious amounts of good food.  My favorite meal, I believe, was my pork bbq sandwich and homemade potato chips from Central bbq:

Amazing.

Of course, the reason we were there was to celebrate Mandy and Zach.  After a wonderful rehearsal dinner and bridal luncheon, it was wedding time! 

After a 9-minute ceremony in the heat, we were still looking swell!

A beautiful, relaxed bride!

Mr. and Dr. Zach Dailey!

About to celebrate our own anniversary! 06/27/09

So glad Eric graced us with his presence.

Best wishes to Mandy and Zach!

Also best wishes to my friend Erin, whose baby boy Luke is due next month! 

Charlie Penn is trying to wait patiently for Luke's arrival.  They're going to be BFF for life.

<3 Love my family!

....

Struggling.
Confused.
I don't understand.



"I wanna fit into the perfect space

feel natural and safe in a volatile place."
-The Avett Brothers

"Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean's tides

can I handle the seasons of my life?"
-Fleetwood Mac

Growing up is a struggle.

"Landslide" is one of my favorite songs ever; I love to hear Stevie sing it, and I loved Gwyneth Paltrow's version on Glee, but the Dixie Chicks ultimately have the best version. 



"Martyred"

Last night, the nation turned on their computers, televisions, and radios to hear news that gives all Americans reason to celebrate:  Navy Seals, in a special operation, killed Osama Bin Laden, mastermind behind Al Qaeda and the horrific 9/11 terrorist attacks.  In New York City, people flocked to Ground Zero and Times Square, chanting "USA"!  The White House, the streets of Boston, and numerous other locations held similar scenes.  For families who have lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks or in the 10-years of war succeeding them, it seems justice has been served.  No doubt the war on terror is far from over, though; the likelihood of an extreme Islamic retaliatory act is high. 

However, this morning I vowed, at least for today, to truly focus on the celebratory spirit sweeping the nation; America's intelligence agencies located Osama and took him down without harm to any civilians.  I know God was truly watching over these agents who carried out this act.

Yet, I was amazed today at a number of things (namely, how little my students know about the whole situation, but I'll save that for the end).  I was surprised at the number of people who simply are apathetic and indifferent to the whole situation.  I even heard somebody say today, "Who cares?  This doesn't affect me."  My impulse was to reach out and smack her on the mouth.  What does she mean "it doesn't affect her?"  People are risking their lives to protect her (and you and me) and she is indifferent?  How sad.  Elie Wiesel, famed  author, Nobel Prize winner, and Holocaust survivor, claimed, "The opposite of love is not hate; it is indifference."  Indifference and apathy are like poisonous weeds that spread throughout the nation, choking out the beauty and bravery of this world. 

Also, I was surprised (but in a curious way) by the number of Christians who weren't so quick to cheer and chant over Bin Laden's death.  Some acknowledge that while there are many verses in the Bible about defeating evil and taking down our enemies, we are also called to mourn for lost souls and not to gloat about our victories.  This brief blog post by Rev. James Howell sums up many Christian's current thoughts:

http://revjameshowell.blogspot.com/2011/05/cheering-bin-ladens-fall.html

However, though I don't blame Rev. Howell for his confusion as he sorts out his emotions in the matter, I still feel that after ten years of fear, sadness, grief, and anger, why not release that negativity through chanting and cheering for our country, its leaders, and its troops? 

I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

Luke 10:19

No weapon forged against you shall prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.

Isaiah 54:17

For the Lord your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. 

Deuteronomy 23:14

Through You, we push back our enemies; through Your name we trample our foes.

Psalm 44:5

And lastly, my life verse:

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1

Tonight, I am thanking God for this victory, but also asking for His continued protection as this may just be the beginning of a new war on terror.

On a lighter, but no less sadder note, I called out some students on their ignorance today.   Two boys in my class who think they know everything (and who spend the entire class period disrupting their peers) tried to make fun of me today.  While reading Julius Caesar, I decided to take a moment to tie the events of the play in with Bin Laden's death.  The class was having a thoughtful discussion when a student asked me if I thought extreme Islamists would retaliate to seek retribution for Osama's death.  I said that is obviously a cause for concern if Al Qaeda looks at it as if Osama was "martyred".  The two boys laughed,  pointed at me, and plainly said, "Uh, Mrs. Martin, you think we're dumb?  Try saying "murdered" the right way.  When did you get such a stupid accent?"  I stared blankly at them, confused, until I realized they thought I intended to say "murdered" and not "martyred".  I simply stated that I definitely meant "martyred".  They just looked at me with big question marks over their heads.  I looked around the room.  "Does nobody in here know what it means to be martyred?"  The majority of the class knew that it means to die for one's beliefs.  The two boys, feeling sheepish, asked me why I didn't just say "murdered"; as I tried to explain (and they rolled their eyes and blocked me out), they never could see the difference.

I also had many students who thought Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden were the same person. 

*sigh*

Continued prayer for those who lost loved ones/homes in the storms last week...

We "Mayde" it to May!

Many allusions have been made recently to The Wizard of Oz, due to the large number of destructive tornadoes that ripped through Tennessee (and four other states) last Wednesday.  Many people have lost their homes and even their loved ones; our house wasn't touched at all, yet a minute away our co-worker's house is practically in ruins.  There is no rhyme or reason in determining why some houses were hit and others weren't; I just know that God is in control and is showing his awesome power more and more.  In the words of one faithful man this week:  "You better get ready, Jesus is coming!"

Perhaps he is very right.

On another note, my triathlon is two weeks from today.  Jennifer and I did a trial on Friday after school; swam the whole race length, biked almost the whole race, then ran the 5K.  We were certainly fatigued, but we were both surprised that we didn't quite feel as "dead" as we anticipated.  It was very encouraging; however, I have had a swollen lymph node pop up under my chin.  I had the school nurse check it out, and she told me not to see a doctor unless it worsened.  She also told me to just "rest" to be on the safe side.  I went on with the tri-trial (and worked my hiney off yesterday around the house).  Then I confessed these things to my mother, who freaked out completely: "What if you have mono?  That was the worst thing you could do!  If you're spleen ruptures, you could die!"  Well, fortunately I didn't die.  The node is still swollen but not quite as bad as it was on Friday.  I am praying it is nothing; if for some reason I do have mono, then that only brings bad news.  I don't even want to think about it.

It makes me wonder if it's not another condition, though; after training so hard for this triathlon, I've lost no weight.  Zero.  My body hasn't changed a bit.  To be honest, the only reason I signed up to do this tri is because I thought it would help me lose weight, yet NOTHING has happened.  It makes no sense.  I am also losing hair like crazy.  Handfuls of it come out in the shower.  Sounds like an underactive thyroid, but I was just tested last summer.  It's pretty miserable and discouraging to work so hard and not see any results. 

Three weeks of school left; we will all rejoice when it's officially summer!