Merry Christmas!

I finally took my turn at hosting Christmas dinner for my family at our house, and it turned out to be a success.  I have never cooked my own turkey, so I was so scared that it wasn't going to turn out.....and to my surprise it was very tender and juicy!  Guests included my Mother in law, Taylor and Riddick.  Yay! 

We celebrated Christmas three days in a row, so there will be more pictures to come...(once Shana posts them, because for some reason I never pulled out my camera!)  





Time for a serious change

It's time for some real change around the Jordan household and it has to start now.  Jeffrey's best friend from childhood is a Sgt. in the Army and he came down to spend four days with his grandmother before heading back to Afghanistan for a new tour, and he came by to spend some time with us too.  He used to have a "gut" on him, that's what his grandmother told me...and now he doesn't.  He expressed his concern for Jeffreys health and said that if Jeffrey is serious about losing weight that he would help us, even though he is stationed in Seattle.  Tony started out walking his neighborhood, then jogging it, until he was able to run it and outdo his original times when he first entered the Army 13 years ago.  Then he started adding weights, etc. and Tony is now the reigning Strong Man winner in Seattle,Washington. 



For some reason today a light bulb went off in my head and I realized that I can not keep going on like I am.  I will be 34 years old on the 29th, I have just been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, severe cervical dysplasia and my husband is in need of desperate help too.  Why am I always sticking to what is easy for my family instead of doing the right thing?  The madness must stop now and it is time for a real change.

I have researched how to start a running regimen and stretching exercises. So now that Tyler is out of school for Christmas and I am out until January 18th, we will be at Cottage Hill Park spending our time there instead of in the house.  Jeffrey has a new role at work too, which allows him to get home before 4pm most days and he will be able to join us.  I'm not going to write down a number that we want to get down to, but there are weddings, parties and vacations in our future and we just want to look and feel good about ourselves before they come.  Here's to creating the new Jeffrey and Christy Jordan!

Video message from Santa to Tyler!

So a friend of mine posted this link on Facebook about making a personalized video from Santa Claus to your child(ren), so I looked at it.  I filled in the questions it asked me, and now look at this awesome video to Tyler....I can't wait for him to see it!  Go to http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/ to make your own!

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/gj4E7wCsrwaizeOA8s8Mg6g?utm_campaign=share-video&utm_medium=share&utm_source=copy-paste

Merry Christmas!

Tyler and the Bee!

Last month, Tyler won second place in the 5th grade spelling bee at Griggs and today he brought home a letter from the school which stated that the little girl who won first place would be moving out of state and now Tyler is taking her place!!  He will be representing Griggs Elementary in the Mobile County Spelling Bee in February at Bishop State Community College!  He also won two tickets to the GoDaddy.com Bowl game, so he and Jeffrey will be celebrating Tyler's birthday a day early as they watch Arkasas State take on North Illinois at Ladd Peebles Stadium on January 8th!   He is more than excited, and we are so proud of him! Go Tylerbug!

1 down 2 to go...

My first semester of student teaching is over, yippee!!! Just two more to go and I will finally be done with school.....well, at least until I have to start the Masters program.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, so bring it on December 15, 2012! 

** By the way, did I mention that I made the Deans List this semester?  Go me, go me, go me!!  :)

I survived my first solo day of teaching!

I have definitely been blessed with a great group of 4th graders, that is for sure, and after the last ten weeks it was finally my time to shine!  This is my last week of student teaching until January, and I get to teach (by myself) ALL week long! Today went great and I am looking forward to tomorrow and the rest of the week.  I will post pix later!  I love what I do...

Happy Anniversary!

One year ago today, I walked down the aisle to marry my soul mate!  We decided to celebrate last night, so that we could have family time today and watch football...** Roll Tide **  We went to Osaka for some fabulous sushi.  That is also the restaraunt where Jeffrey proposed to me at, and so the owners treated us to some upgrades on the menu and a fantastic dessert to help us celebrate!  Then we went to the movies before picking up Tyler from my mother in laws house and coming home.  We had a great time last night!Time flies when you are having fun!

Student teaching....

Todays the day!!  The sun was shining and the clouds were clear, and the temperture was a fabulous 68 degrees!!  As I pulled up to Meadowlake Elementary, I was feeling both excited and nervous....would these 4th graders eat me alive?  Would the principal like me?  Would my mentor teacher like me?  The next few minutes would make or break my day...

I walked into the office, 15 minutes early, as my momma always told me to do and was promptly greeted by Dr. Susan Smith.  She guided me into the conference room and spent about 15 minutes interviewing me and was then ready to place me with my teacher.  I had already viewed the 4th grade staff, and was really hoping for Mrs. Powell (she just "looked" like we would get along great!).  As Dr. Smith and I walked down the 4th grade hall, she introduced me to Mrs. Powell and I was so happy!  More like jumping up and down on the inside, while trying to maintain my professional composure on the outside... : )

I was not expecting to get to do anything today, except learn the ropes and rules of her classroom, but she let me loose to jump right on in!  Teaching my lesson plans will come in a few weeks, but just working with these kids today made me so happy!  I will be teaching on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 7:45-2:45 until the week before Thanksgiving.  I can not wait to go back on Friday!!  More to come...

Saying goodbye is never easy....

Friday night, shortly after midnight, Grandpa Brand gave into his battle with cancer and is at peace now with the Lord.  Today we will lay his body to rest at Serenity Gardens. 

I received a call Friday morning, letting me know that things were starting to move more rapidly than the previous week; so, I hurried over to spend my time with him and the family.  When I walked in the room, there was no denying that he would be leaving us very soon.  We all prepared ourselves that it would be sometime this weekend.  My grandmother, who is battling the advanced stages of Alzheimers, has made a few comments about "that man" is going to die, but, not realizing that "that man" is her husband of 59 years.  That is probably the most hardest part of this whole process. 

After I picked up Tyler from school, I took him back over there so that he could say his goodbyes.....and all he could get out was an "I love you grandpa" before running out of the room scared.  For that reason, he will not be attending the funeral with us today.  I want him to remember Grandpa in his finer days, teaching Tyler how to play the harmonica and such. 

Saturday morning at 9 am, as we were getting ready for a wedding, I got the call and broke down in tears.  My mom told me that she watched him take his last breath at 12:24 am.  It reminded me of walking into my Pawpaw George's bedroom ten years ago and finding that he had passed away.  All the emotions came flooding back and the day became a day of bittersweet memories....

             This is exactly how I want to remember you.....I love you.
                                      Rest in Peace Sidney Brand
                                                   1930-2011
 

5th grade

Monday, Tyler started 5th grade...where have the years gone? I anxiously awaited him to walk through the door at 3:30 and tell me all about his day, to see the smile on his face and I got just that.  He sat down and said, "I LOVE school"!!  Did my child just say that? He loves his teachers, his new school, and the fact that one of his friends from down the street is in his class. 

He told me that he had to type an essay on his expectations of 5th grade, and that he basically said he hopes it is easy.  I just laughed and said to keep dreaming! ; )  It is very nice to hear him say that he actually likes school now, instead of fighting me on having to go.  Very nice, indeed!

Check out his new L.L. Bean bookbag that his Aunt Shana got him!  Love it too...

Wow...where has the time gone?

I can't believe that it has been three months since my last post.  So much has happened this summer, that I do not even know where to begin.  We have taken several trips to see family, and go on vacation.  I think that heading to Birmingham in July was by far my favorite....we finally got to meet my sisters' boyfriend!  Then, they came down the following weekend, so we got to spend more time with them! 

Tyler is excited to start 5th grade in a couple of weeks.  Since we moved across town, he will start in a new school and he is glad he will have a fresh start and new friends.  Jeffrey and I are glad too....we have also started the process of adoption, where Jeffrey is going to adopt Tyler.  This process is going to take up to a year to complete, because his birth father is not responding to the letter of intent that I sent him.  Urgh!!  You would think that this would be a major blessing in his eyes.....but, I guess not! Oh well...

Things are getting exciting for me too!  I am down to my last three semesters in school, and will start student teaching on August 22nd!  I still do not know where I will be placed at, or which grade; however, I should find out next week.  The program is now placing student teachers in schools within their home zipcodes, so I am hoping to get placed at Tyler's school (Griggs) or at Pearl Haskew Elementary.  Tyler really wants me to teach at Griggs, so that he can brag on me....he is so sweet! He is growing up so fast!

More to come....until then, good night!

Easter

Easter day started just like any other day...get up and go to work (well for me anyway).  My boss surprised me and allowed me to leave at 10am to get ready for our church's last Easter service at 11!

On our way to church Jeffrey received a call from his mother. Now for a normal couple this would be common; however we have had a very dramatic non-relationship with her.  She called to ask what our plans were for dinner and invited all three of us (also not normal) to her house. Jeffrey politely said he would have to talk to me and call her back. Then he broke down in tears...I asked him what he wanted to do and all he could say was that he was torn.  I know how much he misses the relationship with his mother...

During the service, Pastor Joey begins telling us the story of this man he met named Victor Montalvo (who is now the Pastor at Reality: The Church in Orlando, Fl).  Victor was a 17 kid who really didnt know if he was coming or going at that point in his life, and was working at crematorim...a pet crematorium  at that.  Pastor Joey and his wife took Victor under their wing, and soon Victor began saying a few words at the pets funerals for people.  That is how he started his focus on getting into the ministery....

Well, to make a very long story short...the focus of the sermon was that we all need to "bury" these "dead cats and dogs" that are in our souls. Anything that is keeping us from experiencing the person that God has called us to be in life.  Well, Jeffrey and I had a lot of "dead cats" in our hearts and for me personally, it was keeping me depressed and crying when I was alone.  I knew that God was talking to me...it was finally time to release the hate and hurt that I have been harboring for his mother.  During the sermon, I looked at Jeffrey and said, "we need to go to dinner at your moms tonight" and left it at that.  After church, we talked about it and he called her.

We arrived for 5 o'clock dinner, and she complimented me on my dress and then came to us and hugged us both, kissed us on the cheek and said she wanted to start over and forget the past.  She was tired of crying all the time, and feeling hurt over the pain she has caused us.  I was almost in a state of shock, because she had just said what I wanted to say to her.  This is a woman who does not have Jesus in her life...but I believe that all of our prayers have finally lended the good Lords hands into her heart, and that is what finally made her extend te invitation to us.  We wound up staying until 9 pm, which was way later than we originally planned to stay and had a great visit.  It is my hope that she is as ernest and sincere as I was that day.  I truly hope that we can reconnect and have the relationship that we once had.  Jesus rose from the dead, and so shall our relationship rise from the ashes and heal us all.

Testimony....

Monday February 21st, I locked myself out of the house; as I sat on the porch looking up at the sky, I felt so overwhelmed with all that we were facing in our lives and I broke down.  I got down on my knees and lifted my hands and began to pray my Sun Stand Still prayer.  I noticed that before I started praying, there were dark clouds over our house and everything just seemed still around me.  Once I began praying and speaking to God, I was overcome with tears and emotion, and I looked up and saw the dark clouds start to spread apart just enough to let the sun shine through.  I was sure at that moment that God was standing in front of me and listening to me.  Then, the wind picked up and started to swirl around me as if he was wrapping his arms around me and hold me tight.  I was so amazed and my tears fell harder.  Once I said Amen, the wind stopped blowing and the clouds came back together.  At that moment, Jeffrey pulled up to let me back in the house.

In my prayer, I told God that I couldn't do it anymore...I couldn't handle the pressure anymore of trying to hold it all in and how scared I was that Jeffrey was going to lose his job before he found another one.  How would we be able to handle a permanent loss of income if this happened? I prayed that he would open doors to Jeffrey so that he would be able to find a better job; one that would provide financial stability, be better for his health and would come quickly! 

February 22nd, just one day after giving it all to the Lord, Jeffrey called this one company (that he has been calling for 5 months straight), they told him to come in and fill out the application.  The General Manager told him that the company had just lost two of its employees and he had perfect timing!  They interviewed him on the spot and said that as long as the drug test and physical come back clear, he can start working!  Not only is this job going to provide an environment that is better for his health, it will almost double his current salary!  Coincidence?  I think not!!  This one goes all the way to God! 

To God be the Glory!

Christy and Jeffrey Jordan