"Magic" Moments

My husband will probably cringe when he finds out I'm writing this, but then again he always does when we talk about it. :)

Today in Sunday school we talked about love. We have been studying what each of the advent candles represent so today we were finally on love. We started the lesson by going around and having each couple tell of how they met and what set that person apart from all the other people in our lives - basically, how did we know our spouse was "the one." It was fun to hear how different every one's story was and it was neat to see people's faces as they reminisced on their love story. Well, then it got to be our turn and I started telling the story of how we met. I was so mad at myself though when I left because I had left out a big part of the story (at least I thought it was big, but honestly, nobody else probably cared) I forgot to tell our class that I can still remember the first time I heard Cody's name. It sounds like the dumbest thing in the world, but just hearing his name made me stop in my tracks - literally. I was walking to choir with a friend, Danielle, and she asked me if I had seen the new kid yet. I asked her what his name was and she said, "Cody Bush" and right then I froze. I felt as if someone had hit me in the stomach really hard. She asked me if I was okay and I kinda just brushed it off like it was no big deal. Anyway, to make a long story short (well, shorter anyway) we met and became friends. I would catch myself staring at him in choir and I even had dreams about him, which I hated at the time because I had a boyfriend, and we all know just how serious those crazy high school relationships were at the time. Haha. I would tell my friends that I couldn't stop thinking of him and that it bothered me because I didn't even really think of him in that way - not consciously anyway. So they started this joke of how Cody and I were secretly going to run off and get married - it's even written in my senior memory book. Little did I know...

So eventually I lost the boyfriend and he lost the girlfriend and we found our way to each other. Only thing was, I was four hours away since I had started college in Louisiana. We did the whole long distance thing for four and half years and then he proposed - that's why I'm writing this blog today. I ended up saying something about it in Sunday school, because, well, we didn't have the most normal of proposals and all I said was, "And then he did the oh so romantic proposal in the bathroom" and everyone laughed and I said it was a story to tell another time. I had forgotten about it, but in the car Cody was talking about how I "just had to bring that up again." I felt so bad and I tried to explain to him that it didn't matter and it made a good story.

Yes, it happened it a bathroom. We had a "normal" date day. He took me to the Dallas World Aquarium, we went out to eat at a great place, and then he was driving me back to my parents' house. Well, the sun was out and I went to pull the visor down to keep it out of my eyes. Cody had put the insurance information on the ring up in the visor so it all came down in my lap. So, now I knew he had the ring - and honestly, it was no big surprise in the first place since we had actually looked for one together at first. Anyway, that made him upset which in turn made me upset and I did my little immature thing of, "Well, you might as well ask me right now." He didn't think it was funny and then a little arguement turned into a bigger arguement and then I did another oh so mature thing of storming into my parents' house and locking myself in the bathroom. I tend to try to ignore problems - something I'm still working on.... Eventually Cody and I talked it all out (through the bathroom door) Well, I opened the door and he was down on one knee. There I was walking out of the bathroom and he's right by the sink about to propose. I'm thinking - no, no, this is all wrong. This is not my magic movie, make me want to faint I'm so in love moment. I think I actually said please don't do this now. I looked down at him and his entire body was shaking. He said something like, "Heather, I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you - will you marry me." Of course I said yes and now here we are married for over a year.

Here's the deal though...so what if we didn't have the "perfect proposal?" So what if things didn't happen the way I had planned when I was a little girl? That's real life. I would rather be so sure of the love I have for him that made me say yes no matter how he asked. I've had friends that have had proposals that would put celebrities to shame, but then later they ended up not getting married because of one doubting or even cheating. Now, I've also had friends that have had great proposals and are now happily married - and that's great for them! But Cody and I, well, things are never quite "perfect" and it's turned into more of a running joke with us now. But thank goodness we have each other and so much love between us - to me that is what makes us perfect. I'm learning to not expect "movie moments" in life, but I know that I am so very lucky to have MY moments. Sure, everything would be better if it was scripted, but how boring would that be? I know my husband loves me and he lets me know that each and every day and I could not ask for more than that!

Gifts...of all kinds

Today was a celebration in many, many ways! It was the last day of school until the new year and a much needed break for both me and my students!

I never expect gifts from my students - I teach at a school where the families can barely provided for themselves. I remember my first year teaching and I received an amazing box made of decorated notebook paper taped together and filled with this particular child's treasures - used fingernail polish, half a bottle of glue, paper drawings, and other such "trinkets." I LOVED this gift, because it was from her heart. I also had one student put the hood of her coat under the tree and try to give it to me - and it took me some convincing to get her to take it back. I love each year how thoughtful my students are, but never expect what most would call traditional presents.

Today was different in a way. I got two "normal" type presents and then my sweet little Dylon announced that he had a gift for me. For those I have kept in the loop about this precious family you already know about how God has been working in their lives. This is a single parent situation with huge money problems. Dylon's mother is one amazing woman. She works so very hard and loves her two little boys with everything she has in her. To make a long story short, my wonderful friends and family have helped me make Christmas great for them this year by providing toys, groceries, and gift cards. So I was a bit surprised when Dylon said he had a gift for me because I knew they didn't have money to spare. Out of his backpack he carefully pulled out this paper book/card that his mother had made. She had decorated it with photos, stickers, and some other scrapbook things. My heart just melted when I saw it and I sat down at my horseshoe table as the other kids gathered around. I started reading the pages and could feel the tears coming on. She had put a picture of Dylon from the first day of school and he had a huge thumbs up and the biggest grin on his face. This kid was just pumped about school! :) The last page of the book was a letter to me from Dylon's mother. She wrote about how she had come back to a place where she could see that God loved and cared for her and that she and her boys were now going to church. She said that her faith had been restored. I had to just stop and remember to breathe - I knew what was about to happen and there was no stopping it. Right there in my classroom in front of my entire class I bawled - and I'm talking ugly cry going on here. :) I knew right then and there that I received the best Christmas present ever I ever had - I witnessed someone experience the love of God because of the kindness of others, and complete strangers at that. The magnitude of it all just hit me (and I still don't feel like I'm picking the right words to explain it all.) I thought of all the people who helped make this happen - church friends, family, friends I've known since I was a little girl. All these people made the choice to help someone they didn't even know and now the reward was so great. RENEWED FAITH! Not because of the gifts, but because of the gestures. We can give money and "things" until we can give no more, but the giving of love will always make the biggest impact and I got to see that first hand. I am beyond thankful that I have friends and family that are willing to do for others without expecting anything in return - just because. :)

In an email later today Dylon's mother wrote,
"Even if we didn’t get any materialistic things I want you to know how much you have given us. Because of you my faith has been restored and our life has been blessed. I just really want you to know how grateful we are for you and everyone else who has helped us. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without your prayers and love. And like I said before it is the best Christmas present I know I got this year. To have my faith restored and finally be in a place where I am loved and feel God’s grace upon me, is so amazing. So thank you again."


As Christians we are called to love one another as God loved us. That is so hard for me to fully grasp, but today I got a glimpse of exactly what that love can do and I am so very thankful.

Heaven makes you swing

As we were making Christmas lights today to work on patterns in math I had some Christmas music playing. "Joy to the World" came on (and yes I realize I can probably get in more trouble than I already have this year, but I really don't care anymore!) One of my little kiddos was singing, and when it came to the part in the song when the lyrics are, "And Heaven and nature sing" she was singing, "And Heaven makes you swing." I laughed at first, but then I thought - you know, Heaven probably does make lots of people swing. Just picture being in the presence of God - of course you'd be dancing with joy!! So now I've made a promise to myself that when I'm feeling down and out I'll think back to her little song and think of the one day I will be swinging in Heaven.

Small Moments

Well, here I am - finally with a blog. Let's see how long I can keep this up. :)

I decided to name my blog small moments - that's what I teach my students to think about when they write each day. (Yes, it's a Lucy Calkins thing for all you teacher folks out there!) I teach them to take one small moment of a day or time and write lots of details about it, and isn't that exactly what a blog is most of the time? At least that's what mine will be...although I'll refrain from the kindergarten phonetic spelling, even if it's just so darn cute!