So Thankful...

So here it is, the day before Thanksgiving. I have had the day off and have been so productive. This morning I had a long overdue eye dr. appointment. Let's get one thing straight. I really HATE going to any type of doctor. However, these past few months I decided that it was time I went and got caught up on all of my appointments. So, this morning was the last of the doctors visit at least for this year (hopefully...). My appointment was at 9 so I got there about 8:50. I signed in and sat down with a lobby full of people. I figured it might be busy with everyone trying to get in before the holiday and with so many people taking today off of work. Around 9:30, I noticed the woman beside me getting really irritated. I asked her what time her appointment was scheduled for and she replied "8:30 and I don't have time to sit in this waiting room all day!!" Wow...all I asked for was the time. She was really upset and to be fair, she did mention that she had to go back to work after her appointment. I could tell that she really didn't want to make small talk with me so I got back to reading my magazine. I felt sorry for the nurse that finally called her back.

I'm not sure why, but for some reason after my (very) small chat with this woman, I started to think about all the reasons for me to NOT get upset for having to wait an hour before going back to be seen. Think about all of the people out there who would love to sit in a waiting room for hours just to be seen by a doctor. I can't even fathom not being able to just wake up and call the dr if I need to. So, I waited my 45 minutes to get in and didn't complain. Hey...could have been worse!

This Thanksgiving will be different for me because it is the first Thanksgiving that Darin and I will be sharing as a married couple and I must admit that the holiday has brought on more stress than I thought it would. With my family being in GA and his family here, we've had to compromise where we would be this year. Last year Darin and I spent the holiday in GA with my family so this year we're spending it here. The stress of the holiday has been brought on by my own selfishness. I still want to wake up every Thanksgiving in my old room at my parents house. There's something about waking up in that room and going downstairs to enjoy a cup of coffee and watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade with my mom. I will miss that tradition this year, but I'm hoping it resumes next year. Even though I won't be with my family in GA this year, I will be with my NEW family. How exciting! We are very fortunate to live close to all of Darin's family and will enjoy spending the day with them.

All is not lost in my quest to get to GA. I'm going down on Friday to spend some time with my family and to celebrate Jillian's 4th birthday. How fun!!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. What a special time of year to reflect on everything that we've been given. I am so thankful for so many things...my family, friends, my job and health just to name a few. Above all, I am so thankful for my salvation and for God's grace. How thankful I am to be His child.

I'm it!

Ok, my friend Heather has tagged me and I'm supposed to give 7 random facts about me. Actually, I can't really remember if they're supposed to be random, but if you know me at all, you know that pretty much everything about me is random so here it goes.

1. My favorite place to be in Wal-Mart is in the school supply/pen aisle. I absolutely LOVE getting new pens and markers. I don't know if it's the teacher in me or not, but this is not a recent discovery. I can remember wasting many hours at the good old Wal-Mart in Dahlonega with MC looking at different things on that aisle. There is nothing better than the start of a new semester with "fresh" supplies. It's sick...I know.

2. I am double jointed in one thumb. Strange, huh? I know I'm getting old because sometimes that one thumb will ache really bad...usually when it's about to rain or something.

3. I HATE cats. Seriously...I despise them. I think they are from the devil. The way they look at you and hiss...no thank you!! The only good cat is a dead cat. (That last sentence was a joke people, please don't send me hate mail.)

4. I will not eat the ends of hot dogs. Here's the really strange part. I actually love eating hot dogs. It's just that the ends of them remind me of cat butts (see #3). So, whenever I'm eating a hot dog, I just cut off both ends and then finish the hot dog. This also applies to the ends of pickles, but it's not because they remind me of cat butts, but because they're so hard and gross. YUCK!

5. I absolutely despise people touching my bones. My elbow is the the worst. My husband knows this and will just walk up behind me and put his hand on my elbow. I hate it. I don't know why...and I know it's strange, but it's just a fact.

6. I enjoy playing sports. I played softball and ran track throughout my high school years. However, secretly, I would have loved to have been a cheerleader. Isn't that weird? It's not so much that I wanted to cheer, I wanted to be able to run and do back flips and stuff. So, maybe I should have said I wanted to by a gymnast or something. Either way, you get the point.

7. I eat one thing at a time and I try really hard not to let my food touch. Seriously people, why should my mashed potatoes have green bean juice in them? GROSS!! My mom threatened to get me some of those old school lunch trays as a wedding present. That way, all of my food would have their own spot. Thanks, mom. I also start with one food, eat all of it, and then move on to the next. I try to save the thing that's my favorite for last.

Well, there are seven strange things about me. Now I'm supposed to name 7 people to continue this on. I don't even think 7 people read this blog, so I issuing the challenge to everyone!! If I can do it, you can do it...yes, even you Alison! :)

Finally some pics!!

Here are some long over-due pics of things we have done this fall. We've been busy, but football is now over, so we're enjoying some free time! This weekend Darin and I are headed to Berry College in Rome, GA for my cousin's wedding. I can't wait to see everyone...should be a fun time.

I realized today that we only have 5 more (full) weeks until we get out for Christmas Break. Where has the time gone? This semester has really flown by...I just hope I can get caught up with all the grading that needs to get done...and believe me, it's a lot!!

Well here are the pics. Erin isn't in many of them. She HATES having her picture taken (I'm not sure why, she's beautiful!) so they are mostly of Austin and Gavin.



Please excuse the way I look in this pic, I was trying to get a picture of the three of us, forgetting that I just put a visor on and walked out the door to the park. No makeup or anything. Nice Kate...


Austin and Gavin

Darin and I at the UT/Bama Game.

Karen and I on our way to Knoxville.

All of the coaches kids ready for one of our last games.

Gavin saying "I love you" on a ride at the County Fair.

Darin and Gavin on a ride. Darin looks thrilled!! ;)

Gavin loved the ferris wheel!!

Darin and Austin riding bumper cars.

If you look real close (or just imagine) you can see Austin and Erin riding the Pirate Ship.

Out-Smarted by a 10 year old...

This morning, Darin and I were trying to hurry and get everyone out the door at 6:30 so that we could go vote before going to work. When I went in to get the kids up, Austin was already awake and dressed. Usually it's a task to get him up. He loves his sleep, but I think the time change is still tricking him. He got in bed around 8:00 last night just because it was so dark. Hey...works for me!! Anyway, he's sitting on the couch watching TV while Darin and I are getting lunches made. He starts telling us that they had a mock election at his school yesterday and they were going to find out today who won. I asked him if he voted (we won't even go to who he voted for!!) and he said yes but that it didn't matter anyway. I asked him why he felt that way and was telling him (i'm sure i was using my "teacher voice" at this point...) that every vote mattered and that it didn't matter who he voted for as long as he voted. It was at this point that he looked at me and said...

"Kate, we're not the one who chooses the President. The electoral college does."

When did he get this smart? Clearly, I'm NOT smarter than a fifth grader...