Virginia

On our way home from Virginia Peyton and I discussed our favorite moments from the family trip (we had plenty of time...16 hour drive). Peyton said that his faves were golfing with the guys in Lexington, touring Jefferson's home at Monticello, and getting to see the Declaration of Independence and the Magna Carta at the Archives in D.C. I loved getting to see the Holocaust museum, going on a carriage ride through Lexington, and, of course, discovering new restaurants and spending time around the dinner table with all 14 of us together. Top moment, though: getting to walk through the Vietnam Memorial in D.C. with my Dad, who spent a year in Vietnam during the war. And last, how could I leave out Linden? All of us spent lots of time holding our new little 7-week-old niece! Here are some highlights:

 Can you believe that this is Nate and Christi's view from their backyard?!? So jealous. It's beautiful.

 Hannah loved holding her only girl cousin

 Here the guys are having a friendly competition blasting fallen apples from the multiple trees in their backyard!

 

Virginia has this really random drive-through safari park, where you can feed animals (camels, llamas, buffalo, emus, etc.) from your car. The animals are super aggressive.  Look how far this llama is in the car! That's Peyton holding the bucket.

 The Tomlinson's car getting attacked...  I was dying laughing. I mean, how bizarre?

 Andrew holding a little parakeet!

 Mom and Dad at Monticello

 The gardens at Monticello are unreal.

 We ventured in to the National Zoo in D.C., but regretted it a little due to the ridiculous crowds. We were all tired and annoyed, but Nathan perked us up a bit with his weirdness. 

 So fun to stumble upon a little French patisserie!

 The Lincoln Memorial was really powerful.

 Andrew ready to hit the pool!

 We even got to do a couple of wine tastings at some vineyards near our B&B. 

Thanks, Lord, for family.

It's almost here...

I have always found it incredibly difficult to enjoy the last week of summer before teacher in-service starts. I would like to be able to sit back, relax, and soak up my last few days of lazy mornings and schedule-free days, but I just can't! I inevitably pull out my binders of lesson plans to preview things, think about what I want to change, start moving boxes into my classroom, and begin getting a little frazzled thinking about all there is to do come August 14th (our first day of school). In fact, I've already created a new blog for my students as I try to meet all of the school's new tech standards. (If you're curious: madamelkg.blogspot.com). This year, there's one more thing to think about: coaching varsity cheer. Oh, and the fact that I'll have three lesson preps instead of two to do EVERY day. Why do I do the things that I do?!?!

Thankfully, I know that God will sustain and give energy and calm a stressed heart.

In other news, we just got back from a 10-day trip to Lexington, VA and Washington D.C. with my entire family. I'm in the midst of doing laundry and catching up! The trip was a blast, as we got to see my brother Nathan and Christi's new house and town and D.C. for the first time (for me). Peyton and I are posing below with Thomas Jefferson outside his house at Monticello. More pictures soon!

Our First Year

It's hard to believe it's already been one whole year since Peyton and I exchanged vows at our wedding...and what a year it's been! Do you remember this hanging "G" outside the church on our wedding day? I found it in my parent's garage this weekend, and now it's hanging outside the door of our house. Appropriate, I thought, for our anniversary!

It's difficult to sum up a whole year in a few words, so I'm going to do photos instead. One word that comes to mind as I look back through these pictures and think back over our first year of marriage: blessed. We've had our challenges, but in the big scheme of things I am humbled at how God so carefully brought us together and how he's so faithfully sustained us. Here are a few moments--both big and small--of our first year of marriage...

The view from our hotel in St. Thomas on our Honeymoon

A ferry ride from St. Thomas over to the island of St. John 

Our first dinner at home after coming back from our honeymoon

Our first road trip as a married couple...up to Wheaton! (And, maybe more importantly, Peyton's first sandwich at Shane's Deli)

Our first trip down to Garven Gardens for the light show during Nate and Christi's Thanksgiving time in Little Rock

 

Our first Christmas tree

Our winter weekends consisted mostly of traveling to Taylor's basketball games. Truly, this picture sums up our life from November til February quite perfectly! We'll both miss having games to look forward to and hoarse Saturday mornings.

 Here is the Little Rock part of the family at Little Rock Christian's graduation this May.

This weekend we are headed to the Capitol Hotel to celebrate, but tonight we are settling in with a bottle of Hogue white wine--the same wine Jordan bought us to kick off our honeymoon. Here's to our first year of marriage! The sweetest part of time and love: I love Peyton more today than I did when I walked down the aisle one year ago.

San Diego

Together at last! Seeing old Wheaton friends was such a happy start to my summer...the fact that we met up in San Diego was the icing on the cake! Truly, getting to be with Lauren and Michele was a blessing, and I think that every time we are together is a reminder that we need to continue to make an effort to be with each other, even as we move on to new stages and places. Our time in California consisted of lazy afternoons at the pool, a quick trip to the beach, good meals, and mostly just catching up. Reunions are always bittersweet, though, as we rekindle bonds and then pack up to leave. I already miss you two! And Ily. And the Mosers. And Dan. Here are a few snapshots from our time together:

The view of the ocean on our misty morning hike

How can you not just kiss her?

Mama and baby at the beach

Just look at those blues!!

I remember being silly with Lauren in our Smith dorm rooms Freshman year and Stupe runs with Michele on Friday nights...it's hard to believe that now, more than six years later, we are flying across the country to see each other and watching the second generation grow up. Where has the time gone?

School's Out for the Summer!!!!

I know that it's been forever since I've written anything on here. As a teacher, spring seems to be the busiest, craziest time of year. But, today is the last day of high school finals and it's almost over!!!!! The last day of school for me is always bittersweet. There are always a few classes that I am happy to say good riddance to, but there are also those with a particularly sweet or fun mix of students that I know I will sorely miss the next year.

Right now I am proctoring my last final, and as I watch the students' furrowed brows I am reminded of the duty and responsibility I have as a teacher...I'm the one that's in charge of a whole year of their apprehension of the French language?!? I'm the one who is supposed to mold their minds for an hour every single day?!? When I really have the time to sit at my desk and watch them and think, it's a scary, humbling thing.

My third year of molding has come to an end, and with summer just around the corner (the weekend), right now it tastes sweet, not bitter! Here's to weekends at the lake, to San Diego, to nannying, to painting, to Washington D.C....to SUMMER!!!

It's the Daffodils' Fault!

I am having major Spring fever, and I think it's largely due to the fact that our yard has lots of daffodils in full bloom right now. In fact, they may actually be wilting a bit now because Spring came early to Arkansas. Actually, winter never really happened. Every time I look outside and see our daffodils, the yellow petals and Spring-y-ness make me want to:

1. Buy some Cadbury eggs. The creamies and the minis.

2. Pack up all my winter clothing and bring out the bathing suits and sandals and shorts. Even my straw beach hat!

3. Drink a mojito.

4. Hunt down my old Easter basket in preparation for a hunt.

5. Spray myself tan (which I won't be doing).

6. Leave school early and pretend like it's out for the summer.

7. Ride my bike.

8. Eat some frozen yogurt.

9. Roll out our grill to the patio. 

10. Drive to a beach. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

I love Valentine's Day. I don't care how commercialized the holiday may be, bring on the hot pink and red and chocolate and cute cards! Peyton and I ate an amazing meal at 1620 here in Little Rock last night, I made him pink pancakes and eggs this morning, and tonight we are settling in with Downton Abbey after Taylor's basketball game. Hope your day is a love-filled one!