A Teacher's Legacy!

Today, I want to pay tribute to an amazing teacher that definitely left a legacy. My fourth grade year at Jefferson Elementary, I had the joy and honor of being in the classroom of Evannoa L. Hall. I can't even begin to describe this woman. She had a passion beyond words for her career and for those in her classroom. You have to know what an impact Mrs. Hall made not only in my life but in the life of my family. She was the kind of teacher that was there to not only educate her students but there to teach us life lessons. Let me preface this story that I am getting ready to tell you by saying that not only did I have the pleasure of being in her classroom but, my brother did as well. He was in Mrs. Hall's class the year before me 1985-1986. That was the year that we started to learn just what kind of teacher she was and what to expect from her. My brother (who went by Bryan at the time) went up to Mrs. Hall and asked "Mrs. Hall, can I go to the restroom?" and she replied..."sir?" so again he asked "can I go to the restroom?" to which again she replied..."sir?" getting a little frustrated and maybe a little concerned that he wasn't going to make it my brother again said "Mrs. Hall, can I go to the restroom?" and much to his amazement she again said...."sir?" Needless to say, this continued for at least 5 minutes before my brother finally said "Mrs. Hall, may I please go to the restroom?" and she gladly replied, "sure"! Hilarious!! She was trying to teach David that when you are asking to go to the restroom you need to use the word "may" versus using the word "can" because "can" is asking if you are capable and "may" is asking permission. This alone made a huge impact not only on my brother but on myself for the coming year. I knew when I was in her classroom exactly how to ask. This is still something that I think of today. With having the honor right now of being in the classroom when students come up and ask me "Mrs. Washburn, can I go to the restroom?" I reply..."I don't know can you?" and then I proceed to tell them that they need to be asking permission to go versus trying to find out whether they are capable. What an impact she made!

When I was in her classroom the following year (1986-1987 her last year before retirement at age 71) my most memorable moment was involving not only my least favorite but my weakest subject math. Bless her heart, Mrs. Hall struggled with me! Needless to say, I was less than desirable in the math department. She would talk to me about learning my multiplication tables and I just couldn't get there. I struggled in a major way. For some unknown reason, she decided that she would try to give me incentive, which I now know would be considered bribery. She started telling me that if I would learn a set of my tables (my 2's, my 3's, my 4's etc.) she would give me some Sour Cherry Balls (candy that at the time I just thought was the best). Well, it worked! I memorized all my multiplication tables and in record time. I wish I could say that I retained them as well as I should have but not true.

Mrs. Hall had a great 30 years at Jefferson Elementary and my brother and I are proud to say that we were a part of her passion of teaching and refuse to believe that we are the reason she decided to retire right after having The Keith kids back to back, Lol! To Mrs. Hall and all the teacher's that impacted my life and inspired me to become a teacher myself, I say thank you!

Evannoa L. Hall
Sept. 23, 1944-Feb. 20, 2009

Thank you Lord!

Here lately, I am feeling like a new person! A better me, of sorts! By the grace of God, I have changed a lot of things about me, a more disciplined me! I am working on my weight (13 lbs. down thanks weight watchers), I have been investing in my marriage by walking through The Love Dare (from the movie Fireproof) with my hubby (thank you God), I have re-organized my budget (that seems to be working wonderfully, thanks Heather) and I recently started a new routine for keeping up with my chores here at home (that I am really loving, thanks Angie)! On top of all that, I started the process of going back to school to get my teaching degree (It is about time!) I am not sure how all of this came about ALL AT ONCE but, they are all welcomed changes! I believe that God is really working on me! I believe that He is saying...."Hello my child, I am ready (at anytime) for you to become the Godly Woman that I created you to be! I am ready for you to get your life organized in such a fashion that you can achieve the things that I have in store for you and use the blessings given to you for My glory!" Thank you God for opening my eyes at the time in my life where I was ready to receive it! Thank you for loving me and continuing to work on me on a daily basis. Thank you for not giving up on me and for waiting for and encouraging me to be the person that you created me to be! Your grace is amazing and sufficient! Thank you Lord!

P.S. Pray for Bryan through all of these changes! I am afraid it can be a little overwhelming.

Thirteen Years Ago Today!!

My Baby Girl is 13 today!

I can not believe it! Thirteen years ago today, I was holding my first born and admiring my precious baby girl! She was more gorgeous than I could have ever imagined and I felt so blessed! I woke up this morning wondering why time goes so quickly. I can not even grasp the thought that that sweet little angel in my arms thirteen years ago is almost taller than me and is a teenager! It brought me to tears this morning just thinking about it! I have to admit that I love these years though. She is becoming such a beautiful young lady and I enjoy our time together so much! If I could tell everyone one thing that I have learned about motherhood it would be to enjoy every waking moment. Don't let life become routine. Make a memory every single day of their life and cherish it always! Just yesterday I was holding my angel in my arms wondering what it was going to be like having someone so little to love and to take care of. Well today I am feeling so overwhelmed with joy and heartache at the same time. I love watching her grow but then again, I want to keep her right where she is! God has truly blessed me by giving Brittanie to me and I praise Him for everyday that I have her!

To my angel,

"Sister", I love you more than you will ever know! When I was your age your Nana used to tell me "I love you too much, I don't think you will ever know how much I love you until you have your own children" and now I know what she is talking about! I am so proud of the young lady that you are becoming. Everyday that I get to wake up and call myself your Mom I feel blessed! Thank you for all of the memories and I can't wait to see what the next 13 years bring! I love you! Mom



Sissy opening her presents

All my babies celebrating the #13

Brittanie with our friends Toni and James Ingram

Brittanie with our friends The Bouvier's

Sissy with Connor James Bouvier opening their gift

Morgan and Carson Ingram celebrating with Sissy

The Applebee's gang singing Happy Birthday to my Baby!

Special Friends

Today I had the pleasure of taking one of my best friends to lunch for her 32nd birthday! As I sit here thinking what I could write about today to go along with this amazing picture, I am perplexed! I don't really know what I could say to express what her friendship and love have meant to me over the past 19 years! You know there are lots of crazy memories that I could tell you about that would make you laugh until your ribs hurt (and do us on occasion) but you still wouldn't fully understand what she means to me! There is absolutely nothing in my life that she has not been through with me whether it has been a trial or triumph. We have essentially grown up together and now are watching our kids grow up together. Heather, what a joy it was to watch as you received some of God's most prize possessions and have become an incredible Mom. It was wonderful to watch you finally meet and fall in love with the man that treats you and loves you like I always felt you needed to be treated and loved! I enjoy still every single conversation we have and every minute we spend together! I wouldn't trade for your friendship for anything and you will hold a forever place in my life and my heart! Thank you for your friendship! I love you girl!

A Fresh Start

This was an incredibly tough weekend and we are hoping for a fresh start for the new week! There are lots of things going on this week and I am praying that Mr. Sickness has left our home! My suspicions were correct! We had a super tough weekend! Thursday night was horrible! Friday was even worse than that! I was a mess and poor little Brackston just couldn't hardly even move! He slept on the bathroom floor for 20 hours straight! Poor baby! We finally got him to move to the couch and his vomiting had slowed down some but his fever was still pretty high. Bryan and I had been talking back and forth to his Mom all day. We considered taking him to Urgent Care at Scott and White during the day but, as the day went on we thought we had come through the worst of it. At about 10:20 P.M. or so I looked over at him and thought he was having a seizure! He was shaking uncontrollably and I ran over and couldn't get him to respond to my voice or even look at me! It scared me to death! Bryan got on the phone with his Mom again and I said "hang-up, that's it...we are taking him to the E.R.!" I was a wreck! We all looked crazy sick but, we were going! We got there and they tested him for rapid strep and an upper respiratory infection! They did a chest X-ray and found nothing! They came in and told us that it was just a bad viral infection and that the shaking was caused by his fever trying to fight off the infection! The doctor told us he should start getting better fairly quickly and then told us to go home and get some rest because we all looked pretty bad! Thanks Doc, LOL! Anyway, Saturday was pretty rough but seemed to be a better day for Brackston! I felt like we were in the clear! Today, he woke up with a fever again! What in the world is going on here? Can a Momma get a break?!! Poor Baby!! It is almost 12:30 AM now on Monday morning and he is still coughing up a storm in there while he trying to sleep! I just hope and pray that he wakes up in the morning a happy camper! I really don't like this time of the year! Can we please just skip to spring and summer? Well, I am going to call it a night in order to prepare for whatever comes my way tomorrow! Praying that everyone stays healthy!

It's Official!!

It's Official!! The bug has officially reached and infected The Washburn Family! I am afraid that this is not going to be a fun weekend AT ALL! Bryan, got sick first with what he was told by the doctor's was the worst kind of flu that is going around! His first concern was us! He was worried that we would get it! I told him "Babe', you don't worry about us we will be fine. You just get better!" Well, I guess I was wrong! I started feeling badly yesterday evening and Brackston joined us at about 1:30 this morning! I just can't breathe....but, my little man is sleeping in the bathroom he feels so bad! Poor baby!! I so don't like when he is sick! I feel helpless! So anyway, here is your warning!! Stay away from the Washburn's house for the weekend! We are probably not going to be your best option for a fun outing! Keep us in your prayers! I gotta go my poor baby is crying and calling my name!

Wordless Wednesday

Oh no...my teeth are falling out!

Look at that gap!

Beautiful toothless smile!