Craziness

I thought I would let yall know how the love dare is going. AMAZING!!!! Shaylor and I have never really had problems. We are blessed to have such a great marriage, but this love dare has taken it to a whole new level. I suggest that any married couple should take part in it. The only thing you have to lose is about 30 min a day and a much stronger marriage. I don't think it matters if you have been married 1 month or 70 years, you will benefit from it. It's been fun to do it together.

We are getting things ready for Christmas which is fun. Last year seemed so stress since we had just gotten married and had come back from our honeymoon. This year, I feel a little more relaxed and ready for the holidays. We are headed to El Paso for a few days. Cecily and Jason will be there too, so that will be nice.

No new news on the baby making. Shaylor got to experience me first hand when I realized we were not pregnant. He was really sweet and just held me while I cried. It is nice to know he is so supportive of me. He never says anything negative to me. He is always encouraging. I know he has a hard time with it, but he stays so strong for me. That's why he's the best. Please continue to pray for us and God's will.

We love you all and appreciate you being in our lives!

The 40 Day Love Dare

Shaylor and I went and saw Fireproof. Wow what a movie. Acting was horrible, but such a great Christian message. Shaylor and I are going to take on the challenge of the 40 day dare. I am really looking forward to coming closer to him and God at the same time. There is a blog that I have read and included it under my loved ones section. It is called 40 day love dare. Read it if you want to see the journey that this couple went through. I will keep yall posted on how it is going.

FYI

Since, I know many of you have been praying for us, I thought I would let you know what I know. I had a sonogram on Wednesday. They found a cyst on my ovary but they are hoping it was from ovulation. How that happens, I will never know. I guess now it is just the waiting game for the doctor to call and let me know. When I know more, I will let you know. Thanks again for all the prayers. It really makes a difference. We are so blessed to have all of you in our lives.

Update

I figured I should update everyone on the process we are currently going through. Since, on the last post I pretty much let the cat out of that bag about our struggles we are encountering right now. We have started running test to see why I have not gotten pregnant yet. I have gone through two testand have one more to go on Wednesday. So far they have all come back showing no problems. If they all come back normal then it will be Shaylor's turn. Hopefully it won't have to come to that. It has been hard. I am still not sure why we are having to go through all of this. It seems like the world is passing on by while we are at a stand still. I just hope we get some answers one way or another. This has been a desire my whole life, to be a mother. I know God gives us our desires of our heart for a reason. If we can't have children, Shaylor and I both have agreed together we will adopt through CPS. Dealing with children day in and day out, I know those are the children that need a good solid stable home. I do want to be pregnant and know what it is like, but I am also preparing myself that that may never happen.

Enough about that... our cruise was amazing. We had the time of our life. Shaylor and I both are ready to book our next cruise. We were so glad we could share this time in our life with such special friends who we love dearly.

I will keep you posted as we find out results. Please keep praying that we keep our head above water, because it feels like right now we are drowning!

Cruise

All I have to say is 21 days and we will be cruisin'. I can't wait to get away. I have just been overwhelmed with life right now and really need a break from it all.

Please continue to pray for Shaylor and I. Last month was extremely difficult for me when we didn't get pregnant. We decided to take this month off and start again in Nov, that way I could enjoy the cruise a little bit more. Also, I couldn't go through another month of it not happening. 7 months has been hard enough. I know God has a plan and it will happen when it is supposed to, but that doesn't make it any easier. It seems as though nothing ever comes easy to us. Please keep praying that I will have strength and patience, they are being tested that's for sure.

On a brighter side of things, my family came into town this past weekend. We had a blast! We spent all day on the lake. Cecily caught a fish and Dad just caught a sad ole bait fish. It was sure nice to have all 6 of us together. Those are the memories you cherish! I wish it could just happen more ofter! I will post pictures as soon as my sister sends them to me.

Study Hall

I am sitting here watching students during study hall. What a drag. I have so many things that I should be doing, but I thought hey why not blog instead. There is not too much of an update on our lives. Just trying to stay busy. Some really good friends got married this past weekend, actually two couples. We made it to both wedding and they were both stunning! We are so happy for both of them. We got to watch Olive while Trey and Nicole went to San Antonio for a mini-honeymoon. Olive is Miller's girlfriend. They are so cute together. I will have to put up the pictures of the two of them enjoying the cowboys game on Sunday. It is adorable. Olive went home yesterday and Miller sure did miss her last night. I am sure they will see each other again.

I can't believe either that our one year anniversary is fast approaching. We are going on a cruise with some of our closet friends. I cannot wait. We leave on Nov. 6 and come back on the 10th. Shaylor has never been on a cruise, so he is really excited! There is actually 3 people going that have never been before. So, it will be a fun experience for all of us.

Well, the kids are coming in from recess so it's time for us to start our writer's workshop. I hope to hear from yall soon!

Update: birthday, school, life, etc

So... my birthday was awesome. I have the best friends and family that made it incredible. Shaylor and I and some of our best friends went to the Rangers game for dollar dog night. We had a blast. That weekend, I went to San Antonio to meet my mom and sister there. We went to Beth Moore which was just what I needed before school started. It was very refreshing to my soul. Then, my mom and sister and I celebrated my birthday and had the best girls weekend. I am so glad we have started this tradition and can't wait for next year.

Now, school. It's been a pretty good start so far. I have 22 kids in my class. 13 girls, and 9 boys. That is hard for me, boys are just easier, but I do have to admit I have a class full of wonderful students. I have a few students that are challenging but are very rewarding at the end of each day! It is very stressful having so many kids, and I feel overwhelmed but I am getting used to it. Overall it has been a good start to hopefully a great year!

Now life. Everything is going pretty good with Shaylor and I. Shaylor is busy working. He really likes working at the service desk. He has been closing quit a bit which is a bummer for us not being able to see each other too much, but we are surviving. On that note, I can't believe we have been married almost a year. What an amazing year it has been.

Please pray for Shaylor and I as we are trying to figure out which path we need to take. We would really appreciate it.

I hope things are going well for everyone! Love you all.

Summer is over!

So as this summer comes to an end I am a it sad. I feel like I need more time. It has been a busy summer but a lot of fun. I am looking forward to a new school year. Last year was a rough one so it's always good to start over. We are still in the search process to fill in our 8th spot. We had hired a teacher back in May and we just recently found out that she isn't coming. I never thought it would be so hard to find someone to teach second grade. I thought everyone wanted to teach the best grade. Hopefully we will have someone by Monday when Staff Development starts.

My birthday is next week and we are going to go to the Ranger's game. I am excited. It's dollar dog night. YUMMY! Then, that weekend, I am meeting my mom in San Antonio. My sister, mom, and I are having a girls weekend. It should be a lot of fun just having girl time.

I have had a hard time lately. I have really missed my friends from back home and college. I don't know why, I talk to them all the time. It's just been hard. I wish I could have my friends and family all living in the same area so I can see them. I am just so blessed to have the greatest friends in the world.

I hope everyone is doing well. I will update after school starts and let you know how it all went. Say a little prayer, the frist week is the hardest. The first day is August 25.

Been awhile

It's been awhile since I had posted anything so I thought I could catch yall all up. july was super busy. Friends and family coming to visit just about took up every weekend and every week. It's slowing down now with the end of summer fastly approaching. We are still hoping some family will still come see us though. Of course friends, you are more than welcome to visit too. Just beware... we are in the process of remodeling our kitchen. When my parents came down we ripped out our old countertops and we installed new ones complete with tile and stones. I must say they look pretty good. I am ready for them to be finished. I at least have half a kitchen and can cook in it. A week without cooking felt like an eternity.

Miller is getting big, he's probably around 20 pounds right now. The three dogs are getting along just like brothers do. They play fight, get irritated, and annyoed with each other, but in the end they are the best of friends and don't want to be away from each other. It's sweet.

That's about our life right now. I am just trying to get things ready for school. I am not ready at all. I could use a few more weeks. Hopefully I will get there before it starts.

Miller

Here a couple of pictures of Miller. Hopefully we will get more soon. He is growing so fast and is already 13 pounds. We went to the vet last week for his checkup and shots. The vet, who we are very pleased with, said he is going to be a great dog. He is so smart. He has already learned how to use the dog door. This week he learned how to sit and "sit pretty". Hopefully we have many more tricks to come.

Our New Hobby

So... Shaylor and I have decided to take on the game of racquetball. We have both played before but never together. Today was our first day to play against each other. I got my butt handed to me. I always hit the ball to Shaylor but he made me run around like crazy. I am glad because I got a much better workout then he did. We have plans to go again tomorrow. We will have to see how it goes. Hopefully I will get better and make Shaylor have to work for the win.

Our new addition

So, Shaylor and I were debating between a baby and a puppy and we decided... a PUPPY!!!! As many of you know, Shaylor and I have had experience with strays. They seem to just love us. So, we had decided our next dog would be a rescue dog. I had gone to Petsmart with my mom. I knew it was a bad idea on a Saturday. The sweet helpless dogs just stare at you and you can help them. Well, I walked in and had to look. There sat two black lab puppies that were 2 months old. I called Shaylor, who was about to take a nap before our concert, and told him to come up here to see this puppy. I have wanted a lab for a really long time, and was hoping he would say yes. He came up there and fell in love. By the time we left we had a new puppy, names Miller. He is precious and seems to be a good dog. He has had only one accident in the house and that was when we first got home. He slept in his "bed" last night. He started off crying, but within some time he stopped and slept for 7 hours. I actually woke him up. No accidents in the "bed" either. Miller so far comes when you say come, and he will fetch his rope when you throw it, so far so good. Max adjusted pretty well. Diesel is still having a tough time, but in time we know he will be ok. Max is actually protecting Diesel. It always takes Diesel a little time to adjust to a dog being in our home. Hopefully by tomorrow, Diesel and Miller will be playing. Once I get some pictures, and Shelley explains to me how to do it, I will get the posted. Until then, say a little prayer for us...3 dogs!!!!!

Coming Home

Shaylor and I experienced our first time away from each other. We spent not quit a week with my parents in Ruidoso. We had a blast. We went to the horse races, lost money, went to the casino, lost money. So we thought let's play my parents in putt-putt. They even beat us in that. Shaylor had to go back to work, so I decided to stay in El Paso with my parents. I haven't seen my husband in 8 days and cannot wait for tomorrow. I finally get to go home. Don't get me wrong, I love being with my family, but I miss my husband. Bless his heart; he has been eating ramen noodles. I guess he is living the life of a bachelor. Thank goodness all of that will change tomorrow.

We have an exciting weekend planned. Some friends are coming over Friday and we are going to cookout. Then on Saturday, we are going to Rascal Flatts. I am so excited.

Catch up

Where to begin. Our life together as The Richards has been wonderful. Shaylor and I got married on Novemeber 10, 2007. It was the best day of our lives. We honeymooned in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. If you ever get a chance to go, go! It is amazing.

Before we got married, Shaylor and I bought a house. It has been a lot of fun fixing it up and putting our own personality into it. We have an extra bedroom, so come visit.

I am hoping this blog can help to keep you up to date on our lives. I will try to update as much as possible.