It's Been Awhile....

..whew ! August 23 was my last post. Eek!

I guess you could say things have been pretty busy around here. I haven't been able to do any more embroidering or sewing since TS Fay came through and I had those 2 days off for the storms. But I am hoping to this weekend, especially because I have some more gifts to make. :) And the fabric is already picked out, so that helps a LOT!

It has been SUPER busy at school. On top of keeping a team of 6 (3 brand new to our school) going, I have my own classroom things to keep running. Tomorrow night is open house, so that adds a whole other element to the current stress level. And then Monday is our last day to enter progress report grades. In the past, we've done them by hand (on carbon copy forms). But this year we have a fancy schmancy new program that we have to use. I need to grade some reading and writing assignments, and then I should be good to go. We had a slow start with reading since we didn't have our whole kids (just TEs and student books). And the pace I think is just a lot faster than lots of my new-to-my-school students are used to. I was trying to give them a chance to complete their folder work, so I wouldn't have to enter incompletes for assignments. And then writing has been delayed because we JUST got the writing criteria finalized/approved yesterday afternoon! Ay ay ay!

Last night I got home at 6, and tonight I got home at 6:30. While I have a GREAT class (really, I do!), it's still a long day when the alarm goes off at 5:30, you chase 8 year-olds around all day, and then stay in your room until 6:30. Matt is oh-so-sweetly picking up our favorite Chinese on his way home tonight. Yum!

It's amazing the things that fall by the wayside when your day is filled up with work. You know, things like:

• laundry (especially ironing... but really, it's not AWFUL... yet)
• **depositing my paycheck that I received Sept. 1**
• vacuuming (and getting a replacement belt for the vacuum, because I think mine will wear through ANY day now)
• grocery shopping/meal planning
• walking the dog
• sleep

You get the idea. ;) Then you add the WONDERFUL addition of our newest niece, Isabella Rose, to the mix, and you have a FULL plate! On top of all that, we drove to SC last weekend to meet Isabella. :) We wouldn't have wanted it any other way, but I didn't get anything done around the house. I was "lucky" do get my grading done in the car and figure out what I was teaching for Monday on Sunday night!

So, I think you have a snapshot of our life right now. There have been some other confounding factors that makes it seem like that balls we're trying to juggle are actually dropping left and right, but we know Who's really catching them--and we're unspeakably thankful to know Who really has it all in control (we'd be in SO much trouble if I was truly in control, as I'm so apt to think I am). Hopefully those things will settle out in the next couple weeks and with that will go a huge load we've been carrying.

Thanks to everyone who's been praying and encouraging us through this absolutely crazy time!

Love,
Becca

Sing a Song

While we're on the topic of favorite (and wedding) songs.... here's one from our wedding. Naturally, it's one I love!

O God beyond all praising,
we worship you today
and sing the love amazing
that songs cannot repay;
for we can only wonder
at every gift you send,
at blessings without number
and mercies without end:
we lift our hearts before you
and wait upon your word,
we honor and adore you,
our great and mighty Lord.

Then hear, O gracious Savior,
accept the love we bring,
that we who know your favor
may serve you as our king;
and whether our tomorrows
be filled with good or ill,
we'll triumph through our sorrows
and rise to bless you still:
to marvel at your beauty
and glory in your ways,
and make a joyful duty
our sacrifice of praise.

May we truly marvel as God's beauty and blessing and praise Him in all circumstances.

Hope

We sang the Chris Tomlin song "Everlasting God" in church this morning. The chorus was particularly poignant with what's going on right now.

This Truth is what I'm clinging to!

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary
You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

A sweet reminder from the Father. He knows, He cares, and He is able.

Hip Hip Hooray!

Praise God! I have been looking ALL OVER for one last Christmas box I knew I was missing. Matt even went back up in the attic to look for me (I was sure it was still up there and just overlooked). It was not there. I looked in all the garage boxes again. Nope. I checked the cedar chest and found one missing item (the UT snowman), but not Jackie's quilted wall hanging (what I was most upset about) or the Christmas carol dessert plates I received last year. I checked under beds (and thankfully, we don't store much under them). Not there. I decided to recheck the guest room closet. There was a large Dillard's box. All the sudden, it looked familiar. I pulled it down and it said, "Christmas" on it. Hooray! Now I remember, I put it there because it also has the awesome candle and holder the McLean's gave us, and I didn't want it to melt in the attic. I HAD labeled one side of it with "Christmas" and its contents, but apparently I put it in the closet with that side facing the back wall--a lot of help it does me that way, huh?

Matt just finished putting lights on the tree, so we really are in full swing now! It's ornament time!

Thank you, Lord, for again seeing to the little details in my heart. Help me to go back to those times when I'm wrestling over trusting you with the big things, too. You know me. You know my heart. You love me. You are faithful. And you Came.

p.s. It's 81 right now... feels like 82. Crazy!

Almost...

Just one day left until my 2006-2007 school year duties are over. How bizarre is that?!? Today and tomorrow are teacher "post planning" workdays to finish up paperwork (there are mounds of it in elementary school!) and such. Today I turned in my attendance cards, cleaned out some stuff in my room, checked in cumulative records, and checked in most of my library and textbook materials. Tomorrow I need to turn in my lesson plans & grade book, report card copies from the first 3 quarters (the final goes in the cum. record), and check in my curriculum folders. Those are the main jobs for tomorrow, along with a few details for summer institute next week. Have I mentioned we're doing kitchen science as our theme? We are. :) I think it will be fun!

I was going to write more about the end of school, but honestly, I'm still a little too emotional about it. I definitely still tear up about it all being over whenever I think about it, so I think I need a little more time before I can blog about it! I do plan to make a scrapbook of this year with pages for our field trips and other special events and also a layout for each of my students with pictures, fun memories and things they said, and special characteristics of each one. I did NOT cry while they were at school Friday, but I have cried since I left that day, and teared up several times if I think about it much. I didn't realize how hard it would be to let go of them. Those little 8 and 9 year olds (and their families) blessed me so much this year, in countless ways. God really used them to brighten my lonely days down here, encourage me so much, and I'm just trying to hold onto the sweet memories and trust God for fun times this summer and a sweet class next year too. Someone told me you always have an extra special place in your heart for your very first class (as I had my *wonderful* mentor my internship year, and I took over mid-year last year, this was my first full year solo class ever),and while I'm sure that's true, I think there's more to it than that with this group. They really were a dream class, first year or not, and I can tell that as I am able to reflect on the year through scrapbooking and processing it all, God has more to teach me through my time with my class. I feel like I just lost 20 of my closest friends (not that I just treated them like equal friends in class, but I am realizing now that they're gone how much God used them to fill that friendless place in my life right now...), and it's a little daunting to move on to summer, but it's a much needed rest at the same time.

Since I can't write much more about my class without flooding the keyboard, I thought I'd post my first installment of "one year in the house before and after pictures." This weekend we installed a new ceiling fan in the kitchen, so it's even MORE updated now, but you'll get the idea. :)
(click on the pictures to make them bigger)

Busy Times!

Whew! With about 2.5 weeks left of school (eek!!), everything is running full steam ahead! Even Matt's been exceedingly busy at work (staying at work until 11 Friday night). I must say again, my husband is so whole-hearted. He is putting everything he has into finishing his latest project well, and I'm proud of him! Way to go, honey!

I myself have a busy week as well. Today was our third and final poetry of the year. It was a "Mother's Day Poetry Tea" in honor of Sunday's holiday. Several moms and grandmothers (9 total, to be exact) were able to join us for our celebration of poetry... and them (through poetry)! :) In writing we have discusses three formats for poetry in the last week or two--shape poems, acrostic poems, and diamante poems. I'm not sure which type was the class's favorite, because they seemed to enjoy them all! For each type, we wrote one together as a whole class composition. Then they wrote a poem of their own in that format about the topic of their choice. Lastly, after getting the hang of that form of poetry, they wrote one about their mother. At the end of our mini-lessons on poetry this go-around, they had 3 free topic poems and 3 mother poems. For the tea, they selected their favorite mom-themed poem to make an extra-special final copy of and read at the poetry tea. They also selected one other poem they composed to read at the tea. Mothers who attended the tea received their copy of the mother poem after their child read it. Mothers who could not attend should receive it today rolled up with a happy bow around it. :)

Tomorrow is the end of year writing prompt in the morning during our reading/language arts block (because it's an early release day, which means no writing period). My class is also taking an end of the year calendar math test tomorrow. Then Thursday is the end of year reading test. Whew! We will be done with big tests at that point, though! Hooray!! We'll still have a spelling test this week and next week, but I've tried to make those fun as we've finished our spelling curriculum. This week the list consists of the names of everyone in my reading groups, the three third grade teachers' names, and our administrators' names. :) Our special area (resource) teachers' names are the bonuses. :) hehe

Also on Thursday is a church women's event at a bead store in town. It's been "mine" to coordinate after taking Jamie's place on the women's fellowship team. It's a busy time of year for everyone, so I'm not sure what our turn out will be. But, I'm doing my best to coordinate some little snacks and such. I also had to make an announcement in church on Sunday. I told Matt I would have asked another team member to do it if I didn't think they would think I was crazy for not just doing it myself. But I survived. :)

On top of all that, I think I'm supposed to have a VBS ("Kids' Club") meeting on Thursday after school. We've been sending info in to be reimbursed from our FSA before its deadline, getting ready to renew our home warranty (we would like to have it when our a/c unit--original from our 1970s home--gives out....), and Matt's coworker is getting married this weekend! The engineers he works with enjoy each other's company quite a bit. :) It's not unusual for one of them to host a video game night that lasts late... past my bedtime at least. :) So, on Thursday Matt is attending one of the aforementioned video game nights, in celebration of his coworker's "bachelor party." Saturday is the wedding---but not before the guys get together in the morning to fire off some ammo. The reception will be followed by a get together for people from his company to hang out with a couple who used to work there and has moved... and are now expecting! Annnnd, we were invited to a semi-business dinner tomorrow night. YIKES!

I keep telling Matt I just need to make it through this weekend. :) All I'll have then is the normal crazy pace of the end of the school year, without the extra stuff. Don't get me wrong, it'll be fun to attend the wedding and see Matt's work friends. It just comes at an already overflowing time of year!

In response to my last post, I just want to mention that the Lord led me back to two verses He gave me earlier as I waited upon Him for something that was a desire of my heart--a husband. As I am waiting again for something etched into my heart's longings, it was sweet to be taken back to the Word He gave me to cling to in the past. And to use that to further stand upon His past and present faithfulness... and His faithfulness to come. The two passages are....

Psalm 27:14
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Habakkuk 2:3
For the vision awaits its appointed time;
it hastens to the end--it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it;
it will surely come; it will not delay.

Also, I wanted to mention that our church here is another outcome of God's faithfulness for which we are very thankful. Even all the way down here in Florida.

We hope you had a great weekend and got to tell your mom (or those women God has placed in your life to nurture you, physically and spiritually) you love her! :)

Love,
Becca

Sunshine in the Shadows

Lately I've struggled some again with being so far away and having so little (no) friends here. It's so much easier to make friends in school, because you automatically have your major in common once you're in upper-level classes. And while we know great people at church, no relationships there yet have truly led to friends. I find myself again feeling like I'm almost just on an extended vacation or extended work assignment here, and feeling like I'll be going back home to TN anytime now. It's hard. It's hard being the only one of my siblings that does not live in our hometown. It's hard watching my niece and nephew(s) growing up 9 hours away from me (though, praise the LORD, Charis knows my name, asks where I am, and even asks to call me--already, at 2 years old, when she could count on her hands how many times she's ever seen me). It hurts to be this far and feeling somewhat removed from everything that's going on back home.

And that is where I CLING to KNOWING God brought us here and standing on the Ebenezer of His faithfulness and goodness to us in this place--all the things big and small the Lord has done to reaffirm over and over His guidance and direction in our being in FL, 9 hours away. From jobs to the house, in particular. But even in little things, like getting to see Les Miserables. In the midst of my pain and loneliness, I do NOT want to turn a blind eye or hardened heart to His hand, presence, and action in our lives here. He is here with us, and He stands with us as we wait for more community and deeper roots.

I do have to say, even though I do not have friends at work (since Jamie moved to ATL), the Lord is showing me I am accepted and appreciated there. This week is teacher appreciation week, and one family in particular is totally spoiling me! Three of my students got together over the weekend and made decorations for my door. When I walked to my room Monday morning, I thought I was at the wrong room! There were little sayings about education and the difference a good teacher makes, a list of "great teachers throughout history" that said at the bottom, "and best of all.... Rebecca Kubo" made by the mom. Thank yous, and "you brighten my day" and "you're the best," with glitter and crepe paper too! Then on Tuesday, one of the same students came to school with heart-shaped post it notes and some trail mix for taking a break. :) Then on Wednesday, she came in with a bag full of fun little things and a poem--a cup for when yours overflows, a 100,000 bar because that's what you should be paid, bath stuff to pamper myself, etc. :) Then TODAY, she sent in a yellow rose arrangement in a vase. My student said she's bringing something every day, so I can only imagine what tomorrow has in store! One of my kids gave me a big hug and said, "I appreciate you very much, and I wish you would be my teacher every year." Several of my students have come in with books from my "wish list" at the book fair 2 weeks ago (they have each teacher make one). One cool geography book with interesting facts and a child-friendly map of each state, one about the moon (Steven Kellogg), and my very own copy of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (!). I have felt so loved by all these gestures!! also had a parent I do not even know come up to me out of the blue and tell me how much she wanted her daughter to be in my class next year, but that she heard I was teaching magnet next year (I guess her daughter's not on that track), and she was so disappointed to tell her daughter she didn't think she could get her in my class. I've only been there 1.5 years--I didn't think that was long enough to have a reputation for parents to ask for your class! Whew--God is so good! Thank you for giving me favor as I try to glorify you through the work you've called me to at this time, Lord!

I should go for now. We're had a laaate dinner because Matt worked late tonight. He's so whole-hearted! He made us yummy grilled pork chops and rice! I washed his dishes from last night, folded some laundry, started a new load, and vacuumed while I waited for him.

We hope you have a happy Friday....
and we ESPECIALLY hope that you, JOY, have a SUPER DUPER BIRTHDAY!! We love you, and I'm SOO glad you are my sister! I hope Charis is extra sweet and that you have fun surprises throughout your day. Our gift is on its way; I'm sorry we missed your party! :-( I think you should ask Brad for a vacation to Gainesville for your birthday. :) LOOOOVE you!

Love,
Becca

Sunday

Well, another weekend is drawing to a close. I have to say, God has stretched this one out quite a bit for us. But every weekend that brings me closer to summer vacation makes me long for it more! :)

Yesterday, as you read, we had the distinct delight of acquiring unexpected tickets to see Les Miserables (Matt's first time, my third). It truly was such a well-done performance. I'm so glad we got to go! It DID end up taking up a lot of our day, but it was time well-spent together. We got out around 5:30, stopped by home to check on Sam and pick up a gift card. Then we beat the UF graduation rush to Olive Garden for dinner. Stopped at Lowe's (across the parking lot) for something we needed for the house and back to home we went. I mustered the motivation to complete my lesson plans for this week, and Matt worked on some sort of analysis for work.

This morning we went to church, and we had usher/greeter duties. Church actually met an hour earlier than usual, due to an arts festival on the school's grounds. After church we perused the festival and found Mother's Day gifts for both our moms! Now, if only I can get them in the mail on time! :)

Once we got home, it was time for lunch and a little relaxation. I told Matt, "I don't have to do lesson plans today!!" I do NOT like doing them on Saturday, BUT I prefer most of all NOT to do them on Sunday. :) Only a few weeks left... :)

Then we prepared for Bible study and off we went. We both ended up engaged in conversations that kept us there til 9, and the family whose house we meet at kindly invited us and another couple to stay and have pizza with them. It was a Gville only "brand" of pizza we've heard about that's supposed to make big, cheap pizzas. They were really good!

Now we're home. Poor Sammy is still having tummy troubles due to her affinity for the kumquats that fall off the tree rather overripe. :-( She needs a bath tonight, but I'm waiting until Matt gets back. He ran out to put gas in his car and pick up some toothpaste. :)

Lately I've wrestled with some things as God has moved our hearts change the time line of some plans and hopes. I have been learning so much in the process. Matt has also been tremendous throughout the whole thing. These changes mostly throw a kink in the works for me, and it's been hard to swallow at times. He recently came home with this sweet, little bouquet. I put it on my dresser. Just around the corner from a top 10 list we've composed of reasons why the change of plans could be/is a blessing. God has been faithful to CONTINUE giving me glimpses of GOOD things coming out of this change. And, in the face of something I never thought I would like, He has given me great joy. He has cast a sweet vision, albeit not my original plan, and made IT my heart's desire. There's still a little space where the old hopes had taken root, but those roots are slowly withering and hurt less and less. I've just been amazed at God's gentleness through the whole thing. It certainly didn't feel gentle at the first jolt, but He really has shown me reasons why He's leading us as He is. He could have left His word to us as "just" His call, but God has been so gentle to show us some possible "whys." And I wouldn't trade my first plan for any of the ways that may be in the works with our new path for the next while.

Today's been one of those days when my hearts still aching a little for that now-empty space in our hopes. But it's been compounded by something I never would have anticipated either. This new plan for which God has cast a vision to us has so many things I'm looking forward to, besides the main change, that I can't wait for it to get here. I'm so excited by all the little "whys" He's given me a glimpse of, that I long to be at that point in time! I'm not surprised that I would love to already be at that point, but I did surprise myself that it wasn't just my flesh pining for what I want. My longing is based on all the things God has shown us He can work as a result of re-arranging things. How gracious He is to give us fresh eyes to see and a renewed heart to walk in His ways!

So that is us for now. This is a busy month, and we're already a week into it! Charis turned 2 last week, Micaiah should be joining us by the end of the month (I hear he looks just like Brad in the 3d ultrasound!), school will be out (almost... the last day for students is June 1), Sammy will be a year old... I'm sure there will be countless more adventures to go on and Words over which to ponder with the Lord.

May He be near to you today and each day!

Love,
Becca

Praise the Lord!

Today we paid off Matt's car..... 3 years early!

Thank you, Lord, for your provision and faithfulness! :)

Praise the Lord!

Our church has spent the last month involved in a capital stewardship program preparing to make commitments toward constructing our own building (we meet in a school auditorium right now--the church bought two parcels of land (next to each other) a little over a year ago, and the elders voted to use some abundant year-end giving in December to pay off the land, so we going into the building campaign with no debt!). As part of the leadership team (because we were leading the children's activities), along with some other families in the church who were asked to consider making an advanced commitment, the goal was to have $500,000 pledged in advanced commitments from that group comprising about 1/4 of the families in our church. Our church is predominantly college and graduate students, so that's a lofty goal. The next "celebration point" was $750,000 when the whole congregation made pledges, and the third point was $900,000 with the body at CCC making sacrificial commitments. The consultant hired to guide us through the process told us in no uncertain termss, "our math and past experience tell us this can't be done--you won't raise this. But I do not want to limit God, so we'll see what He prompts among you." The building will be $1 million to $1.5 million when all is said and done.

Well, this past Thursday was the date to turn in advanced commitments (some families were specifically asked to make a commitment in advance, anyone was welcome to do so), and today was the day for the whole congregation to turn in their commitment pledges. Our pastor announced the total for the advanced commitments--coming from just 1/4 of the families--was... you won't believe it! The total from that 1/4 of the families was..... $1 million!!!!!!!!! I think everyone was FLOORED! We are SO thankful and SO excited! It is amazing to be in the midst of God's movement and will! And we PRAISE Him for His faithfulness!

Also, I got to spend the afternoon with Jamie yesterday, which was SUCH a blessing--I'll write more later. Among other things, I got to ask her about VBS (she was the director last year), and her answers to my questions gave me peace to say yes to directing VBS this year. Please continue praying as we seek to acquire our curriculum--that the Lord would raise volunteers and already be readying the hearts of the children AND adults who will be involved!

We hope your weekend was as obviously God-filled and covered as our was. :)

Blessings,
Becca

Christmas Break!

I am on Christmas break--yea!! It's my first official day "off." I have not spent it how I anticipated, but more on that in a second. :)

I really want to start out by thanking all of you who left such sweet comments on my post about J & M moving. It was SUCH a blessing to know I have such faithful friends and prayer warriors in my life. And it was such a reminder to me that I AM surrounded by friends, even though we might have some geographical distance separating us. Through you, the Lord blessed and encouraged me in SO many ways. Thank you, thank you. Thank you for your support, coming alongside me in my hurt, and also for those of you who shared similar struggles. It sounds awful on one hand, but it it's such a relief to know there are others in such similar places--further confirmation that I am NOT alone! I also have the added blessing of being able to pray for the places YOU are waiting and wondering--which is a great privilege and way to keep from focusing too much on my own places of waiting. :)

Secondly, today's changed schedule. :) Our assistant pastor's wife is due this week with their first baby girl!! They have twin boys (about 6 years old) and a 2 year old boy. But the baby girl is on her way! They were going to be induced last Monday, but the hospital didn't have any beds (no room at the "inn"!) available. Yesterday at church, Frank told me they MIGHT be able to get induced that night. They were to call the hospital at 10 and then go in at midnight if they hospital had room for them. They needed someone to stay overnight with the boys if they got a "yes" and wondered if I could/wanted to. Of course I wanted to! And as it turns out, the hospital DID have a bed for her when they called at 10. So, off we went to drop my car off at Rob's (where the boys would be for the 2nd half of today) and take me to Frank's. I got to spend the last 12 or so hours doing something I haven't done in over a YEAR, something I used to do at least weekly... babysit! The boys were great and VERY excited about the baby coming. They are THRILLED it's a little sister. :) I talked to Suzanne this morning, and she was having some contractions but overall just waiting around. Hopefully we'll hear an announcement before too long! After breakfast, playing outside, reading a story, snack, getting dressed, etc., etc. (not in that order), I drove the boys in Frank and Suzanne's van over to Rob's. It was fun to get to be around little ones again and "play" mommy, especially to such SWEET little boys. Matt was really excited that I got to help out, but kidded that maybe he SHOULDN'T let me go... joking that it might kick the maternal instincts into high(er) gear and get him in trouble that we don't have any kids yet. :)

I had to kind of chuckle at myself at one point. Going through so much child development training (it was my major, after all) and having such wonderful families for whom I babysat back home, not to mention teaching experience, I was pretty confident. The littlest one woke up in the night, as I'd been warned he's been doing lately. He was very sweet and didn't panic that I was there, but my presence also alerted him to his mom's absence. He ended up waking about about once an hour, immediately remembered each time that his mom wasn't home, and started crying. I tried all my usual tricks, patting and rubbing his back, rocking, whatever I could think of. He would look like he was drifting off, but he was just laying with his eyes closed. I could quiet him down from crying, but I could NOT get him to fall deeply asleep. What a great reminder for me that I NEED God, and will need Him all the more when we have children. It's not that I think I have it all figured out, but it was sweet to run to the Lord and have Him provide--not through Aaron falling asleep better, but through the energy to get up each time he awoke.

Matt's home to eat a bite of lunch before heading back to work, so I should go. Enjoy your day and walk with the Lord! :)

Love,
Becca

Emptiness

Tonight our small group had a combined Christmas gathering / going away dinner for one of our couples. Actually, only the wife was able to join us, as her husband is diligently plying himself to his new job's responsibilities in order to be able to take the time to move this weekend. My feelings were very mixed as the get together (dinner out together) approached. You see, M&J (the couple) were, well, are an answer to prayer for me. For almost a year, Matt and I made our life here in Gainesville and prayed for friends. He quickly formed friendships with his coworkers and enjoys spending time with them at work and hanging out. I found myself in a work situation that just hasn't led to (m)any friends. That is, until, J. She teaches (taught, as of this coming Friday) the grade level above me at my school and invited us to the aforementioned small group. Is is HER asking, through the Lord's leading, that led us to our church and small group. Her demeanor at school is very outgoing and wonderfully assertive, which greatly intimidated me at first. I remember Matt asking me soon after we met J&M if I thought she could be the answer to our "friend" prayers for me, especially since we have teaching in common. I distinctly recall telling him I thought we might be friends, but her assertiveness seemed a little too intimidating for me, we wouldn't be good friends. Little did I know what God would teach me as He orchestrated time for us to get to know each other better. As the layers were peeled back from J's heart in her sharing her time and God's story in and through her, I thought, "This is it--a friend, a good friend, at last." We started hanging out with J&M more outside of church stuff this summer. Matt gets along really well with M, and they even went fishing together in the Gulf. I saw that J and I were a lot more alike that I first thought, and that there was a great deal of tenderness to her.

That is why I cried as soon as we got to the car after church about 6 weeks ago. J told us after the service that they were moving to Atlanta. I wondered, based on comments she had made, if some of M's recent travels had to do with interviewing. I held onto the hope that the interviews where to move up within his office here in Gville. But, that was not in God's plan. As soon as we got to the car, I lost it. I'm fighting tears just thinking about the roller coaster of emotions and my heart's cry to God the past 6 weeks. At first I thought, "I was wrong! J was not the answer to our prayers for a friend!!" But I have seen in the last 6 weeks, that indeed, she was and IS. It has been painful. More painful than if we hadn't become friends and I'd gone the past 14 months with no friend. In a small town with so many college students, it is difficult to find other couple our age who are "staying." People remark with shock and delight, "Oh! You're not in school?!? You mean you're... staying?!?!?" when they find out. As a person who quite admittedly dislikes change and clings to routine, it can make my stomach hurt to think about how many people will come and go from our lives and hearts by living here.

Soon after moving to Gville, our pastor mentioned in a sermon that he was told after moving here not to let anyone in. "People just leave in this town, don't let them too close." He commented on how BACKWORDS that is to how Jesus calls us to live and love. We are to love freely and fully, to enter into the community He provides, and to wish well those whom God moves on to other places. Yes, it means brokenness. Yes, it means heartache. But we are not called to seal ourselves off from that possibility. I heard what he said, I so appreciated what he said, but I never thought I'd be called to live it out so soon. Here I am, letting go of a relationship already. Here I am, not letting go of "a" relationship, but honestly, of the one person here I truly call a friend, other than my husband.

My heart's cry has included many things the last 6 weeks. Lots of confusion, lots of questions, lots of cries for peace and trust. In the midst of my aching and wondering, there are 2 things He has shown me through this answer to prayer.

Number 1: I am determined that I will not let my heart become hardened and hesitant to love and let others in by the "losses" the nature of this town is already bringing to pass. It is, after all, where God placed us in His wisdom. It is, without a doubt, where He led and has provided for us abundantly in so many ways. In being determined not to stave off more hurt, God has taken my eyes off of me and my aching heart, away from "why don't people try to get to know me--I'm still new!" to "who is newer than I am?" and "who looks like they could use someone to come alongside?" It doesn't matter how new I am, it doesn't matter how few friends I have, I can still be one. I don't have to already have any friends in my corner (other than Jesus, and Matt rocks too ;) ) in order to be a friend. God has renewed the eyes of our hearts to seek out those with whom we can enter in, instead of waiting to be sought after. Instead of Satan dealing a crushing blow by making me feel like the loosely forming threads of a friendship rug are already being pulled out from under me, I am more determined than ever not to yield to the "comfort" of avoiding hurt. Loving hurts. Sharing life hurts, especially when things change. But, loving and living require sacrifice. That sacrifice will not keep me from living and loving, even if every friend I ever make here ends up moving.

Number 2: The sermon was for me this morning. I don't know who else it was for, but it was for me without a doubt. Rob word-for-word said, "Whatever or whomever you're waiting for, you are not alone. God is with you." Wow, did my heart need that reminder. Whatever or whomever I am waiting for, I am not alone. God is with me. Emmanuel, God with us. As my one friend leaves and I feel like I'm left with empty hands and a grieving heart, I am NOT alone. In SO many ways I am not alone. I have the most amazing, loving, holds me while my tears overflow, patient, encouraging, supportive husband; I am not alone. I do have friends, even though they don't live here; I am not alone. I have two incredible families who love me and pray for me; I am not alone. But most of all, the God of the universe is with ME. He is WITH me. I am NOT alone. I do not have to fend for myself in this wait, and I do not have to hold it in and act like it's all fine. The God who knew my every thought and everything that will pierce my heart before I was born is with me. Rob talked about being in a waiting room at the hospital or a doctor's office, waiting for something. He talked about waiting alone in that room, and then seeing the door open and finding the face of someone you know. Someone who loves you to wait with you. I am not at the ER, but the pursuit of a friend has been much longer than I expected, and just when I thought it was over, I'm back in the waiting room. But, I am not alone.

I have always loved the end of Little Women, where the professor tells Jo, "I have nothing to offer you, my hands are empty." She gently and lovingly takes his hand and answers, "Not empty now." As I've held up my heart and my hands the last 6 weeks feeling like they are so empty, today God spoke through Rob and reminded me, "Not empty now." We will keep waiting, together.

HOOOOORAAAAAY!!

Today was my last day of school during my first year of teaching!
Summer break, here I AM!!! :) :) :)

God was so faithful in my first year of teaching. I actually taught EVERYTHING, even though my class was behind! In the first semester, they covered 3 math units. In my semester, I taught FIVE! I also taught 1/2 a year's worth of reading in 3 months! And it was only through God's enabling. :) Now I am set to RELAX, READ, STAMP, go to Disney World with ERIN, hang and work on the house with my HONEY, (go to teacher inservices), attend WEDDINGS, help with VBS, UNPACK (and I'm sure we'll squeeze some beach in there). Yea!! :)

Also, our internet is fixed. Apparently there was some bad wiring at a splitter in the attic. We now have reliable, FAST internet and crystal clear tv cable. :)

BLESSINGS to you!
Becca

Today!!!!!

Today is the day!!

Matt is going in to work for a little bit, and I might stop by school to confirm my grades (though I might wait until this afternoon). But this morning we CLOSE on the house!!! Hooray!

We will definitely be posting pictures as we move in and as we make changes to the house. :) We are so THANKFUL for God's provision and the ways we have seen His hand make this all work out over and over again. There were plenty of opportunities for it to fall through, and He has seen us through to this house.

Have a great day!!! :) :) :)

Love,
Becca

You won't believe this but....

WHAT did I find in my classroom when we returned from recess? ...............................a lizard!!!!!!!!! Granted, it was a little baby lizard, but it was crawling on my teacher bags and coat--I admit it, when I went to move my stuff and it moved toward me, I shrieked. That is what, unfortantely, alerted my students to its presence. Wonderful Z caught it in a container for me, and I walked it around the classroom (with the lid held tightly shut) for the kids to see before I took him out back and let him go. That is the LAST thing I expected to see! I've told Matt over and over in the last 6.5 months in lizard country (aka Florida), I can handle a lizard in the yard, or even the porch, but NOT in my house. I should have added, "NOT in my classroom." Hopefully that's a once-in-a-lifetime incident. I asked the teacher next door what I should do, and she said, "Just catch it. Get one of your kids to catch it." I am so thankful for Z. :) When I returned to my room to "handle" the "lizard situation," she remarked to her class, "I guess they don't have lizards in Tennessee." Well, certainly not as many as HERE! Several teachers had a chuckle when they heard my story. I can only imagine the reputation this incident will earn me... :)

I bet you thought I was going to say, "You won't believe this but....... we got the house." Well....

WE GOT THE HOUSE!!!!

The seller countered $1,000 more than our offer, but he will buy the home warranty we requested (thanks for the initial suggestion, Joy). I don't think I can really believe it! Our very own home! We will close May 26 (Memorial Day weekend)--that will be here before we know it!!! Oh my goodness! God is SOOO good!

It has all unfolded in such a way there is NO doubt it is HIM! First, it took almost a week for our attorney to get the contract ready, then when we drove by last night after dinner, there was an AGENT's sign in the yard!!! We though for sure he'd jack up the price to cover the commission. But God ordained it all! He must have written us into exclusions or not fully signed with the realtor yet, and the seller is relieved because we're pre-qualified. Apparently, he had 2 offers fall through because the buyers couldn't obtain funding. Wow! So, God had this house picked out, had 2 offers fall through while it dropped down to our price range, AND "held" it for us while our attorney took admittedly forever (a whole other story) to edit the contract. We are amazed and canNOT wait!! I will post pictures of the house when I get home, since it's official now. :)

That's all for now. I need to pack up so I can head home and load up pictures for you!!!!!

Love and REJOICING in God's faithfulness (we would have rejoiced in His faithfulness if the house had been a "no" as well),

Becca

FINALLY!!

After a "dropping of the ball" on the part of UT and a subsequent "picking up" of the ball they dropped, Matt's Master's degree arrived in the mail today!!!! I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw the big orange and white tube. :) I can't WAIT for him to come home and see it in our mail stack. He will be SOO happy and surprised! He finished all the course requirements last spring and defended his thesis last summer, but some paperwork that was to be filed by his department was not, in fact, filed by his department. So, he should have been a summer grad, but he's now technically a fall grad. All that matters is, HE'S A GRADUATE SCHOOL GRADUATE! I am SOOOO proud of him and ALL the hours upon hours and days upon days of 20 hour work days he poured into his work and the integrity with which he completed it. He was (and still is) so whole-hearted, and we praise God for the blessing of allowing Matt to earn his M.S. God has accomplished so much in and through Matt, and I am amazed to get to be a part of it. :) I'm not sure I could be a much prouder wife. :)

Congratulations, honey!! I love you, and I am so proud of you!!! To God be the glory, GREAT things He has done!

p.s. pictures of him with his degree and our meeting/engagement story to come, because I am on a looong 5 day weekend! One plus for Florida school systems--"storm" days. :) If you don't use them during hurricane season, you get them off. :)

There's No Place Like Home

Our trip to Knoxville was WONDERFUL! :) It was SUCH a blessing to see everyone, be with them, and hear everyone's excitement about our wedding and marriage. Bear with me, as this will be a long post about our marathan sprint through K-town.

We drove up Friday afternoon and got to Tennessee just before midnight. We talked to my parents for awhile before we went to bed. Saturday morning we got up, had breakfast, Brad & Joy came over with Charis of course, and we got to have lunch together with them and Grandma. After lunch we went to Linens n Things to return some cutting boards I bought but we don't need--we have been generously supplied with beautiful wood cutting boards--no need for the cheap white ones I bought just in case. Then we stopped by my favorite used books/cds/media store, McKay's. Matt found 2 super nintendo games he loved as a kid. Basically we "made" his childhood and spent less than $5. :) It was so cute! :)

Then it was off to see Kylan, one of our bell ringers. He was so sweet and excited to see us. It was precious. It was really special to me to see him and his family again. After being in their home almost daily for the past 2 summers, my roots are deep with them. It was a great visit, and we even got to see Emma walking! We stayed about 20 minutes or so, then it was home again. Actually, we dropped Matt off at Best Buy to hook up with Dad and Brad who were looking at tvs and stereos. :) Guilford men. %-) (rolling eyes) My brother Matt stopped by before heading out on a business trip. It was GREAT to see him. He might come down for a visit soon, so that's exciting. :) And Ariana is *almost* done with grad school--yea for her! :) Saturday evening Brad & Joy, Charis, and Grandma came over for dinner--my dad's yummy tacos. Then Matt and I went to my friend Jessica's wedding. She married a Matt too! I really think there was something in the water in the late 70s-early 80s. It's crazy! On Sunday we saw Sarah McKinney and her new fiance Matt too! Whew! But Jess and Matt's wedding was beautiful, and it was SOO much fun to attend it from the "married" side of things. I was SO giddy for her all weekend. I'd stop out of no where and say to (my) Matt, "Jessica's at her rehearsal right now!!" Or, "I wonder if she's in her dress yet??" I was so excited for them. I had high expectations of marriage to begin with, and it has completely blown my expectations out of the water--it's amazingly better, and continues to be increasingly so, than I ever imagined. When we got to talk to Jessica and Matt at the reception, it was so fun to tell them that and *encourage* them to have fun, ENJOY, and that it's more of a blessing than they could ever imagine. It was sweet to see their excitement. :) Also with Sarah and her Matt when we said that same thing. She absolutely has the newly engaged glow; it was very cute. :)

Then it was back to my parents' house for the evening. We watched the Gilmore Girls episode they saved on Tivo for us that we missed on our honeymoon. "Sores and Boils." hehe Sunday morning we got to church early and got talk to Alan and the kids. He told Matt he has superhero status for bringing me back for a visit. :) I agreed and told Alan he has some superhero status of his own for all the times he kept me from losing it during the ceremony. :) Unfortunately, we didn't find Stephanie on Sunday morning, but hopefully over Christmas. We definitely appreciate her sweet comment on the last post. :) We also saw Kris in the nursery, the Holstads, some of my parents' friends, Matt's old Bible study leader, Paige, Laura, and Sarah (no Ruthie or Jessica--a different one ), and Bekah! And of course, all the people in the Kairos class, including bridesmaid Rachel--SOO fun to see her again, just not enough time to talk!--and many others who sweetly and excitedly welcomed us back for a visit. In Kairos, Rachel made a sweet announcement about the Kubos visiting, but not being first time visitors, and Arnie said, "Well, it's the first time Mrs. Kubo has been here," because I was Miss Guilford last time I was there. It made me smile. :)

Then it was home for lunch and milkshakes Matt made for everyone. I got Charis to sleep--yea. :) We finished packing up and got on the road. About 30 minutes down the road, I jokingly asked Matt if he had his ring...

We turned around and arrived at my parents' house (again) 30 minutes later to retrieve his ring--he took it off to make the milkshakes. On the road again, some construction north of Atlanta and some slow truck s= arriving home at 1:45 or so. We were TIRED. But Matt worked out flex time so he could sleep in this morning and get to work around noon or so. :) Hooray!

It was such a blessing to visit my other "home," and fun to get back to our home here too. Although I did miss getting to pet a sweet dog as soon as I walked in the door. I miss Ellie! It was so comfy to be "home" at my parents, but it was calming also to arrive "home" in Florida. Who would have known I'd be blessed with mulitple places to feel God's peace and love with family and friends? It's like the saying, "I'm not losing a daughter, I'm gaining a son." Well, I didn't lose my home as I was so anxious about, I gained even another one where I am showered with God's grace, love, and mercy.

I now know that I do have at least two homes, and three when you count the other Kubos' (not us, Matt's parents ;)), and then when you add in the sweet families I babysat for who have welcomed me and made me feel at home...Wow! God has blessed us with amazing people who love Him and us and are truly our family as well. I am so thankful for that after this visit and as Thanksgiving approaches. I am also thankful for my husband who loves me and cares for me so well. Thank you again, honey, for a wonderful weekend trip. :)