Finding Nemo

Things in baby world are going pretty good! I haven't felt very good for the last few days though. I think that I'm attributing that to my diet. For the past 2 weeks I have not been eating very well. One week was camp, and I did everything I could to eat the healthiest items available, but this camp didn't do that good of a job at providing nutritious options unfortunately. Then the week before that was all drive through. And again, I would try to stick to the grilled chicken options, but you can only eat so much of that! (sigh) So, since I'm now at home for awhile, I've been able to eat some fresh veggies and fruit and I am feeling much better! I know that the baby is fine, considering he gets the nutrients first, but I obviously wasn't getting enough for my body! Those prenatal vitamins are lifesavers!

Today was such a fun day! Since the aquarium disaster for Amy's birthday happened (meaning, we drove all the way there and it was closed), we decided to get up this morning and get there when it opened so we would have plenty of time to see all the animals! I haven't been to an aquarium in a really long time and I love stuff like that anyways, so I was super excited! Now I will have to admit that place is pretty pricey but my mom blessed us today by paying for our ticket! Thank you Mom!! So we got to see lots of really fun exhibits but our definite favorite was the cute and cuddly manatee!

He's hard to see, but can you find Nemo?

Isn't he just so precious?!

I just had to include this one! This little girl LOVED the manatee so much!

Here we are by the fish!



This tunnel was so beautiful!



And here we are at the end of the day!

Happy Birthday Sista!

Happy Birthday Amy Janae!
Whoo hoo! You're 19!
I love you!

18 weeks!

Today our little bundle is 18 weeks along! I'm so incredibly excited because in less than 2 weeks I go back for another check up and will get to hear the heartbeat again! And I'm hoping Wes will get to go too! And then of course on August 16 is the big sonogram day! So by now the baby is about 6 inches long and I can definitely tell! I don't know if I've felt the baby move yet. I'm sure all of you expert mommies could tell me when you first felt your baby move. I mean, I've felt things that other people have described before but I still don't know. I'll just hold off in saying that I have until I feel more sure. :)

Now for the picture. Let me try and save some dignity by prefacing this with a plead for you to keep in mind these things: this picture was just taken a few minutes ago after I read some myspace comments telling me to focus and get a picture up, this picture was taken just a few minutes ago after I just woke up, hence the pajamas, bad hair, no makeup, puffy eye thing, and finally this picture was taken just a few minutes ago by my incredibly sweet husband who was rushing out the door to go help his sister move to a new apartment this morning. (sigh) Why do I even bother? haha...you don't care! You just want to see the baby bump! Well, here it is...he's (or she) is just a small little guy, but definitely big enough to push me out of my favorite jeans!

I'm back from camp!!!

Hello out there! Well, I have successfully completed another long week! We were at Student Council Workshop in Sherman at Austin College. Other than it just being after a long, tiring week, and eating sub par food all week, and just the regular camp stuff, it was really fun! We got to meet some really great sponsors from other schools that we laughed with all the time! We shared our "foot in mouth" teacher stories and all the things we should write in a book. And the kids seemed to really love their small groups. There were a lot of students that we took that I didn't know at all but I got to spend a lot of time with them so that of course was the best part! Our t-shirts rocked (thank you Coby!) and overall it was a great week! SO GLAD I'M HOME, but it was a great week! (smile)

The beating is over.

Today I finished my final drive to and from Ft. Worth. And, as promised, I did my very best to use that time to do a lot of laughing thanks to Kidd Kraddick, and a lot of singing and praising to Jesus! However, I will say that on more than one occasion I would feel anger sweeping over me for someone who was driving wrecklessly or that was going way too fast or way too slow...I do confess that. And you learn a lot about your own character driving alone during peak traffic hours...the good and the bad. But, the week is done and I can honestly say that the workshop was worth it. I feel so much more prepared for next year which will of course bleed over to bless my sweet kids in having a much better teacher!

Today also makes this sweet baby 17 weeks along! I still haven't felt the baby move yet (I don't think) but my tummy is definitely expanding as I have already mentioned.

Wes is coming home today and I couldn't be more excited! I did get envious of our friends Jennifer and Coby though because I read that they also get to go on a vacation this summer! (sigh) I would love that...Wes and I would LOVE that! Everyone keeps saying to do something before the baby comes, but nothing has fit or worked out in our favor yet. And if nothing does, I will just be happy to have him home for awhile! (which of course won't be for another week...)

Well, I'm off to learn about Reality Therapy! My group is presenting that next week in class. I am so grateful that I am able to go to these graduate classes. I feel very blessed and very favored to have the opportunity and for my husband to take on extra work to pay for them. (smile) Thank you Wes!

Happy Anniversary! I love you Wes!

Three years today! I can't believe it!
July 17, 2004

Amanda Martin- Wylie ISD- Cancelled

So...I show up to the conference yesterday morning, bright and early at 7:45 to try and figure out what I was supposed to do! I call the main office, they were like "hmm....maybe you should come over here." I miraculously maneuver my way to their building, and present myself. The very sweet people in there were like, "for some reason we have you down as cancelled." WHAT?! I was trying not to panic, because that would be ridiculous, but I HAD to be in this conference! So, after a few moments of waiting, a conversation with College Board, a few more moments of paperwork being filed...THEY LET ME IN! WHOO HOO!!!! So, I didn't allow myself to feel humiliated since it wasn't my fault...and because they let me in. (smile) A huge sigh of relief! I walked my ever growing self over a couple of blocks and made it to class right on time! Of course, I had no materials, no nametag, and no record of being on the attendance sheet. However, someone didn't show up, so I've been walking around all day yesterday and today wearing a nametag that says Brittney Duvall. I hope she's ok, but I am very thankful to have a spot!

Everything's going well in the land of pregnancy. I finally bought some pregnancy capris. They are definitely too loose but the squishing into my jeans just wasn't going to cut it for sitting in a conference all day long. So, now I have two options! My pregnancy capris or my oversized shorts. :) I'm going over to my friend Jennifer's tonight to pick up her stash of pregnancy clothes for the fall and winter. I'm so thankful!! I love having the greatest friends ever!

Tomorrow might possibly be humiliating.

Well tomorrow I am starting the "week of a beating." The week of a beating is the week that I have to drive from my house in Wylie all the way to TCU in Ft. Worth. For those of you who can't actually visualize that, our friends at mapquest say it is 60.68 miles and should take 1 hour and 14 minutes to get there. OH MY GOSH!! Are you serious? The week of a beating is from Monday thru Friday. I have to be there at 8:30 and it doesn't end until 4:30. Now, I promise to try to be positive. I'll hopefully use the time to sing my little heart out in the car or catch up with some prayer time...however, I will continue to call this the week of a beating. :)

Now, why might tomorrow possibly be humiliating? Let me tell you. The reason for the week of a beating is that I will be attending an AP Psychology conference. I am really happy to be at the conference considering I am the only AP Psych teacher at school and sometimes I feel like I am not smart enough to teach that class. So, this conference will be excellent to boost my confidence. HOWEVER... I put down the deposit for this conference like in May, but the conference has not been fully paid for since Wylie ISD doesn't get new money until July 1. The business operator at our school has been on vacation after that, and won't be at work until tomorrow. So, the conference still has not been completely paid for. I also have not received any schedule of anything from the conference. The leads to me thinking I might show up to TCU, I will not be registered, the course is full so I can't go in, and I will have to leave in shame, and out my $150 non-refundable deposit. I will let you know...

On to more happier news, Wes has been home all weekend so I have loved that! We went and saw Transformers and I loved it! haha...seriously! I thought it was great! And I made it to church on time today! What a great day :)

Summer luvin'

wow. It has been awhile since I've been here! Several things have happened, and I'll start with the most recent:

Today: I went to the doctor's office and on the way there I downed a whole small thing of gatorade so I would for sure have to pee! I can't always pee on command, even being pregnant, so I wanted some sort of guarantee! It worked :) Anyway, my appointment was short and sweet. My uterus is growing right on schedule, my baby's heartbeat is wonderful (and I LOVE hearing that by the way) and I was outta there! But, before I left, I scheduled my next appointment, and more importantly, my next sonogram! WHOO HOO!! I can't wait! Hopefully, if this little baby cooperates, I will be able to tell boy or girl on August 16! That just makes me so excited, I cannot even tell you! I totally respect the surprise thing, but I HAVE TO KNOW! haha... anyways, I am very ready for that day!

Yesterday: I had a Student Council pre-camp meeting with the kids. We go to StuCo workshop in two weeks and we needed to discuss some last minute things. The kids came up with their camp shirt. It will be a black t-shirt with light blue font that says on the front: WHS StuCO and on the back: Jump on it! They chose that so they could have "jump on it" as their theme song. hahaha... oh the joys of high school. Those kids crack me up!

Then I went to study for a counseling theories test which is on Saturday (yikes!) at Julie's house. ...so much to study...so little time...

and then I went to Dallas to see Meredith and we went to see Evening. I loved that movie! But, I pretty much like all movies~

Last week Wes was home all week (YAY!!!). I love that week! It comes once a summer usually and I get so spoiled by seeing him everyday! It's even better because I don't have to work in the summer so it's whatever we want to time all the time! LOVE IT! Last weekend we went to Abilene for Hannah's wedding and had SO much fun! Here are some pics from the weekend:

Wes' mom, Carol, got two new kittens! They were so cute!! The striped one is Tater Tots and the solid grey one is Buddy! P R E C I O U S!!





The girls showing that I am indeed pregnant



Mere, Rach, and me...we couldn't get the dang sparklers to light after the wedding so we did this instead :)



Rachel and I in the church before the wedding



Me and Meredith after the wedding

Off to Abilene....I love that town!

Today Wes and I are traveling to Abilene for Meredith's sister, Hannah's, wedding. We all went to school at Hardin-Simmons University there and loved every single minute of it! I love Abilene because so much happened there. We all learned to make new friends, pay bills, live off of like $5.00 a day, find our faith on our own, and that friends can be your family too. We LOVED it! So, I always like going back there because my lovely amazing beautiful friend Rachel lives there and because when we all go back, we get to pretend we're in college again, for just a little while.

Happy wedding day Hannah!

I don't have many HSU pics on the computer since it has been awhile... haha..

A blast from the past...

Me and Rachel



Friends from HSU: Christa, Rach, me, Dana, Missie, and Mere

What a happy 4th of July that was :)

Well, a bunch of friends got together for a cookout at my parents house (THANK YOU MOM AND DAD!!) and then went to see some fireworks. I will say that we had to park illegally, some people were rude to us, we tried to leave early, got caught in the traffic in front of Kohls for what seemed like actualy eternity, had to cut like 8 cars off to get out of there because we were caught between two lanes and we were in our own, finally made it out to the "country" to pop our own fireworks, were ready to go home and the boys made a "grand finale" that was a total dud (sorry guys...), Wes left his cell phone in Liz's car so she had to come back and give it to us, I got a terrible headache, and then we went home. ALL of that to say though...IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!! Really! We had a great time!! Here are some pics of Scott, Jace, Wes, Steve, Joe, Jourdan, Amanda, Linde, Liz, and me: