The Year in Review

2012 wasn't all that eventful, but I did have a pretty good year!  I thought I would highlight some of the great stuff with pics! WARNING: PIC OVERLOAD

Started out the year celebrating in Greenville with Case and Caro!  Lots of fun!

Heather brought Colton Samuel into the world!  He has grown so much!

Snuggled a lot with Em and Carrie's new puppies this year!!

Case got accepted into Emory and Kennesaw!  (She decided on KSU!)

Spent time snuggling with Hankford, too!

Had an AWESOME experience with my first student teacher!  I was blessed to find a sweet friend in the process!

Had QUITE the adventure with Caro dog/cat/house-sitting!!

Welcomed Spring!

Spent Spring Break with Hanky Pank in Pickens, SC

Ventured to Atlanta with Case during the latter part of my Spring Break - lots of fun!

Easter '12 with Meg

Spent just a few days in my classroom.  This is my view most days.

Happy Birthday, Linds!

Prom 2012 with sweet students!

Helped Amber address her wedding invitations!

Spent time with God.

Celebrated Memorial Day and a birthday cookout in Raleigh

Leah and I have spent quite a few bdays together being only 12 days apart!

Celebrated a GORGEOUS wedding!  Congrats Amber and William!

Summer fun in Raleigh with the Gay's!

Another wedding celebration!  Congrats Lexie and Stephen!

Girl's weekend in Greenville!

Hanging by the pool with Hank

Pregnant giraffe in Greenville!  

Helped Case move!

I helped Case carry some stuff back to Motown in Mom's car.  Oh - Mom's car doesn't have AC.  This is the "wind-blown" look!

Went back to school and was able to hang the BEAUTIFUL quilt my kiddies made!  Each square was created by them and represents their name.

Happy birthday, Granny!  79 years young :)

Happily snuggling and dogsitting my puppy nephews! 

Ollie and Fritz

Read LOTS of good books this year, but this was probably my favorite!

Spent Labor Day weekend with Case in Atlanta!

Chick-fil-a kick off game!  Go Clemson!

Good eats with Caro!

Good times with Kelly :)

Graded a few papers...

Spent some awesome family time with my cousins and sis!

Happy birthday, Stevie!!  

Durham visit with Amber (and Caro - not pictured)!

GO COUGARS!!  I'm converting Lexie!

Homecoming at RCHS - some of my sweet students back from college!!

NC State Fair!  Great times with great friends!!

Happy birthday Caro (and Em & Carrie)!

Picking out pumpkins!

Carved masterpieces :)

FOUND OUT THAT I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT!

Awesome lights in Caswell Co.

Barrier/Roland Christmas House 2012 

The "S" is for Stevie!  She did the pattern herself!  

Mom's side of the family on Christmas

Oh Christmas Tree!

Pat's Christmas Break Tradition 

New Years in Atlanta!

What a great year!  These were all from my phone, but there were so many more I could have put on if I had gone through all my files!!  I hope 2013 is just as much fun :)

New Year's 2013

One of my resolutions (per usual) is to blog/journal more.  If not for my 3 readers, for myself and memory's sake.  I do love writing and putting up sweet memories throughout the year.  This blog is very therapeutic and I need to continue to remember that and actually WRITE!!

New Year's was a lot of fun this year.  I went to Atlanta to spend the long weekend with Casey and Clay (and the ever-irresistible Hanky).  We (I drove Case down from being at home in Motown) got there on Sunday night and Case had wanted to take me to her new favorite Mexican restaurant.  We all know that I'm not one to pass up Mexican!!  It was delicious, and I've had cravings for it all week!

How cute is this snowman on the window?!

YUMMY ACP!

The next day we had tickets to the Chick-fil-a Bowl Game where Clemson was playing LSU.  The battle of the tigers!  It was an INTENSE game, but so much fun!! Clemson ended up winning in the last little bit of the game.  I told Case if this game was anything like how her labor would be (with painful hand squeezing), I feel sorry for Clay!  We were so excited!!

The Tiger Battle

They threw little Chick-fil-a cows before the game started in parachutes!

The Johnson's

Case and Me (with the GA Dome in the background)

After the game, we rushed downtown to see the fireworks.  We made it JUST in time to see the last of the big show.  They were quite a sight!  

It was a great New Years!  The next day we were still celebrating.  Even Hank wanted to get in on the celebration!!

Isn't he so cute?!

Hope everyone had a lovely New Year's and that 2013 brings many blessings!

Lift Us Up

"Blessed are You, Lord, for bearing us up, for carrying us when we are weak, for supporting us when our strength fails, for emboldening us when we feel afraid.  You care, dear Lord, sustains us like nothing else in the entire world." Psalm 68:19

This past week has been pretty rough.  I don't like to write out the personal stuff on here.  I get ill when I see super personal Facebook statuses discussing all the details of people's problems.  As my students so often say, "Ain't nobody got time for that." However, when we have down weeks, it's nice to know that there are still people that care and that God is still watching out for all of us.

We all go through this.  Weeks that we're down and out.  Weeks that we feel so amazingly alone.  Weeks that seem to stretch on forever and ever and ever.  These are the trials that life gives us.  However, reading this scripture gives me hope and faith that God is always carrying me.  When I feel such doubt in myself, He supports me.  When I don't want to go on and am afraid, He gives me strength.

Yesterday, I went up to Boone to spend the day with my mom.  She took me up to Howard's Knob to see the view of Boone.  I've lived cocooned in the mountains my entire life, but the view up there was simply breathtaking.  I made the comment to my mom that I couldn't believe that there are people that don't believe in God.  His beauty is everywhere. 

He gives me strength.  He gives me faith.  he carries me when I am weak.  Somehow, just somehow, that will get me through this crazy life.