Lots of stuff going on around here...

We have been super busy around the Hill house. I only have three more days left of class, and I'm completely finished!! I go tomorrow and then Monday and Tuesday of next week. Class doesn't officially end until next Friday, but I am leaving Wednesday for a Senior Project conference in New Orleans with my fun teacher friends. I'm excited, but that also means that I have to turn in all of my projects before I leave, which is kinda stressing me out right now. The weekend is devoted to school work. Yuck!!

We've also had a little secret surprise that I'm sure most people have heard already. We're going to be having a baby in January! Obviously, we're really excited. I'm three months along...I know, we kept the secret for a long time. We just wanted to be sure that things were ok before we started spreading the word. We did tell our parents and siblings soon after we found out and told our grandparents a few weeks ago. We went back to the doctor today and heard the heartbeat again, which is so neat. I've been really lucky and haven't been really sick...just really tired, but even that is starting to wear off. Please continue to pray for us as we journey through this new phase.

Beebs' Wedding

Congratulations to Megan and Paul! They were married this past weekend in Biloxi, and Lee and I went down Saturday for the wedding. Megan was such a beautiful bride, and it was great to see a bunch of our friends. There was a huge showing of the Jammas there...maybe the largest crowd in years. We're looking forward to the beach trip that Libby is planning for next summer...I'm waiting for my contract!

Pontotoc Passion is back!!

The name is sort of a long story, but it's funny. When Lee and I were dating, he came to the Coast to stay with my family. My parents' best friends also came to stay. One day, we all split up - guys and girls. The girls went to see a movie and the guys went bowling. Apparently, Lee started talking trash about what a good bowler he was and how bowling was a "passion" in Pontotoc. And then he bowled the worst game of his life!! So everyone in my family...and my parents' friends who were there...still call Lee Pontotoc Passion every time the word bowling is mentioned!













Well, the alter ego came out last night at Fannin Lanes. Alyssa and Sam went with us to celebrate Lee's birthday. We had so much fun! Lee and Sam are really serious about bowling and would toss the ball down the lane while Alyssa and I were just trying to keep it out of the gutter most of the time! We laughed and cheered each other on...and made lots of fun of each other. I mean, who can look cool bowling?

Happy Birthday to You!!

Happy Birthday today to my sweet, wonderful husband!! Lee turns 27 today. I have been asking Lee for weeks what he wanted to do for his birthday thinking that he would choose somewhere really fun to go eat. Instead, he just wanted to invite Alyssa and Sam over, have me make homemade pizza, and go bowling afterward. I mean, how much easier does it get? So that's exactly what we're going to do.

Lee really is the greatest husband I could have ever asked for. I tell him all the time I had no idea how lucky I got when we got married...even though we'd known each other for six years!! I find new reasons every day to love him, but here are 10 just for fun.

1. He's so cute. I mean, does it get any cuter than this?

2. He's so fun. He loves to have a good time and is always making me laugh.

3. He makes my breakfast and irons my clothes for school. I know, I know. I'm lucky.

4. He's smart. I make fun of him all the time for his random bits of knowledge, but it's nice to have an expert on many things around...

5. He budgets our money. I HATE dealing with money, and he does it every month. Thank goodness I don't have to...we'd be in big trouble!!

6. He's driven. No matter what he decides to do, whether it be go back to school or work out every day (even if it's only for two weeks!), he makes a plan and sticks to it.

7. He's encouraging. No matter what I decide to do, he stands behind me 100% and cheers me on the whole way.

8. He's a good cook. He's much better in the kitchen than I am...I'm usually asking him for advice. And I love it when he tries new recipes.

9. He's a constant example of Christ's love. Patient, forgiving, and constant. It really is amazing!

10. He's my friend. We truly have the greatest time together. Given the opportunity to spend time with anyone I wanted, I would always choose him. He's just that great!

A Fun Coast Visit

Lee, Alyssa, Sam and I went to the Coast for a quick visit with MoMo and PaPa this weekend. We left Friday afternoon and came back Saturday night. We had such a good time. MoMo cooked for all of us Friday night, and we watched a movie. On Saturday, we went to a flea market and the thrift store. Then we got some crawfish...my very favorite. Lee even picked up some Barq's root beer in a bottle. It just doesn't get any better! We took the crawfish back to their house and had a good time talking and peeling! Look how dirty our hands are! They're so nasty but so good. What a great way to bring in the summer!

I'm so glad it's finally summer. The break seems to come at just the right time. I do start back to grad school on Monday, but only for four weeks. Then I'm finished!!! I can't believe that it's already been a year. I'm really excited that we get the whole month of July off to just hang out and do whatever we want. It will be a nice, REAL break! But I'm going to miss my wonderful MC friends so much. I have really formed some great friendships, which has certainly made it easier to endure this year. Unlike my sweet husband, I do not enjoy school or being a student in the classroom. To me, it's just a means to an end. Weird, I know, since I'm a teacher, but I am so ready to just be a teacher. This will be it for me for a while. I'll let Lee take his turn...gladly!!

YAAAYYYYYY for summer!!

She Made It!!!

Lia made Standleader! Lee and I went to Texas this weekend for Klein High School's Variety Show. Lia danced in the show, so we really wanted to go see her do that. But more than that, they were announcing who made Standleader at the end of the show. We decided months ago that we wanted to go, and Lia gave us the ok after she made it through the first round of cuts. I guess you need some background info! Standleader is the most prestigious honor you can receive at her school. It is a group of 42 students who basically serve as ambassadors for the school. They coordinate freshman orientation and things like that along with cheering on every single athletic team at Klein. It's really funny. Their uniform is blue and gold striped socks, a gold shirt, and denim shorts. Cute, right? And Lia got a huge bucket of blue and gold tacky bows and jewelry from her friend who was a Standleader last year that she "gets" to wear. Hundreds of kids tried out for this. The first round of cuts was teacher recommendations. After she made it through that, she had to go to an interview where she had to create a t-shirt that described her. That was right after Easter, so we've been waiting all this time to find out if she got it. As each former Standleader called out a name of a new Standleader, I got more and more concerned that Lia wasn't going to get it. We all were about to throw up out of nervousness for her. Poor Lee was saying prayers nonstop. "Lord, please let this be her." "Lord, please prepare our hearts for this disappointment." We weren't sure what to pray. And her sweet friend Kim, who's in the picture with her, saved her until last to announce. We were so relieved and excited!!!

People who haven't known our family very long probably can't fully appreciate how much this means to all of us. When my family moved to Texas three years ago, Lia was in the ninth grade. And she was miserable. She did not know a single person. She would make my mom drive around the school until the bell rang so she wouldn't have to walk around by herself, and she didn't eat lunch for the longest time because she couldn't figure out how to pay for it. At different times, we were all ready to move back to the Coast so she could go back to her old school. But Lia knew that God had put her in Houston for a reason, and she clung to that belief. So to see her make Standleader is not only a testament to God's faithfulness, it's also a testament to Lia's faithfulness in Him. We couldn't be prouder or more excited if we'd made it ourselves!

I'm Back!

I know, I know. It's been a really long time. Things have been so busy I've barely had time to breathe. But I turned in my portfolio tonite, so the load is significantly lighter. Now all I have to do is make it through these last few days with these crazy seniors!! I've had tons to blog about...just not enough time.

Lee and I are going to Houston this weekend to hang out with my family. We're leaving tomorrow afternoon and coming back Sunday. Quick trip.

I'll update more later. Just wanted everyone to know that I'm alive and back!

While you're waiting, you can click here to watch Lia dance. (Remember that I know that I'm obsessed!) Her dance teacher from the Coast invited her to come back and dance in her recital this past weekend. Since I didn't get to go, my mom recorded it like a crazy person so I could see it. Thanks, Mom!

What a fun time...

My college roommate Leanne is having a baby! Leanne and I lived next door to each other as freshman and became quick friends. Then we both dated Lee H.'s, who were also friends, and we did so much together throughout college. So it was very natural for Leanne and I to live together in an apartment our senior year of college...the first year we were able to live off campus. We had such a great time and learned sooo much! She's such a great friend, and, lucky for me, she and Lee were always going through the same things Lee and I were, but they were always first. So she always had tons of wisdom to pass down. They got married just a month before Lee and I and now, three years later, are having a little boy! Alicia Mattern and I decided it would be fun to have a little party for Leanne and Lee and invite some of our friends from college. We had the best time. It's just so good to be back with people who really know you and who you're so comfortable with. We laughed and had lots of fun. They got some great stuff for little Samuel. We're so excited! They're going to be fabulous parents, and I'm glad to again have someone to tell me what to expect!

leanne and lee's shower