Moving Right Along...

"Home is wherever I'm with you." - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros


Davis recently took a new pharma job, which puts us in a new locale...  Tupelo, Mississippi!

This is fantastic news for the following reasons:
1.  Tupelo is not only Elvis' birthplace, but it is home to my fantastic in-laws!
2.  Tupelo is a mere 3 hours from my lovely family!
3.  Tupelo is located 1 hour from Memphis, 3 hours from Nashville,  and 3 hours from Little Rock....translation, we are much closer to our friends!
4.  And the fourth and final reason, it's Elvis' birthplace, and it never hurts to live in the same town where Elvis was born.

While I am ecstatic about beginning the next chapter, it is bittersweet.  I love, love, LOVE where I work and who I work with.  Magnolia has been a wonderful place to start my career in education.  Not to be overly sentimental, but I'll always hold the teachers, staff, and kids I have worked with close to my heart.  


When I moved to Meridian, I did not know one single person (other than Davis of course).  Now, I can't imagine not knowing many I have met here.  Blair, Anna, Katie, Kim, and Michelle have made Meridian a much, much happier place for me.  While I know I'm only 2 and a half hours away, I'll greatly miss seeing them on the regular (except for Blair of course since I will probably get to see her more!).  

Katie, Anna (with Maddox), Me, Kim, and Michelle

If you had told me two and half years ago that I would be sad to leave Meridian, I wouldn't have believed you for a second.  However, Meridian has been an incredible chapter in our lives and one we'll never forget.  


I'm going to enjoy these next few months with my kids and coworkers at the Mag and my girlfriends because Christmas will be here before you know it.  When that time comes, we'll be moving right along to our next adventure.     

One Year Later...

"A wedding is a party, not a performance.  If at the end of the day you are married to the one that you love, then everything went perfectly." - Anonymous


And perfectly ours went.


Last weekend, Davis and I celebrated our first anniversary.  Naturally, we spent it hanging deer stands and hunting, but that's a whole 'nother blog post.  Can you believe it's been a year?  It seriously seems like yesterday.  It's funny because people tell you to take it all in, enjoy every moment, and so on and so forth, and I tried - I really did.  But still, it was over in a blink of an eye. Time flies when you're having fun, right?  Thank goodness for modern technology and videographers.

my favorite photograph...  taken after I tried to kiss Davis
before the preacher told Davis to "kiss the bride"

Never again will all of our favorite people (minus Jeffrey, Davis's little brother) all be in the same place (or under the same tent) at the same time ever again.  It was so special and so lovely that I smile when I remember.  So, happy anniversary to my wonderful husband, and thank you to all our loved ones who made our day, a year ago, so very magical.

Taking Time for Me

For the majority of my adult life, I didn't work out.  At all.  Have you ever heard that saying, "If you see me running, call the police because there is someone chasing me?"  That was me in a nutshell.  


Then, I moved to Meridian, Mississippi, and I had a ton of time on my hands.  No job, no real passions to fill my time.  Davis and I joined a gym to work on our fitness (shout out, Fergie).  I started attending spinning classes and then discovered YOGA.  I say it in all caps because it could be one of my favorite activities ever.  Not long after, I started running and really came to understand what all the fuss was about.  My body has never transformed into Giselle's, and while that would be great, that's not what is important.

Her Downward Dog is undoubtedly
better than mine.

It's about the escape and the knowledge that I am doing something for me, and for me alone.  In all honesty, I think it's one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves.  Exercise will ward off all those pesky ailments later in life like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.  While obviously those things are super important, I relish in what it does for me mentally.  When I spend hours of my week in the yoga studio (shout out Maitri Wellness) or hitting the pavement, I'm a better person to be around.  Just ask Davis.  I'm more confident and my mind is at peace.  I feel good about myself.  


Last April, I ran in a half-marathon with my friend Kim Kennedy.  I loved having goals associated with training, and finishing the race gave me a great sense of accomplishment.

Kim Kennedy, Michelle Pennington, & Me

I won't lie, I fall off the wagon frequently.  I get too busy (or too lazy), and one week turns into a month that I haven't devoted any time to my physical wellbeing.  Then, all of a sudden, I get the urge and am back on the wagon.  But, hey, that's part of being human.

So, now, I'm going to get out with my iPod and my Levi and enjoy this beautiful day - and do something just for me.

Levi's Best Weekend EVER

"All you need is love."  - John Lennon

"I love her, Mom!" - Levi

Davis and I have had a great Labor Day weekend.  Our friends Mary Margaret and Zach stayed the weekend with us, but I must say, no one has had a better weekend than Levi.  Mary Margaret brought Ryder (her female black Lab) to stay, too, and Levi has officially found his first love.


As with most first relationships, the love is not spread evenly.  While Levi looooooooooves Ryder, we think Ryder just liked him okay.  :)  They spent the weekend playing in the mud and sharing Duckey.  Levi was very subservient to Ryder, and she called all the shots, which, of course, I got a big kick out of.


So, here's to first loves!  While I'm not sure the Black Lab Love will last, he's had a fantastic weekend.  It was so much fun for me to see him have such a blast!


Happy Labor Day, y'all!

Watch Where You Throw the Duck

"The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself also." - Samuel Butler

Happy Levi!

I have to say LuLu (the Maltese) must've been a Labrador in a past life.  That dog can retrieve.  Seriously.  I know Davis and I throw her stuffed toys at least 30 minutes out of every day.  So, needless to say when our Labrador Retriever (you remember Levi, right?) was not inclined to fetching, we found it a teeny bit ironic.  (If our life were a movie, that Alanis Morissette song from the 90's would be playing.)


Well, low and behold, when we picked Levi up from charm school, we learned that's his new favorite thing to do!!  

Meet Ducky!  He was a gift from Grandma D-D :)

So, obviously we are proud of Levi for living up to his "name."  Anyway, so, this afternoon, I decided to throw Ducky in the backyard for Levi.  Everything was going splendidly.  He was excited and loving life.  Fast forward about 8 throws.  So, I hurl Ducky to the very back of the yard.  Happily, Levi gallops like a horse to the back to retrieve and bounds back to me, Ducky in mouth.  For a few seconds, we play a little game of tug-of-war.  About the time I hold Ducky in my possession, I smell something foul.  I threw Ducky once more for Levi; then, I looked down at my hand.  Guess where Ducky landed?  Yep, in decently fresh Levi droppings.  Ewwwwwwwwwwwww.  I seriously almost threw up.

Levi's Doppelganger

The adventures with Levi never, ever seem to end.  Have I mentioned he has dug a tunnel from underneath the A/C unit to a few feet under our house?  That's our boy.

Sibling Rivalry

"Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole."  - Roger Caras

Chillin' with my UK Snuggie

Meet LuLu.  She is hands-down one of my most favorite blessings in this world.  The only thing is I'm afraid she knows it.  Perhaps it's the attention showered upon her daily or the songs Davis sings to her that has cued her in, but she is the princess of this house.  Seriously, she's spoiled.  She shares Davis' pillow with him.  He is not thrilled about this, but she gives him no choice.

The worst day of her life, I believe, was December 23, 2010; this was the day Levi entered our lives.  She was used to being an "only child," and I suppose she felt threatened by his obvious puppy cuteness.  Once he started growing (which was immediately), I believe her disdain arose from his tormenting her.  One of the greatest days (no doubt) was when he went to Doggy Charm School.  If you've been reading, you know he's back, and she is not happy.  At all.

LuLu has never fully grasped the concept of "pottying outside," which I find to be her only real flaw.  Usually, I credit her with only having accidents when she can no longer hold it.  However, lately, this has not been the case.  She has really taken being spoiled to the next level - the dreaded spoiled rotten level.  She now has "accidents" on purpose when she is angry.  Oh joy.

Davis and I discovered this phenomenon this past week.  Davis and I have committed ourselves to walking Levi once per day to practice his charm school commands and give him much needed exercise.  It is too hot here in sweltering Mississippi for him to stay outside in the backyard all day, so these walks are more important for him than ever.  Anyway, back to the story.  So, every time Davis or I walk Levi, LuLu wants to go, too.  Unfortunately, we can never take her because Levi is difficult enough to handle by himself.  The last thing he needs is Lu to distract him.  Last Wednesday, when Levi and I returned from our evening stroll, we found her anger had manifested itself into "accidents" in the floor.  In an effort to not paint a graphic picture or get too far into detail, just trust me that this was purposeful and no accident.  One knows the difference.  She got in trouble for the first time in a while (remember, she's nearly perfect).

Fast forward to the very next morning.  I got out of the house early for work and left Davis to deal with Levi and LuLu.  When Davis was giving Levi attention, what did our little princess do?  Got mad, of course, and she went on the bath mat!!  Needless to say, Davis was not happy.

"Sorry Mom."

Not to compare my dogs to children (because I hate when people do that), but I have kind of equated this to sibling rivalry.  I get the feeling it's not going away anytime soon, but it can't last forever...  can it?  

"Go away." - LuLu

First Day Jitters

"The future is always beginning now."  - Mark Strand, Reasons for Moving

Officially, the end of summer is marked on the calendar as September 22, but if you ask any student or teacher, the real last day of summer is the day before the new school year begins.  I vividly remember the days preceding my first day of school and the nervousness I felt right there in the pit of my belly.  What will my teachers be like?  Will my classes be hard?  Will I like my schedule?  Never in a million years did I believe I would one day become a teacher, nor would I have believed that teachers experience a nervousness of their own.  Now, I find myself asking, will my classroom be ready?  What will my students be like?  Will I make a difference?  Again, will I like my schedule?  

But beyond that feeling of nervousness lies an innate excitement that I also recall from my student years.  For me, “the new” is more exciting than it is nerve-racking.  I get a whole new crop of school babies and a whole new year to make my own.  What happened or didn’t happen last year is of no concern.  I can learn from the mistakes and triumphs of the last year to ensure this year is the best yet - for myself and for my students.  New beginnings are exciting when you’ve made your career in education (or any other field, really) because you get a fresh start and anything is possible.  Bring the new year on!  

One Down, Four to Go

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." 
- Mignon McLaughlin

Recently, someone told me one of the keys to a good marriage is to attend as many weddings as possible. Apparently, hearing others say their vows will remind you of the ones you took and weddings in general will remind you of your own and the happiness you felt that day.  Well, Davis and I ought to be just fine, since we have a wedding per month through November, beginning last weekend in July.  I do have to ask, does it count if your husband is checking fantasy baseball scores on his iPhone throughout the ceremony on the sly?  I'm fairly certain he missed out on the vows to see if Jose Reyes made a HR.  His ribs might also be slightly bruised.  :)  


The "July Wedding" belonged to Davis' good friend Lee's sister and took place in Oxford.  A great time was had by all.  It was fantastic to see Lee and his girlfriend, Beth, as well as Lee's parents Big R and Mrs. Angela.  Next up:  my cousin Kelly's wedding in Tennessee!  










  

I'm Baaaaaaaaack

"You may have a dog that won't sit up, roll over or even cook breakfast, not because [he's] too stupid to learn how but because [he's] too smart to bother." - Rick Horowitz

Meet Levi.  Now, I realize you're probably thinking, Why post that sad picture of that sweet baby?  But, you must realize taking pictures of Levi is quite difficult since he is hardly ever still, so the only "good" picture I could manage had to be taken when he was in his kennel.  I can assure you he's not a sad puppy in the slightest.  In fact, he is quite possibly the happiest and goofiest dog I've ever encountered.
So, anyway, I must start from the beginning.  Davis gave me Levi for Christmas, or maybe he gave Levi to himself for Christmas, as Levi already had a name (courtesy of Davis) when I "opened" him.  I didn't question Davis' intentions then, however, because he was the cutest little butterball I'd ever seen.  And I do mean butterball.  When I asked Davis why he picked Levi out of all the puppies, he said "because he was the bully and pushed all the other puppies away at dinnertime."  Was that really a good idea, seeing as we have a seven pound lap dog?  Anyway.   

I admit, I have never had a lab, so I did not know what to expect from my present.  That said, I've never seen so much energy in. my. life.  He never wanted to cuddle, nap, or anything up my alley at all.  When he was a little thing (which lasted all of 2 months), I could handle his high strung hijinks, but as he grew, he was harder, and harder, and even harder to manage.  I mean to tell you, that dog skull drug me all over our neighborhood, knocked me down in the street, and even scarred my leg while jumping on me.  Finally, enough was enough, and Davis and I took Levi to what I refer to as "doggie charm school," or obedience school (much to the delight of the seven pound lap dog, LuLu, whom was often the target of his torture.)


The Doggie Charm School was supposed to last six weeks, but wouldn't you know, Levi got an extension!  That's right, our special boy apparently needed "summer school."  So to say Davis and I were apprehensive about his progress was no understatement.  We never expected to pick up a model dog, mind you, but let's just say we were "expecting the worst, but hoping for the best."  


Levi's Big Day came yesterday, and we arrived bright and early to see how far he had come.  After two hours of instruction by his trainer (who I liken to the Miracle Worker), we were beyond pleased.  Seriously, at one point, I had tears in my eyes I was so proud of him!  Now, I'm not telling you he is a model dog or anything close to it.  We have a lot of work to do with our high strung (or ADHD, whatever) Levi, but we are lightyears from where we were back in May!  Today, we walked and even jogged a little, and I never felt for one second like he was about to throw us into traffic or break my arm.  Keep your fingers crossed for us!  I have a feeling Davis, LuLu, and I may have a few trying times to go through with Levi yet...  

The First One

"Why not go out on a limb?  Isn't that where the fruit is?"  - Frank Scully

Inspired by one of my best friends Whitney Collins, I have decided to give this blogging stuff a shot.  I can't promise riveting or exciting tales of travel nor am I an expert on anything, really.  However, if you like personal narratives centered around spirited dogs, affecting yet also inspiring students, and all else life throws out along the way, I may be your gal.

Thanks for reading!