It's a son!

November 16, 2011 was an exciting day for our family.  Kevin and I were making preparations for our Globe Get-Away.  My parents had driven from Idaho to stay with the kids.  I was at school making final preparations for my substitute the next day.  It was a normal school day.  Until the text came. 

It was from Aaron.  My heart stopped. 
We knew hoped this day was coming.  We prayed this day would come.  And there it was on my phone;

"Hi Julie, its Aaron. Could I by chance get Kevin's number?"

I freaked.  I stopped breathing.  And then I think I screamed quietly.  Luckily the kids were out to recess. I sent the number (hands shaking now) and started gushing about how happy I was for them and how excited we were.  Unluckily, the next text came asking for secrecy:

"Thanks, and don't tell Kelsey."  (more gushing from me about how excited we were).


So, if you got this message from your daughter's suitor, you would assume he was about to ask THE father  THE question.  Right?  I texted Kevin to let him know Aaron was about to call.  Then I waited.  And waited. And waited.  Finally, after 35 minutes I texted Kevin back. 

"Well. . . .. ..? What did Aaron say?"

"Oh he just wanted the name of that restaruant we went to when they were here."

Did you know that there are 285 shades of red visible to the naked eye?  I believe my face turned every one of them.
A painful few minutes passed and then Kevin texted me again:
"Just kidding.  He asked to marry Kelsey."
It's a good thing I was at work.  I might have really slugged him. 
Later that night we got a call from Kelsey saying that Aaron had officially asked her to marry him.  We switched to Skype so we could see the beautiful ring he had picked out. 

Aren't they the cutest couple?  Later I told Aaron about my near-death experience.  He thought it was hillarious since he knows I am usually the joker.  Kevin should know better though; not to play jokes on the joker.  April Fool's day is coming. . .

Time to Escape

Last year I had the opportunity to host a student teacher in my special education classroom for a semester.  It was a great experience for both of us; we both learned and grew in our teaching profession.  For me it was an opportunity to look deeper inside and bring out my love of teaching special needs students.  It came at a time for me that I felt a little burned out, a little discouraged that try as hard as we may, things don't always happen as we would like, but that at the end of the day, if I have touched someone's heart or helped someone learn a new task or if I have handled a situation without showing my frustration, then it has been a worthwhile day.  Having a student teacher really pulled me out of a rut and I am grateful for her.

I must have helped her in some way, because she felt terribly grateful for my mentoring.  After her graduation she generously gave me a gift certificate to a bed and breakfast in Globe, about 90 minutes from here.  After realizing that it had been nearly 4 years since Kevin and I had gotten away together, we happily made plans, left the kids with grandparents, and headed to the great land of Globe. 

Not much in Globe.  It's mostly a mining town, but we did enjoy a nice dinner at an Italian restaruant, a nice room at the Inn, a hearty, homemade breakfast, and a beautiful sunrise.  I particularly enjoyed Kevin's sunrise serenade.