Normality

Another week down. We are doing well. School is trucking along for Marques, and work is good for me. We had stake conference last week, and had fast sunday today in preparation for this coming weekends General Conference. Nothing new happened this week, except we bought a T.V. and XBOX/Kinect. There is mixed feelings in our home about them. I am one who could live without all of it forever.But to admit, I missed watching a video here and there, but didn't even notice we didn't have t.v. until I wanted to watch a game. Sports I did miss. Marques on the other hand has always enjoyed and used both the t.v. and video games. So least to say we are trying to find a happy medium of what to play and how much to play. It'll all work out, but now at least we can watch conference next week!! Just about the only other exciting thing that happened is we arrived home from church and a neighboring land lord came over to ask for our landlord's info. Long story short, we have had a big storm here the past few days and last night our neighbor's tree up-rooted and luckily fell away from the house. Taking out some of the other neighbor's tree and a few power lines. That land lord was met by the animal control with our neighbor's puppy who had escaped from fear of the storm and tree falling in his yard. Bear, is his name, got to come to visit our house while they got the tree off the lines, and later this week they are sending someone to chop the rest down to restore the yard space. The weather has been nice though. It has been in the low 80's and 70's. The humidity hasn't been bad, but the bugs are what gets you. For some reason, I attract misquito's daily no matter the time. And it looks like I'm abused. My skin reacts very different to them here. Sometimes I get welts, sometimes I get these little crater holes in my skin, and this week I got two huge purple bruises, between them all I'm pretty beat up from them..lol. They seem to leave Marques alone. He must not be sweet enough or something. But anywho, just a normal week around here. Oh and I almost forgot we fed the missionaries! It was really fun. Ok, I am off for another week. Enjoy this one, Talk to you soon!

A Mixed Week

Hello all, here we are again. This week really flew by. Our posts, however, may seem to get shorter and more boring. We are getting into life, and things are starting to flow as they normally would each day. For this week nothing really new happened. The end of the week ended more exciting, but the beginning was slow. Marques is doing well. This week he seemed do to better at staying on top of it. As he is reading and things, he is starting to look into how to narrow his studies in different area of careers. My work was about the same as well. Nothing to exciting, but as Thursday came we had a few exciting embarkments. Our new insurance had a bar b-que thing and they had a hypnotist. Which made us late for a very important date because as Marques said, "I haven't seen you laugh that hard in a really long time." Meaning me, I thought that the show was so funny!! Our very important date was his flag football game. Marques joined a team with the school here, the Bush Wackers. As you all know sports are huge here, lol. He did great. I really enjoyed watching him play, tackling other students, and catching for plays. It was a good end to the night, which was needed. As I left work, I got a phone call from a parent that ended in a threat against another student of mine and me. It was quite a thrill. I have had more things at work like that happen here then the whole time in Utah. And supposedly the people are so nice here, right! Saturday was a cleaning day. I hand and knee cleaned the floor with a washcloth, it was much needed. Oh and don't forget this buddy, Rio, got a bithy Bathy. Speaking of Rio, we wake up Saturday, let him out, and the next thing you notice he is gone! Marques looks and he has somehow escaped into the neighbors yard.. we thought it might have been under the fence, but I wasn't sure because the chain link bends our way and I thought that would hurt him to much to try it. So long story short we lift the fence and let them back over, then we watch a few minutes later and Rio like a perching deer hops the fence. What a little escape artist!! We now have to watch him as he paces the fence and will try to hop over if we don't yell out to him not to. Dusty is great, same old nasty kitty. He is still ripping up our carpet where I think the mice are coming in for the walls. But all in all we are good and ready for this week. Oh we must not forget how nice it was to get a huge package from Grandma Cummins. It was full of great goodies and things needed for all of us. That is a hint to the rest of you that we like packages full of goodies to arrive, lol. Anywho, We love you, talk to you soon.

Getting into Normality

Sorry this one is late!! This week doesn't have much to offer. Marques is doing well in school. He has presented a few times, and has finished a few books. I think hopefully books are done arriving at the house. We really do have a library now, lol. Glad I am not reading them all..
As for my work, it is getting better. It seems though as when the kids have a great day, I have a few a parents that want to complain about something. Oh only if I could have a good day all around, in a perfect world. But Friday we had a p.e. game day and the kids loved it. We got really good feedback, and it was great to see some of the kids really having fun!
Saturday, we spent at the gym. Marques taught me how to play Racquet Ball and then we went swimming! It was really fun. I forget how we used to do that kind of thing all the time. We went to dinner at a recommended restaurant by tons of people as one of the best Mexican places in town. And least to say we weren't impressed. It was good, but nothing I couldn't have made at home.
Rio and Dusty are good. Rio's sprained paw seems to be better. He has almost finished out his medicine for it. But as the animals helped us discover this week, we have large unknown critters under our deck, and living in our walls! Rio and Dusty won't leave the walls and carpet alone trying to get to them. The sound is horrific especially at night. It is kind of unnerving. Marques is getting in touch with our landlord to have them bring someone in. But besides Rio and Dusty trying to eat our deck and floor, they are just back to being regular old knuckle heads, chasing each other around. Have a good Week.

WHOOP!!!

This week was much better. We seemed to get in to the groove a bit more. It started with last Sunday, and it was good to have that spiritual boost. Monday came around and the week flowed pretty well. Nothing spactatular happened. Marques is trying to stay motivated in his work and reading. I had a few meetings on top of work, but the students are getting used to the new changes and are starting to see that they are not going to get what they want and adapting really well! I am so grateful to have such a good staff as well. They work well as a team and do whatever I ask of them! I owe them a lot! So making it to Friday, we went to what we call "First Friday", in downtown Bryan. That is the town next to ours. It is an old vintage style city and every first friday of the month, they put on a movie in the park, all the shops stay open, and live music, with venders are on the streets. It was really fun! And hey for dinner I had nothing less than Maroon and White nacho's!! GO AGGIES! After that we decided to go to Midnight Yell. This is where all the college students gather at Kyle Field, our football stadium, the night before home games at midnight to practice our theme songs for the games the next day. It was such a blast, but yet such a shock to see the stadium packed at midnight with fans ready to cheer on our team in good and bad!! Our Yell Leaders, equivalent of cheer leaders, but men dressed in aggie overalls and farm boots, lead the cheers. They incorporate stories for all the classes attending the school, and we all have actions for each thing they say. For example if they discuss our rival Texas University, we all hiss like snakes, but if they talk about us aggies, we WHOOP!! with a gun signal in the air. The whoop is Texas A and M's signature thing! One of the songs, they all linked arms and started swaying, we took a minute to get the hang of it, but in the end we got it and we had a good time! As for saturday, I must admit we slept in a bit due to our late night party, lol. Then we headed to a restaurant to watch the game. Our main drag here, Texas avenue was decked with flags and crowded with Maroon shirts. Yes even I was wearing one. The sense of team spirit and a devote love for the game was clear here, and really kinda cool. I have never seen an entire city unite for something like this. We came out a little disappointed in our team, with a loss, but Midnight Yell and the city spirit was fun to experience for the first time. As I read over this, it really doesn't do justice for the things that go on here on a football weekend, but you all will just have to come visit and see for yourselves.
Lastly, our puppy has to go to the vet. He somehow hurt his paw on Thursday, and was limping around. But as we have watched him and tried to make him take it easy, he has gotten worse and won't even walk on it now. We are hoping that it is nothing to serious and he just needs a brace or a few days off of it. So off the doctor we go for him in the morning. All though it has been a good sign that he still tears off after our squirrels... We have two or three pet squirrels in our backyard that Rio and Dusty love to chase!! And although limping 3 legged, the pain didn't overcome his drive to try and catch one!! So once again ending our week with a good Sunday. We decided to make it a Sunday night adventure to go feed the ducks, turtles, and our new discovery the cat fish! What a blast that is too!! Hope you all have good week. It's past my bedtime, Night, Night...

What a Week!!

I am not sure if I should call this week a fast pitch with an unexpected curve coming straight at us or more honestly, the week from Hell! Where do I start? Our first official week here really wasn't bad at all. Marques started orientation for two days and I had training for four, but all in all we had a pretty easy week, then this week came. M. realized that his classes were going to be a ton more reading than he has ever wanted to do. Books started arriving and least to say we have a library here now. He has probably close to 15 books for his classes. His classes are going smooth so far. He took his first test Friday and felt good about it, and his first presentation is tomorrow. Marques is trying to get caught up this week and stay on it so his Sunday's can be spent with me. But he is doing really well considering how much info and reading has already been handed out!
My week started not so hot. I wanted to quit, and ended Tuesday in tears laying in Marques' arms. I am directing a program much like in Utah, but our numbers have increased to 96 students and still enrolling, and a hand full of those being autistic or aspergers. My certification and experience has been no match for what I have already faced here. Coming home with bent glasses, a bruised ear-lope (from my earring being ripped out), bite marks, and scratches after being sworn at and called names I have never heard of was the some of my first few days. I hope that as we implement some of the training and schedules this week it will get better. The emotions for me are mixed. It is extremely tough being in that atmosphere all day, but when you see that small glimpse of light turn on in his head, my dreams are being fulfilled! So we managed to make it to Friday night, where we hosted two families from the ward for dinner. It also was a rare experience. We got to baby-sit all night two children who were old enough to watch themselves. Our house was torn apart and the company of their parents didn't even come close to making up the difference. But oh well, they just won't be returning. Saturday, we met my friend for lunch. It was fun to see her and just chat with someone who understands. Saturday night, we spent at a couples home across from us. It was actually really fun and a relief to just enjoy the evening.
But how could I end this week on a better note than our Sunday! We went to church and I really felt the spirit today. Missing home, feeling alone, and needing my cup filled, left me wondering why I am here. I know why we are here and that Heavenly Father is so very aware of me and you! He is not going to give me anything either of us can't handle and he is always there with his hand outstretched, if I'd only take it. It was a cup filling, rejuvenating Meeting service. One I needed!! And to top it off my sweet husband heard of a park to feed ducks. (If you don't know, I LOVE feeding ducks!!!!) So off we went to feed them, but when we arrived we also got to feed TURTLES!! He thought he'd heard they were there too, but wasn't sure. Oh my it was so fun, cute little and medium size turtles fighting the ducks for our food. So i guess the week has had it's moments, up and downs for sure! We miss you all and hope that this week goes better for all! Love you til next Sunday.