A White Weaver-Vegas Christmas!

We had heard earlier in the week that it *might* snow on Christmas Eve so we were hoping for a white Christmas, but we had no idea it would look like this:

Mama and Daddy's house

View from the back deck

Unfortunately, all of this gorgeous white stuff has kept us from driving to meet Bryan's family in Florida. The roads leading to the highways are super-frozen and our little Matrix does not have 4 wheel drive. It's an odd feeling to be thankful for extra time with one family while missing the other family... the things married life teaches you. :)

We did play Dirty Santa last night. Among the gifts opened were:

Some awesome fake teeth.

A Bump It!

And... the world's best bathroom decor EVER!

After we decided that the roads were just too icy to drive on, we bundled up and went for a walk to prevent Cabin Fever from setting in.

Daddy and Mama

Bundled up!

Wishing Nattie wasn't stuck in Mars Hill!

A Boonie Bundle!

I will admit to having some fun at Mama's expense a couple of times... we *might* have pushed her down in the snow. :)

On the way back we stopped off at the neighbors' house to borrow a couple of sleds. Oh, the fun we had! :)

My sweet snow boy!

Getting ready to ride!

The snow is still falling! We are hoping to be able to head home tomorrow afternoon. It has been quite the adventure here in Weaver-Vegas!

Appreciation

I have to take a moment to say THANK YOU to everyone who has donated money, sent an email or picked up the phone to let me know you are praying for my sweet Ruby. I am a lucky girl to have such wonderful family and friends.

Please continue to pray for Ruby and her parents, Jesus and Maria. She has been able to spend some time at home recently and the smile on her face is incredible. She will be returning soon for a new treatment, so please keep lifting her up.

A Request and A Few Extra Thoughts

I know that this time of year we are all reworking our budgets to make Christmas happen for our own families. I am hoping you might be able to find a little extra room in yours to make a difference for a very special and deserving family.

My school has set up a foundation to help our staff and students in times of need. At this time, we are hoping to help a certain family who is struggling both emotionally and financially.  As my sweet friend Marnia has said, "Recent days have called for many tears and prayers."

If you feel led and are able to give to our school's foundation (we will be using some funds soon to help them through this journey), please follow the steps and link below.

GO TO:

Cobb Schools Foundation (www.cobbschoolsfoundation.org)

At the top click on Contribute

In the center of the page click on Donate Today

Enter a dollar amount - anything you can give would be incredible!

Under Program Designation - use the drop down menu to select Fair Oaks Elementary

Choose Donation Type

Click Continue and follow the remaining prompts

Thank you all for your kind words and most importantly, prayers. HE is teaching me to look for His hand and to fall on Him when my heart is breaking. Please continue to keep my sweet girl and her parents in your prayers. I am in constant amazement of their unwavering faith in God, their unrelenting pursuit for a cure and their dedication to their daughter.

Help

I know I have been an absent blogger.

The last few weeks have brought on a myriad of emotions. I've struggled with how to write about what is happening, and which pieces I want to (or should) share. I have been holding this post in "edit" for over a month.

I have learned to value a certain degree of privacy as it relates to my job. It's easy to share the funny anecdotes, but when things are not so funny I feel compelled to "protect" my students. Suffice it to say that this has been the most challenging year of my teaching career.

Every year, I wonder how God will use the sweet faces from years past to prepare me for the bunch that enters my door in early August. I spend weeks telling myself, "These children are with me for a reason. HE saw it fit to entrust me with these hearts for the next 9 months." Every year, I fall in love with all 35+ faces and I cry when they leave me. I obsess over how they're doing in 4th grade, 5th grade, etc..

I was so underprepared for this year. I want you to meet the brightest star in my heart:

 Ruby

I wish I had a better copy of this picture because it doesn't show an iota of how beautiful or wonderful this sweet face is. Ruby is one of the best things to ever happen to my classroom or my heart. She was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) at the end of her first grade year. She was able to come to school for 2 days during her second grade year. Michelle and I were blessed to have her in our class for most of last year. She missed days for treatments, but was healthy for the most part. We sent her up to fourth grade to our friends Aileen and Kristin. During the fall break, she had been in remission long enough to have her port taken out. Within a week of returning to school after the break, Ruby was back in the hospital. 

She has been there ever since. It has been more than two months. This is her third relapse.

I don't feel comfortable sharing much more of her story. It is her family's story to share. I am starting to feel like a broken record, but time with Ruby is the best part of my week

Her family is in desperate need of prayer. As you read this please lift Jesus, Maria and Ruby up. Pray for Ruby's doctors, for her nurses, for anyone who comes into contact with her family.