Baubles

Because talking to your new brother is an occasion that calls for all your baubles!

He is Here

Henry Carter Brown
8lb 13 oz
21 3/4"
Big sister is warming up to him nicely!

Life Long Learner

The University of Mississippi instills in its graduates the importance of being a life long learner.  I have always enjoyed a challenge and Cullen will tell you that I love an accomplishment.  I have a five year plan I run my life from and in my plans I am always coming up with something else to be certified in or to accomplish.  These goals do not always pertain to my school/career.  Two years ago I thought it would be a great idea to earn my Commercial Driver's License.  This fall I thought I needed to take a Hand Gun Class for Ladies.  Over the Christmas holiday I took a class on Passive Restraint Techniques so that in the event of a fight I could take a person down in five moves.  Yes, I love a class, I love to learn, but more than those I love to a certificate of recognition.  My latest class- welding.  I even conned my friend to taking it with me.  

 I found out that Lafayette Schools has a night program for community members wanting to pick up a new trade.  Since I am currently working for Lafayette my class would be free.  So guess what, I put on gloves & goggles and decided to weld.

 These would be glasses tinted at 5%.  Don't they look lovely, they make great sunglasses, I have worn them twice when I have forgotten mine in the house....stylish right?

 This was taken before I remembered the amount of hair product I use and calculated just exactly how flammable that made me. ... next I had on my lovely welding cap...she is a beauty isn't she.

 The first night our objective was to cut a straight line and make the piece of metal fall and to then cut a circle.  You better believe I have a paper weight now that I am mighty proud of.

While I don't think I will be the next Bob Villa or even weld for fun, I am excited about learning something new, possibly making a bottle tree, or signing up for the next class they offer at the VoTech.

Baby Girl

Very soon as in Thursday, hopefully, this baby girl is going to be a BIG SISTER.  I can not believe that almost three years ago she was born and in a few short days we will be welcoming a baby boy into the family.  "Henry is coming!" is what she tells me on the phone and I am so stinking ready for him to be here I don't know what to do with myself.  Please pray for my brother and his wife, Kathy, as they prepare for baby number two,  pray for a healthy baby boy and mom, and please pray for Ellie that the adjustment to her new sibling will be smooth.

29 in Taylor

Cullen celebrated his 29th birthday at the beginning of February.  He wanted  a low key night with friends and that is what he got.  The Pollards, McCartys, Hilliards, Bo & Joanne headed to Taylor Grocery to sit back enjoy good food and great conversation.  Sadly it has been a long time since we had been to Taylor.

Cullen only asked for a tie rack for his birthday, and after my mom picked one up for him, I was left wondering what I would get him.  I thought and thought and decided we needed a trip.  So I picked out a Boston Redsox shirt, wrapped it and told him to pick out two tickets and we would go to Boston July 4th weekend to see the Yankees and the Redsox play.  I am super excited.  Boston was on our list of places to go and I've never been to a major league game before.  It will come at the perfect time for us, I'll be finished with my program and about to start a new job, and Cullen's busy season will kick off mid July so it will be a break before the craziness of fall football starts.

Time Keeps on Ticking

Sorry for a no photo post, but I wanted to give an update... on life at the Pollard house, but like always I'm running around crazy as ever.
Cullen says I never blog about him...he doesn't do things that are blog worthy really...we both don't but since I'm the author of this my view gets posted more than his...
So since the start of the new year Cullen has kept himself busy with Ole Miss Basketball, refereeing soccer games, refereeing Upwards games at church and playing MW3...
School has started back and I am not looking forward to the classes I'm taking this semester--research and management....Praise the LORD only 6 more months of this school stuff.
As for my internship- I love being in the high school.  I am working with awesome mentors and love getting to know the ins and outs of secondary education.
I can NOT believe January is over and we are moving well into February.
Keep praying for my test results to come in this week and be passing...they don't have to be high...I'll take passing.  Also, pray for my cohort that in the coming months jobs will be made available to us, decisions will be easy to make and that as we move toward our summer stay on campus we all remain calm, cool, and collected.

Pray

Back in December I thought it would be a great idea to go ahead and sign up for the SLLA, the principal test, and to take it in January not June as we were advised.
Back in December I had a whole cohort of friends who talked, chatted, and patted each other on the back as we commended ourselves for being such over achievers.
Well, today is test day and my idea kinda stinks to me, and my friends are scattered over Mississippi and there is no chatting or back patting there is only a clock that is ever so quickly ticking down to go time.

Please pray that today as I go to take my test my thoughts are organized and my memory is impeccable.  Pray for my friends who have taken it this week or will take it today or Saturday.
You see with out a passing score on this test I will struggle all semester with my failure and pray that in June when I can take it again I will pass so that I could be employable in July.

I have an eerie calm about this test that is only quickly removed by sheer panic.  So for today between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. if you could just lift up a prayer request I would really appreciate it.

Crystal Ball 2012

My dear friend, Leslie, loves a party.  Leslie is always on the move, doesn't require much sleep, and is up for anything.  Everyone needs a Leslie in their lives.  She is the friend who will come to your house and help you clean in a mad rush to get ready for a party, the friend who will talk you out of sitting at home in your pj's to go to dinner, the friend who will make you literally believe you have lost ten pounds when you know you gained it, everyone needs a Leslie.

This past weekend Leslie and I committed to judging a pageant in Grenada.  I love to judge which sounds really funny, but so true, and Leslie was all about making some extra money.  She calls midweek and alerts me that Saturday also happens to be the night of the Crystal Ball and she has been to the last 4 and doesn't plan on breaking her streak....what was I to do?   Well, with a friend like Les, only one thing to do...pack your party clothes and get ready for the fun.

We raced from Grenada back to Oxford to drop off one of the other judges and then headed to Hernando to change and head to the party.  We were lucky in that her mom had extra tickets and when we got there the silent auction was over but the band was still playing.  Leslie gets her love of a good time from her mom and Ms. Shelly never disappoint when entertaining.  We danced the night away into the morning and when the band stopped playing we finally sat down to catch our breath before looking for the next thing to do.

After a trip to Waffle House and Taco Bell we made it back to Ms. Shelly's house and to bed around 3a.m.

It was such a fun time, one that I would have slept through if it wasn't for Leslie being my party planner, motivator, and dear friend.

Looking forward to Crystal Ball 2013!

Two Weeks into 2012

Of course with the beginning of the new year I began a new lifestyle of being healthier- so far so good. I'm just acting like the Gigi's cupcakes were part of my plan!
I had to report to campus this past weekend for a cram session for the SLLA exam I am taking next week! It was 14 hours of standards, pacing, and writing- my thoughts on this- This too shall pass!
Thank the Lord for Bo, Cullen's good friend, he has managed to keep Cullen busy while I've been sewing, studying, and keeping busy!
And finally I was able to give my good friend Joanne a couple of seeing lessons this past weekend! She is a natural! Seriously she is freakishly good!
On a side note- I LOVE my internship at the high school! I would say its more laid back, but I stay busy just in different ways! Oh I miss the girls in the LES Office, but I am loving the atmosphere at LHS! Somebody should have told me about high school years ago!

Happy New Year

 Cullen and I celebrated our 7th New Year's Eve together.  Our first New Year's was as his date for his friends' wedding in 2005.  2006 we celebrated with Cole and Megan in Tupelo and shot fireworks with Matt and Dawn.  2007 we spent New Year's Eve with Tyler and Mollie at the Alluvian in Greenwood.  2008 & 2009 were spent in Dallas readying ourselves for the Cotton Bowl.  Last year we were in Oxford with Ronnie & Toya at Shep's and this year we were back in Oxford with a hodgepodge of friends.

 Two stick filled us for the evening of fun, including a win by AUBURN- War Eagle!

 Love these girls.  So glad we ran into Natalie.

 Cullen may or may not have been longing to ride the bull at this moment.  

It was such a fun night, I think mostly because it wasn't over planned or over hyped.  It was just friends getting together and enjoying good company.  New Year's Day was just as fun reliving the night's events over coffee.  We all may be getting older, but I think we are just getting better.