It is a BEAUTIFUL life!!!

HEY!!!!!

This is for you Chelsea LOTT!!
It has been over a year since I have updated.  Life has been incredibly crazy, challenging, and a blessing!

Where do I even Start?!?!

New things in my life...
5th grade teacher ( LOVE IT... I  haven't been called a B*tch all year)
I am in my second week in my masters program... counseling ( I will have to get back to you on my feelings with this one)
I met the absolute love of my life!!! Brice... the most handsome sweet boy I know
Dee...well she just had her fourth life given to her (no I am not joking) she is recovering from a fall, and infection, and from not eating.  We thought we had almost lost her again, and I kid you not she popped back to herself in a matter of hours!! No JOKE! Only God knows her plan...
My family took a cruise and there was only one small fight... we exited shady grove and bam! We almost made it 7 days! The last two minutes were rough, but we made the BEST memories as a family!

As I sit her and try to come up with something catchy or clever to write, all that God is putting on my heart to share is faith and trust...

Our God has created a beautiful life for each of us.   Though it might not be the vision we imagined, it is the path that FITS us.  I am so thankful for the beautiful (or not so beautiful at times path my journey has been.  With out my trust and faith in God, I would not be where I am today. I am so blessed for all HE has taught me!

I am more thankful than ever for the path God has led me and plans on leading me!


I love you all!

Listen to this song if you have time... it's good!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGlTzH9xkXQ

TOP 11 for 2011

I can't believe that another YEAR as flown by... The older I get... it seems that time really starts to pick up faster





My life continues to be a fun filled roller coaster... It never stops! This year has had UPS and of course DOWNS like always. I think what I learned most this year is who really matter is my life. I have never been so thankful for the top 11 people in my life... I start to cry as I look back on this year... I have gotten to experience all the following with my top 11.. new marriages, new babies, love, heart breaks, tears, laughter, hugs, kisses, and most importantly STRONG relationships!! Here are my top 11 most influential people/groups of people in my life this year...

ps. the list could go on...but I have a movie to get to!




GOD- I think he getting tired of my WHY WHY WHY's then my "Oh! now I get it" I have never prayed more this past year than I have now. He is a faithful God who has blessed me more than I can imagine




My mom... I know I have put her almost over the edge with my anxiety, stress, urge to be perfect, and continuous life questions. She never gets impatient with me. She is my encourager, and the back bone of the person I am. (I am pretty awesome if i don't say so myself)




Mandi- I can't believe our time as room mates is slowing coming to an end. I think about all the laughs, screams, broken wine bottles, fallin Christmas trees, secerets, walks to the Chevron, and all the most precious memories we have shared living together. Who is going to listen to my crazy school stories at night?!?! I am going to miss you, and I thank you for putting up with me!





Neely- you never cease to amaze me. From the CRAZY talk to protector. I love you so much. You are such an incredible person, sister, and leader. You make me proud every day. You never let me down... I PROMISE... I can't wait to spend baseball season watching Jake and our TEXASSSSSSSSS Rangers! I love you dearly





My sweet precious brothers- I love you both so much. You make me laugh, and both of your hugs are the sweetest gift a sister could ask for. I hope you both keep growing up to be the giving boys I know... and remember always treat your girlfriends like you would want me to be treated!





My favorite Lamar Girls EVER- Steph and Lisa- God made no mistake by putting me at Lamar. Your wisdom, love, hugs, and faithfulness as friends has inspired me to be a better person. You advice is so precious to me. I will continue to look up to both of you forever. I can't imagine life without you two. You have both taught me how to "put on my big girl panties" Something...I really don't like to do! Maybe we will conquer cooking together next!

Nanny and Papa: Thank you so much for showing me what TRUE love is. You both never let each other down. Thank you for the laughs, smiles, and always listening to me. Your 70 years of advice is so helpful in my life. I love visiting your house and your weekly phone calls. Thank you for always encouraging me to be beautiful inside and out

Dad: Thank you for your full support ALL the time. Thank you for always providing for me. I have never gone with out, and that is because you always put us first. Thank you for explaining the unexplainable. I love our football and ESPN talks. They never get old. I love you!

Nancy Bell- We all know i need a WORK mom. Thank you for opening your office for me to cry, laugh, but most importantly thank you for showing me how to LOVE kids all the time. I don't think I would still be standing if it wasn't for you. Your giving heart never ceases to amaze me. Thank you for being there for me and my students all the time

Irving Girlie Girls: Courtney, Ash, Brit, Megan, Elaine, Sam-Our friendship continues to grow yearly. I thank you for your listening hears. I know that I can pick up my phone and you guys ALWAYS answer. Thank you for sharing your babies, marriages and life with me. Thank you for listening to me through this year. You guys make me smile and laugh! I love you sooooo much!

Talk about a WAKE up Call

This week has been an incredibly amazing, adventurous, and blessed week. Here is a recap

1. Sunday- Cheerleaders melted my heart! Each one has been placed in my life for a reason.

2. Monday- Tobie was lost for about an hr. I threw a fit. Some man brought him home. I might have screamed, darted through traffic, and gathered my precious "The girls prayed for Tobie to come home." --I am the luckiest coach EVER

3. Tuesday- a very special student wrote a horrible note that caused me to break down in my principle's office. Outcome- My principle was able to mentor this student who needs a positive male role model in his life. I continue to pray for this student and his future

4. Wednesday- Dr's appt.- wanted me to go to hospital to see a specialist and have testing done. I talked my Dr. into letting me wait till next week. I wasn't really in the hospital gown mood. I also got to meet my sister for lunch! She always makes me laugh

5. Thursday- Neely comes home school. Mom's doors wide open. Both cash and tobie gone. Tobie is gone AGAIN. At this point I am out of tears. I leave my kiddo's, and my SWEET bowie teams covers my class. Tobie is found in apts in laundry mat...under the washer. Crying. Cash is still gone. I go back to school my sweet class of 15 makes 100 signs. Neely picks up the signs... with in 10 minutes cash is returned after three hours. The reward worked.

Tonight... I can't sleep. Not because I am scared or upset, but because I serve a God that has a plan. All three of my siblings, Jake, Brandy, and lil Brit have spent the entire night together at my moms. We have ate dinner, made christmas cookies, and laughed. Neely of course had to make the cookie making into a competition. Let's just say she isn't exactly Martha, and I think she regrets creating the competition.

I have never been more amazed by the support system my family and I have. God has blessed us beyond belief.

So when in doubt PRAY. God and I have talked more this week than we have in a long time. He is truly GOOD. I lay curled up with my sweet Tobie and lil brit, and I am so incredibly thankful. God doesn't give us more than we can handle. I promise.

So to all those who have picked me up... maybe even litterally (out of Mom's backyard as I cried for my precious Tobie... thank you so much. I love you all to the moon and back of course ;)

And the Script Continues...

Well it has been a while since I have had a chance to blog, breathe, and sometimes find (time to even go to the restroom) No seriously... If it wasn't for my student teacher, some days I literally don't have time to PEE. With school, new curriculum, competition season starting, and a new sweet puppy life has been more than busy.

Someone told me that if I could survive my first year of teaching... I would be good to go. I survived, fell in love with my job, and had one of the most amazing years ever.

God had a different plan in mind for me, and I think he got my teaching years a little backwards!!!

This has been the most challenging 12 weeks of my life... I know some people say I exaggerate, but my goodness I am not this time.

Here are a few of my daily challenges:

1. My job is always with me. My mind hardly ever stops worrying about my kiddo's
2. I am teaching my kids how to write myths, expository paragraphs, and write symbolically.
3. Sometimes my kids feel the need to tell me their pizza went through them fast and they need to go to the bathroom
4. I have been asked several times now why I always have dark circles under my eyes.... uhhh hello.
5. On the Friday before my bday... I was asked if I was turning 31... last year they thought I was 21... double blocked ELAR must be taking years off my life rather quickly
6. I am running out of toner already because posting my ELPS and objectives daily requires a ton of ink. ( I can't write high enough on my board to write an entire objective)
7. Daily lunch drama- this stuff can get REAL serious... like who stole who's slushy
8. Our daily walk outside from lunch... it never fails someone HAS to step in mud, trip, fall, and their favorite thing to do is talk about how my feet are so turned out that I look like a duck. I always tell them...that they should see me run :)
9. Managing kids at the water fountain... i didn't know this was a hot place to hang out. I know the water is warm. I am tasted it... i thought maybe it was magic or something.
10. my BIGGEST challenge... trying to stay positive. Which I usually don't have a hard time doing...

I am not saying these are bad challenges... I am learning to be MORE flexible, QUICKER on my feet, MORE understanding, and PATIENT.

I know my script was written perfectly for me...

love you!

JC

Living Proof

Well the school year has def. kicked off, and I think I have been going NON stop since it started. Today I got to school to look at grades, and I was discouraged. I have 62 kiddos because of the double blocked schedule, and I looked at my tutoring list for our first assessment... 27 of them will be seeing me sometime this week. This is not like my kids, nor me! I take them not doing so hot as me FAILING as a teacher... I don't like the F WORD @ all...

So we started today with a quick write. The topic was: If you found a 100 dollar bill on the ground, what would you spend it on. I also tied in how choice reflects our character. Well I write my quick write as my first period does. I always share my thoughts with my kids before so they feel comfortable to share theirs. I would spend my hundred dollars on a new pair of shoes...not just any shoes, but TORY BURCH of course! (I have had most of these kids before...yes they all know what TORY BURCH is) I always tell them not if but WHEN they become rich they must never forget me and bring me a pair someday!

So my sweet kiddo's start sharing their quick writes here are first 5 responses ( NO JOKE)

1. give money to my parents for rent
2. give money to a homeless person
3. buy my sister a bird because she has always wanted one
4. give money to a charity
5. save the money until next mother's day


I felt incredibly convicted. My kids had much more of a giving heart that I did. Their responses are LIVING PROOF that our kids have hearts, are capable of learning, have the want to learn, and they are all an INCREDIBLE inspiration to me. They also quickly mentioned... one of my character traits was SELFISH... how true is that!!! I have seriously thought about changing my career path. As in LAW school again, but after reflecting on today and listening to my kid's giving hearts... I am in the right place! I am so thankful for my kids, my school, my friends, family, and lastly a FAITHFUL GOD.

ps. I am adding a sweet song to this blog.





I love you all so much! Good Night

JC

The script was being written somewhere else...

and even though the sequence made no sense to me or anyone around me, it made sense to a someone somewhere... -Hambone's Book

I am using Josh Hamilton's Beyond Belief tomorrow in class. We are discussing choices and consequences so I couldn't think of a more interesting piece of literature to teach with. So while choosing an expert I came across this quote...and it fits life PERFECTLY for the time being.

I have learned that I am best at living life happily and free spirited. Such as in the pic... school clothes (who says khakis can't be hot, and of course my lovely VB school backpack at an after school Friday night fun event can't be HOTTTT!!! Neely saw the pic, and asked Elaine to change my outfit ASAP. I actually liked it! I mean I am who I am right!!! :) Anyways...I love random road trips, spontaneous hh's, random stories from my kiddos, and most of all being Me. Although I wish I knew my scrip and had it published laying next to my bible...but I DON'T. Last week I had a hard time coming to the realization that my plan is obviously not God's plan, and I am finally learning that the more I trust him and his plan... the more happier I am. God has been so faithful this past week. It is amazing the peace he has giving me at school, cheer, and in my own personal life. I have so much to be thankful for, and I am so thankful for my friends, family, sweet students, not so sweet students, and co-workers.

I will keep you updated on the script as my life continues! Have a wonderful rest of the week!

ps. LSU TIGER football is SOON, and I will be enjoying the game with two of my best Friends!!! (this is actually written in the script ;)

Above All

What an incredible summer I have had. The beach, college world series, vegas, and dad turned 50. I also got the opportunity to teach summer school which was incredibly life changing getting to work with some of our kids who need the most attention and love. It was a wonderful time. Besides waking up early, I was sad when it was over. I also gained a new best friend Lance. I have learned so much about myself through him and his amazing want to work with athletes. His hardwork and determination is pretty amazing. I admire him for that. Football season has started and well our everyday amazing summer has turned into WORK WORK WORK. I am the WORST at change so I can be quite the BRAT... i am sure he would agree witht that...but on the other hand GO VIKINGS! No matter the outcome of our friendship/relationship I am thankful for what I have learned in the few short months from being with someone that has such a passion to work with children.

All that being said, getting back into the groove of things has been an HUGE struggle. If you don't know, our district and state has changed their standards a TON. I started training a few weeks ago, and I became extremely discouraged. Also my mom is not at my school anymore. I will mis her soooo much. Anyways... I see my precious babies that have to meet these almost unattainable goals, and one thing I HATE the most is seeing them struggle and face failure in the classroom. It HURTS! So I have struggled with coming up with a theme for my class this year. I really want to prepare them for success in all areas of their life. So this is something I like to do with my kids because it allows me to build my classroom into a team enviornment.

Sitting in worship at an AdvoCare convention Michael W. Smith starts singing (LIVE) Above All. I immediatly break down and cry. 1. it was played at Gene Marshall's funeral 2. It is an incredible SONG. It really hit home because Above ALL one thing matters in my classroom is me keeping my passion to teach my babies no MATTER what the standard is. I truly believe that with my passion for teaching...no ONE can take that away and TWO my students will come out of my classroom better than better before they walked in. So I am not exactly sure how I am going to use Above All, but I know that God will give me the knowledge I need to make this happen.

So in my own personal life I am going to focus on the theme "Above All" I am going to keep the main things the MAIN THING. Work on myself and finding exactly what I want out of life. This summer was almost surreal it was so AMAZING, and reality has finally set it. I know that Above All my God will take care of me as and LOVES me for who I am...that Being Said I am Jordan Cowen which If i don't say so myself is pretty awesome! (kidding) I have come to the reality that Life is NEVER going to be easy, and you have to FIGHT for what you want (and what is right)
I will get off my soapbox now. I do want all my friends and family to know that I love them dearly, and I am so grateful for the friendships.

Here is to a new school year!


love you all so much!

JC