Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday: State!

We are half-way through this work week! I have been traveling a lot lately and I am ready for Friday to get here, because I have no travel and football! 

You know if it is Wednesday then that means I am linking up with Holly for Waiting on Wednesday! 


I am waiting on next Tuesday to go watch my brother play at the State Marching Band Contest in San Antonio! 

I am so proud of his hard work and all of the Rising Star Band Members. 

Rising Star is a small school that plays six man football and the members in the band are in 7th grade to 12th grade. 

This is the first time in school history that Rising Star has made it to state. 

I cannot express how happy/excited/proud I am! 

If you have a chance please watch this video that the local news station did on the band. 

You can find it HERE

That is it. That is the whole band. 

My brother is on the right with the base drum. 

Come back next week to see how they do! 

XOXO ~ JulieAnn 

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Weekend Wrap- Up: Regionals

What a crazy busy but great weekend we had around here! 

Frist, I hope everyone stayed safe during all of this RAIN! 

Second, how is it already the last week in October..... Time is FLYING! 

I got back home on Friday from a great week at TCU and our football game got canceled due to the weather. So I stayed home and slept! 

On Saturday, Ad went off to a pig sale, while I stayed home and tried to clean and do laundry. 

Then Sunday morning rolled around and we took off for the BEACH! 


Once we got there we headed out to see the ocean. 

The water was so cold and it was beyond windy! 



We went to take a picture and the tide came rolling in and we got soaked. 
Love this action shot! 

Much better. 


The boys were having a great time, no matter how cold it was. 



We then ate at the Crazy Cajun, where all of the food is dumped out on the table and you eat off the table. 

I am so glad I don't have to clean that mess up! 
{this would be my husbands mess} 

Then Monday it was race day! 



Just a coach and the boys 

We then stopped in San Antonio on the way home and the boys had the biggest hamburgers! 



Same husband, Same road, and same kid on the way home Monday night. 

We got stuck in traffic and we decided to take silly pictures. 

It was a great weekend and I love getting to spend it with my husband and getting to watch him do what he loves. 

Have a great week! 

XOXO ~ JulieAnn 


Wednesday, October 21, 2015

100

I honestly have no idea where to begin this post.

This is my 100th post. How crazy is that? I often wonder if I should even be blogging. I mean I don't have any children, I don't do fun Pinterest worthy crafts, or know the first thing about up-to-date fashion. I ask myself all of the time does anyone read this and if they do what do they think about me?

Often times, I talk about my husband, our life that revolves around sports, or how stressful my life can get. I love talking about all of these things but I often wonder is there more I can talk about that just those three things. Who knows? But tonight I am going to give it a try.

While I was in undergrad I looked for social work blogs and I could not find many of them. I was a little disappointed because social work is an amazing profession and we (social workers) should be proud of the work we are doing and wanting to share that with others. So, this post might be will be social work heavy.

This week I am at TCU in training for Trust Based Relational Intervention. It really is amazing. If you have a chance I would recommend reading The Connected Child by Dr. Karyn Purvis.

Tonight my heart is heavy. My heart is heavy for all of the babies that are crying tonight and no one is there to pick them up and love them. My heart is heavy for the three year old who is going to bed hungry. My heart is heavy for the ten year old that is tucking in her younger siblings because a caregiver isn't home to do it. My heart is heavy for the seventeen year old who is about to age out of foster care, and scared because he has never had a family. My heart is just heavy.

I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a social worker and help children. I often doubt myself and wonder if I am really helping. Who knows if I truly am? I hope I am. I love my job and I feel beyond blessed that the Good Lord called me in this direction. Then there are nights like tonight where I do not feel that I am doing enough. I pray daily that I am doing what the Lord has called me to do and to have the strength to do it at my best ability. Some days it is hard to feel that prayer being answered. I know I should not doubt but my own "worldly self" gets in the way. Tonight I was working and when I took a break I got on Pinterest and came across this:


This hit me to my core. Why would I question God? Why can't I trust that He has entrusted me with this role in my life? 

Is it because I see the broken in this world daily and feel helpless?  Is it because I have seen more horrific things than I ever thought?  Is it because these children who have done nothing wrong, are being hurt?  Is it because I am angry that these bad things happen to these precious children?  Is it because I am hardened from all of the bad things I have seen?  Is it because I am 23 years old and feel like I am a lot older?  Is it because secondary trauma is real and I refused to believe it? 

Why can't I believe in myself? 

How long will it take? 


Maybe I am already there?  

I know that I care beyond belief for these children around the world tonight that are feeling un-loved. If there was any way for me to reach them all and give them a hug and let them know that they are loved. 


If all of us could show one child that they are loved and that they can be anything they want to be. In a few generations I would hope that there wouldn't be those children in the world who are feeling unloved. 

There are so many things we could all do for these children and one I saw this week on Facebook that one of my friends shared was Sharing Birthday Joy

I am in love with this idea! 

From their website: 

Our Mission: 

We provide all the goodies for an entire birthday party in a box for foster and homeless children in Central Texas. 

How awesome is that?  

We can all do something. It doesn't have to be anything like donating but just praying for these children and the people who work with them and care for them. 


This is me. 
This is my why.
This is my heart. 
This is my passion. 
This is my prayer tonight.  
This is what I am feeling tonight.
This is as transparent as I have ever be on here.


Please give an extra hug and kiss to your children tonight and pray for all of those children who will not receive one tonight. 

XOXO ~ JulieAnn 


P.S. ~ I believe it took me 100 posts to create something worth sharing. 

P.S.S ~ I am linking up with Holly, who also does amazing things in her community to show love to others! 


P.S.S.S ~ I LOVE reading the blogs that are about a person's child(ten) and how they do life,  fun Pinterest worthy crafts, and great fashion. 

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday: Waiting on Randomness

Yay for Wednesday! I am doing a LOT of traveling this week so it is nice to know it is already half way over :)


Today I am linking up with Holly for her Waiting on Wednesday link up!


I am waiting on a couple of VERY random things. 

1. I am waiting till I can use this cute tree I got yesterday at Hobby Lobby. 
I am loving the black and gold combo. It screams classy to me. 


2. I am so excited that I will be getting a new co-worker this week! 
She is walking into a crazy but amazing job and I just wanted her to know that she is not alone! 




3. I am waiting for my husband to find the hammer and a nail so he will hang the new Cross I got yesterday. 

{I honestly don't know where either is #wemovetoomuch}

I love it! 

4. I found this yesterday at Hobby Lobby as well and it spoke to me, BIG TIME! 

I am having a lot of stress over the next coming months regarding school but this made me step back and think. This young girl from a town of 800 people is doing something in her life. I never thought I would be where I am at this point in my life BUT I am so grateful!  

I hope you enjoyed my random waiting on notes for this Wednesday :) 

Have a great week! 

XOXO ~ JulieAnn 

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Show and Tell Tuesday: My First Jobs

Happy Tuesday!

Today I am linking up with Andrea for Show and Tell Tuesday.



Today I am going to share about my first jobs and my husband's first jobs.


I did a ton of babysitting through high school and loved it! My senior year I started working at a daycare that was about 10 minutes away from my house. It was a great job.

I spent most of the time watching this sweet girl. 

I love them! 

In August of 2010, I started working in the Admission Office at Howard Payne University, where I was attending.



I had the most amazing boss ever! I worked in the "back" of the office where I entered all the data from the admissions office into the university's data base. I learned so much in this job! I also got to give campus tours and help plan & work events for prespective students. 

Becky was my boss and became more like a second mother to me. 


Me, Becky, and my friend Natalie at our graduation.

Me and Becky at my wedding

I love her! 

After college I became a "official job hopper", just kidding, well kinda. 

I worked as an investigator for Child Protective Services for a year. 
I really could write a book about my feelings but don't worry this isn't the place to share :) 
I did have an amazing boss that kept me sane! 
Me and her are still good friends and I know she will always be there for me. 


Then I started working as a case manager for a Child Placing Agency. 
Foster Care is not for me. 
I loved the families and children I worked with but the job was HARD. 
But.... I did get lucky in the boss department again and I still talk almost daily to my old boss and now friend. 

Me and Beth 


Now I work as a case manager for a Post Adoption Agency and I must say that I LOVE it! 
I have amazing bosses and fun co-workers. 
Hopefully, this job will be it for a while :) 


Now on to my husband's jobs. 

Adrian grew up on a farm and he started hailing hay and doing manual labor at an early age. I credit those experiences for building his strong work ethic today. 

While he was in college he officiated, football, basketball, baseball, and softball games. 

Thankfully he never did any of my games! 

After college he got his first teaching and coaching job in Cherokee. 



We were there for a year and now he is starting his second year as a jr. high science teacher and coach at Evant. 





So there you have it! Those are our crazy but amazing jobs! 

Have a great week! 

XOXO ~ JulieAnn