Hooray for Love!

Our sweet friends, Brooks and Mary Ann, are engaged! Hip-hip-hooray! hip-hip-hooray! 

Mary Ann and I met though a mutual friend when our combined awkwardness overflowed into a handshake/hug/high five. She's such a sweetheart, you guys! A year and a half ago we were sitting in biology class looking at pictures of Facebook of some cute boy she'd taken to a date party. 

Last June, Tommy would come home from class and tell me about some "frat guy who is always late to class. Probably because he's hungover."

In July, Mary Ann was spending her summer in Wyoming. Tom and I went to try the newly opened Steel City Pops and when I got to the front of the line I had another overflow of awkward. 

 "I've seen you on Facebook! You're Brooks!"  

the creepy stalker inside me blurted out.

After a very surprised/frightened look and a bit of conversation, we discovered that Brooks was the "hungover frat guy" (who is actually neither of those things) and the we are Mary Ann's friends who got married super young. That's usually something that weirds college-aged people out but Brooks' enthusiasm about young marriage was refreshing and told us that he was a different kind of dude. 

Mary Ann and Brooks are fun, sweet, God-fearing people and we are overflowing with joy over their engagement! To know the two of them as a couple is to know that you are in the presence of true love. They deserve all the happiness in the world and I just know that God is going to bless the crap out of their engagement and marriage! Congratulations, guys! Love you both!

For a little inspiration

Today has been a day. It has been a day that's beat me down and made me question everything I'm currently building my future on. It's been a day when I have to remind myself that it won't be like this for long. That some days are just hard and that doesn't mean it's time to give up, even if that's what it feels like. It's been a day of multiple extra-strength Excedrin because my normal natural remedies have failed to ease my throbbing headache. Today has been bad. As I take a break from the mountain of textbooks, lesson plans, and student data piled in front of me to write this entry, I am discouraged. I feel like Hillary Swank in the first 20 minutes of Freedom Writers. What am I doing? What am I doing? Can I do this? What if I can't?

But I can. I know I can. It's just a bad day, not a bad life. And it's all worth it. I just need to be reminded. 

It's going to be worth it. Today is over, tomorrow will be better.

NOTICE: Taylor Mali has some language but I felt the overall message was more important. 

Illegitimate and Unproven

This weekend I've come down with some really nasty cold/flu/sinus infection mess. I pride myself on the fact that I don't get sick very often but when I do, man, it hits like a ton of bricks!

Of course, you can't be sick and have nothing to do. That would be too easy! I've also spent the weekend completing the first half of Lifeguard training. Training has actually been fun but giving CPR ventilations would be a lot easier if I could properly get air into my own lungs before blowing into the dummy's. Yesterday was absolute hell trying to get through the day without giving up. There was fever, coughing, lots of gross nose stuff, aches, and even a little vomit. I have neither the time nor the money for a visit to the doctor and anyone who normally takes care of me was out of town so I had to treat myself. Today was much, much better so I thought I'd share my secret to getting over colds fast.

Bethany's Completely Illegitimate and Unproven Cure for Icky Sicky Crap

As soon as possible, go to Target and pick up the following:
1 gallon of orange juice with lots of pulp
1 bag of original Hawaiian rolls
Mio in your favorite flavor (I like fruit punch or lemonade)
Vick's Vapor Rub
Robitussin Daytime Cold+Flu if, like me, you're unfortunate enough to have to participate in life.

You'll also need cotton socks, a nighttime medicine, and a praying mamma if you don't have them already as well as a copy of your favorite movie. My go-to movie is You've Got Mail. I like to pretend I'm as adorable and charming as a flu-ridden 1998 Meg Ryan when I actually resemble a Walker from The Walking Dead.

Once home with all the needed supplies, change into your baggiest, least attractive sweats. Pour yourself one cup of orange juice and one very large class of ice water flavored with Mio. The juice will replenish electrolytes and vitamins while the water hydrates and flushes your system. Place the glasses within arm's reach of your bed. Open the bag of rolls and place near the drinks.
Next, slather the bottoms of your feet, yes feet, with Vick's vapor rub and cover with cotton socks. This will help with any congestion. Don't ask me why, but it works.
Finally, take a dose of the nighttime medicine, pop in your movie, and get into bed. Finish both drinks before drifting off the sleep and eat the rolls with semi-reckless abandonment. You're sick, you deserve them. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about the carbs.
I try to go to bed as soon as I get home so that I can get 10+ hours. I believe that rest is the best thing you can possibly do and since this is the only weekend I'm not bogged down in school assignments, I took full advantage and got a whopping 14 hours.
 The next day you should feel like a whole new person! I was able to do in-water rescues without drowning! Remember to take a dose of Robitussin every 4 hours and keep hydrated.

If this doesn't work for you, well, I'm not a doctor. Why are you taking my advice?

I also make my own cough syrup now that I'm of age (actually, my Pawpaw gave this to me as a kid. Don't tell!)
2 Tbs Whiskey, warmed
Squeeze of lemon
Bit of honey

It will definitely quiet your cough, soothe your throat, and make you feel all warm inside, even if you're a wimp like me and gag a little. Seriously though,  only 2 tablespoons. Don't get lousy off the cough syrup, ya filthy animal.