just because

I haven't really had much to talk about lately since I've been busy getting my classroom ready for the new school year...which is going fabulously!!! There's really not one thing I can talk about, so here are a few things that I'm looking forward to before the end of the year....

1. Seeing my 3 best friends all together for the 1st time in a year. We haven't all been together since Laura's wedding last August, so I can't wait to hang out with them again!!!!

2. Hog football season!!! I haven't been to a game since I graduated, but I will be going to the first Little Rock game with Laura...so excited!!!

3. Having a great 1st semester at school. So far, things are going smoothly, and I have a great group of kiddos. I just hope it keeps getting better!

4. Starting the National Board process. This is something I've been mulling over for months, and I finally get to start this fall. It's going to be a stressful year, but the payoff in the end will be worth it.

5. Joining a community group through Fellowship. Mike and I have been looking forward to plugging in to the group that the Lord leads us to so we can meet new friends, and grow spiritually. We should be finding out in the next few weeks which one we'll be in!!!

6. COLD WEATHER!!! I HATE hot weather. I'm so looking forward to the fall/winter weather...bring on the snow! I love being able to snuggle under a blanket, next to a fire, drinking hot chocolate...CAN'T WAIT!

7. Thanksgiving...of course! I love Thanksgiving food..everything about it! While I'm counting calories now, you can bet that I won't be on Thanksgiving :-)

8. Last, but not least, Christmas! I love this whole time of year. It's the time we celebrate our Savior's birth...there's just a feeling of happiness in the air that I love.

This list probably doesn't interest many of you, but it's all I've got right now.

Happy Daddy's Day

Happy Father's Day to a wonderful daddy! My friends have always described him as a "Teddy Bear", and they're right. He is such a sweet man! He may look intimidating (according to Mike the first time he saw him), but once you talk to him, you see that he is genuinely kind. He's the type that can talk to anyone about anything. I'm glad to say that I have found a man similar to my daddy! Thank you daddy for always being there for me...for sitting through the 8 hour recitals and jumping with me on the trampoline.

Here are a few pictures of my wonderful daddy...

Sitting in my daddy's lap! I still remember the day that he finally shaved his mustache :-)

Playing with Lauren and me at the beach.

At Melissa's wedding in 2007.

Dancing to "Unforgettable" at my wedding. This was our second dance to this song because he was a trooper and did a father/daughter dance with me to the same song....love you daddy!

An Ode to Friends

My all-time favorite show would have to be Friends. It's the one show that can make me laugh out loud no matter how many times I've seen the episode. I've been asked several time who my favorite character is, but it's way too hard to choose! One of my favorite things about the show is that you can relate any quote, character, or action to a real-life circumstance. I don't know how many times I've quoted the show or make the infamous gesture Ross made up to "give the finger" to her parents...hahahaha!!! While watching a few episodes tonight, I started thinking about my best friends - Katie, Laura, and Lena. These girls have been there for more for as long as I can remember. They are truly like sisters to me! Even though we all live miles away from each other, we still make time to catch up. I have WAY too many memories with them to list them, but a few include Sunday School with Mrs. Karen, spending the night at Katie's and dancing to NKOTB, church camp, visiting Katie in Dallas, and all of our weddings and births (only from Lena). I thank the precious Lord for blessing me with such wonderful, Godly friends that I will have for a lifetime. I pray that my children have the same blessing. I love you girls!

With Katie at Chili's while visiting with Mrs. Karen who was in from Milan, Italy! I can't wait for Katie to move back to Arkansas with her hubby and puppy :-)

One of the many times Laura visited me in Fayetteville. Please come back from Denver really soon with your hubby and chubby puppy!!!!!

Lena and I at TCBY (I think)...the momma of the group :-) Can't wait to have my own kids so we can have play dates with Elias and Ada!

Enjoying the first baby of the group...Elias!

Supporting me during my wedding festivities...love you girls!!!!

Dog Show

The 5th grade students put together a dog show to help benefit the Humane Society. Students could enter their pup in the contest in several different categories: best wag, cutest, friendliest, best dressed, best trick, most macho, and best bark. The whole school got to enjoy watching these adorable pups walk the runway. There were only a few tiffs between dogs, but the highlight was when the school's regular stray dog appeared and wanted to be apart of the action. It was hilarious watching the 5th graders try to get a hold of the dog :-) Here are a few pics...there are more on the Arkansas Democrat website.

this puppy reminded me of my old dog, Penny

Mystery the dog

pretty golden retriever

This was the "Most Macho" dog :-)

Some of my students enjoying the show

Showing for "Best Wag"

Max and Molly

Hannah with her sister Kaitlyn and dog Bella

Abby with Daisy

Lauren and her dog Thurman

4th grade teachers enjoying the dog show

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day mommy! I have a wonderful mom who has been there for me through so many ups and downs in my life. My mom has not only made an impact on me, but so many others through her job at the high school. I don't know how many people have told me how much they move my mom because of how much she has helped them. Hearing those comments always helps me realize how special it is that I can call her "Mom". Thank you mom for being you! I know I can always count on your for advice or just for a partner to shop with :-) I love the picture of mom holding me in the hospital after I was born!

I love this pic of mom helping get into my Hound Dog costume for a dance recital. This was a huge part of my life, and she was always there to support and encourage me...with video camera in hand :-)

With mom at Melissa and Drew's wedding!

With mom at one of my wedding showers...love you mom!

Lately...

Things have been going wonderfully in the Fleisher household over the past week! First, the dreaded Benchmark is OVER!!! It made for a long 4 days of walking around the room for hours on end making sure all the students were on task. Needless to say, my feet were killing me last week. Not only am I thrilled that testing is over, but I know my students are as well. Poor things get so stressed over this test because they know it determines placement in the future. There are just so many rules that have to be followed, that it adds TOO MUCH stress on top of the stress that is naturally there with any test. For example, I had to cover every single thing in my room that had words on it...not fun! My room did not feel like the fun classroom atmosphere that it normally is. Here are some pictures...

As you can see, I had to cover all of the book shelves and bulletin boards. The students even have to cover the part of their desks where they keep their books...ridiculous!

Not a fun looking room :-(

Since testing is over, things have been stress-free. Mike and I started the Discover Life class at Fellowship in Little Rock. The class allows us to learn more about the church, and will lead us into a community group...which have been wanting to be a part of for a long time now. We were both excited to get started. We met in a large group first, then broke up into smaller groups based on where we live. The people in our group were extremely nice and seemed like we could easily connect with all of them. We are looking forward to seeing where the Lord will lead us and what community group we will end up in. We are so excited to meet new christian friends from our area that we can grow with.

Another highlight of this past week...my best friend, Lena, had her 2nd child. Ada Campbell Priest was born April 19th at 1:24 pm in Conway. She is the first granddaughter out of 6 grandchildren. I think it's fair to say that she will be spoiled! She looks a lot like her older brother, Elias, but has more of Lena's features...mainly the dark, curly hair! She is one beautiful little girl! She has been blessed with a wonderful family and will be loved by many!

Lena and baby Ada...so sweet!

A close-up of baby Ada...Happy Birthday!

Finally, my other best friend, Laura, is in town from Colorado!!! I haven't seen her since Christmas and I have missed her so much. While she and her husband came in due to a death in the family, I am very happy to see her and play! She is such a precious friend and I can't wait to hang out as much as possible before she has to go back to Denver.

Happy Easter - He is Risen!

Easter Sunday...what a day of celebration! My husband makes fun of me because here in the south, all of the girls make a big deal about buying a new Easter dress and eating with family. Those things are fun, but it's not just about getting a new dress and eating with family. It's a day to remember that Christ Jesus died on the cross for my sins...and yours! Then, He was risen from the grave...what amazing love! Mike and I went to celebrate at Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock this morning, and it was such a moving service. The music was incredible...of course we sang the Chris Tomlin song, "I will Rise"....amazing song. Our pastor focused on the passage John 20: 1-10 and the difference in how John and Peter saw the empty tomb...something I've never really thought of. That got me thinking what I would've done/thought if I had been there to see the empty tomb of my Savior??? Of course, that is a question that is hard to answer. What an amazing realization it was for John when he realized that Jesus (who he had just seen crucified on a cross) had been risen from the grave. Our pastor made a comment about how when Mary Magdalene came upon the empty tomb, the stone had been rolled away. Why did He not just move the entire tomb....with His word it would've easily obeyed! Well, our pastor said, the stone wasn't rolled away so that He could get out, but so that we could go in! We are able to experience Christ's love for us because He died on the cross and was risen from the grave.

"Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!' So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed." ~John 20:1-10