Happy Birthday Husband!

September 22nd is my husband's 24th birthday! Johnny is far far away in the land of Augusta, GA, so since we can't be together on his birthday, I wanted to devote a whole post to him and just how darn wonderful he is.

Look at that face! Who could resist it?



Here's Johnny with his mommy at our rehearsal dinner. One thing I love about Johnny is how much he loves his family. He would truly do anything for them.

Back in the old Wheaton ROTC days. At Wheaton, Johnny was always able to easily juggle crew, ROTC, school, and our relationship. And doesn't he just look too cute in that uniform? He wears it a lot more these days...with a real gun.

Johnny loving on his sister, Lauren. Lauren and Suzanne always joke that Johnny never played with them until they provoked him enough to punch them. He loves them so much, though, and always makes sure that he stays updated on what's going on with them.

Johnny and Aunt Gigi. Johnny loved growing up around Aunt Gigi and her kids. She, out of the goodness of her heart, made all of the bridesmaid dresses for our wedding. Oh yeah and then made us a quilt in her spare time. Johnny picks good aunts.

Johnny and I first got to know each other with Kristi, Lars, and Stephanie at HoneyRock Camp. We raided the fridge nightly. I think it says something about him that he first started to like me when I looked like this while eating this. Yes, he's a keeper.

Our first trip to Head of the Charles. Johnny was always such a classy rower. Notice the khaki pants.

Brothers! Johnny and Mitchell were each other's first brothers. Mitchell is planning to come visit us for the summer, and I know they're going to have a lot of fun playing together.

I got to visit him this last weekend. This was my very last trip for these four months apart. We are currently at 30 days until we see each other again and he gets to come home. I've been so impressed with how hard he's worked these last three months. Not only has he been doing all of his army stuff, but he's devoted hundreds of hours to studying for his actuarial exams, which he takes on October 2. He's been so supportive during my first few weeks of school and makes me feel so loved even when he isn't here.

So here's to you John Franklin. We love you!

First Day of School #19

I feel like singing that song from Peter Pan: I won't grow up. I won't grow up. I will never wear a tie. I will never wear a tie. In just a few hours, I will be embarking on my sixth year of high school. In some ways it's like I never left. I had summer reading. I've been planning my outfit for the last few days. I bought a new purse. I want people to like me. We've all been there...unless Mitchell is reading this because well, he hasn't.

In more ways, though, it's totally different. This is my plan book, filled to the brim with plans for the first month of school. For those of you who don't know, I will no longer be at Delaware Valley Charter this year. I have the joy of starting a new chapter at City Center Academy, a Christian school that's affiliated with our church, Tenth Presbyterian. I am teaching Sophomore English, Senior English, and Junior History. Yes, you heard me correctly. I am teaching American History. A little of Revolutionary War here, a little Dust Bowl there. I got this.

So besides making all of my students do either a major project or a paper or both during the first week of school, I'm starting my sophomores with a new book that I hadn't read until this summer that I highly recommend to all of you. As you can see, it is called Crispin: The Cross of Lead. It's this great book about a teenager during the middle ages. It introduces the topics of feudalism, peasants, knights, and land owners in a way that's really accessible for students. And who can resist Avi? I mean come on.

So for all of you who start school this week, or you crazy midwesterners who started weeks ago, good luck!