Hoyt House & English Tea

Deep down inside I wish I could have lived back in the days where ladies sat and had tea every afternoon and when special company over. Tea time, cucumber sandwhiches, fancy pasteries, and clots of cream are things I have only read about in my Jane Austen books and seen in the BBC/Masterpiece Theatre movies. There are even times I think I was born in the wrong era. A dream of mine was to have a tea party...a REAL tea party with loose tea leaves, fancy pasteries, and piano music in the background.

Last year I mentioned to a friend that I wanted to go to a tea room for my 29th birthday. I have to be honest I totally forgot about it...until Lori told me to "doll myself" up for a special surprise. I was thinking maybe she is going to take me to garden so she can take pictures of me.....or the beach.....

So the Sunday after my birthday I got up and curled my hair...put it halfway up....carefully applied my makeup....painted my toes to match my dress...and put on my ruffly sleeveless teal dress. After church Lori and I got into her car and headed north toward Fernadina Beach. We pulled into this beautiful yellow house which is also a Bed and Breakfast. A few times a week they have a English tea--complete with your own tea pot, tea cups and saucers, clots of cream, sugar cubes, and a tray of food including cucumber sandwhiches, egg salad sandwhiches, salmon, pasteries, and fruit.


I am thankful to have such a wonderful and thoughtful friend! :-)

Waiting for the one....my prince charming

Written June 22, 2012. Edited 5-13 This past week I turned a year older. My last year in my 20's...it is hard to believe. I still feel like I should be this little girl sitting on daddy's knee, playing with my Barbies, running barefoot down the street, and running through the sprinkler. It is also that time of year I begin to reflect on my singleness of life. This year it has been harder to be fully content about being single....mainly because I have already gone to two weddings this summer, one more wedding in a few more weeks, then another girl in my single's group is getting married in October. So that for one makes me want to get married even more. I had a coworker be blunt and ask why I was still single Nd why I wasn't asking guys out or flirting with them....I was stunned. I told her I really don't want to get a guy that way. She was surprised to hear that I didn't flirt. I got to really thinking about it that evening and decided I don't want to be known as a girl who got her man by flirting. The Lord brought to my mind some verses I studied in college on the unwise woman vs. the wise woman. I decided the unwise woman flirts and throws herself at a guy to get his attention. The wise woman waits on the Lord and lets the guy pursue her. This is what I want I want to be pursued....

Five years down...many more to go

Last Thursday, May 31st, I completed my fifth year of teaching. It is amazing to see how the Lord has allowed me to get this far in my teaching career. I admit there have been times I wanted to "throw in the towel" but the Lord {and I haven't let myself} do it. This past year, if I can give it one word, was INTERESTING. I know everything the Lord allowed me to go through was for a reason...it not only made me stronger as a teacher but also grow as a Christian.

I have been able to talk to my kids about Christ and what He did for them. How each child can serve God at home, church, and with their friends. We learned how to read and write stories. We learned how to count, fill in missing numbers, add, subtract, and measure things. Now my precious five year olds are moving on to 1st grade. I hope and pray that they will remember "the best teacher ever" (as they call me) and remember me as teacher who loved them and loved God.

The highlight of my year was directing my first kindergarten graduation program. I admit I was overwhelmed with the huge responsibilty. The Lord defintly helped me along the way. When it came to the week before the program I thought it would never come together. At the last minute on the last few days it came together beautifully. The program went great!!! My students did an awesome job--I was one proud teacher beaming from ear to ear.

When it came down the the last three days of school it was hitting me that some of these kids weren't going to be my students anymore. We had fun on our rainy field day with musical chairs and some other fun games. Wednesday the sun came out and we enjoyed an adventure at the zoo. Then Thursday I hugged my kids one last time....well as my kids at least. I am sure going to miss them!

I am so thankful for my fifth year of teaching and can't wait to do many more in the future if the Lord allows.