I am not a personification of my social media feed.

Let's talk social media, specifically Facebook and Instagram because they are the only two I can seem to keep my arms around. I confess, for a very long time I had a love-hate relationship with social media feeds. I was torn between wanting to share and also with feeling that posts had more to do with ego than actual sharing.

I finally realized that my feelings were spawned by others' views of media feeds. There seems to be two MAIN camps: those that poke holes at all positivity posts and those that feel some entire feeds are made up of negativity. There is a small segment of us in the middle - in the gray, if you will - that just enjoy viewing everyone's pictures of their families and pets and vacations, and tend to just overlook the more negative posts or the folks who are forever sick or being hurt or feel ignored by others.

While I hope people are "following" us - meaning the B&B - I can honestly say I have no idea how many followers we have on Insta OR Facebook. On the other hand, I spend several hours of research a week on how to use social media to promote our business. The reality is that social media is THE way to advertise today...and it's FREE!! We'd be nuts to NOT utilize this resource that will only continue to change and deepen and grow as the years go by.

Some days, I feel like the more I learn, the more I don't know. I finally switched my personal Insta to primarily business; meaning, I changed it from MY personal name to Wildernest Bed & Breakfast. Yes, I'll still post pics of the grands, the doggies, the food...but those things are WHO we are, so it makes sense to me that our potential guests would like to see what we view as important.

We spend ENORMOUS amounts of hours on our front porch, so front porch pics are important to me. Pictures of our cabins, the food we serve, and views of the property are paramount to - not only promoting our business - but also giving small glimpses into who we are as business owners. We're family people, first and foremost, so there will always, always, ALWAYS be crazy amounts of pictures and stories of our grands, our kiddos, and our pets.

The one area that I question the most is: am I being real? Authentic?

Because THIS I can promise you. For every delicious food picture I post, there are at least THREE that are HORRIBLE! My sweet husband is very vocal and descriptive during our meals together. When it's good, there is NO doubt. His vocabulary and adjectives (some appropriate and some not so much:) leave no doubt that it's a dish worth repeating. But when he is silent; eating but with no commentary, I know it's bad. Very, very bad, usually! Ha!

For every "positivity" post, I promise I could post three things that AREN'T going well in life. Sometimes I think our family could have their own reality show. We have SO. MUCH. GOING. ON. right now! Most good, but some sad, some scary, some uncertain...So, sure, I make the decision each and every day what I want to share with others. The truth is that I WANT to be a voice of positivity. I WANT to point others to what gets me through: JESUS.

At the same time, even though I don't post about it on a regular basis, we have our own set of difficulties that we deal with on the daily. We've given up a regular, dependable salary to take a chance on "us" and this dream of a B&B. We celebrate with our kids who have kids and who are expecting another! (Hopefully we'll have a gender reveal later this week!!!) We also have kids who are going through infertility treatments, including surgery, medications, injections...We celebrate and we console, and many times both on the same day. We have parents with new medical issues, and our place in the "sandwich" of the family is that of the meat that holds both ends together. That's just where we are.

I could post all this, and I would never, ever discourage others from posting whatever they like. For me, I encourage myself with prayer, positivity quotes, and focusing on the good things in life. This naturally segues into my social media posts. It does as much, if not MORE, good for me than it could ever do for others.

Maybe most importantly of all is the growing of our family business - the B&B. We want that to be "the face" of our social media posts. We share certain pictures of family, pets, the grounds, the cabins, etc. because we want our potential guests to have a sense of who we are and what we value. We are two normal people: a couple who are deeply in forever love, who have grown children who are growing their own families, who have parents who are facing new challenges in life, who have meals that flop, ideas that fail, who laugh, cry, hurt, and rejoice.

We are normal.

We are not the personification of our social media feed.

Changing of the seasons.

What a year of transition!  Transplantation. When I first named this blog many years ago, it was

because it seemed I was being transplanted - both literally and figuratively. Little did I know that was Just. The. Beginning.

Since that first Transplanted Gal blog post:

• My parents sold their home and moved onto our land
• We built our dream home and moved out of our little beloved cabin
• Both sons married, one of them having the first EVER wedding on the property
• Wildernest Ranch Bed & Breakfast, LLC became a reality
• Our 3rd grandchild was born
• We opened the B&B
• Mike retired
• Expansions to the business included an event venue and two precious tinies
• After years of teaching English II, I switched to Culinary
• Mike received a call and was offered his old position with Donaldson, except with less travel
• We've witnessed 18 weddings at our property and venue, and countless parties & reunions
• I turned in my final letter of resignation and made the decision to "come home" to run the business full-time

Friday was my last day with students as we finished final exams. I've taken all of my personal belongings home, cleaned out the culinary kitchen, have all of my student computers and other technology ready to turn back into Tech. I've finalized grades and printed out my last grade verification sheets, cleaned out my desk, and have begun saying my "see ya laters." 

Tomorrow at 1pm I will drive out of the faculty parking lot for the last time as a TEACHER.

If I've learned anything in my 50+ years of living and loving, it's that nothing stays the same. Changes are inevitable; some are grand and exciting - others leave you heartbroken and desolate. With each new season comes new challenges, new adventures, new discoveries, new realizations.

The past year has probably been one of the most challenging for me up to this point. I think I may have cried more in the past 12 months than I have my entire adult life. My heart has been ripped apart again and again as I've tried to support my brother (who I love SO very much) through the most difficult chapter of his personal life; but we've grown closer as a result.

Together we've witnessed our parents' new health issues, and are continually learning new ways to support and care for them has been heartbreaking at times; but our love for family and our intense desire for them to know we're here for them has only deepened and solidified.

We've celebrated with one set of kids as they announced a new pregnancy, and we're over the moon excited to become grandparents to the fourth grand buddy OR grand doll. Yet - at the very same time - we've mourned with another set of kids who are facing infertility issues, and - as a family - we've come closer to each other and to God as we trust Him to make them parents.

We've lost friends to death this year - more than I ever thought possible in one year. It's been almost surreal. From motorcycle accidents to cancer to heart attacks, so many lives we've been invested in have come to an end, claiming people who are so very special to our lives. Yet each time has driven us to our knees and only served to make us more aware of how precious every single moment of this life really is.

Time is fleeting, and each day must count.

But I know it must also be a balanced life.

I've learned what it means to work weeks on end without a "day off," between my role as a teacher and a B&B owner. I'm also learning that a power nap on the couch or an occasional marathon of a favorite show doesn't mean I'm letting things "slip."

I've experienced what it's like to drop so many balls in so many roles this past year that I've very often wondered if I was fit to do ANY job, let alone try to keep my arms around the ones I've had. Yet each of these roles have blessed our family, our home, our marriage, and my spirit. I've learned to go to bed early on those hard days and trust that tomorrow is a brand new day, with brand new chances to do better.

We've missed countless ball games, special events, and birthday parties of our grands because it has literally taken all of our time, energy, and resources to get the business where it is today. We can't get those time back nor can we make up for them, but we CAN now begin to make new memories. Like Friday night lights in Richardson come fall, trips to Austin for the new birth, being present for karate tournaments, birthday parties, and impromptu quick Dallas "turn-arounds" for dinner dates with our grown kids.

I've cried over the students I am saying good-bye to, over aspects of teaching that I will miss so very much, and even over the fact that I will no longer be classified as a TEACHER - a role I have been so proud and honored to carry.

Oddly enough, there were no tears today. There may be tomorrow; don't hold me to this statement:)! I recognize this next season and anticipate it. I know it will be full of moments that I expect, and maybe even more that I don't. I know there will much laughter, more tears, gains and losses.

I promise my family that I will smile more, hug tighter, laugh often, play with childlike abandon. I will work hard to continue to grow our business, but I'll put the business of family first. More living room picnics with my love, more Legos and coloring with George, more girls' trips with my mom and daughters-in-love, more cheering at games as Carter plays and Kendall cheers. More front porch conversations with my brother, and also with my sis-in-law, friends and neighbors. 

More church. More prayer. More Jesus than ever before.

Once more...

I'm a transplanted gal.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Teaching Deconstructed.

I am down to one week left with students. One week from today I will give last hugs as kiddos rush for the hallway, anxious to get their summer on. The year will end in much the same way it has ended for me for the past many years.

Except I won't be returning in August.

This fact is both exciting and terrifying to me. I, too, am ready to begin summer but maybe even more anxious for fall and for this new opportunity to focus entirely on our growing B&B and on our growing family. I'm looking forward to more road trips to see our kids and grands, to having a bit more energy to devote to the upkeep and tending that a bed and breakfast needs to be truly successful, and to being present for my parents in a way that I haven't really been able to for the last several years.

This is an exciting time!

Yet any new venture (or risk) can be terrifying as well and I wouldn't be honest if I didn't confess I've spent many a sleepless nights since making the decision to "come home." It's not that I don't trust the decision. In fact, everything has aligned so perfectly that it leaves no doubt that God is truly directing our footsteps. Spiritually and mentally, I am so ready. Emotionally - not so much.

Teaching is something that is so hard to define. It is more who you are and much less of what you actually do. When you have a heart for teaching, it's about the relationships first and all that comes with the job second. And these relationships...

Y'all.

These relationships are so strong and they tug at your heartstrings and - each year - you are left changed. See, it's not just the students who do the learning; teachers learn just as much, maybe more. We learn that compassion, encouragement, and a little grace does more for a student's overall success than academics itself. We learn that behind every face that looks to us is a story that needs to be told and - sometimes - we are THE safe place for that story to be heard. We learn that we don't, in fact, know everything and on certain days we feel we don't know anything.

Teaching is not about the exhilarating moments; it's about those exhilarating moments that happen once in a blue moon that tide you over until the next one, when and if it should come. It's about a student sending you a Facebook message of appreciation after he receives his Masters and you both recall that first six weeks that he sat in your class during his sophomore year...and the battles you had. It's about a student that is one of the very first to text you on Mother's Day, even though she is graduated and a mother herself now, to tell YOU Happy Mother's Day. It's about the daily conversations where you listen, laugh, worry, sometimes shake your head in confusion, but more often nod in understanding, and always end your Friday classes with, "Have a great weekend. BE SAFE."

It's about that "beginning of the year tired" and "end of the year tired" that just can't be explained, only to magically be replaced by renewed inspiration and excitement for a brand new year after roughly 8 weeks of rest and recuperation with your "normals."

It's about keeping peanut butter crackers and popcorn in your desk drawer for hungry students. Occasionally overlooking a sleeping student because you know they are working a full-time job that includes late nights, WHILE maintaining a near perfect GPA and - can I just say - showing up! Loving on the surly and the ones with stinky attitudes because it's not YOU they are angry with; they're just angry. For a variety of reasons. It's about knowing their names, but also saying them out loud and often. Discovering their hobbies and initiating conversations about them. Finding out what they do in their spare time and making sure to go through their drive-thru window at work occasionally, asking about a mom recuperating from surgery, quietly giving a hug to a student who is (even more quietly) observing the anniversary of the death of a sibling, and slipping a few bucks to yet another student so they can attend a school event and not be the only one in class not able to go.

It's about realizing that grades are NOT the great equalizer and they should not be what makes or breaks a student's record - or their heart. It's about the loud classrooms where interactive learning is taking place, according to the state TEKS, sure, but even more so according to what students need the most of that particular day. Even if that means scrapping your well thought out lesson plans and taking off on another trajectory. It's about saying, "I don't know" when you don't know something, but following it up with, "but I'll find out and get back to you." It's about seeking out a student whose feelings you accidentally hurt and saying, "I'm so sorry. I was wrong."

Teaching is indescribable.

This post could go on and on because my heart is full to overflowing today. With excitement. With terror. With aaaalllllll the emotions that fall on the spectrum between these two. So I'll stop here and save some for later.

I just attended the Top 10 Breakfast (it will get a post all its own) and survived with a minimal amount of tears. But then I walked back into my classroom and dissolved into a puddle.

I'm a teacher.

Puddles happen.

The Farmhouse Movement.

It seems that, for the past several years, there's been a movement back "to the farmhouse." I was first pulled in by the phenomenon that was "Fixer Upper," where JoJo & Chip Gaines flipped homes and turned ALL kinds of homes into a modern day farmhouse - whether or not the house was founded on literal farmland. 

The movement, though, is about something so much bigger than an actual house. Or the layout and decor of it. It's much more about the concepts, beauty, simplicity, and personality of a well-loved place from days long gone by. Something held snugly in between tales of times gone by and the expectations of all the future offers. A spot that is less about the farm, and more about the house. 

For a lot of us - me included - it's a "back-to-our-roots" movement where families simultaneously move toward more sustainable options and sustainable, healthy connections to one another. Whether we reside in urban city blocks, suburban neighborhoods, or wide open spaces we like to call "the country," we are more mindful of who we love and how we are choosing to live this one life we've been given. We love and lead more intentionally. We prioritize according to what is best for those we love most, instead of what is most "urgent." 

Toward the end of 2018, I realized I'd spent the better part of the year living my life according to the urgent, and not necessarily what (or rather who) is most important. Our family - children, grands, my parents, and friends. I was spending the least amount of time with the ones I love the most. This wasn't intentional...which is my point, I guess. 

I wasn't living intentionally.

I was catering to the to-do lists and the busyness of this season of life. Instead of savoring each morsel of this extraordinary life, I was prisoner to schedules and the clock and the calendar. It wasn't that these things and activities weren't important; they were and ARE. My issue lay with how I organized my time and my abilities. It had to do with taking better control of my schedule and learned to say "no" to the things that weren't necessary, and yet robbed me of time with my loves. 

There weren't any New Year's resolutions for me this year, but there was an intentional pivot. I chose PRESENT as my word of the year. Not as in gift, but as in being present. In the moment. Aware. Present for the important events. The important occasions. The important people. 

I'm trying to stay the course, and stay true to this pivot. Be at all the grands' special events. Cultivate an even deeper relationship with each of our kids. Communicate more. Laugh often. Call friends. Celebrate the everyday as well as the big stuff. 

It's a matter of coming full-circle. Living an authentic lifestyle, where family values come first, ingredients are pure and simple; where we not only know our neighbors, but call them friends, and where spending our time well trumps to-do lists. 

I appreciate the ability to work hard and run a business. I'm proud of my career as a teacher. I'm beyond thankful that I've been blessed to do both over the past several years, and that the business, which is my passion, is doing so well, and that teaching - which is my calling - still fulfills me. Even though it's time to choose - and, of course, I've chosen the B&B, I know that teaching and my students will always be a part of who and what I am. I appreciate all of this...the figurative move toward the simple things.

I also cherish the move toward the literal simple things: mason jars, shiplap, big front porches, open windows, and a good quilt on the bed. I love homemaking and decorating, finding ways to make our home reflect the things we care most about. I love beautiful sunrises and gorgeous sunsets, and love them most from my own front porch. 

I like this farmhouse movement.

This is a movement toward happier homes and healthier families, both literally and figuratively. 

Truly, Madly, Deeply

I've been thinking about love relationships a lot lately. A lot of the reason why, I'm sure, is because of my own love. My marriage to my guy. I think about what our love looked like back in the beginning, the way it looked in the middle of raising teenagers, how it looked as we embraced an empty nest, and - especially - the way it looks today.

In every stage we've loved. Truly. Madly. Deeply. Around the time we married the band Savage Garden came out with the song by this name. For a long while, it was our song; so reflective of the acknowledgment of both our pasts, and appreciation of having found one another. I looked the original music video up a few days ago and let my mind review the past twenty years.

Truly, Madly, Deeply

As a teacher of high school, sometimes I am so saddened by what this age bracket views as 'love.' I guess when I was their age my friends and I weren't much different. Love is beautiful in all its stages: the wildly exhilarating beginning, the team-building middle years, the ups and downs, highs and lows, the sick times and the healthy ones.

Love, though, isn't always about romance. And it's not confined to intimate relationships.

We all receive and give love in so many different ways to so many different people in our lives. And I think we can all agree we all need love. It's absolutely necessary to having a happy life. We need our significant other, yes, but we also need friends. Family. Our kiddos. Our grands. I certainly would never call myself an expert on love, but being one half of a healthy, flourishing marriage has helped me to realize a few major point over the years. 

First, you have to love yourself.

We all come from different backgrounds. Some of us grew up in a loving and encouraging family, and some of us didn't. We've probably all had some kind of relationship in our lives that has left us feeling hurt. You can't control your outside circumstances. I wish we could. What you can control is your own choices. It can be hard to love when you feel broken. If you don't come to any relationship (romantic, friendship, family) whole, you end up (1) asking others to fill in the broken pieces or (2) shutting them out completely. You first have to love yourself. Someone very wise once pointed out to me that God instructs us to "love others as ourselves." Way too often, if we're honest, we'd love others in a totally lousy way if we truly abided by this scripture. And yet, it's what we should do. Then, and only then, can any of us offer relationships our strengths rather than looking to them to fix our weaknesses. We all have the power to make this decision no matter what hand life has dealt us.

Be someone you would love.

It is always easier to blame others. Always. Always, always, always - no matter your age or your stature in life. What's hard is looking inward to ourselves and realizing that maybe it's us who needs to change. Before you have amazing relationships you have to be someone you would love. Be the mother you would want. Be the friend you want. Be the spouse you want. This is a lifelong process the important people in your life will help you with if you are open to it. Stop focusing on others' shortcomings so much and instead work on yourself.

 Love deeply.

Don't hold back. Don't hold grudges. Go all in. We've probably all been hurt before, and I'm not saying we should ignore those situations. We need to learn from the unhealthy ones and seek to avoid repeat mistakes. But. Don't let past hurts prevent you from making new relationships or falling in love. This almost happened to me. I was hurt and felt justified in my unwillingness to forgive even though my circumstances had changed. And this attitude nearly prevented me from being ready for my future husband...my now husband. My partner, my love, my guy. Don't be afraid to love deeply.  Be open. Be brave.

4. Choose your important relationships.

I truly believe that we should love everyone. An attitude of love to your fellow citizens is a great way to live your life. Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone did this? However, this does not mean that you should open yourself up to being hurt over and over again. Choose the people who you cultivate important relationships with. If someone has continually been a negative influence in your life, or doesn't treat you the way you deserve, then they should not receive the privilege of being one of your close relationships. Focus on the positive influences in your life. Love them deeply (see point 3).You don't need to be anyone's second choice.

5. Love is work.

Every important relationship in your life requires attention in order for it to grow. I am so guilty of being that friend who doesn't call back. It is SO easy to get busy with your life, with work or school or whatever you are passionate about and not focus on cultivating the love in your life. I should get dinner with my parents more often. I should get coffee with friends more. I should plan more dates away from the B&B with Mike. If you neglect any relationship it will decline over time. I've had many friends over the years that I've sort of drifted apart from simply because I didn't make time for them. Being a giving and loving person takes a lot of intentional effort. And that's something that I'm working on this year.

But good people are worth the time. All the time. Every time. 

Savor: My Next 90 Days

Anyone who knows me well at all, knows I love a good planner/calendar! So much so that I may go a tad bit overboard. I currently carry THREE around with me on the daily!

There is a method to my madness though, I promise! The first is our business planner, which I use solely for just that...business. It contains all the reservations for each of the cabins, as well as the venue, plus it holds contact info for all of our brides and their important people. Updated financials are catalogued there on a monthly basis just so I can quickly flip to it at a moment's notice. Yes, this is all on our computer and much of it in our phones, but - call me stuck in yesteryear - I can't help the love I have for hard copy! I've used the same design for the past three years, and have purchased them all from an online boutique through Jane, called So Kali. I'm not posting a picture of it here right now because I'm being just too lazy to snap the pic and upload, but if you're like me and love a great planner plus a little personalization on the front cover, this one's for you! The planners aren't generally listed for sale until around Fall, but she has bill trackers, prayer journals, and much more! Definitely worth a look around! Then bookmark her for your next year's planner!

The planner that stays in my purse full-time is my personal one, and also one that contains all of my classroom and lesson plans. I used to do a full-on teacher planner, but finally gave that one up this year and - instead - consolidated it with my smaller, personal one. It's a good one, though, by Agenda 52! I'm pretty sure I picked this one up at Hobby Lobby, and it was either insanely on sale or I used my 40% off coupon! I'm obsessed with this one because you can customize the inserts; that's really the only reason it works so well for my lesson plans, and also for meal planning and shopping lists, too! LOVE it.

 
I so did NOT intend for this to be a full post dedicated to my planner/calendar addiction; I meant to gush on and on about my newest one only - the My Next 90 Days by Savor Life. It helps to organize your life 90 days at a time, and truly, TRULY promotes a more intentional way of approaching your busy days. Of course, it helps tons that it's full of inspirational quotes and has very deliberate 4-pillar  method: your 'savor life' list which helps keep you focused on what's most important, a 90 day vision, a weekly and daily ritual list, and - finally - a place to organize what they call your "gorgeous chaos." It takes the "nourish to flourish" approach and has room for literally everything you need to remind you to stop, think, rest, drink your water, plan your day intentionally, get in your prayer time, and you simply do it 90 days at a time!

Everytime I glimpse it on my desk, or laying open on the coffee table, or on a stack of books where I'm working in my home office, I smile. Every. Single. Time.

The reason?

At the end of THIS 90 days, I will be walking out of my role as a classroom teacher and into my new one as FULL-TIME B&B owner/operator!!! My heart, of course, is alllll over the place. I'm going to miss SO much about the teaching life, primarily my students, awesome coworkers, and - yes - a dependable monthly income! But if I've ever in my life known something for certain, it's that this is the right time, the right decision. I am ready.

What I don't want the next few months to be is a race to the finish. I want so badly to finish the school year out at the top of my game, which isn't always an easy task when my time, energy, and attention is pulled in such opposite directions. I want to live each day intentionally, knowing that there is purpose and pleasure in each and every one of them. And hard work. Always more hard work, right? Every morning, I glance at the list for the day, where I begin with what is Number One for every day: prayer first. This is the time of day that settles me, and helps me prepare in a calm and logical manner whatever the next 15 hours might hold.

So...this super long post in essence is really all about the last two paragraphs only.

In 90 days my life will once again change. I'll go through yet another "transplantation." My daily prayer is that each and every day lived between this one and that last one will be chock full of only the important, the essentials that fuel my spirit, nourish my body, and keep me in a place where I can be my best for my husband, our family, my role as a teacher and tender of young hearts, and my responsibilities in our business.

Navigating social media.

A couple of years ago Mike and I jokingly (but also seriously; does that make sense?) said that our brains simply could not handle any more new technology when it comes to social media. I flourished in all that was Facebook, while he held out many years before finally throwing in the towel and creating an account. But the others...Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Snap Chat, and - now - even Marco Polo, were just too much to keep up with. Never mind the fact that I truly do not think I have the right brain cells to navigate Snap Chat.

It's hysterical watching my students snap all day and work those phones like a boss with one hand, while I deliberate over each and every FB post and carefully and thoughtfully choose each photo for Instagram. I joined Twitter a number of years ago, broke up with it, got back together with it...a few times, but then ended that relationship for good. To quote Taylor Swift, "We are never, ever getting back together!"

A while back when we decided that I would most likely be running the business full time after this school year, and that - if that was going to be the case - then I needed to try to grow it even further, I knew I needed to really throw myself into Instagram and Pinterest. I researched like a doctoral candidate, learning why the heck a hashtag was so almighty important, and how to attract the "right" people to my pins. I have to say, I thought I had come. So. Far.

Until I took an online social media workshop for businesses and realized that I. KNOW. NOTHING.

I learned about Tailwind, which helps you coordinate, schedule and then pin to your boards, and Insta pre-sets so that you're Insta feed looks "uniform and inviting." Now, I realize that some of you probably are laughing at this point and saying, "Oh, she's so funny; she didn't know about TAILWIND?"

Um, no.

In addition to not knowing about it, I quickly realized that learning about all of the available technology that is so handily at your fingertips to help you gel your blog and your business website with your Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, is like going down a rabbit hole. A very deep rabbit hole! The last week or so I've found that I'm alternately fascinated and elated with the possibilities, but also bewildered and frustrated. LOL!

However...I feel like I've been "hooked." Now it's not only a challenge to figure it all out, but I'm looking forward to seeing if this can really help a business...and a blog...and a website... 

                                                            G R O W.

Please! All of you that have any tips for me at all, feel free to drop a comment!! 

Winnie the Pooh said it best.

"A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others." ~ Author Unknown

I am retiring from teaching.

I typed, backspaced, typed again, backspaced again...numerous times, trying to capture the perfect opening sentence for this blog post.

The truth is, I don't think there is one. Even after deciding on the direct approach, I still hesitated over the word retiring. We all know it's not an actual retirement in which I will still draw a significant amount from TRS each month. Because teaching was a mid-life career change, I couldn't possibly live long enough OR work long enough to reach the formula by which teachers can "officially" retire with any hopes of a semi-decent income. 

Yet, I don't think the right word is QUITTING.

You quit something you no longer enjoy. You quit things that are too hard. You quit things that don't ignite your passion. 

If you were ever really a teacher of the heart, as well as of the mind and soul of a child, you don't quit teaching.

You simply leave at the end of a school year and don't return the next.

The thought of this already makes my heart constrict in something close to pain. As all teachers know, most days are mundane, and also filled with attitudes (poor ones, especially if you teach high school like I do:), lots of tardies and absences, headaches, and much longer hours than the general public realizes. But...just ONE of those rare, sweet days when there is a "light-bulb" moment, or when something extraordinary occurs that your lesson plan didn't account for...just ONE of those is enough to carry you for days, and even weeks at a time.

Many of you thought last year was to be my last in the classroom. For a while, I did as well. Then I had the amazing opportunity to return to my hometown high school as the new Culinary Arts teacher and I just couldn't pass that opportunity up! It has certainly been a wonderful year up to this point, and I get to enjoy three more months in this role, one that I've come to cherish and love and embrace. It doesn't replace my English teacher's heart, but it's a close second:)

Since last August, I've been fortunate (that's lucky AND blessed) to be able to combine my two significant passions - that of teaching and of the hospitality industry - and share these two with about 75 students each day. We've learned recipes, methods, safety, OSHA standards, front house etiquette and backhouse rules and regulations. 

We've shared laughter (lots), tears (not as many but very poignant), thrills, field trips, our problems, "counseling" sessions, and more hugs and smiles that I can even begin to count.  

To say that I'm going to miss teaching is so much of an understatement. Yes, I'm going to miss fulfilling that part of my heart that needs to teach. But I expect I'll always find a way to have teachable moments. I don't believe a real teacher ever vacates the profession; you simply widen your scope and allow for other things to have room in your heart and life as well as teaching. 

That's the fork in the road that I have come to. It's time to widen my scope. Our business has been blessed far beyond what we deserve, and certainly much more than we ever expected it to be this soon. "Soon" is relative since we opened the B&B five years ago! Time has flown and we have worked so, so hard to make it a place that is warm and welcoming, a real asset to our community, and the realization of what we had dreamed for it.

It can't continue to grow and flourish without me taking a day-to-day, "hands-on" position here at the B&B and venue. It's almost humorous to me that I thought I could continue to do both for even a couple more years. Whether it's age or energy, or (hopefully) just the sheer magnitude of what a business with four cabins and a wedding/event venue require - I have found that I can't teach AND be a proprietor and do justice to them both.

I had to make a choice.

I'm sure over the coming months I'll blog more about this newest upcoming transition. Once more, a transplanted gal. When I first named the blog years ago, I had no idea how many times I would refer to myself as a girl transplanted. I think God has had His hand in all of this much, much longer than I have. As always, I am trusting Him for guidance, for direction, and - especially - the wisdom to care for the roles in which He has entrusted to me.

My marriage. My family. Our business.

Quick Getaway to Hot Springs!

I am woefully behind in blogging about our quick little getaway to Hot Springs a few weeks back. One of our New Year "try-fors" (instead of resolutions that cause you to feel such guilt when you break them:) was to have more frequent away time from the B&B. Those are the only real times when we can slow down enough to have honest talks about the things that really matter.

Things like our business. Our other two careers. Our finances. Our marriage. Our family. Our church and friend relationships. It's easier to have the tougher conversations when you're in a neutral place AND you're having a little fun as well!

We chose Hot Springs for this trip for two reasons only: 1) it is close and an easy and pretty drive and 2) my friend Kait and her hubby recently visited and told us all about the most adorable tree house they stayed in.

So...of course we rented a tree house as well. Not the same one, but one in the same area.

This space was was quite magical in several ways. First of all, the B&B owners' attention to detail was beyond supreme. They thought of literally everything. We like to think we do a pretty good job of that ourselves, but we humbly bowed and acknowledged their amazing touches that made the stay so enjoyable. We did laugh out loud (literally) though when we realized that the cabin and the surrounding views were so very similar to our right here at Wildernest. Maybe not in the mountains, but certainly in our part of the piney woods on the hilly Sulphur River ridge.

We basically did five things while there: slept, ate, and spent quality time together. Okay, so we only did three things...but we did a lot of each of the three! We ate fantastic food, strolled downtown, had long, luxurious conversations, and slept to our hearts' content. It was certainly a much needed step OFF the treadmill of life.

Even if for a mere quick 48 hours.

#ThisCouldGetWilder

Our Wedding Day

Mike and I have often joke that we're not real sure just how we ended up married; he never "asked," therefore I never said "yes" - and yet here we are...an old married couple now of almost twenty years.

We were never your ordinary couple, if there is even such a thing. With a substantial age difference between us, and me a young, single mom of two tween boys and he with a daughter in college, neither of us really expected to end up married.

(Mainly because he told me he would never marry again:)

Yet in spite of all the obvious obstacles and definitely in spite of our naysayers, there was an undeniable meeting of two hearts that needed one another. He traveled a lot for work and I was busy with a full-time job as well as mothering full-time, and we didn't see a whole lot of one another. In fact, we probably date more now than we ever did during our courtship.

But we wrote letters. So. Many. Letters. We still have them - hundreds - tucked away in a private spot. Every so often one of us will pull them out and we'll sit in our bed and take turns choosing one at random and read it out loud to the other. That was our courtship; through words spoken from the heart we came to know the true essence of the other. There was no holding back. Again, we didn't expect to marry; instead, we thought we had found a safe place to pour out our hurts from the past, our dreams for the future, our hopes for our respective children, and - yes - what we were going to do about this growing need we each felt to be with the other.

I'll not go into how we got from there to our wedding day; it's sacred and completely, totally a God-thing. But I still stand by the fact that there was no proposal; there was nothing uber romantic about how we arrived to our special day. However, the road there - and since - has been paved with more romance than some experience in their entire life.

I've never given any thought whatsoever to renewing our vows. Yet, as we draw closer to our 20th anniversary, we've talked a bit about it. Not because we feel the need to recite vows or declare our love and commitment; we both know more than ever that our love was destined. We are meant to BE.

But the road from being a "blended" family to a FAMILY has been one that's not always been easy. The easy part is falling in love, caring for each other's kids enough to open your heart and life to them, and seeing it all play out perfectly in your mind.

The harsher reality is that you're dealing with sensitive little hearts that don't fully understand what is happening and you're trying to find words to explain to your almost grown daughter why - after all this time - you've decided to not only marry, but to take on the care and raising of two young boys.

Again, I'll save all of our experiences and the ups and downs and ins and outs of our journey to unity for the five of us. What is the most important thing is that no one gave up; we allowed everyone to move at their own pace. The boys received a bonus dad that they lovingly refer to as Pops now; I received not what I would call a step-daughter - though that is what she is - but one of my closest and best friends.

This all took time, but time took care of all of our hearts.

Somewhere along the way, we melded and became one big, happy family. Then the boys were grown and marrying, and we then had three amazing children-in-law, as well as three phenomenal children. Now we have three grands that light our world in ways we never knew was possible.

What deserves to be celebrated and rejoiced over is that. Our kids. Our grands. Our family.

Two weeks ago, we were driving down the road and suddenly Mike pulls over to the side and puts the truck in park. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a ring, takes my hand with his free one, looks me straight in the eye and says,

"Mrs. Wilder, would you do me the honor of marrying me again?"

He asked, y'all!

I said YES.

Next December, when we have our family all together to celebrate Christmas, we'll stand with our kids and grands and renew our vows. Not just to each other, but to all nine of them. If they wish (and I hope they do!) we want them to say what they would like. If the grands want to speak, we welcome it! (We feel quite certain that 5 year old George will have something entertaining to offer up:)

Back then - on our wedding day - we became a family in name, but these days, we are a family in heart.

Watching our grown children interact with each other, share in big group text conversations, laugh and joke together is the single most favorite sight and sound we love the most in this whole entire world. All 11 of us aren't together too often due to living in various parts of Texas; but when we are, it's heaven on earth for Pops and I.

I love who we are together, not just Mike and I, but all eleven of us. I treasure the road that led us here, I embrace the moments that were difficult, and often rocky or even scary. Each experience, each year, each milestone built our family's foundation.

And it's a firm one.

One that will stand the test of time.

So in December we will renew our vows, and we'll look into one another's eyes, but then we'll turn and look at our kids and grands that stand there with us and - more than anything - we'll just give thanks for the blessing that came with an unexpected love, an anything-but-ordinary courtship, and the five hearts that blended together in love.

Recovering.

It was a perfect storm, really. 

Enough chaos going on in my body that I wasn't sure which end was up and which was down. The quote from Steele Magnolias comes to mind, when Truvy says, "Oh Sammy's so confused he don't know whether to scratch his watch or wind his butt."

That was me, y'all, these past couple of weeks.

This is not going to be a long drawn out post on my ailments; just a quick reason why I've been MIA for those of you who have inquired. {Speaking of that, I know I am woefully behind on texts and emails; I'm working my way through them!}

It started with a pinched nerve in my neck - about three weeks ago. I ignored it as I'm apt to do, until it became too painful to turn my head. By then it was a mere couple of days before our big 2019 Bridal Expo and there was just simply no time to stop and pay attention to - you know- THE IMPORTANT THINGS LIKE HEALTH. 

I soldiered on, by then limping because who even knows how a pinched nerve can cause you to limp? But there I was, powering through that big 'ol weekend smiling away with a literal pain in the neck and a noticeable limp. I was a thing of beauty, I am quite certain. 

After finally making an appointment with my chiropractor the next week, I felt hopeful that things were on the mend. My culinary class experienced a legit King Cake from Lyla's Bakery in Shreveport, we planned two Cajun meals, as well as salads and dressings we'd be making, while my Principles of Hospitality classes continued their major project on a theme park based on a children's book. Things were going well.

Until the aching started. I use the term aching lightly because I just can't think of a more accurate term. Pain seems TOO much, but my extreme discomfort fell somewhere in between the two. Not pain, but certainly more than ache. I laid awake for two nights, tossing and turning, unable to find a position that did not hurt. I blamed the adjustments I was receiving since I knew my back and neck were in a really jacked up position, but when I ended up in my chiropractor's office a day later and he saw my condition, he gently said, "I think you may have the flu."

No. I shook my head against that possibility. There's no fever. No chills. Just an upset stomach and this ACHING. 

Then the chills came. And, of course, the fever. And even more aching. By this point I had not eaten in three days. Even keeping water down was a challenge. When Mike came home from his out of town meetings (oh yeah, did I mention it was just the pups and I at home and - by this time - they were getting tired of going to bed at 6:45 every night:) he immediately called to get me in to the doctor.

So yesterday I find out that there is a stomach bug going around that is not to be confused with the flu - also going around - and, as she put it, "You were just in the right place to contract both at the same time."

Several bottles of Gatorade, lots of naps, a half a bottle of ibuprofen, some Tamiflu, and loads of water later I'm happy to report that I feel on the road to recovery. 

DISCLAIMER: I did not get a flu shot this year. I will not make that mistake again. YES, you CAN still get the flu even after taking the shot, but - trust me - the symptoms are much less violent, easier to control, and you won't think you are nigh unto death.

Hot Springs Getaway

Whispering Pines Tree House

Last year, in January, we had THE sweetest young couple choose Wildernest B&B for their "beginning of the year" getaway. They explained to us that they do this each year, a time to financial plan, have some of the hard conversations, and set both personal and couple goals for the upcoming year.

They very deliberately decided on a place away from home because - we all know - these types of conversations at home often become interrupted, or - dare I say truthfully - even heated? 

My sweet husband and I have taken a cue from them and are taking our "yearly planning" on the road this year. It didn't happen in January, but we are taking this Thursday and Friday off of work and traveling to Hot Springs, Arkansas - just a short hop down the road from us. After taking care of some necessary appointments/duties on Thursday, we'll hit the road and enjoy a couple of nights away to rest, plan, prepare, and set our financial goals for 2019.

This is a first for us, and we will definitely document this time and blog about it in the next few weeks. It doesn't matter if you're newlyweds, married with small children, empty nesters, or enjoying your "Pipe Dreams" like we are - having a PLAN and CONSISTENTLY working it together is just so important.

So...Whispering Pines, we will be tucked away in your part of YOUR piney woods in just a few short days, ready to rest, recharge, and plan. Our mutual couple goal for this year is to live intentionally, move forward with purpose, and take better care of our families, our children, and our grands!

Does anyone relate to this subject? Drop a comment if you want to share! If you'll leave a comment, we'll send you a little takeaway from Hot Springs upon our return!

Many blessings on this Sunday!

The "lost" manuscripts.

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." 

        -Maya Angelou

This morning has been an emotional time for me. Up early to give a venue tour, and then ready a couple of the cabins for weekend guests, I was completely focused on the business, and on finishing up the duties so that I could head back to the house. Our oldest son, Nate, and his wife, Sarah, are visiting this weekend, and we have a full day and evening planned with them. 

But as I said good-bye to the prospective bride and the group of ladies with her, I saw Mike (who was in the barn) waving me over to him. As I drew closer, I glimpsed a large cardboard box sitting on top of his 6-wheeler and my heart sped up a bit.

Could it be...?

"Did you find them?" Even as I asked the question, I saw the happy gleam in his eyes and knew that he had, in fact, found THEM.

My "lost" manuscripts. 

He opened the box and I stared down at binder after binder after binder, filled with my words, stories that I had poured out onto paper so many years ago. Through all of our moves and our transitions (and my transplantations:) I had put my writing in my past, boxed away. 

I remember the day I boxed all of the binders. I truly thought my writing career was behind me, that it had been but a "season," although one of the more impacting ones of my life. For five years, while the boys were in high school and beginning college, I was fortunate enough to work from home and I wrote every. single. day. 

Four of my novels made it to the publishing stage, and still several more lay complete, without a permanent home, inside of binders, where I had carefully printed out each story as I reached the end and...then put it away.

For a number of weeks now, I have been searching for these manuscripts. Mike and I have each spent more than a couple of late, late nights, searching closets, combing through all of our old computer files...looking for any sign that those days spent at the computer still existed somewhere.

In future blog posts, I'll talk more about a couple of them and why it is so important to me RIGHT NOW to find them. But - for today - I will just share that my dear, sweet husband found them. After I sat in the office and opened binder after binder, I became overwhelmed - with gratitude, with love, with hope, and with excitement...

I walked into the kitchen, where he was cooking breakfast for us and the kids and - even though Nate and Sarah sat in the living room just feet away from us, I stood at the stove and wrapped my arms tight around his waist. He held me close as I buried my head in his chest, helpless to stop the flow of tears as they ran hot down my face. 

"Thank you," I was barely able to get the words out in between gulps.

"Mom," Sarah's voice held concern. "Are you okay?"

I am way, way more than just okay. I feel like a piece of my heart - no, my soul, has been returned to me. I am looking forward to the days ahead, and what they hold. For me, for my characters, for our family...

...for this new season that I feel blowing in my direction, ever so gently...

REVIEW: Whiskey in a Teacup :)

"Dorothea always said that it was a combination of beauty and strength that made Southern women "whiskey in a teacup." We may be delicate and ornamental on the outside, she said, but inside we're strong and fiery." 

- Reese Witherspoon

To borrow a line from Jerry McGuire,  Reese had me at HELLO, or - as is the case here - at the front cover! From that point until I slowly turned the last, beautiful page late last night, I was held willing captive, charmed by the casual elegance that embodies each and every carefully selected photo, gorgeous layout, and the "voice" of Reese herself. Almost as though she sat right next to me, having a conversation, one where you meet a soul sister face-to-face for the first time and you know - instantly - that you would be "sisters" for life. 

Whiskey in a Teacup is a book that you want to make your way through slowly because it is just. that. beautiful. And just that well-written. And the attention to detail, y'all...if ever there was a perfect "lifestyle" book for a Southern woman (or a Southern wannabe), this is it. It draws you in and, most nights, my 30 minute reading time would turn into an hour or more because - as much as I wanted to go slowly to savor it - I was equally as excited to get to the next chapter, the next story, the next recipe.

With chapter titles like Hot Rollers, Red Lipstick, and Steel Magnolias, If It's Not Moving, Monogram It, and My Did-Do Language & Notes on Southern Conversation, this gem of a book is all things girly and heart-warming, but also thought-provoking and inspiring. Sandwiched in between these delightful chapters, are also titles like The Family Table, The Beauty of Female Friendships, and Do Gooding - all things I believe in, strive for, root for. 

And bless the person (in this case a girl, but bless anyone) that credits their high school English teacher for her love of books and storytelling enough to give said teacher their VERY OWN SIDEBAR as a tribute! "Her name was Margaret Renkl, and in my junior year of high school she made me love literature." Reese goes on to say how reading Shakespeare and To Kill a Mockingbird, taught her about character analysis, conflicts between characters, narrative structure and "how to compare characters to real people in history." (For you non-teachers who may be reading this, THAT, folks, pretty much sums up the TEKS for a high school English teacher. Kudos to Ms. Renkl!) 

As you can see below, I went through quite a little stack of dainty little tabs, some inserted to remind me of a thought, others to mark a recipe I can't wait to try out. From her heartwarming stories of summers with her grandparents and traditional Christmas photos with her husband and children all the way to her words on manners and common courtesy and giving back when you've been blessed...I loved every single word of every single chapter. 

This is one book that won't be put on a shelf and forgotten. I know I'll return again and again. 

Now for a giveaway!! In honor of all things ladylike and Southern, as well as strong and "fiery," I have this beautiful teacup and saucer, very similar to the one on the book cover, that I want to send out to one of YOU! Every time you take a sip from it, or maybe just glance at it on a shelf somewhere in your home, I hope you'll remember that you, too are whiskey in a teacup - beautiful yet strong, delicate yet fiery.

***Click on the Amazon link in the sidebar to order your own copy!!!***

The first lady to comment on this post, this teacup is headed in your direction! 

 

YOU know what I meme.

Late last night was one of those times when just about everything was striking me as really funny. I sat in bed, reading by my little clip light, trying not to disturb Mike, who was about half-asleep, when I glimpsed my phone lighting up on my nightstand. I reached over and picked it up, and scrolled my latest notifications for a few minutes. The very thing you are NOT suppose to do when you are trying to wind down for the night:)

But like I said, it was just one of those times and everything was funny. We had experienced a bit of a "heightened" day at school, we teachers, going through the second part of our A.L.I.C.E. training, which prepares you for active shooter situations. We role-played several scenarios and, just being honest, it was a bit unnerving. Plus yesterday would have been my mother-in-law's 99th birthday! And even though we would not call her back to this earth and all its earthly pain and problems, we definitely still feel her loss, especially on days like yesterday. Between those two events, Mike was just slap-dab tired and there I was wired, reading, and laughing.

"Hey babe..." I whispered in case he was already asleep.

"HM??" Not asleep, just has his eyes closed.

I held up my phone. "Did you see the meme Mandy posted?"

"Meme? You mean mime?"

"No, a meme. You know what a meme is, don't you?"

"Well, sure." Eyes still closed, he acted out a MIME feeling out a wall. "But it's called a mime, not a meme."

Full out laughing by now, I made him open his eyes and look at the meme. "Okay. So that's a meme?"

"Yes! How can you not know what a meme is? Where have you been?"

"Oh, I don't know. Stuck here in the country, I guess. I don't get out much. Ride the tractor a lot. Haven't been traveling." All of this spoken in his best ever hillbilly voice.

"Whatever. You know what a meme is." I went back to my book.

After a few minutes..."I don't know what you meme." He mumbles. I laugh.

Another few seconds. "Okay, now you're just being meme."

I keep reading.

Very quietly, he continues to mumble, "Meme-while...."

It's so nice when you can end a stressful day full-out laughing with your best friend over...meme-ingless things, isn't it?

Overheard in Target:)

1) Several teenage girls as well as a couple of their moms were shopping in the sleepwear/lingerie department at Target. One of the girls, who appeared to be either finishing high school or an undergrad in college, stood between two racks of pajamas and held two different pair of bottoms high in the air.

"Heyyyy, Mooooom!" Her voice was loud and carried even though there was just the five of them, and me, in that section.

"Hmmm?" Distracted Mom didn't look up from the rack of robes she perused.

"Which of these is cuter?" The girl cocked her head to one side, obviously unsure what her selection should be.

Because I DO have a life and was in a bit of a hurry, I didn't even glance up; I just thought their convo was amusing.

"Welllll, I don't know. Depends on what you consider cute."

Inside, I applauded Mom. No, I hadn't looked up yet, but what a brilliant answer. Obviously she wasn't a huge fan of either pair.

"I mean," the girl was persistent, I gave her that, "which will be cuter, like, you know, if I need to run to the grocery store or something."

Shaking my head.

____________________________________

2) About 20 minutes later, I stood on the vitamin aisle, debating between tablet Melatonin versus Melatonin gummies. A young boy - about 7 - perused the weight loss programs and protein powders at the other end of the aisle with his mom.

"Whyyyy are you looking at this stuff?" he whined. "YOU don't work out."

I promise, y'all, I did my best to hide my grin, but it was soooo hard! Mom pushed the boy on the shoulder, forcing him to move ahead of her and her shopping cart.

"Right? YOU don't..." he must have seen something in her face that halted his words. He said no more until they rounded the endcap of the aisle. "That was about to be the biggest put-down EV. ER."

Poor boy. He sounded so proud of himself.

Somehow I have a feeling it didn't take long for his afternoon to turn dark.

Verrrrry dark. LOL!!!

___________________________________

3) If you are female, and have been an avid Target shopper for long at all, then you'll know exactly to what I refer when I mention the brand Gilligan & O'Malley.

Right before checking out, I spun through the leggings and socks area in search of my favorite kind of fuzzy-without-shedding, push down lounge socks. (NOTHING like them in these winter, all-you-wanna-do is curl up with a good book months:) An older, yet still teen-age employee moved about me, mumbling to herself and clutching a pair of socks. First she was on my left. Then on my right. Then asking me to excuse her as she knelt in front of me to check the SKU numbers on the bottom row of sock racks.

Finally, she let out an exhausted sigh, stood up, and strode (with purpose, mind you) over to an older, seasoned employee, working about 20 feet away in the shoe department.

She held out the socks as though they were poison. "I cannot find where these Gilligan Island socks are suppose to go!!"

Yep...me AND the older sales lady collapsed with laughter.

Y'all I NEEDED that Target run! Laughter like that is great for the soul!

In search of hot coffee.

"Once you wake up and smell the coffee, it's hard to go back to sleep." - Fran Dresher

Ah...so much symbolism in that quote, am I right? Both, literally and figuratively!

The at-rest English teacher in me could go on and on about the difficulties of "turning off"  one's social or moral consciousness once it has been awakened to TRUTH. Yeah, I could do that alright, except for one problem.

I'm in search of hot coffee this morning.

LIT.ER.AL.LY. (Haylie & Betsy, if you should ever stumble over this, I know this pronunciation will bring a smile and memories :)

Mike and I must surely have the Worst. Luck. Ever. with coffee pots. I mean, really, it's not a complicated piece of engineered machinery; in fact, it's one of the more simple of the kitchen appliances, correct?

Ummm...apparently noooooootttttt.

We are on the third morning in a row where a less-than-a-year old drip coffee pot (our preference at the moment) leaks out water (through some crevice or space we cannot FIND), making a wet mess all over the counter, and producing a mere cup or so of meh coffee.

I don't know about in YOUR house, but coffee is esteemed and needed and we pretty much expect it to show up before we do! We are both morning people, essentially, but we still have needs. Like, no talking that really means anything of substance until the first cup has been consumed.

It's not the time to tell him about a project I'm introducing that day at school. It's not the hour for him to detail a meeting he'll be participating in later that afternoon. It's certainly not the time for either one of us to "remind" the other of certain B&B chores that need to be done - especially if there is a tight timeline involved. :) LOL. If we venture there, we do so on tiptoes, knowing to expect THE stare or maybe an eye roll, or - our favorite - pretending like you didn't even hear anything at all!

One single cup of perfectly brewed coffee does so much, people! It's crucial. I don't have many vices in this life, but coffee is one of them. A long-time Diet Coke ADDICT, I cold turkey gave it up due to the aspartame a number of years ago. It's not that I CAN'T go without something; it's that coffee is soooo pleasurable as well as necessary. I've "given it up" on several occasions, none of them to any avail.

"Coffee has always been a significant part of my life. For me, it's a chance to start my day and gather my thoughts - it's fuel for my creative process."  - Connor Franta

On school mornings, I set the alarm (and actually get UP) a good 45 minutes before I need to, just to have quiet coffee time on the couch before I start my day. I'd like to be able to say that the time is used for personal devotions or prayer or something equally valuable and essential, but more often than not, it's a simple time. I sit, sip, move very little, but slowly - ever so slowly - my brain begins to wake, I begin to think, and then plan. Then the to-do lists, the checking of the calendar, the updating of the lesson plan, the talking to God, and the soul-felt desires for the day begin to ease their way out of me. THEN...and only then, am I ready to face the day at my best.

I guess we started off our marriage with a traditional Mr. Coffee; to be honest, I just can't remember. But I DO remember when we both realized our coffee pot was one item we both agreed was worth a little money spent. We invested in a Cuisinart brew set with a built-in grinder. Truly, we were both enamored of that machine. It was good to us and gave us good, strong coffee with amazingly ground, fresh bean flavor...until it didn't. I think we probably eaked about 3 years out of that one. In hindsight, I realize that is a fairly good life span for a coffee maker.

By the time this beloved brewer gave up the ghost, Keurig was all the rage. Intrigued by the pods (WHAT? We could EACH have our OWN choice of flavor - in the SAME morning?) It seemed the biggest issue we might face would be - who would get that first cup while the other waited???

It seemed wayyyy too good of a product not to try, so we joined the masses and purchased our first one. And it was magnificent in many ways. Not only could we both enjoy our own preferences, but there was little to no waste; you brewed the cups you wanted and no more. No waste, that is, unless you consider the then-empty pods that needed a final resting spot. By this time, we were living in Northeast Texas, in a small, rural community with no recycling pick-up program like we were accustomed to. Each time we dropped that pod into the trash can, I'm pretty sure a little, tiny piece of us cringed in horror. What kind of world were we leaving behind for our grands?  (Yes, I am absolutely over-dramatizing here; however, it did bother us and the waste is apparent even if we AREN'T tree-huggers.)


 This was the original Keurig and, I'm proud to say, still brews amazing cups of coffee for the guests up at The Cabin, here at the B&B. Since it was first generation, it was simple to operate - three buttons, no clock, no extra bells or whistles - just good, hot coffee, one cup at a time. We would probably STILL be using that model if we hadn't been lured by all of the hype and attention that the next generation of Keurig was receiving. It would not only allow you to brew that one, single cup, but it gave you the option of brewing a POT as well!

The best of both worlds! HOW could this NOT be the perfect coffee machine for our home?

It's still really unclear to me why we didn't along with this Keurig, but there was - and is  - absolutely no love lost between the three of us. We tried...oh, we tried! The single cup portion worked fairly well, even though it was rare that you'd ever get a full cup. The pot side - well, we could never get it to brew a pot as rich and as flavorful as what we liked. We added new water filters. To our machine AND to our faucet:) We experimented with flavors and brands and brew strengths. I think - at the end of the day - it was all of those BUTTONS...and the set of directions that felt more like the next Great American Novel wanna be than a simple manual on how to make a pot of coffee. We grew disenchanted after more than a few struggles and gave this one to our son, Jordan and his wife, Elizabeth, who took it home and proceeded (if I'm not mistaken, they are STILL using it) to brew coffee, day and night, pot and cup, for like ever and ever and ever....

We were back on the hunt. By this time, our lives are quite busy. Both of us have crazy schedules, Mike with his territory sales and traveling, me with teaching, and both of us with trying to grow a healthy and successful B&B business. We decided on the KISS method of purchase for this go around - keep it simple, stupid!

Back to Mr. Coffee we went. Twelve cup pot, on and off switch. It did have a clock, which was really, really awesome while it remembered to turn itself on the mornings we had it set to start automatically. Needless to say, that feature didn't last, but we've hung in. "Making" the coffee the night before means measuring out our desired cups (based on how we feel at night, which does NOT always equate to how we'll feel about it in the mornings, sadly...), adding water, and then going to bed with a hope and a prayer.

This has worked really well for the better part of a year.

No more.

This morning this machine brewed its last cup. We will be putting it out of its misery (and ours) today. I will go to Target (YES, I said TARGET, which means driving to Texarkana, perimeter shopping AND cruising each and every aisle as if I have no where to go tomorrow...because I DON'T!  Chick-fil-A and Starbucks may or may not also be involved in this trip:) and purchase yet another coffee maker. Hopefully one that will be everything we dream of, which - at this point - is not a whole lot other than hot, dependable, with as few buttons as possible.

If you're still reading, you are a GOOD person. Or a BORED person. Either way, thank you lots and, if you have a coffee maker that you adore, PLEASE drop a comment, either here or on FB or Insta!

Caffeine-deprived but grateful & blessed,

Staci