Parades, Passing Scores, and Pivotal Moments!

This weekend is the kick off weekend for the Parade of Homes. It seems like I just posted photos of a Parade Home that Jake worked on last year. However it is that time again and he has done some amazing work. I am so excited for him to do his work on our new house (If we ever get there :)) Here are some pictures of the home he's been working on. He built all the wood work from scratch. The Builder of the home is Scott Green with Top of Texas Builders if your interested. Below is the work of Jacob Reinbold General Contracting- Check out his business page here and "like" him on facebook!!!
https://www.facebook.com/JacobReinboldGeneralContracting 

So aside from all the parade business, we are moving right along trying finish these last two weeks of school!!! We both have projects. presentations and final exams to cram in which is very stressful. But to help take some stress off, I found out on Wednesday of this week that I passed my EXIT exam!! So I am fully certified to teach EC-6th grade (early childhood/preschool-6th grade) I took the content exam along with the ESL (English as a second language) it was truly the hardest thing I've ever done in my life but I PASSED.
And even better news, I am officially a teacher for AISD. I will start in August as a first year teacher, teaching FIRST grade at Sleepy Hollow Elementary. I am beyond blessed and overjoyed!! I am so excited! I am sure I will be posting pictures of my classroom and stuff this summer!! Keep checking back.

Catching Up

I am not even going to get on here and promise to keep everyone updated with our blog. It's been such a busy time for Jacob and I. We barely have time to eat supper, much less blog. But everything is fixing to slow down a bit after summer time...I hope so anyway, if it doesn't slow down, at least it will be a different kind of busy.

I am getting ready to graduate college...it took me long enough I know!! I took a job last September as a reading recovery tutor at Sleepy Hollow Elementary. I was so nervous to leave Hillside where I loved working and serving in Family Ministries. I felt like God had called me out of the church though and into the school. Turns out God knows what he is doing. (duh! haha) This job opened  up the door for me to walk into a teaching job next year. I am so thankful and so blessed by the things that have come my way recently. Jacob and I are doing better than ever, with finishing school, starting our careers, Jacob's business has exploded and we have found our dream home to hopefully settle into before Christmas..(Yes it needs WORK!) But it will be perfect for our family that will hopefully be growing soon. :)

I feel like Jacob and I are doing better than ever. We are coming up on 3 years of marriage, and even though it hasn't been the easiest three years, it's been the best three years of my life. I am so blessed by Jacob. And we are so blessed by the Lord!! I always knew J would be a great husband but I didn't know how great. He is an amazing man of God who loves his wife and who works hard at everything he does. I am so proud of him and I can't wait to see what our future holds.

Anyway, to conclude this post--here are a few pics of Jake and I and the dogs our little family for the moment. Hopefully I will have time to blog more in the future. Keep checking :)

Are you there blog..it's me, Maci

I promise I have not fallen off the face of the Earth, I have not lost touch with everyone and I am still alive! I have been so crazy and I feel like every time I blog I talk about how busy I am. I am trying to get more motivated to be a better blogger! I want to update with some pictures and big things happening in our life, and so I am making an effort to blog more!!
For now though- I want to let you all know that I am LOVING my new job! I am so glad with the transition that I made and it has been a huge blessing! School is kicking my tail right now but I am ALMOST done!! It will be so worth all the hard times and tears :)
Hope you all are doing well! I promise to be a better blogger in the future! Thanks for reading!

Thinking Thankful

With Thanksgiving rushing up on us I am feeling very thankful for the things I've been blessed with this year...not just this year but in my life as a whole. I live a very blessed and abundant life. I thought it would be appropriate to join the rest of the bloggers in making a thankful post.
I obviously have missed the first 20 or so days in November so I thought I would list my "thankfuls" all at once!

1. First and foremost I am thankful for a relationship with a Lord who forgives, saves and is sovereign in all things!
2. I am thankful for my wonderful husband who loves me NO MATTER what, who supports me in all things, big and small and who encourages me to be a better wife, daughter and child of God everyday! I love you Jacob!
3. My dad and mom who have been my #1 fans since day 1-they love me through thick and thin and they are the most amazing parents a girl and her hubby could ask for!!
4. I know this is silly-But I am thankful for my dogs! They make me so happy and they are my "children" for this season of my life and I love everything about them.
5. I am thankful for my job. I have never in my life had such a wonderful job that I enjoy so much. I LOVE waking up everyday to be with my kiddos at school and I couldn't be happier with my work. I know it's cliche but the saying is soooo true---"if you love what you do, then you never have to work a day in your life." This is true! THANKFUL for my job!!
6. Thankful for our beautiful house that we've made into our home, and the cars that we drive!
7. I am so thankful for our church and all it's locations. I love the people who serve in our church, I love the leaders of our church, I love the worship and I our church family! I am so blessed by our church!
8. My small group!! For years I lead a small group of younger girls, but this has been the first year that Jacob and I have been in our own small group with people sharing life with us. This group of people is amazing, they love us, pray with us and invest in our lives! I love our small group!!!
9. Health-Jacob and I are both blessed with good health and that is better than gold. Thank you Lord for continued health.
10. I am thankful for my friends. I have true, close, genuine friends who love me and hold me accountable in every aspect of my life!
11. Hot showers- I know it's simple, but I am so thankful for a warm shower and clean running water.
12. I am thankful for small luxuries like Texas Tea, WaterStill and chips and hot sauce! Love my guilty pleasures.
13. The ability to run, I am so thankful for two strong legs! I love to run outside with the dogs and Jacob and I am so thankful for ability to do so whenever I please!
14. The Texas Longhorns! Love Longhorn Football! Hook 'em!
15. I am thankful for praise and worship and the ability it gives me to connect with sweet Jesus no matter where I'm at in my week or in my day, I can sing to the Lord and for a moment all is well in my soul.
16. Coffee!
17. Warm blankets on a cold morning.
18. I am thankful that my husband still takes time to date me! Dinners together, sweet notes and small reminders that his affections are for me!
19. For the men and women who serve our country each day without complaining, they fearlessly sacrifice holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas and spend time away from their families so that we may be safe with ours. I am so thankful for these individuals.
20. Woodwick candles. Mmmmm!
21. I am thankful for my warm, comfy bed and our electric blanket!
22. For good conversation and sound advice that comes from my mom and dad.
23. I am SOOO thankful that my husband loves my parents and that my parent love my husband. There is true blessing this relationship.
24. Pinterest. I know, sad but true.
25. For all the teachers who spent time working with me and investing in my life. You are the reason I love what I do today!
26. I am thankful for Grace that gives me new hope for each day.
27. Extra Virgin Olive Oil---what would we do without it! I couldn't cook anything! :)
28. Family friends who love me like I am their own child (friend like Sherry, Beverly and Debbie!!) They love my mom and dad which is such a joy to see, but they also love Jacob and me and would be my second parents in a heartbeat!
29. Forgiveness
30. I am thankful for the wealth that I have in forms other then money. I have wealth in the things I've listed above and I am so thankful for that!

I hope each of you can make a list of things you are thankful for. I know 30 things doesn't even touch the things that I am thankful for, but it does the soul good to list out a few blessings.
Happy Thanksgiving week to you all!
God Bless!
-xoxox-

Under Qualified, but Overjoyed

Good morning- As I sit here at my office, I find myself feeling very under qualified for the role that the Lord has placed me in. He called me, a long time ago, to shepard HIS children, and for a long time I have filled that role working in a church around children, or working in a school as a substitute teacher or volunteering somewhere around kids....But my lifelong hope has been to be a teacher. I remember being a little girl telling my parents that when I grew up, I wanted to be a teacher! I wanted to change the life of child and impact and inspire children, the way MY teacher's impacted and inspired me. So I decided to do just that---several years ago, I started my college career off with a declared major of teaching. I remember thinking many times that I wasn't sure if I would finish school, or if it was really even worth it to finish school and work so hard.....just....to teach? I mean teachers don't make a ton of money, they aren't always treated as high class and it's a very humbling job with bloody noses in your classroom and tummy aches galore- However, I've pushed through because I know that the Lord has placed a calling on my life to be a teacher of HIS children. And I am so excited to finally be at my last phase of college, at my last fall semester as a student and on the downhill slide of my race! I will graduate in the spring with my teaching degree! I will be able to walk into a school and proudly declare that I am a teacher and I can't wait for that moment.


Somehow though,  I still find myself feeling very under qualified- Teaching someone's child the basic foundations of learning that they will use for the rest of their lives...I mean that is serious stuff!!! And I'm under qualified, but overjoyed to do that job. I can't picture a more rewarding role (besides parenting) than teaching children to learn and be confident in their knowledge. And I am not naive to think that every student I have will be changed forever because I taught them for a year, but I am naive enough to TRY to make sure every student remembers Mrs. Reinbold and maybe not the things they learned in my class, but the way they felt encouraged, and loved and the way they felt like their teacher really does care about them. I am under qualified but OVER JOYED!!!!!


This Monday, I will take my first step into the direction of teaching. I start a new job as a reading recovery tutor for an Elementary School here in town. I am very nervous and excited to walk into this new role. I am nervous because it's change, a lot of change, and a lot of uncertainty, but I am excited because this opportunity fell into my lap, and I know that the Lord placed it my life and I know he will bless this decision!


So friends, fellow bloggers and family---could you be praying for me through this next little "season" of my life as I transition jobs, finish school and hopefully get a teaching job?! It would be greatly appreciated! Hope your day is blessed and full of JOY!

XOXOX-

Random Update of Our Summer

This summer has been a crazy, fast paced summer. Full of fun, friends, sunshine and a few work related trips as well. Overall though, this summer was hot!!!  fun! :)

 I spent a lot of time with this girl ^^^^^^^^^ Amber! She is super fun and truly my best friend!! I am so thankful that God has placed her in my life for this season I am in! She is like a sister and so much more!

The few pictures shown below are from the last few weekends of the summer. We have spent lots of time at the pool and we followed pool time with Girls Night Out (GNO) I am so sad we didn't get a picture of the whole group but there were quite a few of us celebrating and we had a blast together! I am blessed with some wonderful people in my life!

 Beverly and Jamie!! Another precious mother and daughter duo!!! Love them!

 Amber, me and Jamie!

Over all it was a very successful night!

 Jake and I sitting on Bev's back porch! Love that guy!!

 

I know a picture of watermelon is about as random as this post...but I wanted to add it because it has been a big part of my summer! I am slightly addicted  obsessed!!!! I love watermelon and I will be so sad whenever the fall is in full swing and it goes out of season....Until then...I will continue to feed my love for the fruit! :)

 More fun at our house...Here are our babies enjoying the true "dog days of summer" I wish I could spend my days the way they do....

More girlie days spent by the pool!!!

My sweet friend Kayla is in the picture below- Jake and I have spent time with them this summer as well. Her and husband have a lot going on in their lives right now and I am so excited they've decided to share it with us! They are building a beautiful new home which is exciting and sad for us because they have been our neighbors for the past 2 years (a few streets over kind of neighbors) So we will miss them GREATLY but it's so exciting to see them move into their dream home! To make their lives even more exciting...Kayla just finished school and found out they were PREGNANT!!!!!!! I am so happy for them---We just went to the doctor with them on Monday to find out if they were having a boy or a girl. I've NEVER seen a sonogram in my whole life so it was super neat to see the baby moving inside her. She took us back to the room to find out the sex of the baby! I was so honored because that's such a special time for a husband and wife and it was neat to share that moment with them...and they are having a.....BOY!!! Carder Scott Maxwell....pretty cute!

 Thought I would share a few more fun summer pics!!

 

Also- I need to share a little bit of info about this wonderful iphone app!! It's called pintrest and I am LOVING this app!! It's so cute and filled with full sayings like the one below and it also has a category to pick from with all sorts of recipes and design ideas!! I love it!!! If you have an iphone you should check it out!

 

Well I guess this is the end of my long and random post, I hope each of you reading this had a great summer!!! I also hope that with school starting back up and things getting into more of a routine, I hope you find yourselves welcoming the fall!! I know I am ready for the cooler weather, my LAST fall semester of school EVER and the joys of a season with new beginnings coming our way!! Have a great day!!! xoxoxo

About me :)

I saw this little survey going around some of the blogs- I thought I would join in!

bed size :: A comfy queen

 

chore you hate :: Washing dishes

dogs :: a beautiful Maltese mix-Mollee Kae and big black lab-Luke McCoy

essential start to your day :: coffee and washing my face

favorite color :: Black…boring I know

gold or silver :: silver

height :: 5'3"

instruments you play :: the radio…seriously, no musical talent L

 

job title :: Family Ministry Assistant/Trips and Events Coordinator and Substitute Teacher

kids :: Just our puppies for right now ;)

live :: texas

maiden name :: Richie

nicknames :: Maci Lou and Babe

overnight hospital stays :: None (knock on wood!)

pet peeve :: smacking and arrogance

quote :: "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love and he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

righty or lefty :: right

siblings :: sister

time you wake up :: varies daily

university attended :: west texas a&m

vegetables you dislike:: None! I love them!

what makes you run late :: everything- and I hate being late-I am learning to embrace it though

x-rays you’ve had :: at the dentist

yummy food :: i ♥ mexican food

zoo animal favorite :: I don’t know…I guess the monkeys

Now you play along!