Welcome to the 21st Century

We got cable today!!!

I can now watch my favorite shows on ABC without having to watch a day later. To bad I didn't get it before the season finale of Bachelor and Grey's Anatomy.

Dr. Pepper Soup

This recipe is dicovered by the one and only Ashton Arnold.

Don't Laugh At Me

Why do we look at children who are different funny?

You would expect stares from children. They don't know any better. Stares from adults are another story. In my short teaching span, I have seen adults, even teachers give these stares. It is very disturbing to me. Sometimes, I make excuses for them, such as they are not around it like I was. (I have lived with an autistic sister all my life.)

There is really no excuse!

I encourage you to listen to this song. It brings tears to me every time I listen to it. I can just hear children, like my sister, saying this.

My Family

You don't need to adjust your glasses. You are seeing correctly. This is my family and yes they are black. Mom just spilled bleach on me. Just kidding.

Some people were wondering when I have them in pictures or mention them in blogs. The Gayfield's have always been my second family. They have always supported and treated me as their own. I would not trade them for anything. I used to babysit their children and they just couldn't get rid of me after that. They just shouldn't make really good pork chops and rice with cheese.

High school graduation 1997

Christmas 2003

Wedding 2002

Teenager Already?

She's starting early on being a teenager.

Just to explain: Ashton loves to give Kaylee toys while she is sleeping. I think he wants to wake her up in hopes that she will play with him. This would explain the Incredible Hulk that is also in the picture.

What's Going On?

I am scared to know what he is up to.

That's Taylor's Girl!

Looking through Jeff's Flicker slide show of the renovation of Journey Church, we came across this picture. Ashton says "That's Taylor's girl!"

Special Education

I love nothing more than working with kids with special needs. I actually have a degree in it but can't use it.

What does it take to show people that you are worthy of working with these type kids? I have the experience. I have a sister who is autistic and lived with all my life. I interned in a resource room. I have also volunteered at Camp Aldersgate with kids that had epilepsy or spina bifida. I am currently teaching a student who has severe speech problems, yet I am not good enough to work with these students.

Why?

School is Almost Over!!

School is almost over. What an exciting time! Why am I sad? My first full year of teaching is coming to a close. All the other teachers are exciting, but I am not. I am going to miss all my kids.

These are the reasons I will miss this year:

• "I want to be just like Mrs. Arnold so I can have a baby."
• "Wow! Mrs. Arnold you lost a lot of weight."
• "I Love you Mrs. Arnold."
• The hugs from every kid as I drop them off at their bus to go home.
• The many drawings and coloring sheets they proudly bring me in the morning.
• The phone calls from parents.
• The lovely notes from parents thanking me for a good job.
• Helping the students learn to subtract.
• Snack time
• The field trips throughout the year (Pumpkin Patch, Christmas caroling on the square, Park Day at Western Pines).
• Treasure box on Friday's for students who did not get their car moved all week.
• watching my student grow in their learning
• wearing my yellow class T-Shirt

There are so many other reasons, but I won't bore you to tears. I am going to miss all 16 of my wonderful kids. Call me crazy, but I have become attached.

Michael's Pink Coat

If you have read Michael's blog, he is upset that I called his coat pink. Let me tell you it is. The picture is has is photoshopped. It was not faded. Don't listen to him. Here is the picture to prove it.

Come on. You can't tell me that all the pictures are faded.

Here is his picture that he fixed.

I love him, even though his Mommy put him in a pink coat. He has grown up since then.

Opposites Attract

Michael is a city boy from West Memphis. He is the only child of a totally devoted family. The kind that plans everything to the T. His family is really small. You can actually count his cousins on one hand. Michael attended First Baptist church since he was born. His high school was large also. Michael's extra curricular activities included band. He graduated with about 300 other people. After graduation, he attended Arkansas State University with no idea what he wanted his future to hold.

Larryanna Lowery Fletcher is a country girl from Eudora. She is the baby of a family of six. Four of her brothers are only half brothers. Her parents were both married before. Shortly after her birth her parents divorced. She lived with her mother, yet her father was always an integral part of her life. She attended a small Methodist church. You could count the members using only your fingers once. She was very active in her high school. She was a cheerleader, ran distance in track, and keep stats for the basketball team. She also graduated valedictorian in her class. After school, she had it all plan out to attend Arkansas State Univeristy to become a news broadcaster. By the way, college is were she got the name Lou.

How is the world did these two meet?

This is a long story. Lou was already at Arkansas State for two years before Michael arrived. She attended the Wesley pretty regularly. She became real good friends with a guy name Will (who by the way is the nicest guy ever). Will had a brother named Tim (who by the way is the coolest guy ever). Tim and Michael entered ASU at the same time. They later became best friends and Tim began to bring Michael to the Wesley. Tim was bound and determined to hook us up, regardless of the fact that I was dating at the time. Michael says he saw me and knew he would date me. I never really remember him until Tim brought him over to my house to help me move. Then, I thought he was a dork. He saw sparks at first sight though. I think it was just from me electricuting him when he was removing a ceiling fan.

Tim had it all planned out to the second. He was going to get Michael to take me to the Valentine's dance at the Welsey (sorry Baptists us Methodists like to shake our booty). The only problem is he wouldn't. I was actually scared. I don't know why. He knew I would say yes. Just minutes before the dance, I was crushed. Michael was a no show. I finally told Tim I was going to call him and ask him myself. Of course, Tim said no because it would crush his man hood. Tim went and got Michael to come we had a great time. That night we kissed for the first time. He asked me to be his girlfriend. I said yes. The only problem neither one of us knew if the other was serious.

The story is not over yet. Summer came and Michael had to go home to Casscoe (where his parents now live). I broke it off. The old boyfriend came back into the picture. I went wild and got my tongue pierced. I hoped it would turn the goody two shoes Michael to another direction. No, he just tried harder. Thank goodness his hard work in trying to get me back worked. We got back together and have been there ever since.

We got married right? No, we are not done yet.

My mom got really sick. So I moved home to help her and aslo the fact I was just playing in Jonesboro and getting nothing accomplished. Michael moved to Stuttgart with his parents. He began working at the local radio station. Long distance relationships did not work for us. It was very hard. The late nights talking on the phone and the stress of taking care of my dying mother was paying a toll on me. We tried to break up several times. This time, I was not going to give up.

February 14, 2002 we finally got our act together.

After lots of talks of marriage, we finally made it official. We had already bought or picked out our rings earlier. Michael drove from Stuttgart after to work to propose and take me out. I will never forget this moment. I was sitting on my bed and Michael got down on both knees. Yes both knees. He didn't know what knee to get down on so he just did both. After this we went to Western Sizzlin for supper and off to the lake for a nice romantic evening. It was the best night I ever had.

June 15, 2002--THE MAIN EVENT


We planned a weeding in only 3 months. I didn't see the purpose of taking years to plan a wedding that may last 30 minutes. I found my dream dress off of Ebay. That is right my wedding dress was bought off E-bay for only $70. The flowers for my bouquet were made of flowers from my uncle's funeral. The flowers for the flower girl were actually flowers from the family wreath on my mom's casket. Did I mention I was cheap? We had homemade invitations. We made our own program and catered our own wedding. The only reception food that was expensive was the wedding cake because we made the groom's cake. We had the smallest cheapest wedding. It didn't matter, we were in love. I wouldn't change anything about it.

The Bridesmaid (L to R): Annette Jones (my sister-in-law), Whitney Gayfield (sister), Amber Fletcher (cousin), Meredith Hayley (college friend), Kristen Hale (Michael's cousin)



The Groomsmen (L to R): Kevin Sumpter (friend), Tim Hoggard (friend), Justin Nowlin (cousin) and Jason Burton (friend)

Our Journey

My Calling in Life

Every wonder what God has in store for you. You think it is one thing, but then it is something totally different. If we would just stop and listen maybe we wouldn't go down the wrong path.

I have discovered that my life calling is teaching. I never wanted this and was not going to end up doing that. My Mom and Dad were both teachers. There was no way I was going to follow in there footsteps. Stubborn teenager, I guess. Mom wanted me to get education hours but I refused. I was not going to need them.

In eighth grade, I knew exactly what I was going to be. A NEWS BROADCASTER. I wanted to be the next Barbara Walters or Montel Williams. This career choice stayed my choice even after high school. I went to the best communication college in Arkansas (Arkansas State University). I won the Ted Rand scholarship, which is a radio broadcasting scholarship based on a tape demo of you telling the news. I had my life all planned out.

Something was missing. I didn't know what. I was not happy in my field of choice. It was all wrong for me. I finally realized that I was not able to help people. Needless to say, I changed my major and went to social work. Remember, I was not going to be a teacher. NO WAY HOSEA. Yes, you are right, I was not happy. I did not know what was missing.

On March 24, 1998 I made my choice. I witness the most horrible event. Jonesboro had experienced a school shooting. Driving home from my baby sitting job, I had to pull over on the side of the road. Ambulance, police cars, fire trucks were racing down the highway. I knew something major had happened. Never dreamed it was a school shooting. Two boys opened fire on students exiting the building because of a pulled fire alarm. This horrible event took the lives of four innocent children and a brave devoted teacher.

Shannon Wright is my hero, although she does not know it. She stepped in front of a flying bullet to keep a child out of harm's reach. Without thinking she risked death to save a precious soul. How amazing this woman is. She had a 2 year old child and a husband at home. She put all of that on the line for that one child. Shannon Wright lived until she made it to the hospital. She could not fight it any longer. She died in surgery with gun shot wounds to the chest and abdomen.

About a week later, I went to the school. You could still see the empty building with no children and the police lines. Writing on the outside wall of the gym said, "bullet went in here and went through the floor." To me Shannon Wright's presence was there. You could just picture were she stood to protect that child. I believe that we need more teachers like that.

You are probably saying, "You stupid idiot, run the other direction." For some reason, I couldn't. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't. It was like I had a concrete block tied to my foot. There was no moving. I changed my major the very next day.

I finally moved back to Eudora to take care of my mother who was dying of cancer. She helped me enroll at UAM. Four years later, I graduated with a bachelor's of art in early childhood/special education. I just hope that one day, I could live up to the status of Shannon Wright. I want to be the protector of my students like she was. It does not have to be that drastic (at least I hope not). I just want to make a difference in the lives of my students.

Rough and Ready Days.

I am so glad Rough and Ready days are over. We had fun, but between sunburns and hot and cranky kids it was a lot. Ashton had a blast as always. We managed to ride 3 rides that cost an arm and a leg Friday night. After that we decided to play on the free playground.

We ate supper there. BIG MISTAKE. Not only did it cost a bunch, it was EXTREMELY NASTY. I bought a deluxe Angus cheeseburger. I thought that would be a big good burger considering it was an Angus burger. WRONG!!! I took one bite and nearly threw up. Needless to say, on Saturday we walked to Topp's.

For some strange reason there was an overgrown army guy. Ashton said it was a big guy. Also a ninja was walking around. You probably think I am lying but here is the proof.

Besides the food and expensive rides, everything else was great. I loved listening to music and hanging out with my friends and my students.

While we were at Rough and Ready days we found Ashton and Kaylee real parents. We decided to take a picture with them.

The Proudest Wife

I HAVE NEVER BEEN PROUDER THAN I AM TODAY!

A Little Gassy