Happy Birthday, sweet Sara!

Now friends, I completely realize that this is my second post in one day, but I can't help myself. Why, you ask? Well, I have committed myself to celebrating my best friend's birthdays here on the blog and today, we honor my dear and darling Sara!

Sara and I have been friends since our freshman year of high school. She sat behind me in freshman English with Mrs. Allen. We ran track together (for all of my ONE year of participation) and ended up deciding to room together for our freshman year of college.

I have never in my life made such a good choice. Besides marrying Tyler, you know.

Sara is one of the greatest examples of friendship I have ever experienced. This girl just knocks my socks off with her wisdom, love, and kindness. She and I have a special bond that I share with no one else. We had some great years as roomies and I have loved watching our friendship mature and grow into something that is more and more beautiful with time.

So in honor of my sweet Sar-bear, I would like to give you ten reasons why I love her. Make no mistake, there are far more than ten, but I think my husband would like to eat dinner tonight, so I must make this somewhat quick.

Sara's Top Ten

1. She was totally on board with finding off-beat nicknames for each other while in our freshman year of college. We came up with the infamous Roo (me) and Bun Bun (her-- and sometimes just shortened to Bun). I can't remember where Roo came from, but I gave her the nickname Bun Bun after my invisible pet rabbit that I had growing up (Yes, I am weird). For a long time, she would sign notes, emails, cards, etc. with the moniker: Love, Bun (Your most wished for pet). We still crack up when we hear our friend, Mike, call us "RooRoo and BunBun". I may just be laughing outloud right now.

2. The girl has an amazing sense of humor. Sara can be very quiet if you don't know her, but as soon as you do, the girl comes up with the most hilarious things. I am always so tickled by what she has to say.

3. She watched the entire first season of The OC in 48 hours with me. We then laid in our beds and cried about the fact that it was over. I will never forget when she said, "I feel like these characters are a part of my life!" She is so good at putting into words what I feel. Praise Him for someone who can.

4. She's got style. Not only is Sara my best dressed friend, she is also classy. She's got fashion style and she's got life-style.

5. She is an amazing teacher. Kids love Sara. She is so patient and good to them. Much more than I. When she had a practicum at a low income school, one of her students wanted a piece of her hair. She gave the child one strand of hair. Soon after that the student gave her a card. Inside was a piece of hair taped to the card with the inscription, "You gave me a piece of your hair. Now I am giving you one of mine." Oh. My. Word. If that isn't pee-your-pants hilarious and precious at the same time, I don't know what is.

6. Not only is she a great teacher, she is teachable. Sara is all about being open to what God wants for her and she is so good at listening to His voice. I admire that so much. That is not and easy skill.

7. She is an extraordinary friend. Sara has stuck by me through some of the hardest times of my life. She has cried and laughed with me and she has not been afraid to challenge me. Now that is a good friend. We have the kind of friendship where you can pick up right where we left off. It's so beautiful.

8. She loves to be goofy with me. During junior year of college, we decided to start calling one another Alien. Yes, another nickname. I still have Sara programmed into my phone as Alien and as far as I know, she still has me in hers as Alien. It just delights me to see a call or text from Alien. Hilarious. We also convinced Steph once that we made up a card game. If you're reading this, Stephy, we're so sorry. You were just so easy. :)

9. We share a history. There is something so rich about a friend you have had for many years. We are going on ten years of friendship and there is something so wonderful and precious about that. I can be so terribly honest and vulnerable with Sara and I know she will still love me despite all of my quirks.

10. She is totally and completely in love with Jesus. Sara has been a very wonderful influence on my spiritual walk. She has consistenly walked humbly with Jesus and in doing so, has used her actions more than her words to show me what a rich faith is. This girl is so blessed by God because she has been faithful to Him. Praise the Lord for amazing and Godly girlfriends.

Alien, I love you so much. You are truly one of my very bests. God knew what He was doing when He put us together and I will never stop thanking Him for you. You are a precious friend to me and I look forward to growing more with you.

Happy Birthday!!!

Not Me Monday is back!

Not Me Monday took quite the sabbatical while the world prayed for Stellan to heal. I am so thankful to say that Stellan is doing much better and now that MckMama is home, Not Me Monday has returned! I am excited for Not Me Monday, but I am far more excited that sweet Stellan is home with his MckSiblings.

And now... on with the fun!

I did not purchase this brand new Vera Bradley Large Tic Tac Tote bag on Friday for only $15. It does not retail in stores for $69. No way.
I did not run a half marathon yesterday. I did not have a complete and total blast. And I did not see these cutie pies and their brother cheering me on during my last stretch. Oh, and I am not already looking forward to next year!

I am not hobbling around today because I feel as if someone has beat me with a large wooden bat. Not me. I never feel a thing after running 13.1 miles. Never.

I am not looking forward to going home today and making dinner and resting. It does not thrill me that I don't have to plan my days around 2 hour runs until next January.

I did not absolutely crack up laughing at the first picture on Jenni's blog. It is not absolutely hysterical and precious.

I am not totally stoked about the fact that my hottie husband is turning 26 on Friday. I absolutely do not love celebrating the birthdays of the ones I love.

I did not love the text messaging party between my three best friends and I this morning on the way to work. I did not laugh out loud several times because of certain text messages. I do not miss them terribly and I am not looking forward to our girls weekend this summer. Not at all.

That is it for today, folks. I'm off to see if I can get myself down to the staff bathroom. With the way my legs are feeling, I'm pretty confident that I won't make it. Wish me luck.

Grace in Small Things: 2

1. Going Vera Bradley Outlet Sale in Fort Wayne with my momma & mother-in-law
2. Pink Gatorade
3. The ability to run a 1/2 marathon on Sunday! (Pray for me; I seriously might die.)
4. White t-shirts

5. A husband who does a fantastic job helping me clean

Grace in Small Things: 1

I got the idea to join this blog carnival from my friend from college, Lindsey. Lindsey is one of those gals that, after reading her blog, I am so bummed that we didn't become better friends in college. We live far away now, but it's nice to have another blog/ IRL* friend to keep up with!

*That's In Real Life for you non-MckMama people out there.

Anyway, I present to you, Grace in Small Things. These are daily reminders of all the things I have to be thankful for. Welcome to my first edition.

1. Olive Cheese Bread
2. Mario Kart on the Wii
3. My Smartboard
4. Having a cool house on a hot afternoon
5. Talking in Jamaican accents with my third graders

There you have it.

Oh, and this sweet guy is home! Give Him some praise!!!

Perez Who?

There is something I am about to admit to y'all and it's not going to be pretty.

My name is Rachel and I am a pop culture addict.

(I surely do hope that you're sitting at your computer saying outloud, "Hi, Rachel!" That would make me feel so much better about myself. Ahem.)

I love tabloids magazines such as US Weekly and People. I try as hard as I can not to buy them, because I do realize that they are a huge waste of money. Sometimes I even get in the long lines at the grocery stores so I can browse the good ones. I just check them out at the library instead.

My name is Rachel and I am a library magazine addict.

But that is another story for another day.

All this to say, I have been intrigued by this Perez Hilton/Miss California debacle. (And no, Perez Hilton is not the brother of Paris Hilton as my father asked me last night. Love it.) Let me set the stage for you.

Miss California (Carrie Prejean) is about to embark on the "Question Portion" of the Miss USA Pageant. The question that she draws is from one of the judges, Perez Hilton. His question was as follows:

“Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?”

Her answer? Maybe not the most articulate group of sentences I have ever heard, but certainly, considering the pressure she was under, very well put:

“Well I think it’s great that Americans are able to choose one way or the other. We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. You know what, in my country, in my family, I do believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, no offense to anybody out there. But that’s how I was raised and I believe that it should be between a man and a woman. Thank you.”

Bless her heart for standing up for what she believes in. This girl has met with some of the most cruel and nasty remarks, blogs, articles, Twitter posts, etc. and she has kept her cool. I'm the first in line to be this girl's friend!

Perez Hilton has proved himself to be very intolerant of other people's opinions, but considering his reputation, that shouldn't come as a surprise. He (as well as Miss California) has been on multiple news programs sharing his anger and spite. Seriously, America? I thought we had bigger issues to deal with currently. I could go on about this issue and what my thoughts are, but instead, I would like to share an article that I think sums up my thoughts on this issue.

This article is written by Roland S. Martin and although I haven't read anything else by him and realize that we probably don't agree on everything, I think he speaks boldly and honestly here. Bless his heart for writing what a lot of people are actually thinking. I will provide a link at the bottom of my post for you to use for the direct article, if you'd like.

But for now, preach it, Roland.

Commentary: Miss California, thanks for being honest

By Roland S. Martin
CNN Contributor

(CNN) -- A lot of folks are always saying they like to keep it real, that they want authenticity and straight talk. Yet when someone actually does it, there is hell to pay.

Welcome to the world of Miss California, Carrie Prejean, who, since she answered a question regarding same-sex marriage in Sunday's Miss USA pageant, has been savagely attacked by those who oppose what she had to say.

Leading the burn-her-at-the-stake parade is media opportunist Perez Hilton, the self-described gossip queen, and the individual who kick-started this controversy by asking the initial question as to whether the issue of same-sex marriage should be left up to the states.

It seems that Hilton, who is gay, was none too pleased that Prejean chose to actually give her personal opinion on the issue, and ripped her on his blog after the show, using crude obscenities as he continued to attack her at every turn on his media blitz.

Hey, Hilton, from a real journalist to a wanna-be who traffics in gossip: Never ask a question if you're unprepared for the answer!

Frankly, this whole story is pretty stupid. Isn't the whole point of asking a question to get someone's true feelings, rather than the plastic and superficial answers we are all used to receiving?

Sure, Prejean could have gone the safe route and given one of those answers that reveal nothing and is hard to decipher -- you know, the ones politicians give all the time -- but no! She actually gave her real opinion, and is now being torn to shreds for it.

She opposes same-sex marriage. OK, fine. So what if she had said, "Hey, I'm in full support of same-sex marriage." Would she now be celebrated on gay-focused blogs, magazines and Web sites? Would her detractors actually be saying how open she is and that she's a great person?

Same- sex marriage is undoubtedly a hot button issue. And being from California, the site of Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that voters approved outlawing same-sex marriage, Prejean has surely had to hear the debate go back and forth. But her remark isn't outside the mainstream. A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll shows that 55 percent of Americans are against same-sex marriage, and Proposition 8 did pass in her state 52-48 percent.

What's interesting about this is that many of the same folks who are slamming her for her remark voted for President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, who both have the same belief: that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

Even Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made it clear that she has the same view, and it was her husband, President Bill Clinton, who signed the In Defense of Marriage Act, the federal law that forbids states from having to recognize gay marriage in other states.

In other words, four of the biggest liberals in the country have the same belief as Prejean, but a beauty pageant winner is being torn to shreds. Hello, hypocrisy!

Those who criticize Prejean have the same right as she does to express their viewpoints. But enough with all the political correctness, where someone says she should have danced around the issue, smiled and move on.

At the end of the day, we all have to be true to ourselves. Whether it's a gay gossip writer who favors same-sex marriage or a heterosexual woman who is against same-sex marriage. The day we condemn folks for speaking honestly is the day we become a bland society.

Maybe we're already there.

Please click here for the article on CNN.

Straight Up Hilarious.

I love teaching third grade. It is one of the highlights of my life, hands down. It is so much of a highlight that I think I need to share with you all something that I am still giggling about.

I have been sneezing like a crazy person this morning. Welcome, spring allergies. I have been dreading your arrival missed you. I sneezed about five times in a row after teaching my Language Arts lesson and made a comment that went something like this:

Me: Y'all, my nose is about to kill me this morning.

N (one of my fave students): Oh! Smell my hair! It smells like dicks!

Yes. You just read that correctly. Go back and read it again if you don't believe me. Let's continue this gem of a conversation, shall we?

Me: It smells like WHAT?

At this point, I am trying desperately not to overreact and cause a scene, because make no mistake, I teach nineteen "scene-makers" every single weekday and we don't need any extra ammunition.

N: Dicks! It smells like dicks!

Me: Okay. What does that smell like?

Because let's face it. I am NOT about to go smell this girls hair.

N: DICKS! The stuff that was on that tissue that you gave me!

This is when the light clicked on for me. A little background knowledge for all of you, because at this point, I'm sure you are as confused as I was. Back in January, N and I were both fighting horrible colds at the same time. I did not want to be sharing the same box of tissues with my students, so I brought in my own box of glory. Allow me to share the wealth.

Please take a moment to notice what the Puffs is enhanced with, besides lotion.

Yes. That would be Vicks.

I had taken to being the nicest teacher in the world when N and I both had the horrible cold and I shared one (yes, just ONE) of my beloved tissues with her. I believe my exact instructions were, "Take this tissue and don't blow your nose with it. Just sit there with it over your nose and inhale." Hey, we were both desperate for something to work and I was not about to share my little tub of real Vicks with her. No. That is my gold in a jar, people.

All that to say, apparently her hair smells like Vicks. But for now, I think I'm just going to take her word for it.

Hi. I'm Aunt Rachel. Nice to meet you.

I have yet to be blessed with any biological nieces and nephews. Considering that both my brother and brother-in-law are young college men with no wives to speak of, this is not surprising.

However, about two and a half years ago, a blessing was born. My first "niece". Catherine Margaret was the firstborn to her momma and daddy. Her momma, one of my best girlfriends, Tarah, was my RD in Shatford during my freshman year. Tarah quickly became like a sister to me and we have been close ever since. I think that one of the reasons we love each other so much is because we have the ability to be completely and utterly honest with one another. There was a time where she was so honest with me and I hated it because I knew she was rightI am stubborn and I didn't talk with her for a few months. Can we give the Lord an Amen for people who tell us the truth in His love and another Amen for when we finally get over our stubborn selves to learn that He is always right?

There was another time where I came back to school a few weeks early because I was working at my dorm's front desk. The boy that I had broken up with that summer was there early, too, and it was the hardest thing (at that time) for me to stay away from him. I was stressed and very emotional and Tarah was there for me through the whole blasted encounter with Crazy. That's my really great nickname for him. Crazy. I just made it up. ANYWAY, she had a meeting or something one night, so she called me and told me to get a good book and come over and just take a bath while she was gone. Oh my word, best relaxation ever. Plus, Crazy had no clue where I was, which in hindsight, was the best gift of all! All that to say, Tarah has a way of being the sister I never had.

Anyway, Tarah had to go and get herself married to a most wonderful man and they blessed us all about nine months later with the beautiful Catherine Margaret Auffhammer. I will never forget my roommate running into the bathroom at 6:00 am (I was getting ready for student teaching-- there is never a good reason for being up that early) holding out my phone saying, "It's Ben (Tarah's brother). Tarah's having the baby!" Oh my word. Best day ever. I could barely contain my excitement that day. And that beautiful girl was born and blessed my ever-loving socks right off my body. A few months later, I got to go and love on that baby girl for a few days and since then, I've watched her grow from this...


To this...


Oh, sweet girl, Aunt Rachel loves you so much.

Then, last March, Tarah and James decided to give us all another blessing. Miss Lydia Elaine graced us with her presence and made the world a happier place. Since Tarah has chosen to live so far from Aunt Rachel, Lala and I have not officially met. Still, I could not love that child more. I love hearing stories and seeing pictures. Check out the awesome little dress I got her from Janie and Jack.


Mercy, I have to keep myself from kissing all over this computer screen. "Lala" or "Lati" just turned one. Aren't those some great nicknames? I will get out there one of these days and those girls are gonna be covered in Neutrogena Moisture Shine Lipgloss.

Well, I was informed a few months ago that yes, I was going to become Auntie Rachel for the third (and let's face it, probably not the last) time! I could not have been more thrilled. Then today, Tarah called to tell me what I already knew. I'm gonna be a girl auntie again. Auffhammer Chickie #3 will come to join the fun in August. I will go out to meet her before she grows up if it kills me. Because, make no mistake, it will kill me. I want those girls to know me and love me like I know and love them. I also want to be the cool aunt who always has gum in her styling purse.

Today, while talking to Tarah, my angel girl, Catie, got on the phone to tell Aunt Rachel that she was watching "The Jungle Book" and then told me she loved me. Oh, that warms a sick girl's heart to the core. A few minutes later, she wanted to show Aunt Rachel her boo-boo through the phone.

Y'all. I was so tickled. I wanted nothing more than to see that boo-boo. Soon, precious girl, very soon.

Many hugs and kisses to all my little nieces in New York. Even to the one in your belly, T. However, I will let the girls pass those along to their sister. We may be close, but I'm not sure I'm quite ready to kiss your belly. We'll get there someday.