Giveaway(s)!

Well, here is my second post back in the blogging world and I am already making it all about me. SHOCKING. I have two giveaways that I want to give myself a second chance to win, so I am going to blog about them. However, it surely helps that these two ladies are both friends of mine, so I can sing their praises high and low.

First up? Mandy. Oh, Mandy! Well you came and you gave without taking! Can you tell I'm a fanilow (that would be a Barry Manilow fan)? I'm also a fandy (fan of Mandy-- I am KILLING it today!). Mandy is a blog friend who quickly became a real friend. We "met" (I think) through MckMama's site and I love, love, love reading her blog. She is hilarious and since we get along so famously through the Internets, I think we would get along famously in real life. I really look forward to the day when we can enjoy a pumpkin spice latte together. She is also a fantastic blog designer and I am getting pretty close to putting in an order for my own super wonderful blog design!

Mandy is giving away $50 to a bunch of online stores, so head on over to enter! Or don't, because that would give me more chances and I am selfish like that. All I know is that she is great, even though she doesn't understand my undying passion and love for Zac Efron. It's okay, we all have our downfalls.

Second up? Le! I met Le through my friend, Sally. Le is the one who gave me my sewing bug! She helped me make a placemat purse, which I'll have to do a post on-- it's SO beautiful! She is talented and kind and a wonderful mother. I love reading her blog; she inspires me everytime she writes! Her house is beautiful and so inviting, just like Le. She is giving away two monogrammed coffee mugs. I have seen these in person because Sally has one! I would love to win these and give one to my mom! If I don't win, I might just have to bribe Le into showing me how to make them. ;) I would highly recommend following Le at The Domestic Chick. You will love her!

Well, that's all for now! Go on over and enter!!

Here I am.

Whew.

I'm back.

Life has changed so very much in the short long month I've been gone. So much that it's hard to wrap my head around it. And no, I'm not pregnant. Yet. And it's okay.

We moved into our beautiful new house and I am learning to let go of my control issues in making people think I have it all together. We have had people come in and out who have seen our still unpacked boxes and messy house. And it's okay.

My life has been and continues to be turned upside down professionally and personally, for reasons I cannot and do not want to discuss. I can vouch for the fact that one day, everything is going smoothly and the next, everything is different. I am walking that road. And it's okay.

I deleted my account on Facebook because I was tired of knowing what was going on in everyone else's life and having my life put out there for the world to see. I'm not planning on joining again anytime soon. It's quite freeing, actually. And it's okay.

I have been clinging to God like my life depends on it... which it does. I have effectively been learning that He will not give me more than I can handle, even when I think I can't handle a bit more. He knows my limits, not me. He has sent women into my life lately from near and far who have built me up, prayed over me and loved me until I think my heart will burst from the combination of sadness and love. It is a bittersweet feeling and one that I have learned from like never before. I've learned that "Christ never allows the hearts of His own to be shattered without excellent reasons and eternal purposes". And it's okay.

I'm okay.

I'm thankful for this refining process, for this beautiful, terrible time of life. Terrible in the sense of what has happened and what has rocked me to the core, but beautiful in that God has been covering me so fully with His hand. I'm also thankful for my blog and for those of you I have met and connected with on a deeper level as a result of this newfangled technology.

I have really missed blogging about funny things, about mundane things, about life in general. I am thrilled to show you all our new home and to continue to share the hilarious things my students say. I'm looking forward to sharing my struggles with you and to being more real than before, but in a more constructive manner.

It's so good to be back.

Things

Hey all,

Just wanted to assure you that I hadn't fallen off the face of the earth. I am still alive and kicking. I am going to take a blog break for a while due to some of the busyness of everyday life. We are all moved into our new house and are really trying to settle in, so I am throwing myself into that currently. If you live locally, stop by! We love guests.

Also, I feel the need to clarify something that has possibly offended some people. I have written a few times about how I feel the lack of close friendship here in Cincinnati. I realize that if I were a local friend of mine and I read that, I would feel quite hurt. I never meant to hurt anyone, but I should have been more thoughtful about the words I wrote. I am uncomfortable in this city and have some serious trouble making close friends period (whether I feel at home in a city or not) and I never should have pawned off those insecurities on other people. I very well may have unintentionally hurt people that I love very, very much, and it kills me to think that it may have happened. If you are one of those people, please know that I am very, very sorry. I am torn up inside about this. Really, the problem with me not having close friends here is me, no one else. I have a lot of issues to work through regarding this whole thing. I hope that if I offended you, you can forgive me, but I could certainly understand if you couldn't.

I want this blog to be a fun place for me to write and others to visit, not a place where I just vent and make others feel bad. I need to step back for awhile because of that and reevaluate whether or not I can stay true to that desire for my blog. I will continue to keep up with all of you, bloggy friends, and hope you all continue to be blessed.

If you need a way to contact me in the mean time, please know that you can always email me at rnoelhaney@gmail.com or you can keep up with me on Twitter where I will continue to update.

Stay well and hope to see you soon.

A Guest.

Hi, I'm Malia and I am here on Ra-Ra's blog to give you some BIG news! You might know Ra-Ra as Rachel, but I can't say that yet so I made up my own name for her.

So, want to hear my news? I'm a BIG SISTER! My little brother, Malachi Aiden, finally came to join our family early Tuesday morning!

People used to tell me I was a big baby, but I think they've changed their minds now that Malachi is here! He arrived at 1:27 AM, weighed 9 lbs 11.9 oz and was 22 inches long! That might have had something to do with the fact that he was 13 days overdue. My momma had him naturally, whatever that means! Ra-Ra says that momma is her hero. Malachi also has lots and lots of hair!

I would have loved to go see my new brother and my momma and daddy, but they tell me there is this thing going around called Swine Flu and that children under the age of 14 can't go to the hospital. I'm about 13 years too young. It's okay though, because I get to meet my brother today! I also got to stay home with Nana and Grandpa. My Nana is so funny! She loves to play with me and even took a week off of school to help Momma! By the way, I also think I have the best momma in the world. I'm sure my brother will agree.

I do feel a little upset though because I heard through the grapevine that Ra-Ra and Tyler spent the evening at the hospital with Momma and Daddy. Tyler and Ra-Ra really love me and like to play with me and make me laugh. They also really love my momma and daddy! Momma and Ra-Ra call each other BFF instead of real names and I don't get it. Maybe that's what I should start calling them instead. They do talk a lot and I get bored. I would

much rather play or eat. Speaking of eating, see that picture of my mom up there? She's eating Chipotle and tending to Malachi at the same time. I told you she's awesome!

I'm really glad I got to introduce you to my little brother! Everyone tells me I am going to be a great big sister. Thanks for reading my first blog entry! Bye bye!

Heard in Room 3: Episode 3

Me: I love Olive Garden.
B: Oh, me too! I have never been there in a while.

A: I like hot wings! We eat them at this place called Putters.
Other A: YOU MEAN HOOTERS?

J: Mrs. Haney, did you know that when you put a whole bunch of Red Hots in your mouth and chew, it BURNS?
Me: No, I didn't. How do you know?
J: CAUSE I DID IT!

Not Me! Monday

It's been awhile since I participated in Not Me! Monday, so I thought I would add a few things from the past weeks.

I am not waiting ever so impatiently for Dana to have her son. It is not as though I am about to birth a (probably) 9 lb+ baby boy, so I have no right to be so impatient.

I am also not totally and completely bitter at Swine Flu because it's presence may prohibit me from going to see the afore mentioned baby when he is born.

I did not figure out how to make my own Pumpkin Spice Latte yesterday and it did not taste quite a bit, if not better than the Starbucks version. I will not share the recipe here if you beg me hard enough. Oh, and it is not totally simple.

Our bedroom TV did not up and die on me on Saturday night. It is not gone for good.

Oh, and I am not psyched about the fact that our new appliances got ordered today! We ended up going with LG-- just an FYI.

Have a good one!

Heard in Room 3: Episode 2

In Bible today, my students had to answer some questions with a complete sentence. One of the questions was, "Who do you respect?" These were some of my favorite answers and no, I did not change the spelling. Spell check is hating me right now but it's too hilarious to change.

J: I respekt my mom dad and teacher. I don't respekt them all the time but I try.

B: I respect my brother. I like him.

L: I repect my mom if she ask me.

S: I respect my mom when I get in trouble.

D: I respecit god he is the best.