cingular is the worst possible company in the world. i hate being screwed over!!!!

ok, so 84 days till i'm jennifer penney. that's really not that much longer. finished up premarital counseling, saw the first wedding invite printed up, got a wedding coordinator finally, and it all seems to be falling into place...

ran a 5k on saturday. didn't do too shabby considering it was my first week back to running after being off for 3 months. finished in 32:25. donna and i have been running 2 days a week in the morning times. it's been good getting it done at the beginning of the day and it makes me go to bed early. nothing like getting a real full nights sleep.

school is back in session. we are finishing up week 2 tomorrow. wow, only 32 more to go! i forgot how hard it is starting over with new kids. my old ones had come so far and now i have to begin again with these babies...whew. it's not nearly as easy as one might think. the reward comes soon though. when they can work by themselves, read big words, write sentences, add numbers, etc. it's all so wonderful!

i heart teaching first grade. i also heart joseph lee penney. a buncha buncha bunch.

so i guess i should update. i'm selfish, i'll have to admit. i love reading everyone else's posts, but most of the time i don't like updating my own. i can't just take, take, take all the time. so here's an update on my life...

well, i get my new batch of first graders on monday. i worked really hard everyday this past week trying to get my room and everything ready. i have to admit, it looks really good and i'm sooo excited about this year. it's my second year in first grade and i feel as if i know a LITTLE more about what i'm doing. now i can add more things that i didn't get to do last year with my kids b/c i was just trying to figure it all out and get the basics covered. i'm going to miss my kids from last year. now they're "big second graders" and have probably grown so much over the summer. i can't wait to see them and get lots of hugs. they taught me more than i could have ever taught them. that's for sure.

my dad was in the hospital this week. he went to the ER with a severe headache, dizziness, nausea, and slurred speech. my stepmom called me monday and told me. i freaked out and was hysterical in wal-mart when she called. well, they ran every test that they knew to run and diagnosed him with "acute, severe migraines." we were so lucky and grateful that it wasn't more serious. he definitely got the best end of the deal. i just keep praying that all this brings my dad to the Lord.

i went to orange beach week before last with 8 of my co-workers. we had a blast just lounging on the beach for 3 days. i did a little bit of shopping. i love outlet malls and old time pottery. we're going to go back again next summer too. i had so much fun catching up with everyone after a summer off and i haven't laughed that hard in a while.

so i began my half-marathon training this morning. i met a big group at cedar crest bc and we did 4 miles. i ran 3 of them and probably walked almost 1. not too bad considering i haven't really run in 2 months. donna and i ran together and developed our training plan for running during the week. i hope that we're consistent and that we stick to it. i want to be ready to run the whole thing. i don't want to have to walk. my new husband will be running along side of me. (after all, we'll be married only 2 weeks the day of the race!)

wedding plans are coming good. i just decided that they will take a slight backseat until i can get school stuff in order. WE'RE DOWN TO ONLY 98 DAYS!!!!

ok, well, that's all for now. my fiance' took me on a date last night. it was so wonderful!

so the first shower was a success thanks to all my great friends!

today i am headed to s'port to see the MOH as well as the my favorite fam, THE MORGANS. i can's wait to hang out with them.

this weekend joey is going home to see his folks and help his mom & dad out b/c his dad is having back surgery tomorrow. i think i am going to go the BR to see my dad and lisa and my waaaay cute flower girl--my niece kaitlyn. i'm sure she's grown so much since i've seen her last.

next week i finally head to the beach!!!! i can't wait. i'm going to take a book and be nothing but a huge whale just flopping from one side to the other on the sand. my last little bit of relaxation before school starts back up. speaking of school, it's coming soon! only 2 more weeks of summer...

joey has rivercities next weekend. i can't wait to go and watch him. i love going to tri's. it's so much fun to watch. i also get to be a cheerleader. next year my goal is to be a PARTICIPANT. it won't be pretty, but my goal is to cross the finish line.

116 more days and i'll be a wife!!!!

so the master bath is now a new fabulous color. it looks so much better than the green we painted the first time around.

joey and i started our premarital counseling. it really wasn't nearly as bad as i thought it would be. it is actually a good thing. i think we'll learn lots of new things about one another.

so i'm addicted to days of our lives. i love it!!!! mimi is such a whiner. i wish belle and shawn would get back together. and for carrie and austin, they MUST be back together. after all, they're the main reason i started watching this show 10 years ago. hello...by the way, i think the dimera's are coming baaaack.

i almost got attacked by our new neighbor's dog today. i did my usual "freeze" and then i cried. i've got to learn to fight or run, not just stand there frozen.

i'm going to work out in the morning.

so i guess i should update...

the new season of project runway started. leslie and i put it on our calendar so we could make sure to watch it. it was good but i find myself not liking the new characters. maybe it's because i miss the old ones. i felt like i knew them so well, but i guess once i get to know these people i'll feel the same way about them. i definitely thought the coffee filter dress should have won. it was way cute and way innovative. i think i'm going to root for the brotha from the A-T-L this season.

so i don't have to babysit and i'm way excited about a day to myself. joey penney is off work too and we already have our agenda of what to get done. yay!

so "the merge" is 4 months and 5 days away! i can't wait! i'm starting to really feel like a bride. wedding planning is coming along well.

so my MOH comes into town in just a few days. i can't wait to see her and hang out with her and the boy. though i've gotten used to our summer/christmas/random visits. you just learn how to adapt through emails/phone calls/xangas. it's not nearly as great as face to face visits, but you just do what you can. can't wait to see you, c!

joey and i decided that we are going to start taking one trip out of town each month. i'm a huge fan of this and i hope that we make great road trips.

p.s. i love being a girl.