What Now?

Last Friday, October 24, 2008, I took my final level exam for certification in my job. After 7 years, 14 classes, and 4 complicated level exams, I am done and double certified. I am now a Registered Texas Tax Assessor/Collector and a Registered Professional Appraiser. Wow. I feel great about what I have accomplished. But, I feel as if I have reached the end of something. I have worked so hard to learn all I needed to know for these long exams and to do my job, and now I am done and certified. What now? What's next? This can't be the end of the learning era in this field in which I work...could it?

I have always been the type of person who wanted to excel in "achieving things." Perhaps God has a new direction in mind for me. Maybe my season of learning tax-related information has come to an end and I will get to pour my attention into another field of study. Oh, if that would be true! No, I am not quitting my job at the Appraisal District, but I am thrilled at the thought that God may be allowing me to enter into a new topic of study. Maybe something biblical to further my work for the Kingdom...Maybe a new project the HE wants me to do for His Glory! Oh, the thought of that is so exciting! Or maybe, I will finally get to enter a season of rest where I can get some R&R to be ready for the new task God wants me to do later on. I don't know for sure, but I trust that God will reveal His intentions to me in His perfect timing. Rest would be great (and I need it desperately), but I am always eager to do what God asks of me. If you will, please pray for God's will to be carried out in my life as well as the lives of my kids and wonderful husband. God Bless!

County Food Show Victory!

That bread looks pretty tasty, huh? Jordan competed in the 4-H Foods and Nutrition County Food Show today. She made and entered Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread. The contestants are not only judged on the dish that they prepare, but also are asked a battery of questions dealing with nutrition. The kids have to know how each ingredient in their dish contributes to a healthy diet, the food pyramid, food safety procedures, etc. They all really learn quite a bit about healthy eating habits as well as various kitchen techniques and safety issues. Jordan did an excellent job preparing her dish (yes, she did it all on her own under my supervision), but the judges were also very impressed with her oral presentation and her knowledge of the specific nutrients in her dish. She placed 1st in her division--Intermediate Age Division in Breads & Cereals and got a blue ribbon as well as some casserole dishes and a few cooking utensils. Jordan moved up to the Intermediate age group this year, so she was competing against older kids. There was probably about 20 entries at the county level today. We will go on to the District competition Nov. 22. Seth and I are so proud of Jordan and how well she is learning out good nutrition. It is so important to learn that early, don't you think?

Anyway, enjoy the pics and wish me luck, too. I am leaving tomorrow for Austin, TX to take a review class all week to get ready for a major 8 hr exam on Friday. It is my final exam for my Professional Tax Appraiser Certification. I am a little nervous, but I have taken 3 exams prior to this, so I know what to expect. I would appreciate everyone's prayers this Friday while I am taking the exam. Also, pray for Seth and the kids while I am away that they get everything accomplished peacefully without me there. Bless you all!

The Pumpkin Patch

Fall is here! Here we are at the pumpkin patch at Sliger's Produce. They always have a really large selection of pumpkins in a nice arrangement. We took the kids and got some great pictures after Hunter's football game. The weather was cool and cloudy. It definitely felt fall-ish outside--a perfect day to visit the pumpkin patch! The only thing missing was a hot cup of apple cider...maybe next time.

Kialie (my niece), Calan (my nephew), Hunter and Jordan

Kialie and Hunter

Football Season Highlights

My good-lookin guy!

Hey everyone! Sorry it has been awhile. Lots going on. Hunter's football team played last week and lost 12-6. It was their 1st loss of the season and a huge heart-breaker. This week began the play-offs. The team played today at one of the local high school stadiums--it was quite cool to watch! Hunter made some awesome plays as well as many of his teammates, but ultimately, the Dragons fell to the Brownwood Maroon team 19-0. The loss seals the end of the 2008 TYFL football season for the Bangs Dragons. Their record for the year is 5-2 (5 wins, 2 losses). That is fantastic in my book!! No, they didn't make it to the "Super Bowl", but they played very well and deserve much praise. Now we get a break for a little while before basketball season starts. Hunter is not into basketball, so he has elected not to play this year, but Jordan will play. She is excited to get started. That will be another month or so away, though. Seth and I welcome the break! Here are some football pics of the last few games that Hunter played. Enjoy!




Coming through the run-through sign at the beginning

The lineman coach--the best lookin' one of them all!

A moment from the play-off game w/Seth & Hunter.

See that kid in green on the bottom of the pile?...That's Hunter. Ouch!

Hunter running with the ball. What an exciting moment!

Hunter (center) making a tackle.

Jordan, Calan (my nephew), Hunter, Kialie (my niece), & Chase (a friend)

Undefeated & The Extreme Achiever

I would have posted sooner, but I don't have the pictures developed just yet. I will post with pics next time.
Hunter's football team is now undefeated. I am so proud. They won their last game 6-0. It was definitley a good team--more evenly matched. Hunter ran with the ball a lot during the game and did a great job of gaining yardage for the team. He got so close to making a touchdown. In fact, I was a little short of breath while he was down close to the end zone. I get so nervous sometimes when he and Jordan are "performing." I can't even watch when they pitch in baseball/softball. I'm weird...I know. Anyway, they did really good Saturday and I was totally wiped out afterward.
The team plays again this Saturday @ 9:30a.m. Yikes!...1st game of the morning while the grass is still wet with dew. More mistakes seem to be made at that time of the morning. They will do fine, though. Hunter is so serious about the games--which is good; but he checks the weather and brings a towel for his hands just in case the grass is wet. It makes me smile.
One other funny little cute thing that Hunter does...he always sneezes when coming out into the bright sunlight. It is so cute. Everytime. Seriously. It's so cute. He doesn't think so--he's too cool! lol
Jordan is busy, too, but not playing a sport right now. She has been studying hard to tryout for the UIL Spelling team and the UIL Number Sense team. She tried out for the spelling team yesterday and made it to the next round (she has been on the team before). She took the test for the Number Sense team this morning. I'm sure she did well, but I will have to wait to hear when she gets home from school. She was going to tryout for the Mathematics team (which is an easier math team), but she said it was too easy and she wanted to be challenged. I just smiled. My girl...the extreme achiever. She is awesome in school! She makes high 90's or 100's on her REPORT CARD. She had a 98 average on her 3-week progress report. She is very smart and she wants to enhance that gift. I think that is awesome! I am proud, of course.
Anyway, pictures will be here at the next post--maybe early next week.

**photo by imnowl using Flickr