I know I don't post much. I don't even read very often - I usually have to read at least 5 entries per person when I finally get around to looking at pleo.

So, we did buy the house, spent a month fixing it up (texture for walls, one new wall, new baseboards in some places, paint, and kitchen cabinets. This we did ourselves with wonderful help from both sets of parents, and some help from my siblings as well. We also had the laundry moved from the kitchen to the garage, and had some electrical work done by friends.

We have a huge backyard with two large pecan trees, and another pecan tree in the front yard. We have some wonderful neighbors on both sides, and it is located in basically the same neighborhood I grew up in. We love our house (I almost said new house, new to us, but the house is over 50 years old with original hardwood floors)!

We still have work to do on the house (painting the trim, unpacking, and several other improvement projects for the future) but it is so nice to have a house to live in. The Lord knew what he was doing when we didn't get either of the first two houses we wanted. This one is great for us.

We also got a new dog. His name is Major and he is a Husky/Border collie mix. He is shaped like a husky and colored black with some white like a border collie. He even has one brown eye and one blue eye. We rescued him from the animal shelter in Justin, Texas after we found him on Petfinder. He is somewhere between one and two years old they told us, and he is a wonderufl companion for our beagle, Hunter. They very much act like brothers, and love to wrestle. Hunter will go up to Major and pester him until Major will start playing. Major will take toys away from Hunter and play keep away (can you see the little brother, big brother relationship they have?)

I have had a week and a half off from school, but I go back Monday to teach summer school. And no, summer school is not a half day. It is exactly the same as regular school. Part of me wishes I had a little more time off, but I do love my job. I will have two sets of siblings in my class for the summer, which will be a first for me. The kids will range in age from 3 years to 8 years old. I will actually have 50% girls and 50% boys. This is very unusual- when I started the job it was 100% boys in my class.

The good part is that I get paid for summer school at the same rate I regularly get paid - that means double pay for six weeks because they spread out my salary over the entire year. As you can imagine, this will come in handy with the house and all the expenses of home ownership.

Justin and I are looking to buy a house. We put in our third bid today. It is hard to describe how emotionally and physically draining this process can be. We found a house, put a bid, went through that process, were accepted and went into our option period, when we opted out due to some fairly extensive foundation repair that needed done.

Then we found another house that had a ton to offer. We took a little more time to make that decision, then our bid was put in the same day as another bid, and they had a better offer.

Now we are on the third house. Maybe this one will go through. It is hard to get excited about a house, start dreaming about what we are going to do with it, etc, then not get the house. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high - but maybe the third time is a charm.

Whatever happens, I know the Lord has something planned for us, whether that be this house, another house, or no house.

We bought a beagle for Christmas. He is adorable, ten weeks old, and his name is Hunter. I knew getting a dog would be a big committment but I didn't know how very little sleep I would get at night. I also didn't realize how attached I would be, and how much I worry about him whenever I have to leave him home alone.

I was surprised how much my parents liked him at first, since they aren't dog people, but I'm not sure how much they like him now that he has peed on their carpet numerous times. He is quite a handful, but a very sweet dog. He loves to be with people, and loves to cuddle in my lap.

I don't know much of anything about putting pictures on here, but I am sure Justin will put one up as soon as we have a chance (which might be awhile since we have a puppy to take care of).

It is amazing how many people will talk to you when you are holding or walking a puppy. I have met more people at the apartment complex in the past week than I had over the past six months we have lived their. A nice man even gave us a doggy gate when I told him about how Hunter chewed threw the baby gate the first day we left him. I came home from work yesterday and Hunter wasn't in the kitchen where we left him. I started to get worried, but he came to me when I called him. He didn't even tear up the apartment. He had one kleenex on the floor that he pulled out of the trashcan, and he had done his business on the floor upstairs, but everything else appears to be fine. I'm sure we won't be so lucky next time - I sure hope the doggy gate holds up today.

Well, I haven't updated in forever, especially since the last post my sister did for me, unbeknownst to me. I am married now, and very much enjoying married life.

Next week I go back to work! I went to my classroom this week and things look a little different (they did construction putting in new tile in the hallway, new air-conditioning, and a few other things). It was weird to think that I hadn't been in that room in over two months. I have been up to work a few times this summer, but couldn't get into my classroom due to the construction.

I get several new students this year, and my children will range from 3 to 7 years old (8 years old by the second month of school). I'm excited about starting again. I love my job; it is very rewarding. This is the first year I get to be the head teacher the entire year, and I look forward to decorating my classroom (butterflies!) and setting up things my own way from the start. It is so nice to be able to start fresh every year as a teacher. How often do people in the business world really get to start fresh?

The Lord has blessed my life immensely. The North Tarrant Church is doing well. We have three elders now, and I look forward to seeing what happens in this new "era". This past Sunday evening we went around the neighborhood close to the church house and rang doorbells to introduce ourselves. One individual even opened up and shared his need to quit drinking and get his life right, several others indicated an interest in visiting with our group this Sunday. I pray that the Lord will use our seed planting, and that good things will come, whether or not we see the results.

May God's Kingdom reign in all our lives! All Glory and Honor to Him!

Well I haven't updated in a long time. Lots has happened!

I'm now Kristen Naylor. We were married a month ago and now live in Arlington, TX.

The school year went smoothly at the Child Study Center and I'll be a certified teacher after I take some classes this summer and before I return to the CSC this fall. Currently I'm the head teacher in the youngest classroom and I love my kids.

We worship and work with the North Tarrant group (the one that meets in a house on a hill in Keller).

That's enough about me for now. Maybe I'll update again sometime in the next 10 months.

I love my sister!