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Welcome to the Allred's blog page! Hope you enjoy some of the craziness our lives have to offer!

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Starting New...

Wow it's been a long time since I've blogged... I've thought about it occasionally, but let's face it- with two kids under 5, a full time job, a husband who has been taking pre-req classes for the last two years and works full time... life has been a little busy!  Amazing... but busy! 

To update:  Duane and I just celebrated our 7 year anniversary and love each other more now than we did on our wedding day!  He's my rock, my constant, my lover and my best friend- He's amazing!  He gets me and I him...
Our two boys, Makson & Kaden are now 4 1/2 and 2 1/2.  Mak will turn 5 this coming December and Kaden will turn 3 this coming November.  Where in the world does the time go?  It just doesn't seem possible that they are this big so soon... I looked at Kaden the other day and had to swipe away a little tear because I realized he's not a baby anymore.  He's a little boy who runs around in nothing but his Spiderman underwear and tries to destroy everything, while all at the same time batting his little eyes and smiling with his big ole teeth right at me! I love that kid!
Makson is starting pre-k this year... seriously... pre-k.  Wasn't I just pregnant with him waiting patiently at 2 o'clock in the morning for the little man to get here?  And now here he is getting ready to start the beginning of his school career.  He's loving, inquisitive, challenging, funny, and will go toe to toe with me regardless of what it may be about.  He will be push me and challenge me, but I love it because in the end I know he will make me a better mother and person! I Love him!

Well, I recently took a high school counseling position at my old stomping grounds, in Boyd, America.  I've always thought I might eventually end up back there because I loved my experience there while growing up. I didn't think my return would be this soon, but when God flings a door wide open you can't ignore it.  So... I didn't and walked straight through.  I have been working at the high school for approximately a month.  I'm loving it and hating it all at the same time!  I have worked longer hours (well into multiple nights) to get things completed.  I can't help it- If there's something that needs to be done, I will get it done... even if it means pulling an all-nighter!  I get that amazing trait from my mom!  I took a longer contract, so my summers are now shorter, but I have to say I am looking forward to the great things God has in store for me there.  I'm loving the new challenges that I am and will be facing working in a high school, but the thing I'm loving the most is being back in a small town and around small-town people!  You can't beat small town community... the friendliness is contagious and makes my heart happy! I'm glad to be back!

Another great change we are looking forward to and the main reason I really decided to start blogging again, is because my husband is in the process of pursuing PA (Physician Assistant) school.  He has worked his butt off for the last two years to take pre-req classes, so he could have the opportunity to apply to PA school.  He has finally completed those classes (as of this week) and is one step closer in achieving his dream.  He has always been passionate about medicine... He actually started off being pre-med, then began having too much fun in college and changed his mind!  He's currently an athletic trainer, but for the last several years has always felt he was not using his gifts and talents to their full potential.  I encouraged him to do whatever he needed to find happiness in his career and do what he felt God had intended for him to do.  After much conversation and prayer, he felt PA school was the way to go.  He applied to four different schools last year, a couple on waivers, and didn't get an interview to any.  I'm not going to lie... a small part of me wanted to say, welp- didn't get in, guess you have to keep doing what you're doing, making money, and we can keep living our simple, happy lives!  You have to understand.... if he gets in, it's full time.  Our income will become half of what it is now... So, yes- a small part of me was a little relieved; however, I could see the disappointment in his face and knew he needed to continue to pursue this... so I decided to keep pursuing with him.  It's his dream- how can you squash someone's dream when they feel it is God's calling on their life?  Maybe you-  but not me.  I would never want my husband in 20 years to have regrets and know that one of them was because of me. 
Anyway... he applied again this year. He applied to Dallas Southwestern (the best PA school in the state), UNT in Fort Worth, Galveston and San Antonio.  He was just hoping and praying for at least an interview (FYI- there are 600-700 applicants to Dallas Southwestern, 100 get interviews and only 40 get in!)  His apps went out at the beginning of June and that's when the waiting began... I took the job in Boyd late June, knowing there was a possibililty that he might only get intereviews in Galveston and San Antonio, but I trutly believed that if God opened that door for me like he did, he was going to open one up for my husband.  We had faith that was going to happen.  Well, we serve a good God, because that's exactly what happened!  This past week Duane walked into the house and stated, "I got an interview!"  I was caught off guard, in the middle of cooking dinner, and was like what? where?  He told me at Dallas Southwestern and I have to admit I kinda lost it... Tears of joy, excitement and pride for my husband began to fall.  I know it's just an interview and it's just the beginning... but this is HUGE!  God is opening this door for my husband and our family and I believe it is for reason!  We are praying and believing that this opportunity for him to pursue his dream at the best PA school in the state is going to happen.  It's a huge leap of faith to trust God through this whole process...  but I believe even through the possible stress, craziness, lonliness, poorness, it's going to be an amazing journey!  I'll keep everyone posted, because I have a feeling it's going to be quiet a ride!

T