Starting as the Staggs: Our Lives as Mr. & Mrs.: IT'S SPRING ALREADY?!?!?!

Maybe I am the only one, but for me, it seems as if this year has flown by. Matt and I have been married almost nine months (Crazy!), and it is hard for me to believe that I have been living in Madison for that long. I literally feel like I just arrived. While I hate the fact that I feel as if my life is in fast-forward, this spring has brought a lot of fun and excitement to both of our lives.

My last post focused on my attempts to better my life in 2012. I am happy to report that I am well on my way to achieving many of my goals for this year, yet also ashamed to report that many of my goals have fallen by the wayside. Thankfully, most of the year is ahead of me, so I hope to get back on track as the months progress. Since I do not like to dwell on the negative, in this post I will only focus on the positives of the last month and a half.

So, what goals/resolutions have I stuck to thus far?
* Cooking- I mentioned last month that Matt and I were spending way too much money eating out. I swore that I would teach myself how to cook, and that we would eat in whenever possible. I am happy to report that I am becoming quite the accomplished cook! By accomplished, of course I mean that my meals are neither burnt nor undercooked :). All jokes aside, Matt and I have tried several new recipes over the last several weeks. I am also trying to broaden my horizons in regards to food, so that Matt can have the occasional meal that does not include chicken or pasta! I still have a long way to go on the cooking front, but I am proud of the progress that I have made thus far.
* Finding more time for friends- Since Matt is in the middle of track season and I have three different preps at Sparkman, free time has been difficult to come by in the last few weeks. Despite our busy schedules, however, I think that we have done a pretty good job designating time to spend with friends. The fact that so many of our friends are getting married, has definitely helped us to achieve this goal. Our weekends have been filled with showers, bridal luncheons, and bachelor/bachelorette parties. It has been wonderful to be able to find excuses to get together each weekend. Though Matt and I have done well with designating time for social activities, it has not been easy. Trying to find time to spend with my friends from high school, our friends from college, and our new friends at church can sometimes be a bit difficult. I will say, however, that I am yet to regret taking time out of my schedule to spend with the people I love. My apartment might not get cleaned as often as it should, but that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things anyway.
*Stable employment- While our employment situation has not changed since my last post, I am cautiously optimistic that our employment status could change very soon. Neither Matt or I have received any offers as of yet, but we do have a few leads that we are vigorously pursuing. I hope that the job stresses of the past year and a half will soon be behind us. While jobs for the fall are currently eluding us, we are both doing everything in our power to make ourselves more desirable to prospective employers. My current position at Sparkman has been a Godsend, and I hope my time there will help me to get my foot in the door at one of the county or city schools. This position has also given us a financial boost, since my pay will drastically increase during the month of April. While it has been frustrating to be without work this year, I am thankful to have been given temporary opportunities within the school system. These positions have allowed me to grow as a teacher under the guidance of those who are much more knowledgeable than myself. My time as a permanent sub has also given me the opportunity to teach a variety of different classes, that contain students of every grade and ability level. Due to my student teaching and leaves of absence, I have now worked with 8th-12th grade classes, as well as struggling AND advanced learners. Many of the teachers with whom I have worked have also given me access to their tests, activities, projects, etc. I have created a nice little arsenal of materials that will come in handy once I am able to find a job. When I do land a permanent position, I believe that I will look back and be even more thankful for the opportunities that have allowed me to learn, grow, and make mistakes.
* Travel more- While finances have definitely restricted our ability to travel, Matt and I have found inexpensive ways to escape Huntsville for a few days here and there. Over the course of the past month and a half we have taken two weekend trips with friends to destinations in the Southeast. We have also booked plane tickets to see Matt's family in the summer, and this trip will also double as our anniversary getaway. While Matt has seen just about all California has to offer, I have yet to see some of his favorite places and spaces. During our seventeen days in California we plan to spend some time in San Francisco, Fresno, and Orange County. We have also discussed taking day trips to Yosemite National Park, Disneyland, and Los Angeles. I am excited to spend time with his family, as well as to explore more of his home state.
* Serve others- When I mentioned last month that Matt and I were looking for more opportunities to serve within our community, we had no idea that this same thought was on the hearts of many of the other couples within our Sunday school class. While we have not committed to a specific ministry yet, Matt and I have found many opportunities to serve with our classmates in the coming months. Our church is even teaming up with other churches in the area, to serve the city as one body of believers in late April. I am excited about this event, and I hope that we are able to be a part. Even if we miss this particular event, there are several others in which we will be taking part in the coming months. Praise be to God for helping us to find ways to serve in our new city.

Late February and early March have been such joyous times for the two of us, and the remainder of the spring looks to be no different. Over the next two months we will be attending prom at BJHS (more fun for me than for Matt!), the weddings of three different couples in our group of friends, various track meets, and my brother's college graduation in Auburn. We will also finish out the school year and *hopefully* be able to land full time positions. Below are a few pictures from the past month. We look forward to sharing our future happenings with all of you as well!