Christmas Eve At Long Last

For some, the best moment of the entire Christmas season is the first snow of the year. For others, it is the moment the kids begin to rip open the presents. For the shoppers, it is the finding of that perfect gift. For the music lover, it is the Christmas concert at church or maybe the CONSTANT barrage of Christmas carols on the radio. For me, one of my favorite parts of the Christmas season is Christmas Eve. I love it because the air is heavy with the anticipation of tomorrow. Whether you watch big puffy snowflakes coming down or the sway of a palm tree outside your window...the feeling is the same. The gifts are settled beneath the tree, the house is fully decorated, sugar cookies are cooling on the counter, all the family is settled under blankets with steaming cups of cocoa watching the old favorites on television. It is the reading of the Christmas story before you go to bed and imagining how the holy family must have felt that first Christmas Eve...the worry, the wonder, the worship of it all.

In the stillness of Christmas Eve, one tends to forget the sad, the tragic, the depressing and all is quiet and still. For that quiet moment, all is right with the world and you cannot put a label on what that is. You cannot describe it. You cannot manufacture it.

I think what makes Christmas so strikingly different for the believer is that this is a holiday which gives us hope. Without that baby in the manger, there would be no reason to believe. Praise God for that first Christmas in Bethlehem. Praise God for the good news which we have in Christ Jesus. Ah yes....the Christmas Eve feeling is here again. But, the good thing is, I never have to wait till Christmas to have that same feeling again. It can always be Christmas in my heart.

Christmas at the Post Office

Maybe I never really understood the phrase "going postal" because I had never been to the post office during the Christmas season. Clearly that phrase originated during the Christmas season. Yesterday I stood in line for at least 30 minutes waiting to ship a baby dress to my best friend's new baby. All around me were people, people, people and boxes and boxes and boxes. In front of me what a man from Ireland mailing cards galore to the "old country" and behind me was a sweet little old lady from Germany who stuck up a conversation with me about the differences between the educational system here and the one in Germany. By the time we reached the end of the line, I felt as though we should exchange phone numbers so we could stay in touch. It was strange, but pleasant. Any more these days when we stand in line, waiting (which I feel like we spend a lot of time in lines these days), we just pull out a phone, or stare off into space, and try to avoid eye-contact with those around us. Sometimes if you take a moment and look around you, there are very interesting people to talk to and meet. So, next time you wait in an eternal line, find a friendly-looking face and strike up a conversation....you just never know who you will meet.

How to save a dollar

Recently I saved a bundle at the grocery store and on Christmas presents. I had someone ask me how I do it, and I felt like I needed to share. Here are my "top secrets" on how to save money at the super market.

1. You CANNOT be brand exclusive. If there is a coupon for $1.00 off of Pop Secret popcorn and it makes it cheaper than your normal brand, then you buy that and just deal with the subtle differences.

2. Cut coupons. Even if I doubt that I might ever use the coupon, I still cut it out. You never know when you will use a coupon, so clip them all.

3. Get double papers. I always buy two papers on Sunday. This way you have two coupons for each item. For instance, when Publix has something buy one get one free, you can use one coupon on the one you buy and on the one you get for free. For instance, yesterday I had a coupon for two dollars off two bags of hashbrowns. Publix already had them on sale Buy one Get one. So, by the time I was done, each bag of hashbrowns only cost about 45 cents.

4. ALWAYS have the coupons in your purse. You never know when you might be in the grocery store.

5. Categorize the coupons by brand name...it makes it really easy to find what you need because each store puts things in different isles.

Hope these tips help you get started. It is slow and steady....but once you get the hang of it, you will never be able to stop.

Cheapskates Anonymous

From time to time I stumble across a bargain and I must snatch it up. Well, today, I was out getting a little last minute Christmas gift buying done. At each store I had coupons, gift cards, store credits, or something that saved money in one way or another. Now, the question did occur to me..."Is it wrong and un-Christmasy to buy things for others as gifts that you have coupons for?" For example, I got my husband, my father, and a few other people some gifts at our local Christian bookstore. The total came up to be 45 dollars. However, I had store credit for 35 of those dollars. So, when they open the gifts...is it ok not to confess the true level of cheapskate-ness to which I have bowed or do I say, "Why, you are so very welcome." I went to Borders next and got something for my mom and for my best friend's new baby, and it only cost me a dollar. Do I need to change my name to Scrooge or am I just being frugal?

Well, the whole car ride home with my "bargains" I pondered this idea. Am I just a crazy coupon lady that drives everyone crazy with my money saving madness? I know the little man who helped me at Target thought I was insane since nearly everything in my cart, including the bubble wrap mailer I had to buy, had a coupon. Each coupon really reflected a level of consideration for others. The bubble mailer coupon was for my best friend, since I knew I would need to mail her a baby outfit for her new baby. The pistachio coupon was for dad because I knew I would need to get those for him. The razor blade coupon was for Ryan because he always gets a nice razor in his stocking from me. I do not think Christmas has to equal bankruptcy. However, I do not think everything needs to come from the dollar tree either. There are ways to make that dollar stretch. So, if that makes me the Grinch that's ok because I have always felt green was a good color on me.

Ornaments

My Christmas tree is up. I am still woefully behind in all other things Christmas. My friends and family members will be getting their Christmas cards around Easter. Christmas cookies are not even on the radar. Ryan has almost NO gifts under the tree and the only people who do have gifts under the tree are my sister and brother-in-law because I knew they would be here early to collect their gifts. But, for me, Christmas cannot begin until my tree is up and the ornaments are hung on each branch. As I look at the tree, it reminds me of how blessed I am. Each one is special and reminds me of a special memory. There are ornaments that Ryan and I purposely bought for ourselves (one that looks like our dog, a "W" that looks like a Christmas cookie). We have a special ornament from our Grandma for our first Christmas together. There are old ornaments from when I was a baby and there are left over ornaments that I put up in my first dorm. As each one goes up on the tree I smile and remember the special person in my life and why they gave me that ornament. Maybe I over think these things, but it is part of what makes my Christmas special...and so I will continue to do it...no matter what new ornaments may be in my future.

Mr. Grinch

So, this post may cause many to question my "Christmas Spirit" as it is often called, but can I just say that I hate Christmas shopping? I love giving gifts, I love thinking about the unique things others might like to see under the tree, I even love the hustle and bustle of the busy stores. What I detest is that feeling of having a million people touch the items I want to buy before I buy them. There is the feeling as well of buying that thing a million people have touched and decided not to buy and then wondering what is wrong with you or with the item that made you want to buy it. Then there are the pushers. You know the kind I am talking about. Those pushy sales ladies who want you to get their store's credit card to save 3 gazillion percent on your purchase today. Then there are the aisle parkers. These are the ladies who park their shopping cart dead center in the very aisle you need to be in and then proceed to read and analyze the calorie content of the fruitcake they have selected off the shelf. Then, of course, you have the casual conversation starters. These are the people who see you pick up something off the shelf and try to have an in-depth conversation about how "your father will just love that" or "I gave that to my cousin Melvin last Christmas and it gave him a rash" or "that shade would not look good on your skin." Then, there are the grabbers. These are the people who follow close behind your cart in the store and circle you like a vulture. The minute you put something down they go and snatch it up to see if they want the cast off item you have left behind. To add to the madness, you of course have a symphony of noises. You have a distasteful version of "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" playing in the background. Somewhere, in every single store, a child will be screaming while the mom of that child tries to placate him/her, but to no avail. Sneezing and coughing abound...they sort of round out to percussion section of this symphony of Christmas shopping.
However, lest you worry over me, let me just say that today, even though I encountered all the of aforementioned characters, I had a successful day of Christmas shopping with just a few small items to pick up before Christmas is officially upon us. Once I was home, and a Christmas movie was playing, and I had a cup of coffee and pajama pants on...everything seemed a little better. In the end, it was all worth it when the tree was lit and those very same packages I had fought the crowds for were wrapped and snuggled under the tree. Ah....Christmas.

25

So, today I turn 25 years old. I have been out and about all day being busy shopping and spending time with family. Today's post is short. It is a list of things that in 25 years have proven to be true, over and over again. Life lessons if you will.

1. EVERYTHING changes...except God
2. In the end, all you have is family...so keep them close
3. Best friends happen only once or twice in a lifetime, so keep them close...no matter how far in "miles" that close may be.
4. The toast ALWAYS falls jelly side down
5. The one time you forget the cell phone at home, that is the time you get a flat tire, run out of gas, and run out of money.
6. Money does not grow on trees but that is ok because money cannot buy happiness anyways
7. Babies are a miracle and every one is "the greatest thing ever"
8. Sisters are one of God's greatest gifts
9. No day is so horrible that a dozen roses cannot brighten it in an instant
10. I would rather order in Chinese and sit in my PJs with my hubby than dine in the fanciest of restaurants.
11. The best things in life are free...except perhaps a good latte.
12. It is possible to be the crazy coupon lady by age 25
13. Working with teens keeps you humble because if you have a flaw, they find a way to magnify it
14. The best gifts are the ones that you never outgrow, use up, or break...they are the memories that you make with those you love.
15. A good laugh that hurts your ribs, makes you cry, and wrinkles your face are the best medicine (thanks for many of those Krista and Ryan)
16. It never rains but it pours
17. The one day you can sleep in is the one day you never get to sleep in
18. You get the MOST hungry when you are sitting in Sunday church...no matter how much breakfast you ate before you went
19. Vacations go by at warp speed
20. Time really does fly...even when you are not having fun
21. The day you leave out your new shoes is the day your dog is craving that "new shoe" flavor.
22. Do not tell your husband "Oh, I don't want anything for my birthday" if you really do want something because they DO take it literally.
23.Fireworks will never stop being magical
24. Do not eat messy food while wearing your favorite white shirt
25. Never leave home without chewing gum.

The ABCs of Thanksgiving

Tomorrow I will be so very busy giving thanks and being with family and just enjoying the day. I doubt there will be an actual Thanksgiving Day post. So, in the spirit of the day, I decided to post my Thanksgiving list. You must humor me in that I am a school teachers so ABC's and 1,2,3's just come easy to me. Obviously the thing I am MOST thankful for this year and any year is the fact that I am of the redeemed. Jesus Christ has taken up residence in this heart of mine and I belong to Him. The list below is a list of things in the here and now that are not eternal that I am so very thankful for.

A is for affection. I have a wonderful husband, a loving family, an excellent circle of friends (although most of them are painfully far away), and a growing church family. I am so blessed.

B is for babies. I have several friends this year whom God has blessed with new babies. Each one is the "cutest" and each one is a miracle. I have prayed for most of those pregnancies, so I consider myself an aunt by prayer, even though I am not an aunt by blood.

C is for coffee. I know this may seem trivial to some, but if I had to go without coffee, there would be few others in the world giving thanks for my presence. So, I am thankful for coffee.

D is for dishes. I am a strange person, I know, but if I have to choose a chore to be thankful for, I choose dishes because a sink full of dirty dishes means there is a houseful of satisfied and happy people. I am thankful that America is still a land of plenty.

E is for energy. Last year around this time I had just begun my struggle with headaches and migraines and such. I am so very grateful that one year later, although I still deal with the pain, I am learning how to cope with the pain and I have energy once again.

F is for faith. Life is hard. I am not sure how people who do not have God and a hope of a better future get through.

G is for Grandparents. My Grandparents are such a blessing in my life. They love me so unconditionally. I have a confession that sometimes children between the ages of 8 and 15 drive me crazy. They are sticky always. They smell like gym socks. AND, they think they know everything. I am thankful that through all those times, my Grandparents still thought I was the cats pajamas. Thanks guys....I love you.

H is for hardwood floors and history. I am so thankful for my new house (leaky water pipes and all). One of the things I fell in love with was the fact that I have hardwood floors and not carpets. I HATE carpet. Obviously, since I am a history teacher I would probably have a love of history. I always have. I would rather go to a museum than an amusement park.

I is for Ice Cream. Any flavor, any time, in any weather....I love Ice Cream.

J is for Jelly Bellys. There is nothing more fun than grabbing a bag of jelly belly jelly beans and guessing the flavors as you eat your way through the bag. Maybe I am just simple minded, but I love that.

K is for kids. I love my job. I get to be with kids all day long and they always have a way of making me smile. Yes, there are days where I do sit down at my desk and seriously rethink my career choice. But, overall, I love working with kids and that feeling of helping them learn new and interesting things.

L is for love. I am so very thankful for all the kinds of love that we have. Of course, the Love of the Heavenly Father is beyond compare with anything we have here on earth. I am thankful that I have that love in my life. I am thankful for the "all-kinds-of weather" love that I have from my hubby. He loves me when I burn the dinner, when the house is a wreck, when I am happy, and when I am crabby. He is a blessing. I am also thankful for family love. Mom, Dad, sister, and brother-in-law. I love them.

M is for mutts. We have a dog. While he is frequently a source of complaining on this blog for me, he is a joy to have in our home.

N is for night skies. I love clear nights with full moons and zillions of stars. It always reminds me of how BIG our God is.

O is for older folks. Now, before any of my "old folks" reading this blog get annoyed by that comment, let me explain. I LOVE history. So, when I get the chance, I seek out an "older folk" type person to chat with. I want to soak in all the "I was there" history I can get from them.

P is for parents. God blessed me with a very godly family and parents who loves me and wanted me to turn out to be a woman of integrity. I love them and am so very thankful for how they pushed me to be the best I could be.

Q is for quilts. I think quilts are so beautiful and special. Nothing says "home sweet home" like a quilt on the bed.

R is for Rachel. I am so very thankful for the one and only sister I have. I could not ask for a better one. I love her.

S is for summertime. I love all things summer. Summer fruits, summer games, summers off from school, summer days, summer celebrations, summer cookouts, summer beach trips. There are very few things about summer that so not make me smile.

T is for turkey. We have switched to healthy cooking at our house (or at least making an attempt). So, we have switched to turkey burger and turkey breast for sandwiches. It is a great meat and I am thankful that it is a healthy choice that we both like.

U is for umbrellas. I live in Florida. Enough said.

V is for violins. I love the sound of a violin playing. I learned to play the piano, but I think deep down inside I would have liked to learn to play the violin.

W is for washing machines. My hubby got me a new washing machine about 8 months ago because ours died. I am so very thankful for such a wonderful machine. I do not know how the pioneer women did it...because I sometimes struggle getting laundry done as it is...imagine hauling it to the river to beat it on the rocks. No wonder they wore the same clothes all the time.

X is for...well, I am not really thankful for anything that begins with X. I am not a fan of getting x-rays (although I am glad they exist). I am thankful for the xerox machines at work (when they do not jam...which is hourly). I am not a huge fan of xylophone music. So, for x, we will just be leaving that as it is.

Y is for yummy. I am thankful that we have taste buds and options. How boring would life be is everything tasted the same. I am thankful for all things "yummy."

Z is for zest. I mean this in two ways. First of all, I really do love zesting a lemon or an orange and the yummy smell that comes into my house. But, on a bigger scale...I am thankful for youth and the zest for life that comes with it.

Thanks for hanging in there for that list...Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving full of things to be grateful for.

Divided Heart

This is the first time in the history of my marriage that I have been separated from my husband over a holiday. Ryan had to work REALLY hard this week. He has tons of responsibilities to fulfill at work so there was not going to be any way for him to get away for the whole week. When we first got married, Ryan made me a promise that since my birthday is so close to Thanksgiving, we would always make the journey to be with my family. Well, this is the first year that he will not be able to do that. So, he sent me alone, with the promise that he will be meeting me up here for Thanksgiving lunch. It is so hard to be apart. On the one hand, I am having so much fun with my parents and sister and brother-in-law. On the other hand, it is like half of me is gone. Tonight at dinner I kept waiting for Ryan to put his tomatoes from his salad on my plate (because he hates them) but they never came. We played a game after dinner and I kept thinking of answers Ryan would give to the game or clues he could give me that would help me to answer the question. The dog with along with me and he has never been so badly behaved in all his life (because he knows the authoritarian is far away). In 24 hours he has dug a whole to China in the back yard, gotten sick multiple times, and broke the screen door off my parents back door. If Ryan was here, none of that would go on. It just goes to show that two become one and life is never the same. I am cherishing this time with my parents, but I will be thrilled to have Ryan here with me again.

Love and water pipes

I am coming up to my 25th birthday. I have to say that I pictured age 25 as something totally different. When I looked ahead at my life, I had a vision of something that was so very different from what it is now. I was talking to a fellow teacher today and I realized something. All those "visions" I had, while nice and sweet, were completely unrealistic and not what real life or real love it about. I thought that marriage was all about the roses and the laughs and the good times. I have discovered, only two years into it (so I realize there is much more to learn) that real love is the month with no money at the end of it. Love is the dirty dishes, and the washing machine, and the empty fridge. Love is understanding that your partner is not perfect and you will never be able to make him perfect....no matter how much you nag. Love is laughing when the water pipes in your house malfunction and you have to live like pioneers..instead of crying and whining. Love is realizing that your marriage partner is your best friend and you could never imagine your life without him...or without picking up that same pair of dirty socks day after day. Praise God for lessons learned in my brief 25 years so far....I am sure there will be a bigger post about this as the birthday gets closer...I am still learning. Stay tuned for more.

A few of my favorite things....

It is the month of my birthday. Yes, I said month because I love to celebrate my birthday. It usually lasts a month. Every year the same things happen for my birthday, but I am ok with that because I just love each one. Here is my list

1. A whole week off for my birthday. Because I am a teacher, I always get a whole week off for my birthday. So, I am allowed to bask in the celebration without the bother of having to go to work.

2. A trip home to Tallahassee. The tradition started when I was in college. Ryan told me that even once we were married, he and I would always go up to Tallahassee for my "birthday week." We have done so ever since. I get to go to my home church, sleep in, shop with Mom, hang out with my sister, and laugh with my Dad.

3. PUMPKIN PIE. When I was a child, I thought that the worst part of having a Thanksgiving birthday was the desserts. I was so wrong. I love all things pumpkin. On my birthday this year I want a giant slice of Pumpkin pie and wash it down with a giant cup of pumpkin spice latte.

4. Black Friday. The last couple of years me and my mom and my sister have made the trip out to the black Friday sales. I used to think those people were crazy to go out there on that day. I have discovered the opposite to be true. I love it. It is the most fun time to shop.

5. Birthday surprises. Ryan always, always surprises me with the greatest birthday presents. He is such a good husband. This year he cannot go along with me to my birthday week because of work, so he is breaking his neck to get me to Tallahassee and then to join me for my actual birthday dinner. He is a great hubby.

No talking needed

I was out and about last Saturday. It was a very full, very busy day. I had to get the car to the auto shop for a check-up, I had to run to meet a new friend at Starbucks to deliver some Sunday School material for Sunday, I had to get home and pack for a quick weekend getaway with my hubby, and then I had to get to a school fundraiser by noon. Needless to say I was busy all morning long. BUT, I was not too busy to notice a particularly disturbing trend in our society. No body talks any more. I was sitting in the waiting room of the auto shop. Now, five years ago, I would have read my magazine and engaged in some random small talk with the other women who were in the shop with me. "Why are you here?" "Isn't it ridiculous how much these visits to the shop cost" "How old is your baby"...and so on. But, this time everyone in the shop was on their i-phone or touch phone and did not talk to any one around them. The same thing happens at the line in the grocery store, or in a doctor's office, or when we are just too lazy to engage in small talk. No wonder people are socially inept and incapable of interesting discussions. Any time humans form into a line or have to wait somewhere longer than five minutes, out come the phones. I challenge you to look at the person in the car next to you next time you are at a red light. I will bet you $23.80 that the person will be checking their facebook or texting a friend using their phone. Just try it. We complain about feeling disconnected from our neighbors and co-workers and yet we force ourselves into that position by staying in our cyber-world!!! Break the mold...put down that phone!!! By the way, I am guilty of this too...the picture is me at my wedding rehearsal...and I am answering the phone. No one is immune. :)

It Could Be Worse

Lately I have been feeling kind of down about our house. When we bought this house I thought to myself, "Well, this is it. Now, we have an investment. We are not just throwing money away to a landlord we are working toward owning our own house." Then, the water pipes sprung a leak, the washer and dryer broke down, and the electric bills and water bills started flowing in. Suddenly, I found myself wishing at times we had never bought this "money pit" (as I have decided named our little home).

However, every once and I while I think it is a good exercise to remind yourself that it "could be worse." When I was a little girl my Grandpa had a book that he loved and we loved to have him read it. It was called "It Could Be Worse" (sorry grammar friends, I cannot for the life of me remember if you italicize books or put quotes around them). Anyway, in the book the Grandpa is telling the kids a story and it sounds terrible and all these bad things happen but the Grandpa reminds the kids that it really could be worse. Like, "A dinosaur stepped on my head" but the Grandpa said, "It could have been worse, he could have bit your head off." (My words, not the books).

Well, today was my "could be worse" moment. I had actually just finished lamenting my water pipes in the house when the news aired a new story. It was about a family who had defective insulation or siding or something of that nature in their home. As a result, a colony of bees had taken up residence INSIDE their walls. So, coming out of the light sockets, at the seams in the wall, through the tiles in the bathroom, was honey. I really do not think it gets much worse than that. First you have the sticky factor and then you have the bees in the walls, but then you also have the bugs that come to get in on the honey action.

So, regardless of how many times a day I used to complain about my water pipes I have decided that I am done complaining about this problem... until the bees inhabit my walls.

That old Love/Hate Relationship

This past weekend, I took a quick trip home to visit my family and my home church family. It was such a sweet time of reunion and fellowship and relaxation, I did not want to come home. So, on Monday, I got a substitute to teach my classes so I could have one more day at home. I discovered a very curious thing when I returned. MY STUDENTS MISSED ME! Now, this would not seem like an extraordinary thing to a teacher of young children because you become almost like a second mom to those kids. But, when you are a teacher of teens, it is a whole different world. I sometimes find myself being told very bluntly things about my teaching style or how dull the day's material is, or something along those lines. So, I naturally assumed that when I gave them a day off from my presence that they would be as happy as I was to get a day away. Nothing could be further from the truth. One student drew me a picture in which I was the mother fish leading my little "school" behind me, just to show how much I was missed. I guess you never realize how MUCH of an impact you have till you are not there. What made me even prouder today about being a high school teacher was the fact that my students who were old enough today that went out to vote came and told me all about it and how excited they were. It is nice to know that I have helped them to understand WHY we vote and how important it is that we DO vote while we still have that option. Hopefully they never lose that sense of patriotism and civic duty.

On another vein, I realized today how much of a traditionalist I really am. While I was standing in line today to wait to vote, I noticed quite a hang up in front of me. A lot of the "older" folks (have to be careful here as some of my readers may object to the use of "older" to describe them) had signed up for the "mail-in" voting option but then had forgotten to mail them in. I found that in and of itself rather humorous. Anyways, when my turn finally came and the little lady checked my id and got my paper work in order, she looked up at me and asked me if I would like my future ballots mailed to me. I did not even bat an eye-lash..."No thanks" I said. "Oh, ok," she said, seemingly startled. "Nah," I said, "I like to kick this the old school way." I do not know what it is about voting but it makes me feel so American. I really doubt I would get that same sense of pride if I mailed my vote in. So, while it may seem easier to mail and forget about it...you will find me at the polls until I am one of the "older" folks.

Fall is a Spendid Thing

Today is such a wonderful day outside. Fall in Florida is a hard thing to describe. It is pretty much like Heaven. Today it is about 65-70 degrees out. There is a light breeze and endless sunshine out there. I dressed myself in a pair of old painting shorts, an old t-shirt and went for a drive to get breakfast with all the windows down. The puppy dog BEGS to be outside for hours because he too is happy that cooler weather is here. The leaves on my tree have changed and are filling the lawn with crunchy sounding colors. The fall flavored foods and drinks have returned. The Kindergarten teacher has been bringing delicious hot apple cider to work in her crock-pot and the teachers are once again burning the apple cinnamon candles in their offices. Starbucks has brought back the Pumpkin Spice Latte again and pumpkin bagels and muffins are all around us. Ryan and I have been outside in the lawn grilling our dinner late in the evening. We also dug out the softball and mitts and have been playing catch to prep me for softball season in February. It is just a wonderful time of year. It is not as great as Christmas, but it is close.

The Good Stuff

Sometimes in life we forget the good stuff. We get so wrapped in the "oh I have so much to do" and "there are not enough hours in the day" and "I will never get it all done" that we forget to stop and smell the roses, so to speak. Well, this week, I was overwhelmed with Jr. class fundraisers (as I am the Jr. class sponsor this year), volleyball games (as I am coach of a volleyball team), lesson plans (cause, ya know, the whole job part of my life), and then of course, there is the small detail of being a wife...ha ha. However, a couple times this week, in the midst of all that "business" I found a couple of moments that were so sweet and precious, I have "snacked" on those moments during the crazy-ness. Here is my short list.

1. A little kid commented about one of our teachers at school: "Mr. So and So must really love being a Father and He must really love God because he is willing to teach US." I had to smile over that. Out of the mouth of babes, right?

2. Making new friends. We got a couple of new teachers this year at our school and lately I have really gotten to know one of them and I must say that I am thrilled that she has come and already love having her around.

3. Working with Teens. Yes, this often is the cause of most of my stress, but in between that, there are moments where they are so delightful you wish you could be with them a lot more often. Today we were doing a fundraiser at school, but I was having so much fun and so many laughs with my kids that I forgot I was working. It was great.

4. Funny comments that make you belly laugh like a kid. This week at our volleyball game two of my girls went to the bathroom and they thought there was no one else in there. The girls told the story like this.
Girl 1: We went into the bathroom and said, "It smells like someone pooped a flower in here" and then we heard a "plop"
Girl 2: it was really embarrassing.
I just laughed like a kid and had to hold onto my ribs. Kids say the funniest things

5. Knowing your work matters and even though you do not see it, you do make a difference. I had a former student stop me yesterday and tell me that she had been out sick from classes at college for a few days. When she went back, it was a test day. She panicked at first, but when she saw the test she told me she remembered those concepts from when I taught them to her the year before. It just made me feel (after a week of feeling like I did not teach the kids ANYTHING) that I was doing my job right. That's a very good feeling.

Ten Things I Love About Saturday

Today was the first Saturday since school started where I have not had some kind of event getting me up early and keeping me engaged the whole day. So, today when I actually got to sleep in a few minutes and had NO PRIOR ENGAGEMENTS, I realized how wonderful Saturdays can really be. Here is my list.

#1. A pot of coffee that I can leisurely enjoy over the course of several hours.
#2. Resting and playing and chilling with my puppy
#3. Being lazy
#4. Getting the whole house tidy, the laundry caught up, and having that feeling of satisfaction because of a job well done.
#5. I Love Lucy re-runs all day and no one to complain about me watching it for several hours straight
#6. Singing out loudly while I clean house. Singing is so good for the soul. I love to do it while I clean.
#7. Catching up with old friends on Facebook or on the phone
#8. Shopping with a friend and get getting some quality girl talk in
#9. A whole evening with your husband....priceless
#10. The next day is Sunday...need I say more????

Music, music, music

Yesterday I was coming home from work and it was such a pretty day I decided to roll down the windows and turn up the music and just enjoy my ride home. It is funny how the human mind works when it comes to music. There are songs that I cannot listen to without smiling, giggling, crying, or shuddering. Yesterday, a song came on that brought me back to my freshmen year of college. That was a unique year for me. On the one hand I was not really in love with the college I had picked, but I got to spend an entire year with one of my best friends in the whole world. So, yesterday a song came on that we used to sing along with when we went for rides in her blue VW bug. I could not help but grin a little as I sang along last night. Plus, without telling it to, my face automatically formed the same silly smirk that my friend used to make when we sang along to this song. I can still see it in my minds eye and it makes me miss her so much. On the reverse side of that, there is a song that I can never hear with out it making me think of the time my Grandfather passed away. He was very sick and I had to make the four hour drive home from college to try to say goodbye before he was gone. I was alone and this particular song came on by a Christian artist and it had to do with God carrying us through the hard times. It was so appropriate and so comforting it made me cry. Still to this day I have a hard time listening to that song without tears. Still other songs remind me of road trips in college with my New Jersey friends. There are probably 300 or more songs that I automatically tie to those friends of mine. I could not ask for sweeter memories with anyone in the world. I miss them too. Finally, there are songs that Ryan used to sing to me when we were dating. Even though we have been married for 2 1/2 years now, when he sings those songs to me I still get little butterflies like the first time we ever kissed. I love that guy.
The human mind is a mystery to me. I cannot remember my bank account number, the zip code to my house, the last time I had the oil changed...but, give me a song with a memory attached and I can not only sing EVERY word, but I can tell you every memory attached to it.

When there are no words left

This has been a unique year for me. I entered the classroom this year totally confident that I knew what I was doing. "Here we are, year three...this is the year. Finally, Amy, you have taught all these subjects at least one time and you know what you are doing. There are really going to be no stressful moments." Wow...what an idiot! The content of my subjects is the same. All my old powerpoints are still there. The notes have not changed, the worksheets are still usable. However, I forgot a couple of things.
1. The students are new and different. I always seem to let that slip my mind every year. This year's students are not worst or better than the old ones...they are just different kids that I am still learning about and getting to know.
2. Volleyball is different. I used to be the coach of the 5th and 6th grade team so that meant I only had about 8 games in a season. This year I am in charge of the 7th and 8th grade team and that means double the games.
I think this year for me is (thus far anyways) my year to really lean on God. I went into this year thinking I had it all together and after a few hard knocks I think it has finally clicked that I do not have it all figured out. I still have some learning to do.

Random thought Saturday

Well, it is the end of a long stressful week (and it still has a few hours left in it). Since I have a million thoughts rolling around in my head, I thought I would just state a few random thoughts for the week.

#1. The dog always has to go out the minute you hop out of the shower or sit down to a hot meal

#2. The laundry making elves work overtime during the week, and they work overnights, and they get paid time and a half on holidays.

#3. The dreaded "lost sock basket"...where do the other halves of those socks go??? For real, I mean you look high and low, under the dryer, behind the dryer, under the bed, behind the couch...it is really a mystery

#4. Why are your cupboards the most empty the week you have NO money?

#5. Why can your schedule NEVER completely gel with your spouse's schedule?

#6. Why do we never appreciate all the things our parents did for us until we are out of the house and on our own? I NEVER realized how busy my parents were being a human taxi-cab to and from volleyball, basketball, and softball games. I never realized how few times they bought themselves new clothes because they were too busy buying me stuff. Maybe I just do not have the "mother instinct" in me because I am not a mom...hope that will kick in if I ever do have a kid.

#7. Why do clothes smell so good when they are being hung dry in the house instead of in the dryer? I love how my clothes smell when I hang them dry but then I have to iron them. I guess you cannot have everything.

#8. Why does the "healthy" food cost so much? I mean, we see all those tv shows about being healthy, the tv ads about being healthy, and we read the health magazines. But, then when we go to the supermarket the crap food is dirt cheap and the organic, low fat, healthy food is out of this world expensive!!!!

#9. Freckles---the secret to always being considered 18. I still have parent teacher conferences where parents are like "YOU are my kid's teacher....NO WAY." Sometime I just want to say, "Yep, I sure am. I am actually only 16 because I am a child protege and that is why I work at this SMALL, PRIVATE school." LOL.

#10. I love Saturdays because I am free to rest my brain, clean my house, and relax for two minutes at a time. I love it.

It Never Rains but it POURS

You know those old expressions that our "seasoned" relatives use that the younger generation never understands? Phrases like "don't count your chickens before they are hatched"..."don't throw the baby out with the bathwater"..."It never rains but it pours" may be overused but they are sure useful and speak volumes of how a person feels. This past week has been interesting for us as a couple. If problems were raindrops, it feels like we are in a flash flood. First the plumbing malfunctioned. Today a co-worker caught me in the copy room and told me that the VERY same thing happened to them a while back and the repairs set them back $10,000. I about fainted. *Drop, drop, rain falls on my head*. Then, about a week or so ago Ryan got a letter regarding some OLD loan that he was NOT supposed to get for school...and now it is time to pay the piper. *Drip, Drip, Drip, Amy puts rain boots on*. Then, my lab work for a test I had done a while ago came back....with a hefty price tag. *Amy opens umbrella over her head*. Since the water pipes in our house are messed up, the water bill more than doubled for this month. *Amy climbs into her row boat and zips up her life jacket*.

However, even greater than those old sayings our parents always told us are the truths of Scripture. I was reminded this week that life is short and the struggles that we face in daily life are just like a vapor and the rewards of eternity are beyond comprehension. While it is such a hard thing to do, it really does pay to cast all your cares on the Lord, because He cares for us. He promised that if we trust in Him with all our heart and lean not unto our own understanding, in all our ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct our path. It is so hard as a woman not to worry...I think it is something that women are born with. But, I am learning to lean on Jesus...as difficult as it is for me to be reliant on Someone else, that is what the Lord is teaching me.

O Pioneers!!!!

Once upon a time there lived a couple who took everything for granted. They lived in America where there was running water, reality television, McDonald's on every corner (and a Walgreens for the after effects of a McDonald's on every corner), and every luxury a person could imagine. This couple grew so accustomed to the creature comforts that life had always afforded them. Then, one fateful morning, the couple woke up and checked the mail box. In that box they found a bill for their running water (which they had always taken for granted) which was more than they could ever afford. At that point, the magical mailbox transported the couple back to the time of the pioneers, and for the rest of their lives, the couple lived as their heroic pioneer forfathers did. And the couple lived happily ever after.

Long story short, we have a leak at our house. We do not know where it is, if it is on the part of the city or on our part. We do not know if it is in a wall, under the house, in the yard. All I know is that we have to turn the water off after we use it from the outside connection. That means, (ha ha) at 5:45 each day Ryan must go outside in his PJ's and turn on my water and then turn it back off once I have showered. It also means that I have a new-found appreciation for my pioneering mothers before me. How, o how, did those women do it? How did they manage to haul water to the house, heat it on the stove, and then watch the house, wash the dishes, wash the children???? They must have been so very tired at the end of the day. I have a new-found respect for them. O Pioneers!!!! You have my respect!!!!

Slip ups

Every so often, for no medical reason that I can identify, my mouth works one way even when my brain is telling it to do another. It used to manifest itself as a tendency to switch my letters around in words (which thankfully has never happened since I have been a teacher). When I was a teen we ate a "not of loodles" and I frequently "snovled the Shnow." Thank goodness none of those slip ups have happened in front of my students. However, lately I have been mispronouncing things or just saying the totally wrong word. For instance, the other day I was teaching a lesson about the Battle of Tippecanoe in which there was no clear WINNER. However, when I got to the word winner, it came out "Wiener." The students and I both giggled and then we moved on. But, a few days later I was talking about Napoleon Bonaparte and his rein of terror over Europe. Well, I was talking away and said, "Now when Napoleon Dynamite was attacking Europe..." and then I just had no choice but to laugh. Why my brain insists that I do that is beyond me but it sure makes for a good laugh.

Things....

Five things a teacher HATES to hear....
1. "There was a test today?"
2. "That homework was due today"
3. "I lost that handout again"
4. "I lost my pencils and we don't have money for any more" (A kid really told me that once)
5. " I was out for three weeks, do you have my makeup work?"

Five things a teacher loves to hear....
1. "That was interesting" (don't get this one often)
2. "Thank you"
3. "Can I help you with something"
4. "I never heard that before, thanks for telling me"
5. "Class went by so fast today...wish we had more time"

Five things that will make a teacher feel like she is lower than a worm
1. Angry stakeholders (parents or grandparents that feel you are not doing a good job)
2. More than half the class failing an assignment
3. Projects done with half-hearted enthusiasm by students who you know could excel
4. Lesson plans that mysteriously "vanish" or get "deleted"
5. Failing a student who you KNOW could pass

Feelings Show....

The other day I went to the doctor and long story short they had to put me on some new medicine. Good news is, no more headaches...bad news is the medicine makes me feel a little pukey (not a real word, I know) and it makes me get irritable quickly (which is not the typical me, usually it takes a couple tries to light my fuse). Well, I felt like I had been masking my feelings pretty well about how I was feeling. But then something really convicting happened. One of my sweetest, quietest, shy students came to me at the end of class. He stopped by my desk and in my frenzy of "between classes maddness" I quickly asked him if he needed to ask me something or if he needed me to explain something. He didn't say anything for a second, which actually caused me to look up at him. He stood there, as if he was almost afraid to ask me the question that was on his mind. "What's up (insert student name here)?" I asked him quickly. "Mrs. Withee, I was just worried. You seem stressed, are you doing ok?" I was floored. Was I really that transparent that even my students can see the gaping holes in my armor? It melted me. I told him thank you and that he was very sweet for caring. I tried to explain that with the change in my meds, and the over-abundance of things I have to do of this time of year, I was just tired and jumpy at the same time. However, it made me think: What message am I sending my students by my mood? Am I telling them that my God is supplying all my needs and is gracious and full of mercy or am I showing them that I am "strong" enough to carry my own burdens with out God's help? It is a thought worth pondering when you start your day.

Climb, climb up laundry mountain...here no breezes blow

Well, school is in session. Ryan and I actually said that to each other the other day. Now, to some, that may seem kind of obvious. But, in our house, school season has not officially done until you wake up for work one day and the husband has no clean socks and all your "school" outfits are in the laundry. I have been a wife for working on three years now and I think I may have finally found the solution to laundry mountain. My first year of marriage laundry went like this: I was under the delusion that the house must be kept in prime conditions at all times, so the laundry must also be kept in prime condition at all times. Ryan would come home from work and his work clothes would go in a laundry basket, my fancy school clothes had a basket and towels had a basket. Everything had a place. Ryan very seldom woke up for work and asked "do I have any shirts clean?" Year two: I was sick a lot of year two, but somehow, most of the time, the laundry was done properly. That was the year that we got the dog and so it was the year of the eaten socks. There were socks that just vanished and there was never an explanation until you went out into the yard and then you figured it out. THEN, year three rolled around. Now, I decided that there are things that matter more in life...like spending time with your spouse or doing something you actually enjoy. So, laundry looks like this. I grab whatever dirty items I see, I throw them into the wash and then the dryer. Then I hang anything that should not wrinkle. That is step one. Step two happens on another day. That is the folding step. So, if you visit me in-between step 1 and 2, you may see a pile of clothes somewhere, but have no fear...they are clean. Finally, step 3 is the putting away process and I must say that this is the most "neglected" step because I hate it. However you slice it...I think laundry has been the bane of the female existence since Adam and Eve left the Garden, and we have yet to really find a way to make it better. Yeah, we do not have to go to the river and fight off the gators to get the clothes clean, but it is still a very time consuming process. If I were wealthy and had someone to do my bidding...I think I would still want to clean my house (there is a certain catharsis in it for me) but I would gladly show my hired help where the laundry room is and surrender my crown. Alas...this post must now end because I must begin my weekly climb up laundry mountain. See you on the other side.

Diets rock....not...

Well, at our house we are currently on weight watchers. Ryan started a couple of times but we both realized that if we are not this diet together then it will not work. So, we are coming to the end of week 1. I have eaten lettuce till I am green in the face. All chips and snacks have gone out the window. We have eaten carrots and V8 juice. The workout schedule for Ryan begins quite early in the morning. Finally, weigh in day is around the corner. The thing that shocked me the most about this whole diet is portions. It used to be if we had popcorn, we EACH had a giant bowl with cheese and butter. Now, we each get a small pyrex bowl of popcorn and it is low fat, no butter, a little salt. When we eat dinner, it is not a heaping plate of food, it is a small helping. However, we weighed in tonight and I am pleased to see that I am about 3 pounds lighter than my last doctors visit told me I was. I am happy. Switching from BigMacs to big, green salads really can be a good thing.

P.S. I am ACTIVELY seeking yummy, low-fat, weight watchers recipes. So, if you know any, please pass it on.

What is the world coming to?

Just the other evening, Ryan and I were watching some sort of show on television and a commercial came on. I actually found myself so offended by this commercial that I considered writing the company and complaining. It was a commercial for some sort of manly, musky, "make-you-irresistible-to-the-ladies" soap. Well, the soap commercial would not have been offensive except the commercial continually referenced male body parts in a blatant (not even in an innuendo-ish) manner. I was shocked. Ryan and I then began discussing how far television was gone since we were kids. I remember when the first Victoria Secret commercial came out and every one was appalled. Now those models selling underwear dance around with nothing on (which I never understood...I mean, if you are selling a product, aren't we supposed to see it so we want to buy it???) If you look at television shows as well, there has to be people half dressed or kissing or worse. When the television show "Leave it to Beaver" came out way back when (before I was born...but my family are big retro-tv people so I grew up on that show), Beaver and Wally had the first toilet ever shown on tv and that was a HUGE deal. In I Love Lucy, she was one of the first women to discuss being pregnant on a television show. Now, what do we see....people in all states of undress, people in the shower, people on the toilet....it just never ends. All I have to say is...my kids will be watching a whole lot of Leave it to Beaver and Lucy, because the options that will be available for them will be worthless.

Never Forget

I am sure there are some out there who will say, "Oh no, not another 9/11 post." But, I think that just stands in testimony of the fact that Americans as a whole have forgotten that horrible day and how it changed our lives forever. The fact that we have forgotten was perfectly realized to me when I asked my students last year to write a short essay on what they remember about that day and how it changed life for Americans. I got the essays home that night to read and grade them and I got responses like "I do not remember anything except my kindergarten teacher cried all day" or "I lost a tooth that day." Then, it struck me: the generation that actually lived through that day and had vivid memories of it had failed to pass on that history to the ones who are coming up behind us. As a teacher, I found myself teaching a lesson about that day to my students. Some of them had never heard all the details about that day. It just floored me. Now, I understood why my dad could talk about the moon landing with such emotion and I always looked at it with a kind of "ho-hum, I read this in my history book" attitude. My kids and those who will come after them will always look at it with that kind of attitude. Hopefully those of us who remember the terror, the pain, the suffering, the emotion of that day will never forget and will never allow those who will come later to forget.

What's the Deal?

I love going shopping. It is very seldom that I actually buy anything of substance. When my best friends still lived in the same town as me, we would call it "trinket shopping" because we usually came out with one or two little trinkets that cost hardly anything at all. So, the other day I had a Saturday all to myself. Ryan was at work and everyone I called to do something with was busy. In a way it was nice because I went to whatever store I wanted and spent as long as I wanted wherever I was. Well, I happened to pass by a book store that was having a tent sale and as much as I fought the urge, I had to go in. (It was ironic that it happened this week because I JUST did a purge of my bookshelves...which is hard for me because book are like friends and I hang on to them as long as I can.) Into the tent I went and was instantly regretting going in because I had my hands full of books in two seconds flat. Then, before I went to the counter to buy them, I evaluated my purchases and changed my mind on all but two. So, I bought them and moved on with my life. Before I left, I found a little section of the tent full of cookbooks. Those near and dear to me know that I only have two true addictions in my life. One of them is coffee in any form that it comes in: blended, steamed, black, cream and sugar, mocha, latte, iv injections...whatever. And the other addiction is cookbooks. I cannot stop myself, when I see one I have to have it. Well, the other day at the tent sale I had a break through. The cookbooks I picked up had one major flaw: no one would eat any of those things. I looked at the ingredient lists and I was not even sure what half of those things were. One recipe was something like barbecued asparagus flavored picked herring over a bed of almond pureed mush with rosemary garnish. Who eats that? Can anyone honestly walk into Publix and buy any of those fruity ingredients. I remember a couple weeks ago I had a hard time finding raspberry red wine vinegar. I dare anyone to find some "essence of coconut" (which I saw in another recipe). Who would really look at those freaky foods and say, "Oh my I want to make that tomorrow for dinner when the company comes over." Plus, for a woman whose husband will not even eat tomatoes, I do not think any of those things would fly. So, I put the cookbooks down and walked away a winner in my mind. I walked a little taller as I left that book sale with just two little books. One addiction down....one more to go.

So, I think I might be a nerd....

The other day I came to a startling conclusion: I am a nerd. Do not ask me how I came to this conclusion on my own so suddenly and with no help(because I am sure those near and dear to me have known it for some time now). I realized it on the way home from work the other day. I have gotten into this new radio show that has these little money saving tips on it all the time. When I hear the words, "deal of the week" I find myself turning up the radio and trying to write down the store or the deal while I drive. I have even, once or twice, picked up the phone to call my mom just to tell her that I got two bags of frozen veggies for just .50 cents each. Then, while I was in the grocery store last night (which I might add is one of my favorite pastimes...if I find myself at home alone and bored I will run to the grocery store). Last night I was in the cake mix/condiments/salad dressing isle and it occurred to me that I am a nerd, but I am also an old lady. There I stood in the isle with my Mary Poppins purse open wide in the cart where the kids are supposed to sit and buckle in. I was digging into the depths of my purse to find a coupon for salad dressing because they were already buy one get one free and this sent me into a tailspin of joy because I would be saving so much money. It then occurred to me that the little man stocking the shelves was observing me with something akin to either confusion or irritation (I am inclined to think it may have been the later). Then, once I made it to the cash register with my coupons in hand, clutching them as though they were solid gold, the cashier also gave me a slight eye roll as I handed him my wad of coupons. BUT, when I saw my receipt and literally giggled inside with glee, I think that confirmed my nerd-ness. BUT, in a day when money is harder and harder to save and there is no such thing as a free lunch, I would rather be a nerdy old lady with a Mary Poppins purse who saves a buck or two, than to be a woman who never checks the newspaper for a coupon. So, if sometime you see a girl dancing through the parking lot with her "bargains"....do not be alarmed...it is the 24 year old nerdy old woman named Amy.

You know you are a teacher when...

You know you are a teacher when...
1. You get home and you still have that item (cheese-its, silly band, you name it) you confiscated from your student in your pocket
2. You know which kid the item came from and plan to find them and give it back
3. All your pants have either red pen marks on them or expo marker hand prints
4. Study guides and late homework assignments show up in your dreams (and they have faces and drive cars) (I will never be able to live down the night when I shook Ryan awake from his sleep and warned him to "WATCH OUT FOR THE STUDY GUIDE CARS"....Hey, at least I warned him.)
5. You have called your husband the name of your most ill-behaved student in a fit of rage
6. You have the "eyes of death" look down pat and sometimes use it outside the classroom
7. You buy shoes based on the fact that you will not want to cut your feet off at the end of 7th period because of the pain
8. You live life in terms of semesters and not years
9. You cringe when you hear the words, "Wait, we had homework last night?"
10. The Dollar Tree and the dollar bins at Target are places you are routinely found lurking in case they have something you just cannot live without in your classroom
11. You are a better handwriting detective than any FBI agent because you have many times deducted who that nameless paper belongs to.
12. You can remember the name of all 90 of your students and what period they are in and what their book number is but you cannot remember your own grocery list at the store.
13. You cry big tears of joy and your heart actually swells when your student stops and says, "Hey, we learned this last year in your class."

Number thirteen happened today and I made me think of this whole list of things that are true of people in this profession. And, no matter how many pairs of pants I ruin because I washed my expo marker in my pants pocket again, no matter how many times that kid forgets to put his name on his paper, as long as they have learned something at the end of the day...well, I guess that makes that whole list worth while...study guides included.

Excuse Me

I know the world is a busy place and people have places to go and people to see, but does that mean that common courtesy has to go by the way side? This morning I woke up and decided to dress up a little so I put on my new favorite outfit (picked out with help from my mom because I need her fashion help...I am not the best at that myself). So, I went to work wearing my "Barney" sweater (it has purple, yellow, and brown polka dots of various sizes on it...so I call it the Barney sweater). On my way, I decided to stop at one of my new favorite coffee places and pick up a little pastry and some coffee. I placed my order and walked over to the register. Once there, a lady in a flustered, frenzied fashion placed her order behind me and walked up to the register, sauntered past me where I was PATIENTLY waiting for the cashier, use her hind end to kind of wedge herself between me and the register, put her card on the cash register, reached behind the counter to get a coffee cup, and then left the line to get her coffee. I wanted to yell out, "EXCUSE me lady, you cannot tell me that you did not see me standing here in this Barney sweater...it had polka dots all over it and it has BRIGHT colors. You cannot miss me." THEN, when the cashier tried to take my money first (after all, I was there first) the lady kind of looked at me, pulled up her nose in a wrinkle of disapproval, and then waited for her turn. So, I took my cup and filled it up. I went to reach for a lid and noticed the "hurry lady" left her cup just sitting there on the counter. So, she walked over to me, looked at me, and muttered, "Is that YOUR cup." It was all I could do to not say, "No, my cup is in my hand because I had the patience to wait and keep myself collected and calm." But, instead, I pasted on a smile and said, "Nope, that one is yours...I take my coffee black." The old adage rings true: "A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine." Just because she did not properly plan her morning does not mean I need to freak out and be flustered and rushed. I can only imagine what she would have done had I decided to make EXACT change or something with my order. My mom taught me many things...and I am so thankful that being patient and waiting your turn was one of them.

Do you have 70 cents?

Today was a weird day of strange events. It all started last night when EVERY hour at either 22 minutes after the hour or 44 minutes after the hour I would spring awake and panic that I was late for work. So, needless to say, I was exhausted this morning when I finally woke up at the right time. Then, on my way to work, I stopped at a red light. I try to listen to music and sing my way to work so that way I will arrive in a happy mood. So, there I sat, singing away, when suddenly a man appeared at my passenger side window. Now, aside from the fact that he was wearing what I like to call serial killer glasses, red suspenders, and a scary hat....he was a stranger. I still follow my parents simple rules: "don't talk to strangers", "don't run with scissors" and "don't eat the yellow snow." So, of course, I tried to ignore him, but he persisted to stand at my window. I rolled the window down enough for him to speak through and NOTHING ELSE. He then asked me if I could spare .70 cents. Really?? Seventy cents???? What can you even buy for 70 cents? It caught me so off guard that I just said, "No, I don't" and drove away. I wondered why he looked at me funny when I left. I looked down and right there in plain sight was a cupholder full of change. I felt like such a liar.
Finally, I got myself off the scary streets of Clearwater and got to school. One of my students today asked me to come over to them cause they needed to tell me something. They then proceeded to inform me that they had a wedgie. I failed to see why I needed to know that. I just walked away and told him to pick it. What else was I supposed to say?

However, in the midst of all the weirdness, I had a wonderful moment, which made the weird seem to vanish. I had just finished doing a new learning activity which was WAY outside of my comfort zone. The bell rang before we had time to finish it completely. One of my most disinterested students looked at me and said, "Is it really over already?" "Yes, it is" I told him. He said, "Wow, it went so fast, that means I really had fun today." I wanted to cry. Finally they learned something but actually enjoyed doing it. It was as if my student just handed me a million dollars...or maybe .70 cents?

Middle School

My first year at my school I taught grades 6-12th(to this day I am not so sure how I survived it). But, last year and this year I have only high school students. However, I am still the middle school volleyball and softball coach. Sometimes I forget the unique way that middle school students think. These are just a few behaviors I have observed.

#1. Middle school students are not permitted to speak in their own voice. If you are a boy...everything must be a "YELL." If you are a girl, everything must be high pitched and punctuated by a twittery laugh.

#2. Middle school students can only sustain "focus" for 7.6 seconds and then they must be refocused again.

#3. Middle school students MUST wave to you EVERY time you meet, even if you JUST saw them two seconds ago.

#4. Middle school students MUST accept any dare that is offered them, even if taking the dare puts them in danger of greater humiliation than not taking the dare would.

#5. Middle school students "relationship" status on facebook changes faster than the weather.

BUT, in spite of endless idiosyncrasies on their part, every year when our athletic director darkens my door and asks the "dreaded" question, "Would you like to coach such and such..." I get super excited and I feel my inner "middle schooler" begin to spring forth. So, go ahead and wave each time you see me, giggle often, and stay out of focus....I am in this for the long haul.

Cleaning

So, being a teacher and a wife and a committed church member can sometimes be overwhelming. I have finally started to realize that I am not wonder woman. I laugh now as I think back to my first year of marriage. I would get home from school and then I would cook dinner, do the dishes, sweep (thanks to my mom and Grandma's standards before me), vacuum, dust, make the beds, and most days scrub the bathroom. Now, starting year three of marriage, I realize that those expectations are WAY too high. Now, the bare essentials get done. Every day the dishes and kitchen are taken care of. I do at least one load of wash per day as well. With the rest of the chores, I carve out several hours during the weekend to do a decent clean job of the whole house. Today was completely disrupted because of pain. If you are well acquainted with my life, you know I struggle with some chronic pain. I have a headache almost every single day, but today it was coupled with neck and back pain. As I laid on the couch, instead of relaxing and focusing on feeling better, I was watching the hours tick away and freaking out because the house was not getting clean. Once the pain started the to subside, I realized that it really was ok if the house was not immaculate. So, if you stop by anytime in the future, if you see a dust bunny hiding somewhere, just remember...it hasn't killed me yet, so I am sure it will not hurt you either.

Five Life Lessons....

There are a few things I have learned are always true. This list is not exhaustive, but they ALWAYS prove to be true.

#1. The one time you neglect to check your food in the drive through, it WILL be wrong.

#2. When you are running behind, that is the day that the clothes will be wrinkled, the shower is cold, and the traffic will stink.

#3. The one time that the "old stand by dish" falls apart or gets burned is when the company is five minutes away from the house.

#4. Your house KNOWS when your in-laws are coming over and purposefully releases the messy elves to destroy the house before they arrive.

#5. Yes, people will ask you if you are pregnant when you wear your favorite "fat" dress which forever makes that a heinous outfit to you (even when it used to be your favorite outfit).

Being American

Today I voted. Now, this may seem small to you but this was my FIRST time to vote in the "real way." Let me explain. All the other times I have voted, I mailed it in. So, for some reason to me, it never felt totally real. This is the first time I ever got to stand in the little privacy booth and mark my choices. So, for some reason it felt real. I am pretty sure the polling volunteers thought I was on crack because I was so happy. But, I love America and I love that I have choice and I get to make that choice. As I was in the polling booth, making my marks on the ballot that I had researched and choosing the candidates that I had listened to on the radio, I could hear my founding Father's clapping. It makes the sacrifices that others have made worthwhile. So, while I may be labeled a nerd and a freak, I will wear that "I voted" sticker and be proud of it. While we are free to make these choices...we should and we MUST. I am so thankful to be free!

Buzz Words

Sorry faithful readers (all three of you), but it is now school season and most of these posts will probably be about school and what happens in it. I think as a teacher in high school I have the greatest opportunity to shape and mold tomorrows citizens (scary thought too) and therefore I always have a story to tell about what this student said or what that person did.

Well, as an educator there is always some new "buzz word" that shapes what you do that year. The world of education is always changing and growing and if you don't keep up the buzz words begin to drown you and soon you are standing there saying "what does that word mean and how does it impact how I teach?" The new buzz word in my neck of the woods is Differentiated Instruction. Basically, that means that you have to make your teaching accessible for all learning styles as well as learning levels. We know we all learn differently, but unfortunately, most teachers teach to only one learning style. So, in an effort to get on board I am trying to incorporate a little more cooperative learning which is so far removed from my comfort level. I like order, serenity, and peace in my classroom and cooperative learning has lots of movement, talking, and teamwork (which are all good things that I really want the kids to be comfortable doing). On Thursday I started a cooperative learning project in all five of my classes (talk about biting off more than you can chew). It went above and beyond better than I could have imagined and gave me so much hope that this really can work and the kids really can do it. This should be an interesting year. Change can be uncomfortable but I think it will make me better.

First Day of School

I know people think we teachers have it all together...but the truth is, we are just about as nervous as the kids. Today was the first day of school and I have not been so nervous since the first day of my internship in college. I could not eat breakfast and I had knots in my stomach. The day went by in a blur. The periods came and the periods went and it was so fuzzy in my mind that I had to ask one or two classes, "Did I already tell you this?" And of course, they looked at me like I was a nut case.

It struck me that we are not so very different. Every emotion I experienced today was mirrored in the faces of many of the students. The lost ones wondering the halls...I understood how they felt. The ones who were still sleepy...I understood that. The poor kid who had no idea where anything was and was sprinting from class to class...I understood that emotion too. But, by the end of the day, I had that old familiar feeling of a job finished, of something crossed off the list. And more than ever, I felt like the kids understood the new rules and procedures of how the class will work and I felt like they got connected with their new classmates and with me very well. So, school days are here again...let the roller coaster ride begin!

Shakin' Things Up

Yesterday I was sitting in my classroom, feeling slightly overwhelmed with all the work I have to get done before my 71 students come rolling in on Monday. I decided to get up, take a quick walk to clear my head, and then come back and get some more work done. When I got back my jaw dropped to the floor. Earlier in the month I had gone into work to arrange my desks in a new way and when I came in, they were all gone and there was a pile of desks in the corner by my desk. At first I wanted to cry. I was so distressed because, me being me, I wanted all my ducks in the row and at that time I was neck deep in lesson plans and felt I did not have time to rearrange my room. However, once I got my attitude in check I realized how wonderful this situation was. Because we are a small private school sometimes we have to make do with what we have because there is not a ton of money. So, for us to get "new" desks that are all the same (because for the last two years I have had three different kinds of desks in my room because that is what we had) was nothing short of wonderful. So, I realized that this was even better than what I had before and before I knew it, I had rearranged the room and now it is even better situated to accomplish the new learning tasks we have this year. Sometimes blessings take you by surprise and you need a couple of hours to process how great the blessing really is. So, to whoever sold my school 21 new desks for such a bargain basement price...I thank you!!!

One of Life's Rewards

Sometimes we go along living life, doing our work, just doing our daily routines. Then, suddenly, we find ourselves tired, worn out, and generally spent. We scratch our heads, wonder if it is really worth all the hard work we put it, and then press on. However, every so often we get a glimpse of the difference we are making. Tonight, I stood in my classroom for open house dressed in my "teacher" clothes, my room spic and span, the syllabus printed, and even some classical music playing in the background. I watched the students go in and out of the room and wondered once again, "will what I do in this room actually make a difference in their lives?" "Will they even like this class?" Then it happens. A parent comes up to you and says, "Hi, you had my kid (insert kid name here) last year. Can I just tell you that you really helped my student love school again. He/she used to hate it but now he/she just loves to come to your class and when they come home they cannot stop talking about what they learned." While that is not the whole purpose of why you do what you do, it sure does make it all seem worth it. This interaction brought tears to my eyes knowing that one of the reasons I started teaching is coming to fruition. I disliked history class for a long time as a kid, and THEN I had a teacher (Mr. McBride) who made the class so interesting that I actually looked forward to that time of day. When I became a teacher that was one of many reasons why I wanted to be a teacher...I wanted to inspire kids to love history, to love having knowledge of who they are and where they came from. Of course, my main goal is to show them the excellent love of Christ. If I can do those two things this year, I will feel like I have been fruitful in my mission.

Life....not the cereal

Do you ever sit back, look at your life and you realize that you are so very blessed of the Lord? I do not mean that you are counting your blessings...I mean you take a serious look back and realize that God has been there directing your steps even when the path you were on seemed very bleak. I was thinking about the path that led me to my husband. I had started my first semester at a certain college in the panhandle of Florida and was not a particular fan of being there. Any place that makes you bunker down in a horrible hurricane when you could have evacuated to your own cozy home is off of my list. Not to mention the horrible, waterless, showerless, toiletless existence I had to live in during that horrible storm....but I am chasing a bunny trail. At that time I was also in, what I thought, was a very serious relationship with my first boyfriend. We talked often over the phone, he came to visit, I built lofty dreams of a home and family in my mind. Then, for reasons I did not know at the time, he stopped communicating with me. Then, I moved to another college which was even further away from my family and my best friend also moved back to her home in North Dakota. My whole "life" it felt like was upside down. It felt like I was starting all over. Praise the Lord, I was starting all over. It was during the move to the new college that I met Ryan. Even the way I met Ryan was from the Lord. I realized today as I was going to my home, the home I have always dreamed of, that I am so blessed BECAUSE God did not let me have my own way. I am blessed because the plan he had for me was what I finally submitted to. God's ways are the best ways and while sometimes the path seems really steep, painful, dark, or sometimes lonely...the end result is worth it all.

Two by Two

So, as those who are near and dear to me already know, today ends a ten day stretch of me being without my husband. I realized how totally dependent I am on Ryan for certain things. For one thing, he is my walking security blanket. When he is not here, I do not sleep well as all. Over the past week I think I have gotten about 12-15 hours ALL TOGETHER. He is also the chief animal wrangler. The dog has been an unruly, wild, untrained beast. In the course of this week he has whined, cried, barked at all hours of the night (which he never does), he slept on the couch (which he is not allowed to do), and finally, he ate a red pen. He then got the red pen on his legs, on his muzzle, on the dining room floor, and on his toys. It was a nightmare. Ryan is also our postmaster. I realized the other day that since Ryan left I had forgotten to check the mail the entire time he was gone. I ran over to the mailbox and found it about ready to collapse from overwork. It was overflowing with mail. I had to laugh. Why did I not check it? Because that is Ryan's task.

This is why God made men and women to be paired for life. No one knows me like Ryan and I know him better than anyone else. What he forgets, I remembers. What I neglect, he cares for. I just cannot imagine my life without him and am so thankful that God paired us up.

Back to School Buzz

I went to Target today. I was meandering my way up and down the isles hoping that I would see some kind of gadget or gizmo that would make my teaching this year just amazing. I like to take my time and look around, especially when I am on my own and have no time schedule. However, I had to stifle a smile every now and again as I passed certain people. The first family had a dad, a mom, a two year old, and a k-5 aged kid. The mom was looking at the price tags, the dad was getting flustered and the kid was by this time so over the back to school shopping that he was not even paying attention. Next you had the mom whose kid is in high school and is therefore way too cool to come school shopping with his mom. So, because of this the mom was on the cell phone the entire time asking the kid a million questions which probably would not have had to be asked had the kid deigned to show up at the store. "Are you in Spanish this year?" "What color are you supposed to have?" Then, to herself, "I do not even know what that thing on the list is." I scooted into another isle and smiled to myself. I found myself thankful, once again, that I am not the parent of a high school student. I love my high school students that I teach, but I am even more thankful that at the end of the day, my students go home to another person's house.

Seminars

At school this week we are learning a new teaching method. I love it but I will tell you that it is kind of addicting. It is called the Socratic Method (which is really an old teaching method when you think about it). First you teach the kids about the topic then provide an avenue for them to discuss the topic by asking very open-ended questions to get them to start talking. Well, to practice how to do a Socratic Seminar with the students we teachers participated in one. We had to read a short story called "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. I have never read a story that I hated any more than this story. If you have never read it then I will not give away the ending for you. I will tell you this...people who write without God in their lives can come up with some very random things.

But, back to the seminar. I am so excited to try to use this method. We did a seminar for a whole hour and honestly I felt as though almost no time had gone by. It was amazing. People felt safe enough to share their ideas and opinions. I think if a group of teachers can pick it up in one day then students should be able to figure it out very quickly too. I am very excited to give it a spin.

Showers

This has been the summer of baby showers and wedding showers for me. If my friend is not having a baby then she is walking down the aisle. I do not mind the shower part of it. I like seeing the blushing bride get excited about receiving a toaster as a present (goodness only knows that they will never again be that giddy over getting a painfully practical gift like that ever again). I even like seeing the VERY pregnant mom-to-be laughing as all her friends ooohhh and aaahhhh over the cute little outfits and shoes and baby blankets.

But, there is one part of the shower that I just do not get. What is it about ourselves that makes us want to share all the horror stories of life at these little affairs. No matter which circle you sit in, the women in the group will swap terrible, dreadful, fearful tales about "what happened to me at my wedding/birth." If you are at a bridal shower you hear about how awful the in-laws are (which I walk away from because God BLESSED, BLESSED, BLESSED me in that area...I have divine in-laws), then you hear about how the bridesmaids forgot their dresses, the cake was the wrong color, the flowers got to the wedding late, the limo got a flat tire, the groom's 3rd cousin, twice removed, fainted at the ceremony, or the best man forgot the rings. That is the last thing that any nervous bride wants to hear. We should be telling her all the wonderful things about weddings. OH, and then the marriage horror stories come out. "Just know that he will never put his clothes away." "Once you get married you never get a chance to hang out with your friends any more." Come on people...let's not scare her out of a wedding.

BUT the worst one is the new mom who has NEVER had a baby before in her life...and all her "friends" settle in around her while she opens her packages. While she opens a onesie, they talk about the horrors of labor. "I was in labor for 56 hours and the pain was so bad I think I would rather have slid down a banister of barbed wire." Then, as she opens a gift bag full of bottles her friends break out the tales of being poked and prodded by doctors by the hour. Then, just when she thinks the worst stories are behind her, they break out the "wait till you get the baby home and you get no sleep." The poor little mom to be is probably thinking that she wants to send her baby back rather than go through with this thing.

Now, dear people of the world. I have gotten married, and "YES" I did get my share of wedding horror stories at my showers. So, someday when the time for kids comes along, please spare me the nightmarish stories of labor and delivery. I have seen the discovery channel and what they left out...I can take a wild guess at what it will be like.

"New Years' Resolutions"

I stand at the threshold of a new school year. The last two years I have made many mistakes. I want to change so many things this year to do better. Here is my short list of what I want to do differently.

1. NO field trips. That was such a LONG day. The kids had fun, I had fun...but the amount of work it took to get us there was unbelievable.

2. Late work. The bane of my existence. I think I may have a way to keep on top of this insurmountable task this time. More on this after I see if it works or not.

3. Stressing after hours. After the day is done I am going to try to leave the office at the office and let my life at home be my life at home. It think that will help to reduce the number of painful headaches that I have this year.

4. Reading something non-school related. Last year the only reading I did was for school or for continuing education. I need to also remember how much I love reading and do it for fun this year.

5. COOK. I used to cook creative and new things at least a couple times a year...I want to try to get back to that this year. I enjoy it so much and I seldom do it anymore.

Obedience

Last night I could not sleep. There was a storm outside and it was rumbling and grumbling. I decided I would sleep on the couch and watch television and maybe that would lull me to sleep. Braddock obediently went to his little dog bed and went to sleep. I watched a few episodes of a television show, grabbed a flashlight to put next to me (in case the power went out because for some reason in Florida the rain causes power to go out). So I snuggled up with my blanket and flashlight and tried to sleep. At about 3 am I woke up with a start. The storm had calmed down and the television show was over...but where was the dog??? Now in order to fully appreciate this story, you have to understand that over the Fourth of July weekend we bought a new sofa, love seat, rug, and pillows for the living room. The dog had to be re-taught about couch rules. He used to be allowed on the couch and now he is not permitted on them at anytime. Well, when I suddenly woke up on the couch, I realized that I could not move my legs. I knew I had not been suddenly stricken paralyzed, and I also knew that the dog was no longer on his bed. The little devil had waited until I was sound asleep and obviously jumped up on the couch without a sound. I told him to get down and he looked at me as though I was crazy. Eventually he obeyed.

People are often like dogs. We think that as long as no one sees what we do that is wrong, then no one will know. Braddock really looked at me like I was crazy for asking him to get off the couch (which he KNOWS is wrong). But, as long as I was asleep, he knew he could get away with it. What we forget is that wrong sometimes bites us in the tush. Hopefully we learn from our mistakes and do better next time that temptation comes along.

Lilies and Sparrows

Praise the Lord for our church. Today I wondered into church particularly discouraged and cumbered with so many burdens. I sat down and listened to the songs and the prayer and then our pastor opened God's word for us. We discussed part of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus addresses the issue of worry. Our Lord used such wonderful word pictures in that passage. First he talks about the sparrows. Those little birds are tiny and fragile. Yet, those little birds do not wonder around in a tizzy wondering where their next meal will come from, they know that God provides for them. Why on earth do we humans have such a problem with trusting the Lord. I know I am very bad at this. I have a problems with holding on to those worries and stresses. Sometimes those stresses are real things and sometimes I "create" problems by imagining things that just are not real issues. Next Jesus talks about the lilies of the field. Pastor talked about how those lilies grow. He has some in his garden (the garden that he openly confessed to us that he never tends) and they grow regardless of how he does or does not tend them. They even had a scourge of grasshoppers this season that ate the lilies and yet those stubborn flowers returned once again. Our lives are much the same. We are flower beds full of weeds, we get stepped on, we go through dry patches, we have plagues of grasshoppers...yet God provides for us in such a way that we can continue to grow. Our Heavenly Father is such an amazing provider and care-taker...it makes me wonder why we ever worry, and yet we keep on doing it. May God help us to be better at trusting in his excellent care.

Thrift Stores

Thrift stores never cease to amaze me. I was in several today trying to find a couple of junky shirts that my husband could take to Brazil with him for his mission trip. He needs a few shirts so that way he can wear it and then throw it away (because it will doubtless be filthy and stinky). Anyways, as I walked through them I realized that American people donate some very mysterious and strange things to thrift stores in the name of "charity." While in my favorite thrift store (the proceeds they make go to a crisis pregnancy center where they council women who are in trouble) today I found some things that just made me laugh out loud. In the clothing department they had a "lovely" aqua/green prom dress complete with sequined puffed sleeves and a v-neck top. It looked as though the dress had been custom made for the Little Mermaid with an Anne Shirley puffed sleeve complex. Hey, if any brides-to-be come across this blog and are looking for a dress that a deranged Barbie from the 1980s designed, I have the perfect gown for you. Get in touch with me. Next I made my way over to the "housewares" department where I encountered every kind of coffee mug known to man with all kinds of catchy little phrases and annoying pictures of butterflies or frogs on them. After that I moved into "sporting goods" where I found some paintballs (only 1/3 of them had been used already), a golf ball organizer (perfect gift for any OCD golfer on your Christmas list), and other sundries. In the computer/technology section I discovered where Bill Gates donated his first computer. His first computer printer was also there as well...a two-for-one special. It was hard to pass up, let me tell you. Next, I moved my way into board games where I encountered such fabulous games as "How to Kill a Husband" (not joking here folks), puzzles of every kind, and a bins full of grubby stuffed animals. Finally, the thing I think disturbed me the most was the portable adult toilet complete with complimentary stains in all the wrong places.

On the flip side that is one of the things that makes us distinctly American. Every time I go to those stores, there is new junk to be found and it always draws me in. I am not the only one either. When I went in today to make a donation of stuff to my favorite thrift store, the other patrons were already oohhhing and aahhhing over the items and they were not yet on the shelf. I may have looked at most of those items with a smile, smirk, or sometimes a grimace, but others found those items to be a real bargain. It really makes the old saying true, "One man's trash is another man's treasure."

Nothing Endures But Change

It has been said over and over again that "nothing endures but change." It is so true. I leave school every June and when I come back in the fall, I find that most of my students have gotten a good inch or two taller. Suddenly, those little middle schoolers grew up and now you have young adults that you are teaching rather than awkward little kids. You call a friend that you lost touch with and he has moved, she got married, they have two kids...you know the rest. You look at your self in the mirror and there is a wrinkle there that you've never seen before or there is a bulge in spots where there once was a slim, trim body. In my case, I looked in the mirror today to apply some makeup and I noticed that the laugh lines that I knew I would get being married to Ryan (he makes me laugh and smile more than anyone else I know) have made their debut appearance.

However, as I was driving around today noticing businesses that have moved out or moved in and houses that have been repainted, I realized something anew and afresh. GOD never, EVER changes. No matter what is different, no matter who moves in or moves out, no matter where I go, where I work, how times change...GOD IS ALWAYS the SAME. What a comforting thought to know that in a life where things are constantly changing and chaotic, God is always the same, reliable, steady, dependable, eternal, unchanging GOD.

About Myself

So this year we are trying something new in my classroom. I want my students to understand who I am as a teacher (per the suggestion of Harry Wong...one of the foremost experts on classroom management). So, I am preparing a list of things that I want the students to know about me. However, it is hard to do because if you know anything about me, I am not a person who likes to talk about myself. I think I would rather slide down a banister coated with shards of glass than draw attention to myself. I decided I would put up the following things. Faithful blogger followers...please tell me what you think.

1. Copy of my diploma so that my students know I actually do know what I am talking about

2. Copy of my certificate that I won in college as Intern of the Year so they know that I know what I am talking about. (Can you tell my students challenged me on that point in the past????)

3. Coffee beans...hey, they are a major part of my life

4. Wedding picture of me and Ryan so the kids have a face to go with the name.

5. Map of Wyoming where I used to live

Can anyone think of anything I am missing. Let me know. I welcome suggestions.

Giggles

I was listening to the old i-pod today while I did a little housework and my playlist went to the classical tunes. It began to play the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" by Tchaikovsky. This brought back such a happy memory for me that I had to smile while the dishes were being washed (which if you know anything about me, doing dishes almost never evokes a smile on my face). I remembered a time way back when we lived in Wyoming and we had the big house with the HUGE basement. My little sister and I fell in love with the Nutcracker ballet and we tried to reenact it. So, for several weeks at a time we would put the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy song on and we would create our own choreographed ballet dance to the song. Of course, because I was bigger and older I had to be the big prince who was stomping through the forest and I would happen upon a beautiful princess (Rachel). Then, I would have to be very careful and hide behind rocks (couch), trees (the entertainment center) and so forth. Then, when the music reached a crescendo, the princess would spot me and I would then have to lift her up and then we would do the whole ballet thing together. Now, we made up the whole story line behind the song, having forgotten the time we actually saw that ballet live, so I am sure that the story line we developed was pretty far from what the composer originally intended. However, we had a ball and probably got some good exercise from it as well.

Now, not all of our pastimes were quite as intellectual. Being the all-American girls that we were, we had our fair share of Barbies. If you asked my parents, we had far more than our fair share of Barbies. We had rubbermaid tubs filled with all manner of Barbies. We had Dentist Barbie, real-hair Ken (whose hair always looked as though he had stuck his head in a toaster), bike-riding Barbie (who we later had to pretend was quadriplegic Barbie because her joints got so loose from riding bike too much that she no longer could stand) and even doctor Barbie (who, coincidentally never left her work at the office because her stethoscope was attached to her chest and could not be removed). However, we were quite imaginative with our play with Barbies as well. We would stage Barbie Christmas plays, Barbie re-enactments of the Brady Bunch (which included a rather bad haircut given to one barbie to give her "Alice the Housekeeper" hair). When a Barbie was unfortunate enough to not get put away at night, she would face the perils of the dog. This was the end of many a Barbie. However, we were able to save some. In order to explain the strange markings from the dog on the Barbie, we decided that they were "shark attack survivor" Barbies.

What's my point? As I smiled over the memories my sister and I had together I began to feel sad for the kids living now. What will their memories be? Many times I have hung out with a young kid and tried to engage them in "pretend" and they do not know how. If it is not electronic, computerized, or 3-D...they do not have a clue. It makes me sad. I know one thing for sure. If the Lord someday in the future gives Ryan and I a family of kids, they will be allowed to cultivate an imagination. I want them to someday when they grow up to hear a song and no matter what they are doing...a smile will break across their face and they can say "Thank you God for such a happy memory"