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.