Friday, in a tragedy that has shaken a nation, 26 innocent lives were taken at the hands of a literal madman. My heart breaks for the families of those who were lost, and I ache even thinking about what private hell the shooter must have lived inside his own mind in order for him to take such action against defenseless children and the adults who looked after them.
Being a teacher, this has hit home for me more than I would like. I have tried to block the news reports, and I have tried to ignore the updates, but it simply can't be ignored. The world we live in is a dangerous place, and we as a society have contributed to making it such. With our lack of focus on mental health, our oversight in regard to the security of our children, and our refusal to place responsibility where it lies, we have created a system where these types of things are bound to happen. Where does this cycle stop?
Oh, I have heard the blame placed in countless places. "Where was God?" "We need stricter gun control laws!" "The President is doing a poor job running our country, and he is to blame!" I understand these are simply cries from an angry and confused people, and they come from our mutual frustration and disgust that these massacres continue to happen. But we must realize that not a single one of these sources is at fault here. Failing to care for our children when they need it most is to blame. And as a teacher, that means that this blame lies squarely upon my shoulders.
I don't mean to say that no shooter in history has ever felt loved, or has been shown the support of a loving family, community, or educator. No, this is simply not so. But I do believe that parents and teachers need to do a better job of detecting and recognizing early warning signs of mental illness. I believe that teachers not only need to be sensitive to these indicators, but we need to do a better job of communicating with parents. Although it is not our job or our right to "diagnose" a student, we should be able to offer an open and honest dialogue on what we have observed, and help to point parents in the right direction if they believe they need to seek further help. We also need to be available to our students, and offer them appropriate support when necessary.
School districts also have an overall responsibility to provide proper in-school counseling for students. Many students who have repeated behavior problems do not need constant disciplinary action, they need counseling and reform. Without the proper channels for their feelings and emotions, students will continue to commit offenses, which over time, will become more serious and intense. I also understand that not every individual who has committed vicious and violent acts has been a "typical" student behavior case. This is why teachers and administrators need proper training to identify at-risk behaviors. Not all at-risk students display overly outward signs to the average observer, but a trained eye can make a world of difference in how these students are identified treated. I could go on about this, but there are other issues that need to be addressed.
I believe in the second amendment right to bear arms. I don't believe that this right should be taken away. I come from a family of responsible life-long gun owners. My father built, rebuilt, repaired, and refurbished guns. He loaded his own ammo. He taught my brother and me to treat weapons responsibly and with respect. Guns are never stored loaded in my home. Guns and ammo are never stored together. Our guns are locked securely in a half-ton gun safe, accessible only by code. Our ammo is stored in a separate safe in another location in our home. They are used for sport -- target practice, skeet and clay shooting, etc. -- and for providing food for our family. In our family, animals are killed respectfully to be used only for meals. They are not merely trophies obtained for fun. This being said, I believe there are many, many other responsible gun-owning families, and I don't believe our rights should be revoked due to the negligence of others. Rather than revoking gun rights to stop violence, I think purchasers should be screened, and should receive proper training. Law-abiding gun owners are not the ones committing these crimes... but irresponsible ones may allow access to their guns unwittingly. Train gun owners to operate and store guns more responsibly. Make screenings more thorough. Don't disarm our nation. Those who want to commit a violent crime will find a way, but if the rest of the country is disarmed, will be be able to protect ourselves?
President Obama has not pulled the trigger for a single assault. I believe it's time to stop bashing him. Do I agree with all of his politics? No. Would I agree with all of the politics of a single other leader who could be instated? No. Our country must stop blaming our leaders for tragedies, melt-downs, and shortcomings! We must take responsibility! Have we not elected our leaders to serve? They are doing the best they can, and acting in such a way that they see fit. Even if we do not support a particular person in a leadership position, I fully believe we need to respect the office. We should pray for our leaders, support our leaders, and yes, voice our opinions when we disagree with our leaders, but it should be done in a constructive way! Placing blame for such a tragedy on our President is ludicrous. I hope anyone who may read this can see that.
God also did not cause this tragedy to happen. The actions of a mentally ill and sinful man did. For all of those shouting that "God wasn't present because we have kicked him out!" Please listen to yourselves. If you truly believe in the power of our Almighty God, and in his supreme dominion over all situations on our earth, how can you say that he has been omitted by the rules of man? God does not conform to any man! Due to our free will, and the sinful nature of human beings, violence and crime happens. God has not once in the Bible promised to spare any people from hardship or tragedy. That doesn't make it more easily swallowed, but again, stop blaming God. He did not do this, but he will help put the pieces back together.
Finally, I believe schools need to implement greater security measures. Schools need resource officers. Schools need proper lock-down procedures. This was evidenced today when my school was placed on lock-down drill. My students were to turn their desks over and get behind them in tornado drill position -- that is, crouched on the floor with their heads covered. This merely would make a person a target if an actual shooting was in progress. There has been research after each shooting our country has faced, and it has indeed been found that students who look at shooters or move around have been more likely to be targeted, so this may be where this position has come from. However, each school needs to be looked at individually. What is the layout of the school? What is the geography of the area? Are there windows? What is the placement of classroom exits? How many closets or enclosed storage areas are available? How thick are the doors? Is there a locking mechanism on each door? What material are the walls composed of? We need specific action plans, and we need training in their implementation.
Today as our lock-down drill was taking place, my students were a bit rowdy. I discussed with them during this time the importance of keeping quiet and following directions. I thought these ideals were lost on them. When the all-clear was sounded and students began to right their desks, they suddenly became quiet. Finally, a girl spoke up. "Do you think those kids were crying Friday? How was the teacher able to keep them quiet?" I told her of two stories -- the story of Victoria Soto, who hid her students and gave her life protecting them by telling the shooter they were in the gym. And I told them of the teacher who hid her students and quietly read them stories until the danger had passed. Then the questions continued to come: "Mrs. C, would you leave us if something like that was happening?" I reassured my students that I absolutely would not leave them alone in that situation. I would stay with them and stand in front of them in danger. "Mrs. C... would you come back to school again... if something happened and some of us died?" Wow.. I told him that I wouldn't. And no, I don't think I could. I believe I would have to be subdued and locked up somewhere if I had to experience anything like what horror has happened in Newtown, CT. But the sad truth is, that if measures aren't taken and things aren't looked at honestly and seriously, the massacre on the news won't just be Newtown, CT. The massacre on the news could and will happen in Anytown, USA.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Catching Up: 10 Years Later
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending my 10 year class reunion. The JHS Giant class of 2002 came together for float decorating, the homecoming pep rally, parade, game, and an after party. What a complete blast from the past!
I have to admit: I was quite nervous about attending the reunion. In fact, up until about 6 months ago when I was asked to help plan it, I wasn't even going to go. I sort of felt like I already keep in touch with the people from my class that I want to keep in touch with. Although most of my classmates got along and no one had major problems with each other, we didn't always hang out together. As with any high school, there were your definite stereotypical groups. The athletes, the band kids, the tech nerds, the social group, and then the ones who just kinda bounced around from group to group. I was a band kid, but I did bounce around from group to group as well. In fact, I dated one of the (at the time) athletes... although he would definitely probably classify himself differently now. lol I also didn't hang around exclusively with my class -- being in band, I had close friends both older and younger than me. Some of my best friends graduated 1-3 years before me, and so I knew I wouldn't see them at the reunion.
Another hesitation I faced was, well, I don't look as good as I did back then. Life happens, and I've gained a little weight. I look a little (albeit not much) older, and that's always at the fore-front of a girl's mind when she's going to see people she hasn't seen in 10 years. And finally, I was nervous about going alone. As we have established in prior posts, my husband is working out of state. I knew that most of my classmates would be coupled up, and then there I would be... no husband in sight. And I won't lie, he's pretty cute, so I kinda wanted all my classmates to all meet him. ;)
Anyway, I decided to get over myself and go, and found out that a couple friends of mine from school would be attending without their other halves, so that made me feel a little better. I arrived to meet up at one of the girls' dad's house, and found quickly that things weren't as awkward as I thought they might be. Surprisingly, it seemed like everyone (everyone!) was genuinely glad to see each other. We had a wonderful turnout for the float decorating, pep rally, and parade. We almost didn't have room on the float, and though we had reserved 4 rows in the gym for seating, we took up 5 and a half!
After the parade, I went to lunch with an old friend, Bea, and then visited with another friend and her new husband. Later, we attended the game, and had a major blast from the past -- one of the guys showed up in his letterman jacket and drumline t-shirt! Too funny! I also learned at the game that when I was in high school, apparently a guy wrote me a love letter, and I sent it back to him marked up with proofreading marks in red. Oops. :( I had to apologize for that one!
The Giants unfortunately lost the game, and then Bea and I headed to the reunion party, which was a total blast. I was able to catch up with my "Twin from Another Men" (You know, like brother from another mother)... a guy with whom I share my birthday. I met his wife for the first time, and we all hung out for a good bit of the night, along with Dal, and a friend from another class, Jake. A couple from our class who married not long after high school was there.. Kylie and Will, and I really enjoyed catching up with them. All in all, it was a great time. Favorite memory: Steven challenging Dal to a foot race! Unfortunately, Dal didn't take him up on his offer. There was also some non-sexual- man-flirting and that was hysterical. Poor Brian..
What I learned was that for the most part, as adults, my class has grown to accept and tolerate others of all races, backgrounds, orientations, and life-situations. Dal, who was from literally the most racist part of town dated an African-American girl. Steve, who used to be one of the most intolerant guys in the world, gladly hung out with a couple of LGBT folks. The "wrong side of the tracks" kids visited with the "popular" crowd. The "jocks" hung out with the "nerds." And everyone found out they had a lot in common these days, regardless of the differences.
Unfortunately, a couple of girls proved that some things, and some people, never really progress and change, but they, and their cattiness, were in the minority. I'm proud of my class; I think we've turned out to be good people. It's too bad we only get together every 10 years. These are the folks I'm proud to have grown up with, and the kind of people I like to be surrounded with. They (We) are the class of '02.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
On Isaac..
For the past few days, I have been amazed at the lengths some people go to in our area for "storm prep." From lines wrapping around gas stations, to plastic bags covering the pumps.. from lines wrapping through Wal-mart, to the aisles being stripped bare of water, bread, and well, mostly junk food... from kids at school frantically proclaiming the "high winds" (breeze), to school being cancelled for two days, and now at 11:30, we have yet to see a drop of rain...
The reality of it is, here in Podunk, USA, we are some 330 miles inland from the coast. By the time Isaac reaches us, he will have weakened, quite possibly, even to a tropical depression. Although we are expecting wind gusts upward of 20 MPH, we reach that in a normal thunderstorm at times. I can't tell you how many trees have been uprooted in my back yard over the years, and we've only seen one hurricane (Gustav, 2008) since we've been here.
I don't understand the people here who are pushing 2 carts around the store; one filled with 8 cases of water, and the other piled high with junk food. I don't really understand the need to fill up the truck, 4-wheeler, boat, and 6 gas cans. (No, that is not an exxaggeration. I saw that with my own eyes.) I don't know why 2 5-lb bags of ice should cost $10, and I don't know why gas has climbed to $4.06/gallon. I find all of this to be absolutely insane; sensationalism.
Now, all those things being said, I don't mean that you shouldn't be prepared for the storm. I cannot begin to imagine how those people in NOLA and the surrounding areas must feel being slammed once again by storm surge 7 years to the day they were slammed by Katrina. I don't know the fear or flood of emotions that those residents (and former residents) face as they flip through the channels on TV and see images that call to mind images of the past.... images that they wish were dreams rather than memory. But... I don't think absolute insanity helps anything.
Yes, I hope and pray that those affected by the worst of this slow-moving storm are prepared. If in flood prone areas, I would hope they would have evacuated if possible. I pray they have the supplies they need, as nearly 300,000 are currently without power. I would hope they would have stocked up on enough essentials to last a few days. And hey, here, too. In a rural area, the possibility of wind always means the possibility of power outage...
But c'mon. 330 miles inland, how many cases of water and twinkies do you really need?
We are slated to get some rain around 1:00... I'll probably "evacuate" to my mom's around 3 (before anything other than light rain happens) simply because I don't want to be alone with the possibility of a tree on my roof if the winds get gusty. We will have a case of water, some soup we prepared yesterday, and bread and lunch meat. We have plenty of batteries, candles, flashlights, and books to read. The ipads are charged, as are the cell phones. My car is parked safely in the garage, and I'll be taking the truck. Puppy girl has plenty of food, and she's ready for her short journey to visit her puppy relatives.
Stay calm and be well my friends! Stay off the roads once the winds and rain get up, and take care of your pets. Isaac may not be a monster, but being safe is always best. ....just not if it requires 17 cases of water. ;)
The reality of it is, here in Podunk, USA, we are some 330 miles inland from the coast. By the time Isaac reaches us, he will have weakened, quite possibly, even to a tropical depression. Although we are expecting wind gusts upward of 20 MPH, we reach that in a normal thunderstorm at times. I can't tell you how many trees have been uprooted in my back yard over the years, and we've only seen one hurricane (Gustav, 2008) since we've been here.
I don't understand the people here who are pushing 2 carts around the store; one filled with 8 cases of water, and the other piled high with junk food. I don't really understand the need to fill up the truck, 4-wheeler, boat, and 6 gas cans. (No, that is not an exxaggeration. I saw that with my own eyes.) I don't know why 2 5-lb bags of ice should cost $10, and I don't know why gas has climbed to $4.06/gallon. I find all of this to be absolutely insane; sensationalism.
Now, all those things being said, I don't mean that you shouldn't be prepared for the storm. I cannot begin to imagine how those people in NOLA and the surrounding areas must feel being slammed once again by storm surge 7 years to the day they were slammed by Katrina. I don't know the fear or flood of emotions that those residents (and former residents) face as they flip through the channels on TV and see images that call to mind images of the past.... images that they wish were dreams rather than memory. But... I don't think absolute insanity helps anything.
Yes, I hope and pray that those affected by the worst of this slow-moving storm are prepared. If in flood prone areas, I would hope they would have evacuated if possible. I pray they have the supplies they need, as nearly 300,000 are currently without power. I would hope they would have stocked up on enough essentials to last a few days. And hey, here, too. In a rural area, the possibility of wind always means the possibility of power outage...
But c'mon. 330 miles inland, how many cases of water and twinkies do you really need?
We are slated to get some rain around 1:00... I'll probably "evacuate" to my mom's around 3 (before anything other than light rain happens) simply because I don't want to be alone with the possibility of a tree on my roof if the winds get gusty. We will have a case of water, some soup we prepared yesterday, and bread and lunch meat. We have plenty of batteries, candles, flashlights, and books to read. The ipads are charged, as are the cell phones. My car is parked safely in the garage, and I'll be taking the truck. Puppy girl has plenty of food, and she's ready for her short journey to visit her puppy relatives.
Stay calm and be well my friends! Stay off the roads once the winds and rain get up, and take care of your pets. Isaac may not be a monster, but being safe is always best. ....just not if it requires 17 cases of water. ;)
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
So Small (A re-post from my friend)
My friend, Kelli, always has the most beautiful, poignant things to say. Here's one "tiny" insight she has gleaned from the upcoming storm. Please, read and enjoy.
But, I think ahead and I smile a light grin. You know, that grin that recognizes foolishness and silently thinks, “You’ll figure it out.” Yeah, that one.
I think what a silly creature I am. And, I seriously mean “creature” as in a life CREATED, with love and purpose, for reasons and plans that change things during my stay and hopefully, make them better.
A storm’s coming and I immaturely look forward to it. It spans hundreds of miles, affects millions of people and I’m sitting, waiting for more wind, much rain and at least a day-long power outage. And I think, “How arrogant you are, tiny thing.”
It would take millions of me to fill its expanse. I could NEVER equal a remnant of its power and with numerable lifetimes, I could only hope to impact the numbers of people it will encompass. I AM SMALL!
Still, the Biggest, the Most Wonderful, the Most Loving, the Most Intelligent, the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful, the Victor, the Sacrifice, the ULTIMATE LOVE knows me. I am seen. I was created. I was loved to death. I was forgiven to life. I am saved to eternity. I am completely known, and yet, wholly accepted.
I am humbled. I wonder if I appear to Him as an ant might to me….miniscule, busy, ignorant of His presence, focused on survival and so very temporary.
But, I remember the cross. And I know I am much more than small. I am worth dying for.
I will never understand it. But, believing it is one of His great gifts to me.
Enjoy the breeze, small ones. Be safe, and know you are loved. :)
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Black and Gold Recap
Well, on a much lighter note than my previous two posts, I spent the weekend between Canton, OH and Pittsburgh, PA. Let me just get this out of the way now: Although I love to travel, I hate almost everything there is to hate about Ohio, and Pennsylvania (or the part I've been to,) is not much better. However, OH does hold 2 things that I do love: My sweet Keithy (he's there for work right now,) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
First on Keith: I hadn't seen him in a month. A MONTH! Even with the advent of such technology as Skype and Facetime, we hadn't seen each other. He's in the hills, and they don't have consistent internet service. (It's on satellite, and it's terrible.) I was SO happy to see him, but when I did, I didn't recognize him at first, and then I cried like a baby. I'm sure a lot of it was exhaustion, -- it was well after midnight when he picked me up-- and a lot of it was the sheer emotion from not having seen him for some time. He looked SO different. His voice sounded different. For one thing, he's lost a lot of weight since he went up there. For another, he needed a haircut and a beard trim something fierce. I swear, he looked like something out of the Jeremiah Johnson movie. (Side note: We went to Wal-Mart the next morning and bought a set of clippers, and I made him pretty again. I've got skillz like that.)
Anyway, after our (not so glorious at first reunion,) we had a fun-filled weekend planned. We spent Saturday getting pedicures (yes, he LOVES those!) and hanging around Pittsburgh. Then we drove back to the house his parents have been renting up there to hang out a while. We hit a cool little drive in type place.... until it made us sick. lol.. whoops. On Sunday, we went to the church he's been attending while he's been there, and let me just say... He looked SO different after my impromptu makeover that the people didn't recognize him! He had to tell them who he was! (And there were all of 50 people in that building total, it's not like they wouldn't have noticed him before.)
After church Sunday, we went back to the house to ready ourselves... I donned #28 and he put on #80. That's right, folks. It's back to football. WHO DAT!?
We drove up to Canton, which is only about 26 miles from where he's staying. We had to run to Wal-Mart beforehand, and let me just tell you that I have never in my life been stared at so much as when wearing a Saints jersey in Browns country! It was ridic! I mean, I'm surprised I don't have holes burned through my head. Then, we did the sketchiest thing I've ever done in my life: We paid some guy $20 to park in his yard. I guess that's how they do it in Canton, though, bc everybody had signs in their yard, "Park here! $20!" "Game Parking $35.00!" So, some guy in a black beater and a weird looking headset pulled us up into his yard where no less than 10 vehicles of people were tailgaiting... and we were parked to a car with a license plate that said they lived no more than 50 miles from us. All the way in Canton, OH. Crazy!
We walked across to the stadium, and finally got in after standing there for about half an hour. The players were warming up.... and you could walk down there and watch! SCORE! Two times in less than I year I have been on the sideline for warmups! It was fantastic. Thomas Morstead is a beautiful man, folks. Don't believe me? Look it up. And nicest guy ever. He signed stuff for all the little kids for no less than 20 minutes. I holla'ed at him, and he looked straight in my eyes and grinned a big toothy grin and waved at me. And I'm pretty sure I melted into the turf. Keith made fun of me.
Then Drew came out, did some signing for kids for a long time. He was like, 3 people from me, but then he got mobbed. He was super gracious and just as nice as he seems. Got some great close-ups of Drew, Thomas, Lance Moore, Jimmy Graham, Mark Ingram, Junior Gallette, Cam Jordan, Chris Ivory, Johnny Patrick, Patrick Robinson, Andy Tanner (rookie,the) Darren Sproles, Chase Daniel, Jonathan Casillas, Malcolm Jenkins, Marques Colston, and many, many more. Keith just has to email them to me... we put them on his computer.
And then it was game time! It was like a comedy of errors. The "real" refs weren't there because they are trying to renegotiate contracts, so we had the replacements. They didn't call the coinflip right. They missed a blatant horse collar. They called a timeout to review EVERYTHING! They reassessed a penalty THREE TIMES before they even got it on the right team! It was insane.
I know the HOF game is a meaningless exhibition, a preview into even the pre-season, but here's what I came away with: Drew is Drew. He's fantastic. Offense drove straight down the field against Arizona's 1st string-defense to an immediate score. Garrett Hartley is back doing his thing, and he's in good shape. John Kasay can still boot a long field goal like a boss. Thomas Morstead is still "The Leg" and deserved every bit of his contract extension. The O-Line is getting there, but they can use some shaping up. That's what the pre-season is for, and I believe they'll get better. Running backs look good. Wide receivers are good. Sproles is the Flash reincarnated. Defense had 2 picks and 4 sacks. They took out the 1st string QB in the first quarter (accidentally, of course, but here comes the bounty talk round 2!) They have a lot to shape up, but so far it appears Spags is doing a great job.
The backup QBs are terrible. Daniel has a good arm, but no instinct. Canfield is typical 3rd string. McCown didn't play, so I can't speak for him really, but how bad do you have to be to be behind Canfield? It can't be good, folks. Andy Tanner looks good as a rookie WR. Gallette fared well. Vilma is missed, but Casillas is a good fit.
All in all, things are looking good for the WHO DAT NATION come September, so one thing's for sure:
Bounty or no bounty, dey comin'. Believe dat.
First on Keith: I hadn't seen him in a month. A MONTH! Even with the advent of such technology as Skype and Facetime, we hadn't seen each other. He's in the hills, and they don't have consistent internet service. (It's on satellite, and it's terrible.) I was SO happy to see him, but when I did, I didn't recognize him at first, and then I cried like a baby. I'm sure a lot of it was exhaustion, -- it was well after midnight when he picked me up-- and a lot of it was the sheer emotion from not having seen him for some time. He looked SO different. His voice sounded different. For one thing, he's lost a lot of weight since he went up there. For another, he needed a haircut and a beard trim something fierce. I swear, he looked like something out of the Jeremiah Johnson movie. (Side note: We went to Wal-Mart the next morning and bought a set of clippers, and I made him pretty again. I've got skillz like that.)
Anyway, after our (not so glorious at first reunion,) we had a fun-filled weekend planned. We spent Saturday getting pedicures (yes, he LOVES those!) and hanging around Pittsburgh. Then we drove back to the house his parents have been renting up there to hang out a while. We hit a cool little drive in type place.... until it made us sick. lol.. whoops. On Sunday, we went to the church he's been attending while he's been there, and let me just say... He looked SO different after my impromptu makeover that the people didn't recognize him! He had to tell them who he was! (And there were all of 50 people in that building total, it's not like they wouldn't have noticed him before.)
After church Sunday, we went back to the house to ready ourselves... I donned #28 and he put on #80. That's right, folks. It's back to football. WHO DAT!?
We drove up to Canton, which is only about 26 miles from where he's staying. We had to run to Wal-Mart beforehand, and let me just tell you that I have never in my life been stared at so much as when wearing a Saints jersey in Browns country! It was ridic! I mean, I'm surprised I don't have holes burned through my head. Then, we did the sketchiest thing I've ever done in my life: We paid some guy $20 to park in his yard. I guess that's how they do it in Canton, though, bc everybody had signs in their yard, "Park here! $20!" "Game Parking $35.00!" So, some guy in a black beater and a weird looking headset pulled us up into his yard where no less than 10 vehicles of people were tailgaiting... and we were parked to a car with a license plate that said they lived no more than 50 miles from us. All the way in Canton, OH. Crazy!
We walked across to the stadium, and finally got in after standing there for about half an hour. The players were warming up.... and you could walk down there and watch! SCORE! Two times in less than I year I have been on the sideline for warmups! It was fantastic. Thomas Morstead is a beautiful man, folks. Don't believe me? Look it up. And nicest guy ever. He signed stuff for all the little kids for no less than 20 minutes. I holla'ed at him, and he looked straight in my eyes and grinned a big toothy grin and waved at me. And I'm pretty sure I melted into the turf. Keith made fun of me.
Then Drew came out, did some signing for kids for a long time. He was like, 3 people from me, but then he got mobbed. He was super gracious and just as nice as he seems. Got some great close-ups of Drew, Thomas, Lance Moore, Jimmy Graham, Mark Ingram, Junior Gallette, Cam Jordan, Chris Ivory, Johnny Patrick, Patrick Robinson, Andy Tanner (rookie,the) Darren Sproles, Chase Daniel, Jonathan Casillas, Malcolm Jenkins, Marques Colston, and many, many more. Keith just has to email them to me... we put them on his computer.
And then it was game time! It was like a comedy of errors. The "real" refs weren't there because they are trying to renegotiate contracts, so we had the replacements. They didn't call the coinflip right. They missed a blatant horse collar. They called a timeout to review EVERYTHING! They reassessed a penalty THREE TIMES before they even got it on the right team! It was insane.
I know the HOF game is a meaningless exhibition, a preview into even the pre-season, but here's what I came away with: Drew is Drew. He's fantastic. Offense drove straight down the field against Arizona's 1st string-defense to an immediate score. Garrett Hartley is back doing his thing, and he's in good shape. John Kasay can still boot a long field goal like a boss. Thomas Morstead is still "The Leg" and deserved every bit of his contract extension. The O-Line is getting there, but they can use some shaping up. That's what the pre-season is for, and I believe they'll get better. Running backs look good. Wide receivers are good. Sproles is the Flash reincarnated. Defense had 2 picks and 4 sacks. They took out the 1st string QB in the first quarter (accidentally, of course, but here comes the bounty talk round 2!) They have a lot to shape up, but so far it appears Spags is doing a great job.
The backup QBs are terrible. Daniel has a good arm, but no instinct. Canfield is typical 3rd string. McCown didn't play, so I can't speak for him really, but how bad do you have to be to be behind Canfield? It can't be good, folks. Andy Tanner looks good as a rookie WR. Gallette fared well. Vilma is missed, but Casillas is a good fit.
All in all, things are looking good for the WHO DAT NATION come September, so one thing's for sure:
Bounty or no bounty, dey comin'. Believe dat.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Chick-Fil-A and a nation divided..
I told myself I wouldn't weigh in on the Chick-Fil-A debate. I told myself, "I will not divide myself from my friends." But, here I am, blogging about it... a blog.. a quite public forum. Here is what I have to say about the situation. It will be brief, and I will try to be kind to all, regardless of belief.
Is anyone really surprised that a Bible-believing man and his family, who own a business, which he closes on Sunday because it is the protestant Sabbath, supports an organization that is pro-straight marriage exclusively? I'm not. I don't understand why Mr. Cathy's stating his belief has shocked a nation. Wouldn't it be safe to assume that a Southern-Baptist man, strictly religious, would feel this way?
Furthermore, his business is privately owned. If he wanted to use some of his earnings to support a Muslim family organization, would that be such a media circus? I mean, if I'm not mistaken, homosexuals are killed in some Muslim countries. Would support of a Muslim organization be more politically correct? (Please note than I am not Muslim-bashing, I am making a comparison based on some practices of some Muslim extremists.)
And then we have the goverment officials who are almost threatening the Cathy family, daring them to try to open a business in their jurisdictions. My friends, this is a dangerous and slippery slope. My take is this: If an individual chooses, based upon his or her beliefs, not to patronize a business, he or she certainly has the right to do so. But by the same right, Mr. Cathy is able to support whatever organization he chooses using money earned from his business, as long as the organization isn't doing anything illegal. When government leaders squelch businesses based on the beliefs of the owners, though, we tread into unconstitutional territory. I find this to be particulary dangerous and disheartening when we are in a period of high unemployment rates. We must not forget that even though many do not agree with Mr. Cathy's position, his company employs thousands and thousands of people in our country. To do away with his business would be to our detriment.
And if we do shut down his business, do we also shut down Wal-Mart, AutoZone, or any of the other prominent businesses whose owners contribute to the same organization as Dan Cathy? What about those employees?
Regardless of your beliefs on gay marriage and the organizations Mr. Cathy supports, don't you think this is a scary time for commerce in our country? It scares me that we are coming to a point in time where good, honest commerce can be thwarted due to religious and moral beliefs. Wasn't our country founded on religious liberty? Or does that not count for conservative Christians?
Whatever your take on the Chick-Fil-A debacle, I don't think Mr. Cathy's intent is hate. I think he is simply supporting an organization he believes worthy. I haven't heard him tell anyone they're going to hell, or that if you don't believe a certain way your aren't welcome, or that he hates anyone else due to their beliefs. That being said, if you choose not to do business with his company, that is your right, and I won't be the least bit upset, disappointed, shocked, or appalled. But please, if others DO choose to "eat mor chikin," allow them the same courtesy as well. In a time where ALL of our freedoms are tested and tried, allow a little grace toward someone who uses theirs differently than you might choose to do.
Is anyone really surprised that a Bible-believing man and his family, who own a business, which he closes on Sunday because it is the protestant Sabbath, supports an organization that is pro-straight marriage exclusively? I'm not. I don't understand why Mr. Cathy's stating his belief has shocked a nation. Wouldn't it be safe to assume that a Southern-Baptist man, strictly religious, would feel this way?
Furthermore, his business is privately owned. If he wanted to use some of his earnings to support a Muslim family organization, would that be such a media circus? I mean, if I'm not mistaken, homosexuals are killed in some Muslim countries. Would support of a Muslim organization be more politically correct? (Please note than I am not Muslim-bashing, I am making a comparison based on some practices of some Muslim extremists.)
And then we have the goverment officials who are almost threatening the Cathy family, daring them to try to open a business in their jurisdictions. My friends, this is a dangerous and slippery slope. My take is this: If an individual chooses, based upon his or her beliefs, not to patronize a business, he or she certainly has the right to do so. But by the same right, Mr. Cathy is able to support whatever organization he chooses using money earned from his business, as long as the organization isn't doing anything illegal. When government leaders squelch businesses based on the beliefs of the owners, though, we tread into unconstitutional territory. I find this to be particulary dangerous and disheartening when we are in a period of high unemployment rates. We must not forget that even though many do not agree with Mr. Cathy's position, his company employs thousands and thousands of people in our country. To do away with his business would be to our detriment.
And if we do shut down his business, do we also shut down Wal-Mart, AutoZone, or any of the other prominent businesses whose owners contribute to the same organization as Dan Cathy? What about those employees?
Regardless of your beliefs on gay marriage and the organizations Mr. Cathy supports, don't you think this is a scary time for commerce in our country? It scares me that we are coming to a point in time where good, honest commerce can be thwarted due to religious and moral beliefs. Wasn't our country founded on religious liberty? Or does that not count for conservative Christians?
Whatever your take on the Chick-Fil-A debacle, I don't think Mr. Cathy's intent is hate. I think he is simply supporting an organization he believes worthy. I haven't heard him tell anyone they're going to hell, or that if you don't believe a certain way your aren't welcome, or that he hates anyone else due to their beliefs. That being said, if you choose not to do business with his company, that is your right, and I won't be the least bit upset, disappointed, shocked, or appalled. But please, if others DO choose to "eat mor chikin," allow them the same courtesy as well. In a time where ALL of our freedoms are tested and tried, allow a little grace toward someone who uses theirs differently than you might choose to do.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
My Cardboard Testimony
You may or may not know that I spent the past week with several of my students at DCBC; only the most amazing summer camp on the face of the planet. Why is it amazing? Because God moves there. He really does. I don't know what it is about this place... maybe it's the group of amazing people who run the camp and work so diligently to serve others. Maybe it is the seclusion from everyday distractions. Maybe it's the care and concern and love for others that the counselors show to students and group leaders alike. Maybe it's the fact that this place and everyone in it are constantly bathed in prayer. I don't know. Maybe it's a little of all of the above, but what I do know is that when you take the left turn into the driveway from Hwy 113, a sudden peace and joy wash over you like a wave, and even though you are about to spend nights on a bed the thickness and texture of a bath mat and bathe in a shower shared by 19 of your closest friends, you know you are at home. I love that place.
I know you are thinking "You are an adult. Why are you so passionate about summer camp?" Didn't I say so already? God moves there. God, the Almighty Creator of the universe, the Author and Perfector of our faith... yes, that one... moves. He speaks gently and softly, like a loving Father. He speaks quietly in a still, small voice. And sometimes, He speaks firmly, directly, and with a hand as firm as steel. And not only does He speak to the students, but he speaks to the counselors, the staff, the pastors, the ministers, and me.
This week was emotional on so many levels. First of all, we were coming back to DCBC for the first time in a year. During this past year, a dear sweet girl we met at camp last year was killed in a car accident. We were to be back with her group, and one of my girls had become very, very close wtih her before she died. Secondly, two of my former 8th grade students (now just completed 10th), were on staff. Finally, because I had so many lessons to learn while there, but I didn't even know it.
On the first full day of camp, after a particularly hard Bible study, Lex came to me in tears. "Why did Kaitlyn die?" She asked. Wow. Such a simple question, but one so weighted. I answered her as best I could, and told her that I would search scriptures for a more definitive answer. And I began to search. I prayed. I started a list... and then read each one. I wrote and explained the meaning of each one. I prayed. I cried. I searched more. And I finally, the next day, I gave Lex my list. She shared it with another close friend of hers. That night, the camp pastor (who was fantastic, by the way,) Brent Gambrell, preached a message on why bad things happen. Almost every scripture I shared with Lex was presented in his message (and a few more as well.) Wow. Lex and Kyndal spent the latter part of the evening surrounded by friends in prayer. What a freeing evening for them. God spoke to them in the midst of their heartbreak, and incredibly, He used me to help relay his message. I was astounded.
On the final evening of camp, the staffers and counselors shared their "cardboard testimonies." On one side of the cardboard, they wrote a brief summary of their lives before Christ. On the back, they wrote how their lives had been transformed. Short and simple. But so powerful. "My" two staffers' testimonies definitely caused me to choke up a bit. One of them, "Rev," has come from a life that no child should have to live through. A drug-addicted mother, sometimes not enough food to eat, absentee father... I could go on. His card simply said, "Living for the World..... New Life in Christ." Wow. So simple, but so powerful. The other has a wonderful family, but carried private struggles that I would have never dreamed. It broke my heart to know that while he was in my class at school, he struggled so desperately with these things, and I never had any idea. He hid it all with a wink and a smile. I went to Rev after the service; I wanted to tell him how much he is loved and how proud of him I was..
When I told him, he said, "Aw, but you shouldn't be!"
"But I AM," I insisted!
And then he gave a reply that was not of this world. It silenced me and brought more tears to my eyes...
"But that's the best part! It's not me!"
"It's not me." Every breath vacated my lungs. My eyes flooded. All I could do was fling my arms around his neck and hug him. "I love you, Mrs. C!" He said. "I love you, too, Rev."
In that simple moment, God taught me everything I needed to learn for the whole week. It's not me. It's not about me. Sometimes I am so selfish! "What can I do for God?" "What do I need to be doing with the youth group?" "What do I need to get done for church?"
Nothing.
You see, I can't do a thing on my own. It's not me. But God can accomplish beautiful things through me. I thought back... I didn't offer Lex and Kyndal any comfort at all. I didn't know the right words to say. But through searching and prayer, God comforted them through me. Rev didn't do anything on his own... God worked through him. He worked through a sixteen year old country boy serving food and cleaning cabins at a summer camp to tell me exactly what He wanted me to hear.
So, what's my cardboard testimony?
I know you are thinking "You are an adult. Why are you so passionate about summer camp?" Didn't I say so already? God moves there. God, the Almighty Creator of the universe, the Author and Perfector of our faith... yes, that one... moves. He speaks gently and softly, like a loving Father. He speaks quietly in a still, small voice. And sometimes, He speaks firmly, directly, and with a hand as firm as steel. And not only does He speak to the students, but he speaks to the counselors, the staff, the pastors, the ministers, and me.
This week was emotional on so many levels. First of all, we were coming back to DCBC for the first time in a year. During this past year, a dear sweet girl we met at camp last year was killed in a car accident. We were to be back with her group, and one of my girls had become very, very close wtih her before she died. Secondly, two of my former 8th grade students (now just completed 10th), were on staff. Finally, because I had so many lessons to learn while there, but I didn't even know it.
On the first full day of camp, after a particularly hard Bible study, Lex came to me in tears. "Why did Kaitlyn die?" She asked. Wow. Such a simple question, but one so weighted. I answered her as best I could, and told her that I would search scriptures for a more definitive answer. And I began to search. I prayed. I started a list... and then read each one. I wrote and explained the meaning of each one. I prayed. I cried. I searched more. And I finally, the next day, I gave Lex my list. She shared it with another close friend of hers. That night, the camp pastor (who was fantastic, by the way,) Brent Gambrell, preached a message on why bad things happen. Almost every scripture I shared with Lex was presented in his message (and a few more as well.) Wow. Lex and Kyndal spent the latter part of the evening surrounded by friends in prayer. What a freeing evening for them. God spoke to them in the midst of their heartbreak, and incredibly, He used me to help relay his message. I was astounded.
On the final evening of camp, the staffers and counselors shared their "cardboard testimonies." On one side of the cardboard, they wrote a brief summary of their lives before Christ. On the back, they wrote how their lives had been transformed. Short and simple. But so powerful. "My" two staffers' testimonies definitely caused me to choke up a bit. One of them, "Rev," has come from a life that no child should have to live through. A drug-addicted mother, sometimes not enough food to eat, absentee father... I could go on. His card simply said, "Living for the World..... New Life in Christ." Wow. So simple, but so powerful. The other has a wonderful family, but carried private struggles that I would have never dreamed. It broke my heart to know that while he was in my class at school, he struggled so desperately with these things, and I never had any idea. He hid it all with a wink and a smile. I went to Rev after the service; I wanted to tell him how much he is loved and how proud of him I was..
When I told him, he said, "Aw, but you shouldn't be!"
"But I AM," I insisted!
And then he gave a reply that was not of this world. It silenced me and brought more tears to my eyes...
"But that's the best part! It's not me!"
"It's not me." Every breath vacated my lungs. My eyes flooded. All I could do was fling my arms around his neck and hug him. "I love you, Mrs. C!" He said. "I love you, too, Rev."
In that simple moment, God taught me everything I needed to learn for the whole week. It's not me. It's not about me. Sometimes I am so selfish! "What can I do for God?" "What do I need to be doing with the youth group?" "What do I need to get done for church?"
Nothing.
You see, I can't do a thing on my own. It's not me. But God can accomplish beautiful things through me. I thought back... I didn't offer Lex and Kyndal any comfort at all. I didn't know the right words to say. But through searching and prayer, God comforted them through me. Rev didn't do anything on his own... God worked through him. He worked through a sixteen year old country boy serving food and cleaning cabins at a summer camp to tell me exactly what He wanted me to hear.
So, what's my cardboard testimony?
Friday, July 20, 2012
The Responsibilities of the Church
A few days ago, while reading through my twitter feed, I was overcome with the displeasure of those I'm following with the US government. Equal disdain for both Republican and Democratic leaders and policies, debt and spending, healthcare, marriage, social security, abortion... just about everything you can imagine, was clearly stated and lines were drawn. And an underlying sentiment from many "twitterers" was the issue of separation of Church and state.
There SHOULD be separation of Church and state. Period. The Church should avoid political rambles, and the government should let the Church take care of itself. Remember when Jesus told his detractors to "Give to caesar what is caesar's and give to God what is God's" (Mark 12:17)? This makes it clear that God views the Church and the governing state to be two separate entities. He doesn't say "Give to caesar what is caesar's, and he will divide it amongst the government and the Church accordingly." Nope. Two different entities indeed.
And though many contend that our founding fathers agreed there would be separation of Church and state solely to keep the government from regulating the religion in our country and to allow for religious liberty, I would argue that it went both ways. Although the founding fathers DID want our nation to be one of religious liberty, where people were allowed to worship (or not) as they personally saw fit, they also didn't want the Church to control the government as it had in many countries in Europe, and as seems to be the case in many troubled regions of the world today.
So, what do Christians "do about this," in order to "fix" the problems goverment faces today -- you know, social programs that many have such problems with, such as healthcare, social security, taxes, national debt? Well, it's simple. We carry out the responsibilities of the Church.
Galatians 6:2 says, "Bear one another's burders, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Philippians 2:4 says, "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but to the interests of others." Deutoronomy 15:11 states, "For there will never cease ,to be poor in the land. Therefore, I command you 'you shall open your hand to your brother, the the needy and poor in your land." James 1:27 says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: Look after orphans and widows in their distress and keep yourself from being polluted by the world."
What does all of this mean? In context, these scriptures not only refer to caring for the spiritual and monetary needs of others, but the healthcare, physical, mental, and emotional needs of others as well. What's that you say? Christians are actually supposed to DO things for people? Which people?
That's an easy one, too. All of them. Scripture also tells us in Matthew 5:43-48,“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighborh and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
What I'm getting at is this: Christians need to stop complaining about the government, spending, healthcare, and all these other issues and DO WHAT WE'VE BEEN COMMANDED TO DO! If Christians would step up and care for the poor, provide for the sick, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and give hope to the hopeless, the government wouldn't have to act as a poor substitute! Think about that for a second... if the Church did their/our job, there would be NO NEED for these government programs! There would be less debt! Christians wouldn't have to worry about whether the government sponsored abortion or not! There would be fewer poor that needed monetary hand outs. There would be fewer hungry people needing food stamps. There would be fewer homeless needing government-funded housing! How much headache could Christians prevent the government from "causing" if we just carried out what has been commanded of us?! Wouldn't that be lovely!
Oh, but then we play the separation of Church and state card. You know, when it's beneficial to us. Because we don't really think *WE* are supposed to do these things. You know, we hear things like this, "Well, I think it's great that the Church wants to care for the poor, but I know who those people are. I personally won't be giving them any donations. They're just going to use it to buy drugs." But guess what, Church? If they do, it's on them! Luke 6:29-30 tell us, " If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back." That's right, Church! We're supposed to give it anyway! In a nutshell, my point is this: Christians, put up, or shut up. If we are not doing as commanded by the teachings of the Bible, (the one that many of us are so quick throw in the faces of our "pagan" enemies,) then we have no right to whine and bellyache about what the government does. Period. End of story.
So, Church, now that this has been put out there..... Our move.
There SHOULD be separation of Church and state. Period. The Church should avoid political rambles, and the government should let the Church take care of itself. Remember when Jesus told his detractors to "Give to caesar what is caesar's and give to God what is God's" (Mark 12:17)? This makes it clear that God views the Church and the governing state to be two separate entities. He doesn't say "Give to caesar what is caesar's, and he will divide it amongst the government and the Church accordingly." Nope. Two different entities indeed.
And though many contend that our founding fathers agreed there would be separation of Church and state solely to keep the government from regulating the religion in our country and to allow for religious liberty, I would argue that it went both ways. Although the founding fathers DID want our nation to be one of religious liberty, where people were allowed to worship (or not) as they personally saw fit, they also didn't want the Church to control the government as it had in many countries in Europe, and as seems to be the case in many troubled regions of the world today.
So, what do Christians "do about this," in order to "fix" the problems goverment faces today -- you know, social programs that many have such problems with, such as healthcare, social security, taxes, national debt? Well, it's simple. We carry out the responsibilities of the Church.
Galatians 6:2 says, "Bear one another's burders, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Philippians 2:4 says, "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but to the interests of others." Deutoronomy 15:11 states, "For there will never cease ,to be poor in the land. Therefore, I command you 'you shall open your hand to your brother, the the needy and poor in your land." James 1:27 says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: Look after orphans and widows in their distress and keep yourself from being polluted by the world."
What does all of this mean? In context, these scriptures not only refer to caring for the spiritual and monetary needs of others, but the healthcare, physical, mental, and emotional needs of others as well. What's that you say? Christians are actually supposed to DO things for people? Which people?
That's an easy one, too. All of them. Scripture also tells us in Matthew 5:43-48,“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighborh and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
What I'm getting at is this: Christians need to stop complaining about the government, spending, healthcare, and all these other issues and DO WHAT WE'VE BEEN COMMANDED TO DO! If Christians would step up and care for the poor, provide for the sick, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and give hope to the hopeless, the government wouldn't have to act as a poor substitute! Think about that for a second... if the Church did their/our job, there would be NO NEED for these government programs! There would be less debt! Christians wouldn't have to worry about whether the government sponsored abortion or not! There would be fewer poor that needed monetary hand outs. There would be fewer hungry people needing food stamps. There would be fewer homeless needing government-funded housing! How much headache could Christians prevent the government from "causing" if we just carried out what has been commanded of us?! Wouldn't that be lovely!
Oh, but then we play the separation of Church and state card. You know, when it's beneficial to us. Because we don't really think *WE* are supposed to do these things. You know, we hear things like this, "Well, I think it's great that the Church wants to care for the poor, but I know who those people are. I personally won't be giving them any donations. They're just going to use it to buy drugs." But guess what, Church? If they do, it's on them! Luke 6:29-30 tell us, " If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back." That's right, Church! We're supposed to give it anyway! In a nutshell, my point is this: Christians, put up, or shut up. If we are not doing as commanded by the teachings of the Bible, (the one that many of us are so quick throw in the faces of our "pagan" enemies,) then we have no right to whine and bellyache about what the government does. Period. End of story.
So, Church, now that this has been put out there..... Our move.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Whirlwind Weekdays
Well, I've sort of been slacking on the blog for the past couple of weeks, but things have been very... chaotic... around here.
Let me catch you guys up a little:
June 29: Found out that hubby was being sent to Ohio for a couple of months. Yep, you read that right. MONTHS. We had to pack, prepare, and generally freak out for a few days.
Meanwhile..
July 3: Our next door neighbor's house was burglarized. That's right, they tried every single door and window until they finally broke something and got in. Took all sorts of stuff, and even drilled the safe. Cue complete freak out mode for me, since I'm to be home alone.. so, needless to say, security system: INSTALLED.
July 5: Hubby flies out to Ohio. :( Cue violin music. We both pretty much cried the whole time until his flight left, and then some.
To take the mind of this sad incidence, little cuz and I went to every freaking flea market within a 2-parish radius to try to find her the perfect vanity. She's doing this whole shabby-chic bedroom makeover all by herself, and I have to say, she's a little designer in the making. It looks fantastic.
July 7: Worked and painted for 10+ hours in the youth building at church with one of our pastor's teeanged sons. Ridiculously exhausting.
July 8: Church, visit with my mom, and then that evening, worked 2 more hours on the youth building.
July 9: Worked 8-9 hours on the youth building with pastor, 5 teeangers, and a friend. Dinner with said friend afterwards.
Purchased plane tickets and tickets to the Saints game to travel to Ohio and visit the hubs in August.
July 10: Worked 8+ hours on youth building with friend and pastor's son.
July 11: Left house at 8 AM, drove over an hour to where I graduated college, picked up a transcript, drove over an hour in another direction to my school board office, sent off for teacher re-licensure. Drove another 30 minutes to my school. Picked up supplies, cheer uniforms, and dropped off paperwork. Drove 30 more minutes home. Napped for 30 minutes. Drove 30 more minutes to church. Worked on youth buidling for 2 more hours.
July 12: Slept late. Created cheer signs. 2 teenagers, a preteen and a mom in my house for 2 hours. Drove 30 min to pick up a kid. Cheer practice. Total team meltdown over 2 people having to switch spots. Drove 30 minutes to drop kid off. (Her dad had surgery, say a prayer!)
July 13: DREW BREES GOT SIGNED! *stir the pot dance* ....and now I'm off the shop for VBS supplies, go decorate my VBS classroom, dinner with friends, and then back home.
I'm really tired. I'm sure you didn't need my itenerary, but I just wanted to give you an FYI of where I've been. It's exhausting, really.
I miss the hubs. But I do love my life. :)
Let me catch you guys up a little:
June 29: Found out that hubby was being sent to Ohio for a couple of months. Yep, you read that right. MONTHS. We had to pack, prepare, and generally freak out for a few days.
Meanwhile..
July 3: Our next door neighbor's house was burglarized. That's right, they tried every single door and window until they finally broke something and got in. Took all sorts of stuff, and even drilled the safe. Cue complete freak out mode for me, since I'm to be home alone.. so, needless to say, security system: INSTALLED.
July 5: Hubby flies out to Ohio. :( Cue violin music. We both pretty much cried the whole time until his flight left, and then some.
To take the mind of this sad incidence, little cuz and I went to every freaking flea market within a 2-parish radius to try to find her the perfect vanity. She's doing this whole shabby-chic bedroom makeover all by herself, and I have to say, she's a little designer in the making. It looks fantastic.
July 7: Worked and painted for 10+ hours in the youth building at church with one of our pastor's teeanged sons. Ridiculously exhausting.
July 8: Church, visit with my mom, and then that evening, worked 2 more hours on the youth building.
July 9: Worked 8-9 hours on the youth building with pastor, 5 teeangers, and a friend. Dinner with said friend afterwards.
Purchased plane tickets and tickets to the Saints game to travel to Ohio and visit the hubs in August.
July 10: Worked 8+ hours on youth building with friend and pastor's son.
July 11: Left house at 8 AM, drove over an hour to where I graduated college, picked up a transcript, drove over an hour in another direction to my school board office, sent off for teacher re-licensure. Drove another 30 minutes to my school. Picked up supplies, cheer uniforms, and dropped off paperwork. Drove 30 more minutes home. Napped for 30 minutes. Drove 30 more minutes to church. Worked on youth buidling for 2 more hours.
July 12: Slept late. Created cheer signs. 2 teenagers, a preteen and a mom in my house for 2 hours. Drove 30 min to pick up a kid. Cheer practice. Total team meltdown over 2 people having to switch spots. Drove 30 minutes to drop kid off. (Her dad had surgery, say a prayer!)
July 13: DREW BREES GOT SIGNED! *stir the pot dance* ....and now I'm off the shop for VBS supplies, go decorate my VBS classroom, dinner with friends, and then back home.
I'm really tired. I'm sure you didn't need my itenerary, but I just wanted to give you an FYI of where I've been. It's exhausting, really.
I miss the hubs. But I do love my life. :)
Friday, June 29, 2012
Mmmm.... Dole Whips! :)
Ok, remember how I've promised you (twice now) that I would post a yummy recipe for a dessert/snack? Well, guys, today's the day. Today's the day!
If you have ever been to Disney World, I'm sure you've passed by the Aloha Isle snack stand which is located in Adventureland right across from the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House. Have you ever stopped there? Surely you have.. right? Well, if you have, you know the dreamy sweet goodness that is a Dole Pineapple Whip float. Oh. Em. Gee. It's absolutely delicious!
I found a recipe that you can make at home, and with a few of my own alterations, let me just say, it is pretty darn tasty. It is best served immediately after the initial freeze time, but I guess you could thaw it in the fridge a little if you needed to make it ahead or had left overs. I haven't had leftovers. ;) Anyway, here ya go! (Make sure you read this all the way through before attempting.)
Knock-off Dole Pineapple Whip Floats
2 20z cans of Dole crushed pineapple
2 T lemon juice
2 T lime juice
Any eeeeensy weensy bit of lemon and lime zest, added to the pineapple
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream, whipped
Drain your pineapple, and reserve the juice in the fridge. Place pineapple, lemon and lime juice, zest, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pineapple juice in a blender. Cover and blend until it's nice and smooth.
Pour this mixture into 2 one-quart zip top freezer bags. Place bags FLAT in the freezer and freeze until slushy. It usually takes about 1.5 hours.
Once the pineapple mixture is slushy, gently fold it into the whipped cream in a large bowl until it is just lightly blended. (You don't want to kill the fluff of the whipped cream.) Cover, and return the entire mixture back to the freezer until it's completely frozen. It should take about 1 hr. At this point it is ready to serve.
You may serve the Dole Whip "ice cream" exactly as it is, or you can serve it as a float. (My favorite!) To serve it as a float:
Fill a glass about 1/3 of the way with the chilled, reserved pineapple juice. Add a hefty scoop of your Dole whip, and then top with a little more juice if needed. YUMMO!
Personally, I like to use my straw to stir the extra juice into the "ice cream" and drink it as a thick, cold, creamy drink. Mmmm...
I think I may go "whip" some of these up now! :) Enjoy! ....and let me know if you try it!
If you have ever been to Disney World, I'm sure you've passed by the Aloha Isle snack stand which is located in Adventureland right across from the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House. Have you ever stopped there? Surely you have.. right? Well, if you have, you know the dreamy sweet goodness that is a Dole Pineapple Whip float. Oh. Em. Gee. It's absolutely delicious!
I found a recipe that you can make at home, and with a few of my own alterations, let me just say, it is pretty darn tasty. It is best served immediately after the initial freeze time, but I guess you could thaw it in the fridge a little if you needed to make it ahead or had left overs. I haven't had leftovers. ;) Anyway, here ya go! (Make sure you read this all the way through before attempting.)
Knock-off Dole Pineapple Whip Floats
2 20z cans of Dole crushed pineapple
2 T lemon juice
2 T lime juice
Any eeeeensy weensy bit of lemon and lime zest, added to the pineapple
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream, whipped
Drain your pineapple, and reserve the juice in the fridge. Place pineapple, lemon and lime juice, zest, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pineapple juice in a blender. Cover and blend until it's nice and smooth.
Pour this mixture into 2 one-quart zip top freezer bags. Place bags FLAT in the freezer and freeze until slushy. It usually takes about 1.5 hours.
Once the pineapple mixture is slushy, gently fold it into the whipped cream in a large bowl until it is just lightly blended. (You don't want to kill the fluff of the whipped cream.) Cover, and return the entire mixture back to the freezer until it's completely frozen. It should take about 1 hr. At this point it is ready to serve.
You may serve the Dole Whip "ice cream" exactly as it is, or you can serve it as a float. (My favorite!) To serve it as a float:
Fill a glass about 1/3 of the way with the chilled, reserved pineapple juice. Add a hefty scoop of your Dole whip, and then top with a little more juice if needed. YUMMO!
Personally, I like to use my straw to stir the extra juice into the "ice cream" and drink it as a thick, cold, creamy drink. Mmmm...
I think I may go "whip" some of these up now! :) Enjoy! ....and let me know if you try it!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Road trip!
Anyone who knows me knows I love to travel. I haven't done nearly as much traveling as I would like thus far in my life, but it is something I really enjoy. I love to see new places, try new cuisine, observe new cultures, etc. I also love to visit regions of the US that I haven't before. My dear hubby grew up all over more than any place else. He's lived in Louisiana, Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Wyoming, California, and probably some others that I forgot to mention. I have lived in 3 towns in the same state.. one until I went to college, one until I married, and now the other.
Anyway, although I haven't seen near as many places as I would like, I love to soak in a new place when I do. This past week, we traveled to one of my favorites.. Sunshiney Florida! (Ok, so I know it hasn't been terribly sunshiney for the past few days since Debby Downer came to town, but generally speaking...) Anyway, we decided to make it a road trip. We drove down (in 15.5 hours) to lovely
Melbourne.
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| Indian Harbour Beach near Melbourne, FL |
While there, we drove to this amazing, beautiful state park about 18 miles south down A-1A (the coastal highway.) Sebastian State Park is absolutely gorgeous. The picture is an aerial view, and it will sort of help you to see the whole layout of the place. Basically, as you are driving down A-1A, you go across a massive bridge across this inlet. (Sebastian Inlet, actually.) On the right side of the bridge, there is a beautiful lagoon, and on the left, the most gorgeous beach and fishing pier ever. Well, here.. have a look.
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| Sebastian Inlet, Sebastian, FL. LOVELY! |
You can see that this photo was taken with the beach side and pier in the foreground, to the right of the picture. To the right of the pier is the GORGEOUS beach, which is actually very quiet. It has spectacular waves, and lots of surfers like to hang out there. We saw quite a few doing their thing, which was a first for me. There are also a ton of porpoise and dolphin sightings out past the waves. So incredible to see them play!
If you look just behind where the bridge crosses the inlet, you'll see the shallow lagoon. It's a fantastic picnic spot with its own little beach, tables, etc. The lagoon is roped off for swimming, and it's only about chest deep at the deepest point. A lot of times, manatees make their way into the lagoon, but we didn't happen to see any while we were there.
In addition to the beach and lagoon, there are also hiking and bike trails you can take. I hear it's an absolute haven for bird lovers, and there are many different types of small wildlife in the area. The best part about it is you can stay there all day, bike, kayak, surf, fish, frolic, swim, hike, relax, nature watch, etc. for only $8 for an entire carload of your family and friends!
Another really cool stop we made was Kennedy Space Center. I expected a launch pad and a museum. I got so much more! I really had no idea that KSC was located on a wildlife preserve! Wow! It was incredibly beautiful. We saw a giant nest of bald eagles, marsh, forest.. lovely. I found out that Merritt Island is home to many, many alligators (approximately 1800 per sq. mile!), manatees, fish, birds of all kinds, deer, raccoon, and basically any other animal you can imagine being located in the southeastern United States.
Aside from the wildlife, there's also a ton to learn about the space program, past and present. We saw an IMAX presentation of images from the Hubble Telescope (narrated by Leo DiCaprio, no less), which was astounding. We saw pieces of Apollo shuttles, we saw pieces of the moon, we watched an entire presentation on the first moon landing, the inception of the Apollo program, etc. We went to a launch pad. We did a simulation of a launch. We saw space suits! It was incredible. I loved it.
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| Stole this from the website.. Apollo modules |
After leaving KSC (we had been there ALL day!) we stopped at a gem of a restaurant in Titusville called Dixie Crossroads. I'd been there before when I was in college, but didn't realize it until we got inside. It was a moderately-priced restaurant, and was typical of most seafood restaurants in the area, but it was really enjoyable. The highlight of the menu, I think, was the meal my hubby and I shared. (Yes, that's right. We shared one entree. It was HUGE.) Here's a photo:
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| Our amazing seafood feast! |
Yep. That's one plate. Crab legs, an entire lobster, shrimp, scallops, and 2 side dishes! He had cheese grits, I had the baked potato (not shown.) It also came with an entire basket of sweet corn fritters. The best part? The entire meal was only $35. Yes, a lot if only one person was eating this, but I'm telling you, it was plenty to share. And it was very tasty. We also split a piece of key lime pie afterwards, but I didn't get a pic of that. It was homemade, and it was deeeeeelish! Check this place out if you are ever in Titusville.
It's the day after Kennedy! What are you going to do? I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD! That's right, folks. My first ever trip to Disney World. Keith grew up going to Disneyland in Cali, and Disney World, so he wasn't nearly as excited as I was, but let me tell you.. I was pumped! Since we only had one day to spend at Disney, we decided to opt for Magic Kingdom -- the Disneyest of all.
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| The Happiest Place on Earth! |
I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. I was very impressed that the lines and the rides were mostly indoors, so even though it rained off and on all day, it was manageable. Yes, we did get completely soaked at one point (and had to buy t-shirts to change into), but it was great. My favorite ride of the day was the Haunted Mansion. More of a drive-through show than ride, it was amazing. Loved the holographic ghosts. Super, super cool. My favorite part? Meeting Mickey and Minnie, of course. Hubby totally made fun of me, but I don't care. He wasn't nearly as thrilled as I was, but what can I say? I'm a kid at heart! (I'm working on uploading a photo of that, but it isn't cooperating. I'll try to get to it later.)
For dinner at Magic Kingdom, we ate at Tony's Town Square. (Think Lady and the Tramp sit-down Italian.) The highlight of the meal? Surprisingly, it was a tomato and mozzerella salad dressed in balsamic vinegar. What's that you say? "Don't you hate tomatoes?" Yes. But I guess there was some Disney magic going on, because it was fantastic. I think the combination of all the components is what did it for me. It was less about the tomato and more about the dish itself. And it was pretty.
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| Yummy tomatoes.. something I never thought I'd say! |
We also had yummy snack, but I'll share more about that tomorrow! (Hint: it comes with a recipe!)
Finally, on our food and fun road trip, one more Italian place. (We like it, can you tell?) We had originally planned to dress all up and head to a nice steak house on our last night in Florida. Unfortunately, the directions we had for the one we planned to go to were pretty crappy, and we couldn't find it. So, we set back toward the hotel intent on finding something good. Well, a mile before we got back to the hotel, we spotted this place we'd passed by all week long, Melo's Ristorante. We decided to give it a try. It looked pretty run-of-the-mill on the outside, but the parking lot was packed, and that's always a good sign.
Finally, on our food and fun road trip, one more Italian place. (We like it, can you tell?) We had originally planned to dress all up and head to a nice steak house on our last night in Florida. Unfortunately, the directions we had for the one we planned to go to were pretty crappy, and we couldn't find it. So, we set back toward the hotel intent on finding something good. Well, a mile before we got back to the hotel, we spotted this place we'd passed by all week long, Melo's Ristorante. We decided to give it a try. It looked pretty run-of-the-mill on the outside, but the parking lot was packed, and that's always a good sign.
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| Melo's Ristorante, Indian Harbour, FL |
I had to steal this picture from the restaurant's website because the photo I took that evening didn't save. Anyway, it looked nice enough on the outside, so we stopped. What we found inside was even better! It is a really nice, quaint-upscale (is that even a thing?) Italian restaurant. The owner has been doing the cooking for over 20 years. He uses fresh ingredients and everything is homemade - pasta, sauces, hand-pounded cutlets, hand cut steaks, you name it. The service was excellent. We shared a server with only 2 other tables. Tuxedo pants, white shirt, white towel, bow tie. They filled your water glass nearly every time you took a sip, and were incredibly friendly and professional.
We had some calimari for an appetizer, and HOLY COW. I love calimari, but I don't think I'll ever enjoy it as much from the chain places. It was hand cut, perect light breading, and melt-in-your-mouth tender, which is atypical of calimari. My entree was veal parmigiana (one of my favorites,) and it was fantastic. The homemade linguini and sauce was to die for. Hubby had a veal porterhouse and some kind of green vegetable that I'd never seen or heard of. The steak was thick, cooked to perfection, and although the greens were a little bitter for his taste, he said they were cooked and seasoned wonderfully. Although we were absolutely stuffed, we couldn't turn down house-made dessert. He had a half-slice of key lime raspberry white chocolate cheesecake (yep), and it was wonderful. Mine was better, though. I had a cannoli.. mmmm... I can almost smell it now just thinking about it. Perfect.
Our week-long vacation was pretty amazing, but I have to say it is wonderful to be home in my own bed, in my own space, and with my sweet "Fur-Baby" Asa. Hope you enjoyed your virtual trip alongside us, and happy travels to you this vacation season! :)
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Super Quick Update!
Hello, faithful followers! (Ok, I think there are 2 of you.) Just a short and quick update to let you know that I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, and to (hopefully) intrigue you of things to come.
Here's what I have in the works for you lovelies in the days to come! (In no particular order)
*Travel Update!
*Products I LOVE test runs and thoughts
*A tasty recipe :-D
*A crafty project
*Classroom things
I know, I know! I'm a magical conglomoration of topics. I like to think of it as "a little something for everyone."
Until then....
Here's what I have in the works for you lovelies in the days to come! (In no particular order)
*Travel Update!
*Products I LOVE test runs and thoughts
*A tasty recipe :-D
*A crafty project
*Classroom things
I know, I know! I'm a magical conglomoration of topics. I like to think of it as "a little something for everyone."
Until then....
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Painting with a ....Twist ;)
Here's what you will need:
A large disposable plastic table cloth
Green, Red, Yellow,and Blue paint (I used 2 large-size bottles of acrylic paint in each color -- you could use tempera if you wanted it to be washable. We wanted to stain our shirts, so we chose acrylic.)
White paint (optional, just for extra messiness.. )
A Twister board spinner
(You can make cards to draw out of a hat if you don't own the game!)
Old clothes
That's it! You play just like regular Twister, but here's what happens....
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| During the game.... we had just started! |
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| The aftermath! |
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Youth VBS and an easy, yummy snack!
Last night, we "visited" the Paricutin Volcano in Mexico. Wow.. what a shock it must have been for the guy just casually plowing his cornfield with then ground split open and a volcano began to grow. Insane! I cannot imagine..
Anyway, in tribute to our Mexico lesson, we had fajitas for dinner (picked up from Los Pantalones in PVille...) and I made the snack suggested for dessert... sopapillas!
Have you guys had sopapillas? (Come on, I know you have!) They are so yummy! Puffy little airpockets rolled in cinnamon sugar, drizzled with honey... I've made them before, but it has always required a good bit of time.. mixing and kneading the dough, rolling them out, cutting them into pieces, frying, sugaring.. Don't get me wrong, they are fantastic, but they just take a lot of time.
Well, guess what! I found a SUPER easy short cut that I'm about to share! I looked at several different recipes before I realized the sopapilla dough and homemade tortilla dough are VERY similar, so here is my twist. Pretty tasty if I do say so myself!
Short-cut Sopapillas
8-10 flour tortillas -- the fresher the better!
(I used handmade tortillas from the Latin section in our local deli)
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Honey and/or Chocolate syrup for drizzling
Mix cinnamon and sugar together in a small paper bag. Set aside. In a heavy pan, heat about 1 inch of oil to 350 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer, insert the tip of the end of a wooden spoon. When it gives off a steady stream of small bubbles, it's ready.
Cut the tortillas into wedges (I cut them into fourths). When your oil is ready, place 4-5 wedges into the oil (single layer) and fry, flipping frequently. Your tortilla wedges should reach a light golden color. (Takes about 2-3 minutes). Place on paper towel to drain slightly.
Once your tortillas are fried, but before they are completely cool, put a few at a time in the bag of cinnamon sugar, and shake to coat! That's it! Serve them drizzled with honey or chocolate sauce.
They can be stored in a ziploc bag to give as gifts or to save for later.. if you have any left! Yummy!
Enjoy!
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| Chel with her yummy sopapillas! |
Friday, June 8, 2012
Friday Update!
So, in my last post, I rambled on a bit about dreams and how I miss my sweet college friends. Wellll.... today, I went with my mom to an appointment, and then we ran a couple of errands at the mall, and I am SUPER pleased to say that I bumped into my dear friend KB! (She was pictured in the first photo of the last post.)
I can't tell you how excited I was to see her beautiful smiling face (and her precious baby bump)!Although we only chatted for a few minutes, it reminded me that although time and distance may separate us from our friends, our true friends are still exactly that. While we chatted I told her that I had a silly dream about our group, and we both agree that we should stage a little reunion of sorts. I'm completely down.
Happy weekend, y'all! I know I'm starting mine off a little bit happier and springier because I ran into my friend!
I can't tell you how excited I was to see her beautiful smiling face (and her precious baby bump)!Although we only chatted for a few minutes, it reminded me that although time and distance may separate us from our friends, our true friends are still exactly that. While we chatted I told her that I had a silly dream about our group, and we both agree that we should stage a little reunion of sorts. I'm completely down.
Happy weekend, y'all! I know I'm starting mine off a little bit happier and springier because I ran into my friend!
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| "Vintage" photo of B-Dub, KB, and Mandy :) |
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Subconcious + Imagination = ....?
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| My beautiful girlfriends! Miss them! |
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| My best friend and me! |
They can also draw up and contort visions of the past. If anyone of you knew me during my college years, and the couple years following, you probably know I had some amazing friends, had a ton of adventures, and that I love and miss those friends and times dearly. You probably also know that my BFF was a dude, and we were generally inseperable. But, time and distance change things, and looking back I can see that we were in a weirdly co-dependent relationship. It was kind of psychotic really, and if I spoke to him today, I would probably apologize for being so dang... ugh. (Side note, he owes me a lot of apologies, too! I promise I wasn't the only crazy one in that relationship!) I should probably apologize to all of my other friends for that relationship, too, but there's not enough time in the world, and that's another post.
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| A lovely bunch of my friends and me at a college formal |
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| Zoo escapades |
Anyway, this dream. I can't remember exactly what happened. That's the funny thing about dreams. As vivid as they are, and as much as you repeat to yourself throughout the dream that you will remember every last detail, you never do. I do remember a restaurant with a group of dear friends, and I remember reading a letter from said BFF. Actually, a letter to him, and a letter from him. In the dream, I could see each word printed on the page (literally, it was a print-out of an email,) and the letter from me described what I think would be exactly what I would say to him if I were to relay my current understanding of our former friendship. Only.. the letter took place during our final year of college.. so it's my current perspective, had I told him in the past. (I know, dreams are weird like that!) And the letter from him.. well, I found it shocking. It's not at all what I would have ever dreamed (haha pun intended) he would say to me.
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| Another formal |
Does that mean anything? I have no idea. Why am I even dreaming about this? Do I need closure from this former friendship? I mean, we didn't split on bad terms. My goodness, we grew up, we grew apart, we married our fantastic spouses, we moved away, started careers..
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| Alaskan adventure with one of my best pals! (yeah, we climbed that mountain barefoot!) |
Dreams perplex me.
Subconcious + Imagination = Simply Confusion.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Organization... I don't have it!
Ok, so I know it's summer, and technically, according to societal norms, I'm supposed to be relaxing by the pool, sleeping in, sippin' fruity drinks, so on, and so forth. However, today I spent my day going through a mountain of papers that were sititng on the island in the kitchen.
For literally hours, I separated, shredded, categorized, and filed papers in a binder. I found 2 (TWO!) checks that needed to cashed that were just piled on there (totalling no more than $15 combined, mind you), one of which had not even been opened! (It was addressed to the husband, fyi.)
How on earth do I let all of that junk pile up? It seems like I'm so busy that when I get home, I check my mail, pay whatever bill needs to be paid, and leave the rest of it for later when I have "more time." Then I jump into washing clothes, fixing supper, or whatever else seems to be more important. There has GOT to be a better way. I mean, I can't let all of that stuff pile up until May every year!
So far today, here is what I did:
I took a gigantic binder, sectioned it off with dividers, and labeled them "bills and statements, insurance, healthcare, services and memberships, bank" and I tried to "file" everything in order oldest to newest so I can stick new arrivals on top. I may not do it every time something new comes in, but I'm going to at least try to get it all filed a couple times a month.
My question is this: How do you keep it all together? Do you have a specific routine, location, or system? I need help!!!
For literally hours, I separated, shredded, categorized, and filed papers in a binder. I found 2 (TWO!) checks that needed to cashed that were just piled on there (totalling no more than $15 combined, mind you), one of which had not even been opened! (It was addressed to the husband, fyi.)
How on earth do I let all of that junk pile up? It seems like I'm so busy that when I get home, I check my mail, pay whatever bill needs to be paid, and leave the rest of it for later when I have "more time." Then I jump into washing clothes, fixing supper, or whatever else seems to be more important. There has GOT to be a better way. I mean, I can't let all of that stuff pile up until May every year!
So far today, here is what I did:
I took a gigantic binder, sectioned it off with dividers, and labeled them "bills and statements, insurance, healthcare, services and memberships, bank" and I tried to "file" everything in order oldest to newest so I can stick new arrivals on top. I may not do it every time something new comes in, but I'm going to at least try to get it all filed a couple times a month.
My question is this: How do you keep it all together? Do you have a specific routine, location, or system? I need help!!!
Monday, June 4, 2012
The Monster Under My Bed
I awoke this morning, promptly at... 2 AM. I heard scratching, scurrying, and I... I panicked. I had heard that sound before. I knew where it came from. There was a MOUSE in my bedroom.
I tried to ignore it; "It's probably in the attic," I thought. "There's only been a mouse in my house once, and it was promptly caught. It came in from outside when we moved an above-ground pool. It won't bother me. It's not in here." And I went back to sleep.
At 3 AM, I woke up again. The dreadful sound of crinkling paper filled my ears. "Oh no.. it's in here, and it's nesting!" I thought. Complete terror filled my being. If it was moving in, it must have a family. But the crinkling stopped, and I decided it must be in my imagination.
4:30 AM, and I'm once again bright-eyed. More scurrying. Where was this taking place? I couldn't quite locate the sound in the pitch dark, and I didn't dare sit up. What if it got me?!
5:30 AM, and this time, Keith heard it too. He sat bolt upright at the sound of crinkling, scurrying, nesting.. "Wal-Mart is open in 30 minutes," he said. "I'm going to get a trap." My worst nightmare come to fruition: a mouse was sharing my bedroom.
I didn't go back to sleep then, but decided to wait in bed. I didn't want to put my feet on the floor, lest it attack me.
A few minutes after 6, as the rattling continued, and light poured through the cracks in the blinds, I decided I would be brave. I sat up in bed. I scooted down to the foot of the bed, and sat perfectly still. Again, with the noise! Someone must stop this vile creature before it set up a home inside mine!
Carefully, slowly, I peered over the footboard.
A gift bag, left over from my birthday a few days ago, sat just at the foot of my bed, billowing with tissue paper. I had forgotten to put it away. Just then, I heard a crinkle, and I realized... the monster was inside the abandoned bag! It could easily leap onto the bed and gouge my eyes out with it's monstrous claws! I called Keith's cell phone -- no answer! I left a message.. GET HERE NOW!! I FOUND IT!!!
I couldn't see the creature, and I knew to dodge its attack, I must turn on the light to keep it within my sight. I leaned as hard as I could across the void between the bed and the wall where the light switch resides. I flipped it, and the crinkling, scratching, nesting went WILD!
I jumped back to my place of saftey, and lifted only my eyes above the headboard to look back into the bag, when I saw it...
It was brown. It scurried quickly over the matching brown tissue paper making the most noise you could possibly imagine....
It was a bug. Just then, Keith came in. "I FOUND IT!" I shrieked.
I showed him. He smushed it.
Vengeance. Is. Mine.
I tried to ignore it; "It's probably in the attic," I thought. "There's only been a mouse in my house once, and it was promptly caught. It came in from outside when we moved an above-ground pool. It won't bother me. It's not in here." And I went back to sleep.
At 3 AM, I woke up again. The dreadful sound of crinkling paper filled my ears. "Oh no.. it's in here, and it's nesting!" I thought. Complete terror filled my being. If it was moving in, it must have a family. But the crinkling stopped, and I decided it must be in my imagination.
4:30 AM, and I'm once again bright-eyed. More scurrying. Where was this taking place? I couldn't quite locate the sound in the pitch dark, and I didn't dare sit up. What if it got me?!
5:30 AM, and this time, Keith heard it too. He sat bolt upright at the sound of crinkling, scurrying, nesting.. "Wal-Mart is open in 30 minutes," he said. "I'm going to get a trap." My worst nightmare come to fruition: a mouse was sharing my bedroom.
I didn't go back to sleep then, but decided to wait in bed. I didn't want to put my feet on the floor, lest it attack me.
A few minutes after 6, as the rattling continued, and light poured through the cracks in the blinds, I decided I would be brave. I sat up in bed. I scooted down to the foot of the bed, and sat perfectly still. Again, with the noise! Someone must stop this vile creature before it set up a home inside mine!
Carefully, slowly, I peered over the footboard.
A gift bag, left over from my birthday a few days ago, sat just at the foot of my bed, billowing with tissue paper. I had forgotten to put it away. Just then, I heard a crinkle, and I realized... the monster was inside the abandoned bag! It could easily leap onto the bed and gouge my eyes out with it's monstrous claws! I called Keith's cell phone -- no answer! I left a message.. GET HERE NOW!! I FOUND IT!!!
I couldn't see the creature, and I knew to dodge its attack, I must turn on the light to keep it within my sight. I leaned as hard as I could across the void between the bed and the wall where the light switch resides. I flipped it, and the crinkling, scratching, nesting went WILD!
I jumped back to my place of saftey, and lifted only my eyes above the headboard to look back into the bag, when I saw it...
It was brown. It scurried quickly over the matching brown tissue paper making the most noise you could possibly imagine....
It was a bug. Just then, Keith came in. "I FOUND IT!" I shrieked.
I showed him. He smushed it.
Vengeance. Is. Mine.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Sweet Summer Time
One final bell. The engines rumble. Air brakes release with a whoosh. Squeals of joy and excitement fill the air, and laughter rings out all around. With a squeak, the doors close behind them, and the tires crunch rocks as they leave the parking lot.
The buses are gone. The kids are gone. The halls are empty. The teachers rejoice! It's summer!
What's your favorite thing about the end of the school year?
The buses are gone. The kids are gone. The halls are empty. The teachers rejoice! It's summer!
What's your favorite thing about the end of the school year?
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Heartbroken
I love all the kids I teach. I love the ones who misbehave, the ones who never study. I love the ones who are over-achievers, the ones who have no place to live, the ones who live in mansions and dress to the nines, and the ones who break dress code. I love the ones who work my last nerve, the ones who do everything right, and all the ones in between. I love the short ones, tall ones, graceful ones, uncoordinated ones, bookworms, the ones who have an inch of dust on their textbooks, and the ones who don't know where their textbooks are at all. I love the musical ones, the ones who can dance, the ones who can make me laugh, the ones who make me cry, the ones who play sports, the ones who cheer, the ones who draw, the ones who write, and the ones who brood in the corner from so much teenage angst they drip with it.
And that's why it breaks my heart when one is absolutely convinced that I hate him or her. I try every day to show all of my kids I care. I know I'm not perfect, and I don't claim to be the teacher-of-the-year, but I try. I try very hard. I try very hard not to show favoritism to students. It's very hard sometimes when some students are very open and outgoing and you know every detail of their lives and some never so much as utter a hello to you, but I try to make them all feel special, because they are.
I would never want my students to feel that I like someone more, that I care more about someone else's day, or that I would prefer another to out-perform, or succeed more than them.
But today, one does. And so I am heartbroken. And I hope, that by the grace of God, and the wisdom and sensitivity He provides me through this situation, that she will know, and she will feel, that she is loved by many... and one of them, one of her biggest fans... is me.
And that's why it breaks my heart when one is absolutely convinced that I hate him or her. I try every day to show all of my kids I care. I know I'm not perfect, and I don't claim to be the teacher-of-the-year, but I try. I try very hard. I try very hard not to show favoritism to students. It's very hard sometimes when some students are very open and outgoing and you know every detail of their lives and some never so much as utter a hello to you, but I try to make them all feel special, because they are.
I would never want my students to feel that I like someone more, that I care more about someone else's day, or that I would prefer another to out-perform, or succeed more than them.
But today, one does. And so I am heartbroken. And I hope, that by the grace of God, and the wisdom and sensitivity He provides me through this situation, that she will know, and she will feel, that she is loved by many... and one of them, one of her biggest fans... is me.
Monday, April 2, 2012
A Teacher's Letter to David Vitter
I originally sent this to David Vitter, after reading an e-mail from him condemning teachers for standing up against Act 54. I think all of our officials, as well as our citizens need to understand what Act 54 really does.
Senator Vitter,
As a Louisiana public school teacher who has also taught in the private sector, I completely agree with you that learning is not going on in classrooms. However, it is not because teachers are lobbying at the capitol.
Meaningful learning is not taking place in public school classrooms because of the "reform" that elected officials are imposing on our teachers and schools. Teachers are being forced to "teach to the test" in order to save their jobs and measure up to the high-stakes ranking system that will soon be in place, leaving all meaningful curriculum instruction in jeopardy. Teachers are required to push material that is stressed on standardized tests (and will continue to do so under the new common core plan,) without regard to the knowledge students really need.
Our public schools are also understaffed. Even small schools, such as the one at which I teach, are full of classrooms that are completely over-loaded. Good teachers are forced to teach outside of their certification areas, and are then punished for it by the State. Small classrooms built sixty years ago to hold twenty small, elementary –aged children now house twenty-five or more teenagers. We don’t even have room for our students, but we are supposed to also find space for completing project-based learning, hands-on use of technology, and group exercises. And when these twenty-five to thirty teenaged students become rowdy, teachers are admonished by the higher-ups for not keeping up with “good classroom management” practices.
Take into the account the teacher ranking that was published in New York City. Teachers were ranked from highest to lowest performing, and had their names printed in the New York Times, regardless of the fact that the study which determined rank was said to have as much as 53% margin of error! How many of you, our elected officials, would like the same study published regarding your job performance?
I agree that teachers, just like workers in any other profession, need to be held accountable. However, let's actually give teachers the tools needed to do their jobs before giving a grade. Teachers need a solid curriculum with accurate evaluation methods for every student. We need books, materials, technology, and real-world experiences to share with our students that will aid our lessons. We need co-workers, support teams, administration, and elected officials who are informed, stand FOR teachers, students, and learning, and not just "reform." We need professional development, suitable classroom facilities, and discipline, not high-stakes testing. We need financial stability for school systems, constructive criticism, and enough staff to make our class-size manageable, not vouchers that will send our students elsewhere.
The majority of Louisiana teachers care deeply for their students. Our government claims to care about them as well. When will our elected officials begin to truly care for teachers? At many times, it seems to be forgotten that without good teachers, you wouldn’t be where you are today.
Sincerely,
Tracy C.
XXXXX Parish
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