If you've ever moved, you know there is a constant to-do list full of errands, phone calls, packing, and purging.
If you've ever moved with the military, you know that there is all that, plus inordinate amount of red tape and seemingly purposeless paperwork. So we've been busy.
A part of me almost felt guilty for ending my job a full three weeks before our move date. I thought, "Man, joke's on them, I'll use two days to organize and run errands and the other two and a half weeks to work on my tan before we ascend to cloudy NoCal!"
That part of me had never done a military move. That part of me was wrong. That part of me is currently sitting in time out and cannot have any wine.
We've been crazy busy every day with all sorts of things. The logistics of moving two people, two cars, a boat trailer (that we apparently don't own... DMV headache), a boat, and a Chiweenie are infinitely more detailed than I ever would have imagined. Which has actually been a blessing, because it has made it much easier to let go and move away.
I haven't missed my job very much at all this week, mostly for two reasons:
1. I can pee whenever I want. Whenever I want. Only teachers truly understand how precious of a gift this is. I can also go to the bank, the post office, the dentist... all luxuries previously restricted to summer.
2. I forgot what #2 was, I was so excited about #1. Literally!
Also, our closing date for Rawlings has come and gone, sadly. This doesn't mean that we lost the house (Lord knows no one else is going to buy it!), but it does make it far less likely that the repairs we need done will be completed by the time we get there. Which likely means we will be living in a hotel and our stuff will be living in storage, at least for a little while. When buying from a bank rather than another human, this kind of thing happens. We are just hoping and praying that everything works out and that we can make this house what it really could be. We are keeping our fingers crossed that everything will work out, and soon!
My next post will (hopefully) be from California, as we are having our Internet disconnected on Monday.
So, bon voyage Del Rio. You were a lot like high school. I had a fun time while I was here, I learned a lot, and I had several embarrassing moments... but I very sincerely hope I never see you again! :)
Showing posts with label Del Rio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Del Rio. Show all posts
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
The end.
Yesterday was my last day at work.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I didn't enjoy my job most of the time. For many reasons, it just wasn't a good fit. And then, in the same breath, I loved it. I loved my students so much. For many of them, my classroom and my school was the only place they felt loved. For those who have ever worked with low-income, minority, or low-achieving students, you know what I mean. My students were all three. I felt like I was their parent, and now I am abandoning them.
Yesterday, I was fine all day long. We said goodbyes, we laughed, we told stories about the year. The kids signed a poster for me and helped me clean up the room and pack my stuff. Many of them asked their teachers if they could stay in my room all day, and a lot of them did. I was happy the whole day, because like I said, I'm happy to leave that job. Then, the last bell rang, I went to the cafeteria to pull duty, and I just lost it. Not shed a little tear, but full blow sobbing. Of course my kids saw me and they seemed so shocked that I was finally showing emotion. I tried to be the strong, mature one (hello, I'm the teacher) all day and I just couldn't hold back anymore. I'm just going to miss them so much, in all their rotten, bratty, whiny, insubordinate, disrespectful glory. I also feel an enormous amount of responsibility and guilt.
I did what everybody always told me NOT to do: I took my students home. I worried about them constantly. Everything I did at school was for them, and everything I did at home to prepare for school was about them. One student in particular is a little girl who I also had last year (yes, that means she was repeating the 8th grade. We called it a "victory lap" like they do with 5th year seniors in college), and I'll call her Elizabeth here to protect her. I would have adopted this little girl if she needed it, and I'm not joking. I love her dearly and I'm going to miss her terribly. When all I could think about was taking the day off because I hated my job, I would think about her and get out of bed. Sometimes, she was the only reason I went to school. She wasn't the only student of mine that I cared for, of course, but because we had spent two years together, and because she was one of my worst kids last year and had totally turned around, we had a different relationship than I had with my other students. I remember the first day of school this year, when I found out she was repeating and I had her in my class again, and I remember feeling so comforted. Starting a new school year is terrifying, even for the teachers, and seeing a familiar face was so nice. We kept up the rapport the entire year, and when I told my class that I was leaving, Elizabeth burst into tears right away. I knew I was doomed.
The thing is, I really believe in these kids. I really believe that they are all smart enough to go to college, cure cancer and all that. I'm not just saying that because I'm a teacher and I'm supposed to. Remember that I taught a tutorial math class, specifically for kids who had failed a grade and/or the state math test. My school definitely didn't send me the "best and the brightest" as they say. Do you want to know what I taught them the last two weeks I was there? Polyhedrons. Interior polygonal angles. Plane geometry. Surface area of compound figures. Basic principals of engineering. None of those things are explicitly on the list of state standards I'm supposed to teach in the 8th grade (although they use concepts that are, of course), but they are on the list of standards for 9th, 10th, and 11th grade. My kids loved it. One of my students told me at the very beginning of the year that I was the first teacher he ever had that told him he was smart.
Stop just for a second and think about that. Can you imagine?? What if no one EVER told you that you were smart, worthy, capable?
By the way, I also told that student's father that he was smart, and do you know what he said, "No, he's not."
My point is, I feel terrible. I'm so sad and I've been crying intermittently since I left campus yesterday. I want to be the person that these kids can count on. They need consistency and a solid adult role model. I was that, and now I'm just another adult that let them down. That's why I was crying. Elizabeth will be fine. She really will. I expect her to send me a picture of her college graduation, and I bet she'll become a teacher. I'm so proud of her. I'm proud to say that I was a part of her life, even if I had to leave early. But I wonder about if I could have been to all my students what I was to Elizabeth. When we move to California, we'll be living in a much wealthier area with much better schools. Those kids, no matter where I work, won't be as desperate as some of the kids here. They won't need me. It makes me want to stay. Don't worry, I reality check myself quickly. I'm so excited to move to California and my obligations to Art exponentially outweigh my obligations to my kids. But it still doesn't feel very good. I'm still so sad.
I wrote a letter to my students, fully intending on copying it and giving them each a copy. In the end, I decided not to. I thought it would blur that teacher-student boundary more than I wanted to. I already feel like their mother, and I thought it would be bad for them if I made them feel like my children. So I'll post it here, because I want to document how I feel about my kids and my job. I hope my kids go on to be successful, and remember what I tried so hard to teach them this and last year.
My Dear, Beloved Students,
I have tried to send these messages to you throughout our time together through our work and your learning. Since our time is unfortunately being cut short, I find the need to say them explicitly.
You can, and you must, go to college. This assumes your graduation from high school. This is not what I hope for you, it is what I expect of you. It will not come easily, your higher education, but it is your right and you must fight for it. IT is the only way to ensure comfort for yourselves and your families. You all (and I do mean all) are capable of doing it. Believe me, you're ten times smarter than some of the dummies I went to college with. Your performance in high school will determine the colleges that will accept you, so take your work seriously. Study. Ask questions. Challenge your teachers (with respect). Do not listen to anyone who tells you you can't, because I have told you you can. And clearly, I'm the smartest person you'll ever meet, so my opinion has more weight.
Find your passion in life and pursue it. Do not settle for mediocrity or low expectations. Whatever you do, ensure that your whole heart is in it, or do not do it., This world is full of amazing people and experiences. Live it up. Celebrate everything. Do not let another human being meet you without leaving you a better person. Cherish your loved ones and give everyone second chances. These are the codes I live my life by, and they brought me to you.
You all can't possibly know the impact you've had on my life. You have made me more patient, kinder, happier, and more passionate about my work. You all have challenged me in was I never expected. I have loved watching you grow and I look forward to meeting the adults you become. Many people think I'm crazy for working with middle schoolers on purpose, but they don't know what I know. I'm the lucky one.
Good luck in the rest of the year and in your lives after.
It's been a real pleasure.
Much love,
Mrs. Bull
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I didn't enjoy my job most of the time. For many reasons, it just wasn't a good fit. And then, in the same breath, I loved it. I loved my students so much. For many of them, my classroom and my school was the only place they felt loved. For those who have ever worked with low-income, minority, or low-achieving students, you know what I mean. My students were all three. I felt like I was their parent, and now I am abandoning them.
Yesterday, I was fine all day long. We said goodbyes, we laughed, we told stories about the year. The kids signed a poster for me and helped me clean up the room and pack my stuff. Many of them asked their teachers if they could stay in my room all day, and a lot of them did. I was happy the whole day, because like I said, I'm happy to leave that job. Then, the last bell rang, I went to the cafeteria to pull duty, and I just lost it. Not shed a little tear, but full blow sobbing. Of course my kids saw me and they seemed so shocked that I was finally showing emotion. I tried to be the strong, mature one (hello, I'm the teacher) all day and I just couldn't hold back anymore. I'm just going to miss them so much, in all their rotten, bratty, whiny, insubordinate, disrespectful glory. I also feel an enormous amount of responsibility and guilt.
I did what everybody always told me NOT to do: I took my students home. I worried about them constantly. Everything I did at school was for them, and everything I did at home to prepare for school was about them. One student in particular is a little girl who I also had last year (yes, that means she was repeating the 8th grade. We called it a "victory lap" like they do with 5th year seniors in college), and I'll call her Elizabeth here to protect her. I would have adopted this little girl if she needed it, and I'm not joking. I love her dearly and I'm going to miss her terribly. When all I could think about was taking the day off because I hated my job, I would think about her and get out of bed. Sometimes, she was the only reason I went to school. She wasn't the only student of mine that I cared for, of course, but because we had spent two years together, and because she was one of my worst kids last year and had totally turned around, we had a different relationship than I had with my other students. I remember the first day of school this year, when I found out she was repeating and I had her in my class again, and I remember feeling so comforted. Starting a new school year is terrifying, even for the teachers, and seeing a familiar face was so nice. We kept up the rapport the entire year, and when I told my class that I was leaving, Elizabeth burst into tears right away. I knew I was doomed.
The thing is, I really believe in these kids. I really believe that they are all smart enough to go to college, cure cancer and all that. I'm not just saying that because I'm a teacher and I'm supposed to. Remember that I taught a tutorial math class, specifically for kids who had failed a grade and/or the state math test. My school definitely didn't send me the "best and the brightest" as they say. Do you want to know what I taught them the last two weeks I was there? Polyhedrons. Interior polygonal angles. Plane geometry. Surface area of compound figures. Basic principals of engineering. None of those things are explicitly on the list of state standards I'm supposed to teach in the 8th grade (although they use concepts that are, of course), but they are on the list of standards for 9th, 10th, and 11th grade. My kids loved it. One of my students told me at the very beginning of the year that I was the first teacher he ever had that told him he was smart.
Stop just for a second and think about that. Can you imagine?? What if no one EVER told you that you were smart, worthy, capable?
By the way, I also told that student's father that he was smart, and do you know what he said, "No, he's not."
My point is, I feel terrible. I'm so sad and I've been crying intermittently since I left campus yesterday. I want to be the person that these kids can count on. They need consistency and a solid adult role model. I was that, and now I'm just another adult that let them down. That's why I was crying. Elizabeth will be fine. She really will. I expect her to send me a picture of her college graduation, and I bet she'll become a teacher. I'm so proud of her. I'm proud to say that I was a part of her life, even if I had to leave early. But I wonder about if I could have been to all my students what I was to Elizabeth. When we move to California, we'll be living in a much wealthier area with much better schools. Those kids, no matter where I work, won't be as desperate as some of the kids here. They won't need me. It makes me want to stay. Don't worry, I reality check myself quickly. I'm so excited to move to California and my obligations to Art exponentially outweigh my obligations to my kids. But it still doesn't feel very good. I'm still so sad.
I wrote a letter to my students, fully intending on copying it and giving them each a copy. In the end, I decided not to. I thought it would blur that teacher-student boundary more than I wanted to. I already feel like their mother, and I thought it would be bad for them if I made them feel like my children. So I'll post it here, because I want to document how I feel about my kids and my job. I hope my kids go on to be successful, and remember what I tried so hard to teach them this and last year.
My Dear, Beloved Students,
I have tried to send these messages to you throughout our time together through our work and your learning. Since our time is unfortunately being cut short, I find the need to say them explicitly.
You can, and you must, go to college. This assumes your graduation from high school. This is not what I hope for you, it is what I expect of you. It will not come easily, your higher education, but it is your right and you must fight for it. IT is the only way to ensure comfort for yourselves and your families. You all (and I do mean all) are capable of doing it. Believe me, you're ten times smarter than some of the dummies I went to college with. Your performance in high school will determine the colleges that will accept you, so take your work seriously. Study. Ask questions. Challenge your teachers (with respect). Do not listen to anyone who tells you you can't, because I have told you you can. And clearly, I'm the smartest person you'll ever meet, so my opinion has more weight.
Find your passion in life and pursue it. Do not settle for mediocrity or low expectations. Whatever you do, ensure that your whole heart is in it, or do not do it., This world is full of amazing people and experiences. Live it up. Celebrate everything. Do not let another human being meet you without leaving you a better person. Cherish your loved ones and give everyone second chances. These are the codes I live my life by, and they brought me to you.
You all can't possibly know the impact you've had on my life. You have made me more patient, kinder, happier, and more passionate about my work. You all have challenged me in was I never expected. I have loved watching you grow and I look forward to meeting the adults you become. Many people think I'm crazy for working with middle schoolers on purpose, but they don't know what I know. I'm the lucky one.
Good luck in the rest of the year and in your lives after.
It's been a real pleasure.
Much love,
Mrs. Bull
Friday, August 26, 2011
First Week of Year Two
I'm going to blow your mind right now with a statement I know you've never pondered: Teaching is hard.
Like, really hard.
Maybe it's because I've grown accustomed in the last two months to quiet and reflection and creativity, but being 100% ON all the time while 160 13 to 16-year-olds stare at you and anxiously wait for you to make the tiniest mistake is exhausting.
And, apparently, bad for your body, because as I write this, I'm taking my first sick day from school. Five days in. It's not the flu or a cold or anything like that, so I'm pretty sure I didn't catch it from the kids. I'm pretty sure I was just born with an extraordinarily sensitive digestive tract on the verge of revolt at any moment. I've never had to go home sick from work before, but there was no way I was going to be able to teach and hurl at the same time in the same room.
All that being said, I had an awesome first week of school. Actually, I can't believe how awesome it's been. After last year and my explosive first day, followed by weeks of tears and exhaustion and frantically trying to figure out what I would do with my life now that teaching is obviously out, I was terrified for the first day of school. Terrified.
Over the summer, I read Harry and Rosemary Wong's book The First Days of School. I know I shouldn't buy into one book as my teaching Bible, but since last year's first day was so terrible, I figured I had to do something different to not repeat that experience. So I followed the book's advice and my first day went exactly as the book said it would.
A little bit about my assignment this year. My new administration created a new math class and gave that class to me. I feel very fortunate about this, because they didn't have to do it. I'm an employee of the district who is certified in language arts 4-8 and math 4-12, so they could honestly put me in any position they wanted. For a while there, it wasn't looking good that I would get to switch to math. The week before school started, my new principal told me that I would be teaching a class called Math II, which was exclusively for the 8th graders who had been retained because of their math scores, and the incoming 8th graders who failed their math TAKS last year.
Say that again? I'm a G/T certified teacher who taught advanced English last year... and you think I'm qualified to not only switch content areas but teach the kiddos that, by definition, don't get it?
But I love it. I love it so much. I love it more the first week than I ever loved my best day of teaching advanced kids. I've discovered an amazing level of patience with these kids I never knew I had. Yesterday I had them taking a pretest that covered topics that they absolutely have to know before they can advance to Algebra 1... things like graphing inequalities, linear equation tables, fractions and decimals, and ratios. This was all taught to them in 7th grade and they should, by state standards, have mastered it then. But I have the kids that didn't, and so I anticipated them not doing very well. But I got questions like... "How do you make a negative on the calculator?" "What does that dot between the two numbers mean?" "What does inequality mean?" "What if you don't know any of the answers?"
They are really struggling. But instead of being aghast that they came to 8th grade not knowing where the negative sign was on a calculator or what a multiplication sign was, I got excited because they had identified for me what they need to learn. And I can't wait to teach them. I realize I probably won't bring all of them up to Algebra 1 level by the time they leave, but the idea that they will leave my class knowing more than what they came in with excites me. I don't know if this happened last year. I made my advanced kids read Charles Dickens, who I adore. I'm pretty sure they left hating Dickens and are probably scarred for life. This year, every kid will know about negatives and positives and what signs are what. I can say that for sure.
Aside: If you had told me a decade ago that I would be a math teacher, an 8th grade math teacher of all things, I would have laughed. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and am like... what am I doing?!?
The absolute coolest thing about this assignment is that it's the students' second math class, so I get to design my own lessons and classroom and I get to move at whatever pace the kids need me to move at. This is a totally foreign concept to them because they are so used to being left behind. I could see the exhaustion in their faces when they took the pretest... "Welp, here's another 50 questions I can't do." Their behavior, which had been pretty perfect the three days leading up to yesterday, was dramatically worse during the test.
Hello... obviously! If someone asked me to color, I would have full attention on the coloring and enjoy making a pretty picture. If someone told me to build an airplane, I would last about 10 seconds before I daydreamed or doodled or did something else to avoid building that airplane, because I have no idea HOW to build an airplane... so why try if I know I'm only going to fail? That's what my kids are thinking every day they come to school. No wonder they act out and skip school. They're searching for something they're good at and can find success at, and math ain't it.
That is, until they met me. :) I'll start them off coloring, and then drawing their own picture and coloring it, and then creating their own 3D model and coloring it. They may not have an airplane built by the end of the year, but they will at least have the feeling that they could if they continue to work at it. This of course is a very simplified analogy, but I have a lot of faith in these kiddos. I LOVE teaching the struggling learners. I love the look on their faces when they ask a "dumb" question and are met with kindness and an answer rather than sarcasm and something like, "You should already know that."
Here's a funny story: We were numbering the pages in our notebooks. It's a 200-page composition notebook, so it's going to take awhile. I let them get started and was walking around the room to make sure everyone was doing it correctly. Then, something struck my mind and I said, "I'm assuming everyone knows how to count to 200, but if you have a question about what number comes next, be sure to ask." A little girl reached over the aisle to (lightly) punch a little boy's shoulder and said, "See, I told you you could ask her that." Some of them have probably never been in a classroom before where they could ask such low-level questions and get an actual answer rather than a nasty remark. I know I was guilty of that last year. This year, I've made a promise to myself and my kids that whatever they need to know, whether it's counting or two-step equations, they shouldn't feel ashamed to not know it.
It's going to be a great year. A lot of work and a lot of planning time on my part, but a great year. And if this is my last year in Del Rio (and we still don't know if it is or not), it will be a great way to go out.
Like, really hard.
Maybe it's because I've grown accustomed in the last two months to quiet and reflection and creativity, but being 100% ON all the time while 160 13 to 16-year-olds stare at you and anxiously wait for you to make the tiniest mistake is exhausting.
And, apparently, bad for your body, because as I write this, I'm taking my first sick day from school. Five days in. It's not the flu or a cold or anything like that, so I'm pretty sure I didn't catch it from the kids. I'm pretty sure I was just born with an extraordinarily sensitive digestive tract on the verge of revolt at any moment. I've never had to go home sick from work before, but there was no way I was going to be able to teach and hurl at the same time in the same room.
All that being said, I had an awesome first week of school. Actually, I can't believe how awesome it's been. After last year and my explosive first day, followed by weeks of tears and exhaustion and frantically trying to figure out what I would do with my life now that teaching is obviously out, I was terrified for the first day of school. Terrified.
Over the summer, I read Harry and Rosemary Wong's book The First Days of School. I know I shouldn't buy into one book as my teaching Bible, but since last year's first day was so terrible, I figured I had to do something different to not repeat that experience. So I followed the book's advice and my first day went exactly as the book said it would.
A little bit about my assignment this year. My new administration created a new math class and gave that class to me. I feel very fortunate about this, because they didn't have to do it. I'm an employee of the district who is certified in language arts 4-8 and math 4-12, so they could honestly put me in any position they wanted. For a while there, it wasn't looking good that I would get to switch to math. The week before school started, my new principal told me that I would be teaching a class called Math II, which was exclusively for the 8th graders who had been retained because of their math scores, and the incoming 8th graders who failed their math TAKS last year.
Say that again? I'm a G/T certified teacher who taught advanced English last year... and you think I'm qualified to not only switch content areas but teach the kiddos that, by definition, don't get it?
But I love it. I love it so much. I love it more the first week than I ever loved my best day of teaching advanced kids. I've discovered an amazing level of patience with these kids I never knew I had. Yesterday I had them taking a pretest that covered topics that they absolutely have to know before they can advance to Algebra 1... things like graphing inequalities, linear equation tables, fractions and decimals, and ratios. This was all taught to them in 7th grade and they should, by state standards, have mastered it then. But I have the kids that didn't, and so I anticipated them not doing very well. But I got questions like... "How do you make a negative on the calculator?" "What does that dot between the two numbers mean?" "What does inequality mean?" "What if you don't know any of the answers?"
They are really struggling. But instead of being aghast that they came to 8th grade not knowing where the negative sign was on a calculator or what a multiplication sign was, I got excited because they had identified for me what they need to learn. And I can't wait to teach them. I realize I probably won't bring all of them up to Algebra 1 level by the time they leave, but the idea that they will leave my class knowing more than what they came in with excites me. I don't know if this happened last year. I made my advanced kids read Charles Dickens, who I adore. I'm pretty sure they left hating Dickens and are probably scarred for life. This year, every kid will know about negatives and positives and what signs are what. I can say that for sure.
Aside: If you had told me a decade ago that I would be a math teacher, an 8th grade math teacher of all things, I would have laughed. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and am like... what am I doing?!?
The absolute coolest thing about this assignment is that it's the students' second math class, so I get to design my own lessons and classroom and I get to move at whatever pace the kids need me to move at. This is a totally foreign concept to them because they are so used to being left behind. I could see the exhaustion in their faces when they took the pretest... "Welp, here's another 50 questions I can't do." Their behavior, which had been pretty perfect the three days leading up to yesterday, was dramatically worse during the test.
Hello... obviously! If someone asked me to color, I would have full attention on the coloring and enjoy making a pretty picture. If someone told me to build an airplane, I would last about 10 seconds before I daydreamed or doodled or did something else to avoid building that airplane, because I have no idea HOW to build an airplane... so why try if I know I'm only going to fail? That's what my kids are thinking every day they come to school. No wonder they act out and skip school. They're searching for something they're good at and can find success at, and math ain't it.
That is, until they met me. :) I'll start them off coloring, and then drawing their own picture and coloring it, and then creating their own 3D model and coloring it. They may not have an airplane built by the end of the year, but they will at least have the feeling that they could if they continue to work at it. This of course is a very simplified analogy, but I have a lot of faith in these kiddos. I LOVE teaching the struggling learners. I love the look on their faces when they ask a "dumb" question and are met with kindness and an answer rather than sarcasm and something like, "You should already know that."
Here's a funny story: We were numbering the pages in our notebooks. It's a 200-page composition notebook, so it's going to take awhile. I let them get started and was walking around the room to make sure everyone was doing it correctly. Then, something struck my mind and I said, "I'm assuming everyone knows how to count to 200, but if you have a question about what number comes next, be sure to ask." A little girl reached over the aisle to (lightly) punch a little boy's shoulder and said, "See, I told you you could ask her that." Some of them have probably never been in a classroom before where they could ask such low-level questions and get an actual answer rather than a nasty remark. I know I was guilty of that last year. This year, I've made a promise to myself and my kids that whatever they need to know, whether it's counting or two-step equations, they shouldn't feel ashamed to not know it.
It's going to be a great year. A lot of work and a lot of planning time on my part, but a great year. And if this is my last year in Del Rio (and we still don't know if it is or not), it will be a great way to go out.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
30 Day Picture Challenge - Day... the rest of them.
Before I ramble on, I have to request some prayers for the families in my community. A bus carrying band members from Del Rio High School crashed into a semi yesterday on their way to Florida. The last I heard, two students were still in ICU but the other 25 or so that were hospitalized were released. There were no fatalities, which is really lucky, but all these students I'm sure are traumatized from this accident. Please say some prayers for them!
And back to my lateness...
I warned you. However, I have been berated by my friends and family for being a bad blogger. So, thank to some help from my friends Bill and Caiti, I redesigned the blog and am ready to be better about keeping in touch. Especially since I have a lot of upcoming sewing projects to blog about! Plus, summer's HERE, and since I did not pick up a part-time job, I'll be dedicating my summer to the things I neglected during the school year... chores, my hobbies, my hair... all the things that need the most work! But anyway, since I can't start something with out finishing it (sooner or later)... here's the rest of your 30 days!
Day 8 - A Picture that Makes You Laugh
Day 9 - A Picture of the Person that has Gotten You Through the Most
Day 10 - The Person You Do the Most Messed Up Things With
I don't really know what this one means.. ?
Day 11 - A Picture of Something You Hate
Well, I wouldn't even begin to try to Google for such a thing or post a picture. If you really hate me, you ought to find as many pictures of mimes as you can and tape them to my walls. I hate mimes. I hate even thinking about mimes. Seriously, right now my heart rate is skyrocketing because I'm thinking about them. My deep seeded fear/hatred I believe stems from an assembly at Holy Angels, somewhere in the early 90s. Clara was with me, and if she wants to tell the story, she may. But I'll be busy doing my best to forget I ever saw a mime in my life.
Day 12 - A Picture of Something You Love
Day 13 - A Picture of Your Favorite Band or Artist
Day 14 - A Picture of Someone You Could Never Imagine Your Life Without
Day 15 - A Picture of Something You Want to Do Before You Die
Day 16 - A Picture of Someone Who Inspires You
Day 17 - A Picture of Something that Has Made a Huge Impact on Your Life Recently
Day 18 - A Picture of Your Biggest Insecurity
I can't say I don't have insecurities. Of course I do. But, in the interest of overcoming them, I'm not going to give them the time. I'd rather spend time recognizing the things I'm good at!
Day 19 - A Picture and a Letter
I have no idea what this means. Sesame street?
Day 20 - A Picture of Somewhere You'd Love to Travel
Day 21 - A Picture Of Something You Wish You Could Forget
See Day #11.
Day 22 - A Picture of Something You Wish You Were Better At
Day 23 - A Picture of Your Favorite Book
Day 24 - A Picture of Something You Wish You Could Change
Day 25 - A Picture of Your Favorite Day
See Day... whatever the day was where I said my wedding! Day 6?
Day 26 - A Picture of Something That Means a Lot to You
Day 27 - A Picture of Yourself and a Family Member
Day 28 - A Picture of Something You're Afraid Of
See days 11 and 21.
Day 29 - A Picture That Can Always Make You Smile
Day 30 - A Picture of Someone You Miss
And that's that. In the next couple of days I have a sewing room to organize, laundry to do, books to read, and Peanut to cuddle. I love summer!
And back to my lateness...
I warned you. However, I have been berated by my friends and family for being a bad blogger. So, thank to some help from my friends Bill and Caiti, I redesigned the blog and am ready to be better about keeping in touch. Especially since I have a lot of upcoming sewing projects to blog about! Plus, summer's HERE, and since I did not pick up a part-time job, I'll be dedicating my summer to the things I neglected during the school year... chores, my hobbies, my hair... all the things that need the most work! But anyway, since I can't start something with out finishing it (sooner or later)... here's the rest of your 30 days!
Day 8 - A Picture that Makes You Laugh
Hahaha. :) This is the first picture I ever saw of my sister! She was not a fat baby at all, but this picture made her look like a little squash!
Day 9 - A Picture of the Person that has Gotten You Through the Most
Duh!
Day 10 - The Person You Do the Most Messed Up Things With
I don't really know what this one means.. ?
Day 11 - A Picture of Something You Hate
Well, I wouldn't even begin to try to Google for such a thing or post a picture. If you really hate me, you ought to find as many pictures of mimes as you can and tape them to my walls. I hate mimes. I hate even thinking about mimes. Seriously, right now my heart rate is skyrocketing because I'm thinking about them. My deep seeded fear/hatred I believe stems from an assembly at Holy Angels, somewhere in the early 90s. Clara was with me, and if she wants to tell the story, she may. But I'll be busy doing my best to forget I ever saw a mime in my life.
Day 12 - A Picture of Something You Love
I'm sorry if you're all sick of sunflowers. I probably should be too. But I'm not. I love them, and I always will.
Oh, the days. I was a quasi-groupie for this band. I still have a shoebox of memorabilia that I refused to throw out when I moved to Texas. They were awesome.
Day 14 - A Picture of Someone You Could Never Imagine Your Life Without
Are you sick of me gushing about Art yet? Too bad! (I also look at this picture whenever I think I might look better as a brunette. I'm always wrong.)
Day 15 - A Picture of Something You Want to Do Before You Die
Go to the Oscars! There are a few ways that commoners can get there... and someday, I'll be one of them. I hope!
So this is me with Jodi Picoult, my hands-down favorite author. I still carry with me my childhood dream of being an author, and I'd like to be one just like her someday.
Day 17 - A Picture of Something that Has Made a Huge Impact on Your Life Recently
I don't have any pictures... but Art and I just celebrated our first anniversary! It didn't really change our lives that much, but it's nice to have milestones!
Day 18 - A Picture of Your Biggest Insecurity
I can't say I don't have insecurities. Of course I do. But, in the interest of overcoming them, I'm not going to give them the time. I'd rather spend time recognizing the things I'm good at!
Day 19 - A Picture and a Letter
I have no idea what this means. Sesame street?
Day 20 - A Picture of Somewhere You'd Love to Travel
Paris, France! I'd love to spend Bastille Day there one day.
Day 21 - A Picture Of Something You Wish You Could Forget
See Day #11.
Day 22 - A Picture of Something You Wish You Were Better At
Working out... or anything athletic, really. I just didn't get the gene. Unfortunately, I didn't get the eat-whatever-you-want-and-stay-thin gene, and living next to a lake means I need to be in a bathing suit a lot. Summer resolution: gym at least 4 times a week.
Day 23 - A Picture of Your Favorite Book
Anybody who knows me knows that I couldn't ever pick just ONE favorite book. I just devoured The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, and can't stop talking/thinking about it! If you haven't read it, go read it. You'll be obsessed too.
Day 24 - A Picture of Something You Wish You Could Change
The place I live. My heart will always be in the Midwest.
Day 25 - A Picture of Your Favorite Day
See Day... whatever the day was where I said my wedding! Day 6?
Day 26 - A Picture of Something That Means a Lot to You
:)
Day 27 - A Picture of Yourself and a Family Member
My siblings have not gotten entirely enough love in this challenge. I am the LUCKIEST to be their sister!!
Day 28 - A Picture of Something You're Afraid Of
See days 11 and 21.
Day 29 - A Picture That Can Always Make You Smile
Sometimes, when I'm sad, I Google "cute puppies." Not kidding.
Day 30 - A Picture of Someone You Miss
How about if you live currently, or have ever lived, in THIS STATE. O-H!!!!
And that's that. In the next couple of days I have a sewing room to organize, laundry to do, books to read, and Peanut to cuddle. I love summer!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Our first visitor... and some GREAT news!! :)
Last week, Art and I got our first visitor from Ohio!! Our friend Jamie, Art's former boss and roommate, was at a conference in Abilene and decided to rent a car and visit us for the weekend. Now that he's been here, Jamie might rather have had us drive up to Abilene, but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.
The Rio Grande and Lake Amistad have been flooding crazily since Alex and the subsequent tropical storms rolled through (here's something I didn't know: the desert gets hurricanes. Bizarre.), which made for some bummer weather lately, but while Jamie was here we got one day of good sun! It was so awesome to show someone from our hometown what Texas border life is really like! :)
Jamie got to see all the Del Rio landmarks: the Walmart, Wings & Rings (our only sports bar), the Herald (best restaurant in town), the Veranda (one of two wine bars... we don't have a fabric store, but we have two wine bars.), and a delightful Laughlin tradition: Drop Night. Of course, I think Lake Amistad is the best thing about Del Rio, so on Saturday we hit the lake with our friends Paul and Maria and their enormous puppy, Bud. Good times, as usual!
And, for those of you who are wondering, the answer is no: Art did not wear his stand-in wedding ring to the lake. :) We were out on Paul and Maria's boat when Art's ring was lost, and they noticeably went this time sans wedding rings as well. We were happy to spread caution! :)
The day Jamie got here, I got a call from the principal of Del Rio Middle School, asking me if I could come in for an interview the next day. I didn't want to abandon Jamie, but of course I took the opportunity!! She offered me the job at the interview (crazy!), it was approved by the school board that Saturday, and I'm scheduled to sign my contract on Wednesday of this week.
I am Del Rio Middle School's newest 8th grade English language arts teacher!! I cannot explain how excited I am to have been given this opportunity. I student taught math at Mad River, and had always thought I would teach math, but I came into this position as an English teacher and I couldn't be more excited about it. Of course, this is the one time where being the cheapest grad student ever has failed me: I got all my Language Arts methods books from the library at UD, and thus returned them, so much to Art's chagrin, I had to purchase them again today. But I am truly exploding with ideas about writer's notebooks, classroom library, book assignments, and first-week teambuilding. I spend pretty much every day writing things down that I want to do with my students. I'm so excited to get to work with them on a subject that I've had such a passion for all my life. I am truly, truly thankful that God led me to teaching at just the right time. Such a gift! :)
Speaking of gifts... look what came home with my wonderful husband on the day I got the job:
Lucky me. :)
For tonight's dinner, I made homemade pesto (with my Aerogarden basil!) with spaghetti and chicken cutlets with a Parmesan/sage crust. I hope someone is making you something special tonight! :)
The Rio Grande and Lake Amistad have been flooding crazily since Alex and the subsequent tropical storms rolled through (here's something I didn't know: the desert gets hurricanes. Bizarre.), which made for some bummer weather lately, but while Jamie was here we got one day of good sun! It was so awesome to show someone from our hometown what Texas border life is really like! :)
Jamie got to see all the Del Rio landmarks: the Walmart, Wings & Rings (our only sports bar), the Herald (best restaurant in town), the Veranda (one of two wine bars... we don't have a fabric store, but we have two wine bars.), and a delightful Laughlin tradition: Drop Night. Of course, I think Lake Amistad is the best thing about Del Rio, so on Saturday we hit the lake with our friends Paul and Maria and their enormous puppy, Bud. Good times, as usual!
And, for those of you who are wondering, the answer is no: Art did not wear his stand-in wedding ring to the lake. :) We were out on Paul and Maria's boat when Art's ring was lost, and they noticeably went this time sans wedding rings as well. We were happy to spread caution! :)
The day Jamie got here, I got a call from the principal of Del Rio Middle School, asking me if I could come in for an interview the next day. I didn't want to abandon Jamie, but of course I took the opportunity!! She offered me the job at the interview (crazy!), it was approved by the school board that Saturday, and I'm scheduled to sign my contract on Wednesday of this week.
I am Del Rio Middle School's newest 8th grade English language arts teacher!! I cannot explain how excited I am to have been given this opportunity. I student taught math at Mad River, and had always thought I would teach math, but I came into this position as an English teacher and I couldn't be more excited about it. Of course, this is the one time where being the cheapest grad student ever has failed me: I got all my Language Arts methods books from the library at UD, and thus returned them, so much to Art's chagrin, I had to purchase them again today. But I am truly exploding with ideas about writer's notebooks, classroom library, book assignments, and first-week teambuilding. I spend pretty much every day writing things down that I want to do with my students. I'm so excited to get to work with them on a subject that I've had such a passion for all my life. I am truly, truly thankful that God led me to teaching at just the right time. Such a gift! :)
Speaking of gifts... look what came home with my wonderful husband on the day I got the job:
Lucky me. :)
For tonight's dinner, I made homemade pesto (with my Aerogarden basil!) with spaghetti and chicken cutlets with a Parmesan/sage crust. I hope someone is making you something special tonight! :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)