So here I am on the edge of thirty...less than twelve hours away, actually.
I'm sitting in bed with a beautiful little girl who is curled up with her favorite stuffed animals under a blanket watching The Jungle Book. My husband of three years is sitting on the computer downstairs, presumably working on something related to the sale of baseball cards on eBay. I live in a spacious three bedroom, two and one half bath home that has an awesome playroom for my girl upstairs. In the upcoming month I will enter my ninth year of teaching in the same district who hired me straight out of college. Although not large, I have a wonderful group of friends with whom I share a unique bond with each and every one.
Ten years ago...
I was a single Pi Phi girl living in an apartment near the University of North Texas with my very good friend, Elaine. There were lots of men in town, but none that were really worth keeping around for longer than a few months. Elaine an I lived in a modestly furnished two bedroom, two bathroom apartment that was close enough to campus so that we could both walk to our classes. I was about to start my junior year of college and was entering the true "education" portion of my college degree while also working as an after-school day care worker. I knew the life I eventually wanted to live but I had absolutely no idea as to how I would get there.
But yet, ten years later...here I am. With everything I ever envisioned I wanted...sitting in the palm of my hand. It was my degree in education at North Texas that led me to student teaching in my current district which ended up in my hired position at my old school. That's where I met Craig which turned into a marriage and a transfer to my current job as well as the beautiful girl that I have the pleasure to call my own.
Looking back it's amazing to me the amazing adventures (and misadventures) that took place in a mere ten years.
As I sit here tonight, I am far more emotional about my 30th birthday than I ever imagined I would be. I'm not sad and I'm not depressed but instead I'm overwhelmed at the many different facets of love I have in my life.
There is the unconditional love I feel from my parents - a love I truly didn't understand until I gave birth to Natalie.
There is the day-to-day love I share with Craig as well as the I'm-with-you-until-your-dying-day passion that I have for him.
I have my close group of friends, with each of whom I share the most unique and intimate relationship - in a different way, they each fill my soul with so much laughter, support and joy.
And then even on top of the love I have for my friends, it's amazing to me how much I adore their children...I didn't give birth to any of them, but yet my heart swells with pride and love when I am with them just the same as with my Natalie.
Then there are the puppy dogs who show such love and devotion to me, but who have absolutely no idea how much peace and comfort they also provide.
And then with my students...I never knew that I could love and care for the children of strangers as much as I do. If you are in my school then I care about your education and your overall well-being.
Which brings me to Natalie. I look at her and I am absolutely amazed. She is not only incredibly gorgeous and smart but funny and athletic as well. And I helped to create her. What in the hell did I do in my life that was so awesome as to deserve such an amazing creature for a daughter?!
Above all, there is a God that has given me the gift and grace of life here on Earth. He alone has provided me the brains the the brawn to go after what I wanted, whether it was a husband or a job...and the sensibility to know when to stop looking and just be content with what I was given.
So I guess that's all I have to say about my 30th birthday. Thanks for all the love I've been shown in my life - hopefully I can repay it in my next 30 years.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
Thirty for Thirty
On Wednesday I will turn thirty.....so here are thirty things you might not know about me!
1. I have only broken one bone in my life - my left forearm when I was five years old. My middle brother shoved me head first into a trailer and I landed on my arm.
2. I hate mushrooms. I think it has to do with the texture.
3. If I had to choose a last meal, I would have my mother cook me her full Thanksgiving feast complete with ham, cornbread dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole.
4. At the end of my first full year in the classroom, I was one of three finalists for the district wide "New Teacher of the Year" award.
5. While I was in college (and even afterwards) I attended several midnight book releases and movie premieres of Harry Potter with my roomie at the time, Lauren.
6. My favorite sport to watch is football while baseball is so utterly boring to me.
7. When I was in 9th grade, my choir director called me an underachiever. To my face. In front of all my peers.
8. I only played volleyball in middle school because I hated being in off-season because all we did was run!
9. When I was very small, if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always, "a boy."
10. I slept with my favorite Cabbage Patch doll all through high school.
11. I've had braces three separate times - once in elementary school, once in junior high and then again during my sophomore year of college.
12. When I was in college, I was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. During my four years I served as Intramurals Chair (sophomore year) and Membership Chair (junior year) and then finally became a Rho Gamma (recruitment counselor) with my friend Chelsea, during rush my senior year.
13. When it comes to truly SERIOUS boyfriends...I've only had about three. And I married the third one.
14. My favorite football player is Tim Tebow. Don't hate.
15. I got stung on the cheek by a bee when I was in elementary school and my dad tried to "heal" it with bleach rubbed on the affected area. I spent the entire summer with a big burn and scab on my cheek.
16. I have watched every single episode of every season of The Real Housewives of OC, Beverly Hills, New York and New Jersey.
17. When I graduated high school, I was six feet tall and 135 pounds. One of those measurements is still true.
18. There are a lot of rules when I eat a meal - the most important being that my food does not touch.
19. In the past ten years, I have travelled to...Seattle, Antigua, the Bahamas, Florida, Maine, Las Vegas, Virginia, Oklahoma, London, Paris, Rome, Venice, Naples, Torino, Sorrento, Munich, Berlin and Amsterdam.
20. If given the choice, I would not wear pants. Shorts, yes. Pants, no.
21. My least favorite word is "moist." It used to also be "panties" but now with Natalie running around in Ariel panties, that word has become more tolerable...almost to the point of cute. Because a toddler's booty in panties is absolutely adorable.
22. The family dachshund we had while I was growing up once bit me right above my left eye. If you look closely, you can still see the scar.
23. I am eight and eleven years younger than my brothers...but just as tall as they are - if not taller.
24. My dream concert would include performances from The Doors, Kings of Leon, the Beatles, U2, Madonna, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Mumford & Sons.
25. If I could choose five people to host at my house for dinner, I would invite my grandma, Barack Obama, Bono and Jon Stewart.
26. I hate being the center of attention and all my bridal and baby showers totally stressed me out.
27. When no one else is in the car with me, I turn on T.I., Kanye and Jay-Z. At full blast.
28. My mother is half Italian, half Cajun and speaks Italian, French and English fluently. My father grew up in rural west Texas and went to college on a football scholarship. They have lived in the same house longer than I have been alive.
29. If I had been born a boy, my name would have been Timothy Earl.
30. All through middle school and most of high school my goal was to go to A&M and become an architect. After a college visit to Aggieland and a year spent working after-school care at the YMCA, I changed my plan and went to North Texas to become a teacher.
1. I have only broken one bone in my life - my left forearm when I was five years old. My middle brother shoved me head first into a trailer and I landed on my arm.
2. I hate mushrooms. I think it has to do with the texture.
3. If I had to choose a last meal, I would have my mother cook me her full Thanksgiving feast complete with ham, cornbread dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole.
4. At the end of my first full year in the classroom, I was one of three finalists for the district wide "New Teacher of the Year" award.
5. While I was in college (and even afterwards) I attended several midnight book releases and movie premieres of Harry Potter with my roomie at the time, Lauren.
6. My favorite sport to watch is football while baseball is so utterly boring to me.
7. When I was in 9th grade, my choir director called me an underachiever. To my face. In front of all my peers.
8. I only played volleyball in middle school because I hated being in off-season because all we did was run!
9. When I was very small, if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always, "a boy."
10. I slept with my favorite Cabbage Patch doll all through high school.
11. I've had braces three separate times - once in elementary school, once in junior high and then again during my sophomore year of college.
12. When I was in college, I was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. During my four years I served as Intramurals Chair (sophomore year) and Membership Chair (junior year) and then finally became a Rho Gamma (recruitment counselor) with my friend Chelsea, during rush my senior year.
13. When it comes to truly SERIOUS boyfriends...I've only had about three. And I married the third one.
14. My favorite football player is Tim Tebow. Don't hate.
15. I got stung on the cheek by a bee when I was in elementary school and my dad tried to "heal" it with bleach rubbed on the affected area. I spent the entire summer with a big burn and scab on my cheek.
16. I have watched every single episode of every season of The Real Housewives of OC, Beverly Hills, New York and New Jersey.
17. When I graduated high school, I was six feet tall and 135 pounds. One of those measurements is still true.
18. There are a lot of rules when I eat a meal - the most important being that my food does not touch.
19. In the past ten years, I have travelled to...Seattle, Antigua, the Bahamas, Florida, Maine, Las Vegas, Virginia, Oklahoma, London, Paris, Rome, Venice, Naples, Torino, Sorrento, Munich, Berlin and Amsterdam.
20. If given the choice, I would not wear pants. Shorts, yes. Pants, no.
21. My least favorite word is "moist." It used to also be "panties" but now with Natalie running around in Ariel panties, that word has become more tolerable...almost to the point of cute. Because a toddler's booty in panties is absolutely adorable.
22. The family dachshund we had while I was growing up once bit me right above my left eye. If you look closely, you can still see the scar.
23. I am eight and eleven years younger than my brothers...but just as tall as they are - if not taller.
24. My dream concert would include performances from The Doors, Kings of Leon, the Beatles, U2, Madonna, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Mumford & Sons.
25. If I could choose five people to host at my house for dinner, I would invite my grandma, Barack Obama, Bono and Jon Stewart.
26. I hate being the center of attention and all my bridal and baby showers totally stressed me out.
27. When no one else is in the car with me, I turn on T.I., Kanye and Jay-Z. At full blast.
28. My mother is half Italian, half Cajun and speaks Italian, French and English fluently. My father grew up in rural west Texas and went to college on a football scholarship. They have lived in the same house longer than I have been alive.
29. If I had been born a boy, my name would have been Timothy Earl.
30. All through middle school and most of high school my goal was to go to A&M and become an architect. After a college visit to Aggieland and a year spent working after-school care at the YMCA, I changed my plan and went to North Texas to become a teacher.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Wednesday Morning Meltdown
Natalie threw it down today at gymnastics.
It was big, ugly and embarrassing.
And of course it all happened on the day her beloved Nonna came with camera in hand to watch Natalie do gymnastics.
And it was an epic, epic, EPIC fail.
Tears upon entering, then a refusal to do any sort of warm-up which led to me having to go into the gym area and sit against the wall so she would do the activity. I wasn't pleased with her non-compliance and with having to be THAT mom sitting in the gym, but at least she wasn't crying anymore.
But then it came to the end of class. Ugh.
She followed another little girl out of the gym for whatever reason and came to sit with me. Shortly after sitting in my lap the class began gathering together for their end-of-class game which is always finished with a stamp on the hand for each gymnast.
Of course, she wanted to go back in to play the game...so I let her.
But then she came right back out.
And then wanted to go back in.
Oh no. I was having NONE of that so I looked her square in the eye and told her to make a choice - either go into the gym and play the game or put her shoes on to go home. She ran excitedly back into the gym....and then promptly laid down on a mat with tears in her eyes.
Done. I was done.
I marched in there, picked her up off the mat and informed her it was time to go home and that there would be NO stopping at Chick Fil-A today. And if that didn't upset her enough, as I was putting on her shoes, she saw all the kids lining up to get their stamps. Not upsetting in and of itself obviously, but she was absolutely pushed over the edge when I told her that she was not getting a stamp today.
Wherever you are right now as you read this...I'm sure you could hear her wails. I was the WORST. MOMMY. EVER. because I didn't let her get the stamp. Was that a little harsh for a two-year-old? Perhaps some people might say so, but in my world-view...if you don't do the work, then you don't get to reap the rewards. Parenting for the next eighteen years compared to the next five minutes. Sounds good on paper but sometimes the most difficult thing to enforce.
But it was so hard. Because she was so outrageously angry. And my mother was there to see the whole thing go down. Natalie screamed on the way home - "Nastics! Stamp!" She was begging for a re-do - an opportunity to go back and do what she knows she is supposed to do.
The fit carried the entire way back home, into the house and didn't stop until Craig came home from running errands. He was able to get her calmed down, allowed me time to eat dinner in relative solitude and then took her upstairs for a much needed nap. By the time she finished her lunch and was heading to night-night there were lots of hugs, kisses and "I'm sorry, Momma" given out - obviously she was ready to move on from the morning's meltdown. Me on the other hand? I'm still shaking. My jaw aches from being clenched and my legs feel like I just ran 10 miles because I was tensed up for the entire saga.
I felt (feel?!) like an utter failure as a parent. And yes, I know that the other parents there have all been through similar tantrums like Natalie's, but...it's just different when it's YOUR child that's being carried out of the building screaming like a banshee and flailing like a fish washed up on shore.
One of the biggest things I have always struggled with in my life is my pursuit of perfection. I expect it of myself, of others and now, apparently from Natalie. Well, it's not that I expect HER to be perfect, but I expect her to behave appropriately because I'M "perfect" and instilling the right values and expectations in her. So by that measure, I failed today because I didn't set her up for success or respond appropriately to her emotions in a way that would encourage her to finish the class.
I know, I know, I KNOW. She's a toddler. They do things like this. It's just a phase. We can't always control everything they do and we can only control our reactions to them.
I understand all that - heck, I even BLOGGED about that last sentence awhile back when I talked about technology. But understanding it from an outsider's point of view and being right there in the thick of it are two entirely different things.
Of course after Craig got her down for a nap, he came downstairs to talk and I immediately swore off ever taking her to another gymnastics class FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN. Because THAT'S how angry, frustrated and embarrassed I was at her behavior.
But in reality, I'm terrified. I'm scared at how much I wanted for her to behave and be GOOD at gymnastics. I'm completely aware of how neurotic I'm being about a two-year-old's extracurricular activity. I get that I'm just a teensy bit insane for worrying this much about something that in the grand scheme of things will be terribly inconsequential. But I'm afraid of how much worse it's going to get as I watch her grow up, try out for sports teams, get cut out from a group of friends, struggle with schoolwork... It's not that I want to protect her from everything that is bad, but I want her to be the kind of kid that just naturally excels at stuff because I was that kind of person. School, sports and friends came pretty easily to me. Of course, there were bumps along the road but for the most part, I didn't struggle learning concepts, getting playing time or maintaining friendships. I want that for her because from experience, it's a pretty sweet life to live.
Yikes.
I should probably relax and have a cocktail to take the edge off.
So in closing...she will be going to gymnastics next week. It will be my 30th birthday so I might just let Craig take her while I go get my nails done.
But more than that, I think days like today are ultimately for the best. It causes me to reexamine my own parenting decisions as well as the motivation from those decisions. I'm forced to explore the reason WHY this incident bothered me so much - was it strictly from frustration, why did I feel embarrassed, what do I really expect from a toddler? It's these questions that are going to help propel me to parent Natalie more thoughtfully and with a broader view of the type of woman I want to raise. Of course I want her to be a remarkable young lady but I also know that if I put too much pressure on her that I will crush her spirit and cause such deep resentment from her to me. As much as it is against my nature, I must step back and allow her the freedom and luxury of making a mistake and then learning from it in order to become a better person.
It was big, ugly and embarrassing.
And of course it all happened on the day her beloved Nonna came with camera in hand to watch Natalie do gymnastics.
And it was an epic, epic, EPIC fail.
Tears upon entering, then a refusal to do any sort of warm-up which led to me having to go into the gym area and sit against the wall so she would do the activity. I wasn't pleased with her non-compliance and with having to be THAT mom sitting in the gym, but at least she wasn't crying anymore.
But then it came to the end of class. Ugh.
She followed another little girl out of the gym for whatever reason and came to sit with me. Shortly after sitting in my lap the class began gathering together for their end-of-class game which is always finished with a stamp on the hand for each gymnast.
Of course, she wanted to go back in to play the game...so I let her.
But then she came right back out.
And then wanted to go back in.
Oh no. I was having NONE of that so I looked her square in the eye and told her to make a choice - either go into the gym and play the game or put her shoes on to go home. She ran excitedly back into the gym....and then promptly laid down on a mat with tears in her eyes.
Done. I was done.
I marched in there, picked her up off the mat and informed her it was time to go home and that there would be NO stopping at Chick Fil-A today. And if that didn't upset her enough, as I was putting on her shoes, she saw all the kids lining up to get their stamps. Not upsetting in and of itself obviously, but she was absolutely pushed over the edge when I told her that she was not getting a stamp today.
Wherever you are right now as you read this...I'm sure you could hear her wails. I was the WORST. MOMMY. EVER. because I didn't let her get the stamp. Was that a little harsh for a two-year-old? Perhaps some people might say so, but in my world-view...if you don't do the work, then you don't get to reap the rewards. Parenting for the next eighteen years compared to the next five minutes. Sounds good on paper but sometimes the most difficult thing to enforce.
But it was so hard. Because she was so outrageously angry. And my mother was there to see the whole thing go down. Natalie screamed on the way home - "Nastics! Stamp!" She was begging for a re-do - an opportunity to go back and do what she knows she is supposed to do.
The fit carried the entire way back home, into the house and didn't stop until Craig came home from running errands. He was able to get her calmed down, allowed me time to eat dinner in relative solitude and then took her upstairs for a much needed nap. By the time she finished her lunch and was heading to night-night there were lots of hugs, kisses and "I'm sorry, Momma" given out - obviously she was ready to move on from the morning's meltdown. Me on the other hand? I'm still shaking. My jaw aches from being clenched and my legs feel like I just ran 10 miles because I was tensed up for the entire saga.
I felt (feel?!) like an utter failure as a parent. And yes, I know that the other parents there have all been through similar tantrums like Natalie's, but...it's just different when it's YOUR child that's being carried out of the building screaming like a banshee and flailing like a fish washed up on shore.
One of the biggest things I have always struggled with in my life is my pursuit of perfection. I expect it of myself, of others and now, apparently from Natalie. Well, it's not that I expect HER to be perfect, but I expect her to behave appropriately because I'M "perfect" and instilling the right values and expectations in her. So by that measure, I failed today because I didn't set her up for success or respond appropriately to her emotions in a way that would encourage her to finish the class.
I know, I know, I KNOW. She's a toddler. They do things like this. It's just a phase. We can't always control everything they do and we can only control our reactions to them.
I understand all that - heck, I even BLOGGED about that last sentence awhile back when I talked about technology. But understanding it from an outsider's point of view and being right there in the thick of it are two entirely different things.
Of course after Craig got her down for a nap, he came downstairs to talk and I immediately swore off ever taking her to another gymnastics class FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN. Because THAT'S how angry, frustrated and embarrassed I was at her behavior.
But in reality, I'm terrified. I'm scared at how much I wanted for her to behave and be GOOD at gymnastics. I'm completely aware of how neurotic I'm being about a two-year-old's extracurricular activity. I get that I'm just a teensy bit insane for worrying this much about something that in the grand scheme of things will be terribly inconsequential. But I'm afraid of how much worse it's going to get as I watch her grow up, try out for sports teams, get cut out from a group of friends, struggle with schoolwork... It's not that I want to protect her from everything that is bad, but I want her to be the kind of kid that just naturally excels at stuff because I was that kind of person. School, sports and friends came pretty easily to me. Of course, there were bumps along the road but for the most part, I didn't struggle learning concepts, getting playing time or maintaining friendships. I want that for her because from experience, it's a pretty sweet life to live.
Yikes.
I should probably relax and have a cocktail to take the edge off.
So in closing...she will be going to gymnastics next week. It will be my 30th birthday so I might just let Craig take her while I go get my nails done.
But more than that, I think days like today are ultimately for the best. It causes me to reexamine my own parenting decisions as well as the motivation from those decisions. I'm forced to explore the reason WHY this incident bothered me so much - was it strictly from frustration, why did I feel embarrassed, what do I really expect from a toddler? It's these questions that are going to help propel me to parent Natalie more thoughtfully and with a broader view of the type of woman I want to raise. Of course I want her to be a remarkable young lady but I also know that if I put too much pressure on her that I will crush her spirit and cause such deep resentment from her to me. As much as it is against my nature, I must step back and allow her the freedom and luxury of making a mistake and then learning from it in order to become a better person.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Age Is Just A Number
One week from tomorrow I will turn 30.
And this does not cause me any concern.
My twenties have been absolutely amazing but I also know that life doesn't stop being amazing just because of a number change.
In the past ten years, I have...
Dated many of the wrong men in a quest to find the right man, but in the process I kept my friends highly entertained with my dating adventures.
Traveled to Europe three times - once with my parents, another with a high school girlfriend and the final time with my husband.
Gained a certain understanding of the many facets of L-O-V-E.
Lived on my own for two and a half glorious years of freedom, independence and lots and lots of partying.
Continued nurturing old friendships and created new ones that will last the upcoming years.
Adopted two dogs who desperately needed homes and have become such an integral and comforting part of my life.
Met, dated and married my best friend who keeps me giggling most days and safe all the time.
Traveled to Europe three times - once with my parents, another with a high school girlfriend and the final time with my husband.
Gained a certain understanding of the many facets of L-O-V-E.
Lived on my own for two and a half glorious years of freedom, independence and lots and lots of partying.
Continued nurturing old friendships and created new ones that will last the upcoming years.
Adopted two dogs who desperately needed homes and have become such an integral and comforting part of my life.
Met, dated and married my best friend who keeps me giggling most days and safe all the time.
Coached and mentored countless number of girls through seven volleyball season.
Delighted in raising a daughter and discovering the different aspects of her sweet spirit everyday.
Been to the brink of self-destruction but determinedly fought my way back.
Delighted in raising a daughter and discovering the different aspects of her sweet spirit everyday.
Been to the brink of self-destruction but determinedly fought my way back.
A few years ago I went to the 30th birthday of a friend of mine and everyone asked her the inevitable question - was she sad about turning thirty and leaving her twenties behind...
Her thoughtful answer has always stuck with me.
She talked about the turbulence of her twenties, the transition from college student, to teacher to wife and then to mother. There was so much change and so many "who am I" questions to answer. But about her thirties, she expressed that she knows who she is - she is a wife, she is a mother and she is a follower of Christ. Her core being is stable and secure.
Yes.
This is where I'm at.
I started my twenties as a frivolous college student, searching for the next hot guy and the next greatest party. I struggled with the transition to the working world as a teacher - desperately trying to keep my weekend persona separate from my weekday responsibilities. I met my husband, got tired of the bar scene and spent my weekends just hanging out and falling in love. We bought a house, got married, had a daughter and weathered the storm of PPD.
And now...here I am.
On the doorstep to my thirties and I'm excited.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Let It Be
When it comes to that proverbial fork in the road, I have no problem choosing a path and then staying the course. I will not look back nor will I second guess. I trust my gut and stubbornly see it through even if the path I chose is riddled with snakes, shadows and stickers. It might not be the path everyone else would have chosen and rarely is it the easiest path...but it's MY path and I'm always bound and determined to prove to people that there is a light at the end of any tunnel.
My life has always had a plan and a path to follow. From going to college to getting a job and then settling down to get married and have a child. I've checked off all the MAJOR life decisions that must be made....so what comes next?
I feel like we are sitting in purgatory. No path to follow and no course to take. We're just sitting here stagnant and for the longest time, this is what I thought I wanted. Well, I DO want my little family of Craig, Natalie and the pups but I'm not completely sold on the fact that the busy suburbs are where we are supposed to be.
And then you add in the weird place that Craig is in right now. He is a wonderfully talented and incredibly intelligent basketball coach - he has the perfect mixture of a deep understanding of the more technical aspects of basketball and the ability to nurture, inspire and lead his girls to become not just strong basketball players, but good all-around athletes. I love watching him coach because by knowing him so well, I can almost see the wheels turning as he paces the side line with his hands behind his back and his eyebrows furrowed. But I'm not sure if he's completely satisfied with the career he has carved out for himself at this point in time.
This is what frustrates me. I can't solve this problem for him. I can't tell him what to do, how to do it or when he needs to do it.
I hate feeling helpless. I hate not having a plan.
Friday night as I was driving home from his basketball tournament, I turned on the Pandora on my iPhone and just prayed that God would put the perfect song in rotation - one that whose message would soothe my anxious soul and help me calm my frizzy brain.
This is what came blaring through the speakers.
I might have teared up a bit as "when you find yourself in times of trouble..." floated throughout my car.
Okay. There were lots of tears.
So that is the message God wanted me to hear. To LET. IT. BE. To give Craig the time and space to figure out his own life while I just serve as his faithful and supportive wife.
My heart calmed a bit.
And then a second thought occurred to me. What a selfish and ungrateful person I am. Here I am, about to embark on the dream job I had my sights set on when I graduated from college eight years ago. This math job is the result of thousands of prayers and mindful faithfulness over the past few years and I'm practically ready to throw it away with both hands because I want something different.
In that moment, I sat completely humbled in my car and remembered my place in this universe. My job is not to make demands but instead to be grateful for the unbelievable gifts God has bestowed upon me. So I am shutting my mouth, opening my heart and waiting for God to unveil the next step in my family's life....in His perfect time and with His unwavering grace.
Back to School!
Apparently I've been posting about the new school year entirely too much on Facebook because I was called out by my fellow teachers to basically...shut the hell up about "back to school." But what can I say? I'm totally, genuinely, 100% excited about my new adventures in the classroom. Of course I'm anticipating those moments when I'm sitting at my desk with my head in my hands and tears in my eyes, desperately wishing for the simpler days when all I worried about was a practice plan for volleyball. I'm not under any illusions that this adventure I'm about to embark upon is going to be easy, carefree or devoid of any bumps in the road.
But for the past seven years I have started the year with a certain sense of dread - dreading the fact that I will, for the next two months, be required to arrive at school at 7:15 and on game nights I will not be leaving until 9:00 or so. I'm just excited about having the CHOICE to leave at 4:15 if it's been a long day and I'm just ready to get the hell out of dodge and go see my family.
So in my excitement, I've been hitting up Pinterest to see what kinds of cool ideas I can start implementing in my own classroom this year.
But for the past seven years I have started the year with a certain sense of dread - dreading the fact that I will, for the next two months, be required to arrive at school at 7:15 and on game nights I will not be leaving until 9:00 or so. I'm just excited about having the CHOICE to leave at 4:15 if it's been a long day and I'm just ready to get the hell out of dodge and go see my family.
So in my excitement, I've been hitting up Pinterest to see what kinds of cool ideas I can start implementing in my own classroom this year.
Remind 101: An easy way to send out a mass text from an anonymous phone number to all my students and teachers about upcoming assignments, important dates or tests.
THINK: A great message for kids about their digital citizenship.
Teacher's Assistant Pro: An easy way to keep track of attendance, tardies and general behavior in my class. Great for parent-teacher emails, phone calls and conferences - much easier than writing it all down!
Modpodge Printables: While coaching, I was the queen of clever sayings that made it easy for my girls to remember exactly what I expected from them. This would be a great way to continue those sayings and bring them into the classroom.
Scrap Fabric Curtains: Oh yes...these are definitely going up in my room. I am terrible at sewing so I think this will be MUCH easier for me to complete in order to add some pizazz to my classroom!
T-shirt Canvases: Tossing out my team t-shirts is going to be the HARDEST thing for me to do because with every t-shirt comes along memories of that year's team and games. So instead of throwing them all out when they get worn, how cool would it be to display them around my room?
Albert Einstein Quote: This is one of my favorite quotes because I think it really emulates the direction modern education is going. I HAVE to realize that every child is coming to us with such different abilities and it is my responsibility to make sure they are learning in a manner that helps them understand.
Fair is NOT Equal: Again, another quote...but this one is super important for kids to learn.
Printable Binder Covers: I've got three fabulous girls heading up Student Council this year and I want to set the tone for how the year is going to go. I'm putting together exec binders for the girls that will be kept in the StuCo room and since I've got those three girls - why not go super cute and girly with the covers?
I promise not everything I've got planned for the year involves cute decor and sayings - that's just all the fun stuff about being a teacher!
Friday, July 26, 2013
Online Shopping
I'm not that big of a clothes shopper to begin with, honestly. I'm a shop-by-necessity kind of girl which is pretty much in line with my personality. I like to see things in person and know that if I'm going to spend money on something that it's going to be a good, solid buy. Since I've got a kind of unique body with such my long torso, small bust and athletic hips & thighs, I'm really hesitant to buy clothing items online that might not fit real great in person.
In order for my to purchase an item of clothing, it has to be the right fit, the right price AND be totally versatile in my wardrobe. By that standard, I don't have a TON of clothes in my closet but what I do have easily transitions from dress to casual wear and can be worn with a variety of layerable clothes and jewelry.
But at the prodding of many of my friends AND the lure of great deals on fabulous products, I downloaded both Groupon and Zulily apps to my phone and began shopping. At first I just perused the offers without ever really purchasing anything - it was more or less the excitement of window shopping without having to leave my house.
But today I took a leap of faith and made not one, but THREE online purchases!
I'm still super leery of buying clothes for me through Zulily just because they don't have a return policy and I'm so particular about the fit of clothes on my long torso but you can't really go wrong with shoes...especially when they're only $15 each! I'm going to need some basic and comfortable shoes for teaching that will go with a multitude of outfits from fall to winter and all the way into spring.
Tan flats go with everything and I really like the gold detail on the toe.
At first glance just another pair of plain silver flats, but I really like the spikes on the end that will add some umph when they stick out from under my dress pants.
The only thing that bugs me a little bit about Zulily is that they place their arrival time of products at around two weeks. I know, I know...first world problems, right?
One of the perks about being a teacher and having the summers off is that I get to take advantage of weekday prices AND smaller crowds when going to do fun things with Natalie. A few days ago I received an email from a friend inviting a large group of ladies and their littles to a variety of fun stuff she is doing with her sweet nieces. Some of the stuff was a bit too "old" for Natalie (pedicures, Jonas Brothers concert) but a big room full of trampolines?! Absolutely perfect for an active little gymnast like Natalie. A mass email was sent out about a Groupon for 50% admission for two hours of jumping at Urban Air in Southlake and I figured this was the best time for me to bite the bullet and make a purchase through the app that I scan through every day.
It took me a little long to get things situated with purchasing the tickets and then making sure we were signed up through the Urban Air website for the correct time and date with our friends. Trampolines is definitely Natalie's favorite time during gymnastics class so I know that she will be totally excited to have a room full of trampolines and tons of new friends to play with.
But I'll admit, I'm almost a little afraid of how much I'm going to enjoy these Zulily shoes because it will only empower me to do MORE online shopping!
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