Okay...So between getting sick, celebrating a birthday, and being in a wedding, I have not been able to get on to blog. I have to transition myself back into my routine; I'm going to start with a survey: Random Facts...
What is on your bed right now? Well, at home I have the bed made nicely with a blanket, towel & washcloth for my sorority sister who will be staying at my place tomorrow evening. Here at the beach house where I am spending the remainder of my Spring Break I have a blanket, cell phone, coat, and camera on my bed.
When was the last time you threw up? It's been a while. I've never been the throw up type :)
What's your favorite word or phrase? "That's good stuff!" "Hallelu!" "WOW"
Name 3 people who made you smile today? Tricia, Eli, and Bubba
What were you doing at 8 am this morning? still sleeping :)
What were you doing 30 minutes ago? walking around outside and looking at the beach
What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving or Christmas...the one that allows for the family to be together
Have you ever been to another country? Yes! Europe
What is the last thing you said aloud? I think I said, "Sounds good."
What is the best ice cream flavor? I like chocolate or vanilla.
What was the last thing you had to drink? Ice Tea
What are you wearing right now? jeans and my Spotsy High cheer shirt...YES, I can still wear it :)
What was the last thing you ate? breakfast: eggs, bacon, potatoes, and other good food
Have you bought any new clothing items this week? No, but we're going shopping later today...that theory could go down the drain. Wait! I am not telling the truth. Yesterday I purchased a pair of knickers; they're cute.
When was the last time you ran? UM...Yeah, I don't run.
What's the last sporting event you watched? UM! Final Four :) gotta love college ball
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Well, I am at the beach and loving the relaxation.
Who is the last person you sent a comment/message on myspace? Melanie (I think)
Ever go camping? Yes, when I a Girl Scout.
Do you have a tan? Yep--the natural
Have you ever lost anything down a toilet? No--thank God!
What is your guilty pleasure? McDonald's
Do you use smiley faces on the computer a lot? too too much
Do you drink your soda from a straw? I don't drink soda...
What did your last text message say? It was a biblical passage from one of my friends.
Are you someone's best friend? YES!
What are you doing tomorrow? Relaxing at the beach with my family away from family!
Where is your mom right now? She's at home...wish she was here with us :(
Look to your left, what do you see? Kayla Marie :)
What color is your watch? silver
What do you think of when you think of Australia? Elizabeth--my good friend that moved there when we were little
Ever ridden on a roller coaster? YES! love them
What is your birthstone? Aquamarine...(sp)
Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive tthru? Drive thru
Do you have any friends on myspace that you actually hate? No
Do you have a dog? Nope
Last person you talked to on the phone? Mother! :)
Any plans today? RELAXING AND ENJOYING SPRING BREAK
Are you happy? Most of the time I am and this is not an exception.
Where are you right now? ONE of the living rooms in this HUGE beach house of 19 people :)
Biggest annoyance in your life right now? I plea the 5th...
Last song listened to? Something on Nick Jr.
Last movie you saw? Not a clue...
Are you allergic to anything? strong perfumes and soaps make me break out
Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? Oh, I LOVE shoes! I couldn't name just one pair.
Are you jealous of anyone? Nah--too blessed to hate on others.
Are you married? No...one day (soon) :)
Is anyone jealous of you? I couldn't tell you.
Do any of your friends have children? Oh yes :)
Do you eat healthy? It all depends.
What do you usually do during the day? Work hard
Do you hate anyone right now? I am not much of a hater.
Do you use the word 'hello' daily? Yes.
How many kids do you want when you're older? undecided
How old will you be turning on your next birthday? Olivia says 15 & I'll take it!
Have you ever been to Six Flags? Yes
How did u get one of your scars? belly flopping a gym court floor in a cheer stunt that (clearly) went badly
Friday, April 11, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Passion Week
Today is Palm Sunday, which begins Passion (or Holy) Week. It takes us into Resurrection Sunday, also known as Easter. Several events occurred in this historic week, but I am mostly in awe of the fact that this was the week that Christ truly exhibited His passion for man, giving His life for our sins. For those of that time, it was a week of preparation, expectations, and realizations. Today it is a week of prayer, explanations, and revelations...
If you haven't been consistent in your relationship with Christ, allow this week to be your week of Passion for Him. Be passionate with your worship, proclaiming His gospel to anyone who will receive it. My heart is full today and there's a feeling of expectancy within my life. More recently my heart had been heavy during this period of lent and I've spent some sleepless nights with a weeping heart...for what or who, I still do not know...
Prepare yourself this week like at a fighting match. Jesus is the boxer, and He gave us so many HOT moves in the ring against his opponent satan. He used that mighty left hook and jab. He gave the upper cut and combination move. He finished it off with a knock out. Each of those moves mentioned closely tie to scriptural passages we hide in our hearts and use each time we enter our own boxing matches, our obstacles in life.
"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:36-39)
Are you ready to rumble???
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
And, I Exhaled...and Slept...
Today is the FIRST day in a minute that I have left work before it being completely dark. Yes people, I know we lost that hour over the weekend to have our longer, lighter days. For the past three weeks my life has been consumed with testing. The preparation, the actual test days and make ups, and the packing up of the materials and accounting for everything have kept me from sleeping, tending to normal daily duties, and having a life. My first appointment with our division test folks was today and to echo the words of our division test coordinator, "This is more stressful than taxes." She's right. We, the school test coordinators, sit there and wait as the they go through all of our items with careful inspection. You sit and wait for the mistakes and problems of the documents. A forgotten form, an unaccounted for student, irregularities, etc., etc. I think the stress for me comes in knowing where I was last year and those I had to work with in the process. It was painful and created the type of stress that makes you sick. Fortunately, the process made me stronger and better; I now understand why I had to go through that wilderness experience. To see the rewards of today and hear the words of "over achiever" and "very meticulous" warmed the heart, making the past three weeks worth it. As my supervisor commented today, the thoughtfulness and thoroughness put into ensuring all students were tested and the smooth process have to count for something. Our hope is that our kids will have the results to support the energy and time everyone in the organization put into making this process a success. It felt good to leave the building today, come home, eat and crash for a few hours. I am up for a moment to change out of the clothes, wash the face, brush the teeth and get more rest. While March Madness is still continuing around me I am trying to keep it all in perspective to get the things done that need to be tackled and taken care of...Those that want to see it speak up which means more than they'll ever know.
And, on the discipline horizon...The latest these days are my 3 Stooges that can't keep it together on the bus. I am tempted to remove them from the bus for a while to let them know that their behavior is driving me bonkers. Unfortunately, it's their crazy parents that are the true issue. No one wants to take responsibility; all want to point the finger. AND, this morning I had an issue with a kiddo (on the SAME bus) whose bookbag was "stolen" at the bus stop. Two kids decided it would be funny to put his stuff in a ditch and not say anything. THREE TIMES these two had an opportunity to speak up and say something. This kid didn't have lunch, no homework, and he already struggles...We were having a hard enough time getting information from him about how the bookbag would have ended up in someone else's hands and his not seeing it. Our guidance counselors had to go drive out and get the kid's backpack from the ditch since we could not reach his parents; they were excited to have the road trip and felt like Cagney & Lacey. (I'll save the story of my episode with my 8th grade crew of young ladies who think they own the school...June couldn't come soon enough where they're concerned. And, their story deserves an ENTIRE entry!)
Okay. Enough...I have a conference tomorrow and will be out of the building. I am excited to be going with the three faculty members that are attending. It'll be an insightful day!
OH...Friday there's a dance...Hmph.
And, on the discipline horizon...The latest these days are my 3 Stooges that can't keep it together on the bus. I am tempted to remove them from the bus for a while to let them know that their behavior is driving me bonkers. Unfortunately, it's their crazy parents that are the true issue. No one wants to take responsibility; all want to point the finger. AND, this morning I had an issue with a kiddo (on the SAME bus) whose bookbag was "stolen" at the bus stop. Two kids decided it would be funny to put his stuff in a ditch and not say anything. THREE TIMES these two had an opportunity to speak up and say something. This kid didn't have lunch, no homework, and he already struggles...We were having a hard enough time getting information from him about how the bookbag would have ended up in someone else's hands and his not seeing it. Our guidance counselors had to go drive out and get the kid's backpack from the ditch since we could not reach his parents; they were excited to have the road trip and felt like Cagney & Lacey. (I'll save the story of my episode with my 8th grade crew of young ladies who think they own the school...June couldn't come soon enough where they're concerned. And, their story deserves an ENTIRE entry!)
Okay. Enough...I have a conference tomorrow and will be out of the building. I am excited to be going with the three faculty members that are attending. It'll be an insightful day!
OH...Friday there's a dance...Hmph.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Speed Test
51 words
I'd like to consider myself to be a pretty fast typer; however, I tried this site and found that my average came out to about 50. The worst score in the 40s and my best rate was in the 60s...I think I am faster than what this shows (smile). I'll go back to the site from time to time to see how I am doing!
How fast do you type???
I'd like to consider myself to be a pretty fast typer; however, I tried this site and found that my average came out to about 50. The worst score in the 40s and my best rate was in the 60s...I think I am faster than what this shows (smile). I'll go back to the site from time to time to see how I am doing!
How fast do you type???
Putting March Madness Into Perspective
For anyone who loves college basketball (like me), you're aware that March is the month where tournaments of elimination take place getting us to the final four best teams of the season. During March there are games taking place all day every day. It's a true high for those playing and viewing--what we could call the rising action or even climax of this event. It's absolute madness (in a good way)! For any educator, March is also considered madness. Particularly, middle school teachers. It is a long month with no breaks or holidays. Spring is on the brinks and the kids' hormones are ripe and ready to explode. We're so close to the end, yet not so close that we can shut down...Rather, the reality is there is TONS left in the curriculum to be taught and you're trying to overcome the burnout. And, Spring Break couldn't come soon enough.
My reality comes in seeing an eighth grade girl who is raising herself and is addicted to any drug that will make her forget the problems of life. I am faced with another eighth grader who has just come to our school, is African American, and is freaked out by the cultural differences. Her comfort is in going bad rather than seeing the fresh new start her parents desired to provide her. Now, I am working with a teacher who wants to press charges on her for reasons I can't fully support. A seventh grader that I mentor chooses to hang out late at night and get involved in drama to avoid her home where her mom doesn't exist for always working and her step father stays drunk. I stare at another one of my mentees who hasn't been to a Saturday session in three weeks because he was suspended yet again and still doesn't get where he went wrong. I am battling parents that can't handle their children, but I can't keep the seventh grader in school who is selling cigarettes to his peers at a slightly high rate than what it would be in the stores. I can't encourage the student who is a black male statistic--a whole 3 grade levels behind--refusing to do the work given to him. Not because he doesn't want to do it, but because he doesn't know how and there is no one at home to help him...With every fight that occurs, parents want to defend their children arguing it was in self defense and demand justice. Students are sent to the office for gum chewing, back talking, or skipping; somehow the teachers who sent them don't understand they've now given the children what they want: time out of the classroom. Meanwhile, the teachers of these students are frustrated and feel no support. They battle with the bad blueberries that are tainting the good fruit, making everything go bad.
So, today, March 9, 2008, my March Madness is put into perspective and all is restored even if an hour was lost due to Daylight Savings! What I understand to be true is putting my hands in it will not force the situations mentioned above to get resolved or better. What I know to be true is every situation I have handed over to God has had its own resolution in due season. What I understand to be true is I affect my environment; it doesn't affect me...My supervisor sent me a powerful, encouraging message this morning that gave the analogy of ice cream. Whatever you add to it, your focus is on the cream, not the nuts, sprinkles, fruit, etc. Those added things are just that: added. The truth of the matter is, I am the cream and need to act like it. I work in an environment that truly does have a top down method despite its efforts to work horizontally in team/collaborative methodologies. We set the tone or flavor for all the added "stuff" people like to throw in the mix--good and bad. I remember why I am there and what my purpose happens to be, and I get excited about all the possibilities of what could and should be.
On Friday of this past week, I had the opportunity to meet two awesome Black women in education. Kay Toliver is a retired math teacher from the Harlem, New York Public Schools. She now goes around giving inspirational presentations to educators on having positive learning encounters. She reminded us to get back to the basics, have some humor and fun in the classroom, and live by the C's: caring, connecting, communicating, courage, compassion, conviction, and commitment. Dr. Donna Ford came with the force, pounding us with the hard data of our nation and schools. Her passion and love for advocating the need to become culturally awake to minority students was inspiring and timely. One day I will be her!
Even bigger, though, is putting life into perspective. As I traveled home from church and rounded the ramp to get onto the interstate I saw a goose that was just standing isolated and lost. I wondered to myself, How did you get there? When I got closer, I then saw the dead goose that just lay there next to this goose. Oddly, I felt pain and sadness. The goose would not fly away; it was likley waiting for a flock to come that it could join. Every day of our lives is a day closer to our end, but we complain and focus on the work rather than enjoying the energy, gifts, and time we've been blessed and purposed with to get the work done. I don't ever want to be accused of not waking up and living for the day...Today I am embracing March Madness, not just the basketball tournament but this game called life.
My reality comes in seeing an eighth grade girl who is raising herself and is addicted to any drug that will make her forget the problems of life. I am faced with another eighth grader who has just come to our school, is African American, and is freaked out by the cultural differences. Her comfort is in going bad rather than seeing the fresh new start her parents desired to provide her. Now, I am working with a teacher who wants to press charges on her for reasons I can't fully support. A seventh grader that I mentor chooses to hang out late at night and get involved in drama to avoid her home where her mom doesn't exist for always working and her step father stays drunk. I stare at another one of my mentees who hasn't been to a Saturday session in three weeks because he was suspended yet again and still doesn't get where he went wrong. I am battling parents that can't handle their children, but I can't keep the seventh grader in school who is selling cigarettes to his peers at a slightly high rate than what it would be in the stores. I can't encourage the student who is a black male statistic--a whole 3 grade levels behind--refusing to do the work given to him. Not because he doesn't want to do it, but because he doesn't know how and there is no one at home to help him...With every fight that occurs, parents want to defend their children arguing it was in self defense and demand justice. Students are sent to the office for gum chewing, back talking, or skipping; somehow the teachers who sent them don't understand they've now given the children what they want: time out of the classroom. Meanwhile, the teachers of these students are frustrated and feel no support. They battle with the bad blueberries that are tainting the good fruit, making everything go bad.
So, today, March 9, 2008, my March Madness is put into perspective and all is restored even if an hour was lost due to Daylight Savings! What I understand to be true is putting my hands in it will not force the situations mentioned above to get resolved or better. What I know to be true is every situation I have handed over to God has had its own resolution in due season. What I understand to be true is I affect my environment; it doesn't affect me...My supervisor sent me a powerful, encouraging message this morning that gave the analogy of ice cream. Whatever you add to it, your focus is on the cream, not the nuts, sprinkles, fruit, etc. Those added things are just that: added. The truth of the matter is, I am the cream and need to act like it. I work in an environment that truly does have a top down method despite its efforts to work horizontally in team/collaborative methodologies. We set the tone or flavor for all the added "stuff" people like to throw in the mix--good and bad. I remember why I am there and what my purpose happens to be, and I get excited about all the possibilities of what could and should be.
On Friday of this past week, I had the opportunity to meet two awesome Black women in education. Kay Toliver is a retired math teacher from the Harlem, New York Public Schools. She now goes around giving inspirational presentations to educators on having positive learning encounters. She reminded us to get back to the basics, have some humor and fun in the classroom, and live by the C's: caring, connecting, communicating, courage, compassion, conviction, and commitment. Dr. Donna Ford came with the force, pounding us with the hard data of our nation and schools. Her passion and love for advocating the need to become culturally awake to minority students was inspiring and timely. One day I will be her!
Even bigger, though, is putting life into perspective. As I traveled home from church and rounded the ramp to get onto the interstate I saw a goose that was just standing isolated and lost. I wondered to myself, How did you get there? When I got closer, I then saw the dead goose that just lay there next to this goose. Oddly, I felt pain and sadness. The goose would not fly away; it was likley waiting for a flock to come that it could join. Every day of our lives is a day closer to our end, but we complain and focus on the work rather than enjoying the energy, gifts, and time we've been blessed and purposed with to get the work done. I don't ever want to be accused of not waking up and living for the day...Today I am embracing March Madness, not just the basketball tournament but this game called life.
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