Here's to 2015....

2014 was full of potential, but on the eve of my 31st, it literally fell to pieces. I've spent, and continue to spend, much time simply holding the pieces together. I've become quite good at this game, which really just makes it worse. I'm not sure when I became *that* girl to allow other people's decisions to completely dominate my life....but for now, that's who I am. It simply sucks.

I'm at a standstill in other relationships that I never realized could be fragile. I hate going home. I admit it. I know people make mistakes, and I'm thankful this mistake has hurt no one, only reputations.

So 2015, be kind. Help me regain control. Help me be trusting again. Help me accept the changes made. Help me put these pieces back together much stronger than before. Help me be a better friend, and to show more appreciation. Teach me that it's ok when things don't go as planned. 

How Lucky You Are!

Every Tuesday, I take a moment to give thanks for one thing that I am thankful for in my life. Some of my blessings are sweet and some of them are silly, but all of them are important to me.

Today I'm thankful for ...

graduation.

Although I was never really the "typical" college kid. I always had my head on straight. Ok, well at least 95% of the time.

For the past hour, I've been sitting next to what I think is a Wildlife small group. Or maybe it's YoungLife? Anyhow, their leader is very much a Freshmen at USC. The others are girl are *maybe* in 8th grade. They are hanging on her ev-er-y word about how cool is it that she can roll out of bed and be in the dining hall. She watches episodes of The Office on her laptop while the teacher lectures. Does she sit on the back row? No, usually in the middle, so she's sure the ppl behind her are watching too. She didn't go to one of her classes today because, well, she just didn't feel like it. She had tickets to go to the baseball game, but decided she'd better come to dinner with them instead. Blah blah blah.

If I ever sounded like that, omg, please shoot me now. Maybe I did, but I sure hope not. I'm not sure who is more thankful I'm not her scholarship advisor.

Wow - I just realized I am *especailly* thankful she's not in a sorority. Could you imagine the comments then?

I finally remembered I had earplugs in my school bag, so I just threw those in my ear. THANK GOD. I wonder how many of the girls saw me rolling my eyes.

Ok - in other news ... and in other thanks since I didn't post last week.

(omg - I thought I had just deleted this by accidently clicking on some random button around this page .. but nope! Found it in drafts ... so add that to the thankful list!)

I am also thankful for ...

Tomorrow is his birthday and I've planned a full day (ok well 7:30-12 noon) celebration centered around his works. Don't worry all you Mick, they are all aligned to standards/indicators for my 4th graders. I sure hope they behave because I have put SO much energy into this, I'm about to crash. However, I have student-teacher-intern evals I must complete before her midterm tomorrow.... and yes, I sit here blogging.

Anyhow, his work is incredible. And he isn't just for us when we're starting to learn to read. Shall we have a history lesson?

Ok ... well, I was going to post pictures comparing some of his books to the real events in history. But I had some concerns. 1. I don't actually own any of the pics on my blog, unless I'm in it. So, I thought I had better be careful. (I love making no money in my job, but I can't afford legal fees, too!) and 2. I would feel really weird putting a picture of Hitler on my blog. (Think: Yertle!)

So, anyhow - I'll just share my two favorite with words.

Sneetches. The story of the bird-ish sneeches who decide to ostracize a particular other group of sneetches and make them wear stars. (blue stars on the yellow bellies) At first it was like, hey you can wear these. and then it turned into, you cant wear these. Not all the sneetches agreed to it, but none of them stopped it. Eventually, they began to realize it wasn't all that bad to wear the star or NOT wear the star..... Because, really, a sneetch is a sneetch. Sound familiar?

Butter Battle Book. Well ... I'm too tired and have too much to do to even recap this ... but it's totally cold war! And to think I read this as a kid growing up in the final years of the Cold War and never even realized it until I was ...oh.... 22? (The war or the book - ha! jk)

When you think things are bad,
when you feel sour and blue,
when you start to get mad....
you should do what I do...
Think of the things you are thankful for
and share them below.
I am thankful for...
Just tell yourself, Duckie,
you're really quite lucky!
Some people are much more...
oh, ever so much more ...
oh, muchly much-much more
unlucky than you!
-Dr. Seuss

Am I really only 27?

I can do Facebook. I'm not a huge fan of Facebook, because most people are idiots on it ... but for the most part, I get how to do it.
My sorority has an online alumnae group ... I can't figure it out.... to save my life.
My sorority also has its own private "facebook"-ish site. I definitely CANNOT figure it out. Why can I not figure these stupid things out. Aren't I part of Generation Y? The generation that is supposed to be so tech-y that we basically have to be connected at all times??
I seriously gave myself a headache trying to figure those two websites out.

Friday Night Lights

So, my Sunday afternoon was supposed to be busy with planning Dr. Seuss's Birthday/Read Across America Day ... catching up on some Relay for Life stuff.... lesson planning for the next two weeks since I'll be out of town next weekend ... and the list continues... WELL that's all out the door. Why? because of the beautiful weather we're currently having? No. Because I have this newfound love of cleaning? Hardly. Because I discovered my Wii can stream Netflix and Netflix is the only place I've found FNL season 3? Yes.


So now ... I'm watching the ever continuing saga of Tim Riggins and Lyla Garrity, but I guess not as exciting now that Jason Street has left. The "new" Street is in town with JD McCoy (hmmm any relation to Colt?). And now Tami Taylor is the Principal? Yea - that's realistic.
But I did update this blog, right? So maybe that's something that will be considered "productive" today - HA! :)

Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can't Lose.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

...Is this thing on?





So I thought I would start one of these monthssss ago, but then that thought quickly faded.





Perhaps I'll try again!





One of my friends posts on her blog each Tuesday things she is thankful for ... so I think I'll start by doing that too. I'm totally ripping Amanda off. If I knew how to give her credit by linking to her blog, I would ... but I don't. So maybe she'll read this one day! :)





Every Tuesday, I take a moment to give thanks for one thing that I am thankful for in my life. Some of my blessings are sweet and some of them are silly, but all of them are important to me.

I truly am thankful for my job. It may seem silly that I pick this first, but my job is not just a paycheck. It really is a lifestyle. I have to always think about the fact that I have 40 eyes staring at me for 8 hours a day. And even when I come home, any decision I make can really impact how the look at me. For some of my students, I am THE best role model they have. And that, my friends, is down right scary! I mean, I am a good person, but really ... it's like I'm always in the spotlight.

I wouldn't change though, I don't think. I make jokes about owing the state one more year on my "sentence" but really, I don't know what else I would do.

I make pretty decent money, not as much as other jobs and there is no such thing as a "raise" right now, considering my paycheck has been the same for the past 4 years .... but to see the light bulb go off in their eyes makes it all worth it. (Although it doesn't help pay the light bill - haha)

So anyhow - I love my job; or at least the idea of my job. It ain't easy at all, but it's probably the most rewarding job and I'm lucky to call it my profession.

In teaching, you cannot see the fruit of a day's work.

It is invisible and remains so, maybe for 20 years.

-Jacques Barzun

Uno

Wow. It just took me about 20 minutes to figure out how to even set one of these up! And then to find a url that had not been taken that i wanted!

All of this is very much under progress. I should have started one of these years ago to blog about my trips. But I guess it's better late than never. :)