Team McIntyre

Vexing

2012-01-22T18:38:00.003-06:00

I have to laugh thinking about the little things that Claire does that "vex" her dad. ("Vex" is a favorite word around the McIntyre house. I can't remember when or why we started to use it, but it makes an appearance at least once a week, sometimes more.)

Claire just learned how to turn the TV off and on. She doesn't even really realize that she's doing it because she's not as fascinated by the TV flashing on and off, but she is magnetically drawn to the teeny blue light on the Power button. (I'm constantly amazed at the tiniest observations little ones can make.) I'm just waiting for the day that Scott is in the midst of an intense moment in his favorite racing game only to have Claire turn off the TV...hee hee....

Claire also loves to kick her legs...almost constantly....while laying on the changing table. Today I was particularly entertained listening to Scott trying to get her tights back on....hence the reason that she only dons outfits with tights on the weekends when I'm around the patiently push her wiggly little feet in and scoot them up her chubby little thighs. He got the job done, though. Ah, the things a dad has to learn to do for his little girl.

Of course, Claire vexes me sometimes, too. For instance, today I wanted her to wear a headband with bow. Unfortunately, though, I haven't been having her wear them much lately, so she was having nothin' doin' of keeping that headband on, no matter how many times I pulled her hands down, saying "Oh, such a pretty headband" with my most excited, encouraging face. Guess I'll just have to keep trying.

What I've Got

2012-01-18T21:42:00.003-06:00

I should be in bed right now, but you know how it is. I sat down to check Facebook for just a few minutes, and now, more than a few minutes later, I'm feeling moved to write after having spent the last 20 minutes reading a random blog that an acquaintance whom I never talk with anymore had posted on her FB page.

I have a confession to make: I've had a bad attitude as of late. Maybe you already knew this, so it might not seem like much of a confession to you, but I'm admitting it without trying to cover it with excuses. Tonight I'm telling myself that I'm going to get over thinking life isn't fair and quit thinking about the things I want but just can't have right now.

Instead, I'm going to focus on what I have here and now. And I must say, some of it is pretty good. I've got a living room floor strewn with dominoes, tiny striped socks, pillows, a pink sock monkey popping his head over the edge of the toy tub, a stray mitten, and a few cans of vegetables (long story, but let's just say that Scott gets creative in seeking ways to keep Claire busy during the day). Just a few hours ago, the most adorable little girl on the planet was crawling around amidst all that stuff.

Now that adorable little girl is all snug in her crib, sucking on her orange paci, peacefully sleeping away 11 hours or so while her new front tooth continues to push its way through. She's happy and healthy and thinks I'm the best thing ever. How can I be sure of that, you ask? Well, I don't see her doing the "I'm a little bird, flapping my little arm wings, trying to take off up into your arms" dance when you walk in the room :)

I've got a 4th block class full of freshmen who don't act like crazy monkeys between 1:45 and 3:15 each day.

I've got a good audio book to listen to on my drive in the morning, and I'll enjoy creamy, vanilla flavored coffee while I listen and drive.

I've got an amazing husband who loves me in spite of my incredibly moody moments.

And I've got a warm cozy bed that I will now crawl into. Good night.

Daddy's girl

2011-12-17T05:52:00.006-06:00

It's amazing how much more I can fall in love with Scott by simply watching (or hearing about) him care for Claire. After two months of him filling the role of stay-at-home dad, I have one word: amazing. Considering that he had never diapered, fed, dressed, bathed, or anything more than held a baby before becoming Claire's dad, he is doing a rockstar job!

Our day starts with me waking Claire up at 6:30am. I love watching her rub her eyes with her chubby little fists, peering up at me standing over her crib. On the way out of her room, we stop at the hallway mirror, so she can laugh at herself (she's quite funny in the morning) and lightly bump her forehead against her reflection in the mirror I nuzzle my nose in her fuzzy bed-head hair, entertained by her two-tooth smile and laughter in the morning.

I usually deposit her in our bed at 7 am to snuggle with dad....well, Scott would like to snuggle with her (he's constantly commenting how "I just wish she'd want to hug me!"), but she's much too busy to have time for snuggling and hugging. I play peek-a-boo a few times before I head out the door.

Scott is not one to just loiter at home with Claire all day (which I must say I'm impressed by because taking an active 9 month old out is can be an endeavor, as all of you who area already parents well know). Just this week they had lunch at Panera with a friend (apparently three college girls at the table beside them got very little studying done while Claire was there), visited the guys at FastTrack trucking, and frequented Target several times.

Here's one difference in Scott from the pre-Claire to now with-Claire days. Scott still loves the toy aisle at Target, don't get me wrong, and I'm almost certain he and Claire strolled down it yesterday, but he didn't come home with Legos for himself (my man loves his Legos!). No, he came home with two pink, fleecy outfits for Claire (cute yet practical!), a red Sock monkey doll (because "I've always wanted to get her a Sock monkey!"...sounding like he's been waiting years, not just 9 months), a round tub for her toys (one that's big enough that he can empty all the toys out, put Claire in, and push her around in it. I know that alternative use factored in to which toy bin was purchased), and a monkey hat with matching brown mittens. Technically the tag on the monkey hat did say "Infant Boy", which I gently pointed out to him, but he won me over when he said, "Well, you can take it back if you want, but I just love the hats with little ears!" I must admit, it is quite adorable, so I'll just make sure that she's wearing pink when she has it on.

Scott commented that as he walked around Target, he was thinking to himself that he was about the only guy in the store, it seemed, and probably the only one pushing around a little girl in the cart. And to hear him talk about how the cart could be better suited for babies ("the strap to buckle her in needs to be lower. It goes up into her armpits and then she slouches down, putting her feet up on the handle"), and how he has to bend over the cart while he pushes to make sure she doesn't slip out....I know, I know, I'm such a sappy mom, but I can't help but smiling when I picture it in my mind!

Perhaps the most entertaining Daddy moment of the day yesterday involved the new sippy cup. Lately Claire has been losing interest in the bottle. Food is just more appealing these days, but don't worry, she's obviously still getting enough, as her chubby thighs and cheeks will prove. We decided it might be time to try a sippy cup, so Scott also picked one of those up at Target. Watching him figure out how to use it was priceless. In his defense, it was tricky, being the "stage 1" cup which is similar to a bottle nipple in the fact that Claire still needs to suck to get liquid out (hard to explain...if you could see the cup, you'd understand). So he filled, turned it upside down, tried to drink, realized that if you pushed your nose on the center part by the nipple, the water came out better. Problem being that the distance between his mouth and nose is much greater than a baby's. Eventually Claire would hold it up to her mouth and suck, but we don't have much confidence that she actually got any water, since she loves to just chew on stuff these days. The cup went back already last night, so we'll have to try a different style.

Anywho, I suppose I've rambled long enough. Yes, I'm that mom who is absolutely enamored with my child, so don't complain that you haven't been warned! As I watch her crawl around (which she's quite fast at these days) and pull herself up next to things (mostly on her knees, but every so often up to her feet...yikes!), I can't believe that our little Claire is already nine months old. I can't wait to spend two uninterrupted weeks (thank God for Christmas break) with my little girl :)

Princess

2011-10-14T10:33:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was Claire's 7 month birthday....woah, time, please slow down!

It was also another milestone: Scott's first full day as "Mr. Mom." We've been super blessed by God's job provision for Scott. First, his internship was extended one month because of a coworker recovering from kidney donation surgery (very cool/random, yes). Then he worked for almost a full month contracting for Bozell. Again, an answer to prayer. So now, as he's in a "lull" between jobs and as he continues searching for a full-time position, he's taking on the role of full-time dad.

I texted about 11 am to ask how things were going. An hour later (I wasn't sure if the time gap was a good sign or not), I receive this text back: "Well, Princess only drinks her milk warm ;) if it best a bit cool it must be warmed again." I laughed out loud, thinking about the fact that Claire was already wrapping daddy around her little finger. Our babysitter has said that Claire is sometimes slow and a bit stubborn when drinking, but I know that she's just persistent in having Claire drink. Scott, on the other hand, goes to rewarm the bottle (which is sweet) in order to please his little girl.

I love, love, love watching Scott fall even more in love with his little girl. And she's pretty darn lovable, I must admit. She's a girl on the go these days, rolling and backwards slide/scooting all over the living room. She "chooses" a DVD to watch several times a day (really wish we could find the glass doors to the TV stand so we could put them back on to baby proof a bit) and loves playing with the springy doorstops in the hall. She purposefully rolls over to Shoes to pet her, but Shoes has already decided that she's not so down with that. She'd rather watch Claire from a distance. She loves standing in the exersaucer and pressing the button that plays "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"....over and over and over and over.....you can imagine how much Scott loves that :) Mirrors are sources of extreme fascination as she tries to figure out just who that adorable little girl is!

We love our little Claire-a-belle!

A week of milestones

2011-08-01T15:07:00.002-05:00

Claire's been a busy girl over the past week! Last Monday, after much grunting, squirming, and red-face making (on her part) and much cheering (from mom), she rolled from her back to her stomach! We were playing on the floor around noon. I'd been coaching her a lot on this rolling thing because I really wanted her to do it before I go back to school (more on that later). Once she was completely over, she still had her arm trapped beneath her. I resisted the urge to help her get it out because I wanted this to really "count" as the first roll (is that lame of me?), so I let her fuss it out a bit more until she got the arm free. I was so excited...but she was less than. After all that work, she just wanted to be picked up :)

I was so excited to actually see her accomplish this for the first time because she has to start going to the babysitter on Wednesday. We have an awesome woman lined up for her (sister of a good friend from church, has seven kids of her own, only watches one other girl full-time), but I'm still a bit sad thinking of the things I'll miss, so I'm feeling blessed to witness this milestone. Maybe I'll tell the babysitter not to tell me if Claire accomplishes a "first" while there. Or maybe I'll put the video camera in the diaper bag each day. Or maybe I'll just pray she does all the good stuff during the evening or weekends. The best bet, though, might be to follow Scott's advice (shhh....don't tell him I think he might be right :) to remember that just because I don't get to see the absolute first time, doesn't mean that it won't be awesome to see the second...or third...or fourth. I tell him it's a "mom thing," but he does have a point. We'll see how the year goes :)

Rolling does present some new challenges though. Unfortunately I only helped her practice rolling from back to tummy, and she hasn't figured out how to roll from tummy to back yet (which is somewhat backward. most babies do that first...perhaps I didn't do enough tummy time?) So she gets rather frustrated when she's tired of being on her tummy but can't seem to do anything about it. Also, putting her down to sleep is trickier because, again, she'll roll to her tummy and then get really mad about it (which isn't good for sleeping), or she'll roll part way and get an arm or leg stuck between the crib bars, which also makes for a mad baby. We're working it out, though...and now practicing that ever-so-important tummy to back roll :)

She's also made two amazing discoveries this past week: those feet down there are actually hers! And her thumb is a mighty fine pacifier. I love watching her rock on her back, playing with her feet (she's not sucking on them...yet). Even cuter is peeking in on her sleeping, sucking away at her thumb. Really, does it get cuter than that? She's still not an expert at the thumbsucking....sometimes her other fingers about poke her eye out, but I'm ok if she's not doing it all the time. Just like the paci, all good things in moderation, yes?

The final milestone: she's now sleeping upstairs during the night. I wanted to make the transition from the pack-n-play in our room to the crib in her room for night sleeping so my alarm doesn't wake her up in the morning. (I'm already going to have to wake the poor girl up in the morn when school starts. No sense in that happening any earlier than it needs to). She's a rockstar and slept through the first night in her crib with narry a peep. Which is more than I can say for me. I woke up at least twice to listen for the baby monitor. Scott indulged my testing it several different ways "just to make sure." Are there people that worry more about little things than moms? I don't think so :) She even slept through the noisy dumpster emptying at 3:45 am the second night. Really, Mr. Garbage Truck Man? Not a different time you could empty that dumpster next door? This is a residential neighborhood, for crying out loud!

So exciting times for Team McIntyre. Times that make me smile and make me sad all at one. Time flies a bit too fast sometime. God, show me how to treasure each and every moment of it :)

8 pounds later...

2011-07-21T14:41:00.003-05:00

Good friends of ours welcomed their little boy into the world 10 days ago. Yes, another little boy in Claire ever-expanding group of friends. All of my six friends who were expecting over the last year had boys. Claire has a wide circle of future suitors to choose from. Scott is already oiling his shotgun :)

I stopped by to visit little Jacob and jumped at the chance to hold him....all seven pounds of him. Just 4 months ago Claire was that little...at least almost. As I was holding the little guy, I was trying to remember back to when Claire was just a little peanut like that, but I almost can't....yikes! How did it feel when she would snuggle up to me before she could hold herself up? How did she look before she grew an extra chin, thunder thighs, and cankles (all of which I love :)? She's on the road to being a big girl!

Other big girl things she's been doing lately:

so very close to rolling over from her back to her stomach. She gets the bottom two-thirds turned, but just can't get over her arm and swing her head up. I help her practice, showing her how to point her arm up to get over it, but not quite there yet.
purposely grabbing at objects hanging down from her play gym.
sleeping on her side. She just started doing this last night, and for some reason it seems like such a grown-up thing to do, don't you think?
sitting up in her bath...with help, of course, but so adorable the way her hands grip the side of the dishpan, and her feet kick up an occasional splash.
sitting in the front of the stroller, no longer in the car seat clipped on top. Cooler for her, I think, and much easier for me to push....win-win for both of us!
yesterday at the doc, she weighed in at 15 pounds, 3 ounces, which puts her in the 78th percentile. She jumped to the 91st percentile for height, so it looks like we're going to have a tall girl on our hands. Highwater pants are in her future, I suspect....I can only hope they come back in style when she's in those ever-so-important-to-be-in-style teen years :)

The Mom Reflex

2011-07-16T17:48:00.002-05:00

I just finished reading What is the What for book club. Not an easy, fun summer read by any means, but I'm very glad to have read it. In a nutshell, the book is the story of one of the Sudanese "Lost Boys" from his childhood days in a peaceful village to the civil war to living in several refugee camps before finally immigrating to the United States.

The book opened my eyes to the plight of refugees and asked many questions that have no easy answers. Before having Claire, I would still have been started, angry, and sad at the story, but now that I'm a mom, a new surge of emotions takes me by surprise.

And it's not just the book. Last weekend at my mom's farm, when I saw one of the barn cats heading to the house, carrying a very baby kitten by the scruff of the neck, my eyes teared up. Blackie, the ambitious mother cat, thought she would bring the kitten into the house. That's not such a far-fetched idea because Blackie is allowed on the porch, but only the porch, occasionally because my 7-year-old niece loves her. (Can I just say that I begged my mom for years to have a house cat? Apparently there's something called the Grandma Reflex as well). In Blackie's mind the porch is the perfect safe place, but much to her dismay, mom won't allow it. So I found myself shedding a tear because Blackie would have to find a different safe place for her baby.

Then there was the other night on the Keystone Trail. Sandy and I were enjoying a stroll with Claire (who, I must add, is now riding in the front of the stroller like a big girl!) when three upper elementary aged boys were coming towards us on their bikes. The youngest (who I would guess to be in 3rd or 4th grade) was slowly riding straight towards us. Sandy said he has an ornery "let's see who will be the first chicken" look in his eye. As he swerved a way at the last minute, I turned an yelled, "Hey, you need to be careful!"

He didn't seem at all sorry, so I added, "You don't own the trail, you know."

"Really?" the punk kid replied.

Not nice retorts formed in my mind and were on the verge of spilling out of my mouth when Sandy replied, "You need to be careful when there's a baby around." Much nicer than I would've been. If you know me, you know it's not like me to yell at young kids on the trail, so, again, the mom reflex seems to have struck.

And yes, I know, this is just the beginning...

The Bassinet

2011-06-15T08:25:00.002-05:00

For the last 92 nights (doing math during maternity leave could be questionable, so we'll say that's an estimate), Claire has snuggled up for the night in the white bassinet at the foot of our bed. Hers isn't one of the fancy, new-fangled bassinets with all sorts of room to stretch, a shelf underneath for supplies and a mobile hanging overhead. It doesn't sport a ruffled skirt or elaborate trimmings. It looks more like a large white picnic basket( with small gaps between the woven wooden strips) on a simple wheeled stand.

To be honest, she's getting a bit too big her little nest (as my mom calls it), but I'm dragging my feet on moving her to the crib for night sleeping. She already takes her daytime naps there, but we had the bassinet for night sleeping since our bedroom is in the basement. That made sense for the first few weeks because who wants to walk up a flight of stairs half asleep to attend to a hungry, crying newborn, but since she's been consistently sleeping through the night since mid-April (yes, you read correctly...I have an amazing kid :), she really could sleep upstairs.

My excuse has been that I need to get a new baby monitor. My sister generously gave me hers but the reception is a bit more "static" than I want. Great for daytime use, but not so great, I think, for sleeping with it two feet from my ears. I could have easily purchased a new monitor at Target or Walmart weeks ago, so what's stopping me? Perhaps cost (I am cheap, as you all know:). Perhaps the fact that I don't just run out for errands as easily as I use to. Subconsciously, though, I think I will miss her sleeping at the foot of the bed.

Now that she's sleeping through the night and I'm not falling into bed in an extremely sleep deprived state, I like to listen to her night noises. The little sighs. The grunts as she works to free her arms from the swaddle blanket (sometimes successful, sometimes not). The plunk of her pacifier hitting the side when she lets it drop out in her sleep. The thump of her arms hitting the sides when she does manage to free them. Her morning wake-up noises. They're just all so cute that I hate to think of them ending. Sure, I may still hear some of them over the monitor, but it just won't be the same.

Claire's about the 20th kid to sleep in the white basket bassinet....my mom and I counted one day. All six kids in my family. Several of my cousins. Almost all of my nieces and nephews, and some other random babies I'm sure I'm forgetting. When I come down to go to bed at night and pause to watch her sleeping (which I do almost every night, sometimes having to bend in really close to see her in the dark), I like the thought that my mom watched me sleep in that same bassinet. I watched my nieces and nephews sleep in that same bassinet. Who knows, maybe Claire will watch her son or daughter sleep there someday.

12 weeks!

2011-06-07T08:34:00.002-05:00

Somehow my little Clarabelle (one of our nicknames for Claire...Claire Bear is also often used) is 12 weeks old already. I have been warned that if I blink too many times I will find her all grown up already, so I'm trying to keep my eyes open :) So many thoughts and so few creative ideas for organizing them, so bullet points will have to do for today:

We've really enjoyed strollin' around the neighborhood during the afternoon and evenings. I've lived on this street for eight years now (yikes! Time flies!) and have met more neighbors in the last two months than the previous seven years. Something about a baby invities conversation and community. I love it!

I love a bit less, though, pushing the stroller up the last hill to our house. I swear the incline/grade of that hill has increased in the last three months :)

Scott put it well yesterday when he said that Claire is really becoming a little person. Her personality and mannerisms are really starting to come out. She ticklish on the bottom of her feet. She really wants to be sitting up and looking around. She focuses on people across the room. She flirts with cooing and the cutest little eyebrown raises (I wish I could capture that on video, but as soon as I get the video camera out, she just stares at it with a very serious, sober look).

She's sleeping light a champion! She hasn't woken up in the middle of the night since Easter weekend. I usually put her to bed between 8:30 and 9:30 pm, and she'll sleep until 6:30 am. It's bliss for me! She's starting to break out of her swaddle blanket (or the baby staight jacket, as we fondly call it), so I'm a bit nervous about how well she'll sleep when I can't cozy her up in that at bedtime...wish me luck :)

Of course, since she sleeps so much at night, her daytime naps are a bit shorter, but I'll take the uninterrupted night sleep :)

Claire has found her voice in the last week or so. Fun, fun, fun to hear more "talking" these days. She's very expressive and strains to be heard. Hard to believe that we'd have a talker, right? :)

Speaking of voice, there's suddenly crying in the background, so best wrap it up for now...I'm coming Claire!

Mother's Day Musings

2011-05-08T20:40:00.002-05:00

It's 8:30 pm, and I'm still a bit in awe that Mother's Day this year was actually for me. Wow! Somedays I still feel more like a long-term babysitter than a mom, but one fun realization I've had over the last few days is the fact that Claire really does know my voice. When others hold her and she hears me, she turns my way or her eyes get a slightly more calm/focused look. I almost teared up a bit when a friend casually commented yesterday, "She knows her momma." Yes, I am Claire's momma. Someone pinch me :)

I had a wonderful day: enjoyed a run on a beautiful cool morning, received an adorable necklace and earrings from Scott (see picture), didn't have to make lunch or dinner, and had a date with my hubby (thank you, Leon and Sharon for staying with Claire :). And, of course, Claire was incredibly cute and well-behaved today. I feel so loved!

Over dinner Scott and I were dreaming about what Claire would be like when she gets older. Will she be shy or outgoing? Will she be a girly-girl or a tomboy? Will she be artistic or math minded (or, dare I wish, both)? It's so fun to think about what kind of girl she will grow into. I can hardly wait to get a homemade card and a little bouquet of dandelions from my sweet girl.

Another reoccurring stream of thoughts today has been about my amazing mom:

My mom attended almost all of my activities: concerts, track meets, cross country races, and basketball games (even though I sat the bench most of the time).
She is an awesome baker. I took homemade bread, cookies, and desserts for granted growing up, not really realizing that not every kid enjoyed dessert with almost every dinner.
She is a hard worker: raising six kids on a farm, growing a huge garden, canning, butchering chickens, chasing cattle, washing clothes with an old-style washing machine, making breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day, just to name a few. And she completed all that hard work with an amazingly positive attitude. My mom rarely, if ever, complains.
She is resourceful and creative, able to fashion doll clothes and furniture out of random scraps and items many people would throw away.
She has a servant heart, bringing food for funerals, taking relatives to doctors appointments, delivering meals on wheels, sewing, mending, and cleaning when she comes to visit. She likes to do things to help others.

If I can be as cool as her, Claire will be a lucky girl. I love you mom!

Petite Feet

2011-05-04T08:28:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I rediscovered something that brought a smile to my face. Since Claire was born in the early spring, when the weather was still chilly, she has spent most of her first seven weeks of life with her feet covered. Mostly she's worn cute onesie/pajama style sleepers, and the few times that she's had an actual "outfit" on, I've added a pair of socks (in response to my mother's voice echoing in my head, "You don't want her feet to get cold." :)

On Monday night at our small group, Gavin (the newborn of another couple in our group) had on pants that let his little feet show, and that reminded me how cute newborn feet are. So yesterday Claire wore a newer sleeper that did not have feet. It was an adorable one from my sister's family: white with flowers and butterflies, a slight ruffle/gather on the shoulder and a little pink bow by the neck for a tiny feminine touch. And all day I found myself fascinated by her miniature feet!

The best was when she woke up from her nap. I often love to watch her stretching as she wakes herself up, arms reaching above her head as if straining for some unknown prize, back arching, eyes still squeezed shut as if to say, "I'm waking up, but don't rush me," little snorts of breath as she transitions from sleeping to awake. But the best part, I discovered yesterday, was watching her little toes curl, uncurl, spread apart and then come together, almost like little hands. Maybe it's just a mom thing that others would not be fascinated by, but I could have watched her tiny feet for hours...which, of course, I didn't once she started to "remind" me that her diaper was full, she was hungry, and stretch time was over....she was awake and wanted to get down to business!

Amazing how something so small can have such an impact on my day :)

Our noisy life

2011-04-28T16:24:00.003-05:00

Since I've spent more time in my house in the last six weeks that I have in the last six years (ok, probably not quite true, but any new mom would agree with me that it certainly feels that way...which I'm not saying is bad, it's just how it is), I'm trying to look at my "old" surroundings in new and fresh ways.

As I poured myself a bowl of Starburst jelly beans (a small bowl...I've managed to stretch this bag out for four days, which is a huge improvement over last week's "bag in an afternoon"), it struck me that a new way of looking at life would be through the sounds I'm hearing as of late.

So, here are some of the sounds around the McIntyre house these days:

The "ting" Starburst jelly beans plunking into a small Fiestaware bowl
The rattle of Lego pieces from the spare room as Scott dismantles some Star Wars inspired something and creates new mini items
Steam whooshing out of the iron as I iron Scott's shirts (I just couldn't take them hanging in the laundry room any longer)
The narrator's voice on the online tutorial videos that Scott is listening to as he learns more about his newest addiction: Lightroom (a photo editing program)
The cheesy lullaby music that plays in Claire's room when she's sleeping. I really need to put a new CD in because those songs are starting to bore into our brains.
Glee music (especially one song from Wicked). Not as much lately, but in the first three weeks after Claire was born, we were hooked on Glee We've finished the first season, so now I need put the first half of season 2 on our Netflix list.
Claire's cry. Now, this could be several bullets because, as I'm learning, there are several types of cries: the "I'm hungry, feed me now!" with the pitiful cough/cry, the "I was asleep but the pacifier fell out" tired cry, the "I'm so mad that you laid me down and there's no way I'm going to sleep now" wail, the "I'm so tired but for some reason am fighting sleep" ear piercing cry (which is the one that most makes us crazy)...and so on and so on..
Claire's cooing, which wipes from my memory (at least momentarily) all those cries. In the morning, when she's in an especially good mood, it's absolutely adorable
Birds chirping, which are super easy to hear outside the window at 4:30 am when I'm feeding Claire.
Claire grunting when she's trying to get her arms out when she's laying in the bassinet. The grunting stops either when she manages to free one from the swaddle or when she gets tired and gives up. I love peeking in her room and seeing one little hand just poking out of the covers as she sleeps, like she's saying, "Ha! I won mom! Got one hand free!"
Claire's myriad of adorable sleeping noises. Who knew that babies made so many sounds in their sleep? Sighs, grunts...even her breathing is so loud for such a little body.
Claire's snorts (yes, I know lots of these noises are Claire, but she does, by far, produce the most noise of any person or thing in our house). We've tried sucking out her nose (which she did not enjoy) and have come to the conclusion that she just snorts sometimes when she breathes. It's pretty hilarious.
Lip smacking (yes, Claire again). This girl is not a quiet dainty eater, which often leads to coughing noises when her swallowing can't keep up with her sucking.
The voice of some designer or cook. I'm hooked on HGTV these days! We had tried out a digital antenna but we couldn't stand the sporadic breaks in reception, so when Scott called to unfreeze our cable service, they gave us a bunch of extra channels for free. Now, I know that they think we will succomb to their evil plan of hooking us on these channels so that we will break down and pay for them when this free period ends, but Cox doesn't know that they are dealing with such a thrifty (ie. cheap) woman :)
The theme song from Law and Order: SVU. What can I say, I addicted.

Just a peek into our noisy life.

Food Fun

2011-04-22T09:37:00.005-05:00

I've been trying to cook and bake more lately (which many of you know is not something I always enjoy). Perhaps I can get in the "groove" of it before going back to school this fall because I don't want Claire growing up thinking that spaghetti, refried bean tortillas, and cereal are regularly accepted meals.

One of my victories as of late has been baking bread. I grew up with the smell of homemade bread greeting me at the door after school. I know how to bake bread. I just don't take the time to do it...until now. Lindsay introduced me to this fabulous no-knead bread that the dough can stay in the fridge for up to 14 days, baking it into crusty deliciousness in small loaves....so tasty. So Scott thinks that I'm the best thing ever this last week because of the homemade bread. Score one for me :)

Last Thursday Scott asked for homemade bread, so I was looking for a new soup recipe to make for dinner because crusty bread is best with soup on an overcast day, right? In my recipe binder is a recipe for Sweet Potato Peanut Bisque. I'm fairly certain Scott printed this out some random time because it's not the type of soup I would gravitate towards. I was in the mood to try something different, though, had sweet potatoes (which rarely happens), and thought Scott would be impressed with my adventurous cooking.

As I dished up the soup, I noticed the recipe indicated that bowls could be garnished with peanuts. "I have peanuts!" I thought excitedly (because usually I completely ignore garnishing instructions because they often involved some fresh herb that I never have on hand). So I dug in the back of my cupboard to find the can of crushed peanuts (leftovers from a "make your own ice cream sundae" party I had once, I think...the fact that I couldn't remember exactly should have been a warning flag to me, but alas...) and sprinkled a handful on top of each bowl.

"How do you like the soup?" I looked across the table at Scott, waiting for an answer. "Be honest, I don't care if you don't like it."

"It's good. What do you think?"

"Well, to be honest, nothing I'm going to crave, but not bad," I replied as I took another bite. But that was a bit of a lie. I didn't really like how it tasted. Something yucky that I couldn't put my finger on. Perhaps the unusual mix of ingredients, I thought.

"You know," Scott mused while finishing another spoonful, "something doesn't taste quite right. I think it's these peanuts. How old are these peanuts?"

Uh oh. I didn't think it was a good thing that I couldn't remember. I am known for keeping food around longer than I should. Expiration dates are often merely suggestions to me, and I regularly employ the sniff test when deciding if something is still good or not.

"Ummm..." I picked up the can of nuts off the kitchen cupboard, searching for the expiration date. When I found it I started to laugh.

"What?" Scott reached for the can. I pointed to the date. "2005? Are you trying to kill me? That's six years!"

Needless to say, we both had a good laugh as we dumped our first bowls of soup down the drain and dished up fresh servings, minus the rotten peanut garnish.

Want to come to dinner at out house? :)

One month ago...Claire's arrival

2011-04-11T16:09:00.005-05:00

Hard to believe that one month ago I was sitting in a hospital bed, holding my new baby girl. I feel like I've been in an odd time warp these last few weeks. On one hand they have flown by, but at other times the clock seems to be standing still (most often these "other times" occur in the middle of the night and/or involve ear-piercing crys). Perhaps there are some out there in cyberspace who would like to hear about the day Claire was born, but, if not, this will just be for me on those days that I'm flipping back through my blog, reminiscing. I woke up a bit past midnight on March 13th, not feeling the greatest. "Stupid patty melt and fries from the Dell," I thought. Delicious as they were, I thought perhaps their fatty, greasy goodness was not agreeing with my 39+ week prego body. Fell back to sleep only to wake again at 2:30 am. After using the bathroom (which involves going upstairs, so not something I just decide to do for fun in the middle of the night), I was laying down in bed again when it occured to me that the Braxton-Hicks contractions I thought I was having felt different than they had the last few weeks. "Could this be it?" Laid there for a bit longer, telling myself it was probably nothing. About 15 minutes later I decided to Google (what would we do without the internet) "real versus fake contractions." After reading, I had to stop and take a big breath...I was pretty sure I was actually in the early stages of labor! First order of business was the finish packing the hospital bag. Scott had hounded me to start/finish that task for several weeks, but I was dragging my feet. Now I rushed to find the list from the hospital and put in the last few items because no way was I waking Scott before that was done :) At about 10 minutes to 5, I woke Scott up. Luckily, this was Guard weekend for him, so we had went to bed at a decent time because he had to get up at 5 am to get to Lincoln. When I told him that I was pretty sure I was in labor, he sleepily questioned, "Are you sure?" When he realized I was serious, he was up pretty quickly. (As I predicted, one of the first questions out of his mouth was, "Did you finish packing your bag?" I was so glad I could now say "yes!") Now I had some help in timimg contractions. I had been doing this...sort of...on my own, but now that they were getting a bit closer together, I wanted to be more accurate. I wish I could remember exactly how we arrived at our system, but let's just say it invovled, at one point, me wearing two watches (which didn't work so well) and at another point, me yelling into the next room to Scott every time a contraction started. Really, it's a miracle we had any idea of the timing. One thing I love about Scott is his ability to instantly kick into "get it done!" mode. After quickly showering and packing his own bag, he proceeded to fill and run the dishwasher, handwash some bigger dishes, put out extra food and water for the cat, and even run the vaccuum in a few spots. Funny, since it's not like we were leaving for a week or something. We'd be back in a couple of days, but still that made him feel prepared. Once everything was set, it turned into a waiting game. To pass the time, Scott decided we should watch the movie Zombieland. Not exactly my first choice, but since I was "distracted" once every 4 or 5 minutes, I guess it didn't really matter. Now I see it as a funny detail that I'll tell Claire someday: "Yup, your dad and I watched a zombie spoof movie while we waited for you to arrive." We held off going to the hospital until about 8:15 am. Once there, my contractions seemed to be slowing. "Shoot!" I thought, "What if this is a false alarm and they send me home?" That was the last thing I wanted, of course, because I had been telling the baby for the last few weeks how I wanted him/her to be born this particular weekend because I didn't want to teach the next book on my freshmen class schedule (great reason to want to go into labor, I realize, but just being honest :) When they checked me, though, I was already dialated to 3 am. "We're keeping you here" was music to my ears. After changing into the oh-so-stylish hospital gown and wrapping up in my big yellow robe, we walked the halls for a bit. Hospitals are rather quiet places at 9am on a Sunday morning. After a few laps, we decided to watch an episode of "House." That lasted all of about 20 minutes because pausing it every 3 or 4 minutes was just killing the plot :). Scott then reminded me that I had a jacuzzi tub in my room just waiting to be used. (I think he was secretly hoping to be able to use it as well, but Claire came too quickly for him to get the chance...poor guy...) The tub was nice, but when I reached the point that I couldn't "relax" during contractions like CeCe (our fabulous midwife) was asking me to (really, who can relax during contractions? I'd like to meet that woman), I decided it was time to get out. Good thing I did because when CeCe checked, I had dialted to 8 cm. The next span of time is sort of a blur, but I remember being aware, at one point, that the part of the bed I thought I was squeezing was actually Scott's hand (he never complained). I also remember CeCe asking Scott if he wanted to announce if it was a boy or girl because she thought the next push was going to be "the one." Scott has been telling me between pushes how amazing this was to watch...which surprised us both because birth class made him question whether he'd want to closely watch the actual birth. At 12:19 pm (just 4 hours after arriving at the hospital) CeCe said, "It's a ....." and then Scott exclaimed, "A girl! It's a girl!" Such sweet words! He cut the cord (another surprise decision for both of us...he even got to keep the scissors), and there she was, Claire Elise McIntyre, lying on my stomach. So there you have it, Claire's grand entrance onto the scene. What a day it was!

That cat's a mystery to me...

2011-03-25T16:58:00.003-05:00

I tell people that Scott and Shoes (our 15 pound cat) have a love-hate relationship: Scott loves to do things that Shoes should hate him for. He picks her up, swings her in the air, traps her in the bed, pushes her into the floor, and rubs her face, just to name a few. One might think that after all that, she would run, hiss, bite, or some other form of retaliation, but no. She usually just runs (and I use that term loosely...usually more like a fast walk) a few steps, and then will often lie down on the ground, sometimes even with a little purr.

I just don't understand it. She looks upset at the time and will often let out a mournful sounding meow, but she never takes my advice (which is "just one time, Shoes, bite like you mean it."). Instead, she seems to have the incredible ability to forgive and forget. I think it may be related to the fact that Scott feeds and cleans her litter box...and will occasionally give her treats and special food...bribing her to love him, I joke.

Today, for example, I hear Scott coming up from our bedroom. He walks into the living room with Shoes wrapped up in a blanket, not looking too happy about it. "Shoes doesn't like to be swaddled," he says (can you tell we're in baby mode here? I don't think the word "swaddle" had been uttered at the McIntyre house before March 13th). Shoes proceeds to jump out when he lets her, but then stops about two feet away, cozying up in her favorite spot by the furnace vent. I just don't understand that cat.

Why...

2011-03-23T08:15:00.002-05:00

Does Claire cry and fight when I swaddle her good and tight, but this morning she just laid there while Scott wrapped her all snug without saying a peep? Really, this is how you repay the woman who feeds you in the middle of the night? :)

Daddy's girl

2011-03-22T20:01:00.002-05:00

Sweet moment that I want to capture in my heart: Claire was crying, so Scott went in to take care of her. A few minutes later, I peeked in her room to see what was going on. It was dark, so I had to strain my eyes to see the two of them laying on the floor, heads next to each other, feet pointing opposite directions, listening to music on the iPod. (Opera music of some sort because Scott "wants our kid to be smart" :) Claire was wide awake, intently listening, loving laying on the floor next to her daddy. Brings a little tear to my eye as I type. Sigh....

Dinner is served!

2011-01-26T17:20:00.004-06:00

You mean to tell me that some people put food on their dining room table instead of Lego creations? Really? I must visit these houses and see this phenomenon! I love my husband :)

33!

2011-01-25T21:10:00.002-06:00

33 weeks down, 7 to go. Yikes, where did that time go? A few random thoughts to capture while sharing this picture with those who have not already seen it on Facebook.

I appreciate random people who make me feel cute and encouraged by being pregnant. Case in point: yesterday my students were driving me crazy. I felt like I was the perfect picture of the stereotypical crabby pregnant woman (at least my students would have said that I think). At the gym, though, not one, but two strangers commented to me how cute I looked, what a fun time this was, etc. Just what I needed on a less-than-perfect day.
Scott is going to be such a fun dad. This weekend we were watching "Lie to Me" online. The main character is a very intelligent, sarcastic British man (kind of like House on "House", if you are familiar with that show). Every time we watch that show, Scott feels the need to break into an English dialect, which is, in itself, highly entertaining Saturday, though, he felt the need to get right up next to my belly and talk to the baby...in the British accent. It was hilariously adorable...I just hope our son or daughter isn't disappointed to find his/her dad is not actually a British man.
It is the absolute craziest thing to sit and watch my stomach move, like waves moving across it.

30 weeks down, 10 to go

2011-01-02T15:29:00.003-06:00

The arrival of the new year, coupled with the realization that I'm three-fourths of the way to meeting my son or daughter puts me in a reflective mood. Sometimes this reflection tip-toes on the edges of becoming panic, prompted, in part, by the reading of a book recommended by my midwife. Great book that I don't regret reading, but I definately can't live in denial about labor and delivery any longer.

Anywho, in order to focus on the joyous side of reflection, and to remember this sweet time when I'm a sleep-desprived, stressed out, overly emotional new mom, I offer the following list of things I've thoroughly enjoyed about being pregnant:

Walks with Scott. The weather's been too cold for this lately, but a month or two ago, Scott would agree to a walk every time I asked. We enjoyed looking at houses and talking about whatever was on our mind. I loved those walks.

Working out. That may sound like an odd item on the list, so let me explain. I like being active, but when the weather becomes disagreeable, the gym becomes a drag. I hate running on the treadmill, but I feel compelled to run because nothing else gives me quite that hot, sweaty, "I worked out" feeling like a run. Being pregnant, though, gave me an excuse to let myself off the hook. I enjoyed the walk/runs on the treadmill. I've developed a new love for the elliptical machine. Oddly, I enjoy the gym more at 6-months pregnant than I have in quite some time.

My doting coworkers. There's not better place to be for 8-hours a day than surrounded by people who love kids. They have been excited, supportive, and so much fun.

My students. Teenagers are funny when it comes to pregnancy. They are thoughtful, curious, and just generally entertaining. Having a pregnant teacher is somewhat of an oddity for them, so they've treated me very well. For that, I'm very thankful.

My husband. Scott's been so great about getting me a glass of water, a snack, a blanket, a kleenex...bascially anything that I want just after I've settled myself into the perfect, cozy position on the couch. I'm not to the stage where it's physically difficult for me to get up and get it myself. Most of the time I just don't want to. He probably knows that but dutifully fetches whatever I'm requesting anyway. What a great guy!

Not being sick. (Pause for hateful glares and remarks for those of you who cannot put this on your list...really, I wish you could, I truly do). Pregnancy has been so incredibly good to me. Sure, I've been tired and kind of nauseas, but overall, it's been really great. Feeling great is an incredible blessing that I try not to take for granted.

Just a few of the things on my mind as I reflect on the last seven months. Last 10 weeks, ready or not, here I come!

Hi Dad!

2010-12-08T06:01:00.002-06:00

Scott and I were laying awake in bed last night, talking and praying. This, in itself, is a rather amazing feat considering that Scott's night owl habits have again come out as the end of the semester nears and the deadline for his final portfolio looms. School had worn me out that day (there should be a special place in heaven for teachers between Thanksgiving and Christmas break), so Scott was praying for some peace and patience for me.

In the middle of his heartfelt words he suddenly exclaims, "I just felt a kick!" I thought he was kidding (terrible, I know) because that particular kick didn't feel any stronger than before. I've grown so accustomed to the small random movements that I had a hard time believing that the outside world could have detected that one.

Skeptically, I reply, "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, really!"

"Really?"

"Jane, really!"

So we paused for a moment, reveling in just how amazing it was that our little babe was making an announcement to the outside world, almost like he/she was saying, "Hey dad, don't forget to pray for me!" Very cool way to end the day :)

In Awe

2010-10-27T19:58:00.003-05:00

I don't often find myself at a loss for words. I'm an English teacher, for goodness sakes. I'm full of words. Looking at the ultrasound screen today, though, left me speechless. I knew there was a little life in there. Could feel the movement. Could see my middle expanding. Couldn't deny the hunger and fatigue. Heard the heartbeat. But seeing the eyes, arms, legs, heart (everything but that important little spot that would spoil the surprise!) is amazing.

According to the midwife, all is well. The baby weighs about 15 oz. Everything is average size, except for the slightly longer legs. Runner's legs, I'm sure :) My official due date is now March 10th. I think Scott secretly hopes he/she comes on his birthday (March 1st), but I'm hoping to hold out as long as possible. Don't want to use up all my FMLA before school dismissed for the year :) I almost broke and asked to know the sex while lying on the table. So tempting, but so glad I didn't.

So tonight I'll go to sleep thinking of a little foot. A little nose. A little heart. A perfect little baby...our perfect little baby :)

Everything and the kitchen sink

2010-10-19T20:53:00.003-05:00

Go ahead. Rub your eyes. You're not seeing double. You may think you've seen this photo before (see previous post), but you haven't. Do you see the difference?

If you answered "the dishwasher", that's correct! Not only is the kitchen sink laying in the middle of the floor again, but now the dishwasher is pulled out. After the first round of work on the kitchen sink, our garbage disposal starting acting up. And the dishwasher hadn't yet been reattached from the first time. And the sink hadn't been "sealed." But I hear clinking and clanking in the kitchen as I type, so I'm hopeful that by morning, all will be well in the world...or at least my kitchen's world.

Home Improvements

2010-10-10T21:19:00.005-05:00

I arrived home from school on Friday to find the above scene playing out in my kitchen. Had I been expecting to find my kitchen sink laying in the middle of the floor and the water in the house turned off, I wouldn't have been taken by quite such a surprise.

I left the house that morning, though, having no idea that today Scott would reach his breaking point. Ironically, I had thought about leaving him a note that morning asking him if there was anything he could do to loosen up the faucet. I was thinking some oil or cleaning or something. He, though, thought "new kitchen faucet!" I like that thought, don't get me wrong. I just didn't realize that it would turn into an entire weekend endeavor.

After no fewer than three trips to a home improvement stores, though, we have a shiny new faucet...and rain gutter covers and new hook-ups for the washing machine. Why? Hard to explain. Let's just say that when Scott gets on a project kick, he doesn't want to stop :)

17 down...23 to go.

2010-10-10T20:59:00.002-05:00

The baby bump is definately here to stay :)

The Secret's Out

2010-09-29T18:24:00.004-05:00

Fourth block English 9 was really fun today....and I don't say that very often. Not that they're a "bad" group of kids because I'm actually very thankful for them. They all get along (for the most part), there are no punk/jerk/mean/bully types that make us all miserable, and everyone seems to be trying to do their best...at least most days. But they are still 4th block freshmen, which means they are crazy, talkative, off-task, sometimes annoying teenagers who want nothing more than for my class to be over with.

Today was especially fun because a burning question was finally answered. At the beginning of class I noticed the second row whispering about something. "Joe" raised his hand. Joe is known for asking off-topic questions and making even little things into drama, so I always hold my breath a bit when I call on him.

"Remember at the beginning of the year when you said you wanted to have kids," he begins, "did you mean right away or not for a while."

"What?!?!" I reply, remembering that conversation and wondering how in the world it related to the embarrassing family moments that we had just journaled about and were now discussing.

"Well, do you and your husband want to have kids soon?"

Now I could see where this was going, so I decided to have a bit of fun, slightly at Joe's expense.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, you know....." stutter, stutter, start to look awkward and slightly embarrassed in the way that only a squirrely freshman boy can.

"Why do you ask?" I move in for the kill.

Small pause. "Oh, uh, nothing, never mind." He tries to retreat.

"No seriously, why do you ask? Are you saying I look pregnant?" Pause just long enough for Joe to seriously consider that he may have just offended me and possibly should have kept his mouth shut...and then I couldn't let him squirm any longer, so I added, "...because I am."

Cheers, whoops, and hollers erupt around the room, along with "I told you so" and other comments. Apparently my recently apparent small baby bump has been the topic of several whispered classroom conversations this week.

"I thought so," another student pipes in. "We were talking about it yesterday but were too afraid to ask."

The best, though, were the two girls in the back of the room who I know "talk" during class by pushing a notebook back and forth between them. They know I see the notebook and sometimes I give them the evil eye, but they are good students, so I don't make a big deal about it. "We were just talking about it yesterday," one of the girls exclaims as she starts flipping through the notebook, trying to find the right page. The "conversation" note goes something like:

"and yeah, our teacher is pregnant!"

"I can't believe she's not saying anything"

"LOL, I know, it's so obvious, I don't know why she just doesn't admit it"

I must admit, I laughed out loud when I read it and asked if I could keep it for the baby book. They agreed, after ripping off the top part of the note which was about who-knows-what that I probably don't really want to know about.

After a few minutes of questions (when's it due, do you know if it's a boy or girl, I think you should name it....) I manage to get everyone back on task, or so I thought. After the 3:15 bell, three girls approach my desk. "We thought you'd like to see what we did in class," the quietest one says. She hands me a notebook with a list of each student's name and his/her guess at the birthday of the baby. "We passed it around during reading time." And here I thought we were all just silently reading our books like we should be. Man, I felt like an unobservant teacher...but at the same time it felt pretty good. Their excitement, chronicled in the note and list which now hold a place on the bulletin board by my desk, is contagious and was, hands down, the best part of my day.

Media Boycott

2010-09-29T18:00:00.003-05:00

Riding an emotional roller coaster today. Most of what I feel like blogging about is fun, so in order to cleanse my emotional palate of the bad "taste" first, I'm going to rant for a moment. In fact, I'm just going to rant for this entire post, so if you want to get to the happier moments of the day, skip this.

I am considering a media boycott after watching yet another segment of NBC's "Education Nation" series that's everywhere this week. This segment was about Finland and it's amazing schools. Now, nothing against Finland. Could be a fun place to live, and teaching there sounds wonderful, but please, NBC news, stop comparing Finland to the United States in such a way that suddenly apples and oranges are the same thing.

Finland has 5 million people....total. Their economy is in a better state than ours at the moment. The report blatantly said that the country values education, values teachers, and has created a culture where students come to school ready to learn. Also, the report noted, there are three teachers in many classrooms: two for instruction and one to help struggling students. Can I tell you the material we could cover in my classes if there were two more bodies floating around the room? So, my first point...seems like a very different environment.

Second (I'm so angry that I'm slipping into using transitions that I tell my students to avoid because they are so obvious...you can deduct points from my total score if you'd like...), the report said that all teachers in Finland are required to have Master's degrees. Before I offend any of my friends who hold Master's degrees, let me say that I wish I would've taken that route when I returned to Creighton for my teaching certificate. Hindsight is 20/20, I guess, but I didn't because I didn't want to get a Master's that I didn't think I would really use (one in general Secondary Education was the only option available at Creighton...I was thinking that I'd like to go the Guidance Counseling route instead). More than a few of my fellow teachers who hold Master's degrees have said that they didn't really learn material that made them a better teacher, but that they earned them for the pay raise and job opportunities that are unavailable without them. Several teachers have given me advice on which programs are the quickest and least painful. I don't want to be painting these individuals in a bad light. They are great teachers, but their comments reveal some insights when I think about the real value (besides extra pay) of many Master's degrees. I fail to see how requiring teachers to earn Masters would improve anything until the Master's programs actually contain material that teachers find genuinely useful, which doesn't seem to be the consensus among people that I talk to.

And finally, not that this is the last thing that frustrates me, but I should stop before my blood pressure rises (not good for the baby, you know), the NBC report pointed out that in the United States, teachers generally come from the bottom 10% of college graduating classes while in Finland the teachers come from the top 10%. I'd like to mail in my diploma with it's "Cum Laude" distinction to prove them wrong. Thank you, NBC, for making me feel like a stupid loser and for insulting the intelligence of my fellow teachers...not to mention the mistake of automatically assuming that being a good student yourself makes you a good teacher. I've found the opposite, sometimes, because since I was a "good student," I sometimes don't get why everyone can't be one.

Ok, enough. This is why I just shouldn't listen to the news. Instead, I need to think about the great teaching moments I had today (and there were several), continue to do my job to the best of my ability, and know that, somehow, I am making a difference. I have to believe that.

New Year, New Laughs

2010-08-12T20:32:00.002-05:00

Yes, after a long hiatus from the blog, I'm back. I know that technically the name of this blog is "Team McIntyre", which may lead you to believe that you might occasionally read about Scott, but it seems like entertaining and/or embarrassing moments at school are often my writer's muse. Today was the first full day with students, and the muse already made her appearance...twice.

First, second block English 11 Literacy Enrichment. This is a small class (currently 12 students, but I have a feeling that number will grow after first semester) with multiple teachers. The other teacher suggested an icebreaker game where everyone writes down three pieces of information on an index card: 1) favorite place or a place you'd like to visit, 2) favorite movie or tv show, and 3) something unique about you. Everyone (teachers included) participated. The point was to draw a card from the bucket and guess who the person was. The person whose card it was then drew out and read the next card. One student drew out a card, read the first two, then paused at the third, "I like to.....crotch it?" I couldn't hold it in. We all burst out laughing. Luckily the kid was a good sport when I kindly told him the word was "crochet"...you know, like knitting. Even better was the fact that we could all laugh without the humor suddenly taking a turn for the worse, if you know what I mean. Nice to see the juniors are more mature than freshmen.

Second laugh of the day took place during 4th block. We again were playing an icebreaker: three truths and a dare. One kid in the back row said, for one of his truths or lie, "I only weight 87 pounds."

"Wow," I replied, "I feel like that's the lie because you maybe look small but not that small..."

Strike one. Probably not good to tell a kid that he looks small, especially not a freshman boy, eh?

Strike two. I try to recover by saying, "I mean, I think you weigh more than that but I'm not sure. It's not like looking at...." scan the room for someone to use. Spot "Joe" a junior in this class who realized last year during registration time that he's short English 9 credit because of a move, so he's in my class for the semester. We had chatted yesterday. Seems like a nice kid who I think can help me out with this. "....like Joe, I can tell he weighs more than 87 pounds."

Hmm....did I really just say that out loud? Joe is not a huge kid by any means. What I meant is that he looks a bit more the football type (not even a huge linebacker, but at least someone who weighs more than 87 pounds), but of course everyone groans/laughs. Why didn't I just use myself as a example? Stupid Mrs. McIntyre!

Luckily Joe laughs we I profusely apologize/ask for his forgiveness/try to dig myself out of this hole. The year is off to a good start, don't you think? :)

100 essays and counting

2010-02-19T18:53:00.002-06:00

I spent two days this week in a conference room at ESU #3 (Educational Service Unit for those of you not in the educational realm) grading district writing assessments. So glad I was "volun-told" for this :)

The writing prompt gurus were at the top of their game, apparently, because the essay topic was the ever-so-creative "What is your favorite season and why?" As you can imagine, there are only so many reasons that high school kids will think when describing their favorite season. I read a more than a few talking about loving the summer vacation from school (which was actually described as a prison in a few of the essays...really, is it that bad?), the presents at Christmas, the food at Thanksgiving, the flowers in spring, the colorful leaves in the fall....blah, blah, blah...

Before you hate me for being critical, I will readily admit that I would probably use the same safe, boring supporting details if I were to write this essay. That's why, in the midst of this mundane two days of reading, the following examples were refreshing...or at least made me laugh:

One young man was writing about his fondness of summer. He was not the first gentleman to proclaim his love for pretty girls in short shorts and such (ah, 15-year-old hormones...), but he did have the most interesting use of slang: "Me and my friends spit mad game with the honies and got a ton of numbers that night." In case you're wondering, that is apparently how "kids these days" are saying that they were at the top of their flirting game...I dare someone to work that phrase into everyday conversation and let me know how it goes.
Another young man wrote about his favorite holiday: Halloween. He described how he loved putting together an awesome costume and such. He wrote, though, that "until I was 8 or 9, my mom and I always fought over if I was going to be an oversized hotdog or Power Ranger for Halloween. I always walked away an oversized hotdog." A thrifty mom out there, apparently, wanting to get the most out of that hotdog costume she scored on the clearance rack at Nobbies. Poor kid...
I'll end on a budding entrepreneur that I wanted to smack (or at least give my evil eye) and call her mother. She wrote about liking fall because it offered the chance to make some extra cash racking leaves. One year, though, when she and her friends canvased the neighborhood, they realized that everyone had already racked their leaves into tidy piles ready to be bagged. These youngsters were so bent on making money that they snuck out at night, messed up all the leaf piles, and then showed up at the homeowners' doors the next morning, racks in hand, ready to be hired for racking. Convenient, eh? Punks!

Unfortunately, though, those were the highlights. Other than a handful of very tastefully, incredibly well-written essays, I read another 90 "First I like summer because of the pool...Next I like summer because of....Lastly summer is my favorite because..." Luckily the pot of coffee never ran dry.

Epic Fail

2010-01-31T20:59:00.003-06:00

I should know better than to think that I (with my limited cooking skills and "I hate cooking" attitude) could replicate a tasty dish from a local resteraunt. But I thought tonight could be the night.

Last weekend Scott and I enjoyed a late breakfast at Amatos. They were featured on the "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," so we knew it would be worth it. Being the carb-lover that I am, I thoroughly enjoyed the Ricotta Berry pancakes. Both Scott and I have been talking about them ever since (you're surprised to hear that, I know).

Today my dear friend Kate (who is a fantastic cook) suggested that I look up a recipe for them on the Smitten Kitchen website. In a nutshell, Smitten Kitchen is a blog written by the woman who is on the quest to find the "best" recipe for everything. For example, there is a S'mores pie recipe on the blog that is divine...complete with homemade marshmallows. Generally I would consider this website completely out of my league (Martha Stewert endorses/supports this woman, just to give you an idea) but the recipe looked easy. Six ingredients, all items I recognized, and instructions that I thoroughly understood.

I was mentally eating the pancakes as I mixed the batter. Not quite the consistency I was expecting, but maybe they'd bake into what I was expecting, right? Wrong, unless what I was expecting was a mashed potato-like pile of goo with blueberries in it. Such a shame to waste blueberries like that. Turn the heat down, thinking the outside was cooking faster than the inside. No luck. Make the pancakes smaller. Still no success. Turn disgustedly away from the oven and have Scott take over. Still nothing...which I was secretly glad for because I would've been upset if he somehow made it work. Childish, I know. Just being honest here.

Scott, being the kind husband he is, ate a couple, commenting (supposedly) that they "really aren't that bad." Thanks. I dumped the batter in the trash and poured myself a bowl of Frosted Mini-Wheats. Better luck next time...if there is one.

Bucket List

2010-01-27T20:05:00.003-06:00

Laugh-out-loud teacher moment of the day:
We just finished reading The Odyssey. Yesterday we read a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson called "Ulysses." Basically the poem is Ulysses/Odysseus (same person, different language, confusing, I know) as an old man, musing about the boring state of his life now, reminiscing about the "good ol' days," and remarking that he wants to go out on adventures again.

We decided that one theme of the poem is that you should life life to the fullest. Being the stellar teacher that I am (any administrators from Millard West out there reading this? :), I started today with a journal reflecting on yesterday's theme. I asked students to write a paragraph about what things they would like to do, see, buy, be a part of, etc., that would make them feel like they are "living their life to the fullest."

"Write your 'bucket list' for those of you who are familiar with that movie, " I directed.

A hand shoots up. The hand belongs to a slightly immature, sort-of nerdy, really hardworking, polite, I though naive, student that I taught last year as well. "Does it have to be school appropriate?" he asks.

"Yes...." and I tried so hard to maintain a straight face and move on, but I just couldn't. Of course we all knew what he meant. Laughter ensures...and he doesn't even seem to be embarrassed by it!

In my attempt to regain order I said, "You can put down that you'd like to get married. You can say that you'd like to have kids. We can fill in the gaps from there."

On tap for tomorrow's journal: using Latin roots in sentences. That should be a boring, tame choice, right?

Almost inappropriate...

2009-12-09T20:43:00.003-06:00

I teach a class called Basic English 11. It's a class for students who aren't so good with English (not as a second language but just reading and/or writing in general), so their attitudes aren't the greatest at times. Last week's biggest school laugh came from this class.

"Joe" is one of the most difficult students in the class. First semester his attitude was awful. He was on the receiving end of many of my "mean teacher" glares, and he's familiar with the staff in the office. If there's anyone who's going to make an inappropriate remark in class, it will be Joe. That's what makes this story even more funny (at least in my mind).

We are currently reading the book Born on the 4th of July. For those of you who don't know, it's the true story of a Vietnam vet who is paralyzed at the waist. He spares no detail in his book.

Joe was obviously into the book (which is rare, indeed, for Joe), when at one point he looks up from his book and asks me from 10 feet across the room, "What's an enema?"

I think for a moment, wondering what the best answer will be that will cause the least stir in the room. "Well, it's when they put a tube up to get rid of...." and I pause, wondering what word I should use? Poop? #2? (Of course, "solid waste" doesn't occur to me at the moment).

But while I'm mentally debating word choice, Joe blurts out, "A boner?" And I can tell that he's not trying to be a punk. He really thinks that's what I'm trying to pick the best word for.

"No!...poop, Joe, poop!" I quickly reply.

Really, did that just happen?

Just Call Me Mrs. Dictionary

2009-10-22T20:22:00.002-05:00

Two more amusing school stories to make you jealous that you don't spend your days with 15 year-olds.

Two weeks ago we were reading out loud in class and the word "bosom" was in the text. I don't even remember what the context was, but it wasn't an inappropriate focus at all. A boy in the front row (nice kid, outgoing, answers questions, gets along well with everyone, overall a great kid) asks, "What is 'bosom'? That's twice this week I've seen that word."

Several others laugh and call out, "You really don't know what that is?"

I turn to him and look thoughtfully for a second, evaluating if he's serious or just trying to be a punk. I decide that he really is serious, so, after a short pause, I put on a serious face and say in a monotone, "Breasts. Boobs. Mammary Glands."

Someone exclaims from the back, "Hooters!"

"Inappropraite!" I retort back and focus on getting us off this subject and on to something that matters.

Story number two. Today I was talking about growing up on a farm, and after I commented that we had cattle, one student asks, "Did you have to casterate them?"

"I didn't but my brothers did."

Groans go up across the room from many of the guys. Then the same kid from the "bosom" story asks, "What's casterate?"

Again, I pause, wondering just how to answer. "Well," I begin, "It's when you cut off a certain part of a bull that they won't be needing..."

But before I can finish the new kid (sophmore who has to retake this semester of English 9) tosses aside the emo/skater kid hair that covers half his eye, looks over at the questioner, and says, "It's when they cut the balls off."

"Well, that would be one way to put it, yes," I answer, turning back to the board to get us on track again. Someone needs to buy that kid a dictionary.

Funny school moments

2009-10-21T22:15:00.002-05:00

For those of you who I don't see on a regular basis, here are a few school related laughs for you.

1. In my freshmen class, we were talking about the meaning of the word "angst". I commented that I like to use that word on my Facebook or blog. Instantly I was bombarded with "I'm going to request you as a friend," which led to a conversation about the myriad of reasons that I will not accept their friend requests.

"What if I have my parents friend request you?" one student calls from the back.

"I don't usually do students' parents either," I replied...and .5 seconds later realized akwardness of my response. "Do" students parents? Did I really just say that in a room of 26 freshmen? Laughter all around as I tell them to get their minds out of the gutters. A shining moment.

2. We are working on writing comparison/contrast essays (which I think may have been a part of one of Dante's' levels of hell). I'm trying to drive home the idea that their essays need to have a point. I don't want to read a list of similarities and difference just written in paragraph form. As an example, I say "Joe is comparing football and baseball. I don't just want him to list a bunch of random things like they both need balls to score..." Let's just say that you can't say something like that in front of freshmen boys and not expect a response.

A new semester has begun. Let's see if I can do a better job of keeping my students' minds out of the gutter. I'm not holding my breath.

I should've listened to them...

2009-10-21T21:55:00.004-05:00

I made the my final trip to see Scott in Oklahoma City last weekend. Only five more weeks until he's back in Omaha for good...not that I'm counting or anything.

Highlights of the weekend included the following:

eating a bavarian-creme filled Dunkin' Donut
getting measured for a road bike (Sandy is persuading me to enter the dark side)
watching college football in a sports bar downtown (even if we were, by total accident, wearing Texas orange on a day they played Oklahoma)
visiting the Oklahoma City bombing memorial (sobering...a very tastefully, well-done memorial)
and, of course, just getting to spend time with the love of my life :)

I also enjoyed several good audio books on the drive. The Last Lecture is a 4.5 hour reminder to fulfill your childhood dreams and keep sight of what really matters because you never know when life will be cut short. Keep a box of tissues handy.

Living the Uncommon Life (or something very close to that) was the other audio book of choice. This Max Lucado book had me so absorbed in thought about what I want my life to be that I was 45 miles east of Salina before I realized that I should be 45 miles north of Salina at that time! Who knew that not one but two four-lane divided highways/interstates ran through Salina. Not this girl!

Now if you know me at all, you know that I am somewhat notorious for not being able to follow directions well (I'm the only Koehler without an internal compass) and for getting lost. On our first trip to meet up in Wichita, for example, I was so lost that I almost cried on the phone as Scott tried to navigate me to the hotel. That particular trip, a coworker had offered me her GPS, to which I foolishly responded, "Thanks, but I'll be fine. I've got MapQuest directions. It's Wichita. It can't be that hard." Famous last words. Scott also saved me, via phone from Texas, from getting on the wrong Interstate coming east out of Denver.

This trip, on Sunday, as we parted ways, Scott offered the atlas to me. Confidently I replied, "No, I'm fine. I just go north from Wichita until I-80." Which is true, if one stays on I-35 through Wichita. I, though, was so deep in thought about the direction of my life, that I neglected to see the signs indicating multiple interstates converging, and, as luck would have it, got on the wrong one.

So there I was, in central Kansas without a map or GPS, desperately not wanting to go any further out of the way than necessary because the drive back from a trip always seems to take infinately longer than the drive there. Luckily, my good friend Stacey answered her phone at work and naviagted me north through Manhattan and some less-often-seen areas of eastern Kansas. Perhaps next time I should listen to those wise advice-giving people in my life...and perhaps now I should add "road atlas" to my Christmas list.

To all you parents out there...

2009-09-05T13:45:00.003-05:00

If you ever question if you're doing a good job, I'd like to offer a story with a word of encouragement.

I didn't witness this event first hand, but it was all the talk at school last Monday. A week ago Friday night was the first football game of the season. Millard North vs. Millard West is one of the biggest games of the season, so I'm sure the stands were packed. At half time, just as the dance team was taking their spot on the field, a murmur began to run through the crowd: there was a streaker running on the track!

According to my teacher friend Jen, who was at the game with her 6-year old daughter and friend, the young man ran about half way around the track, realized that he really couldn't go much farther without getting caught, did a couple of hip pumps, hopped the fenced (which all the guys think was incredibly brave and/or stupid) and then promptly got tackled by a couple of school employees.

The kicker in all this story: the young man was an 8th grader! Apparently he was dared with $200 (rumors disagree if the money was from classmates or an uncle) to do the deed, but I'm sure the ticket/fine he got was more than that.

Now for my encouragement: if you're having one of those days with your kids, think to yourself, "Yes, he/she may seem ornery/out of control/(add your own adjective here) but what are the odds he/she will ever do something that stupid?" Not high, I guarantee you.

So to all you parents out there, thanks for the job you do. In my days spent with high school students, I can think of some students who drive me crazy, but the vast majority are good kids. Yours will be, too...I'm sure of it :)

That was easy!

2009-09-05T13:32:00.002-05:00

Today we picked up our new (at least new to us...thanks Kate and Todd!) patio table. We flipped it upside down, tied it to the Yakama rack, and drove it home. That really should be the subject of another post: the items we've hauled on top of Scott's 1993 Honda Civic. The list includes building materials for the deck, patio chairs, patio tables...oh, and yes, of course, bikes :) With a Yakama rack, the possibilities are endless.

But I digress...

Putting out the new table and chairs presented another challenge: what to do with the old ones. I wasn't about to pretend that someone would buy them from me. I had paid $5 for the table at a yard sale and the chairs were still in my garage after all my female roommates moved out, even though I know I was not the one to purchase them (Thank you to Jane Thorson, I believe, for them. Apparently she had no need for cheap plastic deck chairs on her globetrotting adventures). Neither was in good shape. The table top was held to the base with zip ties, and the chairs glossy finish had been baked off in the sun, so one always wondered if they were going to get white powder on their clothes from sitting in the chairs. Not exactly high quality items that I have here.

Nor did I want to go to the trouble of taking pictures and uploading them to Craig's list to give them away. Scott offered to cut them up with the electric saw (Boys, they just can't resist destroying things), so I could slowly get rid of them in the trash, but before we went to that effort, I had one other idea.

I set them on the strip of lawn by the curb, made to "Free" signs from brown paper grocery bags, and hoped for the best. I'm not exaggerating when I say that not more than 45 minutes later, I looked out the front window to see an SUV stopped in front of our house, with a man and woman trying to figure out how to wedge the table and chairs in. They accomplished their goal, and I accomplished mine. I had no idea it would be that easy!

Refreshing

2009-08-23T21:04:00.002-05:00

For this country-at-heart girl, there nothing quite as refreshing as a weekend at the farm. Last week marked the first full week back at school. Students and teachers alike were all a bit cranky. Nobody wants summer to end, and we all seem to be in denial over the fact. So I decided to escape for two days with a trip up north.

I think what I like about being at the farm is the simplicity I feel there. If you ask my oldest brother, Nick, who has taken over my parents' farm, he might not say life is so simple there, but that's the beauty of being a visitor rather than a permanent resident, eh?

I love running "the section" for my workout. (That's the four-mile square grid of roads, for you city folk) Beautiful wild sunflowers lined one stretch of the run. I like hearing the crunch of gravel under my feet. Even the hoard of grasshoppers rushing to get out of my way at one point was entertaining.

My aunt called on Saturday afternoon, suggesting that we come over to their farm to watch the crew lay pipe on their land for the oil pipeline from Canada to Oklahoma that is passing through Nebraska right now. So we drove on county back roads to watch big diggers and such work on the construction. Afterwards we sat in the barn on dusty saw horses, overturned buckets, and a big piece of wood, drinking cheap beer and catching up.

Today the whole family...yes, every single one of us minus Scott (who was melting on yet another 100+ degree day in Texas) gathered at my mom's house. We looked at photos, talked about the start of school, and eventually headed outside for a family wiffle ball game. If you overran first base too much, you'd run into my sister's minivan. The 1989 white Ford Taurus that I drove in high school and college sat in it's usual spot just behind second base. It hasn't moved in several years, but my nephew Blake, who is starting high school this year, has his eye on it. His mom says he's itching to learn to drive. We harrassed him all afternoon about making sure to protect the car from any center field shots....like a hit from a wiffle ball is going to make it look any worse :)

And a trip to the farm wouldn't be complete without a visit to the barn with a bucket of milk for the cats and kittens. There are 12 now, I think: four adults and eight kittens, mostly black and white spotted. Few things are more adorable than watching a kitten lapping milk with her two front paws in the milk pan, occasionally looking up and sporting a milk goatee.

So now I'm back in Omaha, needing to go to bed, lesson plans on my mind, hoping that I can take the peace I found on the farm this weekend with me into the week.

By the numbers

2009-08-04T17:34:00.002-05:00

15: days since Scott left for tech school (for his Nebraska Air National Guard position) in Witchita Falls, Texas. If you've never heard of Witchita Falls, you're not alone. Neither had I. Apparently it's a smallish town in the flat, middle-of-nowhere northern Texas that only natives and military folks have heard of. Needless to say, I will only be driving all the way down to see him once. Witchita, Kansas, is halfway and a bit more entertaining.

3: days until I make that inagural drive to Witchita to see the my hubby.

4: months until Scott returns.

7: nights that Shoes (the cat) has been allowed to sleep in our room if she so chooses...and she has taken full advantage of each of those nights. I only wish she would just lay down and sleep and that she woudn't feel the need to be touching me when she does. I'd be lying, though, if I didn't say that I find it a bit endearing.

1: time that I've had to clean up a pile of cat puke (on the basement concrete, thankfully). Apparently she overdid it on the grass eating that night. Why do cats do that? They have to realize the consequences. I don't understand.

4.9: miles I ran (according to the Google pedometer feature) yesterday. I'm training for the Market-to-Market relay in mid-October. I'm part of a "Female Millard Teachers" team, thanks to my hometown friend, Marsha. Hoping I won't let the team down!

2: days until I officially have to report for school. How did summer pass so quickly?

2: students who I failed at least one semester in English 9 that I will teach again in English 10. Seriously?!?! Hopefully we've all matured a bit since last year.

0: lesson plans that I have as the beginning of the year looms...God help me!

Simply Wonderful

2009-07-12T22:27:00.002-05:00

Scott suggested a simply wonderful date tonight. We visited Whole Foods to purchase the sample sizes of a variety of cheeses, a German wine, a good baguette, and the makings for salsa. About an hour, and much slicing and dicing later, we relaxed on the deck, sampling cheeses, sipping wine...and listening to the police helicoptor circle overhead.

Europe was wonderful. This fact I cannot deny. But I also consider a summer night spent relaxing in our white plastic lounge chairs, a paisley tablecloth hiding our aging table, debating which cheese is our favorite a blissfully wonderful way to wrap up the weekend. Thank God for the simple pleasures in life.

Children and Sheep and Lilies

2009-07-09T09:45:00.003-05:00

I started reading a new book this morning, A.W. Tozer's The Warfare of the Spirit (for those of you who know Pastor Matthew at Waypoint, he talks about this man often). The book is a compilation of essays/editorials originally published in a magazine.

I was struck this morning by the following passage:
"Christ likened His followers to children and sheep and pointed to birds and lilies as having valuable lesson for us. These four little creatures differ widely from each other, but have one thing in common: their complete freedom from worry. They live spontaneously, simply, without strain, and God takes care of them."

Since arriving back from our amazing month-long vacation, I've tried to take time to think introspectively about our trip. I don't just want it to be a month of great memories and hundreds of pictures. It is that, of course, but I want it to be more. I want to think about what God taught me on vacation, what He was telling me. This passage caused me to reflect on what I learned about children and sheep (or cattle) and lilies (or other flowers) on vacation.

First, children. We spent much of our time in Germany with Scott's brother's two kids, Aiden and Emma (ages 12 and 10). These kids are troopers, let me tell you, because they visited museums, walked for miles on end, complained little about the lack of bathrooms or meals several hours later than usual. I loved to observe what they enjoyed most about the famous places we were visiting. In Strasborg, France, a beautiful old city in the heart of French wine country, Emma could have spent the entire evening watching the muskrat family we found living in a hole in the wall in the side of the canal. In Colmar, France, she would've fed her entire piece of bagette to the pigeons crowding around our park bench. At the Louve, she was able to pick out the smallest details in the gigantic (and by gigantic I mean as big as my living room wall) painting The Feast at Canna; I didn't notice the little dog that she talked about. She didn't care if we didn't make it to every single three-star sight that Rick Steve's mentioned in our travel guide (which was our "Bible" for the trip). She simply enjoyed each place for what it offered her at the moment. Give her an ice cream cone and a bottle of Orangina (her favorite French soda) and she was a happy girl.

Now, sheep. We didn't see many sheep on our trip, I will admit, but we did see lots of seemingly happy cows. Our favorite spot of the whole vacation was Garmisch, a small town in southern Germany that bordered the Alps. It was a beautifully serene place with lots of fields and pastures, walking trails and small herds of cattle. The cattle (as I've mentioned in another post) all wore bells that jingled as they munched their way through the day. I've grown up around cattle, and I know that they don't seem to worry about much. As long as they have grass to eat, water to drink, and a good place to lay at night, they think life is grand. Do I have such an attitude?

Finally, lilies. We saw many beautiful flowers on vacation. Some in manicured gardens at castles and palaces, but others growing wild in the ditch along the road. On our drive back from the east coast, I was amazed by the large patches of Blackeyed Susans on the roadside. Nobody planted them or cares for them, yet there they are. I, on the other hand, planted two Blackeyed Susans last year, but neither returned to my flower garden (even though they are suppose to be perennials). I am, however, happy to report that the lilies on the side of my yard are blooming for the first time in years!

Besides flowers, we saw many beautiful parts of creation on vacation. Scott and I would both say that we wish we would've spent more time hiking, biking, or doing other things in the country. While we loved the famous places and sights we visited, some of our favorites moments were in outdoors spots: the hills and river outside Neuschwanstein castle. The lakes we stopped by in Austria. The vineyards along the Rhine and Route de Vin. The wooded forests of West Virginia and the Grandview lookout point. The rolling pastures of Kentucky and the rolling hills of Pennsylvania. The Atlantic Ocean. I learned that vacation doesn't have to be a completed to-do list of places to see. The best parts are beauty enjoyed with people you care about.

My hope is that I as I get back into the swing of "normal" life (reading books for school, planning units and lessons, washing laundry, taking care of the yard), I don't lose sight of these vacation lessons. God, help me to see the world through the eyes of children, sheep, and lilies.

Car Drama

2009-07-08T14:47:00.003-05:00

We've been having a little bit of car drama around the Mac house this week. First, Scott's car wouldn't start when we got back from vacation. Thankfully, it's a manual transmission, so he could get it started on the giant hill by our house. Drive it to our mechanic (whom we love but he lives in the boonies north of Omaha) and when Scott shuts it off and tries to start it again so Mr. Anderson can hear what it sounds like, it starts right up! Scott left it overnight, just in case, but it started about 10 times the next morning.

As I'm turning into the long gravel driveway to drop-off Scott's car, my car makes this screeching noise. It proceeds to do that all the way home, and, hence, all the way back the next morning when we went to pick-up Scott's car. We sounded like one of those people who doesn't take care of their cars...heaven forbid, gasp, because that's a terrible crime to commit in Scott's world. Thank God, turns out it was just a gravel rock stuck between two somethings and nothing major.

The final piece of car drama was this morning. Since my car was still at the mechanic, I had to drive Scott's car to drop him off at work. I'm always a bit nervous driving Scott's car because I'm parnoid that I'm a) going to grind the gears, choke it off, or something not good for the car or b) even worse, I'm terrified of rolling back into someone at a hilly intersection. I avoid the big hill by our house because I always get stuck at the stoplight right before the top.

All went well, so when I decided to go to the gym, I thought, "I'll take Scott's car." Sometimes I'd run down or ride bike (since it's under two miles) but ominous dark clouds hung in the sky this morning, and I was not in the mood to get soaking wet, so I drove down. Again, everything went smoothly, so by this point I'm thinking, "Hey, look at me, driving Scott's car with no problems...woohoo!"

Well, when I attempted to start the car after my workout, it wouldn't start! It would almost start, but not quite. Called Scott. Waited several minutes and tried again. No love. Go back inside the gym to ask a friend that I bumped into there if she could give me a ride out to the mechanic when she was done working out (so we can have at least one car that works). She agrees, but I try the car one more time, just in case. Nothing.

By this time the sky had cleared, so I decided to walk home to wait for my friend. Picture this: me walking along Cass and then 72nd street (both of which are busy) in my gym clothes carrying my cute red purse. Yes, I was the picture of style and grace. It's a good thing there weren't any "What Not to Wear" cameras hiding in the bushes.

The kicker in this whole story? After I retrieve my car (which involved spending at least 20 minutes talking to Mr. Anderson, who always has a story...or two or three..to share) and pick Scott up at work, we swing by the gym and....yes, you can see where this is going...the car starts for him the very first time! What the?!?! The rational side of me knows there is no way for the car to know that I was driving it, but this isn't the first time. It's like Kit from "Knight Rider" Scott tells me, with a smile on his face. I don't find it quite as entertaining. Just you wait, little black 1993 Honda Civic...you'll get yours.

Enough Already!

2009-07-08T07:20:00.002-05:00

I think I just need to turn off the TV because if I see one more Michael Jackson tribute, I just might break something. Yes, he was a great musician. Yes, he had an enormous impact on music and the world, to some respect. But if the media would devote even half the effort to somethign that actually matters instead of this ridiculousness, who knows what could happen. What's going on with US/Russia relations? I'm not completely sure, since they only spend about 1/3 of the time on that story. What's going on with Iran? Uhm, not sure because they didn't talk about that on the news this morning.

I'm not sure what has me so fired up about this (Scott's laughing at my angst) but seriously, we need to be concerned about more important things. Yesterday the Today showed aired a spot about a woman who flew from London to attend the memorial service, but she was not one of the lucky 9000 chosen to receive a ticket. She stood on the side of the road with a sign asking for the ticket. Thankfully, they let us know later in the show that she got one. Good to know...I may not have slept without knowing.

The next story they showed was about MJ's chimp. He's currently living at a reserve, where he's been for several years. Someone called up the reserve and offered to fly the chimp to the memorial service. What the?!?! Are people serious? That chimp has no idea that MJ is dead, and he probably doesn't care. As long as he has food and a nice place to stay, he's happy with life.

And my favorite quote of the day: Al Sharpton saying, "There wasn't anything strange about Michael Jackson. It was strange what he had to deal with." Uhmm, yeah. Even assuming that he never molested any children (because he was never convicted), I find it a little strange to have a children's wonderland called Neverland. I find it a little strange for him to admit that he shared his bed with adolescent boys...even if nothing happened. I think it is very unfortunate that the media can't just let him rest in piece and move on, but not strange? I'm not so sure.

OK, my ranting and raving is not changing anything. I just need to shut off the TV and get over it, eh? Thanks for listening.

Final Vacation Thoughts

2009-07-07T17:09:00.002-05:00

Arrived back in Home-Sweet-Home Omaha late Sunday night. After a quick trip up to Norfolk to retrieve the cat on Monday, I'm spending the afternoon on the couch (which I feel I've earned after my first run in over a month this morning and about 3.5 hours of yard work. Who knew that so many weeds to grow in the flower bed in one month and that so much grass could grow in such tiny cracks in the sidewalk!)

Isn't it funny how as soon as you're home, vacation memories seem about a million miles away? So, in an effort to capture the last few days of our summer adventure, I offer you this bulleted list:

Such a wonderful suprise to see my friend Rebecca from college. She played a big part in making the trip possible because she gave us somewhere to leave our car. Cindy was glad to see us.
Scott got a tour of an air craft carrier. I spent those two hours in the car with LeAnn (her Navy pilot husband was giving Scott the tour), sipping Starbucks while the girls watched a DVD. We both had a lovely afternoon.
Nothing like ending a vacation with time at the beach. Spent time in Virginia Beach with college friend LeAnn and her family (three adorable girls) and her brother's family visiting from Nebraska. Altogether, five kids under the age of six in the house...hilarious and slightly chaotic.
Reapplication of sunscreen at the beach is key. Scott and I forgot this important little detail and are waiting for the peeling to begin. I keep hoping that perhaps it will just fade to tan, but I'm not betting on that.
Spent evening, night, and morning with another college friend, Angela, and her husband and five (yes, you read correctly, five) kids. Oldest is six, youngest is one. Yes, she is amazing and slightly insane :) (love you, Ang). Seriously, though, most well behaved kids I've ever spent time around. How many families have you hung out with that included that many young kids that you could still have an adult conversation. Amazing! Great job Ang and Joel!
The state of West Virginia is beautiful! The only part not covered with trees is the road.
The crispy tacos at Jack-in-the-Box are, apparently, the best tacos ever. We had to make a quick exit when Scott saw the sign. Were they good? Yes. But did I think they were the best ever? I think that's taking it a bit too far. Lucky Scott...ate at Jack-in-the-Box and Chick-fil-a. Does it get any better than that? Yes, it does...in the form of a Sonic blended root beer float, my new favorite summer treat.
The drive back from vacation always seems longer than the drive there.
And the most exciting news of the week? I don't have to carry the red Osprey over-the-shoulder bag anymore. That bag was starting to feel like a part of me...a part of me I didn't like. I'm so glad to retire it until the next trip.

Paris

2009-06-29T00:58:00.002-05:00

Back at the bro-in-law's place with an oh-so-wonderful American keyboard, so I thought I'd write a bit more about Paris. As I alluded to in the previous post, the drive to Paris from Barr took forever! One would think that I've learned from previous travels that car trips in foreign countries always seem to take longer than I would plan for in the states, but apparently I forgot.

The main detour involved a gas stop. Eric's brother (since he's stationed here for the military) has this nifty card that gets him gas at American prices at Esso (a chain gas station here) stations in Germany. Since we were close to the German border we thought, "Not a big deal to cross back over to Germany to get get cheap gas on the way to Paris, right?" Wrong. An hour and a half later, we finally had gas. That, coupled with some bad traffic and road construction, turned a four-ish hour drive into a seven hour one.

Our first evening in Paris was quite entertaining. We stayed in a suburb-type neighborhood and walked down to an Italian place to eat. Next to us on the outdoor patio was a French family who, in the course of the meal, decided we were American. When we were finishing up, they started a conversation with us. "We love Americans!" (which they really did, so that was cool). These people (a couple in their 40's with their daughter and a couple who were their friends) loved to talk. They've traveled a lot in the states and couldn't believe that we'd never been to New York City and some of the other places they talked about. I think they forget that us going to New York is the same distance and them visitng Russia :) Anyway, high entertainment value, to say the least. We ended up talking with them for at least another hour or so. They even bought us drinks...cognac is quite stout :)

Scott and I spent our day in Paris partly by ourselves. We began (after a bus and subway ride) at the Arc de Triumph. I would not want to drive my car in that roundabout. Twelve roads leading into a roundabout that's at lest 6 lanes wide, I'd guess...insanity!

We then strolled down the Champs-Elysees, "Paris' grand boulevard" (according to my trusty guidebook). High end shopping, resteraunts, excellent people watching. I resisted the urge to enter any stores :) Hard to imagine that the Nazis' once marched down that street in victory and hung a Nazi flag on the Arc de Triumph at the end of it. Puts history in perspective, you know? Makes me understand a bit more why the French don't like the Germans sometimes. Not that I'm saying they should hold a grudge and not that their reactions to Germany after WWI didn't contribute, but you know...

On to the Sainte-Chapelle, the chapel built for Louis IX. (Don't think I'm too cool with all this history stuff...have my guide book sitting open next to me...now you know my secret :) Small-ish church with AMAZING stained glass. Over 1,100 bible scenes depicted in the 15 windows. Wow!

After grabbing a light lunch at a small bakery (I'm going to miss the bakeries here so much...this bread-lover is in heaven), we headed to the Louve. The Louve is massive, to say the least. Scott was the one with the agenda there, so I just tried to keep up with his race inside. I also was responsible for finding the reading the room number signs because the place is a maze! It would not be hard to get lost in there. The Egyptian items were my favorite, I think, along with the Venus de Milo and the Victory statue (you know, the winged lady without a head...I can't think of it's official name right now). I did my duty and saw the Mona Lisa, but, to be honest, she's really not that impressive. Small painting behind a huge piece of plexi-plastic, behind a velvet rope, surrounded by a huge crowd. Makes me wonder this: just who decides what pieces of art will become famous? I'm just not cultured enough to appreciate good art, I guess :)

Norte Dame catherdral was up next. Although the bell tower was closed (bummer!), we did arrive during the Saturday evening mass and so were able to hear the pipe organ play...wow! They don't close the doors to tourists during church, so here you have hundreds of people wandering around the sides and back rows during church. Would that be weird if you actually went to church there or is it just part of the norm? Deep thoughts...hmmm...

We ended the day at the Effiel Tower. And I do mean ended. We didn't arrive until the sun was setting, and after waiting over an hour in line for the elevator, we arrived on the top floor (some 900 feet up) at 11 pm. The city at night is beautiful, but if I did it over, I'd go during the day so I could really appreciate how far up we were. Still, though, pretty stinkin' cool. It was after midnight by the time we made our way down, and another hour of riding and walking before making it back to the hotel just before 2 am. Scott and I lifted some snacks from the breakfast bar stuff that was already put out and fell into bed. I would love to know how many miles we walked.

Sunday afternoon we visited Versailles on the way back to Germany. It's about 30 minutes outside of Paris and was the home of the kings of France for about 100 years before the French Revolution. I can see why the people revolted! This place was enourmous, with paintings, gold, marble, etc, everywhere! Really, how could one actually live somewhere that big? No rooms that seemed cozy/homey. We didn't have time to explore the gardens (which stretched for acres behind) or the other palaces on the grounds, so this is definately going on the "visit on the next trip" list. Will there be a next time? I hope so...even if it is when I'm 80 and riding on one of those scooter things :)

France!

2009-06-28T01:40:00.002-05:00

First, I must warn about typos and briefness. I'm typing on a French keyboard at our hotel in Paris and just enough things are different to through off my groove...and they have a 20 minute time limit. More when I'm back in Germany tomorrow.

It's been a whirlwind four days in France. After a later than anticipated start on Wednesday (I will admit to losing my patience a bit) we arrived in Strasburg, France, just in time for dinner. Very nice little city to walk around in the evening, especially near the canals. Scott's brother tried pig stomach sausage for dinner...wouldn't want to waste anything you know...I tried one bite. I do not recommend it.

Thursday it was over to Colmar (about a 30 minute drive). Pleasant sidewalk cafe breakfast...made me feel so French! Spent the evening driving around the hills in wine country.

Friday was the never-ending drive to Paris (more on that when the computer clock's not ticking), and Saturday was a "see Paris in one day" adventure. Started at 9 am and ended on the Eiffel Tower at midnight...whew!

More to come...

More Cow Bell!

2009-06-20T01:57:00.003-05:00

Returned late last night from spending the week in southern Germany. Scott's brother has been in a language refresher class there for the last five weeks (he's an Army linguistic, speaks Arabic), so we rented a car and drove down and took days trips in southern Germany this week.

We stayed in a quaint town nestled in the Alps called Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Loved it! We rented a room (kind of like a bed and breakfast but very cheap) from Gerta. She spoke little English, and we speak even less German, but we managed just fine. I wish I could tell her how much we loved staying at her house. Each morning we had a typical German breakfast: meat and cheese, bread, jam, coffee, and (for the Americans) a soft-boiled egg served in an egg cup with this cute crochetted cover that looks like a chicken to keep the egg warm. So adorable!

Tuesday, on the drive down, we spent several hours in Rothenburg. This town dates back to the 1200's. We shopped a bit, walked the town wall, a church, and a beautiful park that is where the town's castle once stood.

Wednesday we visited Nerschwanstein (Mad King Ludwig's castles). This was our favorite day thus far, I think. Bascially, this king who was removed from power because he was deemed insane, had a dad who build him his dream castle in the 1800's. (This is the castle that the Disneyworld castle is modeled after). The inside is amazing with the paintings, woodcarvings, and other decorations, but the best part is the view from the castle of the Alps and valley below and the hiking available around the castle. Kind of like hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, but greener.

After the castle and hiking, we drove the car to Ruette, Austria, just to be able to add another country to our trip. Beautiful scenery, especially the lakes nestled into the mountains with a curvy road running right beside. I think I could spend a week just there :)

Thursday we visited Dachau, the concentration camp near Munich. I don't known what to say about it besides that it really makes me think about the evil that exists in the world. As far as information goes, the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC is more extensive, but there's something about walking the camp road, passing through the gate that all new arrives had to go through with the iron sign "Work Will Set You Free" above it, and just being there that is humbling.

Thursday afternoon we went into Munich. We'd both admit that this was one of the more frustrating/stressful parts of the trip. First, after two failed attempts to find the BWM museum, we arrived to learn that it was closed for the afternoon...argh! Then, on our way to Mary's Plaza (the old downtown area) we had the hardest time trying to find a place to park. Would be helpful, I suppose, if we could read more German :)

We finally found parking success, though, and then enjoyed our time downtown. Scott enjoyed a beer at Hofbrauhaus (the most famous beer house in the world). It's really a shame that he couldn't spend time there with Todd, Anthony, and some of our other friends who really appreciate a good beer :)

On our way to the English Garden (the largest public park in Europe) we walked past a smaller part where lots of group of people were playing bocci ball, complete with a man playing accordian in the background. People in Munich are serious about their bocci! They have these elegant-looking silver bocci balls (instead of my primary colored ones back home), and they have a measuring string to officially determine close calls...slighly more accurate than us measuring with our shoes, eh? :)

At the English Garden, we watched an unexpected sporting activity: surfing on the river in the park! There was a part in the river that created just enough rapids/waves for young men and women to practice their surfing skills. How creative!

Friday was our day to explore Garmish. Unfortunately, after three crystal clear days, it was overcast...not quite ideal for taking a cable car to the top of a mountain, but we did anyway. We chose the Alpspitze peak, and enjoyed our time hiking up top, seeing the view between clouds, and eating lunch at the resteraunt at the top. Earlier in the day, we hiked around the paths in between the towns. These paths even run through cattle pastures, where we were serenaded by the cow bells...yes, their cows actually wear bells. I swear it makes them seem happier!

An overall highlight of the week...at least for Scott :)....was driving on the Autoban. Our rental car was a KIA station wagon (not exactly what Scott was hoping for), but he found it had pretty good speed and torque and had not probably going 100 mph consistently....and he still got passed often! This is the land of Mercedes and BMW's, and we saw several other expensive, rare-ish cars (you'd hav to ask Scott for the details) that made Scott drool. Car lovers and speedy drivers paradise!

Thus ends week one in Germany!

Early Vacation Highlights

2009-06-15T12:01:00.003-05:00

We've been away from Omaha for 12 days now. Can I tell you how much I love long vacations! [pause for groan for those not fortunate enough to get that long for vacation...I really do not mean to rub it in] I also love having family to stay with here. Something about having a house to relax in, people to show you around, a couch to lounge and watch movies with people you love...awesome!

Highlights thus far:

Chi-town with Ranae. So begins Scott's love affair with riding trains. Ranae, as always, was an excellent hostess. Baby wasn't exactly thrilled to have Scott there...hopefully she's forgotten us by now :)
The great American road trip. I would be lying if I didn't say that I was dreading driving across the country, but we actually had a really fun time. Seeing Falling Waters (Frank Lloyd Wright) and Amish horse buggies were some favorites.
"We have no plane tickets to Germany!" Long story short, our original plan of flying a military cargo plane to Frankfurt didn't work out, so after much thinking, Facebooking old friends, and searching online we found roundtrip tickets for a great price on AirIndia. Who'd have thought?
Flight to Frankfurt. I've never flown with so many kids, but the highlight of the 7 hour flight had to be the crazy lady sitting next to Scott. She had her hair up in a scarf, much like when my mom puts curlers in her hair, and rockstar sunglasses on for much of the flight. She told Scott about running away with an American man three days before her wedding to an Indian man, having kids who like to party, and the fact that her butt hurt. She managed to spill about half of her yogurt on Scott, and the small cup of creamer and sweetner packets. Yep, she was a gem :)
Washington D.C. So much walking! Travel tip: when planning a visit to DC, plan the order of viewing...I feel like we back-tracked a few too many times. Sobering and inspiring to take in the foundations of our history. Our favorites: the Holocaust Museum (we were there the day before the shooting...crazy...), the WWII memorial, Arlington Cemetary, and the Jefferson Memorial at night. Also can't forget the lack of electricity in our hotel one night :)
Schnitzel as big as your head! Our first night here, Shannon (Scott's brother's wife) took us to a schnitzel resteraunt about 15 minutes outside of Wiesbaten. I'm not kidding when I say that the 1/4 portion schnitzel that I ordered was as big as my large dinner plate--holy schnitzel, Batman! They also had 5 liter beers that you could order. Rick Steve's (our trusty guidebook author) says that Germans, on average, drink a liter of beer every 32 hours. Hearty folk, those Germans! :)
Castle sightings along the Rhine River. Beautiful!
The Cathedral in Cologne. I have never seen such an ornate building in all my life. Enough stained glass to cover two football fields. 533 steps (most on a very narrow, stone spiral staircase) to the observation deck on the spire...and we climbed every one of them! A 24 ton bell. Truly a place to makes one feel small in the grand scheme of things.
Bacharach. Quaint town along the Rhine River where we enjoyed dinner. For those of you who have seen how Scott reacts when he eats food that he really enjoys, this was that kind of meal. After dinner, ice cream and a walk to the watch tower. It was locked, but we had fun seeing the vineyards on the way. Unfortunately, we did not beat the rain storm heading our way and got soaked before making it to the train station. There's something romantic, though, about running with your love through the rain, so we didn't even mind :)
Burg Rheinstein. A castle we toured with Shannon and her kids (Aiden, 13, and Emma, 10) today in the rain. The inside had been restored during the 1800's as a hunting lodge, so interesting to see both parts of history. The views of the Rhine River valley were amazing, even with the rain. So fun to be reminded how much fun rain is when you're a kid.

So there you have it. Can't say that a bulleted list really does justice to almost two weeks of vacation, but it's the best I can do...hope you'll forgive me :)

missing dad

2009-06-02T17:14:00.002-05:00

We made a quick trip up to Norfolk/Pierce yesterday after school (the last day!) to leave Shoes (the cat) with my sister's family while we're on vacation. So at the breakfast table this morning with my mom, our upcoming vacation was the topic of conversation over mom's fantastic homemade pancakes.

One thing led to another, and we began to talk about my dad's time in Germany when he was stationed there for the Army. Mom dug out slides (yes, you read correctly) of photos dad took while he was there. As I held the slides up to the ceiling fan light (until mom found the special little lighted viewer box), I saw beautiful riverbanks and castles along the Rhine River that we will probably see. I was the Arc de Triumph and the Effiel Tower in Paris which we, too, will be taking photos of. I saw my dad dapperly dressed in a sport coat, collared shirt, and fancy striped socks, casually holding a cigarette in his right hand. I saw my dad with a full head of hair!

I wish that a month from now we could sit around the kitchen table (perhaps polishing off a plate full of mom's waffles...) showing pictures to dad, comparing stories of how things have changed in the 50 years since he was there. Love you, dad.

Cat Tales

2009-05-12T17:55:00.002-05:00

My latest book for fun: Dewey. This is the true story of a kitten abandoned in the drop box of the Spencer, Iowa, library on one of the coldest days of the winter. Dewey, as the gold tiger-striped cat became known, won the hearts of the entire town and even the nation. As I read this simple, quaint story about a cat living in the library, I couldn't help but get a warm-fuzzy feeling inside (which is not an every day occurance for this teacher who is finding herself more and more annoyed with people in general by the day). Even the cat-haters out there would, I think, be won over, at least in spirit, by this heart-warming tale. If you're looking for a fun, easy, read, I highly recommend. Beware, though, that the cat does die at the ripe of old age of 18 at the end. I will admit, I cried.

Another recent for-fun read (I've had a lot of time to read lately, taking tickets at freshman and reserve baseball games. I always bring papers to grade, but I can't take grading for that many hours in a row): The Book Thief. This is a fiction story about an orphan taken in by a German family during the Holocaust. It really highlights the power of the written word and the power of strong personal beliefs. Another book that I would highly recommend.

Spring Memories

2009-04-22T21:11:00.003-05:00

Talking with a friend last weekend about putting in a garden brought back small but wonderful memories of spring. Every year my mom grows a large garden, even now. Just today, in fact, she was telling me about needing to call the neighbor who tills it for her because "if it rains this weekend, it would be so nice to start planting next week."

I often helped mom plant in the garden. Planting peas was my favorite job. Pea seeds look like small, hard, peas that soaked too long in the bathtub. They were a purplish-green color, if memory serves me correctly. When I was very young, mom didn't want me to plant the peas too close together, so she would find a thin twig and break off a section about an inch long. "Put the peas this far apart," she instructed. Being the rule-follower that I am, I took her exactly at her word. I would lay a pea seed down, place the tiny stick so it was just brushing up against the seed, and carefully place another pea seed on the very tip of the stick. Then I'd carefully pick up the stick, move it just to the other side of the seed I had just laid down, and repeat. Several years passed before I trusted myself enough to just hold the stick out every-so-often to make sure I was eye-balling the distance correctly. Mom practically planted the rest of the garden in the time it took me to plant three or four rows of peas.

When harvested, the peas rarely made it into a cooking pot. Instead, mom would put out a simple bowl on the table full of peas in the pod, with an smaller empty bowl beside it. We'd all just grab a handful of pods, shell the peas right into our mouths, and discard the pods in the empty bowl. That's the way to eat natural and organic, let me tell you.

Planting tomato plants was another favorite job. Mom usually got about 20-25 plants (yes, that's a lot of tomatos, folks). She'd plant them early enough that they often need protection from a few cold spring nights and the strong spring winds. Being the frugal woman my mom it, she made little tomato shelters from gallon milk jugs. When the bottoms were cut out, she'd slip the jug over the planted tomato, pushing dirt up around the sides to anchor it. The plants happily grew in their little white houses until leaves started to peek out the top.

Mom didn't get new jugs each spring, oh no. She saved them from year to year on a several long pieces of looped baling wire, almost like a gigantic necklace with milk jugs for beads. (The uses for baling wire on a farm are endless...just as good as duct tape, I tell ya). It was usually my job to go to the duck barn (which never housed any ducks that I can remember) to retrieve the dusty ring of jugs and clunk across the farm to the garden. I certainly wasn't sneaking up on anyone with all the racket I made.

So there you have it...a bit of spring reminiscing for the day. Makes me want to dig my hands in damp, newly turned soil as I type. Ah, spring...

The Evolution of the English Language

2009-04-21T20:01:00.002-05:00

If he were sitting in the back of my classroom today, Shakespeare would have laughed. We just started reading Romeo and Juliet today. I must admit, I'm liking it much better the second time around. Two phrases brought about a bout of the giggles today during class. Both invovled the public fight scene at the very beginning of the play. Two of the Capulet's servants (from Juliet's family) are talking "smack" (as I told my students today) about the Montagues. Then two Montagues arrive [cue tense music]. Sampson yells to Gregory "My naked weapon is out!" [pause for a slight snicker that swells into a giggle that surges into all-out laughter]

"Ok, everyone," as I'm trying to keep semi-straight face myself, "let's get the giggles out and move on. He simply means that his sword is drawn and he's ready to fight." Said laughing scene made ever more entertaining by the fact that one of the quieter, smarter kids in the class had to say it. Ah, the irony...

Second, a few lines later, Lord Capulet tried to enter the fray. "Give me my long sword, ho!" he orders his wife.

"He is not calling his wife a hoe," I attempt to be heard above the laughter. "It was just an expression of the day, like saying 'now! quick!' Shakespeare had no idea that word would sink to this level." But I'm smiling as I say it.

Working with teens keeps me on my toes and keeps me from becoming too "old and serious." It's a good thing.

Creative Dates

2009-04-19T16:39:00.002-05:00

Yesterday afternoon Scott took me on a creative mini-date...to a cemetary at 50th and Leavenworth. No, we're not suddenly into vampires or anything crazy like that (though I do have the slight urge to see the movie "Twighlight" after reading several book reports about it this weekend). He's taking a drawing class at Metro this semester (he'll have his associates degree in Graphic Design at the end of May...woohoo!), and this week's assignment was to make pencil/charcoal rubbings of interesting designs/letters/etc from gravestones. (I think I remember doing something similar when I was young, for either 4-H geneology projects or 4th grade Nebraska History). It was a beautiful afternoon and I knew the perfect cemetary, so off we went.

Can I just say that we had a wonderful time? Walking around on a sunny, semi-warm spring afternoon, enjoying the surrounding silence with the faint hum of cars passing on the street, watching his design take shape. Our own little mini-adventure.

Another one of my favorite "creative dates" was the summer after we got married. I had the day off from classes at Creighton and Scott has the day off from fixing airplanes. The driver's door handle on his car was broken (very inconvenient!), so being the frugal fix-it-guy he is, he suggested we visit the junk yard to find a replacement.

Ladies, if you haven't been on a junk yard date, you're missing out. I'm fairly certain I was the only female on the lot. We each paid $1 to enter. The man at the counter gave very accurate directions to the section in the mass of cars (all neatly lined in rows) where the Honda Civics would be. As we walked through the cars, looking for the coveted door handle part, I had several thoughts. One was that I should not have worn flip-flops. It had been raining the day before and it's not like junk yards make a point of having pavement everywhere. The second thought was that I was having a great time, scouring the cars with my guy.

You may say that I was seeing the world through "newlywed" glasses, but we joke about going back (the driver's side back door handle is now broke), and I would. Big adventures are fun, yes, but it's the little ones that make life what is it: very good.

Dream Big

2009-04-13T20:07:00.002-05:00

Scott and I were both blown away by this video (link below) that he randomly found on Yahoo. A 47 year-old woman who's never been kissed, lives alone with her cat, and would best be described as "average" wowed Simon Cowl and the crowd with a song from Les Mis. Listen and revel in the fact that her dreams may be coming true as you read. Enjoy!
http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/92464?fp=1

The 4-H Pledge

2009-04-05T12:47:00.002-05:00

By request of one of my "city girl" friends, here goes:
"I pledge my head to clearer thinking,
My heart to greater loyalty,
My hands to larger service,
and my health to better living for my club, my community, my country, and my world."
(don't forget the corresponding hand actions)

Anyone else a 4-H kid? I was a member of the Clover Kids and then, later, The Pierce Pixies and Pirates. (We had to add the "pirates" part when the little brother of one of the girls in our then all-girls club wanted to join. I don't recall him lasting very long).

Without 4-H, I probably wouldn't have learned to sew (and I'm not talking about just pillows and tote bags here, folks. I made clothes that I actually wore), make pies, decorate cakes (never learned how to do roses, unfortunately), crochet (I should relearn that), or explore my family tree. I also credit 4-H with making me the person that doesn't hesitate to speak infront of crowds (thank you, demonstration and speech contests), which has served me very well in almost every job I've ever had. Yes, 4-H made for some good times.

Thought-provoking

2009-04-05T12:40:00.002-05:00

I just finished reading the book Tears of the Desert: A Memoir of Survival in Darfur by Halima Bashir. I highly recommend. Not only does Halima offer an insider's view on the situation in Darfur (as one would expect), but she also tells the charming tale of growing up in a small African village. Both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Challenging on every page. I found myself asking the typical questions of "What should our response be?" and "Why don't we do more?" as well as "Why can't we live in community like that?" (in response to her vivid descriptions of life in the village as a child). The Omaha Public Library has several copies! If you read it, call me so we can have coffee and discuss :)

Misunderstanding

2009-04-02T17:00:00.003-05:00

Teacher flub-o-the-day:

My third block class is a boisterous bunch. They are all nice kids (praise God!), but there are a few kids who could be a little nicer by being a little quieter. "Bob" is one of them. I have to tell him several times a day to be quiet or talk more quietly or something of the sort.

Today I let the students get into pairs to answer questions about a short story we had just read. I can tell that spring break is soon because the kids (and the teachers!) are getting a bit crazier by the day, so the room wasn't exactly the model of quiet work environment. At one point, Bob announces loudly, "This room is too loud! I can't concentrate."

"Well now you know how the rest of us feel," responds Sally from across the room. (BTW, Sally and Bob are friends, so I knew she didn't mean it maliciously)

"I completely agree with you, Sally!" I chimed in.

"Ooooo...she got you," several students snicker.

Bob looks shocked. "What?!?!"

"Yup, I love it when students reinforce what I'm thinking," I said.

Several more "Ooo's" and laughs.

"You think I'm ugly?" Bob asks.

"What?"

"Well Betty just said I had an ugly face and you agreed!"

I broke into laughter, probably turned several shades of red, and had to gather myself before explaining: "That's not what I responded to. Didn't you hear what Sally said?"

Bob, and several other students, thought I was reponding to Betty's ugly comment (Side note: Betty and Bob are also good friends, so she wasn't being mean, really, either...just don't want you to think I advocate bullying in my classroom), when I, and a few other students, knew I was responding to Sally's distration comment.

Of course, as most stories are, writing this story out doesn't do it justice. Let's just say I felt pretty foolish and everyone in Room 122 had a good laugh today. Always good to end the class laughing, right?

Well done, good and faithful servant.

2009-03-23T16:53:00.002-05:00

I just found out that Mr. Martin (see previous post) passed away this afternoon. Moments like these remind me of how fragile and fleeting life can be and cause me to pause and take a look at my own life. How would I react if I were Melinda (Tom's wife)? If I were a parent of one of Tom's elementary school students, how would I answer their questions? Of course, there are no easy answers, no "right" things to say. Praise God that He's the God of this situation. Praise God that He knows exactly how to comfort Melinda's heart. Praise God that I don't have to have all the answers. I just need to trust that He is good...all the time.

Mr. Martin

2009-03-21T07:27:00.002-05:00

Mr. Martin was my high school track coach and assistant in the high school library. His wife, Melinda, was my freshmen and JV basketball coach and 8th grade math and geometry teacher. (She also taught me how to hurdle in 7th grade. If you're wondering why you never hear me talking about being a hurdler, it's because I wasn't a very good one. I just needed something to pass the time until I figured out what an amazing race the 400 m dash was). Together they started the Fellowship of Christian Athletes group at the high school when I was a sophmore. The group was just gaining momentum when I graduated, and I hear it's grown into something quite amazing in the last 10 or so years.

I just found out this past week that Mr. Martin has been sick. "Some sort of cancer," my mom told me on the phone last weekend. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I found a Facebook group "Friends of Tom Martin," which led me to a Caring Bridge website (set up by hospitals so people can easily give family and friends updates on a patient's condition) where I learned some heart-breaking news: Mr. Martin's gall bladder/liver cancer is very bad. They feel they've exhausted most, if not all, treatment options, so they've moved him to a hospice room at the hospital and are fervently praying for a miracle.

My eyes tear up as I type, which may seem foolish considering I might see Mr. Martin every couple of years at the state track meet where we may have a five minute conversation. I didn't go on to compete in college or really stay in touch after high school. But when I think about great high school memories, Mr. and Mrs. Martin played a part.

Mr. Martin is one of those coaches who motivates most often with encouragement and very rarely with a raised voice. His positive attitude made practices seem not quite as terrible as we would've liked to think they were. His favorite quote, "There's no rain in my lane," (in response to our whining about bad weather at a track meet early in the year) became the mantra on our track t-shirts and warm-ups for several years.

As I've read the personal messages left by hundreds of past and current students, their parents, and community members on the Facebook and Caring Bridge pages, I'm in awe of the impact that he and Melinda have made on my little hometown of Pierce. I'm torn between wanting him to get to go home to be with Jesus and selfishly thinking that he still has so many lives to touch yet here on Earth.

Mr. and Mrs. Martin are the kind of teachers and coaches that I'd like to be. Do I remember many of the things that they taught me in the classroom and on the track? Not really. (Sorry, Mrs. and Mrs. Martin, but I don't want to lie.) But I will never forget their positive attitudes, thier work ethic, and the love for the Lord that they conveyed to their students and athletes. I hope that someday I can be that kind of teacher and coach.

Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Martin, for everything.

Well said, Maya.

2009-03-10T18:16:00.002-05:00

Quote of the day (courtesy of my friend Monica's Facebook):
"It is imperative that a woman keep her sense of humor intact and at the ready. She must see, even if only in secret, that she is the funniest, looniest woman in her world, which she should also see as being the most absurd world of all times." Maya Angelou

Required reading...

2009-03-07T18:08:00.002-06:00

I have read four books in the last two and a half weeks. Now, before you think I'm being a lazy slug, let me say that they were all for work. All young adult novels that we are thinking about making part of the freshman curriculum next year.

As I read, I have to ask myself, "How would I teach this book?" One of the big "Hmms..." I've run across thus far is the presence of questionable material in all of them. Nothing terrible or illegal and nothing that goes on for more than a line or is mentioned in more than a passing reference (sometimes just alluded to), but when I'm standing in front of my class, trying to get them to refocus from the line, "But now she won't even let you touch her" from The Miracle Worker (the Helen Keller story) which obviously has nothing sexual about it but still their minds went there, I have to wonder how I'll get them to overlook the very brief mention of masterbation or a prostitute or something like that.

Haven't quite figured out what to do with that besides giving the meanest "teacher look" I can muster and insisting we move on to the actual point of the story. They didn't cover any of this in teacher training...

Overheard at the coffee shop

2009-02-22T00:09:00.004-06:00

Ranae and I have developed a little tradition of playing Scrabble at the coffee shop. Today we were having a hard time focusing on the game because two older women were sitting in the worn maroon wingback chairs behind us, having a very unusual conversation.

I don't make a habit of eavesdropping, and I'm fairly good at tuning out noise around me when I want to but would you be able to resist the urge to listen in if you heard comments like these:

"It's a whole lot easier to make your own alcohol than to grow your own marijuana."
"Nebraska ditch weed is crap."
"On my death bed I just want to smoke a joint--I love the taste and the smell."

Seriously, it was one of the strangest coversations I've ever happend to overhear. Stranger yet, it seemed that the women making the comments is a teacher who is somehow being forced to quit teaching at her school. Hmmm....

And if you're wondering, I won the game: 218 to 216. Whew!

Kitty Cat

2009-02-05T21:54:00.001-06:00

Big news: the Mac's are now cat owners. And this cat just walked across my laptop keyboard as I was typing. Ha!

Dancing

2009-02-05T21:43:00.003-06:00

Slightly embarrassing teaching moment of the week:
My freshmen are required to take a "Career Interest Inventory," and the wise people in charge at Millard West have decided that English class is where this required survey should be done. I have one class with more than the usual percentage of immature, "squirrely" freshmen boys. In this particular class today, we were in the computer lab, taking this survey. Of course, everyone is at a different spot, asking me what button to click, where to write the results, if this is homework tomorrow, etc, etc. So when T. asked me if he could go to the bathroom, I replied, "Yes, very quickly," as I tried to get the student next to him back on task.

When T. erupted in laughter, I thought, "Oh no, what did I just respond to?" Obviously not a request to use the facilities.

Turns out, T. and a couple of guys near him were laughing about the fact that "dancer" appeared on one of their lists of potential careers. Of course, as any good freshman boy would, their minds instantly thought of exotic dancers, stippers, etc. (yes, welcome to my world :) Apparently T. has just asked me, "Could I do a male dance?" (or something like that...in reference to what career he would pick for the career research project we'll start tomorrow), but I, somehow, thought he has asked, "Could I go to the restroom?" So, when I replied, "Yes, quickly," that was, I must admit, very funny.

I once heard a quote that said something to the effect that if you laugh in a day, the day is not a waste. Very rarely, then, do I have a wasted day :)

Addition to the syllabus

2009-01-15T21:20:00.002-06:00

The first two weeks of the semester have raced by. With the block scheduling, that's like almost the first month of school passing by already...wow! This semester seems almost blissful compared to last. I hesitate to write that, for fear of jinxing myself, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that many things are much improved. The first block class continues to be a model class. Maybe they're still half asleep...I'll take what I can get. The tone of second block has changed dramatically, much in part to the transferring out of two students. What a difference two kids can make.

And my third block class? There's the miraculous transformation. The "fab five" (as I not-so-fondly called the group of gentlemen who frazzled my nerves and made me question my decision to teach several times a week) have moved on to frustrate other teachers, and in their place I have a group of 17 students (an unusually small class...thank you, God), who, thus far, have acted wonderfully.

Speaking of the fab five...and the title of this post...one of the "fab five" students transferred to my second block class for some additional work in English. My relationship with this student seemed to pass a breakthrough point at the end of last semester, but I was curious as to how he'd respond to Mrs. Priest (who I co-teach with during second block).

Sometime during the first week, during class discussion time, someone audibly farted. Students giggled, knowing exactly who it was, and Mrs. Priest and I tried to move everyone past it. No more than 10 minutes later, during silent work time, we heard another fart across the room. My transfer student has a reputation for being a gaseous kind of kid, but I'd never heard it during third block. I just saw the reactions of the kids around him (apparently he's the Silent-But-Deadly type) and heard stories from other classes. Someone who farts this much would be savvy at being able to muffle it, don't you think?

Mrs. Priest, who will not put up with kids purposly being distracting, motioned for the young man to follow her to the library. She intended to have him work there...alone...so as not to distract the class more and to show him that we were on to his little game.

On the way to the library, she said their conversation was as follows:
Student: "What did I do? I didn't do anything!"
Mrs. Priest: "You know what you did. I'm not going to argue with you about this."
Student: "What?!?! It doesn't say you can't fart in the syllabus."

Christmas, Part I

2008-12-27T14:56:00.002-06:00

Christmas break is half over....(pause for groans from those of you not employed in the education realm)...and highlights thus far are as follows:

Chasing cattle on Christmas Eve. On the Koehler farm, there's less need to worry about the extra calories from the holiday goodies (and my mom is the queen of holiday goodies) because walking (and sometimes running) through 5-8 inches of snow completed decked in cold-weather gear for about an hour burns a fair amount of calories. Squishing into the tractor cab with Scott and two brothers, inhaling the cold winter air, feeling the wind chapping my cheeks, watching steam rise from the cow pies I'm sidestepping as I walk behind the herd...ah, yes, the sights and sounds of Christmas. An added bonus: Scott thinks I look pretty cute in my green coveralls and yellow fleece stocking hat :)
Playing Scrabble. My mom and I play two to three games of Scrabble a year: Thanksgiving and Christmas. The first couple of years when Scott came home, I could beat him easily. Now, because of that stupid game on his cell phone, he soundly beats my mom and I every time. My brother, Todd, came close one game, but, alas, he is the house Scrabble champ. Drat!
Playing cards. The Koehler's are a card-playing family, so the holidays often find us gathered around the kitchen table for a game of cards (usually Hearts for those card playing afficianados out there...if only I could figure out how to take all the points instead of coming within two or three. Maybe next year). Here, again, I often find myself on the losing end. Good thing I'm such a good sport :)
Winning Christmas carol-themed games. Thankfully I don't lose every game I play. At the Christmas party for our church's small group, I (and Ranae) rocked the "Name that Christmas Carol" and "Christmas Carol Pictionary" games. I knew listening to the 24/7 Christmas carol station would pay off some day!
Reading for fun. I highly recommend A Thousand Spendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (author of The Kite Runner). The story will draw you in and make you thankful for living in the good ol' USA.

I hope your Christmas has been a very merry one as well!

From the mouths of babes...

2008-12-27T10:53:00.002-06:00

Entertaining pieces of conversation from those under age 6 overheard (or heard about) at Christmas:

"Amanda, smell my lips." Erin (age 4.5) loves her new lip gloss.
"Look, Santa put a sparkly bow on my present!" Also said by Erin (according to my sister) while she was excited jumping up and down on Christmas morning. It's all about the sparkly bows...who cares what's in the gift, right? :)
"I don't want Jane and Scott to have kids." (Amber, age 5) "Why not?" replies my puzzled sister because the conversation had been about when we would get to Pierce, not about us having kids. "Because I want to sit on Jane's lap. I don't want to share." Really, does anything melt an aunt's heart more than hearing that story?

Kids make Christmas even better, don't you think? :)

Snow Day!

2008-12-19T06:01:00.003-06:00

How fitting that the last day of my challenging, tiring first semester of teaching is a snow day! There are definately perks to being a teacher.

When I worked at the American Red Cross recruiting blood donors, snow storms were anything but fun. They meant that blood donors wouldn't come in and goals wouldn't be met. Snow caused nothing but stress at the Red Cross.

I'm thankful for a job that allows me to be a kid again when it comes to snow. A job that causes me to rush to the TV or computer, waiting anxiously for the M's (for Millard) to scroll by, and then break into the "no school happy dance" when I get the good news. Shoveling the driveway doesn't even seem that bad on a snow day. Thank God for snow days!

Firsts...

2008-12-09T17:13:00.002-06:00

In my attempt to make the randomness I call my life fit into a loose theme, I bring you a list of "firsts" that I've experienced recently.

First time I've taught Romeo and Juliet to freshman...or to anyone, for that matter. Observations from this experience: Shakespeare was a rather "dirty minded" man, and at least one student will pick up on almost every sexual reference made in the text that I try to skim over. "Sex sells" apparently is not a new concept. Freshmen have hilarious opinions about what they would look for in a potential date. Among those "must have" qualities: she needs to have nice "assets" (his attempt at being school appropriate and making a pun with the name of a school club "The 40 Developmental Assets"...I'd be lying if I said I didn't chuckle a little), he needs to not be smelly and dirty, and my personal favorite "she needs to not cry too much."
First time I've taught students how to write a research paper. If only it could be a "first and only" situation. Lesson learned: explain things in 200% more detail and repeat directions 10 more times than I think necessary.
First time God has answered a prayer by suspending a student. Please don't think I'm a terrible person. I did not ask God to suspend this particular student, but he did have me at the end of my rope every single day, so I had definately prayed for help. I don't think it's a coincidence that the day after I almost cried during my planning period, this particular student was suspended for 12 days (rest assured, nothing related to my class).
First time Scott has helped a woman color her hair (at least I hope so!). I decided to go more natural for the winter but was afraid I was missing spots with my at-home hair color kit. Scott came to the rescue, squirting dye on the spots I was missing.
First time I've played Axies and Allies. This is one of those "conquer the world" games, which, you know, is totally me (please sense the sarcasm there :) Its takes 30 minutes just to set up the board. Most games I like are finished within that timeframe! Actually, though, I had a fun time, am willing to play again, and made my husband incredibly happy in the process. You should have seen his face when I answered his question to play with a "Yes." Priceless.

I'm sure I'm missing something, but I, like my students, am starting to "check out" in anticipation of the holiday break (only eight more school days!) Gotta go use my brain cells to figure out what to teach now...

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

2008-11-22T17:37:00.002-06:00

Pardon me for a moment while I brag about my husband. The last day of fall quarter classes for Scott was on Tuesday, so he's getting a well deserved break. No more staying up until midnight, 1, 2 or sometimes even 3 am getting projects done (he's a night owl, that's for sure, which is hilarious considering that I have a hard time staying awake past 10 pm).

Scott knows that school has me feeling wiped out some days, so this week he did the following:

raked the entire yard and bagged 15 bags of leaves without any assistance from me. This was probably the biggest blessing to me because his allergies make that a not-fun task, and the high temperature was only about 35 degrees (with a wind) the day he bagged the leaves.
cleaned the gutters (and got to know the neighbors better as a result)
washed all the laundry
washed all the dishes...several times
cooked dinner several times
returned his own early Christmas present
came to bed with me at 9:30 almost every night, resisting the urge to stay up late watching movies (which he loves to do on days off)
fixed the leaky humidifier
taped a crack in the furnace duct
ordered several safety devices for the house

And I'm sure I could add to the list but I've babbled long enough. Just wanted to brag!

Teacher-Eating Students

2008-11-18T19:06:00.003-06:00

You've heard of man-eating sharks, right? Well, the human equivolent of them, I think, are several students in one of my classes. Every day I tell myself I'm going to get the courage up to kick them out/send them to the office for a myriad of reasons, yet every day I feel like I've been chewed up and spit out by the end of the class. God-willing, tomorrow will be different.

On a slightly humerous note...last week I had to send an email to two parents (neither of which I heard back from...hmmm....) saying that I had to talk to their student for "excessively loud slurping noises." Really, who else uses that in the course of formal communication throughout their work day? I don't care how juicy that Starburst is, there is a quieter way to go about eating it.

Well said, Saint Theresa.

2008-11-12T21:50:00.005-06:00

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones,
and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.
~Saint Theresa's Prayer

I just read this prayer on the Facebook profile of a fellow new teacher that was in the same teacher certification program as I at Creighton. On the eve of my 31st birthday, I found myself encouraged by it. I am exactly where I am suppose to be, even if it isn't quite the place I imagined I'd be at the start of my 31st year...in other words, I wasn't exactly expecting to be barely keeping my head above water at my job, feeling like I'm 22 and starting my first job all over again, wondering what the heck I'm doing.

I do have gifts that are worth passing along, and no matter what happens, I can love those around me. This "gift-passing" must not be limited to my classroom because there is such a big wonderful world outside of MWHS that, recently, I am guilty of forgetting about.

I must find my contentment, and more importantly, my worth, in the the knowledge that I am a daughter of the Most High. Even if I teach a disorganized lesson, even if I can't think of anything to make for dinner, even if my bathroom needs to be cleaned, my lawn needs to be raked, and a basket of dirty clothes taunts me from the laundry room, God still call me His beloved.

I must shut off my mind enough to be able to settle into His presence and really experience these truths. Life is worth singing and dancing over, and I don't want to miss out on even one wonderful moment!

Thank you, Facebook, for this bedtime revelation.

angst

2008-11-03T17:46:00.002-06:00

Angst-causing items at the Mac house:

Chinese beetles. Orange, wanna-be ladybugs. One just flew into my hair as I sat down in front of the computer. Yuk!
Graphic designers block (similar to writers block). Scott started on a poster for "Jazz on the Green" yesterday afternoon. Whenever I pop into the office, the design has changed. I think he's on layout number 4 right now. Ah, my perfectionist husband...
Writing tests. A very undesirable requirement of teaching. I know, I know, I need to be able to prove my students have learned something, but I feel like I'm either asking small-detail questions that don't really matter in the grand scheme of life or asking questions that they won't understand and will leave me with a pile of essays to grade. Which is the lesser of two evils?

Not to end on a downer, though, let me share a few joy-inducing moments:

79 degrees in November
Giving a student a compliment on his improved class behavior and having him shyly say, "Thanks" and seeing the gleam in his eye that says he's excited I've noticed.
Sending that same student's parent an email. Her reply was that I may have brought a tear to her eye.
Knowing what I'm going to make for dinner.
Being surrounded by a clean house.

What are your joy-inducing and angst-inducing lists?

new addition to the house

2008-10-28T17:23:00.003-05:00

No, I am not pregnant...but come on, some of you thought it, I know you did :)

Scott has moved on from capturing and observing wolf spiders. Currently we have a praying mantis in a plastic container on the coffee table (really, who needs a nice vase, knicknack, or decorative bowl when you can have a bug in tupperware). Exciting news of the day: she laid eggs in the container! I will admit, it looks pretty cool. Theoretically, if we kept the eggs until spring (where? the freezer, since they would have been outside all winter? have to google that one), we'd have our own little praying mantis...or mantises...how many babies do they have? What the correct plurual? I feel like I should know that...

We've got the Discovery channel right in our very own living room. I am the luckiest girl in the world! :) (Seriously, though, I do find it rather enduring and pretty cute. Scott is going to be a great dad...some day, many months from now :)

God Creatively Answers Prayers

2008-10-12T18:15:00.002-05:00

Last Thursday was a rough day at school for several small reasons that simply piled up to the point that by evening, I was mentally exhausted and "stuck" in planning a solid 90 minute lesson for third block. When I arrived at school Thursday morning, I had enough activities to get through the period, but one of the planned activites wasn't very strong. To be honest, it was a slightly relevant way to take up about 30 minutes of the block.

Both Scott and I had prayed about my upcoming day on Friday, but, to be honest, I wasn't planning on God really taking much interest in the fact that third block was going to be a struggle. That was before the fire drills.

Emergency drills (fire, code red, code yellow, tornado, etc) at Millard West are typically scheduled for 10 am (about 15 minutes into second block). If the alarms ring at any other time, we know it's not a planned drill. During the passing period between second and third block, the fire alarms rang. We spent about 15 minutes outside, enjoying the unusally warm day, while they figured things out. Then back inside, collect homework, and go to lunch. Whew! First 20 minutes of class down. Then, about five minutes before lunch is over, another fire alarm rings! Again, stand outside for 15 or 20 minutes, soaking in the sun.

In total, between actually being outside and getting the students back inside, focused and such, I think about 35 minutes of class time was wasted on false fire alarms on Friday, just enough time that I had to cut-out the 30 minute activity that I was feeling great about anyway. With the end of the semester only three days away, most teacher were probably very upset by the disruptions. They have lots of things to cram into the last few days. For this teacher, though, who had prayed that God would somehow help her to get through third block, it was an answer to prayer. How creative is our God!

Spider Update

2008-10-06T17:05:00.003-05:00

Scott is down to one pet spider (see previous post "Cheap Entertainment" if you're wondering what I'm talking about) because Leo reduced the other spider to a pile of legs. Who's Leo, you ask? He's the larger spider that won. Yup, he now has a name. The PETA people would probably be perturbed with my pretty silly marital partner (as an English teacher, I just couldn't resist the opportunity for a good alliteration :).

Cheap Entertainment

2008-10-05T22:08:00.002-05:00

Who needs all the channels on Direct TV or the latest and greatest gaming system when you've got spiders! At the family reunion last weekend, all the kids and Scott were thoroughly entertained by the large spider that Trevor brought in his "bug barn."

Since then, Scott's been on the prowl for some spiders of his own. He caught a small one, but I made his day when I trapped a wolf spider in our basement a couple of days ago. (According to Scott, they're migrating inside now in search of a warmer place to spend the cool nights...great, just what I wanted to hear.) The small spider was soon reduced to a pile of legs in the large spider's container. "They're cannibals," Scott tells me. Apparently...

Tonight I again score points for the "wife of the year" contest by finding another wolf spider in the basement. I don't like the trend I'm seeing, but it does fascinate my husband. He put them both in the same small plastic container, and they fought for a while (much to his delight). Now, though, he's a bit disappointed because they've apparently called a truce and are just sitting there (probably making plans to escape next time Scott opens the lid to put in food of some sort).

So next time you have that shoe raised to squash the spider cowering beneath you, ask yourself, "Do I have plans for the evening?" You could just capture yourself some cheap entertainment.

Multicultural

2008-10-04T16:17:00.002-05:00

I feel like I've had a very multicultural day. This morning I hung out with the environmentally friendly, whole foodish, sometimes slightly hippie crowd at the downtown farmer's market. Bought parsnips for the first time to try in a new soup recipie. Wouldn't have known what they were if it weren't for the signs on the produce. They look like albino carrots for those blog readers who are like me and have never experienced parsnips.

Then I made my inagual visit to Urban Outfitters because they were having sidewalk sales. I felt way too "granola" and untrendy to frequent that store very often, but they did have some cool stuff. I came out with a book entitled The Little Prince (good memories from Peru) and a orange pub glass that says "douchebag." Don't think less of me, please. It's a gag-gift for a friend. :)

Next door to Urban Outfitters is American Apparel. The 1980's and early 90's are alive and well in this store. My favorite: hypercolor t-shirts! Of course, they were a different name, but the same wonderful shirt that turns white from warmth. Scott and I wanted one, but couldn't quite make ourselves dish out $34 a piece. But the memories were good.

After lunch, we ran up to Walmart, which, as we all know, is it's own little slice of the world. Enough said on that. Scott was looking for a saudering iron (to put in my new car radio, which has an iPod jack...yea!) but Walmart was out, so we ventured across the street to Tractor Supply Company (TSC).

The parking lot at TSC is 80 percent pickups and SUV's. The guy who held the door for us as we entered was wearing worn jeans and roper shoes. Twangy country played throughout the store. I was one of the few (if there were any more) females in the store. Took me back to growing up on the farm. We always had to stop at TSC for baling twine.

No luck at TSC for the saudering iron, so down the street we went to Hobby Town USA. I'm fairly sure I was the only woman in the store above the age of 10. Did you know they have a big remote control race track and work area attached? We stood at the viewing windows and watched men of all ages work on and race their cars. Excellent people watching.

The final stop of the day was the new pedestrain bridge north of downtown. The best people (and animal) watching of the day yet. A photographer from the World Herald took a picture of us looking out on the water. Who knows, maybe we'll be in the paper this week!

Yes, I feel like I've seen a little of everything today, all within a 15 minute drive of my house. Nice way to spend a beautiful fall afternoon.

Close, but not quite

2008-09-26T16:47:00.002-05:00

Friday afternoon is a good time for laughter, right? Freshmen are always a good source for that. Case in point...the following story.

We are reading a book about the Holocaust entitled I Have Lived a Thousand Years. The people in the book have recently arrived at Auschwitz (probably just misspelled that...sorry) and are adjusting to life there. The class conversation was about specific examples from the book that can relate to the theme of the strength/resilience of the human spirit. One young woman brought up the part when the author sees a girl in line in front of her menstrating with nothing to stop it. Gross, yes. That led to a converation about other embarrassing situations that the women had to endure. One such situation was when the women had all their hair shaved off (and I do mean ALL, which is an important detail to this story) and then had to undress and go into the showers.

Young male student: "Yea, I didn't understand why they said they shaved their hair and public areas. Why didn't they say "private" areas?"
Young female student(who sits across the room from the young gentleman, so she has to speak up to have him hear her): "It didn't say "public," it said "pubic".
Young man: "Oh...."
Me (while laughing): "And that, everyone, is a perfect example of what a difference one letter can make"

Great laughter erupted all around. I joined in. Really, how can you not laugh at that? Luckily it was right before lunch, so I didn't have to get them calmed down because I'm sure that would've taken a few minutes.

Just thought you might get a kick out of the glimpse into Mrs. McIntyre's room at 11:55 am today.

Mac Attack

2008-09-22T20:31:00.002-05:00

Don't be fooled by the title of this post. I will not be talking about unusual cravings for greasy food from the golden arches. Instead, today's "glimpse into the underworld" (aka. the English 9 classroom) pertains to nicknames.

Students have a difficult time remembering my last name. It's not just my freshman at MW. My seniors at Bryan and my Boys Town summer school students had the same problem. They just can't seem to remember "Mrs. McIntyre." But nicknames they will remember.

For the first few weeks of school, "Mrs. Mac" was the nickname of choice, but after I pointed out that the teacher next door (Ms. McKenzie) is also often known as "Ms. Mac," it seemed that a new nickname would be in order. Leave it to J., the happy-go-lucky kid who occasionally makes me want to pull my hair out, to come up with the nickname that has seem to have stuck (at least in that class): Mrs. Mac Attack.

Why? I have no idea. But I'm embracing it because it makes the students laugh to hear and say it...and I could certainly be called worse.

Guppies, Part 2

2008-09-16T22:05:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was a first for me. I kept C. after class for talking too much. He didn't seem to be responding to my numerous requests to "turn around...stop talking...pay attention...", so I thought, perhaps, a little visit after class with me might do the trick. At the suggestion of another teacher, I also emailed his mom to tell her that I talked with C. after class about his disruption problem. (Side note: email could be both the best and worst thing ever for confrontation avoid teachers like myself).

When I open my email today, there is a message from C.'s mom. She seemed nice overall. Not really taking my side. Not really taking C.'s side. A bit Switzerland-ish, really. The interesting thing was this: C. seems to have convinced her that his talking problem has to do with his tablemate (who is a talker, I must admit, but they don't really talk to each other that much. In fact, she saves his booty quite often when he hasn't been paying attention) and his left-handedness. Yes, you read correctly. His lefthandedness.

According to mom, C.'s body positioning is affected by his left-handedness, which causes him to be turned towards other people more. At lesat that's what I think she was getting at. The email was rather short, so maybe I'm misunderstanding something.

I almost want to write her back and to say, "Thank you for the response. I will be awarding C. 5 extra credit points on his book report project for creating such a creative response to your inquiry about his talking and for presenting it in what, apparently, was a very convincing matter." Seriously, did she really fall for that?

Guppies

2008-09-10T20:53:00.002-05:00

Teaching freshmen is fun for a variety of reasons. (Wow, can you tell we've been working hard core on writing thesis statements and topic sentences in my classes this week...that is such a formulaic sentence...ha!) Anyway, I digress. Freshmen are fun because they don't take life too seriously. They're fun because they still have a bit of innocence about them. Life has not jaded them too much yet (at least not most of them).

They are also fun because they are a bit gullible. Today one of my students said a curse word until his breath. It wasn't directed at me, but, rather, at a mistake he had made on his paper. This student sits in the front row, about 5 feet from the table where I sit. Let me assure you, his seating placement was not an accident...he's just that kid :) So when I heard him whisper that word under his breath, I whisper back, in that voice where I'm technically whispering but actually talking loud enough to be heard on purpose, "C. what did you say?"

"Umm, oh....poop," he hesitatly replies.

"That's what I thought," I answered.

"How did you hear that?" questions the girl who sits next to C.

"Well," I explain with a very straight face,"in teacher college we have one class where we stand in the front of the room and other students sit in the back and whisper things and we try to hear what they are saying."

"Really?"

Unfortunately, as most of you know, I'm not a good liar, so I could only let her be in awe for a couple of seconds before I admited, "No, but I think it's awesome that you believed me."

I turn back to the papers I was grading with a smile on my face. Thank you, gullible freshmen, for giving me a little dose of laughter to carry me through to the end of third block.

Sunshine

2008-09-08T18:26:00.003-05:00

Maybe it was the sunshine today. Or maybe it was conversations with coworkers who really care. Or maybe it was a big hug from my rock of a husband. Or maybe it was just a great night's sleep after a good cry, but today is definately looking up. Just wanted you to know :)

Second Thoughts

2008-09-07T18:53:00.002-05:00

I do not like days filled with second thoughts. I do not like wondering if I've made the right decision. I do not like feeling like I may just give up before I get this whole thing figured out. I do not like feeling like there is no one to ask for help. I do not like feeling stupid and inadequate. No, I do not like days of second thoughts.

Squeaky Shoes

2008-08-27T20:45:00.002-05:00

Today the halls were abuzz with student's squeaky tennis shoes. It was my first experience with the phenomenon that results from a fast but furious rain shower passing over school right about the time 90 percent of the student body is arriving.

The typical high school student seems to struggles with having all their school supplies with them at any given moment, so having an umbrella on hand would be nothing short of a miracle for most. So, instead, the day started with hallways and classrooms full of damp, squeaky students. As a fellow teacher pointed out, though, it could be worse: instead of wet students, we could spend 90 minutes in a room full of wet dogs. Definately a more positive way to look at the situation :)

Scott Update

2008-08-27T20:36:00.002-05:00

Since this blog is entitled "Team McIntyre," I thought, perhaps, I could let you all know how my fabulous husband is doing these days. One word: great! Scott finished the summer quarter at Metro just over a week ago and.....drum roll please......he earned an "A" in Algebra class! Praise the Lord! All that studying was worth it! That officially ends his love/hate relationship with math classes (at least for this degree), so now he's on to more fun, creative things.

This week is Scott's last week at FastTrak Freight Services. He's been driving a delivery truck for them since January, but has signed up for five classes this fall at Metro, so he's going to focus on school fulltime, which he's never been able to do. Uncle Sam is being very generous with his MGI bill, so between that and the tuition reimbursement he'll receive from the Nebraska Air National Guard (that he just joined this week), we'll be a-ok at the McIntyre household. God is so good in how He provides for us.

Part of the National Guard committment will invovled Scott going to Texas for about 2 1/2 months, at some point, for additional training. We're hoping that can be in late spring or late summer so I can spend part of the time in Texas with him over my summer vacation. I've learned in last few years, though, to hold all plans loosely, so we shall see how that all transpires.

Another requirement of the National Guard is passing the physical fitness test. My husband is a fit guy, but running is not on his list of "desirable exercises," so if you see us running in the neighborhood, give us a friendly good luck honk...Scott will get a kick out of that. We'll also be having mini ab and push-up workouts. Hopefully I'll be more buff at the end of all this, too!

So there you have it, the latest on Scott. Join us again next time...

Who are you and what have you done with my husband?

2008-08-22T17:45:00.002-05:00

I came home from school today (I successfully survived the first full week...big sigh of relief) to find Scott sitting on the floor of the office, sorting through files, listening to country music! New songs that he had just downloaded, no less. Apparently having the clock radio tuned to KKAT 103 (my local country station of choice) when the alarm going off is starting to have the affect I was hoping (cue sinister laugh: wah-ha-ha!) Just goes to show that lovin' someone will change you in big and little ways.

The Freshman 15

2008-08-14T16:28:00.002-05:00

I managed to avoid gaining the dreaded "Freshman 15" at Hastings College, but I fear that I may now gain the "Freshman Teacher 15" at Millard West. I am slightly embarrassed to admit that yesterday I ate a chocolate frosted donut, 3 1/2 pieces of pizza (lunch and dinner combined), an M&M cookie, ice cream bar, a glass of wine, and an assortment of cheese. The only redeeming food was the bowl of cereal at breakfast. Yikes! Hopefully I can dig deep and find more self-control the next day I'm confronted with so many goodies. Wish me luck!

Adventures in Camping and Tubing

2008-08-12T18:03:00.003-05:00

Scott and I and 13 friends camped and tubed the Niobrara River this past weekend. We stayed at the now-familiar Rocky Ford near Valentine. If I'm remembering correctly (which is questionable given the mushy state of my "teaching on the brain" mind these days), I've stayed at Rocky Ford six times now...every trip except my first when we stayed at the Last Chance Campground/Landing (yes, that really is the name and yes, the name definately fits the camp...hand pump for water, old-school outhouse for a bathroom, need I say more?)

Even after seven trips, I manage to learn something new everytime:

When a man in a large red Husker cowboy hat (and I do mean large!) asks if you want to see his bikini bottoms (that he was wearing under his Daisy Duke-ish shorts...so many things wrong with this guy), turn the other way and pray that you start floating faster.
Always have a water gun to retaliate against the guys sitting in lawn chairs in the water, getting everyone in your party wet.
Related to guys on lawn chairs in the river...always bring a chair for your cooler. Then you won't have to walk all the way over to the bank every time you want a drink. Really, who wants to go to all that effort?
Designate one person to keep the island of tubes on track. I know the perfect man for the job. His name is Luke.
Bring an air mattress. I can't believe I'm typing that because I have been a camping purist in the past. I was that person that would say to myself, "Sissy!" upon seeing someone blow up an air mattress in their tent. This trip, though, I realized that I am too old to sleep on the ground. I had a Thermarest sleeping pad and Scott has a foam one, but I think we've decided that unless we're backpacking and really concerned about weight, an air mattress is the way to go.
Marshmallows and Hershey bars should not be left in the car during the day. We all already knew this, so I guess it's not so much a "lesson to learn" as a "important item to remember." We iced the melted and squishy smores supplies and were able to enjoy smores later. Tragedy averted.
Remember to apply sunscreen to the shin area of the leg. It's the only red spot on my body after 7.5 hours on the river.
Speaking of 7.5 hours on the river...do not believe the outfitters when they say that the route will only take about 6 hours, even though it's listed at 7 to 8 hours on the website. The last 2 hours were long ones.

The big day has arrived!

2008-08-12T18:00:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow, for better or for worse, I will finally meet my students! I've spent the last week and a half in a seemingly endless number of meetings, both for new teachers and then all staff. These meetings are necessary, I realize (at least to some extent), but I am meeting-ed out and just want to meet my kids.

Am I ready for the first day? Maybe, maybe not. Time will tell. Let the shaping of young minds begin!

Random Acts of Funny

2008-07-31T15:43:00.003-05:00

Two randomly humerous moments of the week:

Monday night we had a few friends over to watch "Nashville Stars" (Billy Ray Cyrus should not be allowed to host a T.V. show.) We decided to avoid heating up the house by making hobo packets on the grill. (you know, the tin foil with meat and veggies inside. Dinner camping style) I started the grill to preheat, which does not involve opening the cover (at which point I would've seen that there was "gunk" on the grill from last time). About five minutes later when I came out to put the packet on, a fire was raging in the grill! Ok, raging may be a bit strong, but it was flaming pretty good, definately not on its way to burning itself out or anytime soon. I called Scott. We tried several things to get the fire out. To be honest, I'm not sure what eventually worked for him. Long story short, a mere 1.25 hours later, we were finally eating the packets (cooked in the oven, with the cornbread...it took forever!) with a shiny clean grill drying on the deck. Lesson learned: clean the grill after each use and check before preheating.
I heard Scott pouring a bowl of cereal in the kitchen a few nights ago. (Dinner had been a "fend for yourself" affair that evening...I cannot wait until Scott's school schedule is a bit more normal next quarter). I walked in to get a glass of water just in time to catch him adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream to his bowl of Honey Nut Chex. Yes, I have created an ice cream addict. :)

Bookworm

2008-07-21T15:40:00.004-05:00

I read three more books this past week. Now, before you hate me too much for having that much free time and being that fast of a reader, let me tell you that two of them are young adult novels.

Anyway...first was Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez. In a nutshell, the book is Deborah's true story about starting, and continuing to operate, a beauty school in Kabul to train women (post-Taliban) to cut and color hair, give manicures and pedicures, and wax, among other things. The school gave Afghan women training needed to run their own salon, which could be a very lucrative job for women in a society where working outside the home and earning a decent wage can be quite the challenge. The book also offered insights into the lives of Afghan women. I am humbled by their strength and courage and incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be a women in Ameirca. The story was eye-opening and inspiring. I highly recommend.

Next was The Giver by Lois Lowry. This story takes us inside a community where everything has been made to be as close to perfect as possible. "Sameness" is the goal. On the surface, it seems like a good idea, but when 12-year-old Jonas receives his adult work assignment (given out to all new 12-year-olds), we start to see a different picture unfold. Jonas has been given the honor of being the new "memory receiver," the person whose job it is to "know" the memories from before near-perfection had been achieved. I'm really not doing the plot justice. The story will entertain you and cause you to think about the "big questions" in life. Again, this is a winner. An easy read that I highly recommend.

Finally I read I Have Lived a Thousand Years by Livia Bitton-Jackson. I'll be teaching this book to freshman at Millard West at some point next year. It's Livia's survival story during the Holocaust. I cannot stop thinking about how strong that 13 year-old-girl was. I wouldn't recommend it for pleasure reading, but if, by chance, you need to read something on this subject, it's well-written and easy to read.

I'd like to say that Scott has been reading "fun" books as well, but then I'd be lying. These days he reads textbooks: algebra, typography, layout, and design. He's also been reading info about rock-n-roll for a mock newsletter that he's designing for a class. The Doors have been the music group of choice at the Mac house these days for inspirational purposes. He only has one month left of summer quarter, though, at which time we will both breath a big sigh of relief. Perhaps then he will have time to read for pleasure.

Vacumming the ceiling

2008-07-21T15:29:00.002-05:00

Someday when Scott and I design and build our ultra-mod, very efficient, almost "off the grid" house, I hope I remember that I hate textured ceilings. Last night I was wondering why builders would make ceilings textured instead of smooth. Based on the number of times the handyman (aka. David Kangas) had to drywall and sand the small area in our newly remodeled bathroom to make it smooth, I'd guess that textured ceilings are less work. No worrying about getting it perfectly smooth because it's suppose to be rough. Very clever, those construction people.

Why do I hate textured celings, you ask? Take this challenge: go into your kitchen and look up. If you have textured ceilings and you look very closely, you'll probably see that there is dust/lint/spiderwebs/etc. clinging to that texture. (If you do not have dirty stuff hanging out up there, then I commend the thoroughness of your cleaning.) I had noticed last week that I needed to dust up there, but what is the best way to dust a textured ceiling? Scott and I decided vacuuming is the way to go, so I just spent the last 20 minutes vacuuming my kitchen ceiling.

Vacuuming did the trick and now I don't have dirty lint/stuff dangling from my ceiling, but I do have a rather stiff neck. Let this be your reminder to check the cleanliness of your kitchen ceiling. You may be suprsied.

Leaving room for God...

2008-07-15T17:32:00.003-05:00

Scott and I had one of those "things that make you go hmm..." conversations a few minutes ago. Of course, we start such conversations as he's getting ready for school, about the time he should be getting into the car in order to be on time. Such is life, eh?

The Heavenly Man, a book about one of the most influential man of the Chinese underground church movement, started the conversation. Scott was telling me about a small part he read today (he's just starting the book. I read it several years ago. It's an amazing book that will rock your world, "if you let it," as Scott said) that recounted a conversation that the main character had with another man regarding the lack of miricles in the Western church. Why is that? Why do we hear about miracles other places more often than here? The Chinese man's answer (in a nut shell...seriously, read the book) is that we don't really need God. Of course, we all need God. What he means is that we have so many security blankets, insurance, and other things that we don't often come desperately before God with our situations. We have other things we often turn to for life's problems: bank accounts, insurance policies, the latest medical treatments, etc.

If you know my husband, you know that he likes to play "devil's advocate" and I was trying my best to keep up with him today. I think the only realization we made is that we don't really know what we think. So, let me pose the question to you: do we leave room for God? what's the role of all the "security blankets"? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I like feeling smart!

2008-07-15T17:27:00.002-05:00

As previously mentioned, I am a Jeapordy! addict. Teaching could be a dangerous profession for me because if I play my cards right, I could be home at 4:30 most days...hmm...motivation to work hard after school and get things done or leave before I've accomplished everything I should for the day? We shall see...perhaps I tell myself I'll leave school at 4:30, so then I can listen to Jeapordy on the radio while I'm driving because then I get to enjoy it without "wasting" time sitting in front of my TV...a thought...

Anyway, the Final Jeapordy question today was this:
Question: What city hosted the Olympics 200 years after the death of the British government person it was named after died? (Jane rephrasing there...obviously the writers at Jeapordy made that sound much better)
Answer: Sydney

Guess who knew the answer? Me! I love feeling smart!

Banker to the World

2008-07-09T17:59:00.003-05:00

I'm currently listening (gotta love audiobooks!) to Banker to the World. It is the story of Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. Not a household name, I realize, but once you start to read (or listen) to his story, you'll think he should be up there with Mother Teresa. He started a program in Bangladesh (that is now spreading around the world) that gives micro-loans to the poorest of the poor. His bank has loaned almost $6 million to over 6.5 million people since the late 1970's. Impressive and impactful, considering that almost half of the population of Bangladesh lives in poverty.

I'm far from a business guru or economics expert, yet I find myself eager to listen to the next chapter in the book on my way to school in the morning. It's amazing and inspiring to hear what can be done with such a small amount of money. I plan on researching organizations that offer microloans to find out how the McIntyre's could possible become invovled. If you're looking for something different to read this summer, I highly recommend.

When I'm a mom...

2008-07-04T16:34:00.002-05:00

...which will not be anytime soon, so don't get any ideas...I will not bring in my screaming child to a manicure/pedicure place and then spend the next 20 minutes trying to get her to quiet down while I start my pedicure. Instead, perhaps, I will think to myself, "Yes, I wanted a pedicure today, but this is not relaxing for me, nor the paying customers around me, so I think I'll just go home and try again later, sans child."

Ranae and I treated ourselves to a holiday pedicure. Foot massage, massage chair, pretty pink polish. Almost perfection minus the woman I've described above. I felt so sorry for her little girl. She wasn't just crying and/or wimpering. She was outright screaming. She had a good set of lungs, let me tell you.

I know I'm not a mom and cannot fully appreciate how hard it must be to get away for a little pampering time, but this situation seemed a bit ridiculous. Finally, thankfully, the owner politely suggested that she come back another time to finish. They didn't charge her for what they had done thus far, so I thought that seemed fair.

Tuesdays with Morrie

2008-07-02T21:57:00.002-05:00

I picked up a copy of Tuesdays with Morrie while waiting in line to use the staff bathroom at school today. I think I've been watching too much TV the last few days, and I was tired of reading books that I "have to" read (ie. books that I am or will be teaching in the near future), so I thought I'd give this one a try. I remembered it being very popular when it came out, and now I understand why.

It's one of those books that makes one think about the "big things" in life: what's important, where am I headed and where do I want to head, what things should I change...you know, those questions that have all sorts of easy answers. With a millions thoughts running through my head, it's hard to pick out a few to write down, so I think I'll just put one out there for you all to "stew on": "Love each other or perish" by the poet Auden. Somehow Morrie manages to boil everything in life down to this one mantra...what do you think?

When I don't know what to write...

2008-06-30T15:59:00.002-05:00

I just make a bulleted list of random thoughts, so here goes:

last Friday's storm was crazy! It only lasted about 15 minutes, but I have never seen the wind blow so hard outside my house. We were very blessed to escape damage, just a few large branches and tons of little twigs and such. Much worse around town. Large trees down. Power lines down. Busy intersections without functioning stoplights. Our neighbor had a huge tree down in his back yard, just barely missing his brand new deck.
related to the storm: being without electricity is much easier in town than it was growing up in the country! Scott made fun of the fact that I was thrilled that our water still worked. "Do you see a plug-in on the toilet?" was his comment, I believe. Growing up, our water came from a well, which required electricity, so when our power was out, we didn't have water...showers, working toilets, you get the picture...so it was much more of a pain. We just lit candles Friday night and pretended we were camping with a very comfy bed.
summer school: it's going great, but the students and I are ready to be done with The Jungle. The book gets more depressing by the day. I only have a three day week this week, though, so really, I have nothing bad to say about the job :)
sore muscles...I have them! I haven't lifted weights recently, so I was prepared to be sore after the gym class on Friday. Four days later, though, it still hurts to go up and down the stairs. I think I may have actually pulled or strained something. I've never had sore muscles last this long. Feeling a bit wimpy these days, I must admit.
cleaning: I've decided I wouldn't want to make a living on it. I'm cleaning very part-time (5-10 hours a week) for a man at church who runs his own cleaning business. It's a good little way to make some extra cash, but I wouldn't want to do it full time. I have an increased dislike for soap scum and black shoe scuff marks on linoleum floors. Vaccuuming, however, with the backpack vaccuum is kind of fun.
fun new hair! I splurged last week on some highlights with my regular haircut. No more blah brown hair for this summer-lovin' girl! Changing something about my appearance is always fun when teaching because students have such varied reactions. I have several very trendy girls who said it looked cute, so I must be doing something right, eh?
the Summer Arts Festival: JTho and I purused the vendors Sunday afternoon. After looking at photos and paintings that were way out of my price range, I came home with a hummingbird made out of a pop can (way cooler than it sounds, I promise). The Asian couple running the booth had a wide variety of birds, helicoptors, airplanes, and other random pop can art. It looked like the busiest booth at the festival!
Jeapordy! I'm addicted...enough said.

There you have it, random thoughts for the last day of June.

Hitting too close to home

2008-06-11T21:05:00.003-05:00

Another round of severe weather roaring through the area tonight. The sirens went off, periodically, for about an hour and a half. Sometimes I'd go to the basement, sometimes I'd stay upstairs watching TV.

One of the breaking news stories is about the Little Sioux Scout Camp where a toranado came through just a couple of hours ago. 100 campers were there tonight. 30-40 to injured. 4 dead. My nephew was at that camp. Thank God he's fine. My mom talked to my sister who said that Andrew had a cut or something on his head. They're taking him to a hosptial, I believe, to get checked out, but overall he's fine. Physically, at least. I can't imagine what it would be like to be in the midst of such a dangerous situation.

I was talking with my mom on the phone, and off-handedly mentioned that a scout camp was hit. "Andrew was camping this week!" was her response. As the conversation continued, I became more and more sure that he was at that camp. Mom decided to try to call my sister (Andrew's mom). I decided to take a shower while I waited for her to call back with news. The entire shower I silently prayed that Andrew would be ok. Praise God he is, but that hit way too close to home.